Are you FOR or AGAINST Digital Learning?

View the following video from PBS and you decide...Are you for or against this type of teaching and learning?

Watch the full episode. See more Digital Media - New Learners Of The 21st Century.

Online Staff Development Module

Staff development can take on many different characteristics and can be held in a multitude of settings but why not do staff development online?

Advantages to online staff development:
*Staff can pace themselves and complete when needed and available
*The module and materials can be accessed from many locations
*Module can be accessed for a period of time rather than one specific time
*Module can be easily updated
*Statistics and reports can be done online instantly
*Staff can view the module multiple times and review material when needed

I created an online staff development module for my colleagues here at West Stanly High School. I have found that very few teachers know about and/or use Web 2.0 tools so I decided to introduce them to blogs, prezi presentations, and wordles. I created this module using Blogger; there are specific pages dedicated to each of the web tools and a page for summary and assessment. The quiz included in the module was created using ProProfs.

WSHS Staff Development: Web 2.0 Tools

Research Models

Research models for instructional technology and education are vital to the success of learning new things; they guide our research by helping us frame our questions and build a foundation of knowledge to support the research topic. Research is important in technology and education because new devices and methods to support their integration require much research and analysis. Three popular models are listed below:

The Big 6
I Search
DIF Model

Peer Teaching

Peer teaching is a method for small group learning and peer teaching. It is designed for older students but could easily be adapted to use for younger students.

For an assignment in EDTC6070, our small group chose among the roles of "predictor, summarizer, clarifier, and questioner." Each person was responsbile for completing their role in an appropriate manner while the entire group benefited from the process. In this particular assignment, I was a summarizer. The summary I posted to our discussion board is given below. This type of learning strategy definitely supports online learning experiences through Blackboard, google docs, Wiki and others.

*Note: This particular article provides insight on "digital literacy"

Summary: “Writing in the Digital Age” by Guy Merchant
The purpose of the paper was to examine the meaning of digital literacy and how this term and its meaning are different from traditional “literacy.” The author also gives suggestions on how to promote digital literacy in education.

The work of Lankshear and Knobel (2003) has provided a foundation for identifying the new literacies and gives us a new take on literacy and what it means to education: “changing was of producing, exchanging, and receiving text by electronic means” certainly plays a role in digital communication and literacy.

Leu (2000) points out that digital communication leads to major shifts in the way literacy is used; new methods, new teaching, and new pedagogies will be required.

Harris (2000) suggests that new technology blurs the lines which treat iconic symbols as non words. The author also argues though that it is still important to place written representation at the heart of any definition of digital literacy; one key characteristic of digital literacy is the way in which it readily combines with other modes of communication.

The author points out that because digital literacy involves different ways of producing and distributing text, it creates new possibilities of how we might operate in and construct the educational environment. Synchronous and Asynchronous types of communication need to be considered: one to one, one-to many, and many-to-many types of communication. This would include email, text messaging, blogging, web-pages, wikis, discussion boards, photo-sharing and others. In the educational setting, teachers must also consider other factors that must be addressed: social issues, power relationships, and prejudices. One new issue that is also arising due to digital literacy is the way writing is incorporated in learning. New teaching strategies “may well provide us with templates for a new interactive literacy that reaches well beyond the classroom walls.” The future of writing is closely related to the future of digital technology and therefore, literacy. There are current trends or tendencies that are emerging: convergence, portability, pervasiveness, and transparency. These trends suggest that the devices we use to communicate will take on new forms and incorporate new functions.

To support literacy and its pedagogy, teachers should:

*Provide sustained use of new technology in all curricula for all age groups

*Develop classroom approaches to literacy that support writing/written representation

*Rethink ways to incorporate the role of technology in early writing for young students

*Provide a wide range of online experiences

*Develop models and approaches for critical digital literacy

*Use alternative approaches to new technology in teaching literacy

*Develop case studies for the use of social software and virtual worlds in the classroom context

*Evaluate and rethink how writing as a curriculum is taught, developed, and assessed

These suggested strategies will help bridge the gap between real-world uses of technology and ICT in the classroom (Burnett et. Al., 2006). This will help students to play an active and critical role in the digital future.

