tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38498324384734407542024-03-13T04:18:44.811-07:00The WebFooted BookladyThoughts on educational technology.Lesley Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296694892145418961noreply@blogger.comBlogger349125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-65377169938330149522014-03-17T17:10:00.002-07:002014-03-17T17:10:49.445-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />MrsEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496211434803625299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-46582741818266084312011-01-21T09:06:00.000-08:002011-01-21T09:26:55.511-08:00A Twitter Story<div>A request is posted:</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TTm_ih-g93I/AAAAAAAAAD8/MZejrgDE-y4/s1600/T1.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 86px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TTm_ih-g93I/AAAAAAAAAD8/MZejrgDE-y4/s320/T1.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564689414549993330" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TTm_iX3K0BI/AAAAAAAAAD0/TmuPEJqCgW8/s1600/T2.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 50px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TTm_iX3K0BI/AAAAAAAAAD0/TmuPEJqCgW8/s320/T2.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564689411834826770" /></a>An answer is found:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TTm_iYt3bGI/AAAAAAAAADs/74JH2jxiWwQ/s1600/T3.png"></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TTm_iYt3bGI/AAAAAAAAADs/74JH2jxiWwQ/s1600/T3.png"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 248px; " src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TTm_iYt3bGI/AAAAAAAAADs/74JH2jxiWwQ/s320/T3.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564689412064242786" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TTm_iHVtygI/AAAAAAAAADk/-y03tdNj1Zo/s1600/T4.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 75px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TTm_iHVtygI/AAAAAAAAADk/-y03tdNj1Zo/s320/T4.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564689407399545346" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TTm_h6LINKI/AAAAAAAAADc/lSfh6SENKJE/s1600/T5.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 96px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TTm_h6LINKI/AAAAAAAAADc/lSfh6SENKJE/s320/T5.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564689403865478306" /></a>And this is why I know tools like the iPhone have a place in classrooms; why I believe in teaching kids processes and skills, not focusing on content cramming is so important. I love technology! <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>MrsEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496211434803625299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-46045610665220580612011-01-14T09:25:00.000-08:002011-01-14T09:54:21.713-08:00The Traveler Returns<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TTCNh0W3WZI/AAAAAAAAACs/l3vDDVJb2qI/s1600/Ellies%2Bat%2BENP.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TTCNh0W3WZI/AAAAAAAAACs/l3vDDVJb2qI/s320/Ellies%2Bat%2BENP.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562101151932307858" /></a><br />It is all a bit overwhelming trying to jump back into the world of digital education when one's mind has been focused on daily survival in foreign lands, things like not getting run over in streets crowded with cars, trucks, scooters, buses, tuk-tuks, songthaews, vendors, dogs and cats.<div>My mailbox and reader will take the resources of a team of archaeologists to dig through.</div><div><br /></div><div>Looking forward to exploring others' blog posts with new ideas like<a href="http://www.techlearning.com/article/35446"> Tech & Learnings Top 25 sites for 2010</a>. Note: their list is not hyperlinked so may take some time to browse but there are many new sites I've not explored before.</div><div><br /></div><div>Image taken by me at <a href="http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/">The Elephant Nature Park</a>, Chiang Mai, Thailand.</div><div>http://www.flickr.com/photos/bookminder/5321587143/in/set-72157625601445658/</div><div>Some rights reserved.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>MrsEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496211434803625299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-15077852131359044292010-12-02T15:02:00.000-08:002010-12-02T15:10:05.698-08:00Hello from the ROKThey say learning keeps you young. I've been on a steep learning curve these past two days as I left family at home to travel to Korea and visit my daughter. There's a lot to take in when you don't read or speak the language. Fortunately I have discovered two things, many Koreans speak English and they are all overwhelmingly considerate and helpful. The biggest challenge so far has been trying to figure out how to turn on the lights in the hotel room. Tip to travelers, the keycard has to be in the little slot.<br /><br />Korean Air was a delight to travel with. The flight crew were first rate. This morning I'm off to explore a little on my own before joining my daughter. Here's to learning and happy trails. Oh yes, this post was by way of letting you know I won't be posting any of my usual tips on tech tools or educational ideas until the new year.MrsEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496211434803625299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-59121732133412063982010-11-20T13:45:00.000-08:002010-11-20T13:58:33.331-08:00Blogging First Steps<img src="http://mrg.bz/4wgY8y" width="152" height="95" border="0" /><br />Photo credit: <a href="http://mrg.bz/gpROCZ">xenia</a> from <a href="http://www.morguefile.com/">morguefile.com</a><br /><div><br /></div><div>Thinking about starting your own blog? I'll be doing an Elluminate session on Monday Nov. 22 at 8:15 PST to have an informal discussion around the benefits of blogging for teachers and their students. Along with others from the LAN44 Innovative Learning Team I'll share resources, give some getting started tips and sources of inspiration. Join us in <a href="http://elluminate.lan44.ca/">elluminate.lan44.ca</a>.