In this TED Talk, Sir Kenneth Robinson speaks about creativity, education, and the future. Listen to what he has to say. Although he notes creativity in education is at all-time need, he questions if we are addressing this need.
Do you agree that education is killing creativity? How can education better inspire and nurture creativity?
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Why Use SlideShare
I first began using SlideShare as a way to store PowerPoint presentations so I did not have to worry about where they were when I needed to do a presentation. That is, I did not have to store them on a portable drive (e.g., flash drive), carry around a laptop, or save them to a network drive. Instead, I could simply upload my presentations to SlideShare and access them from anywhere.
However, in the last few years, I have also discovered the beauty of using SlideShare as a social networking site. As the name implies, SlideShare is a place to share. Many users upload their presentations and grant rights to others to use these presentations. This feature can be a real time saver. When a user finds a presentation on SlideShare that he or she wants to use, the user simply needs to save it to "favorites" and can easily access it when the need arises. Using tags when saving to "favorites" can help when searching through the "favorites" to find a specific presentation. Type in a search word to find the presentation. On the other hand, if you don't have many presentations stored n as "favorites," just scroll through them looking at the titles and thumbnails.
This morning, I came across a link on Twitter for a SlideShare on Personal Learning Networks (PLN), a topic I am covering in the course Integrating Technology and Literacies in an attempt to build a spirit of educators as lifelong learners who can increase their PLN by accessing resources online. I decided to take a look at the presentation. I discovered the creator archived the presentation under Creative Commons Attribute for use as long as the creator is identified. Here, I embed the slide show for a variety of reasons. One is to demonstrate the ease with which a SlideShow can be embedded in a blog. Another is for viewers to review the very content in the presentations: ways in which one's PLN can be increased by using online social media. Another and third reason is to persuade viewers to make use of SlideShare if they are not already.
However, in the last few years, I have also discovered the beauty of using SlideShare as a social networking site. As the name implies, SlideShare is a place to share. Many users upload their presentations and grant rights to others to use these presentations. This feature can be a real time saver. When a user finds a presentation on SlideShare that he or she wants to use, the user simply needs to save it to "favorites" and can easily access it when the need arises. Using tags when saving to "favorites" can help when searching through the "favorites" to find a specific presentation. Type in a search word to find the presentation. On the other hand, if you don't have many presentations stored n as "favorites," just scroll through them looking at the titles and thumbnails.
This morning, I came across a link on Twitter for a SlideShare on Personal Learning Networks (PLN), a topic I am covering in the course Integrating Technology and Literacies in an attempt to build a spirit of educators as lifelong learners who can increase their PLN by accessing resources online. I decided to take a look at the presentation. I discovered the creator archived the presentation under Creative Commons Attribute for use as long as the creator is identified. Here, I embed the slide show for a variety of reasons. One is to demonstrate the ease with which a SlideShow can be embedded in a blog. Another is for viewers to review the very content in the presentations: ways in which one's PLN can be increased by using online social media. Another and third reason is to persuade viewers to make use of SlideShare if they are not already.
Creating a Personal Learning Network
Presentation from from Corinne Weisgerber and Shannan Butler
Do you have a SlideShare account? Have you used the service? If you make PowerPoint presentations and lose track of where they are saved or don't want to be bothered storing them on a portable device, which can easily get lost or damaged, consider the convenience of SlideShare. Moreover, presentations saved on the site can be viewed from the site or downloaded to a specific computer to show on that computer during a presentation.
Once you become a regular user of SlideShare, you will not only find links that others share to presentations that you can access, but you will find presentations by browsing the site itself. If you like one presentation a person put up on SlideShare, you might find another one you like from this person by just browsing through the thumbnails of that person's presentations. You can also do a search with terms to find presentations. For instance, recently, I was looking to spice up an educational research course I am teaching. Although I could find a few excellent YouTubes, this site is blocked in the school where the course will be taught. Searching through SlideShare, I found some excellent alternatives.
