Constructing an ePortfolio

In making an ePortfolio, I was able to feel good about myself. Listing all the things I have learned how to use was very uplifting. I definately feel like I learned a lot in R503 and am glad I now have a place to list all the things I have learned to use.

I was really glad that Alex suggested using Mind Mapping software before we started constructing the web pages because it helped make the website more readable. I think my page is fairly easy to navigate, but then again I have a biased opinion.

I regret not having more time to spend on the page to make it better before it got graded.
I will be using this page A LOT in the future so it will constantly be upgraded.
I will give my students and their parents the web address so that they may view it and also use it in my resume that I submit for jobs.

I never thought about an ePortfolio bofre this class and now I am very pleased that I have one. I can only hope that it will help in my search for work and help those I tutor (and others in the world) to get extra help in math.

This ePortfolio and the class web sites we designed have shown me how much I might be able to reach the world and how useful and easy creating web pages is in today's world. Technology is a wonderful thing when you know how to use it ; )

iMovie Project ; )

Throughout this project I was challenged constantly. I learned iPhoto, iMovie, and more about iTunes. I had fun with this project because a lot of it ws just busy work at the end and I love busy work.

I was really excited about this project because I got to be in charge of the music. I had the perfect song in mind. A friend of mine is a musician and I really loved one of his songs in particular and he gave me permission to use it in my group's iMovie. I was even happier because my group members loved the song too. Thank you Joe Barilich for the use of your song.

This project was a little different than the previous one because we had a member of the group out on the first day. Only having 2 of us at the beginning made the project take a little longer. The group with 4 people got done first because they were better able to split up the work load. We got done last this time. But I found it frustrating at the end because only 1 person could really fine tune the project and publish it. I felt like such a waste sitting by and watching someone else do all the work at the end.

Overall the collaboration went well even with one person missing on the first day. The google doc we used for collaboration was used more that the podcast project but we also conversed over the phone as well.

I do not think that mind mapping worked all that well in our projects because admittedly, we made the mind maps after the script and everything else was done. If I had been doing this project by myself I would have found it helpful but with an English teacher in our group we didn't really need it. She has built-in mind mapping in her brain (Malinda).

I will definately attempt to make iMovies in the future because I would love to make tutorials for math. This way I can help people improve their math skills without ever being there ;)

If you want to see my groups iMovie click here.

Podcast Project ;)

Our Podcast topic was Digital Citizenship and Literacy. We broke it into Digital footprints, digital citizenship, and cyberethics. I had the cyberethics and actually learned a lot. I had no idea how many different organizations there were working with schools and parents and companies worldwide to help educate people about Internet safety and awareness.

Click here to view our Google doc where all our collaboration was done and our script was written and re-written. It was a very exciting process that I enjoyed immensely.

Here are the sources we used to find information for our Podcast.

Center for Digital Literacy. (n.d.). Center for Digital Literacy. Retrieved June 9, 2010, from http://digital-literacy.syr.edu/

"Cyber Ethics." Symantec - AntiVirus, Anti-Spyware, Endpoint Security, Backup, Storage Solutions. 19 Feb. 2007. Web. 8 June 2010. .

"Cybercrime.gov." Welcome to the United States Department of Justice. Web. 9 June 2010. .

Harris. "YouTube - Digital Footprints - Your New First Impression." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. 09 Nov. 2009. Web. 8 June 2010. .

Koppel, Ted. "Koppel on Discovery : Your Digital Footprint : Discovery Channel." Discovery Channel : Science, History, Space, Tech, Sharks, News. 10 Sept. 2008. Web. 8 June 2010. .

Madden, Mary, Susannah Fox, Aaron Smith, and Jessica Vitak. "Digital Footprints Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project." Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. Pew Research Center, 16 Dec. 2007. Web. 8 June 2010. .

"News and Announcements Display Page." CMS. Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology, 26 Jan. 2010. Web. 8 June 2010. .

Perez, Sarah. "Calculate Your "Digital Footprint" with New Tool from EMC." ReadWriteWeb - Web Apps, Web Technology Trends, Social Networking and Social Media. 24 Mar. 2009. Web. 8 June 2010. .

"Rules in Cyberspace." Welcome to the United States Department of Justice. Web. 11 June 2010.

