This is the last week for our Web 2.0 course. I have enjoyed learning about how these tools can be applied in the K-12 classroom, and hearing the "tales from the field" that everyone in the class has shared.
The focus this week is on safety and security for our students as they use these remarkable tools. In this week's discussion forum I shared an incident I had while teaching a group of 5th and 6th graders that I won't repeat here except to say that teachers must be on constant alert for threats to students, and do everything possible to keep them safe. I could never forgive myself if a child were ever endangered because I failed in my responsibility to do all I could to protect them.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Approaching the end....much to think about
I've experimented with podcasting a bit for a course I took last year on advanced technologies. We used a site called Podbeam. I created and edited the recording using Audacity, which although free, isn't the easiest program to use, especially when it comes to editing. Here is a link to the podcasts for anyone who may be interested. http://lbgdetroit.podbean.com/
As far as integrating these into the elementary classroom, I've been reading the "Educator's Podcast Guide" by Brad Williams which is a great resource for learning to create podcasts, and lists numerous podcast sites for educators in every subject area. The book also contains lists of sites for educators on issues related to K-12 education and podcasts offering professional development advice.
As far as integrating these into the elementary classroom, I've been reading the "Educator's Podcast Guide" by Brad Williams which is a great resource for learning to create podcasts, and lists numerous podcast sites for educators in every subject area. The book also contains lists of sites for educators on issues related to K-12 education and podcasts offering professional development advice.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Learning and Teaching with Web 2.0 Tools
Last year I took a course from the University of West Georgia on Advanced Technologies for Teaching and Learning. The focus of the course was on learning to use Web 2.0 technologies (blogs, wikis, rss, video, audio)for integration into the higher education classroom. Most members of the course were instructional designers like myself who support faculty at their respective institutions. This year I have decided to reactivate my K-6 teaching certificate and am taking 3 courses toward that end. One of the courses is designed to teach elementary, middle and high school teachers to integrate these same tools into their classrooms. In fact I am posting this as a part of an assignment for my Web 2.0 course to "create a blog".
Without intending to, I immediately began to compare what I've been learning about using these tools in K-12 with using them in higher ed. While the mechanics for using these tools are the same, the pedagogy is quite different. In the K-12 environment, teachers are very focused on standards and making sure students meet those standards during the prescribed period of time they are in a grade. Every course goal, objective, and activity must be designed to help students develop mastery of a particular standard. In this environment, technology tools must be mapped to tasks and skills development in a very conscious and deliberate way, forcing teachers to look at outcomes, and identify the tools that will help students accomplish them. Technology tools are chosen based on their ability to help students achieve very specific outcomes.
In higher ed, we are not bound by standards per se. Departmental goals are identified for each discipline, but these goals are not tied to strict outcomes. Because outcomes are somewhat vague, I don't think many faculty in higher ed are as likely to tie technology tools to tasks or readily recognize how technology can help students learn, comprehend, problem solve, and think critically. Perhaps its because we expect students to have already mastered these skills. In the few short weeks I've been in these courses, I've seen hundreds and hundreds of examples of how K-12 teachers have and are using technology to help students develop mastery. I've seen unique ways in which basic programs like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as more advanced technologies like blogs, podcasts, audio, and video, are being used in very unique ways in K-12 classrooms. I'd love to see statistics on the achievement rates of students in schools where these tools are being used regularly.
I'm looking forward to continuing with these courses and making more observations about technology integration in K-12 and higher ed classrooms.
Without intending to, I immediately began to compare what I've been learning about using these tools in K-12 with using them in higher ed. While the mechanics for using these tools are the same, the pedagogy is quite different. In the K-12 environment, teachers are very focused on standards and making sure students meet those standards during the prescribed period of time they are in a grade. Every course goal, objective, and activity must be designed to help students develop mastery of a particular standard. In this environment, technology tools must be mapped to tasks and skills development in a very conscious and deliberate way, forcing teachers to look at outcomes, and identify the tools that will help students accomplish them. Technology tools are chosen based on their ability to help students achieve very specific outcomes.
