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.

Boy, I'm sure glad that is done.

Yeah!  It is done and over.  My first ever podcast is complete.   

Actually, this particular task was not as dreadful as it first appeared.  I first had to make sure that I had all the necessary pieces to complete the task.  I had to download Audacity and LAME MP3 encoder.  I needed to search out the music and sound effect to include and pick a topic to discuss.  Picking the topic was probably the most difficult part.  I found the directions to be too broad and felt that I was spinning.  I respond well to boundaries.  So, when I was told that the topic needed to be a contemporary issue regarding technology and PK-12 learners, I froze.  The (old school) student in me wanted more direction.  I stumbled through several Google searches before turning to my local newspaper website for help.  Honestly, I got lucky when I found my article. 

All the pieces were in place.  Next, I spent some time looking at Audacity, and the assignment began to look, dare I say, fun.  Writing the script posed a small problem, because I do have a tendency to ramble and needed to stay within a 2-4 minute time frame.  I believe my first read through was almost 6 minutes, so I began to edit.  Of course, I believed that all I had to say needed to be included and could not be cut.  But, alas, some of it needed to go.

Once I got over the sleep inducing sound which is my monotone voice, the process was very simple.  I recorded what I had to say, inserted the music & sound effects, saved and exported.  I really felt as if I must have done something wrong, because I just could not believe it could be that easy.  It was.  I spent probably twice as much time trying to figure out how to upload the podcast to my blog.  I was aware that it could not be inserted into a blog post, so I spent time trying to add a gadget to my page to allow readers to hear my voice.  I followed the help directions, but was terribly unsuccessful at adding a gadget.

I must admit that this is a tool that I would use in my classroom.  If I could do it, then I am sure that my very tech-savvy students will be able to do it.  This short podcast incorporated many higher order skills. It required me to use my organizational skills, my research skills, writing skills, public speaking skills and computer skills very deliberately.  Everything needed to be planned out and in place before the podcast could be recorded.  I am sure that many a podcast are recorded on the fly, but I bet they lack a sense of direction or purpose.  Completing the task the way I did would ensure the students remain focus on the learning and not on the tool.  It could prove to be an engaging way to help students learn in a Literature classroom.  After reading short stories, plays, novels, poetry – whatever, students could then podcast not only reactions and literary criticism (“I liked it because…” or “It was not my favorite because…”) but they could record original works that mirror the same genre.

(How’s that for a turn around?  Perhaps there is hope for me yet!)

Social electronic butterflies

I have already expressed my feelings about social networks in the classroom in a previous post and since then, my feelings have yet to change.  I would like to address these two aspects of the social web: friendship based and interest-based.

First of all, I think it is ridiculous that people believe they need an electronic means, such as Facebook or Twitter, to keep up with those in their physical space.  If somebody is in your physical space, then just talk to them!  Call them!  Write them a letter or if you feel the need to use some sort of electronic technology, then email!  These methods have served me and my friendships well over the years.  I don’t need to go the Facebook to check up on my Goddaughter.  I actually go see her.  I talk to her mother.  I send her hand written cards and notes.  I have one friend who admitted that there have been times when she, her husband and two children have sat around the kitchen table at dinner and not spoken one word to each other but texted one another throughout the entire meal.  Not only is that the height of being impersonal, but how the heck are you suppose to eat your fried chicken if you don’t put your cell phone down?

I can understand the attraction to the Internet based on interest.  If something interests you, you want to find out more about that subject.  As we have discovered, the Internet has a wealth of information about all subjects.  But, caution needs to be used when connecting with people on the Internet who have the same interests as you do.  They are complete strangers.  Actually, they are worse.  They are faceless, complete strangers.  If contact is made base on a common interest, it can be confused for a friendship, after all that is how we develop our face-to-face friendships.  We align ourselves with those who have similar interests as ourselves.  Unlike face-to-face friendships, not much else is known about these connections.  With a face-to-face relationship, we can observe the person in all areas of life.  We are not just told who he/she is but we can see it and judge for ourselves.  I know that this is not a foolproof method for judging character, but at least it is self generated.  In an online situation, all I know about an individual is what that individual tells me.  It is much like using a word to define itself.  If I am going to use the web to expand my interests, I will stick to web sites about that particular subject.  I will not seek out new “friends.”

