Final Post for Online Facilitation

This class has been quite a great experience, and I'm sad to see it end (I'm not sad, or apologizing for the three week break however).  I've learned many valuable skills that I can relay to my students, along with becoming better educated in online learning (just in general).

From this class, I have learned how to deal with teaching in an online setting, along with figuring out the 21st century skills that will make my students successful.  Such skills include, but are not limited to collaboration, synthezing information, and effecient use of current technology. 

As far as becoming better educated about online learning, taking a look at the Virtual School's Legislation (which is what I was most excited about learning in this module) was a great way to familiarize myself with the rules/regulations that govern the online schools of Wisconsin.  However, as I look at this legislation, I can't help but feel like it's a tad on the restrictive side.  Although, as this efficient means of educating isn't going anywhere, I have complete faith that the legislation will adapt properly in the near future.

When it comes to my district's involvement with online learning, we do offer a lit bit.  Our students have the option to take online classes if there is a schedule conflict, but few take advantage of it.  I think as we continue to expand our computer labs and course loads, more students will be taking advantage of this 21st century learning tool.

Overall, this was a great class that helped me gain a lot of experience with how to conduct an online class.  Thanks for everything Ken and Greg!

Week 5 of Online Facilitation

This week in class there was a large focus on online collaboration.  My experience with online communities is that they are a great way to utilize the collective knowledge of a group.  I found that working in groups in this particular cohort has proved quite beneficial, as I've gained both socialization and technological skills.  The biggest benefit that I've found with group collaboration is the efficiency.  What I mean by this is that when group roles are properly allocated, using motivated group members, it is amazing to see how fast a task can be completed.  To me, this type of success is proof of how we as humans work much better together.  One challenge that I've found with group collaboration is finding a common meeting time.  With adult learners, it can be especially difficult to combine agendas that involve kids, jobs, and other organizations.  In the larger picture however, I see social networking as a solution to this conundrum.  As anyone can be connected via a tweet, a text, or a Facebook message, groups can meet on the fly, during periods of time that were previously deemed "inconvenient."  I truly believe that much business in the future will be conducted asynchronously, or though some social medium other than face-to-face interaction.

Week 4 of Online Facilitation

This week was very interesting, particularly due to the fact that I was in charge of a synchronous and asynchronous facilitation.  This was quite the eye-opening experience, having to be on the other end of the online classroom.  I thought that the preparation aspect of the presentation went very well, as with anything, the more prepared you are, the better off you'll be.  However, once the presentation actually began, the nerves set in.  At first I was very nervous, not sure if anyone would actually participate.  Although, as my students (typically peers) did a great job of fostering the conversation, the classroom pretty much ran itself.  The one thing that I was much more aware of, being on the facilitator side, was that time flies.  I had my own ideas of how to relegate the conversation, based on certain time checkpoints, but my class had such good ideas, it was hard to stop them from expressing their ideas.

As far as the asynchronous facilitation is concerned, I believe that so far, things are going very well.  I have been trying to make sure that I keep up with all of the comments on a day-by-day basis (for the most part), which makes it easy for me to monitor the flow of the conversation.  It's quite interesting to see how all of the different perspectives create a cornucopia of diverse ideas.

This exercise was certainly a great way to experience what it is to facilitate in an online setting.

Week 3 of Online Facilitation

As I have not yet experienced what it is to be an online facilitator, I can only speculate as to what would be the most difficult challenge of this profession.  If I had to wager an educated guess; I would say getting used to interacting with my students in a different form would be most difficult.  It is certainly not impossible to interact with students in an online setting; but I imagine that it has more to deal with emailing, once a week conversations, and digital participation.  This would be challenging for me considering that I am used to interacting with students by talking with them on a daily basis, or reading their non-verbal cues.

However, since I am going to be facilitating both a synchronous and asynchronous discussion there are some things that I need to consider.  As far as my synchronous discussion is concerned, I feel it is of the utmost importance to be prepared.  Preparation can help calm anxiety, anticipate previously unforeseen problems, and make the flow of discussion run smoothly.  I think having access to an Elluminate classroom will help tremendously with my preparation.  In terms of the asynchronous discussion, I think the best way to ensure that the conversation runs well is to establish very clear parameters.  By taking away the guess work of what I am expecting, the students can easily meet any established criteria while simultaneously creating a discussion worthy of participation.

My topic for consideration for the asynchronous/synchronous discussions is the Authenticity of Submitting Online Assignments.  I chose this particular topic because it was very interesting.  I feel there is much gray area with this topic, making for a great conversation starter.

Finally, when constructing my rubrics for both the synchronous and asynchronous plans, I truly tried my best to make rubrics that lacked ambiguity.  I figured that when I do an assignment, I like the directions to be as straight-forward and objective as possible.  Now, I understand that there is typically a degree of subjectivity when it comes to any assessment, but keeping that to a minimum (I believe), allows students to know exactly how to preform the task at hand.

"Hands on Learning" in Week 2

Whereas this class discusses a lot of topics that we have used in the past, it differs in the sense that we are much more active.  Starting with the Elluminate session that we had last night, we are trying to practice what we preach.  By being split into groups, with each member having a specific role, it was quite eye-opening to feel what it is like to be the teacher in charge of an online classroom.  It was also interesting to be the recorder, trying to utilize the "whiteboard," and its capabilities.  As far as the work for the week was concerned, it was nice to be able start off by taking a little quiz.  This helped me realize that were still some aspects of this particular week's content that I had not mastered.  I also like the way that we are running our ideas for initial class announcements by the rest of our classmates.  As we all have different backgrounds, this should be a great way to gain some insight from a previously hidden perspective.  Finally, this class has truly broadened my horizons in terms of learning about an asynchronous vs. synchronous online environment.  I think that in the asynchronous environment, where meetings don't match up, it is essential to utilize tools such as message boards and emailing (or a common space to check for class updates, such as a website, or wiki).  This type of environment, albeit non-traditional can very efficient due to the progresses of technology.  Conversely, a synchronous environment (where most meetings take place face-to-face) benefits also from the use of message boards, but most importantly from real-time classroom discussion and conversation.

