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.

The Worst Day of His Life

Last fall, I completed my observation hours in a sixth grade inclusive classroom.  In all honesty, I was a bit terrified to begin observing with the older kids.  While younger children simply want attention, affection, and affirmation, older children were a bit more difficult.  They still want the same things--attention, affection, and affirmation-- but older kids are usually wayyyyy too cool to admit it.  When I began observing, my mindset completely changed.  I saw these young people stuck between childhood and adulthood, and they were inquisitive, interested, and respectful.
Most of the time when I was in this classroom I worked with one young man who had special needs.  He seemed (to my untrained eye) to have attention difficulties and trouble writing, to the extent that the teachers often assigned him less work than the other students.  This individual was immensely creative, kind, and enthusiastic.  Still, he struggled in the classroom setting.  Instructors had difficulty with him because was too loud or had too much energy or he couldn't sit down and just do his work.
One particular day, the class was working on math problems.  The teachers would call on the students who volunteered to answer questions, and this young man never volunteered in math.  This time, the teacher called on him to answer the question: "What is 6x2?"
I'm sure she thought that it was an easy question for him to answer.  The hands of the other kids shot up in the air, waving eagerly.  He looked around frantically, not knowing the answer.  Seconds ticked by.  Some kids started snickering, and the teacher scolded them.  The teacher encouraged him to answer.  Others tried to help, all at once, showing on their fingers, or calling his name encouragingly.  He fumbled around, finally saying "6."  The teacher asked again, "What is six times twelve?"   He tried finding his multiplication chart in his folder, and the other students started laughing.  Finally, after what must have seemed like an eternity to this student, he found the chart, moved his fingers across the line until he could finally say the answer, "12."
The teacher smiled and told him what a great job he had done.  This student sunk in his chair with his hands over his head and told me, "This is the worst day of my life."

After watching How Difficult Can This Be, I came to understand the difficulties that this student faced every day.  On top of being teased by his classmates, one question--even one that the teacher thought he could answer-- caused this student to have frustration, anxiety, and tension (F.A.T., as the video describes), along with possibly affecting his self-esteem. The teacher and other students probably forgot about this within minutes, but for the embarrassed student, it affected him on a much deeper level.
Many classrooms are designed to train students to spit out information quickly.  I have always been the kind of person who prefers time to think about what I want to say before I get up the nerve to raise my hand and share.  Still though, teachers are often afraid of silence.  The process of waiting for students to think about an answer before responding can feel uncomfortable, and while when students respond quickly (even if it is the same student who is responding every time!) it serves as affirmation to the teacher that students (or a student) is learning.  The problem with this model, of course, is that not every student has access to the information, and many of them are probably not learning at all.  I loved the idea of the teacher cluing students in to participating by standing in front of that student's desk in order to give him or her time to prepare a response.  Once students are able to prepare themselves and receive positive feedback, they will be more willing to respond in the future as well.
ELLs have many of the same difficulties as students with special needs, and some may have special needs in addition to a language barrier.  ELLs may require more time to think about the language before forming a response.  They may also benefit from different scaffolds and background knowledge to help them, and all students, understand the content in the classroom.
The classroom should be a safe place for students to learn.  Watching the video was an incredible way to understand the struggles that diverse students face on a daily basis, and it can help educators direct instruction to benefit all students.

Seeing is Believing: Visual Learners Rejoice

"Learning is always rebellion... Every bit of new truth discovered is revolutionary to what was believed before." -Margaret Lee Runbeck

I consider myself to be a visual learner. I think in terms of pictures and I need to mentally see a word to figure out how to spell it. I love graphic organizers. Rewriting and reorganizing information helps me remember things. For my students who are also visual learners: I've got your back.

Some learning strategies that I may take into account when working with a visual learner include the need to have order when learning. The word "order" can definitely be "in the eye of the beholder." Order to one student may seem like disorder to others--but because we all learn differently, we, as teachers, should encourage students to discover how things make sense to them. Charts are great for creating connections, seeing patterns, and grouping ideas. Using tools such as Inspiration or bubbl.us would be ideal for visual learners. The flexibility of these programs allow not only for brainstorming, but showing connections between different ideas, including pictures, and helping to make information make sense.

Using images in lessons can be incredibly useful, as well as showing how something works rather than just telling. Not only can images in PowerPoint presentations be fun and engaging with students, if they are used properly they can also help create connections and meaning for students. Additionally, teachers should use realia to help make information applicable and meaningful for students as well.

When working with ELLs, I would definitely emphasize the importance of using visuals, especially if your students have low English proficiency. Providing images allows students to create associations between words and meaning, and can help with literacy skills. Because ELLs must keep up with content while learning the language, visuals can help students organize and understand information even if the student does not yet have advanced language skills. Visuals such as graphs, charts, images, concept maps, and graphic organizers can provide scaffolds for ELLs and other students to help them succeed in the classroom.