What does it take to be a great leader?
This question has certainly been asked by almost any individual who wishes to make a difference in the world, a change for the betterment of humanity. This particular chapter in the book offers a nice and concise summary and conclusion to the question posed above, what does a great leader look like? The book offers many practical suggestions, including taking advantage of resources, developing reliable team members, creating a vision and goal, and a host of other aspects to being a leader. The book kinda has a metanarrative concerning a man name Max who tries to learn wisdom and knowledge from a few professors he meets along the way to becoming a great leader. The book provides many features or characteristics of leadership, however, I have a particular rebuttal about the whole idea of an emerging leader: an intangible characteristic.
In the 2000 National Football League (NFL), a young, slow, physically underwhelming stature by the name of Tom Brady was picked 199th overall in the draft that Spring. He played a few years out of Michigan, but overall, he really did not show any real signs of potential for NFL success. That season, the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots left the game with an injury, thus creating a path for Tom Brady to play. Tom's first NFL experience was in the 4th quarter of a playoff game, where he drove his team down the field to win the game. Since then, he was become a great leader on his team. He has won 2 NFL MVP awards (which means he was the best player in the league for two different NFL seasons). He has won three Super Bowls (most players don't even win one). He is a future Hall of Fame Quarterback, who had 198 people taken in front of him in the draft over ten years ago. Tom Brady, in my humble but correct opinion, has the intangible aspect to leadership that cannot be measured. Often times, you don't know if your leader has that intangible element until after the fact (success or failure, that is).
These are my thoughts about leadership, and I did glean much helpful and practical information from this book (I also did the first five chapters of this book in my GEM project).
Once again, I really enjoyed your class, Dr. Krug. Keep up the good work!
Andrew Fultz
P.S. Boom.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
BLOG (Day 9) - Web 2.0 Making the Web Work for You (Unit A)
Research 2.0
The dynamic shift on the information highway has gone through really three phases: the static and kinda trustworthy, the not so trustworthy, and the reliability. As the chapter in this book discusses, the first phase emerged with the inception of the Internet. Not many people were adding information to websites, with the exception of the tech savy experts. With only a certain, fixed number of people adding to the information highway really makes people who read the material trust it. I do recall, however, at this first stage people were still kinda hesitate to trust the material. They would often respond, "I need to see it in a book." So even with the limited number of people who could add information to the World Wide Web, people still did not fully buy into the use of the Internet for research purposes. The next phase, which actually transitions into the web 2.0 technology, really caused people to distrust almost all research based (scholarly) material. People really needed to cite it in a printed publication. Since almost anybody could add information to the Web (specifically targeting the popular information site, "Wikipedia"), you could easily find misinformation. In fact, this stage or phrase has done so much damage that the third phrase still really has limited impact because people still hold such low regard for many information sites. The third phase involves reliable information on the Web because sites like Wikipedia have really reformed many of their ways to add information. Also, many educational institutions have really joined the game with adding reliable information to the Internet.This has really ushered in the third stage of Internet research.
The chapter in the book discusses how to judge a site's validity. I really enjoyed this portion of the reading because so often, especially in college, people just can't seem to find a source which they can feel confident to cite in a research paper. If you see a .edu on the website, that definitely helps the validity of the website. A few other things to look for in a credible source are motives, confirmed author, and contact information. The book really offers much help for a beginning user in determining the crediblity of the website.
I really enjoyed this book because it is straightforward and offers many practical suggestions to any user of the Internet, especially for those looking to do serious research about a host of possible topics.
Boom.
The dynamic shift on the information highway has gone through really three phases: the static and kinda trustworthy, the not so trustworthy, and the reliability. As the chapter in this book discusses, the first phase emerged with the inception of the Internet. Not many people were adding information to websites, with the exception of the tech savy experts. With only a certain, fixed number of people adding to the information highway really makes people who read the material trust it. I do recall, however, at this first stage people were still kinda hesitate to trust the material. They would often respond, "I need to see it in a book." So even with the limited number of people who could add information to the World Wide Web, people still did not fully buy into the use of the Internet for research purposes. The next phase, which actually transitions into the web 2.0 technology, really caused people to distrust almost all research based (scholarly) material. People really needed to cite it in a printed publication. Since almost anybody could add information to the Web (specifically targeting the popular information site, "Wikipedia"), you could easily find misinformation. In fact, this stage or phrase has done so much damage that the third phrase still really has limited impact because people still hold such low regard for many information sites. The third phase involves reliable information on the Web because sites like Wikipedia have really reformed many of their ways to add information. Also, many educational institutions have really joined the game with adding reliable information to the Internet.This has really ushered in the third stage of Internet research.
The chapter in the book discusses how to judge a site's validity. I really enjoyed this portion of the reading because so often, especially in college, people just can't seem to find a source which they can feel confident to cite in a research paper. If you see a .edu on the website, that definitely helps the validity of the website. A few other things to look for in a credible source are motives, confirmed author, and contact information. The book really offers much help for a beginning user in determining the crediblity of the website.
I really enjoyed this book because it is straightforward and offers many practical suggestions to any user of the Internet, especially for those looking to do serious research about a host of possible topics.
Boom.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
BLOG (Day 8) - Wikis for School Leaders (Chapter 3)
Why Use a Wiki?
People are so up-tight about safety, control, and caution as people approach Web 2.0 technology. So often, long-time technology users still feel a little uncomfortable with adding information themselves to the world wide web. The emerging technology of wiki's, however, greatly conflicts with this view of strict As the book states, a paradigm shift is occurring through name recognition and use in organizations because of its simple design and functions. Probably the best reason that the wiki technology is becoming increasingly popular is because it is easy to use. Also, for most of the wiki's available, it is cheap or free (which is always a good thing!).
Wiki technology really helps improve communication among almost any professional who usually does not see each other face-to-face on a daily basis. The rest of the chapter really discusses specific scenarios where wiki technology has improved communication, collaboration, and efficiency during a busy day. One aspect to this chapter which really made me laugh was it discussing "Google Wave." Through my laughter, I realized technology authors really cannot win with a book because technology advances so quickly that they cannot stick to traditional forms of communication (like a book!). Technology writers really need to blog or use a wiki themselves to get across their ideas. Quite an ironic thought about a book teaching people about using a wiki.
I have personally used and enjoyed wiki's before because it really does seem like the future of communication. I will have a class wiki in my classroom so parents can easily and quickly view what is going on in the classroom. This will also help parents keep up with technology at almost the same pace as their children. I know at The King's Academy, my 7th grade students would be able to handle a wiki much more than handling the use of e-mail. It helps the user be able to see exactly how it looks as soon as they post to the web.
These are just a few of my thoughts about the chapter from "Wikis for School Leaders."
Boom.
People are so up-tight about safety, control, and caution as people approach Web 2.0 technology. So often, long-time technology users still feel a little uncomfortable with adding information themselves to the world wide web. The emerging technology of wiki's, however, greatly conflicts with this view of strict As the book states, a paradigm shift is occurring through name recognition and use in organizations because of its simple design and functions. Probably the best reason that the wiki technology is becoming increasingly popular is because it is easy to use. Also, for most of the wiki's available, it is cheap or free (which is always a good thing!).
Wiki technology really helps improve communication among almost any professional who usually does not see each other face-to-face on a daily basis. The rest of the chapter really discusses specific scenarios where wiki technology has improved communication, collaboration, and efficiency during a busy day. One aspect to this chapter which really made me laugh was it discussing "Google Wave." Through my laughter, I realized technology authors really cannot win with a book because technology advances so quickly that they cannot stick to traditional forms of communication (like a book!). Technology writers really need to blog or use a wiki themselves to get across their ideas. Quite an ironic thought about a book teaching people about using a wiki.
I have personally used and enjoyed wiki's before because it really does seem like the future of communication. I will have a class wiki in my classroom so parents can easily and quickly view what is going on in the classroom. This will also help parents keep up with technology at almost the same pace as their children. I know at The King's Academy, my 7th grade students would be able to handle a wiki much more than handling the use of e-mail. It helps the user be able to see exactly how it looks as soon as they post to the web.
