Sunday, February 3, 2013

Blog Post #3

Peer Editing

Peer editing, a boy feeling pressure from the many eyes looking at his paper
Peer Editing is a video used to teach students how to peer edit. I found it nice that they chose to define “peer” and “editing” separately before defining “peer editing.” Peer editing has been an important part of most of my education thus far. However, I feel this video would have helped me grasp the correct way to peer edit faster when I was first learning. This is a great tool I can use in my own classroom. The teacher who created this presentation also used it to present the kids assignments. Tutorial Peer Editing presents the same information as the video above, but in a slide show that would be very easy to use in a classroom, where you could slow down and make sure the students understand the information.

My favorite was Writing Peer Review TOP 10 Mistakes. First of all, those kids did some great acting, I know my 4th and 5th grade classes wouldn’t have been able to pull off this video at all. Aside from the cute kids, this video makes great points. I know that I personally have been Picky Patty, Whatever William, Jean the Generalizer, Mean Margaret, Off-Task Oliver, Speedy Sandy and Defensive Dave at some point. That’s seven of the top 10 mistakes that I know I have made. What about you? Peer editing, like everything, takes practice. It isn’t something you can automatically do, it must be mastered. I’ve been peer editing for about 13 years now, and I still am not fabulous at it. Sure, I can tell you most things that are wrong with something, but am I doing it right? Am I being nice? Or am I taking it nicely? It’s definitely something to think about and work on.


Assistive Technologies

A handicap button on a keyboard
This section of the assignment really called out to me, because I would like to teach a deaf classroom. After watching these videos, I am also thinking about the possibility of teaching a blind classroom. I had never thought about the technology options available to hearing or vision impaired students. The Mountbatten is a marvelous invention which allows blind students to type, take notes and keep up in a classroom. I believe that all students should be taught about these types of disabilities. Technology like this could be used in a normal classroom in order to teach all children about disabilities, and also how to use this technology.

As a math lover, I found Teaching Math to the Blind extremely interesting. It never occurred to me that learning math is tremendously difficult for blind students. This device which Professor Art Karshmer developed is amazing. Blind students can now learn the basic math which otherwise would be very hard for them, simply because the way math is written isn’t “standard” for them.

The VoiceOver option, used in iPad Usage For the Blind and Teaching Mom What Her Deaf/Blind Child Is Learning On the iPad, wasn't completely new to me, I have seen this used before. However, I played around on my personal iPad to view all the features available to students with different types of disabilities. I discovered, not only are there options for the blind, there are also many options for deaf students, and handicapped students, who may not have complete motor skills.

These technologies will be used in my classroom. Even if I don’t end up in a disabled classroom, I would want my students to learn about these cultures so that they may know how to react in real life. Also to learn the adaptations which the deaf and blind must adjust to, in order to accomplish what “normal” students find so easy.


Student's Digital Smarts

Vicki Davis brings up many great points in Harness Your Student's Digital Smarts. I really liked her take on looking at the students’ strengths and interests and adapting the flow of the classroom to each group of students. Each student learns differently, therefore, there must be a way in order for each student to be taught. As Davis says, “When you have only paper, and only pencil, then only certain types of children are going to succeed.” Linking the students through the internet with people across the world was really cool too. Kids need to learn how to collaborate with others. That is a part of every “real world job” out there. Students might as well get used to it now. Having students work with other students from other countries not only helps their “people skills,” but also teaches them about other cultures.

After exploring Edutopia a little, I discovered amazing tools I can use now to get ready for my own classroom. They have blogs, videos and guides for anything a teacher could think of needing. There is even an option for looking by grade level. I even found a couple of parenting guides, summer ideas and ways to help your school go green. I also found a classroom guide which I feel pertains directly to EDM310, Classroom Guide: Top Ten Tips for Teaching with New Media. This is an awesome website, which I will use for my own classroom.

4 comments:

  1. "I know my 4th and 5th grade classes wouldn’t have been able to pull off this video at all." Why not? Could you help them learn how to do it?

    Thoughtful. Interesting. Well done.

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  2. I learned a lot from the peer editing section as well & am glad I now understand the goal of helping each other through constructive criticism. Very cool that you are interested in teaching the deaf. Have you had EDU 400 yet? It touches on inclusion in the classroom, and how technology is providing more opportunities for special needs students. Great class that you would enjoy.

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  3. Dr. Strange, by that comment, I meant that when I was in 4th and 5th grades, I don't think my classmates and I could pull something like that off. We were all too silly, shy and wouldn't have done it.

    Sally, I haven't taken that class yet. EDM310 and EDU301 that I am currently taking are the only education classes I have had so far. Now, I can't wait to take EDU400!

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  4. Peer editing was a vital part of my education process before I knew that the process had a name. In middle school we were taught to have our friends look over our work before turning it in. In high school, it had become second nature to have someone check your assignment. Now I can see that, no matter what the venue, peer editing is a crucial tool at our disposal. Working in education, taking advantage of this concept will help us to maintain a high level of professionalism.
    I am excited about the concept of introducing my students to new technology as it comes available and tapping into their ever evolving digital skills. I am certain that there will be a lot of technology that my students and I will learn together but I so anticipate the challenge.

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