Comments on: Where are the Best Practices? http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/ The Read/Write Web in the Classroom Sun, 07 Sep 2008 17:41:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Dale http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5104 Dale Sun, 13 Aug 2006 22:00:27 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5104 I do think that these tools are being used in the classroom I just believe they are not being used very extensively. I think the majority of teachers are not technologically savy enough to feel comfortable engaging this in their classrooms. That is why it is important for teachers who are familiar with these tools to offer assistance. I gave a tutorial on wikis to our school staff and I could just see wheels turning in the minds of all those listening. When they were given the confidence and knowledge on using wikis they became engaged and passionate about using the tool. I think this is the key to achieving the goal of sharing "best practices." I do think that these tools are being used in the classroom I just believe they are not being used very extensively. I think the majority of teachers are not technologically savy enough to feel comfortable engaging this in their classrooms. That is why it is important for teachers who are familiar with these tools to offer assistance. I gave a tutorial on wikis to our school staff and I could just see wheels turning in the minds of all those listening. When they were given the confidence and knowledge on using wikis they became engaged and passionate about using the tool. I think this is the key to achieving the goal of sharing “best practices.”

]]> By: Nancy Scofield http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5056 Nancy Scofield Sat, 12 Aug 2006 14:39:08 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5056 The one school that just amazes and inspires me is Mabry Middle School in Georia. You just have to check this one out! Their class blogs and Podcast Central are phenomenal. http://mabryonline.org/ The one school that just amazes and inspires me is Mabry Middle School in Georia. You just have to check this one out! Their class blogs and Podcast Central are phenomenal.

http://mabryonline.org/

]]> By: Learning Is Messy - Blog » Blog Archive » It’s Not About the Tech http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5051 Learning Is Messy - Blog » Blog Archive » It’s Not About the Tech Sat, 12 Aug 2006 05:03:08 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5051 [...] Yesterday I posted about Best Practices and one of my points was that very often teachers that use best practices with technology just figure that that’s the way everyone does it so they don’t get the word out about what they are doing that is so powerful (I called it WOW! kind of stuff – see point 8) Well this is another area that has made people wary of tech integration. Maybe it’s just me, but so often when I’ve observed teachers that have obtained tech for their classroom, they wait for the tech to take over and make their program fly. Well it ain’t gonna happen! But they and their administrators and their students and their parents become disillusioned about tech and project-based learning (which also is often done poorly and so gets its own round of bad PR) and that makes it harder to find those really, really, really great examples and make the case for 21st century tools. [...] […] Yesterday I posted about Best Practices and one of my points was that very often teachers that use best practices with technology just figure that that’s the way everyone does it so they don’t get the word out about what they are doing that is so powerful (I called it WOW! kind of stuff – see point 8) Well this is another area that has made people wary of tech integration. Maybe it’s just me, but so often when I’ve observed teachers that have obtained tech for their classroom, they wait for the tech to take over and make their program fly. Well it ain’t gonna happen! But they and their administrators and their students and their parents become disillusioned about tech and project-based learning (which also is often done poorly and so gets its own round of bad PR) and that makes it harder to find those really, really, really great examples and make the case for 21st century tools. […]

]]> By: Read/WriteWeb http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5044 Read/WriteWeb Fri, 11 Aug 2006 14:04:44 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5044 <strong>e-learning 2.0 - how Web technologies are shaping education...</strong> Written by Steve O'Hear and edited by Richard MacManus. This is a two-part series in which Steve will explore how Web technologies are being used in education. In Part 2 he will profile Elgg, social network software for education, and...... e-learning 2.0 - how Web technologies are shaping education…

Written by Steve O’Hear and edited by Richard MacManus. This is a two-part series in which Steve will explore how Web technologies are being used in education. In Part 2 he will profile Elgg, social network software for education, and……

]]> By: Learning Is Messy - Blog » Blog Archive » Where are the “Best Practices,” or Really, Really, Really Great Examples!? http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5040 Learning Is Messy - Blog » Blog Archive » Where are the “Best Practices,” or Really, Really, Really Great Examples!? Fri, 11 Aug 2006 06:28:10 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5040 [...] Recently Will Richardson posted asking Where are the Best Practices? He cites Tom Marsh: It brings me back to NECC where during a Webcast I was a part of Tom Marsh asked this very question: Where are all the really, really, really great examples? [...] […] Recently Will Richardson posted asking Where are the Best Practices? He cites Tom Marsh: It brings me back to NECC where during a Webcast I was a part of Tom Marsh asked this very question: Where are all the really, really, really great examples? […]

