Birthday Weekend

I came home from work yesterday  to find my house smelling like a baked cake. Oh, did that put a smile on my face. My husband baked my favorite cake and it will be shared with our family this weekend. The perfect weather for a winter day was a gift from mom nature. Life is good.

Students as teachers

I have taught a NASA unit to my 7th and 8th graders. They will be teaching some of the information to the K-5 classes in my school along with guiding them through some activities. They will be giving four lessons during the month of February. The first lesson will be on Wednesday. I am hoping for a positive experience for all parties. This is new for all of us.

LEGO Blog

I am so excited to have found this LEGO blog. I teach robotics at my school and this blog has links to some new activities that were created in collaboration with NASA. They have the directions to build a trundle for measuring distance. Kids get to learn about gears.
http://www.legospace.com/en-us/Education/Default.aspx

Observation time

We are having our annual staff observations at my school. They have always been very positive. At our team meeting we watched the following fun Youtube evaluation video. Check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0JK6LbQ4-0

Why jobs are in China

Google search on the following title:
Why Apple's products are 'Designed in California' but 'Assembled in China'
This article responds well to Obama's speech the other night.

Flu

The flu has humbled me. Slept on the bathroom floor last night. Luckily the dog kept me warm.

Ted talk by Clay Shirky

I just watched the Ted talk by Clay Shirky. His overview and warnings about PIPA and SOPA was excellent. Money from the media is fueling Congress to reduce our sharing and producing on the internet. I see daily how  money is running the primaries and Congress. We have to be watchful and let our voices be heard.

I have added links to blogs that I visit daily. What are the most important and "safe" gadgets to add to my blog?

Will Richardson's book

I just read the weblog section in Will's book on Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts. I want to use blogs in my science class. I might consider discussions of activities done in class, thoughts on class content, project work, results of  a WebQuest, etc. I like the idea that blogs are ongoing conversations that can help you  synthesize your thoughts.

2nd Journal Article

"Communities of Practice: Using Blogs to Increase Collaboration" by Teresa A. Byington
Intervention in School and Clinic 46(5) 280-291

This article described the benefits of using blogs and how to set them up. Blogs were chosen because they are easy to use, are an effective way to establish and manage communities of practice, and allow members to reflect on professional practices. They are written using conversational language. A historical record of posts is archived. Blogs are useful for professional development, networking, and social interaction. Teachers often lack supportive social networks which can lead to burnout. Meeting online eliminates distance barriers and increases the diversity of the group.

This was a very positive article. It promoted the use of blogs as a means of collaboration between teachers. We all need this. The trick is to find a group that suits your niche.

1st Professional Journal Article

"Factors influencing secondary school teachers' adoption of teaching blogs" by Hui-Min Lai
Computer and Education 56(2011) 948-960

This article discussed what individual characteristics motivate teachers to adopt teaching blogs. The two characteristics that inhibited the use of blogs were the perception of time and effort expense and the loss of knowledge power which is thought of as a competitive advantage. I have only seen the lack of sharing of unique knowledge  in highly competitive environments.

All of the other characteristics had a positive effect on the adoption of blogs. These included enjoyment in helping others, perceived usefulness, self-confidence, perceived ease of use, school support and incentives, peer influence, and more.

The article did state that it is a trend to use blogs in teaching. This is one of the reasons that I am taking this class. I am concerned about the amount of time and effort it takes to learn to use a new technology. This is another reason that I am in this class. The article did state that having a willingness to try out new information technology has a positive effect on a teacher's adoption of blogs in teaching. Yes, how true that is.

Introduction

I am currently a middle school science teacher in Corvallis, Oregon. I have taught adult ed, high school, and elementary school. While I was in Peace Corps I taught science in the Malaysian language.

I want to feel more comfortable with blogs so that in my imaginings I will be able to firm up their use at school. I have thought of using blogs to track the progress of science fair projects.

Last weekend I attended a NOAA workshop in Newport. The focus was on the importance of exploring the oceans. I came home with some great activities, websites, and materials. I also got to tour a NOAA ship and realized that 35 days at sea would not be the life for me.