Eleven weeks ago when we first began this course, I was completely unaware of the many changes in educational technology. Learning about all of these new resources and options that are now available to the teachers of today and tomorrow has really opened my eyes to a whole world of possibilities. At first, being the digital immigrant that I am, I was concerned that all of these innovations could do more harm than good when it came to educating today's youth. However, after seeing many of these technologies in action and working with them myself, my opinion has definitely changed for the better.
Of course, this is not to say we should completely leave traditional teaching methods behind. I believe that educational technology should enhance traditional teaching methods, not completely replace them. There is something to be said for the physically tangible aspects of classroom learning. I think having a giant brick of a textbook or turning in an assignment on actual paper makes the learning process more "real" and reinforces the responsibility that students need to feel in order to do well. Consequences are more concrete when there are physical reminders of them, rather than when they are just concepts floating around in cyberspace.
However, I am just now at the beginning of my graduate studies in the education field. I am sure my thoughts on this subject will continue to evolve as I learn more and finally enter the school system and actually begin my teaching career. So, I guess to answer the question, "has my opinion of technology in the classroom changed'? Yes, and it will change many times again.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Literature Review 2: "A Technological Reinvention of the Textbook: A Wikibooks Project"
We had briefly discussed using wikis as textbooks in an earlier class this semester and it brought to mind a few questions about the efficacy of this practice. In this regard, I was hoping to find an article that would delve a little deeper into this area. Luckily, I found, "A Technological Reinvention of the Textbook", which was written by Patrick M. O'Shea, James C. Onderdonk, Douglas Allen and Dwight W. Allen. It appeared in the Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, v27 n3 p109-114 Spr 2011. 6 pp. The link to this article is: http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ918902.pdf.
The authors of this article believe that the standard textbook is, "...outdated and in need of reconceptualization" (p.109). They state a number of reasons for this belief, but perhaps the most important is the speed in which information is changing in today's society. The authors believe that the "lengthy publication schedule for textbooks" (p.109) essentially renders them obsolete by the time they reach students. One solution to this problem that the authors discuss briefly in this article is the use of e-books as textbooks. These would still have the same format as a textbook, but could be kept current with "real time updates" (p.110) by the original author of the text, thus still keeping them credible. E-books could also utilize multimedia options and links to other sources (p.110). To me, this seems like a great alternative to the current textbook model. Having a constantly current and evolving text would be a great way to keep students engaged using existing technology that is relatively cheap and easily accessible.
However, the authors do not believe this is the most viable option for the future. They favor the student created wiki as the best alternative to today's textbooks, because it makes the learning experience "...integrative, revolving around the students and their ability to find, analyze and report information..." (p.112). In this approach, the course textbook is created by the students as part of the course itself. At first, this seems like a good idea, but it does beg the question, when and how is the textbook used exactly? If the majority of the coursework is spent actually creating the text, then it kind of defeats the purpose of having a textbook in the first place. Also, the authors state that to create the textbook, they had individual students work specifically on one subject (p.111). In this regard, it would appear that these students are only gaining knowledge in one very specific area of the course and will be lacking in many others.
It seems to me that most of what the authors are trying to achieve with this project can be done in other ways. Having students do multi-genre projects or other student centered activities still provides them with choices in how they learn and gives them the opportunity to use the skills that were mentioned earlier that the authors believe are so important. Using e-books as a textbook is a great way to supplement this learning while still moving forward in enhancing the student experience through technology.
The authors of this article believe that the standard textbook is, "...outdated and in need of reconceptualization" (p.109). They state a number of reasons for this belief, but perhaps the most important is the speed in which information is changing in today's society. The authors believe that the "lengthy publication schedule for textbooks" (p.109) essentially renders them obsolete by the time they reach students. One solution to this problem that the authors discuss briefly in this article is the use of e-books as textbooks. These would still have the same format as a textbook, but could be kept current with "real time updates" (p.110) by the original author of the text, thus still keeping them credible. E-books could also utilize multimedia options and links to other sources (p.110). To me, this seems like a great alternative to the current textbook model. Having a constantly current and evolving text would be a great way to keep students engaged using existing technology that is relatively cheap and easily accessible.
