Journal 7 Wikis - NETS-T V

Nearly everyone who has access to a computer has heard of Wikipedia and has probably used it as a resource for a concise and knowledgeable summary of information on just about any topic under the sun. Although I knew Wikipedia was a collaborative site, I was unsure of what wikis are and of how a wiki relates to Wikipedia until I visited the Classroom 2.0 link on the Ed 422 class blog. Selecting the wikis link on the site, I followed the threads of the following links:

1. Wikispaces vs. PBworks (previously PBwiki) by Chris Fritz;
2. Where to direct colleagues who don't know where to start by Adina Sullivan;
3. Web 2.0 Tutorial for educators by Andrew Robitaille.

The first two discussion threads contained some useful information about Bloglines and RSS feeds appropriate for 4th-6th graders as well as useful tips for teachers already familiar with wikis. From the discussion threads at these two sites, I deduced that wikis are useful for creating a quick webpage, for ease of maintenance, collaborative projects, and brainstorming ideas around a specific content area, but there was nothing in the discussions that really told me in plain English exactly what a wiki is. I continued to look through several more discussion threads.

When I visited Andrew Robitaille's discussion and wiki page, I found it to be a goldmine of useful information, including hyperlinks and video clips of brief and helpful tutorials on Web 2.0 tools, including wikis. Tutorials on other Web 2.0 tools include RSS feeds, social bookmarking (www.delicious.com), blogs, and other collaborative tools. A Links and Resources hotlink provides further detailed information on Web 2.0 technology tools.

A wiki is a website that can be quickly and collaboratively edited. The content can be changed and updated by any authorized user so that the wiki reflects the combined knowledge and expertise of its many users. All you need to set up a wiki account is a standard web browser, such as Mozilla Firefox, and an email address. To set up a free wiki account, visit one of three host sites: Wikispaces, Wetpaint, or PBworks (formerly PBwiki). Enter a Space or domain Name for your wiki page related to the content area, your user name and password. Wikipedia is one of the earliest wikis that allows readers to create and update reference sites about an unlimited number of topics. Widgets like You Tube videos, a shared calendar, a photo show, or voice chat can be plugged into wikis, but the primary functions are to Edit, Write and Save information.

A wiki page records the history of a document as it is created, edited and revised. Each time the page is edited, the newly revised version becomes the current version and older versions are stored. Older versions can be easily accessed to compare them with the most recent version, and can be "rolled back" to an earlier version if necessary.

Wikis are useful for K-12 educators to organize course content around a specific topic or project, such as a collaborative group report on world hunger. Wikis can also be used to take polls, share research data, or brainstorm ideas. The home page of the wiki should be kept fairly general, serving primarily as a platform for collaborative information gathering and discussion. By incorporating wikis into the classroom, teachers can better prepare students to work collaboratively in innovative and creative ways, employing skills of synthesis, reflective evaluation, and consensus building as they contribute to the wiki page. A discussion forum can be a valuable addition to the page as well.

Journal 6 The Trouble with Rubrics - NETS-T V

Kohn, Alfie. (2006). The trouble with rubrics. English Journal, 95(4). Retrieved on October 10, 2009 from http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/rubrics.htm

Alfie Kohn discusses the pro's and con's of rubrics-based assessment and his own mixed feelings about the effectiveness of using rubrics to assess student learning outcomes. Rubrics are the prevailing assessment tool not only to assess student outcomes, but at times to formulate instructional strategies and curriculum. The rationale for using rubrics is that they provide a detailed and "authentic" assessment of student achievement.

Rubrics-based assessment provides the following advantages:

• a "quick and easy" uniform guide to assessment
• authentic and detailed assessment strategies
• uniform standard of assessment
• objectivity on the part of the assessor
• specific guidelines for scoring, especially of organizational strategies
• justification for an assigned grade.

Disadvantages of rubrics-based assessment include:

• built-in self-justification of current teaching practices
• pseudo-sophisticated means of assigning grades to students
• removes the "human" part of evaluating student work
• ineffective with open-ended discovery-based learning strategies
• promotes inequitable standardization in which teachers "discover" rather than "decide" upon student grades
• narrow criteria of rubrics do not promote student-centered learning
• can be misused to drive the curriculum rather than support it by assessing its outcomes.

