Technology Inquiry Wiki

Today I finished the screen cast for my wiki.  It only took a few takes, and, like before, Jing is very easy to use.  However the wiki was giving me a lot of trouble a few weeks ago.  Finding the sources was not a problem, although finding examples of elementary teachers was more difficult that the abundant information on middle and high school teachers with interactive whiteboards.  The real problem was adding the information to my wiki.  I used Google Sites and sometime my computer wouldn't "connect" so it was unable to save the information.  Sometimes the information would be completely deleted when I pressed save.  After trying multiple computers I visited Professor Boyer and got the situation straightened out, and got most of my information back.  However, despite this bad experience I still see the value in using wikis.  In my future classroom I will use a wiki through a different website, but I still like the ease of adding information, unlike using computer programs (like Dreamweaver) to update websites.  I know that I will definitely have a classroom site online to share agendas, news, homework assignments, pictures, etc with students, parents, and community members.  Keeping an "open" classroom can have a number of benefits, the biggest one I see being parent support and communication. 
Also, I see how students can use this technology to compile research, as I did for this project.  Having them publish it online will make them more accountable to work hard and produce great work.  They can show parents and long-distance relatives the work they've done, and even view, learn from, and comment on each other's research.  Despite my set-backs in this assignment, I definitely see a lot of potential for wikis in my classroom. 
   

Reflections from class 12/9

Today is the last day of class.  After the technology class is over, I can still stay up to date on news about technology in education by adding Professor Boyer on Twitter because he tweets all the interesting news articles.  He also encouraged us to contact him in the future, student teaching or the first few years while we are considering ways to incorporate technology into the classroom.

In Class Activity: Identify 3 ways I will integrate technology in my classroom
Since my school district is in a rural, low income area, , I don't have the opportunity to use interactive whiteboard technology in my third grade classroom.  I had to come up with some other creative ways to incorporate technology. 1.)  My third graders use blogger to share their opinions and reflections after important assignments or key classroom discussions. 2.)  I keep a class wiki that includes our daily agenda, pictures from fun activities, upcoming events, and homework posted for both students and parents to keep up to date.  3.) Because my school's discipline structure is modeled after the PBIS model (which puts an emphasis on "school-wide" rules)  my students will be making videos (writing the script and acting) at the beginning of the year to be shown to the younger students in the school about how the exemplify good behavior in multiple school settings. 

Other ideas that my classmates came up with that I like:
Podcasting-students can listen to or make; I could listen to for professional development
Scratch- creating educational, interactive games for specific skills that I cannot find games for online
Epals- students talking to students from other cities, states, countries
Delicious-organize information, like for a research project resources, or interactive games to access at home
Audio documenting- have students record reading beginning, middle & end of the year to hear progress

How has my thinking about technology's role in teaching and learning changed over the semester?
Before this course I didn't really have an interest in technology in the classroom.  I imagined my classroom having a projector and using the computer lab playing interactive games.  This was the elementary experience I had, and used as a model when I imagined my future classroom.  However, now that I've seen WHY technology is important, I've definitely changed my mind.  With technology students find more meaning to the content because they can see the relevance to their life outside the classroom.  I like the idea of using technology (like blogs, videos, presentations, etc) for student assessment.  I also like presenting information through technology because it gives the students another source of information other than the teacher.  Technology allows them to explore the content without me, and gives them the skills to seek and explore knowledge outside my classroom--creating life-long learners.

Reflection from class 12/2

In class today we first watched a video that a teacher made to document her use of technology in her classroom.  Some ideas I liked and could see myself using in my future classroom to make sure my students are "active in their educations"

• SMART boards- to actively engage and encourage student participation by having them use the board
• Collaborative Social Networking- to connect and share information in real time with other students from around the world, to collaborate with experts in their fields (history, other countries, science, etc)
• Blogs- For teacher to use to document her agenda, post homework assignments, classroom news/newsletter, etc. "Open Classroom" "Transparent teaching"  For both students and parents to keep up to date.  Also can post excellent student work online for parents to see examples of projects and motivate students to do best work
• Student blog- to reflect, not recall,  to share opinions, also to motivate students to do their best work since it is published on a public forum

Some of these goals could be accomplished without advanced technology, but ALL of them are more efficient than the old methods.  Some activities can be more efficient without technology, so those good engaging activities don't need to change.  But if something can be accomplished better, faster, or more actively with technology, I need to find a way to use it in class for my students. 

