For my student selected technology project I would like to explore web based video streaming. Ideally this would be an archive of instructional art videos created by my students. One of my students’ assignments would be to create an instructional video to add to the library. This assignment would serve two purposes. First, the instructional films could be used to assess students’ knowledge of a concept. Second, their videos could be added to the web library so that my students would be building the content of the site over time. The main page would be a list of videos by topics, and each topic would have its own page where the viewer could see the video, browse a list of related online resources, and if there is a corresponding presentation, watch the PowerPoint that elaborates on the video.
There would be several benefits to developing this type of resource. For example, posting videos online allow the community better access to what is happening in the classroom. Parents who viewed these short films would see what their child is learning in school. Any community member would have a better understanding of the process the students went through to make their art products. In addition, students who are absent could review the videos to catch up with the class, or are not confident in their notes could come back to the video archive to as a reminder. Showing a short demonstration video in addition to a demonstration would be a good way to provide repetition of the concepts for my students. Furthermore, the capability to video stream will provide my students with the opportunity to participate in distance collaboration. I could invite an artist to discuss his or her work with the class via videostream, the event could be recorded and posted to the class site for future reference. My students could participate in a videostreamed critique, giving them the opportunity to show samples of their work to an artist and ask for the artist’s feedback. I believe that I will find even more classroom uses of this technology as I explore the versatility of webcasting.
To accomplish my goal I will work with the following resources. First, I will us the Dreamweaver Tutorial resources that come with the program to learn more about web design. Second, I will use campus resources like Student Computer Services (SCS) to direct my exploration. SCS offers workshops that cover many different aspects of technology; I will seek out the web authoring courses to learn more about Dreamweaver, html, and webcasting. I can also arrange for a personal training session that would help answer my questions. Third, there are many people at the university who are working on similar ideas, I will collaborate with these peers so that we can benefit from each others knowledge.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Monday, November 27, 2006
Distance Education
Distance Education has many pros and cons for students here five of both:
Pros:
1. Distance education can be used to connect classrooms and students around the world. Students can collaboratively to produce art, share their work, and learn about other lifestyles and cultures.
2. Distance education brings resources to a school that they may be unable to provide. For example, a student that would like to take AP Chemistry or remedial math may take the course online if it is not offered at their school.
3. Students who need to work or struggled with traditional school formats can use online learning as an alternative way to complete their education.
4. Gifted students who are bored with the curriculum at their traditional school can use online learning to challenge themselves.
5. Teachers can use distance education to learn new things for their classroom without having to take time off from teaching to attend class.
6. When students face technology problems, they learn to come up with creative solutions to meet deadlines of Distance Education course.
Cons:
1. Need a computer and internet connection.
2. Students are accountable for doing readings and assignments, and they don't have class time to remind them to stay on task.
3. Although Distance Education allows virtual collaboration, students are missing out on the face to face collaboration that happens in the classroom. I think that traditional education teaches students very important social lessons that can not be replicated in distance education.
4. Difficult to adapt learning for different learning styles (kinesthetic in particular).
5. Cost of distance education may be more then students can afford. For example, software and equipment costs money, and some distance education programs require a tuition fee.
6. Students may have to deal with technical malfunctions, be able to adapt and come up with creative solutions to the problems they encounter.
Pros:
1. Distance education can be used to connect classrooms and students around the world. Students can collaboratively to produce art, share their work, and learn about other lifestyles and cultures.
2. Distance education brings resources to a school that they may be unable to provide. For example, a student that would like to take AP Chemistry or remedial math may take the course online if it is not offered at their school.
3. Students who need to work or struggled with traditional school formats can use online learning as an alternative way to complete their education.
4. Gifted students who are bored with the curriculum at their traditional school can use online learning to challenge themselves.
5. Teachers can use distance education to learn new things for their classroom without having to take time off from teaching to attend class.
6. When students face technology problems, they learn to come up with creative solutions to meet deadlines of Distance Education course.
Cons:
1. Need a computer and internet connection.
2. Students are accountable for doing readings and assignments, and they don't have class time to remind them to stay on task.
3. Although Distance Education allows virtual collaboration, students are missing out on the face to face collaboration that happens in the classroom. I think that traditional education teaches students very important social lessons that can not be replicated in distance education.
