iMovie PSA

NETS I-III & V

In an attempt to gain the necessary skills required to create digital films, I made this public service announcement video about CSUSM using iMovie software.

Internet Safety Google Site

NETS I-V

This website is the product of a collaborative effort to create a CyberSafety resource for educators. It address the topics of Identity Safety, Cyberbullying, Cyber Predators, Piracy & Plagiarism, Inappropriate Content, and Social Networks.

Inspiration

NETS I-V

This is a graphic organizer that I created to help me understand the relationship between my work in a technology course and the ISTE standards.

Journal 9: NETS I-III & V

Waters, J.K. (2011). Teaching Green. t|h|e Journal, 38(4), 13-14. Retrieved from: http://thejournal.com/research/2011/04/digital-edition_april.aspx
 
Summary:
Waters’ article describes various online resources that aim to help teachers incorporate environmental sciences into the classroom. One of the more interesting sites is called “A Walk in the Woods,” which gives kids in urban setting a place to virtually tour the woods. I think this is a revolutionary idea because it connects kids with an environment that they may never have seen before, giving them the gift of knowledge. Another site that really stood out to me was called “EEK!” (or Environmental Education for Kids), which is an electronic magazine for kids in 4-8th grade. This site is unique in that it features a “Get a Job” section that highlights environmentally related jobs for the kids to look into. This helps students to think critically about their future pursuits and strengthens their knowledge about the type of jobs that exist.

Question 1: How can a teacher show their students the real-life applications of environmental studies?
I think that creating assignments that involve real-life situations is a good place to start. By seeing the direct effects of an environmental issue, students will relate the issue to their lives. As this article shows, Teachers could also have their students looking into environmentally related websites to further their own knowledge. It might also be beneficial for teachers to challenge their students to limit their environmental resource usage for a certain amount of time and journal about the experience.

Question 2: How can a teacher incorporate environmental education into other subjects?
Environmental education can be translated in to every subject with very little effort because it is such a salient issue. It not only involves statistics (math relation), but also politics/laws (history), biological/chemical realities (science), visual beauty/destruction (art), and discussions/debates (language arts). As such, teachers in all fields can use environmental studies to enhance student understanding in all subjects.

Journal 8: NETS IV-V

Bogacz, R., & Gordillo, M.G. (2011). Should Schools Be Held Responsible For Cyberbullying?. Learning and Leading with Technology, 38(6), 6-7. Retrieved from: http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-march-april-2011.aspx

Summary:

This article is a documentation of opposing views on whether or not schools should be responsible for cyberbullying. Of the only 30% who thought that schools should hold responsibility, the main argument centered on the idea that cyberbullying is spanning such a large portion of technology that can no longer be ignore in schools. Cyberbullying is a form of abuse and should therefore be reported if discovered. The majority view (70%), however, argue that students cannot be held responsible for things that happen outside of school. Nevertheless, they seem to value the importance of education about cyberbullying. 

Question 1: Do I think schools should be held responsible for cyberbullying?
This is a difficult question for me because I partially agree with both sides. I agree that it is absurd for teachers to hold responsibility for what their students do outside of school hours, but I don’t think that means that they shouldn’t take an interest in it. When a student says or does something online that negatively affects another student or teacher, they cross an invisible line and should be held accountable.

Question 2: What is the best way to educate students about cyberbullying?

Before advocating the proper use of digital tools and cyber safety, it is important for students to see cyberbullying as a current and relevant issue. To do this I think that teachers need to show students the effects of cyberbullying through role playing. It is of equal interest to provide statistical information to students, so that they can understand the realness of issue. 

Journal 6: NETS III-V

Warlick, D. (2009). Grow Your Personal Learning Network. Learning & Leading With Technology, 36(6), 12-16. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-march-april-2009.aspx

Summary:

David Warlick’s article discusses the different types of Personal Learning Networks and their use as a resource for teachers. PLN’s are divided into three main types that are defined by their type of connection. The first is synchronous, where a person connects direct with a peer in real time through sites like Skype or iChat. The second is semisynchronous, where the conversation can span across time zone limitations through sites like Facebook, Twitter and various blogs. The last is asynchronous, where the relationship is between a person and a website (as opposed to person-to-person) using tools like the RSS aggregator. This article demonstrates the vast span of PLNs, including non-digital sources such as books and the radio, but warns against the limited range of personal perspective. Teachers are inclined to look and implement tools that relate to their own ideas and beliefs and can, therefore, limit the potential transformation that PLNs offer. I think it is important for teachers to look outside of their own inclinations so that they can increase their awareness of the issues that surround education.

Question 1: With the wealth of information that PLNs provide, how can I keep myself informed without spending all of my time online?