]]> By: Jim Lerman http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5037 Jim Lerman Fri, 11 Aug 2006 02:25:14 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5037 As an irregular reader of your wonderful blog, Will, I was surprised to see the comment that you won't be returning to school this fall. What will you be doing and where? As an irregular reader of your wonderful blog, Will, I was surprised to see the comment that you won’t be returning to school this fall. What will you be doing and where?

]]> By: Keri http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5028 Keri Thu, 10 Aug 2006 21:55:23 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5028 Here is a great example! Over twelve hundred posts, and that is not including the off-shoot blogs for smaller literature discussion groups. Michelle is lucky to be at such a school. Barb and I are collecting data for a qualitative study on blogging in her classroom and the teachers in her department haven't even asked one question about the blog. They don't even care. So, Barb and I started a blog to discuss what we saw happening in the classroom, and now another teacher from the northern part of the state (who I knew through the National Writing Project) has joined our blog. She is using a blog with an AP class she is teaching. Will, it was interesting that you mentioned scaffolding blogging because that's what Barb and I have been talking a lot about as we head into the third semester of blogging. Are you going to share more thoughts? Here is a great example! Over twelve hundred posts, and that is not including the off-shoot blogs for smaller literature discussion groups.

Michelle is lucky to be at such a school. Barb and I are collecting data for a qualitative study on blogging in her classroom and the teachers in her department haven’t even asked one question about the blog. They don’t even care.

So, Barb and I started a blog to discuss what we saw happening in the classroom, and now another teacher from the northern part of the state (who I knew through the National Writing Project) has joined our blog. She is using a blog with an AP class she is teaching.

Will, it was interesting that you mentioned scaffolding blogging because that’s what Barb and I have been talking a lot about as we head into the third semester of blogging. Are you going to share more thoughts?

]]> By: Steve Hooker http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5026 Steve Hooker Thu, 10 Aug 2006 19:37:25 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5026 A small wow? Here's a set of gifted children aged 10-11 years. Once a week they go into the computer suite and blog. The results have been worked on over several weeks and at home. It's a bilingual English/Welsh school in North Wales. http://www.craigydon.conwy.sch.uk/2006/05/19 I have several other schools in my UK network doing similar stuff. Though much messier :-) Here's the last day from a lunchtime Blog Club at Salisbury Primary. 8-11 year olds, though this case 'not gifted' just ordinary kids, blogging, for fun in their own lunch time. http://www.salisbury.walsall.sch.uk/2006/06/30 A messier Blog Club from Pelsall. http://pelsallvillage.walsallschools.org/2006/06/29 Looking forward to the new term, now that many of the teachers are feeling more confident, and realise that people are looking. A small wow? Here’s a set of gifted children aged 10-11 years. Once a week they go into the computer suite and blog. The results have been worked on over several weeks and at home. It’s a bilingual English/Welsh school in North Wales.

http://www.craigydon.conwy.sch.uk/2006/05/19

I have several other schools in my UK network doing similar stuff. Though much messier :-)

Here’s the last day from a lunchtime Blog Club at Salisbury Primary. 8-11 year olds, though this case ‘not gifted’ just ordinary kids, blogging, for fun in their own lunch time.

http://www.salisbury.walsall.sch.uk/2006/06/30

A messier Blog Club from Pelsall.

http://pelsallvillage.walsallschools.org/2006/06/29

Looking forward to the new term, now that many of the teachers are feeling more confident, and realise that people are looking.

]]> By: Karen http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5025 Karen Thu, 10 Aug 2006 19:04:15 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5025 Michelle, while others, in addition to the teachers at your school, are doing "it," the stories still need written and collected and connected in order to create that body of knowledge that makes people really start to pay attention. Michelle, while others, in addition to the teachers at your school, are doing “it,” the stories still need written and collected and connected in order to create that body of knowledge that makes people really start to pay attention.

