Concept Mapping using Popplet

Popplet is a concept mapping that I heard about a few months ago, and have been wanting to try it out ever since.  Next year, I will be teaching U.S. History, after a year of just Sociology and Psychology.  So, I have decided for assignments that involve creating "things" for my students I am choosing U.S. History class....I am excited to start planning U.S. History again! It will be really fun and neat to incorporate more tech to increase student motivation and interest.

Here is the Popplet that I created:

Week Three: The Times are a Changing!

In 2004, Curtis Bonk wrote "The Perfect E-Storm" , which at the time teachers in the K-12 world I'm sure thought Dr. Bonk was bonkers! Classrooms wouldn't have tablets, augmented realities, digital portfolios, or even worse...online tests and quizzes (GASP!).   Today it is 2012 and classrooms across the country, from big cities to small farm towns, are experiencing and embracing just about all of the emerging technologies that Bonk discussed.   Bonk's article will definitely have any 21st century tech geek, compiling lists and new ideas on how to work all of his ideas into our schools! (Ok I saved & highlighted-digitally, of course- Bonk's article).  

From Flubaroo.Com

The biggest change I plan on making in my classroom in the future is adding online tests and quizzes by using Google forms and Flubaroo.  

Week Two : Reflections & Learning!

Well, the biggest lesson I learned this week was to type my discussion posts in Word and then copy & paste! I mean, I knew to do that, but didn't! AHH.  So, my post for the week got cut off on the discussion board.  Here are parts of my posts on blogs and why I really believe they are a great tool to use with students:

My subject line is a direct student quote from my classroom!  This past fall my students blogged with another school. It was a comprehensive project. First, we created videos about the culture of our high school and so did the other school (they were in Boston and my school is 45 minutes northwest of Chicago).   Then, we swapped videos for our classes to watch about the other schools culture. Finally, the students blogged together reflecting, questioning and commenting about the two different schools. It truly was an amazing process to see my students so motivated to WRITE!  

With permission from 2 awesome 2nd hour students :)
This was posted on a class blog! 

A few weeks after this, we were in the gender unit in Sociology and one of my male students (who does not like to write), yells out, "We going to blog about that, Kilgallon?...I have ALOT to say about girls and gender issues).  It was very funny and shocking, all at the same time.  So, from personal experience I will say that blogging and writing for an audience is a huge motivator for students. 

Here are two blogs my students have contributed to:

http://cgpsych8.posterous.com/ 

http://trojanandpanthernorms.posterous.com/ 

Week One: Let's Go To The Movies

Me on the first day of school 2011. Smiling. 

To help my reader's learn a bit more about me. Here is my post for the "What's your movie?" ice breaker:

Will Ferrel's Christmas movie, Elf might not be on AMC's top 100 movies, but it is wonderful to me. Elf is about the journey of Buddy the Elf, who was an orphan who ended up at the North Pole. Buddy was adopted by a real elf when he was a baby and was raised working in Santa's workshop.  Buddy soon learns he is not a real elf, and his real Dad lives in New York City.  Buddy travels to New York City, where he has to resocialize into a new way of life and family. 

I love this movie for several reasons. The first time I saw it was way back when I was a senior in undergrad and my family came to visit for the weekend. That was always a fun time.  My family enjoyed watching it together then, and we still do over the holidays. (Though Christmas Vacation is what we watch every Christmas Eve).   

Another reason, I love this movie is that Buddy is truly excited and passionate about everything, his friends, family and Santa!  I often am told that I am similar to that. I truly do get excited for anything I love from psychology to technology to my family. If I love something, you will know about it. 

One line from Elf, is "I love smiling. Smiling is my favorite."  I love that feeling of just being so happy you can't stop smiling.  He also enjoys singing quite a bit throughout the movie, I'm a bit of a Glee and musical fanatic, but that is another post! 

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."  - Buddy! 

Well, maybe I can spread Spring Break cheer soon! Happy Monday all! 

Heather 

Week One Reflections

During week one of the course, Assessment in E-Learning we jumped right into using tools that can help teachers assess their students in online course.  The beauty of all the tools we used is that they are not just for an online classroom, all could be used in a traditional classroom as well.  When I work with tech tools in my traditional classroom, I always make sure that I can think of a "plan B."  


Week one of Assessment in E-Learning, had us doing typical week one activities, such as ice breakers! Since I am a firm believer in creating a class environment that feels like a little family, I enjoy a good ice breaker.  I even throw them into my class whenever I have a few minutes.  Sometimes, I like to do "would you rather" questions or a "find someone who"...   The online class icebreaker that we did this week is one I will for sure use in my own classroom.  We had to answer the question, "what movie is your movie?"  We had to summarize the movie and then explain why it was our movie, basically, what is the personal connection to the movie?  


I choose the movie Elf, because as Elf says, "I love smiling. Smiling is my favorite."   I feel that explains how I teach. Ask my students, I frequently say, 'I just love this (fill-in-the-topic).  This is so cool"  or "Ahh this learning explosion is making my heart happy."    I know my seniors think I'm a nerd, but the feedback they give me is often very positive.  Plus, enthusiasm is contagious!  


The other assessment tool we used this week was a survey.  We used Survey Monkey to answer questions about what we already know about technology in the classroom.  This is a neat tool to use.  Plus, teachers can use surveys to assess prior knowledge or in the middle of unit as a formative assessment.  Surveys are a great way for teachers to examine their students learning progression.