so i was thinking about our need to participate in an online professional development and i thought this would be an excellent opportunity to reflect on an experience i had earlier this year. I had the opportunity to participate in a test run of an online professional development community at Tufts university, where we used second life, the online community, as a location for professional development seminars and such.
i am going to start with the simple reality that after participating in this course i find that route of online professional development to be a little to clunky to effectively use. there were many things about the location in second life that were fabulous, the reality of being somewhere else, the selection of material, even the interactive method of grabbing resources was fabulous. there was even an outdoor ampitheater for avatars to attend online PD lectures.
the weaknesses though outweighed the positives, the simple fact that you have to install in essence a computer game limits the usefulness, in addition it completely forgoes including students in any part of the process because of the free and adult nature of the second life program. there just seems to be a multitude of almost as effective ways to accomplish the overall goals of the program without the second life software.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
technology and life
so i just moved into a new apartment. Yay!
but the experience got me thinking about how much the internet is key to our lives, particularly when my internet wouldn't work after the cable guy had set up my modem. i called the company and had a conversation with two customer service reps, who were morons, and actually told me they couldn't fix my problems and i needed a technician to come fix my problem.
turns out i figured it out, i called them back and basically asked if my account still had my old modem registered, and wasn't allowing me access because the modem i was using wasn't registered with my account. sure enough that was the problem.
but the whole experience got me thinking. we have been discussing personal learning networks, the future of business and eomplyment, how the internet has tied the world together economically. but it also has drastically altered our lives on a personal level as well. so many thing, changing my address, banking, setting up my internet, purchasing things for my apartment, renting a truck, setting up the TV internet, cable etc... all involved the internet. so when we concern ourselves with preparing our students for the future, it isn't just about their careers and potential as a successful worker, but also having the knowledge to survive in this world in a practical way.
but the experience got me thinking about how much the internet is key to our lives, particularly when my internet wouldn't work after the cable guy had set up my modem. i called the company and had a conversation with two customer service reps, who were morons, and actually told me they couldn't fix my problems and i needed a technician to come fix my problem.
turns out i figured it out, i called them back and basically asked if my account still had my old modem registered, and wasn't allowing me access because the modem i was using wasn't registered with my account. sure enough that was the problem.
but the whole experience got me thinking. we have been discussing personal learning networks, the future of business and eomplyment, how the internet has tied the world together economically. but it also has drastically altered our lives on a personal level as well. so many thing, changing my address, banking, setting up my internet, purchasing things for my apartment, renting a truck, setting up the TV internet, cable etc... all involved the internet. so when we concern ourselves with preparing our students for the future, it isn't just about their careers and potential as a successful worker, but also having the knowledge to survive in this world in a practical way.
Power Point
so the theme of this weeks class is effective powerpoint with some twists. this is a topic near and dear to my heart on many levels.
First i have a fine motorskills deficiency and am mildly dyslexic, so my handwriting is beyond atrocious, if i were to write on the board regularly my students would be unable to read almost anything i would write. so Powerpoint for me is not just a tool to be used it is a necessity of directed instruction.
now as to the usefulness of directed instruction, this may be an unpopular opinion but i believe that balancing the appropriate amount of lecture into instruction at the secondary level is an important part of education. See i think as we focus on the way people learn and how to best make learning happen in the classroom, we have lost sight of the fact that we have a responsibility, at least at the secondary level to prepare these students to be lifetime learners, and that involves teaching them skills like taking notes, focusing during lecture etc... because those are skills that are applicable in college, and in the work place, and if we spend all our time focusing on the learning of the concept we are neglecting the fact that we much teach them the skills, within the context of every subject.
don't get me wrong, i don't lecture more then 20 minutes a period, certianly don't lecture every day, and work hard to diversify the learning in my class room, but i feel that part of that learning is allowing them to practice skills that will be necesasry at the enxt educational level and beyond in the context of a functional clasroom.
as for powerpoint. for any who aren't aware i am not only a certified biology teacher, i am a certified theater and speech teacher. I also have a background dating all the way to my high school days in speech and debate, so i work hard to not only use those skills in the classroom, but also to get my students to use those skills as well. In fact i have my students do anywhere from 1-4 presentations a year. i try to teach them most of the skills that were presented in the video we watched this week, and in fact while i watched it was pleased that i in fact did focus on most of those things.
unfortunately i am in a show starting this thursday so i have been rehearsing almost every night this week, and have been working during the mornings running a theater workshop at school, and i just moved this saturday. so with my microphone being packed away my time being short and my internet being intermittent, i will have to post my presentation and screen capture this week, but in the meantime i will offer you a few things
this is a presentation i give my students after they do their first presentation, to help them understand how to present to a group in general.