Brand New Class

The first week of our new class was certainly a good one.  As we are using a different site (Brain Honey), I have already learned how to navigate an alternate hosting site (as opposed to the Stritch site, or a wiki), which has expanded my technological horizons.  I also think that it's pretty innovative to have two instructors, both of whom seem to have something unique to bring to the table, in terms of technological "know how."  The exercise during class that I enjoyed the most was the Elluminate tutorial (from the perspective of the moderator).  We've been using this web tool for over a year now, but it wasn't until last week that we finally got a chance to use some of its most useful features.  Finally, the readings/work for the first week of class was a good refresher.  It was beneficial to not only read about benefits of online learning, but also to think about it affects my classroom.  I am very interested to see what we learn about in the forthcoming weeks!

Most Feasible, Efficient Classroom Tool of 535

There were several technological tools from this class that could be useful in my, or any classroom.  However, I feel utilizing video casts will be most beneficial for me.  To describe my plan for implementation, I will use the SMART goal plan, per Dr. Loeffer's request (I used this acronym a couple of times before, and I think it is a very straight-laced way of thinking about how to implement a concept):

Specific---I will be creating video casts for each of my 3 lessons on advanced sequences and series.  I will then post these videos to my school website, and instruct my students to "learn at their own pace," asking me questions as needed along the way.

Measurable---At the end of the unit exam on these three lessons, I will give my students an exam, as usual.  To measure the success of my idea, I will compare their scores on these exams to those of their previous ones, looking for any type of improvement (or lack there of).

Attainable---As I have two computers at my disposal, along with several hours a week dedicated to technology inservice time, I should be able to get these casts made with little to no difficulty.  Also, because I am only doing three lessons, it is very feasible for me to finish in a timely fashion.

Realistic---Because I am only doing three lessons, this technology goal is very realistic.  However, should I find this to be a success, I will certainly dedicate some summer time to making additional videocasts.

Timely---This will be completed before the unit begins, which will start in April.

I believe that this plan is feasible and attainable.  Thank you for the great tools and ideas Dr. Loeffler!

Week 5 of 535

This week saw us examine some new tools, and work with some previously mentioned tools as well.  The  first activity we did was recapping Will Richardson's book, providing a summary in the form of an Eyejot.  We then were supposed to explore a web application that we previously didn't have any experience using.  I found this to be quite "eye-opening," helping me realize that there are many beneficial applications on the web.  We also had to continue work on our websites, along with setting up a shared collections folder.  Finally, in our groups we were to recap all of the aforementioned activities, along with exploring a couple of new articles. 

As far as those activities that can help me in my professional life, I can see myself utilizing the website and Eyejot emails.  Considering the fact that the website I am creating deals specifically with helping students/parents, the tie here to my professional life is rather obvious.  Since I am creating helpful links for students/parents to use, they can simply access my website if they feel they need additional assistance, or simply want some additional practice.  In regards to the Eyejots, I believe they'll directly correlate to my professional life due to their simplicity alone.  It is so much easier to just talk, versus typing up a long email; I've started sending these to colleagues, students, and parents.  Efficient tools simply can't be ignored.

Week 4 of 535

Once again, I began this week's adventures by reading our required text from Will Richardson.  This week's readings dealt with the online tools of Twitter, social bookmarking, podcasting, and screencasting.  I have so far found this book to be very informational, detailing both what a particular program is, and how to use its capabilities.  I see all of these applications as being purposeful in my classroom.  As Dr. Loeffler has pointed out with Twitter, it's not just something that informs you of what your friend had for lunch, but can be quite the useful tool.  By following someone who has something relevant to say in the field of Mathematics, I can get updates on methodology, or maybe hear about a beneficial resource.  As far as social bookmarking is concerned, this could be a very valuable resource to share between my fellow math teacher and myself.  This way we can share valuable resources without having to remember the links we tell one another in the hallway, or habitually email one another.  In regards to the Podcast/Screencasts, I think this could be a great way for me to tape a lesson for absent students, or even record lessons in advance.

We also began work on creating a website in the style of a WIKI.  Now, I've only created a loose shell on Google sites at the moment, but I do have some plans for it.  Eventually I would like my site to be a place where students/parents alike can come to find helpful links, examples, and other resources. 

The final concept that we examined this week was that of crowdsourcing.  We read a very interesting article about how more and more companies are not outsourcing their work, but rather "crowdsourcing." This is the concept of posing a problem or occupation to the world at large, via the Internet.  This way businesses can get a premium result at a fraction of the cost.  I think that this will have a huge impact on many different fields, including education.  Who knows, parents might eventually be able to hand pick their instructors from an all-star, nationwide lineup!  I guess we never know what the future holds until it happens.

Week 3 of 535

This week in class had us exploring many more new technological tools that can assist us in the classroom.  We examined the use and purpose of RSS Feeds, Picture Sharing, and Google Sites.  We were to subscribe to an RSS feed of our choice, and then consequently sign up for several different blog/news feeds that interest us.  This method of "bringing the news to you," could have a very beneficial impact in my classroom.  Specifically, by informing my parents of the search power of any RSS feed, they can search for pertinent math examples, games, or lessons.  As far as photo sharing is concerned, we were to create a Creative Commons License, open a photo sharing account, and then upload/tag some pictures.  In terms of utilizing picture sharing, I think that I could certainly use this concept for more of my geometrical lessons/units.  Specifically, by having my students create a photo sharing account, we could begin a unit by having them research different real-life examples of angles, shapes, etc.  Finally we were to examine some of the various capabilities of Google Sites.  After examining some of the links, there are some very helpful resources in the way of creating websites (students/teachers alike), using shared resources amongst educators, and organizations/meetings, made available through Google.  I think that the Google Sites application is a great way to get students to design a possible project, let it come to life, and have a set locale for other students to view it and then provide feedback.  There were very interesting tools to play with this week, all with the potential to improve my classroom instruction.

