OK. I am digging this Hedron text. I so like that He offers specific lessons which teachers can use - right down to assessment questions.
Before he gets into that in this chapter on podcasting, Hedron (2008) offers some advice to teachers who have not experimented with podcasting yet, and it really is great advice for any new technology. First, before a teacher can have students create a podcast, he/she must be very familiar with a podcast. He/she should subscribe to them and listen to them. Next, the teacher must consider the school's acceptable use policy. Posting anything online can be dangerous business. Students must be reminded to not use their full names or offer any other personal information.
With that said, Hedron offers several ideas for podcasting in the classroom. The most obvious use would be a news cast. Some others are book reviews, end-of-unit reports, career interviews, or foreign language interviews. What I like most about these lessons is that Hedron gives resources to use every step of the way. Hedron offers podcast planning sheets, step-by-step procedures, and assessment questions. What I like overall about the podcast is the fact that in order for students to do an adequate job, they must do some research and create an actual script. So a podcast lesson is multifaceted. Then there is the idea of having an actual audience. I agree that it would encourage students to do a better job. They don't want to look or sound like idiots.
There really is a lot that we have read this semester that I could connect this information to, but I feel like I have said it all already. Of course there are several elements of podcasting that show the qualities of MLT - collaboration, real-life connections (authentic work), intentionality, active inquiry, etc. I could get into the levels of understanding technology. Clearly to work with podcasts, one would have to be at least at the appropriation stage. Because podcasts are so new to students, teachers would have to have such a level of understanding.
At any rate, I hope that in my free time (ha...so much of it, remember?), I can become familiar with podcasts so that I can incorporate their use into my classes and my book club.
Hedron, J. (2008). RSS for educators: Blogs, newsfeeds, podcasts, and wikis in the classroom. Eugene, OR: ISTE.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Horizon Report - 2009
This report was awesome - current, relevant, and useful. Like many other sources we have read this year, this report points out that the best learning with technology incorporates real-life experience. However, the report states that this kind of learning "is not occurring enough and is undervalued when it does take place." (2009). The first thing I did was write "standards" in the margin. Then soon after, I read Kleiman's follow-up article (2004) in which he states, "The focus on standardized testing as the sole measure of success by students, teachers, and schools has cuased many educators to focus on how technology can be used to increase scores, rather than how they can best prepare children for their lives in the 21st century." EXACTLY! Schools are missing the boat on how to best use technology. However, the Horizon Report looks at the technology of the future and how schools might utilize that technology.
The horizon report:2009, k-12 edition. (2009). The New Media Consortium. Retrieved December 3, 2009 from http://nmc.org/pdf/2009-Horizon-Report-k-12.pdf
Kleiman, G.M. (2004). Myths and realities about technology in k-12 schools: Five years later. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education 4(2), 248-53. Retrieved December 3, 2009 from http://www.citejournal.org/articles/v4i2seminal2.pdf.
The report lists six technologies and how they might impact schools. Some of those technologies are readily available now, while others are in beginning stages of development and use.
The first is collaborative environments. The report says that this will have a significant impact within a year or less. With sites such as google docs, all this one will take is teacher training. Collaboration is an important element of mlt.
The second is online communication tools, which students use all the time for social reasons. Now, to take that energy and use it for education!
The third is mobiles. The students who have phones are getting younger and younger. My 8-year-old is begging for one and can't seem to wrap his head around the fact that I was 30 when I got my first phone! At any rate, the mobile phones these days are really amazing. GPS, internet, kindle for my iphone, the app choices are just about endless. This is another tool that teenagers would respond really well to in classroom use.
The fourth is cloud computing, which basically allows the user to use applications with ample online storage space very cheaply (or free). The online tools readily available to students these days are amazing. My wiki just on the presentation tools alone does not even scratch the surface.
The fifth is SMART objects. I thought immediately of the smart board here, but it appears that is just the beginning.
The last is the personal web. No longer do we just visit sites. We can now tailor the internet to our own personal needs and interests. Google home pages, delicious book marks that keep track of our every online whim.
What I liked most about this article was the list after list of resources a teacher could use to further explore any of these technologies. You can bet in my free time (I have so much of it!) I will begin to check out some of these sites and create my own list on delicious!
The horizon report:2009, k-12 edition. (2009). The New Media Consortium. Retrieved December 3, 2009 from http://nmc.org/pdf/2009-Horizon-Report-k-12.pdf
Kleiman, G.M. (2004). Myths and realities about technology in k-12 schools: Five years later. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education 4(2), 248-53. Retrieved December 3, 2009 from http://www.citejournal.org/articles/v4i2seminal2.pdf.
The report lists six technologies and how they might impact schools. Some of those technologies are readily available now, while others are in beginning stages of development and use.
The first is collaborative environments. The report says that this will have a significant impact within a year or less. With sites such as google docs, all this one will take is teacher training. Collaboration is an important element of mlt.
The second is online communication tools, which students use all the time for social reasons. Now, to take that energy and use it for education!
The third is mobiles. The students who have phones are getting younger and younger. My 8-year-old is begging for one and can't seem to wrap his head around the fact that I was 30 when I got my first phone! At any rate, the mobile phones these days are really amazing. GPS, internet, kindle for my iphone, the app choices are just about endless. This is another tool that teenagers would respond really well to in classroom use.
The fourth is cloud computing, which basically allows the user to use applications with ample online storage space very cheaply (or free). The online tools readily available to students these days are amazing. My wiki just on the presentation tools alone does not even scratch the surface.
The fifth is SMART objects. I thought immediately of the smart board here, but it appears that is just the beginning.
The last is the personal web. No longer do we just visit sites. We can now tailor the internet to our own personal needs and interests. Google home pages, delicious book marks that keep track of our every online whim.
What I liked most about this article was the list after list of resources a teacher could use to further explore any of these technologies. You can bet in my free time (I have so much of it!) I will begin to check out some of these sites and create my own list on delicious!
Myths and realities
I really enjoyed reading the two articles about the myths and realities of using technology in the classroom. It seems to me that school districts have always liked to brag about how much technology they have, but really how many computers a school has is really no measure of how much or how well that technology is actually being used. So I thought Kleiman was right on not only with the myths but also with the reevaluation five years later.
Myth 1 - Putting computers in schools improves learning - more computers = more learning (2001).
Insightful...it seems that Kleiman was right about the barriers school districts face - in his 1999 article and the one five years later. He says that the computers might be there, but they are not necessarily being used "in ways that enhance teaching and learning." It's true. Perhaps computers are used for reward time or for skills drills, but they have much greater potential. In his 2004 article, Kleiman mentions a new development that seems to be having an effect on computer use - the No Child Left Behind Act. That's a huge influence.
