PRO CON

An interesting website that I was looking at today was called Pro/Con

http://www.procon.org/

Pro Con examines controversial topics from both sides. While somewhat limited in its current scope, it looks like something that could develop over time into an excellent resource. The authors claim to be unaffiliated with any specific religion or political group. Their goal is to put out information that informs readers about both sides of a given controversial topic.

If this website does what so many others have done, it will be free until it develops into a fabulous resource with a lot of users and then they will start charging.

I will keep an eye on this resource.

Appropriate Use Policy

I was reading an online article about whether we should still have parents sign an agreement giving their students permission to use the Internet and agreeing that their student will use it appropriately.

He argues that in many classrooms the Internet is now an integral part of the curriculum and no longer a supplemental resource. (http://www.edjurist.com/blog/acceptable-use-policies-becoming-a-relic.html)

He thinks that correct usage of the internet should be assumed (maybe placed in the student handbook) and we should punish students retroactively for bad behavior rather than having them sign before hand.

I think this is a pretty fair article and I agreed with most of it.

I was wondering how much teachers use the Internet for the bulk of their curriculum. I think that quite a few teachers still use it as a supplement. Any opinions?

Myths and Legends

I spent some time on the myths and legends story maker page tonight.

http://myths.e2bn.org/story_creator/

I love it.  I can think of lots of educational uses for it.  Foreign language classes could write simple stories using their 2nd language skills.

It could be good for summarizing, because you can only use so many words per picture.

I think students would really enjoy making a project on here.

 Personally, I think it would be fun with my younger nieces and nephews.  They love to have stories read to them.  I'm wondering if they would like to listen to the stories on this site.

I didn't get very far in the story I was making.  It definitely helps to have a somewhat thought out story before you start creating.

Technology and students

I taught a class on Friday about Google Docs. I showed the students some of the things they could do, gave them a handout with login directions and let them give it a try. More than half had never heard about it. It was fun.

While students were creating documents and sharing them with their peers, one of the students told me about Google Groups. He and some friends had created a group for some school club they belonged to.

One of the things that is exciting about technology is that it often allows a student to demonstrate knowledge that the teacher doesn't have. It is one of the subject areas where teachers and students can often be on a voyage of discovery together. The learning and sharing is real and not artificially created.

Lifelong technology learning

The continuously changing technologies of literacy mean that we must help children learn how to learn new technologies of literacy. In fact, the ability to learn continuously changing technologies for literacy may be a more critical target than learning any particular technology of literacy itself.
Donald J. Leu, Jr., The New Literacies

I found this quote when I was reading the Web 2.0 blog and I was struck by the phrase "In fact, the abilty to learn continuously changing technolgies" I sometimes point out to students that when I get confused about showing them a program that since I have started using computers, I have had to learn to use around 8 different operating systems (Mac and PC), I can't remember how many different word processors I have learned, plus their upgrades. Then add on that all the different software programs I have worked with. The most important technology skill I have is the ability to sit down at a new piece of technolgy and figure out how to use it. (Still haven't quite figured out Dreamweaver yet)

I have been a big fan of Mac computers for years, and I think the reason is that most of their programs are intuitive and fairly easy to figure out. (The latest iMovie being an exception).

I agree with Mr. Leu. It is imperative that we teach our students how to learn new technologies.
Probably the best way to do this is to expose them to a number of different programs. So teaching them programs like "voice thread" Power point, google docs, comic life, iphoto, garage band, blogs, wikis and whatever other programs lend themselves to our subject matters are never a waste. They are more training in being able to adapt to different technology tools.

Efolio

I signed up for an e-folio page. Which is a website hosted by the state of MN for students and others to use as an online professional portfolio. It is targeted at students so they can have an online portfolio of what they do in their 12 years in school.

Mine is a very basic start up page.
http://www.debrasnell.efoliomn2.com/index.asp

I can see a lot of great uses for this. In fact I think that our career center shows this to students.
This seems like a really great tool for showcasing skills. I know an ELL teacher who wants to have her students do their resumes online and this would be a great site for her. I also know some home schooled students that I think could use this.

It is a nice service and I would definitely recommend it.

Ning and ipods

Ning was recommended as a good site to try for online group communications.  I joined a web 2.0 group on Ning and read a little.  Quite a few of the postings were travel adds.  The site looked pretty easy to use though.  It made me wonder if we could use the district's wiki pages to create the same thing.  If we could then we wouldn't have to worry so much about hackers getting on and seeing what our students were saying or doing.  I think I will check into that.

On a slightly different note.  We were given a set of ipod touches to use at our school.  I have been carrying one around for a few weeks.  Wow has it changed the way I work.  I carry it with me everywhere.  I can set alarms to remind me that I need to check the computer lab "now" or be in the library in ten minutes.  It carries my calendar, my e-mail, my to do list, and of course a few games.  I downloaded an app the other day that will allow me to record and track my spending.  (Hmmm.....that might be depressing)  

The reason I write this is that our school has had a policy of "no electronic devices".  As smart phones and other devices become available, I think we as educators might want to start thinking of these things as our friends.  They could be a way to help our students get organized in a way they have never been before.  (Of course we will need to do a little training on responsile use.)  When the time comes to turn in the ipod, I will have to go buy one. (Of course now that I have the spending tracking app, I can save up for it.)