Module 4 - assignment 7 - BYOD

The quest for the perfect teaching strategy goes on. We hop from one platform to the next, balancing our Marzano with our STEM. Regardless of the content, however, one thing seems clear. We have to reach our students via the most effective means. Five years ago this meant Smart boards - now it means Smart phones and other devices. It's time to let the students take a more active approach to seeking out their education. Perhaps by handing some of the power in the classroom back over to our students we will be able to engage them. Let's make this personal by allowing students to use their own, personal devices. It's time to implement Bring Your Own Device.

The concept of BYOD is not entirely new. After all, for years we have asked students to bring their own notebooks and own pencils. Periodically we even asked them to bring their own folders and colored pencils or crayons. Kindergarten students are often asked to bring their own glue and pencil case. Ownership allows for both comfort and comprehension. If students aren't constantly trying to determine how the devices we force on them work and can instead take advantage of their own familiarity with their personal devices, we should be able to utilize the time savings to expand our curriculum.

Additionally, students who bring their own devices will also be bound to a system that allows us to better take advantage of the flipped classroom concept. If a significant portion of our students have their own devices, it also means they have access - otherwise they would never have the phone or device. And if they have access, they can participate in the flipped classroom. Even if we have to make adjustments for those students who lack the specific devices or technology necessary to participate at home, we can provide essential technology at the school and before or after as needed to those few who require it.

Students often share ideas and technological advancements that we are not familiar with. Let's ask the students what programs and software they use the most, and how they would utilize that in the classroom. Let's make them the designers of their own educational experience. Each student creates a lesson and learns the subject enough to teach it with the technological experience of their choice. The best advantage of this strategy is the constant impromptu professional development that the teacher is receiving in the classroom, while student learning is also being accomplished.

If we hand ownership and creative design back over to our students, they can personalize their own experiences and make them unique. Differentiation will happen all on its own as each student will seek out the techniques and strategies they are most comfortable with. Even the standardized experience can be captured and presented in completely new ways. Students who hate the test will now have an opportunity to make the test, and in the process learn that there are two sides to every coin. Students will experience satisfaction but also frustration as others provide feedback on the experience and are challenged to complete and then analyze the task set before them by their peers. The potential empathy students will begin to feel toward the role of teacher in the classroom may perhaps be a valuable step in connecting the student experience to the teacher experience. Students will develop an understanding that education is more than just tests and talks.

Above all, students will gain confidence and be forced to solve problems. By stepping into the lead, they will learn how to guide their own learning in a way that will help them down the road. When they head off to college or trade school or the world, they will remember that they can create learning opportunities, and know how they can adapt their technology to continue their own journey. As their technology leaves with them, and new technology enters the school, this experience updates itself, much as a software program has to be updated by its creators to remain current. Students drive the evolution of the classroom, and the evolution of the academic experience. And we get to hang on tight and enjoy the ride.    

Module 4 - Assignment 5 - Explain Everything

Explain Everything explains a lot. I am really interested in this program for use in a flipped classroom approach. Though I have started branching out, I still use PowerPoints frequently for students to follow as we go over concepts. Students often tell me that they need to review or repeat the viewing of the PowerPoints after class is over, but they don't have me narrating or emphasizing the same special points I do in class, so they miss the connection between the topic and the PowerPoint. My using Explain Everything to create a file they can use before and after class, and re-watch as many times as needed will provide them with the opportunity to review at their own pace.

Another value to this program is for the often absent students. We all have students with medical or special issues that frequently interfere with their education. While it is easy to hand them missed assignments, just copying the notes from someone or reviewing a simple PowerPoint on their own often just confuses them rather than teaching them. Explain Everything creates a format that will teach them the same lessons presented in class, and allow them the luxury of repeating it over and over. It also frees me up as the teacher to continue going forward instead of having to review constantly for a class or a single individual.

Finally, if I am diligent about posting and emphasizing its usage, Explain Everything creates that most desirable characteristic of a flipped characteristic - extra instructional time. It creates a self-learning environment that allows students to capture a portion of the lesson outside of regular class time, which opens up actual classroom time for answering questions, clarifying confusion and working one on one with students on problems or activities. 

Module 4 - Assignment 4 - Dropbox

I like using Dropbox, but every so often find it a little confusing. It works very well for most applications, but I forget to share files or accidentally change the permissions and find myself having to go back and tweak my settings. It is so much easier to share the file with someone than sharing the link that I had to repeat this twice before I realized the link had been copied (it wouldn't show me the "get link" message that was mentioned in the tutorial). Dropbox is a great way to share entire folders of materials, including lesson plans and images that aren't presently being co-edited or used in a collaborative file. This is also a good way for students to submit project work, images they need printing, etc.

