My final project is a classroom blog created on Blogger. I will start with the students commenting on my posts first and then decide how I will have student create their own posts. There are two additional pages that contain information on tips on how to post comments and a page on website links.
I started by introducing the blog and how the students will be graded on comments. The first post includes a video about blogging from the “In Plain English” series to familiarize all students to blogging. The next video is a video I created on osmosis. The students should watch the video and then post any questions or comments.
The next part contains a VoiceThread using a peppermint candy demonstration. The demonstration shows the process of diffusion. In the past, I have done this demonstration using the overhead projector. I thought using VoiceThread would be an updated way to do this demonstration.
I modified the blog’s template background and colors and added my own picture. It is a waterfall picture from Belize taken when my husband and I traveled there two years ago. I show students pictures from Belize to help describe a rainforest environment.
Click the following link to see the new blog page for my biology classes.
Biology Class Blog
Friday, July 23, 2010
Peppermint Candy Demonstration on VoiceThread
I created a VoiceThread to add to my final project. The peppermint candy is added to a dish of water and students observe what happens and try to explain the process that is occurring. I do this demonstration as an opener to our transport chapter discussing diffusion and osmosis. I normally put a petri dish with water on the overhead projector and add the candy. It shows up very clearly using the overhead. The colored bands of sugar move out into the water by diffusion. The bands don't mix, so you can see the red bands move out and away from the candy. It takes a few seconds to get started, so the kids are intrigued at what is going to happen.
I decided to try a little more technical way, by recording it with a camcorder and then adding it to a VoiceThread.
I decided to try a little more technical way, by recording it with a camcorder and then adding it to a VoiceThread.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Class Discussion Reflection
It is encouraging to know that most of the teachers in the class have similar feelings about using technology in their classroom and how this class has opened our eyes to new web tools. Even though we are at different schools, teaching different levels, and have different access to some technology, we have had similar experiences with this class and what we can do with this new knowledge for the upcoming school year.
This class has given the teachers an opportunity to look at new websites and actually use them and discuss how we can use them in class. We usually don't have time for this searching during the school year. It was very helpful to read other classmates blogs and how they used the web tool. It encouraged me to also try the web tool or try it in a different way.
The concerns seems to be how to give equal access to technology for the students in the our class if they don't have computer access at home or time during the day to use it at school. Another concern is how to exactly implement some of the new tools and if there will be too much technical difficulty getting the tools to work.
This class has given the teachers an opportunity to look at new websites and actually use them and discuss how we can use them in class. We usually don't have time for this searching during the school year. It was very helpful to read other classmates blogs and how they used the web tool. It encouraged me to also try the web tool or try it in a different way.
The concerns seems to be how to give equal access to technology for the students in the our class if they don't have computer access at home or time during the day to use it at school. Another concern is how to exactly implement some of the new tools and if there will be too much technical difficulty getting the tools to work.
Another Look at My Guiding Principles of Technology
After working through this class and visiting many new websites, I have added a few new principles to my original list. I see believe in my list I created during the first week of class, but feel that there could be some additions.
These are my original guiding principles that I think are important for using technology in a high school classroom.
1. Using technology to enhance content learning for students.
2.Using technology to enhance content learning for the teacher.
3.Using websites that engage students in learning and not just to play games.
4.Having students use technology that they already know how to use and have an interest in (cell phones, texting, blogging, social networking, digital cameras)
5.To show experiments or procedures that would not be possible in a high school classroom.
6.Allow students to collect data and do research for inquiry based experiments.
7.Teach students how to find relevant sites, monitor students use of the technology, and provide feedback on better ways to use the technology.
New principles I have added after learning more about using technology in the classroom.
8. Be aware of copyright laws.
9. Have the students use the web tools to create their own projects instead of just having the teacher use the tools.
10. Use technology for students and teachers to collaborate on projects.
11. Create a professional learning network to help increase teacher knowledge and to be connected with other teachers.
12. Technology is not going away and student need to use technology appropriately to help them prepare for their future.
These are my original guiding principles that I think are important for using technology in a high school classroom.
1. Using technology to enhance content learning for students.
2.Using technology to enhance content learning for the teacher.
3.Using websites that engage students in learning and not just to play games.
4.Having students use technology that they already know how to use and have an interest in (cell phones, texting, blogging, social networking, digital cameras)
5.To show experiments or procedures that would not be possible in a high school classroom.
6.Allow students to collect data and do research for inquiry based experiments.
7.Teach students how to find relevant sites, monitor students use of the technology, and provide feedback on better ways to use the technology.
