Yea, I Knew I Forgot Something...

And it was this week's blog!!!

Sorry about that.

Well, in this week's class, we read about e-portfolios. For me, that hit very close to home, as I am currently in the process of creating those for the kids that I have in English. Our district complained to our school about the way in which portfolios were done. This is my first year in Language Arts, and I wanted to make sure that I had all the bases covered for the portfolio.

The purpose was this: I wanted to be able to show the various projects that the kids were doing, instead of cramming the portfolio folder with rubrics. I'm currently 70% done---the big work is to take place over break, where I have to upload and attach a lot of the projects to the students' pages. However, this will save me a considerable amount of work down the road, especially in the sense that I won't have to tear up my room looking for lost work or projects. It's right here, and it can be accessed by future schools for reference.

The negative---I can only do 5 sites a week! Argh! Oh well, can't win them all...

CSS (or CCS) or, um, err, wait, I'm not done with HTML yet!!!

So we're now on Week 2 of class, and this week, we learned how to add tables into a webpage. It took a while to get my mind wrapped around this one. Remember how I said that last week's class was a bit meticulous and complicated at first? I guess that I should not say that again. I just curse myself for that...

Anyway, I did gain a bit from class. For example, I've learned a roundabout way to design tables in different forms and methods---that's something that I think I can find ways to use in class. I still have to think about how to put them into a webpage---I'm still wrapped in creating tables for Math and Science purposes---I'm not sure how I would use it within my own page, for example.

Well, we're also learning other ways to make a webpage catchy and powerful. This is again, something that has obvious merit. I'd like to use some of this with my own website-I'll have to see how Google Sites handles the HTML on that...

Well, that's all that I have to say now. I'm sure that as I try to toy around with some of this during the week, I'll have more ideas for you. As always, any advice, I'm more than happy to hear it...

HTML (aka I'm glad they've made it easier to make a website since this...)

So, to be honest, it isn't quite so bad to use HTML to design pages. I'd call it a bit tedious, but that part actually doesn't faze me too much. I've always been fine with that; as a result, I actually picked up a lot of the code tricks rather quickly. I think that as I continue to experiment with it, it will become much more habitual. However, I can't believe that this used to be a way that websites used to be designed. Man, the amount of time it had to take to create a single page...

On a side, there are some pains. Adding color, for example. It's almost like you need to have a cheat sheet just to know what colors are available. Then again, it's probably recommended to have a cheat sheet for all of the HTML items that need to be compiled to compose a simple page. Again, I actually don't mind it too much. It's just SO particular. This is not for the impatient, I'll tell you that. You really have to run through your pages with a fine tooth comb if errors pop up. I was able to troubleshoot so far. Now, with the resume that I have to create, we'll see how well that one goes...

I'll keep you informed as it goes. I guess I'll wish MYSELF good luck this time...

Better late than never...

Sorry for the absence in blogging---wife had the flu, infant has pink eye, and I had 2 weeks of inservices out in Stevens Point. But here's the update on the research...

Kinda slow, actually. We had WKCE testing, so I reduced the amount of research study out of respect of the testing cycle. I also had to walk a fine line, as I didn't want to even come close to anything resembling 'teaching to the test' or cheating. So I did not run my research during that 2 week period.

However, now we're back to normal, and that means that my research is back to normal as well. I'm about at the halfway mark, and we'll be taking another benchmark in December. Then I'll really be able to see how effective this research is going. I'm looking forward to that (I may be the only teacher in the school who has that feeling.)

As for the new course, don't worry---my blog for that will be happening this week. Stay tuned...

Action Research....The Hat Trick (or Part 3)

Well, I'm halfway through the Research course, and so far, so good. In terms of the research, I've compiled about 15 separate scores to use for my study. My ultimate goal is to have 60-100 scores, so I think I'm well on my way to achieving that. Also, I'm getting a strong understanding of what my students know and don't know; it is certainly making teaching a bit easier for me...

As for the writing part, I took care of the first three chapters last week. The revision stage will probably be this week, but I expect that. I won't know for sure, but examinations in December will give me a good idea of how effective this research has been. I'm hoping that it's beneficial for the students; I'd hate to see all this time and effort placed into something that becomes ineffective to the students.

Other than that, not much else going on. I'll be sure to have a bigger update in a few weeks. Catch ya later...

