Web 2.0 & Beyond..

 I'd be lying if I said I tried all of these Web 2.0 tools.  But, I have tried a few, and some I shall put in my tool box...

REFLECTING ON LEARNING:

         Events in my life may now be classified as either BW or AW (i.e. “Oh, that was me before Web 2.0.. I didn’t know any better” or “Yes, now in the time of ‘after Web 2.0’ things are done differently in my class. 

         I’m left with a feeling of being ‘updated’ and ‘upgraded.’  This course provided with me with a great in-depth look at a number of Web 2.0 tools.  I’m excited to re-enter the classroom this coming fall with new knowledge and a whole new set of tools and skills.  I’m confident that what I’ve gained will help me create an engaging 21^st century classroom. 

         One of the most powerful aspects of this course has been the inquiry process that we’ve taken throughout the weeks.  It has really put a sense of ownership and responsibility in my hands.

         I loved learning about wikis and I was so thankful that I was teaching at the time and got to try my hand at using on in the classroom.  I’m now back in that same classroom and my students are asking to use it once again!  The amazing discussions that were had were so powerful.  I really felt it gave a voice to the students in my class who are very shy within the classroom context.  It engaged my students and made them excited to read their novels and share their thoughts and connections with the class.

         One of the biggest challenges has been opening my mind to doing things differently.  I’ve only been teaching for five years, but already there are some techniques, strategies, and assignments that I enjoy and use regularly.  After taking this course I have come to accept that some of these will be adjusted, whereas others will fall by the wayside and be replaced by something more authentic and engaging.

          Another challenge would definitely be adjusting my online habits to become a more efficient internet user.  For example, using tools such as Google Reader are convenient and time saving, but were a struggle to adopt.  However, now that I have embraced it and re-trained myself, it’s easy to see the benefits.

         Socially, I would say this course has brought me closer to friends, but also more aware of what his happening both in my community and the world at large.  Being a member of Facebook has helped me to learn and connect with my friends, and by being a part of this network, I have learned about issues in the world, as my friends often post articles from around the world on current events and issues.

         Over the term, my colleagues have really helped me push my thinking.  Many of them are from different background and contexts and therefore provide a unique perspective.  Reading their blogs made me think of ways of utilizing Web 2.0 technologies in ways I hadn’t previously thought of or read about. They've caused me to re-think things... just as this video suggests Web 2.0 is encouraging us to do.

LOOKING AHEAD

         In my future, I see myself continuing to use Web 2.0 tools for personal use and definitely in my classroom, but also for Professional development and networking. 

         In terms of professional development, I will continue to engage in discussions in my ‘Ning’ networks, as well as with my colleagues new and old.  I will continue to stay connected to new and exiciting ideas through Twitter.

         In terms of teaching, I can’t wait to create a class blog, with links to my students’ blogs, links to educational websites, as well a link to our class wiki and pictures on Flikr.  I’ll call it our lauch pad to learning.  It’ll be our base from which to explore and learn. 


         However, I need to be cognizant of which tools to use and for what purposes.  Hoffman (2009) warns that, "a good teacher will use whatever tools she has to explain the content of her lessons, and does not over-rely on anything."  He goes on to warn that technology should not distract learning.  So, for example: when using a tool like Animoto, the tool is the vehicle to learning... to demonstrate learning.  It's not just learning about the tool.

         In terms of future learning, I want to further explore these tools, especially tools such as Voice thread, which I didn’t thoroughly try out. My students will hopefully be all the better for this exploration.  Hoffman (2009) suggests that students using Web 2.0 tools will help them to "develop skills they will need to use in the workplace or in college." How can we not help them prepare for these opportunities?

         So, that's all for now.  Until next time, happy Web 2.0 experiences to all, and to all a good night!

References:

Davies, M., & Merchant, G. (2009). Web 2.0 for schools. New York: Peter Lang.

Mollman, Steve.  Web 2.0-Savvy teachers testing old assumptions.

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/01/14/digitalbiz.techteachers/index.html

Consuming blogs care of RSS

Well.... blogging about blogging?   Has it really come to this?  Well, I guess it can happen.  I mean I have twittered about 'Twitter.'  Here we go...