Of course, finding relevant presentations on SlideShare not only is a timesaver because we don't have to create our own PowerPoints, but also it allow us to let another voice speak in our classrooms or for other audiences. Whereas our own PowerPoints can have a distinct look and feel, using someone's else can add variety.
Take some time to look through SlideShare perhaps on a topic you will be teaching soon. See what you find and check the creator's options for sharing. If you already use SlideShare, let us know what you think? Can you see how the site can open new possibilities and also contribute to your PLN? Would you consider putting your PowerPoint presentations on SlideShare?
Another similar site to check is AuthorStream, but if you need to begin somewhere, start with SlideShare, where you will find a host of ready-to-use presentations, such as the one I embedded above and other ones embedded in this blog. SlideShare can also help you with brainstorming for new presentations you want to create. By viewing others' work, you will get ideas.
Post your comments. What do you see as your potential use for SlideShare? After exploring for awhile, find a SlideShare to embed on in one of your own blog posts or to share with your students or others. Remember to give credit where credit is due and to check the sharing rights to use the presentation.
Do you have a SlideShare account? Have you used the service? If you make PowerPoint presentations and lose track of where they are saved or don't want to be bothered storing them on a portable device, which can easily get lost or damaged, consider the convenience of SlideShare. Moreover, presentations saved on the site can be viewed from the site or downloaded to a specific computer to show on that computer during a presentation.
Once you become a regular user of SlideShare, you will not only find links that others share to presentations that you can access, but you will find presentations by browsing the site itself. If you like one presentation a person put up on SlideShare, you might find another one you like from this person by just browsing through the thumbnails of that person's presentations. You can also do a search with terms to find presentations. For instance, recently, I was looking to spice up an educational research course I am teaching. Although I could find a few excellent YouTubes, this site is blocked in the school where the course will be taught. Searching through SlideShare, I found some excellent alternatives.
Of course, finding relevant presentations on SlideShare not only is a timesaver because we don't have to create our own PowerPoints, but also it allow us to let another voice speak in our classrooms or for other audiences. Whereas our own PowerPoints can have a distinct look and feel, using someone's else can add variety.
Take some time to look through SlideShare perhaps on a topic you will be teaching soon. See what you find and check the creator's options for sharing. If you already use SlideShare, let us know what you think? Can you see how the site can open new possibilities and also contribute to your PLN? Would you consider putting your PowerPoint presentations on SlideShare?
Another similar site to check is AuthorStream, but if you need to begin somewhere, start with SlideShare, where you will find a host of ready-to-use presentations, such as the one I embedded above and other ones embedded in this blog. SlideShare can also help you with brainstorming for new presentations you want to create. By viewing others' work, you will get ideas.
Post your comments. What do you see as your potential use for SlideShare? After exploring for awhile, find a SlideShare to embed on in one of your own blog posts or to share with your students or others. Remember to give credit where credit is due and to check the sharing rights to use the presentation.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Best of the Web
Richard Byrne, the author of the Free Technology for Teachers blog, created this Google doc presentation for a conference. Skim through the slides to discover new resources.
What new sites or tools did you discover that you want to explore? Have you used any of the sites mentioned in the presentation? If you are not already following Byrne's blog in your Google Reader, you should consider doing so.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Not to Be Missed: What Makes VoiceThread Unique
VoiceThread has features that other online digital story sites are missing. It is a highly collaborate site that invites viewers to post text or audio comments alongside of images that the presenter has entered. In fact, the site can easily be used to enter images created by any and all students in a class or group. In that way, the site encourages collaborative authorship. However, the authorship extends further once the images are uploaded as any guest to a site with permission can edit the presentation and add text or auditory comments. Many have noted the best feature of VoiceThread is the ease of adding auditory comments, creating a soundtrack in effect.
What is a VoiceThread? Check this introduction video.
Looking for samples of ways VoiceThread has been used in a variety of classrooms, K-12? This wiki, VoiceThread4Education is an excellent source. Samples are sorted by grade level.
VoiceThread is an excellent tool to promote the 4 C’s: Communication, Commenting, Creativity, and Collaboration. I am including a link to access from a wiki a Slide Show (use arrow keys to advance through the show) that outlines these four features and also includes links to specific VoiceThreads that illustrate each concept.
