Podcasting in my classroom

Teacher created Podcasts:

Podcasts would be an excellent way to allow students to revisit lectures and class discussions at their own time. Often times, during class, students have difficulty recalling all the information that was discussed during the class time. They can go back to their notes, but often time it is not enough. The advantage of a podcast is that it allows students the opportunity to listen to the information as often as necessary at the student’s own leisure and pace.   In addition, by listening to a series of podcasts created, connections can be made between the topics.

Student created Pod-casts:

However, teacher created podcasts are just the beginning; it is not the only way that podcasts can be used. Students can create their own podcasts to demonstrate mastery of a concept or to use as peer teaching tools for teaching concepts as jigsaw activities or simply for review purposes. For example, rather than having students write a paper demonstrating what they have learned or researched on a topic, they can deliver a podcast. In addition, since podcasts can be created with video or picture illustration, complete and more in depth presentation could be made. Furthermore, podcasts can be used to help students keep weekly “journals” of what they have learned weekly or by unit in class, which could also allow them the opportunity to voice concerns, opposing views, or even bring up points of confusion that may arise, raise questions, etc.  For students who are shy about or feel unable to deliver a class speech or presentation or those who do not like to ask questions during class, podcasts can be used to allow them to participate minus the anxiety or allow students with modifications to feel more at ease by allowing them to practice and record their podcasts.  Also, by having the students create their own podcasts on classroom topics, their peers can listen and either gain something from the material or provide critique or feedback on the information provided.  This incorporates collaboration and peer review on a different level than time-limited classroom discussion can afford.

1.       Podcasts of conceptual topics (lectures)

2.       Researched Presentations

3.       Journals

4.       Peer tutoring

Podcast Article Reflection

I think it is important to identify the fact that podcasts are meant o be supplemental to the classroom experience, whatever that may be.  The lecturer/ instructor created podcasts are meant to help students by allowing them to listen and re-listen to classroom lessons and discussions without the added pressure of taking continuous notes while doing so. It is this regard that is can be the most beneficial as a teacher-directed teaching tool. Although the studies seem to be limited to technological and use of podcasts currently in educational setting, the possibilities for use in the classroom are not.  Podcasts may be used to help student groups reflect on discussions or allow a student to create an audio study guide.  Content, length, and use of incentives are all items that should probably be considered when using podcasts in the classroom. But in the end, however it may be used, since podcasts afford students the ability to take their studies out of the classroom and revisit them at their convenience, the possibilities for future use of podcasts can only help to bring the traditional classroom into the modern world.

Technology integration in cellular reproduction lesson

Biology, grade 9: Cellular reproduction Texas: BIOLOGY TEKS
5) (A) describe the stages of the cell cycle, including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication and mitosis, and the importance of the cell cycle to the growth of organisms;
(6) (G) recognize the significance of meiosis to sexual reproduction;

The topic the students will be exploring is cell division. This covers the workings of the cell cycle, mitosis, and meiosis. Students are responsible for knowing the stages involved in each process, the results of each process, and the overall purpose of each process in organisms. In addition, they must also be able to discuss condition that can arise if the processes do not proceed correctly. Students are expected to know and be able to use correct terminology and be able to identify and describe the details of what occurs during each stage. Modeling is a large part of being able to understand the inner working of the processes involved in cell division. As a result, a class generated wikis will be used to build class notes and resources for student learning. Blogs will be used for group discussions. Software and media will be used to create 2D pictures and power points and record 3D modeling of the processes. Below is a more detailed list of the technology integration.

1.Internet use: search of on-line databases, educational websites, and videos to uses for research and for resources to post on wiki.

2.Class created Genetics Wiki: student groups will work together to help create class generated glossaries, notes, videos and pictures covering the topics of the cell cycle, mitosis, and meiosis, including but not limited to drawing and description of stages, video demonstrations, and importance of each type of cell division. In addition, students will create a list and description of different conditions that occur as a result of mistakes in the cell cycle, mitosis, or meiosis. Students will be assessed using a rubric with categories such as correctness of information, frequency of group and group member contribution, and clarity and detail in explanations and activities.

3.PowerPoint or Google Docs presentation: Students will create a presentation comparing and contrasting the cycle, mitosis and meiosis, including the cell types each occurs in addition to number of cells involved and produced, chromosome numbers, and genetic composition of the resulting daughter cells.

