It was fun to look back at my first blog post and read at how excited I was to start this program and today I am just as excited to move forward and implement all I have learned. I am a little sad to be done because I have truly enjoyed getting to know everyone, but mostly I am sad to not be learning new tools and tricks each week. So many of the things we have discussed I have used in my classroom and I hope to keep exploring new things on my own.
This program has greatly affected me professionally. The first time I realized how much I was truly learning was when I attended the TIES conference last year. I have attended the conference for numerous years and have truly enjoyed it, but most years I have to look up so many things they are talking about because I didn't know what they were (example Web 2.0 tools). Last year, I knew or had applied most of the things they discussed. I actually felt like I belonged with that group of people. That I wasn't just an outsider looking in wishing I could do half of those things. When this years Keynote speakers came out I was thrilled because they were people I knew and have learned about.
The second way this program has affected me professionally is by giving me the confidence to become more of a tech resource for our district. There has even been talk about me becoming our districts technology integrationist. I feel like this program has opened many doors for me.
Personally, this program has challenged me in many ways. Balancing work, kids (including having one during the course of the program), and this program has been a huge challenge. Sometimes I have wanted to quit or thought I was never going to get it all done, but I pushed through. This program has made me realize how much I can do and given me the power to believe in myself more. Although, I will miss the program I am excited for more time with my family.
I don't know if there is more I wish I knew. I don't feel like I know much about hard drives, servers, etc, but I am not sure that is something I would ever use anyways. The only thing I wish I had more of was time to explore all of the great tools, ideas, software, etc. that we learned about. I have a list of things I want to check out, but never find the time. Maybe someday....
Overall, I would recommend this program to anyone interested in getting their masters! I have learned a lot and truly feel like I have grown as an educator.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
CEDO 565 - Final Post
When we first started this class I thought of leadership as the Principals, Superintendents, etc. I was naive in thinking that they were they only leaders in the school. I have since broadened my understanding of leadership to encompass teacher leaders and others that help to lead the school. Teacher leaders are just as important as other leaders, but don't seem to get the same recognition. Teachers are the ones who implement change, promote change, and strive for achievement both within themselves and their students. Without teacher leaders schools would have a hard time being successful.
I have never viewed myself as a teacher leader or one who wants to be in a leadership position. I have been thrown into some leadership positions in the past that have made me feel uncomfortable so I tend to shy away from being a leader. This class helped me to realize that being a teacher leader doesn't have to include evaluating others or telling them what to do. A teacher leader can be leading by example or providing resources for others. I feel comfortable and confident in that type or leadership role.
I do agree with our book when it said "improving education from within". One person can't change education from the top down. Those who are in the thick of it need to be accepting and willing to apply the change or it won't be successful.
I have never viewed myself as a teacher leader or one who wants to be in a leadership position. I have been thrown into some leadership positions in the past that have made me feel uncomfortable so I tend to shy away from being a leader. This class helped me to realize that being a teacher leader doesn't have to include evaluating others or telling them what to do. A teacher leader can be leading by example or providing resources for others. I feel comfortable and confident in that type or leadership role.
I do agree with our book when it said "improving education from within". One person can't change education from the top down. Those who are in the thick of it need to be accepting and willing to apply the change or it won't be successful.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
CEDO 565 - Week 5
I enjoyed reading a few of the tips in the last chapter of How to Thrive as a Teacher Leader. I feel a lot of administrators loose sight of the idea of providing instructional leadership. It is important for administrations to be aware of what is happening in their building as well as provide guidance when they feel there is an area a teacher needs to improve on. Most teachers aren't experts in everything and therefore could use some guidance. Administrators also should be available to offer support for teachers when dealing with difficult students or parents. Overall, administrators need to be present and easily accessible.
Administrators also need to provide staff with a solid curriculum that meets state standards and is aligned across grade levels. This is something our district has been striving to do for years. It is a key component for student and teachers success. Effective teaching builds and expands upon concepts that have already been learned in previous grade levels. It is important for administrators to facilitate this conversation between grade levels and to provide a map of what is taught in each grade for incoming teachers.
Finally, the book mentioned how important it is to provide students with silent reading time. This really hit home to me because our district is starting a new program called Action 100/100 Book Challenge. Each day students are provided 30 min, uninterrupted, reading time. They are supposed to be reading books at their level 1 hour a day (30 min in school and 30 min. at home). We just started this program and I am excited to see how our test scores are in the spring. Hopefully by making reading a priority we will increase our scores.
