POPPLET

THIRD TECH PROJECT:

http://popplet.com/

INTRODUCTION on how to Pop it.

          Popplet is a simpler version of Prezi. Instead of creating a final presentation like with Prezi, this technology allows for brainstorming and thought organization. It is an easy way to collection inspirations, organized your collections into flow charts where you can make links. Some might consider it as a virtual bulletin board, or live interactive white board.

        This application is similar to the application we used in class (stixy.com) yet it is more visually attractive. Users can change colors and font, add pictures and organize according to your personal taste. It is incredible easy to use, you just double click and a “Popplet” pops up which you then are able to add text, draw, or embed a video/ picture.

       Line links are easy to make between bubbles, all you have to do is click on one of the four circles on each Popplet. You can also drag links to connect as well as delete them as necessary.

       Popplet it is a great tool for organizing your ideas or even assessing your students. Considering how easy it is to use, it has great potential for all grade levels or an easy technology to use if you do not have a tremendous amount of setup time.

       Another great feature is that Popplet has is how you can add other users to your Popplet which allows for collaboration on a project. Once you are satisfied with you Popplet you can post it on a website, blog, twitter, Facebook, or wikis space.

      There is a presentation aspect of Popplet, which leans more toward Prezi as a presentation tools. Once you have finalized the organizations and placement of each popplet, you can number popplets based on your desired presentation order with help from the presentation menu. While presenting, it will zoom in on each popplet in the order you selected. Although this is a non-linear approach to presenting content, it is still lecture based learning and I would steer away from this use.

http://popplet.com/app/#/105941

STRUGGLES IMPLEMENTING

      Students might get blinded by requirements. How much do I have to research in order to get an A? Instead of working through the inspiration and artist process freely, they might get distracted by laziness and turn to doing only what is required.

      The learning curve for this technology is very low. It will be easy for most high school age students to pick up very quickly, although there still might be some questions how to set up an account.  Allowing for class time to work would probably work best.

      This technology needs to be introduced and taught in a certain way in order to advance the students learning. Teachers need to be aware of the basic level that this program exist on and should consider pairing it with proper question. In order to reach a high level of learning you need to assign an advanced project or content with abstract and tricky ideas as well as ask thought provoking questions that get the students thinking about why the ideas relate to each other. Teachers also need to promote linking different subject matters.

                                                 EXPECTED SKILLS BY END OF SEMESTER

• Use different methods to explore different ideas. No more jumping
• Be able to make intelligent connections
• Creative Problems solving

• Evaluate/weigh different options/ideas for artwork
• Organize order events/compare artist eras

PROMOTING BLOOM’S TAXONOMY

This technology is a great way to get the students to think outside the box. There will be literally working inside boxes, yet I wish to see the students making connections and seeing beyond the text in box. By using this technology students are able to see their ideas and inspirations next to one another; make comparisons and connections between each popplet; and brainstorm for possible projects or academic endeavors. Students have to applying their knowledge on a certain subject in order to create and organize a popplet. I hope to see students analyzing their popplet set up and thinking on deeper levels in order to make connections.

Considering this technology will be used in an art classroom. I would hope Popplet would be a way for students to organize their creative process of making an art work. Using Popplet as tool to work through problems and weigh possible approaches would promote a higher level of thinking. Critical and creative problem solving skill would encompass all parts of the pyramid and a useful skill students need to practice.

POPPLET BASED PROJECTS

Great way to visual timeframe in history how even correspond with other art movements. It would be a great way to visually see which artist was working during major historical events. Also compare works of artists working during the same time frame. They can see first time where inspiration comes from. Another reason creating visual timelines on Popplet is helpful is how students are more likely to remember these events if they are personally creating the timeline themselves. Lining up and arranging the artist in a way that makes sense to them.

Mind-maps, organize abstract ideas in mind. The students can use Popplet as a way to organize and make connections between concepts. Brainstorm possible approaches to a project in class or make sense out of a complex idea. It is a concrete way of solidifying ideas.

I would steer away from using Popplet as a presentation tool because it is just a fancy PowerPoint lecture.

I might create a Popplet that contain key terms or vocabulary from recent unit, and then have the students make connections between the terms. This could act as an assessment or a way for the students to organize class topics. Quickly at the end of class I might have the students connect the popplets to check if the class understands how each one links to each other.

