First do this online investigation:
Visit George Lucas Educational Foundation
Watch Marco's interview on the web site below. What are your thoughts about how multimedia and project based learning might play a role in your classroom?
Marco Torres on Empowering Students Through Multimedia (title)
Marco Torres, a social studies teacher and technology director at San Fernando High School, explores how the creation of multimedia projects empowers his students, as well as those who participate in the San Fernando Education Technology Team
http://www.edutopia.org/marco-torres-empowering-students-through-multimedia
Then see the video here:
http://www.edutopia.org/students-find-their-voices-through-multimedia
Second please discuss this:
Reflect on your experiences with your curriculum integration project and making your podcast. If you could wave a magic wand, unencumbered by real world issues, what are some ways you would use multimedia and project based learning to reach all learners in the literacy curriculum standards? How does the electronic learning environment assist you with differentiating instruction in this imaginary classroom?
Hello Everyone!
ReplyDeleteThe practice posts that we made in class have been removed. I very much look forward to our online discussion together.
Mads
WOW! Talk about "keeping kids off the streets!" Marcos is an inspiration to all educators...his vision, connection to students and what is meaningful to them is just so empowering! His emphasis on planning is so "right on"...love his analogy of the eraser:blueprint pick ax:foundation! I was impressed with the part of the video showing the students sitting across from his house getting the wireless connection!
ReplyDeleteSeeing the student who graduated from high school teaching others on a Saturday spoke volumes...confidence, engagement, leadership and sharing his knowledge with others!
What do you all think?
Smiles...Sally
After reading the article I watched the video. I then experienced one of those “Ah Ha” moments. The words on the printed page came to life as their authors appeared on the screen and spoke to me in my home office. The article said that Torres teaches according to the 4 Ps, but hearing him say those words and his students demonstrating how they follow through with them was so much more powerful. An especially memorable “teaching” moment for me was when Torres related his early personal experiences with project-based learning. Who could not connect with his message when the smile in his eyes sparkled as he shared his thoughts: it was something tangible…., something that had meaning…., it was something he could proudly present to his mother. I had not “seen” nor felt this underlying essence in the article’s printed words.
ReplyDeleteThe question driving this assignment was, “How can multimedia and project-based learning play a role in a classroom?” But the follow-up question that now nags at me is “How can I infuse multimedia and project-based learning into my classrooms and give it not just a role, but a starring role?” Thoughts? Rose H.
This was the first thing I did when I got my computer back from the brink...What a video and an inspiration! It made me think about how idealistic we must all remain to do this kind of work--never giving up on kids no matter what--these collaborative tools gave us so much food for thought in NOT giving up!
ReplyDeleteSally-I was also so moved by those kids sitting on the curb outside that teacher's house--just to get that wireless connection! We should never forget how priviledged we are!
My only sadness is that it no longer exists and that the gifted teacher has moved on--BUT the lessons learned were (hopefully) carried into the future by those students he touched.
This was the first time in my life that I have blogged--I forgot to sign my name.
ReplyDeleteBarbara (brehrlich@comcast.net)
One piece of the video that really made me stop and think was when Marcos explained how it all began- in a janitor's closet with limited pieces of technology. It was amazing to think that what started out as something so small grew into something that affected so many student's lives. It helped me to see that no matter how small, you need to start someplace and get people excited about technology.
ReplyDeleteIt was amazing to see how thrilled these students were when they could incorporate pieces of technology into their work. They were engaged and excited to learn more and share their learning with their peers and community members.
I also was impressed with the student who reflected on all the lifelong skills he had learned while working collaboratively on a project.Learners really do need to practice this skill to be successful not only in the workplace but as an adult in general.
This video is a great example of meeting students where they are and taking them to that next level while keeping them engaged with meaningful projects that promote intrinsic motivation.
I think it's safe to say that Marcos has one of the toughest populations of students to teach. He is inspiration to me, in that, he had a vision for these students and didn't let anything stand in his way of achieving it. I would love to see what some of the students that were interviewed for the video are doing now.
Interested to hear what everyone else thinks..
Sharyn
For some reason my name has been changed to Lynne! Funny because that is my middle name, anyway it is me- Sharyn (with a "y")!
ReplyDeleteJust going onto this website brought to life how multimedia can change things. The article was great, but the video (visual) was truly inspiring and changed the connection I personally had to the content. Imagine what can happen when the kids in our classrooms can do the same! Marco said, "a little voice can make a big impact" and I think about all the "little voices" I see everyday at school and even at home .
ReplyDeleteThe use of authentic projects like this excited not only the students, but the instructor too. Marco said that he had a "moral obligation" - and that was my "ah, ha" moment. These types of authentic and personally meaningful projects can allow for creativity and meet the needs of all of our learners. And we are the ones who can guide this process and change lives. Hands-on projects are the most memorable and I know those are learning experiences that the students will take away with them once they leave us.
Marco also talked about the fact that you don't jump into the technology first, but have have to focus on content. The technology and multimedia formats are a means for giving life to the ideas. EVERYONE can express themselves through multi-media projects. I would love to see every school using multimedia for all ages. Now we have to inspire others to do the same.
What do you all think?
Sharon F.
Just a side note - just called the Cape to check on my kids and one has asked me to bring down his stuffed animal, another wants his tennis racquet, and my oldest wants his flash drive -- (Madalaine would call it the correct name), and now I know what he is talking about!
