Final Reflective Post

Well here it is. The end of the semester. I have to say, I have learned so much in these last 4 months. I have learned not only about the technology being used in the classroom, but how to be creative, what kind of teacher I want to be, and how to use all the tools out there for my future classroom/students.

First of all, I fell in love with these blog posts. I haven't been able to be this creative in my school work in....well....I can't really remember a time I was able to be creative in my school work. I am taking this show on the road (so to speak) and using a blog in my classroom....or at least a website. I had a pretty good time creating that final assignment as well.

Students of all ages struggle with telling their parents what they've been up to in their studies. I'm not old enough yet to not remember that. Parents, especially of young students who are developing life long skills in their classroom, want and need to be involved in what's happening every day. I can only imagine how helpful a classroom website or blog could be for busy parents on the go! I can't wait to create such a useful tool in my educating, and have a lot of fun doing so! I am very appreciative of all the ways to utilize technology that I have learned. Aside from the blog posts and website, I have been able to explore many websites for content, like a website that makes quizzes, a word map, or a graphic. This will come in handy for my own classroom blog/website. I will be able to make it creative and customized.


Online classes can be tough. It's easy to skip over content and wing the assignments, but with this class I actually read (READ not skimmed) the textbook! It contained so much new information that I didn't know about, so much that can help make your teaching fun and informative. The lesson I think I'll take away from this class over anything else, is module 13 which spoke about copyrights. At the beginning of the class, I was using images that had a copyright and I didn't even know it. I immediately stopped, of course, and it has stuck with me through every lesson.


On to the negative....group projects. College groups projects are a recipe for disaster...and then add the fact that none of us see each other in person. It was rough, at least for me. My group project this semester went extremely poor. There was no communication and no way to try to create more communication. Coming from the student's perspective, it was really really rough. It's something to think a little about a little more, from the perspective of the teacher, if that kind of project is just a guaranteed bad grade. Maybe its a personal thing and every other group had great communication and exceeded at the project, but that was definitely not the case for me and my group.


All in all, I have to give a big "thank you" to this class in general. It has taught me useful information for being the best teacher I can be by providing multiple tools to integrate and involve the students and parents in learning. It was a class that opened up the creative side of me and I am very grateful for that. I plan to take every tool given to me to the bank! I will be creating a class website/blog, I will be using computer games in my class and I will looking for any way to use technology in my classroom. This class has made me excited to become a teacher in many ways because I have been able to think about myself as a teacher and what I will be doing. It has made me excited to start my education for becoming a teacher! I am so excited to be a creative teacher for my students and create ways to keep the classroom fun and personal.

 Sinyard, T. (2015, March 16). Retrieved December 11, 2016, from https://m.youtube.com/

 

 Ellis, J. (2016, December 11). Bitmoji. 

Digital Blog Post #L

Stages of Technology Integration

This section goes over the five stages, founded by a seminal study by the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow Project in 1995. They are as followed: 

      1. Entry. In the entry stage a teacher is only beginning to learn the technologies needed for the classroom. Here they will be learning the very basics before they start to think about how to apply it.

      2. Adoption. This stage is where teachers will begin to blend the technology into their practices.
Their use of technology in the classroom is minimal.


      3.Adaptation. They are beginning to fully integrate new technologies into their classroom practices. In this stage they are using their knowledge pretty regularly.


      4. Appropriation. Teachers are confident in their knowledge and skills and are using the technology they've learned regularly as a tool inside and outside of the classroom.


      5. Invention. After teachers have become confident with what they are doing, they will begin to experiment. In this stage they are exploring new ways to use technology in and out of their classroom, as well as adding onto their personal skills. 

I'm probably hanging out in the entry level. I think I have a good knowledge of technology, especially after this semester, but haven't applied anything to an actual class....although I have created a couple mock lessons using technology. Maybe I'm in a purgatory of sorts between entry and adoption. I'm very excited to expand my knowledge and become a tech wizard in the teaching world between now and the next two years. I've seen a few things in my observations, but nothing speaking upon the "invention" aspect. I've seen teachers integrate lessons using online websites and using the online classroom available across the board. I wonder how much I missed out (tech wise) only being their one day or if the teachers I watched just didn't utilize those tools. 

Which brings me right into the next section, Technology Integration Issues. 

Their are six issues that directly affect teachers integrating technology into their classrooms. 

1. Administrative support and teaching style
2. Unwillingness to change favorite lesson plans
3. Reluctance to use technology in new lesson plans 
4. Use of technology as a reward or punishment
5. Use of technology as an add-on to other activities
6. Use of technology to separate students by ability groups

I can honestly see all of these things as possible reasons. The two I'm guessing happen most often are the unwillingness and reluctance to use technology in new lesson plans/add into favorite lesson plans. Teachers that have been working in the field for over 5 years began teaching with technology, but not on the same level as teachers entering the field today. The online classrooms, the interactive games, it can all seem a bit much to some, especially some old school teachers.