<div><br /></div><div>Resources used in this session will be posted on the <a href="http://literacy44.ca/lan/">LAN44 blog</a> following the session along with a link to the archived session. </div></div>MrsEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496211434803625299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-27055121992902319442010-11-13T08:28:00.001-08:002010-11-13T08:28:35.636-08:00More QR Ideas<div class='posterous_autopost'><div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <object height="417" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ayW032sKtj8&hl=en&fs=1" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ayW032sKtj8&hl=en&fs=1" wmode="window" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="417" width="500"></embed></object> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayW032sKtj8&feature=youtube_gdata_player">youtube.com</a></div> <p>Another source of QR code use information is The Active Class: <a href="http://theactiveclass.com/?s=QR">http://theactiveclass.com/?s=QR</a></p></div></div>MrsEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496211434803625299noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-56982945036052775172010-11-12T09:58:00.000-08:002010-11-12T10:06:39.056-08:00Embracing Cell Phones Elluminate SessionStill feeling uncomfortable with mobile technology in the classroom? This might be a great place to learn more about using it successfully. Catch it live or at your leisure in the archive at <a href="http://live.classroom20.com/index.html">Classroom 2.0 LIVE</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2010/11/innovative-educator-discusses-how-to-go.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheInnovativeEducator+%28The+Innovative+Educator%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">The Innovative Educator: The Innovative Educator Discusses How to Go from Banning to Embracing Cell Phones Live! on Classroom 2.0 - Saturday, November 13th</a><br /><br />And while you're there have a look at the other fabulous <a href="http://live.classroom20.com/archive-and-resources.html">archived sessions</a>. You'll find a wide range of topics in a variety of subject areas.MrsEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496211434803625299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-33318529898902243452010-11-11T07:02:00.000-08:002010-11-11T07:35:39.081-08:00Alerts = Connections to Great People and Resources<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TNwMYV_pOOI/AAAAAAAAACM/HbcnwYphx7I/s1600/Screen%2Bshot%2B2010-11-11%2Bat%2B7.31.10%2BAM.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 276px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_azcKEIzLOpY/TNwMYV_pOOI/AAAAAAAAACM/HbcnwYphx7I/s320/Screen%2Bshot%2B2010-11-11%2Bat%2B7.31.10%2BAM.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538315254119348450" /></a><br />Some time ago I set up <a href="http://www.google.com/alerts">alerts through Google</a> that feed into my RSS reader. This service searches for mentions of The Web-Footed Booklady and bookminder online. Most of the alerts that filter through are for mentions I already know about such as Twitter comments but occasionally an alert will lead me to a new contact or some great resources.<div><br /></div><div>Today an alert led me to <a href="http://twitter.com/auntytech">@auntytech</a> 's <a href="http://www.delicious.com/auntytech">delicious page</a> because she had bookmarked my post from yesterday. Browsing through her other bookmarks I came across some useful QR code resources I didn't know about. <a href="http://1toolatatime.wikispaces.com/QR%20Codes"> Like the 1 Tool at a Time: Build Your Own Toolbelt wiki</a> which just happened to have an archived Elluminate webinar on using QR Codes along with the Slideshare used in the presentation and a list of links to other resources. Thanks, Donna!</div>MrsEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496211434803625299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-5796897001205368162010-11-09T12:17:00.000-08:002010-11-09T12:17:05.552-08:00Splash!A URL shortening service I've been using for some time just got better. When using a projector/screen to show sites to groups of students or teachers you inevitably come across some with long URLs. Some people will want to copy them down and the presentation stalls while you wait for them to do this.<br />
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This is where <a href="http://splashurl.net/">SplashURL</a> comes in handy. Simply install the bookmarklet on your toolbar. When you want to shorten a URL for easy copying click on the bookmarklet. You'll get a short URL in large font like this, a good trick for quick URL shortening in the middle of a presentation.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today when I used it I discovered that SplashURL also creates QR codes. Here's the one for a page of resources I created:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TNmm0xvQgjI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/64bxXefDf6A/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-11-09+at+11.51.36+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TNmm0xvQgjI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/64bxXefDf6A/s320/Screen+shot+2010-11-09+at+11.51.36+AM.png" width="318" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So how might QR codes be used in the library? My friend @bryanhughes is going to have students write book reviews, attach a QR code and then insert them into the corresponding books in the library. Any student with a smart phone can scan the code and read reviews created by peers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Or you could use QR codes on posters around the school to advertise new books or special library events. Miguel Guhlin (@mguhlin) has published a great list with further suggestions on <a href="http://www.mguhlin.org/2010/06/qr-codes-in-libraries.html">his blog</a>. Has anyone out there used QR codes in your library or to