 

Reflections on the process of learning about blogs & RSS

         So, I don't want to say I'm a blogger from way back, but maybe I could say I've been a blogger since yester-year (AKA - Summer 2008).   I've also been reading blogs for about just as long including blogs dedicated to real estate, education, and pop culture. I even read a blog that is 'written' by a TV character on NBC's "The Office," which is hilarious.


So, what is a blog?  Well, you're reading one right now, but or a further explanation, check out the clip below:






Now, I have to admit that RSS (Real Simple Syndication) is something I was not really familiar with at all before this course, but as you can see by my heart shaped RSS feed icon, I'm feeling the love.. for it that is.  Anything that helps keep me on top of things and organized is great in my books.  I kept seeing the orange icon on many different sites that I visited, so I know that it was important in some way, but didn’t know it’s name or purpose.  Now I’ve managed to put two and two together I’ve now learned the name, and the purpose.   Here's a brief video to further explain:

         Davies and Merchant (2009) explain that “RSS feeds have proved to be a particularly useful feature in keeping track of multiples sites as they update” (p.118).  This can save you from doing your rounds (going from site to site to see what’s new and what’s been updated). 

         The aggregator or ‘feed collector’ that I decided to with was Google Reader.  Once I had it set up, it becomes almost too easy.  I just go to a blog or news source and click the little orange RSS icon, and then I’m pretty much set!

 

       I’ll admit that it’s taken me a while to get out of my ‘making rounds’ habit.  I’m just so used to going to my bookmarks and cylcling through my various bookmarked blogs and news sites.  Richardson (2006) points out a handy tip for 'making the adjustment' that I'm going to try (p.86).  He suggests using sticky notes as a reminder, as well as setting your reader as your home page.  I'm sure this will help in the transition.

         For me personally, I enjoy reading the blogs using my Google Reader, but for reading news, I almost prefer going to the actual site.  I like all of the other features on news websites, such as CBC.com. I go, and read a story, and then I see a promo for an upcoming show, or a link for a video clip.

       I cannot believe how quickly my 'reader' fills up.  In about a 24 hour period, I receive over 200 pieces of content, be they blogs or news articles!   It seems like a lot, but I only read the pieces that catch my interest.  I've definitely found that checking in every day helps to cut down on that overwhelming sensation.  It helps me to keep a handle on my 'running total.'     

Discussion of Blogs & RSS in terms of my own personal learning

         I knew that many of my friends read blogs and a couple of them have written them, but I was curious to find out if they used RSS feeds, and it turns out that not many of them do, which is unfortunate.  I actually just finished explaining what RSS is to a friend and he was not convinced of it’s usefulness. 

         I’m hoping that I continue using this tool and that it helps me to stay up to date with important information, be it news or ‘professional development’ information. RSS feeds can even help me be aware of what books have been released recently through Amazon. 

Discussion of Blogs & RSS in terms of teaching & learning

          

          I think blogs and RSS feeds are increible tools that can be utilized for both students and teachers.  For teachers, it can help us develop professionally and stay current with the 'content' that we teach, along with best practices.  For students, it's not only a way to share information, but also to learn by reading the posts of others.

I think blogs are becomign more an more common in classrooms today.  Teachers and studetns use them in different ways though.  Teaching Today points out the four main uses for blogs in the classroom:

1. Classroom Management: - fosters community of learners, informs students of class requirements and can be used to post homwork or act as a question answer board
2. Collaboration: - Can provide a space where students can work to further develop writing or other skills with an instant audience. 
3. Discussions: - They suggest that 'everyone has the opportunity to discuss topics outside of the classroom which isn't necessarily true if students don't have a computer or access to th internet.  However, it can be a powerful discussion tool because students have time "to react to ideas and reflect on learning."
4. Student Portfolios: -"Blogs present, organize, and protect student work as digital portfolios. As older entries are archived, developing skills and progress may be analyzed more conveniently."
   

