Podcasting

I recently completed Blogging and Podcasting for Beginners, an online class, in order to get some CEU's and hone my blogging skills. Unexpectedly, I have been caught up with podcasting.  I downloaded, Podcast Addict, to my phone and have been listening to a bunch of them. (Addictively, I might add.)  Since I've hit something of a dry run with blogging (haven't had much motivation to sit and blog) I thought I would begin reviewing various podcasts that I find interesting and link to them here.  To stay true to the theme of my blog I'd like to state that I think podcasting could be a powerful learning tool, and I've been imagining what different kinds of things they might be good for. So before I start reviewing, I'll begin by putting two of those ideas out there.

One idea is to simply jump start the brain.  Let's face it.  There will be times when we sit down to write there is a blank slate, or even worse, a fuzzy haze that takes unproductive minutes and turns them into unproductive hours.  Recently, I have been taking some computer classes that I think will dramatically improve my marketability, but are difficult and sometimes dull and boring.  Taking a break and listening to something that I find very interesting and engaging gets my brain going.  When it's over I find I can focus more clearly on things that I find less interesting.  I think these would work particularly well as a set or prompt for a lesson plan, or just as a means of adding structure to a classroom.  

The second idea is that having students create their own podcast would be a wonderful long term project that would engage students in ways writing doesn't.  It would be an involved process that would require lots of planning and editing; it would force students to organize their thinking; it would be a way to sneak some powerful repetition in a way that was engaging and fun.  In short, it would serve as another digital artifact that students could come back to and review later in the year.

That's it for now.  Thanks for checking out my blog; good luck in the classroom.

Here is an interesting resource for creating online flashcards.  Studyblue is a free online crowd sourcing platform that allows users to create and study flashcards that they create.  For a fee, users can use flashcards created by other users.  This would be a fun way to present mathematics terminology as outlined in state and Common Core Standards.

Next week I will create a brief tutorial on how to use this resource for students.

Blogging for Good Writing

Two arguments for blogging in the classroom:  First it creates an artifact that can be reviewed indefinitely.  Second, it causes young writers to think more critically about their writing.

Assignments given at the beginning of the year can be compared against assignments given towards the end of the year.  Students will be able to view their progress, and more specifically, where and when they mastered certain essential concepts.  Editing their own work for grammar errors would be a powerful means of reinforcing good writing practices.

I believe students are much more interested in what their peers think about them than a teacher or even a parent.  Creating a safe and structured environment where they could work collaboratively on writing assignments would be a powerful means of instruction.  It might also be fun.  Here is a link to a writing assignment lesson plan I would use in a language arts classroom.

Privacy for young learners

So, how do we keep middle school age children safe and utilize the power of blogger at the same time?  There are privacy settings in Blogger that allow the student to restrict access to his or her blog to a select group of people.  All of the work that they do will be saved indefinitely and all of the options to create unique and powerful digital artifacts will remain available, however no one will be able to view his or her work unless expressly invited through email.  Invitations can be rescinded as well.

Creating a more professional look.

I'm trying to create a more professional look for my blog. I switched to this template, but it's thrown some of my pictures out of wack.  I'll come back and try to straighten that out later. I like the look because I want to showcase certain Web 2.0 tools that students will use to demonstrate learning and this template seems to do that.   Also, I beginning to think that it might be in my best interest to create a series of blogs dedicated to addressing the various state standards individually.  One thing I noticed about other educational blogs is that there is so much information, it's easy to be distracted or discouraged.  Since my audience is primarily thirteen year old math students, I think that it might be beneficial to target something specific, like scientific notation, individually.  Different pages could address different aspects of scientific notation from reviewing exponents to division.  I could also create a page targeting administration and parents in which I outline lessons and expectations that students would not necessarily have to look at.  Any suggestions?

Snipping Tool Tutorial

This is a tutorial for using the Snipping Tool found on Windows 7.  I tried to be brief and to the point.

Streamlining Lessons

In the interest of simplifying expectations, I believe that students should have two long term goals over the course of their initial instruction.

Goal One:  Students will create a blog in which they create framework where they will list all of their digital artifacts.


Objectives:

1.  TSW create their own blog complete with pages listing the various areas of specific to state standards.  It will be identical to this blog in that regard.
2. TSW follow the instructions provided to create a digital artifact as outlined on this blog.
3. TSW be assigned to critique the work of three peers by posting a review on the page of the artifact in question.  (A rubric will be used to demonstrate what is acceptable.)
4. TSW will respond to the critiques appropriately.  (A rubric will be used to demonstrate what is acceptable.)
5. TSW will respond to the teacher's response both in writing and making changes to their artifact, page, posts, etc. 
6. TSW will view the grade assigned and will have an opportunity to make changes improve their score if necessary.
7. TSW will write a short synopsis of the activity.  (A rubric will be used to demonstrate what is acceptable.)

Goal Two:  Students will practice their newfound skills using Khan Academy by watching videos and completing exercises thereby accumulating energy points.

Objectives:

1. TSW view videos posted on this blog that directly correspond to the materials covered in class as informed by state standards.
2. TSW complete corresponding exercises earning x amount of energy points that demonstrate a basic understanding of the materials covered in the video.
3. TSW use class time to earn as many energy points on the topics listed in the time allowed for practice.

Conclusion:  Students will be given class time to create their own digital artifact that they can use as a resource to aid them in completing activities.  Once they have begun working in Khan Academy, they can edit their digital artifact to reflect new information that they might need in order to be successful to complete these activities.

Here is an example of how students could create an online mind map to learn about exponents. Check out the updated lesson on the Page titled, "Laws of Exponents."

Snipping Tool and Snagit

Next week I want to create a Page titled, "Tools."  On this page students will learn how to use the Snipping tool found on Wndows 7 to record digital artifacts.  Some ideas on things they could record:

• Multiplication Quiz Scores (Check this link when logged out of Blogger)
• Exercises completed using DocHub.
• ??

Also, I want to get acquainted with Snagit.  This would be a neat tool to use in class on days I plan on being absent, but it would also be a useful way for students to demonstrate their knowledge of Scientific Notation.  

Students create their own blog.

As I am putting this blog together, it occurs to me that students should create their own blog.  In it they could create a series of artifacts that would be grouped together in one spot.

Creating a template that covers the first nine weeks would be essential.  Students could explore the
curriculum while learning how to manipulate a number of of Web 2.0 tools.

Of course I'm relying on having a classroom where students would have access to computers all the time. Strong possibility I'll not be so lucky.  One of the goals for completing this blog would be to create worksheets or paper pencil artifacts that students could use create rough drafts that could be used later

Student Artificats

With today's modern resources, it should be possible for students to pick and choose the materials they find interesting and engaging.  This would result in students being much more proactive about how they learn curriculum, while simultaneously causing them to take more ownership of their education.