Screencast of 4 web 2.0 tools

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoQvTgFUh24&feature=youtu.be

Week 3: Consumers to Producers

As I think back on my middle and high school years, memories of copying notes from an overhead projector come to mind, as do memories of taking notes word-for-word during a lecture after being told that those notes would be permitted on an upcoming test.  I remember memorizing only the material that I knew would be on a test because I was so concerned with getting all the questions right.

Yes, I got good grades during those years, but ask me what I learned in those classes and I would have a hard time listing even 3 things. This is because those teachers relied on simply giving us the information and answers, as opposed to providing ways for us to explore and actually learn the material. Rarely did they open it up for discussion or ask what our take was on the material.  On the other hand, I think back on classes that were more interactive with teachers that encouraged us to explore and challenge ourselves and I can recall specific things we learned, even though that was 12+ years ago.  

This goes to show that students, like all of us, learn by doing as opposed to simply watching or listening.  Today's teachers need to provide students with opportunities to apply class material to real-life experiences.  Not only will this reinforce the importance of the material by relating it to what the students already know, but will spark their imagination for additional learning.  Any teacher can stand in front of a class and lecture from a book, but a good teacher will encourage students to engage in higher order thinking, something they will carry with them the rest of their lives once they leave the high school.

Students need to realize sooner rather than later that in the real world, information and answers will rarely just be given to them.  As adults, they will need to research in order to find the answers to problems.  Teaching students early on to be active agents in their own learning will better prepare them for life outside the school doors.

Week 2: Flipped Teaching

Flipped teaching has both pros and cons.  Some of the pros are that it allows the teacher more time to interact with students, as opposed to just lecturing all period.  Students also have opportunities to ask questions and get help working through problems while the teacher is present. A student’s parents may not be willing or able to help them with homework, but the teacher being present gives them a better chance of completing it and learning in the process.  Also, students get to hear other classmates’ questions and concerns about the material and may feel more comfortable asking questions if they know others are struggling with the same issues.

Some cons are that not all students may be interested or responsible enough to complete the assigned material outside of class.  Some students may ‘check out’ once they leave the classroom and therefore not complete the assignment on their own time.  If the teacher is not present to monitor them or encourage them to participate, they may not do the work.  If several of the students do not complete out-of-class activities, it will slow down learning for everyone else, because they will not be on track and ready to participate at the start of the class period. 

I believe flipped teaching enhances student learning, but that not every student is going to benefit from it 100% of the time.  Since students learn in different ways and at different paces, there will be students who jump ahead and get bored where other students are struggle and become frustrated.  Even if all students complete the assigned material, they may not all be on the same track when they return to class.  For example, one student may interpret what they read differently or may not understand something that all other students understood.  The teacher will need to closely monitor all students’ progress and offer additional help when needed.

Flipped teaching can definitely create a global learning environment in that it presents opportunities for students to interact with each other and with other students around the world.  For example, they can watch videos made by someone in a different country and interact with students they would never otherwise meet.  The teacher may have his/her own website and the students could post questions and talk back and forth with each other.

I hope to one day teach English/language arts at the middle school or high school level.  That being said, I could use flipped teaching in my classroom by having students read outside of class and then engage in interactive activities in the classroom, such as role playing or group discussion.  For example, they could read Romeo and Juliet at home and come to class ready to discuss what they read and possibly act out the different scenes, as opposed to sitting and reading in silence all class period.

I think flipped teaching can be very beneficial, but that it is an ongoing learning process.  A lot of it boils down to students’ desire to participate and take charge of their own learning.  It places a great deal of responsibility in the students’ hands.  If students see a benefit, they will be more likely to want to participate and be excited about it.

Week One

i. Students need to understand that there are certain risks involved with blogging. Whatever they post on the Internet is permanent and can be retrieved months or even years later. They may not realize that something they post today could hinder their chances of obtaining a job years down the road.  Students must not post anything they wouldn't want a potential employer to read.  

Another thing they must realize is that a blog’s audience may be much larger than they think. A blog between students in one classroom may also be accessible to anyone in the world. For this reason, students must keep their safety in mind and refrain from posting personal information about themselves, including photos or demographic info (i.e. address, phone number, etc.). Pseudo names could be assigned by the teacher to further protect students’ identity.

ii. Students are naturally concerned with others’ opinions of them, particularly the opinions of their peers. They don’t want to appear silly or stupid in front of their friends and the same carries over into their writing. Students will likely put more effort into something they know the entire class is going to read, as opposed to just their teacher. When the teacher is the only one reading a students’ work, there is a sense of anonymity in that no one else will know what they wrote. If they know their peers are going to read their post, they will most likely spend more time and thought in composing it and therefore produce higher quality work. 

In most cases, peers will respond with questions or comments and the student will need to be able to back up his/her opinions and answer questions. This may lead the student to research their topic in order to be more knowledgeable. Their communication skills will be improved as they formulate the best ways to express their ideas and respond to the ideas of others.  

On the other hand, students may be afraid to post their ideas and risk being criticized by their classmates. Because of this, it would be a good idea for the teacher to instruct students on the proper way to respond and give constructive criticism. This skill is something students will use well beyond the classroom.

iii. Blogs allow students to connect with people in their town, state, country and the entire world. Students are exposed to the ideas of others and in turn feel more connected to them. I remember having a pen pal in 4^th grade. It always seemed like forever that I would wait to hear back from her. I never would have imagined that one day students would be able to carry on a real-time conversation with someone in another country. This advancement allows students to better understand different cultures and gain insight on the similarities and differences. They may also develop a sense of respect for the opinions of others. 

There are many other web 2.0 resources that aid in creating a global culture, such as Twitter, WordPress, Skype and Voicethread.

Test

Test