Monday, December 8, 2014
Week 14: final presentation, Video PLN.
I used Michaela's screen o matic account to build my video about my PLN.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Week 14 - Reflections
Week 14 - Reflections
Below are the links and my reflections back to my blog from Week 1 until Week 13
This was the first week of an amazing fourteen weeks journey about teaching an online class. This blog, Introduction was the hardest one to write.
Week 2: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/2014/09/week-2.html
The highlight of this week was trying to figure out my teaching style through a questionnaire which indicated that I am not Pedagogy nor Androgyny. The readings and video helped me figure out that I would like to teach a hybrid class.
Week 3: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/2014/09/week-3-revolution-pedagogy-and-course.html
This week's title lives up to its name, Revolution: Pedagogy and Course Design. It was a hard topic to digest, especially when I had to create a course design and write about it. This topic should be expanded to more than one week.
Week 4: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/2014/09/week-4-sea-of-holes-online-syllabus.html
This week I had a pleasure to learn about how to create a more concise and efficient online syllabus. Even though I am not a fanatic about syllabus', I accept that you need to create one for each course. I would like to see more examples of efficient class syllabus' instead of many videos.
Week 5: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/2014_10_01_archive.html
Creating an online community was an interesting topic for me since I always think about the isolation that can happen when attending an online class. Pilar's video was amazing!
Week 6: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/2014/10/week-6.html
This week I wrote about the students activities that I would use in an online class to improve interaction and collaboration among students and to establish an online community. I felt that this week had very little distinction from the previous week.
Week 7: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/2014/10/week-7-its-all-too-much-class-resources.html
Topics involved laws about intellectual property and class resources. Again, too much information to learn in one week. The article about the accessibility issues was engaging and the open educational resources information very helpful. I definitely will incorporate those resources in my class and private practice.
Week 8: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/2014/10/week-8.html
Another amazing topic about Web 2.0 tools and skills to enrich online classroom. Also, I loved that we had to create our own tool box. I was able to use Prezi again, to generate a presentation about the Seven Great Web 2.0 Tools for Students. I had fun with the hand-on activities.
Week 9: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/2014/10/week-9.html
I had a blast creating the FAQ for my students. It was an easy task since I have been working with high school students in one and one setting, for more than ten years. I also enjoyed this task because I have to think about all the questions that my students would have when participating in an online classroom.
Week 10: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/2014/11/week-10-classroom-management-and.html
I had a pleasure to learn about CMS/LMS and their role in the classroom management and facilitation. I decided to learn about one specific LMS, Blackboard and how to incorporate pedagogy
when using this LMS to enhance teaching and learning in the course. I would like to see more videos about the use of different CMS/LMS in an online class and their pros and cons.
Week 11: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/2014/11/week-10-reflections-on-teaching-and.html
This week's theme about reflections on teaching and learning online is very controversial and it can lead to extremes, even though online teaching has established its place in education. I enjoyed the articles and video about MOOCs. I would like to see more articles comparing different learning theories and their pros and cons.
Week 12: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/2014/11/week-11-acoss-universe-open-education.html
Across the Universe: Open Education was the topic of this week. As a ADHD adult, I felt that the topic was open ended and I did not know what I was supposed to write about. Since online classes are here to stay, I decided to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of online classes .
Week 13: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/2014/11/week-13.html
PNL was the topic of this week. This was the second time that I was learning about PNL and I was able to feel more comfortable with it. Now I am prepared to create my own PNL for math students. I would like to see more videos and articles about how to create an effective PNL and how to maintain it.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Week 13
My personal learning network is mostly made up of conferences, webinars videos and wikipedia pages, journals from associations such as CHADD, Additude, and other groups specifically geared towards special education and math.
For professional reasons I use Linked as my resume and to connect with other professionals and parents who want to read the recommendations about me. My students normally connect with me through skype, text me and send me pictures. Also I can send them links for extra practice and videos.
I usually do not blog, I am for this class and hope to extend it to my PLN. Facebook I usually use it mostly for social reasons and connect with friends and family.
What I noticed about my students, they create study groups through Google plus. This really helps them become autonomous and efficient learners.
My opinion on PLN is that you have to create your personal learning network that really works for you and you have to be constantly updating to keep up with technology and new trends.
My project is trying to do a PLN using Prezzi for teaching math.
For professional reasons I use Linked as my resume and to connect with other professionals and parents who want to read the recommendations about me. My students normally connect with me through skype, text me and send me pictures. Also I can send them links for extra practice and videos.
I usually do not blog, I am for this class and hope to extend it to my PLN. Facebook I usually use it mostly for social reasons and connect with friends and family.
What I noticed about my students, they create study groups through Google plus. This really helps them become autonomous and efficient learners.
My opinion on PLN is that you have to create your personal learning network that really works for you and you have to be constantly updating to keep up with technology and new trends.
My project is trying to do a PLN using Prezzi for teaching math.
Friday, November 21, 2014
Week 11 Acoss the Universe: Open Education
Online Education has definitely established its place in the world of education, especially at the university level and for homeschoolers.
What makes online classroom so attractive as a course format for students and teachers?
Increased Accessibility- With online classes, learning can happen anywhere, even in the most remote and disadvantages places in the world. For any students who are deprived a chance of higher level education is now available to them. You only need a standard internet connection and a computer to be part of the online education. Teachers must design the coursework so it can be accessible to every type of student. For example, videos with captions, audio only or text to audio. Students can easily access course materials (videos, lectures, exams, quizzes) anywhere, anytime given the right technological tools,
Flexibility - Teachers can establish their own schedule of which they can balance instruction time and other professional duties (grading, seminars, research, mentoring students), as well as their personal obligations. Students also benefit from flexibility by reviewing and doing the coursework on their own schedule and at their own pace. The ability to review material is an advantageous aspect of online education for English language learners; for students with disabilities and for students who have limited free time.
Assessment - Online exercises and assessments can provide a way for teacher to track individual student learning and progress. This information can help teachers revise and improve the design of their course. Students have real time feedback about their understanding and what they need to practice and to review in order to master a specific skill or a concept.
One of the aspect that online learning has shown to be helpful for a mainstream classroom is that the instructor can individualize/adjust or customize his/her course for each student. In a f2f classroom the pace tends to be the same and some students may easily fall behind if they miss important concepts. In online classroom, the instructor can adjust the amount of work including homework, projects, interactive quizzes and exams that matches the learning potential and maturity of the student, instead of one size fits all learning style.
Weaknesses of online courses
Online classroom is not for every students. It works better for self-regulated and independent minded students and sometimes for ADHD students depending on the course. Another problem is that online may not replicate stimulating class discussions and social community that can be fostered in f2f classroom. Students may miss the the resources normally available on-campus such as tutoring and the resource learning center. The later can be eliminated by introducing mandatory weekly forums and peer responses on online courses. Forums and online community activities, work well for students who are shy and who rarely participate in a f2f class.
