Many of you are familiar with YouTube as the place where students go to check out funny videos, comedy skits, or clips of their favorite bands, but it is rapidly growing into a valuable educational tool as well. Students can find videos to supplement their understanding of concepts being taught in your classes - even math. The thing is, they can watch at their own pace and easily rewind to re-watch until the concept is clear. If one video doesn't help, they can try another.
Not only is it good for the students, but we as teachers can benefit also. When I was needing to learn some information about blogging, there it was on YouTube. I was recently looking for a way to explain a concept in programming class, so I thought why not try YouTube. Sure enough, I found an explanation by a high school teacher in Hawaii (I think it was) that was simple and elegant. With a few changes to comply with the lesson that I was teaching it work great.
So if you or your students need additional help with some concept or idea, try YouTube.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Gizmos Are Coming!
That's right, Gizmos are coming. What is Gizmos? Gizmos is an interactive system, aligned to math and science standards. It will allow the teachers to select the standards that students need the most help with and then create a Gizmo designed to provide them with a visual explanation. This will aid the student in acquiring the skills and practice they need to meet the standard and also help them prepare for FCAT testing.
All of the math and science teachers will soon be given the necessary training through a fun, interactive workshop. It is really rather fun and interesting. Get your students' interest and curiosity up by putting up signs or notices that the Gizmos are coming!!
All of the math and science teachers will soon be given the necessary training through a fun, interactive workshop. It is really rather fun and interesting. Get your students' interest and curiosity up by putting up signs or notices that the Gizmos are coming!!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Microsoft Unveils Career Resources for Students
Microsoft has done it again. They just recently unveiled a new free online course called CareerForward that is aimed at getting students thinking what they want to do with their lives, what career they want to pursue, and what skills they will need to suceed in that career.
The site is set up to help middle- and high-school students learn about the 21st-century jobs that may be awaiting them when they are ready to graduate. It also teaches them how to take charge of their own education.
CareerForward is organized into four modules that asks students to think about their own interests, abilities, and values, and then to explore job titles, social networks, and assess their ability to manage money.
"Students and the career choices they make are critical to the talent pipeline and future business prosperity in the U. S.," said Anthony Salcito, general manager of U. S. public-sector education at Microsoft. "CareerForward encourages the development of a skilled workforce, as it helps young citizens explore global opportunities and recognize the importance in jobs of the future."
What a wonderful opportunity for our students to get a head start on their career and college exploration. With our new focus as a College Preparatory Middle School, this is a very timely resource to be explored and utilized.
Visit the site at http://nroc.careerforward.org/careerforward/
The site is set up to help middle- and high-school students learn about the 21st-century jobs that may be awaiting them when they are ready to graduate. It also teaches them how to take charge of their own education.
CareerForward is organized into four modules that asks students to think about their own interests, abilities, and values, and then to explore job titles, social networks, and assess their ability to manage money.
"Students and the career choices they make are critical to the talent pipeline and future business prosperity in the U. S.," said Anthony Salcito, general manager of U. S. public-sector education at Microsoft. "CareerForward encourages the development of a skilled workforce, as it helps young citizens explore global opportunities and recognize the importance in jobs of the future."
What a wonderful opportunity for our students to get a head start on their career and college exploration. With our new focus as a College Preparatory Middle School, this is a very timely resource to be explored and utilized.
Visit the site at http://nroc.careerforward.org/careerforward/
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
21st Century Skills Map for English
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has forged an alliance with many of the national academic core subject area organizations. As a result of these collaborations, it has developed a map to illustrate the intersection between the 21st Century Skills and English. The maps are designed to help you gain concrete examples of how 21st Century Skills can be integrated into core subjects.
If you want to find out more about this let me know.
If you want to find out more about this let me know.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
21st Century Skills for Teachers
Okay, I have recently been writing about the need for our students to meet the technology standards for the NCLB requirements, but did you know that there are also a set of standards for teachers? Yep, there are. We are supposed to be able to meet certain standards in order to ensure that students can meet theirs.
In future blogs I will be going over some of these and we will also be discussing these during Professional Learning Community meetings and Professional Development. I know, I know - one more thing to worry about. But really, its not that difficult. If I can do it - an ancient dinosaur - anyone can. Plus, we have so many young faculty members now who are perhaps very technologically savy but just haven't had the chance or the inspiration of how to use this knowledge to benefit their students in the classroom. Plus they can offer their experience to help many of us more mature faculty members.
We have come so far with available technology. I remember when the faculty at JWJ complained because they did not even have one computer in the classroom. Now some of you want more than the three that you have or get frustrated because they don't work right, the printer doesn't work, etc. It is part of my vision to include general trouble shooting (which many of you already do, but don't have the rights to finish) and to see about extending the teacher rights to include more responsibility in this area (let you do more things on the computer with your login rights). I get just as frustrated as you do, because many of the things I used to be able to do, I can no longer do, because of restrictions of the network. Also, since I am only one person and I teach a full load of classes this year, it is hard to get to each of you when needed. But we will work together to figure things out. Don't give up.
Also, don't be afraid to ask your students for help. They are a great resource. Next year, if things work out, I hope to develop a Student Technology Cadre (STC) that will be trained to offer assistance. I am also trying to figure out a way to have the computer lab available for student use after school at least once or twice a week for research and special work - NOT TO PLAY COMPUTER GAMES.
As a faculty, student body, parent group, staff, and administrative team we need to embrace all areas of technology and use them for our own benefit as well as for improving educational opportunities in the classroom. We need to capitalize on the things that the students are already using and show them how it can be used in other useful ways. This, is all part of relating our instruction to the real world, isn't it?
