Building a Tree Fort

It's week three. I've been busily climbing my tree, exploring new tools, reaching out to others through blogs, twitter and online resources. But this week, I'm putting the climb on hold and setting up fort. It's time to enjoy the view. ("No. 6: Enjoy the view. Evaluate tool-use effectiveness and level of scientific engagement.")

As I look out at my forest, I see many trees that were caught up in a burning flame (eg. firefox is coming on at 3:50 p.m.!), and I don't want to immersed in that kind of fire. In busily following tweets (glad people are eating), reviewing new applications (what's out there, how does it work), and text about technology (what to do, what technology is available to use, how it can be used effectively), I want to take time to thoroughly investigate this last bit more. What is the why and how behind Internet-based technology and instruction? In other words, what is the business case for using technology in the classroom? Where is the data that shows using Web technology increases science understanding?

And that's why it's time to build a fort.

My personal learning network needs to find new branches that are focusing on the rationale for using Internet-based technology during instruction, along with a few old branches (my family) that can help me with some of my technology questions.

Stay tuned. I look forward to sharing my family fort chats.

Video: Denied

This is the week I've been waiting for! Finally, I'd be able to learn how to put videos from my digital camera on my computer, edit them, create movies and share them.

But, that's not going to happen this week. Disappointingly, although I expanded my abilities in the image realm, there was little to no expansion in my video learning. Here's the rundown. Maybe you can help.

Experience
I have learned that my imported videos are in the jpg format in my Movie Maker software. I've spent quite a bit of time playing with Movie Maker, but it seems that I need to convert the jpg into a different file type to watch the video I took with my camera on Movie Maker. Does anyone know how to do this? When I went into Zamzar, I noticed that these jpgs were listed as mov. What I keep bumping into is the url. I don't have a url, because the videos are on my computer. Any ideas of how I get computer files back online? I don't have html to link them. Hmm...

My image experience was completely different though. Every image tool was new and exciting to me. I see many classroom possibilities with images and considered all tools easy-to-use. With that said however, I still have a lot to learn with images. I need to spend more time investigating copyright issues and look forward to similar answers as Marta.

Classroom
Images and videos have the power to teach and expand in ways that published textbooks cannot - the current science, the latest videos, the newest nature pictures. And what's more? There isn't a limit to the number of pictures you can share. You don't have to downsize the number of photos you share, because you have to fit everything on one textbook page. To me, images and videos are definitely learning enhancers and can help students "better understand complex scientific concepts when they see the phenomoenon they are studying" (Technology in the Secondary Science Classroom, Chpt. 2, pg. 9).

However, I also learned that what image and video you choose does make a difference in science interest. For example, many videos out there are too long, not dynamic in their pictorial element, or unclear - what is this again? So, I think selecting material is an important step in quality lesson development. Choosing a video to just have a video probably won't add value. To help with my decisions, I've designed the following video-selection criteria: relevant content from start to finish, appropriate length, clear images, reinforces scientific material, increases student interest, inquiry and understanding.

One last thing, I've realized that image-editing software and online video stores (youtube) are the tools to apply different science teaching methods, such as teaching in opposites, comparing/contrasting, constructivist. So maybe most importantly, videos and images are not used alone to achieve instructional goals, but as part of an overall lesson with teacher-guidance.

Application
So how would I concretely construct something using the image and video tools we explored this week? I would use images and videos to build scientific method skills. After students put together their picture puzzles (observe/research - p.s. in previous blog post), they would report what they think they see (hypothesis). Then, I would ask questions about the pictures (infer and question) and have students ask other questions. Then, we would take a field exploration with real photos and videos (experiment - hopefully soon) to analyze (data) and make (conculsions). For instance, I'm working on developing a water cycle program. To show water gets hot, I could show photos of water temperature readings. We could then calculate and analyze the temperature data found in the field and draw conclusions about what hot water does. Then, I could show a video of geysers, mud volcanoes and steam vents.


