““Blogging the Brontes” Blogging the Brontes” Incorporating Web 2.0 Incorporating Web 2.0 Into TEKS CurriculumInto TEKS Curriculum

Daniel WilsonDaniel WilsonBishop Dunne Bishop Dunne

Catholic SchoolCatholic SchoolDallas, TXDallas, TX

Daniel WilsonDaniel Wilson

Bishop Dunne Catholic School

Dallas, TXDallas, TX

Advanced Placement ChairAdvanced Placement Chair

Email: dwilson@bdhs.orgEmail: dwilson@bdhs.org

Twitter: danwilsontxTwitter: danwilsontx

Class Twitter: Class Twitter: MrWilsonBDHSMrWilsonBDHS

Class Blog:Class Blog: http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=22572

My My BackgroundBackground

::• Originally from UK

• Don’t consider myself part of Web Generation

• Arrived at Bishop Dunne 10 years ago and have been there since

• Teach English Language AP and English Literature to juniors and seniors

• First presentation at a conference

Bishop Bishop Dunne circa Dunne circa

19991999

Bishop Bishop Dunne Dunne

circa 2009circa 2009

Current use of technology at Current use of technology at Bishop DunneBishop Dunne

•Online Remediation/

Advancement Program

•Micro laptops in 6th Grade classroom

•Podcasting •SMARTBoards

•Blogs •Senteo

•GIS •Airliners

•Wikis •COWS

•Edline •Twitter

•Gradequick •Skype

•iPods •Dim Dim

How Can Web 2.0 Help How Can Web 2.0 Help You ?You ?

• Twitter – Microblogging in and out of classroom

• Dim Dim - Going beyond the HS• Then it is up to you….• CPR - Taking the grading out of

writing• Blogging - Creative class discussion• Podcasting - Real uses in the HS

classroom

• How many of you How many of you have heard of have heard of Twitter?Twitter?

• How many of you How many of you have used have used Twitter?Twitter?

• How many of you How many of you have an account?have an account?

• Twitter “in Action”

• In the middle of last semester, I became tired of an overflowing inbox.

• Decided to hold virtual “Office Hours”

• Available from 7pm-9pm Monday to Thursday

• No longer accept student emails

• Use it for quizzes and group work

•What do the What do the students students think?think?

•What are the What are the benefits?benefits?

•What are the What are the drawbacks?drawbacks?

Is Twitter just Social Media Is Twitter just Social Media Fluff?Fluff?

• One of fastest growing apps out there• Barack Obama is the most

followed person on the planet• Currently one of the most

instantaneous news sources• Steve Jobs’ medical leave• Broke the Hudson Miracle Story

• Personally, I network withsome of the best and brightesteducators in the world.

Uses for Twitter in HS EducationUses for Twitter in HS Education

• Conversations from class continue outside of class

• Develops a sense of community within the class – changes the class dynamic

• Can track a class “keyword”• Can track an event – TCEA• Instantaneous feedback• Follow and expert or even a celebrity• Public Notepad

Other uses for TwitterOther uses for Twitter

• Can use to gather real world data – can reach out to your network and gather information. If you teach geography, it could be meteorological; if you are teaching Current Affairs it could be a foreign opinion on a topic. Provides real time information

• Can do Twitter searches for topic word. Can use Twitscoop on Tweetdeck OR you can use Twitterfall.com to find a certain topic word

• For example: TCEA

Other uses for TwitterOther uses for Twitter

You enter your

search here

Fun uses for TwitterFun uses for Twitter

• Historicaltweets.comHistoricaltweets.com

• According to the site: “Books have been ruining history. So many unnecessary words.  Now, with Historical Tweets, history’s most amazing men and women can be fully understood, a mere 140 characters at a time.”

Effective uses for Effective uses for Historicaltweets.comHistoricaltweets.com

• Would be a good project kids for example – could use it for a project on Gatsby or on General Lee and Ulysses Grant

• An effective warm up or could be an ongoing chapter by chapter assignment

• Can use it as a short Timed Writing assignment – good for TAKS practice

How do I use Twitter?How do I use Twitter?

• Extremely simple and, best of all, FREE!

• Go to Twitter.com and create an account

• Create a profile so people can see if they should follow you

• Start searching for people.

Create unique

Username and

Password

Type your message/request/ Tweet

Number of people that

you are following and are

following you

Applications to Help with Twitter

• Tweetdeck

• Twhirl

• Tweetie (iPhone/iTouch app)

TweetdeckTweetdeck

and it’s usesand it’s uses• After school Office Hours• Class Discussion Forum• Microblogging• Meeting place for group work• Cross-curricular projects• Involve parents in class work• Reduces number of emails• Distance Learning technology

Dimdim: Web 2.0 and Distance Dimdim: Web 2.0 and Distance LearningLearning

• What is it?• Open Source Web Conferencing Software. Similar

to webex or Gotomeeting but free!

• How can I use it?• Extended review and tutoring. Offers chance for

specialized and specific remediation and advancement. Did I mention that it is free?

• Very simple to set up a

meeting. You can start one

immediately or set a time.

