Life Is Learning

cSED 7762 Journal #5

2010-03-12T14:55:00.003-06:00

Well, I am finally coming to the end of the course. I have completed all assignments (excluding the webquest)...collecting all data, posting all findings and feeling as though I finally understand assessment in the technology world. Sounds weird or strange that a teacher "finally understands assessment" doesn't it!? Well, I have never really put thought into the way I assess. Most assignments or tasks in my teaching have been knowledge based. I think I am finally ready to start branching into assignments that require deeper understand and are based on continuity (aka Theme).

The problem that I am encountering is mainly in the webquest process. I have been researching and gathering information to put on the webquest but am still unsure of the process itself. It also hasn't helped that I have had very limited computer access this week, and when I do, nothing seems to load right onto the site. Tonight, however, is webquest night at my house. Hopefully this is not a ritual that sticks around!

CSED 7762 Journal #4

2010-03-08T16:48:00.002-06:00

Today was a productive day. I finally organized myself for this course and had time to put some thought and time into a few of my major assignments.

I completed the rough draft for my smart cards and had a coworker test them out.
I completed (I think) my ergonomics assignment. I am not sure if it is more of a self assessment/peer evaluation or if it would qualify as a rubric. Either way, it is something I plan in incorporating into the C-BIS program at work.
I got to read some of the postings by classmates on the discussion board

and

I think I have finally wrapped my head around my webquest and ISTE survey.

All in all, very productive! I think I finally realized why this course feels a little more demanding than my last course, though it is much more organized and less busy work....Assessment is a much overlooked area in curriculum development and, at least in my own curriculum, has been a last minute grading system. This will be my major focus this summer when revising and creating curriculum.

CSED 7762 Journal #3

2010-03-07T19:31:00.002-06:00

I know that journal #3 probably should have been done about a week ago but I figure I am about as far into the process now as I should have been a week ago. The time sure has crept up on me and it seems that I am speeding toward the end of the course...where is my emergency brake!?

Thinking about the webquest process has been nearly productively paralyzing. That combined with GRAD testing, moodle training and lack of computer access has nearly put me at a standstill. My next week will be (I hope) the most productive week of my life. I think, after having my 1:1 session with Scott on Saturday, that I may finally understand the assignment and the process...remember, I said "I think!" I have shifted my focus from having the staff come up with a prediction of what education/teaching will look like 5-10 years from now (an abstract concept that seems subjective in it assessment), something a bit more concrete and narrowed into focus. I have now decided to keep the future focus but have the assessed piece of the webquest much more focused on what teachers can and should be doing now to improve/enhance their curriculum to prepare students for the future (approx. 5-10 years from now). This would include having them take a look at their current curriculum and discuss what they would like to change or improve, looking at the standards (ISTE, NETS) as if they were MN standards in their subject area, and examining approx. 4 tools that they think could use to change the elements they identified in their curriculum (I would list possible tools to research based on categories). I would then have the staff member write a report (values/beliefs statement) about 1.) what they believe could be improved/enhanced in the curriculum in order to best prepare their students 2.) identify one area of the ISTE or NETS standards that they think they could improve on in the classroom to best prepare students 3.) focus on 2-3 Web 2.0 tools they could use to address the changes they would like to make. Sorry that was a little long-winded...hope I explained that correctly.

Now the hard part begins....What steps/information do I provide for them to reach the point where they can assemble their beliefs statement!?

Check back often this week for daily updates on the process....

