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Thursday, October 15, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Reflection #5 How Multimedia Tools Support 21st Century Learning
I could not believe how much fun I had using animoto in class last week. These and some of the other sites like the comic strip making site really blew me away as I started thinking of how I could incorporate these forms of media into my classroom and curriculum. Every book I teach in 10th grade English could have assignments similar to the one we had last week connected to them.
For example, I just finished teaching Catcher in the Rye to my honors students. How awesome an assignment would it be to have students write an alternate ending to the story, or add another chapter to the ending (which is left wide open with the main character in a mental hospital where we have no idea what happens to him down the road) using of of the comic strip websites or a photostory where they design and narrate their own work. It would get students excited about learning, and can clearly demonstrate their knowledge of author style, events, and characters.
This could apply to many classes outside of English. Students could use similar tools like the comic or photo story or animoto to create a world or town from a certain time period with particular important historical figures for a history class. This would still require students to design places and people accordingly, and it is a great way to broaden the way we assess students. Some are so much more motivated and able to demonstrate their knowledge through hands on creating type activities, versus rote memorization and writing. I think the more we can integrate and develop assessments and assignments around these type of media creation tools, the more excitement and productivity we will see from students of all ages. The assignments can still test the same knowledge and abilities, and students will enjoy being able to design a product or save an online activity they they created themselves and can display and use for as long as they want.
For example, I just finished teaching Catcher in the Rye to my honors students. How awesome an assignment would it be to have students write an alternate ending to the story, or add another chapter to the ending (which is left wide open with the main character in a mental hospital where we have no idea what happens to him down the road) using of of the comic strip websites or a photostory where they design and narrate their own work. It would get students excited about learning, and can clearly demonstrate their knowledge of author style, events, and characters.
This could apply to many classes outside of English. Students could use similar tools like the comic or photo story or animoto to create a world or town from a certain time period with particular important historical figures for a history class. This would still require students to design places and people accordingly, and it is a great way to broaden the way we assess students. Some are so much more motivated and able to demonstrate their knowledge through hands on creating type activities, versus rote memorization and writing. I think the more we can integrate and develop assessments and assignments around these type of media creation tools, the more excitement and productivity we will see from students of all ages. The assignments can still test the same knowledge and abilities, and students will enjoy being able to design a product or save an online activity they they created themselves and can display and use for as long as they want.
Reflection # 4 Tools for an Effective Website
An effective website requires several key elements. An important part is the overall organization of the site. Can I see the name of the school clearly when I first get to the website? Can I find important phone numbers and addresses all in one place? Is there a clear section for like items? These are all things that must be considered when designing a website.
I also believe it is extremely important to include pictures of current events going in the school. At Clarksburg, for example, since out marching band had a huge trip to perform in China back in the beginning of the school year, updates and announcements about the trip as well as pictures were available before, during, and after this event. It really helped students, staff, and parents stay connected as well as proud of all the positive things that appear to be going on at the school.
Important documents should be available for parents, basic information about the school, a calendar, a newsletter online, and links to other important MCPS website are all crucial parts of designing and maintaining a helpful and competent website. I think it would be a bit harder to incorporate a link to teachers' classes from the main website since at my school there would be hundreds of pages to link, but there is a link to EDLINE, which all students and parents have their own individual login to. They cna access individual teachers' class sites from that one universal link right on the home page of the school.
I think I am going to use the googlesites tool to build my website. I really like the way my school has their site set up already, so I plan to incorporate many similar elements. The school name, contact info, vision and mission, basic history, student pictures, calendar, e-newsletter, and links to other websites and important documents are all things I plan to include in my website.
I also believe it is extremely important to include pictures of current events going in the school. At Clarksburg, for example, since out marching band had a huge trip to perform in China back in the beginning of the school year, updates and announcements about the trip as well as pictures were available before, during, and after this event. It really helped students, staff, and parents stay connected as well as proud of all the positive things that appear to be going on at the school.
Important documents should be available for parents, basic information about the school, a calendar, a newsletter online, and links to other important MCPS website are all crucial parts of designing and maintaining a helpful and competent website. I think it would be a bit harder to incorporate a link to teachers' classes from the main website since at my school there would be hundreds of pages to link, but there is a link to EDLINE, which all students and parents have their own individual login to. They cna access individual teachers' class sites from that one universal link right on the home page of the school.
I think I am going to use the googlesites tool to build my website. I really like the way my school has their site set up already, so I plan to incorporate many similar elements. The school name, contact info, vision and mission, basic history, student pictures, calendar, e-newsletter, and links to other websites and important documents are all things I plan to include in my website.
Reflection #3 Presentation Tools
One of the biggest presentation tools that a good administrator should use is Power Point. This is a tool that is extremely diverse because it allows you to present all types of media within it. You can show simple text, pictures, videos embedded, graphs, animations, etc.
At our staff meetings at Clarksburg, the most widely used and most effective way administrators get important information out to the masses is to show Power Points. These allow them to show school data in the form of graphs, to show us pictures of anything we need to see and know, and all the important text with dates and numbers and procedures can be seen as well. This supports many of the Maryland Technology Standards for School Administrators.
It supports Standard One by allowing all staff and students to actively see our school's vision of integrated technology in each Power Point presentation. We are also able to more effectively view and breakdown our school data and the components of the School Improvement Plan by breaking down each graph and each piece of data in the Power Point form. All shareholders are able to see and easily understand exactly where we need to improve and the exact steps we need to take to get there. Power Point is also an easy presentation tool to print out in outline or slide form on paper, as well as make available on the internet or e-mail out as an attachment.
Power Point usage also lines up with Standard # 3. Administrators are able to display all gathered information and data in an effective manner that makes taking necessary steps for school improvement more manageable and understandable. This presentation tool helps enhance and simplify the process of communicating and using data driven instruction to staff and anyone else.
Standard #4 comes into play here as well. Administrators who effectively use Power Point are by definition demonstrating their ability to model the routine, purposeful, and effective use of technology. Power Point can also be used to effectively share information about upcoming technologies and how to use them.
At our staff meetings at Clarksburg, the most widely used and most effective way administrators get important information out to the masses is to show Power Points. These allow them to show school data in the form of graphs, to show us pictures of anything we need to see and know, and all the important text with dates and numbers and procedures can be seen as well. This supports many of the Maryland Technology Standards for School Administrators.
It supports Standard One by allowing all staff and students to actively see our school's vision of integrated technology in each Power Point presentation. We are also able to more effectively view and breakdown our school data and the components of the School Improvement Plan by breaking down each graph and each piece of data in the Power Point form. All shareholders are able to see and easily understand exactly where we need to improve and the exact steps we need to take to get there. Power Point is also an easy presentation tool to print out in outline or slide form on paper, as well as make available on the internet or e-mail out as an attachment.
Power Point usage also lines up with Standard # 3. Administrators are able to display all gathered information and data in an effective manner that makes taking necessary steps for school improvement more manageable and understandable. This presentation tool helps enhance and simplify the process of communicating and using data driven instruction to staff and anyone else.
Standard #4 comes into play here as well. Administrators who effectively use Power Point are by definition demonstrating their ability to model the routine, purposeful, and effective use of technology. Power Point can also be used to effectively share information about upcoming technologies and how to use them.
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