Another great idea would be to have the students reflect on learning. I could create a Popplet with questions to assess the students on what they know about tomorrow’s lesson. Ask them to link terms together and answer short answer question to see what they already think they know. Or each week the students can reflect on what they learned in class by creating a Popplet linking terminology to artists or artistic movements. The great effect of Popplet is how you can color code the popplet bubbles. This way student can color code any terms they are confused about or even similar terms. Any of these assessments can be an individual activity or a group activity using Popplet tool that enable editing and collaborative organizers.

TRADEOFFS, BIAS, AND LIMITATIONS of web based technology

This technology is a great way for students to express themselves and develop an artistic process that can lead into a final artwork yet it might not be the most concrete way of encountering inspiration. Digital images and websites are limiting and do not exemplify true colors or textures. This technology is bias in a way towards nature. Students are seeing visual interpretations of nature, both photoshoped and manipulated.

Although there is a social aspect to Popplet, it isn’t as social as a group activity or just working near/with others. I find an art classroom can be very interactive; students are often inspired by their peers. Taking this classroom to a computer lab where the focus turns to a computer screen might limit the growth and development of the students. They are gaining some extra skills with web-based programs but they are losing the one on one interaction with their peers and the natural progression that a traditional classroom provides.

This technology might be limiting for some students. The ease of it program makes it easy to pick up but you can only do so much. Advanced creativity may be lost along the way.

RESEARCH ON Mind Maps and their Relationship to Creativity

According to the article mind mapping is an educational tool that utilizes lines, colors, characters, numbers, symbols, images/pictures, keywords, hand drawings, to associate, integrate and visualize a concept. With the help of mind maps one can coordinate abilities, logic, reasoning, thinking/knowledge, analyzing, creativity, imagination, memory, and planning/integration. The article goes on to explain how mind maps can be organized in a visual way with pictures as the main way for knowledge to be passed. Using this idea, there can act as a tool for English Language Learner because pictures are not limited by nationality or language. It is also a great tool for all young learners to use. The article introduces the idea that words are used as a tool for thinking in the human world, but it does not begin this way.

Pictorial representations are primal human traits and children first know how to draw then learn how to write. Considering this idea, learning and expression through visual mind mapping is an appropriate way for children to learn and can prevent difficulties of writing. The article then goes on to discuss if mind maps can foster creative thinking in young learners. With the help of the format of mind maps students can draw, write, and draw connection between different thoughts and subjects. Therefore mind maps can be seen as a product and a way for one to organize creative output. This idea of the visual importance of Mind Maps, which the article states, is very interesting. As an artist I have always found the idea of the mind and our subconscious very fascinating and I am also intrigued to find different methods of expression that allow for the map of the mind to shine.

When compared to creativity, mind maps offer a more alternative approach to assess and organize ones thoughts. It allows for one to see the concept on a broad scale. Mind maps help students to organize and link large amounts of information and/ or ideas. Students are encouraged to solve/link ideas in a new personalized way and put a new spin on problem-solving skills. One of the most important features of this method is its ability to visualize a concept. Although there are many advantages to this method of learning, students still need direction. This article points out the advantages of using this method but it is a little bias. Not all students will expand their creative thinking skills after making mind maps. Effective teacher direction is still necessary to have progress and to evoke brain potential.

SOURCE:

Chu, Ying-Chien, Lee, Chung-Chieh, and Wang, Wen-Cheng. “A Brief Review on Developing Creative Thinking in Young Children by Mind Mapping” International Business Research; Jul 2010, Vol. 3 Issue 3. Cowles Library.

I Dig Diigo

INTRODUCTION TO DIIGO:

Diigo is a powerful information collector, great for capturing, storing, recalling, and sharing data on the Internet. All information goes into your own “Cloud” or Library that you can access anywhere online. This is an online reading and collection applications you can collect and bookmark websites, images, online docs. Allowing you to also add digital highlights and sticky notes that will stay in your library until you are done. In order to use highlighter and sticky notes application you have to install Diigo browser add-on, which is quick and simple.

Can organize bookmarks by tags and mark to read later, in order to make things easy to find. Also you can achieve a website forever by taking snapshot. The page is saved as an html as well as an image; so then you don’t have to worry about it disappearing forever into the Internet abyss. Capture features enables you to select a part of the website and add/annotate with shapes, arrows, or text. You can share with others in a group or just keep it private.

