Daniel Pink and A Whole New Mind October 18, 2009

When I saw the required book list for this course I was pleased to see Daniel Pink's book on the list. Having already read the book for another course eased my cluttered mind. I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time and re-reading through the first few chapters I am seeing things I had not before. I was also very fortunate to hear him speak at the 2009 Texas Music Educator's Convention. It was a wonderful speech and can be heard here. I recommend the longer version and remember that he is speaking to an auditorium full of musicians.

Being what most would consider an "artsy" person, simply because of my field of music, I was thrilled to hear Daniel Pink exclaim that R-Directed Thinkers would rule the world! Well not exactly, but that the creative nature, that has been for so long neglected, would rise to the front of the line. They are not to replace L-Directed thinking but to work alongside. We seek beauty in our lives not simply functional purpose.

One of the topics he writes stands out for me most is the discussion on the SAT which measures L-Directed thinking. My own children never tested well on the SAT or any other standardized test. They are all very creative people, being artists and musicians. They always did well in school where they were given opportunities to show their understanding of a subject matter in a way that was not always a written test. By having this means of assessment they were successful in school. But to move forward in their education, and to receive academic scholarships, they would need to score much higher than they ever could on the college entrance tests. One of my children took the ACT 4 times just to score high enough to earn an academic scholarship (which he did get). I don't know that he really learned any more information from test to test but more that he learned to beat the test. So what did that all prove? Absolutely nothing. The concept of an alternative test to the SAT, such as the Rainbow Project by Professor Robert Sternberg to measure those high-touch abilities, would give R-directed thinking students a better chance to show their skills.

In my studies about brain research and learning, I am always drawn to the ways that I can help my own children and my students learn better and to remember what they learn. I think that Daniel Pink's writings suggest that by embracing whole mind thinking we can advance ourselves in society and culture.

Pink, D. (2006). A whole new mind: Why right-brainers will rule the world. Riverhead Trade.

 I actually held these brain halves. Way cool.










November 19, 2009
I have not been very faithful to updating my posts for this class. It is not a required part but I had hoped to note the highlights of my readings here. This has been a very fascinating course discussing our brain, how we learn and how we make those memories. As I go through each week's readings and videos I am frequently taken back to my own memories of school and how I learned and remembered the information for my classes. Sadly there are some classes that I barely remember taking and cannot recall much from the class. I will need to consider the class situation and what made certain times more or less memorable. I also must analyze my own classes that I teach and have to question how memorable am I making them for my own students?

Digital Portfolio October 15, 2009

 Mary Kuterbach's Digital Portfolio

Creating a digital portfolio was a good experience. I had to stop and think carefully about what I wanted to share that would give someone a good picture of who I was and what my goals were. I see this project as one that will continue to evolve. Digital portfolios are a unique way to show yourself as a part of the 21st century.

I originally wanted to create a more professional looking portfolio (and not that you can't do that in Glogster) but Glogster is too much fun and I enjoy the creative impulses it pulls out of me.

Self Evaluation October 14, 2009

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I chose to self evaluate a podcast that I did for a Web 2.0 class. The rubric found at http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/podcastrubric.html contains more items than were required in my podcast. I kept many of the items but I adapted it to create the following:

Category	Exemplary 4	Proficient 3	Partly Proficient 2	Incomplete 1	POINTS
Introduction	Catchy and clever introduction. Provides relevant information and establishes a clear purpose engaging the listener immediately. Tells who is speaking and where the speaker is located.	Describes the topic and engages the audience as the introduction proceeds. Tells who is speaking and where the speaker is located.	Somewhat engaging and provides a vague purpose. Does not clearly state who is speaking and location.	Irrelevant or inappropriate topic that minimally engages the listener. Does not state who is speaking and location.
Content	Creative and original content enhance the purpose of the podcast. Vocabulary enhances content. Topic is focused. Conclusion clearly summarizes key information.	Accurate information with appropriate vocabulary. Stays on topic and conclusion summarizes information.	Some information is inaccurate or long winded. Vocabulary is adequate. Occasionally strays from topic and conclusion vaguely summarizes information.	Information is inaccurate and vocabulary is inappropriate for the audience. Does not stay on topic and there is no conclusion.
Delivery	Well rehearsed, smooth delivery. Highly effective enunciation and presenter's speech is clear and intelligible, not distant and muddled. Expression and rhythm keep the audience listening. Correct grammar is used throughout.	Rehearsed, smooth delivery. Enunciation, expression, pacing are effective throughout with correct grammar.	Appears unrehearsed with uneven delivery. Enunciation, expression, rhythm are sometimes distracting during the podcast occasionally with incorrect grammar.	Delivery is hesitant, choppy and sounds like the presenter is reading. Enunciation is distant and not clear. Expression and rhythm are distracting with poor grammar throughout.
Audio/ Music	Music enhances the mood, quality, and understanding of the presentation. Music is owned by creator, creative commons or copyright cleared.	Music provides supportive background to the podcast. Music is owned by creator, creative commons or copyright cleared.	Music provides somewhat distracting background to the podcast. Use of copyrighted works is questionable.	Music is distracting to the podcast. Copyright infringement is obvious.
Technical Production	Presentation is recorded in a quiet environment without background noise and distractions. Volume of voice and music enhance the presentation.	Presentation is recorded in a quiet environment with minimal background noise and distractions. Volume is acceptable.	Presentation is recorded in a semi-quiet environment with some background noise and distractions. Volume is occasionally inconsistent.	Presentation is recorded in a noisy environment with constant background noise and distractions. Volume changes are highly distracting.

Based on this rubric I would have given my podcast
          

Introduction	4
Content	4
Delivery	4
Audio/Music	4
Technical production	4

I think this rubric covers many areas that are necessary to a quality podcast. The key features of this rubric mention areas from creative aspects, presentation and technical aspects.

Cell phone project response October 13, 2009

A response!
Well I was very excited to hear back from some of my contacts. Though the one from the original assignment link I have not heard from since our quick phone discussion. However, if the articles I quoted in my last post, I mentioned a teacher from the Tampa Bay area named Jennifer Gould. I emailed Jennifer and asked her a few questions. She emailed me back today. Here is her response:

Cellphone Project Details

Name of teacher: Jennifer Gould

Location: Wiregrass Ranch High School, Wesley Chapel, Florida

Grade level for project: 12

Content Area: Language Arts (AP Literature)

Specific project: (ie- podcasts, camera use, texting) Internet search for author background information

Resource used: Internet

Inside or Outside of school? During Class

Policies: (ie- permission note, etc.) WRHS allows students to use their cell phones during class, per teacher instruction, as educational tools.

Links: none

What did you learn from doing this project with your class? Students LOVE to be the first one to finish the search!

What would you do differently if you did this project again? Put them in groups and put together a sheet of biographical questions about the author for them to specifically search.

What recommendations would you have for another teacher who would like to do a similar project? Be sure you have enough students with Internet access on their phones so that groups are feasible. Be sure to address appropriate versus inappropriate and reliable resources prior to the search to avoid faulty information.

Cell Phone Project Inquiry October 9, 2009

Just as I was finishing my writing for this assignment, I received a phone call from Pat Sattler, one of the teachers from the suggested k12cell phone project website. Needless to say I was very excited. I had tracked her down to her school earlier in the week, but not finding an email I called the school and left a message. She had attempted to email me but our filters (as good as they are) kept booting her email out of the system. Finally reaching me by phone we talked briefly (I was in the middle of my school day) and she promised to email me at another address and help me out with some information. So now we play email tag and hope we connect. When I hear from her I promise to come back and post an update. In the interim I leave you with my research.

