For the final assignment of EDIM 514 Internet Tools for Teaching I have created a Digital Portfolio. The portfolio can be accessed from the Web 2.0 tool www.Weebly.com I found this site to be a user-friendly and intuitive tool for building a rather sophisticated website for FREE. The process of assembling a portfolio is very familiar to me. As an art teacher I guide students in choosing their best work to display and archive each year. The process is a wonderful self-assessment as well as a summative assessment experience. I am looking forward to adding to this portfolio as I move through my coursework at Wilkes University. I have learned a great deal thus far and I am happy to have a place to aggregate and display my accomplishments.
Please feel free to leave me a comment if you have an idea for implementation of any of these projects. Comment on implementation not only for the arts, but also for any subject area. My goal is to use my projects in an interdisciplinary way to help students synthesize and create new content through the use of technology. Thank you for taking the time to review my portfolio!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
EDIM 514 Self-Evaluation: Cell Phone Digital Storytelling
I chose to evaluate my Digital Story: I Knew I was going to be an Educator when... I enjoyed the process of creating this story and using only a cell phone to do it was a challenge to say the least. I learned to use the tools available to me and explore features of my phone that I never knew existed. I created the following rubric using Rubistar. I did not find any rubrics from the readings that I felt addressed the type of project I had created. Also, I wanted a rubric that I could use with my students at a later time when they create the same project.
My categories were Images, Point of View - Purpose, Economy, Voice - Pacing, and Point of View - Awareness of Audience. I scored myself an 18/20. I lost a point for Voice - Pacing as there was one spot where my video clip was a bit long and I had some "dead air". Other than that, I felt that the story, transitions, soundtrack, voice, pacing, editing and images/video were all chosen with care and created with skill and thought of not only the end product but also the audience's experience in mind.
I am very hard on myself with every project I produce. I will not submit anything until I have gone over every part many times. This can be a blessing and a curse as it can be an exhaustive process. I have created many Digital Storytelling projects and this one is no different; each project is a little piece of yourself - like any good work of Art.
I am very hard on myself with every project I produce. I will not submit anything until I have gone over every part many times. This can be a blessing and a curse as it can be an exhaustive process. I have created many Digital Storytelling projects and this one is no different; each project is a little piece of yourself - like any good work of Art.
Please view my video and leave me a comment based on the following rubric to see if you agree with my self-assessment. Thank you!
Digital Storytelling : EDIM 514 Cell Phone Digital Story
- Teacher Name: Mr. Carr Student Name: ________________________________________
CATEGORY | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Images | Images create a distinct atmosphere or tone that matches different parts of the story. The images may communicate symbolism and/or metaphors. | Images create an atmosphere or tone that matches some parts of the story. The images may communicate symbolism and/or metaphors. | An attempt was made to use images to create an atmosphere/tone but it needed more work. Image choice is logical. | Little or no attempt to use images to create an appropriate atmosphere/tone. |
Point of View - Purpose | Establishes a purpose early on and maintains a clear focus throughout. | Establishes a purpose early on and maintains focus for most of the presentation. | There are a few lapses in focus, but the purpose is fairly clear. | It is difficult to figure out the purpose of the presentation. |
Economy | The story is told with exactly the right amount of detail throughout. It does not seem too short nor does it seem too long. | The story composition is typically good, though it seems to drag somewhat OR need slightly more detail in one or two sections. | The story seems to need more editing. It is noticeably too long or too short in more than one section. | The story needs extensive editing. It is too long or too short to be interesting. |
Voice - Pacing | The pace (rhythm and voice punctuation) fits the story line and helps the audience really \"get into\" the story. | Occasionally speaks too fast or too slowly for the story line. The pacing (rhythm and voice punctuation) is relatively engaging for the audience. | Tries to use pacing (rhythm and voice punctuation), but it is often noticeable that the pacing does not fit the story line. Audience is not consistently engaged. | No attempt to match the pace of the storytelling to the story line or the audience. |
Point of View - Awareness of Audience | Strong awareness of audience in the design. Students can clearly explain why they felt the vocabulary, audio and graphics chosen fit the target audience. | Some awareness of audience in the design. Students can partially explain why they felt the vocabulary, audio and graphics chosen fit the target audience. | Some awareness of audience in the design. Students find it difficult to explain how the vocabulary, audio and graphics chosen fit the target audience. | Limited awareness of the needs and interests of the target audience. |
Date Created: Mar 06, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
I Knew I was going to be an Educator When...Cell Phone Based Media Event
This is my video entitled: I knew I was going to be an Educator When... The assignment was fun and a bit different in that the footage/images had to be entirely cell phone based. I used my cell phone for most of the images and my Dad's iPhone for some images and the video. The video was edited and produced in iMovie and the music is from the iLife Studio Suite Software. I also know that you can upload movies right from your cell phone to Vimeo although I don't think you can edit it there. Enjoy my little story of how I came to be an Elementary Art Teacher.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Cell Phones in Education - EDIM 514
Cell phones in the classroom…not at the K-5 level. I have read several interesting articles and blogs on the pros and cons of cell phones in education. I can actually see the logic for the higher grade levels such as 9-12 and of course higher education. However, I am fundamentally opposed to the use of cell phones by 6 -12 year olds in school. I understand the fact that they are digital natives and are very adept at using devices to obtain information. The fact is that most children in grades K-4 just don’t own working cell phones. If they do they are often in a backpack and for emergencies only. If that is the case and the district is aware of it, they often confiscate the phone and have a parent pick it up.