CSED 7762 Journal #2.5

2010-02-24T17:31:00.002-06:00

We had another Elluminate discussion last night as a class and I am thinking I am even more lost than before concerning my webquest. This feeling may be, in part, due to my lack of concentration last night (life has been overwhelmingly stressful the last couple of days). I just feel like this is a project that is just too big for my life right now. I am attempting to create a product that is useful for an audience that is as stressed as I am with students and grading terms and the list goes on. I could create a webquest for students but I really don't work with many at this time and it has just been really hard wrapping my brain around something that I am not even sure is going to work for the audience I would like to target (Do the teachers I work with really care about what learning/schools will look like 5-10 years from now when they have grades dues on Thursday?) Not only am I having trouble wrapping my head around that aspect of the project but where to start the learning/inquiry process. How much general info do we provide for them? Do they read articles about how students learn today and what is ahead of them in the future (like the "did you know?" video) and then have them construct some sort of vision/prediction for what the future holds? If so, how authentic is that for them? It's nice that they are thinking about and exploring the tools that could change the way they deliver instruction (that too, do I have them explore things like etherpad and wikis?) but the predictions ending does not play out for 5-10 years...what then? Would you suggest a discussion with me of the predictions and possibilities? Maybe show me a lesson that could be enhanced for a 21st-century learner?

Just some initial thoughts after our discussion last night that I wanted to get down in writing and possibly get some feedback on.

CSED 7762 Journal #2

2010-02-21T08:47:00.003-06:00

Not much to report this week on my progress. Trying to keep up with assignments but life and work have both been absolutely nuts lately!

I do have some concerns about my webquest. I really don't know if I am even on the right track with this project. I think my focus may not even be in focus and may be much bigger than the project calls for.

From my understanding of authentic assessment, I need be able to observe the process or have an end result that is usable for the "student" of the webquest. Focusing on the teachers as students for the webquest, I think that the end result should be an actual assignment that can be done completely online, meeting the standards and the goal of student understanding and performance. Does any of this make sense? Hope it clicks for me soon!

Looking forward to the next elluminate session so that I can clear up any misunderstandings and gain focus...got my headphones with mic ready for this session.

Check back next week for progress and problems. Leave a comment with any suggestions you have for the project...I really could use them.

CSED 7762 Journal #1

2010-02-15T19:56:00.005-06:00

I am currently taking a course at Hamline University and am going to attempt my journaling for the class on this blog. I have reluctantly neglected the blog in the past and thought this would be a good time to start professionally blogging again. In my journals I will be reflecting on the course and my progress on a weekly basis. Here goes...

OVERALL FEELING: I was relieved to see that the professors for this course had put a great deal of time and effort into the planning and preparation for the class. The last course I took in the certificate series was much less organized and coherent that this appears to be. I was able to talk with a couple of my classmates from the last course, who are also enrolled in 7762 and we are all feeling much the same way...VERY relieved by the thought put into the assignments and structure of the course. Still feel as though there is much to do in a short period of time, but as long as I am able to stay well....it should all be manageable.
SMART CARDS: The only thing I really see as a roadblock for me at this point are the subjects of my assignments. I am in a position now where it is not quite clear who I am working more closely with: staff or students!? My smart card assignment will focus on helping staff solve a problem that plagues me on a daily, if not weekly, basis: Mapping a network drive. I am confident that this will be my focus for this assignment.
WEBQUEST: The webquest assignment on the other hand is troubling me much more. Again, do I focus on a webquest used solely by students? OR Do I construct a webquest that will clear up some misunderstandings among staff as to what online learning is and the importance and growing enrollment in such alternative courses? I really like the idea of the staff that I am working with to read, learn about, and synthesize the information out there about the importance and growing appeal of online courses. I would also like them to construct an assignment that meets the elements of a good online course (one which students can complete independently). To me this might be the construction of their own webquest, jing video, screencast tutorial, etc. I believe that this would help them to understand what really goes into creating these courses and making them effective in student learning with higher level thinking. Thank goodness, also, for Questgarden. Up until Michael showed this to us, I was not quite sure how I was even going to construct a webquest!
UbD and COLLABORATION: So far, in the course, I have appreciated the video support in UbD, something lacking from the last course. Much of our learning (we had all never dealt with UbD) was through readings in the UbD book and completion of worksheets. It has helped my understanding tremendously to see other educators voiced in the procedure at work and then processing it as a class.