On and on and on (like Infinity...)

Well, Week 5 of statistics was over, and I am one step closer to understanding how to use it and put it into my study. I'd be lying if some of the vocabulary wasn't going over my head, but the frequent practice is helping.

This week's focus was on correlation. After some hands-on work, I actually got to use it with the studies going on in school, and it certainly made sense of things that I didn't quite understand before. I also have a different look on some of the assignments and tests that I give---I can now look at the effectiveness of some of the items that I implement into the class.

Other than that, it's just wrap up time. I completed all of the articles for my study, and I think that the next step is the dreaded one---writing my study. I'm sure I'll be able to relax....in June.

Well, I'd love to talk more, but I have some studying to go do. Catch ya later...

Statistics----No Witty Subtitles This Week

Well, this is an interesting week for class, as I had to break the streak and actually miss a class! Yes, it was Open House season, so I wasn't able to attend. That doesn't mean that I don't have to do the work, though...

I had to review using z-scores and the sort at home, and luckily, I REMEMBERED how to use it. Needless to say, I think that I will be able to use it during my study. Compiling test scores and such for the next 4 months will certainly give me enough incentive and opportunity to use it. I think that I need to plan out, though, when I want to use it.

On a side note, this blog will also be a venting session today, as all of the assignments that I made over the summer are GONE!!! So, I'm back at square one, redesigning everything that I did. Again. And that, my friends, is the fun part of updating a website. (I'm currently waiting for the feedback to my dilemma. This is week 2 of the waiting game.) Oh well...

Overall, though, the study starts this week. Hard to believe. This may be the most positive I'll be during this, ha ha ha...

Well, that's all that I have for this week. I think that I have to dive into standardized testing, which is good. It might help me to figure out trends and data of my own situation, and that can only help to improve the situation in the long run. Well, enough recycled language in this paragraph...

As always, please respond with comments, questions, or concerns.

Statistics-The Sequel

Well, we're at the halfway point of the class, and it's getting much more technical. I think that the lucky part is that a lot of the vocab that we're going over is vocab that I have to teach in 2 weeks (except for standard deviation---I'm not even going to TRY to explain that to a group of 6th graders...)

This week, we started going into graphing and figuring out how to use formulas and stuff. For me, I don't mind it (again, not sucking up to the instructor who has to read this...), as I like statistics. Once I figure out the pattern, I can go with it. Now, I have to go back into it today, so we'll see what I remember, but it's like I tell the students in my class---math is like a puzzle. Once you know how the pieces fit, it's not too bad. I don't think my group mates want to hear that from me, though, he he he...

Well, it should be interesting to see how the standard deviations and z-scores affect my study. I actually understand the purpose of it. I'm not sure that I'll be able to say that a year from now, but for the time being, I get it.

Well, I'm out for now. Would love to talk more, but in keeping with Mathematics and Statistics, I have to go look at my Fantasy Football teams...

Statistics Continued...

This week in class we continued on with statistics, and I felt a little more comfortable with it this week. Of course, we went over topics that I get to teach in 2-3 weeks, so I was a bit comfortable with it. However, we went a little more into detail with using Microsoft Excel to do stats, and that made life a LOT easier for me. I do a lot of statistics for sports, so some of the shortcuts that I learned are going to make the statistics I create much easier to create. I can save a ton of time doing stats like slugging percentage and batting average (NERD ALERT!!!) by copying formulas instead of creating them for each individual kid!

On a side note, I think that I'll get to look at standard deviations in terms of my own research, and I'm able to do it the old-fashioned way as well as the shortcut. Nice, huh? I'm still not entirely sure about the significance of standard deviation, but I think that's just a matter of time. Overall, this week was a little easier than last week. Hopefully, that trend continues....

Well, that's all for this week. Please leave any comments, concerns, or questions, and I'll talk to you later...

Statistics! Yea!

Well, after a month off, we're back in the swing of things, so to speak. And that brings us to today's topic, statistics, otherwise known as "oh man, I forgot some of this stuff..."

Now don't get me wrong---I'm actually interested in statistics. The nerd part of me dissected statistics as a kid through sports. Today, I use it all the time with sports that I play in as well as coach. I think it's why I don't mind teaching it, and part of statistics is what drove me to like Math in the first place.

