Good students: How do you go about getting good grades?

This was posted on reddit, and I felt some replies were worth noting.
Follow the discussion here:
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/2b0yf8/good_students_how_do_you_go_about_getting_good/

There are several good posts and replies, I wanted to share the first three that jumped out at me. Dig through the post to find your gold.

/u/moderated says:

I don't study, but I actually do the work.
So my tip is actually do the work.
Because most people don't actually do the work.

/u/salticido says:

A ton of people have no fucking clue how memory works but they study for hours and hours and end up surprised when they get bad grades. It's not really their fault. They just don't know how to study properly because no one told them. So I will tell you.

Memory works (to put it simply) in 3 stages: attention, encoding (storing/associating with other info), and retrieval (remembering)

To optimize the final stage, you have to optimize the first two stages. This means you have to pay attention to the material, and you have to encode it well. (Which I'll explain below.) Additionally, if you repeat the process, you reinforce it. By retrieving something, you start to pay attention to it again, and then you are able to re-encode it better than before.
To optimize encoding, remember GOAT ME.

G is generate and test. This refers to the fact that you should quiz yourself, or otherwise come up with the answers on your own without just reading them. Even if get it wrong, you're helping yourself out a lot more than if you just read the answer off the bat, because you're giving yourself the same conditions as if you were taking the test. Test yourself in a way that will resemble what you'll actually have to do during the real test. (e.g., if you have to write essays on the test, instead of just writing and memorizing bullet points, actually write an essay multiple times without cheating, review it, and repeat until you can write it without forgetting any important points.) Also effective are teaching the material to someone else and talking about it out loud to yourself. These are basically other ways of testing yourself.

O is organize. This reduces the load on your brain and helps create reminders just by coloring, position, or associations with nearby material. For instance, a time line helps remember that event A came before event B in history, not necessarily because you memorized the dates but because you organized the info so that event A was written earlier and you happen to remember that it was written earlier. The position of the information becomes meaningful. You can organize with outlines, pictures, color coding, related material, etc. My use of "GOAT ME" can be thought of as organization. Another fun example is as follows. Try to memorize "CIAFBIKGBCNNUSABBCUK". Now instead try to memorize "CIA FBI KGB CNN USA BBC UK". Which one seems easier?

A is for avoid illusions of learning. There are two kinds of memory: familiarity/recognition and recall. Recall is what you want. That's where you can remember the information on your own, as you might be expected to do on a test. Recognition is where you can't think of it on your own but if you see it you suddenly remember it. That's not good. You won't necessarily see it on your test, so you won't get a blatant reminder of it. Avoid study methods that rely on recognition. For instance, there are two problems with rereading material: "fluency" and "familiarity." The more you read it, the easier reading it becomes (fluency), and when it feels easier to read, you assume you have learned it. You have not. You've just become more skilled at reading it. Additionally, you will recognize the material (familiarity) but this does not mean you know it on your own. Thus, notes and flashcards are useless unless you're using them to test yourself. Rereading them doesn't help you. Don't bother highlighting your textbook in the first go either. You feel like you're picking out the important parts of the chapter but you can't know what's really important until you've read the whole thing. And then all you're gonna do anyway is go back and reread all the highlights, and as we've established, rereading is useless. If instead you actually organize the highlights and quiz yourself on them, highlighting may be useful. For a similar reason, rewriting information is also not very helpful.

T is take breaks. This is fucking HUGE. If nothing else, walk away from this post with just this tip. A lot of people get this wrong. Your memory can't handle a lot at once. It works best if you study in frequent, short sessions rather than one long cram session. You don't give your brain a chance to store the earlier info you studied, so it just slips out of your mind, and you'll have wasted your time studying it. So study for 20 minutes, go do something else for a bit, and come back to it, and repeat. One of my students said she taped information in front of her toilet so whenever she went to pee or something she could study for just a couple minutes. It sounds strange but it's actually a great idea (I'd advise, in line with G and A that you tape questions in front of the toilet and tape answers elsewhere so you can quiz yourself.) Another important part of this is that you need to sleep to keep that info in your head. Even if you take regular breaks, an all nighter will do more harm than good. Your memories are stored more permanently after sleep, so make sure you get some. This is just how the brain works. You can even try to work naps into your study sessions. That way you're getting both a break and some sleep, both of which will help your memory. Don't overload your brain with all that info at once. Study every day briefly instead of just the night before.