Highlights/notes will stay on articles in your library. You can continue working on your PC or mobile device or where ever you are.  Access library wherever you are, read while you are waiting.  Diigo offline for smart phones enables you to read when there is no Internet access.

This idea of highlighting and commenting about the article is great way to insure active understanding. A shared classroom library would be a great way of seeing if the students are reading the articles, taking notes, and commenting. 

Example of the digital sticky note, which can act as a community comment board.

Here are just a few of Diigo’s talents….

• Information Cloud- filled with you inspirations and interests.
• Save important websites and access them on any computer and time of day.
• Categorize websites by titles, notes, and keyword tags.
• Community tools like general subject lists and groups.
• Bookmark tab enables you to quickly find desired information.
• Save a screenshot of a website as an html so you will never loose information.
• Annotate websites with the use of highlighter or virtual "sticky notes."
• Share your notes or view other people comments on website or link.
• Share/Add found websites with groups or the entire Diigo social community.
• You have the power to make you experience on Diigo private or public.

http://www.diigo.com/education

After applying for a free Diigo teacher account, I can easily create/manage student accounts from my class roster. This way I can create a Diigo group and limit access to only students. Another thing I have the option to require each student to open an account, which requires them all to have email address, or I can create their accounts through my Diigo site.

To learn more about how Diigo can be used as information management tool, visit these pages:

• Diigo 101
• Social Bookmarking and Diigo

STRUGGLES IMPLEMENTING TECHNOLOGY

           Considering the learning curve, some students might pick it up this technology quicker than others. Make sure to allow class time to work through problems, troubleshoot, and ask questions. The best way to teach struggling students is by assigning a buddy system. This idea of using a more knowledgeable peer will work best. They can work out problems together.

           The access to computers might become an issue, ideally every student would have computers available to them everyday, but the school might not allow this. Also the internet could be a problem, if the server is down, the power is out, or for some reason the computers are running slow, have a back up lesson just in case something goes wrong.

           Students will need extra motivation to go beyond simple summaries of general ideas. I need to make sure to teach effective analyzing/critiquing skills. Show examples, ask leading questions, and post comments that get my students to re-evaluate and think deep than the surface of articles. 

DIIGO BASED PROJECTS...

My idea to incorporate Diigo in my classroom is based on my understanding that it will help my students develop and improve their skills in communication, organization, annotation, and classification. It is a great way to guiding my students in a similar direction and allow them to discover the articles on their own as opposed to assigning them. I will upload or add articles to our class group, the students then get to choose out of those which are the most interesting. This allows me to direct students in the right direction without taking the fun out of discovering by forces them to read certain articles.

Another reason I found Diigo interesting is how the Internet is daunting and at times very frustrating. I would exploit this program by assigning a research-based project, whether that would be a research paper or a search for alternative artists/techniques. When students are doing research online it becomes overwhelming, time consuming, and almost impossible to find credible sources. With the use of Diigo, Students would be able to read as much on the subject as they would like, moving through articles as they interest them. It is a great taking off point. Eventually the students might move to another method of finding new information, but this is an easy supplemental starting place. Diigo is perfect for this method because with student accounts they can manage websites by saving them immediately after they discover them. This way when it comes time to make a work cited page students would be able to find the sources and important information right away.

Using this idea of collections of research, Diigo would be a perfect technology to foster a collaborative environment. Students could share found articles on Diigo, working together to find inspiration or interesting artists. They could work along side each other sharing cool things and inspiring each other. Diigo would work great in a creativity or sketchbook class where students are searching for inspiring people or projects.

Beyond this idea of a Diigo Project, it could also serve as an extension to class. You could offer up a follow up. Students could learn more about topic or similar topics outside of class. When you consider diverse learners, if you have an advanced learners that are ahead of the curve this is their opportunity to extend their knowledge. They could research topics of interest and even post findings to class webpage to share with peers.

PROMOTING BLOOM’S TAXONOMY

Using the Sticky notes and highlighting tool, students can actively read. Considering that reading is pretty low on learning pyramid. Pairing reading with the Sticky notes and commenting tools allows the students to move up the pyramid. Depending on how involved the student’s comments are, determines how high they move up the learning pyramid. Students can understand, apply, analyzing, evaluate, the readings while communicating with their peers. As a teacher I want to make sure to promote this high level of learning by asking leading questions that provoke deep thinking. I want to students to constantly push themselves to be knowledgeable and extend their idea of what inspires them.

