Wiki Comment on Project Based Learning

For our last project I read the articles on project based learning on http://iae-pedia.org/Project-Based_Learning.  I love project based learning and try to implement it in my class as much as possible.  Katz and Chard list five features of projects that I think are vital to a successful implementation.  They are: 1) discussion - this is the children talking to each other, 2) field work - this takes place outside of the classroom such as at the zoo, 3)investigation - as students become older there investigations will be more second hand research such as the Internet and books, 4)representation - students should be given choice in how to represent their learning, and 5)display - this not only includes a display of the students' work but materials as well so that the students can become more independent of the teacher.  Some examples of projects I've done in my classroom were natural resources and penguins.  The topics should be student selected and have to be something that they can directly investigate in the early childhood years.  The students will pose questions that will guide their projects.  On the website it discussed rubrics as an important way of assessing projects.  If you're new to projects or rubrics www.rubistar.com is a great site for making quick, custom rubrics.  Enjoy your next project!

Wii

The Wii has become such a popular video game console and an amazing advancement in technology.  This is the first time that I can remember a video game system being used outside of homes for any technological reason.  I even read an article in "Popular Science" a few weeks ago about how scientists are using the Wii to modify how bombs are diffused.  The article was discussing how the controls are much more natural feeling than the current robotic controls and this will lead to less error.  I've also seen a Wii at UAB in the engineering building, but I'm not sure how it's being implemented at the educational level.  That is definitely something I'm going to have to look into.  If anyone knows how its used, please let me know. We also have them at our school in the P.E. department.  The students absolutely love them!  They just think they're playing video games and don't realize that it's a physical activity.  I think that as time passes we'll continue to see the Wii being implemented in educational settings, especially in areas of science and technology.  Although I just use the Wii to have fun and play games I think its potential is huge and we'll continue to see its technology applied in many other settings!

Comments on Lesson Plan Development

• Here is my lesson plan using constructivism.  Please read and comment.  Thanks.
  
• I use personal observations to give the group assignment grade, but that's a great idea to have the students take part in that area of assessment. I'll have to try that next time. Thanks for the idea.
  

• No problem!  Let me know of anything else you need me to do.
• I liked how you made sure to keep it a constructivist lesson by not assigning specific websites, but allowing the children to construct their answers on their own.  Sounds like a fun lesson!
• I've never seen them made w/ dirt, only clay.  Do they have to turn the dirt into mud or do they just pack it down tightly?
  
• Sounds good to me!
  
• Maybe we could add a Multimedia Encyclopedia or Electronic book to the cognitivism lesson plan to emphasize that the teacher has planned what the students will learn.  If we're not specific it might seem to constructivist.  What do you think?
  
• I love rubrics too!  I think it would be nice to include them if you have an informal assessment, like a project.  If you have a formal assessment, like a quiz, I think that would be okay too.
  
• On the behaviorism lesson plan it doesn't really justify why that learning theory is appropriate.  It just says what they're doing.  Maybe we could add in why starfall.com works for behaviorism.  Also, maybe we could be more specific in listing the "at" books and list a few titles.
  
•  would have it as 2 students per group - sorry I should have kept my wording consistent. I did not include the computers b/c every school is so different. In my particular classroom, I would use a laptop cart, but you could easily modify it to a lab or rotate groups with computers in your class. You would need to make the lesson plan work for you and your school! Since this is a constructivism lesson plan, I did not include jobs. I like to leave it open to the students on what type of project they will make and how they will divide the work. This way they are making the choices and are constructing their own knowledge, not just completing assigned jobs.
  
•  really liked how you included Skype into your lesson plan. This is becoming such a popular way to communicate! The checklist was also a good idea. Will students have access to the checklist or will it just be for the teacher? Also, in the lesson you say the students have choice in their pictures, etc. but then the checklist lists each item separately. Do they have to include all of them or only the ones they choose to help them construct their knowledge and how will the checklist convert to a grade?
  
• I really liked your lesson!  I teach 2nd grade and this could easily be adapted.  I like how you had a webquest, but it was still open-ended enough to be considered constructivism.  The choice of graphic organizer worked really well too, instead of having children just complete one that the teacher selected. I also liked how the think/pair/share built on the social aspect of this learning theory. Great job!
  

