I hope that video gave you a brief snapshot of what the future will look like soon. As the ability of technology to aid teachers increases exponentially, very quickly we will all begin to see practical models like this integrated into K-12 schools. The potential is mind-boggling, so I thought that this video would help inspire you and give you a little extra fuel for the next few weeks.
The focus of this session will be on a unit from the OERI project in Curriki. It's called, "Creating an OER from Scratch". Most of the links can be found in the syllabus. This session will include:
- Exposure to an array of OER resource environments;
- Recognizing the value of creating and publishing curriculum within an OER environment;
- Constructing relevant curriculum using a well-defined model;
- Appropriately integrating technology into your curriculum;
- Studying the techniques of publishing to an OER environment; and
- Publishing a curriculum module to Curriki.
I know that many of you may have plans for the April vacation next week, so I'll move our deadline to post your responses to S10 until Wed., April 24th. That should give you some time to enjoy the vacation and still have a few extra days when you get back to create your next screencast. This screencast's link will be posted under S10's entry below and will include an update on what you have done since the last screencast (several weeks ago) and also describe what goals you would like to reach regarding your digital chapter(s) by the end of the semester. (Midnight, Friday, May 10th)
12 comments:
I giggled at the super cheesy “There’s an OER for That” but in all honesty the app allusion is true—there is so much out there already to tap into, why not use OER for curriculum.
Reason #1 for OER—Personal
Embedding my lessons/lectures into the digital text book chapters. I’m already seeing that when students have access to my lectures any time of the day, they can stop and think and take notes and re-listen. Then they can ask the questions/do the “work” in class with me there. It causes them to be MUCH more invested in interacting with the resources. It seems a win-win.
Challenges
I still have an issue with using these kinds of resources with my students without internet at home and in a school without 1-1 technology. They are great for my classes full of students “with” but for the students “without” it impeded the effectiveness.
Reason #2 for OER—Local WHS
For our school, using OERs seems like a great move if we don’t simply take the ideas of “traditional” and just digitize them. Moving in this direction will help us to reenvision how we use these resources to step them into the picture the video “Did You Know 3.0” paints.
Challenges
Shifting to where students can only do homework at a computer is a challenge because they can’t do it on the bus or in the locker room before games. They can’t do it while they’re watching kids at someone else’s house whose computers they can’t use.
Reason #3 for OER –Global
More people across the globe can have more equitable access to a free education. I love the Johnstone quote “Education is a fundamental human right. It is the key to sustainable development and peace and stability within and among countries, and thus an indispensable means for effective participation in the societies and economies of the twenty-first century, which are affected by rapid globalization.” For people with limited book resources or outdated texts , it’s an incredible opportunity like in the summer reading book for our school last year The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. Imagine how much more could change and improve for motivated learners in any country-US included.
Challenges
Earlier in the Johnstone article, she discusses the concerns about these resources in developing nations acting as a sort of a new form American Imperialism. I totally get that! As much as I love the US I don’t think that our inherent biases need to indoctrinate the rest of the world. I’m obviously using hyperbole but the underlying premise is a scary one. Unless we teach the world to be critical consumers of information it has a flip side.
My Top 3 Reasons for Media Integration:
IT’S REALITY
It’s how students understand the world. In a time of digital convergence, we’d be ignorant not to engage them in these ways.
WE CAN TEACH STUDENTS TO BE VALUABLE MEMBERS OF THE DIGITAL AGE
Millions of videos are posted to youtube each minute. . .and that’s only one format for adding to this media-driven world. But how much of it is valuable? Meaningful? High quality? Teaching students to consume and produce media responsibly will help everyone—not just them.
IT KEEPS US HONEST
As teachers by constantly re-evaluating what and how and why we teach what we teach, understanding that the world in constantly evolving, and knowing that we and our students area a product of that evolution keeps us honest about our disciplines. It keeps us honest about how meaningful the teaching/learning really is in a greater context.