          Teaching Today points also out the educational benefit of blogs:

• motivating to students, espcially those who otherwise might not become [active]participants in classrooms
• excellent opportunities for collaboration and discussion
• excellent opportunities for students to read and write
• powerful tools to enable scaffolded learning or mentoring to occur

             In terms of professional development, I think blogs and RSS are powerful tools.   They help us connect with other professionals who are not necessarily in our geographical area: discussing, sharing, and reflecting.  Sure, ten years ago, most of us had email, but how many of us connected with other professionals?

Richardson (2006) believes that RSS is “the one technology that [educators] should start using today, right now, this minute” (p. 75).  He also thinks that we should teach our students to use it. 

For educators, Richardson (2006) reveals how useful it can be to students and educators.  He uses an example of a Political science teacher to illustrate the helpfulness.  If the political science teacher finds 20 to 30 sites with relevant information, he would need to regularly visit these sites to check for updates, which would be very time consuming.  However, by setting up an aggregator and receiving feeds from the site, it’s a one stop shop.  Teachers can stay updated with the latest content that is relevant to them and their students.

Richardson (2006) also points out how easy RSS feeds can make a teacher's life, when grading or checking on on his or her students' blogs.  In your aggregator, you can have all of their content in one place (p. 81).  It's ready to mark, or comment on.

References:

Davies, M., & Merchant, G. (2009). Web 2.0 for schools. New York: Peter Lang.

Richardson, W. (2009). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for          classrooms. 2nd Ed. Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, CA.

Teaching Today.

http://teachingtoday.glencoe.com/howtoarticles/blog-basics

O’Connor, Steve.  (2008).

http://openedweb.com/blog/2008/02/02/students-start-using-rss/

Tweet! I'm ready for Twitter!

Umm.. tweet?... tweet…tweet!  Anyone listening?   I have to admit I’m afraid of all birds, so already the thought of Twitter gets me feeling a tad anxious. 

Reflections on the process of learning about Twitter

            Twitter is a social media tool that allows you to send out messages to your followers in 140 characters or less.  Essentially, these messages or 'tweets' answer the question, "What are you doing?" or "What's happening?"   It allows people following you to get instantaneous updates from you.  I signed up for Twitter early in September and quickly started following many individuals (some that were suggested and some that were of my own interest).  I soon started receiving tweets from people that I’d never heard of before (i.e. Stephen Abram) and people that I’ve been watching for years (i.e. Suze Orman).

         Signing up was relatively easy, as was finding people to ‘follow’.  However, what I found to be difficult was actually reading the tweets.  I’d check in every couple days and scroll through.  I'd follow some of the links within the tweets to start developing a sense of what is 'tweet-worthy.'  To be honest many of the messages were not what I was expecting.  Most were of quite ‘shallow’ and left me wondering why I’m following them. 

         Sending a tweet for the first time was odd… what to say?   I sent out a tweet letting everyone know that I was heading to Lister Hall to a concert.  A friend’s brother was playing at ‘Lister Fest.”  Now, if I had friends or acquaintances living at Lister, then they would know I was attending and to look out for me.

            Personally, I think there’s some overlap here with Facebook.  Both allow you to keep track of your friends and what they’re up to.  Also, they both allow you to share your ‘status.’  You could either ‘tweet’ or update your status on Facebook that you’re going for coffee with Oprah.  However, after listening to Mack Male’s session, I’ve realized that with Twitter you can ‘get away with’ tweeting often throughout the day, but if you were to do the same on Facebook (i.e. post status updates) frequently, then people would become irritated because you would be ‘clogging up’ the live feed.

         To get a different experience with Twitter, I logged onto the site using my iPhone.  Instead of seeing an array of tweets from all of the people I’m following, I saw that the entire screen was filled with tweets from one person: mastermaq.  Some of his ‘tweets’ were absolutely useless, including one saying: “Trying to think of the last game I played.. ah yes.  Worms on my iPod touch.”  Okay… good to know?  Maybe?  However, he somewhat redeems himself by sending out a tweet saying, “SelfChecker is working with local school authorities. Interesting way for students to write a test and get immediate feedback.”

         Reflecting on this new iPhone experience, I’m led to think that it just wasn’t enough.  It was basically just viewing the site, but with my phone. So, I decided link my phone directly with Twitter. I registered with Twitter by texting “start” to 21212.  This allowed me to easily tweet by just texting my tweet to 21212.  However, I still wasn't receiving tweets through instant message.  I'd need to log onto the site to do that, which I guess is better than receiving text messages every few minutes for every single tweet.