Time management and organization is key. It is important to remember that I am not responsible for learning everything all at once. By spending just a few minutes each day visiting my PLN, I will gain that knowledge overtime. Additionally, I can ensure that that time is sent in an effective manor by keeping my PLN as organized as possible. Social bookmarking tools and RSS feeds are a good way to do this.

Question 2: How do you know which sources and people are the best to add to your PLN?

I think that the best solution is to experiment. You won’t know the potential that a source has to offer until you take the chance to explore it. If it turns out that the source is not in your best interest, it can be easily removed from your PLN and seen as a learning experience for future choices.

Excel Crossword Puzzle

NETS II, III, V

This is a crossword puzzle that I created using Excel to expand my previous understanding of the program.

Journal 7: PLN

     My personal learning network is a means to connect with people and resources that will enhance my understanding of education and classroom techniques. By using networking tools like Twitter, Diigo and other digital discussion forums, I have created a virtual web of knowledge that is ever changing and enlightening. My hope is that I will be able to refer to this net to challenge my methods as a future educator and to expand my resources for teaching.

     I have decided to include Twitter in my PLN because it acts as a forum for people to tie-in information about millions of useful topics. I have decided to follow a number of people on twitter because of their potential for sharing information about education that I find personally interesting or useful. One such person was Joan Weber, who values the use of theater in strengthening communication skills and critical thinking; two more resources were the US Dept. of Education and Education Week because they provide updates and news about education; another person was Adam Steiner, who uses a website to share free or low-cost web resources for teachers; a final resource is Office Ed Tech, which advocates the importance of using technology to contribute and improve education.

     To further my introduction into the world of PLN, I participated in an #artsed chat at 9am on April 7, 2011. The topic was “Reflections on Arts Advocacy Day,” which is an annual event that spreads awareness about the importance of the arts and the development of strong public policies and funding for it. Although it was hard for me to spend an hour watching the conversation develop, I enjoyed seeing the wealth of people and resources come together to discuss art education. An element that struck me was use of the word “Advoctweeting.” I think this word stresses the useful nature of twitter in that it can be a vital tool for advocating important topics.

     I have also decided to use Diigo, the social bookmarking site, as a networking tool because it allows me to not only tag and organize useful education sites for people in my network, but also highlight and annotate those webpages. This enables me to have conversations with my peers without leaving the page we are discussing. I used Diigo to create a network with various colleagues who post and update information about educational resources. In return, I am able to tag and post my own ideas and information for them to use. To tie-in my PLN directly, I tagged Twitter, The Educator’s PLN and Scholastic Teacher Share because they are all relevant ways of sharing information with people in my PLN.

     As my Diigo tags allude to, another tool I have decided to include in my PLN is the digital discussion forum, or ning site, called “The Educator’s PLN.” This site is useful because it acts as a social community for sharing conversations, events, news, and videos with other educators. One video I explored was entitled “Digital Footprints – Your New First Impression.” It was surprising to see the percentage of employers that use information from social networking sites to judge potential employees. I am now much more aware of the things that I am posting online, as well as the information that my friends post. You can learn a lot about someone by what they choose to post on their websites.

All About Me Survey

Journal 4: NETS I-V

Schaffhauser, D. (2010, December 1). It's time to trust teachers with the internet:: a conversation with Meg Ormiston. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/Articles/2010/12/01/Its-Time-To-Trust-Teachers-with-the-Internet-A-Conversation-with-Meg-Ormiston.aspx?sc_lang=en&Page=1

Summary:

Meg Ormiston advocates the importance of learning to use the Internet responsibly in the classroom. She claims that most schools waste their time focusing on how to restrict inappropriate student or teacher access to sites because the majority of sites can be used to further educate children. Although many schools are forced to limit access due to problems with bandwidth, most are simply afraid of allowing Internet freedom. Meg agrees that certain things, like pornography, need to be blocked. However, limitations on all social networking sites and tools (like YouTube) are unrealistic because they are tools that most kids will be using at home. Therefore, classrooms need to teach responsible computing, rather than telling students not to go to sites that they already check on their phones every few minutes. What’s even more striking is that many students know how to work around filters. Why waste time by blocking sites when they could be used to help the child grow? Meg suggests that districts work to expand the professional development of teachers and administrators to prepare them to supervise, rather than limit, their students computer use.

Question 1: How can a teacher keep supervise all of their students computer use when it is so easy to close and open windows in the blink of an eye?

I don’t think total supervision should be the goal. The whole point of this article was that students need to learn responsible computing. Students have to be able to work alone so that they can experiment with the tools. Granted some supervision is necessary, but trust is an important part of learning.

Question 2: How can teachers prevent inappropriate computing in the classroom when they are busy focusing on an individual?

The best advice is to have a well thought out and prepared lesson plan. If your lesson plan is complex enough to keep students busy for the entire class then students may be less inclined to wander on other sites. Group projects are also a good way for kids to stay focused because one child’s wandering could cost the whole groups’ grade, which would encourage focus.

