Goodbye Everyone!

Today's class, like many of the other classes we've had over the semester, was quite enjoyable. I really liked seeing how what we've learned is applicable outside of this classroom, and into our own classrooms and teaching practices. This class has shifted my perspective in many ways, making more more aware of my intent and delivery of content and pedagogy. I believe that as a result, I have become a better teacher, and I only hope to keep growing. Thank you for making this class enjoyable and worthwhile. While I will miss coming here on Thursday evenings, I will take a lot of what we've learned and shared away with me. Therefore, as you've said, this is not the end, but only the beginning of something great. Wishing you, June, and everyone in the class, all the best. XOXO

Take away message (in-class post)

I really enjoyed class this evening. It was great seeing everyone's videos and partaking in discussions about them. Everyone did a great job. I thought the topics, production value, and overall quality was outstanding. Finally, the entire class was extremely encouraging to one another and that made presenting a warm, and enjoyable experience, not something intimidating.

Using technology as a tool for communication and interaction (chapt. 8 & 9)

I found chapter 8 to be quite interesting; chapter 9, not so much. Chapter 8 focused on communicating and networking with websites, blogs, wikis, and more, and I enjoyed reading about how we can use these tools to aid our instruction in the classroom while also sharing ideas and information through various learning environments. As a teacher, electronic communication is key. By maintaining communication with students, parents, peers, and administrators even while outside of the constraints of the classroom, interaction and synchronicity can be maintained at all times. I was intrigued by the text's mention of the five major ways for teachers to use electronic communication both inside and outside of the classroom, which included: (1) Teaching interactively, (2) Sharing information, (3) Building learning communities, (4) Publishing student work, and, (5) Energizing student writing. While I discovered points of interest in each of these categories, the section on sharing information really got me thinking. The text mentions that 36 percent of families use the internet to communicate with schools, although only once of twice a year. This statistic dumfounded me. Family members are contacting schools only once or twice a year? That's it? With electronic communication so widely accessible, this statistic seems quite low. Further, the book claims a positive connection exists between internet-based family communication and higher academic achievement. Why does this correlation happen? What's driving it? No matter the reasoning for it, we must use this realization to our advantage an bring families into the educational mix through online communication. But how can we accomplish this? How can we engage families into the learning process using electronic communication? As the chapter continued, information about textspeak was presented. This email and instant messaging language of abbreviations, symbols, and letters, (and also emoticons) is used to achieve quick communication. As a preservice ELA teacher, I am curious how the internet with shape the constrict of language as we know it as generations continue to technologically progress. Will text speak become standardized? Is it rly kewl 2 talk lik dis? I found this cool website that explores chat acronyms and text messaging shorthand, and provides a list of meanings for those of us who may be a bit out of touch with this lingo: http://www.netlingo.com/acronyms.php. This got me thinking again, wondering how textspeak is influencing formal education and standardized english grammar rules. Is it ever acceptable to use this language in schools? As educators, do we move with the times and adapt to this new trend, or squash it in its place and banish it completely from our classrooms? As I wrapped up chapter 8, I was thinking about collaborative learning and the text's mention of its place in learning as a result of technology integration. Both wikis and blogs encourage students to work together to learn information and provide feedback and create discussion with their peers. In this sense, technology can be a very collaborative tool. However, technology also gets a wrap for being isolating and leading to anti-social traits in those who spend countless hours behind their computer screens. So where is the dichotomy happening? Is technology a tool that brings us together or one that keeps us apart? How has technology effected our capacity for socialization? Just to touch on chapter 9, I was unimpressed by most of the information provided by the text. PowerPoint, though a great resource in classrooms, is already partially outdated. In fact, I did not learn about any new resources from this chapter. Where was information about sites like Prezi? This presentation site is so much interactive, engaging, and aesthetically pleasing than even the best PowerPoint. The only cool thing I found in chapter 9 was the lesson activity idea all the way at the end of the chapter. Here, they discuss having students go on a poetry hike, bringing along a camera and later, creating a haiku-type poem that will provide a multi-sensory experience. I want to use this idea in my own classroom one day, and will think on a way to incorporate it into my own teaching practice.

