My Classroom in the Year 2011

It is probably the expectation of any casual observer walking into a school in 2011 to see computers in every classroom. This does not ensure the changes necessary for a progressive and effective 21^st century learning experience, but it would be a definite start. Tools are available to enrich instruction if the commitment to support teachers effectively and continuously.

My 21^st century classroom must have the digital tools that I need to enhance my teaching; nothing should be there that would not be used with specific intent and purpose.

1. The classroom would have two distinct sides; one with tables and chairs instead of traditional desks in order to facilitate collaboration and group function; the other side of the room would consist of computers in groups of 4. Ideally there would be enough units for each student to use.

2. There wouldn’t be a clearly identified front of the room, but there would be a ceiling mounted LCD projector with a clear projection field for film.

3. There would be one or two computers dedicated to film editing and production along with recording software for podcasting purposes. Ideally, the class would use Apple computers, which has very easy to use proprietary software to meet these needs.

4. A quality video camera would be mounted in one of the corners of the room for film production needs.

5. In one of the other corners of the room would be a reading center with 6 Nook electronic tablets. This would be an additional resource to help promote and build literacy while being mindful of the space issues with a book library.

Teaching with the Internet

It is critical that learning occur in a manner that transfers information and skill in a mode that is easily absorbed by the target audience. The nature of interaction in the digital world we live is instantaneous and appeals to all available senses. Audio and visual elements work together to engage the user quickly and completely.

Since students today are engulfed in all forms of digital entertainment from digital publishing to music production to gaming, it would only be natural to use the Internet and visual support to enhance education. The end product of learning is for the student to demonstrate understanding and the application of new skills and knowledge in another context. Teachers should be assisted in adapting their curriculum to reflect digital tools and 21^st century skills. Doing this is essential in order to relate to students AND to prepare them for the professional field.

In the English classroom, writing is a principle focus of study. The organization of one’s ideas is a necessary step on the writing process. One very helpful visual tool to help with this is the use of graphic organizing applications such as Inspiration. This software application provides an opportunity for students to order thinking and the order of ideas, points, and details. Additionally, it would allow the user to adjust the logical flow of concept such as character development or plot. http://www.inspiration.com/Educators

The Internet is a valuable to engage and support the learning process. One of the primary ways to use the Internet is to conduct research. Teachers often chagrin about this due to a common misconception that internet research will amount to nothing more than an exercise in plagiarism. The teacher must model proper research and the process of the gather information. Technology does not replace good teaching; it should help it.

One of the transitions that is continual is the shift of the learning process to be more student-centered than teacher-centered. The use of a class website would be ideal for most teachers to have additional management and to give students as well as parents complete access to course information. A website would make all assignments, resources, administrative information, and grades available online. Communication is key to the parent-student-teacher relationship and this helps significantly. A link on the class website should also provide for a class blog. Students would be able to engage in discussion about the related subject matter without the inhibiting dynamics of a class discussion.

Fusing Teaching with Technology

It has been often thought that out of man’s mind the tools needed to survive and change the world emerge. In the case of the formidable minds of today’s youth, the digital tools have impacted their minds. The 21^st century student is one that is in touch with the various tools of the digital world and values these tools as meaningful ways of interaction. The modern teacher must incorporate these devices in relevant and functional way, as well as honoring the multiple intelligences and learning styles found in any classroom today.

As there are 8 identified intelligences according to Howard Gardner, the traditional industrial model of learning is not effective, nor is it relevant to how the world engages socially. Technology can be used to promote a depth of understanding with all types of learning styles. Musical, interpersonal, mathematical, et cetera, can be enhanced with careful and thoughtful planning. Even the kinesthetic learners can engage and produce evidences of learning digitally. Contrary to popular belief, technology will not replace an effectively planned lesson with clear objectives and measurable learning outcomes. Good teaching must be the foundation of effective education. Currently, the integration between technology and curricular planning is not ubiquitously effectual. There is a need to allow the standardized testing culture to become secondary to having a contemporary and meaningful educational outcome.

Our world is digitally active in all possible means of function. Professional success is now partially connected to one’s ability to interface efficiently and increase productivity through computers and related tools. I can recall many instances when students would ask me the real-world relevance and application of what they were learning in school. Granted, the educators must seek more professional interaction with professionals in fields related to subject matter, but technological skills are transferrable to many different contexts. It is a major hurdle for teachers to learn and use digital creativity to strengthen pedagogy.

