school memories and what they mean to me!

Today I have participated in Ed Tech Talk/ Conversation. The topic was on school memories. Everyone was talking about memories they remembered when they were in school. Some could remember little pieces of their teachers while others can’t remember any specifics. This really makes you think about the relationship between student and teacher and there really isn’t one. This saddens me. This conversation really brought up some interesting thoughts for me. By listening to these stories it made me realize that teaching isn’t all about academics, but it is also about real-life experiences that you want children to remember. By remembering what it was about your teachers you had growing up and thinking about what it is you liked or disliked about them can really help you find what it is you want to represent about yourself as a teacher.

After listening to everyone’s memories the one that inspired me the most was one called “Read Under the Stars.” It is where parents, kids, and teachers all brought blankets, snacks, and flashlights and read together while sitting on their blankets. Then the students studied the stars with a huge telescope. Not only does this sound like fun, but it’s a great way to bring parents, teachers, and students together and build relationships which is very important for the student’s success.

The one thing that everyone in the chat room agreed upon was that connections are the most remembered for students as well as teachers.

Webinar: PBS teacher

This week’s webinar was different from all the others. It was PBS teachers launching off their new website. There was some good as well as some bad with this webinar. It started off really strong. I thought this was going to be interesting and fun. Before they gave us a tour of their new site and how it worked, they gave us a tour of Elluminate which was good because I wasn’t too sure how to use it. What I found to be interesting with Elluminate is the instructor could as some survey like questions and we could push A, B, C / yes or no buttons which gave an immediate response. Then she put up a map of the United States and asked where we were located. By picking up, what looked to be a wand, we could tap on this map were we lived. This could be very useful when doing an online class not just for the teachers, but for the students who will be working together. I have taken many online classes and always wondered where people lived.

Okay for the actual subject of this seminar was not so interesting. Besides the fact that we kept getting booted from the PBS teacher website while she was trying to give us a tour of all the things that this site could do many of us were unable to follow along. The one good thing about this site (that I was able to see) was there are many activities that are standard based which can include interactive games. All that you have to do is click on which grade level you are looking for and it brings you to a list of different activities.

This type of webinar could have really hurt this product. The reason I say this is because for most of the hour this site wasn’t running and all we had to go by was what she was telling us. Some of us did have another browser up and was trying to follower her by voice, but then I lost the experience of reading the chats. I find some of them to be amusing. It seemed to me that most of the people that were in this chat room were there for development hours that they need to complete to get re-certified. That was one good thing about this webinar was they are sending me a certificate of completion.

WOW 3

Last night I caught most of WOW 3. Unfortunately, it was their first time back I guess in a while. There was a class in there just like ours where the teacher and students where all listening in from there homes. It is great to see high school kids get involved with technology outside the classroom. The problem I faced was that this show was also excited about these students being there to the point where that is what the show decided to talk about for a whole hour. They couldn't stop talking about how cool it was that they were there. I didn't really get much out of this show. I guess just like life you can't expect everything to go right. I will have to try again. Until next time.....

By the way, I did get one thing out of this, we are not the only class that is listening in on these live discussions. I just wished I understood a little more of their slang, because have the time I have no idea what they are talking about.

Providing equal access to the digital world

Providing equal access to all students: In the 1996, the U.S Secretary of Education released the nation’s first educational technology plan with one of their goals being that all students and teachers will have access to information technology in their classrooms, schools, communities and homes (ed.gov). After doing some research and finding ways to see how we as educators could provide equal access to all students I came across some statistics about how many areas in the United States actually have internet service. As of 2005, only twenty-four percent of rural Americans had broadband access, compared to thirty-nine percent of urban and suburban communities (Hawkins & Oblinger, 2006). Today, we assume everyone has a computer and internet access at home, but this is so not true. So, how can we really provide equal access to our students?

This assignment was very hard for me. The more research I did the more I thought this question was impossible to find a solution to. Then it all came to me. This isn’t so hard after all. The digital world is out there, and to provide all children equal access we have to start in the classroom. First we need to teach children what is out there and how to get access to it. Knowledge of the digit world is the key to have children all be equal when it comes to technology. We as teachers do not have to give homework that requires internet access, but if a child wants to use it than that is the students choice. What we need to do is allow each student with or without a home computer the same opportunity to learn how to use it and how to navigate on it. Just like in our technology class, we may or may not have access to computers at home, but we do in the classroom and we are all getting the same education on learning about diigo, wordle, twitter, voicethread, blogging, podcasts, wiki, nings, livemocha, and so on. So, I do believe that children from around the world can have equal access to the digital world as long as educators like ourselves are willing to teach students all about it.

