I recently watched a video podcast on iTunesU which was provided by WGBH. The video was in the K-5 category (along my lines since I'm an elementary education major). It was titled "What Is a Planet?" and was actually very, very informative. It talked about two, now categorized as dwarf planets, but possible planets that were located in 2005. It then went on to discuss the actual characteristics of a real planet and explained the reasons behind Pluto and those other two discovered being labeled now dwarf planets. It was cool because I didn't understand at all why Pluto was no longer a planet but now I know it's actually because for one, if Pluto were as close to the sun as Earth is then part of it would melt and it would form a tale (which is what a comet does) and two, because it can't clear the area around it and planets should be able to do that. So that was the video podcast that I watched.
I think video podcasts could be useful to me and others as teachers for the very reason that I liked it so much, I did not know that information. A teacher should always be learning and this is the perfect way to do it. I got some interesting and possibly useful information from a video that was completely free and very easily accessed! Also, I think it could be a good tool used in the classroom as well. It would be easy to pull these videos up on the computer and then allow your class to watch them. It can be related to the lesson or maybe just some interesting information that you might think the children would enjoy. I know that when I was in elementary school things such as the planets were really interesting to me and if something such as Pluto no longer being classified as a planet occurred when I was in school it would interest me to know why.
Another reason I think it would be useful to have videos such as these for a teacher is also something I mentioned in the previous paragraph. They are accessed very easily! You do not have to buy them, you do not have to go searching a store or stores for them. They are right there on your computer & and internet just waiting to be downloaded and used. You really can't beat that as a teacher. Teachers are always looking for extra tools to use in the classroom and these videos on iTunesU would be a great tool and would really interest the students! I know that when I become a teacher I am really looking forward to using tools such as these in the classroom. They're convenient and interesting..what more could you want?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Useful Podcasts for Teachers
In this post I'm going to summarize a couple of podcasts I listened to and then discuss how podcasts like the ones I listened to could be useful to me as a teacher. The first podcast I listened to was A Night in the Global Village: Heifer Ranch. This was a very interesting podcast. It was done on a study of a program that the Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning in Denver, Colorado did pertaining to learning about those less fortunate in the world. The students go to a place called Heifer Ranch and are assigned to a group; could be refugees, or in a culture that is less fortunate than that as an American. When they are assigned to these groups they are literally only given what those in the culture they were assigned to really have. To start out they were given a few supplies and then had to trade with other groups to get things they needed. They live as that culture does, for example the refugees are not allowed to talk to anyone (I suppose unless they are spoken to). The students have to work together with their group, and working with other groups to be able to survive the conditions they are given. It gives the students the opportunity to see how less fortunate some really are in the world and to get a first-hand experience as to the conditions of those people. Many of the students, after the experience, felt they really wanted to do what they could to improve the conditions.
The next podcast I listened to was The Edible Schoolyard: Martin Luther King Junior Middle School. This was a podcast about at outdoor classroom at the above middle school who actually have their own garden and kitchen to learn about all different kinds of subjects. It incorporates math, science, social studies, and life. Every little detail and every supply are used to teach a lesson. The children plant different foods in the garden (science), cook different foods (measuring and such - math), and do many more activities within this class. They learn about all of these different subjects, but they also learn how to cooperate and work with others and learn the little basics of life too. The garden was actually the idea of Alice Waters who runs the Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, CA. The original idea was based on improving school lunches, but it just stuck and was incorporated into the classroom. It teaches the children more than just the basics of subject matter taught in school, it teaches them about different aspects of life.
These podcasts were very interesting to me. The ideas used at both schools were so innovative and like nothing I have ever heard of before being done in a school. Both programs taught the students so many useful lessons that go beyond what is normally taught in the schools. It taught them valuable life lessons, things that they are really going to have to do on a day-to-day basis; or it taught them about ways that they could help improve the lives of others. I think podcasts such as these would be helpful to me as a teacher because it teaches you and gives you ideas on how to be creative in the classroom. Also, it shows that you don't always have to go by the "norm" (students sitting in desks completing book work) to be teaching them what they need to know. It also expresses how it can effect the kids when you do go above and beyond to teach them various things. The students in these podcasts were really enjoying themselves and at the same time they knew that they were learning some very important things. I would love to incorporate ideas like those in these podcasts into my classroom and help my students think about more than is what in their textbooks for a change!
Well, that's all the posts for today! As always, hope you enjoy!
The next podcast I listened to was The Edible Schoolyard: Martin Luther King Junior Middle School. This was a podcast about at outdoor classroom at the above middle school who actually have their own garden and kitchen to learn about all different kinds of subjects. It incorporates math, science, social studies, and life. Every little detail and every supply are used to teach a lesson. The children plant different foods in the garden (science), cook different foods (measuring and such - math), and do many more activities within this class. They learn about all of these different subjects, but they also learn how to cooperate and work with others and learn the little basics of life too. The garden was actually the idea of Alice Waters who runs the Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, CA. The original idea was based on improving school lunches, but it just stuck and was incorporated into the classroom. It teaches the children more than just the basics of subject matter taught in school, it teaches them about different aspects of life.
