Reflective Leadings

Moving Day in the Cloud

2011-03-30T10:31:00.000-07:00

Please come visit me at my new address http://barbaramworks.wordpress.com/
Moving a blog is not done lightly. For 33 posts my reflections and connections have resided here at http://reflectiveleadings.blogspot.com/ . Now I rather like that name still, it represents who I am as an educator, thoughtfully listening and gathering information, making connections and letting those understandings lead my journey.

But I have outgrown this space. My learning path is collaborative in nature and many of my connections and key understandings happen during the workshops and presentations that I am privileged to facilitate. This summer I will be collaborating on three different such professional gatherings and I need a place to house links and information for participants.

So I’ve moved to a new address, http://barbaramworks.wordpress.com/

bringing with me that what I value, and excitedly starting to set up my new house in the clouds.

BTW the header is the beautiful water gardens at Kew in London, taken with an RCA flip. Love the idea of the connected network here. #cck11 Looking through the lilies you can see the reflection of the ceiling of the conservatory and the clouds above.

#otf21c - Pushing the Lines in the Cybersand.

2011-02-13T12:17:00.000-08:00

The OTF Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century conference this weekend in Toronto was a resounding success.The goal of the conference was "to inform teachers on current ICT using an inquiry-based approach", and to provide digital fluency and resources and sound entry points for practice. It delivered.

Garfield Gini-Newman kicked it off with his thoughts on deep thinking as he questioned the authentic use of technology and the internet to foster inquiry and rigor, while at the same pushing his learning with presentation tools and an intense interest in how teachers are using the tools in their classrooms.

I've had the pleasure of speaking with Garfield over several years and our conversations always start with motivations of the teachers who give up their valuable time to come to these conferences. Words like risk-takers, and innovators, and creativity are always part of those conversations.

Day 2 brought Will Richardson who challenged our comfort levels about our online digital footprint, and the risks inherent. His opening remarks "I want my kids to learn from strangers" are intentionally provocative, especially for educators who are entrusted with the safety of our students. His words fly in the face of much of what we are told about cyber-safety. Yet research is supporting that the biggest threat to our students is cyberbullying, and therefore shouldn't we as teachers be stepping into their world, modelling appropriate behaviour and helping them establish boundaries?

During Will's sharing, he visited Steven Downes' and George Siemens' open online course on Connectivism through Eluminate. Intending to show the power of Twitter, Will linked in through a tweet that George had posted. As I had used Eluminate before I have to admit I wasn't paying utmost attention. But Will had me at #cck11 ! That is MY course and I was late for MY webinar. Madly clicking on my email link, I realized it wasn't working. So off to Twitter I went to get that link that Will had used. Digital problem-solving 101.

Day 3. Minds on Media. Now it was our turn. Featuring many Ontario educators with proven understandings of how to harness the power of technology to create opportunities for inquiry, and comfortable with the vast harvest of links and research that social media offers, we rolled up our sleeves and spent the day demonstrating, discussing, listening and facilitating. The discussion we had around my table did not focus on the technology. Bitstripsforschools , or as I now call it, the Little Tool that Could, is user-friendly and a great entry level for rich curriculum exploration. As we wound down from 3 intense, mind-bending days, Lisa Bruce @lbruce2005 dug deep, left it all on the cyber-highway and expressed herself thusly.

The Cloud Generation - Is Your Cybersense Tingling?

2011-02-08T15:06:00.000-08:00

I came across this discussion on advertising in a Science News article - Study on Effects of TV Ad Violence on Kids Has Super Bowl Implications

It discussed those famous Super Bowl ads and how their advertising messages are received by today’s youth. Many ads push emotional and judgment limits to capture audience; by definition advertising means “the activity of attracting public attention to a product or business, as by paid announcements in the print, broadcast, or electronic media.” In Latin to advertise means to turn towards, direct one's attention to, attract.

This is not anything new. From the admen (yes, predominantly men) of the 60’s, back through time to snake oil and magic potion sellers, entrepreneurs have needed one thing to succeed, consumers. However, people like Marshall McLuhan had a prescient understanding of the media and its influences, and public awareness of campaigns against subliminal messaging still go on. We need these people on watch, and never more so than for The Cloud Generation. Our children are bombarded with messages in the Cyberworld, and they need help decoding and interpreting their impacts. In essence, we need to ask them - Is your Cybersense Tingling??

The Science News article suggests that what is needed is active mediation - where parents discuss media thoughtfully with their children. I would add into that discussion, teachers and community, and a pointed relevancy to the reality of youth culture. Ontario has a strong Media Literacy component to the curriculum, and much of the focus is on Media Awareness. Overall Expectations 1, 2 and 4 all relate to reflective interpretations of media, and prior to any constructions (e.g. digital stories, reflective writings, commenting) it is logical to have discussions about impact, audience, point of view. In fact, while Media Literacy is defined discreetly in our documents, it is just another component of Literacy. Media Awareness is as much a part of Reading, as is picking up a book.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/asimpledarksquid/

Talking 'bout Cloud Generation

2011-02-01T14:45:00.000-08:00

The Cloud Generation
Introduction

Much has been written about Baby Boomers, Generation X and now Generation Y. Defined as 20 to 30 year olds, Gen Y’s rule the cyberskies. They are the first generation of true Digital Natives and Nick Shore, head researcher at MTV, calls their attitudes and beliefs the Millennial Edge, defined by invisible boundaries. They demand quick-twitch media, biting wit and provocative situations. They don’t know where the behavioural lines are because they have never been drawn.

For the most part though, Gen Y has gone through a traditional, paper-based educational system, emerging to live and embrace a loud and busy on-line world. Following right behind is The Cloud Generation, growing up with smart phones in hand and established digital footprints. They arrive at our schools adept at cyber connections and new ways to communicate. How do we accommodate their multi-intelligences and cognitive knowledge, and access their great capacity for deep learning? How can we be more than Ground Control, keeping them safe as they hurtle unguided through the cyber skies?

