At the end of May, I’m fortunate enough to be presenting at the Early Literacy Hamilton Forum on the topic of Using The 21st Century Fluencies To Document Learning In The Kindergarten Classroom. While this is my third year in Grades 1 and 2, I spent 8 years before this as a Kindergarten teacher, and much of what I learned from teaching JK and SK, I’ve applied when teaching Grades 1 and 2.

I’ve definitely learned the value of “play,” and the importance for all students to explore, observe, and document their own learning in a meaningful way. I think that the Livescribe Pen is a great tool for sharing student learning throughout the inquiry process. Not that long ago, I was speaking to an amazing JK teacher at my school about the Livescribe Pen. This teacher wanted to start blogging with her students, but she wasn’t sure how this would work, as many of her students are still using random letters and sounds in their writing. Would this be a meaningful way to document their learning? This is when I suggested the Livescribe Pen. I thought that the students could use this pen to share what they’re learning in class.

Imagine if every day, a group of students had the option to use the pen while they’re playing and discussing their learning. They could take turns drawing a picture, writing down what they’re learning (like real researchers), and recording their oral thoughts and discussions throughout the process. This pencast could be easily uploaded onto a blog to share with parents, and allow parents to have a real glimpse into the classroom learning environment. Parents could then use the ideas generated in this discussion to start their own talks at home about topics that interest their children.

Instead of being an add-on, this technology would be used to complement what is happening in the classroom. Think about the power of this tool for formative assessment, especially as the teacher gets involved in this discussion and pushes the thinking forward. With the Livescribe Pen, students can blog, play, and collaborate in an easy way.

I plan on sharing this idea at the Early Literacy Hamilton Forum on May 31st, but I’d love to hear some new ideas too. How would you use the Livescribe Pen in a play-based Kindergarten classroom?

Aviva

This year, it was actually a student that helped me come up with a way to use the Livescribe Pen during Open House. Later on in April, one of my Grade 2 students brought in his Three Little Pigs house that he built at home with his parents for a math homework activity. In the video below, he explains that the challenge was to use 30 three-dimensional solids, but he didn’t use quite as many.

Since we’re working on using descriptive feedback in class to improve student work, and since I’m also giving more opportunities to “try again,” I thought that this house project could help me with both of these goals.

Here’s my activity idea:

1) Students can start by watching the short video about this house with their parents.

2) Students and parents can then count the number of objects used to build the house. Since the time that the house was brought in, a couple of more ice cream cones have broken, so there are even fewer objects now.

3) Students and parents can use various counting strategies (e.g., counting on, counting back, or using a tool of their choice) to figure out how many more objects this child needs to add to have 30 objects in total.

4) Students and parents can then use the Livescribe Pen to record their suggestions of what 3-D solids they would add, where they would add them, and how the addition of these 3-D solids will better help the house protect the pigs from the Big Bad Wolf. Using the Livescribe Pen in this way will allow the students and parents to write, draw, and record their suggestions, while focusing in on math throughout the process.

What do you think of this idea? Is there anything that you would add or change here to make this activity even better? I’d love to know your thoughts on this!

Aviva

Here is the audio of my student imitating Master Jedi Yoda while reminding his classmates of the “5 Steps Writing Checklist”:
May the Fourth be with you

brought to you by Livescribe

You might be wondering what the big deal is. The big deal is that I would have never thought of doing this before having the smartpen in my classroom. It is almost like a door has been opened – one that allows my students and I to be more creative and engaged in our learning environment. The student who imitated Yoda is so proud of himself and now all the other students are walking around trying to imitate Yoda while reading the anchor chart – it’s like the anchor chart actually exists now! The true test will be when we jump back into the writing task that we are currently working on.