The first Article I read had some really good points to consider. I thought that the pros were mostly skewed toward the High School setting. In that setting I can see a benefit for educational use. However, one of the responses on the Helium site (Response by Kelly Kidd) listed some really careful cautionary points to consider. Kelly’s response references a Family Education article that lists some pretty strong negatives for school cell phone use. One of the points that stuck out to me was the possibility of bomb threats. While I think it would be unlikely, with the pace of the elementary school day, that a student would have opportunity to make a threat, the possibility is very real. My district alone has had 8-10 bomb threats in the past three years. On a more elementary and junior high level, the use of cell phones could contribute to the spread and propagation of rumors and threats. Cyber bulling is another big issue in my district right now. How would cell phones in school contribute to that issue?
My own thoughts focus on student maturity and time on task with a device that is largely social for students.
In this MSNBC article a school district in Wisconsin banned cell phones when students were using them to call in family members for reinforcements in a fight. The article also cites other cities that have banned cell phones for students who were caught cheating. The High School setting brings up another issue. Students who are already digital natives have the advantage over teachers and administrators through their understanding of how to circumnavigate around safety and usage protocols.
I really am not usually a pessimist, however I just see way too many pitfalls in trying to use cell phones in the classroom. I am sure in a perfect world the positives would outweigh the negatives. At the elementary level, I think it will be some time before we are using cell phones in the classroom.
Citations:
Meador, Derrick. (2012). Embrace cell phones or ban them? Retrieved on 2/27/12 from
Associated Press. (January 27, 2007). Wisconsin school violence leads to cell phone ban. Retrieved 2/27/12 from
Cohen, Maya. (2011). Family Education. Retrieved 2/27/12 from
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Cell Phone Project (Interview with Educator Margaret Meijers)
In this assignment we were given the address to a Wikispace that described many types of multimedia projects using cellphones. We were asked to select one, contact the teacher, and ask them some questions to help explain the process of the project. I chose to email Margaret Meijers, a classroom teacher and Manager of ICT Learning at Taroona High School, a government school for students in grades 7 - 10 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. In 2011 Margaret is teaching Computing and Graphic Design to students in grades 9 & 10.
Margaret's website is http://ictmindtools.net/mobileanimations/
Margaret's students created animations for their mobile phones using the free program PIVOT. Her website outlines how to create the animations in 5 easy steps. I think this would be hugely popular with students of all ages as they are enthralled with their cellphones to begin with. The ability to create and share your own personal animation would seem to promote not only student engagement but also student motivation. I can see this project being applicable to ANY subject area as the topic to be animated is up to the designer. Check out the website for some groovy student examples.
I asked Margaret a series of questions pertaining to the project. What elements of Graphic Design do you focus on for the animation project? " I don’t focus on any formal aspects of Graphic Design in this project, apart from helping the students understand about how the screen size of a mobile device affects the size of text and level of detail that can be included. And even in this case, I tend to let the students discover this for themselves by trial and error." Without discussing this with Margaret any further, I can infer from her response that she allows her students a degree of latitude in the design and creation process. This guiding approach allows students the the ability to make mistakes and learn from this trial and error process. This artistic approach to problem solving can increase self-confidence as students can take bits of success from the mistakes they make.
I know you teach HS students, would you have any suggestions for a similar project with 5th grade students? Her advice here is that she has been successful implementing the project from grades 4-10. She thinks that 5th graders are an appropriate choice for the project's positive stress.