That being said, oh man, I forgot how technical it can get. I had nice flashbacks from high school and college of just saying "Huh?" to myself during class. No offense to the professor (who I know has to read this), as it was nothing personal. I had simply forgotten some of the skills that I attained many years ago. So now here I sit, trying to remember some of the vocabulary that I've forgotten (not the stuff that I still teach, like mean, median, and mode, but your more obscure terms, like standard deviation...)

So, I'm sure I'm not the only one who felt a LITTLE overwhelmed, but I doubt that will be the last time that happens during this graduate course. I am hoping to see how to intertwine this with the study that I plan to begin in 2 weeks. I'm sure that the next time you read this, I'll hopefully be a little bit as ease.

As always, questions, concerns, or criticisms can be posted below.

Action Research....Part 2

Here we are at the end of July, and I'm wrapping up my plan for my project. I'll be using an online assessment and practice program called ThinkLink to see how similar the gains are between two groups of students. In this case, I'm comparing monolingual and bilingual students. The Math nerd in me will have little issues with calculating data for this, as this project is going to be FILLED with data. Looks like I'll be busy for a few months...

I'm also wrapping up the planning stages, which has brought up a lot of memories from college. Mainly, REVISING!!!! I forgot about making what feels like hundreds of revisions, only to make more. Again, by the end of the month, I'll be able to look back and relax. Check on me next week.

Other than that, I'm just shocked by how quick this time has flown. I could've sworn I had 6 weeks to plan this, and here it is, due next week. Can't wait to knock out all of the writing for the next stage....

Well, that sums up my actions for now. I'd love to talk more, but I'm a bit distracted by my impending project. I'll catch up with all of my loyal follower(s?) later on...

Action Research

Well, after much time spent on end-of-year activities, paperwork, and meetings, I came to the realization that I forgot to blog! So here we go...

In last week's class, we had to start thinking about research. I'm actually not too stressed about this. I think that this was part of the reason why I wanted to get into graduate school in the first place. I don't necessarily mind doing research, especially if I think that it can actually connect to what I'm doing in the class. SO here are my possible ideas for the time being:

1. Study on effectiveness of the ThinkLink Benchmark Assessment program on WKCE scores and regular class performance.
2. Effect on MyAccess software on student performance on Writing proficiencies.
3. Technology Vs. Non-Technology---Differences on research reports.
4. Digital Stories Vs. Traditional Reports--Differences on storytelling, narration.

I'm leaning a bit towards #1, as I think that it has the most connection to my class. I think that there's some interest on a personal level, and I think that there will be a professional interest from peers as well. Right now, I'm in the stages of meeting with my principal to find out what responsibilities that I have to take care of. After that, the fun part begins, which is completing all of the paperwork 2 months before everyone else! Oh well, can't win them all...

So, which one do you think is the one that stands out the best? I'd love to hear...

Oh Snap! I Almost Forgot to Blog This Week...

Sorry for the late response. Between report cards, coaching, and 18,000,000 other things going on right now, I almost forgot to blog. How on Earth could I forget an opportunity to ramble on and on?!?!??!

Anyway, this week's topic-review the course. I have to admit, I was a bit underwhelmed at first. It might have been a culmination of events and activities, but suffice to say, I eventually got into it. I think another reason why I had a hard time getting into this class is also my personal issues towards units in general-I hate planning them! I don't think that's going to work out for me in the long run, however...

So, getting that out of my system, I did gain some good ideas from this course. I don't think it was as razzle-dazzle as some of the other courses, but it wasn't supposed to be. Once I got over that, I think I gained a lot in terms of applying different forms of assessments throughout my units. What might seem like a lot of work now may end up saving me a ton of work down the road. I'll be able to catch some issues before they magnify. I may be able to provide help earlier and more effectively than I currently do.

Also, I was introduced to a few new tools that I don't normally use. In particular, using some of the Intel tools gave me some new options to toy with. Right now, I don't have a set way of using tools such as the Ranker tool in my class only because I haven't spent enough time thinking about it. During the summer, I may take some time to try to determine various ways of getting points across. Developing some lessons while incorporating these tools may be something new for me to try out.

Overall, I think what I gained from this course will help me on a planning level more than anything else. I'll make more of an effort to use these ideas in my plannings, as I've seen the difference it can make. I won't lie; time will continue to be my greatest enemy in relation to this.

