F2F Instructional Strategies

[Carrie Albin]

In this discussion forum share what you have learned about face to face instructional strategies.  What do you plan to implement into your classroom?  What do you already do in your classroom that was covered in the lecture?

[Robert J. LaRocque]

In the past I have regularly used my smart board in lesson delivery. Some of the time is has just been the basic PowerPoint presentation. Learning about face to face instructional strategies, it may still be the task of lecturing, but it can be enhanced in so many different ways. In this upcoming school year, I am hoping to use blogs, VoiceThread,and to increase collaboration Google Docs. As with many teachers, I regularly use PowerPoint, LCD projectors, interactive whiteboards, and a document camera. In the past I have also done podcasting and used youtube to enhance what is going on in the classroom. One cool thing I just learned about was Poll Everywhere. Students can then use a cell phone or computer to send in their answer. This seems like a really cool way to utilize cell phones in the classroom and could be an alternative to purchasing a CPS system.

[Sarah Lewis]

In watching this video, I learned about a lot of great ideas for making better use of face to face instructional time. I have not used much technology in my daily lessons in the past, because I do not have access to a projector, document camera, smart board, or any of these cool educational technologies that everyone is talking about. I have a computer and a tv, so I am finding I will just have to be a little bit more creative in my use of technology to improve my teaching. I do have access to a computer lab, just not for everyday use as I have to share. One thing I am excited about for this year, is that in my middle school classroom (I also have a high school classroom) I now have a projector! I am excited about doing some new things with PowerPoint, Prezi, Google Docs, Blogs, and Moodle to improve the face to face time I have with my students. I would love to purchase some clickers to use for review games, and even just checks for understanding throughout my lessons. I think this would be a great way to get students interested and involved, instead of just sitting there drooling on their desks!

[Stefani Makowski]

I use my Smartboard and document camera on a daily basis. I'm an art teacher and my room is long and narrow. When presenting a demonstration to the class, I do so under my document camera so students can easily see what I'm doing. I also record my actions and put together files for students who may be absent to review at a later date. I find that the SmartBoard is so much more than just a whiteboard. I use it in conjunction with Prezi and PowerPoint to make interactive presentations.

 

I find that I personally use these new technologies in creating lesson plans, but don't allow my students to use these tools to create responses. It may be because I am a specials teacher and have limited time with each class (45 minutes a week) that using these new technologies to create a project would take a very long time.

[Julie Gill]

In watching the video I identified with the concept of being somewhere in the middle of the two polar extremes of teaching with an old school approach and teaching with all the luxuries technology can afford.  I see benefit to combining the two methods to create lessons that are rich in content as well as technology to enhance and deliver the content. As I watched the video I began to process how I could use some of the featured tools in the classroom to expand on my current methods.  I am learning a great deal about Google apps already so I definitely want to try some of the ones that apply to my lessons and discussions. More specifically, I'm interested in using more tools that enhance and support student assessments. I would like to use Google forms and clickers this next year.  These tools will help me to gain assessment information quickly. I can view the results as a graph or display which is a fast and efficient manner and I can quickly identify which students need more help.  It will also allow me to navigate through my curriculum and lesson planning more effectively as I can see what they already know about a topic or what misconceptions they have as well. 

A tip that I would suggest is to collaborate with others in your PLN and practice the tool before launching. You can meet with other teachers either F2F or through use of a collaborative web tool such as Wikispaces or Blogger for discussion blogs. You can learn a lot from one another and share your own technological successes or mistakes.  I would also encourage you to make sure that you test out the tools before implementing them. Sounds very base but it's important for us to not grow frustrated when things go wrong technologically during a lesson.  We need to realize that things can and will go wrong whether it's from user error or technology failure. 

[Jeffrey Patton]

Julie, I agree that collaborating with others in your PLN is one of the most important things that an educator can do. Especially, collaborating with online tools like blogs and wikis. I think many teachers feel like they are stuck in the middle. Using these new technologies is all about finding new and innovative ways to connect the concepts of what you're teaching without sacrificing content. Combining the two methods is definitely a benefit! My focus for the upcoming year in my classroom is collaboration. It's extremely important for students to collaborate with one another. There are many tools out there that will aid in this. I will be using Edmodo and blogs quite a bit. I too am interested in finding ways to support assessments; even if it is just a short formative assessment. I'm hoping to use Edmodo, interactive polls, and Google Forms to make this happen.

[Cecilia]

One tool that is a great alternative to the clicker systems is http://www.polleverywhere.com/.  It is more ideal for junior high and high school student when the kids have texting on their cell phones.  I like the idea of this because most kids have cell phones in the upper grades and they would love to use them.  It's also free.

Anther tool that I used last year with my older elementary students 4th & 5th grade was Edmodo.com.  This is a great tool that looks and feels like Facebook.  However, it's easy to set up without requiring passwords and emails from young kids.  The teacher creates a class site and gives the password to her students.  You can have discussions, poll the students and download files and videos.  Students can also upload assignments to the site and you can grade the work on the site.  I also think this is a great site to introduce students to "social learning" and using social media the appropriate way to learn instead of for social destruction.  Introduce netiquette skills as the first lesson though!

[Jessica Collins]

Wow I am impressed! I have never heard of either of the technology tools you mentioned but they both sound really interesting. How long have you been using these tools and how have the kids responded to them? Have you had any resistance from staff or parents?

[Dan Winther]

After completing the Face to Face sesssion in 811, I realize that I am about half way to where I'd like to be. I already use many of the technologies in my classroom, like SmartBoard and Google Docs. In addition, I am working on implementing student blogs into my classroom, as well as a student wiki to have discussions in an interactive way. The thing that I took the most out of this presentation was concerning VoiceThread and how amazing it can be for the learner and the educator. I recently prepared a presentation with the resource, and the amount of collaboration and commenting that can happen is amazing. Also, the presentations are interactive and fun, which is a nice change from the normal PowerPoint. I have added VoiceThread into my "wish list" for my classroom.

[Jessica Collins]

 

What hit me from this session was how just because you add technology to a lesson doesn't guarantee it will be a success. However, from a special ed teachers perspective I see the value in adding visuals, breaking up lessons, and offering alternatives to traditional pencil and paper assignments.

 

If I do return to the classroom I would really like to utilize blogs, webpages, and Google Docs. In the past I stuck to PowerPoints, Interactive Whiteboards, Document cameras, and Youtube.

[Pamela Lee Ann Helsing]

In this lecture he mentions that Google Docs is just about the best way to get students collaborating online.  I have used google docs multiple times to interact with colleagues and found it to be very easy to use.  I especially like the way I am able to collaborate on a document at a time when it is convenient for me.  Whenever it's about time to finish a project, it is very helpful to be able to schedule a time for all collaborators to work on the project together while being able to send messages to one another on the side of the screen.  I plan to try using this program with my students in the classroom in the future.

[jason]

I use Google Docs in our Music Appreciation courses. It's great to ensure that notes, podcast scripts or other documents for group work are accessible to everyone, not just the person who types it. Also, if students are ill, or on a family trip, they can still take part in the discussion. My favorite feature is the history feature that tells you each members contributions. This allows fair grading.

[Lisa Napierala]

I am very eager to try out a book talk with my students.  I think it is a great idea for them to be recorded as they are analyzing or recommending a book.  Also, I have never heard of voicethread and would like to learn more about it!  I am currently taking my first class in the MAET program so I hope to learn all about it in the year to come.  I also plan to impliment a classroom website very soon into my classroom.