Today in class we discussed Chapter 3 from the Halverson and Collins text. I really enjoy how offended people got over a simple "generalization" if you will. I place quotation marks there because they "generalized" about computer users being messy. Now computer users basically makes up a large majority of the middle-class and upper population, thus not really making it offensive but an opinion sort of. But I don't see how that's offensive. People are naturally messy and have to learn how to clean up after themselves. Case in point: As a child you don't have to learn how to make a mess, but you do have to learn how to clean it up.
So, new thinking I took from this...tolerance. Everyone always wants to put up a defense and I think it's important to teach students differences of opinions, what generalizations are and how they ARE used in society and then take it a step further and discuss why they are there and how we can change those. As a future teacher, I plan to teach this as a part of culture and stereotypes in my Spanish and ESL classes.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Ch.3--Rethinking Education
The Technology Skeptics’ Argument
The more I read this Collins and Halverson text, the more irate I become with it. So chapter 3 is supposed to be “the technology skeptics’ argument” but it’s more like “the technology enthusiasts’ opinion of the skeptics. I classify myself as a technology enthusiast, but Collins and Halverson seem more and more like liberal radicals as I continue to read on. Here are a few points throughout the chapter that irritated me and why:
• “…the central reason why schooling is so difficult to change is the nature of the teaching and learning practices” (p.35). Where do I even begin here, I’m not even a licensed teacher yet and my defenses are up. I actually don’t agree with this statement, for one, I’m learning in my FLED class that methodology changes based on needs of the time period and the needs of the society. So it’s not that teaching and learning practices are so difficult to change, it’s that technology changes so often that it’s difficult to adapt it with curriculum in a way that will still be useful after the course is over.
• “Students often know more about advanced information technologies than teachers and technology workers in schools” (p. 38). If this is true, and I know it is, it’s not that it’s terribly important to implement technology in the classroom to teach the students how to be successful with technology in the future but rather use what they already know (technology) to help them benefit their new learning (school content).
• “…teachers risk losing authority by integrating computers into their teaching” (p. 41). I don’t believe this at all, that’s like saying, “by integrating books into the classroom such as an encyclopedia or dictionary, teachers risk losing authority.” Now, I have had a few friends that ask why they even bother attending class when everything they ever wanted to know about anything can be found online. But you don’t see people dropping out of college like flies to pursue their learning via the internet; granted there are online courses, but those are usually facilitated by an instructor of some sort. Since anything can be posted online, it’s still very important to have teachers and experts available to decipher crap from valuable information. If anything, teachers back up their authority by integrating computers into their teaching, in my opinion.
• “…there is little room in the curriculum for adventurous uses of computers, such as to carry out in-depth research or complete meaningful projects” (p. 41). I’m not sure who exactly is saying this, but really? I feel like this book is looking at the past, I see schools attempting to incorporate computer work in their class work all the time. I had to use computers and various software programs all the time in high school and that was a good four years ago. None of the technology or programs are the same now anyways, so other than the past-present benefit (efficiency, ease, etc.) of using such technologies I really haven’t benefited greatly now in my college work.
• “School fosters just-in-case learning while technology fosters just-in-time learning” (p. 48). I feel both of these learning methods, if you will, are important. There are times when just-in-time learning is very appropriate and other times when I won’t have the just-in-time learning option and may need to rely on my just-in-case learning. So I feel this argument is null.
I really do feel that technology incorporated into the classroom is an excellent idea. However, I don’t think that it should be the central focus since it’s inconsistent and becomes irrelevant in a short period of time. As a future teacher, it is my mission to keep up the best I can with technology and to use it to make lessons in language learning more fun, exciting, and memorable.
The more I read this Collins and Halverson text, the more irate I become with it. So chapter 3 is supposed to be “the technology skeptics’ argument” but it’s more like “the technology enthusiasts’ opinion of the skeptics. I classify myself as a technology enthusiast, but Collins and Halverson seem more and more like liberal radicals as I continue to read on. Here are a few points throughout the chapter that irritated me and why:
• “…the central reason why schooling is so difficult to change is the nature of the teaching and learning practices” (p.35). Where do I even begin here, I’m not even a licensed teacher yet and my defenses are up. I actually don’t agree with this statement, for one, I’m learning in my FLED class that methodology changes based on needs of the time period and the needs of the society. So it’s not that teaching and learning practices are so difficult to change, it’s that technology changes so often that it’s difficult to adapt it with curriculum in a way that will still be useful after the course is over.
• “Students often know more about advanced information technologies than teachers and technology workers in schools” (p. 38). If this is true, and I know it is, it’s not that it’s terribly important to implement technology in the classroom to teach the students how to be successful with technology in the future but rather use what they already know (technology) to help them benefit their new learning (school content).
