Mary Zielund 20% Project Part 2

Working with a visual language as opposed to an auditory one poses different challenges to teaching. How can one study the vocabulary of a three-dimensional language in a two-dimensional book?  Video, of course!  So, line-up kids and check-out your worn-out, has-been, scratched-up vocabulary DVD.  Wrong!  This is 2011.  We have “the internet” now.  This ain’t your Grandma’s internet either!  This is the high-speed, mega-bandwidth, wireless kind!  Sorry kids.  You can go back and sit down.  Get out your “smart phones” and point your browser to Facebook.  You heard me right!  Facebook.  Find Edina HS ASL and LIKE it please.  There you will find videos of fellow ASL students and some interesting/educational videos posted by your teacher.

What do “Scarlet Takes a Tumble” “Sneezing Panda” & “Talking Twin Babies” have in common?  They are the newest books added to the 12th grade reading list? No.  Names of country songs?  Wrong again…give up?   They’re popular YouTube videos!  Ok, ok, maybe these videos are a bit pointless, but they are the embodiment of the 21st century learner.  Thankfully, luckily, fortunately, YouTube is not solely permeated with videos of adorable teddy engaged in sternutation.  YouTube has lots to offer!  The aforementioned vocabulary videos, vlogs, songs in sign, narratives…. These are just a few.  All have been used to enrich learning.  And since I wish to embody the 21st century teacher so that I may reach the YouTube generation, I have created my very own YouTube channel.  It’s not much, yet: just a chair in the corner next to a floor-lamp, but I’ve got big plans for it!  A nice couch (leather, of course), a colorful area rug and some flowers will brighten the space up.  It can evolve, expand.  That’s the nice thing about a room in virtual space.  I can just keep adding furniture to it.  mzielund's YouTube channel here.

Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. 

What could be more contemporary than Facebook?  Having a class Facebook fan page has allowed me to create a little-tiny learning community among all the different levels of ASL.  Students in levels 1 and 2 are able to view and make comments on the videos posted of level 3.  

Model Digital-Age Work and Learning

Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society by modeling and facilitating effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning

YouTube has been an excellent resource for my students.  They have analyzed and evaluated several videos.  Those videos have served as a springboard for numerous other discussions/tangents and mini-lessons.

Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. 

Not only have I collaborated with teachers from the technology cohort, but I have also been working with colleagues from my department.  Moodle is the object of our diligent discussions and it continues to be.