Natural Selection of Teddy Grahams

The only limitation with Dropbox is again the digital divide. My classroom has iPads instead of computers, so its difficult for students to load or create Microsoft files, and if they do it from home instead it screens out those students who don't have a computer with Microsoft. I believe I need to continue to look for alternative file types to use for students who don't have a computer any longer.

Module 4 - assignment 3 - Google Docs and Sharing

I have been using Google Docs for a while now, but I still find new things every time I work with the program. For example, I love the ability to share photo albums - something I didn't know about before. And the ability to comment on a document without editing it is a great way to get feedback on files without emailing it back and forth. That functionality alone makes it worthwhile. I plan on using Google Docs with my National Honor Society students to modify and amend our Constitution and our bylaws, and I have recently used Google Docs to create a scheduling template for my in-laws regarding help with watching the boys when I am working late, and a roster at school for remediation schedules.

For this assignment, I chose to post an assignment I gave to my AP Biology students that is worth half of their final exam grade. I originally just had this file available for them to download, which is fine, but this way they would be able to comment on any areas they are having trouble either understanding or researching. By having this as a public comment document, other students who are having the same problems would be able to see possible solutions, or they could relate how it connects to their own project. I didn't get this in place for this assignment this semester, but I believe this could be very useful next semester with projects like this, review outlines, etc. This might have spared me some heartburn from this assignment.

Here was their project: Organ System Assignment

This type of interaction would have saved me a lot of class time spent answering questions and providing specific feedback to students that I then had to repeat to other students with the exact same questions. That would have allowed for more instructional time in the final weeks of the semester. Oh well, better Doc next time...:)

Module 4 - assignment 2 - PhotoPeach Embed

Mom's flowers on PhotoPeach Mom's flowers on PhotoPeach
I really enjoyed this activity and I appreciate the embed option which lets me put this straight into my blog versus a link. Since this is flash driven, it seems like the link is still important for me to add in case someone is trying to access it via an iDevice, but this would be useful as a "hook" for students entering a new subject, or using the images from an online textbook or even just for fun. Sometimes fun is educational too. 

Module 4 - assignment 1 - PhotoPeach

This was just plain fun. I threw a handful of pictures from mom's gardens in just to try this out, and I love the effect. I think I will have to set the entire folder of mom's gardens to this so that we can all enjoy them, and I bet our family photos from Christmas will also enjoy this treatment to be shared with folks. You can check out some of mom's garden pics from Barefoot Farm and Gardens  and I'll be sure to post the Christmas photos after the holidays!

I can imagine doing this with a set of images of student work that has been completed and posting to our website so others can see what our students are doing. This would also be cool for students to use to create a presentation of images based on a theme or a slideshow that others might enjoy. I see using this as a fun lesson idea for the middle of winter when the days are getting long for students and teachers alike. 

Module 3 - assignment 7 - Mobile Devices in the classroom

The practice of BYOT is being trialed in Henry County schools this year, beginning at Bassett High School. I appreciate that the article addresses both sides of the concept. My experiences of trying to integrate student owned technology into the classroom have spanned the gamut of both positive and negative. From a positive perspective, students do seem more involved in certain activities, however they can quickly find themselves distracted by the social connections they have while online. I have many students who use their camera features to record pictures of diagrams from the board, or even pictures of their notes in case they lose them, but I must also monitor closely that they aren't taking pictures of themselves and others just for posting. I think that so far, for every appropriate use of the technology in the classroom I have seen, there has been a reciprocal inappropriate usage. In this sense, the partial adoption of the technology affirms the writer's citation that “[it]

involves more than merely incorporating new technology into current pedagogical strategies; it requires an instructional paradigm shift that promises to fundamentally change the way students learn.”

Since we close out the Earth Science semester with Astronomy, I decided to look up applications that would support student involvement in this topic that they could access both here and at home. Since students are not at school at night, the app has to be able to help guide them in a way that they can learn and then share when they come back the next day. The two apps I liked were the NASA application, and the StarWalk App.   The NASA App is a great general information App that lets students not only explore the galaxy, but also lets them see our place in it and our efforts at studying it. I like the updates on Satellite views and rocket launches, and I appreciate the description of the different projects taking place that are studying our earth. Students tend to think that our only studies were the moon and now Mars. This App gives them more understanding of the constant scientific inquiry taking place above them. 

The Star Walk is great for teaching about the constellations, star color and magnitude, and positional movement and rotation. The fact that students can go outside in day or night and see what is above them and even study specific stars or planets that they can see encourages them to explore their universe. They have a real-life connection and can specialize their experience based on what appeals to them. The downside is that the App does have a cost, but perhaps a grant could be found to cover it on a set number of iPads and we could have a "field trip to outer space" one night at the school, where students come to the school at night and we use the iPads to study the night sky.