What is your school policy regarding cell phones in school? "Our school runs a BYOD (bring your own device) program, and mobile phones are just another part of this. They are allowed to be used for learning in the classroom. It is up to individual teachers in our school as to how they manage phones in their classes. A few teachers do not allow them at all (so they must stay out of sight and on silent) ranging through to teachers like me who allow students to use their phones in ‘an adult’ way. i.e.: I say to them that if their phone rings and they take a call in my class, it had better be more important than my lesson! For example if a student had a parent having surgery, I would allow them to take a call from home. Just as I would if one of my family was in hospital." This kind of policy fascinates me. I would think that this would not work everywhere here in the U.S. Students already feel a sense of entitlement in a lot of cases, how could one teacher allow it and another one ban it. That just creates animosity and opportunities for conflict. I am a big believer in whole school policies, especially in our highly litigious society.
Do you require or desire any parental feedback or involvement in the process or product? " We encourage students to show their animations to friends and family. This is one of the most positive aspects of it. If a student did not have the animation on a mobile device, often the family would never see it." I am responding to Margaret's email to suggest posting the animation on a Web 2.0 site such as Animoto or Glogster and invite feedback from friends, family and perhaps cell phone application designers. Maybe this could become a requirement for students and I know they would love the feedback, as suggested by previous experience, to improve or tweak their work.
What challenges did you face when designing or working through the project with your students? "The biggest challenges I found was the wide range of devices, screen sizes, managing bluetooth etc and converting file formats. However once we had been through the process once, we all became quite good at it. So really just initial teething problems, all of which I felt were positive and added to the learning experience for the kids." In this way, Margaret's project is similar to the use of a NEW Web 2.0 tool. There is an initial learning curve and feeling out process that includes some glitches and headaches. Once the tool is familiar, students tend to use them for all sorts of applications as the tools become part of their digital toolbox in a sense.
As an educator, what I took away from this experience is that GLOBAL communication and collaboration are more attainable than ever. As long as you have willing participants with mutual educational goals, anything is possible. Margaret was kind enough to return my email request within one day. I am sure she is extremely busy and has many commitments. The fact that she was willing to take time to share for the benefit of another, to me, defines Global Citizenship. Cheers Margaret and Thanks!
Margaret's website is http://ictmindtools.net/mobileanimations/
Margaret's students created animations for their mobile phones using the free program PIVOT. Her website outlines how to create the animations in 5 easy steps. I think this would be hugely popular with students of all ages as they are enthralled with their cellphones to begin with. The ability to create and share your own personal animation would seem to promote not only student engagement but also student motivation. I can see this project being applicable to ANY subject area as the topic to be animated is up to the designer. Check out the website for some groovy student examples.
I asked Margaret a series of questions pertaining to the project. What elements of Graphic Design do you focus on for the animation project? " I don’t focus on any formal aspects of Graphic Design in this project, apart from helping the students understand about how the screen size of a mobile device affects the size of text and level of detail that can be included. And even in this case, I tend to let the students discover this for themselves by trial and error." Without discussing this with Margaret any further, I can infer from her response that she allows her students a degree of latitude in the design and creation process. This guiding approach allows students the the ability to make mistakes and learn from this trial and error process. This artistic approach to problem solving can increase self-confidence as students can take bits of success from the mistakes they make.
I know you teach HS students, would you have any suggestions for a similar project with 5th grade students? Her advice here is that she has been successful implementing the project from grades 4-10. She thinks that 5th graders are an appropriate choice for the project's positive stress.
What is your school policy regarding cell phones in school? "Our school runs a BYOD (bring your own device) program, and mobile phones are just another part of this. They are allowed to be used for learning in the classroom. It is up to individual teachers in our school as to how they manage phones in their classes. A few teachers do not allow them at all (so they must stay out of sight and on silent) ranging through to teachers like me who allow students to use their phones in ‘an adult’ way. i.e.: I say to them that if their phone rings and they take a call in my class, it had better be more important than my lesson! For example if a student had a parent having surgery, I would allow them to take a call from home. Just as I would if one of my family was in hospital." This kind of policy fascinates me. I would think that this would not work everywhere here in the U.S. Students already feel a sense of entitlement in a lot of cases, how could one teacher allow it and another one ban it. That just creates animosity and opportunities for conflict. I am a big believer in whole school policies, especially in our highly litigious society.