Technology Integration Institute...

2009-06-21T20:06:00.001-05:00

A summary of E2T2...

New Tools & Schools - Hamline University Technology Integration Institute Closing Video from Carl Anderson on Vimeo.

Technology Integration Institute Presentation...

2009-06-16T11:22:00.008-05:00

Web 2.0 tools for presentation...

Sample Video from Teachertube

Photostory 3

Presentation tools

Student response systems:

A Blog Neglected...

2009-01-12T16:10:00.002-06:00

Oh my! Time has gone very fast with not a single post. Don't let this fool you, however...I am still learning (and mentoring). I will hopefully be able to reflect on my experiences soon...check back in the near future.

Unbelievable Discussion

2008-10-31T20:52:00.003-05:00

Wow, did we have an unbelievable discussion at school today!? As a way of saying "Thank You" to all of my Politics and Elections students for the hard work they did on the mock election, I let the students choose today's class activity. Their choice, to debate the teachers on issues relating to respect and student involvement in school. My first thought was, naturally, "uh oh." However, after having the students talk-out what they really wanted from this "debate," we came to the conclusion that it would be more of an open-ended discussion with the teachers. We wrote a letter inviting all the teachers to class and gave them a heads-up on the topics of discussion. Roughly three staff members showed up for the whole discussion and about three to four came and went as they had time.

During this "conversation," as it came to be called, students and teachers gave their own definitions of what respect was and gave a vision of what that looked like to them. This opened up to a conversation about language and finally into student involvement in collaboratively designing courses with the teachers. We had five questions prepared to lead our discussion but with such active involvement we only got to 2.5 of them in an hour. It was awesome to watch. Teachers and students flowed in and out of the circle when they wished to share and they asked questions of each other in hopes of clarifying statements and finding deeper understanding. When 2:00 (end of the day) hit, on a Friday, four students stayed after and most teachers found themselves in the classroom continuing the conversation for another half-hour. It was great to see such a healthy and respectful conversation and, from the feedback I received, it was a conversation that both students and teachers would like to see happen again.

The most surprising revelation or bit of information that came out of the conversation for me and my coworkers, was that the students want us to sit down and talk to them, even on break. I think we all felt this was sacred student time but, armed with this new information, we will now start taking greater steps to bridge the communication gap.

What Is Understanding/How Is It Measured?

2008-10-25T09:59:00.009-05:00

We have been talking in E2T2 class for about 15 minutes (at this moment) on "What is understanding?" and "How is understanding measured?" Whether you are in the E2T2 cohort or not, please leave your comments on what you believe regarding these two questions. Please answer openly. I don't need an answer that reflects what the state or federal standards say about what understanding is or how to measure it.

Mastering Low-Level Content raises some good questions...

Pre-Planning...

2008-10-23T19:21:00.004-05:00

Our assignment for the October E2T2 class is to pre-plan some lessons in our subject area that we plan to teach this year and examine how we can integrate technology into those lessons.

Through examination, I have found that...

there are many equipment-type technology resources (such as a SMARTBoard, computers, video cameras, etc) but many of the computers we have are being occupied by students using them for online learning. This is an obstacle in that it is difficult to find enough computers to complete the assigned task.
even if I had enough computers for each student to work independently (or as a group), I am realizing that many of the resources I would like to use in my lessons require internet access. However, with the current district filter this has become quite troublesome and frustrating--requiring a form to be filled out and reviewed before access may be approved.
many of my students do not have access to computers and/or the internet at home. Though many of the students have cell phones and iPods, there is still a great number of students who are not privileged to computers outside of school.

I am attempting to think positively about technology integration but I keep hitting walls. If you have some ideas on how to overcome the above obstacles or have any other information to share concerning technology integration, I would love to hear from you.

