Week 5 - Post 2 - State Standards and Technology

            The article, Its Not About the Tool: Why Online Student Collaboration Should Focus on State Standards by Sean Capelle, argues that classroom use of wikis and blogs should be based on state standards. He makes the point that instead of focusing on the specific tool, educators should focus on the outcome of using the tool. The author makes some valid points about the effectiveness of using Web 2.0 tools for learning and the importance of recognizing potential security issues. To an experienced educator, some of the author’s comments might seem redundant and obvious. Yet, as we become excited to use new technology, it is important to keep in mind the outcomes we are trying to achieve through its use. Technology after all is just another tool for learning.

            Since aligning lessons with state standards is nothing new for any educator, it shouldn’t be any different when introducing technology. But, does technology drive the project or the standard? If there were no such thing as state standards than the answer would clearly be the project. There are many exciting and fun projects that can be done using wikis and blogs to support classroom lessons. If classroom lessons are following state standards, then the use of technological tools will also coincide with standards. In reality, just like with any tool, projects and standards go hand in hand. The main objective is to come up with valuable outcomes that support learning goals in order to make the experience worthwhile.

            I did agree with the author that it is not enough to say, “My class made a wiki or my class created a blog”. We don’t want to use tools just for the sake of using them as buzz words to show parents we are up with modern technology. As discussed in previous blogs and readings, it is our job as educators to show students how to use technology to build skills. They might already have experiences making wikis or blogs and can explore more on their own once given lessons. We can show students interesting new ways to collaborate and create most likely exceeding state standards.

Week 5 - Post 1 - Dr. Mazur Video

            Dr. Eric Mazur is a professor of physics at Harvard University. Even though he received positive end of the term student evaluations throughout his early teaching career, he realized that students were not necessarily assimilating information, but just memorizing facts. After reflecting on his own teaching practices he discovered that he should focus less on what he should teach and more on how to teach it. He also realized that traditional lectures merely transfer information but do not help students learn. In an effort to find ways to improve science education, he developed the peer instruction model. This model gives students more responsibility for gathering information. Using peer instruction students are asked a question, given time to think and answer on their own, discuss with peers, answer again, and are then given an explanation. This seems to be a much more effective and active way of processing information. I can remember trying to study by looking back at college lecture notes and I could barely remember taking the notes even though less than a month went by. I think this is because I didn’t connect the information to any prior knowledge or personal experience but wrote it down in the hopes of making sense of it later. This connects to what Dr. Mazur noticed from his own educational experiences.

Week 4 – Post 2 – Diigo and Google Reader

           Recently I had my first experiences using the social bookmarking tool Diigo. I was surprised at how straightforward and easy the set-up process was. I can see that using Diigo will be helpful for many reasons. I’ve always had trouble keeping track of interesting websites that I discover. Now I not only have a quick place to save websites, but I can easily share them with coworkers and friends. Instead of having recommendations from others lost in old emails, I can save new information to my account and view it at a later time. I’m excited to use Diigo for educational websites and blogs. Now when I’m searching for ideas, my time is not wasted by losing information. I can keep collecting to use later. I’d like to also use Diigo for personal interests other than education. I’m very interested in sewing and I’d like to see what other people are creating. I can see how joining with others will create a nice community of people with similar interests. At this point I only have about thirteen sites in my library. I’d like to save websites as I find them interesting instead of adding random sites just to have material. I think this will make Diigo more usable and accessible.

            Michele Drechsler, who manages a district of 260 teachers, was interviewed on the benefits of social bookmarking. She sees social bookmarking as a way to get ideas for classes and resources to create her own materials. She also sees it as an essential tool to share good teaching practices with other educators. She uses information from websites to add innovation to classroom lessons. You Tube videos, Audacity for recordings, Voki, Wordle, and live web pages help her illustrate ideas in multiple ways. Drechsler made the point that resources need be tailored to the needs of our students. She does not always use tools for their original design purpose due to time constraints, blocked sites, and access to computers. It is a reassuring message to know that other experienced educators are exploring and taking changes with technology.

            Google Reader has been helpful keeping up with blog posts for Teaching and Learning in a Networked Classroom. It’s great that updates come right into my account so I don’t have to look through each classmate’s blog to find new posts. I also like that I can create folders for different groups. This allows me to single out class posts without being overwhelmed by all the new information coming in. I am a little overwhelmed by all the other information from the 200 subscriptions I now have. I’m not sure when I will have time to look at it all. I have some of the websites from my Google Reader in Diigo so I can still explore the websites even if I can’t keep up with them daily. So far, I have found both Diigo and Google Reader to be easy to use and I can see how they will be beneficial in the classroom. I’m looking forward to adding new sites to my accounts and organizing information so I can make the best use out of it.

