Before researching the use of concept maps, I had a very limited understanding of how they could be utilized. In my educational past, I have only used a concept map for a story-web or character analysis and they always took the same form of a main circle in the center and “spider legs” branching out to either a list or another circle. Fortunately, the tired old concept map has had a face-lift and is now equipped to educate new generations of learners in a much richer way. From the University of Wisconsin website, I found a list of 50 ways to use concept maps and my favorites are: Classroom organization chart with associated responsibilities; Concept maps to send home to parents to help explain a unit so they can help their children study/review; Create cause/effect/ solution diagrams to resolve social issues within the classroom; and When studying a poem, in the center concept list the name of the poem and the connecting lines contain phrases from the poem. The sub-concept explains the words in the phrase and the literary technique used such as personification.
The first method of concept mapping as a responsibility chart would be useful for tasks like literature circles where students are assigned specific roles such as note taker, researcher, reporter, and discussion monitor. As a teacher, I could develop a concept map that explains the responsibilities and requirements involved with each role so students understand their positions and how their jobs overlap, enhance, and interact with the other group members. Another method I could take advantage of as a teacher is to make a concept map of a unit or lesson to send home to parents. By giving parents a visual outline of what we will be discussing and how the topics relate to each other, they will be better equipped to help their children study, complete homework assignments, and can even have guided discussions with their child about what they are learning.
A third method I am excited to explore is using concept maps to solve social problems. This huge goal is one that I have wanted to make a focus in my classroom, but I have never been sure how to go about it. By having my students create concept maps of possible solutions, conflicting issues, and multiple perspectives on one social problem, my class will be able to share ideas, brainstorm ways to make changes, and truly reflect on our environmental pressures, limitations, and resources. The final method I discovered was to use a concept map to explain the literary devices used in a poem. Students often have trouble interpreting poetry and understanding what the author did to communicate their message, so creating concept maps that link literary terms with specific examples from a poem would give students a great reference tool.
I also came up with my own idea for using concept maps as a research assignment outline. A project that I want my students engage in is a country report because I feel that learning about other cultures is very important. With a concept map, I can provide students with a visual structure to follow as they assemble their information into a complete project because it would show the major sub-topics to include and provide questions for each of these elements that students should try and answer. In this method, the concept map actually helps students construct a larger project with much more focus, organization, and thoroughness.
Concept mapping software could have a huge impact on students in my English classes in three major ways: 1) comprehending literature, 2) writing essays, and 3) compiling research projects. To enhance their understanding of the plot, characters, and themes in a novel, students can use the software to create maps which chart the story sequence, analyze and compare character traits, or expand on specific themes. When it comes time for students to write an essay on this book, they can use these maps to find thesis statements and supporting details, but they can also use the software to create outlines for their papers. The outline could start with the argument they want to make, and each branch could represent a different body paragraph and include the main examples they will use to prove a point. Lastly, as I have already explained, for culminating projects I can use concept mapping software to give my students a better picture of what is expected of them and stimulate their interest in how ideas relate to one another in a holistic picture.
The use of concept maps in the classroom opens up a new method of reaching students with diverse learning styles and multiple intelligences. For example, when a teacher hands out a concept map to explain an assignment or outline a lesson, visual learners will have a much easier time following procedures. However, its effectiveness may vary depending on whether your learners are linear or non-linear in their visual preferences. To be most effective, a teacher would have to create a more organized version of the map along with the typical webbed format, which would take a considerable amount of time. While concept maps seem to exclude auditory learners, the concept mapping software can make up for this gap because many programs offer an audio feature that will read the information in the map out loud when a student clicks it. Kinesthetic learners can benefit from using the software also because it lets them move pieces around, draw physical connections between elements, and interact with what is normally a static element of instruction. Concept maps are also flexible in terms of intrapersonal and interpersonal learners because students can create them in small groups or individually. Finally, linguistic learners will appreciate the ways in which a concept map shows the relationship between words and relies heavily on language to present information. I can help all of these learners benefit from concept maps and software by letting students create their own maps in any form that they like, by creating multiple arrangements of the elements in my own maps (like a linear outline and a randomly dispersed web), and including blank web spaces for students to add their own insights or points brought up in class discussion.