]]> By: Michelle http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5023 Michelle Thu, 10 Aug 2006 17:08:55 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5023 What is a best practice? I don't mean that literally, of course. But the teachers at my school are planning some amazing projects with wikis, blogging, student-created animations, all kinds of things to work better and learn better. Yet they consider this use of technology just an extension of what they already do - a way to help students do things better. They don't consider it revolutionary at all. It is hard for me to tell if it is or not. My assistant principal said, "We should publish this. I can't believe other middle school students are doing these things!" But I can, from talking to all of you. I think lots of times people doing great stuff don't think it is all that amazing, they don't think it could possibly be "the best" because it is so easy to see how it could be even better. After all, wiki is just the best way *we've found* to support student interactive work - there might be something even better! What is a best practice?

I don’t mean that literally, of course. But the teachers at my school are planning some amazing projects with wikis, blogging, student-created animations, all kinds of things to work better and learn better. Yet they consider this use of technology just an extension of what they already do - a way to help students do things better. They don’t consider it revolutionary at all. It is hard for me to tell if it is or not. My assistant principal said, “We should publish this. I can’t believe other middle school students are doing these things!” But I can, from talking to all of you. I think lots of times people doing great stuff don’t think it is all that amazing, they don’t think it could possibly be “the best” because it is so easy to see how it could be even better. After all, wiki is just the best way *we’ve found* to support student interactive work - there might be something even better!

]]> By: Pat Aroune http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5021 Pat Aroune Thu, 10 Aug 2006 13:52:03 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5021 Will, I cannot tell you how much the July New Faces conference held in Ellicottville has influenced my thoughts and approaches to technology, you are a great asset to education. I have had the luxury of attempting to implement wikis and blogs in my summer school classes, and have literally opened a waterfall of new ideas. In my attempts to implement these new ideas over the past month, I have come to a realization that I will be evolving as a teacher every time I attempt these new methods. The manners in which I have already utilized these methods, have already morphed into something different, as the new school year approaches. Maybe it's pride, insecurity, or just plain fear that we as educators have not begun a wiki of exemplars; however, I am willing to venture out into our edublogosphere and share some ideas. What makes this professionally difficult is the fact that one year from now, I will probably look back on something viewed as a great idea today, and cringe. I have replaced my webpage with a blog paroune.blogspot.com, and have begun to teach economics through the use of blogs. I have included two students blogs (http://talesoflibby.blogspot.com / http://army88.blogspot.com) and have tried to utilize blogs to personalize economics in a manner that engages the students with their own personal interests. These personal interests include nascar, basketball, snowboarding, competitive markmanship, etc. These particular student loves storytelling and computers. This morning, Thursday 10th, I have engaged several students on a blog quest, to find as many blogs out there on the current foiled-terrorist plot (We Hope!!!) and begin to unravel the information in real-time. Where will all of this experiementation eventually take me, I do not know. However, I would like to share one particular comment made to me just yesterday by a student. When I asked him how his economics blog was coming along, he stated "Great!" He went on to explain how engaged he has become utilizing the computer, blogs, wikis, and the internet in this manner in school. He recognized spending more time than ever before on assignments, with much more enjoyment and satisfaction. Although many uses of these technologies are still in their genesis for me personally, I look forward to growing, sharing and learning. Food for Thought: I began a teacher-wiki, as part of a school initiative, under the url eduexemplars.pbwiki.com the password is teacher. Will, I cannot tell you how much the July New Faces conference held in Ellicottville has influenced my thoughts and approaches to technology, you are a great asset to education. I have had the luxury of attempting to implement wikis and blogs in my summer school classes, and have literally opened a waterfall of new ideas. In my attempts to implement these new ideas over the past month, I have come to a realization that I will be evolving as a teacher every time I attempt these new methods. The manners in which I have already utilized these methods, have already morphed into something different, as the new school year approaches. Maybe it’s pride, insecurity, or just plain fear that we as educators have not begun a wiki of exemplars; however, I am willing to venture out into our edublogosphere and share some ideas. What makes this professionally difficult is the fact that one year from now, I will probably look back on something viewed as a great idea today, and cringe. I have replaced my webpage with a blog paroune.blogspot.com, and have begun to teach economics through the use of blogs. I have included two students blogs (http://talesoflibby.blogspot.com / http://army88.blogspot.com) and have tried to utilize blogs to personalize economics in a manner that engages the students with their own personal interests. These personal interests include nascar, basketball, snowboarding, competitive markmanship, etc. These particular student loves storytelling and computers. This morning, Thursday 10th, I have engaged several students on a blog quest, to find as many blogs out there on the current foiled-terrorist plot (We Hope!!!) and begin to unravel the information in real-time. Where will all of this experiementation eventually take me, I do not know. However, I would like to share one particular comment made to me just yesterday by a student. When I asked him how his economics blog was coming along, he stated “Great!” He went on to explain how engaged he has become utilizing the computer, blogs, wikis, and the internet in this manner in school. He recognized spending more time than ever before on assignments, with much more enjoyment and satisfaction. Although many uses of these technologies are still in their genesis for me personally, I look forward to growing, sharing and learning.

