Brainstorming

> RESOURCES: > [] > **LITERARY WORLD** Games can be accessed [] > A tutorial on Thoughtcrime is available at [] > RESOURCES: > [] > http://ci247fall.wikispaces.com/K-6+Language+Arts > Article aimed to generate discussion of acceptable use: > [] > Article aimed to generate discussion of acceptable use: > []
 * 1) Use **smart boards and wikis** to communicate with students and parents, offering both access to class notes, handouts, powerpoints, videos, and more.
 * 2) Use social media such as **ning.com** for teacher professional development. A site could be set up where teachers could share their favorite lessons, classroom projects, writing assignments, etc. This group could also tap into a broader group such as the one found at [|http://englishcompanion.ning.com]. My class ning can be found at []
 * 1) Teachers use **gaming** to immerse students in literary worlds. One such game is Thoughtcrime. Thoughtcrime "is a literary game designed for use in secondary literature classes reading the novel 1984. Played in a virtual world that brings the totalitarian regime of Big Brother to life, //Thoughtcrime// pits players against each other in a subtle struggle for survival. //Thoughtcrime// may be played with small or large classes, from school or home computers with Internet connections. Played over the Web in real time, a game of //Thoughtcrime// may begin at school but extend well beyond school hours."
 * 1) Use sites such as [] and [] to connect students to classrooms around the world. Both are places where students can share stories and collaborate with others globally. One variation of digital poetry is digital storytelling. Information about an **Epals** Collaborative Project on Digital Storytelling can be found at [] **iEARN (International Education and Resource Network)** is the world's largest non-profit global network that enables teachers and youth to use the Internet and other technologies to collaborate on projects that enhance learning and make a difference in the world.
 * 2) More information about **digital storytelling** can be found at [].
 * 3) Using social media to create rich interactive learning experiences for students- example **facebook pages** for various **characters** such as Scout, Jem, Atticus, and Boo Radley from To Kill a Mockingbird highlighting interests, favorite books, favorite songs, and allowing communication between the characters and others.
 * 1) Students can use [] to create their own **digital comic strips or books** based on a poem, story, novel or personal writing.
 * 2) Students can use [|www.xtranormal.com] to create an **animated video.** An animated character will say the words the students type into the text box. Students write the script. Students could imagine a future conversation between two characters in a book. A fun homework assignment!
 * 3) Students can use [|http://animoto.com] to quickly produce beautifully orchestrated, completely **unique video pieces from your pictures, video clips and music** about topics related to class.
 * 4) Students use [|www.quizlet.com] to study independently or with each other. Students can make their own **flashcards** or study flashcards made by other students. For example, students can find a set of 42 free flashcards over the elements of literature. Teachers could make flashcards of vocabulary words and share with the students digitally, instead of using the paper to print.
 * 5) Students can use [|http://diigo.com] or [|http://delicious.com] to create their own personal libraries of internet sites they enjoy and sites related to a given topic. Teachers could assess student reading and comprehension skills as well as writing skills through student summaries of the sites in the notes section. Diigo is a powerful research tool because it is a [|social bookmarking] [|website] which allows signed-up [|users] to [|bookmark] and [|tag] web-pages. Additionally, it allows users to highlight any part of a [|webpage] and attach sticky notes to specific highlights or to a whole page. These [|annotations] can be kept private, shared with a group within Diigo or a special link forwarded to someone else. The name "Diigo" is an abbreviation for "Digest of Internet Information, Groups and Other stuff".[|[2]] ([] Students could bookmark litrature organized on a common theme such as man's inhumanity to man and type in thoughts on notes section. This would relate to KY Core Content //RD-O6-5.0.1-// // Students will identify the ways in which similar themes, ideas and concepts are developed in more than one literary work. //
 * 6) Use [|http://diigo.com] to create a **class database of books** read by type or author. Determine if the class enjoys one type of book or author over others. This will assist in stocking the books that the students prefer and encourage them to read for enjoyment.
 * 7) Instead of banning social media, **students should be taught how to find the right social mediums for expression, social media etiquette, and how to build online conversations.** Students should be taught the harmful effects of cyber-bullying, guarding one's reputation online, and protecting personal information online. Write out an acceptable use policy for students using social media sites to protect schools from such as issues as cyber-bullying, disrespectful comments directed at teachers and administrators, etc.
 * 1) Explore sites such as [] that allow teachers much more control than Blogger, Ning, and Facebook and has content filtering that filters bad words from student work so teachers don't have to worry about inappropriate language being posted.
 * 2) **Wiki pages** are not only a great way for students to display their work electronically, but they also can **serve as electronic portfolios**, which can be used on college applications.
 * 3) Forget about the traditional MLA Handbook! Now any student can handle the complex process of **citing sources** by utilizing such websites as [|www.easybib.com]. This site allws students to merely enter a URL or an ISBN and a source is automatically cited. Where was this when I was in college?
 * 4) Write out an **acceptable use policy for educators using social media websites** such as facebook and myspace to protect teachers. Teachers need to be mindful that their posts on these sites can be used in any investigations, that clear student/teacher boundaries need to be drawn such as students shouldn't be engaged in small talk with teachers on sites, students shouldn't be calling teachers by their first names, students shouldn't expect preferential treatment because of being "friends" with a teacher... Many school districts prohibit teachers and students from communicating through these sites. Teachers should always be mindful that they are public servants and are therefore scrutinized by the public moreso because of that role. Teachers should not post any pictures, information, or comments on social media sites that would not agree with the image they want to portray to students, parents, community members, or administrators. I would discourage teachers from posting any images with alcoholic beverages, suggestive of sexual conduct, pertaining to foul language, etc.
 * 1) Students use [|www.glogster.com] to create **super cool electronic posters**. Posters could relate to topics in classroom instruction.
 * 2) Students can use [] to **record whatver they are doing on their computer and their voice.** This is a great way for students to create tutorials on how to use new programs and software and share this with each other. Also, the classroom teacher could create videos that could be stored in a location accessible by all students to use when needed. For example, s student needs to import sound for a MovieMaker and needs to also use Audacity to do that. The teacher creates a video on how to navigate through Audacity for various needs.