These are just a few of my thoughts about the chapter from "Wikis for School Leaders."
Boom.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
BLOG (Day 7) - Teaching with Wikis, Blogs, Podcasts & More (Chapter 4)
In this chapter by Kathleen Fitzgibbon, the author discusses the importance of presentation software. This technology refers to the ability to create slides that are projected onto a screen through a document camera or computer connected to an LCD projector. Since The King's Academy has this technology in almost all of their classes, I have personally used this quite often in many different types of lessons. Slides are especially effective in a social studies setting because I enjoy showing pictures of various artifacts. I don't like putting information on slides because I can just explain the information to them while they look at a picture. I know many good lessons are already available online, however, I sometimes don't like using those because it doesn't gel as well with my cognitive ability.
Some types of presentation software which I use include Microsoft PowerPoint, Prezi, Jeopardy Labs, Youtube, and various other technologies that can be shown in class. I have done a PowerPoint showing important images from Mesoamerica, which ended rather well by keeping the class engaged and intrigued. Prezi is another form to present information to a class in a non-linear option. Students often enjoy this because slides go up/down and slides can be very far apart. Of course, showing a short video or playing a review game is really helpful for students.
This type of technology is almost as basic as e-mail or search engines.
Boom.
Some types of presentation software which I use include Microsoft PowerPoint, Prezi, Jeopardy Labs, Youtube, and various other technologies that can be shown in class. I have done a PowerPoint showing important images from Mesoamerica, which ended rather well by keeping the class engaged and intrigued. Prezi is another form to present information to a class in a non-linear option. Students often enjoy this because slides go up/down and slides can be very far apart. Of course, showing a short video or playing a review game is really helpful for students.
This type of technology is almost as basic as e-mail or search engines.
Boom.
Monday, October 24, 2011
BLOG (Day 6) - Teaching With Wikis, Blogs, Podcasts & More (Chapter 1)
Often times in educational practice, teachers, administrators, and legislators think that technology can only effectively be used in the upper school classroom environment. With this current book, however, the author advocates that teachers can use technological devices and tools even in the elementary grades. The types of technological tools include communication, assessment, and interactive. Elementary school aged children need technology in the classroom because they have access to technology at home, church, and other locations outside of the educational institution.
Chapter one in the current textbook discusses the basics for technology use. These include e-mail and search engines. The second part of the chapter makes a transition to discuss the superiority of e-mail compared with the United States Postal Service. In fact, the USPS is actually losing quite a bit of money annually due to its inability to change and innovate itself with the current climate of technological advances. The chapter, however, kept it really simple and how to use basic technologies for classroom use. It is almost a book for dummies (or those who do not use technology often). If teachers do not use e-mail or search engines, than they really are behind in terms of keeping up with best practices. These teachers certainly do not meet standards, and I would even say they should be fired because they are clearly not modeling a love for learning (which includes change) to their students and parents.
E-mail and search engines really do enhance the classroom experience because it improves the speed of communication and it allows a teacher to very quickly look-up information. E-mail allows the teacher to quickly and efficiently communicate with parents, other teachers, coaches, and administrators. I know at The King's Academy, they use e-mail for almost everything. They even send out the daily announcements through the use of e-mail. My mentor teacher receives literally about thirty to forty e-mail messages per day (and sometimes more!). I can see the drawback to e-mail because teachers might receive so many messages throughout the day. With that understanding, however, teachers must put on their big-boy or big-girl pants, realize that the day will be busy and get over it. Search engines are really good for looking up information quickly. I also use Google Images quite often because it is great way to create a PowerPoint presentation filled with pictures about what we are studying in history.
In conclusion, old-fashioned elementary teachers need to get up on the game and use technology. They have no excuse to not use technology, and if they still refuse to use technology in the classroom, then it is time for them to retire. This blog post relates to the standards which teachers must meet in order to have a success evaluation. The lesson plan book (the current book) is certainly a gem for most beginning users of technological devices (or they would call it "technological terror," playing off of a famous phrase from Star Wars in 1977).
Boom.
Chapter one in the current textbook discusses the basics for technology use. These include e-mail and search engines. The second part of the chapter makes a transition to discuss the superiority of e-mail compared with the United States Postal Service. In fact, the USPS is actually losing quite a bit of money annually due to its inability to change and innovate itself with the current climate of technological advances. The chapter, however, kept it really simple and how to use basic technologies for classroom use. It is almost a book for dummies (or those who do not use technology often). If teachers do not use e-mail or search engines, than they really are behind in terms of keeping up with best practices. These teachers certainly do not meet standards, and I would even say they should be fired because they are clearly not modeling a love for learning (which includes change) to their students and parents.
E-mail and search engines really do enhance the classroom experience because it improves the speed of communication and it allows a teacher to very quickly look-up information. E-mail allows the teacher to quickly and efficiently communicate with parents, other teachers, coaches, and administrators. I know at The King's Academy, they use e-mail for almost everything. They even send out the daily announcements through the use of e-mail. My mentor teacher receives literally about thirty to forty e-mail messages per day (and sometimes more!). I can see the drawback to e-mail because teachers might receive so many messages throughout the day. With that understanding, however, teachers must put on their big-boy or big-girl pants, realize that the day will be busy and get over it. Search engines are really good for looking up information quickly. I also use Google Images quite often because it is great way to create a PowerPoint presentation filled with pictures about what we are studying in history.
In conclusion, old-fashioned elementary teachers need to get up on the game and use technology. They have no excuse to not use technology, and if they still refuse to use technology in the classroom, then it is time for them to retire. This blog post relates to the standards which teachers must meet in order to have a success evaluation. The lesson plan book (the current book) is certainly a gem for most beginning users of technological devices (or they would call it "technological terror," playing off of a famous phrase from Star Wars in 1977).
Boom.
Friday, October 21, 2011
BLOG (Day 5) - A conversation with Adam H. (CAK)
10-21-11
He does not have a PowerPoint presentation. He attends Fellowship Church, has a baby, and has been a technology director for about five years.
Leadership creates and guides a vision for implementating technology. This plans for long-term use in the classroom. Spending a lot of money on technology but does not have training really does not mean anything. The long-term process is huge for being a leader. What do you want your teachers graduating knowing, what type of technology skills. How does that vision fit into the mission of the school? Keep in mind that technology is to support. It isn't suppose to mainly be shiny, it needs to be supportive, something easy to use. Every decision you make will affect every other department in the school.
Strategic Plan - long term vision in how this will go. Do not be specific unless you know for sure. You need to constantly upgrade for technology. Going to conferences really helps with a plan.
For the plan: what do you need to fulfill that plan. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) means what will it all take over the lifespan of the project. 30% of the total cost is just the hardware itself. Other 70% includes shipping, support, maintenance, replacing, and a host of other costs.
Staffing is very important with technology. Most teachers are not tech savy, especially the older teachers seem to have more difficulty using the newer technologies. If teachers are not using technology, then you spent on the money on technology to use pencil and paper.
Budgeting is like nailing jello to a wall.
July 1st to June 30th. Most equipment to buy he has to plan a year out knowing it will change. That is a very difficult job. One option is to get grants, title funds, and gifts from businesses and families.
Set aside funds to research new technologies, like an iPad. Set aside funds to do infastructure. If you don't have a solid foundation with technology, then it will not run well.
Procurement: will you buy new equipment or referbised equipment. New tends to last about three years without any major issues. Will you get a warranty on the equipment? It is more cost effective to have a warranty instead of hiring people. Vendor is a good way to buy lots of equipment. If you are doing installation, it is easier if you are building a building than trying to make an already established building wireless or something.
The end-user training is crucial. One training is not enough. Do an initial training, let them work with it for two weeks, then do another training. Once a teacher does not get the support they need, then the teacher will quickly abandon the issue.
It is a good idea to have spare parts.
Policy determines how teachers, parents, and outside user groups so they have guidelines. If something happens, then you have a legal document to protect yourself.
CAK is doing a 1-1 laptop for their high school. The only catch is that they can bring whatever they have because if they are only searching on the web, a specific device does not matter. Even a netbook would do.