New principles I have added after learning more about using technology in the classroom.
8. Be aware of copyright laws.
9. Have the students use the web tools to create their own projects instead of just having the teacher use the tools.
10. Use technology for students and teachers to collaborate on projects.
11. Create a professional learning network to help increase teacher knowledge and to be connected with other teachers.
12. Technology is not going away and student need to use technology appropriately to help them prepare for their future.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Week 6 Tool Exploration
I spent some time last week looking through the Top 20 list. I tried a few of them last week and will continue to work through some of them this week. I set up a wall on Wallwisher and have included the link. It is nice that the creator can approve the comments before everyone can view them. I'm not sure if I would use this in class, if I was already having students comment on a blog site, but it is a simple and fun site.
http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/jmayer
I made a short movie using xtranormal. It is a fun tool to play with and would give an interesting look to a short presentation. I can see students enjoying making a project with this tool.
This week I also created a "In Plain English" video on osmosis and how cells deal with osmosis. I plan on adding it to my classroom blog for my final project. I have also included it here. I recorded it with our camcorder and a tripod. Next time, I would try to make the print in focus a bit more and zoomed in. I wanted to show everything in one frame, so it ended up to be a little smaller than I originally wanted.
http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/jmayer
I made a short movie using xtranormal. It is a fun tool to play with and would give an interesting look to a short presentation. I can see students enjoying making a project with this tool.
This week I also created a "In Plain English" video on osmosis and how cells deal with osmosis. I plan on adding it to my classroom blog for my final project. I have also included it here. I recorded it with our camcorder and a tripod. Next time, I would try to make the print in focus a bit more and zoomed in. I wanted to show everything in one frame, so it ended up to be a little smaller than I originally wanted.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Week 5: Tool Exploration Part 2: Wordle
I have seen and tried Wordle once before. I created one using words about cell organelles. Students could use this tool to create a visual list of vocabulary words for a chapter or to show key words from a project. I don't see a lot of value in this tool, but it may be a way to add something extra to a project or blog to create interest and some discussion. It is a different way to look at words. It is very quick and easy to use. The site is www.wordle.net
Monday, July 12, 2010
Week 5 Reflection: Blogs and Wikis
Blogs have many possible uses in a classroom from class discussion on a specific topic or chapter, digital lab notebook, peer reviews of projects, and a way for students and teachers to connect and collaborate. I looked at many different teacher blogs and got some good ideas on ways to use a blog in the classroom. The "Endless Forms Most Beautiful"blog listed tips for students on how to blog and how to make comments. It also included a list of website sources and journal articles for students to read to start a discussion on their blog. I think it is very important to give students some structure and guidelines for blogging. I wondered if the teacher expected students to write a certain number of blogs and comments or if it was just an added part of the class to increase discussion and learning about different topics not direcly covered in class.
I looked at Dale Blaser's blog and noticed a blog on Noah's Ark Waterpark's new looping waterslide. There was a link to a Popular Science article on how the slide works. (http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-05/how-it-works-computerized-looping-waterslide) I had the opportunity last week to try this new waterslide, Scorpion’s Tail . My husband and I had been discussing how the waterslide works and reading the artcile was very insightful. After waiting in line for about 15 minutes and watching and listening to others go down the tube, I stepped into the plastic chamber and the attendant closed the hatch. I crossed my arms and had my hands on my shoulders. A computerized voice counted down from three and then the floor dropped out. I dropped down the 55feet chute and was going about 30mph to ascend the loop and out to the runout pool. It took about 10 seconds from start to finish and was very thrilling and disorientating. There is a lot of water and you really have to close your eyes for most of it, so it was hard to tell that you were really looping upside down at the 60 degree angle. Probably the worst part was reading the sign while in line that told you what to do in the case that you got stuck in the tube. Be calm and an attendant will get you out through the hatch at the top. Luckly, we both made it out just fine, but didn't need to do it again.
I would like to try blogging with my students. I like the idea of having them comment on specific questions on our current chapter. It will give students that like to have more time to think about answers to have a chance to answer questions when they might not in class.
The wiki page by Damian Braxica had good information on how wikis can be used in a classroom. I also learned that wiki means quick in Hawaiian.
I joined two wiki sites (wikispaces and PBworks) to see which site I might like to use. I used wikispaces a few years ago. Our school allowed teachers to link our own webpages to the school webpage and we used wikispaces as our webpage. Teachers were the only ones allowed to edit it, so there was no collaboration with the students. It was really just used as a webpage to list assignments, syllabus, and links to other websites. It is fairly easy to use and update. I do like the look of PBworks a bit better then wikispaces. It has been helpful to use PBworks in this class to see the potential of how it can be used.
