I was thinking as I sat down to write blogs that usually writing helps me clarify my thinking but with the work we do using technology – I don’t feel that need at all. Because the discussions are immediate, the problem solving collaborative, the teaching team so focused and communicative, it all seems superfluous to write it down. The people who are usng the exact same programs are right outside my door, and I am a people person. I’d still rather have that personal contact, talk it thorugh, be talked through a problem or a program. If there is no physical proximity or availablility then I don’t hesitate to be on line and write it through.
The purpose of these was to show technology growth, and I don’t think mine do to the degree technology is used to enhance learning. But despite this – I do learn something about technology every day, and teach something every day. Students love to use technology to support and enhance learning and I have t remind myself that10 years ago, how limited our access was and recall the one hour a week in the IT lab. Sometimes I just learn patience when the server is slow, sites have moved, programs crash and we find an alternate method, and other times I learn that it was not the best way to impact learning.
ISB has had many things that potentially could have impacted learning this year – most lately being the political instability with school cancelled. The class blog is such a part of our classwork that students largely carried on regardless.
To even get together to get the focus lesson started for this course did not happen as there are so many conflicts and schedule adaptions. That doesn’t mean things didn’t go on, just that I moved to a new focus and stopped thinking about it and so it all drifted on. I would have liked to do more reading – but could have done that on my own. The discussions about technology are constant in outr team. There is always a new site, program, adaptation to thing about incorporating into our curriculum. I have no doubt that the standards are embedded in our curriculum as we work to do so. I know that this means a far more vibrant learning for the students as the old days of a stagnant curriculum just cannot exist with all that lies within our grasp. And of course I want (okay need) to complete this course, the actual course completion is not what drives me. I like the journey.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Keeping Tech Moving
And when I thought the Korat stories were finished – they weren’t. It seems the first few students followed instructions well, uploaded them to blogs and I relaxed. The rest had completed all expectations for their project, uploaded to our class youtube account and then there was where is became chaotic. If the server was slow, upload did not complete and then there would either be a copy message from youtube, or the students had to go in and delete and start over. On some the sound did not work ,and they re recorded over it.
Some had problems uploading ot their blog as they didn’t use the outube upload selection. Then there was the ongoing illness/absence issue. So the good thing was that technology can be accessed from anywhere and we were able to communicate via e mail, the blog and at school to finalise everything.
All in all it was a drawn out experience but they certainly learnt the process and how to troubleshoot.
As this was going on we were preparing for student let conferences and all students responded to an online reflection.
Hi everybody!!
Yup, it’s finally time for Student-led conferences. Here is my reflection towards my learning:
What have I learned?
• I learned how to stay on task and work well individually and with groups
• I learned how to use the rubric to exceed expectations to get a good grade(:
• How to write a very good and high-level blog
• I learned how situations we play in school can relate to real life situations
• How to use poetry and all the different poetic devices
• About hunger and what causes it, how we can help and how lucky I am
• That everybody can make an impact on somebody’s life
• How to manage my time after school
• How to make better sentences; I know better vocab
• About rural lifestyles in Thailand
• Making choices
How do you know you learned it?
• I feel smart
• I can relate to real-life situations
• I can read my dad’s magazines!
What got into the way of your learning?
I do many different activities after school such as BiSac sports, Jazz Band, Jazz dance and flute lessons. Sometimes these activities get into the way of my learning. This is because I am committed to these activities, so I have to go, but at the end of the day, I sometimes have to stay up late doing homework.
What helped your learning?
• Working with somebody else
• Looking and using a rubric
• Other classmates (mostly Sanjana)
• My parents who helped if I needed help
How did you feel?
I felt very stressed and nervous. I was scared that I would not finish my homework, and the next morning I was really tired.
What do you think you can now apply to a new situation?
• If I have time to finish something, I should not procrastinate, but work on it so that later on, I will have more time for myself and my friends
What are you most proud of? Disappointed with?
• I am most proud of my blog posts and my band achievments (AMIS)
• That I have to work on weekends
Reflection guided their choices for sharing and allowed a structure for them. It also gave m e an insight into their thoughts on their progress and understanding.
Visit our blog to see more student reflection
Some had problems uploading ot their blog as they didn’t use the outube upload selection. Then there was the ongoing illness/absence issue. So the good thing was that technology can be accessed from anywhere and we were able to communicate via e mail, the blog and at school to finalise everything.
All in all it was a drawn out experience but they certainly learnt the process and how to troubleshoot.
As this was going on we were preparing for student let conferences and all students responded to an online reflection.
Hi everybody!!
Yup, it’s finally time for Student-led conferences. Here is my reflection towards my learning:
What have I learned?
• I learned how to stay on task and work well individually and with groups
• I learned how to use the rubric to exceed expectations to get a good grade(:
• How to write a very good and high-level blog
• I learned how situations we play in school can relate to real life situations
• How to use poetry and all the different poetic devices
• About hunger and what causes it, how we can help and how lucky I am
• That everybody can make an impact on somebody’s life
• How to manage my time after school
• How to make better sentences; I know better vocab
• About rural lifestyles in Thailand
• Making choices
How do you know you learned it?
