Chapter eight is the final level of the technological expectations from our book, Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts. The previous chapters have built on one another to guide us to implementing Web 2.0 technologies into our professional and personal lives.
In chapter eight we learned that Podcasting opens up an opportunity for all grade levels and specials to extend classroom activities beyond district curriculum. Whether it’s creating “sound seeing tours” while on field trips, interviews with guest speakers, art reviews, or making student radio shows, Podcasting allows students and teachers to add another dimension to the classroom to reinforce what is being taught.
Your assignment this round is to go through the steps found in lesson eight that would allow you to create an activity that could be downloaded to a MP3 player.
1. Download the two applications (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ and http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq?s=install&item=lame-mp3 ) that are needed to create and then transfer your podcast to a MP3 player.
2. Make a quick audio or video podcast (Carol has a Flip video cam that can make this activity a snap) or record your own with the microphone built into your computer. Sandra has been working with the process and it seems manageable.
Something short and uncomplicated (a student reading, describing their class work or something you want to comment on.
3. When we get together on Tuesday, April 14th , after school we can look at the results and discuss different ways to use podcasts in all classrooms.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Chapter 7 assignment
Each chapter seems to require more innovations to incorporate new technologies into the classroom. Chapter 7 offers something for every classroom such as: differentiation, assessment and creativity. This chapter gives insights on how to bring digital natives and digital immigrants together, using photos that are teacher or student generated, or even those located from an online source. Possible ideas include: current events (photos from Flickr), photo field trips (1st grade trip to the zoo) and photo tours of class presentations (6th grade Nazi reports).
Classrooms can annotate those photos as part of research projects, extended activities, and even as assessments. Having the photos on Flickr would allow others to respond to the annotated photos and generate comments from parents and others that would open conversations about your classroom activities.
Your assignment is to sign-up to Flickr, and upload or take a photo and annotate the photo. You may use the example from page 104 in your book or any other creative idea.
Classrooms can annotate those photos as part of research projects, extended activities, and even as assessments. Having the photos on Flickr would allow others to respond to the annotated photos and generate comments from parents and others that would open conversations about your classroom activities.
Your assignment is to sign-up to Flickr, and upload or take a photo and annotate the photo. You may use the example from page 104 in your book or any other creative idea.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Chapter 6 Assignment
In the beginning we were focused on responding to how we might use different technologies in the classroom. Without realizing it, we have moved into sections of our book that have required us to become participants rather than observers.
Your reactions to using RSS were insightful. I hadn’t thought about the log jam that would happen if I had the RSS feeds sent to my email. I can also see where students would sign up for everything that would cross their minds. There would be too many distractions to be meaningful for my classroom. I did like Julie’s quote about RSS feeds feeling, “like using a living newspaper,” RSS feeds really do seem to have a presence of their own. Getting together on Wednesday helped me to gain new perspectives and new ideas (possibly working with Julie to add art work to our Julie of the Wolves wiki, would be exciting).
Which brings me to our next task.
In Chapter Six, Social Networking: Learning Together, covers a variety of ways to organize your bookmarks into a manageable, one click source. Doing this will allow you to access your saved bookmarks by descriptive tags, and that can save you time. You can see the subjects you’re looking for all on one page.
There are two sites (there are many others, but for the sake of sanity) that work with bookmarks. Del.icio.us organizes your sites concisely and visually. Quickly, you’ve found what you need for a classroom activity. Furl.net organizes your bookmarks, keeps a snapshot of the web page, (should it be removed from the web, and allows you to search through the Furl site for other web sites that match your interest. Furl also allows you to send a great site to others easily.
The del.icio.us site was more practical for me. I’m a visual person and this site made searching for sites I can’t remember very easy. The great thing about del.icio.us was that it put the sites together into labeled groups on its own.
Should you have difficulty signing up for either one, let me know, I can help. The web sites walk you through the process quickly. The book directions seem more complicated then they need to be
The task for chapter six is to take an in-depth look at both sites and then choose one (or both) to try out on your computer. Please take the time to evaluate one of these sites for: ease of installation, relevance of use, practical application to educational needs, and ability to access and use easily.
Your reactions to using RSS were insightful. I hadn’t thought about the log jam that would happen if I had the RSS feeds sent to my email. I can also see where students would sign up for everything that would cross their minds. There would be too many distractions to be meaningful for my classroom. I did like Julie’s quote about RSS feeds feeling, “like using a living newspaper,” RSS feeds really do seem to have a presence of their own. Getting together on Wednesday helped me to gain new perspectives and new ideas (possibly working with Julie to add art work to our Julie of the Wolves wiki, would be exciting).
Which brings me to our next task.
In Chapter Six, Social Networking: Learning Together, covers a variety of ways to organize your bookmarks into a manageable, one click source. Doing this will allow you to access your saved bookmarks by descriptive tags, and that can save you time. You can see the subjects you’re looking for all on one page.
There are two sites (there are many others, but for the sake of sanity) that work with bookmarks. Del.icio.us organizes your sites concisely and visually. Quickly, you’ve found what you need for a classroom activity. Furl.net organizes your bookmarks, keeps a snapshot of the web page, (should it be removed from the web, and allows you to search through the Furl site for other web sites that match your interest. Furl also allows you to send a great site to others easily.
The del.icio.us site was more practical for me. I’m a visual person and this site made searching for sites I can’t remember very easy. The great thing about del.icio.us was that it put the sites together into labeled groups on its own.
Should you have difficulty signing up for either one, let me know, I can help. The web sites walk you through the process quickly. The book directions seem more complicated then they need to be
The task for chapter six is to take an in-depth look at both sites and then choose one (or both) to try out on your computer. Please take the time to evaluate one of these sites for: ease of installation, relevance of use, practical application to educational needs, and ability to access and use easily.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Chapter 5 Assignment
The first four chapters have helped you to acquire access to more and more interesting websites that might supply you with relevant teaching information, now what? It’s time to get picky about what you spend your time reviewing. RSS (Real Simple Syndication) is the way to go.
Up to now we have been looking at a variety of applications that could be used in the classroom by the students or by teachers to optimize their classroom time.
This will be our first chance to integrate what we’ve been reading about into action. A RSS will provide you with an opportunity to extend your knowledge from others who share your interest in the classroom and have that information delivered to your computer.
The assignment for this chapter is to start receiving at least two RSS feeds to your computer.
To do this you will need to subscribe to an aggregator (feed collector). I’m using Bloglines.com. (Should you need help let me know, I’m sure Mrs. Stevens would assist also.) Once you’re signed up, choose two sources to receive feeds from and sit back and enjoy the rewards of having access to new educational perspectives from around the world, delivered to your door.
To assess your success, briefly journal about your experience, describe the two sites you receive your feeds from, and give a quick review of how relevant the information you received was to your topic of interest.
Up to now we have been looking at a variety of applications that could be used in the classroom by the students or by teachers to optimize their classroom time.
This will be our first chance to integrate what we’ve been reading about into action. A RSS will provide you with an opportunity to extend your knowledge from others who share your interest in the classroom and have that information delivered to your computer.
The assignment for this chapter is to start receiving at least two RSS feeds to your computer.
To do this you will need to subscribe to an aggregator (feed collector). I’m using Bloglines.com. (Should you need help let me know, I’m sure Mrs. Stevens would assist also.) Once you’re signed up, choose two sources to receive feeds from and sit back and enjoy the rewards of having access to new educational perspectives from around the world, delivered to your door.
To assess your success, briefly journal about your experience, describe the two sites you receive your feeds from, and give a quick review of how relevant the information you received was to your topic of interest.
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