Aristotle says:

Teaching is the highest form of understanding

Alan November, in the book Curriculum 21 by Heidi Hayes Jacobs,  lists “Tutorial Designers” as one of the six new roles to develop empowered learners.

If these two educators , separated by over 2000 years in history, are right… then we should be pushing students to do just that. We need to give them opportunities to become teachers.

The creation and maintenance of the Math Wiki by our Middle Schoolers was the perfect platform to expose students to an array of design tools to create tutorials for their classmates and other math students around the world.

Take a look at the following tools used and student examples.

Animoto

• Math Music Videos

Microsoft PowerPoint

PowerPoint

SmartBoard Notebook

SmartBoard Notebook

SmartBoard Notebook

• Math Lesson?-Empower Learners?

Skitch/ Jing

• Screenshot software

Using Skitch

Google Docs Drawing

Google Docs-Drawing

Google Earth

Google Earth

iMovie/MovieMaker

Student Created Tutorials from langwitches on Vimeo.

Garageband or Vocaroo (web based recording)

Another tool popping up in the web 2.o ocean of web based collaborative tools: Wallwisher

I usually sign up for most tool that come around so I can try it out at least once. I believe, that the best ideas on HOW to use a tool, come about when you are in the process of using it, not just thinking about it.

So Wallwisher says about themselves:

Wallwisher is an Internet application that allows people to express their thoughts on a common topic easily.

One thing, I was not happy about from the start: There is a limit of characters in your USERNAME. It was the first time that EVER happened to me. “Langwitches” was considered TOO long of a username.  I was stumped, what was I going to do? I sat there and contemplated if I should even bother signing up if I could not have my name!!! Wallwhishers, if you happen to read this, could you allow longer usernames, pleeeeaseeeee

Once I got over it (well not really, since I am blogging about it), the rest was  easy and intuitive. I created a wall, chose the background, gave it a title and subtitle and double clicked to add my first stickie :

• 160 characters or less
• Add a link to an image, audio or video link

I grabbed the URL of my wall, twittered about it and asked others to add their own thoughts.

I see this as a potential for professional development as well as in the classroom. An advantage for working with students (especially elementary age ones) is that:

• you don’t have to be a registered user in order to post a stickie
• set preferences who can view and edit the board

Here are some potential uses I can envision:

• any kind of collaborative brainstorming
• virtual announcement board
• create collaboratively a visual of relevant and supportive resources of a topic (bookmarking)
• Get students /teachers to PARTICIPATE with their opinions

Larry Farlazzo listed a few potential uses on his blog post Wallwisher is a Winner:

It can be a great place for students to use higher-order thinking by creating categories of images (and descriptions) or short texts they copy and paste (or write themselves). It can also be used as a site for social bookmarking of websites if you just right-click the website you put inside the sticky-note and then click on “open in a new window.”

On Nik’s Learning Technology blog a lot more uses and examples of boards are listed. I especially liked his ideas about using the wall for:

Creating video and image activities or a space for debates

What uses to you envision or have used Wallwisher boards in your school with other teachers or students?
Here is my first board:
Building a Learning Community-

I checked out PhotoPeach.

Our idea is to help users tell better stories online using photos. Our inspiration for this service came from enjoying sharing photos with friends in real life.

You can create a rich slideshow in seconds to engage your friends or family in a natural way. This is done by allowing two-way commenting right at each photo in the show and automatically pausing so you have time to express yourself before continuing.

We also support zooming comments, sound-effect smilies, and music so you can elaborate on your story further.

You have heard again and again: “A picture is worth a thousand words” but what if you could add a thousand words to your photos, and some music? We think the whole slideshow is greater than the sum of the photos, words, and music.

The concept is similar to Animoto. You upload images from your computer, Facebook, Picasa or Flickr, then pick a song and PhotoPeach will automatically create a video that you can e-mail or embed easily. The catch is that the slideshow has to be public in order to embed it on a classroom blog for example. Before I can use a service like PhotoPeach with my students, I need to investigate a little further.

From their About Section,  I found out that :

Visitors without an account can write their name and comment on your slideshow without signing up.

This concerns me, since I will have no control over who can and will add what . The chances that something inappropriate will end up on something that is intended for academic use are too great. Is there a comment moderation feature before ANYONE can leave a comment on students’ slideshows? I am looking for a feature similar to VoiceThread .

Another issue that we, who deal with younger students, have is the e-mail issue. Does PhotoPeach allow multiple sign-ins under the same username?

I tried it out with my photos of the 366images from January 2009. There are two choice to embed the slideshow, as a Story or as a Spiral show.