When we looked at MLT earlier in the semester, there was an emphasis placed on making connections between learning and real life. We also discussed alternative ways to assess student work. The recent emphasis on standardized tests seems to be in complete opposition to the ideas of MLT. I look around my district, and I see that these tests have influenced technology use in a negative way. Computers are used, all right, but they are used for standardized testing practice. Students in grades 9 - 12 take Scantron tests four times a year. Now I will say that it is pretty handy that a student can take a test, and I can see a result immediately that compares their score with what is considered proficient on the PSSA. I can see immediately which skills the students need to work on. However, if they do not score proficient, what do they get? More computer skill work. So the technology is helpful, but is it meaningful for the students? Probably not. They are using it for skill drill instead of making real life connections.
On the other hand, I have to say that as much as our district places an emphasis on testing, they also see the value of MLT. I just attended a smartboard training yesterday (not that I actually HAVE a smartboard!). Even though last year was the final year of the Classrooms for the Future grant, our district chose to continue to pay for the CFF coach, who is a teacher in our district. He is doing his best to help the teachers in the district to use the technology they have received in the best way. He offers training on some of the latest technological tools, many times one on one. It is also wonderful that he is a teacher in the district. Not only does he have the necessary knowledge of the district and its students, but he will still be around once his position as coach ends. And hopefully by then, he will have trained some other "experts" in the schools.
So I have some mixed feelings about computer use in our school. Although the goundwork is there, we have a long way to go. We are not using technology to its full potential.
Kleiman, G.M. (2000) Myths and realities about technology in k-12 schools. LNT perspectives. Retrieved December 2, 2009 from http://www.edtechleaders.com/documents/myths.pdf
Kleiman, G.M. (2004) Myths and realities about technology in k-12 schools: Five years later. Contemporary issues in technology and teacher education, 4(2), 248-53. Retrieved December 3, 2009 from http://www.citejournal.org/articles/v4i2seminal2.pdf
Myth 1 - Putting computers in schools improves learning - more computers = more learning (2001).
Insightful...it seems that Kleiman was right about the barriers school districts face - in his 1999 article and the one five years later. He says that the computers might be there, but they are not necessarily being used "in ways that enhance teaching and learning." It's true. Perhaps computers are used for reward time or for skills drills, but they have much greater potential. In his 2004 article, Kleiman mentions a new development that seems to be having an effect on computer use - the No Child Left Behind Act. That's a huge influence.
When we looked at MLT earlier in the semester, there was an emphasis placed on making connections between learning and real life. We also discussed alternative ways to assess student work. The recent emphasis on standardized tests seems to be in complete opposition to the ideas of MLT. I look around my district, and I see that these tests have influenced technology use in a negative way. Computers are used, all right, but they are used for standardized testing practice. Students in grades 9 - 12 take Scantron tests four times a year. Now I will say that it is pretty handy that a student can take a test, and I can see a result immediately that compares their score with what is considered proficient on the PSSA. I can see immediately which skills the students need to work on. However, if they do not score proficient, what do they get? More computer skill work. So the technology is helpful, but is it meaningful for the students? Probably not. They are using it for skill drill instead of making real life connections.
On the other hand, I have to say that as much as our district places an emphasis on testing, they also see the value of MLT. I just attended a smartboard training yesterday (not that I actually HAVE a smartboard!). Even though last year was the final year of the Classrooms for the Future grant, our district chose to continue to pay for the CFF coach, who is a teacher in our district. He is doing his best to help the teachers in the district to use the technology they have received in the best way. He offers training on some of the latest technological tools, many times one on one. It is also wonderful that he is a teacher in the district. Not only does he have the necessary knowledge of the district and its students, but he will still be around once his position as coach ends. And hopefully by then, he will have trained some other "experts" in the schools.
So I have some mixed feelings about computer use in our school. Although the goundwork is there, we have a long way to go. We are not using technology to its full potential.
Kleiman, G.M. (2000) Myths and realities about technology in k-12 schools. LNT perspectives. Retrieved December 2, 2009 from http://www.edtechleaders.com/documents/myths.pdf
Kleiman, G.M. (2004) Myths and realities about technology in k-12 schools: Five years later. Contemporary issues in technology and teacher education, 4(2), 248-53. Retrieved December 3, 2009 from http://www.citejournal.org/articles/v4i2seminal2.pdf
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Presentation tools
Okay, so I am trying to come up with topics for my blog, and doing an entry on the wiki I created might be a stretch. However, I did spend hours and hours and hours creating it and researching for it, so I don't feel bad. In addition to learning more about each technology, I learned a few other valuable lessons.
First and foremost, no matter how easy these tools claim to be, it is absolutely imperative that a teacher makes a presentation of her own using it before attempting to have students use the technology. There are so many little things I learned about each site that I would not know otherwise. For example, register on these sites first. Can you use them without registering? Yes, in many cases. However, when you do that, it really is just for testing it out purposes. You can not normally save, publish, or embed without registering. And then, if you've created something you like, you run the risk of losing it.
Uploading takes time! I would suggest, if possible, saving the images you will need in one file before uploading, maybe on the desktop or on a flash drive. Having everything in one place, and having only the images you will be using, will be a time-saver. And also, having this file in place will also ensure adequate pre-planning. The last thing you want students doing is searching and searching for images (which they will do all day long if you let them) at the same time they are trying to put together a presentation.
By creating presentations myself, I realize just how long it will probably take students. Now I know that kids these days are technologically savvy, yet some of these presentations took me hours, simple as they are. Now I could do one much more quickly, but our students will be in the same learning situation. Certainly, I will be in the position to create wonderful step-by-step directions, and I will be able to give them hints and tips about using the technology, but when it comes right down to it, they will have to learn for themselves the best way they can. It will take more time than I expect.
All of that said, I do believe that it will absolutely worth it to have students using some of these technologies. Look below for others who feel the same way:
First and foremost, no matter how easy these tools claim to be, it is absolutely imperative that a teacher makes a presentation of her own using it before attempting to have students use the technology. There are so many little things I learned about each site that I would not know otherwise. For example, register on these sites first. Can you use them without registering? Yes, in many cases. However, when you do that, it really is just for testing it out purposes. You can not normally save, publish, or embed without registering. And then, if you've created something you like, you run the risk of losing it.
