Project

Our first project for this course is due tomorrow. I have to say that I completely think that it has been over thought. You know how sometimes you might get together to collaborate with a colleague to just talk in circles for the afternoon. I feel like the last few days have been a lot of talk, but I do not feel any more enlightened. I feel as though "THE RUBRIC" has taken on, unnecessarily, a life of its own. I will be glad to press the "submit" button and move on to number two.

SmartNotebook

Thanks to the collaboration of my class I think I can finally upload documents to my blog. Attached (hopefully) here is a copy of a SmartNotebook lesson for grade 8-9 math. You must have SmartNotebook installed on your computer to view. Please let me know if you can upload this file and if you enjoy it.

Hyperlinking Help

Please click here to see my JING video question regarding hyperlinking and creating blog posts in MS Office 2007.

hyperlinking help

 

We are learning to use blogs in our online class at BrockU. I would like to use my blog to post Word documents or Smart Presentations to share assignments and lessons with teachers. i am having difficulty determining how to do this most efficiently using this software medium.

I have however learned how to use Word to create blog posts which is a much more practical means of publishing for me. Please follow along here to see what I have learned and where my hyperlinking problems are.

 

Click here to see my rubric for this course Start

 

Since we started this blog, I have really felt that for me to use this type of interface with my class I must be able to post word documents, presentations....basic files to my blog. I have spent sooo many hours trying to figure out how to do so. Tonight I started creating blog entries straight form Word, which is a great format as it allows you the same tool bar that you usually use in MS Word. Then, conveniently there is a hyperlink button which links to files on your computer. It seems like this is just what I want it to do...but then the link doesn't work as it gives an error msg saying my browser cannot open it. Ahhh failure.

 

So then I came across a widget called slideshare that allows you to create a slide version of word documents, powerpoint files along with a few others. You can click on the file name and view the document in its own page, but you cannot edit it in the format in which it was created.....or so I think.

 

I am looking for some advice on how to do this in an easier way......really I just want to be able to link up class work and assignments and have them directly accessible.....

Rubric

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Rubric

View more documents from UGDSB.

A Great Read

I have to be honest and say that I was overwhelmed at the amount of online content I found on Blogs and their use in schools as educational tools. I started my online investigation and quickly pasted many hours reading and found I had come out with new knowledge but no hard copy. I have a bad habit of logging too many hours searching and investigating things on the web, if I don't put in to practice the things I have learned quickly I forget them and next week or month will again log huge hours investigating the same topic. So I decided to go old school and visited the book store. I picked up a great book titled Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for the Classroom

written by Will Richardson. This book is an easy read (I read half of it in emergency with my sick 2 year old, and the other half in emergency two days later with my sick baby...). Richardson is able to demystify words like "blog", "wiki" and "aggregator". The book guides you through how Web tools can generate exciting new learning formats, and explains how to apply these tools in the classroom to engage all students.

Sucked in

i have a problem with the computer. A few, actually. Recently I have encountered a few problems with my new computer. One: I think I have a built in microphone. I get feedback when I hit what looks like the microphone button on my computer....but when I try to record something it doesn't work, or I can just faintly hear my voice. Second: depending on the interface I am using some of my keyboard keys do not function normally. Typing in this post works fine, but typing in MS Word leaves me with all kinds of characters that I don't see on any of the keys. I have no idea how to turn this off. Third: I would really like to find a users guide for my new Toshiba Satellite so I can figure these things out, but I need to know what version I have and most people want to charge me $15 for what I think should have come with the computer at POP. Finally and most importantly my largest problem is how many hours I can log accomplishing nothing on the internet. I have spent the better part of 2.5 hours trying to answer any of the above questions. Really, what did my marathon of google searches get me......a few more questions, tunnel vision, a blurring headache and a feeling of resentment as i go to bed.
I am quickly learning that my blog may not be about what I can do, but about the myriad of things I do not know how to do. Suggestions welcome:) Goodnight!

Social Netwroking & Cyber-Bullying

Social Networking is the new “cell phone” of the last century. As networking sites become more popular (facebook, twitter, on line blogs, as well as the old school email) educators will/have started to use them to engage students in class. As such it is quickly becoming our responsibility to educate young people about safety while online.
What are we doing and is it enough?
The answer to that question depends on who you ask. Certainly some boards have strong initiatives to educate young people proactively about online acceptable use and safety whether at school or at home. Likewise some schools have their own agendas and implement them accordingly. My point of reference is from the school at which I work and from that I can say, no, we are not doing enough. What we are doing at my school is including one and a half pages entitled Acceptable Use of Computer Network and Internet on pages 23-24 of the student agenda along with a quick mention under the Bullying Prevention Plan found on pages 26-31 of the same agenda. As a school we expect that each student reads the 32 page forward at the beginning of their yearly organizer and understands and implements the lessons when needed. This certainly is not enough. I had to inquire as to where this information could be found, I can almost guarantee that there are not too many students who would be able to say what we have done for them (which is put it in print in their organizer). My school unfortunately has a very reactive plan in place.
What should we be doing?
As I indicated above, my school an board seem to be operating in a reactive mode. We need to get proactive and address these issues for every student before they arise. I found the site http://www.netsmartz.org/index.htm interactive and informative both for teachers, parents and educators. My school could easily create a web quest activity suitable for all students to do, which could be either done at school through assigned classes or completed at home the first week of school and returned along with a signed consent form from parents indicating they have read and understood the schools policy on safe computer use. Finally, I believe that there should be a zero tolerance policy in effect. Students found to be bullying others online, regardless of if they are using school computers, should be reprimanded and the offense being recorded in their OSR.

