So I have finally nailed down my Pecha Kucha idea. Now it is time to start on the story board. It should not be to hard, it is just figuring out the order and then putting down what words go with it. After meeting with my group we discovered that it takes, with a normal talking speed 50-60 words to fill the 20 second time limit. Very do-able. If need be 40 words a bit slower!!!
Meeting on Face Flow was, to me, basically meeting on Skype. The only real difference was that we were able to meet in more of a group setting. It was fun to see a face with the name I see every week!
The concepts that make a good picture was pretty well known to me. I have seen the article before and actually used it in a digital photography class I taught over the summer. We did a similar project, but there were assigned topics for the photos as well. I enjoyed going back over my photos. I do realize that they are only from my Iphone and not the best ones I have ever taken, but it has been hard for me to keep up with daily pictures and post when there is really just so much going on right now. At least when outdoors I normally take a photo and that really helps!
Finally the readings this week were great. I love the analogy of presenting and Judo. Each takes practice and with that practice comes the ability to make a move without thought. It just happens. One does not and SHOULD NOT think about how they are doing in the moment. When you do that, you start to fail. You can always look back and think about it later!!!!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Reading That Matters
So finally a chapter I have read that really means something to me and was useful! The concepts and principles that we learned about I have put to use. The assignments that are going along with the readings this week are ones that are also useful for my life and job as well. I actually went through and changed what my original presentation was from last week so I could modify a lesson/presentation that I will be using in the up coming month as my 2nd grade class begins a new unit. I found that I really need to simplify my presentations and create a handout. That is exactly what I did. I also found some cool animated clipart. It is not able to play in the Voice Thread due to the Activinspire upload issue. I have to upload the presentation in a PDF format and therefore it is a "still."
The videos in the Animoto education videos were pretty fun as well this week. I like the videos that say "So much depends on...." They were pretty clever with the various items. I.E. the big mustache, the head band, ect.
I have also been thinking about what to make my Pecha Kucha about. I have two ideas that I am excited about and they are actually for somethings outside of my school life. I plan on either doing a show on Adaptive Sportsmen. This is a group of outdoors people who are handicapped in some way. I work very close with this group and we need a presentation for the webpage/sports shows we attend. OR... I will make the presentation on Marfan's Syndrome. A genetic cardiac condition that lead to myself and many family members having open heart surgery. I am a mentor for families/people going through much the same I did. The presentation may help and could easily be passed along to them.
Overall a good week of work. --Time to post some pictures!!!!
The videos in the Animoto education videos were pretty fun as well this week. I like the videos that say "So much depends on...." They were pretty clever with the various items. I.E. the big mustache, the head band, ect.
I have also been thinking about what to make my Pecha Kucha about. I have two ideas that I am excited about and they are actually for somethings outside of my school life. I plan on either doing a show on Adaptive Sportsmen. This is a group of outdoors people who are handicapped in some way. I work very close with this group and we need a presentation for the webpage/sports shows we attend. OR... I will make the presentation on Marfan's Syndrome. A genetic cardiac condition that lead to myself and many family members having open heart surgery. I am a mentor for families/people going through much the same I did. The presentation may help and could easily be passed along to them.
Overall a good week of work. --Time to post some pictures!!!!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Digital Story Telling--Though a Digital Lesson
No class Thursday which I thought would make this weeks work tough. But, basically Louis did a digital story that was able to give a sum up of what our lesson would have been for the week. The project directions were very clear and easy to follow. It is also great that we are able to so easily get in contact with him.
THe projects this week seem a bit overwhelming as there seem to be so many. I am starting to confuse some of our work and what site goes with what. I try to multitask, but I seem to be failing at that at some times! I love the idea of looking over various Digital stories that have already been created, but for some reason a great number of them are sad. I don't get it. The stories have a happy ending, sometimes, but they can be depressing. I guess I am going to spin on that and try and make a few fun and happy ones. I did find one I liked on the Voice web page--5 favorite cartoon theme songs. Awesome Idea!
Digital stories have their places in school and I can totally see using them in my class. They can help by being modifications in my teaching techniques, or modifications for students to create them for a presentation-rather than a report written. There is a great use for this technology in schools and with the ease of use with internet tools and computer tools--it will be an easy transition--for some!
