dvandijk2012's photostream

dvandijk2012's photostream on Flickr.

Playing around with Flickr, Sharing.

Just Trying New Things

What is a Book?


Check out this video. It is quite funny!

Picasa and Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/

http://picasa.google.ca/









I tried out Flickr and Picasa. I had fun making a movie and a collage with Picasa. I had 796 pictures, so you should see the cool collage--long family movie. I uploaded 27 of those pictures to Flickr, but I actually do not know what happened to them. I was asked if I wanted to make a set. I went in to see what that meant. I decided not to make a set and when I closed the window, I was back at the Welcome Page.I also decided not to make a TAG either, until I figure out more about these sites. My pictures are out in cyber-space. In Picasa, I did not know how to select a few pictures, instead of all 796. I also do not know how to put certain photos in a separate private folder. That is it for now. I will read more about how these interesting tools can be used in the classroom; then, I will come back and edit this post. I imagine Drama, Photography, Foods, and Art could make very good use of these tools.

While Janice posted that she would not want to use Flickr for class projects, Richardson (2010) mentions that one can "restrict viewing access to 'Friends' or 'Family,' for instance, only those people you have 'Invited' as members of those groups will be able to see them" (p. 103).

One thing that worries me is that "[i[f your free [Flickr] account is inactive for 90 days, it will be deleted" (p. 102).

Update: I added a tag to a photo and geo-tagged it. Very easy! I also checked out other photos in Flickr to see how I could use Flickr in the classroom. I looked up the Globe Theatre, Shakespeare, and London. I also looked for pictures that could tell a story or illustrate a poem for my English classes. I also want to make a Flickr magazine cover. I think kids would have fun with this site.

My English 9 students are working on a Shakespeare project this week. There are a great many photos on Flickr that they can use. Citing images is a huge challenge for these students; however, I told them they must cite. Since checking out this site, I have thought of many more projects for English assignments. Students are very visual and enjoy what they can do with pictures. For example, I had quite a few students find  pictures that represent their vocabulary words in the past week.

I liked the projects that Ben Konig's students did with photos. I could not believe that was an elementary project. I was very impressed. Additionally, I see the potential of posting pictures on a library web site, or posting projects that students complete in order to communicate with parents.

Richardson's Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts' and ...Chap.s 1 and 2

I like Richardson's, (2010) book, Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. It is easy to understand and I really like the step-by-step approach and the reasoning behind what he is teaching. Richardson (2010) explains that we have come a long way from reading and writing to the Web to a more collaborative learning experience. He also states that education has been slow to adapt to these new tools and potentials" (Richardson, 2010, p. 3). I feel very overwhelmed, but also excited about implementing all these tools in the classroom. I cannot wait to get started. Richardson quotes Dan Gilmore as stating that "The people who'll understand this best are probably just being born" (Gillmore, 2005). Note that Dan Gillmore wrote this comment in 2005--seven years ago--so as we can see education is very slow in adapting these new tools for the classroom. Thank goodness for the go-getters!

I have gone to many workshops about using technology in the classroom, but I do not find that it is always a hands on approach, or if it is, there is not enough time to learn how to use the tools efficiently. Also, as Janice mentioned in her discussion post, the way in which the technology is presented seems to be another way to write student assignments. However, after reading chapter 1 and 2 in Richard's (2010) book, I see the great potential for collaboration and for learning.

Richardson, Will. (2010). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Thousand Oaks. California: Corwin.

Technology Autobiography

My technology use is somewhat limited and no where near the level where I would like to be. Time seems to be a huge factor; when I have any time to myself, I like to spend it outside or with family.

'70s: I remember using the electric typewriter in grade nine and thought that was a wonderful invention after the manual typewriter; however, I never got over the hunt and peck method. I broke two of my fingers, at different times, playing football with the boys, so I did not learn how to type without looking at the keys.

Early '80s: Atari was the "must have" item of the day. I played Space Invaders, and Tetris, my favourites, and many other games that went with that system. I did not play a lot; I have never really been into games that much.

Later '80s: I cannot remember the name of the computer I purchased next, possibly Nintendo 64. I had three young children by this time and did not play on the computer much at all, but mostly the computer was used for playing games.