• “…teachers risk losing authority by integrating computers into their teaching” (p. 41). I don’t believe this at all, that’s like saying, “by integrating books into the classroom such as an encyclopedia or dictionary, teachers risk losing authority.” Now, I have had a few friends that ask why they even bother attending class when everything they ever wanted to know about anything can be found online. But you don’t see people dropping out of college like flies to pursue their learning via the internet; granted there are online courses, but those are usually facilitated by an instructor of some sort. Since anything can be posted online, it’s still very important to have teachers and experts available to decipher crap from valuable information. If anything, teachers back up their authority by integrating computers into their teaching, in my opinion.
• “…there is little room in the curriculum for adventurous uses of computers, such as to carry out in-depth research or complete meaningful projects” (p. 41). I’m not sure who exactly is saying this, but really? I feel like this book is looking at the past, I see schools attempting to incorporate computer work in their class work all the time. I had to use computers and various software programs all the time in high school and that was a good four years ago. None of the technology or programs are the same now anyways, so other than the past-present benefit (efficiency, ease, etc.) of using such technologies I really haven’t benefited greatly now in my college work.
• “School fosters just-in-case learning while technology fosters just-in-time learning” (p. 48). I feel both of these learning methods, if you will, are important. There are times when just-in-time learning is very appropriate and other times when I won’t have the just-in-time learning option and may need to rely on my just-in-case learning. So I feel this argument is null.
I really do feel that technology incorporated into the classroom is an excellent idea. However, I don’t think that it should be the central focus since it’s inconsistent and becomes irrelevant in a short period of time. As a future teacher, it is my mission to keep up the best I can with technology and to use it to make lessons in language learning more fun, exciting, and memorable.
Ch.2--Rethinking Education
The Technology Enthusiasts’ Argument
I was expecting to agree whole-heartedly with this chapter as one my life goals is to keep up with the times and technology. However, I found myself taking offense to some of the things suggested by technology enthusiasts such as follows:
• Being “…stuck with 19th century technology, such as books, blackboards, paper, and pencils” (p. 9).
o I found it ridiculous that they made it seem that books, paper, and pencils were outdated materials that we are stuck with. Even though I hear marvelous words about Kindles and electronic “books”, and I wouldn’t mind owning one, but I feel that nothing can permanently replace a book. I can see a glitch happening and never being able to recover my electronic books, but by having a copy of a book, I can mark the pages and fold the pages over, port it around without having to worry about my battery or whether my Kindle is going to be killed in my bag. And I don’t care what kind of technology comes out, the paper and pencil will always be relevant.
• “No one will be able to solve complex problems or think effectively…without using digital technologies” (p. 11).
o This was insulting. People created our current technology and it can be destroyed. It’s a little disheartening to hear that we’re screwed if something should go wrong in the wonderful world of technology. Yes, I agree it is an immense aid in problem solving and that the data available is beyond what one human without technology would be capable of compiling, but I don’t think that we couldn’t think effectively without using technology, perhaps not efficiently, but effectively yes.
• “…children using word processors write better, because they can read their typed words, whereas they cannot easily read their own handwriting” (p. 19).
o Perhaps the case here is that the students need practice with their handwriting so they can read it. Yes, it’s a lot nicer to read type written text, but in the event a computer isn’t available, I would like to be able to read my students handwriting and have them be able to read their own...I’m not knocking the importance of being able to type and communicate effectively, but I don’t believe anyone should have an excuse for illegible handwriting.
Fortunately, these were the only few things that struck me in a bad way. The authors Collins and Halverson made many points of what technology enthusiasts believe, argue, and assume, but I will summarize and comment on the few I thought were most impressionable and that I would like to use in my future classroom.
• “Enthusiasts argue that integrating just-in-time strategies into school curricula will loosen the rigidity of the traditional curriculum and create a legitimate space for learning technologies in the classroom (p. 15)”.
o
• “Enthusiasts believe that customization offers great possibilities to enhance people’s learning” (p. 17).
o People learn best when they want to learn the content. By adapting and customizing curriculum to the student’s individual interest, you’re opening a portal to better understanding and comprehension.
• “Enthusiasts point to how technologies create access to external audiences that can provide legitimate contexts for students to learn from how others perceive their work” (p. 26).
o This goes beyond peer editing in class where students may not give a damn about what their peers are writing/working on. By subjecting their work to external audiences, students can get valuable insight and criticism to better their work.
• “Enthusiasts favor a constructive approach to learning, where students, rather than teachers, do most of the work” (p. 28).
o Hey, as a future teacher, I’m game for this! Teaching is a time-consuming effort, but it’s very rewarding. I truly believe when you teach something you solidify it in your own mind, so by allowing the students to take on responsibility not only do you allow them to fully grasp the content, but you allow them to partake in the reward of sharing their knowledge. Plus, the more participation students have in the classroom the less boring class is and the more ownership they have.
