As our course content clearly explains, online tools and platforms make collaboration more possible than ever. This ongoing sharing of information has major implications for teaching and learning.

For teachers, there are multiple benefits. First, teachers can include collaborative components even for students who might be learning remotely, are absent from class, or are enrolled in different sections of a course that do not meet together at the same time throughout the day. No longer are physical boundaries setbacks to collaboration. Furthermore, since anyone can edit information on a collaborative shared platform, there is a greater emphasis and urgency for students to think critically about what they are sharing. Unlike spoken words which can be difficult to track down once said, typed text on a shared page, for example, can be traced back to its original editor. This is a positive attribute, though, since it encourages students to think about sharing the most critical and accurate information. Additionally, the teacher is not the only individual responsible for mediating content, as all contributors can check what is posted and provide feedback or edits. For teachers, there is the added benefit that that is a wide variety of free online collaborative platforms, so teachers can select the one that best meets the needs of their class and students.

For students, there are also multiple benefits. Some students are more comfortable sharing their insight and input online than they are in the classroom. These students might flourish when it comes to collaborating in a virtual setting. Also, students do not need to know computer programming or high level technical skills to be able to participate online. They can contribute to an online collaborative project through a few basic user-friendly steps.

When viewed on a larger scale, the idea of everyone sharing knowledge in a collaborative environment is a huge step for an educational model. No longer does the model seem to be teacher-focused. Instead, the path to learning is a journey where everyone – teachers and students – is working together to share their knowledge and help others advance. Each member of the learning community is important and has a critical role that can be used to assist others. As a group, the learning community works to make sure the most accurate and complete information is shared. What a great step toward learning!

I chose my Algebra I lesson plan on Point-Slope Form to use with a social bookmarking component. You can access my lesson plan through the link at the bottom of this post. The red text in the lesson plan highlights the new elements that I added, which include a Symbaloo requirement for students to collect resources and websites they find on one of the three forms of a linear equation.

I chose this lesson plan because it concludes a three-part unit on forms of linear equations. Students will then take an assessment on the three forms. As part of a review activity, I thought Symbaloo would be an effective way for students to gather helpful resources for other to use when studying one of the three forms.

One of the advantages that I predict will occur is that students will be more engaged in review. Typically, review in a mathematics classroom looks like a worksheet, calculator, and pencil. With this activity, students are truly involved in sculpting and directing their review process. One disadvantage is that students might end up including resources that are either not helpful or even not accurate. It will be important that the teacher monitors student choices to make sure they are mathematically sound and also instructive to others.

Link to lesson plan: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E8pcDXSIcogzrKiCAm_BT38tUxvy6-f7/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107918299674459771390&rtpof=true&sd=true

Article 3: Padlet as an Education Tool: Pedagogical Considerations and Lessons Learnt

Source: ResearchGate

Author: Ann Deni and Zainor Izat Zainal

Date: December 2018

Relevance of Source: This academic exploration study was found through a research database. It is a scholarly conference paper.

Summary:

                For my third article, I searched for a scholarly review of Padlet. A review like this is hard to find, since tools like Padlet are often written about in blogs or magazines. However, I then found this research report discussing the best practices to use with Padlet. Specifically, the focus of this research was to determine the teaching of communication skills to second year degree skills. While the target of this article might not be the same as my classroom, it still provides thoughtful insight and considerations about using Padlet in an educational setting.

                The authors begin with a discussion about the globalization of education and its demand to diversify.  Written even before the COVID-19 shift in education, the authors state that with the globalization came the rise of Web 2.0 technologies. While Web 2.0 technologies make learning approaches flexible, the authors then review pedagogical considerations of these tools. Citing various studies, the authors state that it is important that technology use is made meaningful to students. Students should be familiar with the technology and should be nurtured to use it. Citing a study by Ahmed, the authors also remind readers that students can become uncomfortable with the openness of Web 2.0 technologies, the very attribute many teachers try to obtain.

                The article next provides an overview of Padlet and a thorough summary of its features. The core focus of this study was to determine the impact of Padlet on student learning. The authors stated this was timely since even though Padlet provides an opportunity for classes to build community online, studies show it actually does not promote criticality or critical thinking. The reason? Students prefer not to find fault of others’ opinions or posts online.

