Free Technology for Teachers: 77 Educational Games and Game Builders

Coming from a gaming background myself I found this to be a very interesting read as well as a great resource for future teaching ideas and/or further action research. I am sure that Dr. Dan would agree that gaming does have its place in education. =)

Free Technology for Teachers: 77 Educational Games and Game Builders:

'via Blog this'

K12 Online Conference - Call for Submissions

I thought any of you looking to get published or do presentations might want to take a look at this. They are calling for submissions, but the deadline is Sept. 9th so you may want to hurry.

K12 Online Conference - Call for Submissions

Online Learning Primer | EdReach

This is a great article about online learning and the differences between them to help clear up some common misconceptions.

Online Learning Primer | EdReach

Online Learning Primer | EdReach

This is a great article about online learning and the differences between them to help clear up some common misconceptions.

Online Learning Primer | EdReach

Teachers Playing World of Warcraft - edurealms.com

Great article by Lucas Gillispie showing teachers perspectives on WoW and how it could be used in the classroom. They hit on some key points as to how education should be in the classroom versus how it really is.

Teachers Playing World of Warcraft - edurealms.com

Tildee: Create Easy Step-by-Step Tutorials | EdReach

Tildee: Create Easy Step-by-Step Tutorials | EdReach

Free Technology for Teachers: 9 Places to Find Creative Commons & Public Domain Images

Here is a great article on CC and PD images: Free Technology for Teachers: 9 Places to Find Creative Commons & Public Domain Images

Want to do a WoW-Based Project in Your School? Here’s Everything You Need… - edurealms.com

Want to do a WoW-Based Project in Your School? Here’s Everything You Need… - edurealms.com

AR Final Presentation Video

Virtual Learning Worlds » Gamification of Khan Academy

Virtual Learning Worlds » Gamification of Khan Academy

Call for help from blog followers and friends

I have really been thinking lately as our EMDT program draws to an end this month that I would like to teach online.  Currently I have my Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education (P-4).  I am not quite sure how you would even go about getting a position at an online school, so that is where my call for help comes in.  Do any of my followers or friends know where or how you would begin to search for a position as an online instructor?  

I am not even sure what type of credentials or experience is needed to do such a thing.  I know that there was a position listed recently at Full Sail for an ACD in the LMO course that I would love to do, but I don't have the 4 years of required experience for the position.  I am hoping that maybe one or more of you are online instructors and could possibly help me with my query. Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions in my quest for a teaching position out there in the virtual world.

Wk4 comment #2 - Susan Calland

Susan,

Great story on teaching your students the moon phases! I love it...Mr. Miagi is very pro at his wax on and wax off. =) Thanks for sharing it with all of us. It is always a compliment when you have a student you once taught recall some piece of information that you taught them and they have always kept it with them. That is one of the signs of a really great teacher. I agree that students do have a tendency at times to only seem to take notice when we do act a little "nuttier" than usual to really get a point across to them, but if that is what it takes to get them to sit up and pay attention then sign me up. I think you have a great insight into that fact that your willingness to take a risk with them helps them feel comfortable enough to take a risk as well. 

Susan's original blog post:

Don’t hold back & participate wholly!

The chapter that definitely meant the most to me was chapter 9.  I have noticed many times that the students in my 7^th & 8^th grade classes who are totally uninterested in school and completely uninspired, will give me full effort when I am my nuttiest!  They may look at me and roll their eyes, but every time I am passionate about what I do and really into it, they are definitely paying more attention than when I am just giving notes or lecturing.  It is so awesome to see that student that really doesn’t give a hoot about being in my class, study for a quiz or look at me and say, “Hey I get it!”  The crazier I am, the more I can generate a spark from them.  To get my students to remember waxing and waning moon phases, I do my Karate Kid, Mr. Miagi, stance with my karate move.  I may look like a goof, but they remember the moon phases!  I was at an awards assembly at the high school and a former student caught my eye when the speaker talked about “wax on, wax off”.  Across the gym she mouthed to me, “was on, wane off” with a big smile on her face.  She was in my class three years ago.  Those are the time that I know that if I don’t hold back, they understand and remember so much more.   They are also more willing to take a risk since I do. 

Wk4 comment #1 - Janene Neal

Image courtesy of Clker.com

Janene,

I love that you motivated two of your more troublesome students by having them create the content skill rap song.  What a great idea and it does sound like it was quite the experience for all of you.  Kudos on that!  I have heard that as a teacher it is sometimes wise to change at least grade levels every few years in order to not get burnt out.  I hope that you find your inner light again and continue to create opportunities for your students similar to the one you shared to ignite that same spark in them.

Janene's original blog post:

When I started teaching over ten years ago, I believe my whole body was filled with lighting ready to transfer to others. I wanted to relight a spark in my students, so they would be ready to take on the world.

Recently, I think my inner light has fizzled, and I see a dying light in my students.

Maybe it is the end of the year. Maybe I feel a little burned out. But when I read these last few chapters, I realized, I need to make a change in my thinking. I can still make a difference in my students’ lives. I can still light that spark.

