Generation FourIn the second half of 2006, Intel launched their long awaited processor platform overhaul in the form of the Core microarchitecture, replacing all three server, desktop and mobile markets with Core 2 based products. Combined with a corporate re-branding exercise, Intel created quite a buzz in the industry and managed to regain ground lost to rivals AMD. With the slew of the new
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NEWS: INTEL SANTA ROSA - THE FUTURE OF NOTEBOOKS UNVEILED
Diposting oleh fatih on Sabtu, 30 Juni 2007
Great Tours
Diposting oleh fatih on Senin, 18 Juni 2007
You might find it interesting to know that I teach a senior level astronomy class. You might also find it interesting to know that the students and I had a conversation that involved the idea of the students being producers of information and not just consumers. We talked for awhile about what this would look like in a high school class. The students decided that they wanted to create different types of documents through out the school year where they could show that they learned and understood some of the material that was presented.
As we looked at the different ways that astronomy impacts our lives, the students tried many different approaches to show their knowledge.
- They produced a wiki where they showed how the material in the history of astronomy currently influences the world around them.
- They produced advertisements attempting to sell a telescope of their choice.
- They measured the size of galaxies and attempted to classify them (on the computers).
- They produced a timeline of space exploration.
- They produced PowerPoints or PhotoStories on the life cycles of stars like our Sun.
All of these items were good.
- They looked at the Solar Cycle and tried to find a pattern in the sunspots.
- They plotted stars (closest and brightest) on an H-R diagram and tried to find patterns.
- They looked up definitions of terms that I thought were helpful.
- They worked in groups a lot.
Most of which needs more work to be a better fit in the class.
The students, and I, are most pleased with the final projects from both semesters. In the spring, the students took a topic of choice (from a list of course, I was not willing to give up all control) and produced a creative item to teach their classmates about the item. I received children's books about the Apollo program, CD's of music for Challenger and
The fall semester, now that was impressive. The students created virtual tours of the Solar System. The only requirements were:
- The project had to be longer than three minutes.
- There needed to be research turned in with project.
- A reason for a source needed to be included with the works cited.
- All eight planets (Pluto not included) needed to be in the presentation somewhere.
- The Asteroid Belt did not have to be included.
- The students needed to spend time on the details of one planet of their choice.
As you might expect, there were some really good projects turned in (and some that left a little to be desired). The students used music to add to their projects and they even used their own voices. There were some projects that used video while most did not. There were some errors in the facts (I guess that we need to work on that). There are some items that I will need to go over with the group next time but I was impressed with the results that the students produced.
Take a look at a couple of the Solar System Tours. One with music and one without.
ErikJKyleL (6.75 MB)
RobertRSpenserH (5.29 MB)
Next semester, I am thinking about something using claymation. If there is anyone who has experience using this in a Windows environment please let me know about the software.
What Does Literature Say About Human Beings?
Diposting oleh fatih on Rabu, 13 Juni 2007
All of second semester, my ninth grade honors students explored the BIG question, "What does literature say about human beings?" They were asked to work together in groups of their own choosing (3-4 participants) and put together a multimedia presentation of their answer to this question. Presented during their final exam time, this was their final assessment in this class. As well as answering this question, the assignment had additional requirements in that the groups needed to determine if they agreed or disagreed with what literature said, and then use modern examples to prove/disprove their answer. The final product was to be creative, captivating, as well as thorough. (In case you don't realize the beauty of this kind of project, the question they would normally have received during the final exam was now at the beginning of the semester. This way, we were able to refer back to the question as well as use it as a focus with all texts we studied. Furthermore, they connected this question to their other classes, their lives, and the world around them- you gotta love it!)
In order to begin completing this project, I outlined the units we would be studying this semester: a social issue independent reading novel, poetry, 1984, and Farewell to Manzanar. After each unit was completed, the groups were able to have time to work collaboratively, figuring out how they wanted to answer the question and in what format they wanted to present their findings. Also, the groups worked with me to determine a rubric for the assignment as well as determining into what grading category the assignment should fall. This project was student-based where they determined the answer as well as how it should be assessed.
