Final Project

Here's the presentation for my final project, hosted on Google Document:



I like integrating technology into my curriculum because it makes it more interesting, it promotes after-hour learning and collaboration. I also feel that technology is one of the survival skills that we must have in today's world and beyond.

I started experimenting with Web tools five years ago, and this year, I started experimenting with PBWiki. I've tried wikispaces a couple of years back, but I did not like the interface and all the little things you need to know in order to do your layout, so I abandoned it. I started using wikispaces again last semester, and pleasantly surprised, I found the interface much easier to use. The best part is that it also supports many other forms of technology (video, images, etc.)

I started planning and testing out what I can do with PBWiki. Besides that it's free, I chose PBWiki for its simple and clean interface. Another reason is that the name is easy to remember. I tell my students "Peanut Butter Wiki," to make them laugh, and to make the name stick!

So what did I do?

• I experiment using it for my own use, to host resources/lessons I created, found, and to keep track of all the various tools.
• I also use it to create an information site for the class. This site included materials I created, classroom management materials, school policies, a chat room, student work showcase pages.
• I then created PBWiki sites for the students to collaborate. Students can share the sentences they create and also post questions. Other students can help correct the sentences and post answers. I also come in to do the accuracy check and to provide feedback.

Based on student's positive response (extra credit helped to get it started), I see that Wiki can be a great place for the students to get information. Students have also requested that I put up my powerpoint files, so, instead of posting files on Communicado, our mandated teacher-student-parent interaction website, it makes much more sense to post the files on Wiki. From one idea of increasing student participation and interaction, it now became my final project idea: creating a wiki site to supplement the Communicado. Communicado will provide a place where I can post grades and communicate with parents/students with no email addresses. Wiki will be a central place where all the curriculum-related materials and student participation/collaboration.

One other good point is that teachers can now share resources with much ease.

Here's our skeleton training site with two samples:
http://carlmont.pbworks.com/

Direct links to the two samples:
Chemistry: http://carlmont.pbworks.com/Chemistry-Sample
Chinese: http://carlmont.pbworks.com/Chinese-Sample

Here's the link to the suggested structure to a teacher site:
http://mschiang2004.pbworks.com/FrontPage
(Please note that not every page has content, as this is created to provide a sample)

Web2.0 & Education

The web has revolutionize the way we communicate. Web 2.0 now is revolutionizing education.

Education is no longer being delivered just in the classroom settings. It is multi-directional where the teachers and students and the public can all communicate through the power of "Cloud Computing." Instructors and learners are no longer required to be in the same classroom, same city, or even the same country. To a certain extend, they don't even have to be on the same planet! The instruction materials are now in multi-media/digital forms: text, images, video and audio clips, flash animations, comic strips, etc. The list goes on and on.

For a very long time, distant-learning has been just emails and postings between the instructors and students. Real-time interaction is really not an easy option. Look at where we are now! Instant messengers, online chatrooms, VoIP services, and web video conferencing are addded to the plain, old text-based communications. How exciting it is for the learners!

Modern day students grew up with media. They need that type of stimulation and to sustain their interest. We must recognize the characteristics of this generation and creating a rich learning experience for our students to faciliate their learning. We can not continue to think the way we learned should continue to work for our students. I am not advocating abandoning the traditional teaching methodology. I am simply saying that technology must be considered, incorporated, and utilized by both the learners and instructors to improve the quality of our education!

Interface Design Critique: ToonDoo.com

On Information Design

• Potential users:  
• people, specifically, children who want to create and share their creative work.
  
• people who like to read and comment on comics.
• Information chunk:  There's not too much text to read.  However, the front page is a bit overwhelming with all hte information available, even though a big chunk of the page is cartoon.
  
• Relevance: The site's front page is a bit busy, but the information does pull you in. 
  
• Labeling:  Clear labeling for the global navigation.  The secondary navigation labels are not as clear. There is also text rollover on the images.
  
• Consistency:  The navigation is very consistent with a global navigation bar on top using colors.
  
• Detail: The front page seems a bit information overload whereas the others are not as busy.
  
• Other comments: You can't see much without logging in.
  

On Interactivity:

• Orientation: It's pretty easy to navigate around.
• Navigation: The global and secondary are pretty easy to follow.
• Functionality: It works.
• Information access: You can get to the main functions from the global navigation or the little icons on the upper right corner.

On screen Design:

• Attractive:  It looked busy to me and not very "professional." However, it is a site geared towards kids.
• Color: Very colorful.
• Layout: Pretty easy to follow.
• Readability:  Text size is a bit small but does not interfere with my reading the site.

China Trip

Here's a quick video to share with you about my group's China Trip.

What can a HS teacher do with an ITEC degree?

As a high school teacher, what I learn in the ITEC program can help me improve my teaching experience.

Let's first hear what the students have to say:

With the education from ITEC, you can:

• Increase students learning interest level
• Make the class more fun
• Design multiple-intelligence projects
• Design lessons that are technology-fail-proof
• Utilize the students prior knowledge
• Make your teaching "Green"
• Be "hip" and on the same (tech) page with the students
• Show result of your and your students' hard work

Web 2.0 ToonDoo

Since I was out of the country when web 2.0 Conference was going on, I am including one example of the tools that I use in my curriculum: ToonDoo.com.

After finishing the lesson, I asked the students to work as a team to complete a project of Comic Strips:

1. They work as teams to create a dialogue.
   
2. They divide up the work to create a panel of comic strip each. They can send the panels individually or create a book.
   
3. Practice the dialogue and present to the class.

Here's an example of the Comic book:

chinese2mrsh	ordering/eating at the cafeteria § the restaurant

L12 - Dining by chinese2mrsh | Make Your Own At www.toondoo.com

Here's a sample of one strip with 3 panels:

by Nemsae | Create your own Cartoon at www.toondoo.com

In addition to sharing them with students, teachers, parents, and administrators, I also use them to review grammar and vocabulary words.  Since these are story-based, it makes a lot more sense to the students when I explain how to use certain things.

Enjoy and let me know how I can improve the use of this technology in my curriculum.

Games and Civic Engagement

While listening to the presentation about computer games and civic engagement, one thing struck me: kids who were already active or interested in civic engagemnet were the ones playing those strategy or civilization building games.  So if they were already interested, what is being done to interest kids who are otherwise not interested in civic engagement through these games?  Wouldn't that be the whole point about encouraging or taking advantage of an existing technology to teach students/people lessons and skills and benefit our socity?

How is playing the games helping the kids who are already interested in civic engagement?  I know that they experience decision making under multiple considerations, but is this skill/experience transferrable in real situations?  Do these kids make better leaders in the future?  Is there any data?  I hope there will be studies done on them....