Mind Mapping, Chunking, and Wordle, OH MY!

Okay, working with Gliffy isn't as glamorous as MindMeister, but a bit more user friendly. I was able to create a mind map, edit the text, and work relatively smoothly, but Gliffy is not free....so I won't bother studying it too much! :) I also see that Webspiration looks a LOT like Kidspiration...

So Sandy, let me know if you'll offer a training on MindMeister. I'll be the first to sign up, because I definitely see a fantastic use for mind maps...just a few ideas:

*Class discussions/review on topics studied with a focus on categorizing ideas clearly. When we discuss an explorer, for instance, like Ponce De Leon, a mind map could be developed with headings like:
Childhood, Training, Adventures in the Caribbean, Arrival in Florida...okay, you get the idea.

*Note taking
*Vocabulary development
*Story planning

And the ability to integrate graphics while doing so.

All of these ideas allow teachers and students to learn how to "chunk" material into manageable files. Chunking helps ideas stick...and any visual aide I can provide would be a helpful tool for me to instruct/review with, as well as a fantastic skill for students to learn to utilize on their own as they become accustomed to developing them.

Wordle, being a favorite of the students', is a great way to enhance what we are learning. After reading through many of Sandy's recommended sites, here are a few ways I plan to incorporate wordle....as long as it's not overkill. :)

*A getting to know you activity! After spending a great deal of time devoted to instructing students on various individual learning styles and individual strengths the first week of school, wordle could be used for students to highlight those qualities. Another option would be for students to type in their strenths/interests in larger font, their perceived weaknesses in small font. We'll see what I think the more I ponder that idea...here's another interpretation I found:

Personal information - You could get your students to each create a text about themselves and then turn it into a word cloud. You could them put the clouds up around the class and see if the students could identify each other from the cloud. They could exchange clouds and use them to introduce each other.

*As we progress in our studies of the Six Traits, I think it would be a great idea for the students to copy/paste in a story or informational paragraph they have written into wordle. It would allow them to see what words are repeated often (tired of the word "then", anyone?).

*Beginning of the year activities....classroom mission, rules, expectations, responsibilities, character values, etc.

*I love the idea of pasting in a summary or list of character traits of an upcoming book into wordle. It would be fantastic to show the wordle to the children and hear their predictions of what the story might be about...or whether or not they think they'd like the character in question.

*A wordle could be created to describe a person, culture, National Park, or state studied in class.

Mind Mapping

Soooooo, I'm attempting to use MindMeister to create a mind map of the conference I just got back from and things are getting hairy. I think having Diigo "on" while I'm working on MindMeister is working against me. Each time I click to edit, Diigo thinks I want to highlight the page, keeping me from being able to work within MindMeister. So, I turned off Diigo...things have been going better, but I'm still a bit frustrated.

I love using Mind Maps, but find that using Kidspiration requires a lot of editing to...
make the map readable
set the font/bubble design
ensure the mind map stays centered
print on one page...

In essence, unless you're very comfortable with Kidspiration, you spend a lot of time working on the format instead of the content. So, I was eager to try an online version, with droplist arrows that were easier to follow. MindMeister is just that...but I'm still not getting it easily.

As silly as it sounds, I can't edit the text to increase/decrease the font. Now, the whole blasted thing is confusing me...I can't seem to add a new idea or a note. In fact, I just typed a note and have no idea where it went.

Okay. I need Sandy. I think the more I work, the more confused I get about why I can't get all the pieces to work. Hmmm...will try another program and see if I can get it to cooperate.

Wordle

Okay, so I'm a slacker! June has been such a busy month for me...and I know trying to squeeze this in at night has gotten the best of me. Anyhow, after reading about some alternate uses of Wordle in the last 10 minutes or so, I decided to create one. Sadly, the last thing I watched on tv was Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, so naturally, I'm starving and can't stop thinking about food...really bad food. Thus...the wordle...

Assignments for 21st Century Learners

Ian Jukes's statement about 21st century learners, The starting point is to understand how much differently they learn from the way we learn and then to reconsider what we can do to modify what we teach and how we teach it and how we assess learning, struck a cord with me. It sums up what we need to do concisely.

As I develop projects and lessons for my students both by myself and with my teammates, I believe we are working toward including 21st century skills. Including these skills in our assessments is more challenging. I believe it would be helpful for us to investigate solid examples of projects that incorporate the appropriate skills. The more exposure I have to great examples, the easier it will be for me to modify what I currently teach.

I believe that our current project on the Explorers is a good example of the kind of work we should be doing. The children are required to read, think critically, evaluate their decisions, work cooperatively, and defend themselves while identifying the owners of mysterious trunks full of artifacts. Will my children remember what they learned two years from now? I believe so. Instead of regurgitating what they read, the children were required to use what they learned to identify an explorer's belongings.

The easiest project we could modify to suit the needs of our students would be the state project. Initially following a read and regurgitate model, we have adapted how the children both gain information and how they present it to include more up-to-date methods of learning. However, it is still has the same read and regurgitate aura about it. What we need to to do is identify:

*What is the point of the project?
*What skills are we expecting our students to learn?
*Are these skills pertinent to today's learners?
*How can we engage our students?
*How can we evaluate their progress as well as our own teaching methods?

I think the challenge for us is that state research is dry and what is available online is usually not suited for young children. Perhaps our state project, instead of being modified, should be thrown out altogether and we should start anew.

What I also need to consider is the varying instructional methods and assessment tools that incorporate both right and left brained processes. I suppose that as I attempt to tackle revamping, improving, and adjusting my instruction, it would be most helpful for me to see examples from successful teachers. So....where are those teachers and point me in their direction! :)

21st Century Learners

While we continue to expect our students to be flexible, incorporate criticism and feedback from teachers, manage their time, maintain a strong work ethic, and work well with their peers, as we examine our instructional practices, it is helpful to consider what future these children will face. The world is changing quickly, and it has become clear that today's students need teachers to modify their instruction to fit their learning needs.

1. In order to prepare our students for the future, it is essential we help them to develop their ability to think creatively. Students should be able to develop, refine, and evaluate their ideas critically as well. Being able to maximize creative ideas within a group is imperative.

2. More importantly than memorizing facts, today's learners need to develop and strengthen a wide range of problem solving skills.

3. Students should be developing their abilities to work with others. Being able to communicate clearly, listen to others' view points, and work collaboratively

What is Web 2.0?

Whereas Web 1.0 refers to websites where viewers are passive participants on the receiving end of information, Web 2.0 allows the viewers to interact with the website in question. Instead of simply retrieving information, here, you are allowed to enhance, edit, manipulate, and/or actively contribute to the content of the website you are viewing.