I just read an article on
Pixlr Editor works very much like Photoshop. I'll get back to complete this post soon
http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-20126867-285/edit-photos-like-a-pro-with-a-web-browser/
November 10, 2011
October 15, 2011
How Games Can Influence Learning
This is an excerpt from a MindShift post of the same title: "How Games Can Influence Learning"
October 14, 2011 | 12:57 PM | By Tina Barseghian
“Maybe the question we need to ask is: what about games causes youth to engage that our traditional approach to education lacks,” says Brian Alspach, Executive Vice President of E-Line Media, an educational games publisher well known for their game Gamestar Mechanic. “Perhaps applying games to classes is hard because they work on a different educational philosophy than our current education system. Classes are designed to get the lowest common denominator engaged, while games are an interactive, ‘lean-forward’ medium in which players can progress at their own pace while trying and failing in a safe environment. A well-designed game offers an intricate balance of challenges and rewards that continually pushes players to, and then beyond, the limits of their knowledge and skill.”
http://mindshift.kqed.org/2011/10/how-games-can-influence-learning/
Technology
is revolutionizing the world of education – replacing familiar
classroom tools and changing the way we learn. MindShift explores the
future of learning in all its dimensions – covering cultural and
technology trends, groundbreaking research, education policy and more.
The site is curated by Tina Barseghian, a journalist and mother of a
grade-schooler.
Check this out! I'd love to talk about it!
October 14, 2011 | 12:57 PM | By Tina Barseghian
“Maybe the question we need to ask is: what about games causes youth to engage that our traditional approach to education lacks,” says Brian Alspach, Executive Vice President of E-Line Media, an educational games publisher well known for their game Gamestar Mechanic. “Perhaps applying games to classes is hard because they work on a different educational philosophy than our current education system. Classes are designed to get the lowest common denominator engaged, while games are an interactive, ‘lean-forward’ medium in which players can progress at their own pace while trying and failing in a safe environment. A well-designed game offers an intricate balance of challenges and rewards that continually pushes players to, and then beyond, the limits of their knowledge and skill.”
http://mindshift.kqed.org/2011/10/how-games-can-influence-learning/
About MindShift
Technology
is revolutionizing the world of education – replacing familiar
classroom tools and changing the way we learn. MindShift explores the
future of learning in all its dimensions – covering cultural and
technology trends, groundbreaking research, education policy and more.
The site is curated by Tina Barseghian, a journalist and mother of a
grade-schooler.Check this out! I'd love to talk about it!
October 5, 2011
My Thoughts on a TED Talk by Benjanim Zander
This TED talk By Benjamin Zander holds such an important message for teachers as we hold a right attitude to create the proper environment for our students. It resonates with the Path to Potential (P2P) program I've worked on with a friend for the past 10 years.
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/lang/eng//id/286
(You'll have to click to view; sorry not able to embed it here)
He makes a few points at the end that really resonate with me when he states, "My job is to awaken possibility in other people," and realizes, like teachers, he as the conductor of the orchestra, has power to make other people powerful. That he asks himself, "Who am I being that the eyes of my students are not shining?" Because success to him is defined by the number of shining eyes around him. I also found the last story he told to be powerful. I'd like to join him in his quest to "Never say anything that couldn't stand as the last thing I'll ever say."
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/lang/eng//id/286
(You'll have to click to view; sorry not able to embed it here)
He makes a few points at the end that really resonate with me when he states, "My job is to awaken possibility in other people," and realizes, like teachers, he as the conductor of the orchestra, has power to make other people powerful. That he asks himself, "Who am I being that the eyes of my students are not shining?" Because success to him is defined by the number of shining eyes around him. I also found the last story he told to be powerful. I'd like to join him in his quest to "Never say anything that couldn't stand as the last thing I'll ever say."
September 29, 2011
Link to Friend's blog about Ediscio
Thanks to the http://www.onlinedegree.net/100-essential-2-0-tools-for-teachers/ website, we discovered a new powerful tool: http://www.ediscio.com/. It's much like the old concept of flash cards but works wonderful for students who are not naturally organized.