I am a grade 7 student and my teacher has been using livescribe pens with us.  I have used one many times and I think it’s great. I use livescribe for anything, math, science ,history.  Even when I’m done my work I can use an app called piano that’s really fun. Apps are the best. You can get apps when you hook it up on a computer or when you are on the menu. My favorite app is translate. You take the pen and say or write  something in any language and it will say it back to you in the different language and tell you how to spell it.  In math, if you use something like ICE (illustrate calculate explain),  you can draw with the pen, then it calculates, then explain with your voice if you don’t like writing it down or your hand just feels tired.  You can use it for a history project if you do it at home or 

ever need to send it anywhere you can use imail or if you have a Google account.  The livescribe pen helps me put things in my head onto the page. It can help any student and it will help for so much more in highschool when I just can’t get stuff on the page and I’m so frustrated. I just use my voice, no problem. If you want it to bring home or just want one to play around with and use for you own purposes, it only like 90 bucks and so worth it. Livescribe helps me out  and it can help you and your students out too.

Just the other day, two of my students came in from recess upset. These two particular students have experienced conflict between each other a lot this year. They are both nice children, their personalities just don’t seem to jive. They are learning to deal with this phenomenon, no different than the rest of us! I won’t go into detail about the talks we have and the reconciliation that occurs, but I will tell you what I did that was different than all the other times I have dealt with these two particular students.

Having spent some time facilitating their discussion, I asked them to tell each other to agree to trying to do one or two things to help the other out. The next morning, I brought the students back together and I told them that we were going to use the smart pen to record (audio and written) their agreement so that they could revisit/review what they are trying to do to be respectful to the other.

To my surprise, the students were quite clear about what they had agreed to do. Moreover, they started telling me some of the “Tools for Life” they could use to avoid turning a small disagreement/issue into a big one. Here is the text/audio of our what took place (the text you want start about half way down – “Conflict with Students” – click on those words and the audio/text will begin there):

Both students have taken the opportunity to review our talk by using the smartpen and dot paper to review what we talked about. I want to add that they have done this on their own time (e.g snack time, preparing for recess). Individually, they have approached me to do this and they told me that they wanted to hear themselves again. I asked them what hearing themselves does for them and they responded by saying that they like to hear the conversation because it reminds them of what they need to work on.

I think it’s awesome that the smartpen can offer my students assistance around conflict resolution. I am open and excited about the possibilities this ‘tool’ can bring my students to engage them and spark them to reflect on their words and actions.

I would love your feedback about this blog post. Please feel free to comment!

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I recently discovered and learned about smartpens thanks to Aviva Dunsiger (@Grade1) and Zoe Branigan-Pipe (@zbpipe). I consider them to be master tech-integrating educators who find the time to share their amazing work on Twitter and a this website (Live Learning with Livescribe). Since discovering the ‘smartpen’ I have spent some time communicating with Aviva to really understand how this type of technology works and the impact it can have in a classroom.

Thanks to both of these ladies, I finally felt comfortable to take the risk and get my own smartpen. I have the 2GB Echo Smartpen and I am really excited at its potential for my students and myself. After reading this article I decided to use the pen for a guided reading session with one of my students. I asked one of my students to choose a book close to her reading level and read to me. She chose “Pooh’s Hero Party” and here is the text and audio of what occurred: 

I’ve done this many times in the past, but usually I just walked up to the children, spoke to them about what they were doing and what they were learning, discussed some next steps, and moved onto the next group. I’ll be honest: I didn’t necessarily write things down.

Lately, this has changed thanks to the Livescribe Pen. On Friday, I took this pen with me, and in the 12 minutes I had available, I met with four students. As you can see in the pencast below, I recorded what goals students were working on, how they were addressing these goals, and what the might want to do next:

Having this discussion recorded orally as well as in writing, increases accountability. The students know that they’re accountable for following through and working on what they said they were going to work on. I’m also accountable, as now I have assessment data that I can share with parents, teachers, and administrators, when working with them to determine programming decisions for these individual students.

What impact do you think that the Livescribe Pen has on accountability? How have you used it to help make you and the students more accountable for learning? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!

Aviva

Today, I wrote the following questions in both of the Livescribe Notebooks, and I recorded myself reading the questions as well:

I explained to the students that they could use my written prompts and/or recordings to talk to each other about their goals. The plan was to discuss their goals, reflect on how they’re doing with them, and even give the students a chance to improve based on feedback. I then waited to see what happened. A couple of groups of students gave this a try, and below you can see and hear one of the discussions:

I love how one of the students wrote down for me some key points while also recording the conversation. She sees the value in the written word to accompany the oral explanation. I also love how she attempted some follow-up questions to clarify thinking and find out more information from her partner. She was encouraging her partner while also helping her come up with some good next steps.

