Saturday, January 28, 2012
Paper Slide Reflection
I loved doing the paper slide videos! It was a great way to integrate technology and "old fashioned" pen and paper. I loved that Google Docs allowed Tiffany and I to collaborate on our script. It was definitely a challenge to then take our script and cut it down to simple slides with few words on it, but this would be a great exercise for students in knowing how much should be written versus how much should be spoken. Our creativity was tapped into by deciding what to write/speak and then again when we decided to add color and pictures to our slides. It was fun to videotape ourselves; so much so that I think it could be a project students would look forward to rather than dread. It gave us accountability for what we were creating. The only downside I could see does not even involve the project process, just the lack of schools who have access to video equipment. Most schools, mine included, do not have iPod Touches to allow students to use to film themselves. If we had one, I could videotape the students but I think that takes away from their feeling of responsibility over their project and it would be hard for me to get around to each group in a timely manner. Maybe in the future videotaping technology will become more readily available in schools. If that happens, doing Paper Slides will definitely be something that I would love to utilize.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Unit Overview with Technology in Mind
Next quarter at Lowell Catholic I am teaching Romeo and Juliet. Lowell Catholic does not have too much technology available to our students so I wanted to choose some ways to implement technology without needing every student at a computer during class. Because this will be a long unit, there are multiple places where I can add technology without it seeming overwhelming to me and the students.
First, I would like to assign each student a character from the play. Some students would receive the same character, which would be fine. I would love them to each make a Twitter account for their character and tweet as that character at least twice per act. There are so many sites where you can make fake Facebook pages that I’m sure I could find one for Twitter. Even if I couldn’t, making real accounts may not be out of the question.
The acts in Romeo and Juliet can be confusing so it might be helpful to use KidBlog.org to post about the acts so students can reference those posts while reading for homework. Students would be able to leave comments and questions for me and their peers. Additionally, I would require each student to post their own thoughts once per act.
I think that Bit Strips could be used in this unit as well. Students could take different scenes and illustrate them to show to their classmates. I think they would find this more enjoyable and engaging than simply summarizing a scene. I feel like students would have to think even more critically to manipulate the comics scenes in a way that makes sense because it would be new to them. By this point, they know how to summarize in a written fashion and might gain more understanding by stretching themselves to be more creative.
Finally, I would love to record student groups acting out scenes from the play. It would be very easy to bring in my FlipCam and record the students putting on scenes. I would have them attempt to modernize the scenes to make them more relatable. Perhaps we could then “screen” the scenes to other members in the school. This would allow students to feel proud of the work, and to be accountable for a finished product throughout their creative process.
Maybe all of these examples will not actually happen but it is exciting to at least know about the tools to make them possible. Before this course I knew very little about educational technologies. I am definitely not an expert at any of this but I feel much more willing to try now that I have had the opportunity to get my feet wet with these exciting new tools.
My reaction to "Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology"
Upon finishing Collins & Halverson's book, "Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology," I am left with mixed feelings. I love that the book started off by realizing and taking into account that there are two distinct schools of thought when it comes to technology: the technology lovers and the technology skeptics. I would consider myself a little bit of a mix of the two. I thought it was helpful that the book addressed each of those positions in thoughtful manners. I expected the book to completely trash the technology skeptics' arguments but was pleasantly surprised when they were respectful and understanding of that stance.
The book then launched into the history of schooling and how we came to be where we are in education today. It was interesting to see how history is sort of repeating itself; we started out as a system of apprenticeship, then went to universal schooling, and are now leaning back toward the more "hands-on" approach to education. It was cool to see that education has always been trying to prepare people for what they need to be successful in life. I also loved the connection between the printing press and technology now; when the printing press was first invented it allowed materials to be widely published, making them easier to access, evaluate, modify, and refine. The same is now being said of the tools that the internet provides us with; material is widely and quickly accessible, can be remixed, shared, commented on, and critiqued. The book goes on to explain that schools left the apprenticeship model to prepare students for a new and different world and that now universal schooling has ceased preparing students for the world of today. There needs to be a change but what should it be?