• I feel smart
• I can relate to real-life situations
• I can read my dad’s magazines!
What got into the way of your learning?
I do many different activities after school such as BiSac sports, Jazz Band, Jazz dance and flute lessons. Sometimes these activities get into the way of my learning. This is because I am committed to these activities, so I have to go, but at the end of the day, I sometimes have to stay up late doing homework.
What helped your learning?
• Working with somebody else
• Looking and using a rubric
• Other classmates (mostly Sanjana)
• My parents who helped if I needed help
How did you feel?
I felt very stressed and nervous. I was scared that I would not finish my homework, and the next morning I was really tired.
What do you think you can now apply to a new situation?
• If I have time to finish something, I should not procrastinate, but work on it so that later on, I will have more time for myself and my friends
What are you most proud of? Disappointed with?
• I am most proud of my blog posts and my band achievments (AMIS)
• That I have to work on weekends
Reflection guided their choices for sharing and allowed a structure for them. It also gave m e an insight into their thoughts on their progress and understanding.
Visit our blog to see more student reflection
Our Class Blog
Working with students who are like sponges in regards to technological skills, makes it a pleasure to support and extend learning with computers, and the plethora of programs installed and available. More than half my students have English as their second, or third language and yet they are able to gather and (begin at least to) assess information, collaborate, and produce work that shares their learning in exciting , user friendly ways.
Technology will be used as a vehicle to support, showcase and extend their learning after our class trip to Korat and their digital stories, during the Feeding A Hungry Word Unit of Study, constantly through vocabulary learning, and …
Our class blog is a central point for information, instructions and links. It hosts rubrics, grading guides and links, directly related to current topics. Students go to the blog to comment on each others ideas and reflect on the learning of their peers. It is where students are to go each day to check for updates and to go to links for each others blogs. It is our class communication tool - with links supplied for cross grade sharing. It allows learning and collaboration beyond the classroom walls.
Technology will be used as a vehicle to support, showcase and extend their learning after our class trip to Korat and their digital stories, during the Feeding A Hungry Word Unit of Study, constantly through vocabulary learning, and …
Our class blog is a central point for information, instructions and links. It hosts rubrics, grading guides and links, directly related to current topics. Students go to the blog to comment on each others ideas and reflect on the learning of their peers. It is where students are to go each day to check for updates and to go to links for each others blogs. It is our class communication tool - with links supplied for cross grade sharing. It allows learning and collaboration beyond the classroom walls.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Digital Stories
Another first for the grade 7 team, and for me. Rather than have students write a report, or a reflection, or a journal, or…. we decided to try something different.
The goal was to have students relate to an aspect of rural life in Thailand and express this through images, text and music. In order to this we needed to ensure that each student travelled with a digital camera and had the task outline clearly understood.
Students were all to select a theme to highlight a connection to, and then use digital story telling as their vehicle to convey to others a connection they made.
Examples of possible projects were discussed prior to the Korat trip. Task outlines and rubrics were posted online.
For most students the connection and transfer was easy, but some struggled with topic, selection, collating and sorting their photos. Procrastination really was the enemy of a few.
An interesting note in terms of teaching across subject areas was that we often are using the same median, albeit with a different content and slant, but we aren’t aware. I started off my showing the examples of similar projects and prepared to launch into teaching, only to hear half the class saying “Oh I know this” “I like this” “This is what we used in science for the …” And so what could have been an overwhelming project became something that already had a roomful of experts, ready to transfer their knowledge to a new project, or to new users. It happened that one of the G7 science teachers had used the same program to convey scientific data. Its flow on effect was a comfort level with the vehicle and a confidence that the ‘teachers’ had to share their skills.
Examples of students work can be found here.
The goal was to have students relate to an aspect of rural life in Thailand and express this through images, text and music. In order to this we needed to ensure that each student travelled with a digital camera and had the task outline clearly understood.
Students were all to select a theme to highlight a connection to, and then use digital story telling as their vehicle to convey to others a connection they made.
Examples of possible projects were discussed prior to the Korat trip. Task outlines and rubrics were posted online.
For most students the connection and transfer was easy, but some struggled with topic, selection, collating and sorting their photos. Procrastination really was the enemy of a few.
An interesting note in terms of teaching across subject areas was that we often are using the same median, albeit with a different content and slant, but we aren’t aware. I started off my showing the examples of similar projects and prepared to launch into teaching, only to hear half the class saying “Oh I know this” “I like this” “This is what we used in science for the …” And so what could have been an overwhelming project became something that already had a roomful of experts, ready to transfer their knowledge to a new project, or to new users. It happened that one of the G7 science teachers had used the same program to convey scientific data. Its flow on effect was a comfort level with the vehicle and a confidence that the ‘teachers’ had to share their skills.
Examples of students work can be found here.
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