We also read articles on 7 smart uses of technology and 7 stupid ways to use technology.  I saved these articles in my Delicious to reread later.  Basically, it's important to know that technology is not a "phase" that's going to pass so teachers need to stop ignoring it.  Furthermore, we need to learn how to EFFECTIVELY integrate technology to best benefit our students.  Just adding in technology is not enough.  There are some "stupid" ways to use technology also, so we really need to analyze how students learn best and how technology can facilitate that.

PSA Reflection

The PSA was one of the most challenging assignments yet, comparable to using Scratch.  Choosing a subject and writing a script was no problem.  We recorded in one of the library's group study rooms using Courtney's Polaroid camcorder.  It's very similar to a Flip camera, the USB plug pops out of the side and connects directly to the computer.  The most difficult part about video tapping was the sound.  The small room made our voices echo and because the person behind the camera was also the narrator, she had to talk very quietly to get her voice at the same level as the rest of us.  After connected the camera to a Mac computer, we weren't sure how to use iMovie.  It was difficult to figure out how to import a video, or even how to save the video off Courtney's camera onto the computer.  Luckily we were in the computer lab in the library, so we asked one of the lab assistance to help us.  All we could figure out how to do, even with his help, was to add title pages.  We looked into adding music and sound, and couldn't figure out how.  Also, after I uploaded it to Blogger, our voices are very quiet, almost too quiet to even hear with the computer volume turned up all the way. 
If I were to try to make a video in my classroom, I would definitely need to become more experienced in using iMovie.  I see the most potential with this tool in using it as a kinda of assessment for my students, or using it to keep parents up to date on what we are doing in our classroom.  Either way the students would be acting.  I can't see how this technology could be a one-person tool.  I could not be filmed and be holding the camera at the same time.  So, if I wanted to be on the screen to send my students a message, I would need to find someone to help hold the camera. 
Because I do like the idea of using video in my classroom, I will not let my lack of current knowledge on the technology hold me back from using it in my classroom.  I know I will have to explore iMovie's features before I use it, but I like opportunities that it gives students.  For example, if they did create a script and video documenting what they learned on a certain topic I would be confident that they understand the material well since "creating" is on the top of Bloom's Taxonomy of learning. 

Public Service Announcement

Reflection from class 11/18

After the group presentation we revisited some of the ideas about how education is going to change in the future.  One of the ideas that came up was the new three R's of High school education: Relevance, Relationships, Rigor.  However, these characteristics can also define elementary education.  In order to motivate students they need to be able to connect relevance to their material.  Also cross-curriculum relationships are important to foster when planning our my learning structure.  If children can identify relationships between material across a number of different subjects, the probability that they will find it meaningful and remember it will greatly increase.  Lastly, rigor is also important because I think that many elementary schoolers aren't being challenged enough.  Teachers are too often just transmitting knowledge to them instead of challenging them to discover their own.

Idea of learning and school are too closely related.  People assume one applies the other.  But, just because students attend school does not mean they are learning.  Professor Boyer said "I'm in favor of the idea of learning over the idea of school."  Learning should be the focus, the the physical school building.

Attitudes about technology have not changed since they emerged.  When cell phones came out, they were instantly banned, as they still are today.  I understand that personal use of a cell phone in class could be distracting, but now with all the functions of a cell phone, it could actually be a resource for students.  Same with other technologies.  We need to think about what medium we are providing knowledge and if it what this generations students will relate to the best.  Could we provide a more effective mode of learning through technology?  And, wouldn't that better prepare them for their jobs and future learning outside the classroom?

Chpt 10 Rethinking Education

This chapter is interesting because it acts as the conclusion of all we are learning.  Basically, we need to rethink how and what we are teaching in schools in order to make our children successful beyond the classroom.  Since the world around us is constantly changing, why hasn't education?  The introduction makes the case that the U.S. used to be a global leader in the worlds resources.  Now technology brings information across the world, and levels the educational "playing field."  Millions of students have the same information on how to be a successful engineer, doctor, technician, etc.  So how can our students out-compete them in the global job market, especially since the links/communication of technology make it possible to hire a person from across the ocean to do an "American job."  The greatest advantage we can give to students is how their education is structured.  We need to rethink learning.  Learning can be done outside school and we must give our students the resources to learn by themselves.  This allows education to become a live-long process.  Motivating students to continually seek new knowledge through the new available technology will make the successful people beyond my classroom.
The biggest change as an educator will be to rethink what a teacher's role is.  For me, it will be much different than my elementary school teachers, or even the teachers I study with for practicums and student teaching.  I have to create a whole revolutionized job description in order to help this generation's students succeed.  I need to act more as a motivator and empower my students to seek their own information.  I will be a supportive resource and still provide the necessary scaffolding to ensure their success and growing knowledge.  But if I want my students to succeed globally, I must be the leader that reexamines education and it's goals.