HOW SCHOOLS CAN COPE WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES
This chapter started out with explaining the three different imperatives of technology that are driving technology into the schools. They are, customization, interaction, and learner control. I wasn't really sure what they meant by customization or learner control, so I'll explain so I can come back to my blog later and know what these terms meant. Customization refers to providing people with the knowledge they want when they want it and supporting and guiding people individually as they learn. Learner control refers to putting learners in charge of their own learning whenever possible, so that they feel ownership and can direct their learning wherever their interests take them. It goes on to talk about the standards educators use in the schools today and how they go against the grain of the technological imperatives. I agree that schools need to provide more individual support and choice in what students want to learn. Of course every teacher can work on being more engaging and creating more interaction in their classroom!
The next section talked about standardized testing in the schools and how some teachers are now looking at different forms or assessment. We have talked about that in block so when reading this section it was like review. The next section focused on New Curriculum Designs, which I had my opinions on. It stated this, "students would be encouraged to stick with a particular curriculum for a long time, perhaps several years, while they develop deep skills and understanding." I really agree with this thinking. At such a young age how do children know what areas they want to narrow in on? I don't think we should limit them. Yes, it says they choose, but at this age they need to be exposed to all areas and I don't think they should have to be narrowed down to a specific area. Why limit them when they are full of potential? I really did not agree with this section. Then it went onto to talk about once they become teenagers all the different paths they can take. Do you really feel 16 year olds are wise enough to make that decision. Some yes, but not all. And then talking about them entering college at a age of 15 or 16. I just don't think children at the age need to be exposed to the college scene. They are too young and need more life experiences at this age.
I'm for technology in the classroom, but the last few chapters in this text have really frustrated me. I don't feel we are going to see this large shift and kids will be totally learning on their own (some sections of this book have suggested this!). We'll see how the last two chapters go I guess.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms: Chapter 9
SOCIAL NETWORKS
I'll start by saying I found this chapter the most boring out of any in this book so far. It might be because the other chapters were so much more interesting and full of new material and this chapter was more mediocre. I think I found it not as appealing because I already know about Facebook and I feel I will stay away from facebook in my classroom. Yes, it gave great examples of how Facebook can be a great tool in the classroom, but I felt all those tools could also be found on a class wiki/blog or a site comparable to D2L.
One thing I have never thought about is the two different ways that kids (like me) are using social networking. First, is the "friendship-based way" and the second is to "further explore interests." The second one is what is important regarding education. Students can connect with people from around the world and share interest and passions with people that could only be possible through the world of technology. This type social networking is "self-directed, peer-based learning."
One subject they touched on was Ning which was new to me. It's a site that allows you to create your own personal Facebook-like network around whatever your specific interest is. The best part of Ning for educators is that it is totally self-contained- meaning all of that sharing and posting happens under one roof and it can be private to whoever you want it to be private to. The site is either all private OR all public. Another downfall of Ning (if you a younger grade educator) is that its services restricts the use of the site to children younger than 13. Therefore, because I want to be an Elementary teacher Ning probable won't work in my classroom. This site allows for students to test our their writing skills for an audience and to interact and collaborate with your peers.
Two benefits I found after reading this chapter were how sites like Ning and Facebook can be used in the classroom to allow quiet students to speak up and also to keep in touch with peers when maybe sick or after they have moved. The idea I found most intriguing was how you could use these sites to connect from experts around the world! There was even an example in the text of a teacher who did just that in his classroom. What a great experience for your students! Definitely something to look into :)
I'll start by saying I found this chapter the most boring out of any in this book so far. It might be because the other chapters were so much more interesting and full of new material and this chapter was more mediocre. I think I found it not as appealing because I already know about Facebook and I feel I will stay away from facebook in my classroom. Yes, it gave great examples of how Facebook can be a great tool in the classroom, but I felt all those tools could also be found on a class wiki/blog or a site comparable to D2L.
One thing I have never thought about is the two different ways that kids (like me) are using social networking. First, is the "friendship-based way" and the second is to "further explore interests." The second one is what is important regarding education. Students can connect with people from around the world and share interest and passions with people that could only be possible through the world of technology. This type social networking is "self-directed, peer-based learning."
One subject they touched on was Ning which was new to me. It's a site that allows you to create your own personal Facebook-like network around whatever your specific interest is. The best part of Ning for educators is that it is totally self-contained- meaning all of that sharing and posting happens under one roof and it can be private to whoever you want it to be private to. The site is either all private OR all public. Another downfall of Ning (if you a younger grade educator) is that its services restricts the use of the site to children younger than 13. Therefore, because I want to be an Elementary teacher Ning probable won't work in my classroom. This site allows for students to test our their writing skills for an audience and to interact and collaborate with your peers.
Two benefits I found after reading this chapter were how sites like Ning and Facebook can be used in the classroom to allow quiet students to speak up and also to keep in touch with peers when maybe sick or after they have moved. The idea I found most intriguing was how you could use these sites to connect from experts around the world! There was even an example in the text of a teacher who did just that in his classroom. What a great experience for your students! Definitely something to look into :)
Exit Slip 10.28.10
Today we started out class by talking about our Delicious accounts. Professor Boyer figured out that my section average is 51.5, which I am easily exceeding because I have 101 bookmarks at the moment. The discussion this week was on Chapter 7: What May Be Lost and What May Be Gained. I felt the discussion was kind of confusing at times. One thing that was pointed out in this discussion was that funding IS available for those with initiative. One of the questions in discussion related to a funding issue and I thought it was interesting to hear other people's ideas and input on the matter.