Administrators also need to provide staff with a solid curriculum that meets state standards and is aligned across grade levels. This is something our district has been striving to do for years. It is a key component for student and teachers success. Effective teaching builds and expands upon concepts that have already been learned in previous grade levels. It is important for administrators to facilitate this conversation between grade levels and to provide a map of what is taught in each grade for incoming teachers.
Finally, the book mentioned how important it is to provide students with silent reading time. This really hit home to me because our district is starting a new program called Action 100/100 Book Challenge. Each day students are provided 30 min, uninterrupted, reading time. They are supposed to be reading books at their level 1 hour a day (30 min in school and 30 min. at home). We just started this program and I am excited to see how our test scores are in the spring. Hopefully by making reading a priority we will increase our scores.
Monday, September 10, 2012
CEDO 565 - Week 4
To kick off the school year this year we had a speaker on being a leader and how everyone is in a leadership role whether they like it or not. I have been thinking about some of the things the speaker stated and how they relate to what we are learning in this class on leadership. I have realized I am comfortable being the leader in my classroom and in a few of the committees, but the administrative leader talked about in our book, How to Thrive as a Teacher Leader, is a role I am not striving to take on. I have learned throughout this course that, although I have had administrators that I felt were ineffective, I need to realize the struggles they are going through as well. Not only do they have be accountable for test scores, budget, student behaviors, etc, but they also have to work to create a positive working environment. Creating an environment where all employees feel welcomed, appreciated, and work well together is nearly impossible. I did enjoy reading the tips given in our book on ideas the administrator could do in order to validate teachers. I really liked the idea of performing simple tasks for the teacher (like making copies) in order to help free up some of their time and make them realize that you understand they have a lot to do. Overall, I am learning a lot about how to be an effective administrators, but I am not sure it is a role I will want to take on in the near future.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
CEDO 565 - Week 3
This week we read a lot about change and how to promote and adapt to it in a leadership role. This is a great topic to explore at the beginning of a new school year. We are experiencing a lot of change in our district this year. New hires, new students, but most daunting is a new reading initiative called Action 100/100 Book Challenge. This new program is challenging all of us to step out of our comfort zone and teach reading in a whole new way. Although it is exciting it has also caused a lot of people (me included) to become frustrated with our administration. After reading some of the articles this week, I realized, as a teacher leader, I need to be positive about the up coming changes, provide support for those that are skeptical, and make sure I am leading by example and utilizing the program fully in my classroom.
I also enjoyed reading the Tune In article about the generational differences in school staffs. This is something that truly hit home to me. There seems to be this divide between some of the staff members and I think reading this article could help to bridge that gap. I like how it explains that we are all different in our ways, but one is not necessarily better than the other. This is a great tool for administrators when dealing with a divided staff or team.
I also enjoyed reading the Tune In article about the generational differences in school staffs. This is something that truly hit home to me. There seems to be this divide between some of the staff members and I think reading this article could help to bridge that gap. I like how it explains that we are all different in our ways, but one is not necessarily better than the other. This is a great tool for administrators when dealing with a divided staff or team.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
CEDO 565 - Week 2
This week we read a lot about building your team and how to be a good teacher leader. Some of the points that hit home to me were how to deal with people on your team. Committees and teams are made up of numerous different personalities. This is a good thing when it comes to producing an effective outcome, but can be troublesome when working together. I liked some of the tips given in this book on how to effectively communicate with members of your team/committee.
I also enjoyed the part on building your team. I do believe that teachers should be involved in the process of building their team. After all they do know what skills are needed to do the job and how well they will fit into their team. A good leader knows when they can put the trust into their coworkers.
So far I have enjoyed reading the book. It has made me realized the skills it takes to make a good administrator as well as evaluate my past/present administrators.
I also enjoyed the part on building your team. I do believe that teachers should be involved in the process of building their team. After all they do know what skills are needed to do the job and how well they will fit into their team. A good leader knows when they can put the trust into their coworkers.