         Just when I thought I was quite well versed on Twitter, I listened to Mack Males’s Elluminate session.  It really helped me to gain a new understanding some aspects of Twitter including:  hash tags (i.e. ‘#YEG’) which help categorize your tweets, and ‘bit.ly’ which shortens a web address so that it doesn’t take up much of your 140 characters.  If you see a hashtag and don’t know what it means, you can check at wthashtag.org

         In terms of learning about social media tools such as Twitter Male (2009) suggests a social media boot camp, but he keys in on experience; trying it out and getting to know it.

Discussion of Twitter in terms of my own personal learning

            I think I may continue to utilize Twitter.  I enjoy being ‘the first to know’ and I think this tool will enable me to do this.  By following CBC News, I have been able to stay up to date with news and current affairs.

         My friends are split on Twitter.  About a third are against it and unwilling to even sign up.  Another third have signed up, only to either deactivate their account or not utilize.  And the last third?  They’re all about it.  A friend of mine who is a photographer uses it to ‘get rid of steam.’  His clients, friends and acquaintances are all on Facebook, which he uses to promote his business, but for Twitter it’s a different story. He uses it to vent about sessions, which is not, I believe, how most businesses use it, but that’s how he utilizes it.

         Twitter has me conjuring up images of Scrooge: tweets of past, present, and future.  Many celebrities like to tweet in the past (ie. went for a run in central park earlier today.  Gosh, I love this city!).  This allows them to not be mobbed by people who have received their tweets.  I actually don't like when they do this because it doesn't answer the questions, "What are you doing?" but rather "What did you do?"  It provides a less voyeuristic experience because it doesn't allow you to know what your favourite celbrity is actually currently doing. This brings me to ‘present’ tweeters.  People who do this include twitterers who are at a conference, a part of an event, or people just generally connected and wanting others to be aware of what they're up to.  I think this is what many tweets are like.  For me, I’ve been falling into the category of future tweeter.  I’ve been ‘tweeting’ mostly about what I’m going to do.  That is, until I signed gained access through my phone.  Now, I'm sending out more current tweets (ie.  Waiting in an outside lineup to see 'New Moon"  Worth the cold?)

Discussion of Twitter in terms of teaching & learning

            I would venture to guess that Twitter is going to be used in educational settings more and more over the coming years, especially by teachers, secretaries, and administrators.

Hearst Elementary School in Washington, DC has been using Twitter to stay connected with parents.  Tweets of events in the school are sent out throughout the week.  The school also uses tweets to notify parents and guardians of “unscheduled notices regarding delays or closings.”  I think this is much more efficient, especially on the school end of things.  Having to do a ‘call-out’ would take quite a bit of time.  However, would all parents receive these tweets?

A high school Language Arts class at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota is using social media including Twitter within their class.

I think this could be powerful.  As students are working on a project, they could send out tweets concerning an issue they're having with the project.  People who know how to help them can respond, whereas other students could disregard the tweets.

Walker (2009) suggests many great benefits for educators to use Twitter in Schools, including the idea that “Twitter can be like a virtual staffroom where teachers can access in seconds a stream of links, ideas, and resources from a hand-picked selection of global professionals.” This is great because you’re not limited to the people who you work with or who are in your local community. 

Walker (2009) also explains that we can get instant feedback on the ideas that we share; it’s almost like using it as a sounding board to check in to see if we’re on the right track. People could tweet or message back with tips or encouragement. 

Also, if I wasn't able to attend  PD session, speech or workshop, I could still partake in a sense by receiving tweets from people who are there partaking.  This would be beneficial because I could not only 'read their thoughts' but I could also see the 'content' through various perspectives (i.e. the cautious optimist, the pessimist, etc.)

One con, which Male (2009) points out is that Twitter is “not a really good platform for coming back and seeing what you wrote a month ago or a year ago.” It’s more of a “real time platform.” For a record that you can look back to, he suggests a blog.

