CSI_podcast#2

Here is my second podcast!!!

http://room212ancientcivilizations.edublogs.org/

My final project will incoporate the above links. 

In my specific case, I will use the blogs and the wiki to gain a better idea of how my students are beginning to recognize the themes and the characteristics about ancient civilizations that are common.  I will look for students being able to draw upon info and facts learned from specific in class activities to add to their comments to the blog and wiki. 

As for how I will sell it t my students and introduce them to the project, I believe I will start with wikipedia.com.  All of my students are very aware of these type of sites and this is the most popular.  I would allow them to look at the site and maybe do a few searches before settling on wikipedia.  I would then add something new to the site and tell them they will have the chance this year to create their own wiki in class.  I would do the same with bogs but since they are already a big part of our LA class, I think the students will already be excited for this.  Finally, I would use the blogs early on with the class which is why I made up several sample blogs for them to use.  They would respond to these via comments.  After the start of the second semester, I would bring forth the wiki idea since they will have already several ancient civilizations under their belt at this time.      

Little customization is needed other than creating it as a template.  I want to leave the site limited in terms of graphics because I want students to add this information themselves as they gain more understanding of the topic. I have customized a new log for the class because I didn’t want my personal blog to be used for this.  I did add some images and directions to the wiki page and I’m working on creating a table of contents but I am still having trouble with that. 

I am happy with how it worked out in the end.  I kept it very simple with an idea that it would b fleshed out even more by students.  I want to focus mostly on content and less on flash.  I think the wiki page offers that up to me and my students.  I’m excited for the opportunity to have them run with it. 

It’s a work in progess and hopefully it will post.  I had fun with amplify and wah-wah. 

What do you want users to be able to do:

I am envisioning a wiki design mixed with a blog that allows the user to share information, interact with and evaluate one another’s ideas.  The students will utilize a wiki to make for an online environment that allows multiple users and input to answer key questions related to the ancient civilization curriculum.  The students will also respond to blogs placed by the instructor and other students regarding topics related to ancient civilization.  Ideas will be shared back and forth and students will have the opportunity to discuss their views on the questions while also reading and responding to the input put forth by classmates. 

The design will be organized similar to our blog, wiki, podcast, and web2.0 forum where students are able to add their ideas to answer several questions related to the topic.  In the case of the final project wiki that will be related to common themes behind ancient civilization formations and the common elements that help comprise the rise of a civilization.  Included will also be an area where students can voice their opinions as to whether or not the elements that led to these great civilizations are still necessary in our world today. 

Is this a recurring effort or one-time deal?:

This is definitely ongoing.  I want to begin this within the first quarter of our school year with students using the blogs to respond to questions put forth as we review our first ancient civilization.  The students will also use the wiki to start listing and categorizing the elements that helped the civilization arise.  As we move forward through the year, the students will add more details as they encounter more of the great empires.  Eventually enough civilizations will have been discussed such that students can begin it identify the similarities between them.  This analysis will allow them to really identify common elements as well as themes that have driven humans into this large scale empires. 

Users/Audience:

 The primary users of the final project will be sixth grade students  located in Iwakuni, Japan.  They are ages 11-12 with English as their primary language although numerous students are bilingual.  The makeup of the class has yet to be finalized but will include special needs students including a student with severe autism.  Likewise the class will include at least twp students that are designated ESL but currently operate at level iv categorization. 

Environment: 

The environment is a Department of defense school located in the Pacific theater.  The schools holds roughly 500 students and is blessed with a plethora of available educational technology including access to computer labs, mobile labs, printers, scanners, cameras and smart boards.  The environment is conducive to technology integration into the curriculum as part of DODEA’s ongoing CSP goals framework. 

What should they do?: 

The goal for use of the final project  is to have students begin to examine the larger driving questions behind the study of ancient civilizations.  The students will be able to interact via blogs and a wiki to examine the larger components that drive the creation of large ancient civilization such as Egypt, China, Mesopotamia and Greece.  The students will identify what common factors exists between the civilizations and their formation. 

Similar projects available:

The idea actually came to me after reviewing some of the ideas posted for the AP history classes by some COMET students.  I liked the idea of finding the larger scale themes behind AP world history and so I thought the idea could be simplified and instituted among a young student body base.  Those websites created by the COMET std7uenst could be something to review for further help and ideas.    

Performance drivers:

I think at this age group a common driver performance that may impede success will be motivation and incentive.  The students need to be motivated to learn although we all dream of intrinsic motivation in every student.  This, unfortunately, is not always the case.  Yet, the more I think about it, the fact that we will be utilizing technology they are familiar with and excited about will definitely help spur motivation.  The idea behind creating the site is to get students familiar with concepts they may already use and to institute in a manner that will aid their learning.  The incentive is to use technology and to create their own sites similar to those they already see on the web.    

My name is Rich Dysinger. I’m a 6th grade teacher in Iwakuni, Japan at MC Perry Elementary. We’re located on a Marine Corps Air Station, but I live economy with my beautiful wife Billie.  We have truly been blessed by the opportunity to live in this wonderful country and we love everything Japan and its people have to offer. I also enjoy reading, writing, running, basketball, weightlifting and playing bass guitar in a band of wannabe rockers. 

My familiarity with blogs is way more extensive than anything I’ve ever done with wikis or podcasting, of which I have zero experience.  I ran a blog through our online gaggle.net program here in Japan and my kids loved it.  Likewise, I created a blog for another class in the COMET cohort.  I look forward to the opportunity to use cutting edge technology to deliver lessons to my kids because I have found that they respond well to tech in the classroom. 

As for my final project, I’m not sure as to what I want to do quite yet.  I’m thinking of utilizing the wiki and podcasting to expand our online JASON project we do with our sixth grade science students.  I want to make it more interactive and tech heavy.  As of now we only really have one portion that is electronic and everything is very simplistic.  My kids are beyond this.  I’m not but they are.  J   Perhaps this course can help me bring forth ideas that are new and invigorating and update the curriculum a bit for this next generation.  It’s just an idea.

Rich

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