The middle school that I now work in is a part of the new roll out of tech tools; iPads and laptops will go into each classroom. As a result of that roll out, all of the teachers in the building MUST take a class called 11 Tools. It is a scripted set of instructions for using different technology tools. It is called 11 tools but includes many more than 11. Each assignment incorporates multiple tools but focuses on a single idea. It is well written with many short instructional videos that help those of us who are not intuitive with technology. The Ed Tech folks even offer face-to-face tutorials to help the learner move past any areas of confusion. At some points in the training the learner may choose the tools to use as well as how to demonstrate her or his learning.
I cannot say that I have been excited to do this, but I haven't felt overwhelmed either. I was stuck for a while on how to download a video to the required blog, but Karen helped me past that easily. After working with help this morning, I returned to my office ready to work on how to build a glogster, or is it called a glog? I had attended a session on glogster at ISTE and wanted to build it into my set of tech tools to use for the coming year.
While setting up a page is fairly simple, I want to add video to the page. I have not figured that out yet--the one's I downloaded from youtube don't show up when I go to upload--but I found something much more important than a tech tool. I found an endless list of interviews with published authors.
Is this what Technology for Learning really is? I have been uncomfortable with the pressure to learn tool after tool after tool after tool. I have wondered what mattered more, pedagogy or content or enthusiasm or tech tools. Actually I am uncomfortable with what I perceive to be most important. Does one force someone to learn 11 tools or 25 tools or 2000 tools--I am certain that there are many more than 2000 to learn? It is the dip into the water that pulls the learner in. The excitement of the new knowledge in a field of interest rather than the next "tool" to learn on a machine, unless, of course, that is your field of interest. Maybe that is an old lady perspective on learning, but finding and watching those videos excites me. Idea after idea after idea have popped into my head on ways to use the videos, on new ways to teach, on ways to encourage the reluctant writer, on and on and on. This is the feeling about learning that I hope to generate in the teachers and the students with whom I get to work next year.
A conflict--the tools led me to this new and fabulous resource, but the forced march from tool to tool to tool does not generate excitement in me for learning them. I wonder how the teachers are feeling about the tools? We will see if this really opened doors to using technology. I am going back to view authormagazine.org. It sounded like an excellent opportunity to learn even more about writing. Exciting!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Independence Day?
Back from a long weekend without fireworks. The drought is so bad here that no one was allowed to shoot off a single firecracker. Sadie, my dog, was thrilled. It didn't quite feel like a holiday though.
I celebrate independence on one day and officially start a new job the next! This job--interdisciplinary coach--does not really have a definition. We are building it as we go with the help of Alan November and Bill Dagget. You know what they say about too much freedom.... What to do with myself? I continue using Diigo in Education as a source of new reading information. As an English educator, I have always thought of ideas or found new ideas and then looked for resources to read more about it. Through the research I was looking for justification of the idea or possible extensions to an idea or just a new way to address a consistent problem. I knew the leaders in the field and where to go to find them. I don't know the leaders in this field. Who is valued? Who should I trust? Who simply has an idea, and who has truly researched and proven their ideas have value? My new found technology independence leaves me feeling confined by my lack of knowledge. So I ask you--the universe of ed tech folks--who are the researchers in this field? Who has a trusted voice? Until I find those folks, I will wander in this crowded field of next ideas.
My wanderings today have helped me to find a very interesting idea: http://www.technologybitsbytesnibbles.info/archives/5066 This is a blog on the use of QR codes. The notion is to take a book (picture book used for this example but any book or article would benefit) and link it to web sites that add to one's understanding of the book through the use of QR codes. The author of the article found the sites and made the links. But a person who commented on the blog suggested that teachers allow students to find the sites and create the links. Both are interesting ideas. These links could fill in gaps of background knowledge; they could also extend the reader's knowledge. Imagine how teachers could enhance a student's knowledge in science by sending them to videos or simulations. There is potential for this at any level and in any content area. One more tool to add to the list!
As I think about wanting to find good research and the notion of independence, it seems that this is an excellent opportunity to apply my understanding of action research. How will these tools work in our middle school classrooms? I am anxious for teachers to return in August. Who will want to join this adventure with me?
I celebrate independence on one day and officially start a new job the next! This job--interdisciplinary coach--does not really have a definition. We are building it as we go with the help of Alan November and Bill Dagget. You know what they say about too much freedom.... What to do with myself? I continue using Diigo in Education as a source of new reading information. As an English educator, I have always thought of ideas or found new ideas and then looked for resources to read more about it. Through the research I was looking for justification of the idea or possible extensions to an idea or just a new way to address a consistent problem. I knew the leaders in the field and where to go to find them. I don't know the leaders in this field. Who is valued? Who should I trust? Who simply has an idea, and who has truly researched and proven their ideas have value? My new found technology independence leaves me feeling confined by my lack of knowledge. So I ask you--the universe of ed tech folks--who are the researchers in this field? Who has a trusted voice? Until I find those folks, I will wander in this crowded field of next ideas.
My wanderings today have helped me to find a very interesting idea: http://www.technologybitsbytesnibbles.info/archives/5066 This is a blog on the use of QR codes. The notion is to take a book (picture book used for this example but any book or article would benefit) and link it to web sites that add to one's understanding of the book through the use of QR codes. The author of the article found the sites and made the links. But a person who commented on the blog suggested that teachers allow students to find the sites and create the links. Both are interesting ideas. These links could fill in gaps of background knowledge; they could also extend the reader's knowledge. Imagine how teachers could enhance a student's knowledge in science by sending them to videos or simulations. There is potential for this at any level and in any content area. One more tool to add to the list!
As I think about wanting to find good research and the notion of independence, it seems that this is an excellent opportunity to apply my understanding of action research. How will these tools work in our middle school classrooms? I am anxious for teachers to return in August. Who will want to join this adventure with me?
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