I just read N. Flom's last blog and felt a bit better, because I am in the same shoes as she seems to be. I have not been blogging much at all. I hope to make this the beginning of a very regular blogging routine. The fact that I have not been blogging does not mean that I don't find the MILI class enriching or informatif. In fact, it has expanded my awareness of the vast and varied web tools and lingo that I knew was there, but did not take the time to investigate or educate myself about.
About a month or two ago, while searching the web (I think it was during a MILI Wed. class) I came across a great blog that was devoted to teaching AP government and politics. It had lots of info on teaching tips, lessons and readings for the course. Unfortunately, I did not save it into any file (such as a favorites list) and now I cannot find it anywhere on the web. I wonder if I need to be looking for it while using a specific web tool, or if it could have been taken down? I am very puzzled by this. Anyway,it is a frustration for me, for I thought I was making some progress.
I will continue to search and try to keep my blogging efforts up in the future.
Until next week,
Carrie
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Thing #4 questions
1. Which customizeable homepage did you use? Why did that appeal to you? Will you make it your permanent homepage?
I used igoogle. I choose it for two reasons. One, it is private. I am not sure of the implications of not being private on the other sights, but I do know that I have no desire to share or give access to this to anyone else. I know there is nothing on there that is in any way objecionable or "private" to me, but I prefer to keep as low a profile online as possible. It was also the most logical to me to use another google product. It will be easier for me to remember and access, it think. I liked how easy it was to set up, but I am not sure if I set up the homepage address correctly. I am going to try to ask for assistance on this at the next Wednesday meeting. I also liked the overall look and information that I choose to display. I really would like to have this homepage.
2. Did you find a tool that has some uses for you at school or home?
I am not sure what kinds of tools you are thinking of, but I did find a few that will be helpful. I like the to do list that is going on the igoogle homepage. It looks like it is very easy to use. I find that when I write things down I have a much greater chance of remembering it. I also found a number of feeds that will let me know what important events happened in history each day. I think that could be helpful to me as a U.S. History teacher. I want to tell students what was significant about certain days during the year, and this will be a great source and handy reminder of these events. Some of the feeds also offered videos relating to the event as part of the feed. I didn't have time to explore this as well as I would have liked, and I am not sure if I have the capacity to download them on my home computer, so I am going to try when I return to school.
3. How can the online calendar be useful to you?
I think this could help me remember what obligations I have on a given day. What I need to do is to commit to adding in the events each time I need to and then checking the calendar each day. But definitely a good organizational tool.
4. What about the do do lists. Helpful or too much work?
The one that I added to the igoogle homepage doesn't look very difficult or time consuming, but knowing myself, I may not remember to use it as often as I should.
5. How would you compare and contrast the use of paper-based assignments and assignment notebooks to the potential use of online assignment calculators and to do lists for students?
I think the online assignment calculators have the greater potential of giving students access to their work more efficiently than paper assignments. Most students are so connected to the web that they would have no problems accessing the assignments and would appreciate it. It is also helpful if a student is not in class on a particular day and wants to see what assignments they missed, etc. It would not work for all students, however, especially those who do not have computers at home. This is important to remember. Computers and Internet access cost money!! The economy is down, and I read recently that many people are cancelling their high speed Internet access to save money and are lining up at the doors of libraries in the morning to get access to Internet service offered there. I know that many teachers are already doing this for their students and I am sure it will be required of teachers in the near future.
1. Which customizeable homepage did you use? Why did that appeal to you? Will you make it your permanent homepage?
I used igoogle. I choose it for two reasons. One, it is private. I am not sure of the implications of not being private on the other sights, but I do know that I have no desire to share or give access to this to anyone else. I know there is nothing on there that is in any way objecionable or "private" to me, but I prefer to keep as low a profile online as possible. It was also the most logical to me to use another google product. It will be easier for me to remember and access, it think. I liked how easy it was to set up, but I am not sure if I set up the homepage address correctly. I am going to try to ask for assistance on this at the next Wednesday meeting. I also liked the overall look and information that I choose to display. I really would like to have this homepage.
2. Did you find a tool that has some uses for you at school or home?
I am not sure what kinds of tools you are thinking of, but I did find a few that will be helpful. I like the to do list that is going on the igoogle homepage. It looks like it is very easy to use. I find that when I write things down I have a much greater chance of remembering it. I also found a number of feeds that will let me know what important events happened in history each day. I think that could be helpful to me as a U.S. History teacher. I want to tell students what was significant about certain days during the year, and this will be a great source and handy reminder of these events. Some of the feeds also offered videos relating to the event as part of the feed. I didn't have time to explore this as well as I would have liked, and I am not sure if I have the capacity to download them on my home computer, so I am going to try when I return to school.
