K12 Learning 2.0

Another powerful Web 2.0 tool still in its infancy that has powerful implications for the K-12 educational environment….WOW!!  Easy to navigate, comprehensive in scope, incorporating all forms of media – what’s not to like.  It was very easy to get “lost” in this tool with hours disappearing as you follow links, read about great classroom teaching ideas as well as current issues and practices (e.g. at what grade level are students allowed to use laptops?….interesting to read.  Our district is exploring the nettop – small laptop with Internet connection for our K students).

Exploring both the Classroom 2.0 Ning as well as Ning in Education was enlightening.  Both were similar in format so it was very easy to explore and no great learning curve after I had visited the first.  I love the Forum part of each – talking to educators who are concerned about the same topics I am and offering great classroom teaching ideas as well as discussing current issues as well as offering help with tools that I’ve recently been introduced to, i.e. Twitter (still wrapping my head around it).  I found so many ideas that experienced teachers had used to teach their students (e.g. Visual Vocabulary) – it was like attending a conference and coming back so energized and creative and that “can’t wait to get back to the classroom to try that” feeling.  What a resource to have available – knowing I could visit anytime (even in my pajamas and no travelling costs for my school district) and bring that excitement to my classroom daily.

Being a media specialist – I love organization.  These sites have that.  Media specialists want the materials they own to be used easily and frequently by their patrons – trying to provide multiple ways to access the material.  Both sites do this very effectively….allowing you to search by tool, subject and area of interest.  Having Groups is also highly effective allowing me to focus on my one area of interest.  Why was I not surprised that Joyce V has a ning for media specialists/librarians??? (Does she ever sleep?)  Her TeacherLibrarian Ning provides quality information including current issues/topics, teaching ideas as well as thought-provoking discussions that definitely make you think!!!

I definitely can visualize nings being used for my own professional development needs as well as providing wonderful classroom resources on any topic/standard.  I didn’t explore (ran out of time) any personal interests or hobbies……that’s on my  “To Do” list. And that’s one of the recurring concerns I encountered – time!  Every tool has potential….but I need to focus on one or two then add others after I feel like I’ve effectively integrated that tool.  Everyone’s life is busy with other reponsibilities and interests and trying to balance all those with professional interests and growth can get overwhelming sometimes.

As with many of the tools we explored, utiling nings in the K-12 environment requires some guidelines for student use.  This can be a slow process that involves multiple departments, sometimes the Board of Education.  I feel I’m in a fairly progressive county that is good-sized and that we normally can accomplish these types of tasks effectively.  But with many of the Web 2.0 tools it also requires educating individuals on their potential use and purpose (which is the approach we’ve used in our district). 

I’ve liked the experience of nings – actually, we had one at the last Georgia Media Conference last October.  My first impression would be utilizing them for my own professional development and learning.

Joyce’s NeverEndingSearch has done it again………with a very provacative post that began on Twitter by some tech gurus (Karl Fisch plus others)…..”What’s the point of having a media specialist if they aren’t specialists in the media forms of the day? “

A topic that is specific to media specialists (they’ve got a job they didn’t sign up for 20 years ago?  Isn’t it the responsibility of all professionals to stay current? plus much more…..) but also can apply to the classroom teacher too.  Joyce honestly admits it hurts to be so publicly discussed and also honestly states there are media personnel who need to go. 

Our world has changed..and these topics are being discussed without the media specialist present – if he or she is not part of the “social” network that has become our world.  What to do? 

I’m still digesting the post and comments……I know in our district we’re providing professional development and an incentive program (MediA21) to assist the school media specialist as a professional…my plan is to provide Joyce’s post and comments to the district media specialist as part of their “summer reading” and then incorporate this topic as part of our district media meetings next year.

Pageflakes – what a great description of this tool!  It was fascinating to search all the different topics within Pageflakes for pagecasts that were already created.  I know you indicated the search feature wasn’t the best but I was able to access a variety of topics of interest fairly easily.  The variety of topics, the ability to customize/personalize your own page, the current-ness of the content you can provide is all very appealing.

I created a Pageflakes page on Copyright.  It helped tremendously to have the template available to see the variety of choices appropriate for the K-12 environment.  I added several RSS feeds – U S Copyright Office included – as well as a podcast link too besides bookmarks I already had.  Chose my own theme and moved my “pieces” around…I haven’t made it public yet – it’s still a work in progress.  Have some other materials I’m evaluating before I consider adding to my page.  I want to use it for the Information Literacy class I teach – we begin another session in early June – so my plan is to have it ready for that….I’ll add it to my training page on Copyright.

