Innovation Blog

BLOGS

                                              

                    

 A blog can be quite interactive. It is an online medium where individuals can share their thoughts and opinions. It is defined as an electronic journal (Darling-Hammond & Adamson, 2010).  A blog can be an essential tool for providing students with opportunities to read and write. Reading and writing are essential skills for the 21^st century (Darling-Hammond & Adamson, 2010). Yang (2009) stated that when students post their writing and collaborate by making comments about their peer’s work, this action facilitates or promotes an active literacy community. This medium also provides the learner with an opportunity to reflect on his or her work and is accessible at school or at home. Additionally, Gardner (2014) posited that when students engage in blogging, the bar is raised higher as students move beyond simply writing for their teachers, and instead are writing for a larger audience (real readers).

As an innovative tool, a blog is applicable to the learning context (education) because it can provide students with opportunities to communicate in the digital landscape (Yang, 2009). One blogging platform is Edublog, which is a secure site that learning leaders can utilize to post class information and have students engage in online forums. Students can collaborate by sharing materials, ideas, and knowledge.  Educational blogging has other benefits which include serving as a motivational factor to stimulate language learners to read (Liaw, Chen, & Huang, 2008) and allowing individuals to add to the body of learning resources through the use of hyperlinks within  blogs (Godwin- Jones (2003) in Yang, 2009).

 

Image of students using blogs in the language arts classroom

 

 

References

Darling-Hammond, L. & Adamson, F. (2010). Beyond Basic Skills: The role of performance assessment in achieving 21^st century standards of learning. Standford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education. Retrieved from https://scale.stanford.edu/system/files/beyond-basic-skills-role-performance-assessment-achieving-21st-century-standards-learning.pdf

Gardner, T. (2014). Strategy guide: Teaching with blogs. ReadWriteThink: International Reading Association. Retrieved from http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/teaching-with-blogs-30108.html

Liaw, S.S., Chen, G.D., & Huang, H.M. (2008). Users’ attitudes toward Web-based collaborative learning systems for knowledge management. Computers and Education, 50(3), 950 – 961.

Yang, S.H. (2009). Using blogs to enhance critical reflection and community of practice. Educational Technology & Society, 12(2), 11-21. Retrieved from http://www.ifets.info/journals/12_2/2.pdf

 

Microsoft OneNote

 

The Microsoft OneNote 2013 is an innovative app that can be utilized to store information. The interesting thing is that this digital book stores the information once you write on it. Similar to computers, you can store information in the cloud. It can also store audio recordings.

Teachers can use it as an overhead by projecting notes from it onto a screen. Students can use it to organize and their share work. Since documents are transferable students can retrieve a lesson even when they are absent because the resources are online. If absent a student can know what is going on in real time. Additionally, teachers do not have to wait for students to copy down information.

Innovation Blog - Using Twitter To Inform Teaching and Learning

Social media refers to the interaction among individuals via virtual communities and involves creating and sharing information. For this blog I will be evaluating the use of Twitter as a tool for teaching and learning.

 Twitter is an online social networking service. It can be utilized to share what students are learning in class. The previous highlighted link, discussed how kindergarten students used Twitter as a writing tool and a communication tool to inform parents about what they are learning in school.

Twitter can be used as a medium for students to collaborate on topics being learned in class, as well as teachers can utilize Twitter as a means to provide feedback regarding students' work. In this instance, I believe being able to provide instant feedback would allow students to know their strengths and work on their weaknesses. Being able to utilize Twitter in this fashion would definitely enhance learning. This is because in the example provided being provided with an opportunity to correct one's work is an indication of how teachers can utilize social media, in particularly Twitter as a tool for formative assessment.

 This year my school system has started using Twitter. Based on the evidence that I have seen, I realize that it can be utilized as a medium for teachers to share best practices. For example, the picture below was posted to share with other educators how students can engage in hands on activities to gain a better understanding of how to divide using money. Students had to actually manipulate the money by dividing it equally among three of their peers.

 

On a personal note, I have always wanted to visit other classrooms to see my colleagues in action so as to learn other methods that can enhance learning. Being able to log in to Twitter and communicate with students, as well as to share ideas, strategies, and best practices with others can definitely yield positive results. Therefore, I believe that Twitter is an innovative tool that can be utilized within the learning contexts.  