Another con, which I believe is annoying is that people who are at a conference, workshop or meeting who should be paying attention to a speaker are actually tweeting. Now, some probably wait until break time, but I could see this becoming more and more of an issue unless norms are established. However the sharing at breaks can be powerful, Mack (2009) points out, especially is you have this “powerful networking capacity with them all the time (i.e. their network of twitterers).

References:

Hearst Elementary School http://www.hearstdc.org/tech-1/twittercom

Male, Mack. (2009). Elluminate session

Richardson, W. (2009). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. 2nd Ed. Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, CA.

Walker, Laura. (2009) Nine reasons to Twitter in Schools.

Social Networking - Join in on the good times!

Congratulations! Friends couldn’t make me do it. Family couldn’t make me do it. Co-workers?..nope. Classmates?…noper. Students? Definitely not. But, this class did it! After years of hearing about how great it is and being harassed to join, I have finally joined Facebook! (and Ning.com!)

Reflections on the process of learning about Social Networking

I’ll admit, that I like to be first, especially when it comes to media and pop culture. The first to discover the latest ‘hot’ musician… However when Facebook popped up, I resisted, and one by one basically every friend took the plunge. Why did I not hop on the train you may ask? Well, I think part of it was that I was afraid that I would become addicted. Friends told me of countless hours spent ‘facebooking.’ This prospect frightened me. Another reason I resisted was that I wanted to keep my private life private and I didn't want to 'mix' friends.  Lastly, I didn't want to join because I was afraid of those awkward offline conversations (i.e. "Hey Tyson!  Why didn't you accept my friend request?")  Now that I am a member, those worries have subsided, although I do get the occasional email 'begging' to be added.

I resisted for the first couple weeks of September and then went for it… joined Facebook, along with Ning. For Facebook though, I decided that I was only going to add people that I saw/talked to on a regular basis. My goal was not going to be to ‘get as many friends as I could.’ I had to become okay with the theory that less is more. 
 

Going through this week’s Trailfire also helped expand my view of what social networking sites are. It’s funny.. until I read Stephen Abram’s article, entitled, “Scaffolding the New Social Literacies” I had never thought of Club Penguin as a social networking site.  But, I guess it is.. just a different form: a game.  
 

Discussion of Social Networking in terms of my own personal learning
 

Learning about social networking made me really think about my digital footprint (AKA: the track I leave that can be searched on Google). Joining a “Britney Spears Fan” social network on Ning will help me talk with other fans, but it will also reveal to the world that I’m a huge fan just by doing a quick search on the internet. This is just a hypothetical situation of course, but it illustrates that we really need to think about what we want ‘out there’ about ourselves.  Now, we can adjust privacy settings, which I think Facebook excels at, but I found with Ning that this was very difficult.   
 

Stephen Abram reveals that “both Facebook and MySpace restrict their social networking sites to people over the age of 14.” This is hard for me to believe as about a handful of former students who range in age from 10 to 12 have sent me friend invitations on Facebook. Did they lie about their age? Probably. Did I accept? Nope. Do I know other teachers that have added students and communicate with them regularly? Yes.

I have to admit that being a part of Facebook has brought me closer to some friends (the ones on my friends list) and has driven me further away from others (the ones that I rejected or who lay in limbo). Participating in Facebook has allowed me to learn of events that I may not have heard of and that I’m now able to participate in; and I know who else will be there! I like how it allows me to express my wity and fun side.  

I feel though, that Facebook has replaced e-mail in some ways. I noticed this phenomenon when most of my friends initially signed up for Facebook. Much to my relief, there were less "forwards" because people were sharing with one another on Facebook. 
 

Baloun (2007) reveals that “the real question for a social networking site is how many active users the site has, and how much the site has become an integral part of those users’ lives.” He then reveals that two-thirds of Facebook users visit the site at least once a day. This shows how powerful the site is. For me, I now visit this site more than once per day, but I can happily report, that I'm not endlessly 'facebooking.'  I think this could be possibly because the 'hype' about it has calmed down a bit, and now people are using it more as a tool and have realized that spending hours on it is not productive. 
 

