I began this blog 6 weeks ago as part of a course on Web 2.0. My first post invited you all to come along and adventure with me. And I have enjoyed your comments and company along the way. I hope you enjoyed reading about my discoveries and my reflections of my experiences. Perhaps you even learned something too. So to wrap up this segment of my Web 2.0 adventures, I thought I would share some final thoughts.
First, my mind is still on the verge of explosion due to the sheer volume of information I have digested in the past weeks. I cannot believe how little I knew and how much knowing could change my life. I know that sounds dramatic, but the new realms of possibilities that have been opened to me, deserve some drama. I feel a little like a proselytizer; I want to shout about the merits of the new tools I have found from the highest mountain.
Second, I still have so much to learn. I know I have barely scratched the surface of what is out there. and how it can be used. Not only are there social media tools that were introduced in the class that I have not yet investigated, but there are ones external to the course materials still to discover.
Third, I have begun to invest energy, thought, and time into building and refining my personal learning network (PLN). Before this course, I did not really know what a PLN was, let alone that I had one. It is definitely an exciting new endeavor.
As I this course comes to an end, I know my journey into the land of Web 2.0 has truly just begun. I will continue to use this blog as my travel diary, documenting new discoveries and reflections.
See you at the next checkpoint!
Friday, August 4, 2017
Revisiting Teens, Social Media, and Education
One thing that stands out from recent articles I have read and conversations with my niece is that there is a large percent of teenagers that do not want social media to intersect with school. In a recent study 39% of students were against the idea (Crook, 2012). It makes sense. While teens will post most anything to sites like Instagram and Snapchat. They can control what they produce and the audience who can access it. In an educational setting, students do not chose their classmates. Fear of looking stupid or being ridiculed for the content they contribute, were common reasons students shared for keeping social media out of the classroom (Crook, 2012). My niece just said she thought it would be weird because Instagram and Snapchat were personal. (She hesitated to give my her Snapchat when she was first teaching me how to use it.)
So, here are a few of my ideas (after a six-week adventure into Web 2.0) regarding secondary education and social media use. Allowing the learning objective to direct which tools to chose is most important (i.e., Don't use social media just because you think it is cool.). Also, choosing the right social media tools to introduce is the key to successful integration and student use of the tools. Use tools that are novel to students (e.g., Storify, Blogger) or whose purpose is more educational in nature (e.g., Kahoot!, Quizlet). Doing so may make the use of social media feel less like an invasion of privacy to students. One thing my adventure in Web 2.0 has taught me is that there are more tools out there than I could ever imagine, and so many I still need to explore. My definition of social media is no longer limited to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Also, consider group work as a possibility when the main focus of social media use is content creation. This allows for collective authorship, which may help students feel less vulnerable.
What do you think is most important for effective social media use in secondary education?
So, here are a few of my ideas (after a six-week adventure into Web 2.0) regarding secondary education and social media use. Allowing the learning objective to direct which tools to chose is most important (i.e., Don't use social media just because you think it is cool.). Also, choosing the right social media tools to introduce is the key to successful integration and student use of the tools. Use tools that are novel to students (e.g., Storify, Blogger) or whose purpose is more educational in nature (e.g., Kahoot!, Quizlet). Doing so may make the use of social media feel less like an invasion of privacy to students. One thing my adventure in Web 2.0 has taught me is that there are more tools out there than I could ever imagine, and so many I still need to explore. My definition of social media is no longer limited to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Also, consider group work as a possibility when the main focus of social media use is content creation. This allows for collective authorship, which may help students feel less vulnerable.
What do you think is most important for effective social media use in secondary education?
Crook, C. (2012). The 'digital native' in context:
Tensions associated with importing web 2.0 practices into school setting. Oxford
Review of Education, 38(1), 63-80. doi:10.1080/03054985.2011.577946
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
A follow up to my last post on balance - Whose job is it anyway?
I was driving down a two-lane side street (speed limit 35mph) when I saw a young woman walking down the road in my lane towards my car. Her head was bent down looking at her phone with earbuds in her ears. She looked so similar to the cartoon people in the video, I was immediately reminded of it. (Here is the video link from my previous post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdz4DvDG_gg.)
She was walking ON the road, not beside it. So, as I approached her I crossed the double yellow lines into the other lane to allow for plenty of room. Since there were no cars coming from the other directions, I was safe to do so. What surprised me is that she never looked up and never moved over. I am not sure if she even registered that I was there. I was in shock and a little horrified. Did she even recognize her dangerous situation?
As an educator, it confirmed my belief that emphasizing balance is an integral piece of teaching technology. It is important that we not only teach the tools, but we teach responsible use of the tools. And, I think this is even more true for secondary education, as it is during this time when social media use really expands.
Which gets me thinking, when I incorporate social media in my class, should I leave space for a discussion on norms, use, and responsibilities or do I stick to my content? If not me, then who? Whose job is it to teach these lessons? Is it solely on the parents? What do you think?
