Classroom Blogging: Taking It to a New Level
Photo Credit
New Study Explores the Online Behavior of Tweens and Teens
The results of the National School Board Association’s online behaviors study show that 96% of students with online access use social networking tools such as text messaging and blogging. How to convince your administrator that blogging has value? Read the complete report at: Creating & Connecting: Research and Guidelines on Online Social and Educational Networking.
Blog Pedagogy: Classroom 2.0
Fourth grade teacher Matt Kish discusses with other blogging educators: “What does complex blogging look like at the elementary school level? How can teachers scaffold this type of powerful blogging and learning? “
Rationale for Educational Blogging
Anne Davis explains how blogs are reshaping the learning environment and fostering the development of new literacies.
Student-Created Blog Policies
Bud Hunt shares student-created blog policies and blogging rules.
Blog Rubric
The staff at San Diego State University shares a blog reflection rubric to evaluate students’ blog entries.
Exemplary K-12 Classroom Blogs
UW-Stout provides a listing of innovative and exemplary student-written classroom blogs which model meaningful and thought-provoking collaborative learning with peers and others outside the classroom.
Tech Tip – Tab Shortcuts in Internet Explorer 7
Internet Explorer 7 for Windows has a popular Tabs feature, which allows you to quickly switch from one recently-viewed site to another, all in the same window.
Here are four handy shortcuts for using tabs:
1. Quickly switch between tabs by pressing Ctrl +Tab.
2. Open a new tab by pressing Ctrl + T.
3. If you want to save a set of tabbed Websites to view later, click the Add to Favorites button on the left side of your screen (yellow star with a green plus in front of it), and then select Add Tab Group to Favorites.
4. If you have multiple tabs open, you can click and drag on them to rearrange the order.
Bud Hunt shares student-created blog policies and blogging rules.
Blog Rubric
The staff at San Diego State University shares a blog reflection rubric to evaluate students’ blog entries.
Exemplary K-12 Classroom Blogs
UW-Stout provides a listing of innovative and exemplary student-written classroom blogs which model meaningful and thought-provoking collaborative learning with peers and others outside the classroom.
Tech Tip – Tab Shortcuts in Internet Explorer 7
Internet Explorer 7 for Windows has a popular Tabs feature, which allows you to quickly switch from one recently-viewed site to another, all in the same window.
Here are four handy shortcuts for using tabs:
1. Quickly switch between tabs by pressing Ctrl +Tab.
2. Open a new tab by pressing Ctrl + T.
3. If you want to save a set of tabbed Websites to view later, click the Add to Favorites button on the left side of your screen (yellow star with a green plus in front of it), and then select Add Tab Group to Favorites.
4. If you have multiple tabs open, you can click and drag on them to rearrange the order.
Announcement:
Earn credits via online courses and meet your professional development goals for K-12 Reading Teacher Certification
January cohort is filling fast--Apply soon and complete early registration!
For additional information, email Joan Vandervelde at vanderveldej@uwstout.edu or call Joan at (715) 642-0209
Earn credits via online courses and meet your professional development goals for K-12 Reading Teacher Certification
January cohort is filling fast--Apply soon and complete early registration!
For additional information, email Joan Vandervelde at vanderveldej@uwstout.edu or call Joan at (715) 642-0209
posted by Karen Franker, Editor @ 10/30/2007 07:56:00 PM
Best Webinars for Teachers
Today’s Topic:
Best Webinars for Teachers
Tech Tip: Selecting a Blogging Service
- How are Webinars making it possible to participate in interactive professional development with top education experts without leaving home?
- Which Webinars offer the best professional growth opportunities for teachers?
EdTechConnect is a series of free webinars sponsored by Discovery Education to help teachers integrate technology into the classroom. With a telephone and an Internet- connected computer, you are connected to experts who will answer your questions. Past webinars have featured Alan November, Kathy Schrock, Hall Davidson, Steve Dembo and Joe Brennan.
Learning Times
Learning Times hosts numerous live interactive events and meetings exploring themes of interest to teachers. Some of the previous topics archived on the site include: The Invisible Web, with UW-Stout online instructor Dennis O’Connor, and Creating a CD Portfolio, featuring UW-Stout online instructor Susan Manning. Susan also hosts a regular podcast with Dan Balzer on Learning Times: The Green Room.
Scholastic Online: Readabout
Scholastic presents a new monthly Webinar series featuring the leading experts in reading comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, and motivation. The March webinar will feature Phyllis C. Hunter on “Strategies for Developing a Love of Learning For All Kids”.
Tech Tip – Selecting a Blogging Service
A big part of setting up a blog is the selection of a blogging service. That decision will hinge on factors such as: ease of use, intended audience, restricted membership needs, cost, and preferred server hosting. Below is a comparison of three widely-used online blogging services.
