Podcast Reflection #9: Learning in Hand-iPods: Classroom Do's and Don'ts

Tony's Podcasts

Tony Vincent gives a list of Do’s and Don’t while using ipods in your classroom.

Do’s:

* Sinc all ipods to one computer. Use a mac if you can.

*Name the ipods.

*Set ipods to automatic sinc so that everything automatically transfers when you press the sinc button

*Make playlists- organize what you want students to access.

*Delete content. Delete from itunes when you no longer have a need for it so it doesn’t take up space.

*Label or engrave ipods so students can identify their ipod. It might help to use a variety of colors

*Set up an itunes account to the school computer

*You can authorize more than one account on a computer

*Use a flashdrive to transfer apps between computers

*Have a place to lock up the ipods when they aren’t being used

*Have procedures for passing out and collecting the ipods

*Have ear buds for each student

*Use a URL shortener

*Create a usage contract to communicate how and when an ipod can be used. Have parents as well as students sign it

*Set up email.

Don’t’s:

*Don’t give the students the account password

*Don’t sinc ipods with any other computer

*Don’t sinc ipods everyday

*Don’t spend too much on ipods

*Don’t mistreat the batteries

*Don’t stick with just free apps

*Don’t use liquids to clean the screen

*Don’t forget about professional development

These are all great tips to remember if you are thinking about using ipods in your classroom. See what else Tony has to say about ipods!

Podcast Reflection #8: By the Numbers

Tech Chicks

Ana and Helen share three websites that can be used in the classroom. The first is Doodle for Google which is a competition for K-12 students to use artistic abilities. The theme for the competition is “If I could do anything I would…” The contestants have to answer this question by creating their own doodle and they have to execute their ideas really well. I think this is great because even if you are not really an artist you can compete because the computer doodles for you, you just have to design it. There will be 40 finalists to choose from and this is something teachers should encourage their students to enter.

The second website they share is about the science of winter Olympics which was constructed by the national science foundation. This websites shows the science and physics behind a lot of events such as bobsledding, snowboarding, skiing, etc. There are a lot of video links throughout the page to show how things work. There are also interviews with some of the athletes that give share a lot of behind-the-scenes information. This is a great site for kids, especially kids who like sports because it proves that math and science are extremely important in everyday life.

One other website that Ana and Helen share is doink.com which is an animation software. On this website you can create animations, discuss others’ work, and share your own work. Each of us has our own talents, and animation is a great way to express these talents.

The tech chicks have more resources to take a look at. Check it out!

Podcast Reflection #7: Create the Future: Think, Learn, Create!

K-12 Online Conference

Kim Cofino and Julie Lindsay share about the “Create the Future” workshop where teachers can learn things as they go. The purpose of the workshop is to create a collaborative project the teachers can use in their classroom. Teachers have group, team, and individual help. They learn about the required skills to create the project. Sessons are offered for things like Twitter, Wiki, blogs, and more. These provide structure and focus for their own projects. The most critical component of the workshop is that teachers work collaboratively with teacher from other schools to design their group project. Teachers are asked to create their own groups based on  the needs in their own classrooms. Having a common goal helped build lasting relationships. Anytime a new tool was introduced, the participants were allowed to use that tool for their project so they could learn right away how to use it. Teams presented their ideas with other groups. Kim and Julie say that allowing teachers to create together allows a better depth of knowledge. They also used integration of virtual participants so the teachers could use the technology tools they learned about. This promotes more virtual participation for education. Kim and Julie share that the 7 key components of the workshop are:

*Kick start your thinking: how technology is shaping society

*Group Project

*Breakout Sessions: teachers actually work with the technology

*Team Pitch: ideas are verbalized and analyzed with the group

*Teamwork Time

*Speed Geeking: kind of like speed dating, but teachers share successful ideas and strategies that have worked for them

*Team Presentation: teachers can actually use the project in their own classroom

This podcast is great because it motivates teachers to work together with technology projects in the classroom.