How do I rekindle that feeling of making a difference? I know myself. I need to make a change with my professional life about every three to four years. Do something different like changing schools, positions, or curriculum. This really helps me with keeping my ideas fresh and new.

However, what about the students that have that darkness inside, but don’t want to let in the possibility of light? Every year, I try to motivate a student that just doesn’t want to work with me. Usually it’s a student that just wants to goof off, play around, distract others, and try to be the “cool/bad” kid. You all know them…we all have at least one in our class. This year, I just so happen to have two of them in one class. This is how I overcame this type of behavior. I gave both students a lot of leeway.

I let them work on a multimedia project together that consisted of a rap creation they created in Garageband Loops. I saw the spark...they showed the light.

Instead of me running around yelling at them to get to work, saying, “stop this”, or “stop that”, I provided my students with endless possibilities. My students found new technology knowledge, created a content skill rap song, minimized distractions, and had fun. I was able to do my job…which is mold young minds. WE all learned from this experience.

Wk 4 Reading: Art of Possibility Chapters 9-12

I loved Zander's words in Chapter 9 about us having the "infinite capacity to light a spark of possibility" right at our fingertips and that "passion, rather than fear, is the igniting force."  Oh how true those words ring.  That not only should we ignite a spark in others, but be willing to catch any sparks they may throw at us as well.  I must say that reading Chapter 11: Creating Frameworks for Possibility was right up my creative alley so to speak.  I know that I am the happiest whenever I am creating new things or even watching that creative spark in both of my daughters.  My 15 year old is able to do things with video that I only wish I had been able to do at her age or to have even had the opportunity to learn with the tools and technology she has available to her.  

I loved the story of the teacher who shaved her head because of the student who underwent chemotherapy and the other students were making fun of her baldness.  What a great way to take charge of a situation instead of letting it get out of hand and head into that downward spiral Zander speaks of.  I have a dream to teach and believe that dream is well within my "arena of possibility."  Zander made a really good point about how a vision does not require one to win, but merely to play into the possibility.  His words on how a personal crisis can lead to the creation of a vision that turns a life of possibility sang out to me about the past year or so of my life and how I have taken the my job loss and divorce not as a sign of failure, but rather as a sign to have a new beginning full of possibilities and dreams.  This book has helped me to realize that all the negativity about not having a job and never even being called for a job interview to teach does not define who I am.  My thinking either positive or negative is what defines me and my actions allowing me to choose to explore my own world of possibilities in order to move forward in my life and ignite that spark in others around me.

Wk 4 DB: Topic 2

Topic #2: What stands in between you and your dream job? Why do you deserve to work in a dream job environment? What do you bring to the table? Be specific. 

Great question and I must admit it really got me to thinking! I feel that what stands between me and my dream job is the current economy and job market for teachers.  I know that here in Oregon they are cutting not only teachers, but days from the school year as well with the $5 million in budget cuts for next year.  I try my hardest to stay up with the latest technology and trends to keep a fresh perspective.  I also am signed up to substitute teach for three different school districts here locally, so that I can become familiar with the staff at the various school districts I have been applying for positions at.   It is still hard though because without any prior teaching experience it is hard to get your foot in the door in sometimes what can be considered a very political environment.  As I stated in topic one that since taking the EMDT program here at Full Sail I have become really interested in teaching online, but I have no idea where to even begin that venture or what I would have to do, so that is another thing that is standing between me and my dream job.

I feel that I deserve to work in my dream job environment because I am a life-long learner.  I stayed home to raise my children and went back to college at 34 to fulfill my dream of becoming a teacher.  I completed my undergraduate program in three years because I was eager to get out into the teaching field and share my passion for learning.  I just didn't know that no one was going to be hiring teachers in Arkansas and that by the time I graduated there was actually a freeze on hiring teachers.  After my job position as an accounting supervisor being eliminated at the television network I was at in Arkansas and a messy year and half divorce I packed up my children and moved to Oregon for a fresh start.  I then decided to broaden my teaching experience by completing the EMDT program at Full Sail to hopefully give me new opportunities in the teaching field and keep me current with technology and teaching practices that are being used or should be used in schools today.  In short, I just feel like my passion for teaching and desire to learn should be shared with others in the hope to spark that same intensity inside of them for something they feel passionate about.

I feel that with my technology skills from working at a computer store for five years (1998-2003) creating estimates for school districts on computer labs, troubleshooting computers, installing hardware/software, and researching the latest technology for our storefront and customers that I have great technology skills to offer any school district.  I have also had my own web design and hosting business since 1996 giving me another great set of skills that I can bring to the table.  On top of that as I stated previously, I am a life-long learner who is always looking at all the new technology available and eager to share it with others.  I feel that all of these skills plus my current course study at Full Sail would make me a great asset to any school district who would be willing to give me the opportunity to showcase my skills for them.

Wk 4 DB: Topic 1

Topic #1: Briefly share what your dream teaching or presentation environment would be like, be specific about what such a place would include (beyond just the tech toys).

