Implementation 1. Embed video

Got to say, to embed a video is rather easy. Easier than I thought it would be. I embedded one below and two in my previous post. When it comes to video, I think it makes more sense to embed a video in a document rather than simply linking to it. I know for myself...I'm lazy. I absolutely dislike having to navigate all around the web when I'm reading something or looking for something online. If I'm at one page and there links on that page to go elsewhere, I hardly follow those links. I want my information to be all in one place. Maybe, as I'm getting older I'm developing ADD, because as soon as I take a link from one page I start examining all the links and then I'm farther away from what I was looking up in the first place. I could have been searching or reading about about Krebs Cycle and then find myself looking at a YouTube video of insects or spiders laying their eggs in somebody's head. Then I question myself, how on earth did I end up here?

So for me, if my information can be all at one place, it makes my life that much easier. So, as it pertains to embedding a video, I think it'll ease distractions of getting lost on the web. I know I can't be the only one suffering from this lack of focus and attention while online. However, if I could, I would make one change to embedding videos, especially YouTube videos. I would not add the selection of related videos that appear at the end of the video you just watched. When I see those, my ADD kicks in again.

Doing things in a different way and doing different things. (Torres and Henderson).

I appreciated what these two had to say. Our educational system is very open to adapting new technologies but unfortunately, we are not as open to adapting or changing our methodology as our technology changes. As Mark Pesce points out in Those Wacky Kids and as many teachers will say, our students are not growing up in the same world that teachers grew up in. Our students not only use technology but are immersed in it. But our educational system only uses technology to do the same things that we have always done, "read pages 1 - 10 and do questions 1 - 4". 

I work in a small school, and as stated in an earlier blog post, have a smal budget. A few years ago, my school invested in purchasing the Promethean line of interactive whiteboards and to purchase as many accessories as we could within our budget. All classrooms are equipped with those boards. I have only one word to describe the use of those boards, WOW! Using this technology for about 4 years now and I do not know if I could ever go back to using just a whiteboard. I don't know if I would even remember how to use it. At this point, my whiteboard serves as a place for me to post bulletins, student work, a place where students can doodle, etc.

Along with the purchase of these whiteboards the school purchased learner response devices, ActivExpressions. These devices allow the student to respond, to be engaged, and to contribute to the class in meanigful ways. Since using these devices and learning to use these devices, I have noticed a marked increase in students getting involved and contributing to the class. An example, part of my morning procedure as I let students into class they have to respond to a "morning thought" posted on the board. I have been doing this for a long time but since doing it in "real time" and with a "technological device" rather than pen and paper, I have seen greater student involvement with the learning material. Responses that I get are more thought infused than I have ever seen before. Also, with using these devices, students are able to see other responses and are then able to get further involved with other students thoughts as well.

Recently, after collaborating with another teacher who also uses these devices, suggested that I try a virtual scavenger hunt.  I can send my students with the devices in hand and they answer questions that appear on their devices. Questions can range from collecting to identifying to whatever you may want to ask. Could I do this pen and paper? Yes, I could but the level of engagement and involvement would not be as high as I see it to be with using these devices.