M is match learning and testing conditions. This is based off the principle of encoding specificity, which states that, if you want to optimize memory, then the conditions surrounding encoding (e.g., where you are when you study, how tired you are when you study, etc.) should be the same as those surrounding retrieval (e.g., where you are when you're tested, how tired you are when you're tested, etc.). This is because the conditions themselves serve as reminders. (Have you ever walked into the kitchen for something, forgotten why you were there, and as soon as you return to the other room you suddenly remember why you went to the kitchen?) “Matching learning and testing conditions" includes your environment and your physiology, serving as reminders. If you happened to be looking at your poster in your bedroom while thinking about a biology term, looking at your poster again can help remind you of that term. Unfortunately you're probably not taking your test in your bedroom. If you can, go to your classroom to study. If you can't, recreate the most similar conditions you can. Think about noise level, size of room, lighting, types of furniture, your sitting position, and even the way you work with the material (remember G and A). Studies show that people who study underwater remember the material better underwater compared to above water. If you learn something while drunk, you remember it better if you get drunk again. If you learn something while your heart rate is up, you remember it best when your heart rate goes up again. Keep this in mind and think about other conditions that might occur during testing. Do you always get a coffee just before class? Is your exercise session right before class? Then do those things before studying too, so that you'll have the same conditions. (Both the coffee and the exercise would affect your physiology.) The alternative to this is that you should study under MANY different conditions. This way, the information comes easily to you regardless of your surrounding conditions, whereas if you only study under specific circumstances, the information will unfortunately be associated with those circumstances and will be difficult to remember in any other situation.

E is elaborate. Think deeply about the material and make other associations with it. Does it remind you of something else? Can you make a song out of it? Can you visually imagine it? How does it apply to you or your life? Instead of taking the material at face value, do something with it. The reason this is important is because of reminders. Memory works by having a network of associations. One thing reminds you of another. If you've thought deeply about it, you've probably associated it with something else in memory, which can then serve as a reminder. You can think, "Oh yeah, this is the term that inspired me to draw that silly stick figure to represent it. And I remember what the drawing looked like so now I remember what the term means." Additionally, the quality of the memory will be better if you have elaborated on it. Elaboration allows for a lot of creativity and individuality among studiers. Choose whichever method of elaboration works for you. Maybe you enjoy making up songs, drawing doodles, creating stories, visually imagining it, relating it to yourself, or just pondering about it. If you're studying history, you might try to think about it visually, imagine what people would have said or looked like, watch them in your head doing their historical stuff, or maybe you'd like to draw a quick doodly comic about a particular event, or maybe you wanna think about why this even was significant, or how it relates to another historical event.

If I had to summarize this in fewer points:

• Keep similar conditions during studying and testing. This includes environmental surroundings, mental and physiological state, the way you think about the material, and so on.
• Study briefly and frequently, and sleep.

But one other good point I would add is this:

• Take notes BEFORE class if possible, and add to them whenever necessary. This way, you're not just frantically writing notes in class and you'll actually be able to more fully pay attention to what the teacher is saying (remember: attention is the first step of the memory process!). You may think you can pay attention to the professor as you're writing, but you are actually dividing your attention and hurting your memory.

/u/splooshh says:

• DO IT. Do it now, not later, not tomorrow. Oh, there is a new episode of your favourite show that you HAVE to watch although there is work to be done? Guess what, I don't care. If there is stuff to be done, then do it. If you don't do it, someone else will and these people will be a lot more successful than you in the long run. The things you do now that other people don't do will enable you to do things that other people won't be able to do later in life. Get that Nike mantra: JUST DO IT!
• Pay attention in class and write stuff down. There are only a few people out there who can remember everything that is important without writing it down and I highly doubt that you are one of them. Once you are at home, you eat and do what? Go to the computer and browse reddit all day or play games? Nope, you review the things you have written down and try to explain them to yourself. You aren't able to do that? Next lesson go to your teacher and ask him if he could explain it again. Not next week or one day before you have an exam, you ask him when the next lesson starts. PARTICIPATE IN CLASS!
• Do your homework and understand what you are doing. So many people do things and have no clue why they do it or what they can do with the things they've just learned. Try to understand things and explain them to people. If you can explain something to someone, you understand it.
• FOCUS! Many people really want to study but procrastinate all the time. If you can't focus in your room, go into a library or somewhere else where you are not distracted.
• Nutrition and workout - A healthy lifestyle helps you to concentrate, makes you feel better and is good for your body.
• Take breaks, enjoy your life (socialise) and relax. Try to find a hobby where you can learn something that will help you in the long run. Read.