Let’s just start with the basics. Common Courtesy 101. That’s a clear line we can draw in their cyber-sandbox. Right next to respect, appreciation, acceptance…you get the idea.

Presently throughout the educational world there is much debate about blocking, filtering and restrictions, designed to keep students cybersafe at school, and on task. There is no doubt the home computing environment may be quite different, so we must model appropriate behaviour online while that invisible fence is still in place. We’ve discussed Edmodo as a safe social environment, and applications like Kidblog and Bitstrips as moderated spaces for reflection and comment. Here’s what one grade 5 class’ interactions looks like. Agreement or disagreement is done respectfully, goes beyond community talk, and the underlying tone is one of courtesy.

As professionals we acknowledge appropriate communication in our online connections, as demonstrated in this dialogue from a collaborative Google Docs created by a group of educators at Educon 2.3 on the topic of “Why Digital Writing Matters”. The style and tone remain courteous, collegial and contribute to the common purpose. You can see a note in the margin at a certain point. What a great way to give immediate feedback!

By appropriately connecting with our students, colleagues, parents and community online, we leverage the wonder and possibilities of today’s world. The cloud generation may ultimately not be defined by date of birth. Be careful what you write; your grandmother may be your Friend!

Quasi...er...EDmodo

2011-01-24T15:26:00.000-08:00

Safe Social Classroom Sites

Your students are at home, Facebooking and Youtubing away, participating in online behaviour that is socially, emotionally, and for the most part, appropriately engaging.

You would like to capture that intrinsic motivation and need for autonomy (Drive; Daniel Pink, 2010) in ways that connect with your students’ interests and create opportunities for rigour,and deeper thinking.

How do you compete with the lure of an external multi-media environment, where your students, and you! can upload quick, emotion-laden commercials to mainstream television (e.g. those cute DisneyWorld vacation ads where the kids don’t know they are going till the last minute)? Pretty compelling!

Soon we'll be tweeting the cast of Glee, live! Except for Sue Sylvester, you know she doesn't go in for that kind of thing.

There are an increasing number of blogs, animation editors, comic generators and websites that are offering controlled educational spaces for teachers and classes. So far we have discussed http://www.Kidblogs.org and Bitstrips for Schools which offer user-friendly teacher/class set-up and development. Both sites offer opportunities for writing for purpose, reflective thought and appropriate feedback. Two sites in an endless stream of possibilities; it’s a good idea to find one with which you feel comfortable, and get some fluency with it. Lesson ideas tend to flow the more familiar one gets with a particular media.

A different online environment which emulates Facebook, is Edmodo.com which allows the teacher to set up classes, post assignments on a calendar, provide feedback and comments, send alerts and notes, and create polls. Teachers can interact with students, and with other teachers in the same school, district and beyond. Privacy controls are extensive and teachers can control communication between students, if that is desirable. You can choose to be notified when assignments are submitted, or students post comments. There is a shared library for uploading files, videos and links. Maybe it’s not quite getting published on TV, but students could upload their own videos to Edmodo and share their thoughts on the creation process. Gr. 5 Oral Communication 2.3, 2.4, 2.7

Click on the image below. When you arrive at the site, click on the “What is Edmodo?” sticky for a link to an explanatory video.

CCK11-1

2011-01-24T14:50:00.000-08:00

Heady stuff this Connectivism CCK11 !

Who knew I was going to revisit Behaviourism, Cognitivism, Constructivism and subsets thereof? So knew that undergrad Economics degree wasn't going to pay off!

But funny things happen when you are intrinsically motivated to learn. You keep dialoguing, keep making meaning, keep reflecting on that meaning, and keep moving up that scaffolded ladder. I thought those behaviours embodied Constructivism, and that lovely ZPD.

However, I agree with George Siemen's comment in Jan 21st's seminar that there are many branches of constructivism and as such, as a theory, it becomes somewhat less accessible, both in entirety and as counterpoint to other education learning theories. If I had to pick one, Social Constructivism seems about right, but in light of today's brain and cognitive research, can we dismiss Cognitivism outright? I have seen students with major cognitive overload as they are bombarded with incoming facts and hierarchical supports, with no time to reflect, internalize and make connections to prior knowledge.

Connectivism intrigues me. After all, I am an active online learner, connecting with many people through Twitter, blogs and Facebook to further my craft. But I seem to have a "tilt" factor built in, when I have to draw back, recharge and reflect. I thought perhaps this was a cognitive overload of information, and I think to some degree that is true. But this article is telling:

The social network: How some brains come hardwired for friendship

So it is with great interest that I say hello to George and Stephen, and my fellow learners. I look forward to listening, reflecting, expressing opinion, asking questions and furthering my understandings,

Oh yeah, best take away by far from the first week....Stephen's explanation of "What is knowledge". To paraphrase, "Knowledge is that what you cannot unknow. Once you've found Waldo, you will never be able to unfind him".

So true.

RAFT Reading Response

2011-01-11T19:48:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org

Digital tools are a great fit with multiple learning style responses to text! Working within the RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) framework, deep understandings of the Big Ideas can be developed and communicated using a variety of forms.

Reading (Gr.5) 1. Read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;

For example, after reading and discussing the short story “Fox”, by Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks, students were asked to critically analyze, and justify an explanation for character motivation, choosing from a selection of formats, such as comic strip generation with Bitstrips For Schools or Comic Life, podcasts or newscasts with Aviary Myna, or digital timelines and stories with Dipity or Photo Story 3. Further mashups were suggested by the students, through collaborative discussion, about importing or creating their own graphics into existing applications or combining print and digital images.

