Thing #7 - Video Resources

I have used the videos from the National Geographic site several times with students in my school as well as videos from the History Channel site as well. The National Geographic site is wonderful for discussions on habitat, flora and fauna and different people around the world. I have used these with 5th grader studying different habitats, students doing research on different animals, and with my first grade classes as they were studying different people groups and cultures around the world.

Likewise, as I have helped to build flipcharts for Ancient History the History channel site was invaluable. I also worked with my 5th graders on projects about American History and used video clips from the History channel. Students are able to manipulate these easily and quickly.

Both of these have search features that are fairly easy to understand and use. I have used them even with kindergarten students. It is imparative that you watch the entire clip as sometimes there are things included that you might not want to use or the clip strays from your subject and might not be the best choice.

The new seach engine that I found is Kool Touch. First please read about it in this article. You will need to scroll down - it is the featured New Search Engine of the month. I am adding a few screen shots.













This is what your search yeilds.

Next you click on the numbers.

When you let go, the video section will open and you can click on a variety of videos on that site that go with your subject search.

This is only one of the many new search engines that are being created.

Thing #6 - I touch Apps

I was very lucky that I was able to work with the I touches and apps this past summer. We downloaded a number of apps and worked with the students using different applications.

How to Install Application on an I Pod Touch

One application that immediately popped into my head was Facebook. I can see the students all using their Facebook application and working on a Facebook page. You could have a class Facebook page. Each student could be assigned a different point of view or persona. They could post comments back and forth in a discussion type format on the Facebook page. Then there would be a written copy of everyones work.

Likewise, because the internet is avaiable on I-touch - I could easily see students working together, researching and collaborating in a wiki on a project. They could be using the internet, a wiki, and an I touch app such as Google Earth to follow a person in history through the steps of their life, to watch butterflies migrate, to look at different types of land forms, and many other ideas.

Additionally, students could use the Weather channel app and the writing app on the I-touch to make a chart of different weather conditions in different areas of the United States. They could also follow the changes in temperature in different towns through out the day. They could then plot their information and see the diferences based on where that area is in the United States or world.

An immediate option is the Skype app. Students could talk and collaborate with a "Skype pal" in another classroom in another state or country.

There are also many brainteaser, puzzle type apps that help create a deeper mathematical understanding through "play." The Dictionary and Thesaurs app uses are evident. But, I think it would be fun when teaching the uses of a dictionary or thesaurs to use the app and I-touch rather than just the book form of each. Students would be drawn to the I-touch and might actually begin to use a dictionary or thesaurus more often.

Of course newspapers can be read on an I-touch app as well. This can make for interesting work on current events in a history class. These are just a few apps and activities that could be done in a library or in a classroom.

Thing #5 - Microblogging

I have been a member of Facebook for some time. Durin the interim - I have reconnected with friends that I knew in Europe through a group that I joined, have been contacted by old classmates and classmates of my brothers and sisters as well as other people from my past that I had lost contact with. Further, I have been able to connect with friends in Africa and Israel throgh Facebook. I am sure the telephone companies HATE these new technology applications. It has probably cut phone uses in a major way.

I think there are many uses for students. It is a wonderful way to stay connected with a large group of far flung friends and family. However, it is also a media that meeds a great deal of monitoring and teaching of students before and while the use it. There are many damaging outcomes if studets are not extremely careful in what they post. This media opens new products that students can create.

As I write this, I sit watching CNN. The story they are currntly reporting is about a woman that angrily twitted about her landlord. She is now being sued by him for defamation and $50,000. This is my concern. Students must be taught how to use this appropriately. Sadly, we hve more and more media opening so quickly that it is almost impossible to teach students appropriate use for all of them - because tomorrow there will be another new one.

While this allows students to make all types of new products - a Facebook page for a book or historical character, it also carries with it a great deal of possible misuse and danger. Students can use this the cheat in class and other activities being completed in class, as well as giving out personal information that can cause great ham in the present and in the future. Sadly because of the picture element everyone uses, privacy issues are also a large concern. The ability to add names to a photo can also cause great problems.

Although Twitter is a different medium, it has much shorter postings and less variety of applications, there are also serious privacy issues that must be resolved. It also leaves issues about use in education. However, an interesting use that I thought might be fun, an interview with a character (historical or book) could be done in either Twitter or Facebook by sending questions and responses. The variety of possibilities goes on and on.

Final note: As a teacher, I can see a variety of practical uses. If my car is at the car repair shop and I have a twitter account, I can add my car repair maan to my twitter stream and he can twit me with cost analysis and problems found rather than having to call me and interrupt my class.

Thing #4 - Teacher Tube, You Tube and School Tube

Within recent years there has been an explosion of possibilities for individuals to post and share information - be that through one of the "tubes", wikis, or a blog. Before movies, etc. were only created by "professionals" and personal movies were shown only to family and friends.