Something that may help you is the 3 Seconds Rule: http://getbusylivingblog.com/how-to-start-anything-and-get-unstuck-in-life-use-the-force/
Another thing is to learn how to study - The GOAT ME method seems like a good starting point.
TL;DR: Get the right mindset, work hard, do it for yourself and it will pay off. Work beats talent in the long run.
Good Luck

WhyTeachersMatter #1

A simple image demonstrating the value of human educators over digital teachers.

#whyteachersmatter

Student Appreciation (Notecard)

I allow students to bring in note cards for some assessments. This was one of my students' note card for the latest assessment. It made me happy, and I had to share.

First Day Reflections

I have been meaning to do this for about a month (or two). It is hardly refined, but at least it is written out now. As more reflections come my way, I will try to refine this.


BAD
1. I discussed that "at times, I won't be ready to go right at the bell (which is true for all teachers), thus I define tardy by when I close the classroom door." --The students took that as permission to be out of their seats until I closed the door. My "opener" activities were not enough to prompt students to be working when the bell rings. Only now have I been able to get the students on track with "Tardy is when you are not in your seat working when the bell rings." This process still needs revision. I need to be sure my opener is ready to go right away, so the students are silently working at time start.

2. I did not press how strongly I believe students need to be in their seats until the bell rings at the end of class. I am still figuring out how to get them to remain seated until the end of class. (Any tips would be appreciated)

3. I described my "paper passing procedure" --This was a total waste of time, as I rearranged my desks two weeks after school started.

4. I took too long to assign seats. --On the flip side, the two/three weeks of "student chosen seats" was pretty informative for me.

5. I gave the students a worksheet to fill out... Stuff like favorite food, movie, sports team, etc. I borrowed this from Dan Meyer. --In retrospect, I should wait a little longer in the year before handing this out. The students were still shy and reserved. They couldn't open up to me on a personal level yet, so the information from this worksheet is minimal at best.





GOOD

1. I labeled each desk with a "blue tape" sticker. When I called the student name, they responded with the label. I wrote this down (B2, A7, C4, etc.) next to their name. That night, I made a seating chart from the information they provided. It used no class time (beyond ordinary role call). I then put each students name/picture on a notecard. Next to their name, I put their seating position code (B2, A7, etc.). For the next two weeks, I used the notecards to call on the students. The notecards cued me to where to look in the room. It helped me memorize names faster (and the students did not know that I was still memorizing).

2. I gave a presentation on me, to show who I was as a person to the students. This was a good idea, but was done to early in the year. I will probably do this 6 or 7 days in next year.


My overall reflection. Less "sappy" stuff to start off with. Straight to content and procedures. More modeling activities that happen through out the year. Don't hand out the syllabus on the first day. Don't make/print seating charts until after the first week, but definitely before the third week.

I can go on... and should. But I have papers to grade.

Failure Leads to Success

I have three tabs open in my browser right now. I have had them open for some time, because I wanted to get to them and read them. Finally, six weeks into my first year of school, I have had the opportunity to look at them in greater depth. I am posting the links here, because I wanted to share them with my limited audience. One link at a time.


 "Why kids need to fail to succeed in school" by MARGARET WENTE
Article

I enjoyed reading this interview article, which is rather long (in a world of 500 word blog posts), but brushes on issues I would like to explore further: Persistence, Perseverance, and the Pursuit of Perfection.

Margaret Wente interviews Paul Tough:

Mr. Tough’s new book, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character, combines compelling findings in brain research with his own first-hand observations on the front lines of school reform. He argues that the qualities that matter most to children’s success have more to do with character – and that parents and schools can play a powerful role in nurturing the character traits that foster success. His book is an inspiration. It has made me less of a determinist, and more of an optimist.

 
The discussion of "grit" as a semi-accurate predictor of success made me think of The Marshmallow Test. This, however, is a whole different discussion. Wente and Tough go on to discuss how important failure is to developing "grit" and perseverance.

There are several videos, podcasts, and articles which discuss the The Marshmallow Test, so I will leave it to you to find, but here is a cute video

For the most part, I wanted to share the Article , so please enjoy.

A New Job, A New Post

Recently I acquired a new position teaching math at Oak Harbor High School in Oak Harbor, WA. This opening came into existence largely because OHHS was awarded a grant from the Department of Defense. The full details of this grant are beyond the scope of my knowledge at this time, and unnecessary for this blog post.

