I just took a look at the evaluation for our project and I think we are presently doing a great job on most fronts. I think we need to add a sitemap as I know it is a component that I use often when trying to navigate once I’m lost. That would be one thing that I like about using Frontpage, it creates the sitemap for you.
I think we did a great job on the creativity portion. We chose something that is relevant to where kids are today. I think the structure is good as is, or could be easily morphed to meet the needs of the students involved.
Visual literacy is going to be an area I need to work on, personally. I didn’t score so well on the on-line test and I guess it has become more apparent to me that images are important. They must add to the information presented and not distract from the meaning. The same thing holds true for PowerPoint presentations. I read a good blog on PowerPoint recently that housed a great video on “powerpoint extreme makeover”. Too often we get caught up in the animations and “fancy stuff” and we forget how to created presentations that are thought provoking and communicate the desired message.
Please click HERE to see the blog afformentioned.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Oh the times..they are a-changing....
In the past couple of years I’ve seen huge changes!!
In NB, all teachers have Notebook computers..I think this has been the catalyst for change. This past year has seen a major shift. Teachers have notebooks, large pockets of students have them as well. We also have wireless access (thin in some cases, but present), and we presently are working in Professional Learning Communities. The primary focus this year is on Common Assessments.
I think in my position as a Mentor, my largest focus will be in working with Administrators to create a technology plan with SMART goals to take inventory of what the schools have and where they want to go. Within that focus, I see me setting up training sessions to teach schools (not just interested individuals) to use the Portal to increase efficiency and communication in schools.
I’m not sure if you all have a Portal where you are, so I’ll expand a bit on this. The Portal is a sharepoint site within the firewall that allows for a common provincial workspace, as well as several sub spaces for schools and curricular teams. The new version (should be on-line by this spring) will allow student access to the Portal, as well as the addition of Blogs, Wikis and the ability to RSS feed.
The other thing I need to try and do is to stay focused! There is so much out there right now and really, not much direction comes to Mentors as far as the specifics go. I think it is very important that I stick to the school’s Tech Plan and the agenda of the PLC. I would rather do a top notch job at fewer initiatives/ideas, than a half baked effort at numerous initiatives. It is essential to stay focused on teaching and learning and not just on what’s new and exciting. (funny..I'm on my way to a meeting so that we can clearly define what are the essential technology learnings for our teachers, students and admin...should be a good discussion!)
In NB, all teachers have Notebook computers..I think this has been the catalyst for change. This past year has seen a major shift. Teachers have notebooks, large pockets of students have them as well. We also have wireless access (thin in some cases, but present), and we presently are working in Professional Learning Communities. The primary focus this year is on Common Assessments.
I think in my position as a Mentor, my largest focus will be in working with Administrators to create a technology plan with SMART goals to take inventory of what the schools have and where they want to go. Within that focus, I see me setting up training sessions to teach schools (not just interested individuals) to use the Portal to increase efficiency and communication in schools.
I’m not sure if you all have a Portal where you are, so I’ll expand a bit on this. The Portal is a sharepoint site within the firewall that allows for a common provincial workspace, as well as several sub spaces for schools and curricular teams. The new version (should be on-line by this spring) will allow student access to the Portal, as well as the addition of Blogs, Wikis and the ability to RSS feed.
The other thing I need to try and do is to stay focused! There is so much out there right now and really, not much direction comes to Mentors as far as the specifics go. I think it is very important that I stick to the school’s Tech Plan and the agenda of the PLC. I would rather do a top notch job at fewer initiatives/ideas, than a half baked effort at numerous initiatives. It is essential to stay focused on teaching and learning and not just on what’s new and exciting. (funny..I'm on my way to a meeting so that we can clearly define what are the essential technology learnings for our teachers, students and admin...should be a good discussion!)
Friday, November 16, 2007
The Best Tech PD Ever!
Jumping in a bit to the Unit 4 discussions....
We ran some really effective PD sessions last year in our district...they were 1-on-1.
