There are many great publishing tools on the web that are ideal for classroom use. One particular tool that I found very fascinating was Infographics. Once again, i've never heard of this before, so I went a did a little more researching to find out what benefit Infographics might have in the classroom. Infographics are ideal for engaging those visual learners in your classroom, as they provide a lot of graphics, pictures, charts, flowcharts and important information related to specific topic.
I wanted to find out more on how to create Infographics and wanted to find a few web tools that would be suitable in helping students create their own Infographics to share with the class. Infographics include images and charts such a pie charts, flow charts, mind maps and other visuals that help students organize and make sense of information. Below are a few tools that I came across that are beneficial in helping students create their own Infographics. Click on the tool to go to the website.
Pie Colour Chart
Graph and Map Maker
Charts and Mind Maps
Variety of Educational Visuals
Graphs and Trends
Ideally, Infographics help students organize and present information in a way that is visually appealing and easy to follow. All of the tools listed above are ones in which I could see my students using in order to organize information and present it in a way that enhances the viewers experience. Infographics is definitely a tool I will be trying to incorporate into my classroom. Check out some of the infographics at the website listed below, you will be very impressed!
http://dailyinfographic.com
Another topic that was discussed that I found rather interesting was the idea of a flipped classroom. The flipped classroom is something that I was introduced to during my PSII practicum because one of the teachers at that school used the flipped classroom strategy. After having a discussion with her about it one day, I became rather curious and began thinking about what kind of classroom it would be suitable for. I have to be honest, when I first heard about the idea from her, I had the exact same reaction as mentioned in the article "There is no such Thing as the Flipped Class," where all of the students are sitting glued to their computers at home watching videos and cramming information and then coming to class and trying to bang out worksheets and tests. After reading a few of the articles posted under this topic, I began searching for a few articles that provided further information on the flipped classroom.
One article I looked at by Goodwin and Miller discussed how lectures in classroom can be too fast-paced for some students, or can be boring for other students who already have a good understanding of the material being taught; recording the lectures and posting them in the "flipped classroom" approach allows students to view the lectures at their own pace, allowing them to rewind and re watch if need be (Goodwin & Miller, 2013). I found this very interesting and had to agree with this point. In a face-to-face classroom, you don't get the luxury of rewinding a lecture or watching it later on if you happened to miss an important point or forgot some of the content of the lesson. Another point that Goodwin and Miller raise is that it provides a good visual and auditory aspect of learning that students require (2013). Not only is the lecture posted with audio, but the online aspect allows for graphs, charts and other visuals to be posted as well.
I still have mixed feelings about the use of the flipped classroom, but I definitely think that it could be an effective method for students to work at a pace suitable to their own personal learning. There was also a lot of mixed perspectives around the teachers role in the flipped classroom. I read in a few articles that people assume that the teacher is completely out of the picture; once they post their lecture, students learn on their own. This is not the case. The teachers role in a flipped classroom is critical, as the teacher is active throughout the entire day. The teacher gets an opportunity to work with every students in the classroom and find out where they are at in terms of their learning. The video posted below is one I found online that provides some very interesting information and insights about the flipped classroom.
I wanted to find out more on how to create Infographics and wanted to find a few web tools that would be suitable in helping students create their own Infographics to share with the class. Infographics include images and charts such a pie charts, flow charts, mind maps and other visuals that help students organize and make sense of information. Below are a few tools that I came across that are beneficial in helping students create their own Infographics. Click on the tool to go to the website.
Pie Colour Chart
Graph and Map Maker
Charts and Mind Maps
Variety of Educational Visuals
Graphs and Trends
Ideally, Infographics help students organize and present information in a way that is visually appealing and easy to follow. All of the tools listed above are ones in which I could see my students using in order to organize information and present it in a way that enhances the viewers experience. Infographics is definitely a tool I will be trying to incorporate into my classroom. Check out some of the infographics at the website listed below, you will be very impressed!
http://dailyinfographic.com
Another topic that was discussed that I found rather interesting was the idea of a flipped classroom. The flipped classroom is something that I was introduced to during my PSII practicum because one of the teachers at that school used the flipped classroom strategy. After having a discussion with her about it one day, I became rather curious and began thinking about what kind of classroom it would be suitable for. I have to be honest, when I first heard about the idea from her, I had the exact same reaction as mentioned in the article "There is no such Thing as the Flipped Class," where all of the students are sitting glued to their computers at home watching videos and cramming information and then coming to class and trying to bang out worksheets and tests. After reading a few of the articles posted under this topic, I began searching for a few articles that provided further information on the flipped classroom.
One article I looked at by Goodwin and Miller discussed how lectures in classroom can be too fast-paced for some students, or can be boring for other students who already have a good understanding of the material being taught; recording the lectures and posting them in the "flipped classroom" approach allows students to view the lectures at their own pace, allowing them to rewind and re watch if need be (Goodwin & Miller, 2013). I found this very interesting and had to agree with this point. In a face-to-face classroom, you don't get the luxury of rewinding a lecture or watching it later on if you happened to miss an important point or forgot some of the content of the lesson. Another point that Goodwin and Miller raise is that it provides a good visual and auditory aspect of learning that students require (2013). Not only is the lecture posted with audio, but the online aspect allows for graphs, charts and other visuals to be posted as well.
