Judging from our definitions of online teaching so far, I don't know that I've done any online teaching. Have I done lessons online? Yes. But to require or ask that my second graders fulfill some requirement(s) from home for our class? No.
In the future, I hope to implement some hybrid learning. I've heard more and more about "flipping the classroom" and I plan to use the summer to research this concept. Next year, my classroom will become a 1:1 iPad classroom and I view a flipped classroom more possible (based on the little I know). My basic understanding, so you know where I'm going with this, is that traditional homework is done at school so the teacher is available for assistance, and they are to watch or listen to my lessons at home. With second graders, I don't know how possible it is as I haven't seen a lot of elementary examples of flipped classrooms, but I haven't been able to look a lot either.
So what can I do with the iPads? I don't know! There is so much out there and this summer is dedicated to me and my team to put together an effective implementation plan for the iPads. Right now, I'm real interested in how I can use Edmodo to share information and assignments. We watched a short video about a kindergarten and second grade room in Ludington using 1:1 iPads and they used Dropbox to share information. Students will be able to find resources, links and lessons on my classroom website and I will need to keep up more with blogging this year. I do not plan to get my students email addresses and don't see why I would need to, especially since I would want the info. to go to the parents as well. Additionally, the students will be taking the iPads home with them each night so the information they need should always be available.
At this point I've used Audacity and the Voice Memo app on my iPhone to create podcasts for students as well as Vimeo to post videos. Judging from our previous week I may also look into starting a wiki they can work on at home but I'd prefer another option if possible. The kids enjoyed Typewith.me last year and that could be a fun discussion tool to use while they are at home. Of course, I have to see how all of this works on an iPad, which I do not yet have.
The resources I've listed is because I've heard of them, used them, or seen others use them. I'm familiar with DropBox, Audacity, and Typewith.me. I'd like also to see how Evernote can benefit my class, if it can. I know Evernote can do so many things for an individual but I do not know if my class can share a "notebook." Perhaps that's how I use Evernote and Dropbox together.
The biggest barrier that I do not know an answer to, nor do I believe the district does either, is with the iPads going home each night I do not know how to solve the issue of no home internet for some of our students. The question of 3G came up but I can't believe the district would pay for that. I've thought that instead of asking for internet to be available at home, that before the students leave my room we transfer the night's homework so that they have a digital copy already on their iPad and part of their morning procedure would be to Dropbox (turn-in) their homework to me. With or without iPads, the biggest barrier is equitable access. My beginning of year tech survey will probably be longer and have to include items for smartphones. While homes may not have internet, many of those families still have smartphones. This makes something like Edmodo that more powerful because there is an app for that.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Blogging in my Classroom (629)
Once I started using Twitter professionally I noticed that many of the links lead to blogs versus actual websites. Understanding that these links were meant for professional learning I could understand the setup and content. However, as I explored more and more the content on these blogs it became more apparent that blogs, in many cases, are serving as both a professional resource and student resource.
In teaching, I was, and am, terrible at doing newsletters. I could never do it each week so I offered up a bi-weekly newsletter, which often failed too. So, I began looking to social media to update my families, thinking that if I give smaller updates each day then that could also be a newsletter replacement. In terms of me using this setup, using Twitter and Facebook, I couldn't be happier. However, I have yet to know how well it works for all families. I know it works for some because they will comment on our class Facebook page. I know email works for some because they will reply to my messages. Those that indicated no access to internet, which was 7 out of 25 students, are sent paper copies.
The website I use for my class website does have a blogging component which I used at the very beginning of the school year to state some class guidelines. Haven't touched it since. I do believe blogging, to communicate with parents, has a place in my classroom but I need to make time for it. One of my colleagues does this each Sunday morning to preview the week and again, I just need to commit to doing so. The blog updates can be posted to Facebook so parents can read the updates.
Blogging isn't something I'm very familiar with so I cannot speak to all the features they may offer. From blogs I've viewed and my little experience of curating a blog I seem to like most the widgets that can be added. While not on my blog, I use the Shelfari widget to share the books we read in class. The search feature of blogs are also nice so that anyone can find the information they have been looking for by searching through tags. I haven't gotten into "professional blogging," like the science teacher's blog, and I don't expect to in the near future.
As for my 2nd graders, we have been blogging all year using KidBlog. This year has been an experiment to see how it worked and what I realized quickly is they love it and I should have been more prepared for that. After just 3 classroom trainings the vast majority were already proficient in the steps to post an entry (thanks to KidBlog for making it simple). Essentially, the kids respond to a prompt each day and their writing is out there for all to see. Anyone can comment but those do not post until I approve. Blogging is a classroom job so certain students will blog for two-straight weeks until they move to a new job. When we do class blogging, meaning all students do an individual blog at the same time in computer lab, I'll email the parents so they know and will hopefully comment. If I don't notify parents then there usually are not many, if any, comments. I believe I have "step one" down meaning the students know how to blog. Next year's additional focus will be on leaving good comments.
Personally, I could see having a couple different blogs. One being a newsletter-type blog and the other being a "homework hotline." While emails are useful for this too, blogging would put the questions and answers to homework wonderment's in the public therefore lessening questions. Blogging could also incorporate mini-lessons using video so parents can see the lessons on the blog as well. I essentially already do some of this on my web page but a blog would make it more interactive.
In teaching, I was, and am, terrible at doing newsletters. I could never do it each week so I offered up a bi-weekly newsletter, which often failed too. So, I began looking to social media to update my families, thinking that if I give smaller updates each day then that could also be a newsletter replacement. In terms of me using this setup, using Twitter and Facebook, I couldn't be happier. However, I have yet to know how well it works for all families. I know it works for some because they will comment on our class Facebook page. I know email works for some because they will reply to my messages. Those that indicated no access to internet, which was 7 out of 25 students, are sent paper copies.
The website I use for my class website does have a blogging component which I used at the very beginning of the school year to state some class guidelines. Haven't touched it since. I do believe blogging, to communicate with parents, has a place in my classroom but I need to make time for it. One of my colleagues does this each Sunday morning to preview the week and again, I just need to commit to doing so. The blog updates can be posted to Facebook so parents can read the updates.
Blogging isn't something I'm very familiar with so I cannot speak to all the features they may offer. From blogs I've viewed and my little experience of curating a blog I seem to like most the widgets that can be added. While not on my blog, I use the Shelfari widget to share the books we read in class. The search feature of blogs are also nice so that anyone can find the information they have been looking for by searching through tags. I haven't gotten into "professional blogging," like the science teacher's blog, and I don't expect to in the near future.
As for my 2nd graders, we have been blogging all year using KidBlog. This year has been an experiment to see how it worked and what I realized quickly is they love it and I should have been more prepared for that. After just 3 classroom trainings the vast majority were already proficient in the steps to post an entry (thanks to KidBlog for making it simple). Essentially, the kids respond to a prompt each day and their writing is out there for all to see. Anyone can comment but those do not post until I approve. Blogging is a classroom job so certain students will blog for two-straight weeks until they move to a new job. When we do class blogging, meaning all students do an individual blog at the same time in computer lab, I'll email the parents so they know and will hopefully comment. If I don't notify parents then there usually are not many, if any, comments. I believe I have "step one" down meaning the students know how to blog. Next year's additional focus will be on leaving good comments.
Personally, I could see having a couple different blogs. One being a newsletter-type blog and the other being a "homework hotline." While emails are useful for this too, blogging would put the questions and answers to homework wonderment's in the public therefore lessening questions. Blogging could also incorporate mini-lessons using video so parents can see the lessons on the blog as well. I essentially already do some of this on my web page but a blog would make it more interactive.
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