This recorded conversation also helps me as the teacher, for now I know where this student is at in achieving her goals, and I can structure my follow-up conversations with her based on what she said. Yes, students are experimenting with the vocabulary that they’re hearing in class. Sometimes this vocabulary is used correctly, and sometimes it’s not, but hearing the complete discussion helps me know what this student understands. I can help clarify the meaning of difficult words as we conference together.

To me, the most powerful part of this discussion is the fact that students are taking control over their own learning. They see the value in setting goals, working towards these goals, and modifying their goals based on their own opinions and the opinions of their peers. The Livescribe Pen let me capture this great feedback session, and I look forward to capturing many more with the use of this tool as well.

Have you ever used the Livescribe Pen in this way? What were the results? I’d love to hear about your experiences!

Aviva

At the end of March, our superintendent came in for our S.I.P. (School Improvement Plan) visit, which was a prelude to the self-assessment visit that is scheduled for the end of May. At our last staff meeting when we discussed this visit, the principal mentioned that for the self-assessment visit, the team might ask the students where they can find information about their learning goals and descriptive feedback. While I offer a lot of descriptive feedback to my students through blog posts and in journal entries, students also offer descriptive feedback to each other as well as assess their own work. Some of this feedback is offered orally and some is in written form. Right now, the students can find this descriptive feedback in many places in the room. While they know this, I also wanted to help create an easy place for them to look for their own learning goals and look at how they’re meeting these goals as well. Last week, I blogged about my new approach.

While it’s great that students can identify their strengths and needs, I think they also need to make an effort to address these “next steps,” and also be able to articulate what they’re doing to improve. That’s where the Livescribe Pen came in. This week, before students chose their literacy centre rotations, they looked at their goals, and they figured out what they were going to do to address these goals. Then after they completed their centres for the day, students discussed their goals, and what they did to improve. I recorded this discussion orally using the Livescribe Pen. An example of one of these discussions is below:

After a whole week of discussion, yesterday I had the students write on a sticky note what they did to address their goals, and they put this sticky note on their reflection page from last week. Some students decided that they’ve met their goals and have set new ones now, and other students, have refined their next steps based on what they did this week. There is such a huge connection between oral language and writing, and having students orally discuss these goals first, listen back to what they said, and then write their reflections, resulted in a much easier and much more meaningful task.

Student Met Her Goal, And Is Setting A New One

Student Addressed Part Of His Goal, And Is Now Refining His Next Step

Students are really taking control of their learning, and the Livescribe Pen is helping with this. Now I’d like to leave the Livescribe Pen out and encourage students to reflect throughout their centre activities, so that even more ownership over learning, goal-setting, and descriptive feedback is put in the hands of the children. What do you think? Do you have any suggestions on how to best do this? I’d love to hear what you have to say!

Aviva

As an educator myself, my ventures have led me to focus my research on how learning multi-modal , blended learning and social networking can increase our learning and teaching opportunities, especially for students and educators with different learning needs.

By using the TPACK framework (original idea developed by Shulman, redesigned by Mishra & Koehler, and contributed by many others),  I can give context (why, what, and how) of our learning of a tool that has seriously changed my practice as an educator -The Livescribe “SmartPen”.

I’ve chosen to use this framework in describing the functions of this tool because I attribute the success of its implementation to the my ongoing balancing act between the three components: Technological, Pedagogical and Content knowledge and the importance of always negotiating their interconnectedness.

The content from the “LIVEwithLIVESCRIBE” blog facilitated by Aviva Dunsiger and myself (@zbpipe) and many guest posts,  have helped provide many of the following examples of technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge with the Livescribe pen.

Technological Knowledge:

At first glance, this tool is pen and paper. I believe that it is just that, that creates a solid and effective bridge between the tech-savy educator and the more reluctant user.