Another weakness is the instructor needs to be knowledgeable with technology tools of the LMS, meaning that he/she has to invest additional time in training (increasing of his or her work load). Students with disabilities may have difficulties in using online tools and may need technological support. Technical problems in online classes can be a problem for instructors and students (student computer can crash, servers problems may cut off connection with students in class, and problems with the LMS) Access can be a limiting factor too since some students may not have adequate internet connection nor a computer.
In conclusion the best of both worlds would be a blended classroom.
What makes online classroom so attractive as a course format for students and teachers?
Increased Accessibility- With online classes, learning can happen anywhere, even in the most remote and disadvantages places in the world. For any students who are deprived a chance of higher level education is now available to them. You only need a standard internet connection and a computer to be part of the online education. Teachers must design the coursework so it can be accessible to every type of student. For example, videos with captions, audio only or text to audio. Students can easily access course materials (videos, lectures, exams, quizzes) anywhere, anytime given the right technological tools,
Flexibility - Teachers can establish their own schedule of which they can balance instruction time and other professional duties (grading, seminars, research, mentoring students), as well as their personal obligations. Students also benefit from flexibility by reviewing and doing the coursework on their own schedule and at their own pace. The ability to review material is an advantageous aspect of online education for English language learners; for students with disabilities and for students who have limited free time.
Assessment - Online exercises and assessments can provide a way for teacher to track individual student learning and progress. This information can help teachers revise and improve the design of their course. Students have real time feedback about their understanding and what they need to practice and to review in order to master a specific skill or a concept.
One of the aspect that online learning has shown to be helpful for a mainstream classroom is that the instructor can individualize/adjust or customize his/her course for each student. In a f2f classroom the pace tends to be the same and some students may easily fall behind if they miss important concepts. In online classroom, the instructor can adjust the amount of work including homework, projects, interactive quizzes and exams that matches the learning potential and maturity of the student, instead of one size fits all learning style.
Weaknesses of online courses
Online classroom is not for every students. It works better for self-regulated and independent minded students and sometimes for ADHD students depending on the course. Another problem is that online may not replicate stimulating class discussions and social community that can be fostered in f2f classroom. Students may miss the the resources normally available on-campus such as tutoring and the resource learning center. The later can be eliminated by introducing mandatory weekly forums and peer responses on online courses. Forums and online community activities, work well for students who are shy and who rarely participate in a f2f class.
Another weakness is the instructor needs to be knowledgeable with technology tools of the LMS, meaning that he/she has to invest additional time in training (increasing of his or her work load). Students with disabilities may have difficulties in using online tools and may need technological support. Technical problems in online classes can be a problem for instructors and students (student computer can crash, servers problems may cut off connection with students in class, and problems with the LMS) Access can be a limiting factor too since some students may not have adequate internet connection nor a computer.
In conclusion the best of both worlds would be a blended classroom.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Week 10 - Reflections on Teaching and Learning Online
Week 10
Wow! This week's topic, online educational theory is subject to a lot of controversies and extremes. After watching the video about MOOCS, which is an application of the constructivism and connectionism learning theories and reading the article, Does the Digital Classroom Enfeeble the Mind by Jaron Lanier, which gives a negative perspective of using solely a digital classroom instead of a f2f classroom with a creative teacher, I pondered about my role as an educator in the technological age.
As a educator you should know about the different learning theories. Initially, you would like to apply the theory that you are more connected to in your teaching (Cognitivism). However, the reality is that you will have students with different learning styles and background. I am tired of seeing many high school graduates that do not have adequate basic skills to find a job. I am not talking only about academic skills like writing a single paragraph or reading, but they do not have basic skills to survive. Therefore, to reach all the students I would implement the traditional learning theories (Cognitivism, Behaviorism, and Constructivism) with the digital age (Connectivism) in my classroom. The drawback of this approach is that the students must have the skills and access to technology.
In the 21st century, students require knowledge of Web 2.0 technology not only for entertainment, but also for a career. Most factories are now run by automated systems which use computerized devices. Currently, schools are set up to put students in a box. Students learn everything and nothing at the same time. As a society we should develop programs to help students find their skill set and select courses/classes based on their strengths and learning styles. For example, students who are strong in reading and writing should not be required to take math class beyond geometry (this is a problem specific to Silicon Valley). Technology should be a part of the curriculum so that all students with different economic status can take advantage of its benefits.
In summary, technology is part of our daily life and it should not be seen as a villain, especially in online education. Indeed, technology makes our students more efficient and resourceful. Also, it provides the students with the opportunity to be exposed to extensive free open learning courses (e. g. MOOCS) and to become self-regulated autonomous learners. Kudos to technology!
I will leave you with an article about learning theories, Learning theories every teacher should know about from Educational Technology and Mobile Learning.
Wow! This week's topic, online educational theory is subject to a lot of controversies and extremes. After watching the video about MOOCS, which is an application of the constructivism and connectionism learning theories and reading the article, Does the Digital Classroom Enfeeble the Mind by Jaron Lanier, which gives a negative perspective of using solely a digital classroom instead of a f2f classroom with a creative teacher, I pondered about my role as an educator in the technological age.
As a educator you should know about the different learning theories. Initially, you would like to apply the theory that you are more connected to in your teaching (Cognitivism). However, the reality is that you will have students with different learning styles and background. I am tired of seeing many high school graduates that do not have adequate basic skills to find a job. I am not talking only about academic skills like writing a single paragraph or reading, but they do not have basic skills to survive. Therefore, to reach all the students I would implement the traditional learning theories (Cognitivism, Behaviorism, and Constructivism) with the digital age (Connectivism) in my classroom. The drawback of this approach is that the students must have the skills and access to technology.
In the 21st century, students require knowledge of Web 2.0 technology not only for entertainment, but also for a career. Most factories are now run by automated systems which use computerized devices. Currently, schools are set up to put students in a box. Students learn everything and nothing at the same time. As a society we should develop programs to help students find their skill set and select courses/classes based on their strengths and learning styles. For example, students who are strong in reading and writing should not be required to take math class beyond geometry (this is a problem specific to Silicon Valley). Technology should be a part of the curriculum so that all students with different economic status can take advantage of its benefits.
In summary, technology is part of our daily life and it should not be seen as a villain, especially in online education. Indeed, technology makes our students more efficient and resourceful. Also, it provides the students with the opportunity to be exposed to extensive free open learning courses (e. g. MOOCS) and to become self-regulated autonomous learners. Kudos to technology!