Educational Uses for Second Life

 

 Educational Uses for Second Life

https://lists.secondlife.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/educators

The index provides several different sources to connect and collaborate about SL.

http://www.simteach.com/wiki/index.php?title=Second_Life_Education_Wiki

Teen Second Life is managed separately as a domain thus safeguarding against the access to inappropriate content for students.  As clearly indicated by George Linden, both worlds are distinct and non-transferable in terms of membership and interaction.  One drawback is that if a teacher wanted to join Teen Second Life, they would only be allowed to do so if they purchased a private island with requires purchase using a virtual currency called Linden dollars.   A link was provided to further investigate the opportunity to work with teens in SL. 

 

 

http://www.simteach.com/wiki/index.php?title=Second_Life:_Educators_Working_with_Teens

Connecting to this link is quite applicable for teachers.  It speaks specifically to the needs and issues with teachers accessing SL.   One very functional means of establishing access and maintaining security is the formation of closed estates.  This restricts access to only members who aren’t allowed to leave, but no interlopers would trespass either.  Those participating in this format can IM, form groups and exchange ideas. The open estate model can be more accessible, but adults must follow procedures and work closely with Linden staff to make this change.  Also, teachers may access mailing lists: for both educators and specifically for educators working with teens.   “In-World Groups” are the best means for collaboration in regard to training and resources with using SL for educational purposes.   

 

http://www.ibritt.com/resources/dc_secondlife.htm

This resource offers insightful articles, blog sites, and discussion boards among other resources that connect educators and curriculum writers into the throes of Second Life as a teaching.  It gives both supportive and critical reflections on SL in the educational context.  It is valuable to have both.

 

http://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/2007/08/teaching-english-in-second-life.html

A researcher, teacher trainer, and technology consultant. Nik Peachey provides the contemporary teacher with insights into the frailty of the digital immigrant with using Second Life in a meaningful way.   Most importantly, he gives a plethora of tutorial video links that give teachers tools to be used with students.  These training videos are quite helpful in the English classroom.  One problem that Peachey encounters is the use of voice and tries to troubleshoot a way to rectify that situation.  He gives the link with a tutorial video about how to do this.  Other useful links and videos demonstrate how to take snapshots, how to take notes, how to exchange notes, etc.

 

 http://deoracle.org/online-pedagogy/emerging-technologies/second-life.html 

Higher education seems to have more flexibility for innovation and rightly should be at the cusp of technological integration.  This article that reads as scholarly work provides examples of how colleges and university use Second Life to embellish the concept on distanced learning.  Harvard has validated this medium by using it for the execution of actual classes.  The article discusses ways in which Harvard and other institutions use this platform to integrate with wiki-pages, online documents, blogs and other Web 2.0 tools.  The novelty of creation fuels many courses that access Second Life as a professor uses the platform for students to create object using programming and share the results.  Another college instructor has used SL as the focus of psychological and sociological study.  Other institutions have activated SL due to it appealing asynchronous format and because of the opportunity to build virtual communities. Although the learning curve maybe challenging for adult unfamiliar with gaming and optimized hardware is a factor, the author concludes that the social networking potential and the opportunity to create is a worthwhile venture.

 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=AU&hl=en-GB&v=qOFU9oUF2HA

With the startling statistic about the billions spend on education, this Youtube.com video prefaces the ineffective nature of traditional methods to convey content to the digital generation.   The video then becomes tutorial as the screen from Second Life provides viewers with an actual progressive tour of the worlds relative to an enriched educational experience.   There are virtual representations of different periods.  Teachers are encouraged to take students on tours to various locations: some real, like the Sistine Chapel, or enhanced, like the inside of a computer.   Very intriguing is the various uses that institutions have created to recreate experiences otherwise unreachable like the virtual schitzophrenia model.  

 

Educational Uses for Podcasting

Educational Uses for Podcasting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDQD1zlg1eo

“Podcasting in Education” contrasts podcasting from other forms of downloading information on the Web as narrated by David Baugh.  The value is that an individual can subscribe to a podcast from a source and will then receive all of the following podcasts from that source.  The data can be transferred to a portable device as an mp3 file and managed appropriately from there.  Podcast feeds via RSS can be subscribed to and organized through a host site such as cre8orcast.com.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExkMeQfuLGc&NR=1

Another insightful source on video via Youtube.com enters the issues constructing the understanding of contemporary students as “digital natives” as Marc Prensky has coined the term.   Colette Cassinelli, a self-proclaimed Technology Evangelist, has attempted to proselytize traditionally trained teachers of the merits of technology using podcasting.    The simplicity of the podcast is emphasized beginning with a functional understand of the term.   Podcatcher software is needed and the episodic nature of the broadcasts are soon to be accessed.  Students will then be able to use the podcast as a means to demonstrate understanding through the creative means of expression offered here.   Cassinelli provides some examples for the modern teacher to begin using this as well as the products of actual teachers and students.   Equipment needed is a microphone and recording software with editing capacity.  There are other sites provides that allow for podcast creation.

