storyboard document

My Final Project Write Up

Here is the link to the podcast: Final-Project

And here is the write-up:

The Wikispace is up and running and I will be adding to it as the year progresses.  Next week I plan on adding a few vodcasts on how to use the copiers and the laminator.  As the year goes on I will add sign up sheets for field trips, parent-teacher conferences, etc.

Analysis

The users of this wiki are parent and high school volunteers in my kindergarten classroom.  Classroom volunteers will be able to sign-up for a variety of things as well as watch vodcasts and screencasts that walk them through simple tasks such as using the copiers and laminator as well as pre-teaching lessons and activities they will be facilitating during the week.  This will save me time during the day as I will not have to stop my lesson to speak with volunteers,  the goal is that they will be prepared to facilitate the lesson/activity before they even walk in the door.  Since this is tool will be new to many of my volunteers there is a chance that some people will have dificulty using it.  I have included a Commoncraft video and a screencast on using wikis to help ease any anxiety my users might have.  I don’t anticipate any other barriers.  Should parents have difficulty accessing the site from home they can use the classroom computer or one of the computers in the Computer Lab.  I hope that the volunteers will see the benefit of using this site and will use it regularly. 

Design

When users visit the site I would like them to preview lesson/activities they will be facilitating during the week.  The vodcasts will be brief, 5 minute lessons walking volunteers through the materials and steps of the lesson/activity.  Also, as mentioned earlier, I expect them to use the site to get information about upcoming volunteer opportunites and to sign up for these events.  Users will have to commit to signing into the wiki at least once a week before they come in to volunteer.  I will have to commit to creating and uploading new information each Friday for the following week.

Development

I am currently using Wikispaces, Jing and Audacity to support my site.  I am hoping that I can continue to utilize these tools and will keep my eyes open for new technology that I can incorporate with my site.  So far, I am thrilled with how the site is turning out.  Jing and Audacity have turned out to be great and easy tools to use and require no time at all.  I am eager to continue building the site and test it out on my new set of parents.

Implementation

I will introduce the site to my parents through an  initial not home.  This will allow anyone who is interested to tour the site and become familiar with it.   Then, at Back to School Nite I will walk parents through the site and discuss the benefits of the site and how it will be utilized throughout the year.  Before school starts I will sit with my principal and the PTA president and give them a tour of the site.

Evaluation

If volunteers use this site regularly their should be little confusion on how certain lesson/activities are taught and what is expected of them as volunteers.  I will have less paperwork to manage since sign up sheets will be created and completed online. 

My First Podcast

This was so easy!  I am uploading it here and to my class blog.

firstpodcast

ADDIE

Analysis

• My users will be the parent volunteers of my Kinder classrooom, they will use this online community to watch brief podcasts and screencasts of activities they will be facilitating during the week.  They will also use this site to sign up to chaperone field trips and help out with special events.
• The only thing that may prevent the parents from using this site is inexperience, but that can be taken care of at Back to School Night with a quick run through.

Design

• I’d like people to be able to sign up for things like field trips, volunteering for special events and signing up to contribute things for celebrations.  I’d also like them to be able to share photos from field trips and events, socialize with one another but mostly I want them to learn as much as they can about the activity or project they will be working on BEFORE they come into the classroom so that I won’t have to take time away from teaching to show them what they will be doing.
• If set-up properly this will be a static site that I can update weekly and parents can access at their leisure.  Eventually, the room mom(s) will be running certain parts of the site.

Development

• I will most likely be using a wiki that is linked to my class blog.  That will make it easier for the parents to sign-up for things and share.  It

Implementation

• I will introduce the site to parents at Back to School Nite, this is the perfect opportunity since most parents will attend this event.
• I have 100% confidence that my principal will back this project.  I will make sure to have the site up and post a few samples before I present it to him.

Evaluation

• “The proof is in the pudding” - I will know this site is working based on how prepared my parent volunteers are when they come in to volunteer and with the frequency they use the site to communicate with one another.

My final project idea….

Ok, so if I understand this correctly I am supposed to blog about my idea for my final project…an online collaborative learning environment?  I think I want to create a space (most likely a wiki) for my grade level to share ideas and lesson plans.  However, my grade level team is anti-technology (and sometimes anti-collaboration) but even if it just a place for my teaching partner and I to share ideas and work on lessons together then it will be worth it.  And eventually the other teachers may join us. 

I am also toying with the idea of creating an online space for my parent volunteers (either a wiki or a blog).  I can post the volunteer schedule and handbook there, I could also create a page for my room mom to post sign up sheets for parties or field trips, etc.  And I could create short podcasts showing my parents how to teach a lesson or run a center before they come into the classroom.  Actually, I am really liking this idea the more I brainstorm.  Plus, our new PTA president is a friend of mine and is very pro-technology so I know I would have her support.  hhhmmm….

My Wonderful Week of Geography…

Last week I attended the California Geographic Alliance Summer Institute at USD.  It was great!   I am now a Teacher Consultant for CGA and I learned some great stuff.  Of course the EdTec nerdette in me came up with all these great ways to incorporate Tech and Geography.  I actually created my final presentation on Google Pages.   I can’t wait to utilize all the knowledge I’ve gained about Geography with all the wonderful tech tools I am learning about….I could make a Geography Wiki or a blog…maybe even a podcast!

OMG!!!!

I totally forgot share!  I was checking out Classroom 2.0 and found a little thing called Yahoo!Teachers It’s really cool, can’t wait to explore it more.

What a week….

Well, this has been a long week!  Had to drive my brother around on Monday because he broke his arm on the 4th, then I spent yesterday with one of my very best friends who broke his foot on Wednesday!  What is up with all these broken bones? I’ve spent waaaaaaaaaaaay too much time in waiting rooms this week.

The other day when I did my hw I came across a teacher networking site, Classroom 2.0.  I am excited to explore more and use it for my Online Professional Development for TJs class.

Next week I will be attending a Geography Institute at USD.  I am excited to learn how I can use geography in my Kinder classroom and really excited to spend the week with 3 of my teacher friends who I no longer work with-it’ll be like a reunion!  Not excited about the 8:30-5 schedule M-F and the few hours on Sat and Sun but it should be worth it. 

Hi, my name is…

Hello out there…

My name is Alex and I am a Kindergarten teacher at Bay Park Elementary School.  This is my 5th year teaching.  Currently, I am working on my Master’s in Educational Technology through SDSU’s COMET program.  Right now we are about halfway through the program so I have some experience in website building and blogs.  You can visit my other blog at http://bayparkroom12.blogspot.com/, that is the one I set up for my class.  We used it to communicate with parents and post the books we made in class.  My personal blog is located at http://kinderqueen.blogspot.com/, but I haven’t posted in a while-I’m on summer vacation!  These two blogs were my first attempt at blogging and I found them both very useful. 

As far as wikis, I have limited experience with them.  I’ve used them in BTSA and through district Professional Development but I have never created one.  Well, that is a lie-I did make one but got overwhelmed with it and gave up.  My idea for this class is to go back and make-over that wiki.  I want to create an online environment for my grade level.  It will take some convincing but once they see the benefits I know they will use it eagerly.

If you’de like to learn more about me visit my googlepage @ http://kinderqueen.googlepages.com/home. 

Til next time.

Hello world!

Welcome to my new blog!  I’ve been use blogger for a while now but am excited to try edublogs.  Check back often!

Alex