Monday, June 7, 2010
SMART arguments... it's the teacher, not the tool!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Whiteboard Challenge 2010
Final Meeting of the Year...
As always, we ran out of time on Thursday to get to everything we had hoped to--sorry about that! But many of you had the opportunity to explore the Ning, blog, and Diigo, with some guidance from those who are already users. We have some plans for how to share lessons and it sounds like there is interest in continuing to meet next year.
That said, please go to the Survey Monkey survey link below to provide more specific feedback...
https://mail.sd71.bc.ca/owa/redir.aspx?C=7beacccf8e454424aeb1313c7c2d685a&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.surveymonkey.com%2fs%2fGR72Q8R
We need you to complete the survey by next Friday, May 7th AT THE LATESt!!
Also, please find attached the Professional Competency assessment--on page 56 of this PDF! This was handed out at the meeting, but in case you lost it or were absent:
https://mail.sd71.bc.ca/owa/redir.aspx?C=7beacccf8e454424aeb1313c7c2d685a&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.mff.org%2fpubs%2fME159.pdf
This was the self-assessment we completed in the Fall. Please repeat this now, to give us some comparison of how our competencies have changed over the year. You don't need to include your name. But please only do this now, if you did it in the fall. Remember, you are simply considering yourself when completing this rubric. It is a self-assessment! It needs to be completed and sent via interschool mail to Michelle Honeysett by Friday, May 7th, AT THE LATEST!!
Thanks for your help with wrapping up the Partnership Project. We'll look forward to seeing the results and how our competencies and comfort levels have changed over the course of our time together!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Agenda for April 29th Meeting
We will also spend a little more time playing on the boards, this time in grade groupings, so please bring your favourite grade-specific (we'll split into Primary or Intermediate) resources, lessons, or ideas to share.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Wishes for our April Meeting?
Have we done what we set out to do? What else might we do to help ourselves become more comfortable with the effective integration of technology, specifically SmartBoards, in our classrooms?
Weigh in by leaving some comments here...
March=Blooming & Branching Out... Elluminate, Diigo, RSS, and time to play!!!
We were so lucky to tap into Jan's PLN and experience an Elluminate session with Lesley and Brian, two enthusiastic educators with unmeasureable enthusiasm and expertise in technology.
The purpose of this virtual rendevous was threefold: to demonstrate the power of PLNs, to highlight the importance of connection with other educators outside of our schools and district, and to shed some light on how to manage the "stuff" of technology integration. Technology can be overwhelming at the best of times and Lesley and Brian introduced us to some tools and techniques to help us better manage our forays into technology integration.
First, Brian gave us an enthusaistic "tour" of Elluminate, which is a real time virtual classroom. Then, Lesley shed some light on the Diigo tools and some of the advantages of social bookmarking. Finally, Brian explained RSS feeds and the use of Google Reader to help manage blog subscriptions. If you missed out on the meeting, or would like to revisit the presentation by these tech experts, please visit the archived Elluminate Session.
After our Elluminate-ing experience, we broke off into comfort level grouping to share SmartBoard lessons, tips, and tools. Some of us also explored our Diigo group further and there was much discussion about the use of RSS feeds, too. Working in small groups allowed time to explore challenges, successes, and questions regarding effective tech integration.
We ran out of time to come together at the end of our meeting for doorpirze draws, so I put our names in a hat on Tuesday and am happy to announce the winners: Julia (wins the technology carry case) and Jan (wins the cordless mouse).
The feedback received so far from Monday's meeting has been very positive. If you have any further comments about our March gathering, please feel free to email Michelle or comment here.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Fri. Feb. 26: More time to explore... and enter the draw!
As the intention of tonight's Virtual Meeting was to help folks feel more comfortable with the blog and Diigo sites, and we have received some feedback that folks would like more time to explore, we are extending the 'door prize' entry deadline.... and giving everyone until the end of the week to contribute! Our desire is for this to be a useful experience not an exercise in frustration or panic. :-)
However, for those of you who did take time, energy, and perseverance to contribute tonight, do not fret... we noticed your enthusiastic efforts and we have TWO EXTRA door prize entries for you! It was exciting to see people reaching out of their comfort zones tonight... and I was especially glad to see a few folks request help and support, too!
For those who were unable to join us tonight, I encourage you to set aside a little time to explore and connect before Friday, Feb. 26th. If you need help, please just ask. :-)
First Time Blogger
Well, the power of potentially winning a draw prize is strong as here I am at 10pm writing my first blog post! I love that I have joined this group since now everytime I use my Smartboard I ask myself if there is something I can do to make this lesson or activity interactive.
