I love Twitter. I have used it for several years and have a personal account- @lathamlisa, a work account- @HSBCChoir and an account for the non-profit I founded with a friend- @graceskitchen2. I never considered using Twitter as a network for education until ED 505. "A Personal Learning Network" as I now know to refer to it, is a very useful tool for educators seeking to develop professionally and stay abreast of current trends. You can follow my network of educators @lathamllisa.
One of my favorite people to follow is @edutopia. Here I find everything from articles on leadership to resources for the classroom. By using the hashtag #edchat, I am immediately connected with a plethora of information without ever leaving home to attend a workshop. Through #edchat, I discovered hashtags that benefited my area such as #ArtsEdChat, #edmusic, #musiced, #mustech, and #musedchat. Twitter also allows educators to have live discussions as #musedchat does on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. EST.
Another favorite follower is @cyndidannerkuhn. Cyndi, who is the editor of "Technology Keys Daily," always tweets when her online magazine is available, and offers helpful tools to use technology to teach and learn. @edudemic also keeps me posted on the latest in technology education and posts an online resource called "The Edudemic Daily."@ipadSammy has tips on using the ipad and other apps in the classroom and @WebNews20 offers technology tips for users outside the education world.
I plan to continue using Twitter to support my professional development and to learn from other educators around the globe. It is truly amazing how technology is shaping the world of education and how much information is accessible to us if we know where to look.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Social Bookmarking
Learning the use of the Social Bookmarking tool Delicious has been a very helpful part of ED 505. You can check out my bookmarks here:
https://delicious.com/lathaml
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Assistive Technology
Students in today's classroom have a variety of needs. It is up to teachers to know and understand their students and provide optimal learning opportunities. Due to revisions to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) over the past decade, schools are now required to consider the use of assistive technology when developing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for students. (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 400) Assistive technology helps to address special learning needs through a variety of means and can include both "physical and sensory access." (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 400)
Students with mild disabilities may or may not need assistive technologies, but options should be available to these students to help in weak areas. Reading below grade level can be considered a mild disability and can be enhanced by the use of The Kurzweil 3000, a text reader that is designed to assist students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia. (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 407) Websites such as Jump Start for Reading offer reading games that enhance learning while making it fun.
Students with moderate to severe disabilities may need more assistance and may need help not only in classroom learning, but also in basic skills for daily living. There are a variety of songs available that that help teach students with special needs. These songs can be played or sung by the teacher and students and remind students to perform daily tasks. A great tool to use in a music classroom is a Skoog. This tool was designed to help students with learning disabilities play an instrument. You can watch how it works here:
In a music classroom, there may be physical disabilities that prohibit students from participating in classroom activities. In my experiences I have used wheelchair adaptable instrument mounts to allow students with severe physical disabilities to play instruments with the rest of the class. Because these mounts aid in and increase learning they fall under the category of assistive technology. For more moderate physical disabilities I might use a lowered microphone stand to allow students to sing a solo in class, or a color-coded sound system to allow students to listen to music on an iPod. Magical Music offers great suggestions for music students with physical disabilities.
Roblyer, M.D., & Doering, A.H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into education. (Sixth ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Students with mild disabilities may or may not need assistive technologies, but options should be available to these students to help in weak areas. Reading below grade level can be considered a mild disability and can be enhanced by the use of The Kurzweil 3000, a text reader that is designed to assist students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia. (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 407) Websites such as Jump Start for Reading offer reading games that enhance learning while making it fun.
Students with moderate to severe disabilities may need more assistance and may need help not only in classroom learning, but also in basic skills for daily living. There are a variety of songs available that that help teach students with special needs. These songs can be played or sung by the teacher and students and remind students to perform daily tasks. A great tool to use in a music classroom is a Skoog. This tool was designed to help students with learning disabilities play an instrument. You can watch how it works here:
In a music classroom, there may be physical disabilities that prohibit students from participating in classroom activities. In my experiences I have used wheelchair adaptable instrument mounts to allow students with severe physical disabilities to play instruments with the rest of the class. Because these mounts aid in and increase learning they fall under the category of assistive technology. For more moderate physical disabilities I might use a lowered microphone stand to allow students to sing a solo in class, or a color-coded sound system to allow students to listen to music on an iPod. Magical Music offers great suggestions for music students with physical disabilities.
Students with sensory disabilities typically have a heightened sensitivity to musical activities. I remember a particular blind student named Clay who absolutely loved music. Every time Clay came to my class he begged to sing and he would listen more intently in music than in any other part of his school day. For a child like Clay, I recommend listening to music with the use of an iPod and headphones as a part of his learning plan. I also recommend the use of Blind Tunes, a Windows based program that allows a child like Clay to run iTunes.