ReplyDeleteSharon F.
In response to Barbara's comment....
ReplyDeleteYou bring up such a good point - we should never forget how privileged we are. And multimedia helps us to realize that even more. I can't help but think about the video that the young woman made talking about the sweatshops - the images are vivid. Or even when you think about images you have seen on television yourself that remain in you mind -- the World Trade Center towers coming down or the aftermath of the tsunami in Indonesia. Visual and auditory images have so much more impact and meaning.
Before yesterday, I would never have thought I would be able to create a podcast, certainly not by myself. However, by being REQUIRED to do it (no opting out), by being assigned to a group (with some who had more skills than I as well as others on my "level") and given a time limit (who knows how long we perfectionists would have kept revising?), I actually learned how it was done and I RELAXED AND HAD FUN LEARNING.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many layers in my experience and my reflection. First, how did I feel as a learner? (anxious, unskilled, inexperienced) Second, how did I learn do to the task? (from text, teach modeling, peer assistance, group interaction, trial and error, etc.) How did I feel when the task was completed? (I can do this! I could probably do this on my own next time. I wish I had known how to do this with my students!) How will I change my teaching after this experience? I will certainly be more willing and feel able to do this with my students. I can see the application when we investigate biomes and habitats, learn about an Ancient Chinese invention, or want to share about a famous person's life.
I am lucky enough to have a MacBook with all the tools I need to make my own. I'm willing to share. :-)
The use of technology in the classroom resonates so clearly with me. It has been over fifteen years since I have lead a class in a regular classroom and I can't imagine how I would teach without using the technological aids available (imagine how the digital natives we are matriculating from teacher education programs will feel!). Actually, I'm a little nervous about going back into a setting where I might not have easy access to the tools. This must be what it is like to live and cook in Paris for a few years and move to the middle of nowhere and try to make your favorite recipes without the ingredients.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was watching the video, my kids came over and watched it too. (Now, as an aside, they were a little primed because they were trapped in the car with me for two hours yesterday and I "made" them talk to me about how they view technology. I'm going to write about that later.) One observation from my rising high school freshman was that these types of projects are way more work than just listening to a lecture and being tested on it. My youngest son, who is going into second grade, didn't know what a lecture was and when it was explained to him, his response was "well that's stupid because then all you learn is what the teacher knows." I think that is a really profound statement. He already has the perception that there is more to learn than just what one person or book can teach him and he is only seven. I want my students to know more, no matter how old they are and I see it as my job to empower them and give them the tools to do it.
I think technology has profoundly shifted the role of the educator. We talked a little bit about that in class. When I watched the video and when we did the simulation in class, one thing I noticed was the amount of learning that happened before technology was used. We all talked about the butterflies and planned, not using machines. Marco supervises story boarding and said he has to be able to visualize the students' projects first. I think that addresses the perception that if we give kids computers all they are going to do is play games all day long!
The second thing I observed about myself in class and in the video was the importance in teaching the technology tools. I went into our class with a fair amount of knowledge but I learned so much more. Having gone through the simulation and the different activities, I realized that when I bring technology in it is going to be a lot like the first months of kindergarten. There are going to be some kids who know how to do a lot but perhaps they need to break some bad habits. There will be some kids who are afraid. There will be some kids who will not know anything. I think that is where the real challenge is for teachers. But I know that we can do it- we just need the tools.
Like all of you have said, I was impressed with Torres and his vision. It was touching to hear that he switched careers to bridge the gap between politics and education and bring about change. Barbara, I agree with you--I too noticed that that he has now left his position as a teacher to move onto becoming an educational consultant. My immediate reaction was questioning why. I was thinking of all these kids who would have benefitted from his wonderful teaching and vision. My best hope is that he is out there somewhere inspiring teachers as an educational consultant so that there is not just one Torres, but hundreds of thousands of Torres. The article and the video on this blog already has inspired us. Imagine using that inspiration to serve our children in our community! : )
ReplyDeleteThough I couldn't view the iCan videos due to technical glitches on its Web site, I was also amazed at the few multimedia work that I could see, especially Snowfight II, created by twenty-six students at San Fernando High School. Through this project, I bet these kids learned to collaborate, which is an important skill in this global age. Another significant benefit from working on multimedia projects is confidence. I remember taking Creating Visual Media last summer and being pleased with the fact that I could produce tangible work when I thought it may be too technial and difficult. I totally know the feeling Torres and Rose from our class described when he made things for school projects as a kid and couldn't wait to tell his parents what he had created. I felt a sense of accomplishment as I put the ideas in storyboard format, produce the video, edit it, add bells and whistles, and most of all learn how to use that particular software when I had never used it before albeit a very short video. That reminds me of what we did yesterday afternoon making Podcast. Would it be alright to say that we have more confidence or more comfortable in making multimedia, especially Podcast after yesterday's experience?
