Journal 6

Warlick, D (2009, March ). Growing Your Personal Learning Network. Learning and Leading with Technology, Vol. 37, Retrieved April 2, 2009, from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/200904/

This article was about PLN's or personal learning networks. Personal learning networks are tools like Twitter, wiki's, iChat, Second Life, Skype, basically web-based applications that allow you to communicate and share information with others. The author discusses the advantages of using these tools and breaks them into separate categories. The first category is personally maintained synchronous connections, traditional networks that include people and allow you to consult with others to solve problems and answer questions (ie iChat, Skype, uStream). Personally and socially maintained semisynchronous connections are conversations that are not exactly real-time, but pretty close (ie GoogleDocs, Twitter). The third category is dynamically maintained asynchronous connections; while the other two connect you to people, this connects you to information (ie RSS feed).

How would RSS feed be useful in a classroom?
RSS feed can allow a teacher to stay connected to current information on a particular topic by having a feed set up to blogs, podcasts, news searches and articles, that cover that topic. Each student could be assigned a different source to find information related to the topic, and then report back to the class.

RSS feeds can be very active, what is a good way to not overwhelm yourself with information?
You can limit the amount of information you get by not subscribing to too many blogs,organizing subscriptions by topic, scanning feeds for pertinent info, and turn your PLN off every once in a while.

Journal 8-Google Earth

Google Earth is a satellite imagery tool that allows the viewer to type in a location and see it from multiple views, or "fly" over locations across the earth. It was created by Keyhole, Inc., a company that was acquired by Google, thus the name Google Earth. The clarity and accuracy of this tool are amazing, and the applications are endless. To get such accurate images, Google uses satellite images, aerial photography, and street views. To obtain the street view images, Google has vans that plan to drive around every street in the world, and get an actual view of what it's like to drive up these streets. You can do anything from soar over the peaks of Mt. Everest to get driving directions to your local CVS pharmacy! The conversations that I followed on Web 2.0 were both started by a middle school math teacher who is constantly looking for new ways to inspire his students outside of a textbook. He uses lessons incorporating longitude and latitude, as well as population projections, all features that can easily be found on GoogleEarth. Other very cool features include trip mapping, diving into the oceans, and time mapping, to see what a location may have looked like hundreds of years ago. The applications for GoogleEarth are great for inspiring students, and the graphics and images are so clear, anyone who views it would be impressed. I think a cool project idea would be to have students create video maps that follow the trails of historic expeditions, like Lewis and Clark, Columbus...Google Earth is also a great application to use in elective courses, such as drafting, as you can incorporate GoogleEarth with 3D modeling programs like 3D max and Sketch Up.

Inspiration-NETS (1,2,3)

Power Point Presentation- NETS-T 1,2,3

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Nets 1

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Jounal 5: Collaboration in a Web 2.0 Environment

Bull, G. (2006, April). Collaboration in a Web 2.0 Environment. Learning and Leading with Technology, 33, Retrieved March 6, 2009, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume_33_2006_2005_/April_No_7_/April_2006.htm#features

This article is about RSS feeds and how they can be incorporated in the classroom. The author explains that RSS (really simple syndication) allows people to follow topics and blogs that are of interest to them. Almost all newspapers offer them, and they are on iTunes and blogs and are a way to track topics and stay current with friends and news you are interested in. Examples are provided about how RSS can be incorporated in the classroom, such as having each student create a blog and work with other students and submit assignments through their blog. The advantages of social bookmarking are also discussed, as it web-based word processing. Because the article is approximately 3 years old a lot has changed since it was written, mainly these tools have become increasingly popular and more prevalent in the classroom.