Presentation Software

Prezi is just one of many types of presentation software that can be used in a multitude of settings. I have used Prezi a few times but this is the first full presentation that I have completed. I would used discussion and higher-order, guided questions to direct students' learning while using this Prezi. This is an example of how Prezi is good for introducting or reviewing a concept such as triangles.

Triangle Basics on Prezi

Social Networking

Social networking is an excellent way to share information among people and get connected around the world. Facebook is just one example of a social networking platform.

Benefits using Social Networking in Schools:Students are comfortable with Facebook
Inviting atmosphere
Shared place to provide ownership to everyone
Promotes collaboration
Keeps students engaged in learning/school outside of the school day

Disadvantages of using Social Networking in schools:
Security
Responsibility of an outside link to the classroom
Bullying/Using appropriate language
Privacy Settings
Friends added to group





OnlineCollege.org offers this list of 100 ways that Teachers Should be Using Facebook in the classroom! What an excellent resource!

My Own Digital Video

I created this video to be used in a high school physics class. Students would be familiar with general terms mentioned in the video but this could serve as an introduction to a more detailed study of mechanics. I took this videos myself and I see a strong connection between mechanics and physics; that is exactly what I want my students to get out of this video. I used PowerPoint slides saved as pictures and the videos I already had to create this is MovieMaker. This is only the second time I have used MovieMaker and I really like it! It is easy to use! I can see endless benefits to using a program like this in the classroom. Students could easily do digital narratives or any activity and upload thier videos to a class blog. I love this idea!
Audio by Collective Soul "Heavy"

I also uploaded this video to YouTube. You can view it here.

Digital Storytelling...

Digital videos allow students and teachers to think beyond the typical concepts and curriculum being covered in a classroom. Students are very creative and can sharpen their skills as they apply those skills while "telling a story." Digital videos are great ways to incorporate independence and responsibility with learning into your classroom. Here are four great links for finding great videos to use in a classroom!

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PBS is a great site for students to view many different videos on various curriculum topics. At our school the most popular viewed videos are from the science and history curriculum. I have also found some great math videos such as "fractals" that provide a real-life link to naturally occurring mathematics. All videos on this site are based on research and factual information that allow students to think critically about the topics they are studying.

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Discovery Education is a site that streams videos on curriculum topics. In my experience, these videos are more for teaching curriculum specific concepts and exploring relationships among concepts. You can search across the curriculum for any topic of your choice but you must have an account (our school system does).

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Brightstorm is an excellent digital video resource for math (algebra through calculus) and science (biology, physical science, and physics). The videos on this site showcase an instructor explaining a concept and working through two to three examples of how to apply the skills in a problem. The viewer has a choice to stop the video and play the examples in the order of their choice. This site is great for tutorials and review in math and science classes.

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SchoolTube is an online community of teachers and students who create their own videos. Teachers can upload lesson plans and recorded lessons to the site and share among the members. Students can view the videos on this site as an extension of what is covered in class and investigate critical thinking topics. There are searchable categories that span the educational curriculum and teachers and students can enter contests with their published videos.

Resource Management / Survey Monkey

Needs assessment is essential to creating successful and meaningful staff development. The following survey is one that I have recently created for the math department at the high school where I teach. I am working with them on Study Island and through this survey I will know exactly what direction to take and what tasks are hindering their use of the software. Survey Monkey is a great way to gather information for needs assessment!
"Click here to take survey"

Images on the Web: Flickr

Flickr is a wonderful tool to share images with others. You can create a free account and upload as many images as you want. You can also save a "favorites" list so you can easily find the photos you like the next time you log in. This resource is good for personal use and for educational use. I created an account and began my own photostream. I also made a list of favorites that I will be using next year with my geometry students. When it comes to a visual subject like Geometry, it is imperative that you have great images to go with each concept. I am excited to share this resource with my colleagues. I am sure this will enrich their students' learning experience!

