My library

Just starting to get the hang of Diigo as you can see by my library.......I think after getting more and more familiar with this technology, I will really find it useful for teaching.  I hope by the end of this course I will be able to form a habit of using this on all my computers at home and work to organize my information and sites.

Area Formulas Video!!!!

Area Animoto........Check it out!!








I decided to create an Animoto that can be used as an introduction to a unit in geometry containing area formulas.  The video shows the basic formulas with an example following each polygon.  I would like to be able to create my own images in the future so that I can put specific examples that I would use in class.  I would probably show this video multiple times until we have finished using all the formulas in the unit to help with repetition for the students.


                                              




I found this program easy to use and think that the more I use these videos in the class, the more it would be a good model for students using new technology.  It is important for me to become more familiar with new technology in order for my students to learn how to use technology appropriately.  I am thinking of having students use the program to create their own videos at the end of the year.  This would be a good way for students to compile topics learned throughout the year and represent them to their peers.  I can even see students taking pictures of their own work from their notebook to use in the video.  I think that they would really have fun and take ownership with their pictures and music.

                                               

Mathemagician!!!

Amazing how fast he is with numbers!!  Actually showed this to my classes and gave them calculators to follow and it really captivated them.  If you haven't seen Ted Talks,  it is worth checking out.  (Not just math topics....)


Must watch below.....all my students said that it was set up and would not believe what he does is true.....



 

Using reader is helpful!!

I have so far added only blogs from other classmates at this point, but now that I know how to subscribe on others blogs I am going to start that as well.  It has been very helpful for me personally to comment on others blogs by just using Google reader so that I can browse through interesting posts to reply.  I never knew that there were ways to get this information brought to me instead of having to explore online constantly.  This has been a tool that I feel I will use to help find useful information.  For instance on the Free Technology for Teachers blog I already found a useful website that has math related to higher grades.  The tool A+ click seems to be great for students as enrichment and problem solving strategies.

NETS

New literacies to me means being able to use technology to locate and use information to further thinking.  By using the internet and mobile devices it is easier to raise questions to others and share information and ideas.  As teachers I feel it is becoming more important to start teacher our students to use technology correctly and as a learning tool for lifelong learners.  Below is one game online that is aimed for kids from preschool-grade 5.  Being a high school math teacher, this is not too helpful to myself, but if you want check out the review of the game.




NETS for Teachers are the standards associated with using technology and digital material in education.  One site that I found interesting is socrative.com.  You can set up quizzes that are multiple choice or open ended and assign the questions to students at their own pace or you can use a class pace.  The site is very user friendly and easy to follow.  This can be an option for integrating assessments through the internet. 



Some resources that you might find interesting for NETS:  Teachers
                                                                                               Students

Animoto

I watched Order of Operation and thought that it might work as an introduction to the topic for my algebra I students.  I think that I would prefer to see the operations highlighted in actual problems instead of just the order being described.  I like the idea of using videos as a hook for students to get their attention before a new topic or to refresh their memory of previous material.  I think that once I start using Animoto it will be a tool that I enjoy and will continue to use.  I am going to keep looking for more math related animotos because I couldn't find that many that were higher level math.

Weblogs/ Wikis

I have worked with some colleagues who use wikis to share their class assignments and materials.  Both of these colleagues were computer teachers so they were housed in a computer lab for their classes.  I on the other hand have never work with blogs or wikis myself so have not even thought of implementing them into my classroom.  The more I use this blog and get more comfortable with it, then I might be able to transfer that to my students.  I believe the main concern is that once something is posted it is there forever and like Richardson mentioned all it takes is one parent to read an inappropriate post and it would be over.  I understand that expectations should be taught first to try and prevent this, but reality is that some students will post inappropriate writing or pictures anyways.  Then what would be the consequence?? Not using the internet, which would force the student to not have equal access to the material.......Thinking about all of this makes it hard to wrap my head around all that can go wrong compared to the benefits of collaborating and tracking learning.  Since I teach high school math, I am trying to brainstorm how I can use a blog for my students.  Since math is concrete and many problems only have one answer, I don't think it would be too helpful to post problems because once one student answers the problem is solved.  I am thinking maybe there are open ended type problems that can be solved multiples ways and the students can discuss options for solving and what is easiest for themselves.  I think it would be difficult to assess because not all my students have internet at home and we do not have computers in class or the time to take each week to go to the computer lab to blog and stay on course with curriculum requirements.
As far as wikipedia is concerned, we try to tell our students not to use it as a source because anyone can edit it.  After reading the section, I never had realized that their were so many corrections and edits made in such a short period of time based on accurate information.  I don't know that that will change the school's view that it should not be a resource.  I personally think that I would rather start with a blog forum that can be monitored by myself for editing and blocking of posts before I would want my students adding to wikis online.