I was expecting to agree whole-heartedly with this chapter as one my life goals is to keep up with the times and technology. However, I found myself taking offense to some of the things suggested by technology enthusiasts such as follows:
• Being “…stuck with 19th century technology, such as books, blackboards, paper, and pencils” (p. 9).
o I found it ridiculous that they made it seem that books, paper, and pencils were outdated materials that we are stuck with. Even though I hear marvelous words about Kindles and electronic “books”, and I wouldn’t mind owning one, but I feel that nothing can permanently replace a book. I can see a glitch happening and never being able to recover my electronic books, but by having a copy of a book, I can mark the pages and fold the pages over, port it around without having to worry about my battery or whether my Kindle is going to be killed in my bag. And I don’t care what kind of technology comes out, the paper and pencil will always be relevant.
• “No one will be able to solve complex problems or think effectively…without using digital technologies” (p. 11).
o This was insulting. People created our current technology and it can be destroyed. It’s a little disheartening to hear that we’re screwed if something should go wrong in the wonderful world of technology. Yes, I agree it is an immense aid in problem solving and that the data available is beyond what one human without technology would be capable of compiling, but I don’t think that we couldn’t think effectively without using technology, perhaps not efficiently, but effectively yes.
• “…children using word processors write better, because they can read their typed words, whereas they cannot easily read their own handwriting” (p. 19).
o Perhaps the case here is that the students need practice with their handwriting so they can read it. Yes, it’s a lot nicer to read type written text, but in the event a computer isn’t available, I would like to be able to read my students handwriting and have them be able to read their own...I’m not knocking the importance of being able to type and communicate effectively, but I don’t believe anyone should have an excuse for illegible handwriting.
Fortunately, these were the only few things that struck me in a bad way. The authors Collins and Halverson made many points of what technology enthusiasts believe, argue, and assume, but I will summarize and comment on the few I thought were most impressionable and that I would like to use in my future classroom.
• “Enthusiasts argue that integrating just-in-time strategies into school curricula will loosen the rigidity of the traditional curriculum and create a legitimate space for learning technologies in the classroom (p. 15)”.
o
• “Enthusiasts believe that customization offers great possibilities to enhance people’s learning” (p. 17).
o People learn best when they want to learn the content. By adapting and customizing curriculum to the student’s individual interest, you’re opening a portal to better understanding and comprehension.
• “Enthusiasts point to how technologies create access to external audiences that can provide legitimate contexts for students to learn from how others perceive their work” (p. 26).
o This goes beyond peer editing in class where students may not give a damn about what their peers are writing/working on. By subjecting their work to external audiences, students can get valuable insight and criticism to better their work.
• “Enthusiasts favor a constructive approach to learning, where students, rather than teachers, do most of the work” (p. 28).
o Hey, as a future teacher, I’m game for this! Teaching is a time-consuming effort, but it’s very rewarding. I truly believe when you teach something you solidify it in your own mind, so by allowing the students to take on responsibility not only do you allow them to fully grasp the content, but you allow them to partake in the reward of sharing their knowledge. Plus, the more participation students have in the classroom the less boring class is and the more ownership they have.
Ch. 5 of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts
RSS
What in the world is an RSS feed? I’ve seen the acronym everywhere, but I couldn’t have told you before I read this chapter. Really Simple Syndication. The name sounds inviting, but the concept is terrifying at first. The last thing I want to do is sit down to a webpage that has collected data and content on the hour from all the websites I have subscribed to. Information overload. Forget about going to the gym or having a social life, might as well permanently plant my bum in front of the desktop.
I like that Richardson realizes the scariness of an RSS to the inexperienced. He then instructs you to take it easy at first and learn the ropes. He reassures that with some time and use it will become a very valuable tool for the teacher and the students.
What would we do without free Google services? We would have to pay for complicated programs. After easing some fears, Richardson takes you through the steps of setting up an RSS feed. He also warns you to stop subscribing at 10 feeds if you’re new to the set up so you don’t become overwhelmed by the information collection in your aggregator. But it’s really fascinating how you can just type words that you want the aggregator to collect information about. My only fear here is that some words are going to lead to some questionable content that may or may not have been intended to be collected by the student and or teacher.
At this point, I’m amazed at where the technological world has come to, but I’m a little disgusted by it. It’s become a sick addiction to be constantly connected. This book even suggests downloading Google gears so that when you won’t be able to be connected you can take your RSS fee with you. The point of getting away, say on a camping trip is to get back out in nature and rough it. Not bring your RSS feed with you so you can sit under a tree or in your tent and kill your eyes. Although, it is handy to know that you do have that option.
So how is this handy for the classroom? That’s what I want to know. I never thought about adding students’ blogs to the feed. I wonder if that’s how Dr. Boyer manages all of our blogs. If so, I apologize right now for all my blog tardiness, and how does that work when I change the dates and times? That’s something I’ll have to play around with and see later. I wish I would have known about the powers of an RSS a long time ago. RSS makes research so much easier. Instead of having to search for your research, an RSS feed can just bring it to your front door step. He goes on to explain the various uses, I can’t believe vanity feeds. That’s just kind of creepy.