4.Blog: A class cell division blog will be used to provide guided questions for students to respond to. Students will post their answers to questions and provides comments on group member’s postings.

5.Ipod: Students will record group generated model demonstrations of stages of mitosis and meiosis to post on class created genetics wiki. They would use manipulative such as beads, pipe cleaners, string, or other household items to show the cell division processes. Student peers would then comment on the effectiveness of the model for demonstrating understanding and provide feedback for improvement before final grading, submission/ posting for assessment.

6.Concept mapping software: students will create dichotomous keys/ flow charts explaining how they would determine which specific process and stage a cell they were investigating was in (cell cycle, mitosis, or meiosis). These will be posted on wikis as class notes and resources.

7. Google Docs (create form): students groups will create and post practice quizzes on blogs for peer groups to take. Students will vote on best quiz to post on wiki for class use and practice.

Link to my chem course webpage

https://sites.google.com/site/msjuarezchempage/

practice embedding survey

TPACK and technology integration in my classroom

1) What aspects of knowledge in the TPACK framework do you think you most need to improve for effective technology integration? (200 words or more)
My biggest challenge in incorporating the TPACK framework onto my courses will be my lack of knowledge of technology available and my own inexperience with many of the newer forms of technology. I know how to use word, PowerPoint, and excel. I know how to use content mapping software and have used it in the past to have students create flow charts, Venn diagrams, etc.  I actively keep a course web page with links to notes, power points, YouTube videos and electronic copies of assignments. I can even find some online resources that I have used myself for science courses in the past, such as PubMed and ChemSpider, etc. However, the problem is that I am not aware of how to efficiently take advantage of all of the technology now currently available.  My technical content and pedagogical knowledge is limited to the technology I have used in the past, and to be perfectly honest, I have not been doing a good job of keeping up with all of the latest technologies within the past 5-7 years, which has seen some largest leaps in advancement in the past few decades. I am most familiar with technology that tends to be static in nature: making charts, graphs, figures, etc. Most of it is something that is very 2D in nature, impersonal and individualistic, and not dynamic. I have never used an IPod outside of a 5 minute staff development activity. Mac computers confuse me, and movie making seems a bit out of my grasp. That is why I am in this class. It is not needed for my degree in any shape or form nor do I need the credit hours. Instead, I am finding that these students simply cannot learn the way that I learned when I was there age and I need to find a way to communicate what I need for them to learn and achieve in a manner that they are more familiar with, which happens to be through technology and communication through technology.




2) Initial ideas of your technology-integration lesson design, e.g., in which grade level, subject area, unit or lesson, and what technological tools that you will use. You are not limited to the tools we learned in class. You can make changes to your ideas later. (200 words or more)
I teach high school chemistry and biology, and believe I need to start small and build up to more advanced forms of technology. I will most likely stick to blogs and wikis for now and maybe move on to podcasts, videos, etc. later. I have already toyed with the idea of having my students frequently blog about their progress on their science fair projects in order to provide feedback and keep tabs on who is doing what to better serve their needs. However, I like the idea of using blogs to give students and their peers an opportunity to peer tutor/teach, such as posting guided questions or even class quizzes. For example, this upcoming 9 week period, we will begin with naming chemical compounds. I would post a blog asking for the chemical name for a given formula and vice versa and have the students determine the correct names through the comments.  By actively participating in the task, they can prepare in another format rather than simply working on a handout that we grade and correct in class. In addition, I would like to use wikis as areas for not only group projects and assignments, but also to provide the students to create a class study page, where they essentially help each other prepare for the class and for tests.  As a study page, I would provide a few guiding questions and let the students write, debate, and decide what the best answer is for the class.   Currently, I have the students doing their own searches to help find some good online videos and games that I can post on my website for them. Although some have not turned in anything useful and you know right away it was something they chose without seeing what is was, some students have a done a fantastic job of finding fun and educational material. I need to work on creating a stronger rubric for using these various technologies in my class but I myself must become more familiar.

google reader posting

My survey post didnt come out right away. But it is up.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDVzRkpzVG1yT0xyMHpqa09zSmRxS0E6MQ

My chemistry class survey

click on either link to see the survey

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDVzRkpzVG1yT0xyMHpqa09zSmRxS0E6MQ


My Chemistry Class Survey