Transitioning from Knowledge to Synthesis-Reflection
As a result of this course, I realize that there is a great deal more to incorporating technology in the classroom than just introducing new tools. The literacy skills needed to search, evaluate, and synthesize information on the internet are similar yet different than those needed for traditional research.
Students must be taught how to effectively use search engines and utilize key words to find information. Then they must be taught to evaluate the sites for validity and reliability. Students can use the "Get REAL" acronym by Dr. Almasi to read the URL, evaluate the content, ask about the author and owner, and look at the links within a website. But the most important skill our students need to learn is how to synthesize and transform information into new knowledge. To support my students in this area, I plan to use the two-column web journal form (Eagleton and Dobler, 2007). The sentence starters/prompts that are provided on this form help students personally respond to new information and turn it into their own words. By using this form to take notes from different websites, students can learn to link or synthesize information from multiple sources. When creating artifacts, using personal responses encourages intellectual honesty.
As educators we need to teach and model both technology literacy and responsibility. As the technology coordinator in my building, I feel it is my responsibility to encourage and lead others in these areas. To that end, I hope to work in conjunction with our media specialist and administrators to initiate conversations addressing the SMART acronym on the CyberSmartCurriculum.org site.
Safety and Security online
Manners, bullying, and ethics
Authentic learning and creativity
Research and information fluency
Twenty-first century challenges.
Hopefully through staff discussions and monthly technology related e-letters, we will develop a unified approach to these important literacy skills and issues.
Almasi, J. (2009). Critical evaluation. Laureate Education, DVD.
Eagleton, M. B., & Dobler, E. (2007). Reading the Web: Strategies for Internet inquiry. New York: The Guilford Press.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Reflection
At the beginning of this course I described my personal learning theory as an "eclectic" mix that is mostly social constructionist. I still feel that this is a good descriptor. I agree with cognitive theorists that when students develop an awareness about how they think, they improve their understanding. The cognitive tools we explored such as concept mapping and virtual field trips work to develop connections in the brain to new learning. I believe in using these tools and others to create connections and pathways. Many of the routines in my room are aligned with behaviorist theory such as behavior management and skill practice activities. However, I believe true, meaningful learning occurs when students are creating artifacts and learning with or from others whether peers or "more knowledgeable others" (Laureate, 2009). We had an excellent debate in week 5 of our course about whether or not social learning is the primary way in which people learn. When "more knowledgeable other" is defined as a peer, teacher, or computer, that opens the door for many definitions of social interaction. I normally wouldn't think of a computer tutorial as social learning but I do learn from the computer when I see someone model a task and hear them describe what is happening. The fact that I can replay the tutorial and use a chat feature for additional help assists in my learning. While I am capable of learning information on my own, my understanding of a topic is deepened when given the opportunity to discuss it, teach it, or create an artifact about it.
The immediate adjustments I plan to make to my instructional practices this year are to focus on the strategy clusters that are proven to make an impact on student learning, particularly identifying similarities and differences. This strategy can be implemented immediately regardless of the technology available in the classroom and when students are proficient in this strategy, they have shown a 45 percentile gain in achievement (Laureate, 2009). Another adjustment I plan to make is to design my current projects to be more collaborative using the tools to which we have been introduced. Voice Thread is a very easy tool for students to use. The other tools I plan to use are Kidspiration for concept maps and virtual field trips.
The long term goals I have are to work with grade level colleagues to revamp the curriculum units with a focus on integrating technology tools and to take a leadership role in the professional development of colleagues in my building. Many teachers continue to think of technology as an "add on" to our curriculum. I hope to share my knowledge and enthusiasm to show that technology incorporated into what we already do will create more engaging and meaningful learning experiences, and increased student achievement. I have accepted the position of tech coordinator for my building for this school year and will use this position to work on these long term goals.
Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Social Learning Theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Instructional Strategies, Part One. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
The immediate adjustments I plan to make to my instructional practices this year are to focus on the strategy clusters that are proven to make an impact on student learning, particularly identifying similarities and differences. This strategy can be implemented immediately regardless of the technology available in the classroom and when students are proficient in this strategy, they have shown a 45 percentile gain in achievement (Laureate, 2009). Another adjustment I plan to make is to design my current projects to be more collaborative using the tools to which we have been introduced. Voice Thread is a very easy tool for students to use. The other tools I plan to use are Kidspiration for concept maps and virtual field trips.
The long term goals I have are to work with grade level colleagues to revamp the curriculum units with a focus on integrating technology tools and to take a leadership role in the professional development of colleagues in my building. Many teachers continue to think of technology as an "add on" to our curriculum. I hope to share my knowledge and enthusiasm to show that technology incorporated into what we already do will create more engaging and meaningful learning experiences, and increased student achievement. I have accepted the position of tech coordinator for my building for this school year and will use this position to work on these long term goals.
Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Social Learning Theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Instructional Strategies, Part One. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice
Cooperative learning has been around for a long time. This instructional strategy gets a 21st century facelift with the introduction of technological tools for collaboration and presentation. Students today can find information easily. Using the web, they can do searches or ask experts questions directly (Pitler etal, 2007). The hard work they must do is apply that information to problem-solving situations. A wide variety of sites allow students to "meet" no matter where they are or time of day such as wikis, blogs, and "keypal" sites. Students can share documents and see changes made by group members on sites such as Google Docs or by emailing Word docs and utilizing the "track changes" feature in Microsoft. Online calendars can be used to monitor progress of group members.
One tool I was introduced to this week that I really liked was VoiceThread. This is such a simple yet effective way to share ideas with others. In one of the tutorials, a child posted an illustration on VoiceThread with a brief story about his creature. Several people commented on his picture and his creativity. I think this is such an easy way to start sharing content on the web because the privacy settings allow you to limit the people that can view or comment on the artifact. There is also a way to moderate the comments. Another feature I really like about this tool is the variety of options for commenting. People can use a microphone, webcam, type, or call a phone number to add a comment.
Another tool I was introduced to this week that was very foreign to me was "Second Life" and virtual world simulations. I had never heard of these avatar environments for business or education purposes. I have long used Kathy Schrock's website for ideas and I see that she is involved in training teachers to create educational experiences in "Teen Second Life." I will have to check that out more. Because so many of today's video games are simulation type games, I think students would enjoy and respond well to such applications. However, since I am just beginning to use Read/Write Web 2.0 tools, I think virtual worlds are still a long way off for me.
People today are very connected. Younger and younger kids are carrying cell phones with texting capability and are on social network sites. The younger children start off on WebKinz or Club Penguin and quickly graduate up to Facebook. Many of the video game systems such as XBox and Playstation have online versions of their games. Adults are constantly hooked into the internet through smart phones. There must be value in all this connectivity. Are we being more productive? Are we learning from each other? Or is it up to educators to guide this connectivity toward learning purposes?
Resources:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Social learning theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Dembo, S. (2008, October). Virtual worlds for educators. District Administration, 44(11), 48–52.
One tool I was introduced to this week that I really liked was VoiceThread. This is such a simple yet effective way to share ideas with others. In one of the tutorials, a child posted an illustration on VoiceThread with a brief story about his creature. Several people commented on his picture and his creativity. I think this is such an easy way to start sharing content on the web because the privacy settings allow you to limit the people that can view or comment on the artifact. There is also a way to moderate the comments. Another feature I really like about this tool is the variety of options for commenting. People can use a microphone, webcam, type, or call a phone number to add a comment.
Another tool I was introduced to this week that was very foreign to me was "Second Life" and virtual world simulations. I had never heard of these avatar environments for business or education purposes. I have long used Kathy Schrock's website for ideas and I see that she is involved in training teachers to create educational experiences in "Teen Second Life." I will have to check that out more. Because so many of today's video games are simulation type games, I think students would enjoy and respond well to such applications. However, since I am just beginning to use Read/Write Web 2.0 tools, I think virtual worlds are still a long way off for me.