My uses of Pageflakes will be more for the professional learning environment – using it to provide resources to class participants or fellow media specialists on a variety of topics.  I can see a  media specialist using Pageflakes as a learning tool for students as well as a “hook” for the school’s media center page.  I would include on my school media center page photos of activities in the media center, Delicious bookmarks, a place for surveys (e’g. What new magazines should the media center acquire for 2009), feeds to area and national newspapers, calendar of library events and latest print award winners to name a few.

As a teaching tool for students, I would collaborate with classroom teachers on their standards-based assignments as well as current topics of interest (e.g. Environmental Science, 2008 Election, Diseases, Swine Flu/Peanut Butter) and provide RSS feeds, podcasts, links to authorative journals as well as bookmarks, etc. on Pageflakes.

I found creating a page very easy…….the choices you can add are unbelievable……for me, I would have to do a storyboard of the possible “choices” I’d want to include on my page on my particular topic before I would actually create the page………..I’d want to be sure I had the content I wanted and needed included on the page…and really decide do I need Post-it Notes, Word Pad, Calendar, etc.

How easy is Google Docs!!  I believe anyone could begin working in Google Docs with very little training or support.  I tried creating a new document in Google Docs..just began typing and was on my way.  The toolbar is so accessible, the material is saved automatically and it has the wonderful “UnDo” icon..what more can anyone want? 

I then uploaded a document – again, very easy to accomplish, easy to share with others, can add images/sound just by clicking the Insert menu…..I’ve decided I should have the people I plan to share it with in my Contacts ahead of time…it made the sharing process very easy.  I know I could type their e-mail address in but having them in my Contacts already made this process easier.

I also uploaded a presentation for a meeting next week – and shared it with a collaborator.  We both can contribute even though we’re in different locations.  It was interesting to “play” the presentation.  It’s not quite PowerPoint but there were few differences.  The appearance was a little changed (it looked like a web page) but it operated in the same way – using the arrow keys to advance or the forward/back arrow in the lower left of the screen.  Another thing I’ve decided I’d need to do is have the images/clip art/photos assembled in a folder on my computer ahead of time.  It makes the Insert process easier…….I didn’t try the tip about dragging yet…..

 I’m actually going to be using Google Docs to evaluate some materials for the State Dept. of Ed.  Judy Serritella is using this tool for media specialists across the state to collaborate on some documents.  I already plan to use it with the media specialists in our district.  We have a “Best Practices” at each district media meeting.  Each media specialist is expected to contribute ideas/suggestions/titles on a particular topic.  Normally, I get the info and compile it for everyone.  Not anymore – I can share the document before the meeting and have everyone contribute before the meeting date.  Everyone will be responsible for contributing/posting their information in one document.

I also anticipate using this for the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl.  I work with a co-chair in Pickens County.  We create documents, spreadsheets, signs, etc. for a regional competition.  Again, all these documents can be posted in one location where we both can access and contribute.  All documents can be stored there so the day of the competition we can access if needed and print whatever materials we need.  No more saving to a thumb drive, printing extra copies.

I mentioned earlier collaborating on a PowerPoint presentation. Another media specialist and I jointly share responsibilities for a media consortium.  Using Google Docs, we can both access the materials and contribute content as we prepare for 4 yearly meetings.

All my uses are more for posting, sharing and storing documents/presentations.  Knowing I have the ability to access these documents anytime, anyplace (my father’s in Florida who doesn’t have the Office products) is amazing.  I know students working on collaborative projects for class assignments will love being able to use Google Docs as well as all those graduate students attending classes, say at West GA.  Instead of trying to meet somewhere in Georgia, everyone could use Google Docs as their meeting place and again complete group assignments while saving time and gas.

OK, time’s up!!!  You can get lost in both You Tube and Teacher Tube.  Searching for both professional and personal interests – no question, a huge variety of resources available.  I have used both resources previously – for the most part, searching for appropriate video content to support professional development classes I teach and to “enhance” presentations for the media specialists in our district.

I continue to search for effective resources for the Information Literacy class I teach so of course, that was my direction for my search in You Tube.  Copyrights Made Simple by Christopher Mast was a very direct approach with the creator being the focus of the entire video.  Very straightforward and honest – he even explains Creative Commons and warns to follow their guidelines as well.  There were quite a few choices for Information Literacy.  Discover Information Literacy was again a very straightforward explanation of what this topic is, what skills students will need for their future and our responsibility to teach these skills.

