C4K Summary for April

C4K #8
Spencer R's Blog

Spencer's blog post was in an introduction of himself.  He wrote he has lived in Iowa all of his life and has never been to another country.
My comment:  My name is Catherine Warren.  I am in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama in Mobile.  I have never been to Iowa, but I have been to other countries.  What countries would you like to visit?

warrencatherineedm310.blogspot.com                                                                                          

Mohamed's Blog

Mohamed's blog post was titled "Character Development".  He wrote about a 14 year old boy who moved from Somalia.
My comment:  Hello, Mohamed.  I am a college student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama in Mobile.  Is this story about you?  Are you from Somalia?  I have been to Uganda and loved it.

warrencatherineedm310@blogspot.com


Trent's Blog

Trent's post was about moving on to grade 5.  He asked, "What do you look forward to?"

My comment:  Hello, Trent.
My name is Catherine Warren. I am in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama in the USA. I hope you are enjoying grade 5 by now. I look forward to finishing college. I always look forward to traveling to many places. What are you looking forward since you have been in grade 5 for a while?
warrencatherineedm310.blogspot.com

PLN Report

PLN stands for personal learning network.  I have not created an account with Symbaloo or a similar site.  I do not have some elaborate network.  My inclination is to think up something really profound that will impress Dr. Strange.  However, by definition of PLN, the keyword is personal, so what matters most is what works for me.  What I enjoy most is my iPad.  I grew up with my dad saying, "Look it up."  Now I say, "I'll Google it."

I have spent countless hours "Googling" anything and everything I want to learn about.  If I want to save a page, I can make a screenshot, or I can email a link of the page to myself and then use my email app to pull it right back up.  I have taken pictures, edited them, shot video, and made iMovies on my iPad.  I use apps for YouTube, Google Drive, and Blogger.  My email app contains all three of my email accounts.  I love the touch screen.  I can take the iPad anywhere and access free Wifi all of the time.  I also use apps for the Weather Channel, Facebook, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.  It is the best electronic gadget.

C4T Summary

Free Technology for Teachers

The post I commented on is titled "10 Good Video Sources for Math Students and Teachers".  Richard Byrne listed ten sites and why they are good.

My comment:  I am a student in EDM 310 at the University if South Alabama in Mobile.  Your blog is what I would call a resource directory.  You have so much information compiled here.  What do you find the most challenging to make your posts?

warrencatherineedm310@blogspot.com

"A Quick Round Up of New Google Drive Features" is a post stating:  Now if when you collaborate on a Google Document you will see the Google+  profile picture of your collaborators. Click the image to learn more about the person. The chat feature of Google Documents is tied to the Google+ integration. Click the new chat icon to start a group chat with your collaborators.

My comment:  Thank you for sharing the latest features of Google Drive.  Google offers so many useful tools.

Blog Post #14

Teacher Knows if You've Done the E-Reading

This is an article posted on The New York Times website dated April 8, 2013.  The article  is about professors at Texas A&M and eight other colleges who are testing technology from a company, CourseSmart, "that allows them to track their students' progress with digital textbooks."  The article gives pros and cons to this as well as questions if this is beneficial in any way.

As a teacher, I would probably be very curious to see who read the assignments, how many pages were read, and how much time was spent reading.  I would probably draw conclusions about students' scores and time spent reading.  I might become partial to students who do the reading versus the student who don't.  After some time, I would get back to the main thing, which is teaching my class.  Being voyeuristic does not replace good teaching.  Snooping on students does not change whether or not they did the reading.  Inspiring them to want to do the reading is my job.

As a student, I would probably be pretty irritated.  If this is going on now, it would not matter because I do my readings and work.  If I do not, it will be reflected when I take a test.  I may be tempted to fool my teacher into thinking I did the reading by leaving the textbook open like the article suggests.  Also, some students claimed they took notes on paper instead of digitally, which does not accurately reflect students' engagement.  The teacher's perception of the students' study habits may be influenced.  As a student, I would feel micromanaged.

Questions for the teacher:  How often do you check on your students' statistics?  What do you hope to accomplish by doing this?  How does this affect your perceptions of your students?  How do you handle your disappointment after seeing the information?  Do you reflect on your own teaching?