promote reading? Do you have some other creative ideas? Please leave a comment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Lesley Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296694892145418961noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-39911315455047820032010-11-05T09:00:00.000-07:002010-11-05T09:00:31.408-07:00Comparing 20th and 21st Century Educational Paradigms | Educational Origami<a href="http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2010/10/02/comparing-20th-and-21st-century-educational-paradigms/">Comparing 20th and 21st Century Educational Paradigms | Educational Origami</a><br /><br />Thanks to Dave Truss @datruss for sharing this excellent chart in Google Reader. Think about how it could spark discussions around moving classrooms towards more collaborative, process focused, learner-centric environments.MrsEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496211434803625299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-21076758538997328662010-11-05T08:21:00.000-07:002010-11-05T08:21:29.874-07:00YouTube - Academic Excellence in 140 CharactersThis YouTube video talks about an interesting study done recently to examine how using Twitter in class might benefit students. The results are encouraging.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVOY2x81_bg">YouTube - Academic Excellence in 140 Characters</a><br /><a href="http://blog.reyjunco.com">Social Media in Higher Education Blog</a>MrsEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496211434803625299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-27518771211584658722010-10-12T05:05:00.000-07:002010-10-12T05:05:38.132-07:00A Sharing Community<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TLROCU6UD-I/AAAAAAAAAZI/0RQBYLgTTsA/s1600/177926979_9bd2709608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TLROCU6UD-I/AAAAAAAAAZI/0RQBYLgTTsA/s320/177926979_9bd2709608.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You never know when your small idea will ignite a fire<br />
in the mind of another.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I get an interesting reaction from people who know that I've retired but am still involved in education and the online education community. "Why are you doing this?" they say, "You're supposed to be retired!"<br />
So why am I doing this?<br />
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I think because interacting in an online education community has become such a passion for me. It's a way to keep on learning, interact with an intelligent and interesting community and share or help out where I can. People choose to give back to their communities in a variety of ways through volunteering their time and sharing their resources. For me, that community resides online. <br />
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Which brings me to the <a href="http://blip.tv/file/4197608?filename=K12online-SharingTheMoralImperative512.m4v">K12 Online Conference keynote presented by Dean Shareski</a>. Dean makes the point that all teachers have a moral imperative to share and I agree. Why not share his presentation with your colleagues? The K12 Online schedule is <a href="http://wiki.k12onlineconference.org/home/for-participants/2010-schedule">posted here</a>. I'm always amazed at the depth and breadth of these offerings, there really is something for everyone. <br />
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Image used under a creative commons licence by furiousgeorge81 - Thanks for sharing, George!<br />
http://www.flickr.com/photos/furiousgeorge81/177926979/sizes/m/Lesley Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296694892145418961noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-84345011526935903902010-10-02T11:57:00.000-07:002010-10-02T11:57:47.838-07:00TweetUpMeeting with people you've only interacted with on Twitter takes conversations to a whole new level. Last night I took part in a Vancouver area educators Tweet-Up along with a couple of colleagues and four others. We had an established comfort level to build on, we knew each other's interests in education and technology and some of the barriers we deal with on a daily basis. <br />
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As we enjoyed some refreshments and good pub food we shared ideas, resources, philosophies and discussed the possibilities for future meetings and joint projects. It was a great evening of laughter and some undirected Friday night Pro D. Thanks <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/davidwees">@davidwees</a> for organizing this event.<br />
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Resources I bookmarked this week:<br />
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Guest blogger Melissa Smith on <a href="http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2010/10/01/differentiated-professional-development-by-melissa-smith-micon/">Differentiated Professional Development</a> on Wes Fryer's blog offer's some great online suggestions for Pro D. opportunities.<br />
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<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/18546242/Google-Docs-Tipsheet-and-Resource-Guide">Google Docs tip sheet and resource guide</a>. More <a href="http://www.delicious.com/tag/uthsclib+gdocs">Google Docs resources can be found in Delicious</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/09/tech-tips-for-teachers-free-easy-and-useful-creation-tools/?nl=learning&emc=a1">Free easy and useful creation tools</a> from New York Times The Learning Network.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU">Where Good Ideas Come From</a> a 4 minute video that would be useful for starting conversations around teaching methods and classroom structure.Lesley Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296694892145418961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-45046406701304861622010-09-26T10:20:00.000-07:002010-09-26T10:26:18.230-07:00The Return of the Blogger<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TJ9jIwgGwdI/AAAAAAAAAZE/gS2_qi7QAyk/s1600/kayak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TJ9jIwgGwdI/AAAAAAAAAZE/gS2_qi7QAyk/s400/kayak.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from my new office.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This morning a lovely tweet came my way from someone who reads this blog and had noticed that I hadn't posted in over a month. Thanks @bookchica!<br />