On a personal level, we just had our grandchildren visit last week and the youngest one is taking swimming lessons – he loves the pool and the beach.  Sure enough, there was a video on How to Teach Kids to Swim: Teaching a Child the Back Float. Brief in length but very effective with an instructor and child demonstrating different techniques.  For those same grandchildren, I create a gift at Christmas for each child.  I’m working on a quilt for one of them and I was able to find a 5 minute video on Quilt Binding. 

Teacher Tube narrows the “hits” so I know the results I get will be right on topic.  Again, my search was for Copyright, Information Literacy, Books and Media Centers.  There were quite a number of appropriate resources that I can incorporate.   I’m not confident yet of my skills to produce something that I would post on Teacher Tube – I guess I’m not ready to share yet.  It does help the confidence to see the variety on videos posted because a part of me does say “I could do that”.  We have created several short Camtasia movies to use for training textbook administrators in our district that we’ve posted on our district network.  That’s where my focus would be – training on software or online resouces our district provides for staff and students.

A video I enjoyed on Teacher Tube was on Banned Books.  A media specialist produced it for specific book titles challenged at her middle school as well as other book titles that had been banned throughout the United States. Hope you enjoy!

After successfully uploading my podcast to the ETC Learning Podcast page, I’m going to “stretch” myself by embedding the podcast player in this blog.  Here we go…

 
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Yeah – success!!!

Podcasting came into my life about 2 years ago…a fellow co-worker and myself took a podcasting class through KSU’s Continuing Education program and were introduced to the wonders of podcasting.  We not only learned the “technical” aspect of podcasts but we also created several podcasts ourselves and uploaded to iTunes.

 I believe podcasts are another avenue/tool to use with students or teachers to engage them in a meaningful way on a particular topic or standard.  We all know students learn in different ways – podcasts offer another way to reach all learners.  Podcasts provide us with the ability to listen to the information as often as we like.  I know many people who download podcasts on topics of interest then listen to the information as they’re walking, biking, driving, in an airplane…..in our hurried society where there’s never enough time to complete all the tasks assigned, podcasts provide a way to listen to content as we’re multi-tasking.

I listened to a Language Arts podcast in honor of National Poetry Month – famous poets reading their own works.  I also listened to an educator’s mashup on the past presidential election.  I attempted to listen to a student podcast from Jamestown School on Thanksgiving – but could not get it to work (needed additional software download). 

The 3 sources for podcasts I used were the iTunes Store, Education Podcast Network and NPR Podcast Directory. To be able to hear NPR favorites when I want….Yes!  That’s on a personal level – the NPR Directory.  I’m always amazed at the number of podcasts that are available on such a variety of topics. Both on a personal and professional level – to be able to hear podcasts from conferences I wasn’t able to attend from nationally known speakers is always satisfying.   I’ve used podcasts from these conferences to share with media specialists on a variety of topics. 

I promised myself that while I was walking, I would only listen to relaxing music on my iPod…….but I broke that promise.  I’ve downloaded several conference sessions to my iPod and listen while I walk…..it’s another way of staying current with professional content that I hope makes me a better contributor to my job environment.

I especially like students creating book review podcasts for new book titles added to the media center, the Georgia Book Award nominees.  With the automation system we use in our district, we can upload digital content  – we’ve just begun uploading book review podcasts that students created to our system.  Any student searching for reading materials can click on a link and hear the student created book review.

After looking over our baker’s dozen of choices, I decided to try Mixbook  – books in all formats are fascinating.  Using photos from a media conference I attended, I created an account and actually created My First Book in Mixbook.  I loved the variety of layouts available, all the background choices, the ability to add stickers as well add text to the book I created.  One of the coolest features of this tool is the AutoMix feature – where the tool itself mixes all the photos you chose plus adds different page layouts for you.  If you’re not happy with how the book looks, click AutoMix and viola, you can have a different look to your book.  Probably the best feature is the Undo or Null button……..you can make a change, decide you don’t like it, click the Undo button and you’re back to what you had.  Very cool feature that I used frequently.  The user can share what they’ve created with others as well as pay a reasonable fee to have the book published.

I think this would be a great tool to use with students of all ages.  Definitely for Language Arts – students could choose images from appropriate social networking sites (e.g. Flickr) and add their own text to these images.  Or they could take digital phots (e.g. letters of the alphabet, number of items, geometric shapes) and create a book with their own words.  It would be appropriate for all content areas – explaining a concept, creative writing.