EDUC 8401- Technology/ Social Media

 

 

 

Technology plays an important role in my professional life as I am able to access a wealth of resources to assist my students. Prensky (2008) stated that the main reason for the use of technology is to support learners to teach themselves.

I came across an article ten fundamental reasons for technology in education, a few of which includes building the depth of understanding and engaging in collaboration. Later, as I browsed the internet for innovative tools and ideas, I came across Inspiration which is a visual mapping tool that can be utilized to assist students to make connections between concepts, as well as understand and retain information. As students manipulate the World Wide Web, it is imperative that they are made aware of rules that will help to ensure safety. Safety Land is a good game to have student utilize to assess their knowledge about using the internet.

  In evaluating the use of technology and social media, I believe that there are many valuable tools that can be utilized to facilitate learning and that technology and social media can transform the educational system.

 

Reference

Prensky, M. (2008). The role of technology in teaching and the classroom. Education Technology. Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky-The_Role_of_Technology-ET-11-12-08.pdf

Innovation Blog- Module 2 Assignment (EDUC 8401)



Neuroscience: Exploring Working Memory

In my professional role as a fourth grade teacher, I have always been perplexed as to why so many students appear to have memory problems. In exploring the neuroscience in particularly the area of working memory, I found that there are indeed several students who have problems with registering information in short term memory and that without working memory the task to retain as well as learn new materials is difficult.

Gathercole (2007) described the key features of working memory and characteristics of students with working memory challenges. Two of the key features noted were limited in capacity and catastrophic loss. Based on this, students may exhibit signs of being reserved while in a group, short attention span, or difficulty in following instructions. These challenges place the students at risk for failure.

Additionally classroom strategies were suggested to support these learners with deficient working memories. An educational strategy is to provide students with verbal as well as visual formats.  Students can also be encouraged to repeat the information several times. They should also be given opportunities to practice consistently until they can complete the task without making too many errors. The teacher can also break up or chunk the information. Additionally, technology devices such as audiotapes or graphic organizers, and checklists with pictographs can be utilized to enhance working memory.

My focus on working memory relates to the topic being covered because it is one aspect of neuroscience, which is the concept being covered in this module. It can enhance learning by providing the support as mentioned earlier to individuals with working memory problems. Similarly, if the deficiencies are identified early in a child's life then interventions can be administered to eliminate or reduce his or her risk of failing in academic and social areas. Center for Development and Learning is one such organization that conducts evaluations on students, as well as provides research based support to educators, parents, and the community (i.e. training and forums). Therefore, it is on this background that neuroscience/ working memory is applicable to my learning context as an elementary school teacher working with students with memory deficits. I plan on utilizing the insights gained from the article to provide students with the necessary support.

 

Reference

Gathercole, S.E.(2007). Identifying and supporting students with working memory problems. Working Memory and Learning. Retrieved from http://www.learning-works.org.uk/susan-gathercole-workshop-1-pdf

 

Hi! My name is Annette and I live in Georgia with my husband and our only child, Tyler. She is eight years old and is the third grade. As an educator, I enjoy seeing the light bulb go off when my students grasp a concept that is being taught. My passion for teaching has led me to achieve a Bachelors in Education degree, specializing in managing learning difficulties from the University of the West Indies, Jamaica. A Masters in Science degree from the Walden University, specializing in reading and literacy, and has propelled me to pursue a Philosophy in Education degree from Walden University.

The learning contexts that interest me are technology and social networking. In a previous class (EDUC 8406), I was introduced to various aspects of technology and social networking, and have been exposed to ways in which they can be utilized in the classroom to modify instructions for the diverse learners. Since every child is unique and learns differently, integrating technology in education can provide a wealth of opportunities such as visual graphics, sound, field trips, drawings, recorded readings, and assessments (Owens, 2012).

Similarly, social networking media such as blogs is one such tool that can be utilized in the classroom to motivate students, as well as to promote critical thinking and collaboration among students. Additionally, blogs facilitate teachers providing support to the students through forums.

I am thrilled to see what other learning experiences will be gained in this course (EDUC 8401) so that I can add it to my repertoire of teaching tools and strategies.

Reference

Owens, D. (2012). Differentiating instructions by integrating technology in the elementary classroom. Early Education and Technology for Children. Retrieved from http://www.eetcconference.org/wp-content/uploads/Differentiating_Instruction_Tech_in_Elementary.pdf