Week Two of 535

This week's assignments were very interesting, along with some being applicable to the classroom environment.  Starting with the readings on wikis, I thought it was very informative to see a teacher create a wiki for an upper level class in which the students are essentially feeding the system.  This would be an excellent way to help my advanced math students improve their communication about troublesome issues; offering troubleshooting techniques and/or helpful links or examples.  As far as Twitter or photo sharing are concerned, I'm not quite sure how I would incorporate their capabilities into my classroom, but they are certainly very interesting.  Lastly, finding the four blog links that related to mathematics proved to be quite helpful.  For example, one blog was that of a teacher listing his helpful hints for a successful math classroom.  Where I may not have agreed to every one of his points, some of his ideas were quite logical and practical.  Another blog that I found was very insightful, with the most recent post pondering the question of "when am I ever going to use this?"  Mr. Meyer's response to this age old question, was similar to my philosophy, which is reassuring that my ideas don't exist on an island.  I look forward to reading these blogs in the future, and hey, maybe I could add some the blog authors to my Twitter account!

First Week of 535

As this class deals with using web tools to enhance our classroom instruction, it is only fitting that our initial text deals with the specific tools that can be used to incorporate technology into our learning environments.  Our text of "Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms," not only does a great job of explaining the various web-based applications that can enhance our classroom comprehension, but also points out the shift in how we should teach.  One of the biggest take aways that I can use from this book is how the classroom should be viewed as less of a "teacher-learner" atmosphere, and more of a constant, "everyone is a learner" environment.  It also helps to cultivate a classroom where is not only allowed, but encouraged.  As a math instructor, I always try to emphasize that there is not one correct way to do a problem; and it may take several attempts to find which way works out best for each individual learner.  Also, in terms of possibly incorporating a blog into a math classroom, where as I haven't thought of anything concrete, it would be nice to have a venue where the students can express their thoughts, or even pose questions to a larger community.

Last Week of 540

The final week of 540 had us wrapping the class by viewing different types of data, analyzing their value.  The Google Trends assignment was very interesting, seeing how quickly and efficiently data about the latest popular trends can be tabulated and displayed.  The individual assignment of analyzing the seven different websites was intriguing in the sense that different resources breakdown their data differently.  Finally, having to compare two of these websites forced us to really examine what makes a statistical analysis productive.  Overall, for being a statistics class, this was a very relaxing and informative summer course!

Week 4 of 540

Despite having a couple of weeks off from class, we did have enough work to keep us busy.  The group project was not as strenuous as I initially anticipated, given the fact that we could divide the responsibility amongst our group members.  Once we figured out our major inquiry (how everyday people use their computers and Internet); writing the questions, distributing the survey, and even analyzing the data wasn't overly difficult.  We also had to finish another guided practice worksheet together, which dealt more with advanced statistical topics than normal, but once again, working on it together made it easier.  Finally, we had to do a little bit of a background check on data wizard Bill Tancer.  His innovative ways of dissecting search data help businesses and people alike understand the ongoing trends of how we as a society think and act.

Week 3 of 540

Whereas there wasn't a lot on the agenda for this week, it was enough to keep me busy, along with further my knowledge of statistics and data collection.  The first assignment that I completed this week was the technology survey.  It was nice to be able to answer questions with confidence this time around, specifically seeing where I have gained knowledge.  The next assignment was that of the third week guided practice.  Even though the assignment was mostly review of mean, range, and standard deviation, we had to do a much more thorough job of analyzing the samples.  The assignment did a great job of illustrating how it can be dangerous to label two as the same or different; such a label often depends on how the data are analyzed.  Finally, I found the article that dealt with how to conduct a proper survery to quite interesting.  I honestly never that about using such a thought out approach, but it makes perfect sense.  How could one properly form helpful questions if you have no clearly defined purpose?

Week 2 of 540

This week's activities saw us extending our knowledge of statistical information, along with beginning to understand how to collect data.  For example, a majority of our group/individual work revolved around defining terms, and checking out data collecting software.  This was informative, as we learned the meanings of some terms, along with being able to play with some features of the software.  My favorite part of the lesson was the continuation of dealing with statistical terminology.  After listening to the recording of class from last week (had a varsity baseball game that night), I feel I finally have an understanding of standard deviation.  I have heard the term a couple of different times, but I now feel I truly understand its purpose.  Essentially, I view the standard deviation as the average of the distances of each value from the actual mean.  This tests how strong the mean value is, telling whether it is indicative of the numbers as a whole.  I also enjoyed using the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet features to complete the guided practice worksheet (what a time saver)!

Week 1 of 540

As ridiculous as it might sound, I'm looking forward to a statistics class.  Given my mathematical background, I love the idea of a class centered around analyzing data.  Despite the fact that it has been awhile since I have dealt with higher order statistics, I'm excited for the experience.  In reference to the work for this week, I thought the videos were very informative, along with stimulating.  Whereas the first video was a little bit older, it very clearly pointed out how statistics are used to make pivotal decisions all around the world.  The video about the correlation between annual income and age of death (over time) was very stimulating and to the point.  It was very effective in making statistics interesting.  I'm glad I didn't live in the early 1800's, as I'd currently have one foot in the grave!