We booked a supply teacher for a day and teachers would sign up for a particular
period. The supply teacher hopped from room to room (really earned their money that
day) and we (teacher and mentor) got to work in a relaxed, unintimidating environment
where teachers got to put their hands on the actual equipment and do whatever it was
that they wanted to do.
We got a lot done with teachers who really wanted to learn. I'm hoping to get the chance (funds permitting) to do it again this year! "Regular PD" involves a lot of money! Supply teachers, mileage, lunch, snacks, and often at the cost of a lot of irrelevant time and little in the way of action. I think it is very important that teachers leave a PD session with something they can use!
We ran some really effective PD sessions last year in our district...they were 1-on-1.
We booked a supply teacher for a day and teachers would sign up for a particular
period. The supply teacher hopped from room to room (really earned their money that
day) and we (teacher and mentor) got to work in a relaxed, unintimidating environment
where teachers got to put their hands on the actual equipment and do whatever it was
that they wanted to do.
We got a lot done with teachers who really wanted to learn. I'm hoping to get the chance (funds permitting) to do it again this year! "Regular PD" involves a lot of money! Supply teachers, mileage, lunch, snacks, and often at the cost of a lot of irrelevant time and little in the way of action. I think it is very important that teachers leave a PD session with something they can use!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Storyboards
When I read the information regarding storyboards, it put me in mind of a project I have been involved with recently where teachers are trying to tie in BBT (Broad Base Technology) components with Science. The students are studying mitosis and meiosis and were required to create a scenario to animate that would include one of these processes.
Claymation is an activity that takes a fair amount of planning, but I really think this was more complex a task than either teacher had imagined. I’m a bit of stickler on content, so before I allowed the students to even touch a piece of clay or a camera, I had them completely map there whole idea out in a storyboard, detailing the major components of their animation including how many different models they would require, transitions, titles, etc. I’m not sure that the teachers appreciated this addition to their project at first, but through the storyboards they were able to tell that the students really weren’t ready to move on. The science teacher reviewed some of the key components. Once the storyboards had been signed off by their science teacher, I then permitted them to begin with the technology.
There are tons of great templates for storyboards available through this course and on-line. They may take a bit of time to build from scratch, but they are easily edited to fit new ideas and are well worth the time in the long run!
Claymation is an activity that takes a fair amount of planning, but I really think this was more complex a task than either teacher had imagined. I’m a bit of stickler on content, so before I allowed the students to even touch a piece of clay or a camera, I had them completely map there whole idea out in a storyboard, detailing the major components of their animation including how many different models they would require, transitions, titles, etc. I’m not sure that the teachers appreciated this addition to their project at first, but through the storyboards they were able to tell that the students really weren’t ready to move on. The science teacher reviewed some of the key components. Once the storyboards had been signed off by their science teacher, I then permitted them to begin with the technology.
There are tons of great templates for storyboards available through this course and on-line. They may take a bit of time to build from scratch, but they are easily edited to fit new ideas and are well worth the time in the long run!
Friday, November 9, 2007
Chpt 7 Reading:
Chapter 7 reined my interest nearly immediately when it got right to the point by saying that hooking up the technology is child’s play in comparison to setting up the supporting materials.
I see this everyday in what I do. People want “stuff” because it’s “cool”, not for what it can do. We often look for technologies we can plunk our kids down in front of to both entertain them and teach them at the same time. Rarely do we compute the amount of time required to look at the various applications of the technology or their effectiveness in comparison to other methods.
I also like the comments that good multimedia provides tirelessly to needy students, and provides as much repetition as in necessary. It also should make life easier for the teacher. Let’s face it, who would want to make even more work for themselves then they already have? Teaching should be about kids and it is a lot of work, but if we are going to add more to our already burdened course load, it should provide some benefits in the long run.
I like that multimedia lends itself to being current, easily updated, dynamic and authentic. Today’s multimedia is not what was in place when we were kids. It allows students to think for themselves and to create/construct their own learning. It moves beyond the simple memorization we witnessed in our Commadore-Tech-Classes!
