After reading a post by my classmate, Maria, I am reminded of the value of the internet as a powerful tool for up-to-date information. She reiterated Michael Gorman's opinions about books and library services being the way a library is supposed to operate. By checking in with Wikipedia, Maria unearthed some very strong comments about him being a traditionalist with regards to what a library is, and a conservativist when it comes to the use of technology as a tool for research.
This leads me to think about Wikipedia. Not everyone thinks it's a reliable source because it is citizen created. So in this case, is the information the gospel truth or is it to be taken with a grain of salt? Here's where we'd need to have our students research the topic more extensively to determine the truthfulness and completeness of the Wikipedia information.
After reaading the Wikipedia comments on Maria's post, I wonder how a person with this traditional and conservative attitude could be the Dean of Library Services at a university. To what extent does the curriculum for Library Sciences spread at that university? I wonder if they have courses on teaching students how to use Web 2.0 tools to take their information technology skills forward. Now that Michael Gorman is retired, I wonder if that university will change it's curriculum?
Reading my classmates' posts helps me to reach beyond my own mind, globalizing my thinking to extend my knowledge further. I appreciate Maria's comments as they made me think of the value of Wikipedia and the power of the internet as a resouce.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Useful Blog and Wiki Sites
Before moving into lesson 8 on social networking, I want to share some useful blog and wiki sites I surfed while engaging in the first 7 lessons. With the help of these sites, I was able to create a google doc and then cut and paste it to this blog for the first posting, create a blog with a partner for an assignment concerning blogging in the classroom to expand on in-class discussions, create a wiki to use with my ste-sister and funeral home representative to write our Dad's obituary and create a wiki with my partner for another assignment for this course. The other blog can be accessed at http://www.gayle-corinne.blogspot.com/ . The obituary wiki, as I shared in the last post isn't open for viewing to the public and the parner/assignment wiki isn't quite ready for the big reveal, but when it is, I'll share that address.
Here are some useful blog and wiki sites:
Here are some useful blog and wiki sites:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnplofSs_ty
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wIkZyisbeo
- http://www.teachingtips.com/blog/2008/07/21/50-useful-blogging-tools-for-teachers
- http://www.blog-tutorials.com/
- http://www.blogspot.com/
- http://www.thoughts.com/
- http://www.problogger.net/archives/2006/02/14/blogging-for-beginners-2/
- http://www.pbwiki.com/
- http://www.wetpaint.com/
- http://www.wikispaces.com
- http://www.myfreewiki.net/
- http://www.wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers
- http://www.writingwiki.org/default.aspx.WritingWiki%20Tutorials.html
Browse through any of the sites to find how-to's, tips-on and ideas for your own blog or wiki.
Monday, February 16, 2009
In Memory of Dad
My Dad passed away yesterday. It's very odd, but even at almost 50 years old, I feel like an orphan. I wonder if I actually qualify, or if there's a cut-off age that, when your parents are gone, you're too old to be considered an orphan.
But before he left, I worked on lesson 6 and initially decided to write about what I learned from the different readings surrounding wikis. However, because I needed to correspond with my step-sister who lives four hours away and, between the two of us, write an obituary, I decided to start a wiki. It was incredibly easy! I found Wetpaint on the web, followed their directions to create a username and password, and began to write. Once I completed what I thought I could add, I invited my step-sister and the funeral home representative. Both accepted their invitations, I allowed them to be able to administer (I think that's the word used?) and once we all agreed to the contents and added a picture, the funeral home was able to take the information to make memory cards and send the obituary to the newspapers in which we wanted it entered.
I know this wiki has nothing to do with teacher-teacher or teacher-student collaboration, but it served a valuable purpose and was exactly the technology I needed to collaborate and finalize a piece of writing at this time. The availability of the wiki for collaboration at a sad time as this was invaluable. My step-sister and I were both able to reflect for the time we truely needed to create a memory that did justice to our Dad, not to mention edit each other's work (and both of us being teachers, you can bet we were looking for mistakes from one another!).
