Web Tools 2.0

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Wow! What a course! It has been extremely challenging to me but so beneficial. I thought it interesting that our last assignment was the same as one of first assignments – to leave a voicethread. It was so much easier to make the voicethread the second time. That’s what I’ve discovered over and over in this class. After I do a new “thing” once, it is so much easier the second time. Overall, the course increased my confidence to try new things. It helped me understand the difference in today’s learners and the absolute necessity of incorporating technology in the classroom. It stretched me by making me use the tools that I could not have really understood without using them. It broadened my educational view – mine will be a flat classroom from now on! Thanks for a great course.

I wandered around Classroom 2.0 for a while and feel like I have a good understanding of it.  I was able to find a “middle school science” group which was discussing different ways of implementing web tools in the science classroom.  Some members made helpful comments, but what was best were all the links to actual class websites or videos or blogs which both students and teachers had created.  What was encouraging, too, were all the people who admitted they were newbies to incorporating technology in the classroom.  The veterans seem so willing to help and offer their advice and share their experiences.

Ning in Education is easier to navigate than Classroom 2.0, mainly because it is smaller.  (Classroom 2.0 was user friendly, just big.)  It was easy to quickly find the “Middle School Science Teacher” group and follow the various discussions.  Again, it seems very friendly and easy to use.  There are a range of topics from technology in the classroom to good experiments and demonstations.  (The creator of the group had a cute video on how to remember that density = mass/volume.  If you draw a heart and divide it in half straight across it looks like “m” over “v”. )  Overall, it looks like a good group – real teachers in real classrooms with practical suggestions and inspirational videos.  For me, it would be great to be able to ask this group questions and to just have the input of new ideas.  I also explored the “Middle School” group. It wasn’t as exciting as the science group but still had some useful discussions in progress.

I think the Ning group could be used for great benefit in the classroom.  I would probably start with a trial Ning with a group of interested students.  If it worked well with the trial group then I would broaden it to include more.  This would be for my science class to network about school – specifically about science.  They could blog, upload videos, ask questions about classwork, homework, upload their own productions.  One big advantage of a ning is that it would create a sense of community among my students.  They would see school using a real-life application similar to facebook- although not nearly as elaborate.  I think that would they would go for it!  I read some teachers’ comments on nings for their classes.  There may be an under age 12 restriction that would have to be investigated.  Hopefully, that issue will be resolved before I’m back in the U.S. classroom.   Also, a Ning network specific for science teachers in the county where I (will) work could be a great resource of ideas, questions and answers for all the teachers who have to cover the same curriculum using the same textbooks.

This is what I saw when I explored iGoogle in the k12 Online Conference!   In fact, I commented that I wanted to make iGoogle my home page because I could put all my most used resources and links all in  one place.  I should have known that we would eventually cover it in this course.  This is a great tool for personal as well as professional use.  Personally, I can add all the flakes with my own email, facebook, to do list, news interests, etc.

Professionally it can  be useful for communicating with parents and students.  I put a message board right at the top  of my page.  This can be used as a reminder for students and parents of assignments due or of upcoming tests.  Alternatively, the calendar can be used in the same way.   I can use the feed links to science podcasts and videos that students would be interested in.  I can also include links to science activities or experiments that can be done at home.     Two of  my children (middle and elementary age)  have gone to their teacher’s webpages several times.  Those webpages are OK – mainly informational.  How much better to have a live page that is constantly changing with new feeds.   I could even require students to scan and blog on an article or podcast once a week - kind of like we have done for this class.    Overall, this is a good tool for having all my “stuff” in one spot and for connecting with students and parents in an interesting, “live” way.