People today are very connected. Younger and younger kids are carrying cell phones with texting capability and are on social network sites. The younger children start off on WebKinz or Club Penguin and quickly graduate up to Facebook. Many of the video game systems such as XBox and Playstation have online versions of their games. Adults are constantly hooked into the internet through smart phones. There must be value in all this connectivity. Are we being more productive? Are we learning from each other? Or is it up to educators to guide this connectivity toward learning purposes?
Resources:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Social learning theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Dembo, S. (2008, October). Virtual worlds for educators. District Administration, 44(11), 48–52.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Voicethread Project-Recess Debate
Here is the link to voicethread assignment. It is embedded into my blog so you just need to click on the title of the post but if you experience any trouble, the url is http://voicethread.com/share/1251804/
Constructivist/Constructionist Learning Theories
This week we focused on the constructionist and constructivist theories of learning. The constructivist theory states that all people use their own experiences and backgrounds to assimilate new information into their individual schemas. The constructionist theory states that students learn best with first hand experience and when they build an artifact that can be shared with others.
I do believe students learn best when creating projects. In all of the curriculum areas, my students create projects and utilize tools of technology. However,I am amazed by the potential that technology offers. Even within the common applications such as word processing and excel, I have not explored the many ways students can use these tools.
The resources this week also differentiated between LBD (Learning by Design) and PBL (Project Based Learning). The difference seems to be that LBD focuses on the building of an artifact for a pre-selected audience and PBL is working on real-world problems but not necessarily creating a project. I would love to incorporate more PBL style projects into my curriculum, as well as more inquiry based learning. These types of projects really put the teacher in the role of a facilitator and coach as kids take charge of their learning.
The quote that really struck me in the resources this week was Papert's quote that "learners don't get ideas, they create ideas (Online book)." Is that true? I get many ideas from other sources but the ones I own and feel passionate about are the ones I create. I believe this can be true of our students' learning process as well. The knowledge they create is what sticks with them the most and that in which they take the most pride.
I do believe students learn best when creating projects. In all of the curriculum areas, my students create projects and utilize tools of technology. However,I am amazed by the potential that technology offers. Even within the common applications such as word processing and excel, I have not explored the many ways students can use these tools.
The resources this week also differentiated between LBD (Learning by Design) and PBL (Project Based Learning). The difference seems to be that LBD focuses on the building of an artifact for a pre-selected audience and PBL is working on real-world problems but not necessarily creating a project. I would love to incorporate more PBL style projects into my curriculum, as well as more inquiry based learning. These types of projects really put the teacher in the role of a facilitator and coach as kids take charge of their learning.
The quote that really struck me in the resources this week was Papert's quote that "learners don't get ideas, they create ideas (Online book)." Is that true? I get many ideas from other sources but the ones I own and feel passionate about are the ones I create. I believe this can be true of our students' learning process as well. The knowledge they create is what sticks with them the most and that in which they take the most pride.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Cognitivism in Practice
This week we reviewed cognitive learning theories. The four components of these theories are: 1) students have limited short term/working memory, 2) elaboration is the primary mechanism for storing information into long term memory, 3) dual code hypothesis says people remember images much more than text, and 4) network model of memory says that we need to build numerous connections to stored information (Laureate, 2009). Keeping these components in mind, we reviewed the instructional strategies of "cues, questions, and advance organizers" and "summarizing and note taking" as well as concept maps and virtual field trips (Pitler etal, 2007).
I tend to use many different software applications with my students across the curriculum. However, when reading about the tools available, I was struck by how inefficiently I use the word processing applications and Kidspiration/Inspiration. Currently my third graders use the word processor to type stories but I never utilized the AutoSummarize tool which can help teach students to summarize text or help students by checking to see if they conveyed the main ideas in their own writing (Pitler, 2007). I have only used Kidspiration to create brainstorming webs for story writing. This concept mapping tool can be applied to new concepts across the curriculum. Students can create concept maps to link information, terms, etc. By including instructional images on the webs, the students will better remember the information and develop more connections to recall it later.