She was walking ON the road, not beside it. So, as I approached her I crossed the double yellow lines into the other lane to allow for plenty of room. Since there were no cars coming from the other directions, I was safe to do so. What surprised me is that she never looked up and never moved over. I am not sure if she even registered that I was there. I was in shock and a little horrified. Did she even recognize her dangerous situation?
As an educator, it confirmed my belief that emphasizing balance is an integral piece of teaching technology. It is important that we not only teach the tools, but we teach responsible use of the tools. And, I think this is even more true for secondary education, as it is during this time when social media use really expands.
Which gets me thinking, when I incorporate social media in my class, should I leave space for a discussion on norms, use, and responsibilities or do I stick to my content? If not me, then who? Whose job is it to teach these lessons? Is it solely on the parents? What do you think?
Monday, July 31, 2017
Balance and the Mobile Revolution
A video came across my Facebook feed today. After researching the source, it appears the animation I saw was part of a music video between the animator, Steve Cutts, and the musical artists, Moby & The Void Pacific Choir. The video is titled Are You Lost In The World Like Me?
Here is the link to the original music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VASywEuqFd8
Here is the link to the edited version I saw on Facebook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdz4DvDG_gg (It is instrumental and shorter than the original.)
I am not going to lie; the video is depressing. I do not ascribe to such a gloomy outlook or dooms day picture of life in the mobile revolution. But, I do think the video strikes an important note in the discussion on how the mobile revolution is changing our world. It is a great depiction of "absent presence" a term coined by social psychologist Kenneth Gergen and described as being physically in one place and socially in another (Rainie & Wellman, 2013). It is phenomenon we all have experienced on both sides. I know I am guilty of checking a text message during a face-to-face conversation. I also know how frustrating it is when someone does that too me. It is also a great depiction of what can happen with addiction (or lack of balance).
I encourage you to watch the video. I hope it will make you think about how you fit into the mobile revolution. It definitely made me think. It made me wonder, how much am I missing in the world around me because my head is turned down looking at my phone? The video reminded me of the most important lesson I have learned (and continue to learn every day) about life, the importance of balance.
I think that balance is an important aspect of social media use that needs to be taught. There is not a one-size-fits-all measure for how much to use mobile technology or engage in social media. Trying to quantify its use seems silly, as the web 2.0 environment is fairly limitless in its uses and forms. However, teaching about the importance of balance (i.e., not letting your life become like the people in the video), might be the answer.
So, how do you teach about balance? I don't know. Perhaps making lists of how time is spent (e.g., work, sleep, exercise, friends, family, etc...) and then filling in blocks of time on a daily calendar could help.
What do you think? Is balance important to teach (with this mobile revolution we are experiencing globally)? If so, how?
Reference:
Rainie, L. & Wellman, B. (2013). Networked: The new social operating system. Boston, MA: MIT Press.
Here is the link to the original music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VASywEuqFd8
Here is the link to the edited version I saw on Facebook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdz4DvDG_gg (It is instrumental and shorter than the original.)
I am not going to lie; the video is depressing. I do not ascribe to such a gloomy outlook or dooms day picture of life in the mobile revolution. But, I do think the video strikes an important note in the discussion on how the mobile revolution is changing our world. It is a great depiction of "absent presence" a term coined by social psychologist Kenneth Gergen and described as being physically in one place and socially in another (Rainie & Wellman, 2013). It is phenomenon we all have experienced on both sides. I know I am guilty of checking a text message during a face-to-face conversation. I also know how frustrating it is when someone does that too me. It is also a great depiction of what can happen with addiction (or lack of balance).
I encourage you to watch the video. I hope it will make you think about how you fit into the mobile revolution. It definitely made me think. It made me wonder, how much am I missing in the world around me because my head is turned down looking at my phone? The video reminded me of the most important lesson I have learned (and continue to learn every day) about life, the importance of balance.
I think that balance is an important aspect of social media use that needs to be taught. There is not a one-size-fits-all measure for how much to use mobile technology or engage in social media. Trying to quantify its use seems silly, as the web 2.0 environment is fairly limitless in its uses and forms. However, teaching about the importance of balance (i.e., not letting your life become like the people in the video), might be the answer.
So, how do you teach about balance? I don't know. Perhaps making lists of how time is spent (e.g., work, sleep, exercise, friends, family, etc...) and then filling in blocks of time on a daily calendar could help.
What do you think? Is balance important to teach (with this mobile revolution we are experiencing globally)? If so, how?
Reference:
Rainie, L. & Wellman, B. (2013). Networked: The new social operating system. Boston, MA: MIT Press.
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Education and Web 2.0 - Aha Moments and Reflections
When I started the Web 2.0 course this summer, I knew so little about the adventures that lay ahead as I discovered the vast world Web 2.0 encompasses. I have learned about so many new tools, platforms, possibilities... it kind of feels like my head might explode. But it's good; I am just experiencing growing pains. My eyes have been opened to a whole new world of possibilities and resources. And this week, I have had two major "Aha" moments in my Web 2.0 journey.