As a result of earning this grant, some teachers at our high school are receiving additional training, and I had my first training session today. The content taught was enriching, and aligned strongly with information I was taught in my MAT program at Concordia University in Portland, OR. The parallels gave me insight into the quality of instruction (or at least the adherence to "current best practices") offered through my Master's program.

As I have only attended half of the workshop thus far, I will reserve comments for completion of the training. However, I will say that I am impressed already, and I am walking away with tangible ideas for my classroom.

This post primarily serves as a holding house for tonight;s "Homework Assignment."

1. Read the article:  Five “Key Strategies” for Effective Formative Assessment

2. Take Teaching Perspective Inventory, a 10 minute survey which profiles you on five perspectives on good teaching.

Regarding number 2, I took the survey, and will post the graphical results here. Since I have not taught professionally yet, I am curious how the survey will change after one year in the classroom. I hope to return to the survey in one year and re-profile myself for comparison. For now, consider this my First Blog Post as a Teacher.

Need Math courses?

Taken from this reddit post:

http://www.reddit.com/r/matheducation/comments/ilona/self_study_undergraduate_math_video_lectures/

I'm trying to compile a series of video lectures that would substitute for or supplement a full undergraduate math program. I hope you guys can help me fill it out, make suggestions on the order and so on. I want to include the highest quality courses available. When complete I plan to create a website where I link to these as well as any other supplementary material that may be useful to autodidacts. If you've actually watched any of these courses or know of better substitutes, your feedback is especially useful. Also, I'm not a math major, so suggestions on what truly constitutes the core of a math education are helpful.

Freshman

• Single Variable Calculus (MIT 18.01) [1] videos
• Multivariable Calculus (MIT 18.02) [2] videos
• Linear Algebra (MIT 18.06) [3] videos
• Alternate: Intro to Linear Algebra (UCCS 313) [4] videos
• Optional: Logic Primer on Youtube [5] videos
• Optional: Probability and Statistics for Business (Berkeley 21) [6] videos [7] book

Sophomore

• Differential Equations (MIT 18.03) [8] videos
• Real Analysis I (UCCS 533) [9] videos
• Alternate: Real Analysis (ICTP) [10] videos
• Discrete Math (Arsdigita 02) [11] videos
• Number Theory (UCCS 311) [12] videos (requires registration)
• Mathematical Statistics I (UCCS 481) [13] videos

Junior

• Complex Analysis (Suffolk Math 481) [14] videos
• Modern Algebra (UCCS 414) [15] videos
• Alternate: Abstract Algebra (Harvard E-222) [16] videos This appears to be a more in depth alternative to the Modern Algebra course
• Functional Analysis [17] videos
• Alternate: Functional Analysis (ICTP) [18] videos
• Mathematical Statistics II (UCCS 482) [19] videos

Senior

• Topology [20] videos This is a youtube series, khanacademy style. I generally prefer full college courses, but will use youtube videos when I can't find a good course.
• Algebraic Topology (U of New South Wales) [21] videos
• Differential Geometry (ICTP) [22] videos

Teaching Tools

Google Earth

Google Earth is a program that allows people to explore both the Earth and sky with accuracy and style. You can view the constellations in the sky and get the names of stars. The Earth has satellite coverage, as seen in “true-image” photos. The photo images can be additionally layered with political borders, roads, and even weather, among other options. You can also create “plane trip” videos that fly around to different locations on your timing with a click.

For this assignment, think of a location that you can discuss with your students in the context of a lesson. Some examples might be the Grand Canyon, the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Egypt, Washington D.C., Easter Island, etc. Using Google Earth (which can be downloaded for free at http://earth.google.com), perform the following:
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Concept Maps

Inspiration/Kidspiration/Webspiration are programs that help create graphic organizers that help with concept mapping and creating relationships. View the tour video to see how it works and what it can be used for: http://inspiration.com/videos/Inspiration.

For this assignment, you are going to be creating a concept map of a lesson you may use in class. Examples could be Newton’s Three Laws of Motion, Fractions, Basketball, the Declaration of Independence, etc. Using Inspiration (you can use Concordia's computers or get a free trial of Inspiration here: http://inspiration.com/Freetrial; or a free trial of Webspiration here: http://www.inspiration.com/WebspirationClassroom), perform the following:
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VoiceThread

VoiceThread is a website that allows you to have group conversations around media like photos or videos. You can remotely participate in conversations either with a microphone or a webcam. See the site’s description of itself here: http://voicethread.com/#home.b409.i848804