Well, as always, I'd love to hear your feedback. Later....

Professional Development

This week's subject is Professional Development. My goal is to decide which ongoing professional development is important for sustaining professional growth. To be honest, I'm not sure where to start. Let me tell you why.

First, in regards to my district, I know that there's a push for more usage of technology within the district. There are many classes offered throughout the year, and I've been able to take a few. From that, I've been able to implement some of the information I picked up in my class. However, the number of teachers who take advantage of these opportunities are minimal. As a result, I don't think that some of the concepts that are out there are getting to everyone in the intended audience.

So where do we start? I think we need to get our staff trained in using technology. Going over the LoTi levels a few weeks back made me take a look at my school and my district, and the evaluation I had to give wasn't good. I still see word processing skills as the number one use of technology, with free time and game exploration as the second. I've introduced my classes to using Moodle for one of my courses, and designing stories using Power Point and Photo Story to address different audiences. The fear is, though, that they'll lose these abilities if others don't add on to what I've begun with them. That's where I think we just need to set a few specific items that HAVE to be integrated into the curriculum, give training to all involved, and then monitor the progress throughout the year. In terms of training, I think that it needs to be a few sessions spaced throughout the year, and that each session should build upon the previous session.

What items would I focus on? I know that there are a LOT of programs we're investing time and money into. Starting with training on Inspiration/Kidspiration, Moodle, MyAccess, and eSis gradebook is a start. The courses are offered, but I almost think that we need to make some of these sessions mandatory in order to get people to take it seriously. I've already seen similar mandates in Reading, Math, and Writing. Why not do the same in this field?

I think the other part that I'm hesitant to address is the fact that I don't know what my district is going to decide to invest their attention to over the summer. I may come back in August, and there's already a new concept out there to push for use in the classes, and for all intensive purposes, it might not even exist yet. I think in this regard, I have to be open to new ideas, as training for something in the fall might occur for something that doesn't even exist right now.

Overall, I think that there needs to be more training in technology, and that we have to be more accountable as teachers for getting involved in training. Until that happens, I feel like we're just chasing everyone else, and that's not really benefiting anyone...

As always, any questions, concerns, or comments, please feel free to share.

Differentiation

This week's topic, after a delayed (coughcoughihadaweekoffandslackedcoughcough) time, is differentiation. For me it's got a few points that are worth talking about. So, away we go...

For me, differentiation can mean a few things. The first way that I've always taken it is that I have to realize that there are different ways to learn. I try to present different ways for students to learn the material that I have to present due to the reality that not all students learn the same. We talked about that at length in class--it's about recognizing which students are visual learners, which ones are audio learners, etc. I try to venture away from the lecture circuit with the kids if possible. I'll try to showcase what they're going to do, and then immerse them in it right away, and try to monitor their progress through conversation.

In terms of connecting this to my lessons, I have to go back and look at the beginning of my unit. How am I presenting my unit, and how can I adapt it to meet the needs of the different styles of learners? I don't think that I need to reinvent the wheel. I think I just need to tweak the existing unit that I have.

However, there is another way to look at differentiation, and that's meeting the needs of the motivational levels of the student. In other words, how do I challenge those who find this assignment easy, and how do I help those who find the assignment extremely difficult? That's another idea that I have to keep in mind as I plan my unit, as the reality is that there will be varying speeds of completion of the project at hand. I've begun planning some alterations to the project that I'm working on in order to challenge those who complete the assignment easily and effectively. Again, that's something where tweaking is the most likely solution.

Overall, it's an interesting idea, and something that will always be a reality in the classroom. I hope that I'm on the road to correctly identifying the needs of the students in my class. As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Student-Centered Assessment

This week's topic is student-centered assessment, or how this course has helped me think about it.

To be honest, I think that this module has helped me to take notice of the amount of formative assessment that I use in the class, or checkpoints. I think we hear the word assessment, and sometimes forget that it is ongoing. Often, the test or quiz is seen as the assessment, and I've been guilty of that. Planning for this unit has made me look at how I continually check on the students' progress with the project that they are doing.

In my unit, there are a few different formative assessments that I have. I'm journaling with them to get a feel for where they are with the assignments. I developed a checklist so that both the teacher and the student could keep tabs on what's been accomplished and what's left. Also, I developed two conferences so that I could keep a clear, personal check as to the student's progress. It lessens the art of surprise when I get to the end of the unit, and a student suddenly tells me that they're nowhere near done.

