learning.now http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/ PBS Teachers, Learning.Now en Copyright 2009 Sat, 14 Feb 2009 09:00:22 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.36 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss S Romary on What Exactly is a Blog, Anyway? Hello Sultana — I too have just started in on the whole student blogger attempt. See http://inside.isb.ac.th/sromary/student-bloggers/ I made a rubric for them and also gave them some freedom to personalize, but also worked hard at pitching the idea that this was their voice in a global discussion, and this seemed to resonate. They’re grade 8.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2006/05/what_exactly_is_a_blog_anyway.html#comment-149757 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2006/05/what_exactly_is_a_blog_anyway.html#comment-149757 Sun, 10 May 2009 08:58:03 -0500 Minty Beem on What Does School Reform Look Like? Theresa,

I agree with you that we need to get kids to think about what is happening to them and vocalize what they feel about it. They also need to be taught how others react to what they do. It seems to me that sometimes, once people (all people not just kids) get plugged into something it is very difficult to then communicate with them. I believe that reform should start with communication and what better starting point than the tools of communication avaialble such as cell phones, iphones, internet and so on? Teachers and those in administration need to move with the times as the young people we teach move, this should lead to better understanding of each other so we can work together instead of against each other.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/01/what_does_school_reform_look_l.html#comment-149758 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/01/what_does_school_reform_look_l.html#comment-149758 Sun, 10 May 2009 09:17:26 -0500 Gregg on Students Use Social Media to Cover the Inauguration I think this is a great idea and a tremendous way to ‘plug students in’ to government and history. It also seems very appropriate that our new president, so technologically savvy himself, should be the focus of an exercise that provides students with an opportunity to report upon his inauguration with tools and technologies available to us.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/01/students_using_social_media_to.html#comment-149759 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/01/students_using_social_media_to.html#comment-149759 Mon, 11 May 2009 00:26:26 -0500 Molmcd on An Open Letter About Cyberbullying Right on Andy! We are always looking for ways to enhance teaching and sometimes we don’t see beyond the outcome we are hoping for - by opening a door we don’t realize the millions of directions students could go in and how these students need to know how to do it safely. Cyberbullying is real and it needs to be recognized so students can be educated about how to stay safe.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2007/09/an_open_letter_about_cyberbull.html#comment-149760 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2007/09/an_open_letter_about_cyberbull.html#comment-149760 Wed, 13 May 2009 15:08:28 -0500 Tattoo Tips on Should Video Games Replace Classroom Learning? Although not a teacher, I know several of them and have 4 children of my own.

My response would be a , a most heartfelt, NO! There isn’t anything that can take the place of human interaction. We are getting farther and farther away from this with all of the distraction that video games and T.V. provide too easily. Soon enough we will be raising a new generation of zombies.

It’s getting too easy for kids to distance themselves from human relationships of any kind. This is a dangerous path we are starting to go down.

Design Your Own Tattoo

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2008/03/should_video_games_replace_cla.html#comment-149762 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2008/03/should_video_games_replace_cla.html#comment-149762 Sat, 16 May 2009 11:14:05 -0500 Evan on Students Use Social Media to Cover the Inauguration I was very impressed with the way my school made a whole day out of the inauguration. For the entire day, they projected the news coverage onto the huge screen in the auditorium. All classes were welcome to come and watch at any time, and students who were in lunch were allowed to go to the auditorium if they wished. Of course, during the actual swearing in, the room was the most full, but it was interesting to see kids really being interested in the event as a whole. There were tons of kids watching the parade and festivities throughout the day. Now as a math teacher, I did not give an assignment, but I know that the social studies department made a specific sheet of questions similar to some of the questions mentioned in the article above. All in all, it was a very exciting day at my school.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/01/students_using_social_media_to.html#comment-149763 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/01/students_using_social_media_to.html#comment-149763 Sun, 17 May 2009 12:38:38 -0500 Christina on Students Use Social Media to Cover the Inauguration I think that is great to use this type of technology to connect students to the outside world. This was a historical moment and to have students use social media is an amazing experience. Throughout my school, teachers were setting up all different ways to view the Inauguration. Many of the classes had discussions, wrote letters, etc. To directly connect students with tools to report on the Inauguration would have definately involved the students to feel that they were actually there.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/01/students_using_social_media_to.html#comment-149764 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/01/students_using_social_media_to.html#comment-149764 Sun, 17 May 2009 12:45:51 -0500 Christian Bannon on Students Use Social Media to Cover the Inauguration As a teacher myself, it is so satisfying to hear that fellow teachers are doing things that are way beyond the traditional classroom of the “teacher telling” and the the “student writing”. We need more of these types of lessons to keep up with the changes in our society and to keep the students attentive.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/01/students_using_social_media_to.html#comment-149765 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/01/students_using_social_media_to.html#comment-149765 Mon, 18 May 2009 13:08:52 -0500 Gladys on What Exactly is a Blog, Anyway? Andy,
Thanks for the information which was extremely helpful. I am interested in starting a blog with my students for summer reading. The kids are really excited about it. What do you recommend?