Visual Literacy: An E-Learning Tutorial on Visualization for Communication, Engineering and Business. (2008, February 7). Visual Literacy: An E-Learning Tutorial on Visualization for Communication, Engineering and Business. Retrieved June 10, 2010, from http://www.visual-literacy.org/



This project was awesome. Not only did I get to learn how to use new software and web ware but I also was able to make new friends. I really enjoyed being able to do a group project with people who actually do work when they say they are going to. Its nice to find people you can work with efficiently. The Google doc helped us collaborate so we didn't have to meet face-to-face. And that was really nice because we all have our busy lives and other classes we are taking. It worked out really well.

It was nice to see how other people prefer to use different formats in Mind Mapping and how they can be useful. And learning to use Garage Band was very exciting. I am not as good with it as Erin is but I am looking forward to playing around with it in the future. She will not be in our next class so Malinda and I have to do it ourselves ;)

It was also nice to learn about Creative Commons during this poject and be able to use it for our podcast. I have other things I want to use it for and have already recommended it to other people who are musicians trying to get their music heard.

I have learned a lot about Macs (which I tend to hate) and the Internet that I never knew existed. I am really glad I took this class. I recommend it. Even if you think you are 'up' with the times, it never hurts to hear somebody else's perspective and what they know to be new to the 'net'.

Here is the link to Malinda's Blog post about our project.
Here is the link to Erin's Blog post about our project.


Digital Citizenship and Literacy Podcast by Danielle Johnson, Erin O'Leary and Malinda Mansfield is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Open-Source Learning Video

My thought and views on:

Video: Richard Baraniuk on open-source learning

He talks about people ripping and burning music off the net and sharing it to create a whole community of music lovers. Then he uses this analogy to explain open-source content with textbooks. This was a really good analogy that he used throughout the entire video.

This video was a little repetative because it goes along with Rubenstein article I just read but Baraniuk goes a little more into detail to give better understanding.

Books are cheaper because they are published on demand. I always thought this would make them more expensive.

And I always get excited when I see lego's and he used them to show how books can be compiled. It was nice ;)

Clicking on an equation in a math e-text to be able to explorethat equation would be really nice. Sometimes I think that maybe it might become a little overwhelming to some students. Wikipedia has the same thing and sometimes I become overwhelmed so I have had to learn to pace my learning when visiting that site. There are always so many things to click on to learn about. I have to learn the current topic I'm on before going on to something else. I think that the in-depth analysis will be a very good thing for these math e-texts.

I do wonder about the review & peer-review keeping the content concise and appropriate. Once there are enough people using this it will be a little easier.

Open-Source Education

My thought and views on:

Toss the Traditional Textbook: Revamping a Curriculum
Open source education resources can replace stale old volumes.
by Grace Rubenstein

If authors & teachers all keep changing this open source info that students will be reading for their classes they could potentially get very confused. They could go back the next day, or even a few hours later, and the text could look different. It's like having a math teacher that shows you 5 different ways to do the same problem and by the time you see all of them you can't remember how 'your' way went.

I do like the idea of open source content being used and ordering just what you want in your book for $20 instead of all kinds of stuff you don't want for $60. Not to mention all the trees that will be saved by people using the internet for reading instead of books.

Another problem would be those who do not have internet at home. It is a huge downfall and I know :( They will not be able to work on stuff at home the way other kids could. And right now I do not feel that the schools are adequately equipped with computers to host a program like this. I wish we could though. Think of all the money schools would save if kids could just 'hop' on the net instead of buying books. Maybe teachers could get paid more :)

Minds on Fire: Open Education, the Long Tail, and Learning 2.0.

"More than one-third of the world’s population is under 20. There are over 30 million people today qualified to enter a university who have no place to go. During the next decade, this 30 million will grow to 100 million. To meet this staggering demand, a major university needs to be created each week." —Sir John Daniel, 1996

I hate to say it but I had never really thought about there not being enough room in universities for future generations. I think it never occured to me because I know that more people will be taking more of the 'mundane' jobs to meet the higher demands of a growing economy. And there are more Tech Colleges being established as well as numerous shifts toward online classes and schools. I think that there will be a balancing out and there will not be a shortage of room except for the already shortage at the more prestigious universities.

This article was very long so I just skimmed over some of the latter parts but I really did enjoy the Cartesian Learning vs. the Social Learning. It strikes me as especially intriguing beacuse it has to do with a book critique and project I am doing for another class. I really enjoyed the illustrations he used to show the differences in the two. I agree that Cartesian should be no more and we should all be moving toward Social Learning styles. The interaction between students, when they can explain it to others, is the critical point at which information concretes itself into the brain.