I am particularly interested in assistive technology for at-risk students due to the fact that I parent a child with AD/HD. An app that I found in this week's Twitter post is called Moody Me. This app is used for children to track their moods and help them to learn what triggers their happy times and difficult times. I plan to introduce this app to my daughter and believe it would be a helpful behavioral tool in the classroom as well. Monitoring seating arrangements, temperature and lighting in the classroom and overall classroom behavior can help the at-risk student perform to the best of their ability. The use of the iPad with apps such as Moody Me and others offer positive ways for students with at-risk behaviors to express themselves.
As is reflective of my classroom diversity, I also parent a child who is gifted and talented. She participated in the Duke TIP program this year and found a variety of helpful resources on their website. Although this site is typically recommended by school counselors and only with required test scores, it is also a helpful site for educators as they seek to understand specific challenges the gifted student faces. In a music classroom, the gifted and talented student should have the opportunity to explore high-end music notation software programs such as Sibelius or Finale. These programs synthesize music skills and offer the advanced student to compose and notate their own music. The use of a keyboard lab such as the one pictured below is also a great way to offer students piano skills as well as advanced theory skills.
The main reason educators must explore the use of assistive technology is to make curriculum accessible to all students. (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 406) I have found that in the area of assistive technology, the students sometimes teach the teachers. The students I have taught with disabilities are usually eager to learn and help me discover what works best for them. I look forward to exploring the new apps I found in this week's Twitter post so that I may continue to help all of my students succeed.
I am particularly interested in assistive technology for at-risk students due to the fact that I parent a child with AD/HD. An app that I found in this week's Twitter post is called Moody Me. This app is used for children to track their moods and help them to learn what triggers their happy times and difficult times. I plan to introduce this app to my daughter and believe it would be a helpful behavioral tool in the classroom as well. Monitoring seating arrangements, temperature and lighting in the classroom and overall classroom behavior can help the at-risk student perform to the best of their ability. The use of the iPad with apps such as Moody Me and others offer positive ways for students with at-risk behaviors to express themselves.
As is reflective of my classroom diversity, I also parent a child who is gifted and talented. She participated in the Duke TIP program this year and found a variety of helpful resources on their website. Although this site is typically recommended by school counselors and only with required test scores, it is also a helpful site for educators as they seek to understand specific challenges the gifted student faces. In a music classroom, the gifted and talented student should have the opportunity to explore high-end music notation software programs such as Sibelius or Finale. These programs synthesize music skills and offer the advanced student to compose and notate their own music. The use of a keyboard lab such as the one pictured below is also a great way to offer students piano skills as well as advanced theory skills.
The main reason educators must explore the use of assistive technology is to make curriculum accessible to all students. (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 406) I have found that in the area of assistive technology, the students sometimes teach the teachers. The students I have taught with disabilities are usually eager to learn and help me discover what works best for them. I look forward to exploring the new apps I found in this week's Twitter post so that I may continue to help all of my students succeed.
— Lisa Latham (@LathamlLisa) July 14, 2013
References
Roblyer, M.D., & Doering, A.H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into education. (Sixth ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Web 2.0
The term Web 2.0 is a new one for me. I have learned that Web 2.0 is a term used in education circles to describe technology that is placed in the hands of the consumer and gives them full rights to the "authorship of online content." (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 225) Through the personal creation of three Web 2.0 tools, I have found them to be incredible resources for the classroom.
My Animoto video was very easy to produce and introduces students to basic facts in an interesting way. I definitely recommend upgrading to the Pro version for more complex projects, but the 30 second version is sufficient for students who are just starting out with video production. The Pro version has a small cost associated with it, but it allows for more editing options and for longer videos. As I worked in Animoto, my wheels were spinning. The possibilities for classroom use are endless. Animotos can be used as presentation tools for students to research particular subjects. (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 185) Students can take pictures or shoot video of class content and upload them easily to create very professional looking projects. I believe this tool is a wonderful resource for teachers and students.
My Glogster, on the other hand, was fairly tricky to navigate. I probably spent way too much time on it, but I did learn all about this resource and the fun ways it allows students to create. I will make sure students have the proper resources before using Glogster in the classroom. Without a fast wifi connection and a newer computer, I can see how this site could frustrate students. It takes a while to load due to all of the graphics and images. On the other hand, I see this resource as a virtual scrapbook of sorts. I can see how it appeals to the creative student. It allows for self-expression and easily teaches the material on a given subject through the embedding of pictures, videos and texts. It is akin to the science project poster of my generation, but it is digital and a lot more interesting to create. I began following @GlogsterEDU on Twitter so I can see what's new with this resource in the coming months.