Overall I think that with this work coming a week does not seem like enough time. But I really need to just sit down an do it! I also NEED TO REMEMBER TO POST MY PICS EACH DAY!!!! I have them all on my phone, I am just not sending them right away......NEED TO DO THAT!!!!
THe projects this week seem a bit overwhelming as there seem to be so many. I am starting to confuse some of our work and what site goes with what. I try to multitask, but I seem to be failing at that at some times! I love the idea of looking over various Digital stories that have already been created, but for some reason a great number of them are sad. I don't get it. The stories have a happy ending, sometimes, but they can be depressing. I guess I am going to spin on that and try and make a few fun and happy ones. I did find one I liked on the Voice web page--5 favorite cartoon theme songs. Awesome Idea!
Digital stories have their places in school and I can totally see using them in my class. They can help by being modifications in my teaching techniques, or modifications for students to create them for a presentation-rather than a report written. There is a great use for this technology in schools and with the ease of use with internet tools and computer tools--it will be an easy transition--for some!
Overall I think that with this work coming a week does not seem like enough time. But I really need to just sit down an do it! I also NEED TO REMEMBER TO POST MY PICS EACH DAY!!!! I have them all on my phone, I am just not sending them right away......NEED TO DO THAT!!!!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Digital Story Telling at The Start
After our first lesson of Digital Story Telling I am very excited about what this class may hold. It seems like this is really first class that I feel is one that I can immediately use. There is so much to be done with digital stories and it is a great way to differentiate for many of the SE kids and even the regular Ed kids.
I have run into one concern and that is with the Presentation Zen book. When I read the reviews when purchasing the book, I was amazed that people seemed to be dissatisfied with the book and what it had to offer. I am concerned as thus far I have done the readings and they have been a bit dry, sometimes helpful, but dry. We will see how this turns out. I also ordered the electronic version of the book, so we will see how that goes for me!
Overall I hold high hopes for this class. It is defiantly something that is interesting to me, but more importantly it is a new topic. I feel like this is one class that will not be a repeat of the others, or the information that we have already discussed. Hopefully we will find that to be true.
Also on a side note, I love the idea of the photos over time......I love photography and the meaning of pictures and how they are displayed!
I have run into one concern and that is with the Presentation Zen book. When I read the reviews when purchasing the book, I was amazed that people seemed to be dissatisfied with the book and what it had to offer. I am concerned as thus far I have done the readings and they have been a bit dry, sometimes helpful, but dry. We will see how this turns out. I also ordered the electronic version of the book, so we will see how that goes for me!
Overall I hold high hopes for this class. It is defiantly something that is interesting to me, but more importantly it is a new topic. I feel like this is one class that will not be a repeat of the others, or the information that we have already discussed. Hopefully we will find that to be true.
Also on a side note, I love the idea of the photos over time......I love photography and the meaning of pictures and how they are displayed!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
525 in Review
After the past 6 weeks of class I have found that there was great benefit in reviewing the various strategies for learning/teaching. It has been very important that not only did we discuss what these strategies were and how to use them, but that we examined tools and technologies to ensure that there is an easy of teaching these in the modern classroom. There was great benefit also in the modifying of the lesson. I am using these Masters Program as a majority of my PDP for my license renewal. Modifying lessons and units was one goal I have listed in my PDP, so not only did I learn from this but I was able to accomplish a task for my Masters and my PDP. It was rather refreshing to do a project that I felt had meaning and purpose behind it. It was also great to feel that this course could easily be applied to my classroom teaching. I look forward to my next course of digital story telling which again I feel can be applied in my classroom.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Identifying Similarities and Differences, Homework and Practice, and Generating and Testing Hypotheses
Identifying Similarities and Differences really is a great way to look at our work and world in general. To often we are caught looking at our work or issues in todays world from one point of view. By looking at things that are similar and different we must look from multiple views. To do this there are many different advanced organizers that can assist. The most classic is a Venn Diagram. From there there are endless ways to go. When it comes to Homework and Practice, there is a great debate happening in our schools. Do you grade homework, how much do you give, is it valid, and then the parents chime in on this one as well. This is so tough as one does not always know about what the family situation is. Often the parents tell the answers just to get it done with and keep the teachers happy. This does not really give the students any practice at home. Some do not even have a support system at home. And for some this actually works and the kids really gain from the practice. Personally I send it and in our district we send no more than 20 min for our 2nd graders. I do not grade it for the reasons above. Generating and Testing Hypotheses was our last approach this week and I feel one of the most fun and hands on way to learn. A student has to use their mind to guess what is going to happen. There could be tons of outcomes! Some are right and some are wrong, but no matter which, there is a lesson to be learned. Testing is the fun part of this one especially in science! When testing is done, don't forget the questions of Why were you right, or Why were you wrong.