Hmmm...this one is somewhat hard for me because my dream job has always been to become an Art teacher, but when I went for my undergraduate degree in Arkansas there were no Art teachers in the schools. It wasn't until about a month before I graduated that they put it back into the schools and at that point I was not financially able to add another 60 hours in art courses that were needed to obtain that degree. Therefore, I went into Elementary education (P-4).  After completing my student internship in 2006 I was sure that if I couldn't teach Art that I would very much like to teach 4th grade in a school very similar to the one that I completed my internship at.  I was placed at a technology school where all of the classrooms had a Smartboard, projector, computer, and printer.  Then one classroom from grades 2-4 had laptops for every student.  It was amazing the things they were learning and with my technology background I was totally immersed in that style of teaching.  Unfortunately most school districts aren't that fortunate and are lucky to even have a computer in their classroom at all.  After taking my courses here at Full Sail online I have really become very interested in becoming an online instructor, but am not quite sure where I would even begin looking or becoming qualified for such a position.

At any rate, my dream teaching environment (regardless of the grade level) would be one where I could implement many of the strategies that we have learned during our time here at Full Sail. I loved the gaming strategies course and completed my Action Research on teaching social skills for the workforce using gaming, so I would love to be able to implement some form of game-based learning into my classroom.  Other than that being able to communicate with my class online through Schoology or a platform similar to Full Sail's would rate high on my list.  This has been an incredible journey and left me wanting to unleash my creativity and explore all I can do with the technology available to me.  I would love to share that passion and journey with other students. Just being able to keep the students engaged and in a comfortable setting is important as well.  Wouldn't it be great if classrooms weren't full of stark white walls and 30 or so wooden desks or tables tightly crammed into a small space?  Having the opportunity to teach others online from the comfort of their own home provides a much more personal feel to me. I know that it is not the same as being in a classroom full of students who are right there in front of you, but I really think I am tailored for the online atmosphere or at least one where I could integrate both the classroom and online aspects equally.  

Wk 4 Publishing_Leadership Project

There are two technology conferences that I would love to present my AR project at.  My first choice is the Games + Learning + Society (GLS) Conference.  Their website has a "call for papers" that specifically "encourages the submission of . . . innovative talk formats which focus on game design, game culture, and games’ potential for learning and society more broadly." I chose this conference because it is all about reinventing learning through games and simulations. The fact that they are looking for presentations on the potential for games in learning and society makes it a perfect fit for my AR project. 

My second choice is International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference.  I chose this conference because it is an international technology conference that is well respected in the education community. This year marks their 32nd annual conference. They boast to be one of the world's premiere education technology events, which is part of the reason being heard for my research in that type of forum would be a dream come true.

Publishing/Leadership Thinking Outloud Blog #1

Publishing/Leadership Thinking Outloud Blog #2

http://levonda.com/AR/Vickery LeVonda PubLeadProject.pptx

Wk3 - AR Abstract

ABSTRACT

In order to compete in the 21st century workforce it is necessary for people to gain the required  teamwork and leadership skills that are currently being highly sought after.   MMORPGs are highly social environments that provide the opportunity to teach these needed skills.  This action research project shows how this type of social learning highly motivates players to communicate effectively, work together as a team in order to coordinate and cooperate with one another, and lead their guild members through key quests and missions using the MMORPG, Guild Wars.  The findings of this research showed that participants felt communication and teamwork skills were learned using this method.  However, the finding showed leadership skills needed to be researched in more depth.

Wk3 comment #2 - Josh Tolar

 Josh,

I like the way that you were able to use your prior knowledge on Buddhism to make a real-life connection to our reading. I too have a hard time lightening up at times and just going with the flow. It is sometimes easier said than done when we can be all too consumed and caught up in the daily grind of life and forget what is important.

You made a great point about the way your guitar strings make you feel when you play your music. I too used to look at people in the orchestra as rigid and unemotional about the music they played, but then I had to take a music course for my education degree where we had to go to several different types of concerts to observe them for a grade. I watched a child prodigy play the piano with such grace and beauty. You could see the emotion in her movements over the keys on the piano. I also had the pleasure to observe a Seussville production full of color and emotion that even had the audience going. We always have these preconceived notions that until challenged we hold tightly to and sometimes even after they are challenged. This book is a great reminder to look inward at oneself and to lighten up. They couldn't have chosen a better name for it. 

Josh's original blog post:

The past 4 chapters of the “The Art of Possibility” started to remind me a little about Buddhism and a book called “The Power of Now”. Looking at the way things actually are instead of resisting everything around you is one of the characteristics of Buddhism and one thing that is discussed in “The Power of Now”. This is one of my major downfalls too. When something happens unexpectedly, I often get upset and become disappointed in my own little world. I have learned throughout the years to not focus on material things and these last 4 chapters are a great reminder of that. I like in chapter 7 how it explains negative emotions and not to bury them deep inside or cast them out, but rather realize that they are there. This is very powerful as you somehow step outside your self and see how you are acting. Being present to our emotions takes a lot of practice, but it gets us one step closer to being more optimistic.