So far I have enjoyed reading the book. It has made me realized the skills it takes to make a good administrator as well as evaluate my past/present administrators.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
CEDO 565 - Leadership
Leadership for me is something I use to be afraid of, but it seems to always find me. Starting my first year of teaching I was asked to be a part of committees that I was really unaware even existed. Being the "newbie" I never wanted to say no to any opportunity and now 9 years later I am glad that I was given leadership opportunities early on in my career because it has made me into a leader in numerous areas in my district.
Currently, I serve on numerous committees including the district leadership and staff development committee. I am also a part of the technology committee, reading committee, scheduling committee, and much more. Being on these committees has given me the ability to have a say in what happens in the district. I have also strived to be a leader in technology throughout our district. I do this by sharing with others what I am learning and using in my classroom. I have given classes to other staff members on different technology tools as well as try to be available to help others when they have technology issues.
I believe being a true leader is not only being on committees or being an administrator, but by being willing to try new things and give support to other coworkers when needed. Due to all of the experiences I have had over the past 9 years I hope to someday have more of a leadership role in my district.
Currently, I serve on numerous committees including the district leadership and staff development committee. I am also a part of the technology committee, reading committee, scheduling committee, and much more. Being on these committees has given me the ability to have a say in what happens in the district. I have also strived to be a leader in technology throughout our district. I do this by sharing with others what I am learning and using in my classroom. I have given classes to other staff members on different technology tools as well as try to be available to help others when they have technology issues.
I believe being a true leader is not only being on committees or being an administrator, but by being willing to try new things and give support to other coworkers when needed. Due to all of the experiences I have had over the past 9 years I hope to someday have more of a leadership role in my district.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
CEDO 555 - ePortfolio
Although, the portfolio process was rather daunting and a little overwhelming I am very pleased with the finished project. I am proud to have something that demonstrates all of the work I have been doing for the past 1.5 years. I am also hopeful that (if needed) this portfolio could help me get new job or get into a Ph.D program.
The other huge part of this portfolio is the culminating project. I have chosen to implement a flipped classroom approach in my 6th grade science classroom. I will be providing students with resources and video lectures that they can access from home. We will then spend our classroom time going over questions and problems. The flipped classroom is something I have been interested in for awhile, but wasn't sure where to start until this Spring. Our district came into contact with another area district that has become known for incorporating the flipped classroom approach. They train their teachers by having them go through a "summer academy" class, using Moodle. They agreed to let us send a few teachers through their class in hopes of next year creating our own "summer academy". I will be completing this class this week. I feel that this class has prepared me to attempt to use the flipped classroom approach in my classroom. When my flipped classroom unit is finished I will be sharing the results of both the summative and formative assessments with the school board, other teachers, and my sixth grade team. I am excited to try this new teaching method.
The other huge part of this portfolio is the culminating project. I have chosen to implement a flipped classroom approach in my 6th grade science classroom. I will be providing students with resources and video lectures that they can access from home. We will then spend our classroom time going over questions and problems. The flipped classroom is something I have been interested in for awhile, but wasn't sure where to start until this Spring. Our district came into contact with another area district that has become known for incorporating the flipped classroom approach. They train their teachers by having them go through a "summer academy" class, using Moodle. They agreed to let us send a few teachers through their class in hopes of next year creating our own "summer academy". I will be completing this class this week. I feel that this class has prepared me to attempt to use the flipped classroom approach in my classroom. When my flipped classroom unit is finished I will be sharing the results of both the summative and formative assessments with the school board, other teachers, and my sixth grade team. I am excited to try this new teaching method.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
CEDO 555 - CC
Creative Commons is something I still struggle with. I understand the purpose and the importance, but I am still learning the different types. I have worked on teaching my 6th graders that there are copyright laws and that you can't just use a picture without saying where you got it from, but it is definitely a new concept for them that they have a hard time grasping.
As far as CC in my personal life.... I hope to be able to better understand the different laws. I have used my own CC license to use on Flickr, but I would like to work to expand that out to other things I produce online.
As far as CC in my personal life.... I hope to be able to better understand the different laws. I have used my own CC license to use on Flickr, but I would like to work to expand that out to other things I produce online.
Monday, June 11, 2012
CEDO 555 - Bringing it all together
I am excited to start this process of finally putting everything together and working towards finishing the program. I am a little nervous that I don't have the proper artifacts needed to complete my portfolio. I wish I would have known what the end goal was throughout the whole program to make sure that I was creating and collecting the right kind of artifacts. I am afraid I am going to be creating new artifacts in order to complete my portfolio. I am excited to go through and reexamine the work that I did at the beginning of this cohort in order to see how far I have come since the beginning. I just hope these portfolio comes together smoothly!!
