Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms: Chapter 5

RSS


Before reading this chapter I really had the slightest clue what RSS was.  I only need it was related to "feeds" or something of that sort. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication.  This particular technology tool allows for readers to subscribe to the content that is created on a specific weblog so they no longer have to visit that site itself to get it.  It comes to you instead of you going to it!  That just amazes me that there is a tool like that out there. Think of the possibilities.  Now it is still kind of confusing but as I read on it made more sense.  An aggregator: checks the feeds you subscribe to (quickly and frequently by the way) and it collects all the new content from those sites.  It's the software that allows RSS to exist for us.  So instead of taking all the time to look for new feeds and find what you want the RSS allows for you in a sense to check one site instead of thirty.  That is such a time saver and something I would definitely invest my time in learning. Certain keywords I will use when I start my RSS would be something like "Classroom Activities" or "Kids Learning." I'm excited to set this up and see what it provides me with. To set up my RSS I learned (from this chapter) that it will be a very easy and simple process for me.  Because I already have a google account for Blogger I already have a "Reader" account waiting for me to play with. One tip I will also remember is to be very organized and create many folders for my various topics. I hope we talk more about this in class because I would be very interested in learning more!

Exit Slip 9.30.10

Today after our presenters discussed chapter 3 (The Skeptic's Argument) we had a discussion afterwards of what they did well on and what needed improvement.  One thing I noticed was that they did an activity much like the ones we always do in class.  I'm hoping I can be more creative when my group presents.  Also Professor Boyer discussed the importance of creating student to student facilitated discussions.  As a teacher I hope I can create questions where they aren't always routed back to me, but where there can be more student to student interaction. Today we also discussed our IWB lesson and I learned a lot more about how to use Smart Notebook when creating lesson plans.  Boyer showed us where we can find graphics to put in our lessons, which is something I always wondered about.  I also enjoyed seeing different websites where you can use their lessons! I think that is amazing and will be such a huge help in the classroom someday.  I think it will be fun creating a lesson for the Smart Board!

Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: Chapter 3

THE TECHNOLOGY SKEPTICS' ARGUMENT


I am more confused than ever after reading this chapter.  After reading chapter 2, The Technology Enthusiasts' Argument, I was all about technology being in the schools at a large amount.  Now after reading this I felt that I agreed with some of the skeptic's points. Don't get me wrong! I still want to incorporate technology to a large amount in my future classroom, but I don't think it should take over every aspect.  It was crazy to see in the first section all the different scenarios over the years about why the new "pen" or why the new "computer" was seen as such a threat.  I never thought of how over the time of all these new inventions that educators were skeptic that they would not last or that students would forget how to fall back on the more traditional ways, which never even happened obviously because every new invention kicked the old one to the curb where we really haven't ever seen it again or had to use it.  That is one of the major arguments that skeptics make: children shouldn't be relying on computers, they will forget how to write or maybe even read. It's so funny when you think about it.  Our future generations may not even use a pencil and paper.  Will the world fall to pieces? No. Because that will just be life.  Time changes, we as educators need to realize this and work with it.  One reason why technology may not be moving along as we'd all like in schools is because they, we, are afraid.  Technology can be scary at times because it is new and is a challenge.  Many teachers today are afraid of messing up and don't want to take that risk. Because no one takes the risk, the one who might does not get the support they deserve.  It takes much more effort to learn something new, especially when they already have a routine down and are set on their easy, comfortable, and traditional ways.  If we all just took the leap we could probable make it to the other side.


This is where I get confused.  After reading over the barriers I see why it is taking some time for technology to be a central part of schooling. I want it there, yes.  But do I see why it is a hard thing to transition to? Yes.  Some of the barriers include; cost and access, classroom management, challenges to instruction, what computers can't teach, and assessment.  Because technology is becoming such a huge deal it is apparent that every student needs a computer in order to properly educate them.  Now some students might not have a family who has access to a computer.  That would mean schools would have to supply every student with a laptop (ratio 1:1).  That gets costly.  Because many schools do not have the money to do that they have to resort to labs.  This is where time comes in.  Taking the time to walk to the computer lab and get everyone up and ready is a lengthy process, which means the lesson is cut short.  The other alternative is to have computers in class, but there is usually not enough room for 30 computers to be set up. But only having a few allows for the other students to get distracted.  All these little things can be a problem, but that shouldn't mean technology gets thrown on the back burner.  I think technology should be a huge part of schooling today.  It is crucial that our future is properly educated because technology is the now.  It's not going away.  However, I still feel that computers should never dominate the classroom. I'm still confused, but I'll end this post in a quote from Chapter 3:


"School fosters just-in-case learning while technology fosters just-in-time learning."


