Technology and the Future

Looking backwards at the work I have accomplished, I am able to take a glance at where I will be headed in the future. It is in these moments of reflection I can truly see all that I have accomplished, and those that I have plans to do. The learning activity I created uses a simple application of the Ipad, yet I am intrigued at the many other applications in the classroom. With one tool, many things can be done; it is like the Swiss army knife of computing. In thinking about emerging technologies, handheld technologies are the newest tool to be implemented in our district. In the last year, I have focused on their uses in the classroom and their future within our student’s lives. The lesson that I created was a stepping-stone into the next phase of technology use within my school.

Reflecting upon my previous work provides a needed look at what works and what can be improved upon. I find that I do not spend enough time reflecting on lessons, or my own learning. As I look back at all that I have done in the last couple of years with Walden, it seems as if a lifetime of work has happened. I feel as if I have transformed my lessons and classroom environment into one that is more receptive to the use of technology, as well as how students will use that technology.

It is not just about the gadgets. While I still feel a draw to the newest gadget, or tool, it is their use and the applications that may align themselves with that tool that now hold my attention. One adjustment to identifying emerging technologies is to keep an eye on my blog reader. Following several new authors with similar interests allows me to stay connected to the educational technology world. There is many times, that I feel as if I am speaking a different language when I talk to fellow professionals within my district about technology in the classroom. I seem to be the person that others seek out for advice about a new technology, or helpful hints in ways to use existing technology. Opening the walls of my classroom and school to others in different states and countries has helped me to feel as if there are other people like me, wanting to learn more but never having had enough resources. Since the first day of embarking on my adventure with Walden, I began looking for other professionals that could enhance my personal learning network. With an eye on who is included in my blog reader, “it’s critical for our students and teachers to create, nurture, and include varied viewpoints in our PLNs” (Fisch, C., 2008). I no longer feel alone.

Supporting 21st century learners has become a priority within my classroom. As education has changed in the way it is delivered, as well as received, it is becoming more critical to grow with my students. Another adjustment to be made is to continue learning about the technology available as well as what drives my students. Following the trends in technology and finding those that are meaningful and beneficial to my classroom will help me to stay current with what drives my students. I plan to utilize many of the resources I have been introduced to within Walden as well as within my personal learning networks. Using more tools for collaboration and creation will be skills that I plan to develop for my classroom. “[Young people] expect to interact with and have a voice in everything they do” (Lemke, C., Coughlin, E., 2009, p.56) After realizing that the internet is more than a tool for searching but as a way of connecting, I look forward to bringing the world to my students. My students will receive more than just a basic technology experience, but one that is enriched with their questions and interests. I have learned that “technology can make a significant positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning, the level of student motivation and engagement, and the intensity of career preparation” (Gillard, S., Bailey, D., 2007). I have discovered how to find technology that will drive my students to be more engaged in the material, as well as create more learning opportunities. I look forward to learning from the digital citizens sitting in our classrooms.

References
Fisch, K. (2008). My Personal Learning Network. Learning & Leading with Technology, 35(6), 17. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Fullan, M. (2002). The Change Leader. Educational Leadership, 59(8), 16. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Gillard, S., & Bailey, D. (2007). Technology in the Classroom: Overcoming Obstacles, Reaping Rewards. International Journal of Learning, 14(1), 87-93. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Lemke, C., Coughlin, E., (2009) The Change Agents: Technology is empowering 21st century students in four key ways. Educational Leadership. California.

Just a fun break!

This movie is exactly as I feel about the process of my master's program. What's next?? Enjoy!

Online Learning environments...Classroom without walls!

Using a course management system (CMS) or a learning management system (LMS) to structure and organize a classroom outside the constrains of a physical classroom is not a new idea.  It is one that recently has been in the background of information I have been sifting through.  Many different educational bloggers have been proclaiming the usefulness as well as the benefits for the untraditional student.  I have begun to realize several benefits for the student as well as the teacher. This could be used as a virtual extension of my classroom.  I would essentially be teaching 24/7/365.

UDL

Here is a presentation I created that describes the components of UDL and tools to help in the classroom.


UDL prezi

Enjoy!