“The Art of Possibility” has surprised me several times when music is mentioned, and how orchestra players play with intense passion. I admit that when I was younger I never thought that orchestra players could ever feel the passion of the music because they were always so stiff when following the conductor. In so many cases I saw people play in orchestras and symphonies and never once saw any passion in what they were doing. There were however various virtuosos that would come on stage and warmed the audience with pure passion for the music. I soon started to think about how passion in music, or anything else for that matter, can be transferred to another person. Is it how you look you when you play the instrument or how you act when working on something you love? I love asking these questions and I started to ask them again when I read about the quote that Stravinksy supposedly said about wanting to hear someone trying to play the passage instead of someone just playing it. When we enter into the unknown, we might fail or we might succeed, but there is something there that enables us to feel alive. This is what I feel when I play music. There is something about the guitar that really makes you feel when you bend the strings. Every bend becomes a part of the spirit and soul of the song. You can feel the tension in the string as you bend higher and higher, leaving way to passion. 

Wk3 comment #1 - Heather Taylor

Heather,

I loved Rule #6 as well and I think it is a great idea to post it in your classroom next year. Sometimes we forget or don’t realize that we are taking something too seriously until it gets all blow out of proportion. Having that gentle reminder there can help remind you to lighten up. I had to giggle at the end about your sense of humor with the janitor cleaning the classroom, it was a nice finish to that paragraph. 

I wish that I had gone into Art Education because it was always what I wanted to do and was passionate about, but they didn’t have Art in the schools in Arkansas when I started the teaching program. During my last semester they added back in to the schools and by then I was about to graduate and told I would have to add another 60 hours of Art classes to get my degree in that. I wish it had been financially feasible for me to do that because it is one of my major regrets in life. 

I too was very moved by the whole “calculating self” and “central self”. It really made me think a lot about my life and where I currently am based on how I look at my life. At the moment it is more of a pessimistic view as I posted about in my blog post this week, but after reading this I am trying to change it to more of an optimistic view. I loved your takes on the reading this week and I am glad that you chose to stick with teaching.

Heather's original blog post:

Interesting that orchestral players are more dissatisfied with their work than prison guards; I’m curious to know where teachers fall on that survey. I can see the connection between conductor as omniscient to teacher as “sage on stage.” Often when you are unsure of something as a teacher, students are unsure how to respond. I don’t have a problem admitting I’m wrong, or apologizing. I apologized to a student once for telling her incorrectly about the way she needed to do something in Crafts class, but she wouldn’t let it go, which made it uncomfortable to leave myself vulnerable like that. Zander speaks about the “jaded and disaffected or the tender and glorious lover of music” and I often see that myself except in the context of Art. I think that Zander makes a great point about looking into the eyes of those you are trying to lead. How many times are we teaching our classes with the students quiet but their eyes are glazed over?

I love Rule Number 6; I think that I should post it in my class next year. Some days, especially awful ones, only humor can get you through. I was moved by the concept of moving from the “calculating self” to the “central self” and the tale of Ilse and Guerda. I know that I often take myself too seriously, especially when I feel like there is so much I need to teach and the students don’t seem to care. Some days the students say the most hilarious things, and even though sometimes they are inappropriate, I can’t help but laugh. At times the situation is just so ridiculous, or has gone so far out of whack, that I have to laugh or explode, and I’d rather not explode, the janitor doesn’t sweep our room that often as it is.

When I used to work in retail, my manager had a plaque that read “Be here now” to remind her that when she was at work, that she was at work, but when her shift was up to be at home and be there, because she often would appear in the store when she was supposed to be off. I try to get this across to my students when they are complaining that they didn’t sign up for Art or when they are doing work for another class. Sometimes I end up doing this too, looking at what I think “should” be happening and what actually is happening, and how to deal with that. The more you pay attention to something, the more you notice it. I can’t remember where, but I’ve heard before, “When you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” The concept of the optimist looking at reality and the pessimist imaging at fiction, trumps all that has been said about pessimists being realists and optimists being the dreamers, and I never thought of it like that, but it makes a lot of sense.

I’d like to say I’m passionate about education, and some days I am, but I’m more passionate about interacting with those students and teaching them to see and to experience Art. When I was in college, I did a lot of thinking about whether I wanted to go into Art Education, because I hated, absolutely hated, my Education classes. I loved my Art classes, I loved working with the kids, but I hate to say it but all the dry, unimaginative, unrealistic stuff I had to read about in my Education classes almost made me not want to be a teacher. When I actually was at a school, interacting with the classes, researching and developing lessons, I knew I had to become a teacher, but if I hadn’t had to actually be in a classroom with students taking Art and had just taken those classes, I wouldn’t have become a teacher, it was too sterile for me. My students laugh at me sometimes because I talk with my hands or get so excited that my voice goes up a couple octaves, but I can deal with that, because I can feel the passion welling up in me for my Art and for the impact I’m hoping to make with those students. All this is just proof that while we aren’t passionate about everything, we have to be passionate about something, those things that are really truly important to us, or we fall into mediocrity.