Monday, May 21, 2012
CEDO 550 - Final Post
Predicting the future of online learning is about impossible. If you would have asked me 15 years ago to predict the future of education I wouldn't have said that a huge percentage of students would be learning online. I do think that down the road most of our learning will be done online, but I don't think it will or should ever replace the traditional f2f learning. I think in the future most of higher education and high schools will offer more classes online than a more traditional format. I don't see that being the same for lower elementary students. I am still not sure how an online class would work for younger students.
I do think there are a lot of things that need to be considered before we go to online learning as our primary way of learning. What set of standards will online schools follow? Will it be dependent on the state the program originates out of or will there be a new set of standards for online schools? How will the offer online classes for lower income students? How will online schools promote social skills? Will they provide access to extra curricular activities?
I do think online learning can fix a lot of problems that we see in education today, but it can't replace the traditional f2f education students also need to succeed.
I do think there are a lot of things that need to be considered before we go to online learning as our primary way of learning. What set of standards will online schools follow? Will it be dependent on the state the program originates out of or will there be a new set of standards for online schools? How will the offer online classes for lower income students? How will online schools promote social skills? Will they provide access to extra curricular activities?
I do think online learning can fix a lot of problems that we see in education today, but it can't replace the traditional f2f education students also need to succeed.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
CEDO 550 - Web 2.0 Tools
I agree with the article "Web 2.0 Use May Not Be Formative Assessment". Using things like clickers should not be considered a tool for formative assessment. Most survey tools or clickers just find out what students don't know. They don't provide students with ways to monitor or diagnose their responses. If Web 2.0 tools are going to be used as a formative assessment I think you would have to use a combination of tools. Survey tools or clickers could help students figure out what they don't know. Blogs or wikis can help them monitor their response by obtaining feedback from their peers or a teacher. Things like Flikr or Twitter can help students better understand a concept. Overall, I think there are a lot of great Web 2.0 tools available and they can be used to better enhance any lesson, but I am not sure there is one tool that is great to use for Formative Assessments.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
CEDO 550 - Roles of the online teacher
This week we learned about the four roles of an online instructor. Becoming an online instructor is something I have been seriously considering, but am not sure I am qualified for. It was nice to see what the roles of an online instructor are and spent a lot of time conteplating if this is something that I am truly interested in. Below is a chart of the areas I would need to work on in order to be an effective online instructor.
Instructor
1. Stimulating discussion - I could work on this by using this strategy in my current classroom when discussing our novels.
2. Referring to outside resources - I don’t feel I have the knowledge to always relate/refer discussions to other sources. I could improve this by subscribing to more blogs and rss feeds in order to keep up to date on new ideas.
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Social Director
Due to this cohort, this is one area I feel rather confident in. I feel I could provide both synchronous and asynchronous activities as well as monitor students work/interactions.
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Technician
1. Technical help - I am afraid I don’t know enough about computers to help students from a distance. In order to be better prepared for this aspect I would need to do a little more research as well as learn resources to rely on. This is an area that through time I could easily become proficient at.
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Program Manager
1. Overseeing course structure - I am not sure I am ready to coordinate a whole online learning class. In order to become confident in structuring an online course I would review other online courses.
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Tuesday, May 1, 2012
New Addition!
CEDO 550 - Compare and Contrast Learning Styles
There are many different learning opportunities for students these days. Online learning is a great alternative for students who are motivated, need a flexible schedule, and like alternative learning opportunities. It is also a great way to connect with how students learn now. So many of them are use to using online tools and learning using new and innovative interfaces. Online learning helps to connect to students unique learning styles.
Blended learning is a great way to combine online learning and face to face learning in order to reach all students. This type of learning allows students to use online tools, but also gives them face time with their teacher and other students. It is a great way to allow for collaboration and independence.
Finally, face to face or traditional learning, is great for students who need constant, instant feedback. All three types of learning have their benefits and drawbacks depending on what type of learner the student is and the goals of the class.
Here is the link to my Venn diagram.
Blended learning is a great way to combine online learning and face to face learning in order to reach all students. This type of learning allows students to use online tools, but also gives them face time with their teacher and other students. It is a great way to allow for collaboration and independence.