Week 5 of 530

This week's work seems like it is the beginning of the end for this class (I didn't mean to make it sound so morbid).  By developing a multimedia rubric based on everything that we've learned, I think it's clear that we're starting the process of tying together everything we've used.  I believe that this is a great way of using our previous knowledge, applying it to our classroom instruction.  I also thought that the advice on how to properly shop for multimedia was a good way to wrap things up.  As we continue our adventures into digital storytelling, it's important to be able to shop efficiently and with purpose.  Lastly, finishing off the Pecha Kucha is a little bit difficult, but certainly interesting.  Twenty seconds per slide doesn't seem overly difficult on the surface, but it's hard to get the rhythm down on a consistent basis.  Regardless, I think it is a great, concise way to give a presentation.

Week 4 of Digital Storytelling

I thought the content of this particular week took presentations to the next level.  Not only did we finish up our 28 picture project, but we also got to put it to use.  Also, Presentation Zen hit on a couple of principles that although simple, were vastly efficient.  The two that really stood out to me were Naturalness and Appropriate Timing.  It's much more pleasurable for the audience and the presenter when said orator gives off a sense of calm, or naturalness.  Also, less is more.  We've all sat in presentations that have been overloaded with way too much information in desperate need of being condensed.  I think this is why making a presentation shorter than expected benefits all parties involved.  I also found the concept of Prezi to be quite interesting; bucking the norm of working with slide after slide.  The "canvas" idea is a great way to lay out all of the information, without shoving it in a person's face.  The DigiTales Chapter 7 reading was also informative.  I found the Image File Vocabulary list to particularly helpful, as I've often seen these terms, but haven't always known their meaning.  Finally the Pecha Kucha story boarding was good in terms of forcing me to think of how to condense my information, but still have it be meaningful. 

Week 3 of 530

Week #3 of 530 involved more picture taking and learning about proper presentation techniques.  As we are three fourths of the way through our picture taking adventure, I'm finding that I have to be a little more creative with my pictures.  When you're focusing on one subject (my daughter), you quickly realize that the normal routine for a little girl doesn't always lend itself to a ton of different photo opportunities.  Our big assignment for the week, revising our PowerPoint based on concepts used in the class (mainly Presentation Zen concepts) was a bit of a challenge, but certainly made the presentation more concise and effective. Also, as the concept of Zen intrigues me, the more of this book I read, the more interested I become.  I was also a fan of the Animoto short that we had to do.  I certainly agree that this program does seem to make a presentation into more of a movie trailer.  However, my major complaint with this resource is a poor music library.  I only recognized one song, and wasn't able to import any songs from my iTunes Library.  Chapter 7 from DigiTales also was interesting, as it laid out some basic elements for effective storytelling.  Finally, I found the concept of Pecha Kucha to be very intriguing.  In a way that I find comparable to a Haiku poem, Pecha Kucha promotes simplicity without hampering creativity.  Overall, I feel my presentation creating ability is increasing; and I am enjoying the nature of this class thus far!

Week #2 of 530

Along with the continuance of our picture taking expedition (which I've come to enjoy), week 2 was full of worthwhile activities.  For example, the readings from Presentation Zen made some very clear, informative points on how to give a presentation that people will remember.  I particularly liked how credibility and simplicity made their way on to the list of "sticky" concepts.  I also enjoyed looking up the different mathematical/technological lessons.  It's always good to expand your arsenal of lesson plans, learning from others who have tried and succeeded in the past.  However, what I enjoyed working with the most would have to be the Digital Stories from Voicethread.

I was a little skeptical at first, but it really wasn't that difficult to use.  I found it very interesting to work on the preparation aspect (away from the computer mind you), then converting it to the actual presentation, audio and all.  I could certainly see this type of digital storytelling being used in my classroom as a means of making presentations in the event that I cannot attend class.  Also, I can see myself using this site for several different types of group projects.

First Blog Post of 530

I thought the first class of Digital Storytelling was a pleasant change of pace from our normal class protocol.  Don't get me wrong, I've learned a great deal from our previous classes, it's just nice to have a class that has a little bit of a different focus.  I certainly like the idea of having a class that focuses on improving presentation techniques.  I've enjoyed listening to the various stories, and the readings have really hit a chord, helping me realize the things that I do well, and the the things I need to improve upon.  I particularly liked the activity that had us comment on our version of the future.  Not only did it help us focus on our storytelling abilities, but it also allowed us to visualize how to achieve our future goals.  I also was a big favorite of the zen fables, as I found them morally stimulating.

By the time this class is over, I hope to have a much better grasp of what makes a truly good picture.  I'm typically a take and shoot type of photographer, with very little regard to light, setting, or whatever else makes up a good picture.  I'm also looking forward to improving my presentation capabilities.  This is an extremely important area of expertise for any educator, given the prevalence of presenting content material.  Above all else though, I hope that this class helps me get one step closer to becoming a complete instructional educator. 

Lask Week of 525

As we finish up a month and a half of integrating technology into our curriculums, the culminating piece was our final project.  I enjoyed preparing our final PowerPoint presentation (my lesson was Solving One and Two Step equations), as it gave me a chance to really analyze one of my lessons, scrutinizing its lack of technology.  Once I examined my lesson, it was apparrent to me that there were several adaptations I could make to improve it.  By adding manipulatives, a student response system, and group work, I feel I'm giving my students a much better opprotunity to grasp the content.  Upon completing my project, I had improved on several strategies, including but not limited to Providing Feedback, Nonlinguistic Representation, and Cooperative Learning.

