End of 8Y59...but not the end of my technological journey

As EDUC 8Y59 comes to an end today, I was thinking about my technological journey that began in the second week of September. I was initially apprehensive about taking this optional course. A Twitter account?! A blog?! What’s Ning?! But, as I said in my first blog post ever, I realized that I was going to be pushed outside of my comfort zone and take part in some things that I’ve never even heard of before. I’m glad that I embraced the learning that Zoe facilitated for us. I feel like I’ve learned so much just within the ten sessions of this course. By taking this optional course, I also feel that I’ve been given more opportunities to learn and grow, especially within the realm of 21^st century education, than my fellow teacher candidates who chose not to take this class. But the learning and growth will not stop here. Besides attempting the implement the technologies that I learned about in my future classrooms, I want to continue blogging, continue taking part in an online professional learning community, and continue experimenting with alternative technologies that are still foreign to me.

As my last blog post for 8Y59 (but not the last post ever), I wanted to end by giving a huge thank you to Zoe Branigan-Pipe for being one of the most amazing and passionate instructors that I’ve ever had and helping me become open-minded to a whole technological world out there that can help me enrich the learning of my future students.

Google Site

I’ve created a Google site not only an assignment for 8Y59 but also as a resource that could be implemented in the classroom to enhance student learning. I began working on the site before my first teaching block began and originally intended to use it during practicum; however, I got really busy and wasn’t able to get the site ready in time to actually use it as a resource for my students. After I returned to Brock from block, I continued working on my site and this is the result. The site was designed with the Ancient Greece Unit that I taught over the course of four weeks in mind. The home page includes a welcome message for the students. There is also a calendar complete with due dates, test dates, and events occurring in the school. Under the “Lessons” tab, I’ve included the images, maps, notes, or clips used during various lessons so that the students can review these items whenever they’d like to. I’ve also included the handouts, assignments, and review notes provided in class that students are able to reference when they need to. There are also pages that include history resources, a forum where students can ask questions and comment on class content, and a link to St. Mary’s CSS website.

A course website is a great supplementary resource in that it connects the students with each other and with the teacher outside of the classroom. It is also a great way for absent students to catch up on something that was missed (I could have also added a daily posts/announcements page which I intend on doing when I later revise my site). Additionally, it can provide students with a few great resources to guide them on particular assignments and also provides them with a forum in which they can voice their own questions, concerns, or collaborate together. My site could obviously be improved in many ways, but the reality is that it could work as this type of resource in the classroom and as an extension to student learning.

While a Google Site could work great as a resource in the classroom, this tool also has its limitations. As I mentioned in my first post, I believe technology in the classroom works well so long as it enhances the learning, not shadows it. So, if a teacher begins to rely too much on website (i.e. the course seems like it’s transpiring more online rather than within the classroom itself) then problems might begin to arise. Also, teachers must ensure that students are checking the site regularly in order for it to be an effective resource. Additionally, having a course website with resources might limit the scope of student research and where or how they are looking for information. Nonetheless, if used effectively, I believe some sort of online resource for a course is essential in a 21^st century classroom.   

Live and Interactive

A picture is worth a thousand words... The presentation and online session (using Elluminate) about Digital Storytelling with Alan Levine last week in my 8Y59 class made me think about this adage I’ve heard a million times before in a new way. Digital Storytelling is a way in which people use digital tools (images, sounds, animation, video just to name a few) to tell their own story. Alan began by asking our class, “What is the last story that you told?” In the backchannel, I believe I typed that one of the last stories I told was during my block which was about the Trojan Horse (you know, the one where the ancient Greeks hid inside a huge wooden horse to sneak into Troy and crept out at night to completely destroy the city? Yeah, that one). However, come to think about it, that was most definitely not the last story I told. We as social beings tell stories and communicate those stories to each other on a daily basis. We all have stories which is extremely important to remember as a teacher candidate. Stories have the potential to connect us all together, especially to our students. As Zoe mentioned, the beauty of asking someone to share a story is the reality that we all have one, no matter what learning level or style. So, I got thinking about digital storytelling and our role as educators. Alan and Zoe shared some great digital storytelling resources during the presentation that could be applied within a classroom environment. Check out VoiceThread (a multimedia slide show that allows multiple contributors to collaborate), Audacity (a free online audio recorder and editor), and New Digital Storytelling by Bryan Alexander (and you have to check out Alan’s site and wikispace as well!). As a teacher, I could use one of these resources as a way for me to get to know my students and to hear one of their stories as an introductory activity. Also, as a history teacher, digital storytelling would be an excellent way to get students to use and critically think about primary source images for an assignment (I’m thinking for Grade 10 Canadian History in particular). History, after all, is a collection of stories, isn’t it?

Thanks again Alan for illustrating to us a creative spin on storytelling. I would love to hear if anyone has any additional suggestions/ideas for digital storytelling in the classroom.

This quick YouTube clip provides a short synopsis on what digital storytelling is in video format.

This YouTube clip shows how a Grade 8 teacher implements Digital Storytelling in her classroom and provides us with a free Digital Storytelling e-book resource 

(http://www.microsoft.com/education/teachers/guides/digital_storytelling.aspx)