Well Then…

Here is my podcast on the use of Web 2.0 tools in a blended learning situation.

Technology is being used for different types of communication–for presentation, for class interaction, and for collaboration. No matter what type of communication is being used in the classroom, it is an important motivator for teachers and for students.

Presentation begins with a simple sharing of ideas or information with someone else. Interaction involves not only sharing ideas or information with someone else but also receiving feedback. Collaboration engages groups of people in not only sending and receiving feedback but also working together for creating, building, and editing.    To accomplish these different types of communication, teachers and students today are seeking out simple, inexpensive, easy-to-use tools that accomplish specific communication tasks. Despite the buzz surrounding technology, there is not one technology that can do it all. Many teachers are finding it is best to mix and match. The freedom to mix and match technology is possible today because of two factors:   

* Easy accessibility of computers and high-speed Internet   

* A new breed of Web-based technologies often referred to as Web 2.0 (including blogs, wikis, learning communities, podcasts, audio and video conferencing, and online office applications).   

Three Keys to Successfully Integrating Web 2.0 in the classroom:   

Educators are both eager and nervous to use the rapidly emerging social networks and blogging tools to get closer to their students and colleagues, but first they need to develop an integration strategy.    

– Define the educational goals your students can achieve by creating a community of technology gurus. One way to do so is to create a two-way dialogue between you and your students and parents, those who will be using the social networking tools to learn and engage.   

– Make the interface user friendly. Doing so will encourage, rather than discourage usage and will even create a buzz that will support student/parent usage. After all, this is your goal.   

– Go beyond starting a conversation with students, staff and parents. While getting people talking is a good start, you have to listen to people when they come to your blog. Because people tend to trust their own personal social networks more than any other, educators must demonstrate their social networking tools, particularly blogs, are worthy of trust by applying feedback to their dialogue.    

Blogs or weblogs are being heralded as the next bulletin board. Teachers are finding that this easy to use Web tool is user friendly, helping usually quiet students to interact with the teacher and classroom and, in a sense, come alive!

Many teachers, myself included, are using blogs in place of much more time-consuming Web pages to organize, inform, direct, and extend classes. I find that my students like using them because it sort of extends deadlines and research indicates that student performance is heightened when they are given time to think.    

The ease of use is the most attractive component for teachers. They can extend classroom lessons simply by posing questions to the classroom blog. This allows for student and parent feedback as well as collaboration between students, parent and teacher. Sure, the question(s) could be posed in a journal activity or classroom discussion, but I am finding that kids are taking more ownership of their blog replies and are, in fact, taking more pride in their work knowing that it is out there for peers, parents and teachers to see.   

Another truly cool Web tool helping to shrink the globe in terms of academics, and in my opinion, the best help desk out there, is collaborative real-time editors. Real-time editing software such as ACE and YUGMA make it possible for multiple users to be the editor of the very same document in real time. And because this is all Web-based, it’s possible for the geographical location of users to be continents apart. Did I mention it’s free? Real-time, and even non-real-time editing makes collaborating on shared research and writing a snap. No more emailing, editing, and emailing again.   

Educators are slowing warming up to the advantages of social networking technologies. As with any new tool or technology, variables that will depict its longevity are ease of use, cost, and of course its technological and educational benefits (what it was designed to do). One of the unique technology features that Elgg offers is the opportunity for schools to run and host their own social network on their servers locally. Supporting such a network would take significant expertise, not only with supporting the network, but also having complete control over the social networking platform.    

Teachers (and not just IITV or computer teachers) are also finding ways to engage their students in real-time conversations with people or groups a world away. Audio and video conferencing capabilities are possible through sites like MSN and SKYPE. With a single laptop, Web cam, projector, and an Internet connection it is possible for me to broadcast my classroom with any other classroom with a similar set-up.    

As new technologies continue to be introduced at steadfast rates, restricted, expensive, never before tried research, writing and educational components are being realized. These speedy changes can be overwhelming for educators, many of who are set in their ways, but for those willing to experience trial and error, the benefits can be cutting edge and can even give you a sense of accomplishment when all cylinders are firing. I’m excited to use what I have learned throughout this ICT For Educators course and for what the future holds for technology as a teaching tool. 

As I type on the first Sunday of the last month of 2007, I can’t help but look back at the past three months. The past three months have been an absolute blur. This includes starting a new job in a new division teaching new courses to new kids, coaching high school hockey and initiation (6 and under) hockey, and taking three courses in the same term (not recommended if you would like to consider yourself normal). I realize I’m ranting and raving, but at least I’m coming to some sort or realization. 