References:

Hawkins, Brian & Oblinger, Diana (2006). The Myth about the Digital Divide. Educause review, vol. 41, no 4 (July/August 2006): 12 – 13. http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Review/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolume41/TheMythabouttheDigitalDivide/158073

U.S Department of Education (2004). Archived: National Educational Technology Plans. Retrieved Oct 12, 2009. www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/reports/e-learning.html

Evaluating Websites

Evaluating Websites: When it comes to evaluating educational websites there are many things to consider before having students so right to them. First, we need to make sure that the site is age appropriate for the students we are working with and to make sure the site promotes education and learning. We also need to make sure that these websites have some type of credibility, such as, does it provide us a name of an author, a way to contact this person if we have questions, do they have other publications, and is their material updated? Updated material is important because we don’t want to be teaching children things that may be out of date or now long exist (such as Pluto is no longer a planet).

Another thing we need to look for is making sure there are not many ads. Educational websites should be teaching not trying to sell something. Like we learned in class, we need to pay attention to the URL address since .com where designed originally to sell or promote products. We also need to be careful of .org because non-profit organizations might have some bias to it (Boklaschuk & Caisse, 2001).

This is where “open sources” fits right in. There are so many teacher sites, blogs, and chat rooms out there that we can collaborate with one another to find out which sites work and which sites don’t. On our own we may find the right site that may be reliable, age appropriate, updated, and bias free, but if the site is hard to navigate and the URL links no longer exist it can be not only frustrating to you but also for the student which could make them lose interest in what is being taught. So, if we can collaborate more without teachers via the web then these types of problems may not occur. Plus, the research behind these projects won’t be so time consuming.

References:
Boklaschuk, Kelli & Caisse, Kevin (2001). Evaluation of Educational Web Sites. University of Saskatchewan. www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/bokcaisse/bokcaisse.htm

"free" refers to freedom or is it price?

Chapter 4: This chapter made me understand more about what “open” and “free” means in the technology world and how it is used in our culture today. Let’s face it, if it wasn’t for this movement we as learners and educators wouldn’t even be talking about technology in the classroom. We still would be using text as our main source of education hoping that the texts our updated. This actually goes beyond the classroom. If there wasn’t program’s that were free and open to everyone I wouldn’t be able to do the research that is needed for my studies because I wouldn’t be able to afford these programs. I recently bought a new laptop and NO computers today come with Microsoft Word. I had to pay $149 just to be able to write a paper for school.

Most of us, not all of us, take advantage of these free programs. I am not sure if it is what we are use to or if it wasn’t free most of wouldn’t be using the Internet at all and we would be studying in libraries? I like how this chapter explains the benefits that come with free online course management systems such as, it allows organizations and institutions to be able to offer courses and programs that are not too costly, allows information available to all in all countries and individuals not just for people who can afford a program, and it allows educators to share their talents which improves the human condition (pg 155).

I have always thought a hacker was someone who broke a code to a program to destroy someone’s work or cause viruses to spread. I never realized what a hacker really was. I found this chapter to be interesting when they talk about how it was hackers who are the ones who helped start this movement and all they wanted was to be able to share information with others. Yes, there may be some hackers out there who are looking to destroy others work, but know I have a whole new meaning for the word hacker.

References:
Bonk, Curtis (2009). The World Is Open. San Francisco. Jossey-Bass.

I'm addicted to Facebook

Chapter 11: I am a person who rarely used the internet until facebook came out and now I’m addicted. I check my facebook page about twenty minutes, sometimes more now that I have the application on my Blackberry. I talk more now to my family and friends than I ever have. Not only do I talk more to them through facebook I also have learned a lot more about them, especially my mother, through different surveys that she has taken. This type of interaction between students is the norm and should be taken advantaged of in the classroom with the approval from parents and the schools like mentioned in the book. Until reading this chapter I never realized how many outside applications facebook has especially the one called “courses” that allow students to share notes, manage activities, and start discussion forums. This would be a great tool to have students help each other with homework assignments or group projects.