Wk3 reading – Art of Possibility Ch 5-8

Rule #6

While reading chapters 5-8 this week in the Art of Possibility by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander, I found chapter 6 to be quite a refreshing point of view.  What a great rule to remember about not always taking ourselves so seriously.  I am sure that we could all take that rule to heart at some time or another.  This lighten up attitude helps us explore our central and calculating self.  I know that I probably could have taken these lessons to heart during my divorce a couple of years ago.  Sometimes we are so absorbed with ourselves and our own feelings that we don't allow anything else in.  This chapter teaches you how to look inward and observe your own behaviors in order to put your best foot forward.  I love how the authors use different stories to illustrate each chapter and help you make connections to better understand the concepts.  


Chapter 7 leads into the way things are allowing you to distinguish between your assumptions and the facts.  We all make assumptions about things in our daily lives and allow our feelings to cloud our judgement of the actual facts, but when you learn to actually accept the way things are it allows you to move forward.  This sentence really seem to strike a chord with me, "shine attention on obstacles and problems and they multiply lavishly" (p. 108)  I realized that since the position I had at the TV station was eliminated last February that I was more and more focusing on the negative.  Its been over a year since I lost my job and with my unemployment about to run out things have been looking quite dreary for me to support my family.  I have filled out application after application for teaching or basically anything at this point to allow me to support my family only to be turned down time and time again or not even called for an interview.  Believe me that I know just how tough it can be to look at the bright side in my current situation, but this time has allowed me to pursue my Master's degree at Full Sail in order to increase my marketability and skills for the ever growing job market.  I may not be able to control the circumstances for which I have currently been handed, but I can try to stay optimistic and hope that an opportunity presents itself.  After all it is that exact "possibility" that has kept me going even when my life seems at its darkest.

Wk3 Publishing_Leadership project part 2 of 2: Publish or Present

There are more places to present than I initially thought on using gaming in education, but some of the conferences or symposiums that I think my project would make a real impact at are:

Games in Education Symposium  

Games+Learning+Society (GLS) Conference
 

New Media Consortium [NMC] Conference

Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education Conference 

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference 

  

Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education (SITE) Virtual Presentations

PodCamp

I am sure that there are possibly other sources out there that I am unaware of that would allow me to present my Action Research on learning social skills through gaming, but I am still searching for those.  I could also see this making a powerful Podcast after our look this week into podcasts. Even sharing it with other educators on SlideShare is another alternative, but actually being a part of a conference or symposium would be great.  At any rate, I still feel that creating a presentation versus writing an article is the best choice for presenting my research and after looking at all of the above choice for conferences to present at I have chosen the Games+Learning+Society (GLS) Conference.   

Wk2 Publishing_Leadership project part 1 of 2: article or presentation

I have been going back and forth over the past two weeks on whether or not I wanted to write an article or make a presentation of my Action Research project.  I am not much on standing up in front of people and presenting, but I feel that the best way to really showcase my project to the education world is through a presentation. Since my Action Research is based on teaching social skills through the use of the MMORPG, Guild Wars, I do feel that a presentation would showcase the work much better than a paper could.  With that decision under my belt I have been looking at where I could make such a presentation. Stay tuned for the next post on that discussion.

Wk2 comment #2 - Anne Alsup

Anne,

I wholeheartedly agree that we need a new system in place that allows the children of our future to be exposed to the universe of possibility. To feeling like they really can make a difference and be part of their own destiny rather being told this is the path they have to follow and the rules they have to abide by in order to get there. I agree that the current educational system needs to change in order for us to create those new possibilities for our students and the future of a better education. I take it as a challenge to try to be a part of this change and feel that somewhat leads into the discussion in chapter four on being a contribution. What better what to be a contribution than to be part of the struggle to make a difference and a change in our current educational system? I for one know that there are educators out there who are making these contributions to making it better and I would love to be a part of that goal. Do I feel that students deserve to be given an A? YES!!! I think that simple change in their perception and the perception of those around them can and would make a huge difference in how they react and perform. They deserve to be given the opportunity to create without the fear of failure, to complete a challenging assignment as many times as it takes in order for them to "get it" so that they can move on, and to feel as though their thoughts and ideas do matter. Where would we be as a society if all we heard day in and day out that we were a failure and couldn't ever do anything right... It would be a very sad society indeed! 

Anne's original blog post:

Recently I had the opportunity to be introduced to the World of Warcraft during a class on Gaming Strategies and Motivation. My guides for the excursion into this alternate reality were my two youngest sons, Stephen and Andrew. We had some interesting adventures and I spent way more time than I thought I would in this strange land. Many of the quests would take hours and I would go to bed dreaming that I was running through a field, trying to find my corpse so I could bring my lifeless body back to life. I would leave my house in the morning and I started thinking of everything in my life as part of the game. Following the same road, noting landmarks along the way, entering the building where I work, walking down the corridor, opening doors like I was on some quest. As I read the book, "The Art of Possibility" by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander and came to the first chapter, it didn't take much to convince this reader that it is all created.

