Talk the Talk Article Review

3 New Concepts of Ideas

1. Audio podcasts can be downloaded and transferred to a variety of MP3 devices
This is a technique that could be used to help reinforce information. The majority of students have some type of MP3 player and if the podcast were available on say moodle than they could download it and listen to it a few times before they take a civics test. Students can memorize the lyrics to a song in less than a day so why not make this type of media available to them to ensure that they can learn new material.

2. Editing software can cut down the time it takes to make a podcast.
Students stumble over their words all the time. They can become nervous when reading things that their peers will eventually hear. Having the WAV software available ( or some other type of editing software) will cut down the preparation time and will allow for students to be able to hear each others podcasts.
Another thing that is neat about editing - is how you can erase the blank space or pauses.
The pauses can be very annoying and can cause students to lose interest - this software could cut this down.
This type of editing should be in some type of professional development.

3. Podcasts can ask students to wear a number of hats and can also cause them to work in collaboration with one another.
Students generate more ideas if they are excited about something. Students can also work together to ensure that all revisions are made ( 8 ears are better than 2, and everyone picks up on little things easier).
This is a project that could get lower learners excited about a project.
Some may really enjoy this type of work and will ensure that they put their all into this.

Vodcast Possibilities

Idea # 1
A step by step process to solve a word problem
give a word problem and identify all the information needed to solve it
then list each step individually

Idea # 2
Mathematics Professions
List jobs and their details of how they use math in the real world

Idea # 3
Problem Solving Skills
Take a real world math problem and solve it

21st Century Skills

At my school I really think we could be doing a better job of integrating the 21st Century Skills into the classroom.

For Digital Age Literacy - these skills are integrated somewhat into the curriculum
Civics covers the economic aspact very well. Technology is used within the classroom when available. We have 2 laptop carts at my school but they are hard to sign out. We have one lab but it is primariliy used by the social studies department.

Effective Communication - On the 7th grade level collaboration within our classrooms can be hard based on the level of the students. The lower levels seem to use that time to be social rather than collaborate - so we make work more independent. Some teachers are old school and do not believe in partner work.

Inventive Thinking - This would be the skill I think we incorporate the most. With our propoganda projects, stock market game, peer teaching we force our students to be creative and
inventive and this forces the higher level of thinking.

High Productivity - This is a skill I think we can try to force students to use more we incorporate real world problems as much as possible especially in math. But, some teachers are more worried about busy work rather that a high quality product.

Interactive White Boards

3 concepts or ideas that I learned from the article on Interactive whiteboards

1. One concept I learned was that there has been a big increase in the amount of IWB's in the math classrooms. Math is a class that needs technology because not only can it jazz up a lesson, but it takes a somewhat boring topic and with the right teacher makes it more interactive.

2. Another thing I learned is that powerpoints can be interactive but can really lock a teacher in. There is not a lot of wiggle room with a powerpoint. It can lock you in because of the order of the slides. I think this is interesting as well because when I got my whiteboard I made a whole bunch of powerpoint, but was not able to write on them or manipulate them at all. I then had to convert them all to flipcharts to make them more interactive.

3. IWB's have great potential, and the possibilites can be numerous. But, they also can be superficial. I think this means that teachers will use this technology just for the sake of using it. Not to improve their lessons.

Do interactive teaching tools lead to learning?

I personally beleive the interactive teaching tools can lead to interactive learning if the teacher using it possess the creativity and ambition enough to apply them. Certain teachers have been teaching so long that they do not welcome change. If the teacher welcoms the change and begins to apply this to their lesson the possibilites are endless.

I beleive that the teacher must have the correct amout of professional development to turn the interactive tool into an interacitive learning environment.

How can educators be sure to use interactive communication tools to their best potential?

Educators can use these tools to their best potential if them welcome the change. If the educator tries to make this as interactive and positive as possible then it will be successful

I think the biggest issue here is getting the proper amount of training to ensure that the technology is used to its potential.

Examples

Attend IU training on promethean board.
Use the promethean board to help students who have issues drawing straight lines - enable students to get a positive experience from the technology.
Use different tyes of visuals to help those types of learners.
Use the promethean board to help students get a handson lesson reagarding fractions
Students can manipulate lets say a pizza to work on saying and reducing different types of fractions.