However, the authors do not believe this is the most viable option for the future. They favor the student created wiki as the best alternative to today's textbooks, because it makes the learning experience "...integrative, revolving around the students and their ability to find, analyze and report information..." (p.112). In this approach, the course textbook is created by the students as part of the course itself. At first, this seems like a good idea, but it does beg the question, when and how is the textbook used exactly? If the majority of the coursework is spent actually creating the text, then it kind of defeats the purpose of having a textbook in the first place. Also, the authors state that to create the textbook, they had individual students work specifically on one subject (p.111). In this regard, it would appear that these students are only gaining knowledge in one very specific area of the course and will be lacking in many others.
It seems to me that most of what the authors are trying to achieve with this project can be done in other ways. Having students do multi-genre projects or other student centered activities still provides them with choices in how they learn and gives them the opportunity to use the skills that were mentioned earlier that the authors believe are so important. Using e-books as a textbook is a great way to supplement this learning while still moving forward in enhancing the student experience through technology.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
K-12 Online Video: "Robo-Fusion" by Joe Bires
In this video, Mr. Bires discusses how having his students build and program robots can help inspire them and "reinvigorate learning". I thought this was an excellent presentation and a really good idea . The first thing that struck me about this subject was how the use of robots in this way was a great representation of Conrad Wolfram's idea of fusing math, science and real world skills. Mr. Bires mentions in the video that the focus of this lesson is not the robots themselves, but teaching the students the problem solving skills that will help them get their robots up and running. To do this, students have to draw from many subject areas: math, design, engineering and computer programming, just to name a few.
I was also surprised at how young the students in the video were. I would have thought that a project this complex would be geared toward older students. However, it appears that robots can be used with much younger children. I also noticed that all of the students that Mr. Bires featured in his video were male. It made me wonder if a project of this type would have a broad appeal to female students. as well. It could be that female students just weren't featured in this video, but it seems like the subject of robots is a typically male one. I have heard it mentioned that it is sometimes difficult to get younger female students interested in science, so hopefully Mr. Bires has taken this into account and tailored his lesson plan accordingly.
After all, if one of the goals of technology use in schools is to motivate student learning, I can't think of a much better project than this one. A piece of tech that students actually build themselves seems like the ultimate way to keep students engaged. The fact that it fuses together so many aspects of the curriculum makes it so much the better.
I was also surprised at how young the students in the video were. I would have thought that a project this complex would be geared toward older students. However, it appears that robots can be used with much younger children. I also noticed that all of the students that Mr. Bires featured in his video were male. It made me wonder if a project of this type would have a broad appeal to female students. as well. It could be that female students just weren't featured in this video, but it seems like the subject of robots is a typically male one. I have heard it mentioned that it is sometimes difficult to get younger female students interested in science, so hopefully Mr. Bires has taken this into account and tailored his lesson plan accordingly.
After all, if one of the goals of technology use in schools is to motivate student learning, I can't think of a much better project than this one. A piece of tech that students actually build themselves seems like the ultimate way to keep students engaged. The fact that it fuses together so many aspects of the curriculum makes it so much the better.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Digital Nation Video: Stimulation Overdose
One thing that really struck me in the Digital Nation video was the idea of stimulation as an addiction. The section on multi-tasking and what it does to the brain was very eye opening. The fact that excessive multi-tasking can completely alter brain fucntion and thought processes is definitely one element of what could be considered an addiction.
Another good example of this was the M.I.T. students who were addicted to their technology, to the point that they couldn't even have a dinner with friends without checking their cellphones numerous times. They are in need of constant stimulation from as many sources as possible. If all of their technology was suddenly taken away, I don't think that they would be able to function. These students would be "jonesing" for their stimulation fix to the distraction of all else.
I think in relying on this stimulation overload, something essential is being lost. The ability to sit quietly and contemplatively is an important part of being human. If great thinkers like Einstein or Socrates were being constantly inundated and distracted by all of this information technology, would they have still created their world changing ideas? Personally, I don't think so. It makes me wonder if, in twenty or thirty years, there will be any great thinkers left.
Another good example of this was the M.I.T. students who were addicted to their technology, to the point that they couldn't even have a dinner with friends without checking their cellphones numerous times. They are in need of constant stimulation from as many sources as possible. If all of their technology was suddenly taken away, I don't think that they would be able to function. These students would be "jonesing" for their stimulation fix to the distraction of all else.
