Ta-Da!

I just finished building my wiki for my technology inquiry but have yet to do the accompanying screencast.  I must say that this wiki was quite the project.  Creating the screencast will be a piece of cake compared to the wiki.  I have never been asked to present the results of research in such a manner and was constantly fighting my own education to accomplish this task.  I am much more accustomed to expository writing.  This really challenged me.  It bugged the heck out of me but it challenged me and I enjoyed that.  I have a greater understanding of how creating a wiki can test a student’s knowledge.  Indirectly, I saw the benefit to offering students different ways to learn.  Some student may prefer to write a more traditional paper while others would prefer to present findings in this manner.  Still others may wish to podcast, screencast or do a combination of these and/or other tools.

I also saw the benefit of 24/7 access to information.  Here it is 2:58 am but I was able to look at examples, access resources and submit a finished project.  I would have never been able to finish this on time had I been restricted to a more traditional school schedule of 8:30-2:30.

As I have said before, the question is no longer should technology be used in the classroom but how will I use it to help my students learn?  I need to constantly evaluate my use of technology in the classroom.  I need to keep what works and pitch that which doesn’t.  I need to remain a student as much as I am a teacher. 

Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology

Things I need to rethink:

-school does not equal learning:  many things can be learned in school but learning does not take place by virtue of simply being there.  Teachers have to do more than present facts.  Teachers need to develop means to motive students to learn.  Technology can help with that task.  If students are not motivated, all they will learn is how to get through without getting anything out of school.  Yet at the same time, I can not let students get so far off track that they spend time in areas that will serve them no purpose later on in school or life.

-classical training vs progressive education:  I have a great appreciation for the broad based education I experienced.  I find it useful to know a fair amount about many subjects rather than a lot about only one or two.  I have to reconsider what will be useful to my students when they reach adulthood.  As society progresses and changes, I need to do what I can to make sure that my students will thrive when they leave my classroom.

-routine jobs replaced by jobs emphasizing collaboration, communication & knowledge processing skills:  The landscape of the workforce has changed and therefore the way future workers are trained needs to change also.  As mentioned in a previous post, technology is everywhere from corporate America right down to the blue collar manufacturing jobs.  If upward career mobility is the desire, it starts with the right education and training.

-my goals vs my students’ goals:  I have to take myself out of the equation.  This is not my education; it is my students’.  I need to remember to look at everything from their perspective and not my own.  I can certainly draw on my past experiences but I in no way should expect students to replicate them.

-my own fears:  I fear that treasured parts of my education will be lost to students in years to come.  Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology sounds as if certain subjects will become lost to make room for others.  It sounds as if anything that does not have to do with computers will be dropped.  I have to rethink how I can create enthusiasm for my favorite subjects the same way that my teachers inspired me.  With the help of technology, I should be able to excite students the same way I was.

Ch-ch-ch-ch Changes

What does it all mean?

Well, what it means is that it really doesn’t matter how or what I learned.  What it means is that I need to teach in a manner that will resonate with this generation of students.  They are going to acquire the same set of skills as previous generations, just in a different way.  What it means is that things I believe to be valuable may or not be to my students.  What it means is that they will learn that which is important to them.  What it means is that I need to move forward the same as my students rather than trying to get them to turn back to how things use to be.  What it means is that I need to change how I teach.  What it means is that I need to become as much a student as a teacher.  What it means is that I need to learn w/ technology along side my student because I cannot go through life making statements such as, “When I was in school…,” or “I just don’t know anything about all these gadgets,” or “I just don’t get this.”  I liked the suggestion in the book to learn alongside children.  What it means is I am going to have to learn about Facebook, texting, twitter and the like not because I want to use these tools but because that is how students communicate.

Change in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing.  This is not change just for the sake of change.  I need to remember that this change is not just to change but it has purpose.  It is not change to make my job more difficult or to drive a wedge between parents and children.  It is change to give students every advantage they could possibly have in order to fulfill their dreams. 

New Way of Learning = New Way of Assessing

Weeks ago, I would have defined the digital divide as the difference between students that have access to technology and the students who don’t.  As I see it, there is another divide, that being the difference in technology levels in the community and the levels in the schools.  As I have mentioned previously, technology will not cease to exist in the world so it can not be expected to cease to be in the schools.  Our job as educators is to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive outside of school.  Exposure to technology is the only way to accomplish that.  Exposure in one district may be higher or lower than another district.  Then comes another dilemma; how to demonstrate actual learning in an age of standards based assessment?