These podcasts were very interesting to me. The ideas used at both schools were so innovative and like nothing I have ever heard of before being done in a school. Both programs taught the students so many useful lessons that go beyond what is normally taught in the schools. It taught them valuable life lessons, things that they are really going to have to do on a day-to-day basis; or it taught them about ways that they could help improve the lives of others. I think podcasts such as these would be helpful to me as a teacher because it teaches you and gives you ideas on how to be creative in the classroom. Also, it shows that you don't always have to go by the "norm" (students sitting in desks completing book work) to be teaching them what they need to know. It also expresses how it can effect the kids when you do go above and beyond to teach them various things. The students in these podcasts were really enjoying themselves and at the same time they knew that they were learning some very important things. I would love to incorporate ideas like those in these podcasts into my classroom and help my students think about more than is what in their textbooks for a change!
Well, that's all the posts for today! As always, hope you enjoy!
iTunes U..
The Apple site states, "iTunes U, part of the iTunes Store, is possibly the world’s greatest collection of free educational media available to students, teachers, and lifelong learners." I think this is a very good summary of what iTunes U is all about. For those that don't know, the U stands for Univerisity, so it's really iTunes University. iTunes U contains podcasts from different university's all over which include a lot of actual lectures from the courses. There are also podcasts just pertaining to education, such as how-tos and presenting different educational topics. The Apple site also states that "with over 100,000 educational audio and video files available, iTunes U* has quickly become the engine for the mobile learning movement."
I personally think that iTunes U can be a very useful tool to me and many others as both a student and a future educator. As a student it contains tools such as college lectures
(yes, I do listen to my lectures when I go to class); but the added information is always useful. There are also large amounts of information out there that have to do with being an educator that I needed to be learning about while still in school myself. Things such as the different forms of technology being used in the classrooms and different teaching methods need to be learned now instead of later.
When I do become a teacher I still believe that I will be referring to iTunes U to learn even more information. There are so many podcasts on there that are there specifically to help current teachers. Teaching methods and tools are things that can always be improved upon and there are podcasts to help teachers do this. Also, technology issues, there is always something that you may not know how to use or just need help getting started, and there are podcasts for that also. There are just so many uses for iTunes U, and I really do think that as a student and when I am a teacher I will be using this site to improve my methods and continue learning new things.
I personally think that iTunes U can be a very useful tool to me and many others as both a student and a future educator. As a student it contains tools such as college lectures
(yes, I do listen to my lectures when I go to class); but the added information is always useful. There are also large amounts of information out there that have to do with being an educator that I needed to be learning about while still in school myself. Things such as the different forms of technology being used in the classrooms and different teaching methods need to be learned now instead of later.
When I do become a teacher I still believe that I will be referring to iTunes U to learn even more information. There are so many podcasts on there that are there specifically to help current teachers. Teaching methods and tools are things that can always be improved upon and there are podcasts to help teachers do this. Also, technology issues, there is always something that you may not know how to use or just need help getting started, and there are podcasts for that also. There are just so many uses for iTunes U, and I really do think that as a student and when I am a teacher I will be using this site to improve my methods and continue learning new things.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
iPods as an Instruction Tool..
I think using iPods for an instruction tool in education is a really interesting idea. There can be arguments for or against it though. "The Principals' Partnership" site did some in-depth research on the use of iPods for instruction. Honestly, beyond getting information off of iTunes U (which I just found out about this semester), I didn't know there was furthur use of the iPod for education material. After reading this research though, I have really been enlightened. As said before, things such as lectures and podcasts can be found on iTunes U and then synced on the iPod. Seems pretty basic, right? Well in K-12 classrooms iPods are being used for so much more than even that. Slideshows are created, loaded to the iPod, then loaded to a computer at school. It has also been shown to help when learning another language. Students have files of the language stored onto their iPod and can listen to it and practice more than just sitting and listening in class. Also, to go along with that, the students can record themselves, download it to the iPod and have even more resources at hand.
Not only can it be put to all of these uses and so many more, it is also very convenient. Students can carry them around and have them at easy access the majority of the time. Plus, students like this idea. Instead of getting in trouble for using the iPods at school, it can be encouraged. Yet, not only the students can use iPods. Teachers can put them to good use too. You have all kinds of lessons and materials at hand for use or just to gather ideas from.
Yet, after all of this great information there is always going to be a downfall somewhere. Duke University did a study and put all of this iPod talk into action. They distributed a number of iPods to incoming freshman in August of 2004. These iPods were implemented into certain classes and data was collected on how they were used, and the pros and cons of the use. Of course, most of the uses stated above were how it was implemented. Students could download and listen to content, and also record things and use them for storage. For all of those uses plus the conveniency it was a positive experiement. Yet, there were negatives such as some content was hard or unable to download at all, some downloads were not sufficient, some students just couldn't understand the technology enough for it to be productive, among other struggles. It was an informative study, but it's hard to tell if it goes positive or negative for the use of iPods in instruction.
