This week we are looking at the issue of internet safety and how to best teach kids to be responsible digital citizens. Our assignment is to create a presentation for any audience we choose related to internet security. In doing some of my initial research, one thing that struck me was how early we need to be having these conversations (a 2013 study by Common Sense Media showed that 72% of children under age 8 have used a mobile device to view some type of media, compared to 38% only 2 years earlier. Crazy!).
With my own 5 year old starting kindergarten in the fall, I wanted to explore this further with my assignment and put together a presentation that could be used at her preschool. She is definitely part of the 72%, as she has access to the family iPad and occasionally our phones, but so far she hasn't figured how to buy apps, or necessarily what the internet is (though she does know that the PBS Kids app needs internet access in order to work). But it's only a matter of time, and I now realize I need to be proactively thinking of how to start this education with her.
In no particular order, I have included some of the best sources I found while doing research for my presentation:
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Monday, March 24, 2014
More Flipping of the Classroom
Our goal this week was to create a Professional Development (PD) opportunity that would be relevant to teachers in our chosen age range. I was so interested in flipping the classroom following my work last week that I thought I would try to create a module that would introduce this idea to teachers, and provide them an opportunity to get started with a flipped lesson of their own.
I found a lot of great videos explaining the theory behind the flipped classroom as well the benefits, but this twosome really stood out to me. Enjoy this TEDx talk from Lodge McCammon, PhD and Katie Gimbar, a middle school math teacher who has wholly embraced the flipped classroom model. Very interesting and inspiring!
I found a lot of great videos explaining the theory behind the flipped classroom as well the benefits, but this twosome really stood out to me. Enjoy this TEDx talk from Lodge McCammon, PhD and Katie Gimbar, a middle school math teacher who has wholly embraced the flipped classroom model. Very interesting and inspiring!
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Week 8: Technology Integrated Unit
This assignment was pretty comprehensive. We were asked to create
a unit in the subject of our choice, for the grade level of our
choice incorporating 10 of the applications, tools, or formats we have learned about thus far.
One thing I have learned (sometimes the hard way, as evidenced by the trouble I had finding podcasts that related to women's suffrage!) is to do a little pre-research to make sure that the subject area I choose will have enough "meat" for the given assignment. This time around I chose to create a poetry unit, which for the most part wasn't too difficult to think of ways to incorporate various online tools and application.
The cornerstone of my unit was a tool called Blendspace, which was introduced to me by the library media specialist that I volunteer for once a week. She had helped a history teacher put together a flipped classroom model using this tool, so I thought I would give it a whirl myself. The concept of a flipped classroom is still pretty new to me, so it may not be a perfect representation of the idea, but I had some fun playing around with it. From a student perspective, I think it's a great way to aggregate resources and assignments, and also to have them engage in specific work outside the classroom, so that they are better prepared for the next day's class.
Without further ado, the Blendspace for my Poetry Unit assignment:
One thing I have learned (sometimes the hard way, as evidenced by the trouble I had finding podcasts that related to women's suffrage!) is to do a little pre-research to make sure that the subject area I choose will have enough "meat" for the given assignment. This time around I chose to create a poetry unit, which for the most part wasn't too difficult to think of ways to incorporate various online tools and application.
The cornerstone of my unit was a tool called Blendspace, which was introduced to me by the library media specialist that I volunteer for once a week. She had helped a history teacher put together a flipped classroom model using this tool, so I thought I would give it a whirl myself. The concept of a flipped classroom is still pretty new to me, so it may not be a perfect representation of the idea, but I had some fun playing around with it. From a student perspective, I think it's a great way to aggregate resources and assignments, and also to have them engage in specific work outside the classroom, so that they are better prepared for the next day's class.
Without further ado, the Blendspace for my Poetry Unit assignment:
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Facebook and Instagram and Snapchat, oh my!
Week 7 is about social networking and all that it entails. I am no novice to social networking - I've been on Facebook since shortly after it was opened up to people with a .edu email address, keep a professional profile on LinkedIn and regularly post on Instagram, to name a few.
But while I access these sites daily, I am apparently no match for Generation Z (who's that, you ask?). Gen Z, roughly those born between 1995-2010, is the first generation who will grow up in a digital world, where technology is ever-present.
Our assignment this week was to write a position paper on social networking - which led me down the path of researching the good, the bad, and the ugly of all things social media.
