Solid. I can definitely see this coming in handy, not only for giving directions when I am absent, but also for recording lessons for students who are absent, keeping a nice digital record of lessons. I wonder what it would look like to record class daily...? Hmm. Maybe I'll have to try that out next year.
Here's a quick video I made giving instructions on using some different PhET simulators for comparing solid, liquid and gas properties. I like that I can quickly demonstrate some of the features of the video, as well as showing them exactly how to access them from the student save drive.
I thought about writing a snarky comment about not being the next Sal Kahn, but I thought I'd rather give it a positive spin, and hope to be more like Aaron Sams or Brian Bennett (both of whom are pioneers utilizing their own flipped science classes). I am considering doing some flipping next year for general chemistry, and screencast-o-matic would be extremely helpful.
Showing posts with label 5TTT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 5TTT. Show all posts
May 21, 2012
May 17, 2012
Diigo
Our 4th tool for the 5TTT journey is diigo, which I have found to be quite excellent! It's a bookmarking tool, but it has lots of great features - easy organization of bookmarks, the ability to share bookmarks, screen capture, highlighting, sticky notes - and its all saved to online and can be accessed anywhere. Here's a page I highlighted and added some sticky notes to. I also took a screenshot of Dhaivyd's blog to play around with a few other features (I love that you can blur!).
Overall, I think diigo is a useful tool. I'm not sure how much I will use the bookmarking (I already have a system of bookmarks set up through chrome) but perhaps if I can get going with them through diigo it will be helpful to be accessed from anywhere rather than just from my computer. I'll have to work on that this summer! I think my favorite feature is the screen capture; it's not perfect - I had some issues with the images moving after selecting them - but it will definitely be helpful for classes as well as for adding stuff to the blog!
Overall, I think diigo is a useful tool. I'm not sure how much I will use the bookmarking (I already have a system of bookmarks set up through chrome) but perhaps if I can get going with them through diigo it will be helpful to be accessed from anywhere rather than just from my computer. I'll have to work on that this summer! I think my favorite feature is the screen capture; it's not perfect - I had some issues with the images moving after selecting them - but it will definitely be helpful for classes as well as for adding stuff to the blog!
May 10, 2012
Google Docs & Forms
With Dhaivyd talking about the end of the 5TTT timeline, I realize that I need to play a bit of catch-up with my updates on my tech tools. Fortunately, I've got a bit of experience with Google Docs, and I've already been playing around with Google Forms.
Tool #2: Google Docs
I've used Google Docs a number of times for student projects. It is quite convenient for students to share their progress with me (as well as each other), to be able to access it easily from outside of class and for me to efficiently leave them feedback. As Colin had also noted, it is much more streamlined for turning projects in without the worry of losing things. Most recently, students put together some research on the different types of energy alternatives to fossil fuels. Here are some examples of student work via Google Docs:
Student Research 1
Student Research 2
Student Presentation
Tool #3: Google Forms
After the science lab demo gone wrong over at MGJH back in December, I have been a part of a district-wide group of science teachers that have been discussing how to modify our policies in order to prevent another incident like that from occurring in our district in the future. One of the things that we decided was that any new demo that a teacher would like to add to their curriculum that involves hazardous (i.e. corrosive, combustible, or volatile) chemicals must approved by your building's CHO (chemical hygiene officer) who then works with the teacher and the other CHOs in the district to approve the demo or deem it not safe for school. As the CHO here at Park Center, I thought a Google Form would be a perfect way for a teacher to easily submit a demo for approval, and also create a simple, digital record of what the demo is in order to quickly share it with other CHOs in the district.
Hazardous Demo Approval Form
For anyone that is not a science teacher, this doesn't have much impact on you. To be perfectly honest, most of the demos that are done in our science classes don't involve any hazardous chemicals, and I would be surprised if there were many more that are added to our curriculum. But if/when there are, I'll be ready!
Tool #2: Google Docs
I've used Google Docs a number of times for student projects. It is quite convenient for students to share their progress with me (as well as each other), to be able to access it easily from outside of class and for me to efficiently leave them feedback. As Colin had also noted, it is much more streamlined for turning projects in without the worry of losing things. Most recently, students put together some research on the different types of energy alternatives to fossil fuels. Here are some examples of student work via Google Docs:
Student Research 1
Student Research 2
Student Presentation
Tool #3: Google Forms
After the science lab demo gone wrong over at MGJH back in December, I have been a part of a district-wide group of science teachers that have been discussing how to modify our policies in order to prevent another incident like that from occurring in our district in the future. One of the things that we decided was that any new demo that a teacher would like to add to their curriculum that involves hazardous (i.e. corrosive, combustible, or volatile) chemicals must approved by your building's CHO (chemical hygiene officer) who then works with the teacher and the other CHOs in the district to approve the demo or deem it not safe for school. As the CHO here at Park Center, I thought a Google Form would be a perfect way for a teacher to easily submit a demo for approval, and also create a simple, digital record of what the demo is in order to quickly share it with other CHOs in the district.