I will leave you with an article about learning theories, Learning theories every teacher should know about from Educational Technology and Mobile Learning.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Week 10 - Classroom Management and Facilitation
Hi everyone. I am back and refreshed after an emotional week. Nothing is better than to have a good night sleep and family dinner. Now, back to work. As I mentioned previously I am a Web Novice in using CMS/LMS for online classroom at college level. As a result initially, I would use the CMS/LMS adopted by the college/university. Hopefully, I will have a mentor or a tutorial class to help me select the best tools/elements from the CMS/LMS or other online tools, that can provide the adequate environment for the students. As the week went by I decided to learn more about a specific LMS, the Blackboard. After researching I found an article about pedagogical tips, BlackboardPedagogicalTips. This article post a provocative question that every instructor should ponder about. The question is, "Does the content I place into my course enhance teaching and learning?" For me, the design of the course (organization, presentation, and integration of materials) plays an important role in answering that question. I see the instructor as the artist of his/her course and being responsible for the:
Another LMS that I am familiar with is Schoology (Schoology). It is free and it is used in the K- 12 schools and higher education institutions. Even though I did not use this LMS to create, manage, and share the academic content for a course, I can share my opinion about Schoology from a user point of view. Schoology is a straight forward system to navigate. You can easily access and download all the files. You (Student) can submit assignments through Dropbox, watch videos, and take online quizzes/tests with immediate feedback. Finally, you can login into Schoology using any mobile devices.
Whatever you have as a tool you have to adjust to the tool while still keeping in mind that the most important piece is that students are learning.
- objectives and prerequisites established through syllabus, course materials (lectures) and assignments
- presentation of the content of the material. Instructor should use a varieties of teaching practice that values diverse talents and ways of learning such as multiple content formats ( images, sound, animations, graphs, texts, games, video
- student participation by implementing warm up and closure questions, group assignments, online guest speakers, and open forum
- testing using different formats. For math, the use of online self-tests after each main topic is a plus for student to practice and apply concepts. Real word applications is another way to consolidate student's learning as well as promoting collaboration and discussion among students
- Review and Summary
Another LMS that I am familiar with is Schoology (Schoology). It is free and it is used in the K- 12 schools and higher education institutions. Even though I did not use this LMS to create, manage, and share the academic content for a course, I can share my opinion about Schoology from a user point of view. Schoology is a straight forward system to navigate. You can easily access and download all the files. You (Student) can submit assignments through Dropbox, watch videos, and take online quizzes/tests with immediate feedback. Finally, you can login into Schoology using any mobile devices.
Whatever you have as a tool you have to adjust to the tool while still keeping in mind that the most important piece is that students are learning.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Week 9
FAQ sheet - Algebra 2 online class
1) What type of technological requirements do I need to attend this class?
Answer: First, you need a Mac or PC computer with Safari or Firefox browsers. If you need more information about it, please contact the online services. If you do not have a computer you can use one at the library. Second, you need to create an account at Desmos graphing calculator , Desmo calculator. You need Desmo Calculator to graph functions. Finally, you also need to create an account at Khan Academy, Khan Login Page in order to do your practice skills set.
2) What is the most important advice, in order to succeed in an online class?
Answer: Make sure you read the Syllabus several times at the beginning of the class. Keep up with your work on a weekly basis. Get help when needed, ask tons of questions. Manage your time wisely. If necessary, find an online study buddy. Don't forget to have fun too!
3) How do I get access to the class materials?
Answer: Every week I will post the links for the lecture notes, videos, quizzes/exams, projects including the rubrics. You can easily download the materials and print them if you need hard copies (Do not forget to Click on printer friendly format.)
4) How can I contact the instructor if I need help?
Answer: You can post any questions through the Forum. At the beginning of the class, I will create a class group where students can upload their HW solutions by taking pictures of them. Weekly, I will provide an hourly face to face time. Be sure to check for the correct time zone, World Clock - Time Zones
5) Can I make up missed assignments?
Answer: Yes, you have until the end of the week, prior to the final exam to turn in all the assignments except online quizzes/exams. However, you can retake quizzes until the end of each unit. Please check the calendar for all the assignments and important dates. It is advisable to write down all important dates or print out the calendar. In case of illness or family emergencies please email me, magalhaes_claudia@hotmail.com ASAP to make the necessary arrangements.
6) How do I find out about my grade?
Answer: Grades are updated on a weekly basis. For quizzes and tests you will automatically receive your score with feedback about the incorrect questions. You will be able to print the tests and quizzes. For projects, I will provide the scores as written on the rubric. If you have any questions, please email me.
7) Can I use a calculator for tests and quizzes?
Answer: Yes, including Desmos.
8) Are the exams including the final opened book?
Answer: Yes, but most exams are time limited so you need to manage your time wisely.
1) What type of technological requirements do I need to attend this class?
Answer: First, you need a Mac or PC computer with Safari or Firefox browsers. If you need more information about it, please contact the online services. If you do not have a computer you can use one at the library. Second, you need to create an account at Desmos graphing calculator , Desmo calculator. You need Desmo Calculator to graph functions. Finally, you also need to create an account at Khan Academy, Khan Login Page in order to do your practice skills set.
2) What is the most important advice, in order to succeed in an online class?
Answer: Make sure you read the Syllabus several times at the beginning of the class. Keep up with your work on a weekly basis. Get help when needed, ask tons of questions. Manage your time wisely. If necessary, find an online study buddy. Don't forget to have fun too!
3) How do I get access to the class materials?
Answer: Every week I will post the links for the lecture notes, videos, quizzes/exams, projects including the rubrics. You can easily download the materials and print them if you need hard copies (Do not forget to Click on printer friendly format.)
4) How can I contact the instructor if I need help?
Answer: You can post any questions through the Forum. At the beginning of the class, I will create a class group where students can upload their HW solutions by taking pictures of them. Weekly, I will provide an hourly face to face time. Be sure to check for the correct time zone, World Clock - Time Zones
5) Can I make up missed assignments?
Answer: Yes, you have until the end of the week, prior to the final exam to turn in all the assignments except online quizzes/exams. However, you can retake quizzes until the end of each unit. Please check the calendar for all the assignments and important dates. It is advisable to write down all important dates or print out the calendar. In case of illness or family emergencies please email me, magalhaes_claudia@hotmail.com ASAP to make the necessary arrangements.
6) How do I find out about my grade?
Answer: Grades are updated on a weekly basis. For quizzes and tests you will automatically receive your score with feedback about the incorrect questions. You will be able to print the tests and quizzes. For projects, I will provide the scores as written on the rubric. If you have any questions, please email me.
7) Can I use a calculator for tests and quizzes?
Answer: Yes, including Desmos.
8) Are the exams including the final opened book?
Answer: Yes, but most exams are time limited so you need to manage your time wisely.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Week 8
This week's topic consisted of learning Web 2.0 tools and skills that can enrich the online classroom by making it more interactive and engaging. Also, those tools can help initiate social networking and increase collaboration among the students and teachers.
As the week went by, my tool box became larger as I incorporated new tools such as Eyejot (http://corp.eyejot.com/) . Eyejot is a paid tool which you can easily create and send a mail video to anyone that has an iPhone or iPodTouch. Screenr (https://www.screenr.com/) was another tool that I added to my tool box. The good news is that it is free and you can record anything from the screen on your computer (Mac or Windows).