In future blogs I will be going over some of these and we will also be discussing these during Professional Learning Community meetings and Professional Development. I know, I know - one more thing to worry about. But really, its not that difficult. If I can do it - an ancient dinosaur - anyone can. Plus, we have so many young faculty members now who are perhaps very technologically savy but just haven't had the chance or the inspiration of how to use this knowledge to benefit their students in the classroom. Plus they can offer their experience to help many of us more mature faculty members.
We have come so far with available technology. I remember when the faculty at JWJ complained because they did not even have one computer in the classroom. Now some of you want more than the three that you have or get frustrated because they don't work right, the printer doesn't work, etc. It is part of my vision to include general trouble shooting (which many of you already do, but don't have the rights to finish) and to see about extending the teacher rights to include more responsibility in this area (let you do more things on the computer with your login rights). I get just as frustrated as you do, because many of the things I used to be able to do, I can no longer do, because of restrictions of the network. Also, since I am only one person and I teach a full load of classes this year, it is hard to get to each of you when needed. But we will work together to figure things out. Don't give up.
Also, don't be afraid to ask your students for help. They are a great resource. Next year, if things work out, I hope to develop a Student Technology Cadre (STC) that will be trained to offer assistance. I am also trying to figure out a way to have the computer lab available for student use after school at least once or twice a week for research and special work - NOT TO PLAY COMPUTER GAMES.
As a faculty, student body, parent group, staff, and administrative team we need to embrace all areas of technology and use them for our own benefit as well as for improving educational opportunities in the classroom. We need to capitalize on the things that the students are already using and show them how it can be used in other useful ways. This, is all part of relating our instruction to the real world, isn't it?
Friday, December 5, 2008
Measuring 21st-Century Skills
The following information was obtained from eSchool News. I thought it was really worth pointing out that technology literacy is still very much in the works and coming down the pipeline for testing purposes.
Our country's global economic success in the future depends on K-20 graduates honing their "21st Century Skills." Today's tech-savvy generation has no shortage of user-friendly devices...and they know how to use them. But are they putting these tech skills to good use? You've heard of the 3Rs, but what about the 5Cs such as critical thinking, creative problem solving, communications, collaboration and cross-cultural relationship building?
Beginning in 2012, "tech literacy" will be added to our Nation's Report Card. This means student proficiency in the application of technology will be measured for the first time. It isn't just layering technology over traditional core competencies, though. It's about totally integrating the two for success in an increasingly competitive world.
In preparation for the coming technology assessment, educational leaders are seeing heightened pressure to provide hard data on how well their students are progressing, how effective their teachers are, and how technology instruction is helping students solve real-world problems.
To help you prepare, eSchool News has compiled an extensive resource library that addresses all these issues and provides first-hand experience from educators who have successfully met the challenges. We invite you to access this free Educator Resource Center right now to find out how your students and teachers can pass the test on "21st Century Skills."
-- The eSchool News Editors
Our country's global economic success in the future depends on K-20 graduates honing their "21st Century Skills." Today's tech-savvy generation has no shortage of user-friendly devices...and they know how to use them. But are they putting these tech skills to good use? You've heard of the 3Rs, but what about the 5Cs such as critical thinking, creative problem solving, communications, collaboration and cross-cultural relationship building?
Beginning in 2012, "tech literacy" will be added to our Nation's Report Card. This means student proficiency in the application of technology will be measured for the first time. It isn't just layering technology over traditional core competencies, though. It's about totally integrating the two for success in an increasingly competitive world.
In preparation for the coming technology assessment, educational leaders are seeing heightened pressure to provide hard data on how well their students are progressing, how effective their teachers are, and how technology instruction is helping students solve real-world problems.
To help you prepare, eSchool News has compiled an extensive resource library that addresses all these issues and provides first-hand experience from educators who have successfully met the challenges. We invite you to access this free Educator Resource Center right now to find out how your students and teachers can pass the test on "21st Century Skills."
-- The eSchool News Editors
Great New Web Sites
Go Wild with Videos in the Classroom - National Geographic lets the kids learn about wild life and create videos using drag-and-drop technology all at the same time and its fun for adults too.
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/filmmaker.html
Enroll your
students in Vocabulary University. This site has some great activities and lesson plans on words, vocabulary, supplementary SAT/ACT study and review, word lists for books, etc.
http://www.vocabulary.com/
Smithsonian History Explorer - Great Site!!
http://historyexplorer.americanhistory.si.edu/ or http://thinkfinity.org/
This is a super site to help you with your own technology needs. The CustomGuide Software Training has released nearly 100 Software Quick References for free public use. These contain commands and shortcuts for such programs as Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word and even includes the newer Office 2007 versions.
www.customguide.com/quick_references.htm
Please take some time and look these over. They are really great resources. Share them with your students.
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/filmmaker.html
Enroll your
students in Vocabulary University. This site has some great activities and lesson plans on words, vocabulary, supplementary SAT/ACT study and review, word lists for books, etc.
http://www.vocabulary.com/
Smithsonian History Explorer - Great Site!!
http://historyexplorer.americanhistory.si.edu/ or http://thinkfinity.org/
This is a super site to help you with your own technology needs. The CustomGuide Software Training has released nearly 100 Software Quick References for free public use. These contain commands and shortcuts for such programs as Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word and even includes the newer Office 2007 versions.
www.customguide.com/quick_references.htm
Please take some time and look these over. They are really great resources. Share them with your students.
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