The one that I got caught up on was number 6- use of technology to separate students by ability groups. I wasn't completely sure of what that one meant. As explained in the book, it basically means that separating students this way (putting high achievers with each other and same for low achievers) is not beneficial because it reinforces a sense of haves and have-nots, as well as neglecting how using technology can being out the talents of low achievers.  

Lastly, is Becoming a Technology-Leading Teacher. There were a few ways brought up in this section to be successful in this, but I liked reading the sub-section titled Involving Students in Technology and Change. It stated that students are natural allies of teachers when it comes to ideas that involve technology. Kids are known to be very creative souls. Also...it's them having to do it. Wouldn't you think it's a good idea to get their input? I definitely do.Having their voices heard results in them feeling positive about themselves and therefor becoming more positive and production in their schools. Seems like a darn good plan to me. 

Credit to: Aj Cann on Flickr

"I want YOU to become a technology-leading teacher!" 

 Cann, A. (2008, August 28). Uncle Sam. Retrieved November 27, 2016, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajc1/2799103829/in/photolist-pwqrxa-5gm93R-6bxpCr-7PqEQK-qkMuE-cjyNZ-52YWBK-o3YYeE-eSz96h-8NVjhX-6Q4ptE-7vmrVf-f2WPZc-9dbZED-cTSivm-9Zu2cz-DbmxHo-hzLPh-f7VU7s-wMES6h-e1JauV-ktHrA6-JA4ksT-6WbcBP-qrHQQo-7rLCT4-idNWS9-7fbNuc-8tLNQe-eT7KbE-nPQ56G-8H22sM-3Y9cu-5ka2r-9GfRSS-bBFZGv-md5Ra-5ZoLnV-5DrKCh-78Vzvx-25431L-9YTN3G-duzjaN-p6FSen-hzLPf-4Wmysr-ne1NaU-a2adtS-eADtkN-698YaU

Today, T. (2016, April 24). Retrieved November 27, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmpaeUR4kd4

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

 

Digital Blog Post #K

In chapter 6, I was instantly drawn to the section regarding WebQuests, as I will be diving in this area shortly. WebQuests are online inquiries by students that are designed and guided by teachers. Students will follow a map or tour within, gathering information along the way on whatever topic is chosen. So me, the teacher, would be able to customize the information they see and use. After gathering the information, usually students will then create a presentation about it, or a paper, a project, ect. Designing a successful WebQuest utilizes the following:

And teachers need to ask themselves the following questions: 

1. Who are the students and what are they capable of doing?
2. What are the primary ideas you wish to teach?
3. How will students at different skill levels productively work together?
4. Is technology integrated seamlessly into the assignment? 

I found this section very helpful in aiding me in understanding WebQuests. The above list and questions are something I will definitely be bookmarking for my future work using WebQuests. It seems like a cool way to present information for students and, so far, is one of my favorite uses of technology in teaching. 

The next thing is something I had no idea existed! Virtual field trips. Wow! This is so cool and I had no idea it was something that you could do! Virtual field trips can take students all over the world without having to leave their classroom. It is done through Google Earth and can transport an entire class to places like 

• Roman Colosseum 
• Palace of Versailles
• Smithsonian Institution 
• Great Wall of China
• US Capital building

and so much more! I really wish that my teachers in high school had taken advantage of this, although I graduated in 2012 so maybe it hadn't gotten big yet. This is something I, without a doubt, want to use in my classrooms! It would be an amazing opportunity for students who might have a mindset that they won't be going anywhere in their lives for one reason or another. I love it! 

Lastly is regarding online schooling. Online school has become a sensation over the past 5+ years. There are different options like, completely online, virtual school (going to an actual building but learning online) or blended learning (face-to-face combined with online schooling). In high school I remember setting up an online class...hating it...and dropping it immediately. Looking back I probably did not understand how it worked and didn't feel motivated to learn. Flash forward 4 years, and online classes have become my saving grace! Being a full-time manager of a business and a full-time student leaves very little time for anything else, so relieving the stress of not having to leave my home (and let's be real, get out of my PJs) definitely helps! Online classes are so useful for older students in college, as most have established a life outside of school vs 18 year old students creating a life around their education. For high school students, I know online schooling is an option for them as well. I can't think of the top of my head a reason why they would need it, but I do know doing PE online (what is that about anyway?) was a big thing when I attended.

