Current Events

Current Event #1 Change the World

This summer I visited my sister in Saskatchewan and told her that I was going to be taking this web 2.0 class in the fall. The conversation didn’t last long but it ended with her saying “that could be interesting to learn about.” With that said, she recently emailed me a video about technology and how everything in the world is changing. After watching it and being blown away, I realized that I can use it for this class. Thanks sis!

This video attempts to highlight some of the biggest changes taking place in the world today. The information is remarkable and outlines many of the recent enhancements in technology. Cell phone usage and production along with changes in social media and collaborative sites like Wikipedia are at the leading edge of technological development. This video also outlines some of the changes in viewership that face television channels and the decline in readership of traditional print media. I found this video amazing because it shows how technology is changing the way people live their lives while changing itself at a remarkable rate.

A couple of the biggest take aways from this video include:

The way in which teaching will need to change to keep giving our students up-to-date and relevant information. The pace at which our students can change and experience information is quick. Teachers need to be familiar enough with the changing needs of their students to ensure that the basic knowledge and important principles are passed on in a manner students can relate to.
Social Media is here and is a vast but important part of modern day life. This is one of the places that I feel I am lacking and being left behind. As a technology user and educator, it is important for me to stay up to date with these new tools and to continue to grow in my understanding of technology and its many uses. I can do this by listening to my technologically adept students, attend professional development seminars, and to spend time playing with web 2.0 tools.

 

I hope that you enjoy watching this video as much as I did. 

Current Event #2 The Change of Books into the Digital Age

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051VVOB2/ref=famstripe_kf%20John

http://besttabletreviewshq.com/kindle-fire-vs-ipad-2/

For this week's current event I would like to explore the new creation by Kindle that will change how schools see the apple iPad and how they capture junior kindergarten and grade one students. Amazon has created a new kindle that keeps all the features of the original while upgrading the user interface placing it in direct competition with the iPad. However, a significant difference between the two is the price. While the iPad cost upwards of $600 the new kindle fire is only $200. I feel that this new kindle may have a huge impact on education if it is marketed appropriately. In addition, the ability to "borrow" from the public library will continue to transform the way that we read books in today's society.

Current Event #3 What will happen to Apple? Steve Jobs rests in Peace

www.apple.ca

In the past couple days we have witnessed significant events that may shape the future of Apple Inc. as we know it. This week Apple was devastated by the loss of Steve Jobs after he lost a long battle with cancer. This week Apple also launched the new iPhone that was supposed to change how mobile phones are used and enhanced. However, the excitement was short lived. The phone was given a “4GS” brand and not as the iPhone 5 as was originally anticipated. Needless to say Apple shareholders are starting to panic after a .33% drop in share prices in light of these events. There is no doubt that the passing of Steve Jobs will directly influence Apple’s future development. The world will be sitting on the edge of their seats to see how the innovation associated with the brand and co-founder Steve Jobs will be continued.


Current Event #4 Education and Medicine

"Wikis, blogs and podcasts: a new generation of Web-based tools for virtual collaborative clinical practice and education"

Digital Medicine: Web 2.0 in Health

I recently came across this article about web 2.0 tools and how they are used in both the medical and education field of study. I thought it was very interesting to note how the two fields are so closely related and how students in both fields are so similar. Boulos states that students who are able to collaborate more effectively using online tools are able to better understand and form a deeper understanding of the subject matter being studied. Boulos also states that educators who use these tools can provide their students the ability to learn anywhere and at anytime.

I really liked how the two fields were looked at and studied in this article. It goes to show that education is not an isolated field of study but that connections can be made to other professions.

Current Event #5 A Gem of an App

http://www.splashtop.com/

Alright team have I found a real gem of an app for you. For only $1.99 “Splashtop” will let you turn your iPad into a mirror of your computer (either Mac or PC). So you ask, “Why would I need to mirror my computer to my iPad?” Well that is really simple, a Smart Airliner is over four hundred dollars and you don’t even see the screen on it. Now I am not saying that one product is better than another, however I am saying that this is worth taking a look. In about five minutes I had downloaded the app onto my iPad, along with the required software from www.splashtop.com/streamer unto my computer and finally signed into both using my already existing Gmail account. Oh, and did I mention that once the software is installed, you don’t actually need to be at your computer to use mirroring. Now as long as my work or home computers are turned on I can control them without being there. For example, I was walking about my classroom today teaching, writing on the SMART Board and moving things around without actually being at the front of the room.

On a personal note:

Over the weekend, I was at the Apple Store getting some warranty work done on my iPhone where I used “Splashtop” on my iPad to connect to my home computer that was on and was able to read some of my work documents and even watched a couple of short Russell Peters comedy clips. I hope you can tell just how excited I am about this app by reading this.

Current Event # 6 Super Site to Try! Your Students Will Love it!
 http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/

I have been using a great site to help students who may find math less interning or more difficult.

This is a wonderful tool that allows students to play games and learn at the same time. The site has fun games available for a variety of mathematical concepts such as fractions, time, geometry, and integers. Students can track their scores and tailor the content in order to address specific areas.

