Next Year

I look forward to using the summer to fully and freely explore the use of wikispaces, blogging and podcasting so that I can start next year with a renewed perspective and hopefully a better plan for implementing all three in an effective manner.

Mistakes

I have recently been receiving emails from students that are signed onto wikispaces. I am again immediately put on the defensive, as I am not used to getting personal email from students. I have also seen emails that are not necessarily directed at me, but seems to be part of a conversation. I can see how students who have not been appropriately instructed on how to use such systems could get themselves into trouble by sending the wrong email to the wrong person, although this is a typical situation that they will face when growing up in our digital world.

Coming to the End

The end of the year is coming very fast and I am still trying to fit everything in that is needed.

Finish Line in Site!

Tass and I worked on the board last week. We got GREAT support, as usual, from our Tech Coordinator Gene Agee, who took photos of our STEP team.
We will put the rest of the pictures on the board on Tuesday and spruce up our STEP sites in preparation for the Wednesday Gallery Walk.

Hopes

The most common use of technology in my classroom is the ELMO document camera. I received it last year during STEP and did not use it that much as I was not very comfortable with it, but this year I use it on a daily basis. I am hoping that next year, I will use the wikispaces, blogging and podcasting much more often in the same way as I did not use the document camera before, but do so often now.

Blog Experiment

I started a blog called "Gittin' On" using Google. The STEP team wants us to make a blog, but didn't give us any specifics, so I chose this. The county uses Google for everything now, so it should be OK for blogging. We'll see!

Thanks

Thanks to the wonderful team of STEPers at Berwyn Heights. It was difficult finishing and we are down to the wire. I appreciate how hard you pulled together to complete STEP 2. It was very poor timing for us to finish so near the end of the school year. Tas, congrats on finishing your GW certificate. Robert, thanks for keeping on as our tech leader with a smile, even though you know that your position may no longer be tech. Jessica, all this and a student intern as well, more work that we ever thought. Christian, finishing when you have all of the end of the year things to do.
I know it was not easy and I know you all did a great job.
My own special thanks to Linda who came to my rescue many times.
Here is hoping for STEP 3, could it finish in March?

You guys are the BEST or should I say the most technologically astute!

Tec Blues

I am so very sad to say that we are no longer going to have our CLE program (Music and Technology). I thought we would at least survive with our tech assistant but his position is no longer available with SOR funds. I know the students need to learn with technology. They need to experience tech daily and I do not know how we will support it. I was just talking to some people about something as little as batteries. They continue to disappear, even the rechargable ones. What will we ever do with 2 labs and computers in every one and no one responsible for them. For me the frustration of not getting things to work quickly stops me from using rhings. What will happen to labs with no one ultimately responsible. I am very nervous and anxious about how I can develop a plan that keeps us from back sliding.

Oh No!

Today is June 3, and I am one day late for completing the particulars for the STEP team!
I am reviewing everyone's Wikispace today, and making sure that all of the parts are there. All of us have been very busy, some of course implementing the tech pieces more than others.
This is natural, and the big picture is that we have all been given hardware, software, and training in how to use technology with our students to make our instruction more effective and keep motivation and engagement very high.

Wiki Wonderings

Well the kids have taken the wiki into more directions than I had anticipated or been prepared for. Shortly after introducing it on a Friday, a student logged on that same evening to continue discussing the topics and replying to others. He also sent me a personal message telling me he liked the wiki and that some students at his table had been bothering him. This has opened up a new way of communicating among students and between teacher and student. I really need to put some thought into this before using it next year. For instance, the login and passwords I gave my students is basically the same, so they could easily log on as someone else. They can also send “emails” to each other without me being aware, making this a type of social networking site, rather than for just classroom use. I need to talk with others and figure out how to address my concerns. Other than that, it has been neat to see how quickly they jumped in and began discussing the topics I started.

Electronic Year Book

Our students are beginning to create their electronic yearbook pages. They are working together in groups to create powerpoint pages that will eventually be put together to create a digital yearbook that everyone can take home on a disk. I think it is a great way to give students yearbooks while spending a reasonable amount of money.