Perhaps the best feature of concept mapping software is the small learning curve involved in the application. The program was very intuitive and self-explanatory, it was extremely easy to customize and create my own maps. Taking this into consideration, I think it is worth the minimal amount of time it takes to create a map because (as I have thoroughly outlined in the above paragraphs) they can have a great impact on student learning. Additionally, if I was pressed for time, Inspiration’s software had templates that could be filled out in a flash—so there is no excuse not to use them if your students can benefit!
http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/conceptmap/50uses.html
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Monday, February 12, 2007
Educational Blogs
The first search engine I used to search for educational blogs was Google. Google’s results were mainly instructions for using blogs in the classroom, personal blogs of teachers, and portal sites that contained directories for the best educational blogs online. Most of the sites were affiliated specifically with educational companies, schools, and teacher discussion groups, which made them seem more credible and directly applicable to the classroom. Then I performed the exact same search on Ask Jeeves. This time, the results were less useful containing some sponsors sites (places you could create blogs), a definition, and random syllabi and forum pages that talked about educational blogs. The third search engine I chose was Dogpile. These results were by far the most diverse and comprehensive. There were discussion sites, lesson plans for using blogs, portal sites, sponsor sites, and a variety of journal/publication articles on the topic. I think there are several reasons for the quality differences in the searches. First, Google was better than Ask Jeeves because it seems to use filters and sorts information in a more relevant way so you get the most useful and trustworthy sites first. Dogpile was the most well-rounded and in depth because it searches with all of the major search engines at once so you get a massive resource bank.
While researching educational blogs, I came across three innovate ways to use them besides the typical journaling and response assignments that are given. The first way is called “round robin blogging” and it is being used for creative writing assignments. As the name implies, this type of blogging gets students to take turns writing part of a story and posting it on the class blog. The entire class participates in writing the story and work-shopping it in an online format. The second creative method is called “pen pal zones” in which students use blogs to communicate with pen pals from another city, state, or even country. Blogs allow letters to be received and sent instantly as opposed to traditional mailing, which gives students a greater opportunity to interact with diverse students. Moreover, since everything is posted online, teachers can track the number of letters to ensure that students are actually writing their pen pals. The third application of blogs is the most exciting; it involves using blogs to communicate with experts. For instance, some teachers are having students ask questions on their class blog and then inviting expert scientists from around the world to answer them. I could use this format in an English classroom to connect students with authors, publishers, war experts, Holocaust survivors, and a variety of other experts who have knowledge about topics we are discussing. Since I am not an expert in any of these areas, it would be wonderful to use blogs to connect students with a direct source of information.
Keeping these opportunities in mind, it is easy to get carried away with excitement and forget about the issues of classroom dynamics. It is crucial to consider the way blogging may impact the classroom in both positive and negative ways. From my limited research, I think blogging is going to figuratively remove the walls of classrooms and allow students to learn in a global environment. Moreover, blogging opens up more opportunities for students to share their personal thoughts and feelings which will help create a strong classroom community. However, there are also ways that blogging would change classroom dynamics that are not so good. For instance, blogging demands interaction between students, but in a delayed, impersonal sense. As a result, students may not engage in face-to-face discussion and develop critical social skills that rise out of dialog. Another change that could be taken positively or negatively depending on the situation, blogging also takes away a lot of responsibility off of the teacher and gives power to the students.