New ways of transferring knowledge can not be measured by old ways of teaching.  I found the idea of acquiring “credentials to certify a learner’s expertise with respect to specific skills” interesting.  Credentials could be earned in different skills groups: academic, generic and technical.  Learners would move through different levels of the curriculum amassing credentials along the way.  It sounds very much the same as passing grammar school before going to middle school and then passing middle school before going to high school and so on.  The credentials would be mini-diplomas if you will.  Students would pick and choose which credential they wished to gain and then set forth on earning it.  If the long range plan is college, then the student would need to earn one set of credentials.  If the student planned on attending a technical or vocational school, then a different set of credentials would be required.  The idea is that what ever path the student takes, he would be properly prepared. 

My objection to this type of system comes from my own experience.  If I had to decide back in 3^rd grade what educational path I was going to take based on what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would not be writing this blog right now.  I would be sitting in vespers with the other sisters.  Or, I would be frustrating myself trying to figure out how to become the first female center for the Chicago Bulls.  If parents are to help youngsters on their path to what they are to become, I would be in nursing school right now.  My point is, there are students out there who have many and varied interests and then there are students who have no idea what they want to be.  If students are put on a particular path and decide that they want to change, how much would it delay finishing school?  It is much like changing majors in college.  If you change from social studies major to a physiology major, how many credentials would not transfer?  Lifelong learner should not equal lifelong schooling.

I am afraid that this suggested way of progression will produce learners who are very strong in certain areas and extremely weak in others.  I know that traditional ways of assessing students can produce the same, however I think that the gaps will be larger.  I do agree that new methods of assessing learning need to be developed because new ways of learning are being developed. 

You know, num chuck skills, computer hacking skills…

As education shifts away from the universal schooling to creating lifelong learners, there will be some things lost and some things gained.  That is inevitable but not unique.  Many changes have occurred in education already.  And as much as I fear the loss of social cohesion, a decline in liberal arts and a loss of social skills, I must look for the possible gains to balance this.

If technology can aid in creating engaged lifelong learners, then I am all for that.  I do realize that it is not the technology itself which can excite students.  It is what the classroom teacher does with it.  If I can show enthusiasm then perhaps my students may demonstrate it too.  What I would really like to see happen is to have technology infused classrooms create interest for a student in a subject that was not there before.  I dream of the student who steps foot into my classroom hating poetry but leaves with a new appreciation for language, complex characters and an unexpected plot twist all thanks to Edgar Allen Poe.  Podcasting original works created with the same structure as the master may help with that.  Producing video versions of Poe’s stories may reveal the next Vincent Price.  I do like the customization that these tools offer all within a set of guidelines.  I would want to make sure that the students do not get distracted with tool as I did when it came to creating my IWB lesson and iRLO.  Having multiple tools in my toolbox can quell the argument of, “I just don’t want to do that.”  If one option is not appealing, then the student can tackle the task in another way.  I have found that no matter the technological vehicle, many skills are utilized including organization, communication as well as computer skills. (you know, num chuck skills, computer hacking skills…)

As I use technology, specifically the internet, for my own learning I continue to gain appreciation for the 24/7 availability of information.  In (many) years past, I spent countless hours working on research at libraries until closing time often without finishing my work.  With anytime access, I can work day or (more often) night.  I also appreciate that I can “visit” any library.  In high school, I spent many Saturdays riding the train into downtown Chicago to go to a “good” library.  Even though I live in Northern Wisconsin, I can go to the Harold Washington library any day I want.  I can even go back to Normal, IL and visit the Milner Library at ISU.  For younger students who do not drive yet, this is wonderful, not to mention that the parents do not need to chauffer students around.  Information is just a click away and so is help from the teacher.

Lifelong Learner

Lifelong learner.  That has such a nice sound and brings to mind such a wonderful picture of people constantly at awe and treasuring each and every new discovery.  How can we possible get to that place?

I must admit that at this point in time, I lean toward Horace Mann’s vision of education.  By providing a common curriculum to students, they have the opportunity to become successful American citizens.  I agree that learning the same body of knowledge teaches the same body of values, those being American values.  I agree that a broad base education gives students the opportunity for social mobility.  Although it has been noted that universal education led to a discrepancy between parents’ and their children’s attitudes & values, I do not believe that this is necessarily a bad thing.  Students are presented with the same information and then asked to form their own opinion about it.  This allows students to become independent thinkers and not just regurgitate what they hear either from their parents or their teachers in school. 