This is an article i read just after i had taught my students presentation techniques, and is of great concern to us i believe
Powerpoint animations
also if you check out my webpage under the presentations link ont he sidebar, you can find many an example of my style of presentations (typos are the one thing i do have issues with, the motor skills deficiency isn't limited to just writing, but my time for editing unfortunately is)
Mr albright's Classroom
First i have a fine motorskills deficiency and am mildly dyslexic, so my handwriting is beyond atrocious, if i were to write on the board regularly my students would be unable to read almost anything i would write. so Powerpoint for me is not just a tool to be used it is a necessity of directed instruction.
now as to the usefulness of directed instruction, this may be an unpopular opinion but i believe that balancing the appropriate amount of lecture into instruction at the secondary level is an important part of education. See i think as we focus on the way people learn and how to best make learning happen in the classroom, we have lost sight of the fact that we have a responsibility, at least at the secondary level to prepare these students to be lifetime learners, and that involves teaching them skills like taking notes, focusing during lecture etc... because those are skills that are applicable in college, and in the work place, and if we spend all our time focusing on the learning of the concept we are neglecting the fact that we much teach them the skills, within the context of every subject.
don't get me wrong, i don't lecture more then 20 minutes a period, certianly don't lecture every day, and work hard to diversify the learning in my class room, but i feel that part of that learning is allowing them to practice skills that will be necesasry at the enxt educational level and beyond in the context of a functional clasroom.
as for powerpoint. for any who aren't aware i am not only a certified biology teacher, i am a certified theater and speech teacher. I also have a background dating all the way to my high school days in speech and debate, so i work hard to not only use those skills in the classroom, but also to get my students to use those skills as well. In fact i have my students do anywhere from 1-4 presentations a year. i try to teach them most of the skills that were presented in the video we watched this week, and in fact while i watched it was pleased that i in fact did focus on most of those things.
unfortunately i am in a show starting this thursday so i have been rehearsing almost every night this week, and have been working during the mornings running a theater workshop at school, and i just moved this saturday. so with my microphone being packed away my time being short and my internet being intermittent, i will have to post my presentation and screen capture this week, but in the meantime i will offer you a few things
this is a presentation i give my students after they do their first presentation, to help them understand how to present to a group in general.
This is an article i read just after i had taught my students presentation techniques, and is of great concern to us i believe
Powerpoint animations
also if you check out my webpage under the presentations link ont he sidebar, you can find many an example of my style of presentations (typos are the one thing i do have issues with, the motor skills deficiency isn't limited to just writing, but my time for editing unfortunately is)
Mr albright's Classroom
Sunday, July 19, 2009
using the internet
one of the first things i thought about when i first started reading the material the first week of class, was how much my use of the internet in class was lacking.
most people who work with me, would consider me someone who uses technology with great regularity and enthusiasm in class. but it is mostly as we have stated "doing old stuff in a new way" I use powerpoint in class for notes (more on that next week) although honestly part of that is because my handwriting is so bad that if i didn't no one would know what i was writing. i have my students use our laptops to interact with activities and information on the internet. i even have my students give powerpoint presentations in class, and have them use the internet for their research, and with my background in theater, i also instruct them on good public speaking techniques.
but i don't have them interact with the internet, contribute to it in that web 2.0 style. or take part in wiki's. and prior to my reading this week was not aware of all of these web based activites, or scientific data sets, that are less about offering up a concept, and more about engendering inquiry in the students. so now naturally i am excited to find ways to include these in my classroom, i am just unsure as to how i am going to find the time, to go through these and develop activities for the students that are aligned with our curriculum.
most people who work with me, would consider me someone who uses technology with great regularity and enthusiasm in class. but it is mostly as we have stated "doing old stuff in a new way" I use powerpoint in class for notes (more on that next week) although honestly part of that is because my handwriting is so bad that if i didn't no one would know what i was writing. i have my students use our laptops to interact with activities and information on the internet. i even have my students give powerpoint presentations in class, and have them use the internet for their research, and with my background in theater, i also instruct them on good public speaking techniques.