LOVE: Notebook software - such a great way to organize my thoughts, activities, and lesson sequence. That you guys just told me to use Diigo to keep track of my websites and I didn't have to overanalyze the choices. How you can organize files electronically. The variety that a projector and interactive whiteboard provide. That I've got a few games to try with my class and as CST by being part of this group.
DON'T LOVE (having a hard time saying hate): word processing on Notebook is not easy for me. I wish I could easily save publisher or word document on notebook. Any advice for me? That I am getting so sidetracked with all the potential programs. For example, I am like the idea of OneNote, but don't want too many organization systems. Think I will just stick to Notebook for now.
WISH: for an extra hour to watch Alec Couros (sp?) video from prod day. Anyone want to have a glass of wine and watch this sometime soon?
To Smartboard or not to Smartboard - Ramblings...
Now, since moving schools, I am feeling a bit lost without my old friend the smartboard. I feel my lessons don't quite have that same "pop!" So often, I find myself thinking, "I miss my smartboard"......Are we developing too much of a reliance on them?? What happens when we move on to a land of no smartboards?? Will job competition now be based on what school has the most access to the boards???
I found there is a HUGE learning curve to learn this technology and it is very difficult with no or little access. How can we get around this??? It is hard to learn something if we cannot apply it within a reasonable timeframe. I have found having the software at home on my computer has been a tremendous help as it allows me to play and build lesson plans. However, I am also finding it hard to take the time to do this as I cannot use these lesson plans now.....hmmmm.
Bottom line: Smartboards are fun and a great teaching tool.....I just wish we all had them!!
AAAHHH!!
So my questions, where do people find the time, and are we being overrun with new technologies and things? Is there not one site or source that can combine and serve all our needs instead of having 50 zillion accounts and places to check!!
ps - please forgive me for sounding pessimistic.....I am simply only overwhelmed!! Am I alone in this plight?
SmartBoard...The Good, Bad and Ugly
WISH! I still struggle with trying to have too many things open at once. When I have the internet, Notebook, sound clips etc. all open I still get lost...I wish I could become proficient enough that I look like Vanna up there...instead...I've embraced the fact that it is an opportunity for problem solving for the kids..."Mrs. Pratt! You lost the picture! There it is! Right at the bottom!" etc. ;-)
Please! Share your thoughts, feelings, experiences with us all!
Alissa
Tool Talk... Starting us off! P.S. This post took me 5 minutes!
My new favourite tool is the 'blind', a handy icon on the top toolbar, between the 'red x' for deleting and the 'full page' icon. The 'blind' allows you to cover the page and then reveal it at your leisure, on the click of a button.
I've been using the 'blind' to play estimation games with my grade 1/2's. Before class, I place a bunch of shapes / pictures on a new Notebook page. Then cover with the 'blind'. At the start of the lesson, I ask my kids to watch closely while I open the 'blind', to see if they can estimate (more than 50? or less than 50?). I only keep the page revealed for a short moment before clicking on the 'blind' again. We share our estimates. Then I reveal a second time and circle 10 of the shapes / pictures on the page. The kids then have another moment to revise their estimate (more than 50? or less than 50?). After we share our final estimates, I tell them which estimate is closer and we consider how grouping 10's helps us.
I think it is funny that I only discovered 'the blind' from one of our learning circle members at our last meeting, especially considering it is part of the main tool bar! It is funny what you can miss even when you've been using Notebook for a while!
What tools or templates do you find most useful in your Notebook Software?? And how do you use them?
Sunday, February 21, 2010
February Virtual Meeting
The beauty of a virtual meeting like this, is that you can't really be late for it and you can be super early if you want (like starting tonight), since you can join in the meeting at any point that works for you!
It may also be the only meeting to which you can come to in your p.j.'s sporting a glass of wine in hand! As for the snacks and refreshments, you'll have to provide those for yourselves! ;-) ... (But of course, that is also a bonus, as it means no one will know if you opt for the wine and unhealthy snacks! ;-)
The idea of the Virtual Meeting challenges each of us:
- To explore another way to connect and communicate, by creating a new post or commenting on someone else's post on our blog.
- To share resources, by joining diigo and adding links to our diigo group.
So how to gain your advantage??? Well, your name will be entered into the draw for each of the virtual meeting challenges you take on. If you create a new post on the blog, your name will be entered! If you comment on someone else's post on the blog, your name will be entered! If you join diigo and add a link to our diigo group, your name will be entered! So, the more you participate, the better!
January Meeting
We had some fun with the problem statements that are sometimes made by those opposed to the use of SmartBoards in the classroom. Formulating responses to these overstated problems helped us to come up with our own reasoning and arguments for the use of these tools. The problem statements and some of our responses can be viewed in this SlideShare presentation.
We didn't have as much time for sharing as we had hoped, but a few highlights included:
- The SET game website shared by Jaki
- The primary resource page shared by Michelle