I really enjoyed playing with Google Forms this week. It seems that the more I learn about Google Suite the more excited I get about all of its possible applications in my classroom. I was able to use two of the Google Forms I created this week in my class, and while I had a couple hiccups to figure out, my students really seemed enjoy using them.
The first form I made was a Today In History assignment that I give to my students every morning as a part of our morning warm ups. I used to hand out these assignments on paper every morning and then review the answers with my students. Using a Google Form for this assignment was useful because it let me show the class what percentage of them got each answer correct and incorrect. I also used the Flubaroo add-on which quickly made a spreadsheet of their scores for me, which I was able to easily access and analyze without ever having to actually grade anything. The second Google Form I was able to create and use was essentially a copy of Alice Keeler’s Peer Collaboration Evaluation. My class worked in expert groups for the first time as a part of GLAD strategies implementation, so I assigned this collaboration evaluation so they could reflect on how well their group worked together, as well as how well each member of the group contributed. I was surprised and pleased by the level of depth and thoughtfulness my students demonstrated in their responses. This form also gave me a way to track how my students’ collaboration skills improve throughout the year. The last Google Form I made for my class used the add-on Choice Eliminator 2. My students tutor each other at lunch, which is lovely. But to say my class this year is energetic would be an understatement so I need to limit the number of students coming in each day. This has often resulted in students running up to me to ask if they can either tutor or be tutored that day at lunch. I will send out the form on Monday to my students which will let two tutors and six tutorees sign up for each day. This will eliminate the craziness of deciding who is coming in that day as well as let the students prepare to either tutor or be tutored. In terms of using Google Forms in my research I was thinking of using something similar to Alice Keeler’s Collaboration Evaluation form to have students self-assess their own engagement or effort that day. I was thinking this would be make coding their responses much easier and take up much less time. Overall I am excited about Google Forms and the various ways I can use them in my classroom.
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This is an interesting time for me personally to be thinking about using social media either as a tool for myself as an educator, or as a learning tool for my students to use. I say this because I have recently been having conversation with my friends outside the world of education about the potential benefits and harms of social media use. Many of my friends feel like social media use has largely been harmful to the way people interact with each other and can be harmful to users' mental health. I think the harm comes from viewing social media as a lifestyle or something that can replace real, in person, relationships, Social media, like any other tool, should only be used to strengthen something you already do. It can be beneficial if used correctly and harmful if used incorrectly.
For example, as a teacher I want to be able to collaborate with other teachers in my grade level. This helps me to get new great ideas to use in my classroom and to make sure that all the students receive the same education. If I use social media to find even more great strategies for my classroom and discuss those new ideas with my teacher partner and we decide together to try some, then the use of social media has been helpful to me as a professional. If, however, I stop communicating with my teaching partner because I have replaced her with social media, then my teaching partner will feel frustrated, our collaboration will fall apart, and the quality of my own teaching will suffer. The benefits or harms of social media as a professional tool largely depends, I believe on how it is used. It is critical that educators are constantly learning, and it is fantastic that we now all have a platform that enables us to learn from each other. I think this is the main benefit of social media use to teachers as professionals. But I have found it important to remind myself that in the sea of other teachers goals, interests, and dreams for their students, it is important to be strong in your own goals, interests, and dreams for your own students. There are so many incredible ideas just waiting to be found on social media, but trying one new thing every day with now direction or purpose would not improve the quality of the education your students receive. Use of social media should also be deliberate, purposeful, and rooted in your own teaching philosophy, Finally there is the more intimidating topic of students using social media. If I saw that a student of mine had made an inappropriate post outside of school, I would absolutely bring it up with them the next time I saw them. I would ask them about the post, and depending on what it was discuss other more appropriate ways to express themselves. Again, depending on the severity of the post, I would also contact the students' parents just to let them know that I saw it and had some concerns. It is obviously up to the parents of the student how they conduct themselves outside of school, but they deserve to be notified if their child is posting something alarming. I think one crucial think to remember when having an interaction like this with a student is that they did not grow up thinking of the internet as an unsecured and dangerous place like my, or older generations did. For these kids writing a post is as normal as calling your friend's house and having to awkwardly talk to someone's mom before talking to your friend was for us. These kids will shut down and reject us if we treat them like they are crazy for treating the internet as no big deal. To them its not a big deal, and they lack the foresight and the knowledge to really understand the harm they could be doing to themselves. We should teach our students about proper social media use the same way we teach them about anything. Not blaming them for what they don't know by encouraging them to ask questions, and to think critically and independently. |
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April 2018
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