Adding Media to Your Blog

As we build out our blogs we will be adding information through text AND through the use of media. We will cover this gradually in class, but here are a few ideas to mull over beforehand:

- Still photos and photo galleries, videos, sound files, slide shows, documents, and other media are all common types of items used to enhance blogs and make the messages they carry more engaging and functional.

- What are the copyright issues involved in using these?

- Does Blogger (the blogging tool we are using) allow all of these types of media to be imported into the blog?

- Putting a hyper link into your blog text is really no different than putting one in a Word Processing document or your email. But how do you insert a ‘player’ for something like a YouTube video? (See my first post for an example).

Also, we are likely to want to enhance our blogs with still digital photos. You can get these primarily in 3 ways: 1) take photos with a digital camera (jpg and gif file formats are generally the ones to use) 2) you can find these on the web and download them (but you may only use them on your blog if there are no copyright issues associated with them) 3) you can also use a scanner and output the scan as a jpg or gif file.

Furthermore, once you have photos in your computer you can ‘work’ on them in a photo processing program like Photoshop. Picasa (offered by Google, a trusted source) is a free downloadable program that is very useful… alternatively you can upload your photos to Picasa Web Albums (also free) and work on them there and download the photos when you want to use them.

Keep Your Computer Safe (please!)

While the web is full of wonderful 'goodies' for teaching and learning, there are dangers out there too. I've pasted below a few links to articles about this broad topic. We will be using computers quite a bit for this course, something one might expect in a course about using computers:) However, before we get too far into creating things, I want to encourage you to be careful and perhaps, err on the side of caution. If you feel you can't or shouldn't do something for an assignment because of safety, security, or virus/malware threats... then don't - contact me and we'll find and alternate approach for you.

If you don't currently use items to protect your computer you really should look into that right away (i.e. anti virus, firewall, etc.)

One form of danger I want to caution you about is the Browser Highjacker type of malware. I've fallen victim to this in the past, personally. Essentially, what happens is that the computer increasingly presents pop ups that can't be eliminated the usual ways. Ironically, the most common form this takes are pop ups that offer to sell software that will remove the very thing or type of thing that they are:( This is a form of Internet extortion, in which the perpetrator will only let you remove his software (hidden somewhere in your computer in a way that is designed to prevent you from finding and eliminating it) after you've paid the $50 or so to download the cure. This form of invasion frequently happens when a pop up appears informing you that your computer is or may be infected and offering you a free scan appliation to download or to identify or remove the 'bug'... once you download something it may be too late to get rid of it.

Do not download anything from a source that is not a trusted source and be careful to verify that the name an item offered bears is not just similar, but an actual name you trust. Generally, by going to websites and reading or emailing, things are fine! It is when you click on unfamiliar links and especially when you download things that you put yourself at risk. If a pop up appears offering you software to eliminate an infection that you wouldn't know you had if it wasn't warning you, it may be best to shut the computer down quickly and not even click on the pop up window's "No" or "No Thanks" or conventional "Close Window" icon. These have been known to trigger the infection. After quickly turning the computer off, it may be best to go to the Internet Tools resource and eliminate temporary files and cookies to make sure that you haven't retained anything that could lead back to the bad guys.

Most people never have to worry about the above, but the more you really begin exploring and experimenting (usually good things to do) the more cautious you have to be.

Oh, by the way, the infections I've suffered in the past were not the end of the world. They were upsetting and annoying and difficult to eliminate, but in the end things were fixed and I got back to normal. I am still experimenting, but more cautious about possible consequences.

I've found these but there are many other articles out there:

Just READ the articles ... do not download anything or click on any links from ads!



http://www.surfnetkids.com/safety/keeping_your_computer_safe_from_malware_spyware_and_adware-16984.htm

http://www.ecu.edu/studentlife/campusliving/reznet/safecomputer.cfm

and

just the article -"Simple and easy ways to keep your computer safe and secure on the Internet"
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial82.html

Uploading Audio to Your Blog

Although recording and (simple) editing of sound is relatively easy to do with Audacity, uploading it is not so simple. Blogger (our blog tool) does not seem to accept audio files currently. However, once recorded, your audio can be imported into a simple video editing program (i.e. Windows Movie Maker or iMovie). Blogger readily takes these videos or they can be uploaded to a video media sharing resource (i.e. YouTube, TeacherTube, BlipTV, SchoolTube, etc.) and then embedded in the blog page. Here's my audio on YouTube (because it will play in a video player, I decided to create a simple piece of art to look at while the audio runs:)


Another method is to upload to Our Media (a free media sharing resource). This however is somewhat complex as it involves 1) downloading and setting up their SpinExpress software 2) (free) 2) registering for a free account with The Internet Library, a 3) registering for a free account with Our Media - all before you can upload.