I really enjoy Richardson’s humor throughout this book. He sates on page 83, “Remember: resistance is futile”. I guess that means, I’ll go and develop my RSS on Google Reader now, so I can find ways to implement it in my class. That’s part of being a teacher, always learning more and new things, even if you’re sick of it, so your students can benefit from it.
What in the world is an RSS feed? I’ve seen the acronym everywhere, but I couldn’t have told you before I read this chapter. Really Simple Syndication. The name sounds inviting, but the concept is terrifying at first. The last thing I want to do is sit down to a webpage that has collected data and content on the hour from all the websites I have subscribed to. Information overload. Forget about going to the gym or having a social life, might as well permanently plant my bum in front of the desktop.
I like that Richardson realizes the scariness of an RSS to the inexperienced. He then instructs you to take it easy at first and learn the ropes. He reassures that with some time and use it will become a very valuable tool for the teacher and the students.
What would we do without free Google services? We would have to pay for complicated programs. After easing some fears, Richardson takes you through the steps of setting up an RSS feed. He also warns you to stop subscribing at 10 feeds if you’re new to the set up so you don’t become overwhelmed by the information collection in your aggregator. But it’s really fascinating how you can just type words that you want the aggregator to collect information about. My only fear here is that some words are going to lead to some questionable content that may or may not have been intended to be collected by the student and or teacher.
At this point, I’m amazed at where the technological world has come to, but I’m a little disgusted by it. It’s become a sick addiction to be constantly connected. This book even suggests downloading Google gears so that when you won’t be able to be connected you can take your RSS fee with you. The point of getting away, say on a camping trip is to get back out in nature and rough it. Not bring your RSS feed with you so you can sit under a tree or in your tent and kill your eyes. Although, it is handy to know that you do have that option.
So how is this handy for the classroom? That’s what I want to know. I never thought about adding students’ blogs to the feed. I wonder if that’s how Dr. Boyer manages all of our blogs. If so, I apologize right now for all my blog tardiness, and how does that work when I change the dates and times? That’s something I’ll have to play around with and see later. I wish I would have known about the powers of an RSS a long time ago. RSS makes research so much easier. Instead of having to search for your research, an RSS feed can just bring it to your front door step. He goes on to explain the various uses, I can’t believe vanity feeds. That’s just kind of creepy.
I really enjoy Richardson’s humor throughout this book. He sates on page 83, “Remember: resistance is futile”. I guess that means, I’ll go and develop my RSS on Google Reader now, so I can find ways to implement it in my class. That’s part of being a teacher, always learning more and new things, even if you’re sick of it, so your students can benefit from it.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
New Thinking 9.23
Today was the first group presentation and we discussed the "technology enthusiasts'" perspective, we discussed the quote from Chapter 2 of Rethinking Education in The Age of Technology that states, "...trying to prepare students for the 21st century with 19th-century technology is like teaching people to fly a rocket ship by having them ride bicycles" (p. 10) While I find this quote to be true, I don't think it relates well to the current technology we would use in a classroom. I'm sure rocket ships are enhanced and change, but I can't believe as often as classroom technology does.
After the presentation, we discussed positive aspects on one hand and the changes that could be made on the other. I personally am not a fan of this type of critiquing after I have put forth a lot of effort in front of my peers, but I can see the benefits of letting the class scrutinize your every move, word, and choice/idea. I decided that as a future educator I won't give direct public criticism in class without making it a generalization.
After the presentation, we discussed positive aspects on one hand and the changes that could be made on the other. I personally am not a fan of this type of critiquing after I have put forth a lot of effort in front of my peers, but I can see the benefits of letting the class scrutinize your every move, word, and choice/idea. I decided that as a future educator I won't give direct public criticism in class without making it a generalization.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Ch. 4 of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts
Wikis
Now here’s a breath of fresh air: Richardson acknowledges the prevalence of Wikipedia in student’s lives and research. This chapter was actually very interesting to me, because truthfully, before I had Dr. Boyer’s technology class, I had no idea what a wiki was. I had no idea what Wikipedia meant other than it was like an encyclopedia that teachers insisted I couldn’t site or trust. Whatever, I still used it and just sited other sites. The whole concept of Wikipedia is really fantastic actually. I can’t believe that our perverse and distorted world can actually produce accurate facts and data when open to the public for editing without personal merit or credit. I was surprised to learn that Steve Jobs has been quoted saying that Wikipedia is one of the most accurate encyclopedias in the world. It’s amazing to me that the work of vandals and spammers doesn’t last long in the Wikipedia world as the pages are constantly edited. Dr. Boyer presented a screencast in class one day about a Wikipedia page on some German metal band, I believe, and the pages evolution over a span of time. It was vandalized multiple times, but fixed within minutes. This was some obscure band mind you, and the fact that someone was there to correct the page in such a short time period was mindboggling to me. It made me feel lazy to say the least, because I know if I saw a vandalized or inaccurate page, I would probably just scoff at the content, deem the site unreliable and move along. I wouldn’t fix it. Now I’ll think twice about my non-contributions.
