PBL & Assessment – Just Thinking About…

How can we reach them all? A typical middle schooler's class period ranges between 45 to 60 minutes long. To engage students in interesting and attention-getting projects is like fishing. You have to know the right bait to use for a certain group of kids. Some like games to teach a lesson, while others like participatory group projects that end with a really cool product. But how can you reach them when half the computers won't work.

Frustrations will always arise when either the student is unsure of the procedure, or the system keeps breaking down. "The system is down, again?!" is an oft heard expression of disgust with an overloaded system. The worst thing, I feel, is that it creates a negative image of technology in the kids' minds. For some struggling school systems with only one IT staff member for a number of schools, the frustration and negative image is compounded by limited resources and budgets.

Down pc's and ineffective technology equals wasted time. And as Ben Franklin once wrote, "Time is money." And, it's the parents and community members who pay taxes for inefficient tech systems that get the most frustrated. Dang bust IT! Whoa, there Sam.

So, how can we reach middle schoolers that have the attention span of a Red Squirrel with ADHD on Red Bull? [Hammy] Well, you just keep trying different things. I had a group of Social Study 7^th graders that hated reading their text books out loud. I found the text on CD and played it while they read along. Presto! No groans, no hedging, no, "Aw, man!" They all participated. I quizzed them the next day, and most got good grades. Some will respond to different things with technology. You just got to find it.

How can this be assessed properly? Well, last winter I completed a multimedia project rubric for "Making Multimedia Meaningful."

Dang bust it.

Yosemite

What the Google Man said

Matt Cutts from Google gives a great search tutorial.

Man, that was awesome. I had no idea there were so many ways to Google a search. Now the trick is to remember what the BLAZES he said. Down, Sam, down. And STAY DOWN! <BAM!> There, ya flea bitten varmint! Sorry, there, I had to take care of Sam.

I'll capsulize what he said for you.

Google Search Tips:

• Use double quotes – to match a specific phrase/term.
  
• Use double quotes with a minus sign – to match specific terms and exclude terms.
  
• Use dashes – to also match a specific phrase or phrase match.
  
• Use the plus sign before the term (even when it recognizes a misspelled word) – for a very specific term.
  

A World of Search

• Package tracking (UPS)
  
• Airline flight numbers
  
• Amtrak train schedules
  
• "time in Zurich"
  
• Calculate math, algebraic equations, logarithms.
  
• "Answer to everything" – life. Ans: 42.
  
• Currancy conversions at current rate of exchange.
  
• Define: term – to look up definitions.
  
• Specific file types.
  
  • Term ("civil war") filetype:ppt – for powerpoint presentations.
    
  • Term filetype:doc – for documents.
    
  • Type in question as Jeopardy phrase – "Mt. Everest is * feet high."
    
  • Type in number..number – for numbering range search. "Mt. Everest base camp 10000..20000."
    
  • Use dollar sign for price ranges – "dvd players $100..$300."
    
  • Use zip code for movies in certain area – "name of movie and zip code."
    
  • Site: search – for a specific domain ("videocard site:dl.tv") It works easier if www is not included.
    
  • Site: domain – to search in specific domains; edu, org, net. ("site:gov mortgages").
    includes site:country ("site:uk").
    

Well, that is a lot to remember. But I hope it helps.

Dang bust it!

Yosemite

Teaching In a New (“out there”) Networked World

"Oh, excuse me *Ethel. Someone's listening in on the other line. *Sally, *Freida, is that you, listening in! You, hang up, now!" That was the usual dialog my grandmother had when she used the old party line telephone, and detected someone listening in. In those days (pre – 1970s) to have a private line meant paying almost double the phone rates as opposed to a four, three, or two party line telephone. I had two great aunts that knew just about everyone's telephone signal. Ours was three rings: one short, one long, and one short. They would get on the line and sometimes join the conversation. Funny, yes (on The Andy Griffith Show), but not when you were trying to have a "private" conversation. And, definitely not, when you had to make a phone call, but couldn't, because someone else on the party line was using it.

Well, YouTube, MySpace, and Facebook are just like the old telephone party line. You never know who's "listening in," or reading/watching. Lowering the privacy bar on your life and mine has its draw backs. For a generation that never experienced the old party line, it's understandable that they don't understand. To experience a real private telephone conversation, without interruptions or someone eavesdropping, was very gratifying. But, I'm afraid society has lowered the privacy bar at the expense of security.

Too much of us is "out there." It seems that where there is no challenge to human behavior, human conduct pushes the boundaries and tries to blur the lines. With on-line cyber communities there seems to be no face-to-face blame, shame, ridicule, criticism, harshness, bullying, disrespect, judgment, commentary, critique, analysis, review, or remarks. I feel when there are no face-to-face confrontations for bad behavior, limits are somehow ignored. It's like the 55 mile-an-hour speed limit on the interstate highways during the 1970s and 80s. Most people, including myself, ignored it and went 5 to 10 miles over it. Why? Because, most people got away with it. And, today, who keeps to the 65 mile-an-hour speed limit? I try to, because I like to save gas. And, as an old dude (almost 50, maaaan) I'm not in so much of a hurry.