Boyer also shared with us the site Elluminate, which I thought was very cool and interesting to learn about. It's a place where you can web conference, post virtual office hours, and also host webinars.
Next we talked about our podcasting project. We were informed that we will be podcasting on a contemporary issue related to technology and PK-12 learners. After finding an article then we need to start working on a script (complete before we record!). There are 3 areas we need to include in our podcast: 1) overview of the issue 2) what's the article say/summarize the article 3) what does this mean to me as a future teacher, my reaction/reflection (most interesting part!) RECORD PODCAST! 2-3 MINUTES. Next, add lead-in and lead-out music (use garageband on mac and each 15 sec. >already 30 sec of podcast) && at least one sound effect. Next, export podcast as an .mp3 file. Create a blog post that includes your podcast and a link to the original contemporary issue resource. Don't forget to write a reflection on this assignment on Blogger.
For some reason I felt less stressed at the end of this class period than I did entering.
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Boyer also shared with us the site Elluminate, which I thought was very cool and interesting to learn about. It's a place where you can web conference, post virtual office hours, and also host webinars.
Next we talked about our podcasting project. We were informed that we will be podcasting on a contemporary issue related to technology and PK-12 learners. After finding an article then we need to start working on a script (complete before we record!). There are 3 areas we need to include in our podcast: 1) overview of the issue 2) what's the article say/summarize the article 3) what does this mean to me as a future teacher, my reaction/reflection (most interesting part!) RECORD PODCAST! 2-3 MINUTES. Next, add lead-in and lead-out music (use garageband on mac and each 15 sec. >already 30 sec of podcast) && at least one sound effect. Next, export podcast as an .mp3 file. Create a blog post that includes your podcast and a link to the original contemporary issue resource. Don't forget to write a reflection on this assignment on Blogger.
For some reason I felt less stressed at the end of this class period than I did entering.
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Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: Chapter 7
WHAT MAY BE LOST & WHAT MAY BE GAINED
I felt that there were many more examples and facts of what would be lost than what would be gained. The question is though if what will be gained will outweigh all the losses? I'm not entirely sure of my answer to that question. This chapter talks about if a technology revolution does occur what the losses will be, but also the gains of the revolution. Let's start with what would be lost (I think a lot). Social cohesion will be lost. When we group ourselves in the home we are limiting our cultural experience and interactions from those who have a different culture from our own. Public schools allow for diversity to abundant and the lessons that come with it irreplaceable. The second problem is of equity of access to learning. Universal schooling allows for more equal opportunities and mainstreaming for all! If people leave the schools than there is a great possibility that minorities and those in poverty will suffer. They will not have the money and resources at home like they are offered with at school. Equity is very important because everyone deserves an education no matter what their background. There is also the potential of decline in the liberal arts. When people/children are allowed to decide what they learn will they really be broadening their education. Yes, they can focus on what they love, but what about being balanced and knowledgeable in the a broader light? I think we will see more narrow minds and students won't be extending their horizons like they would be in a universal school setting. Also, another loss would people being more likely to become isolated. If they are at home getting an education they will be missing out on the social and interaction lessons they need to survive! There could be a loss of social skills (that is a HUGE risk). I thought it was very interesting to find that research has found spending time on the Internet has shown decreases in talking among family members, reduction in the number of friends once had, and increases in depression and loneliness.
Now let's look at what will be gained. The huge aspect that people will be able to choose material that interest them which we believe will have the affect that learning will be more engaging. They will be more excited to learn about areas that interest them and what they hope to be in the future (careers). Computers can customize education to the particular needs and abilities of individual learners. The support will be superb because they will get just enough help and will be challenged. Another obvious gain is that knowledge/information will be accessible anytime, anywhere, and through the web. Also there will be less competition in schools. Students won't be able to compare themselves to others and feel failure when their work is not as outstanding.
I agree that technology should be more involved in schools, but I don't think our world should ever leave the universal school system. School is important and crucial. Just my opinion I guess though. I really found this chapter interesting.
I felt that there were many more examples and facts of what would be lost than what would be gained. The question is though if what will be gained will outweigh all the losses? I'm not entirely sure of my answer to that question. This chapter talks about if a technology revolution does occur what the losses will be, but also the gains of the revolution. Let's start with what would be lost (I think a lot). Social cohesion will be lost. When we group ourselves in the home we are limiting our cultural experience and interactions from those who have a different culture from our own. Public schools allow for diversity to abundant and the lessons that come with it irreplaceable. The second problem is of equity of access to learning. Universal schooling allows for more equal opportunities and mainstreaming for all! If people leave the schools than there is a great possibility that minorities and those in poverty will suffer. They will not have the money and resources at home like they are offered with at school. Equity is very important because everyone deserves an education no matter what their background. There is also the potential of decline in the liberal arts. When people/children are allowed to decide what they learn will they really be broadening their education. Yes, they can focus on what they love, but what about being balanced and knowledgeable in the a broader light? I think we will see more narrow minds and students won't be extending their horizons like they would be in a universal school setting. Also, another loss would people being more likely to become isolated. If they are at home getting an education they will be missing out on the social and interaction lessons they need to survive! There could be a loss of social skills (that is a HUGE risk). I thought it was very interesting to find that research has found spending time on the Internet has shown decreases in talking among family members, reduction in the number of friends once had, and increases in depression and loneliness.
Now let's look at what will be gained. The huge aspect that people will be able to choose material that interest them which we believe will have the affect that learning will be more engaging. They will be more excited to learn about areas that interest them and what they hope to be in the future (careers). Computers can customize education to the particular needs and abilities of individual learners. The support will be superb because they will get just enough help and will be challenged. Another obvious gain is that knowledge/information will be accessible anytime, anywhere, and through the web. Also there will be less competition in schools. Students won't be able to compare themselves to others and feel failure when their work is not as outstanding.
