By: Beth Holcomb
Wikis are websites that allow different internet users to edit and author information on the website. The teacher can use a class wiki to educate students about classroom assignments or upload students’ work to the class wiki. Teachers can also collaborate with other teachers to design wikis. This strategy allows each teacher to make changes to the wiki online and learn from the information posted by other teachers. Wikis are efficient tools for collaborating with other teachers, because the internet resources allow numerous authors to add to the text or information on the website.
I think that wikis can encourage collaboration between teachers and media specialists. Teachers and media specialists often email, engage in department meetings, and work in groups to build curriculum assignments; however, wikis will create an unconventional technique for teachers and media specialists to interact with each other. The media specialist could create a wiki for each subject area. The teacher could author and edit the information on the subject area, assignment requirements, and class information; however, the media specialist could log in to the wiki and post links to websites that would likely assist students in completing the classroom activities.
The wiki would provide the media specialist and teacher with the ability to engage in collaboration; however, they would not have to accommodate each other’s daily agendas. Teachers often have one block where they do not have students, but they must use it to grade papers, build activities for the week, design tests, and complete other conventional jobs. The teacher often lacks the ability to use this opportunity to collaborate in the library. The media specialist also must interact with students using the library, organize workshops for teachers, assist individuals with computer questions, and engage in other activities. The media specialist and teacher are inclined to have different needs and agendas. The wiki allows the two individuals to work on the activity during different blocks that are appropriate for them. The teacher and media specialist can also work on the wiki from the classroom, the library, or using their personal computer outside of school. They can quickly log in and see the work added by the other wiki participant. Wikis allow the teacher and the media specialist to engage with each other to customize a lesson; however, the two individuals will not disrupt their standard activities. Wikis provide the media specialist and teacher with an efficient technique for coordinating lessons and engaging with each other.
The media specialist and teacher can also collaborate on a classroom activity to motivate students to use a wiki. The media specialist could build a short tutorial and educate students how to create a wiki, edit information on the wiki, and create links to other websites using a wiki. The Social Studies teacher could emphasize these skills by mandating that students work in groups to design a wiki on World War II. This tactic would improve students’ knowledge of the wiki; however, it would also encourage the media specialist and teacher to interact and coordinate activities with each other.
The media specialist could also improve the teachers’ use of wikis in the classroom by designing a wiki workshop. The media specialist could educate the teachers about wikis and include suggestions for adding these resources to the curriculum. This strategy would encourage the media specialist to interact with the teachers. The classroom teachers would also be inclined to engage in collaboration with the media specialist to design their class wikis.
I think that wikis are effective tools that can allow the teacher and media specialist to engage in collaboration. The individuals can log in and learn from the information added by each other. They can also work on the project using a block that accommodates their needs. The media specialist can provide adequate training on these tools and include suggestions for fusing these tools into the curriculum.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Podcasting
By: Katie Mitchell
Podcasting is a valuable tool for anyone who wishes to disseminate a presentation, lecture, tutorial or lesson in a manner that is not limited by distance, lack of funding, or time of day. Podcasts are used to deliver content online and they are not only accessible at any time, but they are also portable. Podcasting creates a way for individuals to make information available to people who cannot be physically present or to those who wish to review content they’ve already been presented with. Podcasts also provide a method of information sharing that is not rendered nearly impossible due to cost. Since many students are already familiar with using podcasts outside the educational setting, podcasting is a way to gain students’ attention via usage of a tool that interests them.
Podcasting is a valuable tool for anyone who wishes to disseminate a presentation, lecture, tutorial or lesson in a manner that is not limited by distance, lack of funding, or time of day. Podcasts are used to deliver content online and they are not only accessible at any time, but they are also portable. Podcasting creates a way for individuals to make information available to people who cannot be physically present or to those who wish to review content they’ve already been presented with. Podcasts also provide a method of information sharing that is not rendered nearly impossible due to cost. Since many students are already familiar with using podcasts outside the educational setting, podcasting is a way to gain students’ attention via usage of a tool that interests them.