The over-arching thread was how easily the students understood that by using digital media, they could choose a response that fit their learning style, excited their passion and gave an outlet for the online pursuits that they were already engaging in outside of school. When I asked the students who had created an online password, all hands flew up, and a spirited conversation about privacy and security ensued. Another teachable moment presented itself when a student asked how he could access his account at school AND at home, and why it was that no one could tamper with his avatar. Insightful, thoughtful questions; these students are yearning for frank and knowledgeable signposts to help them navigate their digital world.

Using a familiar reading response tool, students are able to reach deep understandings of text, construct meaning, think critically about choice and purpose of response, and connect to their active online lives. Now that’s a RAFT worth building!

Digital Images

2011-01-06T08:52:00.000-08:00

Here's what I published today in our OCDSB Technology Times

Are you, and your students, looking for ways to integrate all those great holiday pictures into narratives, timelines and digital stories? Are you wondering how to capture some of the energy and motivations that some of your students may have experienced upon receiving new family entertainment consoles, digital cameras or smart phones?

Why not incorporate digital images into Bitstrips for Schools or Comic Life. Students who have taken pictures over the holidays can upload them to Flickr or transfer them to a memory stick, and import into these school-accessible applications. Students who don’t have images can use the school digital camera to take pictures around the school to be used as backgrounds or props. Teachers can create image folders on the shared media drive for all students. Keep file sizes small, 150MB is the limit!

Students can create a “silent movie” in Bitstrips, using avatars, imported digital backgrounds and no dialogue. Working in groups, students can progressively insert dialogue, inferring meaning from previous panels and predicting progressions. Or teachers can prepare several comic strip “starters” using an interesting background image, and have groups create a narrative in the next panels. Bitstrips now features a Flickr search, as well as search for images stored in your account. If you upload to your Flickr account, students can navigate to that folder.

You Better Be Safe

2010-12-15T19:39:00.000-08:00


Here's what I published today in our OCDSB Technology Times. Have a Safe and Happy Holiday!

Col-lab-o-rate My Friends, Come On!

2010-12-07T16:57:00.000-08:00

The following is from a weekly column I write, called Curriculum Connections, in the OCDSB Business & Learning Technologies e-Newsletter.

Collaborate - t o work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor

Today was an exceptional day for networking with colleagues and creating opportunities for shared experiences, peer-to-peer learning and future collaborations. All these opportunities started in the cloud, included opportunities to present and discuss initiatives on the ground (f2f) and ended with excited agreements to further collaborate online and beyond.

Digital tools used were
•    emails and conferences; First Class, gmail – concept
•    wikis http://ocdsbinstructionaltechcoach.wikispaces.com/ - reference
•    Google images – Creative Commons licensed (intended for re-use)
•    Google Presentation – development of presentation by 4 colleagues, online. No need to email slide decks back and forth

•    The Google – research on cognitive load, and Marshall McLuhan (awesome read)
•    Twitter - cuz that's the way I roll
•    Youtube – videos
•    Screen captures and photo editing application
•    Itunes – download mp3 file
•    Laptops, projectors, clickers, and mobi’s

The point of all this collaboration, which culminated in physically meeting with 2 groups of colleagues today, was to find common ground to discuss Big Ideas, inquiry and critical thinking, and the compression issues that providing rich and fulsome learning opportunities present. Understandings and points of engagements were established and many people left these meetings with new connections and opportunities to further their learning. I can't count the number of times people told us they had an ah-hah moment. Many of these teachers are exemplary professionals who feel successful and valued in their practice, so offering accessible, alternative opportunities for student empowerment was a rewarding experience all round.

Oh yeah, and of course we talked about a whole lot of cool apps that are readily available, user-friendly, meet curriculum expectations and would be a great fit with a SIP.

If you are interested in engaging in this inclusive learning dialogue, please let me know.

Who Has Asked the Cloud? With apologies to W. O. Mitchell

2010-11-24T16:29:00.000-08:00

The following is from a weekly column I write, called Curriculum Connections, in the OCDSB Business & Learning Technologies e-Newsletter.

The Internet is a busy place and it can be overwhelming to try to sort through the myriad of educational choices for our students. The Business and Learning Technologies department of OCDSB has 11 skilled and experienced Consultants, Coaches and Learning Application Specialists, who are tasked specifically with Educational Technology and how it supports learning goals. We try to navigate through the highways and back alleys of the cloud, searching for easy to use, supportable equipment and software that align with our Ontario Curriculum needs. This all takes time, and that can translate into wait-times for answers to staff's questions.

Question: What can you do to speed up your planning, and use the technology in your lessons?
Answer: Ask the cloud!

Courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/people/fontplaydotcom/

Most developers understand very well that a satisfied customer is a “using” customer. To this end, they provide online (or cloud) forums, FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions), PLC groups, lesson ideas and Video Tutorials.

For example, Frames 4, an Ontario Ministry licensed animation application, includes a complete online community, where support is readily available from colleagues in the classroom.

Storytelling and Story Writing

2010-11-16T18:54:00.000-08:00

The following is from a weekly column I write, called Curriculum Connections, in the OCDSB Business & Learning Technologies e-Newsletter.

The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat has released its “Literacy and Numeracy Strategy” Fall 2010 Resource Package at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/publications/fall.html

Rich with research and practice-related resources, strategies and curriculum connections, it provides cohesive, classroom friendly suggestions and ideas, broken into quick, manageable articles.

Storytelling and Story Writing “Using a Different Kind of Pencil”; Dr. Terry A. Campbell and Michelle Hlusek. (Oct 2009) at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/WW_Storytelling.pdf
asks “How can teachers make writing fun and motivating, so that even reluctant writers want to write?”. It is a compelling read.

Using oral story-telling, to retell a story, with a change to the setting or plot, can scaffold reluctant and hesitant writers. Strategies such as storyboard creation and visual reenactments give students confidence. “Once they had a story in oral and visual form, they felt like authors, even before pencil was put to paper.” (Campbell & Hlusek, 2009)

Many graphic organizers and storyboards are available online, either for cloud-use, or for teacher download.

