Today... Why blogging is important.. I can see!

Today was exciting with my 8th graders. They are writing scripts so we can video them on Thursday. We are kicked out of our labs for 9 days while we do the 3rd round of NEWA testing. So, "think outside the box" and teach computers without computers. This was the next best thing I had going for me. 4 video cameras, 4 digital cameras and off we will go. Oh yeah, a few tripods. The kids will be making a short introduction of themselves as well as an overall reflection to add to their completed website. Sort of a video podcast of sorts, but to only keep inside of the classroom. We do not publish our work to the outside world. Yet.. I know, I said yet. I am working on that. 6th and 7th graders will begin their MediaSmarts lessons. We have a new curriculum to integrate media and how it affects children through advertising, violence, and digital enhancements to sell products. All outside of the classroom.

So, of course, I got home and sat right down at the computer to read my emails, and catch up.

I can see......

Here is how it went:
1. Opened up my email and I found out I was added as a friend by Julie Lindsay on ning. I have volunteered to judge one of the groups in the Horizon2008 project.
2. This then prompted me to look for Julie's blog. I found her blog and read today's post : A Day in the Life which then took me to the next place I went.
3. I found Jabiz and his Intrepid Teacher Blog. Which I read his article, Bloggers Must First Be Writers.
4. I got one paragraph into the post and clicked on Leila... Letter to a Young Writer, was the title.
5. I also opened up my google reader, went to the Learning Is Messy Blog, by Brian Crosby, because I watched the video from the K12 Online Conference 2007 that Sherry had put in her blog post. I wanted to see what he had to say today on his blog. I loved what he had to say through his video. That is where I came upon the blog - Ed Tech.. Is it Just Too Cool ... Or Not? I opened a link about the other 12 teachers involved in a project and there I was, at a classroom wiki talking about the Mysteries of Harris Burdick. At the bottom of the wiki, was how to use Ed.Voicethread. So now I know, and I added it to my blog on the front page!

Phew.. reading this again has made me mentally exhausted. No wonder how I can get lost in the computer for hours, although this all took place within about 30 minutes!!

Back to the post that Jabiz wrote. This is why I can see! I would never have read this beautiful post had it not been for blogs, twitter, ning, wiki's, and incredible people willing to share! Can you feel the power??

Reading this post brought me to tears. How beautiful and well said. How true is it for today's youth to want to be heard. Who doesn't want to be heard? I am 39 years old and I constantly ask myself if ANYONE is listening to me? Can't they hear me? Don't they think what I have to say is important? Is anyone there?

This is the reason why the internet and blogs are so important. This is why when writing a good blog, there are lots of links to other places. It is endless. Imagine if we followed links through other people's blogs. Would we ever stop? Where would it end? Infinity?? Or in a newbie blog possibly. One who has not learned the in's and out's of blogging etiquette? (According to Drape's Takes) Hee -Hee! (I am sure I am still considered a newbie here!)

Jabiz's response post to his student is hopeful. It is wonderful. It shows the true power of the web2.0 world. It goes to show that without writing first, there would not even be blogs to read. I did continue on to read the entire post, and I can see how he struggled with blogs in the classroom. The student's I teach, are not passionate about writing. Yet... Some may be, but for the most part, through reading their journals each day, most are not! (Read this tonight, so I thought I would add it.. seems important to place here! From Beyond School Blog about classroom blogging)

The next challenge.. awaken the writing within ..... Oh my.. my work is never done! Yes, I know.. I am a computer teacher..... but I feel compelled to enrich, engage and motivate anyway I can. Everyone must be able to read and write!

Teaching in a networked world

I can honestly say, I would not want to teach my students any other way than with technology and the Web 2.0 tools I have discovered. (If you can tell by many previous posts) I enjoy using Moodle with my students and would love to venture "outside" of the "walled garden" as some of the online teachers I have met, call it! I want to use wiki's and blogs. I want to use ning and epals to show the kids different cultures that exist beyond their small community. I want to podcast and share the kids voices with others to show them we are really making a lot of progress with 21st century tools. We are collaborating and working well with online learning projects. (PBL - Project Based Learning) All the while we are learning, we are meeting literacy goals, we are working together to accomplish tasks! Wow! Isn't that what we want to teach the youth of today?

