Nearing Completion - How Does Technology Fit into My Future?

A year and a half ago, I began a crazy journey to get my M.Ed I remember looking at Dave when he was in the hospital and saying, "I can't believe I'm actually going to do this." The loans, the tears and the stress that went into completing this have been more extreme than I ever thought it could be. When I first began my M.Ed program, I thought that it was kind of like an extension of the activities I had completed as an undergraduate - but I see that I've learned more more practical information in the year and half I have been completing my M.Ed than during my time as an undergraduate. 

Not only do I see and realize a new importance to creating activities that engage students in technology; I see that the applicable uses for these tools involve a new level of comprehension from the student. 

I also think that I have a unique opportunity as a teacher of English to create more visually stimulating environment. Auditory and visual learners need different stimulation and an environment created for them that enhances their own ideas and choices, as well as engages them in the information.

We can't deny that technology is a prominent part of society and education. The challenge is a balancing act - what can we expect from students who are constantly stimulated with something besides a singular task? Can we expect them to engage in activities that require their concentrated attention without outside stimulus? Or do we embrace the multi-tasker, who can tweet and text and listen to music and write a paper while their dog is begging and eating their popcorn? 

I say, if you can't beat em', join em'. 

Striking a Balance....Tech Ed vs. Technology Education

It's funny how with time things seem to change so much. We expect more and more different aspects of education to cultivate new experiences for our students and help us emerge as teachers who prepare their students effectively. But what happens to the basic information? What happens to the adult readiness programs that help young people prepare themselves for bills, insurance, budgeting, and other practical endeavors that sometimes produce a stressful response in young people.

I wonder, why then, we don't incorporate education that sets up and prepares students to do things adults do. In senior year, a course should be required to prepare students for life and all of the technologies that they will be expected to know in order to survive. Students should know how to apply for car and health insurance, the different methods of insuring yourself or a car....why it is important to care for your property...the differences in owning and buying a house, etc.

I feel as thought tech ed could lend its' hand into the production of a course that begged to answer these questions; how can we produce students who know how to complete the basics that life demands from us? How can we prepare students who are more aware the ramifications of selecting a doctor or a lawyer to represent you?

My thoughts this week are directed towards using technology education for life readiness....now I just need some ideas on how to do this...

Education is for Everyone

NPR Expounds on Adult Education

    I don't know that I realized this blog would turn into an article review, but I have come to really enjoy reading a new education/technology article every week and expounding on something different each week.

     1) I love NPR and rarely disagree with much that is presented on it.

     2) This article makes a lot of practical and applicable sense.

    It is amazing that a country like the United States could have so many people who can't read or write proficiently. I simply don't understand it. I know that when people come from another country it is difficult for them work and support themselves and get an education at the same time. I commend the people that are able to do both; but with a family to support; how can we expect people to do this?

    This article makes an obvious point that I had never thought about until now; when education fails a student who drops out or is unjustifiably pushed through the system; we create more work for ourselves in the end. We great a society that is unable to find work and therefore puts a bigger strain on the economy. This article also discusses that education reduces the likelihood that a student will end up in prison. The number if prisoners also effects the economy and the amount of strain that we all feel for those who are unable to work or support themselves.

    The drop in funding to these programs (government spending on adult ed has dropped 17% since 2002 quotes the article) effects the technology that is readily available to these adults as well. I think about on a daily basis the technology I use as a literate person:

1) Cellphone

2) Multiple operating systems: PC and Macintosh

3)  Microsoft Applications; Publisher, Excel, Word, Power Point, etc.

4) A copy machine

5) A Smart Board

6) An iPad

Each of those technologies need someone to be able to have a hands on experience to understand. In cutting funding for adult ed, our students who need to be able to join the workforce the most are denied access to the things they need to be equipped to work and study as they should.

The literacy partners focus on the importance of educating parents in order to help students become more at ease with their literacy problems as well as stopping the cycle of illiteracy in their own family. I feel like we really need to focus on continuing adult education. We shouldn't have anyone in our country who can't read or dropped out of high school completely; we should have a goal of enabling the future of our country to help students of all ages.

I like NPR articles because their articles always end up with an uplifting story; a young man learns to read and then is able to have a more fulfilling life for himself and even make more money. Think of all of the opportunities we are closing off when we cut off funding for these programs and the technologies they need to produce adults who are literate, learned, and tech savvy!

Refurbished but Not Replaced

Check out the Huffington Post's Article HERE on Technology Replacing Teachers....

It's funny, I've never really thought about technology taking over my job or replacing my position. I've heard of people working at cyber schools and being more than happy with that position, and I think it's great! Many students thrive in places like cyber school for many different reasons. I think of young men and young women who are showing on the "A" circuit riding; cyber school has enabled them to follow their dreams and finish their education simultaneously.

In this article, we hear, "Personalized tech-infused learning is the future of education," - and it's true! Think about differentiation...technology produces teachers who use apps to promote student learning and choice. I feel like with differentiation we often think about just different ability levels; and that's not right! I think the key to remembering how to use technology for different levels of learning is remembering that differentiation is not just about ability levels but different areas of interest and learning styles. For instance, many learners have issues with producing work when it is not displayed visually somewhere, i.e. the differences between auditory learning, visual learning and so or and so forth. I think that technology won't replace teachers because we are the ones that know our students personalities and abilities more than a test on a computer. However, this doesn't mean we should exclude technology from our classrooms because of fear it will take-over us! We have to be open to sharing our thoughts and using it to the best of its' advantage.

