A podcast about using technology in the classroom

This podcast (you can access it by clicking on the title of this post or using the link below) provides my reflections on how to best use podcasts and other technologies to enhance instruction in the secondary classroom. In this podcast I review an article "Tools for the tecks: integrating technology in the classroom" and provide 10 reasons why technology can enhance instruction. This podcast was made into an mp3 through youtube.com and can be accessed by clicking on the title above

Using Podcasts in the Classroom

I listened to several podcasts that dealt with the Quadratics unit that my students just finished. First, I watched a video designed to conceptually describe the parts of a quadratic function. Using graphics, they visually display what happens when you manipulate different portions of the equation and provide the narrative regarding the importance of understanding the parts of the equation in order to understand the nature and behavior of these functions.

I also listened to several different podcasts providing students with rhymes and songs for remembering the quadratic formula. These include:

http://www.amigofish.com/catcher/item/show/948483_podcast_episode_quadratic-formula

http://podcast.com/episode/20009551/12418/

Besides providing students with cute songs and rhymes for remembering this tricky formula, I see this as a very valuable tool for students who have been absent or need reinforcement about these concepts. Every teacher in my school has a class website, so posting some of these videos and audio podcasts on the website could provide support for both my students and their parents. I could upload podcasts about our upcoming unit to foreshadow what my students will be learning and also post them as review activities for the end of the year.

Teaching Quadratics Using Videos

My Algebra II/Trig class recently began their next unit on Quadratics. This is often a very difficult topic for students because their is a procedural component (using the quadratic formula), a conceptual component (What is a quadratic and how does it work?) and a skill based component. Due to this complexity, using videos such as the ones I have posted on my blog will be very helpful. The "how to" video from videojug is great for those students looking to review and/or add to the understandings we have been developing in class. My students will think the quadratic formula raps and songs are great and my goal is that they will be better able to remember it. I really like how these videos give my kids another outlet to think about the information we are considering in class that is fun and has a technology component.

My Delicious Account

This is my delicious tag cloud. Please feel free to checkout my delicious.

Blog posting about technology based assessments

In considering which education/technology feeds to put on my NING, I came across a very interesting blog from the website teachforever.com. The blog from September 13th talks about the various assessment opportunities that technology can offer and provides some great websites for creating polls, surveys and online quizzes. Though I understand that NYS still requires pencil and paper tests, letting kids practice skills online seems to be a great way to integrate technology into the classroom. I have had some experience in the past with castle learning but the nice thing about these websites is that they are all free, are 100% crafted and controlled by the teacher and can be accessed from anywhere (not just at school). I think it is a great set of online resources for teachers. This blog post can be accessed directly at TeacherForever.

Mod 3

1. Connectivism Theory

A learner is like a fish. Just like it is nearly impossible for a fish to stay still in water, with all of the informal information sources available today, it is nearly impossible for one to keep learning stagnant in the midst of new technology. Similar to the hundreds of different species of fish that exist in the world, the diversity that can be tapped through this technology is limitless. This idea is echoed in a 2007 interview where Siemens states that “what is possible today is social software the enables an individual to stay current with individuals from around the world.” This strengthening of one’s knowledge though “diversity of opinions” strengthens the knowledge of all learners that the individual is contact with, thereby making diversity of opinions one of Siemens’ (2005), core principles of connectivism.

Just as most fish are able to adapt to new aquatic environments, (and must do so to survive), new technology enables most learners to adapt to new ways to learn information (and they too must do so to survive). Siemens’ (2005) Connectivist theory, similarly states that “our ability to learn what we need for tomorrow is more important than what we know today.” Fish, like learners, have existed forever, but have changed and adapted as their surroundings have changed.

References:

Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional technology and distance learning. Retrieved September 12, 2009 from http://www.itdl.org/journal/jan_05/article01/htm.

Siemens, G. (2007). The Network is the learning. Retrieved September 12, 2009 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpbkdeyfxzw&feature=playlist&p=3e43054a8703f57a&index=4.

2. Practicing connectivism through social networking

http://mathtech.ning.com/

This ning is of interest to me because it is specifically designed provide educators with resources for exploring the content and pedagogy of math teaching. From this website, I was able to explore technologies that are applicable to my practice, most of which I never knew existed. I was especially impressed by GeoGebra, a downloadable mathematics software for arithmetic, geometry, algebra and calculus. I see many applications for having discussion with other high school math educators who are proficient at using free technology in the classroom.

Using Educational Blogs in Secondary Mathematics

After researching the uses of blogs in the secondary classroom, I have found three particularly interesting ideas for the upper level mathematics teachers and learners.

(1) Blogs can be used in the secondary mathematics as a forum for posting revelant, up to date information on class assignments and upcoming classroom events. Since the classroom blog would be easily accessible from any computer, students would simply need internet access to check important information. By posting homework that is due, a classroom blog would be a place students could ask and answer eachother's questions and also a place for parents to obtain information. I think a class blog would be the technological equivalent to a weekly newsletter or homework sheet.

(2) Blogs can also be used in the secondary mathematics classroom as a place to post video clips, important websites and technological resources for students. Especially as the regents exam approaches, my students need to have at their fingertips way to access regents questions, old exams and online tutors. By having this information available on my blog, I could update online resources depending on our unit of study or the time of the year.

(3)Finally, I can use blogs to help my students more authentically post end-of-unit reflections. After each unit of study my students complete a reflection to provide me with formative information as well as to document their own growth as a mathematician. While my students have always completed this assignment on paper, by transforming it into a blog assignment, I think my students would be more motivated to write and share their insights. Writing is very difficult for some of my learners, so having the option to post to a blog would be very appealing.