Great things from DESIGN OBSERVER GROUP site.

Here are some great videos from designers and artists.

First is Ann Weber

Week 7: Webinar: ThinkFinity

Thinkfinity - Verizon Foundation Partnerships

www.thinkfinity.org

What is Verizon's ThinkFinity Webinar

I watched a prerecorded Thinkfinity Webinar from Thinkfinity.org.  This was a training webinar in how to use the site and resources.  I found the information helpful, informative and applicable in a number of ways.  First, in the things that I could possibly use in my classroom.  Second, things that others in my building might be able to use.  Finally third, things that might work with members of my family.  I am always hesitant when I see a major corporate connections to “educational” offerings.  I really feel like any corporate connection is minimized by the quality and quantity of information and partnerships.  I am including some of the links to some of their partnerships at the end of the blog.  

The search engine that Thinkfinity uses only searches within their partner sites.  They support educational resources in all subject areas.  The history resources supply a great number of primary source documents, like the Gettysburg Address from the Smithsonian.  

Thinkfinity offers free professional development through their webinars.  They supply certificates after completion of webinars and completion of survey.  This is a great supplement for rural communities like ours.  What I found really useful, even in the recorded webinars, are the active links to presenter notes, partners and resources.  

I have found a number of things in their podcasts that I am going to integrated into my current practice.  I have shared the CreditCard Simulator and lesson plans with our Family Consumer Sciences educator.  She has used a couple of the lesson plans.  I have also shared this with the middle school history educator.  She is always looking for primary source resources.  One for the greatest teachers for my son has been game-based applications.  There are many links to resources that are partnering with Thinkfinity. 

RESOURCES

1. Thinkfinity

     http://www.thinkfinity.org

2. Multimedia Explorations

Gettysburg Address-

http://logs2.smithsonian.museum/FlashBrowser/viewfa.htmlpath=kioskinteractives/GA_final/Document_gallery2.cis&aratio=1.77

Lewis and Clark-

     http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/

The Price of Freedom: Americans at War

     http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/

Great Game based activity

     http://sciencenetlinks.com/interactives/messenger/makeAMission.swf

3. Interactives

–Postcard Creator-

     http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/postcard/

How Many Under the Shell

     http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?id=198

Compound Interest Simulator

     http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=172

4. Detailed Plans

     http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/

5. Podcasts

     http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/sci_update_index.php

6. Thinkfinity Newsletter

     http://www.thinkfinity.org/newsletter.aspx

7. Free Training

     http://www.thinkfinity.org/pd/request_training.aspx

8. Join our Community

     http://www.community.thinkfinity.org/

9. Print your certificate (You created your login when you registered for the Webinar.)

      http://community.thinkfinity.org/community/professionaldevelopment?view=iframe

Week 9: Final Entry StarDate: 45022.154653795

Final Blog Entry

By Miguel Jiron, this video was featured this week at the Imagine Science Film Festival in New York. He calls it Sensory Overload, and it's part of the Interacting With Autism Project

.............We end where we start........a little overwhelmed at the possibilities..........In the words of Andrew Lloyd Webber, "Where do we go from here?....."

Knowing is not enough; we must apply.  Being willing is not enough; we must do.

––Leonardo da Vinci

This is the final blog.  As the video visually illustrates, there is so much to take in and try to make sense in how, where and when I can utilize all the new information. 

“By developing an adaptive mindset, the connected learner can innovate.  Because technologies connect us and the potential now is to create a generation of participatory curriculum designers (you and your students), innovation is multiplies rather than added.  The shift is exponential rather than incremental.  Schools will change or become irrelevant.   Teacher will redefine themselves and their classrooms, or students will turn elsewhere in order to learn.” (p. 218, The Connected Learner)

Course Learning Objectives:

• Provide instruction and modeling regarding digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.

I have been using digital technologies in my classroom for a number of years.  There is a culture of appropriate and safe use within our space.  The expectations of how software and hardware are used to the design of the room in that all screens are visible.  We, the others music and visual arts educators, have zero tolerance classrooms and teach appropriate  and safe interactions in all online and critique processes.  I expect that as I move my curricula into a more collaborative model that appropriate use will continue as a core expectation.  

• Promote and demonstrate effective use of digital tools and resources. Familiarize students with Web2.0 tools that may be used professionally or within the classroom environment to establish deeper learning experiences through proper curricular standard driven development.

I have begun using and seeing the possibilities in connected learning and supports.  I am at a professional transition where hopefully, I become more involved in supporting and learning about effective use and integration of new technologies and how they relate to educational design and student learning.

• Become familiar with current technology issues, trends and technology use within the K- 12 environment. Discuss how technology use impacts student learning outcomes.

