Tools, Tools, and More Tools!

How exciting it is to have learned so much!

I feel like I am running out of tools... ha, well, not really.

AT SCHOOL

The first tool highlighted in our reading was the one tool I have most recently introduced to my co-teacher and sped teacher...

While it is such a simple tool, Audacity's value is immeasurable! In order to have quantitative data for our readers, we had students record a cold read of text to take measurable data from. We used a passage of grade level reading and had targeted students read aloud the text. We could then go back and listen through the passage (more than once when needed) and mark the text for various pauses, mispronunciations, letter sound concerns, inflection, vocabulary and more. This process is very easy for both students and teachers. Students can record themselves without the distraction or stress of a teacher making notes next to them, and teachers are able to go back through and mark up the text as needed to measure correct and incorrect words per minute.

Other tools that we use frequently at school include Moodle, Google Earth, photostory, and schooltube. I have tried introducing Voki to some of our students, but because the free version has a limit on words/time, it makes it more difficult to do some of the work we need to accomplish in class.

PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL

The tools I have already utilized prior to my master's courses include Skype, Picasa, Clkr, and Photobucket. After just discovering iGoogle, I am sad that they are discontinuing this tool in November because I love it! I was introduced to Club Penguin, Webkinz and Kerpoof as my children worked on them throughout elementary school.

Because I have chosen MoBap for my MET, I have been blessed with so many tools and ways to practice new tools like Voki, Wordle, Blogger, bubbl.us, classroom20, Google+, GoogleDocs, Twitter, Tweetdeck, Edmodo, Photostory, animoto, prezi, glogster, makebeliefscomix, pbworks and tinyurl.


The very next tool highlighted in our "web 2.0" is one that I started using this year, especially since I am unable to access my Symbaloo account at school...

I love the ease of Delicious and the button on the tool bar is the icing on the cake. When I am searching and researching, I love simply hitting the button to add the site to my account. I can access it anywhere and find anything I need by hitting the tags I have created for each site. I have yet to use it as a part of my PLN, but I can imagine it becoming a wonderful resource with sharing and communicating.

A new one I have been learning is...

Not because I use it, but because the student I tutor uses it. It has been amazing for her to be able to email her notes to me for review or to plan for our sessions. It is also a blessing for organization. This type of tool is a must for every student, but especially for those who have organizational struggles and difficulty with paper. It has a speech-to-text function, recorder for lectures, it saves as you go, and you can share your notes with peers or colleagues. And, the app is available for smartphone users as well as those in ipad world. I just love it when I can use my Droid and iPad for the same tools! I think because of the versatility and crossover of this app, it is an awesome way to have a community of resources for students in which there can be lessons recorded and notes shared!

Here are some sites that I have found helpful in exploring Evernote's capabilities and use for the classroom:

• http://laddriggers.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Use-Evernote-to-Keep-Superbly-Organized-Class-Notes
• http://blog.cloudhq.net/post/40124750965/how-to-use-evernote-and-google-drive-in-schools
• http://blog.evernote.com/blog/2010/12/15/10-evernote-tips-for-school-education-series/

Study smarter, not harder!

Twitter Chat

So, I have officially participated in a non-course-related chat.  Well, I guess I should back up a little.  Two weeks ago I stumbled upon the #moedchat and found myself intrigued by the amount of posts that were streaming on my deck.  I took some time to peer in from the outside without participating to actually see if the chat was worth attending depending on the input and resources shared.  And, of course, I loved what I was reading.  Then came our class chat.  Certainly not rapid-fire, which was more my speed.  I am so thankful to have been able to practice together in an environment where others were in the same boat.

And, tonight, was my first official Tweet chat with the community on #moedchat.  It was wonderful!  I even felt bold enough to reflect, respond and retweet!  Our topics were about Professional Development and Social Media:

Q1: What does traditional PD in schools look like and how does it affect teacher motivation, morale, open-mindedness, and LEARNING?