Take away message (in-class post)

Today we spoke about digital citizenship and how we can teach students to become consumers and producers of technology in appropriate ways. This conversation was turned out to be very rich and really piqued my interest. We then broke off into groups for our educational videos. I am happy with my group and we chose a topic I am looking forward to exploring: Tolerance.

Take away message (in-class post)

After class on Thursday night, I walked away feeling a lot more empowered in my ability to create a WebQuest I could be proud of. Prior to class, I was feeling very limited by the capabilities of Digication, believing that I could not "jazz" up my project, making me feel like I would never want to show this WebQuest to any future students. However, after viewing the two sample WebQuests and how they were able to add details of interest in, I see the possibility for me to do the same. Going forward, I am excited to work of my WebQuest and see what I can transform it into!

Educational Software (Chapter 7)

I found chapter 7 interesting, because it gave me a new perspective on what software is and how we use it all the time without even thinking much about it. I must admit, software is something I take advantage of without so much as a nod of appreciation. For instance, take a look at this blog post I am currently writing. Someone had to figure out how to setup all of the design layout, interactive features, html formatting and ensuring that she I hit the "Publish" button, my writings become saved and made available for public access. Pretty intricate stuff. I use software like Microsoft Office, Adobe Programs, Apple Software, and much more on a regular basis, always expecting them to be there and be capable of doing whatever tasks I need done. I see now how much time, energy, and consideration must have gone into these programs in order to enable them to function in the way they do.

However, since software is something I am already very comfortable and familiar with, I feel that I didn't take away too much new information from this chapter. I know how to use at least one form of every one of the standard software applications mentioned and am comfortable enough with it to intertwine it into my lesson plans without even noticing I have made such a decision. I understand that there is software that is more functional in the classroom that others, but as the text mentions, many of those choices in software used in the classroom are made by administration. For instance, my school uses PowerSchool for all of its attendance and grading purposes. This has been decided upon by administration and all teachers must oblige. The information about evaluating software seems helpful, in theory, but when and why would I use this if I am not able to add input into what software we use in my classroom? Further, some of the software mentioned I would have though of as websites or digital tools. Take Google Earth, for instance. This is an awesome program that I have use in my classes many times over, but what makes it software instead of a website?

The text's mention of virtual world reminded me of an experience I had in my undergraduate program. I was enrolled in a "Learning Through Technology" class, similar in concept to this class. This class was scheduled to meet twice a week, but we would meet in person once a week and online the other day. When we would meet online, we would all meet up in SecondLife, an incredibly expansive virtual world. Since we'd all be using headsets, we'd be able to converse as well. The teacher would lead us to various areas in this world to teach a particular concept or give a particular experience. I remember that we once explored a virtual Psych Ward, and as you walked through different visual or auditory simulations would take place to mimic the experience of having schizophrenia. It was very interesting and enlightening, and I really enjoyed my time using this software. This experience created "stealth learning" for me, because I often forgot that I was learning and saw what I was doing as just enjoyable and entertaining. This seems to be the best way to use software in schools.

As I read this chapter, I was left with three questions:
1. How is software different from websites and digital tools?
2. With so much preexisting software, is it necessary, or even useful for teachers to design their own software, much as they would there own website?
3. If you are currently teaching or in a school, how do you use "stealth learning" in your classes? Do you think students take away more from this practice or is it comparable to simply teaching a standard lesson from the front of the room?