21 Days In...

2008-10-23T17:17:00.009-05:00

I am now 21 days into Politics and Elections and I have learned many things but there are a few that I would like to share:

1.) Young people, no matter where they come from or what lives they lead, have a lot to say on politics if asked. They have lots of opinions and knowledge on the issues that affect their own personal lives and realistic visions of what they would like America to be. In most cases, when issues come up in class like healthcare, social security, abortion, education, etc., these kids take a very mature and compassionate view toward others, even towards those that they believe have not been so compassionate towards them.

2.) Young minds are like sponges. We hear this all the time but I have never seen students so hungry for information in class before. I thought I was pretty up on politics and government but they stump me often. When I say I will search for the answer, they volunteer to look for it or will be anxious to hear the answer when I am able to find it.

3.) Don't be afraid to share your thoughts and opinions with students--even political ones. I tried to keep my Obamafication a secret but they picked up on it and it has made for some lively, open-minded discussions on the issues that we all face. I believe it was my E2T2 instructor that commented that modeling passion for a subject is important. Great statement and very true. I feel as though modeling my passion for this subject has not only helped the students get into the topic but also helped me learn and grow with them, instead of standing on the outside waiting for them to find their identities.

We have taken time the last few weeks to learn the fundamentals of politics and elections in the US and applied them to the current general election. The next two weeks we will be putting them into a simulated election and, I am hoping, the students will realize just how much of a privilege it is to live in a country where they are free to express their opinions, not just vocally, but through the ballot.

For those of you wondering how the students are coming along on forming those political identities, I have learned:

4.) Political identities are a process. I am not sure, after this class, if I have found mine.

5.) Young people can be stubborn. Some of the students are going to vote Democrat and some will vote Republican, no matter what! The goal, I have realized, is to help them understand that each political party's views are real and are just as worthy as listening to and thinking about as the others' (not sure if that needs an apostrophe). If we don't listen to each other, we won't accomplish or solve much of anything!

Click on the following link to view the representation of student responses to the journal: "Who do you see as a good leader and why?"

How fitting that this came out in the shape of a footprint!?

The Influence We All Have...

2008-10-02T16:33:00.000-05:00

The other day, as I was looking through a birthday party supply catalog, my three-year-old pointed to Mickey Mouse and said that he would like to have "a Mickey Mouse party...or a Barack Obama party!" First thought in my head was "Wow, my son has been Obamafied just like me." Then I looked at the television where CNN was turned on and was re-running the first presidential debates. Holy Cow! Was our son really in tune with what is going on around him? OR Were we (my husband and I) maybe talking too much about election issues around this young, developing mind? (As a side note: my three-year-old's grandma thinks "Mickey or Obama...pretty much the same thing")

The truth is that while I would like to influence what my kids, husband, co-workers, students, and others think, there is a point when I need to step back and respect the learning process--letting decisions be created by the individual and not made for them.

I have had the opportunity, in the school where I work, to take this teachable moment in history (the 2008 election), combine it with my passion and design a course, Politics and Elections. The first day of this class was today and I came out of the class with this goal: guide students into discovering what they believe in and encourage them to create political identities for themselves. It's going to be tough, since I am a political person by nature, stubborn by birth (Taurus), and talkative by genes, but I am up for the challenge.

Welcome to "Life is Learning"

2008-10-01T10:20:00.000-05:00

I am currently enrolled in a class focusing on integrating technology into the classroom. My most recent assignment was to create a blog where I can share my thoughts with other educators and, in turn, receive feedback from them....a Personal Learning Network. While I have found it easy to share my thoughts and activities with others on my personal blogsite, I have found reflecting on my professional life in writing, more difficult (I am more of a talker). I am excited, however, about writing professionally in this familiar format.

In creating this blog, I considered many different titles--from very boring to extremely corny. After some reflection into my own beliefs (and while watching my three-year-old son learn to play Candyland), I came up with Life is Learning. Not too original since the phrase has been used over and over (and over), but appropriate for the focus and direction I would like my blog to take.

So there (or here) you have it! Please check back often and share your thoughts.

Happy reading (and commenting)!
Elizabeth