Just when I am congratulating myself that I am getting better on the computer and this class is not taking so long…I hit Google Docs.  It’s not Google Docs fault.  It’s just that I hit another steep learning curve while trying to insert photos using the browser.  Writing the regular web document was not too difficult.   And it was so neat to be able to pick and choose collaborators and invite their input on the document.  One thing that has always made me nervous about the internet is the “publicness” of it.  I like the fact that no one can see or work on my google docs unless I invite them.  After the document I moved on to the presentation.  THAT was time-consuming.  My husband and I have done many powerpoints to present our work in Papua New Guinea so I assumed this would be easy.  However, when I began to try to insert pictures they were ALL too big.  I tried reducing and saving in a new folder… copying and pasting…everything I could think of.  I even asked my 12 year old for help! He pointed me in the right direction but didn’t totally solve my problem.   Finally (after sleeping on it) I was able to figure out how to resize the pictures and save them where they were (instead of trying to move them to a new folder).  Then I was able to insert them using the browser.  It sounds so simple and obvious now.  Believe me, it wasn’t.  I guess it shows I need a photo shop class!  Anyway, it was a great ‘aha’ moment when I figured it out.

I can think of many uses for google docs.  It’s like a wiki in that students can work on reports or projects together – even from home.  Without having to buy the software  they can even create powerpoint presentations as part of a report.  For science experiments they can add and share data.  This would be especially helpful in genetics and probability labs where more data generally means more accurate  conclusions.   The spreadsheets would be a great way for students to share that data.

I can definitely use the presentation tool to produce power points for class.  I have already seen two student teachers doing that this school year.  Powerpoints take up a lot of space.  The beauty of google docs is that it is stored online.  I can share my powerpoints with other teachers and they can share with me.  That way we’re not all spending time creating the same/or similar powerpoints.  And, if I want to change someone else’s we all still have access to the different versions.  I have already mentioned that we use powerpoint to present our work in Papua New Guinea.  Now we don’t have to wait until we are back in the States (every 3 or 4 years) to share an updated powerpoint.  We can create it and share it from there!  We can show the latest event in “real” time.

Thanks for the introduction to another useful web tool!  By the way, I am using the presentation tool to make a slide show of a family reunion.  I can’t wait to email all the aunts, uncles, and cousins to invite them to google docs to have a look.

I read and scanned many articles. However, since we just explored this tool I chose the following to comment on. “Do You YouTube?” from Tech & Learning raises the question and different teachers respond. Many say that their district or school blocks YouTube. However, they are still able to download (I’m assuming from home) good teaching videos of demonstrations, etc. that they can use in their class. Some also mention the good educational videos they are able to find on TeacherTube.

There are a variety of responses concerning the students using YouTube at school. Most teachers mention that it’s just easier to embed the video in their own presentation than risk the students wandering around YouTube. Even linking the students to the YouTube site poses risks because the teacher never knows what will be on the page with the video. A few teachers mention educating students on the responsible, ethical use of YouTube. (I like that in theory but unless those ethics are also taught and modeled at home it is difficult to make an impact on student behavior.) This article and “Balancing the Freedom to Learn” mention the tremendous amount of bandwidth that videos take up – especially if you have entire classes viewing a video. That is one reason many schools block those sites.

So…the debate continues. Being a protective parent I feel strongly that there need to be filters, but being an educator I would like the students to be able to use these tools. One of the great benefits of YouTube is producing for the site, which would be very motivational for students. I suppose TeacherTube would be a good alternative for the students to produce for and then be able to view their production.  Last thought, isn’t there any way to filter the “inappropriate” videos without blocking them all?

Yes, I could spend hours searching YouTube.  I am glad I was able to filter my search a bit and can make sure my children are doing the same.  It did take a while before I was able to find what I was looking for.  For professional learning I discovered Steve Spangler Science and Expert Village.  SteveSpangler has great science demonstrations- some of which could be duplicated in class and some the students would just enjoy watching.  It would certainly be a great “hook” for some classes.  Expert Village had calmer “how to” demonstrations that are suitable for elementary and middle school students.  I also searched under “Digital Learning” and found many good videos about incorporating technology into the classroom.  I found
“ehow” which explains how to do just about anything.  So…I decided to find out how to get rid of warts.  My 12 year old has a wart on his arm.  We’ve tried everything from medicine from the pharmacy to covering it with duct tape.  (I heard the duct tape cure on the radio.)  Now we have our choice of how-to’s.  I’ll let you know if any of them work! For a nostaligic video I chose “Home-Papua New Guinea”  It made me cry and will probably REALLY make my children cry when I show it to them.  If you have 4 minutes, it is absolutely beautiful…

TeacherTube was a lot easier to navigate.  I easily found middle school science subjects and found a great video on frog dissection.  It would help immensely for the students to view that before the real frog and instruments are on their table.    I also discovered many videos on digital learners.  There was a really cute one on classroom rules in which a police officer dances (mostly with his head) and raps.

