The World Through Panoramic Glasses

As the first semester of T.E.A.M. comes to a close, I am thinking about how it has changed me. Notice that I said "change" because change can be good or bad. It just means that the way I was before might be different than the way I am now.
I am no newbie to technology, and I identify myself as a moderately proficient user. I love new tools, and I can usually find my way around using simply by 'playing' with them. You can imagine how I was a bit skeptical about the T.E.A.M. program as far as technology goes.
At almost the conclusion of semester one, I find myself immersed in a learning environment that allows me to grow at my own pace. We do reach out to others in the program - students and mentors alike without fear of consequences. I have taken my 5 workshops now. Some were better than others, but they were all applicable.
In my classroom, tomorrow will be the culmination of over a month's work. For American Education Week, we are inviting our families in to view our Crayfish Vodcast Project, affectionately called "The CrayCast". It was an inquiry based project with students working independently and collaboratively. They were assigned characteristics to research and used resources such as their observation notes, the Internet for content and images, and non-fiction literature. They then used Microsoft Photo Story to collaboratively create movies based on that research, and they applied narration audio that they had written and record themselves. They blogged about it. They talked about it. They wrote about it. They were excited about it, and so was I. I took a Flash workshop last weekend, and I used Flash to create two movies for it. One is the opening credits (that I am especially proud of since I always found Flash to be cumbersome), and then a nice simple movie with scrolling closing credits. I will finish it off with a game of Millionaire to make sure that our parents were paying attention (but mostly just to have a little more fun).
The purpose of this entry is not to brag, because I simply can't stand that crap. I need to give credit where credit is due. First of all, some of it goes to my students that had the creative energy and enthusiasm to embark on this project with me.
That being said, most of the thanks goes to T.E.A.M. This program has given me the panoramic glasses mentioned in the title. Seeing the wider, bigger picture is what it is all about. Technology was only a part of our project. It was the vehicle through which the project was presented, but it was not the sole force or resource used. Technology did not change how or what I taught, but rather it extended and enhanced it. Direct instruction would surely have been easier to teach the concepts that they explored, but at what costs? Convenience vs. Constructivism I guess, right Prof. Dornisch?

Deeper into Flash on a Saturday

So this morning I got out of bed even earlier than I usually do on a Saturday. I had a workshop at Long Island University CW Post on Flash basics. It was given by Faye Lourenso. She was excellent! The pace was perfect, and instruction was clear. I have used Flash before (Flash 5 WAYYY back in the day), and although I enjoy figuring out software applications by myself, Flash is cumbersome and frustrating at times. I made a short movie back in the day as well, but it was simple and took me quite some time stumbling along the way. I would have liked to get into Flash navigations and more action script usage, but unfortunately I was not able to stay for the second workshop that no doubt digs a bit deeper. I think now that I have a decent base I can just play and find my way around decently. If I get frustrated, it is easy to reach out.

Here is one of the two files that I was able to create. Although I still think that it is cumbersome at times, I will make an effort to incorporate it or at least use it as an option for my work.

I know it's silly, but it's just a practice. Thanks also to Noel, Frank and Karen for keeping it light and fun in the room. It sure is nice to have friends in T.E.A.M. Sharon and Tammy were there too!

Student Originated Literature Blog Part 2

In a a recent article, I mentioned that a student had presented a recommendation for a blog article. I ended up using that recommendation as a blog assignment with minimal modifications.
My students (and I myself) are big fans of the author, Mr. Robert Kimmel Smith. I assigned the blog, and then I put the assignment up on our classroomblogmeister site (thanks David Warlick for the excellent site!)
When putting up the assignment, I wanted to put up a picture of Robert Kimmel Smith, but I didn't want to do it without permission. I went to his web site, and I sent him an email. I told him how we have been enjoying his literature, how we have been using it in our writing, how one of my students had constructed a blog assignment and how I would love to use his picture on our blog site. He wrote back and commented on how impressed he was with how students are using technology. He gave the picture his blessing and recounted some quick connections to himself growing up. I must say that his sense of humor is even apparent in quick emails!
When I told my class that Robert Kimmel Smith had read out blog site, they were ecstatic! One of my other students emailed him herself and invited him to our classroom (he had mentioned that it might happen - fingers crossed!). She also mentioned her blog to him. Just yesterday I check comments on the blog and there it is! He commented on her blog article! What a great guy. Unfortunately, it will have to wait until Tuesday to mention to my students (Monday is Veteran's Day). I just thought it was very nice of him to do that. Technology and student created learning has just created an interesting connection to the literature that we are exploring. Now the books are more than just paper and words (as it truly should be!)