What I question at times, is my delivery, my expectations as well as the time I have in my short 12 weeks with my students to create such an atmosphere in the classroom. Where project based learning and teaching is based on such high expectations and organization, which must then be communicated to the students, how is it teachers accomplish these tasks? I guess a lot of this technology is targeted to be used within the core classes. This is what our eportfolio model is based upon here in NH. It is meant to incorporate technology into the core disciplines.

Who is going to teach the teachers and prepare them to bring all of this networked world into the classroom? The teachers (most of them, I have encountered) are not concerned with this 21st century tool kit they are being given. They have a lot of other things on their minds right now.

The networked world as I see it, is vast and filled with endless opportunity for teachers (professional development opportunities) as well as for the students. It all depends on how your administration will allow you to utilize all of those tools within the classroom. Hopefully they are open-minded, but that is not always the case. So, little by little we will introduce the tools and hopefully by showing that the students are meeting educational standards, as well as meeting the technology standards. It is sometimes an uphill battle, and others are fortunate. Why must it be difficult? We are in this for the same reason, putting kids first!

Personal Learning Networks

Personal learning networks are easy to create, so I say! But, I am sure they seem scary to the everyday "old fashioned" teacher who is concerned with making sure their students are learning, having authentic experiences and getting ready to "pass the test". Who has the time to invest in such a non-important tool? I say you have to learn .. just start slow! You will thank me.. and everyone else you meet through your PLN.

One of the biggest challenges we face with technology today and teachers, is that they work in their comfort zone. They are comfortable with what they know, and feel REALLY uncomfortable when it comes to the world of the "unknown" .. the dirty word.. "technology"! Even speaking on a live blog regarding "internet safety" last night, live from Princeton University, there was mention of "old vs. new" teachers. See some of the information from the blog:

8:51	NJTechTeacher - Speaker thinks that perhaps new teachers have a better handle, but they really don't since college is teaching the "old way" still

8:51	Dave Powers - I am a brand new teacher

8:51	Kim T - @NJTechTeacher .. what is the old way?

8:51	coolcatteacher - Teachers don't know the difference between "social" networking and using social networks in schools.

8:52	John Peters - @KimT - Yes, I am very fortunate our IT Director is very forward thinking and gives some of us, not everyone the ability to explore emerging technologies. I am just lucky to be one of the few

8:52	coolcatteacher - They said that schools are producing teachers who understand these new tools.

8:52	NJTechTeacher - @dean Yes you can

8:52	Dean Shareski - @Kim T. Teacher is gatekeeper of information....social learning is an add on

8:52	Dave Powers - New teachers pick up technology quickly, but the problem is that everyone doesn't see how web application technology has changed the landscape of the world.

8:52	Kim T - @Dean.. I see.. I am a mom of 3 teens.. maybe that I why I feel it is so important to know about it and teach it to my students!

8:52	coolcatteacher - Dean Shareski is creating fluent teachers -- but many profs aren't and hate blogs and wikis, etc.

8:52	NJTechTeacher - Parent says "yes they're reading and writing online" but not like a novel.

8:53	coolcatteacher - @Dave but they're not taught responsible use of the tools --they aren't being used online. This has been a phenomenally balanced presentation. This has honestly been the best internet safety presentaiton I've ever seen. Period.

8:53	John Peters - Let's don't talk about "Old" teachers. We have some that barely are able to check their email and enter their grades online. Trying to teach them something new is a HUGE challenge.

8:53	NJTechTeacher - @Kim T - The old way - lecture, straight from book, not utilizing social tools, podcasting, etc.

So, there is a discussion on how we are going to get our "OLD" teachers to embrace technology. I think what would help them is to establish a Personal Learning Network. I know it is "Just one more thing to do". I am sure that is what I would hear. If they just tried maybe a quick RSS feed, or a twitter account, they would realize how invaluable the experience could be to their gathering of information for their classes and curriculum.

