BP8_2009112_Web 2.0_Brightstorm

As a parent I would purchase Brightstorm, a Web 2.0 tool, for SAT & ACT test preparation and core subject studies. It includes lessons via video for Advanced Placement classes and regular subjects such as Writing, Algebra II, Literature, Pre Calculus, and more. Their site was professional, trustworthy, streamlined, aesthetically pleasing, and user friendly. They even have a weekly free download. I identify with their mission statement describing their challenge: “Brightstorm gives great classroom teachers a new channel that enables them to reach and inspire millions of teens with their unique personalities, expertise and lesson plans. The net result is a powerful network where teens learn more, expert teachers are able to reach more students, and parents can play a more active role in building their kids' confidence in school.” I liked the short biographies of the teachers next to their pictures; I felt very welcomed, and I can only imagine teenagers would, too.

I am particularly interested in the grammar portions as the presenter in the video demonstrated the lesson in a relaxed, non-threatening, logical manner, using visuals, music, humor-and without a textbook. I can see my high school students engaged by this just as they are when I show a short clip of Grammar Rock. Financial cut backs being what they are, my school cannot afford this Brightstorm Web 2.0 package at $49.95 a pop, but I still think as a tutoring aid the website would have intrinsic value. I suppose my students could make a video for each grammar module, mimicking this entertaining style. I feel a lesson plan brewing…for my AR/CBL perhaps I could have one or two “grammarian” students who feel comfortable enough coaching other students create a video module for each grammar unit, while I film them. This could enable my regular and tutorial classes to become more active and visual learners. I think the Brightstorm site is an exciting asset, just too expensive for me.

http://www.brightstorm.com/

Photo from http://www.brightstorm.ca/images/BrightStormLogo_small_bkpin.jpg

BP7_2009112_Web 2.0_Wordle

I was delighted to run across the post card Web.20 website since we use to send positive reinforcement postcards to our most improved students, student of the months, or for special occasion. Due to budget constraints those times are long gone with this technology I can now design, create, format and send postcards as necessary. I can even send personal post cards for holidays. There are levels ranging from free to costlier categories. Apparently I just need a receiver’s e-mail address and I am good to go!

Hold on…I just tried to download a postcard for y’all and it turned out that it was an application to download. My excitement has turned to frustration they shouldn’t be advertising this as Web 2.0 since you can’t share this; perhaps I am doing it wrong. I am moving on to Wordle.

I stumbled on to Wordle tonight, knowing we were going to be working on it later on in the month. Apparently FSO has been using this with some of their graphical elements in many media assets throughout the last few months. I always wondered how they did it! This is probably the friendliest tool that I have examined so far, aside from Keynote. I am very excited about it. I value this interface as it allows me to explore different languages, fonts, colors, backgrounds, layouts, and settings until I am satisfied. I appreciate the ability to alphabetize and change my word count. Also, there is the opportunity to look at other creations via the gallery and contact the innovator of Wordle. I am not a graphic artist but adore adding visual elements to linguistic learning; this simple user interface will help my students and me accomplish this.

http://www.wordle.net/

BP6_2009112_Web 2.0_Tool_Survey_Monkey

Survey Monkey is an invaluable free Web 2.0 tool that I will use in my classroom a I try to get over my fear of cell phone use and the restrictions that dominate our school wide rules. This Internet based survey generator and hosting site will help me get in touch with my students’ level of communication skills. I need to start my queries with the students and understand their level, and Survey Monkey seems an ideal Web 2.0 tool to facilitate. I will organize it with multiple choice, true/false and one or two open ended questions then tabulate the results. I will have my student aids help set up the survey questions. I have a couple of questions in mind, and I would like the students’ input with the questions. After I have gained an understanding of my student population and their cell phone usage history and cell phone models, I will have a basis to create a behavior/consequences contract, educational usage projection, and further lesson plans in my classroom. I plan on having students’ input as far as consequences and cell phone usage and behavior. I hear my colleagues at FSO wax on about the glorious possibilities for the usage of lesson plans with cell phones; however, I don’t understand how this can work if all students do not have current cell phones or our classrooms have good cell phone reception. I really want to incorporate cell phones as an educational process in my classroom, however the levels of maturity vary; what about the immature student who insists on breaking the rules and texting or cheating on a test? How does one monitor 30 students? Since I am going against school policy I will have no recourse. I think my second visit to Survey Monkey will be a questionnaire where students establish their own code of conduct regarding the use of technology.

