Wow! So many Social Networks!
Wow! This really made me think. My life has changed in the past 10 years. Ever since Facebook arrived on the scene in 2004, there have been a bunch of Social Networking sites that I have experimented with and discarded and yet there are some which have survived the test of time. Personally, having Skype and Facebook to maintain friendships and family connections - especially over long distances - has been invaluable. The birth of both our kids (and the immediate birth of their digital footprint!) was shared with our friends across the globe. The alternative of a letter or a phone call would have been lacking! My parents and extended family and friends have a real feel of belonging, as do our children who see their extended family on Skype, Facebook and email. Professionally, my online life started small, but as my interest with all things tech grew, so did my Google Reader (soon to be replaced with Feeddler) and with that my PLN grew to follow many like minded professionals. Through my Google Reader subscriptions to sites by Richard Byrne, Larry Ferlazzo, Jeffrey Thomas, Jacqui Murray, Maggie Hos McGrane (none of whom, by the way, have I met in person!) as well as sites like the Commited Sardine Blog and the Elementary Tech Teachers Ning the world of Web2.0 Tools and technology in education has opened up massive possibilities - and even led me on the path from a regular classroom teacher to being the Director of Digital Learning... I can honestly say that - except for a few distracting games (Dots being my current addiction and Words With Friends being my long standing relationship!) AND the fact that one can get lost in the pure volume, the internet has only been positive both personally and professionally. The answer would differ slightly for students. We have experienced 'LBI' (Life Before Internet) while the younger generations have never known anything different. We can appreciate the ease of research from the comfort of our own couch and remember, with fondness - and disbelief! - the days before mobile technology took over the world. Students know no different. Yes, students need to taught how to manage the balance between online and real life but at the end of the day, to them, this is all real. The question - and answer - is balance. Balance is a key skill we need to be teaching students. In this constantly connected world, learning to disconnect is extremely difficult and even I, with the distant memory of 'LBI', struggle to put my device down. We need to encourage students to value and participate in the real world while at the same time embracing the new era, where knowledge is no longer power but knowing what to do with it is key... Having said that, I believe we take it for granted that our students - digital natives - also have the skills to excel in a digital world. Just because they can connect using Social Network sites, does not mean that they know how to use them outside of socialising. We need to ensure that these students can apply these skills to the classroom and to their learning rather than just assuming that because they do, they can.
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Designing an Online DiscussionDuring the PYPX, you have used a number of Web 2.0 Tools to support your work. List at least 2 different Web Tools you have used and explain for each case the ways it helped you and your group, as well as the problems you faced. What Web Tools would you recommend and what advice would you give the Grade 5's next year and why? Please make the initial post in your groups by Tuesday 28th May and respond to at least two other posts before Thursday 30th May. As always, follow the ICT Essential Agreements: Be Safe, Be Respectful and Be Responsible. Please use the rubric below to guide you: Example: We used Instagrok and Spiderscribe. Instagrok was really useful to search for information and it meant that we could view our research from home and school and it helped us cite our sources. The problem was that it kept freezing and was a little unreliable. Spiderscribe was really successful. We added our mentor to the discussion and were able to track our progress over the whole 6 weeks. We wish we had all made comments every week so that the Spiderscribe was bigger and more detailed. Next year, I suggest that the Grade 5's find a cool way to present your information like Prezi and be organised! You need to keep copies of everything you do so make sure you cite your sources and take lots of photos! ReflectionWow! This really made me think. My life has changed in the past 10 years. Ever since Facebook arrived on the scene in 2004, there have been a bunch of Social Networking sites that I have experimented with and discarded and yet there are some which have survived the test of time. Personally, having Skype and Facebook to maintain friendships and family connections - especially over long distances - has been invaluable. The birth of both our kids (and the immediate birth of their digital footprint!) was shared with our friends across the globe. The alternative of a letter or a phone call would have been lacking! My parents and extended family and friends have a real feel of belonging, as do our children who see their extended family on Skype, Facebook and email. Professionally, my online life started small, but as my interest with all things tech grew, so did my Google Reader (soon to be replaced with Feeddler) and with that my PLN grew to follow many like minded professionals. Through my Google Reader subscriptions to sites byRichard Byrne, Larry Ferlazzo, Jeffrey Thomas, Jacqui Murray, Maggie Hos McGrane (none of whom, by the way, have I met in person!) as well as sites like the Commited Sardine Blog and the Elementary Tech Teachers Ning the world of Web2.0 Tools and technology in