Week 9 - Post 1 - Final Thoughts

            Before taking Teaching and Learning in a Networked Classroom, I knew enough about technology to get by from day to day. I knew how to email, research using Google, Skype, and interact with friends using social media such as Facebook. I didn’t realize that I was mostly using Web 1.0 until I learned about Web 2.0 in the course. I understood that the new way of using technology was for interacting with others and even creating information through blogs and wikipedia. I didn’t realize how much more is possible.

            I learned about many new technology tools in the course. Mostly though, I gained a lot of confidence using various tools and feel that I can introduce them to my students. I realized how easy and free many Web 2.0 tools are to use. I greatly enjoyed creating a blog and I hope to maintain it or create another one. I have wanted to write more for years. Blogging is a comfortable way to share my thoughts and receive feedback from others. I learned how to create a podcast using Audioboo which was extremely easy. Our class wiki and use of Google docs really showed me how Web 2.0 works. I was able to interact with my classmates and teachers with these tools in a very clear and organized way. Finally, I now have a Diigo and Google Reader account to track and follow websites. These are tools that I have needed for a while because I’ve often wondered how to keep an organized list of websites that I like.

            I know that I’ll be able to apply a lot of what I’ve learned to my classroom teaching. Today was the second day of school and I already had my first, second, and third grade students typing their “About Me” stories into Wordle. This would have felt daunting in the past because I would have questioned if the technology would work or if the students were too young. Everyone was excited which gave me even more inspiration to try new tools. I’m looking forward to teaching students how to create podcasts for their book reviews. I would also like to establish an online pen pal relationship with another Montessori school. Another idea I have is for students to teach lessons to other classrooms or their parents through Skype and videos. Not only will I be able to use what I’ve learned in my classroom, but I’m looking forward to using Google Reader and Diigo to share websites with colleagues as well as connect with some online learning communities based on similar interests as mine.

Week 8 - Post 2 - PLNs

            Personal / Professional Learning Networks allow us to share information with a group that has common interests as us. We can use a PLN to connect learning to our own personal perspectives as well as to gain new insights and valuable information. Miguel Guhlin writes that it is important to remember when you are publishing your ideas that you are less of an expert and more of a learner just like everyone else. Learning should be viewed as an experience that occurs when we connect with others.

            Throughout the weeks of our Teaching and Learning in a Networked Classroom course, I have created a professional learning network and used many new Web 2.0 tools. I have been participating in social bookmarking through my Diigo account. Any time I find a website that I like, I bookmark it so I can explore it again. I have taken website suggestions from classmates that I have linked to my account. Building a website and a blog have been the most gratifying for me. I enjoy writing but usually keep my work to myself. Blogging has allowed me to put my thoughts out there and receive positive support through comments. It feels good to have others read my work and to read the blogs of my classmates. I love the idea that blogging allows us to publish all parts of our writing process. We don’t have to wait until we have a final draft but can share brainstorming and other stages. It also feels liberating to know that just because I am publishing my ideas, I am not expected to be an expert. We need to think critically about what we are reading and learn from each other. Our class wiki and use of Google docs have been an organized way to communicate and build a learning community. Finally, I have enjoyed the opportunity to participate in a webinar, podcast creation, and Skype.

            I would like to use a PLN for my personal interests since at this point I have only been using one for professional purposes. I really like the following quote from Mark Wagner cited on Wesley Fryer’s blog: “He who learns from one who is learning, drinks from a flowing river.” That is so powerful and true. If we as teachers are always learning from each other, we will never run out of inspirations to share with our students. I would also like to start interacting and sharing more with the communities that I have just started to build. I am interested in exploring EDuStream throughout this school year to learn about various topics that I might find interesting. Overall, I feel like I have some great tools established that I can continue to use. However, I know that I have only just started and there is a lot more to explore. I’m looking forward to seeing what is out there and maintaining what I already have.