Open Course Ware and Open Educational Resources are wonderful additions given to the world of education through the advancement of technology. This is indeed a prime example of how some people are improving education through technology instead of letting it hinder.

Ken Robinson Says Schools Kill Creativity

TED Ideas Worth Spreading

"I believe that the only hope for the future is to adopt a new conception of human ecology, one which we start to reconstitute our conception of the richness of human capacity." -Ken Robinson

Ken belives we smother childrens talents. I agree. I once had a student who was an excellent artist and he never did his work in class for me. All he did was draw and doodle. One day I pulled him aside and had a talk with him. I explained to him that if he really wanted to be an artist for graphic novels then he needed to go to art school after high school. This changed his perspective on his current academics. I went so far as to make a deal with him. If he started to actually participate in class and get his work done before the end of class, I would let him draw a picture on my back marker board and I'd leave it there all day. His grade went from an F to a B-.

"If your not prepared to be wrong you'll never come up with anything original." I absolutely love this quote by Ken. My fiance's family is Cicilian. They always make sauce (pasta and sauce). When I was considered part of the family, they bestowed upon me the family recipe. I had it for about 5 years and had never attempted to make the sauce because I'm a terrible cook. I finally tried it and screwed it up BIG TIME. Turned out to be awesome and I now, in some people's opinions, make the best sauce in the family.

I found it very interesting that education systems all over the world have the same hierarchy.
math/lang---->humanities--->arts. I don't think I agree with Ken when he states that dance is as important as math. They have classes outside of school to learn dancing and if that child grows up to be a dancer, they had better be able to do math to make sure nobody is stiffing them on their money, or be able to read their contract before they sign it.

Class Websites-I made one

So I have just finished my first class website. Although it was constructed for a 'fake' class I have been able to use it to make some of my own resources available to others. I am very happy that I have learned how to construct a functional web page and learned from my MANY mistakes. I am hoping to be able to upgrade this web page and use it in future classes that I teach. I am currently applying for a job at a school where web pages like this would be extremely beneficial for my students because they would almost all have computers at home.

This class has helped me see that there are numerous resources available for me to use to help me educate others more efficiently that I can find on the internet. I was able to view numerous teachers' websites before constructing my own. However, I noticed that many teachers had someone else make their sites for them. I find this a little disappointing. Using mind mapping software definately helped make the overview of my web page more coherent. It was much easier to figure out what will be compiled on what pages.

I enjoyed looking at different pictures to put into my class web pages. I enjoyed discovering that YouTube has math video clips on how to do different types of math problems. That still just blows my mind.

I think my biggest shock brought about from this class is that there are so many academic resources on the internet. I always thought YouTube was just stupid videos people put up on the net to show how dumb their friends are. There are whole groups of people who can collaborate on the same piece of work, all at once. And now I can do that too. I have already implemented it into my other class for a group project.

I am so proud of myself for learning as much as I have. After my current classes are over and I have more time with my children, I think I will make a bunch of cookies with my kids and then sit down and eat them all ;) You have to love that kind of gratification.

If you are interested in seeing my Algebra "mock" web page click here.

Changes in Bloom's Taxonomy

My views on: Bloom's Taxonomy Blooms Digitally
By Andrew Churches, April 1, 2008

For the full article click here

I am glad that there has been an update to Bloom’s Taxonomy. Many things in the world get looked over as technology advances. I am hoping that this will version will be taught in schools to future educators because it will help them relate better to the students by giving them a better idea of what to expect. Although, I suppose that many new teachers today are digital natives themselves and will relate better to this hierarchy of thinking skills.

The use of verbs instead of nouns was also a change for the better because the use and pursuit of knowledge require action. With the digital age upon us, I no longer feel that learning is a thing but an action.

Copyright Laws on New Technology?!?

My views on: Tools for the TEKS: Integrating Technology in the Classroom
By: Wesley A. Fryer

Copyright laws, when it comes to new technology, is often times unclear. I agree that we, as teachers, need to be good role models and keep abreast with the laws so that we may model them and teach them to our students. If you are unclear as to the present laws, as I am, or for any questions you can visit the website of the U.S. Copyright Office at www.copyright.gov.

Many ‘big-media corporations want longer statutory limits on copyrights.’ Should the government grant such things? I don’t think so. I am not sure of the time spans that copyright laws give, but it sounds as if some people want too much time. The laws are in effect so that people may make money off their publications, but there should come a point when that time limit should be up and that resource should be free for anyone to use.