Twitter is a Web 2.0 resource that I have been using for quite some time, and yet did not realize how well it can be used as an education tool. This week, I found an article describing the use of Twitter as a personal learning network, which has been an eye-opening experience for me. I have used Twitter as a social media outlet for quite some time, but have not thought of it as a resource for educators. I created a separate Twitter account just for educational purposes and have found the home feed to be filled with useful information. Follow me @lathamllisa and we can learn together! I will explore the use of Twitter further in a subsequent post.
The last 2.0 resource I explored was VoiceThread. I really enjoyed using this tool, and wish I had spent more time exploring the options. Now that I know how to use it, I believe it will be very effective in teaching students detailed lessons. I see how it can be used with my piano students currently and I am already brainstorming ideas about how to use it in other areas as an "online lesson enhancement." (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 238) I didn't explore the use of the pointer, but watched it in a tutorial. I definitely will use that option the next time I create a VoiceThread. As a voice teacher, I can also easily use this tool to sing or play examples for my students to work on at home.
The only negative from this project is that I feel I can create more practical, useable lessons with the Web 2.0 tools than I did this week. There is definitely a learning curve. To me, it takes creating a project before knowing exactly how to best use these tools in the classroom. If I were to do this assignment over, I would pick a different topic and would use the tools differently. But overall, it has been a great introduction to what is out there for me to explore in my teaching. Today's students are downloading images, writing html code, authoring web-based lessons and tutorials, and much more. (Robyler & Doering, 2013) My take-away is that a whole new world has opened up for teachers in the way of technology in the classroom and I need to stay on my game and keep up with the times!
Roblyer, M.D., & Doering, A.H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into education. (Sixth ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
My Animoto video was very easy to produce and introduces students to basic facts in an interesting way. I definitely recommend upgrading to the Pro version for more complex projects, but the 30 second version is sufficient for students who are just starting out with video production. The Pro version has a small cost associated with it, but it allows for more editing options and for longer videos. As I worked in Animoto, my wheels were spinning. The possibilities for classroom use are endless. Animotos can be used as presentation tools for students to research particular subjects. (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 185) Students can take pictures or shoot video of class content and upload them easily to create very professional looking projects. I believe this tool is a wonderful resource for teachers and students.
My Glogster, on the other hand, was fairly tricky to navigate. I probably spent way too much time on it, but I did learn all about this resource and the fun ways it allows students to create. I will make sure students have the proper resources before using Glogster in the classroom. Without a fast wifi connection and a newer computer, I can see how this site could frustrate students. It takes a while to load due to all of the graphics and images. On the other hand, I see this resource as a virtual scrapbook of sorts. I can see how it appeals to the creative student. It allows for self-expression and easily teaches the material on a given subject through the embedding of pictures, videos and texts. It is akin to the science project poster of my generation, but it is digital and a lot more interesting to create. I began following @GlogsterEDU on Twitter so I can see what's new with this resource in the coming months.
Glogster EDU Faculty: A Powerful and Effective Teaching and Administration Platform http://t.co/AJGOtmgswl via @glogsteredu #ED5059413UWA
— Lisa Latham (@LathamlLisa) July 9, 2013
Twitter is a Web 2.0 resource that I have been using for quite some time, and yet did not realize how well it can be used as an education tool. This week, I found an article describing the use of Twitter as a personal learning network, which has been an eye-opening experience for me. I have used Twitter as a social media outlet for quite some time, but have not thought of it as a resource for educators. I created a separate Twitter account just for educational purposes and have found the home feed to be filled with useful information. Follow me @lathamllisa and we can learn together! I will explore the use of Twitter further in a subsequent post.
The last 2.0 resource I explored was VoiceThread. I really enjoyed using this tool, and wish I had spent more time exploring the options. Now that I know how to use it, I believe it will be very effective in teaching students detailed lessons. I see how it can be used with my piano students currently and I am already brainstorming ideas about how to use it in other areas as an "online lesson enhancement." (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 238) I didn't explore the use of the pointer, but watched it in a tutorial. I definitely will use that option the next time I create a VoiceThread. As a voice teacher, I can also easily use this tool to sing or play examples for my students to work on at home.
The only negative from this project is that I feel I can create more practical, useable lessons with the Web 2.0 tools than I did this week. There is definitely a learning curve. To me, it takes creating a project before knowing exactly how to best use these tools in the classroom. If I were to do this assignment over, I would pick a different topic and would use the tools differently. But overall, it has been a great introduction to what is out there for me to explore in my teaching. Today's students are downloading images, writing html code, authoring web-based lessons and tutorials, and much more. (Robyler & Doering, 2013) My take-away is that a whole new world has opened up for teachers in the way of technology in the classroom and I need to stay on my game and keep up with the times!
References
Roblyer, M.D., & Doering, A.H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into education. (Sixth ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)