Discussion Comments for Learning Theories and Technology

• I agree with you that the project approach is a great way to use social constructivism. The students can work together to deepen their knowledge of topics. I think Regio Emilio is also an approach in which you would see social constructivism implemented.
• I'm confused about the project, as I think many of us are. I thought for the first project we were supposed to discuss all of the readings, not just the one we're doing our lesson plan on. This way every one would have an equal amount of work. Please reread the assignment and let me know what you think.
• I agree that a lot of this would be easier to do if we met in person or knew eachother. I always think online classes will be easier or the same workload, but they always seem to be harder because of communication issues!
• The draft is due on our group space April 2nd and the final one is due on the class discussion board April 5th.
• Constructivism is a unique learning theory to use when teaching students about technology. Originally I thought that it would not be a good approach to use when teaching students to work with technology, especially computer related. There are so many things that need to be taught explicitly, such as how to use specific programs and Internet searches. If you don't use these things correctly you risk harming the computer. After reading the articles I realized that although some things do need to be taught explicitly, construcitivism can work for other technology lessons. One great way is to have children do research on the computer. They will have to find the correct sources and apply the information (This only works if it's open ended. You can't assign sites for them to visit.) I think this would work best for older grades. It's nice to know that constructivism can be properly applied to technology!
• I used starfall.com in my first grade classroom last year. In the beginning I assigned stories to read, but as the year progressed I let students pick their own stories and activities. They were able to construct meaning at their ability level and based on what was important. Some chidren still chose phonics books, while others moved onto fairy tales. They needed to be scaffolded in the beginning, but after they were shown the basics of the program constructivism and technology could be used in lower grades. (It is MUCH easier in higher grade levels though.)
• I like the metapor in this learning theory relating the mind to a computer. As you stated, sometimes children that have disabilities "have a broken computer" according to this theory. I think that this is a great use of when technology can help "fix the computer." There is so much assistive technology for students with special needs, such as hearing aids, pecs software programs, etc., that help students with special needs to be successful in a regular education classroom that can often use cognitivism.
• I like the metapor in this learning theory relating the mind to a computer. As you stated, sometimes children that have disabilities "have a broken computer" according to this theory. I think that this is a great use of when technology can help "fix the computer." There is so much assistive technology for students with special needs, such as hearing aids, pecs software programs, etc., that help students with special needs to be successful in a regular education classroom that can often use cognitivism.
• Is it something that's stated in her IEP? If not, make sure it gets added for next year. That way they will have to provide it.
  
• Very, very sad! That is why the teacher often has to be the advocate for the child when the parent can't.
• When I think of behaviorism I immediately think of Pavlov and Skinner and their theories of operant and classical conditioning. I think behaviorism is a major part of schools, whether we like it or not. It's very significant in our classroom management, which as an early childhood teacher plays a major role in computer/technology use in my classroom. I have to start out the beginning of the year teaching my expectations for computer use. The children learn that if they misbehave they will lose their computer privileges and that students who are responsible will get extra time or choices on the computer. They are essentially conditioned to behave as I expect (and all 2nd graders do this b/c they love the computer!) This example of behaviorism related to the computer is one that I think all teachers unknowingly use. Does anyone have any other examples of behaviorism and technology, such as lesson ideas?
• That makes me think of Alfie Kohn and his thought that children should not receive any reward, not even praise. It would be interesting to be in a school that followed this philosophy and to see the difference between it and a typical school.
• I agree. It sounds interesting, but it's not me. I guess that's why most schools aren't this way!
• Thanks for the idea! That opens up the door to a lot of lessons in which the students advance to levels based on their success or are punished and must stay on that level because of poor results. Another example would be Batter Up.
  
• The format definitely makes it easy to read and can clearly visualize our thoughts.
• Looks like a great start! I'll keep checking back to see it with our discussions added. I don't know if it's just b/c I have Office 2007, but some of the titles are cut in half. Maybe we could hyphenate them or change the font size so they all fit on one line. (It may just be my software!)
  