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

C. (2009, September 11). How does virtual school work? Retrieved November 11, 2016, from http://www.slideserve.com/rene/online-learning-21-st-century

Ellis, J. (2016, November 11). Bon Voyage. Bitmoji.

 Ellis, J. (2016, November 11). The Steps. Retrieved November 11, 2016. 

Digital Blog Post #J

First off, I'd like to talk about "The Role of Assessment in Teaching and Learning". The book discusses 3 types of assessment:

1. New teacher assessment 
2. Student assessment
3. Student self-assessment 

A new teacher assessment is how supervisors will assess your work. This one get my blood pumping because it will be the evaluation of ME! In the next two years as I take on getting my bachelors degree in education, I can expect to be evaluated quite a lot, by professors and observing teachers. In the end it will be useful for me, I know that, but it is intimidating! To become a teacher you must display your knowledge, your ability to create quality lessons, and demonstrate what you've learned in a classroom, with students, while the designated teacher observes. 

Student assessment is how the teacher will assess students' learning and in turn, your own effectiveness. A teacher is expected to log student's grades, milestones, and evaluate their ongoing progress. This can be done through quizzes, written assignments, or verbal assignments. For example, in both elementary schools I observed, the teacher went over site words with them, once on Monday and once on Friday. They would then keep track of the progress they made through the week...like if they could read more than they previously could. This would be kept in a student folder and sent home for the parent to see as well. The teacher can be expected to provide feedback to the school and parents daily, as well as report cards and meetings. This one is important because then you can ask yourself "Is my student learning?" or "How can I improve so that they are successful?".

Lastly, is student self-assessment. This one is how students can be involved in seeing their own progress. Self-assessment can help them play an important role in their learning and can build up their commitment to their learning. 

The next point is "Democratic Schools and Classrooms". A democratic classroom is one where the students and teachers together make decisions about how the classroom and their education will operate. So plainly, instead of the teacher being in charge of what each student is doing at every point in the school day, planning each lesson and every move to be honest, the students get to control this. The most famous example of a democratic school is Summerhill School located in Suffolk, England. It was founded in 1921 and is famous for being a "free" school where student's are in control of what they're learning that day, having open access to the arts, woodworking, outdoor activities and computers. My personal opinion of this type of education, is that it might be successful for these students...but I honestly can't imagine it working in the United States. If you had given me this opportunity when I was in school, I would know nothing right now! I would have completely abused my power, becoming the laziest student in the country. I have a strong feeling that would be the outcome for many US students. 

Lastly, is "Student Participation Systems". These are handheld wireless tools that offer interactive learning options for teachers and students that offer interactive learning options for teachers and students (pg 287). It's where you use remotes to create real-time exchanges between students and teachers. This idea is good for students answering teacher questions where they can individually answer the question using their remote. I had no idea this was a thing! However, in a class I observed, they did play a game using their personal computers and it translated onto the 'big screen'. I haven't ever seen remotes come into play, but I can imagine it's pretty cool! I'm sure it gives equal opportunity to each student to become involved in their learning. It sounds very intriguing and I would be open to trying it in my future classrooms (but maybe only 4th-5th graders). 

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Ellis, J. (2016, November 5). Retrieved November 5, 2016.

    Ellis, J. (2016, November 5). A.

    Created using Bitmoji

Digital Blog Post #I

In this chapter the first thing I read that I thought to myself "oh wow this is helpful" was the section titled "Approaches to Lesson Plans". Lesson planning is organizing teacher's goals, methods, and procedures to determine the structure of instruction. The book goes on to detail two different approaches:

1) Student Learning Objectives- These learning objectives consist of

• Tell who
• Is going to do what
• When 
• How much or how often
• How it will be measured or evaluated 

This approach focus more on what the student can do after the lesson is taught. The teacher can use it to identify what methods they want to use, the procedure and what assessment will be used. I look at it in a way where the teacher should think of each objective as they are writing the lesson plan and make sure every lesson plans answers to each.

2) Understanding by design- This has three major components

• Stage 1- Identify desired results. This is like a frame where teachers can look at enduring understanding and essential questions. The goal here is to find what needs to be done so that the student has long lasting memories of the lesson.

• Stage 2- Determine acceptable evidence (assessment strategies)- This stage describes how the teacher can find evidence of the student learning and remembering the lesson. It could be a project, a paper, presentation or a test. Then the teacher needs to decide what information needs to be used in the assessment. 

• Stage 3- Plan learning experiences and instruction (objectives and methods)- This is the one most important stage. The one where the teacher decides what to teach and how to teach it. They will provide learning objectives, their methods and a plan for how it will be conducted in their lesson plan. 

