Thaichubb

Screencast? I remember seeing my first screencast in a class and wondering exactly how did they do that? But I never knew it was this simple to do especially with a Mac. A simple way to copy what is on the screen. I have always wondered how to make screencast but did not take the time to figure it out. It was so neat to see the step by step instructions using the same tools I had right in front of me. I can not remember exactly what I learned but I do know I thought it was so very cool. I also could go back and forward to many time to use it. Since that first time, I have always found screencast useful when I have tried to learn different tech skills. I have used them over and over for this class when I find myself trying to remember a skill I was taught but did not remember how to do one of the steps. Sometimes it has been great and sometimes it is a lot of work. But all in all, I really see the benefits of them. I can see screencast useful in classroom setting for technical skills in science and math. But I am at a lost of how to integrate it into my classes. So now the question is: How can screencasts be used for me professionally? How can I use them in PE or health? As of yet I haven’t found a way to use them that would really help students and be worthwhile all the time to make one. I know they can be use to navigate Panthernet and other tech sites but how do I make it relevant? I am sure there are ways. I have just not found a way to make it useful for me as a teacher with students yet. The questions is “Do you know of some screencast that have been used for PE/Health”?

The explosion of web based video has really change the way we can teach. In this class I have learned so many ways to access new information. I have gained a lot  through my RSS feeds that I can not keep up on all the cool things I can do for my students. One area that has really helped is web based video for PE. I have found some great web based video that have been great for my students but also great for me as a teacher. I am able to download and watch these videos to enhance my own learning of our curriculum. In the past the only way I could learn new skills, drills or applications was to go to a conference or hope a colleague had time to teach me new skills or activities. Now I am able to just go to the web and search for new ideas or teaching methods. It has been great.

I have also used web based video for my classes. This year I download some videos on basketball with students about the same age as my students doing the activities. It was great. I had just taught the students the skills and they were picking them up and learning but I then added the video clip and the students interest increased almost 100%. It was so great to see students understand what we are teaching in our class here in Thailand is the same as many students around the world are also learning. It also helped students on both sides of the spectrum. My lower ability students could visualize what they could do better by watching good examples and my high fliers were challenged by a lot of other students doing the activity and doing it well. So it was a good use of technology. I just wish we had longer period in the middle school so we could use it more often.

Can you get AIDS by dirty toilets?

Pictures vs words. Which one speaks the loudest. It is so interesting to see how much a simple concept can change the way you look at teaching and learning.  I now look at each presentation I give to students in a different light.  Since I have learned more things about presentation in this class, I wanted to try and update my new skills.  I went back to one of our health Powerpoints and realized we had lots of information on each slide and realized I can present  the information in a better way so students can  really internalize what the presentation is meaning to say. I chose to make new slides to share with the students. The slides before were filled with information about how AIDS are spread in communities. It was good. It was filled with information that the students needed but I am not sure the info stuck with them. So I attempted to use graphics to really make it more real. Students have  a lot of misconceptions about S.T.D.S” and A.I.D.S’ I wanted to make sure in health we dispel some of the simplest myths.  One myth is: STDS and AIDS come from dirty toilets, pollution or kissing a stranger.  I decided to use the graphics that showed how not to catch AIDS.  Common misconceptions. Dirty toilets are one. It worked. The students gasped when this slide hit the screen. I am sure they will never forget this simple graphic. If only I can get some good graphics that show ways it is spread.

So what is the big deal about Creative Commons, Flikr and the other many sites for finding pictures? How do we use these tools and do they help student learning?  I have tried Flikr last year in my Blogs for Softball 09 and SEA Baseball.  I just never got the hang of it. Am I doing something wrong? It seemed to take so much time to upload. The students love seeing their pictures and the parents love it even more but I never got the hang of it. My goal for this year is to really learn how to use Flickr and CC. I decided to use Creative Commons to search for something to use in my soccer unit. Wow.. I found just the right picture. This young man with a soccer ball on his head. It was perfect. The students all went “cool” and it was so easy explaining the 6 yard box. My only question is what happened to the 18 yard box?  Simplicity and great use of graphics can go a long way for student learning. It was so easy to use.  I wondered why I never tried it before.  Thank you CC.

I have read and heard a lot about Presentation Zen but never took the time to really understand the step by step concepts. I use to think presentations were just people driven. If it was a good presentation it was because the presenter had style, design, energy or a good message. Now I see it is all of this AND more. So many times the presenters want to put so much on the screen that it is overwhelming and ends up being too boring. Other times there is nothing that hooks one to understand or to remember. I have now learned so many great tips to being a good presenter. I have always been good about knowing when there is a great presenter but I could not always articulate why. Now I see the reasons so clearly. So I really enjoyed learning the steps of Presentation Zen and Presentation Naked. I really liked how Garr listed the six key abilities at they related to the art of presentation. He stated “The six aptitudes are: Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play, and Meaning. My discussion is with presentations (enhanced by multimedia) in mind, but you could take the six aptitudes and apply them to the art of game design, programming, product design, project management, health care, teaching, retail, PR, and so on”.