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I am indeed alive and well but have been enjoying the first few months of retirement. It seems this is the time in your life when you wonder how you ever found time to work. I'm exploring the balance between time for personal projects, family and doing some contract work in various education related ways. <br />
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It's interesting to see how stepping out of the system has allowed me to clarify my own thoughts around education. I am more convinced than ever that the old sage on the stage model of teaching has to go! Having said that, I know it would have made me very uncomfortable as a beginning teacher. I needed those texts, worksheets and the structure to shore me up. <br />
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This morning I watched <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU">"Where Good Ideas Come From</a> and thought that classrooms could be re-defined as spaces for ideas to mingle, share and create new forms. This would require teachers who were confident, not afraid of taking risks, and learners in their own right. It's hard for some to let go the reins or even hold them more loosely and turn the learning over to their students. <br />
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So the blogger is back. For how long or in what capacity, time will tell. There are just so many other interesting things vying for my attention. Take for instance a simple walk through the park last week which turned into a prolonged stop to watch a film crew shooting a scene for an upcoming TV show featuring a live cougar. Or my current planning for a mother/daughter trip to Thailand for two weeks.<br />
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And if you enjoyed reading this post please thank Tara!Lesley Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296694892145418961noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-15813924814574422622010-08-25T08:39:00.000-07:002010-08-25T08:41:11.374-07:00Unlearning Cont.Following on the Unlearning post I came across this list of <a href="http://whatedsaid.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/10-things-teachers-should-unlearn/">10 Things Teachers Should Unlearn</a> on the What Ed Said blog. I wholeheartedly agree with most of the items on this list but am perplexed by the third one.<br />
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<i>3. Teachers are responsible for learning.</i><br />
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I think I understand what this question is getting at, that students should be responsible for their own learning. Yes, students are more apt to engage and learn when they take ownership but I think teachers need to be there as coaches, mentors and learners in their own right. <br />
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Changes like these will not come easily for most. We are hard wired to impart knowledge, to be the expert. That's why most of us became teachers. Letting students take over the learning requires that we take a big step back while still keeping our hands on the helm. Thinking back about colleagues whose students have thrived and been universally successful, two individuals stand out above the rest. Both taught in an atmosphere of controlled chaos. The walls of their classrooms were covered with student made work and displays. Walking into their classrooms was like entering a workshop where creativity and individualism reigned. Yes, they covered the curriculum but they did so by taking many little side roads that interested them and their students along the way. <br />
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The blog post is worthwhile reading as the author feels the ideas are outdated and asks readers to comment, update or revise the list.Lesley Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296694892145418961noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-62060552103719162772010-08-21T10:28:00.000-07:002010-08-21T10:28:46.999-07:00UnlearningThis post, <a href="http://weblogg-ed.com/2010/unlearning-teaching/">Unlearning Teaching</a>, from Will Richardson (@willrich45) got me thinking this morning. It talks about teachers as co-learners and co-creators with their students. It talks about the fact that teachers are no longer central to networked student learning, a fact that should make us all more than a little nervous. Unless of course we learn to change with the times.<br />
<br />
I think this would be a valuable way to re-purpose staff meetings. I can remember few staff meetings, or professional development sessions, where the focus was on ways to change our basic practice. Most were focused on news updates, or perhaps an examination of the current bug bear: students late to class, homework not being done, chronic absentees or the new report card software. I always felt as if we were on a merry-go-round, same issues, same suggestions for improvement.<br />
<br />
But what if principals took an approach that explored the rich opportunities that networked learning affords? If this exploration was done together, as a staff, co-learning, there could be many benefits. Hesitant teachers would feel supported, successes and failures could be celebrated as part of the learning curve. Those early adopters on staff could act as mentors. <br />
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In a world where information is easily found and cheap what do we as educators really have to offer our students? Maybe that might be a good focus for a start-of-the-year staff meeting. <br />
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What do we have to offer that's of value to students that they can't find elsewhere?<br />
