Wiki World

Parallel Play or Collaboration–

Leveraging the Wiki Platform for High Quality Work

Paula White tweeted a question about real interactions with students and wikis. "How can we get students deeply involved in a contemporary world of connectivity?" Paula found a wiki online. It described wikis as being 'geographically agnostic' stating that they encouraged brainstorming, this is lovely. But what are some ways to use the wiki? On this wiki, it had some examples of how they are used in the classroom: a place to collaborate on notes, group collaboration, and teachers on best practices. Paula believed that these lacked enough student involvement, therefore not engaging the students to truly utilize the wiki.

Paula discsusses leveraging the platform wikis for higher quality learning. What are the wikis' purpose? Wikis can be an important collaboration or parallel play. Collaberation is a process of shared creation, creating something new. Wiki's are motivating and allow us to share our passions. Discovering the students' passions and letting them explore what they like will create authentic student interaction. The student's in Paual's classroom share their passions on her classroom wiki site; ranging from mathematics to video game hubs. Engagement, interaction, sharing, building, growing these are all words that help describe wiki.

I have been introduced to the world of wikis this semester; I did not understand the wikis importance. I like the process of creating something new for the digital world to see and the feedback received from people (the interaction). We can learn so much from one another if we share and collaborate together. Paula supports this collaboration process, because she sees how it can be utilized to truly benefit the student's and engage them. Student's attentions spans are limited these days and we have to find new ways to keep them interested as our world changes and advances. I was somewhat afraid of the direction technology was taking before taking this class, but after discovering on my own how beneficial it can be my views changed. It can be utilized the wrong way, just like many things in the world; but when it is used for good, like creation and collaboration, it can help the world.

I love the idea of creating a wiki space for my students! I would like for them to share different artists, styles, mediums, pieces of artwork that they like (current) and (historical), as well as, sharing their artwork own personal artwork. The students in my classroom will always be encouraged to create, share, and collaborate and what a better place to do that on, than with a wiki :D

Sam Chameleon

Digital Youth Portrait: Sam

Sam is a chameleon, able to adapt and change with her technological surroundings. A World of Warcraft warrior, social butterfly on Myspace, eBook reading machine, musically inclined and advanced, seventh grade, technological guru of her heyday. Most of us have dreams. Well, Sam's dream is to be a director, sparked by being gifted a video camera when she was little. This piece of technology opened up a digital path in Sam's life. She chose to follow down this virtual road and embrace it. Sam maintains a balance between school, socializing, and utilizing digital media; some examples, texting, eBooks on iPhone, Wii, Youtube, World of Warcraft, MySpace, and Opensimulator. At school, she is involved in activities like band.



When Sam was a little girl she practiced playing a virtual piano through a program, and now plays with the greatest of ease.


Sam has learned numerous skills while using digital media involving, problem-solving, critical-thinking and team-work skills. If robots do ever become artifically intellegent and try to destroy humanity... I would like Sam's WoW warrior on my side, indeed.

When we are given things at a young age they can trigger interest or fascination in our lives. Sam's video camera was similar to my experience with art supplies. My mother would always give me different mediums to draw with. For example, as soon as I would get bored or loose interest using watercolors after a couple hours. She would switch the medium and give me markers, and I would continue to create. I contribute this switching of mediums during my youth, the reason for my success over the past few semesters in my studio classes - Still Life, Figure Drawing, 2d, 3d, and Color all of these require the experimentation and mastery of different materials (mediums - media). Our strengths, my mastery of different media and Sam's mastery of digital technology, may appear to be different, but they are driven by the same force, passion for what we love to do.

The future is headed in various directions, one direction is technology. So, if you are not in the technological know it maybe time to get acclimated and play catch up, if not we fall behind and slowly become digitally illiterate. Students who are interested in art should be introduced and educated at a younger age about graphic art/design. Right now, in certain Edmond, OK schools the introduction of the digital arts does not occur until 8th, 9th grade, or even later. I believe this material and involvement should begin in elementary school or the beggining of middle school, preparing the students earlier will give them a digital jump start.

Pecha Kutcha!

"SHOE SHOW"

For my Pecha Kutcha model presentation I decided to discuss the artwork that was in my first art show at the Shoe Gypsy this spring semester. The "Shoe Show" presentation goes into detail discussing some style, iconography, and different mediums of my artwork. I believe that pursuing what you love is crucial in enjoying your life fully and taking pride in what you do. I wanted to share this with other people and encrourage them to pursue careers they enjoy and love.

Pecha Kutcha "Shoe Show"

View more presentations from tnachelle.

Week 13 Class Scribe

In-class overview of blogs and video

The first blog we discussed was created by Wesley it covered Maria Knee’s New Hampshire classroom and their use of technology in her Kindergarten class. Two other blogs covered were Ipad magic? and Race to the Top?

The class watched a DJ Spooky's "Rebirth of a Nation" and discussed the video:

Q: Would this content be relevant in a classroom? What are the issues raised with historical videos like these?

A: The importance of these videos are to teach students to become critical thinking.

Steps of the Petcha Kutcha model presentation:

What is a Petcha Kutcha?

-The presentation will reflect upon the student, instructor, and the university, because they will be posted on our blogs.

*Pick a topic – Will need 20 slides (20 seconds per slide) You will have 6:40 for the presentation pick something that you are interested in or enjoy.

-Best presentations use large images, less text

*Select 20 images using your own photos, compfight, or flickrstorm ( for flickrstorm: click on 'advanced settings' – select 'photos for non-commercial use' – add images to the tray in flickrstorm – save all images into a new folder using “save picture as” right mouse click on image)

-Creating powerpoint with your saved images... go to 'insert' on the tabs and select 'photo album', it will allow you to upload the folder of images (saves time!)

-Saving the powerpoint... ‘save as’ under 97-2003 powerpoint presentation – use ppt file, no pptx (this is necessary for it to work properly in google docs)

-Upload in Google Documents when finished... Make sure you 'publish' your document – put on your blogger site (embedding the video and sharing the link for your google presentation) create new post and describe your Petcha Kutcha

**There is the option of presenting your googledoc presentation in class (week 14 or 15) OR you can record 20 second audio for each 20 slides using Slideshare or Voicethread and post on your blog.

Phonecasting

What is Phonecasting?

This allows you how to use a phone service to leave a voicemail creating an audio mp3file. To break it down… you can use phone to record, the website converts voice recorded message into an mp3 file, and then this mp3 will appear on the site where you are given a link to download, play and pause the mp3.

Friendly Reminder!

Everything is due week 15! Study smart and good luck with finals!