My first "Aha" moment, relates to the educational uses for Web 2.0 tools. To clarify, I was aware before this week that Web 2.0 tools could be used for education. (I have been studying this for five weeks.) However, in creating my produsage project and viewing many of my classmates projects, it became more real or clearly defined. I realize just how broad (perhaps unlimited) the possibilities for educational uses of Web 2.0 tools can be. Before this course my knowledge of the tools were limited to a small fraction of what exists. Now I feel like my instructional toolbox is overflowing. After this course, I will have to make some decisions about what is going to stay in the toolbox and what needs to move to the tool closet (where the tools I don't use that often live).
The second "Aha" moment can as I checked out OER Commons and MERLOT this week. I cannot believe that I was missing out on so many resources. How did I not know about this before now? I think I could spend days searching through the content within those two platforms. I also realized that I have been stingy with the resources I have created over the past decade as a classroom teacher. I am excited that I can contribute some of my own work to the collective whole and hopefully inspire other teachers with my ideas, as I have been inspired by theirs.
My first "Aha" moment, relates to the educational uses for Web 2.0 tools. To clarify, I was aware before this week that Web 2.0 tools could be used for education. (I have been studying this for five weeks.) However, in creating my produsage project and viewing many of my classmates projects, it became more real or clearly defined. I realize just how broad (perhaps unlimited) the possibilities for educational uses of Web 2.0 tools can be. Before this course my knowledge of the tools were limited to a small fraction of what exists. Now I feel like my instructional toolbox is overflowing. After this course, I will have to make some decisions about what is going to stay in the toolbox and what needs to move to the tool closet (where the tools I don't use that often live).
The second "Aha" moment can as I checked out OER Commons and MERLOT this week. I cannot believe that I was missing out on so many resources. How did I not know about this before now? I think I could spend days searching through the content within those two platforms. I also realized that I have been stingy with the resources I have created over the past decade as a classroom teacher. I am excited that I can contribute some of my own work to the collective whole and hopefully inspire other teachers with my ideas, as I have been inspired by theirs.
I love my produsage project!
I am not trying to brag, but I am really proud of the project that I created. The reason that I am so excited is that I think it could really be useful for classroom teachers. I first introduced my project idea in a blog post one week ago. Since then, I have seen the project through to completion.
My original idea is essentially what I created. The lesson plan is titled, Pre-Requisite Review with Storify and Kahoot!, and is a multi-day group project. Students use Storify to create a review and Kahoot! to create a quiz for a given pre-requisite topic. It is a three-day lesson plan with three distinct yet connected activities. On the first day, the project is introduced to the students and they create their Storify review. The second day, students finalize their reviews on Storify and create their quizzes on Kahoot!. The final day, students play through each of the Kahoot! quizzes created by the class. The lesson plan is written generically so that it can be modified for use in any subject area.
The plan includes four additional resources: Project Introduction (PowerPoint presentation), Student Facilitation Guide (Word document), Project Rubric (Word document), and Project Reflection (Word document). All of these documents are located in a folder on Edmodo in my Produsage group. I also created a sample project to demonstrate what students will create. Both the Storify review and the Kahoot! quiz are posted as links in the Edmodo group. (You request to the join group at https://edmo.do/j/rijtmz.)
If you are not interested in seeing all of the documents but would like to see work samples you can click the links below.
Storify Review: https://storify.com/Ginny7s/proportions-review
Kahoot! Quiz: https://play.kahoot.it/#/k/91a21acf-a7f0-41f8-a74d-5efd8b9f4dad
Let me know what you think.
My original idea is essentially what I created. The lesson plan is titled, Pre-Requisite Review with Storify and Kahoot!, and is a multi-day group project. Students use Storify to create a review and Kahoot! to create a quiz for a given pre-requisite topic. It is a three-day lesson plan with three distinct yet connected activities. On the first day, the project is introduced to the students and they create their Storify review. The second day, students finalize their reviews on Storify and create their quizzes on Kahoot!. The final day, students play through each of the Kahoot! quizzes created by the class. The lesson plan is written generically so that it can be modified for use in any subject area.
The plan includes four additional resources: Project Introduction (PowerPoint presentation), Student Facilitation Guide (Word document), Project Rubric (Word document), and Project Reflection (Word document). All of these documents are located in a folder on Edmodo in my Produsage group. I also created a sample project to demonstrate what students will create. Both the Storify review and the Kahoot! quiz are posted as links in the Edmodo group. (You request to the join group at https://edmo.do/j/rijtmz.)
If you are not interested in seeing all of the documents but would like to see work samples you can click the links below.
Storify Review: https://storify.com/Ginny7s/proportions-review
Kahoot! Quiz: https://play.kahoot.it/#/k/91a21acf-a7f0-41f8-a74d-5efd8b9f4dad
Let me know what you think.
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