Questions for the student:  How do you feel knowing your teacher has the ability to know if you have read the assignments?  Does it change your study habits?

My comment I would add:  After being in EDF 315, I have discovered what a big business the textbook industry is.  My opinion is that this is just another strategy for the publishers to make money.  The hook is to market to the colleges with the guise of helping teachers track their student's progress.  The article says "eventually, the data will flow back to the publishers, to help prepare new editions."  It's all about money.  Period.

Project #16 Movie

This video is on the long side, but it is so worth it.  So pop some popcorn, grab a Coke Zero, and kick back to watch this episode of The 310 Show with Dana Lettergrade!

Project #15 Smart Board Instruction

Blog Post #13

Brian Crosby-Back to the Future

This is a great video that addresses what I call integration of subject matter.  Mr. Crosby has students for three years for fourth, fifth, and sixth grades.  They are considered at risk, low income, and second language learners.  The survey statistics he gave about how many students do and do not know simple things like what city they live in, their addresses, and phone numbers were very disheartening.  This survey seems to be a spring board for Mr. Crosby's philosophy, "You don't know what could be if you don't know what is."

The presentation is about how a lesson on hot air balloons encompasses so many content areas:  science, writing, collaboration, exploration, and blogging.  The students have Skyped with students in New Zealand about what they have learned and how to do the same activities.  Mr. Crosby said that this is active learning which empowers kids to want to learn on their own.  "We can't keep racing kids through schools."  The student, Celeste, with leukemia participating with the class via Skype is priceless. 

I really like that Mr. Crosby has about thirty years of teaching experience.  He is not a recent college graduate who is new to teaching in the digital age.  Mr. Crosby has grown in his career to come to this style of teaching, which shows he greatly loves what he does and that meeting the needs of his students is what is truly important.

Blended Learning Cycle

Paul Anderson has developed what he calls the blended learning cycle.  He created an acronym from the word quivers.  The letters stand for question, investigate, video, elaboration, review, and summary quiz.  As a science teacher, Mr. Anderson has a very good system of beginning with a question.  Science is all about figuring out why things are they way they are and why they do what they do.  Then students are to investigate and inquire about the question presented.  The students watch a video on the subject that Mr. Anderson has already made.  This step seems very elaborate but the beauty of a video is once it is made, it can be used over and over.  During elaboration, the student delve deeper into the subject.  Mr. Anderson then talks with each student during the review stage to determine if the students really understand the material before they can move on to the summary quiz.

I like Mr. Anderson's statement, "I don't think you've really learned something unless you can explain it to someone else."  This is his perspective on the review so the students will be successful on the summary quiz.  This is a very good strategy.

Progress Report on Project #16

Enjoy the commercial!

Blog Post #12

kidblog.org

This class has opened my eyes to the world of blogging.  I have really enjoyed making comments through the C4K assignments.  My proposed assignment would be for EDM 310 students to choose a blogging site for future use in the classroom.  We visit so many blogs but don't necessarily know how they work.  I chose Kidblog.  It is free.  Teachers can create a class blog really quickly.  I like looking at the settings.  It give me a real behind the scenes feeling.  Right now "Mrs. Warren's Class" has no students, but in the future, no matter what grade I teach, we will blog.  Now is the time to become familiar with such sites.

Mrs. Warren's Class

Blog Post #11

Ms. Cassidy's Little Kids...Big Potential

Ms. Kathy Cassidy has really done a great job of educating herself in technology to be able to lead the way in integrating the tools of technology in her first grade classroom.  In this video, students give voice overs and pictures of the work they have done and how they use technology on a daily basis.  The video highlights blogs, internet safety, webpages, center time, wikis, group videos, Skype sessions, and even learning with Nintendo DS "Nintendogs".  A student says playing Nintendogs in a group has made them better problem solvers and taught them to learn to share.