Monitoring my GAME plan

Within my GAME plan, I have made baby steps. Some days it feels like I may be moving backwards in my progress to create a classroom that is rich with technology, and embracing a more comprehensive approach to learning. I have been working on having students learning how to communicate online and being respectful, and appropriate. Today, we had an opportunity to discuss a chat board and ways to communicate within a closed setting. Many of my third grade students understood the concept and that they should always be appropriate. We compared the things they do online as their professional self, and what they do at home as their personal self. Anything they were going to do online needed to be treated as their professional self, because anyone can see or look back on what is out there. In the middle of the discussion, I realized that they just wanted to get to the chatting. Was this the point I should turn it over to them? I couldn’t help myself when I gave the ultimatum “If you do anything inappropriate, disrespectful, or otherwise determined to be out of line…. I will shut down the chatting for good!” Oh no! I had become the chat police!  How would my students learn how to appropriately chat and communicate online knowing that I was watching and waiting for them to slip up? That session seemed to go just fine and they were so excited to just say hi to others publicly. It was like watching a bad first date, no one knew what to say to each other. One thing I will modify is to give students a topic to discuss, or a problem to solve. I have revisited the permission forms that students and their families signed at the beginning of the year and realized that most of the technology tools we use are covered in the form. However, when we start creating projects and posting them online, I will need permissions that are more specific and be clearer in my expectations of the students and their work.

Another thing we have been working on is student’s keyboarding skills. They are so excited and engaged in the basic keyboarding activities that come with our computers. Students actually look forward to typing the same letter a million times correctly just to see their words per minute score improve and allow them to progress to the next step. Are my students racing to the finish line? Are they truly understanding how to type, or just going through the motions and faking it to be the first? My third graders are incredibly competitive and I worry that they are not motivated to learn keyboarding, only the motivation to be done with it.

Carrying out my GAME plan

http://macalchemist.com/wp-content/uploads/Game-Plan-300x199.jpg

As I further my exploration into applying technology into my classroom content, I developed a GAME plan that will focus my teaching. This week I am looking at the progress of my GAME plan. 

 

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.

Teachers: promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.

Teachers:

Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.

 

In carrying out my GAME plan, I will need to use my colleagues at my school, as well as within my personal network. Students will also need to learn how to appropriately respond to content online. By teaching lessons that include an online comment portion, students may safely practice and apply what we are learning in school. The use of blogs, wikis, and other collaboration tools will need to be at done at school, as there is a limited amount of technology available at students’ homes. This will require that students will need access to the laptop cart that is shared with the other 600 students at our school.

Before beginning this process, I need to clarify any permission forms that need to be signed by parents. Our district has a form that students need to sign before using the computer, but it is not clear about what and how students’ material is used online. Many of the struggles I am currently facing is the inevitable time. With so many mandates that already fill my time, I am struggling with fitting my GAME plan within my schedule. One of the things I need to do is to look at how I can use collaborative tools within my electricity unit, as well as giving them problem-based learning activities to challenge students to work together to solve a real-life problem. It is a challenge for third grade students to communicate in type, yet another goal of mine is to work on their keyboarding skills, or at least a beginning understanding of the keyboard layout.

So far, in my class we have talked about being appropriate online, and how to comment respectfully. Students have explored the creative side of www.kerpoof.com and I have plans to allow for the chat portion in the near future. We have a long way to go!

Constructivism in Practice...PB&J

Constructive chaos is one description of the way my classroom operates. We always seem to be on the verge of taking flight to a new topic or direction in a lesson, but everyone is engaged. My students are actively learning within our lessons and at times their questions or responses guide how we will digest the information being offered, and how that information is being presented. My lesson plans are a list of goals for the day; our outcomes and curriculum lead us in a direction with many roads to traverse before we reach our final destination of understanding.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PBJ.jpg

According to Dr. Orey, the constructivist theory of learning states that students create their own meaning and constructionist theory states that students learn best by physically creating something. These two theories seem to be interrelated. How can you make something without creating a new meaning or idea of it? When making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I am creating a new meaning and testing hypotheses of the varying recipes to improve my sandwich or to adjust it to fit what I am wanting. I encourage students to create hypotheses and have them “engaging in complex mental processes” (Pittler, p.202). Students are also applying this method of creating hypotheses to create their own understanding. Pittler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works propose six tasks for testing and creating hypotheses. Students can predict and test their thoughts on how something would change, identify a solution with different parameters of a problem, changes to historical events, discover a need and create a solution, identify how or why something happened, and to make a decision with different variables (203). Hypotheses and the constructivist/constructionist learning theories are closely aligned. Students are given a problem and they have to create a hypothesis to solve the problem whether it is from physically creating something or just creating a new understanding of how the problem could be solved. 