Sharyn, I agree with you that Torres had one of the toughest populations of students to teach. He was smart; he gave his students the tools and vision to make success possible. Imagine the smiles on his students' faces after they completed their multimedia project. Success breeds success. Article after article included in our required reading mentions how kids are more motivated to learn when they use multimedia due to its multi-sensory nature. That is authentic learning in its purest form. These children gain a sense of accomplishment after they work on goals they themselves have set. Multimedia work tends to be self-directed and allows creativity. Oftentimes students pick their topic, research it, and present it in their own way. The article on Torres reminds me of what I have been learning in my online course entitled Motivating Students to Learn. I highly recommend The Excellent 11, a book written by Ron Clark who was named Disney's Teacher of the Year. You could also check out his Web site, http://www.ronclarkacademy.com/
His book features strategies he used to motivate inner-city students in Harlem. One of his 'tricks' was using multi-sensory approach in making his lessons come alive. He stressed that his students needed this approach more than anyone; many inner-ciy students or students from poverty have lost the natural intrinsic motivation to learn due to their environment. Research findings show that their learned helplessness can be overcome by building into our lessons opportunities for success. Molina, a teenager at San Fernando High who created the sweatshop video, went on to be a biology major at UCLA. Who knew that a unmotivated, passive student like her would go onto have her video featured in France, gain confidence to teach others about videomaking, and attend one of the finest universities in the US?
Sorry I exceeded the limit, so here's the rest of my comment.
ReplyDeleteSharon, you’ve mentioned how technology and multimedia formats are a means for giving life to the ideas. I couldn’t agree with you more. The nature of multimedia projects provides opportunities for students to believe that they have some control over their learning, an important motivational factor.
Have a great weekend everyone,
Sophia
Good afternoon fellow bloggers, It's so good to "hear" your voices today even though we are not all together in Burlington. I'm thinking that one common thread in our discussion is how fortunate we all are. The key to understanding is communication, and we seem to be doing that in spades. I look forward to reading more of your thoughts. Thank you for being so insightful, intelligent, and caring. Rose H.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sophia for your great "link" to the Ron Clark website. Again, this shows how deep and rich all these resources are at our fingertips...there are so many things available to us and I feel like that immigrant who has just landed in a new country...only I'm not a visitor--I actually live here.
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to thank Laura for sharing her digital fears that were very much like mine...and my thoughts are with you during your very trying time.
Finally, kudos to Melissa's youngest son who "hit the nail on the head" with his second-grade instinct about the word "lecture"--that indeed was profound! We are all learners in this journey...thank you Melissa's youngest (I wish I knew your name--I would be using it!) Have a great weekend everyone!
Barbara
Hello Everyone!
ReplyDeleteFirst I read Marco Torres article and then watched the video and also agree with the rest of you when you state that seeing and hearing brought his words and thoughts to life and had so much more meaning for me. If it had that effect on me, image the effect this would have on kids! We all hope to make a difference, that is why we teach. What Marco Torres did in making a difference in his students not only effected his students.It did not stop there. His students where then able to make a difference in the community and for once have a positive effect on their community, not negative. The students took ownership of their work on a topic they were very passionate about and spread the word. This would not have been possible without the use of technology. Like the article states, before the use of technology the only audience would have been the teacher. Now, the world is their audience.
Elena
I agree with Sally on the students being the teachers and taking on the leadership role and using their Saturdays to do it. What a role reversal and life changing experience.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Sharon an want to thank her for pointing out that Marco Torres stated that content came first. The students had to write out their plan first. The technology kept them engaged and motivated, but it is still their ideas and passions.
In reflecting about my experience on my first podcast, I would have to say that it was so cool once it was complete. It was a little stressful making it, but I was proud that I did it with the help of my friends Sue and Rose. It also made me think of how it must feel like to be e first grader. Sitting in a group expected to do a project I never did before. I was glad I had my friends to help!!
ReplyDeleteNow,(Thank you Madalaine!)I can think of many ways I could use technology to differentiate instruction. One would be the use of podcasts with my autistic students. After researching a subject in the library, the students could make a podcast of their discoveries without writing it down. Actually, every student could make a podcast. The students that do not need the support could write their own script, where the children that need support would have a script to fill in.
Elena
I love Elena's idea about the podcast and using this with children with autism. What a great tool that we have and I think we tend to think of these as music tools only and not educational tools. It ties in perfectly with universal design. Elena, I'm getting closer to getting that Ipod or maybe an Itouch :)! I think a field trip (for me) to the Apple Store will be happening soon.
ReplyDeleteSharon F.
I also agree with Elena and her thoughts of using the podcast with children who are autistic. It is also a great tool for children who need extra challenges. Really, the possibilities are endless. It seems that after a podcast is made, students tend to reflect upon what else they could do or how they could improve things for the next one.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I had my first chance to suggest to someone that they let their reluctant 5th grade reader use an MP3 player and listen to his books while following along with the text. She looked at me like I was crazy! I just said, think about it- you are troubled that your son is not reading enough, timers, ultimatums etc. are not working- why not try something that appeals to him?
I think she is going to try it!
Enjoy the weekend- hope the weather improves.
Sharyn
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteI am impressed by the early birds who started blogging before 9 a.m.!
Sharon, Rose, and Melissa all referenced the process that Marco had his students use, which is the 4 P's. This reminds me of the writing process we teach students - brainstorm, draft, revise, edit, final copy. I think using the 4 P's with students on a multimedia project would be more engaging for them than the writing process, which many students have trouble with and don't like. The Planning stage of the 4 P's would be more fun because you are including visuals that you want, perhaps drawing sketches, which is another modality than print. The Production phase would be more fun for obvious reasons - you can work with others, get up and move around, interact with the subject and the environment, and use cool equipment! The Presentation phase would be just like what we experienced when we presented our podcasts - it's fun to see your product on a screen, hear your voice, and think that maybe it could be on the internet for all to see! I liked the last phase - the Assessment phase because Marco had the students develop the rubrics themselves, which is powerful! And since he has trained about 150 teachers, that process is probably being carried out on projects throughout the school - so maybe they have consistency across grades, subjects, etc. Wouldn't that be nice?