           

           

Week 4 – Post 1 – 21st Century Learners

          The PBS video, New Learners of the 21st Century, gave many great examples of how technology is being used in school environments across the country. The five schools shown seemed to be either alternative or charter programs. The teachers were implementing technologies such as cell phones and social media for constructive classroom use. Some interesting points presented in the video were that teachers should not be driven by fear but should embrace changing technologies. The video also expanded on the traditional definition of literacy to include technology and the ability to think critically about information from various sources. I’m finding that as I explore opinions on the benefits of using technology in the classroom, most sources support one another and share very similar perspectives.

            The Qwest to Learn School for Digital Kids, helps students see things in new ways. They use game design to teach trial and error and other complex problem solving skills. Teachers emphasize the power and importance of play. “Tinkering” and exploring to see what happens brings thought and action together creating life long learning opportunities. Other tools used at the Qwest school include turning fables into computer games, creating graphic card decks based on learning topics, making digital comics, and using laptops, flip cams, and video podcasts to support learning. Parents have occasionally expressed concerns about competition and game addiction in regards to this model of learning. The school sees it as a positive that students are driven to get better.

            At the Digital Youth Network, emphasis is placed on using tools for inspiration. The idea that having a passion for something teaches us how to be learners greatly supports the Montessori philosophy of education. It’s exciting to see value placed on collaboration, learning from each other, and following personal interests in many discussions on technology in the classroom. It makes me feel even more confident that there is a place for technology in the Montessori environment. At the Digital Youth Network, media work builds on traditional literacy concepts. Many reading and writing assignments start off with pencil and paper but are eventually transformed into movies and other digital representations. Senior students at the school have the opportunity to teach the seventh and eighth grade after school program thereby solidifying their own skills and giving back to the community.

            There were many other ideas presented through the Smithsonian Institute, Middleton, and Science Leadership Academy. Using mobile media such as cell phones for classroom use, allows students to take technology with them after school hours. This transforms the idea that school is over once the text book is closed into open ended learning. Technology at the Science Leadership Academy is described as ubiquitous, necessary, and invisible. It is everywhere and simply just part of what is done on a daily basis. Using technology in the classroom also supports learning styles. A student that is very verbal might choose to create a podcast while a kinesthetic learner could scan art work for an assignment. The focus is on a nonlinear learning process in which students begin to understand that there is so much information out there, we can’t learn it all. However, with the right tools, we can navigate and explore it.  Finally, I appreciated that the video ended with reassurance to teachers that we have to understand things will go wrong and we won’t have all the answers. Technology is equivalent to chalk, maps, and books. It’s another resource.

Week 3 - Post 3 - Virtual Learning Communities

            My first several attempts to download the e-book Virtual Learning Communities by Richard Schwier were unsuccessful. I started to feel the panic and frustration that students might feel who are unable to complete their work due to inability to access the correct technology. I was eventually able to download the book once I asked a few questions and put myself into the mindset that I am in fact capable of figuring out a glitch with technology. This experience made me think of the importance of teaching students how to handle similar situations. While at first we might be patient and understanding of students’ difficulty with technology, as teachers we will also need to see that students are using tools to help themselves. This is a large part of setting up a successful virtual learning community structure. Students could brainstorm as a group what do to if they run into difficulties. Some ideas generated might include: contact a friend for support, email the teacher, research instructions on Google, and not waiting until the night before an assignment is due. I think it is important to also share these tips with parents to ensure they are supportive of these critical thinking skills.

            In chapter one, ‘Learning Communities? Metaphors and Myths of Learning Networks”, Schwier explores the idea of “community” and how it applies to online learning. He defines a community as “collections of people who are bound together for some reason, and that reason defines the boundary of the community”. He defines a learning community as “a group of individuals gathered with the intention of learning”. Schwier makes the point that it can be easy to idealize both terrestrial and virtual communities and that we have to recognize communication technologies will influence how groups learn together. I agree that not every community can be successful. The physical or virtual environment first needs to be created appropriately and members of the community have to be willing and active participants. Students will need instruction on how to be positive members of the learning community as this will not be intuitive to everyone. I think this falls under the category of digital citizenship which I believe is one of the most important concepts that should be taught early on.

            In chapter two, “Common Features of Online Learning Communities: What is so Special Here?”, Schwier discovers learning communities are everywhere. His belief is “in order to be successful an educator needs to exude a profound respect for and trust in learners to collectively make good decisions for themselves about their learning”. This quote really resonates with me. I think the teacher needs to feel confident in his/her students’ capabilities to take ownership over their learning for education to be successful. Schwier makes another valid point that many learning environments do not require a community of learners. I think this is also important to remember as we become excited to use technology in our classrooms. It is one model for instruction but it should not become the only model. Schwier also believes that creating a community “is not a matter of laying out a set of rules and providing structure; it is an act of supporting the natural development of relationships”. Working in a Montessori classroom, I see the benefit of this everyday. By supporting a child’s natural development, we are ultimately providing them with what they need, when they need it. This can be extended to all levels of learning and seems to make sense for a virtual learning community.

