Course Design 2011 Dinsmore

Welcome to class! This quarter we will be exploring and using web 2.0 tools to enhance your core class assignments. Think of it this way, you are going to have class time in this class to help with your other classes. It is definitely not a study hall, but a fun way to turn an ordinary homework or class assignment into a visually appealing artifact. Web 2.0 tools will not only help you create more eye catching assignments, but also cause you to think critically about your content in other classes. The tools we will be using are the following:

Blogger- a website that holds both written and graphic (pictures, video, audio) information. You will use this to display written assignments and reflections on assignments in other classes. Bubbl.us- a website that helps you create concept maps. You will use this to organize and connect information learned in other classes. Glogster- a website that helps you create interactive posters. You will use this to display information learned in other classes. Timetoast- a website that helps you create visually appealing timelines. You will use this to create timelines of sequential information. Picnik- a website that helps you edit photos in many ways. You will use this to add photos or graphics to assignments.

I am looking forward to seeing all of your work! Mrs. Dinsmore

In this Module, you will explore Moodle, interact with your classmates and your teacher, and get a view of the big picture of this class. To start, click on the news forum below for your first activity. Mrs. Dinsmore
To begin, I would like you to get comfortable in our Moodle Environment. The most important thing to notice is the "path bar" at the top of the page. It is highlighted in blue, starts with "home page" and ends with whatever page you are on. The simplest way to get back to our main page is to click on the "Kim Dinsmore 512" link in that path. Right now I would like you to visit the getting started tutorials and check out some of the features in

Moodle. When you are done, come back to our home page. This link will take you out of our course, so to open it in a new tab, right click ( hold down the right mouse button instead of the traditional left) on the link below and select "open link in new tab". This will keep this tab open and you can explore in the new tab without worrying how to get back here or having to login again. Happy Moodling! Link for Syllabus Email instructor After you have read the ENTIRE syllabus, send me an email by clicking on "participants" in the top left pane (on main page), selecting me, and writing in the box that you have read the syllabus. I will respond when I get your email. This assignment is worth 25 points. Tell us a few things about yourself as well as any experience you have had with any of the web 2.0 tools we will learn and use in this class.To do this, click on "add a new discussion topic," title it "my introduction" and write at least one paragraph (4-6 sentences). This assignment is worth 25 points. See discussion board rubric for my grading criteria. Watch the video then comment in our reflection discussion. Creative Commons License Produced by Michael Wesch, Kansas State University The Machine is using us Netiquette Rules After viewing the Netiquette page and the web 2.0 video, submit a one paragraph reflection containing your thoughts, feelings, or questions concerning each of these activities. This assignment is worth 50 points. See reflection rubric for my grading criteria. Each week I will be on for a half an hour to chat with any student about how the week went. This is not graded and is optional for those of you who have internet at home. The chat will be Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. You may also use this chat feature to talk to classmates throughout the week. Please be reminded of our Netiquette rules. Mrs. Dinsmore concept map rubric Glogster rubric photo edit rubric Blog Rubric Discussion board rubric Timetoast Rubric

In this Module, you will set up a blog and create your first posts. Go through the entire Blogger Tour (do not click on "create blog" yet), Blogger Tutorial and Blogs in Plain English before you create a blog. We

will be in this module for 4 weeks as it is the foundation for all other work you will be sharing. Most of your products will be housed on this site. In the end, you will have an online portfolio of your work in this class. I look forward to seeing your blogs. Mrs. Dinsmore
http://www.blogger.com/tour_start.g Blogger tutorial Blogs in plain English My own blog extreme biology blog First blog post After setting up your blog post, create a first post telling the core classes you have this semester that you can reflect on and post written assignments in Blogger. If you have trouble creating a post, go through the tutorials again. You can also email me with direct questions. Paste the link of your post in a new discussion thread below (click on "add a new discussion topic" ). Title (in the subject box) the discussion post "First Post-Last Name". Mine would be First Post-Dinsmore. Add any additional comments below your link in the discussion box. For example, you could include a sentence or two on how you felt about this activity or any questions you may still have about blogging. Additional Note: Submitting this assignment will also get you your 25 points for setting up your blog. edit profile in eBlogger second blog post For your second blog post, I would like you to choose one of you core classes like Language Arts or Science and write a post on a few things that you are learning about in this class. I would like a minimum of two paragraphs. Please refer to our rubric on how I will be grading these posts. The rubric will also help you include elements I am looking for in a quality post. When you have finished creating your post, insert the link in a new discussion thread below. After you have put your post in, please comment on one other post. Remember our Netiquette rules; once something is written on the web, you will not be able to take it away. Be kind and constructive. Also, please select someone that does not have a comment yet. discussion board Now that you have created a couple posts, I would like you to discuss some of the things that you have noticed during these activities. It could be some of the features of Blogger, your thoughts and feelings as you try to create a post, or even how you work on the activity knowing that more than just your teacher will be reading your work. Be specific. Saying you liked it or disliked will not do. Please refer to our discussion board rubric to see what a quality post entails. When you are done, please comment on one other post.