Technorati Tags: Digital Storytelling

All of our teachers are administrators of their own wordpress blog (hosted on our domain) As part of our monthly workshops, the past week “Embedding Media on Your Blog” was offered.

The definition of “embedding” is :

To enclose snugly or firmly.
To cause to be an integral part of a surrounding whole

In the world of our classroom blogs that means to insert an image, a slideshow, audio or video, so it can easily be viewed as part of your post.

There are many third party websites, that allow you to upload images and then easily embed them into YOUR classroom blog by copying and pasting special code that they provide to you. You can also upload and embed audio and video files directly. The blog software will automatically use a special player that plays directly inside your post without the need for the visitor to download the file.

Here is an overview that was shared with faculty members. You might find the following links helpful yourself or are able to pass it on to your staff as well.

Images (jpeg file)

Smilebox

Bubbleshare

Photoshow

Slide

• Embed code for my space
• Tweak code: delete after </object> to remove buttons that allow to click through

Voicethread

• In your VoiceThread click on menu>embed> then copy the code
• Go to your blog
• Create a new post
• Click on the HTML tab
• Paste (CTRL-V) the code into the text box

Audio (mp3 file)

• Audacity
• Once created, upload to blog by clicking on “Add Audio”
• Once uploaded, highlight the URL and copy it (CTRL-C)
• Type in your blog post [audio:your_mp3_file.mp3 . After you type in “[audio:” then paste the URL you have copied (CTRL-V), don’t forget to type the closing bracket. We use the Audio Player WordPress Plugin
• Publish your post and you should see the audio player in your post

Movies (.wmv file)

Windows Movie Maker

• Upload the .wmv file by clicking on “add Media” and browsing
• Copy the URL (CTRL-C)
• Click on the “Insert/edit embedded media” button on the second row of the toolbar
• Paste the URL
• Enter dimensions 400×400
• Under the advanced tab-uncheck “Auto Play”
• You will see a yellow box inserted in the blog text box. Once you publish, you will be able to watch the movie

Photostory

Animoto

• get embed code (push pin icon)
• copy-paste in blog post on the HTML tab

Presentations

Google Presentation

• Upload the PowerPoint presentation to Google Docs
• Share
• Embed
• Copy code-
• Paste in blog post on the html tab

Slideshare

• On your blog- add media
• browse for the file on your computer
• upload

Remember

• Use your school account email when signing up for any third party site. Do not use that account for personal projects
• Do not upload students’ personal information or pictures that display their names
• When embedding media in your blog:
  • Type any text on the visual tab
  • Then paste the embed code on the HTML tab

Muchísimas gracias a la dirección de la Goethe Schule en Buenos Aires, Argentina por darme la oportunidad de hablar con ellos acerca de la integración de tecnología y la alfabetización en el siglo XXI.

Gracias a Verónica D. y Heidi M. por organizar ese encuentro. Ich freue mich schon auf gemeinsame Projekte!

¿Qué es un Instructional Technologist?

• La carrera universitaria de un Instructional Technologist es una combinación de cursos de educación, pedagogía, diseño gráfico, diseño de cursos, investigación de programas de estudios, diseño de paginas web
• Planifica y enseña con los maestros/profesores en las aulas y en la sala de computación como co-  teachers.
• Responsable en el ámbito tecnológico del desarrollo profesional de profesores y dirección.
• Trabaja directamente con el coordinador de programa de estudio, el administrador y técnicos de la red

Video “Did you know?

• ¿Sabías ?

Desarrollo profesional de los docentes

• Planificación semanal
• Co-teaching y apoyo en la sala de computación y en los aulas
• Reuniones y talleres mensuales
• Ayuda uno a uno -  One-on-One help
• Conferencias y talleres afuera del colegio
• Crear una comunidad de aprendices
• Incentivos y Evaluaciones
• Prioridad la enseñanza y el apoyo de los profesores
• Crear una red personal de aprendizaje (Personal Learning Network)
• Micro- Blogging: Twitter o Plurk
• K-12 Online Conference
  • iPods- iSpeak- iSing- iListen- iLearn
  • Travel through Space and Time

Cambio en la enseñanza y el aprendizaje

• De enseñanza aislada a enseñanza paralela y de ahí a enseñanza integrada
• Enseñanza y el aprendizaje- Donde sea, como sea, cuando sea..
• 24 horas al día, 7 días a la semana, 365 días al año
• Los chicos están siempre conectados (instant messaging, MySpace, Facebook, celular), esperan resultados inmediatos, respuestas instantáneas
• Los alumnos muy buenos para acumular información, pero necesitan ayuda para analizar y comprender
• El cerebro evolucionó y las neuronas conectan en forma diferente
• Tareas múltiples para concentrarse- escuchando al ipod, chateando …….
• Aprendizaje y enseñanza a distancia

Traducido de “How the Google generation thinks differently ” by Catherine O’Brien

Habilidades, conocimientos y competencias del siglo XXI- 21st Century Skills

• Comunicación
• Colaboración
• Conexiones
• Preparar a nuestros alumnos para SU futuro, no para NUESTRO pasado.