Rubrics can be helpful in the initial stages of curriculum design to develop appropriate assessment tools and strategies. They should not be used to determine the curriculum. Insofar as rubrics illuminate curriculum standards, they can play a constructive role in curriculum design and implementation. There are only three reasons to assess student work:

1. rank students against each other
2. motivate students to work harder
3. offer meaningful feedback to students to help them make sense of what they learn.

To assess the "rubricized" assessment process, teachers and administrators need to answer the fundamental question: "Why teach?" Rubrics can help provide a structure and a platform for learning, but there is a delicate balance between authentic assessment and vacuous learning outcomes. Teachers and students alike need to take risks in the learning process in order to center education for on the student and secondarily on making sense of learning.

Yes, we've got trouble with Rubrics, "right here in River City."

How will I use rubrics in my classroom?
I would hope to develop rubrics that are as authentic as possible with only as much detail as to be useful. Rubrics can provide a guide for students in their learning activities and can give focus to their research. We need to find an appropriate balance between empowering students and spoon-feeding - or should that be computer-feeding - them in the learning process. Facts and information are similar to tech tools in that they are just the beginning of learning, not an end in themselves.

What are the limitations of rubrics?
Rubrics cannot take the place of the teacher's careful assessment. In my classroom, I hope to be able to preserve and present "human" aspects of student learning and interactions that defy "rubric-ization". When students make sense of what they learn - and not just quantify it - then they have accomplished meaningful goals. We need to bring more thinking and in-depth assessment back into the classroom. We now have the technology tools to facilitate that process, NOT to supplant it.

Why teach?
In her book of that title, Sonja Nieto presents responses to that question from multiple new and veteran teachers. Most respondents are genuinely concerned with helping students make sense of their learning in order to help them make sense of the world. None of these essays make any mention whatsoever of the importance of rubrics in that process.

Journal 5 What is your favorite Ed Tech Tool? - NETS-T V

Wurster, Paul. (2009). What is your favorite Ed Tech Tool? Learning and Leading with Technology, 36(8). Retrieved on October 5, 2009 from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=June_July_No_8_1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4333&ContentID=23579&DirectListComboInd=D

ISTE conducted a poll to find out which educational technology tools teachers prefer. Since teachers use so many tech tools in combination, many responded that it was difficult to single out only one tool as their favorite. When the poll was revised to include teacher comments and to include more than one favorite tool, results were more forthcoming.

Internet Tools/Resources emerged as the all-time favorite as the most basic and necessary technological tool with the open access to the Internet touted as a basic necessity for survival in contemporary society. More than one-third of poll respondents favored the Internet.

General Productivity Tools came in second with more than 20% of the 899 total votes. Tools such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Publisher, coupled with email, have enabled teachers to more effectively collaborate in creating and sharing instructional materials. Lesson plans can be saved and edited, revising and improving them from year to year.

Interactive Whiteboards/Projectors have revolutionized teaching strategies, engaging students in an interactive learning environment. The interactive and visual components of these tools are especially helpful to English language learners. These tools give teachers and students a break from the old lecture format of classroom instruction.

Web 2.0 Tools encourage collaboration and engagement among students, teachers, and course content experts in the field. Students just plain like using them. Google Docs and Moodle facilitate collaborative work and study for students, teachers and administrators both inside and outside the classroom.

Portable Digital Devices are the gadgets most people won't leave home without. The portability and increasingly diminutive size of technology tools have made technology more convenient than ever.

One thing certain about technology is that as it continues to move forward, it will change at a rapid-fire pace, and teachers will have to remain flexible enough to adapt to technological advances. For better or worse, technology is here to stay, in our lives, in our work, in our classrooms.

How will technology affect my teaching and classroom environment?
Technology tools are now basic to lesson planning, preparation of instructional materials and content, as well as to the delivery of both traditional and interactive instruction. The technologically illiterate teacher will have difficulty finding a place in today's classroom. As I substitute teach, I see many classrooms that are heavily equipped with technology tools that many teachers are uncomfortable using. I hope to gain enough comfort and facility with technology to ensure that I will be able to use technology tools with confidence in the classroom.

