I’ve added a new feature to Clif’s Notes called 1 Thing. This special section is an area where guest bloggers can communicate “1 thing” they would like to share, suggest, say, demonstrate, etc. about a particular topic. This section will forever be a work in progress, so feel free to suggest guest bloggers and topics anytime. You can easily access this section by clicking on the 1 Thing link in the main menu.
Category: Teacher Education
Interesting FREE Online Workshop
Moving Technology Courses Online
Learn about cutting edge research in preservice technology preparation
Friday, March 21, 2008
Noon CST
Registration (free) and full details available here.
Sponsored by AECT‘s Teacher Education Division
More on Twitter
I received a comment last night on my post, Twitter in Education, that I found interesting. It was from a doctoral student in our program and she was recounting her recent entree into twitter. It is honest and highlights both the excitement and difficulty in becoming comfortable with this networking technology. I liked it so much that I asked her permission to make it a post.
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GUEST BLOGER
Kristy Conger
In the last 24 hours I have become totally sold on Twitter. I signed up a while back but never really got into using Twitter. The only person who followed me was my friend Mary who sits less than four feet away from me all day at work. Needless to say, all we had to do was look over at one another to see what was going on : ) Then I came across and article that talked about using Twitter in the classroom. The name @newmediajim was mentioned as being someone really neat to follow. Turns out he works for NBC news and covers the president, the White House, etc. His posts to Twitter were really neat to follow. So, I added him and began following his adventures. OK…so here’s where the cool part comes in. He sent me a direct message after seeing what I had written about trying out Twitter again but not knowing if I would be successful at keeping up and posting updates. He encouraged me to post updates, and we started a conversation from there. I’m actually communicating directly with someone who is part of the White House press detail for NBC. He also just sent out a Twitter link the other day for a live web interview that he was doing with Sir Bob Geldof. One of his friends received the link via Twitter and began to watch the video. While watching this live interview, he sent a question via Twitter for Jim to ask while conducting the interview. Sir Bob Geldof was more than happy to respond to the question and addressed the person by name who sent it via Twitter. Now that is Web 2.0 technology at its finest!
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I know that Twitter is a hot topic with many of this blog’s readers and I wanted to share a few more related resources.
I Use the Web Differently Now…Do You?
Suggested Reading for 03/13/2008
Teaching and Learning with Squidoo
*DISCLAIMER: I’ve hesitated to share this resource because of the advertising and economics tied to it. I have given it a quick test and think that all of that stuff remains invisible. I’m sharing this resource because, in the right context, I see true potential in its integration with teaching and learning.
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Have you seen Squidoo? I would roughly describe it as a means of mashing up information from a variety of resources into a lens (as in the eye of a giant squid; fancy word for webpage). This is accomplished through customization and pulling together a good number of RSS feeds, favorites, bookmarks, page rankings/voting, etc. Lenses are ranked, money is given to daily winners, etc.* You can actually earn money for charity or for yourself just by using the service.* I have browsed through many of the existing lenses and been impressed by their quality. I am guessing that the whole free market competition model encourages quality effort as those with lenses with the highest use and approval are rewarded. Most of the ones I reviewed were by doctors, therapists, professors, etc. and all seemed well-credentialed. It is likely that you will find some lenses that you can use in your own classroom.
I haven’t completely made up my mind about what I think of Squidoo (I found it very, very late last night) but it has certainly given me some things to consider. Ideas for integrating it with learning and instruction have flooded my mind. In the right context it would be an interesting tool for teachers and learners to use for webquests, research, scavenger hunts, presentations, cooperative learning, online classes, a Web 2.0 activity, etc. Additional ideas and strategies are very end of this post.
There is also a section called Hey Monkey Brain where students can pick, research and debate a topic. Again, in the right context this feature has several positive educational implications.
I joined and threw together my own lens on the topic of educational technology. Take a look…
- My Squidoo Profile: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/clifsnotes
- My Ed Tech Lens: http://www.squidoo.com/clifsnotes
You can setup your own free account using here.
Integrating Squidoo
I thought it might be helpful to all of us if we brainstormed ways to integrate the use of Squidoo with teaching and learning. Here are some of the ideas (classes, lesson topics, activities) that came to me.