 

Module 3 - Assignment 6 - Flipped Classroom

The flipped classroom has been a powerful buzzword recently in our Professional development opportunities. The concept is great - students actively engaged in learning and being tasked with the responsibility to prepare for the classroom before they ever set foot in the door. The opportunities to expand education, cover topics more thoroughly, and expand our presentation format are all immensely appealing. The real question however is how will the students react? My early efforts at asking students to learn outside of the school walls have been largely unsuccessful. I hope that a more integrated and dedicated approach like a true flipped classroom will succeed where my scattered attempts have failed in the past.

I am dismayed, however, by the fact that Youtube is presently not supported by our high school so I will have to save videos for use or else use more accessible sites for video resources. I realize that this makes sense from a filtering standpoint, but it is complicating the construction a bit to have to save everything and upload it for use. I hope that this will only be a small hurdle in the path to a flipped classroom.

Module 3 - assignment 4 - Creating a Google Doc form

It's that time of the year again, and Google Doc forms seems like a natural way to gather information on the Christmas Goodie exchange! I usually don't ask and just bring goodies for folks, but an exchange sounded like more fun. Of course there is an option for the non-bakers in the bunch so they can still make out like a bandit, but it's all in good fun. I love to bake, but don't always have time to make everything, so this will help me decide if I can get away with one or two treats this week, or if I will need to diversify my efforts for a more finicky crowd!

Christmas Goodie survey

I really like the Google forms options and versatility. I also appreciate the ability to edit as I forgot to check the "required" box on some of these, so I went back and corrected that. I feel it is a friendlier, less sterile way to collect information than a written sheet or a basic excel spreadsheet that users fill in. It is more approachable for fun topics like this one, and the ability to open it to the web as a whole makes it useful for other applications. The ability to choose a theme is also perfect for the time of year. I just hope at least one person agrees to exchange!

Module 3 - Assignment 3 - Exploring Google Docs forms

    I never really understood why people were Google crazy until I began diving into the various pieces of the Google toolbox. I really like the input-output sequence of Google forms. On the input, students, parents and others can answer specific questions or input ideas based on a user-friendly template that makes one feel more at home. Most folks have ordered something online and are used to the sometimes complicated forms that exist in the online marketplace, so these forms seem simple by comparison. The fact that the data is being aggregated into a worksheet file, or other reporting mode is spectacular - it allows for digital collection, editing, and saving of all information in one spot. Perfect for the Biologist who is sometimes referred to as "the Piler" when it comes to papers and forms.
 
   I see several ways to utilize Google forms. Six of them are included here, but there are many more that are bouncing around in my subconscious now as possible tools for the future.

• Beginning of the year survey - what a concept! As simple as it sounds, the ability to have all information already completed without having to retype everything into a spreadsheet, or keep up with piles of papers or index cards is sweeeeet.
• Quickwrite - Perfect for teaching the art of the free-response to AP students and teaching writing in the sciences in general for all courses. This is a great starter for the day for an AP class.
• Data gathering for a science experiment - no more creating tables on the board for students to fill in their data and others to copy. As students complete a laboratory exercise, they submit their data to the form and it is automatically included. If the form is placed in a common access, students can then download the form and complete the experimental analysis quickly.
• Textbook reading - students are assigned a passage or pages in the textbook to read for content understanding and then respond to given questions - again a great way to avoid piles of paper for a daily assignment.
• Requests for after-school assistance - students can utilize the form to request help after school without the embarrassment of asking in front of others, and I have documentation of their request and my response.
• Feedback from parents - any parent with a concern can reach me with it day or night and they are organized into a single document for record keeping purposes. On my side I can have a form for myself showing how I responded, that downloads into the same document.

Long live Google forms!

Bunn Module 3- assignment 1 - Classroom Blogging

 
       I liked the articles I read that were presented on classroom blogging, and tried to think about how the feedback given by the writers would affect my students in AP Biology. Since AP Biology includes a lot of writing prompts for the free-response sections of the test and also to demonstrate understanding of content, it occurred to me that a great way to integrate the a blog into the course would be to utilize it to have students submit free response essays. The style of the essay would be more communicative than most free responses, but would allow others to see how they were each thinking. To me, this sort of brings in the real world application that the authors of "Blog On" cited.

The ability to focus student review on a scientific concept and to have some collaboration between classes is also a system that I would like to begin to use. Classroom pairings can be useful learning tools, except when one student does all the work. By using a blog setup and pairing students between classes, it sort of forces them to both contribute, and allows me to see the depth of the contribution just by reading the postings. If one student was assigned to start the blog comment, and the other reply to begin the discussion, it would allow for one to ease into the role the first time around, and then the responsibility could be flipped. It also makes it that much harder  for students to cheat by copying others since their blog discussion could take a uniquely different path while still remaining true to the topic.

