Podcasting



THE "BUZZZZ" ON BOOK REVIEWS
 * __VoiceThread for Instructional Use:

media type="custom" key="3867925"

VoiceThread of Student Use: LANDFORMS OF OUR WORLD__**

media type="custom" key="3863589" **__Summary__**

**__Technology Standards Addressed__** //A. Use technology effectively and appropriately to interact electronically // 1. Use telecommunications to collaborate with peers, parents, colleagues, administrators and/or experts in the field.  //B. Use technology to communicate information in a variety of formats // 1. Select appropriate technologies for a particular communication goal. 3. Use multiple digital sources to communicate information online.
 * __Maryland Teacher Technology Standards__**
 * II. Communication**

Demonstrate an understanding of the legal, social and ethical issues related to technology use. 4. Use classroom procedures to manage an equitable, safe and healthy environment for students.
 * III. Legal, Social and Ethical Issues **

Design, implement and assess learning experiences that incorporate use of technology in a curriculum-related instructional activity to support understanding, inquiry, problem solving, communication and/or collaboration. 1. Assess students’ learning/ instructional needs to identify the appropriate technology for instruction. 2. Evaluate technology materials and media to determine their most appropriate instructional use. 4. Use appropriate instructional strategies for integrating technology into instruction. 5. Select and use appropriate technology to support content-specific student learning outcomes. 6. Develop an appropriate assessment for measuring student outcomes through the use of technology. 7. Manage a technology-enhanced environment to maximize student learning.   Develop professional practices that support continual learning and professional growth in technology. 3. Continually evaluate and reflect on professional practices and emerging technologies to support student learning. 4. Identify local, state and national standards and use them to improve teaching and learning.
 * V. Integrating Technology into the Curriculum and Instruction **
 * VII. Professional Growth **

**__Maryland Technology Literacy Standards for Students__** practice ethical, legal, and responsible use of technology to assure safety **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A. Technology and Society B. Legal and Ethical Issues 1. Practice responsible and appropriate use of technology systems, software, and information <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">b) Work cooperatively and collaboratively with others when using technology in the classroom f) Use safe and correct security procedures (such as protecting password and user ID) <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">2. Demonstrate an understanding of current legal standards <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">d) Practice strategies for avoiding plagiarism e) Cite sources of text and digital information used properly <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">3. Understand current online safety guidelines <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">a) Understand that the Internet is a global community with guidelines b) Explain safety and privacy issues related to use of the Internet c) Use safe and correct security procedures when working online (such as not disclosing personal information and protecting passwords)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">Standard 2.0 – Digital Citizenship: Demonstrate an understanding of the history of technology and its impact on society, and

<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">**Standard 3.0 – Technology for Learning and Collaboration: Use a variety of technologies for learning and collaboration**<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> A. Learning 1. Use and explain how the technology enhances learning <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">b) Explain how selected technology tools are being used to support learning c) Reflect as an individual on appropriateness of selected technology for the given task e) Assess the use of the selected technology for individual learning for the specific task <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> B. Collaboration 1. Use and explain how technology tools encourage collaboration <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">a) Use technology tools to work collaboratively within the classroom b) Use technology tools to exchange ideas with individuals or groups outside of the classroom c) Participate as part of a class in online collaborative projects or information exchanges <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">

<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">C. Increase Productivity 1. Use and explain how technology tools increase productivity <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">a) Explain how the selected technology tools are being used to accomplish tasks efficiently b) Use templates or create new documents to complete learning assignments d) Use suitable electronic resources to edit final copies of texts for correctness in language usage and conventions, such as capitalization, punctuation, and spelling

<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A. Communication 1. Use technology for communication <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">a) Explain how communication tools help gather information, share ideas, and respond to questions when communicating with various audiences, including school, community, parents, and experts b) Use technology tools identified by the teacher to communicate with various audiences c) Present information, independently or with assistance, to various audiences including school and community <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">2. Use and explain the purposes of different media formats <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">a) Communicate independently, with various audiences, using different media formats b) Explain the purpose for a chosen media format <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">Standard 4.0 – Technology for Communication and Expression: Use technology to communicate information and express ideas using various media formats **<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">

<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">B. Expression 1. Use and explain how the technology can be used to express ideas <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">a) Use multimedia and publishing tools to express original ideas with print, drawings, digital images, existing or original video, sounds, and/or personal recordings b) Present ideas and information in formats such as electronic presentations, web pages, or graphic organizers that are appropriate to a specific audience c) Change, edit, and revise graphs, graphics, presentations, and word processing documents <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> **Standard 5.0 – Technology for Information Use and Management: Use technology to locate, evaluate, gather, and organize information and data.** <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A. Locate, Evaluate, and Gather Information/Data 1. Use and evaluate information resources available through technology independently or with assistance <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">b) Select and read to gain information from electronic personal interest materials, such as brochures, books, magazines, cookbooks, and web sites

//<span style="display: block; font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-style: normal; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; text-align: left; msobidifontfamily: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; msobidifontstyle: italic;">**__Description of Instructional Use Project__** To complement my Classroom Wiki, The Beamon Bunch, which provides a venue for students to share their critiques of books recently read, I decided to create a PowerPoint presentation that went through the steps of writing a book review. In doing so, I was able to break down a lot of text in manageable segments for all of my students. This format also provided auditory support for those who process information better through hearing it. By providing a character, "Buzzy" the bee, to guide my students through the process, and two characters who are following along, I can capture the students' interest more effectively. The use of voices and a narrative format complement the overall product.

Students researched regional landforms of the U.S. and World using Interent resources for a multidisciplinary study across Science and Social Studies. They created a project of their choice (a model, poster, or PowerPoint) in order to showcase their landforms. Each project is accompanied by 5 interesting facts. To create the VoiceThread. Students took turns taking pictures of themselves and their projects with the digital camera. These were uploaded on VoiceThread and students selected the two pics they wanted to represent their work. The next step was writing down an informative "blurb" to share with picture one and 5 interesting facts to share with picture two. Their final step was to record their written information on VoiceThread using a microphone/headset combo.
 * __Description of Student Use Project__**

__**Reflection**__ // May 22, 2009 This is the first experience that I have had working with VoiceThread. It was really user-friendly. Taking the pictures and organizing the presentation was a breeze. Our biggest challenge was finding the time for each student to record their voice in a quiet setting. Students loved the fact that they could preview what they sounded like before saving. Needless to say, there were MANY redos. They were constantly remarking that they didn't sound like themselves or didn't like the way they sounded saying a certain word. It was actually a good tool to use for them to monitor their fluency while reading their information sheets and 5 interesting facts. The students were quick to notice how often they paused while reading, got "stuck" on a word, or repeated themselves. They most enjoyed viewing the final product and were very excited to share the Voicethread with their parents. As for my experience with creating the VoiceThread for instructional use, I must admit it was pretty frustrating at times. Uploading the PowerPoint was a snap, but when I viewed it, the transfer process appeared to distort some of my text and speech bubbles. After fixing this, I began recording the narrative portion. This was more complicated than when the children used it. Often, it would not record my voice, or it would appear to be recording and then halfway through playback, my voice would fade off. I couldn't figure out if I was saying too much or if there was just a glitch in the VoiceThread site that day. In the end, I managed to get all I wanted to say for each slide recorded. It turned out to be a pretty cute presentation. I'm looking forward to seeing how the students like it.