I must admit that I am a little confused as to what the difference between ‘copyright laws’ and ‘fair use’ are. ‘Fair use’ seems to be citing your sources at the end of your work but it is not the same thing as copyright law. It is using a resource fairly and ethically and not misconstruing information…. I think?!? All this time I thought citing our sources at the ends of our papers covered our ‘butts’ so we did not infringe upon copyright laws, or place a link under pictures we use from the internet. Shows how much I know.

Here is what Fryer put in his article to help with better understanding.
Section 107 of the 1976 Copyright Act establishes limitations on the exclusive rights of copyright holders, termed "Fair Use." These factors to be considered when determining fair use are:
(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a
commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
(2) the nature of the copyrighted work;
(3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the
copyrighted work as a whole; and
(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted
work**
**"Copyright Law Chapter 1." US Copyright Office. http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#107. Accessed 3 Dec 2002.

These factors are kind of broad and can be read in a number of ways. It is time for newer concrete laws. Not to mention that this is VERY old in terms of technology.

One of the new laws is the DMCA (The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998) was constructed to help update our copyright laws to the digital age. To read about the act go to: http://www.loc.gov/copyright/reports/studies/dmca/dmca_executive.html. Many people are against the act stating that it is being used to silence them in their scholarly efforts or unfairly limit the ‘ratting out’ of businesses wrong doings and even e-book criticisms.

The Teach Act (Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization Act), signed by President Bush, provides some copyright exemptions for educators. The American Library Association has a good summary on this act which can be found at www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/wo/woissues/copyrightb/federallegislation/distanceed/teachfaq.cfm.

My First Trackstar

Trackstar & gForm Web-Based Assessment Lesson Planner

My Trackstar Number is: #408970 Password=s4h7e1r1a

My Google Form Published

1) The topic and target student age group is: Polygons in Geometry – 10th/11th Grade

2) The state standard(s) this lesson will address are:
Geometry Standard 2 – G.2.1, G.2.4, G.2.5
Geometry Standard 3 – G.3.3, G.3.4
Geometry Standard 8 – G.8.7

3) My learning objectives are:
-Identify and describe convex, concave, and regular polygons.
-Classify polygons based on the number of sides it has and compare/contrast these with each other.
-Apply rotations on polygons and observe the preservation of congruence.
- Find areas of polygons.
- Use coordinate geometry to prove congruence of polygons.
- Construct logical arguments to show your interpretation of rotated triangles are congruent.

4) For each of your 5 websites create a question for assessment and the answer. Plan your assessment in the form below.

Track Star Lesson Planner

I. Math is Fun - Polygons
A. http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/polygons.html
B. Annotation
1. Task: Review polygons and their characteristics.
2. Purpose: Re-introduce the definition of polygons to the students.
3. Assessment: Please state the definition of a ‘Polygon’.
4. Answer: A polygon is a plane shape with straight sides.

II. Figures and Polygons
A. http://www.mathleague.com/help/geometry/polygons.htm#regularpolygon
B. Annotation
1. Task: Review regular polygons and their characteristics.
2. Purpose: Re-familiarize students with the definition of a regular polygon.
3. Assessment: What is the definition of a ‘Regular Polygon’?
4. Answer: A regular polygon is a polygon whose sides are all the same length, and
whose angles are all the same.

III. Figures and Polygons
A. http://www.mathleague.com/help/geometry/polygons.htm#regularpolygon
B. Annotation
1. Task: Review convex and concave polygons. Note their similarities and differences.
2. Purpose: Re-introduce the definition of a convex polygon to the students.
3. Assessment: Please state the definition if a ‘Convex Polygon’.
4. Answer: A polygon whose every line segment drawn between any two points inside
the figure, lies entirely inside the figure.

IV. A picture of a polygon.
A. http://www.ams.org/featurecolumn/images/diagonals24.gif
B. Annotation
1. Task: Compare the differences between concave and convex polygons.
2. Purpose: Allow students to demonstrate whether or not the know the differences
between concave and convex polygons.
3. Assessment: Is the polygon on this page best described as convex?
4. Answer: No, there is a section of the polygon that caves in such that we can draw a
line segment between two points inside the figure that lies partly outside the figure.

