Journey in Technology

Aggregate, Curate and Create Your Own Textbook

2012-01-16T14:37:00.008-06:00

One of the latest buzz words in social media is curation. Some media analysts ponder whether the content curator might be the next big social media job of the future.

In a review of Steven Rosenbaum’s Curation Nation, Frank Paynter wrote that:

'The job of curator has spread across the digital media world and may already have replaced “editor” and “publisher” in the minds of marketers and social media mavens’.

What are the implications of curation in education?
How will content curation impact the textbook market?
Will it make textbooks irrelevant?

We are seeing more and more publishers jumping into the digital textbook market but so far the digital editions are mere pdf versions of the hardcover versions. Moreover, these e-textbooks are still very expensive. Let’s take a look at these options for a popular high school Chemistry textbook:

What? The e-textbook version costs $115 bucks and the license is only valid for180 days. Are you kidding me? High cost is just one of the reasons shown in this infographic: How far students will go to get rid of textbooks--and why.

The Journal's article: 5K-12 Ed Tech Trends for 2012 includes: ‘Beyond the Digital Textbook’ as one of the trends with the premise of adding interactivity to digital versions of textbooks. Apple has now partnered with the major textbook publishers with the newly unveiled iBooks Textbooks. There are a handful of textbooks available through iTunes at about $15. These books are constrained to be viewed using iBooks 2 in an iPad with Apple iOS 5. Moreover, it looks like Apple's new products do not allow social interactivity and collaboration.

Several concerns about Apple's new enterprise have been voiced in the blogosphere. I recommend reading Audrey Walters' posting: Apple and the Digital Textbook Counter-Revolution.

Is there an option for a free, relevant course companion? Yes!

With information being ubiquitous, I believe that teachers can (and should) take control of their courses by creating their own interactive textbooks. It might seem like a daunting task but the availability of quality materials online and the power of tapping into personal learning networks should make this a worthwhile learning journey.

In this post I will explain the process of creating a digital textbook, tools for each step of the process and strategies for involving the students in its development.

THE PROCESS

The process of creating your digital textbook involves three steps:

AGGREGATION

The first step is to gather the sources of information. The best way to aggregate content is through social bookmarking. My favorite tools are Delicious and Diigo.

I would recommend Diigo as ‘its features allow teachers to highlight critical features within text and images and write comments directly on the web pages, to collect and organize series of web pages and web sites into coherent and thematic sets, and to facilitate online conversations within the context of the materials themselves. Diigo also allows teachers to collaborate and share resources among themselves.’
TOOLS

Here is a short video explaining the main features of this tool:

Diigo V5: Collect and Highlight, Then Remember! from diigobuzz on Vimeo.

STRATEGIES

Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate!

Teachers can work with colleagues within their subject area departments and beyond the walls of the classroom to aggregate resources through social bookmarking.

The main sources of information for my professional learning come through my Twitter PLN and the RSS feeds from Google Reader.

If information becomes overwhelming, use an Aggregator such as Paper.li or The Twitted Times. These tools will sift through your connections' resources and gather the most significant ones.

CURATION

While aggregation can be seen just as collecting websites, the process of curation involves a deeper analysis of the aggregated sites to select the ones that have the most relevant information for a particular topic, just like a museum curator summarizes and edits intricate subjects into easily consumable and enjoyable exhibits.

STRATEGIES

Use your subject area syllabus, state standards or learning objectives to hand pick the content for a particular unit of study. Focus on the essential questions to guide your selection of resources.

In order to make your textbook interactive try to include images, videos and simulations to engage your students.

TOOLS

My favorite free tools for curation are LiveBinders and Scoop.it!

One of the easiest tools to post resources for your course is LiveBinders.

Take a look at this example: Señora Evans - Course Materials and Resources

Another powerful tool for curation is Scoop-it!. This free tool allows you to create your own online magazine.

Take a look at my Scoop.it! PhysicsLearn, “Connections to learning resources for physics teachers and students'".

Want more? Here is a post with:

30+ Cool Content Curation Tools forPersonal and Professional Use

And here are some Curation Apps for the iPad.

CREATION

This is the most important (and fun) part of the process as you will design and share how the curated resources will be used in your class.

TOOLS

Creating an online repository using a wiki digital tool such as Google Sites, PBworks and Wikispaces will enable you to organize your resources neatly. You could also use LiveBinders as you can select a template that allows you to include text for each of your resources. If you have an Apple platform you can use iBooks Author. The free app offers a drag-and-drop template that can be customized with images, interactive diagrams and videos to create a stunning looking book.
Learning management systems (LMS) such as Moodle, Edmodo and Schoology are also great alternatives with other neat features for educational social networking.

My favorite is Google Sites. You can easily post images, directly embed videos from YouTube, lecture podcasts, and Google Documents. You can also embed assessments using Google Forms and a calendar. Setting up the site as a wiki by adding the students as collaborators will enable authentic interactivity among teachers and learners.

STRATEGIES

Here are some guiding questions for creating your digital textbook:

How are the learners going to use the information?
How will they demonstrate their learning?
Are they completing a document, creating an outline or answering a set of questions?
What are the assessments associated with the material?

TEACHER AND LEARNER ROLES

The table below compares and contrasts the elements of the various levels of involvement of teachers and learners in the process of creating a textbook. You can use the traditional model where all steps of the process are managed by the teacher or move towards a learner-centered approach using the chart to determine which level is appropriate for your course:

Here are some examples:
Teacher as curator:
My unit on Projectile Motion includes content information, exercises, a virtual lab and a couple of assessments.
The wiki of my colleague Craig Savage with his resources for AP Biology and AP Psychology.
Students as curators:
American Democracy in Action, a digital textbook for AP US Government created by seniors at St. Gregory College Preparatory School

For excellent strategies to involve your students take a look at Silvia Tolisano's posting: Students Becoming Curators of Information.

RESOURCES TO GET YOU STARTED

Here are some resources for all academic subjects:
iTunesU (iTunes University): This free app enables video, audio, and an integrated Learning Management System with available push notifications options.

CK-12 Foundation: You can customize your own FlexBooks with open-content in all subject areas.
Open Culture Links of 400 Free Online Courses from Top Universities

National Repository of Online Courses: Algebra, Calculus, History, Biology, Environmental Science, Physics and World Religions.

K-5 Resources

Language Arts/ English

Math

History/Social Studies

Science

World Languages

Also check the great resources by Jerry Blumengarten, the Cybrary Man Educational Resources

Are you ready to ditch your textbooks?

Cross-Posted at Voices From the Learning Revolution (PLP Network #vflr)

Images attributions:

Engage = Connect

2011-08-28T17:40:00.007-05:00

As the beginning of the school year gets underway I ask myself this question:

“What learning environment will I provide so that my students can’t wait ‘til the next class?”

I believe that every person is unique and every child can learn, but I recognize that students learn best when engaged, where expectations are appropriately challenging within an environment that is both safe and that contributes to the dignity and self-worth of all. Students respond to encouragement and to a structuring of time and activities that reinforces their striving to meet and exceed those expectations while at the same time recognizing their increasing capacity to manage responsibility and independence.

I also believe that engagement depends on quality interactions resulting from connections that happen inside and outside of the classroom.

Here are some of my Engaging-Connection ideas to make learning exciting and enjoyable in Honors Physics this year:

1. I will engage my students by making connections to their passions:
In Sports:
Our first major project is to design a special issue for a sports magazine (similar to “Sports Illustrated”) for their selected sport. This project will engage them as they construct their knowledge of the concepts of kinematics and forces.

In Music:

- As part of our unit in waves and sound, the students will design and build their own musical instrument.
- Our last day of school before the holidays in December, my students will create and perform their own Physics Carols.

In Art:
For the 6^th year, my students will participate in the AAPT Photo Physics Contest taking their own photos and explaining the physics behind them. For the past two years we’ve had three students showcased at the AAPT Summer Meetings where their photos have been admired by hundreds of physics teachers and professors from around the world.

2. I will engage my students by making connections to popular digital games.

Take a look at our classroom bulletin board:

Students were thrilled when they found out that I am an Angry Birds fan (well, who isn’t?).

We will have an opportunity to do a quantitative analysis of the game in order to answer some of these questions:

a. What is the mass of each of the Angry Birds?

b. What is the gravitational field in Angry Birds world?
c. Using energy conservation, calculate the coefficient of restitution when a bird bounces off the wall.

d. Is momentum conserved when the blue bird splits into three?
e. Does the white bird accurately represent projectile motion when it drops an egg?
(Thanks to Frank Noschese for his ideas!)

3. I will engage my students by making connections to the physics concepts through investigations and experimentation.

The development of physics concepts occurs best in a hands-on, inquiry-based environment. My students will design and test their own investigations as opposed to just following directions in cookbook type labs.

In the unit of Simple Harmonic Motion, my students will investigate the factors affecting the period of a pendulum. The culminating activity of this unit will be their constructing their own snake pendulum just like this one:

4. I will engage my students by facilitating their connection to the world through their own blogs.

The use of digital tools will afford them the opportunity to deepen their skills in communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creation. At the same time, as part of a connected global community, my students will become self-starters who can model and coach while knowing how to learn and share with transparency and respect.

5. I will engage my students by enabling them to connect their learning progress to our physics learning objectives.

Our current educational systems, in both public and independent schools force the students to focus on their grades as opposed to focusing on their learning.

I have modified my grading policy to shift this focus from “getting an A” to “becoming proficient” in physics though a modified version of performance-based assessment. My students have received a copy of our Learning Objectives. As we move through the topics, the students have the responsibility of keeping track of their own progress. Their final grades will reflect their most recent learning. One nice caveat of this approach is the opportunity to skip homework assignments if they have mastered a specific topic. (Shhh, don’t tell them yet!)

