Self- Evaluation

In your opinion, what are the most important skills for 21st Century learning?
story telling, being creative, making global connections.
What are the most important technology skills to infuse into your learning environment? (Feel free to cite the NETS*S and/or the P21 Framework)
We must have the core subjects at the base of the learning. But we must be able to add in life & career skills, learning and innovative skills, and technology skills.

Tell some ways, via digital tools, you have learned to:
• Create/Innovate - VoiceThreads
• Communicate/Collaborate - google docs, wikis
• Problem-Solve/Critically Think, etc… google earth, thinking how to change your curriculum to include collaborative learning

Changes you can implement TODAY in your teaching (as a result of this class) (don’t necessarily have to be technology-related) - Have the kids make more decisions as far as how they present their know of a topic, especially culminating activities.

Assess yourself and your learning journey this week. Did you…?
• Create more than you consumed? -No, but I did come up with lots of different activities to use various Web 2.0 tools on.
• Contribute to a collective/shared body of knowledge? - yes, I felt that a lot of great ideas came from our group discussions and from the guest speaker D. Schmit
• Participate in digital dialogue? - yes especially through the class blog - I am still toying with the idea of how to best use blogging in my classes, but do know that I do what to incorporate it.
• Use self-directed or discovery learning? (find some answers on your own) - Yes, it is really nice to just sit down and search for classroom ideas. This kind of "forced" me to do the searching I always leave to another time. It also paid off because I was able to find 2 lessons that I really like and plan to use.
Please try to give specific examples of all of the above.

Finally, did you “Think Different”?Yes, especially with the topics from our textbook that we went over. It made me think about different aspects of learning, especially things like story telling, empathy and design.
Or, how has your thinking changed (if at all) as a result of taking this course?

Dan Schmit Conversation - Podcasts

Well, I took many ideas down during his talk and then accidentally dropped the site - OOPS!
The big thing that I took away from him was STORYTELLING and how it is probably one of the biggest 21 st century skills.

Dan Schmit Conversation - Podcasting

I really like his views on the learning process.
ITO - Input, Transform the "stuff" - Output
Where you can take podcasting?

• Public Relations
• Curriculular Support
• Prof Developmenet
• Course Delivery
• Academic Expression - tell the story/ how the kid looks at the problem

How do you transform the information into a way that is better for the kids?
Give kids the opportunity to address an audience.
Passive Reception to Active Creation

Podcasting gives value, purpose, authenticity, confidence!
Good podcast activities....
Has to have a purpose
Must have good sound quality
Rooted in what we are studying
Aware of the audience
Make a good plan
80% content - 20% production
Visualize your audience
Collect good evidence
Explore unique angles and perspectives
Weave a compelling story -
STORY TELLING! Probably one of the most important 21st Century Skills

Voice Threads Mania

Yesterday I was having a love-hate relationship with this site.
After making it more difficult that it acutally was, I am back to loving it!!!!!
I found how to get the Pro version for educators - FREE!!!! (read your websites carefully :)
I am going to let my kids get an account and use them for each vocabulary section of each chapter of the book!
I have already done 3 of them - so easy and fun!

1st day sample

1st Day of School

Thur. Afternoon Discussion

I agree with what Katie said about just having to step out of your comfort zone - reach out with a project - something maybe uncomfortable - and let the kids give you the knowledge.
Also- don't always give out a sample of what you are looking for - let the students show you what they can do with a problem/project.