Finally, face to face or traditional learning, is great for students who need constant, instant feedback. All three types of learning have their benefits and drawbacks depending on what type of learner the student is and the goals of the class.
Here is the link to my Venn diagram.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
CEDO 550 - Online Learning
This class couldn't have come at a better time! Our school is looking at implementing the flipped classroom approach as well as some blended classrooms (part online learning/part face to face) next year. The superintendent is hoping I can have an instrumental part in this process, but even though I am currently enrolled in online learning I haven't had a lot of other experience with it. I do think online learning is a great way to provide students with individual attention as well as allow them to work at their own pace. I am also excited about the flipped classroom approach where you post your lessons online (usually in the form of a video) and the classroom time is used to work on their homework or answer any questions students may have. I see numerous benefits and drawbacks to both of these methods of learning a lot of which I have experienced in the past year with my own online learning.
I do think group work is one of the hardest things to accomplish in online learning. For us adults, in the masters program, it is hard to find a time where we can all meet. We are all trying to juggle jobs, families, and school. I like being able to complete assignments when I have time and not try to work around someone else's schedule and yet I know the importance of collaborating with your classmates as well. I would assume that this type of collaboration would also be hard for students to accommodate, but if you were to adopt the blended classroom format the group work could be done during class time instead.
I also feel that self-motivation is the key to being successful in online learning. This is an area I am rather confident in as I have a hard time relaxing when I have things on my to-do list. I do worry about this area with my students. A lot of them lack motivation already. I worry that if given too much leeway they will procrastinate and not get things done on time. On the other hand, those students who like to work at their own pace, this gives them the opportunity to complete assignments when they want to.
I am excited to learn more about the best ways to facilitate online learning. Hopefully, this new knowledge will help me to successfully implement online learning in our school next year.
I do think group work is one of the hardest things to accomplish in online learning. For us adults, in the masters program, it is hard to find a time where we can all meet. We are all trying to juggle jobs, families, and school. I like being able to complete assignments when I have time and not try to work around someone else's schedule and yet I know the importance of collaborating with your classmates as well. I would assume that this type of collaboration would also be hard for students to accommodate, but if you were to adopt the blended classroom format the group work could be done during class time instead.
I also feel that self-motivation is the key to being successful in online learning. This is an area I am rather confident in as I have a hard time relaxing when I have things on my to-do list. I do worry about this area with my students. A lot of them lack motivation already. I worry that if given too much leeway they will procrastinate and not get things done on time. On the other hand, those students who like to work at their own pace, this gives them the opportunity to complete assignments when they want to.
I am excited to learn more about the best ways to facilitate online learning. Hopefully, this new knowledge will help me to successfully implement online learning in our school next year.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
CEDO 540 - Week 5
The sites we were asked to visit this week were like black holes to me.... they just sucked me in. I could spend hours on Google Trends coming up with different search terms and examining the data. As an avid Harry Potter fan I did do one search on Harry Potter and it was fun to see what events in the Harry Potter mania caused the biggest spikes in searches. I also could spend hours looking on some of the statistical sites we were asked to look at. The CDC website was by far my favorite. It contained so much relevant information and would be a great site to recommend to high school students who are doing a research paper/project.
I have learned a lot throughout this course on how to accurately use data to drive decisions. As I stated in the beginning of this class our district is big into testing and using those results to drive our curriculum decisions. Although I support this idea I realized we aren't doing a very good job analyzing our data. Using the class mean or looking at the range of scores isn't enough information to use in order to make some of these decisions. We need to do a better job of analyzing our data through z-scores, standard deviations, etc. I hope to help guide our district in that direction.
I have learned a lot throughout this course on how to accurately use data to drive decisions. As I stated in the beginning of this class our district is big into testing and using those results to drive our curriculum decisions. Although I support this idea I realized we aren't doing a very good job analyzing our data. Using the class mean or looking at the range of scores isn't enough information to use in order to make some of these decisions. We need to do a better job of analyzing our data through z-scores, standard deviations, etc. I hope to help guide our district in that direction.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
CEDO 540 - Week 4
I was really intrigued this week watching the videos on Bill Tancer. As I stated in my discussion post I never thought about the data that could be collected by analyzing internet searches. I do think that this type of data could have a great impact on retail and other businesses. I do think that there is a limit to the accuracy of this type of data, but it is still useful. I would like to read Bill's book and find out more about this topic.
