Wii Learn

I absolutely love this edublog.  I have a few passions in life and one of them is video games.  I was so enamored with emerging technology as a kid that video games and I just turned out to be a perfect fit.  Video games always seemed to be pushing the boundaries of what was possible and that got me excited.  The only problem is that playing video games remained a hobby.  It was just something to do in between all the school work.  This edu blog, "WiiLearn", seeks to meld the two in a way I thought impossible.  It's radical thinking to be sure, but to engage students and erase the lines between entertainment and education is sheer genius.

So, how are video games applicable to education at all?  Wii learn has a few answers.  The latest post provides information on how to use Wii Remotes to control a Smartboard.  The benefit?  Several students can interact with a Smartboard at once for quizzes, educational games, and competitive learning experiences.

Another post suggests video games are an emerging medium for storytelling.  Learning to write a successful narrative doesn't have to come only from literature or film.  Physical education is another beneficiary of the Wii.  Wii Fit (as well as  variety of other titles focused on fitness) can help promote healthy life styles and eating habits.  

The "Wii Learn" edublog is a bold way to look at education.  That's what I like about it.  I will continue to follow this blog's progress to see what other ways gaming can have an impact on education.  Check the link....

http://wiilearn.edublogs.org/

The 21st Century Classroom

I often ponder what classrooms will look like in the next 20 years.  I can be cynical and say "it'll probably look a lot like they do now (or worse) because of lack of funding".  Educational technology always seems to get slashed first, followed by the arts, and then teachers' jobs.  It really shows how those who handle the budget value technology in the classroom.  One would have to imagine that with technology advancing at such a rapid clip education would need a massive overhaul to keep up with the demands of a tech-savvy student body.  If not, traditional "book learning" might become a bit antiquated.  

I tend to be pessimistic at times but I can dole out some optimism every now and again.  I look at todays' classrooms and see that technology is valued in many respects.  Smartboards have literally put the entire web in front of a classroom.  High speed internet is practically a standard in many schools and Wi-Fi connections are on the rise.  Students learn to type and use Microsoft Office at an early age as well.

Last year I created a documentary about how teachers really felt about how technology impacted their classrooms.  We discussed useful applications like webquests, social networking, and video conferencing.  We also discussed their frustrations and concerns with the implementation of course management systems like Moodle.  It was eye opening to talk to so many teachers from a variety of schools and disciplines. We wrapped up by discussing what the future holds.  I received overwhelming positivity from those interviewed.  The documentary is called "A Better Today, Before Tomorrow".  (Meaning, we have the technology at our fingertips right now.  We don't have to wait for some advanced machines of the future to make an impact on the way we instruct our students...)  Also, it features our very own Mr. Calvert, so you know it's credible.  The file is huge (the whole documentary is about 20 minutes).  I'll try and put it in chunks on youtube for those interested.  A link will follow later.          

There's an App for that

I was very fortunate to have met Mike Myers last year. (No. Not the "Austin Powers" Mike Myers). The Myers I'm talking about wrote my text books and lab books for Troubleshooting PCs and Networking Technologies.  We discussed a number of things, but a great deal of our conversation revolved around the next big thing for education.  Myers discussed a "killer app": something that would bring together all of our advanced communication technologies to streamline our classrooms, invigorate students, and keep parents involved and up-to-date.  We couldn't exactly figure out what that "killer app" was, but I was happy to discover that we think a lot a like.

The previous year I had created a simple, but useful app for iPhone.  It's called MyAgenda. It's pretty much a virtual agenda.  My thinking was that students lose a lot of things (pens, pencils, notebooks, h.w., classwork, etc....) One thing they clutch like their life depended on it are their phones.  With this app students can access and look up H.W. assignments both past and present.  The main thing is that not only are the assignments for each of their classes listed, but they are available for download.  If a teacher gives a worksheet and you lose the worksheet, you can download and print it at home.  If you have to do 20 math problems in your text book, but you forget your book, you can download those problems and still do them. These assignments are always available and update automatically.  My favorite part is that parents can access it as well.

Here's a "common" situation.

Mom: Hey John.  How was your day?

John: Not bad.

Mom: Do you have any English homework today?

John: Nope.

Mom: Oh really? I just checked MyAgenda and Mr. Rosario says you have to read Chapter One of
To kill a Mockingbird.

John: Oh yeah. The thing is I forgot my book.

Mom: Unfortunately for you Mr. Rosario posted a link to chapter one. Get reading you hooligan!!!


So, something like that.  There's a lot that needs to happen before it can actually get on the app store.  For now here are a few pictures to give you an idea.

To Blog or not to Blog

Question: Why could blogging change, or not change, the traditional classroom?

In my short time as a teacher I have come to discover that, when it comes to technology in the classroom, there are two types of teachers: those who are willing to break from the mold and try new things and those who are not.  In my last position, Moodle, an online course management system not unlike Blackboard, was being introduced.  We had to take training sessions during Regents week that would better acquaint us with the system.  What should have been an interesting learning experience, one that could possibly impact how we instruct and communicate with our students, became nothing more than a joke.  Teachers’ response to the new system was, in a word, hostile.  Eyes rolled, curses were uttered under hushed breath, and mini-arguments about the purpose of Moodle were had with instructors.  It was unpleasant. 

I bring this up because I know there are teachers who would not even consider incorporating blogging into their classrooms.  The “tried and true” methods of education have served them well so far.  Why blog?  Their argument for whether on not it would change the traditional classroom would be simple.  It would not.

I did my best to stand up for what I believe in though.  During many sidebars with other teachers I would discuss why I got into the Ed Tech program, and why I knew it was important to the changing landscape of education.  As a new teacher however, I thought it best to keep my mouth shut, and head down, during the more heated arguments. 

Despite all that, I know that blogging can play a part in transforming the traditional classroom, and not just for the sake of it.  Education is changing because our students are changing.  Kids growing up today are just as familiar with a keyboard and mouse than pen and paper.  Our students want to be in control of what they write, how they write it, and whom they share it with.  Today’s students care about customization and communication.  They want to share what they have to say not only with words, but with pictures, songs, and links to websites.  By incorporating blogging into the classroom we can give students a sense of purpose.  We can let them know that what they think and say is important not just to us, but the whole world.

I am so fortunate as an English teacher.  I’ve always believed that English Language Arts is the study of the human experience.  We read novels, short stories, and poems to discover what it means to be human.  What better way to share your experience, your life as you know it, than to blog.