Technology is so important in our world today. As you may have noticed today, I am a novice when it comes to navigating through the sea of technology, but I still feel it is important for me to step into the water and swim with my students. After all, if I don't, all I will be able to do is stand on the shore and wave as my students sail by. I will also be producing a book trailer with you. I will be eager to learn how to use technology to "hook" a kid on a book.
On the blog for this month I would like you to tell us how things are going with your book club/book trailers. I would also like for you to tell us about the technology you are using in your classrooms. Tonight I went back to HotChalk, and I was able to pull up an interview with a former slave. It was powerful! Please try HotChalk again. Let us know if you take you kids on a Google Earth trip.
Thanks for letting me show you my NCTE pictures. Speaking of audience...my husband and sons were not so interested in seeing all my literacy friends...Thank you for at least acting interested.
Have a wonderful December. I'll be coming to see each of you in December.
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12 comments:
This Tuesday, December 11, 2007
The November 26 class was full of interesting information. Paula, I concur about the techNOT logy, which can sometimes not be so user- friendly! We enjoyed the pictures and information
about your trip. I recently saw Bill Clinton (also an author) in Charleston, so maybe I can join the celeb club. :)
I am very interested in the potential for Google Earth and HotChalk. These are great sources of information for B-C, and I intend to become more familiar with them. I am also looking forward to the creation of the book trailers. Our group has been very active with thoughts and plans, so I am very excited about the project. This is one means by which to "hook" our students, particularly the really reluctant readers, into at least finding and perusing a book. This could also lure the "techies" who ordinarily wouldn't be interested in "old," more conventional media.
Thanks for all the inspiring ideas!
Happy holidays to all who read this before the break.
Posted by meares at
is Nancy Meares's post:
Nancy, I am so glad the members of your book club are excited about using doing book trailers. I was afraid you guys would tar and feather me...
Paula
My students loved Google Earth! We used it to travel to Paris, and locate various monuments there. They had fun using it to find their homes and other cities.
Our book club is ready to assemble our trailer. So far, we have quotes and pictures. We'll find music during Monday's class. I enjoyed the novel "Cut" because of its realistic portrayal of a teenager's inner struggle. My students were familiar with it as well, and had liked it too. This trailer will be a creative way to attract potential readers to a novel. The trailers that we viewed in class were well planned.
As for book club, I have finished the book, and our group has discussed strategy, during the last class and just before the holidays. I believe the Jan. 7 class will be an important meeting and work session for us.
I chose the book Soldier’s Heart by Gary Paulsen. The book surprised me: it was not the light, clichéd read I thought it would be. Sure, it’s only 106 pages, but the content—true descriptions of daily life and of battle from the perspective of a soldier—is nothing light or clichéd. I wish I had known of this book earlier; it would have worked well, I think, as a read-aloud or book club choice for one of my classes that was virtually all male, including several struggling readers. The content is gripping, is told from a male perspective, and is approachable for struggling and advanced readers. I noticed several instances which would make perfect lessons for inference, prediction, critical thinking/questioning, and even bias.
Using new technology…well, for someone who doesn’t even own a cell phone, I’m well behind the times in some respects. Truthfully, I have felt the slight awkwardness recently of realizing I’m not as technologically up-to-date as I perceive myself to be. In reading Newsweek yesterday, there was an article about Facebook and social advertising: companies targeting specific populations to advertise products to users while they are on the Facebook site and accessing users’ purchasing information to give product referrals to their “friends.” I read the article, but I had trouble keeping my place and understanding the controversy because I’ve never been on Facebook. But my students would understand the issues and have definite opinions because this is—for most student, I imagine—an integral part of their daily routines and social lives. Bringing my point around to Google Earth and web-based book trailers…this is a way to engage students in class; to “expand their horizons” beyond using the computer for pleasure and social purposes; and to sharpen their adept computer- and web-skills.
Using technology in my classroom is always something that frightens me. I feel as though every time I have used technology in the classroom it has proved to be more of a hindrance than anything else. However, I have used technology to do some rather intereting activities in the classroom. I had my students practicing read alouds using an illustrated collection of African poems earlier in the semester. I photocopied pages from the book so that the students could practice their read aloud skills before having to present to the class. When the students finally read their poems aloud, I used the document viewer to post the enlarged images onto the overhead screen. Students were able to really see the pictures in the book without having to strain to view the image as I passed by their row with book in hand. Another recent activity involving technology was having the students view a TeacherTube video clip entitled "Did You Know?" Students watched the clip using the LCD projector and then responded to the piece in writing. We took these "technology" writes (the film clip contains information about the exponential growth rate of technology) and revised/peer edited them over the week. The students' final papers were quite impressive and pertinent.