Overall, I see many pros to using blogs in the classroom. The major one is that students will be more excited to participate and learn because the assignments use technology and computers—hobbies that nearly every teen enjoys. Motivation and participation will most likely increase, and that is always a good thing. A second benefit I see to using blogs is the instant access they provide students to one another, to outside experts, to global classrooms, and to the teacher. The opportunity for instant feedback, collaboration, and problem solving will allow more learning to take place outside of the limited class period. There are, however, several negative aspects to blogging as well. For one thing, you cannot expect that every student will have access to a computer and therefore some may have difficulty participating and completing assignments. A second problem I foresee is that students will not think as critically or write as polished as they would if they were turning in a formal paper. For some reason people equate computer writing with a more casual and lax style and the quality of writing suffers. Since my ultimate goal is to help students write better, this weakness is a big drawback.
While researching educational blogs, I came across three innovate ways to use them besides the typical journaling and response assignments that are given. The first way is called “round robin blogging” and it is being used for creative writing assignments. As the name implies, this type of blogging gets students to take turns writing part of a story and posting it on the class blog. The entire class participates in writing the story and work-shopping it in an online format. The second creative method is called “pen pal zones” in which students use blogs to communicate with pen pals from another city, state, or even country. Blogs allow letters to be received and sent instantly as opposed to traditional mailing, which gives students a greater opportunity to interact with diverse students. Moreover, since everything is posted online, teachers can track the number of letters to ensure that students are actually writing their pen pals. The third application of blogs is the most exciting; it involves using blogs to communicate with experts. For instance, some teachers are having students ask questions on their class blog and then inviting expert scientists from around the world to answer them. I could use this format in an English classroom to connect students with authors, publishers, war experts, Holocaust survivors, and a variety of other experts who have knowledge about topics we are discussing. Since I am not an expert in any of these areas, it would be wonderful to use blogs to connect students with a direct source of information.
Keeping these opportunities in mind, it is easy to get carried away with excitement and forget about the issues of classroom dynamics. It is crucial to consider the way blogging may impact the classroom in both positive and negative ways. From my limited research, I think blogging is going to figuratively remove the walls of classrooms and allow students to learn in a global environment. Moreover, blogging opens up more opportunities for students to share their personal thoughts and feelings which will help create a strong classroom community. However, there are also ways that blogging would change classroom dynamics that are not so good. For instance, blogging demands interaction between students, but in a delayed, impersonal sense. As a result, students may not engage in face-to-face discussion and develop critical social skills that rise out of dialog. Another change that could be taken positively or negatively depending on the situation, blogging also takes away a lot of responsibility off of the teacher and gives power to the students.
Overall, I see many pros to using blogs in the classroom. The major one is that students will be more excited to participate and learn because the assignments use technology and computers—hobbies that nearly every teen enjoys. Motivation and participation will most likely increase, and that is always a good thing. A second benefit I see to using blogs is the instant access they provide students to one another, to outside experts, to global classrooms, and to the teacher. The opportunity for instant feedback, collaboration, and problem solving will allow more learning to take place outside of the limited class period. There are, however, several negative aspects to blogging as well. For one thing, you cannot expect that every student will have access to a computer and therefore some may have difficulty participating and completing assignments. A second problem I foresee is that students will not think as critically or write as polished as they would if they were turning in a formal paper. For some reason people equate computer writing with a more casual and lax style and the quality of writing suffers. Since my ultimate goal is to help students write better, this weakness is a big drawback.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Teacher-Web Reflection
Creating my own “teacher web” site has given me a better understanding of the practical ways technology can be used in a classroom to make it run more smoothly. Before this project, I was aware of the ways in which technology could benefit my students and provide a method for developing more interactive, deep assignments, but I had little knowledge about how I could benefit from it as a teacher. The biggest strengths of a program like “teacher web” I discovered is this direct and permanent access it provides to class assignments, directions, and schedules. Since all assignments and corresponding materials can be posted online, students cannot blame a lost hand-out or a class absence for their missing work. Moreover, the way this site allows teachers to categorize, group, and update pages provides an excellent way to stay organized and keep all important resources handy. Another feature I appreciate is the ability to customize the site to my personality, preferences, and needs.