Cell Phone Project Inquiry

Using cell phones in the classroom is a new idea and not many school districts have warmed to the idea. Teachers on the other hand are beginning to see the value of using technology that many of their students already have and are very comfortable in using. The assignment to find and interview a teacher who has used cell phones in the classroom proved to be more challenging than I expected. I attempted to contact four different teachers. Unfortunately I have not had a response from any of them at the time of this writing.

However in my research I came across two interesting articles recently reported by the St. Petersburg Times online edition and the Dallas Morning News online edition. The article from St. Petersburg Times describes teachers in the Tampa area who regularly have students use cell phones to complete assignments and projects, in and out of class. They have used their phones for photos, as calculators, to view the internet for class work and take notes. One teacher says
"They all have them anyway, and they're all dying to use them in class," said Spanish teacher Ariana Leonard, who admitted that she stores her life in her cell phone and uses it for a variety of functions. "If they're texting when they're supposed to be listening, I might tell them to put it away. But you might teach them a way to use it that might be applicable to their learning." (Solochek, 2009)

Thinking like this is why it works for this school. Their open policy and support from parents and staff alike have helped students understand the appropriate use of cell phones in the classroom. They still have policies in place for monitoring and keeping students on task but with their changing attitude, students are using them less for distraction and more for class work.

From literature to Spanish to Chemistry classes, teachers and students are finding ways to use this computer in their pocket. To sum it up, Jennifer Gould, a literature teacher at Wiregrass Ranch High School said "It puts the education in their hands."


In the Dallas New article, an intermediate school is involved in a program that used donated smart phones from Verizon. These students also have turned cell phones into the latest technology in the classroom. Teachers and kids are excited about their lessons but also understand the rules in place for their use. A commenter to the article explained that these phones also have a software program that allows teachers to turn off features and monitor what the students are using. So here is another example of schools that embrace technology and make them tools for education.

I recommend that you go and read the articles and especially the comments below. It is interesting the response that this generated in both situations. There is a student from Wiregrass who also responded to the Tampa Bay article and the related comments.

Sources:
Solochek, Jeffrey S. Some Tampa Bay high schools allow cell phones to be used in class. October 4, 2009. Retrieved from http://www.tampabay.com/ October 8, 2009.

Unmuth, Katherine Leal. Keller's Trinity Meadows  students use cell phones as classroom computer. February 20, 2009. Retrieved from http://www.dallasnews.com/ on October 9, 2009.

Cell Phone Digital Story October 7, 2009

I knew I was going to be an educator when....
There were two challenges with this assignment.  One, could I really answer that question? Two, how was this going to work with my outdated Motorola Razor? Answering the first question was the easy part. Using my phone was what gave me a few problems but I found a way around it all. When I started this project I had not decided exactly what program or web 2.0 tool I wanted to use for my digital story. I ended up doing it in Voicethread and could have called in my recordings very easily but I had already created mp3s of my flute and voice. I wanted to try some different ways to get my voice recorded and downloaded as an mp3. I used http://www.gabcast.com/ to record myself on the flute. I used drop.io to record my story. Once I had the recordings in mp3 format I used Audacity to edit them and create each section of my story. Again, had I made the decision before to use Voice thread I could have called my comments in on each slide.
Doing the pictures was another challenge. I could take pictures with my phone but my choices after taking them were to either store them or send them in a text message. I couldn't email them or download so I sent them in a text to my husband who then emailed them to me from his phone. Once I had them on the computer it was an easy task to upload them to Voicethread.
This was a fun project to do and I imagine with a better phone it would possibly be easier. You can view my digital story here.

Cell phones in Education- Helium Debate October 4, 2009

I feel that cell phones should not be banned in schools. Like any piece of technology, there are positive and negative aspects to its use. A parent's first choice for providing their children with a cell phone has usually been for safety. It gave the parent a sense of calm knowing that their child had a means to contact them at any given time, especially in an emergency situation. In these times of hectic schedules and long hours, the cell phone is frequently deemed a necessity in coordinating the lives of families. Under these circumstances, cell phones should definitely be allowed in schools.
What about other circumstances? What could be seen as an accepted use of the cell phone in school? What about using the cell phone as part of the school lesson? Why can't one of the easiest computers available to students be a regular part of their day? As a presence in the school day, educators have often seen the cell phone as a distraction. Teachers and school administrators should not ban this tool, but embrace it. If we take the device and turn it toward educational purposes, students will begin to see it as more than just another technology toy. Marc Prensky said in his article, "What Can You Learn From a Cell Phone" (2004), "given the opportunity, we can be certain that students, as they have been doing with all useful digital technology, will quickly embrace and use the tool and make it their own in various unexpected ways." Those in education must do as we have always done and guide our students in appropriate ways to use that technology.
There are many ways a teachers can incorporate cell phones into the lesson. Even elementary students, who may not have advanced smartphones, can be involved by using the common applications available on most cell phones, such as camera, calendar and voice recorder. Students can use the camera to take pictures for an assignment, use the phone memos and calendar as a planner, or voice record assignments, and use of the calculator. These are very simple tasks that do not require phones with every application. There are a variety of additional, simple ways to use cell phones in the class room without being a distraction that so many fear it to be. From sending pictures to Flickr and creating podcasts, students can share content with their class and others around the world. Encouraging students to create and share gives them ownership in their learning.
Using cell phones in the classroom is just taking advantage of a technology that our students already love and feel comfortable using. They have embraced this technology and use already use it for these purposes outside of school, why not make it tool for learning?

Resources:
LaMontagne, J. (2009) Please turn on your cell phone. Retrieved October 4, 2009 from http://changeobserver.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=10277
Prensky, M. (2004) What can you do with a cell phone? Retrieved October 4, 2009 from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky-What_Can_You_Learn_From_a_Cell_Phone-FINAL.pdf
 VanDrimmelen, J. (2007) 8 Ways to use camera phones in education. Retrieved October 4, 2009 from http://edutechie.com/2007/06/8-ways-to-use-camera-phones-in-education/

Ed Tech Talk October 1, 2009

Discussion points:

• What were the strengths and weaknesses of the show format?
• Would you participate in future shows of this nature?
• How could this type of webcast be incorporated into the classroom?
• What would you use it for with students?

I logged into the Teachers Teaching Teachers session on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 at 8 pm (CST). Most of the discussion was centered on a book about Digitial writing. The chat room discussion bounced around from blogs and wikis in the classroom, to internet safety, to blocked sites at school and how to deal with getting it unblocked. There were many, many great links tossed out in the conversation. I had windows open all over checking out sites as the conversation went on.

Strengths and weaknesses? You have to be a good multi-tasker to keep up with this format. Listening to the discussion (that involved 3 speakers last night) and following a rather full chat room was a challenge at times. I can see where this format could lose some people either in listening to the speakers or lose them in the chat discussion.

Would I participate in the future? Definitely yes. I enjoyed the speakers and hearing their experiences. I appreciated the ideas that they shared and their openess in listening to the viewers in the chat area. It is nice to connect with teachers who have similar issues to find out how they handle it.

How could this type of webcast be incorporated into the classroom? This would be a nice way to invite a speaker to your class while students are in the chat area posting questions as they go along. The speaker would be able to answer the questions "on air" for the students. We often ask students to "hold that question until the end" and then of course they forget what they wanted to ask. This would give them the chance to ask before they forget.

What would I use it for with students? Probably the same as my answer to the last question. Plus it could be used as a study session, or a lecture series, a summer break enrichment lectures. I would also have students listen to a musical performance and then post their comments and thoughts about the piece they are listening to.

Ed Tech Talk is a great resource for those involved in education on any level. I will certainly share this site with my colleagues. A definite bookmarked site!

