EDU6215 Blog Entry 3 - “Students Pinpoint What They Need” #PersonalizedLearning

Summary

A Georgia school district created a personalized learning plan to apply for the Race to the Top grant.  Unfortunately, they did not receive it, but they kept with their strategy for personalized learning.  Luckily, they were able to still implement their plan and along the way they adjusted to their mistakes.  In the original plan they focused too much on technology for their personalization strategy, and now they use the technology to help individual students make decisions of what they need to work on during their What I Need, WIN, period. 

Students report to their WIN period one day a week after being assigned from teachers and the student’s input.  During WIN students receive customized support, which can be above or below their grade level.  This can be individual assignments or small group work.  Teachers act more as guides and facilitators, rather than lecture to students.  Also, teachers will create or assign each student a “playlist” of activities on the Learning Management System to complete to show mastery. 

In the article, teachers admit this personalized learning strategy can be difficult managing it at first, but eventually students learn how to take ownership over their own learning.  They note it is important for all teachers to have positive thoughts when trying a new program like this.  Lastly, they note that technology should not be at the core of personalized learning.

Reflection

Overall, I am very interested in learning more about this personalized strategy.  To implement something like this it seems like it would take a lot of time and work.  Also, the article was very general when talking about personalized learning activities.  Some questions I have regarding this topic would be: What resources do the teachers use to assign personalized learning assignments during WIN?  What LMS do they use? How much prep time is needed to for teachers to assign these activities to the students?

Reference

CAVANAGH, S. (2016). Student Pinpoint What They Need. Education Week, 36(9), 7-13.

EDU6215 Blog Entry 2 - "Capitalizing on Web 2.0 in the Social Studies Context"

Summary

Like many other subject areas, technology has changed how social studies is taught.  With technology, content can be more hands-on, interactive, and problem-based for learners.  Teachers are able to create lesson that require students to be more active, such as collaborating with peers in the classroom or around the world.  Utilizing technology in social studies lessons help it be student-centered and encourage active student inquiry.

Instead of just consuming information from the web, students can now collaborate and publish and broadcast their own products, i.e. blogs, wiki.  At times this can be at no cost.  This allows students to go beyond an understanding of the content.  It is allowing them to interpret, evaluate, and analyze the material.  Students can also have global connections that teaches them culture and culture diversity.

In this article, it talks about 4 web-based technologies to help in the Social Studies Classroom.

1. VoiceThread – “a collaborative, multimedia software that allows the interactive sharing of images, videos, and documents”

2. Gliffy – Concept mapping software

3. Community Walk - To create informational, interactive, and engaging maps.

4. Footnote - Provides Primary Sources of Military Records

Reflection

The web-based technologies have changed the way teachers teach social studies in the classroom.  For students to have a deeper understanding of the content implementing the web-based technologies can be helpful.  The examples Halcomb and Beal refer in their article seem to have changed since this article has been published, most of them having a cost.  However, Footnote seems to offer some valuable primary sources for free.  VoiceThread seems to be a valuable tool too, however with the cost it will be something to keep in mind.

Reference

Capitalizing on Web 2.0 in the Social Studies Context. (2010). TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 54(4), 28-33. Doi:10.1007/s11528-010-0417-0

EDU6215 Podcast

My first Podcast is to welcome students and their families to this upcoming school year.  Take a listen!



Record music with Vocaroo >>

EDU6215 #GoOpen Reflection

The U.S. Department of Education is creating a program where districts can have access to openly licensed educational resources instead investing in textbooks from a provider.  Looking through the information on the website, it seems well thought out on how to implement a #GoOpen district.  For example, they recognize a team of teachers, coaches, and administrators are needed to develop the strategy.  However, whoever these team members are, they must be rewarded due to their time and training.   The simile, “OER is like a puppy”  is very much true.  It will help the district financially, but will teachers and other staff members have time and resources to create and implement these lessons and/or resources?  Also, where would these textbook providers go? We know they make tons of money from districts, but what they offer has been a tool that has helped students succeed, whether it is in a written or digital format.  Now that school districts need more financial support due to the technological advancements, is this the best solution to free up some funds?  Or do we need to look somewhere else to do so?

EDU6215 Blog Entry 1- "Podcasts in Context"

Summary

The author, Nicole Hennig, discusses ways to use podcasts in the K-12 classroom, while talking about the advantages and disadvantages of podcasts and the future of where “digital audio programs” are headed. 

First, Hennig gives many advantages as to why teachers should use podcasts in the classroom.  There is much research that show academic success of using transcripts with a podcast.  Students claim it helps them focus, keep track of notes, and can easily look back to re-read if they did not understand the text the first time.  Moreover, many English Language Learner (ELL) students found podcasts to be beneficial to them because they heard the words spoken properly.  Research also states, “when words are spoken aloud, children can understand ideas that are two to three grade levels higher than their normal reading level” (Hennig, 2017).  Listening to podcasts can engage one’s imagination in ways other mediums cannot.

 

Next, she highlights ideas for lessons which teachers can implement with their students.  To enhance a better mood and help students become more focused, she suggests students listen to their podcasts while going on a 20 minute walk.  Podcasts can be effective for students to review and study material, receive feedback on assignments, and recap on key concepts.  Another quick detail Hennig talks about is students creating their own Podcasts.

 

As for disadvantages of Podcasts, few come with transcripts and for them to thrive people must monetize it.  Also, most podcasts appeal to white males, thus needing them for diverse audiences.

Reflection

Hennig provides well-supported evidence as why teachers should use podcasts in the classroom.  As for lessons, there needs to be a better picture of how to use this in a middle school classroom.  Examples and resources for students to create their own podcasts are needed to implement this multimedia in the classroom too.

Reference

Hennig, N. (2017). Podcasts in Context. Library Technology Reports, 53(2), 30-38.

Screencast

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