Discussion of Social Networking in terms of teaching & learning

Over the last few years, social networking sites such as 'MySpace' have received a lot of 'bad press.'  There were stories of abductions and abuse, which caused many parents and schools to ban these sites.  Davies & Merchant (2007) reveals that most school boards from around the world have banned social networking sites in their districts due to safety concerns. I think this could be partly due to ignorance. I’m sure not many superintendents and people in ‘authority’ know the true power of social networking sites and how they can be private, and in turn safe. 
 

Being a member of the social network called, “Ning in Education” has allowed me to learn from educators from around the world. I could see into their schools and school districts and how they’re using social networking tools. For example, reading Scott Habeeb’s blog I learned about how his school district in Virginia is incorporating and ‘handling’ social networking. They decided that they would not block any social networking sites for teachers and they would trust them as professionals to use them appropriately. For students, they decided that they best social networking site to use with students would be Ning. 
 

For students, social networking sites can be powerful tools. It can be away for them to meet and discuss with other students who may have similar interests, challenges and goals. Del Conte (2007) reveals that Social Networking can be used by students “to find mentors or perform research.” I would see this more for students in junior high, high school, and in college and university. 
 

For teachers, social networking sites can be extremely helpful. It can take a job that is somewhat isolating, and turn it into a social experience by being members of networks. We can share ideas, challenges, and questions. We can discuss, and commiserate with other teachers from around the world, but also inspire one another.

One big pro of social networking sites is that key information is backed up for you: your friends’ contact info and your pictures. The big con here though is that sometimes relationships, both plutonic and romantic, end and do you really want this person to still be on your list, to still see what you’re up to. Personally speaking I would say no. I haven’t been put into this situation just yet, but I could see it happening. I think I haven’t had to deal with it yet, partially because I was very selective when choosing who I would be ‘Facebook friends’ with. 
 

One big pro for students using a class Ning set up by their teacher is the collaborative aspect that is possible. Students can post links, pictures, blogs, etc. to show their learning and help with others’ learning. Abrams (2007) also suggests that setting up a specific chat time (i.e. 6-7PM) will make the teacher available to students beyond the classroom. Now initially, my thoughts lead me to think ‘more time’ and ‘more commitment.’ However, it is a short amount of time set up, and it could be incredibly powerful. Students can ask questions about upcoming tests, for example. 
 

This would also allow students to be available to one another throughout the evening and weekend. Students could post and or discuss a difficulty they are having with the content of a course they’re taking. 
 

Another con of social networking would be ‘the business’ aspect of it. “It is important to remember that many providers have commercial interests at heart,” warns Davies and Merchant (2007). Students can be exposed to advertising, or market researchers could be recording their preferences (Davies & Merchant, 2007).
 

After learning about a class Ning, it has me thinking that it sounds very similar to a class wiki: the collaborative aspect, the private classroom space online, and the powerfulness of it to engage students of today and tomorrow. 
 

References:

Abram, Stephen. (2007). Scaffolding the New Social Literacies.

Baloun, Karel M. (2007). Inside Facebook: Life Work and Visions of Greatness.

Victoria: Trafford Publishing.

Davies, M., & Merchant, G. (2009). Web 2.0 for schools. New York: Peter Lang.

Del Conte, Natali. The Best Social Network Sites for Students

http://www.wired.com/software/webservices/news/2007/08/student_networks

Habeeb, Scottt. (2009). Guidelines for using Ning in a school setting

Richardson, W. (2009). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. 2nd Ed. Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, CA.

Animoto my photos

Tired of the same old… same old?  Looking for something new and exciting to try out with your students?  Well, hang on and let me show you...

This is Animoto..

Reflections on the process of learning about Animoto

I’ll admit that this week’s topic has left me once again wondering where I’ve been over that last few years and why I have not heard of these tools.  Now, I have heard of Animoto, but only just recently.  A classmate of mine used it for a wrap up project for a class I took this past summer. 

I was disappointed to learn that with Animoto you can only create 30 second videos (including 12 pictures) for free. For longer videos in ‘low res’ it costs 3 bucks and high res is more. You can sign up for an educator account.    This gives you all access for 6 months of use absolutely free! After that, it's $45 per year. The nice thing about the educator account is you can share the registration link with your students and they can sign up and get the same all access!