I have also been enjoying reading the futurist jobs that people are creating. I think the idea that we are educating children for jobs that don't exist is one of the hardest things for educators to grasp. We can do everything in our power to get them ready for the workforce, but will we ever be able to accurately prepare them for the job they will seek? I think not. I think, as educators, we need to focus on giving our students life skills that they could use for any job. Examples, working with others, taking responsibility, completing assignments on time, etc. We also need to teach them the basic skills in reading, math, technology, etc, but unless they obtain the essential skills needed to excel in a work environment they won't be successful at their job. We also need to be ready to adapt our curriculum and teaching methods to better equip these students for the ever changing job market. We can no longer ignore how important technology skills are for our students. In order to do most jobs they will need technology skills. Technology is becoming as important and reading and math. I can only imagine what job my 2 year old son will be doing 20 years from now.
Finally, after completing the Guided Practice homework this week I realized how poor of a job we are doing with data analysis in our school. We do a lot of data driven decisions, but we don't look at the whole picture. We might take a group of test scores and just look at the mean instead of thinking about the standard deviation and z score. After doing the assignments this week I realized that is a very naive way to analyze data and if, as a district, we are going to continue with data driven decisions we need to work harder at analyzing our data accurately.
I have also been enjoying reading the futurist jobs that people are creating. I think the idea that we are educating children for jobs that don't exist is one of the hardest things for educators to grasp. We can do everything in our power to get them ready for the workforce, but will we ever be able to accurately prepare them for the job they will seek? I think not. I think, as educators, we need to focus on giving our students life skills that they could use for any job. Examples, working with others, taking responsibility, completing assignments on time, etc. We also need to teach them the basic skills in reading, math, technology, etc, but unless they obtain the essential skills needed to excel in a work environment they won't be successful at their job. We also need to be ready to adapt our curriculum and teaching methods to better equip these students for the ever changing job market. We can no longer ignore how important technology skills are for our students. In order to do most jobs they will need technology skills. Technology is becoming as important and reading and math. I can only imagine what job my 2 year old son will be doing 20 years from now.
Finally, after completing the Guided Practice homework this week I realized how poor of a job we are doing with data analysis in our school. We do a lot of data driven decisions, but we don't look at the whole picture. We might take a group of test scores and just look at the mean instead of thinking about the standard deviation and z score. After doing the assignments this week I realized that is a very naive way to analyze data and if, as a district, we are going to continue with data driven decisions we need to work harder at analyzing our data accurately.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
CEDO 540 - Week 3
This week we talked about standard deviation and Z - scores. Again these topics are things I have used before, but not something I usually use when analyzing my students test scores. After revisiting these topics it made me realize I should be doing more of an anzlysis of my students scores. It is important to look at the students scores as a whole and evaluate where they are according to the mean.
We also took a look at surveys this week. This is something I have been doing more and more with my students. It is a great way to quickly gather information. After taking a look at some of the other survey tools available last week I am hoping to start using more surveys with my parents. For our group project we are going to survey the student's knowledge of internet safety. This is a topic I cover with my kids in computer class and I have been surprised at the lack of knowledge some of them have. I am excited to analyze the data we gather.
We also took a look at surveys this week. This is something I have been doing more and more with my students. It is a great way to quickly gather information. After taking a look at some of the other survey tools available last week I am hoping to start using more surveys with my parents. For our group project we are going to survey the student's knowledge of internet safety. This is a topic I cover with my kids in computer class and I have been surprised at the lack of knowledge some of them have. I am excited to analyze the data we gather.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
CEDO 540 - Week 2
Well this week we spent more time on mean, median, and mode. It is kind of ironic to me because this is something I work on with my sixth graders every year. Even though they are easy concepts to compute it has been a long time since I have actually analyzed the data and computations. I do analyze student data frequently, but not necessarily to the extent we are doing in class. Overall, I think I have a descent understanding of using these averages to analyze student data.