Check out http://ocdsbdigitalstorytelling.wikispaces.com/Online+graphic+organizers for some examples. This is a wiki so collaboration is encouraged. If you have further resources or comments, please “Join This Wiki”

Ontario PLN - The Power of Us

2010-11-11T03:05:00.000-08:00

We arrived last night for the Educational Computing Organization of Ontario's annual conference eager to engage in conversations and collaborations with many dedicated educational professionals who contribute to what we refer to as the Ontario PLN. Quickly we shape-shifted into the collective, no doubt in response to conference co-chairs @BrendaSherry and @PeterSkillen's call of "Where's the Flock?" As we congregated in the hotel lobby after settling in, it occurred to me that we did indeed exhibit flock-like behaviour. People stopped by on their way up to their rooms, we re-grouped and amoeba'd our chairs as we adapted to the ebb and flow, small groups broke off and flew upstairs as the evening progressed and we all chattered, and tweeped and of course, laughed and guffawed, as we met up with old and treasured friends and met new ones face to face.

We reminisced, as old friends do, about the inception of the Ontario PLN, back in the day when we were fledglings just trying out our twings and brought down Twitter with our first #edchat. The fact that this happened in 2008 only heightens our understanding of the dizzying speed of new communications, the power of networking and the pressing need to find colleagues, in Ontario and beyond, who share our passion for the learner in the 21st Century. We know we have a digital key which will unlock so much unrealized knowledge, ideas and passions in our students, and we ourselves are passionate in helping other educators understand the powerful and accessible tools that can facilitate this.

I'll be sharing my story of the Grade 5 boy who quietly followed me around the computer lab I was working in last week, helping to plug in mice and run applications, and who seemingly did not engage in the task at hand. When I checked his Bitstrips file that night, I was amazed to find that he had completed many comics that demonstrated deep understandings, higher order creativity in complex expressions of meaning and a wry sense of humour. Not sure I would have got that if I had asked him to write a paragraph.

While The Flock was sharing our recent experiences, and excitement for the upcoming discussions, our great friend and colleague, and everybody's favourite redhead @ColinJagoe told us about a conversation he had with Jeff Brown (@techguy1717) regarding the Premier's Awards for Teaching Excellence nominations. (I have to admit that Premier @DaltonMcGuinty's authentic and homey tweets about his weekend Honey-Do list have given him an honourary roost on our Ontario PLN's wire)

In the tradition of Time magazine's Person of the Year - You , they suggest the Premier's Award for Teaching Excellence goes to, well, US! Yes that rag-tag group of Ontario Educators who, although spread out geographically, stay in touch digitally to collaborate, and support, and demonstrate above all else, that they are caring and dedicated professional educators.

So to @colinjagoe and Jeff Brown@techguy1717 , I second that emotion.

The Digital Writing Process – Using Computer Time Effectively

2010-11-09T12:06:00.000-08:00

The following is from a weekly column I write, called Curriculum Connections, in the OCDSB Business & Learning Technologies e-Newsletter.

We have been using a comic generation application (www.Bitstrips.com) in a Grade 5/6 class since September as a tool for expressions of understanding of character education traits, bullying and its impact, and plot analysis of a story.

A discussion of whether we should move on to a new application with the students ended with our questioning what instructional purposes would that serve. The students are adept with the tool, and are ready to get on task as soon as they login. There certainly is a new tool out there that might work in a slightly different way, or bring in more media, but why fix it if it isn’t broken? If the activity is rich and engaging, and creates opportunity for critical thinking and ease of communication, then a single, flexible tool can be adapted for many desired outcomes.

But successful, mindful use of the tool when students are on a computer is part of a planned, instructional process. What is the desired result of the activity? This was determined, and supports and instruction were done in class, long before the digital writing commenced. Knowing what was acceptable digital evidence was key to the planning of the units. Did the students demonstrate an awareness of bullying, and articulate how they might feel, which was the task, or was it just a series of panels showing what bullying might look like, in the case of most girls, social, and for the boys, physical?

To help with planning for computer use, please refer to the following chart:

While some of the elements of Digital Writing can be replicated using paper and pencil, (e.g. a comic strip can be hand-drawn), the power of the digital writing process is universal accessibility for multiple learning styles, and the ability to communicate complex understandings in differentiated ways.

Accountable Talk/Peer Feedback

2010-10-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

The following is from a weekly column I write in the OCDSB Business & Learning Technologies e-Newsletter called Curriculum Connections.

Using Bitstrips as a tool for a discussion of Character Ed traits, it was quickly noticed that the students were demonstrating acceptance, appreciation and respect in their cooperative approach to learning and their positive comments to peers on their finished stories. Great!

Looking more deeply, and reflectively, at the comments, we were soon discussing what constituted accountable talk and effective peer feedback. Using the following graphic as a starting point, students could be asked questions such as “How could your comment help the author develop his or her meaning?” or “What could you ask that would help the author understand how this connects to a safe and caring learning environment?”.

As further peer comments were analyzed it was noted that chronology played a part in the content, as is often the case when a blog is posted and the “long tail” of comments occurs. Often people comment, not on the original post, but on other peoples’ comments.

Many teachers have asked for a recommendation for a safe blogging site for their classes. Bitstrips has potential for a rich, interactive environment. Teachers can post a discussion question or graphic, using the Visual Language of the medium, which engages multiple learning styles, and students could comment using directed Accountable Talk. The teacher can easily jump in for “just in time” responses that ask for deeper connections, respectful disagreement with mindful rationale, or extensions of opinion. This activity could be done in a lab (partnering would elicit collaborative thought), or in a small group around a classroom computer.

Any comments?