Once you access the wiki, VoiceThread4Education, note the side links to access VoiceThreads by grade level and to meet other needs.
Here is a list and links to some of the model VoiceThreads you will find on the wiki. In addition, the links will take you to the teacher tips about the VoiceThread, and once there, you can scroll down the page, where you will find links to specific VoiceThreads. Once you open a VoiceThread, go through each screen, clicking on the audio and comment buttons, and then use the arrow key to continue to the next frame in the presentation. Be sure to have speakers on!
The listed VoiceThreads below are categorized by the feature they exemplify: commenting, collaboration, commenting, or creativity, though all VoiceThreads are likely to integrate all four features in some way. Check the wiki, VoiceThread4Education, often for additions, and if you create with your students a model VoiceThread, be sure to add it to the wiki.
Once you access the wiki, VoiceThread4Education, note the side links to access VoiceThreads by grade level and to meet other needs.
Here is a list and links to some of the model VoiceThreads you will find on the wiki. In addition, the links will take you to the teacher tips about the VoiceThread, and once there, you can scroll down the page, where you will find links to specific VoiceThreads. Once you open a VoiceThread, go through each screen, clicking on the audio and comment buttons, and then use the arrow key to continue to the next frame in the presentation. Be sure to have speakers on!
The listed VoiceThreads below are categorized by the feature they exemplify: commenting, collaboration, commenting, or creativity, though all VoiceThreads are likely to integrate all four features in some way. Check the wiki, VoiceThread4Education, often for additions, and if you create with your students a model VoiceThread, be sure to add it to the wiki.
Commenting
- My Fellow Americans - http://voicethread.com/share/300897/
- Many Voices of Darfur - http://voicethread.com/share/85497/
Communication
- 1st Grade talking about books - http://voicethread.com/about/library/1st_grade__Reading_Analysis_from_Leanne_Windsor/
- 8th Grade debate - http://voicethread.com/share/774475/
- 10th Grade Career report - http://voicethread.com/share/70584/
Creativity
- 2nd Grade - I Spy (photos) http://voicethread.com/about/library/2nd_graders_play_ISpy/
- Year 7 Water Cycle (artwork) http://voicethread.com/share/118753/
- 6th Grade Math (video) http://voicethread.com/about/library/6th_Grade_math_from_Jackie_Ionno/
Collaboration
- 4th & 5th Grade progressive stories http://writeyourstory.wikispaces.com/story++40
- 4th Grade Letters from the Internment Camps http://voicethread.com/about/library/4th_Grade__Letters_from_the_Internment_Camps/
Other Examples shared
- VoiceThread for Online Teaching and Learning http://voicethread.com/share/908650/
- 5 yr old collecting 100 comments for 100th day celebration http://voicethread.com/share/321990/
- 3rd Grade – Strategies to help with bullying http://voicethread.com/share/1814765/
- 5th grade Flip book animations - http://voicethread.com/share/253737/
- Professional Development: Reflecting on NETS for Teachers http://voicethread.com/share/330098/
- Booktalks from Ms. Skalkottas's Class - http://www.mchslibrary.org/booktalks-from-ms-ss-class.html
Thank you to Colette Cassinelli for sharing this excellent information at the June 2011 International Society for Technology Education (ISTE) Conference.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
What's Your Lollipop Moment?
Check this TED Talk,"Leading with Lolliopops," by Drew Dudley.
What's your lollipop moment? How does this TED Talk talk to you? What does it mean to you? What does it say about being a leader? What about being a teacher?
What's your lollipop moment? How does this TED Talk talk to you? What does it mean to you? What does it say about being a leader? What about being a teacher?
Friday, February 24, 2012
Web Writing Tools for Fun and Exploration
In this Alive in Five video, "Web Writing for Fun," we learn of three web writing tools: Fodey, Figment, and MixBook. These tools vary in their functionality. Listen and watch the video, and if you check any of the sites, let us know what you think.
