Computers in the classroom Part I with Brock U.

I have learned a lot of valuable, practical information from my instructors, webmates and my research. I would highly recommend this course to anyone interested in learning more about using the computer and technology in the classroom. "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
The more I learned, the more I wanted to do with my students, the more I wanted to share with my colleagues at school. This increased my workload but it was definitely worth it to me and to my students. I have taken three online courses in a row. Taking a forth this Summer is out of the question. I should be rearing to go again in the Fall.

Online courses

I have almost completed my third online course of the year. It was initially to change categories on the pay scale so that I could improve my pension. I have to admit that I didn't expect to learn as much as I did. By that I mean that I thought that I would put the minimum work required to get my credits. A funny thing happened however. I worked many more hours that I thought I would and rather enjoyed learning new things.
The instructors make a difference as do the participants. As teachers, we owe it to our students and ourselves to be life-long learners. This is especially true of technology.

PowerPoint templates for the classroom

The Best Teacher is An Eternal Student. Bengt Hambraeus, Composer and Pedagogue.


Thanks to those who share their great work in the classroom, there is an abundance of
POWERPOINT TEMPLATES available. These allow teachers to focus on content rather than programming the game.

http://www.pppst.com/templates.html

http://www.vickiblackwell.com/ppttemplates.html

http://www.inzones.com/free-templates.htm

Life and Death by Powerpoint

Don McMillan is "Technically Funny". Before he became a nationally known stand-up comedian, Don spent 10 years as an engineer at IBM, AT&T, and VLSI Technology. He knows what corporate life is all about. His show is funny, smart, clean, AND he is the ONLY comedian working in PowerPoint.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoID=1529637984

After watching and laughing through this video called Life and Death by Power Point, I googled Death by PowerPoint and came up with over 1,300,000 sites on the subject. Amazing!

So much to add to presentations!

Good resources for FREE sounds and clipart:
www.partnersinrhyme.com/soundfx/human.shtml
www.zooish.com
www.wavcentral.com
www.awesomeclipartforkids.com
www.kidsdomain.com/clip/index.html
www.google.com (go to the “Images” tab and then input the title of the picture you are looking for. OATC would like to give a disclaimer that anybody can put pictures on Google Images, so please note that there may be pictures that upload that are of “Adult” natured.)

PowerPoint Presentation

What a great tool! Like any other tool however, it is only as good as the people holding it make it. For that reason, students must be taught how to use it effectively. They can incorporate images, clip art, videos and sound to make any presentation outstanding. Nevertheless, some students have not taken a computer's application course and were never taught the dos and don't of PowerPoint.
Here are some of the sites that can be helpful for teachers and learners.

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech013.shtml
Here is a site that we are familiar with. It also offers some great advice about PowerPoint.

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/on-line_powerpoint.htm
Helping teachers use the Internet effictively.

http://www.rapides.k12.la.us/VI/PowerPointresources.htm
More suggestions. Please check the short slide show on PP etiquette.

Active learning strategies
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/tutorials/powerpoint/assessment.html

French as a second language and digital photography and imagery

There is an abundance of available images on the net. The beauty of being bilingual is that I have access to more search engines. The following site allows searching of images, photos and clip art in French.
http://www.sd61.bc.ca/fslactivities/images.html
http://www.edzone.net/~mwestern/pix.html offers 26 great ways to use digital photography in the elementary classroom.

http://askwhy.thestar.com/index.php This site is one that can be used in any subject.
You are shown a picture under the heading Why Ask Why? This can be the opening of many current event discussions.

Isn't it always the way? I just found this site after submitting my assignment on using digital photography in the classroom. It involves: "More than a dozen easy activities for using digital cameras in the classroom."
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech147.shtml

The next site also provides a list of possible uses of digital photography in the classroom.
http://www.tasi.ac.uk/advice/using/finding.html

The Digital Camera in Education

I learned a lot about the many uses of the digital camera in the classroom at the following site.
http://www.drscavanaugh.org/digitalcamera/
When you click on drscavanaugh at the bottom of the list on the left hand side, you are sent to the home site that offers the following:
| Digital Cameras in Education | EBooks in Education | Technology Enhance Literature Circles | K12 Distance Education |
| Assistive Educational Technology | Dinosaur Tracking for Science Ed. | Science Education Resources | Other stuff |
Very cool!

Digital Imagery in the Classroom

I have spent the last long while searching sites and have come up with the following useful ones. It was not a surprise to find a number of sites had already become obsolete considering how quickly technology is moving. I don't know if I can keep on keeping up. (:

http://www.pics4learning.com/index.php

This is a great site with hundreds of images that you can use in your classrooms in many ways.

Make sure to check out The Life and Times of Jacques la Grenouille. It is one type of picture story that can easily be done by students at every level.