I thought the book did a great job in introducing all of the alternatives that people now have to traditional shcooling, like home schooling, workplace learning, distance education, adult education, learning centers, educational television and videos, computer-based learning software, and technical certifications.
I like that the trends in education are putting more responsibility on the learners because I feel that American students need more accountability for themselves and their progress. This trend also allows for learners to customize their educations to be geared toward their individual interests, as the authors point out. I also like that the authors suggest that we need to teach our children how to learn and use the resources around them to their advantage. In such a technological age, we need to teach our students to be responsible in terms of how they use the internet.
The authors point out that the era of life-long learners are dependent on interaction. I understand that interaction is widely possible via the computer and technology but I fear that this generation will lose the ability to interact with others face to face. The authors do acknowledge this point but I feel that they sort of brush it off as not a big deal. This, to me, is a huge deal and one of the biggest downsides to technology. I wished that had looked into this as a more valid point. The authors also argue that the privatization of education (like home schooling) will benefit students because their parents will be able to guide their children more consistently than teachers can at school. This may be true for some students but those who do not have the support at home will fall even further behind. I think that this argument was not fully thought out by the authors.
Finally, the authors bring up trying out new certification programs rather than the standard curriculum. First, there are far too many interests and paths for this to ever be fully implemented. Also, the certfication systems seem to me to be the core standards that we have, just with a new name. The only real difference is that students would be able to choose when to take the test. I see this, too, as an argument that sounded okay but was not fully thought out.
I did enjoy this book and the opinions of the authors, though I feel many of their suggestions were not thought out enough to be able to be implemented any time soon. I wish the authors had gone the route of thinking on a smaller scale and given practical ideas for the implementation of technology, rather than broad ideas that need to be reworked extensively in hopes for a technological education system in the future.
The book then launched into the history of schooling and how we came to be where we are in education today. It was interesting to see how history is sort of repeating itself; we started out as a system of apprenticeship, then went to universal schooling, and are now leaning back toward the more "hands-on" approach to education. It was cool to see that education has always been trying to prepare people for what they need to be successful in life. I also loved the connection between the printing press and technology now; when the printing press was first invented it allowed materials to be widely published, making them easier to access, evaluate, modify, and refine. The same is now being said of the tools that the internet provides us with; material is widely and quickly accessible, can be remixed, shared, commented on, and critiqued. The book goes on to explain that schools left the apprenticeship model to prepare students for a new and different world and that now universal schooling has ceased preparing students for the world of today. There needs to be a change but what should it be?
I thought the book did a great job in introducing all of the alternatives that people now have to traditional shcooling, like home schooling, workplace learning, distance education, adult education, learning centers, educational television and videos, computer-based learning software, and technical certifications.
I like that the trends in education are putting more responsibility on the learners because I feel that American students need more accountability for themselves and their progress. This trend also allows for learners to customize their educations to be geared toward their individual interests, as the authors point out. I also like that the authors suggest that we need to teach our children how to learn and use the resources around them to their advantage. In such a technological age, we need to teach our students to be responsible in terms of how they use the internet.
The authors point out that the era of life-long learners are dependent on interaction. I understand that interaction is widely possible via the computer and technology but I fear that this generation will lose the ability to interact with others face to face. The authors do acknowledge this point but I feel that they sort of brush it off as not a big deal. This, to me, is a huge deal and one of the biggest downsides to technology. I wished that had looked into this as a more valid point. The authors also argue that the privatization of education (like home schooling) will benefit students because their parents will be able to guide their children more consistently than teachers can at school. This may be true for some students but those who do not have the support at home will fall even further behind. I think that this argument was not fully thought out by the authors.