I don't feel comfortable sharing our memory of Dad wiki with others, but I'm glad the timely topic was presented and I was able to take advantage of it.
But before he left, I worked on lesson 6 and initially decided to write about what I learned from the different readings surrounding wikis. However, because I needed to correspond with my step-sister who lives four hours away and, between the two of us, write an obituary, I decided to start a wiki. It was incredibly easy! I found Wetpaint on the web, followed their directions to create a username and password, and began to write. Once I completed what I thought I could add, I invited my step-sister and the funeral home representative. Both accepted their invitations, I allowed them to be able to administer (I think that's the word used?) and once we all agreed to the contents and added a picture, the funeral home was able to take the information to make memory cards and send the obituary to the newspapers in which we wanted it entered.
I know this wiki has nothing to do with teacher-teacher or teacher-student collaboration, but it served a valuable purpose and was exactly the technology I needed to collaborate and finalize a piece of writing at this time. The availability of the wiki for collaboration at a sad time as this was invaluable. My step-sister and I were both able to reflect for the time we truely needed to create a memory that did justice to our Dad, not to mention edit each other's work (and both of us being teachers, you can bet we were looking for mistakes from one another!).
I don't feel comfortable sharing our memory of Dad wiki with others, but I'm glad the timely topic was presented and I was able to take advantage of it.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Marketing TL's
It seems that in many school districts across BC, TL's are being sidelined by any random body that can read to children or help them exchanged books. In many cases I've witnessed, this body belongs to the Vice Principal as they are easy to pull from the library when needed for administration issues, to cover the Principal when s/he leaves the school or whatever other job the VP has in their seemingly 'catch-all' job description. This needs to change if TL's want their position to stay alive and they only way for that to happen is if they begin to market themselves and become known for what they can do to support their schools.
TL's can support not only the students, but also the teachers. If the teachers don't know what the TL is able to do, then teachers certainly aren't going to ask for their help. Working in collaboration with classroom teachers to team teach units so the teacher has only half the unit to prep, teach and mark seems like a real plus from my point of view. Why don't more teachers take advantage of this? Perhaps they don't know it can happen.
TL's can take leadership roles with professional development committees. They can lead a ProD tech day that will show teachers how to set up wikis or blogs to use with their classroom, or show the teachers what wikis or blogs the TL already has online that can be useful in the classroom from the teacher's perspective.
In some instances, staff are willing to eat lunch in a workshop environment and this is where TL's can display their wares, so to speak. A 40 minute workshop is more than enough time to show one Web 2.0 tool. A good example is creating a wiki with websites related to a specific theme or subject unit that would help teachers access more up-to-date information to make their student's learning more meaningful. Most teachers I know would listen and watch, take down the address to the wiki and sign on at another time, like in the evening, to take advantage of the new information . . . if only they knew!
With lots of self advocating, taking a leadership role among the staff, bending the ear of Admin and informing staff about studies that prove student learning increases more in schools with full time TL's compared to those without, is a good beginning to keep the position of the teacher librarian from disappearing from our schools.
TL's can support not only the students, but also the teachers. If the teachers don't know what the TL is able to do, then teachers certainly aren't going to ask for their help. Working in collaboration with classroom teachers to team teach units so the teacher has only half the unit to prep, teach and mark seems like a real plus from my point of view. Why don't more teachers take advantage of this? Perhaps they don't know it can happen.
TL's can take leadership roles with professional development committees. They can lead a ProD tech day that will show teachers how to set up wikis or blogs to use with their classroom, or show the teachers what wikis or blogs the TL already has online that can be useful in the classroom from the teacher's perspective.
In some instances, staff are willing to eat lunch in a workshop environment and this is where TL's can display their wares, so to speak. A 40 minute workshop is more than enough time to show one Web 2.0 tool. A good example is creating a wiki with websites related to a specific theme or subject unit that would help teachers access more up-to-date information to make their student's learning more meaningful. Most teachers I know would listen and watch, take down the address to the wiki and sign on at another time, like in the evening, to take advantage of the new information . . . if only they knew!