I'm going to sleep on this one.

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms: Chapter 4

WIKIS

Well first I'd like to restate what a wiki is. A wiki is a Web site where anyone anywhere can edit whenever they want. A wiki is "a resource, a showcase for best practices, and an articulation tool as well."  The most interesting thought I learned about a wiki is that they are not as harmful and misleading as most think.  My high school teachers and even some of my current college professors have given me warning of the incorrect information wikipedia can hold.  After reading this chapter about Wikis, however, I know have a different mindset about them and all the benefits they can hold. Sure wikis can be created and wrote by anyone, someone isn't the most credible.  But have we ever stopped to think of the fact that maybe wikis are more credible because they are not written by just one person?  They are edited and updated and improved all the time because so many different individuals are a part of it. One reason I want to teach wiki in my classroom is because it is a tool they can use and already using to research material.  I want them to be educated on the facts about wiki and how to properly use and assess one.  Another reason I think using wiki in the classroom is important is because it is becoming a very trusted and cited source by many major news outlets (despite what people think about it).  The most important reason I want to incorporate a wiki or wikis in my future classroom is because it can really help my students become better learners.  Two of the major things a wiki can provide students with is collaboration and negotiation skills.  When working with wikis my students will become accustomed to reviewing, modifying, thinking critically and contributing to the site.  They will learn how to work together and how to operate in a world where the creation of information is becoming more and more of a group effort.  Those are all great skills they will be practicing just with the use of a wiki.  They will also learn how to work as team because they will have to agree on correctness, meaning, relevance and more.  After reading this chapter I have also come to the realization that so many different businesses and corporations are using wikis that it is crucial I educate my students so they are ready for the the future that awaits them.  I want them to be prepared and knowledgeable for the world they will be entering someday.  That is in fact my job, isn't it? ;)

Exit Slip 9.23.10

Today we had our first discussion where the students are in charge.  I thought the group did nicely for going first.  Following that, we talked about what they did very well on and changes could have been made. I thought this was very helpful to see what aspects my group needs to incorporate in order to have successful discussion when we are in charge.  It is very important to have a back-up plan.  The most important aspect is making sure you are really engaging your audience and allowing interaction and participation to be present.  Wait time is also key in order to make sure your audience is really being able to be a part of the lesson. You have to let them have time to process the information before you just jump ahead.  I really hope we can demonstrate all these different aspects when it is our turn to present.


Today we also talked about the Smartboard.  Professor Boyer shared a website with us entitled "Smart Exchange Site."  It allows you to view and use other teacher's lessons for the Smartboard.  What a great site to know about as a future educator!  It even lets you search for lessons by asking what state standards you'd like, what subject you are looking for, and also the grade you desire to find lessons on! I can't wait to explore more on that site.  I think it will be a very useful tool when getting to know the Smartboard better.

Reading Reflection on Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: Chapter 2

