United Streaming
I spent my day with a bunch of middle school teachers introducing them to the United Streaming web site. We have had access to the site for what is our second school year. It is very popular at the high school level, but less popular in middle school and elementary.
This training was really done totally wrong, but that was not my doing. It was especially amusing to teach with computers that are total junk. I was spending my time trying to fix things instead of trying to teach anything about the value of the resource. It was a tech nightmare in action.
Anyhow, the site is pretty amazing if you can subscribe to it. Tons and tons of video, over 4,000 titles. There are also some very cool resources like a calendar with video suggestions, state standard alignment, an image gallery that also has writing promtpts, and an online Quiz Center. I haven’t had a chance to really get into the Quiz Center, but it looks like you could create an assessment, have students login and take the assessment, and get feedback.
What was wrong with today? Well, for one thing, it was a one-shot deal. And we all know these don’t work. And I am sure that not one of these teachers will get beyond the typical way of using this resource: LCD projector/whole group instruction. Yuk! It’s more of the same with a little technology hanging on it! I would like to work with teachers on using it as a resource in a constructivist learning environment, showing kids how to use it to solve problems, answer questions, and create some new understandings. Today involved teachers seeing technology as a resource for them, with little thought about its use for students.
Teachers really do have a mind set that is a challenge to alter. We have to remember to persevere, and show everyone how these resources can be used in new ways. It’s a change. And change takes time… and more time… and even more!
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