Web-based Software...the good & the bad

Google Docs

We use Google Docs in the classroom quite a bit. Our students use it school-wide, and we use it for document sharing. I tried forms, because that was something I was unfamiliar with, and it was actually a great experience. I took my beginning of the year parent survey and converted it to a Google form. You can view it here. I use this to collect information on my students. I actually found this really interesting. I think I may use this rather than the form I've used in the past, because it will collect all the data electronically for me, rather than the paper forms I've used historically.

Photo Editing

This, was a pretty mixed bag for me. I could not get FotoFlexer to run. It kept freezing on my screen. I am a heavy Photoshop user, so I was actually excited to compare it with some web-based apps, but when it wouldn't even run, I was pretty disappointed.

There have been some other web-based photo apps I've liked that have come and gone, and I love Flickr for web-based photo storage...I know Amazon does it now too, but I've never switched over. I started with Flickr and stayed pretty loyal. I use some of the basic photo-editing tools on some of the photo sites, and I do use two photo album sites to do all of my layout and album ordering. There are some great web-based tools out there, but for me, these weren't them.

Adobe's suite is now somewhat web-based, as is Microsoft Office online. I'm quite impressed with that functionality, and happy to pay my monthly Adobe fee for the quality I get in Photoshop vs. what I saw here.

Phixr functioned pretty well. It didn't offer manipulation, like PS does, but it did do great basic editing. For someone who doesn't want to pay, and just wants to do basic photo effects, color corrections, etc - this would be a good option.

Reading A to Z Screencast

This is a pretty practical lesson...each year, parents need to learn how to log into the RAZ Kids website and use it with their students at home. I used Jing to do a quick tutorial.


It takes parents through a basic rundown of how RAZ works, after they go through the login screens:

If the teacher name is not already present, type it in, and then click GO.

Click the correct symbol and click GO.

Reflections on IDT

There are a couple of themes that I see across the three contexts - business, P-12, and higher education - within instructional design/technology. Across all three, instructors collaborate, evaluate and work to push technology out to their students. Chapter 21 used several models (ASSURE and NTeQ) to evaluate success, but even at the higher education level, instructors use various ways to evaluate success of their training. I do a lot of online training in teaching, and it often ends with online evaluations to make sure the training modules were successful. Online training is indeed a common them across business, P-12, and higher-ed. It's become an easy way to distribute customized training that is leveled for each student.

As for Chapter 26, many of his lessons are relevant no matter what your field. Lesson #8 - Develop a Strong Set of Communication Skills - is in my opinion critical no matter what career path you choose. Communication is a key skill for success...if you can communicate effectively, you are far more likely to do your job, whatever that job may be, well.  I also believe Lesson #14 - Develop an Area of Expertise - is an excellent recommendation. It is always a great idea to differentiate yourself. According to USA Today, we train twice as many K-5 teachers as there are jobs each year. We need to specialize - there aren't enough math & science teachers, there aren't enough experts. We have to do more. Be an expert. Go beyond simple K-5, or don't expect a job right out of school. These are great recommendations, and I personally got reading and math endorsements because I knew this was an issue.

Mind mapping!

We do a lot of mind mapping in class, although it's usually on giant post-its. This app - bubble.us - was a useful tool for introducing me - and potentially students - to a tech tool that will do mind mapping. In this instance, I used it to map a discussion we had in class this week for one of our carpet turn & talks - summer vacation plans. The discussion was simple - What are you doing on your summer vacation? This would be an interactive discussion we could add to as a class, and do on the fly. The students are 6, so they would need supervision, but we have a smart board so they could do a lot on their own with assistance.

Google Map Project

This is a great activity! As part of our classroom Community lesson, each student draws a paper map of their route to school. I would love to adapt this Google Map project for the classroom. We have smartboards in the class, so this could easily be done. They would love to see this on the board, especially with streetview. I have young students, so I'm not sure if they could do it themselves, but we could certainly take the information they draw, and translate it in an interactive project.

We are in a walking district, so all the information is hyperlocal. I took one set of data and mapped it:

With this idea, the student is able to (1) plot their house and the school, and the route. and then (2) plot their classmates's houses. None of the classmates' information changes, so they would be able to come up, with me, and each simply map their routes. This is the same information they put on their paper maps. We could then look at the street view, and walk the route to school. By pulling them up in small groups, and working on it interactively, we would be able to work through any tech hurdles  together. They're six year olds, so I'm sure there would be some.