SchoolCast

One new innovation in school technology is SchoolCast. I'm writing about this today because we are using it today because of the impending bad weather! This is an automated system that calls parents and faculty when there is an early dismissal or school is cancelled. This technology was not available when I started teaching. We had to make phone trees and rely on parents to call other parents of the students in our class. Often the parents couldn't find their phone tree or were unreachable. I would often end up calling most, if not all, of the parents myself. Luckily almost all of the teachers had cell phones and could call from their class (although we had to use up a lot of our minutes). I can't imagine how crazy it would be if we could only call from our school phone lines! SchoolCast has saved us so much time, energy, and money! One downside to SchoolCast is that when all of the systems in the area are using it, the lines can sometimes get jammed up. Then parents don't get notified in a timely manner and teachers end up calling anway. Because of this we have backup phone trees to use if SchoolCast is down. Although it's not perfect and has room to grow I think it's a great improvement to the old system.

Videos

For our practicum we are required to videotape our classroom. While getting my undergraduate degree we just had advisers come to our classroom and watch us teach, so this was very new to me. I checked out a digital video recorder from my school library and taped my class during a reading lesson last week. That's when my technology issues began. We are required to turn in our video on either a DVD or VHS. The camera I used recorded to a DC tape. I thought okay, well I can burn it to a DVD from my computer. Well, I didn't have a cable to connect the computer to the camcorder. I found someone and got the movie downloaded! I thought my problems were over, so I used MovieMaker to finish up my video and adjust the audio. Then I got ready to burn it to a DVD. To my surprise, MovieMaker does not allow you to burn to DVD, only CD!!! I had to save it as a .wmv file and cross my fingers that I can find a way to get a .wmv file to a DVD. Another difficulty with it is that I did it on my school computer, which doesn't easily allow us to download programs which might help. Our media specialist is working with me to fix this, so hopefully with some luck I will be able to get it to a DVD. (Let me know if you have any ideas.) If not, I guess I'll have to find another camera and tape again. I guess what I learned from this experience is that with technology you need to research it and plan ahead!

School Websites

Lately there are an abundance of school websites in which the teachers have their own individual sites. I have one at the school I teach at. It's a great resource and communication tool for parents. I am able to upload pictures, our weekly skills agenda, a calendar, and links to educational websites. I can also post discussion boards like we have in this class. I posted one at the beginning of the year on book recommendations (with only 1 response). I spend a lot of time on the website so that students and parents can stay as informed as possible. I have had some frustration with it though. Many of my parents have never visited the site (we can track users). It's disappointing to put in all of my time and effort to not have this resource being used to its fullest. Also, some parents have tried to visit it, but have had difficulties logging in. It's a private site with a login, but many of the logins don't seem to work properly. I enjoy the privacy, but think that if there wasn't a login I would have much more participation. I think at the higher grade levels it's probably a much more appreciated tool because it can be more independently used by the students without having to have as much parent involvement. It is a convenience for me in the classroom too. This way all of my favorite links are in one place and I don't have to bookmark them on all of the computers and we can easily access them in the lab without having to type them in (which is time consuming for 2nd graders). I hope that as more school systems get teacher websites and parents/teachers become more comfortable with their use, we'll see increased participation!

Comments on Definition of Learning

• Sounds great!
• I agree that children learn more easily when they are interested in a topic.  I think that children also learn in a variety of ways, therefore, we need to make sure to vary our instruction.  I think most children learn by creating their own knowledge through experiences.  This allows them to recall information easily, instead of memorizing information which can be more easily forgotten. 
• I noticed our conversations seem to be based on children, but do you think we need to include adults as well?  I think learning is pretty much the same regardless of the age.  What do you think?
  

Comments on Lesson Plan Critique

Great job Anna! I liked how you identified the need to first introduce word processing and all applicable software that children will use. This is often a prerequisite left out of lesson plans. I don't think your sources are correctly cited in APA. They should be double spaced without a skipped space in between. The second line (and third, etc.) of the source should be tabbed in as well. Let me know if you need an example. Excellent critique!

• It's the second line that's supposed to be tabbed in and APA is typically double-spaced, although I'm not sure if it matters for this application. I attached an example of a citation.
  
• I'm glad it gave you an idea!  Sometimes deciding how to layout your paper is half the work.
  
• You can also get sources from the Internet.
  
• Great job!  I like how you thought to integrate graphing into the lesson.  Do you think that they should do it in Excel or another program with a graphing component instead of just drawing it?  This way it will be a more accurate graph. 

