Thank you!

Greeting students

Ms. Independent

A family like mine

This storybird was composed for my digital storyboard assignment. This story celebrates family values. This is a creation of a family who is attentive, supportive, and active. Such family exist and their experiences are models for those seekink an example of an ideal family.

Link to Diigo

https://www.diigo.com/ditem_mana3/extract_annotations?link_ids=155624179


My Diigo library has 19 resources that are easily accessible for future reference.

https://www.diigo.com/user/itajamaica

Migrants among us

My students were blown away by the facts they learned from reading the biography of Cesar Chavez. I built on this lesson by challenging the students to find out who among the staff or their peers are migrants to the United States of America. As a substitute for individual pictures, and for protection, students suggested the use maps or flags. Using flags won out. So, a Voicethread was done to share what was learned about those who migrated to the USA.

Hartford's Circus Fire

An account of the 1944 circus fire that occured at the site where Wish Elementary School is now located. The narratation is done by Chase O. a 5th grade student.

Storybird sample

I have not fully mastered Storybird, but I find the Youtube tutorials very helpful. I do need some guidance in creating the cover page.

NCTE National Standards

The NCTE latest amendments to its national standards reflect the evolution in learning as it relates to learning in the 21st century and the advent of technology.

The article is presented in a reader friendly language for busy educators who can access it from their Diigo library. The text does provoke ones train of thought to cause the reader to wonder if the standards are being met as teachers prepare students to learn through technology.

I like how the standards address the legal and ethical aspects of multimedia education. I'm certain all teachers will frequently reference these sets of standards.

Storybird or Photo Story 3 ?

I did view the embedded tutorial on Photo Story 3. I found it very helpful.  Explored  Storybird presentation and registered for it. Still conflicted regarding which to use for the next project. I can create a Photo Story on immigration based on the curriculum; Cesar Chavez and migrant workers. However, with my skill, I'm leaning towards Storybird, but I need to connect it to a subject area.

I'm seeking suggestions for my 5th grade students.

Facebook aiding victims of cyberbullying

Have not thought of cyberbullying in recent months. Channel 8 caught my attention with its reporting on Facebook's new approach to addressing the problem.

http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/health/yale-researchers-and-facebook-engineers-create-system-to-report-cyberbullying

Richardson's chapters 7&8

Flickr and Podcast; who coined these words? I'm intrigue by the spelling of 'Flickr'. I am positive the folks at Webster Dictionary are busy with updates as new digital terms emerge at a steady pace.

Technology has certainly offered educators and students many options for learning. Digital learning has taken the education of students out of the textbook. Through the use of Flickr, any school events can be digitally produced for review or for the archive. Think about having such a resource to convince the school board, donors or parents about the benefits of a possible learning field trip. This is especially true for learning experiences to far away places. Producing photos and videos on Flickr address different learning styles of our students.

Digital learning is the answer to the students who struggle in their academic class. Introducing these learners to the possibilities of Podcast will highlight their abilities as they manage the technical aspect of producing a Podcast presentation. Students can use Podcast to share their learning even at the national level. I'm excited to learn from students from different regions of our nation.

This class has open up a world of learning that I did not know existed. There are such a variety of Read/Write Web learning that I personally want to be selective in the ones I present to my students, so as a learning community we can grow in proficiency.

Animoto:Renown African Americans

During this month, February, my school, like many other schools in our nation will focus on studying the history of African Americans. My students will be impressed with this animoto video. Some of them will be in a state  disbelief when they learn that I made the video.

To celebrate the month, they will create a learning board in the hallway of African American inventors. They will compose poems. The class library will be suplemented with books about African Americans. The students will view related videos on Brainpop and Youtube. The month's celebration will culminate with a school wide concert.

This animoto video will lay the foundation for the learning activities related to Black History Month.
The students will request that the video be stopped for them to share their background knowledge of any of the individuals on the video. With this video, I want the students to learn about more African Americans than they do now. An extension to the initial activity will for the students to select an individual from the video for further research to do a presentation. They will find additional information in sites listed in my Diigo library.

http://www.aawc.com/paa.html

http://african-americaninventors.org/

http://www.blackinventor.com/

 http://animoto.com/play/07jkkYK1OsUYME0hntbf6w
 

Diigo makes it easy

After setting up Diigo I can see why Eric was giving it high endorsement. It's such a time saver. Using it will eliminate frustrations the students usually encounter when they do research study and the following day they attempt to locate the site again.

They will first use Diigo library for their planned Social Studies project.

Enjoy Teaching Your Students the 13 Colonies

This may help me and my students learn the original 13 colonies.

On the Road: Young girl hatches rescue plan to save family

Video to teach Character Education. I'm always on the look out for articles or videos to impress on my students how children as young as they are have thought of creative ideas to make a difference.