Exploring virtual field trips was very interesting. I have used these types of sites but in viewing the resources, I realized that to effectively take a virtual trip, teachers must really research and plan the site(s) to use. Many of the websites I visited were either no longer available or a little boring. On some, the text was hard to read or the students could easily hyper link themselves away from the focus of the trip. The most interesting sites incorporated video clips and an interactive section. YouTube has many great video clips to support instruction but again the teacher must check those out in advance. This year I used several video clips to demonstrate how canal locks work prior to a field trip to a woodworking museum where students built their own canal boats and then sailed them through a lock system made out of gutters. This was only a part of our study of waterway communitiesbut it was the most memorable part of the unit because of the many images and the hands on experience with locks.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Cognitive Learning Theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
I tend to use many different software applications with my students across the curriculum. However, when reading about the tools available, I was struck by how inefficiently I use the word processing applications and Kidspiration/Inspiration. Currently my third graders use the word processor to type stories but I never utilized the AutoSummarize tool which can help teach students to summarize text or help students by checking to see if they conveyed the main ideas in their own writing (Pitler, 2007). I have only used Kidspiration to create brainstorming webs for story writing. This concept mapping tool can be applied to new concepts across the curriculum. Students can create concept maps to link information, terms, etc. By including instructional images on the webs, the students will better remember the information and develop more connections to recall it later.
Exploring virtual field trips was very interesting. I have used these types of sites but in viewing the resources, I realized that to effectively take a virtual trip, teachers must really research and plan the site(s) to use. Many of the websites I visited were either no longer available or a little boring. On some, the text was hard to read or the students could easily hyper link themselves away from the focus of the trip. The most interesting sites incorporated video clips and an interactive section. YouTube has many great video clips to support instruction but again the teacher must check those out in advance. This year I used several video clips to demonstrate how canal locks work prior to a field trip to a woodworking museum where students built their own canal boats and then sailed them through a lock system made out of gutters. This was only a part of our study of waterway communitiesbut it was the most memorable part of the unit because of the many images and the hands on experience with locks.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Cognitive Learning Theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Behaviorism in Practice
This week we read about behaviorist learning theory as it relates to reinforcing effort and homework and practice. In my district, effort and behavior represent more than half of the elementary report card. The first half of the report card assesses behaviors such as listens effectively, works in an organized manner, follows school rules, and completes work in a timely fashion. Each of these behaviors as well as each academic area are then graded for effort.
Teaching and reinforcing effort are highly important at the elementary level. I try to help students see the value of their effort through individual graphing of weekly assessments. Each week a student's score improves over the previous week, they earn a sticker on their graph.
I also try to shape student behavior through positive reinforcement. When I observe students demonstrating good thinking, use of strategies that have been taught, or even good communication skills with peers, then I reward them with "brain tickets" which are token slips of paper with a picture of a brain on them. Students write their names on the slips of paper and put them in a box for a drawing on Friday, and a chance to choose a pass for extra computer time, no homework, etc. I use this system to shape many different behaviors.
Homework is important for practicing skills. My current system is to check for completion each morning and if a student does the homework, he/she earns a stamp on the homework calendar kept in his/her binder. Each student that misses two or less homework assignments a month gets to participate in "game day," which means they get to each lunch with me in the classroom and play games during recess. Each day I try to correct the homework in the morning and pull students over one on one to discuss errors and make corrections because I think it is important to correct errors quickly and provide feedback. After lunch we have a math meeting and I usually address common problems from the homework at that time. While valuable, it is very time consuming to correct during prep or lunch and then pull students one on one, and this is particularly difficult when students don't put effort into the homework in the first place. I also provide optional challenge homework which I count as extra credit and everyone gets credit for solidly attempting the work.