With lots of self advocating, taking a leadership role among the staff, bending the ear of Admin and informing staff about studies that prove student learning increases more in schools with full time TL's compared to those without, is a good beginning to keep the position of the teacher librarian from disappearing from our schools.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Whyapedia?
The more I read and learn about citizen-based knowlege sites like Wikipedia, the more I wonder why in the world people have the need to express their thoughts, ideas and knowleged so publically.
I see how this vast and public sharing of knowledge can be a learning experience; these social constructivist environments are democratizing information because anyone can, and many do, write for Wikipedia or create their own wiki for private or public devouring. Personally, I've never used Wikipedia, created a wiki or read anyone else's wiki. If I want information, I turn to what I've always thought of as more authoritative sources.
However, I've become convinced of a few ways that Wikipedia can be useful in the classroom. Once a class has completed a unit or research project, they could read Wikipedia submissions on the same topic and evaluate that knowledge based on what they already know. Students could be directed to edit the topics with their knowledge, learning the importance of evaluating credible information. Wikipedia can be used as the initial source of information to get a general feel for a topic and possible ideas or ideas to branch out to before moving further into more traditionally credible academic sources.
Wikis can be used in the classroom by teachers who write their own submissions for students to edit and expand on with information they've learned. Students can create their own wikis as book and movie reviews. Study wikis can be outlined by teachers for students to fill in with information they've learned on a subject. All students can edit and submit what they've learned to create a large study guide from which all students can benefit. A class can collect recipes related to a culture they're studying and create a wiki for private or public viewing. If public, more submissions could be collected from people all over the world, even those within that particular culture. What a socially constructed environment that would be!
Yes, Wikipedia and wikis don't seem to have the extensive verification of knowlege, and citations available for readers to check the knowledge, but they still have a value that cannot be ignored. If teachers brought this tool into the classroom, their digitally-aged students would improve their writing and revision skills simply because of the time spent using this tool, could learn the valuable information literacy skill of evaluation, as well as, become more engaged in their learning. The vision of students fully engaged on the computer as they create, edit, evaluate and write is far more appealing than seeing them slumped in their seats copying notes from the overhead projector.
I see how this vast and public sharing of knowledge can be a learning experience; these social constructivist environments are democratizing information because anyone can, and many do, write for Wikipedia or create their own wiki for private or public devouring. Personally, I've never used Wikipedia, created a wiki or read anyone else's wiki. If I want information, I turn to what I've always thought of as more authoritative sources.
However, I've become convinced of a few ways that Wikipedia can be useful in the classroom. Once a class has completed a unit or research project, they could read Wikipedia submissions on the same topic and evaluate that knowledge based on what they already know. Students could be directed to edit the topics with their knowledge, learning the importance of evaluating credible information. Wikipedia can be used as the initial source of information to get a general feel for a topic and possible ideas or ideas to branch out to before moving further into more traditionally credible academic sources.
Wikis can be used in the classroom by teachers who write their own submissions for students to edit and expand on with information they've learned. Students can create their own wikis as book and movie reviews. Study wikis can be outlined by teachers for students to fill in with information they've learned on a subject. All students can edit and submit what they've learned to create a large study guide from which all students can benefit. A class can collect recipes related to a culture they're studying and create a wiki for private or public viewing. If public, more submissions could be collected from people all over the world, even those within that particular culture. What a socially constructed environment that would be!
Yes, Wikipedia and wikis don't seem to have the extensive verification of knowlege, and citations available for readers to check the knowledge, but they still have a value that cannot be ignored. If teachers brought this tool into the classroom, their digitally-aged students would improve their writing and revision skills simply because of the time spent using this tool, could learn the valuable information literacy skill of evaluation, as well as, become more engaged in their learning. The vision of students fully engaged on the computer as they create, edit, evaluate and write is far more appealing than seeing them slumped in their seats copying notes from the overhead projector.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Blogging Safety
Since I've never set up a blog for anyone other than myself, I hadn't thought out all the safety measures that would need to be in place. In consideration of setting up a class blog, Christina commented that she's had her students use historical names instead of their own, which I think is a great idea. I hadn't got as far as how to work in conjuction with the privacy issue that is so strongly enforced in our district. None of our students names or photos are allowed in print in any form without the written consent of the parents. However, with 'pretend' names, and having the students chose them to corrolate to a current theme or unit of study, allows for the blogs to exist and all will remain safe.