Check out the steam surrounding the geyser eruption.

Something I'm wondering is how much of a difference does it make to students' learning if the pictures are of you or from you, or if the videos were taken by you in an actual science research setting? Will their science understanding increase more? Or will any random, applicable, exciting video/photo work equally as well?

Remembering Grandpa

He taught me how to fish. He made my first reptile box. He showed me how to milk a cow. He played the harmonica so that I could dance. He took me blackberry and blueberry picking.

He had the greatest laugh and best work ethic. He told me that "the reward for hard work is more hard work." And I've never forgotten these words.

He was always fun to be around. He made wine (giving me my first science lesson in fermentation), had his own ice shanty and snowshoed. Plus, instead of snowmen, Grandpa made snow chickens with us. I still make them to this day.

He was a man of the land. He raised cattle, pigs and chickens. He gardened, trapped, fished and hunted. And forever, I will have an image etched in my memory of him in his solid denim overalls, red plaid shirt, red mesh hat, standing in the middle of his garden, leaning gingerly on his hoe, resting and taking in the day, living it to the fullest, giving it everything he had.

And so, it is to this memory that I give this photo. A photo that I took last week in Yellowstone National Park. It's been cropped, resized, sharpened, saturated and given a special halo effect. And especially for my Grandpa, I added his favorite animal, a cow. I hope that when he's lifted up on Eagle's wings this week, he will find his green pastures once again.

Love you, Grandpa!

P.S. This photo was enhanced using my new favorite tool, Picnik. I'm excited to use Picnik's puzzle effect to help develop my second grade science inquiry lesson plan on picture puzzles for my Thermal Biology course! But, if I have to pay for the premium puzzle feature, then I'll use a free puzzle maker.

Rockin' Robin

Have you ever seen a fallen Robin's egg?

Twice in my life I've seen the beautiful, baby blue colored eggs. Once was this spring, and the egg was clearly broken. The other time was when I was a little girl. The Robin's egg was intact with light-brown speckles. Not wanting any animal to eat the baby Robin egg, I gloved up (with my mother's plastic sandwich bags) to not leave any scent. Once properly concealed, I began to search for the right spot to put the egg, which was the most difficult task yet. Looking all around the yard for a safe location, I noticed a nice clump of grass with an area underneath, which looked like the perfect incubator. Carefully (and with the hands of a six-year-old), I laid the Robin's egg in its new nest. Not wanting to disturb the egg or potentially add more scent, I did not visit the egg for a few weeks. When I returned to the check on the egg, what do you think I found?

Nothing.

I was sick to my stomach, thinking a fox must have eaten the egg.

But, now that I'm an adult, I realize the error in my childish ways. Isn't it obvious? The baby Robin bird hatched and flew away to start Twitter.

So here's to all my baby Rockin' Robins that are part of my personal learning network. This week, I networked (in person) with MSSE birds from Oregon, Texas, New England, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. as part of my Thermal Biology course. I asked them the old fashion way to be park of my network, and they agreed. (Yeah, I'm not an empty nester!) Although none of them are twittering, I am going to try and connect with them electronically once I have their emails. Virtually, I started following five people on Twitter, and sent out my very first brown-speckled, baby Robin egg tweet.

What I learned was that there are lots of people to network with and learn from in a variety of ways, and that a social network is a communication vehicle that helps develop my personal learning network. I also learned that those I consider part of my current personal learning network are not plugged in, so I'll have to see if I can invite them by email. However, what I have not learned is how to easily search for people. What is the best way to search, seasoned tweeters? If I am @jcpeck, how would you search for me?

Tweet...tweet...tweet...without the willingness to fly, there can be no new discovery.

Bird song and call descriptions copyright 1998 by NatureSound Studio, from the book Common Birds and Their Songs (Lang Elliott, 1998: Houghton Mifflin Company). Copyright 2006 Lang Elliott and Mighty Pods, LLC. All rights reserved. Site sponsored by birdJam and Nature Sound Studio. birdJam: the ultimate way to learn bird songs!

