Following:

On Wednesday, October 21, 2009, David Kuropatwa put together a list of bloggers who use the daily student "scribes" he discussed in an earlier posting. This is where one student is selected each day to write out the text and classroom learning for the day for the rest of the class or for absent students. Long distance students can also access these blogs from around the world. This list may be worth referring back to when I begin to teach to glean information as to how other teachers use "scribes" as well as how students can teach other students.
On Friday, October 23, 2009, he shared his new Math 10 Curriculum. Blogs like his are important to keep in mind and follow because they are filled with invaluable information from seasoned teachers.

Voicethread:

I find voicethread to be an interesting tool. It is relatively easy to use and can be a fun and interesting way to share information. The comment tool can be used just like an on-going conversation, either verbally or in written form. There is also a comment moderator tool that you can use to decide which comments you will publish or delete. This allows only you too see the comment first before anyone else, so you can decide what to do with it.
You can also draw on the voicethread. You can stop a clip and then draw on the screen while you talk to discuss the points you want to make. I watched one clip on Art History, where the publisher suggested using annotation and drawing to point out the different depictions of "form," "line," or a "focal point," etc. on a painting. This is a very visual tool and with the comments it can be very interactive.
It will be interesting to learn more and to see how it actually fits into the classroom.

Technology:

I think that I have come a long way in learning and using technology. Ten years ago I was still half afraid to try much on the computer and didn't even have an email address. At the time my husband and oldest daughter were always using the computer so it was easy for me to stay busy doing other things. When I started school 5 years ago that all changed, and little by little I have added to my repertoire of computer skills. I even have a Facebook profile and my 13 year old taught me how to scan some old photos so I could post them; a testament to the technology learning of young children.
As far as being a great teacher I realize that I still have a ways to go. I am fairly proficient at communicating using technology, and have minimal experience with powerpoint. I use microsoft word a lot and bought microsoft excel for my new lap top, which I hope to start using more. I had to use microsoft excel to do graphs for my science class last semester and really could not grasp how to use the programs much at all. Fortunately we worked in groups, so I had help.
I am pleased with the things that I am learning in this class such as voicethread, and know that I will make use of this learning in my classroom. I plan to keep experimenting with new things and to stay connected so that I can be abreast the newest and most efficient types of technology and learn the best ways to incorporate them into the classroom. I don't feel that to be a great teacher that I have to know the latest and greatest all the time, but I think it is important to learn about better more efficient technology. I think for me the most important thing is learning a type of technology well enough to feel confident. My weakness is that I tend to be very intimidated by technology and am afraid to try new things. So for me to become a great teacher, I need to learn a few things very well and then build on that knowledge. My strength is that I have forced myself to learn and to try new things even when I feel intimidated, and for that I am proud of myself.

Following:

Darren Kuropatwa, the person who I have been following did not post this week, so I will write about a voicethread that I read. This voicethread was published by Nicole Tomasselli for MESPA, and is about Digital Storytelling. Nicole talks about the various ways in which Digital Storytelling can be used, such as Historical Projects. She suggests that the value of digital storytelling is that it engages the students and uses high order thinking for "planning, envisioning and linking common themes." She noted that it also allows students to use technology in "meaningful ways," that are more engaging than handwritten formats.
I think that engaging students in activities that involves the use of visuals and hands on activities is important because it allows the students to work in their different learning styles. I think this type of writing and expression also allows students more room for creativity. I think that digital storytelling is definitely something I'd like to keep in mind to incorporate into the classroom in the future.

Following:

Darren Kuropatwa's last post was Sunday October 10,2009. This blog is a slidecast from one of several talks he gave at a conference for the Fort La Bosse School Division. He says this work is maintained on a "Senior Years Information and Communication technology wiki", in order to share his work with teachers across the Province of Manitoba "...and you."
This slidecast titled "I've Got 5 Minutes" (actually 11 minutes long) describes several different teaching methods that he uses in his classrooms. They call him the "Blog Father of Mathematics" and it's important to remember he teaches high level calculus and such in high school.
This slidecast shows one of his workshop classes that he calls "watch and learn" where students learn a procedure and then solidify their learning by teaching it to one of their fellow students. He also uses Slideshare.net that represents different classes in which the work of one of his student "scribes" is posted. This is where the students take turns from day to day writing the textbook from the days learning in such a way that a student who may be absent can learn from it. The idea is to set up a structure in which the students can work in and construct their own learning and reinforce it by teaching and mentoring fellow students.
He also allows them to do a Blog on Blog (BOB) before a test to discuss problem areas. In this arena students from other parts of the country can blogshare with and mentor one another.
In terms of integrating technology Darren is certainly lightyears ahead of most.
What I learn from this primarily is the idea that a student has truly learned a procedure when he is able to show it or teach it to another student. Also when students "write" the textbook rather than read it they learn more from it--I think this can be incorporated to suit all different grade levels. Also as he noted, shy students can be more bold in their sharing and learning in this arena and receive a lot of positive feedback when students realize who was sharing the very valued information. I guess this blog gave me a lot of food for thought, and holds a myriad of ideas that can be adapted for use with younger children to reinforce their learning and give them confidence as well.

Following:

In this weeks posting, September 30, 2009, Darren Kuruopatwa refers to a flickr assignment he was working on last year and its relation to Brain Rule #10 which states: "Vision Trumps all other senses." From that point he talks about his experiment which he undertook in the past and is starting up again on October 1st. The experiment is to take a photo everyday for 31 days. Technically, the idea is to take a photo everyday for a year but he declares that he doesn't have the "stamina" for that. At any rate, I viewed his slideshow of pictures from October of last year. He posted that everytime he has this experience, it changes the way he sees the world around him.

In regards to teaching it's important to remember the reinforcing value of visual effects. I think that seeing things from different angles--like the picture he took of a dresser taken from the bottom looking up--can certainly be used as a tool to enhance learning and to encourage students to learn to see the world using different lenses and ways of thinking about things.