Ps I love the Carn. Mel. video . .the feedback piece especially. . .the same kinds of challenges apply that I outlined with my OER reasons, though . . .
Hi,
So I was all set to create my screen cast but ck12 website is not cooperating. Every time I click on one of my chapters it is coming up blank or it will show the content for a second then go blank. How frustrating. Has anyone else experienced these issues with ck12? I will keep checking it and try a different computer.
Stacey
Hi again,
So here is my screencast of my updated digital text. Be patient it is very slow. I am not sure if it was the ck12 website or my ancient laptop...
http://www.screenr.com/YA57
Thanks,
Stacey
I think perhaps the greatest benefit to OERs is the free quality. For the duration of my career I have decided on my teaching materials based on what was in the book closet or what was feasible to photocopy. This no longer has to be the way. Especially in the English department, texts, exerpts, audio books, videos and so much more are available to weave into a cohesive unit at virtually no cost.
Additionally, I am appreciating the current nature of OERs. For instance, in my digital text, I am focusing on Public Speaking. One of the sections is in regard to persuasive speeches. I was able to embed a clip from the press conference last week at which the bombing suspect's brother offered an appeal to his brother. This offered authenticity to my lesson because I did not only use like likes of Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy, but very real examples in our world today.
The down side however, is the technology frustration. My projector has been out of commission for over 2 weeks and for yesterdays lesson I needed to relocate again in order to use the digital text. When technology works, it is a beautiful thing. I think districts need to spend some of the funds not being spent on text books on purchasing and supporting technology.
Here is my screencast. I am happy to say I am using my digital text in class now and updating as I go.
http://www.screenr.com/yG57
Hi, All,
Here is my screencast:
http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cIfZYrVZoW
Like Stacey mentioned, I also found CK12 to be slow, but I have to create my screencasts at school because I can't seem to get the MacBook or the iPad to create screencasts. You will see in my screencast that somehow, one of my chapters did not get saved. Additionally, it is challenging to edit the text that I have pasted into my chapters; I may have to go back to my original Word document, edit there, and try repasting into CK12. I feel like I still have much to do, and more videos to add. Also, I discovered that my previous screencast still works; I was not sure if it would be deleted when I created the one for session ten.
Reflecting on the questions in the syllabus, and reasons for OER, it's challenging to post three new completely, original ideas. How about communication, efficiency, and professional development opportunities? OER will promote better communication with students, parents, and teachers. By doing so, more professional development opportunities will become available to educators as more create digital resources and new technologies are made to incorporate into digital texts- increasing learning opportunities for all. I think that efficiency is one of the greatest reasons to incorporate OER into classrooms; like Melissa mentioned about photocopies, and we have touched upon before in other sessions, OER save time and money. Teachers can also edit and supplement OER in real time. However, challenges include training both students and teachers to use the resources and the costs affiliated.
As far as reasons for incorporating Media, more learners with different learning styles can be reached, learning opportunities will be more engaging for students, and student motivation will increase; students who are less likely to open the textbook, or perhaps large novel, will be more motivate to use the EReader or iPad. Challenges include keeping the links live and the time for keeping up with maintaining the digital materials in an educational age where teachers are not allocated enough time, let alone, more time.
Wanted to comment on the video did you know. I have one word to say WOW!!!
Hi all, here's my screencast.
http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cIft2FVZp9
Am Continuing to move forward but am trying to keep from falling into the text book on a screen mentality. Incorporating video and animations is a windfall for understanding especially for those students who (yikes!) don't like to read.
I'm also suffering from the nervousness of "borrowing" material to put in my e-book. I know the intent of OER is to reuse rather then re-invent but I'm still wanting to put my spin on everything. : )
Hi!
Sorry about the tardy entry:( Vacation, National Boards, SIT team, poetry night, Washington DC. . .I'm going insane:)
Here is my screencast!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=bYPynaaYm14
anne
Well, better late than never. Here is my 2nd webcast.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uip5zEmTZxc
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