Blog Post #8 - Tools for Schools

I spent a substantial amount of time exploring the resources offered through Cool Tools For Schools.  There were many that were similar to the audio, video, and collaborative documenting resources we explored throughout this course.  I stumbled upon Debategraph under the "Graphing Tools" section and thought it had great potential in a classroom.

Image found at http://debategraph.org/Images/DmrLogo1.gif

Debategraph is a social mapping tool that combines argument visualization with a collaborative wiki editing to present information on all sides of an argument.  Anyone can contribute to the debate by adding opinions, challenges, and improvements to the organizer.  The image below illustrates an example of an argument map:

Image found at http://blogsandwikisdaybook.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/debategraph-home.jpg

Each branch links to another set of related arguments/information.  It takes a little time to get used to navigating an argument, but the site does a good job at guiding you through the interface.  There is a multitude of topics explored through debategraphs relating to social, politcal, economic, environmental, and scientific issues and can be a great tool to study issues in nearly any subject, especially Social Studies, Government, Economics, and Science.  I would have students use it to understand a certain issue we were discussing in class and perhaps hold our own debate.  Check out the tutorial below for more information.

Video courtesy of Youtube

For my next tool, I was looking for something that could be used for my final project which consists of teaching a group of kids from ages 4-9.  As any teacher can tell you, there is a big difference in the capabilities between these ages.  I was having difficulty finding a tool on the suggested sites that could be for this age range in a science class so I started looking else where.  Then, I stumbled upon the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's website and discovered their Citizen Science program, the goal of which is for people to collect data for scientists to analyze to reveal changes in the movements, distributions, and number of birds through time.  This program, emphasizing authentic, actionable science, is one of the reasons I want to become a science teacher.  

Image courtesy of http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/41800_4815312849_5009026_n.jpg

Out of the multiple Citizen Science Programs listed on the website, I chose to look into CamClickr (watch the tutorial on the website - could not find a way to put it on the blog) because it is truly an internet tool versus a place to submit data collected through citizen birdwatching and the like.  CamClickr involves sorting and tagging some of the 8 million still photos of nesting birds taken from the University NestCams for scientists to analyze.  It is a simple process in which the images are sorted and tagged depending on such categories as how many eggs are present, how many adults are in the next, are they feeding the hatchlings, etc.  It is easy to use and the website creators do a fantastic job at explaining the directions and offering help.  This tool can be used as a basic activity to develop observation skills for the lower grades and can be used during an ecology unit to discuss populations, animal behaviors, food webs, and more.

Here is a video explaining another Citizen Science program, Nest Watch, that can have potential as another action research activity in science class...

Video courtesy of Youtube

Blog Post #7: Google Tools

I am going to preface this post by stating that I love anything Google.  The company has great ingenuity and the programs and applications they produce are usually useful and free!  I have always used Gmail, I use Gchat to keep in touch with family, use Google as my go-to search engine, and use iGoogle as my homepage.  I have dabbled a bit in Google Labs as well in order to discover the new applications the company is developing.  
For this assignment I decided to explore two tools that I had never used before - Google Notebook and Google Groups.

Image location http://www.google.com/educators/images/notebook_ex.gif

Google Notebook can be used as a way to save and organize information that you come across while browsing the internet to be accessed later for further investigation and sharing.  The following suggestions for educators was given by Google:

With Google Notebook, you'll be able to:

• save clippings from sites around the web so you can access them later
• annotate your clippings by adding your own thoughts or comments
• organize clippings into different notebooks or in sections within a single notebook
• search the full text of your own notebooks and any public notebooks
• invite specific collaborators to contribute to your notebook -- just click on the "sharing options" link in the top right-hand corner of your Google Notebook and enter the email addresses of the people you'd like to share it with
• share the information in your notebook with everyone -- once inside "sharing options," select "publish this notebook" to make your Notebook public

I could definitely see myself using Google Notebooks as an educator because I am constantly browsing the web for lesson ideas and resources to use in my classroom.  I usually write ideas on a piece of paper that I usually lose and bookmark sites that I really like but can get lost in the disorganization of my browsers Bookmark manager.