Overall reviewing all of these tactics has been great and an in-depth look is always beneficial. But what really took the cake with these was finding the technology to accompany them. That is what I will take away most from this and our readings. Knowing how to support these learning techniques is HUGE!
Overall reviewing all of these tactics has been great and an in-depth look is always beneficial. But what really took the cake with these was finding the technology to accompany them. That is what I will take away most from this and our readings. Knowing how to support these learning techniques is HUGE!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Project based learning and More
The progression to teaching with a project based unit is very structured. In the end though it always comes back to success. To quickly run through it; access prior knowledge, investigate, expand knowledge, apply, contribute, and celebrate success. It seems so cut and dry when it is on paper, but this process really takes a lot of time. Each step must be successfully completed before we can move on to the next step. What I feel is great with project based learning is that no matter what the needs of your students they can be met at the various stages. If other students are able to move on early, that is ok. We just must all have the completed project by the time it is due. Some students can take longer on certain stages than others and that is ok. That is what is so great about this type of learning.
After watching the video on Institutions vs collaboration, I still have the question that opens the speech the best, How do groups get anything done? How do you put a group together so there is success instead of chaos? The idea that one must get resources together to have success is great and I am glad there was a touch on cost. In the real world this does cost, but in schools, we only have what is in our classroom. We must make do with what we have. I am also glad that the speaker talked to negative effects that institutionalizing these types of groups can be. There can be negative groups out there, groups that base groups based on other groups, groups who base their beliefs on the negative rather than positive. And with all of these people trying to create "support" style groups or protect the sources of their group or information, collaboration begins to take a negative turn. When we get very large groups together, we inevitably get a negative vibe. This goes for many and most things. There is always someone offended or opposing. No matter what we do with institutionalized collaboration--funded especially, we find that controversy. That in my thought, is really just to bad.
When looking back at cooperative learning and reinforcing efforts I love that we talk about is in such depth. I am tired of hearing teacher knock students down and wonder why they do not succeed. Many teachers think they can say what they want whether it be positive or negative and there be little effect on that student. That is just not the case. When we get back to a positive reinforcement it also helps portray respect. This will go both ways, depending on how well it is done. The cooperative learning aspect of it is great when it comes to students reinforcing students. When group work works, success is had and it takes a teacher to start it on the right foot. When done correctly both of these will prove to help success in any classroom.
After watching the video on Institutions vs collaboration, I still have the question that opens the speech the best, How do groups get anything done? How do you put a group together so there is success instead of chaos? The idea that one must get resources together to have success is great and I am glad there was a touch on cost. In the real world this does cost, but in schools, we only have what is in our classroom. We must make do with what we have. I am also glad that the speaker talked to negative effects that institutionalizing these types of groups can be. There can be negative groups out there, groups that base groups based on other groups, groups who base their beliefs on the negative rather than positive. And with all of these people trying to create "support" style groups or protect the sources of their group or information, collaboration begins to take a negative turn. When we get very large groups together, we inevitably get a negative vibe. This goes for many and most things. There is always someone offended or opposing. No matter what we do with institutionalized collaboration--funded especially, we find that controversy. That in my thought, is really just to bad.
When looking back at cooperative learning and reinforcing efforts I love that we talk about is in such depth. I am tired of hearing teacher knock students down and wonder why they do not succeed. Many teachers think they can say what they want whether it be positive or negative and there be little effect on that student. That is just not the case. When we get back to a positive reinforcement it also helps portray respect. This will go both ways, depending on how well it is done. The cooperative learning aspect of it is great when it comes to students reinforcing students. When group work works, success is had and it takes a teacher to start it on the right foot. When done correctly both of these will prove to help success in any classroom.
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