New Tool for Students: Storybird

I just found a new tool for students--Storybird.  Students create narrative short stories based on a visual and collaborate on the story with friends.  I have not yet begun to use the tool, but you should check out the cool stories posted by students.  I think the key here is "students" are the creators.  I have not had time to explore, but it appears to cater to K-8.

A new literacy tool for a new generation

"Storybirds are short, art-inspired stories that are curiously fun to make, share, and read. Teachers love them because they inspire their most reluctant writers and readers and reward their most adventurous. Kids adore them because they feel empowered by the tools and supported by the social feedback."

Web 2.0 Integration Plan

Integrating Web2.0 tools into both my personal and professional lives requires strategic planning, especially in August when my principal advises his goals for the year, and we take off down the runway, all while teaching our students.  I am by nature a hard worker, and fortunately a "short sleeper" with sisu (Finnish word with no exact translation, but here is good one).  I also pride myself in finding shortcuts; why do the task the hard way? As an educator, it is also difficult to extract the personal and professional lives, that by nature and by job description are intertwined, especially from mid-August to mid-June. 21st century tools blur the lines even more, while challenging our efforts to obfuscate our private lives (Rupert Murdoch not withstanding).

Personal

• Try to not get distracted when I am performing a task. (personal and professional)
• Use Web 2.0 tools to connect, organize, and share with friends and family
•  Find more tools to add music to my daily life

Professional.
Teaching in a public school, we must always align to standards, thus clarifying and guiding my actions.  Maryland has Teacher Technology Standards (2002), but I will use the ISTE National Standards for Teachers (2008).

1.  Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity through modelling and facilitating digital experiences that connect to real world experiences, and that utilize Web 2.0 collaboration tools.  This step is crucial, and if we start with one or two tools, such as wikis and blogs, our digital native students will be ready for the challenge.

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments through use of technological ad digital tools that link students' outside world lives with schoolhouse experiences.  Alignment of  content standards with technology standards is an essential component of the plan.  Students will be instrumental in sharing the tools they use to communicate, and to develop classroom goals that will enable them to be more engaged in and responsible for their learning. If we incorporate one new tool in each unit, the learning experiences will be remarkable.

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning, not only to students, but to staff as well.  As a teacher leader, it is imperative to communicate and model the digital innovations with staff, administrators, students, parents, and community members if we are to excel in preparing our students for college and career readiness.   In addition, we must find ways for students to integrate digital tools in ways that will enhance higher order thinking skills, such as analysis, evaluation, application, synthesis, and creativity, while promoting scholarly research. Many teachers in our building utilize social media to engage students, but we must remember that learning is not about being a "sage on the stage", but "guides on the side". 

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility through collaboration with the Library Media Specialist and other staff, in order for our students to understand ethical implications and obligations in a digital world.  Engage and collaborate with teachers in other regions of the world to promote global responsibility. [This summer I am a participant in an online professional development experience with educators around the world, through IEARN, where we are building plans for collaboration projects for our students.]

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership that is meaningful, and ongoing.  Too often when  teachers are introduced to new ideas, it is done in a "drive-by" or "speed-dating" method.  Teachers spend 30 minutes learning one tool, then either go back to the classroom with no follow-up, or try it with no support.  If teachers participate in a PLN, and regularly discuss tools, share their knowledge, even invite other teachers to see the technology in action in classrooms, we will all learn and grow, making digital tools second nature to our lesson planning and delivery.   We need our administrators to be leaders in this change as well.  Too often faculty meetings are sit and take, rather than share and give.    Our leaders must include "infusion of technology" in the improvement plans for our school, as well as input from teachers, students, parents, and the community, in the vision for change.

Creating a Wiki

This school year I have grown to love wikispace as a tool.  In  the fall of 2009 when I was first introduced to a wiki, it was used as a forum for an inquiry to action research group.  I will admit I was so busy that I did not take the time to communicate with the members and used email instead.  Wow.  That seems so long ago, and regret not taking the time to use it.  However, I did start several wikis that year.   I now have created wikispaces for each of my classes. I also completed an  Online Professional Development course for Government teachers where we used a wiki for discussion, and an Open Source LMS.  This is where I learned to collaborate.
Through the readings in this class I now understand the purpose and rationale of using a wiki.  I want my students to become wikispace users, but this has been a little bit of a struggle.  Students love to use social media, but I think even online writing assignments are seen as a chore.  As I integrate more collaboration on the wiki, I think it will be more accepted.  Out of 100 teachers at my school, there may be less than 10 that use wikis, and most do not use with the students.  I have even had parents tell me they are confused for their child when the child did not complete the assignment.  I modeled wikispace discussions in class, and we used the media lab twice.  Still there are students who are not motivated to write online. I will work on this factor over the summer.  One problem is that our school has few computers that work, and many students have no technology at home, or have no internet.  I have advised that their phones will work for discussion comments.  
I have begun to join other wikis.  Teachers have created entire courses that include textbooks on wikis.  Many a simply a storage of documents, but several include student to student and student to teacher collaboration. The teacher created sites that are formed around the topics of literacy and differentiation are so helpful.  I have learned a great deal just from reading and linking within these types of wikispaces.   So, the next hurdle will be the collaboration element for both students and teachers.