Technology plays an important role in bridging all of the ideas from this week’s information. It is a way for students to gather information more quickly, to generate difficult calculations, and to share their learning with others. Applying the use of hypotheses and the constructivist/constructionist learning theories will help my students become more engaged in their learning. They will be more responsible for what they will get out of an assignment. I can be a guide to my students, but like leading a horse to water I cannot make the horse drink, nor can I make my students learn.

Resources:

Han, S., and Bhattacharya, K. (2001). Constructionism, Learning by Design, and Project Based Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Motion picture. Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories. [Educational video]. Baltimore: Author.

Cognitivism in Practice

While listening to Dr. Orey speak about elaboration in our resources this week, I was reminded of a seminar that I attended with my siblings when we were much younger. In my dad’s business his connections to other people and remembering who they are is very important. My dad felt that it would be important for us to strengthen our memory. So, we attended a memory seminar, in which we had to remember as much as we could of a list of about 20-50 items. The speaker taught us how to associate each thing on the list with something else like a person we knew or a memory of the item, to help embed the list into our long-term memory. This was my first realization of the power of associations with our memories. I find myself still using association to remember things.

When giving information in multiple ways, and applying it with some background knowledge, students can be more successful with storing the information and not just memorizing it for a test. The dual coding theory Dr. Orey discussed also connects to Dr. Patricia Wolfe’s idea when she spoke about the Dalmatian, and if students did not have background knowledge or memories to connect new information to they would not have real understanding of what a Dalmatian is, what it looks like, or what it smells like.

Our district has been using thinking maps (www.thinkingmaps.com/ ) for concept mapping. It is eight thinking maps to connect student’s thought processes. It has been extremely helpful for students to have a common language of the thought process they are using and which map would best organize the information to support that thought process. Students are also able to utilize the eight maps that best correspond with their connection to a topic, and the essential question they are answering. Our school has been very successful using these maps to support their learning. Applying thinking maps to note taking as described in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works will be an easy transition for my students. I believe that I can better prepare my students for note taking and summarizing by using the visual organization of the thinking maps. “Technology can scaffold, or provide support, while students are learning the summarizing process. It can also provide collaborative summarizing experiences that facilitate reciprocal teaching…” (p.120).  There are many different types of technology applications to support summarizing and note taking. Think tank (http://thinktank.4teachers.org/) as presented in our text is a resource that I will begin using with my third grade students. When organizing information for our informational reports, this resource can help students focus their writing and learn how to look for critical information. Helping students make connections with the information they are researching is an important part of the cognitive learning theory.

Resources:

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Cognitive Learning Theories. (Motion Picture)

Picture from Capture Queen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/uaeincredible/811123579/

Behaviorism and Homework

While reading the chapters in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works that deal with homework, I started to feel defensive. I realized that I am deeply involved with the homework debate, and was taking it personally. I do not put a lot of emphasis on homework in my classroom, because of the issues it causes with families. Parents make a big deal if students do not finish their homework and expect consequences to come from the classroom. According to Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski “homework provides opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of the content and to gain proficiency with their skills.” (p.187). This is the truth in homework, however many teachers and families mistake it for a chance to drill and kill. Homework should be a continuation of the learning from the classroom. Students should be given the chance to explore their learning without fear of consequences. The example of students exploring their effort in their assignments compared to their rate of success was a very powerful message as described by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski. I plan to investigate how I can have my third grade students graph something similar to see their results, like the students that used it before, I believe that my students would understand the value of effort in completing their assignments with thought and accuracy. I will continue to assign homework as practice but being mindful of the main purpose of enrichment of our classroom activities.