Great job Lindsay! I like how your references other than the computer included a direct instruction approach with flashcards as well as a more hands-on approach by using magazines. You need to include at least 3 references to support your critique and cite them in APA. You have to post it on the class discussion board too.

Elmo

Today I got an Elmo for my classroom.  It's amazing!  There are so many possibilities for it in the classroom.  For our first lesson using the Elmo, we looked through our writers' workshop journals and looked at the students' applications of their using authors as mentors.  It was so much more powerful for them to see their peers applying their learning, rather than just me.We were also able to put up actual examples of text that we modeled and see side by side comparisons whole class.  I plan to use the Elmo on a daily basis.  Here are a few of the ideas I have: introducing cursive letters, having students show examples of how they worked through math problem solving exercises, and modeling how to use sticky notes as a comprehension strategy.  I'm sure as I use it more the ideas will become endless!  Although I am clearly partial to the Elmo, there are definitely some downfalls to it.  One major stipulation is that you need an LCD projector for it to work.  I did not have one, so I had to get one for my classroom before I could have an Elmo.  This can make getting an Elmo even more expensive.  Another issue is student use.  With my old overhead I had students independently use it all the time, especially in centers.  I am not so willing to let students use the Elmo without my supervision.  The best option would be to keep both, but it's difficult to find the room (that has to point at our whiteboard).  Although, there are some concerns I will have to work through I am so excited to have an Elmo and know it will be a great addition to my classroom and increase student learning! (My husband thinks I should stick a Tickle Me Elmo sticker on it!)

Multimedia and Hypermedia

The use of multimedia and hypermedia in the classroom is a great way to make lessons more engaging.  I teach 2nd grade and my students are fascinated with anything involving technology, but especially multimedia and hypermedia.  One thing that they particularly love to do is make is make Photostories of books that we read.  We'll read a book, such as The Enormous Turnip, and students will rewrite the book sequencing events.  They'll illustrate their pages and record themselves reading it.  I post the books on our class website or show in class and students can listen to and read their books over and over again!  Not only do they love doing this, but it builds fluency and comprehension skills as well.  I also like to import pictures and videos into my skills agenda each week so parents can see the activities we're doing in class.  Another way I'm able to use hypermedia is for my class "scrapbook."  Last year I had each student make a scrapbook to give to their parents at the end of the year.  I bought blank books and materials and took pictures throughout the year.  I printed the pictures and had students make a page for all of our special events.  This year I have access to more technology and am going to make a DVD scrapbook instead.  Using MovieMaker I'll import pictures, video, and music.  I'll have each student give one to their parents, just like they did with their book scrapbooks last year.  I think there will be pros and cons to the DVD vs. the scrapbook. The DVD will be cheaper, present nicer, and take less class time to make, but it will also take more teacher time and not be as sentimental since it's not made entirely by the child.  I'm interested in seeing the difference in reactions from parents.  

Great Websites to Use in the Classroom

Through our group and entire class discussion boards I've noticed that a lot of teachers are interested in websites that their students can use in the classroom.  So, I decided to list a few of my favorites and give a brief description.  Keep in mind I teach 2nd grade!  I'd love to hear if you have any recommended sites too!

• Math Magician - This is a fun site to practice basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts: http://www.westirondequoit.org/rogers/schaumbergweb/Oswego%20City%20School%20District%20Math%20Games.htm
• Buy It! - A Money Game: http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/java/buyit/BuyIt.html
  
• Math Baseball - You can pick the skill as well as the difficulty level: http://www.funbrain.com/math/index.html
• Raz-Kids - This site allows children to listen to , read, and record books as well as take quizzes.  It requires a subscription, but is well worth it: http://www.raz-kids.com/
• Starfall- Read books by phonics skill: http://www.starfall.com/
• Math Story - These are story problems that students solve on paper, but can then check their answer through the site: http://mathstory.com/storyindex.html
• Measure It! - Practice measuring in cm. or inches and change the difficulty level: http://www.funbrain.com/measure/index.html 
• Suffixes - A great way to practice multisyllabic words: http://www.tv411.org/lessons/cfm/vocabulary.cfm?str=vocabulary&num=10&act=4&que=1

Comments on Discussion Board for Digital Technologies Sort (Group Leader)

• I don't have any suggestions. Sorry! It seems like you're getting the emails, even though your address isn't showing up, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Maybe I'd just post it in the group discussion board in case we need it for the next group project. Have a great long weekend!
  