Take away message (in-class post)

This week I really enjoyed our conversations. I think the class as a whole really shared their thoughts, opinions, and perspectives with great depth and openness. Walking away from class tonight, I am taking away a conflicting perspective on virtual field trips and interactive classroom technologies that may function in place of hands-on learning experiences. While I see the benefit of online learning, I do think there is nothing like sensory experiences to create lasting learning memories. As teachers, we must find this balance. Virtual learning provides savings with funding that low-income schools may not have to spend on those types of resources, while also providing opportunities that may not have otherwise been available for a multitude of reasons. Also, I was considering the fact that students who were absent or out of the classroom during this experience would not miss out on this learning like they would in a typical lab class where the experience happens only one time, and cannot ever truly be recreated. However, I think students still need opportunities to experience hands-on learning, where they can see, feel, touch, and smell materials. Virtual learning and virtual field trips cannot replace these experiences, but they certainly do enhance them.

Implementing Educational Technologies (chapters 4&6)

What I took away from the readings this week is that if technology is implemented correctly, it can be a truly powerful tool, both inside and outside of the classroom. Technology provides resources to teachers that will help us search out and discover pertinent content, organize this said content for more simplified retrieval, stay up to date on what's happening on the web and in the world, and engage students in new and exciting ways. Chapter four demonstrated to me that technology integration is a process that does not come to fruition overnight. Once educators decide that they are going to build their technology integration skills, they must figure out where to go next, but before that next step can be taken, they must come to discover where they are at currently. Looking at the stages provided on page 90 of the text, I believe that I am slowly coming out of the adoption stage and beginning to enter the adaption stage. Now that I have learned many new technologies, I am discovering ways to successfully implement them into my classes as part of my regular practice. Chapter 6 helped offer even more resources that I can use in my classroom to aide in all facets of my classroom structure. I particularly liked the information about social bookmarking. I am a big proponent of electronic bookmarking on my personal computer, and the idea of widening the scope here is quite enthralling to me. I currently use a few sites that would be considered social bookmarking sites, but they are not often used for education purposes. Perhaps you have heard of Pinterest or StumbleUpon. These site organize sites that you deem "favorites" and place them into categories. I use my Pinterest account everyday, and what I "repin" comes in handy in my life on a daily basis. I find myself using recipes I've pinned, or looking back at hair/makeup style ideas, or even passing on wedding ideas to my friend who is getting married later this year. Recently, I was sent an invitation to "pin" into a multi-user board titled "Vegetarian/Vegan Dishes". I found this particularly cool because there are thousands of people who have access to "pin" things they like relating to this subject into this space. I can then access this board and see what other users have bookmarked and reference back to it when I am looking for my next meal. Here is the link to my Pinterest, so you can see how it works and some of the things I have pinned: http://pinterest.com/samacc1621/ With that said, I was pleased with the other social bookmarking sites offered by the text and I will be checking some of those out ASAP.

I'd like to leave you with some questions to ponder and as a platform for discussion:
(1) Are you familiar with any other social bookmarking sites not mentioned here or in the text? What do you use them for?
(2) The text mentions virtual field trips. I have explored this with the USHMM website and it was a great success. Anyone else ever tried this? What sites? How'd you organized this? How long did it take you?
(3) Are you for or against lesson planning websites? Sure, it is convenient to utilize someone else pre-made lesson, but is it effective? Should we be creating our own lesson and our own materials or is it ok to borrow from others?

Take away message (in-class post)

Class today was very enjoyable. I really enjoyed the conversation about the credibility and usefulness of Wikipedia in the classroom. While I personally believe Wikipedia to be a (mostly) reputable source, I understand that others do not. Something Robert said sticks with me: If you don't trust Wikipedia, you are basically saying that you don't trust people. This is such a great point. Every person, website and publication has a bias; Wikipedia is not unique in this matter.

Looking into websites to distinguish credibility, I explored this one on the Illuminati to find a bad website: http://www.boogles.com/local/Illuminati/

It is obviously created by a person with a particular bias. The information is not cited and therefore cannot be trusted. Is this person a scholar? A nut job? A conspiracy theorist? We cannot tell.

