Final Reflection
When I signed up for this class, my goal was to become better with the technology that is available for our classrooms. Once I started, I was amazed with how much things have changed, even in the last couple of years. There are so many options out there that it is almost overwhelming. This class definitely helped me to pinpoint tools and ideas that I could use in my classroom. This class also pushed me outside of my comfort zone to try technology tools that I would not have on my own.
Tools I definitely will use during this school year are the Time Line tool that allows students to easily gather information and place it on an interactive timeline. Animoto was so easy, and the finished product was so good, that I think I will use it with my students and my family at home. The webcasting sites that allowed streaming of video content were very user-friendly and seem to be the future of how to get content to the students. I liked the Schoology site, the electronic calendar and the polling tool a lot, but I'm not sure I'm ready to switch all of my data over to those yet. This class has enlightened me about ways that students can learn better and empowered me with ways that I can teach better.
Tom Rodefeld
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
"Scenario 3: Anonymous Blogging
Ms. Gifford learned about a new blog that does not require the arduous process of setting up individual accounts for each student. This seemed like an easy way to jump into blogging as a class. Ms. Gifford talked about acceptable use with her students but did not inform the principal or parents of her instructional goals or objectives for using a class blog. Because students did not have accounts, they were able to post comments on the blog anonymously. Although, this protected student privacy, it snowballed into a barrage of inappropriate and harassing comments. Ms. Gifford quickly shut the blog down and went back to the drawing board."
Ms. Gifford did her due diligence on the front end by informing the students of the process. But she should have let the principal and the families know as well. In her blogging example, the safety of the students should be fine as long as the teacher has the responsibility discussion and monitors the blog frequently. My advice to Ms. Gifford is to let the students, parents, and principal know the objectives for and guidelines of the blog. The consequences of further inappropriate comments from the students would be to have them either go back to pencil and paper work or to create individual accounts. The support from the administration and the parents should help keep student comments more appropriate. The danger with any of these great tools is the open-endedness of them. The last couple of years, I have done a stock market simulation where students were required to create an account. The stock market part of it has gone well, but there is an area where they can add comments. Even though the students have done a good job of being responsible so far, I am worried about the lack of control I have over their comments. With my students, like Ms. Gifford's, we have a discussion about the opportunity they are being given and of the responsibility that comes with it. Both myself and Ms. Gifford could have the students put their student i.d. after their comments. In that way, we can monitor who is commenting and what they are saying. If an i.d. number is not listed, then that comment can be taken down.
"Scenario 6: Course Management Overload
Ms. Carlson is excited to use Edmodo, a course management system similar to Moodle with her students. Although Edmodo isn’t officially supported by the tech department like Moodle is, she is excited to use it because she finds it much more intuitive to use and she likes the interface better than Moodle. Ms. Carlson is vigilant about the privacy settings, has informed her principal and parents of her instructional goals and objectives. Her students jump on board and post to the discussion at record numbers. Ms. Carlson is pleased to see such motivated dialogue on a novel that had previously felt like pulling teeth. Two weeks into the unit, she receives a parent complaint. The complaint is as follows:
Dear Ms. Carlson, Mr. Miller, Mr. Hamilton and Ms. McIntyre,
Although my son is a motivated and active participant in all of your classes, I am concerned that the school does not seem to have a unified course management system. He is using Moodle in Math, Edmodo in English, Schoology in Science, and Kidblog in Social Studies. Furthermore, all of these sites require different logins and passwords. As a parent, I am having a difficult time keeping this all straight and am requesting that the school discuss this issue and figure out a more streamlined approach.
Thank you for your consideration,
A supportive but confused parent"
I also see this as a real issue. We have great teachers at our school and in our district. I have four children in school right now, and they all have teachers every year who do a great job setting up their system of classroom/web management. From class to class and year to year, children are inundated with new and different ways of assessment and learning. We might be at a time when school administrators are proactive by training a set of core tools for teachers to use. Teachers can still be free to use other tools, but they will need to have an alternative option for students to use one of the main core school tools to complete the assignments. I don't think safety is an issue here; I think the issue is efficiency and what is best for the students. We should have a core set of tools to use that staff, students and parents are familiar with. Teachers can try new tools; training can be given to students in class and to parents at back-to-school nights; but one of the core tools should always be allowed as a way to do the assignments to streamline the process.