For this assignment, you are going to be creating your own VoiceThread on pictures you may use in a lesson. Some examples could be comparing different animals and their adaptations to their environment, writing the back-story to an unknown photograph, finding all the emotions, politics, and symbols in Vietnam photos, etc. Using VoiceThread (which you can register for at http://voicethread.com and then click on create and find the Register! Link) perform the following:
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Comics/Books

All the computers at my school have Comic Life installed on them. It is software that allows you to create your own comics with pictures from your own life or from the Internet. It’s a way to create a storyboard or a graphic novel without the ability to draw. The description on the website states “Expand what you can do with your digital photos! With a comprehensive set of features, Comic Life gives you numerous ways to explore your creativity - liven up holiday snaps, tell a story, create astounding comics, beautiful picture albums, children's storybooks and even how-to guides. This award winning software is fun and useful for kids and ...big kids!” However, there are also now web based comic creation programs, like MakeBeliefsComix, which can be written in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, or Latin, or even book making programs like Bookemon where you can even eventually get your book printed in full hardback quality.

For this assignment you will be creating your own comic that could be the example end product of a lesson you will have using this software. Some examples could be that you show a play by play of a football game with what the players are thinking or doing, create a museum guidebook, make story about a day in your own life or your pet’s, etc. Using Comic Life (a free trial can be downloaded here: http://plasq.com/downloads), or MakeBeliefsComics.com, ToonDoo.com, or Bookemon (found at www.bookemon.com) perform the following tasks:
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Interactive Timelines

If you will ever teach about how things have changed over time (I’m looking at you, history teachers, though I do this in my science class, too…), I’m sure a timeline is something you will have to deal with. But, there are fun ways of doing students assessment that involves more than just writing dates on a paper. Dipity is an interactive time line creator that boasts: “Our mission is to organize the web's content by date and time. Users can create, share, embed and collaborate on interactive, visually engaging timelines that integrate video, audio, images, text, links, social media, location and timestamps.” Xtimeline says it “is a free web-based timeline. Easily create and share timelines with pictures and videos.” Vuvox say that it “is an easy to use production and instant sharing service that allows you to mix, create and blend your personal media – video, photos and music into rich personal expressions.” All of which I have deemed better than what I had when I had to make a Civil War timeline for my US History class.

Using either www.dipity.com, www.xtimeline.com, or www.vuvox.com, perform the following tasks:
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Screenr

Screenr is a program that you can film your own movements and narrations on what is happening on your computer screen. Remember those video tutorials from earlier in the class? This program makes those, except they are less fancy and can last only up to 5 minutes, but is free! You will also need a Twitter account to use the program.

Using Screenr (found at www.screenr.com), perform the following tasks:
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Glogster

Allow me to let the website speak for itself: “Simply put, a Glog is a kind of poster —fully designed by you! A Glog is a unique creation made up of text, images, music, and video. It can be colorful, edgy, emo, or rock—it’s up to you to make your Glog stand out. Glogs are a perfect way to express who YOU are!”

Glogster has a teacher-specific version of their program (edu.glogster.com), so you can stop wasting money on physical supplies (oh, and you will spend that money, trust me). It costs money, but it has several useful features like student collaboration and teacher management systems.

Using Glogster (found at www.glogster.com), perform the following tasks:
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Word Clouds

Word clouds are popular in my school to show words related to a certain topic in a fun, graphic way; however, I’ve also seen word clouds used to represent the amount of times a work shows up or a percentage of something in relative size to something else. Wordle is an easy program to use for creating these word clouds.

Using Wordle (found at www.wordle.net), perform the following tasks:
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Electronic Flashcards

I could always know who was taking Anatomy & Physiology in college because they were always staring at their giant stack of multicolored index cards. Well, apparently they stare at their smartphone or tablet now since flash cards have gone digital. Study Stack is one such program, but allows you to connect your computer account to an app on your phone/tablet. And it’s not just flashcards, but you can create other memory games like matching games, hangman, crossword puzzles, and more.

Using Study Stack (found at www.studystack.com), perform the following tasks:
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Fakewall

Updating old characters from literature or historical figures/events or even personifying things in nature has always been a fun task to assess students’ synthesis skills and their true understanding of the concepts. MYFAKEWALL is a site that allows students to create fake Facebook profiles, complete with fake friends, fake wall posts, and fake “likes,” for anyone they can dream up. Let the parodying begin!