3. How can the online calendar be useful to you?
I think this could help me remember what obligations I have on a given day. What I need to do is to commit to adding in the events each time I need to and then checking the calendar each day. But definitely a good organizational tool.
4. What about the do do lists. Helpful or too much work?
The one that I added to the igoogle homepage doesn't look very difficult or time consuming, but knowing myself, I may not remember to use it as often as I should.
5. How would you compare and contrast the use of paper-based assignments and assignment notebooks to the potential use of online assignment calculators and to do lists for students?
I think the online assignment calculators have the greater potential of giving students access to their work more efficiently than paper assignments. Most students are so connected to the web that they would have no problems accessing the assignments and would appreciate it. It is also helpful if a student is not in class on a particular day and wants to see what assignments they missed, etc. It would not work for all students, however, especially those who do not have computers at home. This is important to remember. Computers and Internet access cost money!! The economy is down, and I read recently that many people are cancelling their high speed Internet access to save money and are lining up at the doors of libraries in the morning to get access to Internet service offered there. I know that many teachers are already doing this for their students and I am sure it will be required of teachers in the near future.
Thing #3 Questions:
1. What is easy for you about teaching research?
I like students to do independent research. It gives them a chance to focus to delve deeper into issues of interest that I do not have time to teach (I speak specifically about U.S. History. A very crowded curriculum.) I always go into it thinking this is just what the students want and need: time to work independently and learn something on their own.
But I come away from it (Q. #2: What are the challenges) many times frustrated. My biggest disappointment is that so many have no intellectual curiosity. Internet tools such as Wikpedia, Infoplease, etc. have made it too easy to find information on a person or topic. They do not care to check for accuracy of information, because they believe whatever is said over the internet.
3. How might the RPC Teacher Guide help you plan and manage research projects?
I think it will help a great deal. I am working on a project for U.S. History where a group of students research a decade in the 20th century and prepare a presentation on it. I want to use the RPC to help students develop a unique thesis question on the decade they have chosen, so as to make the final product more authentic. I think that I will also use other tools offered by the RPC to guide them in the 5 steps of the rsearch process. I haven't finished this yet, but I am working on it and will report other tools I use.
4. How can you keep the planning, teaching, and managing of research projects sane for you as a teacher?
That is a good question. When students are given researh projects, I used to think that it would be great for me, because I would be free to do other work as they researched. Of course I was sooooo wrong! I think the best way to keep it sane is to plan the project well. I need to have timelines for student work to be completed, provide more oversight into the work they are doing to ensure that quality research is being done, and provide more clearly articulated expectations from the beginning. Students need to know what is expected of them and how they are going to be able to access the information and other tools necessary to complete the project. I think this will help me a lot.
5. What additional support or resources do you need to be successful in this area of information literacy?
I need to talk more to the media specialist about my plans and see what she has to offer. As a result of this class, I can see that there is a wealth of resources; now the trick is to identify which resources are best to help me in this project.
1. What is easy for you about teaching research?
I like students to do independent research. It gives them a chance to focus to delve deeper into issues of interest that I do not have time to teach (I speak specifically about U.S. History. A very crowded curriculum.) I always go into it thinking this is just what the students want and need: time to work independently and learn something on their own.
But I come away from it (Q. #2: What are the challenges) many times frustrated. My biggest disappointment is that so many have no intellectual curiosity. Internet tools such as Wikpedia, Infoplease, etc. have made it too easy to find information on a person or topic. They do not care to check for accuracy of information, because they believe whatever is said over the internet.
3. How might the RPC Teacher Guide help you plan and manage research projects?
I think it will help a great deal. I am working on a project for U.S. History where a group of students research a decade in the 20th century and prepare a presentation on it. I want to use the RPC to help students develop a unique thesis question on the decade they have chosen, so as to make the final product more authentic. I think that I will also use other tools offered by the RPC to guide them in the 5 steps of the rsearch process. I haven't finished this yet, but I am working on it and will report other tools I use.