Alfabetización en el  Siglo XXI – 21st Century Literacy

• Los analfabetos del Siglo XXI, “no son aquellos que no saben leer y escribir, sino más bien aquellos que no puedan aprender, desaprender lo aprendido y volver a aprender. Alvin Toffler
• “leer”: una foto, un video, diferentes medios, como analizarlos
• Informacion:
  • acceder, manejar, integrar, evaluar y generar información, y la utilización como herramienta
  • Cómo organizarla?- uso extensivo del “tagging” como forma de clasificación de la información
  • Cómo manipularla, crear nueva información y nuevos conocimientos
  • Cómo conectarla a otra información en nuevas maneras.
• ¿Cómo se lee un Wiki o un blog?
• ¿Cómo se escribe, como se crea enlaces para conectar mas información?

Web 2.0

• Cambio de herramientas tradicionales (MS Office), dependientes de la plataforma, instalados y que funcionan desde el escritorio, a herramientas basados en el web (el web es la plataforma) aplicaciones que generan colaboración, son personalizadas
• La información es lo que mueve al Internet
• Cambiamos de ser consumidores /receptores de la información a ser productores/ autores de la Red
• Herramientas de la web 2.0:
  • Blogs- Blogger , WordPress
  • Wikis- Wikispaces
    • What Could it Mean? Wiki
    • Cities Around the World
    • Global Collaborations
  • Redes Sociales- MySpace , Facebook , Ning
  • Social Bookmarks- web de intercambio de enlaces/favoritos- Del.icio.us , Diigo
  • Google Docs : Word Processor, Spreadsheet, Presentations
  • Skype – Video Conferencia
  • Flickr – web social de intercambio de fotos
  • YouTube
  • VoiceThread
    • What could it mean?
    • Jose travels to Egypt

Storytelling has existed since the beginning of time as a form of human interaction. It evolved from cave paintings and oral transmission of how and why our people existed and as an explanation of the world around us to troubadours who traveled the country to inform others of news and happenings of places and people far away.

As human interaction and the range of imagination changed over time, so have the methods that allow storytelling to reach a wider audience and allow us to preserve a voice, an image and a moment in time for posterity in a way that was never possible before.

The Digital Storytelling tools posts, such as Moviemaker , Photostory , Google Maps or VoiceThread , are new kinds of tools that create a final “story product” in a different media than we were used to before. The use of technology tools has created a new process and new forms of storytelling.

We can easily use different kinds of media and rearrange them in new ways. We can now publish and share them with the world for enjoyment or to solicit their perspective or information. It is a new way of documenting our history, our way of looking at the world, of materializing our memories, or of passing on to the next generation what is important to us.

Mixbook.com is web-based but sets itself apart from the previously mentioned tools. It allows us to use storytelling in a way that we all are already comfortable and familiar with. The process does not create a new media, such as a podcast, a video clip uploaded to YouTube or a VoiceThread embedded in a blog or wiki, that most people are still getting comfortable in handling. Mixbook is a tool that allows anyone to tell a story by creating and publish it as a book!

With images and/or text, anyone can create a photo book, an illustrated story, or a scrapbook. The ratio of text and images is up to. What makes Mixbook so attractive and what earned itself a spot as a Web 2.0 tool, is its ability to allow collaboration among many authors of the same book. No need to sit next to each other on the same computer. Collaborators can be classmates or teachers within the same school or who live a world away from each other.

Mixbook allows you to create books with your friends and family  about the things that are important in your life. Mixbooks can be shared online or as coffee-table quality printed books.

Get started by creating an account with Mixbook.

Once logged in, simply click on the “Create” tab.

Once you click “Create Mixbook” , you now have a choice between allowing them to AutoMix the images for you or to create the layout from scratch. You an always change your mind later too.

Get started by uploading the images you want to use in your book. These can be photos, scanned in illustrations or other momentums. You can choose from a wide array of sources where to upload your images. I prefer uploading directly from my computer or through the integration with Flickr.com , where I have an account.

Once I allow Mixbook to access my Flickr account, it is as simple as selecting the image set to locate the images for the book and selecting each image by clicking on it. In order to select multiple images, hold down the CTRL key before selecting more images.

Once images/photos are uploaded, make sure the correct page is selected that you want to work on, then click on the “Layout” tab and choose from many layouts available. These layouts are images or text only or a combination of both. You can choose to include 0-21 images per page.