• Lindsay,
  Hi! I've attached our completed group project. Please check it and see if anything needs to be moved, especially the software. Also, can you please list your email on Blackboard? It will make it much easier so we can do group e-mails. Thanks!
  Aaryn
  
• I teach at Paine Primary in Trussville. I teach second grade. I will be the group leader on this first project, since I think I'm the only one it town this week! Just send me your lists if you haven't already and ideas for how you want it sorted. Thanks.
  Aaryn
  
• I have Anna and Paul’s list, but am waiting on Lyn and Lindsay’s to complete the group portion of our project. Lyn is out of town so we won’t be able to fully complete it until she gets back. I have emailed Dr. Wang for contact info. for Lindsay. Please send me your sorting ideas. I’ll sort what we have and send it out for you to check. I’ll add the others lists as they send it to me. Do you know where it needs to be posted when finalized? Is it just on the tech. list discussion board or is she going to open a separate discussion board for it? Thanks.
• 
  What ideas do you have for sorting? I am waiting on Lindsay's to sort - I haven't been able to contact her and Lyn is out of town so I'll sort what we have and add things as necessary, just let me know your sorting ideas. Thanks.
• If you email me your list of technologies and category separation ideas, I'll sort them and then email it back out for everyone to check before I post it. Please email it to me before you go out of town. Also, If you know Lindsay please tell her - her email is not listed on blackboard.
• Hi,
  We are a group for our next technology assignment. I was wondering how you wanted to separate the work. I'd prefer to do it all through email or phone if possible, but I'll meet if you'd like to. If we all email each other our lists of technologies and ideas for sorting (By Sun.?) I think it should be pretty easy to do since there will probably be a lot of overlap. Let me know what ideas you have! Also, Lindsay Greer's email was not listed in the roster. If you know her, please send this to her. Thanks.
  Aaryn
• 
  I have Anna and Paul’s list, but am waiting on Lyn and Lindsay’s to complete the group portion of our project. Lyn is out of town so we won’t be able to fully complete it until she gets back. I have emailed Dr. Wang for contact info. for Lindsay. Please send me your sorting ideas. I’ll sort what we have and send it out for you to check. I’ll add the others lists as they send it to me. Do you know where it needs to be posted when finalized? Is it just on the tech. list discussion board or is she going to open a separate discussion board for it? Thanks.
• We already began our conversations in the previous digital tech. forum before this one was opened. Please comment there so we can keep it all together. Thanks!
• Sounds great to me! If anyone else has a different idea, let me know. If not, I'll start on it tomorrow with the lists that I already have.
• Dr. Wang just posted that all of our communication must be through the group space. Since we communicated through email for our first project I copied any email communication we had into a document. Please include anything I might have missed.
• I really liked how group 5 sorted their technology, especially the categories of the software. You can tell someone in this group must work in special education, but the way they had things sorted for assistive technology would be useful for any teacher. It was also really organized easy to read.
• After reading the comments on the discussion board, I also realized how this would make things easier for a new teacher or someone who doesn't know a lot about technology. I think this is my favorite sort so far becasue of the clarity of it?
• I like how group 1 included their information in a chart. I didn't think to include broadband. That's an interesting way to look at technology. I wish that they would have included the software into their sort instead of just writing it at the bottom.
• Wow! Group 3 really did an in-depth job of sorting their information. The idea to have categories and subcategories allowed for you to really analyze their information. Since it was in Excel it made this document easy to adapt to your own needs if necessary. I actually found it a little confusing though. I would have prefered if they put all their information together to sort it instead of sorting it by each individual person. What do you think?
• 
  What is your favorite sort and why? Please reply ASAP so I can complile everything, in addition to our previous comments, and submit our summary Fri. Thanks.
  My favorite sort is group 5 b/c of the reasons I listed in the group 5 discussions we had. It was extremely clear, organized, and easy to understand. I liked the visual of the chart as well as the adaptability of it.
• I like how group 4's sort was straight to the point. Sometimes I think educators get too concerned with if something is "cute." This had all the necessary info. and was clear and concise.
• I love Macs. Our school was a Mac school too, until last year. They switched over this year and I'm so sad. I have a Mac at home and I love it!!!
• Please read our summary and see if you would like to add anything else.
• I just read someone else's post and they were a little more analytical than us. Should we add in some changes or leave it positive?