The key to this? Time. It takes a lot of time initially to get all of this set up. It clears up time at the end of the unit, but there are some beginning stages that will be slow at first. Have I done this before? Yes, but I'll be honest in saying that I haven't always followed through with it. I know that I need to be more consistent in this unit in order to ensure success. I'm confident that I will be able to keep up with my assessments for the next 5-6 weeks.

As always, please feel free to leave feedback or ideas for me.

Digital Divide?

This week's topic involved the Digital Divide, or the implied separation of abilities and resources amongst the population of the U.S. in terms of technology. I'm a bit torn on this topic, as I've been on both ends of the spectrum in terms of schools and financing, so I'll just ramble on. Please feel free to follow.

Currently, I teach at a school that has a pretty good reputation, and where the students are capable of paying for things if needed. Before that, I taught at a low-income school for 10 years. I had students who frequently were in and out of houses, apartments, or shelters. In that regard, in terms of the out-of-school comparison, then yes, there is a digital divide. A family trying to find their next meal probably isn't looking for that next laptop or wi-fi connection. I'd say that I went from 20% availability to 80% availability in regards to access of computers at home. The advantages and opportunity differential for both groups is quite obvious.

However, inside the school is another story. I'd say that I had the same amount of technological opportunity at both schools. I've had access to computer labs in both, and I've had 5-6 computers at both. And, at both schools, I've seen technology gather dust, depending on the room. I still work with those whose main definition of technology is the overhead. This is where I see a Digital Divide within the school. There are those who are interested in it, and want to integrate it into their lessons and curriculum. Then there are those who see it as a negative or a distraction, and that the best solution is simply not to use it at all. Having inservices isn't the solution, as some are so set in their ways, whether positive or negative, that all of the teachings in the world won't matter. In this regard, I don't know what the solution is. I think we maybe need to be consistent and continue to show all of the uses that our students are going to have involving technology, and stress the importance of getting them ready for the REAL WORLD, not a test.

Of course, that's easier said than done. If it were easy to do, I don't think that this argument exists right now. I also don't see the divide getting any closer to becoming eliminated anytime in the future. I think all that I can personally do is try to give examples again and again of what we can do in the class, and hope that others eventually lower their guards and take a chance. After all, isn't that what we want our students to do?

Project Based Learning

One of the concepts brought up this week was that of Project Based Learning. This concept has been brought up in previous classes, but it is an emphasis of the course that I'm currently taking. Mainly, it's the focus of projects (I'm sure you were able to figure that one out...) in the class, and connecting standards to these projects. It's merits are strong; the student becomes embedded in a situation that exists out of the classroom. It's not a problem found only in a textbook. It's out there, and solutions need to be created. As mentioned in the definition online, it creates higher interest levels for the kids because they see the real-life connections to it. It has purpose and meaning. That can't be said of all assignments that the kids currently do.

Will I use it in the class? Sure. I think there's a lot to be said about its effect on my students. These projects can be something for the students to springboard on to bigger and better things in their future. It could trigger motivations that previously did not exist. Most importantly, it could solve a problem that our society faces.

SOOOOOOO, what's the catch? For one, you have to really, and I mean REALLY, be flexible with your teaching abilities. The reality is that discussion is essential for a project to be completed, and if you aren't comfortable with that in the class, then that's a problem. Also, you have to willingly step into a project where you yourself may not know what the answer is, or even how to get there. There's a lot to be said for teachers who routinely do this in their class, for the levels of trust and patience must be through the roof...

But back to me. I think I can definitely add this into the writings that I currently do in the class. Giving the students more concrete ways of publishing their work is always a huge benefit to all involved. In Math, I think that's the area where I need to step away from what I'm comfortable with, and start taking some chances. Using Project Based Learning is one such example.

So, here's where I leave it to you, the reader. Where would you recommend that I start with a Project in Math? We have our obvious ones (financial problems, designing problems, etc.), but what about some of the more unique ones?

As always, feedback is greatly appreciated. Talk to you later...