What's my favorite tech tool?
At this point, my favorite tool is my computer. It's where I do most of my planning and information-gathering for substitute teaching and for my own coursework. I like using the doc cam rather than overhead transparencies, and would like to learn more about interactive whiteboards. I don't believe it's necessary to be "connected" 24 hours a day, but I do believe tech tools are amazing! The list of tools in this article are a good place to start to become technologically literate.

Collaborative PowerPoint Rubric - NETS II, III

In a collaborative group of four people, we created a rubric to evaluate PowerPoint presentations of NETS-S for the technology in education class. This artifact meets the NETS-T standard II requirement for providing a summative assessment aligned with content and technology standards to inform learning and teaching.

Social Bookmarking - NETS-T III, IV

1. National Archives

The LBJ Library and Museum site is awe-inspiring. Primary sources include photo documentaries, oral histories, and both audio and video clips. Information is organized thematically and further categorized to appeal to different age groups and research purposes, from young school children to doctoral candidates in history and political science. Eyewitness Accounts is another exciting site. There is a moving and poetic account of the immediate aftermath of JFK's assassination by Lady Bird Johnson. Using primary source material gives students firsthand accounts of events from many different perspectives, allowing them to see both positive and negative effects of events and actions. History comes alive when you see how real events effect real people, creating a deeper understanding of events or actions and a more informed opinion.

2. NEA - Achievement Gap

Students at risk for experiencing achievement gaps include racial and ethnic minorities, English language learners, students with disabilities, and students from low-income families. Issues of gender and sexual orientation may also contribute to achievement gaps. Three areas of becoming a culturally competent educator that fit my teaching style are (1) determining diverse groups and their needs; (2) gathering and organizing resource materials related to culturally diverse groups; and (3) building a network of "natural helpers" and "experts" who have firsthand knowledge of the diverse groups served by the school.

I've always been intrigued by the richness of culture and customs I've encountered in the classrooms and communities in which I have lived. When we share our culture, our cuisine and our customs with people who appear to be different from ourselves, we find many common threads woven into the fabric of our lives and, in the process, build a sense of mutual respect and understanding. One of the best ways of sharing cultural information is through folk music traditions. It's very rewarding to have children share songs and customs from their native culture. Some simple songs have been translated into many languages, reminding us all that we can become one in our diversity. Engaging family and community members to share experiences and expertise in the classroom is another means of building community and creating a support system for the benefit of all students.

3. Stop Cyber Bullying

I'm a Cyber Saint - and not just because of lack of cyber experience! Put-downs and cynicism have become a mainstay of contemporary social interaction, but they have never been my style. Parry Aftab's guide for schools on cyberbullying is very informative. It's important for schools to have an attorney draft an acceptable use policy statement that will hold up as a legal document should that become necessary.

It's good to know that schools do have some recourse for off-premise cyberbullying when it effects the safety of a victimized child at school. Children need to be aware that speaking with strangers in cyberspace can be every bit as dangerous as speaking with a stranger face-to-face. This website will be a good tool for any cyber problems that arise in the classroom. There are resources for parents, students and teachers to resolve disputes and to create fair use guidelines. Legal pages will soon be available at WiredSafety.org as well.

4. Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators

The History & Social Sciences and the Mathematics sites of the "Subject Access" area look very useful both for lesson planning options, and for information resources to use with an 8th grade student I am currently tutoring. The student I work with "hates" Social Sciences and struggles with Math in school. I found "This Day in History" video clips to be very enjoyable - they'd be great to show at the beginning of class. Some of these interesting sites may just change the student's mind about these subject areas. I looked at Kathy Schrock's presentation on Visual & Video Literacy under the "Teacher Helpers" area, and found some excellent tips on using multimedia for engaging PowerPoint presentations. This will make a great resource for designing multimedia lessons for the classroom. There are also links for additional teacher help and online training opportunities. What a gold mine Kathy Schrock has created for educators and students!