In higher ed, we are not bound by standards per se. Departmental goals are identified for each discipline, but these goals are not tied to strict outcomes. Because outcomes are somewhat vague, I don't think many faculty in higher ed are as likely to tie technology tools to tasks or readily recognize how technology can help students learn, comprehend, problem solve, and think critically. Perhaps its because we expect students to have already mastered these skills. In the few short weeks I've been in these courses, I've seen hundreds and hundreds of examples of how K-12 teachers have and are using technology to help students develop mastery. I've seen unique ways in which basic programs like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as more advanced technologies like blogs, podcasts, audio, and video, are being used in very unique ways in K-12 classrooms. I'd love to see statistics on the achievement rates of students in schools where these tools are being used regularly.
I'm looking forward to continuing with these courses and making more observations about technology integration in K-12 and higher ed classrooms.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Impaticized PowerPoint
Here is the Narrated PowerPoint presentation that has been "Impaticized" for deployment on the Web. I think the sound quality is very good and find the access to player controls such as pause, volume, etc. to be very handy. The most impressive feature of this product is file compression. This allows an instructor to narrate an entire presentation without having to break it up in numerous 30 second modules to conserve bandwidth.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
My Podcasting Experience
I've been a bit out of the loop these past few weeks due to some personal issues, so I am just catching up.
I must say that I have a whole new understanding of what the faculty I support go through when trying to use a new technology.
This podcasting activity took me about 5 hours. Recording, and editing each recording took about 2 hrs. I had difficulty getting the LAME program to work with Audacity so I finally gave up and had to save my audio files as WAVE files which of course, PodBean doesn't support. I then had to find a program that was free and friendly enough to allow me to convert the files to MP3 format. I found a program called OSS Audio Converter that I must say, was very easy to use, and I was able to convert the files fairly quickly.
I then uploaded them to Podbean and forgot to publish them. Merely uploading is not enough!!! Of course I didn't realize this until I was busy trying to add the feed to my blog. I had to go back, publish the files and bla bla bla....
Two hours later, and I'm finally finished! Did I mention that I lost internet connectivity about 3 times during this process, twice while I was uploading my files to Podbean!
I call myself an "advanced" user of technology. I've been in the field for 20 years. Which means in order for me to still be in the game, I've had to keep up with every advance in instructional technology. If it took me 5 hrs to complete this assignment, I can't imagine how long it took someone who's skills aren't as "advanced" as mine. Perhaps my skills aren't as "advanced" as I thought. Bummer...... Click here to listen to my podcasts.
I must say that I have a whole new understanding of what the faculty I support go through when trying to use a new technology.
This podcasting activity took me about 5 hours. Recording, and editing each recording took about 2 hrs. I had difficulty getting the LAME program to work with Audacity so I finally gave up and had to save my audio files as WAVE files which of course, PodBean doesn't support. I then had to find a program that was free and friendly enough to allow me to convert the files to MP3 format. I found a program called OSS Audio Converter that I must say, was very easy to use, and I was able to convert the files fairly quickly.
I then uploaded them to Podbean and forgot to publish them. Merely uploading is not enough!!! Of course I didn't realize this until I was busy trying to add the feed to my blog. I had to go back, publish the files and bla bla bla....
Two hours later, and I'm finally finished! Did I mention that I lost internet connectivity about 3 times during this process, twice while I was uploading my files to Podbean!
I call myself an "advanced" user of technology. I've been in the field for 20 years. Which means in order for me to still be in the game, I've had to keep up with every advance in instructional technology. If it took me 5 hrs to complete this assignment, I can't imagine how long it took someone who's skills aren't as "advanced" as mine. Perhaps my skills aren't as "advanced" as I thought. Bummer...... Click here to listen to my podcasts.
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