Wrapping It All Up

This week's class was mainly a focus on seeing different methods of intertwining technology into the existing curriculum. We were asked to come up with lessons that addressed the multimedia standards existing today, and to see which ones best fit into our current teaching situations. I always find these lessons interesting, for as I've said before, I'm in favor of anything that promotes enthusiasm and creativity in and out of the class. I presented 2 of my ideas with the motivation that I would actually use them in my class. I've been out for almost 6 weeks, and when I come back into the room, one of the projects that I want to do is a digital story. I think that there are a lot of fantastic stories out there waiting to be told, and this is a way to do that.

We also went into assessing these, and I feel that it's important to assess the whole journey, not just the end product. It's nice if the students create a fantastic piece of art, but it's key to assess them the entire way, not just at the end of the unit. This helps to see those who maybe had grand visions, but just couldn't get them off of the ground. In other cases, you can encourage someone to inspire to do better, to not play it safe, but rather to take chances.

Finally, we're working on our own final digital story. I am spending time this weekend organizing everything, and hopefully I can upload it onto this blog when it's all said and done.

Well, overall, I've been interested in this class (no, not sucking up...) There were some nice ideas, and I plan to use them, unless I really want to engage myself in another 50-plus reports on Power Point where everyone reads off of the slides. Pain inducing, to say the least...

Podcasting

This week's class dealt with podcasting, and that provided quite a bit of interest for me. As background, I download a ton of podcasts, which I listen to on drives, when working out, or working in the yard. I tend to aim towards the entertainment field, as I enjoy listening to a bunch of people debate how good or bad a movie is.

With that in mind, I'm more than happy to try to incorporate podcasting into the class. The key is, how do we use it? A few ideas are below:

1. Group Discussions about stories, poems, or novels. This could be an interesting way of having people summarize.
2. Forensics/Debate/Drama-This is a great way of having people practice presentational skills; I've had kids who could read for years. The issue has always been interpretation, speed, and the like. This could help with that.
3. Notes for the Class-I could put notes on a podcast, which the students could then review by listening to on their mp3 players.
4. School News-Another way to present news. The students could create a podcast and use it to display important events for the week in the school and in the class.

I think the ideas are definitely there. I think what I need to go into is what sites or tools are the best for podcasting. For example, I don't think that I'd have access to cell phones, so gcast is not a possibility. Audacity is a possibility, but I'd like to look into tools that allow for multiple voice.

Well, that sums up my views for now. If any of you regularly use podcasts, I'd love to hear your suggestions.

Audio Downloading, or How is This Legal Again?

This week we explored the aspect of downloading audio bits, and I'm left a bit confused. We'll into that in a few.

We'll start with what I aleady know. For me, I've been downloading for a while. Right now, I mainly go through iTunes. I've purchased music from there for a while. I guess my budget got sick of buying CDs for only 1 song, and the option of buying one song for 99 cents seemed a tad smarter. As of late, I've mainly been downloading podcasts. I'm a movie enthusiast, and I love to listen to others' reviews of movies, horror in particular. It keeps me entertained when driving to work or working out, although I tend to laugh out loud, which makes for awkward situations. So, in that aspect, I understand the usage of podcasts.

Here's where I get confused. The other part focused on music downloads. That way, we can incorporate them into presentations. My confusion hits on the fact that I checked out several different websites that promote free downloads, and not just of waiting-to-be-discovered artists. I'm talking major artists, with song selection that points out their hits, not the B-sides. My question is, how is this different than what Napster was doing 10 years ago? I don't see a difference. It's still out there, it's still being shared free of charge, and it's still happening a lot. How is this different? I'm not throwing that out there to get a conversation going. I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW HOE THIS IS LEGAL 10 YEARS LATER!!!

Please feel free to share, because that's something I need plenty of this week...

A Day In the Life of Calvin Corcoran

Digital Stories-The Sequel

This week, we continued on with working on digital stories. Our group had decided to go on a humorous route, and we created ours on the day in the life of a cat. We then met in class, and put it all together. As we did this, I learned a few new things.

1. Record by yourself-It's a lot more difficult to get good sound quality when 4 other groups are doing the same thing as you do.
2. Be prepared, and then some-We had the photos on box.net, which we couldn't download onto voicethread.com. We had to pull the photos off of box, throw them on a flash drive, and then put them on voicethread. Guess I should've used flickr...
3. Practice, practice, practice-We went over the script several times to get the time of the presentation down. We currently time out at 3 minutes, which is the maximum. Also, we edited the script several times, as there were many things that didn't work when it was time to perform.
4. Save your work OFTEN-It's very easy to lose your work on voicethread if you haven't navigated it before.