Thank you, Christina, (if that's your real name!) for the great idea that is now great forethought for me.
Thank you, Christina, (if that's your real name!) for the great idea that is now great forethought for me.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Poof!
LIBE 477B
Electronic Learning Portfolio
January 7, 2009
I got an email earlier this week about some trouble that was had trying to upload this course onto the Vista site and that it should be ready for next week. I took that as nothing would be on the site. However, tonight I decided to check it out and there were the beginning lessons, the assignments and profiles available. I looked through all that was available and saw that one of the assignments was to create an electronic learning portfolio and that we need to make entries at least twice a week. Yikes!!! So this is my first entry. Done before bed on the first day I open the site.
What did I learn: Depending on your perception, the course may or may not have started already!
January 10, 2009
Now I’m beginning to get what Web 2 tools are and I can say that I have been using some of them. I had a Facebook account for quite a while. It was set up initially to keep in contact with a couple of friends who live overseas. This past summer, I felt annoyed more than anything about the number of ‘friends’ requests I was receiving from former students and, along with a few other reasons, made the decision to enable the page. I can’t say there have been a lot of people wondering where I am. I’d rather have the actual face time, than Facebook time.
Now, as a means to communication for this course, I believe that it may be valuable, so I’m going to try to make a new account. I have a gmail account and wonder whether that address would work.
Other Web 2 tools I’ve used – Flickr to share photos with long distance friends and family
· Blogs as an assignment for two other courses I’ve taken in the TL diploma program
· Google – maps to find something in particular, Google Earth to see real images of particular places on earth, and general enquiries on the net
· MSN – to instantly message long distance people
I haven’t had reason to use YouTube for myself but have clicked on the link someone else sent me to see something they thought was great and, for the most part, I thought those things were pretty lame.
While many of the Web 2 tools may be valuable in some environment or another, I’m not convinced that they’re all necessary. In particular, MSN and Facebook can be overused by people who should try using their face-to-face social skills instead of their keyboarding skills. Just my opinion on observations I’ve made, but I do feel strongly about reducing the amount of time spent on the computer unnecessarily.
January 15, 2009
Try setting up a Google Doc?
Okay.
Since I already have a gmail from another course, I decided to try setting up a google doc, so began by googling ‘google doc’ and there it was – a You-Tube link! And it was very helpful! It’s called You-Tube – Google Docs in Plain English and the site is at www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRqUE6lHTEA It explains how the doc can be securely shared by only those you decide upon and that you can work on one doc together, never having to recreate several copies and filling the email(gmail) with unnecessary multiple copies of documents.
It seemed streamlined so I tried it. Very Simple! I’m going to try to upload (if that’s the correct term) this word doc onto my google doc.
January 17,2009
Cool, it worked! And now I can continue using this format for my learning portfolio until I have another format for the assignment. I wonder if this is an acceptable format?
One of the problems I have with the explosion of technical tools is how to learn how to use them and then how to apply them to my life or in the classroom. Until today, I'd heard of Podcsts before, but have never actually known what they are (still don't really) until Nancy M. commented that she bought herself an IPod and now listes to podcasts often. Okay - I get the connection. Podcasts are broadcasts you listen to on your IPod. But I still have questions. How do you know where to find these podcasts? I don't have an IPod so am unfamiliar with their features and have know idea how a podcast could be accessed? Does one push buttons similar to a Blackberry, or is it more like dialling a radio station on the sterior?
With the overwhelming number of Web 2 tools, I find it a struggle to gather enough interest to learn to use one new to me and it takes that much more energy to figure out how to apply it to my classroom. And being a grade four teacher, what tools are reasonable for students that age to learn to use?