Bubbles and Gutters

2010-10-20T18:25:00.000-07:00

The following is from a weekly column I write in the OCDSB Business & Learning Technologies e-Newsletter called Curriculum Connections.

This week I address:
Media Literacy 3.3 Conventions and Techniques; Reading 2. Understanding Form and Style

The comic and graphic novel genres have specific codes and conventions, just as text-based language does. Exclamation, question, and declaration (spoken, whispered) are clearly identified through the use of speech bubbles and formats that are as widely known as quotation, exclamation and question marks, and periods. Bitstrips defines these bubbles clearly for the student. A number of shared activities could be designed, such as create a comic with different speech bubbles and have an elbow partner fill in the text, or match different texts with the appropriate bubble.

Another important feature of panel writing is the space between the panels, called the gutter. The gutter can indicate the passage of time and indeed graphic novelists such as Scott McCloud will be very deliberate when deciding how large the space will be.

BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE! Reading 1.5 Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts

Another use of the gutters is for making inferences or predicting. Students can infer what has taken place to move the story from panel to panel, predict what will happen in the next panel or fill in missing panels. Working in small groups, students could storyboard a strip and then leave out a panel for other students to fill in.

Comic Life allows the ultimate manipulation of gutters.

For a detailed description of the codes and conventions of the comic genre, plus over 40 activities, check out “In Graphic Detail” by David Booth and Kathleen Lundy.

Copyright/Copyleft

2010-10-12T17:13:00.000-07:00

The following is from a weekly column I write in the OCDSB Business & Learning Technologies e-Newsletter called Curriculum Connections

Voice 2.2 (Gr.3) - establish a personal voice in their writing, with a focus on using concrete words and images to convey their attitude or feeling towards the subject.

There is a lot of software readily available to help students establish their personal voice and activities can be developed according to which software is used. For example, using Bitstrips, students can communicate their feelings and emotions by manipulating the body language of the avatars and using speech bubbles. Indeed the comic genre lends itself to concise and well-chosen words. Comic Life and Photo Story3 require the importing of images to start the digital story. (Bitstrips now has this functionality.)

But how to acquire appropriate images for students to use? Teachers, and students, should be aware that there are some copyright restrictions to using images from the internet. The term Copyleft refers to those licenses that have been created to enable people to openly share their work, in various ways.

Creative Commons is a non-profit organization committed to collaborative sharing of online creative work. People can select how they want to share and post their work with this license clearly labeled. You will find a detailed description of the various licenses at http://creativecommons.org/about/licenses. Basically a contributor can decide to share with a combination of attribution (by), share-alike (same license), non-commercial use and/or no derivations (no changes, remix).
The license is identified by a graphic similar to this.

Two places to find these Creative Commons-licensed images are http://www.flickr.com and Google images. Both sites require an advanced search. If you know of any other great places for appropriate images, please share!

Writing for Purpose and Audience

2010-09-28T18:09:00.000-07:00

The following is from a weekly column I write in the OCDSB Business & Learning Technologies e-Newsletter called Curriculum Connections.

A framing question to prime the inquiry pump about writing for different purposes and audiences might be to ask your students how the intent of their writing might influence their choice of the various digital tools. Specific questions might include: Is the language of texting and blogging the same? Would you text your teacher? How does publishing your work on the internet affect your word choice, idea support and your draft revisions? Are full sentences the most effective way to collaboratively brainstorm online when gathering supporting evidence for a group project? How is writing a script for a comic strip different than writing a narrative?

Pop Quiz – What do you call a Narrative Script? Answer below

Marshall McLuhan said “The Medium is the Message” (1960). Never more true, digital tools can be used to carry, and make, meaning. Blogging is generally used for supported opinion and peer feedback, and is a great way to model appropriate and respectful online behaviour. Popular blogging sites are www.edublogs.org and www.blogger.com. Teachers can moderate all comments prior to posting. The site can be expanded to include class newsletters, uploaded images, videos and files, or an online extracurricular club.

A wiki is a collaborative space for online discussions, group projects and e-portfolios. Each group or student could have his/her own page for uploading files, images, and scanned or digital work. www.wikispaces.com will import your students without the need for an email account. You can also post homework, a class calendar, forms and invite parental discussion. A great feature of wikis for educators is the History record of contributions. Student participatory levels are easily determined, and assessed, and inadvertent deletions can be restored. For OCDSB workshop notes on wikis please go to http://ocdsbwikiworkshop.wikispaces.com/ You will also find lots of help and resources at http://www.wikispaces.com/site/tour

www.weebly.com peeks my interest. Seems like a combination of website with embedded blog. It was very easy to use, drag and drop and I added students without email addresses.

TIP – most web hosting sites provide help and FAQ’s for self-directed learning

These suggestions represent just a few of the many, free web resources available to students for thoughtful, purposeful and creative writing. If you are using something that is working well in your classroom, please share your stories.

Answer to Pop Quiz – A screenplay!

Bitstrips - when the sum is more than the parts.

2010-09-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

The following is from a weekly column I write in the OCDSB Business & Learning Technologies e-Newsletter called Curriculum Connections.

This morning I had the privilege of working with an awesome group of grade 5/6’s using Bitstrips as our medium. The students were introduced to the application last week and happily spent the class creating their avatars, and their families’, after having seen their teacher’s example, which included her family and her dog. We are using Character Education to drive this unit, with links to Language Arts expectations and Learning Skills.

Today’s task was to take one of the traits from the Character Wheel, conveniently found in their planner, and create a digital story. They were asked to consider what it would look like in a school setting and how students might act or talk to each other. As a reflection piece the work would be posted in the computer lab for discussion.

But we never got to the assignment.