Isn't it part of the job to always be learning new things and being a self learner?? What better way than to create a PLN??

I have to say without twitter, I would not find half of the information that I have been shown! It is an amazing tool where wonderful people are not afraid to share the latest and greatest information about technology with me.. yes me.. a stranger! I feel like I want to share back and hopefully I can help them in ways too!

Thinking about the RSS feeds, they are a great resource and would be a wonderful tool to set up for your classroom. I also think delicious (here are my accounts) and diigo are great too. While using these bookmarking tools, I have been able to join groups and other people's networks of bookmarking. What a great time saving resource! I can then go into their account and see if they have tagged anything that I am looking for. Hopefully we are working in the same profession so they would have my interests in their account.

I think blogs are wonderful and powerful tools with some great information contained in them, but it is really difficult to read all of them. Check out this great blog I found today explaining the "glue of blogging" by Ewan McIntosh. What amazes me, is this PLN spans our entire world. Real people, sharing real information that we do every day! That is why twitter is so helpful and priceless. In 140 spaces or less, you must get your point out. I do read a lot of blogs through my RSS reader, but I also feel as though, even when I bookmark them, they are lost in cyber world! I never feel completely organized with all of these tools.. and that is what they are for! :) Organization!!!

Another great resource for a personal learning network would be wikis. Such as our learning module for this class! The ultimate personal learning network, where people can collaborate and share with each other on many topics. What a better way to learn than by sharing information. Watch this video about how wiki's work! Very cool! Did we already see something like this? I am on information overload!

If you can surround yourself with great people and add them to your personal learning network, your learning will come to you !!! Thanks for introducing us to this new world Jeff!

Wiki's In Education

I have been looking at all different types of Web 2.0 tools in the past few weeks. I think the idea of using wiki's in education can be a great tool, although, I worry about abuse by students. (Erasing work, changing answers and pages, etc...) I know I am sounding a little paranoid, but I know my kids..in my classes.. and I wonder if they can be responsible. (I know it comes with good teaching and preteaching the proper etiquette) I only have 12 weeks with them, and once they finally get the jist of what I am trying to accomplish in the classroom, it is time for them to move out.

I did sit in on a wonderful webinar on edtechtalk two weeks ago that was about students from the horizon2008 project. This horizon2008 project is set up on a wiki. It was wonderful to talk to the students on the chat feature as well as to listen to them through iTunes and the live channel to hear the talk. The webinar was wonderful and gave me some more reason to try a wiki in my classroom. The students were from the Baccalaureate School for Global Education (BSGE), New York City, and Madeline Brownstone is their teacher. She is working with another co-teacher to work on this project with her students. The students are excited about collaborating on this project with students from all over the country, as you can see on the website. The students were so well versed and looking forward to working with the other students as well. They will be using ning, a social networking system to connect with the other students involved in the project. They first use ning to just get to know each other and then comes the collaborating!

I would like to use one of the wiki's that are password protected like our wetpaint and I also logged onto the free wiki Jeff gave us. I am concerned a little bit about using the wiki with my students because I am not sure how the district would feel about it. I think if we keep the kids names out of it and no pictures, it should be fine.

While learning about wiki's and preparing for my final capstone project at Plymouth for my MEd., I have gathered up a bunch of articles and blogs to try to support the theory that using a wiki in the classroom would promote literacy and further develop my technology curriculum.

Here are a few I found so far to help with my cause:
Research proving Wiki's are more efficient than email: http://tinyurl.com/4d8jxk
Wiki Collaboration leads to happiness: http://tinyurl.com/3dzn24
Eduwikis: http://eduwikius.wikispaces.com/
Wiki Educator: http://www.wikieducator.org/Main_Page

Wiki's seem to be a great way to create a beautiful web page, that can be used to collaborate with others. All of the people I find on Twitter seem to house their web blogs or websites on a wiki. I will give it a go, and update this page to let you know how it goes. Right now we use Moodle in the classroom, but it is not "open" to the world. It is contained. My dream is to collaborate with others from all over the world with a wiki and my students! Let's see if dreams come true.