I think a combination of approaches at different ages could provide an overall better education.  At lower levels, I think the universal approach is most appropriate.  Let’s face it, students can not go on and investigate what interests them if they can not read.  All students need the same foundation of reading, writing – that being the process of putting thoughts down on paper in a coherent manner  not penmanship- and arithmetic.  I think through the middle grades kids should be exposed to all sorts of topics.  If a student finds a subject which interests him, he will most likely always be interested in it.  He should not stop there but continue to explore.  As much as he may enjoy trains, once he learns about planes and flight, he may have a new love.  In the upper grades as students prepare to head to college, trade school or the workforce, education could become more interest led.

I do believe that at any age, technology must play a role.  It is simply how knowledge is now acquired.  There is no denying this.  As the students progress through their years of school, the technology will change but it will never cease to exist.  To ignore that fact is not doing the students justice in their education.  I am just hesitant to give complete control of the direction of education to the individual students. 

Too Many Choices

Home schooling, workplace learning, distance education, adult education, learning centers, educational television & videos, computer based learning software, technical certifications and internet cafes have all come about as the result of the perceived deterioration of the current educational system.  All are “an answer” to the same problem which is that the current educational system is not working.   The problem with that is that not everyone sees the same problem within the system.

The home schooling movement which has been fueled primarily by a number of Christian churches believed that the absence of morals in the public school system was at the root of the problem.  Workplace learning has come about because employers believe that employees have not been given the proper set of skills to be effective or productive workers.  Distance education is on the rise for busy people who want to return to school to further their education but do not have the time to attend traditional universities.  Adult education is there for retirees and older Americans who want to further their education in a fun or recreational way.  Learning centers help average or above average students get ahead or to help the students who are lacking to catch up.  So on, and so on, and so on.  With so many different approaches trying to reform education, does it increase learning or not?  Do these different approaches address the “problem” with education today or only specific pieces of the problem?

As I see it, there is no one problem with our educational system. But a variety.  There are some school districts that are right on the money and then there are others that don’t have a clue.  What is lacking in one building may not be in another.  I agree that when a deficiency is identified, it needs to be rectified.  However, all of these different and private approaches don’t solve the problem for the school body as a whole.  It only solves the problem for the student who is fortunate enough to be able to take advantage of a Sylvan Learning Center or the like.  Computer based learning only benefits those with a computer. 

I know that education means different things to different people and that a variety in learning has the potential to reach the most people.  But, at the same time, is too much choice a bad thing?  With only pieces of a framework, would the individual student get lost?  Each of these new ways of learning address parts of the problem but I don’t think that it makes for an all around well balanced education.  If the method of teaching is centered on a technical certificate, the result will be a person who is very knowledgeable in a small area.  If an employer wants an individual in a technical position to also in an area that depends on communication skills, then that person will need to go for more training because one set of skills may be stellar but the other lacking.  It doesn’t seem to make sense to spend more time to retrain.  If a person is given a broad and varied education the first time around, then the employer would have an employee who is adequately trained in multiple areas.

Go SCRATCH!

Creating an interactive reusable learning object (iRLO) with SCRATCH was a major pain in the dupa!  Of all the assignments this semester, I have to be honest and say that this was my least favorite.  I just don’t know what to do with this at the grades I would like to teach. 

My first complaint was the software itself.  I understand that the majority of the programming was packaged into chunks and all I had to do was put the chunks together in the order I wanted them.  That sounded a lot easier than it turned out to be.  And, of course, I wanted to do certain things but could not find the right chunk to make it happen.  As I worked with the program, it did become somewhat easier, but I could not figure out how to get the sprites on the screen to do what I saw them doing in my head.  I suppose that there are limitations to all software and no one will completely do what I want it to do.  Getting close to what I envision will have to do until I learn to program everything for myself. 

Once I accepted the limitations and realized that my end product was not going to be exactly as I had envisioned, then things came together a bit more.  After looking at some of the examples and playing around with the program, I was able to figure out how to import my own pictures and even add my voice.  In the future, that may help me produce iRLOs that are more like what I see in my head.  (You should see what is in my head!)

My first iRLO was a bit off the mark as far as meeting the state standards and making it reusable.  I was so consumed with manipulating the program that I missed the mark as far as making the object age or grade appropriate or considering if the same student used it again, would he see the same or be asked something different.  For my revision, I started from SRATCH.  (Yes, bad pun intended.) My first attempt was simply a question and answer format with questions that were below grade level.  Also, if the same student used my object two times in a row, he would see the same questions.  I approached my revision with the same mind set as my IWB lesson.  I picked poetry because I could include some instruction with an example of what the end product would be, and then, the student would have opportunity to produce an original piece.  I felt the content was much more appropriate and if the student used the iRLO more than once, a new piece in that particular style could be produced each time.

