For my MAET Wicked Problem Project I decided to create a website with Google Apps. The site will help me administrate more efficiently our school's technology resources and improve communication among the staff. At the same time it will serve as a model of the different uses or functionalities that G-Apps offers. Our school has been using Google Apps for Education since 2009, I want my teachers to take better advantage of these Google tools.
I've already started my Technology Integration Website using Google Sites.
Now, I will analyze my project using the TPACK model to see if this solution has the necessary elements to become a good learning resource for my teachers.
Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK)
In this solution, the same tools that I want my teachers to learn are the ones that they will be using on a daily basis for sharing their edtech experiences and scheduling the use of different technology resources. I will also communicate events and share important documents regarding technology integration within the school. Inside the site each feature will make reference to what Google App or feature is being used with a link to a more detailed description. It would be a lot harder to explain to them in a traditional verbal workshop the tools if they haven't used them first and have not seen the benefits of their implementation. TPK in this case will help them identify similarities and differences of doing tasks with or without Google Apps. I think it will also be a good engagement strategy since they are using the same thing that they are learning.
Technological Content Knowledge (TCK)
For TCK, the content in this case is Google Apps. You might say that the whole site is a non-linguistic representation of the content, since it's a physical or digital model of the different tools. This will help create a mental picture of the different functionalities. So when I talk to my teachers about sharing a document template or calendar with their students, they will know what I'm talking about because I've done the same thing with them.
Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)
I think that this solution has a very practical or kinesthetic approach to learning the content. The teachers will first have the experience of using Google Apps as part of the school's needs to keep track of technology integration. Later, they can appropriate the same tools for their own needs inside the classroom.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Web-Conferencing Lab
This week I had my first web conference using a free online tool called Vyew. I had used other software for Web conferencing like Skype, MS Live Meeting and Adobe Connect, so I was very curious about this new option.
It has some really nice features like whiteboarding, screen and document sharing, IM, wecbam and voice activation and the continuous meeting rooms are always saved and can be always on.
I liked that even though Vyew is free and ad supported, the ads are discrete. The only downside of the free version is that only 10 people can participate at the same time in a room, not very practical for a teacher, when classes consists of at least 15 to 30 students.
Some features that are missing and could be very useful are:
- Recording sessions (You need to use another program like ScreenFlow for this)
- Polling
Alex and I had a very productive Web conference. I think it is a lot faster to brainstorm ideas this way than just send emails or post messages on a forum. You also get to know your classmates better and it's always nice to make new friends :)
It has some really nice features like whiteboarding, screen and document sharing, IM, wecbam and voice activation and the continuous meeting rooms are always saved and can be always on.
I liked that even though Vyew is free and ad supported, the ads are discrete. The only downside of the free version is that only 10 people can participate at the same time in a room, not very practical for a teacher, when classes consists of at least 15 to 30 students.
Some features that are missing and could be very useful are:
- Recording sessions (You need to use another program like ScreenFlow for this)
- Polling
Alex and I had a very productive Web conference. I think it is a lot faster to brainstorm ideas this way than just send emails or post messages on a forum. You also get to know your classmates better and it's always nice to make new friends :)
Sunday, April 3, 2011
WPP PART A - Description of Need or Opportunity
My next MAET assignment is the Wicked Problem Project or WPP. It consists on implementing a use of technology to address a problem of practice and/or an educational goal. For part A, I have to describe a need or opportunity where technology can make a real impact on the issue I will propose.
Part of my job as Technology Coordinator is to make sure that all the technological resources available in the school are being used effectively. Since I’ve started working at Entrevalles, I wanted to design a system that would not only give me better control of all our devices and software, but also keep a history of the creative things that my teachers are doing with them. I feel that there isn’t enough communication between different subject areas or grade levels. I also wish that my teachers would use Google Apps a lot more; collaboration would be so much easier if they would take advantage of these great tools.
