1. After reading these articles, how do you feel about using technology in a classroom where outside access is a problem?
2. Will you be doing a disservice to all of your students if you do not use technology because of access issues for a few?
3. How will you increase access for students who are disadvantaged?
I think it is important to incorporate technology into education. Before a teacher decides to use technology, it is important to get an idea of how many students have access to computers beyond school. Because we do not know what lies inside a child's home, asking students about technology provides that needed look into their lives. If there are still students who do not have access to technology outside of the classroom, it is important to give ample time in class to complete projects. If a class has time for study hall, give students the chance to use the computers to finish their work.
As the article titled Social Justice-Choice or Necessity mentioned, it is very important that the students of today are technologically savvy. When students enter college, even if they are intellectually gifted, if they do not possess the proper technology skills, they will be steps behind their peers. It is the job of teachers, especially in secondary education, to provide their students with these skills necessary to succeed beyond high school.
Although some students will not have access to computers in their homes, there are resources around school and most communities where computers are available for public use. Many school libraries have computer labs for student use, and can often be used before or after school. The public library is another spot that offers public computer access. Depending on the size of the community, there may be multiple public libraries that are easy for students to access. In Portland, there are coffee shops that offer free internet access with the purchase of a drink or snack.
Our society today offers many opportunities for the public to access technology if they do not have it available in their own home. It is essential to incorporate technology into the classroom for the sake of the students. If teachers want their students to be prepared for the world beyond the classroom, technology needs to be addressed and worked into the curriculum. Encourage students to locate resources beyond their homes. It might be a good idea to start a technology lesson by listing the public computers in the area and how to access them, giving students the information about where to find the computers without putting them on the spot.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
PowerPoints in the Classroom
I very much enjoyed all of the presentations that were shown today. I really liked Scott's presentation, as it showed pieces of his life but also what he wanted to accomplish in his future classroom. I wish that I had thought of that idea! He was able to incorporate introduction and class values in one. If I make a PowerPoint for a first day in a future classroom, that is what I will do.
I really enjoyed the pictures that people featured in their presentations. In Josh's presentation, I liked how his slides of pictures had very little text and he talked about every single picture and how it related to him growing up. I loved the "I Love Lucy" clip that Nicole showed. I haven't seen that show in a very long time and it was fun to relate back to the memory of watching that show with my mom. I also enjoyed the clip that Brookes showed of her band playing a song. it is always neat to see people doing something they really like to do. She likes to play music and it was fun to see her in her element.
The least engaging thing from the presentations was the large amounts of text. I prefer slides that have a small amount of text and lots of pictures or video. Although some people had slides with a lot of text, they were able to use it effectively and did not read every single stat.
After watching everyone else's presentations, I wish that I would have incorporated more of my education beliefs and values into the presentation. Ryan mentioned his in the presentation, about how he believed that education is the tool that can fix the world! My presentation focused only on myself up to this point in history. Next time, I would like to put in goals and ideas for the future.
I think that PowerPoint can be useful in certain situations, but I do not really like using it. This may be because I have seen WAY too many poorly done PowerPoints where the creator does not branch away from the slides and instead uses it as a crutch. If a PowerPoint is used to supplement a lesson rather than provide all of the information, I think it can be useful in the classroom. One good thing about using PowerPoint is that the information/lecture can be stored for future lessons. Once it is prepared, it can be used over and over. A bad thing about PowerPoint is that they can often lose a class rather than engage one. By working with the PowerPoint, a teacher can use technology and their own expertise to capture their students' attention.
I really enjoyed the pictures that people featured in their presentations. In Josh's presentation, I liked how his slides of pictures had very little text and he talked about every single picture and how it related to him growing up. I loved the "I Love Lucy" clip that Nicole showed. I haven't seen that show in a very long time and it was fun to relate back to the memory of watching that show with my mom. I also enjoyed the clip that Brookes showed of her band playing a song. it is always neat to see people doing something they really like to do. She likes to play music and it was fun to see her in her element.
The least engaging thing from the presentations was the large amounts of text. I prefer slides that have a small amount of text and lots of pictures or video. Although some people had slides with a lot of text, they were able to use it effectively and did not read every single stat.
After watching everyone else's presentations, I wish that I would have incorporated more of my education beliefs and values into the presentation. Ryan mentioned his in the presentation, about how he believed that education is the tool that can fix the world! My presentation focused only on myself up to this point in history. Next time, I would like to put in goals and ideas for the future.
