Why not be Animated!?

I have found one thing about students in the classroom. They like to draw. Often they are not happy with the quality of their work, but I always encourage them to work at it and keep moving forward. They also have an interest in animation.

However, I have also found that most schools do not have the funding to provide animation software for their students. I have found an interesting site off my del.icio.us account that I have posted. Go Animate is an interesting animation program that students can use to get the flavor of creating unique animations. There is an account setup that must be gone through and there may be some student privacy/viewing issues that teachers/administrators will have to del with locally. It is still worth a look as students seem to be genuinely engaged in learning when animation is used.

Leaves are Gone...Where is the Snow?...

The fall semester is moving alone quickly and by all accounts this term is proving to the busiest of my time as a technology mentor. There is so much going on with technology integration and that integration is taking on many different faces. Here are a few examples:

-geocaching in various subjects
-a new on-line report card for teachers
-wikispaces as a communication tool
-google documents as collaboration tools
-1:1 laptop integration (year 3)
-digital storytelling
-interactive white boards(SMART Boards)

This is just in the last 6 weeks. I am working on a module on how to geocache in the classroom and I will upload it soon. There is so much going on!

Where Has the Time Gone!?!

It seems like yesterday I was blogging and then nothing. That unfortunately is the life of an educator who is trying to manage too many projects at once. However, I feel it's time to get back at it. There are so many things happening in the world of tehnology and integration that I feel I need to get back into it.

First; I went to San Antonio in June/July 2008 to the NECC conference. I have to say that it was a good conference, not great, but definitely good. I spent a lot of time going over the concurrent sessions that were offered and I was able to take in most of what I wanted to go to.

But the exhibit floor is where I found the action and ideas to be. One that really interested me was Inspiration or more accurately the Kidspiration3 software. I could go on and on, but the presenter did a fantastic job at showing how the product could be used in the regular classroom.

Now first, I am not an employee of Inspiration. In fact, up until NECC San Antonio I was not even a fan of the product. I had used it before (or thought I did) and was not pleased. The presentation opened a window for me to see how the software could be used in the classroom. Now I am not one to suggest watching advertisement videos, but this one may help you understand what I am talking about. Click HERE to see the Kidspiration "Quick Tour". The best part; its not all the expensive for a single licence and there is a 30 day trial.

I am in a software kind of mood lately so this is probable the first of many posts about software to use in the classroom. It's good to be back!

Math is a Passion

You have to watch this video. Show it to your students, your colleagues, your friends and neighbors. This video shows that math is not the horrible subject that everyone tries so hard to avoid. It can be so much fun.

Do you believe?

No, I don't mean in Santa Claus! I was working with a teacher over the past few months on a project that incorporated her creative writing classes and technology. How, you ask? Well, let me explain.

Oh, about 50 years ago a guy you may know Edward R. Murrow was producing a show called SEE IT NOW on CBS. Murrow was definitely interested in the common person perspective and he started a program called "This I Believe" on public radio in the United States. The results were amazing. Now, I wasn't around in those years, but I have listened to so many of the archived recordings I have lost count. Some are inspiring; others are not. Some are academic; others are not. It doesn't really matter the theme of each recording, the listener could literally hear into the heart of people, to see a side of them that you would never see. This I Believe was something special.

Now, time travel to 2008 and see how that can work in the classroom. As teachers we all want our students to write and write well. I remember my English teachers telling my class to write and giving us different themes or topics to write about. I wrote, as did our class, and the teacher marked it, returned it and I looked at the mark and then what happened? You're right...it ended up in the trash can or at the bottom of my locker. But that was a long time ago as well.

Now...Students are given a writing assignment to write abut something they are passionate about(their theme or topic). They are then told that they will be recording their writing to be published on a website/blog/wiki(not the trash can or locker).

In the project I am currently working on, the students have been working hard to create writing pieces that are well-written and having them record their own voice is adding a whole new dimension for them and the teacher. The project is breathing new life into creative writing. Is there an impact on student achievement? I can't tell that. What I can tell is that there is an increase in student engagement and that I believe will lead us to the path all teachers and administrators want; increased achievement.

Have you seen Alice today?

I'm a bit off on my making connections theme, but just bare with me for a minute. I have been working with gifted students over the last year and there is one student who is interested in animation and all that goes with it. Now, I am the first to admit that my understanding of animation software is minimal, but what I do know is that my district has none! We have worked with some free software to kind of get the process started. We tried Pivot Stickfigure Animator and that was fun for about an hour.

Over time we worked on a few other areas and then along came Alice. Who is Alice? Well, it is more like 'what is Alice?' According to the Alice website it is...an innovative 3D programming environment that makes it easy to create an animation for telling a story, playing an interactive game, or a video to share on the web. Alice is a teaching tool for introductory computing. It uses 3D graphics and a drag-and-drop interface to facilitate a more engaging, less frustrating first programming experience..

Well this would seem like a Eureka moment. A gift from Carnegie Mellon University Alice seems like the answer we were looking for. No it is not the top end of animation software. For students looking to get their 'feet wet' as it were; this may just be it.

I have talked to teachers who work with students with learning disabilities and they think the program would offer something different into the curriculum. I even spoke to a teacher yesterday who was so keen on the program she immediately asked for it to meet the needs of a highly gifted student who was struggling in all aspects of school life. This was exactly what he needed I was told.