education has opened up massive possibilities - and even led me on the path from a regular classroom teacher to being the Director of Digital Learning... I can honestly say that - except for a few distracting games (Dots being my current addiction and Words With Friends being my long standing relationship!) AND the fact that one can get lost in the pure volume, the internet has only been positive both personally and professionally. The answer would differ slightly for students. We have experienced 'LBI' (Life Before Internet) while the younger generations have never known anything different. We can appreciate the ease of research from the comfort of our own couch and remember, with fondness - and disbelief! - the days before mobile technology took over the world. Students know no different. Yes, students need to taught how to manage the balance between online and real life but at the end of the day, to them, this is all real. The question - and answer - is balance. Balance is a key skill we need to be teaching students. In this constantly connected world, learning to disconnect is extremely difficult and even I, with the distant memory of 'LBI', struggle to put my device down. We need to encourage students to value and participate in the real world while at the same time embracing the new era, where knowledge is no longer power but knowing what to do with it is key... Having said that, I believe we take it for granted that our students - digital natives - also have the skills to excel in a digital world. Just because they can connect using Social Network sites, does not mean that they know how to use them outside of socialising. We need to ensure that these students can apply these skills to the classroom and to their learning rather than just assuming that because they do, they can. Social Media is an unknown, unforgiving entity that is dangerous, distracting and full of inappropriate content. WAIT! Social Media gives every individual a voice and an authentic audience; it allows global discussions and opens up (literally) a world of positive possibilities. Every day I hear – or am involved in – this conversation between leaders, parents, teachers and students and the spectrum of opinions is astounding. Social Media is seen as a distraction and generally feared by parents and teachers alike because of the potential risks but is part of everyday life for our younger digital natives. In my opinion, students must – from a very early age – understand the risks and dangers involved. Even my daughter, at the age of five, needs to understand NOT to click on the ‘Click here to win an iPad’ banner. At the same time, she needs to know that some TV channels could be scary or inappropriate. And some people online are not who they say they are. As soon as we acknowledge these risks and expect our students to follow simple agreements (such as ‘turn off’ & ‘report to an adult’), we have normalized and not sensationalized these actions. Students then become responsible for their own actions. What are your thoughts...?! Learning Objective: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of a variety of significant explorers
Activity: Students have already worked individually on biographies of their own choice of explorer and displayed this information as a Tagxedo wordcloud. Students will now use Voicethread as a tool to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of other explorers using visual & written cues to generate information about explorers and build on and question the thinking of the rest of the class. Possible Challenges: Teachers and students should initially be discussing essential agreement about how to be respectful, responsible and safe when responding. Teachers may feel that they need to moderate the comments of certain students especially since the presentation is accessible online. Reflection: Getting student to reflect on a summative assessment task using Voicethread allows all students to have a voice. It allows them to select their medium of response, whether it be video, oral or written. It also allows them to respond to others and add to others thinking. As soon as students realize that they have an audience – a real one, not just a teacher sitting at home grading a pile of responses – personal pride kicks in and they work harder at the accuracy of their posts. They take time – for once – to read through previous posts because they don’t want repeat but add to the conversation. Copying becomes a thing of the past since everyone can see the comments before. Instead, students question and build upon previous posts and take the learning further. I came into the role of ICT teacher after 13 years in the classroom, so my passion is using technology as a tool to support student learning. I am particular partial to tools that are intuitive and motivating, that enhance the learning possibilities, and that take learning to the next level. We tend to forget that students of today have grown up with this kind of technology – cell phone use, instant access to information, online gaming, to name but a few examples. This may be innovation for us but for our students, this is normal – at least outside of the classroom. Using Web2.0 tools in a classroom environment instantly makes the content more accessible for the student. As many of the common core standards state, the student should have the opportunity to integrate and evaluate content before applying their understanding and presenting their findings. Referring to Blooms Digital Taxonomy, being able to use tools to analyse, evaluate and create – both online and offline – that promote higher order thinking skills. Web2.0 tools encourage real time collaboration with whomever you want, wherever you want. Students are able to be connected at home, school and even on the move. They can