I think that PowerPoint can be useful in certain situations, but I do not really like using it. This may be because I have seen WAY too many poorly done PowerPoints where the creator does not branch away from the slides and instead uses it as a crutch. If a PowerPoint is used to supplement a lesson rather than provide all of the information, I think it can be useful in the classroom. One good thing about using PowerPoint is that the information/lecture can be stored for future lessons. Once it is prepared, it can be used over and over. A bad thing about PowerPoint is that they can often lose a class rather than engage one. By working with the PowerPoint, a teacher can use technology and their own expertise to capture their students' attention.
Friday, July 30, 2010
R U Serious? I luv chatspeak!
But not really. I believe that chatspeak is destroying the language of students today. I have a younger brother, he is 19, who occasionally uses chatspeak when we are talking. Usually he will throw a "LOLZ" into the conversation and start cracking up because he knows it will bother me. I do not feel that it is necessary for people to use these phrases in conversation. By sending text messages or IMs people are already saving time by cutting out a face to face conversation. How much time does it save a person to write out "wut r u doing?" versus "What are you doing?" NO TIME AT ALL.
Linda Howard, a student working toward her Master's of Education, believes that chatspeak has effected other areas of student's learning. She writes, "Chatspeak is destroying students’ command of written English, in the sense that whatever we engage in for a long period of time will most likely become commonplace." Because students are using chatspeak so often, it has started to infiltrate their formal writing.
On the opposite side of the argument, teacher Greg Monfils does not believe that chatspeak is destroying the English language. He works in a school where each student uses a laptop throughout the day, to communicate with students and teachers and also as a learning tool. Monfils believes that students use chatspeak because they know it aggravates adults. It is almost like their secret code. When he sees teachers get upset at the usage of chatspeak,he observes that "to the extent that we rail against it, well, that makes it even more attractive to kids." He believes that we cannot fight its usage; it is going to happen whether teachers like it or not.
I have lots of questions about this topic. Unfortunately, I do not see an immediate solution. How can teachers stop students from using chatspeak? Teachers do not have access to students' cell phones or emails, which means they cannot monitor the usage there. Teachers must make it clear at the beginning of the school year that chatspeak is not acceptable in the classroom. But what about the teachers who do not enforce that idea? How can one teacher combat the usage of chatspeak if everyone is not on board to get rid of it in school?
After reading this point-counterpoint, I feel the same way about chatspeak. I think it is lazy and annoying, but I will make sure not to let my students know how I feel!
Linda Howard, a student working toward her Master's of Education, believes that chatspeak has effected other areas of student's learning. She writes, "Chatspeak is destroying students’ command of written English, in the sense that whatever we engage in for a long period of time will most likely become commonplace." Because students are using chatspeak so often, it has started to infiltrate their formal writing.
On the opposite side of the argument, teacher Greg Monfils does not believe that chatspeak is destroying the English language. He works in a school where each student uses a laptop throughout the day, to communicate with students and teachers and also as a learning tool. Monfils believes that students use chatspeak because they know it aggravates adults. It is almost like their secret code. When he sees teachers get upset at the usage of chatspeak,he observes that "to the extent that we rail against it, well, that makes it even more attractive to kids." He believes that we cannot fight its usage; it is going to happen whether teachers like it or not.
I have lots of questions about this topic. Unfortunately, I do not see an immediate solution. How can teachers stop students from using chatspeak? Teachers do not have access to students' cell phones or emails, which means they cannot monitor the usage there. Teachers must make it clear at the beginning of the school year that chatspeak is not acceptable in the classroom. But what about the teachers who do not enforce that idea? How can one teacher combat the usage of chatspeak if everyone is not on board to get rid of it in school?
After reading this point-counterpoint, I feel the same way about chatspeak. I think it is lazy and annoying, but I will make sure not to let my students know how I feel!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Curse you AOL!
I think I may have been a cyberbully. A cyberbully is a person who uses the Internet to harass, threaten, and intimidate people. Back in the seventh grade, I had a friend who had just gotten AOL and we, along with five of our other friends, would stay up late chatting with strangers. Sometimes we would try to chat with boys, other times we would just be plain mean. If we had been talking to these people face to face, we NEVER would have said some of the things we did. We were mean because we thought it was funny. We never thought of it as being a bully, though looking back now I can see how it was.
