Thing 11

Nevis

Thing 10

I am a web-aholic and I have to admit that while I have seen the cc logo on various pages, I had no idea what it meant. Sometimes the web can be overwhelming and it just impossible to click on every link to find our more information.

I am very happy to learn about Creative Commons because I think it fulfills a real need for teachers and others to utilize material already created. The teachers and students in my school would greatly benefit from learning more about copyright and I’m sure several would want to learn about Creative Commons. One of my goals for the upcoming school year is to block out certain times to work with teachers and I hope to use Creative Commons as one of the important learning tools in a teacher’s digital backpack.

In fact, in doing a search, I found a Creative Commons Information Packet that I could possible use with my teachers and students.

http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/scw/go/pid/956

I am going to continue to search for additional resources for the 2009/2010 school year.

Stretch Task:

Think 8 – Stretch

My husband and I are pretty much obsessed with the Tour de France every July and this year is no exception. Every night, we watch the Versus team review and reflect upon the day’s stage and someday dream of actually going to watch the Tour in person.

I decided to check out the Tour de France entry in Wikipedia. The article is well-organized and well-written and historically-speaking seems to be valid. I visited the Discussion tab and there really are not too many suggestions-just a fair use question about a picture, some broken links reported and just general questions. The History tab contains several edits. Interestingly enough, there does not appear to be any current edits in History tab nor recent discussion in the Discussion tab. That truly surprises me since the Tour is happening right now.

I am already a frequent visitor to Wikipedia and I have pretty much always found it to be helpful. I do make sure I visit other sites; however, just to verify the information written in the Wikipedia articles. I found the Tour article very easy to read and of course interesting and I would recommend any person interested in learning more about the Tour to read it.

Thing 8

Wikis became a popular thing at my school this year and next year, I expect the excitement and enthusiams to build even more. My co-worker and I created a Technology Wiki containing tech info and integration ideas for the school. We are often bombarded with basic questions such as, “Where are the digital cameras?” to the more complex, “Can you help me design a project to go with the Butterfly unit?” We figured we would put all the mundane info in one place but also more importantly, create a place for teachers to share tech ideas and collaborate with one another. We just launched this past school year and not many people joined our Wiki but in September, we are hoping to require all teachers to sign up. A diversity focus group wiki was created and it was exciting to see teachers join and post their book reviews, classroom ideas and reflections. It is a wonderful way for them to collaborate on our goal of closing the achievment gap.

My question is how can I use wikis with my students in grades 1-3? I absolutely see the usefulness of the wiki for older students in grades 4 and up and of course for adults but I am struggling on how I can create and use a wiki for younger students. If I can create one full of graphics, audio and video, perhaps that would do the trick but how can younger students collaborate and share?

In looking at the examples, I did get some ideas. I like the setup of the Let’s Go West third grade wiki on Westward Expansion because there are plenty of Kidspiration-like webs and pictures. It looks like kid created pictures were even scanned in to the wiki which is very motivating for kids.

Schools in the Past is a good example because it shows collaboration between students, parents and teachers. Perhaps for younger students, we need the parental collaboration and involvement to make it all worthwhile for kids. Maybe I should think about the home-school connection and develop a wiki that helps bridge what we do in tech class to the home front. The Schools in the Past wiki is pretty busy and has too much text for young students. I don’t really see how it helps kids learn more about the past school experiences while reading on their own.

I love the Thousands Project because it is well-organized and very exciting. I really like the idea of giving kids and parents a challenge because it is so motivating! It would be exciting to gather a class and come up with post ideas!

In thinking about creating a wiki for my students and parents, I need to use pictures, videos and audio. I should include challenges somehow. Lastly, I need to somehow get parents to check the tech wiki with their children at home and encourage them to collaborate and work with their kids on the wiki. Maybe this will be the key to reaching out to families and helping them understand what we do in technology class.

http://gowest.wikispaces.com/

http://schoolsthen.wikispaces.com/

http://monsonclassroom.wikispaces.com/Thousands+Project+May

Share your story.

Thing 4 Post.

The most amazing thing, I think, about blogging is that everyone can have a voice. Everyone can easily share their story, experience, advice or expertise. The other amazing thing is that their is probably an audience for each and every blogger.

The most striking blog I read was A Really Different Place (Carleigh): One Family’s Story of Survival. It struck me because the blogger, Carleigh, is only a sixth grader but she has a blog and she her story about the Hudson River plane crash was an authentic and interesting tale. Blogging is an amazing tool and allows for all students to be authors! When I taught third grade a few years ago, my students loved to write and publish but their finished pieces were pretty much only read by me, their parents and maybe some friends and relatives. Now, blogging allows for not only teachers, family and friends to read written pieces but truly everyone is interested in the topic and is online! I am sure it is very motivating for students to see their work online and receive comments about their posts. How amazing it must be to hear from a far-away reader!

Digital Boy.

My son steals my iPhone, holds it to his ear and walks around the family room talking to someone very important. He longs to instantly see a picture seconds after I snap one on the digital camera. He wiggles the wireless mouse and looks to the computer, hoping he has woken it up. He loves having his picture taken on Photo Booth and knows just when to give a big smile. He loves to watch video clips of his family and friends, either on the TV or the video camera itself.

My son is 16 months old. What will his life be like? What will his education look like? What could his future possibly look like? I haven’t a clue but I do know that he is already in step with technology and he loves it!

What will his school experience be and how can we support him?

Play?

How do we encourage teachers just to play with technology? How do we encourage them to let go of control in their classrooms and give up the notion that they have to be an expert in everything? How can we encourage them to learn about technology from their students?

These are the questions I grapple with as I work with the teachers in my school. I hope I can provide them with some tech-know-how and confidence to just play with technology and to take risks. I strive to let them see their students as teachers and to want to learn from them. To not be afraid to be wrong.

Anyone have any ideas on how this paradigm shift can occur?