Teaching with (more) Technology: The Adventure So Far

I like teaching social studies. Really. I loved social studies as a student. Now I get to teach it...sometimes. I even did my masters project ( in 1998) on using the internet to teach grade 6 social studies

At my present school, I've taught grade 5 and 6 social studies for at least 5 years. This year, much to my surprise, I'm teaching grade 7 and 8 social studies for the first time in at least 5 years.

I'm also the "computer teacher" at my school. After somewhat of a hiatus of a few years, I'm back in the lab.

I've decided I'm going to experiment to my little techno-teacher heart's content this year. Here's the summary of some adventure highlights and lowpoints:

1. Every student I teach has a Google Docs account. I have them complete and share as many assignments as possible on them. I can "mark" them (or even PRE-VIEW them) and give suggestions how to improve the assignment. Some students are actually revising their work. They can email me with questions. (Buzz just came out last week. I wonder if that will be useful).

1a. Students started playing with Buzz the minute they saw it. I don't think they quite get how public it is. There is a 78 comment conversation between some of my grade six students that strays into the realm of cyber-bullying. We'll have to deal with that when we get back to school next Monday.

2. I have been composing "study units" using a Google Doc. I do run off a paper copy for students. What is really useful, however, is having my unit online by linking the doc as a web page. All the links are live. Students can copy and paste parts of my doc (a chart for example) into their work. I've been able to scan useful pages of their ancient textbook into PDF format and link them. Graphics are in colour. No student is ever without a copy of the assignment as long as they have access to a computer and the internet.

3. Online videos and photographic slide shows are wonderful teaching tools. Unfortunately they clog up bandwidth. We've choked up the network on many occasions. We are still working on possible solutions. I'm not sure how legal it is, but I made screenshots of a particularly wonderful slideshow and put them on a Google Doc presentation. When the original website chokes, students have an alternative.

3a. We need to reframe the idea of watching video and looking at pictures as "work."

3b. We need to reframe the idea of being on a computer as "work."

4. I'm finding I have to provide a lot of modeling and framing for students. For example: I've started to include frame paragraph outlines to help students structure short answers. I provide cut and paste charts for compare and contrast activities. I'm finding that If I want to get students to use higher order thinking skills to finish assignments, I have to provide pretty concrete instructional examples on how to complete the assignment. Some students don't need this structure and can create their own. I'm fine with that. Some will always need that structure. (Did I mention I used to be a special ed teacher?)

5. My grade six classes have been epals with a school in Illinois for a few years now. We usually have a Skype session at the end of their quarters. Just this week I've made contact with a teacher in New Jersey to do more Skyping and online collaboration.

6. I'm liking the conversations I'm starting to have with my students. I'm liking that I can incorporate information sources from close to home and analyze them.

7. I'm tired. This kind of teaching, no matter how much fun, is a LOT of work and takes even more time.

7a. You can't always get what you want. Some online stuff, no matter how cool or useful, just will never be available on our school network.

8. The adventure continues...

Success! We had our best videoconference ever!

Today we videoconferenced with our epals from Waterloo, Illinois. (We had tried to do it last Thursday, but the internet flaked out too many times. Seems lots of us had that problem that day.)

What also made it wonderful was that we could do it from the "comfort" of our own classroom. Wireless is WONDERFUL. We used Skype and projected the screen using a data projector. (No smart board for us....GARY! where are you when we need you!)

Mr. Theobald was the "quiz master" and Waterloo students asked us geography questions.

We conferenced for half an hour. Our sound wasn't great, but if people spoke clearly we could hear them.

The only downer...our epals start summer holidays this Friday. NOT FAIR.

The Difference Between Canadians and Americans?

As I have previously blogged, my class has been involved with Epals all year. Our most faithful correspondents have been from a school in Waterloo, Illinois. We have corresponded with the available class in the quarter of Mr. Bill Theobald, the technology teacher. We've even videoconferenced with them. The last time was a few days ago, but (blush) I wasn't able to check my sound connections thoroughly and I didn't press one tiny switch on my powerbar that powered my (own) speakers (obtained from a garage sale last summer for $2.00 - a fabulous bargain - but I digress.) Our conference was scheduled for 9:15 February 27...and our entire school had gone skiing February 26. I wasn't able to set up the day before, as our library (where I could get wireless internet) was being used for a community group (tapdancing??) . Things would have gone much better had we'd been able to conference from my classroom the next day- Rayleen brought out a wireless router so now we can get wireless connections down the oldest wing of HCS. Next time (there will be one), all will be better!

Which brings me to my blog title: In Waterloo, the conference was a BIG deal. My colleague, Bill, wrote to me "Our newspapers will have some VERY complimentary things to say about the videoconferencing experience. Pictures from the videoconference will be posted on the Waterloo School District #5 website. I will send you copies of the newspaper articles when published. " Earlier he had written that officials from the school division would be in monitoring our conference, and the one after it with a school in Italy.

As I said in my previous post, I really appreciate the opportunity to blog with my colleagues. I know that people can identify with the agonies and ecstasies of technological experimentation. I can write about my success and goofy failures and know that no one will laugh at me. That's all that matters to me, really. But how many of us are plugging away with virtually no notice and support from anyone else other than our tech committee buddies, and our students?

Grade 5 and Six Skyped with Students in Illinois!

I spent most of my Thursday afterschool trying to set up the Dell laptop connected to the data projector working with Skype. Hmmm....after 3 hours (or so after skyping Donna numerous times interrupting her while she worked on her master's project and ate supper) we seemed to get it to work. It seems that the Dell I have has a built-in microphone and the headset just didn't want to work with skype. My MacBook worked PERFECTLY but I don't have a connection cord to the data projector.

The next morning, I was able to skype the teacher, Mr. Bill Theobald, in Waterloo Illinois. THEY start classes at 8:00 AM! All my grade five and sixes piled into the library at 9:05 (I had warned them that I didn't know what to expect) and promptly the pre-setup Dell had somehow unset itself up. We had no luck with it...so we went back to my tiny Mac...and it WORKED. The kids had a blast. They did get to talk to some of their epals; as well after the classes changed there they talked to some 6th graders.

Anyhow, THANKS DONNA!

We definitely want to do this again.

By the way, we connected with the Waterloo Illinois class via Epals www.epals.com A teacher can get 35 free email accounts with this service and access to classes all over the world. I've been doing Epals with my social studies classes for about three years now with mixed results. If the class writes back on a regular basis it is a wonderful experience; if not the kids get frustrated. This year, I've agreed to exchange with pretty much any class that's written to us. Waterloo Illinois has been the most faithful correspondants. Check out the city site at http://www.waterloo.il.us/