Uploading takes time! I would suggest, if possible, saving the images you will need in one file before uploading, maybe on the desktop or on a flash drive. Having everything in one place, and having only the images you will be using, will be a time-saver. And also, having this file in place will also ensure adequate pre-planning. The last thing you want students doing is searching and searching for images (which they will do all day long if you let them) at the same time they are trying to put together a presentation.
By creating presentations myself, I realize just how long it will probably take students. Now I know that kids these days are technologically savvy, yet some of these presentations took me hours, simple as they are. Now I could do one much more quickly, but our students will be in the same learning situation. Certainly, I will be in the position to create wonderful step-by-step directions, and I will be able to give them hints and tips about using the technology, but when it comes right down to it, they will have to learn for themselves the best way they can. It will take more time than I expect.
All of that said, I do believe that it will absolutely worth it to have students using some of these technologies. Look below for others who feel the same way:
- "Google Docs is on its way to becoming a "ubiquitous" application in many high schools and colleges, one that is in such wide use that it is assumed that most know how to use it. Is it ubiquitous in your school?" (Resenfelde, 2008).
- About animoto: "little visual masterpieces for your website or blog. In a word, they look nothing short of terrific." (Graham, 2007)
"As a video producer in a former life, I was honestly blown away at the quality of the video produced...For being automated, the video produced is quite sophisticated and individual. The edits and effects are appropriate to the music's pacing and personality. " (Maltais, 2008) - About wordle: " Imagine providing students with a whole new perspective on information, revealing key concepts and patterns previously unseen, all using this simple tool." (Foote, 2009).
- About jog the web: "Now by using the Jog the Web designed tracks within my WebQuests, I have a much more precise way to differentiate the multiple pathways students can take in doing their research." (Carpenter, 2009).
- About glogster: From a recent Reuters article: "'Bottom line is that students learn better while having fun,' said James Dachos, Education Manager for Glogster EDU. 'Glogster EDU produces a creative, dynamic and innovative digital outlet that captures a learner's excitement for online creations, while keeping them engaged in course content. That makes teaching and learning fun for everyone.'" (2009).
(2009). About animoto. Retrieved from http://animoto.com/company/
Carpenter, D. (2009, January 7). Jog the web 2.0 tool. U tech tips Retrieved from http://www.utechtips.com/jog-the-web20-tool/
Connelly, A. (2009, Sept. 30). Glogster EDU launches EDU.Glogster.com to take its education technology to the next level. Reuters. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS130538+30-Sep-2009+BW20090930
Foote, C. (2009). It's a Mad, Mad Wordle. School Library Journal, 55(7), 32-34. http://search.ebscohost.com
Maltais, M. (2008, Dec. 23). Appiphilia: Animoto lets iPhone users create videos in minutes. Los Angeles times: Technology. Retrieved from http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2008/12/animoto-iphone.html
Rosenfeld, E. (2008). Useful Web 2.0 tools for teachers and students. Teacher Librarian, 35(4), 72. http://search.ebscohost.com
Graham, J. (2007, Oct. 1). Here's a cool twist on slideshows. USA today: Technology live. Retrieved from http://blogs.usatoday.com/technologylive/2007/10/heres-a-cool-tw.html
Wikis - classroom applications
Another Hedron chapter that gives practical ideas on using technology in the classroom - yay! The very first suggestion talks about having a class or even an entire school project in which students create their own version of wikipedia - their own encyclopedia of knowledge. I'm not sure about this idea. I like it to an extent - it would be kindof cool to have a class encyclopedia of the vocabulary words or something. And...it certainly would be an outstanding lesson to students on the evaluation of information. ANYONE can put information on the web. Hedron offers several examples of possible topics for a school knowledge base. It does sound like a great project - imagine the entire school collaborating on one project. However, there are challenges. How do you get every teacher to agree to be a part of it? And maintaining the site would be a huge challenge.
The second idea clearly illustrates that Hedron is a MAN. He suggests using a wiki to keep track of personal nutrition choices - food choices, exercise, body weight. Are you kidding me? Those are things girls or even grown women would not want to publicly broadcast. Yikes, Mr. Hedron!
Idea 3 - Using a wiki to showcase writing. A good idea, as long as the writing is not too personal. Writing with the end goal of publication would make a student do his/her best. Plus there is the bonus of feedback.
Idea 4 - developing a classroom constitution. Middle school kids would eat this up!
Idea 5 - using in a math class. Students create a real life situation that includes a math problem. Then students post the math problem on one page and the solution on another. I think this is wonderful. First, it gets a math class to use wikis. Second, students will understand word problems much more when they practice developing their own.
Idea 6 - Creative writing. Students write a story with several possible twists and endings. Great creative writing idea - even better for cooperative learning.
What I like about the Hedron text is that not only does he give practical applications of the technology, but he also offers procedures and assessments for each lesson.
Another thing I like about this Hedron text is that it seems to exemplify many of the ideas we read about in the Ashburn and Floden text. In chapter 1 of that text, Ashburn (2006) points out six characteristics of meaningful learning using technology. Without really even giving it much thought, all of Hedron's ideas from this chapter can show most of those characteristics. For example, content centrality asks that the task relate to the big ideas of the class, to clearly relate to the class' goals. All of these ideas would do that. They would also involve authentic work. Even the math idea asks students to come up with a real life situation. All ideas involve active inquiry. The students are using the wiki as a tool to actively examine something about the subject area. And lastly, most projects were designed for collaborative work. Awesome!
Hedron, J. (2008). RSS for educators: Blogs, newsfeeds, podcasts, and wikis in the classroom. Eugene, OR: ISTE.
The second idea clearly illustrates that Hedron is a MAN. He suggests using a wiki to keep track of personal nutrition choices - food choices, exercise, body weight. Are you kidding me? Those are things girls or even grown women would not want to publicly broadcast. Yikes, Mr. Hedron!
Idea 3 - Using a wiki to showcase writing. A good idea, as long as the writing is not too personal. Writing with the end goal of publication would make a student do his/her best. Plus there is the bonus of feedback.
Idea 4 - developing a classroom constitution. Middle school kids would eat this up!
Idea 5 - using in a math class. Students create a real life situation that includes a math problem. Then students post the math problem on one page and the solution on another. I think this is wonderful. First, it gets a math class to use wikis. Second, students will understand word problems much more when they practice developing their own.
Idea 6 - Creative writing. Students write a story with several possible twists and endings. Great creative writing idea - even better for cooperative learning.
What I like about the Hedron text is that not only does he give practical applications of the technology, but he also offers procedures and assessments for each lesson.