4. How can you keep the planning, teaching, and managing of research projects sane for you as a teacher?
That is a good question. When students are given researh projects, I used to think that it would be great for me, because I would be free to do other work as they researched. Of course I was sooooo wrong! I think the best way to keep it sane is to plan the project well. I need to have timelines for student work to be completed, provide more oversight into the work they are doing to ensure that quality research is being done, and provide more clearly articulated expectations from the beginning. Students need to know what is expected of them and how they are going to be able to access the information and other tools necessary to complete the project. I think this will help me a lot.
5. What additional support or resources do you need to be successful in this area of information literacy?
I need to talk more to the media specialist about my plans and see what she has to offer. As a result of this class, I can see that there is a wealth of resources; now the trick is to identify which resources are best to help me in this project.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Thing #2 questions
1. What was your reaction to the videos? I viewed them last night. One stands out. It featured 10 individuals/students discussing the benefits of blogging. They thought that it was very helpful in obtaining assignments and getting clarification on assignments easily. One student felt that it was a good way to get assignments when she had missed class.
2. Are you thinking about using Blogs in your classroom? Why or Why Not? I think they could be useful in my AP government class. These students are probably familiar with the technology and it could be a way for them to discuss issues presented in class. I think one of the social studies teachers has used this for several years and the students use it all the time. Will I use it? I don't know. I don't feel comfortable with the technology yet. We will see.
3. Are you using Blogs in your classroom? I am not. I have only set this one up, and it is pretty basic.
4. What are some ways you envision blogs being used in your classroom? As I briefly mentioned above, I think it could be a good sounding board for students to ask questions regarding the course content, assignments, etc. I could put assignments and other class information on there as well. I am sure there are many other ways to use blogs that I am not fully aware of yet.
5. What do you like or dislike about RSS feeders? I must honestly tell you, I have yet to set one up. I am still confused about how to set them up. I will work on that this week and set some up. I did, however, want to post Thing 2, as I feel I am not keeping up. I think they could make it easier to find/hear about topics or gather information easier than going to the website itself, since it feeds its information to me. I anticipate that it could bring more information to met than I have the time to read. I believe that in one of the videos for Thing 2 a teacher confessed that he reads blogs (?) for at least 2 hours a day!!! I have no idea where he finds the time.
6. How might you be able to use RSS in your personal life? I am not sure. I think if I had more time I would be able to subscribe to more feeders and be able to read them. I think it would be for general knowledge. The RSS feeders seem to me to be more interesting as a way to enhance my knowledge for the classroom.
7. Did you find any great resources we should all add to our Google Reader? No, but as Sarah Palin says "I'll get back to you when I find one."
2. Are you thinking about using Blogs in your classroom? Why or Why Not? I think they could be useful in my AP government class. These students are probably familiar with the technology and it could be a way for them to discuss issues presented in class. I think one of the social studies teachers has used this for several years and the students use it all the time. Will I use it? I don't know. I don't feel comfortable with the technology yet. We will see.
3. Are you using Blogs in your classroom? I am not. I have only set this one up, and it is pretty basic.
4. What are some ways you envision blogs being used in your classroom? As I briefly mentioned above, I think it could be a good sounding board for students to ask questions regarding the course content, assignments, etc. I could put assignments and other class information on there as well. I am sure there are many other ways to use blogs that I am not fully aware of yet.
5. What do you like or dislike about RSS feeders? I must honestly tell you, I have yet to set one up. I am still confused about how to set them up. I will work on that this week and set some up. I did, however, want to post Thing 2, as I feel I am not keeping up. I think they could make it easier to find/hear about topics or gather information easier than going to the website itself, since it feeds its information to me. I anticipate that it could bring more information to met than I have the time to read. I believe that in one of the videos for Thing 2 a teacher confessed that he reads blogs (?) for at least 2 hours a day!!! I have no idea where he finds the time.
6. How might you be able to use RSS in your personal life? I am not sure. I think if I had more time I would be able to subscribe to more feeders and be able to read them. I think it would be for general knowledge. The RSS feeders seem to me to be more interesting as a way to enhance my knowledge for the classroom.
7. Did you find any great resources we should all add to our Google Reader? No, but as Sarah Palin says "I'll get back to you when I find one."
Sunday, November 2, 2008
I wanted to report on my first attempt to use one of the Web 2.0 tools in class. I had my students use google docs for the first time. I have to admit I was a little nervous about it because I wasn't very confident about the application myself. However, it went more smoothly than I anticipated. Some students had used it before, and helped out with the setup of the accounts. I also had the help of Veronica S., who, during the last MILI meeting ran through the set-up procedures with me. That was huge!! Many thanks. I do have to work with this more in the future, and become more comfortable with it. I had students add me to their google doc accounts, but I do confess that I did not sign in to check on their progress (I believe this is the purpose of having access to their accounts.) I think that I could have helped the students by making more comments on their power points if I had done this.