There are many great uses for video production in the classroom.  Teachers can use it to demonstrate activities and experiments for other teachers.  Students can use it to showcase what they are learning.  I saw some videos in which students used a clay model of a cell to show the different stages of mitosis.  That’s much better than just drawing or making a model that no one else will see.  I think something similar could be used for genetics and punnett squares.  The students could show examples of their classmates with specific genetic traits – blue or brown eyes,  straight or curly hair, a widow’s peak, attached or unattached earlobes, etc. and then demonstrate using punnett squares how the traits are passed on to subsequent generations.  I always had my students design their own experiment using live earthworms.  I’m sure they would love to explain their experiment (including all the steps of the scientific method) and show how their earthworms responded (or not) to various stimuli.  I think video sharing can be a great teaching and learning tool and I am very excited about it!

I looked at several different categories of podcasts from the widget.  My first stop was “Podcast for Teachers” which I found to be full-length radio broadcasts (40 mins. – 1 hour).  I wanted something fast and informative so I moved on.  Next I checked out science related podcasts and was very impressed.  “Why? The Science Show for Kids” has short (3-5 min) podcasts in which Dr. Dave Brodbeck of Oklahoma University answers various questions.  I also listened to some NOVA science segments on “Smart Birds” and “Tiny Black Holes”.  These are child-friendly podcasts which consult different scientific experts.  “Tiny Black Holes” was about the super-collider in Geneva.  (We have a nephew who was concerned about the effects of those experiments.  It would have been reassuring to him to hear this podcast 7 months ago!)

The podcast networks I explored were iTunes, Education Podcast Network, and PBS.  I found iTunes hard to navigate and eventually ended up on PBS via iTunes!  I explored Education Podcast Network but nothing I listened to in the science section “grabbed” me.  (I am more interested in the science podcasts listed in this week’s Grazr widget.  Jerrie, I tried to google “Why? The Science Show for Kids” to get an address to add to my reader but nothing came up.  How can I get there?)  When I finally settled on PBS I found several podcasts of value to me.  Using Google Reader I subscribed to PBS “Nature” and PBS “Frontline/World”.  “Nature” is for science teaching  and I was excited enough to show my husband a part of a podcast about wolves.  I wished out loud that our internet access in Papua New Guinea was fast enough to see videos.  What a great, FREE resource for teaching science to my children!  There’s no need for schools or individuals to buy and store a lot of DVD’s when so many are available for free.  To me, the only drawback of the “Nature” podcasts are that they are long and tend to be slower moving and more geered toward an adult audience.  I subscribed to “Frontline/World” for personal reasons.  (Being “bi-cultural”  I am very interested in articles/videos from around the world.  And this feed saves me time since it comes to me and and I can select topics of interest that I want to learn more about.)  My daughter uses iTunes so I also subscribed to NOVA videocasts using iTunes.  I was happy to see that the segment I viewed was only 8 minutes long and would be very appropriate for classroom use.

These podcasts are great for the classroom!  The ones I explored from the widget are perfect for middle school or elementary students to ask an expert their own questions as well as for them to listen to the questions of other students.  Just having students listen to other children’s questions would probably spark their curiosity and encourage them to ask some of their own. The segments are short enough to hold their attention.  You can tell by titles if a podcast relates to a topic your class is studying.   The teacher is not limited to what is in her school’s (or county’s) media collection.  He/she has free access to a wide variety of topics that can relate to what her class is studying.  And, the podcasts are ready whenever the class is. I think current podcasts would be of particular interest to social studies teachers.  Social studies DVD’s tend to become quickly outdated.  Subscribing to current podcasts would be of great value to the social studies teacher and students.