How do we foster skills in our students that their future employers will find useful? What are those skills?<br />
As a staff how will we examine what teaching as a guide and mentor might look like?Lesley Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296694892145418961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-904142139832005052010-08-20T04:12:00.000-07:002010-08-20T04:12:36.425-07:00From Twitter this WeekFacebook is at it again assuming everyone will want to have Places running on their accounts. Phil Bradley posts on <a href="http://philbradley.typepad.com/phil_bradleys_weblog/2010/08/facebook-places---four-settings-to-change.html">how to change your settings to protect your privacy</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/07/30/top-ten-10-social-media-competencies-for-librarians/">Social Media Competencies for Librarians</a> Two specific lists of the basic knowledge and skills teachers and librarians should have and be able to engage their students in around using social media in the classroom.<br />
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<a href="http://voicethread.com/community/library/">VoiceThread Digital Library</a> a database of articles about successful VoiceThread projects.Lesley Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296694892145418961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-61782092715377251672010-08-17T16:06:00.000-07:002010-08-17T16:15:09.912-07:00The Networked LearnerA tweet from <a href="http://twitter.com/courosa/statuses/21425655810">@courosa</a> got me thinking about the power of networked learning and this is the result. A person with a well-tuned PLN has a far greater chance of coming up with thoughtful solutions because their questions can reach a wider audience. For a more readable image go to <a href="http://www.gliffy.com/publish/2207215/">the website</a>.<br />
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<img src="http://www.gliffy.com/pubdoc/2207215/S.png" /><br />
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The diagram was created using <a href="http://www.gliffy.com/">Gliffy</a>, a simple-to-use diagramming app. Unfortunately this is not a free app. however they do allow you to create 5 diagrams using a trial account.Lesley Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296694892145418961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-59734686867428778012010-08-16T12:35:00.000-07:002010-08-23T09:03:13.672-07:00iPost about iPad Pilots<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TGmSsYdC_HI/AAAAAAAAAY0/b2OKlLIni8w/s1600/4524717824_fdf30e4318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TGmSsYdC_HI/AAAAAAAAAY0/b2OKlLIni8w/s320/4524717824_fdf30e4318.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image used under a creative commons license from Kominyetska<br />
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kominyetska/4524717824/sizes/m/</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Here are a few interesting blogs about school iPad projects happening around the world. I've included one that outlines a proposal as it was well thought out and may serve as a guide for others and another that serves as a question and answer forum. The list is <a href="http://delicious.com/bookminder/ipad+pilot">saved in delicious</a> and I'll be adding to it as I come across other interesting projects.<br />
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<a href="http://speirs.org/blog/tag/theipadproject">Fran Speirs Blog</a><br />
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<a href="http://palmbeachschooltalk.com/groups/ipadpilot/">iPad Pilot Project</a> a wiki from Palm Beach School District with lots of resources and information.<br />
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<a href="http://epsipadtrial.globalstudent.org.au/2010/08/11/student-reflections-before-the-trial-begins/">iPad Trial @ Epson Primary School</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.lukejudge.com/ilearn-technology-%C2%BB-blog-archive-%C2%BB-my-ipad-journey">My iPad Journey</a> - This is the one that has the good proposal. I hope he's successful!<br />
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<a href="http://mrarca.edublogs.org/">The one-to-one Newbie at the Digital Party</a><br />
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<a href="http://techieang.edublogs.org/">Expanding Teaching, Exploring Technology</a><br />
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<a href="http://ipad4edu.com/">iPad 4 Education</a> - question and answer forum<br />
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<a href="http://www.iear.org/iear/2010/8/18/ipads-promise-and-how-to-use-it-now.html">iPad's Promise and How to Use it Now</a> on the I Education Apps Review blog<br />
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Brandt Schneider is blogging about <a href="http://brandtschneider.blogspot.com/">using iPads in music class</a>.Lesley Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296694892145418961noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-91472878137744761132010-08-15T09:27:00.000-07:002010-08-15T09:49:45.988-07:00A few Twitter Gems<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TGgLtj0NuQI/AAAAAAAAAYc/f48EKHazKBQ/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-08-15+at+8.36.21+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="35" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TGgLtj0NuQI/AAAAAAAAAYc/f48EKHazKBQ/s400/Screen+shot+2010-08-15+at+8.36.21+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://iconscrabble.com/">Iconscrabble</a>: This tool is similar to <a href="http://metaatem.net/words/">Spell with Flickr</a> but instead uses icons to spell the words you type in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TGgSUYkJBfI/AAAAAAAAAYk/YRoelzyHFXM/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-08-15+at+9.13.26+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="344" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TGgSUYkJBfI/AAAAAAAAAYk/YRoelzyHFXM/s640/Screen+shot+2010-08-15+at+9.13.26+AM.png" width="640" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://newscred.com/">NewsCred</a>: Create your own newspaper with topics you choose from papers around the world. Choose from world news, sports, entertainment, business, technology, politics. I can't see any way to embed your newspaper in a blog without going to the pay option but you can share it out using twitter or email. I think if you wanted to use this with a class you could tweet out the link to a class twitter account. You can add your own editorial comments. This would be a good place to write questions for discussion, prompts or observations. There are a range of options for adding in links, images, lists and other style options. Very easy to use. Once posted, editorials can be edited, deleted or unpublished. Comments may be added.