Category Archives: Web 2.0

K12 Online Conference

Participate in the free K12 Online ConferenceIf you weren’t able to attend EduBloggerCon or NECC, you might want to check out the K12 Online Conference this October.  According to the conference website,

The “K12 Online Conference” is for teachers, administrators and educators around the world interested in the use of Web 2.0 tools in classrooms and professional practice! The 2007 conference is scheduled to be held over two weeks, October 15-19 and October 22-26 of 2007, and will include a preconference keynote during the week of October 8. The conference theme is “Playing with Boundaries.”

You can still view presentations from last year’s conference.  You might want to check out the Tools page to make sure you have the software you’ll need to participate.

[tags]k12onlineconference, web 2.0[/tags]

Administrator 2.0

Scott McLeod challenged education bloggers to post today about effective school technology leadership.

In many schools in our nation, computers are not available for students. I have worked in four K-12 schools. The first had no computer lab and no access to computers even for faculty. Of course, that was 1997-1998, so I hope things have changed. The second and third had labs which were difficult to get into, often requiring sign-ups or a month or more in advance in order to secure time for my students to use the lab; therefore, I never took my own students because I couldn’t get in. My current school has an excellent computer lab which is staffed by two educational technologists. Space for two classes at a time generally exists, and the lab isn’t hard to get into. I can sign up the same day in some cases, and I have never had difficulty if I sign up a week in advance. Guess which environment has been most conducive to my students’ learning of technology as well as that of my own? The first thing administrators need to do at the school, district, and state level is to support initiatives to bring computers to the classroom. Ideally, I’d like to have a lab in my own classroom, but barring that, my current situation of an accessible lab is critical. One-to-one laptop initiatives are interesting, but bottom-line, it’s more important to me to have access to a lab when I need it. Administrators who do not do what they can to bring computers to school are basically saying that educating our children for the 21st century is not important.

A second thing teachers need from administrators is support for their efforts at technological education. I think one reason administrators sometimes do not support these efforts is fear and misunderstanding. It is imperative that administrators receive professional development in technology. As Scott McLeod noted,

Administrators’ lack of knowledge is not entirely their fault. Most of them didn’t grow up with these technologies. Many are not using digital tools on a regular basis. Few have received training from their employers or their university preparation programs on how to use, think about, or be a leader regarding digital technologies.

My administration, and especially the Board of Trustees (specifically our board president) have been incredibly supportive of my efforts at using technology in my classroom. Without their support, I would not have been able to successfully use wikis or blogs in my classroom. Since I have plans to utilize Web 2.0 technology to an even greater extent next year, their continued support will be critical for enhancing the learning activities of our students. If I try to visualize doing some of the work I’ve done over the last two years in the setting of one of my former schools, I have to admit I don’t think I would have been able to even try using blogs or wikis.

As administrators begin to feel more comfortable with technology, I’d like to see more administrators blogging. I know this is fraught with problems as well, as this involves giving people more access to those administrators, which could result in blogging administrators becoming whipping boys for all the problems with education in their schools and districts. I think, however, there is more to be gained than lost by being more transparent in education. “The ‘net rewards the transparent,” and over time, as more blogs like this one pop up, it will punish those who do not reach out themselves.

I would also like to see efforts at creating Web 2.0 learning experiences made easier for teachers. Vicki Davis and Julie Lindsay said at EduBloggerCon that in order to have their Flat Classroom Project approved by each of their schools, they had to use different rubrics. As their students were doing the same tasks, it would have been easier to evaluate their work using the same rubric.

Finally, I would like to emphasize that it is critical that administrators support best practices in using technology. I think many administrators don’t see the need for certain uses of technology not only because they haven’t used them and don’t use them now, but because they felt they got on all right, thank you very much, without them, so why should others need them? I’m sure the same has been said in the past of running water, electricity, a dependable mail service, automobiles, and any number of services and technologies we rely on today. I don’t know yet if we will necessarily rely on Web 2.0 technology, but the 21st century is already dependent on certain technologies, and not teaching our students how to use them is to cripple them as they move on to college and the work force.

[tags]administration, education, web 2.o, technology, schooltechleadership[/tags]

A Lesson Before Dying

A Lesson Before DyingOur students at each grade and level read three books over the summer. You can check out our summer reading brochure here (pdf) to see our requirements and recommendations. We have latitude regarding assessment of summer reading, but we are encouraged to evaluate students’ understanding of one book through an objective test and to evaluate a second through an essay. The third book is discussed and studied in class prior to assessment.