Blogger
A free service affiliated with Google; one can restrict blog posting and viewing to members only; user-friendly interface; can publish to Blogger’s server or your preferred server; online help area, can choose WSYIWYG or HTML interfaces for composing postings; free Blogger for Word software to publish from Microsoft Word.
Class Blogmeister
David Warlick’s “school-sheltered” system is explicitly designed with teachers and students in mind; teachers can evaluate, comment on, and publish students' articles in a controlled environment.
Gaggle.Net
Gaggle Blogs provide a safe way for students and educators to interact online with people around the world. The blogs filter out inappropriate words and phrases, and all links and images are scanned for inappropriate content. If any rules are violated, the offending blog entry will be blocked and sent to an administrator email address.
Free Teacher Resource
The 21st Century Information Fluency Project provides excellent resources for helping students learn to use digital information effectively, efficiently, and ethically. Included on this site are interactive Micro Modules as well as tips for students to become more savvy Internet searchers. UW-Stout online instructor Dennis O’Connor serves as the online professional development specialist of the four-member Fluency Project’s team.
What Our Students Are Saying…
About the Web Design for Educators (Beginning) and the Intermediate Web Design online courses:
“I have taken several online classes; this class was superior. The organization was phenomenal and everything was step-by-step. Your feedback was positive, and you set an excellent tone of support for your students. I have recommended your class to several of my colleagues."
~ Teacher, Camp Zama, Japan
"I am very happy I took this course! I understand templates, CSS sheets, anchors, layouts, etc. And what a prize Fireworks has turned out to be! I love using it, and I know I wouldn't have tried it without taking this class."
~ Director of Library Services Willard City Schools, Ohio
“I have been thoroughly impressed with the format, organization, presentation, and relevance of the course content. The hours have felt well-spent, the feedback from Jim has been swift and thoughtful, and the pace conducive to people with full-time lives to conduct.”
~Middle School Counselor, Madison, Wisconsin
Call University of Wisconsin-Stout Online Professional Development (715) 642-0209 if you have questions. UW-Stout is an "international-student- friendly" program.
posted by Karen Franker, Editor @ 2/18/2007 09:53:00 PM
Engaging Reluctant Readers
Today’s Topics:
Engaging Reluctant Readers
Tech Tip – Pinging a Blog Posting
- How can we inspire our students to become enthusiastic readers?
- What are the most effective strategies to turn struggling readers into successful readers?
- Why do many students choose to avoid reading, even if they have good reading skills?
Motivating the Reluctant Reader
Cathy Puett- Miller provides five effective strategies for motivating reluctant readers at the K-5 level.
Using Non-Fiction to Motivate Reluctant Readers
J. G. Scott describes how non-fiction books can be highly effective in increasing students’ enthusiasm to read and instilling confidence in their ability to learn.
Reaching Reluctant Readers: Tips, Tools and Techniques
Patrick Jones explains why some adolescents choose not to read, and suggest strategies for selecting books which will grab their interest.
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult ReadersThe Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) provides excellent lists of best books for reluctant teen readers. Be sure to take a look at the recently-added 2007 Nominations list!
Tech Tip – Pinging a Blog Posting
A ping is a signal that you can send to the blog-tracking services showing that you have updated your blog with a new posting. The blog services will then update their databases to include the newest version of your blog.
Pinging gives you the opportunity to publicize your blog to a wider audience. If your blog service has an automated pinging system you can usually enable it by going to the options settings. Two other ways of pinging are listed below.
1. Use a service such as Ping-o-matic. Go to their website, type in the URL for your blog, select the desired blog-tracking services to ping, and click Send Pings. This tells the search engines that you've updated.
OR
2. Go to Technorati , set up a free account, and claim your blog. When you update your blog, you can log in to Technorati, click on Blogs, and then click on Update Ping.
Registration for Spring Semester
*** Sign up soon to reserve your spot in a class. Earn graduate credits via online courses that support your professional development goals for licensure renewal and advanced certification. Online registration
Featured Reading Courses
RDGED 702 Reading in the Content Areas of K-12 begins January 29, 2007
Research-based teaching methods, study strategies, and technology focusing on the ability to use language processes (reading, writing, speaking, listening) to learn subject matter across the curriculum.
RDGED 705 Instructional Techniques For Assisting Students with Reading Difficulties begins January 16, 2007
Practical suggestions for integrating reading, writing and spelling into an effective program for struggling readers and special populations including the learning disabled.
What’s New for Spring Semester?
EDUC 744 961 Assessment in a Differentiated Classroom begins Jan. 29, 2007
EDUC 744 958F- Teaching Art for Non-Art Teachers – begins Jan. 16, 2007
EDUC 744 959- Assessment and Evaluation in the Online Classroom – begins Jan. 29, 2007
EDUC 744 949F- Instructional Role of Assessment and Data Analysis – begins Jan. 29, 2007
EDUC 744 937F- Learning Applications for the iPod® and Handheld Computers – begins Feb. 5, 2007
What Our Students Are Saying...