However, the result will be a convenient sound upload that offers the ability to upload to your blog in a simple, attractive player like the one below (click on it to listen to my message).




Thanks to Ethan for suggesting divshare.com - an easy to use free place to upload and share audio (and other media formats) see below.

***Discussion #1: Project Based Learning

“Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.”
William Butler Yeats quotes (Irish prose Writer, Dramatist and Poet. Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923. 1865-1939)

Your final project will involve the creation of a learning project; let’s begin a discussion on this important approach.


In Chapter 1 of our book Meaningful Learning with Technology, the authors argue that the currently dominant driver of instruction in our nation’s public schools is Standardized Testing and resultant efforts to produce impressive “scores”. They argue further that in this “testing” context the type of learning that results is not meaningful. Furthermore, they indicate dimensions of learning that in their opinion are missing, things like Active Learning, Constructive Learning, and Authentic Learning. They follow this line of reasoning with the question “How does technology facilitate learning?” They list ways they feel technology should be used fruitfully for learning and the ways it fosters learning.

In Recapturing Technology for Education: Keeping Tomorrow in Today’s Classrooms Scarecrow Education (January 28, 2005) I included a section titled “Reinvigorating Learning with Technology” which was excerpted in the article The Truth about Professional Development http://www.edtechmag.com/k12/issues/summer-2005/instructional-tech.html (scroll to the bottom). This is my own list of ways I feel that technology profoundly impacts teaching and learning.

All this theory is well and good, but will be best understood by reviewing real world examples of student projects (an approach that the authors of Meaningful Learning with Technology highlight). I’d like to offer the following examples of technology focused and supported student learning projects:

http://www.central.k12.ca.us/district/techprojects.html

http://www.iearn.org/projects/

http://www.thinkquest.org/library/

http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/collection.php?collection=1845

http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.php?articleID=16000694

http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/ksd/de/st_proj/st_proj.html

http://its.leesummit.k12.mo.us/studentprojects.htm

http://www.globalschoolnet.org/

http://www.globalchallengeaward.org/

http://www.edb.utexas.edu/projects/mmdesign/fall96project/Who/Jose/prjts.html


If you’ve entered teaching in the midst of the standardized testing focus, you may not be well grounded in the theory behind student learning projects. Take a look at these links to get a quick idea of what it’s all about:

· http://pblmm.k12.ca.us/PBLGuide/WhyPBL.html
· http://pbl-online.org/
· http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project-based_learning
· http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic43.htm
· http://www.educ.ksu.edu/pbl/
· http://pblchecklist.4teachers.org/checklist.shtml

In what ways do you feel Project-Based Learning as an approach to instruction is especially useful? In what ways do you feel it presents challenges to teachers?

Do you see this as an idea that will become important down the road or an appealing fad idea that will go away? Why?

Please feel free to share your reactions and react to those of your classmates. Also, can you share with the class an example of a student learning project (not listed above), preferably one that is supported by technology? Use the comments function of the blog to enter into the conversation (participating in this discussion may count as a required discussion participation).

Class Assignments

The course assignments will consist of:

1) Chapters from the book Meaningful Learning With Technology -
I will be assigning chapters in the order in which they are presented in the book. We will cover most of it during the course.

AND

Chapters from Podcasting for Teachers, which will be presented in the order that they support our class activities and discussions.

ALSO

Selected readings from blogs, websites, or online media relevant to the path our discussions take.

For each assigned reading please do a half page response (roughly 250 words) that is not a summary but your reflections on the item's significance and relevance to your teaching practice. Please submit these to me by email or respond directly in our class section of Blackboard.

2) There will be a number of online discussions facilitated through Blackboard. All students should post a response to the prompt and then respond to the comments of 2 (or more) classmates.

3) You will be developing a blog over time. This blog will also be the vehicle by which you present your final project (see separate post on that).

I will be grading the above either 0 - 1 - or 2 (1 is completed and satisfactory and 2 completed to a high standard)... an average will be worked out to determine your number of points for this segment of your final grade.