I agree that technology should be more involved in schools, but I don't think our world should ever leave the universal school system. School is important and crucial. Just my opinion I guess though. I really found this chapter interesting.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms: Chapter 8
Podcasting, Video and Screencasting, and Live Streaming
More and more of what we consume is going to be self-produced entertainment! One of the main reasons that multimedia on the web is so explosive right now is because of the cheap memory found on computers. This chapter talks about how Podcasting, Videocasting, Screencasting, and live-steaming TV are all great ways to get student content online. I've never really understood what Podcasting really was and what is was all about, but after reading the first section in this chapter I got a better idea. "Podcasting is the creation and distribution of amateur radio, plain and simple." After further reading I figured out that I have all the materials to create a podcast if I wanted! I just need something to talk about :) What I found really interested about podcasting was how it can be incorporated into the schools. It's important to incorporate because it is another tool that allows for students to contribute ideas and be creative! Some of the different examples for social studies teachers to incorporate this tool are to do oral histories, interviews, or reenactments of historical events. I really like the idea of reenactments! I think that would be something I would like to remember for my future classroom. Science teachers could have students narrate labs or dissections or experiments to record their processes. Narrating experiments would definitely allow for the teacher to know if the student really understands what they are doing and what they are getting out of an experiment. I liked that idea as well. One suggestion was to record what we've done in class that day and post in on a wiki so students who missed class get an idea of the information they have missed. Love that one! Another suggestion was to create a video tour of your classroom! That would be so much fun I think!
One step up from podcasting is screencasting. Screencasting involves capturing what you or your students do on the computer with an audio narration to go with it. I know Professor Boyer does this in class and I think it is a great help! I even used it once when I didn't understand one of the class assignments. I think that this would be a great tool to incorporate into my classroom someday! Students could also use the tool by annotating their work in voice as they show it on screen. They could create their own internet tours even! This chapter gave a great screencasting tool to work from, Jing. I need to check that out once I'm done with this reflection :)
Lastly, I found the live streaming section in this chapter very informational and insightful. Some examples on how to incorporate this tool into schools are schools plays and musicals being broadcasted to relative far away, student science presentations for friends and family to watch, live student-run daily news broadcasts (fun!), conference workshops, and much more! You can really do a lot with this tool and I see why it would be beneficial in my classroom someday!
Very informational and interesting chapter this week!
More and more of what we consume is going to be self-produced entertainment! One of the main reasons that multimedia on the web is so explosive right now is because of the cheap memory found on computers. This chapter talks about how Podcasting, Videocasting, Screencasting, and live-steaming TV are all great ways to get student content online. I've never really understood what Podcasting really was and what is was all about, but after reading the first section in this chapter I got a better idea. "Podcasting is the creation and distribution of amateur radio, plain and simple." After further reading I figured out that I have all the materials to create a podcast if I wanted! I just need something to talk about :) What I found really interested about podcasting was how it can be incorporated into the schools. It's important to incorporate because it is another tool that allows for students to contribute ideas and be creative! Some of the different examples for social studies teachers to incorporate this tool are to do oral histories, interviews, or reenactments of historical events. I really like the idea of reenactments! I think that would be something I would like to remember for my future classroom. Science teachers could have students narrate labs or dissections or experiments to record their processes. Narrating experiments would definitely allow for the teacher to know if the student really understands what they are doing and what they are getting out of an experiment. I liked that idea as well. One suggestion was to record what we've done in class that day and post in on a wiki so students who missed class get an idea of the information they have missed. Love that one! Another suggestion was to create a video tour of your classroom! That would be so much fun I think!
One step up from podcasting is screencasting. Screencasting involves capturing what you or your students do on the computer with an audio narration to go with it. I know Professor Boyer does this in class and I think it is a great help! I even used it once when I didn't understand one of the class assignments. I think that this would be a great tool to incorporate into my classroom someday! Students could also use the tool by annotating their work in voice as they show it on screen. They could create their own internet tours even! This chapter gave a great screencasting tool to work from, Jing. I need to check that out once I'm done with this reflection :)
Lastly, I found the live streaming section in this chapter very informational and insightful. Some examples on how to incorporate this tool into schools are schools plays and musicals being broadcasted to relative far away, student science presentations for friends and family to watch, live student-run daily news broadcasts (fun!), conference workshops, and much more! You can really do a lot with this tool and I see why it would be beneficial in my classroom someday!
Very informational and interesting chapter this week!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Exit Slip 10.21.10
Three classmates held a discussion on Chapter 6: The Different Eras of Education. They did a really great job involving themselves into each discussion group and circulating around the room. One gal asked very specific questions to our group that kept us thinking and on topic. They seemed very well prepared and as though they spent time planning their activity. I liked how knowledgeable they were on their chapter and how they even touched on previous chapters. Boyer talked about being more creative and not making discussion all verbal. Some students are not confident speakers. "Jigsaw" grouping is when you have a discussion group, which I found very interesting. Maybe my group can use that idea when we group for our discussion. Another great idea would be to summarize at the end ("summary frame").
Next in class Boyer gave us some tips and tricks for our SMART Board lessons. It is important to lock items! Then objects can't be moved on accident. You can always unlock it also. He also talked about color choice in our lessons. We need to make sure we play close attention and make sure our font color is readable against our background colors. Font numbers higher than 36 are ideal because we want to make sure our students can read the board from far away. I plan on checking all the areas he touched on when I finalize my SMART Board lesson.
