Week 7: Wikis

One Wiki that most people are already familiar with is Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org/). Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that allows the users to edit content. Even though many people criticize Wikipedia, I find it useful for student-based research. I do have students confirm there findings with other sources, just like they should for any other resources.

I found this Blog "10 Best Practices For Using Wikis in Education" (http://itcboisestate.wordpress.com/2008/05/21/10-best-practices-for-using-wikis-in-education/), and it stated some good tips for using Wikis for interactive classroom use. A couple of tips that stuck out were; 1) Post conventions and rules, 2) Create an atmosphere of trust, and 3) Include common goals.

I also found this resource "The Connected Classroom" (http://theconnectedclassroom.wikispaces.com/). This site contained a good amount of information about using Wikis in educational settings. There was also a video similar to the "Shift Happens" videos, which reinforced the reasons for making the shift to a more technology driven educational experience.

I believe that Wikis have a value in education. They allow people from many different locations and/or backgrounds to combine their thoughts towards a common understanding or goal. This is why they can benefit any educational or research based field. There are risks too. Many Wikis allow anyone to edit or post information without proof of expertise in that field. This can make that Wiki unreliable and possibly deceptive.

Week 6: Podcasts (Continued)

The first of the three resources I examined was Alaskool.org (http://www.alaskool.org/default.htm). It is a database with resources related to Native Alaskans and their cultures. I was disappointed to find that many of the resources were not actually there or working properly. After searching the audio/visual resources, I found that many of those listed were not there. They were waiting for permission from the authors.I also discovered that they needed RealPlayer to be viewed, and after downloading and installing it, I still had problems with the videos. Educationally, there is a good amount of information on the Alaskool website. It would take some time to ensure that the information you want is there. It could be used in the classroom to supplement current Alaska/Alaskan Native Studies curriculum.

The second was How Stuff Works (http://videos.howstuffworks.com/search.php?terms=incas&x=0&y=0&media=video). How Stuff Works has a wide variety of videos in many different areas. The videos were collected from different authors such as The Discovery Channel, Science Channel, History Channel, NASA, and many others. The website was easy to navigate and the content was current. All the links worked and the only complaint I have is the advertisements before the videos. Educationally, I found it to be quite useful. This is a resource I can use throughout my classes to help explain concepts I am teaching. It is also usable by the students for research.

The last resource I examined was MasteryMaze (http://www.masterymaze.com/). After reading some of my peers description of MasteryMaze, I felt it would be worth looking at. It is a collection of media files for teachers and students. It also allows teachers to submit their own Podcasts for easy availability for students. This site worked well, but was a little difficult to navigate and find what you are searching for. It does have a good amount of educational functuality. I believe MasteryMaze can be used to upload Podcasts and make them available to students as well as use the resources that are already there.

Week 5: Podcasts

Currently, I'm not using Podcasts in my classroom, although I have experimented with GarageBand some. This is something I'm wanting to change because Podcasts give us another method of communication with our students. Mat-Su School District recently changed their web authoring software, and the new software gives us a wider capability for posting information. So I'm hoping that it will allow us to Podcast.

While searching the Internet looking for good helpful resources I located this website "Learning in Hand" (http://learninginhand.com/podcasting/). It offers suggestions and resources for Podcasting and other technologies that can be used for education. This resource is more oriented at helping the teacher than focused at the students.

I-Tunes is also a great resource for Podcasts, and contains Podcasts on almost any subject available.

Week 4: Teacher Oriented Tools

There are many resources available for teachers on the Web.  One of the resources I located was Rubric Star (http://rubristar.4teachers.org).  It is a free application available for teachers.  While this application is not anything extravagant, it does save the time and energy of creating a document from scratch.

I'm currently experiencing difficulties with Jing.  My presentation will be posted as soon as I get it to work right.

4teachers.org also has other tools that are available free for teachers.