Broadcasting September 29, 2009

Broadcasting Assignment
For this assignment I chose to use dimdim.com. My archived recording can be seen here.
I decided to share with my colleagues my experiences with the website Edmodo. I use Edmodo with my 6th and 7th grade music classes and I think that other teachers in my school would find it very user friendly. I feel it would be another way they could easily integrate technology in their lessons.
I made sure to inform of the meeting, gave them the url to attend and we "met" after school. It was an interesting experience that I would like to share not only in my reflection post but here also.
My first experience with dimdim was at home with a few participants. It went very well and I was pleased with the out come. I see great potential with broadcasting for the classroom. Not only could teachers "bring in" guest speakers, they would be able to hold after hours study sessions, department meetings and even conduct parent meetings. This virtual experience is not the same as really being there but it definitely provides teachers, students and parents another way to communicate and connect the classroom with the world.
Now when I tried dimdim at school, that was another totally different experience. I have linked the second session that I broadcast because the first session was a true learning experience. There were many complications and we all learned quite a bit. We all agreed that the concept has great potential but I think that it was a bit much for our school server. You can see from my recording here that it is difficult to hear and understand although the actual session was much better. I recommend that your school's Internet capabilities are considered when an attempt is made at broadcasting. I prefer the broadcasting methods like dimdim that allow for viewers to "talk" to the presenter although text speak over voice might be preferred with slower systems.
As a lone teacher in my school, with no other music teachers, it would be nice to connect with the other music teachers in my diocese occasionally to share ideas. Would I do broadcasting again? Yes, absolutely.

Because I am now like a dog on a fox hunt, I had to try something else. Here is a quick broadcast from ustream.tv. I liked the video quality and it does have a pop up chat. I will need to try this one with my colleagues. The recording is much better. 10/1/09 update: I tried ustream with the teachers at my school. The video is titled Edmodo in the Classroom and can be found at the same link. You can see that the recording is not good at all. I think that our streaming capabilities at my school are  not up to snuff. The actual broadcast was great. My teachers could hear and see me without any issues. But for recording, not good at all. This would be okay to just broadcast but if you wanted to archive your talk, not an option from my school.

PS: I consider broadcasting a great success when my colleagues all asked me this week when we could try it again! Anything that gets them excited about using technology is worth doing over and over!
 

2010/04/28 Week 7 Inquiry Based Learning

Week 7! This course has really flown by. I cannot believe I am down to the end here in many ways. The end of the course and the end of my classes for my Master's degree in Instructional Media. It has been a fantastic experience. I have learned so much from my instructors and from my classmates. Our final week in Inquiry Based Learning had us creating a Unit Plan based on some of the things we used in previous weeks. Our 5E model was a blueprint for our unit lesson. I had chosen to do a 5E plan on a holocaust lesson and my unit plan integrated technology for activities and assessments. One of the issues I had in constructing an inquiry lesson was in adapting a science based model idea with a far less scientific concept. It was challenging and I don't feel that my idea was a true inquiry study. I do think though that in working through the inquiry lesson process I am able to create lessons that encourage my students to ask questions and explore many possible answers. If I am able to accomplish this, then I know my students will have gained knowledge they did not have before. We also discussed the importance of assessment during the inquiry process and my experience in studying assessment shows that it is a continuous process. Teachers should be using formative assessment throughout their lessons. It is not a one stop item during the class but should happen frequently. So how will I implement inquiry in my class? Because I teach many levels of students (K-8), I have the opportunity to try inquiry based lessons in a variety of ways. I would like to find one idea for each grade level to explore. Again, my challenge is in finding investigable questions for my students to explore. My class time with them is limited and this will also present a challenge. However, despite the bumps in the proverbial road, I think that an inquiry based lesson is worth exploring. Expecially if it encourages students to ask more questions and search for more answers.

2010/04/23 Week 6 Inquiry Based Learning 5Es

The 5E instructional model was a focus this week in class. The 5E model is a process that moves between five areas in instruction.

They are Engage, Explore, Exlpain, Elaborate and Evaluate. This was developed by the Biological Science Curriculum Study. Which brings me to part of my dilema this week. Science is by it's nature one of exploration. I had some difficulty transferring the process into my discipline of music. Not that music cannot be exploratory but not in the same sense as science. Even though the 5E process was a bit difficult to adapt in the same way as science, the five areas should be present in any content lesson. Educators should always try to engage their students at the start of a lesson. The "hook" to grab their attention and gain their interest should get them thinking towards the concept of the lesson. The next phase is to let students explore, ask questions, and search for answers. Any well designed lesson would give students the opportunity to discover the concept and then move on to explaining what they have found. Students should then be encouraged to naturally move toward elaborating in their research and discovery. Almost any lesson could be fashioned in this manner. If teachers work towards guiding students to an inquiry process the learning will be more meaningful. If the learning is meaningful and students are able to apply it to their world, they will be more likely to remember the information. My great question this week though is that the 5E process is a moderately longer than average process. I wonder if teachers will be willing or have the time to devote to the 5E model? On the other hand, how can they not? sources: http://moodle1.wilkes.edu/mod/resource/view.php?id=55135

2010/04/16 Week 5 Inquiry Based Learning

This week one of our goals in Inquiry Based Learning was to use web 2.0 tools to engage students in the inquiry process. This was by far one the more "fun" weeks to explore. I look at web 2.0 tools as a playground and who can resist a playground? Web 2.0 tools are the perfect vehicle to get your students interested in exploring and researching a topic. There is a multitude of sites to inspire everyone. It doesn't matter if you prefer writing poetry, painting pictures, designing graphs, organizing facts and figures, there is something for all tastes. The students who would otherwise be overwhelmed by traditional library research would be able to find a method of research on the web that fits their learning style. One of the best things a teacher could do for their students would be to introduce them to the many web tools available to use in an inquiry project. One of my very favorite places to get new ideas is from the site Janes Pick of the Day. This site is by Jane Knight, a Social Learning Specialist and founder of the Centre for Learning and Performance Technologies. Every day she features an item of e- learning interest. I have found it great place for resources. I encourage every teacher to expand their personal learning network and find sites like Jane's and help their students in the inquiry process.

2010/04/09 Week 4 Inquiry Based Learning

The focus this week was on connecting curricular goals to inquiry. Once a goal is established, teachers must make certain that the students have a solid base of facts necessary to understand the concept. Knowing the facts will help them in understanding the relationships between the facts. This is turn will help them to realize the larger concepts. Making an inquiry requires students to look at the variables within the questions, and knowing the facts, discerning quetions that can be investigated.
The discussions and readings have helped me to see the importance in asking questions that promote inquisitive thought. In one discussion, a classmate asked a question that I could relate to and consequently I began to wonder what the answer might be. It is in a good question that students are encouraged to seek out the possibilities. They will then begin to ask more questions and search for answers.

One of our goals as educators is to help our students become life long learners. A life long learner constantly seeks out new knowledge by asking questions.

I would like to know if teachers can force themselves to step back from the questions and not lead their students to answers. As educators we are often very controlling in our lessons, often because of the pressures of time, but our students will never ask questions on their own or seek out their own answers if we don't give them room to do so.

2010/04/02 Week Three Inquiry Based Learning

The readings and viewings this week on Inquiry Based learning have given me more insight on what constitutes a good lesson. The video, The Physics of Optics, was very inspiring to watch. It seemed that every element necessary for a good inquiry based lesson was present. The teacher seemed very natural with his interaction with the students and the students in turn appeared to respect one another. The Secondary Classroom examples however were puzzling. I found each one to be lacking elements of a good lesson. They all seemed to be just shy of giving students the best learning opportunity possible. Each one was disappointing in some way, yet I realize that each also was somewhat an inquiry lesson. Is it such a bad thing to have students read books, collect information and give oral reports? This was my least favorite of the lessons and I would not think it was an inquiry based lesson. As a teacher directed lesson I suppose that it fills the requirements but I cannot accept this as a memorable lesson. As a student I would have found it dry and boring. On the other hand, do all inquiry based lessons have to be loosely structured and student directed to be a good lesson?

