Metareflection for EDU 6535 December 14, 2009

I’ll start my final reflection with my thoughts on the class itself.  I think I was one of many who did a lot of grumbling throughout this class.  The work load wasn’t particularly overwhelming by itself.  I can only speak for those in the ARC program when I say that the workload added to an already busy quarter of volunteering at our internship all day and a very full quarter made for lots of late nights.  My hat off to those in the program with families and kids.  My only excuses are poor and long unused study skills.  I am hoping that by taking this class now I will make it easier for myself later in the program.

Now for my thoughts on the content of the class itself.

This class covered a number of technologies essentially all new to me.  Other than watching the occasional You Tube video, the internet for me was just email, news, and shopping.  Now I have posted my own You Tube video, created a blog, participated in a wiki, and frequently uttered lots of other funny sounding tech terms.  For all my complaining, however, I think my cold luddite heart has warmed to some of the things we learned and worked on.  The concept of free Web 2.0 tools available for use by anyone is a great concept and one that I hope continues to evolve and develop.  Blogs, wikis, etherpads, and more are all tools we explored that could be used for collaborative projects.

The concepts we learned go towards meeting the Washington State Technology Standards and also our educational standards at SPU.  Of particular emphasis are:

Standard S – 1.  Content driven. All students develop understanding and problem-solving expertise in the content area(s) using reading, written and oral communication, and technology.

Standard T –  4. Informed by technology. All students benefit from instruction that utilizes effective technologies and is designed to create technologically proficient learners.

Most of our standards could fall here in some way.  Technology can help teachers diversify their classroom in both instruction and assessment (Standard T 2,3).  Students are given opportunities to connect with theirs and other communities through technology (Standards L 4).  Learning about technology will benefit students by making them more marketable in the 21^st century environment (Standard L 2).  Students also benefit from me as a teacher continuing to improve myself through technological education and innovation (P 2).

Whether I or anyone wants it the world is becoming more technologically oriented.  Like any tool, technology only really works when used properly.  I think this class has given me some insight into the potential technology has for use in classrooms.  Any teacher who wants to educate their students in a relevant manner is going to need to evolve with the changing cultural, social, and technological environment.  If I may end with a Star Trek quote “Resistance is Futile”.

Digital Narrative December 14, 2009

Here is my Digital technology narrative I created in EDTC 6535.

I actually enjoyed working on this.  I learned that it isn’t all that hard and I could see the potential for use as an educational tool for posting special lectures or even reflection prompts to the web for students to use as homework.  This could be great for those students with lower english proficiency to be able to go over a lecture at their own pace and hopefully get everything out of it they couldn’t get in class.  I would count this a definite positive learning experience.

Issues and Advances in Educational Technology Week 9 December 6, 2009

Innovation, it’s the name of the game right?  Technology is all about innovation.  To bring in something new.  A new idea, a new method, or a new device.  Education, as with anything else, has always benefited from innovation.  From something as simple as whiteboards replacing blackboards, to document cameras replacing overhead projectors, all the way up to emerging web 2.0 technologies that allow new methods for individual lesson delivery and student collaboration.  This continual innovation will hopefully help today’s teachers prepare students for the workplace of the future.

An interesting note on the web 2.0 topic.  One of the attractive aspects of web 2.0 is that the applications are free.  We all learned in Economics 101 that there is no such thing as a free lunch.  Stu.dicio.us had good reviews but as of this writing the page reports that it will be back.  Another application we have been using all quarter in our technology class was Etherpad.  I thought this was a cool application and even chose to use it in a collaborative project in the class.  Users have been notified that there is going to be a transition period as they do something with Google.  My question is, with all the new free apps being put out, who is responsible for the support?  Are creators of these apps simply hoping to be bought up by larger companies like Google.  I wonder about the longevity of free applications.

Educational Technology Creed November 28, 2009

I believe as a teacher it is my responsibility to guide my students in proper and ethical online behavior in today’s digital world.  Unlike previous generations, current students have grown up with a world of information right at their fingertips.  It is important that I make my students aware that increased access to information requires increased awareness of the rules governing the use of that information and increased scrutiny on their parts about the validity of that information.  My job as a teacher is to educate my students on the concepts of copyright and fair use.   Students need to know they cannot simply take what they want without first assessing the merit of the information and giving due credit to the owner.

I believe students need to be aware that their online presence is a reflection of themselves both personally and professionally.  Pamela Medels at the New York Cyber Times makes the observation “With today’s kids, tech savvy often outstrips ethical smarts”. (Medels, 2000) Students must realize  that hurtful or derogatory comments typed on a computer screen are no less painful than those said in person.  In addition, students need to be aware of how they portray themselves in cyberspace.  Media, such as photos and videos, posted online could be seen by anyone and could potentially  affect them positively or negatively years down the road.

I believe technology can allow me as a teacher to help each and every student succeed.   Proper use of technology and best practices can allow me to add educational value to existing lessons. (Martin & Martin, 2006)  Online and computer based resources can be powerful tools to help bridge language gaps in the classroom or for personalizing the pace of lessons.  Students can also access class materials outside of school allowing them to work and study on their own time.