Here are the links to my two wiki pages. I have not added any extra pages or links yet.
http://joymayer.pbworks.com/
http://biologymayer.wikispaces.com/
I looked at Dale Blaser's blog and noticed a blog on Noah's Ark Waterpark's new looping waterslide. There was a link to a Popular Science article on how the slide works. (http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-05/how-it-works-computerized-looping-waterslide) I had the opportunity last week to try this new waterslide, Scorpion’s Tail . My husband and I had been discussing how the waterslide works and reading the artcile was very insightful. After waiting in line for about 15 minutes and watching and listening to others go down the tube, I stepped into the plastic chamber and the attendant closed the hatch. I crossed my arms and had my hands on my shoulders. A computerized voice counted down from three and then the floor dropped out. I dropped down the 55feet chute and was going about 30mph to ascend the loop and out to the runout pool. It took about 10 seconds from start to finish and was very thrilling and disorientating. There is a lot of water and you really have to close your eyes for most of it, so it was hard to tell that you were really looping upside down at the 60 degree angle. Probably the worst part was reading the sign while in line that told you what to do in the case that you got stuck in the tube. Be calm and an attendant will get you out through the hatch at the top. Luckly, we both made it out just fine, but didn't need to do it again.
I would like to try blogging with my students. I like the idea of having them comment on specific questions on our current chapter. It will give students that like to have more time to think about answers to have a chance to answer questions when they might not in class.
The wiki page by Damian Braxica had good information on how wikis can be used in a classroom. I also learned that wiki means quick in Hawaiian.
I joined two wiki sites (wikispaces and PBworks) to see which site I might like to use. I used wikispaces a few years ago. Our school allowed teachers to link our own webpages to the school webpage and we used wikispaces as our webpage. Teachers were the only ones allowed to edit it, so there was no collaboration with the students. It was really just used as a webpage to list assignments, syllabus, and links to other websites. It is fairly easy to use and update. I do like the look of PBworks a bit better then wikispaces. It has been helpful to use PBworks in this class to see the potential of how it can be used.
Here are the links to my two wiki pages. I have not added any extra pages or links yet.
http://joymayer.pbworks.com/
http://biologymayer.wikispaces.com/
Week 5 Tool Exploration Part 1: Prezi
After looking throuh many different blog examples and student projects, I wanted to try Prezi. One of the student projects used a Prezi to show ideas about global warming. I liked how it zooms in and moves around. I watched one of the demo videos on creating the Prezi and learned how to create the Prezi , but also how to make it most effective and how not to the make the viewer dizzy. It is fun to use, but does take some playing around with the circle zebra tool. I would need to spend more time to create a more detailed path to zoom in on all of the details.
This Prezi shows the seven characteristics of a living thing which I present during the first week of school. It is definetly more interesting than a linear PowerPoint Presentation. Some of the pictures are my own (ones of my daughters), the other pictures I searched for on Creative Commons.
This Prezi shows the seven characteristics of a living thing which I present during the first week of school. It is definetly more interesting than a linear PowerPoint Presentation. Some of the pictures are my own (ones of my daughters), the other pictures I searched for on Creative Commons.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Week 4 On-Line Data
Data collection can often be a time consuming process in an experiment. It is important for students to know how to collect data, so it should not be removed from laboratory experiments. Using on-line data sets can be added for additional experiments where collecting the data in a classroom may not be possible or too expensive. Using the Generating an Argument model by Sampson and Grooms is one way to use data sets in the classroom. I can also see using a data set to have the student practice graphing. I go through the steps of making a title, labeling the x and y axis, making the proper scale, and graphing the points. Students often have trouble with graphing and need practice. The second step is to interpret the graph and answer questions using the graph. I would have the students graph with graph paper first and review the basics. The next step would be to have them generate a graph using the Create a Graph on-line tool. The tool allows you to choose a type of graph, label, and set a scale. I can see myself creating graphs with this tool and adding them to a presentation to the class.
I do a class simulation on the spread of a viral disease. Each student receives a small cup of a clear liquid. One cup contains the “virus”. The students are told that they are to interact with two other people. To interact, they pour their liquid into another student’s cup, back into the other cup, and then take half back into their cup. The students are asked to predict how many people will be infected after two interactions. The students then interact. The teacher then tests the cups by adding a drop of phenolthealine. If it turns bright pink/purple then they are infected. All the cups have water except one that contains a weak solution of NaOH. The students then raise their hand if they were infected. A graph is plotted for number of interactions to number of infected students, starting with zero interactions, one interaction, and then the two interactions. The students then receive new cups with again one person infected. The students predict how many people will be infected after three interactions. They interact and see how many are infected. It is exponential and clearly shows how bacteria and viruses can spread quickly through a population. There are questions to discuss about the graphs and how the simulation compares to the real world spread of disease and ways to prevent the spread.