My 9th grade students will have to read A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain. This coming year will be the fourth year I have taught 9th grade at my school (I had previously taught ninth grade for four years in other schools with no summer reading requirement). We changed our selections this year. Last year, incoming freshmen read Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway rather than the Gaines and Twain novels. As The Bean Trees was the book I liked best among those three, I have taught that novel prior to discussion the past three years, and indeed, had planned to do the same this year. However, after reading A Lesson Before Dying, I decided this book has some real meat for discussion and might appeal more to both boys and girls (girls tend to favor The Bean Trees, while boys tend not to). You can read my review of the book at my personal blog.

I created a UbD unit plan for A Lesson Before Dying today, and I’d appreciate feedback. I had quite a bit of trouble with Stage 1 (the standards were easy; figuring out what I wanted students to understand and how to frame essential questions was hard).

In my searching today, I found a UbD plan for The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible (pdf). This year will be the first in my high school teaching career that I haven’t taught American literature, but one of you all American literature teachers may want to check it out and see if it is something you are interested in trying.

[tags]ubd, ernest gaines, a lesson before dying, literature, english, education, assessment[/tags]

Teacher 2.0

What does the wired teacher of the 21st century look like?

I’ll be the first to admit I’m scratching my head about the use of some technologies in the classroom — cell phones for instance. On the other hand, I am right on board with wikis and blogs.

If I was not convinced before how powerful wikis can be, I was thoroughly convinced when I booted up the computer and went to check UbD Educators wiki for updates. I recently created a Resources page with a few links. I decided not to go too crazy because I knew my colleagues at the wiki would add a few. And so they did. For some reasons, this was a real “a-ha moment.” I knew they were a powerful tool for collaboration, but knowing it and understanding it are somewhat different, and I think I finally understand. I have really left the power of the wiki untapped, I think.

Which kind of makes me wonder what other technological tools I’ve left untapped.

I heard a bit of a rumor that we might have Moodle on our school’s website next year, so I have restrained myself from creating any social networks for my students until I know more about plans for next year. I don’t want to duplicate anything that my school is already putting in place. I still would like to collaborate with other schools around the country and the world on wiki projects next year.

I am excited for the next school year.

[tags]wiki, education[/tags]

British Educators: I Want You

If you teach literature and composition in the United Kingdom, I would like to work with you on a collaborative online project. I am teaching a semester of British Literature and Composition this fall. We will be reading selections from Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales, and Arthurian legend, as well as the entirety of Macbeth.

I am not sure how to connect to UK teachers. If readers can help me out, I’d love to get your advice.

I am thinking of a blogging or wiki project.

[tags]United Kingdom, education, British literature, UK, wiki, English, blogging[/tags]

Where are All the Other Subjects?

I am really excited about the possibilities at the UbD Educators wiki, and I am thrilled with the discussions taking place over there. I have had some very helpful feedback that has allowed me to create what I think is a solid UbD/Web 2.0 unit.

But all the teachers over there are English teachers.

Now, it could be that my blog mainly appeals to other English teachers, and I would understand if it did. I do tend to read the blogs of other English teachers and technology specialists, myself. However, I also invited other teachers through the Carnival of Education, and Dan Meyer, who teaches math, was kind enough to give us a plug, too.

If you teach a subject besides English, please come on over, and don’t be daunted if you are the only one at first. I think we English teachers would be happy to give you feedback about units outside our subject matter, and in fact, you might even get great feedback that way simply because we don’t teach your subject. In other words, we can perhaps help you see the unit from the point of view of your students. The centerpiece unit in Understanding by Design is a unit on nutrition, and I have to say I thought it looked really engaging. In addition, we can all certainly help you look at your unit from a UbD standpoint. We would love to have you in the conversation, so please join us!

[tags]UbD, Understanding by Design[/tags]

Tagging

After hearing Vicki’s sensible arguments for tagging today, I have been wondering about tagging on this blog. I use a very easy tagging plugin called SimpleTagsPlus. I can use it to create Technorati, Flickr, or del.icio.us tags based on keywords I enter using certain code before and after the tag(s).