I think in relying on this stimulation overload, something essential is being lost. The ability to sit quietly and contemplatively is an important part of being human. If great thinkers like Einstein or Socrates were being constantly inundated and distracted by all of this information technology, would they have still created their world changing ideas? Personally, I don't think so. It makes me wonder if, in twenty or thirty years, there will be any great thinkers left.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Literature Review: "Twenty Ideas For Using Mobile Phones in the Language Classroom"
The article I chose to review is entitled: "Twenty Ideas For Using Mobile Phones in the Language Classroom" by Hayo Reinders. It appeared in the journal, English Teaching Forum, v48 n3 p20-25, 33 2010. The link to the article is: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url,cpid&custid=shapiro&db=eric&AN=EJ914893&site=ehost-live.
This article was a great example of how to incorporate an existing technology into the curriculum that students both enjoy and are familiar with. We have talked a lot in class about school budgetary concerns when it comes to technology integration. Using mobile phones as a learning tool that students already own is a novel way to avoid some of these concerns.
It can even enhance student's learning in a number of ways, as Mr. Reinders states in his article: "Learners have a tendency to tune out when a classroom lesson is over; this activity helps circumvent that problem by breaking the boundary between class time and daily activities." (p. 21). Instead of just sitting in a classroom, students can be engaged in authentic tasks while learning.
There are two ideas for using mobile phones in particular that Mr. Reinders presents that I find quite interesting.The first is to, "Use text messaging to reinforce vocabulary learning" (p. 22). The idea behind this is to repeatedly text lists of vocabulary words to students throughout the day to reinforce the words. By doing this numerous times it almost forces the students to learn. Even if they just want to delete the text, they're going to have to at least skim over it to see what it is and this could increase a students chance for retention.
The other idea that I think could be of great use is to, "use the text messaging feature for circular writing" (p. 22). In this activity, students use their phones to collectively create a story or other writing assignment. This is an ingenious way to get students to participate in writing activities that they would normally find boring or tedious if it was done in the classroom setting.
Even though these examples I've mentioned are primarily language based, the possibilities for using mobile phones to teach in other areas, such as math and science, also seem limitless. However, opportunities for problems can arise, as well. Even when used with the best of intentions, mobile phones can still be a source of disruption and distraction for students. To address this, Mr. Reinders suggests setting clear rules and boundaries about "when and how phones should be used" (p. 25) and making sure students abide by them. If they do not, one solution could be to take away a student's privileges for using the phone in class activities and force them to do an assignment in the traditional manner. Making the student to go back to the old way, while everyone else is still using their phone could be a good way to get that student back on track.
Even though I've only mentioned two of the ideas Mr. Reinders wrote about in his article, he presented many other innovative and creative suggestions for the use of mobile phones as learning tools. As more advanced phones are introduced and new applications are created, more opportunities to use these devices for learning will become available. With each generation of phone, we can help the next generation of children to become more successful digital learners.
This article was a great example of how to incorporate an existing technology into the curriculum that students both enjoy and are familiar with. We have talked a lot in class about school budgetary concerns when it comes to technology integration. Using mobile phones as a learning tool that students already own is a novel way to avoid some of these concerns.
It can even enhance student's learning in a number of ways, as Mr. Reinders states in his article: "Learners have a tendency to tune out when a classroom lesson is over; this activity helps circumvent that problem by breaking the boundary between class time and daily activities." (p. 21). Instead of just sitting in a classroom, students can be engaged in authentic tasks while learning.
There are two ideas for using mobile phones in particular that Mr. Reinders presents that I find quite interesting.The first is to, "Use text messaging to reinforce vocabulary learning" (p. 22). The idea behind this is to repeatedly text lists of vocabulary words to students throughout the day to reinforce the words. By doing this numerous times it almost forces the students to learn. Even if they just want to delete the text, they're going to have to at least skim over it to see what it is and this could increase a students chance for retention.
The other idea that I think could be of great use is to, "use the text messaging feature for circular writing" (p. 22). In this activity, students use their phones to collectively create a story or other writing assignment. This is an ingenious way to get students to participate in writing activities that they would normally find boring or tedious if it was done in the classroom setting.