Q&A time.
He wishes he had more support and input from parents. He makes a lot of assumptions. CAK is using Google Apps (gmail, sites, calendar, etc.). You're not going to please everyone.
Boom.
He was very insightful. Spending time in in-service is a great idea for training.
He does not have a PowerPoint presentation. He attends Fellowship Church, has a baby, and has been a technology director for about five years.
Leadership creates and guides a vision for implementating technology. This plans for long-term use in the classroom. Spending a lot of money on technology but does not have training really does not mean anything. The long-term process is huge for being a leader. What do you want your teachers graduating knowing, what type of technology skills. How does that vision fit into the mission of the school? Keep in mind that technology is to support. It isn't suppose to mainly be shiny, it needs to be supportive, something easy to use. Every decision you make will affect every other department in the school.
Strategic Plan - long term vision in how this will go. Do not be specific unless you know for sure. You need to constantly upgrade for technology. Going to conferences really helps with a plan.
For the plan: what do you need to fulfill that plan. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) means what will it all take over the lifespan of the project. 30% of the total cost is just the hardware itself. Other 70% includes shipping, support, maintenance, replacing, and a host of other costs.
Staffing is very important with technology. Most teachers are not tech savy, especially the older teachers seem to have more difficulty using the newer technologies. If teachers are not using technology, then you spent on the money on technology to use pencil and paper.
Budgeting is like nailing jello to a wall.
July 1st to June 30th. Most equipment to buy he has to plan a year out knowing it will change. That is a very difficult job. One option is to get grants, title funds, and gifts from businesses and families.
Set aside funds to research new technologies, like an iPad. Set aside funds to do infastructure. If you don't have a solid foundation with technology, then it will not run well.
Procurement: will you buy new equipment or referbised equipment. New tends to last about three years without any major issues. Will you get a warranty on the equipment? It is more cost effective to have a warranty instead of hiring people. Vendor is a good way to buy lots of equipment. If you are doing installation, it is easier if you are building a building than trying to make an already established building wireless or something.
The end-user training is crucial. One training is not enough. Do an initial training, let them work with it for two weeks, then do another training. Once a teacher does not get the support they need, then the teacher will quickly abandon the issue.
It is a good idea to have spare parts.
Policy determines how teachers, parents, and outside user groups so they have guidelines. If something happens, then you have a legal document to protect yourself.
CAK is doing a 1-1 laptop for their high school. The only catch is that they can bring whatever they have because if they are only searching on the web, a specific device does not matter. Even a netbook would do.
Q&A time.
He wishes he had more support and input from parents. He makes a lot of assumptions. CAK is using Google Apps (gmail, sites, calendar, etc.). You're not going to please everyone.
Boom.
He was very insightful. Spending time in in-service is a great idea for training.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
BLOG - A Conversation with Polly Brake, GCA Technology Coordinator
A professional coming to speak with graduate students about professional development. It is important to continually grow and learn as a teacher.
She is an ex-marine, which she joined the military to get involved with technology. She only recently, as in past 15 years, entered in educational technology. Being a technology coordinator really makes a difference for the school and the students therein. I believe it is important to note that she has a background in technology and not necessarily education.
She wanted to begin, at first, an after-school computer camp. Now she likes to design and create all policies relating to technology for students and staff. It is important to not start form scratch. The policy led to the integration of technology in 2009. This is when she first began working with teachers. She was also told that her technology classes were boring, so it had to develop her instruction. It is important to network with other teachers.
SMART boards really helped with students enjoying technology class. Promethean boards were recently installed, but she had to step-back and had to teach the teachers how to use this type of technology. You have to learn it quickly so you could teach it. The teachers needed hands-on tasks in order to grasp the material. Also, as a technology coordinator, it is your job to research new developments, like a Mimio, which is much cheaper. It also requires for training for teachers. She had to begin offering night classes to give professional training. This requires preparation and a willingness from principals and administrators on board to take the lead.
Most of the teachers are older and are technology immigrants. This requires being dedicated to teaching teachers. They sometimes act like the students they teach. The Q&A has a black screen.
Teachers need to have the willingness to learn; it is ironic because teachers must model a love for learning!
What happens when a teacher is not willing to change?
Seminars, conferences, and webinars are huge for technology coordinators! Wal-mart is willing to give 25$ to buy school supplies each month!
GCA would still say they are behind! They are trying to work on it!
Always be prepared when stuff goes awry.
gcatechnologyblog.edu/blogs.org
youtube.com/teachers This kinda cleans up advertisements and anything bad so teachers can just show the video.
Richard Byrne (Free Technology for Teachers) (freetech4teachers.com)
Professional Company (Powertolearn.com)
Google is a great place to answers which you do not have. Googlizer? I have never heard that term before, you learn something new everyday.
The head of the school is the one who should create a vision for how to use the technology tools to enhance the educational experience.
GCA is now looking for using iPads in the classroom. They know have 12 iPads in the library. The school and other schools are being challenged to innovate quickly.
Be prepared!!!
Do you believe, in general, technology is worth the investment? This is interesting, especially considering a Christian school making a whole lot of advances in technology. Coming from a different Christian school where technology is not prevalent. Three areas where she has received funds: parents, workshops, and TETA. The 1st and 5th of the month is a great time for the 25$ a month.
A willingness to help a teacher is huge.
I know this blog post seems sporadic, but it does contain several gems throughout the "rough."
Boom.
She is an ex-marine, which she joined the military to get involved with technology. She only recently, as in past 15 years, entered in educational technology. Being a technology coordinator really makes a difference for the school and the students therein. I believe it is important to note that she has a background in technology and not necessarily education.
She wanted to begin, at first, an after-school computer camp. Now she likes to design and create all policies relating to technology for students and staff. It is important to not start form scratch. The policy led to the integration of technology in 2009. This is when she first began working with teachers. She was also told that her technology classes were boring, so it had to develop her instruction. It is important to network with other teachers.
SMART boards really helped with students enjoying technology class. Promethean boards were recently installed, but she had to step-back and had to teach the teachers how to use this type of technology. You have to learn it quickly so you could teach it. The teachers needed hands-on tasks in order to grasp the material. Also, as a technology coordinator, it is your job to research new developments, like a Mimio, which is much cheaper. It also requires for training for teachers. She had to begin offering night classes to give professional training. This requires preparation and a willingness from principals and administrators on board to take the lead.
Most of the teachers are older and are technology immigrants. This requires being dedicated to teaching teachers. They sometimes act like the students they teach. The Q&A has a black screen.
Teachers need to have the willingness to learn; it is ironic because teachers must model a love for learning!
What happens when a teacher is not willing to change?
Seminars, conferences, and webinars are huge for technology coordinators! Wal-mart is willing to give 25$ to buy school supplies each month!
GCA would still say they are behind! They are trying to work on it!
Always be prepared when stuff goes awry.
gcatechnologyblog.edu/blogs.org
youtube.com/teachers This kinda cleans up advertisements and anything bad so teachers can just show the video.
Richard Byrne (Free Technology for Teachers) (freetech4teachers.com)
Professional Company (Powertolearn.com)
Google is a great place to answers which you do not have. Googlizer? I have never heard that term before, you learn something new everyday.
The head of the school is the one who should create a vision for how to use the technology tools to enhance the educational experience.
GCA is now looking for using iPads in the classroom. They know have 12 iPads in the library. The school and other schools are being challenged to innovate quickly.
Be prepared!!!
Do you believe, in general, technology is worth the investment? This is interesting, especially considering a Christian school making a whole lot of advances in technology. Coming from a different Christian school where technology is not prevalent. Three areas where she has received funds: parents, workshops, and TETA. The 1st and 5th of the month is a great time for the 25$ a month.
A willingness to help a teacher is huge.
I know this blog post seems sporadic, but it does contain several gems throughout the "rough."