Who makes the rules anyway and what were they thinking? Seriously, if we never colored outside the lines, where would we be? If we define ourselves by our perceptions of what our administrators, legislators, students or their parents think of us; where would we be? Given the current state of affairs in education, I'd much rather step into a "universe of possibilities" where I can have some control over my perception of the reality. If teachers are going to inspire their students, they need to have some inspiration. Budget cuts, meetings, more reports, standardized testing, learning gains and AYP, do not count as inspiration. If we are going introduce our students to the world of possibilities, we need to make sure that we are acquainted with the terrain.

I would love to give my students an A and differentiate my instruction to better meet the needs of my students, but the system that I work in doesn't support that goal. It is wrong to tell a student to seize the universe of possibilities and invent his own path to success, when there is a big bad test at the end of the year that is going to determine whether he passes or fails. We simply need more options in our system to allow students more control over their future and the opportunity to experience the universe of possibility. We need to re-think the rules and create some new possibilities.

Wk2 comment #1 - Kristi Swartz

Kristi,

It is so true that every person has their own different and unique abilities. I love that you hit on that. I also feel that our perception of those abilities can have either a positive or negative impact on a person. By ultimately giving everyone an A not only in the classroom, but in our everyday lives we are altering our perceptions from the beginning instead of having that stigma attached to a letter grade or always being judged on our performance. I know that during my time at Full Sail there have been instructors who have tried to teach us this valuable lesson and it is hard not to be ultimately concerned with that letter grade, but I do try to look at just doing the best that I can on a project versus being concerned with the score I will receive on it.

You hit on chapter four as well, which I loved on being a contribution and how each of us can contribute in our lives on a daily basis. It doesn't always have to be something big to show that you have been a contribution to those around you. If you just take an opportunity to be a value to society and make a daily contribution you can be amazed at how something so small can make you as a person feel so big. I know that when I was leading Girl Scout troops for five years that I tried to instill this in them through community service projects that we scheduled. Going and singing Christmas carols to a group of senior citizens who may not have anyone else, donating Girl Scout cookies to our troops overseas, and even just helping other young girls with arts and crafts projects to get them interested in the world of Girl Scouts helped them all to make some small contribution to those around them. It made me feel good about not only what they were doing as they made those contributions, but how they grew to be a better person because of those contributions. 

Kristi's original blog post:

My Contribution

I love Zander’s idea that a leader does not doubt peoples’ abilities to do what it is they are to do. As I look at education I ask, What if all teachers believed in the abilities of all of their students? How would education change? Stop thinking about everything along the way, and see the big picture. Have a vision, a long line, and see it through! How would education change?

Zander’s video on Ted was moving and showed the connection possible for classical music through Zander’s determination and perception.  His connection to the conductor as a person to make others powerful, and make others feel it is possible. I loved his question: Who am I being if my children’s eyes are not shining?  I hope to take this and use it in the classroom. I want a classroom with children’s eyes shining.

The idea of enhancing our quality of life and the quality of life for those around us as we have the power is really meaningful to me. I think this year has been eye opening for me as I look and understand perception and the big part it plays in each of our version of reality. I have looked at this through my Masters courses, my own Bible study, through the students I teach, and now this book. It is amazing how life opens something up to us, and we see it all around. I see this as the power of God.  In this book, I feel the importance of perception and I love thinking about how our brains constructs our reality, and how that reality is just ours, we can not know if it is the reality that is real, or created, because our brain constructs our own thoughts. The idea of it all being a story we tell, can change our own thoughts about every situation. For me, the closer I become to God, the more I want his will, this leads me try to be a better person, think about others feelings, and desire good. I love the idea in the book of setting the context and letting life unfold

I loved the thoughts on giving an A, not just in the classroom but also in the everyday world. It is so true that we measure everyone according to a standard measure. When we can believe everyone has a unique gift to share, and that not all of us have the same gift, we can begin to accept and love people for who they are, learn from their gifts, and accept their differences, as well. I love the idea of giving A’s, looking at what is great about this person I meet that I can learn from, rather than comparing them to a standard measure I set.

I love the question, what did you achieve today becoming, how did I contribute today? So now I ask this of myself…How did I contribute today?