6. I will engage my students by making professional connections:

a. With my colleagues at school:

Working together in vertical and horizontal teams will allow me to bring opportunities for cross-curricular activities that will enrich my students’ learning experience.

b. By participating in vibrant learning communities through Twitter and blogs and connecting with members of my PLN (Personal Learning Network) I will continue to grow as a learner and an educator.

I would love to hear your strategies for having your students engaged through connections!

Cross-Posted at Voices From the Learning Revolution (PLP Network #vflr)

Image Credits:

http://www.sxc.hu/profile/cobrasoft

http://www.flickr.com/photos/krish4u/

PLP Journey: Planning our Professional Learning Day

2011-05-15T15:40:00.009-05:00

Our PLP (Powerful Learning Practice) project last year was to develop a meaningful professional development program for faculty and staff that enriches teaching and learning.

Our program is called IP21 (Individual Plan for 21st Century Teaching and Learning) is in its second year of successful implementation!

The five characteristics of our IP21 program are:

- Sustained
- Embedded within subject-specific needs
- Focused on the TPACK framework
- Aligned with the NETS-T and NETS-A
- Grounded in a collaborative, inquiry-based approach

Over 120 faculty from three divisions: Lower School, Middle School and Upper School selected a minimum of three professional goals for the current school year.

Faculty acquired the competencies through instructional technology support or by self-learning using the resources compiled in the NETS-T wiki. Everybody has documented evidence that demonstrate acquisition and application of competencies in teaching and learning.

This is the link to our 2009-2010 project: Parish Episcopal School PLP Action Research Project

PLP YEAR TWO

Our PLP team read a very articulate posting by M.E. Steele called 'Unconference: Revolutionary professional learning' that got us thinking about adapting the idea of an unconference to design our own Professional Learning day at school.

According to M.E., unconferences are part of the learning revolution. They’re participant-driven professional learning gatherings. The “un” refers specifically to the fact that there is no top-down organization, no registration fees, and no vendors. The unconference is organized and led by participants.

One of the best parts of an unconference like Edcamp is that it creates a level playing field for discussion. Since the attendees drive the conference and the attendees also serve as presenters there is no hierarchy between presenters and attendees. Teachers can present in front of administrators and administrators can engage teachers in dialogue with both parties taking an active role in the discussion.

Our faculty has been very active throughout the year implementing innovative teaching strategies and creating engaging projects that fit their IP21professional goals.These goals are not mandated by the administration but rather selected by each teacher. Giving ownership to teachers to design their professional growth makes these goals relevant and meaningful to our teaching practice.

Why not apply this fact to designing our Professional Learning day?

WHY PBL?

The focus of the PLP Year 2 teams has been on Project-Based Learning.
We decided to use a PBL approach to guide us through the process of design a Professional Learning day that encourages teachers to facilitate and participate in conversations discussing their ideas and passions as they relate to their IP21 professional goals.

DRIVING QUESTION

How can we engage our faculty and administrators in meaningful conversations about teaching and learning?

Our IP21 Edcamp needs to include the following traits of optimal Professional Learning:
Relevant, Meaningful, Applicable, Adaptable, Differentiated, Enjoyable, Safe and Diverse

MAP THE PROJECT

This is how we created our action plan:

Take a closer look at how our plan developed:

IP21 Edcamp Action Plan and Process Management

ASSESSMENT

Faculty will complete an online survey to reflect on their personal learning as a result of their participation in the IP21 Edcamp. The survey invites the teachers to relate:

- What they learned

- Impact of their learning on their teaching practices
It is our hope that all of our colleagues find value in their participating in the conversations throughout the day.
IP21 Edcamp Reflection

AGENDA

Creating our agenda was the final task in our process. Our IP21 Edcamp day will include a Keynote, four sessions with 24 conversations, a lunch with a Pecha Kucha round and a Closing Remarks session.

Take a look at the final program here: IP21 Edcamp Agenda

So there you have it: Professional Learning 2011 Style!

Cross-Posted at Voices From the Learning Revolution (PLP Network)

Image Credits: Sunset on Boracay by wili_hybrid. Attribution-NonCommercial License

Science Simulations: A Virtual Learning Environment

2011-04-02T03:08:00.006-05:00

Experimental work is an integral part of science courses. Although excellent science learning can take place using the simplest equipment, the integration of laboratory activities with classroom work requires careful balancing between time allocation and budget restrictions.

Technology can be a powerful tool for learning science concepts and developing skills of measurement, analysis, and processing information. Virtual labs and simulations should not substitute for laboratory experience, but may be used to supplement and extend such experience.

In this posting I will discuss the advantages of using simulations, different types of simulations, simulation resources, and instructional strategies about implementing simulations in the science classroom.

What Education Research says

Education research shows that:

1. 'Students learn better and retain more when they are active through inquiry, investigation, and application, when they are in control of and responsible for their own learning.'

(Active Learning on the Web by Bernie Dodge, Department of Educational Technology, San Diego State University)

2. 'A survey, based on 62 courses with total enrollment of 6542 students, strongly suggests that the classroom use of interactive engagement methods can increase mechanics course effectiveness in both conceptual understanding and problem solving well beyond that achieved by traditional methods.'

3. Kozma and Johnston (1991) conceptualized seven ways in which instructional technology can support learning:

Enabling active engagement in construction of knowledge
Making available real-world situations
Providing representations in multiple modalities
Drilling students on basic concepts to reach mastery
Facilitating collaborative activity among students
Seeing interconnections among concepts
Simulating laboratory work

(Kozma, R.B., and J. Johnston. 1991. "The technological revolution comes to the classroom." Change 23(1):10-23.)

Projectile Motion by Walter Fendt

What are the advantages to using simulations?

1. Simulations can help students translate among multiple representations.

Simulations contain physical systems represented in many different ways in two or three-dimensions: pictures, graphs, words, equations, diagrams, data tables, contour maps, etc. The students can make sense of the concepts by seeing the connection between the representations and how one variable affects another.

2. Simulations can help students build mental models of physical, chemical, biological, geological or astronomical systems.

Simulations allow students to visualize concepts that appear on textbooks or hear from their teachers in lectures. By using the simulation they can see a concrete situation that helps them build a mental model.

3. Simulations can give students engaging, hands-on, active learning experiences.

Simulations give students control when exploring scientific concepts and phenomena.

4. Simulations can help students understand equations as physical relationships among measurements.

Simulations are great tools to help students recognize how equations relate observations and measurements. Using a simulation where the students are able to vary parameters and see the effect of these variations, the role of equations is powerfully enriched.

5. Simulations can serve as a vehicle for student collaboration.

Students working in groups can use a simulation to explain and describe their understandings to each other.

6. Simulations can allow students to investigate phenomena that would not be possible to experience in a classroom or laboratory.

Students can have access to investigations and equipment not commonly available in the classroom like studying a nuclear reactor.

What is needed to use simulations?

Integrating simulations into the traditional classroom practice does not require sophisticated equipment. The basic equipment consists of a computer, a LCD projector and availability of an Internet connection though this is not necessary if the simulations are in a CD-ROM. Students can also access simulations individually in a computer lab or in a laptop environment.

The most common requirements for using simulations are free plug-ins like Flash, Shockwave, and QuickTime. Your browser must support Java for some simulations.

Most simulations are in the form of a Java Applet, a short program written in Java that is attached to a website and executed by a web browser.

A large amount of simulations include general directions; an audio clip and the most refined include multiple representations (vectors and graphs) and let the user modify the parameters to collect data.

How do I implement simulations in the science classroom?

Digital technologies require us to rethink our approach to the educational process.

The real challenge is not the actual technology, but finding pedagogies that use these digital tools to give our students an improved learning environment.

The following are some ideas about using simulations in the science classroom:

• Lectures

- To help students visualize abstract concepts: the use of simulations brings a visual and dynamic nature to a lecture presentation.

Photosynthesis

- To initiate a discussion on a reading assignment: simulations open up avenues of thought and discussion that are not typical of a textbook question.

Physlet Problem 4.1 Which is the correct free-body diagram?¹

• Interactive Demonstrations

Simulations can be used to ask students to make predictions, run the virtual experiment and then discuss the observations made and/or the collected data.

pH Scale

• Pre-Lab Exercises

Simulations can serve to introduce the ideas and equipment of the lab experiment allowing the students to work through the laboratory faster and with less confusion.

Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only)

Here is an example from one of my students’ blogs about using a DC Circuits simulation to explain the concepts of voltage and current in different circuit arrangements prior to going to the lab : AC/DC Not the Band

• Cooperative Group Problem-Solving

Simulations can be given to a student group to solve challenging problems that require multiple steps. This strategy allows students to understand the material more clearly by engaging in a demanding, higher order thinking skills problem.

Physlet Problem 11.5: Determine the torque on a yo-yo¹

• Virtual Labs

In many cases where time is a constraint or the equipment is not available virtual labs can provide the students with an accurate idea of a particular experiment by manipulating variables, collecting data, calculating, graphing and drawing conclusions.

Gravity and Orbits

Where do I find simulations?

One of the best websites for science simulations is PhET from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Originally founded by Physics Nobel Prize laureate Carl Weiman, PhET provides fun, interactive, research-based simulations of physical phenomena for free. These simulations can be downloaded or played directly on your browser.

Teachers can access the Teacher Ideas & Activities page for teacher-submitted contributions, designed to be used in conjunction with the simulations.

These are the links to the core science courses simulations. The PhET website also contains excellent Math simulations.

