DSS

I was confused by digital story telling but this blog titled Digital Story telling and the common core was really helpful.  It showed me how DSS is aligned with the common core and different examples.

Check out this Youtube video on DSS!

blogging in the classroom

I found two youtube videos that provide some great ideas for blogging in the classroom. The first is  Blogging In Elementary School. 

The second youtube videos talks about how to use a blog to promote classroom community. Check them out!! 

RSS feeds

Did anyone else have trouble viewing RSS feeds suggested in chapter 5?

Is it to good to be true?

RSS- Really Simple Syndication


Is this to good to be true? From my understanding, RSS allows you to “subscribe” to numerous blogs and collect information on particular topics without actually visiting each site. So if I am teaching a science unit on weather an I can use the RSS to as one place to read all of the new content on all of the site.  Is that really true? 

RSS feeds also allows you to view students blog work without going to each of their blogs.  This is a quick way to monitor comments and students progress! 

Action!!

So this is my take on what digital storytelling is. It is the practice of using computer-based tools to tell stories and most digital stories focus on a specific topic and contain a particular point of view. Digital stories can be a mixture of computer-based images, text, recorded audio narration, video clips and/or music. The length and topics will vary.  I found the site  Digital storytelling in the classroom helpful when trying to figure out exactly what a digital story board is.

Overworked and underpaid!!

This is how I felt after my data team meeting this week!!

Blog & Bloggers

I loved Mrs. Yollis's blog.  She is a second grade teacher and she has her most responsible students use blogs.  She also has the student and their parents work on blogging together. She also included a student sample of a perfect post.

Confused....help!!

Chapter 4 discusses Wikis. While I understand that wikis and blogs are resources for teacher and student learning, I just don’t get how to use Wikis in my classroom.  After looking at numerous sites such as Blogging policies and resources and David Warlick sites I am still confused.  Thoughts???

Starting a blog

Starting

 If you are just beginning to blogging start small.  You can start by creating a link to something you have read about or a resource you are using in the classroom. Use some simple text to explain and make it personal by reflecting or talking about a personal experience. Do you blog in your classroom?

Once your students are comfortable let students try responding on a class blog by answering a daily question.  Blogging Support also provides some resources for teachers about how students can utilize blogs in the classrooms.  These tips are helpful for someone who is new to blogging and definitely makes me feel like it is doable in the classroom. Do your students blog?

Article response

Blogging allows students to express themselves creatively, to engage with multimedia tools, to communicate and collaborate with others, and to publish and share information with a people from around the world. Blogging supports student understanding of the interconnected global world. These skills are supported by the NETS National Education Technology Standards for Students.

Students can use blogs in many ways. They can use blogs to respond to assignments, reflect on learning, show their best work through a portfolio, and reach an audience from all over the world. When a reader responds it allows the writer’s voice to be heard, and reader comments contribute to a continuous dialogue between the author and the reader. 

Blogs also document the development of literacy skills over time. By writing comments on each other’s blogs, students participating in active reading by analyzing, synthesizing, and critiquing texts. For example, when researching what to write about when blogging, students utilize varied critical thinking skills. Blogging creates an environment for sharing and peer review and creates an online community of active readers and writers.

Animoto - Teaching double digit addition

Mental Math Animoto

I use mental math in my classroom everyday and I love the idea of using an Animoto video to help support my student learning!

I did it!

I did it!!!

Bucket Filler

Using this book as a school to help students think about how they treat each other.

You tube help!

Does anyone know how to put a youtube video on your blog??

Here goes blogging!

So let me start by saying after reading these two chapters I feel like I do at the mall.... old and outdated!! With that being said, back to chapters 1 and 2!  Richardson believes that teachers should consider using blogs as a technological tool in the classroom.  For a first time blogger this is really scary! But good news is that blogs are easily created, updated and can be collaborative! Something even better about blogging is that it supports NET standards and Common Core Standards....wohoo!

Suggestion:start small!  You might want start a class blog to post class related information, post assignments, communicate with parents and provide examples of classwork.  Or you may want to use a blog as a way to reflect on your teaching experience,and share ideas among fellow educators.  Dean Shareski's blog Learning Stuff is a great example of how and why teachers can use blogs.

 One of my biggest fears as a teacher is taking my students to the computer lab because with my luck something extremely inappropriate may happen.  How in the world would I explain this to parents and my administrator!? Lucky for me, in chapter 1 Richardson provides some ideas for internet safety.  He suggests that teachers plan and visit the websites  or creating a web tour for students (so my fear does not happen).  For teachers of younger students it is really important that we teach appropriate us of the internet and we can do this by modeling for our students.  How do you keep your students safe on the internet?

New literacies

Traditionally we would define literacy as the ability to read, write , and think critically about written words.  This definition has expanded in the 21st century. Students need to be fluent and proficient with technological tool.  They need to be able to analyze, understand, and utilize the different types of media as a way to connect with the world. 

So as a teacher what does this mean for instruction??  This to me means that as an educational community we need to figure out what is effective teaching with technology? Dean Shareski's blog provides great examples of what this looks like in the classroom. I found his youtube video titled Project Based Learning very helpful. What do you think effective teaching with technology looks like in the classroom?