I will be the first to admit that the idea of using a Blog for education purposes hadn't really crossed my mind, nor was I excited about the idea. Now that I have had time to build one, and reflect on the fact I already use them in my classroom without realizing it, I have decided to embrace this format. The greatest influence was the ability to view other blogs by classmates. This part of the activity helped me see what could be done, could be improved on and what a Blog is really all about.
Without this activity I wouldn't have received the education on what a Blog can do to open communication in education. My experience before this with Blogs was limited to a personal journal for family or friends during crisis or time of need. I appreciate the new refreshing view and know I will utilize this tool in my own classrooms and encourage other teachers to do the same. Thank you everyone.
Oct 26, 2013
Oct 20, 2013
Social Media in the Classroom
First of all if you haven't see the following site, take a moment to pause and read it first. Then see my reflection below and give me some thoughts and feedback on your own personal (or future) experience using social media in the classroom:
http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2010/05/100-inspiring-ways-to-use-social-media-in-the-classroom/
First let me say that although I teach an adult basic education/GED course a couple days a week my main experience in education has been in the K-12 setting (primarily grades 6-8). Also, I live in rural Idaho so in many cases technology hasn't reached this neck of the woods, even if I want to implement more advanced items into the classroom, outside of the room students might not have access to the tools needed.
Knowing this background I was shocked on the number of things I have already tried or implemented in my classrooms from the list they provided. Although I'm technologically savvy myself, I've often hesitated to bring social media into the classroom, or so I thought. Reading this list I've just avoided some of the more mainstream ideas it seems.
One of the greatest tools I've used is the use of student lead conferences online (teacher/parent) conferences, are amazing to do online. I did this with middle school students and scheduled parents to attend at a given time and students prepared a PowerPoint showing the items I had outlined. I would also have slides provided for the students to follow to spark conversation and discussion items to reflect on the good and bad of the quarter or semester. Students enjoyed taking the time to share with me, share with parents, and I enjoyed the fact that parents attended. In the traditional setting I had maybe 10% of parents show up to face-to-face conferences at the middle school level. Doing them online provided more flexibility with parent work schedules and attendance was 100% every year I've held them. This is something I'll continue to do in an online environment.
http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2010/05/100-inspiring-ways-to-use-social-media-in-the-classroom/
First let me say that although I teach an adult basic education/GED course a couple days a week my main experience in education has been in the K-12 setting (primarily grades 6-8). Also, I live in rural Idaho so in many cases technology hasn't reached this neck of the woods, even if I want to implement more advanced items into the classroom, outside of the room students might not have access to the tools needed.
Knowing this background I was shocked on the number of things I have already tried or implemented in my classrooms from the list they provided. Although I'm technologically savvy myself, I've often hesitated to bring social media into the classroom, or so I thought. Reading this list I've just avoided some of the more mainstream ideas it seems.
One of the greatest tools I've used is the use of student lead conferences online (teacher/parent) conferences, are amazing to do online. I did this with middle school students and scheduled parents to attend at a given time and students prepared a PowerPoint showing the items I had outlined. I would also have slides provided for the students to follow to spark conversation and discussion items to reflect on the good and bad of the quarter or semester. Students enjoyed taking the time to share with me, share with parents, and I enjoyed the fact that parents attended. In the traditional setting I had maybe 10% of parents show up to face-to-face conferences at the middle school level. Doing them online provided more flexibility with parent work schedules and attendance was 100% every year I've held them. This is something I'll continue to do in an online environment.
Blended Classroom
I enjoyed reading the section on blended learning and the study by Stewart, Harlow, and DeBacco showing the success and struggles of distance learning and providing students with a more blended platform. I have taught in a traditional setting, pure online environment, and blended classroom and can't say I like one over the other because I've enjoyed every year I've taught. However, I think online and blended bring an entirely new challenges for educators. Stewart, Harlow, and DeBacoco summed it up well when they stated,
"...higher education providers are challenged to create a new classroom environment that retains what is good about face-to-face interaction and incorporates online access to information and participation, allowing for flexible student learning experiences." this is exactly the challenge I have worked to provide my distance education students throughout the years.
I'm constantly evaluating my own lessons to see if I 1. provided them something they can't just read in a book and 2. have equal or higher quality of instruction than in the face-to-face atmosphere. I've experienced that retention students to complete a course, and/or return the next session, with the online or blended classrooms are so much more difficult than the face-to-face classrooms. This makes me challenge myself even more to provide them higher quality lessons and build a professional relationship so they know I have their back and genuinely want them to find success. Personally I think it takes a very driven person to teach distance education due to the challenges and time you put in compared to the face-to-face classrooms I have taught in.
Stewart, A. R., Harlow, D. B., & DeBacco, K. (2011). Students' experience of synchronous learning in distributed environments. Distance Education, 32(3), 357-381. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2011.610289
"...higher education providers are challenged to create a new classroom environment that retains what is good about face-to-face interaction and incorporates online access to information and participation, allowing for flexible student learning experiences." this is exactly the challenge I have worked to provide my distance education students throughout the years.
I'm constantly evaluating my own lessons to see if I 1. provided them something they can't just read in a book and 2. have equal or higher quality of instruction than in the face-to-face atmosphere. I've experienced that retention students to complete a course, and/or return the next session, with the online or blended classrooms are so much more difficult than the face-to-face classrooms. This makes me challenge myself even more to provide them higher quality lessons and build a professional relationship so they know I have their back and genuinely want them to find success. Personally I think it takes a very driven person to teach distance education due to the challenges and time you put in compared to the face-to-face classrooms I have taught in.
Stewart, A. R., Harlow, D. B., & DeBacco, K. (2011). Students' experience of synchronous learning in distributed environments. Distance Education, 32(3), 357-381. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2011.610289
Blogging for Education
I'm not sure why using a blog had never crossed my mind before this class for use in an education setting. After reviewing some of the blogs of my peers in this class and reading more on social blogging I've opened up my eyes a little more with how this would work for education. I realize I already use a blog for my ABE/GED classroom without really thinking about it, when it was passed on to me I really hadn't explored blogs before but knew the site was very well organized and useful. One of my colleagues set up a blog for all of us to use with our students to help organize the syllabus and map out the lessons within Khan Academy that tie into the lessons we teach. I've used her blog for two years and didn't really realize it was a blog until this week. Funny how the light bulb turns on sometimes like that. Now I want to take time this winter to do the same type of blog for one of my ABE classes. I know we use a syllabus to help guide instruction but using the blog can help students review and use some websites (like the Khan Academy) to do some extra "outside of class" practice on the topics we taught that week. I had an "Ah, Ha" moment this week with blogs.
Oct 9, 2013
Course Readings/Activities
I just want to take a brief moment to share that I have really enjoyed reading the course materials and doing the assignments thus far. I am a very data driven person and often that makes me not gravitate to new ideas until I see them working and researched for a period of time. Knowing this about myself I think this class has pushed me to read about the success others have had in the area of education with using social media. I think this course has opened up my willingness to try some of the more common forms of social media by building my confidence in the usefulness and safety of the programs themselves. I'm finding my way with the technology and think it is great I can work with another person on this task so I can learn from my peers and they can help me grow and learn to use some of these tools in my "real world". Thank you for this opportunity.
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