Excel Ideas

As a teacher sent to a workshop on excel and being asked to share ideas at a faculty meeting, I came back with the following ideas and suggestions for the use of excel:

1. Placing the grades on an excel spreadsheet enables teachers to structure and organize the data to interpret it in numerous ways. Averages can be taken effortlessly. We did do this in class but you can take it a step further and produce statistics (ie: Boys vs. girls for example if needed) can be sorted out. This method helps teachers to evaluate how well the students do on assessments and tweak lessons or return to lessons accordingly. This data can be shared at faculty, team or departmental meetings. Other teachers with the same subject can show their data and problems can be worked out if one teachers data is askew. (Could be valuable for a department head looking into their teachers performances).

2. Keeping a record in excel of attendance also enables teachers to manipulate data. If a teacher wishes to see if a student who claims he/she wasn't present on a certain day, it would be very easy to sort the data to see if correct.

3. If an assignment is given with multiple due dates of materials throughout the semester, data can be stored and manipulated. You would set up columns of due dates and the assignments and the students names. This way, you could easily see who has not handed in one of the assignments and flag that or let the student know. You could show this spreadsheet as a link on your website to let students access it and see if they have any material missing. You could also post their grades here for the assignment and could import it into the grades spreadsheet when finished.

4. You could actually have a lesson plan that teaches students how to use excel for the management of their own needs. They will surely benefit from it in college and the work world. To keep them up to snuff on these programs that make life easier is very valuable. You would teach them while using content specific data from a lab, for example.

5. You can have the students in science or various other subjects utilize the charts, tables etc for submitting homework, labwork or other assignments. The various charts can manipulate data in many ways. Letting them know that excel does this is a great lesson to be taught.

Social Book Marking in the Classroom

Some of the ways that social bookmarking can help teachers and students is evident from our very class. Ms. Mislevy is able to pre-post all the articles that she wishes for us to read, or videos to watch, or other venues in one place, in one category and organized. This frees her up (as a teacher) or any teacher from having to print out an article etc, photocopy several copies and distributing. So many times while I was teaching, I spent a great deal of my valuable time at the photocopier. I would freak when I would find several of the papers I handed out, scattered on the floor on in lab stations and not taken with the student. The paper that is used is also a terrible shame. My job as a teacher will be easier by keeping things electronic so that I can save time, energy, and paper.

Students can benefit by always having the sites available to them. They can read or view right on line and not have to worry about lost or unorganized materials in binders. They can also span off from the sites to find other similar sites that can benefit them in doing their research papers, projects or just studying. They can also bookmark the sites themselves and share them.

I will absolutely use social bookmarking. Its a no-brainer.

I chose delicious because it was the first one I went to. I am sure they are all pretty good, but I settled their first. I chose it before I realized that Diigo was one or I may have chosen that site. I will probably experiment with both to see which one fits my needs best.

My delicious address is: http://delicious.com/juliehmn

collaborative Google Apps - Question 1, 9/22/09

I can think of a time when I had a lab going on in a Biology class that I was teaching and the data was a nightmare (although I always turn it around to "That's science" and how we discover new ways to do things or not to do things-its all a lesson!). Anyway, Period six (not surprising in that by the time period six did anything - we had worked out most of the kinks!!) had great data. I left the data on the chalk board for a bit in hopes that it would not be erased or vandalized. To have been able to put the data in google docs, the two classes would have been able to correspond, share, compare and add to eachothers findings - good or bad data. Period six could learn "what doesn't work"! I asked the earlier period to use period six's data. They could have corresponded with period six to ask questions as well.
An area where I could use the sites learned this week would be Science Club. We could have a Science Club Cite on google apps that would be collaborative. That would be really cool. I could also utilize it for forms (Parent signed lab safety sheets for example, handouts etc) for students to utilize. If they lose a handout, they could retrieve a new one here. The students could submint lab reports here where their lab partners could collaborate and make changes.

Google Apps Lesson Plan #2

Okay, I guess I am not "exploring" enough. I stated in my last blog that there weren't many science lessons in google apps. No sooner did I move around the site to other areas, did I find another. The site is massive (i think!?!) and a bit overwhelming for me at this time. I am not navigating through it in a good way because I do not know how I found this lesson and why it isn't where the other one was (it is listed as an idea though). Idea; Plant genetics research and data collection.
What they suggest is to have students collect data about plants with gene mutations and then share the data with other students, schools or elsewhere. They can add pictures too. This is done with google docs! There is a partnership for teachers to sign up for called: Partnership for Research and Education in Plants (PREP). Collaboration can even be done for lab reports. Very helpful and educational. I like that the kids see that they are contributing to a larger and more important cause than just be tested on it for themselves. They see the relevance. Good stuff.

Google Apps Lesson Plan - Phototsynthesis

The Google Apps Lesson plan that I am summarizing here was the only one that they had in my content area for my high school grade level. I did find one other science one for 4-6 grade but there were only two. I may be able to get a job at google adding more science app ideas!!! hahaa
Anyway, the lab for photosynthesis is great. I actually did this lab but did not know about the google docs collaborative to incorporate into the lab. This feature (google docs) could be used for any lab and for so much else. It is definitly a great tool for a science teacher. In summary, students conduct the experiment and then the data is put into a google document for sharing. They compare data, contrast and analyze the data. There are even graph templates for data to be, well, graphed. Spreadsheets of the data can be generated as well. A teacher's dream (and no, this is not an advertisement) ha ha

Social Bookmarking video

After viewing the video on del.icio.us, I am so excited. I have so many saved searches (I call them favorites, not bookmarks). Every time I save a site, I think, hmmm, will I ever see that again as I know I have a bunch to sort through to find it again. I am definitly excited about the tagging system. I signed up for my free del.iciou.us account and now have to figure out how to use it. I tried a bit (not enough time) and got a bit frustrated. I like when instructions magically appear in my brain when figuring out new things. I will play more with it later.
I am anxious to share this site with my daughter. I have four kids. My 13 year old at this point seems the most adventurous and likes to explore. My son just goes from gamestop to his computer and back again!!

Question Two Assignment for 9/14/09

Some of the R/W tools that I read about and did not know exist is Netvibes and del.icio.us. I am only hanging on a thread with other resources that I have learned about in class and in the assigned articles but I can at least now say that I have heard of them and will learn more about them as time permits. Some are "Flickr", "Frappre" "Library thing" to name just a few. I only learned this past summer what a Kendill was (I know I spelled that wrong!). Mashups are new to me, wikibios, Varnum, Retrivi are also new to me. Do you think teachers are overwhelmed right now with all there is including raising thier families or attending to personal affairs in addition to all the traditional aspects of teaching that it is just to much to keep up with? Should it be the responsibility of the school to keep thier teachers up to snuff on technologies to use in the classroom? Is there just no money to hire someone to do just that? I am feeling overwhelmed, I'll tell you by all the things that I do not know. I want to be up to speed, tech savy etc - and will earnestly try to do so, but WoW - a ton of info.
Another new technology that i am unaware of is Library 2.0. It would seem that with the vast amounts of information available, libraries have to keep up with its management and management in the best and most organized, user friendly way possible. With constant new technologies, I would think Library Sciences are flourishing right now in the colleges as a major to produce individuals capable of creating new ways to manage the information in addition to using and teaching it to others.
Google docs is a free web based word progam, presentation maker, and spreadsheet capability. You would no longer have to buy Microsoft or other software to create documents and spreadsheets. My son's new computer does not have word software, I am going to introduce him to google docs is he does not already know about it. I am not real sure what the collaboration in real time that google docs offers as stated by Wikipedia, does, but I suppose I will know soon enough (need to get on there!). I have never used Google docs.
Why is google docs an R/W program? I am trying to find out what R/W stands for!!

Question One Assignment for 9/14/09

The language that students speak is not overly forgeign to me. Every young generation has unique expressions and jokes etc. but they generally do not run around talking a new language altogethter. Having four children and four step children, I hear the expressions enough (and timley enough) to keep up for the most part. I expect when I am older, the "gap" will be further apart if I do not "keep up" with new technologies and shame on me as a teacher!!
Technologically speaking, I do have to ask certain questions when they begin to discuss new technologies or cool devices. I feel that any growth, if not abused, in areas of technology are good (better). If something can be done more efficiently or with greater ease, then so be it.
Kids do seem to naturally progress with the technologies as expected versus the older generations amazement. We seem to react differently. We have seen the world differently than kids these days. I think a greater appreciation or at least "awe" comes from that.
I wouldn't say that my own perspective differs from the students that I read about in Educause significantly but as stated just above, my sense of awe is greater. I also may be more intimidated about "another thing to learn" versus their ability to just "take it on".

Is It Age or IT: First Steps toward Understanding the Net Generation, Diana & James Oblinger

I like the term Net Gen. Has a nice ring to it. I am a Digital Immigrant but share several of the same behaviors as the Net Gen. I like to stay connected constantly and am always wanting to learn more via the internet. I like the "immediate" responses that are attainable by being "conected". Experientially, I can go both ways. I like to be told what to do in addition to "doing". Socially, I have lag and that could very well be due to a person's personality. I sort of prefer to not be too socially connected. I cancelled my face book account for a few different reasons that I won't go into here but keeping up with all my cousins was getting tiring.
I wonder why the net gen prefers to work in teams. I guess because they are so social and "connected". According to the article they crave interactivity and a rapid pace.
The article states that the net gen prefers working on things that matter. Hmmmm, not so sure about this one. Seems more nonsense is around these days (especially on you tube) than I have ever seen. Not that this is not okay, just an observation.
It is very interesting to read the statistics provided in this article. Do these stats change as fast as technology does though? Are these already outdated??

Blogs: Webs of Connected Learning, Miquel Guhlin

Not bloggin? May be missing out? Seems to be true. I think, however, they may be needs for bloggers cliff notes or do I know so little about blogging that that is a ridiculous statement. To a newcomer of blogging, the overwhelmingness of it all is breathtaking. Where to begin?
Guhlin speaks of how one can miss out on pertinent information like the abuses of My space by not reading the blogs. I wonder if there is one missing generation blogging than any other? I use to be a Volunteer Coordinator for the ARC. The missing group was mostly woman during the child rearing ages due to their increased responsibilities. They just didn't have time. I know I don't. Okay, back to the article.
I agree that in a world that is now connected by the web, it is important for our children to be connected but I agree with Guhlin in that safety is a concern and including parents in the concern.

The 21st Century Digital Learner

Kids are dieing of boredom left and right. The coffins are sitting and waiting right outside the classroom. Okay, I am exagerating but the boredom claim is true. I have heard it So, it is being said that we are not teaching them the way they need to be taught based on their technological age. Maybe true, maybe part true, maybe not true. I assume this is all theoretical but believable. I personally think it is partially true. The panels conducted by Marc seem to be awesome and very necessary. Maybe in addition to teaching "white haired" educators how to teach the technology students, we should be conducting simultaneous panels to discuss ways to get the educators to teach differently. I think kids now are faced with immediate satisfaction and constant "doing". They want this in the classroom. I feel further study should be conducted as to the complete dismissal of traditional learning though. It has gotten us to the technological age that we are in and must not be discredited. I think kids need to learn control and be more passionate about things other than thier entertainment and stimulation. Doesn't self control to do something even when you do not want to build character?

Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age article

Okay. I have read this article but am now going to go back and read it again as it is not an easy read (for me at least anyway, and I consider myself a very good comprehender). Maybe it is just the style of George Siemen that I am having trouble with, but the whole of the article is not "gel -ing" for me. The terminology used is either foreign or new for me making it more difficult. I believe he is stating the current and past theories of learning that are familiar to those who are familar to them (Educators). He is then bridging to a need for a new theory due to the increased technology that students or any individuals face today. I do like how he talks of knowledge half-life. I have often thought of the fact that what is learned can become obsolete if education is not continuously sought in many areas. I find that I lag in becoming more computer savy due to the constant and continuous efforts that would need to be made to "keep up". As a mother of 4, a wife, worker, and student - when would I have time!!!
I highlighted and starred the part where George stated that learning theories are concerned with the actual process of learning, not with the value of what is being learned. I think that was a very profound statement and worth further investigation that I may someday have time to do.
The jist of the article, "connectivism" is an attempt by George and those who agree with him to present an alternitive and very different theory of learning based on every changing information and how it is aquired. Information availability is huge now and knowing hoiw to "draw distinctions" on what is important and what is not is "vital" to learning.

Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Article

In reading this article by Marc Prensky, I must admit I became excited in thinking that I could better teach science to the natives by way of incorporating digital games and other technologies into the lessons. I will first admit, as a digital immigrant, I PRINTED OUT the article and then highlighted pertinent parts for myself. I wanted a "paper copy". What an immigrant I am. I do not wish, however, to remain that way. Wouldn't a Science game where the cell fights off invaders and all the cell parts have their "weapons" etc. be fun??? I will google to see if games like this exist.
I do not wish to discuss the "good ol days" as I am not so sure they are. They were what we had and so be it. If kids today actually do have different brains as per the article, then we must adapt.

A New Days Blog 1

Hello - if you found me, I'm a bloggin. I'm blogging about blogging. I am learning about blogging in my tech class. Did I mention I did not have to purchase a text book? I love my Tech Teacher. She blogs. She is a blogging machine. Do you blog?