Teaching Internet Literacy (chapt. 5)

Chapter 5 explores the Internet as a tool for researching and evaluating information. As an educator, it is important to see the power of the web in assisting us in our lesson construction and presentation as well as in helping our students navigate through the overwhelmingly large body of information available with only the click of a button. Search engines, something our generation has become familiar with, are an imperative resource in navigating through the web. Sites like Google, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, and Ask, are among the most popular and widely used search engines available worldwide. From reading this chapter, I learned that Google's success in becoming the "dominant search engine in the world" came about because of more than its ability to produce relevant websites. By organizing search results by more than simply matches of keywords, and instead ranking websites' relevance by how often it is cross-referenced across the web, Google was able to create a database that acts more like a community member, familiar with reputations and applicability, than a disconnected technological tool. When I search the web, I flip flop between a few search engines: Google, Yahoo!, and MSN. While I used Yahoo! as my homepage, I often find myself pulling up Google for web searches. This makes me wonder, What is your preferred search engine? Do you use more than one? Why do you prefer one over another?

The text then discusses the importance of teaching students how to conduct effective Internet searches. Because the Internet is a massive body of information, it is likely that amongst the relevant search results, many irrelevant or inappropriate website will be yielded as well. The text notes that the Internet cannot tell who is preforming the search, and so it will produce a multitude of sites applicable for many different audiences. It then becomes our job, as teachers, to comb through these results and pick out the ones that work for our students. This can be a burdensome task, one that many teachers may not be able, or willing, to partake in. The text alludes to "smarter" search engines that are being developed to customize searches and summarize & organize that websites content materials. Is anyone familiar with any of these systems? If so, which ones? How do they work?

Lastly, I was interested in the ways plagiarism is expanding as a result of the ease in accessibility of the Internet. Students may plagiarize in a number of different ways, either explicitly searching out and handing in the work of someone else, including well-stated words or phrases they've found on the web, or simply forgetting to cite. Either way, it's still plagiarism, all the same. Sites like Turnitin.com help teachers and students alike to check their work and identify copied text. The book identifies ways to prevent plagiarism, but I am curious how you would work to combat plagiarism in your own classroom. How would you handle the work of a student who has plagiarized? What ideas do you have in preventing plagiarism? Are there any resources you are aware of that can help in this battle?

Finally, I want to include a picture of a Google search reflecting the importance of grammar. You may have seen this image before, but as a pre-service English teacher, I find it hilarious - hope you do too!

Video Project Idea

For the upcoming video project, I am thinking of focusing my topic on the Shakespeare play Romeo & Juliet. I think this is a relevant topic for a 9th or 10th grade English class, and I feel as though I could create an encapsulating video that would draw students in and get them excited for the upcoming reading. In the meantime, check out the official trailer for the 1996 movie Romeo and Juliet starring Leonardo DiCaprio:

Assesments & Learning Theories (in-class post)

This week I am walking away with a greater understanding of assessments and how they can be used effectively in our classrooms. As an educator, I feel powerful in my ability to create assessments that truly reflective the learning of my students. It seems that when creating assessments, there are far more things that can be manipulated than things that are rigidly in place. I have the power to decide how and in what form assessment will take place. However, it has been made clear that the format of the assessment is far less important than what is chosen to be assessed. Does it matter more if the assessment is paper-based or computer-based than if the assessment measures authentic learning objectives? Of course not! We must keep this in mind as we create assessments in our classrooms, for our students.

Developing Lessons with Technology (chapt. 3)

This chapter was quite interesting. It made me consider, in more depth, what we had discussed during our last class session. As a 21st century educator, I am faced with the challenge of creating lessons that consider not only academic content, but also pedagogical considerations (how I will deliver this content knowledge), as well as in what ways I will add technology into my lessons. This CK-PK-TK model is discussed further, in a slightly different context in chapter 3. The authors see lesson development as a 3 part construct: academic content (what to teach), teaching goals, methods and procedure (how to teach), and learning assessments (how to know what students have learned). This model, included on page 62 of the text, is illustrated below:

Figure 3.1: Elements of Lesson Development

The text suggests that technology can be used within each facet of lesson development. Additional content knowledge can be gained from internet searches, electronic databases, blogs, and wikis. In my own classroom, I would definitely want to utilize the web in this aspect of learning. Whether for my own knowledge in the content area-searching the web to help me in researching information as I prepare my lesson plans, or while directing students to build their knowledge on a topic for a research paper or other assignment, the web is a tool with a vast knowledge base. It would be silly not to utilize it here whenever appropriate.