One difference between the situation in schools today and my friends and I playing around on AOL ten years ago, is that a lot of the cyberbullying that is taking place now is targeted bullying. Students are using the Internet (or other means of technology) to go after specific peers. One point that the article Cyberbullying: Is there Anything Schools Can Do? brings up is that though the harassment is occurring off school property, there are lingering effects once they arrive at school. Administrators have the power to act on the harassment only if it is endangering the safely of students.
To be honest, I am not sure what schools can do to stop cyberbullying completely. By addressing it in the classroom, teachers have the power to deter students from the practice, but there is not a way for them to monitor them once they leave school property. One method of prevention that could be taken by schools is to have all of the students and their parents sign a pact saying that they will not harass other students, not just face to face, but through the use of technology as well. If students violate the pact, they could loose their technology privileges at school.
In my classroom, I plan on making a list of guidelines/rules for a code of conduct. All students will be able to give input on my list, and add others they feel necessary. On that list will be the fair treatment of others. My students will sign an agreement saying that they will follow the rules at all times. Harassing other students on the Internet will violate these rules. If students decide to break these rules, they will loose privileges in my classroom. It is unacceptable to harass others, especially those who you interact with on an everyday basis. People in classrooms are meant to be a team and work together. If there are issues between students, it is important to get them worked out before it rises to the level of harassment or abuse.
One difference between the situation in schools today and my friends and I playing around on AOL ten years ago, is that a lot of the cyberbullying that is taking place now is targeted bullying. Students are using the Internet (or other means of technology) to go after specific peers. One point that the article Cyberbullying: Is there Anything Schools Can Do? brings up is that though the harassment is occurring off school property, there are lingering effects once they arrive at school. Administrators have the power to act on the harassment only if it is endangering the safely of students.
To be honest, I am not sure what schools can do to stop cyberbullying completely. By addressing it in the classroom, teachers have the power to deter students from the practice, but there is not a way for them to monitor them once they leave school property. One method of prevention that could be taken by schools is to have all of the students and their parents sign a pact saying that they will not harass other students, not just face to face, but through the use of technology as well. If students violate the pact, they could loose their technology privileges at school.
In my classroom, I plan on making a list of guidelines/rules for a code of conduct. All students will be able to give input on my list, and add others they feel necessary. On that list will be the fair treatment of others. My students will sign an agreement saying that they will follow the rules at all times. Harassing other students on the Internet will violate these rules. If students decide to break these rules, they will loose privileges in my classroom. It is unacceptable to harass others, especially those who you interact with on an everyday basis. People in classrooms are meant to be a team and work together. If there are issues between students, it is important to get them worked out before it rises to the level of harassment or abuse.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Hidden amongst other Kelsey's....
After going through the Google and Pipl searches of my name, the main hits were for Facebook and Myspace, but not my own. I was able to find some volleyball articles from when I played in college. Those were located at http://www.lcpioneers.com/sports/wvball/2008-09/bios/clark_kelsey. Because my name is fairly common, I did not appear in the search until the second page. I know that my Facebook page has privacy settings, which may be the reason why it did not appear in the Google search. When I did a Google image search, a picture for my Myspace profile was one of the found images, but when I clicked on it the profile that popped up was not my own. It was a link to a friend’s Myspace profile that does not have privacy settings.
I also used Pipl to do a search for myself. When I used the city that I grew up in as part of the credentials, many results appeared that were actually me. When I used Portland, OR as my city of residence, there were only one or two results that were actually me. I was really surprised at the amount of information there was about me just floating around. One website, http://www.spokeo.com/search?q=Kelsey%20Clark,%20Eagle%20Creek,%20OR&g=name_pipl_scd_city01#:916318247, even had information about my parents. There was no mention of my brother, though. The age they have listed is also off, but they have the square footage of my parents’ house!
Because I did not come across anything incriminating, I did not change anything, nor do I plan on changing anything at this time. My social networking profiles all have privacy settings, which make my pictures and information unavailable to anyone outside of my friends on the site. I do not plan on having students as friends on these sites.
I do not think that teachers should be held to community standards in terms of their personal lives. How is what I, as your child’s teacher, do on my Saturday afternoon going to affect their education? Most likely it will not. Teachers should be aware that if they allow students access to their personal websites and social networking profiles, they are taking away their own privacy. There will no longer be secrets. It is a very poor decision to give students this window into one’s life. If a teacher chooses to open this door, it is their responsibility to monitor the activities they show and speech they use. It only becomes an issue when the teacher puts it out into the open.