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TGgS1EpgukI/AAAAAAAAAYs/hqs6Q07oUT8/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-08-15+at+9.15.56+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TGgS1EpgukI/AAAAAAAAAYs/hqs6Q07oUT8/s320/Screen+shot+2010-08-15+at+9.15.56+AM.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Search the Internet for guides on any topic of your choosing. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://theguidedb.com/">The GuideDB</a> searches for pdf and other eguides, ebooks, manuals etc. The search also returns a list of related guides. Finds guides to everything, seriously, I even did a search for 'zwieback' and got results. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks for tweeting these goes to @shannonmiller and @Larryferlazzo!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Lesley Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296694892145418961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-56282790897167631532010-08-14T19:22:00.000-07:002010-08-14T19:22:58.962-07:00A New Way to School - Discussion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TGc1TSA5Z1I/AAAAAAAAAYU/Azc4TQy6Z4I/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-08-14+at+5.29.58+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-g9JPmISCdQ/TGc1TSA5Z1I/AAAAAAAAAYU/Azc4TQy6Z4I/s320/Screen+shot+2010-08-14+at+5.29.58+PM.png" /></a></div>Thanks for challenging my thinking, Carl! In writing this reply I run the risk of plagiarizing as I have been reading so many ideas around how education might change in other's blogs or through online presentations. If I do so please forgive me/let me know if an idea was yours originally.<br />
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First I need to clarify. By 'senior administration' I mean those administrators we now have as trustees and school board or ministry officials, in other words the hierarchy that is already in place. Every teacher knows that students will live up to our expectations of them. Show them trust and respect and they will respond. When officials block and hamper permissive and informal networked learning they are showing their mistrust of teachers. In effect, telling teachers it's a scary world out there and we don't trust you to safely guide our young people through it. Unfortunately these decisions are often made by those who aren't teachers and are not taking the time to explore the merits of online networked learning for themselves. For them, it's simply easier to block than to put protocols in place and deal with the rare parental complaints.<br />
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So how do we 'train' teachers? <br />
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One way might be to model good practice. Among others, both Alec Couros (@courosa) and Dean Shareski (@shareski) make good use of social media tools in their pre-service teaching classes. They demonstrate the merits of social media as well as requiring students to participate by using blogs, twitter and other tools. <br />
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Another might be to guide teachers through a series of questions or problems based on scenarios using social media tools in the classroom. For example: With the world of knowledge at their fingertips through mobile devices how might you challenge your students to discover their passions while learning to be good communicators, collaborators and contributors? I know that's a mouthful but I hope you get the idea. As a teacher librarian I always pushed teachers who wanted to bring their classes to the library for research by asking them: What skills will your students need to be successful on this assignment? How will we accommodate individual interests or learning styles? How can we encourage students to collaborate? Is there a way to relate this to a more meaningful real world scenario. How can we allow students to demonstrate competency in a variety of ways? Who is working harder on this assignment, you or your students? How can we provide ongoing mentoring and assessment as opposed to waiting until the assignment is in to grade it?<br />
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We need to start honouring teachers who say, "I don't know." These are the ones who are willing to learn. If they can say that in teacher training or in the staffroom perhaps it will be easier to say it to their students, "I don't know. How can we find out? What ideas do you have to solve this problem? Let's try..."<br />
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Another random thought: I have heard that schools in Japan do not have government mandated universal tests because teachers simply refused to administer them. They still write exams on leaving high school but not at lower grade levels. If this is true it would free teachers up to teach to students' passions and engage them in activities that were meaningful and provided authentic, real world experiences. Oh course getting educators in North America to take such a stand is a whole other issue.<br />
