Essential #14 - Resources for STUDENT USE

Well of course there are thousands of sites for students to use. The trick is really finding ones that are absolutely user friendly, content specific and age appropriate. I chose to focus on my AP Chem students as they are the ones most likely to go use the resources as their BIG test is fast approaching. These are both sites they can load to their fancy phones and use on the go. The first one is from a well known AP Chem guru who has posted practice multiple choice questions on all topics AP CHEM. It can be found at

http://www.adriandingleschemistrypages.com/apquiz.html

The next site is a blog with podcasts embedded into it, Each post on the blog is a topic covered in my class so it is easy find a specific topic you would need help on just by looking at post titles. It can be found at

http://hatakappodcast.blogspot.com/

At the beginning of most of my units I do give the students a list of web resources to explore for extra help so they are used to this. I did post them on my school website - a first for me (it was easy). I will continue to do this next year so I am not constantly hunting for the resources. I also think I will add to my delicious tag system to discriminate between student resource and teacher resource or both. HMM - loving that delicious again.

AN OPINION - we have to begin to allow students to use the technology they have in their pockets. If our schools had wi-fi we would be able to utilize these student resources with the kids, immediately and quickly without having to check out a lab or wheel a lab, that might or might not work, into our classroom. LPS has to get with the game in terms of technology. WEB 2.0 is passing us quickly by.

Essential #13 - Effective resources to support YOUR content area

Now that I have set up the delicious account this was an extremely effective essential to complete. Every time I came across a site, it could easily be saved for future reference.

One site I found was a list of many, many resources to use with my new ebeam. It includes simulations, virtual labs, molecular modeling, etc. All things that can make chemistry a subject students can see! This website is at

http://smartboardresources.pbworks.com/Chemistry

Another site that I found was a wiki where teachers can post and exchange lessons on specific Chemistry topics. http://eix.dyndns.org/~chemed/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

You could literally spend hundreds of hours looking through the websites related to your topic. The trick is to find the ones that will be most beneficial to your PLN. I am looking forward to continue to incorporate the new resource as I become more adept at the technology side of the resources.

Essential #12 - Social Bookmarking with Delicious

Okay this this my second go-around with Delicious and I must say the second time is a charm. The second video provided was a great, quick overview of the tools available. I did have a hard time reinstalling the buttons. I am hoping this will become a homebase for my PLN. I am all for using resources that have already been developed for free use and Delicious can provide a quick access to them. It could also keep track of good blogs as well as good websites. My user name is mbsjeep on delicious so you can check out some of my Chemistry resources. I am hoping to add teacher leadership as well as WEB 2.o resources as we finish the class.

I do feel this essential may have been better placed as the beginning of the list as a way to organize the many resources provided and found throughout the class.

Essential #11 - Personal Learning Networks

What is a PLN?

I look at a PLN as a personal roladex of resources. It includes great blogs, great websites, great people who can help me be a better, more effective teacher. The trick to creating an effective PLN is creating one that you will actually use to access the resources that are the most beneficial for you. I am trying to figure out a way to organize my PLN. Right now it consists of a google reader so I can follow good blogs. I have a Delicious account but am not using it effectively - that will be the next thing to add to my PLN. My PLN also includes a AP CHEM listserve to stay current with educators all getting ready to give the AP test in May. I love Google docs but have not yet brought many colleagues on board to use them. I started the Twitter account but I do not often go to the twitter page to see what is being added. Start small and add as comfort level increases. I will take this advice to heart.

Essential #10 - YouTube in the Classroom

I love using YouTube in the classroom. It brings in so many real life science examples. Mostly people trying out different chemistry concepts at home. I have used how to supercool your water, make slushy pop, using a pressure cooker and I am including a link to one of my favorites - The Symphony of Science.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cd36WJ79z4

I used it as a brain break in my classroom and students still request it when they need a break. You do need to look for videos of projectable quality, with good engaging content. I also use the videos to show a professors presenting the same topic I am. For example, I am finishing up thermodynamics in my AP Chem class and will show a 5 minute overview clip of Gibbs Free Energy before I start the lecture. It will serve as a brief overview for the students.

I have found students enjoy the break and also enjoy the search for great videos.

Essential #9 - Using Online Tools To Communicate

It is nice to return to the idea of blogs and message boards. I need to spend more time looking for beneficial blogs to follow. I have yet to find a Chemistry teacher who is using blogs with their students. I have a feeling it is my inability to search efficiently and not that they don't exist. Maybe I will send it out on Twitter and see what happens.

I was able to find one Chemistry teacher posting chem resources online.

http://chemistry-never-sleeps.blogspot.com/

Well after another hour of searching I was unable to find an actual blog website that shows how students and their chemistry teacher exchange information. I saw blogs that do not allow comments, being just a way to post the happenings of the week. I saw lots of interesting science blogs on a multitude of science topics. Despite all my browsing around the web and using different search tags I am beginning to wonder if there are any chemistry classrooms using blog technology effectively.

Check out this cool site

http://adventuresinscience.edublogs.org/

Essential #8 - Audacity and Podcasting

So I tried out the Audacity software to record something great that happened in the classroom. What I would like to really figure out is how to mesh together my powerpoint presentation, my audio track and the smartboard notations made during the powerpoint all together so absent students can experience the class just as if they were in the classroom. I am sure there is a way to get all three parts into one file and easily loaded to our teacher webpages. District tech training for a day on this topic for people who are interested would be great!

I would also like to see students create pre-lab VODcasts to help students understand how to complete the lab.

After scrolling through some of the other blogs I notice a common theme - people are having a hard time finding time to get through the essentials and having a hard time finding great ways to incorporate the essentials into the classroom. Hopefully LPS will realize that teachers are in desperate need of new technology in the classroom (smart boards, projectors, laptops, etc.) as well as great tech training, in order to fully incorporate the great ideas being presented in this class.