Boyer let us know that he loves when we come to his office with questions! It's not an inconvenience! He is also on skype. Pretty impressive :) Oh and just don't use the camera when you are in your pjs.
We also talked about our SWOT project. I had already picked my tool, but it was nice hearing more details about the assignment.
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Next in class Boyer gave us some tips and tricks for our SMART Board lessons. It is important to lock items! Then objects can't be moved on accident. You can always unlock it also. He also talked about color choice in our lessons. We need to make sure we play close attention and make sure our font color is readable against our background colors. Font numbers higher than 36 are ideal because we want to make sure our students can read the board from far away. I plan on checking all the areas he touched on when I finalize my SMART Board lesson.
Boyer let us know that he loves when we come to his office with questions! It's not an inconvenience! He is also on skype. Pretty impressive :) Oh and just don't use the camera when you are in your pjs.
We also talked about our SWOT project. I had already picked my tool, but it was nice hearing more details about the assignment.
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Wednesday, October 20, 2010
iRLO Reaction
Scratch. How I despised you this week. I was really scared about this assignment. When I first sat down at my apartment to explore Scratch I was thinking, "oh this can't be too bad." However, after I installed the Scratch software onto my mac and uploaded I got a little nervous. I was looking through all the different material and was thinking, "how is it possible that I can make a game out of this?" I freaked for a while, but after many (many) hours of playing around with the site and experimenting my ideas I started to relax a little. Once I started the assignment and was connecting all the different materials it started becoming more clear and easy to me. Although after reviewing my lesson and seeing how simple it looks I am amazed at why it was so hard in the beginning. I put a lot of effort into this assignment. I could not figure out how to import other images, so I had to stick with the ones given however. I put a lot of time into this assignment by doing trial and error and figuring out the tricks of Scratch. It's definitely not something you can sit down and finish in a couple hours. I played around with it and experimented for many hours. By designing this iRLO I feel I would be able to make future games and activities that could really benefit my students. Yes, I could just take the easy route and find a game online, but what Scratch offers is you creating all the rules and content you want addressed in that activity. You can really make it your own! I think I would use Scratch for simple lesson and content, but if it was heavy material I think it would be very challenging and take a lot of time. I think I learned a lot from this assignment because I was really afraid and was thinking there was no way I could do this, and I did! I was proud of myself. It was a great experience.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Exit Slip 10.14.10
Today in class three students held a class discussion on Chapter 5: The Seeds of a New System of Education from the Rethinking Education text. I thought they did a really great job with time management and their activity was well thought out and organized. They also did a great job moving around and interacting with us during discussion. I really got something out of their discussion and felt like I learned something. The only think they could have improved on was more commentary on group responses, but I think because I noticed this when I present I will really try to remember to provide deeper commentary. Overall, I thought it was the best class discussion held so far.
Next in class we talked about the iRLO project involving Scratch. I was very relieved to know we would be learning more about the site from Professor Boyer because I kind of still felt lost. After downloading the site Boyer showed us how to create "Sprites." What I thought was really cool was that you could import images from online or from anywhere and make them "Sprites." I'm excited to start browsing the net for images to put into my Scratch item. After we got through that area on Scractch, I'm not going to lie, I kind of was lost. I'm also kind of overwhelmed right now wondering if I'm going to be able to do this assignment. I plan on going to Professor Boyer with help and questions though.
Next in class we talked about the iRLO project involving Scratch. I was very relieved to know we would be learning more about the site from Professor Boyer because I kind of still felt lost. After downloading the site Boyer showed us how to create "Sprites." What I thought was really cool was that you could import images from online or from anywhere and make them "Sprites." I'm excited to start browsing the net for images to put into my Scratch item. After we got through that area on Scractch, I'm not going to lie, I kind of was lost. I'm also kind of overwhelmed right now wondering if I'm going to be able to do this assignment. I plan on going to Professor Boyer with help and questions though.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: Chapter 6
THREE ERAS OF EDUCATION
For some reason I found this chapter hard to follow. I felt like information was everywhere and it wasn't as interesting to me as the other chapters in this text. I did find it interesting, however, to learn the history on how the responsibility for education shifted from parents to the state and then to the individual back to the parents. I'd never really thought of education in this cycle, but after learning more about the process it is clear to me how it has evolved. It was the Industrial Revolution that created the movement towards education being state taught. Many immigrants were here at that time and some leaders felt as thought immigrant parents would not be able to teach the American values to their children. This is what has led to the realization that parents and their children can be very different people and not share the same set of morals. When taught in an universal school setting parents are taking the risk that their children may be introduced to different beliefs and also may be influenced a great deal by their peers. The text explains that home schooling has become such a strong and growing movement for those reasons. I agree that if your children are being taught by other educators besides their parents that they will be introduced to many different moral and values, but I don't think that is an issue that will be changing anytime soon. I found it very interesting that the book stated that education is shifting back towards the parents being responsible for their children's education. I wasn't sure if I agreed, but I guess they have had studies that prove there has been a steady growth in home schooling, learning centers, and distance education. It made even more sense to me when I read about why they believe this. One example is that parents are buying more and more of educational videos and items that educate their children in what they believe is important. I think I will be one of those parents who will see education as an area that can be introduced at a very different age. I'm sure I'll be buying those popular "Baby Einstein" videos and audio CDs. I also have decided I want to teach my children Spanish at a young age. I took six years of it in high school and know what a challenge it was to learn as a teenager. I also found the "expectations" section very interesting, many young people are "learning what they think will be of value to them." Isn't that true? It seems some students only care about the areas that interest them and they feel will benefit their future. Seems logical to me, don't you think? Food for thought. In order to be prepared in the 21st century research has found that people need education in five areas: 1. Resources 2. Interpersonal 3. Information 4. Systems 5. Technology. I hope that I can really incorporate these areas into my lessons and curriculum. I want my students to be as prepared as possible! They are our future!
