Entry #12 Powerpoint Lesson On Using Facebook as an Educational Tool

I decided to create a Power Point presentation on how Facebook, could be used in the classroom. I was fascinated, to see that, Facebook can be utilized as a learning tool. It's all the rage with everyone these days and I thought I would share it's functionality. I think, when used appropriately, it could lend itself to being a good educational tool. One that will motivate students to learn and feel they can relate to the lesson, because they are using it already. I enjoyed this lesson the best, because I was able to use some of the skills I learned in previous assignments. The Web has definately changed the world as we know it. For the better, I think. Check out the following link that gives you information on using Facebook in the classroom.
100 Ways you should be using Facebbok in Your Classroom 
http://www.onlinecollege.org/2009/10/20/100-ways-you-should-be-using-facebook-in-your-classroom/

I also found a YouTube video on how to setup a course group in Facebook for use in the classroom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QYOoCG_zbAhttp://www.onlinecollege.org/2009/10/20/100-ways-you-should-be-using-facebook-in-your-classroom/

Entry #11 Ahhhhh! ,"Power Point"

I think it’s great that students as early as, first grade are using Power Point to do hw assignments, projects or presentations. The advantages or disadvantages of using any tech tool, are based on what you will be using that tool for. I remember taking a speech course in college and power point was not part of it. We were taught the traditional way of making speeches learning the content of what you were going to be speaking about, looking at your audience, and using note cards as a reference to remind you of what came next. I think there were a few glitches with that system. Loosing your place for one. This was a speech course, that taught me tricks on doing presentations. The existence of Power Point, has facilitated the ability for many to speak in front of a crowd. People become comfortable speaking in front of people through experience, yet for some this may be easier than for others. Power Point  can be used for more than just keeping you from loosing you place during a speech.  It could build a students confidence, when presenting, especially those with pragmatic issues. Power Point is a great tool, and I think it helps students reinforce what they are learning. To incorporate videos into your presentation, I think adds, to it’s value and keeps your audience in tune. PP in the classroom isn’t just for entertainment, but rather to teach and educate. There are advantages and some disadvantages when using PP. I guess educators need to use different methods to see what works best for their students. I’ve had teachers use a combination of podcasts, PP and lectures and I find that to be more interesting. I think it is difficult and time consuming for teachers to be so creative, yet for some using a PP, with no creativity may be the easy way out. We can argue either way on the advantages or disadvantages of PP, but there are many factors that need to be considered by teachers before they implement PP in the classroom.

Advantages

• Using “Active Learning” or “Student Centered Learning” strategies in the classroom, for subjects such as History
• PP can help develop literacy by promoting discussion through pictures.
• Simplicity of use
• Teachers need to organize their slides, and take advantage of PP notes feature.
• Some people learn better from pictures and letters, than from words alone. When words are near pictures and there is no extraneous information nearby to distract them.
• Using pictures with content, is only necessary when the material is very difficult or students need help understanding the topic.
• Put main topics on slide then elaborate main points in lecture.
• If you have two lectures that are similar in set up, try delivering one with a PowerPoint presentation and one without. Give a quiz at the end of each class and compare the results. You can easily compare other types of PowerPoint presentations side by side. Try teaching with a slideshow that incorporates graphics and images, then use a slideshow without such visual elements.
• The everyday chalk board way, may not work for every student.
• Teachers can vary techniques for a better learning experience.
• Using PP in the classroom, is away of interacting with today’s youth and their technology world, because it is what interest them.
• Using PP can help get students to pay attention.

Disadvantages

• Teachers have to learn how to use PP to teach their students and keep them interested.
• PP is time consuming.
• Having technological access and usage of such tools in classroom and elsewhere.
• Teachers use PP as a crutch when lecturing.
• Students may feel ignored when instructors are more focused on the PP presentation.
• Limited technical ability of staff equates to wasting of teaching time in a classroom.
• Students may get frustrated with PP with two much animationg is distracting.
• Students may be insulted that teacher needs to read every slide for them.
• Poor presentation skills, and lack of technological use.
• Reading slides and not getting to the point.
• Not having classroom discussion.

Entry# 10 Screencast (Jing Project), Podcast and Videos In Education

Jing, Oh Joy!!

I would envision myself using Jing Project in the classroom. I think it’s a great tool to provide students with, an additional resource to completing assignments. I enjoyed viewing the Jing presentations in this course and they have helped reduce any anxiety over how to do any future assignments. I think using these types of tools help students reinforce what they have learned in the classroom. Especially, students who are auditory/visual learner’s and for those students that require additonal instruction.