Check out this blog from a friend who teaches Middle School Spanish as she explains how she uses it.
http://www.schoology.com/user/1609975/blog/post/7996729
Check out this blog from a friend who teaches Middle School Spanish as she explains how she uses it.
http://www.schoology.com/user/1609975/blog/post/7996729
August 21, 2011
Learning about Quest Atlantis in EMDT-GSM
I'm excited to be learning about Quest Atlantis (QA) in our Game Strategies Class. Seems like a great tool that integrates on-line virtual activities with real-world classroom projects. I'm sure I'll have time to post more about QA in the future but here's a little bit you can taste for yourself. (Click picture to link to their blog):
Mission:
About Quest Atlantis (QA):
Teachers Learning about Teaching and Learning:
Informal Assessment Strategies:
Info Re: Student Identities:
Mission:
About Quest Atlantis (QA):
Teachers Learning about Teaching and Learning:
Informal Assessment Strategies:
Info Re: Student Identities:
July 1, 2011
DesignBeep Lists Free Tools for Screen Recording
20 Free Screen Recording Tools
Check out this list of 20 free screen recording tools you can use in your work environment or have your students use in your classroom.
Design Beep
June 29, 2011
Link to Math Teacher's Blog About Using Bitstrips
Bitstrips for Schools - from Jana Claybrook
"We presented my student evidence to my administration and they purchased this program for 325 students."
Getting Rewired with Technology
Check out Jana's One-Minute Message created with her students!
June 16, 2011
Links to Friends' Blogs with Good Web2.0 Ideas for Teachers
I've been extremely preoccupied- Still on my quest for a Teaching position and working most urgently toward my Master's Degree so blogging's taken a back seat lately. In this post I'll introduce you to some great ideas for Educational Web 2.0 tools for Teachers as recommended by other friendly bloggers.
This first recommendation is from classmate Ellen Woodfin who really likes SweetSearch. Click the picture to visit her blog and learn more:
This first recommendation is from classmate Ellen Woodfin who really likes SweetSearch. Click the picture to visit her blog and learn more:
April 2, 2011
Lania's Commercial for Voicethread
Lania's commercial for Voicethread:
My friend, Lania Clark, is a Cyber School Music Educator. Visit her Blog at:
http://teachertechtreks.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html
My friend, Lania Clark, is a Cyber School Music Educator. Visit her Blog at:
http://teachertechtreks.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html
March 28, 2011
ETC-Final Project-RILS
In this post I'm sharing my final project for ETC (Emergent Technologies in a Collaborative Culture) Month 4 of my EMDTMS. My Relevant and Innovative Learning Scenario (RILS)
Target Audience: Educators (a group of 4-8)
Materials: Each Learner has their own computer with an internet connection, and free access to Google Docs. They each also have access to a phone and have swapped contact information to use as a back-up.
Objective: At the end of the RILS the learner will be able to:
~ demonstrate a desire to know more about incorporating technology into their professional life.
~ commit to joining the Technology Integration (TI) Professional Learning Community (PLC).
~ I will share my excitement about what I am doing in my Masters program; all the discoveries I have made with Web 2.0 Tools and my ideas for incorporating them into teaching.
~ I will listen to the way they respond to my excitement to determine their comfort level with technology and with my proposal. With those I am not as familiar with, I'll also listen for information and attitudes about their teaching style to determine how closely Id like to work with them.
~ I will share my Blog, focusing on my "Welcome". Then I'll just skim through the topics of each of the other posts encouraging them to go back and look at them as they have time. We'll give particular attention to my posts about Google Docs. I'll prompt them to watch the YouTube presentation about Google Docs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sDA4Y4uGAQ and will be interested in what they'll have to say after viewing. Hopefully they'll be excited about the possibilities for these documents to be a valuable, time-saving tool in their professional world. If It seems like they're a little intimidated, I'll let them know I'll be supportive every step if the way, if they need me.
~ If the learner is comfortable working on their own, I'll explain that I'll send them an e-mail with a hyperlink to all the documents. It will also include brief instructions and my phone number that they are welcome to use before getting frustrated with anything. Please respond to this e-mail saying the task was completed.
~ If the learner is not comfortable working on their own, I'll still explain the above but will stay with them while they retrieve the e-mail and will walk through each step with them.
Web 2.0 Tool: Google Docs
~ Document (similar to "Word")
~ Spreadsheet (similar to "Excel")
~ Presentation (similar to "Power Point")
Google Docs is a free, manager controlled, secure, user friendly tool where you can create and/or store documents online, "in a cloud," instead of in your computer. Using them facilitates ease of sharing/collaboration, and management; saving both computer/e-mail space and time.