V. AAA Math - Polygons
A. http://www.aaastudy.com/geo318x4.htm
B. Annotation
1. Task: Learn the names of the different polygons based on the number of sides it
contains.
2. Purpose: Become familiar with naming of polygons based on its number of sides.
3. Assessment: Determine name of a polygon with 9 sides.
4. Answer: Nonagon

VI. Math is Fun – Regular 2_-D Shapes Polygons
A. http://www.mathsisfun.com/shape.html
B. Annotation
1. Task: Look at the pictures for the different polygons and try to relate the number
sides to the name of the polygons.
2. Purpose: Help students to logically remember some of the names of polygons so it is
more likely to go into long term memory.
3. Assessment: Between a ‘Nonagon’ and a ‘Dodecagon’, the nonagon has the larger
number of sides?
4. Answer: False


VII. AAA Math – Area of a parallelogram
A. http://www.aaamath.com/geo78_x2.htm
B. Annotation
1. Task: Familiarize yourself with the area of a parallelogram.
2. Purpose: Demonstrate ability to find area of parallelogram.
3. Assessment: Calculate area of parallelogram with given a base of 10 inches and a
height of 6 inches.
4. Answer: 60 sq. inches

VIII. Math is Fun - Congruent
A. http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/congruent.html
B. Annotation
1. Task: Go down to the section that says ‘Congruent or Similar?’ Notice the
characteristics of both.
2. Purpose: Students can compare and contrast congruence and similarity.
3. Assessment: Based on what you read on this page answer the following question.
What do you think the difference between congruence and similarity are?
4. Answer: Congruence means same size and shape, whereas similar means same
shape only.

IX. Math is Fun - Rotation
A. http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/rotation.html
B. Annotation
1. Task: Go to the blue box with the coordinate plane in it. Click on the triangle. Now
Change the ‘Angle’ to be 90 degrees. Then click ‘Rotate!’
2. Purpose: Students can see how shapes are rotated but still maintain their shape and
size. They stay congruent.
3. Assessment: A.What are the new coordinates of the triangle’s vertices?
B. Is the new triangle congruent the original one? Why or why not?
4. Answer: A. (6,0), (-3,-2), & (2,-1)
B. Yes. The triangle did not change in any was except for being rotated
about the origin. The side lengths and angles all stayed the same.

Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated Instruction and Implications for UDL Implementation
By: Tracey Hall, Nicole Strangman, and Anne Meyer

Differentiated instruction calls for a flexibility in teachers and their approach to teaching and adjusting the curriculum so students do not have to modify themselves. The teachers most important job is to “recognize students' varying background knowledge, readiness, language, preferences in learning and interests; and to react responsibly.” We want to maximize the growth of each student’s success by meeting them at their level and helping them advance.

They listed 3 elements of the curriculum that can be differentiated:

(1)Content, (2)Process, and (3)Products
1.Several elements and materials are used to support instructional content, Align tasks and objectives to learning goals, Instruction is concept-focused and principle-driven
2.Flexible grouping is consistently used, Classroom management benefits students and teachers
3.Initial and on-going assessment of student readiness and growth are essential, Students are active and responsible explorers, Vary expectations and requirements for student responses

One thing I found very interesting was that differentiated instruction began in the general education classroom for the ‘gifted students’. This is a very important thing to have because many gifted children get bored with their school work because it is too easy. This can lead to not only behavioral problems, but also to a dislike for school and education all together. We definitely do not want to lose those students who are the best and brightest because they are bored.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) - A UDL curriculum takes on the burden of adaptation so that the student doesn't have to, minimizing barriers and maximizing access to both information and learning. Critical to successfully implementing UDL theory is the use of digital materials.

Upon reading about Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which I had never heard of, I came to realize that I already implement many of their network-appropriate teaching methods in my classroom. It made me feel good about myself as a teacher. To support diverse recognition, I give multiple examples when doing notes on the board. To support diverse strategic networks, I provide opportunities to practice with supports, constant ongoing and relevant feedback, and I offer flexible opportunities for demonstrating skill. To support diverse affective networks I offer adjustable levels of challenge, choices of learning context, and offer choices of rewards.

A UDL curriculum is a good idea, however, it takes a lot of time to implement. Teachers should work together to create a more diverse teaching style. Just as students are different, so are teachers. I worked with a couple of teachers who did not care much for me or my methods because we are from different generations. They are ready to retire as soon as possible and I am just getting started. Students complain about having them as teachers and don’t learn much, whereas, in my classroom, I have students arguing over how to complete math problems. My students are engaged and wanting to learn. Once they are hooked for the day, learning can take place effectively.