Overall, though, it went well, and we got it done. I attempted to embed it in my blog; feel free to take a look if you'd like.

As for this week, the idea that got planted in my head is the idea of creating a "Create Your Own Adventure." I used to remember reading those as a kid, and what stopped me from creating them was the complexity of trying to organize one. Nowadays, you can get a website for free in many spots, and you can organize an open-ended adventure through the website. I'm going to try to create one on my own, and if it proves successful, I'm going to expand this to the students.

Complex, huh?

Well, that's all for now. Please comment if you like.

Digital Storytelling-Initial Post

In addition to what I wrote earlier, this is my initial response. Read and enjoy...

"I see a few uses for digital storytelling in the class. In Social Studies or Science, it could be used as a different way to present information, such as a biography on a person. It could also be used as a way to summarize events from the past; I think it could be very interesting to present it almost like a documentary, where the story connects to the images in a way that the students aren't used to presenting. In terms of writing, I think it could easily be presented as a Creative Writing piece. It would really allow students to become creative with how they want their story to be presented, and the boundaries of the piece are almost limitless. It could also be of great interest to those interested in a career in television, radio, or journalism. That sums up possible uses of digital storytelling for now, but I'm sure that there will be more ideas down the road."

Digital Storytelling

This week's course covered the idea of digital storytelling. For me, this is a very interesting concept, and something that I want to instill in my class before the end of the year.

Right now, that's a difficulty. Not because of the kids, not because of the equipment, and not due to anything negative. Simply put, right now I'm a "stay at home" dad until April. As a result, I can't put these goals into motion just yet. However, this time can be effective and important.

First and foremost, I'm using this time as a method of experimentation. Before I go off and assign this to my students, I want to run though it to see which roadblocks the kids will have to overcome when it's their turn. For right now, I need to make sure that my school can access a photo sharing website (my district blocks anything deemed a "social" network), or they may need to have a flash drive to contain their photos. Also, they will need access to a site that may help in designing a digital story. We're working on that in class right now; again, I need to make sure that I can download it and use it on my school's computers.

Finally, I need to practice what I preach; if I want the kids to plan ahead, then I need to do the same. That's what I'm doing this week for my epic story of the day in the life of a cat. Compelling, huh? Anyway, I'm busy as can be trying to get all of this done while taking care of my 2 month old son. That way, if I can accomplish it, I know that my kids can, too.

Why do this? Power Points can be repetitive. Before I went on leave, we went through inventor presentations with the 6th grade. By the 3rd day, it became pain-inducing, and I was the teacher! I wanted to make sure that the students get opportunities to present something original and creative. This is their chance.

Overall, I'm looking at this class with a lot of enthusiasm. No, I'm not brown-nosing! This is why I went back to get my Masters. I want to do things that I don't know how to do, and this was one of them. I'd love to talk more, but I need to get a shot of a cat's POV on napping. Hmmmm, what did I get myself into....

Copyright (aka The Thread That Scares Me)

This week's course dealt with a variety of issues, one of which was copyright usage. To me, this is an issue that potentially scares me down the road, and I think that the reason is due to the negligence of copyright usage in the real world.

Take a look at a good number of profile images used for blogs, posting and discussion threads, and other forms of displaying one's personality. There are a large number of images pulled right from other sites or threads, and I doubt that the original artist gave consent. Is this copyright infringement? Or should it not count, because it's only an image? It's a question that I hope I have the right answer to, but that's not a big confidence booster...

Furthermore, as a teacher, I assign various projects throughout the year for my students using Publisher, Power Point, and other forms of media. Part of me gets concerned every time that my students pulled images onto their reports. I become more nervous because I publish their work online so that their families can see what their child creates. I have to really go through a child's work to make sure that it's legal. This week alone, I caught one kid who tried to turn in a project that was COMPLETELY copied from a website. I can only imagine what would happen with a teacher that isn't technologically savvy.

Overall, I worry because I dread getting that letter in the mail from an angry author or photographer demanding payment for usage of their likeliness or work, even if it wasn't me. I guess that I'm more worried that it could happen to one of my kids (you see those people who get nailed for downloading music, so never say never...)

