In Chapter 6 of "Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms" I learned more about the ways that Twitter and social bookmarking services can be utilized effectively by educators. I have no current experience with Twitter but have learned through reading this chapter and several related online articles that using Twitter is easy and can be useful. For example, if I had a Twitter account for my class, my students would all be required to follow me so that when I updated class related information, they would all get the notification quickly and in real-time. According to Richardson, I could also use Twitter to link to presentations or relevant articles for my students to access. (p.88)
Regarding social bookmarking services, in this chapter I was introduced to Diigo and was able to understand more about the bookmarking service that I am currently using in this class, Delicious. So far, I have liked using Delicious and have found that it is a neat way to organize links all in one place. I have found that tagging links is easy and following others with similar interests is a great way to find new resources. I am learning lots of new ways to collaborate and share information with others!
References: Richardson, W. (2010) Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Reaction to "The Power of Introverts: An Essential Understanding for Teachers"
"The Power of Introverts: An Essential Understanding for Teachers"
This was an interesting article that I found on my Edutopia RSS feed. The author, Edutopia blogger Elena Aguilar, shares what teachers should know about introverted students as well as considerations for introverted educators.
I could relate to this article because I feel that I am an introvert by nature. I like my quiet time and prefer to work on tasks in solitude. I am grateful that I work with a fairly small number of students on a daily basis. My classes of dental hygiene students are no more than 24 students and I feel that I can have a more personal relationship with them and engage them in discussion more easily than I could if I were teaching to a large lecture hall with 80 plus students. Aguilar states that for introverted teachers it is sometimes necessary to take a quiet break and refuel between tasks so that you can temporarily transform into an extrovert when necessary. I feel this is what I do everyday.
Aguilar also states that as educators we should be mindful of introverted students and "take time to cultivate them" instead of only focusing on the outwardly participatory students. I try to get each of my students involved during class discussion, but I try not to force them too much out of their comfort zone.
Reference:
Aguilar, E. (2013, November 25). The Power of Introverts: An Essential Understanding for Teachers. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/power-introverts-essential-understanding-teachers-elena-aguilar.
This was an interesting article that I found on my Edutopia RSS feed. The author, Edutopia blogger Elena Aguilar, shares what teachers should know about introverted students as well as considerations for introverted educators.
I could relate to this article because I feel that I am an introvert by nature. I like my quiet time and prefer to work on tasks in solitude. I am grateful that I work with a fairly small number of students on a daily basis. My classes of dental hygiene students are no more than 24 students and I feel that I can have a more personal relationship with them and engage them in discussion more easily than I could if I were teaching to a large lecture hall with 80 plus students. Aguilar states that for introverted teachers it is sometimes necessary to take a quiet break and refuel between tasks so that you can temporarily transform into an extrovert when necessary. I feel this is what I do everyday.
Aguilar also states that as educators we should be mindful of introverted students and "take time to cultivate them" instead of only focusing on the outwardly participatory students. I try to get each of my students involved during class discussion, but I try not to force them too much out of their comfort zone.
Reference:
Aguilar, E. (2013, November 25). The Power of Introverts: An Essential Understanding for Teachers. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/power-introverts-essential-understanding-teachers-elena-aguilar.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Reaction to "How Do I Get a PLN?"
How Do I Get a PLN?
In Edutopia guest blogger, Tom Whitby's entry I learned what a PLN or Personalized Learning Network is and why I should have one as an educator. According to Whitby, a PLN is "a mindset" that embodies collaboration between education experts and professionals (2013). Benefits of having a PLN include access to information that you otherwise would not have, mentors in other geographic locations, and someone to hear your thoughts.
Whitby outlines steps for building a PLN and states that "20 minutes a day" should be set aside for education collaboration. I learned that I have already begun to build a PLN (without even knowing it) by following educational blogs such as this one. I need to remember after my Master's degree is complete to continue to engage in communication with other educators.
Reference:
Whitby, T. (2013, November 18). How Do I Get a PLN? Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/how-do-i-get-a-pln-tom-whitby.
In Edutopia guest blogger, Tom Whitby's entry I learned what a PLN or Personalized Learning Network is and why I should have one as an educator. According to Whitby, a PLN is "a mindset" that embodies collaboration between education experts and professionals (2013). Benefits of having a PLN include access to information that you otherwise would not have, mentors in other geographic locations, and someone to hear your thoughts.
Whitby outlines steps for building a PLN and states that "20 minutes a day" should be set aside for education collaboration. I learned that I have already begun to build a PLN (without even knowing it) by following educational blogs such as this one. I need to remember after my Master's degree is complete to continue to engage in communication with other educators.