It may be that kids feel "safe" on MySpace, and Facebook, because the web site says so. Oh, please. I was taught to always question stuff like that. Bad behavior anywhere (YouTube, MySpace, Facebook) always hold consequences down the road. Behavior that is recorded stays recorded (encoded/encrypted) and is hard to expunge. There's no doubt that we all have freedom of speech, but how secure is it. Yes, kids have a right to live for the moment, but how many sexual predators prowl YouTube, MySpace, and Facebook hunting their next victim? Law enforcement officers use MySpace to lure these guys into arrestable situations.

My take, after reading the USA Today and The Australian about universities banning or putting limits on MySpace or Facebook accounts is that there are responsibilities to this form of freedom of speech. The greater good for the general welfare of the school and its students must come first, in my opinion. Remember VT (Virginia Tech). What online policies does PSU have? Are they upheld and obeyed? I hope they are. Remember the common good is for the whole. Remember VT. Nuff said.

Dang bust it.

Yosemite

*names changed

Web2.0: Web-based Technology Advancing…

Seimens wrote in Knowing Knowledge that, "Fifty years ago, education prepared an individual for a life-long career in a particular field. Formal education created the person, the opportunity. Now, life-long learning creates the opportunity" (Seimens 81). Karl Fisch's video said that by the time the present generation of learners reaches the age of 38, they will have had 10-15 jobs. "Technology is driving our race [education]" (Seimens 110).

I remember back in college (1978-82) hearing my professors say that my generation would have 3-4 careers by the time we retire. I'm working on my third right now.

I believe that life is linear, not circular. All of life advances and progresses. If not, history repeats itself with some dark periods. Web-based technology is advancing our world. We need to keep up. Seimens wrote, "To misjudge the velocity and ferocity of change is to risk obsolescence" (112). As late as fifteen years ago most Americans were making "sense [of their world] through newspapers, books, and journals" (114). Now, most Americans are getting their information from web-based technology. But there are still hold-outs in our educational world.

I personally know of a high school class that still gets their current events from the local newspaper. And, yes, it does give the newspaper a good subscription, as well as a starter for wood stoves and a product for recycling. (Talk about your carbon footprint!) The students of this particular school have access to laptop computers, and the internet with usernames and passwords, yet 20 copies of the paper land at the classroom's door every morning. It may be a matter of trust.

How much do educators trust learners to use the web appropriately? For school administrators and teachers that have reservations about Web2.0 learning, it may be the trust factor that hinders Web2.0 in the classroom. Will the reservations continue? I believe the attitudes will evaporate in the light of something greater.

Technology may drive education, but it will be the overwhelming usage of learners that is the force behind it. Just as slide rulers were made obsolete by calculators, so will lecture-based learning be made obsolete by web-based learning. At the Adult Education site I teach at, the math curriculum uses Plato Math, a user friendly math tutorial.

A number of Web2.0 sites are indexed with sites such as Ajax Projects. Very helpful.

Wikipedia defines Web2.0 as a perceived second generation of web development and design, that aim to facilitate communication, secure information sharing, interoperability, and collaboration on the World Wide Web. Web 2.0 concepts have led to the development and evolution of web-based communities, hosted services, and applications; such as social-networking sites, video-sharing sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies.

So, how do we "pull the pieces together" (114)? "We need new skills and tools" (114), and the commitment to keep pace with ever changing technology.

Dang it!

Yosemite

PLTs: The Future of Education is Here

Karl Fisch wrote a good article that I'll post here:

We've spent a lot of time at my school thinking about the concept of Personal Learning Networks (PLNs). We live in an age of information abundance. Our students need to learn how to find, evaluate, organize, synthesize, remix and re-purpose information in order to understand and solve complex problems.

A PLN isn't a particularly new idea; learning networks have existed for a long time. What's new is the reach and extent that's now possible for a PLN, with technology and global interconnectedness providing the opportunity for a much wider, richer and more diverse PLN than ever before. This is a complex topic that can't be fully addressed in a short article, but let me provide an example of my own learning that resulted from my PLN.

I've been a big proponent of publishing student work on the web, of using Web 2.0 tools to provide our students with a wider, often more authentic audience. But I've struggled with the quality of that work and question whether publishing student work that at times is pretty mediocre is such a good thing after all. My PLN helped me think more deeply about this.

Christian Long posted, "are we really prepared to drown in a sea of "just good enough" presentations." That led me to Dan Meyer, "But if they and their teachers aren't immersing themselves constantly in better, clearer work than their own . . . work which for the first time in history is available freely and quickly, how in that vacuum can they rise to any greater occasion?" Dan led me to read Cult of the Amateur by Andrew Keen (books are still part of my PLN). Both Dan and Carolyn Foote led me to a post by Garr Reynolds, "Perhaps if all of us smart experts, with our massive intellects, tried to approach problems with 'the beginner's mind' we could get much better at solving problems." A couple of posts by Vicki Davis got me thinking again about how it takes a "special kind of individual to make connections to be able to see things that specialists on their own cannot see. How do we teach that?"