Week 8 - Post 1 - Reflections on Chapter 5

            Chapter 5 in Web 2.0 New Tools, New Schools, describes the increased pressures placed on teachers to use technology in the classroom. Even though money has been spent on technology trainings and seminars, the amount of technology integrated into the classroom has not changed. The text supports the idea that the common workshops offered through schools as teacher professional development are not effective. Some reasons for the ineffectiveness of workshops is the time of day offered, typically after school for several hours, and the lack of support available once the workshop is completed. Workshops do not always give the tools necessary for teachers to bring new skills back to the classroom. Many efforts are being made to change the way we offer education to teachers. The Department of Education’s Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to use Technology grant program is one example that examined challenges related to technology integration. Studies show that difficulty with technology integration comes from lack of alignment with the curriculum, lack of peer support, and teacher discomfort and resistance. The text offers several suggestions to help with these issues.

            One suggestion offered is to incorporate communities of practice into teachers’ daily routines. Teachers are often taught technology concepts abstractly without having the opportunity to engage with the actual tools. We know that learning occurs through interaction with others, participation with materials, and the ability to relate concepts to daily life. Communities of practice or professional learning communities allow individuals to follow their own interests while interacting with others. Another suggestion for facilitating teacher development is to use social networking and Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, podcasts, and wikis, in the trainings so teachers can see first hand how they work, discuss ways to integrate them into the classroom, and start to become comfortable using them.

            I agree that teachers are expected and should be expected to integrate technology into their classrooms. I was also happy to read that instead of blaming teachers for resistance to change, efforts are being made to reexamine the way professional development trainings are offered. I have found that short workshops or all school staff trainings are not effective ways to inspire teachers to integrate what they have learned. Often, only a few teachers bring the ideas back to their classrooms and don’t feel supported by the rest of the staff. Some teachers might try to use what they’ve learned but once the workshop expert has left, there isn’t anyone to ask. Just as we teach our students by example, administrators who are requesting teachers to use technology should organize staff meetings using different technologies. One meeting could be very brief with the expectation that teachers would blog about a specific topic throughout the week and come back to discuss at the next meeting. Wikis could be used to organize all school events and teacher responsibilities. Podcasts could provide staff trainings on basic tasks such as school cleaning and recycling rules. If teachers are taught using these tools, I think they would be more inclined to recreate them for their students. Chapter 5 gave me several new perspectives on how to show other teachers the benefits of the Web 2.0 tools we have learned about.

           

Week 7 - Post 2 - Project-based Learning

            I had heard about project-based learning but wasn’t entirely sure what it entailed until I watched the Google Project-based Learning video. In the example school, every student has his or her own work area in a room called an advisory. Teachers are called advisors because instead of using lectures to teach, they communicate with each student on an individual basis. The advisor-student relationship, which is built on respect and trust, is seen as the key to success in project-based learning. The projects students choose can be on any topic they are interested in from photography, to sewing, to mummification. The school year is divided into blocks that are five to seven weeks long. Students design projects throughout the blocks and need to earn 10 credits per year. The first step to completing a project is to fill out a project proposal form. Students have to answer questions related to the importance and value of their study as well as develop an outline of tasks and a timeline. Having good time management skills is vital to being successful in a project-based learning program. Students also need to share what resources they plan to use ensuring that their primary resource is a living person. They also have to determine how many credits they think their work will be worth and which state standards will guide their project. Students then go through the approval process by sharing their ideas with parents and meeting with a project planning team. The project planning team usually consists of two advisors and the student or group of students working on the project. The team will either sign off on the project or ask for more clarification before the project is approved. Once a student begins a project, he or she must document time spent and learning daily. The final step after project completion and reflection on the process is to meet with the project planning team for final approval. Students learn how to enjoy learning with this process. In contrast to failing, students might be asked to follow team suggestions and try again. In this way the process offers opportunities for growth and collaboration.

            I thought this video was very informative and well done. I have a new understanding of how project-based learning takes place. I was thrilled to see how much project-based learning relates to Montessori education. Some goals of Montessori education are for children to develop independence, time management, and a passion for learning. Students in my classroom use a weekly work plan. The work plan lists all assignments and students must organize their week to complete each task. Students are able to choose when they will work on each activity. As a teacher my role is to provide guidance and the right amount of structure for each student. I teach each student individually and meet with them about their work to give feedback, not grades. Every year students complete passion projects in which they choose a topic to research. It is always amazing and enlightening to discover student interests. Students fill out a project proposal form similar to the one discussed in the video (but at a grade 1-3 level). I love seeing the final projects and the concrete learning that takes place through this process.