Reference:
Whitby, T. (2013, November 18). How Do I Get a PLN? Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/how-do-i-get-a-pln-tom-whitby.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Reaction to video "Using Wikipedia for Academic Research"
"Using Wikipedia for Academic Research"
For me, this video re-emphasized what I learned in previous weeks in this course about the use of Wikipedia in education. In our Class Wiki my group supported the use of Wikipedia by students and this video directly correlates with other research that we found on the subject. The author, bcveen, explains that Wikipedia can be used as a first resource for research and how to use Wikipedia to find additional information.
What I learned in this video that I had not thought of before is using the outline provided by Wikipedia to make your own outline for a research paper. I think that this is a good idea. If not used directly for making an outline, the subtopics provided by Wikipedia would be helpful as well in making a concept map of related information that may need to be included in the research paper.
As an educator in the community college setting I do not want my students to use Wikipedia as a primary source, however I do support the use of Wikipedia in finding out initial information on a topic and I think that it would be helpful in outlining.
Reference: bcveen. "Using Wikipedia for Academic Research." Online video clip. You Tube. You Tube, 22 Jul. 2008. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
For me, this video re-emphasized what I learned in previous weeks in this course about the use of Wikipedia in education. In our Class Wiki my group supported the use of Wikipedia by students and this video directly correlates with other research that we found on the subject. The author, bcveen, explains that Wikipedia can be used as a first resource for research and how to use Wikipedia to find additional information.
What I learned in this video that I had not thought of before is using the outline provided by Wikipedia to make your own outline for a research paper. I think that this is a good idea. If not used directly for making an outline, the subtopics provided by Wikipedia would be helpful as well in making a concept map of related information that may need to be included in the research paper.
As an educator in the community college setting I do not want my students to use Wikipedia as a primary source, however I do support the use of Wikipedia in finding out initial information on a topic and I think that it would be helpful in outlining.
Reference: bcveen. "Using Wikipedia for Academic Research." Online video clip. You Tube. You Tube, 22 Jul. 2008. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
Reaction to "Habits of Heart: Helping Students Reflect and Act on Gratitude"
"Habits of Heart: Helping Students Reflect and Act on Gratitude"
I really enjoyed reading this entry from Edutopia blogger Maurice Elias. In his post, Elias explains the benefits of expressing gratitude and ways to foster this attitude in the classroom setting. Elias provides 5 activities that students can engage in that encourage an attitude of gratitude.
I think that it is important for students of any age to be reminded of the importance of having an attitude of gratitude. I also believe that educators should embody this mindset. In healthcare fields such as dental hygiene I think this involves appreciating everyone on the dental team including the front desk staff. In our clinic at the community college I take the time to say hi to the custodians every time that I see them and as a faculty member I hope that my students notice and follow suit. Each person should be recognized for the work that they do and the role that they play in making an office or a school run smoothly.
I especially liked Elias' idea of writing thank you cards. I feel that people do not do this as often as they should. I also liked Elias' idea of having students write reflective journal entries where they think about their actions and the actions of others and how they are connected. This is something that I may consider incorporating into the Patient Management course that I teach.
Reference: Elias, M. (2013, November 14). Habits of Heart: Helping Students Reflect and Act on Gratitude. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/heart-habits-gratitude-students-reflect-act-on-maurice-elias
I really enjoyed reading this entry from Edutopia blogger Maurice Elias. In his post, Elias explains the benefits of expressing gratitude and ways to foster this attitude in the classroom setting. Elias provides 5 activities that students can engage in that encourage an attitude of gratitude.
I think that it is important for students of any age to be reminded of the importance of having an attitude of gratitude. I also believe that educators should embody this mindset. In healthcare fields such as dental hygiene I think this involves appreciating everyone on the dental team including the front desk staff. In our clinic at the community college I take the time to say hi to the custodians every time that I see them and as a faculty member I hope that my students notice and follow suit. Each person should be recognized for the work that they do and the role that they play in making an office or a school run smoothly.
I especially liked Elias' idea of writing thank you cards. I feel that people do not do this as often as they should. I also liked Elias' idea of having students write reflective journal entries where they think about their actions and the actions of others and how they are connected. This is something that I may consider incorporating into the Patient Management course that I teach.
Reference: Elias, M. (2013, November 14). Habits of Heart: Helping Students Reflect and Act on Gratitude. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/heart-habits-gratitude-students-reflect-act-on-maurice-elias
Monday, November 11, 2013
Reaction to "What Teaching Teaches the Teacher"
"What Teaching Teaches the Teacher"
Edutopia guest blogger Todd Sentell wrote an interesting entry on October 16th that I could really relate to. His post was titled "What Teaching Teaches the Teacher" and it is a personal account of his experiences as special education teacher. Now I have only been in the role of an educator for less than 2 years, but I have already learned so much more about my profession and my students in this amount of time.