After reading this chapter I feel it is crucial that I as a future teacher strive to incorporate technology into my classroom on a daily basis and always be updated on the latest advances and trends on the web.  I feel this way because in this chapter there are two clear arguments as to why new technology will revolutionize schooling. The first point is that the world is always going to be changing, and with a changing world it our duty to adapt schooling to prepare students for the world they are entering. The second argument fights that technology gives us enhanced capabilities for educating learners, and that schools should embrace these capabilities to reshape education. It is very important that our future students and children are up to date with the changing web and have the skills to use all the different aspects of it. Technology is becoming more and more involved in every aspect of work.  It is creating a culture of "technology dependence."  In this chapter they make a great point that how can expect our students to be ready in the 21st century when we are still using 19th century technology.  I want my students to be as successful as they can be someday! I want them to have the tools and resources to become anything they dream of! That puts a lot of responsibility on me, but I am up for the challenge.  I never thought how much the technology world would play a role in my classroom, but it is becoming very clear to me over this beginning of this continuing semester that it is going to be a huge asset to the curriculum. Most thinking in the world is enhanced by computer tools. Besides just using the traditional reading and writing, we need to prepare our students for communicating by using different media with people who might have different assumptions.   I want my students to be interacting with one another and using blogs to reflect on the lessons they are taught. I have learned from this class that reflecting is a huge part of the learning process and allows the student to really reflect on what they learned and what they may still be confused about. I want reflection writings and projects to be a big part of my classroom someday! Computer-based learning environments are highly likable to make education much more engaging to most students.  It challenges them and keeps them on their toes!  I never really thought of how the technology world can put a huge improvement on publication.  Student work that is seen only by teachers is a shame.  Students should have the right to experience authentic feedback that results from exposing their work to a real audience. This can also create more motivation for the student to do better work when it can be seen by almost anybody out on the web. From this, technology also creates real opportunities for students to improve their performance over time by building opportunity for reflection into learning environments. I want my students to be working on realistic tasks that are going to benefit them in their futures. That is why the push for technology in schools is huge and important!

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms: Chapters 1-3

This first chapter talked a lot about the Read/Write Web and how it is changing our relationship with technology. New web technologies are creating what the book calls a "techonic shift." They are not being called this only because of what they allow us to publish, but because of what can happen after we write.  It is sad to see however that education is learning and adapting very slowly to these new changes in technology.  I never thought of how the Read/Write Web is allowing for new jobs to arise.  It has created millions of amateur reporters and it has also allowed businesses to expand a great deal.  Now as teachers it is our duty to incorporate the web for our students so we can expand their knowledge and futures. An author by the name of Douglas Rushkoff calls weblogs a "society of authorship" where every teacher and every individual with access have the ability to contribute ideas and experiences to a larger community that is the Internet. The internet also has created a growing gap between how the generation of now defines privacy and the way most adults do.  The internet they know allows them to always be connected and up to date on the latest news. Because of this it is the hardest time to be an educator. Children are growing to know more and more than adults and are being able to use complex tools without the help of adults.  I want to be a teacher who can help my students expand what they already know and adapt it to resources that will help me throughout the rest of their lives. This first chapter made a statement that teachers are now having to learn first and then educate in order to be successful with their teaching. The "toolbox" we will be discovering throughout the length of this book is made up of a "mix of those that publish, those that manage information, and those that share content in new collaborative ways." The items are as listed: Weblogs, Wikis, Really Simple Syndication (RSS), Aggregators, Social Bookmarking, Online Photo Galleries, Audio/Video Casting, Twitter and Social Networking Sites.  Now some of these I know what their story is, but I also learned some tool definitions.  RSS is a technology that allows educators subscribe to "feeds" of the content that is created on the Internet.  An Aggregator collects and organizes the content generated via the RSS feed. Now I knew what Twitter was, but after reading more about it I have learned that it has become of the most powerful tools for connecting and sharing the great content and professional development opportunities for educators today.  I am excited to learn more about these different technologies so I can effectively educate my students someday on them and enhance their learning and better prepare them for the real world that lies in front of them.  


It also very important to teach them how to be safe using these technologies too.  It is my job to proper educate them on this process. Because I will be working with students at a lower level it is my responsibility to really plan out and test my lessons before going online with my students. One of the first steps before preparing to teach my students will be to get parent approval and support. As a result on this section I want to make sure I teach my students how to be safe when using the web.  