 

 

http://currents.cwrl.utexas.edu/spring07/tremel_and_jesson

In true academic form, this article enters the discussion of the technology with a clarifying discussion of the term’s semantics.  The bottom line is that the podcast is a way of making a digital recording available online.  The authors then reflect on how  they used podcasts to maximize effective instruction.  As a means efficiency, podcasts helped save class time as resources for evaluation were disseminated by podcast to make class time focused on the analysis of the subject matter.   An enlightening fact is the laws of radio play also apply to podcasting so there are no infringement issues.   The teacher, a college professor, created his podcast but did not use RSS feed for distribution which could have helped him greatly.  Another example shared was the student’s creation of the podcast.  Requiring the students to acquire skills in recording, musical citations, and the editing process, the process of the product had embedded skills that made this more beneficial.  As the projects continued, the instructor was gaining perspective on how to redirect students for the following semesters.

 

http://poducateme.com/

The name alone evokes the certainty of using the technology for gainful ends.  Based on research compiled at Duke and the University of Washington, the podcast is a must for classroom use as is creates interest and engagement in students.  This site give its readers the “PoducateMe Podcasting Guide and is completely free to access.  The guide is easily the most thorough resources available on the internet.  Typical as well as unique insights are provided other areas of concern to the modern educator: the effect on absenteeism, efficiency,  scheduled content updates, format adjustments, and making links.  The authors have also shown ways in which to integrate podcasts with blog sites such as wordpress.com.  The site also gives very helpful production information as far as recording software, iTunes, self-hosting, bitrate, file and sound compression, recording preferences, etc.

 

http://www.stager.org/podcasting.html

This is a functional index to many resources that will assist in podcast production and broadcast.  It has sites, videos, tutorials, and articles that will enhance understanding and use of this technology.  Indispensible to the progressive teacher, this list is a necessary connection to issues that are specific in nature.  Subjects range from Videocasting with Quicktime for both the Mac and PC users to RSS/XML feeds; all of this is essential in order for teachers to gain proficiency.

 

 

Educational Uses for RSS

Educational Uses for RSS

http://technologysource.org/article/rss/

Prognoses are hardly ever accurate, yet that is the attraction to this resource.  It gives the 2003 perspective of why this tool would be of value in the future contexts.  It also provides a definition of RSS-rich site summary.   With the educator in mind, this author contextualizes the use of RSS as another tool to network among teachers.  Data sharing is possible between many.  The examples provided help demonstrate the relativity of ease and efficiency that RSS is for teachers.  This site also offers may links so that the information provided in each example is authenticated by real access in an effort to get the reader active with the tools.  The article does reveal its dated feel though it is interesting to see how the forecast was true; this is a pervasive tool.

http://web2practice.jiscinvolve.org/rss-2/

 The United Kingdom continues to provide gainful insight as the Joint Information Systems committee (JISC) offers value to RSS in the realm of college academics.  RSS is defined as ‘really simple syndication’ and offers balanced benefit for both the reader and the source’s host or manager.  RSS as a media asset is itemized for a variety of interested parties.  In an educational context, RSS can be used by researchers for organizing journal entries, blogs, and funding sources; by administrators to be informed about various institutional information, school news, and other notifications; and by teachers for a host of items including monitoring student work, managing wikis, and blogging.   As an academic journal,  (JISC) the perspective given also offered an enriching glimpse into how the Table of Contents of academic publications can be catalogued through a service called ticTOCs (www.tictocs.ac.uk/)  The authors have also provided the reader with ten steps that should be attempted with regard to this tool.  Wisely, readers are encouraged to integrate RSS with wikipages and other sites, as well as accessing RSS through other mobile devices.

http://www.techteachers.com/rss.htm

As a tutorial, this site makes familiarity of use a reality.  As RSS continues to personalize the access to information, this site provides a cache of resources that allow for the user to find the news aggregator of choice and begin to access relevant  sites of interest.   The metaphor of the aggregator as the TV and the RSS being the channels is quite helpful for those who need clarity with the concept of RSS feeds.  The benefits of customization are emphasized and links are provided to help the novice enter access.  Screen shots make the visual connection supportive for teachers who are unsure of their progress.   Practical steps are given for users to subscribe and search for useful sources of news and information.