After watching the tremendous hours and valuable collaborative discussions many groups put into this project, I would most certainly assign the challenge to my classes in the future. I was impressed by how each groups' presentations were so varied as well as the methodology behind presenting their findings. Groups used PowerPoint, PhotoStory, and MovieMaker. Some groups chose to look at the semester under one large topic (i.e. humans are hurtful to one another) while other groups broke it down to each text specifically (i.e. social issue books say humans are vengeful, Farewell to Manzanar says human can survive, etc...). I even had one group who choose to cover the material from their entire freshman year. Impressive!
Also, to me, this project is exactly what is required of them in the "real world." They were asked to synthesize information, work in a collaborative group, blend each participants' differing ideas, be creative, be original, and learn something.
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In order to begin completing this project, I outlined the units we would be studying this semester: a social issue independent reading novel, poetry, 1984, and Farewell to Manzanar. After each unit was completed, the groups were able to have time to work collaboratively, figuring out how they wanted to answer the question and in what format they wanted to present their findings. Also, the groups worked with me to determine a rubric for the assignment as well as determining into what grading category the assignment should fall. This project was student-based where they determined the answer as well as how it should be assessed.
After watching the tremendous hours and valuable collaborative discussions many groups put into this project, I would most certainly assign the challenge to my classes in the future. I was impressed by how each groups' presentations were so varied as well as the methodology behind presenting their findings. Groups used PowerPoint, PhotoStory, and MovieMaker. Some groups chose to look at the semester under one large topic (i.e. humans are hurtful to one another) while other groups broke it down to each text specifically (i.e. social issue books say humans are vengeful, Farewell to Manzanar says human can survive, etc...). I even had one group who choose to cover the material from their entire freshman year. Impressive!
Also, to me, this project is exactly what is required of them in the "real world." They were asked to synthesize information, work in a collaborative group, blend each participants' differing ideas, be creative, be original, and learn something.
I hope you take the time to watch what they have created and offer some constructive criticism. If you only have time to pick one I would pick "Experiences" (wonderful blend of music and visuals to enhance their presentation- plus it made me cry). I do think they are all worth watching!
US History Student Samples
Diposting oleh fatih
So I finally have some student samples to share.
First, we attempted a group project that intended to see the creation of documentaries regarding the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and the Civil Rights Movement. While some groups did produce strong documentaries utilizing some great interviews, the projects probably did more to teach us about the many potential problems with compatibility - technological and personal!
More successful and educational were the individual projects. Many stuck out to me as being entertaining and informative. One used claymation to explain the history of dance in America. Others dealt with topics ranging from genocide to fashion and fads.
I have chosen two to share. The first is a more traditional movie that I felt was well done addressing the issue of espionage: Cold War Espionage
The second is a power point that, to me, takes power points into the next generation. This student created a constructivist presentation that allows the user to determine their path. This project looks at military technolgy : US Military Technology
Enjoy!
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First, we attempted a group project that intended to see the creation of documentaries regarding the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and the Civil Rights Movement. While some groups did produce strong documentaries utilizing some great interviews, the projects probably did more to teach us about the many potential problems with compatibility - technological and personal!
More successful and educational were the individual projects. Many stuck out to me as being entertaining and informative. One used claymation to explain the history of dance in America. Others dealt with topics ranging from genocide to fashion and fads.
I have chosen two to share. The first is a more traditional movie that I felt was well done addressing the issue of espionage: Cold War Espionage
The second is a power point that, to me, takes power points into the next generation. This student created a constructivist presentation that allows the user to determine their path. This project looks at military technolgy : US Military Technology
Enjoy!