Like others have said, the video did a great job showing how students collaborate and communicate on projects. I think being able to make a choice about the topic you want to explore and videotaping it in the real world rather than reading about it or listening to a teacher describe it, would have to have a strong impact on students. I would love to know how many man hours these projects take!?
One reflection I have from yesterday is that I enjoyed using different modalities and parts of my brain while I worked with my group. We read the notes, verbalized our thoughts while Rose typed them, looked at pictures, listened to music, and took turns using the keyboard, and dragging and clicking the mouse. It was fun and the time flew!
As a result, if I had a magic wand, I would want each of my students to have a laptop, headphones, a digital camera, and an ipod (available from the school - perhaps they are issued the laptop, but would sign out the cameras and ipods from a lab as needed). I would want to have a "Smartboard", and develop interactive lessons so that students are getting up from their seats to come to the board, or are using their laptops as I am showing the same screen on the Smartboard, just as we experienced in class. I would have students produce podcasts or video projects that would have them practice communicating ideas in various formats, such as, persuasive, narrative, expository. Students could use the laptop or ipod to listen to a story starter, and then record their own ending, or to record their reader responses. I like how multimedia lends itself to causing students to identify and highlight main ideas and important facts, just as we did with our podcast - we culled information and took the most interesting and important facts and put them into our own words.
Hi all (again),
ReplyDeleteMy email address showed up in my last comment, but my name didn't, like Barbara had happen earlier. I guess I'll have to figure out how to change that. Any advice?
I have a few more comments about Marco's program. It raised some questions for me...
I was struck by how intelligent and well-spoken the students were in the video. The article said that 300 students have participated in the SFETT program, and of the 80 who have graduated, all have gone on to college. Does this indicate that the program helped them with their oral language skills and gave them skills and motivation to enter college and be successful? Or does it mean that students who were better academically were the ones who enrolled in this program? After all, Marco was an AP History teacher. Did the projects included both special education as well as regular education students? I would have liked the video to address how this program worked for students of all academic abilities, although, from our class experiences, we could guess at how that would be done. The article also said that 83 percent of the students perform below grade level and that the SFETT is no longer in place at the school. Why is that?? I bounced around the SFETT website and found a news article about a girl at the school who went to MIT even though she was poor and had gotten pregnant. She credits Marco Torres with encouraging her. She took 4 AP courses. That article made no mention of the SFETT program, which makes the point that it is really the teacher who makes the difference - with his or her enthusiasm, patience, encouragement, and expertise. So even though we all agree that using project-based learning and incorporating multimedia into our lessons will help reach all learners, let's give credit to the teacher-student relationship. How would the SFETT program have worked if Mr. Torres had not been involved? And is the fact that he has left the school the reason it is no longer in place?
Sue
So good to read everyone's thoughts. I think we have a lot of really good ideas percolating here. I really like Elena's thought about an autistic child podcasting. It made me think about some of the troubled teens I used to work with at an alternative high school. If I were working with them today, I think that handing them a camera and letting them complete projects or letting them have an iPod read a test to them would really have made them feel powerful. And then add in being able to post them on the web for the whole world to see if they want could really spur some action. So many kids don't have a voice- literally, figuratively. By opening up their worlds to others we could all benefit.
ReplyDeleteMy own digital natives had a lot to say about technology. We reflected on how teachers used it well and poorly. The best users were teachers who were comfortable with the technology and who had solid plans. The ones who were less successful just used it as a fancy slide projector. Clearly professional development and training are essential. Also, the effective users used multiple methods for teaching. So technology didn't take the place of using manipulatives, doing labs, and yes, even lecture. That said to me that technology needs to have a place, not be the place. We also talked about universal design and how that might be where we are going in education. Once they understood it, they were sold. Paul, my rising second grader, didn't understand why it wouldn't be that way. Jacob, my eleven year old, had a lot to say about it. He was really excited imagining a classroom that is collaborative and has room for children to work together and use the methods that work best for their learning. I think he missed the center- based experience when he got into the upper grades. He like to work in teams (middle child that he is ;)) and would really soar in a classroom like that. I hope he will get to experience it someday.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Sharyn - great advice to that parent. I have told parents the same thing and they are often suprised but relieved. Another thing they can try, would be to have the student listen to a few pages and follow along in the text, then try reading the next page and record himself. He could alternate this - I think this is possible, right? That way the student would still be spending some time practicing decoding and fluency but can take breaks from it too.
ReplyDeleteThis is my last post today. Have a great weekend everyone!
Sue
Hi Everyone:
ReplyDeleteYou are having an outstanding and exciting conversation. Lurking all day, I am beaming with pride as my students ROCK!
I want to share an ironic happening tonight. My friend Marco Torres happens to be in Boston speaking at a tech conference for educators and he gave me a call. He's at my house for the night visiting with my family and sharing his latest adventures.
I told him how inspired we all are by his work and thanked him for his inspiration on behalf of all of us.
He says "if I can do it, so can YOU!"