PhET Simulations Biology

PhET Simulations Chemistry

PhET Simulations Physics

PhET Simulations Earth Science

Simulation Resources

Biology

Biology Online Labs

Comprehensive list to virtual labs and simulations

Anatomy Online Labs

Comprehensive list to virtual labs and simulations

Chemistry

Chemistry Online Labs

Comprehensive list to virtual labs and simulations

Earth Science/Geology

Geology Online Labs

Comprehensive list to virtual labs and simulations

Physics

Physics Simulations

My website contains links to hundreds of simulations.

In the next blog posting I will discuss the second Science Practice about using equations.

1. Mario Belloni and Wolfgang Christian. Physlet® Physics: Interactive Illustrations, Explorations, and Problems for Introductory Physics ISBN 0-13-101969-4, Prentice Hall, 2004

Cross-Posted at Voices From the Learning Revolution (PLP Network)

March Madness: The Meaning of Success

2011-03-21T06:08:00.001-05:00

By Guest Writer: Andy Schroeder, Physical Education and Health Subject Area Coordinator and Girls Basketball Coach.

March is my favorite month. We all have our favorite months: in June summer starts, August is my wife and I birthday and we usually take a vacation of some sort before the start of the school year, December is Christmas, but March, the sun starts to come out, you begin to have nicer weather, you have St. Patrick’s day, Spring break, but every March –March Madness!

If you’re not familiar with March Madness, March is the biggest basketball month. In high school if you are still playing in March, you’re an elite team, one of the few left to play. However, in college basketball, March is when the season gets really exciting. Every year in March every conference has a tournament. If you win your conference tournament you get to go to the big NCAA tournament. In the end, only one team in the country wins their last game.

When I think about the NCAA tournament I think about one of the most successful coaches in the history of all athletics: John Wooden.

Some facts about him:

- Born October 14, 1910, died June 4, 2010

- Enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1961

- UCLA men’s basketball coach from 1948-1975

- He won 10 NCAA championships – next best is 4

- 7 consecutive NCAA championships – next best is 2 and nobody has won 3 in a row

- Won 88 consecutive games – next best in men’s basketball is 60

- 4 undefeated seasons – no one has ever done that more than once.

We are talking about an extremely successful man in terms of winning.

We are also taking about a man who did not win his first championship until his 15^th season at UCLA. John Wooden never viewed success in terms of winning and losing, this is reflected in his most famous quote about success:

This attitude, this philosophy, is embodied in his Pyramid of Success:

Wooden’s Pyramid of Success two cornerstones are Industriousness and Enthusiasm.

Industriousness – in plain language means that you have to work, and work hard. There is no substitute of hard work. The best people whether in business, law. Plumbing or art, all share this fundamental trait, they all work very hard at their craft. Individuals like Kobe Bryan, Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods, to name a few athletes, are legendary for their industriousness.

Enthusiasm – simply, you must enjoy what you do. Your heart must be in it. It must be a passion. As you all grow older, if you don’t like what you do, if you find yourself whining and complaining, don’t do it, get out, because if your heart is not in your work you cannot perform at your highest level. “Nothing great can be achieved without enthusiasm”.

At the center of the pyramid is Skill – you have to know what you’re doing and be able to do it well. Furthermore, you have to be able to execute all aspects of the job. In basketball you could be a great shooter, but you need to be able to get open. You could be a great coach, but you need to be able to make adjustments, and understand people. Just as a doctor. You could be technically proficient, but you also need to be able to diagnose illnesses and understand and communicate with your patient. The point is that there are a wide range of skills, and they differ from profession to profession, but you need to master them all.

At the pinnacle of the pyramid is Competitive Greatness, which Wooden defines as “A real love for the hard battle, knowing it offers the opportunity to be at your best when your best is required.”

Which brings us back to success. Success is not wins or loses, but peace of mind, knowing that you did your best, to become the best you were capable of becoming when your best was required. Had the football or soccer teams lost State, the season would not have been a failure; the team may have been disappointed at the end outcome, but definitely would not be a failure. And this is the genius of Wooden's success, because when you are continually chasing your best, the best you are capable of becoming, only you can determine your own successes and failures, because only you feel the self-satisfaction in knowing if you truly did your best.

What I want you to take from this, what I hope you understand, is that although I’ve been speaking of basketball, this talk is not about basketball. It’s about what you’re passionate about, whether that be teaching, service to others, art, music, piano, medicine, your family.

At the end of March Madness, sometime in early April they will play this video, with new clips:

As you watch this video from 2010, I hope you will see, people who are passionate about basketball, these qualities that Wooden speaks of: Enthusiasm, Industriousness, along with Loyalty, Alertness, Team Spirit, and Confidence. And once we understand the qualities associated with success we can then utilize them towards what we as individuals are passionate about to have a better opportunity of achieving success in our future endeavors.

Images

http://frankinsight.wordpress.com/2010/03/26/march-madness/
http://www.johnwoodenquotes.com/
http://www.coachwooden.com/index2.html
http://www.empowermentgroup.com/blog/2010/06/21/tgim-258-how-you-can-tap-into-pyramid-power/

21st Century Science Teaching: Getting Students beyond Formula Hunting Strategies

2011-03-10T04:32:00.001-06:00

In AP Physics (and many other science studies) the journey to find an answer to a problem is the most important component of the learning process – not the answer itself. Our need to make sure students think deeply about the subjects they study is one key reasons the College Board AP Program is undergoing revisions of several courses and exams in history, science and world languages.

The science course changes are driven by data from the National Research Council Report (2002) and aim to implement improvements in content and pedagogical approaches that represent best practices in teaching and learning.

The curriculum frameworks for the new science courses are organized around subject specific ‘Big Ideas’ with a strong focus on scientific reasoning and inquiry. The courses will emphasize depth over breadth and will include cutting edge areas of research within each discipline. The College Board recently released the Biology curriculum framework.

For students to be successful in these courses, teachers will need to use instructional strategies that require higher-order thinking skills that help develop a deeper conceptual understanding of the topics.

This is the first post in a blog series that will explore how the AP Science Practices can be integrated in the 21st century science classroom with a variety of strategies for the implementation of digital tools. While the primary focus will be in physics, the series will have relevance for other courses such as biology, chemistry and environmental science and could be used at the middle and high school levels.

Scientific Problems and Representations

The first science practice states:
The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems.

Problem-solving is a major part of a physics course. When confronted with challenging problems it is common to hear students say: “If I had the formula, I could solve this problem.” After all, finding the right equation is a key element in most textbooks’ problem-solving strategies and is often reinforced in the classroom through lectures, quizzes and tests. In most cases, by using appropriate equations a student is able to find the correct answer, but I will argue that finding the correct answer to a problem does not necessarily reflect a deep understanding of physics concepts. There are several studies in Physics Education Research that substantiate this claim. See the works cited on “An investigation of introductory physics students’ approaches to problem solving”

Effective Approaches to Problem-Solving

The ability to relate physics concepts to the situations presented by problems and questions is fundamental for success. A powerful strategy in developing a deep conceptual understanding is the use of Multiple Representations of Knowledge.

The diagram (*) below is an example commonly seen in kinematics problems. This example demonstrates how physics equations are only one representation of knowledge.

The Power of Multiple Representations

Here as an analysis of each of the representations and its usefulness in helping the students deepen their conceptual understanding:

- The real situation is the context of the problem; i.e., a car moving down a hill. It is common to represent real scenarios with a pictorial representation such as a sketch. It helps the students that have a preference for visual learning.

- A verbal representation could describe the motion of the car in the context of the problem, in this example students could say that the car speeds up as it travels down the hill, or the student can describe the energy transformation that occurs. It helps the students articulate what is happening in the given scenario to specific physics principles.

- The equation that describes the velocity in an inclined plane is the mathematical representation. This equation is usually derived from a free-body diagram by analyzing the forces acting on the car while it is accelerating.

- The situation can be represented in a numerical representation by providing data of position and velocity with respect to time. Data acquisition is often done in physics labs where students have to opportunity to gather the information in a hands-on experiment.

- The data obtained can be represented graphically in a velocity versus time graph. Graphical representations are commonly constructed from data collected in a lab experiment. Through graphs students can obtain information from the slopes, intercepts and areas under the curve. In this example the slope of the line represents the average acceleration and the area under the line yields displacement.

- A motion diagram can be used to illustrate the velocity vectors. This is another example that helps the students visualize the situation (a car speeding up) =i.e. increasing arrows as velocity vectors.

Students can demonstrate a deeper level of understanding of physics concepts by their ability to translate (move back and forth) between different representations of knowledge.

Multiple Representation Resources

Rutgers University Physics and Astronomy Education Research (PAER) group has written a document with the rationale about using multiple representations in physics, how to implement them in the classroom and how to score them: Multiple Representations in Physics

You can also download power points with multiple representation exercises:

1. Mechanics: kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum and statics

2. Electricity and Magnetism: electrostatics, DC circuits and magnetism

Digital Tools for Multiple Representations

Verbal Representations

These tools can be used individually or in collaboration among students

Google Docs

CrocoDoc

SpringNote

Pictorial Representations

Image Editors

Sketchcast (Record a sketch with or without voice)

Pixlr

CoSketch

Google Sketchup for 3D Modeling

Mathematical Representations

Google Docs includes an Equation Editor

Equation Editor

Graphical Representations

Google Docs: Spreadsheets

LoggerPro: software for data collection and analysis through graphs

Create a Graph

ChartTool

Another powerful tool that helps with the implementation of Multiple Representations is the use of virtual simulations. In the next posting of this series I will be describing effective strategies for using simulations and a variety of resources for simulations in all core areas of science.

