Online Readings: Technology and Pedagogy

Here's a smorgasbord of web links I gathered online. These links are curated in my Scoop it! page. I'm posting it here in the blog for the rest of the world to see. As if Twitter and Facebook won't suffice.

Kids in Ethiopia are using tablets to learn how to read. 

What is the difference between feedback and advice? How can feedback help teachers, newbie or seasoned educator?

How do I teach thee, introvert? Let me count the ways?

Khan Academy is getting some criticism from educators

Here's an infographic on teaching paradigms and practices.

Reading Technology Links

Information Source: Online Newspaper and References
New York Times for Kids
Time for Kids
Fact Monster
ALA's Great Websites for Kids
Kathy Schrock's Web Evaluation Criteria

E-Learning Tool
Web Quests
Web Quest Integration

Online Drills: Language Arts
Grammar Gorillas
Funbrain
Online Stories
Magic Keys
Literacy activities
Litearcy Centers
Worksheets on Phonics
School Express Phonics
Worksheets on Reading
School Express Reading

Telecollaboration

The Story Lady Project

WEB TECHNOLOGIES

Training for Development of Library and Teaching Resources

Philippine eLibrary Partners:
1. Commission on Higher Education
2. Department of Agriculture
3. Department of Science and Technology
4. The National Library
5. University of the Philippines

Target Audience:
1. Librarians and other Information Professionals/Specialists
2. Faculty members of colleges and universities

Objectives:
At the end of the Training, participants are expected to:
1. Know the information products and services of Philippine eLibrary
2. Create a library/teaching site integrating various web resources
3. Gain familiarity with web technologies and web resources

Pre-Requisite for Participants
Participants must be computer literate

Methodology
1. Lectures
2. Hands-on training

Duration
3 Days


Tentative Schedules and Venues:
June 17 – 19, 2009
Baguio City

June 24-26, 2009
Naga City Library, Naga City

July 15-17, 2009
Venue: Cagayan de Oro City

July 29 – 31, 2009
Cebu City

Registration Fee: P 5,000 per participant. For registration or details, contact:
Ms. Melody Madrid 02 5281972 or Ms Tina Diaz 02 5253196

Wicked Wiki

The rise of Wikis in the early 2000s signaled a poignant change in the way information is created in the web. It promotes collaboration, openness and egalitarianism. Thus, freedom of speech and expression has never been this good. The growth of liberal thinking and scholarly approach to the creation and communication of information online was at a rapid speed. It seems that Wiki, Hawaiian word for fast, is living up to its name.

Read a typical research paper or report done by a grade seven student and you'll find Wikipedia in the list of references. How the information in the Wiki was used and if it was critically evaluated before using it on the report is another matter though. The popularization of Wikis, made with all the good intentions, could have draw backs and disadvantages for the young learner. Reading print encyclopedias is one thing and using Wikis is another. Now that's a digression.

The point is, Wikis serve their purpose and for good reasons too. Allow me to name two examples of locally made Wikis that has substantial content and designed well enough for easy navigation.

One is the PAARL Wiki where current and relevant research on librarianship could be found. A good number of professional articles, PowerPoint presentations and studies by scholars of the discipline from abroad are linked there, but a majority of Filipino Librarians' works are featured too. Its list of essays and scholarly papers is comprehensive. It nearly covered everything under Library and Information Science. So who ever said that Filipino librarians are lesser writers should visit the site and reckon on this. What's more, it has a directory of its member institutions, seminars, fora, awardees and news about Philippine librarianship in general. Blogs by librarians, local and international ones, are an added treat. True to its adaptation of the Wiki spirit, its developers and writers are professional and licensed Filipino librarians who are not paid for the articles they write for the Wiki nor for the time they devout in developing it.

Call it an advocacy. Call it a mission. In my book, I call it passion. Passion for the profession and the growth of Philippine librarianship.

And then there's WikiPilipinas by Vibal Publishing House. I only have two words for this wiki -- impressively ambitious. It tries its best to cover as much topics on Filipiniana, Filipinos and the Philippines. Not bad for a start since there is a dearth of printed Filipiniana materials in the market. I'm speaking from the school library context. Perhaps WikiPilipinas could fill this need. Maybe not entirely. It's worth going back to the site to extensively explore its contents.

In the age of bytes and wikis, content is still king.

Online Resources for Teachers

Found some very good online resources for the busy teacher. These website contain free printable worksheets in Math, Reading and the Language Arts. Surfs Up!

RHL School is a free learning reosurce website for ready to use worksheets in Math, Reading and Reserach Skills. A link for answer sheets is provided in the index page as well as a blog feature. The skills covered are the basic comprehension skills, word meaning, inferencing, getting the main idea, etc.

HomeSchool Math is a place for parents and guardians with homeschooling kids. It does help the busy teacher as well through its comprehensive line of online lessons and worksheets. It has other features like a monthly newsletter, a blog (don't they all have it!), reviews and Ebooks.

teAchnology is treasure trove of worksheets, educational games, lesson plans, rubric makers and webquests. While there are freebies in the site, it has also a membership feature that can lead teachers to better and high quality reosurces online.

Till the next batch of online resources!