We also took a look at survey tools. These tools are becoming more and more popular in my district. Our superintendent sends out surveys using online survey tools frequently to both staff and the community. He then uses that data to drive some of our decisions. I have used surveys with my students as well, but most of the time we just use the online survey tool that is built into our blog. I like this survey tool because it is easy to use, but it doesn't allow for easy data analysis. If I want to really analyze their responses I have to import it into Excel and go from there. I am excited about some of the new survey tools I have found this week and hope to try some of them in my classroom the next few months.
We also took a look at survey tools. These tools are becoming more and more popular in my district. Our superintendent sends out surveys using online survey tools frequently to both staff and the community. He then uses that data to drive some of our decisions. I have used surveys with my students as well, but most of the time we just use the online survey tool that is built into our blog. I like this survey tool because it is easy to use, but it doesn't allow for easy data analysis. If I want to really analyze their responses I have to import it into Excel and go from there. I am excited about some of the new survey tools I have found this week and hope to try some of them in my classroom the next few months.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
CEDO 540 - Week 1
My first statistics course ever.... how am I feeling..... actually pretty good! I can't say that I totally understand all of the topics we are covering this week, but I feel confident so far!
Even though I have never taken a statistics course I do use statistics all of the time in my job. Our district is working hard to make data driven decisions when it comes to our students and our curriculum. We are constantly analyzing our students tests scores to see if what we are doing is helping them improve their scores or if we need to change our curriculum. I like having data to back up the decisions we are making. We have had a lot of parents comment that they enjoy getting progress reports on their child and being able to see the progress they are making.
I am excited to learn more about statistics and hopefully apply these new skills and terms to what we are already doing.
Even though I have never taken a statistics course I do use statistics all of the time in my job. Our district is working hard to make data driven decisions when it comes to our students and our curriculum. We are constantly analyzing our students tests scores to see if what we are doing is helping them improve their scores or if we need to change our curriculum. I like having data to back up the decisions we are making. We have had a lot of parents comment that they enjoy getting progress reports on their child and being able to see the progress they are making.
I am excited to learn more about statistics and hopefully apply these new skills and terms to what we are already doing.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
CEDO 535 - Final Post
I have enjoyed experimenting with new Web 2.0 tools over the past few weeks. There are so many new and useful things available, but it can be a little overwhelming at times. Even though I have had a good time exploring all of these tools there are definitely some I would use more than others.
One tool I am really excited to use are screencasts. I am currently teaching computer classes to 3rd-6th graders and I find myself repeating the same steps over and over again. I hope to use screencasts as a resource to students. I will record what they are to do and post it to our webpage so if they don't remember the directions or are trying to work on it from home they have something to look for guidance. I will be able to measure the effectiveness of the tool by paying attention to students attentiveness during class. Most students who don't know what to do are looking around or goofing off. I am hoping using screencasts will help improve their attentiveness and productivity. I plan on using Jing to produce my screenshots. It is very easy to use and will only take me a few minutes to produce each tutorial. The only resources I will need are my computer and a microphone in order to complete the videos. I know realistically I won't be able to produce tutorials for every lesson, but if I could make sure to cover the things we use the most that would save me a lot of time in the classroom reteaching! Also, once they are created they can be saved so I will have them for next year!!! I am hoping to have at least 1 screencast a week and add it to our web resource page.
Other tools I will continue to use as part of my professional learning network are RSS feeds and Twitter. The more I use the tools the more I realize how valuable they can be. I don't know if I will ever use them to the extent that some people do, but I have found great resources through both of them!
One tool I am really excited to use are screencasts. I am currently teaching computer classes to 3rd-6th graders and I find myself repeating the same steps over and over again. I hope to use screencasts as a resource to students. I will record what they are to do and post it to our webpage so if they don't remember the directions or are trying to work on it from home they have something to look for guidance. I will be able to measure the effectiveness of the tool by paying attention to students attentiveness during class. Most students who don't know what to do are looking around or goofing off. I am hoping using screencasts will help improve their attentiveness and productivity. I plan on using Jing to produce my screenshots. It is very easy to use and will only take me a few minutes to produce each tutorial. The only resources I will need are my computer and a microphone in order to complete the videos. I know realistically I won't be able to produce tutorials for every lesson, but if I could make sure to cover the things we use the most that would save me a lot of time in the classroom reteaching! Also, once they are created they can be saved so I will have them for next year!!! I am hoping to have at least 1 screencast a week and add it to our web resource page.