Personally, I think that I like the student objective learning approach better. It forces you to look at multiple different components and questions. I think that one seems easier to follow and straight forward. 

I thought it was also interesting when they spoke of factors that influence how teachers view assessment. The first being personal experiences. They go on to describe how personal experience of how THEY were taught will leak into the way they decide to teach. For me personally, I was given many tests and writing assignments of course, but I look at my teaching style in a more creative light. I'm not sure if it's because I'm self-aware due to my current classes or because I remember how I was taught in high school, but am choosing to teach elementary. The second factor is standardized testing. This is one that hugely influences current teachers. You might of heard from many people how education now-a-days is only preparing you to take a test. It is becoming big in our schools now as a measurement tool and one used to determine if I child can pass the class or their grade level. The last factor listed is teacher tests. This one basically says that because students in the education program (hoping to become teachers) have to take a test to pass, no matter how they did in their classes, that this is the proper way for students to be evaluated. I can't say I agree with that but it is funny to me that I am against doing it to students but am understanding of the fact that I have to do it..as a student! I never really realized that until now.

One of the last sections in the book discusses rubrics. Rubrics are a way to evaluate student work on course assignments and activities. It is a chart that describes what needs to be done to receive an A and what will deserve a B, C, D and F as well. I have received these rubrics for most of my education, yet, to be honest, I don't fully utilize them or understand them. They are supposed to serve as a clear framework for how assignments need to be completed and how they will be graded but I never viewed them as helpful. Part of that might be laziness, I'll admit. One of my goals going into my bachelors program is to try and use rubrics to my full advantage. 

Credit to Paco Paco on Flickr

 Howard, K. (2014, March 25). Understanding by Design. Retrieved October 25, 2016, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DRnaSR1kZU

 Paco, P. (2011, February 27). Retrieved October 25, 2016.

Ellis, J. (2016, October 25). Let's Discuss.

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O'Loughlin, Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA. Pearson Education, Inc 

 

Digital Blog Post #H

Multimedia in education is almost a necessity now-a-days. Students lack focusing skills now more than ever, and looking at just words all day every day is a guaranteed way to lose their attention. There are many different types of multimedia you could use...the important thing is that you DO use them. Utilizing multimedia creates multimodal learning. This happens when teachers combine spoken words with visuals or written text with audio or utilize simulations or models (pg 217). 

The first one spoken off in the book is PowerPoint. This is a tool I've used since middle school and continue to use in college. It is probably the most well known tool to create a presentation, where you can have music, video, pictures, interactive activities and written word. With PowerPoint however, you can still create a very boring presentation (just words and A LOT of them on one slide), so it's important for all teachers to remember.....you guessed it! Multimedia. Adding a slide with just a picture or just a video and then having the notes memorized or written down separately for you refer too is the most efficient way in my mind to use PowerPoint to it's full potential and keep your students entertained. PowerPoint, however, has been around a long time and is definitely the older generation of presentations. 

For this slide you would have all the words you'd like to say to the student written down separately or memorized

The next one is one I haven't really used much but would be really useful in an elementary school classroom. Digital storytelling is the ways that written text, audio, and video imagery can be combined to make unique story presentations. This tool would come in handy for almost every school subject; history, science and language arts specifically.  History because the teacher is "telling the story of history" so it would make perfect sense to use digital story telling to explain your lesson plan here. Language arts is an important one too, as you can use it to teach different styles of writing to the students. It also allows students to become more and more creative with their presentations. It let's them have artistic control over it and have fun with the editing, which is extremely important for kids who are constantly developing and growing their creative minds. 

A quick digital story-telling poem of a mantra I tell myself

The last one might be my favorite, podcasts and vodcasts. I absolutely love podcasts and video podcasts. I am constantly listening to them in my daily life. Driving, at work, doing the dishes, ect. So naturally, I would be excited about the idea of creating my own for my classroom. I think it would serve as a great tool to post a little extra information regarding the lesson that day, daily updates, and upcoming deadlines. I can imagine it would serve very helpful for parents and students. The category of podcasts is in this chapter as a multimedia tool, but when I think of it I think of just an information platform, which I don't believe is how this chapter intended me to think about it. To put it in terms of a multimedia platform, I think it'd be a great idea (granted this might only work on higher grade level students) to have them create a weekly podcast. I imagine it this way: having students pair up or be in groups, go over the lesson and "reteach" it onto a podcast. Then maybe they can all be uploaded to an online classroom and used as a study tool throughout the week. That would be a great way to use this to engage learning. I still love it as a tool to communicate with parents and students though. Here is a link to some TedTalks uploaded into podcasts about education, so you can get a feel for how podcasts work and sound. 

Ellis, J. (2016, October 23). Powerpoint example 1 & 2.