>Input >Output

"The one who puts the most into it is the one who gets the most out of it," said one of the teachers I met this week during my Thermal Biology course at MSU. And this is exactly how I would summarize my learning for the week with every tool we've explored.

Google Reader, for example, is an amazing collection tool that provides links in an efficient manner, but was I expecting 50 links from one place to immediately pop up? No. I can see how the influx of information can be overwhelming; but I can also see how aggregators will serve as a great science education resource for me to find the latest, cutting-edge topics, videos and news for my programs. I've already applied this tool by pulling one of the articles and linking it to my blog. Also, I can see using this tool to find out the latest information quickly and sharing that with teachers through my biannual newsletter and other communication pieces. But my Google Reader needs work. (It's like cleaning my bedroom - yuck!) I need to put more input into organizing items so that I can get the output I want in the way I want it.

Classroom 2.0 is intriguing because of its offering on web tool professional development and discussion, but the verdict on this one is still out for me. I combed through a lot of information, but saw very little content on science. Once I take my professional development course, I will better be able to determine if the input I'm receiving from this site is improving my personal output.

Twitter annoys me. There, I said it. I can barely remember what I did yesterday. So keeping tabs when someone crosses the state lines or reports in on the latest sport scores is not something I want to find room for in my brain, nor is it what I consider value-added content (guiding principle no. one). But let me also say this: Twitter holds real value for my education position. When I need to let teachers know something, this is the perfect tool. For instance, if I am holding a professional development event, I can send out a tweet to let teachers know and provide information on where to sign up. If I'm offering science programs for the school year, I can send a tweet reminding teachers it's time to schedule their programs. And when those programs fill up (withing two and a half business days like last year), I can send another tweet saying programs are booked and provide other alternatives. Twitter also holds real value with students. This tool could increase science inquiry skills, with promoting open questioning and communication - and even data collection. Can you imagine a student scientist's tweet? Look what I found in the field here...data...data...data. This tool could serve as a quick way to report world-wide data. What I'm reluctant to do though is build my twitter network at a high-speed rate. Here again, I want to be thoughtful about who I network with in a strategic, selective way (better input) so that I can achieve greater output (what I need to hear to increase science interest, opportunities and learning).

So what I'm wondering is how to build a reliable network, as one of our resources stressed as an important component or stage. And if we network with someone, can we un-network later? Or is that connection always out there?

My Worst Day as a Scientist

In the seventh grade, I did a report on the yellow-dotted salamander that I collected from our church's windowsill. Properly watered and fed, the yellow-dotted salamander was transported to school in my grandfather-constructed reptile box. Not wanting the salamander to dry out in my locker, I continued to water my little yellow-dotted friend, making sure only to provide the very best care. When the time for my big report came, I proudly presented my reptile box to my fellow students. When I went to show them what a yellow-spotted salamander looks like, I realized that I had drown my salamander. I was devastated. I cried, felt horrible and realized that my scientific calling was not with animals. But I still love them; they're amazing creatures. So, here's a video on some of their astounding capabilities, featuring a salamander.

Blogged by a Fourth-Grade Scientist

It happened. This past school year, I got blogged...as a scientist by a fourth grader. It was eye-opening and providing unique insight into using technology in the classroom.

For this week's blog and wiki review, I'm going to start by how I've seen K-12 blogs and teacher wikis used in the classroom firsthand. Then, I'll provide examples of my online research.

Assessment Blogs

As part of my job (responsible for a corporation's Education Outreach Program), I present Traveling Science Programs at K-12 schools across Wisconsin. In one of my programs, for their assessment, the students created blogs on what they learned in the science program - from the review of the scientific method to the discussion of key vocabulary to how key concepts worked.

How did they develop content for their blogs? The students loaded their program photographs to help explain their points and identified their experimentation results, analyzing trends, data and areas for improvement.