I think assigning homework to be done on the computer at the elementary level has pros and cons. In a previous course, I interviewed my students about their use of technology and a very small percentage reported using the school website or its links at home. Many students used game systems but not necessarily the computer. The students would likely prefer to complete math practice and earn points or certificates as they go but I am not sure about the availability or comfort level with the parents. Certainly as my own children have gotten older, more and more of their homework has been computer driven. I think the advantage to homework through websites as suggested by Pitler, etal in chapter 10, is the immediate feedback and reinforcement given. On line tutorials are also very good for helping students learn new skills because most show how to do something step by step and the tutorial can be replayed as often as needed.
I am excited by the idea of using technology more for both reinforcing effort and for homework. I think the individual graphs that I currently use can be easily adapted to excel spreadsheets. By creating an effort rubric as suggested by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (p.157), the students can be more reflective on the specific behaviors that lead to higher achievement.
Interestingly, I came across the April 19, 2010 issue of Time magazine today and the cover story was "Should Schools Bribe Kids?" A Harvard economist paid 18,000 kids a total of $6.3 million dollars for different things such as good test scores and not fighting with each other. The results differed but the basic conclusion was "if incentives are designed wisely, it appears, payments can indeed boost kids' performance as much or more than many other reforms you've heard about before--and for a fraction of the cost (Ripley, p.42)." It is a fascinating article that seems to relate to this week's discussion on behaviorism.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Ripley, A., (2010, April 19). Is cash the answer? Time, 41-47.
Teaching and reinforcing effort are highly important at the elementary level. I try to help students see the value of their effort through individual graphing of weekly assessments. Each week a student's score improves over the previous week, they earn a sticker on their graph.
I also try to shape student behavior through positive reinforcement. When I observe students demonstrating good thinking, use of strategies that have been taught, or even good communication skills with peers, then I reward them with "brain tickets" which are token slips of paper with a picture of a brain on them. Students write their names on the slips of paper and put them in a box for a drawing on Friday, and a chance to choose a pass for extra computer time, no homework, etc. I use this system to shape many different behaviors.
Homework is important for practicing skills. My current system is to check for completion each morning and if a student does the homework, he/she earns a stamp on the homework calendar kept in his/her binder. Each student that misses two or less homework assignments a month gets to participate in "game day," which means they get to each lunch with me in the classroom and play games during recess. Each day I try to correct the homework in the morning and pull students over one on one to discuss errors and make corrections because I think it is important to correct errors quickly and provide feedback. After lunch we have a math meeting and I usually address common problems from the homework at that time. While valuable, it is very time consuming to correct during prep or lunch and then pull students one on one, and this is particularly difficult when students don't put effort into the homework in the first place. I also provide optional challenge homework which I count as extra credit and everyone gets credit for solidly attempting the work.
I think assigning homework to be done on the computer at the elementary level has pros and cons. In a previous course, I interviewed my students about their use of technology and a very small percentage reported using the school website or its links at home. Many students used game systems but not necessarily the computer. The students would likely prefer to complete math practice and earn points or certificates as they go but I am not sure about the availability or comfort level with the parents. Certainly as my own children have gotten older, more and more of their homework has been computer driven. I think the advantage to homework through websites as suggested by Pitler, etal in chapter 10, is the immediate feedback and reinforcement given. On line tutorials are also very good for helping students learn new skills because most show how to do something step by step and the tutorial can be replayed as often as needed.
I am excited by the idea of using technology more for both reinforcing effort and for homework. I think the individual graphs that I currently use can be easily adapted to excel spreadsheets. By creating an effort rubric as suggested by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (p.157), the students can be more reflective on the specific behaviors that lead to higher achievement.
