How to Use Facebook in the Classroom

I've recently partnered with Facebook and co-authors Linda Phillips and Dr. BJ Fogg to write the Facebook for Educators Guide!

The guide is also available in Spanish, Portuguese and German.

Facebook for Educators

Be the Curator of Knowlege

Have you been thinking of new ideas for your classroom for the upcoming school year? I have and I have been wondering what new tools are worth adding to my 'carry-on" to teach faculty to use for this year.

One tool I really like is Scoop.it. But just because I like a technology doesn't mean it's worthy of going into my teaching "carry-on"; its got to enhance student learning or improve the way students do things to be included in my "carry-on".

I noticed everywhere on Twitter people publishing Scoop.it newspapers. Now that's one good idea, since Scoop.it is easy enough to use with even Middle Schoolers. But recently I heard a conversation on Twitter about how teachers would use Scoop.it for other purposes to enhance learning that makes Scoop.it worthy of going into my "carry-on".

Here's the scoop. Teachers can use Scoop.it:

• as a research tool in English Classes
• to gather ideas for writing in subject areas such as social studies, history, or science
  
• to gather ideas for a specific topic such as World War II or Climate Change

It's easy to teach students to use Scoop.it; probably as easy to learn, if not easier to learn, than the Dewey Decimal System. So while students are learning to do research add in Scoop.it. It's a tool students can use to curate- to gather and keep all similar or related topics together. It will help keep their research organized for writing. It can replace the rubber band and index cards we all used to use.

Flurry Report: Mobile Devices & Web Apps Use

Tech Crunch reports that analytics' firm Flurry released a new report this week on the use of mobiles in the US.

"Flurry says that daily time spent in mobile apps has now surpassed web consumption. The average user now spends 9% more time using mobile apps than the Internet. In June users spent an average of 81 minutes daily on mobile apps, compared to 74 minutes on the web."

Looking further into the data shows that users are now using their smart phones for more than just surfing the web and reading emails, they are spending more time on their mobile devices in social networking sites and on web apps such as games.

Educators can glean some useful information from this report. Since we know our students come to school with their cell phones 'in hand' and leave with them 'to their ear' why not find ways to incorporate learning with these, now, almost ubiquitous devices. One suggestion is to find free apps that help support learning in subject areas, such as Kaplan’s SAT Flashcubes for vocabulary learning, Macmillan’s Sounds for English Language Learning, or Project Noah for extending your science lesson outside the classroom.

Another way of making learning fun would be to encourage students to play one another using free game apps such as Scrabble Free, Words with Friends, or Hanging with Friends to develop their English vocabulary skills.

And if you’re using Facebook with your students for extended learning they can access this app as well on their mobile devices. Since Facebook is where students are currently spending a lot of time online why not meet them where they are?

Thinking about mobile apps for extending learning will take a mind shift in our teaching and learning pedagogy, but its worth the effort to extend classroom learning and will help make learning fun.

Schools Out- Plan Your Professional Development

Since "SUMMER" officially starts tomorrow in the Northern Hemisphere most teachers are looking forward to relaxing, catching up on their sleep, and spending time doing all the things they put off doing during the school year. The few weeks of vacation go quickly, so make sure to take time to rest after the long school year and make sure to plan some time for your own professional development during your break.

Here are a few sites I have bookmarked that will help you with your learning:

• The Florida Center For Instructional Technology has a great site for learning. While you're there check out Tech-Ease for just-in-time tech help for either Windows or Mac users…
• In Pictures is another great resource site for you to learn computer subjects with pictures…
• Atomic Learning is one of the sites I have used for years, so make sure to check out all their free tutorials.
• Join IT4ALL for professional development courses using Moodle and learn via blended online learning courses and workshops on topics such as Online Facilitation, Web 2.0 Tools & Teaching, Web Quests, & Learning English Online among the many offered during the year....
  