I can see projecting the Create a Graph tool on the board and graphing the data as the student get it instead of just drawing it on the whiteboard.
I spent some time looking at the different data sets listed in the textbook. I had some difficulty in loading and getting some of the data. I often found maps with shaded in colors that would be interesting to show, but would not be useful in generating graphs. I can see that there would be many applications for the data sets for earth science with the different sets on weather, water, earthquakes, glaciers, and volcanoes. Many of the life science data sets involve migratory patterns of animals and human population studies. I would use a data set on one of the migratory data sets for graphing. I would use some water data when I discuss the water cycle and sources of water.
I do a class simulation on the spread of a viral disease. Each student receives a small cup of a clear liquid. One cup contains the “virus”. The students are told that they are to interact with two other people. To interact, they pour their liquid into another student’s cup, back into the other cup, and then take half back into their cup. The students are asked to predict how many people will be infected after two interactions. The students then interact. The teacher then tests the cups by adding a drop of phenolthealine. If it turns bright pink/purple then they are infected. All the cups have water except one that contains a weak solution of NaOH. The students then raise their hand if they were infected. A graph is plotted for number of interactions to number of infected students, starting with zero interactions, one interaction, and then the two interactions. The students then receive new cups with again one person infected. The students predict how many people will be infected after three interactions. They interact and see how many are infected. It is exponential and clearly shows how bacteria and viruses can spread quickly through a population. There are questions to discuss about the graphs and how the simulation compares to the real world spread of disease and ways to prevent the spread.
I can see projecting the Create a Graph tool on the board and graphing the data as the student get it instead of just drawing it on the whiteboard.
I spent some time looking at the different data sets listed in the textbook. I had some difficulty in loading and getting some of the data. I often found maps with shaded in colors that would be interesting to show, but would not be useful in generating graphs. I can see that there would be many applications for the data sets for earth science with the different sets on weather, water, earthquakes, glaciers, and volcanoes. Many of the life science data sets involve migratory patterns of animals and human population studies. I would use a data set on one of the migratory data sets for graphing. I would use some water data when I discuss the water cycle and sources of water.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Week 4: Exploring Web Tools
The on-line simulations are very interesting to explore. I used several different simulations in my biology classes already and I am always looking for new ones to add. I added a few of the sites I use to the wiki page. I enjoyed looking through some of the simulations listed in the textbook. The Explore Learning site has many biologys simulations including mice breeding for genetics and DNA simulations.
The cell biology animations at www.johnkyrk.com had many different animations to look at and I would include some of them in my lectures on the cell. The cell function and cell anatomy animations were very good. The Interactive Human Body site allows you to see different organs and body systems and to read some descriptions. I didn't think this site was as interactive as the other sites. I will be teaching a chemistry class next year and the Visual Elements site has a nice interactive periodic chart that would be a good reference for students.
I spent some time at Google Earth and flew to my house, a tropical island in Belize that I had visited two years ago, to the rainforests of Costa Rica, and to Devil's Lake State Park. My family is driving to Devil's Lake this afternoon for a three day camping trip, so it was intersting that Devil's Lake was one of the place our teacher had recommend to look at. I looked at several of the education galleries, but I am still not sure how I would use this in my biology classes. I noticed one of the gallery tours was on the spread of bird flu which I could use during my chapter on bacteria and virus. I also thought I could go to different biomes to show my class during our ecology chapter. I like the idea of preparing and recording your path or tour and showing that to students. It would be nice to have it prepared ahead of time.
The cell biology animations at www.johnkyrk.com had many different animations to look at and I would include some of them in my lectures on the cell. The cell function and cell anatomy animations were very good. The Interactive Human Body site allows you to see different organs and body systems and to read some descriptions. I didn't think this site was as interactive as the other sites. I will be teaching a chemistry class next year and the Visual Elements site has a nice interactive periodic chart that would be a good reference for students.