How did they get involved in higher-level learning? The 10-year-old scientists peer-reviewed each other's blogs, and open communication was encouraged to simulate real-world science discussions in a science community. Results were questioned, and scientists needed to provide evidence-based proof in defense of their results.

What was the interactivity of this blog? The blog started as an assessment/report, then turned into a Science Journal with data analysis, and finally, a Science Symposium with students embracing science by acting like real scientists with conclusions to articulate to the class...and me, the scientist.

This example meets my first guiding principle of using technology to increase science understanding, and supports what we've learned in Chpt. 1 of Educational Technology in the Science Classroom: technology is used to address worthwhile science in ways that are pedagogically appropriate. K-12 blogs were used as an assessment tool that verified and enhanced student understanding, and helped build important science skills: communication, data relevance and inquiry.

I believe good science is based on doubt (inquiry or questioning). These students questioned each other, raising the level of critical thinking required to defend experiment results with scientific reasoning.

So what am I still wondering? Was a blog the best Web tool for this work, or would a wiki would have been better?

Teacher Wikis

In having the opportunity to teach in numerous classroom settings, I've seen many teachers having their own site that catalogs their best-found lessons and activities (which isn't necessarily a wiki). In a Science Methods course that I just finished co-teaching, my co-teacher had pre-service teachers form a wiki to begin cataloging activities, lessons and more to prepare for and use during future classroom instruction.

How was wiki content developed and organized? For each science academic standards, teachers found on activity or lesson and added it to the site. Their lessons and activities were evaluated based on the relevance to the academic standard, among other criteria.

How did teachers respond to the tool? Using pbwiki was a mess. There were editing glitches when we were all online together, and many teachers were frustrated. The second time around google docs were used by my co-teacher to develop the collaborative page. This seemed better.

What am I still wondering...is how effective was the incorporation of this tool in a post-secondary setting to prepare teachers to teach science? My thinking (and huge assumption) is because it isn't their own classroom site, they won't use it (going off what I've seen teachers using in the classrooms). I'm not sure if they reviewed other activities and lessons added, so if they do return to the site, they may simply pull a link to their individual Web page.

This example does not meet my guiding principles. It was using a Web tool to do old things in more time-consuming, frustrating ways. Although it did create exposure to Web tools, it did not explain and utilize the tools in a way that promoted interactive learning. Furthermore, it didn't stick. Teachers did it (for their assignment), but no one said they were actually going to use it.

And now, what I found online.

After finally finding a way to search for K-12 blogs (Google > Search > K-12 Science Blogs) that resulted in what I was trying to research, I found the following:

Blogs

• http://scienceblogs.com/ From this blog (collection of a variety of blogs), I was able to find cutting-edge content and relevant examples to use in the classroom. Here are two of my favorite examples because they promote inquiry and examples of science in action.
• http://scienceblogs.com/terrasig/2008/03/public_high_school_student_tak.php
• http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2009/06/todays_mystery_bird_for_you_to_280.php

Wikis

• http://k12wiki.wikispaces.com/ This wiki seems to be a collaboration of learning between many states. Here are the two examples I enjoyed (Can a coke can be blended?):
• http://k12wiki.wikispaces.com/Simulated+Laboratory+Resources+for+K-12+science
• http://k12wiki.wikispaces.com/speters

These meet my guiding principles of value-added content because the selected tools provide the latest information (even up to the last 24 hours!) on a variety of science topics and aspects of science. However, I had a lot of difficulty finding any student-generated sites. And the ones I did find were more teacher resources to use in various ways in the K-12 classroom. Does this support student-centered, guided discovery models? More learning and research is definitely necessary.

In general, I'm wondering how ethical Web tools are when they are used in the classroom? Is there more cheating? Are the students actually iterating what they know or copying what someone else knows, opposing the goals of increasing science understanding and bridging science-achievement gaps?

Final thought: Now that I've been exposed to a couple of Web tools, I realize there's more available on the Web then my mind imagined.