I had also the opportunity to get reacquainted with Prezi, an interactive presentation software. This software is user friendly and it has great features even in the free version. For example,to boost your presentation, you can insert images, YouTube videos, files, power points. visual effects, and music. In addition, your presentation can be done remotely. Since I invested most of my week learning how to navigate with Prezi, I decided to use it to create an example titled, Seven Great Web 2.0 Tools for Students. I selected seven current tools that can assist students to become more efficient learners. Topics varied from how to organize your resources using online binders (LiveBinders) to how to format bibliographies and citations (EasyBib). I even considered a dictionary tool, Forvo that teaches the correct pronunciation of any word in the world. This is a tool that my family will use frequently because we are trilingual: Portuguese, English and Spanish. We are always debating in how to correctly pronounce new words in those languages. Below is my Prezi presentation.
Seven Web Tools for Students
I will leave you with a link of a slideshare done by Rafael Scapin, Ph. D Coordinator of Educational Technology of Dawson College about The best 20 Web Tools to Boost your Teaching (2013-2014). I hope that you enjoy it! Best 20 Web Tools for Teachers
As the week went by, my tool box became larger as I incorporated new tools such as Eyejot (http://corp.eyejot.com/) . Eyejot is a paid tool which you can easily create and send a mail video to anyone that has an iPhone or iPodTouch. Screenr (https://www.screenr.com/) was another tool that I added to my tool box. The good news is that it is free and you can record anything from the screen on your computer (Mac or Windows).
I had also the opportunity to get reacquainted with Prezi, an interactive presentation software. This software is user friendly and it has great features even in the free version. For example,to boost your presentation, you can insert images, YouTube videos, files, power points. visual effects, and music. In addition, your presentation can be done remotely. Since I invested most of my week learning how to navigate with Prezi, I decided to use it to create an example titled, Seven Great Web 2.0 Tools for Students. I selected seven current tools that can assist students to become more efficient learners. Topics varied from how to organize your resources using online binders (LiveBinders) to how to format bibliographies and citations (EasyBib). I even considered a dictionary tool, Forvo that teaches the correct pronunciation of any word in the world. This is a tool that my family will use frequently because we are trilingual: Portuguese, English and Spanish. We are always debating in how to correctly pronounce new words in those languages. Below is my Prezi presentation.
Seven Web Tools for Students
I will leave you with a link of a slideshare done by Rafael Scapin, Ph. D Coordinator of Educational Technology of Dawson College about The best 20 Web Tools to Boost your Teaching (2013-2014). I hope that you enjoy it! Best 20 Web Tools for Teachers
Friday, October 17, 2014
Week 7 - It's All Too Much: Class Resources and Intellectual Property
I loved the title of Week 7 and I agree with Lisa about "It's All Too Much". I had a hard time digesting all the information about intellectual property, especially understanding all the details about the laws. I guess for my online classes, I will use open sourced online materials and the traditional copyrighted textbooks that students purchase.
I enjoyed the article about the accessibility issues. First, I am a strong believer that everyone should have equal opportunity and equal access to the materials available in the internet including disabled people. Second, this issue affects my personal family. My mother who has been a ferocious reader since her childhood has been diagnosed with macular degeneration. Now, she will be able to access free printed portuguese materials with large print through the Project Gutenberg and Internet Archive.
I will definitely be making use of the free open educational resources. For my practice, I would use the college open textbooks from College Consortium especially for mathematics and chemistry. I found a great algebra review from Geogebra which uses interactive online activities using a "procedure-based" dynamic approach. Students are in control of their learning by creating their own problems in the areas that they need extra practice and review. When necessary, the activity shows the next steps with hints and explanations to the students. All solutions are presented in steps with answers. A printable version is available, The downside of this resource is that you need Java to have access to the activity and ten correct answers to master the skill. The link is http://archive.geogebra.org/en/wiki/index.php/Self-Assess_Algebra_Review
I am in favor of implementing the open textbooks not only at the community college level, but throughout the K-12 public schools. It would save money that can be allocated into other educational programs such hiring more aides and would provide free high-quality online textbooks to all the students. If the students have the access and training to the proper technology and tools, the later action can help reduce the achievement gap amongst the poor and minority students.
Instead of creating my own Mind Map, I decided to post a link of a Mind Map from mindmeister for 50+ free learning websites for Elementary School Students, Mind Map, How I would have liked to do it. This Mind Map represents what I would like to have done, but mind mapping does not fit my thinking style.
I enjoyed the article about the accessibility issues. First, I am a strong believer that everyone should have equal opportunity and equal access to the materials available in the internet including disabled people. Second, this issue affects my personal family. My mother who has been a ferocious reader since her childhood has been diagnosed with macular degeneration. Now, she will be able to access free printed portuguese materials with large print through the Project Gutenberg and Internet Archive.
I will definitely be making use of the free open educational resources. For my practice, I would use the college open textbooks from College Consortium especially for mathematics and chemistry. I found a great algebra review from Geogebra which uses interactive online activities using a "procedure-based" dynamic approach. Students are in control of their learning by creating their own problems in the areas that they need extra practice and review. When necessary, the activity shows the next steps with hints and explanations to the students. All solutions are presented in steps with answers. A printable version is available, The downside of this resource is that you need Java to have access to the activity and ten correct answers to master the skill. The link is http://archive.geogebra.org/en/wiki/index.php/Self-Assess_Algebra_Review
I am in favor of implementing the open textbooks not only at the community college level, but throughout the K-12 public schools. It would save money that can be allocated into other educational programs such hiring more aides and would provide free high-quality online textbooks to all the students. If the students have the access and training to the proper technology and tools, the later action can help reduce the achievement gap amongst the poor and minority students.
Instead of creating my own Mind Map, I decided to post a link of a Mind Map from mindmeister for 50+ free learning websites for Elementary School Students, Mind Map, How I would have liked to do it. This Mind Map represents what I would like to have done, but mind mapping does not fit my thinking style.
Friday, October 10, 2014
Week 6
Hi again and sorry for the delay. I had a busy week with my teenager son since my husband is out of town in a business trip in Brazil.
As a educational therapist specialized in teaching high school math I will focus on mainly on four students activities that I might use in an online class as described below.For all of the activities you should provide accommodations for students with disabilities or other special needs.
1) Ice Breakers - This is a great initial course activity to create a online community among the students. After this activity students should fell more comfortable in interacting with other students and be willing to participate more in the virtual classroom. Ice breakers can be asynchronously (videos or written form) or synchronously. One example of a synchronous activity is meet and greet through Skype where I would initially introduce myself and then the students would do the same. Prior to this activity I would provide instructions including time of the event with time zones and directions (tutorial) in how to use Skype. The format of the activity can be formal with a set of prior questions given to students or informal with only some guidelines. Students with visual impairment will use audio tools to record his/her voice.