2010/03/26 Inquiry Based Learning

Week Two- Inquiry Based Learning


Create a blog entry that describes how your thoughts about inquiry based learning have developed over the past week. What new insights have you developed? Has anything changed? Are there any "burning questions" that you feel need to be answered?

The readings this week were focused on the skills a student needs to be successful in their post high school education and when they enter the workforce. My thoughts on inquiry-based learning have not changed but the readings have only strengthened my belief in this method of instruction. It has shown me how through inquiry-based learning, educators can nurture and encourage the process skills in their students. Inquiry-based learning provides a wonderful opportunity for students to experience those skills.

One thing that stood out for me this week in the readings comes from the 2003 document Understanding University Success. It states

"One of the most dominant themes raised by participants is the importance of the habits of mind students develop in high school and bring with them to university studies. These habits are considered by many faculty members to be more important than specific content knowledge." (Conley, 2003)

I think this speaks volumes about the importance of children having a proficient level of skills such as, and not limited to, the ability to communicate with others, the ability to listen to and interpret new ideas, the ability to work collaboratively, and the ability to think creatively and problem solve. These are basic life skills that all students should have and I can firmly support inquiry-based learning as a tool for educators in the classroom to help their students be successful.

Resources:
Conley, David. (2003). Understanding university success. Eugene, OR: 2003. Retrieved March 19, 2010 from http://cepr.uoregon.edu/UUS_Complete.pdf

2010/03/17 Thoughts on Inquiry Based Learning

Create a blog entry that describes how your thoughts about inquiry based learning have developed over the past week. What new insights have you developed? Has anything changed? Are there any "burning questions" that you feel need to be answered?




Before this class began, I wondered how it would be different from Project Based Learning. Both methods create student centered classrooms and the focus is on answering questions. Even though project based learning has a question to motivate student research, it tends to revolve around projects in the learning process. Inquiry based learning is focused entirely on the questions asked and process of searching for the answer.



In trying to understand the differences, I am particularly drawn to the question process. One of the readings this week listed the Criteria for Problem Question Selection. It follows as:



"1. Is it personally relevant and socially significant? Is the student truly interested in the question?

2. Is it researchable?

3. Is it big enough and small enough?"



(Northern Illinois University)

Making certain that the student is truly interested in the question is the key to making inquiry based learning work.
Inquiry based learning is an exciting idea. I am all for it, but being a naturally inquisitive person I feel very comfortable with the idea. I know far too many teachers who would not so easily welcome such organized chaos into their classrooms. They are so set in the teacher centered method of teaching. I do not know how they can be convinced to even consider the thought.

The greatest question I have is not in getting students to work, I think this is the easy part, but in helping teachers take those first steps in trying inquiry based learning in their classrooms. Can we devise an "easy does it" method for those so unwilling or fearful?
Resources:
Northern Illinois University. Retrieved March 15, 2010 from http://www.neiu.edu/~middle/Modules/science%20mods/amazon%20components/AmazonComponents2.html#components

2009/08/02 Differentiation Website Reviews

JamStudio Rating: 5 This site describes itself as a "musical sandbox" and it is just that. It makes songwriting very simple. You are given a staff, choose your meter, choose your key, drop in chord changes, choose tempo, instrument and loops. A great way to experiment with musical ideas and see how they sound. Fun to play with and they offer an education grant that gives teachers a free "all access pass" for their classes to use and learn song structure and the writing process. This is a product based website that gives students an opportunity to apply what they are learning in the music class and share with others. Great site!

dimdim Rating: a possible 4 or 5 depending.... I have not used this site but know others who have and they liked it. One of my son's high school teachers used this site to conduct a study session the night before a test. Their site says it requires no software to install, you can start or join a meeting with just a few clicks, it is free and open source software that is easy to use. After reading all of that I am ready to try it. If it works like it sounds this would be a great way for teachers to have a study session after school or a discussion during a long weekend.

Dangerous Decibels Rating:5 I have to include one more site. Hearing loss is an important topic for our students. With the use of ipods and headphones with our computers, educators must help studens understand how to take care of their hearing. There is an actual museum dedicated to hearing education located in Portland, Oregon but you can visit the Virtual Museum loaded with activities that will teach you about the affects of sound on our hearing. Any teacher who has students using headphones or earbuds should visit this site with their students to learn more about caring for their hearing.

2009/07/31 Differentiation Part 2- Website reviews

I realize that I have website reviews all over the place here and I will organize this all in one post later. But for now here are some additional sites from Week 6 in Differentiation Supported by Technology.

 Primary Games Rating:5 This is a great site. Lots of interactive games and activities based on a variety of subjects. Very colorful and almost too much to choose from. A nice feature though is the Teacher Curriculum Guide that helps teachers find games or activities on the site to match curriculum. There are worksheets to print out and games to play. Many of the games would be good to use on a SmartBoard.

I Know That Rating: 5 Again, another great site with curriculum connections. The teacher guide helps teachers match activities to the subject content. Colorful, fun, easy to navigate around the site.

One important note for most of the game sites. You need to make sure your computer has all the current updates or many of the games will not run properly. Shockwave is used in many games and you don't want to have to wait to download or update these before playing. So check before you explore especially if you have students waiting to play.

2009/07/31 Internet Overload

I really can't remember what the commercial is advertising (sad for the company isn't it?) but in a recent commercial a man "comes to the end of the internet". That is sort of how I feel right now. Not because I cannot find anything else but because I feel as though I am in a vast ocean of web information and I am taking on water. I have all the wonderful sites to keep myself organized like Delicious.com and I follow all the right people on twitter and ning and wherever else but I am fast running out of time in the day to keep up with it all. There comes a point when you have to pull back and center yourself on what works for you and your needs. I think I am at that point. I have digested so much information in the past few months that I don't know how much more I can "swallow". I feel like that man that swallows all the hotdogs on the 4th of July. I am definitely stuffed. When do you know when you have reached your limit but you can still leave some room to sample a little of this or that? At what point do you just stop? I think I need to just regroup.

2009/07/31 Website Reviews

Okay- So here are two sites for this week. Looking at the long list from last week, there are two types listed. Those that are resource based and those that are product based. The first one that I offer here is not quite a resource based site.


Podguides.net (Rating 2) With I-pods showing up everywhere and in everyone’s pocket it won’t be long until you see them accepted fully into the classroom. Podguides.net has directions how to and has free podguides to upload and you can share your own podguides on their site. This isn’t exactly a product based site but the sharing ability lends itself towards that. This would be a great idea for a class to do a tour of their school, neighborhood or town. Posting it on the podguide site would let others download it to use when they are coming to tour. The site offers a download for a Podguide generator that is a bit tricky to get around. A great concept but I would like to see someone do it better and easier for teachers and students.

Pathways to Freedom (Rating 5) This is one of my favorite sites for cross-curriculum studies. This site from the state of Maryland is very well done and has lots of ways to explore the under-ground railroad. Not only can students learn the history and background of the under-ground railroad, but there is a fun place to create and print out your own quilt design. Being a music teacher, I love the music section on slave songs and their meanings. Great recordings here also to listen to. This is a resource based site for the most part but there are a few products that you can create. All in all a very well done site.

2009/07/23 Sites That I Love!

