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.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Reflections on Will Richardson's "Navigating Social Networks as Learning Tools"
This article touched on the many great possibilities we have in front of us in terms of the future of virtual education. Through networking, we, as teachers, can take our classroom further than the physical space of our classroom and utilize a network of millions of people in order to learn and create. Although this virtual learning environment creates amazing oppurtunities, there are many questions that educators must ask themselves before jumping into this network. First, educators must need to be sure that they understand the new networks that are being brought into the classroom. We must be "network literate" to ensure that what we bring into the classrooms are safe and useful for our students.
Not only must we be network literate, we must teach our students to be, as well. Technology cannot be properly implemented unless students know how to not only navigate from page to page on the internet, but also how to collaborate with other users, read and contribute to material online, search and choose appropriate material, and, most importantly, connect with people who are online for the correct reasons.
Schools need to start preparing their teachers for this type of classroom because the digital world has arrived and it is changing every aspect of our lives. Education needs to get up to speed and embrace the digital oppurtunities before it. Students must be allowed, and in fact encouraged, to read, create, edit, and share content on the web and contribute to the global society around them.
Not only must we be network literate, we must teach our students to be, as well. Technology cannot be properly implemented unless students know how to not only navigate from page to page on the internet, but also how to collaborate with other users, read and contribute to material online, search and choose appropriate material, and, most importantly, connect with people who are online for the correct reasons.
Schools need to start preparing their teachers for this type of classroom because the digital world has arrived and it is changing every aspect of our lives. Education needs to get up to speed and embrace the digital oppurtunities before it. Students must be allowed, and in fact encouraged, to read, create, edit, and share content on the web and contribute to the global society around them.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Youtube Learning?
Schools are not prepared for the type of learning that today's students are participating in. This student would never have learned this in school anyway, but say he had posted a video of him trying to do math homework. He could have easily asked his online network for help with math and gotten it. Reaching out to the online community for help, regardless of the subject matter, is an easier and faster way than going to find someone to help or even emailing a teacher. This boy could get help from an expert! How cool is that? If this had been math homework, he could have emailed his teacher, but who is to say the teacher would check his or her email in time? This poor little guy would struggle all night and then be confused all through class. Instead, putting his questions on the web for his entire network to see can give him instant, expert help. Schools need to encourage, not discourage, this type of online collaboration.
Scratch Reflection
While playing around on the Scratch website, I was wondering how I could incorporate such a program into my classroom. Although I still need to find ways to do that, I can see the numerous benefits of using the program. Bloom's Taxonomy, and its newer, revised format, tell us that we need to move past lower order thinking skills like knowledge, remembering, understanding, and comprehension and toward higher order thinking skills like applying, synthesizing, and creating.
Certainly a web site like Scratch deals little with remembering and more with creating. To use Scratch, I don't have to remember long, tedious computer codes; rather, I choose from a list and manipulate those commands as I see fit. Isn't it more important that I am getting hands on practice, rather than storing meaningless codes in my head? Students do too much remembering these days and not enough playing around and figuring things out for themselves. To get kids started on something and leave them to it for a while only to come back to an amazing creation is one of the joys we should be getting from teaching. One of the joys is probably not giving out a list of terms, having students memorize, do well on a test, then forget all of those terms by the following week. These types of products gives students something tangible to be proud of and continue to improve upon. Not only do programs like Scratch tap into higher order thinking skills, they keep children engaged, push the bounds of their creativity, and make learning fun!
Certainly a web site like Scratch deals little with remembering and more with creating. To use Scratch, I don't have to remember long, tedious computer codes; rather, I choose from a list and manipulate those commands as I see fit. Isn't it more important that I am getting hands on practice, rather than storing meaningless codes in my head? Students do too much remembering these days and not enough playing around and figuring things out for themselves. To get kids started on something and leave them to it for a while only to come back to an amazing creation is one of the joys we should be getting from teaching. One of the joys is probably not giving out a list of terms, having students memorize, do well on a test, then forget all of those terms by the following week. These types of products gives students something tangible to be proud of and continue to improve upon. Not only do programs like Scratch tap into higher order thinking skills, they keep children engaged, push the bounds of their creativity, and make learning fun!
Test Prep vs. Life Prep
This presentation was done by me and Wayne today in our Technology in Education class at Merrimack College. This was in response to a video by Will Richardson which you can find on an earlier blog post of mine.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Response to Will Richardson
I loved the young man's quote about how his online network allows more people to see his work, providing him with more feedback. I think that giving our students these types of resources to branch out is amazing. I love the idea that students can go out and find their own "teachers." My only worry with this is how dangerous the web can sometimes be and how easy it is for students to reach out to, potentially, the wrong people. I think that schools and parents need to focus on educating their children about how to properly utilize the web and its infinite resources.
I like that Will Richardson says that schools have become places for "test prep." This is all too real in this day and age of high stakes testing. Schools need to find a way to rearrange the way they teach and utilize the resources that are out there for kids. I agree that students need a place to solve real-world problems and create and innovate. With that said, I do not agree that test prep needs to, or can, completely go away. There is a place for the lecture and for the computer, but we need to strike a balance between the two. I honestly do not know how or when that will happen; it is a lofty goal but one with well-meaning intentions.
Response to Chris Anderson
View the video I am repsonding to...
