I- Video Ideas

Have a few !

Trying to focus on one. I have some footage of a bike trip I took with some students a few years ago, I have always wanted to do something with the video but did not have any thoughts until now. After looking at the footage, what compelled me was how much we saw, did and learnt in one day outside of the classroom. So much learning was taking place. I am hoping to capture the essence of all of this from editing the video. After some research about learning outside of the classroom some key points I noted were: it improves academic achievement, it is a bridge to higher order learning, the learning is more engaging and relevant, makes active citizens and stewards of the environment, improves the ability to deal with uncertainty, provides challenges and opportunities to take acceptable levels of risk and improves attitudes to learning. Would like to pull out some of the keys words and include them in the edited footage. 

My PDA...and lovin it

Facebook....I had fun testing out applications and moving boxes around in my profile. It looks completey different now. I have added and imported new applications: slates (got some of my MSU work up), travelblog, wikiproject, feeds to my delicious, flickr and youtube. Joined a new group: MAET.

Need to try to find a feed for wetpaint. Will give it a whirl tomorrow. Facebook really is amazing!

Add me....Paula Lepore

Monique's ET-IDP

Next year for Monique

-she will be a kindergarten teacher in Japan

-planning to improve technology in her school; making the computer lab more useful

Next 2 weeks for Monique

AfterEd completed

-scripting for monday's TIP sharing with years 1 and 2

-planning to shoot imovie focussing on homeless in Plymouth

-will use the music from Manhattan Transfer, called "Gentlemen with family , we will work for food"

-familiarize herself with final cut express

AND.....

alot of prayer

After Ed Ideas

Brainstorm

-how to use technology in science (10 ways) OR 10 things you should know about using technology in science OR 10 ways to use a wiki in science 

Example for 1o benefits of a wiki 

-to collaborate with group members from different places

-chat online

-include rss feeds

-use and import widgets (video, pcitures)

-provide feedback 

-creates an online website for anyone to view or keep private

-email users

-history database, nothing ever lost

-view who has contributed work (top contributors)

-change the template and design your own templates

Thinking about the MM presentation

Wow...April 14th is not far off. I am starting to think about how I will tackle this MM presentation. I will interview some students this week, in hopes that I may be able to put together something that conveys a clear message about my TIP. I will need to think about what questions I would like to ask students.

Questions for video interview-

!) what was a benefit of using a wiki to complete your group lab report?

2) what was a drawback of using a wiki to complete your group lab report?

3) were you motivated to use a wiki to complete the lab report?

4) will you use a wiki again?

5) how could you use a wiki in the future?

find someone who agrees and disagrees 6) did you prefer to use a wiki to complete group work?

7) do you feel that using a wiki has helped you write the lab report?

The DATA

Met with my supervisor today to discuss the data. It turns out that my tip did not solve the issues of group work....completely. The major concerns that were presented included frustrations in using technology and still student's wanted me to keep all members of the group accountable. I wonder if they recognize or have forgotten that I can view who has done what. I think that science labs present a concern because if one student does not complete a part of the lab on time it makes it difficult for the others to work on their part of the lab. Also, the dynamics of the group changed. They felt that they had lost ownership of their work since other students could go ahead and edit their work. The old mentality of "ask before you change anything" was present. Still some students preferred to physically meet as they appreciated instant feedback.

Wetpaint has added some new changes which have improved the social aspect. Just received a message in my inbox. Might be just what the students are looking for?

Where I am at

Surveys have been completed by the students. I have reviewed the data with a colleague and currently working to summarize the information. There is quite a bit to sort through. There are certainly a lot of ideas of how to do this better the next time around.

I have spent some time researching articles on my school's e-library and have added articles to my folder. Have sent a few links to my group members. I hope they will find them useful. I was not able to figure out how to upload them to delicious as a password is required, however I was able to send the resource through email. Does anyone remember what format we are using for our annotations?

Planning to get some video clips responses from students in the next week to put together a short vodcast. I hope I remember how to do this!

I am a little overwhelmed thinking about how I am going to get all my ideas down on paper. It would be helpful if we had a format of how the layout should look. 

Surveys

Only the two classes I have provided time for to complete the online survey have done so. I asked the other  classes to complete the online survey at home and it has not happened. Probably there is too much on their plate, so I will need to endeavor to force them. I will provide some time for them this week. That way, I can take a look at the data and begin pulling out some important information. I have scheduled to meet with a colleague to discuss the survey report.

Two heads are better than one and usually there is something I end up missing. I had a hard lesson this week. 

Feedback

Ok, today I had my A Block give feedback to all the other core blocks on a discussion thread (on the wiki) titled feedback. What great insights and feedback they provided. I was really really impressed. Last night I started a discussion thread for their work so they could see what I was hoping for them to continue with the other blocks. 

Anyways, it went well and they caught more things than I might have. More than one pair of eyes is an asset. 

Actually, I think that a lot of learning was going on. I am a happy camper today.

A few updates

The school computers are slow....frustrating...anyways!

Have got the online survey going. Only one class has completed it thus far. I have read the responses.

A couple questions I have been tossing around with colleagues...
1) how should we assess group projects?

2) what is the easiest way to grade students on wikis

A difficulty ...how to correct work on wikis. Do I go in and edit their work? Or do I just give feedback on a discussion thread. Or what other brilliant ideas are out there?

Have also inlcuded an RSS feed on the wiki homepage to the Delicious tags that my students are using for each assignment/project. I give them a key word to use as a tag for each lab which they add to good resources. Now we have got some social bookmarking happening. The RSS feed is so much better than going in and out of Delicious to access resources.

Another day...another dollar

Changes to My TIP again

Thank you Reece and John, you have given me some new ideas and hope to compare some of our survey data once complete.

Good News about Research

The more I research, the more ideas I come up with for my TIP. In my next lab report, I will post the guidelines and specifications for the lab on the homepage. Also, I will require students to use a thread to discuss any concerns and share feedback rather than have students just edit one another's work. Now, we will get down to some real collaborating.

Hi Team (John, Reece and Wil)

Look forward to working with you all. Will sit down and read your TIPS this weekend and hope to share something insightlful.

Last night, I read a book called Blog, Wikis and Podcasts (get back to you on the author, but he was fabulous). Great book for anyone learning about the social network of web 2.0.

I have been working on my TIP since school started but it has been a very slow process. I introduced my students to WETPAINT (wiki)  and had them post their genetic project on the LeporeScience site. I will start to journal some what happened during that time this weekend. This was only to get them familiar with how to use the site. Right now, they are using it to submit group lab reports. It is due this week.