third post Please complete another post (at least two paragraphs) just as you did for your second post. Submit the link to the post below. Comment on one other post and remember to be kind, constructive and specific. module 2 reflection After spending four weeks working on blogs, write two paragraphs that sum up your month. You can summarize the posts you worked on, tell about your struggles and achievements and discuss your feelings in general about blogging. Please refer to the discussion board rubric to see the elements of a quality post. end of week chat Each week I will be on for a half an hour to chat with any student about how the week went. This is not graded and is optional for those of you who have internet at home. The chat will be Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. You may also use this chat feature to talk to classmates throughout the week. Please be reminded of our Netiquette rules. Mrs. Dinsmore

In this module, you will learn about concept mapping and practice with a tool called Bubbl.us. Begin by viewing the video on mind mapping. Then view the tutorial as many times as needed. I look forward to seeing your maps! Mrs. Dinsmore
This five minute video explains the use of mind mapping and how it can help learning. There is a short commercial at the beginning and end of the video. Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AllXU_3nktU

For a written tutorial, go to bubbl.us and click on the help link at the top of the screen. You should get a page that looks like this:

Once you get there click on the getting started link. my mind map first mind map
After reviewing the tutorials, create your first mind map about yourself. Submit the link to the mind map in this forum. The title should be your name. second mind map
Create your second mind map. This time, take one assignment in one of your core classes and use bubbl.us to expand on a concept. It could be a story you may be reading, a science concept, or a historical event. Start with the central theme then branch out from there. discussion board After completing two mind maps, share your thoughts and feelings about this web 2.0 tool. What did you find easy, hard, frustrating? Do you think that this could help promote deeper understanding in some of your other courses? Why or why not? Which assignments would best benefit from this tool? Please respond to two other posts that do not have responses yet.

third mind map Please complete another map for a different course. Reply to two other posts that do not have replies yet. module 3 reflection After creating several mind maps and viewing other students' maps, reflect on how you may use this tool in the future. What maps did you create? What courses did you take information from and why? Share any insights that you have about the tool. What are the limitations? What do you wish it could do better? Is this a tool you would share with classmates? Why or why not? Please write at least three paragraphs (4-5 sentences each) for your response. You do not have to reply to other students in this forum. end of week chat Each week I will be on for a half an hour to chat with any student about how the week went. This is not graded and is optional for those of you who have internet at home. The chat will be Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. You may also use this chat feature to talk to classmates throughout the week. Please be reminded of our Netiquette rules. Mrs. Dinsmore

In this module, you will use a web 2.0 tool called Glogster. This tool creates online posters that are interactive, colorful, and engaging. I look forward to seeing your Glogs! glogster video glogster tutorial best glogs First glog
Create a simple Glog about yourself. You may put in favorite (appropriate) music, favorite books, and things you like to do. Be reminded that you will not put in any personal information that is not permitted. For a reminder, you can review Netiquette Rules from Module 1. Be creative and have fun! Respond to two other posts. Tell what you like about their Glogs and offer any suggestions on things that could be added to their Glogs. Paste the link to your Glog below. Second Glog

For your second Glog, make a Glog about something you are learning in one of your classes.Respond to two other posts. Tell what you like about their Glogs and offer any suggestions on things that could be added to their Glogs. Paste the link to your Glog below. I have added a link to one of my Glogs on telling time. Telling Time discussion board Now that you have created a couple Glogs, I would like you to discuss some of the things that you have noticed during these activities. It could be some of the features of Glogster, your thoughts and feelings as you try to create a Glog, or even how you work on the activity knowing that more than just your teacher will be reading your work. Be specific. Saying you liked it or disliked will not do. When you are done, please comment on one other post. third glog For your third Glog, make another Glog about something you are learning in one of your classes. Respond to two other posts. Tell what you liked about their Glogs and offer any suggestions on things that could be added to their Glogs. Paste the link to your Glog below. module 4 reflection After creating several Glogs and viewing other students' Glogs, reflect on how you may use this tool in the future. What Glogsdid you create? What courses did you take information from and why? Share any insights that you have about the tool. What are the limitations? What do you wish it could do better? Is this a tool you would share with classmates? Why or why not? Please write at least three paragraphs (4-5 sentences each) for your response. You do not have to reply to other students in this forum. end of week chat