Another thing I like about this Hedron text is that it seems to exemplify many of the ideas we read about in the Ashburn and Floden text. In chapter 1 of that text, Ashburn (2006) points out six characteristics of meaningful learning using technology. Without really even giving it much thought, all of Hedron's ideas from this chapter can show most of those characteristics. For example, content centrality asks that the task relate to the big ideas of the class, to clearly relate to the class' goals. All of these ideas would do that. They would also involve authentic work. Even the math idea asks students to come up with a real life situation. All ideas involve active inquiry. The students are using the wiki as a tool to actively examine something about the subject area. And lastly, most projects were designed for collaborative work. Awesome!
Ashburn, E. & Floden, R. (Eds.). (2006). Meaningful learning using technology: What educators need to know and do. New York: Teacher’s College
Hedron, J. (2008). RSS for educators: Blogs, newsfeeds, podcasts, and wikis in the classroom. Eugene, OR: ISTE.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Blogging with Students
The Hedron chapter, Blogging with Students, offers many practical suggestions about how to utilize blogs in the classroom. Each suggestion is really an entire lesson plan, complete with procedures and assessments.
The first suggestion is my favorite - using blogging for closure. This works especially well if you have class in a computer lab (or the library :) ). When I think of blogging, I am reminded of journaling, and this use seems to exemplify that. When I was planning lessons, the idea of real, meaningful closure was one of the most difficult parts of planning. Used in this sense, the students reflect on the lesson at the end of the period. Their reflections serve not only to evaluate their learning for the day but can also serve as an anticipatory set for the next day.
What I liked most was the set of questions in this chapter of Hedron:
Hedron, J. (2008). RSS for educators: Blogs, newsfeeds, podcasts, and wikis in the classroom. Eugene, OR: ISTE.
The first suggestion is my favorite - using blogging for closure. This works especially well if you have class in a computer lab (or the library :) ). When I think of blogging, I am reminded of journaling, and this use seems to exemplify that. When I was planning lessons, the idea of real, meaningful closure was one of the most difficult parts of planning. Used in this sense, the students reflect on the lesson at the end of the period. Their reflections serve not only to evaluate their learning for the day but can also serve as an anticipatory set for the next day.
What I liked most was the set of questions in this chapter of Hedron:
- What confused me about today's lesson?
- Summarize the main points about today's lesson?
- What new stuff did you learn today?
- Write the most important aspect of what you learned today.
- Based on what you learned, what do you need to review before you feel you understand it today?
I would think that students could pick a few of these every day. To expect them to answer all five would take some time. Not that taking time to reflect on learning is bad, but in a 40 minute class, I really would not want to devote more than 5 or so on closure.
I also liked the idea of using a blog as an art or reading portfolio. As an art portfolio, each entry could focus on one piece of the student's work. There would then be the opportunity for other students to critique or comment. Using the blog as a writing tool, students could either work with a partner or small group to compose a story, each contributing entries. A student could also use a blog as a creative writing portfolio, building stories or having each entry be a different piece of poetry or writing sample.
Blogging with students is a great idea. Anytime students realize that their work will be public, they are encouraged to do their best. However, having students publish their work on the web also brings up several other points, centering around how to do this safely and responsibly. I think that each school should have some sort of social media policy that students should be taught and expected to follow.
Ellyssa Kroski's article, Should your library have a social media policy (2009), offers several things to consider when drafting one. Even though most of the suggestions seem to be business-based, many can be applied in the library as well:
- use a disclaimer - the opinions are your own...not the school or the district or whatever
- do not share private information
- respect copyright
- respect other students and staff
- avoid online fights
- make sure the information you post is accurate
- use good judgment
- provide something valuable
Students do not always understand the ramifications of posting something online. A policy that they must follow will ensure safe and responsible blogging.
Hedron, J. (2008). RSS for educators: Blogs, newsfeeds, podcasts, and wikis in the classroom. Eugene, OR: ISTE.
Kroski, E. (2009). Should Your Library Have a SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY?. School Library Journal, 55(10), 44-46. Retrieved from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts database.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Ashburn and Floden - Chapter 8
I am glad that I chose this chapter from the text. I actually thought it was one of the most important chapters in the text. It made me think a lot about the levels of technology understanding and what the district can do to help facilitate MLT.
Three levels of proficiency:
Mechanical – superficial understanding, teacher follows steps only, no experimenting
Meaningful – gain awareness of how the technology works but not creativity in using it
Generative – deep understanding of new technology, using it in new and creative ways
No matter what technology we learn, we all start out at the mechanical level. The more we use technology, we move to the other levels - meaningful and generative. The generative level is certainly the goal. It is at that level that the user is controlling the technology for his own purposes.
These three levels seem to correspond to teaching with technology - five stages of evolution:
Entry stage – mechanical understanding, problems with discipline, resource management, frustration.
Adoption stage – more fluency and awareness of technology’s functions
Adaption stage – technology incorporated into teaching, improved efficiency, changes in student learning and engagement. It seems that this stage corresponds to the meaningful level of proficiency.
Appropriation and Invention stages – generative knowledge, new instructional patterns, creative uses of technology.
It is the hope that teachers would be able to move into that last stage. Again, it is at this stage that teachers are using technology efficiently and creatively. However, in order for that to happen, it seems that certain other things must happen in a district, namely with professional development. This chapter also focused on suggestions for districts implementing successful professional development.
It is with that thought in mind that I chose to ask students in the class what their experiences have been with professional development. Unfortunately, all but two or three students in the class talked about how professional development sessions were basically pointless. Ouch. It just seems like school districts have certain expectations about what teachers should be doing regarding technology, but many are not offering the support to help teachers become successful. It seems to me that many teachers who enjoy technology take it upon themselves to teach themselves what they need to know. And of course, it is those teachers who will become the leaders in their schools, becoming also the much needed support for the other teachers.
Thankfully, in my district right now, we have a Classrooms for the Future technology coach. We did not get into the program until the third and final year of the grant, but my district is keeping the coach's position in the district. And he is wonderful.
Classrooms for the future has been a great program in our schools. Through this grant, many teachers in the high schools have been given laptops, smartboards, and projectors. The goals of the program are as follows (as stated on the CFF page on the PDE website):
• recognizing and embracing the need for high school reform,
• enabling teachers to use technology as an effective tool for educating students, and
• preparing students to enter and successfully compete in the ever-expanding high-tech global marketplace.
The instructional coach's job is to not only assist teachers in learning the technology but to also "work with teachers to ensure that their lessons and projects are about rigorous, relevant curriculum rather than about the technology. " So this coach must not only know a lot about technology but must also be able to work within the curriculum of each subject area.