Learning how to use Animoto was pretty painless for the most part: sign up was easy, and getting started with creating was a sinch.  However, I ran into a big of a snag while working on my first project.  I had just finished uploading my 11^th slide when I accidentally clicked where I shouldn’t have and wound up loosing ten slides!  I ended up having to re-upload them, which was a bit of a pain.  Other than that the process was fairly smooth. 

This first project focused on my younger brother, Trent and his wife and child. Their anniversary is coming up, so I may email it off to them.    

Next, I delved into the photos from my cell phone camera.  For this one, I experimented with including video, text and effects, such as ‘spotlight.’

Discussion of multimedia sharing sites in terms of my own personal learning

I had a blast using Animoto.  It’s definitely a multimedia tool that I’ll use again in the future for personal use as well as with my students.    

When I was exposed to it the first time, a classmate was using it to showcase learning her learning over the term.  It was a great way to celebrate the learning in a fun appealing way.  It was very effective and powerful.  My poem was okay too.

Discussion of multimedia sharing sites in terms of teaching & learning

I can imagine tones of possibilities for Animoto for teaching and learning.  I think children would love to use a tool such as this, for any number of projects.  Valenza (2008) suggests using the "tool for any projects for which we'd formerly create a collage."   She describes the creation process as "the gathering of multiple pieces to create new context."

I think this tool would help us to enable children to become critical thinkers.  While I was creating mine, I really had to question which images would really help communicate the message I was trying to convey. I also had to consider what song would contribute to the video and compliment the images well.

One of the drawbacks currently would be the speed of our lab computers.  I could see this being a somewhat painful process.  For me to log onto a computer in the lab and log into my Outlook email takes almost a full five minutes!  So, using this tool, could be a tad frustrating for kids.   Even with my Mac and a variety of decent internet connections, it still seemed to freeze, even after it had been loaded.

Another issue to consider is copyright issues.  Students may not want to use the music that is available on the site, but rather a current popular song.  If they illegally download it and use it in their presentation are we condoning this piracy.  When I was working on my projects, I found that I could only access songs that I had not paid for.  Not sure why that is.

Another slight concern would be privacy.  My brother and his wife didn't consent for their photos to be used in such a manner and posted online.  But, lo and behold, here they are.  But, I guess in the classroom, we would have final say as to what is 'published.'

So, I'm curious... what program do you think will be used less often because of this tool?

References:

Valenza, Joyce. (2008). Announcing: Animoto for education. School Library Journal http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1340000334/post/1560024356.html.

Wiki'd

Head down, full speed ahead is sometimes a great way to approach something new. That’s the approach I took to learning about wikis. It now seems somewhat appropriate, having learned that ‘wiki’ is actually derived from ‘wiki-wiki” a Hawaiian phrase meaning ‘quick.’ (Richardson, 2006, pp. 59). Appropriate, as well because I've learned that ideas sprout up quickly.

Reflections on the process of learning about Wikis

I have to admit, I’m fairly confident heading into this week’s blog entry, as the topic is a tool I’m pretty confident with: wikis! Over the past few years, Wikipedia has become a go-to site for many us (and our students) for learning quickly about a topic we want or need to know about. When I first started visiting it, I didn’t understand the collaborative aspect of the site. However, I was warned of this aspect by some friends.

Instead of starting with the “Wiki Trailfire” I started to dive right in, as if I was an expert already. So, I created a wiki for my class to discuss the novels I’m using for our “Grand Conversations” literature study. I drafted a permission letter for my students’ parents/guardians, and forwarded it to my principal (who was very excited about it), who sent it to ‘headquarters’ to be run by our FOIP and records manager. She was very helpful and assisted me in being thorough and clear throughout the letter.

Then I went through the “Wiki Trailfire” and visited some different wikis to learn about the possibilities of what we can do with wikis. The example of the camping trip (Wikis in Plain English) really struck a cord with me. I’m sure we’ve all been in that situation with endless emails back and forth about what to bring, and then when we do arrive, we’re missing key items, or have some items doubl or tripled up (what are we going to do with three clothes lines?)