About the Reading Strategies for Content Areas online course:
"Highly informative. The readings and activities were great with the emphasis on relevance and application in the classroom. Learning all of the strategies to apply in content classrooms will enable me to be a much more well-rounded teacher. Having that window into other teachers' classrooms was a learning experience in itself. Sharing in their successes and seeing what worked or didn't work as well was very educational."
~High School Alternative Program Teacher, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
“This course challenges the typical function of content reading and provides strategies to help struggling readers make sense of and engage with their texts. The instructor is a wealth of information, and the strategies have helped improve my own teaching practice.”
~Language Arts 10, Honors English 10, Honors World Literature & History TeacherBaumholder, Germany
“I liked the diversity of students in the class and the interesting and thought provoking discussions. I would recommend that all teachers take this class because it pertains to all grade levels and subject matter.”
~K-3 Title I Reading Teacher, Bruce, Wisconsin
Professional Development Opportunity
Toyota International Teacher Program to Japan
Open to all U.S. teachers in grades 9-12, the Toyota International Teacher Program offers a fully-funded, 11-day professional development experience in Japan from June 22 - July 7, 2007. Participants will travel through Tokyo, Nagoya, and Kyoto and examine the history, education system, environment and industry of Japan. The application deadline is January 8, 2007.
Call University of Wisconsin-Stout Online Professional Development (715) 642-0209 if you have questions. UW-Stout is an "international-student- friendly" program.
posted by Karen Franker, Editor @ 11/05/2006 07:22:00 PM
Differentiating Instruction and Assessment
Today’s Topics:
Differentiating Instruction and Assessment
Tech Tip – Google™ Blog Search
How does differentiated instruction work? Why should an educator consider a variety of assessment methods in a classroom of mixed abilities? What are some techniques for differentiating assessment? Should students be able to choose the forms of assessment used to demonstrate their knowledge and skills?
Differentiating Instruction: Meeting Students Where They Are
Jennipher Willoughby provides an excellent overview of steps and strategies for successful implementation of differentiated instruction.
Teaching Every Student: Individual Learning Differences
The CAST staff describes how traditional assessments are often inadequate to address the unique learning styles of many students.
How to Make Grading Fair and Useful
G. Anthony provides a summary of a workshop presented by educational consultant Rick Wormeli. Included are some quick, ongoing assessment ideas for teachers and students.
Tech Tip – Google™ Blog Search
As blogs proliferate and become increasingly essential for the latest educational news, a handy new search tool from Google allows users to search for blogs on any topic. You can even narrow the search by publishing time period (last hour, last 12 hours, last day, past week, etc.) Blog Search currently lists 2,030 blog sources on the topic of “differentiated instruction”!
Featured Course
NEW - Assessment in a Differentiated Classroom
EDUC 744-961 - 3 cr. begins January 29, 2007
Analysis of ongoing and diagnostic assessment practices in a differentiated classroom; reflection of controversial evaluation and grading issues; development of instructionally-relevant classroom assessments that focus instruction after identifying students’ learning needs.
Other New Courses Starting January and February 2007
EDUC 744 958F- Teaching Art for Non-Art Teachers – begins Jan. 16, 2007
EDUC 744 959- Assessment and Evaluation in the Online Classroom – begins Jan. 29, 2007
EDUC 744 949F- Instructional Role of Assessment and Data Analysis – begins Jan. 29, 2007
EDUC 744 937F- Learning Applications for the iPod® and Handheld Computers – begins Feb. 5, 2007
What Our Students Are Saying...
About the Differentiation in the Classroom online course:
The professor was top-notch. She was insightful, helpful, patient, and excellent in responding to our discussion postings. She humanized the class and helped us feel comfortable with the online format and with each other.”
~High School English Teacher, Sioux City, Iowa
“I liked the collaboration between peers. Developing the lesson plans and getting critiqued by my classmates was the most helpful. It made my rethink what I am doing and what I could be doing better. I would recommend this course to others because it gives you the opportunity to examine how your school/district is doing with regards to differentiation.”
~ 5th Grade Math and Social Studies Teacher, Asuncion, Paraguay
“I thought the readings for this class were well selected and very useful, both conceptually and practically-speaking. I enjoyed sharing information with colleagues with a national and international perspective.”
~ School Psychologist, Milwaukee Public Schools
Call University of Wisconsin-Stout Online Professional Development (715) 642-0209 if you have questions. UW-Stout is an "international-student- friendly" program.
Labels: Blogging, Differentiation, Tech Tips
posted by Karen Franker, Editor @ 10/16/2006 08:30:00 PM