Sports for students with disabilities: A civil right

Schools must include students with disabilities in their sports program or create equal alternate options. So said the U.S. Department of Education. The decision has some similarities to Title IX. The argument... -It's a civil right matter -Builds wholesome character traits -Provides exercise for the usually sedentry children with disabilities Ideas for accommodations were stated. However, major change would require that a separate league be created. At my school I see the students with disabilities having Physical Education classes. I've never thought to ask how their lessons differ from the more able bodied students.Are the students with disabilities at your school involve in P.E. class? Do you think this mandate was necessary?
Click here for full article

Reading Vocabulary video: Lou Gehrig

Vocabulary lesson from read aloud story, Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man. Can't wait for my students to see it. http://animoto.com/play/lvGFiFDWmEEJ5ozfTIu4ZQ

Reading vocabulary

Reading vocabulary

This is my animoto video to teach vocabulary to my students and providing them with visuals to associate with their vocabulary.
Our read aloud lesson is based on Paul Revere's Midnight Ride. And, for my initial attempt with animoto, I created this learning video to ensure comprehension of the words and pictoral representation.




Make your own photo slideshow at Animoto.

Validation for Wikipedia

Wikipedia's founder, Jimmy Wales, had the most ambitious vision for his site. He declared that his site will allow access to the sum of all human knowledge. I imagine at the time he had his skeptics. But, he is definitely a true visionary.

Sometime in the past I was made to understand that Wikipedia is a site that is edited by 'everyday people'. Right away I ruled it out as a source for information. Now, all that I have read about the site, has made me into a believer that Wikipedia is a valid source of information. The site was endorsed by Apple founder, Steve Job. A recent survey found that 4 out of 5 experts supported the argument that the site is a comparable source of information. Also, some trusted news outlets have used Wikipedia as a source. These and other stamp of endorsement are instrumental in the successes the site is enjoying.

The site exist throuth the collaboration of thousand of regular people. Collaboration is encouraged by teachers at all levels of the learning process. The successes that approach produces, is the concept behind the launch the functioning of Wikipedia. The editors at Wikipedia are reaching a large audience. Therefore, teachers who expose their students to Wikipedia are giving them the opportunity to communicate with a large audience.

I am now convinced that the wikipedia site offers valid information and my views have certainly changed.

Online Collaborative Inquiry

Students who have been taught how to blog and from whom blogging is assigned task are enjoying the benefit of improved performance in schools.

I cannot recall any recent instant when a student refused to do a computer based assignment. With an enrollment of 25 students and 4 computers, I allow some who arrive early to have computer time as early as 20 minutes before the official start of the school day.

My wish is to be a skilled blogger so I can get my students blogging. I know my students will benefit from haaving international friends. They'll eagerly anticipitate responses from their blogs. And, they will be conscientious in responding with the best comments.

The dialog will enhance their performances language arts and current and international matters.

To you who have done blogging with your students, would you agree that digital learning holds students' attention to task? Also, do you have data to support its affect on learning?

National Education Technology Standards for Teachers have clearly stated the skill sets teachers need to plan learning that have transitioned from traditional learning to being centered around global digital learning experiences.

• The standards set forth technological skills and knowledge teachers need to have in their capacity as learners and educators to enable them to function in an ever evolving digital world.
• Teachers use their knowledge of specific subjects, and couple that with technology to ensure learning that are face to face as well as in the digital community.
• Teachers are expected to develop the skills of creating digital learning activities that range from learning, differentiation, and assessment.
• Teachers are required to use digital tools to demonstrate their skill level, support learning, and communication.
• In the classroom. teachers must teach and model acceptable digital safety, behaviors, and legal expectations.
• Teachers must be receptive to avail themselves to become skilled in the ongoing enhancemnts in the digital world.

Authors's Purpose

Authors write their text for different reasons. A text can be written to explain, describe, entertain, or persuade.

• A text that explains, gives details about how some is done.

• A text that describes give facts and details about how some thing looks.

• A text that entertains usually teach a life lesson or contains humor.

• A text that persuades tries to convince the reader to make a decision.

Ita M. Brown
EDUC 584


In recent years school districts and educators have been accused of hindering the learning of their students. At first read such a statement may seem ludicrous. But, those accusers can support their claims. With the ever evolving digital technology, it has been stated that: education has been slow to adapt to these new tools and potentials. (Richardson, 2010. p. 3)

Nationally, school districts are providing technology at varying rates. The main justification is likely funding. Then, there are teachers who are not like digital risk takers like their students, (speaking personally). Some students continue to amaze some of their teachers when they demonstrate their comfort in navigating digital medium. Our students have no reservation or fear of technology. In most cases, they are self taught.

Using data from the National Education Technology Plan of 2005 (Richardson, 2010, p. 7) shared that; students today regardless of their age are far ahead of their teachers in computer literacy. I am embarrass to say I'm one of those teachers. But, I think I;m ready to fully enter the digital age to fully benefit me and my students. Listening to my fellow colleagues talk about one computer for their students, I should count myself fortunate to have 5 computers for 25 students. To allow them sufficient digital learning time I schedule students to come to the class before the official start of the day. Further evidence of ny committment to digital collaborative learningfor my students was me recently spending $400.00 to purchasr a used projector and a used laptop to present lessons mainly mainly from Brainpop and Youtubr.

There are an ever chanding trend in technology. To allow their students to engage in participatory learning, school districts need to provide the tolls both the learners and educators need.