Personally, I think it is a good idea but I do not think it should replace everything else used in the classroom. A person's education should not rely solely on what they have on their iPod. It has some very neat and productive uses, but at the same time traditional ways can always be put to good use too.
Well, those are all of the blogs for today. As always, hope you enjoy!
Not only can it be put to all of these uses and so many more, it is also very convenient. Students can carry them around and have them at easy access the majority of the time. Plus, students like this idea. Instead of getting in trouble for using the iPods at school, it can be encouraged. Yet, not only the students can use iPods. Teachers can put them to good use too. You have all kinds of lessons and materials at hand for use or just to gather ideas from.
Yet, after all of this great information there is always going to be a downfall somewhere. Duke University did a study and put all of this iPod talk into action. They distributed a number of iPods to incoming freshman in August of 2004. These iPods were implemented into certain classes and data was collected on how they were used, and the pros and cons of the use. Of course, most of the uses stated above were how it was implemented. Students could download and listen to content, and also record things and use them for storage. For all of those uses plus the conveniency it was a positive experiement. Yet, there were negatives such as some content was hard or unable to download at all, some downloads were not sufficient, some students just couldn't understand the technology enough for it to be productive, among other struggles. It was an informative study, but it's hard to tell if it goes positive or negative for the use of iPods in instruction.
Personally, I think it is a good idea but I do not think it should replace everything else used in the classroom. A person's education should not rely solely on what they have on their iPod. It has some very neat and productive uses, but at the same time traditional ways can always be put to good use too.
Well, those are all of the blogs for today. As always, hope you enjoy!
Electronic Portfolio Idea from Dr. Christie
After looking at Dr. Christie's site, I was really impressed with all of the research and projects she has done in and out of the classroom. The idea that I really liked was the electronic portfolio. The first thought that came to mind when I saw that topic was Foliotek, but after reading information on it I realized it was nothing like Foliotek. It can be such a more inventive and telling idea. Having your students have an electronic portfolio could up so many doors to them, not only with learning but with learning new ways to express themselves also.
A major tool that is commonly used in the classroom is a journal. The way I see the electronic portfolio is sort of just an electronic journal. No, it may not be organized into little paragraphs or stories; but it's artifacts that the students created that tell something about them. Plus, these kinds of portfolios can be used for a range of ages; it doesn't just have to be college students. I think children even in elementary school could make something along these lines. For them, I think I would structure it more into a project that went on over a significant amount of time, with areas and times designated to add to it. The thing is, most children in elementary schools can work a computer better than a lot of adults. Give a child a computer and there imagination and thought process can go in so many different ways. I just really liked this idea. It's open for interpretation, yet at the same time it can be a clear-cut project. I would definitely consider implementing this in my classroom.
A major tool that is commonly used in the classroom is a journal. The way I see the electronic portfolio is sort of just an electronic journal. No, it may not be organized into little paragraphs or stories; but it's artifacts that the students created that tell something about them. Plus, these kinds of portfolios can be used for a range of ages; it doesn't just have to be college students. I think children even in elementary school could make something along these lines. For them, I think I would structure it more into a project that went on over a significant amount of time, with areas and times designated to add to it. The thing is, most children in elementary schools can work a computer better than a lot of adults. Give a child a computer and there imagination and thought process can go in so many different ways. I just really liked this idea. It's open for interpretation, yet at the same time it can be a clear-cut project. I would definitely consider implementing this in my classroom.
Wikipedia, Fact or Fiction?
Well, after reading articles that question the integrity of Wikipedia my overall opinion is..believe very little of what you read at this site. Whenever you go to a search engine and type in that key word you're looking for, the majority of the time the number one response back is an article from Wikipedia about whatever you searched. Convenient, yes; factual, who knows really. It's a well known fact that anybody can edit information on Wikipedia, but you would expect the edits to be done to correct the information, not embellish or flat out lie. Really, there is no way to tell if the information you receive from the site is true or not, because honestly you have no idea where that information even came from.
Time and time again, in high school and college, I've been told by my professors when preparing to write a paper, "Wikipedia is not an acceptable reference". I have to say, I completely agree. Honestly in the past years I've never really done much with the site, but lately the more rushed time gets if I just want quick information that has been where I've gone. I have to say now though, that will not be happening much because how am I supposed to know if what I'm reading is true? Yes, at times the open edit feature may be valuable, but when major companies start trying to cover up or enhance their image, how valuable can it really be?
Time and time again, in high school and college, I've been told by my professors when preparing to write a paper, "Wikipedia is not an acceptable reference". I have to say, I completely agree. Honestly in the past years I've never really done much with the site, but lately the more rushed time gets if I just want quick information that has been where I've gone. I have to say now though, that will not be happening much because how am I supposed to know if what I'm reading is true? Yes, at times the open edit feature may be valuable, but when major companies start trying to cover up or enhance their image, how valuable can it really be?
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