Course+Information

Course Agenda Course Projects = = Welcome to Teaching Writing Through Blogs and Wikis! What will we learn in this course? Technology in the classroom has so many avenues. We could truly work for an entire semester on the common topics. It will be crammed, but in our short time together we’ll explore the following topics:
 * Technology’s impact on today’s learner
 * Technology’s role in constructivist teaching
 * Various digital tools for reading, writing, and viewing
 * The use of web logs in the classroom
 * Uses and How-to’s
 * Construction using Blogger.com
 * Assessment
 * The use of wikis in the classroom
 * Uses and How-to’s
 * Construction using Google Sites
 * Assessment
 * Online Safety Tips

What types of activities can we expect to encounter this week? Because we’re mirroring constructivist ideas and problem-based learning concepts, many of our activities are cooperative learning-based. It’s also summer time and my creative juices are lacking (don’t we all check out June through August J ?), so you will be lucky enough to view PowerPoint slides dappled with conversation.

What assignments will we be expected to accomplish? That’s for you to decide! Most of you mentioned in your survey that you want to walk away from this class knowing how to create a blog and wiki. You got it! It makes sense that your “final project” should be to construct a blog, a wiki, or both! I’m very much open to alternative assignments, but I believe that whatever you choose should be something you can take back to the classroom and implement immediately. Here are some thoughts on what may be the most useful and effective products: Are there any additional requirements? Nothing makes me more excited than when I leave a conference or class with a handful of activities or lesson plans all ready to go for my students. I am going to encourage all of us to participate in a G.I.F.T.S (Great Ideas For Teaching Speech) exchange. The GIFTS idea comes from the Illinois Speech and Theater Association and allows teachers to roundtable briefly with other teachers who willingly pass off lesson plans and necessary handouts to other educators. It’s brilliant! We’re going to modify our version by changing the “S” to “students.” I would like our gifts to be any lesson plan that incorporates some type of technology. It can be a lesson you already do, or a lesson you want to create with something we’ve talked about in our workshops. You may contribute your gifts in three different ways: (1) create a new page on our wiki under the lesson plans link, OR on Google Docs (just don’t forget to invite us to view it via email), (2) print out your lesson and leave it with me to copy by the second to last class, or (3) print out your lesson and make copies for everyone in our class. Get gifty with it! J
 * Project I: Create a blog using a host of your choice. Your blog should begin to show a framework for use for the fall. Create a lesson plan or series of mini-lessons that incorporates your blog. Your lesson plan should include materials needed, time frames, detailed activities, and assessment or handout ideas.
 * Project II: Create a wiki using a host of your choice. Your wiki should begin to show a framework for use for the fall. Create a lesson plan or series of mini-lessons that incorporates your wiki. Your lesson plan should include materials needed, time frames, detailed activities, and assessment or handout ideas.
 * Project III: Self-created assignment. You may create an assignment of equal scope and submit a proposal to me by the end of the second class.