Finally, the authors bring up trying out new certification programs rather than the standard curriculum. First, there are far too many interests and paths for this to ever be fully implemented. Also, the certfication systems seem to me to be the core standards that we have, just with a new name. The only real difference is that students would be able to choose when to take the test. I see this, too, as an argument that sounded okay but was not fully thought out.
I did enjoy this book and the opinions of the authors, though I feel many of their suggestions were not thought out enough to be able to be implemented any time soon. I wish the authors had gone the route of thinking on a smaller scale and given practical ideas for the implementation of technology, rather than broad ideas that need to be reworked extensively in hopes for a technological education system in the future.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Reflection on Ch. 4-5...Are Schools Out of Sync?
Before I discuss my main topic I would like to point out several interesting points about these chapters.
1. It is interesting that Horace Mann, so long ago, described education as what everyone needs to be successful. This relates directly to the issues in education today. Are we providing our students with the necessary skills to thrive in today's world?
2. I never realized that education had faced such a huge transformation earlier in history (from apprenticeship to universal schooling). This parallels the shift we are on the verge of. It does make me hopeful to see that such a transformation occurred before and everyone ended up okay.
3. I thought it was very interesting that the printing press was said to have made material easier to evaluate, challenge, modify, and refine. This is the exact argument being made in favor of bringing technology into education. Funny how history seems to repeat itself!
Are Schools Out Of Sync With The Technology Filled World?
The authors argue that schools must prepare students for a different world today than ever before. Schools will always be a part of student learning but will have a narrower role due to the advent of new technologies that allow new, different venues for learning. Home schooling has become more popular over recent years due to the flexibility allowed. Students generally study for fewer hours a day, allowing them to use the extra time to focus on specific areas that interest them in the extra time. Regular schools generally have no such time to give students to explore on their own. Internet sources for curriculum and support have popped up and technology is easier to implement in a home setting than a school setting. Distance education is also becoming more prevalent, with students participating in online classes and even attending "vitrual high school." Learning centers are becoming an option for and more students. Instead of being home schooled, students go to a learning center to focus on specific knowledge and skills they need. They usually have access to technology at such centers and do not have to worry about issues like bullying that they might have to endure in a regular public school. Although these are examples of why schools are out of sync with the everyday world, perhaps schools can take some of these ideas and build on them. School must find ways to teach the skills students will need in the real world and must, somehow, make it possible for every student to have access to technology to create and innovate. I don't know how that will happen right now but it is at least a goal to keep in mind. High schools, especially, must find ways to engage students so as not to lose them to online learning programs. Perhaps the way to do that is to bring online learning programs into our school systems and create a union between technological and traditional currciculums. If we can do this, we are more likely to have engaged students and create lifelong learners.
Are Schools Out Of Sync With The Technology Filled World?
The authors argue that schools must prepare students for a different world today than ever before. Schools will always be a part of student learning but will have a narrower role due to the advent of new technologies that allow new, different venues for learning. Home schooling has become more popular over recent years due to the flexibility allowed. Students generally study for fewer hours a day, allowing them to use the extra time to focus on specific areas that interest them in the extra time. Regular schools generally have no such time to give students to explore on their own. Internet sources for curriculum and support have popped up and technology is easier to implement in a home setting than a school setting. Distance education is also becoming more prevalent, with students participating in online classes and even attending "vitrual high school." Learning centers are becoming an option for and more students. Instead of being home schooled, students go to a learning center to focus on specific knowledge and skills they need. They usually have access to technology at such centers and do not have to worry about issues like bullying that they might have to endure in a regular public school. Although these are examples of why schools are out of sync with the everyday world, perhaps schools can take some of these ideas and build on them. School must find ways to teach the skills students will need in the real world and must, somehow, make it possible for every student to have access to technology to create and innovate. I don't know how that will happen right now but it is at least a goal to keep in mind. High schools, especially, must find ways to engage students so as not to lose them to online learning programs. Perhaps the way to do that is to bring online learning programs into our school systems and create a union between technological and traditional currciculums. If we can do this, we are more likely to have engaged students and create lifelong learners.
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