Glog It!

For the remainder of the semester my new information tecnology topic is: Glogster!

As their YouTube station explains, "Glogster is a cloud-based platform for digital storytelling and interactive learning. It allows users to mix all kinds of media on a one virtual canvas to create multimedia posters, and access a library of engaging educational content created by students and educators worldwide. Glogster encourages interactive, collaborative education and digital literacy."

Their YouTube video is pretty super at showing you what Glogster is:

And, well, this really shows you Glogster...in 90 seconds!

So, simply put, Glogster is a cool, fun, fresh, groovy, interactive poster that you OR your students can create on any topic of your choosing! The only caveat, it's not free. Boo. You can get a free seven day trial though -  but that's really not helping anyone. You can get a one user account for $29.99. You can purchase a 30 users account for $39.00. Or, 125 users for $95.00.  Of course, if your school or department has funding they could pony up for the cost. Or, perhaps, you could share the cost of the 30 user account with a colleague and have 15 user accounts per teacher. There is no rule that you couldn't have groups of two from each of your class sections use the same user accounts, right? Anyway, frugal teachers could finesse the cost, if needed. In the end, the cost of these accounts are much cheaper than traditional, old school poster supplies: poster board, markers, printing costs, etc.! Sell that to your administrators?


DOWNLOAD THE IPAD APP: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/glogs

Find us at: https://www.glogster.com
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/glogster
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glogster
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/glogster

Happy Glogging!

Sara :)

Assistive Technology & Accessibility

This week we are discussing assistive technology, accessibility and universal design. One of our discussion questions for class asked if the websites we used (personally or as educators) were accessible for ALL individuals. Sadly, this is concept/idea that I have never gave much thought (for example, is this website designed to allow for screen readers, videos closed captioned, can you only navigate the site with a mouse, etc. etc.). And, well, I think we ALL should stop and think about the inequality of the internet/websites for persons with disabilities. 

We all know about the ADA (Americans with Disability Act) is unquestionably valuable. In fact, section 508 of the ADA requires all federal websites to be accessible for persons with disabilities. However, we all know that the Internet's resources go far beyond federal websites for our society (and our classrooms!). While answering my discussion question on Blackboard this week, I came across this press release/litigation case. And, upon further web clicking, I came across this Wall Street Journal article. There have been many other lawsuits for similar problems (equal access to websites). If you are so inclined, you can find noteworthy cases at the bottom of this webpage (Netflix, Hotels.com, Amazon and beyond are on there!). 

There are real obstacles for persons with disabilities having fair and equal access to ALL of the Internet (or even simple technologies in public areas that you or I take for granted in our daily lives). It's easy to get assume technology is a easy fix or always a  for persons with disabilities --- but it appeared very quickly after some fast research that in the end Internet use actually leads to huge roadblocks, frustration and inequality for persons with disabilities. 

This is all food for thought. I truly appreciate that this topic was brought up this week! I think having accessibility audits for all websites would help this growing problem. But, of course, much more needs to be done and I am not an expert or special education resource. 

Lastly, I also did a little bit of digging on the Internet for assistive technologies designed specifically to be used in a Family Consumer Science Career and Technical classroom/lab (my area of specialty). And, well, I was a little disappointed as I only found two:

• talking food thermometers (to be used in cooking labs)
• Byteswitch: first and only adaptive sewing machine. The Byteswitch control allows the machine to be controlled by the mouth or hand. (http://www.abledata.com/product/byteswitch-sewing-machine).

Lastly, as resource to my fellow teachers, I found this website: http://techmatrix.org/. This is a searchable database of over 400 assistive and educational technology tools and resources. Absolutely a website you should stash away in your filing cabinet (though it doesnt allow for searches for subject areas like music, art, or career and technical courses. boo!). This article also lists multiple awesome Web 2.0 (yay!) apps to support diverse learners in the classroom.

That's a wrap!

Sara

1999

This week we are discussing mobile learning or M-learning. For this topic we read Lei & Zhao's academic paper entitled One-to-one computing: What Does It Bring to Our Schools (2008, Journal of Educational Computing Research).  One particularly interesting idea within this paper was the idea of "oversold and underused." Lei & Zhao explained,

                        One criticism of sizable expenditures for computers in schools is that computers
                        are often “oversold but underused” (Cuban, 2001). In other words, computers are
                        purchased and put in classrooms but are not sufficiently utilized by teachers
                        and students. In a one-to-one computing environment, does this criticism apply?
                        When every student has a computer, will it still be “oversold and underused?”