The article, Have you Googled your Teacher Lately? presents some interesting information. I can see how some teachers are using Facebook as a tool to enhance students’ learning, but I still do not agree. There are the few people who abuse the privilege, such as the teacher who continued to communicate with students after he had been fired on suspicion of lewd acts with a minor…ick. It is people like that teacher that can ruin it for those who are using social networking for good. As the article points out, it is important to keep professional life and internet/social life separate.
I believe I have already taken some of the proper steps toward protecting myself on social networking sites. I have privacy settings on all of my social networking sites, and do not accept people I do not know as friends. I know that I will not accept my students as friends if I am still using Facebook when I become a teacher. I know that students are curious, but there are certain parts of my life that they do not need to know about.
I also used Pipl to do a search for myself. When I used the city that I grew up in as part of the credentials, many results appeared that were actually me. When I used Portland, OR as my city of residence, there were only one or two results that were actually me. I was really surprised at the amount of information there was about me just floating around. One website, http://www.spokeo.com/search?q=Kelsey%20Clark,%20Eagle%20Creek,%20OR&g=name_pipl_scd_city01#:916318247, even had information about my parents. There was no mention of my brother, though. The age they have listed is also off, but they have the square footage of my parents’ house!
Because I did not come across anything incriminating, I did not change anything, nor do I plan on changing anything at this time. My social networking profiles all have privacy settings, which make my pictures and information unavailable to anyone outside of my friends on the site. I do not plan on having students as friends on these sites.
I do not think that teachers should be held to community standards in terms of their personal lives. How is what I, as your child’s teacher, do on my Saturday afternoon going to affect their education? Most likely it will not. Teachers should be aware that if they allow students access to their personal websites and social networking profiles, they are taking away their own privacy. There will no longer be secrets. It is a very poor decision to give students this window into one’s life. If a teacher chooses to open this door, it is their responsibility to monitor the activities they show and speech they use. It only becomes an issue when the teacher puts it out into the open.
The article, Have you Googled your Teacher Lately? presents some interesting information. I can see how some teachers are using Facebook as a tool to enhance students’ learning, but I still do not agree. There are the few people who abuse the privilege, such as the teacher who continued to communicate with students after he had been fired on suspicion of lewd acts with a minor…ick. It is people like that teacher that can ruin it for those who are using social networking for good. As the article points out, it is important to keep professional life and internet/social life separate.
I believe I have already taken some of the proper steps toward protecting myself on social networking sites. I have privacy settings on all of my social networking sites, and do not accept people I do not know as friends. I know that I will not accept my students as friends if I am still using Facebook when I become a teacher. I know that students are curious, but there are certain parts of my life that they do not need to know about.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Digital Native/Digital Immigrant Como!
I believe myself to be a combination of both a Digital Native and a Digital Immigrant. I grew up surrounded by technology, but I am not always a competent user of it. I use the Internet daily to complete homework assignments and also for personal use. I listen to music online, I check my email often, and I use social networking sites to stay connected with friends. I like to receive information quickly. One of the characteristics of a Digital Native is just that: "Digital Natives are used to receiving information really fast. They like to parallel process and multi-task" (Prensky, 2001). Although I have these resources at my fingertips, there are times when I prefer to gather information from printed text, or allow my mind to wander while reading a book.
During my high school years, we did not use technology often. I remember the quiet hum of the overhead projector, but my classrooms did not have computers of their own. We read textbooks and printed articles. There were multimedia classes offered by the business department that required the creation of power point presentations and short animation videos. These classes were electives, often reserved for upperclassmen. Students were excited to use the computers to complete assignments.
My arrival at college was when technology became a central part of my life. I took language classes in my first years that used computer programs to teach vocabulary and pronunciation. Many of my professors used Power Point presentations to aide their lectures. One course, Intro to World Music, consisted only of watching videos of musical influence from around the world. We never discussed the videos in class, but were required to write a poem about feelings evoked from the film.
I believe that in college, my learning was enhanced by technology. The extra time that I spent in the language lab listening to people speaking Spanish greatly improved my own skills. I was receiving an extra hour of practice each week outside of the classroom. Intro to World Music was an interesting class. I learned a lot about different music cultures but there was little time for reflection, aside from reading our poems out loud.
A problem that Marc Prensky addresses is the lack of reflection when using the new technologies to educate students. He writes, "One of the most interesting challenges and opportunities in teaching Digital Natives is to figure out and invent ways to include reflection and critical thinking in the learning (either built into the instruction or through a process of instructor-led debriefing)" (Prensky, 2001). My teacher, who was near seventy years old, knew that we students would be interested in the films shown in class, but he did not make the connection with us through the use of reflection. He let the films do all of the talking.