Of course, the chapter gives real life examples of teachers that use Wikis in the classroom and various examples of ways to use the many available wiki services. The wiki concept is a great idea, but it scares me a little for classroom use. Wikis are fairly easy to create and navigate, but sometimes having a hundred online places to go is overwhelming. I never know where to look for what. Where did I save this? Where did I save that? Is it on my wiki or blog? Which wiki? Which blog? Ahh! I like the ideas of wikis; I’m just not sure how I want to incorporate them into my classroom yet. Integrating technology is important, but my Spanish or ESL class can’t become a technology class, I have to do some language content in there too.
The good news is that I feel better about letting my students use Wikipedia. As a future educator, I will share with my students the facts about the creation of Wikipedia and its upkeep. Perhaps they will b inspired to create their own wikis on their own time and/or contribute to the wiki world out there.
Now here’s a breath of fresh air: Richardson acknowledges the prevalence of Wikipedia in student’s lives and research. This chapter was actually very interesting to me, because truthfully, before I had Dr. Boyer’s technology class, I had no idea what a wiki was. I had no idea what Wikipedia meant other than it was like an encyclopedia that teachers insisted I couldn’t site or trust. Whatever, I still used it and just sited other sites. The whole concept of Wikipedia is really fantastic actually. I can’t believe that our perverse and distorted world can actually produce accurate facts and data when open to the public for editing without personal merit or credit. I was surprised to learn that Steve Jobs has been quoted saying that Wikipedia is one of the most accurate encyclopedias in the world. It’s amazing to me that the work of vandals and spammers doesn’t last long in the Wikipedia world as the pages are constantly edited. Dr. Boyer presented a screencast in class one day about a Wikipedia page on some German metal band, I believe, and the pages evolution over a span of time. It was vandalized multiple times, but fixed within minutes. This was some obscure band mind you, and the fact that someone was there to correct the page in such a short time period was mindboggling to me. It made me feel lazy to say the least, because I know if I saw a vandalized or inaccurate page, I would probably just scoff at the content, deem the site unreliable and move along. I wouldn’t fix it. Now I’ll think twice about my non-contributions.
Of course, the chapter gives real life examples of teachers that use Wikis in the classroom and various examples of ways to use the many available wiki services. The wiki concept is a great idea, but it scares me a little for classroom use. Wikis are fairly easy to create and navigate, but sometimes having a hundred online places to go is overwhelming. I never know where to look for what. Where did I save this? Where did I save that? Is it on my wiki or blog? Which wiki? Which blog? Ahh! I like the ideas of wikis; I’m just not sure how I want to incorporate them into my classroom yet. Integrating technology is important, but my Spanish or ESL class can’t become a technology class, I have to do some language content in there too.
The good news is that I feel better about letting my students use Wikipedia. As a future educator, I will share with my students the facts about the creation of Wikipedia and its upkeep. Perhaps they will b inspired to create their own wikis on their own time and/or contribute to the wiki world out there.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Growing Up Online
Interesting video. The Frontline video very much struck a chord when it showed various kids leading their virtual lives a little differently than their real lives. The virtual world, allows for people to be anyone they want to be, do anything they want do, and have little worry as to who's going to call them out. More than anything, I believe people say things online that they would never say in person. Stuff like this, leads to online bullying and other dangers that most people don't take into consideration until it's too late.
On the other hand, since students have become well acquainted with the technological world of computers and the internet, it's important that we learn to integrate this world into our own classrooms. Obviously, it's critical that we address the issues raised in the first part of the video so that we can overcome the battles with the world wide web and begin to use it for it's potential in the learning environment to engage students in their work and learning.
As an educator, I will for sure use internet and technology in my classroom without a doubt. But this video helped me to remember the seriousness of the effects that the virtual world can have on students and cause harm. Therefore, it's essential to go over netiquette and how to use the web in a respectful academic way.
◦How does this video impact your thinking about technology's role in the lives of young learners?
◦What will you do differently as a future teacher as a direct result of this new thinking?
On the other hand, since students have become well acquainted with the technological world of computers and the internet, it's important that we learn to integrate this world into our own classrooms. Obviously, it's critical that we address the issues raised in the first part of the video so that we can overcome the battles with the world wide web and begin to use it for it's potential in the learning environment to engage students in their work and learning.
As an educator, I will for sure use internet and technology in my classroom without a doubt. But this video helped me to remember the seriousness of the effects that the virtual world can have on students and cause harm. Therefore, it's essential to go over netiquette and how to use the web in a respectful academic way.
◦How does this video impact your thinking about technology's role in the lives of young learners?
