Importance of Social Media in Education

Check out this great article about the importance of Social Media in education.  Just 15 minutes a day makes a huge difference...sounds a lot like exercise!

Twitter Reflection

During the past few weeks, I have learned a tremendous amount from the use of Twitter.  To begin with, I did not know that Twitter was used as a platform for chatting.  I participated in a Nebraska education chat, and a national education chat.  During the course of both, I was able to connect with like-minded individuals, share my knowledge and resources on educational topics, and picked up a few new resources in the form of websites.  I fully intend to participate in the chats whenever time allows.  Second, I started following several tech savvy individuals and have gathered a variety of resources from them as well. 

I really enjoy following Brent Catlett (@catlett1).  He and I share a passion for everything Google, and we have shared a number of Tweets about everything Google has to offer – from Google Docs, Google +, and Google Talk.  Additionally, he and I have tweeted about the uniqueness of being a male teacher. 

I fully intend to continue using Twitter, primarily professionally.  The amount of information being shared on a daily basis is unbelievable!  I want to continue to grow as an educator, especially in the field of technology.  I believe that Twitter is the best way to do that because I can actively seek what information based on my needs and on my time.  

Twitter is a Game-Changer!

Wow!  There are so many amazing pieces of information and resources on his blog, I could spend hours, or even days sifting through it and not have even begun to scratch the surface!  I read through a few articles on his blog. 

The first article I read had to do with some of the bigger pieces of news from the past week.  One of the biggest ones was an announcement from Google that they are going to shut down Google Reader.  The author of the blog, Richard Byrne, suggests using the alternative Feedly instead.

Next, I read an article discussing a variety of useful Google Chrome extensions and apps for the classroom.  The Daum Equation Editor popped out at me because it allows you to write mathematical equations and then save them as text or images so you can easily place them in documents.  Doing this in Office can be tedious and time consuming.  A second one that popped out at me was Select and Speak.  It allows you to highlight text and have it read aloud to you.  This would make a great accommodation for students with disabilities or for students who struggle to read.  Additionally, it could be used in content areas that have a lot of jargon, like science. 

Blogging is a great way to share ideas and information that you have come across.  It could also be a great tool for use in the classroom as a resource for students.  I have a class webpage that I will be converting to a blog over the summer.  The webpage has a variety of links that I found that are tools to help them with homework or have games and activities to help them review state assessment items.  I have former students that still log in and play the games, so I can tell it has had an impact on them and they are having fun while learning.

In conclusion, I think resources such as blogs and Twitter are the future of collaboration between teachers.  We have been told to beg, borrow, and steal resources as teachers.  Using blogs and Twitter make doing so a whole lot easier.

Games and Student Achievement

I read an article from one of the top 100 education blogs.  It can be found here.  The article discusses six different ways games are beneficial to students and their learning.

The first benefit discussed was that it increases a child’s memory capacity.  I would tend to agree, as there are many games that favor players with better memories than their opponents.  The idea is that this translates back into the classroom and learning.

Second, the author discusses how using computers to play games at a young age familiarizes students with how to use a computer.  Students are picking up basic computer usage skills that are utilized when they are doing other tasks using computers.

Third, a good amount of games ask their players to think quickly and problem solve.  Both are tremendously important attributes in life and in the classroom.  They especially benefit my subject areas – math and science.

Fourth, playing games on the computer or other consoles help improve a child’s hand-eye coordination.  This can relate back into the classroom in a variety of ways, such as penmanship. 

The second to last benefit of playing games is better sustained attention to tasks.  The article states research done by a professor at Nottingham University found that video games actually help people with attention disorders.

Finally, the article discusses how specific games teach specific skills.  For example, how to read a map, games that require lots of reading, financial management, and others. 

While I do believe there are drawbacks to video games and their overuse, there are also some positives that come with them.  It is important to find that balance.  

Six Alternatives to PowerPoint

I read an article from one of the top 100 education blogs.  It can be found here.  The article discusses several free alternatives to use Microsoft PowerPoint to create presentations.      

The first option discussed is called Empressr.  The author raves about its high quality and ease of sharing.  Empressr allows its users to easily embed video from a variety of sources into your slide show.  A second impressive feature is that Empressr allows you to “draw, create, or edit” images inside the slide.  Additionally, the presentations can be embedded anywhere

. 

Next, the author introduces us to Slide Rocket.  The author is impressed with the 3D transitions and collaborative nature for sharing the building of the project.  Additionally, Slide Rocket works well with Google Drive, as it has its own app for that.

Third, the author describes Prezi.  I have used Prezi on a few occasions, but honest still prefer PowerPoint.  Prezi is very popular and its main feature is that the slides don’t have to appear in a linear manner used in most slide shows.  Recently, Prezi began allowing its users to include sound in their presentations. 

Fourth, the author talks about Open Office as an option.  There is brief discussion regarding how there is still development of the program and that it is a free download.  It’s an option for those unable to afford Microsoft Office.

The fifth idea shared by the author is Google Slides.  This program offers opportunities for sharing and collaboration.  Furthermore commenting on slides and projects is easy.  Embedding the presentations is also possible.

Finally, the author talks about Haiku Deck, which is an app for the iPad.  Perhaps the most impressive feature is the integrated search tool for pictures. 

I am most impressed with Empressr, as it seems to let you do the most with your presentation and definitely has the “wow” factor  

Blogging in the Classroom

I have utilized blogging in the classroom before.  Our school district's home pages allow us to set up a blog.  Each student gets an anonymous (to them and everyone else, but not me) screen name.  I would put up a variety of discussion questions each day for them to discuss.  I had them moderated before they were actually posted to screen out anything that did not belong or was off topic.  It went really well and the students really enjoyed it.  It was a great way to carry over discussion from the classroom to home.

I think another great way I could utilize a blog is for students to share and discuss current events.  Most of my students come to school wanting to share news or things they have heard from the news or newspaper.  One of my students this year has a parent that runs our local newspaper.

Introduction and Purpose

Thank you for checking out my blog.  My name is Dan Ackland, and I am currently an Elementary Principal (K-6) in Hutchinson, Kansas.  I just completed my first year serving as a principal.  Prior to that, I spent 8 years teaching 5th grade in Valley Center, Kansas.  I also spent 1 year working as a behavior para in Waverly, Nebraska.

I have a passion for working with students and families and helping them reach their fullest potential.  I've decided to use this blog to share thoughts, ideas, resources, and as a reflection tool.  The thoughts here are my own.