Troubleshooting

Well it is 12:13am and I have been at this for a while. I am trying to attach or post some SMARTnotebook files from my computer. I see that i am able to attach pictures and video but I have no idea how to post these files. The only way I think it is possible is if I had a website i could post them on my website and then post a link to the website here. I don't have a website though so am lost at how to do this. Any advice would be much appreciated.
Tired,
Billie

Blogs: promoting literacy and participation in todays classrooms

I really enjoyed the article “The Educated Blogger: Using Weblogs to Promote Literacy in the Classroom” by David Huffaker. Huffaker hits on many key ways educators can use blogs to encourage students to read and write. The success of any teacher is often measured by their ability to engage their students to such an extent that they don’t even know they are learning. I am most proud of my students when I hear them arguing about proper methodology, through this dialogue they are learning most.
The online blog creates an atmosphere that encourages discussion through reading and writing for any age and discipline. What I think is most exciting about edublogs is their potential to break down some of the social discrimination that happens within a classroom. Many students do not have the social skills to engage in an open discussion within a classroom. Online blogging may very well give them the platform to have the confidence to speak (write) openly with students they otherwise would not have. Breaking down this social walls within a classroom may be the greatest benefit that edublogging can offer.
Students today are “plugged in”. There are few students who do not have easy access to the internet, many within their pockets in the form of iPhones and Blackberries. As Huffaker states “being situated within the Internet
allows bloggers to access their blogs anywhere and anytime an Internet connection is available, an opportunity for learning to continue outside the classroom.” (Huffaker, page4) This may be the single greatest asset of the blog. Students today do not value homework that straps them to the kitchen table for hours. Blogging allows them to participate and reflect of their classroom learning at their convenience.

Backup Education...I don't think so

Response to “Backup Education?”, by Marc Prensky.

I have to be honest and say my first response to reading Prensky’s article Backup Education was to cringe. Which side of the divide am I on? I slept on it for a night and have to admit that my advocacy lies much closer to the teachers he described at the beginning wondering when things will break down. I spent the night feeling ashamed of my feelings but have started the day with a few new thoughts.

Firstly, of course new technology should be used and introduced to student’s as much as possible not just as educational hype but as a tool to further their learning. I strongly believe that, and believe that a teachers competence in using the technology appropriately will translate directly into student achievement of the same. That is why I am in this course.

However we have to be realistic about the teaching world in which we live and have to operate daily. Each board, school and classroom will have its own story of the limitations the technology has placed on the learning environment. Just last year our board changed the server that operated the system at my school. Prior to the first week of school not one teacher could access saved files on the server, school email or the internet. This brings to mind Prensky’s thoughts when he said “Of course technology will break down. And of course some people may not know what to do until it’s fixed.” The problem is our computer issues did not stop at the first week prior to school. There was no access for the first 2 months and then very sporadic access until at least January. Who was left out in the cold, teachers like myself who had spend countless hours creating SMARTnotebook lessons and transferring all lessons to Interactive PowerPoint presentations, teachers that relied on blogs and wiki’s for their class activities. This was not a minor inconvenience but a 5 month disruption. The reality is that lack of funding and lack of training of board personal create a real technology sink hole in many boards. Our school has 2 functioning computer labs and one laptop cart. Our cart wasn’t operational until March of last year (due to the same blunders that caused the initial upset) and when it was no more than 11 machines work. Is this functional with 30 plus applied level students? Not so much.

I have been fortunate enough to be employed at a Canadian International school in Hong Kong. This was 6 years ago and at that time each student in my class had a laptop with wireless hook up. I had a PC on my desk with direct hook up to a projector as well as a wireless tablet PC that was also wirelessly connected to my projector. The projector faced a wall that had a full wall whiteboard. There was no chalk and no chalkboard, no overhead and an unbelievably small amount of paper and pens. Then I moved home and had to relearn how to teach without these resources. The reality is that our system is publicly funded and small boards are making due with out of date equipment.

Finally I have to strongly say that I am an advocate of learning the basics. Call it Backwards Education if you want, I call it the building blocks of higher education. This brings to mind another real life example I would (shamefully) like to share. Just this year I was at the local grocery store with a $1.00 off coupon and a past student as a cashier. Mistakenly the cashier typed in $0.10 as the discount. She called her supervisor over to deal with the problem. The supervisor replied to her quite logically to just discount the difference. The girl was confused and next discounted my bill the initial $1.00, upon which the supervisor explained it was too much and that I had to have monies added to my bill. The girl then manually charged me another $0.90 which was the wrong amount again. This is not rocket science math, but basic skills that any primary aged child should be able to do. Shockingly, with the aid of technology this student successfully completed her required math courses in high school. Have we done her a disservice? Absolutely!

The basics are needed; there is a place for drill and kill arithmetic, phonics and memorizing the periodic table. The most successful students have those skills and have access to the newest technology.

All about me

Welcome to my first blog post. My name is Billie Gitter and I am currently a senior Mathematics teacher with the UGDSB. I have been teaching math at WHSS for 4 years, prior to which I taught in Ottawa and in Hong Kong, Korea and Australia. I am currently at home enjoying a new addition to our family while staying busy with my two year old son.

I have always enjoyed incorporating technology into my lessons, however have met with moderate success in terms of achievement and learning outcomes. I look forward to expanding not only my knowledge of technology but also ways to incorporate it successfully into my everyday teaching practice.

This is my first online course and I am excited to hopefully gain new skills I can bring to the classroom to encourage both the reluctant and active learner. My goal is to one day be able to flawlessly create media and technology based lessons and assessments that meet all student needs.