Who doesn't like free things? In a time of budget cuts and layoffs, educators will take almost anything they can get for free. But, free software that can be used and integrated into curriculum, you bet! It's called Open Source and after reviewing some of the many applications available from SourceForge.net, this will be my first go-to when in need of software.
Meet Tux, the cartoon penguin. He will help guide you through Tux Paint, a drawing and painting program for children. This Open Source software very much resembles (in my mind) KidPix in what it has to offer, but again, it's free! Tux Paint is multiplatform and multilingual, making it accessible to a variety of users. It includes several parent and teacher controls such as disabling print, quit and sound.
The choices for drawing tools in Tux Paint is incredible. Users can choose to use the following: paintbrush, rubber stamp, line tool, shape tool, text tool, magic (special effects like smudging and rippling) tool, eraser or undo. Within each tool an assortment of options can be manipulated like color, font, size, and thickness. Parents or teachers can also add to the database of stamps, fonts, and brushes through a separate download.
The incorporation of varying sound effects when tools are selected and used make this an engaging program for children. Both text and pictures are used to display the different options, making it appealing to non-readers and readers. Tux's helpful and friendly advice at the bottom of the screen explains how to use each tool. Tux Paint has won several awards, including SourceForge Project of the Month in June 2011.
The possibilities for using this software in the classroom are endless. Young children can learn how to manipulate the mouse, while others can illustrate their own page to a classroom book or write and illustrate their own story. Additionally, the variety of shapes can be used to reinforce geometry concepts. I actually think this is the program I will have the students use in my PBL!
Be sure to try Tux Paint and allow your imagination to soar!
http://sourceforge.net/projects/tuxpaint/
Monday, October 31, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
And the Acronyms Continue...PLE
It seems as if in education there is an acronym for almost everything...IEP (Individualized Educational Plan), NCLB (No Child Left Behind), PTA (Parent Teacher Association), GT (Gifted), and the list goes on and on. This week I was introduced to a new term, and of course, it has an accompanying acronym. Personal Learning Environments, better know as PLEs, are "a web space that is designed by the user to assist in collecting, filtering, and organizing information" (John Calvert, 2011). This was a completely new concept to me and I was eager to begin learning more about this.
As I began my quest for searching for blog posts about PLEs, I was disappointed by how few there were as they relate to their impact on education. However, I understand the concept of PLE is new, and therefore, may not yet be a dominant subject matter for many. While browsing through Mohamed Amines' PLE list, the article that caught my eye most was "7 Things You Should Know About PLEs," which is part of a series of "Things You Should Know About" from EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative.
I really appreciated how this article gave me the basics I need to know about PLEs, and did so in a way that avoided everyday jargon. It described what it is, who is doing it, how it works, why it's significant, what the downsides are, where it is going, and what the implications for teaching and learning are. It's important for me, when learning about something new, that I see not only the advantages it has to offer, but the disadvantages as well.
PLEs seem to have such great implications in education. They truly do move away from textbooks to a model where the student is at the center and in charge of their own learning processes. It allows for greater reflection and collaboration, rather than just transmitting data from teacher to student. If the PLE is created from self-direction then ultimately the learning resides in the hands on the learner. PLEs also amaze me as they allow information to be disseminated so quickly, thus starting numerous conversations and the ability to hear the voices of others.
The capability and potential of PLEs is astounding and I can't wait to hear more about them in the future!
As I began my quest for searching for blog posts about PLEs, I was disappointed by how few there were as they relate to their impact on education. However, I understand the concept of PLE is new, and therefore, may not yet be a dominant subject matter for many. While browsing through Mohamed Amines' PLE list, the article that caught my eye most was "7 Things You Should Know About PLEs," which is part of a series of "Things You Should Know About" from EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative.
I really appreciated how this article gave me the basics I need to know about PLEs, and did so in a way that avoided everyday jargon. It described what it is, who is doing it, how it works, why it's significant, what the downsides are, where it is going, and what the implications for teaching and learning are. It's important for me, when learning about something new, that I see not only the advantages it has to offer, but the disadvantages as well.