Discussion of Wikis in terms of my own personal learning

I’ve used wikis tones in the past to learn new things. Well, that’s kind of a lie. I’ve used one wiki mainly to learn new things. Yep, you guessed it: Wikipedia. I just find the site so great for a quick little check in. For example, when you need to know what the local delicacies are in central Brazil, or what the flag of Croatia looks like.

However, that being said, I’ve only been on the consuming side of wikipedia. I’ve never added or edited content, until now that is.

For my class wiki, I have to admit, it’s been pretty exciting to see my students latch on to it and participate to no end. There have been hundreds of posts in only a few weeks. I started with initial discussion questions for each novel. Students began to join and respond to my initial posts. Then, without my encouragement, they started a new category and discussion for a book we’re using for a read-aloud.

Discussion of Wikis in terms of teaching & learning

My brain is whirling with possibilities and images. What will my class look like a year from now? A class blog, with a link to our class wiki? It makes me a bit sad that my position is finished at the end of October and that I won’t be able to explore this further.

For teaching, this has been a phenomenal tool for literature study, as I’ve mentioned above. We still have discussions at school, but this allows for even more thoughtful responses, and allows my students who are incredibly shy to find their voice and contribute their ideas to our discussions. That’s been one of the most powerful things I’ve witnessed.

I enjoy the whole ‘free labour’ aspect of wikis. Other people are doing work and I am able to use it to learn and/or teach. For example, lessons are being uploaded to http//:teacherslounge.editme.com (Richardson, 2006, pp.69). Another wiki, called “The Teacher’s Desk,” which I found at wetpaint.com contains great lessons as well at all levels. There’s also an area for discussion, but it has not been utilized.

Another great aspect for teaching and learning is it’s “up-to-date-ness” (Davies & Merchant, 2009, pp.93). Sites, such as Wikipedia are constantly being updated. It sure beats some of the out of date textbooks and books we have in our schools. Also, if there’s an error, or a vandal, it’s usually fixed within a few hours (Richardson, 2006, pp.61). There’s also a ‘revert’ function on most wikis, where you can undo a past user’s actions.

One concern would be the privacy issue. However, I set mine up to be private, so that only the students can log-in. Now, I do realize privacy can still be an issue, but I asked students not to post any identifying information (ie. full name, address, etc). These guidelines were also outlined in the letter to parents/guardians. I did ask them to create a user name that’s either their first name or something close to it, so that they would be easily identifiable to myself and their classmates.

Another concern I had was that students could post something inappropriate, or embarrassing, either intentionally or ignorantly. I had to set up expectation, and also trust that they would act appropriately within the confines of the wiki. Richardson (2006) points out that, “Wiki projects in schools have worked best when the teacher loosens the reins a bit and lets students manage the content of the site” (Richardson, pp. 65). So there is an element of trust in this context. One student did make a comment where he was critical of a character’s name. He, in a sense, was making fun of the name and was not in essence contributing to our efforts to thoughtfully discuss these books. Instead of me talking to him about it in school, or posting my thoughts on it, another student stepped up and politely pointed out that it wasn’t really a valid or thought-provoking comment.

Another concern for me about starting a class wiki was a worry that this would hinder my quest for a work/life balance. I worried that I’d need to check in a few times per night and moderate and monitor the discussions. However, as I mentioned previously that’s not the case. Students are moderating themselves. And, they are also posing their own questions/discussion threads. That being said, I do check in at least once a day and see how the discussions are going. Every couple days, I also throw in my own 2 cents to let them know I’m reading their posts and that I’m interested in the literature as well.

With these concerns in mind, the benefits far outweigh them. Richardson (2006) points out some of the skills students are learning by using a wiki: “Students are not only learning how to publish content; they are also learning how to develop and use all sorts of collaborative skills, negotiating with others to agree on correctness, meaning, relevance and more” (Richardson, pp.65). If this doesn’t sound like preparing our students for the future, I’m not sure what does.

In conclusion, I think wikis are a powerful tool to utilize. I look forward to using them to accomplish different purposes and to grow, collaborate and learn with my colleagues, as well as my students.

References:

Davies, M., & Merchant, G. (2009). Web 2.0 for schools. New York: Peter Lang.

Richardson, W. (2009). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. 2nd Ed. Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, CA.