Behaviorism learning theory is an important part of running a classroom everyday. From the classroom management, procedures, and homework students need the repetitive routine and reinforcement to work effectively with their classmates in a cohesive manner. “Technology facilitates homework and practice by providing a wealth of resources for learning outside of the classroom, making it easy for students…providing ‘drill and practice’ resources that help students refine their skills.” (Pittler, p.189) Many technology resources available utilize the behaviorist learning theory. Some of the resources listed provide instant feedback on how a student preformed. I was excited to see that I have used some of the resources for practicing students understanding of a topic, before assessing them later. Students enjoy practicing things they already have some knowledge about, especially when they know that they are expected to know the information again in the future. When students are allowed to use technology to complete their homework, there is more interest in doing well and attempting more. They are provided with the instant feedback that is necessary to be effective practice. Many of my students use www.spellingcity.com to use a multitude of ways to practice their spelling words, and are able to instantly determine which words they need to focus on studying. I may not always be able to include technology to complete a homework assignment, but I will provide many different ways to practice, or further research a topic on a class website students can access.

Resources:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Podcast....Technology and Students

Here is the Podcast I created.  I interviewed four fourth graders and how they use technology.  It was very interesting to hear their thoughts on how they use technology and what they want to use technology for.  Even students are wishing that everyone had a computer!

Powered by Podbean.com

Digital native or Digital immigrant?

This week we focused on the debate over digital natives and digital immigrants. Dr. David Thornburg and Hall Davidson discuss the differences and what characteristics each have. Digital natives would be people who grew up with technology all around them, they have been immersed in technology from the beginning. Digital immigrants would be older generations who are not as accustomed to technology and it is still very new to them. I also watched a video about millennial and neomillennial learning styles from Dr. Chris Dede. I was very interested in his thoughts about how these types of learners are developing.

Here is my discussion post with my opinion about the debate.......
Before watching the debate between Dr. David Thornburg and Hall Davidson, I felt that students were born with many different learning styles. Listening to Dr. Chris Dede speaking about the millennial and neomillennial learning styles had me thinking more about how our brain is originally wired and how learning styles develop.

In the debate over digital natives and digital immigrants, I agree with Thornburg in his point about how age should not determine whether someone is a digital native or a digital immigrant. I believe it depends on a person’s experiences with technology and where their interests lay. I am one of the younger teachers who had an Apple IIe in my classroom, and a few years later a computer in the home. I grew up with TV’s and games available with many restrictions. I am in the under 40 club of teachers. Many of my coworkers who are the same age, are not interested in technology. Technology is a challenge to them and they are not interested in using it unless they see ways that it can easily fit into their teaching style. It is always a debate with them about new technology available and how it can be used. Often times, they will let me show them things and how I’ve used it, and even the successes of my students, and yet they are still hesitant about bringing it into their classroom. They are curious about it, but not comfortable enough to utilize it. There are also staff members who are above the 40 mark who have absolutely no interest in technology, yet try it, and those who go above and beyond to input technology into their classroom. The technology coordinator for our building is over 40 years old and she is enthusiastic about technology and how it can benefit students. She is always the cheerleader for trying new things in the classroom.

When Dr. Thornburg began discussing how “education is still frozen in a precomputer world” and how methodology is still a paper-based mindset, I wanted to scream. This has been a frustration of mine in the last few years. To move out of this paper-based classroom is incredibly frustrating with limitations from administration and parents. There are so many things I would like to try to work on with my students, but I do not know how much I will be able to accomplish because of these limitations. I will continue to encourage and challenge all of my students and their various learning styles, whether it is digitally, paper based or (hopefully) both.

21st Century Skills website pondering....

The website for 21st Century skills is an amazing resource!  The front page was difficult to follow and reads like a textbook (ick!).  However, it can guide a reader through the the information about what 21st Century Skills are and how business are working with classrooms to fund the tools necessary.  The most helpful resource on the site that I found was the online tools.  I was able to research different lessons at Route 21 to help infuse my classroom with technology rich activities.  I was able to find a curriculum map for each content area.  It lists many different activities and projects to foster the skills for the 21st Century.  I plan on printing it out and using it as a guide to focus the project based tasks for my students.