This article was very good at explaining what Differentiated Instruction is, however, they talk about using digital data. Not all schools/classrooms have digital data. It is difficult to implement all the new technology available if we cannot get it into the classrooms. So we must work our way around this problem and offer different types of stimuli. Perhaps not just textbooks and worksheets, but also videos, games, and projects would help to fill in the gap until funding for education allows for us to use other means of educational tools.

Technology helping today's citizens

Access Through Technology
By: Marti Goddard

Using technology to help meet the needs of people with disabilities
There were about 50 million disabled people in the U.S. according to the 2000 census.

This article was written in 2004 and I can tell. The pictures and the way it is set up look outdated. The point of the article is very much correct however. According to the 2000 census, there were about 50 million disabled people in the United States. Libraries all over the world had to change to accommodate these people. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 set forth many laws to make sure businesses and buildings all over the country would accommodate any disabled person wanting to use any type of facility.

With the new technology age has come new responsibility. New software has been developed to help students that are blind or deaf to be able to read and write on the computers. They even mentioned a software that is used to help students with learning disabilities read books. From personal experience, I have had the pleasure of working very closely with a group of special education students this past year. I learned a lot about this Read 180 program. The students are read a story while it highlights the words being read, much like singing karaoke, and then the students have to read the story back to the computer. The software used in schools, like the libraries, is helping to further the education and literacy of today’s students. There was one student in particular that was reading at a Kindergarten level when I first started working with the group. And by the end of the school year he was at a first grade level. Not bad for 3 months worth of hard work by teachers, a wonderful para-professioinal, and today’s technology. Too bad this poor student is an 11th grader 

There are some complications that arise when implementing some of this software. If someone is using speech recognition software, they need to be where noises are minimal and the user won’t disturb others around them. In libraries, and schools, multiple people will be accessing the computer and we need to make sure they don’t get into each others’ profiles. Voice recognition software requires users to build their own files and we need to implement a way to keep those from getting mixed up. Goddard suggests using separate zip files for each profile. I can’t help but wonder if computers will start to get slow due to all the personal files saved on it.

The Archimedes Project sounds very expensive to disabled people. The idea is to create a personalized adaptation to technology based on their needs that they can take with them wherever the go. Libraries or the ATM, it will help them to be better able to function in the world. However, if people have to pay for their own devices to be custom made to fit their needs, I would imagine it could become quite expensive.

Overall, I’m pleased that technology is being put to good use helping others to stay in the mainstream of technology so they don’t get left behind. I knew of some of the software and even hard ware (adjustable desks and computer screens and different styles of keyboards), but it was nice to find out about some of the other applications that have been developed. And also the use of the internet to help those who are home bound.

Students and their boredom in school

“Engage Me or Enrage Me”
WHAT TODAY’S LEARNER’S DEMAND
By: Marc Prensky

“Yesterday’s education for tomorrow’s kids.” This is what Prensky stated in this article and it is true. Students resent us for wasting their time in school. I agree that many students who don’t pay attention in school don’t do so because of their attention spans. I agree with Penky in the fact that they are simply bored. They go home and spend hours on their computers or playing video games. I know that some times I’d rather be playing video games than teaching, if I just got a new game. The same can be said for books as well though and I don’t think that a large portion of today’s students submerge themselves in books.

At home they find something that engages them. They are engaged because they are good at what they are doing or maybe they like the feeling of competitiveness it gives them. Compared to this, school is boring to them. At home, they can choose to do what interests them, but at school they can only do what we tell them to do. Maybe we should offer choices for assignments and give them more project-based learning.

Prensky suggested continuous challenges that test their capabilities, constant important decision making, taking in multiple streams of data, and being given goals they aren’t sure they can reach. I know that the students need goals that are relevant to them. As a math teacher, I like to use peer teaching, where students sit in groups of three to four. Sometimes we have contests between the groups of students. I have found that this simulates students to want to work and learn more. And believe it or not, high school kids love candy! Bribes work well, but an intrinsic motivation would be more productive for everyone involved. Not to mention cheaper and healthier.

Epiphany!

Yesterday I was sitting in my van waiting for my pain medication to kick in and I had an epiphany (I hope). I was watching the parking security kid go around to all the different cars and beep their little tags with his little piece of technology. It now scans the bar codes on the tags AND prints a little receipt looking thing that is actually a ticket. When I was an undergrad, I remember a regular security guy had to walk around and write out the tickets. He would stick it under your windshield wiper and you would curse as you approached your car and see it sitting there. The ticket was actually an envelope and the one end was the adhesive part. If it rained and they put the ticket under your wiper wrong, it would stick to the windshield. This was just 5 years ago.