Schank says, learning is about making schematic connections, attaching new knowledge to existing understandings.  Piaget refers to learning as moving from a state of disequilibrium to one of assimilation of new ideas.  (Piaget, 1962; & Inhelder, 1969).  Learning is a jumping-off place where we not only attach new ideas to the old and assimilate them but make peace with the fact that we have to unlearn much of the knowledge we started with. (p. 218, The Connected Educator)

This Schank quote really sums up what we can do to extend and enhance student learning.  I need to be mindful and I must stay connected to a diverse group of learners and communities so that I can stay on “trend.”  Trends or technologies can only “impact” student learning if we truly understand how our students best learn.  

• Design and implement digitally-based learning experiences with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments

I have begun adjusting, augmenting and implementing digital-based learning in my Art History course.  I am seeing that some similar aspects, with some adjustment will work for my Digital Photography course.  I am hoping to also expand more online and perhaps “Flipped Classroom” model in my music classes for theory and composition.  

• Establish a core personal learning network of technology leaders to follow. Utilize this new network of educators as personal professional development.

We can no longer expect to learn all that there is to know.  Our jobs now, as educators, is to nurture a collective intelligence and, is in learning how to become part of connected learning communities.  Within that collective we  then begin to understand how to leverage those communities.  The goal is extending and continuing our learning. Not passively, but interactively learning with those around us but also the continued learning about ourselves.  We continue questioning our own ideas by finding those who will push us through questioning our mental models.

• Use knowledge of digital tools and technology applications to facilitate experiences that advance learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.

The web has become not only a great curriculum resource but also a great learning resource.  And, if we so choose, each of us can add to the world’s understanding and can advocate for positive change. (p. 217, The Connected Educator)

Any education initiative whether “fact-to-face” or “virtual” is only as successful as the educator who can see the core value of the initiative and then leverage that within their curricula design and implementation.  

• Evaluate, adapt, and reflect on emerging tools and trends by participating in local and global learning communities and by reviewing current research and professional literature.

Ongoing reflection and adjustment of our ideas and “mental models” is the only way to stay current to our students needs.  I have found that after twenty plus years in education, the greatest educational tool is reflection.  Taking a reflective stance while being open to the known possibilities but to all possibilities in the future.  

The best advice I could give to a new educator or leader is that we need to be discoverers of possibilities not the followers of trends.

As next week is Thanksgiving here is a family favorite.  Peace, happy seasons and success in making great discoveries.  

Stuffins

Recipe By: Timm Judas

Serving Size: 24

Ingredients:

1 package turkey gibblets, clean

3 cups white wine

2 cups beef broth

1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

1/4 tablespoon pepper

12 slices sourdough bread, dried

3 cups corn bread or corn muffin

3 cups celery, chopped

2 cups onion, chopped

2 cups carrot, chopped

1 tablespoon salt  

5 eggs, slightly beaten

4 cups chicken broth

Directions:

Sourdough and Cornbread Preparation

1. Make or buy one loaf of sourdough bread.

2. Slice, place on pan and put in 250˚ oven until dried, about one-hour.

3. Make cornbread or purchase three corn muffins.

Giblet Preparation

1. Rinse and clean giblets and neck.

2. Place wine, broth, neck and giblets in heavy two-quart and season with salt and pepper.

3. Boil until meat is cooked and reduced to under half, about 45-minutes

4. Set meat aside to cool.  Keep broth wine mixture.

Vegetable Preparation

1. Chop onion, carrots, and celery.

2. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Saute in large skillet until soft.

4. Set aside until cool.

Putting It All Together

1. Preheat oven to 350˚ fahrenheit.

2. Slice giblets and pull neck meat off of bone and set aside.

3. Crumble sourdough bread and corn bread in large bowl.

4. Add prepared vegetables.

5. Add giblets, eggs, giblet broth and chicken broth.

6. Mix until well combined

7. Spoon into prepared muffin tins.

8. Bake until edges are brown and firm, about 25-minutes.

9. Cool for 10-minutes then serve.

Notes:

Can be prepared, covered with foil and refrigerated the night before.  

Week 8: Blog - Come on just try it, you'll like it.

“He who learns from one who is learning, drinks from a flowing river.”

--Mark Wagner

Source

I am part of a personal learning network at my school.  It is not digitally based and does not extend much beyond a dozen or so area schools.  I have not seen where I could find the time or value in becoming part of the larger digital community........This last set of articles begun redefining that view.  

There are two areas that have emerged out of these readings.  First is the requirement of moving beyond our voyeuristic position of web involvement and insecurities around educational leadership.  Second, meeting students where their educational needs live.  