Hazardous Demo Approval Form
For anyone that is not a science teacher, this doesn't have much impact on you. To be perfectly honest, most of the demos that are done in our science classes don't involve any hazardous chemicals, and I would be surprised if there were many more that are added to our curriculum. But if/when there are, I'll be ready!
Dec 22, 2011
5TTT
Even though this is not my first blog, I wanted to start with a clean slate - specifically for the 5TTT program, just so I can keep it all in one place. The 5TTT (5 Tech Teaching Tools) program is being offered by the Media Specialist at Park Center, and those of us that are participating are given one task a month to complete, through the end of the year.
The first task for this month was to watch and post the following video:
I'm intrigued by this video, and I agree with a lot of what they are saying. I constantly struggle with the idea of what "learning" means, especially when kids have access to such a wealth of information via the internet. It seems that the idea of memorization (which is not the entirety of schooling) is a bit outdated; if students can look something up in 5 seconds rather than spending at least 5 hours to memorize it, why should they? At the same time, memory is a key part of intelligence - and until computers and the internet are directly hooked up to our brains to store of information that can readily be accessed, it is a skill that needs to be practiced and taught to students. I am not saying we need to make students memorize facts (like the fact that Columbus sailed in 1492) but in order to synthesize information you need to be aware that the information exists.
Another piece that really stood out to me was one of the guys in the video talking about what students need to be able to do:
I thought a lot about a mini-project that I did with my students researching water contaminants and their effects (I even collaborated with Dhaivyd to set up a website of resources, and he gave a lesson on databases) and yet all the kids wanted to do was type their question/topic into google and copy down the first resource or resources that gave some semblance of an answer. How will they know if it's good info? Teach them how to evaluate it.
The only statement in the video that didn't sit well with me was when someone said something like, "a shut off device is a shut off student." Not sure I agree with that - and if we ever get to that point, I'm very curious to see what our society is like (I'm imagining the civilization in Wall-E).
Just a quick plug as well - I'm very glad that the video took a shot at standardized testing. It seems like the only ones who don't realize it's hurting/hindering our students is the people who are requiring the tests (aka state and federal legislators). On a lighter note, see this article.
P.S. If you are interested, feel free to check out my other blog - The Chemist's Corner. I haven't posted much recently, but the blog itself is also about teaching (especially topics I'm thinking about in grad school), but has some science thrown in as well on occasion. Most of the content here will be posted there as well - which might seem silly, but I wanted to use the same blogger program as everyone else for the 5TTT.
The first task for this month was to watch and post the following video:
I'm intrigued by this video, and I agree with a lot of what they are saying. I constantly struggle with the idea of what "learning" means, especially when kids have access to such a wealth of information via the internet. It seems that the idea of memorization (which is not the entirety of schooling) is a bit outdated; if students can look something up in 5 seconds rather than spending at least 5 hours to memorize it, why should they? At the same time, memory is a key part of intelligence - and until computers and the internet are directly hooked up to our brains to store of information that can readily be accessed, it is a skill that needs to be practiced and taught to students. I am not saying we need to make students memorize facts (like the fact that Columbus sailed in 1492) but in order to synthesize information you need to be aware that the information exists.
Another piece that really stood out to me was one of the guys in the video talking about what students need to be able to do:
"...the coin of the realm will be, do you know how to find information, do you know how to validate it, do you know how to synthesize it, do you know how to leverage it, do you know how to communicate with it, do you know how to collaborate with it, do you know how to problem solve with it. THAT'S the new set of 21st century literacies."BOOM! (That's the sound of my brain exploding). I couldn't have said it better myself. We spent a lot of time in one of my grad school classes (History and Nature of Science) talking about the different ways to teach kids not only how to find GOOD information, but teaching them how to evaluate the information so they know what's good and are able to filter through the mass of slanted/biased/crappy information that's out there as well.
I thought a lot about a mini-project that I did with my students researching water contaminants and their effects (I even collaborated with Dhaivyd to set up a website of resources, and he gave a lesson on databases) and yet all the kids wanted to do was type their question/topic into google and copy down the first resource or resources that gave some semblance of an answer. How will they know if it's good info? Teach them how to evaluate it.
The only statement in the video that didn't sit well with me was when someone said something like, "a shut off device is a shut off student." Not sure I agree with that - and if we ever get to that point, I'm very curious to see what our society is like (I'm imagining the civilization in Wall-E).
Just a quick plug as well - I'm very glad that the video took a shot at standardized testing. It seems like the only ones who don't realize it's hurting/hindering our students is the people who are requiring the tests (aka state and federal legislators). On a lighter note, see this article.
P.S. If you are interested, feel free to check out my other blog - The Chemist's Corner. I haven't posted much recently, but the blog itself is also about teaching (especially topics I'm thinking about in grad school), but has some science thrown in as well on occasion. Most of the content here will be posted there as well - which might seem silly, but I wanted to use the same blogger program as everyone else for the 5TTT.
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