Distance Learning

Distance learning is a really interesting topic that is relatively new to the field of education, at least at the k-12 level.  Colleges have been doing it for some time now and the convenience is wonderful, as it is in this class.  But there are disadvantages it as well.  Sometimes human contact is necessary.  It's much more difficult to convey the meaning and feelings of your thoughts and questions through online posts.  A face and expression adds so much more!  All that said, I'm a huge advocate of distance learning.  I love being able to do my work at home in my pajamas at ten o'clock at night.  It's also great to not have to drive downtown and find a parking space.  The system I teach in has recently started distance learning classes at the high school, which is sometimes considered controversial.  However, it's allowing students to earn college credits, discover fields that they want to work in, and be challenged.  This is only the second year, but it's gaining popularity.  I'm interested to  see if it stays popular and if it prepares students equally as well for college.  Also at the elementary school I teach at we had a boy with cancer who was not able to attend school on a regular basis.  His teacher was able to podcast her lessons and provide online activities and lessons so that he would not fall behind while he was receiving treatment.  Although, distance learning can't replace that of an in-person teacher it definitely has it's place in education!

Discussion Board Comments for Affordances Project

• I'm going to do Powerpoint  vs. Posters.
  
• In your toolbar, click on table, then insert. Input the number of rows and columns you want. It will show up on your page. You can double-click on it to change the borders. This will be different if you have Office 2007. Let me know if you have any questions!
• That's a tricky one! Maybe you could just give specific examples of small group/one-on-one instruction, such as individualized phonics activities based on student reading need. This would be an easy way to expand on the ideas you already have.
• Great job Anna!  I noticed on the discussion boards that a lot of people in the class are pretty new to technology.  You might want to consider listing some examples of learning websites that are used in case I was able to open it at school today.  
• You did a fantastic job!  I like how you set up affordances, then learning activities directly after.  One affordance that Word also has is the ability to import clipart, tables, etc.  This affordance might be more applicable for older students, but it would allow them to go more in-depth into Word don't use the Internet as a classroom tool often.  This would also help show the application of the affordance more specifically. 
  
• I know that it's a javascript issue, but I'm not sure exactly how to fix it.  I'll ask my husband tonight and see if he can give you an easy fix.

Word Processing

I was really surprised to read about the debate over word processing in the classroom.  I think it's a very important skill for children to learn at an early age.  With more and more practice children will become automatic at typing and will be more comfortable with programs such as Microsoft Word.  This will save them lots of time and frustration in the future, such as in college when papers are required to be typed and formatted in certain ways.  I have friends who spend hours simply on formatting their papers because it wasn't ever explicitly taught to them.  This time could be better spent learning the material in depth.  It's also a skill that's valued by society.  I know the parents of my students not only expect written work, but work that's been typed as well.  Our school system even required us to take a test on our knowledge of Microsoft Word and then offered online classes specifically targeting your areas of weakness.

I can see other people's viewpoint on this though.  At what age do we really need to start teaching word processing skills?  How proficient should children's manuscript and cursive be before they begin word processing?  Should the skills be taught in isolation or integrated? How proficient are the teachers and are they offered professional development? These are questions that I don't have exact answers for, but should be taken into consideration when planning lessons that may require word processing.  Regardless of the concerns, word processing is a skill students must learn to be successful in the world they will grow up in (They even need it to text message their friends!).  As teachers we must integrate it into our classroom, as it is our obligation to prepare our students for the next chapter of their life to the best of our abilities.

