Using Blogs to Improve Differentiated Instruction.
Colombo, M. W., & Colombo, P. D. (2007). Using Blogs to Improve Differentiated Instruction. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review. 73(4), 10-14.
I found it fascinating how she was using blogs to differentiate for her students. But where does she find the time to create podcasts and vodcasts? I liked the list of programs at the end of the article. It is good to know what they were using to support their students.
I was amazed at the accommodations this teacher made for her students, however it doesn't seem very realistic in "real time." If our fifth grade team could collaborate on the creation of materials it could work, but sadly we have too much FUD. I am slowly making and incorporating tech tools by using voicethread, podcasts, iMovies, a website and wikis, but time isn't on my side. It will come together a little at a time. A blog is in the future for my class;-)
I found the article very interesting and inspiring! I do not see how blogging would benefit my students in orchestra and would rather they spend their time practicing.
The iTunes podcasts are very good and quite fun. I download one from MIT regularly when I am board and not taking any other classes.
The time element can be managed if it is done in little bits at a time. I think the first year is massive, but reusing the parts you create and adding on each year as the unit comes around again can have a great benefit over the years. It sounds like she has been doing this for a while and it has become an issue of creating new as needed. She is also a master teacher who has a good idea of differentiation that is helpful to her students.
I wonder about the time input for a blog set-up for differentiation, thinking it will be worth it in the long run, when technology will improve six months from now when I'll be starting over again.
After reading the article I wondered where on earth she found the time to do all her planning. Good for her, but it doesn't seem realistic for the typical teacher. Last year our district had a PD session where we focused on blogging. I was excited to learn about it and started thinking of ways to use it with my students.....then they told us that it hadn't yet been approved to use in the district classrooms. What a waste of a good technology tool!
Can anyone help me figure out where, on iTunes, I can locate the FREE podcasts? I can not seem to find them. Could it be because I have the older version of iTunes?
Can anyone help me figure out where, on iTunes, I can locate the FREE podcasts? I can not seem to find them. Could it be because I have the older version of iTunes?
I just posted, but it used my son, Rob's name because he was on gmail last. To summarize I said that I liked the article's premise and could see using VODcast with our social studies units because the book is so difficult to read. I thought we could record us reading the chapters so that students could access that. However, I agree with the author's goal of getting students to navigate information. The PODcasts take less memory and would be valuable once we as teachers get better at using our SmartBoards to record our lessons. I struggle with teaching 5 content area subjects and finding effective ways to differentiate in each subject. I think it needs to be done, or else it's just wasted space.
I agree with you Laura about the time commitment to use blogs effectively. Wouldn't you love to just have time to set these up effectively and teach part time? I am looking at mounds of papers to grade and provide feedback on and wondering how to use these neat ideas without having to visit the looney bin because I am over, over taxed. I wish I could do it all! Hats off to these teachers that have navigated this successfully. I hope someday to be one of them.
Colene, you have my admiration. We aren't allowed to use blogs yet in our district but even if we could, I would want to use your advice to add them as I go. It's just that teaching 5 different subjects makes me want to do one in each. I have a hard time just doing something a little bit. Your way is much more realistic because then each year you can continue to differentiate what you made last year to meet your new students' needs.
Differentiated learning is very time consuming. The blog would be a great way to follow the progress of the students. It would be an easy assessment tool also.
Your comment about IM'ng students is a really touchy issue. I could see this as a reliable resource in college. Adults IM'ng students under the age of 18...well it can open a whole array of problems. I do know teachers that have had parent, administration and police problems with IM'ng students.
I wonder about the time input for a blog set-up for differentiation, thinking it will be worth it in the long run, when technology will improve six months from now when I'll be starting over again
Technology changes quickly but blogs, wikis, ning's will be around. The look may change, but they are here to stay.
Wow, I never thought of using blogs that way. I always thought of blogs as discussing nonacademic things and more about public figures and celebrities. I guess you can say this article opened my eyes. I was wondering how using a blog would work with my third graders? I think using blogs with middle school children is an excellent idea! Maybe I will try to experiment this year with my third graders.
Can anyone help me figure out where, on iTunes, I can locate the FREE podcasts? I can not seem to find them. Could it be because I have the older version of iTunes?
On the front page of iTunes Box on the upper left hand side has different things, about half way down is "podcasts" Under catagories (second box on left) are catagories including education. From there the list is endless. Right now I am listening to "Coffee break French"
the thing I just cannot handle is typing in those green swirly letters in order to post! I even clicked the handicapped button (figured I must be by my fifth time) and the audio was worse than the letters! UGH!
Can anyone help me figure out where, on iTunes, I can locate the FREE podcasts? I can not seem to find them. Could it be because I have the older version of iTunes?
Also, there is a section called iTunes U that is FANTASTIC. You need to check out the Edutopia sites. i just watched a video podcast about animation design. There are other video podcasts about integration, etc.
Now, lets see if I can read these green swirly letters and post this....
I looked at the iTunes Podcasts and the iTunes U and I was not very impressed. I could not really find anything appropriate for my students. Maybe I was looking in the wrong place. Also, since I am a visual/kinesthetic learner, this form of learning was extremely boring for me.
Does anyone know of any useful Blog sites that you have used which are appropriate for 5th graders? I don't feel that I have time to create my own, but would like to use them.