Social Participation/Social Learning:
~ We will collectively create each document.
~ The information on each document will be shared with the group.
~ There is anticipation of learner/community sharing in at least one real-world venue and more commonly in online meetings and through my blog.
~ Learners are aware the information on the Presentation will be shared publicly. In that presentation they made a comment to share how they felt about their comfort level with technology at the onset of their participation.
~All will have access to my blog where they know they are welcome to share in posting comments to have discussions.
Making Connections:
This project introduces learners to this professional learning community.
~ Learners might connect prior knowledge with E-mail, Word, Excel, Power Point.
~ Inadvertently they might make connections with telephone, keyboarding, and digital photography.
~ In future experiences with this TI-PLC, I anticipate encouraging connections with the collaborative process inter-professionally as well as with students of my learners.
Create/Produce:
Learners will collectively create all three types of Google Docs
~ a collaborative Document
~ a collaborative Spreadsheet
~ a collaborative Presentation
~ a Technology Integration Professional Learning Community
Assessment:
Through this experience I will be able to assess their commitment to the group, and technology comfort level plus proficiency level by observing the manor in which they respond to my requests.
5. Completed promptly, with self-reported ease; no help needed
4. Completed, self-reported pretty easy; had to figure it out but did
3. Completed, self reported it wasn't too bad; asked quite a few questions
2. Completed after asking many questions, self reported it was a little confusing
1. Did not complete, either said it was too difficult or just didn't communicate at all
Reflection:
All four Learners who completed this task almost immediately volunteered feedback when they were finished. Of the four, one needed my help to walk her through every step. However, I got the impression that she was happy to be learning and liked being pushed outside her comfort zone as long as I would "hold her hand"and not push too hard. Another who was somewhat familiar with Google Docs called to tell me she was going to ask a few of her friends who were also teachers if they'd like to join our group. Someone else expressed concern that she navigated the documents just fine but she might not have time to commit to one more thing. The last Learner said all went well and then began sharing some of the ways she & her co-worker have integrated technology into their lessons in the past.
I think I got good results from implementing this RILS. I lead four Educators to discover or at least become more familiar with a tool that they could now teach someone else about. My CBR Group has officially begun. Most notably, I was able to get my expectations in order enough to be able to finally talk confidently about what I'm doing and why. I didn't get a very good response from the first few people I spoke with, I think, because I wasn't so clear and therefore not too excited myself about what was going to happen.
Now I feel like I'm fairly proficient about some very useful Web 2.0 Tools. They're fun, free, and fairly intuitive. It's so much easier to talk to people when I believe I really know about something that's going to make their life easier and more fun!
The Document, Spreadsheet and Project are posted without anyone else's personal information in my last blog. You'll have to be willing to commit to joining our Technology Integration Personal Learning Community if you'd like to see the e-mail message, but, I'd like that, so just let me know!
Target Audience: Educators (a group of 4-8)
Materials: Each Learner has their own computer with an internet connection, and free access to Google Docs. They each also have access to a phone and have swapped contact information to use as a back-up.
Objective: At the end of the RILS the learner will be able to:
~ demonstrate a desire to know more about incorporating technology into their professional life.
~ commit to joining the Technology Integration (TI) Professional Learning Community (PLC).
~ demonstrate an understanding of how to open and post to three types of Google Docs- Document, Spreadsheet, and Presentation- by completing information on each document according to directions within each document.
~ become familiar with Google Docs in order to facilitate more convenient communication for participation in CBR Project.
~ become familiar with my blog, understanding it is a resource for information about Web 2.0 Tools and a place for sharing of ideas for implementation into lessons
Procedure:
~ I will hold individual meetings either in person or on the phone with each learner.~ I will share my excitement about what I am doing in my Masters program; all the discoveries I have made with Web 2.0 Tools and my ideas for incorporating them into teaching.
~ I will listen to the way they respond to my excitement to determine their comfort level with technology and with my proposal. With those I am not as familiar with, I'll also listen for information and attitudes about their teaching style to determine how closely Id like to work with them.
