Finding the Right Medium April 17, 2009

Since starting the wiki with my students, I have personally tried to branch out and learn about some of the different mediums available.  I really like a lot of the different options with the wiki, but there are a lot of problems that I encountered as well.  One of the things that I really wanted to get out of the wiki page was a place for the students to receive information about the class in addition to weekly objectives.  I also wanted the students to have the opportunity to communicate with me as well as their peers on upcoming assignments, projects and assessments.  These things all worked out wonderfully with the wiki, but the main problem that I experienced was the ongoing communication or posting of information by the students.  For instance, at one point I posted several discussion questions so that the students could work with one another to review for an upcoming assessment.  The students were all very excited about using the wiki as a resource for studying new material.  However, I soon learned that pbwiki is not conducive to this form of interaction.  Perhaps there is some way around the students stealing the lock from one another, but I have yet to figure that out.  Having looked at wetpaint as another option for a wiki next year, it seems that the same problem would arise with this program as well.

 

As I continue to search for the medium which will best serve my needs, I have had the chance to work with several different programs and learn the ins and outs.  I am considering the idea of implementing a moodle site for the students next year in addition to the wiki.  It seems that this might be the way to go in terms of an overall site for my class.  However, I do see the value in using a wiki for another purpose.  I like that the students are able to create their own wiki pages off of mine.  Some of my students created their own pages and were able to post some of the creative writing assignments that they have been working on throughout the course of the school year.  This is a good way for the students to share their work and get feedback from their peers.  With so many other concepts to cover throughout a given school year, it is sometimes impossible to make time for the students to share the work that they have completed.  This is a great way to make this possible.  I want to use the wiki next year, but I just think that I am going to use it in a very different way.

Getting Educated April 17, 2009

While reading through Bogost’s text and thinking about the implications for education, I am left with more questions than when I started.  I had similar reactions to others in class in terms of what to do with this information.  I don’t disagree that technology and gaming is an important aspect of the 21st century classroom.  I have made great strides over the last year to incorporate more technology into my classroom.  The only problem that I have is that I do not agree with using technology just for the sake of using technology.  There is certainly still something to be said about the interface between teacher and student, and if I do incorporate technology I want there to be a clear rationale for doing so.  I feel as though many school districts (mine included) like to supply a variety of software via educational games, interactive whiteboards, handheld devices etc.  I am certainly not complaining about the overwhelming availability of technology in my district.  What does bother me is the lack of training that the teachers receive.  It does feel as though these items are purchased because they are shiny and new and certainly look good on paper.  However, many of these programs go unused for a number of reasons.

First of all, as I mentioned previously there is a lack of training.  In-service days would be a great time to interact with and learn some of the different techniques and strategies behind incorporating these different programs.  However, this rarely comes to fruition.  The lack of knowledge and training regarding these different programs instantly turns most teachers off from even wanting to attempt them.

Secondly, many districts buy these programs without even fully understanding what they are or how they work.  Therefore, thousands of dollars are spent on programs that are not conducive to classroom instruction because there was not enough time and consideration put into researching the product prior to purchasing it. 

Lastly, some teachers see the implementation of technology as increasing their workload.  As with anything new, it certainly would take training and practice initially, but I think that the payoff would far exceed any inconvenience.  I think this relates back to my first point about there just not being nearly enough information for teachers concerning technology.  Teachers can of course go it alone so to speak and learn these different programs, but I was in the position previously of just not even knowing where to begin.  The wiki has been a great way for me to branch out and really learn and understand a new program.  As administrator of the site, I was forced to learn the ins and outs of the program in an effort to maintain the site and reap the most benefits.  However, prior to this course wikis, moodles and the like were foreign concepts to me.

As I stated previously, I feel as though I am left with more questions as I leave this course.  I don’t see that as a bad thing.  In fact, I am starting to become more aware of different forms of technology and their place in the classroom setting.  I want to actively pursue other avenues and begin to branch out even further.  I feel as though this class has given me the opportunity to do that.  I am currently looking into purchasing a school friendly version of Sim City to use as a supplement to the novel The Giver.  The students discuss utopian and dystopian societies, and this might be a great pairing in regards to this concept.  I am interested to see if the students could use a computer simulation game such as Sim City to create their own utopian societies as a supplement to their reading.  I am interested to see how this will play out next year, and I am excited about the prospect of using similar strategies in the classroom.  Although I am left with many questions, I at least feel as though I am on the right track.  I am now more cognizant of the decisions that I make concerning the implementation of technology.  I now know that I will have to continue to educate myself in order to stay ahead of the curve and make the best decisions concerning the strategies that I plan to use in my classroom.