collect and process information from almost any device and the possibilities are endless. We no longer have to provide scenarios or simulations; we can provide them with an authentic learning experience by getting them to help provide solutions for the real life issues and problems of today. Students that get to bring their knowledge and experience of any of these types of tools is instantly more motivated. Yes, using technology is not as innovative for them as it is for us but it does speak their language and make them feel more at home. I do believe schools in general are doing students a disservice by making them leave the tools that they are accustomed to – that they have grown up with – at the door. Students should not have to rewind twenty years just to make teachers feel more comfortable. Collaborative Presentation of Web2.0 Tools Check out our presentation :) For their Explorers and Inventors Unit of Inquiry, students from Grade 5 created Tagxedo Word Clouds using the text from their own biographies that they wrote. We then uploaded a selection of the best Word Clouds and got other Grade 5 students to guess who it was and how they knew - what clues did they see within the text that gave it away. Voicethread is right at the top of the Bloom's Digital Taxonomy Pyramid in the 'creating' section and could be useful when analysing and/or synthesising information especially in the way that I have used it below... Voicethread provides a perfect way to collate student comments - with the added advantage that the students could add their comment as video, audio, written and could also annotate. It is especially useful in a mixed ability classroom and with shy students who are less willing to share their thoughts in a large group. Voicethread is very successful use of a GREAT Web2.0 Tool to create & present, showcase students work, and gather feedback to assess students knowledge & skills...! Love it :) Reflection Learning Objective: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of a variety of significant explorers
Activity: Students have already worked individually on biographies of their own choice of explorer and displayed this information as a Tagxedo wordcloud. Students will now use Voicethread as a tool to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of other explorers using visual & written cues to generate information about explorers and build on and question the thinking of the rest of the class. Possible Challenges: Teachers and students should initially be discussing essential agreement about how to be respectful, responsible and safe when responding. Teachers may feel that they need to moderate the comments of certain students especially since the presentation is accessible online. Reflection: Getting student to reflect on a summative assessment task using Voicethread allows all students to have a voice. It allows them to select their medium of response, whether it be video, oral or written. It also allows them to respond to others and add to others thinking. As soon as students realize that they have an audience – a real one, not just a teacher sitting at home grading a pile of responses – personal pride kicks in and they work harder at the accuracy of their posts. They take time – for once – to read through previous posts because they don’t want repeat but add to the conversation. Copying becomes a thing of the past since everyone can see the comments before. Instead, students question and build upon previous posts and take the learning further. I came into the role of ICT teacher after 13 years in the classroom, so my passion is using technology as a tool to support student learning. I am particular partial to tools that are intuitive and motivating, that enhance the learning possibilities, and that take learning to the next level. We tend to forget that students of today have grown up with this kind of technology – cell phone use, instant access to information, online gaming, to name but a few examples. This may be innovation for us but for our students, this is normal – at least outside of the classroom. Using Web2.0 tools in a classroom environment instantly makes the content more accessible for the student. As many of the common core standards state, the student should have the opportunity to integrate and evaluate content before applying their understanding and presenting their findings. Referring to Blooms Digital Taxonomy, being able to use tools to analyse, evaluate and create – both online and offline – that promote higher order thinking skills. Web2.0 tools encourage real time collaboration with whomever you want, wherever you want. Students are able to be connected at home, school and even on the move. They can collect and process information from almost any device and the possibilities are endless. We no longer have to provide scenarios or simulations; we can provide them with an authentic learning experience by getting them to help provide solutions for the real life issues and problems of today. Students that get to bring their knowledge and experience of any of these types of tools is instantly more motivated. Yes, using technology is not as innovative for them as it is for us but it does speak their language and make them feel more at home. I do believe schools in general are doing students a disservice by making them leave the tools that they are accustomed to – that they have grown up with – at the door. Students should not have to rewind twenty years just to make teachers feel more comfortable. Transferring a course from face to face to online without losing the most important elements is a real challenge. As the possibilities of technology grow, ways to collaboratively communicate and create online also become easier and by using Web2.0 Tools, allows such a course to become accessible to all.