This idea of "oversold and underused" made me flashback to my junior year of high school. Though this is not a story about one-to-one computing or mobile learning, it is about this concept of "oversold and underused" in a school system. I was a junior in high school back in 1999. I was taking Mr. Urbanek's [picture a tall, skinny middle aged man with long blonde hair. he was seriously stuck in 1970. he seriously brought a deer head in to school and let it decompose in a garbage can in his office all year. yah. no joke. he was a weird bird.] biology class. As a culminating end-of-the-year project we had to create a portfolio of , well, to be honest, I don't remember what the portfolio was on. I do remember we had to use sources from newspapers, encyclopedias, journals, magazines, etc. and NO MORE than two from the internet. My parents had just invested in Encarta for home use (for those who are unfamiliar with Encarta it was basically an encyclopedia on a cd-rom). For Mr. Urbanek's project, I used Encarta for many of my sources. It was, after all, an encyclopedia. When I got my project back I got a big, fat F. The reason: too many internet sources. I was upset. Encarta was NOT the internet but he didn't want to hear it. In his mind, anything from a computer was "the internet". In the end, I set-up a meeting with the principal and sold my case. My mom, too. They were pushing technology and "computer labs" so much during this time. However, there was a teacher failing a student on a project because she used this "technology." The principal forced Mr. Urbanek to change my grade. He was seriously upset at the meeting and changed it with disgust and extreme reservation.

So, when this concept of "oversold and underused" was brought up this week it really resonated with me and this experience in high school (when technology was really being pushed in schools for the first time - besides Math Blaster and Oregon Trail, that is.). Technology in education is important. It's a skill set that every 21st century learner needs. Do I believe it should be at the forefront of every lesson - no. Do I think is the missing puzzle piece to improve the malfunctions of America's schools - no. Can it replace a teacher - absolutely not. I do, however, feel it is a valuable tool for educators and learners. Add it to our already brightly decorated and efficient teacher toolboxes. The problems lie currently with some educators using this said technology inappropriately (as a babysitter) or simply not being trained to use it effectively within their lessons (and, of course, classroom management skill sets need to be on point for effectiveness!). And, in some cases, they are simply too scared or grumpy to use/ try it. More professional development is needed for educators when it comes to implementing technology so it is worthwhile for the students and teacher. Looking back, poor Mr. Urbanek likely didn't understand the difference between the internet and a CD-rom/computer based encyclopedia. I know there are educators just as confused or technology illiterate in our present day schools. This needs fixed. We can't allow technology to be oversold and underused. It's simply not fair to our 21st century learners. And, frankly, to our teachers, too.

That's a wrap.
Sara

To Incorporate or Not?

This week we are discussing the use of social media in the classroom. Of course - surprise, surprise - social media also happens to be yet another popular Web 2.0 application. When I taught I used Facebook for the co-curricular club I advised Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). By using the Facebook platform, I was able to post reminders and information to club members about club meetings, fundraisers, competitions and field trips. It beat the old school afternoon announcements or bulletin boards. Students actually got the information! Score. I never delved into the world of social media in my classroom beyond this. I did have issues with parents wanting to "friend" me on Facebook and that was a slippery slope that was rather stressful (I was "friends" with some "parents" before I even started teaching their children but to the outsider it could have appeared differently). I agree "friending" parents blurs the lines. And, well, don't get me started on teachers "friending" students with their personal sites. I really appreciate the suggestion this week of creating a professional Facebook page and including it in one's parent letter at the beginning of the school year. No more parents searching for you on social media sites. And, well, if they do, no pressure to approve their invites with your personal accounts.

Though I may be the minority on this topic, I feel that social media is a Web 2.0 application that can simply be left out of the classroom. First, please understand that I am speaking purely about classroom use of popular, public social media sites (you know, Facebook, Twitter and all that jazz!). Of course social media has a place in the "business" realm of education (i.e. private school use to publicize and promote, school district twitter accounts, etc.). As I read one of this week's articles for class, I continually found myself agreeing with Gail Lecht's arguments for why it shouldn't be used in the classroom. Or, perhaps, used very sparingly. Though teaching students how to be media-literate is very important, I think we can manage to do this without having to incorporate Facebook or Instagram in our classrooms or lessons. Call me old school or a worry-wart, but I simply am not willing to take on that liability as a teacher. All it take is for one poor student choice, one mistake in your lesson delivery/implementation or one student who knows a little bit more than you about that social media site and you will be in a closed door, sweaty meeting at the central office faster than the speed of light! Besides, there are amazing educational social media platforms for teachers to use that are much safer for our student's privacy & digital footprints. I even struggle with using Facebook or Twitter for communication only. Even if I protect the account, it is/was possible for some weirdo to know that my club is/was meeting here or there at 2:30pm. So, um, yah, I am incredibly sheepish of social media in the classroom. If I am going to use it, I'd prefer to use sites designed only for schools/classrooms with regulated safety certifications ---- not common social media sites for Grandma Betty and the average Joe, too.

Which brings me to my favorite part: social networking sites made for teachers! Enjoy, you social media, Web 2.0 addicts:


https://www.classdojo.com/
https://redcritterteacher.com/home
https://www.edmodo.com/
https://www.nearpod.com/
Top Social Networks for Students & Teachers

Peace,
Sara