Boom.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
BLOG - Assesssment (Rubistar)
In the current context surrounding educational achievement in American culture, properly assessing a student, teacher, and school becomes a topic of fierce debate and controversy. Rubrics offer an excellent avenue to judge the impact the school year has had on a student's performance. One website which offers educators and administrators a free, easy, and convenient way to create clear and concise expectations for a particular assignment, goal, or any other task related to education. The website, rubistar.4teachers.org.php helps educators create a rubric to ensure expectations are clear. It is important, especially in the middle school setting to be as clear and concise as possible. Middle school students need what is expected from them up front because otherwise, most of them will do the minimum requirement for a class assignment.
The website features the option to either create your own rubric directly from the beginning, with the option of a template of course. The site even divides the possible templates into possible subject areas, which would really help an elementary school teacher who has to teach six or seven subjects a day. The subject areas include oral project (which definitely need a rubric to accompany something which is not as tangible as other subjects like a math assignment), art, reading, multimedia, writing, science, music, math, and many more. These subject areas would help any elementary teacher with creating an atmosphere with clear expectations for each assignment from the teacher.
The interactive feature from the Rubistar site creates a dynamic where the assessment of a student links to Blackboard or some other grade publishing site, and it connects that to the rubric which was used to grade the student. This really helps students see exactly where they were counted off.
Boom.
The website features the option to either create your own rubric directly from the beginning, with the option of a template of course. The site even divides the possible templates into possible subject areas, which would really help an elementary school teacher who has to teach six or seven subjects a day. The subject areas include oral project (which definitely need a rubric to accompany something which is not as tangible as other subjects like a math assignment), art, reading, multimedia, writing, science, music, math, and many more. These subject areas would help any elementary teacher with creating an atmosphere with clear expectations for each assignment from the teacher.
The interactive feature from the Rubistar site creates a dynamic where the assessment of a student links to Blackboard or some other grade publishing site, and it connects that to the rubric which was used to grade the student. This really helps students see exactly where they were counted off.
Boom.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
BLOG: Security vs. Access (Chapter 1 & Intro)
This book, Security vs. Access, addresses the need for educators to balance having a safe and secure environment in the classroom with also an area that is productive and creative. This balance, in my opinion, is almost impossible for a beginning educator to find. When I get my own classroom, I will probably choose the side of caution rather than trying to push the boundaries of educational technology. This book does help beginning educators like myself, as well as experienced teachers, with overcoming this challenge of seeming to perform a balancing act on a tight rope. Also, copyright issues always seem prevalent within modern American culture. A heightened sense of security, especially post 9-11, has caused more people, including myself, to be caution driven instead of exploratory driven.
This book is about ways to use the new security measures to enhance rather than detract from the use of technology for learning. Of course the authors (and myself) believe the security of our students to be a top priority, that almost goes without saying, but technology should not be viewed as something evil or untrustworthy, though this attitude has developed among many veteran teachers. This has probably, as the book states, helped slow the process of full integration of technology into teaching and learning. Despite the belief that technology is evil, schools have spent billions of dollars making their buildings resemble a twenty-first century structure. The irony here really is extraordinary.
A few concerns for educators are of course copyright issues because the amount of illegally downloaded music and movies is astronomical. Another issue (a negative connotation, ha ha), is cypersecurity, but this still seems to be taking second place to copyright laws. Teachers do not have one problem using a picture of Scooby Doo on a bulletin board, but the same teachers become weary and hesitate when viewing the same picture on a webpage. This type of fear, as the book states and which I agree, is beginning to have a negative impact on students.
The rest of the book examines eight different security threats in detail to give educators a sense of understanding. Also, they should remove most of the fear for educators that are associated with using technology in the classroom, a complete integration in all subject areas. The eight threats are: inappropriate content, predators or ensnarement, misuse of mobile communication devices, cyberbullying, network security inappropriate network use, copyright infringement, data and identity theft. With an understanding that all of these things are legitimate threats to teachers and students, people in the field of education cannot dismiss technology because these threats exist. Rather, educators should embrace technology because they know how to prevent these threats from happening through an understanding of technology.
This chapter relates well to Standard 6, which discusses safe and ethical uses of technology. Not surprisingly, ISTE is the publisher of both the standards and this particular book. Teachers, Administrators, parents, and students all should practice safe and ethical procedures when using the internet. Despite the negative issues, however, this should not detract or delay full integration of technology into the classroom. This will require teachers learning about many new ideas, but on the bright side, this gives teachers an opportunity to model a love for learning and a willingness to adapt with the ever changing culture. These two skills are crucial for young men and women who want to be successful in society in the twenty-first century.
This book is about ways to use the new security measures to enhance rather than detract from the use of technology for learning. Of course the authors (and myself) believe the security of our students to be a top priority, that almost goes without saying, but technology should not be viewed as something evil or untrustworthy, though this attitude has developed among many veteran teachers. This has probably, as the book states, helped slow the process of full integration of technology into teaching and learning. Despite the belief that technology is evil, schools have spent billions of dollars making their buildings resemble a twenty-first century structure. The irony here really is extraordinary.
A few concerns for educators are of course copyright issues because the amount of illegally downloaded music and movies is astronomical. Another issue (a negative connotation, ha ha), is cypersecurity, but this still seems to be taking second place to copyright laws. Teachers do not have one problem using a picture of Scooby Doo on a bulletin board, but the same teachers become weary and hesitate when viewing the same picture on a webpage. This type of fear, as the book states and which I agree, is beginning to have a negative impact on students.
The rest of the book examines eight different security threats in detail to give educators a sense of understanding. Also, they should remove most of the fear for educators that are associated with using technology in the classroom, a complete integration in all subject areas. The eight threats are: inappropriate content, predators or ensnarement, misuse of mobile communication devices, cyberbullying, network security inappropriate network use, copyright infringement, data and identity theft. With an understanding that all of these things are legitimate threats to teachers and students, people in the field of education cannot dismiss technology because these threats exist. Rather, educators should embrace technology because they know how to prevent these threats from happening through an understanding of technology.
This chapter relates well to Standard 6, which discusses safe and ethical uses of technology. Not surprisingly, ISTE is the publisher of both the standards and this particular book. Teachers, Administrators, parents, and students all should practice safe and ethical procedures when using the internet. Despite the negative issues, however, this should not detract or delay full integration of technology into the classroom. This will require teachers learning about many new ideas, but on the bright side, this gives teachers an opportunity to model a love for learning and a willingness to adapt with the ever changing culture. These two skills are crucial for young men and women who want to be successful in society in the twenty-first century.
Monday, October 17, 2011
BLOG - From Fear to Facebook (Intro & Chapter 1)
As I approached this book, I thought, "Wow, that is one heck of a transition: fear to a social networking site." This caused me to believe that educators can so easily be swayed to use technology if only they see how it can benefit their lives and it won't disappoint them in the long run.
As I opened the book, however, I noticed quite a few things to jump on the page to me. It opens with a quote from Woody Allen, "If you're not falling down every now and again, it's a sign that you're not doing anything innovative." This piece of advice really speaks volumes to me. As an educator, I cannot be afraid to fail. With technology, especially, it will fail everyone once in a while. With that understanding, however, educators cannot dismiss technology just because it has the possibility to fail, perhaps even during an important part of a lesson.
This book, From Fear to Facebook, is about a school's attempt to understand and embrace technology in education. Chapter one tells the painful and amusing story of a school trying to get laptops for every student in the school. They sought this out of practicality because laptop carts seemed to cause more problems than solutions it created. Unfortunately, with students all receiving their own laptops, they quickly forgot that the computers were still owned by the school. The students quickly took advantage of the computers and attempted to make them their own. Another downside to the laptop situation was that students were becoming distracted in class, by instant messaging one another during class. When the school blocked iChat, parents and students both became angry. This kinda makes me laugh because they are privileged to receive the laptops in the first place, but apparently that is not good enough.
Some positives from this chapter include the school and students (and parents) finding a way to set up boundaries for proper use in school. The school really desperately sought to provide a safe learning environment while at the same time attempting to foster innovation and creativity. This all happened in year one, but once year two rolled around in this school, they were much more prepared to tackle the tasks associated with having a laptop per student. This focused on teaching teachers the in's and out's of the acceptable use policy (AUP). This challenge, however, was still met with opposition and the AUP still needed fine tuning through the way. As a reader and an educator, I was still puzzled as to the feelings of school after both years of doing a laptop for every student. With a resounding positive statement, they did this to help student's learn because technology plays such a vital role in each of their lives.