I searched around for some ideas of how blogging was being integrated into the sciences, and one article I really liked was found at: Blogging in the Science Classroom: The Worksheet is Dead. I have been seeking to reduce my reliance on worksheets for a while now, and this seems like an interesting way to tackle this problem. I like how the author addresses both pros and cons in his article, and describes how he worked around the problems - solutions often fail to appear in articles like this so it was helpful to see the suggestions. The recommendation to use Google Reader to track students blog posts using the RSS feed was a great idea, and I loved the thought that students would have a permanent notebook online versus the pile of crowded papers. The old problem of students without access still rears its ugly head, but the online storage concept has really expanded our ability for students to learn in multiple locations, rather than carrying and losing the classic flash drive. I believe I will be trying out the blogging system with students in the spring and look forward to seeing how we all learn together.

Module 3 - assignment 2 - Twitter -the anti educator "GASP!"

I am assuming, since we are in the midst of an educational course that allows us to express our feelings and our thoughts freely, that I can say this without failing immediately. Twitter is a "dis-educator". So spell check won't support it, and I know the articles I read give great ideas for using Twitter as a way to create thoughtful, well spoken comments. Still, I feel that Twitter, at its very basic level, teaches students to over-simplify, and under-express themselves. Twitter may be a great notification tool - but I got a nice phone call from HCPS tonight that told me that schools were on a 2 hour delay tomorrow and that worked just fine. And more importantly, I worry that Twitter really does hit that digital divide of the have and have nots. With papers, and tests and assignments, etc it's easier to make sure that we get copies from those students without the digital connection, but Twitter should only, ever, be used as a back-up. I cannot image HCPS using it as a primary means of communication. Too many children in our area are lacking the resources to access it.

That doesn't mean that I don't agree with the clever ways to use it. But for every great way I think of to use it in high school, I think of a conflict. And that really challenges me. Twitter is great for reminders, but students often claim they "didn't get it". Twitter has no feedback to say whether or not they did - so I have to assume they didn't. And that puts me in an awkward situation. I can prove I posted it - I can't prove they received it. A flaw that I can't fix, versus handing them something in person or emailing it with a "confirmation". Students have twittered questions, which are great, but then they have never checked for the results. Again - there needs to be some type of confirmation.

I dislike Twitter. I don't like to post every day. It's personal, Just gotta say. Many of my kids dislike Twitter as well. It's a technology that seems to be disappearing. Just saying. Twitter is constantly hanging over your shoulder, waiting for a post, and I am not the type to use it daily. I don't want it hanging in front of me and my kids tell me they don't want me "THAT" involved in their lives...

Module 3 - assignment 5 - flipped classroom

The flipped classroom is not a new concept for me. We have heard about it at our school for a few years, and there is always a buzz of excitement by the presenter and the teachers who are demonstrating it, and a series of eye rolls from everyone else. Having seen the videos, I find myself caught in the same old space. Sure it sounds wonderful, and I do see tremendous merit in it, but the reason for the eye roll is universal. The irony of the efficiency received on the back side of the program is coupled with a huge amount of investment on the front side, and therein lies my, and other teachers' problem. Our schools, the same schools who hold up the glorious banner of the concept of the flipped classroom, also suck every last bit of free time we have to actually create the content needed for this. My planning period is an oxymoron. I can't plan anything for it or during it because on any given day I will be covering someone else's class, watching 3 other rooms while teachers take a bathroom break, sitting in on an IEP meeting, or participating in another mandatory SOL meeting.

After-school, I have remediation with students, assigned game duties, grading responsibilities, and family obligations. I have tried very hard to see where to find the time to do the flipping, and just haven't found it yet. That is what I most want to get out of this class. How do I find time to flip? And more importantly, how do I get the student's to buy into it? I know the concept of the engagement sounds great, but less than 15% of my students turn in their homework now - how will that change? Does it change? I'm curious. I would love to have my AP students in particular read concepts before they come into class because they are the most likely to get lost during lectures, and we don't have time to slow down. And how does this affect the new accountability model of our evaluation cycle? We already have the guillotine of SOL's hanging over our heads - how do we keep those kids on pace to finish content if they are taking their time to understand it? I see great promise, but I have a lot of questions.

