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= * I'm really impressed by your Wiki posts! Great images! *=

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-==As you know, Wikis are an excellent way for groups to work collaboratively. In this exercise, I would like you all to share your ideas on how a Wiki could be used in your grade or curriculum. I know many of you are planning on teaching at the younger grade levels, but please post an idea. Use the online Help and experiment!]] ======

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**In this exercise, I would like you to post somethings from the field of education. It can be just about anything related to education from both national and international news or sources. Please write at least a couple paragraphs.** ======

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-==Please post something below and put your name at the top of your section so we know who posted and so I can give you credit! Use the horizontal rule at the top to help divide the postings (button on the left of the Link button after you click Edit).]]**Please post something below and put your name at the top of your section so we know who posted and so I can give you credit! Use the horizontal rule at the top to help divide the postings (button on the left of the Link button after you click Edit).** ======

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-==Please include the following in your Wiki post:]]**Please include the following in your Wiki post:** ======

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-==1. Your ideas about using a Wiki (at least 75 words).]]**1. Post your information.** ======

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-==2. At least one link to another site.]]**2. Make a link to the source.** ======

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-==3. Insert a picture]]**3. Insert a picture if possible.** ======

__//**Note: Please begin posting under my name below.**//__

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-==Did you know the name Wiki was taken from the Hawaiian word Wiki-Wiki for very fast? Now for those of you who rode the Wiki-Wiki shuttle below at the airport.....how did you like it? If you ask me, I prefer a leisure walk!]]**Did you know the name Wiki was taken from the Hawaiian word Wiki-Wiki for //very fast//? Now for those of you who rode the Wiki-Wiki shuttle below at the airport.....how did you like it? If you ask me, I prefer a leisure walk!** ======

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-==Jon Nakasone]]Jon Nakasone ======

Mark McDonald


An article in the New York Times has begun explaining a new..old...well, recycled trend in pre-grade school education -- building blocks. In New York, blocks have been selling like hot cakes. Educators claim that the lo-fi teaching tool helps students build 21st century skills.

//"Studies dating to the 1940s indicate that blocks help children absorb basic math concepts. [| One published in 2001] tracked 37 preschoolers and found that those who had more sophisticated block play got better math grades and standardized test scores in high school. And a [|2007 study by Dimitri Christakis], director of the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children’s Hospital, found that those with block experience scored significantly better on language acquisition tests."//

Education companies are spotting the trend and have included several block related products to their inventories. Further, these blocks are no longer being used during recess time...they have comprehensive curriculum attached to them that supposedly have real world applications. Below is an excerpt on how a school is using this with its kindergartners.

//"At the Chapin School on the Upper East Side, where educators have spent the last several years weaving a comprehensive block program into kindergarten and first-grade math and social studies, students toiled together on a grocery store and a fancy hotel one recent morning, beneath a sign that read: “When Partners Disagree They Try for a Win-Win Solution.” Nearby was another sign, outlining a seven-step building guide, that looked as boardroom as it did classroom."//

I personally loved blocks growing up -- blocks, legos, lincoln logs -- I think this is a step in the right direction. Don't fix what's not broken.

//SOURCE:// http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/28/nyregion/with-building-blocks-educators-going-back-to-basics.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&pagewanted=2&adxnnlx=1322516815-M/TPc/Fy+XZVymw1bUvyTA

Joni Haraga
Being the technological immigrant that I am, I did not know how to find articles related to education. The closest source of information that I could find was news report on KITV4 News on the effectiveness of banning sodas in schools. On November 8, 2011, Madison Park, CNN reported that while schools are doing their best to ban sodas from schools, the students are able to find other ways to consume sugary drinks. The school policy bans sodas, but, not other sugary drinks such as juice, sports drinks and energy drinks. So, while students are not drinking sodas, they are are still consuming drinks that are not healthy. Also, another challenge to the ban is that the students are able to purchase sodas and sugary drinks off campus. School officials have not jurisdiction in this area. Are schools really helping students make healthy choices by merely banning soda? In the report, Parks reports that schools are doing the best that they can by setting the example. The decision to drink and eat healthy lies with the student. By banning soda, schools are teaching the students to make good, healthy choices. The actual learning must come from the student's actions. It is like the saying goes, "you can lead a horse to water, but, you cannot make him drink." The fact that schools have banned sodas is a great start to teaching students to live healthier lifestyles. The rest of the teaching and enforcing must come from family and society. In my household, I find that I am guilty as I open my can of Diet Coke while telling my children to drink milk or water. I too, must learn to drink and eat healthier and set a better example. The schools have the right idea and the best interest of our children in mind. So, too much the family unit and society.

Patti Yoneshige

I found an interesting article in //The New York Times// called, “High-Tech Help”, written by Lisa Guernsey. The article discusses how assistive technology can help students with learning disabilities participate and progress in their education, as it helps “level a playing field for individuals who would not be able to demonstrate their capabilities as learners” (as quoted in Guernsey, 2011). The article mentioned several different technological tools that help students with disabilities, such as the Dragon Dictate or Dragon Naturally Speaking, ReadingPen Advanced, Intel Reader, Kurzweil 3000, GhostReader, TextHelp Read and Write, Inspiration, Skoach, and SmartPen. These examples of assistive technological tools can help students with reading, writing, typing, even help organize ideas, and are considered important tools for students who struggle with learning disabilities, such as dysgraphia, ADHD, and dyslexia, as well as for blind and deaf students (Guernsey, 2011).