One of my favourite features is that the site allows users to login and play games together in groups of four. You can set a group password in order that no outsiders can enter the team site. The site has the capability to allow the user to play using their Wii and is linked to Facebook and twitter for users to follow site development.

 http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/

The site was developed at the University of Kansas as a side project but has grown into a site focused on giving students engaging activities to further their abilities and to encourage them further by adding the competition and social aspect to the games.

The site is expanding to include other subjects and they have just recently started to populate their Language Arts sections. Some otherexciting developments that the site is looking at include the creation of apps
for the iphone, ipad, and android platforms, the development of a content system that can store scores and information to create differentiated instruction, and the ability to provide teachers with detailed assessment
reports.

This site is worth taking a look at. I am sure you and your students will love it.

Current Event # 7 Graphic Organizers in the 21st Century

http://www.mindmeister.com/

Recently I have been involved in a lot of professional development opportunities focusing on the topics of Graphic Organizers and their benefits in the classroom and to education in general.  I took these professional development opportunities to heart and started thinking of how my students can use graphic organizers in a 21^st century learning style.  After googling the terms “graphic organizers” and “digital graphic organizers” I came across many great sites such as MindMeister and Bubbl.us. It is important to note that both these site are great resources to use.  I have signed up for both and have played with their features.

https://bubbl.us/ption

While both these tools are great for students to use, one might meet the needs of your students better than the other depending on the grade level of instruction.  In my opinion, MindMeister is a much more elaborate tool, offering its users a plethora of options such as the ability to create thought bubbles, rearrange thoughts, create notes, images, attachments, links, tasks and even themes.  A couple of my favourite features provided by MindMeister are the use of Google docs viewer to open attached documents and the ability to have other users with Google accounts to view and even edit a mind map.  On the other hand, Bubbl.us is a much simpler web 2.0 tool to use.  It offers users the ability to either create attached bubbles (child bubbles) or bubbles that are not attached (new bubble).  Bubbles can then be joint together using the create connection feature, they can be rearranged and they can even be colour coded.

I think both tools are exceptional and have their places in classroom and education in general. However, I do feel that MindMeister might be better suited for junior high or high school levels while Bubbl.us might suit the needs of elementary students.  I would encourage you to go take a look and see that you think; maybe you will use it too!

Ps: On a side note, after learning about these tools I got my students creating mind maps of books that they are currently reading as a part of my reader response unit using Bubbl.us.  So far the kids are doing a marvellous job and I can tell that they understand what they are reading and that they forming the proper connections with the events taking place in their books.  Oh, I am also planning on printing their work off and posting it on our bulletin board for demo of learning in November.


Current Event # 8 One of the Best Technology Articles that I have read


Well everyone glad to see you all still here, almost done. So recently I came across a great article that I have been using for my blog and as a resource at my school site and I thought I would share it with everyone. The article is titled "What is Web 2.0? Ideas, technology and implications for education" written by Paul Anderson. Wow, what an article. Talk about being informed. There is no doubt in my mind that Paul Anderson is a very intelligent man that has done his research. He discusses everything under the sun as it pertains to Web 2.0 and it's uses and effects on education. In his lengthy article he discusses things like: blogs, wikis, tagging, RSS, networking, knowledge of the mass, research, ownership of ideas and so much more. I think that even though this is a lengthy article it is worth reading for anyone who is serious about learning about Web 2.0 and education.

If you would like to read this article a link is provided:
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/techwatch/tsw0701b.pdf 


Current Event # 9 Book creator for iPad 

http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/book-creator-for-ipad/id442378070?mt=8

As you all know by now my school has been heavily involved with iPads and how best to use them in education. Recently we have been using a fantastic app called "Book Creator." This wonderful app allows users to take their own images and add text to them to create their own books. The ease of use of this app is unparalleled, once users have created their books they can share them with friends, family and teachers. Books can be shared by email, iCloud and iBooks. If anyone would like to watch a great video highlighting some of Book Creators features, visit www.redjumper.com/bookcreator Overall this is a wonderful app where children of all ages can let their imagination run free and get truly creative.

Current Event # 10 Book creator for iPad 

School bucks tech trend with unplugged approach

By Andrea Sands, Edmonton Journal November 21, 2011

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/

It was perfect timing to be finishing up the end of this class and to find this article was written in the Edmonton Journal.  The reason I liked this article so much is because Andrea Sands paints a balanced picture explaining how technology along with traditional forms of instruction can be used in schools.  Andrea looks at two very different schools sites both trying to help students as best as they can using two very different approaches.  On one hand there is the Waldorf Independent School of Edmonton which used a hands-on approach to learning using games, playtime and other “natural materials” to help educate their students (Sands, p1). On the other hand, Sands also looks at “St. Richard elementary school in Mill Woods [where students] take their notes on LCD writing tablets instead of paper” (Sands, p1). It is important to note that both sites are doing their best to help students and that there is research that supports both forms of education. I loved that this article showcased the involvement of the parents in selecting schools that share their educational values.
What I take from this article as a classroom teacher is that I cannot focus on only one type of educational style. Students learn in a variety of ways and it is my job to teach to their needs not my own.
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/School+bucks+tech+trend+with+unplugged+approach/5742546/story.html