Journal 2: NETS II - IV

Ferguson, H. (2010). Join the flock!. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Libraries/Leading_and_Learning_Docs/June_July_2010_Join_the_Flock.sflb.ashx

Miller, S.M. (2010). Enhance your twitter experience. Leading and Learning With Technology, 37(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Libraries/Leading_and_Learning_Docs/June_July_2010_Join_the_Flock.sflb.ashx

Summary:

The first article focuses on informing the reader about how to navigate a new Twitter account. Ferguson uses the idea of a Personal Learning Network, or virtual community based on collaboration and communication about education, to frame her discussion. Although she seems enthusiastic about the uses of Twitter, her article did mention that Twitter takes time and commitment. Some people even have too much information for just one account. This is where I see a flaw in Twitter. The knowledge it can link you to is great, but the scope of all those links adds up fast and can be overwhelming. The second article does a better job of convincing the reader that Twitter is a useful tool in connecting with others. Something I liked about Miller is that she talked more about how to make the best of your Twitter experience through organization, rather than how to expose yourself to the world of Twitter like Ferguson discussed.

Question 1: Will I ever use Twitter in my classroom? How?

Honestly, I don’t think I would ever use Twitter in my classroom because I do not like the format/clarity of the actual “tweets,” the way it quickly turns into an overwhelming almost spam like queue of thoughts and the amount of time each child must spend checking for new “tweets.” If I did use it, it would probably only be to post links for my students.

Question 2: Can twitter be a useful resource in expanding knowledge about the world?

As the articles suggest, Twitter has more uses than it seems to at first. I think it is a great way to connect with people you would not have had the opportunity to talk with outside of the Twitter zone. I also think it is a wonderful way to share a mountain of knowledge about virtually any topic in a quick an easy way. The downside is: that mountain of knowledge seems to be an endlessly overwhelming climb.

Journal 1: NETS I - V

Light, D. (2011). Do web 2.0 right. Learning and Leading with Technology, 38(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Libraries/Leading_and_Learning_Docs/February-2011-Do-Web-20-Right.sflb.ashx

Summary:

This article discuss how to use technology to engage students in their writing using tools such as blogs and wikis. David Light and his colleagues traveled throughout the country interviewing teachers about their success in incorporating these tools into their classrooms. Wikis were not found to be a common tool in classrooms. Blogs, on the other hand, served as a useful way for teachers to create discussion forums that facilitated conversations with their students and parents. The research on blogs argues that daily use of these sites were more effective in learning than for just special projects. Light wrote that both individual and classroom blogs are a good way for teachers to have conversations outside of class with their students and allow kids to post and reflect on their thoughts and computer findings. The classroom blog seemed to generate more interest in that it created discussions between students, as well as teachers. Both, however, highlighted certain students insecurities about sharing their work. Light went on to discuss the nature of this fear and suggested that teachers carefully consider the audience by limiting the viewer access to students, teachers and parents alone. The last part of the article talked about teacher responsibility in enforcing appropriate behavior on these sites. I was somewhat disheartened after reading this because none of Light’s solutions to the student’s insecurities seemed to address the problems fully.

Question 1: How could I prevent cyber-bullying or other peer-related issues from arising if a classroom blog is used?

If I used a class related blog in my class, I could post a list of requirements for student comments to help student generate constructive responses. I could also inform students that both their parents and I would be reading all of their comments and taking any necessary actions to prevent misuse. One option could be suggesting that students post a compliment about their peer’s post as well as something constructive.

Question 2: How could I encourage shy children to share their thoughts?

I could try to create a comfortable virtual atmosphere by avoiding topics that could create personal issues. I could also have the kids work together in creating the blog or have the class as a whole determine how the blogs should work so that every child has ownership of it.

Technology Self-Assessment: School 2.0

NETS III, IV, V

This is an assessment that I took online to determine my understanding of the NETS requirements before participating in a technology class.

I choose to investigate the NETS-T Module: Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility because I feel that teaching students about cyber safety and how to use digital tools properly is the most valuable safety precaution that a teacher can take in the modern technological world. I followed a link that talked about teaching every student in the digital age, which led me to an online book that discussed new media in relation to brain and learning development for diverse learners. The chapter I focused on talked about impact of high standards and increased learner diversity on universal learning. It went on to discuss how modern communication technology can be used to reach out to every type of learner. Although this was not a new topic for me, I loved how the discussion tied in the Multiple Intelligences theory because it highlights the importance of looking at education as a multifaceted science. No child’s brain develops the same way as another and, therefore, it is foolish to expect that every child be held to the same type of standard. The individual, not the majority, should define standards. As such, the importance of developing new teaching methods and technological resources has become more apparent in recent years. Through these new tools, education is being transformed into an interconnected world of learning in which every child is able to glean information from others.