My hope is that by the end of this course, I have a handle on using two or three Web 2 tools I don't use at this point and that I have one or two to legitimately use in the classroom for my students.
January 21, 2009
Well, I'm really irked by the article by Prensky. He seems to believe that the future won't hold any jobs other than those in the high tech field. He makes comments about teaching basic knowledge of program concepts instead of the multiplication tables, teaching the ability to think logically and to estimate instead of how to complete a division algorithm and suggests that there won't be a need to learn cursive writing because students should be learning how to be creative and meaningful with multimedia.
Yes, I agree logical thinking, the ability to estimate and using multimedia as a way to present some endevours is important and worthy, but not at the exclusion of basic skills. He comments that change won't need to be counted out to customers, even if the equipment breaks down because there will be some other cell phone dohickey that will do the job. How arrogant to believe that basic counting skills will be redundant in the face of technology!
Prensky must work in the field of high-tech himself, or at an imcredibly high level of whatever it is he does and needs to look at the reality of school curriculum, government IRP's and how often they are revisited, the lack of funding and the outdatedness of technology resources in schools, the fact that not all parents can actually provide laptops and cell phones to their children and he also needs to review the plethora of jobs in the world that use only some technology and that these jobs won't likely get left behind if they aren't employing people that can create meaningfully in multimedia.
I don't agree with Prensky's message. Yes, students should learn the basic concepts of the programs they'll use most often, they should learn how to keyboard, and of course using logic is important, but not at the exclusion of basic reading, writing and math skills.
January 25, 2009
Now that I've had a few days to think about Prensky's article relating to the value of Web 2 knowledge and skills, I can more clearly see the message he was trying to purvay and I do agree to the value of this knowledge and these skills in the education system.
I've always pushed my students to think logically, to use resources beyond the usual to find information and to reach out past their comfort level to move into a new realm of knowledge. At the same time, my students are likely much more computer savvy than I would say I am. They've grown up in the computer world and don't have the fear of it like I do. Only when presented with a must-do situation do I usually wade into the technology world. I don't use the computer much with my students other than to do a little bit of google research, and learn some word processing and keyboarding skills. Yes, it's very important to teach our students the fundamental skills necessary to use these programs and I also think it's vital to teach discrimination skills so they can use their time efficiently to find the information they want to find. I think it's important to teach them about the value of Wikipedia, how to use keywords to search and how to do an advanced search. Whether it's finding information for a school project of trying to find the address to the closest pizza joint when in an unfamiliar city by using online yellow pages and a mapquest, kids will turn to the computer sooner than the big thick phone book in the cupboard or a set of encyclopedias on the shelf in the library, so, as the old saying goes, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!
However, I think cursive writing and learning the multiplication tables are invaluable tools because not everyone will have an electronic devise to, for example, write a grocery list when looking in the cupboard or fridge and then using their estimation skills when determining whether buying bulk really is as cost effective for them or not. I think Prensky is writing from the point of view of people who are firmly attached to their laptops, PDA's, Blackberry's, etc., and I'm from close to the other end of the spectrum where I most often forget to turn on my cell phone, don't own a laptop, PDA, Blackberry or much else electronic. I'm from the "I know I should more often and I try to for the sake of my students" camp.
January 27, 2009
After reading Wanye H.'s response to Taking care of Teachers, I was struck by just how important workplace relationships truely are. Wayne commented that the TL in his school will help if he's asked, but doesn't do more than that, where collaboration is concerned. In light of the learning outcomes for lesson 3, this teacher certainly isn't shilfting his priorities to transform the library from it's traditional roll to become an active learning environment. If this teacher were to develop strong relationships with other teachers and really advocate for the library and his roll as teacher of Web 2.0 tools, he could be piquing the interest of teachers who would take advantage of the opportunity to learn new ways to incorporate technology into the curriculum.