 

Bridging the Gap April 11, 2009

While reading through Ian Bogost’s text Persuasive Games, I am left thinking about the implications for education.  While students continue to become immersed in different forms of technology whether be it games or otherwise, the face of education must change to meet the needs of these students.  Although it has only been a little over a decade since I have been in high school, it amazes me how much things have changed.  Teachers in my high school would have laughed at the idea of “No Child Left Behind” claiming that some students just might have to be left behind.  Schools were not clambering to make AYP (annual yearly progress) in order to get grants and other state funding.  It seems that so much has changed over the last decade that I wonder where I will find myself as an educator in the next ten to fifteen years.  While about twenty-five percent of students have either an IEP or a GIEP currently (this is a generous estimate), I would not be surprised to find that all students will have either an IEP or GIEP in the next ten or so years.  We continue to focus on the individual as a means of steering away from what Dorothy Sayers refers to as “the lost tools of learning.”  As educators we are constantly told to differentiate instruction for all students in the classroom.  In-service days are devoted to educating teachers on this “breakthrough” teaching strategy.  This is the biggest trend (at least in my district) currently.  We are told that all students can be successful, and it our job to find out what makes them “tick” and get them motivated in the classroom.  Failing is not an option in my district, and most students are promoted to the next grade even if they do not have the skill set necessary to be successful the following year.  It is then the next teacher’s responsibility to differentiate instruction and really reach that student. 

Although it all sounds wonderful in theory, this is just not a practical approach.  I don’t know any teachers in my school who are not currently differentiating their instruction.  I believe that as educators we all want the students to be successful and are willing to vary instruction to meet the needs of all students.  However, in some cases, students are just not going to make the grade so to speak.  With high stakes testing driving the curriculum in most school districts, teachers’ hands are tied.  There is only so much that we are able to do to accommodate the students who fall behind.  We have specific material which must be covered and only a short amount of time in which to cover it.  Time has always been an issue and will probably always be and issue.  There is just never enough of it.  Some of the students naturally fall behind, and although I know that I personally put forth considerable effort for the students who are struggling, it is impossible to stop instruction and re-teach concepts to students who aren’t keeping up with the flow of the class.  I believe that standardized testing is to blame for some of the students falling behind.  When these tests drive the curriculum, I agree with Sayers that we are just creating cogs that learn how to “do school.” 

However, I am interested in the ways in which technology could possibly bridge this gap.  As the students interest and knowledge of technology grows, and as I personally try to integrate it in the classroom setting, it could perhaps become another way to differentiate instruction.  I am always looking for ways to reach students, especially my struggling students.  I see the wiki as a way to possibly do just that.  The students are not only able to work with me and ask me questions outside of the school setting where it may be less threatening, but they are able to interact with their peers.  One thing that I have found even in the short time that I have implemented the wiki is that the students are much more vocal and willing to help one another online than they are in class.  Perhaps this has more to do with their comfort with technology, but I also think that there is something to be said about interface. 

I have already had students tell me that the wiki is a way for them to get feedback from peers in a non-threatening environment.  They admit that there is something to be said about communicating behind the guise of an avatar.  I know that it has also been a good way for students to review material and get additional help with new material and upcoming assessments.  I am interested in seeing how the wiki evolves, and whether or not it will perhaps bridge this gap.  I do see how it could help to pull in some of the more reluctant learners, and I am anxious to see what the students will so with the wiki next year when I integrate it much earlier and to a much greater extent. 

Working out the Bugs April 5, 2009

When I first introduced the wiki, I knew that it was initially going to mean more work for me.  I was going to not only have to learn the program myself, but I was also going to have to feel comfortable enough with it to introduce it to my students.  Although all of this just means extra time which I always feel like I don’t have enough of to begin with, I thought that in the long run it would make things more efficient.  Like any new medium it takes some time to get used to the format, but it can end up saving time in the future if used properly.  When I started using the Promethean board in my room this year, I had a similar experience.  Of course, it was a process familiarizing myself with the technology and all that it could do, but it really was such a great tool in the long run.  Students were much more excited about the delivery of information and the format because it was something that they were comfortable using.