While figuring out how to teach this content material, technology can act as an important tool as well. The text cites its usage in presentation software, web based diagram- and flowchart-making software, teacher developed websites, WebQuests, and movie-making software, to name a few. Certain sites and materials that I am familiar with come to mind here. The first is Prezi. This site allows teachers and students alike to create presentations in a new and original way. Information is not deliver linearly, but rather encapsulated in the context of an image. Check one out here and see what you think: http://prezi.com/ftfsnhhbvyfr/a-year-at-mission-hill-reimagining-public-education/. Another tool that came to mind is the KhanAcademy website. Here, videos are provided to aid students in their comprehension of content knowledge. This teacher developed website is useful for learning or reinforcing knowledge. Check one out here: http://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra/systems-of-eq-and-ineq/systems-with-substitution/v/solving-systems-by-substitution-1. Lastly, WebQuests and Curriculum Webs can be used by educators to teach a topic to students through the use of a self-created comprehensive and interactive website. A single lesson or an entire unit can be delivered to students through this medium. In another technology class I took in a prior semester we created one; check mine out here: http://samanthaaccurso.weebly.com.

Additionally, technology can be used in creating and delivering learning assessment in an attempt to uncover what students have learned as a result of the lesson. These assessments can be delivered in three ways: summatively, formatively, or diagnostically. In order to create truly effective lessons, all three forms of assessment should be used to assess student knowledge. These assessment can be done by administering electronic tests or quizzes, by having students create digital portfolios, through online survey software, and by creating online evaluation rubrics. If you explore my Weebly in depth, you will see all three of these assessment techniques.

This leaves me with three questions for consideration:

(1) In what ways is technology advancing student learning? Is technology hindering student learning in any way?

(2) While our classrooms grow more technological and our lesson developments engage technology more comprehensively in every aspect of their development, why are our standardized tests not following suit? Is it fair to students to assess them in ways completely different that the ways the state and federal government are evaluating their grasping of knowledge and performance? Do you foresee this dichotomy ever shifting to becoming more aligned?

(3) What will be your preferred method of assessment for students in your own classroom? Through test assessments or performance assessments? Through norm-referrenced tests, criterion-referrenced tests, or through standards-bassed assessments? Electronic-based or traditionally? Why? How is this beneficial for your students?

Take away message (in-class post)

Instructional Design:

1. who are you you designing for?
2. what are you designing?
3. what is the final product?

As a teacher envisioning myself in the role of a designer, I am designing my curriculum and the way I deliver these learning objectives and learning activities predominantly for my students. However, I must also keep in mind other key "customers;" the administration, my colleagues, parents of the students, and for myself (in terms of future students)

I am designing thinking patterns, problem solving techniques, memory building skills, comprehension skills.

The final product is a collective community working collaboratively towards common learning goals.

 
Take Away Message:

The overall message I am walking away with today is that in the classroom, technology is not to be used for the sake of using technology. Rather, it must be used with purpose. When we are able to find a way to align our pedagogy, our content knowledge, and our technology instruction, we are discovering a way to truly benefit our students.

Considerations of living in a technological world (chapters 1&2)

This weeks readings were enlightening. The text explored technology from a variety of vantage points: assessing attitudes surrounding technology, possibilities of a technological world, and looking at ways technology can enhance learning. This reading, however, has left me with a few contemplations.

