Thursday, April 24, 2008

Shift Happens

Thanks for all your comment. Chuck sent a UTube link that I'd like to pass along. It's from a wiki site called Shifthappens.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U&feature=relat
I hope you are all recovered and using something that you learned in class.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Web Sites- Good or Bad

Thanks for your comments. I agree that students much prefer the Internet for research over print material. The research tools that libraries subscribe to should be as accurate as reference books, but students often don't differentiate between reliable sources and regular web sites. If you are interested in teaching students to look closer at sites, check my home page, under web evaluation.
These two sites will provide a variety of lessons and worksheets for different levels.

http://www.cyberbee.com/guides.html

http://www3.widener.edu/Academics/Libraries/Wolfgram_Memorial_Library/Evaluate_Web_Pages/Original_Web_Evaluation_Materials/6160/

Thanks for taking my class. I've enjoyed our time together, and hope that you have learned something that you can take back to your school and use.

Monday, April 14, 2008

The Times They Are A Changin' Web 2.0

Our next meeting will deal with the "new" web. We'll look at how it's different, and even more importantly, what these differences might mean for schools. I'd like you to think about two elements of this change that are already apparent, and the impact that these shifts might have on schools. The first change that I see is that students are increasingly using the web as a source for their information, and most students do not evaluate web sites critically. The second shift, in my opinion, is that our primary means of communicating is moving from print (the use of words) to media, including pictures, video, and sound.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Reading Resources

Hope you are all relaxing and resting for next week.
For those of you who teach reading in the primary grades or ESL, I suggest that you look at some of the reading sites on my home page. These are on the second page of resources and listed under Reading Games, Kids Sites for Reading, and ESL.
Teachers Net http:theteachersnet.org/reading.htm
Take a quick look at: Starfall http://starfall.com
RIF Reading Planet listen-to stories
http://www.rif.org/readingplanet/bookzone/default.mspx
and the list of elementary sites listed under ESL.
If you teach middle school or high school literature, you should be familiar with
Spark Notes http://sparknotes.com and Pink Monkey.
If your own children are learning to read, they might also enjoy these.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Spring is Here - Maybe

Hi,
Even though it is technically Spring, and you would probably rather be home watching a baseball game, I'm very glad to have you in class. I'm also happy that we have such an interesting mix of teachers represented. If you have a special interest that you want to pursue, or if you are having problems, please see me. Based on the papers that I have graded, the pace seems about right.
My goals are to give you an overview of the Internet and how it can be used in the classroom, to update some specific Internet skills, and to provide the opportunity to tap into resources of in-class colleagues. Hopefully, we'll also have some fun, and spring will come by the time we are finished.
Some time during this class, you will have to send a comment for one of my blog postings. Just click on the comment link below the post (message) write your comment, sign your initials, and post it. I'll explain in class. See you Thursday. M