◦What will you do differently as a future teacher as a direct result of this new thinking?
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Teaching for the Future
New thinking that I took away from class today:
My professor Jeff Boyer said that if we intend to teach the way we were taught, we are teaching students to live in our past. I think that this statement is very powerful. I often feel quite irritated by my parents' and grandparents' technological ignorance, and I wonder why it's so difficult for adults to keep up with technology advances. However, now it's becoming quite apparent that in my few years out of high school, I have fallen behind myself. Classroom equipment has been refreshed. We have SMARTboards instead of chalk/marker boards and ceiling projectors instead of overhead projectors wheeled out on carts. There's new software and computers are constantly being updated. It's no wonder that adults fall behind; there's no possible way I could afford to keep up financially with all the new stuff on my own; but fortunately has a teacher, I will have access to new technology via the school and it's my job to put that technology to use in my classroom and teach students to adapt as the world around them changes, after all the stuff I teach them will be outdated in a matter of a few years.
My professor Jeff Boyer said that if we intend to teach the way we were taught, we are teaching students to live in our past. I think that this statement is very powerful. I often feel quite irritated by my parents' and grandparents' technological ignorance, and I wonder why it's so difficult for adults to keep up with technology advances. However, now it's becoming quite apparent that in my few years out of high school, I have fallen behind myself. Classroom equipment has been refreshed. We have SMARTboards instead of chalk/marker boards and ceiling projectors instead of overhead projectors wheeled out on carts. There's new software and computers are constantly being updated. It's no wonder that adults fall behind; there's no possible way I could afford to keep up financially with all the new stuff on my own; but fortunately has a teacher, I will have access to new technology via the school and it's my job to put that technology to use in my classroom and teach students to adapt as the world around them changes, after all the stuff I teach them will be outdated in a matter of a few years.
Website Credibility
Although, there's a lot of valid and valuable content out there on the read/write web, you can't always be sure what you're reading and/or seeing is credible. Some ways to search and screen a website to find out whether it's credible or not are as follows:
-check the extension--while this is a start, it should not be the end all, be all. Sites listed as .org, .edu, and .gov tend to be more valid than sites that can be purchased by anyone such as .com and .html-which is always very questionable. However, a lot of websites that end in .org or .edu can actually be nonfactual and very unreliable, so this is simply a beginning place.
-check the author--one can find out a lot simply by checking to see who the site creator is and what their background is. The more information you can find about the site author, the better. Someone who has credentials is obviously has more credibility than a random internet stranger without any professional knowledge.
-check the extension--while this is a start, it should not be the end all, be all. Sites listed as .org, .edu, and .gov tend to be more valid than sites that can be purchased by anyone such as .com and .html-which is always very questionable. However, a lot of websites that end in .org or .edu can actually be nonfactual and very unreliable, so this is simply a beginning place.
-check the author--one can find out a lot simply by checking to see who the site creator is and what their background is. The more information you can find about the site author, the better. Someone who has credentials is obviously has more credibility than a random internet stranger without any professional knowledge.
Ch.1--Rethinking Education
"How Education is Changing"
This chapter briefly discussed the way technology is changing our methods of education. With the rapid increase in the use of technology support and products, many people are forced to take their educations beyond the classroom to keep up. We find many students in “…homes, libraries, internet cafés, and workplaces, where they can decide what they want to learn, when they want to learn, and how they want to learn” (p. 3). Many schools now have computer labs and specialized courses that offer basic instruction, but the point of the chapter was that teachers aren’t maximizing the potential of technology in their everyday classrooms. Since technology has become such a big focus in the everyday life of students and adults alike it’s almost ridiculous that it’s not more incorporated into the general curriculum, and this makes students look for educational opportunities elsewhere.
The chapter highlighted that America is in the midst of the Information or Knowledge Revolution that is gearing Americans towards “…life-long learning” (p. 8). We have passed from the times of apprenticeship into the public schooling sector and are now moving beyond to a new age of education where we prepare for the rest of our lives rather than a mere vocation. This social revolution of the Knowledge Revolution is the onset of “life-learning”, thus the onset of change in the education system.
Collins and Halverson note that all of the changes produced by this new Information Revolution are not all beneficial or unbeneficial. There are issues of finance not only for fund-depleted school districts but also the underside of the ever-increasing economic gap. It is clear that those with more buying power are at an advantage in keeping up with the newest technologies and enriching their personal educations. The authors, although they claim not to be in favor or against the new technologies (they’re totally in favor), make clear that their aim is to document the changes of schooling, learning and technology from a historical and observational perspective.