Using MYFAKEWALL (http://myfakewall.com/), perform the fallowing tasks:
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Videos

Not only is it easy to create videos with all the handheld devices out there, it’s also easy to create your own animations, without learning how to draw. One of these requires just your ability to type, called Xtranormal, to animate characters interacting with one another. Go! Animate lets you create cartoons with a little more options. Animoto lets you create a fantastic looking slide show with music.

Using Xtranormal (http://www.xtranormal.com/), Go! Animate (http://goanimate.com/), or Animoto (http://animoto.com/), perform the following tasks:

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Content generated by Shawn Daley & Rhiannon Boettcher for Concordia University - MAT 533 Educational Technology - Technology for Teachers.

Prezi / PowerPoint / SmartBoard Presentation Reflection

View my presentation here:

http://prezi.com/5nbhr2lqnedk/pacific-crest-trail-thru-hike-2010/

Looking back on the presentations, I do feel that most of the presentations hit upon something done well. The content of the presentation was frequently mirrored in the layout of the presentation. Jerry presented on Roberto Clemente, discussing his life story in a relatively linear fashion. As such, his Prezi layout demonstrated a linear flow of information along the body of a snake. Ryan presented on sampling music, and included a large portion of audio/video files for the audience to listen to, in an effort to help us grasp and recognize sampling. Erin and Sarah both demonstrated high levels of enthusiasm for their content, while keeping the presentation slides to a minimum, without loss of content. Finally, I was particularly intrigued with Cassandra’s presentation on Static Mindset verse Growth Mindset. I appreciated this presentation the most, because it is the most far reaching in relative applications. It need not be reserved to one subject matter, or even for the classroom alone. Not only that, but Cassie also engaged the audience effectively with well-constructed questions which kept the “listener” present in the discussion. I was impressed with the way in which Sara was able to overcome the tech problem with prepared material as a substitute for the video. If I looked back upon my presentation, I really wonder how effectively I could have generated flow without the presentation guiding me.

I love the ability that Prezi has for cohesively laying out non-linear ideas. As a first run in tool use, I was pretty impressed with the “Visual Information Maps” created by several classmates, but at this state of our Prezi use, we are still novices of using Prezi as a tool for “Idea Maps.” I believe Sara utilized Prezi best for her etymology presentation, unfortunately, the presentation did not have slides which zoomed to an appropriate level to show the branch map of the presentation layout. This would have been a great opportunity to hammer home the benefit of Prezi over PowerPoint. Cassie and Andy started to play with the ideas, and I think with more time to work on the presentation and a longer time slot to present, all of us would have generated much better content maps.

Often within the confines of a new presentation, or incompletely developed lesson, we as teachers make the grave mistake of focusing on facts rather than the bigger picture. This results in an un-engaging lecture of “bullet point” ideas. The unfortunate consequence of this is that it folds easily into asking poorly developed questions (e.g. In what year… , Can you tell me how many… , Where else did “such and such” happen). I am not saying that these questions should not be asked, as it is important to formatively assess content knowledge, but rather that a lecture should shy away from questions like this. Instead a lecturer should ask more open ended questions to activate the listener. I think this is a teaching method we are all working on, but it was more evident to me in Jerry’s presentation. On the flip side, the presenter should shy away from not asking any questions, which was my mistake. Another aspect of today’s presentations which most all of us struggled with was technological problems. It seems apparent to me that Murphy’s Law attacks technology like a bitter enemy. I don’t recall any presentation which was flawless, but I do recall most everyone handling the technical glitches with relative ease. Aside from the 10 minutes it took me to get the presentation started, everyone resolved their issues in under a minute.

I don’t know if my presentation was quite as elegant as I wanted. Part of the purpose of the exercise was developing an understanding of Prezi as a tool for laying out non-linear ideas. My hike, while all over the map, was a linear story. I could have just as effectively told the story with a more linear tool like Powerpoint. Certainly Prezi provided an engaging backdrop to a collection of snippets from my experience, but I believe my presentation did not exhibit the real benefits of using Prezi over Powerpoint. I think this was a result of the subject matter chosen, and I do believe that given a different subject the task would have been more exciting and rewarding. Nonetheless, I am confident that the audience enjoyed the presentation. I believe this, however, is a result of engaging content over engaging presentation. I did have the good fortune of extending my presentation beyond the 12 minutes, which gave me an unfair advantage. I am curious what would happen to my presentation if I were required to pare down my content, would it still be engaging? Would the presentation be engaging to people who didn’t know me personally?