I was disapointed, but not surprised, to see that Alaska was not on the list of states with the 21st Century Skills initiative.  No matter how much technology our state puts into the hands of our rural students, our state is still behind the curve.

The implications for my students, and myself are education.  I will look to the online tools to broaden my base of ideas for implementing technology in the classroom.  This site will also be a resource to use to remind myself of the type of students that are in my classroom.  For my students, we will look to the projects to get ideas of ways that we can implement more technology in the classroom.

21st Century Skills for Students......Fisherpeople

This week, I listened to Dr. Chris Dede speak in the program "Technology Interfaces" from Laurete Education, Inc.  I was really interested in the idea of how teacher's roles have changed.  The workplace has changed and so must the learning environment that these future employees come from.

In this week’s resources, I was intrigued with the message of teaching students not just a program’s menus and tools to tweak things, but on the rhetoric of those programs. When should students use wikis, blogs, and videoconferences? I see this as being my challenge as a teacher. I am not teaching students the information as much as I am teaching them how to find information to answer their questions, and what is the proper platform to present their information. The 21st century skills for students require them to be more responsible for their learning. Are students ready for this?

In my classroom, I plan to change my role as the answer book, to the informational guide. By using blogs, wikis, and my webpage, I hope to collect valuable resources for students to utilize. Having more opportunities for project based learning and more team oriented assignments, I hope to instill the collaboration and communication skills that are necessary in the future work environment. By creating a classroom that fosters teamwork, communication, and problem solving, I hope to address many of the needs of my 21st century learners.

I am using the courses at Walden to improve my flexibility with technology. I will never know as much as my students do about technology, but we can all learn about it together. These courses are reminding me that it is about trying new things without a teacher’s guide. Thinking like my students, just pushing a button and learning from the mistakes and celebrations of others is extremely valuable learning.

Image from WWF   http://www.panda.org/about_our_earth/teacher_resources/own_goals/overfishing/

Wiki Wiki Wonderful five times fast!!!!

This week a group of online classmates and myself created a wiki.  A whata??  A wiki is an online collaborative site.  We were able to create a site that housed all the wonderful blog resources we have found so far.  I am hoping that our group continues to add to the wiki and really utilizes it as a place to share valuable resources.  Here is our wiki website: technologyandteachersoutofthewoods.pbworks.com/ Try it out!

Our posting for the week was a reflection of the wiki process and how we might use a wiki in the future.  The following is my reflection to the wiki we created.

In creating the wiki this week, there were some high and low moments in the process.  It was frustrating working with a group of such different backgrounds, and needs.  When starting the process I was unsure of how our wiki should develop and to what purpose it would eventually serve.  I find that I need to have lots of clarification about the end result. 

The low points were the frustrations with communication.  I was unsure of the result and so I was frustrated with exactly how to proceed.  My group members were fabulous in communicating all the steps and changing things to help improve our wiki.  It would have helped if we had a chance to get to know each other better before working on a team project.  I tend to be very concerned with people’s feelings, I really did not want to step on any toes, and so I was more hesitant to do too much on the wiki.  I would have liked to know my classmates better so that we were all confident in changing things if needed, recommending different directions, or getting feedback that was helpful.

The high points in creating the wiki, was my group members.   We all did our piece of the project to make it a great resource.  Everyone was able to contribute with his or her talents to improve the wiki.  I also really appreciated the simplicity approach we all seemed to have.

With my students, identifying the final outcome of the project would be the most beneficial.  I like how the wiki shows all the changes each person makes.  Giving students a complete structure and ideas for each step of the way would help my students.  I would also have a rubric to identify the different components necessary and a chance for students to identify each role that they will take in the wiki.  At this time, I do not know if I will use a wiki in the classroom.  It would be more beneficial as a staff resource.  I have used a wiki in collaborating a training that a group of staff members attended.  It was very helpful to have a place to put our information and the different steps we were going to take to implement the information within our building.  It would also be very helpful to have a school wiki where staff could find documents, calendars, and another way to voice opinions about the information at the school.