I am sure that with more practice, I could master this tool, but again, I need to think hard about how to use it and make the activities grade appropriate, as well as useful.  Allowing students to use SCRATCH to produce their own iRLO may help solidify their understanding of the content and their projects may help others in the class who are struggling.

The Goal

So, what does it all mean?

It means, things are changing.  The way students are taught is changing.  The way that teachers teach is changing.  The way teachers, students and parents communicate is changing.  School is changing.

Change isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  Sure, it is a bit scary to branch off and try something new.  But, it can also be exciting.  One of the beautiful things about change is that it doesn’t have to happen all at once because change will always be there.

So, what does it all mean for me?  Well, as a teacher I need to be willing to change for the betterment of my students.  I will need to constantly evaluate the tools I use and the way I help my students learn.  I need to keep what works and be willing to replace that which does not.  Some changes may be huge shifts and others may be baby steps.  But, it in the end, if it benefits the students, then change is necessary.  As I become more familiar and more comfortable with using technology, then my students will only benefit.

I have had great concern about reaching students with different learning styles.  As I have found, technology is not synonymous with video or visual media.  Other senses can be stimulated.  I also found that many sets of skills are used when using the different technologies and higher order skills can be challenged.

So, what does it all mean?  It means that it is just the beginning.  It is always a beginning!

I look forward to my journey to become the tech savvy teacher in the epilogue.  Once all the pieces are in place, it makes for a nice picture.  Everything is organized and manageable.  It helps the teacher stay on top of things, it allows the students different, more engaging ways to demonstrate understanding of concepts and it reaches the parents in a timely manner all without losing contact with the students. 

I suppose I am still trying to break away from my presumption about technology in the classroom.  Mention technology infused classroom and a picture of a silent classroom where no one is interacting with each other but instead everyone is looking at a computer screen jumps to mind.  I would not want to lose that personal contact with the students.  Technology does not drive a wedge between teacher and student.  If anything, it can connect teachers and students by helping the teacher excite students about learning.

Exit Slip 12/6

We watched a video of a teacher who has transitioned her classroom from a traditional environment to a technology infused environment.  She did not do anything groundbreaking, but put together a nice combination of tools to make her room a more engaging environment for students.

One component was creating an “open classroom.”  She employed tools such as teacher and student blogs as a way to showcase students’ progress.  As a parent, I greatly appreciate good communication from my children’s teachers.  It does me no good to know what they did last week.  It doesn’t allow me to help my children if I find out 2 days after the fact that they did not finish an assignment.  As a teacher with an open classroom, everyone would know everything.  Parents would be able to keep track of what is going on in the class as well as how their student is doing.  An open classroom would help to engage the parents the same that other technologies would engage the students.

Exit Slip 11/22

Today was fun!  My group led the discussion on chapter 9 of Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology.  Our approach was to take a look at where we started and where we were at this point.  At the beginning of the semester, the following statement was presented to the class: “Technology makes life more difficult for teachers.”  We all had to say if we agreed, disagreed or had no opinion.  I was not surprised that I was one of only two students who agreed with that statement.  What did surprise me was the large number of students who had no opinion on the matter.   I assumed, perhaps based on age, the majority of students would be very pro-technology and most of the class would disagree.

My group revisited this discussion.  We asked the class to consider what had been learned over the previous weeks and regroup.  I was very surprised that only 2 students from the “no opinion” group joined the ranks of those who originally disagreed with the statement.  I really expected a greater shift.  My greatest surprise was my own opinion.  I knew that technology could provide useful tools for teachers.  I was surprised at my own anticipation to try these in my own classroom. (I know, I should have warned you.  You’re jaw is probably on the floor at this point.)

I do intend on incorporating technology in my classroom but only if it adds to the learning environment.  I will not use it just to use it.  It needs to have a specific and useful purpose.  I suppose that is true of anything I do in my classroom, technology driven or not.

Exit Slip 11/15

The topic of discussion was the idea of interest based learning.  We were asked to conduct an internet search on a science topic of our choice.  I froze.  Without more direction, I had no idea what to do.  The next search we were asked to do had more specific directions.   I responded much better to that as I believe students would also.  As any parent will tell you, children respond well to boundaries.  They push to find the line because they want to know what they can and can not do.