For some reason I found this chapter hard to follow. I felt like information was everywhere and it wasn't as interesting to me as the other chapters in this text. I did find it interesting, however, to learn the history on how the responsibility for education shifted from parents to the state and then to the individual back to the parents. I'd never really thought of education in this cycle, but after learning more about the process it is clear to me how it has evolved. It was the Industrial Revolution that created the movement towards education being state taught. Many immigrants were here at that time and some leaders felt as thought immigrant parents would not be able to teach the American values to their children. This is what has led to the realization that parents and their children can be very different people and not share the same set of morals. When taught in an universal school setting parents are taking the risk that their children may be introduced to different beliefs and also may be influenced a great deal by their peers. The text explains that home schooling has become such a strong and growing movement for those reasons. I agree that if your children are being taught by other educators besides their parents that they will be introduced to many different moral and values, but I don't think that is an issue that will be changing anytime soon. I found it very interesting that the book stated that education is shifting back towards the parents being responsible for their children's education. I wasn't sure if I agreed, but I guess they have had studies that prove there has been a steady growth in home schooling, learning centers, and distance education. It made even more sense to me when I read about why they believe this. One example is that parents are buying more and more of educational videos and items that educate their children in what they believe is important. I think I will be one of those parents who will see education as an area that can be introduced at a very different age. I'm sure I'll be buying those popular "Baby Einstein" videos and audio CDs. I also have decided I want to teach my children Spanish at a young age. I took six years of it in high school and know what a challenge it was to learn as a teenager. I also found the "expectations" section very interesting, many young people are "learning what they think will be of value to them." Isn't that true? It seems some students only care about the areas that interest them and they feel will benefit their future. Seems logical to me, don't you think? Food for thought. In order to be prepared in the 21st century research has found that people need education in five areas: 1. Resources 2. Interpersonal 3. Information 4. Systems 5. Technology. I hope that I can really incorporate these areas into my lessons and curriculum. I want my students to be as prepared as possible! They are our future!
Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms: Chapter 7
FUN WITH FLICKR
I had heard of Flickr before reading this chapter, but all I really knew about the site was that it focused on pictures. But now after reading the entire chapter I see all the possibilities and option Flickr provides in the classroom. One of the main areas it focused on was that by using this site you are opening up the entire world to your students. When you post images you could invite people from anywhere in the world to have discussions with. That is amazing. Who better to learn about a certain area than someone who lives there! You could also post a photo and ask your students to comment on what they see and the importance of that photo, which makes a for a great online classroom discussion. Also if you post a picture with a certain tag then more pictures involving that topic would directly come to you. The more tags you give your photos, the better chance that your photos will find others of the same subject. Think about all the time you could save because of technology's talent. I definitely would love to incorporate Flickr into the classroom because my students will learn how to interact, share and learn from each other in creative and interesting ways. Another great aspect about Flickr is the ability to share the daily life of you classroom. I think parents would love seeing what their child has been doing in the classroom or where they are going on field trips. I really want to make communication with my student's parents a high priority. You can make slideshows and create presentations with Flickr too! There is also a very unique tool on Flickr call "annotation," which allows you to add notes to part of the image. Flickr also allows you to post videos, which I think would great to create virtual field trip tours (in case someone was sick, or for student reflection, or for parents to see). I also learned that Flickr is free! There is a limit, but the text said "you could easily post 500 images a month without too much worry." I think I could handle that ;) I feel much more knowledgeable on the Flickr site now, and would definitely consider incorporating it into my classroom at times.
I had heard of Flickr before reading this chapter, but all I really knew about the site was that it focused on pictures. But now after reading the entire chapter I see all the possibilities and option Flickr provides in the classroom. One of the main areas it focused on was that by using this site you are opening up the entire world to your students. When you post images you could invite people from anywhere in the world to have discussions with. That is amazing. Who better to learn about a certain area than someone who lives there! You could also post a photo and ask your students to comment on what they see and the importance of that photo, which makes a for a great online classroom discussion. Also if you post a picture with a certain tag then more pictures involving that topic would directly come to you. The more tags you give your photos, the better chance that your photos will find others of the same subject. Think about all the time you could save because of technology's talent. I definitely would love to incorporate Flickr into the classroom because my students will learn how to interact, share and learn from each other in creative and interesting ways. Another great aspect about Flickr is the ability to share the daily life of you classroom. I think parents would love seeing what their child has been doing in the classroom or where they are going on field trips. I really want to make communication with my student's parents a high priority. You can make slideshows and create presentations with Flickr too! There is also a very unique tool on Flickr call "annotation," which allows you to add notes to part of the image. Flickr also allows you to post videos, which I think would great to create virtual field trip tours (in case someone was sick, or for student reflection, or for parents to see). I also learned that Flickr is free! There is a limit, but the text said "you could easily post 500 images a month without too much worry." I think I could handle that ;) I feel much more knowledgeable on the Flickr site now, and would definitely consider incorporating it into my classroom at times.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: Chapter 5
The Seeds of a New System of Education
I think they make a great point in the beginning by stating the fact that school system's structure have remained fairly constant over the last ninety years, but society has definitely not. Society is making changes daily, so think of how many changes have been made in the last ninety years! That raises a great point that how can the world always be changing, but schools not? Don't schools need to be in the same place and at the same level as the real world? You would think so.
