Information Literacy Reflection

In order to effectively search for information I would use tools such as advanced search in Google. These tools would include using quotations for phrases, domain limiters (ex. -.com), and using Google Scholar. After finding the information that I needed I would evaluate it by looking at the webpage and finding the source such as the author or business to see if it has credibility. I would then browse through the website and look for important details such as the author, publisher, sponsor, and even the date that it was published. I wouldn't necessarily look at the aesthetic aspects of the websites because they could lead me away from finding true and real information.

Article #4: Wallwisher: A Geeky Teacher’s Dream Tool

I was really excited to read this article, written by Keith Ferrell, which speaks about the program Wallwisher. Keith explains, “Wallwisher, is an online bulletin board where students place virtual post-its with textual information, photos, video, and audio” (p. 30). I also enjoyed reading about the different ideas that Keith gave about creating classroom walls. He gave an example from a fourth grade classroom that was studying cold and hot desert environments. The class was asked to collaborate together and find an interesting fact about a cold or hot desert along with a picture and post it on Wallwisher. The students were motivated to be part of a collaborative effort to gather information and to see everyone working together respectfully.

Keith also showed how Wallwisher could work with vocabulary assignments. Students would be given a word and they would look for a definition of it and a picture then post it on the classroom wall. I think this a great idea for homework because it gives children a different type of motivation. In addition if they see that their classmates are participating as well that will get them interested in what others are posting. Not to mention this saves trees, or post-its, and organizes assignments without the use of loose leaf paper. As an educator I would definitely consider using this site for vocabulary or different homework assignments. I don’t think I would use it frequently but rather on a monthly basis just to switch assignments up for my students.

After reading the article I looked for the website and came across different walls for different purposes. I looked at the vocabulary wall for the fifth grade class that was mentioned in the article and I really liked how it looked. Each student would post a different vocabulary word with a definition and a picture to their own classroom wall. Looking at the ISTE standards for teachers I could relate this article to designing and developing digital-age learning experiences and assessments. A students learning experience could be customized by the use of this website because they would be able to provide collaborative effort with personalized thoughts. This would also be a great opportunity for teachers to model and then monitor digital citizenship outside of the classroom setting.

Ferrell, K. (2011). Wallwisher: A Geeky Teacher’s Dream Tool. Learning and Leading with Technology (38) 7. 30-31. Retrieved from: http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learningandleading.

 

Article Response #3: If You Give a Kid a Video Camera…

This article was written to inform educators about the many educational uses of video cameras or recording devices. It also gave excellent insight into the ability to use a video camera through different subject matters from language arts to science. Laurie O. Campbell explains, “If you give a student a personal mobile device, such as a video camera, he will want to use it to learn more”(p. 30). And it is very true because as the article explains a video camera can be something used to either reinforce a concept or to help students with topics that are difficult to understand. It has multiple uses and can fit a broad spectrum of needs simultaneously.

One idea in the language arts area was to use a video camera to send messages to a pen pal. Middle school students, at a school in Texas, made short videos to share with other middle school students in Spain. Positive feedback was returned from the Spanish students who said that they were able to learn and benefit from hearing actual voices of students their age speaking English. The learning experience is excellent and not to mention the cost of sending the videos over the internet: free! It is something students can do individually, in a group, or as a whole class.

In the area of math Campbell gave quite a few ideas from doing a math scavenger hunt by using iPods to record findings, to creating math story problems which can also tie into the language arts domain. The great part of these activities is that once they are recorded they can be kept until someone physically deletes them. Videos could be kept and archived for years without taking up too much space. Campbell also discussed how resourceful classroom videos can be for students who do not grasp a concept immediately. During the school day there is not enough time sometimes to go over topics thoroughly on an individual basis, but with video recordings of lessons students can go home and sit down to watch the lesson multiple times until they understand what the teacher was teaching and then be able to ask further questions if needed.

Looking at the ISTE NETS-S I noticed that this article touched on the communication and collaboration and technology operations and concepts topic. The students are able to communicate and collaborate with one another on projects such as sending videos to pen pals. In addition they are able to learn the technology operations and concepts behind a video camera such as being able to troubleshoot systems and applications and really understand what the use of technology systems is.