Although there are many benefits of using assistive technology for students with learning disabilities, there are experts who warn that not all products will be useful. Because there are many variations in disabilities, the usefulness of assistive technology depends on the severity of the disability. It is advised that parents and schools should consult the professionals who have evaluated the student before purchasing these expensive tools, as there are several different versions of each tool and the tool you choose may not necessarily help the student, but may end up hindering the student’s learning.

I found this article really interesting because I am planning to teach special education and it really helps to know what tools are out there that may help my students learn. I am also aware of what to be aware of now in regards to the different tools. I do notice more and more SPED students using some of the assistive tools, but I haven’t heard any comments on the tools’ effectiveness. Has anyone else tried using some of these tools or know of anyone who uses them now? What do you think of their effectiveness?

Guernsey, L. (2011, January 7). High-tech help. //The New York Times.// Retrieved from []



Sara Uyeno

Being an English major, and used to using the MLA format ('Works Cited' page), I still have a hard time using the APA format ('References' page). But, I'm improving and it is all because of the Purdue Online Writing Lab website. I was one to overtly say that between reading online material or reading hard copies, I prefer reading hard copies -- especially when reading about how-to-do something (because it is easier to flip-through and mark-up a hard copy than on a computer). However, picking between the online version or the book version of the __Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association__, I pick the online version. The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) website is a great tool for students. The tabs on the left of the Home page are easy to navigate through and give the right amount of information so you don't get lost or go on a tangent. They have clear examples under the citations.

[]

//If you haven't already, check OWL out!//

Since we're heading down the chimney (Ho, Ho, Ho!), I thought I'd thrown in this article, [|How to Save Money Buying a Computer and Other Electronics], which may be of interest to you. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Kristen Higo One of my goals as a teacher is to help my students to become global citizens who have an understanding of the world and their place in it. One way that I am working to meet this goal is to consistently integrate current events into the classroom. Last year my coworker introduced me to a great website called CNN Student News. This website provides a daily, ten minute summary of world news and national news. There is also a human interest type of story towards the end of the report. The reporter named Carl Azuz is very relatable and dynamic. The website also provides discussion questions, quizzes, and a blog for students to voice their opinions. While it is written more for middle school or high school students, my third graders still get a lot out of watching this program. Some of the news regarding politics is confusing for them, so we discuss it after watching the program. They are always very interested in the human interest stories. On one episode, there was a story about a man with prosthetic legs who wants to run in the upcoming summer Olympics. There is controversy because some argue that his prosthetic legs give him an unfair advantage. Many of my students are very involved in athletic activities and were excited to share their opinion of this issue. Overall, parents and students have responded very positively to the use of this website. I try to make sure that my students watch this newscast at least twice a week, but some of my students request that we watch it on a daily basis. Some parents have also told me that their child watches this newscast daily at home. They like that this program has increased their child's interest in current events. One student last school year found additional information about the tsunami in Japan after watching a story about it on the CNN Student News Report. He was excited about the information he found and asked to share it with the class. I will continue to use this site and look for additional current event sites as well.

CNN Student News

Dani Reid

TED.com publishes talks about groundbreaking, thought-provoking, and just plain mind blowing ideas and actions. The site is becoming more well known and very extensive in subject matter. There are videos of talks of all different lengths about things from leadership to paper cutting. You can search by subject or by keyword to find presentations by leading experts and visionaries from their fields. There are thousands of the presentations translated into 25 languages other than English, too!

In a classroom, TED talks could provide great insight into current events or developments in a subject that is being studied, or a nice break for your class during a hard day of work. There are deep philosophical discussions, and lighter more humorous ones, and everything in between. You could even find talks about issues that may be coming up in your class, like bullying, equality, and tolerance. As a teacher, you can also find videos that inspire YOU! You can keep yourself up to date with your subject field and with the teaching field. This will keep us from getting stale. In the science field, there are new discoveries and revisions to learn about every day, and in the arts, there are a million takes on a poem or a book or a historical discovery. We can brush up on what is going on all around the world in the things that matter to us. This is collaboration on a global level.

http://www.ted.com/media type="custom" key="11275626"

Laurie Stuart

The article I located describes a tool used for determining the effectiveness of technology in educational settings. With the massive amounts of money being spent on technology, we must assure that the money is being spent wisely so that the technology is used to benefit all students. Unfortunately, there is a great amount of technology that is purchased in schools that is not used either because it is not appropriate or because the teacher does not know how to use it herself.

The ICOT observation tool looks at the classroom setting, the activities being used, the NETS standards, and the amount of time the technology is being used to determine if the technology is being used effectively in the classroom and school.