Chapter Two focused on Weblogs.  What makes a weblog different than other sites is what you find there. They are comprised of reflections and conversations that are usually updated everyday. These weblogs demand interaction. A weblog can include everything that a website can: graphics, video, link, etc. Research has shown that blogging in its truest form has a great deal potentially positive impact on students. They promote analogical, critical and analytical thinking. They can be a powerful promoter of creative, intuitive, and associational thinking.  Lastly, weblogs combine the best of solitary reflection and social interaction. I really want to incorporate these positive outcomes of blogging in my classroom. It is crucial that I am teaching my students skills they will take with them for the remainder of their lives. After reading this chapter I have also decided that I will use a class portal in my classroom someday.  It is a place to publish the course curriculum, syllabus, class rules, resources, homework assignments, rubrics, handouts, and presentations.  What a great idea!  Weblogs also provide an online filing cabinet.  The pros to this are students never misplace their work, all their work will be organized in one place which allows for reflection, and their work can be shared with others who might be interested in student's progress. All in all, weblogs improve student learning.  They are a constructive tool for learning, they expand the walls of a classroom, they archive the learning that educators and students do, they support different learning styles and lastly enhance the development of expertise in a particular subject.  Blogs allow for a new writing genre.  I never thought of blogs in this way, but in a blog we write not just to communicate but to connect with others who can potentially teach us more. "Writing stops; blogging continues. Their are no cons that I can see in a blog, but only Pros!


I definitely want to create a blog for my classroom someday. I also would not be opposed to each of my students having one also.  As I read what students write I want to try to respond by commenting back when appropriate.  I could also add link to the best student posts and ideas in the class. My weblog ideas are endless and I can't wait to read more of what this book will offer!

Video Reflection: Growing Up Online

Before watching this video I knew the huge impact technology had in the lives of young people, but after completing the entire length of the video I feel I have seen an even deeper image of how strongly the internet is in our young lives.  I guess I've never really thought much about what the internet is to me, but after watching this I see how it is truly a way for kids to escape reality and just be in touch with their peers. I feel as though I am real, I am me a hundred percent of the time, but some kids find it hard to be themselves.  For teenagers, the internet is an outlet for self expression.  The internet is also always a willing listener.  A place to escape the realities of life and "be real."  It's a place to complain about adults and to connect with one another.  During the video we meet one girl who expresses how she can display her identity in a distinct way online.  Jess can be someone else and feels reborn as a person when she uses her online name and identity.  Another thing Jess does is post racy and revealing pictures of herself online, but the impact it makes might just help her self-esteem and give her confidence.  She feels beautiful and like people care when she is her other identity. We see the hardships she goes through when the site is revealed to her school principal and she is forced by her parents to completely erase her site where she finds strength.  I guess after hearing her story I feel maybe the internet can really give people confidence when they need it.  If it gives them a purpose and they are being safe then what's the harm?  However another section of video gave me the danger of the internet.  Cyberbullying is huge and we all need to be aware of it.  In the video we meet the parents of a child who committed suicide because the bullying was that bad.  One lady made a statement that reading words makes it real.  His father investigated and found his son and a boy had been exchanging methods and thoughts on suicide.  The internet allows for children to have a world where no one can monitor them, and that can be scary as a parent. In the end the father comments that, "we can't blame the computer, but I can assume that it helped amplify and accelerate the pain that my son was dealing with."  The internet is a weapon in cyberbullying.  Another chapter of the video dealt on child predator fear.  No one is in charge.  It really changed how I felt about the topic.  The world argues that children think they are safe, but in reality they aren't.  Did we ever stop to think if our child is more a participant and not a true victim? Studies have confirmed that most adolescents know how to ignore unwanted solicitations they receive on the internet. I never thought of that kids engaging in risky behavior online are usually engaging in more risky behavior offline.  This part of the video really proved to me that our future young learners are not as naive as we think.  They know the deal with social predators and are not dumb if they don't want to be. One area where I feel strongly that the internet interferes with the learning process is when children use it to cheat.  One word; Sparknotes.  However, there is TurnItIn.com, a website that searches for familiar phrases so it is more difficult for children to plagiarize and cheat. One teacher said it well though, "we have to accept this as reality.  Children will cheat and yes this is wrong, but how can we stop it?' We have to accept that is the way life is now and we can't escape it.  Students today are so overexposed to the quickness of things that it is hard to keep their attention.  They need podcasting, smartboards and other technology equipment because we can't expect kids to be engrossed in boring lectures anymore.  After viewing this video I have decided that integrating technology is much more important and crucial in the lives of middle/high school.  Children at a younger age still need it also, but are more open to other methods of learning I believe. We have to accept that privacy is a thing of the past.  Children are much more open to being public than before and they take things less seriously than previous generations.  "It has been said that the internet has created the largest generation gap since the Rock'N'Roll era."   As a future teacher I have decided to accept that technology is the way to go.  In order to keep up with my students I need to be on their level.  I also learned that I cannot blame the internet.  It's not going away.  The only thing I can do is educate myself and my students the best way to use it.  Technology is life and it's not going away anytime soon.

