The Oooo-Ahhh Versus the Ahhh-Haaa (by Jen Wagner)

Not really an Oooo-Ahhh, but here goes- Using Google Forms with my students for their assignments. At first, just wanted an easy way to clean up clutter (papers) and maybe a simpler way to grade assignments. Have found it to be an outstanding way of looking at responses and easily seeing what problems are giving my students trouble. For me, it definitely went from Oooh-Ahhh to Ahhh-Haaa

The Oooo-Ahhh Versus the Ahhh-Haaa (by Jen Wagner)

I could not agree with you more! I love the Ooo-Ahh versus the Ahhh-Haaa. That about sums it up! I am a technology rookie that has just started her masters in Educational Technology a month ago and boy have my eyes been opened! At first we kept reading all these articles on effective teaching strategies and honestly I was a little bummed. Get me to the fun stuff I kept thinking. What does this have to do with anything? I honestly thought we would just experiment, learn and play with different technologies. Then it hit me. This isn't about "fluff" the whole point is to learn to use the technology in an appropriate, meaningful way. Not for the Oooo-Ahhhs but for the Ahhh-haaas as you so eloquently said. By studying good teaching strategies first and then the technology we are learning how to absorb it into our curriculum and not let it dictate what we teach or to become a distraction. We want to control the technology and not let it control us. The other day I created my first Power Point presentation (yes, I have been living in a cave) and talk about getting distracted by the technology! By the time I was done with slide transitions and animations I thought I was gonna puke. I felt like I had just gotten off a carnival ride. I went back in and cleaned it up by simplifying it quite a bit and in the end I think I produced a very effective presentation. But as an adult, boy did I ever get sidetracked! It was great for me to experience it just like my students will. It gave me a lot of perspective. I started my own blog a few weeks back that I put reflections in as I go on this journey of discovering technology and how to make it effective in the classroom. You can visit it at http://weissglaza.blogspot.com/ honestly, a month ago I didn't even know what a blog was. I thought it was just some obnoxious communication tool people use to complain and share their life struggles. Boy was I wrong. It is blog sites like this one that really help connect people with common interests and tips and tricks to share with peers.

The Oooo-Ahhh Versus the Ahhh-Haaa (by Jen Wagner)

One technology that has caught my Ahhh-Haaa is a program called DyKnow - http://dyknow.com/. It is software that allows teachers to create interactive lesson and allows them to KNOW that the students are getting it before walking out the door. I highly recommend that if you are in a PC, 1 to 1 environment you need to examine this software.

The Oooo-Ahhh Versus the Ahhh-Haaa (by Jen Wagner)

I totally agree with the need to create Ahh-Haaa moments to make the serious connections between devices/tools and their implication for learning....but at the same time, I hope we all remember to appreciate the moments of discovery - the glitz if you will or the entirely new device -that can intrigue and inspire the early adopters to further explore how and if the new innovation can ultimately deliver the real Ahhh-Haaa for education. What may seem not to have an immediate learning application can often be transformed in the hands of an educator!

The Oooo-Ahhh Versus the Ahhh-Haaa (by Jen Wagner)

I teach a college Management Information Systems class. For many years I have used a case study for a semester long systems analysis problem. Good project - but seriously limited by the text in the case study. For the class last spring I created a case based on a real experience with a database we helped develop for a condo we own at the beach. I created scripts for the Property Manager, the Office Manager and the Security Director at the condo. "Live" interviews were recorded (by family members willing to work for a free meal) and stored on our course management system, WebStudy. Each interview presented a different perspective of the same problems. The students can pose questions in a discussion forum and get replies (ok - from me, pretending to be one of the above individuals). This has enabled me to provide a much more realistic and exciting case, and can be used in multiple semesters with different results. Low cost, fair amount of effort but certainly can be used for many semesters, and the initial group produced better presentations than the paper-copy classes.

The Oooo-Ahhh Versus the Ahhh-Haaa (by Jen Wagner)

My fourth graders loved math computation practice when we used Nintendo DS as a tool. They bring their DS's to school on specified days and I send them math problems (via the wireless chat rooms)which they solve with a partner on paper, then send their answer back to me. We always have had enough machines so that no one is left out. It brings the WOW to math computation, but the "Why" is obvious. The students love solving math problems this way.

The Oooo-Ahhh Versus the Ahhh-Haaa (by Jen Wagner)

How true that we need the aahh-hhaas. I am the media services director for a community college. One of my roles is integrating technology into the classroom, whether it be hardware or software. I love gadgets and fancy programs that do neat things. Faculty and administration look to me to help them bring in the newest and latest. But the phrase I use in my workshops is that these are "Toys for me, Tools for you!" Just because it is something new and/or different, that doesn't necessarily mean it is right for you. There has to be a reason to use the technology. Good viewpoint, Jen!

The Oooo-Ahhh Versus the Ahhh-Haaa (by Jen Wagner)

I fully agree with the fact that as teachers we have to make sure that our students are able to make the jump from the ohh-aah to the ahh-haa. I also think it is critical that we aren't just using some form of technology because it is cool. However, I think the ohh-ahh is so important because it engages the students and creates learning experiences that will make their way into the long term memory. When they are in an excited state from the ohh-ahh moment, their minds are far more open to finding that ahh-haa moment. The rotating text was impressive enough to be committed to your long term memory. If that rotating text hadn't been there would you have remembered any of the presentation? I've also noticed that with my students, something that may be distracting for me is actually the one thing that grabs their attention and allows them to focus on the information that I am trying to teach them. I think of wordle as an example. I find it hard to read, yet my eight year olds can spot that they misspelled a word with a single glance. They then instantly know which words they still need to practice. It's been a far more effective way for them to practice their spelling features each week. It would not be an efficient method for me, but it works wonders for them.

The Oooo-Ahhh Versus the Ahhh-Haaa (by Jen Wagner)

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