Post #1 RSS starting out!

I have to say that this is a totally new tool for me! I know that it provides you with new information from a site, but the rest is a mystery. It’s a good thing there is a book to go with this course!

Here are some things I learned from reading chapter 5 in Richardson’s book.

-RSS means really simply syndication…..what does syndication mean??

-content comes to you instead of you going to get it

-uses a software called aggregator or feed collector

-it checks the feeds you subscribe to frequently, collects the new content

-when you want to see the new feeds you go to your aggregator and read, share or delete

Richardson mentions some reasons why you should use RSS. The first is so that you can read more content from more sources in less time.  The other reason is that the aggregator will let you know when someone on the internet has published a key word that you are interested in. This would be useful if you were doing a project in school and wanted all the new info on that topic coming to you instead of doing a search yourself. With all this new information coming to you, RSS may be adding to your information overload …..not easing it!!

Signing up: I believe I signed up earlier in the term??? I’m not totally sure ??

I followed the steps on page 73. I went to Google Reader and logged in using my account that I have with Google. What a surprise!! Guess what? I do have an account!! There were 290 feeds there for me from CBC news! I had a feeling I signed up….but I had no idea how to get the feeds! Now, I know what is going on.  I went in and deleted most of the messages….or whatever they are called. Next Richardson said to add subscriptions! I did a search for the Weather Network and Environment Canada but nothing came up?? I did a search for some other topics, but I didn’t find anything I want to subscribe to. I think I will leave this for now, do some more readings, and play with this RSS!

#4 Post on Blogs-Final post on this subject!

Advice from Richardson on using classroom blogs:

-start small by posting homework and links

-do some professional development before with parents, students and teachers

-talk about safety with the students right from the beginning

-get permissions and a write letter to parents informing them of the project

-have students read blogs first to show what other students are doing

-next let them respond to your class blog

-post a question each day and they have to respond a certain number of responses with expectations modeled beforehand

-finally let students have their own blog

-try to respond to student whenever possible

-teacher’s role becomes a connector, not just evaluator

I found some more good  examples of educator’s blogs worth looking at:

Viki Davis’s Cool Cat teacher blog: http://www.coolcatteacher.com/

Shelly Blake-Plock’s blog on teaching paperless: http://teachpaperless.blogspot.com/

Nice simple example of teacher blog with comments entered: http://attheteachersdesk.blogspot.com/2009/04/why-i-stream-video.html

Blog using Ustream to introduce blogging in the classroom: http://attheteachersdesk.blogspot.com/2009/04/why-i-stream-video.html

Examples of blogs in the classroom:

Good example of Math blog with a class: http://apcalc07.blogspot.com/

Totally amazing classroom blog for elementary children: http://mrcsclassblog.blogspot.com/

Excellent classroom blog! You can even go to the students’ individual blogs and see what they have written: http://itc.blogs.com/thewriteweblog/

Post #3 Blogs- the possibilites are endless!

Here are some YouTube videos that promote blogging in schools:

     From New Zealand

Interviews with students

Blogs used as a collaborative tool:

http://web.me.com/tammy.w/TipOfWeek/TammyWTechTipOfWeek/Entries/2008/8/4_Tip_50_-_Blogger_as_Collaborative_Tool.html

Post #2 Blogs: the possibilities are endless!



After doing  more reading and viewing  of  educational blogs I think I am hooked! I do enjoy blogging for this course, but I am definitely using it with my students when I go back to school next year!

Here's some things I discovered:



According to Wikipedia:  This is how you should conduct yourself in the blogging world:

The Blogger's Code of Conduct is a proposal by Tim O'Reilly for bloggers to enforce civility on their blogs by being civil themselves and moderating comments on their blog.


1. Take responsibility not just for your own words, but for the comments you allow on your blog.
2. Label your tolerance level for abusive comments.
3. Consider eliminating anonymous comments.
4. Ignore the trolls.

5. Take the conversation offline, and talk directly, or find an intermediary who can do so.
6. If you know someone who is behaving badly, tell them so.
7. Don't say anything online that you wouldn't say in person.




troll

 

T    What's a troll?-someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community

#1 Post on Blogs

I am somewhat familiar with Blogs since I had to use a blog for a course last year and am obviously using one now for LIBE 477. I used Blogger.com for both these courses and found it quite easy to use. Last year I basically used it as a reflective assignment or journal entries. I only used it to add text then and had no need to try anything else. This year I learned how to add pictures, video, audio and anything else off the internet. I really had not background in blogs and I didn’t even know anyone who used it. After reading Richardson’s book I learned a lot. Richardson says weblogs or blogs

·         are easily created and easily updated

·         are comprised of reflections and conversations

·         engage readers with ideas and questions and links

·         ask readers to think and to respond

·         demand interaction

·         can include graphics, photos , video and audio files (p.18)

He says millions of young adults have created sites at weblog hosting services like Facebook, MySpace.com, and Beebo.com (which I never heard of).  These students are really journaling and are in danger of revealing too much information with potentially negative impacts. That could be true for everyone. This is something that needs to be addressed in school! However, the benefits outweigh the detriments. Here are some positive aspects of using blogs in school from page 20.