This first attempt will also help me when designing the U.S. history project for this class. Students prepare a powerpoint on one of the "decades" and Rachel H. and I are planning on having students use google docs.
All in all, I am pretty satisfied. Without this course, I do not know when I would have caught wind of this. This is why I signed up. I know I need to spend more time experimenting with this tool and others in the Web 2.0 and its applications to the classroom.
This first attempt will also help me when designing the U.S. history project for this class. Students prepare a powerpoint on one of the "decades" and Rachel H. and I are planning on having students use google docs.
All in all, I am pretty satisfied. Without this course, I do not know when I would have caught wind of this. This is why I signed up. I know I need to spend more time experimenting with this tool and others in the Web 2.0 and its applications to the classroom.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Thing 1 and other comments
OK, I have gone way too long without posting a blog here. I have been busy and have just completed reading the materials for "Thing 1". So without further comment or excuses, I would like to comment on the items I read for "Thing 1" and ask a few questions regarding a project I am trying to get organized.
I did not write down all of the questions prior to logging on to this blog, so I will attempt to answer the questions I did write down and those that I do not complete today I will finish off this week.
Regarding the question: What do you think of the Blog? (or something to that effect):
I have to say that I do not feel that comfortable blogging. I haven't taken the time to do "Thing 1" before today, and I didn't really know what to blog about other than that. Additionally, I am not a very extroverted person by nature and I don't really like exposing my thoughts and feelings in such an open forum. I do not have a Facebook or Myspace account and I do not plan on creating one at anytime in the near future. I probably says a lot about my age, having grown up before the computer revolution, but that's the way I see it.
Regarding the evolution of the Blog in general, I feel that it's growth (did I read that there is one new blog created every second, or half second?) is really mind boggling to me. I have read very few online blogs before joining this class, although I do read the printed blog comments that are featured in the Star/Tribune editorial pages regularly. I am sure that this is because I haven't taken the time to investigate them. This was one of the reasons I signed up for this class. I knew that there were new tools on the web but I didn't know much about them.
How do all these things fit together? Or don't they?
I think they do fit together. Information literacy is, as I recall, without having the definition written down, the ability to incorporate new technology tools avialable online to gather reliable research data and compile the data as well as communicate that data. It is an attempt to help students understand the many tools on Web 2.0 and classroom 2.o to help them become lifelong learners, and to "learn how to learn."
I am not sure that I really understand the Web 2.0 or the Classroom 2.0, but I gather that they are structured in a very open ended fashion; the student researches the information and uses these tools to create their own website on a particular topic ("Students are content creators") using the Web 2.0. The problem, it seems to me, is that students do not know the difference between reliable and false/inaccurate information, especially when they use such search engines as Wikipedia as the final authority on any and all topics. I did find the Washington Post article interesting in stating that the evolution of the web has not necessarily fostered more knowledge and understanding of the world, but many times it has led to a lot of misinformation. I would have thought the opposite. So, how do we teach studnets to use only the reliable sources of information? This is something I need some training in!!!
How do you gather, interpret, organize and store information? How do your students do it?
Well, obviously, I need some training in how to do all of these things. I have traditionally used books, and online databases that feature newspaper, periodical articles, and other research tools offered through the Chaska High School Media Center (i.e. SIRS, Opposing Viewpoints, etc.) I think students, even though I ask that they do not, will run to Wikpedia first and use that as the main source of their information. This is an area where I need to work the hardest on, so that I can help them do the same.
I was heartened a bit when I read the article "Students as content creators: Consequence of Literacies (?) They emphasized the importance of gaining technology literacy skills in a students' college education, but also said that very few colleges are offering any kind of comprehensive program to teach these skills to the students. My take on this article is that I am not the only educator that needs some "education" on these literacy skills.
Is the definition of Information Literacy enough? (this is not the exact question, I know, but I think this is generally it.)
The definition gives one a good start at grasping the idea, but to really be "Literate" is so much bigger than the definition provides!! There are so many online tools that I have perused in the short time I have exposed myself to them that I am truly overwhelmed. I can't imagine how a person can become truly literate without years of study and an almost daily exposure to these developments and the new tools that will emerge rapidly. It is truly a lifelong commitment to keep up with these developments.