 I would like a buffer between the dangers of the web and students.  Consulting a credible website is fine but talking with faceless people based on a common interest is scary.  If I had to choose between a wiki page, which I am not fond of yet, and a social tool such as Facebook, I would choose the wiki.  It is interest based.  You wouldn’t visit the wiki unless you were interested in the subject matter.  And it is collaborative while maintaining personal space, if you will. 

I know that one argument for the use of the social web in the classroom is that kids are already using it, so put it to good use in school.  My argument is the opposite; kids are already using the social web, so lets teach them other ways to communicate and learn. 

"Somebody's watching me"

The idea of podcasting, video- and screencasting and live streaming is somewhat troubling to me.  This explosion of  “self-produce, homemade entertainment” is going to make navigating the web an even more difficult task.  Strategies can be taught and learned for judging the credibility of websites, but I cannot see that to be true as far as podcasts and videocasts.  In my frame of reference, these –casts are akin to radio and talk shows.  With those traditional broadcasts, you either like them or you don’t.  If you speak to the audience of the Oprah show, you will be told it is a good show because of X and that all others fail by comparison.  If you speak to the audience of the Jerry Springer show, you will be told it is a good show because of X and that all others fail by comparison.  Does content make a –cast better than another?  Does the technical aspect of the production make a good –cast?  Because these media seem so subjective, I don’t see a way to hold them to a particular standard.  Because they are so subjective, is there a way to evaluate them?  Does popularity alone make a good –cast? 

I must admit that the technology which make pod- and videocasting a reality is impressive.  Just to see the rate of progression in these technologies is impressive.  I can see these becoming useful tools in the classroom if used correctly.  I do like the idea of connecting language classes from around the world.  I truly enjoyed my high school and college German classes mostly because my instructors were from Germany.  It made all the difference learning from native speakers rather than somebody who learned German as a second language.  They were able to teach not only proper German but a bit of the fun slang as well and explain the meanings of those colloquialisms.  It was also just cool to be able to say that I knew somebody from Germany.  Frau Crull and Herr Jarosch taught me that what I was learning was relevant.  It was useful as well as fun because I knew two people who actually communicated in this manner. (And, yes I do realize that I may have just made a point for the pro-technology camp at this point.  I think perhaps I need to refine what my skepticism is all about.  I do not argue that using technology in the classroom is a bad thing.  I take issue with the type and amount to be used.)  Connecting students through technology can bring that excitement about the subject matter to today’s classrooms.

Publishing audio and video to the web, again, raises concerns about privacy.  Revealing too much information about students is a scary topic.  I admit that I am a mamma-bear; I protect my children’s lives with mine, as I am sure so many others do.  However, I think a lot of parents let their guard down in settings they perceive to be safe.  Lots of talk swirls about “safe schools.”  “My child is safe, she is at school.”  Not necessarily the case.  Once that Internet connection is made in the classroom, danger can potentially make its way into the classroom.  Therefore, I think that any use of audio and video should be restricted to the classroom and school itself.  One of the arguments for publishing to the web is to have an authentic audience.  Opening up these –casts to a school population as opposed to just a classroom population I believe has the same impact without the same danger. 

Podcasting, video- and screencasting and live streaming blurs the lines between public and private.  It feels a bit like Big Brother with this idea that everything should be transparent.  Everyone should know my every thought – write a blog, publish a podcast or a videocast.  Sometimes, my learning is just for me.  I am learning to play the guitar, but do I need to subject millions of people to my very bad rendition of Stairway to Heaven?  I think not.  As with so many things in life, these tools need to be tempered with moderation.