new toy

I am taking a step into the technological worl, I had to replace my cell phone this weekend so I bought a blackberry. I have to admit I am a little intimidateed by this device but the more I play with my new toy the more I am enjoying it. I really like that my e-mail comes straight to the phone it makes life a little more convenient. I have just started downloading apps and there are some neat ones out there. It is in regards to apps that I pose a question, there are mixed reviews on the Maple Leafs App so I was wondering if anyone had an opinion on that?

grad

Well education grad 2010 has come and gone; all and all I have to say it was a very nice celebration. I really enjoyed all of the speeches and our M.C. was entertainging and very enjoyable. I have to admit that during grad I felt like it was a fake celebration because it comes in the middle of the term, in fact right before one of my busiest weeks for school but now that it is all over it really feels like we are that much closer to being out of school. Actually it feels like all that we have left is some academic formalities before we are out in the real world of education. Now that grad is over I realize that it really was an opportunity to celebrate with our peers even though we still have a little more left to do we deserved to celebrate how far we have come. And it was fun!

Blogging group task

Knowledge

• To document learning as it pertains to a course
• To find out about students (holistic education)
• Technological literacy as a digital citizen

Comprehension

• Appeal to the era of the developing digital student - stimulation
• Extending classroom community and culture to a different level
• Teaching students to be a good digital citizen - build on-line independence

Application

• Social networking among global colleagues
• multi dimensional teaching strategies - courses you teach
• integrated assessments done anywhere - track history and growth

Analysis

Yes - Asynchronous - range of attitudes perceptions and inputs

Synthesis

• Students create an arena to share their learning's - neat to get to know this dimension of them
• facilitate student learning directly and indirectly

Evaluation

• restrictions and enforcing restrictions on blogging - not a free for all
• the advantage that you are not limited to a classroom is also a disadvantage because anyone has access to info
• time management - viewing blogs of students who are active bloggers

By: John Chelsea and Sean

web quest proposal

My proposal for my webquest assignment will be a World War One web quest which can be used for secondary history classes. Going in to this web quest students should have a background knowledge in the developments in military technology in the late nineteenth century, the alliance system that was in place in Europe in the early twentieth century, and Canada's role in the world as a British commonwealth country at the outbreak of the war. This web quest will meet the curriculum requirements for history 10, 20 , and 30.

http://www.sasklearning.gov.sk.ca/docs/history10/unit5/over.html
http://www.sasklearning.gov.sk.ca/docs/history20/index.html
http://www.sasklearning.gov.sk.ca/docs/history30/tocu3.html

The higher order thinking question that I would like my students to answer from this would be, Canada served under as a common wealth country in World War One defend or critique the role that Canadian citizens played in World War One under British Command.
This topic is important to my students because it sets a foundational knowledge for upper level histories at the 10 and 20 level and because it is an important part of our Canadian history. Understanding Canada and it's role in World War One helps us understand how we have developed our national identity.
A small sampling of the resources available for this web quest are.
http://www.sasklearning.gov.sk.ca/docs/acthis20/info1-2.html#13
http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=history/firstwar
http://www.johndclare.net/peace_treaties4.htm
This web quest lends itself to many different projects for secondary history classes including letters home from soldiers, recruitment posters, online and offline debates on issues like: womens right to vote or conscription.
Resources that I would use during this web quest would be the computer lab, library, classroom, textbooks, and hopefully guest speakers.

Missed last week

I just noticed that I forgot to post last week so I figured I would add an extra this week. Last weekend I attended the annual sip and slip at the Hanley curling rink and my team accomplished to both sipping and slipping. (for which I feel we deserved extra points) Once again a fun time was had by all and amazingly enough no serious injuries were sustained, just some bumps and bruises.

Going to Halifax

Well my wait is almost over. Tomorrow at 7:30 I get on a plane and am on my way to Halifax Nova Scotia. I am very excited for this trip and here are the reasons
1) I am going to see a couple of friends that I have not seen since June
2) I have never been to eastern Canada so it should be a neat experience
3) The Briar starts this weekend in Halifax and who doesn't like having a few beers at curling rinks
4) Even though it is not a warm destination it will be nice to get away for a few days in March.

mid term break

Well spring break 2010 has come and gone and all and all it was very enjoyable the weather was great, the Olympics were on, ehat more could one want? All of these happy thoughts and memories were in my head until tonight when I watched the Canada USA mens hockey game an oh what a heart breaker. Now all the joy I had from this break is replaced by the pit in my stomach as I watched the puck slide into that empty net.