Do you require or desire any parental feedback or involvement in the process or product? " We encourage students to show their animations to friends and family. This is one of the most positive aspects of it. If a student did not have the animation on a mobile device, often the family would never see it." I am responding to Margaret's email to suggest posting the animation on a Web 2.0 site such as Animoto or Glogster and invite feedback from friends, family and perhaps cell phone application designers. Maybe this could become a requirement for students and I know they would love the feedback, as suggested by previous experience, to improve or tweak their work.
What challenges did you face when designing or working through the project with your students? "The biggest challenges I found was the wide range of devices, screen sizes, managing bluetooth etc and converting file formats. However once we had been through the process once, we all became quite good at it. So really just initial teething problems, all of which I felt were positive and added to the learning experience for the kids." In this way, Margaret's project is similar to the use of a NEW Web 2.0 tool. There is an initial learning curve and feeling out process that includes some glitches and headaches. Once the tool is familiar, students tend to use them for all sorts of applications as the tools become part of their digital toolbox in a sense.
As an educator, what I took away from this experience is that GLOBAL communication and collaboration are more attainable than ever. As long as you have willing participants with mutual educational goals, anything is possible. Margaret was kind enough to return my email request within one day. I am sure she is extremely busy and has many commitments. The fact that she was willing to take time to share for the benefit of another, to me, defines Global Citizenship. Cheers Margaret and Thanks!
Students Meeting the NETS-S Standards
Here is the NETS-S site. Here is the Student Profiles site.
Q: Explain how student use of communication, collaboration and publishing via Web 2.0 applications can help students meet the NETS-S Standards?
The National Education Technology Standards for Students were created in 2007 by the International Society for Technology Education (ISTE). The standards were created for evaluating the skills and knowledge students need to learn and live productively in a global society. Students need to be able to utilize technology and related resources to analyze, understand, and evaluate. Digital age skills are essential for students to become productive working members of their local and global communities (retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students.aspx).
The NETS-S cover the following digital skills and aptitudes: 1) Creativity and Innovation 2) Communication and Collaboration 3) Research and Information Fluency 4) Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making 5) Digital Citizenship 6) Technology Operations and Concepts. They also contain student profiles which are helpful to educators in the sense that they suggest activities that address the specific standards and attempt to bring them "to Life".
To answer this question I am focusing my attention on grades 3-5. These are the students with whom I most typically use Web 2.0 tools. First, Web 2.0 tools are common language to the majority of students entering school in 2012. Those who are unfamiliar with a tool(s) are quickly able to "play with it" and figure it out. This is due to students coming to school and growing up as "Digital Natives" (Prensky, 2001). As Digital natives students have the propensity to learn new technologies or applications due to their inquisitive nature and familiarity with technology in general. In other words they come to school with an embedded skill set that is far more advanced then many of the "Digital Immigrants" or teachers and administrators (Prensky, 2001).
This immersion in the digital language of today can most definitely aid students in navigating Web 2.0 tools and their applications. One thing remains clear; they are still students who are in need of guidance and structure when it comes to understanding, synthesizing, analyzing, creating and evaluating course content. Since the premise of Web 2.0 is collaboration and information sharing, these skills are a major focus of the NETS-S.
For students to live and become successful in today's digital society it is important for teachers to use tools to help them learn and communicate effectively. I think these Web 2.0 sites would fit the activity scenarios outlined in the student profiles. The parenthesis are used to denote the applicable standards covered.
Communication:
Google Docs and SKYPE would be great ways for students to communicate either within a school, community or globally. These sites allow for collaborative communication in a synchronous or asynchronous manner which maximizes user efficiency. In a collaborative work group, use a variety of technologies to produce a digital product in a curriculum area. Engage in learning activities with learners from multiple cultures through email and other electronic means. (#3,4 - K-2 Profile).
Collaboration:
Diigo is an excellent site for collaboration and sharing of interesting and engaging resources through bookmarking and grouping. Evaluate digital resources to determine the credibility of the author and publisher and the timeliness and accuracy of the content. (#5 - 6-8 Profile).
Publishing:
Voicethread and Glogster are wonderful resources for publishing student work. These sites allow students to upload a variety of formats to create an interactive and highly polished published work. Create and publish an online art gallery with examples and commentary that demonstrate an understanding of different historical periods, cultures, and countries. (#2 - 9-12 Profile).
Using Web 2.0 tools to address and meet the NETS-S allows educators to engage students in authentic and engaging learning experiences that will help prepare them for global citizenship.