4. Difficult to adapt learning for different learning styles (kinesthetic in particular).
5. Cost of distance education may be more then students can afford. For example, software and equipment costs money, and some distance education programs require a tuition fee.
6. Students may have to deal with technical malfunctions, be able to adapt and come up with creative solutions to the problems they encounter.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Emerging Technologies
Technology has changes faster then most teachers can keep up with. Since I was in elementary school email, the Internet, and distance education are all new tools that advancing technology has provided teachers. I will teach a group of students that is used to these new technologies. To keep them engaged, and to use the best learning tools for my classroom I will need to be a dedicated life long learner. A specific focus of my learning will be technology that can be used in the classroom. I looked at three different emerging technologies and how they could enhance learning in my classroom.
First I explored video streaming for education, I read about it on the Apple Education website( http://www.apple.com/education/ ). Apple has an entire page, called "Videography for Educators" that provides tips and uses for teachers interested in using video streaming in their classroom. I found that videos can be made the same way as the DIV Project videos we made in class, or you can use live video streams of experts speaking about their field. Live videos would enable the class to ask questions if the experts and see the subject they are studying in a real life setting. Any videos could be archived on a website for the community to interact with, or for students to look back at. Webcasts can also be made interactive by incorporating slides, additional URL resources, discussion boards, or audio files along with the video streaming. At following URL there are instructions for every step of producing, and publishing a video: http://images.apple.com/education/streamingsolution/pdf/production_cookbookJune05.pdf
Second, I looked at the resources on Google for Educators (http://www.google.com/educators/index.html ). This site provides teachers and students with tips for researching on the web, using Google Earth, Google Docs and Spreadsheets, and other resources for learning. Google Earth can be used to bring the geography of any place on the planet to your classroom, study transportation, or recreate historical settings. Using the visuals that Google Earth provides will help engage students in history and geography lessons. Students will be able know a country by more then a color on a map. Google Docs and Spreadsheets is a great way for students to collaborate on projects. For example, a student could gather information on an art movement in a spread sheet, store it to Google Docs and Spreadsheets, then other students could add information they gathered about another artist so that they could compare the details of the different movements. Other resources like Blogger will help students keep reflective journals, share their work with and receive feedback from the community, and even serve as a form of assessment.
Third, and finally, I explored Microsoft Solutions for Educators (http://www.microsoft.com/education/solutions.mspx). I found this site a little difficult to navigate, but it does offer Lesson Plans, Product Tutorials, and information on the Anywhere, Anytime Learning Program (AAL). The AAL gives works to give each student a computer. When each student has a laptop, it levels the playing field; they all have access to the same programs and information. Collaboration is much easier when all students have access to the same data at all times. Along with facilitating collaboration, this program is designed to make grading and studying more efficient, and allow students access to more information (like RSS feeds, online databases and textbooks). As an art teacher I could use this program to help absent students catch up on work they missed by sending the information to their laptop. Students could work collaboratively on art history projects, publish photos of their work online, or create digital art and websites.
Keeping up with changing technology, as a teacher will be a challenge, but a challenge well worth the benefits for my classroom.
First I explored video streaming for education, I read about it on the Apple Education website( http://www.apple.com/education/ ). Apple has an entire page, called "Videography for Educators" that provides tips and uses for teachers interested in using video streaming in their classroom. I found that videos can be made the same way as the DIV Project videos we made in class, or you can use live video streams of experts speaking about their field. Live videos would enable the class to ask questions if the experts and see the subject they are studying in a real life setting. Any videos could be archived on a website for the community to interact with, or for students to look back at. Webcasts can also be made interactive by incorporating slides, additional URL resources, discussion boards, or audio files along with the video streaming. At following URL there are instructions for every step of producing, and publishing a video: http://images.apple.com/education/streamingsolution/pdf/production_cookbookJune05.pdf
Second, I looked at the resources on Google for Educators (http://www.google.com/educators/index.html ). This site provides teachers and students with tips for researching on the web, using Google Earth, Google Docs and Spreadsheets, and other resources for learning. Google Earth can be used to bring the geography of any place on the planet to your classroom, study transportation, or recreate historical settings. Using the visuals that Google Earth provides will help engage students in history and geography lessons. Students will be able know a country by more then a color on a map. Google Docs and Spreadsheets is a great way for students to collaborate on projects. For example, a student could gather information on an art movement in a spread sheet, store it to Google Docs and Spreadsheets, then other students could add information they gathered about another artist so that they could compare the details of the different movements. Other resources like Blogger will help students keep reflective journals, share their work with and receive feedback from the community, and even serve as a form of assessment.