In her article, Social Networking: Building Toward Learning Communities, Ruth Reynard makes a very good point.  

“My discussion here does not negate that good work but introduces the idea that social networking is only the beginning of a longer and more complex process of socially constructed learning and ultimately collaboration and knowledge building.....in an active learning community, those relationships should evolve into actual idea exchange and knowledge construction.”

I see this within the context of the coming educational shift.  No longer can we selflessly surf as disengaged voyeurs of information and ideas.  We are now being asked to become involved in the creation and exchange of ideas.  We will now strive to let go of “ownership” and work collaboratively in the creation of new paradigms and constructs.  

For success in these coming times we must continue to move forward but not before understanding how we move forward.  

"Self-proclaimed learners understand they will  never “get it” because “it” will always change!"

--Angela Maiers

As educators we need to not just understand this, we need to know this.  

If understanding is intellectual then knowing is felt at our core beliefs.

After we know, we then allow ourselves to be imperfect.  We no longer need to, “Stay one chapter ahead of our students.”  This new knowledge allows us to approach design that allows us to learn as we facilitate learning.

“Today, we have the potential to tap into a flow of conversation, a web-based learning ecology, that we can learn from 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

--Miguel Guhlin

Vitruvian Man, Leonard DaVinci, circa 1487

Our final hurdle is knowing that,  as educators, we can only connect to our students if we are willing to step into their communities.  From there, we can begin to move those students out of their digital 140-character construct of “me” into the communities of “we.”  It is then possible to leverage their base knowledge within communities that work towards the goal of all.  

“The purpose of education is Change....So I would Change the world.”

--Simon Finch

Week Seven: Blog Post - Learning inHand

“I never teach my pupils.  I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.

--Albert Einstein

This quote paints the intent of these video’s.  Tony Vincent is great at presenting while explaining and instructing.  It is helping to frame and inform the structure that I am taking with my final project.

Tony like Eric Mazur puts great weight on the planning portion of the work they do.  It is about creating Driving Questions that cannot be answered easily.  I like Tony’s Project Based Learning quote, “Instead of teachers covering material, students uncover the answers.”  

Chris Lehmann in his presentation at the 012 Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference, says that, "Our schools have to be healthy places for adults before they can be healthy for our students.”  Before any Project Based Learning can happen, a healthy community needs to exist.  When we design projects that are going to extend a number of days we have to “know” our community.  We also, have to move out if a, “We can do.” to a, “We will do!” attitude.  As the emotional leaders of classrooms we lead through a positive momentum  As long as we maintain that truth, students will step up and create wonderful things.  Lehmann refers to that as it, “Get(ting) what you want, and you will get more then that."  

Annie - Newbury Elementary School 2003

I bring an aspect to the theater program when I collaborate with high school students.  That is a vision of continuity.  It is the same thing I do in my Visual Arts and Music classrooms.  I front load as much in the way of “problematizing everything.”  Being as proactive as much of the time while also realizing there will be moments that we will need to adjust.  A believe that, “If necessity is the mother of invention, then panic is the father.”  Anyone who believes they are the director of a play or chorus is loosing out on the opportunity of collaboration.  Working together towards the common vision of the group not the individual.

Much of what we have read and seen this semester centers on crafting great questions and creating integrated design.  I think we also need to remember that at some point during the process the educator has to become one of the collaborators.  It takes a seasoned educator that can step aside and learn with their students.

Max

I find it interesting that so much of the this course just make good educational sense.  My son is autistic or as we say now, Autastic!  When we meet with his teachers we ask them to think about Max as potentially one of their greatest teachers.  What he manifest through his verbal or physical commentary is what others are thinking but not saying.  This is typically met with a roll of the eye.  However, at the end of the year, his educators say how much they have learned about teaching from him.  In the same way with this course, what has been offered as suggestions continues to broadened my educational lexicon in the possibilities of ideas, community, technology and digital tools.

Week 6: Animoto

25th Wedding Anniversary Foodie Trip to NYC

"BusyBusyBusy", Album: Philadelphia Chickens, sung by Kevin Kline, words by Sandra Boynton (The children's author), music by Michael Ford. 

She has turned her successful children's poetry books into mini-musicals.

Week Six: PodCast "The Middle Ages"

I created this PodCast in GarageBand to support differentiational student support in the next unit of my Art History class.

The podcast is a great way to support diverse learners.  It is time consuming in creating the audio track. Doing this in GarageBand makes the process a bit easier and gives me more control in image insertion and audio track controls around volume and fade-in, fade-out controls.  

Although tedious, the final product is worth the time and effort.  It will be there as long as I teach this course.  A number of students have used this to learn new information but also to help with the crossword puzzle that accompanies the reading.