I know I will introduce blogging to my classroom, regardless of the grade level.  Through EDM 310, I have learned that even first graders are capable of contributing to a blog.  Even if a student only writes one sentence, the value is great.  Ms. Cassidy said in the Skype interview that blogs allow the students to have an audience.  Having an audience improves the students' writing.  The anticipation of receiving comments is also encouraging and fun for the students.  I find it interesting that she says the tools of just five years ago are not the same because of how quickly technology has changed.

I see from her interview the importance of support from fellow teachers, technical coordinators, and administration.  Her guarded response in the interview about support from administration led me to think she has not always had the support she would have liked, though she did not actually say that.  People in administration positions do not always see the importance of technology in the classroom which can lead to restricted access and restricted time spent on technology. 

I like that parents have given positive responses.  Parents naturally love to see their children and their work on display.  On the internet, parents can share their children's work with other family members and friends.  I like Ms. Cassidy's insistence on internet safety for her students.

An impediment I personally say at Fonde Elementary was that the students did not know how to properly type and are not taught how.  In my classroom, time will be spent on that.  I know that there are free learn-to-type games on the internet.

C4T #3

First Post
spicylearning.wordpress.com by Royan Lee

The post I commented on was in regard to an individual filming him/herself teaching not for the purpose of posting lessons online as in the flipped classroom concept, but for the purpose of critiquing the actual teacher. 

My comments:  My name is Catherine Warren. I am in the class EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I have never thought of filming myself teaching until reading your post. I think it will be most beneficial. I have watched films of myself in videos created for class projects. Because I was a character, it was enjoyable to watch. I would love to film myself in my future classroom. I don’t think I want to let someone else critique me, though. Your post is an interesting proposal.

Second Post

The next post was about giving students feedback and how students interpret that feedback.  Mr. Lee explores the way students respond to direct and indirect comments.  He gives examples of ways people communicate and how different people react to the same comments.  It was very interested and something I will consider when I give my own students feedback.

My comments:  As a college student currently taking EDM 310, a technology course which led me to your blog, but also an education foundations course which is focusing on the multicultural classroom, we have discussed language barriers quite a bit.  It has mostly been in regard to a student learning English, communicating with parents, understanding cultural communication styles, etc.  What type of feedback to give a student and how that student may receive that feedback is something that has not been covered.  However, after reading your post, I see it is not an issue limited only to ESL students.  Culture is so complex within our own communities.  Great post.  Cancel reply

C4K Summary for March

C4K#4
Dustin
The post I commented on was an interview of a fellow student.

My comment: Hello, Dustin. I am new to blogging. My original comments posted twice. I tried to delete one copy, but they both disappeared. My name is Catherine Warren. I am another student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I was a little confused about which Dustin's blog I was to comment on. And as it turns out, you interviewed the other Dustin. That is funny. Did you enjoy the interview? Did someone interview you? I hope you enjoy your blogging experienceC4K#5

Laila's blog address is http://kidblog.org/MrsGoerend1213/author/lailak201286164/

She is an amazing writer with some fabulous posts.  The one I commented on has to do with what she thinks it would be like if we did not have the First Amendment.  She mentioned that we couldn't say what we want and that we wouldn't know what is going on because the press wouldn't be able to inform us.

My comments:  Hello, Laila. My name is Catherine Warren. I am a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, AL. Your blog is better than a 9th grader’s blog that I have read. It is hard to believe you are a 5th grader. You write like an adult. You are very talented. Have you studied the other amendments to the Constitution?
warrencatherineedm310.blogspot.com

C4K#6 Faith's blog address is http://kidblog.org/Harbor7/ce0306fd-3262-4845-8890-5a76ef417a99/ted-talk-6/#comment-688

This student says she would improve school by putting in more Smart Boards.

My comments:  Hello, Faith. My name is Catherine Warren. I am a student at the University of Alabama in the class EDM 310. There is a Smart Board in that classroom. I need to learn more about how to use it. What do you like best about Smart Boards?
warrencatherineedm310.blogspot.com

C4K#7
Quziyah's blog address is http://pesquziyaha.blogspot.com

This student explored where Easter eggs come from.

My comments:  My name is Catherine Warren. I am a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama in America. I am glad you enjoyed research about Easter. I will go to church and spend time with my family. How will you celebrate Easter?

warrencatherineedm310@blogspot.com