Tooling with Moddle: My first experience

What is Moodle? Why Moodle?
A learning management system that enables collaborative efforts among teachers and students. It allows an interactive learning experience that engages and empowers students. In my words, it creates a stream of learning experiences that conveys a flow of the activities. That is, students can view the entire unit monitoring where its going and where it has been.

Why I will use it:

Permanency and reviewability: Because the unit and its activities is listed, students can monitor the flow of the unit. They can review content – always and anywhere.

Self-paced: Students miss class for many reasons. When a unit is designed in Moodle they can pick up where they left off at school or anywhere else. If the content is more difficult for one student than another, then they can proceed at their own pace utilizing resources on and offline for assistance. An example of this might be the presentation of a lesson that is difficult to comprehend might be reviewed via an audiocast, or video, or slide show. (The teacher would have to create this ahead of time but not necessarily since it could be created as needed. Not to mention a student that does understand could create a different way to understand the content and post it to the forums in Moodle and students can view the content there)

Anytime and Anywhere learning

Offline facilitation: Students meet with teacher throughout any teaching and learning experience to check on understanding. (This could be done via synchronous or asynchronous modes (chat) or email.

Student empowerment: Although not an advertised use, I like that fact that since students can view the learning they can also have input into the design, content, and use.

Visit http://mevl.net/course/view.php?id=306

Visit http://moodlea.blogspot.com/2008/03/does-vle-need-content.html

My vacation in the Public Domain

No brochure had to tell me where to go this Feb vacation. But my wallet and gas prices did. No matter. I went to that place I love the best and found me a boatload of free stuff. I love to read but I love to read flyfishing books that focus more on history than travel or tackle. Stuff like the red coats fly fishing during the Rev War or NY’s booming brook trout years during the Civil War. Sherman took a few minutes to fly fish before his rage on the South. Anyway, I found free books not at local libraries but ‘in the Public Domain’. As you may or may not know, books published before 1923 are without copyright so downloading them or viewing them online can be done without violating copyright laws. Here is what you do, go to

The Internet Archive (300,000 public domain books)
Google Books (1.7 million public domain books)
Universal Library (600,000 public domain books)
Project Gutenberg (20,000 public domain books)
WikiSource (69,000 pages)
Microsoft digitizing project
Open library http://www.openlibrary.org/details/historyofflyfish00hillrich

Because I am interested in local books (New England), I found “With Fly Rod and Camera” by Edward Samuels http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=YzYCAAAAYAAJ&dq=with+fly+rod+and+camera&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=hyPojfk_hA&sig=l5OVBN37GPYU6-pKPQqle7hiAE8 . This gem will help keep the winter blahs at bay.

But my greatest find was the book by John Burroughs’ “Speckled Trout”. Wow! Not to mention "Favorite Flies and their Histories" by Orvis

And although not a fishing book, G.K. Chesterton’s “The Everlasting Man” was added to my list.

So you might be wondering how I will read these books stored on my computer. I will read some online, print some parts of some books, and I will send some to Public Domain Reprint service http://www.publicdomainreprints.org/ .Here they will bind the book for me.

Happy reading!

Gaming software in your budget?

Education is boring to most students but one would be hard pressed to prove that students find learning boring. Most of your lessons are boring and you’re the dispenser of knowledge but not a guarantor of learning. As many have finished budgets many have considered school supplies for purchasing. Textbook purchases spurned debates because the rationale to purchase textbooks these days should be tempered with the knowledge that many online textbooks and teaching sources are free. So why buy thousands of dollars worth of textbooks that will rarely get used and destroyed? Some have considered this point and decided to focus on other teaching and learning tools. Some have focused on interactive and visual devices like Smartboards and LCD projectors – and other technologies. But all these tools seem to be somewhat less than passive tools for dispensing knowledge. And these tools are no different than using textbooks.

If experts say that students need to become creative-thinkers, problem-solvers, life-long learners, then how do we create a learning environment that encourages thinkers? We need stimulating, collaborative, active, and self-fulfilling tools. Textbooks are under-stimulating and isolating. Smartboards and LCD projectors are glorified presentation tools but a little more stimulating than textbooks. Has anybody put in for educational video games – or perused free ones like http://www.re-mission.net/ , http://www.food-force.com/ , http://www.darfurisdying.com/, Legend of Zelda, Morrowind ? Or costly ones like Myst, Civilization, TheSims, or Making History to name but a few? All these games rely on teams and social activities similar to the world of our students. All these educational games promote creativity, thinking, and problem-solving. Most importantly students teach themselves how to learn.

With that said, there is no reason to think that kids learn in a vacuum. Teachers teach kids!

A must read: http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2008/03/should_video_games_replace_cla.html

Free game from IBM: http://www.powerupthegame.org/

View these sources:
http://www.gamesparentsteachers.com/
http://www.gamesforhealth.org/
http://www.seriousgames.org/
http://www.socialimpactgames.org/
http://www.gamesforchange.org/ and Games in Education video at http://www.seriousgames.org/index2.html
http://www.timrylands.com/
http://www.uwink.com/

Learner Centered Education

From Will Stager:

In preparation for the book discussions, Karl Fisch's Fishbowl blog, Karl Fisch shares the following quote from another blog.

