The Semester Ends...

The weather is getting colder and the semester is drawing to a close.

So, where do I stand with regards to using technology in the classroom?

I feel that technology can definitely make learning more engaging for students.  I will likely use a great deal of PowerPoint presentations and incorporate nonlinear elements into it.  I really like the idea of creating student blogs and a class website to create a school-home connection and celebrate student work and achievements.

I have discovered a wide range of Internet resources that I never knew existed. These resources (many of which are free), can be used in the classroom or can help teachers with their various responsibilities, whether in research, lesson-planning, or scheduling appointments.  The Internet can make things much easier for students and teachers because it does provide instant communication and collaboration with people throughout the world.

While facebook can be useful if using it for certain topics (such as assuming the identity of a historical figure, etc.), but I cannot imagine a regular use for facebook in the classroom.  Social media is a great way to share information with peers--through articles, support, and networking in general--but it may not always be appropriate to use with students (although I am curious as to how many students are facebook friends with their teachers).

In this class, I feel that my facebook participation (in general and with regards to the EDTS group) was a bit strained. I still view facebook as a means to keep in touch with friends and family rather than a news source, and it was hard to adjust to checking facebook regularly for class.  I do feel that having access to a group that shares information could be helpful and informative, even though some students may feel more comfortable as passive participants.

As always, I think it is incredibly important to remember that not all students have access to technology in the class and at home.  Because of that, teachers should be aware before they assign any work that requires a computer, smart phone, etc.  Students may have varying levels of familiarity with technology as well.  While some students enter kindergarten with the ability to surf the web, some high schoolers have little exposure to ever using a keyboard and mouse.

If schools provide access to technology such as Smartboard, computers, ipads, etc., I think that teachers should take advantage of their various functions to appeal to different learners in multiple ways.

My Life As a Movie

As I worked on my final PowerPoint presentation, I found myself wanting to add video after video. Then, I thought, maybe I could have the students watch a full-length movie.  Then maybe make their own video.

I think that the obsession with Youtube clearly demonstrates that videos can make our lives more interesting.  For teachers and students, video technology can show students something that they may not be able to see outside of the classroom.  Videos can be more powerful than reading a book, especially for ELLs.  If they can see something and understand it without having to worry about their language deficiencies, they are more likely to become interested in it and learn from it.

Just like "a picture is worth a thousand words," for ELLs, a video may make their learning come to life.

Using video technology can be useful for engaging learners of all ages.  Students make write their own script, practice it, and perform on video so they may show it to their families.  Learning has a purpose--whether to do a news announcement, stage a play, or recreate a story they had read.  Additionally, it has an audience.

I remember memorizing skits for language classes just long enough to forget them immediately afterword.  If I knew that the performance would be videotaped, I may have studied it longer, brought in props, or tried to make the conversation interesting.  With video technology, students can use multiple takes, knowing that they don't have to have everything perfect on the first try.  Additionally, videos can be uploaded onto the class website for families to enjoy at home.

Videos in the classroom can help students become engaged in the classroom and excited about learning.  They can help ELLs keep up with the content in the classroom while practicing their listening and comprehension skills as well.

Podcasting

It's time to talk about podcasting.  

This was my first time making my own podcast.

At first, I wasn't totally sold, but I think that after having the opportunity to use the technology and consider ways to implement them in the classroom, podcasts could really make lessons more interesting.

This website had some really great ideas about when and how to use podcasts in the classroom.

I like the idea of using podcasts to prepare substitute teachers since sometimes it is easier to give verbal rather than written directions (although I would probably want the written directions that I could review throughout the day).  

Teachers can update parents and families as to what students are learning throughout the day by using podcasts as well.  Teachers can upload podcasts on the class blog with a brief description of what the students learned, any homework assignments and reminders.  

For ELLs, podcasts can help them practice their listening skills.  With a review of the day's lesson, students can catch up on any information they missed throughout the day.  Additionally, absent students will be able to stay up-to-date on their work if they have access to the podcast.  

Because I am new to the podcasting world, I still find it the technology to be time-consuming.  While updates can be brief, I would feel much more comfortable writing on the class blog or putting up a video.  Perhaps I just need to give this technology more of a chance.  As with much new technology, I feel that it is important to take time experimenting and becoming comfortable with it. 