- Business
- Economics
- Research
- Writing and editing
- Information design
- Current events
- Math/ science/ health news and research
- Travel planning/ virtual field trip scenarios
- Marketing
- Student designed and developed webquests
- Homework helper
- Tips for parents
- Book reviews
- Debate/ critical thinking/ persuasive writing
- Newsletters
- Service learning/ moral education
- Instructional design/ lesson planning
- Online/ web-enhanced learning
- Focus on composers, painters, or sculptors
- Communicate information and resources to teachers about particular special needsMuch of the above can be modified for use in foreign language classes
Perfect Use of Vlogging
This is the most natural use of vlogging that I have seen, yet. Take a look at what folks are doing with online video. I stumbled across this while trying to install a video/audio commenting plugin for my new and improved blog. I was blown away by the idea and excited for those that clearly are enjoying a medium that is a perfect communication tool for them. I will be sharing these ideas with all the teachers in my classes.
Oscar shares his book review of Deaf in America.
Celebrating his 1 year vlogging anniversary, Oscar compares and contrasts himself today with a year ago.
This is an assistive technology that is likely to grow in use. I am glad that I am now aware of this use and some of its possibilities.You can view Oscar’s blog here.
Suggested Reading for 03/11/2008
Sickness has finally made its way into our home. All but one of us have been sick since the weekend and I am not that lucky one. As a result, I have had lots of time to grade, plan and read. I though I’d share these particularly interesting posts with you this evening.
Web 2.0 Is the Future of Education
Student Voices on Cyberbullying
RE Social Network Sites-An Open Letter to the Superintendent
Twitter in Education
If you’ve spent much time in the blogosphere in the last six months you have likely heard about Twitter. I have mentally been writing this post for about ten days. I want to provide my critical review and share the pros and cons as I see them. I realized that many people have already covered the bulk of this information and I just found it unnecessary for me to fully cover this topic with my own original post. Therefore, here are a few BIG points that I briefly want to make followed by valuable resources to further pursue this topic.
- There is value in the networking and real-time interaction that you can get using Twitter. Many educators and academics find this to be an effective strategy for dealing with the isolation that can come from working in the classroom or office. Imagine encountering technical difficulties during your lesson and having a means of receiving assistance within minutes. Consider the ability to receive assistance from others during a teachable moment in which you don’t know the answer to a student’s inquiry. Individuals like @nlowell, @sbrandt, and @room214 have provided me with much needed real-time assistance.
- I admit that it is possible for Twitter to be used in non-productive ways. I do not care about the weather, meal plans, funny cat stories, or work schedule of individuals that I do not know (in real life or virtually), but I solve this issue by simply dropping them from my follow list. On the flip side, I don’t mind if individuals that I know/ respect do this. Hearing @mguhlin share about events at work or @berniedodge describe the weather in San Diego helps me know them a bit more and adds an additional layer of community within my online network.
- The message to take away is that your experience with Twitter will be what you make it. You should customize and use it on an ongoing basis to meet your specific needs and interests.
- Join my Twitter network by using the link in the Navigation menu to the right.
Resources
Here is a great introduction to Twittering.
This video provides a full overview for setting up and using Twitter.
Twitted, Tweets and Young Learners
Twitter – Meaningful or Trivial – Up to the Writer
Tips for Using Twitter in the Classroom
Did You Change the World Today?
Gadberry asks the important question, “Did you change the world today?” So many teachers go into the profession with the genuine intention to positively impact the world. Unfortunately, many of us allow lesson planning, grading, IEP meetings, curriculum standards, meetings, sports, tv, errands, etc. to fill the bulk of our schedules and crowd out any possibility of changing the world. You know exactly what I mean, so I won’t insult you by pontificating on the obvious.
I haven’t positively changed the world today, but I still have about 7.5 hours to work on it. I assure you I will.
Now it’s your turn. Did you change the world today? (Please share in your the Comments below.)
Related Resources
Suggested Reading for 03/03/2008
I’ve found the following to be interesting reading material. I’d like to write a full post regarding each but I just don’t have the time. Instead, I’ll just mention them and suggest that you take a look at them.
Top 10 Ed-Tech Stories Still Resonate in 2008 – from eSchool News
Taking the One Laptop Per Child XO Laptop to the Preschool Classroom – Anne provides several strategies that she has used with preschool children.
Carl Dickerson gives the gift of literacy to low-income children – We need more people like this.
What I’d Teach the Teachers – An interesting perspective on effective teaching.
Is Plagiarism a Problem for eLearning?
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