I have only been tagging my posts with Technorati tags. Would it be useful to tag them using del.icio.us, also? I use del.icio.us to save bookmarks all the time, but I hadn’t thought of tagging my posts using del.icio.us.

Does anyone use Ultimate Tag Warrior to tag WordPress posts? What do you think of it?

I want to get serious about making it easy for people to find what they need at my blog. I think the search feature I have is pretty good — I’ve always been able to find what I need to find, anyway. Would a tag cloud be of help to anyone? Or is it one more busy gizmo in the sidebar?

[tags]del.icio.us, tagging, technorati, flickr, wordpress, plugin[/tags]

EduBloggerCon 2007

I have been home from EduBloggerCon 2007 for about a half hour. First of all, the most exciting aspect of the conference was the opportunity to be around so many educators who are interested in and actively using Web 2.0 technologies in their classrooms. I am used to being very alone in this area, and I have to say that it was somewhat of a shock to my senses to hear so many educators talking about wikis, tagging, RSS, blogging, and myriad other applications. I think I realized for the first time that a great many educators actually are interested in Web 2.0. I have to admit I kept visualizing how energizing it would be to work in a school with these other educators.

The main feeling I was left with was just that — energy and excitement about the possibilities of bringing Web 2.0 into the classroom. I also met quite a few people I’ve only interacted with online, as well as some folks who are definitely going into my aggregator and blogroll.

I was fairly quiet at the conference today, and I hope no one interpreted that silence as disinterest. I was simply overwhelmed. In fact, I had never heard of ISTE before the conference today, and I had only heard of NECC a few days ago. I realize that if I am indeed serious about going into educational technology in the future, I probably need to check into joining ISTE and going to NECC when I have a chance in the future. I was sorry I couldn’t attend NECC, as it’s in Atlanta, but coming up with the registration fee on such short notice would have been too difficult.

Here’s the group picture (try right clicking the link, then opening it in a new window or tab so you can go back and forth) courtesy of Tim Stahmer. I am in the middle in the red (long gray hair!) standing to the right (as you see it) of Dave Warlick, whose face is more well-known than mine.

I want to especially acknowledge Steve Hargadon for organizing the whole thing (and for being so friendly when we were introduced), Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach for sort of taking me under her wing and making sure I met people, and Megan, Vinnie, Elizabeth, and Kevin for the great conversations.

I’ve been blogging here for nearly two years (two years on Monday!), but I realized today that the real conversation has just begun. It was the first time I had the opportunity to be around so many like minds.

[tags]edubloggercon07, web 2.0, technology, education, necc, iste[/tags]

Classroom 2.0

Steve Hargadon, who led this session, mentioned that the wiki associated with Classroom 2.0 hasn’t taken off as he hoped and wanted to “create an action plan for developing good repositories of lesson plans and training for the use of technology and Web 2.0 applications in the classroom.” Vicki Davis took notes: Classroom 2.0.

What do you think would make it easier for teachers to find ways to use Web 2.0 technologies in the classroom?

[tags]edubloggercon07, ebc07cr20, classroom 2.0[/tags]

Global Connections and Flat Classroom Ideals in a Web 2.0 World

One of the things that jumps out at me as I hear various stories (we are in a circle introducing ourselves) is that Flat Classroom Ideals are perfectly suited for UbD curriculum and unit planning. Many of the teachers mention that the curriculum as it currently stands in their schools impedes the introduction of the kinds of projects Julie Lindsay and Vicki Davis were able to construct.

What makes an effective international project? Julie and Vicki are interested in responses to this question.

Vinnie Vrotny says students need to “actively collaborate within in the same window of time.” How would this work with two (or more) groups spread across time zones?

Vicki mentions that a lot of the work they are going to have to do will necessarily be “asynchronous” simply because of time zone differences. Everyone seems to feel some synchronous collaboration is necessary.

Kristin Hokanson mentions the need for administrative support. Vicki says administrators need to “pull over to the side and let them pass” — administrators must get on board with Web 2.0 technology.

Take a look at the wiki Vicki created during the session: Global Connections.

One thing that strikes me upon reflecting over this session is the sheer excitement about teaching and learning I am seeing among teachers who are actively using Web 2.0 technologies in their classrooms. Having experienced it to a small degree myself, I cannot wait to try to be much more involved in the future.

[tags]edubloggercon07, ebc07gcfc, UbD[/tags]