These are just a few of my thoughts about the current issue, of a 1 to 1 in a school. It still makes me nervous to have a laptop for each student, but I suppose it would probably benefit the entirety of the student body. I do believe, however, that while a teacher is talking, laptops should be put away because those cause more distractions than anything. Note taking in class should still be done by hand, but after the teacher finishes a lecture, students should use laptop for active learning and other activities for the rest of the class period.
Boom.
As I opened the book, however, I noticed quite a few things to jump on the page to me. It opens with a quote from Woody Allen, "If you're not falling down every now and again, it's a sign that you're not doing anything innovative." This piece of advice really speaks volumes to me. As an educator, I cannot be afraid to fail. With technology, especially, it will fail everyone once in a while. With that understanding, however, educators cannot dismiss technology just because it has the possibility to fail, perhaps even during an important part of a lesson.
This book, From Fear to Facebook, is about a school's attempt to understand and embrace technology in education. Chapter one tells the painful and amusing story of a school trying to get laptops for every student in the school. They sought this out of practicality because laptop carts seemed to cause more problems than solutions it created. Unfortunately, with students all receiving their own laptops, they quickly forgot that the computers were still owned by the school. The students quickly took advantage of the computers and attempted to make them their own. Another downside to the laptop situation was that students were becoming distracted in class, by instant messaging one another during class. When the school blocked iChat, parents and students both became angry. This kinda makes me laugh because they are privileged to receive the laptops in the first place, but apparently that is not good enough.
Some positives from this chapter include the school and students (and parents) finding a way to set up boundaries for proper use in school. The school really desperately sought to provide a safe learning environment while at the same time attempting to foster innovation and creativity. This all happened in year one, but once year two rolled around in this school, they were much more prepared to tackle the tasks associated with having a laptop per student. This focused on teaching teachers the in's and out's of the acceptable use policy (AUP). This challenge, however, was still met with opposition and the AUP still needed fine tuning through the way. As a reader and an educator, I was still puzzled as to the feelings of school after both years of doing a laptop for every student. With a resounding positive statement, they did this to help student's learn because technology plays such a vital role in each of their lives.
These are just a few of my thoughts about the current issue, of a 1 to 1 in a school. It still makes me nervous to have a laptop for each student, but I suppose it would probably benefit the entirety of the student body. I do believe, however, that while a teacher is talking, laptops should be put away because those cause more distractions than anything. Note taking in class should still be done by hand, but after the teacher finishes a lecture, students should use laptop for active learning and other activities for the rest of the class period.
Boom.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Solomon, Israel, and the Nations
"As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name--for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm--when he comes and prays toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name."
- 1 Kings 8:41-43
This passages reflects the heart of King Solomon, known for his wisdom, by reflecting a gracious attitude toward people outside the faith. Within the context of these verses, Solomon is praying to the Lord just before the dedication of the temple, a wonder Solomon has worked so hard in trying to complete. It is in fact a project which will come to define his reign over Israel. Within this particular passage, however, several principles emerge which will help guide church growth and planting:
1. Men will hear about the works of the Lord, even those outside the Church.
2. Men will search for the provision of God, not necessarily God himself (Romans 1:18-3:20).*
3. God is outside the world, creation, yet he is very much in the world.
4. God responds to prayer to make His name known, especially to those outside the faith.
5. The majesty and beauty of God was never meant strictly for Israel; the Jews were suppose to take His name to the world.
These are just a few of my quick thoughts about this part of Solomon's prayer. It certainly is challenging, especially considering how we might respond to foreigners (those outside the Church) today.
*They only search for God because they first heard about the working of God. One must understand that God always intiates an encounter with man.
- 1 Kings 8:41-43
This passages reflects the heart of King Solomon, known for his wisdom, by reflecting a gracious attitude toward people outside the faith. Within the context of these verses, Solomon is praying to the Lord just before the dedication of the temple, a wonder Solomon has worked so hard in trying to complete. It is in fact a project which will come to define his reign over Israel. Within this particular passage, however, several principles emerge which will help guide church growth and planting:
1. Men will hear about the works of the Lord, even those outside the Church.
2. Men will search for the provision of God, not necessarily God himself (Romans 1:18-3:20).*
3. God is outside the world, creation, yet he is very much in the world.
4. God responds to prayer to make His name known, especially to those outside the faith.
5. The majesty and beauty of God was never meant strictly for Israel; the Jews were suppose to take His name to the world.
These are just a few of my quick thoughts about this part of Solomon's prayer. It certainly is challenging, especially considering how we might respond to foreigners (those outside the Church) today.
*They only search for God because they first heard about the working of God. One must understand that God always intiates an encounter with man.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
HTML - My Own Website
http://andrewfultz2011.webs.com/index.htm
I believe this will work, however, I am not sure. Hope it passes!
I believe this will work, however, I am not sure. Hope it passes!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
SMART Chapters 10 and 11 - Digital Citizenship
The first thought I have when I think about an ideal digital citizen is obeying copyright laws. I know of so many people who have downloaded music and movies illegally, it honestly makes me sick. In the dorm at Johnson it even occurred. In fact, with one guy in particular, he was like a modern day pirate: almost everything electronic in his room was stolen. I cannot believe Christians participate in these actions. Thus, a model digital citizen obeys copyright laws in my opinion, and the adults and students I know do not meet this definition well. Even with pictures, I believe they fail to miss the point about using other person's hard work. I must say, however, that with the emergence of iTunes and Youtube offering more avenues to watch movies (same with Hulu), I believe this aspect of digital citizenship is improving. I have hope for the future adults and students of the digital world; mainly because uploading their own work to the internet is becoming more commonplace. It will almost create a mutual bond among people; at least that is my outlook as of right now.
Another aspect of my opinion about an ideal digital citizen is that they respect others on the web. Cyber-bullying cannot occur with an good digital citizen. Cyber-bullies target people who often seem inferior to themselves, but this aggression is motivated by being insecure with themselves or having been bullied themselves. Like I stated in an earlier blog post, I have never experienced this before but it is not hard to imagine it occurring at a devastating level. When it comes to adults measuring up to this I believe they do a fairly good job of being a digital citizen. I have never encountered one adult bullying another, however, I cannot say it has never happened. With students, however, I believe cyber-bullying has become a problem but not a major one. Students of course bullying one another more so than adults, but I believe cyber-bullying is better than bullying in real life, unless of course it occurs to a student in both. So in conclusion, if someone obeys copyright laws and respects others while online, I believe they possess good qualities of a digital citizen. I know other characteristics exist, however, these two in my opinion are essential.
Sexting is something I have never heard of until I read it in the textbook. I'm not sure if a felony is appropriate in a case of sexting, but possibly a slap on the wrists would be more appropriate. I will say, however, every situation should be treated differently so I cannot make a universal comment about sexting and its legal consquences. I find this practice nothing new. Students have been making sexual comments toward one another for decades (or longer!); this practice just leaves an electronic paper trail for evidence. Students used paper in the past and probably stone even further back. I do, however, believe it is a disgusting practice and should not be allowed, especially in the classroom. We need, according to Maslow, a safe environment for students to learn. The teachers must prevent sexting from even occurring in the classroom to begin with by not allowing them to play with their phones. I know it probably occurs more outside the school environment, and as a teacher, all I can do is communicate with parents to let them know the dangers of their children having unmonitored cell phones. If this did happen in my classroom, I would immediately take away the cell phones and notify adminstration on the first offense. I will not allow my safe classroom environment to be destroyed by sexting.