I believe as a teacher I can take advantage of new technologies to expand the classroom to a global scale.  Former US Secretary of Education Rod Paige said “For our nation to continue to engage other nations effectively, we need to give our students at all levels an international education of the highest standards.” (IIE Network, 2001)  Collaboration with students from other countries can allow my students to not only learn about other cultures and places but to see projects in my science classroom from different perspectives.

As we progress through the 21^st century, technology is going to play an ever larger part in our everyday lives.  My goal as a teacher is to help my students make the most of this technology in order to remain current and competitive in the future.

Works Cited

IIE Network. (2001, 10 17). Retrieved 11 26, 2009, from Institute of International Education: http://www.opendoors.iienetwork.org/?p=29408

Martin, E. G., & Martin, C. M. (2006). Best Practices in Technology Education. Retrieved 11 26, 2009, from Virginia Tech. Technology Education: http://www.teched.vt.edu:16080/CTTE/ImagesPDFs/BestPracticesInTE.pdf

Medels, P. (2000, 02 16). Technology Cybertimes. Retrieved 11 26, 2009, from New York Times on the Web: http://faculty.plattsburgh.edu/stewart.denenberg/csc372/articles/ethics%20education.html

Issues and Advances in Technology Week 8 November 24, 2009

I thought the reading for this week The Horizon Report 2009, was a good one.  It was long, but it included great information such as time lines, relevant technologies, and examples of those technologies and even links and instances of those technologies being used.  This is definitely one site I will have to bookmark.  The report addressed one of my biggest issues with integration of technology into the classroom,  equity of access to computers and the internet.  We had students fill out forms at the beginning of the year about access to computers and the internet.  Most students have a computer at home as we would expect but there were those that didn’t.   So in terms of assigning and doing collaborative projects such as wikis or making groups pages how can we make it equitable?  Those without home computers are most likely disadvantaged in other ways then just lack of a computer or internet access.  Now these students have to find a computer to use meaning they have to stay after school and have their parents come pick them up or they have to find the nearest public library and try to get time on one of those machines while their peers can sit and work from the comfort of their own homes.  Perhaps there will be a time in the near future when everyone has a computer in their home, but I know that time isn’t quite here.  I am curious how mobile devices are going to be introduced.  The site gives some cool examples.  Again the issue is access to these tools.  No doubt these devices will continue to come down in price however, even with that there is going to be those who can not afford or don’t want or need the latest and greatest mobile device.  Despite my grumbling, I think there is some great ideas out there and I definitely want to keep an open mind about them.

 

Issues and Advances in Technology Week 7 Productivity November 17, 2009

There many articles addressing productivity and Web 2.0 in the work place.  When many people think of Web 2.0 they usually think of the social networking tools such as Facebook and Myspace.  Actually most people would say “what’s web 2.0?”

“Web 2.0 is social, it’s open (or at least it should be), it’s letting go of control over your data, it’s mixing the global with the local. Web 2.0 is about new interfaces – new ways of searching and accessing Web content. And last but not least, Web 2.0 is a platform – and not just for developers to create web applications like Gmail and Flickr. The Web is a platform to build on for educators, media, politics, community, for virtually everyone in fact!”(MacManus 2005)

Web 2.0 has an ever increasing potential for use in the classroom.  Mind mapping software, educational blogs, social networking, wikis, the list can go on.  As our students become more and more tech savvy we as teachers will have opportunities to use these new tools not just as novelties in the classroom but as legitimate learning aids.

MacManus, R. (2005, Sept. 7th)  What is Web 2.0.  Retrieved Nov. 15th 2009, from ZDNet News and Blogs website: http://blogs.zdnet.com/web2explorer/?p=5

Issues and Advances in Technology Week 6 Copyright and Online Safety November 10, 2009

This week’s topics, copyrights and online safety, have taken on a whole new light in today’s world of social sites, portable electronic devices, and ever expanding online content.

Copyrights often apply more to teachers in schools than to students.  Teachers are more likely to make improper copies of material they need.  So as a teacher I need to be aware that when I make copies of materials that I could be violating copyright law.  Aside from graduate students,  student work is unlikely to be made available to or scrutinized by the greater public.  That as it may students should still be made aware that original works they create are their property and no one has the right to use it without permission.