Week 3 - Post 2 - Technology in the Montessori Classroom

            I teach first, second, and third year students in a Montessori classroom. I am interested to know how other Montessori classroom use technology. I did some research using videos and research papers from a Google search to find some answers. Dottie Feldman uses the Maria Montessori quote, “Go forward” to describe how Montessori most likely would have felt about integrating technology with her methods. Feldman proposes using computers to assist teachers with observation as a good way to utilize technology in the classroom. I’m sure there are many more opinions on how to use technology, but I feel that what I have read is at least a start that will help me plan for my own classroom.

            An article by Davina Armstrong titled Integration of Computers into the Montessori Curriculum, advocates for using technology in the Montessori classroom. Having students use the Internet allows them to form and answer questions on their own. Students also have the ability to communicate with people all over the world through video conferencing. The source also provides a few criticisms of using technology in the Montessori classroom. One criticism is that the Internet gives too much data without a providing a framework for it. In Montessori the phrase “follow the child” is used to suggest that children will show adults their needs and interests through their actions. Many parents and teachers allow the child to follow their interests on the computer without providing necessary parameters for safety and instruction.

          Computer uses in the Montessori classroom include practical life activities, drills, phonetics, research games, word processing, simulation of Montessori materials, and educational research. These are similar to the ways technology is used in more traditional settings with the exception of the Montessori materials. One criticism is the use of math drill games such as Math Blaster in which the goal is to destroy alien ships. Since Montessori believed in world peace through education, games that with violence are not appropriate for the classroom. The article suggests that Montessori materials be made into wireless devices that communicate with computers to keep track of a child’s work with the materials. The author feels this would provide advantages in the classroom as a child might behave differently when the teacher is observing, the teacher cannot observe all children at the same time, and parents can see direct evidence of a child’s progress. Obstacles of this idea include technology limitations, expense, and teacher support.
            IntegratingTechnology into a Montessori Classroom by Love and Sikorski provides good suggestions for choosing developmentally appropriate software for the Montessori classroom. Software materials should have a sequence or order that engages the child, maintains interest, and does not overwhelm or only entertain the child. The materials should be peaceful with meaningful, useful, and age appropriate content. Software should also promote exploration and learning without focusing on achievement or failure. Similar to Montessori materials, computer software should contain good control of error that allows children to self-correct at their own pace. Finally, software should have multiple levels of difficulty and should compliment what is being taught in the classroom. While many of these suggestions seem obvious, I think it’s important to choose technology programs for the classroom that are in line with the methods and values of the school program. I think my students would enjoy giving lessons with Montessori materials to their parents by creating videos that could be posted on the classroom website. I think this would be a really great parent education tool, lesson for the students, and a demonstration of the technology that is being used in the classroom.

Week 3 - Post 1 - Portal to Media Literacy

            The video, A Portal to Media Literacy by Dr. Michael Wesch, inspired by the video The Machine is Using Us, demonstrates how one teacher is using technology to enhance his teaching methods for a college level course. Dr. Wesch compares the traditional classroom to the modern classroom. He refers to the traditional classroom as an “information dump” in which information is scarce and hard to find, learning means acquiring information, and only authority can be trusted for good information. The use of Wifi greatly changed the traditional classroom and Dr. Wesch decided to utilize the power of students’ cell phone and computer usage within his classroom thereby changing the definition of learning. In the modern classroom to learn is to create meaningful connections and significance in students’ lives. Students need to think critically about informational sources, work collaboratively with others, and participate by providing new information. One of my favorite parts of the video is the quote by Kevin Kelly, “Nobody is as smart as everybody”. I think this is a good reminder of the power that exists in sharing information and resources.             
           I think the video sends a message that teachers need to be aware, open, and comfortable changing with the times. This is an interesting time because teachers can use technology to be creative and exploratory with their lessons. Technology can be used in a lot of different ways to achieve similar goals within different learning environments. I appreciate that the video mentioned that no one is a native to technology. Students may know how to use social media but they don’t necessarily know how to use technology to think critically, search for information, or collaborate. That’s the teaching component. The current technology debate reminds me of the educational debate from the time of John Dewey. When a more progressive form of education was introduced during Dewey’s time, many thought it was better than the traditional form and abandoned one for the other. I think it is never a good idea to give up on what we have been doing in exchange for the newest methods. What we should do is develop our teaching with current research, using what works to update our methods. Using technology in the classroom is clearly one way to improve a child’s education as long as it is introduced appropriately.

           The video focuses on a college level course but I can still take away some ideas for the first, second, and third grade students that I teach. The greatest need I see at this level is to introduce the students to the relevance of technology in their lives and to show them how to use technology respectfully. I’d like students to use media tools instead of the media tools using them as Dr. Wesch said. Since I teach in a multi-age classroom, I can see a student who is interested in creating something on the computer sharing his work to teach others. I know this would create a chain reaction within the classroom that could lead to more interest. In the Montessori classroom, we do not emphasize a final grade, but rather the joy and process of learning. Teaching the students how to create a podcast, classroom webpage, and videos to share with penpals could greatly enhance activities that are already taking place.