W4FV_Option 3, AR Project Movie

PE6_Podcasting Praise!

Well, after perusing the internet for guidance counseling podcasts, I am pleasantly surprised to find few and far between, as that means it is still somewhat cutting edge.  And what I did find dispelled some worries that I had regarding the ethical nature of using students and families, actually stating that it fulfilled the American School Counseling Association standards.  If I have parent nights, I can recored them for parents that could not attend.  If we have a topic that we are addressing at school, the students and teachers can offer ideas for families and feedback about the work we are doing.  If there are some new concerns school wide, we could quickly publish a blurb about it.  I think this will be an interesting idea to explore for an ARP resource/intervention option.

PE5_web 2.0 tools

Podcasts...everything I find says that they are a web 2.0 tool, but I don't see how podcasts are interactive where the listener/subscriber can respond. Isn't that what makes it a tool? I don't totally get it, but podcasts would be an interesting additions to a guidance program.  There could be topics that both staff, students, and parents can speak and offer thoughts, support and advice.  Then the archives would grow and grow and be available for incoming families, and honor students that have moved or moved on.  Considering the computers we received with Full Sail's program, this would be a fun, easy, and quick way to distribute information and could be a great intervention for my ARP. What do people think, web 2.0 tool or not? This could be really fun, and potentially be profitable long term, right?

PE4_web 2.0 tools for counselors

I've been struggling finding web 2.0 tools that I can reasonably use with my students in the realm of school counseling.  Yes, I will use video, powerpoints, movies, interactive websites, surveys, etc., but what exactly constitutes a web 2.0 tool? I've read the definitions and understand that it requires being interactive in terms of information sharing, where there can be communication back and forth. So to being this assignment, I'm back to the research board to see what would be a reasonable tool for the counselor...

PE3_Google Docs

I must have three posts, but I have nothing else to say about my search! Sorry!

PE2_Google Spreadsheets

Well, I can't find the lynda.com password in my email from months ago, and woopid doesn't have any tutorials that apply to creating a survey through google spreadsheets, so that was a short lived search. It seems pretty basic, and I could always do surveymonkey instead.  I still don't know how you would disaggregate the data at the end.  I'm sure that the questions that I ask about the climate and culture of school will provide immediate feedback, but it would be great if I could get some true and valid statistics to see if my interventions so anything for kids.  I also wonder how realistic it would be to create something online, knowing that most likely, I will need a paper version for them to fill out.  I would hate to have to enter each survey into the computer...that would be a giant waste of time. My brain hurts!

PE1_Google Spreadsheets

The resource I am going to explore and hopefully use for my ARP is google spreadsheets.  I will be giving pre and post tests for my interventions, (or cycles).  I would like to know if I can use real scientifically based testing tools, and use/adapt them to google spreadsheets so that I can disaggregate the data correctly.  That's my goal, wish me luck!

BP12_OMM_Go!Animate

I struggle again since it's just me teaching myself...I created this movie twice, and both times I tried to add a voiceover with garage band, my whole computer froze and then shutdown erasing everything...so now, I can't get the cartoon into iMovie as...well, I don't know why.  So last week I gave up ad just didn't submit that part of the assignment and now I'll just offer the link to me unfinished project, since it's taken me 5 hours to get this far and I just won't do it anymore!  Here ya go if you are interested in my project!

BP11_Comment to Craig

Here's what I think about Craigs creation...

BP10_Comment to Karen

Check out Karen's 2.0 tool and those inspired by it, including me!

BP9-goanimate

I just discovered goanimate.com and am instantly entertained.  My wife have both been creating animated cartoons and giggling like school kids.  Goanimate.com allows you to use characters and backgrounds to create animated cartoons.  You can add your voice and alter it, you can use thought bubbles, you can create your own characters, their costumes, and add your own photos as the stage.  It allows you to add movement, facial expressions, and props.  You can create it all by scratch and use your own creativity, or you can use everything that is already there to make your cartoon. The characters are great, the tutorials are very clear, the backgrounds are diverse.

Although I do not have access to computers to work with students on projects like this, I think that this will be a great tool to pass along to our technology teacher.  We can collaborate on themes I am working on in character education and anti-violence curricula.  It would be a great intervention to have kids create cartoons to depict friendship skills, problem solving skills, or school skills in general.  As an intervention for my AR project, I can encourage our tech teacher to have kids create cartoons depicting bullying situations and how the victim and bystanders combat the situations.    

In my general practice, this tool is going to be lots of fun and a new way to get my points across during classroom guidance lessons.  I can create examples and have the characters role play using skills that the kids are working on, even asking particular students in the class questions coming from the characters...I think they would respond really well to this tool, and be excited to create their own.

BP7_Comment to Ashlee

Follow this link to see what I think about Ashlee's ponderings in BP5...

BP6_Comment to Jamie

Follow this link to my comment on Jamie's epic 2.0 moments!

BP5_iWeb

My action research project feels so rough and I'm still so confused. I've recently felt like it is just too much to have on my plate...even asking my wife today, "can I just quit?"   Of course her answer is: "No,we need that pay raise and you need to find some motivation in your job!" Shucks.   So what I want to focus my action research project on is connecting with more of our student's families, and providing opportunities for them to access the resources I have that might help their family flourish.  There is still such a stigma with "counseling" and most families fear me and see me only as someone that teaches kids all the things that families are doing wrong with the goal of removing students from unhealthy homes. That is the last thing my job is!  Well, it is my job to keep kids and families safe and healthy, but I realize life can be hard and everyone goes through rough patches and learning from their mistakes...our mistakes. I have so many resources and interventions, but between the stigma that keeps families away, language or cultural barriers, and busy schedules that don't allow for them to access me during the school day those resources don't get to the families that need them. I need to find a way to reach them, or more of them at least.  My first efforts will involve creating a website through iWeb that is available to anyone.  iWeb is such an easy, straightforward and attractive tool that will allow me to layer a site that is appropriate for families, students, teachers and our community.  I hope to have links to the parenting sites and resources I've found useful, online games that are educational and build on the social/emotional growth of kids, and career related experiential games.  We also have so many community resources available for families that are victims or homelessness, domestic violence,  extracurricular activities, and countless other areas that are affecting families.  I'm unclear about whether or not my district will approve this, but I will do my best!

BP4

Kids and teens are bombarded by technology in most aspects of their life, which can make it hard for parents to keep up with them and stay savvy on the technology front for themselves. Thanks to web 2.0, there are a number of exceptional tools that are fun and engaging for children, and can also track their interests and progress. Parents can look at your typical homework assigned by teachers, they can talk with their teachers to make sure their student is progressing, and now they can literally track students development by the games they play, the art and stories that they create online. One site that I found interesting and engaging, and that I would recommend to the families that I work with is www.tucoola.com. Tucoola is an interactive site that is safe and appropriate for 2-8 year olds, and has a system that monitors and analyzes the kids progress.  This is a way for parents to have a sense of security in their child's pass time, and access the work they've done to gain a perspective of their development in terms of learning and general skills.  Tucoola also offers resources for parents if if potential deficits seem to be present. The graphics are lovely, it's easy to navigate, and I look forward to offering this as a resource to many parents in our school.

Photo compliments of Flickr, Creative Commons

BP_Diigo Group

BP2_iGoogleScreenShots