Campbell, L. (2012). If You Give a Kid a Video Camera. Learning and Leading with Technology, (39) 5. 30-33. Retrieved fromhttp://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learningandleading.

Article Response #1: QR Codes in the Literature Classroom

Literature expression has found a new outlet: Technology! Hannah Walden expands on the idea that common QR codes can be used for more creative literature purposes in her article, “QR Codes in the Literature Classroom”. QR Codes can be scanned with smart phones through an app and give people more information on either a product or advertisement. Hannah Walden used them in her 12^th grade British literature class in order to allow students to find a different outlet for citing information on the author C.S. Lewis’ challenging writing: “The Great Divorce”. Walden first had her students express themselves creatively by allowing them to decorate the walls of the classroom to reflect the 1940s time period in which C.S. Lewis spent his prime years. On these walls students created a library with books that C.S. Lewis might have read, appropriate wallpaper was put into place, and artwork that was painted to match the time period. Once all the creative parts were assembled the teacher explained the process of printing QR Codes and had the students go to the computer lab to add their sources to them. A student’s QR Code, for example, could link to a source that student used to find information on the books C.S. Lewis read. Walden then used her smartphone to test all the QR Codes and see what information was contained in each.

To further the assignment students then opted to create a Facebook page were discussions were held regarding the wall and its contents; this page was even accessible through a QR Code, that others could scan using their smartphones, which was placed on their creative wall. After reading this article I took a look at the ISTE NETS standards and noticed how a couple stood out more than the rest. These standards included: communication and collaboration and research and information fluency. The students collaborated and communicated with their peers and even experts, such as their teacher, in order to collectively create a wall that reflected the life of C.S. Lewis. From the tone of the article I understood that the students had fun working with each other, which is something that is exciting to see in a classroom full of teenagers. They also took part in research and information fluency in order to cite their sources and findings. They had to locate, evaluate, and then process these sources because they were going to be seen by other students, faculty, and even outside community members.

Incorporating QR Codes into a subject that requires heavy research and citations is such a brilliant idea. It really opened my eyes to the fact that technology in the classroom is available but is not important or exciting until a little creativity is added to the mix. My only hesitation with this project would have to be for students who do not own smartphones, the author did not make it clear if she required her class to use them or if there was another way that the QR Codes could be scanned without them. With all this evolving technology we must also be considerate to the students who do not have access to it and still be able to meet their needs in the same fun and exciting ways.

Walden, H. (2011). QR Codes in the Literature Classroom. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(3). 30-31. Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learningandleading

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Article Response #2: Immerse Your Students in History

Andrew Wheelock presented a great idea in his article titled: “Immerse Your Students in History”. The article speaks about peaking students interests regarding past historical events through formats other than textbooks. These formats, explains Wheelock (2012), include virtual worlds: “that would allow learners to play a role in a historical simulation without it being just a game” (p. 26). After discovering OpenSimulator, a program that creates virtual worlds, he was able to get friends and supervisors onboard to fund and create a world that took place during the Holocaust which focused on the life of Anne Frank.

Wheelock explains the creation of the world and how the streets of Amsterdam were made in order to allow students to walk around during the time period of the Holocaust. The students were also able to enter buildings and see objects that could be clicked on that would reveal notes from Anne Frank’s diary, PBS Masterpiece theater resources, and even connections through literature. Wheelock also mentioned that it was important to align all of the activities with the Common Core State Standards for history, math, science, economics, and even nutrition. There were many reviews after this project was tried with different schools and student bodies. The universal feedback from educators was that the majority of their students were finally engrossed and interested on a topic that had not peaked their interests in the past. The students really enjoyed the project as well and spoke about how exciting it was to really see how Anne Frank lived during that time and how her annex was built, which was something they couldn’t imagine before.

Looking at the ISTE NETS standards I felt like this was a great opportunity for teachers to promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility. They could take a project like this and observe how students interact with one another and bring up the important topic of cyber bullying and how it is not tolerated. This virtual world also requires students to use critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making because they have to identify, then plan, and manage activities that have to do with their Common Core State Standards. In the end I was intrigued to actually see how this virtual world looked and wanted to experience it so I tried to search it online but only found other articles. It is something that I am curious to look into for inspiration for future history lessons and to see different methods of learning.

Wheelock, A. (2012). Immerse Your Students in History. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(7). 26-27. Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learningandleading