I am not sure who led me to this one but Free Technology for Teachers is a blog that reviews free technology resources for educators and how to use. It also has ideas for integrating technology in education.
I am amazed at the plethora of information here. One thing that just astounds me is the amount of free sharing of ideas that the internet has created. I love it! When we share what we know and love we all benefit. I'll add more to this post as I come across sites of other people with great links and ideas.

2009/07/22 Twitter Part 2

So I have been using Twitter for a few weeks now and I have a different opinion since I first logged on. Let me reiterate though and say that I am still bored with comments about someone's breakfast or shopping trip and I don't always need to know these things. I must confess though that I have occasionally posted something pointless but I think I do it so people will remember the rest of us have lives too that do not exist on Twitter.
Enough of that.

My Twitter thoughts part two. I have discovered that it is WHO you follow on Twitter that makes this a valuable tool. Once you link into the right people, their posts can be filled with information that you would never have discovered on your own. They may spend their ives forever connected electronically, and I am thankful that someone else finds all those great links for me. That is my PLN now. I learn from what these people have to say. I have found interesting sites that offer amazing FREE tools to use in the classroom. I have followed conversations (I feel like I am evesdropping sometimes) or debates on the merits of one educational item or another.

I am trying to get other teachers linked into Twitter so that I can use their brains when I hit a stumbling block on a fresh idea for my classroom. The potential is great for educators to take over Twitter and become one massive sharing of educational ideas, tools, links, the list goes on and on.

So I have a new respect for Twitter. I still don't need to know you are out walking the dog or that your ran from here to there. But do tell me about a cool site or a great idea that will make me a better teacher.

Technology Sources Ratings (5- high 1- low)
Content based
Oswego Interactive Games Rating: 5 - This site has a large amount of links to some wonderful Math games. The long list of games are divided by topic such as counting by 2's, fractions and addition. The site is easy to navigate and offer a fun way to explore math concepts.

Matisse for Kids Rating: 5 - Interactive site that provides a lesson on the art of Henri Matisse. Students learn about the techniques that made the art of Matisse well known. During the interactive lesson, students collect art items to be used in a final creation at the close of the lesson. Students are able to >paint> a picture using Matisse techniques and can print when finished. Nicely done.

NGA Kids Rating: 5 - National Gallery of Art from Washington D.C. site. Amazingly interactive and offers students varied creative ways to explore art. One suggestion would be to make certain that your browser's plugins are current. You may have some technical issues if they are not.

Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids Rating: 3 Government web site for students about governement. Not a very flashy site but full of quick and easy to use information. Simple games and activities for students Parent and Teacher page, many links to other government sites.

HyperHistory Online Rating: 3 Plain but fairly comprehensive site of timelines in history with links to further descriptions. Easy to navigate. Uncomplicated site but provides a good visual of history from year to year with cultural, science, math, political and religious connections.

Volcanoes of the World Rating: 5 A wonderful site on volcanos named after Stromboli volcano in Italy. A wealth of information including photos, movies, virtual field trips, live volcano webcams and data provided mostly from first hand team members of the project. Among the items available you can launch >bombs> from Stromboli's craters which gives students the opportunity to see the effect of angle, speed and size has on the path of the >bomb> from the volcano. Worth the time for anyone interested in volcanos.

Voyage on the Mayflower Rating: 3 Nicely done site by Scholastic for younger students. Not very interactive. Colorful and easy to understand information. For students who prefer to hear a story told there is often the option of listening. Lots of links for further exploration. Also includes a webquest about Thanksgiving. This is probably the best part.

Ology Rating:4 American Museum of Natural History site for kids. Very fun and colorful site about Science. Many activities for younger students. Things to make at home and interactive science lessons. Quick conscise information. Students can also >Ask a Scientist>. No teacher or parent section available that I could find.

Memorial Hall Museum Online Rating:3 Memorial hall Museum Online website. Somewhat tricky to navigate through. Nice teacher section with activities and lessons. Kids section has an informative and interactive section on clothing. Lots of information but not very user friendly for younger students who could get lost navigating around the site.

Product Based Resources

ColeyCast Rating: 5 This will connect you to the class website of Brent Coley, a classroom teacher in California. This is a wonderful site with his class material plus resources for teachers. He shares his how to's to help you incorporate technology in your classroom. Very nice resource.

Museum Box Rating:5 A time capsule online! Students can create a >web> time capsule and include videos, text, images. Based on a box of artifacts of Thomas Clarkson who carried items to protest slavery.

Myths and Legends Rating: 5 Very cool site on story telling. Many stories are here to read and listen to. You can create your own story also. Easy to use and lots of features from recording your own voice to tell the story and adding pictures.

Read Write Think Student Materials Rating: 5 Excellent site by International Reading Association. Student materials include Book cover Creator that lets students create book covers for books they have read or their own writings. Activities have links to lesson plans that use the student materials.

Read Write Think Printing Press Rating: 2 Very basic site. Create simple flyers, booklets, newspapers and brochures. Text only. Useful for introduction in arranging and organizing work in a document. Able to print also.

RealeBooks Rating: 5 Stories to read or create yourself. Free software but upgradable at a cost. Would be great for beginning story writers. Ability to print or upload to own website. Added feature is access to other Reale Libraries from Children's Museum of Denver and countries such as Ghana and Brazil.

Voice Thread Rating: 3 I like the concept of Voice Thread but I give it a 3 primarily for the complexity that it appears to have in getting started. I work with many elementary teachers who simply do not have the time to work their way through the many how to pages. I think this is better suited for high school and up. I do like the interactive features that you have with your collaborators. ***Update***July 2010 rethink VoiceThread. This is great for teachers of all levels to showcase their students' work. Much easier to use than I first thought. New rating: 5

Internet Safety Websites

CyberSmart Rating 3 Nice site with free k-12 curriculum on Internet Safety. Student links, activities.

GetNetWise Rating: 5 Extensive site with many features and information about keeping kids safe on the internet. Great parent education tools.

NetSmartz Rating: 5 Excellent site for students, teachers, parents and law enforcement. Many links and resources for internet safety. Great interactive kids page. Well done videos and lessons on Teen page. This site should be viewed and seen by anyone working with children and the internet.

Content Based- Like the above list of Content Based sites, these sites focus on a particular subject. There are interactive lessons that help students learn along the way.

Classics for Kids One of my favorite sites. From WGUC in Cinncinati Ohio, this site has excellent information on classical composers. Biographies, musical examples, activities, teacher lessons, parent links and more. Every music class room should use this to enhance their curriculum.Excellent resource.

Artopia Wonderful site on the arts. Educational and interactive. Students can view artwork, critique a performance, and comment on it using appropriate vocabulary. Some teacher suggestions on how to use the site.

Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright Easy to use site from the Library of Congress on introducing students to copyright laws.

Product Based- Similar to the Product list above, these sites have an end product that students create either online, download, embed or can print to share with others.

Noteflight This site does require a log in but students are able to notate music, store it, and print it and share with others. Very well done and easy to use.

Kompoz A music collaboration site for virtual bands. It is a social work space for musicians and song writers. Site requires an email to log in. Users of public space invite others to add tracks but owner controls acceptance of tracks. Would be a good for some junior high and higher level students.

There arenumerous websites available that offer collaborative options, games and a variety of learning experiences. Log in to delicious.com to find favorites.

2009/07/10 Twitter

I have been working in Twitter this week and I am still very undecided about it. I read this 100 things you should know or do with twitter article and I really can't agree with all of it. First of all I find nothing more boring that reading about other people sitting in airports, watching ducks or shopping. I just don't really see how knowing that information helps me bond with you. Maybe I don't need to bond with you in that way. Well, not the point here. My point is, useless chatter is just that. I really don't need to hear it. No one does. And I am sure my daily comings and goings don't need to be shared either.