Even though these examples I've mentioned are primarily language based, the possibilities for using mobile phones to teach in other areas, such as math and science, also seem limitless. However, opportunities for problems can arise, as well. Even when used with the best of intentions, mobile phones can still be a source of disruption and distraction for students. To address this, Mr. Reinders suggests setting clear rules and boundaries about "when and how phones should be used" (p. 25) and making sure students abide by them. If they do not, one solution could be to take away a student's privileges for using the phone in class activities and force them to do an assignment in the traditional manner. Making the student to go back to the old way, while everyone else is still using their phone could be a good way to get that student back on track.
Even though I've only mentioned two of the ideas Mr. Reinders wrote about in his article, he presented many other innovative and creative suggestions for the use of mobile phones as learning tools. As more advanced phones are introduced and new applications are created, more opportunities to use these devices for learning will become available. With each generation of phone, we can help the next generation of children to become more successful digital learners.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
K-12 Online Video: "Plan Less, Do More" by David Wells
This video was about what to expect when trying to implement new technology into schools and the curriculum. It is Mr. Wells' belief that when attempting to do this, it is better to have one simplified, master plan. As he states in the video, "The more complicated the plan, the less connected it is to student learning" and I believe this is a great quote. As I stated in my Voicethread video, if teachers focus too much on how to use and implement the technology rather than on what they are teaching, a classroom and even a school can turn form student focused to teacher focused.
One way Mr. Wells' suggests to avoid this is "embedding" technology into the plan so it becomes a natural part of the curriculum. Even then, he warns to be aware of the "Implementation Dip". This is the idea that, when introducing new technology, "things always get worse before they get better". That is to say, until everyone becomes familiar with the new technology, there will be a bit of a rough period. It seems to me, a good way to ameliorate some of this "dip" would be to provide training on the new technology before it is implemented. That way, when it is time to introduce it to the school, it will make it feel as if the technology has been"embedded" into the curriculum.
Mr. Wells used Prezi to present his ideas in this video. It was good to see a real world application of one the technologies we have learned about in class. Prezi was definitely an effective tool in helping Mr. Wells get his point across. Overall, I thought this was an informative and well done presentation.
One way Mr. Wells' suggests to avoid this is "embedding" technology into the plan so it becomes a natural part of the curriculum. Even then, he warns to be aware of the "Implementation Dip". This is the idea that, when introducing new technology, "things always get worse before they get better". That is to say, until everyone becomes familiar with the new technology, there will be a bit of a rough period. It seems to me, a good way to ameliorate some of this "dip" would be to provide training on the new technology before it is implemented. That way, when it is time to introduce it to the school, it will make it feel as if the technology has been"embedded" into the curriculum.
Mr. Wells used Prezi to present his ideas in this video. It was good to see a real world application of one the technologies we have learned about in class. Prezi was definitely an effective tool in helping Mr. Wells get his point across. Overall, I thought this was an informative and well done presentation.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Digital Equality For All...
In order to provide digital access for all learners, I think as teachers, we must be familiar with and knowledgeable about the technology that students will be using and how they will be using it. In addition, we must be aware which students have easy access to the digital world and which do not. Even though technology is more ubiquitous than ever, there are still children to which it is not readily available.
A student who is not familiar with computers and other technology may be intimidated and confused by it. As teachers, it should be our job to see that these students are able to navigate the digital world just as well as their peers. The best way to do this would be to provide simple and free access to computers during school hours.
However, even though digital equality is a mandate from the government, technology programs in schools are still woefully underfunded. As we have learned in class, it is sometimes difficult for teachers to have equal access to school computers, never mind the students. If this is to change, the government must listen to its own mandate and make technology funding a priority. If the technology is not there to begin with, equal access to it can never truly be achieved.
A student who is not familiar with computers and other technology may be intimidated and confused by it. As teachers, it should be our job to see that these students are able to navigate the digital world just as well as their peers. The best way to do this would be to provide simple and free access to computers during school hours.
However, even though digital equality is a mandate from the government, technology programs in schools are still woefully underfunded. As we have learned in class, it is sometimes difficult for teachers to have equal access to school computers, never mind the students. If this is to change, the government must listen to its own mandate and make technology funding a priority. If the technology is not there to begin with, equal access to it can never truly be achieved.
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