These aforementioned strategies are just a few of the strategies that "Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works," discusses at length.  If used properly, these strategies certainly could improve engagement and achievement.  Cooperative Learning is a great way to increase student engagement, as any time students get to interact with one another, the interest level will probably be at its highest.  Also, Nonlinguistic Representation helps the students stay engaged, being able to work with the content in a way that is different than traditional means (visuals, manipulatives, etc.).  The rest of the strategies do a good job of addressing student achievement.  From notetaking skills to providing recognition for effort, these strategies not only increase standard achievement, but also technology based activities.  The strategy that stood out the most to me was Reinforcing Effort.

Reinforcing Effort essentially states that where there are several factors that may contribute to a person's success; reinforcing effort is the only one that a student has absolute control over.  As I am a math teacher, reinforcing effort is a large part of my daily struggle with students who "don't get it," or "find it confusing."  I found it particularly interesting how one teacher had students rate their own effort, and then showed the correlation between increased effort and success.  This is something that I may "steal" for my own classroom, attempting to debunk the myth of math being something that you either "know or don't know."

I believe that this class was very beneficial to aiding my classroom instruction.  Not only were there great suggestions for incorporating technology, but the textbook offered a great directional text for applying their applications.  Thank you for an informative class Ms. Diener!

Week 5 of 525

As this class comes to an end, our final topic of blogging discussion involves Identifying Similarities and Differences, Homework and Practice, and Generating and Testing Hypotheses.  I believe that the purpose of teaching students to identify similarities and differences is to help them restructure their understanding of the given content.  Through the classification (and consequently declassification) of certain concepts, a person deepens their understanding of a topic.  I remember a specific instance when I asked my Pre-Algebra students to identify "like terms" in a given algebraic expression by listing all like terms together in a column.  I think that this worked well because it forced the students to examine what terms were similar (and why) and different (and why).  I also remember an instance where I failed to explain that "x" and "1x" meant the same thing, but looked different.  This ended up causing an assignment to go rather poorly, because I asked the students to simplify expressions that they didn't entirely understand.  Explaining how these two are similar/different would have cleared up their confusion.  As far as the implementation of technology is concerned for identifying similarities and differences; spreadsheet software, Venn diagrams (Inspiration), and online graphic organizers allow for an easy means of compare/contrast of any content.  My question regarding these types of technologies would be how to apply the use of a Venn Diagram in a math class.  I've always been a fan of this type of visual aid, but haven't quite found the best way to implement it into the classroom.

The next topic of conversation was regarding homework and practice.  I believe that the purpose of asking students to do homework and practice their content is to review and apply what they've learned.  Like many other skills, acquiring knowledge demands practice before mastery can be demonstrated.  I remember when I took an extra day on the topic of one step equations (dealing with fraction coefficients), giving my seventh graders an additional worksheet of practice.  When we took a test several days later, I was very pleased with the results as a whole, and I believe the extra practice affected these results.  On the other hand, I also recall a lesson with my Advanced Math students where I made homework optional.  My logic behind the decision was to give them a sense of what some college classes are like.  However, I believe that this experiment failed because the students failed to see the importance of practicing content.  As this was essentially the first time that they had been given the freedom to not to do their homework, they exercised that freedom promptly (along with putting up low test scores).  I think that even though this lesson failed, the students learned the importance of practicing their content, largely due to their poor test scores.  Some technological resources that help promote homework and practice include, but are obviously not limited to BrainPop, IKnowthat, Flashcard Exchange, and CoolMath.com.  My big question with implementing technology as a means of homework practice would be how to find a good balance between online and offline resources?  Surely not all assignments should be done online, but every once in awhile doesn't seem very productive either. 

The final topic of discussion was generating and testing certain hypotheses.  I believe the purpose behind making students generate, and then consequently test a hypothesis is to engage them in complex mental processes, along with enhancing their understanding of the content.  I recall several years ago, while teaching Geometry, covering a unit on inductive/deductive reasoning.  Whereas this is not generating a specific hypothesis, the students where forced to look at real-life word problems that demanded they draw conclusions from a given set of information (the foundation of testing hypotheses).  I feel this section worked well because it allowed the students to take a break from shapes, angles, etc.; focusing on the foundation of mathematics, which is logic.  However, I also recall my first year of teaching, when I more or less let my students attempt solving geometric proofs with little to no initial instruction.  This left several students confused and without a real starting point on the problem.  I feel that if I would have explained to them that by using what they know, systematically gaining a little bit of information at a time, proving their hypothesis would not be overly difficult.  Some different types of technological aids that promote dealing with hypotheses include Smog City, Primary Access, and Darwin Pond.  My question regarding technology in this respect would be how to find a decent proof-writing program online.  I think that students hate proof writing more than most mathematical topics, and having some type of electronic aid could really promote student interest in the area.

Week 4 of 525

The tasks, discussion, and assignments for this week revolved largely around cooperative learning and reinforcing effort.  Starting with cooperative learning, I believe the purpose is to enhance student comprehension, while at the same time learning how to productively interact with others.  I can recall an instant when I paired seventh graders together to work on a regular homework assignment.  The students were paired together (seemingly at random, as far as they were concerned) based on ability, with the mathematically apt students working with a struggling student.  I believe this worked well because it made the more gifted students teach (a higher form of comprehension); and the struggling students got a chance to experience the confidence of getting questions right, along with hearing the content explained from a different source.  I can also think of a time when I let my seventh graders select their own groups for an assignment, and consequently how poorly it went.  Essentially, the students selected their friends, and very little was accomplished.  I think this went so poorly due to the fact that friends often don't like to boss other friends around; not to mention the fact that getting the assignment accomplished is rarely the topic of conversation.  Some technological resources that can be used to incorporate student cooperative learning include San Diego State University's WebQuest, WebQuest Taskonomy, Teacher WebQuest Generator, and Instant Projects.  My main question regarding these resources would be which one is the most conducive to cooperative learning in a mathematical setting?