The authors “…argue that we need to rethink schooling in light of the new technologies” and although I agree with them, I wonder if it’s so bad that people venture outside of the school system to learn something new (p. 7). Public schools have had a monopoly on education and learning, and this new Information Revolution has kind of broken it up. I know I enjoy learning outside of the general classroom. However, as a future educator, I want to engage my students in the classroom and incorporate new technologies. With short class periods I believe this to be a somewhat difficult feat, but one worth dealing with if it will benefit my students and keep their interest. Plus, it’s my goal to stay as relevant as possible with technology so I don’t experience the frustration that my parents and grandparents often do with new software and electronic devices. I look forward to what this book has to expound upon the challenges of the revolution and how to intermingle it with the public education sector.
This chapter briefly discussed the way technology is changing our methods of education. With the rapid increase in the use of technology support and products, many people are forced to take their educations beyond the classroom to keep up. We find many students in “…homes, libraries, internet cafés, and workplaces, where they can decide what they want to learn, when they want to learn, and how they want to learn” (p. 3). Many schools now have computer labs and specialized courses that offer basic instruction, but the point of the chapter was that teachers aren’t maximizing the potential of technology in their everyday classrooms. Since technology has become such a big focus in the everyday life of students and adults alike it’s almost ridiculous that it’s not more incorporated into the general curriculum, and this makes students look for educational opportunities elsewhere.
The chapter highlighted that America is in the midst of the Information or Knowledge Revolution that is gearing Americans towards “…life-long learning” (p. 8). We have passed from the times of apprenticeship into the public schooling sector and are now moving beyond to a new age of education where we prepare for the rest of our lives rather than a mere vocation. This social revolution of the Knowledge Revolution is the onset of “life-learning”, thus the onset of change in the education system.
Collins and Halverson note that all of the changes produced by this new Information Revolution are not all beneficial or unbeneficial. There are issues of finance not only for fund-depleted school districts but also the underside of the ever-increasing economic gap. It is clear that those with more buying power are at an advantage in keeping up with the newest technologies and enriching their personal educations. The authors, although they claim not to be in favor or against the new technologies (they’re totally in favor), make clear that their aim is to document the changes of schooling, learning and technology from a historical and observational perspective.
The authors “…argue that we need to rethink schooling in light of the new technologies” and although I agree with them, I wonder if it’s so bad that people venture outside of the school system to learn something new (p. 7). Public schools have had a monopoly on education and learning, and this new Information Revolution has kind of broken it up. I know I enjoy learning outside of the general classroom. However, as a future educator, I want to engage my students in the classroom and incorporate new technologies. With short class periods I believe this to be a somewhat difficult feat, but one worth dealing with if it will benefit my students and keep their interest. Plus, it’s my goal to stay as relevant as possible with technology so I don’t experience the frustration that my parents and grandparents often do with new software and electronic devices. I look forward to what this book has to expound upon the challenges of the revolution and how to intermingle it with the public education sector.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Chs. 1-3 of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts
Here we begin our journey through Will Richardson’s book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Wow that’s a mouthful. The first three chapters focus on the blogging world. Before I ever picked up a book about blogs, I was a blogger. To be honest, I’m really sick of these books telling everyone what blogging really is. Nothing really is concrete in this world anymore; everything evolves and morphs with time. So my mindless journaling online IS blogging, and I won’t let a text tell me otherwise. It may not be academic or scholarly blogging but it is a weblog. For Pete’s sake, blogging use to be listing websites you had visited.
Now that I got that out of my system, I can focus more on what each chapter had to offer about the blogosphere. Chapter one introduced us to the read/write web. Once upon a time, the web was a read only sort of atmosphere with little civilian interaction. Hard to believe since nowadays the web is giant publishing industry where millions of people litter their thoughts, ideas, opinions, and facts. With this being said, the chapter discusses the impact the read/write web has had on society, journalism, and education and how it will continue to affect various areas in our lives as technology and the web continue to grow and change.
Chapter 2 focuses on the pedagogy and practice of weblogging. The chapter gave many helpful insights on how to implement a blog in the classroom and the benefits of doing so. I like that specific examples of educational blogs were used and actually be checked out online. It’s one thing to read about a blog versus actually exploring one. I like that the author is straightforward about presenting the facts, as opposed to Collins and Halverson who I feel use a cynical view on education to scare you into technology usage, which really doesn’t work for me. The 6 reasons they provided for the use of blogging were:
1. Constructivist tool for learning-create content that others benefit from
2. Expand walls of the classroom-global connection
3. Archive learning-documentation
4. Supports different learning styles-promotes students voice
5. Enhance subject expertise-topic based blogs
6. New literacy skills-Research, reflect, organize, and synthesize
The chapter goes onto explain various ways to use blogs across the curriculum including in math and elementary classes, providing real blog links as evidence. But my favorite is when they list the English standards so that you can see how blogs fit right into 12 standards.
So chapter 3 basically helps you understand the process of setting up a blog with various software providers and hosts. They also take a few paragraphs to point out the risks and the safety precautions an educator needs to address when using a blog in the classroom. Then, they suggest blogger.com and take you step-by-step through the process of creating a blog post and the different ways you can photos and links to your blog.