In this module, you will use a web 2.0 tool called Timetoast. Timetoast creates online timelines with text and graphics. Start by watching the tutorial then create your first timeline. I look forward to seeing your Timetoast products. timetoast tutorial examples educational technology history of iPod

history of web 2.0 first timeline

After viewing the tutorial and examples, create your first timeline on your school year so far. You can put in dates for the start of school, special events, sporting events, holidays, big tests etc. Paste your link below. Comment on one other timeline that does not have a comment.

second timeline
Create your second timeline on content from one of your courses. The most natural course for this would be Social Studies for some historical time frame, but you could also use Timetoast to relay events in a novel for Language Arts, or in Science to create a timeline of the life of a major contributor to the field like Madame Curie or Mendel. Paste your link below. Please comment on one other timeline that does not have a comment. discussion board Now that you have created a couple timelines, I would like you to discuss some of the things that you have noticed during these activities. It could be some of the features of Timetoast, your thoughts and feelings as you try to create a timeline, or even how you work on the activity knowing that more than just your teacher will be reading your work. Be specific. Saying you liked it or disliked will not do. When you are done, please comment on one other post.

third timeline
Create your third timeline on content from one of your courses as you did for your second timeline. Please have at least five events and one timeframe. Paste your link below. Please comment on one other timeline that does not have a comment.

module 5 reflection
After creating several timelines and viewing other students' timelines, reflect on how you may use this tool in the future. What timelines did you create? What courses did you take information from and why? Share any insights that you have about the tool. What are the limitations? What do you wish it could do better? Is this a tool you would share with classmates? Why or why

not? Please write at least three paragraphs (4-5 sentences each) for your response. You do not have to reply to other students in this forum. end of week chat

In this module, you will be editing pictures online to use in assignments or just for fun. This is a fun way to embelish projects and add to your Glogs, Blogs, and Timelines. Watch the tutorial and view the examples before you create your own Picnik product. I look forward to seeing your edited pictures! Mrs. Dinsmore picnik tutorial

With Picnik, you can also make a slideshow and embed it in a webpage such as mine below.
more than just editing
Use Mittens for your first Picnik edit. Right click on the photo and select "Save image as..." Save it on your desktop for easy access. Save file as "Mittens" Go to Picnik.com and edit this picture. Have fun and be creative. Save edited picture as MittensEdit.jpg on your desktop Submit your edited picture to the Mittens Forum

Forum

Insert your edited picture below by clicking below then selecting the tree (insert image icon) then clicking browse. Click on the "find file" in the sidebar then click on find file. After you find the file (should be on your desktop), click open then click upload this file. Save this as "Mittens" and the author is you. Scroll down and select "insert" You can resize it smaller by selecting the picture and dragging the corners in. Comment on one other photo.

second picture edit This time, edit a picture that can be used in one of your course assignments. A good place to get pictures is from Flickr. You can log on to Flickr.com and go to the creative commons section to find pictures that are lawful to use. At the very least, you will have to cite your source. Make sure you do NOT select a photo that has NoDerivs; this means you would not be able to change the photo in any way. Make sure you are picking appropriate photos for eighth grade. You may also use your own photos, but be reminded of our Netiquette rules-you can't use a picture of yourself, family members, or friends. Animals, scenery, and objects are okay to use. Insert your photo below like you did in the Mittens forum, but this time explain over or under the photo how you edited the photo and what assignment you could use this photo in. Comment on one other post that has not been commented on yet. discussion board Now that you have created a couple edited pictures, I would like you to discuss some of the things that you have noticed during these activities. It could be some of the features of Picnik, your thoughts and feelings as you try to edit a picture, or even how you work on the activity knowing that more than just your teacher will be seeing your work. Be specific. Saying

you liked it or disliked will not do. When you are done, please comment on one other post. third picture edit
Complete another edited picture just as you did for the second one. Comment on one other post that does not have a comment yet.

module 6 edit After creating several edited pictures and viewing other students' pictures, reflect on how you may use this tool in the future. What edited pictures did you create? What assignments did you create the pictures for? Share any insights that you have about the tool. What are the limitations? What do you wish it could do better? Is this a tool you would share with classmates? Why or why not? Will you use this outside of school? Please write at least three paragraphs (4-5 sentences each) for your response. You do not have to reply to other students in this forum. end of week chat