Wikis

I enjoyed learning about wikis this week, and I see some great opportunities with wikis in education. Some of the wiki sites that schools have set up are pretty impressive. I would really enjoy doing something like this in my classes. However, I have a tendency to think that a wiki site would be enticing to younger students and opposed to high school students. When I think about the students I have, I see them thinking that creating a wiki would just be more work. This is something that I would like to implement in my class, but I just wonder how I could go about it in way that would get my students excited.

If anything, a wiki site would have some great applications in distance education. What a great way for students and teachers to work together when there is distance between them.

Finding the Proper Mix

During this semester, we have learned about so many great tools that we can use in our instruction and I am excited about the possibilities for the upcoming year. Along with that excitement is a little anxiety as I consider what tools I could use and how I can use them together. It is one thing to know about these tools and something completely different to know how to use them effectively as to enhance instruction rather than distract from it. In order to figure this out, I think a lot of it will have to be trial and error. I will just have to try different tools in different learning situations and see what works. As I do so, I think I can gain some invaluable insights through the eyes of my students. By asking for feedback from my students, I can hopefully get an idea as to what works and what doesn't.

Video Instruction

Last school year, I decided to try a different approach to how I deliver instruction. Instead of presenting material live, I decided to prerecord class instruction and have the students watch it on their computers. I thought this might allow me to spend more time working with students individually. I found this approach to be favorable among many of the students. Students liked this because they could work at their own pace, and review content as necessary.

The downside of this was that the videos took up precious screen space on student computers and I noticed that there began to be a lack of interaction and collaboration among my students. Because of this, I felt like my classroom was lacking personality and excitement, and I began feeling bored. I know that this shouldn't be about me, but if I was feeling this way, I wonder if my students were sensing a lack of excitement for learning.

I wonder if there are others who have tried this method of instruction and would be curious to hear about what their experience is and what challenges they faced in implementing a technology such as this. I think it can be promising, especially for my situation, but I think I need to develop a more effective way of using this technology so as to not take away from the personality of the classroom.

Blogs

So as I realize that I have yet to write an entry for my blog this week, I have thought about the purpose for writing in this blog each week and how it relates to what we are learning in class. I see this blog as a journal where I can write about my thoughts and insights as I continue my education in this program. I believe that this blog also gives me the opportunity to organize and process the information I am learning. If blogging about learning seems to be useful to me, what could it do for my students. Would they also see keeping a blog as an opportunity to record their thoughts and ideas as they learn. Would this be a learning technology that would enhance learning in my classroom?

YouTube

To me, YouTube is an enigma of sorts or what we might call a two edged sword. There are so many excellent video resources on YouTube that could be used to support instruction and students love accessing YouTube. In fact, many of my students will spend hours on YouTube if you let them. This would be the other edge of the sword.

Normally YouTube is blocked at our school, but sometime last school year there was a period of time where our internet filters went down and our students had access to YouTube. My classroom is a computer lab and I teach computer classes, so naturally when word got out that the filter went down all YouTube hell broke loose. I had the darndest time keeping my students out of YouTube and on task! I even had the problem of some students accessing inappropriate videos promoting such things as gang violence,ultimate fighting, and all things bloody-gory-mess.

So I ask, "How do we harness this YouTube power for the educational good of mankind?" I have yet to come up with an answer.

Social Networking and Online Collaboration Sites: Benefits vs. Risks

In the workshop on Facebook this week, BJ talked about how his district has a policy that teachers are not allowed to have their students as friends on Facebook. A few other classmates also said that their district has a similar policy. At the college where I teach, we don't have any particular policies on that, but Facebook is blocked. Bj went on to demonstrate some great ways that Facebook could be used in the classroom such as a discussion board or office hours in the evenings so students can seek help when it is needed. Facebook would be a very useful tool for education and there are other sites out there that could also be great tools such as Second Life or Twitter. However, as an educational community we are still unsure as to whether it is safe and appropriate to use these resources. We don't want to cross the wrong lines and not knowing what results or implications may follow, we would rather be safe than sorry. This is a constant battle between the benefits and risks of these tools, and the risks seem to be winning. I wonder if we will ever find a resolution to this battle and find the perfect balance that will allow us to use some of these tools without reservation. I am guessing we won't until there are some online tools created with education in mind. Facebook and Second Life were not created as such nor were many of the other sites out there.

iTunes U

In one of my classes this semester I have to complete a research paper on one of the digital tools that we have learned about that could be used in our own classrooms. I have chosen to do mine on iTunes. As I think about iTunes in and educational setting, I realize that I personally haven't tapped into the power of iTunes and utilized it enough in my classroom. I know that iTunes U alone has some excellent resources. Also, I assume that many of my students are unaware of the many resources that iTunes offer. Many of these resources are in the form of podcasts and are free for anyone to download.

I have made a commitment to myself to take some time to look the content in iTunes U and see what is available in my subject areas and see what would work in my classroom and what might also benefit my students. I would also like to plan on spending some time with my students in the upcoming school year to show them that iTunes has more than just Apps and music. I would like for them to discover for themselves what is available for their own personal benefit.

Back In Session soon...

Even though I still have about six weeks of summer left before another school year breaks loose again, I already find myself thinking about what the new school year might bring. I am still trying to figure out how to design my curriculum and how to teach my students. I have spent the last few years trying different approaches and feel the need to come to some conclusions and develop and definite plan instead of continuing to fly by the seat of my pants. I am been contemplating some of the learning technologies that I have been learning about this semester and wondering what I can use in my classroom the enhance the learning experiences of my students. I am excited about the technology, but I think it will be important to find the right mix and determine the best way to use these tools. I want these tools to be helpful to the students and not a distraction.

I think I will need to take some time to brainstorm and come up with some solid ideas as to how these technologies will play out in my classroom.