Third, and finally, I explored Microsoft Solutions for Educators (http://www.microsoft.com/education/solutions.mspx). I found this site a little difficult to navigate, but it does offer Lesson Plans, Product Tutorials, and information on the Anywhere, Anytime Learning Program (AAL). The AAL gives works to give each student a computer. When each student has a laptop, it levels the playing field; they all have access to the same programs and information. Collaboration is much easier when all students have access to the same data at all times. Along with facilitating collaboration, this program is designed to make grading and studying more efficient, and allow students access to more information (like RSS feeds, online databases and textbooks). As an art teacher I could use this program to help absent students catch up on work they missed by sending the information to their laptop. Students could work collaboratively on art history projects, publish photos of their work online, or create digital art and websites.
Keeping up with changing technology, as a teacher will be a challenge, but a challenge well worth the benefits for my classroom.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Concept Mapping Software
Concept mapping software allows students to organize their thoughts. The best characteristic of concept mapping software is the versatility it provides the user. In class, we explored Inspiration and Kidspiration.
Several key features of Inspiration lend the program to versatility. Both Kidspiration and Inspiration are a drawing program and word processing program combined; other features, like a library of images and map templates related to age appropriate classroom themes, and visual and written organization systems, give the program many applications for teachers and students. For example, students can use the graphics to represent things they are learning about and then organize them according to what they have learned. Then when they have connected all the themes in their diagram they can check their work in the outline mode. Inspiration will have organized their diagram labels into an outline that corresponds to how the student arranged their drawing. These options are a great way for teachers to assess their students' learning, and to differentiate instruction for different learning styles. In addition, for younger children, Kidspiration has a listening mode. Children who are learning to read can use the listening feature to pronounce difficult words for them. Furthermore, Inspiration is a great tool in the art classroom. Much like a written composition, making art requires students to brainstorm ideas, organize those ideas, and then produce a polished finished product. Inspiration could be used to help guide students through the creative process, or to compare and contrast different artworks in order to determine the characteristics of a style of art. I have also used Inspiration as a motivational tool in the art room. The class compared three different artworks in order to create the rubric for their final art product; they documented their ideas in a diagram in Inspiration. Many students have troubles executing their ideas in an efficient manner. Concept mapping software provides students with graphic organizers that help focus their thoughts so they can produce a better end product. The map can also be an end product in itself allowing students to present what they know to the community and teachers to evaluate their students' understanding of a concept.
Several key features of Inspiration lend the program to versatility. Both Kidspiration and Inspiration are a drawing program and word processing program combined; other features, like a library of images and map templates related to age appropriate classroom themes, and visual and written organization systems, give the program many applications for teachers and students. For example, students can use the graphics to represent things they are learning about and then organize them according to what they have learned. Then when they have connected all the themes in their diagram they can check their work in the outline mode. Inspiration will have organized their diagram labels into an outline that corresponds to how the student arranged their drawing. These options are a great way for teachers to assess their students' learning, and to differentiate instruction for different learning styles. In addition, for younger children, Kidspiration has a listening mode. Children who are learning to read can use the listening feature to pronounce difficult words for them. Furthermore, Inspiration is a great tool in the art classroom. Much like a written composition, making art requires students to brainstorm ideas, organize those ideas, and then produce a polished finished product. Inspiration could be used to help guide students through the creative process, or to compare and contrast different artworks in order to determine the characteristics of a style of art. I have also used Inspiration as a motivational tool in the art room. The class compared three different artworks in order to create the rubric for their final art product; they documented their ideas in a diagram in Inspiration. Many students have troubles executing their ideas in an efficient manner. Concept mapping software provides students with graphic organizers that help focus their thoughts so they can produce a better end product. The map can also be an end product in itself allowing students to present what they know to the community and teachers to evaluate their students' understanding of a concept.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Blogs in Education
Weblogs (or blogs) are easy to update online journals. To see how blogs have been used in education, I entered "education blogs" in several search engines. I found that educators have been using blogs in many different ways. These creative classroom uses have taken blogging beyond use as a personal journal; blogs are being used as tools for communication, instruction, and assessment.