Carry on our conversation all you like. I'll be right her with you - virtually!
Blog on!
Mads
Hi Everyone! It is exciting and so interesting to read all of your insights!
ReplyDeleteMelissa-I just love your son's comment about his definition of a "lecture"...he makes perfect sense. It is so important that our students see us as learners also and that we are on this journey together AND we can learn SO much from each other and ALL the opportunities technology opens up!
In reflecting on our podcast experience yesterday I came away thinking and saying to Elena...Yup, we CAN DO this with our 1st graders! What a meaningful way for them to show what they know through a collaborative activity! As for my own feelings producing the podcast I admit, like Laura, I was out of my "comfort zone".Previously in group projects I have worked on, I felt in control and confident in my ability to contribute!
So... I was interrupted due to lack of space but my point was...
ReplyDeleteSo...I really appreciate Melissa and Sharon's support for this project!!! I learned a lot!!!Here's to collaborative learning projects!
Have a great weekend guys!!!
Smiles...
Sally
Hello all,
ReplyDeleteI wanted to respond to Sophia and a few others about Marco Torees decision about leaving teaching and now being a consultant. I had the same reaction, but then I thought of Jennifer from Kurzweil. Jennifer will always be a teacher first and we need more Jennifers out in the world making sure we get what we need, even if we do not know what that is yet!
Sharyn, great idea about the mp3 player for summer reading, It may be the only way I get my 15 yr.old nephew and 13 yr. old niece to get their reading done.....unless I text the entire book to them!
Sharon...you can't go wrong with either ipod. The itouch is more fun! Happy Shopping!
Good Night All...
Elena
Good Morning, Did anyone see the Boston Globe today? Their magazine has a cover story about kids going to camp and getting "unplugged". One hundred girls are attending Camp Betsy Cox in Vermont. One camper said, "A lot of my friends don't know how to live without it (tech tools). They don't understand how important it is to experience things firsthand." Talk about whiplash....I was just thinking that I've been living my life "firsthand" and didn't know what I was missing until we had Tech Week and we made podcasts for the first time, and now this voice is raised. Thoughts???? Rose
ReplyDeleteHappy Saturday everyone!!
ReplyDeleteRose, I just read your comment about the camper in VT...interesting...I think it boils down to "creating a balance" as we talked about this week in class...not all or nothing, so to speak...
I just took a more in-depth look at Edutopia!!! What a wonderful resource for us all! Thank you Mads!
Smiles to everyone!!!
Sally
I was amazed/impressed/thrilled by how everyone in the group--participants, leaders, assistant--made connections, offered support, learned from each other and bonded quickly. After our 7 (was that really all?) days together, we now can correspond and continue our conversations and explorations.
ReplyDeleteI thrive on this social interaction to enhance my learning and wonder if I could get anything from a "virtual" online course without it?
Wow…I went away for 2 days and can’t believe all this blogging! I so enjoyed reading all the wonderful, thoughtful comments from everyone. Like all of you, I was moved by the amazing work of Marco Torres. If I could wave the proverbial magic wand, my own classroom would look similar the computer lab at Marco’s school. I was impressed by all the computers in circular tables, television screens and video equipment. Beyond that, I would hope to see the collaboration and communication that I observed from his students.
ReplyDeleteMarco’s project is a perfect example of multimedia/project based learning being put into action successfully. The students were using ideas and themes that were pertinent to their lives. They felt connected to the content as well as the final product. This type of multimedia/project based learning crosses curriculum and meets multiple standards. I think we are all sold on the idea that electronic learning serves another, equally important aspect of education…the disabled learner. Technology can help “level the playing field” for students with various learning disabilities. I can’t imagine there could be any greater gift to a student with language base learning disabilities than to hear his or her story told to a group of peers on a podcast or printed on a digital storybook. This child will have been given a new voice. Thank you all for all your wonderful insight on this topic. I look forward to hearing more!
Talk to you soon,
Jamie
We teachers should be facilitators, not roadblocks, to our students’ learning. Just because we might very well be digital immigrants is no excuse for not allowing our students access to the curriculum via the myriad pathways that technology offers. Torres inspired students who otherwise may have never found a voice. He excited them and gave them confidence and skills to last them for the rest of their lives. I know how proud and empowered we felt on Thursday when we conquered our podcasts, and we hadn’t even done all the research! As school cranks up again this year, I’ll be working in a brand new school building, outfitted with the latest technology. At the top of my To Do list: contact the technology person who can help with making sure that the curriculum can be accessed by all types of learners, and look into professional development for the staff.
ReplyDeleteKathleen
Madalaine,
What a wonderful sequel to an amazing story. Any chance these guys will be returning to Massachusetts to spread more of their fairy dust???
Elena, your comparison of Marco and Jennifer is spot on!
ReplyDeleteKathleen
First of all I MUST comment on Melissa's son's statement, "all you learn is what the teacher knows". I think that truly sums up what our whole week was about. Very smart kid.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to comment on Kathleen's insight about feeling empowered making her podcast. I couldn't agree more. To take a task, such as creating a podcast, from inception to fruition gives one a tremendous amount of satisfaction. Way to go Team Monty!
I haven't been on eBay yet, but I am asking friends if they have any old digital cameras, MP3 players, etc. hanging around. I want to start amassing a collection that teachers can use. When school starts, I'll certainly put out an APB to all staff!