Page 4 states, “Students with disabilities, students from single-parent households, and students living in urban centers use computers and the Internet less than students without disabilities, students from two-parent households, and students living outside urban areas.” This statement seems a bit open-ended, and leaves me with a few questions. In what context is this lack of Internet usage measured? Is it referring to students having less access to computers and the Internet, for issues like socioeconomic status? Is it referring to the amount of time available to dedicate to computer time? Is it referring to disinterest? Is it referring to inability to use the technology, a so-called learning curve? Perhaps all of this, collectively, is at work, but I do not give this claim much credibility.

I work in a school with physically handicapped students, and although some of their disabilities inhibit full capability of computer use—such as ease in clicking and dragging, quickness in typing, or speed with multiple mouse clicks—their capacity for understanding computer software and incorporating these technologies into every aspect of their lives is not lacking. If anything, my students are more interested in computers than your average student, because they are unable to easily participate in other teenage activities. My students can’t go out and have a catch, or pick up friends and drive to the movies, or even roam the streets on weekends, but they can access the vast world of the Internet. Furthermore, I have some students who are nonverbal, and are unable to communicate their thoughts, wants, and interests with their words. Technology has been a blessing to them, allowing them to type what they wish to communicate and use apps that can speak aloud for them. These students may stand out dramatically from their non-handicapped peers in a classroom setting, but at home in a chat room or surfing the web, they are your average teen.

Reading these chapters has me contemplating whether or not Internet usage makes students more connected to others, as they can connect to people all over the world with just the click of a mouse, or more isolated as they sit alone in silence navigating through web pages. Is the Internet bringing us together or ripping us apart? As students incorporate technology more completely into their lives, their frequency of multitasking has multiplied exponentially. Kids today are having conversations with friends while simultaneously updating their Facebook statuses, while also listening to music on their iPod, while also carrying on multiple texting conversations. Social media allows us to share everything we do and think with a single click to our thousands of Internet friends. However, these actions usually take place in a solitary setting: upstairs in a bedroom with the door closed, commuting to work on the subway, in a Starbucks with a latte in hand. We are placing emphasis on utilizing all the Internet-world has to offer while neglecting much of what our reality presents right in front of us.

I find myself at an interesting crossroad, caught in the middle of two worlds. I am not quite a Digital Native, born into a world of technology, knowing nothing but a wired world, but I am submersed into technology frequently and fully enough to be comfortable with its ever-evolving devices, software, and apps. Sometimes technology is so easy for me to use, feeling almost instinctual, but other times I find myself scared to attempt to set-up and use this month’s hottest new techy item. At times I think, I don’t need any more technology; I already have more than I know what to do with. This leaves me conflicted as I begin my teaching career and consider how I will utilize technology within my classroom. Will I be able to keep up with technology and allow myself to successfully integrate it into my classroom practices? As an aspiring English teacher, I can’t quite jump on board the digital bandwagon and leave books, in-person discussions, and hands-on-experience behind. Maybe it’s because it’s how I grew up, how I learned; in fact, it’s really all I know. I understand that there are great benefits to entering the e-world, but yet I still have trepidations. This fear of what’s unfamiliar causes me hesitation, something I hope to confront and move past as a result of the handle I hope to gain on educational technologies as a result of this class.

My First Blog Post! (introduction)

Hello everyone! I am excited for this class and look forward to learning more about technology and how I can incorporate it into my lesson plans and future classroom experiences. While I do have a basis in understanding of some educational technologies (including Smartboards & Smart Tables, Schoology, and TeacherTube, to name a few) I definitely hope to increase my knowledge even further with the help of you all, Dr. Chen and my classmates. My personal learning goals for this semester are still unclear to me; while I do know that I want to learn to be a 21st century teacher who uses technology to enhance learning and incapsulate students' attention, I do not yet know what resources are available to help me or in what capacity I will learn to become this sort of teacher. I am entering this course with an open mind, and hopefully that will help me to learn much that I can use to shape my personal learning goals and personal teaching philosophy. Looking forward to all this course has in store!