~ I will share my Blog, focusing on my "Welcome". Then I'll just skim through the topics of each of the other posts encouraging them to go back and look at them as they have time. We'll give particular attention to my posts about Google Docs. I'll prompt them to watch the YouTube presentation about Google Docs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sDA4Y4uGAQ and will be interested in what they'll have to say after viewing. Hopefully they'll be excited about the possibilities for these documents to be a valuable, time-saving tool in their professional world. If It seems like they're a little intimidated, I'll let them know I'll be supportive every step if the way, if they need me.
~ If the learner is comfortable working on their own, I'll explain that I'll send them an e-mail with a hyperlink to all the documents. It will also include brief instructions and my phone number that they are welcome to use before getting frustrated with anything. Please respond to this e-mail saying the task was completed.
~ If the learner is not comfortable working on their own, I'll still explain the above but will stay with them while they retrieve the e-mail and will walk through each step with them.
Web 2.0 Tool: Google Docs
~ Document (similar to "Word")
~ Spreadsheet (similar to "Excel")
~ Presentation (similar to "Power Point")
Google Docs is a free, manager controlled, secure, user friendly tool where you can create and/or store documents online, "in a cloud," instead of in your computer. Using them facilitates ease of sharing/collaboration, and management; saving both computer/e-mail space and time.
Social Participation/Social Learning:
~ We will collectively create each document.
~ The information on each document will be shared with the group.
~ There is anticipation of learner/community sharing in at least one real-world venue and more commonly in online meetings and through my blog.
~ Learners are aware the information on the Presentation will be shared publicly. In that presentation they made a comment to share how they felt about their comfort level with technology at the onset of their participation.
~All will have access to my blog where they know they are welcome to share in posting comments to have discussions.
Making Connections:
This project introduces learners to this professional learning community.
~ Learners might connect prior knowledge with E-mail, Word, Excel, Power Point.
~ Inadvertently they might make connections with telephone, keyboarding, and digital photography.
~ In future experiences with this TI-PLC, I anticipate encouraging connections with the collaborative process inter-professionally as well as with students of my learners.
Create/Produce:
Learners will collectively create all three types of Google Docs
~ a collaborative Document
~ a collaborative Spreadsheet
~ a collaborative Presentation
~ a Technology Integration Professional Learning Community
Assessment:
Through this experience I will be able to assess their commitment to the group, and technology comfort level plus proficiency level by observing the manor in which they respond to my requests.
5. Completed promptly, with self-reported ease; no help needed
4. Completed, self-reported pretty easy; had to figure it out but did
3. Completed, self reported it wasn't too bad; asked quite a few questions
2. Completed after asking many questions, self reported it was a little confusing
1. Did not complete, either said it was too difficult or just didn't communicate at all
Reflection:
All four Learners who completed this task almost immediately volunteered feedback when they were finished. Of the four, one needed my help to walk her through every step. However, I got the impression that she was happy to be learning and liked being pushed outside her comfort zone as long as I would "hold her hand"and not push too hard. Another who was somewhat familiar with Google Docs called to tell me she was going to ask a few of her friends who were also teachers if they'd like to join our group. Someone else expressed concern that she navigated the documents just fine but she might not have time to commit to one more thing. The last Learner said all went well and then began sharing some of the ways she & her co-worker have integrated technology into their lessons in the past.
I think I got good results from implementing this RILS. I lead four Educators to discover or at least become more familiar with a tool that they could now teach someone else about. My CBR Group has officially begun. Most notably, I was able to get my expectations in order enough to be able to finally talk confidently about what I'm doing and why. I didn't get a very good response from the first few people I spoke with, I think, because I wasn't so clear and therefore not too excited myself about what was going to happen.
Now I feel like I'm fairly proficient about some very useful Web 2.0 Tools. They're fun, free, and fairly intuitive. It's so much easier to talk to people when I believe I really know about something that's going to make their life easier and more fun!
The Document, Spreadsheet and Project are posted without anyone else's personal information in my last blog. You'll have to be willing to commit to joining our Technology Integration Personal Learning Community if you'd like to see the e-mail message, but, I'd like that, so just let me know!
March 25, 2011
My Friend Fari Introduces a Language Learning Tool~ Livemocha
This links to Fari Lopez' Blog Introducing a Language Learning tool she recommends- Livemocha:
http://fary72001.blogspot.com/2011/03/bp7livemocha-commercial.html#comments
http://fary72001.blogspot.com/2011/03/bp7livemocha-commercial.html#comments
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