Tables or desks
Diposting oleh fatih on Selasa, 20 Maret 2007
Anne,
I enjoyed your presentation yesterday and can easily imagine that you are a superb classroom teacher. At PBCC, we are building a new academic building that will have a wireless network for instruction. We are planning to initiate a computers in composition program using carts of laptop computers. I think you mentioned in your presentation that the students prefer tables to desks when working with laptops. We are looking at flexible furniture for these room—wheeled chairs and individual desks—see below—but I am now wondering if tables might be better. Your thoughts on this and anything else about using laptops to teach composition would be greatly appreciated.
Jim Mabry
Dr. James C. Mabry
Dean of Academic Affairs
Palm Beach Community College
South Campus
(561) 862-4410
What do you guys think?
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I enjoyed your presentation yesterday and can easily imagine that you are a superb classroom teacher. At PBCC, we are building a new academic building that will have a wireless network for instruction. We are planning to initiate a computers in composition program using carts of laptop computers. I think you mentioned in your presentation that the students prefer tables to desks when working with laptops. We are looking at flexible furniture for these room—wheeled chairs and individual desks—see below—but I am now wondering if tables might be better. Your thoughts on this and anything else about using laptops to teach composition would be greatly appreciated.
Jim Mabry
Dr. James C. Mabry
Dean of Academic Affairs
Palm Beach Community College
South Campus
(561) 862-4410
What do you guys think?
A New Kind of Rhyme Podcasts
Diposting oleh fatih on Rabu, 28 Februari 2007
Towards the end of the poetry unit, Maura Moritz suggested having the Honors students podcast at least one of their poems. The kids were very receptive to do this as you can tell with the creativity in their poem choices that they selected to read. It adds so much to their own work by having them read it to their audience in the manner it was intended rather than the audience only being able to interpret the poem on their own. Happy listening!
Please note there are four players below (the Odeo player only allows 20 at a time). The first two players are for Period 2, then the next two are for Period 5.
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Please note there are four players below (the Odeo player only allows 20 at a time). The first two players are for Period 2, then the next two are for Period 5.
A New Kind of Rhyme
Diposting oleh fatih on Rabu, 21 Februari 2007
Imagine: A place where students are adults and teachers are students. Imagine: A place where information is pulled, not fed. Imagine: A place where poetry can be real, deep, and fun at the same time.
Welcome to Ms. Smith's 9th Grade Honors English Class!!! Beware: This is NOT education as usual, please come prepared to learn in a way never experienced before. Please come excited to try new things, and to do your best, no matter the outcome. The same ideas will never be taught twice, but it will be a blast of fun!
That's what Ms. Smith told all of our expectant faces on the first day of our poetry unit. By now, we thought we were used to her new methods and challenging expectations, but we realized that poetry wasn' t like anything we'd learned before. And Ms. Smith never wanted to teach the same way twice.
So boom! Out came student-taught poetry explications, publishing of our poems, and a opportunity that, instead of ogling Shakespeare's brilliance, we could to create our own! And our poems wouldn't simply be pieces of paper with a red grade, they would be published on the world-wide internet for others to enjoy and reply with their feedback.
The limits of blogging were pushed past the max as, each night from my computer at home, I would post the rough draft of one of my poems. Then I could scroll through all my classmates' poems, and discover new ideas and ways to improve. The next time I checked back, it was thrilling to read others' comments and feedback. It felt like a giant fishbowl, where instead of agonizing over a poem by myself, I could throw it out to a ton of different minds and we could build it up together, achieving an end result that I knew was truely my very best work.
Of course, it also helps to learn from the professionals. Instead of Ms. Smith, who already knows what she is teaching, my fellow students and I stepped up to the plate. Working in teams of three, we selected published poems on the internet to interpret and explicate during class. From Dr. Seuss to Edgar Allen Poe, fishbowls to debates, and self-improvement to physically acting it out, each group came up with a brand new, yet creative way to reach deep inside a poem and find the true meaning. We learned and experienced every literary term, and discovered how we could apply that to our own writing. And the best thing was that we were a team working to learn together, instead of a regular class just being lectured by the normal teacher.