Safety

This week's session dealt with safety issues. We spoke at length about all of the factors to take into consideration when dealing with safety. For me, the timing of the class was creepy, in the wake of all of the allegations going on at Eisenhower in New Berlin. I'd like to elaborate a bit on that today.

I spoke about this is class, but my biggest concern is educating the parents. Last year, for example, I had quite a few students who were the primary English-speaking people in the house. On student, in particular, had been posting on mySpace, and using language and attitudes that I doubt the parents would approve of. However, since they didn't speak English, they couldn't read or know what she was saying, and HAD NO CLUE what their child was posting.

For me, as a parent and as a teacher, that scares me. I would think that at the 6th grade level, you would want to know what your child was doing on a computer. I've found a very non-plussed attitude in a few cases. I have kids who are on mySpace and YouTube, and other than me bringing it up in a conference, I'm not sure that the parents are fully aware of what their kids are doing online. I can remember as a kid having to constantly check in with my family to tell my whereabouts--rarely were there times in which I could get away with something at home (trust me, I tried...) I'm afraid that some students nowadays are walking a very fine line between safety and tragedy.

Again, in the past, I can remember taking classes in "Stranger Danger" every year to prepare for situations that might occur. I think we need to do this on a more updated level. The idea of Internet Safety needs to be presented, and I think it's something that you should bring in the police for, to really show the seriousness of the topic.

My only other question is, when, as a society, did we become so trusting? It's scary how much people post about themselves and leave in full view of the public. That's something else that I think needs to be addressed.

The reality is, technology and computers are going nowhere anytime soon. We need to make sure that we keep that in mind as we prepare our students for the real world. The story of a stranger in a car trying to tempt you with candy has been updated; we need to update as well to combat that.

Social Networking...And ALL of the drama that comes along with it...

This week, a lot of our out-of-class activities included researching different social aspects of technology. More important, we were to look at their accessibility and importance in the school setting.

For me, it's mixed. I think there's a positive side to it--the fact that kids could be in a supervised setting I think has merits. Of course, justifying why a kid is on mySpace or Facebook, for example, is easier said than done. If I were to look for a positive purpose, I think it's being in a "safe" environment, where if a child makes a mistake, the adult in that setting can help the student troubleshoot how to get out of it. Because, to be honest, I have quite a few kids who are on these sites, and definitely without parent supervision or knowledge (I think my parents would notice if I was online at 3 or 4 in the morning...)

However, I can see the negative side as well. I like the idea of social networking, but I could see staff taking advantage of this, and necessarily in a good way. My wife is also an MPS teacher; imagine how happy she'd be to know that we could keep a running conversation for the whole day. That might be fantastic for our marriage in the long run, but at the expense of me neglecting my duties as a teacher? We have to face it; we're not that far removed from the students that we teach. For every student that's trailed off when I've taught, I've been guilty of the same for every staff meeting that I've been at. If I could see myself taking advantage of it, I could definitely see others doing the same.

I think it's going to be an eternal question with no right answer. For me, I know I can teach my kids to instant message with Moodle. I can keep contact with parents with the website I currently have. But I may have to wait a bit before my class Facebook page is up and running....

Finding Curriculum Resources...The HARD WAY...

This week's assignment-use the web to find resources for the class. That, in itself, is easy. You can pretty much type in anything, and you'll get what you're looking for. You may have to do a little bit of searching around, but you should be able to get what you want.

For me, though, that wasn't the hard part. The hard part was finding an authentic source to validate using this. I'll tell you what--one thing that's changed since I was in college is the huge number of online sites, blogs, etc. that have the same information that articles might have. In other words, man, it took FOREVER to narrow down some searches, and in some engines, I was nowhere near what I was looking for. I'm all in favor of using all of this technology, but it scares me just a tad to think that anyone could access this blog and CITE it!!! I think that's a careful line to walk; I wouldn't want to have my citations end up being some 13 year old's mySpace blog for support.

No matter how much information is out there, we still have to be careful about what information that we use. Even Wikipedia isn't the most trusted source; don't tell that to the students, though. They find it very easy to get the information that they need, without the thought of whether or not it's accurate.

So what am I rambling about? No matter how easy teachnology has made life, we still need to take the time to ensure that what we use is accurate and faithful to the source. If not, I shudder to think of future term papers peppered with LOL and BFF, with citations to back it up...