Final+Report

 =Global Citizen Self-Study Action Research Report=

Group: Technology Unit: Middle School

Research Question: How can we best use blogs and wikis to enhance teaching and learning in the Middle School?

http://cfsmatthew.wikispaces.com/blogsnwikis http://www.ciconline.org/thresholdsummer07 http://edublogs.org/ We also arranged with Matthew to lead a workshop on Blogs and Wikis to teach us all how to use them, which he did expertly.
 * As your part of your action research project, what resources did you use to gather information about your question? (e.g. readings, consultants, school visits, etc.)**


 * Summarize what you learned from the information you gathered.**
 * 1)  wikis allow students to bring their individual research and learning together into a collective learning experience that continues to grow along with the student's interest.
 * 2)  New teacher blogs and wikis allow us to keep parents informed on what's going on in class in an easy, easy to use format. For instance, Ida spends 2 minutes (at most) per day, adding a new post. All they have to do to find homework assignments, updates from her about what's going on in class, or even get that missing worksheet is visit the blog. She's gotten very positive responses and can't wait to figure out how to use a wiki in her Conflict resolution class.
 * 3) With a blog Jamie is able to create a gallery where parents can see images of students creations.
 * 4) It is critical that students see themselves as a dynamic part of the larger world. Consequently it is also critical that they keep pace with all the latest developments in computer technology. Their fluency with technology will have long-reaching consequences for themselves and for the world they will inherit.
 * 5) Teacher assessment of student's work, teacher feedback AND student feedback can be achieved immediately on-line when students are engaged in wiki project-oriented work. This makes for a far richer learning experience in which a student's teachers and peers are contributing so intimately and immediately to each other's learning.

 **In addition to gathering information, please provide a written description of other actions carried out. These will take different forms for different groups; for example, it could involve implementing new instructional strategies, creating a process for long-range planning, or developing materials/skills you wish to implement next year**. Each of us has created at least one bog or wiki and tried it our in our class(es). See Sharing for Staff page at left to see our new blogs and wikis. They are also linked below
 * 1) 

[|Ida's Blog for Write On] [|Jamie's Blog] [|Tommy's Ecuader Blog] (inspired by us) Matthew's Blogs ([|Main Blog], [|Pre-Algebra 1st Pd], [|Jacobs Mathlog], [|Math 5], [|Pre-Algebra 4th Pd])
 * Blogs**

This one!(for our MS Tech Self Study Group) Blogs & Wikis Education from Matthew | Blogs & Wikis CRASH Course CFS Middle School Wiki CFS MS Staff Wiki Robert's Mythic Worlds Wiki Robert's Global Village Wiki Robert's American History Wiki Ida's Write On Resource Wiki Salary & Benefits Wiki
 * Wikis**

We learned that blogs and wikis are much easier to learn and manage than any of us thought. We learned that they save time and energy. They serve to bridge communication between teachers and teachers, teachers and parents, and teachers and students. They also provide an opportunity for students to work cooperatively and collectively toward the creation of a group project (see student created and maintained global village ).
 * Summarize what you learned from those actions.**

Wikis have made small changes that lessen the effort it takes to keep parents informed about what's going on in classes. They are about as easy to use as a Word document.

We would love to help others learn how to set up these easy to use tools. We'd love to read more about 21st century schools and how our students need to be prepared to meet the demand of the work world they will inherit. We would love to learn more about easy ways to incorporate the use of technology into our classrooms (and committee work for that matter). We'd love to take some of the mystique out of technology so it will not be as intimidating for folks who are not as comfortable with these tools (like Ida, who is so proud of her new blog she can hardly stand it!) We'd love to spend some energy integrating what we learned with what other groups have learned. For instance, a few queries: How can technology help enhance the ways we facilitate experiences of other cultures? How might technology help in our teaching of foreign language? Is there a place for technology in looking at our responsible stewardship of the resources we have access to?
 * Where do you go from here? Describe the steps you would like to undertake next.**