This chapter focuses on the "the seeds" of the new education system that can be seen by the growth and development of home schooling, workplace learning, distance education, adult education, learning centers, educational television and videos, computer-based learning software, technical certifications, and Internet cafes. Wow! I didn't even know some of those systems existed! I found it very interesting to hear about each system in more detail. The rate at which these systems is growing is incredible and even a little scary for a future teacher to hear!
The section I found the most interesting was the Home Schooling reading. I've always been very interested in the home schooling effects since I have little cousins who are all home schooled. In the chapter it discusses how many parents choose this was of education for moral reasons. I believe that is the biggest reason that my cousins are also home schooled. The statistics were crazy! "The number of children being home schooled has increased by 29% in the last four years!" "2.5% of two-parent families engage in home schooling." And the most amazing one, "children that are home schooled at home score significantly better on standardized tests in every subject area." Every subject area, now that is not luck. I believe it though. My cousins are very bright children. Some may say that by being home schooled you do not learn the social skills that are crucial for life. I was once a true believer in that. My cousins, however, proved me wrong. They are very beautiful, social, outgoing, fun children that know just as much about the outside world (if not more!) as anyone. Now I still have doubts about home schooling because I feel some of the universal schooling experience are so important, but I have many less doubts. Another part I found interesting in this section was that is was said that most children home schooled were form conservative backgrounds. I learned though that there are actually two large associations of home schoolers, one conservative and one liberal. A was introduced to a new thought when this section talked about how parents who home school usually take a much different approach as an educator then as a school teacher. "Teachers view themselves as experts, whose role is to convey their knowledge to students." Whereas parents are much more natural educators and puts more responsibility on the child. Because of this home schooled kids learn to figure things out on their own. I never thought of home schooling in this way, but after being introduced to these ideas I now want to be a slightly different teacher. I want to learn with my students. I want them to know that we are in this together and I don't have all the answers. I can learn as much from them as they can learn from me (if not more).
Another section I found in intriguing was the Educational Television and Videos. I agree that television has had a empowering effect on revealing adult secrets to children and turning education into entertainment. Education should be fun, but the fundamentals of learning should always still be in tact. I had one of those parents who forbade me from watching certain shows. I wasn't allowed to watch Rugrats because my mom felt the characters were too sassy. I was never allowed to watch MTV because she felt the programs were too adult, racy, and worldly for me. I never understood it before, but as I have gotten older I'm starting to. I feel I will be more lenient with my children and what they watch, however, I agree that television can have a tremendous effect on young children. The text summed it up pretty well, "kids are learning about drugs, violence, incest, adultery and so on from television, which is leading to the disappearance of childhood." As a teacher someday I hope we can incorporate the television at times but I want to be careful of what I show.
I think they make a great point in the beginning by stating the fact that school system's structure have remained fairly constant over the last ninety years, but society has definitely not. Society is making changes daily, so think of how many changes have been made in the last ninety years! That raises a great point that how can the world always be changing, but schools not? Don't schools need to be in the same place and at the same level as the real world? You would think so.
This chapter focuses on the "the seeds" of the new education system that can be seen by the growth and development of home schooling, workplace learning, distance education, adult education, learning centers, educational television and videos, computer-based learning software, technical certifications, and Internet cafes. Wow! I didn't even know some of those systems existed! I found it very interesting to hear about each system in more detail. The rate at which these systems is growing is incredible and even a little scary for a future teacher to hear!
The section I found the most interesting was the Home Schooling reading. I've always been very interested in the home schooling effects since I have little cousins who are all home schooled. In the chapter it discusses how many parents choose this was of education for moral reasons. I believe that is the biggest reason that my cousins are also home schooled. The statistics were crazy! "The number of children being home schooled has increased by 29% in the last four years!" "2.5% of two-parent families engage in home schooling." And the most amazing one, "children that are home schooled at home score significantly better on standardized tests in every subject area." Every subject area, now that is not luck. I believe it though. My cousins are very bright children. Some may say that by being home schooled you do not learn the social skills that are crucial for life. I was once a true believer in that. My cousins, however, proved me wrong. They are very beautiful, social, outgoing, fun children that know just as much about the outside world (if not more!) as anyone. Now I still have doubts about home schooling because I feel some of the universal schooling experience are so important, but I have many less doubts. Another part I found interesting in this section was that is was said that most children home schooled were form conservative backgrounds. I learned though that there are actually two large associations of home schoolers, one conservative and one liberal. A was introduced to a new thought when this section talked about how parents who home school usually take a much different approach as an educator then as a school teacher. "Teachers view themselves as experts, whose role is to convey their knowledge to students." Whereas parents are much more natural educators and puts more responsibility on the child. Because of this home schooled kids learn to figure things out on their own. I never thought of home schooling in this way, but after being introduced to these ideas I now want to be a slightly different teacher. I want to learn with my students. I want them to know that we are in this together and I don't have all the answers. I can learn as much from them as they can learn from me (if not more).
Another section I found in intriguing was the Educational Television and Videos. I agree that television has had a empowering effect on revealing adult secrets to children and turning education into entertainment. Education should be fun, but the fundamentals of learning should always still be in tact. I had one of those parents who forbade me from watching certain shows. I wasn't allowed to watch Rugrats because my mom felt the characters were too sassy. I was never allowed to watch MTV because she felt the programs were too adult, racy, and worldly for me. I never understood it before, but as I have gotten older I'm starting to. I feel I will be more lenient with my children and what they watch, however, I agree that television can have a tremendous effect on young children. The text summed it up pretty well, "kids are learning about drugs, violence, incest, adultery and so on from television, which is leading to the disappearance of childhood." As a teacher someday I hope we can incorporate the television at times but I want to be careful of what I show.