Now from and educators perspective...If...IF twitter were used in a professional way. No mindless chatter. We might find among all that nonsense there is valuable information. Our likes and dislikes are so varied that pooling our knowledge makes us both all the better. I could see Twitter being useful in sharing of ideas, links, and the like.

Twitter could be a quick information tool to parents and students about the workings of the classroom. Sharing homework, studying for tests, working together. This would be a great use of Twitter.

It is not likely that I would ever use for an educational setting with students where I am now. As a communication tool with other teachers? Yes.

I am trying facebook out this summer. I am ready to shut it down though. Not very comfortable with students as my "friends". I don't know how best to handle their friend requests yet. So the jury is still out on Twitter.

2009/07/03 web 2.0 class end of week 2

This has been a flurry of a summer. And my classes have been no less. I really love the whole web 2.0 but it is almost making me a little crazy keeping track of all the sites I have to log in to and read. Which brings me to when is it too much? Personal Learning Networks are great but there comes a point where you have to stop jumping around and settle on just a few. If I had tried to do this during the regular school year I would have neglected something along the way be it class work or my own work for my music classes. Yikes!


In choosing my PLN I struggle between those of general education and all the fantastic things you can learn there and with those sites that offer me music related information. There are some great things happening with technology in music that I can see applied in other areas, not just music. There are so many many talented people offering all they know for the taking. I am so thankful that they have found time to do these things for those of us who can't or don't. I am truly grateful for your efforts. There is just not enought time in the day to do it all.

Pick and choose, pick and choose, but always leave alittle room for dessert.

2009/07/03 Differentiation Supported by Technology

How can you commit yourself to teaching and not consider technology as a tool for differentiation?

2009/07/03 PBL Update

Well I have been out of touch about my PBL. The end of the school year came rushing at me and I failed to post how my PBL worked out. I ended up having my sixth graders research a folk song and then put their findings in a PowerPoint presentation. Once they selected a song, they were to find out where the song originated, tell about the country of origin including geographical information, cultural connections and what the song meant to the people who wrote it. They were to include lyrics they would sing plus they could include alternate lyrics they may have found along the way. Their presentation was to have 10 slides with appropriate pictures and text. The fun part was that we recorded them singing their song and then put that also in their presentation. A reference slide was expected citing all their sources.
We used a collaborative website (Edmodo) for them to post their information for me to see. Their work was peer edited before a final version submitted. It really was a great project. I learned quite a bit from trying this with my students. Here is a list of things I need to review before I do this again, which I most definitely will!
Things to consider-
1. TIME- wow I thought I had set aside enough time but I was wrong. We had 2 months to work but they could have easily used 3 and it would have given them better presentations. I felt they were rushed at the end.
2. Presentation skills- We learned they really don't know HOW to present. Something we will work on next year. They like to just read what is on the slide. Which brings me to...

3. Less is More- my mantra- I kept trying to get them to understand this but they wanted to put paragraphs on the slide. It wasn't until they were presenting them did they see that this was not a good idea. They realized looking at a giant slide full of text was boring.

4. Less is More Part II- Pictures, text, bells and whistles- Ppt is fun. Lots of cool stuff to add HOWEVER when you have to watch it, it becomes different. They also saw during the presentations that all that hoopla really didn't make it fun to watch or listen to.

5. Presenting was part of the learning- Once the kids started showing their ppts they could see what needed to be changed. It really wasn't hard after that to convince them about what I kept saying.

6. Recording- again, time. I didn't leave enough time to make good recordings or to teach them about Audacity.

7. Well that this list is never ending which is why we do it. If we didn't keep learning and trying and doing and redoing, it doesn't get better.
8. PBL is cool. It is fun. The kids were fully engaged. There will be more PBLs in my classes in the coming year.

So my advice to anyone is give it a try. Once you let your students go you will be amazed at what they learn. I consider my dabble in PBL was just a mini version but well worth the try.

2009/04/15 Visit, Review, Consider

Organizing and managing a PBL requires pre-planning and continuous monitoring to ensure the success of a project. In my class room, I see open communication as a helpful tool to manage my students progress in their projects. In class discussions, either with full class participation or sitting with individual groups should be done on a regular basis. Online blog pages or other like pages would give students the opportunity to ask questions they don't want to ask in class or perhaps thought about after school hours. One should not be used exclusively over the other. Both methods have value.


Organizational tools are necessary for both the teacher and student. As a teacher I would need to do advance pre-planning to make sure the process is clear. But I also need to allow for change and adaptation as the students work through the driving question. Flexibility is helpful not only for me as the teacher but also for my students. We should feel comfortable with following the exploration and discovery. However, in the organizational guidelines, students should also understand the checkpoints and deadlines that will keep them moving towards their end result.

Helping students keep their research organized and to follow the organization of the project will make managing the project much easier. Students can again use web 2.0 applications that let them keep their work where the group can easily access it. Google docs provides an easy to use site where all of the material collected can be shared and organized. Clear procedures will help alleviate any behavioral issues that arise and those that do can be handled quickly by diligent monitoring of students.

Project Based Learning will provide students with a marvelous opportunity to discover, explore and learn. It will be a better experience for all if the project is organized and managed by careful pre-planning by the teacher.

2009/04/10 Students Meeting the NETS-S

In this ever flattening world the technology standards for students are helpful in showing how educators can guide their students forward into the 21st century. By employing Web 2.0 applications in the classroom teachers can easily achieve this goal.
Creativity and Innovation
The use of Web 2.0 gives students opportunities to connect with the world as never before. They can see endless possiblities. The answers to questions are no longer found in one place but answers can come from all over the world. Students are able to brainstorm with people from cultures whose perspective can be very different from their own. This in turn willl give them a varied view of ideas in solving prolems and creating new ideas.

Communication and Collaboration
One of the very exciting opportunites of Web 2.0! Students can not only work and share within their group but get a whole class critique as they work through a project. Peer editing and immediate feedback from teachers helps them to continuously rework their ideas, making changes and offering suggestions to others.
Research and Information
Students can now access information immediately. They are able to download and use their research in real time. They can work and discuss ideas with others from around the world and use those thoughts to create their own ideas. This global perspective will give their work a more open view of how they fit in the world. Their work will take on a better representation of the world.
Critical Thinking Skills
Learning how to manage time within a project can be challenging for students. With Web 2.0 they are able to manage projects, see timelines, bring work together with technology all in one place. Deciding where and how projects should be managed and solving those problems that arise with the tools at hand, students will use higher level thinking skills. Web 2.0 collaborative tools help students in this area. They are now in charge of their work. Taking ownership of their work and learning will help them develope their team skills. An essential element of their future world.


Digital Citizenship
To be able to participate in these web 2.0 applications, students will have to abide by rules and procedures set by the class and the school. Students will need to understand this to be part of a web community. They will learn to be responsible and accountable for their work.


Technology operations
Even though web 2.0 applications are easy to navigate, they still require students to have a knowledge of simple computer functions and programs. They will learn to adapt this skills to the sites they work within. The transition to other functions will be easily learned as they navigate through these sites. Teachers must introduce students to these many sites and encourage their use on a regular basis.
Web 2.0 applications make it an easy task to help students meet the teachnology standards. Simply using these sites regularly will give students ample opportunity to explore, create and publish and in turn meet all the standards for technology.