I spent some time at Google Earth and flew to my house, a tropical island in Belize that I had visited two years ago, to the rainforests of Costa Rica, and to Devil's Lake State Park. My family is driving to Devil's Lake this afternoon for a three day camping trip, so it was intersting that Devil's Lake was one of the place our teacher had recommend to look at. I looked at several of the education galleries, but I am still not sure how I would use this in my biology classes. I noticed one of the gallery tours was on the spread of bird flu which I could use during my chapter on bacteria and virus. I also thought I could go to different biomes to show my class during our ecology chapter. I like the idea of preparing and recording your path or tour and showing that to students. It would be nice to have it prepared ahead of time.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Week 3: PhotoPeach Slide Show
After trying a slide show on PhotoBucket, I wanted to compare it to another site that also made slide shows, PhotoPeach. PhotoBucket and PhotoPeach are similiar to use and created the same type of slide show. I had a little easier time with PhotoPeach since I didn't do any editing of the pictures and the captions were easier to do. I used most of my own pictures that either I or my husband took. The archaebacteria at Yellowstone National Park, butterfly, flower, and fungi were all our pictures. I did use CreativeCommons to get the bacteria and protist pictures.
I think either site would be good for students to use. PhotoBucket has a lot of extra graphics and borders you can add. I didn't find how to add music to the slide show for PhotoBucket, but I did add music to the PhotoPeach slide show. It was the last step in the process and I used one of the songs from their list.
Six Kingdoms of Life on PhotoPeach
I think either site would be good for students to use. PhotoBucket has a lot of extra graphics and borders you can add. I didn't find how to add music to the slide show for PhotoBucket, but I did add music to the PhotoPeach slide show. It was the last step in the process and I used one of the songs from their list.
Six Kingdoms of Life on PhotoPeach
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Week 3: Images and Digital Storytelling
After reading the different descriptions of the various image or photo sharing websites, I decided to try Photobucket to create a very simple slideshow. I found pictures of the four phases of mitosis on the website Basic Biology Slides for Modesto Junior College. http://virtual.yosemite.cc.ca.us/randerson/Lynn's%20Bioslides/bioslide.htm
I created a Photobucket account and loaded the pictures into an album at Photobucket. I created the four picture slide show and added titles. I had comments on the bottom to describe the steps, but they didn't show up on the slideshow. I would have to play with the different options to try to get the comments to appear. I added a rounded corner border to make it look like you are seeing the slides under a microscope.
I can see using the slide show feature for students to make a project using pictures from a lab or explaining a process like I did with mitosis.
I created a Photobucket account and loaded the pictures into an album at Photobucket. I created the four picture slide show and added titles. I had comments on the bottom to describe the steps, but they didn't show up on the slideshow. I would have to play with the different options to try to get the comments to appear. I added a rounded corner border to make it look like you are seeing the slides under a microscope.
I can see using the slide show feature for students to make a project using pictures from a lab or explaining a process like I did with mitosis.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Digital storytelling and Using Images Reflection
Digital storytelling uses videos, pictures, and creative to tell a story in a new and interesting way. A science teacher can use digital storytelling to hook students on a topic, teach a lesson, or review a lesson. The approach used by Common Craft with the "in Plain English" series is one example of digital storytelling that a teacher could follow and create a lesson. Watching the elementary students do their projects using the " in Plain English" method, shows how science topics can be presented in easy to understand format and in a way that everyone can produce a video. I like the idea of a short and to the point video that is based on context and not fancy editing or sophisticated equipment. This is something that most teachers can do and that students can do with very little guidance.
It was informative to read the copyright and fair use information. Multimedia presentations using original and copyrighted material can be used for student instruction for up to two years. The sources should be credited in the project including author, title, publisher and date. A notice can be added to the project stating that "materials included under fair use exemption of US copyright law and prepared according to multimedia fair use guidelines and restricted from further use." http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr280.shtml
The Creative Commons site produces free licenses of your work that allows other to use, modify, or build on your creations. The site allows you to search for images that the creator is allowing others to use. You then can use these images in your multimedia project. It was an easy site to use and many images were available for the searches I tried. Here is a picture I found when searching cell organelles. commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cell_parts.png
Chapter 2 on Digital Images and Video for Teaching Science from the textbook explains the benefit of using relevant images and videos to enhance a lesson. The images need to fit the content and instructional goals. The teacher should have a discussion with the class about the image and ask meaningful questions. The image or video should add to the teaching and not replace the teaching done by the teacher. The teacher should be careful of copyrighted images and video and show students how to use web content correctly.
I think images and videos are extremely useful to show experiments or events that are just not possible to do in a classroom.
This site was listed in the text and it shows microscope and photomicrograph pictures of many different things. http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/micro/gallery.html I searched the butterfly wing scale gallery and compared a blue morpho butterfly to a monarch butterfly.