However, I have been discouraged recently with the way that the wiki is playing out in the classroom.  I was so pleased that I had so many students interested in using the site to study for an upcoming test, but the students just ended up spending hours online the night before an exam frustrated by a program that wasn’t working the way I told them it would.  I take responsibility for that.  I guess I assumed that students could use the site like a google doc and respond to questions posted.  However, it became really messy when the students were continuously stealing the lock from one another and essentially losing everything that they had done up to that point.  I don’t know if there is a way around this.  I had to go back and manually cut and paste all of the responses that were deleted since they were visible on the “recent wiki activity” page.  It took me several hours to do this, and when I was finished, the formatting was wrong and strands of words ran together in the students responses.  I don’t know exactly how or why that happened. 

Thankfully this was not a graded assignment.  That would have only added to the frustration felt by both myself and my students.  As I said before, I am looking into a better or more efficient way to do something similar in the future.  Although it isn’t perfect, I still like the idea of the students editing the same page and responding to the same questions.  They did tell me that it was a great way for them to study and recall parts of the story that they would have otherwise forgotten.

Renee suggested creating a page for each individual class period.  This might work, but my classes still have close to 18 students on average.  I only had about 12 students opt to use this program, and it was still a disaster on many levels.  I am worried that if I ever made this a mandatory activity, my phone would be ringing off the hook due to angry parents.  Until I am sure that I have worked out all of the bugs and am sure that I really understand the program, this will have to remain a voluntary activity.  I know that I will still have a lot of interested students since they are more technologically savvy than I am currently.

I am pleased that I have implemented this program.  I am now to the point where I know how it works at the most basic levels, and I want to learn how to do more and really take it to the next level.  My hope is that next year I am able to implement it early and get the parents on board during open house night.  I guess I should be pleased that right now my problem is too many students using the program.  My frustrations earlier were due to the sheer number of students attempting to use the wiki, which really isn’t a bad problem to have.  My goal at this point is to continue using the site and figuring out ways to use it to my advantage.  I don’t want to use technology just for the sake of using technology.  I do believe that this site serves a purpose, and I want to see it continue to grow.

Frustrations April 1, 2009

My main concern throughout this process has been the ways in which I am going to use the site.  I finally decided how I wanted to use it (or at least one way), and it totally backfired on me. 

Since my students have been reading a narrative version of  “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” in class, I decided to create a link off of the Frontpage where the students could go to collaborate and study the material prior to the test.  I posted 20 discussion questions, and I also took some time in class to review with the students how to modify or change the site if they wanted to participate.  I guess I underestimated how many of my students were going to use the site.  Having worked with seventh graders now for six years, I should have known that the students would wait until the night before the test to login to the wiki site and participate in the discussion.  However, I didn’t anticipate having quite so many students interested in checking it out.  I know that had I sent home a worksheet with discussion questions for the students to complete voluntarily prior to a test or quiz, there would be very few students who would do the extra work.  However, the students were so eager to get on the computer and collaborate with their peers that I didn’t even have one student ask me if they were going to receive credit for the work they had done online.  I think that part of it is the novelty of a program like this one.  They were doing such a nice job bouncing ideas off of one another and discussing the story.   So I was feeling pretty good about things in afternoon soon after school had let out.  Things started to change quickly as the night wore on.

I decided to take a break and come back to the wiki a couple hours after, and it was a total disaster.  There were so many students on at one time trying to edit the same page that some were getting booted and others were stealing the lock from students who were responding.  Some of the students took their time in answering the questions only to have a classmate steal the lock and take over which of course meant that all work completed by that student is gone.  I know that it is possible for me to recover most of that work, but it took me quite some time to do so since there were so many students on the site at one time.  In fact, I was only adding to the madness by being online.  I figured I would just wait until much later in the evening to make any changes.  Unfortunately, I have some night owls in seventh grade because they weren’t finished working on the site until close to midnight. 

I know that I should be pleased that so many students were interested in using the site, and I certainly am.  My only concern and my real source of frustration is the fact that so many of my students were frustrated and disheartened last night.  I know that there were several students who wanted to see how the site worked and were interested in trying it out, but they were a bit reluctant.  Much like myself initially, they were skeptical about this new medium.  I feel like I really had them interested and now I am worried that I have lost them.  I know that this site can do a lot of great things for the students and can be a great supplement to classroom instruction; however, I am so frustrated with this first activity.  I hate the fact that I stood here in class and really tried to “sell” this program to even my most reluctant students claiming that it was a great way for them to study for the test and collaborate.  Now I feel like they are not going to want to try it again.  I know my students were upset last night having looked at the comments at the bottom of the page.