If I were to develop a podcast for students to download that they could listen to as a center or for their homework, this could be a fun activity.  Students could use recording technology for presentations, museum visits, and interviews. Students could make their own podcasts so they could practice their speaking skills (and writing skills before they record!) to educate their peers on a topic.  They can also listen to their own speaking so they can recognize any mistakes and be able to self-correct.

Overall, I think recording technology can be helpful for ELLs because it provides opportunities to work in multiple language modalities.  Students, teachers, and families can all benefit from the inclusion of podcasting and audio files in the ESOL classroom.

Website

Family involvement can be a struggle.  I've seen it.  I've heard the stories.

As a teacher, however, it is important to open communication with the students' families in order to help the student learn.  

One possible way to do this: start (and maintain) a class website.

Class websites open communication between teachers, students, and the students' families.  Parents can feel involved in their children's educational lives when the teacher invites them to check the website and see what work students are doing in the classroom.

Homework assignments may be posted for the students who forgot or the parents who want to really make sure their child is telling the truth about not having any homework on a particular night.
Additionally, teachers may choose to add resources that parents and students may access at home.  These resources can range from fun educational websites to information on the common core.

Also, making a website is fun.  It's creative and personal.  It's free.  Teachers can (with parental permission) use photographs of students, display student work, and take videos to help everyone be aware of what is going on in the classroom.

Providing this space also allows parents to contact the teacher in a neutral platform.

For ELLs and their parents, a website is great because there are so many website translators that will allow the families to access all of the information posted, as opposed to a newsletter that may have to be translated (which can be difficult, depending on the language).  Parents who speak little English may feel more comfortable communicating with the teacher through a website or e-mail when they have access to translating tools, rather than in face-to-face or (even more daunting) phone conversation.

(You can check out my website prototype here)

There's an App For That™

I've already described how far behind the times I am.  I don't have a Smartphone or a tablet or other fun gadgets.

Today, though.  Today I got to play with an iPad.  I'm hooked!

There are many, many, many, fun and educational apps available for iPads.  Thankfully, there are also many free apps available.  While I was only able to investigate a few today in class, I was also able to use two different forms of evaluation to determine whether an app should be used in the classroom.

The structure of the Critical Evaluation of a Content-Based Mobile App (made by Kathleen Schrock) is visually appealing to me.  I like the table with boxes I can check and the places to take notes. I also really like that it allows users to document the title of the app, where it was found (which is very important!), and where it could be used.   Just for that alone, I could see myself spending days going through apps and creating a collection of these evaluations to have on hand when I want to enhance a lesson. 

The evaluation criteria is also helpful for assessing the appropriateness of using that particular app. It ensures that the app reinforces the lesson's message, provides means of assessment and differentiation of students.  The user-friendliness goes along with student motivation as well.  Since iPad apps should be encouraging students to learn (teaching secretly), the motivational aspect is critical in making sure that it is being used properly and for the desired results.  

The incorporation of Bloom's Taxonomy is also an interesting addition to the evaluation, forcing teachers to look at their own lesson plans and determine what the students are getting out of the lesson versus what they would like them to get out of it.

The summary section at the bottom also really makes sure that the teacher understands the app and has ideas of when to use or not use it before bringing it into the classroom.  This allows teachers to have a good idea of whether the app is appropriate for each student.  

On the other hand, the Evaluation Rubric for IPod Apps (created by Harry Walker) focuses on six domains.  It still asks users to look for differentiation, means to assess students, and student motivation. While it is user friendly, it does not allow a great extent of flexibility or a place to add comments when assessing an app.  Additionally, this rubric gives one single piece of feedback as to the quality of the app, rather than a more comprehensive evaluation of it (for example, I would likely add up the numbers to have a score of 20 out of 24, which doesn't say much about the app itself without further comment).  Because they may be useful in a variety of contexts and lessons, the rubric does not allow for that consideration.
While I'm generally very pro-rubric, I find that they are often more useful as guidelines when completing an assignment to ensure that every desired aspect is included.  Additionally, I find rubrics offer the potentiality for arbitrariness.  The differences between each number can be very subtle. 

Between the evaluations for apps, I would choose to use Kathleen Schrock's Critical Evaluation of a Content-Based Mobile App.  To me, it seems more organized, easy to use, and gives a thorough explanation of the different apps with included spaces to add comments of how to implement it in the classroom.