Interestingly, I came across the April 19, 2010 issue of Time magazine today and the cover story was "Should Schools Bribe Kids?" A Harvard economist paid 18,000 kids a total of $6.3 million dollars for different things such as good test scores and not fighting with each other. The results differed but the basic conclusion was "if incentives are designed wisely, it appears, payments can indeed boost kids' performance as much or more than many other reforms you've heard about before--and for a fraction of the cost (Ripley, p.42)." It is a fascinating article that seems to relate to this week's discussion on behaviorism.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Ripley, A., (2010, April 19). Is cash the answer? Time, 41-47.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Reflection
Reflecting on the past eight weeks, I have developed many new skills. Until this course, "Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society," I had never created a wiki or a podcast. I had created a blog for a previous class but not an aggregator account or RSS feeds. These were relatively easy to figure out yet eye opening time savers. The wiki assignment was a great exercise in collaborative work using web 2.0 tools. The podcast presented many challenges but through help sites and much trial and error, I was able to successfully create and share a podcast. These projects gave me a lot of confidence in my abilities to figure out and use new technologies.
To continue expanding my knowledge of technology integration, I plan to continuously visit the blogs I have bookmarked and the sites listed on the wikis created by the three groups during this course. There are so many great ideas being shared by educators around the world. I also plan to attend technology inservice courses when offered.
One goal for increasing technology is to create one project per trimester that incorporates the new tools learned in this course. I already have my students creating a podcast for a culminating social studies project this spring. Next year, I hope to create a book club blog site, and a science wiki project.
Another goal for increasing the integration of technology in the classroom is to become an instructional leader for technology in my building. Currently we do not have any elementary technology teachers (those positions were eliminated last year) and the classroom teachers are expected to teach the tech curriculum in addition to the core curriculum. I hope to share ideas with staff that demonstrates technology is not an additional piece, rather something that can be easily integrated into the core curriculum to enhance teaching and learning. By sharing my knowledge and enthusiasm for using technology, I hope to help make other teachers more comfortable using technology with their students. I feel it is part of my professional responsibility to be a resource for others in the building and help them become more interested/comfortable with new tools and ideas.
To continue expanding my knowledge of technology integration, I plan to continuously visit the blogs I have bookmarked and the sites listed on the wikis created by the three groups during this course. There are so many great ideas being shared by educators around the world. I also plan to attend technology inservice courses when offered.
One goal for increasing technology is to create one project per trimester that incorporates the new tools learned in this course. I already have my students creating a podcast for a culminating social studies project this spring. Next year, I hope to create a book club blog site, and a science wiki project.
Another goal for increasing the integration of technology in the classroom is to become an instructional leader for technology in my building. Currently we do not have any elementary technology teachers (those positions were eliminated last year) and the classroom teachers are expected to teach the tech curriculum in addition to the core curriculum. I hope to share ideas with staff that demonstrates technology is not an additional piece, rather something that can be easily integrated into the core curriculum to enhance teaching and learning. By sharing my knowledge and enthusiasm for using technology, I hope to help make other teachers more comfortable using technology with their students. I feel it is part of my professional responsibility to be a resource for others in the building and help them become more interested/comfortable with new tools and ideas.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Profiling the Students of Today--Week 5 Assignment
To access my podcast, please visit the links below.
http://www.box.net/shared/ezmqhsmmub
http://www.box.net/shared/8gcd41dm7l
This was my first experience with podcasting. While I learned a great deal through this experience, I felt extremely inefficient. I spent a great deal of time figuring out how to record audio on my computer. I ended up recording my students using an iTouch, then I emailed the audio file to myself but had to convert the m4a file to a WAV file. Once the file was saved in WAV format, I learned how to edit audio files using audacity. The edited audio then had to be saved in WAV, not as an audacity file in order to share it.