[]

Kim Tom

**Technology in classrooms... is it the right time???**
The article that I found was from The New York Times called //Grading the Digital School: In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores.// This article points out that with all tough economic times when teachers are getting laid off and budget cuts being implemented schools are still purchasing expensive technological devices. Hoping to increase state as well as standardized test scores. Even though this is what most educators would like to see in classrooms the picture above is a school in Arizona, which their district invested $33 million to increase the amount of technology in classrooms. In hopes of creating a shift, turning teachers from boring presenters of lectures to educators who provide guidance to students to learn at their own speed and level but are we going about it in the right way and at the right time???

[]

Shauna Miyazono Two recent projects were conducted in Great Britain and Orange County to study the effects of using technology to teach math concepts. The results were very convincing for the application of technology. The first study, in Great Britain, involved using interactive whiteboards that had a positive effect on motivation and student attitudes toward learning math concepts. Visual images are animated which helps students to see what takes place in the math problem. Teachers felt the technology created a more collaborative learning environment because the students were taking more control over the lesson, like formulating the problem to be solved. Use of the technology creates a multi-sensory delivery of the lesson.

The use of the whiteboards and other technologies create visual images that some experts say stimulate certain parts of the brain involved in spatial processing. This leads to a different approach to solving the math problems. The California schools involved in the research study reported increases in state proficiency tests in the area of mathematics, crediting the increase to the use of the technology.

[] Prabhu, M. (2010). Technology Adds to Students' Math Comprehension. //eSchool News.// Retrieved from http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/03/17/technology-adds-to- students-math-comprehension/

Alison Wilson I recently went to a Singpore Math training and got a lot of different tips to help my students, especially with word problems. Although it can be a full curriculum, a lot of what they do can supplement any curriculum currently in your school. One of the math strategies they stress is called model drawing and it uses pictures to help students understand what the word problem is asking. One of the resources they showed us was http://www.thinkingblocks.com/, a great interactive website that help students understand how to use model drawing with word problems. Another reason this website is great…. it’s free! There are different levels of problems including addition and subtraction, multiplication, fractions and ratios. There is even a tool to use to make your own model drawings. This interactive website is great because students can be independent, it doesn’t let the student move on to the next step if there is something wrong with the drawing. I like this tool because it makes sure they understand the process before they start model drawing on their own papers.

This picture is the first step of an addition problem where students have to first drag the labels into the correct locations. Then the number tiles come up and students have to drag the numbers to the correct locations to match the labels.

Next, the bars adjust to match the values of the numbers and number key allows students to enter the correct answer with the label already provided. Once a student correctly answers this problem the next will get a little harder and if they get it wrong, the next one will be of the same difficulty. This whole process is a great way to introduce a pictorial way to solve word problems that can sometimes feel confusing and overwhelm students. Once students understand the process and how easy it is to breakdown a word problem, there is no word problem the students feel they can’t do. This step-by-step guide to learning how to model draw allows students to be successful and confident in the process. Once they practice enough with this website, they will be able to model draw for any word problem independently.

D. Marshall Sharpe



This is a fascinating video featuring Fareed Zakaria titled, "Fixing Education." Zakaria often writes for TIME Magazine and is starting a CNN TV series about the ills of education in the U.S. In this video snippet, he talks about how students in South Korea actually spend an additional 2 years in school compared to American Students by the time they are 18. In fact, he mentions the South Korean government is actually cracking down on "cram schools" that stay open until midnight teaching and re-teaching students! Zakaria also offers the example of Finland, whose students spend far less time in the classroom. Finland is so successful, because they recruit teachers from the top 10% of college graduates and pay them like doctors and lawyers! Wouldn't that be nice?!

Check out the link below.

Fixing American Education

Christine Valdez

“For the last 10 years, the state’s 2,000 special education teachers have each received a $1,690 classroom supply fund. They and their schools use this money to buy pencils, workbooks and other items. They also use it to buy ink and the paper needed to print out lengthy forms required by law for students with special needs, like Individualized Education Programs.” This is a critical area for special education teachers. We are typically alienated from our content area department monies and this was the only source to supply our classrooms. The funds are used to purchase manipulatives (algebra tiles, individual white boards, geometric models), consumables, paper and ink as we have no textbooks, as well as many day to day supplies that students need and parents/guardians do not provide. As special education teachers we are expected to consistently do more with less. This allotment, which no special education teacher I know ever received the full $1690.00, (closer to $300-400 annually) was used to provide a classroom similar to that of general education classroom. My classroom had none of the technological bells and whistles of gen ed so I used allotted funds and my own to purchase: projector and screen, elmo, mobi board, quick response sleeves and hand held manipulatives. My test scores are on the rise however I attribute the increase to technology. The ability to present content in a format students are familiar with and relate to is a priceless connection! The overall sentiment from the public seems to be cut, cut, cut,” he said. “But this is what happens when you cut too much: Kids don’t get pencils and paper in school.”



Read more: [|http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/article_b982b3fe-ed82-11e0-bbc5-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1diahZlf9]

This was just posted online! Quite interesting this study was done by out complex restructuring agent.Take a look!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/72721027/Special-Education-Report