ReplyDeleteKathleen
My late post is due to being technologically challenged, so please forgive this late posting on my thoughts. Putting that fact to the side, I have to say that I have seen sitting and thinking a great deal about what we have been doing for the past week. I am coming out of the closet and saying that I find myself deeply split regarding technology in the classroom. The work of Torres was truly inspiring. I can see how students in his class would enthusiastic regarding what they were doing and learning. They were involved in functional tasks that have personal meaning. His class might best be conceptualized as being the ideal classroom because he has all the stuff he needs to make his classes interesting to the student.
ReplyDeleteThen there is me who is caught up in a functional classroom. Teaching reading to teenagers between the ages of fourteen and twenty-two is no easy task. Six out of the twenty students that I worked with had not yet automatized the alphabet. Most of the students could not even write a complete simple sentence. Making the task of learning reading to this group was not easy.
I would love to have had the access to the technology to try out some of the software that I have read about in the past week. I try to imagine what my students would have done had they had a chance to use that kind of materials. The school I use to work in was brand new and had a lot of new stuff in it. The one thing it was short on though was enough computers to go around. The AP courses and all the math and English classes had priority to get into the computer labs. I could book time in the labs, but I also could easily get bumped out by one of the aforementioned.
When we got into the labs, I tried to provide assignments to the students with activities that required them to create collages about some topic we were reading about. Then I would have them write or collect words that would go with their projects. They were never too excited about what I asked them to do. What I would do though is play computer games as soon as they could get their work done. Did they come to life when they got on those computer games! If those games could have been converted into some kind of educational activity that was literacy oriented, they would have learned to read in no time. There is no doubt that technology makes all the difference.
The biggest challenge of moving to project based technology learning is the federal and state mandates to meet established criteria on standardized testing. Even though my students were low functioning, I still had to make an effort to more them in the right direction. Until we can figure out how to get children to learn the stuff they need to learn so as to get the “feds and staties” off of our back, we are going to have to struggle on in an attempt to find the best way to reach our children so that they can learn.
Those ideal classrooms are where I would like to be teaching. I am stuck in the functional world of accountability. It is accountability that is strangling the life out of learning in the classroom as we are caught up teaching kids the stuff they need to pass standardized tests.
I have finally gotten a chance to read through what everyone had to share. A lot of you sound like the adventurous type. I am kind of slow when it comes to living. I need to sip on a few beers to get a handle with what's going on. I agree with Melissa. Training is critical to regarding the advancement of technology in the classroom. A lot of people give lip service to its importance, but not many people make a commitment. I did a little research and I found two books that I purchased and will begin reading. Let me share what I found. I can't provide a review, but you can give consideration to the following for your own education:
ReplyDeleteDifferentiating Instruction with Technology in K-5 Classrooms ISBN - 1564842339
Differentiated Instruction Using Technology: A Guide for Middle & HS Teachers ISBN – 1930556837
Please share any books that you might learn about as I am always willing to read.
Cheers,
Chuck
Hello everyone,
ReplyDeleteIn response to Chuck and his challenges of having to meet the Federal and State standards with all of his challenges just getting the material he needs.....I understand you frustrations. In my district, the high school and middle school get first priority on all technology and elementary and special ed need to fight for what we need. I Thank Karen Janowski for showing us the free "stuff" for us to use. That is going to be the way for me to go.
I went to BJ's and purchased a RCA digital voice recorder for 26.99 (They are 29.99 with an instant $5.00 rebate). They have 512mb and up to 200 hrs record time. The package says it has a bulit-in USB for direct PC connection, you can record, download and share your audio files. I'm planning to have the kids record themselves read and then listen to help build fluency.
Kathleen....great idea about Ebay for MP3 players..we will all be bidding against each other!
Have a good night,
Elena
Elena, Wish I could take credit for the eBay suggestion, but alas, it was Madalaine's.
ReplyDeleteKathleen
I have felt daunted by obstacles to change-- lack of funding for teacher training and equipment and the need for "quantitative research" to prove the positive "effect size" of programs that pair good teaching with technology among many others.
ReplyDeleteWhat Marco's initiative and our efforts this week remind me is that we can effect change at the "grass roots" level. We can scramble to get the equipment donated or bought inexpensively. We can pair technology with our teaching and affect the students in our classrooms, their parents, our colleagues, and the greater community. Hopefully we can do from the ground up what seems overwhelming to get started at the legislative level.
Thanks to you,Madalaine, there is a new cohort to support and encourage each other in these efforts.
I always think better when I have time to sit and think with a beer in hand. As I was sitting and thinking with a beer in hand after reading all the posts, it struck me that if technology is such an effective tool to help facilitate the educational process, I wonder why more administrators are not providing the leadership that is necessary to get technology in the classroom. It is one thing to have a strong grassroots movement to do this. It is another thing when the charge is being lead by the people at the top with all the power.
ReplyDeletePossibly there should be a law or some kind of legal mandate that requires school districts to invest greater amounts of money into technology. I know that from what little I have been able to see on the various sites that this course made me aware of that literacy training could be facilitated with the application of technology. Does any one know of a good website that might be shared with an administrator regarding the value of technology in the classroom? Since most administrators on not leading the charge, possibly with a little education they might start moving in the right direction.