The context, nature and modalities of multimedia design expanded upon the ideas of learners “learning by doing” from all sorts of different perspectives. There is also a large section about the collaborative efforts by teachers. This is a key factor that needs to be more widely communicated today. We need not reinvent the wheel. Sharing leads to less work, but also an increase in consistency as well as an increase in quality of the resource, as together our chances of finding the best resources as a team far outweigh the efforts of the individual.
Other points I found significant are the fact that quality is paramount, but there is more responsibility on the part of the company to inform the consumer of the purpose of the product and its intended use.
Finally, I enjoyed the following statement:
“It is not necessary for students to achieve a final product. The act of designing a Website or an animation can provide enough motivation to engage the student.” Thank God, because I certainly have left some unfinished work in my wake!.
This posting is re:
Chapter 7 by Cesar A. A. Nunes and Edmond Gaible. "Development of Multimedia Materials".
I see this everyday in what I do. People want “stuff” because it’s “cool”, not for what it can do. We often look for technologies we can plunk our kids down in front of to both entertain them and teach them at the same time. Rarely do we compute the amount of time required to look at the various applications of the technology or their effectiveness in comparison to other methods.
I also like the comments that good multimedia provides tirelessly to needy students, and provides as much repetition as in necessary. It also should make life easier for the teacher. Let’s face it, who would want to make even more work for themselves then they already have? Teaching should be about kids and it is a lot of work, but if we are going to add more to our already burdened course load, it should provide some benefits in the long run.
I like that multimedia lends itself to being current, easily updated, dynamic and authentic. Today’s multimedia is not what was in place when we were kids. It allows students to think for themselves and to create/construct their own learning. It moves beyond the simple memorization we witnessed in our Commadore-Tech-Classes!
The context, nature and modalities of multimedia design expanded upon the ideas of learners “learning by doing” from all sorts of different perspectives. There is also a large section about the collaborative efforts by teachers. This is a key factor that needs to be more widely communicated today. We need not reinvent the wheel. Sharing leads to less work, but also an increase in consistency as well as an increase in quality of the resource, as together our chances of finding the best resources as a team far outweigh the efforts of the individual.
Other points I found significant are the fact that quality is paramount, but there is more responsibility on the part of the company to inform the consumer of the purpose of the product and its intended use.
Finally, I enjoyed the following statement:
“It is not necessary for students to achieve a final product. The act of designing a Website or an animation can provide enough motivation to engage the student.” Thank God, because I certainly have left some unfinished work in my wake!.
This posting is re:
Chapter 7 by Cesar A. A. Nunes and Edmond Gaible. "Development of Multimedia Materials".
Monday, November 5, 2007
Unit 3
What are Moos and MUDs?
Wikipedia explains that MOOS are decendants of MUDs..so I thought I'd go there first.
Here's what they had to say:
"In computer gaming, a MUD (Multi-User Dungeon, Domain or Dimension) is a multi-player computer game that combines elements of role-playing games, hack and slash style computer games and social chat rooms. Typically running on an Internet server or bulletin board system, the game is usually text-driven, where players read descriptions of rooms, objects, events, other characters, and computer-controlled creatures or non-player characters (NPCs) in a virtual world. Players usually interact with each other and the surroundings by typing commands that resemble a natural language, usually English. Modern commercial variants include graphics-based massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), such as World of Warcraft, as well as social avatar virtual worlds such as Second Life." retrieved Nov. 5th, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUD
So what's a MOO, then?
A MOO, an acronym for (MUD object oriented), is a text-based online virtual reality system to which multiple users (players) are connected at the same time.One of the most distinguishing features of a MOO is that its users can perform object oriented programming within the server, ultimately expanding and changing how the server behaves to everyone. Examples of such changes include authoring new rooms and objects, creating new generic objects for others to use, and changing the way the MOO interface operates. The programming language used for extension is the MOO programming language, and many MOOs feature convenient libraries of verbs that can be used by programmers in their coding known as Utilities. The MOO programming language is a domain-specific programming language. retrieved Nov. 5th from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOO
ok...got that?
Moo-ving right along then.....