And the end result was amazing! We all compiled our poems into a portfolio project that only had one guideline: display all your poems in a creative way. With such an open-ended project, our talents had no limit, and together we were each able to create a product that was nothing like the same, old, regular portfolio. We could dare to be different, and reflect each of our minds in a manner suited to our personality and learning style.
I know I will never think or write poetry the same again! - Maria
Here are the assignments they completed. Keep on the lookout for their podcasts of their poems.
http://annesmith9h.blogspot.com/2007/02/cut-up-poem-destruction-of-sonnet.html
http://annesmith9h.blogspot.com/2007/02/oprah-winfrey-poem.html
http://annesmith9h.blogspot.com/2007/02/metaphor-3.html
http://annesmith9h.blogspot.com/2007/02/metaphor-2.html
http://annesmith9h.blogspot.com/2007/02/metaphor-1.html
http://annesmith9h.blogspot.com/2007/02/persuasive-poem.html
http://annesmith9h.blogspot.com/2007/02/poetry-table-of-contents-poem.html
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Welcome to Ms. Smith's 9th Grade Honors English Class!!! Beware: This is NOT education as usual, please come prepared to learn in a way never experienced before. Please come excited to try new things, and to do your best, no matter the outcome. The same ideas will never be taught twice, but it will be a blast of fun!
That's what Ms. Smith told all of our expectant faces on the first day of our poetry unit. By now, we thought we were used to her new methods and challenging expectations, but we realized that poetry wasn' t like anything we'd learned before. And Ms. Smith never wanted to teach the same way twice.
So boom! Out came student-taught poetry explications, publishing of our poems, and a opportunity that, instead of ogling Shakespeare's brilliance, we could to create our own! And our poems wouldn't simply be pieces of paper with a red grade, they would be published on the world-wide internet for others to enjoy and reply with their feedback.
The limits of blogging were pushed past the max as, each night from my computer at home, I would post the rough draft of one of my poems. Then I could scroll through all my classmates' poems, and discover new ideas and ways to improve. The next time I checked back, it was thrilling to read others' comments and feedback. It felt like a giant fishbowl, where instead of agonizing over a poem by myself, I could throw it out to a ton of different minds and we could build it up together, achieving an end result that I knew was truely my very best work.
Of course, it also helps to learn from the professionals. Instead of Ms. Smith, who already knows what she is teaching, my fellow students and I stepped up to the plate. Working in teams of three, we selected published poems on the internet to interpret and explicate during class. From Dr. Seuss to Edgar Allen Poe, fishbowls to debates, and self-improvement to physically acting it out, each group came up with a brand new, yet creative way to reach deep inside a poem and find the true meaning. We learned and experienced every literary term, and discovered how we could apply that to our own writing. And the best thing was that we were a team working to learn together, instead of a regular class just being lectured by the normal teacher.
And the end result was amazing! We all compiled our poems into a portfolio project that only had one guideline: display all your poems in a creative way. With such an open-ended project, our talents had no limit, and together we were each able to create a product that was nothing like the same, old, regular portfolio. We could dare to be different, and reflect each of our minds in a manner suited to our personality and learning style.
I know I will never think or write poetry the same again! - Maria
Here are the assignments they completed. Keep on the lookout for their podcasts of their poems.
http://annesmith9h.blogspot.com/2007/02/cut-up-poem-destruction-of-sonnet.html
http://annesmith9h.blogspot.com/2007/02/oprah-winfrey-poem.html
http://annesmith9h.blogspot.com/2007/02/metaphor-3.html
http://annesmith9h.blogspot.com/2007/02/metaphor-2.html
http://annesmith9h.blogspot.com/2007/02/metaphor-1.html
http://annesmith9h.blogspot.com/2007/02/persuasive-poem.html
http://annesmith9h.blogspot.com/2007/02/poetry-table-of-contents-poem.html