The students quickly saw that, through the on-line class-sharing mode, many comments were posted from classmates, and their teacher. (Teachers can select to moderate comments). They were excited to expand their stories, and invite comments or reply to other comments in the queue in a blog-like atmosphere. What struck me most was how positive and supportive their comments were, and how respectful the depiction of other students was in their social stories. Character traits were fundamentally embedded into their conduct, both online and in class.

Future lessons will break down the ten traits for discussion and understanding, but sometimes true character speaks for itself.

Two Thumbs Up?

2010-09-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

The following is from a weekly column I write in the OCDSB Business & Learning Technologies e-Newsletter called Curriculum Connections.

With the advent of netbooks, tablets, and moble devices such as cellphones and iphone touches, what constitutes 21st Century Learning keyboarding skills, and mastery?

From a curriculum standpoint, if a grade 9 or 10 student opts for Business Studies, we find:

Electronic Communication: Students will identify the skills and competencies (e.g.,keyboarding skills, software knowledge and skills) needed to work effectively in an information and communication technology environment;
Digital Literacies: Students will:demonstrate efficient use of a computer workstation (e.g., proper keyboarding technique, correct posture).

But how do they get there from here? Should we be “teaching” keyboarding at elementary? From a very early age, students are texting, their thumbs used in the newest version of the two-fingered hunt and peck. And they input text with astonishing speed, not even considering the emoticons, short forms and acronyms that form the language of the cyber-streets.

Read the following blog, authored by Dr. Leigh E. Zeitz, Ph.D. , for some thoughts and research about keyboarding. http://keyboarding.wordpress.com/ Thanks to Kent Manning for that Twee-source.

All The Right Type is a Ministry licensed software for school use and provides tutorial style practice, a motivating rowing race and tracking.

On-line websites offer similar experiences, and can be used at home. For grades 7-10 check out http://www.freetypinggame.net/play.asp and http://www.sense-lang.org/typing
For grades 1-6 try http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing

Getting Started

2010-09-09T15:06:00.000-07:00

The following is from a weekly column I write in the OCDSB Business & Learning Technologies e-Newsletter called Curriculum Connections.

Welcome back to a safe, inclusive and creative year. We are bursting with plans and ideas to help you use the tools and software readily available to facilitate demonstrations of understandings about curriculum, globality, citizenship and diversity.

To assist with some of the early classroom dynamics of using digital media, we have been working hard to help with computer lab and classroom workstation management, first day activities and digital media learning skills. The Instructional Technology Coaches will be contacting Principals soon to re-establish the connections they made last spring and to provide the supports where needed.

What to do once the students are logged in?

A great first day activity, which would promote acceptance and appreciation, would be to create a “Classroom of Care” using Bitstrips. http://www.bitstripsforschools.com/ Open an account and have students create an avatar to add to the class profile. Students can select attributes, props, and backgrounds that reflect who they are, and then present themselves or let classmates determine what makes them special. You can connect with other OCDSB Classrooms of Care online through a safe, sharing environment. If you are new to Bitstrips, take a tour . You and your students will have created a magical place for chronicling all the great collaborations throughout the year.

The following is a document that reflects the Learning Skills from Growing Success.

Learning Skills for Computer and Multi-media Projects

Responsibility

•    I will use the computers and Internet appropriately for school purposes.
•    I will report any problems with the equipment to my teacher.
•    I will complete and hand in assignments within agreed upon timelines.
•    I will not share my userid or password.
•    I will ask before I print.
•    I will respect copyright.
•    I will respect the equipment and leave my workplace tidy.

Organization

•    I will have my userid and password.
•    I will sit at my assigned computer and place books under my chair.
•    I will use my time effectively when researching on the Internet.
•    I will complete all pre-work (storyboards, scripts) before using the computer.

Independent Work

•    I will review my work to ensure that I can finish within the allotted computer time.
•    I will get on task.
•    I understand that computer time is limited, so I will stay on task.

Collaboration

•    I will understand my role in group work (e.g. data researcher, equipment manager).
•    I will listen to others' ideas about how to use the computer or applications.
•    I will ask my elbow partners if I do not know how to do something.

Initiative

•    I will use new resources and tools to create assignments.
•    I will try to solve a problem on my own before I ask the teacher.
•    I understand that I have the right to a safe learning environment, and so do others.

Self-Regulation

•    I will be aware of how my projects are progressing.
•    If I am not sure about something, I will ask.
•    I will choose applications or web resources that will help me be proud of my work.

OCDSB/BLT/BM
2010/9/8

Looking back to go forward.

2010-08-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

Curriculum Connections - Aug 29, 2010

Welcome back to an exciting year of innovation and engagement! I trust you spent the summer pursuing the balance and motivations that will propel you towards a vigorous and energetic start to the year.

There are changes to our practice every year, and this year brings a new evaluation process, one that should provide for more authentic opportunities for Assessment for Learning. One of our goals as ICT consultants will be to develop connections of how some of the tools and applications we have promoted can be used for deep learnings and demonstrations of understandings. We also are working to provide accessible, safe, social media experiences for teachers and students to collaborate and network. We’ll be looking at the myriad of online applications, and select and prepare documents and videos of the ones that function well, and are most relevant to your practice.

Many of us have self-selected courses and workshops during the last two months to develop and expand the classroom engagements. Why not take a moment during the first week to connect with your PLC’s and share a few of the “ah-hah” moments and innovative plans for the upcoming year. The power of Professional Development lies in the collaboration and networking, and the consolidation and reflection that happen after the conference or workshop.

A great way to do this reflecting and connecting is through a blog. The very nature of writing a piece that will be published is empowering and thoughtful, something that enhances meta-cognition in both professional and student learner.

Please take a look a colleague’s blog at http://dougpete.wordpress.com for an expert example of using a blog to review, to connect, to express opinion and to solicit feedback. (Thanks to Doug Peterson for his virtual collaboration on this article.)