With that said, I wouldn’t change anything if I were to do it all over again. I have learned numerous valuable “stuff”, met interesting people, yelled at the referee and even managed to play army, ‘Terry’ (don’t ask), fixer guys, Christmas shop (that’s a lie – but I will this week), and just go about my life as it was up until three months ago. For the first time in awhile I feel as though there might be a flek of light at the end of the tunnel. The rotten part of finishing coursework for multiple courses is that all culminating projects have similar due dates. My wife has told me that she needs me to be around sometime in the next month as we are expecting our second child in January. And just when I thought things were going to get a little easier…

Sigh…with that off of my chest, I had a chance to finish my paper and to do a little social networking surfing. I wanted to pass along this URL http://www.digication.com/. If you or your students do portfolios, you may find this useful

I can’t believe how fast time flies! It seems like just yesterday we were dreading and preparing to go back to school (work). Parent/Teacher interviews were last week and now Christmas is just around the corner. Speaking of PTI, it never ceases to amaze me how little my students actually share with parents. That’s why I use FirstClass to post all of my assignments, with the marking schematic, as well as comments of how each child is progressing. Parents can access this via the web and they like it. It takes a little bit of work to set up, but after that, there are absolutely no surprises. Also, no student or parent can say that they weren’t aware of the assignment or the due date. It’s pretty slick. If your school isn’t supported with FirstClass, similar products like Chalksite and GradeLogic are other alternatives. Worth a look!

One of my hobbies is video editing. I used to video my students working on projects, at camp, assemblies, really any activity throughout the year. My graduating gift to them (K-6 school where I taught grade 6) was a video montage at the end of the year. They loved seeing how their hair changed, how they grew up, how goofy they were and so on…

I use a lot of PP when I teach. In creating a slidecast, some of the tools were like video editing tools. You can time the audio to play the length of the slide and it’s so simple. These Slidecasts look great. It is a PP with an audio file. Upload slides to slideshare, sync the slides with the audio using the synchronization tool. Anytime you view the slides, the audio is played from its location. Excellent! Another web 2.o tool!

The deeper I explore the plethora of web 2.0 tools, the bigger the hole, right? Here is another tool (shovel) that helps to simplify your new life. When you or your friends/family/colleagues update info., Plaxo pulse can update you or them of recent changes. It’s like bloglines, facebook, delicious etc. in terms of helping you to sync all of your online content that you call your world.

I was at school today, computer on of course, when I was invited to exchange Skype details with some Lilou, with a very provocative looking avatar. This really threw me for a loop. The picture was of an attractive female, but I can’t help think of those theft identity commercials for CitiBank. You know, the ones where they dub a girl’s voice over the mouthing of this great big husky dude? Anyway, aliases are essential when communicating via the web, that’s for sure. Just for the record, no details were exchanged!

Without getting into the I’m busier than you are debate, I have to agree with Lili in that I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. Well, maybe overwhelmed and a little frustrated. 

I too have found myself spending many hours reading everyone’s blogs only to find that precious time has passed by. Although I can appreciate and find personal value in some blog entries, I don’t always have comments for other’s personal experiences if they don’t happen to pertain directly to the course content. With that said, when I read other blogs and come across something that I myself can incorporate into my own teaching and learning, then I find it necessary to pass along a thank you. That is, after I have spent time playing around, trying to figure out this new and great technology for myself so that I can reply with an anecdotal comment of my own.

Sometimes I do find it helpful to have a quota for required content, along with a deadline. However, this is my first online course and I am sort of a traditional sort of fellow. This is just my personal opinion.

I wish my comments could be more beneficial to coming up with a solution to our online learning dilemma, but as I reread my comments it sounds more like ranting and raving to me.

As report cards loom, I thought it practical to include a link (delicious) to E Pearl for your perusal. Enjoy!

Had a chance to talk to sunnytechgirl via Skype tonight. The two of us talked about the exhaustion that we were both feeling at that particular time (7:45 p.m.). I know all of us just hit the ground running in September and are still sprinting for the finish (June) as I type. So, how are we to keep pace with everything that is happening around us (work, University, coaching, committees, oh yeah…our families and on and on? I found this site on saving time for bloggers and thought some of the points were very practical. Have a read and then ask yourself if you think you could have read it faster(point 4) if you would have read less (point 1).

http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/2003/12/29.html#a571