I understand that the theory is that if you let students chose the topic, they will learn more because they are interested in the topic.  There is, however, the possibility that the students will have an interest in something that has yet to be introduced to them.  Dave Brubek had decided to follow his father into the cattle industry by becoming a veterinarian.  While attending college he was required to take a music class, and as I had heard the story told, he was not too happy about this.  During the course of that class he found he had an immense interest in music.  He went on to become a fantastic jazz musician.  Had he been left to interest led education, he may have never discovered his great love of music.  Again, I advocate for a broad based curriculum at lower levels and in later years, allow students to explore interests. 

Exit Slip 11/8

I know that today’s activity was to prove that learning is made easier with the use of computers.  I felt that it fell short of that goal.  The room was divided into two groups.  Group one was to work together without the help of the computer.  Those in group 2 were to work independently at their computers.  Each was given a list of 5 questions to answer.  I was to use the computer to answer the questions. As I read over the questions, I found that I knew all the answers.  I was able to pull on what I have already learned over the years and answer the questions without using the computer.  I even was able to recognize that question #4, “What element is represented by the letter R on the Periodic Table?” was incorrect.  I did not need the computer because I knew that there was not an R but an Rn.  I felt that this supported my view that children should have a broad base of knowledge to pull from and in later years, incorporate technology more as studies begin to specialize, such as in high school as students prepare for either college, trade school or the work place.  I’m afraid that using the computer at younger and younger ages to look everything up will create computer dependent thinkers.  I did not need to use the computer to be confident in stating that Herman Melville wrote Moby Dick.  Technology can be great when at a complete loss, but progress can be greatly slowed if everything needs to be Googled.

Exit Slip 11/1

The group that presented today discussed chapter 6 of Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology.  It became a debate about the best manner in which to transfer knowledge.  The three approaches demonstrated were apprenticeship, universal school and the more desirable, life-long learning.  I am sure that this debate will continue from this point forward.  Of course, I believe that the ideal way to educate today’s youth is apprenticeship.  This one on one scenario provides custom education for the learner.  Complete attention is focused on the learner.  There is very little chance that the student could advance in his studies if there is any kind of deficiency.  That is a major problem of the universal approach to education.  As teachers manage class sizes of 20 or more students, some are bound to “slip through the cracks.”  It is not because of a teacher’s inattention to her students but rather her inability to squeeze 28 hours out of a day.

We also looked at the whiteboard and some of its capabilities.  I am most excited to learn to use this tool. Whiteboards are in every classroom in the district where I live.  Much attention is given to this tool and if I can learn to effectively use this tool, it will make me a much more desirable employee to the district. 

Exit Slip 10/25

Today we looked at SCRATCH.  This is a software program used to create interactive games.  The program itself is cool and doesn’t seem too terribly difficult to use, but I wonder about its use in the classroom.  What is created seems more suited for lower grades as opposed to middle & upper grades.  At first glance, I do not know that this particular tool can address higher order thinking skills.  I am sure it is something that the students would enjoy working with, but again, I just don’t know how I would incorporate it into a Lit classroom.  While teaching middle school Language Arts, SCRATCH could be used to demonstrate understanding of grammar rules.  I am sure many different games could be created to reinforce these concepts.  I will just have to give this a lot of thought and see what I come up with (yes, I know, a dangling preposition.  Perhaps I will have to use SCRATCH to create a game to teach students not to do this in their writing).

Ella & Mrs. Erickson's class

Wtihout question, my classroom will be an open classroom. You will be able to follow the progress of  Ella throughout the course of the year.  Classroom wkiki pages or a classroom web page will be used to keep all informed.

Classroom blogs from both Ella and myself will be maintained (hopefully, better than I have been able to do this semester).  Ella's blog posts at the end of a class period which summarizes what she has learned can be used as an evaluation tool.  I will be able to tell if she is on track or if she needs more help.  It will also tell me if I am reaching her.  If her posts continually show that she is off target, then it indicates to me that I am not reaching her.  Teacher blogs along with perhaps even twitter, facebook and skype will be used (that is if I become proficient enough at using these tools) will be used as communication tools for us.

Other tools that may be used in our middle school Language Arts / Reading classroom would include the interactive whiteboards (assuming they are available in our district) because of the different ways they can be used.  Certainly, they are used for direct instruction but are at the same time interactive.  Just as kids in years past liked writing on a chalkboard, students today are excited about using the whiteboard.

Ella could be asked to use podcasting in lieu of traditional book reports or oral reports.