I still have mixed feelings about the use of the flipped classroom, but I definitely think that it could be an effective method for students to work at a pace suitable to their own personal learning. There was also a lot of mixed perspectives around the teachers role in the flipped classroom. I read in a few articles that people assume that the teacher is completely out of the picture; once they post their lecture, students learn on their own. This is not the case. The teachers role in a flipped classroom is critical, as the teacher is active throughout the entire day. The teacher gets an opportunity to work with every students in the classroom and find out where they are at in terms of their learning. The video posted below is one I found online that provides some very interesting information and insights about the flipped classroom.
The final topic that I want to discuss in this journal today is the idea of digital storytelling. I experienced a little bit of digital storying telling during my PSI practicum in a grade 4 classroom. My TA had an iPad in the classroom and was experimenting with a variety of storying telling apps that would enhance the learning of students. My Story- Book Maker for Kids is a tool that I have seen used in the classroom and I was very impressed with the outcome. The students were engaged in the process of writing their own stores and I think that the fact that they got to use this app to create their story afterwards was motivation. As mentioned in the topic information, the content of the story and creating it is critical, the media aspect comes afterwards. Once students finished writing their story, they were able to draw their story using this picture, and then add audio to tell the story. At the end, the teacher used the smart board to show some of the stories while the other students listened and watched carefully at what their peers had created.
I would use this tool again because it covered a variety of different literacies. Students also get to be creative and have their worked presented to an authentic audience. It would be ideal for a language arts classroom when students are creating their own poetry or short stories. Even more, other students benefit by being read to through digital means. The important thing to keep in mind when using media devices such as this is not to let the main focus get lost by students. Their learning is still key, which means creating the story and engaging in critical thinking is a must, and the students must realize this. In the end, the result is rewarding and beneficial to students and teachers.
References
Goodwin, B., Miller, K. (2013). Evidence of flipped classroom is still coming in. Educational Leadership, 70(6), 70-80. Retrieved from http://encore.uleth.ca:50080/ebsco-web/ehost/detail?sid=8b55f688-74df-4837-b60f-72215ffa1270%40sessionmgr198&vid=1&hid=121&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=85833636
MattJohnson (2012). The Flipped Classroom is Not. Youtube Video. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGs6ND7a9ac
Sams, S. (2011). There is no such thing as the flipped class. Chemicalsams blog. Retrieved from
http://chemicalsams.blogspot.ca/2011/10/there-is-no-such-thing-as-flipped-class.html
Troutner, J. (2011). Be Creative with Info-Graphics. Teacher Librarian, 38(3), 48-50. Retrieved from
http://encore.uleth.ca:50080/ebsco-web/ehost/detail?sid=c1c2dc06-c29b-4717-a549-06388909836c%40sessionmgr113&vid=1&hid=121&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=59242994
Infographics image: http://www.edudemic.com/2013/07/70-tools-and-4-reasons-to-make-your-own-infographics/
https://edshelf.com/tool/my-story-book-maker-for-kids
Significant Comments
http://misspariseau.weebly.com/4/post/2013/07/publishing.html#comments
http://joansjournal.weebly.com/1/post/2013/07/topic-6-publishing.html#comments
I would use this tool again because it covered a variety of different literacies. Students also get to be creative and have their worked presented to an authentic audience. It would be ideal for a language arts classroom when students are creating their own poetry or short stories. Even more, other students benefit by being read to through digital means. The important thing to keep in mind when using media devices such as this is not to let the main focus get lost by students. Their learning is still key, which means creating the story and engaging in critical thinking is a must, and the students must realize this. In the end, the result is rewarding and beneficial to students and teachers.
References
Goodwin, B., Miller, K. (2013). Evidence of flipped classroom is still coming in. Educational Leadership, 70(6), 70-80. Retrieved from http://encore.uleth.ca:50080/ebsco-web/ehost/detail?sid=8b55f688-74df-4837-b60f-72215ffa1270%40sessionmgr198&vid=1&hid=121&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=85833636
MattJohnson (2012). The Flipped Classroom is Not. Youtube Video. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGs6ND7a9ac
Sams, S. (2011). There is no such thing as the flipped class. Chemicalsams blog. Retrieved from
http://chemicalsams.blogspot.ca/2011/10/there-is-no-such-thing-as-flipped-class.html
Troutner, J. (2011). Be Creative with Info-Graphics. Teacher Librarian, 38(3), 48-50. Retrieved from
http://encore.uleth.ca:50080/ebsco-web/ehost/detail?sid=c1c2dc06-c29b-4717-a549-06388909836c%40sessionmgr113&vid=1&hid=121&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=59242994
Infographics image: http://www.edudemic.com/2013/07/70-tools-and-4-reasons-to-make-your-own-infographics/
https://edshelf.com/tool/my-story-book-maker-for-kids
Significant Comments
http://misspariseau.weebly.com/4/post/2013/07/publishing.html#comments
http://joansjournal.weebly.com/1/post/2013/07/topic-6-publishing.html#comments
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