but i don't have them interact with the internet, contribute to it in that web 2.0 style. or take part in wiki's. and prior to my reading this week was not aware of all of these web based activites, or scientific data sets, that are less about offering up a concept, and more about engendering inquiry in the students. so now naturally i am excited to find ways to include these in my classroom, i am just unsure as to how i am going to find the time, to go through these and develop activities for the students that are aligned with our curriculum.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
digital animations
while my reintroduction to google earth utterly fascinating, i found that this aspect of the course so far has been the most in line with the things i have been using technology for so far.
animations and digital interactive activities are terrific for accentuating the concepts we explain in class, as enrichment activities, as introductory works, or as "how to" lessons prior to hands on lab activities. in that regard they seem to be mostly useful as the old things in a new way concept, but that isn't bad, and in my opinion th new way in this regard is far superior.
the one big advantage i find to google earth, is that with the actual locations mapped out, it can really create a sense of connection to the concepts for the students.
i think the next question to ask is how can we make the use of this animations more interactive, more web 2.0 so to speak.
perhaps having the students search them out as part of an introduction or ocnlcusion tot he lesson, and write what they are showing and what the strengths and weaknesses are.
animations and digital interactive activities are terrific for accentuating the concepts we explain in class, as enrichment activities, as introductory works, or as "how to" lessons prior to hands on lab activities. in that regard they seem to be mostly useful as the old things in a new way concept, but that isn't bad, and in my opinion th new way in this regard is far superior.
the one big advantage i find to google earth, is that with the actual locations mapped out, it can really create a sense of connection to the concepts for the students.
i think the next question to ask is how can we make the use of this animations more interactive, more web 2.0 so to speak.
perhaps having the students search them out as part of an introduction or ocnlcusion tot he lesson, and write what they are showing and what the strengths and weaknesses are.
Personal learning networks
I feel my problem might be that i'm a lurker. i like to hang around websites you contribute to and simply read, watch, it is sort of against my personality to throw my thoughts out there. not quite sure why that is.
what this is doing is creating a wierd situation where i don't feel comfortable contributing to the network, although at this point i'm not quite sure if i have anything valuable to add, so i'm more then just a lurker i'm a mooch.
what is different is at work, in my real world personal learning networks i feel like more of a contributor, and i can't quite seem to isolate why that is. the power of the internet, web 2.0 and these personal learning networks is obvious, but our personalities will always dictate how we truly benefit.
perhaps another consideration is the twitter format, i'm not really feeling it that much, it is hard to get in the habit of checking it regularly, and i don't know why i check my email regularly. and have plenty of other habits.
although maybe it is just a struggle with new habits, i notice that i've added a number of the websites i read daily to my google reader account, but instead of using that consistently i still go to each website separately.
so maybe the issue is the simple challenge of breaking old habits.
well then, perhaps writing out a blog entry has helped me reason through my challenge.
what this is doing is creating a wierd situation where i don't feel comfortable contributing to the network, although at this point i'm not quite sure if i have anything valuable to add, so i'm more then just a lurker i'm a mooch.
what is different is at work, in my real world personal learning networks i feel like more of a contributor, and i can't quite seem to isolate why that is. the power of the internet, web 2.0 and these personal learning networks is obvious, but our personalities will always dictate how we truly benefit.
perhaps another consideration is the twitter format, i'm not really feeling it that much, it is hard to get in the habit of checking it regularly, and i don't know why i check my email regularly. and have plenty of other habits.
although maybe it is just a struggle with new habits, i notice that i've added a number of the websites i read daily to my google reader account, but instead of using that consistently i still go to each website separately.
so maybe the issue is the simple challenge of breaking old habits.
well then, perhaps writing out a blog entry has helped me reason through my challenge.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
searching is hard who knew?
i'm having some issues just finding useful videos, i think i need a little more practice in narrowing my search parameters just the right amount. sometimes i'm too broad and get everything, sometimes i'm too narrow and seem to get no matching results. i'm looking for the goldilocks of the equation, the just right.
but thanks to kelly, i found this video on her bio-alive website link
overall this week i think i've found myself caring about copyright, whereas before it was more like a buzz in the back of my head that was easy to ignore.
i like to make my students do a powerpoint presentation once a quarter, so at the very least what i have learned about copyright rules, video seraching/embeding and not only image editing, but places to edit them for free will quickly become an integral part of my students presentations.
but thanks to kelly, i found this video on her bio-alive website link
overall this week i think i've found myself caring about copyright, whereas before it was more like a buzz in the back of my head that was easy to ignore.
i like to make my students do a powerpoint presentation once a quarter, so at the very least what i have learned about copyright rules, video seraching/embeding and not only image editing, but places to edit them for free will quickly become an integral part of my students presentations.
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