Despite its overwhelming benefits, a program like “teacher web” also has its downfalls. For example, it is useful only if all of your students have access to the internet, which may not be the case. Furthermore, allowing students to get online at school always creates the opportunity for getting off task, visiting inappropriate sites, and zoning out. I also think it is important to realize that not every student will be able to keep up with assignments and understand what is expected of them in an online environment. Many people need an actual print-out they can look at, write on, and refer back to whenever and wherever they want. Another aspect to be cautious about are pages that allow students to make posts and/or chat with one another. It is very easy for students to abuse these spaces and post inappropriate, offensive, and hurtful messages. These environments require constant monitoring and censorship, which can take a great deal of time.
Even with these negatives in mind, the potential usefulness in a class website far outweigh the challenges. A great example of this is the connection with parents this type of site allows that may not otherwise exist. With all assignments and student grades posted online, parents can get on and check out their child’s progress, read directions so they can help their student with homework, and correspond with the teacher through e-mail. You could even create a page especially for parents that contains announcements, concerns, upcoming events, and assignment rationales. Having a page that explains your reasoning behind the books students are reading and the projects they are doing can really help diffuse a lot of confrontation that arises when parents don’t understand why their child has been given a particular task/book. Another idea I have for a parent-teacher interaction is to create a password-protected page where parents can electronically sign permission slips and monthly progress reports. This would greatly reduce the amount of forgery that occurs with these type of forms and will keep the parents abreast of how their child is doing in the class.
For students, I think the most engaging component of a “teacher web” site is the web-quest assignment portion. This section makes students active participants in the construction of their knowledge and gives them some hands-on activities to enhance their absorption rates. Another great way students can participate is through blog/whiteboard pages. These spaces allow students to express their opinions in a public forum and respond to one another. Such collaboration increases the flow of ideas and makes learning more fun. I’m not sure if this is possible, but I had another idea of how my teacher web site could engage students in community building efforts. It would be really useful if each student could create their own profile page (or maybe I could make a links page of their myspace/facebook pages) so the class could get to know one another as people, not just as the kid who sits behind to them in English. Giving students a personal space to represent themselves and learn about their classmates will strengthen the bonds between them and make the classroom a safer, more open environment.
Despite its overwhelming benefits, a program like “teacher web” also has its downfalls. For example, it is useful only if all of your students have access to the internet, which may not be the case. Furthermore, allowing students to get online at school always creates the opportunity for getting off task, visiting inappropriate sites, and zoning out. I also think it is important to realize that not every student will be able to keep up with assignments and understand what is expected of them in an online environment. Many people need an actual print-out they can look at, write on, and refer back to whenever and wherever they want. Another aspect to be cautious about are pages that allow students to make posts and/or chat with one another. It is very easy for students to abuse these spaces and post inappropriate, offensive, and hurtful messages. These environments require constant monitoring and censorship, which can take a great deal of time.
Even with these negatives in mind, the potential usefulness in a class website far outweigh the challenges. A great example of this is the connection with parents this type of site allows that may not otherwise exist. With all assignments and student grades posted online, parents can get on and check out their child’s progress, read directions so they can help their student with homework, and correspond with the teacher through e-mail. You could even create a page especially for parents that contains announcements, concerns, upcoming events, and assignment rationales. Having a page that explains your reasoning behind the books students are reading and the projects they are doing can really help diffuse a lot of confrontation that arises when parents don’t understand why their child has been given a particular task/book. Another idea I have for a parent-teacher interaction is to create a password-protected page where parents can electronically sign permission slips and monthly progress reports. This would greatly reduce the amount of forgery that occurs with these type of forms and will keep the parents abreast of how their child is doing in the class.