Other tools I will continue to use as part of my professional learning network are RSS feeds and Twitter. The more I use the tools the more I realize how valuable they can be. I don't know if I will ever use them to the extent that some people do, but I have found great resources through both of them!
Monday, January 16, 2012
CEDO 535 - Week 5 - Social Networking
I have had fun exploring some new web 2.0 tools this week. One of my favorite finds was twiducate, an online social networking site geared towards schools. It allows teachers to create a social networking site that is private to just his/her students. I like the idea of using Facebook to communicate with students and parents, but don't feel that it is secure enough to use for school purposes. Not all of the students have Facebook accounts and I think I would have a hard time convincing parents to allow their students Facebook accounts with all of the negative attention it gets. Also, Facebook users are supposed to be 13 and older which my students don't meet that qualification. I think twiducate would be a great alternative. Students could still connect with each other and if the teacher wanted to they could connect with other classrooms around the world. Definitely a tool I will be taking a closer look at.
As far as the other work for this week.... my wiki has taken up a lot of my time. I decided to create a wiki instead of using the current Google Site I created for another class for a few reasons. One, I have never created a wiki before and I thought it would be a good experience. Two, my district blocks all Google Applications including Google sites so if I created one for school I would never be able to use it at school. (very frustrating, but that is another blog post!) So far I have a few things on my Wiki and am excited about some of the other things I want to add, but I feel like I am moving at a snails pace getting it completed. It isn't as easy as I thought it would be. On a positive note, I definitely see how useful it will be when finished and I am excited to share it with my coworkers. I just wish I had more time to put more into it which seems to be the theme of my blogs... if only I had more time!!!
As far as the other work for this week.... my wiki has taken up a lot of my time. I decided to create a wiki instead of using the current Google Site I created for another class for a few reasons. One, I have never created a wiki before and I thought it would be a good experience. Two, my district blocks all Google Applications including Google sites so if I created one for school I would never be able to use it at school. (very frustrating, but that is another blog post!) So far I have a few things on my Wiki and am excited about some of the other things I want to add, but I feel like I am moving at a snails pace getting it completed. It isn't as easy as I thought it would be. On a positive note, I definitely see how useful it will be when finished and I am excited to share it with my coworkers. I just wish I had more time to put more into it which seems to be the theme of my blogs... if only I had more time!!!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
CEDO 535 - Week 4 - Social Bookmarking
I am still struggling keeping up with all of these new, wonderful tools that keep getting thrown at us. I think RSS feeds, Social Bookmarking, and Twitter are great and I can see the use for them, but I can't seem to find the time in the day to really use them to their full potential.
I am excited to start using social bookmarking. I have heard about it throughout the courses, but have yet to actually really use it. I have set up a diigo account and have just barely started using it at school and home. I think it has a lot of wonderful features. I would like to use it with my students when they are doing their research projects. I think it would be a great way for them to keep track of useful sites they find as well as put notes in as to what they found in each site. I am not sure if I will use it with them this year, but would like to have it in place for next year.
I am also excited to do a podcast. Again, podcasting is something I learned about a few years ago. I even went out and bought Podcasting for Dummies, but I never created one. I can see using podcasts with my class a lot. I would like to have them make their own and post them to our blog. Hopefully, this is something we can do this year. There are so many cool things out there to use in the classroom the problem is making sure you find effective ways to add them to your curriculum without taking away from the things you have to teach! I love using technology with the things we are already doing, but because most of the technologies are new to the students it ends up taking us way longer to accomplish the task.
I am excited to start using social bookmarking. I have heard about it throughout the courses, but have yet to actually really use it. I have set up a diigo account and have just barely started using it at school and home. I think it has a lot of wonderful features. I would like to use it with my students when they are doing their research projects. I think it would be a great way for them to keep track of useful sites they find as well as put notes in as to what they found in each site. I am not sure if I will use it with them this year, but would like to have it in place for next year.
I am also excited to do a podcast. Again, podcasting is something I learned about a few years ago. I even went out and bought Podcasting for Dummies, but I never created one. I can see using podcasts with my class a lot. I would like to have them make their own and post them to our blog. Hopefully, this is something we can do this year. There are so many cool things out there to use in the classroom the problem is making sure you find effective ways to add them to your curriculum without taking away from the things you have to teach! I love using technology with the things we are already doing, but because most of the technologies are new to the students it ends up taking us way longer to accomplish the task.
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