I can see many uses for this site including using the DNA pictures, picture of cholesterol, process of mitosis, and nucleotide pictures. I would add them to my prepared lectures and presentations to enhance the lesson.
The textbook chapter also illustrated how data can be collected from a video of an experiment. I think this is a create interactive way to use a video.
I wanted to include a video that I had taken and include it in this post. I used my Nikon CoolPix camera to take this short video yesterday of my daughter. My husband created a water slide/slip and slide for my daughters.
I can see my students using digital cameras to take pictures of parts of an experiment as before and after pictures or a short video of part of the experiment.
Using pictures and videos in a lesson or project is an easy way to enhance student learning. Proper use of copyrighted images is important and needs to be taught to the students.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Science and Literacy
I find that my students often have a difficult time reading scientific materials, labs, and their textbook. Often their written lab reports, essay anwers, and special reports are often full of grammatical erros and are lacking good explanations. They comment that this is biology class and not english class, so they don't have to use all the skills that they have learned in other classes. I agree with the statement from the Science and Literacy Tools for Life article when it says " Your primary task as a sceince educator is to help students master science concepts and processes. Your secondary task is to help students improve their language skills within the context of science, because all teachers need to support literacy within the context of their discipline." I am always looking for ways to make by students better readers and writters.
The article expresses several ways to work on increasing literacy. Sharing performance expectations for students, using explicit teaching strategies, and metacognition. Letting my students know what I expect is a step that I always do with my students. I find that it is so important for them to know what to expect and for them to know what I expect from them. One area I could work on is different teaching strategies. The Write as You Read Science is one method and I would like to look for other strategies. I like to introduce my students to the key ideas and words before they read a passage, but I would like to try other ideas mentioned in the article. Writing narrative procedures and lab reports is one way I could add a metacognitive strategy to my labs. Doing a metacognive conversation to solve a problem is another strategy to increase metacognition .
In the Common Core Literacy Standards for Science, the integration of knowledge and Ideas standards is one that stands out for me. I thinking translating quanitiative or technical information in words into tables and charts is critical for science students. Comparing and contrasting information is another important skill that I work on with my students.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Using a Variety of Web Tools Week 2
After reading Science 2.0, I started looking at some of sources. I went to http://www.mywebspiration.com/ and created a concept map of the peripheral nervous system. I make a concept map like this with my students in the nervous system chapter on the whiteboard. This would allow me to show it in a presentation using a projector. The site was pretty simple to use and I can see me students being able to create their own concept map of our current topic.
http://www.mywebspiration.com/publish.php?i=469217a8646
I watched the TEDx talk from David Gallo-Underwater Astonishments. It was a very interesting vidoe showing how sea animals use camouflague. Finding a few talks that would fit with a few of my biology topics is something that I plan on doing for the school year.
Chapter 3 in the Technology in the Secondary Science Classroom discusses simulations and list several sites. I tried http://www.explorelearning.com/. The mice breeding for genetics was a good simulations that quickly shows the results of crosses including percentages. It allows the user to pick which mice to breed. The transcription and translation simulation used base pairing and codons to show the two processes. I have used a similar site in the past to show these two processes. The site was interesting, but there is a fee after the free 30 day trial. Another simulation was Atom Builder at www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/atom/# The simulation allowed the user to create an atom. I would have to play around with this one more to see how it would be used in a chemistry class. Questions would need to be created to go with this simulation.
Screencasting was another tool that I tried this week. I used Jing to capture a picture and video on the screen. I was told at #scichat last night that screentoaster is another good one to use.
Here is a photosynthesis picture that I captured using Jing. I could use a screencast to add a video or picture to a presentation, blog, or an email.
http://www.screencast.com/t/MWQ0ODg3M. I did have a problem when I tried to use the code to embed the picture into this blog. Only a few characters copied and the picture would not appear. I plan on trying another screencasting site.
It definetly takes some practice to use these different sites and discover ways to use them in class.
http://www.mywebspiration.com/publish.php?i=469217a8646
I watched the TEDx talk from David Gallo-Underwater Astonishments. It was a very interesting vidoe showing how sea animals use camouflague. Finding a few talks that would fit with a few of my biology topics is something that I plan on doing for the school year.
Chapter 3 in the Technology in the Secondary Science Classroom discusses simulations and list several sites. I tried http://www.explorelearning.com/. The mice breeding for genetics was a good simulations that quickly shows the results of crosses including percentages. It allows the user to pick which mice to breed. The transcription and translation simulation used base pairing and codons to show the two processes. I have used a similar site in the past to show these two processes. The site was interesting, but there is a fee after the free 30 day trial. Another simulation was Atom Builder at www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/atom/# The simulation allowed the user to create an atom. I would have to play around with this one more to see how it would be used in a chemistry class. Questions would need to be created to go with this simulation.