"Twenty-first century education won’t be defined by any new technology. It won’t
be defined by 1:1 laptop programs or tech-intensive projects. Twenty-first
century education will, however, be defined by a fundamental shift in what we
are teaching—a shift towards learner-centered education and creating creative thinkers.This comment makes an all-too common mistake. It confuses teaching, learning and curriculum. They are not the same! "A fundamental shift in what we are teaching" refers to content, not how students learn or think. In fact, I do not believe that you can create creative thinkers since learning is what the
learner does - not the result of teaching.""

"What you teach is curricular content. How you teach is pedagogy. Learning
is the process of growth undertaken by the learner. Knowledge is the consequence
of experience."  From - http://www.tuttlesvc.org/2008/01/historical-role-of-ces-common.html

Do you agree with the following?

From the Coalition of Essential Schools Ten Common Principles

Learning to use one's mind well
Less is More, depth over coverage
Goals apply to all students
Personalization
Student-as-worker, teacher-as-coach
Demonstration of mastery
A tone of decency and trust
Commitment to the entire school
Resources dedicated to teaching and learning
Democracy and equity

Why not thematic units at AHS?

Harold is excited about creating a thematic unit complete with technology support. He writes:

Hey guys – I am trying to think outside the box, to differentiate us from
some of the other schools academically, it would be a bit of work, but I also
think that it would be a lot of fun too for us and the kids. I thought
about this a bit more this evening, while at the gym. What do you think
about the four of us about putting together an integrated class for next
year.
The basics: Have all U.S. History students (who
are usually in Mr. Scott’s English also) and combine it into one large class
(Probably around 20 kids?). Doing some brainstorming here, so bear with
me.Have all of us be involved in teaching an Integrated U.S. History and Integrated English (or
call it something else cool and neat) (it could also incorporate higher level
students if necessary), because, I think it would concentrate more on
constructivism
teaching/learning? Make it a two period class - Have it first and second periods, but not in the classroom reserve the Library exclusively those two periods for this class and have that be our classroom, Use integrated technology to enhance the teaching,
not just be another gimmick. Make it
inclusive for any special education student, with the four of us there to
support them, it would pretty cool. This would
resolve some scheduling issues, provide outstanding support for the students,
get us teachers out of the lonely classroom and lets us try something
new. It would
mean we all would have to change our teaching styles a bit to make it work??????
But would it be worth
it… We have all
been looking for a different way to teach, this would certainly be
different.It would be a great learning experience for us, if we
don’t kill each other first J
This is just really rough rough rough initial thoughts.
What do you guys think????? If you
are interested let me know and maybe we can get together to talk some more about
it.

Anna replied with:

This was done in my son’s high school and they called it HUSH and HAL for Honors US History and Honors American Lit..
So it could be an adaptation…in that instance, there were two separate classrooms but the content was integrated…so, the readings and papers were tied to what was being covered in history.
I think you could do a lot with this, if you were really organized and planful..it is a lot of time to tie up the lab though ..I would not want to give up the opportunity for some smaller group classroom instruction..it could be fun and could be student centered and supportive.

From Craig - A thematic unit will work with support from the principal, a thorough pathway to make it work, and many weeks of planning time and relfection time. This is a great way to teach and would be a great way to experiment with the value of it at our school. But can the school accomodate this way of teaching??

tech integrator reconsidered

People use computers without inspiration, direction, and leadership from an integrator

Does the integrator have to sell , push, entice, the benefits of integrating technology? If yes, why?

Major role has been technician. No matter how you slice it, computers repairs are more demanding than integrating since you can't do the latter without the former working.

Project participation: Even if every teacher wanted to integrate via projects an integrator could not fulfill the demand. A good integrator/teacher project is time consuming.

No staff training: It would be great if the integrator was able to train staff 33% of the time.

Students doing research with info lit guidance: Although not a media specialist, there is very little time spend teaching copyright rules and how to determine valid and trustworthy online research sources.

Not all students receiving computer competency training: No plan ahs been considered to ensure all students are proficient with technology as it relates to NCLB and NETS. I have considered conducting computer seminars in 8 week blocks. Perhaps it could replace a study hall.

Tech committee fails to be a force for making change or implementing technology. This could be my fault.

In sum, the integrator role seems to be to post blogs no one reads, conduct meetings that amount to nothing, ensure tech is managed and working, try new things in a computer applications class. But if this role indirectly influences computer use - which it seems to do since teachers are using computers more wisely and more often - then so be it.





I guess some success in supporting the infrastructure, sis, some integrating,....


technology integration happens at its own pace depite the efforts of one to entice integration. It seems decide when to integrate. Is it comfort level? Is it knolwedge? Is it the realization that tech makes teaching and learning easier?



Would integration be easier if the it came from the top...and not just from the integrator.



How to work in computer skills and computer integration in a way that all students become proficient computer users is the question.


implement moodle and gaggle





still many students going without tech skills - thought role of t.i. would reach more students???



matbe tech integ should have been more student-centered not teacher centered??


So...."Teachers have to be willing, the technology must be available, administrators must understand the need, and the school’s climate and culture, which is greatly influenced by the community that the school serves, must be supportive." Source:http://strengthofweakties.org/?m=200712