 

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6632973.html?q=rss+feeds

Screencasting is a digital tool that all progressive teachers should utilize in the digital age.  As a means of independent practice, teachers can support yet provide the opportunity for autonomous self-instruction.   Tutorials are valuable resources that will often support the efforts of the instructor providing technical skills for the varying abilities students have.  RSS feeds are a way to ensure that all relevant resources are available and that students can have immediate access to them.

http://www.socialmedia.biz/2009/07/24/survival-guide-chapter-3-rss-feeds-blogs/

As a compilation of excerpts from her book A Survival Guide to Social Media and Web 2.0 Optimization, author Deltina Hay delivers concise and informative steps for making all Web-based business and interaction more efficient, thus the title.   From a marketing perspective, Chapter 3 of her text engages the issue of using RSS to increase traffic for bloggers and using RSS as the major source to do this.   A major emphasis of this chapter focused on the need to optimize sites to be effective for ease of use and to maximize traffic flow.  Recommendations included editing content for brevity, using appropriate tags and categories, providing accurate links, and adding a signature.  The ultimate goal is to get the site, or more specifically, the blog site more traffic.  One very helpful suggestion was in regard to Wordpress.com and the need to use a separate plug-in that would allow search engines to recognize the PHP code that is use on that site.

 

Educational Uses for Social Bookmarking

Social bookmarking is a necessary organizational tool for anyone who is interactive on the Web.  As one expands and extents his or her knowledge base and resources, information such as articles, sites, blogs, etc. must be catalogued in an efficient manner.  Tagging allows the data to be stored in the proper categories for further reference.  The “social” component to the bookmarking function is the ability to share data with others who may have that interest.  

After minimal exposure to the various sites, it is evident that trade professionals, educators, researchers, businesses, and merchants were all seeking efficiency and effectiveness in terms of reaching their target market or audience.  Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a vital part of online marketing and the above mentioned have vested in performance as evidenced by traffic indicators such as Alexa and Feedjah.

 

http://www.ehow.com/how_5191086_effectively-use-social-bookmarking.html

Seemingly generic, this site gave perspective on the widespread accessibility of social bookmarking.  I would often see articles with those Digg or Reddit or Stumbleupon but had neither time nor energy for a leisurely investigation.   One essential connector is to link the social bookmarking site with Twitter for easy access to information and organization.

 

 

http://www.deondesigns.ca/blog/130-social-bookmarkingnews-sites-you-could-submit-your-website-to-get-free-backlink/

This rather extensive collection of social bookmarking sites is an invaluable resource.  The page list the site, tells the benefits of that site’s functions, and who their audience is by participation.  The top ten list social bookmarking sites are listed and then other prominent ones appear in alphabetical order.  As a virtual novice in familiarity with social bookmarking, the expansive field on the home page showed the vast potential and attraction this tool has to merchants and entrepreneurs on the internet.

 

http://wiki.scholar.com/display/SCLR/Social+Bookmarking+Strategies+for+Interactive+Learning

A purely educational site, the chart is quite useful to teachers who are seeking means by which they may use social bookmarking not only as a skill for research and technological function, but for actual pedagogical ends.  Teachers can organize their online resources in several ways that will reflect the course in higher order thinking but also in meaningful and challenging.  The class network will take on whatever dimension the instructor wishes as the framework forces a change in though about material in other ways that are not linear.  The interaction will generate much deeper connections to the text (with regard to literature) and with peers.  The teacher will have a much stronger impact over the course of the study and the students will gain developed understanding via peer to peer and peer to teacher engagement.

 

http://www.wahguide.com/2009/07/social-networking/what-in-the-world-is-social-bookmarking-and-why-should-you-be-doing-it/

The sugary lead-in accompanied by the astronomical value put on social networks such as Myspace and Youtube creates immediate interest in the business aspect to the advent of social bookmarking.   This author discusses the approach all online merchants seem to share: lowering the cost of direct marketing and reaching more potential buyers.  What businesses attempt to do is to use certain search engines by tagging key terms relevant to goods and services offered.   These tags then redirect the flow of “traffic” to online sites at no cost to the vendor.   The article clarifies the need for the interconnectedness needed on the Internet.   The blog an individual has can be tagged if the discussion mentions a certain product, thus the relevant traffic will be redirected toward the blog site getting the online searcher what they want and the blog master what they desire. 

 

http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=42069

As a teacher-friendly site, eschoolnews.com offers the educator’s perspective on the whole social bookmarking development.  The “tagging” concept is explained in a practical way so that its value to class endeavors can emerge.  A most valuable asset is the networking feature of sharing as well as the efficiency of only collecting what is needed.   Also provided are some specialty sites that would appeal to the progressive teacher in pursuit of specific information.