By incorporating most of the tools that Google Apps has to offer (Sites, Calendar, Docs and Scripts) in creating a site where teachers could request assistance and resources, but at the same time they could share how their activity went with other members of the staff, I would not only make part of my job a lot easier but also build a functional demonstration of how using Google Apps could be very helpful for other educational tasks and promote their use in the classroom.
This site would be accessible to all the teachers and coordinators. It would be available to them during the entire school year. Inside they would find a page for each of the different technology resources, with a form that would add events to a Google calendar and a spreadsheet for statistical purposes. They could also get an email with the day’s agenda. There would be a page for sharing comments and photos about the different activities. I would make some useful Google docs templates for sharing reports with other coordinators and myself. These are only some of the basic features that I would like my site to have; new ideas still keep coming every time that I learn new things about Google Apps.
Why is it important for my teachers to use our school’s Google Apps? Google has plenty of documentation on how to use Google Apps in a K-12 setting. You can find the top 10 reasons for choosing them by clicking this link. How will this help me do a better job? There is a Google Sites page for Teachers where I found a similar project or a simple example of a school’s Technology Site. I’ve recently participated in a Google Apps Script for Educators Webinar and was amazed with all the possibilities! Don’t hate, automate! You can really take Google Apps to another level with this scripting feature. I'm excited to try this scripting language out and make many of my day-to-day tasks a lot easier.
So, where to start? During the course I would implement the basic elements of the site, like the forms and calendars for requesting different technology resources, a template repository, a photo gallery, an announcements section and a comments page for different technology integration activities.
I would know the sites success depending on the use or acceptance it has with all the teachers at my school. It would also be successful if it helps me have better control of all the different technological resources and motivates teachers to use them more frequently. I have a pretty good feeling that this site will have a very positive impact on the school’s academic community.
Part of my job as Technology Coordinator is to make sure that all the technological resources available in the school are being used effectively. Since I’ve started working at Entrevalles, I wanted to design a system that would not only give me better control of all our devices and software, but also keep a history of the creative things that my teachers are doing with them. I feel that there isn’t enough communication between different subject areas or grade levels. I also wish that my teachers would use Google Apps a lot more; collaboration would be so much easier if they would take advantage of these great tools.
By incorporating most of the tools that Google Apps has to offer (Sites, Calendar, Docs and Scripts) in creating a site where teachers could request assistance and resources, but at the same time they could share how their activity went with other members of the staff, I would not only make part of my job a lot easier but also build a functional demonstration of how using Google Apps could be very helpful for other educational tasks and promote their use in the classroom.
This site would be accessible to all the teachers and coordinators. It would be available to them during the entire school year. Inside they would find a page for each of the different technology resources, with a form that would add events to a Google calendar and a spreadsheet for statistical purposes. They could also get an email with the day’s agenda. There would be a page for sharing comments and photos about the different activities. I would make some useful Google docs templates for sharing reports with other coordinators and myself. These are only some of the basic features that I would like my site to have; new ideas still keep coming every time that I learn new things about Google Apps.
Why is it important for my teachers to use our school’s Google Apps? Google has plenty of documentation on how to use Google Apps in a K-12 setting. You can find the top 10 reasons for choosing them by clicking this link. How will this help me do a better job? There is a Google Sites page for Teachers where I found a similar project or a simple example of a school’s Technology Site. I’ve recently participated in a Google Apps Script for Educators Webinar and was amazed with all the possibilities! Don’t hate, automate! You can really take Google Apps to another level with this scripting feature. I'm excited to try this scripting language out and make many of my day-to-day tasks a lot easier.
So, where to start? During the course I would implement the basic elements of the site, like the forms and calendars for requesting different technology resources, a template repository, a photo gallery, an announcements section and a comments page for different technology integration activities.
I would know the sites success depending on the use or acceptance it has with all the teachers at my school. It would also be successful if it helps me have better control of all the different technological resources and motivates teachers to use them more frequently. I have a pretty good feeling that this site will have a very positive impact on the school’s academic community.
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