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/
History through the eyes of those who lived it. (all American unfortunately)

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/teachers/video/
Nova Teachers - This site offers teachers a multitude of ready for class videos of various lengths.

http://biodidac.bio.uottawa.ca/
A collection of images for teaching biology and available in both languages.

The Future of Education in a Digital World

The April 26th, 2007 programme The Agenda with Steven Paikin offers us a glimpse into the different views of educators regarding our high schools. He begins with a the following quote:

"U.S.High Schools Obsolete.
By obsolete, I don't just mean that our high schools are broken, flawed, underfunded - though a case could be made for everyone of those points. By obsolete, I mean that our high schools - even when they are working exactly as designed - cannot teach our kids what they need to know today. Training a workforce of tomorrow with the high schools of today is like trying to teach kids about today's computers on a 50-year-old mainframe. It's the wrong tool for times. Our high school were designed 50 years ago to meet the need of another age. Until we design them to meet the needs of the 21st century, we will keep limiting - even ruining - the lives of millions of Americans every year."
Bill Gates, February 26, 2005
National Education Summit for High Schools

He has an audience and people online who will be part of the discussion. His panel of experts in education give their opinions based on research and statistics. One interesting stat was that for every dollar spent on professional development, there is a student gain of 4 points.
This podcast of the programme is definitely enlightening and a recommended read.
http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/theagenda/index.cfm?page_id=342

podcast, vidcast and photocasting

I was doing research on podcasting, vidcasting and since I was interested in using photos and sound in my history class, I thought of calling it photo casting. Low and behold, it already exists. I was impressed with coming up with this idea even if it wasn't a new one.
I love teaching history. My students are learning to appreciate its' importance. (Some more than others of course.) When I explained their next project in which we will be using photos that they select and which they will explain via a microphone, they thought it was a great idea. They are very much looking forward to the challenge. Of we go to the computer lab tomorrow to start our journey into photocasting a history research.

Here is a site describing how to photocast even if you do not have an Apple computer.
http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/

Digital Storytelling

Storytelling has been crucial in transferring knowledge from generation to generation. When we think of our history, we want Canadians to know it. The governments have set up many wonderful historical sites to help educators, researchers and anyone who wishes to use them. There are many of these sites that offer virtual museums, or libraries. Having videos and sound clips makes it so much more interesting to teach and to learn history. In 2000, the federal government announced that it will digitize all of the national museums.

About the Digital Library of Canada Program

The Digital Library of Canada Program is an initiative of the National Library of Canada to produce a rich national multimedia resource, accessible to all Canadians, that documents Canadian heritage and culture. The Digital Library of Canada Program is organizing the digitization of materials from the rich and diverse collections of the National Library of Canada, developing strategic partnerships with other national content providers to provide wide-ranging and sustainable access to Canadian cultural resources, and is providing outreach for educators in the use of these digital resources.


http://www.collectionscanada.ca/quoi-de-neuf/007/013007-207-f.html


Back in 2000, the Federal government implemented a task force to: "The task force’s efforts will be directed towards promoting this collaborative vision while developing digital resources drawn from the National Library collections. The task force will also examine how to provide innovative national services and access to new Canadian information resources that are being "born digital".

Conclusion

There is a need to make more -- significantly more -- Canadian historical and cultural content available on the Web in a coherent and user-friendly manner. The task force is working towards meeting this need.

The effort of making digital content available and readily accessible is a long-term one that will become a regular part of the business of the National Library, as it will for many libraries. The task force has a three-year mandate to make significant headway in increasing the quantity and quality of authentic, unique, interesting and educational Canadian content on the Web. To realize our vision, the Digital Library of Canada Task Force will pursue all opportunities to make the Library’s collections and expertise accessible, and to generate excitement and momentum that will open doors and create new opportunities for the National Library of Canada to reach out to all Canadians."
http://www.collectioncanada.ca/bulletin/015017-0011-11-e.html

Storytelling in the family and at school

Being the 10th in a family of 15 children, in a French catholic family, I can absolutely relate to storytelling and its' role in the family dynamics. There was no television in our home until I was 12 and, living in northern Ontario, we never missed Hockey Night in Canada. Since our "hanglish was not too good", and the shows were all mostly English, we were entertained by the stories told by our mother. Since we had no camera or pictures of our humble life in Quebec before moving to northern Ontario, our mother used her stories to help us build memories that our young minds had not been able to. The stories were filled with descriptions that made it seem like we were watching a movie. Had it not been for her stories, we would have so many questions. Now having children of my own, I pass those stories onto them. They love to hear about how it was as a child of the 50s in Quebec and in Ontario. They even tell their friends about some of the things that happened in my family that I would not know about were it not forMaman la raconteuse.
As a teacher of social sciences and a child of the 50s, I tell stories all the time that fit in with the history curriculum. I believe that it brings that human element to the class and I KNOW from the reaction of my students that they enjoy it. I truly hope that it never stops.
The following site helps explain the history of storytelling. It is not a new concept.
http://www.callofstory.org/en/family/default.asp
It is the new approach of digital storytelling in the classroom that is new. There are many ways to use this teaching and learning approach. One that I really think young school age children will enjoy is storyline online put on by the Screen Actors' Guild. Celebrities can be seen, in full screen, reading some of the favourite books of young children.
http://www.storylineonline.net/ (I couldn't open it in Explorer, but I did in Mozzila Firefox) It is worth the visit if you have younger students.