Is there an educational use for Alice? YOU BET!

Making Connections...

Under Construction!

Back from the edge...

Wow....Months have gone by since my last post. I have been so busy completing my graduate studies that I have not had the opportunity to post at all. Plus, I have been thinking about what would make a good post. There has been something on my mind about technology and learning lately and I have not been able to bring it out; but now I think I know.

In my current teaching position I have the enviable job of being able to work at finding best-practice ideas to incorporate technology into the classroom. It is a challenge at time and often gets hung up on technology. Why?

There are always problems...classrooms with limited technology; limited support; fear of the unknown; fearing of losing control of the classroom; lack of software, etc. the list could literally go on and on.

Really, it's not about any of that in my opinion. I had the opportunity to talk to a fellow traveler in tech integration today and he brought out what I have been thinking, the focus needs to be not on the problems, but the kids. Students are the reason we are here. They are so different today than my generation, which is only really a generation removed. I look at my own children. They get technology. Really, they just get it.

Teachers sometimes do not. Technology is not about writing notes on a computer or creating a PowerPoint that has lots of glitz. It's about bringing the new world to them. Allowing them to be global citizens, making contacts through global connections; understanding cultures through interaction, not memorization.

This is where we need to move. It's not about the latest software or hardware; it's about creating global citizens able to live in a global society. The question is, where do we begin in the classroom?

Digital Storytelling

Get a Voki now!



OK...I am not breaking new ground here. Digital Storytelling has been around for a while and there are a lot of resources to help understand how they work. What I do believe, is that they are not be used enough. Students have a natural attraction to different media and digital stories offers them the opportunity to really bring out their creative side while also getting them to write. Take a look at this LINK for example. Here we have a group of grade 7 and 8 boys creating a quick story that is, A) in their interest area, and B)giving them a reason to want to write.

They also have an authentic audience to receive their product via the wikispace that has been created to house their material.

Using digital storytelling in any class; math to teach a math concept, social studies to show routes of explorers or science to show experiments and labs will engage the student in the classroom and provide a more meaningful learning experience.

Working with Students

I have been working lately with students creating some really interesting projects. I have read so much about how we need to give students authentic learning opportunities and differentiate instruction based on interests that I thought I should research how to actually bring this to life. Many teachers are using technology in the classroom, but my concern was are they just using it as an "insert technology here" add-on, or a true lesson where technology is seamlessly integrated into the classroom.

So in the spirit of actually giving a concrete example of what students are doing, here it goes!

Getting students to write has always been a problem. I know I never liked the idea of sitting down to write something in classes and that was a couple of decades ago. Nothing seems to have changed. However, put a student in front of their MSN screen or their Facebook profile and they will write like there is no tomorrow. Why? Because they have an audience; a worldwide audience. Even better, an audience of their peers; their peers worldwide.

What I created was a project similar to "This I Believe..." from National Public Radio. I know I spoke about this before, but this post is about the "nuts and bolts" of the project. I am sitting down with the teacher and brainstorming how this fits in their classroom. Then we are approaching the students with the idea, showing them concrete examples of what they can do. So instead of writing for the sake of writing they are now writing about things that truly interest them. Fact, fiction, action, adventure, life, death, friendship. relationships as long as it interests them, it's good.

Then their writings are to be read by them. We are using audacity to record. They will then turn them into MP3's and post them on our website along with the document that they wrote. Now I wish I could claim that I invented this. I did not. I am a reader of many blogs and this came from a blog by Ms Smith. She has used the "This I Believe" format in her classroom as well. The only difference in hers and ours is that we will be using the format from grades 6 to 12 in a variety of different ways. Check back soon for the link to our first essays!

Continuing on my last rant about 19th century practice I have added this video compiled by Apple distinguished educators in 2001.

The 21st Century

I'm back! I could post to this blog everyday, but I am not sure if anyone would actually want to read every thought in my head. Recently I have been in a bit of a foul mood trying to push 21st century skills to 19th century practice. Don't get me wrong, there are wonderful learning opportunities happening for students everyday. I want them to be in all classes and they are simply..not. I was looking at the FETC website. FETC (Florida Educational Technology COnference) has screened the movie Two Million Minutes fora ll the attendees. What an opportunity.
While the movie focuses on the United States vs. China and India. It could be Canada, UK, or any western coutry instead of the U.S. This movie shows that if changes are not made, then we are going to see big changes in the future.
I think every teacher should see this movie. I think every student should see this movie. I think every parent should see this movie. You get the idea! It's just that important.
We can integrate with technology, inspire with praise and collaborate all we want, if there is not a fundamental change in teaching practice and student motivation, I think the 21st century high paying jobs are going to pass North America by.

Back to Education!

It's been a long winter so far, and really it has only begun. Lots of snow in thie area of the world and much mroe to come before the first flowers of Spring start to show. In the world of education nothing ever seems to stop. The video I have included today is not new. It's not eye-catching. It is however, eye-opening. if you haven't thought about how to prepare students for the years ahead this video is something to look at. Told from a student perspective, I think it really shows what we as educators need to realize about the 30+ students sitting in front of us everyday. Take a look at the video. I am working on a presentation right now on creating digital essays for an authentic audience. I will upload it when I am complete. I presented the idea to a group of students this week and they were interested in working on creating something out of their own personal essays. More to come!