The Constructivist and the Objectivist

Chapter 2 was particularly interesting to me, in relation to the approaches for teaching technology.  Contstructivist teachers and objectivist teachers (which I equated to direct instruction teachers) always seem to be at odds about which method of teaching is most beneficial to students.  I had never thought about this debate from the viewpoint of teaching technology, but it easily applies.  I personally am more of a constructivist teacher and think that children learn by creating their own knowledge and relationships.  And although it isn't my teaching style, I feel like direct instruction teachers are often pressured to change their teaching style to be more constructivist.  I think this is unfair to the teacher and to the students.  Although teachers need to be constantly developing, when they are taken too far out of their element they can focus too much on the new approach and lose the quality skills that they had previously. I like how the chapter pointed out how there needs to be a balance between the two approaches.  It did a great job of visualizing this point!  Some concepts must be formally taught while others should be constructed. With a balanced approach you are able to reach a wider range of learners in your classroom, creating a better learning environment for all! 

Wireless Connections

Wireless connections have had a huge impact on classrooms.  They allow you to arrange your class in so many new and varied ways.  At the school I taught at previously we did not have wireless connections.  I had to arrange my whole classroom based on where the connection was - and they came and changed it midyear causing me to have to shift the whole class in the middle of the year.  The school I teach at now is accessible with wireless throughout the school.  It's been great!  I was able to arrange my class according to my other needs.  It even allowed me to set my computers up in various places - a research center, a reading center, and one at my guided reading table (also for use w/ the LCD).  I also like that I can just take my laptop with me into other rooms in the building so that we can collaborate without having to worry about finding extra connections and going to a room with a hub. One downfall of wireless connections is that they are not as reliable.  They drop the connection more frequently than hard wired lines.  This is an especially big problem for the classrooms in the trailers. Also, our computers won't update unless it's connected to a hard wired line, so at least once a week you have to manually hook it up and synchronize it.  Even though it has it's difficulties, I love wireless and would never want to go back!!!

Kevin and I sailing in the Great Scot regatta!

We're the boat with the red sail.

"Cybercheating"

I think the topic of "cybercheating" is really interesting. With the popularity of the Internet you can google a topic and find an abundance of information, which is awesome, but this also leads to more sources to plagiarize from (and some students think they are less likely to get caught than out of a book).  There are also several websites that you can buy entire papers from.  Now students can more easily buy papers and plagiarize work in a completely different dimension than they could ten years ago. This also makes a teachers job grading papers more difficult.  Teachers must critically evaluate all of their students' work and decide if it's authentic.  Luckily, as websites have emerged to buy papers about popular topics, so have websites to help teachers catch cybercheaters.  I found this website which has a lot of links about plagiarism as well as links to free plagiarism catching websites: http://www.ncusd203.org/central/html/where/plagiarism_stoppers.html.

Since I teach 2nd grade cybercheating isn't a major concern that I have, but I know it's something I need to prepare my students for so that they do not one day copy someone else's work.  We've been working on reading facts, in books and from websites, and putting them into our own words.  The students also get with their writing buddy to read each other's non-fiction writing and evaluate if it sounds like something their partner would say.  It seems a little young to talk about plagiarizing, but I think it will make them more competent writers and more critical of things that they read.

Wiki

I'm very excited about participating on a wiki, however, I'm having trouble with the wiki on blackboard.  I keep changing the link to be linked directly to my name, but it keeps reverting back to a separate link.  It's very frustrating!  Also, I can't edit it at home.  I think it might be because I have a Mac.  Are any other Mac users having difficulties?  I guess I'll have to try it at work.  Hopefully I'll have better luck there.  I'm looking forward to reading other people's blogs through the wiki and reading what their struggles and successes have been. I've already read a few and it's so exciting to see how similar, yet unique, each one of us feels about the same experience.  I'm sure our students feel the same way about the things that we teach! 

I want to learn how to make a wiki so that students in my classroom can create blogs and connect them to a class wiki.  I think this will be a great way to get the kids communicating outside of school.  The first topic I'd like to try would be writing book recommendations about books that they have recently read.  Then all a student would have to do to choose a new book is go to the wiki and read other students blogs to find a book that sounded right for them.  This will also be an easy way for parents to see how their child is doing and what books they are interested in.  They can even leave comments of encouragement or write their own recommendations!  

Creating a Blog

I'm really glad we created a blog. I hear about them all the time at school and am glad I finally got to make my own. We just had a technology conference at school and blogging was a popular topic. I'm looking forward to bringing this skill into my classroom. It was much easier than I thought it would be!