Users can share what they’ve created and have others add images/text to the book – a great collaborative tool for teachers working on projects across the nation/world.  The finished product could be shared beyond the school setting – with proud family and friends.

Books, books – oh what a marvelous thing are books.  It is reaffirming to the soul to know there are so many book lovers out in the Web 2.0 world.  All those predictions about books disappearing – I’m still confident it won’t happen.  Haven’t tried a Kindle yet to see if I’d enjoy reading a book on a small screen…may borrow a friend’s to “test”…….

 Library Thing is such a joy for a book lover.  Again, the importance of tagging and having tag clouds is confirmed with this Web 2.0 tool.  It’s how a true book lover makes a treasure availble to others – by providing concise, meaningful keywords so others can discover this print resoucre.  The variety of ways to search for book titles is wonderful as well as having library-quality information regarding each title.  To know one can use the reource without joining is an added plus.  but then to know one can catalog one’s personal collection – is also a plus.

I enjoyed using the Suggester feature of Book Thing.  When I searched two of my favorite authors, I came across suggestions of titles I can try since I had read a particular title.  I like having feedback from individuals who have read the book then offer their worthwhile suggestions for other titles similar to the original.  I’ve already written down 2 titles I need to find – hopefully, at the public library.

One way, professionally, I’ve seen Library Thing used is as a log of titles read during a school year.  Students were required to keep a log of the titles they read throughout the school year.  The media specialist decided to keep a log of all the titles she read during the same school year.  She made her reading log in Library Thing and made it avaialble for students to view – to see if they had read any of the same titles.  It sparked discusiion between the media specialist and the students – also sharing of titles the students recommended to the media specialist to not only read but purchase for the media center.

Two ways I feel I’ll use Library Thing personally: 
- I would love to catalog the titles I own.  Then when I’m out and about, I can verify if I own the particular title already.  With so many personal books ( and with aging), the memory’s not always accurate.  This would prevent me from hearing “Don’t you have a copy of that already?”
 - I’m really going to use the Suggester feature of Library Thing.  I love having others’ suggestions of recommended titles that are similar in style to what I’ve read.  Great feature!!

Delicious has become one of my most favorite Web 2.0 tools, right up there with Creative Commons and Flickr.  As part of my job, I visit our different schools – sometimes I set up my laptop to work, other times I use a computer in the media center or clasroom.  It is so wonderful to have ALL my “web resources” available no matter where I am.  I support a variety of programs/topics and as I age, I no longer can “remember” as much as I need  on all these topics.  By bookmarking resources I need/use, Delicious helps me competently complete job assignments.

Again, with my media background, the idea of tagging (keywords in media terms) makes so much sense.  It’s how media specialists have provided resources for their patrons – by offering keywords to search for items.  Delicious does this plus allows you to add notes to the link – to offer more detail on why/how this resource can be used.

I haven’t imported my Favorites into Delicious yet – I know I want to do some clean up on them before importing.  This class has me doing some thinking about “tagging” and I’m rethinking how I might organize/tag my Favorites.  What I have used Delicious for is saving all the resources I use for the professional development classes I teach.  As so often happens to me, I’ll be working on one project/assignment and as I’m searching, I’ll discover a wonderful resource for another interest.  With Delicious, I can bookmark that resource, continue on with my job assignment and then revisit the new web resource as I’m working on that class.

I did introduce Delicious to a group of media specialists in North Georgia – and they have been utilizing it all year.  One of the ways a number of media specialists are using it is for their Information Pathfinders.  Media specialists provide a “path’ for students to begin researching a topic – we call them Information Pathfinders.  The media specialist (with the classroom teacher) pre-selects web resources as well as including databases and print resources the media center owns to begin the student on the right “path” of research.  I’m personally overwhelmed when I get 550,000 hits on a search term – I imagine students are too………we feel these pathfinders are an efficient, effective, timely way for students to focus on their topic of research/assignment.  The wonderful part about Delicious is that I can continue to add resources as I find them to a particular topic (e.g. American History) and the link I provide students stays the same – I don’t have to re-edit, add, delete………..
I also love that I can Search Everyone’s Bookmarks and see what resources others have found or recommend.  It saves a lot of time and confirms I’m heading down the right path on a specific topic……..

My Delicious links can be found at http://delicious.com/Esther5……