(*) Figure adapted from: Redish, Edward F. Teaching Physics: with the Physics Suite. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2002

Cross-Posted at Voices From the Learning Revolution (PLP Network)

Pseudoteaching: Laboratory Experiments

2011-02-22T09:09:00.012-06:00

My physics colleagues Frank Noschese and John Burke have invited physics and math teachers to contribute a posting that exemplifies the concept of pseudoteaching [PT]:

Pseudoteaching is something you realize you’re doing after you’ve attempted a lesson which from the outset looks like it should result in student learning, but upon further reflection, you realize that the lesson itself was flawed and involved minimal learning.

Laboratory work is essential in the sciences; after all, don't we want our students to have a first-hand experience of thinking like scientists?

Why then are ‘cookbook’ type of labs ubiquitous?

During my first years of teaching this is how I did labs in my physics classes:
a. I had all the equipment neatly set on the lab tables.
b. I divided my students into teams.
c. I provided each of them with a worksheet with step-by-step lab directions.

When observed by my immediate supervisor I always got praised by how well I conducted the lesson. After all it was evident that the students were engaged. Perhaps they were busy, but were they learning?

Let’s take a closer look at this example of a traditional cookbook type lab:

MASS-SPRING SYSTEM

I. OBJECTIVE
The objective of this lab is to determine the spring constant for a spring using two methods.

II. EQUIPMENT
Ring stand, Mass set, Spring, Meter stick, Stopwatch

III. PROCEDURE 1
1. Hang the spring from the ring stand.
2. Place the meter stick vertically and record the position of the bottom of the spring. This is the unstretched length.
3. Attach a mass on the spring so that it will stretch the spring and hang at rest.
4. Measure the new position and record it in the Data table.
5. Measure the displacement for 5 different masses added to the spring.
The displacement is the difference between the unstretched length and the stretched length. Record your measurements in the Data table.

IV. ANALYSIS
1. Construct a graph of Force (N) vs. Displacement (m).
2. Determine the slope of this graph.
3. What are the units for the slope?
4. The equation relating the magnitude of the force and the stretch is F = -kx . How does this equation relate to the slope of your graph?

V. PROCEDURE 2
1. Remove the spring from the hanger and measure its mass and record it on the table.
2. Hang the spring from the ring stand.
3. Attach a 100 g mass to the spring.
4. Stretch the spring about 5 cm and let it oscillate up and down.
5. Use your stopwatch to measure 10 complete oscillations. Divide this number by 10 and record it as the period on the data table.
6. Measure the period for 5 different masses added to the spring. Record your measurements in the Data table.

VI. ANALYSIS
1. The total mass of the system is given by adding the hanging mass plus one-third of the mass of the spring. This is called the effective value of the mass.
2. Use the period equation to calculate the spring constant for each of your trials.

VII. CONCLUSIONS
1. How do the values of the spring constant compare with both methods?
2. Calculate the percent difference.

So, what is wrong with this lab?

From the lesson perspective apparently nothing is wrong with it. The lab provides guidance to the student for determining the spring constant with two different procedures. The lab includes data collection, the students graph their data, they follow prompts to analyze the graph and answer a couple of questions as a conclusion. They must have learned how physics works in the real world!

Wrong!

The students just followed a recipe and completed a worksheet. They were told what to do and how to interpret the data. Completing this worksheet does not provide evidence of critical thinking at all!

What actually happened is that the students were robbed of the opportunity to do real science! It would be more effective to let them design their lab, make their own decisions about collecting and analyzing their data, and investigating the sources of error and uncertainties in their measurements.

I believe that it is by doing science that actual learning occurs. I've found that a better way to conduct this lesson is by making it an open-ended investigation. In this type of inquiry labs the students are given a task for the experiment but have significant latitude in terms of what procedure to follow, which measurements to take and how to conduct their analysis. The students record their findings in a lab journal including the following items:

I. Purpose
Write a statement of the problem to be investigated that provides the overall direction for the investigation.
II. Hypothesis and Prediction
State a hypothesis and a prediction for your experiment as appropriate.
III. Equipment and Equipment Setup
- A list of all laboratory equipment used in the investigation.
- A detailed and labeled diagram to illustrate the configuration of the equipment.
IV. Step-by-Step Procedure
- Neatly explained, preferably in a numbered sequence.
- Identify and name all experimental variables and describe how the independent variable is controlled.
V. Data
-What data needs to be taken?
- How many trials do you have to include?
- How is data reported?
VI. Data Analysis
- How do you interpret data?
- Include graphs and analysis of graphs as appropriate
- How do you compare the results obtained by two different ways?
VII. Conclusions
- Discuss any questionable data or surprising results.
- Explain the possible source of any error or questionable results.
- Suggest changes in experimental design that might test your explanations.

Nowadays when doing a lab about this topic, all my students receive from me is this prompt:
"Design and conduct two different experiments to determine the spring constant of a mass-spring system."

What are the advantages of doing this type of investigations versus traditional ones?

Here are a few:

- Open-ended investigations eliminate the busy work component of “take the data and run” approach

- Students develop a sense of ownership and vested interest in their own learning

- Motivates students to create investigations with real-world applications

This link to my physics website has over 50 prompts for Physics Open-Ended Labs.

Arnold Arons said:
“The problem is to provide students with enough guidance to lead them into thinking and the forming of insights but not so much as to give everything away and thus destroy the attendant intellectual experience.”1

Amen to that!

1 Arnold Arons, "Guiding Insight and Inquiry in the Physics Laboratory", The Physics Teacher, Vol 31 May 1993

What KHAN be done with it!

2011-02-14T10:07:00.014-06:00

Last night we received an e-mail from our Head of School inviting us to read this posting by Aaron Saenz: Yes, the Khan Academy IS the Future of Education.

He asked for creative ideas of how to leverage the power of Khan Academy in our school.

I believe that Khan Academy can be integrated in our school in two major ways: asynchronous and synchronous. Here are my ideas of what KHAN be done with it:

ASYNCHRONOUS USE

Asynchronous learning is a student-centered teaching method that uses online learning resources to facilitate information sharing outside the constraints of time and place.

Students access Khan Academy outside of the classroom:

1. Khan Academy as a Digital Textbook

The Khan Academy videos contain background information, problems and examples clearly explained with simple but neatly done illustrations. The videos can be used by Middle School and Upper School students.

The Academy covers almost every single topic for each of the following subjects:

Mathematics: Arithmetic, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Statistics, Pre-Calculus, Calculus

Science: Biology, Chemistry and Physics

Selected topics in European History

2. Khan Academy as a Virtual Tutor

Students can watch the videos anytime, anywhere. This includes mobile devices that can access YouTube or directly with this I-Phone app: Khan Academy: A Classroom in your Pocket

3. Khan Academy as a repository of Review Materials

a. To review for topics, access additional problems and exercises and get another explanation for a particular concept.

b. To prepare for quizzes or tests.

c. To prepare for the AP Exams: Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Calculus.

4. Khan Academy for Reverse Instruction

Flip the classroom by having students use Khan Academy to study the content at home then use face to face instruction for deepening into topics, allowing for more practice time, classroom discussion, additional hands-on activities and problem-based learning.

Excellent resources:

Reverse Instruction: Dan Pink and Karl’s “Fisch Flip”

Advancing the Flip: Developments in Reverse Instruction

Reverse Instruction in the English Classroom

5. Khan Academy as a Summer Academy
A course can be structured having the students access the selected topics to learn the content and go through the Exercises section.
The Khan Academy Exercise Software is a powerful learning platform that allows students and teachers to track their progress through the Profiles. Students complete Challenges and can earn Energy Points and various levels of Badges. It offers an amazing variety of interactive visualizations (knowledge maps, timelines, focus charts, exercise progress reports, etc.)

A Summer Academy can also be part of a Blended-Learning school component where a teacher acts as a facilitator setting goals and expectations and tracking the students’ progress through the Exercise Software.

6. Khan Academy for Enrichment Courses in Blended-Learning:

Students can have access to courses not offered in traditional core curricula:

- Organic Chemistry

- Cosmology and Astronomy

- Differential Equations

- Linear Algebra

- Finances

Students can study the material at their own pace using the Khan Academy Exercise Software.

7. Khan Academy for Math Remediation
Students that are transferring from other schools and need to acquire or refine their math skills can work through a set of exercises until they demonstrate the level of mastery required.

The students can be motivated by completing the challenges and earning a series of badges.

(Suggested by @mmmcewen)

SYNCHRONOUS USE

Synchronous learning refers to a group of people learning the same things at the same time in the same place.

Students access Khan Academy in the classroom:

1. Khan Academy for Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated Instruction is a teaching strategy based on the premise that instructional approaches should vary and be adapted in relation to different readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles of students in the classrooms.

The three key elements of differentiated instruction are content, process and product.

The Content refers to the curricular materials to be learned by the students. The Process consists of the activities through which students develop their knowledge and the Product refers to the array of options through which students can demonstrate what they have learned.

Using Khan Academy for differentiation:

a. Teachers can facilitate differentiated learning by Content and Process having the students use a laptop in class to learn or review the material at their own pace.

b. Teachers can facilitate differentiated learning by Product having the students research a topic and creating a reflecting artifact such as a blog posting, a digital presentation (Glogster, Prezi, video).

2. Khan Academy as Teaching Assistant

Teachers can divide class time into three activities as follows:

I. Using laptops or the computer lab the students access Khan Academy to work through the material and practice problems and exercises.

II. Students present a quick wrap-up of the topic.

III. The topic can be used for a deeper classroom discussion or students can work individually or in groups on new problems and exercises.