Food for Thought: I began a teacher-wiki, as part of a school initiative, under the url eduexemplars.pbwiki.com the password is teacher.

]]> By: Pat Aroune http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5020 Pat Aroune Thu, 10 Aug 2006 13:18:09 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5020 Will, I cannot tell you how much the July New Faces conference held at Ellicottville has influenced my thoughts and approaches to technology, you are a great asset to education. I have had the luxury of attempting to implement wikis and blogs in my summer school classes, and have literally opened up a waterfall of new ideas. In my attempts to implement these new ideas over the past month, I have come to a realization that I will be evolving as a teacher every time I attempt these new methods. The manners in which I have already utilized these new methods, have already morphed into something new, as the new school year approaches. Maybe it's pride, insecurity, or just plain fear that we as educators have not begun a wiki of exemplars; however, I am willing to venture out into our edublogosphere and share some ideas. What makes this professionally difficult is the fact that one year from now, I will probably look back on something viewed as a great idea today, and cringe. I have replaced my webpage with a blog paroune.blogspot.com, and have begun to teach economics through the use of blogs. I have included two students blogs (http://talesoflibby.blogspot.com / http://army88.blogspot.com) and have tried to utilize blogs to personalize economics in a manner that engages the students with their own personal interests. These personal interests include Nascar, Basketball, Snowboarding, competitive markmanship, etc. These particular student loves storytelling and computers. This morning, Thursday 10th, I have engaged several students on a blog quest, to find as many blogs out there on the current foiled-terrorist plot (We Hope!!!) and begin to unravel the information in real-time. Where will all of this experiementation eventually take me, I do not know. However, I would like to share one particular comment made to me just yesterday by a student. When I asked him how his economics blog was coming along, he stated "Great!" He went on to explain how engaged he has become utilizing the computer, blogs, wikis, and the internet in this manner in school. He recognized spending more time than ever before on assignments, with much more enjoyment and satisfaction. Although many uses of these technologies are still in their genesis for me personally, I look forward to growing, sharing and learning. Will, I cannot tell you how much the July New Faces conference held at Ellicottville has influenced my thoughts and approaches to technology, you are a great asset to education. I have had the luxury of attempting to implement wikis and blogs in my summer school classes, and have literally opened up a waterfall of new ideas. In my attempts to implement these new ideas over the past month, I have come to a realization that I will be evolving as a teacher every time I attempt these new methods. The manners in which I have already utilized these new methods, have already morphed into something new, as the new school year approaches. Maybe it’s pride, insecurity, or just plain fear that we as educators have not begun a wiki of exemplars; however, I am willing to venture out into our edublogosphere and share some ideas. What makes this professionally difficult is the fact that one year from now, I will probably look back on something viewed as a great idea today, and cringe. I have replaced my webpage with a blog paroune.blogspot.com, and have begun to teach economics through the use of blogs. I have included two students blogs (http://talesoflibby.blogspot.com / http://army88.blogspot.com) and have tried to utilize blogs to personalize economics in a manner that engages the students with their own personal interests. These personal interests include Nascar, Basketball, Snowboarding, competitive markmanship, etc. These particular student loves storytelling and computers. This morning, Thursday 10th, I have engaged several students on a blog quest, to find as many blogs out there on the current foiled-terrorist plot (We Hope!!!) and begin to unravel the information in real-time. Where will all of this experiementation eventually take me, I do not know. However, I would like to share one particular comment made to me just yesterday by a student. When I asked him how his economics blog was coming along, he stated “Great!” He went on to explain how engaged he has become utilizing the computer, blogs, wikis, and the internet in this manner in school. He recognized spending more time than ever before on assignments, with much more enjoyment and satisfaction. Although many uses of these technologies are still in their genesis for me personally, I look forward to growing, sharing and learning.