Video from Youtube

Image location http://www.liventerprise.com/phpthumb/cache/a/a8/a84/a84f/Google_Groups.jpg

Google Groups is another interesting application for classroom integration. It is a place where teachers and students can connect, collaborate, and communicate outside the classroom.  It can be used to post information, have an online discussion, and edit work in real-time.  It is also possible to set up different groups so you can have a space for your different classes.  This application has many of the communication/collaboration features that some of the LMS offer, without the option for grading, attendance, and other classroom management options.  So, if you are looking for solely a collaboration tool, this is a good option.  It could be a great resource in order for students to ask questions and seek homework help because both parties can access it anywhere.  It is as if the teacher is on call after school hours.  Talk about dedication!

Check out this video to see how a Physics teacher uses Google Groups in his classroom.

 Youtube

For a more detailed look at starting and using a Google Group, check out the video below.

Youtube

Blog Post #6 - LMS Comparison

https://sites.google.com/a/unisa.it/coffee-soft/

I was drawn to the LMS CoFFEE by its crafty description to "Plan, moderate and evaluate collaborative activities in a digital classroom using various tools, for brainstorming, mind mapping, voting and more."  It includes tools such as Categorized Discussions (similar to different links to a discussion board post) though it has a useful AIM layout where you can see the conversation without clicking on links.  Another tool that I thought was interesting was its Graphical Tool which illustrates the separate points supporting and arguing against a prompted discussion.  However, upon further investigation of this LMS, I think that it would be very difficult to master.  Take a look at this video to see if you can wrap your head around it...

CoFFEE has a very confusing interface, both on its webpage and the software, which turned me off immediately.  I also do not like that you have to download it to your computer either.  Call me progressive, but I'd rather type in a username and password than download software onto my computer.  This is not an LMS that I want to spend time learning because it can really only be used as a resource for discussion and I think that many LMS offer this tool in addition to many other useful applications.

Now on to bigger and better things!  

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxozSYe9CrSCWgD7eqHgPrpmF5J3iDBtfxKDEgJYWwUXdw5X-KjcDByj7wb5K2vXHvf1bs33MYW5ayLOtQJmjHYVC9lapsPMWtz5sqCkseABQaAK_IUDeSPZY9yeyG0wrQg4d55xl0dTM/s1600/Schoology+logo.jpg

Schoology is described as "a free web-based learning management system (LMS) built on a social network. Schoology leverages the familiarity of popular social media tools to improve communication and collaboration." Check out this site to see what this LMS has to offer.

It is designed much like the popular Facebook interface with the profile picture in the left hand corner, events (or assignments due) on the right hand side, and several tabs located on the left to navigate the sight.  This setup can be engaging for students because most of them are already so familiar with it.  Teachers and students can post on the class's wall anything from important announcements to sharing resources such as pictures and videos relevant to the class. There is a space for live discussions too.  Teachers can also use this LMS to log grades, keep attendance, create online assessments, and more!  The broad range of resources on Schoology makes it so much more useful than CoFFEE. I would use this LMS to keep students up-to-date on upcoming assignments, as a mode for discussion outside the classroom, as a different mode of assigning homework, and to use as a tool outside the classroom to further engage students in the class. There is even an iPhone App for this program! Check out this video to discover more about this LMS:

Youtube.com

Virtual Field Trips (VFTs)

Active engagement through the use of interactive technology (Google)

After reading the article on VFTs (Virtual Field Trips:  Best Practices by Klemm and Tuthill), I imagined designing my own VFT to be a long, trying process.  I pictured these elaborate, interactive resources that required the knowledge of web-page design which I know very little about.  However, upon designing my own VFT using Google Earth, it turned out to be a rather simple, enjoyable activity.  I have had some experience making a tour on Google Earth so I am certain that had something to do with the enjoyment factor because it is never easy to plan a lesson using resources that you have never worked with before.  Google Earth has an array of interesting applications such as 3-D, Street, 3D Trees and Ocean View.  It also has great help resources online that I found to be extremely useful.  I would like to work more with this resource in order to use it to its full potential.  

A look at new features of Google Earth 6 (Youtube).

My VFT can be found at the class Wiki Page.  I could not upload the file.