• Or enroll in one of PBS TeacherLine accredited graduate-level online courses in subjects varying from Math, Instructional Technology, Science and more….
• For some good reading ideas during your break check out the summer reading list from the TLTgroup…

Enjoy your time off, relax, and learn some new things to take back to the classroom with you--before you know it the new school year will be at your door.

Lifelong Learning

Learning can never stop for learning professionals, can it? We need to attend conferences to keep our knowledge fresh with best practices, in addition to attending webinars for continuous learning and when our situations don't allow us attend events face-to-face.

We also need to find ways to learn "just in time" when we find a gap in our knowledge base or when a need arises for us to learn a specific task or to use a specific technology tool. I came across this post "10 Top Self Help Sites for Technology" by Technology Tidbits: Thoughts of a Cyber Hero with some great sites to help you continue your lifelong learning journey. He lists professional development sites such as Atomic Learning and Lynda as well as Tech University for learning all things about 'macs'....

One of the greatest advantages of online sites such as these for learning is that you can learn any time and any place your laptop will travel --all you need is your laptop and an Internet connection.

Be sure to check out Cyber Hero's list out in your free time. I know I will.

Pay It Forward

When reading Chris Pirillo's post "How to Pay It Forward" I began to think about the many resources we find online each day and wonder how many of us pass them along to others or do we stash them in our delicious or digg accounts just waiting for others to find them.

Sure it does take a bit longer to blog, tweet, facebook, or email site links to others we know who would benefit, but as Pirillio says, "doing something nice for others is a basic human rule we should all live by." And this is something you can do every day and it doesn't cost money. You don't have to pay someone back to 'pay it forward' -just be kind and pass along something you find online to others.

The Internet has an over-abundance of resources we find each day and each of us finds different resources due to our different network connections, so go ahead pass along that Phonemic chart to the ESL teacher, that Photoshop animation video to the IT teacher, that Math Playground game to the resource teacher, that Visual Blooms chart to the Curriculum Lead, and that GIS Elevation Tool to the Social Studies teacher. By sharing your enthusiasm for using technology you will be infusing others with ideas and your excitement. It's infectious, so share.

As a 'pay it forward' teach others how-to build a Twitter PLN so they can follow you and quickly find your 'pay it forwards', but emailing a site link to a less tech-savvy colleague is still a great way to 'pay it forward.' Hopefully others will soon reciprocate, sharing and actively building their personal learning networks.

All you need is a little bit of time to 'pay it forward' each day. It will brighten everyone's day, including yours.

English Language Learning Podcasts

To add a few sites I came across for using podcasts as a listening activity with your students for learning English....

• Podfeed Directory...English Podcasts
• ESL Listening: English as a Second Language (ESL) Podcast
• Podomatic Site: Podcasts for English Language Learning
• ESL Pod: English for Everyone
• Very Vocabulary: Learn English Words Podcasts
• and even though its no longer updated check out: Podictionary

You also might want to peruse the archived BlendedEdu podcasts posts ...

Be sure to let us your favorite podcast sites for English Language Learning so we can add them to ours.

Podcasts for Learning- Curriculum Ideas

Over the years BlendedEdu has been an advocate for the use of podcasts to enrich learning. As we know people learn in a variety of ways, not just from reading, nor do we all ‘see’ words put together in sentences in the same order. Listening, in itself, is a skill to be learned as well. Students, young and old, can greatly benefit from listening to podcasts in class and out, and on their mobile devices too.

For instance, podcasts can be used in any setting, for any educational purpose, for formal learning as well as informally. Podcasts can enrich learning in any subject area. English teachers can use podcasts for helping students develop their English language skills. For example, students can listen to Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing then use the tip with a homework assignment. That is one way to extend learning beyond the classroom walls while tapping into audio technology.

Podcasts can be very useful for online learning or distance learning classes as well as for face-to-face classes. Student can listen to a variety of teacher-made podcasts or teacher-selected podcasts to enforce a topic studied. For example, a distance learning class on Creative Writing could listen to one of “Rick Steve’s Audio Europe” podcasts and then write an essay from a ‘first-person” point of view. A graduate-level Communications Class could listen to The Hobson & Holtz Report: For Immediate Release podcast "Interviewing Robin Black and David Ferrabee on the Future of Social Media within Internal Communications" and then create a video on internal communications where they work. Now that would be quite an authentic task.