                Within the study, students accessed Padlet through Blackboard and used it at the end of each unit. The authors explain how students interacted with Padlet and the feedback they received. In summary, the authors found that any difficulty with using Padlet resulted from non-Padlet specific issues. For example, students might prefer paper to online, or have had connectivity issues or accessibility issues. A streamlined method for accessing Padlet walls was a request by many students. Students also responded very favorably to the opportunity to hide their identity. Even steps taken to make students feel safe in the online environment were not enough for some. Students also liked that feedback from teachers came more quickly than it normally would for assignments on paper. Lastly, not setting a time limit on Padlet activities actually encouraged more participation.

                The findings of this study are important to remember when implementing Padlet use in my classroom.

Citation:

Deni, A. & Zainal, Z. (December 2018). Padlet as an educational tool: Pedagogical considerations and lessons learnt. ResearchGate.net. Retrieved March 25, 2022 from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329736124_Padlet_as_an_Educational_Tool_Pedagogical_Considerations_and_Lessons_Learnt.

Article 2: Padlet for Teachers: The Best Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for Your Classroom

Source: We Are Teachers

Author: Jill Staake

Date: January 22, 2021

Relevance of Source: This website is an online media board for teachers that shares countless articles, reviews, resources, and more for those in the field of education.

Summary:

After reviewing the previous article which provided an overall summary of Padlet, this article was a great step forward. In this article, the author begins with a short overview of Padlet and its pricing along with an embedded video the reader can watch if they want more information about the tool. Following the introduction, the rest of the article dives deeper into fifteen cool ways teachers can use Padlet. The fifteen strategies are: (1) remake existing Padlets as templates, (2) collaborate and organize, (3) get to know each other, (4) create a timeline, (5) get feedback with exit tickets, (6) display student work, (7) keep track of who needs help, (8) hold a debate, (9), have a scavenger hunt, (10) set up a book shelf, (11) make a map, (12) conduct a writers’ workshop, (13), use Padlet Backchannel for discussions, (14) assign lessons or homework, and (15) take a poll.

Of the fifteen strategies listed, I decided to focus on three of them and consider how I can use them in my class. The first suggestion that I thought would be applicable to my classroom is #2, collaborate and organize. In all of my classes, at some point, students participate in a group project. For example, my honors eighth grade students create shower curtains for various topics of a unit. By incorporating Padlet into this project, they could either choose to create a Padlet board instead of a shower curtain, or they could show their thinking and planning on the Padlet instead of through papers and handouts in their folders that often get messy.

The second suggestion that caught my attention was using Padlet to get feedback through exit tickets. The article explains that many teachers use a form of exit tickets. Instead of having students turn in a note card or sticky note on their way out the door, Padlet can be used for them to post their replies to a question online. In the example provided in the article, students reply to three questions, posting their answers under the question.

Lastly, I thought the idea of using Padlet to keep track of who needs help would be very beneficial to the classroom. Additionally, this seemed to be one of the most creative ways to use Padlet that I have encountered. In my larger classes, students tend to work in partners or small groups. For more difficult questions, it is not uncommon for multiple groups to struggle and request help. This Padlet use would allow them to reserve their place in line and also know how many people are ahead of them.

Citation:

Staake, J. (2021, January 22). Padlet for teachers: The best tips, tricks, and ideas for your classroom.  

WeAreTeachers.com. Retrieved March 25, 2022 from https://www.weareteachers.com/padlet-forteachers/#:~:text=Meaningful%20ways%20for%20teachers%20and,and%20a%20whole%20lot%20more

Article 1:

Title: What is Padlet and How Does It Work for Teachers and Students?

Source: Tech & Learning

Author: Luke Edwards

Date: October 2020

Relevance of Source: Tech & Learning is part of an international media group and learning digital publisher that focuses on sharing tools and ideas to transform education.

Summary:

As someone who is about to use Padlet for the first time in the classroom, this article was a great place to start. Answering the two key questions: (1) What is Padlet? And (2) How Does It Work for Teachers and Students?  the article begins by providing an overview of the functions and format of Padlet. Emphasizing its interactive features, the article explains that both teachers and students can post on the same Padlet and share ideas.

After discussing some of the ways to post and set security options, the article then provides examples of how it might be used in classrooms. Since images, videos, audio files, links, or documents can be added to a Padlet, the options are really limited only by the creator’s – and contributor’s – imaginations. Padlet can be integrated into Google Classroom, which is especially helpful for a school district like mine that uses Google Classroom as its LMS. Idea suggestions for using Padlet that are mentioned in the article include turning to it as a brainstorming board or using it as a live question board. Parents can even use a Padlet to communicate with the teacher.