No two classrooms are the same, but neither are any two blogs; blogs can be used in whatever way best suits the teacher’s needs. For example, blogs can be used to communicate with parents about what is happening in the classroom. Updating a blog is much simpler then creating and updating an entire website. Teachers can easily add postings without any knowledge of html, or expensive web publishing software; this makes the blog a powerful communication tool. Blogs also allow students to communicate with people that are not directly in their community. Students could even blog with experts that are on the other side of the world. The global nature of blogs makes them a great way for groups to work together at a distance. I think it would be really fun to share a blog with a classroom in another country; it could be the fast version of "pen pals". In addition to using blogs for communication, blogs can be used to engage students in instruction. Students can read about content information from the blogs of individuals in the field they are studying, which is much more authentic and timely then most textbooks. Also, students can post their work online and members of the online community can comment on their work. The idea that someone other then the teacher is reading their work can be a powerful motivator for students. Furthermore, students and teachers can use blogs as assessment tools, especially self-assessment. In fact, this blog is being used for assessment right now. Students can investigate a topic (like blogs in education) and then reflect on their learning in a blog (just like I am doing now!). Blogs also lend themselves to assessment through portfolios. Students can make postings throughout the term to demonstrate their ongoing learning. The best part of e-portfolios is that they will not get lost, or ruined. So, when a student wants to demonstrate the quality of their work, or a teacher wants to assess the learning of her/his students, they will have it all in one place. The versatility and simplicity of using a blog make it a great tool for any classroom.
No two classrooms are the same, but neither are any two blogs; blogs can be used in whatever way best suits the teacher’s needs. For example, blogs can be used to communicate with parents about what is happening in the classroom. Updating a blog is much simpler then creating and updating an entire website. Teachers can easily add postings without any knowledge of html, or expensive web publishing software; this makes the blog a powerful communication tool. Blogs also allow students to communicate with people that are not directly in their community. Students could even blog with experts that are on the other side of the world. The global nature of blogs makes them a great way for groups to work together at a distance. I think it would be really fun to share a blog with a classroom in another country; it could be the fast version of "pen pals". In addition to using blogs for communication, blogs can be used to engage students in instruction. Students can read about content information from the blogs of individuals in the field they are studying, which is much more authentic and timely then most textbooks. Also, students can post their work online and members of the online community can comment on their work. The idea that someone other then the teacher is reading their work can be a powerful motivator for students. Furthermore, students and teachers can use blogs as assessment tools, especially self-assessment. In fact, this blog is being used for assessment right now. Students can investigate a topic (like blogs in education) and then reflect on their learning in a blog (just like I am doing now!). Blogs also lend themselves to assessment through portfolios. Students can make postings throughout the term to demonstrate their ongoing learning. The best part of e-portfolios is that they will not get lost, or ruined. So, when a student wants to demonstrate the quality of their work, or a teacher wants to assess the learning of her/his students, they will have it all in one place. The versatility and simplicity of using a blog make it a great tool for any classroom.
Monday, November 13, 2006
DIV Project
I love to make movies. I started seriously learning about video editing as a freshman in high school. In my high school we had a program called Visual Communications, when I started in this program I learned to edit linear analog video, as digital video editing was very expensive and rare. By the time I was a senior, we had all the equipment necessary to edit digital video. Three of my best friends and I took on the responsibility of creating the senior video for our class. This was a 60min long movie that we created using Final Cut Pro, it took us all year long. Creating the movie for the DIV project was not, therefore, new for me. However, using Movie Maker was, it was good to work through the differences between creating a movie on a PC as opposed to a Mac. Also, I was very excited about the chance to spend time making videos for my classroom. Unfortunately, this did not exactly work out, but I am still very happy with my movie and plan to incorporate my instructional movie into my student selected project.