Time in a Bottle

Module 2 - assignment 9 - iPad - Khan Academy

Forget your allegiances to Star fleet- - we're gonna embrace Khan academy here, because it really is a fantastic resource for high school classes, especially science ones, but it also runs the risk of being over the top. I downloaded Khan because our Chem AP teacher uses it a lot and I wanted to see the Bio side of it. I love it, and to me it is clear, but my students have a tough time following me in slow motion on the board, much less the pace that a lot of the Khan instructors present it. Of course the benefit to them is they can rewind, jump around ,etc, but many won't take the time to write what the instructor is writing, so I'm still up in the air over it being a very useful tool. I think I want to try it this year on the students I have first semester who will have to wait 4 months until they actually get to take the AP exam in the spring, since I think it could be great review material.

Module 2 - assignment 8 - Dropbox - please don't kick me out

I teach Seniors, and it is imperative they understand the basic steps of basic animal behavior and courtship. I found this clip a few years ago and it has been the favorite of my students ever since. Just don't hold it against me :)   I love dropbox, I am actually working very diligently to get the other teachers in my building to use it more than the students. While I see tremendous advantages in student usage, as teachers we are always trying to share lesson plans and awesome activities we find with each other via email, and the problem is that it's just one to one. If we were to get everyone on board, and create some folders that were for each subject area, and then one or two for math review and for basic STEM problem solving, we could have a goldmine in using dropbox. I am really going to try to make that work. The shared folder is so valuable, and it means if I lose it for some reason, or get upgraded, etc. I can still recover those lessons. So let's hope I can get all on board. And meanwhile, watch out for those crazy fruit flies!

Module 2 - assignment 7 - Bunn - google docs

Gonna keep it sorta vanilla tonight. I like Google docs, and I am using it quite a bit now so I feel pretty comfortable with the whole concept. But I did come across a few ideas in this process that I like, and I'd like to throw out one headache I've been having.

I have recently assigned a large project for the end of term, that will represent half of the the student's final exam grade, yet I haven't heard of anyone making any progress on it. They think it is one they can throw together at the last minute, which tells me they really haven't read the rubric or paid any attention to it. It is a tough, thorough project and the rubric doesn't allow them to half-a** it. So I liked the concept of using Google docs to track student progress.

While the students are required to create a trifold in the standard science fair format, many haven't begun to look for their content. I think I will create a series of Google Docs, one for each week, that will challenge students to update me on their findings, or allow me to comment on their potential design. I'm still working out the challenges since it does require google access, and that has been my headache.

I tried using Google Docs with my NHS kids recently and half of them still don't have a gmail/google acct. I am going to pin them down in the room and make them get it then and there. I know these kids have so many different accounts and passwords it's impossible to keep up with them. I see this as a huge flaw in the digital age, but I don't know how to fix it.

I also plan on using Google docs to keep my homework assignment chart updated more readily in the future. I will be playing with that this weekend. It's been a crazy few weeks and getting crazier by the second. I don't find these assignments difficult, I just have trouble finding the time between the boys and my students and their upcoming tests...yaaaawwwwnnnn

Module 2 - assignment 5 - deliciosa...ok so it sounded good...Bunn

I have been using Delicious for the past few weeks at school, and I love it but I learned a valuable lesson. If you create a special tag for it, remember what it is for and write it down! I made about 3 special tags, then forgot what they were for because I didn't use them frequently enough, so I had to do the scroll down method. Gotta get more efficient. I still like Delicious a lot, but I also learned to put the Delicious link on my tool bar in addition to the "Add to Delicious" link so I could get their faster.

I was creating a unit this time around on Plate tectonics, and found several links at home, so I saved those to Delicious so I could pull them up at school. Worked like a charm :) I really like this site and it's availability, though I still wish it had a folder option. I also looked at Sbazak and other's sites- very interesting. I think in the future I would send a link or some type of message to make it easier. Delicious is great for bookmarking, but not really fluid on interactions.

So divergent plate boundaries will create this on the ocean floor, essential for the formation of new crust. What is it? Search my Delicious links and see :)

Module 2 - Assignment 4 - Microbloggin with twitter - Bunn's Achilles Heel

Okay, I think it's fair for me to express my opinion given this is a class assignment. I am just having serious issues with turning twitter into a classroom tool, much less posting every day. I guess I could do it every day when I'm online at school, but there is a part of me that finds it unethical to "tweet" while at school since our admin seems to follow the same policy. Maybe others or Sbazak could comment on that. Not just for this assignment but in general. I still see positive ways to use twitter - like a constant process feed for a signal transduction pathway, where every student would have to tweet a step but would not be allowed to tweet a second, thereby making everyone participate. But honestly students tell me they are moving away from twitter to instagram, which is more image friendly, and we have quite the vain generation coming up. They are so used to "selfies" - I liked the challenge I saw earlier this year from the woman challenging folks to give up selfies for an entire month. Very few could do it. So while I can present strategies for using twitter, I think the cultural shift is moving away from it. Maybe it's time to adjust the course to follow...We need to get real and follow what we see and the shift. I don't see twitter surviving the new age...And twitter is especially tough in the sciences, where developments and discoveries happen slowly and are vetted carefully by others....