2) Drill and Practice - This activity is not used frequently in adult education, but it is very useful when teaching mathematics. It is a great activity for students to practice and to master a set of critical skills required to advance and to excel in higher level mathematic courses. I normally use this activity to review a set of skills that will be used when teaching a new concept. KhanAcademy is a wonderful tool ( https://www.khanacademy.org/) where students can easily create a free account and they can practice a large amount of skills with immediate feedback in different subjects. KhanAcademy uses different formats for practice not limiting to multiple choices. This tool also avoid students to be bored since he/she can practice a new skill or advance to a new level after five correct answers.
3) Online Quizzing - I am not a fan of this activity, but it provides a quick way to assess the students' knowledge and to provide feedback about the instructor methodology. Instructor needs to have a large database of questions in many formats. Cheating can be a problem when using this activity. To avoid this problem provide an honor code and set clear cheating policies in the syllabus at the beginning of the course. Open notes quiz can also help minimize cheating. Pop quiz during a live session is another way to avoid cheating and to keep the students on their toes. A good teaching strategy is to allow students to create quiz questions so that they will have ownership over their learning process and will increase motivation to do the work.
4) Group Problem Solving Activity- I love this activity since the students will solve a problem (in my case, real life mathematics) in a group. This activity help students to develop building team skills, analyze facts, propose and test solutions, and present the solution (orally and written). Small groups of 3-5 are usually effective in online classroom. Groups can be pre-selected by the instructors or self selected among the students. Instructor should provide the students with enough background information and materials to the students so they can start to solve the problem. Timeline to complete this activity varies a lot and it will depend on the type of problem, For example, Small groups can be formed in a synchronous session and students have 10 minutes to come up with a problem solution. This is ideal when the problem involves multi-steps solutions but it is not a complex problem. For long projects, students should submit progress reports. In the beginning, the instructor should monitoring the groups closely by short live session to guarantee a smooth star. Make sure you provide a rubric and a model to help students gauge the quality of final work. Assessment should take into account the individual contribution as well as the group performance. .
Below is a link to an article about the best practices in online teaching strategies from the Hanover Research Council,
http://www.uwec.edu/AcadAff/resources/edtech/upload/Best-Practices-in-Online-Teaching-Strategies-Membership.pdf
I found a good video to introduce high school students to learning community,
As a educational therapist specialized in teaching high school math I will focus on mainly on four students activities that I might use in an online class as described below.For all of the activities you should provide accommodations for students with disabilities or other special needs.
1) Ice Breakers - This is a great initial course activity to create a online community among the students. After this activity students should fell more comfortable in interacting with other students and be willing to participate more in the virtual classroom. Ice breakers can be asynchronously (videos or written form) or synchronously. One example of a synchronous activity is meet and greet through Skype where I would initially introduce myself and then the students would do the same. Prior to this activity I would provide instructions including time of the event with time zones and directions (tutorial) in how to use Skype. The format of the activity can be formal with a set of prior questions given to students or informal with only some guidelines. Students with visual impairment will use audio tools to record his/her voice.
2) Drill and Practice - This activity is not used frequently in adult education, but it is very useful when teaching mathematics. It is a great activity for students to practice and to master a set of critical skills required to advance and to excel in higher level mathematic courses. I normally use this activity to review a set of skills that will be used when teaching a new concept. KhanAcademy is a wonderful tool ( https://www.khanacademy.org/) where students can easily create a free account and they can practice a large amount of skills with immediate feedback in different subjects. KhanAcademy uses different formats for practice not limiting to multiple choices. This tool also avoid students to be bored since he/she can practice a new skill or advance to a new level after five correct answers.
3) Online Quizzing - I am not a fan of this activity, but it provides a quick way to assess the students' knowledge and to provide feedback about the instructor methodology. Instructor needs to have a large database of questions in many formats. Cheating can be a problem when using this activity. To avoid this problem provide an honor code and set clear cheating policies in the syllabus at the beginning of the course. Open notes quiz can also help minimize cheating. Pop quiz during a live session is another way to avoid cheating and to keep the students on their toes. A good teaching strategy is to allow students to create quiz questions so that they will have ownership over their learning process and will increase motivation to do the work.
4) Group Problem Solving Activity- I love this activity since the students will solve a problem (in my case, real life mathematics) in a group. This activity help students to develop building team skills, analyze facts, propose and test solutions, and present the solution (orally and written). Small groups of 3-5 are usually effective in online classroom. Groups can be pre-selected by the instructors or self selected among the students. Instructor should provide the students with enough background information and materials to the students so they can start to solve the problem. Timeline to complete this activity varies a lot and it will depend on the type of problem, For example, Small groups can be formed in a synchronous session and students have 10 minutes to come up with a problem solution. This is ideal when the problem involves multi-steps solutions but it is not a complex problem. For long projects, students should submit progress reports. In the beginning, the instructor should monitoring the groups closely by short live session to guarantee a smooth star. Make sure you provide a rubric and a model to help students gauge the quality of final work. Assessment should take into account the individual contribution as well as the group performance. .
Below is a link to an article about the best practices in online teaching strategies from the Hanover Research Council,
http://www.uwec.edu/AcadAff/resources/edtech/upload/Best-Practices-in-Online-Teaching-Strategies-Membership.pdf
I found a good video to introduce high school students to learning community,
Friday, October 3, 2014
Week 5 - Online Community
Since prehistoric age humans needed to interact with each other in order to survive by hunting for food, and building shelters. Creating a community is necessary in order to transfer knowledge, values, cultures, language and it is important to be able to solve complex problems in a globalized world. A diverse and integrated community, is also relevant to bring a new perspective to the society.
In the modern day educational setting, creating community should be part of the curriculum and it is more of a challenge when dealing with an online classroom. Using tools available to the online community, can facilitate the difficult barrier between the students and the teacher created by the virtual world. As stated in Pilar's video, the importance of (identifying )the purposes before choosing the tools to use to establish a community while teaching online, is necessary to design a way for students to interact easily allowing them to surpass the obstacle of the virtual world. Pillar's comment in her video is an important point to take in account when addressing the development of an online community.
Below are the activities that I would probably incorporate in an online classroom in order to try to establish an online community:
Meet and Greet- students can use any format (video, letter, power point, avatar) to introduce themselves and share one strength and one difficulty that they had in their life (can be related to the course or not) and how they used them to improve their learning/life.
Create a private social group (mandatory)- place where students post solutions and answers, students talk about problems in classroom and strategies that helped them. Students share resources through links and articles
Group Project - create a list of tasks (or students can generate one) and ask each student to pick the task in which he/she has a specific skill (talent for). Students then have to show the steps (evolution) of the project. At the end, each student shares his/her the experience and post a blog highlighting his/her positive and negative experiences and what they would change if they did the project again.
Another group project would be that now the students would be paired. One student would be proficient at a specific skill such as making videos and the other does not know this specific skill. The skilled student has to teach the other and explain how he/she did it. The student who learned the material has to do a presentation showing what he learned giving examples and applying this skill to real life.