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Who else has some ideas?Lesley Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296694892145418961noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-38248456227672853432010-08-14T14:54:00.001-07:002010-08-14T15:49:35.661-07:00A New Way to SchoolI'm excited about posting today for two reasons. One, I found that through my local library's web site I can access a wide variety of current and archived newspapers using PressDisplay. This service also allows me to post articles I wish to share directly into blogger. You'll see the result below. (This would be a useful feature for classroom blogs where teachers wish to engage students in current news.)<br />
<hr /><a href="http://www.pressdisplay.com.gateway.nvdpl.ca:2048/pressdisplay/showlink.aspx?bookmarkid=H8JVSU1C9987&preview=magnifier&linkid=72df5ab8-b103-48bb-9a9c-1492a4058e8c&pdaffid=uvYvSRmcaZJVqscJu2T4Vg%3d%3d"><img src="http://thumbnails1.pressdisplay.com.gateway.nvdpl.ca:2048/pressdisplay/docserver/getimage.aspx?file=10002010081100000000001001&page=15&scale=25" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a><a href="http://www.pressdisplay.com.gateway.nvdpl.ca:2048/pressdisplay/showlink.aspx?bookmarkid=H8JVSU1C9987&preview=article&linkid=72df5ab8-b103-48bb-9a9c-1492a4058e8c&pdaffid=uvYvSRmcaZJVqscJu2T4Vg%3d%3d"><strong>School to try streaming students in Grade 2</strong></a><br />
<em>BY MISTY HARRIS<br />
The Vancouver Sun<br />
11 Aug 2010<br />
</em><br />
Choosing an area of specialization is one of the biggest decisions of a student’s academic life. Not least when they’re entering Grade 2. A new program at a Calgary area elementary school will soon see children as young as seven placed in classes...<a href="http://www.pressdisplay.com.gateway.nvdpl.ca:2048/pressdisplay/showlink.aspx?bookmarkid=H8JVSU1C9987&preview=article&linkid=72df5ab8-b103-48bb-9a9c-1492a4058e8c&pdaffid=uvYvSRmcaZJVqscJu2T4Vg%3d%3d"><em>read more...</em></a><br />
<div>Tech Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/The%20Vancouver%20Sun" rel="tag">The Vancouver Sun</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/newspaper" rel="tag">newspaper</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/CANADA%20&%20WORLD" rel="tag">CANADA & WORLD</a> </div><img src="http://library.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/services/getpdaffimage.ashx?pdaff_id=uvYvSRmcaZJVqscJu2T4Vg%3d%3d&linkid=72df5ab8-b103-48bb-9a9c-1492a4058e8c" /><br />
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The second reason is that this article follows on the heels of a question <a href="http://twitter.com/anderscj">Carl Anderson</a> posed in <a href="http://bookminder.blogspot.com/2010/06/photo-credit-kevinrosseel-from.html">a previous post</a>:<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">So, my question is, how do we provide learning environments that are both permissive and instructive, environments that harness the power of informal learning the network provides but also the guidance our traditional system is supposed to give our students? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">This new school is an exciting concept that allows students to take more ownership of their own learning. I see it as a move away from the current lock-step system whose aim is to produce students with a rigidly focused skill set that stifles individuality in the name of producing a uniform workforce.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">I think teachers who will thrive in this new kind of environment will have a passion for the subjects they teach and be able to pass that on to their students. They will be experts as well as learners and they will model effective learning for and with their students. They will understand that they don't need to know everything in order to help their students learn.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">They will be fearless risk takers who also possess a good dose of common sense. They will understand that evaluation is not grading regurgitation but should assess each student's ability to take knowledge and skills and apply them in new situations, with new problems. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">They will be good at collaboration and communication. They will be able to recognize innovation and uniqueness and support those students who are innovators and creators.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">So part of the challenge lies in encouraging current teachers to change the way they do business and part in training and attracting new teachers with passion who love the idea of mentoring learners. A little trust and support at the senior administrative level would go a long way as well. I know there are many teachers and schools out there experimenting successfully with new models, let's hope the trend spreads.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span></span></div>MrsEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496211434803625299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-37632978431406659652010-08-13T08:45:00.000-07:002010-08-13T08:45:44.475-07:00The How and the Why of Teamwork<img border="0" height="368" src="http://mrg.bz/NcxPyv" width="660" /><br />
Photo credit: <a href="http://mrg.bz/ZzBXkq">matthew_hull</a> from <a href="http://www.morguefile.com/">morguefile.com</a><br />
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A post on Twitter led me to a great little PDF titled <a href="http://www.educause.edu/Resources/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutAsses/210831">7 Things You Should Know About Assessing Online Team-Based Learning</a> on the Educause site. While this article is aimed at post-secondary educators there are ideas worth considering at elementary and high school levels. Assigning group work seems to elicit two responses from students:<br />
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1. We never have time to meet face-to-face.<br />
2. The marking is never fair because one or two people do all the work.<br />