Sentell notes that he has learned that "students that know as much as you do about the subject really keep you sharp." I can relate to this because several of my dental hygiene students have dental assisting or general dental practice experience and prior knowledge about a topic. These students ask very specific questions and make sure I know my stuff. He also notes how important saying "I'm proud of you" is. I am a strong believer in positive reinforcement and acknowledgement of effort. Many of my students are busy adults with a lot of different responsibilities to manage, with school being only one of them. I try to encourage them and tell them when they do something right because I feel it gives them strength to keep going. The last point that Sentell makes also rang true to me. He speaks about reflection on our teaching practices and mentions the benefit of thinking over what you did that day in the classroom and pondering the difficulties as well as the triumphs. I do this everyday and it helps me to plan for the next day, or year, and reminds me why I do the job that I do.
Bottom line, I feel that it is important for teachers to remember that we are learners as well!
References: Sentell, T. (2013, October 16). What Teaching Teaches the Teacher. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-teaching-teaches-the-teacher-todd-sentell
Edutopia guest blogger Todd Sentell wrote an interesting entry on October 16th that I could really relate to. His post was titled "What Teaching Teaches the Teacher" and it is a personal account of his experiences as special education teacher. Now I have only been in the role of an educator for less than 2 years, but I have already learned so much more about my profession and my students in this amount of time.
Sentell notes that he has learned that "students that know as much as you do about the subject really keep you sharp." I can relate to this because several of my dental hygiene students have dental assisting or general dental practice experience and prior knowledge about a topic. These students ask very specific questions and make sure I know my stuff. He also notes how important saying "I'm proud of you" is. I am a strong believer in positive reinforcement and acknowledgement of effort. Many of my students are busy adults with a lot of different responsibilities to manage, with school being only one of them. I try to encourage them and tell them when they do something right because I feel it gives them strength to keep going. The last point that Sentell makes also rang true to me. He speaks about reflection on our teaching practices and mentions the benefit of thinking over what you did that day in the classroom and pondering the difficulties as well as the triumphs. I do this everyday and it helps me to plan for the next day, or year, and reminds me why I do the job that I do.
Bottom line, I feel that it is important for teachers to remember that we are learners as well!
References: Sentell, T. (2013, October 16). What Teaching Teaches the Teacher. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-teaching-teaches-the-teacher-todd-sentell
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Response to Chapters 5 and 8 in the Text
Chapter 5 in Richardson's book "Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms" addresses the use of RSS feeds in the educational context. The subtitle of this chapter is "The New Killer App for Educators" and I would have to agree. Before this class, I had never used an RSS feed reader, but it really is pretty cool. I like that it saves time because you don't have to visit each webpage independently. I can quickly click on articles that I want to read or I can "mark as read" things that I am not interested in reading.
I can see that utilizing RSS feeds as an educator will help me be more time efficient, but I learned that application has benefits for students as well. Richardson points out that even if students are not using weblogs they can still set up an RSS feed reader to keep up to date on "current events and even topic-specific research" (p. 78). I am interested in having my students set up a Feedly account to stay up to date with dental articles. In their second year of dental hygiene education, the students are required to start consuming evidence-based research in the medical/ dental field and must write abstracts of what they learned. This is to prepare them for continuing education requirements once they have their RDH license. I think that using an RSS feed reader would be an ideal way to accomplish this.
In chapter 8 I was introduced to podcasting. I was relieved to read that Richardson explains that, in reference to podcasts, that "this is not the highly polished, professional radio you might be used to" (p. 113). I am self-conscious about recording my voice as a podcast for students, but I guess if it is understood that there will be some stumbling of words or "ums" included, then I won't be as nervous when I go to make mine.
References: Richardson, W. (2010) Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin
I can see that utilizing RSS feeds as an educator will help me be more time efficient, but I learned that application has benefits for students as well. Richardson points out that even if students are not using weblogs they can still set up an RSS feed reader to keep up to date on "current events and even topic-specific research" (p. 78). I am interested in having my students set up a Feedly account to stay up to date with dental articles. In their second year of dental hygiene education, the students are required to start consuming evidence-based research in the medical/ dental field and must write abstracts of what they learned. This is to prepare them for continuing education requirements once they have their RDH license. I think that using an RSS feed reader would be an ideal way to accomplish this.