PLEs seem to have such great implications in education. They truly do move away from textbooks to a model where the student is at the center and in charge of their own learning processes. It allows for greater reflection and collaboration, rather than just transmitting data from teacher to student. If the PLE is created from self-direction then ultimately the learning resides in the hands on the learner. PLEs also amaze me as they allow information to be disseminated so quickly, thus starting numerous conversations and the ability to hear the voices of others.
The capability and potential of PLEs is astounding and I can't wait to hear more about them in the future!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Assistive Technology in the Classroom
This semester has really enlightened me in terms of the role that assistive technology (AT) plays in the classroom. Or rather the role that it can and should play. ED 615 here at Pace (Assistive Technology for Students with Disabilities) has exposed me to an invaluable number of AT tools that are available to students with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, communication disorders, and hearing and visual challenges. It's time we as classroom teachers start to think about ways we can better reach these students and help them achieve their potential.
I was really excited when I came across this blog post from The Innovative Educator (Lisa Nielsen) that shares "25 Incredible Assistive Technologies." She begins with a strong introduction as to how the traditional, rigid classroom hinders the learning of students with learning disabilities. Continuing, Nielsen addresses how "as technology marches on, so do opportunities for academic success." She then gets the ball rolling by introducing 25 assistive technologies available, along with a brief overview of how each one works.
While I haven't had the opportunity to explore all of the AT tools she mentions, I have gotten to use some of them to see how they work and learn about the potential they have. Digital pens are absolutely incredible in the way that they audio record and digitally capture what the user has written. We played with the LiveScribe Pen last week in ED 615 and were amazed by what it could do. Phonetic spelling software has the ability to convert phonetic spelling into real words. The Internet offers a free download that does this as well (I forget the name of the website). Audiobooks are becoming increasingly popular in their use among all different learners. In addition to Kindle and Nook, many other software programs exist that bring literature to life. The blog post continues on with many other devices, so be sure to check it out:
http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2011/09/25-incredible-assistive-technologies.html
This week in ED 615 we get to explore switches, keyboards, and alternative mice, among other things. I'm looking forward to continuing to learn about the potential AT has when the right tool is found and used correctly in the classroom.
I was really excited when I came across this blog post from The Innovative Educator (Lisa Nielsen) that shares "25 Incredible Assistive Technologies." She begins with a strong introduction as to how the traditional, rigid classroom hinders the learning of students with learning disabilities. Continuing, Nielsen addresses how "as technology marches on, so do opportunities for academic success." She then gets the ball rolling by introducing 25 assistive technologies available, along with a brief overview of how each one works.
While I haven't had the opportunity to explore all of the AT tools she mentions, I have gotten to use some of them to see how they work and learn about the potential they have. Digital pens are absolutely incredible in the way that they audio record and digitally capture what the user has written. We played with the LiveScribe Pen last week in ED 615 and were amazed by what it could do. Phonetic spelling software has the ability to convert phonetic spelling into real words. The Internet offers a free download that does this as well (I forget the name of the website). Audiobooks are becoming increasingly popular in their use among all different learners. In addition to Kindle and Nook, many other software programs exist that bring literature to life. The blog post continues on with many other devices, so be sure to check it out:
http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2011/09/25-incredible-assistive-technologies.html
This week in ED 615 we get to explore switches, keyboards, and alternative mice, among other things. I'm looking forward to continuing to learn about the potential AT has when the right tool is found and used correctly in the classroom.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Project-Based Learning Task
My unit will be on the study of "Egg to Chick." First grade children will observe and understand the development of a chicken from egg to chick. This unit will last approximately 6 weeks. It will begin with a small study on eggs, where students observe different eggs and learn why we eat some eggs and not others. Students will incubate fertilized chicken eggs for 21 days as they learn about the changes that are taking place inside the egg. Once the chicks hatch, the students will care for them for approximately one week.