Several years ago this was done on Reading Rainbow. (for those of you who remember). My children loved that show. Now it is on the computer and it more interactive. Wow!

Digital storytelling and copyright

As usual, we must consider all aspects of new ventures. Digital storytelling is something that I will definitely use in my French classes and my social science classes that I teach in French. My students can speak better than they can write. I'm thinking that they would love to record their researches. The picture part is what I feel that I must explain to them. The copyright rules....

"In this digital age, it is very easy to copy photos and illustrations from the 'Net. In fact, it is a process we discover when we "right-click" our computer's mouse. However, we must observe the same copyright compliance given to written property. Given that, how do we help our students discover which photos and images are available for them to copy from the Internet and use in their work?
Below are some resources to help you educate your students in using images.


How do you locate Copyright Statements on a website?
What if you cannot find the Copyright Statement on a website?
Sample Copyright Statements for "Free" Images
Sample Copyright Statements for Limiting Use of Images
Sample Copyright Statements for Restricting Use of Images
Some Options for Using Images on School/Student Websites


How do you locate Copyright Statements on a website?
Copyright statements appear on many different places on a website. In some cases, the statement is in an obvious place on all pages ... like the ones found on the bottom of the 2Learn.ca's pages. However, on most websites, you may have to do some detective work to discover whether or not you have permission to use an image. Some of the places we found copyright statements on various websites appear as links labelled:
All Rights Reserved
Read Me
Who are We
Copyright and Privacy
Contact Us
Site Info
About Us
Terms of Use
Note: Sometimes you have to go to the "Home" page of a website to find information on copyright." http://www.2learn.ca/copyright/images.html

It would only take a few minutes to discuss this important issue with the students but it is a valuable lesson.

Podcasting

There certainly isn't a shortage to sites on podcasting. It makes me feel better about making one even if it is new territory for me. One site that I found has everything from the history of podcasting, teaching and learning with podcasting, examples of podcasts, how to create and deliver podcasts and additional resources on podcasting.
The section on teaching and learning with podcasting is very easy to understand for the novices like myself.

ttp://engage.doit.wisc.edu/podcasting/#

Internet Safety

I know that we have been talking about keeping our kids safe but there is also the issue of keeping our computers safe and free of viruses, hackers etc., that could potentially affect our kids. Get Net Wise address safety first but then offers advice, tools and tips on how to keep pretty much everyone and everything safe. It's worth the read for those of us who have suffered through a virus. It can get costly.
http://www.getnetwise.org/

Internet Safety

One of the most important ways to keep children safe online is to ensure that they know simple rules or SAFETY TIPS . However it is important to think about how you communicate these to children. The results showed that putting these messages across in a positive way that empowered children and helped them to take responsibility was the best.

An informal style of communicating these tips which doesn't scare the children but encourages them to take responsibility includes:
Always keep your personal details (name, address) private. It's like giving out the keys to your house !

Your personal password is your own special identity, so keep it secret and don't share it - even with your best friend or someone who sounds official.

Making new e-pals whilst on line is cool, but tell your parents about who you have met and introduce them to your new friends.

If you want to meet someone you have met in cyberspace, ask your parents/carer's permission, and then only when they can be present.

There's great stuff on the Net, but some bad stuff too! So always tell a parent or teacher if you come across anything which makes you feel uncomfortable.

Chat can be fun, but don't hang around in a chat room if someone makes you feel uncomfortable or worried. Remember you're in charge out there!

Some teachers take these up with the students and then have them and their parents sign it.
One of the most comprehensive Internet Safety Awareness initiatives is the American Getnetwise programme. The Getnetwise site contains full advice on safety on the Internet.