5. Multiple Intelligences

My top three intelligences are musical (75%), naturalistic (58%) and intrapersonal (50%). I viewed "Big Thinkers: Howard Gardner on Multiple Intelligences." There are many resources available to design teaching and learning activities based on the theory of multiple intelligences, but until the assessment process is changed from the short-answer, multiple choice design that dominates testing at all levels of education, our educational system will continue to fall short of meeting student needs. If we really believe that people have different strengths and intelligences, then we need to allow each child's educational experience to move beyond the linguistic and logical paradigm. There are too many subjects, too many standards covering too many mindless details, and too much testing for any depth of learning and understanding to take place. A multiple intelligences approach to education gives equal opportunities for every child to learn according to his own strengths.

6. Teaching Tolerance Lesson Idea

"Setting the Stage for Controversial Topics" asks the question: "What does ice cream have to do with controversy?" Students are asked to move to an open area about 40 feet long, divided into ten sections clearly marked from 1 to 10. Asked to keep their eyes open but not to talk, students are directed to move to a number area that expresses how much they like ("10") or dislike ("1") an item the teacher reads. Items include ice cream, boiled okra, professional athletes, opera, rap or hip hop ... a total of 8-10 items. Results are recorded and used as the basis for a discussion about difference and diversity. What begins as a weird exercise can become a thoughtful discussion on a serious topic. Later in the year, as controversial topics arise, the teacher may comment: "That's not surprising. Remember, we couldn't even agree on ice cream in this class." This seems more like a Social Studies exercise to me, although this site offers several exercises for Math to teach social justice issues.

7. EdChange Multicultural Awareness Quiz

Question 4. In a 2007 study, UNICEF rated the treatment of children in the 23 wealthiest countries in the world based on 40 indicators of child well-being. Which two countries received the lowest ratings?

That the U.S. and U.K. are the lowest rated countries in providing health care and support services for children is an atrocity. Our children are our future and our greatest natural resource. We simply must do better.

Question 12. What percentage of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender high school students report that their teachers “never” or “rarely” respond to homophobic remarks made by other students, according to a national study by GLSEN?

To disapprove of someone's lifestyle or sexual orientation is each individual's right. To in any way publicly express that disapproval or condone homophobic remarks made by students is unconscionable. Mutual respect and tolerance should be actively promoted by teachers in every educational environment.

8. Netiquette Guidelines

Thank you for taking the Netiquette Quiz.

You correctly answered 10 questions.
Overall Score: 100%. :>

"Netiquette" is the etiquette of online communication. It refers to common courtesy online practices and to an informal set of rules and procedures to follow in online communication. It's important to teach students about Netiquette to maintain respectful and safe online communication practices. Written communications online should be as respectful as face-to-face communications in the classroom. Students also need to take care to keep their personal information (name, address, phone number) hidden online. If an online contact suggests a face-to-face meeting, students need to inform their teacher immediately. :)

Journal 4 Web 2.0: Today's Technologies, Tomorrow's Learning - NETS-T V

Groff, J. & Haas, J. (2008). Web 2.0: Today's Technologies, Tomorrow's Learning. Learning and Leading with Technology, 36(2). Retrieved on October 5, 2009 from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=September_October_No_2_1&Template=MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4107&ContentID=2195&DirectListCombInd=D

Social networking, simulations, and digital gaming are not only fun and engaging for students, they can improve learning both in and out of the classroom. In the past, these technologies have been a big part of students' lives outside of the classroom, but have not been welcome in the classroom learning environment. Educators are now trying to bridge the gap between traditional classroom instructional materials and today's technology tools.

Social networking tools like Ning can be used to manage student accounts and records, and also to provide a forum for classroom discussion. A further benefit is the instantaneous sharing of ideas and learning between students and teachers, researchers and experts in the field. The community of learners can be as large or as small as a teacher wants to make it. Global issues can be discussed and explored through epals connections.

Simulations like Starlogo TNG, Second Life and other MUVEs, allow students to experience ideas, concepts and events, such as the principles of evolution, the effects of a natural disaster, or the function of the human circulatory system, in an interactive and engaging way. These can be explored from multiple perspectives.