TEDTalks Education by TEDTalks on iTunes. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2016, from https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tedtalks-education/id470623037?mt=2

Ditchthattextbook. (2013, July 1). Why Podcast in Class? Reasons for Educational Classroom ... Retrieved October 23, 2016, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDdJJluOqLU

Ellis, J. (2016, October 23). Retrieved October 23, 2016, from https://storybird.com/poetry/poetrymaker/?artwork_id=a62b9705-0cd5-4627-a212-58517fd6a982&shop_slug=dwell-deep

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Digital Blog Post #G

Chapter 10 starts out with a topic that might be the most important characteristic to teaching there is right now: Multicultural Education. Multicultural education is the term used to describe how teachers go about "affirming" the expansive diversity of student's interests, needs, and talents present in every school classroom (pg 246). In, more recent years than you would think, the United States education has decided that every student regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, race or background deserve an equal education. To me, someone born after this idea was decided, it seems obvious that this would be the case. However, in the past few years minority groups have become more apparent in society and have also become a lot more outspoken. I believe that minority groups in the past have kept a low profile when it comes to education. For example, if Christmas was celebrated their child would just simply not participate and that would be the end of it. Recently, it has become more of an issue. The question changing "What are you going to do to celebrate each student and each religious holiday and background?". Although you could argue that the world is becoming very sensitive (and I'd be lying if I said I didn't agree), this issue is one that can be made positive. I definitely support the idea that children should know that every one is different and that it's okay; and they should have a basic knowledge of those differences and how they work. The textbook gives a few ways of how you can create a multicultural education but my favorite one is "Creating Culturally Relevant Curriculum and Instruction". This is basically the idea that you would connect cultural ideas into their lesson plans and assignments. I firmly believe that the best way for anyone to learn is when they can make a connection to their every day life with it and this is the perfect example of that. Technology is so important for this because it offers students access to websites, videos, articles...anything they want regarding all sorts of cultural.

The chapter also brought up an interesting subtopic on writing in schools. It states that writing has taken the backseat to reading and math, which I had no idea about. It also has a list of reasons why students don't enjoy writing.

• Pressure
• Lack of confidence
• Lack of joy
• Misdirected self-evaluation
• Lack of patience
• Ideas about being smart

When I was in school (K-12) I really enjoyed writing. I was that student (and still am) that turned a 2 page assignment into a 4 page assignment. I always wrote "to much" because I would get lost in it. I never felt any of the above when I was writing. Flash forward to college and I have to admit...I feel a few of these ideas. This makes me think that maybe its a 'nature' kind of thing vs nurture, since I am feeling it now in college as students in K-12 are feeling it. It's interesting to think about, what could be causing these feelings in students now. 

The last point is on the section titled "Using Technology with Linguistically Diverse Learners". Now, especially in Florida, we see a huge population of immigrants and children of those immigrants. So because of that, E.S.O.L. (English as a second language) is a big chunk of our schools. I can't even imagine how much technology has helped with this! Between online translation services, multilingual web resources, access to international newspapers and websites and interactive maps (pg 247-248) teaching E.S.O.L. students must be so much easier. My husband has a friend who met his fiance in Spain, where he served in the U.S. Navy, and she told us she self-taught herself English by watching Saturday Night Live episodes online. I mean...come on! Technology has made learning a new language so much more accessible and (while still not easy) much easier. I have even seen videos about wireless ear plugs that live-translate words as they are said. It's absolutely crazy but I can only think that schools have made positive advances in their E.S.O.L classrooms using technology. this website is a great tool for E.S.O.L. teachers to get students involved. 

Zygomatic. "Free Online Word Cloud Generator and Tag Cloud Creator." Wordclouds.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2016.

Monaco, By Emily. "7 Superb Speaking Activities That’ll Get Your ESL Students Chatting." FluentU English Educator Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2016.

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

CNMonline. "Why Is Writing Important?" YouTube. YouTube, 01 Nov. 2013. Web. 14 Oct. 2016.

Digital Blog Post F#

Chapter 8 starts out with two questions:

1. How would you describe the impact of communications technologies for teachers and students?
2. How will your teacher communications systems create positive learning experiences for you and your students?

I would describe the impact as...HUGE. Classrooms are becoming based around a computer. Students these days know how to work an Ipad before they can read! Technology is, from here on out, a necessity to learn and utilize in your classroom. How will I use it to create a positive learning experience? Well, I think the best way to do so is to teach them so. Show them how you can use the computer and the internet as a way to learn more outside of the classroom. I would emphasize the importance of positive research on the internet and giving positive feedback when needed. I will be teaching young kids who will be introduced to the internet during the time I'll have them as a student and the sooner they learn that technology can serve a better purpose in their life, the better! 