2009/04/10 Your Ideas for Implementation

This assignment was just an amazing trip through the web 2.0 applications. I could have spent days and days playing with all the things available to use. With so many varied web 2.0 applications there seems to be something for everyone. As I perused the many sites the following were the ones I would likely use and hope to incorporate them in my classes.
Communication Tool-
Edmodo was indeed my favorite. I found it easy to navigate and understand. But my main reason for preferring this site was that students do not need an email address to acess the site. My page can be private and all my students need it a code to get in. I like this since there are a few students who do not have a computer at home and only use school computers. My school does not offer student email addresses and I would rather not use their parent's email addresses. As far as a communication tool, we would be able to extend the learning in the classroom and into their homes. An outside discussion forum might give those students who are timid in class an opportunity to share their ideas without the fear of comments from others in school. Because of my limited class time with my students, some of our discussions are cut short. This would help us continue the discussion further and thus extend our learning time together.


Collaborative Tool-
Looking at the many types of web 2.0, my first preference for a site is that it has the ability to be private. The second would be that students do not need an email address to access the site. I really liked GoogleDocs although there were some issues in working with the Powerpoint project. It limits your options in editing a bit. Wikispaces is nice also though a bit slow in the discussion forum end. My choice here to try would be Ning. This has an appearance like a myspace page that students are familiar with. It just looks fun. I also like that the page can be ad free. One of the difficulties with these sites though is that they are blocked at my school. It is not an easy task having that undone. These sites would enable students to work on projects together but without the hassle of working side by side. The ability to edit and share work should make the job easier. This alone should be enough to convince any administration the value of a collaborative web 2.0 application.
Publishing-
Technology gives students such wonderful opportunities to create as they never have before. Once they have unleashed their creativity to have the chance to publish and share with the world their work does more for a child's self esteem than any "A" they could receive. I hope to use Gcast in my classes. I am very interested in pod-casting and would like to implement this. I believe that when students see or hear their work where others do also, they begin to take more pride in what they do. They begin to raise their own level of expectations. I also enjoyed Glogster. Another site I think is just plain fun but offers great privacy and students do not need emails to join. Teachers provide names and passwords. This site offers great control and a nice place to show off what you can do.
Depending on the type of students, class and school system you work in will determine which of the many web 2.0 sites are right for you. Getting around and sampling what you can do is easy. Once you open the door to one of these sites your students will help the class turn it into a great place to work and share ideas.

2009/03/31 Challenges of Global PBL

Project Based Learning (PBL) is an amazing concept gives educators wonderful options and resources to take their students forward in this century. The skills they will practice and hone will make them valuable employees who find connecting to the world as easy as talking to their next door neighbor.
As easy as it is to leap into these projects, there are many possible obstacles to making the working path an easy ride. What I have found in my own work is that those that oversee our internet policies have made it difficult to access certain websites. This makes it very frustrating to find and use websites within the school day. This would require extra time researching websites and making the necessary requests to unblock the pages.
Most of the other components of PBL would require a period of adjustment to "teaching" in a new way. But if we really want to help our students become globally conscious it is imperative that educators try to make those changes. Teachers who are committed to sharing their knowledge and more importantly, sharing the desire to learn, will find no problems in making this shift to using a PBL. I see my challenge in this is not so much with myself, but with other teachers. Being able to show them that this will forever change the way they approach their subject matter will be a bumpy road. There are so many traditionalists and they don't like change!
But I feel that my other great challenge is time. I do not teach a subject that meets every day and it is difficult to assign outside work. Students become apathetic about homework and do not see the need to "keep up" with their assignments for a "specials" class. Although, perhaps, if the assignment were a PBL they will be more excited about their work and research that it won't be an issue. Now there is a thought.....

2009/03/19 Pedagogical justifications for using project-based learning

Exploring the concept of project-based learning (PBL) as a teaching tool has been a strange and exciting path. The further I read and research the premis behind PBL and the outcomes in the classroom, the more excited I become at the thought of how I can use this in my class. It still seems a far off goal for me though with many obstacles along the way. The benefits of using PBL in the classroom are long reaching. The skills that students gain from participating in a quality PBL will carry them far in their schooling and careers. Perhaps is stating the values and benefits of PBL I will be able to come closer to my goal of implementing such a task in my classes.
Suzie Boss and Jane Kraus state the "hallmarks" of this approach. I would like to take a closer look at each of those listed.

- "Projects become the centerpiece of the curriculum- they are not an add-on or extra at the end of a 'real' unit" (Boss, 2007) How often have we seen students spend countless lecture or reading time on a subject and then complete that big building project at the end to show they have learned about the subject? But have they really? Does the end project mean anything to them? Once the project is the main topic, students research, read and learn to create the final project. The project is not just the end result but part of the study to the end. Students will be inspired to ask questions and search for their own answers.

- "Students engage in real-world activities and practice the strategies of authentic disciplines." (Boss, 2007) PBL provides students with the opportunity to bring relevance to a topic of study. They are able to see how what they learn can be applied in their lives and the lives of others. This eliminates the questions of "when will I ever need this?". Students learn skills to carry them forward in their future schooling and careers.

- "Technology is integrated as a tool for discovery, collaboration and communication" (Boss, 2007) PBL gives teachers and students the opportunity to explore beyond their imaginations. They have access to resources never before possible. It is important to note that technology is integrated within the PBL as a partner to the learning process.

- "Students work collaboratively to solve problems that matter to them." (Boss, 2007) The importance of team work cannot be stressed enough. Students will be able to gain the skills of working with others, accepting and challenging their peers, and rethinking their own thoughts. These skills are valuable to their employers in the future. They will need to be able to think creativly and find solutions with their colleagues.

- "Teachers collaborate to design and implement projects that cross geographic boundaries".(Boss, 2007) PBL fully integrates the curriculum of a school. It brings the total education of a child into the process. Teachers are no longer lonely sheep herders but a collaborative group of educators seeking to lift the students under their care into higher level thinking and exploration of the world around them.
The use of PBL will be a new and bumpy road for many educators. The changing of the old ways to new will take time but the benefits far outnumber the negatives. Especially when students are excited and motivated to learn, how can you say no?


Resources:
Suzie Boss & Jane Kraus. Reinventing project-based learning: Your field guide to real-world projects in the digital age. ISTE. 2007.

2009/03/13 Project Based Learning Examples

Project Based Learning has become my new goal in teaching. After viewing the examples in our recent assignment and reading about the opportunities that PBL offers, I am ready to buy into this. It did not take much to convince me that this was a fabulous idea to integrate so much in a lesson/unit.
In each viewed situation, the teachers presented the students with a "problem" or question(s) to start their discovery. Initially I am finding it difficult to narrow down my thoughts to find that "one" question. It would seem to me that there is so much to explore and research I am not sure how they manage to slice it down to one or two items. I think this is where I would have trouble in starting a PBL project. I realize that once you try one it will become easier. I honestly believe though that you will be able to cover and accomplish so much within a curriculum by using a PBL in your class.

The roles of the teacher and student epitomized just what they should be. The teacher as a guide and resource for the students. The students as the explorere and questioner. The projects that involved the older students gave them greater freedom to make their own decisions and discoveries. The younger students were guided through the process but yet were still comfortable with asking questions and not fearful of what the answers may be. The teachers were careful to keep within their boundaries of facilitator and not lead the students where the teacher thinks they should be.

These types of projects let the students learn from themselves, from each other, and from people outside of the classroom. They were exposed to persons who were experts in the field that offered personal insight into the work they were exploring. I feel that this "real world" contribution to the project was one of the most valuable experiences these children could have had. It helped to validate the work and effort they were putting forth in the project. Their learning experience meant something not just to the teacher and the class but someone outside of the project had a voice or opinion to what they were doing.

Viewing these projects has made my mind tick with excitement about how I can do this and how I can help teachers in my school use this. By incorporating a PBL into the classroom any teacher will find success in their students!