As a teacher I want them to learn as much as they can but also remind them to not believe everything they read. I would love for the students to make connections between different articles, viewpoints, arguments, and most importantly different subjects. Ask the important questions like why is this person wrote this article? What are they trying to say? Are they bias? What connection can you make? Combining this technology with a project might be very interesting to see what connections they can make and information they can draw from the articles. This addition of applying their knowledge into something physical, it would be a very concrete way to reach the final step in the learning pyramid, creating.

BY THE END OF THE SEMESTER, I WANT THE STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO…. 

• See some importance in Internet technologies like Diigo for finding/sharing information.
• Find credible sources online and know what a credible sites looks like.
• Use critical thinking skills when evaluating articles.
• Have effective annotating skills and use Diigo Toolbar correctly.
• Find inspiration online (outside of their major content area).
• Make connection and links to other subject matters/articles.
• Know the importance of research in art.
• Have effective collaboration skills. 
• Know the importance of being able to verbalize your opinions.
• Leave appropriate, constructive comments.
• Formulate their own engaging and thought provoking responses/comments/critiques.

TRADE OFFS, BIAS’, AND OTHER LIMITATIONS of web based technology.

 Although the students can share information and interesting site, the viewpoint they are receiving with the gathered articles are all placed in the group by one person, me. With this limited viewpoint, they are only hearing and seeing my opinion on subjects in class, I will try and include subjects outside my normal taste level, but the cloud will still be limited at times. A way around this idea of limited point of view, is the incorporation of another teacher, in fact the more the merrier. It would be fun for all the teachers in the district or city area to share the same group on Diigo and add new articles as we find them. The students could pick from there what they are interested in and go from there. This way they are not stuck with my favorites.

When using Diigo in the classroom, I have to keep in mind our class group has a limited viewpoint. Initially, I am choosing what goes into the group. The students will be allowed to add as they do more research but the variety might get lost along the way. Maybe I will have the students join another pubic group to get various other viewpoints on a particular subject.

Although the use of Diigo is easy and great for promoting growth in vocabulary and content-based knowledge, we need to consider how it is only using one stylistic approach to learning. Some students might not find text an appropriate way to gain knowledge, even though they can have a say in what goes into the group, they may struggle getting content from text or have learning disabilities like dyslexia or dysgraphia. Even English language learners will struggle reading, so I might include a couple articles in Spanish. Yes, there might be videos on the websites to watch, but there is a more concrete way to learn and find inspiration.  I might pair this technology with a concrete exercise like a photo shoot. They could experiment with a camera outside by composing and cropping shots then research on Diigo articles that explain how to take a good photo.

Although I am checking for adequate academic sources I cannot guarantee that others using Diigo will upload quality articles.  I need to make sure that I am teaching the importance of finding credible sources and what to look for when researching online. I also want to make sure that just because there is research backing up an argument does not make it true. I want to promote students to test and question variables in research and to not believe everything they read.

A limitation of Diigo is internet access. Because this is a web-based technology students rely on internet access in order to success with this technology. This idea will increase the demographic divide and create an uneven playing field for your students. Making computers available during study hall or after school is a great way to create fairness and guarantee everyone has equal abilities to succeed. 

RESEARCH ON COLLABORATIVE WEB BASED TECHNOLOGY

Considering the fact that digital sources are advancing our learning by allowing students to create, manage, read, critique, and organized with the simple click of a button. Which is entirely different than traditional information sources on paper. More than ease and organization this technology offers a level of collaboration and communication that other traditional methods of research does not. According to a professional blog article written by Margaret Dalton, Diigo promotes an environment where students teach other students creating a community of  “collaboration and research sharing”.

As stated in the journal article by Naeema Jabr, students can personally achieve the basic competitions for accessing social networking site by themselves or through friends, what students lack are critical thinking skills that can transform the way they understand and retain knowledge from an academic perspective. Considering this important fact, teacher should consider this idea and make sure that there students are pushing the boundaries of social networking sites. These networks like Diigo are extremely useful if used properly. Just because students can leave posts and communicate with their peers does not mean they are learning. True social learning is more than merely socializing. The article goes on to talk about the importance of developing “communities of practice” where students and faculty can deeply develop their online learning. The important part of this community is the addition of faculty; this can directly affect the whole group. Faculty can encourage learning, while at the same time decreasing nonacademic socializing.