Lesson three in the course content comments on the value of a supportive principal. Indeed, without your principal as a primary advocate, your library won't operate as you want. And if you want to collaborate with teachers, teach teachers Web 2.0 skills in order that they may use these skills as a means to deliver their curriculum, and be seem as a leader in your field, you need the support of your principal. Writing policies and procedures for the operation of the library can only take a new direction if the principal is behind it.
I heard a comment on a CBC readio program recently that said that Web 2.0 is more about two way communiction than the traditional one way street of consumers using the net to ind information. That comment helped put what Web 2.0 represents into perspective for me. It helps me to see that instead of finishing with the computer once the research is complete, tools exist such as blogs, wikis, skype and Youtube, to mention a few, with which to deliver the knowlegde gained from the research. I'm looking forward to learning more about these tools as this course progresses.
Feb 1, 2009
Well thank goodness! Initially I created a google doc as my learning portfolio place but realized the limitations compared to a blog, so I cut and paste what I previously wrote to this space and am grateful it worked!
After reading Wang and Hsua's Reflections on Using Blogs to Expand In-class Discussions, I was so excited about the possibility of me actually using a blog in my classroom. This article made sense to me. It's probably the first article I've read that I feel is relevant and useful in the immediate future. Up to this point I haven't understood the term social Constructivism and this article helped me with that as well as spoke about many ways in which a blog can be used in the school environment.
So, now I know that social constructivism is a theory that says knowledge is gained through social interaction and that this interaction helps to scaffold learning to take knowledge to a higher level. To me, that's like a really great book club discussion. After reading the book, let's say, a non-fiction on the topic of Greek mythology and learning about lots of gods and goddessses, one would learn even more from what others have to say in the discussion (with wine and goodies, of course) afterward. The use of this environment as an online learning space has many advantages, according to Wang and Hsua.
Briefly, the following are my favorite ideas of how to blog in the classroom:
Electronic Learning Portfolio
January 7, 2009
I got an email earlier this week about some trouble that was had trying to upload this course onto the Vista site and that it should be ready for next week. I took that as nothing would be on the site. However, tonight I decided to check it out and there were the beginning lessons, the assignments and profiles available. I looked through all that was available and saw that one of the assignments was to create an electronic learning portfolio and that we need to make entries at least twice a week. Yikes!!! So this is my first entry. Done before bed on the first day I open the site.
What did I learn: Depending on your perception, the course may or may not have started already!
January 10, 2009
Now I’m beginning to get what Web 2 tools are and I can say that I have been using some of them. I had a Facebook account for quite a while. It was set up initially to keep in contact with a couple of friends who live overseas. This past summer, I felt annoyed more than anything about the number of ‘friends’ requests I was receiving from former students and, along with a few other reasons, made the decision to enable the page. I can’t say there have been a lot of people wondering where I am. I’d rather have the actual face time, than Facebook time.
Now, as a means to communication for this course, I believe that it may be valuable, so I’m going to try to make a new account. I have a gmail account and wonder whether that address would work.
Other Web 2 tools I’ve used – Flickr to share photos with long distance friends and family
· Blogs as an assignment for two other courses I’ve taken in the TL diploma program
· Google – maps to find something in particular, Google Earth to see real images of particular places on earth, and general enquiries on the net
· MSN – to instantly message long distance people
I haven’t had reason to use YouTube for myself but have clicked on the link someone else sent me to see something they thought was great and, for the most part, I thought those things were pretty lame.
While many of the Web 2 tools may be valuable in some environment or another, I’m not convinced that they’re all necessary. In particular, MSN and Facebook can be overused by people who should try using their face-to-face social skills instead of their keyboarding skills. Just my opinion on observations I’ve made, but I do feel strongly about reducing the amount of time spent on the computer unnecessarily.
January 15, 2009
Try setting up a Google Doc?
Okay.
Since I already have a gmail from another course, I decided to try setting up a google doc, so began by googling ‘google doc’ and there it was – a You-Tube link! And it was very helpful! It’s called You-Tube – Google Docs in Plain English and the site is at www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRqUE6lHTEA It explains how the doc can be securely shared by only those you decide upon and that you can work on one doc together, never having to recreate several copies and filling the email(gmail) with unnecessary multiple copies of documents.