Basic TK (Technological Knowledge) for the Smartpen user:

1)   It is just like PEN and Paper and if that is all you use it for (with the audio functionality) then you are still giving more opportunities to both yourself and your students:

* Cut out notes, or words and make your room talk!

* Use the sticky note function, write and record and put the sticky note in a book, on a desk, or attach it to a wall

* Create flip charts or flip cards for students

2)   Store the pen and paper notes in the computer just by plugging it in!

* Access  your paper notes and audio notes on the computer (and you can search key words (from your own handwriting) using the search function

* Once the notes are in the Livescribe Desktop on your computer, you can also store them in the cloud (an online account) so you can access, share and view these notes from anywhere and from any device

* Use the Tablet functionality during instruction

3)   Access, share, collaborate from anywhere and any device

* Upload and sort your livescribe notes (which still include audio) with your EVERNOTE folders

* Upload and sort your livescribe notes (still in pen and audio) using your GOOGLE DOC account

* Sort, your notes into special folders (ie: student portfolios)

* Share your notes with parents using the private PDF function (allows you to send notes via email if you want!)

* Get the Livescribe app which synch easily with your Livescribe account

It really is a simple tool – that is game changing if only because it doesn’t matter where you are on that continuum of learning – from a simple pen/paper application (with audio functionality) to using web based applications. The most important thing here is that to increase your TK – as Aviva Dunsiger (@grade1) describes:  “Put the Tech into the hands of the teacher”

Pedagogical Knowledge (OUR teaching practice – the HOW)

Your PK (Pedagogical knowledge) is HOW this tool can enhance, change, contribute and support teaching and learning. Video that demonstrates!

FIVE game-changers:

1)   Use of audio – not a new concept. However, embedding audio in a paper and allowing student to SPEAK their answer in a written test is NEW.

* Allow students to use their ORAL language skills to demonstrate, share, explain, discuss and best of all – CREATE.

* Use audio – in your own note taking, assessment practices, for teacher/parent interviews, crisis management, student interviews, PROFESSIONAL development.

2)   Pre and Post Teaching

* blended learning environment (using the internet to enhance your teaching, ie: Math instruction)

* change how you deliver instruction, and how your students access learning and homework

* Flip your classroom by drawing, speaking and sharing your content

* Embed it on your classroom blog and DISTRIBUTE learning

3)   Descriptive Feedback

*Use the sticky notes, or a single page to SPEAK your feedback to your students.

*Have students give you oral feedback

4)   Collaborative, Open and Transparent

* Extend teaching and learning to a wider community

*Enhance parent/teaching involvement, homework help

* Model and practice good digital citizenship

5)   Stronger inclusion for students with a variety of abilities and disabilities

* Allow students to access content in a variety of forms (word wall)

* Differentiate product (oral instead of written)

* Tap into different learning styles

Content Knowledge: (WHAT we use this tool FOR?)

Your CK (Content Knowledge) with this tool is limitless, although I’ve broken it down into the categories that I believe are some of the best examples

1)   Assessment Practices (audio anecdotal notes, descriptive feedback, student responses in audio format……)

2)   Special Education

*Open up opportunity for students to learn through audio, repeated instruction, visual instruction, audio walls,  accommodations, differentiation

3)   Language Learners (French, English, Spanish)

* Use to teach letter sounds, phonics, translations <for parents>

* Use to help ELL students, to translate for parents, to provide open and on-going mode of communication

4)   Note-Taking (crisis management, use by administrators,  school business, assessment, collaboration, parent communication)

5)   Blended Learning (a great way to post assignments, review content, and instruction and collaborate on content)

6)   Instruction (in any content area, art instruction,  science, review for exams, math,  specific skill-based knowledge, enhance collaboration)

7)   Podcasting (news, school events, radio show, parent communication, community involvement)

8)   Storytelling (graphic pictures with audio notation, hear voices of parents, grandparents) EXAMPLES HERE

9)   Universal Design (provide universal access to tools that will aid all learning)

10)  Reading and Writing (reading fluency, enhance reading instruction with audio stickies, audio notations, audio word wall, audio questions and use for prompts in writing)