I'm excited about this - I will be incorporating it into my Community unit for sure next year!

Week 5 - Reflection

My first thought is that one great improvement with tech is the implementation of online training. Self-paced learning allows users to move at their own comfort levels, refresh as needed, and learn as much/as little as needed. We have a massive amount of required content that is online now - epi pen, concussion training, etc. We do it on our own time, as needed. It saves time, money and energy. I much prefer it to the way it used to be deployed.

A second thing that technology can do is measure achievement. Evaluations have come along way in measuring the impact due to technology. Assessments have changed radically thanks in large part to tech - both good and bad. I often think we've gone off the deep end in this regard, but we can certainly do a better job analyzing the data so that we're at least using the massive amounts we are collecting. In my literacy class, for example, we just recently looked at a motivation assessment that could be used in conjunction with a skills assessment, three times a year, and then at the end of the year you could correlate the data to see if children who like to read perform better or worse as the year progresses. Technology makes that process easier.

I am always surprised at how slowly classrooms integrate technology. Our PTA purchased smart boards for every classroom in our building last year, and many of our teachers still don't really use them. We had optional trainings and many didn't bother attending - they still use them as basic white boards. They're the same teachers that really don't use their computers, still like their old transparencies, ahven't updated any of their tech. We have doc cams and smart boards - it is HARDER to use the overhead and be old school but they try!

Week 4...theories, performance, podcasts, and bookmarking

Using the educational theories in chapter four, the approaches are quite different. The cognitive information processing theory treats the learning like a computer. With this approach, teaching students to calculate/compare product costs is relatively straightforward. We would simply present them with data and instructions for their series of calculations, with an expectation of memorization and processing. We would teach them the steps in the process, so they could then integrate them into their sensory, short term and long term memory, and then process the information. But the expectation would be that they would function like calculators, and compute. If they didn't understand, we would provide more examples, more diagrams, more data, more visuals, more strategies, more information to process.

On the flip side, the behavioral learning theory suggests that constant, immediate behavior modification is what is needed to improve learning. Not more data, but more feedback. Yes, no, right, wrong. An immediate answer, not more information, but more responses. Observe and respond. This is the critical part - we must watch and address the behavior, positive or negative, at all times. 

In Chapter 14, we learned about performance improvement. I love this - my former life was in the corporate world, so I'm familiar with Stephen Covey and his whole concept of "sharpening the saw" which is a continuous improvement cycle. My current school is focused on Visible Thinking and a Culture of Thinking, which means that we are constantly in our classrooms using language where we stop and think about what we are doing, look and discuss what is happening, see, think, wonder, ask questions and dialogue. It leaves a lot of room to examine places for improvement. One routine we use often is "I used to think...now I think." There are many thinking strategies we use to extend how we think, that can be broadened to improve our skills, activities, etc.

The podcast I listened to is one that I actually listen to somewhat regularly. It's called TeachThought - it's a podcast focused on teaching, critical thinking, technology and the future of learning. They focus a lot on STEM and emerging tech, new developments and new kinds of thinking. It's very interesting. The episode I listened to was a two-part series about personalized learning. You can read more at http://www.teachthought.com or I subscribed through iTunes by searching for Teach Thought.

I find social bookmarking quite interesting. Pinterest is also a type of social bookmarking - it's a visual pinboard that effectively does the same thing. I use it to pin a lot of my ideas and plans for my classroom. This was the first time I was exposed to del.icio.us, but I can see the value in it. I have been using my own Pinterest boards to share and/or steal ideas with other teachers for years - it's a great resource for lesson planning. Many teachers post their Teachers Pay Teachers lesson plans and materials there, and other free lessons and ideas, and it's a great visual way to share. I can see students using other social bookmarking tools to share as they're working on projects, etc.

I have tried and tried to sign up for a delicious account since Thursday. Unfortunately, the join link takes you to this blank page. In researching, I found out they've been acquired yet again, and the site will be read only starting June 15th. I don't believe they're allowing any new accounts. You can read more here. Feel free to look at my pinterest - linked above - it's similar conceptually, but more visual rather than text-based.