The World is at Your Door.
The power of technology in education has little to do with the whiz-bang gadgetry. It has to do with the opportunities that are available when you use those gadgets to accomplish learning tasks that expand a student's opportunities. It might include new forms of observation (Time-lapsed photography, underwater webcams.) It might include different forms of communication with other learners (Skyping around the world, meeting in Second Life.)
Readings
Read pages 89-143 in Disrupting Class.
Read the Power of Social Interaction Technologies in Teacher Education (.pdf) This is a paper presented at the National Educational Computing Conference, 2009 in Washington, D.C. It does a good job of reviewing the literature about using social networking in education. The description of the research is scant but the lit review is good.
Doings
Building Your Blog
Your blog is your form of expression. It is you. Question is . . . is anybody listening? You have received a great following from your classmates. They have been commenting on your ideas. In some cases they are validating what you have said and other cases involve asking questions that challenge and expand your thinking. Here are some additions for your blog that will help you track your followers.
RSS Subscription - Video on Adding a Subscription Link Gadget to your blog. This will allow your readers to subscribe to your blog using RSS so that they don't have to go to your blog every time. It will be brought to them using RSS.
Wondering about RSS?
Beginning Your iGoogle/Personal Learning Network
The iGoogle Online Tutorial Part 1 - a 9-minute introduction to setting up your iGoogle account. Watch this and then set up your iGoogle account. Use this video to begin creating your own iGoogle page.
The Networked Student - a video that tells a true story about how a student used a Personal Learning Network (PLN) to develop a network of resources for his learning.
How I Built My Personal Learning Network (PLN) - Art Titzel, 8th grade American Cultures teacher, explains how he created and maintains his PLN.
How I Built My Personal Learning Network (PLN) - Art Titzel, 8th grade American Cultures teacher, explains how he created and maintains his PLN.
Begin Creating Your Own PLN - a short video that describes how you can create a tab on your iGoogle page completely dedicated to your classmates' blogs.This process can be used to create an RSS link to other blogs and resources throughout the web.
More for Your Blog
Clustr Map - It is also possible to follow who in the world is visiting your blog. Don't think that your ideas matter to others in the world? They do. Notice the Clustr Map in the upper right corner of our RWLD blog. The blog hasn't been publicized anywhere (yet) but we have a couple of dots signifying that visitors from outside Iowa have looked at the blog. They will probably visit your blog as well. The Clustr Map will keep you posted about the traffic coming to your blog. Here is a quick video showing you how to add a Clustr Map to your Blogger Blog.
Discussion
I am SOOO impressed with the discussion threads that I have read for the discussion #2 topic. Many of you truly took the readings to heart and were devising innovative ways to use these new tools in your own educational situation.
Now, you have the opportunity to read what the other groups discussed. I have opened up the discussion so that you SHOULD be able to see everyone else's discussions.
Read through at least 2 of these threads and finish with a final posting where you relate what you and your group discussed with the discussion thread that you just read. Think about varying perspectives. How can they apply to your situation?
Please have this completed before you arrive in class on Monday morning.
I am SOOO impressed with the discussion threads that I have read for the discussion #2 topic. Many of you truly took the readings to heart and were devising innovative ways to use these new tools in your own educational situation.
Now, you have the opportunity to read what the other groups discussed. I have opened up the discussion so that you SHOULD be able to see everyone else's discussions.
Read through at least 2 of these threads and finish with a final posting where you relate what you and your group discussed with the discussion thread that you just read. Think about varying perspectives. How can they apply to your situation?
Please have this completed before you arrive in class on Monday morning.
How's It Going? Survey
We have been at this for about 5 weeks. Now it is time for some feedback. Please complete this survey so that you can share what works.
We have been at this for about 5 weeks. Now it is time for some feedback. Please complete this survey so that you can share what works.
Photo: flickr.com/sophiacreek
Posts
The time-lapsed photography YouTube piece was fascinating. Couldn't help but think this would be an interesting way to watch the aging process, as well as hairstyle changes over the years. :-) I have to wonder how he managed to keep the same expression and look in his eyes day after day...
ReplyDeleteI don't know about the expression. I was wondering that as well.
ReplyDeleteZ
I viewed the time-lapsed piece on You Tube the day you posted the link. I like the idea that he had committed to a snapshot a day. However, it did get quite boring after 2 minutes; I ended up fast forwarding to the end. After reflecting I'm my impatience I have decided it would have been more engaging if there was more of a dramatic change other than hair. And, that stare each day was something! Cool idea; stale execution.
ReplyDelete