This is my last blog post from the SMART track. I have enjoyed this homework assignment. Thanks Dr. Krug!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
SMART Chapter 8 - Creating Content (Images)
In this section, probably more than almost any other, I have the most experience when it comes to accessing and viewing photographs and videos posted online. I absolutely love Google Images because one can find almost any photo every taken, especially the ones from history. For one project for Dr. Trotter while I was his teacher assistant (T.A.), I was to assemble a PowerPoint presentation which consisted of photos of various artwork from the Renassiance time period. It was extremely easy because all it required was a simple Google Image search, copy, and paste into PowerPoint. I assembled well over sixty photos for him to use. For almost all of my presentations in class, I have used some photograph from the internet. Photos just make presentation more appealing. As for videos, I have used them very often as well. Youtube is a great place to waste time and learn about important events. I have watched on Youtube anything from President Obama's speech at Georgetown a few months ago to little children getting hit in the face with a basketball. Plus with Youtube (also owned by Google), it is so easy and quick to view videos. I have used video clips in various presentations while at Johnson. I remember showing a video for a Middle School Methods presentation about "10 ways to lead a classroom discussion" or something to that nature. It went over well and gave me a break from speaking. I have always really enjoyed my experiences with both of these sites (Images and Youtube). I must add, however, a disclaimer at this point. Some of the content could be inappropriate. Teachers (and parents) just have to be careful when allowing children to surf the web.
I do have experience with uploading and sharing photographs and videos to the web. Facebook and Twitter have been the main avenue for me to share photos, and Youtube has been the place where I upload my videos. I have roughly ten videos on Youtube, and all of them have been made by myself. My purpose in uploading and sharing photographs and videos has been basically so other people can see them. I am proud of my work and would like other people to enjoy it as well, especially concerning videos. Also, another reason I like putting them on the web is that it's a great place to store them, once again, especially for the videos. I can pull up Youtube from almost anywhere if a principal wants to see one of my videos (I do put some of the ones with students to private viewing); whereas, a video stored on a flash drive occupies so much memory it would be hard to show many videos if necessary.
Creative Commons is an organization that allows users to share media and it helps them find a legal way to go about that sharing (http://creativecommons.org/). This impacts teacher and student use because everyone wants to become a good digital citizen. We don't want to steal other people's work, and we want to give proper credit where it is due. This organization is impactful because it helps teachers and students stay out of trouble when using videos in the classroom. This is also impactful because it seeks to provide "universal" access from the internet for educational purposes. Education is important, the law is important, and we must find a collaborate way to make both sides happy. Creative commons issues licenses that helps educators with the copyright laws placed upon so many pieces of photography and video. This is certainly an interesting concept and I will most definitely learn more about it in the future.
I really do enjoy videos and photographs online. It is such a better way to view them than having to carry around a flash drive or computer.
Monday, July 4, 2011
SMART Chapter 7 - Creating Content (Writing)
Blogs are an online writing tool that consist of dated entries posted in reverse chronological order so that the most recent entry appears first, according to the textbook. These differ from Wikis and Web-based word processors in that they are designed to record one or more authors thoughts so others may view them. Though blogs can be personalized, they cannot be personalized at nearly the level of a Wiki, and they aren't designed to record tremendously long documents like Web-based word processors. They are an informal writing opportunity designed to record thoughts, feelings, and ambitions from a person or persons. Blogs can be used in the classroom to help the teacher authentically assess student learning. By having a learning log or a question at the end of class for students to blog their thoughts, teachers can quickly and easily identify which students grasp the material and which ones do not. Blogs have the opportunity to make a significant impact in the classroom.
A Wiki is a web site that allows visitors to add, remove, and edit content. Wiki's differ from blogs in that they allow anyone to update or add information, whereas a blog only allows a selected number of authors. It is differs from a Web-based word processor in that they are not designed to write term papers and other needs a web-based word processor would meet. Wikipedia is a popular example of a Wiki, combining thousands of possible authors together to form meaningful information. Wikis are a great way for parents, teachers, and students to share information in a quick and easy manner. In the classroom, students can publish their work to a wiki, which then the parents could easily view from home. This reduces much stress for the student because they no longer have to worry about taking numerous amounts of papers home to be signed by their parents and then have to bring them back to school safely. Wikis allow for much easier communication between school and home.
Web-based word processors allow computers to save precious memory hard drive by eliminating the need for special software installed. Google Docs would be an example of this type of word processor, which gives people a free alternative to Microsoft Word. This tool allows a user a create, edit, and store files online and publish the file if necessary. Blogs and Wikis almost always immediately publish material for everyone to see, but Web-based word processors allow an author to keep his or her files secret. Another way this differs from blogs and Wikis is that it allows for online collaboration. A blog or wiki could only have one author working on one document at a time. With Web-based word processors, however, multiple people can work on the same document at once. This, I must say, is a really cool feature. This would be great in the classroom to have a round-robin writing activity. This is where one student would add to a document with a certain number of sentences or lines, then another student adds some more lines, and it continues until every student in a group adds their part. Another way to use Web-based word processors in the classroom is having the teacher view a students work while they are still working. Teachers can make suggestions and help before the student ever turns in a project. Web-based word processors have many possible uses in the classroom.
I have personally used, mainly because of this class, most of the tools mentioned above. I have not used a Wiki before, though I have frequently read information from Wikipedia. I have never contributed to a Wiki, mainly because I never felt the need too. It was not because I'm against that type of technology, I just simply never had a need, a desire, or anything of the sort to put time into a Wiki. I will in the future because I believe a Wiki is a great way to communicate with parents and other teachers during a busy school year. The only time I have used a blog before is during this class. I will most likely keep this blog account, however, I'm not sure how much I will be posting this coming year. I think the reason I have not used this in the past (though I've known several people who have) is that Facebook and Twitter have really been the way I communicate my thoughts, feelings, and ambitions to people. Facebook also has the option to post notes, which kinda resemble a blog (thought I haven't made one yet). Finally, up to this class, I have not used Web-based word processors, like Google Docs. Once again, I have always had Microsoft Word on my computer, so I never had a need for something like that. Also, Johnson only had a few group projects, so the need really wasn't there to sign up for a collaboration tool (though I certainly knew about it from friends). Once this class has started, however, I have fallen in love with Google Docs. On my next computer, I don't believe I will be purchasing Microsoft Word because why would I want to spend a hundred dollars or so when I can get the same application for free. I will most certainly use Google Docs in my classroom, and I will use it for my own personal use as well.
Thanks Dr. Krug for introducing me to so much cool stuff!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
SMART Chapter 9 - Gaming
I have some mixed opinions about gaming in an educational environment. As the textbook discussed and from my own experience, gamers are usually people who call Halo or Call of Duty for hours at a time. This often results in a warped view of reality; they are angry or tend to experience more violent outburts of rage than their peers who do not play video games. I know the textbook mentioned that this stereotype is not true, however, all stereotypes have some basis in fact. I understand the basic uses and educational value of gaming, however, it still makes me nervous to put kids into some other reality. Unlike my view about virtual worlds, I actually support the use of gaming in the classroom because it can reinforce curriculum to an extend where practice and drill could never accomplish. This type of experience, like John Dewey a little under a century ago, offers students a great way to practice skills and facts in a positive fasion. Gaming connects the classroom activities with what studnets are doing at home. Most students, according to the textbook, are gaming to some degree. Gaming would create excitement and energy because students can easily relate to that type of experience and would create a positive learning environment. I think back to my own experience with gaming, especially the Oregon Trail. I really enjoyed learning about the frontier and the struggle it was to make it out West during the 1800s. I admit, however, that it was more about the game than learning. I didn't learn the material until afterwards when I could connect the dots. Teachers, if they chose to use gaming in the classroom, need to be sure to connect the game with the material because educators cannot assume students will have that type of cognitive ability.
In all honesty, I see very little value in having students create their own minigame. The value I do see, however, would be that students could take ownership of the game and material in a more meaningful way than just a word search or puzzle. Students could feel a sense of ownership toward the game and material that would require them to put forth good work. The textbook said it could take about 2 - 3 hours of class time, which is probably a low estimate in reality. My other concern is that it would take such a long time to create that the valuable class time already stretched thin could not take an activity of that length. In a middle school setting, that would take almost a whole week to complete. I prefer my students to not reinvent the wheel and just use a game someone else has made. Using another persons game might be a little risky, but if I just want to use it for review, then making a minigame is out of the question. Making a minigame would be meaningful to students, it would gurantee the educator of the appropriateness of the game, and, finally, it would be an experience students would likely not have somewhere else. It is very doubtful students would create their own game outside of the classroom, so this might be an experience that would create excitement and develop a positive attitude toward school and education.
