Going Global and the Connected Classroom

Going Global and the Connected Classroom

     This week we are learning about globally connected classrooms. Two leaders in globally connected classrooms are Vicki Davis and Julie Lindsay, who established the Flat Classroom Project to help establish students as global citizens (Module nine, n.d.). In order to connect globally, students and teachers must have a strong internet connection. Students can use wikis, podcasts, and videos to solidify world-wide connections.

   Podcasts and vodcasts are digital media files (either audio or video) that are released episodically and can be downloaded through the Internet (Solomon & Schrum, 2009). They are useful for students who are learning about real-world events or phenomena, such as scientists who are actually working in a field that students are studying. Students can also create their own podcasts of vodcasts to demonstrate their understanding of material (Solomon & Schrum, 2009). Teachers can also use them to help with their professional development. 

     Many argue that creating global citizens should be a goal of all educators ("Teacher Reboot Camp, 2010). When students exposed to connected classrooms, they help develop collaboration and communication skills. Other tools available are Skype, blogs, and wikis. 

Resources:

Module 9: Going global and the connected classroom (n.d.). Retrieved May 26, 2014 from bb.snhu.edu

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2010). Web 2.0 how to for educators. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.

Teacher Reboot Camp. (2010, October 3). Learning Beyond Walls: 28 Resources for Your Students to Connect Globally :. Retrieved May 27, 2014, from http://shellyterrell.com/2010/10/03/learning-beyond-walls-28-resources-for-your-students-to-connect-globally/

Animoto

Animoto

This week we created an educational lesson "hook" using Animoto. 

Animoto is a free Web 2.0 tool that allows users to make videos with pictures, videos, and text. Check out the animoto I created to introduce my 3rd/4th graders to Immigration located below.

Google Apps

Google Apps!

Over 20 million students use Google Apps for educate purposes. Can you believe that?! This is a 100& increase in the past 2 years.

What is Google Apps?

     Google Apps can be used by students and teachers as a means to enhance the quality of education. Google Apps are made possible by cloud computing, which acts like a "cloud" to store any information you choose. This "cloud" makes it possible for you to access applications, files, data, etc, from any device with an internet connection. 

     Google Apps is a type of productivity application, which helps you get things done! The tools available on Google are a lot like the software tools you might already have available on your computer, such as Presentation, Word Processing, and Spreadsheets. Google productivity apps include calendars, SketchUp (which allows you to create 3-D models), Google Reader (which combines all your favorite websites, newspapers, and journals into a constantly updated stream), forms and polls, and you can even create and publish websites (Schrum & Levin, 2010). 

     Below only some of the Apps that can be used in education. A full list can be found by clicking here.

How is Google Apps beneficial for education?

     There are many benefits of integrating Google Apps into education. First of all, they are all FREE! Using Google Apps can save districts boatloads of money that they would have spent on other technology software (Schrum & Levin, 2010). Students enjoy using Google and will be motivated and engaged by its integration (Tech Learning Intern, 2010). Google also offers many lesson plans for teachers (Tech Learning Intern, 2010).

     Read below to find out how a few specific Apps can benefit education.

Google Docs

• Created in classrooms and worked on at home
• Can provide instant feedback to students (Module seven, n.d.)
• Creates an open line of communication between student and teacher (Module seven, n.d.)
• Allows students and teachers to work collaboratively on documents (Module seven, n.d.)
• Edits able to be viewed in real-time (Module seven, n.d.).
• Can be used without little to no support needed (Tech Learning Intern, 2010).
• A final, most recent form is always available for editing (Schrum & Levin, 2010).
• Includes a high level of privacy- users can determine who can see and edit posts (Schrum & Levin, 2010).

Blogger

• Helps educators further their Personal Learning Communities by finding and following other educational blogs (Module seven, n.d.)
• Includes a high level of privacy- users can determine who can see and edit posts (Schrum & Levin, 2010).
• Can be used without little to no support needed (Tech Learning Intern, 2010).
• Can post blogs to communicate with parents and students outside of the classroom (Tech Learning Intern, 2010).

GoogleWave 

• Can be used for collaborative note taking (Tech Learning Intern, 2010).

Slides

• Allows students to create a presentation at school and edit it at home
• Is easy to use
• Real-time collaboration provides instant feedback from teachers (Module seven, n.d.).

Forms

• Provide a quick formative assessment of student understanding (Module seven, n.d.).
• Surveys can gather important teacher information or input from parents (Module seven, n.d.).

Other apps

• Allow you to communicate, view maps from all over the world, read books and literature, search for images, and even plan parent-teacher conferences! (Tech Learning Intern, 2010).

My own use with Google Apps

     I use Google Apps on a daily basis, and am not sure how I would manage without it! My co-teacher and I use Google docs when we type and edit student work so that we always have a current version available. We also use Google Spreadsheet to keep track of our grade books. 