]]> By: Brian Crosby http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5009 Brian Crosby Thu, 10 Aug 2006 04:46:35 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5009 I posted about this awhile back: "Working, Breathing, Reproducible, Intriguing Models" http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=51#comments I posted about this awhile back:

“Working, Breathing, Reproducible, Intriguing Models”
http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=51#comments

]]> By: Brandi C http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5007 Brandi C Thu, 10 Aug 2006 03:40:13 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5007 As we have all watched the scare tactics from overreacting school systems, politicians, and misguided educators; we should see why these tools have made a snails pace toward seeing authentic student best practice. Last year I began blogging second semester with my seniors. <a href="http://mtnbrookseniors.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow"> Mrs. C's Senior Blogs</a> became a huge part of extending our class discussions and a springboard for new thought. The problem was getting the administrator to trust the teacher's ability to monitor and use good judgement. Now that I used the blog as a "teacher directed" journal, my principal is bragging about it. This has allowed me to slowly evolve it into a blog where certain students are given scribing privileges. This is still not what the purists would consider a blog, but it is worlds beyond what our students were doing before now... nothing. I also think that we don't sing our praises enough as the last commenter said. On another note, I am anxious to read your posts regarding the practices you mentioned. I plan an entire unit on teaching students how to publish on the web using links and how to use aggregators. It is a world that many of them know, but several are completely oblivious to this movement. Keep evangelizing! This (provided DOPA doesn't kill it) will catch on like wildfire. Finally, our first novel is the book THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHTTIME. It is full of rich content and opportunity for research and blogging gold. Do you recommend I start a completely new blog for that novel, or should I maintain the main one and utilize it???? As we have all watched the scare tactics from overreacting school systems, politicians, and misguided educators; we should see why these tools have made a snails pace toward seeing authentic student best practice. Last year I began blogging second semester with my seniors.
Mrs. C’s Senior Blogs became a huge part of extending our class discussions and a springboard for new thought. The problem was getting the administrator to trust the teacher’s ability to monitor and use good judgement. Now that I used the blog as a “teacher directed” journal, my principal is bragging about it. This has allowed me to slowly evolve it into a blog where certain students are given scribing privileges. This is still not what the purists would consider a blog, but it is worlds beyond what our students were doing before now… nothing. I also think that we don’t sing our praises enough as the last commenter said.
On another note, I am anxious to read your posts regarding the practices you mentioned. I plan an entire unit on teaching students how to publish on the web using links and how to use aggregators. It is a world that many of them know, but several are completely oblivious to this movement.
Keep evangelizing! This (provided DOPA doesn’t kill it) will catch on like wildfire.
Finally, our first novel is the book THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHTTIME. It is full of rich content and opportunity for research and blogging gold. Do you recommend I start a completely new blog for that novel, or should I maintain the main one and utilize it????

]]> By: Jennie http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5006 Jennie Thu, 10 Aug 2006 03:04:46 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/where-are-the-best-practices/#comment-5006 I think part of the reason it is so hard to find the 'best practices' is that they are often so fluid. The times when things really work in my classroom, technology or otherwise, are the times when I get so excited about how it is going that I immediately dive in to make it even better. It is never a 'finished' product I can share as such. I also agree with the poster above me that many fantastic examples are going to be confined to schools or only promoted if the teachers take the time to go to conferences/start a blog/communicate their ideas another way. Your question is important though--how can we be advocates for change if we don't share what we are doing? I think part of the reason it is so hard to find the ‘best practices’ is that they are often so fluid. The times when things really work in my classroom, technology or otherwise, are the times when I get so excited about how it is going that I immediately dive in to make it even better. It is never a ‘finished’ product I can share as such. I also agree with the poster above me that many fantastic examples are going to be confined to schools or only promoted if the teachers take the time to go to conferences/start a blog/communicate their ideas another way. Your question is important though–how can we be advocates for change if we don’t share what we are doing?

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