Another thing from this chapter that caught my attention was the use of Livemocha. Although the concept of teaching and learning other languages, via texting and video, allows learners to study the language through native speakers without having to actually go outside their home is great, but does it take away from the actual experiences of going abroad? I believe it does. I know not everyone has the money or opportunity to go to another country and study the language, but I think if a person who does have the opportunity might not take it because they have this choice. I am in favor of technology and using it to its fullest, but when is it too much? Yes, technology opens the door for many social connections around the world, but I don’t find it to be always the best way. I still like the face-to-face interaction. I know there are webcams, but for me, it’s not the same.

Don't Get Left Behind!

Chapter 7: This chapter states that “learners finally have a voice in their own learning activities” (pg 205). Today we don’t need specific instructions from teachers to learn about a subject. We can go right to the web and learn about anything we want. We can engage in online videos such as YouTube and Common Craft to educate ourselves in any language we desire. How amazing is that. What was interesting was how one multicultural class was able to display multiple windows of the same video simultaneously in multiple subtitles so that no matter what nationality you were you were able to get the same information as the person next to you. How great would this be to bring into the classroom where not all you students spoke English.

Technology as we are learning can open a huge gateway for learners, but also mentioned in this chapter can make it very “difficult for us to realize who we are leaving behind if we believe in it to firmly without continuous reflection” (pg. 233). Even in America not every child has access to a computer at home. We need to make sure that even though technology is exciting and can help teachers and students learn in a great way; we also need to remember what we teach them in the classroom might not be followed up with at home. We also need to try not to give homework assignments that might require a child to use a computer/internet or at least give those children an opportunity to finish the assignment in class.

This chapter also talks about how much videos and gaming are being downloaded and how much bandwidth is being taken up. On page 209, Curtis Bonk asks the question about the government coming in and shutting down because of all the videos that are being downloaded. (Some educational and some for fun) This made me think about what would happen if the government came and shut down these types of resources such as YouTube, facebook, or even text messaging. I think today this is all kids now. We at least can remember the old way before text messaging and can revert to the old system, but if this is all children now they might not even know where to start. That is why even though technology is a great tool. I also believe that children need to learn to be creative without technology too. What do you think?

References:
Bonk, Curtis (2009). The World is Open: How Web Technology is Revolutionizing Education. San Francisco. JosseyBass.

Chapter 8: Get Involved!!!

Chapter 8 is very inspirational and gives great meaning of how technology not only helps the privilege but can also help those who have no access to technology. After reading this chapter it makes me want to join one of these organizations such as Twinbooks, e-pal, and ilearn in order to give other children the opportunity that our children may have. What touched me the most was the story of 1kg and how these volunteers travel to places that have little or no access to technology and are able to bring outside information to them, and then in return they can teach the rest of the world information about them.

This chapter opened my eyes to a whole new way of using the web. It also opened my mind to want to find a way that I can be part of this exciting evolvement. I find it fascinating how already so many schools around the world are interacting with one another and some are even involved in certain activities that are going on in the classroom. When I was in school this wasn’t really even thought of. If only it was, maybe I would have been more interested in history and social studies. Hopefully, my children will get these opportunities and will love to learn.

Chapter 1: Ustream HUH!!!

I am a person who does not no anything about technology (ask my husband). In chapter 1 I learned the terms that relate to ustreaming such as Twitter, Edtalk, and Skype. I never realized how much one can learn by the use of technology and how much one can learn about other cultures without having to leave the classroom. What surprised me the most is how fast technology and its theories are advancing. Look how far technology has opened global expansion from Friedman's theory to Florida and Straub's theories and how using technology has become our societies norm.

What I liked about this chapter is how it broke down what the openers are used for and why they were created.

WHAT THEY ARE USED FOR:

. creating and finding information
. locating, selecting, and such resources and generating ways to access
them.

WHY IT WAS CREATED:

. to divide online resources in a way that educators, trainers, teachers,
freelance lectures, instructional designers, and others would be able
to more easily and more actively employ them in their own instruction,
rather than avoiding the Web at all costs (Bonk,2009).

References:

Bonk, Curtis (2009). The World Is Open: How Web Technology Is Revolutionizing Education. San Francisco. Jossey Bass.

Hello! My name is Angela and this is my first year in my Master's program. My goal is to get my degree in Elementary Education/Special Education. I have a 3 year old daughter who is my inspiration in wanting to work with children. Currently I work in a poker room in Salem NH which is fun and different from any job I ever had. I look forward to working with all of you this semester.