    In the past, I have used Google Sites to create a Webquest, which you can visit by clicking here! I found that Google Sites was very easy and straightforward to use. I have also created a few blogs using Blogger to document my professional growth over the past few years, beginning in my student teaching. Our class has used Blogger to reflect on and collaborate with our classmates. I have found that reading my classmates' blogs has opened my eyes and helped me view things in ways that I otherwise would not have thought of. It is also nice to read the comments that my classmates leave on my posts and respond to their thoughts and questions. 
     I used Google Forms to create a survey, which I had my 3rd-grade teacher friend take for me. She found that the survey was extremely easy to use. It was a quick, effective way for me to gain information in an organized manner, and I would definite recommend using Google Forms to anyone who needs information from one person or a thousand people.

     Overall, Google Apps can have a profound significant impact on education when integrated into the classroom. Teachers should take the time to build PLC's, connect with each other, and learn how to use the tools available in order to enhance education. 

Resources:

Module seven: Productivity applications: Google apps (n.d.). Retrieved May 13, 2014 from bb.snhu.edu

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2010). Web 2.0 how to for educators. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.

Tech Learning Intern (2010). "Tech Learning TL Advisor Blog and Ed Tech Ticker Blogs from TL Blog Staff." 100 Ways Google Can Make You A Better Educator. Tech & Learning, Web. 13 May 2014. <http://www.techlearning.com/default.aspx?tabid=67&entryid=15>.

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2010). Web 2.0 how to for educators. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.

Social Networking

Social Networking in Schools

     When students enter a classroom today, they are typically asked to power down their mobile and electronic devices. Some argue that students should not have access to cell phones and iPads in the classroom, while others argue the opposite. The truth of the matter, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, is that mobile devices are not disappearing any time soon. Instead of powering down, students should first be taught about digital citizenship, and then about how to use their devices as a gateway to education. Research has shown that students who engage in social networking can benefit from incorporating it into the curriculum (Module five, n.d.). By allowing students to use their electronic devises, we are making school more relevant to their lives and making education more engaging. 

     Collaborative tools like Facebook, Club Penguin (Facebook for ages 6-13), YouTube, Blogs, Wikis, Edmoto (also like Facebook), and Hubspot are all interactive and allow users to connect with each other.

What's the purpose of social networking?

     According to Gwen Solomon and Lynne Schrum, authors of Web 2.0 How to for Educators (2010), the purpose of social networking is to "communicate with others in order to learn, develop, and expand all that we know; to share ideas and information; and to enjoy social interactions" (p. 79). It can be used in the classroom to help students develop digital skills, innovative thinking, and problem solving skills.

The pros and cons of using social networking in the classroom:

     Classroom integration of social networking has many advantages and disadvantages. One of the greatest advantages to using social networking is that it helps retain student attention and engagement while keeping them informed (Zhao, 2012 and "How Well Are Students Using Social Media?", n.d.). Social networking also allows students access to  information they may not otherwise have learned in school ("How Well Are Students Using Social Media?", n.d.). While many educators fear the use of social networking in schools, they must remember that many online communities allow teachers to control the environment and monitor who has access to it. Other advantages include students being able to collaborate on projects, students have a place to post questions and concerns, having a place to keep teacher notes and videos, students who are absent can catch up on work, students can develop and retain their efforts overtime, and access can be given to family members who want to stay in touch with their child's education (Solomon & Schrum, 2010). 

     Unfortunately, there are disadvantages associated with utilizing social networking in the classroom as well. For example, some parents say that it uses up too much computer time, and that students will have a deficit in face-to-face social skills that are needed to succeed in the workplace ("How Well Are Students Using Social Media?", n.d.). Others argue that social networking has a lack of features, and that if sites do not allow for one-to-one connection, then students may not feel like the school really cares about them. Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter also require daily maintenance and interaction with students, which can be a lot of extra work for someone to take on ("How Well Are Students Using Social Media?", n.d.). 

     In conclusion, there are many good reasons to utilize social networking in schools. Social networking may benefit students in mastering learning targets by engaging them and connecting them with real-world information and people. If students are taught how to safely use social networking tools, it can have a significant positive impact on their education. 

Resources:

Module five: Social networking tools and social media (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2014 from bb.snhu.edu

How well are schools using social media? [Infographic] - SocialTimes. (n.d.). SocialTimes. Retrieved April 28,   

     2014, from http://socialtimes.com/how-well-are-schools-using-social-media-infographic_b89204

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2010). Web 2.0 how to for educators. Eugene, OR: International Society for 

     Technology in Education.

Zhao, E. (2012, April 30). Social media and video games in classrooms can yield valuable data for teachers. The 

     Huffington Post. Retrieved April 28, 2014, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/30/social-media-and-

     video-ga_n_1465082.html