If I were to go back to Friday to restart the assignment, I would choose Prezi again, as I wanted to familiarize myself with the program. However, if I had the knowledge I do now, and more time to prepare a presentation I would definitely tackle SmartBoards. I refrained from SmartBoards this go around, because I knew the learning curve was steeper. I did not have adequate time to dedicate to learning this tool. Here’s to summer projects.

I do enjoy the addition of PowerPoint and Prezi to our toolbox of lesson aids (and look forward to playing more with SmartBoards). As I discussed above, the content being presented should dictate the tool being used. Jerry’s presentation would have worked equally well with PowerPoint, as would have mine. As Prezi is a new tool to use, it is still under development. As we learned, it lacks the ability to input sound files, unlike PowerPoint. I look forward to seeing how Prezi develops in the future, and would appreciate a wider array for editing abilities. For example, the ability to have different font colors based on individual edits per stop would enable the user to use typography and color to compliment the presented image. Additionally, the ability to animate portions of the presentation could really round out Prezi as being superior to PowerPoint. Unfortunately, no one who presented used the SmartBoard, so it is difficult to see the power of this presentation tool, and I am left to research it individually. I do believe that the SmartBoard has the greatest potential, as it can enable the use of all three systems throughout a presentation, grabbing the strengths of each independent program.

When it comes to using these tools with students, it is a battle of upfront planning. This battle is one all teachers must face on a regular basis, and the time put into developing a presentation with any of the three tools is definitely worth it. Unfortunately, at times, the teacher is unable to appropriate adequate time to preparing a preparation with the program. I hope to use all three regularly in the classroom, but anticipate that it will be a gradual process of refining lesson plans over the course of several years. In the time that I refine my lessons, new technological tools will surface. I will be under a constant battle to keep my lessons up to date, but I embrace this challenge.

I stand by the belief that as an instructor, we need to create a diversity of lesson formats. The more tools we use, the more students we reach. We are continually driving forward in a technological age, so ignoring electronics seems to me to be a poor decision. However, the content should drive the tool. There is an appropriate time to use each tool, as well as an inappropriate time. A well prepared teacher should know when to use each. I anticipate that as I progress forward with teaching, I will become more familiar with electronic tools, implementing them into more lesson plans. This process, ideally will pick up as I become more proficient with the tools. Sadly, I anticipate my first year will largely devoid of electronic use as I will be focusing on nailing down the process of content delivery. Methodology will be a part of this process, but it will likely fall into a second tier position which gets tapped into time permitting.

The question of how I will teach is always a hard one to answer, because I feel that I will continually refine this. It is hard to draw predictions of how I will, when I have not really had the opportunity to present a full lesson, or a full unit. I look forward to getting in the dirt.

View my presentation here:

http://prezi.com/5nbhr2lqnedk/pacific-crest-trail-thru-hike-2010/

Social Networking

Any tool that can be used to reach students is of benefit to teachers. A strong teacher is a teacher who is equipped to take anything impacting a student’s life and is able to turn that into a teachable moment. Student’s today are growing up in a community of Social Networking. The difficulty is figuring out how to effectively use this tool. It is my belief that education is less about building a knowledge base, and more about building a skill base. More specifically, education is the key element to developing community awareness. According to Ramig (2008) Social Networking is a key which helps demonstrate “what it really means to live and participate in a global community.”

Human nature is ever evolving towards heavier reliance on technology. In 2008, Ramig points out that “By sixth grade, about 40% of the students will already have experience using social networking tools at home or at a friend’s house.” We, as teachers, cannot ignore this all-consuming element of today’s students. The term “like” has a new context to today’s youth. The effective teacher can use Social Networking to connect with the students, which establishes community, and opens more doors to potential learning opportunities. If a student is going to spend time using Facebook, why not insert your footprint into their Facebook experience? It can enable your teaching to go beyond the classroom.

The only issue that Social Networking presents a teacher with is developing a time effective and quality approach to using this tool to develop their classroom community. As the internet and technology evolve, the teacher is repeatedly forced to address new ways to use technology in the classroom. Additionally, the teacher must critically examine how to use the tool appropriate. Even when using the tool appropriately, and perhaps anonymously, a teacher can fall victim to accusations of inappropriate use. In Natalie Munroe’s case, discussed in Webley’s article, Natalie came under fire for the way she behaved online. Furthermore, the “school district does not have a policy in place that dictates what teachers can and cannot do online.”