(This video doesn't take into account the technology being used in classrooms currently, but is a great source on WHY it is important to utilize technology)

Becoming a teacher in these coming years is going to be very different than the teaching style I am used too. When I was a student, everything was handwritten (or typed in the case of research papers). Studying was done out of a textbook, and still is in my college years and if I tried to use a computer or a cellphone in my classroom....forget about it!

Learning today includes:

• Utilizing an online classroom where work is completed and turned in
• Games and activities within to help study for upcoming tests
• Tests are TAKEN within the website
• Cell phones are allowed out and can be used for quietly listening to music and accessing the learning websites as well

This is crazy to me, but I can overcome! A big part of this online classroom is the teacher's participation. This can be in the form of a website or a blog, as well as just feedback in the form of email or discussion comments. A class website can include (but is not limited to) information about the academic achievements of the teacher, a list of students and a way for them to communicate with each other and a platform for student work and progress. It is a place for students to access the work, complete the work and turn in the work to the teacher. It is also a way for them to deliver (positive!) feedback regarding the subject to their peers. It can list a syllabus which contains assignments, due dates and exam schedules. 

Another way to do so is with a blog. This can serve as an online journal for the teacher and a place for them to post articles and ideas related to the subject at hand. A blog can also serve as a way for online communication. For me, since beginning a blog, I'm in love with it! It is one of the most enjoyable and creative assignments I've been given in a long time and would love to translate what I'm learning into my teaching. I plan to teach elementary school students however, so I'm thinking how it could be used for the parents of my students. Maybe a weekly blog post regarding what is happening in the classroom the upcoming week, student achievements, holidays, important dates and birthdays. It would be a good idea to include extra links that could be used at home to add onto what we are doing in the classroom as well! 

Photo Credit to Wes Thorp on Flickr

Another form of collaborative learning is using a Wiki. This is a collaboratively edited and maintained website involving a group of people. It allows individuals or groups to access a page, be able to read through it and update or edit the passages. It was inspired by the online encyclopedia (which is widely not accepted as a good resource due to articles being able to be openly edited by anyone) Wikipedia. In terms of the classroom, it can be used as a way for students to learn the technology, work with their classmates, learn how to explain and "teach" a subject, publish their own creative works and receive feedback from their teacher and peers. When it comes to wiki, for me, it is much more difficult to use than a website or blog you've created. After using it for the first time I found it difficult to navigate. I'm sure once you have used it a few times however, it would be a fantastic tool for students to publish their assignments and work as a group with their peers. 

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

T. (2016, March 28). Redefining Learning & Teaching using Technology. | Jason Brown | TEDxNorwichED. Retrieved October 09, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOTEQVYDPpg

Thorp, W. (n.d.). Retrieved October 09, 2016, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/west846/2734190032/sizes/o/

Malamed, C., Says, J. M., Says, C. M., Says, K., Says, A., Says, N. H., . . . Says, S. N. (n.d.). Home. Retrieved October 09, 2016, from http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning2-0/using-wikis-for-elearning/

Digital Blog Post #E

In another one of my classes, my professor has expressed the importance of one thing to us: learning Bloom's Taxonomy. This idea also came through in chapter 7. It was created in 1956. It basically goes over different levels of thinking broken into two main categories, lower-order thinking and higher-order thinking. The list is (lower to higher):

Knowledge

Comprehension

Application

Analysis

Synthesis

Evaluation 

Many different teaching styles are based around lower and higher order thinking so I believe it's very important to have an understanding of it, no matter what kind of teacher you aspire to be. It's interesting to look at it in the way the book addressed which is applying it to video games and apps. I never really thought about it, but you do kind of go through each level in a game. Learning how it works and then applying what you know, followed by evaluating the situations later on to know the best point of attack. To put it in terms for me, I am obsessed with an app on my phone called Gordon Ramsay Dash. It's a cooking game and when I first started I had no idea how to play but as time went on I started to go through each level of thinking;

Knowledge- Learning to cook each food and that I needed to watch customer happiness

Comprehension-Understanding how to perform the 'cooking' 

Application- Playing the game

Analysis- Watching what I did wrong if I lost that round

Synthesis-Having multiple different entrees going at the same time to ensure serving every customer

Evaluation- Judging how fast each customers happiness level goes on, getting a rhythm. 

I know it's a silly example but it really helped me to remember each level when I look at it using this app.  