The students will be taking part in two final projects. Each will individually illustrate and write a page in an A to Z book all about Egg to Chick. The words chosen by the students should be relevant/important to the study. The second project will consist of a the class creating a digital story that details the changes the chick is going inside the egg and once it has hatched.
The essential questions for this unit are:
The students will be taking part in two final projects. Each will individually illustrate and write a page in an A to Z book all about Egg to Chick. The words chosen by the students should be relevant/important to the study. The second project will consist of a the class creating a digital story that details the changes the chick is going inside the egg and once it has hatched.
The essential questions for this unit are:
● How does an egg provide a suitable environment for a growing chick?
● What happens during the gestation period of an embryo?
● What conditions do eggs need to survive?
● What conditions do animals (chicks) need to survive?
Monday, October 10, 2011
2 Cool Tools!
Thanks to Jonathan Wylie from The Education Technology Blog I now have two new tools to put in my back pocket. I am eager to learn even more about them, but I can see the great potential they have for an educator.
My first new tool is not only for educators, but could be used by anybody who loves to bookmark websites, like me! Imagine that the Internet bookmarks you have on your computer are able to follow you wherever you are. How nice would it be to have access to them at home, as well as on your work computer? That's exactly what Xmarks does. It's a free browser plug-in that works with Firefox, Chrome, Safari, and Explorer. Besides having your bookmarks available on multiple computers, another benefit of Xmarks is that it saves your bookmarks, even in the event of a computer crash. This tool could be a big time saver, because, if you're like me, there's no more e-mailing the links to yourself so you can access them on another computer. The only negative I see is that logging in to the Xmarks account each time you need access to your bookmarks could become tedious. However, I think the benefits here greatly outweigh the drawbacks. Check out what Wylie had to say about Xmarks: http://educationtechnologyblog.com/2011/09/free-bookmark-sync-with-xmarks/
The second tool is a software program, which currently offers a free account, as well as purchase options. Present.me allows you to bring your PowerPoint presentations to life, as you record a video of yourself talking about each slide. In the end, your slideshow is displayed alongside your video. I am really intrigued by this program and become more interested as I watched videos of how it's being used in the educational setting. You have to check out the video of how a first grade class used present.me to narrate pictures they had drawn. One idea I had for using present.me is for when you're unable to be in the classroom and have a substitute teaching. I often find myself leaving such specific directions for the substitute about how to teach a certain lesson or concept that I wonder if it's just more worth it for me to come to school, despite illness etc. However, with present.me I'd be able to create a quick power point and accompanying video if there's something I find myself needing to teach the kids myself. Another use could be for those students who have difficulty giving oral presentations in front of the class. If they had access to present.me they'd be able to record themselves ahead of time, and thus, eliminate some of the pressures associated with presenting. Here is Wylie's blog post that introduced me to present. me: http://educationtechnologyblog.com/2011/09/present-me-presentation-software-for-educators/
If you have ever used these tools before, or give them a try, let me know. I'd love to hear feedback!
My first new tool is not only for educators, but could be used by anybody who loves to bookmark websites, like me! Imagine that the Internet bookmarks you have on your computer are able to follow you wherever you are. How nice would it be to have access to them at home, as well as on your work computer? That's exactly what Xmarks does. It's a free browser plug-in that works with Firefox, Chrome, Safari, and Explorer. Besides having your bookmarks available on multiple computers, another benefit of Xmarks is that it saves your bookmarks, even in the event of a computer crash. This tool could be a big time saver, because, if you're like me, there's no more e-mailing the links to yourself so you can access them on another computer. The only negative I see is that logging in to the Xmarks account each time you need access to your bookmarks could become tedious. However, I think the benefits here greatly outweigh the drawbacks. Check out what Wylie had to say about Xmarks: http://educationtechnologyblog.com/2011/09/free-bookmark-sync-with-xmarks/
The second tool is a software program, which currently offers a free account, as well as purchase options. Present.me allows you to bring your PowerPoint presentations to life, as you record a video of yourself talking about each slide. In the end, your slideshow is displayed alongside your video. I am really intrigued by this program and become more interested as I watched videos of how it's being used in the educational setting. You have to check out the video of how a first grade class used present.me to narrate pictures they had drawn. One idea I had for using present.me is for when you're unable to be in the classroom and have a substitute teaching. I often find myself leaving such specific directions for the substitute about how to teach a certain lesson or concept that I wonder if it's just more worth it for me to come to school, despite illness etc. However, with present.me I'd be able to create a quick power point and accompanying video if there's something I find myself needing to teach the kids myself. Another use could be for those students who have difficulty giving oral presentations in front of the class. If they had access to present.me they'd be able to record themselves ahead of time, and thus, eliminate some of the pressures associated with presenting. Here is Wylie's blog post that introduced me to present. me: http://educationtechnologyblog.com/2011/09/present-me-presentation-software-for-educators/
If you have ever used these tools before, or give them a try, let me know. I'd love to hear feedback!