Exit Slip 9.16.10

Today we discussed technologie's role in schools. It was very interesting to see what people felt about the different quotes we looked at today.  I felt the one where it talked about if technology is not present in the schools there could be a possibility that children might learn on their own at home with the technology tools or leave the public schools altogether was very shocking to see what people felt about it.  I was in the "no opinion" group, but I felt after discussing it more I would have moved to the disagree group.  I'm not sure I believe children will be learning math problems or practicing their science terms outside of school.  Yes, they will use the technology, but for more social purposes.  Someone also made a comment that parents might want their students to switch to private school.  Now this might just be my view, but I believe if parents had the money and really wanted their children to be at a smaller private school they already would be.  I highly doubt a child would switch to a different school just for that reason, but you never know I suppose.  I really agree that technology is very important in the schools! It's a great tool for students and can definitely enhance their learning.  I just feel like there is point where it could be too much.  Children need to be moving! They need creativity! Hands on work is very important and I feel like children need more of that than anything else and technology doesn't always give you that. I really do want to learn as much as I can about technology throughout the remainder of this class and even beyond this class! I always want to be educated on the latest technology so I can keep up with my students!

We also discussed how to properly evaluate websites.  Almost everything we discussed I felt was what I wrote about in my last post, but I did learn a new word: "Triangulation."  Triangulation means looking at a variety of different sites before choosing the one that you feel is the best.  You need to compare and make sure you are choosing wisely.  I definitely plan on teaching a lesson to my students about how to evaluate a website accurately for credibility.

Evaluating Websites for Credibility

It is very important that we as teachers properly educate our students the correct way to evaluate websites for credibility.  We want to make sure their mind is absorbing the best material it possibly can.  After looking at the examples sites provided by my Professor of Education 331, I believe I have come up with the process I will have my students learn so they know how to accurately evaluate websites for their credibility.  First thing they should look for is their an author posted on the website? Who is the author? Is there any evidence that this author is credible for what he/she has stated? He/she in order to be credible must have qualifications or connections to the subject.  It is also good to uncover what organization or association this website is linked to.  A very important thing I would tell my students to look for is if the website has been updated recently.  The best information and facts will hold the most current information and facts.  You always want to look for the date when the website was last updated or revised.  Another thing that is important to look for is if the author cited sources and is there a bibliography?  I think I remember a trick for evaluating websites from when I was in Elementary school.  "The Five W's."  Who? What? When? Where? Why? Who wrote the pages and why are they an expert? What is the purpose of this site? When was site created or last updated? Where does the information come from? Why is this page better than another? I think another effective idea for this lesson would be to show my students pages that aren't credible.  What to look for that is false.  It is very important that they can distinguish a fake website from a credible one.  I definitely believe that proper education on how to evaluate a website for credibility is crucial because I want my students to be absorbing the best possible information they can!

Reading Reflection on Preface and Chapter 1 in Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology

Chapter 1: How Education is Changing?