The next passage that got my attention was the debate on video games...oh boy! I've actually put a lot of thought to this as I enter a time in my life when I will be planning to have kids in the next 2-3 years. My husband plays a lot of video games, It's how he relaxes (so he says anyway), but it this a healthy way for developing children to "relax"? According to the passage, a study said 2 of 3 households have a video game system and 25% of those players were under the age 18. I was born right on the cuff of the generation who boasts about how they played outside until dusk, went exploring in the woods and caught bugs, and the generation that turned to the internet and TV for their primary source of entertainment. This makes it a debate in my head because I can see both points. My jerk reaction is to say that they need to play outside, get the sun and exercise, but then I look at my life and I'm like "I don't want to be outside!". It's a tough decision to think about having to make for your child. I think the obvious fears are lack of exercise and not developing social skills. Which I do believe video games and social media are creating lackluster social skills, I see it every day working in a job where my employees and customers are mostly teenagers. Not only is this an important debate for parents, but also teachers. Every one teaching now or will be teaching soon will face the technology dilemma. I did my first observations for class this past Friday. I was shocked by what school is like now. Each student had a laptop they used for assignments and phones were allowed to stay out on the desk. That's crazy to me! Technology and video games are something becoming more and more popular every day and something that will be subject to debate for parents, students and teachers for many years to come. This is a video that has an interesting take on how video games affect social skills. 

The last point I want to discuss is about computer games for learning. When I did my observations one class I sat in was an English class. They had a vocabulary test that day and were given twenty minutes before to study. As I watched them they all clicked through multiple different games correlating to the words they would be tested on. Following this they played a group vocabulary game in the same program. Whether you're for or against technology in the classroom, it's kind of here to stay. The job as a teacher in this age is to promote positive use of the internet and technology. Games geared toward learning is a great way to do so, I think. If students are going to be exposed to the use of technology anyway, you might as well make it a positive experience for them. I really liked the games they were playing. They were simple, like one that was called gravity I believe, where the definition fell through the air and they had to type in the word it matched to to stop it. It's very plain, but seemed to really help them. They all got A's and B's on their test. So it's an idea to at least look into as a teacher.

Ellis, J. (2016, October 1), Higher-Order Thinking Representation, created with BitStrips IOS App, https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bitmoji-your-personal-emoji/id868077558?mt=8

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

 S. (2013, December 09). Do video games ruin social skills? Retrieved October 01, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NHbv738J6c 

Digital Blog Post #D

In chapter 5 the first thing that caught my attention was the section titled "Evaluating Online Information". As someone who has gone through high school and some college, I do have a basic understanding that you shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet...however, I'm embarrassed to say I didn't know how careful you needed to be. In school you need to research and report on that research, so it has to be accurate. There were a couple things I didn't even realize I needed to look out for. One being, websites that have messed up information. This would be a website that is poorly organized or cluttered with distractions like random graphics. Another one is websites that have mostly useless information. The list goes on to explain what seems useless to one is useful to another and that censorship in school is tricky because of our society, which is a free one. As a student I never thought to be careful of what website I got my information from (excluding Wikipedia of course!), but as a student who wants to become a teacher, it makes me think more deeply of it. It will be my job to deem what is appropriate for my students to use and what isn't. I think it's something that will take some work and practice to really know what the signs of a non-credible website are.

As I was thinking about the work I'll have to put in as a teacher to promote positive web researching, I read the next passage that goes over criteria for evaluation web resources. Perfect! The book lists five things to look for

1) Accuracy- this one describes how the information looks, that it is information that is reliable and gives clear credit to the author.

2)Authority-you check this one for the credentials of the author, are they a knowledgeable person on the subject?

3)Objectivity-for this one you'd look if the information is non-biased or not, which includes checking for ads as they can reflect the bias in the article.

4)Currency-this is when you'll make sure the information you're reading about is up-to-date. Especially in this time of life, things are changing every day.

5)Coverage- and this one describes if the website is easy to view and read.

This section was perfect because I was thinking to myself "where do I begin to learn what is acceptable and what isn't?". That list helped me so much to think about every detail on webpages I view and use as research now, as a student and a teacher. This web link gave another good overview of the above topics.


The last section in the article talks about cyber bullying. This section is very important to me. I have never been affected by bullying but so many other people I know have as kids and adults. In 2016 the internet and social media have become the most important things to a child's life. It also works as a way for people to put on a different persona, a braver one. Online bullying gives you a way to say a lot of things you would never say to someone's face. It can also make you anonymous. I am going into teaching at a time when the internet is so huge in everyone's life, especially kids. Cyber bulling is one thing I can almost guarantee I'll have to deal with at some point in my career. It will be important for me to teach my students to use the internet positively and to think before they....type. The book emphasizes the important of teaching kids the consequences of bullying before it happens. When I was a student in middle school we had a program called peer counseling. This was students who got together to help others who were having problems with each other work it out. For me, it was more face-to-face problems but I think it would be a great tool for online problems as well.