Monday, October 3, 2011
SMARTBoard Sensation
As I share with colleagues and teacher-friends that I'm working towards my Masters in Educational Technology the first response is often, "Wow, what a useful degree to have under your belt," followed by the question, "So what do you think about SMARTBoards?" It seems as if there is now a natural association between technology in education and IBWs (Interactive Whiteboards). You can't mention technology in schools without thinking IBWs. So what is all the craze with them?
You'd think I could answer that question, but surprisingly and unfortunately, I'm ashamed to admit I don't have any experience with them. Sure, I've seen them used in videos before and read about them, but have I ever used one myself? Nope. So really, there's not much I can tell you about their "increase in student participation" or "added support for visual learners" or "ability to save what is written." I wish knew more about them and had the accessibility to one on a regular basis. I'd love to see a teacher in action using one.
Conversely, I have the district I previously taught in for six years which just installed SMARTBoards in every elementary classroom in the entire district. Were the teachers asked if they wanted them? Nope. Is everyone required to receive training in them? Nope. Will everyone use theirs? Nope. It's an unfortunate situation that all this money was spent on this technology, and some boards will sit there, untouched. Yes, it's sounds cool to say, "Every classroom in our school has SMARTBoards," but not if they aren't being utilized. I believe for technology to be implemented correctly, the first thing you need is to educate and train teachers. There needs to be support in place to ensure the boards are used to their maximum potential. Some of the teachers feel so intimidated by this new piece of equipment and aren't sure where to begin. We need to make this as least overwhelming as possible. While I'm proud of my former district for making attempts at integrating a new technology, I'm ashamed that they went about it in the manner they did.
Perhaps in the near future I'll be able to witness first-hand all that IBWs have to offer! Or better yet, willingly have one in my classroom that I'm prepared and trained to use.
You'd think I could answer that question, but surprisingly and unfortunately, I'm ashamed to admit I don't have any experience with them. Sure, I've seen them used in videos before and read about them, but have I ever used one myself? Nope. So really, there's not much I can tell you about their "increase in student participation" or "added support for visual learners" or "ability to save what is written." I wish knew more about them and had the accessibility to one on a regular basis. I'd love to see a teacher in action using one.
Conversely, I have the district I previously taught in for six years which just installed SMARTBoards in every elementary classroom in the entire district. Were the teachers asked if they wanted them? Nope. Is everyone required to receive training in them? Nope. Will everyone use theirs? Nope. It's an unfortunate situation that all this money was spent on this technology, and some boards will sit there, untouched. Yes, it's sounds cool to say, "Every classroom in our school has SMARTBoards," but not if they aren't being utilized. I believe for technology to be implemented correctly, the first thing you need is to educate and train teachers. There needs to be support in place to ensure the boards are used to their maximum potential. Some of the teachers feel so intimidated by this new piece of equipment and aren't sure where to begin. We need to make this as least overwhelming as possible. While I'm proud of my former district for making attempts at integrating a new technology, I'm ashamed that they went about it in the manner they did.
Perhaps in the near future I'll be able to witness first-hand all that IBWs have to offer! Or better yet, willingly have one in my classroom that I'm prepared and trained to use.
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