Online Photo Sharing

http://www.zoto.com/site/#USR.bfletcher

My Thoughts on Social Bookmarking and Chapter One of Trends & Issues

I feel that social bookmarking would benefit both teachers and students. For teachers, social bookmarking is a great way to organize key websites for future use with thematic units. Tags are useful to organize each unit into categories to easily locate. Most websites can be used throughout different units thus multiple tags are used to identify each unit the website is associated with. Another benefit to teachers is the ability to access your “favorites” from home. I already started compiling all my “favorites” from my work computer into Delicious.com. I have a student intern this semester that can also access useful websites from her home to help with preparing lessons. Furthermore, social bookmarking allows teachers to share significant websites with other teachers. Teachers from all subjects can create a place to visit for ideas as well as developing lesson plans that span across the curriculum. Each added website would need a tag(s) to identify what subject it belonged to. Not only could teachers create one social bookmarking account, but each teacher could create their own and connect to other teachers through adding a new user to the network by clicking on PEOPLE. This allows you to view everyone at a glance or one user at a time. Teachers would have an endless resource of information. In addition, social bookmarking would benefit students. Teachers can demonstrate how to create a social bookmarking site for specific projects for students. As students research, they can continue to add related websites for others to view. Teachers can monitor the social bookmarking site to make sure students are using it appropriately. Students will build a valuable resource site they can all use. Social bookmarking is a wonderful way to build an internet resource foundation that can be shared by both students and teachers.

As I read Trends and Issues, I thought the definition for educational technology kept evolving along with technological growth throughout time. The last definition from AECT was short and to the point. “Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources.” (Reiser & Dempsey, 2007) I feel ethics is a large portion of educational technology. One negative aspect of educational technology is the issue of plagiarism. My students will often use the cut and paste feature to complete assignments that should be their own thoughts. As a teacher I am responsible to teach students right from wrong not only with plagiarism but all negative aspects technology brings. Also technology enhances how teachers facilitate learning in the classroom. So many students need visuals to distinguish correlations between academic ideas. Technology enables teachers to use the internet, LCD projectors, and overheads to allow students to make correct correlations. Last, students are able to improve their performance through technology. For example, the student with the illegible handwriting can type out assignments on a computer with spell-check. This will build the student’s confidence knowing the teacher can read the work and spelling is no longer an issue. Taking advantage of the appropriate technological resources can help students be more effective learners.

I love my job teaching middle school science and I will always continue to work with children whether I am a teacher or not. Technology will also be a big part of my teaching style. I feel technology goes hand-in-hand with science. I hope to stay knowledgeable with new technologies in the classroom as well as outside in the real world. My goal is to improve student’s learning as well as my performance as a facilitator through continually advancing with the world of technology.

My Delicious Page

http://delicious.com/22bfletcher

My Thoughts on Wiki Pages

Wikis are by far my favorite assignment. They are the simplest which means easy to use when you’re technologically illiterate. Everything was self explanatory from adding to changing with a click of the edit button. I found I can enter and edit morsels of text along with my group members. My group members can than view and edit anything I wrote. I also enjoyed visiting other class member’s wiki sights for help. I wasn’t able to create a hyperlink and saw another group had used several successfully. I went into their discussion group, asked for help, and within a day I had the answer. I like our little community. On the other hand, I did have one concern about wiki pages. The idea that anyone on any page at anytime can edit the contents with complete anonymity is slightly alarming. What if a person enters a site that you set up for your students and inserts profanity? What’s protecting you from vandals?

I would use wiki pages for any collaborative projects in a classroom. For example, in my science class students pair up to research and write a research paper on a genetic disorder for the heredity unit. Because my students live long distances from each other, it’s hard to find time to pair up and work on the paper. Using wiki pages would allow students to collect information in one place, brainstorm ideas, link useful sites, and edit each other’s materials while never leaving home. As a teacher, I can visit each student’s wiki page to see how much work a group is putting into the project and monitor if both students are putting in the same amount of effort. If students are struggling with ideas, I can offer suggestions and ask probing questions to get them to consider all aspects of the assignment. A research paper is only one of several different applications wiki pages can be used for in a classroom…science fair, student portfolios, teacher/student collaborations, literature circles, and math support groups. Wiki applications are numberless.

Week 2 Reflection

My impression of using a blog and RSS reader:

I was pleasantly surprised creating both the blog and the Google reader (RSS). Creating a blog was relatively easy. The step by step instructions found on Blogger were clear and concise. Within minutes I had my own blog page. I also enjoyed designing my page using the profile, settings and layout options. I even downloaded a picture of my very cute dogs. One disadvantage with a blog is the ability to only see one blog page at a time. Otherwise, creating a blog was a useful, educational experience that I will take into my classroom.
As for the RSS, I was surprised to learn I already had one through my Gmail account. I was able to subscribe to everyone’s blog and access everyone at once. Google reader also updates automatically so I can see if new comments have been made to my blog. In addition, the tutorials were helpful creating “my stuff” as well as all the other options. One disadvantage with Google reader is the lack of visual appeal. It does not have the luster of my blog page. Otherwise, I find myself using Google reader more often than my blog to locate website.


Which level of Dale Cone’s model does each tool (blog/RSS) lend itself to?