I really liked the idea of modifying something I used in the classroom to include interactive technology through Google Earth, images, and video.  One great benefit to my VFT is allowing the students to be less dependent on me, the teacher, and providing an experience for independent learning.  Another way I would use a VFT is to visit locations that relate to the concepts we are studying, but are not plausible to actually visit.  For instance, students could follow the development of a hurricane from a storm in the African plains, developing into a tropical storm across the Atlantic, and following its progression to a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.  It seems the possibilities for places students can "visit" are endless with the use of tools such as Google Earth and the internet. 

Video used in VFT, courtesy of YouTube

Blog Post #4 - iTunesU

iTunes U has great potential as evidenced by The Columbia Teachers College page as compared to UB on iTunesU.  At first glance on UB's page, I got rather excited when I saw that the Graduate School of Education was a category and my anticipation rose when I saw that Science Education itself was its own section.  I watched the one podcast that was included, and though it was an interesting story about a success story of a teacher using technology in her science class, I soon became disappointed that there were no other podcasts.  I decided to go back to the home page and found in interesting that some classes post podcasts by course number and decided to check out any of the chemistry courses I have taken here.  I was disappointed again that most classes did not have any podcasts linked to the course title.

On the flipside, the Columbia Teachers College had a multitude of resources, including podcasts of lectures and presentations in various areas of interest.  There were far more categories than UB's site and these categories had great depth. For these reasons, I believe the Columbia Teachers College on iTunesU appeals to a much broader audience, for people on and off campus.  Check out the images below of the two colleges' opening page.  Which one seems more appealing to you?

Images found on iTunesU

In order to improve UB's iTunesU site to better serve the community, I would use the Columbia Teachers College site as a guide.  Providing categories that appeal to the community would be first and foremost, such as Health and Medicine, Society, Humanities, and more.  I would like to see a page to illustrate the plans for UB in the future (i.e. the downtown medical campus) and how they will impact the local economy, job market, etc.  Another inclusion would be to describe the programs that UB is involved in and how it impacts the community, such as educational outreach programs.  I would like to see podcasts on what people are doing to improve the community and how people can get involved for the betterment of their neighborhoods.  For instance, the revitalization of the waterfront, the recent movement of fixing up old houses in the city, etc.  This area has a lot of history and I think it would be interesting to create episodes of podcasts highlighting various historical locations.  Additionally, this community has a strong liking of the arts and so the iTunesU page could be used to highlight this aspect of human interest.    These are a small number of items that people in Buffalo have an interest in and that is what UB should capture on its iTunesU page.  

Blog Post #3 - Podcasts

This was my first experience with podcasts.  While navigating the iTunes podcasts, I was amazed at how many people / organizations create podcasts and intrigued when I saw that many have schedules / episodes, and that they were all free!  I also didn't know a podcast could be in both video and audo formats.  I did not think the interface was terrific because I really wanted to search a subject in a search bar, but I was forced to search by category.

The first podcast I explored was in the TEDTalks found under the Featured Providers tab on the right hand side of the screen.  I was interested in this podcast because I have watched videos from this organization in several graduate classes.  TED stands for Technolgy, Entertainment, Design and provides access to the talks given by thinkers, artists, technologists, and more.  The organization offers podcasts in video, audio, and HD formats.

Image found at http://richworks.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/ted.jpg

The podcast I watched was titled "Let's Take Back the Internet!" by Rebecca MacKinnon (found on the internet at http://www.ted.com/talks/rebecca_mackinnon_let_s_take_back_the_internet.html - I don't know how to link a podcast right from iTunes - any ideas?) and described the censorship and surveillance which many governments impose on the internet in various countries.  For instance, China blocks many of the social media sites like Facebook.  She describes the internet as a "Border busting technology" and I liked this term because it describes quite succinctly how the internet is a global communication tool that transcends geographic boundaries.  During her talk, I could not help associating the censorship of governments to their citizens use of the internet to the schools' censorship of many sites.  What are the positive and negative consequences surrounding this censorship?  Do schools infringe on students' rights by doing it?  I enjoyed this podcast because I felt as though I was at the talk since I was able to  see and hear the speaker as well as view her slides in her presentation.

I watched the Math Dude Quick and Dirty Tips to Make Math Easier - a podcast on union and intersection of sets found at http://mathdude.quickanddirtytips.com/ on the internet.