After reading the Elizabeth Murphy article about creating quality multimedia design, the following jumped out at me “Where the nature of information and its processing change, depending on the situation, the learning context and the individual needs (attributed to P.V. Wilson).”
Other good points of note were that quality multimedia design must reflect the following qualities:
Ø Multisensory, self-directed
Ø Control must be distributed
Ø Must provide corrective informational feedback
Ø The response to the user is important
Ø The interactive components evolve as technology evolves.
That's all for today!
Wikipedia explains that MOOS are decendants of MUDs..so I thought I'd go there first.
Here's what they had to say:
"In computer gaming, a MUD (Multi-User Dungeon, Domain or Dimension) is a multi-player computer game that combines elements of role-playing games, hack and slash style computer games and social chat rooms. Typically running on an Internet server or bulletin board system, the game is usually text-driven, where players read descriptions of rooms, objects, events, other characters, and computer-controlled creatures or non-player characters (NPCs) in a virtual world. Players usually interact with each other and the surroundings by typing commands that resemble a natural language, usually English. Modern commercial variants include graphics-based massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), such as World of Warcraft, as well as social avatar virtual worlds such as Second Life." retrieved Nov. 5th, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUD
So what's a MOO, then?
A MOO, an acronym for (MUD object oriented), is a text-based online virtual reality system to which multiple users (players) are connected at the same time.One of the most distinguishing features of a MOO is that its users can perform object oriented programming within the server, ultimately expanding and changing how the server behaves to everyone. Examples of such changes include authoring new rooms and objects, creating new generic objects for others to use, and changing the way the MOO interface operates. The programming language used for extension is the MOO programming language, and many MOOs feature convenient libraries of verbs that can be used by programmers in their coding known as Utilities. The MOO programming language is a domain-specific programming language. retrieved Nov. 5th from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOO
ok...got that?
Moo-ving right along then.....
After reading the Elizabeth Murphy article about creating quality multimedia design, the following jumped out at me “Where the nature of information and its processing change, depending on the situation, the learning context and the individual needs (attributed to P.V. Wilson).”
Other good points of note were that quality multimedia design must reflect the following qualities:
Ø Multisensory, self-directed
Ø Control must be distributed
Ø Must provide corrective informational feedback
Ø The response to the user is important
Ø The interactive components evolve as technology evolves.
That's all for today!
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Great Discussion Going On Re: Unit 1
Even at this late date, there is still a valid and worthwhile discussion going on in the Unit 1 discussion forum.
In Brian's original posting, he describes the difficulty in teaching Mathematics in a constructivist method. Too sum up what I feel he is saying, Math doesn't lend easily to constructivism, and other theories certainly have a place in this setting. However, the learning achieved by students in a constructivist classroom are well worth the effort put in by the instructor.
The discussion goes on to encompass many themes following the teaching of mathematics, the eagerness of learners, various learning and teaching styles, and the learning required of the teacher.
Here are my thoughts:
My student teaching was spent with someone whom I considered an icon. However, I soon discovered that the "binder" of notes (aka class bible) hadn't changed for many years (from my new perspective, I got to read the date on the top of the page!). This tarnished my opinion slightly, as there had been a lot of changes in the "health" side of phys. ed. in recent years. I agree, its lovely to have a set of notes to work from..or at least an outline..and if it works, that's great, but we have to remember to take a few moments now and again to reflect upon what our outcomes are and why we teach things the way we do...who is it best for? The teacher or the students?
That being said, I really feel for those teachers who are pushed into teaching different subjects each year, many of which they have no background in. I have a friend right now who has openly said.."course A is going to suffer this year as I only have x amount of time to work and I want to concentrate on these 3 subjects, and that's all I can do."
Common assessment is a really big deal here right now. At a meeting last Friday a Supervisor asked us what we should be doing to help teachers get this off the ground. My suggestion was time. We spend a pile of money each time we bring a group of teachers together to bombard them with information, but we never take some of that time to set the wheels in motion. We just send them back to their schools to try and find time to begin again. The beginning is the hardest. Lets have them make those first steps in this supportive environment, where we can give immediate feedback, then send them back to class with something they can use!
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