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!

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?

Image Projector

At a recent Technology Mentor conference one of my colleagues presented his version of a "home-made" document camera. Teachers are always asking for new technology to use in the classroom. There have been a lot of requests for document cameras (such as the major brand names). We have purchased document cameras but the cost does not allow us to provide everyone with one. This video shows how a little ingenuity and not a lot of money can create a pretty decent projector for your classroom. It's creative. This camera was one of the hits of our conference if ony because we are always looking for a low cost way to meet the needs of students in the classroom and this one does it!

Project Based Learning

If you don't know by now, I am a fan of Project Based Learning(PBL). However, it has to be for a real purpose and well linked to the curriculum. Students like well planned and organized PBL assignments. Where is the technology angle? It can be anywhere as long as the project is not about the technology, but includes the technology as an embedded part of the overall outcome. Technology is not going to make the project successful. It is a tool to help students when they are working on their projects. Here is a PBL assignment I have had in my head for a long time. I think its easy, engaging and involves just the right amount of technology for the one computer classroom.

OK, so here it is. Lets say that you are having students writing essays, poetry, short stories, etc. In the regular classroom these writings end up on the teachers desk, get marked, are handed back and then finally end up buried in a locker or in the trash. Now, let's put it all together in a PBL assignment.

In this case, the teacher tells the students that they are going to be writing for a purpose this year/semester. They will all be authors; published authors. This year they will write knowing that the best work will be published in an anthology. This book will be published and made available for sale. The teacher collects the works, maybe working with the students to create a theme, etc.

As the year or semester passes the works are collected. Students know the ending...the best get published. They have a reason to write. A real purpose. Finally the works are collected in a document. The teacher then creates the book on a site such as lulu.com and that's it. A real published book. What student does not want to be an author?

The idea is simple...The technology involved is simple...The results are real...

PBL Rules!

"I've got one computer...What can I do?"

It's a question I hear all the time. How can a teacher possibly be expected to integrate technology and reach students who want to use technology? The answer is not an easy one, but the possibilities are out there. Lets look at one case example:

In an elementary classroom the teacher has a computer at her desk and one older iMac sitting on the table. She also has 25 students. Not exactly the ratio we would like to have in order to make a go at using technology in the classroom. The thing is, there are lots of neat ideas that could be used in the classroom. Providing she has access to a multi media projector she could create a jeopardy game of math facts. Groups of students could be set up at a podcasting "center" to create a lesson of the day podcast. This could rotate daily so that each student will have a chance to participate in making the podcast. The teacher could use iTunes podcasts (video or audio) to enrich the curriculum.

The possibilities are there. Creativity is the key for the most part and students will enjoy the change of pace.

Enjoy!