Photo from http://www.chiefhomeofficer.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/survey_monkey.gif

Survey Monkey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/

BP5_2009112_Flickr_in_the_class

Flickr is a website I am currently using in my 11^th and 12^th grade English classroom as I develop a lesson plan for each grade level. For my 12^th graders we are currently immersed in Arthurian Legends and the students were asked to go home and commit two chivalrous deeds over the weekend. They were also assigned an essay entitled, “Is chivalry dead in America today or has it just evolved?” Flickr photo streams could be additional assets to the essays because students can take a picture of these deeds and post to Flickr, making it easy to share between each other and the teacher. Come Monday we could view them on the data projector while sharing the event, relating it to their essay…isn’t a picture worth a thousand words? In theory, this is a powerful lesson plan; however, only one third of my students have digital cameras; does the technology allow for cell phone cameras to upload photos to Flickr? Can I access Flickr from my school or is it going to be blocked by the firewall? I think I already know the answer to that question; no access. Oh well, I will just keep lesson planning.

In my 11^th grade classroom we are studying the transcendental philosophers and writers, such as Emerson, Thoreau, Longfellow, and Whitman. Students were assigned groups where they performed literary analysis of the original poets’ work, employing literary terms, then assessed. At this point, they could write their own poetry, mimicking their favorite transcendentalist poet’s style and take a photo stream, publishing it to Flickr. This would help all of us to relate our lives to the themes of the philosophers. Again, the photo streams could enhance the lesson. Students would get in groups and pair share, and we would have a more concrete understanding of the students’ original products.

Photo from http://www.barnard.edu/library/zines/images/flickr-logo.jpg

BP4_2009111_Edu_Uses_for_Blogger

Blogging is a significant tool for 21^st century teachers, because it opens up an entire new portal between educators, businesses, community members, students, support groups, and more. Teachers can create their own ideas, publish them on websites, share them, receive feedback, fine tune them, and employ them in their classrooms. They can borrow ideas from other blogs, refreshing their own lessons or infusing assignments with creativity, diversity, differentiation, and multiply learning styles. Blogging places a new meaning to the saying “It takes a village to raise a child” as we now have global participation on the crafting of lessons, units, quizzes, projects, and assessments.

Students seem engaged by this asset, so shouldn’t teachers get on board, too? We should be journaling in this format; this is a great way to teach writing and reading skills if only we can discuss the technology for them. This could be less threatening, paperless, more enjoyable technique for submitting writing samples and innovative assignments.

We should probably see more learning progression as they create their personal learning environments, setting up their blogs, accessing Web 2.0 collections and websites to gain insightful knowledge in new user friendly technology. Anyone who is capable of using a social networking website will be able to implement a web 2.0 tool to broaden their horizons and worldview. In the words of Marshal McLuhan, ”The medium is the message,” meaning that the way in which a person receives a message can be more impactful then the message itself (Understanding Media, 1964).

Blogs are the wave of the future in terms of education and communication.

Photo from http://www.arte10.com/blogs/Artarte/blog.php?id=151 Retrieved November 6, 2009

BP3_2009112_Web_2.0_tools

After reviewing a variety of Web 2.0 collections, sifting through cooking, dating, fuel usage, tweeting, storytelling, lesson planning, a visual thesaurus, language learning communities, and Anime photo sharing technologies, I decided to go with YacaPaca. Created by Chalkface Project, YacaPaca can be an invaluable reference, resource, lesson planner, and assessment tool for both educators and students. First time visitors need to create a login and password. Subjects range across the curriculum, including exit exams, homework assignments, surveys and other specialized tests. Teachers can make their own tests, or choose from previously created exams posted in their subject area. This Web 2.0 includes comments and reviews; I appreciate the option for feedback regarding created assignments so all viewers can see other people’s thoughts about the lessons.