Module 2- Assignment 6 - Pinterest - Bunn's crockpot

So one of my favorite ways to use the internet now is to find recipes. I particularly like the fact that you can find specialized topics or types of recipes without having to buy a whole cookbook just for the topic. So now that winter is here, and I don't want to spend excessive amounts of time cooking and I love warm, hearty food, I created a Crockpot Pinterest Board. I waded into the general search engines to find some starters, and from there started jumping around to different people's pages including some designated for the exact same concept. :) I find some yummy looking things, with limited ingredients and lots of yum factor so I added those pins as well. I can't wait to try out some of these. Pinterest is a lot of fun for me to use, but I confess that on the average day I won't even use it. But when I have a little time and decide to "stock up" on links, this is a good way to do it :). I just found out that my father-in-law is being examined for a possible allergy to beef and pork due to a tick bite, so I found a recipe for a Crock-pot turkey lasagna that I'll have to try this weekend :)

Module 2 - assignment 3 - Wordle and Tagxedo - super fly! Bunn

These are great programs. I like the Wordle as a way of demonstrating importance to others of concepts, terms and even just words. I want to use this with some Biology lessons that demonstrate the importance of the background knowledge - like microtubules in Mitosis, or Kinases in Cellular communications. I also like to be able to demonstrate the power of words with the visual elements that Tagxedo lets you embellish with. I thought of the things that are tearing the world apart that often are of human creation, and then incorporated them into the following image to show just how "explosive" these concepts are. I showed this to my class and they loved it. We may all do a Tagxedo next week...

Module 2 - Assignment 2 - Maintaining and Expanding - Bunn - a great way to share

So I decided this was a great place to share my philosophy on teaching science. And honestly, I could have added much much more and may one day go and do that, but I just wanted people to see what I love about teaching Science. The page feature is nice because it doesn't just slip below view later, and if someone checks it out and doesn't like it, then they have a reason not to follow my blog, which is okay too. I see it as a way to keep refining my personal philosophy with this blog, even if it isn't specifically connected.

I also like to be able to add multiple images and humor and work it into the blog as an aside, so I can go back later and see what my thoughts were then. I may add a personal CV page in the future - it could be useful if a blog ever gets picked up by someone who likes what I'm writing - ya never know :) We become what we receive, at least in knowledge and our lives, so I'm curious to see what effect my philosophy will have on others in the future...

Module 1 -assignments 8 and 9 - Bunn - the highs and lows of iPads in the classroom

I have the fortune/misfortune of having iPads in my classroom for 2 years now. They have created some excellent learning opportunities and platforms, but I have also felt the sting of the evil anti-flash sentiment that pervades Apple. The first, most obvious use for me was the ability to provide students with internet access for research and webquests (though the anti-flash has made that trickier), as well as an opportunity for students use specific applets for learning. However, each applet we use has to be installed by our Tech support, so it is imperative that we have a real use for it. That means that the iPads often have a range of applets that are installed and interesting, but have no real connection to our class content. Nevertheless, since the carts are made to be mobile, they must remain to be accessible to other teachers. All of this adds up to distraction city.

I did decide that there were some applets our students needed. Of particular note was a Smart Notebook applet that lets students use and even create Smartboard programs. This allowed us to use Smartboard to create some Technology enhanced items including sorting and drag and drop that the students can now access at their own iPad rather than one student coming to the board and doing it all. This meant that every student could drag and drop, and sort answers similar to the way they will be asked on the interactive portions of the new SOLS. Of course there are some limitations. Some of the technology supported by the Smartboard on specific programs found on line is Flash driven, so those Smartboard lessons can't be used to their fullest extent on these iPads. However, the creation capability is interesting as each student can be asked to create a Smartboard page about a specific topic, and then they can all be added together to make on Smartboard presentation. Our biggest hurdle was that the program was not free, but I was successful in writing a PIE grant for about $500 to install it on 90 iPads in the school so we can use that application. It is now available on iPads in the Sciences and Social Studies. 

Another useful application for the iPads in the classroom is how they allow students to access Powerpoint slides for notetaking or review. This has proven useful in a flipped classroom sort of way for my AP classes, as they often get confused trying to take the notes as I talk. Now they can go on to the site, write the notes down, and then follow along as I present them, annotating or editing where needed. I have also embraced the iPads for AP use by utilizing a question/test taking program that allows them to practice questions related to the high level content they are receiving, and then getting instant feedback on how they are doing. This Quest program is not iPad specific, but it is accessible from anywhere that has internet access, including smart phones, so it has been very useful for related practice and homework.