I think these are most of the questions I was asked to address. I have a better understanding of their overall structure and some of the implications for education as a result of having read the articles, etc. But, at the same time, it has created more questions than answers!
If anyone has read this all, I am sorry!! I feel as if I have droned on too long. But I will post a query, without having investigated this tool enough myself: Is it pretty quick and easy to learn about Google docs, and present it to my students, so they can use it to put together a project on the upcoming election?
Thanks!!!
I did not write down all of the questions prior to logging on to this blog, so I will attempt to answer the questions I did write down and those that I do not complete today I will finish off this week.
Regarding the question: What do you think of the Blog? (or something to that effect):
I have to say that I do not feel that comfortable blogging. I haven't taken the time to do "Thing 1" before today, and I didn't really know what to blog about other than that. Additionally, I am not a very extroverted person by nature and I don't really like exposing my thoughts and feelings in such an open forum. I do not have a Facebook or Myspace account and I do not plan on creating one at anytime in the near future. I probably says a lot about my age, having grown up before the computer revolution, but that's the way I see it.
Regarding the evolution of the Blog in general, I feel that it's growth (did I read that there is one new blog created every second, or half second?) is really mind boggling to me. I have read very few online blogs before joining this class, although I do read the printed blog comments that are featured in the Star/Tribune editorial pages regularly. I am sure that this is because I haven't taken the time to investigate them. This was one of the reasons I signed up for this class. I knew that there were new tools on the web but I didn't know much about them.
How do all these things fit together? Or don't they?
I think they do fit together. Information literacy is, as I recall, without having the definition written down, the ability to incorporate new technology tools avialable online to gather reliable research data and compile the data as well as communicate that data. It is an attempt to help students understand the many tools on Web 2.0 and classroom 2.o to help them become lifelong learners, and to "learn how to learn."
I am not sure that I really understand the Web 2.0 or the Classroom 2.0, but I gather that they are structured in a very open ended fashion; the student researches the information and uses these tools to create their own website on a particular topic ("Students are content creators") using the Web 2.0. The problem, it seems to me, is that students do not know the difference between reliable and false/inaccurate information, especially when they use such search engines as Wikipedia as the final authority on any and all topics. I did find the Washington Post article interesting in stating that the evolution of the web has not necessarily fostered more knowledge and understanding of the world, but many times it has led to a lot of misinformation. I would have thought the opposite. So, how do we teach studnets to use only the reliable sources of information? This is something I need some training in!!!
How do you gather, interpret, organize and store information? How do your students do it?
Well, obviously, I need some training in how to do all of these things. I have traditionally used books, and online databases that feature newspaper, periodical articles, and other research tools offered through the Chaska High School Media Center (i.e. SIRS, Opposing Viewpoints, etc.) I think students, even though I ask that they do not, will run to Wikpedia first and use that as the main source of their information. This is an area where I need to work the hardest on, so that I can help them do the same.
I was heartened a bit when I read the article "Students as content creators: Consequence of Literacies (?) They emphasized the importance of gaining technology literacy skills in a students' college education, but also said that very few colleges are offering any kind of comprehensive program to teach these skills to the students. My take on this article is that I am not the only educator that needs some "education" on these literacy skills.
Is the definition of Information Literacy enough? (this is not the exact question, I know, but I think this is generally it.)
The definition gives one a good start at grasping the idea, but to really be "Literate" is so much bigger than the definition provides!! There are so many online tools that I have perused in the short time I have exposed myself to them that I am truly overwhelmed. I can't imagine how a person can become truly literate without years of study and an almost daily exposure to these developments and the new tools that will emerge rapidly. It is truly a lifelong commitment to keep up with these developments.
I think these are most of the questions I was asked to address. I have a better understanding of their overall structure and some of the implications for education as a result of having read the articles, etc. But, at the same time, it has created more questions than answers!
If anyone has read this all, I am sorry!! I feel as if I have droned on too long. But I will post a query, without having investigated this tool enough myself: Is it pretty quick and easy to learn about Google docs, and present it to my students, so they can use it to put together a project on the upcoming election?
Thanks!!!
Friday, September 5, 2008
The end of the first week!!! Things went very well at school, but I have not blogged since the Wednesday that we met all day. Good intentions, but I was busyier than I thought. I am also not sure what to blog about at this point, and am wondering how I can use the blog in my classroom. I do have some ideas for class projects where I can put to use some of the web tools that were presented during the two days we were together. I suppose at that point I will have some questions/reflections. I perused a few of the District 112 blogs and was impressed with the level of sophistication of some of them.
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