Cheers,
Chuck
Hi Everyone:
ReplyDeleteChuck raises the point of administrative and/or legislative guidance. There is much of that in place already and more coming. For example, the new "Stimulus Package" for education just released new guidelines last week for how districts can apply for tech integration funds if they have a sustainable project idea with vision.
In addition, our own Dept of Education has not only put guidance in place but also resources. Each district MUST have a tech integration plan in place with the DOE - there are funds attached. Perhaps this is an opportunity to go find out what your district has in place for resources that perhaps you didn't realize - everyone, go look!
Chuck, thanks for sharing that your "digital native" got you into this blog. I rest my case about reaching and teaching our kids where they live and using how they think!
Excellent conversation, everyone.
Mads
Hello everyone,
ReplyDeleteI was at staples and they sell an MP3 player for 19.99. It is a 2G and will hold about 1000 songs. It does not have a display screen. Staples had the most inexpensive and the most MP3 to compare and look at.
Sally and I had lunch with our Principal today and we could not stop talking about all the uses of technology that we learned about last week.
Chuck, you are right....I think the administrators need to take Mads class so they know what is out there for their our eyes and ears. Once they see what we have seen, I think the ball will start rolling.
Elena
I was at Staples today too looking at MP3 players and the sales associate told me that one of the $29.99 models was just recently on sale for $9.99 -- so there are deals to be had and it is possible to bring in technology at reasonable prices.
ReplyDeleteMy son told me that his classroom teacher integrated a lot of technology into the classroom and used MP3 players for spelling for those students who needed it. I am waiting for school to start up and am hoping to meet with this teacher to get some ideas as to how she has done it with her 5th grade class. My son has told me that this teacher has been his favorite so far -- and I know that the technology had a lot to do with it! She didn't have a Smartboard (at least not yet), but was able to capture student interests and strengths with other technological resources. She even commented on his report card that he was tech. support for the classroom and how great it was to have him there -- she wasn't afraid to rely on him for assistance too and that's the key. The exchange of knowledge is a two-way street and we can learn just as much from our students as they do from us.
Sharon F.
Sharon, you son's teacher sounds very forward thinking. It would be a great resource to see how other teachers use technology in their classrooms. Also, thanks to you and Elena for keeping us posted on good techno buys. At least we can all get a jump start on the smaller ticket items.
ReplyDeleteHi there! It is so intersting to read all your comments! This is rather addictive, huh? I just found a great web site which contains many books for kids to listen to, read and check comprehension etc...27 Levels of text...records reading, tracks kids' reading
ReplyDeleteCheck it out! www.raz-kids.com
They are offering 25% off for a classroom subscription...I am going to poke around a little more...but on quick peek, it looks wonderful!
So talk soon!
Smiles...
Sally
Hi again! I meant to say a classroom license , not a subscription!
ReplyDeleteLater!
Sally
Hi Everyone,
ReplyDeleteI am bit concerned that I do not see my blog offering here. I wrote after Rose on Sunday.
Just when I thought I had become so computer savvy. Where would it have gone, I did see it and now I don't. Help! Well, I have read all your wonderful comments about Marcos and could not agree with you more. What a remarkable man he was to emppower his students to believe in themselves. As I read Kathleen and Laura's comment of the feeling we had on Thursday finishing a pod cast none of us thought possible, I realized that this is the same feeling of accomplishment we need to give our students. I did mention in my first blog that is out there somewhere how great it would be to give ELL students the chance to teach our students about their country via the internet. SOme of the ELL students we have, know very little English. WOuldn't they feel empowered talking to other classmates about something so familiar to them. I think it is time for us all to go back to school and see exactly what we have available and put it to use. It is always a question of $$$. I think it was Elena who mentioned the high schools have all the technology and not the elementary grades. This is true in our system. The positive part of that for me is my daughter is so involved in TV and Video and I am always amazed at the work she produce in the TV studio. I have to add that the equipment is up-to-date and her teacher is exceptional. I'll end by saying I do wish all administration could take Mads class and they might finally understand why we need technology in our classrooms. Janice
Sorry for all the little errors as it is very late and my eyes are starting to cross. I did want to add how well we worked together with our pod cast. It was cooperative learning at its best. We helped each other through it, laughed and ate chocolate. A great example to follow.
ReplyDeleteGood night,
Janice
I want to thank you Janice for coming out of the computer closet. I have faced similar challenges with blogging.
ReplyDeleteElena commented that she had lunch with her principal with her prinicpal and Sally. Wow....I have not worked witha principal like that before. My experience has been that they keep their distance regarding human relations. The knowledge trickles down from the top and not up.
Now on to one other topic. Mads posted that more federal funds are available for technology in schools. Does any one participating in our discussion have any ideas where more information can be obtained. I would appreciate the guidance.
Cheers,
Chuck
Hello All,
ReplyDeleteSharon, thanks for the Staples tip on the MP3 players and Sally about Learning A-Z. It is cheaper for a license than purchasing books!
Chuck, Sally printed out a list for our district about how the stimulus money would be allocated. I don't know where she found it, maybe on the DOE website??? It is very specific on how funds will be used. I'm sure Sally will be checking in shortly and give all of us the correct source.
Elena
Hey Everyone!
ReplyDeleteWell...I don't know if I have a huge amount of info about this stimulus $$ but if you go to the Lexia website there is a feature where I found the info...