Collaborative Digital Storytelling with VoiceThreads

2010-06-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

Horizon Report

Storytelling, whether oral or digital, is about sharing experiences. More and more on-line environments are being developed where students can safely and collaboratively persuade, recount, retell, and communicate orally in a clear, coherent manner. VoiceThreads is a free online tool that lets students create collaborative media slideshows with the capability of leaving commentary in a variety of ways (microphone, telephone, text, audio files or webcam). Students are able to demonstrate understanding in a variety of differentiated styles, and VoiceThreads is an important item in the inclusive classroom toolkit.

For more information go to http://voicethread.com/

2010-06-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

Storyboards/Graphic Organizers with Comic Life

As part of the Pre-Writing process, it is important that students develop a clear, concise understanding of what they want to communicate. Storyboards (or graphic organizers) are an integral part of this step, and can be found in many forms. Many of the digital media come with their own built-in storyboards. For example, Comic Life has a multitude of different lay-outs that can be used to advance the story and the initial choice of the lay-out as a storyboard will influence the content and format of the story. Marshall McLuhan was so right! (The medium is the message. 1964)

There are different ways for teachers to facilitate the use of the Comic Life storyboard templates, dependent on your instructional focus. If you are discussing procedural writing you may want to select a linear storyboard (or 2) and print them off for students to work on. If you are working on pre-writing, you may want to have the students self-select a template that best fits their thoughts. There are many different styles, so this activity might be time-constrained. The graphic below illustrates storyboard selection. Simply select and drag.

For more tips on using Comic Life check out http://ocdsbcomiclife.wikispaces.com/

2010-06-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

Digital Storytelling – Brainstorming

Before creating a digital story, irregardless of what medium your students will use, they should brainstorm in small groups what the content of the story will be. The rule that “less is more” is never truer than when using digital media, and students will need to create a narrative, and then chunk it down into parts that fit together and carry the story forward. The best way to do this is using a storyboard like the one below.

This storyboard could be used for a simple narrative with dialogue such as Bitstrips (http://www.bitstripsforschools.com/) would use.

Use a storyboard with extended features if you are adding music and audio, such as for Photostory.

Check out http://ocdsbphotostory.wikispaces.com/Process for these templates and great tips on producing a simple Digital Story.
Photo Story 3 is a free download from Microsoft at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspxUse it for cross-curricular narratives and easy end of the year slide shows.

Creating Digitally

2010-06-10T11:58:00.000-07:00

Creating

Last week we introduced Blooms Digital Taxonomy and Andrew Churches’ extrapolation to the digital processes. Creating (designing, constructing, planning, producing, inventing, devising, making) was evident in the digital processes of programming, filming, animating, blogging, video blogging, mixing, re-mixing, wiki-ing, publishing, videocasting, podcasting, directing, broadcasting. While some of these tools are complex, some are easily accessible to the classroom teacher and can be integrated seamlessly into existing practice.

Writing

Overall expectations (Ontario Language Curriculum, pg.100) can be as easily met by digital processes as by traditional pen exercises.

By the end of Grade 5, students will:
1. generate, gather and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience;

Storyboard/graphic organizer

Wiki, Google docs (collaborate)

Internet research

2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience

Digital storytelling (Photo story, Voice threads, Comic Life, Bit strips)

Use for procedural, persuasive writing, narratives, demonstrations of science experiments, differentiation

3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies and knowledge of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively

Digital editing requires knowledge of conventions appropriate to media, spell-check is available, and revisions are made readily as students are engaged.

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing process

Publish to a wiki or blog for peer feedback and metacognitive reflection

Media Literacy

3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions and techniques (Ontario Language Curriculum, pg.103)

The following diagram shows that a media “construction” maintains the integrity of the writing process (text and audience), but includes a third element (production) which is engaging, rewarding, and relevant to a child’s digital experiences outside of school, conditions that set the stage for critical inquiry and self-directed learning.

2010-06-09T16:39:00.000-07:00

Recently I have begun to write a column called "Curriculum Connections" in our weekly newsletter "Technology Times". The brainchild of Dave Miller, IT Manager at the OCDSB, this newsletter reaches out to our learning community to provide communication on any number of initiatives. I see this as an opportunity to archive some of the curriculum ideas that have been the foundation of the workshops that we have provided.

I had meant to cross-pollinate to this blog weekly, but this year being what it was, I have only now been able to turn my non-vampire eye to the task. (If that doesn't peak your interest, I don't know what will!)

Here then is the first column. I'll get the next few up as fast as super-humanly possible.

Digital Collaboration

In 2007, Andrew Church ranked digital and multi-media skills along the revised (2005) Blooms Taxonomy. Check out the diagram below to discover where skills such as creating videos or designing wikis situate. His Communication Spectrum ranks “Texting” as a Lower Order Thinking Skill, while “Collaborating” is found at the top of the Higher Order Thinking Skills.

What are the implications of this Digital Taxonomy? While students appear to be tech-savvy, communicating easily through text and instant messaging, they are not deep-thinking in their multi-tasking communications. The collaboration involved in creating a digital story (storyboarding, taking appropriate shots, editing, publishing) leads to critical inquiry and problem solving. A wiki is a collaborative tool designed for groups to discuss, contribute, moderate and edit collegially. The evolution of one student texting another, to many students working together to design, plan, produce, and invent, takes place by scaffolding their prior knowledge, and engaging them with familiar tools (computer, handhelds, Internet).

http://www.nonformality.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/blooms-digital-taxonomy.jpg

Educon and Beyond

2010-02-03T15:59:00.000-08:00

Finally sifting through last weekend's brain burst in Philadelphia, this week's official field launch of our Instructional Technology Coaches, and, now, finding out I am presenting to the Board of Trustees on Friday.

Actually the latter two events are helping me synthesize my Educon experience.