According to this article, online social networking and bookmarking are described as “relationship facilitators” (Educause, 2007). Diigo allows students to construct relationships with other individual with similar interest. By creating their own account on Diigo they can share and gain content from others while communicating through sticky notes and highlighting tool bar.  Although most student won’t use Diigo to it’s full capacity and the students need inspiration to push themselves in the right direction. I want to emphasize the importance of collaboration and remind the students that knowledge is nothing unless shared. You might have the greatest idea of all time but until you tell someone about it, it is like this profound idea never existed.  Collaboration is a necessary skill we all need for the future and if the students can collaborate without necessarily know that they are doing it, it become a natural skill for them.

Beyond the importance of sharing knowledge, Diigo is a perfect place to extend the classroom outside of school. Students can work outside of school hours or during study hall to research interesting article within their interests and share what they find with their peers. This creates a community outside of the classroom. It is important as a teacher to promote positive attitude towards life long learning. If you are not proving learning to be fun and interesting students will begin to tune out and eventually decrease their commitments to learning. It starts in the classroom; multimedia tools are exciting and useful if used in the correct way. Using a social network without meaning or direction can conceal students’ inhibitions for learning. Correctly promoting knowledge based learning through social bookmarking tools like Diigo is a small step in the right direction during this technology era.

SOURCES:

·      http://www.diigo.com

·      Dalton, Margaret. “We Diigo”, http://dakota.edublogs.org/2010/11/07/we-diigo/

·      Jabr, Naeema H. “Social Networking as a Tool for Extending Academic Learning and Communication”, Internatinal Journal of Business & Social Science; July 2011, Vol. 2 Issue 12, (p. 10, 93-102,)

Frist Tech Project: FLICKR in the classroom

Flickr.com

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

Setting up site….

http://www.flickr.com/

Creating a photo set (A way to organize your photos in a certain order/group)….

Creating groups (private/public class group or a way for students to search by interest/subject group)……

INTRODUCTION TO FLICKR as a tool in the classroom:

In this project, I will focus on the use of Flickr in the classroom. Considering the way Flickr is set up it is a perfect way to share and converse with all the students in the classroom. I am a secondary MAT student with an endorsement in art and ELL. One day I hope to teach high school art classes. The way that flickr is set up allows me to use this in a photography class or any fine art class as well. Students will be able to instantly compare and discuss their work with their classmates. Another important feature is the fact that I can make our experience online as private or public as I want. Eventually I would like our classroom projects to be public so students can receive comments from outside parties. Maybe including another art class from another school involved in a similar project.

Set up account together in class, troubleshoot ask peers or me questions when they get stuck. Make sure I go through all the basic in class, let the students work at their own pace and ask question when they get stuck.

Flickr can easily be incorporated into an high school art class in many ways. It can be use for photography/digital art as well as fine art/traditional art form. The audience is much larger for photography than fine art, but it is still an option. I will focus of the idea of using flickr in a beginning photography class to begin.

Using Flickr in the classroom is a great way to promote blooms taxonomy, reach ISTE Standards for Student as well as assist me in reaching ISTE Standards for Teaching. Engaging students with the help of flickr will help promote a community of social learners as well as supply an easy way to get involved in the internet movement. Flickr will create a quicker learning pace at the same time immersing the students in the world of photography.

BY THE END OF THE SEMESTER STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO AFFECTIVELY USE THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS OF FLICKR:

-Groups (both public and private)

-The use of tags and keywords- easy to share found photos

-Notes- Easy way to explain photo, set up, message/story within the photo or behind the lens.

-Comments- informal critiques of classmate’s photos.

-Slideshows- easy for in class discussion/critiques

-Instant Messaging (FlickrLive) trouble shooting- they can ask other peers. Social learning.

-Photosets (albums) –easy organization by assignment. Help promote literacy in photos, by story links to photo set or subject based albums.

-Email (FlickrMail)- directive questions for me or peers

-Real-time photograph posting

-Digital Notes- can impose comment onto photo to make suggestions or highlight specific features.