'99: I purchased my first computer in order to complete my College courses. I enrolled in five courses, plus one lab. On the first day of College, each professor said that the assignments must be word processed. I was too embarrassed to ask what that meant in class because it seemed like something that everyone else knew, so I went home to ask my kids what "word processed meant"-- they were completing their senior years in high school by this time. They said, "Mom, you need to  buy a computer! So needless to say, my children came to Staples with me and I came out with a IBM computer with a CD burner, a printer, a scanner, a monitor, and a computer desk and chair! My kids set it up for me. I spent many nights on the computer typing up essays, just to have them disappear because I hit some button or other, and did not have my paper saved. I do not know how many times I did that. Sometimes, I still lose papers somehow. I still used books at the College library for my research though because I felt comfortable with books and did not know anything about the databases or how to use them. It would have been a lot easier than reading through many different books for information though. I used the microfiche machine for some articles, but those machines made me feel like I had pretty bad motion sickness. All in all, I was so impressed with the editing side of writing a paper on the computer. I did not know, at first, that one could rearrange lines or copy and paste--I am pretty sure that I did things the hard way. All I know is that I am glad I did not have to type my papers on a typewriter.

Two months after I bought the IBM computer, my house was broken into and someone stole my computer equipment, so I bought a Hewlett Packard computer and printer. This computer got me through the next six years of University--four years completing my Bachelor of Arts Degree and two years for my Education Degree. I learned how to give PowerPoint presentations by playing with the icons before many other people learned; I had many people ask me to show them how to make a PowerPoint presentation. One person in my class said that my PowerPoints were very professional looking and that is what businesses were looking for. I also attended a workshop at the University library about how to do research using the databases, but I had trouble finding just the right articles for my papers, so I still mainly used books for my assignments, unless it was required to use a database article. I did not use the Internet for research either because I wasn't very good at using Yahoo, or Ask. Once I got the hang of Google, I was already finished my degrees. It is an understatement to say that I am still amazed at how much information is on the Internet and how easy it is to access. Questions one has are answered almost instantly, anytime, anywhere.

'05: I incorporated PowerPoints in the classroom, but not very often. During my practicum in 2003, I made the mistake of reading off it and the students were very turned off--I had some extra notes, but not very many and the students were very insulted. Meanwhile, I had put a lot of work into it. Usually, the teacher-librarian set up the LCD machine for me to use. After awhile, the students made their own PowerPoints for presentations. They were equally boring because the students read them; also, they did not face the class or could not be heard.

I attended many workshops about introducing technology into the classroom; however, I found I lacked the time to truly play around with the tools to use them. When I did get the time to go back and look at certain programs, I forgot the passwords, addresses, or where I set it up, so I found technology frustrating. For example, I went to a Moodle workshop--twice--and still have not used it. I have gone to a few SmartBoard workshops--and still have not used it. It also seems that each year, I need to learn a new marks program. First, it was Integrade, then Bcesis, now Easygrade Pro. Information Overload!

'09: I started my job as teacher-librarian in a secondary school with 23 computers in an enclosed lab within the library, and 17 laptops in a mobile lab in a school with 950 students. If a class needed computers, they would need to book the computer lab and the mobile lab in order to have enough computers for the whole class to use. I thought that was ridiculous in this day and age. The first year, I ordered 32 Netbooks (I joined the Tech. committee) for the mobile lab and seven computers for the computer lab. Both labs were always booked every day, but there was a huge demand for more computers. The second year, I ordered 32 more Netbooks for a second mobile lab.

The third year, I ordered 30 brand new computers for the computer lab. These labs were very busy at all times. In addition, we made sure all teachers in the school had a LCD machine and a laptop or Tablet. I ordered a Sony e-reader, 15 Rebel cameras, 3 Video cameras, scanner tablets, webcams, MP3 players, Playaways, and six more DVD/VCR players and speakers. All of this technology is essential for many courses, such as Art, Photography, Foods, etc. While I did not use very much technology myself, I understood that it was vital for the students. It is a good idea to be on the tech. committee when one is a teacher-librarian.

I learned how to trouble-shoot very fast because many teachers called down to the library for help when something was not working properly. Most of the time, it is user error. I found out that I knew more than a lot of teachers, which is funny because I thought I should know more and felt like a phony sometimes. Luckily, there were many teachers coming new into the school that were enthusiastic about using technology in the classroom.