Then I started thinking about police officers and how they now have actual printers in their cars and print tickets on an actual 8.5x11" piece of paper. When I was 16 and got my first speeding ticket, the officer had to fill out a form (with pen) and give you that as your ticket.

I guess I'm wondering what happens when the nice police officers' printer jams. Do they call someone to fix it if they can't? Or do they all have to take a class on printer maintenance to make sure they can fix it no matter what happens? These are things we don't think of that we should. In an office, if a printer jams a there is either someone more experienced there who can fix it or they call in a professional.

If other professions are using technology, whether new or old, then we need to prepare our students. We DO need to change education at least a little bit to start so that we can prepare our students for the technology that is out there. We, as educators, are charged with the duty of readying our students for the real world. And that means we must prepare them for the technology of that world and arm them with critical thinking skills so that they will be able to figure out, on their own, how to solve problems. That is the most important skill in any job, maybe even in life.

http://www.computereq.com/vdirs/images/index/misc_test.jpg

21st Century Skills

My Views On:
21st Century Skills


Students need to acquire different, evolving skill sets to cope and thrive in today’s society
Digital-Age literacy’s are necessary to function in a knowledge society.
Examples:
Basic Literacy
Scientific Literacy
Economic Literacy
Technological Literacy
Visual Literacy
Information Literacy
Multicultural Literacy
Global Awareness

Inventive Thinking cognitive skills become increasingly critical as technology becomes more prevalent in our everyday lives.
Examples:
Adaptability/Managing Complexity
Self-Direction
Curiosity
Creativity
Risk-taking
Higher-Order Thinking and Sound Reasoning

Students also need to have effective communication and levels of high productivity
We as teachers need to better educate ourselves in the ways of technology so that we can better help our students. These skills listed are very important skills for today's students to posess. Which means that we as teachers must posess them first so we may pass them on.

Socrates

My Views on:
What Would Socrates Say?
By: Peter W. Cookson Jr.
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/sept09/vol67/num01/What_Would_Socrates_Say%C2%A2.aspx

“My fear is that instead of knowing nothing except the fact of our own ignorance, we will know everything except the fact of our own ignorance. Google has given us the world at our fingertips, but speed and ubiquity are not the same as actually knowing something.”

Socrates believed that we learn best by asking essential questions and testing those answers.

Learning requires stable but flexible cognitive frameworks along with consistent forms of adaptive assessments. This means that data collection without judgment and discernment will not lead to a true understanding.

Some feel that the internet leads to a stunting of genuine intellectual development. It leads to a form pf permanent adolescence.
There are four elements of the 21st century mind could be the basis of a new approach to
education.
1. Critical Reflection – ability to distinguish between truth and fiction
2. Empirical Reasoning - abandon supernatural explanations for naturally occurring events
3. Collective Intelligence - recognition and acceptance of our shared evolutionary collective intelligence
4. Metacognition – not memorization, but metacognitive skills that enable us to monitor our own
learning and make changes if we perceive that our learning is not occurring effectively

Learning in the Electronic Age
A new electronic learning environment is replacing the linear, text-bound culture of conventional schools.

Cookson says we need ‘virtual libraries’ that “host genuine knowledge and that enable learners of all ages to interact with one another in knowledge creation, as they currently do on Wikipedia.”

We will someday use technology to further our teaching and learning when we think of it “as an extension of our minds.”

Technology Meets Socratic Inquiry
We need a method of systematically applying knowledge to real-world challenges.

An educational revolution could happen if students and adults would connect globally to hold
purposeful conversations to help make the world a better place. We would be prying the Socratic dialogue from the past and be lifting it into the future to help serve students (and people) everywhere.

What Would Socrates Do?
The population of the world has grown exponentially. We need to think of new ways to educate todays students.

Continuing to pour money into our current educational system is a waste of time and money.

Socrates was the first person who used purposeful conversation.

“I think Socrates would embrace the new learning era with all the energy he had.”
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I believe that technology stunts some intellectual growth but allows for a greater growth.
Students use google, or Wikipedia, or spark notes to cheat on tests so they can spend more time on what they want. Our goal needs to be helping students find something productive to be interested in other than television and video games. Getting quick facts from the internet allows them to pass classes in school. They may not be as ‘well-rounded’ as we would like but I think that if they apply themselves to something purposeful (and meaningful to them), the world will continue to thrive.