Further advice on Childnet's safety tips can be seen at
http://www.childnet-int.org/tips/index.htm
and a full colour poster with these Safety tips is available at
http://www.childnet-int.org/poster/

Rubrics

I was interested in finding out more about rubric building. We were never given much training about building rubrics. We were referred to Rubric Builder which had been placed on the board network and told to use them. After a while, new teachers' manuals came with rubrics already developed. I came upon this site that explains the advantages of rubrics, as well as how to create your own. I must say that I am always impressed on how much I don't know. That's what I love about my job; there is no end to learning.
For those teachers who still need a little help with rubrics, this may be the site for you.


http://www.teachervision.fen.com/teaching-methods/rubrics/4521.html

Internet Safety

http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GPOE/2006/04/20/c5757.html?lmatch=&lang=_e.html

Upon my search for articles on Internet Safety, it occurred to me that many of the school boards have posted the programmes that have been prepared for students. I was surprised that our board had not told us about the Ontario government - Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services -Innovative Cyber-Proofing Software In Ontario Schools Means Safer Children. It is called CYBERCOPS.
It is geared to grades 7 and 8 but I am certain that some of the information could be used with grades nine. I believe that grade 9 and 10 students also need to be reminded
of the need for safety on the net. Maybe it's up to us to keep abreast of the new programmes. Where do we find the time?

Technology in Schools: What the Research Says

For those of you interested in a research article on how and what has happened since the introduction of the computer into the classroom some 30 years ago along with other tools, approaches,etc., you might find this article interesting.

http://www.cisco.com/web/strategy/docs/education/TechnologyinSchoolsReport.pdf

Use of the computer

I agree with Peter when he suggested about time spent in the lab: "If you consider the underlying skills involved, would it not be better to use that time to teach something along the lines of Creative Problem Solving or Thinking Skills?"
To that note, I refer you to Designing Effective Projects: Thinking Skills Frameworks
Marzano's New Taxonomy.
"Marzano's model of thinking skills incorporates a wider range of factors that affect how students think and provides a more research-based theory to help teachers improve their students' thinking." p. 1

http://www97.intel.com/en/ProjectDesign/ThinkingSkills/ThinkingFrameworks/Marzano_New_Taxonomy.htm

"Technology and Media in Education"

Michael Genzuk, Ph.D of The Center for Multilingual Multicultural Research wrote this 24 page article on technology and media in education. The article starts with this quote:"The incorporation of technology and multimedia into the fundamental process of teaching and learning has promised to accelerate the creation of new modes of instruction. This prospect frightens many and excites others. The question is not whether computers and multimedia should be allowed in classrooms, but how they are to be used. Society is more connected and more global in scope than ever before. There is more information available than at any previous time in history."

http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~cmmr/Technology.html

I recommend that you check it out as there is something for everyone.
On page 12, there is "An Educator's Guide to Evaluating The Use of Technology in Schools and Classrooms.
On page 20, Seven Steps to Responsible Software Selection.

What I particularly like about this article is that it contains global sites. We are not restricted to what one particular country has to say or offer.

Peter and Candace
http://9f61spring2007.blogspot.com/

Tuvrayn
http://tuvraynkaur.blogspot.com/
Janine
http://blogginbyjpax.blogspot.com/
Alisson
http://alicomputerclassroom.blogspot.com/
Carolyn
http://cburnscburns.blogspot.com/
Greg
http://gteasdale.blogspot.com/
Rebecca
http://passionateaboutdance.blogspot.com/
Laura
http://computersinsci.blogspot.com/
Jeremy
http://aqclasswest.blogspot.com/
Naomi
http://naomiyanagawa.blogspot.com/

software evaluation

I found this interesting site on evaluating educational software that is very interesting and I think quite complete.

http://www.plato.com/media/Technical-White%20Papers/1/A%20Practical%20Process%20for%20Reviewing%20and%20Selecting%20Educational%20Software.pdfHo

Since I use a lot of Internet programmes ( There is an abundance of French programmes on the net that fill the lack of resources in my classroom>) I feel that it is equally important to evaluate these before using them with your students. You wouldn't show a movie to your class, nor should you ask your students to work on a programme that doesn't meet your or the Ministry's expectations.

http://schools.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=re&catcode=ss_res_eva_02&rid=11741

Internet safety

Youtube has Internet safety videos that I found informative. Some of the ones created by kids would be very effective in the classrooms since the students would relate to them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD5UnyKArXI

Internet Safety

I found this site http://www.2learn.ca/mapset/mapset.asp
You need to go to resources, down to Safe 'Net and you will find a list of very useful tools to help students of different levels, better understand the need for safety when using the net.
The site also offers many more excellent teaching resources.

Allô tout le monde!

Allô tout le monde!

March 27, 2007 @ 3:26 pm

That’s how I greet my kids everyday. It means “Hello everyone!”

Hello everyone! I am excited about taking this course. I will be having access to a smart board shortly and I would like to use it in our computer lab to teach. I am a social science teacher in an extended French program in a high school of about 1200 students. I am the only one who teaches history, geography, civics, careers in French. I am always searching the Net for French materials and often find some treasures. There is a lot of junk as well. My name is Louise Barei. I live in Chatham with my husband and our 14 year old daughter. Our 18 year old son is at Guelph U. This is the third online course for me. It seems more user friendly that the Western U courses. I’m looking forward to a lot of sharing and learning.