The Moose Report: #3

What has been your most successful lesson where you have integrated technology so far? What made it successful? How would you modify it for the next time you use it?What are some other ways you are planning on integrating technology this year?

My most successful lesson using the smart board was for teaching dissection. I used several pictures from Google Image Search to put together a series of pictures which follow the section of the dissection packet that the children fill out as they do the dissection. By using the smart board to move between the pictures, I could highlight certain section, magnify different organs, turn it around and look at if from different view. I also used a jeopardy template to study for the Virus/Bacteria test. The students were definitely more focused during the review, but I did not see any significant change in their grades on the test.

The Moose Report: #2

Knowing you are one of many teachers a student like this will have in their educational career:How connected are you? Are you a 21st Century learner, teacher or both? What role do you play in supporting the 21st Century student?

I am constantly learning new ways of accessing information and disseminating it to my students. As fast at the Internet reinvents itself, there are news ways to communicate every few weeks. The advertisements on the television tell of the “apps” that will help you do everything from planning a dinner party to vetting a new health care directive from your doctor. I have students who come to me with the latest website that they went to that taught them the latest “thing”. I try to support my students by teaching them the best way “I know” to access, vet, share, and present information. I used to teach a class for teachers on how to search the Internet. I wish we has more time to teach a course called “Navigating the Internet”.

The Spider Crab Video

I downloaded a video of spider crabs to my computer and linked to the video through notebook while discussing arthropods

The Moose Report: #1

What do we need to teach our students to be successful in the 21st Century? Take a look the Partnership for 21st Century Skills Framework. How could these be implemented in your classroom? What are the benefits of implementing these skills for your students?We need to teach our students to access not just information available online but it must be credible information. Sites such as Wikipedia are very useful and informative but must be cross checked for accuracy. Such checks are possible. Many online encyclopedias will provide sufficient information to back up the personal details that get added to sites such as Wikipedia. Students need to learn the difference between a credible reference site and a personal blog. Another thing to note is that just because a site is a personal “blog” that does not mean it is inaccurate or irrelevant. The site http://www.anapsid.org/mainherpetology.html is the personal “blog” and “reference” site of Melissa Kaplan. Melissa started the site when she was in high school. The site is now acknowledged as one of the best reference site for reptiles and has won several awards.

Blogging allows students to access other peoples view and information on the net and to share their own knowledge. It is too easy to say “look it up”. Information is out there and our students can access it with or without our help. We need to teach them to access it better, faster, to analyze it, vet it, cross check it, and share it with others through the many different media that they have available.