These articles have opened my mind to different ways to use technology in the classroom. Although I see the importance of engaging students through means they are familiar with, I do not believe that we as educators should solely rely on these resources. Books will always be a staple in my classrooms. The Internet is a valuable tool for students when it is not overused. When used in conjunction with critical thinking, reflection, and discussion, there are many forms of technology that can enhance the learning experience for students.
As a social studies teacher, I like to incorporate first hand accounts into the lessons. The Internet is a great place to access many of these in a short period of time. I also believe in the use of music in the classroom, and the Internet is a place to access many different scores.
To conclude, though I see myself as a combination of a Digital Native and Digital Immigrant, having up to date knowledge of technology will help me to relate to my students in many ways. With my knowledge, I can help them access information using both the Internet and book sources. Showing students how to use both of these resources will provide them with skills that they can use in later classes.
Although I do not always want to comply, it is important to keep up with technological advances. Prensky finishes one of his essays with a very insightful comment on the notion of Digital Immigrants. Rather than turn a blind eye to the advancements, Digital Immigrants can instead, "...accept the fact that they have become Immigrants into a new Digital world, and to look to their own creativity, their Digital Native students, their sympathetic administrators and other sources to help them communicate their still-valuable knowledge and wisdom in that world’s new language" (Prensky, 2001). As long as teachers understand that the methods of transmitting information are changing, there is still room for engagement in the classroom.
During my high school years, we did not use technology often. I remember the quiet hum of the overhead projector, but my classrooms did not have computers of their own. We read textbooks and printed articles. There were multimedia classes offered by the business department that required the creation of power point presentations and short animation videos. These classes were electives, often reserved for upperclassmen. Students were excited to use the computers to complete assignments.
My arrival at college was when technology became a central part of my life. I took language classes in my first years that used computer programs to teach vocabulary and pronunciation. Many of my professors used Power Point presentations to aide their lectures. One course, Intro to World Music, consisted only of watching videos of musical influence from around the world. We never discussed the videos in class, but were required to write a poem about feelings evoked from the film.
I believe that in college, my learning was enhanced by technology. The extra time that I spent in the language lab listening to people speaking Spanish greatly improved my own skills. I was receiving an extra hour of practice each week outside of the classroom. Intro to World Music was an interesting class. I learned a lot about different music cultures but there was little time for reflection, aside from reading our poems out loud.
A problem that Marc Prensky addresses is the lack of reflection when using the new technologies to educate students. He writes, "One of the most interesting challenges and opportunities in teaching Digital Natives is to figure out and invent ways to include reflection and critical thinking in the learning (either built into the instruction or through a process of instructor-led debriefing)" (Prensky, 2001). My teacher, who was near seventy years old, knew that we students would be interested in the films shown in class, but he did not make the connection with us through the use of reflection. He let the films do all of the talking.
These articles have opened my mind to different ways to use technology in the classroom. Although I see the importance of engaging students through means they are familiar with, I do not believe that we as educators should solely rely on these resources. Books will always be a staple in my classrooms. The Internet is a valuable tool for students when it is not overused. When used in conjunction with critical thinking, reflection, and discussion, there are many forms of technology that can enhance the learning experience for students.
As a social studies teacher, I like to incorporate first hand accounts into the lessons. The Internet is a great place to access many of these in a short period of time. I also believe in the use of music in the classroom, and the Internet is a place to access many different scores.
To conclude, though I see myself as a combination of a Digital Native and Digital Immigrant, having up to date knowledge of technology will help me to relate to my students in many ways. With my knowledge, I can help them access information using both the Internet and book sources. Showing students how to use both of these resources will provide them with skills that they can use in later classes.
Although I do not always want to comply, it is important to keep up with technological advances. Prensky finishes one of his essays with a very insightful comment on the notion of Digital Immigrants. Rather than turn a blind eye to the advancements, Digital Immigrants can instead, "...accept the fact that they have become Immigrants into a new Digital world, and to look to their own creativity, their Digital Native students, their sympathetic administrators and other sources to help them communicate their still-valuable knowledge and wisdom in that world’s new language" (Prensky, 2001). As long as teachers understand that the methods of transmitting information are changing, there is still room for engagement in the classroom.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Introduction
My name is Kelsey Clark. I am hoping to teach social studies and language arts. My favorite animal is the giraffe. I like giraffes because they are tall, yet graceful. Their markings and little fuzzy horns are quite cute as well.
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