Along similar lines, we were to watch several presentations by the very intelligible Clay Shirky.  He had many intellectually sound comments regarding the difference between institutions and collaboration in the first speech that I viewed.  I particularly liked the way he referenced that institutions, albeit effective, stifle creativity.  Now, this is a period of history where volunteer global collaboration has never been easier.  This allows for like-minded individuals to collaborate effectively on their own terms, not in the "cookie-cutter" setting of the corporate world (YouTube musicians versus a record label).  I find it very intriguing to think that with such a technological revolution on our hands, sole possession of ideas and services will gradually become less.  As collaboration can now be done cheap and effectively, institutions are becoming more of an obstacle than a solution.

The other topic of conversation was how to reinforce effort.  I believe the purpose of reinforcing a student's effort is to give a sense of accomplishment that can inspire productivity and self-worth.  I can recall when I told one of my advanced math students that I thought she was mathematically gifted, and that she shouldn't shy away from math courses in college.  This particular student may not have went on to major in mathematics, but I know that she's still in college, taking math classes beyond the minimal school requirement.  I think my comment worked well because it let her know that she had potential, and as scary as the next level of academia may be, she could do it.  I also can recall a time when a student in Algebra II simplified an "nth root" radical expression incorrectly, and I wasn't nearly as supportive as I could have been.  Instead of reinforcing effort, I more or less referenced the fact that they should have done a better job of using their notes and textbook.  I think this went poorly because instead of making the student feel welcome to come and ask questions, I made him feel like it was not okay, and that I was not supportive.  I then spent weeks trying to earn back that particular students trust, and it certainly wasn't easy.  Some technological ways to enhance reinforcing effort include GoogleDoc comments, positive emails, and spreadsheet documentation.  The latter really peaks my interest, as our textbook explained how a teacher proved to his students that there is a correlation between effort and success.  My question would be how to accurately implement this, and for what particular age groups? 

Week 3 of 525

In this third week of class, the first aspect of education our cohort examined was cues, questions, and advance organizers.  These three strategies for increasing retention help students retrieve, use, and organize information.  I believe the purpose of using the aforementioned tools with my students is to "trigger" their intellectual machinery, allowing them to relate to the material.  The most recent example that I recall in my classroom would be the successful use of a cue.  Last week, as a precursor to a seventh grade unit on writing/simplifying equations, I had the students do a group project on "deciphering ancient symbols."  These symbols were essentially just basic equations with unique variables, but got the students extremely exited about solving equations (in large part due to their mysterious nature), leaving me quite pleased.  On the other hand, I can recall several months ago beginning a unit on solving proportions with my Pre-Algebra students, and using questioning ineffectively.  Essentially I led my lecture assuming my students were more comfortable with the subject matter than what they were, and my preliminary questioning left students confused and dejected.  I believe I was unsuccessful because I made a false assumption about my students that could have been clarified by talking with their eighth grade teacher.  In regards to the technology that can aid students with their advance organizers (the importance of which was stated in a research journal article that we read); tools such as Wallwisher and Kidspiration allow teachers or students to display their knowledge visually, both individually and collectively.  A question that I have regarding the use of such advance organizers is how to appropriately incorporate them into my classroom?  Would they be most beneficial as pre-content outlining, or better used to organize the content of the topic itself.

The next topic that we discussed was that of nonlinguistic representation.  Nonlinguistic representation allows students to use mental images to retain subject matter.  I believe that the purpose of utilizing nonlinguistic representation is to give students another method to master their learning material, besides simply copying down notes.  Using my own classroom instruction as an example, I've found that it works quite well to draw pictures with word problems.  I think this works well because students not only get the benefit of information from the problem, but also from their OWN drawings.  I feel this is successful because it empowers the students, almost with feeling of creating the word problems themselves.  Conversely, I've occasionally taught lessons where I've known that pictures would have enhanced the lesson, but in the interest of time, opted not to use them.  For example a fractions lesson could have been enhanced by pictures of fractions in real life (partially filled egg cartons, drink containers, etc.); opting not to use them gives students fewer "weapons in their arsenal of learning."  Technology that promotes nonlinguistic representation includes the website Kwiki, the podcast for "Maps Alive!" (great ideas sent in by educators of all ages), the WonderWheel feature of a Google search, among others.  One of my biggest questions with the above technologies is what circumstances are required for WonderWheel to work?  I noticed that some words provide a very detailed topic map, where others do not.

Along with discussing the nuances of cues/questions/advance organizers and nonlinguistic representations, we were assigned to examine three different types of advance organizers/nonlinguistic representations.  The three that I chose to peruse were Bubbl.us, Webspiration, and CMAP.  Comparing the three graphic organizers, I found that their ease of use were all relatively simple, with the exception of Webspiration.  I found the sign up to be quite a hassle.  However, I do believe that the resources differed in functionality.  Once I was finally up and running on Webspiration I found it to be effective, allowing for easy creation of maps that were visually pleasing.  Bubble.us was quite similar, but I found the screen to be too cluttered with sign up information and additional features (font sizing, zooming capabilities, printing options, etc.).  Finally, although CMAP was rather informative, with hyperlinks to many different websites, I can't help help but feel like its functionality was limited.  As I could not find a way to brainstorm my own ideas, I place it's functionality dead last of the three.