There are many ways I could use video making both to aid instruction and as part of the learning process. For example, I have already decided it would help my students if I had a video library of demonstrations. This library would allow students who missed the demonstration to easily catch up on what they had missed. Students who were at the demonstration would also be able to refer back to the video if their notes were not complete enough. Video making could also be used for assessment. Students could demonstrate their knowledge of art history, and art production skills by creating instructional videos on a subject (which I could then add to my video library so that other students could learn from them!). Finally, if I teach a class like the Visual Communications course I took in high school, I might be teaching filmmaking as a skill all in itself.
There are many ways I could use video making both to aid instruction and as part of the learning process. For example, I have already decided it would help my students if I had a video library of demonstrations. This library would allow students who missed the demonstration to easily catch up on what they had missed. Students who were at the demonstration would also be able to refer back to the video if their notes were not complete enough. Video making could also be used for assessment. Students could demonstrate their knowledge of art history, and art production skills by creating instructional videos on a subject (which I could then add to my video library so that other students could learn from them!). Finally, if I teach a class like the Visual Communications course I took in high school, I might be teaching filmmaking as a skill all in itself.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Learning Styles Project
After exploring several different types of learning style inventories, I was most interested in the results from the Myers-Briggs Typology (MBTI) test. I knew that I am a right-brained, audio-visual learner, and that I would hopelessly fail the music section of Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences, but I had not considered several of the aspects of my personality that the MTBI test pointed out.
The MBTI inventory I took was sixty-some questions and, based on my answers, placed me as an INTJ personality type. I knew the survey had placed me in the correct type when I saw the title of my personality type description. The title was “The Mastermind”, which is exactly what I am. I am always thinking out new ways for things to be done, and planning for the future. I especially love to plan my friends’ futures in a way that benefits me. I will make a plan for a friend, then I will not only convince them that it is the best choice for them, but I will also make my plan the easiest choice for them to make (I promise, my plans are always well intentioned, even though they are also occasionally self-serving). Additionally, I am typical of an INTJ in that I am relentlessly working towards perfection, I often happily re-do things because of a small mistake. The test also hit on one of my weaknesses, being emotionally available in relationships. I struggle with trusting other people with my feelings. However, I have been working hard to be more open with my friends and family, and think that I have improved in this area. Overall, the results of the MBTI test were indicative of my personality.
MBTI evaluations could be somewhat useful for altering my instruction to meet my students’ needs. For example, I could use the MBTI types of my students to diversely group them. Understanding personality nuances about students will help me to better connect with and engage them; however, I think that information about my students’ learning modalities would be better for informing instruction then their MBTI types. The most important thing that learning styles inventories teach me is that my students need to be taught in a variety of different ways. If I vary my instruction, students of all learning styles will be able to make meaningful connections with the information. The more different connections to a concept an individual has, the more likely they will be to retain and use the information.
The MBTI inventory I took was sixty-some questions and, based on my answers, placed me as an INTJ personality type. I knew the survey had placed me in the correct type when I saw the title of my personality type description. The title was “The Mastermind”, which is exactly what I am. I am always thinking out new ways for things to be done, and planning for the future. I especially love to plan my friends’ futures in a way that benefits me. I will make a plan for a friend, then I will not only convince them that it is the best choice for them, but I will also make my plan the easiest choice for them to make (I promise, my plans are always well intentioned, even though they are also occasionally self-serving). Additionally, I am typical of an INTJ in that I am relentlessly working towards perfection, I often happily re-do things because of a small mistake. The test also hit on one of my weaknesses, being emotionally available in relationships. I struggle with trusting other people with my feelings. However, I have been working hard to be more open with my friends and family, and think that I have improved in this area. Overall, the results of the MBTI test were indicative of my personality.
MBTI evaluations could be somewhat useful for altering my instruction to meet my students’ needs. For example, I could use the MBTI types of my students to diversely group them. Understanding personality nuances about students will help me to better connect with and engage them; however, I think that information about my students’ learning modalities would be better for informing instruction then their MBTI types. The most important thing that learning styles inventories teach me is that my students need to be taught in a variety of different ways. If I vary my instruction, students of all learning styles will be able to make meaningful connections with the information. The more different connections to a concept an individual has, the more likely they will be to retain and use the information.
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