Final Project

Final Project: I will finalize the scope of this assignment by our 6th session. Basically, you will create a web-enabled student project that would take 3 or more sessions to implement. The project should take advantage of at least 3 Web resources, some of which we will discuss and review in class. Some examples are:

• Blogger
• YouTube (TeacherTube – SchoolTube – Blip TV, etc.)
• Podcasts
• Bit Strips
• Picasa Web Gallery (or similar resource)
• VOKI
• Animoto
• Survey Monkey
• Scribd
• Our Media
• Google “Pages”
• Google “Docs”

The unit should feature a standards based problem, project, product – dissemination (publishing) scheme, feedback methods – and assessment scheme. You will provide me with a lesson (unit plan) as well. More details on the above will be included as we move along in the class.

Let’s look at your blog as a work space that will allow you to present material to students in an exciting way, have them respond to you and or one another (through the comments function, etc.), a way to ‘publish’ and or exhibit their work (and receive feedback on it), among other functions.

Your assignment is to create a multi session unit of instruction that you present using your blog. You may want to give students an example of what their finished work would be like.

The unit you create should embrace dimensions of Project-based Learning. It should allow for a degree of student autonomy, to contribute to the definition of his/her own investigation/learning experience. It should culminate in the creation of a product (or performance) that forms the basis of assessment of student achievement. Such projects often include aspects of collaboration.

In presenting the project use at least 3 types of Web-based technology, which may include:
The blog tool
Hyperlinks
Digital Media
Digital tools (survey instruments, etc.)
Search engines
Other

A simple project might require students to take a broad subject you suggest (or one that the class brain storms together) and drill down to a more specific area of study (i.e. sports> baseball > history of the game). This might be facilitated by more brainstorming (listing all possibilities and then having students select from a class generated list) or by having students use a search engine to discover sub-topics under the starting topic, list and present you with a few of these, and then accountably select one.

A second phase of this project would likely have students gathering information to use in their project (report). They might do online research, interview others, take a survey, etc.

The final portion would involve the production of a product in which they present what they’ve learned. This might be a slide show, digital document, recording, etc.

While such projects have been done without the use of technology traditionally, many educators believe that technology greatly facilitates and enhances them. As you plan your project, ponder how technology might do this and identify which resources and methods you’ll use. In your final piece you do not have to do everything with technology (personally), but you should describe in your lesson plan what you would do and use and how you would implement it. The presentation of the lesson should be done as a blog post and should embrace the technology examples as mentioned above.

Your technology use will likely conform to the following:
Presenting the project to students
Using technology with the students as they do the project and produce their product
Assessing the project
Giving feedback to the student, fostering constructive criticism between students, structuring Accountable Talk as part of the students finishing the project.
Publishing the students’ work
Sharing the students’ published work with peers and others
Reporting to parents

***Assignment #2

Reading:
Part 1.a - 1) Read Chapter 10 of Podcasting for Teachers (and listen to a few of the podcast examples given in the text). - Select 1 approach to the use of podcasting by teachers that you feel will have promise in your own teaching practice and explain why
- After listening to the example given in the book (or another you find on your own) discuss briefly how you might want to “tweak” the approach or enhance it for you own use.
Part 1.b - 2) Read Chapter 3 of Meaningful Learning with Technology. From the perspective that ESL/ELL education is not solely the teaching of language, but the establishment of a supportive environment in which students with language challenges succeed in learning across the curriculum, select one practice or resource given in the chapter and discuss the language issues and solutions that apply to it.

Discussion:
Go to the NYS Department of Education/Office of Bilingual Education website that presents the standards for ESL. http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/biling/resource/ESL/standards.html

Part 2 Also:

Go to the website of ISTE (International Society of Technology Educators) that presents the NETS (National Educational Technology Standards)

http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007.htm

Assignment:
Select a standards document (ESL) that’s the appropriate level for your teaching position (or anticipated position) and address the following:
1) How and where do you see alignments between these 2 sets of standards (ESL and NETS)?
2) Describe an activity that you would do in your class that is emblematic of how the 2 sets of standards overlap.

Part 3 - Doing:
Using Google or (another search engine) find 3 (or more) podcasts for ESL teachers or students – listen to them – and review on for your classmates and colleagues. Relate where you found the podcast (who produces it? – give the URL). Write a short review (roughly 100 words) describing the content, the audience for who it is intended, how it is to be used, etc. Also, do you see value in this podcast? What do you feel would make it more valuable as a resource? etc.

Suggestion for presenting the above: Present this as a post on your new blog and embed a link to the podcast. You may then provide a short message in Blackboard with a link to your blog post.