The last part of the article discusses pricing for Padlet. In summary, the most basic plan is free, but it limits Padlets to three and also has a limit on upload sizes. For $8 a month, an individual can purchase Pro Plan which allows unlimited Padlets and 250 MB upload files. Schools have the option to purchase Padlet Backpack. Though pricier, it provides a vast array of customization and personalization options as well as additional support and activity monitoring.  

Citation:

Edwards, L. (2020, October 19). What is Padlet and how does it work for teachers and students? TechLearningMagazine. Retrieved March 25, 2022, from https://www.techlearning.com/how-to/what-is-padlet-and-how-does-it-work-for-teachers-and-students

After experiencing the power of RSS on my The Old Reader account, I think that RSS could be a powerful tool for my own learning and professional development. At the time of the writing of this post, I have created my Old Reader account, and I am following numerous searches and also blogs. I am very excited about having updates in these areas located in one place. As a busy educator with many courses, students, and lesson planning preparation, the time commitment of any undertaking is always a serious consideration. Between my social media accounts, emails, and professional websites, it can become very overwhelming to try to keep track of the information being sent my way. Through RSS, the search becomes easier and less time consuming!

I chose to subscribe to the following:

1. a search for “math teaching,” in order to get the most current news and information on specific subject area instruction
2. a search for “online teaching.” Even though I am not a virtual instructor, this is an area of interest and also the area of my program. This search will help me learn more about how the field is developing.
3. a search for “learning disabilities,” as suggested by the course content, and because my classes include many diverse learners
4. a search for “Blue Ridge School District,” my local school district where I teach to make sure I don’t miss any news articles. As a rural and small school, getting in the news is always exciting.
5. the blog Math = Love. As a Stats teacher, I hope to keep updated on her resources and activities for the Statistics classroom.

As a secondary mathematics teacher, my past courses of instruction have predominantly been for grades 9-12. However, this is my second year teaching a sixth grade math class due to scheduling needs. Even though I have enjoyed this insight into the world of younger math students, it can sometimes be challenging for me to engage and relate to these students who are so much younger than my sophomores and seniors. When I was searching for a blog example, I found the class blog of Mrs. Moore’s students from Arizona. You can find it here https://mooreclassmath.edublogs.org/

With the most recent post on the home page being from 2021, the blog is a place for students to post creative writing snippets along with class-related reflections. After I dug a little deeper into the blog, I especially liked the component where students included entries that described their class and introduced them to the world. You can find this here https://mooreclassmath.edublogs.org/about-us/

It is pretty evident on the blog that the fifth grade students enjoyed personalizing it to make it about them and truly express themselves on the page. I thought this might be a helpful approach for my sixth graders if we incorporated a classroom blog. This type of blog project, combined with appropriate mathematics components, would be a fun and engaging middle school level task. As a secondary teacher who sometimes struggles to relate to sixth grade students, this type of blog approach would be a great start!

Web Technologies in the Classroom

Web technologies have the opportunity to dramatically change the classroom – and they are already doing it bit by bit! Perhaps the most transformational power of web technologies is that they bridge gaps and distances, connecting people and information from around the world. This attribute impacts the first way that I see web technologies affecting my practice and my classroom. Through the use of programs like Zoom or online webinars, I can bring industry professionals connected to my classroom content into our class to make it more meaningful and engaging. Web technologies make it possible to communicate with people who otherwise might be unreachable.

Secondly, I see web technologies as a way for students to engage with content that is similar to how they use technology on a daily basis. Students are digital natives, used to turning to their phones, tablets, laptops, Chromebooks or other devices to carry out many areas of their lives. When education embraces this use of technology, students are practicing skills in a manner that is natural for them. I use programs like Kahoot, Quizlet, and IXL Math to integrate diverse practice opportunities into my classes.

Finally, web technologies can promote critical thinking and reasoning skills. When students use online resources to arrive at a solution, they need to justify that their resources are legitimate, they need to make connections between their problem and their search, and they (at times) need to share their findings with others to collaborative toward a common goal. What great 21^st Century skills in action – all because of the incorporation of web technologies!

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