Listening to podcasts are helpful not only for older students but for any ages. Older students could listen to The History Chicks give their perspective on historical characters or listen to the Norman Centuries by Lars Brownworth, while early years learners could listen to a selection of Aesop’s Fables on Librivox benefiting each age group from a listening activity.

These are just a few thoughts to get your ideas flowing as to how you could use podcasts in your classroom. Try searching Podcast Alley or Podscope, a podcast search engine, to locate podcasts. Once you start using "listening activities" in your classroom you will discover many more ways to fit podcasts into your curriculum to reach the audio learners and to enrich student learning.

Be sure to share your ideas with us.....

Emerging Technology: 2011 Horizon Report

The 2011 Horizon Report is out with the latest word on specific technologies for us to watch.

Here's a quick summary of The New Media Consortium's report-

Technologies to Watch:
in the near-term horizon (within the next 12 months):

• e-books
• Mobiles

in the mid-term horizon (in the next 2-3 years):

• Augmented Reality
• Game-Based Learning

in the far-term horizon (in the next 4-5 years)

• Gesture-Based Computing
• Learning Analytics

I definitely see a move (finally) toward adoption of e-books with the many benefits they hold now; since new e-readers, mobile devices, tablets, and the iPad are catching on with younger eyes and being packed in backpacks. Cost is just one benefit, but I see having the ability to get your hands on a book at anytime, anywhere, a tremendous asset for students in remote, isolated locations who study online, but don't have access to a library or mega-bookstore nearby.

In the mid-future look for games to be used for learning purposes. Finally! I have been hawking the benefits of games in learning almost since the beginning of my blogging career as research has proven it, and as many ESL teachers knew long ago. But rather than seeing educational software such as the familiar Reader Rabbit we will see new types of game-based learning such as role-playing games hosted on the Internet. Game-based learning, using games such as World of Warcraft, has already been introduced at Masters level courses to provoke creative and critical thinking, problem solving, and virtual collaboration, besides a host of other learning possibilities that are too many to go into in this post. Known as WoW to its' 12 million users, World of Warcraft holds the Guinness World Record for the most popular MMORPG (massively multi player online role-playing game). Games definitely make learning fun! Definitely a WOW for teaching and learning.

One of the technologies to watch for in the long-term is already in many homes. The X-box360 Kinect allows users to control the game by making gestures such as swinging their arms or moving their body in a specific direction. It won't be long till that technology is harvested for everyday computer use. Think about not having to use a keyboard or a mouse. Another WOW for teaching and learning.

It's truly a great time to be working in teaching and learning with the emerging technology that's on the horizon. Can't wait to try a few out. (download the 2011 Horizon Report PDF here)

Technology in a Suitcase

Expanding on my post “Seeing Through New Eyes” I have been thinking more about inexpensive technologies that ESL teachers could bring to students in “tech-less” classrooms in remote areas of the world.

In addition to an inexpensive pocket projector that would turn an ordinary whiteboard into a video display for watching video clips, presentations, or playing games ESL teachers could bring an interactive technology such as an eBeam or a Mimio to capture ideas, visuals, and provide opportunities for communication and collaboration. These devices are inexpensive and could easily fit in an ESL teacher’s suitcase.

Today HP introduced their Digital Sketch and Pocket Whiteboard. These small devices open up a whole new world of technology turning any surface into an interactive learning space providing a collaborative space for students either on a flat desktop surface or a wall. The price isn't listed, but size-wise the sketch tablet or the pocket whiteboard could easily travel in an ESL teacher’s suitcase.

Instead of focusing on what technology your school doesn't have, switch your perspective and think about learning technology your suitcase can bring to your students.

Reverse your thinking- It’s a whole new way of seeing things.