Citations:
Prensky, Marc. (October, 2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon, Vol. 9, No. 5. Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/prensky%20-%20digital%20natives,%20digital%20immigrants%20-%20part1.pdf
Q: Explain how student use of communication, collaboration and publishing via Web 2.0 applications can help students meet the NETS-S Standards?
The National Education Technology Standards for Students were created in 2007 by the International Society for Technology Education (ISTE). The standards were created for evaluating the skills and knowledge students need to learn and live productively in a global society. Students need to be able to utilize technology and related resources to analyze, understand, and evaluate. Digital age skills are essential for students to become productive working members of their local and global communities (retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students.aspx).
The NETS-S cover the following digital skills and aptitudes: 1) Creativity and Innovation 2) Communication and Collaboration 3) Research and Information Fluency 4) Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making 5) Digital Citizenship 6) Technology Operations and Concepts. They also contain student profiles which are helpful to educators in the sense that they suggest activities that address the specific standards and attempt to bring them "to Life".
To answer this question I am focusing my attention on grades 3-5. These are the students with whom I most typically use Web 2.0 tools. First, Web 2.0 tools are common language to the majority of students entering school in 2012. Those who are unfamiliar with a tool(s) are quickly able to "play with it" and figure it out. This is due to students coming to school and growing up as "Digital Natives" (Prensky, 2001). As Digital natives students have the propensity to learn new technologies or applications due to their inquisitive nature and familiarity with technology in general. In other words they come to school with an embedded skill set that is far more advanced then many of the "Digital Immigrants" or teachers and administrators (Prensky, 2001).
This immersion in the digital language of today can most definitely aid students in navigating Web 2.0 tools and their applications. One thing remains clear; they are still students who are in need of guidance and structure when it comes to understanding, synthesizing, analyzing, creating and evaluating course content. Since the premise of Web 2.0 is collaboration and information sharing, these skills are a major focus of the NETS-S.
For students to live and become successful in today's digital society it is important for teachers to use tools to help them learn and communicate effectively. I think these Web 2.0 sites would fit the activity scenarios outlined in the student profiles. The parenthesis are used to denote the applicable standards covered.
Communication:
Google Docs and SKYPE would be great ways for students to communicate either within a school, community or globally. These sites allow for collaborative communication in a synchronous or asynchronous manner which maximizes user efficiency. In a collaborative work group, use a variety of technologies to produce a digital product in a curriculum area. Engage in learning activities with learners from multiple cultures through email and other electronic means. (#3,4 - K-2 Profile).
Collaboration:
Diigo is an excellent site for collaboration and sharing of interesting and engaging resources through bookmarking and grouping. Evaluate digital resources to determine the credibility of the author and publisher and the timeliness and accuracy of the content. (#5 - 6-8 Profile).
Publishing:
Voicethread and Glogster are wonderful resources for publishing student work. These sites allow students to upload a variety of formats to create an interactive and highly polished published work. Create and publish an online art gallery with examples and commentary that demonstrate an understanding of different historical periods, cultures, and countries. (#2 - 9-12 Profile).
Using Web 2.0 tools to address and meet the NETS-S allows educators to engage students in authentic and engaging learning experiences that will help prepare them for global citizenship.
Citations:
Prensky, Marc. (October, 2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon, Vol. 9, No. 5. Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/prensky%20-%20digital%20natives,%20digital%20immigrants%20-%20part1.pdf
Thursday, February 23, 2012
UStream.TV: Arts Education and 21st Century Skills
This is a link to my February 23rd 2012 Live broadcast.
Here are the results of the poll I ran during my broadcast:
Poll Question: Do you think that schools value arts education?
1. Yes! - Total Votes: 1 Percentage: 33%
2. No. - Total Votes: 0 Percentage: 0%
3. Yes but not at the expense of the "Core" - Total Votes: 2 Percentage: 67%
Here are the resources that I mentioned in the presentation:
Novemberlearning.com
Arteducators.org
Citations:
Gardner, Howard. (2008). Five Minds for the Future. Boston, MA. Harvard Business School Publishing.
Ohler, Jason. (2008). Digital Storytelling in the Classroom: New Media Pathways to Literacy, Learning, and Creativity. Thousand Oaks, CA. Corwin Press.
November, Alan. (2007, January 17). Global Work Ethic. November Learning Podcast. Podcast retrieved from http://novemberlearning.com/global-work-ethic/
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