Once you have the layout selected, go back to the “Photos” tab, select an image and drag and drop it into the workspace of the page on the right. Don’t worry you can always change your layout later and the images you have selected will adjust.

Once the layout is set, you can move on to the “Background” tab and choose a sold colored background or scrapbook like design backgrounds. Click on background of your choice and it will be instantly displayed in the preview window. Change as many times as you like.

In order to add and select a new page in a double page layout, click on the green circle with the plus sign. You are immediately ready to choose your layout and drag and drop images from your “Photos” tab.  You can also add or delete a page from the Page Tools menu.

Once your images are placed in the layout, you can continue manipulating them by selecting each individually. You can edit and personalize the previously chosen layout by rotating the frames, and changing their color, width and style. You can also zoom in or out of each image within a frame or send the entire image with frame to the back or bring it to the front of the page.

In order to delete an image, simply select it, move your mouse over the trashcan a click.

When you have completed your book, it is time to publish it, which allows you to purchase a hard copy of the book or distribute a link for others to order your book from the company.
You can also go back to the main page of your book, scroll down and find the code that allows you to embed your mixbook into your blog, website or wiki.

Check out the following examples and ideas how to Mixbook as a tool to tell a story with your students.

• Kids for Kenya: An A-Z book for Childrens’ Rights
  A project created by Karen Kliegman.
  A rare opportunity to hear from children what they believe their rights as young humans are. A poignant example it the letter “I”, “Children have the right to express their ideas.”
• San Jose Episcopal Day School’s Journey to Egypt
  SJEDS traveled to Egypt in the 2007-2008 school year. Follow along as each grade level learns and experiences the journey.

Last week, Google Docs has announced the addition of Forms within Google Spreadsheets. Very cool!

I finally got around to try it out this afternoon. Here are some of the steps I took while� exploring.

Sign into your google docs account and create a new spreadsheet. Click on the “Share” button and choose “to fill in form” then start editing your form.

My example was going to be a survey that I wanted teachers to fill out at our next professional development workshop, which happens to be “All About Google”. So I started adding questions and chose from a variety of possible answer types, such as text, paragraph text, multiple choice, checkboxes and choose from a list.

Just click on Save when finished and +Add a question when ready for the next one.

Once your form (survey) is complete, click “Next choose recipients”. That will take you to the next screenshot. You can now invite people by specific e-mails or copy and paste the provided weblink into a page or blog for anyone to find and fill out the form.

You also have a choice to “Let people see existing responses” or hide them from viewers, which seems to be the default.

The cool thing will be to see the results populate the spreadsheet I wonder if it will be live or if there will be a time lag. Very nice.� I like the way we will be able to show the correlation and interconnectedness of a survey and the corresponding date collection in a spreadsheet to our students.

Having fun with a web based Image editing BeFunky.com site this morning - Funky ways to express yourself. This link came to me via Steve Dembo’s post “Make your Digital photos befunky“. Steve does a great job in reviewing the site, so click on over there to read his detailed review.

I would add to Steve’s review the added features that allow you to customize your photos with Speech Balloons, Graphic Text, other accessories, such as hats, glasses, jewelry,etc.

I know that my elementary school students would have had a blast playing with this site, BUT of course since it is free there are the dreaded ads. Right after the first login a google ad for “sexy something” was displayed prominently right above my image.

So, working with my students together on this site is out, but I can see some fun for the teacher using it to create personalized coloring book pages for the little ones with the sketch feature alone.

It also has potential for creating “less identifying images” for and from our students. I try teach them that if you must upload a public image to the web, do not use a high resolution detailed photograph, but rather reduce to a lower resolutio, which does not lend itself to further alterations or quality printing.

Thanks to Ewan McIntosh and his blog post “2007 and Travels in Review” on EduBlogs, I found the following fun site “Great Circle Map“.

Enter the airport codes or city names that you have traveled to and it will give you an good amount of interesting facts: Latitude, Longitude, Initial Heading Direction and miles or other measurement units that you want to specify. It also gives you a nice map with your travel route.

Kwout , a web based (no registration) screen capturing and quoting tool is buzzing around the blogo- and twittersphere.

kwout | A brilliant way to quote via kwout

What I especially like about this tool is that it includes an image map with each screen shot. This means that any links on the image map is clickable and takes you to the URL. This is an improvement to ANY other screen capturing tool that I have used. Another positive spin is, that it mashes up with your Flickr account. I went ahead an created a screen shot set on Flickr, where I am planning on adding any interesting quotes taken from Kwout .
This looks like it will turn out to be an interesting, convenient and productive tool for personal and student learning.