For students, I think the most engaging component of a “teacher web” site is the web-quest assignment portion. This section makes students active participants in the construction of their knowledge and gives them some hands-on activities to enhance their absorption rates. Another great way students can participate is through blog/whiteboard pages. These spaces allow students to express their opinions in a public forum and respond to one another. Such collaboration increases the flow of ideas and makes learning more fun. I’m not sure if this is possible, but I had another idea of how my teacher web site could engage students in community building efforts. It would be really useful if each student could create their own profile page (or maybe I could make a links page of their myspace/facebook pages) so the class could get to know one another as people, not just as the kid who sits behind to them in English. Giving students a personal space to represent themselves and learn about their classmates will strengthen the bonds between them and make the classroom a safer, more open environment.
Friday, February 2, 2007
Web Activity 8.10
I chose to do the 8.10 on-the-web activity which was called “Academic Tools Online.” This activity intrigued me because I wanted to know if they were tools for teachers, students, or both. Using the internet to find resources to enhance my lessons is very handy, so I am always in the market for new sites. I also know that students love using the internet for their assignments too, so if I can find online activities I can be a more engaging teacher.
The activity involved clicking links to various sites and exploring the available resources. I really enjoyed the New York Times learning site found at http://www.nytimes.com/learning/. It had current events in the news and then provided lesson plans that corresponded with the major stories. They even had a lesson for the super bowl! There was also a large lesson plan database, a “this day in history” feature, online news quizzes and puzzles for students, and a “search by subject” site index. The Scholastic company’s website, http://teacher.scholastic.com/index.htm, had pages for specific grade ranges (i.e. 9th-12th) that provided lesson plans, online activities, teacher resources/strategies (i.e. classroom management skills), and message boards to connect teachers around the country.
Besides finding some great resources, I also learned that many sites require you to have a membership to access any of their materials. It makes me wonder if the best resources are hidden in the sites you have to pay for, of if the free sites are just as good. Moreover, this activity made me realize how lazy a teacher could be if they just wanted to pull their entire curriculum off the internet. I could find a lifetime supply of full lesson plans, engaging activities, handouts, examples, and even lecture notes/PowerPoints without doing any work. This makes me upset because it allows people who aren’t dedicated enough to spend time developing a great lesson and fun activities reap the benefits of a dynamic classroom using someone else’s hard work. I know I should be glad that students who are stuck with these teachers will at least have a better experience, but I can’t overlook the fact that some teachers work their hearts out and others get a free ride.
In the end, I am pretty torn about whether I want to share the assignments, lesson plans, and creative activities I design on the internet. I think this activity was good for me because it is causing me to think about an issue I never really considered, but it will require more thought before I can make up my mind.
The activity involved clicking links to various sites and exploring the available resources. I really enjoyed the New York Times learning site found at http://www.nytimes.com/learning/. It had current events in the news and then provided lesson plans that corresponded with the major stories. They even had a lesson for the super bowl! There was also a large lesson plan database, a “this day in history” feature, online news quizzes and puzzles for students, and a “search by subject” site index. The Scholastic company’s website, http://teacher.scholastic.com/index.htm, had pages for specific grade ranges (i.e. 9th-12th) that provided lesson plans, online activities, teacher resources/strategies (i.e. classroom management skills), and message boards to connect teachers around the country.
Besides finding some great resources, I also learned that many sites require you to have a membership to access any of their materials. It makes me wonder if the best resources are hidden in the sites you have to pay for, of if the free sites are just as good. Moreover, this activity made me realize how lazy a teacher could be if they just wanted to pull their entire curriculum off the internet. I could find a lifetime supply of full lesson plans, engaging activities, handouts, examples, and even lecture notes/PowerPoints without doing any work. This makes me upset because it allows people who aren’t dedicated enough to spend time developing a great lesson and fun activities reap the benefits of a dynamic classroom using someone else’s hard work. I know I should be glad that students who are stuck with these teachers will at least have a better experience, but I can’t overlook the fact that some teachers work their hearts out and others get a free ride.
In the end, I am pretty torn about whether I want to share the assignments, lesson plans, and creative activities I design on the internet. I think this activity was good for me because it is causing me to think about an issue I never really considered, but it will require more thought before I can make up my mind.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
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