I actually got ahead of myself into “Library Thing”  (but didn’t know it) when I explored Delicious.   I commented on finding like-minded people based on bookmarks for authors Dallas Willard and Henri Nouwen.

I can see how LIbraryThing would be appealing to book lovers.  I do love books but this is not the season of life in which I get to read a lot.  Regardless, I think it’s a great way to find other authors similar to the ones that I am reading.  It is a great way to find books on topics in which I am interested.  It is a good way to read reviews by “regular people” rather than just experts.   It’s interesting too that the top lists include Twilight which I see constantly in the hands of middle schoolers and they also includes classic books and authors who have stood the test of time.

As for classroom use,  it could be used for specific science topics, maybe for science fair projects but students don’t generally read books on science topics.  Short articles are more appropriate.  However, English teachers could use this to help students locate authors or topics of interest.  They could also see and write real life reviews.  It’s a tool that can help students relate school to real life.

I think the biggest advantage of LibraryThing is the way others can filter through all that’s “out there” and narrow down authors and books that I might be interested in.  And, when I am through this busy family season of life I just might join a group that motivates me to read more.

I found Delicious to be incredibly easy to use.  I appreciated how easy it was to add bookmarks and to add tags, and it was easy to add descriptive notes.  It was easy to just hit the “search” button and explore other sites with the same tag(s) as  my account.  Overall, it was easy!  Have I made my point?

I can understand how exploring other people’s accounts and tags can introduce me to some new resources that I wouldn’t have found otherwise.  The Web is so BIG and I am so small.  However, being able to see what other people have tagged as good enough to add to their accounts helps me narrow down all the choices.  I particularly like CoolCat Teacher and feel that whatever she bookmarks is certainly worth checking into.

Professionally, I see Delicious as a great tool for connecting with other like-minded teachers (based on similar bookmarking and tagging) and a good place to organize all the science experiment sites like TryScience,  science links like those recommended by  Kathy Schrock , and lesson plan resources that will be of help in my classroom.

Personally, I have gotten interested in Henri Nouwen’s writings while in the States this year.  I have seen his quotes in many books.  Well, I added the Henri Nouwen Society to my bookmarks and I see they have a special blog of Nouwen quotes that anyone can add to!  Also, my husband preaches fairly regularly and he has favorite authors such as Dallas Willard.  How exciting to “meet” others with the same enthusiasm for Willard’s writings and to see what other sites they have listed in their tags.  For any profession, Delicious can help connect people and narrow down what’s “out there” for a particular topic.

Brilliant!  I loved Don Tappscott’s “hook” tempting teachers, parents, and students to comment on “The Dumbest Generation.” He opens his forum by saying “Hey moron!…You’re part of the dumbest generation…”  He goes on to explain that many labels and misconceptions about today’s youth are just that.  Then he plugs his research and book.

I especially liked Cool Cat Teacher’s comment on this video.  She says that some adults are inter-generational relaters and some generational gappers.  I want to be a relater!   As a parent I feel especially burdened to stay connected with my kids (ages 14, 12, 9) and to know what their world is like.  Because of the internet, it is very different from the one I grew up in.  As a teacher,  I want to be connected with my students.  I believe that the best teachers know their students and teach accordingly.

One student’s response was that yes! they are addicted to technology.  They want to learn as much as they can about it and how to use it.  It can be used for much good.  Another student responded regarding social concerns about the internet.  I can relate because the first thing my 9th grader usually does when she comes home from school is get on facebook.  This student pointed out that kids ARE socializing on facebook.  They are collaborating and socializing with people from all over the world – something previous generations couldn’t do instantaneously.  I checked out the comments on the forum.  Many young people admitted that their generation DOES spend a lot of time on the computer but they are learning and socializing while they do so.  They need these computer skills in order to function now and in the future.

Overall, it was good food for thought.