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Perhaps teachers need to consider why it may be important to assign group tasks in the first place and then figure out the logistics of how such assignments could be made to work well. The article provides a number of suggestions. Involving the class in these two first steps might also make a difference in how students buy in to a project. I like the 'best case' scenario described at the beginning of the document because team members took the time to find out what skills each individual had that could be utilized in constructing their product. Do younger students know how to assess their existing skills and apply them to current assignments? How do we teach that? Some ideas might be to:<br />
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<ul><li>Brainstorm vocabulary that describes skills: good at writing/spelling, artist, speaker, loves interviewing people, likes keeping things in order.</li>
<li>Identify the tasks needed to complete the </li>
<li>assignment and match them to the skills list.</li>
<li>Have students choose from a list of skills or attributes or write their own. "On this project I would be good at .... recording, drawing, leading a team meeting, finding information".</li>
</ul><br />
The article goes on to say that the value of team work may not reside solely in the final product but in the steps leading to its creation. Are there useful tools for using formative assessment techniques on group projects? I like Google Docs for its "revision history" feature that allows students and teachers to see who has contributed, when and how often, and assess the merits of each contribution. The document itself gives a snapshot of the students' organizational abilities. Brainstorming ideas and reflections can take place within the document as well. VoiceThread is another option that allows students to make individual contributions to a group project.<br />
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What have you learned from doing group projects with students? I'd love to hear so please leave a comment.<br />
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Other useful resources:<br />
<a href="http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/file/view/collaboration+rubric.pdf">Collaborating Rubric - Bloom's Digital Taxonomy</a><br />
<a href="http://etoolbox.wikispaces.com/Formative+Assessment">WSD's eToolBox - Formative Assessment</a><br />
<a href="http://tbarrett.edublogs.org/2008/06/29/marking-work-in-google-docs/">Tom Barrett's Marking Work in Google Docs</a><br />
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</div>Lesley Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296694892145418961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-54069966145612724612010-07-29T17:25:00.000-07:002010-07-29T17:25:56.095-07:00The iPad so far, so good.It's interesting to hear the response to the iPad from people outside the field of education, as in the CEO of a large financial institution who hasn't touch his computer since he got his hands on an iPad, for work, over a month ago. <br />
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Personally I found the switch from laptop to iPad an easy adjustment to make. Yes, it helps to know a few of the tricks and tips but that's true of any computer. You'll see some of those tips listed in previous posts. What I like best about it is the portability, combined with long battery life. I envision students finding it to be a perfect tool as they use it for:<br />
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- reference<br />
- multiple elegantly displayed news sources<br />
- a wide range of science and math applications<br />
- many options for reading books and viewing videos<br />
- productivity tools like Dropbox, SoundPaper, Audiotorium, Dragon Dictation, Instapaper<br />
- blogging<br />
- interacting on educational and social networks<br />
- taking notes in classes and meetings using voice recording apps and typing<br />
- sharing resources and collaborating<br />
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Perhaps the next generation of students will avoid chronic back problems brought on by lugging pounds/kilos of textbooks around in their backpacks. Teachers may engage students more easily by having them create their own online 'textbooks' of resources including videos and databases. And think of the possibilities for differentiated learning when every student is able to quickly find resources at their own reading levels. <br />
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I think the iPad can play a key role in the classroom, a classroom where the teacher works to ignite a passion for learning in students and acts as a guide and mentor in moving them along a learning continuum. One example of a teacher who embraces this kind of classroom environment is <a href="http://teachpaperless.blogspot.com/">Shelly Blake-Plock</a>.Lesley Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296694892145418961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849832438473440754.post-45024347056770265742010-07-21T06:34:00.000-07:002010-07-21T06:34:41.262-07:00Flipboard: Your personalized, social magazine - iPad44Playing with <a href="http://www.flipboard.com/">Flipboard,</a> a personalized magazine for the iPad, this morning and it is one impressive app. Be sure to watch the introductory video and you can read more about it here:<br /><a href="http://ipad44.posterous.com/flipboard-your-personalized-social-magazine">Flipboard: Your personalized, social magazine - iPad44</a><br /><br />It seems to be an overnight success as I started trying to log in to my Twitter account using Flipboard about 5 a.m. this morning and it took over an hour. Does it need it's own version of Fail Whale? <br /><br />It was well worth the wait. Tweets with links automatically display the link content, no more clicking on links. You can favorite, retweet or share by email as well as replying to the tweet from within Flipboard. Flipboard displays a good chunk of the tweeted site and there's a button to click should you wish to see the complete page. The 'close' button takes you right back into Flipboard. Very slick!MrsEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496211434803625299noreply@blogger.com0