Below is an article about how to become a community in the online classroom by integrating cognitive and affective learning to maximizing e-learning:
http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring61/woods61.htm
Finally, I am posting a video from Jenny Thomas a CTAP specialist, Creating a Community in the Online Classroom
In the modern day educational setting, creating community should be part of the curriculum and it is more of a challenge when dealing with an online classroom. Using tools available to the online community, can facilitate the difficult barrier between the students and the teacher created by the virtual world. As stated in Pilar's video, the importance of (identifying )the purposes before choosing the tools to use to establish a community while teaching online, is necessary to design a way for students to interact easily allowing them to surpass the obstacle of the virtual world. Pillar's comment in her video is an important point to take in account when addressing the development of an online community.
Below are the activities that I would probably incorporate in an online classroom in order to try to establish an online community:
Meet and Greet- students can use any format (video, letter, power point, avatar) to introduce themselves and share one strength and one difficulty that they had in their life (can be related to the course or not) and how they used them to improve their learning/life.
Create a private social group (mandatory)- place where students post solutions and answers, students talk about problems in classroom and strategies that helped them. Students share resources through links and articles
Group Project - create a list of tasks (or students can generate one) and ask each student to pick the task in which he/she has a specific skill (talent for). Students then have to show the steps (evolution) of the project. At the end, each student shares his/her the experience and post a blog highlighting his/her positive and negative experiences and what they would change if they did the project again.
Another group project would be that now the students would be paired. One student would be proficient at a specific skill such as making videos and the other does not know this specific skill. The skilled student has to teach the other and explain how he/she did it. The student who learned the material has to do a presentation showing what he learned giving examples and applying this skill to real life.
Below is an article about how to become a community in the online classroom by integrating cognitive and affective learning to maximizing e-learning:
http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring61/woods61.htm
Finally, I am posting a video from Jenny Thomas a CTAP specialist, Creating a Community in the Online Classroom
Friday, September 26, 2014
Week 4 Sea of Holes: The Online Syllabus
After reading Ko and Rossen, Chapter 5: Creating an Effective Online Syllabus and watching the videos from Pillar Hernandez and Rachel ......, I learned how to create a more concise and efficient online syllabus.
How do you convert the traditional syllabus that tends to be dry, formal, blend, boring, and unattractive to a new style syllabus that is informal, fun, simple,attractive, and easy to understand? Pillar Hernandez has a format that I would like to use it when I design my syllabus. Her format is direct and straight forward and it helps students to be accountable/responsible for their learning.
Initially, I would use a short video to explain general aspects of the syllabus: objectives/goals, grading, and plagiarisms (cheating). Students could also have access to a hard copy of the syllabus. Like in the Pilar's video, I would create a weekly video to preview what the student is going to learn. Then a list of weekly activities would be available with the use of hyperlinks. Colors is used to remind the due dates, including time zones. All the activities would be linked to a calendar. At the end, I would attach a check list which students could print so they can keep track of their assignments.
For course assignments, I would allow students to retake quizzes until they mastered the topic and/or skills. Finally, students would take a test (the due date must be within the limits of the quarter). If the student falls behind an alternative assessment method would be implemented such as mandatory one on one office time to help the student get back on track.
Below is a video about the syllabus of a blended course for eighth grade for Algebra 1.
How do you convert the traditional syllabus that tends to be dry, formal, blend, boring, and unattractive to a new style syllabus that is informal, fun, simple,attractive, and easy to understand? Pillar Hernandez has a format that I would like to use it when I design my syllabus. Her format is direct and straight forward and it helps students to be accountable/responsible for their learning.
Initially, I would use a short video to explain general aspects of the syllabus: objectives/goals, grading, and plagiarisms (cheating). Students could also have access to a hard copy of the syllabus. Like in the Pilar's video, I would create a weekly video to preview what the student is going to learn. Then a list of weekly activities would be available with the use of hyperlinks. Colors is used to remind the due dates, including time zones. All the activities would be linked to a calendar. At the end, I would attach a check list which students could print so they can keep track of their assignments.
For course assignments, I would allow students to retake quizzes until they mastered the topic and/or skills. Finally, students would take a test (the due date must be within the limits of the quarter). If the student falls behind an alternative assessment method would be implemented such as mandatory one on one office time to help the student get back on track.
Below is a video about the syllabus of a blended course for eighth grade for Algebra 1.
Friday, September 19, 2014
Week 3 - Revolution: Pedagogy and Course Design
After reading chapter 3 and watching examples of online classes I thoroughly reflected how to use the most effective pedagogy. Also, I reflected on how to design an online course, to spark the learning for a variety of students with different learning styles, culture and background. This is a very difficult task and I will try to be direct and concise.
First, I am always worried about helping each student reach his/her full potential and to instill a love of learning. As a result my pedagogy lies between being teacher centered and student centered teaching. This will affect how I should design the online course. I would use blackboard as the LMS of the online course. Initially, I would have a questionnaire about the students' learning styles (Check out this link from a North Carolina State University, https://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html) and a survey about their experience about learning mathematics (Paper survey from Boston College, http://www.bc.edu/research/intasc/PDF/opd_bat_StudentPost_fall06.pdf ). These questionnaires would be influential in my decisions on how to implement and plan out my online course.
The course material would be divided into weekly topics with a list of goals for the week. I would provide links to notes, you tube videos, articles and research papers. A Forum or a group discussion would be created so I could talk one on one with students once a week or as necessary. Students should be encouraged to participate in weekly discussions providing feedback about current topics including homework and projects. Any students with a written learning problem could use a recorder to share his thoughts. When introducing a math topic I would use the Khan website (https://www.khanacademy.org/math) to review and to practice the skills required to succeed. Assessments could be formal through online quizzes and tests or informal through real-life projects established by me or created by the student.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Week 2
Welcome back for one more interesting week at POT. This week, we had the pleasure of doing the Beginner's Questionnaire to figure out about our teaching style. I scored 13 points out of the possible 20 points. I guess that I am more less in the middle of the pact, not so Pedagogy nor Andragogy When teaching, if possible I like to show why we are learning a specific skill or where we are going to apply it in future courses or real life. The next step is to introduce "the lecture" (20 minutes max) using a multi-sensory approach in order to reach students with different learning styles. For this I would use videos, power points, templates, and real life examples. The next phase is for practice through independent work (technological devices pencil/paper), small group discussion and group exercises. At the end, I would like time for students to use self reflection about what they learn. This can be established by me or any way they choose.My style is a Hybrid class and I would present my class in a weekly planner.I am not techie, so I would probably start a course using a program such as blackboard.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Week 1 - Introduction
Week 1
Introduction
My name is Claudia Magalhaes and I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I have been living in the bay area for the past 18 years. Currently, I am an Educational Therapist who works primarily with high school students, in one to one setting, in the areas of chemistry and mathematics. I enjoy this work because I can adjust the content of the materials to match the students' learning styles and teach the strategies that can help the students overcome their limitations.