Podcasts
I went to Itunes and examined the different podcasts available. There were ones on learning to speak German, Sesame Street, Yoga journals and Drum lessons. All free. I think it’s just such a great resource to have available and portable. There are no excuses for not being able to learn how to do just about anything. Pretty amazing. The education podcast service was also interesting to note how there were people providing podcasts from all over the world.
The willow web podcasts,we had as an assignment, I enjoyed the most. I believe it is a great way to build students self esteem and confidence. What a great accomplishment, for these students to feel and what a great way to reinforce learning and help them improve their reading skills. It must be very exciting for them to hear themselves after doing a project.I listened to a willow #33 podcast by second grade students on amazing artist they learned about during their studies.I think, podcasting is great, and adds to the learning experience in the classroom.

I found a website that discussed using Podcasts as a lesson in the classroom. Teachers are using Podcasts for student produced newspapers and television shows. Others are using the medium to reproduce lessons for absent students or for students to present oral presentations of reports and assignments.

A podcast is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio or video programs, over the internet using syndication feeds, for playback on mobile devices and pc's. These podcasts files can contain audio or video, but also can be images, text,PDF, or any file type. When a user subcribes to a podcast, the podcatcher, automatically downloads media files to the user's computer whenever that computer is connected to the network.

Videos In Education
The web has improved the way videos are used in the classroom, because they are readily available, accessible, and convenient. I think as an educator it is great to have these resources available. There is such a plethora of videos that can be used for educational purposes. Recently, I took and ASL class, and was able to go to You Tube to reinforce how to sign the alphabet. In addition, to being able to visit ASL sites and view the videos they offered on sign language. I would use videos in the classroom. I think they give the student, especially the visual learner,auditory learner, and students with various learning disabilities, a different perspective, incentive for learning and an opportunity to become engaged in the subject matter at hand. In my research, I found an article on using descriptive video to enhance writing, which I thought was very interesting. The article discussed, how viewing films can supplement the curriculum and children are able to apply many of the strategies they use while reading.

I also found a website that discussed how video is an instructional medium that generates excitement and provides students a hands on learning experience. How video is the perfect medium for auditory or visual learners. This article, suggest that the more interactive a lesson, the more students will enjoy it, learn and retain the information from the lesson.
 Video is the technology that captures moving images electronically. The difference between, podcasts and videos, is that with podcasts there are RSS feeds that update the podcast users.

My son is currently creating presentations on his computer with videos incorporated in them for classroom projects. He is always very excited to do his homework and to show off what he has created. I am very happy to see that these tools can motivate him to learn.

Entry #9 Do Web 2.0"s Keep Us Organized In The Classroom & Favorite Web 2.0 Tools

I think any tools that could help with organization in a classroom would benefit the teacher, as well as, students. I found a great website that has tools listed that will help you with tasks such as note-taking, bookmarking websites, highlighting important text during online research, creating mind maps, tracking time, keeping up with appointments, collaborating with others, managing projects, and more. I like the idea of using Flickr, for creating presentations and slide shows, having virtual field trips, illustrating poetry, documenting schoolwork, and teaching geography by integrating it with Google Earth. In addition, to being able to connect to people from around the world. Just think how beneficial, these tools can be for students who are visual learners. One of the things that I noticed about these tools, that I believe to be advantageous, is that of being able to connect with other people from around the world. Like Facebook or Twitter, we are able to share information and pictures on a global level. Proper usage of these tools can help classrooms become more efficient too, by having easy access to information that normally would require more time to consolidate.


· http://www.online-college-blog.com/index.php/tips-and-tools/100-powerful-web-tools-to-organize-your-thoughts-and-ideas/

· Web 2.0 in the classroom http://prezi.com/obqzirjhtf-q/web-20-in-the-classroom/

Favorite Web 2.0 Tools To Date

I love my Facebook account, at first, I wasn’t so sure about the idea of letting people know my personal business or giving them a play by play of my daily life. However, I must admit that I enjoy knowing about what’s going on with my distant relatives and my friends. Through Facebook, I have been able to reconnect with friends and relatives that I have not seen or heard from in over twenty years.

If Facebook was to be used in a classroom, I think like everything else, there would need to be rules and expectations set. In addition, to implementing some type of Facebook Etiquette. I know this may be easier said then done, and there maybe other professional tools out there that could be used. But, students are using Facebook quite a bit. I could see how it would be a good communication tool for students and parents. In addition to connecting with students, teachers could create and online grade book and continue classroom discussion to supplement learning. It would be a good way of helping sick students catch up on work they've missed and in class assignments. Teachers could create a group to generate ongoing discussion of a lecture that was cut short at the end of 50mins. Making it a required part of class. Students spend alot of time on the internet, anyway, why not make it productive. Besides, they would probably welcome this new way to fulfill class requirements by doing somthing they like. It would be a way for teachers to make learning fun and exciting for their students.