Creative Commons: an Educational Primer

This is a very interesting  article on EdReach that I feel goes perfectly with our copyright topic last week if any of you would like to check it out:
Creative Commons: an Educational Primer

Wk2 reading – Art of Possibility

Hands from Clker.com

As I read our reading assignment this week in the book, "The Art of Possibility" by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander, I was particularly struck by chapters 3 and 4 on "Giving an A" and "Be a Contribution".  Wouldn't it be something if every educator just started giving A's to students to watch how their perspectives changed and/or evolved?  Personally I feel that would be easier said than done, but in courses where you can use project-based or game-based learning I feel that it is an easy fit.  It is more the creative based course like Music, Art, Graphic Design, Photography, etc... that allow for the actual effort put in to the work to show in the final result of the project and therefore to allow for that feeling of accomplishment. I know that most of us are used to tying that letter grade to our sense of achievement to show others and tell ourselves that we did a great job, but I have learned a lot through my time here at Full Sail in the EMDT program that while yes it is wonderful to see that letter grade it is not what defines me or my work.  That is a very hard concept to get across to students who are used to always being judged by others on the work they do. I loved working on my Action Research project because it involved using a game to teach social skills, which allowed for the participants to not receive a "grade" for the work they did, but instead to have that sense of accomplishment on a job well done whenever they successfully completed a quest/mission in the game no matter how many times they had to do it over again to get it right.  After all isn't that what we should want to instill in students is that no matter how many times they have to do something to get it right that once they have that "aha" moment and it finally clicks it teaches them that they can do it and they feel as if they actually accomplished something in the process. 

As far as the fourth chapter on being a contribution I feel that everyone should strive to do this in their life.  As teachers I would hope that all of us are a contribution not only to our students, but to our colleagues as well.  I feel that it is important to be a contribution to society, our friends and family, and others around us and I try to live my life thinking in that manner.  I know it is hard when we always seem to be so busy with our daily lives to just take a minute and try to help others with theirs, but it is what makes us different and better people.  I have been unemployed since last February and believe me it has been very tough over the past year, but I still try to contribute to those around me. I would rather help others than sit and dwell on how miserable I can and would be if all I did was think about how worthless I felt for being unemployed and not supporting my family.  Life is funny that way, on the differences a positive versus a negative outlook can have on a persons life.  

This book just helped me affirm what we could and should be teaching our children, our future, to help them be a better person as reflected in their contributions to society and the actual pride they get from a job well done versus what grade they may be given on it.  I feel more people should have that outlook on life.  What did I do today?  I made a birthday cake for a friend who was down because no one at work remembered her birthday yesterday.  I contributed!  What have you done today?    

Schoology Presentation on Guild Wars 101 Unit for LMO course

Check out how you can use gaming in the classroom

Are you interested in using gaming to teach in your classroom?  You should check out the great work that Lucas Gillispie has done with his WoW in School project as well as the flyer below: 

http://wowinschool.pbworks.com/f/PCSGaming_Flyer.pdf

James Paul Gee on Games and Learning

Check out this Podcast with James Paul Gee on Games and Learning:

http://edreach.us/2011/05/04/edgamer-episode-10-games-and-learning-with-james-gee/

Wk 1 Wimba Session Archive

I found that the Wimba archive had a lot of redundant information that we had already reviewed in the intro videos we were supposed to have watched before the session for week one. There was some new helpful information and questions asked by other students in the course to help make some clarifications.  I did however, hear some helpful information on our Literature Review, which I had already turned in prior to the Wimba session that does worry me a bit.  I did not put the extra "return" between each paragraph.  I only put it between each subsection per the checklist.  I also did not know to not put the page break between the literature review and the references, so I am worried about that as well.  Apparently I will need to make a few more adjustments to it before it is web ready.  I did email Jason though after watching the archive to see what I should do.

I did appreciate how in depth the discussion went into the AR project from the literature review, to the website, and on to the abstract itself.  It does allow us the opportunity to begin letting the wheels turn on what is coming up so that we are better prepared.  It was good to know that we shouldn't copy and paste our learning domains into the cycles from the ADDIE process.  I did that during my cycle one and will have to go back to correct it.  I will as well have to go back and move my data to the bottom of the prompts per the Wimba discussion, so this has given me some helpful information.  

I can honestly say that I am a bit nervous about the publishing/leadership project.  I would rather do a presentation, but I find that I am still not very comfortable with speaking in front of others.  I am still tossing the idea back and forth with myself, but I do see the benefit and purpose of this project.  This session was helpful though in that I did learn quite a bit about this leadership project so that I can be better prepared.  I look forward to making my blog post now discussing which of these I will choose. 

Wk 1 comment #2 - David Remillard

Response to David Remillard

David,

I love the idea of teaching students how to become "good digital citizens." I used to do things like this with my Girl Scout troop. I completely agree that we as teachers to need to share in the responsibility of teaching our students about the copyright laws along with its fair use. It sounds like you are already getting a good handle on this and even giving your students other avenues to explore in obeying these copyright laws. I do feel that it would be easier as an educator though to have one of those little books that was shared with us in the videos we watched this week to help give us an overview of exactly what we should be teaching our students in regards to copyright considering the digital age we are in.  