Creative Commons on My Work

I decided to put a creative commons license on my instructional technology newsletter that I completed in EDTC 6010. This file is part of my professional portfolio and can be viewed here.

The creative commons license I received:

Instructional Technology Newsletter by Jennifer Underwood is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Creative Commons

Always Learning New Things by Jennifer Underwood is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.


Here is a Creative Commons License for my blog. Creative Commons is a way to put a license on your work and choose if others can use parts of your work or the entire work in something they choose to author. There are several different licenses to choose from at Creative Commons.

Social Bookmarking

I had never heard of social bookmarking until EDTC 6070. I had no idea that there was an entire network of sites with tags that are serachable by anyone on delicious! Delicious is an awesome site for teachers to search for articles, applications, simulations, and websites that promote ICT and digital literacy.

My Delicious Bookmarks!

Refelctions on My Wiki Experience

Reflections on Wikis:

*Great for collaborative learning
*Allows students to take ownership of learning
*Sets the stage for cross-curricular projects
*Can be used by professionals as a "best practices" platform
*Clearly a great way to integrate technology
*Teaches students the importance of reviewing and reflecting on their work
*Can jump start an attitude of global awareness (if used on a wide scale)
*Strict guidelines and AUP's must be put in place

View my first Wiki!
Another Wiki!

Wonderful World of Wikis

I am new to Wikis and I am already learning there are major benefits to using them in the classroom. I generally searched for articles on Wikis in the classroom and a good general description can be found here.

A great quote from this article reads: "One benefit of wikis that Wales sees is the willingness of kids who use them to try to understand views that may differ from theirs. Wikis, he says, are helping young people develop “writing skills and social skills by learning about group consensus and compromise—all the virtues you need to be a reasonable and productive member of society.”

A Summary in Wordle Fashion!

www.wordle.net

An Interesting View on the "Literacy Revolution"

In the following video, Angela Lunsford discusses the "Literacy Revolution" and the myths of digital literacy. Angela is the director or writing and rhetoric at stanford University and she shares the findings of a study conducted on Stanford students. The video is a little lengthy but her discussion is very interseting. I do not believe anyone in my discussion group mentioned digital literacy as it pertains to college students. Angela discusses Twitter, Facebook, and blogging among other topics. She proposes the idea of "life writing" that bridges web tools and writing skills. *Note - the video is from YouTube so it may be prevented from showing at school.

Continuing with Digital Literacy & ICT

After a group discussion on digital literacy and ICT I can tell that we are all on the same page. We all defined digital literacy as a skill and ICT as a mechanism for developing and increasing digital literacy in our classrooms. My group members were diligent in expanding our discussion of digital literacy as a underlying factor within the NCSCOS. We all agreed that these digital literacy skills and information communication technologies span the curriculum. Kevin and Vanessa even discussed the importance of digital literacy for EC students. Vanessa stated that her students enjoy PowerPoints as a way to share their thoughts and ideas. Because I teach mostly honors students, I do not automatically think about EC students in our discussion board posts. I appreciate my group members providing insight on this topic.

Digital Literacy & ICT

So what is digital literacy and ICT? According to Educause, digital literacy "represents a person's ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment and the ability to read and interpret media. Also, ICT refers to information and communication technology. Educause also defines this as pairing learning skills and 21st century tools. The included diagram shows how digital literacy affects all curricula. I think it is important for teachers to realize that students are given opportunities to read, interpret, and reproduce digital information and data. It is undeniable that digital literacy is part of the NCSCOS as well. In my experience, students who excel in computer and technology skills also excel in higher-order thinking across the curriculum.

Introduction

The purpose of this blog is to record facts, thoughts, and images that reflect my learning in EDTC 6070: Digital Literacy for the 21st Century Classroom and in other courses from ECU. Look for new posts every couple of days!