During my time in the library, I edited the library web site (another workshop). I enjoyed this, but wish I had more time to work on it and make it fantastic. I created a Blog when The Hunger Games was popular. I called it watch-what-you-read. I handed out five The Hunger Games books, without barcoding, so the students could pass them around to students who otherwise might not use the library, and asked students to compare the movie with the book. I received one fantastic comment, but that was it. I think I made it too much like an English assignment to interest the students.

'12: On the first day at a new school, I attended another Smartboard workshop (Admin. day). I felt enthusiastic about using it, but have yet to try it out. I would like to try a Jeopardy Game to start with. Currently, I teach 2x English 9s, Communications 11, and an English 12.

Our first technology experience was typing essays in the library computer lab on Macs. I have never used a Mac before, so that was interesting pretending that I knew what to do. I managed quite well, but I have to say that I was pretty nervous about taking four classes and working on machines that I haven't used before. After the writing unit, I introduced an independent  novel study with the Snowball activity from Kist's (2010) book. I have the English 12s blogging about their independent novels. However, not all students wanted to Blog. One of the biggest reasons is there is not enough computer access--Film studies is booked across the calendar at the same time; the other computer lab and the library lab are booked to the max all the time. It is very frustrating that the lack of computers prevent one from moving ahead with technology.

I plan to try many of the new technology tools that I am learning about in LIBE477B. It is very helpful using Richardson's book as it is a step-by-step guide. Many times I hit keys that I do not mean to, or do not understand the language when downloading something (I have yet to get Adobe Reader on my laptop), so I find technology super-frustrating, but I will keep playing. My biggest enemy is time, but as this is my last course towards completing my Teacher-Librarianship Diploma, I am sure that I will have more time at my disposal.

Response to William Kist's The Socially Networked Classroom

On page 8, Kist describes 5 characteristics that are essential for a classroom  Thinking about Kist’s (2010) characteristics, 5-8 characteristics of a 21^st century library, based on my current understanding are:

·         Teacher-Librarian conducts workshops for students and teachers about how to use databases, evaluate websites, and search a variety of servers besides just Google, such as Yahoo, etc., in addition to, educating patrons about plagiarism and citing styles.

·         In addition to obtaining books, magazines, DVDs, and encyclopedias for the school, the TL should also purchase reading material for Ipads, MP3 players, audiobooks, and e-books, plus have the tech. equipment for student sign-out.

·         The Library or Learning Commons website should include Twitter, Blogger, and Facebook icons, so that everyone is connected 24/7.

·         Teach students an inquiry-based method of research; then, allow students to develop their own questions for inquiry-based learning and present it in a format that they choose.

·         The library equipment should be as current and new as possible to prevent frustration and non-use. There should be as many laptops and Netbooks as possible to allow for movement and collaboration on projects between students and teachers.

We will see many more students who are engaged in their own learning.

In Chapter 5, Kist talks about the role of games and gaming in schools. In your group, please discuss the following questions (as posed by Kist on page 112): Can participating in games be a legitimate activity in schools [and libraries]? Can you think of a time when you learned something either about yourself or about the world by playing a game?

Yes, participating in games can be a legitimate activity in schools and libraries. There are many valuable learning math, language, and word games. My grandchildren play the math games on the laptop almost every times they visit. I like the rubric (p. 110) that the teacher from Saluda Trail Middle School used for the gaming club because the parent had to sign and be aware of which games their son or daughter is playing at school. I can see one problem about allowing students to play games in the library before school, at lunch, and after school and that is that the students who do not have a computer at home may not get the opportunity to finish their homework during these times because other students are gaming, although a solution to that problem could be to let students who have homework have priority over the computers.

What I learned about myself while gaming is that I found that playing games improves my eye to hand coordination and quick response time; however, I found that I felt angry when something interrupted me while I was totally engrossed in a game, so I needed to put the game in the proper perspective.

In the Forward to the book, Kylene Beers suggests that William Kist consistently "asks us to consider what happens when our classrooms become as big as the world?...[Or alternatively], what happens when our classrooms do not become as big as the world?" Consider your reading and understanding of this book and think about how you would answer these questions. Share your responses with your group.