I too think that Socrates would use all his energy to try and make the people of the world grow. However, I think he would be very disappointed by the responses of our youth today. Many of them cannot think on their own. Some of them simply would walk away from Socrates. Or shoot him and steal his wallet and shoes.
The world is a much different place than his world was. I am not sure there is enough time or energy or people to help today’s youth. But we still have to try ;)

My thoughts on Connectivism

My thoughts on:
Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age
By: George Siemens

The “half-life of knowledge” is the time frame from when knowledge is gained to when its obsolete.

The amount of knowledge in the world is doubling every 18 months according to the American Society of Training and Documentation (ASTD).

Traditional education no longer comprises the majority of learning in our world today. Learning now occurs through communities of practice, personal networks, and through completion of work-related tasks.

The most important thing we need to teach students is an understanding of where to find the knowledge they need.

3 Basic Theories that attempt to address how it is a person learns:
1. Behaviorism-Learning is largely unknowable. We cdon’t understand what goes on inside a person’s mind.
2. Cognitivism-Learning is viewed as a process of inputs, managed in short term memory, and coded for long-term recall.
3. Constructivism-We create knowledge as we attempt to understand experiences.

These theories don’t address learning that occurs outside of people, or occurs due to technology.

They also fail to describe how learning happens within organizations or groups.

An alternative theory: Chaos - states that the meaning exists – the learner's challenge is to recognize the patterns which appear to be hidden in everything

The field of education has been slow to recognize both the impact of new learning tools and the environmental changes in what it means to learn. Connectivism provides insight into learning skills and tasks needed for learners to flourish in a digital era.
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I somewhat agree with the theories given. Learning does not occur as much in school as it does out in the real world. You need job training for every new job you take. You figure out technical problems by clicking on the little ‘help’ button on the page when dealing with computers. We need to teach our students critical thinking skills so they will be able to adapt to new situations and figure things out on their own.

Some of my views on class readings

Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants
By: Marc Prensky
I should just classify myself to be part of that group that is in-between the Natives and Immigrants. I agree that teachers need to accommodate to fit the needs of the students. However, we as teachers are charged with the duty of readying our students for the real world and jobs. If you text all day at your job when you are supposed to be working, won’t you get fired? So the same should also apply in school. We are here to teach them the rules of the world. Not just change the world to fit what the students want. It is their place to find out where they belong in this world and how to get there. It is our job as educators to prepare and guide them. Just because a student learns a certain way does not mean their boss or supervisor will placate to their needs. We ALL have to learn to compromise. I like the idea of the video games, but I like them better as supplemental material. They should not be used in a classroom to teach the students, only to reinforce it.

Understanding Digital Kids
By: Ian Jukes
I agree with Ian Jukes that kids speak ‘DFL’ where we speak ‘DSL’. They also often write and type it. In this I am referring to the little shortcuts kids have for texting and online chat. I find myself, this past week, trying to type papers with 1st and also using &. It is a very hard habit to break.
Neuroplasticity: He says that the brain is not fixed but constantly ‘rewiring’ or reorganizing itself. I agree. There are many people with head trauma and strokes that have regained functionality of body systems and parts because the brain remapped itself.
Says that world is predominately left brained and that left brain knowledge will eventually be turned into hardware, software, or outsourced. Therefore we need to teach the new generations of children to think with both hemispheres of the brain so they will be able to use a whole new mind. I don’t really know what he means. The right side of the brain contains pattern analysis, big picture thinking, intuition and things like these. Apparently using these characteristics along with the left-brains linear and logical thinking will allow them to enter into an entirely new realm of thinking? I have no clue. I’m not even sure what it has to do with technology except that I like pattern recognition video games. lol. See, hard habit to break.

Online Community of Inquiry Review
By: Garrison D. R.
I really like the idea of an online class being a community. The relationship must, in class discussions, stay focused on the task at hand. They must be able to communicate effectively and be open-minded to the other peoples’ points of view presented. The instructor helps to keep students on track so they can not only interpret the issues being dealt with but also come to mutually satisfactory solutions. The instructor needs to constantly guide the students to make sure they not only discuss issues but also solutions to those issues.

Hello World!

I cannot believe that I just created my first blog account! I never imagined that I would be one of those people who have nothing better to do, and blog. And now here I am. Hopefully this will come in handy one way or another ;)

So here I come world. Watch out. I'm going to change the world with one blog at a time.