Image found at http://mathdude.quickanddirtytips.com/images/hosts/full/mathdude.png

In this podcast, I really hated that there were no visuals.  In order to understand math, I think it is important to visualize numbers, groups, and relationships and it took some getting used to just listening to audio.  I felt that the podcast could be of use for review, especially for auditory learners.  The Math Dude had a lot to say about his book that was in stores and used a portion of the podcast to advertise, as well as advertise his Facebook and Twitter page.  I was a little turned off by this commercialism in the podcast.  I would be interested in exploring for better podcasts, those with an option for video and those that aren't trying to sell something, for my students to use.

To tweet or not to tweet...

When I first got wind of Twitter I thought it was the silliest thing.  After so many months of all the buzz around Twitter I decided to get an account to check out what all the hub was about.  I am mostly a follower as I have maybe tweeted once when I first got it and I mostly follow organizations, such as MSNBC, Discover Magazine, National Geographic, and a few bands that I like.  I really enjoy it for its quick way of checking news and looking at interesting science pictures and developments.

Following just one person gives me the sense that I am stalking someone.  Especially when they post about what they are doing or plan to do.  I must admit it is interesting to follow celebrities because it creates a connection between me and that seemingly fictional person that I would otherwise have no link to.

Twitter in the Classroom?  

The use of Twitter in educational settings has great potential as a communication and motivational tool.  It can be used as I explained in a previous post as a communication tool between teachers, students, and parents on the goings-on in a particular class.  It can be used as an interactive tool during lessons to increase students' opportunities to respond thereby increasing engagement and motivation.  I think another interesting application of this tool would be to choose a scientist from the past and create a Twitter account for him or her.  The students would then tweet from this scientist's perspective making note of the struggles and findings he or she faced during their lifetime.  This could have applications in history class to teach biographies of important people and in ELA for character development.

I think Twitter could be also beneficial as a support network for teachers to communicate their questions and concerns in the classroom.

Wikis

I think Wikis have great potential for use as a collaborative technology in the classroom because not only can anybody read it which can contribute to a sense of ownership in their work, but anybody could add information to it.  I think Wikis would be excellent resources during research projects because the students can describe their investigation, the teacher can add information to guide the student in the right direction, and students can make comments  / suggestions.  In the end, the Wiki can be the mode of presentation for the research project.

Educational Wikis is a good resource for how to use Wikis in the classroom.  I enjoyed the Discussion Board most of all as it involved teachers questions / comments on how they are using Wikis in their classroom.

I like the idea of having people contribute to the Wiki from around the world such as in the Best Educational Wiki of 2010.  In science class, I think it would be fantastic if several professionals in the science field could contribute to the Wiki because it can help bridge the gap between science in school and science in the real world.

A major factor in science and society is the ever-pressing environmental concerns that effect communities around the globe.  As a teacher, I hope to inspire students to live and act in ways that help rather than hurt our environment.  That being said, I would be interested in having the students create a classroom Wiki describing the environmental concerns facing my students' community and describing ways they can alleviate them.  The Wiki would display in words, images, and perhaps video on the actions that they took to preserve / protect their community from environmental harm.  It would be my hope that classrooms from other communities and around the globe would be inspired to act similarly and publish their efforts on the Wiki.

Twitter in the Classroom

At first I was skeptical on how Twitter could be beneficial in the school setting.  However, after brainstorming ideas and searching the internet for ideas, I think there are several ways to incorporate this resource into the classroom.

First, Twitter can be used as a quick communication tool between teachers, students, and parents.  Tweets may include classroom news, approaching deadlines for assignments, expressing questions or concerns, and more.  It becomes a mode of communication between different parties and helps to develop a sense of community within the classroom as the strive toward similar goals of student achievement.

Twitter can also be used in the classroom as a resource to increase student participation, as evidenced in the attached video.  The teacher in this story incorporates Twitter in the lessons by asking students to tweet comments or questions.  This teacher has a BYOT - Bring Your Own Technology - policy which I think could be a motivating factor for students who enjoy using their lap tops, smart phones, and tablets.  The teacher displays the tweets on a projector and references them throughout the lesson.  I think this is a useful tool because it increases students' opportunities to respond, especially for introverted students, which is beneficial for all levels of students from those with special needs to high-performing students.


Twitter in the Classroom