Digital games like World of Warcraft (WoW), Ayiti, Diplomacy, or Muzzy Lane's Making History, provide virtual environments in which students can practice and develop collaborative, analytical and decision-making skills. Students experience the concepts and consequences of their decisions with immediate feedback instead of just watching a video documentary.

Disadvantages of using these technologies include their expense, access and availability to students. There is also a steep learning curve which may discourage many teachers from using them in the classroom. Because classrooms using these open-ended technologies are student-centered, it's more difficult to control their use and to accurately assess the outcomes of these discovery-based learning tools.

Successful implementation of these technological tools creates an open-ended, student-centered learning environment, setting the stage for experiential learning in which students engage in the learning process in meaningful ways. These technologies provide virtual "field trip" opportunities and are limited only by the imagination of teacher and student. The spark of interest in learning inherent in these technologies is well worth the effort and worth the risk. Everyone, student and teacher alike, will be left behind without acquisition of the technological skills and access to communication these technologies offer. We're not in Kansas any more.

How can I use Social Networking in my classroom?
Set up a private social network with access restricted to students in your classroom to communicate assignments and maintain student progress and records. This is a quick and easy way to communicate with students and parents, as well as a means for continuing discussion of hot topics outside the classroom.

How can these technologies enhance global learning opportunities for my students?
Explore the Ayiti: Cost of Life site and try it out with a friend or colleague. Use issues raised about poverty as a springboard for a meaningful discussion (both face-to-face in the classroom and online) on the effects of poverty and the economy on education around the world.

Where do I start?
Start by surfing Ning, Facebook, Club Penguin and other sites listed in the Resources section of this article. Find out how other schools in your area are using these tools. Find someone in your community or online to discuss your technological journey with. Attend a tech conference. Find another teacher or school to collaborate with. Take a chance and just do it.

Journal 3 Walk, Fly, or Teleport to Learning - NETS V

Yoder, M.B. (2009). Walk, Fly, or Teleport to Learning: Virtual Worlds in the Classroom. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(2). Retrieved on September 23, 2009 from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=September_October_No_2_3&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4381&ContentID=24200&DirectListComboInd=D

Multiuser virtual environments (MUVEs) provide virtual learning experiences for students and teachers in today's technology-based classrooms. Some benefits of using MUVEs in the classroom are:

• they provide a game-like atmosphere that keeps students actively engaged in the learning process;
• they provide a forum for discussion of global issues and build sensitivity, understanding, and tolerance for different perspectives;
• they build decision-making skills through virtual practice, offering immediate virtual feedback on consequences of chosen actions.

Students can construct virtual cities and communities to explore issues like health care, family structure, community organization, and effects of the economy on daily living. There are many safe and effective sites for students, such as Second Life Teen Grid and Global Kids, that give students the opportunity to explore global issues and to develop skills they need to become agents of positive social change. Students can become involved not only in their schools and surrounding communities, but through the Internet, they can make positive contributions to the solution of problems around the world.

RezEd, the Hub for Learning and Virtual Worlds, supports teachers at all levels of technological expertise, those just learning about MUVEs, those ready to explore effective means of using MUVEs in their classrooms, and those who are ready and willing to share their MUVEs in cooperative learning situations with others on a global scale. Consulting and professional development opportunities are available to teachers interested in developing online games to promote global awareness, active citizenship, and 21st-century skill development. Through interacting and learning with their students using MUVEs, teachers can provide students with skills that will carry them into the future, and not be left too far behind in the process.

How can students benefit from using MUVEs in the classroom?
Virtual environments provide opportunities for experiential learning that students might otherwise not have access to outside the classroom. MUVEs also provide the opportunity for students to stay connected and keep up with classroom instruction when they are physically unable to attend class, due to illness, suspension or for whatever reason. Sites for students can be either public or private, open only to a particular class population.

How can I start using MUVEs? Is there a virtual place to start? Will it hurt?
Yoder refers teachers to Second Life resources for educators and to the "educationally oriented islands" on the Second Life Teen Grid for students, as well as the RezEd site for teachers, which seems to offer unlimited support and assistance. Some sites are free, others are not. The author mentions a steep learning curve in getting MUVEs up and running, but promises the effort and "techo pain" will be worth it in the end.