I am looking forward to going back to school and working with this coach so that if his job is ever dissolved, then I can be of assistance to the teachers in my building. I think that librarians have a responsibility to be knowledgeable about the technology being used in their buildings.
Ashburn, E. & Floden, R. (Eds.). (2006). Meaningful learning using technology: What educators need to know and do. New York: Teacher’s College.
Commonwealth of PA. (2009). About CFF. Pennsylvania Department of Education: Education hub. Retrieved from http://www.edportal.ed.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/classrooms_for_the_future/475/about_cff/202788
Three levels of proficiency:
Mechanical – superficial understanding, teacher follows steps only, no experimenting
Meaningful – gain awareness of how the technology works but not creativity in using it
Generative – deep understanding of new technology, using it in new and creative ways
No matter what technology we learn, we all start out at the mechanical level. The more we use technology, we move to the other levels - meaningful and generative. The generative level is certainly the goal. It is at that level that the user is controlling the technology for his own purposes.
These three levels seem to correspond to teaching with technology - five stages of evolution:
Entry stage – mechanical understanding, problems with discipline, resource management, frustration.
Adoption stage – more fluency and awareness of technology’s functions
Adaption stage – technology incorporated into teaching, improved efficiency, changes in student learning and engagement. It seems that this stage corresponds to the meaningful level of proficiency.
Appropriation and Invention stages – generative knowledge, new instructional patterns, creative uses of technology.
It is the hope that teachers would be able to move into that last stage. Again, it is at this stage that teachers are using technology efficiently and creatively. However, in order for that to happen, it seems that certain other things must happen in a district, namely with professional development. This chapter also focused on suggestions for districts implementing successful professional development.
It is with that thought in mind that I chose to ask students in the class what their experiences have been with professional development. Unfortunately, all but two or three students in the class talked about how professional development sessions were basically pointless. Ouch. It just seems like school districts have certain expectations about what teachers should be doing regarding technology, but many are not offering the support to help teachers become successful. It seems to me that many teachers who enjoy technology take it upon themselves to teach themselves what they need to know. And of course, it is those teachers who will become the leaders in their schools, becoming also the much needed support for the other teachers.
Thankfully, in my district right now, we have a Classrooms for the Future technology coach. We did not get into the program until the third and final year of the grant, but my district is keeping the coach's position in the district. And he is wonderful.
Classrooms for the future has been a great program in our schools. Through this grant, many teachers in the high schools have been given laptops, smartboards, and projectors. The goals of the program are as follows (as stated on the CFF page on the PDE website):
• recognizing and embracing the need for high school reform,
• enabling teachers to use technology as an effective tool for educating students, and
• preparing students to enter and successfully compete in the ever-expanding high-tech global marketplace.
The instructional coach's job is to not only assist teachers in learning the technology but to also "work with teachers to ensure that their lessons and projects are about rigorous, relevant curriculum rather than about the technology. " So this coach must not only know a lot about technology but must also be able to work within the curriculum of each subject area.
I am looking forward to going back to school and working with this coach so that if his job is ever dissolved, then I can be of assistance to the teachers in my building. I think that librarians have a responsibility to be knowledgeable about the technology being used in their buildings.
Ashburn, E. & Floden, R. (Eds.). (2006). Meaningful learning using technology: What educators need to know and do. New York: Teacher’s College.
Commonwealth of PA. (2009). About CFF. Pennsylvania Department of Education: Education hub. Retrieved from http://www.edportal.ed.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/classrooms_for_the_future/475/about_cff/202788
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Ashburn and Floden Chapter 3 - WISE project
As I read this chapter, what I noticed most was how much the details of the WISE project connected to the other readings for this class. I say that also after already having read and outlined chapter 8 in this text. I might add that I think the chapter 8 reading would be better at the beginning of this text.
The WISE project is a science computer-based inquiry project in which students can take part in a variety of different lessons. The first major connection I made was between the project and the attributes of Meaningful Learning Using Technology (MLT). Ashburn (2006) describes six attributes of MLT, and this project seems to fulfill all of them:
1. Intentionality - each different lesson in the project had a clearly defined goal, be it examining earthquakes or frogs or whatever.
2. Content centrality - all six teachers used the lessons that tied into their current curriculum and the new content standards.
3. Authentic work - this is the one that jumped out at me as one teacher commented, "They [students] felt the connection between what we do in school and what's currently happening in the world" (Linn, 2006)
4. Active inquiry - the WISE program seemed based on this type of inquiry and helped along by the mentor and the teachers when they encouraged students to find answers to their own questions.
5. Construction of mental models - not quite sure about this one
6. Collaborative work - students worked in pairs and sometimes consulted other groups with their questions.
So, clearly, the WISE program is a good example of MLT, yet I think it is possible to have a good program not successfully implemented. Actually, this program had a rough start - several months of not connecting successfully. Yet, at the end of the second year, even the most skeptical of the involved teachers noted some major benefits of the program. What was the key to the success is actually described in chapter 8 of the Ashbunr and Floden text, "Fostering Meaningful Teaching and Learning with Technology: Characteristics of Effective Professional Development."
The chapter (8) ends with recommendations for districts concerning successful implementation of MLT (Zhao, Frank, & Ellefson, 2006). One of the first ones is grouping teachers according to subject or grade level. The WISE project centers around science, and six science teachers in one middle school implemented it. Two other recommendations center around technical support: having school-based technical support, and having an system for instant technical support. The biggest source of technical support for these teachers was a retired teacher that acted as a mentor. Not only did he model teaching the first lesson of the units, but clearly from the teachers' responses, he was there to help with every technical problem that arose. Eventually, in the second year of the program, teachers became more comfortable with the technical aspects. But I wonder how successful the implementation of the WISE program would have been without this man.
It was also interesting to read of the two-year progression of the WISE program and compare it to the five-stage evolution of teaching with technology. It was clear that in the beginning of the program that the teachers were at the entry stage. With only a mechanical understanding of the technology, the teachers seemed to suffer a certain frustration level. Also important to them was the modeling of the mentor. The teachers seemed to quicky move to the adoption and adaption stages since after the first unit, the teachers quicky realized that the students needed more interaction and guidance from them. As they completed more lessons, the teachers seemed to not only change their approach to teaching but also notice the benefits of the student collaboration and interaction with the program. Lastly, at the end of the second year, some of the teachers commented on how their teaching techniques in the WISE program started to carry over into the traditional classroom, mainly the technique of having students try to answer their own questions (by maybe answering the student questions with questions). This seems to fall into the category of the appropriation and invention stages because not only are the teachers completely comfortable with the technology but they are also making changes to their instructional patterns.