Basically I’ve been beat over the head with blogs and I have developed a distaste for them, but the fact of the matter is that they are very useful, especially when it comes to a language classroom, so as a future educator, I know I will use them in my classroom, I just won’t overdo them so that my students hate it.
Now that I got that out of my system, I can focus more on what each chapter had to offer about the blogosphere. Chapter one introduced us to the read/write web. Once upon a time, the web was a read only sort of atmosphere with little civilian interaction. Hard to believe since nowadays the web is giant publishing industry where millions of people litter their thoughts, ideas, opinions, and facts. With this being said, the chapter discusses the impact the read/write web has had on society, journalism, and education and how it will continue to affect various areas in our lives as technology and the web continue to grow and change.
Chapter 2 focuses on the pedagogy and practice of weblogging. The chapter gave many helpful insights on how to implement a blog in the classroom and the benefits of doing so. I like that specific examples of educational blogs were used and actually be checked out online. It’s one thing to read about a blog versus actually exploring one. I like that the author is straightforward about presenting the facts, as opposed to Collins and Halverson who I feel use a cynical view on education to scare you into technology usage, which really doesn’t work for me. The 6 reasons they provided for the use of blogging were:
1. Constructivist tool for learning-create content that others benefit from
2. Expand walls of the classroom-global connection
3. Archive learning-documentation
4. Supports different learning styles-promotes students voice
5. Enhance subject expertise-topic based blogs
6. New literacy skills-Research, reflect, organize, and synthesize
The chapter goes onto explain various ways to use blogs across the curriculum including in math and elementary classes, providing real blog links as evidence. But my favorite is when they list the English standards so that you can see how blogs fit right into 12 standards.
So chapter 3 basically helps you understand the process of setting up a blog with various software providers and hosts. They also take a few paragraphs to point out the risks and the safety precautions an educator needs to address when using a blog in the classroom. Then, they suggest blogger.com and take you step-by-step through the process of creating a blog post and the different ways you can photos and links to your blog.
Basically I’ve been beat over the head with blogs and I have developed a distaste for them, but the fact of the matter is that they are very useful, especially when it comes to a language classroom, so as a future educator, I know I will use them in my classroom, I just won’t overdo them so that my students hate it.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
New Thinking
Today in class, we had to take attendance by writing our names on the Smart Board. Sounds easy enough, however the board has not been calibrated and was actually ridiculous to even try and write on. I was probably the last student to complete said task and I ended up deleting the entire page of names (embarrassing!). New thinking for today: do not click random buttons; experimenting is good when you're trying on your own but not when you run the risk of putting the work of other people in danger.
I also learned about bookmarking today, which prior to the class I had heard of the term but didn't fully understand what it meant. Now I have a whole new way of storing my large collection of websites on my favorites bar in a more organized manner on delicious. I'm not used of tagging things, but this new way of organization will definitely benefit me now and in the future, especially since I plan to use various Spanish and English websites in teaching my Spanish and ESL classes. I can't wait to start bookmarking!
I also learned about bookmarking today, which prior to the class I had heard of the term but didn't fully understand what it meant. Now I have a whole new way of storing my large collection of websites on my favorites bar in a more organized manner on delicious. I'm not used of tagging things, but this new way of organization will definitely benefit me now and in the future, especially since I plan to use various Spanish and English websites in teaching my Spanish and ESL classes. I can't wait to start bookmarking!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Digi Autobiography
Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.
I really didn't expect this task to be as time consuming as it was. I figured I could just pull up some photos, type in some text, pick a song, and be done. Wrong. Picking the photos wasn't too difficult, but uploading them was quite the feat, I had to have my younger sister Katie (13) help me. I learned I need to brush up on the different formats you can save your work in (such as PNG versus JPEG which is why I couldn't find any of my photos to upload). I would say I put a lot of effort into editing my photos, logical sequencing, and my music selection (as I was limited to Animoto's music content). I've never spent much time editing my photos and I found it quote difficult to do so in Photoshop, but after some time, I was able to acclimate.
The value in completing this course task is not only learning how to work with photos in various programs such as Photoshop and Animator (my tools of choice), but also being able to do something neat with the many photos I have and share my life with others. I have a new way to introduce myself now or to tell a story/explain something.
Completing this course task will impact my future teaching by being able to incorporate my travel and learning experiences through photo in the classroom using a fun tool other than the traditional PowerPoint slide show. I feel that I can handle my pictures better now that I have experimented with the various programs and tools and now I will be able to help my students use images in their scholastic work.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Technology
1.) Technology: The knowledge, comprehension, and use of electronic devices, computing systems and programs to create efficient means of learning, production, communication, and leisure activities.
2.) Technology integration is incorporating said devices, programs, and systems into a particular setting, such as a classroom or office.
2.) Technology integration is incorporating said devices, programs, and systems into a particular setting, such as a classroom or office.
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