Once I figured out the technical aspect of the assignment, I focused on the content. I was very suprised to learn how much technology my students actually do have access to at home. My students average three computers per household, and eighteen of twenty two students say they go on-line at home. Not too surprising, boys are more interested in video games and girls are into cell phones and email. I would say that my students are indeed digital natives based on exposure but there are wide ranges in terms of use. All of us, myself and my students, are definitely digital learners.
http://www.box.net/shared/ezmqhsmmub
http://www.box.net/shared/8gcd41dm7l
This was my first experience with podcasting. While I learned a great deal through this experience, I felt extremely inefficient. I spent a great deal of time figuring out how to record audio on my computer. I ended up recording my students using an iTouch, then I emailed the audio file to myself but had to convert the m4a file to a WAV file. Once the file was saved in WAV format, I learned how to edit audio files using audacity. The edited audio then had to be saved in WAV, not as an audacity file in order to share it.
Once I figured out the technical aspect of the assignment, I focused on the content. I was very suprised to learn how much technology my students actually do have access to at home. My students average three computers per household, and eighteen of twenty two students say they go on-line at home. Not too surprising, boys are more interested in video games and girls are into cell phones and email. I would say that my students are indeed digital natives based on exposure but there are wide ranges in terms of use. All of us, myself and my students, are definitely digital learners.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Reaction to Partnership for 21st Century Skills
Partnership for 21st Century Skills is an organization that advocates for 21st century readiness for every student. The strategic council members of this organization are from an impressive list of businesses. The site itself is well designed and easy to navigate.
When reviewing the framework, I was most interested in the 21st century interdisciplinary themes that P21 advocates should be woven into our curriculum. The five themes are: 1)global awareness, 2)financial, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy, 3)civic literacy, 4)health literacy, and 5)environmental literacy. These are very complex issues and at first I was overwhelmed about these from an elementary perspective, but I do think we can start incorporating these themes at a very early age.
Another aspect that I found interesting was the area of Life and Career Skills. In particular I was was struck by "initiative and self-direction." It seems that each year more students are coming to us displaying less initiative, less intrinsic motivation, and less self-direction. In light of the statistics regarding the number of jobs students will hold and the move toward an "anytime, anywhere" work environment, I think initiative and self-direction will be critical skills.
While I am glad there is an organization advocating for student readiness, I did not find the site helpful in terms of how teachers are to accomplish this. The information on the state initiatives and the implementation guide were very broad. In order to incorporate the global themes and various literacies, states and school districts will have to invest a great deal of time and resources to revamp current curriculum. Time and resources are always a problem in our field.
When reviewing the framework, I was most interested in the 21st century interdisciplinary themes that P21 advocates should be woven into our curriculum. The five themes are: 1)global awareness, 2)financial, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy, 3)civic literacy, 4)health literacy, and 5)environmental literacy. These are very complex issues and at first I was overwhelmed about these from an elementary perspective, but I do think we can start incorporating these themes at a very early age.
Another aspect that I found interesting was the area of Life and Career Skills. In particular I was was struck by "initiative and self-direction." It seems that each year more students are coming to us displaying less initiative, less intrinsic motivation, and less self-direction. In light of the statistics regarding the number of jobs students will hold and the move toward an "anytime, anywhere" work environment, I think initiative and self-direction will be critical skills.
While I am glad there is an organization advocating for student readiness, I did not find the site helpful in terms of how teachers are to accomplish this. The information on the state initiatives and the implementation guide were very broad. In order to incorporate the global themes and various literacies, states and school districts will have to invest a great deal of time and resources to revamp current curriculum. Time and resources are always a problem in our field.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Utilizing Blogs in the Classroom
In the book "Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms," it states that we are becoming a "society of authorship" and with "two new blogs being created every second" that certainly seems very true. A couple of years ago, my colleagues and I discussed ways to share student writing with parents throughout the year. (We have student-led conferences in May to share writing portfolios.) We tried to set up individual password protected sites on a teacher website for parents to log in and see just their child's work. Only two teachers tried it for a year or so but did not keep it up.