As for my book club book, I really enjoyed reading The Barcode Tattoo. Jonelle had told me about it earlier in the semester as a possible connect with my utopia/dystopia unit. I could not stop reading it. I was somehow disappointed and let down by the ending, but I still enjoyed the ride. We have discussed a possible layout for our book trailer and are in the process of gathering pictures to include in the presentation. Like Elizabeth I look forward to a lot of progress being completed on the book trailer during today's class.
I unfortunately have not had the opportunity to use Google Earth or HotChalk. However I have found myself making my students get off the Google Earth site when we were working in the Media Center. I enjoyed the picture show and the trailers that we did get to see. I think using trailers in my classroom can be beneficial to help spark my students’ interest before we begin a unit. I can sympathize with you when it comes to the frustrations of technology usage. I have often found myself blocked out of websites that were necessary for a lesson. Thanks to your presentation I now know how to get around the block.
I think I am a techNOTlogy person. I mean, I am still married to my overhead projector! Maybe my year school year resolution for next year will be to learn how to use one new thing.
The Book Trailer is sort of intimidating me right now. I think having to use the media materials (speaking of technology) is scaring me.
But the book--I loved. But, I knew I would because I like Gary Paulsen's ability to write for young adults, but also tie in very adult themes and ideas. I think he's the best YA author to do that and not come off as trite or silly. (Fleischmann, I think does this sometimes).
Anyway, I loved my book and am pretty sure the book trailer thing will come together. I'm interested to see how the groups "sell" the books I was not interested in.
Interesting...I had to override the district block in order to post today. I agree with Sadie, at times those sites we need to teach with are blocked, but the students find ways to get around just about everything. To that note, if we do not try to stay on top and incorporate technology, we will be waving to the students from the shore as they sail by...good words to live by P Miller.
I am excited about the book trailer. I wish I would have thought about it earlier, I would have had the multimedia class create a book trailer also. What a great way to incorporate reading, writing, and technology.
I have used Google Earth a little, would like to become more familiar with...could be a great use for Hospitality class...checking out destinations...Bonnie, I would like to see what you have for your French class.
Not familiar with HotChaulk really, but am open. I have heard great things about SmartBoards, and would also like to explore it's uses.
Nancy Rollison's post:
this isDecember blog
I enjoyed seeing your pictures from the conference, Paula. Attending a national conference can be a life-changing experience in itself!
I wish I could get excited about all the new technology we have - my major problem with it is time constraints, just not having the time to sit down and enjoy using it.
Our book club has already had some interesting discussions about whether or not we should even be encouraging students to read our particular story: Playing in Traffic, by Cathy Giles.
In my humble opinion, it has no redemptive value. Everybody loses in the end. Yes, that's life sometimes, but I think this author is merely after shock value. An important question here is: Should students be encouraged to read anything, simply because they are reading? It should be an interesting discussion!
Posted by Nancy Rollison at Monday, January 07, 2008 0 comments
November 26 Class BCSCRI
Technology or Tech(not)logy
Technology moves so fast that I don’t think many people can keep up with it! As teachers, we must not be afraid to let the students lead the way. They are so fearless and also used to the technology because they “play” and try new technologies a lot more than we do. If we did nothing at home but play on the computer, we would be a lot more proficient and a lot more at ease with new software!
I get very frustrated when I am taught something and it does not work the way I think it should work. The first sign of a problem and I resolve, “this program or software is not working right.” I am then ready to look for the nearest technician. Thus, they never have to worry about me taking one of their jobs!
Hot Chalk looks good, but so does Good Reads, Think.com and many other sites. I just don’t know enough about any of them to make them work for me for an online book club. I need to have the time to play with them, or have someone who is very familiar with them show me the ropes. Just as soon as we learn one really good program to use the next generation comes along and makes the one that I am an expert with seem obsolete. Think about it! This happens with phones, computer software, and even games. Will we ever be able to keep up?
I have mixed feelings about the types of sites that almost invade one’ privacy like Google Earth. Maybe this is okay if I want to view the Taj Mahal since I will probably never be able to travel there, but why should it be anyone’s business exactly where my house is and where my land ends and someone else’s begins? I do however love mapquest and google maps for finding places that I need to go. But, I may not want people finding my house without me being the one to give them directions to it? I guess it is too bad and too sad! But really, did anyone ask us if we wanted everyone to have this capability? Has technology gone too far? Well, that all depends...
The book trailers should be fun -if the software works right!
Greg Blashka's Post
11-30-07
Book Trailer Blog
Boy did I luck out. It turns out that Phyllis is in my group. It’s not that I’m afraid of using technology, but that what takes me 6 hours a techno savvy person can do in 30 minutes. We have some good ideas about the type of images we would like to use for the trailer, but we have a little ways to go on the audio aspect. Once we select what we would like to do we will compile it all together in one awesome trailer. I think the idea of a book trailer is long overdue. This could help draw a new generation of students into reading books instead of waiting for the movie to come out. I can’t wait to see all of the trailers the class will produce.
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