Alive in Five has numerous videos explaining how and why to use specific Web 2.0 tools. For instance, here are links to some:
Animoto
Wallwisher
PollEverywhere
Toodoo
Once you are on YouTube looking at any of the Alive in Five video, you'll find more videos in the series. Breeze around, and let us know which of the videos you recommend.
Alive in Five has numerous videos explaining how and why to use specific Web 2.0 tools. For instance, here are links to some:
Animoto
Wallwisher
PollEverywhere
Toodoo
Once you are on YouTube looking at any of the Alive in Five video, you'll find more videos in the series. Breeze around, and let us know which of the videos you recommend.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Skyping with Alan November
Tracy Mercier tweeted out our Skype with Alan November. Later, she collected her tweets using Storify. I am embedding the Storify here to recap some of the points from the Skype. Feel free to comment.
Digital Stories Live On
Here are three more digital stories to get you thinking of ideas and how you might use digital storytelling in the classroom. All were created with PhotoStory 3.
The first was created by a 7-grade student for a social studies project. Each student in the class picked the name of an American Revolutionary War character from a hat. The student then needed to create a digital story about that person using PowerPoint, PhotoStory, or Movie Maker. The student selected PhotoStory.
The second video was created by an elementary school teacher to tell students about the life of Helen Keller based on a book they were reading about her.
The third video was created to be used with middle school students to give them an eyewitness account of the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. After viewing the stories, feel free to leave comments.
Do these videos give you ideas of how to integrate digital storytelling into your teaching? If so, what new ideas do you have?.
The first was created by a 7-grade student for a social studies project. Each student in the class picked the name of an American Revolutionary War character from a hat. The student then needed to create a digital story about that person using PowerPoint, PhotoStory, or Movie Maker. The student selected PhotoStory.
The second video was created by an elementary school teacher to tell students about the life of Helen Keller based on a book they were reading about her.
The third video was created to be used with middle school students to give them an eyewitness account of the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. After viewing the stories, feel free to leave comments.
Do these videos give you ideas of how to integrate digital storytelling into your teaching? If so, what new ideas do you have?.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Need Examples to Pump Your Juices for Your Digital Story
Here's some help. I am posting for your convenience some digital stories completed by former EDUC 584 students. Please leave comments, and let us know what you think of the videos and if any give you ideas for your own digital story.
Here is one on using podcasting in the classroom:
Here is another one based on poetry. Here is what the students said about it: "Our group put together a digital narrative of the poem "Nappy-Headed" by Latasha A. Willis. The musical accompaniment is the song "I Am Not My Hair" by India Arie."
These examples were saved in Google as .wmv files. Use the links to access them.
A Teacher's Story You will really like this. It is all about the struggles and joys of teaching.
Shapes focuses on teaching young children about shapes, a geometry lesson for elementary school students. It is interactive and engaging, and asks students to think about shapes that surround them in their everyday world.
Tigers is a photo story about tigers and their life habits, which works well for a science lesson in a study of animals for the elementary school classroom.
Life Cycle of the Painted Butterfly This one, like the one above, works well for a science lesson on animals for the elementary school classroom.
States of Matter is a common unit of study in 3rd and 4th grade classes. Check this video if you do a unit of study on three states of matter or are looking for examples of digital stories for the science area.
13 Colonies is a social studies lesson for the upper-elementary classroom for a unit of study on the early colonies.
A Special Place, can be used in almost any grade level. It shows photographs of places that are special to the storytelling. You can then ask students to write a script for a similar story. Starting this project with the photos will help students to write their scripts.
Holocaust Memories, is for higher-level social studies class; as expected, this one is a serious review of an important event in world history. The photo story would also work well in a unit of study of Elie Wiesel's book, Night.
What ideas about using digital storytelling across the curriculum did you get from viewing these stories?
Here is one on using podcasting in the classroom:
Here is another one based on poetry. Here is what the students said about it: "Our group put together a digital narrative of the poem "Nappy-Headed" by Latasha A. Willis. The musical accompaniment is the song "I Am Not My Hair" by India Arie."