As I was thinking about ways to utilize blogs in my classroom, my first thought was to resurrect the sharing of student writing. Currently we have a publishing center in our library where children can bring a processed piece to the center and a parent volunteer helps transform that story into a book with an about the author page, dedication page, etc. We also share student work by hanging it around the room and the building but I think it would be very powerful for students to publish their writing to a class blog and open it up for feedback. My concerns are with the kinds of feedback students may give their peers, and parent comparisons between their child and others in the class. I also worry about some of the content of the stories. For instance I have a student who recently wrote a very sad story and the main character is based on this student and her feelings. If the power in this tool is the interaction between readers and writers, how can a teacher not post a particular piece? Should there be controls on who can view and comment on student work?
As I was thinking about ways to utilize blogs in my classroom, my first thought was to resurrect the sharing of student writing. Currently we have a publishing center in our library where children can bring a processed piece to the center and a parent volunteer helps transform that story into a book with an about the author page, dedication page, etc. We also share student work by hanging it around the room and the building but I think it would be very powerful for students to publish their writing to a class blog and open it up for feedback. My concerns are with the kinds of feedback students may give their peers, and parent comparisons between their child and others in the class. I also worry about some of the content of the stories. For instance I have a student who recently wrote a very sad story and the main character is based on this student and her feelings. If the power in this tool is the interaction between readers and writers, how can a teacher not post a particular piece? Should there be controls on who can view and comment on student work?
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Understanding the impact of technology-Week 1
This week as I read the course text (Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts), there were several ideas in the first chapter that really stood out. The first was the idea that "we are creating a society of authorship." Anyone with access can publish their ideas on the internet. I did not like the idea of blogs when I first explored them years ago for that very reason, but I have since changed my view on blogging and now think of them as an expanded version of our discussion boards for class. I still do not feel comfortable searching for specific information or participating with an anonymous, unknown group.
Another area that is a concern to me is that "these technologies make more of our lives transparent to others in ways that many find unsettling." As Richardson points out, today's students are "always connected and that is their expectation." I have a cousin who blogs and posts so much of her personal life to Facebook. Why do people want their lives broadcast in this way?
In the section on "Social Learning," the author stated that "in 2005 students were far ahead of their teachers in computer literacy." I agree with this statement and it is one of the reasons I chose this program of study. I see the powerful computing devices young people carry in their pockets everyday and I wonder how we can harness the technology to use it for education and how we can teach students to use that technology responsibly.
Another reason I chose this program of study is because I do believe today's learners are different because of all the technology they use. They are more visual learners who demand instant information and feedback. In the text, the author states that "this immersion in technology has neurological effects...children think differently..they develop hypertext minds, they leap around, its as though their cognitive structures were parallel, not sequential." My principal just told me about a video clip he watched of kids using all different forms of technology in a fast paced environment, and then they would flash to a school environment with kids sitting in chairs looking bored.
I look forward to this course because I think it is important to look at all the needs of our learners. During the last course, we examined our cultural responsiveness and now we have to examine our technological responsiveness.
Another area that is a concern to me is that "these technologies make more of our lives transparent to others in ways that many find unsettling." As Richardson points out, today's students are "always connected and that is their expectation." I have a cousin who blogs and posts so much of her personal life to Facebook. Why do people want their lives broadcast in this way?
In the section on "Social Learning," the author stated that "in 2005 students were far ahead of their teachers in computer literacy." I agree with this statement and it is one of the reasons I chose this program of study. I see the powerful computing devices young people carry in their pockets everyday and I wonder how we can harness the technology to use it for education and how we can teach students to use that technology responsibly.
Another reason I chose this program of study is because I do believe today's learners are different because of all the technology they use. They are more visual learners who demand instant information and feedback. In the text, the author states that "this immersion in technology has neurological effects...children think differently..they develop hypertext minds, they leap around, its as though their cognitive structures were parallel, not sequential." My principal just told me about a video clip he watched of kids using all different forms of technology in a fast paced environment, and then they would flash to a school environment with kids sitting in chairs looking bored.
I look forward to this course because I think it is important to look at all the needs of our learners. During the last course, we examined our cultural responsiveness and now we have to examine our technological responsiveness.
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