In fact, technology has evolved so quickly the courts are having trouble keeping up with interpreting the law in relation to online communications. Does a teacher have the right to free speech in the same way that a regular citizen does? Does a student? Administrators are left in a perplexing conundrum, unable to stop cyberbullying. Hoffman (2010) points out, “Schools these days are confronted with complex questions on whether and how to deal with cyberbullying, an imprecise label for online activities ranging from barrages of teasing texts to sexually harassing group sites.”

Modifying student behavior and cyberbullying is one side of a coin, the other is modifying teacher behavior. Cyberbulling and bullying in general is so rampant today because we as adults are serving as poor role models for our students. Take the Atlanta schools lying about test scores for example. What sort of precedence does this set for our students? Lying is acceptable? Or more accurately, look at Natalie Munroe, who semi-publicly vented about her students. Not only did she vent saying that she was having a hard time, but she downright insulted the students. Contained in her blog (until she took it down) is the saddest statement I can imagine hearing come out a teachers mouth: "There's no other way to say this: I hate your kid." If a teacher can get away with that sort of behavior regarding students, why can’t students do the same?

Natalie wrote this on a private blog, which was intended for a very small select audience. It, however, found its way into the public. This is rather unfortunate, but serves a purpose of letting us know how un-private private really is. We have seen some of the most secured networks fall victim to hacking, see also:

http://vimeo.com/25118844

As such, the safest way to approach our online profiles, our digital footprints, is to assume that there is no such thing as private online. We should not be putting anything on our profiles unless we are accepting of the idea that it may someday be viewed by our bosses, our enemies, our friends, our parents, our future employers, and our students. Specifically teachers should be held to this standard, because the damage caused by such an unveiling is far reaching. Children have thinner skin, and their brains are not developed mentally enough to understand. Teachers are in a profession of shaping the world. Virtually no one goes through life without having a teacher, as such, teachers should be held to the highest standards to generate the best possible students.

This is not to say that I disagree with Munroe, or even Nash who states, “I don't think there is anything wrong with calling kids out — I think they need it. There's this mentality that we can't say anything to kids, that we have to baby them, but I'm one of those tough-love kind of people.” It is not a matter of silencing ourselves, it is a matter of intelligently choosing our words. When we as teachers hold ourselves accountable for the actions we take, and the words we choose, we are generating a safer atmosphere. Also, we are behaving in a manner that is more respectable, and sufficient to be ideal role models to our student.

Modeling proper behavior, online and off, is at the heart of working to decrease bullying and cyber-bullying. “Preventative” is stronger than “Punative.” Additionally, our courts need to catch up with technology. As Hoffman (2010) points out, “Judges are flummoxed, too, as they wrestle with new questions about protections on student speech and school searches.” I am, however, not naïve. No matter what measures are taken to prevent cyber-bullying (and bullying in general), it will continue to exist. To me, the threat of cyber-bullying is on the rise, and the only way to stop that is to actively attack it. The use technology in the classroom can and should be used to develop appropriate patterns of Social Networking use. If we do not allow social networking into our classrooms, we will never adequately be able to demonstrate proper use, and the problem will continue.

As a teacher, I will definitely keep my ears to the web, seeking out and nipping cyber-bullying to the best of my ability. It is something that I should have to lookout for, because my role as an educator is to provide a safe environment for my student which fosters learning. The classroom is just a formal location for direct instruction and community development. If I have the right as a teacher to send a student home with homework, then my role of teaching extends beyond the classroom. If my role of teaching extends beyond the classroom, there is little to no limit on me to help provide a safer environment for my students to learn in. Even if I wasn’t an educator, shouldn’t I work to provide a safe environment for everyone? Wouldn’t you?

Resources:

Carter, Heather L., Foulger, Teresa S., Ewbank, Ann D. (2008) Have you Googled Your Teacher Lately: Teachers’ Use of Social Networking Sites.

Hoffman, Jan. (2010) Online Bullies Pull Schools Into the Fray. retrieved July 16th, 2011 from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/style/28bully.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1310862562-xhvCPQyRkTgMt4o6UYJyWA&pagewanted=all

Ojalvo, Holly E. (2010) Resources on Bullying and Cyberbullying. retrieved July 16th, 2011 from:http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/resources-on-bullying-and-cyberbullying/

Ramig, Renee. (2009) Social Media in the Classroom-For Kindergartners (!) Through High Schoolers.

Schwartz, Harriet L. (2010). Facebook: The New Classroom Commons

Webley, Kayla. (2011) How One Teacher’s Angry Blog Sparked a Viral Classroom Debate. retrieved July 16th, 2011 from: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2052123,00.html

Zax, David. (2009) Learning in 140-character Bites