This chapter on the WISE program seems to prove a lot of the theoretical ideas from the rest of the textbook. In my opinion, the level of technical support seems to be what really made this program successful. I think the level of technical support is the key to successful technology integration.
Ashburn, E., and Floden, R. (Eds.). (2006) Meaningful Learning Using Technology. New York: Teacher's College.
Linn, M. (2006). WISE teachers: Using technology and inquiry for science instruction. In Ashburn, E., and Floden, R. (Eds.). (2006) Meaningful Learning Using Technology (45 - 69). New York: Teacher's College.
Zhao, Y., Frank, K. & Ellefson, N. (2006) Fostering meaningful teaching and learning with technology. In Ashburn, E., and Floden, R. (Eds. ). (2006) Meaningful Learning Using Technology (161 - 179). New York: Teacher's College.
The WISE project is a science computer-based inquiry project in which students can take part in a variety of different lessons. The first major connection I made was between the project and the attributes of Meaningful Learning Using Technology (MLT). Ashburn (2006) describes six attributes of MLT, and this project seems to fulfill all of them:
1. Intentionality - each different lesson in the project had a clearly defined goal, be it examining earthquakes or frogs or whatever.
2. Content centrality - all six teachers used the lessons that tied into their current curriculum and the new content standards.
3. Authentic work - this is the one that jumped out at me as one teacher commented, "They [students] felt the connection between what we do in school and what's currently happening in the world" (Linn, 2006)
4. Active inquiry - the WISE program seemed based on this type of inquiry and helped along by the mentor and the teachers when they encouraged students to find answers to their own questions.
5. Construction of mental models - not quite sure about this one
6. Collaborative work - students worked in pairs and sometimes consulted other groups with their questions.
So, clearly, the WISE program is a good example of MLT, yet I think it is possible to have a good program not successfully implemented. Actually, this program had a rough start - several months of not connecting successfully. Yet, at the end of the second year, even the most skeptical of the involved teachers noted some major benefits of the program. What was the key to the success is actually described in chapter 8 of the Ashbunr and Floden text, "Fostering Meaningful Teaching and Learning with Technology: Characteristics of Effective Professional Development."
The chapter (8) ends with recommendations for districts concerning successful implementation of MLT (Zhao, Frank, & Ellefson, 2006). One of the first ones is grouping teachers according to subject or grade level. The WISE project centers around science, and six science teachers in one middle school implemented it. Two other recommendations center around technical support: having school-based technical support, and having an system for instant technical support. The biggest source of technical support for these teachers was a retired teacher that acted as a mentor. Not only did he model teaching the first lesson of the units, but clearly from the teachers' responses, he was there to help with every technical problem that arose. Eventually, in the second year of the program, teachers became more comfortable with the technical aspects. But I wonder how successful the implementation of the WISE program would have been without this man.
It was also interesting to read of the two-year progression of the WISE program and compare it to the five-stage evolution of teaching with technology. It was clear that in the beginning of the program that the teachers were at the entry stage. With only a mechanical understanding of the technology, the teachers seemed to suffer a certain frustration level. Also important to them was the modeling of the mentor. The teachers seemed to quicky move to the adoption and adaption stages since after the first unit, the teachers quicky realized that the students needed more interaction and guidance from them. As they completed more lessons, the teachers seemed to not only change their approach to teaching but also notice the benefits of the student collaboration and interaction with the program. Lastly, at the end of the second year, some of the teachers commented on how their teaching techniques in the WISE program started to carry over into the traditional classroom, mainly the technique of having students try to answer their own questions (by maybe answering the student questions with questions). This seems to fall into the category of the appropriation and invention stages because not only are the teachers completely comfortable with the technology but they are also making changes to their instructional patterns.
This chapter on the WISE program seems to prove a lot of the theoretical ideas from the rest of the textbook. In my opinion, the level of technical support seems to be what really made this program successful. I think the level of technical support is the key to successful technology integration.
Ashburn, E., and Floden, R. (Eds.). (2006) Meaningful Learning Using Technology. New York: Teacher's College.
Linn, M. (2006). WISE teachers: Using technology and inquiry for science instruction. In Ashburn, E., and Floden, R. (Eds.). (2006) Meaningful Learning Using Technology (45 - 69). New York: Teacher's College.
Zhao, Y., Frank, K. & Ellefson, N. (2006) Fostering meaningful teaching and learning with technology. In Ashburn, E., and Floden, R. (Eds. ). (2006) Meaningful Learning Using Technology (161 - 179). New York: Teacher's College.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Podcasts
Okay, this has nothing to do with podcasts directly, but I really was not a fan of the Johnson and Cooley text - maybe because it was published eight years ago, and I just expected a technology text to be a bit more current. The book was full of things that I considered old news or even just plain common sense. Unfortunately for our students in education, teachers sometimes are slow to catch up. For example, there is this whole chapter on engaged learning. The benefits are proven: more motivation, multidisciplinary learning, advanced reading and comprehension skills, world class learners (Johnson & Cooley, 2001). And these benefits can actually result in higher test scores for students. It seems I have been hearing about engaged learning since college in the early 90's. When I think about best practices, no matter what term is given to it, the characteristics are shared with engaged learning - things such as collaborative learning, hands-on experiences, critical thinking and problem solving, interdisciplinary work, and real performance opportunities (Johnson & Cooley, 2001). Common sense stuff, but unfortunately, many teachers see varied instructional ideas as fads and are reluctant to give up the control they have with more traditional models of teaching. But things are not going backwards - and the technology available today makes engaged learning very easy to incorporate. To be honest, I knew very little about podcasts before reading up on them, but I now see that using podcasts in the classroom would make for engaged learning very naturally.
First, one thing I did not understand was exactly what makes a podcast different than any other audio or video file. What I have learned is that the only thing that makes a podcast different is that it is available through an online subscription. Hedron (2008) offers the analogy of buying a magazine at a grocery store and then deciding to subscribe to the magazine and have it sent directly to your house. Only with podcasts, they are sent to you on your computer. Okay - so what? How can they be used? Hedron describes a few ways. Perhaps a superintendent can produce a weekly podcast to communicate not only with educators but also with students and parents. Or teachers can create podcasts of best practices. Oh, we teachers are so good at borrowing ideas. Hey, if something is a sure thing in the classroom, why reinvent the wheel?