For teachers, although they could use different types of media, sometimes what was available did not truly meet their needs. Now, with the opening of these newish sites, teachers can create what they need for their classes. They can film: clips as they travel, an experiment that they wnat the students to do, or even a class that they teach and then it can be uploaded. This allows students to review the material as needed or the teacher to utilize the material during a class. This expands the types of lessons that teachers are able to share in class. They are also able to share the lessons they create with other teachers.

Likewise, by publishig the work on a site that others can access, studentscan review the work at their leisure. If a studet is absent and the teacher has uploaded a video of the lesson, the student can catch up with their work easily. Also, student travel more often with parents, sometimes missing classwork, this allows the student to make that work up easily no matter where they may be.

The flip side of this is that teachers can also, with permission, publish student work. This work can then be used by other teachers, students, and the general public to learn and enjoy them rather than having a limited audience. This gives purpose to the work that students create.

We are moving slowly and inexorably to the ability to share almost anything we create with the general public as well as a more specific group. This is creating an atmosphere of more connectedness sharply juxtaposed against more individuality at the same time. Students and teachers are finding a wider audience and more media that meets more specific needs is widely available.

A final thought. This is allowing us to truly become lifelong learners with ease. Anyone wit a computer and internet access can constantly be finding new information in many creative and interesting presentations. This far surpasses just books or magazines. Many different formats are available. It is a wonderful development.

Thing #3 - Skype

I believe there are many different uses for Skype in the classroom. One that immediately popped to mind, even before I read any posts or articles, is collaboration. I can see students talking with students in other countries using Skype. There is a butterfly migration project on the internet - how wonderful it would be for teachers and students that are participating in the project to Skype each other, share their information and projects with each other, and track the migration of the butterflies by talking to each other.

Personally, I have used Skype as an educator to participate in conferences with other educators. If we as teachers, benefit from face to face interaction, how much more will our students benefit. The other benefit of Skype, there is no cost. This allows teachers to connect their students to experts in their studies. Where a school might not have the money for a teacher to take students on a field trip, an expert could Skype into the classroom and answer questions students might have as well as impart inforamation that could be immensly helpful. Further, experts who can afford to take thirty mins to an hour to talk with a class might not have two or more hours that it would take to drive to the school, do the talk, and then drive back to work. Businesses are much more likely to encourage such interaction if the time away from work can be cut down - Skype does that. A further benefit of this, our students will be using Skype - or something similar - in their own work environment. This only helps to pave the way. This also encourages collaboration and group projects that will also be a large part of our students working lives.

Thing #2d - Bookr

Here is a copy of my bookr book on Plants.
I think this is a wonderful tool for students to use. They can easily do this instead of a report.
This allows them to pair their words with a picture and make a much fuller representation than just a report would do.

However, and this is a big BUT, because of the way this tool is set up, using pictures from Flickr and limited picture choice at that, you are very limited in what can be done. I first tried to make a project on our Solar System. However, because of the limited picture choice, I was not able to complete that project successfully. This could be very frustrating to students.

Animoto.com

11.5 Thing 2c

I really like animoto. I think animoto is a great choice for students. Kids enjoy making the animotos, they enjoy chosing the different types of music etc. I like the fact that you can make something completely different using the same pictures and music each time. This is an animoto that I created and used as an intro to a study of space. The students really liked this one because of the music. Their attention was really captured.

11.5 Thing 2b

Word Shift is an interesting take on this Word Bubble type of program.

Not only do you get the word cloud but you also get internet websites and pictures that are connected to the word - or put another way the main words become search terms for the internet. Those pop up underneath the word cloud.

Students can use this as a ending project by writing a paragraph about their subject, then entering it into the Word Shift page. I do not like this as much as some of the other programs because the items that come up may actually have nothing to do with the actual subject. However, if this is being used at the beginning of a project, after finding one piece of information this might be used to quickly find other information.

11.5 Thing 2a

The first thing I tried out was the Wordle. I had already worked with it before starting the 11.5. I think it is a great way to create a picture with words.

It is also an interesting way to show important points that have to do with a subject that is going to be studied.

For instance, I think it would be a great overview for the different things you will study in the year. For example:

Math: Fractions, angles, perimeter & area, shapes, greater common denominator, least common multiple. Or, for a student to make a Wordle on a subject they have been studying.

I made this one as an example using the subject of Electicity. A student could make this as a final project showing what they learned during their study.

11.5 Thing 1.

As I love Lee Lafever's stuff - I thought this was great. It was fun to see a student use his format.

Anytime you are teaching someone something that has to do with technology, that format really seems to work well. It is straight to the point, step by step, and very easy to follow.

I am so ready to get this thing off the ground and started.