It seemed streamlined so I tried it. Very Simple! I’m going to try to upload (if that’s the correct term) this word doc onto my google doc.
January 17,2009
Cool, it worked! And now I can continue using this format for my learning portfolio until I have another format for the assignment. I wonder if this is an acceptable format?
One of the problems I have with the explosion of technical tools is how to learn how to use them and then how to apply them to my life or in the classroom. Until today, I'd heard of Podcsts before, but have never actually known what they are (still don't really) until Nancy M. commented that she bought herself an IPod and now listes to podcasts often. Okay - I get the connection. Podcasts are broadcasts you listen to on your IPod. But I still have questions. How do you know where to find these podcasts? I don't have an IPod so am unfamiliar with their features and have know idea how a podcast could be accessed? Does one push buttons similar to a Blackberry, or is it more like dialling a radio station on the sterior?
With the overwhelming number of Web 2 tools, I find it a struggle to gather enough interest to learn to use one new to me and it takes that much more energy to figure out how to apply it to my classroom. And being a grade four teacher, what tools are reasonable for students that age to learn to use?
My hope is that by the end of this course, I have a handle on using two or three Web 2 tools I don't use at this point and that I have one or two to legitimately use in the classroom for my students.
January 21, 2009
Well, I'm really irked by the article by Prensky. He seems to believe that the future won't hold any jobs other than those in the high tech field. He makes comments about teaching basic knowledge of program concepts instead of the multiplication tables, teaching the ability to think logically and to estimate instead of how to complete a division algorithm and suggests that there won't be a need to learn cursive writing because students should be learning how to be creative and meaningful with multimedia.
Yes, I agree logical thinking, the ability to estimate and using multimedia as a way to present some endevours is important and worthy, but not at the exclusion of basic skills. He comments that change won't need to be counted out to customers, even if the equipment breaks down because there will be some other cell phone dohickey that will do the job. How arrogant to believe that basic counting skills will be redundant in the face of technology!
Prensky must work in the field of high-tech himself, or at an imcredibly high level of whatever it is he does and needs to look at the reality of school curriculum, government IRP's and how often they are revisited, the lack of funding and the outdatedness of technology resources in schools, the fact that not all parents can actually provide laptops and cell phones to their children and he also needs to review the plethora of jobs in the world that use only some technology and that these jobs won't likely get left behind if they aren't employing people that can create meaningfully in multimedia.
I don't agree with Prensky's message. Yes, students should learn the basic concepts of the programs they'll use most often, they should learn how to keyboard, and of course using logic is important, but not at the exclusion of basic reading, writing and math skills.
January 25, 2009
Now that I've had a few days to think about Prensky's article relating to the value of Web 2 knowledge and skills, I can more clearly see the message he was trying to purvay and I do agree to the value of this knowledge and these skills in the education system.
I've always pushed my students to think logically, to use resources beyond the usual to find information and to reach out past their comfort level to move into a new realm of knowledge. At the same time, my students are likely much more computer savvy than I would say I am. They've grown up in the computer world and don't have the fear of it like I do. Only when presented with a must-do situation do I usually wade into the technology world. I don't use the computer much with my students other than to do a little bit of google research, and learn some word processing and keyboarding skills. Yes, it's very important to teach our students the fundamental skills necessary to use these programs and I also think it's vital to teach discrimination skills so they can use their time efficiently to find the information they want to find. I think it's important to teach them about the value of Wikipedia, how to use keywords to search and how to do an advanced search. Whether it's finding information for a school project of trying to find the address to the closest pizza joint when in an unfamiliar city by using online yellow pages and a mapquest, kids will turn to the computer sooner than the big thick phone book in the cupboard or a set of encyclopedias on the shelf in the library, so, as the old saying goes, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!