·         can promote critical and analytical thinking

·         can be a powerful promoter of creative, intuitive and associational thinking

·         can used  for increasing access and exposure to quality information

·         can be the best mix of solitary reflection and social interaction

Richardson suggests using blogs in classrooms as class portals, online filing cabinets, e-portfolios, collaborative space, knowledge management and even web sites. He says that students will be building relationships with peers, teachers, mentors and professionals in the blog environment. (p. 21)

I have not used blogs in my classrooms but I like Richardson’s idea of creating an online filing cabinet. Students would be given their own blogs where they can post their work online for peer and teacher response. The advantage of this is that students never misplace work, it is a good place for student reflection, and work can also be shared with parents. The only issue here I believe is with computer  and internet access from home. Not every family can afford this technology and parents are not always able to help their children. In those cases the teacher would need to provide internet access from school.

Another way I would like to use blogs is in a collaborative space for a project where other schools or professionals get on board with it. I’m not sure how I would find other groups to link up with??

I found some examples of edublogs that would give me some ideas: http://edublogs.org/blog-directory/directoryelementary/

This page is the curriculum corner where you can find helpful information about using blogs in the classroom: http://edublogs.org/curriculum-corner/

I love this blog: http://www.langwitches.org/blog/! But it almost seems like a website!

I don’t see why all teachers can’t use blogs in the classroom!

I think I could go on for hours talking about blogs!

I’ll blog you later!

#3 Twitter- final thoughts!

There is always more to learn! Well, I have to say that I am still learning new things from Twitter, collecting some cool technology tools,and finding useful website along the way. What I thought was a silly useless tool has turned into one of my favourite things to explore in the last week or so. It’s free! It’s fast! It doesn’t require downloads and anyone can use it. As it turns out…..you have to be 13 to get an account, so that limits my use in an elementary setting. However, I did watch a video today where the teacher put up her Twitter account on the Smart Board and she tweeted another teacher from a different country. The students watched and she let them add short comments and they shared ideas in Spanish. So, there is a way around the 13 rule.

Here is the link for that video about Online Communities in the classroom: http://www.teachers.tv/videos/online-communities-in-the-classroom

Richardson has some examples for the use of Twitter with high school students.(p.89) . http://twitter.com/teachpaperless

Here are also some ways to use Twitter with university students: http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/twitter-for-academia/

Here are some things I picked up from Twitter over the weekend that I thought they were worth sharing:

YouTube video about librarians and fashion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMYRRWT3JSU&feature=youtu.be

Let kids rule the school article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/15/opinion/15engel.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=let%20kids%20rule%20the%20school&st=cse

Why social media can and is changing education:

http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/1860

For now, I will be using Twitter for my own personal learning! We will have to wait and see what happens in the future!

Tweet, Tweet for now!!

#2 Twitter- I chickened out!

I have to admit that I haven’t tweeted anyone over the last couple of days. I think that I like being a bird watcher! I know it sounds creepy, but I like to follow people to see what they are saying and what they are doing! Since I don’t have any friends or relatives that use Twitter, I am simply watching strangers. I am going to keep looking at #tlchat and #edchat and maybe I will have something to share with them? For now, I will stay on the sidelines and collect some useful information from others.

I did find some interesting ways that Twitter can be used in the classroom!

• Historic tweets- students develop interface and messages as historic or fictional characters
• Adopt someone- use Twitter to keep grandparents or other community members in the loop
•  Summary- students summarize in 140 characters or less. Forces them to focus on the important stuff!
•  Book Lists- Create a classroom Twitter account and use it for book recommendations. Keep kids reading through the summer!
•  Bonus/Fun Homework- tweet a bonus or fun assignment at night, like "bring me a drawing of a snail" and give students a small prize or sticker.
•  School wide Puzzle- tweet a puzzle every week on Monday at 10:17 and give a prize to the first student who turns in the correct answer to the office. Well, this would just motivate students to use their cell phones in class, but it would be fun!
•  Tweet Pals- Have pen pals at another school over Twitter.
• Attendance Reminders- create a Twitter group of students who could benefit from on-time reminders. Send tweet to group in am before school, reminding students that you are looking forward to seeing them that day. (http://twitterforteachers.wetpaint.com/page/Elementary+School)

In a way, Twitter is like using text messaging or mini-blogs with your students! I can see this becoming very popular and motivating with children in school! There are of course issues with using this tool. You will be allowing cell phones in the classroom. Parents might not be on your side here and students might not just be texting you, but their friends instead. Also, students need to be taught that there are certain dangers with Twitter, Facebook or other social media! “You are what you Tweet!” Whatever you tweet can be viewed by anyone! This site gives short stories about the good and bad results of using Twitter http://twitterforteachers.wetpaint.com/page/Cautions+for+Educators

I found that this site had lots of tips for teachers about how to use Twitter in the classroom: http://twitterforteachers.wetpaint.com/

Also of use to teachers is the Twitter dictionary which shows you how to abbreviate words so you can say more: http://twitterforteachers.wetpaint.com/page/Twitter+Dictionary

Since most students have their own cell phone this is definitely an educational tool for the future. Getting everyone on board and doing some professional development with staff and parents is needed in order to get idea up and running.