My real heroes in the podcast world right now are Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson, who both teach in the School of Library and Information Science at the Indiana University. I HIGHLY recommend their articles on Podcasting that were published in Teacher Librarian. I've found part 1 and part 2. If there are any subsequent parts, I will be sure to read them. Reading these articles got me excited about using podcasts even though I really still know nothing about them - first hand, anyway. I guess I should say that these articles made me excited about experimenting with them. In Lamb and Johnson's (2007) part 1 article, they offer an introduction to what a podcast is and how already created podcasts can be successfully found and used. They pointed out a few extremely important points to consider. First, the library's selection policy and educational standards should be considered while looking for podcasts. When I get excited about something, I tend to mindlessly throw myself into exploring it. But certainly this reminded me to slow down and stay focused while beginning to consider podcasts. Otherwise, I can see how I might get overwhelmed.
Second, another thing to remember is that anyone can create a podcast, and this is important for a couple of reasons. First, it is important to consider the authority of the person creating the podcast - simple information evaluation skills must not be forgotten. And considering the volume of podcasts on all subjects produced by just about anyone, just "googling" for podcasts is likely to become frustrating. Johnson and Lamb provide a great list of starting points for locating quality podcasts.
Lamb and Johnson in this article provide a wealth of ways to use podcasts in the classroom. They talk about the kinds of things that are out there: current events, government documents being read, interviews, lessons, programs, reviews, health information, and much more. Then they continue to discuss how to use these programs in specific subject areas. For example, in an art class, children can go on a virtual tour of a museum and then discuss the works of art. In health, students can watch podcasts as a starting point for research. They can watch (or listen to) podcasts of health topics and then develop lists of questions for further investigation.
Lamb and Johnson's (2007) part 2 article is more of the same, except the focus switches to how to create a podcast. They provide several sources to help in the production of a project such as this - from free share sound sites to sites that will aid in publishing your podcast. They also offer several project ideas: from creating a news broadcast to virtual tours to interviews with local talents.
The thing that I respected most about the authors is that they remind the reader to not use technology for technology's sake. Podcasts can be a great tool, but Lamb and Johnson remind the reader to consider, "Where does voice and sound make a difference?" That's where you use a podcast. What a great question to consider before jumping into a project.
When considering podcasts, I am reminded of the learning styles classes that I have taken. Some people learn better by actually hearing something. And considering that many podcasts also offer transcripts, there is the option of listening and reading at the same time. Using podcasts are a great way to differenciate learning. They are a great way to incorporate engaged learning in the classroom. They are a great way to offer teachers and students more content on a topic or learning standard. And what is amazing to me is that it can all be done for free. Technology is wonderful. It is fascinating to consider what is available right at our fingertips if we know where to look!
Hedron, J. (2008). RSS for educators: Blogs, newsfeeds, podcasts, and wikis in the classroom. Eugene, OR: ISTE.
Johnson, M. & Cooley N. (2001). What we know about: Supporting new models of teaching and learning through technology. Arlington, VA: Educational Research Service.
Lamb A. & Johnson, L. (2007, February). Podcasting in the school library, part 1: Integrating podcasts and vodcasts into teaching and learning. Teacher Librarian, 34(3), 54 - 57. Retrieved September 24, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.
Lamb A. & Johnson, L. (2007, April). Podcasting in the school library, part 2: Creating powerful podcasts with your students. Teacher Librarian, 34(4), 61 - 64. Retrieved September 24, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.
First, one thing I did not understand was exactly what makes a podcast different than any other audio or video file. What I have learned is that the only thing that makes a podcast different is that it is available through an online subscription. Hedron (2008) offers the analogy of buying a magazine at a grocery store and then deciding to subscribe to the magazine and have it sent directly to your house. Only with podcasts, they are sent to you on your computer. Okay - so what? How can they be used? Hedron describes a few ways. Perhaps a superintendent can produce a weekly podcast to communicate not only with educators but also with students and parents. Or teachers can create podcasts of best practices. Oh, we teachers are so good at borrowing ideas. Hey, if something is a sure thing in the classroom, why reinvent the wheel?
My real heroes in the podcast world right now are Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson, who both teach in the School of Library and Information Science at the Indiana University. I HIGHLY recommend their articles on Podcasting that were published in Teacher Librarian. I've found part 1 and part 2. If there are any subsequent parts, I will be sure to read them. Reading these articles got me excited about using podcasts even though I really still know nothing about them - first hand, anyway. I guess I should say that these articles made me excited about experimenting with them. In Lamb and Johnson's (2007) part 1 article, they offer an introduction to what a podcast is and how already created podcasts can be successfully found and used. They pointed out a few extremely important points to consider. First, the library's selection policy and educational standards should be considered while looking for podcasts. When I get excited about something, I tend to mindlessly throw myself into exploring it. But certainly this reminded me to slow down and stay focused while beginning to consider podcasts. Otherwise, I can see how I might get overwhelmed.
Second, another thing to remember is that anyone can create a podcast, and this is important for a couple of reasons. First, it is important to consider the authority of the person creating the podcast - simple information evaluation skills must not be forgotten. And considering the volume of podcasts on all subjects produced by just about anyone, just "googling" for podcasts is likely to become frustrating. Johnson and Lamb provide a great list of starting points for locating quality podcasts.
Lamb and Johnson in this article provide a wealth of ways to use podcasts in the classroom. They talk about the kinds of things that are out there: current events, government documents being read, interviews, lessons, programs, reviews, health information, and much more. Then they continue to discuss how to use these programs in specific subject areas. For example, in an art class, children can go on a virtual tour of a museum and then discuss the works of art. In health, students can watch podcasts as a starting point for research. They can watch (or listen to) podcasts of health topics and then develop lists of questions for further investigation.
Lamb and Johnson's (2007) part 2 article is more of the same, except the focus switches to how to create a podcast. They provide several sources to help in the production of a project such as this - from free share sound sites to sites that will aid in publishing your podcast. They also offer several project ideas: from creating a news broadcast to virtual tours to interviews with local talents.
The thing that I respected most about the authors is that they remind the reader to not use technology for technology's sake. Podcasts can be a great tool, but Lamb and Johnson remind the reader to consider, "Where does voice and sound make a difference?" That's where you use a podcast. What a great question to consider before jumping into a project.
When considering podcasts, I am reminded of the learning styles classes that I have taken. Some people learn better by actually hearing something. And considering that many podcasts also offer transcripts, there is the option of listening and reading at the same time. Using podcasts are a great way to differenciate learning. They are a great way to incorporate engaged learning in the classroom. They are a great way to offer teachers and students more content on a topic or learning standard. And what is amazing to me is that it can all be done for free. Technology is wonderful. It is fascinating to consider what is available right at our fingertips if we know where to look!
Hedron, J. (2008). RSS for educators: Blogs, newsfeeds, podcasts, and wikis in the classroom. Eugene, OR: ISTE.