Screencasting was another tool that I tried this week. I used Jing to capture a picture and video on the screen. I was told at #scichat last night that screentoaster is another good one to use.
Here is a photosynthesis picture that I captured using Jing. I could use a screencast to add a video or picture to a presentation, blog, or an email.
http://www.screencast.com/t/MWQ0ODg3M. I did have a problem when I tried to use the code to embed the picture into this blog. Only a few characters copied and the picture would not appear. I plan on trying another screencasting site.
It definetly takes some practice to use these different sites and discover ways to use them in class.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Using Glogster
There are so many interesting web tools to look at and figure out how to use. I decided to try Glogster, a poster making tool, since I have my biology classes make a biome poster as one part of biome project. I thought this might be a different way for some of the students to make a poster, since many students would prefer using a computer to markers and glue.
I found it pretty easy to use and I made a very basic poster on a rainforest including a video, moving graphics, text, and images. This is a tool that my students could quickly learn how to use and produce a very informative poster.
Embedding the Glog was easy to do. After creating the Glog there was an option to copy the code and then I just pasted it into the blog.
I found it pretty easy to use and I made a very basic poster on a rainforest including a video, moving graphics, text, and images. This is a tool that my students could quickly learn how to use and produce a very informative poster.
Embedding the Glog was easy to do. After creating the Glog there was an option to copy the code and then I just pasted it into the blog.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Guiding Principles For Technology For a High School Classroom
These are the principles that I think are important for using technology in a high school classroom.
1. Using technology to enhance content learning for students.
2.Using technology to enhance content learning for the teacher.
3.Using websites that engage students in learning and not just to play games.
4.Having students use technology that they already know how to use and have an interest in (cell phones, texting, blogging, social networking, digital cameras)
5.To show experiments or procedures that would not be possible in a high school classroom.
6.Allow students to collect data and do research for inquiry based experiments.
7.Teach students how to find relevant sites, monitor students use of the technology, and provide feedback on better ways to use the technology
Websites I have used as part of an internet activities in biology that help to show cellular processes and genetic ideas that are difficult to understand by just reading about them in a textbook.
Genetics Tour: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/tour/
Mitosis: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/baby/divide.html#
Kreb cycle: http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biology/Bio231/krebs.html
1. Using technology to enhance content learning for students.
2.Using technology to enhance content learning for the teacher.
3.Using websites that engage students in learning and not just to play games.
4.Having students use technology that they already know how to use and have an interest in (cell phones, texting, blogging, social networking, digital cameras)
5.To show experiments or procedures that would not be possible in a high school classroom.
6.Allow students to collect data and do research for inquiry based experiments.
7.Teach students how to find relevant sites, monitor students use of the technology, and provide feedback on better ways to use the technology
Websites I have used as part of an internet activities in biology that help to show cellular processes and genetic ideas that are difficult to understand by just reading about them in a textbook.
Genetics Tour: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/tour/
Mitosis: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/baby/divide.html#
Kreb cycle: http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biology/Bio231/krebs.html
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Setting the Stage Reflection
The explosion of recent technologies has been incredible and it is hard to image what the next ten to twenty years will bring. I remember trying the internet and email for the first time in college and how exciting it was to use. Now, sending an email is so routine and doing a quick Google search on any topic is the first thing we think to do. How we use the technology in our classrooms, how we prepare our students to use the technologies, and ways to incorporate important workplace skills are critical to our students’ success.
I was not aware of the name Web 2.0, but I have been using some of the newer interactive sites like Facebook. I have used interactive websites on photosynthesis on a SMART board with my biology classes.
The world is getting smaller and flatter as discussed in the “It’s a Flat World After All”. Our students need the required skills to succeed in the workplace in order to compete with countries like India and China. The quote “Girls finish your homework – people in China and India are starving for your job”, by Thomas Friedman is an interesting way to state how our students need to have the skills to be competitive for jobs here in the United States with people from around the world. While staying at a small bed and breakfast during our visit to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver this February, we met a couple from Finland. During a conversation at breakfast, the couple we were traveling with discovered that the man from Finland had visited a very small town in Michigan where they had family. They even knew a few of the same people from the town. The world is truly getting smaller as we continue to travel and connect using technology.
