This year our school established a committee to look at our reading incentive program and determine how we could encourage our students to read because they “want” to read. Of major concern, is the fact that aliteracy becomes an epidemic in the middle school years. How can we keep our readers reading?We all realized that today’s students are totally focused on any thing deemed “entertaining” and socially engaging.It seems our best hope at “engaging the reading attitudes” of our students would be to change some of old incentives and create more enriching activities that incorporated the things they do best, social networking and technology. Thus our committee established a reading program that encouraged our students to talk about books F2F, via videoconferencing, chat rooms or blogs.We offered them opportunities to explore the use of camcorders and online production tools such as PhotoStory, Audacity or GCast to share books they had read. We even provided for the artistic bunch, a scrapbooking center.There are no requirements about the book selection – total student choice. There are no required “projects” for sharing, simply sharing the books you’ve read, however, you wish.
As we are progressing through this year, we have hit some walls.Not enough time at school with access to computers, establishing that this is not “for a grade” both for teachers and students, and enough volunteers to handle the number of F2F book clubs that we’d like to offer. We have tried to stress that with assigned readings of novels, students are rewarded with a grade – our reading program allows us to reward students that are reading because they choose to, not because they have to!Check out this video created by a committee member to use as an introduction to our reading program.
Where are we going with technology? What are these new Web 2.0 resources? How do we handle the safety issues? When do we start integrating social networking with curriculum? Charting new territory is always an adventure to be approached with careful planning. I have a tendency to jump in head first, I love an adventure and I hate instruction books. However, in thinking about my approach to Web 2.0 teacher training and curriculum integration, there are some issues to be resolved. What do we hope to accomplish by incorporating Web 2.0 resources into our program, what are the pluses and the minuses, how do we ensure student safety, when can we provide our teachers with the training, and how can we integrate Web 2.0 as meaningful and productive resources for learning? I’ve just learned about the Broadband Data Improvement Act, passed in October 2008, which states that any school receiving e-rate discounts are “required to educate their students about appropriate online behaviors with social networking and chat rooms.” Wow! I thought those were totally off limits to our students- apparently not anymore! Now, we are “required” to address and provide proper guidance for using these Web 2.0 resources. So much to think about! I often feel like the ethics committee, the technology instructor, the cheerleader, the trouble shooter, the coaxer, the instigator, the dare devil - I want to see my teachers start taking the lead in using some of this new technology. But, we do need a plan!
The following Voice Thread was created by a school district in NC to stimulate thought and direction as they began to establish their Vision for the future of technology. I found many of the quotes and comments very interesting and helpful.
We’ve used and used and used PhotoStory at our school and the kids love it. I’ve just discovered a new way to share books and projects, PhotoPeach. Wow, I really love this and it only takes seconds to make a movie!! Lots of fun effects, great music, enter your own captions and photos and you’re done! Check out my demo.
“Since most of today’s students can appropriately be labeled as “Digital Learners”, why do so many teachers refuse to enter the digital age with their teaching practices?
This presentation was created in an effort to motivate teachers to more effectively use technology in their teaching.”
My favorite social network tool is Twitter. I love keeping up with other media specialists, techno gurus, and beaders but don’t always have time to do extensive chatting. Twitter keeps it short and sweet. If you aren’t familiar with Twitter, watch this short video from Common Craft video shorts.
Now check out this Wiki on how teachers can use Twitter and find other teachers that share common interests.
Just got back from an OEC meeting to plan our library media conference for October 2008. We have lots of great sessions in the making and Debbie Jarrett will be one of our speakers. It really got me thinking about how to incorporate Web 2.0 with United Streaming. A few of our teachers are setting up learning centers simply because of the diverse levels within each classroom. I am planning a training session on using DEN to create learning centers and had originally planned to do a simple activity with a video clip, images or audio files. I’m thinking about other Web 2.0 ways for the students to complete assignments and projects for their center work. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far:
