Common Sense Classroom

One of the things I liked best about Twitter, reclusive person that I am, is the fact that I could lurk and learn without having to take the risk of  “putting myself out there” by participating in the conversation.  Of course, I did participate when I had something to say, but that (very much like my sporadic posting schedule on this blog) was inconsistent at best.  Of course, it did help my “participation quotient” when I met several fellow tweeters face-to-face at conferences, but with no accountability other than the incentive of discovering new tools to share with my colleagues, and finding out how my cyber-friends were doing; I really had no incentive to do more than prowl around scavenging tidbits left on the stream by the folks I followed.

Then there was the tweet that changed everything…

Someone (I think it may have been @lparisi, though I’m not certain) posted a link to a screencast of Liz B. Davis  exploring Plurk.  I was so intrigued, I  set up my own profile and began to explore this alternative microblogging platform.

Now, my vision for how I would use Plurk was much the same as the way I used Twitter – free on-demand professional development.  I built my network by first finding the folks I followed on Twitter who were also taking Plurk for a “test drive”, then I checked out who they had befriended.  Before I knew it, my Plurk timeline was filled with fascinating information, useful tools, and a lot of very friendly conversation.

The conversation threads made it so much easier to follow interesting discussions than what I had experienced on Twitter.  It also allowed me to see the entire dialogue, including folks who would not have otherwise appeared on my timeline.  When an unfamiliar person contributed an especially thought provoking or pithy response to the discussion, I would often “pop over” to their profile and either become their fan, or request friendship.

When I began to accumulate a number of friends and fans, an amazing thing happened…I gained karma!  Yes, my friends, you read me right -  karma.

Now, here’s the way Plurk karma works:   the more active you are, the more karma points you earn.  As you gain more karma, you are rewarded with the priviledge of changing the title on your page and a growing  library of  fun emoticons.  Of course, if you don’t devote a little time to quality Plurking each day, you begin to lose karma – which is the bain of every plurker’s existence.  Be careful! If you are anything like me, it is easy to unwittingly become a little obsessed with karma. . . but never fear – your plurk friends will help you out with a karma boost when you really need it, just be sure to recipricate the favor when their turn comes around.  After all, you should always plurk unto others as you would have them plurk unto you!

Karma kidding aside, the small measure of accountability that those pesky points gave me, along with the conversation threads being so much easier to follow and contribute to,  had an unexpected impact on the way I use this microblogging platform.  I became more of an active participant rather than lurking in the background filling my delicious and diigo sites with educational bookmarks galore (although I do still do that).  I also became a much more social member of the community.  I’m not sure if it is the organization of the site itself, or the encouraging, caring nature of the fabulous members of my precious Plurk PLN, but I truly look forward to connecting with these folks on a daily basis.  I love to encourage, and be encouraged by them. I genuinely care about the struggles and celebrations they share on the public stream and via private plurks.  They’ve inspired me to be a more social being, not just in cyberspace, but in real life as well.

So, for this I extend to my fellow plurkers, my heartfelt thanks.  It is because of you that I’m no longer lurking. . . I’m Plurking!

This post is WES specific, but any folks using Gradespeed on their campuses may find the instructions in the screencast helpful.

Greetings wonderful WES faculty!  Please follow the directions for setting your email contact information in this screencast.   I hope this is helpful!

If you are in any way unfamiliar with the NCLB Act, you probably don’t reside in the U.S.A.  No Child Left Behind has been the mantra of those who hang out in educational circles for the better part of a decade. While I have always been quite vocal in my assertion that, “Every child I’m given the privilege of teaching WILL learn as much as they are able (beyond what I expected, or even hoped) within the time I have to spend with them – no excuses!”; I have an additional concern that often weighs heavily upon my heart.

While reading the chapter 4 about wikis in Will Richardson’s book, Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms,  the following passage started me thinking:

Already, students are turning to Wikipedia as a resource for research, much to the chagrin of many teachers and librarians.  As we’ve already discussed with blogs, knowing what sources to trust is becoming a much more labor-intensive exercise, and wikis, with many often anonymous authors, make that even more difficult.  The  idea that “it might be wrong” is a tough one for most people to overcome. (p. 59)

As I read this, my mind began to wander away from the examination of the role of  wikis in the classroom, to a quandary that has been a constant topic of conversation since I entered the online discussion regarding all things Edtech.  I began to reflect on the laments I have heard continuously from tech directors, coaches and facilitators throughout my PLN (both web-based and in RL).  They express a deeply felt concern that there are scores of teachers who are still reluctant to embrace technology as an integral part of the classroom curriculum. Tech integration as a seamless part of the content based curriculum seems to be beyond the comprehension of, what is perceived as, the vast majority of teachers.

This is a broad generalization, but in 19 years of public education I’ve made some observations.  Teachers tend to be “control freaks” by nature, and usually will not enthusiastically venture into things which we believe go beyond what fits into our personal sense of “rightness”.  Most teachers also seem to be resistant to change, and given a choice would probably never move to a new classroom, grade level or content area.  Finally, teachers are very busy folks, and find it difficult to give up things seen as “tried and true”, in favor of things that don’t fit into our entrenched paradigms of “quality” education.

The central question:  What is holding all of these teachers back and what can we do to change it?

I’ve often wondered, as technology liaison on my own campus, if it is a simple “fear factor” that holds some of my colleagues back.  Is embracing technology like going to the dentist – “I’m not sure what to expect, but I’m fairly certain I’m not going to like it…” -  thus leading to avoidance behavior?

I confess, there are many times, when I encounter a new tech tool that seems beyond my scope of current understanding, I still get that “niggling” feeling at the back of my neck.  I frequently face that moment of, “I don’t know if I can do this…” – but I don’t let it hold me back.  I just go ahead, dig in, and give it a go.  Unfortunately, I seem to be part of the exception, not the rule.  I have to admit, it bothers me more than a little bit that my young 1st grade students, who are into blogging, wikis, digital storytelling, and other  Web 2.0 technologies, are not likely to have the opportunity to grow in their use of the read/write web once they move beyond my classroom.  This could very easily lead me to embrace the pessimistic view held by many of my techie colleagues, but…

I see a new dawn on the horizon!

Through my online PLN I have been able to “hook up” with other like-minded educators, which make me feel part of a larger community and not quite so isolated as I explore things I never would have tried on my own.  I have my own 24/7 tech support when I get in over my head with an unfamiliar tool, courtesy of Twitter and Plurk. This opportunity has enabled me to create working models to use as examples to help more reluctant teachers visualize the possibilities, which could not have been conceived within their current scope of understanding.  Also, a climate of collaboration which has been encouraged by my past and current administrators, as well as a wonderful technology coach (even if he is my husband) who is there virtually “on demand” as much has possible, has created an environment for change.

In our culture of instant gratification, the change might seem like the ripple made by a gnat upon a great lake of calm waters; but it is change nonetheless.  I see change when there is an uproar led by the “old guard” teachers when email or network service goes down. I see change when teachers stream video to bring content areas alive rather than using the book and its worksheet companion.  I see change when teachers are using web-based applications as a literacy work station in the classroom on a daily basis.  I see change where within 3 years time, I went from being the only classroom blogger in my building, to having one or more active classroom bloggers in each grade level.  I see change.  I see change!

With a climate of collaboration and support, quality real-life classroom examples, and the enthusiasm of a few crazy teachers like myself, more and more students are having daily opportunities to work with Web 2.0 technologies, and as with all change – it starts small, but it begins to grow exponentially.

How do I hope to make sure there is no teacher left behind?  Easy!  Have a vision for the change I want to see, then let that change begin with me.

References:

Richardson, Will. Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. California: Corwin Press Inc.,U.S., 2008.

Through my husband Jamie’s PLN on Plurk, I have been able to hook up with the delightful Carrie Whalen and a group of great educators for a book study on Will Richardson’s book: Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms.  We are using a meeting room app called Wiggio which is entirely text based, but has served our group quite well as a collaborative tool. 

After watching the “What is Wiggio?” video above, I began to wonder if this tool might have more to offer me than a one time book study platform I was invited to join.  I participate in a lot of groups on and off campus and I tend to live in frazzled state of frustration as I try to remember who I’ve emailed, who I’ve spoken to in the hallway because I know they won’t be checking their email, who is absent and not getting the information at all, and what information did I include/exclude when I communicated with the folks I was able to contact. 

What if I had one place where I organized all of my different groups?  What if all of my members had their cell phone numbers, as well as email addresses in their profiles?  What if I wanted to let all of my students parents (who don’t use RSS) know I’ve posted new information on my classroom blog?  Wouldn’t it be great to send a text to everyone without having to go dig my cellphone out of my purse? Could Wiggio make my life easier and  be a great platform for future collaborative book studies? You know, I think I might give this a try…

I’ll let you know how it turns out! 

Kerrie was invited to present her classroom blog at the TATN Event at TCEA 2009 in Austin. The picture shows the  student’s Water Cycle video.  They created it with Windows Movie Maker.  

This post was written by my husband, Jamie Gustin, who is a Technology Coach and Distance Learning Facilitator for our district.  It was reposted here before the server housing the TCEA 2009 blog is shut down August 1, 2009.  Here are Jamie’s impressions of my presentation…

Leslie Vazquez- Nieves, a 4th grade bilingual teacher in Georgetown ISD, uses powerpoint and clay animation with her students to demonstrate their understanding of animal environments and adaptations. She carefully monitors student progress throughout the project to insure that students are on the right track as they work through what they are learning.

All materials for the project with the exception of the clay, must be recycled.

She shares her view that students must be proficient in the use of productivity software, like Word, Power Point, digital cameras etc. that they will need for the project before they begin work.

At the end of the project all students in the school grades 3-5 as well as the faculty vote on who they think the winnners should be.

The lesson can be found on Mrs. Vazqez’s Website .

Christi Everett from Bryan ISD shared how she used interactive websites to study the various weather events in our area.  You can see her entire unit on the right navigation bar on her homepage.

It was a great fast paced session with a LOT of awesome weather links, some of which I am currently using on my classroom blog, and some I will be adding to my blog very soon!

True confession: Contrary to popular opinion, I am not a social butterfly.  I am generally quite reclusive by nature, and social networking has always held little-to-no appeal for me.  That is, until I was shown the error (and limited thinking) of my ways by many colleagues at NECC 08.

Take it from a long-term social networking hold-out, Twitter has proven to be the most powerful tool for professional development I have ever experienced.   Social Networking for the sake of socializing seemed to be a waste of my precious non-working minutes.  However, blog posts such as this Edutopia piece, “Twittering, Not Frittering: Professional Development in 140 Characters”  really helped dispel my concerns about wasting my time on the application.  

My first order of business after creating my personal profile, was to begin searching for folks to learn from.  I began by following the folks I met at NECC08 who already use Twitter as a tool for professional development and collaboration.  Then I looked at the folks they were following and added many of them.  Durff’s Blog gives some common sense guidance on making good “follower” decisions. Within minutes of engaging in the conversation, I had bookmarked at least 15 links to applications that would have an immediate and direct impact not only on my own learning, but also that of my students and colleagues. 

Of course, as with any application, there are draw-backs. Twitter is limiting. You are confined to the 140 character format and the real-time timeline makes conversations difficult to follow sometimes (which is why I also Plurk).  One of my favorite bloggers, wrote a great post, “What I Hate About Twitter”.  I really appreciate this post by Will Richardson, mainly due to the conversation it inspired. You will see the true value and depth of the piece if you read the comments section,  which brings us back to the power of all social media as a professional development tool.  It is, quite simply, about the conversation.  Well used, tools like Twitter can help you “hook up” with amazing folks from around the world in the 140 character format, but through links can lead you to collaboration in the deeper format of blogs, wikis, webconferencing, webcasting and other applications that I have not yet had the time or opportunity to explore.

Bottom line:  Twitter  is indeed the most powerful tool for professional growth that I have experienced. I now have access to a world-wide Personal Learning Network that is ever-growing, ever-changing, and ever-challenging.  My learning is no longer limited to budget, location, or availability.  I have the world in my laptop, on my couch, in my living room.  Give it a try – your world will never be the same.

It has now been a full month since NECC 2008 which has proven to be one of the most eye-opening experiences of my career in public education, and here I am continuing my near perfect record of being late to the conversation. Where have I been the last several weeks? Well, when I wasn’t off summer vacationing, I was actively turning my new learning into practical application.  So, here at long last, are the people, places and things from my San Antonio experience which continue to resonate clearly:

Ian Jukes speaks my language!  When he began talking about the myelination of neural pathways, I felt like I was at a Reading Recovery Conference that I had attended over six years ago, which completely changed my teaching approach  to a consistantly multisensory model.  While the rest of the audience was pondering the differences between digital natives and digital immigrants, which you can read more about in this handout, I was experiencing a profound sense of relief that I had some background knowledge to bring to the experience.  As far as the my digital citizenship goes, I think I am probably more of a digital tourist on an extended vacation.  I really can’t claim digital native status, and I am a bit too nostalgic to truly be considered an immigrant.  I enjoy coming out to play and learn with the kiddos on a regular basis, and as a tactile/kinesthetic learner myself, it is fairly easy for me to adapt to the environment. However, I truly prefer spending time with my dusty old books, graphite pencil and Big Chief tablet too much to lobby the embassy for my immigration papers.

Among a host of other actionable gems, Chris O’Neal made an excellent point about how more and more parents are requesting teachers based on the way they use technology in their classrooms.  I can certainly see this happening as I speak to parents around my school district. Many parents have expressed concern that their children will not have the opportunity to continue to use the web based technologies that they had in my class the previous school year.  As a parent, that is a concern to which I can truly relate.  As a teacher, I simply try to be the kind of teacher I want for my own children. 

I learned what a NING was, joined one, and participated in the discussion, all during the Birds of a Feather Classroom 2.0 discussion/session.  I’m truly thankful my husband was sitting beside me at that moment, as I would likely have not been able to navigate to it on my own, even with Steve Hargadon’s kind and patient guidance, due to a sudden serious case of cognitive overload.  Following that session, I met and spoke with Karen Greenwood-Henke of the Long Tailed Learners blog, and found myself featured there not long after the conference.  As I’ve continued to follow her micro-interviews, with some really amazingly smart and influential folks through the summer, I  find myself becoming more and more overwhelmed by the magnitude of everything and everyone that is “out there” in the wide world of edtech.  The world may be flat, but it is still very, very big meandering place – and I am so unbelievably small, and totally out of my element as I continue my personal exploration.

The conversations that I just “happened into” throughout the conference were many, profound, and several of them are ongoing.  That is the true power of all of these tools – I actually feel more connected to many of the people I met, now that I am home.  They are only a click away, and unbelievably eager to help me with any confusion I may experience as I work to put all that I am learning into practice.

Then there was the Blogger’s Cafe, where I was able to happily ”lurk” and listen, as well as participate in many great conversations about making school a better, more connected place for kiddos to grow and experience their world.  It was a joy to meet many folks from the Open PD gang face to face.  Most of my favorite moments from the conference took place in this location, including the one pictured below: 

 This is the funny moment Darren Draper wrote about in his reflection post about NECC 2008.  Karl Fisch was a genuine good sport, sheepishly allowing several of us to capture this Kodak moment. No, that really isn’t the same shirt he was wearing for his cover shot, but it was so close – I wasn’t the only one who did a double take.  Chris Lehmann bringing his copy of the magazine that day:  priceless! 

Finally, the most pivotal moment of the conference for me came during the final panel session about viral professional development, moderated by Vicki Davis.  We were drawn to the session because the Open PD folks (Robin Ellis, Darren Draper and Kelly Dumont) were participating, and I left the session a changed and highly motivated teacher. During the session, Darren described Twitter as a really powerful tool for professional development.  Up to that point I had been a Twitter holdout, being way too busy for “social” networks. Powerful “learning” networks on the other hand are a completely different story.  So, the first thing I did when we got home was sign up for the Twitterverse . . . and I have been learning nonstop ever since.  I will talk more about Twitter, and how it has changed my learning paradigm in my next post.

Final disjointed thoughts:  NECC 2008 was a grand adventure in a beautiful city.  This post, outlining just a few of my personal highlights, cannot possibly do justice to the experience.  I learned about an overwhelming number of diverse tools which I have yet to explore.  I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned with my colleagues at school.  I am really looking forward to the endless possibilities that this school year holds for my new 1st grade apprentices.  For all of these things, I thank you NECC folks!  I look forward to continuing the conversation . . .