And see?  You can find an app for everything!

Excel-ling

I have to admit it: Excel used to scare me.
Perhaps it was the spreadsheets filled with numbers and formulas and data that I found so intimidating.

From class last week, however, I discovered that Excel may be beneficial for teachers to create documents that they could use in the classroom.
One application of Excel was in creating a floor plan to organize student desks/table areas.  For someone who has a significant amount of patience, this could be great.  I am not one of those people.  Instead, I would most likely end up frustrated and would prefer to have a pencil and paper in hand to draw my own seating chart.

Grading is another common application of Excel that can help teachers.  Still, though, I feel that there are other programs that may work even better.  Gradekeeper requires a fee, but provides seating charts, grades, and options to weight grades that can help make grading less frustrating and time-consuming.  While Excel is free and potentially able to do those things as well, the use of the countless formulas makes it much less user-friendly.

Even crossword puzzles can be made on Excel, but there are other online resources that produce them faster and much easier.  For Excel crosswords, the teacher must have the crossword already mapped out (and for someone like me who is awful at word games, it may take a while to fit them all in!).  With websites like Puzzle-Maker.com, the teacher only needs to enter the vocabulary that they would like to add along with the clues, and the crossword puzzle is created.  I suppose Excel does offer many other features, such as including various images, text, and graphs, but the speed of other programs may seem more promising.

Excel can also be used to create timelines, which was a feature I never considered.  Still, I find I would be much more inclined to use http://www.tiki-toki.com/, (which I found when searching for Internet Resources).  These timelines are visually pleasing, engaging, and creative.  Comparatively, I would much rather use and view the Tiki-Toki timelines in the classroom to make the content interesting for my students.
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For number-minded people (those involved with math, science, and extensive use of data that needs to be organized), Excel may be the best thing since sliced bread.  Using the many formulas and graphic organizer options may also be helpful for people with differing learning styles.  Even with its numerous applications, I am still hesitant (although no longer afraid!) to use Excel excessively.

Blogging about Blogging

Image found at: http://paintermommy.com/funny-cartoons-about-blogging

Educational blogging is a new thing for me.  It's not my first rodeo in the blogging world; I created a blog when I went traveling, partly to document the crazy things that happened to me, and partly to make updates easy, quick, and a one-stop shop for my family and friends at home.  Overall, I enjoyed updating my blog (although I began to lose steam once I returned home and the blog was dismantled).

Because of my reintroduction to blogging, I chose to conduct my research on "blogging in the ESOL classroom" for my Educational Technology research paper.  Being a strong believer in journaling to help students--especially language learners-- with reading and writing skills and practicing the language in a low-anxiety situation, blogging sounds ideal.  Kids love to use technology, (although adults may feel a bit wary of it initially), and the earlier they are introduced to it, the more familiarized they may become with it; technology does not seem to be going away anytime soon.  Additionally, writing is an activity that my own students are completely reluctant to complete.  Perhaps it's a struggle with handwriting or the freedom of the assignment that they find intimidating.  For whatever reason, blogging seems to be a fun way to motivate students to write and express themselves in an environment with a real audience.

Image found at: http://paintermommy.com/funny-cartoons-about-blogging

One of the greatest ideas that I gleaned from my research was to split the school year between reading and writing blogs.  In one study that I read, students read blogs that were written in the target language and came to find similarities and cultural understanding between the blogger and themselves.  Just imagine: for students learning French, they could follow a variety of French bloggers who focused on different themes (fashion, current events, etc.) that would interest students and provide a look into their lives while practicing the language authentically.  For the second semester, students wrote their own blogs.  The students were able to use the blogs they read to model the blogging process, and students were able to improve their language skills through this exercise.  From this study I am inspired to start reading blogs that are written in languages I want to learn and relearn, and then have a go at practicing the language on my own.

Another great idea that I found was one in which the instructor created a shared class blog where students could respond to one another.  This blog served to extend the class time, which was ideal for an advanced language course where the students were excited to learn and were benefiting from the extra practice.  This blog created a great sense of community between the students.  They really got to know one another and respect each other through the blog world, which then encouraged all students to take chances linguistically without the fear of ridicule. The community atmosphere in the classroom is one which most, if not all, teachers desire to have.  Students who work together to support each other as they learn not only can help one another learn, but create friendships that go beyond the classroom.