Q). How will I incorporate web-based word processing in my class?
A). I will definitely have my students use Google Docs to complete some of their assignments. Most essays and papers are created on word processors to begin with, so having students email assignments to each other and edit through the use of Good Docs is a great way for them to assist each other while encouraging the use of technology and word processing tools in the class.
Q). How could RSS benefit a Literature class?
A). Having students create Delicious accounts and share helpful literature websites is a great way to incorporate RSS in my classes. Each student could be assigned to find 3 helpful sites on an author or historical period, and then when writing a paper students would have to use and cite sources found by their classmates. This encourages collaboration and judging the authenticity of a website and it’s subject matter.

Journal 4:Create, Collaborate, Communicate: Empowering Students With 21st Century Skills

Riedel, C. (2009, January). Create, Collaborate, Communicate: Empowering Students With 21st Century Skills. THE Journal, Retrieved Mar. 2, '09, from http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23872_3

This article outlines a presentation given by Howie DiBlasi, a retired CIO and emerging technology evangelist, about technology in education. The article starts out a little depressing, citing that the coal-mining industry is better at incorporating technology than the field of education, but the article then goes on to provide a vast amount of great suggestions and tools to incorporate technology in the classroom. The ideas are practical and easy to implement, even with limited resources and tight budgets. The suggestions were related to developing skills in students that employers rank as the most important attributes they are looking for, mainly creative problem solving, critical and analytical thinking skills, and information gathering technology. Some of the examples included things as simple as asking a geek for help, instructing students on the format of a valid URL address, using Google Docs to collaborate, use social book marking and incorporating video conferencing in the classroom. The article provided very useful and specific examples and stressed how easy it is to apply these things to the average classroom.

Q). Which of the examples do I think would be most useful in my classroom?
A). I really like the idea of using Google Docs to have students collaborate with students in different countries. Most cities have a “sister city” in another country, and I think it would be a wonderful project to team up with a school in one of these cities (preferably English-speaking) and work on a project together. An example could be a classic book, maybe Shakespeare, and have a student here start a paper and then seek editing and suggestions from a peer in another country. This encourages collaboration and global use of technology.
Q). How can I help my students develop the skills that employers are looking for?
A). The main skills that employers cited they are looking for, creative problem solving, critical and analytical thinking skills, and information gathering technology, are also crucial skills to have in the classroom. The foundations of a good essay require all of these elements, so I would place special importance on them when giving assignment directions and creating rubrics. A student must have cohesive thoughts in an essay and use proper sources, so these would be things we could easily go over in class that would then be helpful when searching for a job.

Journal 3: Keep them Chatting

Cole, J. (2009, Feb.). Keep Them Chatting. Learning and Leading with Technology, 36, Retrieved Mar. 2, '09, from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/200902/

“Keep them Chatting” is about creating inspiring questions for students to urge creativity and participation in chat rooms. The article lays out four techniques for forming good questions that encourage students, as opposed to dry questions that leave students with no desire to do anymore than the bare minimum. The four types of questions are: high-level, open-ended questions, the inquiry method, the discrepant event inquiry method, and using illogical comparisons. The examples for each question in the article were great, as most took a lesson and incorporated it with something modern day, and they were framed in a way that would definitely excite and inspire students. The questions were also specific enough so as to let students know what they need to incorporate and what they need to do online to complete the assignment; everything is laid out in the rubric. What I found most helpful about the article is how helpful the examples were and how they can be applied in both a technology and non-technical setting.

Q). Why are the question formats provided so helpful?
A). The question formats provided are helpful because most incorporate contemporary themes and are specific in what they are asking for. Math and science can be dry, uninteresting topics for many students, but by incorporating the elements of these subjects with something exciting like rollercoasters. Using websites specified by the teacher and using online forums set up just for this purpose is a great way to encourage collaboration and incorporate technology.
Q). How can I incorporate exciting chats in my classes?
A). If I want to use chat rooms and wiki discussions in my classes I can ask students to imagine a character in modern day. What stores would she shop at? What would she buy there? What websites would she visit? I would have students create an online profile of her and have each student add an element, which would then be built upon by another student. This would be a great way to have students build upon each other’s ideas.