Constructivism and Tomorrow's Classroom

I am somewhat hesitant to hear educational theories. There is always something new that is (at least for the time being) perceived better and more modern. I recall in grad school studying the theories of Piaget, Vigotsky, Bloom, Gardner etc... While I sometimes think about their writings, I also understand that, as teachers, our customers are living, breathing children that have learning needs that change day by day (sometimes hour by hour) despite any underlying learning styles.

That pedagogical disclaimer now stated, I do agree with many constructivist ideas. In a PowerPoint presentation I viewed, it listed:

Complex and relevant learning environments
Social Negotiation
Multiple perspectives and multiple modes of learning
Ownership in Learning
Self-awareness of knowledge construction

Learning should always try to be relevant instead of totally abstract. In reading, we make connections to literature. In Math and Science, we might write about what we are thinking or relate concepts to real world situations. In Social Studies, we might role-play historical events or write from a historical point of view. Regardless of what method you elect to use, the goal is the same: relevance. "Ownership in Learning" is something that I personally seek to bring to my students. Watching a students invest himself or herself in their own learning is truly one of the greatest things that can be witnessed.

After reading all of that, you must be thinking "This must be the Poster Boy for Constructivism!" I wish it were that easy. I teach fourth grade, so I have many subjects that need to be covered. I have state standards, federal education laws, district curriculum and state assessments that all need to be satisfied in just a few hours each day. Add in instructional and non-instructional pull outs and specials and you can imagine how time is precious throughout the day. In a perfect world learning could be more exploratory, but in the real world it simply cannot. I strive to create a happy median. I offer more conventional, using some direct instruction along with guided practice, collaboration and student-centered learning to teach a new tool, resource or concept. I then use an approach that has more exploration or student constructed projects or techniques to reinforce concepts and provide extension activities. The pace at which we must move often dictates how we can teach despite our best efforts.
I enjoyed listening to Roger Shank talking about his book Engines for Education. It is very thought provoking to think about what drives our students to come to school, and how learning - the very core reason for education - is seldom mentioned. I think that learning is inherent to education, but it should be the reason to be there. The purpose of education should also be to expand one's learning horizons. School used to be depositing facts and concepts into student minds, but that only creates a culture of programmed idiots. Learning by doing is a great idea, as hands-on learning is exciting and fun. I don't dispute that.

Shank says that "Computers offer the possibility for revolutionary change." I agree, but as any good tool, we must explore its use. We must find its strengths and weaknessess, and we must develop it further to make it safer, faster and easier for the pedagogical "do-it-yourselfer." I suppose that's what I am wondering. Where do we find the time?

Whatever we do as educators and however we present curriculum to our students, it must 'make sense' today and be relevant to the world of tomorrow. That is the challenge we will face indefinitely.

Virtual Me Makes Learning "Funner"

While reading some of the emails from the classblogmeister group on yahoo groups, someone listed links to useful web page gadgets. I had been checking out the ones from my colleague on Wired Librarian, and I have been testing out a few of them. Here was even more to look at.
Among some of the really cool (and age appropriate) ones was a site/application called DoppelMe.

In a matter of minutes, I was able to create an avatar in my pseudo-likeness. You can choose from a variety of expressions, hair, top clothes, bottom clothes, eye wear, shoes, hats and even facial hair... Make sure to bookmark or favorite the second page, not the first (to use with your students). The first page asks if you want to create a male or female, and the female one shows a little 'bumpy' if you catch my meaning, somewhat like a Barbie doll. The male, on the other hand, is as ambiguous as a Ken doll.

In this world where technology is not just viewed as a great learning tool, but as a place of great fear and danger, keeping a child's identity safe is necessary. I won't put pictures of my students on our blog site, but why not make avatars of ourselves and put those on?

That is just what we did. I presented my avatar to my students along with a brief (3 minute maybe) tutorial on how to use the tool. In about 10 minutes in the computer lab, each student had his or her own avatar. They were so engaged and so excited to do this, and I was very excited for them. We uploaded each to their classblogmeister page, and I think that it looks great. Feel free to check us out at http://www.classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=93503.

I also took that avatar that I made, and I animated it using Adobe ImageReady (the predecessor to Adobe Fireworks). It took all of about 2 minutes to do it, and I put it as the title header of this blog. I hope that it brings a chuckle.

One of the coolest things this week was that I received a second blog entry recommendation. It concerns the work of an author that we are reading, and I think I might use it. It is nice that my students feel empowered enough to suggest new blog assignments. Even though it is homework, I really think that they view it in a very different way than more conventional assignments. I know that's how I feel about them.