One of the first sources I found was courtesy of a fellow classmate, which she shared on our class discussion forum. Generation Like examines the phenomenon of teens and how they use social media to promote images of themselves. Thoroughly captivating, and somewhat disturbing, it definitely made me realize the differences in generations. It was particularly interesting for me as both my children fall into Gen Z (though I have a few years at least before they are posting selfies!).
While it is easy to decry the reliance on technology and the shameless self-promotion (this article very much falls on the side of "Social Networking Has Gone Too Far"). I think the author makes some very valid points - it is tough to find redeemable value in Baby Scumbag, after all.
But my ultimate position is that social networking will do more good than evil. Much of the research into Gen Z points to the fact that these kids will be more globally aware, more environmentally-conscious, and more accepting of different cultures and perspectives as a direct result of the internet and social networks "shrinking" the world. And that, to me, is worth it.
But while I access these sites daily, I am apparently no match for Generation Z (who's that, you ask?). Gen Z, roughly those born between 1995-2010, is the first generation who will grow up in a digital world, where technology is ever-present.
Our assignment this week was to write a position paper on social networking - which led me down the path of researching the good, the bad, and the ugly of all things social media.
One of the first sources I found was courtesy of a fellow classmate, which she shared on our class discussion forum. Generation Like examines the phenomenon of teens and how they use social media to promote images of themselves. Thoroughly captivating, and somewhat disturbing, it definitely made me realize the differences in generations. It was particularly interesting for me as both my children fall into Gen Z (though I have a few years at least before they are posting selfies!).
While it is easy to decry the reliance on technology and the shameless self-promotion (this article very much falls on the side of "Social Networking Has Gone Too Far"). I think the author makes some very valid points - it is tough to find redeemable value in Baby Scumbag, after all.
But my ultimate position is that social networking will do more good than evil. Much of the research into Gen Z points to the fact that these kids will be more globally aware, more environmentally-conscious, and more accepting of different cultures and perspectives as a direct result of the internet and social networks "shrinking" the world. And that, to me, is worth it.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Week 6: Online Digital Media (part 2)
Had some technical difficulties with my formatting of the 2nd part of my last blog post, so why not start a new post? It is my blog and all.
The second part of this week's assignment was to create my own digital media. I think it goes without saying that I didn't choose a podcast! I used the same tool, Animoto, that I experimented with last week, but this time did a 30-second book review of one of the recent books I've read. This was a really fun way to think about being concise, yet still capturing the essence of the book. I think this could definitely be an application for this tool that could be used across many grade levels.
The second part of this week's assignment was to create my own digital media. I think it goes without saying that I didn't choose a podcast! I used the same tool, Animoto, that I experimented with last week, but this time did a 30-second book review of one of the recent books I've read. This was a really fun way to think about being concise, yet still capturing the essence of the book. I think this could definitely be an application for this tool that could be used across many grade levels.
Week 6: Online Digital Media (part 1)
This week's assignment centered on online digital media - a combination incorporating audio and video in the classroom and also creating your own digital media.
I really struggled with this assignment! We were to choose a standard from the MA frameworks and find 5 videos and 3 podcasts that could support this in the classroom. Maybe I just chose a bad topic (women's suffrage and the passing of the 19th Amendment), but it was very hard for me to find sources that I would actually recommend.
I was able to find good, relevant, interesting videos much more easily than any audio sources. After conducting search after search, I have concluded that part of my struggle is that I just don't really like podcasts. I am way too easily distracted and way too much of a visual learner to really dig in and enjoy getting material this way (makes sense that I also am not an NPR listener!).
My two favorite videos (very different!):
I really struggled with this assignment! We were to choose a standard from the MA frameworks and find 5 videos and 3 podcasts that could support this in the classroom. Maybe I just chose a bad topic (women's suffrage and the passing of the 19th Amendment), but it was very hard for me to find sources that I would actually recommend.
I was able to find good, relevant, interesting videos much more easily than any audio sources. After conducting search after search, I have concluded that part of my struggle is that I just don't really like podcasts. I am way too easily distracted and way too much of a visual learner to really dig in and enjoy getting material this way (makes sense that I also am not an NPR listener!).
My two favorite videos (very different!):
- Woman’s Suffrage Crash Course #31 - A really nice series of 10 minute or so courses on topics in history, the sciences and literature. I will definitely keep the "Crash Course" series in mind the next time I need a refresher on something I should have learned in school
- Bad Romance: Woman's Suffrage - A cool parody of Lady Gaga's Bad Romance video. I like the way it successfully juxtaposes modern pop culture with an issue that was so pivotal at the time and which matters to all women today (Fun bonus video: Behind the Scenes)
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