Original Post:

 

Wk1 reading: copyright issues: "Digital literacy and digital citizenship has been a recent topic among the faculty at my school. We want students to be able to find digital content and be able to analyze its validity. The phrase good digital citizen has many meanings depending on the context that you are using it in. One area that I have been focusing on is copyright laws and how this relates to my students being good digital citizens. In the education field I see photos being pulled off the Internet without any mention of the artists or link to the original photograph. Students dragging and dropping photos into a project without any understanding of the copyright laws or fair use rights for education. This weeks reading on copyright issues identify and describe the key points that students and teachers should know. Teachers should be giving students resources to copyright free material. Students should understand what can be copyrighted and what cannot be. When we look at copyright issues students today are producing more video projects to present during class time. I find they choose popular songs recorded by artists and do not have permission to use their music. By offering students alternative ways to produce their own original music for soundtracks or introductions to presentations we are fostering more creative projects but also educating students how to be a good digital citizen. Copyright issues go beyond the classroom when you look at school district performances, battle of the bands, and dances for fundraisers. In conjunction with our town officials we pay a licensing fee to broadcast music Inc. that gives the artists and composers royalties for the music that we will broadcast during special events. This is a general blanket that covers the town and the school district to perform without infringing on copyright laws. Finally the keyword still is education. Teachers need to understand the black-and-white of copyright laws and teach students how to access media responsibly."

Wk 1 comment #1 - Michael Wood

My response on Michael's blog

I can totally relate to your experience of drawing pictures from comic books when you were younger. I have always loved to draw and that is partially what got me into web design. I spent many a day drawing images from magazines, books, television, or whatever else interested me at that moment in time. My daughter has now followed in my footsteps, but has so much more media available to her to create even more than I ever could.

I agree that many teachers do not emphasize to students that they shouldn't use copyrighted images or for that matter what is even considered copyrighted. My daughter is taking a graphic design course this year and they have had discussions over copyright, which I feel is appropriate given the type of course that it is.

I also agree that Creative Commons is a blessing even though as you stated it can be rather difficult to find exactly the type of images you are looking for, but it is getting better. There are so many graphic sites available on the internet, but they are very costly as you mentioned. Even as a web designer the only way I am able to use those graphics on my clients websites is to charge them for the additional costs. I do think that having a resource available for teachers and students to use that is similar to those other sites, at perhaps a more feasible price range would be more beneficial to a lot of people. It is a thought and considering all the photography and art students there are in the schools around the world, one that I think could work.

Michael Wood's MAC-Copyright Response original post:

Wk1 Reading: Copyright Issues

Being in an industry for the past 15 years that requires you to be creative and observe those copyright laws I can understand where a lot of the reading this week comes from. My web design business has been around since 1996 and I can readily admit to being in that group of people who believed several of the "big myths" revolving around copyrighting when I first began in this business. Basically I had an incident with a wedding website that I was creating where an image I used as the logo per the client was apparently a copyrighted image created by someone else. Long story short, I had to agree to remove the image after proof of copyright and learned to be a bit more careful from that point forward.

There was so much information given to us during the reading and videos this week on copyright information that it was almost overwhelming. However, much of the information was helpful to answer many questions that have always just sort of loomed out there in the world of copyright law. I know that during our time here at Full Sail University we have been told not to use copyrighted material without prior permission and that we are better off creating our own original images, music, etc... I know that Creative Commons has become many of our friends throughout the EMDT program and something I had not heard of before this program. 

The duration of time that a copyright lasts surprised me (lifetime +70 years or 100 years for a company). That along with the logistics of what can be determined as "fair use" can be confusing. As an educator there are time when you just want to use a clip of something because it can help get your point across to the students using something they have likely seen before or are familiar with to help build a connection to the subject matter, but that is where you apparently have to be careful. While it was noted that Teachers were one of the four different areas that could use copyrighted material it also was noted that if the lesson could be taught without that material then it would not be considered "fair use". It all sounded like a lot of lawyer speak and verbal jargon to confuse the masses in order to keep them scared about using copyrighted material.

That is where Creative Commons comes into play. I love the ability to search for images on Creative Commons and find ways that I can use them and share them with others in my own work. I also am thankful for the opportunity to add my own works to Creative Commons in order to share my work with others and allow them to use it through whatever licensing I choose. Being in the web design business I have found that this offers me a great new opportunity to license my works and share them with others. I can also see this as being a very useful avenue for educators as well.

After watching Larry Lessig’s TED Talk about Remix Culture, I find that my daughter is one of those teenagers who uses her creative video remixes as a means to "be heard" so to speak.  For the past several years she has been creating these remixes using popular songs and anime videos that she remixes together as well as some of her own Flash creations to share what I consider to be a great talent with others.  Now I worry about the copyright repercussions to her works that she shares freely on her YouTube channel and her Facebook page.  In my opinion taking that creativity away from our children is as bad as removing the creativity from schools.  She is currently taking Graphic Design and her teacher has told the students that if they change and image by more than 75% from the original image that they are not breaking any copyright laws.  How true this is I am still unsure of even after reviewing all of our reading this week, but I do know that at least she is getting some copyright knowledge while she is expressing her creativity.  I just know that as a parent and educator that I feel it would be wrong to stifle this creativity and from allowing our youth to express themselves in one of the only ways they know how and that is through the digital technology that is so easily accessible to them.