Day 12

Be clear, be quick, be gone! I will remember that mantra and reiterate it to my students! Most of the articles in Presenters University emphasize using the audience's time wisely. There is nothing worse than to leave a long presentation where it feels time was wasted. No one wants to feel that!

The tips for reaching a young audience are practical. I find myself thinking about the dynamics for the relationships formed in classrooms today. There is a fine line between being a buddy and being a mentor sometimes. I try to think of myself as a mentor instead of an authority in the classroom. I want my advice and lessons to be remembered. Besides, I probably won't be remembered, but the skills that students come away with will be with them forever. And, I try to be myself. I didn't see that particular advice in the second article, but it is good to remember to be real! Fakes stick out like sore thumbs among a group of teens.

Day 11

Now I understand why we always have a reflection piece with the work we turn in! I have always believed it useful, but now I see that is the norm across the educational community. These articles helped me to understand sources for portfolio contents and the file structure for those contents. As I'm reading these articles, I can't help but think about how I would explain this process to my students. I would have to teach them file structure and some software. I think I would make all the platforms the same--probably powerpoint. I wonder if digital portfolios could be created in google docs so that we don't have to use server space? Students could make me a collaborator and then future teachers could be made collaborators. Hey! Then the teacher wouldn't have to move students digital folders around--the students would be responsible for it! I have had trouble using google for its presentation program, but this would be an interesting idea! Then any computer could read it and the student could change it around from anywhere!! Can students save movies to google, too, and use that in presentations? I will have to find out!!

Day 10

I'm conviced that ePortfolios have much relevance in my classroom. I appreciate the tips on "working backwards" by asking the questions that decipher goals and objectives. As I'm reading I'm thinking of the possibilities with my students. Perhaps making it a year long assessment where the culmination is really the product in May will keep students motivated at the end of the year. They could have some time to re-do projects that didn't turn out as well as they had hoped. My only drawback is that the computer lab is booked at the end of the year for district assessments. I'll have to think the logistics through. Oh to have a laptop for every student in the classroom!!

It is nice to see that others have gone before and developed ePortfolios! It is strange that a neighboring country uses portfolios whereas we use standardized tests. I wonder if there is any research that can delineate the differences between students that graduate in BC and ones that graduate in the US.

Day 9 - portfolios

The first article had many examples linked to it, but none of the ones I tried had working links. Bummer! I would really like to look at some of the sources, especially the one that lists universities with portfolio requirements. I wonder if it is for undergrads or professors. It might be an idea to start my seniors with ePortfolios.

The second article was the same. I had to download a program to see the video, but I would rather not do that on my home PC. I will have to come back to this one!

I found the discussion on paradigm shift to be very interesting. Portfolios that reflect the acheivement against standards, and the portfolio that show what the student has learned according to goals they have or have set for them. It is hard to make the distinction on paper, but I think I understand the important differences.

Eportfolios seem to be the way to go, so to speak, when recording information about a student's progress. It would support the constructivist philosophy of teaching. The struggle I sometimes have with traditionally minded students is that they want the answers and the questions and then a test. That is learning to them because that is what they are good at. I have been brainstorming ways to counter that culture. Eportfolios would support that goal.

Day 8

ePortfolios are a wonderful innovation that I want to try. I don't yet have the resources to make it work--we just have one overused lab at work.  However, I could do it on a lesser scale than the amount of work in the paper and pencil portfolio.  We keep DAP folders that catalog student work from freshman through senior year.  They aren't considered very important by students if they don't use them very much. I confess I haven't been very consistent with them. If I could put students in charge of "filing" their own work on a computer, it would be more practical.  

We also have the issue of lost or misplaced folders. We have to figure out how to get them from one teacher to another when students have various teachers. If we kept all work in a folder on the server and then could go in and just move the folders, it might be easier and more accurate.

Teacher portfolios were in vogue when I graduated with my BS in 1997. I created one and it was handed back to me with the comment that my cover was not creative enough.  I liked it. It was simple with a picture of me and my name. Hmm.  An ePotfolio might give me more incentive to be creative, or perhaps my way of doing things would be more acceptable.

Day 7

Being well-prepared is the most important factor in communicating successfully. To prepare, a person can rehearse in several different ways. My favorite way is to rehearse in the car.  I recently sang at a two funerals and I never had a free minute at home to rehearse. So I rehearsed in the car.  My kids loved hearing me sing, so it was a good time to get in some practice time.  My first day of school lecture is in writing. I reread my notes every year and make appropriate changes. I have a power point I show along with my speech.  First impressions are very important, so I make sure that I am prepared to make the appropriate one!

Deductive reasoning has proven best for me, as the article indicates.  I have seen a few teachers use the inductive method and the audience loses some trust when that happens.  I definitely don't want to lose trust with my students.

Making a conclusion is important. I often skimp on this so I need to be more cognizant of this.

Day 6

Following just a few simple steps can produce pictures of higher interest.  I like pictures that are a little "off" but I can't always tell you why. Lighting is very important in nearly every tip. Using the flash even during the day is recommended, which is something I rarely do! I will just have to carry extra batteries!

The ideas for photo-enhanced learning were good ones.  It was quick, easy, and took little additional time!  These are all must-have considerations when I consider incorporating new ideas in my classroom.

I have used a scanner before, but this was a useful tutorial if I need for students at some point.