The ‘Propositions Project’ is an excellent example of project based learning where students are given the freedom to pursue their choice of content and are required to deal with an authentic problem; a real life issue that has a genuine purpose and conclusion. As stated in the video, there is no need to give the students the information or even direct them to research; In order to solve a real problem, students search for information to support their actions and have ownership on the project. The students are automatically ‘hooked’. The challenge in transferring this to an online environment is minimized by the fact that the teacher is not the catalyst for motivation; the project itself is. We are no longer relying on the driven, enthusiastic, motivational teacher but on the authenticity of the task in hand. And by allowing students to self-select – both the content AND the possible colleagues – the motivation is instantly internalized. As long as the content is authentic and engaging – which, in this case, it certainly is, moving such a course to an online setting becomes more about the structure and organization, and above all facilitation; facilitating the discussions and the learning and deciding on the vehicle(s) to get you there… To accomplish this, providing specific types of tools to collaborate online at the different stages of the project is of paramount importance; finding effective and reliable ways to brainstorm, comment, discuss, collate data & information, question different points of view and, of course, collaborate and reflect on the final product. Selecting an effective range of tools while still allowing a balance of freedom for individuals to select their own way to express themselves would be a challenge in itself. Another area for consideration is feedback. Without feedback, motivation and enthusiasm dwindles. In a face to face situation, this is easy to monitor; recognizing which students look stressed, distracted or disconnected is easier to pinpoint and rectify. However, online is a different story – almost impossible to monitor unless the student approaches you. Therefore it is vital that the facilitator or group leader initiates conversations online and regularly checks in and asks the right questions. However, there is also a flipside to this. As the online environment is more ‘anonymous’, there may be some students – the more quiet or shy ones – who may respond more positively to online prompts and discussions; online learning levels the playing field in a number of ways. For their Explorers and Inventors Unit of Inquiry, students from Grade 5 created Tagxedo Word Clouds using the text from their own biographies that they wrote. We then uploaded a selection of the best Word Clouds and got other Grade 5 students to guess who it was and how they knew - what clues did they see within the text that gave it away. Blooms Digital Taxonomy Voicethread is right at the top of the Bloom's Digital Taxonomy Pyramid in the 'creating' section and could be useful when analysing and/or synthesising information especially in the way that I have used it below... Voicethread provides a perfect way to collate student comments - with the added advantage that the students could add their comment as video, audio, written and could also annotate. It is especially useful in a mixed ability classroom and with shy students who are less willing to share their thoughts in a large group. Voicethread is very successful use of a GREAT Web2.0 Tool to create & present, showcase students work, and gather feedback to assess students knowledge & skills...! Love it :) After initially being extremely excited about the potential of online programs, I am realising that I have some concerns. Personally, I think I would prefer to learn in a 100% online class as opposed to a brick and mortar classroom; I like the personalisation, the flexibility and the technology of such a course. I like the control it gives me as a student.
However - and I wasn't expecting this - I am wary about losing sight of what I see as being my main strength as a teacher - my presence in the classroom! I am realising (and will regret this brutal honesty!) that I enjoy the respect/attention/power I have over the students in my class in a face to face environment. I enjoy the interactions I have as a teacher; I enjoy seeing the reactions on their faces and playing on it; I like how, at the end of a school year, that a friendship has blossomed and will continue - I am still in contact with students I taught back in 1999. And above all all else, I love how rewarding it is seeing how I am changing lives a little at a time - in my small, insignificant way. These are the reasons I became a teacher... Anyway, back on track! As a face to face teacher, I feel that I use a variety of ways to explore learning with my students but due to the nature of my subject and schedule limitations, I usually fall back on the demonstration method; I demonstrate how to complete the activity or skill and the students then put it into practice. This way of teaching would lend itself well to online learning and this has already started happening by creating Jing screencasts for when I am unavailable to teach. Students watch the video and then complete the task at hand. As a specialist teacher where it is necessary for me to collaborate fully with the homeroom teacher so as to integrate technology across from the 'stand-alone' ICT session and into the classroom, my role is often to facilitate further learning back in the classroom; to be a facilitator as well as a delegator. Once again, these are two instructional methodologies that would transfer themselves into the online world. Part of my current role - and the part I really enjoy - is keeping abreast of new developments and new web tools to support learning and I think being able to pick out the best and most applicable tools for the job would be a huge part of developing an online program. Flexibility is also essential since even though free tools are always available, they change constantly and this requires adaptability and patience. So in conclusion, it seems that my fears in the second paragraph are unfounded, the way I currently teach in a face to face classroom, and the skills & strategies that I currently use, could easily be mirrored in an online or blended environment. I still need to figure out how to ensure that connections are made between myself and the online students as I strongly believe that human interaction is key. Online vs Face-to-Face Venn Diagram Below I have created a Venn Diagram discussing the different features of both face to face and online teaching methods. Students need to select a learning model that suits them; that allows them to become the person they want to be and the delivery of a course can be a major factor in how effectively the content is received. Learners of all ages now have a real choice in how they would best learn; in a way that takes into consideration time, money, flexibility, learning style, ability and this creates amazing opportunities. If done well, any method of delivery can work. At the same time, a poor course can be just as painful to sit through offline as online! I would probably favour a blended approach as I believe that the teacher - in whatever capacity (mentor, coach, facilitator, lecturer) - can have a huge influence on students and much more of an influence as a real life, face to face human being. Reflection After initially being extremely excited about the potential of online programs, I am realising that I have some concerns. Personally I think I would prefer to learn in a 100% online class as opposed to a brick and mortar classroom; I like the personalisation, the flexibility and the technology of such a course. I like the control it gives me as a student.