This reading impacted my thinking about technology in teaching and learning a great deal.  I never thought of how you could consider this day in age the time of the second educational revolution, but it sure does makes sense! It is mind boggling to see just how tech savvy our world has become in the last few decades. From everything to laptops, ipods and even iphones we see that our world relies on technology in almost every way.  We would be lost without it (I know I would). Now let's shift to the schoolroom.  They are slowly, but surely becoming much more technologic with Smart-Boards, Podcasts, and many other forms of technology.  Is it enough though? No.  Some classrooms still do their daily routine based on the old-fashion way of traditional teaching.  No one is going to know technology better than our future! So it our job as teachers to keep up with this always changing technologic world!  The problem with this new Revolution (as we call it) is that many teachers or even just normal, average Joes are not comfortable with change.  We don't want our students to become bored in class.  We want to challenge their minds and educate them in as many ways as possible, and what better way to explore the world than through the technologic world?  In this chapter it talked a lot about how students are looking outside of the classroom for different resources and tools for learning because schools are not providing those elements.  The chapter even shared a handful of stories that challenge our traditional model of education as learning in classrooms.  It is our duty as teachers to successfully integrate new technologies into our classrooms or else we will become a world where the students with the means and ability will seek their learning outside of the school. After reading this and even learning what I have so far in Education 381, I have made a promise to myself to be as technologic savvy as I can.  It will be so important in my future classroom, and most important for the lives of my students someday.  Incorporating different areas and aspects of technology will certainly be one of my top priorities and goals. I want to learn when technology is important in the classroom and when sometimes it may not be.  I have so much to learn throughout the remainder of this course, but I am looking forward to all the information I will have to cram in my head.

Exit Slip 9.9.2010

Today was a very informative and insightful day in class.  It was a lot of information to take in, but I found I was way less confused than I was a few days ago.  Many questions got answered that I had.  One being what a "wiki" is.  I learned that a "wiki" is a temporary technology tool.  What makes it different from other websites, such as Google or Yahoo, is that you can freely post anything you want, you can edit or add stuff at anytime, and the biggest attribute "wiki" holds is that anyone can be a contributer! The amazing thing about "wiki" is that you're contributing content to the web.  The "wiki" we will be using in class will document our daily activities.  "Wiki" is a great idea for my future class! Parents will love it and my students can rely on it to remind them of the day they just had.  I also learned in class today what Social Bookmarking is.  A site on Yahoo called "Delicious" is a public site where you can store all your favorite tags and look at other people's tags too! It's a great way to find amazing sites and I can't wait to learn more about it!

Digital Autobiography

Link to my Digital Autobiography:

http://www.vuvox.com/collage/detail/02ce7ab7c8

Reaction to Completing this Project:

I put a lot of effort into this specific task.  I first checked out each site and thought carefully of which one could reflect the story I wanted to tell and showcase.  Vuvox really caught my attention because I loved the tools you could use to really personalize and make it your own.  I chose photos that I thought really reflected the way I live my life and the people who are very important to me. I ended up choosing a myriad amount of photos of my family members and relatives because family truly is the most important thing to me.  I placed those photos at the beginning to emphasis their importance.  I also had to include the sports teams I watch.  Sports have always been a huge part of my life and take up a majority of my free time.   I wanted to make sure my creativity and personality would shine through it, so I added many little fun tools.  It took me awhile to figure out how to use the audio, but after playing around for a couple hours I figured it out and was pretty proud of myself. I put a lot of time and thoughtfulness into this assignment.  It was important for me to complete this task because in order to achieve at least a C in this course this task has to be completed.  The biggest reason it was important though was to really expand my horizons on the technology world; I wanted to learn something and really get something out of this assignment! It was also important to me because I feel this is a great opener to the class and getting to know my fellow classmates.  I plan on looking at my classmates blogs to see what makes them who they are.  It should be fun! This task impacts my future teaching career because it is strengthening my abilities with technology and teaching me different tools that I can add into my classroom someday.  I want to be the best possible teacher I can be and by learning as much as I can possibly cram into my brain is the goal.  I always want to be up with the latest technology and be able to provide my students with the best tools and knowledge I can. The tools I learn in Education 331 will stay with me forever and always have an influence on the future teacher I will someday be.

The Importance of Technology

1. Technology: Using tools that allow for a faster, broader, and more interesting way to view the world. To me it means finding the answer to something quickly and effectively.


2. Technology Integration: When we work together through the world of technology and can interconnect our thoughts and ideas. In a classroom it would look like students working together with the use of different areas of technology.