Lastly, we were to discuss the importance of notetaking and summarizing in the educational process.  Proper notetaking/summarizing consists of taking in a lot of information, and then distilling it into a concise form.  I believe the purpose of proper notetaking/summarizing abilities is to help students efficiently collect data, thus aiding a positive attitude toward the subject manner.  An example of how I utilized an effective notetaking strategy would be my use of a KWL chart in my Advanced Mathematics class.  This allowed me to gather information about what my students know, and what they wished to learn.  However, the most important part of the chart, "L" for learned, allowed me to figure out what they exactly remembered.  This helped me figure out if their notes were effective.  I think this worked because it forced the students to provide me with what they learned, not just what I perceived of their knowledge.  An example of me not promoting effective notetaking would be how I once began a seventh grade math section by telling my students to copy down "everything that I write down on the overhead."  I don't think this worked well because it made the students focus on blindly copying things down, as opposed to focusing on the main points of the examples themselves.  There are several different types of technological aids that help with proper notetaking/summarizing.  These resources include, but are not limited to NoteStar, GoogleDocs, Cornell Notetaking, and KWLH charts.  My question is how to involve Google Docs on a regular basis in math classes?  I love this resource, I just can't quite seem to find a way to incorporate it into my classroom.

Week 2 of 525

This week's studies revolved around setting objectives, providing feedback, and providing recognition.  I feel it is essential to set learning objectives for students, letting them know that it is important to follow certain steps to complete a goal.  I recall an assignment where I laid out my expectations very clearly for the unit, stating they would learn how to write verbal phrases as variable expressions.  By taking our time on the subject, along with having a methodical conversion procedure, this particular unit went quite well.  On the other hand, there have been other times when I've assigned a group assignment with little to no further instruction, and the results were disastrous.  I believe this went poorly because I set few parameters, and didn't specify roles for the group members.  As far as providing feedback that encourages learning and recognition is concerned, one technological aid that I use is a graphing calculator.  For example, when I review with my students I divide them into teams and assign them a number.  Only I know this number, and when I use my random number generator it will select a student whose answer I should check.  However, I make sure to look at everyone's paper, and I never reveal whose paper I actually looked at for the result unless they get it right.  This provides positive reinforcement to those who answered correctly, along with correcting those who are incorrect (without degrading them).  Other than that, I'm always looking for ways to expand technological use for feedback/recognition; the following resources were certainly informative in this respect.

One of the resources we were to review was "Feedback That Fits."  I thought this article was very good at expressing the importance of educators exhibiting not just feedback, but feedback that helps students improve while encouraging their potential.  I was reminded that as a teacher it is important to not just give answers, but rather formulate questions that make students more or less provide their own answers.  Should they not be able to answer their question, I should provide help without blatantly giving them the answer.  Whereas this is normal practice for me, occasionally time constraints cause me to get lazy, giving feedback that could be a little more productive.  This article was a good reminder that feedback is an essential piece of the learning process.

We also examined some online resources geared toward student feedback, namely RubiStar and QuizStar.  RubiStar provided an excellent template for creating a topic specific rubric.  For example, if a teacher wanted to make a graphing assignment, RubiStar provides a drop-down menu of graphing related topics (labeling, accuracy of point plotting, and neatness).  Should a teacher want to create his/her own topic, they can type in whatever graphing topics they choose.  Once they have their topic list for their assignment, they can then specify the criteria for each individual topic (4-Exemplary, 3-Good w/ some errors, 2-minimal requirements met only, 1-barely acceptable, etc.).  There is also a decent amount of text space available for typing in what would constitute a 4,3,2, or 1 (the point scale can also be changed if a person so chooses).  QuizStar allows a teacher to create folders for their classes, create quizzes/exams for those classes, administer the quizzes/exams online, and finally analyze the results (also, displaying results to students is an option).  This resource essentially gives instructors the ability to create/administer tests in an online setting.  Seeing as my school only provides an online grade book (Skyward) for the students, being introduced to RubiStar and QuizStar will give me two valuable tools to aid my feedback to students.

First Post of 525

Our first blog post for Enhancing Learning Materials Through Technology is geared around commenting on two educationally progressive articles.  The first article, entitled "Principles of Teaching and Learning," focused on seven different principles for understanding the framework of each essential facet (teaching and learning) of education.  In regards to the seven principles for learning, the main themes involved prior knowledge, student motivation, application of knowledge, and flexibility.  The principle that I found most interesting was that of motivation.  I believe it is paramount that a student be motivated in order to efficiently retain information.  I had a professor in college who once told us, "Trick yourself into believing the content is interesting."  Whereas I don't believe someone should devote an immense amount of time to something they dread, sometimes in life we close informational doors without giving them a chance.  Motivating one's self, intrinsically or extrinsically, allows for much better knowledge retention.  The principles involved with the teaching aspect of the article centered around understanding one's pupils, prioritizing, thorough instruction, and constant adaptation to course structure based on student needs.  This last theme stuck out to me as being the most true.  I don't believe in a "one size fits all" approach to education.  A teacher should always be looking to make a class work for the students, not the other way around.

The final article we were to examine was "A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Teaching and Learning With Technology on Students Outcomes."  This information thick research piece essentially stated that the overall effects of technology on student learning may be greater than initially anticipated.  Along with several directly observable outcomes that can be linked to technology, there may be several different indirect, unmeasurable positive outcomes that can possibly be traced to technology.  However, the article did stress the importance of increasing the research on technology's effect on learning (both in quantity and depth).

Final Week of 520

Wrapping up this final week of class let us learn about copyright law and Internet privacy.  The copyright law research allowed us to figure out that a majority of educational practice takes place under the concept of "Fair Use."  In terms of researching the safety of putting valuable information on the Internet, I decided that I need to be much more careful.  As easy as it is to gain valuable information and resources from the Internet, it can be equally as easy to lose information that could alter one's life drastically.  Overall, this was a very informative class that has furthered my knowledge of Internet resources.