The issue of being nervous and embarrassed about the public nature of blogging makes complete sense to me, particularly when first learning a language.  If I do create a blog to practice the language, I might even adjust the viewer settings until I feel confident in my abilities.  I remember feeling anxious and self-conscious about making mistakes, especially when getting feedback, or corrections, publicly.  Learning a language can definitely be scary, and I think that it's a good thing for teachers to acknowledge that.  Creating a community within the classroom can help students feel more comfortable with one another and avoid all of the nerves and self-consciousness.

One reason why I, and presumably many other people, enjoy blogging is the freedom that it allows.

Image found at: http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/2012/09/tips-seo-social-media-blog-posts/

I can take my time to write my blog posts from the comfort of my home, a coffee shop, or even on my break at work.  I can write when the assignment is first mentioned, when I feel inspired, or I can wait until the night before the assignment is due.  It's up to me.  I have control over my assignment in terms of how I want it to get done (as long as it gets done!).

I can also choose to write in my own style and, mostly, about my own interests.  These freedoms motivate me to continue blogging and say what I have to say and what I want to say.

One of the interesting things that I found in my research was that students did not necessarily address the comments made by their peers.  Blogging was a personal space for students to express themselves rather than a space to get feedback from others.  Bloggers come to feel confident in their writing and take ownership of it; the writing becomes part of the writer.  

Some of the negative aspects of using blogs for language learners include the fact that many students from my research felt that writing finished pieces in the target language required too much time and effort, and that it took a lot of the joy out of blogging.  I had pen-pals to whom I stopped writing for that same reason-- it took so long to write anything in a new language.  I wanted it to be correct.  I wanted my message to get across, and I didn't want to acknowledge that my language skills were not up to par.  Here, I think it's the requirement of the teacher to explain what the purpose of the blog is for the students in the classroom.

One of the greatest problems that occurred with blogging in the classroom was the fear of making mistakes.

Image found here: http://loyalkng.com/2010/02/02/mr-eraser-doesnt-like-it-when-people-make-mistakes/

When learning a language, taking chances is terrifying but completely necessary in order to improve.  If only teachers encouraged students to express themselves creatively more often than emphasizing perfect grammar, I think we would have students that are more willing to take chances and express their own ideas and innovations.  I feel that the restructuring of the schools is aiming to stamp out the creativity among students; students should memorize facts, then regurgitate the answers on standardized assessments.  The mentality in schools is usually that there is one right answer rather than allowing students to explore, question, critique, and discover. One study suggested that the students use the traditional notebook and pencil to write informally to the teacher because it limits the number of readers and publicity of the assignment.  If the teacher is encouraging students to write freely and without concerns over accuracy, I'm not sure blogging is the correct way to go for all students. Blogging may be better left to more advanced English speakers until students have gained the confidence to write in a public atmosphere.

If the aim of the instructor is to extend the school day and foster a sense of community, a shared class blog may be more beneficial for students.

Or, if the teacher wants students to practice publishing work through process writing, blogging may make the writing process easier for readers and writers alike.

And, if the students are looking for a cultural understanding and exchange, the teacher may want to encourage students to read blogs written by target language speakers and use those as models for the student writing.

Developing connections among students of different cultures can have a plethora of benefits, and teachers should explore the various resources available to them to encourage expression and open communication.

Overall, I think that blogging can be extremely beneficial for the students to practice literacy skills.  I think that students should be familiar with blogging tools and opportunities and given the freedom to write in ways that do not make it feel like an obligation to participate.  Additionally, I think that the teachers need to evaluate the purposes of using blogs in the classroom and determine what they want their students to get out of it.  Blogging may be beneficial for advanced students, and perhaps should be reserved for ready-to-publish pieces of writing for intermediate students. Teachers should aim to help students understand the culture of others and foster a community in the classroom--the classroom should be a safe space for students.  Blog-writing may be best used for beginner and intermediate students as an extra credit assignment, and journaling used to encourage students to write freely and without anxiety of embarrassment.

The blog world is unique and riddled with possibilities, but the teacher should evaluate the nature of the assignments and burdens it may place on students before integrating it into the class structure.