Online safety is a particularly troublesome subject today.  It used to be parents only had to worry about their kids and strangers when they were out of the house walking somewhere or playing.  Any other time, they were in the house safe from strangers.  With the advent of email, personal cell phones, and now online social sites, our kids can be communicating with a friend from school or a child molester in the next town, all while sitting 10 feet from us in the comfort of our home.  The shadier side of humanity has embraced these new technologies as fast as the legitimate users.    Our children and students need to be aware that not everything they see online is as it seems.  Anyone can be anyone in the world of Facebook and other online social sites.  Those students who may not be so popular in school are particularly at risk.  They may find a sympathetic ear online and develop a friendship and not really know who is on the other end of the connection.  This is particularly dangerous when someone wants to meet in person.  Who knows who will be meeting your child online.  Falling prey to predators is only one aspect of online safety children and students need to be aware of.  Everyone, students young and old and parent, needs to be aware that what they put online is out there for everyone to see.  Anything that is written and any pictures posted maybe seen by anyone and everyone.  Everyone has seen a You Tube video of someone making a fool of themselves.   Everyone need to think about who they want to see their information when they post it.   A good rule is, if you don’t want it to be seen by everyone then don’t put it online.  Does your future boss need to see the drunk pictures of you at a college party?  Do you want your new boyfriend/girlfriend to see the racy pictures of you with your last boyfriend/girlfriend?  We as teachers are often left with the responsibility to teach children life skills their parents are unaware of or are unable to teach their own children.

Issues and Advances in Technology Week 5: Critical thinking and technology November 4, 2009

Critical thinking is something we are all striving for in our classrooms.  We want our kids to be able to take the knowledge and experiences they have acquired in one place, either in our classes or previously, and apply them to other problems.  The website http://www.criticalthinking.org/aboutct/define_critical_thinking.cfm defines critical thinking as: Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.(Scriven & Paul).   This is a wordy definition that can be reduced to the concepts of asking why and how does something work or do what it does?  When we think about critical thinking we are really talking about climbing Bloom’s Taxonomy pyramid.  It isn’t enough to know that warm air rises.  You need to comprehend what is happening in warm air.  You need to analyze what is happening in warm air.  How do we know warm air is rising?  What is an example of warm air rising?

The question is how can technology help with critical thinking?  An easy way that comes to mind for me is the use of mind-mapping and/or flow charts.  Sites such as Mindomo http://www.mindomo.com/ allow one to organize thoughts on a subject.  Once those thoughts are displayed you can think about the logical order of those thoughts.  As you are getting an order figured out you can reason why they are in that order.  Why does this affect that?  What makes A happen when I do B?  Other examples are online simulations in which variables can be changed.  Students can see a system and make assumptions about what will happen when to the system when one of the variables are changed.  In short we are not just looking for our students to regurgitate numbers and facts we throw at them.  We want them to be able to manipulate information they gather one day and be able to apply it to later lessons.

Taken from a presentation: 8th Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking and Education Reform, Summer 1987.  Retrieved November 2nd 2009, from The Critical Thinking Community http://www.criticalthinking.org/aboutct/define_critical_thinking.cfm

Issues and Advances in Technology Week 4 October 27, 2009

As we explore more in the topic of technology and it’s use in the schools, I have come to believe more and more in it’s potential.   The topic for the week was engagement and relevancy.  We were to review the WA Tech standard 1.1

EALR 1

— INTEGRATION

Students use technology within all content areas to collaborate, communicate, generate innovative ideas, investigate and solve problems.

Essentially the starting point for integrating technology in the classroom.  There are quite a few simple tools available to start the integration process.  http://www.bubbl.us/index is a free online brainstorming program.  Google Docs:docs.google.com/ provides simple and free word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and forms that can be accessed from anywhere and anyone with the web address.  It would be interesting, with more time, to see if I could implement some of theses simple tools into a class or unit.  Perhaps next semester when I am bit less swamped by SPU work and more into the teaching side I will have time to try out a new tool.

Work cited:

Washington State Educational Technology Learning Standards K-12. (2008, December) retrieved October 26th 2009, from OSPI Washington website: http://www.k12.wa.us/edtech/pubdocs/K12EdTechStandards6-8_12-08.pdf

Issues and Advances in Technology week 3 October 20, 2009

The focus of week three was the use of web tools for collaborative purposes.  I like the idea of students being able to collaborate through alternate means.  For us (SPU students) in particular, we have very busy schedules at the moment so being able to work on projects without having to meet and all be in the same place can make things more convenient.  The Etherpad project was an interesting experiment.  It is nice that we can all contribute our own information to the document, but there was a downside I thought. Here I am refering mainly to what content is being sought, especially in terms of formatting.  Since this was the first attempt at using the Etherpad there was bound to be some confusion.  I think there was a little uncertainty about what exactly was being sought in the piece or even how it was to be displayed.  Maybe in some cases it was just how to start.  Like I said before, this was the first time with an assignment on Etherpad, so perhaps these assignments will get easier and better as the year continues.

Another focus was on Wikis and how they can be used as a collaborative tool.  I can see using a wiki for a class project some time in the future.  For the students to be able to contribute to a class project on their own time without having to dedicate a lot of class time to it could prove to be very useful.  Such a project would be a great learning experience for the students, and for us as teachers it could satisfy the the Washington technology education standards http://www.k12.wa.us/edtech/pubdocs/K12EdTechStandards6-8_12-08.pdf as required for us to teach.  EALR 1 ,GLE1.2.1 reads: Communicate and collaborate to learn with others. (Washington 2008) The nature of the wiki would not only allow students to add content to the piece, it would also allow the students to review, critique, and edit other students work.  The instructor would be able to review progress and and give feedback throughout the project.