Visual projects such as our PSA could be produced to demonstrate Ella's understanding of the main message of a particular piece of reading.  Visual projects could be used to demonstrate the different points of view of characters within the same story.

As my own knowledge changes, my approaches will change.  Overall, I know that I can not have a technology free classroom and do justice for Ella or any other student.

Parents Need to Know!

Creating a Public Service Announcement (PSA) ended up being just plain fun.

At first, the directions, as with so many other assignments this semester, seemed a bit ambiguous.  I needed to produce a 60 second PSA about digital citizenship.  Without more specific instruction, I again felt as if I was floundering (and I am not talking about Flounder from Animal House).  The topic was left up to me, the intended audience was left up to me and the overall message was left up to me.  Not enough structure for me!

I began by defining digital citizenship.  What is digital citizenship?  Thanks to all the Dateline “To Catch A Predator” episodes, I was sure that it had to do with the message  “don’t talk to strangers on line.” After a quick Google search, I had many, many definitions.  They included the message “don’t talk to strangers,” along with “don’t bully,” and “don’t post too much personal information,” and many others.  I tried to find a common thread for the K-12 audience.  After thinking about it, I realized that these students have heard all of these messages throughout their school careers just the same as they have heard the fire safety and don’t use drugs spiels every year in school.  Kids know this stuff already.  Be safe online is the message.  That’s when I realized that my audience was not the kids but the parents.

Now that I had my audience and my message of keeping them safe online, how do I present it to the parents?  I thought about all the PSA that stuck in my head.  I know not to litter because I remember the PSA with Native American looking at litter and crying.  Thanks to Smokey the Bear, I know that only I can stop a forest fire.  I know that if I do drugs, I will fry my brain like an egg.  (Had there been a side of bacon in that PSA, I may have reconsidered – just kidding.)  More recently, parents and kids alike have been reminded that knowledge is power, so stay in school and they can bring about change by rocking the vote.  The one I remember the most was the simple, “It’s 10 o’clock, do you know where your children are” campaign.  I can remember being a smart-ass kid talking back to the tv saying something such as, “I’m right here because my mom won’t let me out of the house past 7:30.”  My parents always knew where I was, and I know that is what kept me safe.  They always knew what I was doing and could cut me off before I could do something really stupid.

I thought an updated version of that message would work.  Parents think their children are safe because they are at home in their rooms, but what parents don’t think about is that the computer is a way that others can join children in their rooms.  Parents need to be vigilant about monitoring their children’s activities.  They need to know their children’s friends, what their children watch on tv AND what they are doing online.  To not do this puts their children in danger.

Screencasting: What Do I Do With This?

Screencasting did not prove to be any more technically difficult than podcasting.  As with podcasting, planning made the difference.  I spent some time familiarizing myself with the site with which I was going to work.  I made notes of talking points.  I wrote my script and thought I was ready.  Managing all the pieces was difficult for me.  I was reading from my script, manipulating the screen all while concentrating on peaking clearly and fluently.  I became flustered and needed to start over many times.  Other than that, screencasting was not difficult to produce.

What I consider difficult is finding a way to incorporate this teaching tool into a 6-12 English classroom.  Screencasting is a wonderful visual aide, but again, the question is how to use it in my classroom.  For what type of project would a high school sophomore use a screencast in an English classroom?  I suppose, I could create an assignment similar to that which I have been asked to complete.  If students read a work they could then be asked to create a wiki page containing various literary criticisms about the work.  Students could then guide viewers through the different schools of thought before presenting their own theories.

As with the podcasting, many skills are used to produce the final product.  Research skills are used as I made myself familiar with the site I had chosen to talk about.  Planning and organizational skills were employed as I prepared to record.  Computer skills were used as I moved around the site.  Finally, oral communication skills were used as I spoke.  When I look at this particular assignment this way, I realize that it is less about using the computer and more about transferring information.

Perhaps screencasting could be the new and improved book report or oral

report.  Other than that, at this point, I cannot think of other ways to use

screencasting in an English classroom.  I am sure this could be a very useful

tool in a math, science, or computer class which I believe rely a bit more

on visuals for instruction;  although I could be entirely wrong. 

I am happy to have some knowledge of this tool, although I cannot immediately think of a way to incorporate it into the classroom.  I like having this tool in my back pocket.  I realize that every class will be different due to the mix of kids.  I might have difficulty inspiring a group of children, and maybe if I pull this out, it will excite children to learn.  At first, they may be excited about producing and end up learning the content.