2008/11/15 week 3 end

wow- This has been a fun course! I have learned so much from the projects we have done. I think students at all levels would really enjoy everything we have done! My brain is just spinning from thinking about all the possibilities that projects such as these have within the classroom of any subject matter. Each project has taught me about composition, continuity within a "story", editing, clear and concise communication of an idea. My only fear now, after talking with the tech people at my school, is that we do not have the tech support that I thought we had to do all of these projects. Implementing these may be a bit harder than I expected. However, the outcome for my students is well worth the effort.
Wait! I forgot! Last post mentioned that I met Arnie Lang who told me about Allan Molnar. Well I emailed Allan and he emailed me back! That was exciting! I hope to hear from him soon as I would like to try this live internet stuff!

Interview assignment- Digital Storytelling



My school spends the month of November focusing on specific saints each year and then ending the month with a "Saints Game" assembly kind of like the old "what's my line" game. So this interview assignment was perfect timing. Again, I gained new appreciatin for feature film makers in doing this project. I filmed for one hour and edited for 4 hours to get 2 minutes of video! I also had other teachers helping me. One read the questions to my actor, one ran my cue prompter (which by the way is very cool! If you are not familiar with it check it out --> cue prompter ) while I did the filming. Now I know why there are so many people involved in film making!


Since the time that I submitted my interview for a grade it has already gone through changes. I am showing all of you my graded version which after viewing you will understand why I made all the changes in another version. The changes I have made that you don't see include larger font on my question slides, which also appear longer so you can actually read them, some added pictures over top of the video for clarification purposes, and a change of music at the end credits. I could use some differnt shots of my saint and would have preferred that his head and eyes were up more but it would be difficult to arrange to film it again. It now runs longer than 2 minutes but I like my final version much better and have learned so much from doing this.

But the BEST part of all of this.....I showed the interview to some fellow teachers who have become very excited about doing projects in their classes like this one. The religion teacher wants to do video interviews of all the saints and start a mini "library" from year to year so that teachers can use them in their classes when they talk about the saints. Being able to inspire other teachers to integrate projects like this in their classes is better than any grade I could ever get. This is what it is all about!

Digital Storytelling Assignment- Commercial



I took the opportunity of this assignment to creat a commercial for my upcoming Christmas Program. It is a major event at my school and has been a tradition long before I ever began teaching there! Hopefully I will be able to use this on our school website to help advertise and remind parents of the date and time. They seem to forget even though I have been reminding them of the date since September!


As always with these projects I have new respect for film makers. I keep adding to my list of things I have learned. I think my top one is you can never have too many shots! It is amazing how much video and still images you can take and only use 30 seconds worth.


December 2008- Final assignment: Introduction to the recorder

My intent was to create a video that would assist me in introducting beginning recorder playing. I also see this video as an example for my students to create their own videos of the procedures for other instruments we play in class and the proper techniquies. As with all of our projects, this was a blast to create and I learn something new each time. I feel this is such an amazing creative outlet for everyone.

2008/11/10 Week 3 DST

This class is tricky. Fun but definitely stretching my abilities! There are so many options when creating a movie. Almost too many. It is hard when you are beginning to select just the right transitions, the right effects, anything. And then of course there is speech and music and titles.....it just goes on and on.


Well off the topic but right on the topic. I met some amazing people this weekend. I attended the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Austin, Texas. While there I met Morris "Arnie" Lang. He is a noted musician and composer but has been involved with doing some internet/video conferencing type clinics. We talked about a friend of his Allan Molnar who is one the pioneers in this area. I then attened a session on using video conferencing and internet courses (like this one). There was so much intelligence in that room I was overwhelmed. I spoke to them afterwards and asked them to remember the simple classroom teacher who would love to do these things but that we need it simple, quick and user friendly. They appreciated my thoughts but I fear they will always be above our basic classrooms.


Digital Storytelling assignment: The Door Scene


To create the door scene I spent a lot of time considering different approaches. I wanted to make sure I took pictures from different sides of my subject. I tried to think about the "rule of thirds" but it was hard! I also had to keep reminding myself to try a different angle. This was a fun project and my daughter (my frightened subject!) and I giggled throughout

2008/11/04 DST week 2

Wow...this is going by very fast. Well I just finished my introduction video for this class. There are some things that could have worked better but I don't have the time to play with it much more. I have already put in far more time than I should have! I find that movie maker isn't allowing me to "fine" edit. I would like to slow it down and find the exact second of framing and edit at that point. That is what created the glitches in my movie. I love learning all these new skills but it still comes down to how can I translate this all in to a method that even my most stubborn colleague can adapt to with some level of ease. Hopefully I will figure that all out as I go along.

2008/10/26 Digital Storytelling

Well I have started class no. 2 of my journey to a Masters degree. The last 7 weeks have been a blur. I have learned so much and there is so much to learn! I am not afraid of the "learn as I go" approach and I certainly am not afraid to run for help either but sometimes the amount of technology out there is a bit overwhelming. Not being a tech degreed person I don't have the same comfort level of many of my classmates. However I see the vast potential for using all this wonderful technology in our classrooms. And perhaps my lack of knowledge helps me because I am open to any solution! I am not tainted by any prior experience other than my own. So, digital storytelling should be fun. I hope that I will be able to create projects that are of a good quality that I can use and share in my classroom and school.

Digital Storytelling First assignment: Introduction Video


I think this is one of my favcrite assignments, getting to actually see my classmates. When I created my movie, my biggest problem was that I had far too much to say! I knew I wanted to use both video and still images to give the viewer a variety of visual stimulation. If I had spent more time I would have also included some music with my intro but I admit I was pressed for time to complete it.


I had difficulty editing my closing because I didn't stop talking and leave myself enough space to edit it. I definitley have learned something about timing when I videotape things.

2008/10/19 Developing the 5 Minds

Every year I attend the Texas Music Educators Convention in San Antonio, Texas. It is a wonderful opportunnity to refresh myself, gather new ideas, try new things, hear great music, and generally have a great time. I am not sure how many times this has been at convention, but the Technology Institute for Music Educators (TI:ME) http://www.ti-me.org/index.html?jointime.html is often there and will offer clinics. I always try to attend them to pick up any new information that I can use. It is hard sometimes to find things that are adaptable to my classroom but I always look. I never took much interest in joining TI:ME but after this class I have a different perspective on membership. I think this would be a very helpful organization to further my knowledge of using technology in the music classroom. There is within this website a blog section with valuable information. Under another section I can access a number of member created blogs and podcasts. Suddenly I am in this new world. As a digital immigrant trying to shed my "accent", this will help me enter and assimilate in to the world of digital natives.


http://amymburns.musiced.net/

This is one of the blogs that I found from the TI:ME site. She has some great suggestions and even better a link that takes me to a page of 100 Music Education Blogs. It doesn't get much better than that! I can't imagine not being able to find an answer to a question or a new idea to use.
I must agree that the best way to become more familiar with using technology in the classroom is to keep at it and involve my students in discovering it along with me. I think we can have quite a bit of fun creating stories, virtual field trips and the like. Music is a creative field. I must move forward to let my students show their creativity. It is no longer an option to claim there is "no time" to do an activity that involves technology. In good conscience, I must make the time. I do not have to eliminate something I already do, I merely need to do it in a new way. One that lets my students explore their creativity. One that opens their minds to new ideas, new ways to do things, new worlds. First sharing their ideas in our class, with the school and then beyond. Once they begin to explore the world close to home, they will see the greater world open up before them. Their understanding of those who live with them will be better and their world will improve around them. The possibilities are now endless for them to enter this exciting new world.