I participated in last semester POT course. I had a great time and received many constructive comments. I also enjoyed learning about many resources especially in software technologies (Prezi, Screen-o-matic). I have been using them with my students who are tech savvy. I look forward to another great semester!
Introduction
My name is Claudia Magalhaes and I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I have been living in the bay area for the past 18 years. Currently, I am an Educational Therapist who works primarily with high school students, in one to one setting, in the areas of chemistry and mathematics. I enjoy this work because I can adjust the content of the materials to match the students' learning styles and teach the strategies that can help the students overcome their limitations.
I participated in last semester POT course. I had a great time and received many constructive comments. I also enjoyed learning about many resources especially in software technologies (Prezi, Screen-o-matic). I have been using them with my students who are tech savvy. I look forward to another great semester!
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Week 24 Reflections
Week 24
Below are the links and my reflections back to my blog from Week 13 until Week 23
Week 13: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/2014/02/introduction.html
Looking back at my introduction, I was amazed in how much information I learned in just three months about online class and it was free.
Looking back at my introduction, I was amazed in how much information I learned in just three months about online class and it was free.
Week 14: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/
This week I learned about the importance of screenshots and images. Images can be provide more information than words especially when dealing with 3D concepts
This week I learned about the importance of screenshots and images. Images can be provide more information than words especially when dealing with 3D concepts
Week 15: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/
I loved this week where I learned how to use video and audio. The use of those two can show examples of real things associated with the topic taught.
I loved this week where I learned how to use video and audio. The use of those two can show examples of real things associated with the topic taught.
Week 16: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/
Here we used a very powerful tool that can than zoom in and out. Prezi is useful to teach topics that usually are taught through power point in a linear systematic approach. This program is more dynamic.
Week 17: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/
This page is where we created a survey. My survey was about math. A closed format survey helps you get better information what is expected of the students.
Week 18: http://claudiam1.blogspot.com/
Moodle is interesting but not a program I have used or taught. I would need to go more in depth to know how to teach and use it.
Learning about methodology that has to be incorporated into online classes. I contrasted with how in third world countries people use intuition to teach rather than a method.
Technology in education is a tool that helps bridge education so that students can reach their potential through technological assistance and information.
Mooc's classes are a great way to obtain knowledge and keep up with the fast pace of changing knowledge. The positive aspect is that it is free and available t 24/7 for people who have access to computers.
PLN is for adults and a great way to network with other professionals. For high school this may work in a structured setting but can cause distraction from the main topic.
This is my final presentation about Audio video. I had a good time building this project.
I hope you enjoy the information above and will be helpful for you.
I hope you enjoy the information above and will be helpful for you.
Friday, April 18, 2014
Friday, April 11, 2014
Week 22 PLN
PLN
It is hard to create a PNL for high school students. It is because a lot of the social media is used to socialize and not necessarily as an educational tool. Giving points for specific assignments that have to do with communicating through the social media would increase the use of the social network yet counter the idea of developing a PLN for personal purposes. The positive side of Developing a PLN is developing the necessary skills in internet use and social network use for college and career. The teacher would show how to develop one for a course such as Chemistry, where a student would link videos and social connections to other chemistry students and follow chemists on twitter to then have for their future chemistry portafolio.
This is the video reviewing Michaela and my discussion about this weeks topic:
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Week 21
MOOCs
Examples of the explosion of different methods of teaching online are: well known hybrids (mix of classroom and online teaching) and unknown to me, MOOC (massive open online course). Coursera is one example of doing MOOCs, Coursera is a social entrepreneur company that provides free online courses from different universities. The video below will give a better understanding of "What is a MOOC?"
The Video uses a simple way to define a MOOC and the difference between a MOOC and a Hybrid course.
When you are doing a MOOC you should incorporate the Pedagogy we use in the classroom. This gives a predetermined structure to the class. It tells us what type of course a student is signing up for.
constructivism, connectivism and behaviorism are all transferrable to the online setting.
How could I take advantage of MOOC in my professional life and how would I use it in my classroom? First, it is a great way to keep up with current knowledge, to keep up with your professional development and to incorporate different instructional tools, while designing my classroom. Using MOCC I could can create my own library/ portfolio with different format: research articles, blogs, videos, lectures, cartoon to match each student learning styles.
As the lead teacher, my role would be to use the MOOC to facilitate the student learning according to his/her learning style. Also, I would have teachers aids with different learning style to help me with students that have the learning stile matching the teachers methodology. At the end, each student should have created his/her own portfolio which he/she can keep using the tools that helps their learning.
The student in the classroom should have created a network of people they can work with and exchange information with. Online classes are a great way to start a networking with people in your area and beyond. Their is no limit to the communication between the people.
The online system would give me the opportunity to offer alternative assessments. For example, my son would use cartoons to learn chemistry concepts and he would make a cartoon to show his knowledge, another student may prefer to give a presentation and another may want to create a test. Processing these tasks would allow them to gain knowledge through the tasks helping them reach their potential.
List of MOOCS courses:
http://www.mooc-list.com/
Article about ten uses of MOOCs for high school students:
http://etale.org/main/2013/11/17/10-uses-of-moocs-for-high-school-students/
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Week 20
Technology in Education
For me technology is the fast way to find out information to help my students. Technology is also good to supplement my learning in an efficient way. You have right there on the spot good lectures, video, study skill tools, I can generate multiple choice tests, I can see labs in chemistry, any kind of thing that is useful.
When I need something for a student, before building one from scratch I look online to see if someone has already a shareable version. Good examples are math pages, lab pages, open university web pages, quizlet for study skills, and articles related to the subject I am teaching. In the process I am showing the kids how to be more independent and resourceful. For students with auditory learning a student can use a dictation software on their computer. Students can use that as a technological extension of their body. They can learn what they dictated by reviewing. If the are visual learners for math they can use a graphing calculator that allows the student to slide the curve by changing the equation. This allows the student to see more complex functions.
Even though all of the technology is available to students (and many do plagiarize and that needs to be pointed out to each student if they use the technology incorrectly) teachers in the high schools and some colleges, consider the use of technology such as dictation, recording, smart pens for note taking as a form of cheating and do not allow students to use it in their classrooms. This is counter productive when these are excellent tools for a student to reach their full potential. Technology is not a curse but a gift especially for children with learning differences by enhancing their learning through the technological tool. This is considered assistive technology.
Teachers should have as part of their training, a class about how technology can benefit the students learning experience.
This is a page by LD online with links about assistive technology.
Video about a high school student's story about using technology to support her dyslexia:
(I could not link this the regular way please click)
A lot of other students I have worked with are denied access to technology to support their learning. Consequently they are unfairly docked points because of their learning disabilities rather than because they did not study or complete an assignment to go to a party.
A lot of other students I have worked with are denied access to technology to support their learning. Consequently they are unfairly docked points because of their learning disabilities rather than because they did not study or complete an assignment to go to a party.