I know that I will use the wiki in the future, but I feel as though I am going to have to use it in a different way.  This is unfortunate because I like the idea of the students creating something similar to a google doc together.  I just don’t know that my students or me for that matter would be on board for this format in the future.  The students feel as though they did a lot of work for nothing.

Making Changes March 30, 2009

I feel like I have spent a lot of time putting together something that the students can use to their advantage for discussion and review.  At times, I get so frustrated when I feel that I have gone above and beyond to help the students and they choose not to take full advantage of it.  This seems to be the case at the moment.  I have put together information for the students to use as a review, but they are choosing to use the wiki in a much different way.  Perhaps I need to pitch it to the students much differently next year.  I was just so excited to see the site up and running that I didn’t really care necessarily how the students were using the site at first.  I was just pleased to see the students so excited about it.  However, as I mentioned in the previous post, it seems at this time that the students have hit a plateau.  They are so used to using it in a particular way and don’t want to change the ways in which they are using the site now. 

I find myself checking the site constantly to see if any changes have been made.  Since the students have the opportunity to check and update the site at home, I feel as though it is important that I check it often so that I can keep up with the changes.  I have to admit that part of my interest is just seeing how the students are using the site.  I do not currently have a facebook account because I am far too worried as an educator to “put myself out there” in a sense.  However, I  think that I would probably be in trouble if I did have one based upon the amount of time that I spend on the wiki.  I would probably feel compelled to check a facebook account with similar frequency.  Although I am still excited about the wiki and what it means for my students, I am striving to make some changes and make it more beneficial.

Plateau March 29, 2009

When I initially set up the wiki, I wanted to first just introduce my students to the concept and prepare them for where we would be headed in the near future.  I explained what it was to be used for and pitched it as a way for the students to communicate with one another as well as with myself online.  Since the students spend most of their days interacting with technology in one form or another, I figured that this would be a good way to hook some of the more reluctant learners.  I remember posting early on in my blog that I was surprised and even a bit nervous about the number of students who were using the site when I didn’t feel as though it was “ready” for them.  It was the very same day that the students received the email invitation that I had at least 15 students on the site.  I think that my apprehensions came from my insecurities as an administrator of something that I felt as though I knew very little about at the time.  However, I soon saw that the student interactions were actually a nice way for me to see how the students wanted to use the site and how it would be most beneficial for them.  I felt as though (since it was at the time a work in progress) I could shape it based upon the needs and requests for the students.  I like the fact that they were vocal with me in class about things that would be most helpful for them. 

However, I am finding that things have hit a standstill in a way.  The excitement that I initially felt with the ways that the students were using the site has now dissipated.  I would like to see the students take things a step further.  I know that I am partially to blame for them.  As I stated previously, there is a student teacher working with the students at this point.  I have not been able to have the time with my students that I feel it would take to really get the wiki to the place I would like it.  I have certainly used class time to show the students some of the new features and ways in which I would like them to possibly use the site, but I just with there was more time.  Of course, I always feel like there isn’t enough time with or without a student teacher.

Anyway, I am looking for a way to push my students to take things a step further.  I know that they are at the point that they are all just comfortable using the site in the same ways that they did in the beginning.  Since this is something extra that is offered to the students, there are some who just see it is one more thing to do in a sea of other commitments.  Again, this is my fault because I did not make the wiki site mandatory.  In fact, I am not able to since I have some students who either do not have a computer at home or who do not have internet access.  It is such a useful tool but only if the students are really taking full advantage of it. 

Getting “schooled” March 27, 2009

I am reminded each and every day just how savvy some of my students are in terms of their knowledge of technology.  Just when I think that I really might have impressed some of them with my “skills” in setting up the wiki and trying to add new things to it, they just have to prove how much I still have to learn.

For instance, as I was talking with my students at the beginning of class today about some of the changes and additions I made to the wiki site, one of my students raises his hand.  He was just wondering if I knew why html code wasn’t working right on the wiki site.  He then continued on about some possible reasons why this might be the case.  He just thought that might be something that I could look into for them.  I honestly just laughed out loud.  I told him that I was very flattered that he assumed I had any idea what in the world he was referencing but that I was certainly NOT the person to be asking questions about html code.  I told him that I had at least heard of it, but that was the extent of my knowledge.

My students really are great about filling me in and are pretty patient with me as I learn the ins and outs.  I assigned my students days to come in during lunch in small groups so that I could introduce them to the wiki site and show them how things worked.  I found out quickly how unnecessary this really was.  Although some of the students really hadn’t ever used a wiki before, they picked up on it so quickly and were off making their own pages in no time. 

