Using Mobile technologies

This week we had to research the use of mobile technologies and create a List/portal to apply to our curricular needs.  Since I am teaching Chemistry this semester, I decided to use this opportunity to find the apps that I have been looking for to apply in my course.  It is hard to get the right demonstrations or chemicals in the school labs because of lack of money or proper storage for the corrosive chemicals that are sometimes used.  It is also hard to demonstrate the structure of atoms and how the electrons move.  The apps I selected address planning, grading, and teaching chemistry. Click on the URL below to see my list of applications.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/86566379/List-of-Apps-to-Use-for-Chemistry-Curriculum

Blending 21rst Century Literacies with Bloom's Taxonomy.

This week we had to pick some Web 2.0 tools to address a specific need in our school, classroom or district.  I chose to address the need of English Language Development in all levels at our school.  Over the last two years we have had a large number of students join our school who are either ESL, or ELL.  We also have native speakers of English who are not proficient at their grade level.  Since Indiana Department of Education is instituting a new way of grading schools on how the students perform in ISTEP and IREAD, there is great pressure on the schools to make sure that there is improvement in the child from one year to the next. If there is no improvement, then schools are graded down, and funding for voucher schools can be affected. 
This is a great opportunity for schools to ensure that every child knows how to read at grade level, as they progress from grade to grade.  Reading and comprehension affect all subjects, from English, Social Studies and Science to Math.
I looked at Bloom's Taxonomy and the 21rst Century Literacies to see how they are similar and different.  I feel that just as we use paper and pencil to accomplish all the criteria in Bloom's Taxonomy, we can use the Web 2.0 tools to do the same.  The added skills that come with 21rst Century Literacies include collaboration and ethical resposibilities. The following are the criteria I used to develop my plan:

•  Remembering and Understanding lead to proficiency in a task, so I picked sites where students could build vocabulary, spelling, and grammar skills.
• Along with these skills, reading sites were picked for developing not only reading but comprehension as well.
• To develop collaboration skills I picked sites where students could work on ideas together to share and apply their understanding of their readings.
• Analyzing and evaluating tools were then picked to develope critical thinking skills.
• For Creativity, there are so many tools. I picked one that would allow collaboration to be used also.
• Ethics can either be approached in a lecture format or we can introduce issues and educate the students, and then have them educate their peers.  The second option would allow creativity, critical thinking and collaboration.

For a guide to my plan to address Engish Language development click

http://www.scribd.com/doc/84850040  to see my power point presentation.

It is important for students to learn the basic skill of reading to succeed in their eduction.  As they advance in school they are expected to go from fun reading to reading informational texts in High School.  According to the TPACK model,, this teaching needs to be done by merging technology with the content. It is not a learning of the technology, but using the technology as a tool to learn the concepts and apply them.  It would be much more engaging for students to do interactive learning with the Web 2.0 tools for building their vocabulary and reading, than to go through flash cards or reading out loud in class.  Creating and collaborating with technology also allows students to participate, where otherwise they would  be silent.  Infusing technology into learning will help our students acquire knowledge and develop skills that will be useful in their college education and careers.

Learning Redifined by Technology

This week I explored using Windows Movie Maker to create a movie explaining how technology has redefined learning.  I was able to create the video but had difficulty saving it.  Once I copied the files to a new project the problem was solved.  I was able to add a sound track and then upload it to Youtube. Watch my movie at this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QAKNxdgik4&feature=youtu.be