In chapter 8 I was introduced to podcasting. I was relieved to read that Richardson explains that, in reference to podcasts, that "this is not the highly polished, professional radio you might be used to" (p. 113). I am self-conscious about recording my voice as a podcast for students, but I guess if it is understood that there will be some stumbling of words or "ums" included, then I won't be as nervous when I go to make mine.
References: Richardson, W. (2010) Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Reaction to "Teaching Your Students How to Have a Conversation"
"Teaching Your Students How to Have a Conversation"
I found this Edutopia article written by Dr. Mendler to be applicable to the Patient Management dental hygiene course that I teach. In this course we focus on effective interpersonal communication techniques. In his blog, Dr. Mendler notes that some students don't know how to carry on a conversation and through my observation of students or from reviewing their appointment taping with clients, I have found that statement to be true as well.
Dr. Mendler gives 8 tips for speaking and listening that I wish to share with my class. The ones that I especially liked are to ask open ended questions, make eye contact, and encourage turn taking. Asking open ended questions will get the patient talking and then the student hygienist will be able to gain a clear understanding of the patient's concerns that they have. Some students talk to their patients while they are filling out paperwork or doing some other task, which does not give the patient the impression that the student truly cares or is listening to what they say. In addition, some students get so excited to share information with the patient that they forget to let the patient interject questions when they have them.
Another tip that Dr. Mendler shares, that I plan to personally demonstrate with my class is the first tip, Model a Good Conversation. It is my job to model behavior that I want my students to demonstrate and effective communication is key. We do role playing in this class so this is a good time for me to demonstrate effective patient communication for my students.
References: Mendler, A. (2013, November 5). Teaching your students how to have a conversation. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-your-students-conversation-allen-mendler
I found this Edutopia article written by Dr. Mendler to be applicable to the Patient Management dental hygiene course that I teach. In this course we focus on effective interpersonal communication techniques. In his blog, Dr. Mendler notes that some students don't know how to carry on a conversation and through my observation of students or from reviewing their appointment taping with clients, I have found that statement to be true as well.
Dr. Mendler gives 8 tips for speaking and listening that I wish to share with my class. The ones that I especially liked are to ask open ended questions, make eye contact, and encourage turn taking. Asking open ended questions will get the patient talking and then the student hygienist will be able to gain a clear understanding of the patient's concerns that they have. Some students talk to their patients while they are filling out paperwork or doing some other task, which does not give the patient the impression that the student truly cares or is listening to what they say. In addition, some students get so excited to share information with the patient that they forget to let the patient interject questions when they have them.
Another tip that Dr. Mendler shares, that I plan to personally demonstrate with my class is the first tip, Model a Good Conversation. It is my job to model behavior that I want my students to demonstrate and effective communication is key. We do role playing in this class so this is a good time for me to demonstrate effective patient communication for my students.
References: Mendler, A. (2013, November 5). Teaching your students how to have a conversation. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-your-students-conversation-allen-mendler
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Reaction to Chapters 4 and 7
Chapter 4 in "Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms" addresses the uses of wikis in the educational setting. Richardson explains that wikis are a unique way for people to work together and share information. I think that if I were to use a wiki in my classroom, I would use it similarly to how we are using wikis in this course. I think that it would be best for me to set up a "group wiki" where my students could work collaboratively on projects and share ideas. With the maturity level of my students (college age) and their knowledge of technology, incorporating wiki into my classrooms would not be that difficult.
In Chapter 7 I learned more about Flickr. I really love taking pictures and looking at pictures, so this chapter was especially interesting to me. I have only used Flickr a little bit in my teaching to find pictures for my Oral Pathology course, but I plan to start using it more. What I didn't know was about the annotation feature on Flickr. I can think of several ways that I could use this feature to explain part of a diagram. Richardson suggests that an option for use in the classroom would be to have the students annotate a picture themselves as a form of assessment. I think this would be a fun activity compared to the boring, old "label the diagram" assignment with paper and pencil that I so often use.
References: Richardson, W. (2010) Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin
In Chapter 7 I learned more about Flickr. I really love taking pictures and looking at pictures, so this chapter was especially interesting to me. I have only used Flickr a little bit in my teaching to find pictures for my Oral Pathology course, but I plan to start using it more. What I didn't know was about the annotation feature on Flickr. I can think of several ways that I could use this feature to explain part of a diagram. Richardson suggests that an option for use in the classroom would be to have the students annotate a picture themselves as a form of assessment. I think this would be a fun activity compared to the boring, old "label the diagram" assignment with paper and pencil that I so often use.
References: Richardson, W. (2010) Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)