"Lexia and the 2009 Stimulus Bill". Give it a look and see what you can find...the print out was really for MA...didn't find much for Reading...but I hope this helps.
On the Lexia web site there is a wonderful article by the founder of Lexia, Bob Lemire- worth a read!
so I hope you are all well and working hard!!!
Smiles...
Sally
To Janice (and everyone who cares to go read this)
ReplyDeleteYour missing post went under the UPDATE that I posted over the weekend. You must have been reading my update post, which is a new category, when you clicked to post a reaction. If you want to see it, look at the links down the right side of the page and click on the UPDATE post. At the bottom, click on "comments". There are comments from others in our class there too.
Mads
TO Chuck (and anyone who wants to learn about Stimulus Funds for Technology in the classroom)
ReplyDeleteHere is one article that is a place to start. Guidelines for schools to apply for these funds are recent.
Here are the guidelines:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/edtech/index.html
Here is an article from Education Week:
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/07/27/37fedtech.h28.html?tkn=PXUF9cstEy3tU%2FZcN8z5KhkPqTFQvR6URQS7
(I know this is a long one so please use copy/paste to try to see the article if you need to do so.)
There are other articles to be found if you use Google or Bing to search for Education Technology Stimulus Funds Guidelines.
What do you think?
Mads
Glad you found my post Mads. I was beginning to think I had lost my mind. Anyway, Chuck I have to let you know I have not been off a computer since I left class. I wanted to mention to schools with Title 1, I believe a good amount of the stimulus money may go there. It may be a place to start to initiate money for technology. I also went to school to talk to my principal to help him understand the needs of our children and how we can make simple changes. He of course was in a meeting, I'll catch him one of these days.
ReplyDeleteJanice
I want to thank everyone for the info and ideas about researching the possibility for grant money. I wish we had a second course entitled "Practical Applications of Assistive Technology for Literacy Instruction." It would run through the fall and we could exchange ideas and work together to put together an organized body of information. I have been doing a lot of searching on spelling and it has been amazing how much is out there. The one thing that I have learned is that there is not a lot of research out there in this area. What is available suggests that Assistive Technology might work. Once I finish my research, I would be glad to share what what I have learned with you if you would like it.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Chuck
Good Morning Everyone,
ReplyDeleteMy daughter invited me to go to the beach on Tuesday, so of course, I said "YES"! I've been on my computer constantly too, so I thought this would be a refreshing break from the screen.....Just as I was leaving the house I threw a few magazines into my beach bag. I thought of taking along our required text from Dr. Tolman's class, but didn't want to take the chance that it would become sandy and salty! After settling into my cozy chair with a magnificent view I reached into my bag for a little light reading. I was pleasantly surprised to see the title "Free Tech Tools for Teachers" on the cover of the August/September 2009 neatoday magazine. I think this article speaks to Chuck's question about where to persue more FREE STUFF for us. You can go to www.nea.org/groups which is an online "meeting space". (Mads, is that code for blog???) The article also says that many more free tools are available at google and recommended www.nea.org/freetech to pursue those. Additionally, you can go to www.schooltube.com, http://schools-wikipedia.org, http://twitterforteachers.wetpaint.com, and http://twitter4teachers.pbworks.com. I haven't had a chance yet to check out these sites, but I hope they work for you all. Who would have thought that our "back to school shopping" would lead us in this direction? (Sally, have you found any more cool vests?) Meanwhile, I'm heading back to the beach so that I can just "sit" and absorb all this new information. Rose
Rose...I could kiss you for sharing. This is what I was looking for from this group. I hope we can all keep virtually collaborating on how to use technology to deal with reading problems. Thank you very much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI am working on spelling interventions via software and will share what I learn when I am done in a couple of weeks.....or so. I hope we can keep this thing going for as long as possible. The more we share the more we learn.
Unlike Janice, I have been struggling to find time to get on the computer due to my job hunting exploits. But my heart is in the right place and thanks once again Rose for sharing. I feel empowered!
Cheers,
Chuck
Dear Chuck, You're welcome. Have a good weekend. Rose
ReplyDeleteHi Chuck, Rose - Everyone still monitoring this conversation. All I can say is WOW! You have taken this in the direction that Karen was advocating during her "web 2.0" presentation with you. Do you remember that we set up a wiki for your collaborations?
ReplyDeletehttp://chocolit.wikispaces.com/
This electronic conversation has beyond served the purpose that I had hoped. Now you are ready for the virtual collaboration space that we created together with Karen. You are all members of this ChocoLit wiki and this space is especially designed to serve the purpose that Chuck proposes.
On the wiki you can have threaded thematic discussions, share resources such as the research about spelling, so forth.
My baby birds are well beyond 4-day nest and soaring!
Mads
Good Morning, Thanks, Mads, for the suggestion to move over to our wiki. I was there yesterday.....I've also been spending time following the links you had suggested re: multimedia....I discovered some fabulous how-to segments...the "What is a Wiki" video was great!!! I can't remember where I found it to tell the others, sorry. I noticed that the models for the FINAL do not have audio nor video embedded in them, so I'm going to attempt that on mine. I'm off to the store this morning to purchase a cheap microphone, and we'll see where it goes. The deeper I delve into technology the less secure I feel, but I just keep repeating the mantra, "It's mistake tolerant, It's mistake tolerant." Bye for now. I hope to meet up with our group in the Land of Chocolit. Rose
ReplyDelete