These examples were saved in Google as .wmv files. Use the links to access them.
A Teacher's Story You will really like this. It is all about the struggles and joys of teaching.
Shapes focuses on teaching young children about shapes, a geometry lesson for elementary school students. It is interactive and engaging, and asks students to think about shapes that surround them in their everyday world.
Tigers is a photo story about tigers and their life habits, which works well for a science lesson in a study of animals for the elementary school classroom.
Life Cycle of the Painted Butterfly This one, like the one above, works well for a science lesson on animals for the elementary school classroom.
States of Matter is a common unit of study in 3rd and 4th grade classes. Check this video if you do a unit of study on three states of matter or are looking for examples of digital stories for the science area.
13 Colonies is a social studies lesson for the upper-elementary classroom for a unit of study on the early colonies.
A Special Place, can be used in almost any grade level. It shows photographs of places that are special to the storytelling. You can then ask students to write a script for a similar story. Starting this project with the photos will help students to write their scripts.
Holocaust Memories, is for higher-level social studies class; as expected, this one is a serious review of an important event in world history. The photo story would also work well in a unit of study of Elie Wiesel's book, Night.
What ideas about using digital storytelling across the curriculum did you get from viewing these stories?
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Stuck in a Boarding School, but Liberated by Online Edcuation
Stuck in a Boarding School is a powerful blog post written by a high school senior enrolled in an online Advanced Placement US Government History course.
Read this powerful blog post, Stuck in a Boarding School, and the comments following it. Once you get to the student's blog post, you will also learn that the post is on a communal blog for students enrolled in the Online Girls School AP US Government & Politics course. Each day another student in the class posts on the blog.
Feel free to read some of the posts to find out what students are learning in the history course and what their online learning has meant to them.
There's also an About link to learn more about the school, the course, and the blog.
Later in March, we will Skype with the teacher, Mike Gwaltney, who also teaches in a regular brick-and-mortar high school in Portland, Oregon.
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| Image from Stuck in Boarding School post |
Feel free to read some of the posts to find out what students are learning in the history course and what their online learning has meant to them.
There's also an About link to learn more about the school, the course, and the blog.
Later in March, we will Skype with the teacher, Mike Gwaltney, who also teaches in a regular brick-and-mortar high school in Portland, Oregon.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Easy Tutorial to Follow to Help You Get Going with Twitter
This tutorial, created by Shannon Smith, a vice principal explains in clear, simple terms and with excellent visuals how to set up a Twitter account and the very basics of using the account. I highly recommend watching the video to get you going with Twitter. Even if you are already using Twitter, but still looking for some basic tips, this tutorial will be of value. It is one the most basic and simple ones I have found. I hope it helps. Let me know by leaving a comment.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Master Card, Priceless: Create Your Own Commercial
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| Jewelry by Alex Koloskov.akelstudio.com/blog |
I've gathered some examples from students at the University of Alberta who are required to complete a MasterCard Priceless digital story as a course assignment.
Writes one student, Melissa Comte:
For my ECMP 355 class we had to create a Mastercard Priceless video and I really enjoyed making mine. I used Windows MovieMaker and it was actually quite simple to put it all together. The other day I was going through pictures on my computer from my trip to Europe in the summer of 2010. As I was going through the album, I thought those pictures would make a grate priceless video. Even though we had to pay a chunk of money to go, the memories are truly priceless. It was a trip of a lifetime. Check out my video. Hope you enjoy!
The volume on Melissa's is low, but you should be able to get the idea from the images in the video of her time abroad.
http://youtu.be/JaGLn1lse8k
Here are a couple others to get your juices going. The volume in these should be fine.
In this one, the student tells a personal story of meeting a family member.
Here's one that took another approach, using Harry Potter to create a spoof:
Here's one final one, which you'll appreciate if you have young children, and even if you don't, you'll find the video straightforward, cute, and entertaining.
Have these students' videos given your ideas for creating your own digital story? What did you think of this class project of creating MasterCard Priceless videos?
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