Podcast Reflection #6: Cartooning Around in Language Arts

Moving at the Speed of Creativity

Wesley Fryer in his podcast “Cartooning Around in Lanuage Arts” sits through a presentation by Malia Triggs. Malia Triggs is a 5^th grade language Arts teacher that has been using the Go Animate website in her classroom. Go animate is a website that allows students to make a cartoon with an educational purpose. It is impossible to teach all the standards if we try to teach them separately so why not mix them together? Malia thinks that go animate is a great way to do this. She explains that reading and grading 800 papers is nearly impossible and very stressful. Kids are bored of writing papers and bored of video narratives. Go animate fixes this problem. Mrs. Triggs first establishes a plan and makes a storyboard. She also creates a rubric for the project. Once the students start the project, they are not aloud to get online to make a cartoon until they have met all the guidelines and made their storyboard. Having these strict rules makes the students listen and follow the rules and rubric. Then the students are free to get on goanimate.com and create their cartoon. The teacher can monitor their progress as the go on and create. The website is easy for the kids to follow and they absolutely love it!

Podcast Reflection #5: Project Based Learning

Tony's Podcasts

Tony Vincent explains the benefits of technology in his classroom. His 5^th graders  received palm handhelds a few years ago and he has been nothing but pleased with the results. The students’ favorite applications were ones that they created something to share with others. Palm handhelds along with Itouch and ipad are great ways of mobile learning. This learning can happen anywhere. But Tony stresses that the portability is not as important as the ability of the learner to connect and create using tools that are readily available. Applications, podcasts, and websites provide options for personalization of learning. Readily available tools are the best way for project learning, Tony gives an example of a 5-min project he made himself that helped him learn how to use a lot of the applications. Then he also gives tips for developing driving questions. Project based learning is great for planning, research, and presentation of projects. Instead of lecturing on a topic, Tony explains that these devices allow students to figure things out on their own. He shares a variety of apps he has used and shows how they can be effective. Project based learning makes students managers of their own learning. They learn to work collaboratively on projects and communicate their work with others. In order for this to be effective in the classroom teachers must review standards, craft driving questions, design rubrics, and create examples. Tony points out that although it may be a lot of work to prepare, teachers are leading the students to create quality projects that reflect great learning. 

Podcast Reflection #4: Carpool with Amanda Marrinan

Kevin Honeycutt

In this podcast, Kevin Honeycutt skypes Amanda Marrinan from Australia about her Youtube class. Amanda describes the natural disaster that has taken place in Morton bay leaving the entire area flooded badly. She says that  80% of Queensland is completely flooded. Families have had to deal with losing there belongings and all sorts of other troubles. Amanda’s youtube class allows students to be in class without actually being in the classroom. She explains that the kids are the center of the room. Some parents are nervous about their child’s faces being online. But Amanda argues that her class keeps things safe. She says that the outcomes of the youtube class are nothing but positive. Students who had trouble writing their thoughts were able to truly shine when they could verbal express their feelings through the technology. The class uses document cameras, and Amanda says she has to gradually convince parents that nothing bad is going to happen. Some teachers won’t try something new until they know everything about it. Amanda says she’s not afraid to make mistakes. She say’s “If your not making mistakes you’re not learning.” She has the children make blogs and allows the students help each other. By doing this, everyone learns together, even her herself. Together they are also learning to use Skype. The main thing she stresses is that we can learn more from failure than success. Check out more about her classroom and how it works! 

Podcast Reflection #3: The Chicks at the Chick (fil-a)

Tech Chick Tips
This is a podcast by the tech chicks Ana and Helen. They share a list of things CIO’s can learn from the game angry birds and how these things can also relate to teachers, students, administrators, and many others.  They share first that the only way to defeat angry birds is to play the game. This is the same with technology. If we don’t engage in resent technology and allow people to use it in the context of actual work, no one will learn its limitations, its risks, or the opportunities it presents. Ana Helen stress that the more you keep trying and failing, the more you learn. Learning about technology takes baby steps. In angry birds there is more than one way to win. A tip for technology is that you can never do the same thing exactly the same way. You can have a perfect class with technology but the next class might not do it the same way. If you aren’t doing well in the angry birds game, it is usually smart to just start the level over. Same thing with technology in the classroom -if you are trying and the students aren’t getting it or its not going well, its ok to start over or try a different way. Another good tip Ana and Helen gave is that people succeed best when their unique talents are recognized (this is why there are different angry birds in the game). Students can help each other when they have different talents with technology. Overall the tech chicks give some really good tips and advice for using technology in the classroom. You should check it out!