However - and I wasn't expecting this - I am wary about losing sight of what I see as being my main strength as a teacher - my presence in the classroom! I am realising (and will regret this brutal honesty!) that I enjoy the respect/attention/power I have over the students in my class in a face to face environment. I enjoy the interactions I have as a teacher; I enjoy seeing the reactions on their faces and playing on it; I like how, at the end of a school year, that a friendship has blossomed and will continue - I am still in contact with students I taught back in 1999. And above all all else, I love how rewarding it is seeing how I am changing lives a little at a time - in my small, insignificant way. These are the reasons I became a teacher... Anyway, back on track! As a face to face teacher, I feel that I use a variety of ways to explore learning with my students but due to the nature of my subject and schedule limitations, I usually fall back on the demonstration method; I demonstrate how to complete the activity or skill and the students then put it into practice. This way of teaching would lend itself well to online learning and this has already started happening by creating Jing screencasts for when I am unavailable to teach. Students watch the video and then complete the task at hand. As a specialist teacher where it is necessary for me to collaborate fully with the homeroom teacher so as to integrate technology across from the 'stand-alone' ICT session and into the classroom, my role is often to facilitate further learning back in the classroom; to be a facilitator as well as a delegator. Once again, these are two instructional methodologies that would transfer themselves into the online world. Part of my current role - and the part I really enjoy - is keeping abreast of new developments and new web tools to support learning and I think being able to pick out the best and most applicable tools for the job would be a huge part of developing an online program. Flexibility is also essential since even though free tools are always available, they change constantly and this requires adaptability and patience. So in conclusion, it seems that my fears in the second paragraph are unfounded, the way I currently teach in a face to face classroom, and the skills & strategies that I currently use, could easily be mirrored in an online or blended environment. I still need to figure out how to ensure that connections are made between myself and the online students as I strongly believe that human interaction is key. eCADEMY (https://sites.google.com/a/aps.edu/ecademy/)
I thought it would be interesting to get a closer look at a program which seems to be one of the furthest in style to what I currently have experienced. eCADEMY is an ‘online driver’ model of blended learning. I think it is difficult to contemplate what this would look like in my current school since it is a completely different - almost opposite - model, however it may be interesting for those students who have individual passions or interests, where an additional 'online driven' course - almost as an After School Activity - could complement their work within the school... For better or worse, eCADEMY’s main claim to fame is that it is a money saver. It requires less space, less facilities, less teachers. eCADEMY has changed the way teachers are paid and when they work. As it is made up of predominantly online courses, traditional holiday ‘restrictions’ no longer need to be enforced. Teachers get paid per student per semester and can work all year round and administer multiple courses. A point of note is that all teachers are required to have a district recognised online teaching certification. Students begin each of their courses face to face but then are able to do the rest of the course online, providing they maintain a sufficient grade. eCADEMY also cites parent relations to be of paramount importance and as disciplining has decreased with the move from the traditional face to face environment, parents and teachers are able to focus more on the successes of the students in their communication. The physical ‘brick and mortar’ school is open longer each day (from 8am-10pm) to allow for flexibility but as students choose when and indeed if they need to physically go to school, the facilities are of a much smaller scale (and therefore cheaper to maintain) than other schools with a similar population. Teachers are on location at all times if students want more face to face interaction. This model seems to be flexible but rigorous and even though it is predominantly an ‘online’ course, the face to face interactions are still there. As Salman Khan (2012) points out, “You need the human to do the mentorship. You need the human to understand the emotions of the child. You need the human being to really guide the student through rich, deep, open ended projects.” However, my one major concern of all of these blended learning models is that what is lacking is the human interaction, not only with the teacher, but primarily with peers. In a world where personal interactions are rare, what does reducing the possibilities of peer to peer interactions, problem solving, compromise, communication, conflict resolution etc do to the youth of today? Although educated and certified, will these students have the skills to be successful in society? What are your thoughts on this? |
Contents1. Resume/Bio
2. Online vs. face to face Venn Diagram 3. Collaborative Presentation of Web2.0 Tools 4. Designing an online discussion 5. Establishing an Accessible Social Presence 6. Designing a comprehensive Assessment Plan 7. Online Course Syllabus 8. Reflection: iNACOL Standards for Quality Online Teaching About MeHello, I am Tony Potts, the Director of Digital Learning, PK-12 ICT Coordinator, ICT teacher and technology integration specialist at GEMS World Academy, Dubai. Please feel free to ask me ANY questions...
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