Although my students far surpass me in knowledge of technology and new media, I actually don’t mind.  I find that the students really love the fact that they are teaching their teacher about things that they can do really well.  I have mentioned this time and again throughout these posts, but I do feel as though this has brought me closer to some of my students.  This is a way for the students to express themselves in a non threatening way and in a way in which they feel comfortable. 

As much as this has been a good tool and learning experience for my students, it has also been quite a learning experience for me as well.  I like that my students offer great suggestions in terms of ways to make the site better and more efficient.  In a lot of ways, I see them as the experts. I am excited to see how things evolve. 

Formatting March 26, 2009

I feel like I am still struggling with the overall idea for the wiki.  I feel like there are so many ways that I could use the wiki, but I don’t want to “junk it up” with too much.  I don’t want it to start to grow out of control and become too cluttered for the students and myself to manage.  I have started to look at some other educational wikis used in middle school English classrooms to get some ideas.  Again, it was overwhelming because there is so much available and so many ways that I could use it to enhance instruction.

However, one thing that I really would like to do is place some pictures of the students on the site.  I feel like it would be alright to do so since it is a closed site.  Some of the other teachers had done so, and I feel like it gives the students more of a sense of ownership.  Although this is something that I have created for the students, I do want the students to take ownership and feel as though they have a stake in the wiki.  This seems like a simple way to accomplish this goal. 

Another thing that I am interested in doing is creating links to some of the worksheets and activities that I use in class with the students.  Being that I teach 7th grade, it is very common for the students to lose materials.  This would be a great way to not only provide work to the students who lost original copies, but it would also be a great way for the students who are absent to keep up with the class.  One of my biggest fears in implementing any new form of technology is that it could possibly lessen the personal relationship and rapport that I have with my students.  However, this year has been quite a transition for me.  I know that I have referenced this previously, but I am continually amazed at how much implementing technology has actually increased and strengthened the rapport that I have with the students.  Perhaps this is just due to the familiarity that the students feel with different forms of technology, but overall, I have felt this in all of my classes.  I think that I was the one behind the curve and using this fear as an excuse.  I can’t say that I haven’t encountered a lot of snags along the way but, overall, I am pleased with the outcome.  This year has made me feel like a first year teacher all over again in a lot of ways.  However, I know that as education continues to evolve and change my instruction must also change to accommodate the students.

Limitations March 21, 2009

While I realize that I have so much to still learn about the wiki and all that it can do, I am at the point now where I feel comfortable using it in the classroom.  The only problem that I am running into is that I am not able to use it as much as I would like at this point because I have a student teacher.  I know that part of his experience is in working with the students, and there are certain things that he must accomplish.  However, I do feel a bit stifled in a way.  I would like to do so many things with the students such as publishing some of the poems that they will be starting in the next couple weeks, but I don’t necessarily feel that I have that freedom at this point.  I could certainly work with the students on the wiki in class, but as I know that I am doing a disservice to my student teacher who has so much to accomplish in the little bit of time that he will be with us.  I have introduced him to the site, and although I am reluctant as I mentioned before, I would be alright with him using it with the students, I know that he is feeling overwhelmed as it is.  He does not have any experience with this technology, and I hate to put anything more on his plate at this point.  I feel like I am just going to have to wait until the end of April to really start to use the site the way that I would like.  Unfortunately, the class will be wrapping up at that point.  I would still hope that others will occasionally check it out and offer any pointers.

One of the things that I have been tossing around is having the students submit their multi-genre projects online.  This way, much like Renee’s students, they would be able to view one another’s work and make some suggestions.  The students have already created their own pages so this could just be a link on their individual wiki pages.  Again, I always feel that time is against me.  I wish that I had implemented this earlier in the year so that the students could be using it much more efficiently at this point.  This multi-genre project really seems to lend itself to this form of technology, but I just haven’t had the opportunity to meet with the students to get them comfortable with it.  Most of my students are doing much the same thing as me by learning as they go.  In fact, they are most likely more comfortable doing that than I was at first.  However, I do know that I have some students who are a little more reluctant to use the site because they do not have the background knowledge.  My plan of action for next year is to implement this early on in the year so that the students become more comfortable using it.  I am also attending a seminar on using wikis and moodles in the classroom on April 13, and I am hoping to gain even more insight that I can apply to my own wiki.