            The article, Put to the Test: Confronting Concerns about Project Learning, addresses many issues parents and educators might question about this unfamiliar style of learning. Some of the issues addressed include concerns about standards, time, and losing control of the classroom. I can understand these concerns as most of us have a difficult time understanding an education that is different from our experience and schema of what education should be. I always tell people who comment that it must be so hard to teach first, second, and third grade students in the same classroom that they just have to come in to observe to truly understand. The classroom is set-up to provide the necessary materials and structure for independent, active learning. Many times people are very amazed by what they see because it is in such contrast to their previous understanding. Students in the project-based learning YouTube video used words and phrases such as comfort, trust, collaboration, respect, reflection, appreciation, and learning by mistakes to describe the benefits about project-based learning. Who wouldn’t want that for their students and children?

Week 7 - Post 1 - Brian Crosby

            Brian Crosby teaches fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students at Agnes Risley Elementary School. His presentation entitled Back to the Future was very inspiring. It is powerful to see an elementary school teacher who is extremely passionate about his work and who makes changes to his teaching based on student needs. Crosby discovered a huge disconnect of some basic information for his students. Many of his students did not know their addresses and phone numbers or the city, state, and country where they live. Crosby realized that students weren’t connecting this and other information to their mental schemas. He developed a classroom based on active learning which empowers students to become learners. His lessons allow students to connect to the world and collaborate with each other as well as with different communities.

            Every student in Crosby’s class has a computer and a blog. The class has a wiki page and a Flickr account. After interactive lessons on air pressure, students embedded videos that they made of the demonstration and posted reflections on their blog. This led to creative writing in which students wrote stories from a balloon’s perspective, using facts they learned in their science lesson. Students felt motivated and published by posts to their blogs from other students all over the world. A project in which students set goals or high hopes for their school, community, and the world, led to a larger network as students from other places started posting their high hopes. By blogging and skyping students in Crosby’s class discovered their place in the world and learned about world events through other students’ comments. Crosby’s students taught the air pressure lesson by skyping with a classroom in New Zealand. This allowed them to review what they had learned, practice speaking skills, and develop confidence. What a better way to develop a frame of reference!

            Crosby shared several very inspiring insights. He said that we can’t keep racing kids through school and that we need to build schools that honor all kids. Crosby’s teaching style is called project-based learning also known as challenge-based learning or passion-based learning. Project-based learning takes a lot of time, planning, and passion. However, it leads to memorable learning experiences that create active learners. Crosby notes that this type of learning should be available to all students everywhere, not just reserved for gifted and talented classrooms. I will definitely be adding Brian Crosby’s blog, Learning is Messy, to my Diigo account!

Week 6 - Post 1 - Lexia Webinar

     Today I participated in my first webinar. I was sure that when I went to log in, I wouldn’t be able to connect. However, the process couldn’t have been easier or gone more smoothly. I registered a week ago and when I logged on to the site today I could hear and see the information without any problems. I chose to participate in the Lexia webinar for an overview on their reading program. Lexia is a technology based approach to teaching reading skills that I use for students who need extra reading support in the classroom. The program uses differentiated practice, assessment without testing, and targeted instruction. It is very motivational to students because it is colorful, interactive, and engaging. Even though I am already familiar with the program, I learned a few new skills as well as how to participate in a webinar.
     Before the Lexia representative named Dawn began, the 11 participants were asked to answer a few poll questions that would help direct the webinar. We were asked if we had used Lexia before and which tutorials we were interested in viewing. We were also instructed how to use the question and answer box which was very similar to instant messaging. Finally, before the talk began, we were asked to download a summary sheet on Lexia version 8 enhancements to share with school staff. Dawn spoke about different Lexia features as she took us through various screens of the program. I learned that the program provides a detailed assessment of each student’s progress. It recommends weekly time needed with Lexia as well as which skills need additional teacher instruction. The newest version can be used with interactive whiteboards and iPhones. Now I feel that I can be more involved with the program by using it to tailor instruction for each student.
     I didn’t have any questions to ask during the webinar but a few participants did. The questions only appeared on Dawn’s screen but she would repeat and answer the question for everyone’s benefit. I felt that the webinar combined the best features of online learning and the traditional classroom. I could sit in the comfort of my own home while having immediate access to an expert and I could participate as much or as little as I wanted. The next time I have an opportunity to attend a webinar, I will definitely take advantage of it now that I know how easy it can be.

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