Authentic Learning Experiences

“Authentic learning experiences” would have to be the result of starting our classroom blog on January 29th: http://weallbeelong.blogspot.com/ . Currently I am using our blog to showcase students’ work and classroom activities. We have created digital stories, digital story retells, examples of cause/effect and problem/solution and posted these to our blog. We also use Audioboo at the end of each day to recap the day or explain a new concept. We have our Audioboos linked to our Twitter account. Our Twitter account is on our blog. All of our work is ‘out there’ for the world to see! In fact we have a cluster map that shows when visitors view our blog. How has that affected my students?


My students have become aware that their work is now viewable by a much greater audience. (Prior to this our work was viewed by whoever was strolling through the school hallway, and cared to look at the wall outside of our room.) My students work diligently as they write what they want to say in their story retells. As they work, one sees with clarity writing being used as a tool for communication and not as an end in itself. In fact writing and revisions happen quickly and accurately to aid the students in clear audio recordings. I love that students reread their writing, determine what they left out, inserting a carat to add this word or that thought. Their writing and oral communication transforms into an authentic learning experience.


As I mentioned we are using a cluster map on our blog to determine who is visiting us. We keep a world map and a map of the USA in front of our room. When we have a visitor from a new state or country we mark this off on our map. This experience has produced wonderful discussions about the differences between a state and a country. The students are becoming familiar with the location of various states and countries. Another authentic learning experience coming from the use of our blog!


I am looking forward to witnessing a continuation of authentic learning experiences through our classroom blog! I would love to hear how your classroom blog has transformed your class!

Audioboo and First Grade

(Life has been busy, and I have not blogged in many months.  Our school has switched to the Common Core Standards and Understanding By Design lesson plans.  I am also back in school, but enough excuses!)

I am trying to develop meaningful and authentic experiences of using Web 2.0 tools for my students.  My principal introduced me to Audioboo.  Audioboo allows my students to make an audio recording which I can link to our first grade Twitter account.   For the past few days we have recorded daily highlights. At the end of the day my students tell me what they felt was the best part of the day or something interesting that they learned.  We compose a message together, and then one student creates an Audioboo.  I invited our parents to follow us on Twitter and to comment on our “boos”.   I want my students to see how their ideas elicit responses from others.   While we have only been “booing” for three days, we have not received any twitter comments. I want to have my students create more interactive boos which will engage their audience and create response.

I also think that after a little more modeling I will turn the process over to the students.  Perhaps I will have once person direct the conversation, another person write the “boo”, and a third person record the boo.  This will give the student’s more ownership over the process.   I am looking forward to see how this experience helps us to grow as readers, writers and speakers.  I'll let you know!