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills and the New Challenge for Science Education articles discuss the important skills our students need for their future. Science classes are one of the areas that can introduce, teach, and reinforce these skills by using scientific investigations and inquiry based labs. Non-routine problem solving and systems thinking are two skills that are difficult for students if they are used to cookbook style labs. I have been adding new inquiry labs to my biology classes to help students become better problem solvers and thinkers. The students can be resistant to these changes when they are used to being spoon feed the information and wanting to know the one correct answer. Students need to be successful in partial inquiry labs and work up to more involved inquiry labs to help them make the change in thinking. A good inquiry lab using partners or a small group can help the students use and learn the needed skills of communication, self-management, critical thinking, creativity, collaborative skills, accountability, and self direction.
Technology in the classroom has great potential if it can be used to improve student learning in the content area in a way that a textbook or lecture would not be able to do. Giving a laptop to every student in the school doesn’t mean that the students will learn more if the teachers are not using the technology in new and innovative ways to increase the student learning. Using technology to help student do inquiry scientific investigations, collect data, or communicate with others to express their discoveries are ways that will help students build the skills they need for the future. Most students can easily use technology from their cell phones, MP3 players, and computers, and visit social networking sites, so we need to use that interest to help them learn the content in a way that will want to learn, think, and discover.
I am hoping to learn from this class ways to use technology in my classes in new and innovative ways that will help my students build the skills needed for them to succeed. I want to use the technology to enhance my student’s learning and to create interest in the content and not just to use it for the sake of using the computer or website when a lecture using a whiteboard would do the same thing.
I was not aware of the name Web 2.0, but I have been using some of the newer interactive sites like Facebook. I have used interactive websites on photosynthesis on a SMART board with my biology classes.
The world is getting smaller and flatter as discussed in the “It’s a Flat World After All”. Our students need the required skills to succeed in the workplace in order to compete with countries like India and China. The quote “Girls finish your homework – people in China and India are starving for your job”, by Thomas Friedman is an interesting way to state how our students need to have the skills to be competitive for jobs here in the United States with people from around the world. While staying at a small bed and breakfast during our visit to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver this February, we met a couple from Finland. During a conversation at breakfast, the couple we were traveling with discovered that the man from Finland had visited a very small town in Michigan where they had family. They even knew a few of the same people from the town. The world is truly getting smaller as we continue to travel and connect using technology.
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills and the New Challenge for Science Education articles discuss the important skills our students need for their future. Science classes are one of the areas that can introduce, teach, and reinforce these skills by using scientific investigations and inquiry based labs. Non-routine problem solving and systems thinking are two skills that are difficult for students if they are used to cookbook style labs. I have been adding new inquiry labs to my biology classes to help students become better problem solvers and thinkers. The students can be resistant to these changes when they are used to being spoon feed the information and wanting to know the one correct answer. Students need to be successful in partial inquiry labs and work up to more involved inquiry labs to help them make the change in thinking. A good inquiry lab using partners or a small group can help the students use and learn the needed skills of communication, self-management, critical thinking, creativity, collaborative skills, accountability, and self direction.
Technology in the classroom has great potential if it can be used to improve student learning in the content area in a way that a textbook or lecture would not be able to do. Giving a laptop to every student in the school doesn’t mean that the students will learn more if the teachers are not using the technology in new and innovative ways to increase the student learning. Using technology to help student do inquiry scientific investigations, collect data, or communicate with others to express their discoveries are ways that will help students build the skills they need for the future. Most students can easily use technology from their cell phones, MP3 players, and computers, and visit social networking sites, so we need to use that interest to help them learn the content in a way that will want to learn, think, and discover.
I am hoping to learn from this class ways to use technology in my classes in new and innovative ways that will help my students build the skills needed for them to succeed. I want to use the technology to enhance my student’s learning and to create interest in the content and not just to use it for the sake of using the computer or website when a lecture using a whiteboard would do the same thing.
Monday, June 14, 2010
My Introduction
I am Joy Mayer, a high school teacher in Green Bay,WI at Notre Dame Academy. I have taught biology and chemistry classes for the past 12 years. I am taking Web Tools and Anatomy and Physiology this summer. These are my first on-line classes and first classes through Montana State University. I am considering the program to get my master's degree.
I have a website through my school web page and have used websites and PowerPoint presentations in my classes. My classes have done some website assignments using sites on DNA and mitosis. I am interested in adding new web tools to my lessons for next year.
I am new to blogging and Twitter. I have been using Facebook to keep up with friends.
My husband, two daughters (ages 2 and 5), and I enjoy camping and hiking. I like to cook, scrapbook, read, travel, and downhill ski. It is great to have summers off to spend with my girls and to travel.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)