In all, I am probably not using the iPads to the extent that they are capable of being used, but I hope to have the time in the future to incorporate more specific apps as we go on.

Module 1- assignment 6 - Google docs - love it but needs help

So I sent y'all a query via Google spreadsheet for your breakfast preference. Another wonderful member of our group already started this discussion ;) but since I signed up for a breakfast casserole, I decided to make sure I didn't throw anything in there that would mess with anyone's digestive system and have them bolting out of our instructor's excellent presentation.

I use Google docs a lot, and really like it except for some limitations. For example, you can't seem to name the column headers in the google spreadsheet. You can in excel but not here, at least not that I can find a solution for. Hopefully they will fix that. I am experimenting with using Google docs with my NHS club this year to conduct business in the time that they are so wrapped up they can't participate in actual meetings. But it's so hard to get them to sign in and read. I can't even get emails from some of them. ARRGGHHHHH.

Google docs is best used with an entirely cohesive unit. Either they all use it or they don't. It's like differentiating for a class - if the kids don't want to use it, it will require significant extra work to get them to be involved, and it's not fair to penalize them if they just can't seem to get it. It is an excellent differentiation and business tool and I still want to use it with my after-school group, but I see problems using it in the classroom without providing options for those students who don't grasp it. They signed up for Earth Science, not IT collaborative programming. I can grade them on the one but I need to be patient on the other. I think this is where that knowledge comes in. It is not fair to grade a student in Earth Science on whether or not they can use google docs. As long as I provide them an alternative I think I am covering the content. And some concepts just need an image to understand :). Thoughts?

Module 1 - Assignment 7 - Bunn - Dropbox

I've been using Dropbox for a long time now, so this was a fairly easy one to use, except for having tech support having to reinstall the actual software on my newer laptop - anyone else find it contradictory that we are encouraged to use as many technological resources as possible, but aren't allowed to add even a smiley face without tech support? But I digress. We have used Dropbox for Technology enhanced curriculum and questions, and I have used it with my VASS grant and program so I know it fairly well, but I still needed the push to remember to use it with my classes instead of just out of administrative habit.

I wrote a grant a year ago trying to get flash drives for students to be able to save information and then bring it to school for printing. While most of the grant was funded, that part was cut off. I can see using Dropbox as a short term fix (though it still doesn't help those students with no internet access at home), but at least they can use it in class without all of the headaches. And if I want them to create a digital project, they don't need a flash drive - they can save it all on Dropbox and I can grab it later.

My iPad pulled in Dropbox just fine - except that I forgot that most of the files it pulled in I can't edit and re-save to Dropbox on the iPad :) Still - I can see them which is helpful. As long as I remember that limitation, I will be great :)

Module 1 - Assignment 5 - Google Docs - hmmmm

So before I begin, allow me to say that I have experience using Google Docs for school work and for administrative scheduling, and while I am familiar with that aspect of it, I would be lying if I said I enjoyed using it for those purposes. :) My experience has primarily been limited to the "Word processing" portion of it, and so I was very excited to listen to and learn about the many other options available. As soon as I saw the spreadsheet during our first session, and then heard the tutorial, I immediately set one up for my National Honor Society students to fill in. We have a terrible time finding common time for meetings, so I decided to have them all sign up for a G-mail, and then fill in their information on the spreadsheet I created. I then posted a Google Doc announcing our upcoming events and asking for feedback.

As much as I thought this was a great idea, they have been slow to adopt. When I watched the video about the Collaborative writing exercise, I think I see why. While the exercise she was doing was great, I saw a lot of students talking one on one to each other, changing things only after talking to each other, and only a few people making edits. To me, the concept was wonderful, but their implementation sort of missed the strength of the program. I would rather separate them and see how well they communicated and worked together. That is the value of the program and its importance in the marketplace. They might as well have all been in a group and one person taking notes. I like her idea, I just don't think she was challenging them enough.

I intend to make my NHS students amend their present Constitution via Google Docs, outside of meeting time. Since it's not a class I don't need to worry about a grade, but it will be valuable to see how they handle it. They need to join together to create something we all can use - and since it will affect all, they better get involved.

Module 1 - assignment 4 - Bunn - Spppoookkkyyy Pinterest

I have been using Pinterest to collect ideas for Halloween. I am a Halloween nut, and I love the decorations, the recipes, and even the history of it. I also love the concept of Dia de Muertos - the Day of the Dead. I grow orange marigolds every year just to sprinkle a path to my door, and my NHS students will be making about 150 sugar skulls for the Spanish classes at Magna Vista to decorate as they explore the holiday.