IWB aka Interactive Whiteboard Lesson: Reflection
At first when I read about this assignment I'll admit I was scared. I've never worked with the SMART notebook software before, so I knew I was definitely going to be venturing into unknown territory. Let me just start out by saying though that I really enjoyed this assignment! I am so glad we were challenged with it, because I feel I now know something about SMARTBoards. The hands on experience was definitely worthwhile. The SMARTBOARD is something that you need to learn by doing. No wonder some traditional teachers are scared; it's because they don't have the courage to try! I feel I put a lot of effort into this assignment. I worked very hard on it and put a lot of time into it. I didn't want to just throw something together because I hope I can actually use this material in my future classroom! Another reason I feel I enjoyed this assignment so much is because it's about being creative. I think I am a very creative person and it was fun for me to search and decide on all the fun graphics. I also felt I took the time to really think of activities that would engage students and that they could relate to. I think I also added many different types of activities so the audience doesn't get bored. Being able to share our lessons with each other is a great idea! I now know of a good 80 lessons that I could incorporate into my classroom someday! Resources like that should be treasured and greatly appreciated. It also can give my ideas of how to use the SMARTBOARD when creating other lessons for my class someday. I feel so much more knowledgeable and prepared as a future teacher after completing this assignment.
Exit Slip 10.7.10
Today the discussion group discussed Chapter 4 in Rethinking Education: The Four Main Developments of American Schools. We discussed in small groups the negatives and that changes that could be made in the different eras of schooling. I thought it was very interesting to see what my peers thought will change in the coming years. I thought is was interesting to hear about how "Tests" could change by someday maybe teachers will be able to incorporate alternative assessments such as journals or interviews. I'm almost positive tests would always be present. Like it or not, some people are just poor test takers. It would be interesting to see if someday that change will occur. I really thought their activity helped me understand that chapter a lot better. During discussion debrief we talked about positives and areas to improve on. They did a great job of encouraging deeper thinking during discussion and restating comments for the group as a whole. I think those are two key aspects of teaching a successful lesson. I hope my group can bring those aspects to our discussion. Time management is very important for these discussions too because we only get 15 minutes to present.
Next we talked about the iRLO assignment. I learned that is stands for Interactive (provides user control and appropriate feedback), Reusable (can be used repeatedly), Learning (users should learn new content, review previously learned content or practice a skill), and Object (a generic term, but it refers to the Scratch file that you will create). Interactive it the key part! We were able to see some examples from the Scratch site. I've never heard of this kind of software and it's very unfamiliar to me. It looks kind of scary, but I'm sure Boyer is right that it will get easier as you play with the software. He also shared some resources that will help us understand Scratch more. I definitely plan on watching the video tutorials, so I will be more educated on Scratch before the next discussion period.
Next we talked about the iRLO assignment. I learned that is stands for Interactive (provides user control and appropriate feedback), Reusable (can be used repeatedly), Learning (users should learn new content, review previously learned content or practice a skill), and Object (a generic term, but it refers to the Scratch file that you will create). Interactive it the key part! We were able to see some examples from the Scratch site. I've never heard of this kind of software and it's very unfamiliar to me. It looks kind of scary, but I'm sure Boyer is right that it will get easier as you play with the software. He also shared some resources that will help us understand Scratch more. I definitely plan on watching the video tutorials, so I will be more educated on Scratch before the next discussion period.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms: Chapter 6
THE SOCIAL WEB
"Learning is a continuous conversation among many people." That quote partially sums up this chapter. The social web allows us to be connected with anyone in the world. That is amazing. It's an amazing thing to know that we can converse with someone on the other side of the world. In this chapter it talks about how some classrooms connected through the web with classrooms halfway around the world. Just think of the culture and worldly connections your students could make! When we think of the social web the traditional classroom setting is far from it. Most student work is still done in isolation whereas the social web is more a work/group setting. In this chapter it discussed Twitter a great deal. I set up a Twitter account about two years ago because one of my friends told me to. I didn't get that into it and actually found it boring, but after reading the benefits Twitter can have when being a teacher I feel I might have to try the thing again. It could help me connect to a larger teaching network and let me converse with fellow teachers all over the world. It could help me get my questions answered, find resources, or even give me ideas for projects and lessons! I never thought of Twitter in that way, but I think I will definitely have to try this "phenomenon" out again. I also learned that getting people to "follow you" is the hardest part of having a Twitter account. However, it gives you a few tips that I think I will have to try. I also learned that some schools are using Twitter to communicate with parents and others in the community. If Twitter feels too "wild west" for you I also learned there is an alternative site like Twitter called Edmodo, which is much safer and more appropriate microblogging. The lesson about Twitter they leave you with is this: Think about Twitter for yourself first. It's a great place to connect and learn with others who share your passions. I also learned about another interesting site. Diigo is comparable to Delicious or so they say. One unique feature it possesses is allowing us to annotate and highlight pages. You can also keep your bookmark private or allow it to be viewed by the public on this site. Another feature on Diigo is the "sticky note." The last feature that sets Diigo apart is that when you bookmark a site you're not just capturing a link; you are making a copy of the whole page for use later on. I like Diigo because if I use it someday in my classroom I know it is safe and will always be available for my students to look back on and reflect on their progress. I also like how it talked about separating tags in the account for each student's name and everytime I see something say "Molly" likes I can just simply add her tag and her feed will automatically update. I think it would be great to be so personal with my students!