T. (2012, September 20). Don't Play with Plagiarizing! Retrieved September 25, 2016, from http://talknerdy2me.org/dont-play-with-plagiarizing/

    S. (2012, March 22). THE CYBER BULLYING VIRUS. Retrieved September 25, 2016, from           https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5PZ_Bh-M6o

 Teachers ' Guide on How to Evaluate Web Content. (n.d.). Retrieved September 25, 2016, from http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/07/teachers-easy-guide-on-how-to-evaluate.html

Maloy, R., O'Loughin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc. 

 

Digital Blog Post #B

The first idea that caught my idea was titled "Key Issues for Technology-Using Teachers". It asked six questions to survey your current thinking about technology in educating. Three caught my eye,

1) What are your reasons for wanting to use technology in teaching?
2) What are your goals for the types of technologies you will use in the classroom?
3) What are your views of the barriers teachers face in using technology in the classroom?

I tried to think of my personal answers for these questions, as I prepare myself to become an educator. The reason I want to technology in teaching are pretty much to stay current and to create something fun and unique using technology. By the time I become a teacher, around 2019, who knows where technology will be. Students already rely so heavily on it now outside of school and the resources we will have as teachers to create something exciting with technology shouldn't be wasted. There are a ton of programs available to bring the lesson plans to life using at home computer assignments, learning games, ect. My goals would be to use technology for good and to teach my students what can be (positively) done using the internet! I think that should be a goal for every teacher of young children and on, in now-a-days society, to make sure their students are learning how to use the internet and their technology for good. In my classroom (elementary school) I would want to use the internet for homework assignments, a way to gain extra insight to the lesson plans and for games to help drive the lesson in. Growing up my favorite learning game played in school was jeopardy so that'll be a big one I use! The barriers teachers face using technology in the classroom now is probably just a disconnect in the teachers knowledge versus the students. Kids are learning so quickly now that if a teacher doesn't actively try to keep up, they wont be able too. It's important to make sure your knowledge is on par so that the technology you're using doesn't seem stale.

The next point is one that talks about levels of student engagement. Students reported that they felt least engaged during lecture classes, while feeling the most engaged by group projects and lessons that used technology. This hits home to me because I could not agree more. Teachers have to remember that they are talking with a group of students, not at them. I will firmly stand against lecture, as it ends up just being run on sentences and students will just day dream because they are not being stimulated whatsoever. The book states that in 2011, only 75% of high schools made it through all four years and a key reason for them dropping out was plain and simple, a lack of stimulation. 25% of students dropping out is way high of a number. One thing I'll try to remember when I'm a teacher is to look at every lesson and ask myself "how am i connecting this to the real world?". Each day can't be the same way of teaching, or the class will become stale and repetitive, thus losing the interest of the students. I'll have to hang that number of 25% up somewhere so I never forget what my goal is-lowering that number!

The next key issue is an important one to me. It is teacher-centered teaching Vs. student-centered teaching. Teacher-centered focused more on a formal conveyance of information from a knowledgeable teacher to novice students. They instructors use test scores and quantitative measures to determine if the lesson has been learned or not. Student-centered, however, view teaching as creating experiences for their children. They believe lessons should be used with puzzles, questions and conversation, therefore learning the skill through exploration. The struggle for teachers in this generation is the want for one (for most teachers I should say) and the push by officials to be another. The biggest complaint we are hearing from educators today is that they are being told to teach to pass a test, not to learn. This is more teacher centered because the answer to "are students understanding?" is based SOLELY on test scores. This is definitely not the best way to learn because of things like test anxiety which many students suffer from. I would guess most teachers go into the profession wanting to be student-centered and make their classroom an exciting one...I know that is my goal. I fear however, that it will be turned into a teacher-centered classroom based on the expectations that will be set on my students and me as a teacher to make sure they pass the multitude of standardized testing that are given out nowadays.

In conclusion, this chapter, like chapter 1, makes me really think about my upcoming career as a teacher. It makes me nervous, excited and determined as ever to create a classroom that uses all the resources available to me. It makes me want to dive into everything there is to learn about technology and how I can apply it in my classroom, I feel so determined to create a classroom that is student-centered. I wonder if this is ignorance or not, is my idea of a modern classroom skewed? This book is really making me think and I am so excited about that!

Maloy, R., O'loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc. 

Ellis, Jessica. "Untitled Powtoon 2 Jessica Ellis." YouTube. YouTube, 11 Sept. 2016. Web. 11 Sept. 2016.

Whetzel, By Lauren. "20 Things You Do When Sitting in Your Most Boring Lecture." Her Campus. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2016.