These are just a few of my thoughts about gaming, education, and the experiences of students.
SMART Chapter 6 - Virtual Worlds
I am not sure if I have ever visited an online virtual world. I say that I'm unsure because, even after reading the chapter, I could think of places that would use an avatar like character, but I don't think I have used one on the internet before. A few of the avatar like experiences I have had mainly include the Wii Gaming Console, which requires all users to make an virtual picture of themself. This resembles very closely an avatar. Outside of that, and possible the Sims virtual world a few years ago, I have never experienced an online virtual world. In all honesty, it looks to be very silly. I can go along with many of the new features in our textbook, however, with virtual worlds, I just have to put my foot down because it seems like such a waste of time. Probably the main reason I have never visited an online virtual world is because most of them cost money, especially the ones per month. I don't want to be sucked into the trap of playing and paying for something like World of Warcraft. Virtual worlds have never really appealed to me, probably because I enjoy being outside and interacting with people face to face.
Virtual worlds, I can see the benefit of having them in the classroom. Mainly because so many teenagers have trouble with their image and avatars would help them develop socially. Avatars, however, I could also see hurting teenagers self-image because once they turn off the computer, they are still the same person. Educators need to help teenagers develop self-esteem and learn how to accept themselves. Educators need to show love and acceptance to each and every student; this will serve as a great way to build confidence instead of using an avatar. Virtual worlds also seem to be very un-safe. It is almost a breeding ground for cyber bullying, which does need any help in becoming a problem in the classroom. As a teacher, I don't feel I would have as much control in a virtual world as I would have in my real classroom. It just makes me nervous to enter into a virtual world. Also, virtual wolrds really take the experience out of education. Students while in a virtual world don't seem to experience things in the same way as in reality. My thesis is about nature awareness and science achievement, so I have a very biased viewpoint about this issue. I want kids to experience reality, not some virtual world.
I have enjoyed many of the ideas in the textbook, but this is not one of them. Perhaps someone who has more background knowledge could make virtual worlds very effective in the classroom, but I cannot say they will used in mine.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
SMART Chapter 5 - Social Networks
My Experience:
My first experience with social networking came on Myspace about my junior year of high school. At first, I thought that website, which was pretty much the only one I knew at the time, was pretty girly. I was hesitate to use technology altogether, and I really didn't believe social networking was all that great. I did eventually join the crowd, however, with Myspace. I especially liked how I could read what people are doing and who is talking to you without them actually knowing. It was like I was a fly on the wall without becoming a disgusting fly. I also enjoyed the music aspect to Myspace. Listening to other people's music, and even customizing my profile with a song I enjoyed really helped me like social networking.
When I came to Johnson, my freshman year, I deleted my Myspace account and joined Facebook because the perception was the Facebook was for college and Myspace was for high school. I didn't want to be viewed like a high schooler, so I joined Facebook. Plus, everyone in college had a Facebook, so I wanted to join the crowd, yet again. Facebook has made the experience at Johnson rather entertaining. If we had a bad chapel speaker, then everyone would post something about it as their status. Another aspect to Facebook is that if you saw someone on campus, knew their name but never talked with them before (like in person), all you had to do was Facebook "stalk" them and become friends. I have so many friendships on Facebook where I have never really talked with them in real life. It's kinda weird, but Facebook has changed the college experience.
Finally, I joined Twitter about a year ago. I don't Tweet that often, except maybe to Retweet something I really enjoyed reading and wanted to share with my followers. I do, however, follow authors, theologians, and other celebrity type people because I enjoy what they post. It's interesting to read what somebody put on Twitter and then see news station quote from the same Tweet you already read. Twitter definitely changes society because people can easily get their feelings or opinions out with having to be interviewed.
The Vision:
I envision social networking sites having some backlash because people might just get tired of everyone knowing their business. Until then, however, Twitter could be used in the classroom to follow important people, like President Obama. Students can follow their President, Congressman, and Supreme Court officials as they Tweet about current issues and other ideas. This is a great way because Twitter limits the Tweet to about 140 characters, so students from almost any reading level can grasp the thought behind the Tweet. I can see Twitter, more so than Facebook or Myspace, playing an important role in education in the 21st century.
Facebok might play a little role, however, most school systems are blocking that site. Plus, with the increase in adds and applications, Facebook is slowing down in popularity. I probably won't become friends with any of my students on Facebook because that could be a little inappropriate. Twitter, however, is much easier to use in schools because it is much simplier than Facebook. Facebook is becoming increasingly more complex, which won't fare well in education in my opinion. But, I know Dr. Patten has said that getting students to make a Facebook page about an historical figure would be a good way to incorporate social networking into education. I'm still unsure about the whole process of Facebook in education.
Social networks will play a role to some degree beyond what I mentioned about Twitter. Perhaps, another social networking site will emerge, specifically designed for education. One that will actually become popular.
SMART Chapter 4 - Netbooks (and iPads)
My opinion:
I like the idea that every student gets their own personal computer for educational purposes. The advantages to this far exceed the negatives. Students can surf the web, or at least use its resources, to further their education in ways a traditional textbook could never accomplish. Plus, with every student having their own computers, eBooks can be used instead of paper copy textbooks. This would automatically cut costs drastically. Plus, with all the free resources online, it would be foolish to not use the many different features available. I would have my students blogging about pictures and articles about Hitler instead of just reading on paper about him. Netbooks for every student would make handing in papers easier, by not even having to click a button on Google Docs. Also, netbooks would cut the amount of clutter on a deak. Netbooks would allow students to tour the world using Google Earth without ever leaving their seat, which I have no doubt would improve geography skills. It is such a good idea, if a school system has the money upfront to pay for each netbook, to use the online resources available to maximize the learning experience for each child.
Pros:
In my opinion, netbooks have a much better typing option than iPads because I cannot handle typing long paragraphs or even papers on an iPad. The keyboard just does not work well for me. Netbooks would work much better for students because it gives them an easier option to type, especially on places like Google Docs. Another benefit for netbooks over iPads is the battery life. I know the iPad 2 can virtually last all day, perhaps a battery life of 8-9 hours; but, some netbooks can run off of solar energy, which means they will never need recharged or plugged in an outlet. Also, they don't have a glare like the iPad does. I know Kindle's and other tablets do not have that glare, but I know the iPad does, a really bad one too. These are just a few of the positives for netbooks in the classroom setting.
Cons:
Network security becomes a huge problem with many netbooks because these machines do not have the memory for any added on security features. Netbooks are much more vulnerable to viruses and malware. This could become a major problem, especially if a student can loses personal information. Also, the cheap price on these machines would be virtually wiped away if a viruse destroys it, thus causing parents to purchase a second one for their child. Another disadvantage to netbooks are their size. Adults with their big fingers and bad eyes cannot adjust properly to the small features of a netbook. Smaller children, however, do not have a problem with the smallness of this machine. At least with the iPad, one can adjust the font or zoom rather easily for the older people in the world. A final drawback to netbooks are system capabilities for these machines. Students love adding applications to any machine, but netbooks cannot really handle many apps due to its small memory. Also, many systems, according to the textbook, seem to have problems running on these machines. There are many drawbacks to using a netbook, like all machines of course. iPads thrives with many applications and memory does not seem to be an issue, so in these instances, the iPads win.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
SMART - Chapter 3 (MP3 Players)
Pros:
MP3 players have so much potential for reinforcing classroom material. In my future classroom, I could have students listen to historical speeches with their own ears and not simply just read about it in a textbook. A great speech for them to hear would be Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech. Another advantage is for them to listen to audio books; giving them a feel for the structure of print and helping themselves read. While on field trips, students could record their thoughts about a particular object or subject. This gives them the opportunity to listen to it again and thus reinforce the material. So many possibilities exist for MP3 use in the classroom.