I agree with Garr about the six aptitudes and relate them to interior design of schools and homes. It is the same way as in presentations. Some people have talent and some people need to be very aware of the aptitudes or get help. I know some people just have the graphic design and beauty concepts much better than I do. I try but it is not easy or natural for me. I know what I like but sometimes I can not create it as I want it. I do know some people are natural and see the beauty of the design. I of course will not give up because I now have the steps to use  to create a better presentation.

One year ago at about this same time, I was given the opportunity to attend the 2.0 conference in Shanghai and this course.   Little did I realize that it was going to open a whole new world of learning for me and my students. I have learned about wikis, blog,twitter, nings, goodle this and google that. In my classroom, I have been able to have students write on blogs and respond to other people writings and thoughts  and create an online discussion using a forum.  I also have been able to figure out when it is appropriate to write on blogs and forums and when it is good to just have the good ole discussion in class. I have been able to infuse technology in almost every class with an appropriate video clip that usually peaks my students interest to get their brains focused on my subject area. In PE I have been able to download some great video clips of great skills and drills for the students so they can watch an authentic performance of those skills and I find it really helps students learn. Paper work has been stream lined using google docs and google forum. I am anxious to learn more about presentation zen and how to organize all my information and new teaching ways in a managable way.  At times I feel totally overwhelmed with the new technology, new curriculum and wonder how does someone do all of this and still teach, have a family with young kids and coach 5 days a week and on weekends? It is all possible?

 I have been mulling around many ideas. The one that keeps coming back is to create a health Wiki for 8th grade. I started one and it is really messy. The kids and I learned a lot but I would like to really get it organized so the students can use it in an effective way.
 This wiki would be set up similar to the one that was created for this class.  The topic areas would be listed.  Each student in turn would create their own blog/page.  Not quite sure if they need a blog but still working on that detail. I am thinking just a WIKI and branch into pages from there. Our areas of study would be linked to the wiki. We would cover body imagine, eating disorders, substance abuse, human growth and development and decision making.The students would then help create the Wiki for future classes to use as reference.  They would be able to work in groups and choose what area of expertise they would work on.   I started one with the students but in order for it to really work, I need more time and expertise to get it up and running. I am hoping with the ability to dabble and figure it out  on Saturday, I will be able to create a great project for the students to create. I also want to add one other dimension and get another health class in the world join us. It might also be fun to meet on SKYPE and see what we can come up with. In this way we can share resources and also show to students that teens all over the world are thinking about the same things and face some of the same problems.

I started the school year 2008/09 by attending the tech conference in Shanghai. I walked into a world of wikis, blogs, twitter, twirls, PLN,Skype,google docs. and RSS.  I had heard about many of these new tools but in no way felt comfortable using them in a classroom let alone understanding how they could help students in their process of learning. In less than 6 months I have bridged the gap of understanding and now am excited to connect with kids using these new tools.  Will it work, will the students learn more or feel more connected to their own learning and others?  I can only hope so. I know the students love the “newness” and the ability to be in charge of their own computer and learning. I can only hope I can figure out how to manage all my new skills and still keep my head above water. I still have a ton of work to do and lots to learn. I am excited and hopeful that we as a school will continue to support this new type of learning. I can see next year PD days filled with teachers sharing the cool things they are trying with students. I know as a PE/Health teacher I can learn a lot from other teachers which will help my student move forward in this new tech world.

Thanks a bunch for all the answers Kim and Jeff. I only wish we had more time.

Dabbling. Doing old things in old ways. Doing old things in new ways. Doing new things in new ways.

Until recently, we have mostly been dabbling with technology in our schools: A few Apples here. A PC there. Random creation of software by teachers and other individuals — some very good, much bad. A few edutainment disks. Dabbling.

So where am I in tech integration. I like the way Mark Prensky outlined the different way to look at tech education. I totally agree with what he is saying and think if schools are going to move forward teaching tech integrations then the schools will need to understand the process most people will go through to becoming tech literate. One of the first things that many teacher need is more time just to dabble. The next step would be to have dabbling time and support from the tech people. It is difficutlt to do new things and spend 30 min on something that would only take 1 min if you had someone to ask and not feel stupid asking. This is what has worked for me. I dabble then I dabble again until I find something that can help me in the classroom. Sometimes I do the old things in new ways and that feels a tad better but I am finding that doing the old things in new ways seems too basic and I do not see an increase in  learning from the students. So now I am at the step of looking at ways to do new things in new ways and still maintain the curriculum.  Boy it is hard. It is time consuming and takes a lot of creative juices. I have decided to give myself time to just try one or two things each quarter and celebrate the learning of both the students and me.