3. Khan Academy as Substitute Teacher

Teachers can create a generic lesson plan that involves students using Khan Academy for a lesson and then completing the Exercises section. The work of the students is recorded for teacher verification.

4. Khan Academy for Snow Days

For the winter months: January or February, teachers can create and post a list of potential videos that can be used in case of school closings.

5. Khan Academy as a Motivational Tool

Teachers can get inspired to create their own screencasts and introduce reverse instruction in their courses. (Suggested by @Deacs84)

I bet there are countless other ways to use Khan Academy. Would love to hear What you KHAN do with it!

Educon: Power in Connection

2011-02-02T17:00:00.004-06:00

Helpful, productive connections with my PLN happen anytime and almost anywhere, if you include the ability to access the internet while flying across the country!

But how is the quality of this connection enhanced when it happens face-to-face? When after seeing the familiar faces we are greeted with a smile and a hug and when the interaction is followed by an exciting and engaging conversation?

Therein lies the power of Educon!

Powerful connections happen during coffee breaks, going up and down the stairs of the Science Leadership Academy, and over lunch and dinner. Most importantly connections get strengthened during the scheduled conversations where leader educators share, discuss, question, strategize, and dream.

What is my biggest takeaway from participating in my second Educon?
Without a doubt, that the experience of those connections has re-energized and reaffirmed my core values about education:

- The challenging and worthy undertaking of schools is preparing young people to take part in a world that is becoming at once smaller and more complex and to take part with both an awareness of inherent responsibilities as well as the confidence to come to grips with constantly changing local and global realities.

- The task of the school's leadership, in partnership with faculty, students, parents, and the community at large is to create and develop an environment in which this challenging process can best occur.

- Teachers, administrators, and other members of staff are partners as leaders and members of teams with valuable voices in articulating and putting into action the mission of the school and the vision for its future. Their professionalism is vital to learning. The best teachers and administrators, just as the best in any profession, have a desire to grow in their practice. Just as students require an environment conducive to learning, teachers require an environment conducive to teaching.

- As Director of Instructional Technology I will continue to partner with our academic and technology teams to support teachers and administrators in their path to accomplish their individual plans for 21st century (IP21).

- We will continue to collaborate as a community that has an interest in the well-being of students to collectively make the school's vision a reality.

Certainly I have more questions than answers but I know that I can tap into my PLN anytime, anywhere!

Word cloud created with Tagxedo
All Twitter IDs belong to educators that I met at Educon. I am grateful to ALL of you for sharing your passion and knowledge.
Picture taken at Educon by @scmorgan. Left to right: @charrod, @dgende, @steelepierce
Thank you for your friendship and support!

Making Science Relevant using the 5E's

2011-01-10T15:18:00.009-06:00

How can a science lesson be made more student-centered?

What strategies can be used to help students be more engaged in their learning?

How can technology play a role as an important tool in the learning process?

A valuable pedagogical approach is the 5E Instructional Model.

In this posting I will explain each of the components of the 5E model along with recommendations of digital and non-digital tools that can be incorporated at each stage.

The last section includes four lesson plans that incorporates the 5E model for each of the major sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science and Physics.

The five phases of the Learning Cycle as proposed by the National Science Education Standards can be integrated into the '5E' Instructional model as follows:

ENGAGE

Students become engaged in the process of scientific inquiry. The teacher can ask questions to find out what students already know, or think they know, about the topic and concepts to be covered. These questions typically start with "how" instead of with "why.”
Digital Tools:
Exploratree: Interactive Thinking Guides
Non-Digital Tools:
Graphic Organizers

EXPLORE

Students decide what makes questions scientifically testable. Students gain a common set of experiences upon which to begin building their understanding.
Digital Tools:
PhET Simulations
Virtual Dissections, Labs, and Field Trips

Non-Digital Tools
Hands-On Labs:

Physics and Physical Science Labs

Biology Labs

Chemistry Labs

Environmental Science Labs

EXPLAIN

Students acquire opportunities to connect their previous experiences with current learning and to make conceptual sense of the main ideas of the topic being studied. This stage also allows for the introduction of formal language, scientific terms, and content information that might make students’ previous experiences easier to describe. The teacher acts as a facilitator that explains concepts and addresses misconceptions.
Online Tutorials
Hippocampus: Biology, Physics, Environmental Science
Chemistry Tutorials

ELABORATE

Students apply or extend previously introduced concepts and experiences to new situations.

Students apply their knowledge to real world applications.
Project-Based Learning
Exemplary Projects for Project-Based Learning (PBL)
Scitable
How Stuff Works
Problem-Based learning in Biology: 20 Case Examples

EVALUATE

Students, with their teachers, review and assess what they have learned and how they have learned it. Students can be given a summative assessment to demonstrate what they know and can do.
Digital and Non-Digital Resources

Demonstrating Understanding and Skill
Checking for Understanding and Encouraging Metacognition
Scientific Abilities Rubrics

MODELING THE 5E INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS

BIOLOGY
Topic: Osmosis

Learning Objectives:
Students will understand the role of cell organelles in homeostasis and will be able to measure the rate of osmosis in cells.

CHEMISTRY
Topic: Solubility

Learning Objectives:
Students will understand that there is a dependence of solubility with temperature and will be able to design an experiment showing how the solubility of several substances depend on temperature.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Topic: Hydrological Cycle

Learning Objectives:
Students will understand the factors affecting domestic water use, and will be able to design a system for collecting data and calculating individual, group, state and national domestic water use.

Link for the: Virtual House

PHYSICS
Topic: Refraction

Learning Objectives:
Students will understand that light refracts as it passes from air into a more dense medium such as glass, and will be able to use a convex lens, light source, and a screen to form real images.

For more information the 5E Instructional model and sample lessons visit the sites below:

http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/fellows/ullrich/webquest/ScienceLesson.html

http://www.bscs.org/pdf/bscs5eexecsummary.pdf

The World Café in a School Meeting

2011-01-05T14:49:00.019-06:00

One of our school's principles is to: "Offer Definitive Preparation for College and Life".

Faculty and administrators are expected to provide a learning environment that allows students to:

Think Critically

Communicate cogently

Collaborate purposefully and

Create meaningfully

We refer to these skills as the four Cs.

Our Upper School faculty and administrators have been divided into four groups under each of the Cs. Each team is to develop and present a session at a faculty meeting.

I was assigned as the team leader of the ‘Creativity’ strand. The group was composed by 10 faculty members representing all subject areas and administration. We met three times prior to our presentation to brainstorm the protocol and expected outcomes of our session.

I learned about the World Café from Susie Demarest our Head of Upper Elementary and I presented it to the team as a creative way to facilitate conversations. This is how we implemented the Café Design Principles:

Set the Context
The objective of our meeting was to use the World Café process to enable conversations among faculty that related to projects and activities that demonstrate Creativity and Innovation in the classroom.

Create a Hospitable Space

We created a Café ambiance by setting up the space with round tables. Each table was covered by a colorful plastic tablecloth and a simple but nice flower arrangement at the center.

Since we divided our faculty and administration into six interdisciplinary groups we printed place cards with their names for each table. We also designated a facilitator for each group.

Our Head of Upper School provided cake, iced tea, lemonade and coffee. As faculty arrived, they were invited to get their cake and beverage before entering the meeting room. They all smiled when they discovered that the impersonal room was transformed into a lively Café with samba music playing in the background!

Explore Questions That Matter
Our team came up with two questions for our session:
1. What activity or project have you done in your class that has some of the attributes of creativity?

2. Is there a project that you want to implement in your class about which you would like to receive feedback from others?

Prior to the meeting we had sent an e-mail with the following information so that we all had a common ground when defining a ‘creative project’.

Attributes of a Creative Project or Activity

New or original

Stimulates curiosity

Challenging and engaging

Promotes divergence

Interdisciplinary

Key Terms of Creative Activities or Projects

Designing

Constructing

Planning

Producing

Inventing

Devising

Making

Encourage Everyone's Contribution
At each table a member of the team was designated as a facilitator. They were in charge of engaging everybody in the conversation.

Connect Diverse Perspectives

Listen Together and Notice Patterns

We had a laptop available for each of the teams. We created separate pages for each team on a wiki and each facilitator entered the contributions from the members of their table.

An online timer was set up on the screen with a 20 minute countdown for each question.

Share Collective Discoveries

Because of the limited amount of time we were not able to create posters and do a Gallery Walk. However, we briefly showcased a couple of pages on the screen. Faculty and administrators were excited to see how they could access the conversations by visiting the wiki at their own pace anytime.

Wrapping Things Up

By the end of the session we showed the video Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson.

Did it Work?

Our team felt that the session went really well!

We heard positive feedback from our colleagues and administrators about how everybody enjoyed the opportunity to share, listen and collaborate with each other.

CREATIVITY RESOURCES
This is our wiki page with the links to Creativity Resources for the classroom.

Images: Café Image Bank

The Edublog Awards

2010-11-30T05:48:00.008-06:00

My nominations for the 2010 Edublog Awards:

Best student blog

Christopher Ponners

Chemistry and Physics Blogs

Best individual blog

Silvia Tolisano

Langwitches Blog

Best group blog

Connected Principals

Best resource sharing blog

Richard M. Byrne

Free Technology 4 Teachers

Best librarian / library blog

Buffy Hamilton

The unquiet librarian

Best school administrator blog

Jonathan E. Martin

21K12

Most influential blog post

ILLEGITIMI NON CARBORUNDUM

By Tom Withby

Best individual tweeter

Nancy Rubin

Most influential tweet / series of tweets / tweet based discussion

#edchat

Best educational tech support blog

Wesley Fryer

Moving at the Speed of Creativity

Best educational use of video / visual

Tony Vincent

Learning in Hand

Best educational webinar series

Steve Hargadon

Lifetime achievement

Will Richardson

Weblogg-ed

IP21: Taking Ownership of Professional Development

2010-10-20T13:12:00.009-05:00

How can a Standards-based Professional Development program using and implementing 21st Century skills have an impact on teaching and learning at our school?