Johnson, M. & Cooley N. (2001). What we know about: Supporting new models of teaching and learning through technology. Arlington, VA: Educational Research Service.
Lamb A. & Johnson, L. (2007, February). Podcasting in the school library, part 1: Integrating podcasts and vodcasts into teaching and learning. Teacher Librarian, 34(3), 54 - 57. Retrieved September 24, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.
Lamb A. & Johnson, L. (2007, April). Podcasting in the school library, part 2: Creating powerful podcasts with your students. Teacher Librarian, 34(4), 61 - 64. Retrieved September 24, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Wikis
Michelle Johnson and Nancy Cooley (2001) point out that while most educators have been introduced to technology as adults, our students have always been exposed to technology; therefore, they have had more time to practice and experiment with technology. Students come to school with the expectation that their learning will have some connection with the real world. Students these days are comfortable with technology. Technology will be a part of any job our students hold. Education these days must include technology. Wikis are a great way to incorporate simple technology in the classroom.
Hedron (2008) points out that wikis require very little technological knowledge to create. The creator can create what looks like a web page without knowledge of coding that would be needed to create a typical web page. It seems like the perfect place to start to try to incorporate technology in the classroom. However, in the article Using Wiki Technology to support student engagement: lessons from the trenches, Melissa Cole (2008) details a failed project in a higher education setting in which students were encouraged to post to a wiki. Even though Cole claims that weekly suggestions were given to show how students can post to the wiki, after five weeks, not a single student had posted anything. When questioned about this, a few students commented that they did not want to be "first" while there were many other reasons listed. Most were confused about what to do; many others listed time constraints or a simple lack of interest. Cole offered some explanations for the failure. A wiki component simply can't be added; the course content should revolve around it. It needs to be assessed somehow; otherwise, students may not see the value and may not participate as expected. Lastly, students should receive more guidance about how to participate.
I personally have had some experiences with wikis - mostly good. I created a wiki for my middle and high school book clubs, and the experiences have been very different. My original intention was to use the wiki for announcements for book club and a forum for book reviews and discussions. In a meeting, students created accounts, logged on, and became members. I created bookmarks to remind students how to log on. My high school students barely used it. My middle school students on the other hand, became avid users. They created book reviews and took part in active discussions about books they were reading. Some even created their own pages in which they listed favorite books or attempted to create collaborative pages with the other members of the club. I am not sure what the difference was except that most high school students have more on their plate than middle school students; therefore, it became much less important. My middle school students seemed to enjoy the social aspect of interacting with each other (and me) on the web.
I also saw a teacher candidate use a wiki as an online teaching portfolio. The end result was impressive. There are so many gadgets and widgets or whatever you call them out there that one can create a pretty professional document with very little technical knowledge.
Hedron (2008) pointed out that while wikis are great collaborative tools, the result can be a little messy. One creating a wiki can use the web to find several ways to enhance it.
www.gettingtrickywithwikis.wikispaces.com is a great site that offers suggestions on how to make your wiki stand out from the rest.
http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/wiki/wikiideas1.cfm offers ideas for teachers about how to get started using wikis in the classroom.
A quick search of the web will yield countless widgets for embedding into your wiki.
I will never be a fan of using technology purely for technology's sake, but there are situations where a wiki is a perfect tool.
Cole, M. (2009, January). Using wiki technology to support student engagement: Lessons from the trenches. Computers & Education 52(1), 141-146. Retrieved September 24, 2009, doi: 10.1016/jcompedu.2008.07.003.
Hedron, J. (2008). RSS for educators: Blogs, newsfeeds, podcasts, and wikis in the classroom. Eugene, OR: ISTE.
Johnson, M. & Cooley N. (2001). What we know about: Supporting new models of teaching and learning through technology. Arlington, VA: Educational Research Service.
Hedron (2008) points out that wikis require very little technological knowledge to create. The creator can create what looks like a web page without knowledge of coding that would be needed to create a typical web page. It seems like the perfect place to start to try to incorporate technology in the classroom. However, in the article Using Wiki Technology to support student engagement: lessons from the trenches, Melissa Cole (2008) details a failed project in a higher education setting in which students were encouraged to post to a wiki. Even though Cole claims that weekly suggestions were given to show how students can post to the wiki, after five weeks, not a single student had posted anything. When questioned about this, a few students commented that they did not want to be "first" while there were many other reasons listed. Most were confused about what to do; many others listed time constraints or a simple lack of interest. Cole offered some explanations for the failure. A wiki component simply can't be added; the course content should revolve around it. It needs to be assessed somehow; otherwise, students may not see the value and may not participate as expected. Lastly, students should receive more guidance about how to participate.
I personally have had some experiences with wikis - mostly good. I created a wiki for my middle and high school book clubs, and the experiences have been very different. My original intention was to use the wiki for announcements for book club and a forum for book reviews and discussions. In a meeting, students created accounts, logged on, and became members. I created bookmarks to remind students how to log on. My high school students barely used it. My middle school students on the other hand, became avid users. They created book reviews and took part in active discussions about books they were reading. Some even created their own pages in which they listed favorite books or attempted to create collaborative pages with the other members of the club. I am not sure what the difference was except that most high school students have more on their plate than middle school students; therefore, it became much less important. My middle school students seemed to enjoy the social aspect of interacting with each other (and me) on the web.
I also saw a teacher candidate use a wiki as an online teaching portfolio. The end result was impressive. There are so many gadgets and widgets or whatever you call them out there that one can create a pretty professional document with very little technical knowledge.
Hedron (2008) pointed out that while wikis are great collaborative tools, the result can be a little messy. One creating a wiki can use the web to find several ways to enhance it.
www.gettingtrickywithwikis.wikispaces.com is a great site that offers suggestions on how to make your wiki stand out from the rest.
http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/wiki/wikiideas1.cfm offers ideas for teachers about how to get started using wikis in the classroom.
A quick search of the web will yield countless widgets for embedding into your wiki.
I will never be a fan of using technology purely for technology's sake, but there are situations where a wiki is a perfect tool.
Cole, M. (2009, January). Using wiki technology to support student engagement: Lessons from the trenches. Computers & Education 52(1), 141-146. Retrieved September 24, 2009, doi: 10.1016/jcompedu.2008.07.003.
Hedron, J. (2008). RSS for educators: Blogs, newsfeeds, podcasts, and wikis in the classroom. Eugene, OR: ISTE.
Johnson, M. & Cooley N. (2001). What we know about: Supporting new models of teaching and learning through technology. Arlington, VA: Educational Research Service.
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