Growing up in the computer age I can see a blog and RSS Reader fitting into most levels of The Cone of Experience by Dale Cone. As I looked closer into the article, I decided to place both tools into a combination of the Television, Motion Picture, Recording, Radio, and Still Picture levels. RSS readers enable users to explore the real world through continuous news updates with related photographs to imprint images in the mind building a concrete association with abstract ideas. Users also have the ability to create collections of websites which offer all levels of experiences. Furthermore, a blog creates an identity for users through pictures and profiles. Visitors to a blog will build an impression based on the condensed information. In conclusion, modern day technological tools such as a blog and RSS reader enable people to experience events, past and present, first hand through visual, audio, and verbal interactions. These interactions follow Cone’s device showing the learning progression of students. With the correct knowledge, I feel teachers can use any type of technology to further the growth of students through every level of The Cone of Experience.


How I would utilize Siegel’s concept of “computer imagination”.

Throughout my years of teaching, I notice one common problem among students…turning in homework on time. There are many reasons students don’t turn in homework. In my experience, the most common reasons are: forgetting to fill in their planner, not understanding the assignment, or inability to read what they wrote in their planners. I wanted to decrease the number of missing assignments so I designed a system where students could contact each other after school hours. I called the system support teams. Support teams are small groups of students who exchange phone numbers to help find missed information on assignments after they go home for the day. In addition to academically supporting each other, teams are rewarded with extra credit points when every member turns in their assignments on time. One disadvantage of sharing phone numbers is students can only talk one-on-one. This is where a blog would be very useful in place of or in addition to phone numbers. Each student would set-up a blog page. I would designate a place for each team on the class website. Students would be able to access more than one student in their support team for help on an assignment from home. Furthermore, I can check in from home, join a discussion and assist students if needed. I believe using blogs can benefit student’s academic growth through peer interaction and constitute as an imaginative educational use according to Siegel.
Another imaginative educational use would involve the RSS reader. I would create a RSS reader to communicate with parents and students. First, I would subscribe to all my students support team blogs so everything associated to science class is in the same location. Next, I would set up important information areas such as homework updates, projects, newsletter, field trips and calendar. For example, the project area would include links to safe and educationally entertaining websites for students to visit to enhance the current science project. The field trip area would have links to Google map, videos about the event, and pictures taken during the event. Also, parents and students can click on “my stuff” for my email address, read items from the news I feel are essential to specific units, and share thoughts through my notes page. I understand a computer will never replace a face to face conversation with a parent or student. I just want to make communicating accessible to everyone no matter how busy their schedule.

Week 1 discussion: Integrating Technology into the Classroom

While reading each article, I found concepts in both that I agreed and disagreed with. As a teacher interested in preparing students for the future, I agree with integrating technology into our schools. Reigeuth and Joseph, discuss the sad truth that many factory jobs are disappearing. I see this first hand with relatives and friends that have lost their jobs with Steelcase after 25 years. Students need to be kept updated in various new technologies to better prepare them for the real world and a competitive job market. No matter how hard individuals try to avoid technological growth, it is still going to occur. In order to meet the needs of students, we need to change the idea that one-size-fits-all. I believe in focusing on each student’s strengths and creating a personalized plan whether the student has disabilities or not. Undoubtedly, this is an overwhelming task; however, educational systems need to concentrate on using technology to assist teachers in making this happen. An effective method for using technology in the classroom is to use software designed to implement differentiated instruction. This will offer a variety of learning options through which students can demonstrate their knowledge. Options that would include research on the internet, creating power points, producing videos, building a model, or developing a website. I recently began using differentiated instruction in my middle school science classroom. To date, it has proven to be very effective in reaching each student’s needs. Each unit is set up to look like a daily assignment sheet which offers a variety of choices for activities with varying point values. Each lesson has a mix of activities that will reach different styles of learning. At the end of the unit, students are required to earn a set amount of points. Additionally, I agree that “report cards” that simply state letter grades do not provide enough constructive feedback. Standards based report cards help to demonstrate the specifics of the student’s knowledge in each content area which we us in our school. In our organization, we use additional alternative methods for reporting such as a language arts folder. The folder which is started in Kindergarten follows the student every year with new examples of work added to it each year. This allows teachers to review the file before having the student in their class so that they know what to expect and focus on. I am hopeful my school system will discuss using technology such as software programs to assist in organizing students academic levels electronically for easier access.

While reading Postman’s article I tried to maintain an open mind but found most of his theories extreme and without supportive evidence. I did agree with new technologies driving the old technologies out of business. I see fewer “mom & pop” shops and more superstores. Skilled trades seem to be used less often and more often we find mass produced manufactured goods and services. Throughout most of Postman’s article, he generalizes negatively about the many advances of technology and yet fails to describe in any detail why he believes advancements in technology are the problem. For example, his comment about the use of computers in the classroom will stifle student’s intellect and social capacity. In reality, the world is full of new and exciting technologies that will grab the attention of students no matter what their interest. I see this first hand in my science classroom. Every Friday one student shares an article from various sources about something new in science. Most of the articles pertain to new technologies in science. Students not only learn something new but in turn converse and ask questions. I find it difficult to believe that Postman would not support the idea of new technologies if ever it benefits him personally. There may be a time when either he or a loved one needs an organ transplant, chemotherapy, or to make a call to the fire department for help with a burning home. To the question Postman so commonly asks, “What is the problem to which “this” is the answer?” will be, “technology is the answer which saves lives and often makes life better.” In my opinion, Postman never really proves his point and has very little evidence to back his ideas.

In conclusion, I found myself not fully agreeing or disagreeing with each article. I do agree with integrating technology into my classroom as often as possible. I also truly believe technology will help my students to be better prepared for the real world and be able to compete in a competitive, global economy.