Firstly, the heightened sense of goal attainment derived from going with a team comprised of my Superintendent of Instruction, and a very proactive Principal.. What an enriching experience to target specific sessions geared to Professional Learning and Change (and yes, that's a Capital "C" and that's spelled Cool). We shared a Google Doc and collaborated on the fly, capturing ideas that might work, brainstorming how to implement, and using mind-melds to be in each other's thoughts. OK I made that part up, sort of. We (well me) could not stop talking, and planning, wherever we were, walking to SLA, over dinner, travelling home.

Bringing those discussions forward, I came back to work only to find great teacher feedback from our Instructional Technology coaches like the following:

My favourite comment so far was "I've been waiting a year for someone to come and teach me this!"

and

I have just posted the first (of many) lessons created with a teacher on our wiki space in the lessons in the field page. Y-P., it is in FRENCH!!!!
I will add more but need to perfect them first.

Things are going so well. The staff is amazing and the main comments I am hearing are: "They never focus like this!", "It set the tone for the rest of the day" and "Wow, s/he is actually doing work".

I love it when a plan comes together! Professional Learning, at point of instruction, on site, modeled and co-taught. Just what we talked about in Philly.

And so the Trustees Presentation. Really, I got this. I'm going to demonstrate how our board is scaffolded and enriched by the interactions we have with colleagues from other schools, districts and universities, and how that collaboration scales up to new and innovative Professional Learnings. BTW, I am no longer going use the term PD, just cuz.

And the most important part of this most important presentation? I've got pictures of students, lots and lots of pictures, using ubiquitous technologies, being engaged and empowered, and Learning. At the end of the day, it's all about the kids.

A New Step

2009-10-01T18:02:00.000-07:00

I've pushed off my comfort zone and am starting my Principal's Qualification Journey this weekend. Most of us, I think, can relate to my nervous energy on starting a new learning experience.

My first assignment was to reflect on my Philosophy of Educational Leadership.

I enclose a draft below, which I will finalize tomorrow night. Your thoughts are welcome. It's too long I know, working on that.

Philosophy of Educational Leadership

Barbara McLaughlin

My emergent philosophy of educational leadership has it roots in the personal values and beliefs I have developed after 15 years of practice. The fundamental belief that I hold, is in the absolute right of every child to walk into a safe, respectful and caring environment, filled with professional educators and community members who use a variety of strategies and resources to ensure that every child achieves success, grows as an individual and is able to take her place as a contributing member of society.

Upon reflection, the way I have demonstrated this foundational belief throughout my practice, speaks directly to my philosophy of leadership. I truly believe in the African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” (anon.) and dissolved my classroom walls to actively model inclusion, diversity and empowerment of students and staff. I made sure the community was brought into the school events. I engaged, and initiated, relevant Professional Learning Communities.

Drawing experientially from my practice, as I leader, I would model this culture of community, promote team-building, consensus and collaboration, champion for understandings of different learning styles and special needs, and promote a respect for self, others and property.

As my understanding of learning evolved during my practice, and studies, I realized the power of “cognitive constructivism, which is about how the individual learner understands things, in terms of developmental stages and learning styles” (http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/constructivism.htm). As an instructional leader I would bring this learning theory forward, and coach staff into a better understanding of the need of the learner to construct knowledge, of how scaffolding creates those opportunities, and of how the experiences of the learner fit into this educational model. With an understanding that not all staff is comfortable with constructivism, I would provide professional development opportunities, mentoring, and resources to help build understanding of all learners, and their diverse needs.

I believe that a leader should understand the importance of formative assessment as a tool to for feedback, to promote metacognition, and to create opportunities for differentiated teaching strategies to allow for exceptionalities and learning styles. Further, a leader must implement the collection of this data to measure student achievement, in line with Ministry assessment, evaluation and reporting guidelines.

I believe a leader should understand, and model, the use of simple technology, for student engagement, critical thinking, and accessibility, and for professional use, using tools such as announcements portrayed on wall monitors, use of collaborative professional tools, such as wikis, or electronic versions of newsletters.

I believe a leader should demonstrate empathy, resilience, honesty, and integrity. These are core characteristics, and having practiced in a classroom for 13 years, and worn a leadership mantle as Elementary Technology Consultant for the past 2 years, I am motivated to demonstrate my abilities in this arena.

I believe a leader should have a solid understanding of Education Statutes and Regulations, operations, staffing, timetabling, and effectively dealing with issues of abuse and violence. I look forward to collaborating with exemplary colleagues in extending my understanding of these key areas of leadership.

Back to School, back to school

2009-08-30T07:05:00.000-07:00

As summer winds down to its abrupt end, it is time to look back, and forward, to the future year.

Reflecting on the last 2 years, it is important to discuss what worked in terms of adoption (simple digital media, wikis), what needs tweaking (IWB's, Discovery Education), what got left on the cutting floor (discreet applications, one size fits all allocation).

Looking forward to next year, Capital "C" collaboration (OTF Expand our Boundaries) and ECOO), and exciting new developments and ideas within the framework of my role as Elementary Academic ICT Consultant for the OCDSB (what a mouthful!)

And, a new, and much anticipated challenge for me, I will be participating in the PQP Part l Qualificiation program offered by OPC. While my present role requires Curriculum and Instructional Leadership, I am eager to collaborate with an integrated group of teachers, with varying skills sets, that are aggregated by a common goal. I look forward to bringing my existing skills to these discussions, understanding other points of educational views, and learning, oh so much learning!, from my peers and mentors, on the cutting edge theories and practicalities of educating our children for the future, and what role leadership takes in being the change agent.

Busy year? You bet! Refreshed and ready? And how! Overwhelmed? Only a little. I know I have a wide system of support in a PLN that has grown with me over the years, and that can only continue to grow.

So, in the most compelling of all movie phrases, the latest version of which I contentedly snuggled in to watch over the Atlantic on my way to London this summer, "Engage!"