PROMOTING BLOOM’S TAXNONOMY with the use of Flickr:

The use of this technology is great way for the students to develop evaluating and analyzing skill through the use of comments and online discussions. Throughout the semester the students will gain an understanding of what makes a good photograph. Eventually, if they are commenting on other classmates’ photographs and researching fellow art photographers properly, they will be able to critically analyze and evaluate photographs using artistic language. Although I can’t argue that they wouldn’t develop these analyzing skill using traditional critique methods, the use of flickr allows for these growth to develop a lot quicker because they can practice commenting easily and because of the volume of photographs on flickr they are viewing.

Another positive outcome of using flickr is the creating aspect of the website. Students are allowed to create and organize their own profile. I will also encourage students to organize and reorganize their photographs into groups/albums/set. Students will be encouraged to be highly creative and innovative with organization and descriptions on Flickr.

FLICKR BASED PROJECTS

-          The use of Flickr to introduce photo narratives or stories. Uploaded pictures on flickr are viewed in chronological order. This would be a great way to show progression of a story or even to show improvement throughout the semester.

-          The use of groups and pages on Flickr to get inspired to organize their own pictures. I will introduce ideas of photo sets or series. We will discuss the affect of grouping photos with similarities or connections. Finding inspiration in simple things around them. Create different photo sets based on themes like; color/mood, everyday people/facial expressions, time passing/time of day, street art, sidewalks, abstract texture, etc. Send students out with same assignment of photo theme, compare/evaluate different results.

-          Introduce the students to tags. Teach them about tag clouds and how to use the search icon on flickr. (Tags are labels that enable other Flickr users and internet users to search individual photos based on word/subject searches.

-          Require students to be aware of titles on different flickr pages. Experiment with different titles. Introduce the idea of transformation. Show examples of how titles can endorse or transform the meaning of the photo by directing the viewers gaze or by being suggestive of a story. Work collaboratively; suggest different titles with the use of flickr’s comment. Turn in three different titles of photograph, choose final one and discuss why?

TRADEOFFS, BIAS’, AND OTHER LIMITATIONS of web based technology:

One tradeoff this technology might have is a lost of visual. Although students can easily view and critique other student’s work, they are losing the presence that the picture would hold if it was hung on a wall in front of them. I truly believe that seeing a work of art in person you develop a deeper appreciation for the artwork. You can move around it, get closer to see the detail and move further back to see the contrast and composition. The students are able to see photographs, but they are viewing them through a computer screen and unable to truly view the work as it stands in front of them. This could be adjusting by having a traditional critique every month or semester where students are able to view photographs in person.

Although this technology allows for instant gratification or critiques of your work you as the teacher cannot control what is being said. Although the use of comments and chats allows students to have a digital record of comments made about photo, what is being said might not be important or include formal artistic language.

  

This technology is a little bias because some argue there is amateur audience. The comments you receive might not always be entirely useful or professional.

A tradeoff of this technology being so easy to use and upload pictures, some students might focus on volume of picture and not the quality.

Another limitation this technology might have is the fact that you have to have Internet access in order to use/share/participate/upload. This might create an unfair advantage for some students who have Internet access in their home.

A tradeoff for this technology is how it extends the learning day but creates unequal opportunities growth for students. Some students might have access to a camera/computer outside of school while other students may not have access to a computer after school. I need to consider this issue of availability of technology (camera/computer) when I am implementating Flickr in my classroom.

The ability of users to upload (moblog) images via wireless and camera phones means that images of current events can be viewed as they are unfolding. The tradeoff is the camera/image quality from a mobile device is poor and the automatic feature is not teaching students how to set apperature/f-stop manually as oppose to a traditional 35mm manual camera.

SOME OTHER FLICKR THOUGHTS:

Using this technology, students are able to easily share their photographs and receive immediate feedback from others on their pictures. Although they can easily share their photos, students loose the practice of printing off their photographs and don’t get the practice of matting and framing practices. They also loose the personal interaction of a live person-to-person critique. Comments on Flickr are more anonymous and easier to brush aside.

Enlarging our group to contain students from another school would be a great idea to increase the inflow of comments and input on student’s works. Working collaborative with another school could increase the drive of students and expose them to more images and other student critiques. 