However, I think cursive writing and learning the multiplication tables are invaluable tools because not everyone will have an electronic devise to, for example, write a grocery list when looking in the cupboard or fridge and then using their estimation skills when determining whether buying bulk really is as cost effective for them or not. I think Prensky is writing from the point of view of people who are firmly attached to their laptops, PDA's, Blackberry's, etc., and I'm from close to the other end of the spectrum where I most often forget to turn on my cell phone, don't own a laptop, PDA, Blackberry or much else electronic. I'm from the "I know I should more often and I try to for the sake of my students" camp.
January 27, 2009
After reading Wanye H.'s response to Taking care of Teachers, I was struck by just how important workplace relationships truely are. Wayne commented that the TL in his school will help if he's asked, but doesn't do more than that, where collaboration is concerned. In light of the learning outcomes for lesson 3, this teacher certainly isn't shilfting his priorities to transform the library from it's traditional roll to become an active learning environment. If this teacher were to develop strong relationships with other teachers and really advocate for the library and his roll as teacher of Web 2.0 tools, he could be piquing the interest of teachers who would take advantage of the opportunity to learn new ways to incorporate technology into the curriculum.
Lesson three in the course content comments on the value of a supportive principal. Indeed, without your principal as a primary advocate, your library won't operate as you want. And if you want to collaborate with teachers, teach teachers Web 2.0 skills in order that they may use these skills as a means to deliver their curriculum, and be seem as a leader in your field, you need the support of your principal. Writing policies and procedures for the operation of the library can only take a new direction if the principal is behind it.
I heard a comment on a CBC readio program recently that said that Web 2.0 is more about two way communiction than the traditional one way street of consumers using the net to ind information. That comment helped put what Web 2.0 represents into perspective for me. It helps me to see that instead of finishing with the computer once the research is complete, tools exist such as blogs, wikis, skype and Youtube, to mention a few, with which to deliver the knowlegde gained from the research. I'm looking forward to learning more about these tools as this course progresses.
Feb 1, 2009
Well thank goodness! Initially I created a google doc as my learning portfolio place but realized the limitations compared to a blog, so I cut and paste what I previously wrote to this space and am grateful it worked!
After reading Wang and Hsua's Reflections on Using Blogs to Expand In-class Discussions, I was so excited about the possibility of me actually using a blog in my classroom. This article made sense to me. It's probably the first article I've read that I feel is relevant and useful in the immediate future. Up to this point I haven't understood the term social Constructivism and this article helped me with that as well as spoke about many ways in which a blog can be used in the school environment.
So, now I know that social constructivism is a theory that says knowledge is gained through social interaction and that this interaction helps to scaffold learning to take knowledge to a higher level. To me, that's like a really great book club discussion. After reading the book, let's say, a non-fiction on the topic of Greek mythology and learning about lots of gods and goddessses, one would learn even more from what others have to say in the discussion (with wine and goodies, of course) afterward. The use of this environment as an online learning space has many advantages, according to Wang and Hsua.
Briefly, the following are my favorite ideas of how to blog in the classroom:
- set up pen pals with another class - in the same town, province or across the world
- write interactive/partner stories
- peer edit writing assignments
- create debate topics and the two sides for online debates
- student reflections after completing a class project
- create a library or classroom book recommendation tag (I thnk that's the correct way to use the term, but am not exactly sure - just taking a risk!)
- have students write their lit circle discussions as blogs
- all the above can become learning environments for any student writing or reading the blogs - creating a social constructivist environment
The article makes a great case for blogs being an equalizer. No one can monopolize a conversation, shy people won't feel pressured to speak in front of others who may be somewhat intimidating, and a person can take the time they need to construct their thoughts , put them into writing and know that they have been able to truely express their ideas - all before hitting the 'publish post' button.
This article is definitely relevent and useable for me. I learned alot about reasons to blog, how blogging can enhance classroom discussions and I now understand from a learners point of view advantages of blogging over some face-to-face environments. For me, personally, face-to-face is a far more interesting and enjoyable method of learning, but I now see the beauty and importance of using blogs in the classroom.
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