I had multiple conversations with teachers in my school to further refine my thinking (direct conversation is still part of my PLN). Finally, I came upon a post and a Technology, Entertainment, Design talk by Larry Lessig, who suggested that the "read/write culture" is "a literacy for this generation."

My thinking has evolved; I have a more refined, nuanced viewpoint on students publishing their work on the web. I believe even more strongly this is something we need to do with students, but I'm also thinking more critically about how to nurture the quality of that work.

As I envision the future, I think it's critical for our students to create, nurture and expand their PLNs. It's also critical to include varied viewpoints in our PLNs, to make sure we don't continually reinforce our already held beliefs. I thank the members of my PLN for all they've taught me and encourage all of you to help your students – and yourselves – develop powerful, meaningful and effective PLNs.

I believe that the learners of the 21^st Century will be the driving force behind the technology that is driving education. As I wrote in "Web2.0: Web-based Technology Advancing…," just as slide-ruler was made obsolete by calculators, so will lecture-based learning be replaced by web-based learning. Our students will demand it, and our schools will have to adapt or " risk obsolescence" (Seimens 112).

Dang bust it!

Yosemite

Podcasting Sensation in Education

Podcasting in education is a great broadcasting tool for a multimedia lab or club, or administration announcements and broadcasts. They can broadcast their podcasts over the intercom system for announcements, make a broadcast during homeroom.
These podcasts could promote after-school programs; sports, clubs and upcoming school events. They can be sent to radio stations to announce sporting and school events. The school’s Wi-Fi lab could podcast weekly shows that are aired by the school’s web page, or the local radio station. The lab could feature the student, teacher, or staff person of the month.
Adult Education is one area that would greatly benefit from podcasting. They could either by promoting it over the district’s web page, or the local radio station. Adult Ed classes could be announced by the Internet class, and thus promote podcasting technology.
Teachers could use podcasting to send messages, students’ progress, and any detention notices to parents who have an access code onto the school’s or class’ web page. This would only alert parents to any scholastic or discipline issue, as well as improved progress or exceptional work. Just as class members of this course are alerted to wiki messages via email, so too would parents be alerted of podcast messages.
Nothing will replace written notices. Our legal system has made sure that everything has to be documented. It not only puts tangible evidence into the hands of parents, but also keeps the pulp and paper industry alive (somewhere).
Another useful means of podcasting is in the Language Arts department. Middle school students love to talk. The chorus of middle school kids at lunch can be worse than the chattering of a Red Squirrel. Podcast projects could be used to report on a book, or do an audio program of the book they just read.
For Social Studies the class could put together a podcast audio project of a “You Are There,” show featuring some historical event. The nonspeaking class members could do background noises (they do that very well anyway).

I found a great video by Colette Cassinelli about integrating podcasts into students' learning.

Podcasting in education could be an informative and fun way for kids to learn a new and innovative technology.
Dang bust it.

Yosemite

The White House movie

Naa-watz up, gang. If you thought this was going to be a movie about the White House (the one in Washington D.C.) well, you're wrong. And it's not about a wascally wabbit. But, it is about a part of rural America that is fading away.

Many people who tour Downeast Maine, only see what they have been told to see. To find the real treasures of coastal (and even, inland) Maine you've got to dig around a bit. If you're into historical places, and are tired of the touristy hot-spots (crowded with obnoxious moon-bats), then I invite you to explore a real gem. The Israel P. White House in Columbia, Maine. It is located on Route 1. This homestead has been passed down through four generations. The original house was built in 1858. Daniel E. White was the eldest grandson of Israel, who passed it onto him. Israel's son, J. Edger, already had a successful farm three-quarters of a mile away, which was part of the White estate.

They all were farmers and craftsmen. Daniel was lucky enough to marry Ethel Maxfield, a girl from a well-to-do Searsport family. The front section was a mail order house from Sears and Roebuck Co., designed in the popular Colonial Revival architecture of the 1900's called Heritage style. It was built in 1905. Daniel and Ethel raised eight children, and as you can see in the movie it was a loving and happy home. Tragically, Ethel died in 1915. Daniel lived in the home with his eldest son, Everett, until Daniel died in 1960. Everett continued living in the home until his death in 1992. Neither of them owned a vehicle out of principle of going into debt to own one. They are best remembered for walking to the store, or wherever. They continued farming, raising pigs, harvesting apples and blueberries.

At the time of Everett's death, the house was in rough shape. No repairs or upgrades were done, except minor repairs for leaks, and other house necessities. A major restoration effort was conducted by family members and the community. They created a family heritage center that was open to the public.

It is a lovely example of simple country living at a time when the pace was a lot slower. I'm privileged to live in this historic home. I created this movie last winter using MovieMaker as a multimedia project for Making Multimedia Meaningful. It was actually the initial test project which turned out pretty good. So, classmates, enjoy the tour.