Most schools require that their faculty create personal and/or professional goals for the school year. Our faculty and administration used the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) NETS-T and NETS-A as a basis to select their goals. We called these goals our IP21 (Individual Plan for 21st Century).

At the beginning of the school-year, during our staff development days we held sessions to review the IP21 PD model and to allow faculty to create their own pages on their respective Division Sites.

The IP21 faculty pages are used to document:

Plan(s) for integration of content into standards
Pedagogical strategies
Request for instructional technology support as needed
Evidence: description and link(s) to activity that demonstrate standard

I have set up notifications on each of the sites so that I get an e-mail when one of my colleagues posts something on their pages. This gives me an opportunity to give them suggestions and/or arrange for sessions as needed. Moreover, since all the IP21 sites are wikis, teachers and administrators can easily collaborate with each other not only within their own department but also across divisions.

Our faculty has been very receptive to this model. They like having ownership of their professional development.

Being able to decide what they want to do based on their own subject, grade level and technology proficiency makes all the difference!

IP21 logo: I created the logo with LogoSnap. The logo represents 'student and teacher', 'faculty and administration' and 'teaching and learning'.

Leaders Among Equals

2010-07-31T05:56:00.009-05:00

Administrators are Leaders among Equals. As teachers, educational administrators share the same goals about the students they serve: to provide the best learning environment that will allow students to grow as informed, creative and responsible adults.

How do administrators as Leaders among Equals model themselves to enrich the lives of other educational professionals in a collaborative environment?

It's all about the BE's:

1. Be Available

Leaders are available to listen and to help solve problems. Using multiple channels of communication through a blog, twitter or a social network platform makes administrators available anytime to faculty, students and parents.

2. Be Enthusiastic

Teachers will get onboard if leaders demonstrate excitement and expertise in the use of digital tools. Teachers should look up to administrators to reignite their passion for a subject and the possibilities that technology offers to facilitate teaching and learning.

3. Be Supportive

Administrators demonstrate their priorities by providing a variety of opportunities for professional growth. As leaders, they tap into resources to provide time and funds that allow their faculty to participate in educational conferences.

4. Be Gracious

Leaders do not expect instant success. They celebrate small gains and demonstrate that failure is not the end but just another opportunity for growth.

5. Be Creative

Leaders are aware that creativity is at the top of Bloom's Taxonomy. They foster and model creative thought and innovation.

6. Be Yourself

Leaders are true to their identity as educators and don't make excuses as having to wear too many hats.

Our administrators are demonstrating being Leaders among Equals at my school by joining faculty in the creation of their Individual Plans for 21st Century using the NETS for Administrators.

It is by being a community of Leaders among Equals that we will succeed!

Scott McLeod (Call to bloggers to participate.)

Professional Development: IP21

2010-06-02T05:45:00.030-05:00

Over the school year, a team of 5 faculty members (Michelle from UE: Emma and Sherie from MS; Dave and I from US) participated along with 200 educators in a professional cohort called Powerful Learning Practice (PLP). Through face-to-face meetings, virtual sessions and ongoing conversations we gained a deeper understanding of 21st century teaching and learning. As a team we developed a Professional Development program.

THE CONTEXT

Why are we so fervent in our desire to create and continuing to improve a rigorous, student-centered learning environment? Because we know that we must prepare our students for a future incalculably different to the past we have known.

Schools are slowly shifting from traditional teaching and learning models to dynamic models that take advantage of opportunities to energize our interaction with one another through technology. And it is already quite clear that technology will impact not only the amount but also the quality and character of that interaction. Students like to learn in the environment that is already so much a part of their lives outside of school.

The cognitive domain as illustrated by Bloom's Taxonomy has also been modified to the new behaviors and actions emerging as technology advances and becomes more ubiquitous.

Faculty and staff professional development needs to be designed taking into account these paradigms.

THE FRAMEWORKS

True technology integration can only happen in a context where subject-specific content is taught with pedagogical methodologies that include technologies that enable students to achieve their learning outcomes.

The TPACK model provides an essential context for our Professional Development plan: content and pedagogy drive the technology, not the other way around.

The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model attempts to capture some of the essential qualities of knowledge required by teachers for technology integration in their teaching.

http://tpack.org

At the heart of the TPACK framework is the complex interplay of three primary forms of knowledge: Content (CK), Pedagogy (PK), and Technology (TK).

Content Knowledge (CK)

As faculty members we assume knowledge about our subject matter.

Pedagogical Knowledge

As faculty members we assume knowledge in pedagogies of student learning, classroom management, lesson plan development and implementation, and student evaluation. However, in the context of 21st century teaching and learning, there is a need for deeper pedagogical knowledge on a variety of instructional methodologies such as problem-based learning, inquiry instruction, critical thinking strategies, creativity, and differentiated instruction among others.

Technology Knowledge (TK)

It is essential for faculty to be knowledgeable in a variety of technological tools such as:

- Productivity tools (Office, Google Apps, etc.)

- Digital tools for communication, collaboration and creation (web 2.0)

Our Professional Development plan is standards-based. We selected the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), NETS (National Educational Technology Standards) as our criteria for 21st Century Teaching and Learning.

The standards provide a common set of expectations for faculty, administration and students.

THE ACTION PLAN

The Professional Development Action Plan consists of 4 strands. At the core of this plan is the understanding that for Professional Development to be effective, it has to be meaningful and relevant to our own teaching.

PDA1. To achieve this relevance, each of us will create an Individual Plan for 21st Century Teaching and Learning. This will referred to as the IP21.

PDA2 and PDA3. There is a minimum requirement of six training sessions to acquire and/or refine the selected competencies. Three of the sessions will occur during Staff Development days.

PDA4. It is expected that all of us will demonstrate the acquisition of such competencies. The Instructional Technology team will be available throughout the school year for individual and group training sessions.

THE INDIVIDUAL PLANS IP21

Over the past two days we have presented our PD plan to over 150 faculty and administration.

In order to facilitate the creation of the individual plans, we showed each of the standards along with relevant examples of what each standard looks like at the different levels: Early Childhood (EC)/Upper Elementary (UE), Middle School (MS) and Upper School (US).

We created a wiki IP21 with all the links to the different examples. During the summer our faculty can explore the site in more detail. When we return to school in August they will be able to modify their plan as needed. The wiki also includes proposed training sessions correlated to the TPACK model and the NETS-T,

Each individual plan has been created as surveys using Google Forms for the different divisions and the administrators. The results will be analyzed and each faculty member will receive a customized plan with suggestions for training.

So far, the response has been very positive. Our faculty feels that this plan gives them ownership and control over their PD needs instead of being forced to attend "one-size fits all" sessions.

The PLP Experience

2010-04-14T15:01:00.019-05:00

Just about a year ago I attended an ISAS Technology Directors conference at Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth. The speaker was Will Richardson. I have to confess that I had never heard of him (in what planet did I live on, really?). His presentation was like lightning!

As soon as I got back home I googled PLP and filled the form requesting more information. I invited some colleagues to attend a virtual session with Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, and at that moment we knew that we really wanted to join .

We formed a school team with Michelle from Upper Elementary, Emma and Sherie from Middle School, and Dave from Upper School. At our first face-to-face meeting we registered as members of a Ning and created our profiles. When we came back to school after the kick-off event, we were inspired to make the most of our PLP adventure.

Truth is, there was a little catch in our decision to join PLP. A year ago we had an accreditation visit, and the first item in the report concerning technology said, "The School should look into providing leadership for academic technology. This leadership can explore ways to develop and implement a school wide vision for academic technology, investigate professional development opportunities for both academic technology and all other classroom teachers." As a first step, I was appointed Academic Technology Coordinator to lead the school in addressing the accreditation report. Big task! I started gathering resources to create a LoTI survey that was completed by faculty in all divisions. After analyzing the data I knew I was going to need more guidance than just relying on my searching abilities!

PLP has opened my eyes to a world of possibilities. All of a sudden I am supported not only by the top leaders in education, but also by a group of colleagues that are walking the same path and have the same expectations and concerns that I have.
My professional growth has been amazing to me. Through virtual sessions and ongoing conversations I now have a deeper understanding of 21st century teaching and learning. I have learned how to use several digital tools and, most importantly, I have expanded my learning network. On July 1st I joined Twitter, and as of this morning, I have over 300 followers. By the end of September I had created this blog, and in November all of my Honors Physics students had their own active blogs!

The professional development plan that I originally crafted back in November has been transformed into a well-defined program that already has had a tremendous impact in the school. All we had to do was to dig deeper into the myriad of resources received through PLP.
With creativity, passion and collegiality our team and technology instructors have been very successful in motivating and supporting our colleagues as they implement changes. After the culminating event this past Monday, we have renewed our commitment to move our school not only to address all of the accreditation report recommendations but much, much farther!

As I reflect on these past months, I'm reminded of Newton(*) when he wrote "If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants." I say this because one thing is clear: we wouldn't be where we are, without having joined PLP!

Here is our PLP Project Presentation:

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(*) Quote originally attributed to Bernard de Chartres

Innovation in Learning: Student Voices

2010-04-04T17:11:00.006-05:00

I often wonder what is the key to success on developing an innovative project?

This is my second year using wikis and my first using blogs in the Honors Physics class. Some of my students have made insightful remarks in class and some of them have written on their blogs about the impact these digital tools have on their learning process. I decided to ask them some questions which lead to the production of the video below.