21 comments:
Chris-
You can embed video on a blog and a wiki ... I think you just need to be careful about how much you are adding
I found it fascinating how she was using blogs to differentiate for her students. But where does she find the time to create podcasts and vodcasts? I liked the list of programs at the end of the article. It is good to know what they were using to support their students.
I like the resource drop box idea. Maybe I could expand it to use in my library. Thanks!
I will check out the iTunes podcasts also.
I was amazed at the accommodations this teacher made for her students, however it doesn't seem very realistic in "real time." If our fifth grade team could collaborate on the creation of materials it could work, but sadly we have too much FUD. I am slowly making and incorporating tech tools by using voicethread, podcasts, iMovies, a website and wikis, but time isn't on my side. It will come together a little at a time. A blog is in the future for my class;-)
I found the article very interesting and inspiring! I do not see how blogging would benefit my students in orchestra and would rather they spend their time practicing.
The iTunes podcasts are very good and quite fun. I download one from MIT regularly when I am board and not taking any other classes.
The time element can be managed if it is done in little bits at a time. I think the first year is massive, but reusing the parts you create and adding on each year as the unit comes around again can have a great benefit over the years. It sounds like she has been doing this for a while and it has become an issue of creating new as needed. She is also a master teacher who has a good idea of differentiation that is helpful to her students.
I wonder about the time input for a blog set-up for differentiation, thinking it will be worth it in the long run, when technology will improve six months from now when I'll be starting over again.
After reading the article I wondered where on earth she found the time to do all her planning. Good for her, but it doesn't seem realistic for the typical teacher. Last year our district had a PD session where we focused on blogging. I was excited to learn about it and started thinking of ways to use it with my students.....then they told us that it hadn't yet been approved to use in the district classrooms. What a waste of a good technology tool!
Can anyone help me figure out where, on iTunes, I can locate the FREE podcasts? I can not seem to find them. Could it be because I have the older version of iTunes?
Can anyone help me figure out where, on iTunes, I can locate the FREE podcasts? I can not seem to find them. Could it be because I have the older version of iTunes?
I just posted, but it used my son, Rob's name because he was on gmail last. To summarize I said that I liked the article's premise and could see using VODcast with our social studies units because the book is so difficult to read. I thought we could record us reading the chapters so that students could access that. However, I agree with the author's goal of getting students to navigate information. The PODcasts take less memory and would be valuable once we as teachers get better at using our SmartBoards to record our lessons. I struggle with teaching 5 content area subjects and finding effective ways to differentiate in each subject. I think it needs to be done, or else it's just wasted space.
I agree with you Laura about the time commitment to use blogs effectively. Wouldn't you love to just have time to set these up effectively and teach part time? I am looking at mounds of papers to grade and provide feedback on and wondering how to use these neat ideas without having to visit the looney bin because I am over, over taxed. I wish I could do it all! Hats off to these teachers that have navigated this successfully. I hope someday to be one of them.
Colene, you have my admiration. We aren't allowed to use blogs yet in our district but even if we could, I would want to use your advice to add them as I go. It's just that teaching 5 different subjects makes me want to do one in each. I have a hard time just doing something a little bit. Your way is much more realistic because then each year you can continue to differentiate what you made last year to meet your new students' needs.
Differentiated learning is very time consuming. The blog would be a great way to follow the progress of the students. It would be an easy assessment tool also.
Chris,
Your comment about IM'ng students is a really touchy issue. I could see this as a reliable resource in college. Adults IM'ng students under the age of 18...well it can open a whole array of problems. I do know teachers that have had parent, administration and police problems with IM'ng students.
Jennifer said...
I wonder about the time input for a blog set-up for differentiation, thinking it will be worth it in the long run, when technology will improve six months from now when I'll be starting over again
Technology changes quickly but blogs, wikis, ning's will be around. The look may change, but they are here to stay.
Wow, I never thought of using blogs that way. I always thought of blogs as discussing nonacademic things and more about public figures and celebrities. I guess you can say this article opened my eyes. I was wondering how using a blog would work with my third graders? I think using blogs with middle school children is an excellent idea! Maybe I will try to experiment this year with my third graders.
ngersdorf said...
Can anyone help me figure out where, on iTunes, I can locate the FREE podcasts? I can not seem to find them. Could it be because I have the older version of iTunes?
On the front page of iTunes
Box on the upper left hand side has different things, about half way down is "podcasts"
Under catagories (second box on left) are catagories including education.
From there the list is endless. Right now I am listening to "Coffee break French"
the thing I just cannot handle is typing in those green swirly letters in order to post! I even clicked the handicapped button (figured I must be by my fifth time) and the audio was worse than the letters! UGH!
ngersdorf said...
Can anyone help me figure out where, on iTunes, I can locate the FREE podcasts? I can not seem to find them. Could it be because I have the older version of iTunes?
Also, there is a section called iTunes U that is FANTASTIC. You need to check out the Edutopia sites. i just watched a video podcast about animation design. There are other video podcasts about integration, etc.
Now, lets see if I can read these green swirly letters and post this....
I looked at the iTunes Podcasts and the iTunes U and I was not very impressed. I could not really find anything appropriate for my students. Maybe I was looking in the wrong place. Also, since I am a visual/kinesthetic learner, this form of learning was extremely boring for me.
Does anyone know of any useful Blog sites that you have used which are appropriate for 5th graders? I don't feel that I have time to create my own, but would like to use them.
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