You have already seen an example of my finds below with my pumpkin puking Guacamole, but I have some other ideas I can't wait to use. Pinterest is a great way to find this and I like being able to specifically focus on other people's boards who have already collected some great resources. I have made a few mistakes pinning pictures that lead to a general website instead of the focused content, but I am learning.

Module 1 - assignment 2 - Bunn - Twitter is a challenge

It's hard to describe why Twitter is a challenge. I am usually on the web during the day, and it's such a short post, but I think my conflict has been that so far I am using Twitter only to post in this class. I have had a few chances to share some really fun and interesting activities going on my classes lately, and it becomes easier when others comment which motivates me to elaborate, but my mind doesn't think in short sentences. I'm afraid I'm one of those "novelists" who have trouble summarizing in such short sentences, and I want to post long, elaborating comments that are better suited for blogging or even Facebook. Still, it was fun announcing my field trip recently, and after reading the many ways to use Twitter, I think I have some cool ideas for using it with my classes. For one, I can certainly imagine Tweeting every night "Bunn says - are you studying your Biology?" just to remind them it is not a one-time deal in AP classes. I can also see tweeting single questions, "So, why is it important that Mitochondria and Chloroplasts also have DNA and ribosomes?"  just to keep their brains thinking. I believe I'm going to make that a priority next week.
   I confess I missed a day of tweeting. It was on the weekend and I was having a great time with my boys, and family, and just didn't feel like tweeting. While I really like technology, I also like my time away from it, and I forgot that I had to tweet that day. Hopefully I made up for it with multiple tweets the past few days :)  I think tweeting is interesting, and I want to try it out with my students, but I can honestly say I don't see it working into my personal life :)  

Module 1 - assignment 3 - Bunn - Delicious is delectable!

 I have been using Delicious a lot this week, a bookmarking application that allows you access from anywhere. I'm in a Plate Tectonics unit for my one Earth Science class, and I have been looking for both hands-on activities and animation/videos to demonstrate the many different ways the earth reacts. Delicious has been awesome for adding links from both home and at work without having to lug my computer home from work or email myself the different links. I have used several of the links I found, and have added tags to help separate them as "Volcanoes", "Plate Tectonics", "Earth Layers", "Earthquakes", and "Seafloor Spreading" so I can find them quickly. This has been important since I've also been adding links for AP Biology which have pushed the others to the bottom of the list. 

Excited but overwhelmed

I have been looking for a blog tool for so long, and never realized it was right here. I have started a blog for my AP Bio course and look forward to the possibilities. We will proceed accordingly. But of course I can't forget what I'm doing here. I know this isn't an assignment, but I wanted to mention I have enjoyed tweeting a bit, and more importantly, I am in love with Delicious :) I have used it a lot in the past few days :) I have also started a Google Docs with my National Honor Society students so we can work together even though they are booked into everything else :) I'm really pumped about all of this :) It's time to feel the rain!

Module 1 - assignment 1 - Bunn

I enjoyed reading the blogs and trying to imagine how I could use them. I teach Seniors who are very fluent in online communications with respect to their personal lives, but lack much savvy with using the technology for their future educational careers. These are still in the "donut hole" (borrowed from medicare) if you will - they didn't have the iPads the new middle schoolers have, but they have their smart phones. They can do online assignments, but are learning the responsibility required in order to make sure they have the assignments completed each week. Bringing them into this world will help them in their future as many colleges have already flipped the classroom or require online work.

I tried to set up a blog earlier this year for my students, but was unsuccessful due to internet issues. I hope this will allow me a space to get my students on board for their future expectations. I would like to use Blogger to increase daily feedback and questions. I have so many students who won't ask them in class, but I know they may be more comfortable asking in this type of forum. And it is a great way for me to provide reminders of assignments that some of my students seem to miss on a regular basis. I also like the ability to provide additional information for any areas they seemed confused about during the day. If there were a lot of confused looks, I can clarify those areas at the end of the day with a classroom blog :) I look forward to this, but I have a little trepidation that I make it worth their time. Here we go.

Pinterest is fun

Okay, so Pinterest has my attention now with this totally amazing food/decoration find :)

Definitely making this in the next few weeks! Thanks to Pin-it :)

Dropbox

 Dropbox ROCKS! I've used this with students before and it is very helpful. I like the versatility and the ability to store those files. I'm still more likely to copy and paste, but I appreciate the strength of its accessibility.

Delicious

Delicious is a social bookmarking site that has phenomenal potential for helping me. I can find these links from anywhere and create specialty tags to help sort my links and direct others to the links.

UVA first post

I am sitting in a UVA class on a Saturday. It started really badly but it's getting a little better, but the most fun I've had today is using Tagxedo to make an interesting graphic for my classes.