Here is the transcript of the video with relevant links on the wiki and their blogs:

WIKIS: COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION

Q: How do you see using the wiki for discussing problems a useful and innovative solution to get help and/or feedback with questions?
Cyrus
The wiki has undoubtedly been one of my best physics friends. It is a time-saver, giving me the option to ask a question when I have the time to ask it rather than having to go directly to the teacher wasting precious time.
It provides almost instant feedback to help us solve a problem or answer a question. Although Mrs. Gende always answers the questions, other students can also read and answer questions. Collaborating in the wiki has helped create a sense of unity in the classroom as we all work towards a common goal of better understanding physics concepts.
Wiki
Eric
By helping other students with problems and asking for help on assignments I think that our class community has done a good job not only by supporting each other grasp concepts but also by explaining concepts in new ways.
Wiki

BLOGS: REFLECTIONS OF OUR OWN LEARNING

Q: You have said that reflections are valuable. Please explain why you think they are helpful.
Emily
Reflections are very helpful to me especially before a big test. Reflections help me go over exactly what I have recently learned with a fine tooth comb. By this I mean in my reflection I do not try to generalize what I have learned or to any situation. I try to be as specific as I can, explaining how situations are different and when one thing might apply but in another case it wouldn't apply at all.
In every reflection I have to answer the question, "What you have found difficult is..." When answering this I have to be honest with myself. I can't lie, so as to make myself look like the next up and coming Einstein. In reality I usually find everything in that unit difficult at first. But as time goes on things clear up and I began to understand what the concepts are especially the more challenging ones. I force myself to reread the notes, look at the problems solved, and do extra research if needed.
This is especially good before a test, because I am reviewing not the problems and how to solve, but what to do when I am given certain information and asked to solve for a specific thing. This question allows me to ponder what I have found hard and use the reflection as a way to make it clear because I have to explain to the reader what I have not understood. This has also been a place where I remind myself of past mistakes.
Blog

Q: Why do you think it is helpful to write your reflection about what you learned in your own words rather than just summarizing the notes?
Puja
The first time I wrote a reflection, I summarized the class notes. I had a hard time figuring out how to put everything we had learned into my own words because I was trying to make it perfect. I then realized that summarizing the class notes wouldn't do any good for me or my peers who read my reflection. By writing the reflection in my own words has helped me to further understand the concepts and how they connect to the real world. The reflections help me to dig deeper into the topic and discover new ways to understand what we have learned more clearly and thoroughly.
Blog

Q: Have you seen a change in your problem-solving skills as a result of doing reflections?
Eric
My problem-solving skills have improved since I have done reflections. I think I have put more effort into understanding the material and the homework assignments. I have made my learning of the material rather than completion, a priority.
Blog

BLOGS: EXPLORATION AND CREATIVITY

Q: You use a variety of digital tools in your projects. What motivates you to go the 'extra mile' with your creativity?
Pippa
Creating a blog has helped me to learn the importance of preparation and presentation for school projects. Learning about different tools has also helped to enhance my artistic and creative capabilities.
By going the extra mile, I reach my potential with my creativity as well as my learning experience.
Pushing myself as far as I can go sets a good example for my peers as well as helping me create an awesome finished product.
I like the freedom of choosing my own tool over being told with specific guidelines what to use in a certain project. By having freedom, I can express my own individual creativity instead of the mandatory class guidelines which can often be bland and uninteresting.
Experiencing and learning with these tools, helps me by developing a diverse knowledge of how I can create the best possible project in any class with the help of online digital tools.
Blog

Q: Here are three questions for you: What sparks your interest in science, why do you think having 'open-ended' projects is better than 'assigned topics' and why do you think using digital tools is relevant to your learning?
Chris
Having grown up in a family that is very math and science oriented (both of my parents are engineers), I have always been interested in those fields of study (math and science) and have always tried to expand my knowledge as much as possible.
For me, being able to peruse personal interests within school activities is an amazing opportunity.
Having "open-ended" projects are better then "assigned topics" because they let a student relate a topic that is currently studied in a class to anything a student wants, whether it be a random connection that the student makes or a connection to something that they have learned about for a long time and have great interest in. Letting students make connections like these, at least for me, makes the whole process more interesting and enticing and can let a student truly understand the subject, not just memorize the facts.
For me, the use of digital tools is a great way to do projects because it promotes three different traits of learning: it promotes and develops computer skills, lets a student express a topic that is being studied, and also lets a student use their artistic side to design something. Whether it be a "Prezi," "Glogster," "Extranormal," or any other medium, letting the brain multitask seems to make the whole process more enjoyable and boost the whole learning experience.
Blog

BLOGS: GLOBAL COLLABORATION

Q: You did a great project about skateboarding. If it had been a regular project perhaps you would have gotten a bad grade, however, you had the opportunity to redo your project by revising your model. Explain why having people write comments on your blog was helpful.
Paxton
A feature of blogs that I find the most helpful is the ability to write and receive comments. We do this on a regular basis by writing on our peers blogs.
For our last project, our class got involved in global collaboration with other schools in Texas, Arkansas and Hong Kong. Each student in the class had 4 high school senior partners that wrote constructive comments in our blogs.
I had a great experience with my project since I had the opportunity not only to improve my skateboard project but to learn first hand how real science is done.
Blog posting before and blog posting after

VIDEO PRODUCTION
Student produced and directed. Credits at the end of the video. Enjoy!

Attribution keys photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/65919269@N00/172151897

Leading for Change. Part I

2010-02-26T12:57:00.027-06:00

On my way to Philadelphia to attend Educon 2.2 I read John Kotter's "Our Iceberg is Melting. Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions"; a neatly illustrated book that uses a fable to discuss change in organizations.

How can I apply the Eight Step Process of Successful Change to our school?

SET THE STAGE

1. The penguins in the change committee create a sense of urgency in the colony by helping others see the need for change and the importance of acting immediately.

I see a need for change in our school, a need for transforming our culture into a learning community that effectively addresses the challenges of teaching and learning in the 21st century.

We are fortunate at our school to have not only administrative support but a solid technology infrastructure with interactive whiteboards, access to computers throughout the school and a great IT team. However, at the end of the school year we conducted a survey and we found that a majority of teachers do not understand how to integrate technology in an effective way. There is little evidence of awareness of the pedagogical implications of teaching 21st century literacies as some faculty believe that showing a Power Point on a SMART board represents a high level of integration. Moreover, at the beginning of this school year only a couple of teachers were using wikis and very few knew the meaning of Web 2.0 and the educational value of social networking.

2. The penguin's change committee puts together a carefully selected group in charge of guiding the change.

Our school made it possible for a group of five members of faculty to participate in a year long professional development model called Powerful Learning Practice (PLP). We have been immersed in a transformational experience by being part of a virtual learning community where teams from 20 schools participate in learning and sharing about 21st century literacies. We have learned that teaching and learning in the 21st century is not only about technology but about pedagogy and an understanding of global changes.

DECIDE WHAT TO DO

3. The change committee then finds a vision of a better future and crafts a strategy in line with that vision. It is important to be able to see how the future will be different from the past, and how to make that future a reality.

Our PLP action research project consists in designing and implementing a sustained, standards-based (NETS) professional development program. We are striving for a five year plan with yearly evaluations.

MAKE IT HAPPEN

4. The penguins communicate for understanding and buy in. In order to get the message out, the head of the change committee calls for a meeting involving the entire colony.

I have conducted separate sessions will all faculty from three divisions to introduce 21st Century Teaching and Learning frameworks. Teachers have responded very enthusiastically and I have the impression that the message of pedagogy driving the technology and not the other way around has been conveyed.

5. The guiding team empowers others to act by removing as many obstacles to action as possible.

We are conducting hands-on training sessions in two modalities: group and individual. The positive effect is that the teachers are actually doing instead of just listening or watching a presenter. This knowledge empowers them to focus on the best way to integrate the tools into their teaching or student projects.

6. The penguin committee is aware of the need to create short-term wins.

This is an important step as it has the potential to create a ripple effect. I can relate two examples:

a. Back in January we had a faculty professional development day with a variety of sessions. Throughout the course of the second trimester we have seen teachers in all divisions taking risks in applying what they learned in the sessions.

b. A couple of weeks ago I invited our head of school, the PLP team, our upper school librarian, and other members of faculty to participate in a Blog Posting Reading Challenge. The project was a success, the comments were very stimulating and thought-provoking. PLPers will be able to use several of the points addressed in the crafting of our research project.

7. Don't let up until the new penguin colony is firmly established.

We have a very clear vision of the change we want to produce but keeping the momentum will be essential!
After we assess our first year of implementing our program we should take time for reflection to go back to the drawing room and prepare for the following year. The good news is that our head of school will support our joining Year 2 of PLP!

MAKE IT STICK

8. Finally, a new culture is created to ensure that the changes would not be overcome by tradition.

I do not think that there is an end to our reshaping our culture, this will be an ongoing process.

As new technologies emerge there will always be opportunities for learning and teaching, and that is exactly what makes this journey an exciting one!

Attributions:
Expedition to Antarctica and the Falkland Islands by John Dalkin

http://www.flickr.com/photos/59303791@N00/sets/72157611993037994/

Faculty Learning: Scoring a Basket!

2010-01-06T16:02:00.017-06:00

What are the barriers that impede teachers growth as learners?

The most common answer is usually a lack of time, unfortunately in some cases I believe that there is also a lack of motivation.

On Monday, we had a Staff Development day and the administration required faculty to attend at least one technology session.