• Why is it educators in a trad'l PD session at a school are bored and lifeless while educators at edcamps are full of smiles, energy, and enthusiasm on a SAT. no less?

• How to help tchrs start and 'Get' Twitter

Q2L Share prof learning programs/structures/ideas that engage educators and make them feel connected, passionate, motivated.

Q3. What role do social media tools play in active professional learning?

Q4: Since it’s Valentine’s Day, which social media tool for PD do you LOVE? Why?

Q5: Should schools/districts give educators credit for the time spent in informal pd? What would that look like?

This conversation was something that was already on my mind.  I have seen and experienced frustration with professional development that I could speak to.  With the changes expected to come with 21st Century Teachers, our development needs to follow the same route.  As I said in my Tweet, "Traditional PD Makes for crabby teachers that are tired of meeting for something they can get in an email."  While I understand the importance of us sharing common information, the idea of having to "sit and get," as was so well said in the chat, is in the past.  If schools want to have driven teachers with a desire to learn, then they need opportunities to to do just that - be a part of engaging experiences that motivate, educate and elevate each and every person.  Teachers have a lot of great ideas, experiences and passions to share!  (That is probably why my blog will continue even after the Master's courses are complete).

It was challenging keeping up with the dialogue, even with a slower refresh rate.  We trended a couple of times - I guess that's big deal?  I was also challenged with TweetChat, as it wasn't showing as many posts as my deck did when I went back to it.  I definitely am now going back through the conversations and clicking that follow button for many of the moderators, educators and administrators that participated that I felt articulated throughout well.  Many shared their blog address (that I am still visiting and sorting through), but was really struck by Greg Miller's input and blog.  It has been great hearing from an administrator and seeing how he is leading his school with social media.

All-in-all, I am going to keep on chatting.  It's more PD than I have ever imagined!

Adding to the PLN

Alright, so I am already connected to...

, , , , ,, , , ,, 

I haven't really dug into edWeb.  And after logging in again, I have to say I am a little disappointed that there are very few people from my school district connected to engage with.  But, after my "acceptance" into the Ning world, we will see what connections I will make as I join up with...

 

& 

After reading Chapter 5 of the Web 2.0 text, two things stuck out to me, and both were about the characteristics of educators.  "Teachers are known to do whatever will help their students learn," (85) and "Teachers are very happy to share their favorite websites and their reasons for joining together through social networks and electronic learning communities." (87)  I think more than anything, a teacher who has these characteristics is more likely to influence their students to become collaborative, self-motivated learners than anyone else.  Passion and learning are caught more than they are taught.  We are social creatures.  There needs to be modeling and conversations to deepen learning.  Social networking is a way to energize and take our classroom beyond the concrete walls.  I believe that social networking can build on the inquisitive nature of children to seek out knowledge when shaped in an educational setting.  Perhaps when I revisit this post, I will have even more to share from my Ning experiences...

Diverse Learners & Networked Classrooms

I can't say that students are the only ones who benefit from a networked classroom, but here are some examples of how a technology rich classroom can encourage and engage all learners...

• For students who "can't draw"," tools like MakeBeliefComix allow students to choose from premade graphics to create their own comics.
• For interest level, tools like Glogster allow for personal creation and expressions when working on tasks.
• Auditory learners can create podcasts that can be embedded in other projects.
• For students who have difficulties taking notes, teachers can use Audacity to record lessons for students to listen to at their own pace.
• For students who need more think time, tools like Wallwisher and Linoit make for "anytime" opportunities to participate and collaborate with the class.
• For students who do not like to participate in front of others in the class, tools like Twitter allow them to contribute to classroom dialogue.
• For teachers, a social networking site like Twitter can give additional opportunities for communication with peers, students and families.

In the end, in a networked classroom, educators can enrich the learning experience (of both students and teachers) through multidimensional opportunities.

Here are some sites I found helpful and that I was able to share some of the ideas above:

Differentiating Instruction Using Web 2.0
Technology Tools for Differentiation

20 Ways High Schools are Using Twitter