RESEARCH ON THE USE OF ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING IN THE CLASSROOM:

 

According to Victoria Carrington and Muriel Robinson’s book, “Digital Literacies: Social Learning and Digital Practices,” online social networking spaces like Flickr, are not only great way to practice literacy’s skill but can successfully create a collaborative learning group. Considering how easy it is to create shared groups on Flickr student can start thinking about how to value group effort and achievement. This newfound collaboration allows for students to learn from each other and the idea of More Knowable Peers comes into play.

The books goes one to talk about how the use of social sharing websites like Flickr as a means to share and communicate ideas, might become narrowly focused, unchallenging, and repetitive. The social aspect of Flickr might hold them back from seeing the potentials this technology can create for them. I agree with this idea but it could be a quick fix by directing questions outside of class and organized classroom time. In addition the way students are using and commenting on flickr might become very one-dimensional and effort between students might vary. I would consider requiring the use of complete sentences and scaffolding in new advanced vocabulary might help challenge the students. Collaborate with English teachers in the building and encourage students to include vocabulary from English class in photo comments. The main fact is it is impossible to leave anonymous remarks and students hopefully learn that comments need to be carefully written.

Another positive aspect of social learning the book talks about is how flickr can promote discussion through digital streams. I guarantee that all my students will have different way of seeing and interpreting the world. Some students might be stronger at developing meaningful titles, while others might take better photographs. Never the less, the social sharing that Flickr enables allows students to combine their strengths and grow together.

According to Carrington and Robinson, the way the individual is able to arrange their photographs by making connections or by grouping them into broader collections promotes thinking beyond an individual photograph. These new relationship between photos paired with the addition of text extended the possibilities of what the student can create and proves them a new way of viewing the world around them. Flickr creates a common world for the students so the students can comment to each other about these representations of commonly known spaces. A great example of this idea is if I were to assign a project where students have to shoot the school grounds or some other shared common place. After doing this students will be able to see how the same subject matter can be represented differently. Even the tags or titles given to each photograph can vary and change the overall effect of the photograph. Photographs are much more than pretty pictures that represent reality; they can be poetic, and powerful images that portray an important message. With the communal learning flickr offers to students permits them to learn quickly what it takes to create a great photograph.

SOURCES:

“Digital Literacies: Social Learning and Classroom Practices” By Victoria Carrington, Muriel Robinson

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=AAe7vnChUsoC&oi=fnd&pg=PA27&dq=flickr+in+the+classroom&ots=oGCoQQqD-_&sig=6uaS5YpGFkhq9XPM2zIFSr935OM#v=onepage&q=flickr%20in%20the%20classroom&f=false

“The Promise of Social Networks” By Derek E. Baird

http://www.techlearning.com/article/The-Promise-of-Social-Networks/43063

 “Bloom’s Taxonomy” By Mary Forehand

http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy



QR- Codes (A simple technology for the classroom)

I stumbled upon these this past weekend and found them super interesting. They were invented for bussiness owners to advertise their product or a company website. TheQR code has the same basic idea as barcodes in supermarkets or weblinks for a website. Instead of retyping a website or object into google this black and white image acts as a direct link to your website or whatever you want to share. You simple download the QR app on your phone and take a picture of the box. The app quickly brings up the website that is embeded in the QR code. No messy notes to yourself, business cards, or google searches required. Below is a QR code for my fine art website.


I could see this on a handout or on a powerpoint. It could be a link to digital copy of a handout (Now your students can't loose their homework handouts!) It could also be an website, something your students could check out if they are interested in learning more. The downside to this technology is not every student has access to a phone. Although their is an application you can download for NON-smart phone users like me, some students may not own a phone at all.

You can make your own using this link below. (This is just one link for generating QR codes, there are many other websites that make QR codes as well.

http://qrcode.kaywa.com/

First Class Post

Generally I am not a technology savy person. I like the idea of the digital connections you can make and the diverse outcomes that can be produced, yet I still feel unsure when I am using it. Call me old school but I enjoy traditional ways of sharing ideas. I like physically of writing a letter and other older ways of sharing information. Although I enjoy the ease of checking my email or using internet search engines, I hate looking at a computer screen and the sound that the mouse makes when it clicks. After the first class I am less apprehensive about taking this class and I am excited to be introduced to new technology I can incorporate into my lesson plans. I am hopeful that this class will push me to rely more on digital technology to better prepare my students for the digital world we live in.