Teachers can create podcasts of lessons for students who have extended absences from school or students who are struggling with a specific concept and are in danger of falling behind (i.e., podcasts aid in differentiation of instruction and are effective with auditory learners). Media specialists can create tutorials via podcast that give examples of how to use certain tools and resources available in the media center. The media specialist could also create a podcast explaining library policies and procedures or giving an overview of how to use the Dewey Decimal System. Technology specialists can present computer troubleshooting tips via podcasts for teachers and media specialists to access any time they need tech help. These examples are only the tip of an “iceburg” of possibilities for using podcasting in an instructional setting.
I think it is paramount for media specialists to learn as much as possible about newly emerging technologies, especially when they are cost effective and build on student interest. If a teacher approaches the media specialist with questions about a certain tool with which the media specialist is unfamiliar, it is the media specialist’s role to acquire some knowledge about that tool in order to provide assistance to the teacher. Ideally, the media specialist would discover information relating to that technology and develop a working knowledge of it. At the very least, the media specialist should offer the teacher some resources to help him/her with using that technology.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Podcasts in the Classroom: How I Would Assist Teachers in Using Podcasts
By: Beth Holcomb
I argue that podcasts are innovative tools that can be added to the curriculum. These audio and video files are uploaded on to the internet and provide students with the ability to use these resources in school and outside the classroom. The teacher can use podcasts to improve students’ use of the curriculum.
An elementary school teacher could build a podcast to provide appropriate knowledge to a substitute teacher. He or she could create a video that educates the substitute teacher and provides techniques for the individual to use in the classroom. The podcast could include suggestions for interacting with students, comprehensive rules for each student assignment, or other information about student policies. Although the substitute teacher likely does not know about the conventional activities of the students, the podcast is an efficient tool that could improve the substitute teacher’s ability to work with the students.
The teacher could also create a podcast to teach students about a lesson; therefore, the substitute teacher could quickly upload the podcast, and students would learn the conventional lesson and complete the activities.
A media specialist could design a podcast to educate students, parents, and teachers about the media center. The podcast could include photographs of the library staff, students using the library, and other library activities. The media specialist could add a short audio that informs potential internet users about the school’s media resources. The school’s webpage could include a hyperlink to this podcast; therefore, this internet tool could provide the media specialist with an effective strategy for engaging with students.
The podcast can be an innovative resource for classroom teachers. The teachers are inclined to ask the media specialist for assistance with uploading podcasts and using these internet resources in the classroom; however, I also might not know a lot of information about these tools. My lack of knowledge should not affect my motivation to assist teachers. I would inform a teacher that I also do not know about the techniques and strategies linked to building podcasts, but we can learn as a team. I think that this approach would provide me with the opportunity to interact with the teacher and allow the teacher to see that I will work to learn about new resources. I could build a link with the classroom teacher, and this approach would likely encourage the teacher to collaborate with me to build other curriculum assignments.
I also think that this strategy would allow the teacher to see that I am motivated and will work to achieve his or her needs. I allege that it is my duty to accommodate the research and library needs of students, parents, teachers, and administrators. I believe that this tactic would emphasize that the library and the media specialist can provide resources to improve classroom activities.
I would likely do some research and email the teacher a variety of websites and links that could provide appropriate tips for building a podcast. I would also distribute a small amount of my budget for the next fiscal year to purchasing books or workbooks that could assist teachers with this internet tool. This activity would also motivate me to organize a podcast tutorial or a workshop that would inform other teachers about these resources. The media specialist must promote information literacy skills and assist teachers in adding these requirements to the curriculum. I believe that this activity would encourage other teachers to learn about the new resources and improve the library’s ability to achieve the needs of teachers.
I would also volunteer to collaborate with the teacher on his or her first podcast. I would assist in building the podcast and volunteer to be in the classroom during the period that the teacher performs the podcast. I could provide assistance with troubleshooting or uploading the podcast. This strategy would allow the teacher to see that I can be a participant in curriculum activities. It would also allow students in the classroom to see that the media specialist and teacher also need to learn, and they have questions about subjects. I would emphasize to students that I did not know about podcasts, but I used internet tools, books, and other library materials to obtain information about using these resources. I could use this activity to inform students and teachers how to use library resources and endorse the library program.