Annotated Bibliography and Group Work

This week was a good mixture of working together and individually.  The annotated bibliography, though scary at first glance, wasn't too bad once I got my hands into the work.  It was beneficial to be able to sift through many resources, finding the valuable ones, and stating their significance/importance.  The group work was quite the adventure also.  As I fell ill, I had to complete my portion seperately.  Everything worked out just fine, but it certainly helps to have a group that is understanding and flexible.  The work itself was pretty interesting, being able to look at the features of many different helpful resources.  The one thing I will certainly remember from this week's assignments will be how some resources may be intriguing, but make sure they're school appropriate.

Another Week's Work

This week's workload was quite reasonable, yet mentally stimulating.  I thought the Google Alerts, search engine rubric, and the reading regarding Wikipedia were especially interesting.  I think the Google Alerts will be a great way to keep myself updated on personal and professional information alike.  I also found a lot of interesting aspects involved in differentiating between search engines.  As far as Wikipedia is concerned, I'll always be a fan, but the article certainly did make me think about it's appropriate uses.  I learned quite a bit this week from a very reasonable amount of work.  I'm really enjoying this class, it's hard to believe that there's only one week left!

What's the Alternative?

To be completely honest with everyone, I don't believe there's a much better alternative to doing the blog.  I'll be the first to admit that I don't always like blogging after a week's worth of intensive homework assignments, but what else could we do?  I understand that the university wants to make sure that we are keeping track of our journey using a reflective, encompassing tool.  I feel that this is important, and certainly support the premise.  The one suggestion that I have is to make sure that there are no "double up" questions.  In other words, as long as I'm reflecting on something different every week, my attention will be kept.  I start to feel as if the assignments are a little redundant when the prompt is constantly, "What did you learn this week, and how can it be used in your class?"  I believe it would be more beneficial to all if we focused on one particular aspect from the week's assignments.  Having said as much, I feel like the cohort has been set up very well, and hope that my comments are taken as a suggestion as opposed to criticism.

In Summation...

515 was a very valuable class.  This class brought together ideological learning (with the "Supporting Learning with Technology" textbook) and hands-on practice.  The text was very beneficial, introducing research on how to properly incorporate technology into the classroom.  Some of the major benefits that this class brought to my workplace were spreadsheets, calendars, and conducting a proper Internet search.  I have already incorporated a spreadsheet assignment into my Consumer Math class; and the calendars have helped me organize my commitments.  Also, the ability to conduct a proper Internet search has allowed me to search for resources on the web much more efficiently.  Overall, I have learned quite a bit from this class, and have taken away several useful tools.  It's nice to be able to implement concepts almost immediately.  I look forward to our next class and another challenge.

What are we learning? What are the effects?

We covered a lot of content this week in class, both informative and interesting.  The first thing I learned about was a very interesting perspective on the future of education.  The Sir Ken Robinson video was very informative and thought provoking.  It definitely makes a person rethink their view on the importance of creativity.  We also learned, through our textbook, how to approach professional development with technology, along with how to make sure our technology use is in the best interest of our students.  We also covered the importance of software evaluation, along with all the "red tape" that comes with purchasing software.  Finally, we learned about the various advantages to having a website, built through Google.

The software evaluation, website, and technology plan will undoubtedly have an impact on my teaching.  Learning how to use technological tools, along with setting up a site that my students can use will be paramount to a regular incorporation of technology.

InTime Video---Graphing Linear Equations

The lesson that I chose to follow from InTime Video was entitled Graphing Linear Equations, by Pam Maclin.  As a math teacher, it is always beneficial to be able convey the content in a different manner.  This particular lesson was on graphing linear equations, which is a staple in my Pre-Algebra class.  The lesson begins by the students manipulating equations into slope-intercept form (this allows them to more easily graph the equation).  After obtaining their equations, they went to graphing through the use of interactive software.  She also added a competitive aspect to the assignment, as the software keeps track of points, depending on whether or not the intercepts and/or slope were found correctly (adding points if done correctly, subtracting if not).  She also added in a matching section where students were given cards, and then had to find their "match" based on if their equation was the same as their slope-intercept form.  I felt this teacher did a great job of giving the appropriate amount of time to her remedial Algebra class, along with the group work that allowed for everyone to be "the smart kid" at one point or another.  Whereas I lack the software to complete the graphs in this project, it is something I will be looking into.  Overall, there were several aspects of this project that I found pertinent to my classroom instruction.  I will certainly consult this teacher's lesson plans before I begin my lesson on graphing linear equations.

Spreadsheets, Magic Squares, and More

I found the activities that were assigned for this week interesting, and for the most part, directly applicable to my classroom.

The first activity was that of the "Magic Square."  This was a three by three cube, using the single digits 1-9 only once, in which all the rows, columns, and diagonals added up to fifteen.  It took about five minutes to figure out the combination, but it was really more mentally stimulating than it was laborious.  The next activity was to create an interactive spreadsheet for a recipe.  With limited experience of spreadsheets, I must admit that I was skeptical at first, but really enjoyed the work once I got into the formulas.  As a math teacher, I appreciated the ability to create a product formula that made my calculations of ingredients much more efficient.  I'm still not confident enough in my cooking abilities to give this recipe a chance however.  Next, through the aid of NetTrekker, I was able to find a lesson involving spreadsheets that was quite applicable to my Consumer Math class.  As we are working on sales tax and unit pricing, I believe this lesson will not only incorporate such content, but also illustrate how the use of formulas (sum, product, if) can make our calculations much swifter.  Finally, in the reading I found a very interesting software program that I'm looking into at the present.  Chapter 7 discussed a "Problem of the Week."  This particular math problem was quite the thinker, and had me working on it for a couple of minutes.  I feel it would be a great way to begin the class period.

Overall, I believe all the activities from this week were math oriented in some way.  It is always nice to get new ideas into the classroom!