Ms. Gifford learned about a new blog that does not require the arduous process of setting up individual accounts for each student. This seemed like an easy way to jump into blogging as a class. Ms. Gifford talked about acceptable use with her students but did not inform the principal or parents of her instructional goals or objectives for using a class blog. Because students did not have accounts, they were able to post comments on the blog anonymously. Although, this protected student privacy, it snowballed into a barrage of inappropriate and harassing comments. Ms. Gifford quickly shut the blog down and went back to the drawing board."
Ms. Gifford did her due diligence on the front end by informing the students of the process. But she should have let the principal and the families know as well. In her blogging example, the safety of the students should be fine as long as the teacher has the responsibility discussion and monitors the blog frequently. My advice to Ms. Gifford is to let the students, parents, and principal know the objectives for and guidelines of the blog. The consequences of further inappropriate comments from the students would be to have them either go back to pencil and paper work or to create individual accounts. The support from the administration and the parents should help keep student comments more appropriate. The danger with any of these great tools is the open-endedness of them. The last couple of years, I have done a stock market simulation where students were required to create an account. The stock market part of it has gone well, but there is an area where they can add comments. Even though the students have done a good job of being responsible so far, I am worried about the lack of control I have over their comments. With my students, like Ms. Gifford's, we have a discussion about the opportunity they are being given and of the responsibility that comes with it. Both myself and Ms. Gifford could have the students put their student i.d. after their comments. In that way, we can monitor who is commenting and what they are saying. If an i.d. number is not listed, then that comment can be taken down.
"Scenario 6: Course Management Overload
Ms. Carlson is excited to use Edmodo, a course management system similar to Moodle with her students. Although Edmodo isn’t officially supported by the tech department like Moodle is, she is excited to use it because she finds it much more intuitive to use and she likes the interface better than Moodle. Ms. Carlson is vigilant about the privacy settings, has informed her principal and parents of her instructional goals and objectives. Her students jump on board and post to the discussion at record numbers. Ms. Carlson is pleased to see such motivated dialogue on a novel that had previously felt like pulling teeth. Two weeks into the unit, she receives a parent complaint. The complaint is as follows:
Dear Ms. Carlson, Mr. Miller, Mr. Hamilton and Ms. McIntyre,
Although my son is a motivated and active participant in all of your classes, I am concerned that the school does not seem to have a unified course management system. He is using Moodle in Math, Edmodo in English, Schoology in Science, and Kidblog in Social Studies. Furthermore, all of these sites require different logins and passwords. As a parent, I am having a difficult time keeping this all straight and am requesting that the school discuss this issue and figure out a more streamlined approach.
Thank you for your consideration,
A supportive but confused parent"
I also see this as a real issue. We have great teachers at our school and in our district. I have four children in school right now, and they all have teachers every year who do a great job setting up their system of classroom/web management. From class to class and year to year, children are inundated with new and different ways of assessment and learning. We might be at a time when school administrators are proactive by training a set of core tools for teachers to use. Teachers can still be free to use other tools, but they will need to have an alternative option for students to use one of the main core school tools to complete the assignments. I don't think safety is an issue here; I think the issue is efficiency and what is best for the students. We should have a core set of tools to use that staff, students and parents are familiar with. Teachers can try new tools; training can be given to students in class and to parents at back-to-school nights; but one of the core tools should always be allowed as a way to do the assignments to streamline the process.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Tagxedo
These are three word clouds I made:
Geography Syllabus
Economics Syllabus
I do have favorites
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Day 1
Hey I have been looking to find a way to contact with the students that will let me be more flexible with the content for the class. I have all ready learned so much in the first hour yeah. Tom Rodefeld
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)