I was thrilled with the opportunity but I realized that some of my colleagues would not have attended otherwise; that left me with several things to consider about professional development.

Among other things I wondered:
1. How do we make the sessions meaningful?
2. What is the best way to present a new digital tool?
3. How do we engage and keep faculty motivated to integrate the tool?

Here is my take at possible answers to the questions:
1. In order to make a session meaningful to teachers it has to be a hands-on session. Teachers should have the opportunity to create during the session. The topic has to be relevant to their subject area and applicable to a lesson.
2. One good way to present a digital tool is to show an application of that tool. I've seen lots of great presentations at SlideShare that show a particular tool with bullet points about possible applications but rarely linked to an actual example. If I am able to show how I integrated a tool into my own curriculum and demonstrate it's usefulness for student learning I am sure that it would be easier to convince teachers to give it a try.

3. Once a teacher is engaged it is very important to follow-up their progress. Sometimes a teacher is willing to try a new tool but when they are alone in their classroom and stumble upon some difficulties they might be tempted to drop it. If the mountain doesn't come to you, you have to go to the mountain!

I like to document ideas that people have shared with me about a particular project and then after a few days e-mail them or stop by their classroom to ask them about their idea. With this method I've been successful in reigniting the fire.

How did our Staff Development day go?
I think it went really well! We had 8 presenters for a total of 11 sessions. The requirement was to attend one session but 50 out of the 108 teachers attended two and some of them three sessions! All of the sessions were hands-on and the faculty had an opportunity to select which session to attend.
For the past two days we've had requests for installing Google Earth, help with advanced features in Google Sites, troubleshooting Prezis and the best of all: two of our administrators have started their own blogs!

So what is the secret to score a basket with faculty and their own learning?
I don't believe that there is a definitive answer to this question but I will certainly keep trying different strategies!

Learning, learning, learning: Perfect Day!

2009-12-02T11:12:00.004-06:00

What a fabulous day of learning!

My day started by checking on Twitter around 4.35 am, it is always unbelievable how many Tweets have been posted overnight! I posted a couple of good links as I try to become more of an "informer".

At 7 am we had our second PLP Virtual Session. The topic was on Network Literacy. Will introduced three note-taking tools Evernote, Zoho and Zotero. I really liked Evernote as Zoho looks pretty much like Google Apps and Zotero is an add on for Firefox.

I've signed up for an Evernote account and will be ready to give it a try.

We had a small group discussion on Network Literacy and I was in a group with Ohio teachers. Our discussion circled around Effectiveness (so many links to click, so little time!) and Ethical uses (copyright and safety).

The last part of the session had to do with our Research Project. Sheryl walked us through the steps of the project and showed us a few samples. As a good multitasker I created a Site for our project (PLP Research Project) and send out invitations to the team for a meeting tomorrow before school.

I was very proud of our Parish team as they were engaged in the conversation!

Had a great day at school, was able to help Dave Monaco set his students as collaborators and then create their own blogs. I was relieved that everything went well and we didn't have any technical issues. I will be 'teaching' his class on Thursday so I need to be prepared!

At home I was enjoying reading Twitter when Alec Couros posted a link for an Elluminate session.
Wow! that was phenomenal! It was called The Power of Sharing and was lead by Dean Shareski. I learned even more! For example, I was able to add my Delicious Network to my Google Reader!! I didn't know that you could do that, now I can keep up with new bookmarks more efficiently!

All in all, just a PERFECT DAY!

I created the Wordle with words that resonate with my understanding of Network Literacy

wordle.net

Presentation for Inservice

2009-11-23T06:17:00.004-06:00

Today and tomorrow I will be presenting to faculty during inservice days.

For the Upper Elementary teachers I will introduce the Myths and Legends Creator, hopefully some of them would be excited about trying it.

In the afternoon I have a session for Middle School teachers about Possibilities for 21st Century Teaching and Learning. The session's goal will be to introduce the three major 21st Century frameworks. I will start with Alan November's talk on Myths and Opportunities, followed by a Prezi and the introduction of the NETS-based professional development model.
Tomorrow I will present two sessions for Upper School faculty.

Here is the Prezi for the session, it was a lot of fun to create!

Professional Development NETS based

2009-11-20T14:51:00.004-06:00

Just finished the PD program that will be presented to faculty during inservice. I designed it using the NETS for teachers as a framework. Includes digital tools but also sessions on teaching and learning like: authentic instruction, assessments for learning, Bloom's taxonomy and digital citizenship.

Pretty ambitious? yes, doable? sure but only with full administrative support and faculty buy-in!

This is the Academic Technology website that I created.

This is the page for the Professional Development model.

Blogging: important aspects to reflect upon

2009-11-12T05:59:00.005-06:00

Will Richardson posted a blogging scale to determine how students and teachers are using blogs (here is the original posting). Scale:

Posting assignments. (Not blogging)
Journaling, i.e. “This is what I did today.” (Not blogging)
Posting links (Not blogging)
Links with descriptive annotation, i.e. “This site is about…” (Not really blogging either, but getting close depending on the depth of the description.)
Links with analysis that gets into the meaning of the content being linked. (A simple form of blogging.)
Reflective, meta-cognitive writing on practice without links. (Complex writing, but simple blogging, I think. Commenting would probably fall in here somewhere.)
Links with analysis and synthesis that articulates a deeper understanding or relationship to the content being linked and written with potential audience response in mind. (Real blogging)
Extended analysis and synthesis over a longer period of time that builds on previous posts, links and comments. (Complex blogging)

Where in the scale do I place my students?
I believe that they are closer to Real Blogging as they are articulating their personal understanding on a specific topic and they are paying attention to their audience (their peers, me, outside of school viewers).

Although my original intention for the Digital Portfolio project is for students to reflect on their own learning through a series of structured assignments, I would like to shift my focus and challenge the students to write on a regular basis. I would love to see their writing continuously reflecting and extending their knowledge beyond what is covered in the classroom.

Our challenge? Move to Complex blogging!

Professional Development

2009-11-09T20:47:00.001-06:00

Had a great exchange of e-mails about ideas for incentives for faculty professional development.
Last bit of good news, big prizes is a go!
I need to come up with a PD model a.s.a.p since I had great buy in at the FLC meeting. Was quite surprised by having it as a mandate for departmental lunches.

21st Century: jargon? buzzword?

2009-11-08T06:56:00.001-06:00

This video makes a good case for TEACHING not just using technology tools.

Concept Maps: Bubbl.us

2009-11-04T15:09:00.001-06:00

Really easy to create:

PuzzleMaker from Discovery Channel

2009-11-04T06:14:00.004-06:00

KINEMATICS

CROSSWORD PUZZLE:

Across
3. how fast an object moves
6. rate of change of velocity
Down
1. location of an object
2. a quantity with direction
4. how fast and in what direction

Glogster

2009-11-03T20:18:00.006-06:00

"Glogster is a revolutionary way of expressing your mood, feelings and ideas, and it goes miles beyond text or video! Creating a Glog lets you express all those things you haven’t been able to describe by words. It opens the door to a whole new world of communication – just choose a background, throw in some shapes and characters from our galleries, add text, your own videos or photos and perhaps a pinch of music and there it is! In just a few minutes, you can make a digital poster, a colorful medley of ideas, reflecting your own special style."

GLOGSTER website

Here is my first Glogster:

Velocity Glogster

What really matters

2009-11-02T05:10:00.004-06:00

Pedagogy and technology go hand in hand.
A global collaborator, a global communicator. 21st century life-long learners.

Myths and Opportunities: Technology in the Classroom by Alan November from Brian Mull on Vimeo.

Using Pixton

2009-11-01T06:17:00.003-06:00

Here is my first attempt using Pixton to create a story with comics. The possibilities for editing are virtually endless!

The website has very good tutorial videos. Just click on the Create Tab and select How to Videos from the pulldown menu.

My students had to answer the Kinematics Essential Question using Pixton.

Honors Physics e-portfolios

2009-10-29T20:37:00.003-05:00

Finally we were able to start! The kids were hesitant at the beginning but then just took over!
I introduced the portfolio project as an authentic assessment, we discussed digital citizenship, and proceeded to go over the digital portfolio guidelines.
Students created their blogs, learned how to use Wordle and embed it in their blogs. Finally they created simple Vokis.
Great start!
Here is the link to the project:

HONORS PHYSICS DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS

Digital Portofolios_2

2009-10-27T14:24:00.001-05:00

I am wondering if Blogger is a better platform to do the e-portfolios. For one thing, enabling comments is a breeze. I also like the ability to post Video and other cool Digital Storytelling Tools right there on the post.

Digital Portfolios

2009-10-22T05:46:00.001-05:00

Ready to start the Digital Portfolio project with Honors Physics.
Trying to figure out the best way to write guidelines, how many projects, assessment, how to encourage collaboration.
Lots of good resources to explore!

21st Century Skills

2009-10-22T05:42:00.001-05:00

Last week I started the conversation on 21st Century Literacy.
Upper School: not really a conversation as time allowed was minimal
Middle School: the session exceeded my expectations, no doubt that MS is the foundation for preparing students for US; hopefully this will lead to department meeting trainings
Early Childhood: great conversation with Melissa, I was particularly impressed with her Google Site, a very professional look, and did I say I learn how to add items to the sidebar?

Digital Tools: Voki

2009-09-26T11:31:00.003-05:00

Here is my first try at Voki

Digital Tools: Wordle and Animoto

2009-09-23T21:06:00.003-05:00

Here is my first assignment from the PLP!

My Life: All Around the World.

Used:

- BeFunky to do my pictures in "charcoal"

- Picasa to crop and save the pictures

- Wordle to create my Video opening screen

- Animoto to make the video