Cons:
Just like with cell phone usage, MP3 players could lead to cheating. Students can easily record lectures, notes, and other cheat sheet type materials to use during examinations. I remember one of my middle school teachers telling the class a story while she was in college about a gentlemen, who had long hair, could cover up a ear piece. He thus had the ability to listen to it without notice. Her college class had to memorize a series of Shakespeare sonnets, which he only had to record on his tape recorder. This is a perfect example of cheating, and MP3 players could easily lead to that type of atmosphere. Other cons include isolating oneself from their classmates, and the device just simply becoming a distraction.
Useful Podcasts (links):
The site I really liked the most was, surprisely Wikimedia. Though I must say students should not browse through that site because some inappropriate content exists, rather out in the open if I say so myself. Despite the wide range of appropriateness, some really great videos exist in their archives. I found several viewable videos from history (which excites me considering I look to teach history). Also, many videos exist on that site which detail geographical locations across the United States, as well as the world. This site I would deem most helpful only because it has so many videos. I was rather overwhelmed at first glance. Any teacher would have enough material for a whole year's worth of planning.
Making Podcasts:
It is very simple: have internet and a media player program. I really enjoy how the author states the simplicity of making a podcast for students. The advice she gives, however, I felt was a little brief. It would have been better to go a little more detailed in making a podcast and sharing it. When thinking about making a podcast, I can't help but think about how useful it could be to students. I could put directions for a particular assignment on a podcast for students in case they missed a step. I could record a class session, share it via podcast so parents could feel very much apart of their child's education. I could put a lecture or two as a podcast for students to review for an examination. The possibilities are endless, and making a podcast is actually really simple if one already has iTunes installed.
I'm getting more excited about using technology in the classroom, but I don't want to always rely on it for my well-being. There are positivies and negatives to using it, especially podcasts, in the classroom. The idea about parents listening to a class session is great, but still remains very un-practical. I will continue to ponder this the rest of the night.
SMART - Chapter 2 (Cell Phones)
Statistics:
Just 23% of students surveyed for Speak Up 2007 believe that their schools are doing a good job preparing them for today's workplace. This is truly a sad statistic, considering that the students spend over ten years of their life preparing for the workplace, and they feel schools have failed them. I know graduating from Powell High School, I quickly realized how un-prepared I was for college. Having Dr. Rodriguez my first semester certainly helped, but I had no idea how to write a quality paper or have any effective study habits. This statistic spoke to me because I know how these students feel.
The other statistics which mentioned the rapid climb of cell phone usage and popularity; I was already pretty familair with their impact throughout the United States so I can't say any few feelings emerged from the first part of the chapter.
Pros:
Ability to find information quicklyUsing the camera on the cell phone can provide meaningful learning experiences, especially for the visual learner. Students can record or listen to podcasts and other audio material on their cell phones, which provides a quick and easy learning experience on the go. Teachers can also conduct quick and easy surveys (with the help of various websites) by having students text in an answer. This is a great way to get everyone involved, and the students who are shy will appreciate you having their opinion with the ease of not having to raise their hand in class.
Research and study aides is another way students can use cell phones in class. On the iPhone, students can quickly go through a deck of flash cards right before an exam as a quick review. The possibilities are almost endless with the positive use of cell phones in class.
Cons:
Cell phone usage can sometimes promote cheating. When a student takes an exam in 1st period, he could easily text a person or record the answers in his phone for a person in 2nd period to use. Cell phones work better than just telling someone what to expect because students often forget several parts of an exam after taking it; thus, cell phones recording the answers is a sure way to promote cheating. Also, cyber-bullying can occur at school using cell phones. This is something which I have no prior experience with because cyber bullying really didn't occur by the time I graduated high school in 2007. Students texting mean comments, or often times racial or sexual comments, is very inappropriate. Cell phones would breed that type of behavior, whereas, not having cell phones would quickly solve that problem. At least, during the school day. Cell phones also just cause distractions. Adults clearly don't understand when to use cell phones and when to not use them, so students will not use them correctly. I can't stand when I see someone texting in the movie theater; it makes me want to punch that person in the face. Cell phones would cause a distraction because students would be on Facebook or Twitter while a teacher is assigning directions or modeling a skill. So many things could go wrong by using a cell phone in school.
Best Idea:
The best idea in my opinion was the survey. It is so easy for teachers to pull up a website and having students each respond to a question. This is a great way to have authentic formative assessment; making sure each student understands the material before moving forward. Also, students don't have to be afraid that someone would judge them for their answer. This is a method I will definitely use in my classroom.
The chapter certainly had a few interesting and creative ways for cell phones; I enjoyed reading them!
Monday, June 27, 2011
SMART - Chapter 1
21st Century Skills focus around preparing students for a global market and providing them technological skills to compete in a world-wide job market. I agree with what the author of this textbook is saying in Chapter 1; students need to be globally educated because the world is shrinking with the increase in popularity of technological social devices. Students cannot be ignorant of people from different countries because they are virtually competing for the same jobs.
The main question I gleaned from this chapter becomes how to find an appropriate balance between teaching core knowledge (math, science, reading, history, etc.) and technology skills. My opinion is that both are essential for any student, but the difficult part is to find a healthy balance. From my opinion and background, I'm not sure the school day is the best place to teach students technology skills because more than likely, they have already received that training from home, church, or other social events. School should focus on teaching the core subjects, with of course integrating and using technology to teach thosee subjects. As far as technology skills go, I believe students already receive that before they enter the school building. Granted, some Title 1 students might not have that opporunity, but the vast majority do. Most of the time, the students know more about technology than the teacher, so why would teachers want to "waste" their time teaching material to digital natives that they already know.
If schools will continue to progress toward teaching technology skills, I think the best way to find a healthy balance is simply integrate the material. Have the students do math drills using a computer program. I wouldn't have learned how to type if it wasn't for a computer program in high school that built its premise around shooting basketball into a hoop for every word typed correctly in a specific amount of time. Computers can be used to enhance repetition, and they can search for information very quickly. Both of these are just a few of the many examples for computers to engage students with the core curriculum.
The main question I gleaned from this chapter becomes how to find an appropriate balance between teaching core knowledge (math, science, reading, history, etc.) and technology skills. My opinion is that both are essential for any student, but the difficult part is to find a healthy balance. From my opinion and background, I'm not sure the school day is the best place to teach students technology skills because more than likely, they have already received that training from home, church, or other social events. School should focus on teaching the core subjects, with of course integrating and using technology to teach thosee subjects. As far as technology skills go, I believe students already receive that before they enter the school building. Granted, some Title 1 students might not have that opporunity, but the vast majority do. Most of the time, the students know more about technology than the teacher, so why would teachers want to "waste" their time teaching material to digital natives that they already know.
If schools will continue to progress toward teaching technology skills, I think the best way to find a healthy balance is simply integrate the material. Have the students do math drills using a computer program. I wouldn't have learned how to type if it wasn't for a computer program in high school that built its premise around shooting basketball into a hoop for every word typed correctly in a specific amount of time. Computers can be used to enhance repetition, and they can search for information very quickly. Both of these are just a few of the many examples for computers to engage students with the core curriculum.
My Thoughts About Blog Creation
Setting up a blog for this class was actually pretty simple. It took me less than five minutes to set up my account, choose a template, and begin recording my thoughts. This gives me a gateway into a whole world yet undiscovered to my eyes. Once the blog was established, however, the process became a little more difficult.
I did not know which WEAVE to post this blog to, and this first day of class has felt a little rushed. The blogging feel, on the other hand, presents a great way for students to organize their thoughts and learning experiences in a way which will not clutter their desk with papers.
I'm excited to begin blogging much more throughout this class, and I will continue to blog after this summer session. This will be such a great learning experience, and I cannot wait to find new ways to reach students with knowledge!
I did not know which WEAVE to post this blog to, and this first day of class has felt a little rushed. The blogging feel, on the other hand, presents a great way for students to organize their thoughts and learning experiences in a way which will not clutter their desk with papers.
I'm excited to begin blogging much more throughout this class, and I will continue to blog after this summer session. This will be such a great learning experience, and I cannot wait to find new ways to reach students with knowledge!
Computers galore!
We are so often dependent upon computers that we will be one day not know how to live without them.
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