Some of the assignment templates would be applicable for small group learning, independent study, or self directed learning. Students can easily go on the website to take a practice test, a quiz for extra credit work, to review for exit exams, or the teacher could throw the test up on the screen and take it with the entire class, using guided instruction and her computer.

For resource students, second language learners, and right-brain learners, this site will prove appealing. They can maneuver easily through the website as it is user friendly. The colors, graphics and animations are aesthetically pleasing and amusing- even the name is fun to say!

This site incorporates whole brain learning, according to Eric Jensen’s Theory of Brain Based Learning:

“Current brain research tells us that we generally use both sides of the brain most of the time. Nevertheless, the right-brain emphasis produced the proverbial pendulum swing, which resulted in a hyperawareness of the brain’s lateral processing tendencies. To ensure optimal learning, we must facilitate learning activities that include the strengths of both hemispheres. Ideally, our efforts ought to be focused on whole brain learning” (2008).

Not only does this site provide visual stimulation, but also it is a helpful resource, especially for standards and assessments. I have already set up my user name and password, and I plan on making up a few poetry quizzes for American Literature. The Shakespeare workshops and activities seem engaging. I had a good time with The Mice and Men Test, and I want to try and find a Hamlet test next. There are a few bugs I want to work out, but I foresee good results with this in both my regular classes and my tutorial for my AR/CBL Project.

Jensen, E. (2008). Brain based learning: The new paradigm of teaching. California: Corwin Press.

YacaPaca Photo logo courtesy of YacaPaca website.

BP2_2009111_Google_Reader

I chose the Purple Press Blog, “Freshmen Update: Middle School Tutors”, from the Phoenixville Area School District because I am interested in students tutoring other students. I have worked in the AVID Program and we have successfully incorporated seniors as tutors for our freshmen. In our current budget crisis this is working out nicely, for a number of reasons; we don’t have to pay for outside tutors and our seniors are gaining experience, skills and pride with their mentorship. I would like to see this extended to an elective class across the board for all our core subjects. I realize training, leadership and assessment would have to be part of the program. However, I feel the results and strides from mentees and mentors would be astronomical. That is what drew me to this blog. As for my professional interest, my AR/CBL Project based on remedial tutoring; perhaps I could persuade a senior to help tutor these students after school.

In reading the blog, The Gradebook: School News from Tampa Bay, Florida, I was interested to see editorials about achievement gaps, test scores, cultural diversity, attendance re-zoning, exit exams, online education, drop out rates, standards, bullying, parent involvement, budget issues and community involvement. This blog should help my professional development and AR/CBL Project because it lends a new perspective; many of my critical friends and peers from FSO are from Florida and it is relevant to see the educational concerns they are experiencing across the nation. California is encountering many of these same obstacles; I feel it is reflected in my tutoring program by my failing students. I hope to find ideas to help them from this blog.

The Edutopia blog contains a plethora of articles pertaining to my subject area. They are timely, controversial, significant and thought provoking. Topics ranging from Waldorf Method Schools to banning hugs and books; charter school results and YouTube classroom use; digital textbooks and the digital divide; social networking, Twitter and other Web 2.0 technology in the classroom. In particular, psychologist Maurice Elias’s blog about Hawaii’s academic year being shortened by 17 days and the quality of its education remaining intact was very enlightening and all the responses gave me a lot to ruminate about.

The First Tutors Blog pertains to tutees parents and tutors signing in and signing up for tutoring in all subjects for assistance for a fee. There are tutorials and questions, essays, problems and tests available. I think this would help in my tutoring program.

The final blog that I visited for this week was The Top 101 Web Sites for Teachers, which seemed to be a one stop-shopping trip for someone who needs fresh ideas for the classroom. There are resources about American writers, book talk ideas, writing prompts (always wonderful) and literacy skills. I am so glad I happened upon this blog as it looks to be a gold mind for my low achieving readers and writers.