• Can invite using dimdim

but I prefer Twitter

Video Feed of teacher

Interactive Whiteboard

Public Chat Forum

Demonstration of dimdimDemonstration of dimdim

• Visual and/or audio of teacher

• Can use the interactive whiteboard

• Can have public and/or private chat

• Can upload/display documents, powerpoints, etc, and give audio commentary

• Can share your computer screen with students

• Can record the entire session and document the chat

Advantages and Uses of Advantages and Uses of dimdimdimdim

• The “Kyle Stevens” story

• Can teach from anywhere

• Can use it for weekend/evening review

• Can add up to 3 mics so students can teach/contribute

• Could use it for student led lessons.

• Invaluable for Summer AP sessions.

Blogging in the HS ClassBlogging in the HS Class

• Number of possibilites out there:

Uses for Blogs:Uses for Blogs:

•Class Discussion •Cross-curricular assignments

•Share ideas/thoughts •Collaboration with other schools

•Group Review •Student-led assignments

•Interactive Assignments •Log of Class activities

•Creative Assessment •Student Writing portfolio

•Encourages student research •Portfolio of class web resources

•Provide summaries of readings

•Paperless option for Journaling, etc.

•Authentic audience •Can converse with real authorities/experts

Example of a “Safe” Blog Example of a “Safe” Blog ClassBlogmeisterClassBlogmeister

• Created by David Warlick

• Generated specifically for K-12 classrooms.

• Administrator has total control over who is a member, who has access, who can post, and what can they post

• Is somewhat limited in “bells and whistles” but is an effective and ultimately safe blog

List of classes and student

names

Teacher Blog entries and

assignments

Student entries

How to create a BlogHow to create a Blog

• Go to classblogmeister.com• Need to email David first at:

david@landmark-project.com to get a school pass code

• Create a blog and begin customizing it. You can add images, change the background, etc.

• Painful part – you need to enroll students

Tips and Hints for Tips and Hints for BlogmeisterBlogmeister

• Create separate classes for students• If you have multiple students, ensure multiple

passwords• Install ClusterMaps so students can see power of

Blog• Use the New Approval tool – turn off the email

notifications• Have students write blog in WORD first then

Spellcheck and cut and paste. Also there are timeout issues.

• Be specific with blog requirements and length• Use the Comment function to increase interactivity

Real uses for Podcasting in the Real uses for Podcasting in the High School ClassroomHigh School Classroom

• Audio Lectures• Book Reports• World Language Vocal and Audio Practice and Mastery• Student Essays• Oral Reports• Professional Development• Use of outside expertise• Test and Quiz Review• Study Skills Review• Vocabulary Practice and review

Bishop Dunne’s iTunes Selection of

Podcasts

Or if you have nice friends at White Or if you have nice friends at White Oak ISD…Oak ISD…

• You may be able to use your school server

• You can remote host them at sites such as

Example of a Podcast Example of a Podcast AssignmentAssignment

• 1st Podcast Assignment that I give my students – on-level and AP

• ROR Assignment – given 6-8 weeks outside of class to read, plan, and create the assignment

• Give them a class tutorial on Audacity but can also use TechEase: Classroom Tech Help in the College of Education at University of South Florida on iTunes U

What to include in an What to include in an assignmentassignment

• Allow the students creativity but given certain parameters such as length and content

• Give them a rubric so they know what they are being graded on.

• If you have a strong group, push them to use music, sound effects, etc.

• Maybe require a script or notes for the first one.

CPR (Calibrated Peer Review)CPR (Calibrated Peer Review)

• Taking the grading out of writing assignments

• Thanks to Kirk Smith& Dick Gongawarefrom James Madison HS, Vienna, VA for their help with this application

Background to CPRBackground to CPR• Developed & managed by UCLA (funding

support from NSF & Howard Hughes Institute)• Created 2000/2001• Not promoted or advertised• Web-based• FREE• > 90% of users are college professors• Very simple – just go to

http://cpr.molsci.ucla.edu/

Calibrated – better than a grading rubric

Peer – students assess others

Review – how did we do?

• Can provide source material (references)

• Provide specific directions• Teacher provides

examplars (calibration essays)

• Students evaluate above & are “calibrated.”

•Students evaluate peer essays

•Students evaluate their own work.

• Students see his/her results

• Teacher sees ALL results

Text entry directly into CPR OR

Cut/paste from word processing.

You set the deadline for text entry – different deadline than calibration/evaluation deadline.

Perhaps the most difficult part

Incorrect answers in red.

Calibration results of 3 essays.

If student doesn’t master the calibration essay, he/she re-takes deficient calibration.

Peer review is:

•Anonymous

•Can be mixed between classes

Requires critical self-assessment, not just a cursory review, because.…

You set the relative scores for each stage.

You set the accepted deviation.

•You can access a growing body of previously developed assignments.

Final comments on CPRFinal comments on CPR

• Prepare to be frustrated initially– Logging in students– Setting up courses & classes (deadline issues)– “Tedium” in developing calibration– Absentee issues/communication

• Prepare to be rewarded for using CPR– Student learning curve is quick– They like it! (Fair, easy to use, technology-based)– Students improve their writing ability

Final ThoughtsFinal Thoughts

• Need to integrate technology and the read/write ethos of Web 2.0 into all strands of curriculum

• Need to allow students to explore and collaborate

• Understand that Web 2.0 can be implemented in all subjects

• Web 2.0 encourages a better quality of work from students due to increased size and breadth of potential audience