As educators, we would be cheating the students out of a global education if we do not keep pace with the world. Our students would fall behind and lose out on higher-paying jobs to those who have the technology skills. We have a responsibility to learn about new devices and allow our students the opportunities to participate in authentic lessons. I agree that it is all too easy to sit back and say that the students know more than we do about technology; however, they are not using technology to its fullest learning potential when they are texting, face booking, or instant messaging—mostly surface, boring information that no one else cares about. This is where we come in to play. How exciting would it be to learn about a variety of cultures--languages, music, celebrations, holidays, food, and fashion—from other students of the same age from across the world? How exciting would it be to collaborate on a science project together with someone from another country? Read and discuss books? Schools are not changing as rapidly as the global community and that must change.

Most people would enjoy Kist's (2010) approach as one does not have to read the book in a linear fashion, although I did. In addition, he separated the chapters going from a novice techie user to a more experienced techie user using examples that the reader may try in their classroom. The rubrics are very useful,as well. I actually had time to try one of the activities, the Snowball activity (p. 37 - 39) in two of my classes, an English 9 and an English 12, simulating the Blogging experience. The students enjoyed the activity and wanted to do it again. I used the topic "Social Media," had the students write their name at the top of a sheet of paper, and write down their opinion. Then, the students crumpled up the paper and threw it across the room. We did this about six times. I read each sheet afterwards; most of the comments were okay or in response to an opinion, but there were many unrelated comments, as well--some quite funny. The first time I did this activity with the grade nine's, I did not get the students to sign their name to the comments they made. I found that the comments were more random than when I asked the grade 12s to sign their name after their comment.I also asked the students the Questions to Consider (p. 39). Some students reacted to the comments, and some people thought the random comments were funny. I would like to try this activity again to write a poem or short story. All in all, a fun exercise that the students enjoyed and want to do again.

There are so many activities in Kist's (2010) book that I want to try in the classroom. I think the students would love the autobiography activity on page 13, and many of the other activities, as well. One of the biggest problems that has kept me from doing more of the activities with my students is the amount of available computer time. At the other school I was at, computers were available for use for every English class if wanted. Now, I am at a smaller school which does not have one mobile lab (I would have to exchange classrooms because it would be difficult to take a mobile lab to a portable).

Some interesting issues are raised in Kist's (2010) book. For example, online safety for students is a controversial topic. Some teachers are on one end of the spectrum letting students BLOG and Facebook, etc., while others are at the opposite end where students use computers using filters and in a controlled setting. Another issue is that some teachers continue to teach the same thing year after year, thus, preventing students from learning in a global environment, which will turn out to be detrimental to society. 

Kist's (2010) book, The Socially Networked Classroom, is easily accessible to even the most novice techie interested in incorporating digital media into the classroom or library.

Kist, W. (2010). The Socially Networked Classroom. Thousand Oaks,      California: Corwin.

Technology is very frustrating to me. Last week before school started, my computer crashed--the capacitors on my motherboard had a meltdown. Now, I am working on a new laptop; it is taking me a while to get used to a new version of Windows and a very sensitive mousepad. While trying to set up UBC Vista, gmail, and blogger, it does not seem to be a simple task for me--very frustrating. Also, I am not able to listen to other classmates posts. I will pick up a pair of USB headphones and see if that works. Update: I am using Google Chrome instead and everything works fine.

For the last three years, I had a teacher-librarian position, but I got surplussed and moved to a new school. This semester, I am teaching 2x English 9, Communications 11, and English 12. I am having a little difficulty finding Comm. 11 material.

Anyways, that sounded like a vent. Normally, I am a happy sort; I am just feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment. Luckily, I had a fantastic summer camping, fishing, hiking, and canoeing in Northern BC with my six kids, their spouses, and seven grandchildren. I did not want the summer to end. My camera's zoom button is broken, so I did not take any pictures in the summer because I sent my camera in to get fixed to London Drugs, so I thought I would post a few pictures of my trip to Banff for my 50th birthday last December.

I chose to post my learning and reflections on Blogger because when I opened a gmail account, it was under the More icon and it seems fairly easy to use. I have Blogged before for other courses, but the web site was Blogspot, not sure if they are the same or not. I chose the simple design.