I think parent’s would appreciate tweets or Facebook feeds about certain things done in the classroom. I think this type of communication has not caught on in the classroom, but I think in the near future, it will be seen as a more efficient way of communicating. As we know, part of the issue is that not everyone at this point has the technology know how, or technology tools to go about implementing them in the classroom. It is a sign of the times and the more we use something, the more commonplace it will become. Teachers may not have time, now to “Twitter”, but eventually, I think as they use these tools more and become more familiar with them it will be a more efficient way of communicating.



Everyone is so busy these days, I think we need to prioritize and make time for things that may be benefit everyone in the end. I am big on trying new things, out with the old and in with the new. I have a friend who just took a trip cross country and twitters his whereabouts and the different sites he visits. I love getting the “tweets”, it is so interesting to learn and live through his experiences. Look at all the paper we are still using, when clearly we are able to communicate without it, through email, websites or blogs. I get automated phone calls about MCAS from my kid's school, which are great, but guess what, if I don’t write info down, I will forget. Where as, if I had an email, I could refer back to the email.



I think if teachers had at minimum a site, that would lend itself to posting information about assignments, lessons etc. it would make their life easier and that of their students and parents. I think as educators we should embrace technology. I do not know how much time people spend on computers or some type of communication device, but it has to be quite significant. I think parents, that travel for work purposes, would appreciate being able to access or get info about their kids and be informed. I also believe that it could be a way of holding students accountable. If they know their parents know what is going on in the classroom, they would be more apt to doing their work, then waiting until last minute or not doing it at all. I think it’s important for parents to stay inform about their children’s education.



As far as, educational merit, for Delicious, I think it ise a great tool for accessing bookmarks that I usually wouldn’t have access to without my laptop. As well as, other bookmarks, that may be of interest to me and other educators. I think Library Thing, can also be useful to teachers and enables them to share info about their favorite books and that of others. I love the idea of incorporating pictures into lessons in the classroom, which Flickr enables you to do. Like the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, I think this type of technology lends itself for students to be more engaged and interested in the subject matter at hand.



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Entry #8 Web 2.0 and Wikis In The Classroom

I have used Wikipedia in the past. I think it’s a great resource for doing hw assignments and research projects. I did not realize that the information could be modified by anyone. However, I always look at various sources for gathering information to make sure that the information I have researched is accurate. What I like about Wikis, is that they provide students with an opportunity to collaborate what they learn,  “anything that adds to the learning experience”. “Encouraging students to contribute what they learn and know”. I believe we learn by doing.

Ultimately, wikis in the classroom provide a unique opportunity for collaborative learning, while there may be challenges in developing and hosting, there are significant opportunities for student engagement in the course material and for helping students appreciate a collaborative approach to learning.
Wikis can be used as collaborative tool for teachers or districts to collect and share information.

The “new web or Web 2.0 is a tool for bringing together the small contributions of millions of people and making them matter” “Experiential learning and engagement with the material increases learning”. When teaching core curriculum classes it is often a challenge to overcome apathy and disconnect”.


It has opened the door for exchange of ideas and information and provided us with the opportunity to do it on a global level. Unfortunately, within education is where we need to close the technological gap that exists and as such we need to educate our students on how to utilize it's potential for learning. My definition and the websites and articles I found clearly speak to Web 2.0's potential, especially in the classroom. That of collaborating and exchanging information for educational purposes. They clearly speak to the issues that are associated with why there is stiil a gap in using technology and how we can go about closing it. I think Web 2.0 has revolutionized the way we communicate and share information. As proven through our use of Facebook, twitter, you tube etc... In my ABA class, we used You Tube quite a bit for doing exercises within the classroom, that allowed us the opportunity to use technology as a method for learning. Just as we are doing in this class.

Entry #6 & #7 Microsoft Word As A Valuable Educational Tool

MS Word can enhance a student’s productivity and make the learning environment more accessible. The specific features within Word, can be used as strategies to support writing skills. MS Word can help all students, especially those, with specific learning disabilities, such as Dysgraphia or written language disorders. The use of a word processor can improve writing skills, once they have learned keyboarding skills. They can edit their own work. It facilitates or reinforces skills and strategies learned. It can strengthen basic skills in decoding, comprehension and spelling. In reading, it takes the burden off decoding text, focuses on making connections and activating background knowledge, which aids with comprehension. In writing, it eliminates barriers that are language based, attention based, and executive function based. For spelling, it offers spelling and grammatical help and time efficiency. It supports the student’s strengths by facilitating time management, completion of assignments, note taking, studying for test, and writing research papers. MS Word, can be viewed as a multi-sensory tool. As always keeping in mind the individual needs of the student, are critical in its efficacy.