"Learning is a continuous conversation among many people." That quote partially sums up this chapter. The social web allows us to be connected with anyone in the world. That is amazing. It's an amazing thing to know that we can converse with someone on the other side of the world. In this chapter it talks about how some classrooms connected through the web with classrooms halfway around the world. Just think of the culture and worldly connections your students could make! When we think of the social web the traditional classroom setting is far from it. Most student work is still done in isolation whereas the social web is more a work/group setting. In this chapter it discussed Twitter a great deal. I set up a Twitter account about two years ago because one of my friends told me to. I didn't get that into it and actually found it boring, but after reading the benefits Twitter can have when being a teacher I feel I might have to try the thing again. It could help me connect to a larger teaching network and let me converse with fellow teachers all over the world. It could help me get my questions answered, find resources, or even give me ideas for projects and lessons! I never thought of Twitter in that way, but I think I will definitely have to try this "phenomenon" out again. I also learned that getting people to "follow you" is the hardest part of having a Twitter account. However, it gives you a few tips that I think I will have to try. I also learned that some schools are using Twitter to communicate with parents and others in the community. If Twitter feels too "wild west" for you I also learned there is an alternative site like Twitter called Edmodo, which is much safer and more appropriate microblogging. The lesson about Twitter they leave you with is this: Think about Twitter for yourself first. It's a great place to connect and learn with others who share your passions. I also learned about another interesting site. Diigo is comparable to Delicious or so they say. One unique feature it possesses is allowing us to annotate and highlight pages. You can also keep your bookmark private or allow it to be viewed by the public on this site. Another feature on Diigo is the "sticky note." The last feature that sets Diigo apart is that when you bookmark a site you're not just capturing a link; you are making a copy of the whole page for use later on. I like Diigo because if I use it someday in my classroom I know it is safe and will always be available for my students to look back on and reflect on their progress. I also like how it talked about separating tags in the account for each student's name and everytime I see something say "Molly" likes I can just simply add her tag and her feed will automatically update. I think it would be great to be so personal with my students!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: Chapter 4
THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMERICAN SCHOOLING
This was a pretty informative and interesting chapter I'd have to say. I'm not quite sure I agree with the point they were trying to make however. In this chapter they talk about how the American school setting is not where it should be and that the future is most likely not going to need schools and just technology. I agree that schools should be much more technologic, but I don't agree that we will soon be seeing a future without the universal schooling system. I really hope not anyway since that is my future career! So I guess what I got out of this (positively) was that in order to keep the universal school system alive in America, schools need to start really thinking outside of the box and what is comfortable for them. Our future is all about technology and if we don't start integrating that into our schools maybe we will lose the traditional school system we love. I hope to integrate technology on a large scale along with other traditional aspects though. I hope that by changing the school system just a little that it will be protected and not become a thing of the past.
I thought it was interesting to see how our nation evolved to the universal school system. I never really sat down and thought about it much. It makes sense that the Industrial Revolution led to the universal school system, however I would argue that technology will not boot out the school system. Without out schools and having teachers push and inspire their students who will? Do they really think that students are going to just sit down on their own and learn? No way. Sorry. There will always need to be authority. Anyways back to what I learned about the past. During the Industrial Revolution there were only three ways to occupy children in the cities: working in factories, learning in schools, or getting into trouble. So when child labor laws were created it only makes sense that all children would be in schools. We wouldn't want them falling to the other alternative, trouble, would we? Just something I found interesting and never really took time to think about. Also just a little side note I also thought was interesting to learn was that the first public universities were in Michigan and Wisconsin. I never knew that.
All in all, I felt this chapter was a little dramatic and intense. I get what they are saying and they are damn right that technology should be much more involved in schools. Schools need to branch out and step out of the traditional views and ways to better our future! We need to see a change and soon or else our school system will not be benefiting us in the levels it could! I don't believe that the school system will be thrown out the window anytime soon though. That's absurd, but definitely something to think about, yes.
This was a pretty informative and interesting chapter I'd have to say. I'm not quite sure I agree with the point they were trying to make however. In this chapter they talk about how the American school setting is not where it should be and that the future is most likely not going to need schools and just technology. I agree that schools should be much more technologic, but I don't agree that we will soon be seeing a future without the universal schooling system. I really hope not anyway since that is my future career! So I guess what I got out of this (positively) was that in order to keep the universal school system alive in America, schools need to start really thinking outside of the box and what is comfortable for them. Our future is all about technology and if we don't start integrating that into our schools maybe we will lose the traditional school system we love. I hope to integrate technology on a large scale along with other traditional aspects though. I hope that by changing the school system just a little that it will be protected and not become a thing of the past.
I thought it was interesting to see how our nation evolved to the universal school system. I never really sat down and thought about it much. It makes sense that the Industrial Revolution led to the universal school system, however I would argue that technology will not boot out the school system. Without out schools and having teachers push and inspire their students who will? Do they really think that students are going to just sit down on their own and learn? No way. Sorry. There will always need to be authority. Anyways back to what I learned about the past. During the Industrial Revolution there were only three ways to occupy children in the cities: working in factories, learning in schools, or getting into trouble. So when child labor laws were created it only makes sense that all children would be in schools. We wouldn't want them falling to the other alternative, trouble, would we? Just something I found interesting and never really took time to think about. Also just a little side note I also thought was interesting to learn was that the first public universities were in Michigan and Wisconsin. I never knew that.
All in all, I felt this chapter was a little dramatic and intense. I get what they are saying and they are damn right that technology should be much more involved in schools. Schools need to branch out and step out of the traditional views and ways to better our future! We need to see a change and soon or else our school system will not be benefiting us in the levels it could! I don't believe that the school system will be thrown out the window anytime soon though. That's absurd, but definitely something to think about, yes.
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