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2006/05/what_exactly_is_a_blog_anyway.html#comment-149766 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2006/05/what_exactly_is_a_blog_anyway.html#comment-149766 Wed, 20 May 2009 18:40:50 -0500 Staci on Human-Powered Search: Just What the Teacher Ordered? Andy,
Very interesting post, but as Tina stated schools have most of the websites blocked making it very difficult to use. However, I know recently my school library has allowed for students to access specific websites that will provide students with more specific links to the information that they are looking for, similar to Mahalo. I think that human-powered search engines should be available for people to choose to use them, but I think that we should depend solely on them. Like everything else they have their advantages and disadvantages.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2008/03/humanpowered_search_just_what.html#comment-149767 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2008/03/humanpowered_search_just_what.html#comment-149767 Mon, 25 May 2009 21:52:39 -0500 Staci on Education Reform and the Freedom to Mod Andy,
I truely enjoyed reading your post along with all the responses. I agree that the current accountablilty standards implemented with the NCLB has forced some teachers to focus strictly on that and not the needs of our students. I don’t agree that stuents should be evaluated based off of standardized tests when the learning levels of each student is so different. I also agree that teachers tend to teach to the test and courses have such a time restriction on what needs to be covered that teachers are not allowing time to make the important connections with students needed in order for them to be successful in their learning. Students that are connected with their teachers are more engaged and learn better.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/02/education_reform_and_the_freed.html#comment-149768 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/02/education_reform_and_the_freed.html#comment-149768 Mon, 25 May 2009 22:20:01 -0500 Staci on What Role Should Teachers Play in Policing the Net? I agree with those who responded that as educators we should be there for all children so an incident like this should be reported. It is not our repsonisbility to evaluate a persons behavior or personality, but it is our responsibility to protect children. We will leave the rest up to the legal system.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/01/what_role_should_teachers_play.html#comment-149769 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/01/what_role_should_teachers_play.html#comment-149769 Mon, 25 May 2009 23:52:51 -0500 JR on What Exactly is a Blog, Anyway? ditto on Wendy Goff comment

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2006/05/what_exactly_is_a_blog_anyway.html#comment-149772 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2006/05/what_exactly_is_a_blog_anyway.html#comment-149772 Sun, 31 May 2009 21:06:36 -0500 kterborg on What Role Should Teachers Play in Policing the Net? I too am a grad student taking a class focusing on the integration of technology in education. I am also a teacher who has been teaching in a private elementary school for the past 15 years. This discussion has been interesting to read and thoughtprovoking.

In response to the twitter activity that got the ball rolling, I am in favor of the woman who contacted the authorities. While I understand the roll of sarcasm, I do not think it’s wrong to act in what you perceive to be the best interest of a child. If you’re wrong, then so be it. It wasn’t as if she called protective services. If I were witness to the same thing, I believe I would have acted in the same manner.

In response to a teacher’s relationship with students on facebook I have a differing opinion. I am friends with many of my past students who are now in middle school or beyond. I was their 3rd or 4th grade teacher. I typically do not talk with them other than to congratulate them on an accomplishment they may post. I do not update my status, but I don’t know if I would even if I weren’t friends with my past students. I do think it’s a different story for teachers in the middle school and especially high school arenas. The students who have asked me are more interested in letting me know what they’re up to or just establishing a connection with me again.

Finally, I do agree with the person who wrote that a teacher cannot just be a teacher at school and then take that hat off when the bell rings at the end of the day. If you are able to do that I question if you are a person with a job or a teacher with a calling. There are days when I wish I had a job where I could just leave it all at the office, but there are more days when I thank God that I can make a difference in the life of a child. I think it is my job to educate each of my students in more than academics. I want to help guide them to make wise choices in all areas of their lives, including technology. I agree with the one parent who expressed concern regarding what technology her child has access to at school. I think one has to be very careful and monitor students at all times. It is very easy to be exposed to something that you had no itent of discovering. I do think, however, that properly managed, technology is bringing many exciting developments to education. This course has opened my mind to ways that I can further extend my students’ learning beyond the walls of the school.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/01/what_role_should_teachers_play.html#comment-149779 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2009/01/what_role_should_teachers_play.html#comment-149779 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:45:17 -0500 Denise on An Open Letter About Cyberbullying I read this piece as a choice for evaluation of blogs for my Instructional Media master’s class called Web 2.0. I must say that I am horrified to think that people can be so hurtful of something intended to help protect our kids. Articles like that list make strong cases for why people like you (and me, as a responsible educator) have your job cut out for you. Thank you for caring so much about our kids and for continuing to educate people on ways to protect them from becoming victims. Because of people like you, the rest of us can feel some hope.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2007/09/an_open_letter_about_cyberbull.html#comment-149782 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2007/09/an_open_letter_about_cyberbull.html#comment-149782 Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:21:09 -0500