I like the point that Chris Anderson makes about the power of web videos. Seeing what other people are able to do does force us to "step our game up." This could be used in teaching by the innovation of teaching sources, materials, and ideas being collected in online groups, which has already begun. I can see, as I have from my growing PLN on Twitter, what other teachers can do and have done, giving me ideas to bring into my own classroom. There is virtually no end to the amount of material and people I can find online. The fact that teachers can give me ideas leads me to want to contribute. Anderson talks about the desire people have to gain the noteriaty based on previous people's success. This extends not just to viral video sensations, but to people in any type of job. What if I can help a million other teachers just by sharing one of my own ideas online? What a cool concept.
I believe that this concept could stem out to students, as well. Just as that six year old learned to dance, maybe a sophomore in high school can finally "get" Geometry by watching a video on the Khan Academy website. There are countless sites students can go to to find information to help with homework. Some people may argue against these sites, however, if the student is learning, should it matter? Should I, as a teacher, take offense to the fact that my students did not learn from me but actually took the time to watch a video online to learn it? No, I should be jumping for joy that they took that time and that they have such resources available to them.
How cool would it be to someday connect your classroom via video to a classroom halfway across the world? Just recently at the school where I work, a former student Skyped a group of other students from his semester abroad in Europe. So amazing! I loved this video and loved the ideas it brought up. Online videos are far more than cute animal videos on Youtube (although those are great, too!). This medium offers a wealth of opportunity for not only education, but human life in general.
I like the point that Chris Anderson makes about the power of web videos. Seeing what other people are able to do does force us to "step our game up." This could be used in teaching by the innovation of teaching sources, materials, and ideas being collected in online groups, which has already begun. I can see, as I have from my growing PLN on Twitter, what other teachers can do and have done, giving me ideas to bring into my own classroom. There is virtually no end to the amount of material and people I can find online. The fact that teachers can give me ideas leads me to want to contribute. Anderson talks about the desire people have to gain the noteriaty based on previous people's success. This extends not just to viral video sensations, but to people in any type of job. What if I can help a million other teachers just by sharing one of my own ideas online? What a cool concept.
I believe that this concept could stem out to students, as well. Just as that six year old learned to dance, maybe a sophomore in high school can finally "get" Geometry by watching a video on the Khan Academy website. There are countless sites students can go to to find information to help with homework. Some people may argue against these sites, however, if the student is learning, should it matter? Should I, as a teacher, take offense to the fact that my students did not learn from me but actually took the time to watch a video online to learn it? No, I should be jumping for joy that they took that time and that they have such resources available to them.
How cool would it be to someday connect your classroom via video to a classroom halfway across the world? Just recently at the school where I work, a former student Skyped a group of other students from his semester abroad in Europe. So amazing! I loved this video and loved the ideas it brought up. Online videos are far more than cute animal videos on Youtube (although those are great, too!). This medium offers a wealth of opportunity for not only education, but human life in general.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Khan Academy
This week for my Technology in Education class, I was asked to watch a video on the Khan Academy website and reflect on whether or not this could be a useful tool for teachers. The whole idea of Khan Academy is a wonderful innovation. I chose to watch the video on simple equations because it is something I know how to do but could use a refresher on. I found the video very helpful, however, I think the video was a bit long. It was 11 minutes long and could have been a few minutes shorter in my opinion. Near the beginning of the video I thought the narrator was a bit repetitive. I feel that a middle or high school student would check out after minute 8 or so.
I love the fact that students could learn this concept in school then go home with homework and utilize this video if they get stuck or have questions. One other qualm I had, however, was that when I pressed the "Practice this concept" button, I was given problems on writing experssions, not solving equations. I felt the lesson and the practice did not match up, which is something that all educators try to avoid.
I love the fact that students could learn this concept in school then go home with homework and utilize this video if they get stuck or have questions. One other qualm I had, however, was that when I pressed the "Practice this concept" button, I was given problems on writing experssions, not solving equations. I felt the lesson and the practice did not match up, which is something that all educators try to avoid.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
In response to Scott McLeod...
http://filmrd.edublogs.org/2010/03/09/interesting-letter-from-scott-mcleod-coordinator-of-the-educational-administration-program-at-iowa-state-university/ (Letter written by Scott McLeod to the Ames School District).
Scott McLeod raises several important issues in his letter to fellow citizens of Ames and to the Ames School Board Members. McLeod is quick to congratulate members of his community on their dedication to education and their advanced knowledge of math and science, thereby winning his readers over right off the bat and making them more apt to agree with his statements about technology in education. McLeod points out that not only is there an achievement gap between different income levels, there is also an achievement gap between what students are being expected to learn in school and what they are expected to be able to do in the job market. I could not agree more with McLeod on this front. Yes, reading and writing will always be important. but we need to teach our children to be literate in the "new literacies" of Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and online news sources. It is a shame that many students will never be in a classroom where there are enough computers for everyone and will only focus on reading from a paperback book in front of them. This will not serve our children when they go off to be scientists, doctors, lawyers, designers, etc. We must equip our students with the tools that will aid them in the future, not the tools that may have been helpful 50 years ago. It is important to reach out to all teachers and administrators to try to get them on the same page in terms of skills and technology for all students. This type of shift in thinking must be a collaborative effort and will not be achieved overnight, but will, no doubt, benefit our students in the long run.
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