Week 19
learning Theories:
behaviorism, constructivism, connectivism- Many components have to be taken into account for learning to happen: student learning style, temperament, age, environment, culture, finantial, knowlege of technology.
Are the learning theories important to learn? Yes, but we have several examples that learning happens without the formal knowledge of those theories. Learning can happen when we provide an active, social engaging and non-threating environment to learners. Learning should be contextual based. We have several examples of contextually based learning through out the world:
Ex:
In Brazil, children learn to play in a carnival band with out going to a formal school. Learning is passed on from the musician in the communities that live in the favelas (shanty town).
The children also learn how to play Soccer- no shoes, no club. Players find their own soccer field, learn the rules of the game with out this established structure of a club culture. The community gets together and play rounds usually older kids teens or twenty year old watch as little kids play. The older kids take over later at night when the little kids go home. It's a pass down system where untrained teachers teach.
Tribes in Africa, where the learning comes from the elders in a community, it is an important social component.This brings the elders into the community as an important factor. This is a good example of connectivism.
This is a fun video done by a tourist who asked specific questions about tribe and wife coming from other villages and how many wives the men can have.
Creation of the Pyramids in Egypt- is another example of people making amazing monuments without computers and calculators and the formal learning western stile. It should be noted Egyptians did have training for boys who learned Hieroglyphs easily. All the people had a specific job within the town they learned their specialization from childhood. This would be an example of Behaviorism mixed with vocational learning.
But one can say in these same countries their is a high illiteracy rate and poverty, yet that does not mean that people cannot learn.There are many examples of contextual learning that is academic and includes the three R's eventually going beyond the basics.
In the US there are schools implementing blended learning programs where students use there skills such as reading comprehension and writting to study other courses and integrated into the classic English class. For Example at Gunn high school they have blended learningcourses named American studies. They read books and the history research will be based on the era of the book it was written in. This gives background knowledge about what was happening during that time in history. This gives more depth to the topic.
As I was thinking about blended learning and technology I found this well written article from the university of Wisconsin. They incorporate the three learning methods as well as technology.
-Article about different learning theory and online learning Madison University:http://academictech.doit.wisc.edu/blend/design/principles
Drummers and soccer ( by cause and affect foundation)
Friday, March 14, 2014
Week 18 Classroom Management
When I teach an online class I would like to find a LMS that is user friendly and that has the tools necesarry to obtain all the benefits from multy media such as video, forums, articles etc... Currently I would like to use google plus, drop box and Blackboard.
Moodle is another option but does to have some limitations with respect to grading. While it had collaboration as a plus. The most important thing when you use an online software. You first have to understand how to use it and then properly teach a student how to use the program with a cheat sheet. Students should not spend their time trying to navigate the program and should focus on the material. This is similar in a small scale as a graphing calculator where you buy an expensive calculator and then you have spend a lot of time learning how to use it while the course flies by.
Below is a you tube video of a teacher that has been using Moodle in her social studies class. She gives advice on the benefits of using Moodle.
Moodle is another option but does to have some limitations with respect to grading. While it had collaboration as a plus. The most important thing when you use an online software. You first have to understand how to use it and then properly teach a student how to use the program with a cheat sheet. Students should not spend their time trying to navigate the program and should focus on the material. This is similar in a small scale as a graphing calculator where you buy an expensive calculator and then you have spend a lot of time learning how to use it while the course flies by.
Below is a you tube video of a teacher that has been using Moodle in her social studies class. She gives advice on the benefits of using Moodle.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Week 17
Technology is part of our life, young adults and teenagers use technology on a daily basis. The article about Vashi talks about how the technology helped learn about film and allowed him to find his passion. At the same time he is failing his Algebra 2 class. For me, the biggest question is Vashi in the right environment for his learning stile? He should be in a school where their would have more of an interdisciplinary approach, where he can incorporate his passions into making movies such as script writing for English and geometry for visual space in the movie etc.....
The solution is that the parents need to know their child and know their style of learning. Then from there they can pick the right type of environment for the child. It so happens that the redwood city school district has several charter school and more than one high school to select from. Technology is going to change the rules of education, more students will be able to educate themselves independently. The parental and teacher rules on the use of technology is going to be dependent on the temperament of the child.
My survey is about how to better math courses together with technology so that students can succeed and enjoy math.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8W2B35T
The solution is that the parents need to know their child and know their style of learning. Then from there they can pick the right type of environment for the child. It so happens that the redwood city school district has several charter school and more than one high school to select from. Technology is going to change the rules of education, more students will be able to educate themselves independently. The parental and teacher rules on the use of technology is going to be dependent on the temperament of the child.
My survey is about how to better math courses together with technology so that students can succeed and enjoy math.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8W2B35T
Friday, February 28, 2014
Week 16 Screen-o-matic and prezis
Today we Michaela and made a video using screen-o-matic and an outline in prezis. The topic was factoring quadratic trinomial with the leading coefficient different than one. We decided to use this topic because many students have difficulty with this type of factoring. Michaela really helped me navigate this technology. I enjoyed using both tools to develop a video. I think I can use this to teach students other math topics.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Week 15 Using Video and Audio
I had a hard time using the software, I am not a teehi person. So when I read that I had to do a video and recording I panicked. So I asked Michaela to show me. We sat down and went over all the different possibilities while having coffee and desert at Satura cakes. The sweets gave me inspiration on how to apply Geometry 3D shapes using Cakes and showing students through a video recording real world application for 3D shapes. I had so much fun I am looking forward to implementing more videos in my educational therapy practice.
This is the Video:
Monday, February 10, 2014
Images and Screenshots
Images and images. Everywhere we look we are bombarded by images 24 hours a day. From the time we are babies images are all around us and also while we sleep. Most humans are blessed in being able to learn through images. Indeed, images can provide more information than words. A good example is when you are trying to explain complex 3D solids of revolution, using real life objects you can show the concept of spinning a curve on its axis to create a 3D shape. Nowadays with technology in our daily lives we can see all the different "cool"labs online, like the reaction of metal with water. I am a visual learner and the images allow me to learn faster. This also helps with teaching, because I can see the information before I see my students.
"A picture is worth a thousand words!"
"A picture is worth a thousand words!"
When I am homesick I can just see the Christ overseeing the Baia da Guanabara in Rio. as though I was there.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Introduction
Hi,
I am an educational therapist specialized in math and science (physics and chemistry) for high school students. I decided to enroll in this course to learn more about building an online course. Currently I only work face to face with students. Blogging and teaching online is a novelty for me and I am very interested in branching out into this new avenue. I am blogging from the San Francisco Bay area in CA.
I am an educational therapist specialized in math and science (physics and chemistry) for high school students. I decided to enroll in this course to learn more about building an online course. Currently I only work face to face with students. Blogging and teaching online is a novelty for me and I am very interested in branching out into this new avenue. I am blogging from the San Francisco Bay area in CA.
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