Parker,+Michael+Stephen+-+Cool+Tools+Review

Tuesday introduced us to Cool Tools with a carousel (sans the ponies, which was kind of saddening). This was a blitzkrieg of information, so I figure the tool that stands out in my mind is the most useful tool to me. The one I remember is Livebinder, which is takes all the benefits of the old-school D-lock binders and adds to it the benefits of Internet resources. Plus, you get all the advantages without the clunky baggage. I am all for fast paced action, but the carousel was a bit too much. I think the way to discover the true benefits of the tools is to be able to play around with them. I need more than a superficial overview before I can feel comfortable with adding this to my teaching arsenal. My next session involved e-readers, which I dig. I have an iPad with two e-reader apps and a Kindle. The session started with an overview of the benefits of e-readers. We also discussed brand versus brand. Then, the schools that have implemented an e-reader library began discussing how they used them in their schools. I got the instructor’s contact information so I could contact her about my school’s 1:1 transition. On Wednesday, I went to the ELA Cool Tools session, which focused on Ning. I think the students would like the social media, Facebook-esque style. I had a hard time following the discussion threads sometimes, but I am sure that my students would not. I enjoyed having plenty of time (we simulated a debate) to explore the tool and feel more comfortable trying to implement it in class.
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I teach AVID at our school, so Livebinder will be a great asset. Our school is going 1:1 next year, and we are also going to use Moodle. A large component of AVID is keeping organized, so with our school moving toward more digital tools and lessons, students will need this tool. The AVID students will probably still realistically need a smaller binder for those teachers who are not embracing the technology. With e-readers, students can accomplish many of the Common Core Anchor Standards for reading by utilizing the highlighting and note taking features. Goal 8 is: delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence. I would have the students highlight an author’s arguments and supports. From there, the students can determine if the author has a valid, well-supported point. Goal 4 of the anchor standards is: interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone. In this case, I would have predetermined words in the text that the students would need to define and cite textual evidence by highlighting the context The Ning program I would use for higher level thinking skills. To show true understanding of characters, students would randomly be assigned a character from the book to log into the program as. I would have different discussion rooms assigned as well. In the assigned discussion room, the students will see a posted situation that they must respond to in character. Then, the students would interact remaining as their characters, just as they would if the topic were a current news headline. This one engaging event would cover many anchor standards: 3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. 7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words. 8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence. 9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take. 10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
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