The podcast can be fused into the curriculum using many techniques; therefore, an effective media specialist must be informed about how to build these resources. I would work with teachers to provide training opportunities and podcast workshops that could inform these individuals how to use podcasts in the classroom. I would also emphasize my ability to learn about these resources and provide suggestions for how these individuals could add these tools to the curriculum.
I argue that podcasts are innovative tools that can be added to the curriculum. These audio and video files are uploaded on to the internet and provide students with the ability to use these resources in school and outside the classroom. The teacher can use podcasts to improve students’ use of the curriculum.
An elementary school teacher could build a podcast to provide appropriate knowledge to a substitute teacher. He or she could create a video that educates the substitute teacher and provides techniques for the individual to use in the classroom. The podcast could include suggestions for interacting with students, comprehensive rules for each student assignment, or other information about student policies. Although the substitute teacher likely does not know about the conventional activities of the students, the podcast is an efficient tool that could improve the substitute teacher’s ability to work with the students.
The teacher could also create a podcast to teach students about a lesson; therefore, the substitute teacher could quickly upload the podcast, and students would learn the conventional lesson and complete the activities.
A media specialist could design a podcast to educate students, parents, and teachers about the media center. The podcast could include photographs of the library staff, students using the library, and other library activities. The media specialist could add a short audio that informs potential internet users about the school’s media resources. The school’s webpage could include a hyperlink to this podcast; therefore, this internet tool could provide the media specialist with an effective strategy for engaging with students.
The podcast can be an innovative resource for classroom teachers. The teachers are inclined to ask the media specialist for assistance with uploading podcasts and using these internet resources in the classroom; however, I also might not know a lot of information about these tools. My lack of knowledge should not affect my motivation to assist teachers. I would inform a teacher that I also do not know about the techniques and strategies linked to building podcasts, but we can learn as a team. I think that this approach would provide me with the opportunity to interact with the teacher and allow the teacher to see that I will work to learn about new resources. I could build a link with the classroom teacher, and this approach would likely encourage the teacher to collaborate with me to build other curriculum assignments.
I also think that this strategy would allow the teacher to see that I am motivated and will work to achieve his or her needs. I allege that it is my duty to accommodate the research and library needs of students, parents, teachers, and administrators. I believe that this tactic would emphasize that the library and the media specialist can provide resources to improve classroom activities.
I would likely do some research and email the teacher a variety of websites and links that could provide appropriate tips for building a podcast. I would also distribute a small amount of my budget for the next fiscal year to purchasing books or workbooks that could assist teachers with this internet tool. This activity would also motivate me to organize a podcast tutorial or a workshop that would inform other teachers about these resources. The media specialist must promote information literacy skills and assist teachers in adding these requirements to the curriculum. I believe that this activity would encourage other teachers to learn about the new resources and improve the library’s ability to achieve the needs of teachers.
I would also volunteer to collaborate with the teacher on his or her first podcast. I would assist in building the podcast and volunteer to be in the classroom during the period that the teacher performs the podcast. I could provide assistance with troubleshooting or uploading the podcast. This strategy would allow the teacher to see that I can be a participant in curriculum activities. It would also allow students in the classroom to see that the media specialist and teacher also need to learn, and they have questions about subjects. I would emphasize to students that I did not know about podcasts, but I used internet tools, books, and other library materials to obtain information about using these resources. I could use this activity to inform students and teachers how to use library resources and endorse the library program.
The podcast can be fused into the curriculum using many techniques; therefore, an effective media specialist must be informed about how to build these resources. I would work with teachers to provide training opportunities and podcast workshops that could inform these individuals how to use podcasts in the classroom. I would also emphasize my ability to learn about these resources and provide suggestions for how these individuals could add these tools to the curriculum.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)