I thought this article was also interesting because it talked about the different opportunities of technology not changing the role of the teacher (necessarily). Maybe I am taking this out of context, but my role changes depending on what I have to offer my students. For instance, students can't be completely unaware of the importance of having found new ideas through their own accord, but they also need to learn how to USE this technology, which can be challenging and taxing for all depending on the situations that arise in the classroom. I feel as thought it is critical to give students time to understand and review the tools they have so they are able to make the best decisions for what kind of technology to use when.

I feel like this article is a bit slanted and doesn't always include the formulation of the us vs. them mentality that is produced through this article's deviation in technology vs. the people; this is not iRobot people, we are all on the same page!

#educationswag #categorizationtags #CANTWITTERWORKINACLASSROOM?

Check out THIS argument on Twitter usage in classroom....

I am intrigued by Twitter and even during Parent/Teacher conferences I had a parent ask me if I was going to implement Twitter in my classroom, how progressive!

1) It scares me

2) It intrigues me

3) I find myself enthralled in it for social networking reasons.

Is it because the#hastags allow for tagging and categorization of subject matter or is it because I know that Hemingway would be completely in love because of the short sentence structure that Twitter encourages. However, are short sentences always better? Can we really say that we would rather have students write in a concise manner? What if that is hard for them?

Twitter, like anything else, has a time and place with the right group of students. I would be interested in how Twitter is used (if at all) in the college classroom. I feel as though many college professors in education (like the former professor from Millersville that shared this link, are progressive in their thinking and excited about the use of new technology; even those technologies that are on the faux-paus list because of their connotations with social media.

The raw data in this article is also interesting; posing the question that social media is improving the thought-processes that students use when writing. There were even some nuances that reading levels didn't effect a child's intelligence. This interested me.....

So no more reading? Tweeting? The information and micro-chipping age is a difficult one to ignore. Just a few weeks ago a vet asked me about microchipping my horse in case of theft. We put our stamps and labels on everything to categorize it as "ours," so why not do the same with our writing by tagging it with #hashtags?

Can we implement Twitter without students having access to information, pictures, and profiles that are too "adult," and can we explicitly control their usage of this tool? Better question, should we?

Feeling the Pressure

I'm starting to feel the pressure of implementing technology more and more readily within my lesson plans; not by the fault of administration, but because of the pressing need for students to know and understand the different kinds of technological advances that society is implementing.

Many of my students are feeling increasingly interested in the "Walking Dead," the zombie movement, and I keep thinking there has to be a way to have students feel more connected through technology by examining the make up, still action shots and camera angles (like the readings this week) in order for us to understand more important aspects of student learning/technology implementation. I'd like to think that I should be creating a world that uses student learning with student interest.....an age old question!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcus-t-wright/we-have-what-we-need-the-_b_4137114.html

I think this editorial is interesting, it talks about us, "Having what we need," but being unable to implement it appropriately and conform our lessons we feel like we have to teach to fit this technology. I find the article a bit sugary at the end but also empowering; we have to use what we have not to just impress our counter-parts in education but be more engaged in helping our students learn and use what we have. Don't waste resources, or under-use, but don't over use to the point that students are never unplugged from being online.


I saw this comic a while ago and realized it might be where we are getting to. I think that its a powerful statement; why can't we use our cellphones to communicate? Is it because a few people can't use them appropriately that we all suffer...ugh! So many questions. I feel like my blogs have become an endless strings of elements I just need other's opinions on.

When Will More People Drink the Technology Kool-Aide?

Read About Students Using Technology in Illinois

  Teachers in Illinois are saying their children, as young as 4 and 5, are finding ways to implement technology and become more engaged in their learning. I did a complete palm-smack to the face when I read this article and felt like DUH was in order. This was just released a few days ago; they are discussing how important technology is and how engaged they felt like their students have become through the use of technology. The surprising thing isn't the information they are providing, it is the time in which they are providing it; for instance, they discuss "interactive whiteboard," i.e. SmartBoards, HELLO! SmartBoards are a thing of the past, we need to ensure that we are using all technology across the board in all schools and disciplines.

I guess I am spoiled because now I am at a school that values and encourages the constant use of technology; but I'm just so unsure of how people adequately prepare their young people for the future without it.

Technical schools and other avenues still must use a broad sense of Microsoft at the least?? I feel like I have seen the opposite of each spectrum, a school that provides ample opportunities to improve student knowledge through the use of technology. I've also seen a school that had little technology because of a large lack in funding. I feel like I'm out of touch of the normal public school.

Opinions?

Improper Use of Technology - The Buck Stops.....Where?

The Examiner's Article on the Misuse of iPads

     Using technology in a classroom can lead teachers to be concerned about the misuse of technology due to several issues; 1) humans are an imperfect creation, of course we want to see what we can do to skirt around what we are really supposed to be doing, 2) kids are kids, part of learning is making mistakes, 3)Avoidance is popular when it comes to challenging information.

     Teachers everywhere struggle with the proper use of technology in their classrooms and are constantly finding new ways to ensure that what they are asking from for the students does not get misused. In my class, I put the ownership on the student; if you aren't going to pay attention and you're going to get onto websites or social networks you aren't supposed to; than I can ensure you that you'll miss crucial information and have difficulties understanding the information when we move on in class....this, my friends, will be your issues.

    I think this article asks critical questions; the problem isn't that the students hacked into other programs using the digital device; it is that we have to question, as educators, how effective the use of technology is and how well it is truly tied to the curriculum? Although this editorial is not perfect by any means, I found it to be thought provoking. Once more research proving the tablet's usefulness in the classroom becomes apparent; less issues will be part of the common culture of a school or classroom. The 5th grade teachers I assist do an amazing job of implementing the iPads for reading as well as for math, different applications allow for further development of new technologies to spur ideas and cultivate hands on learning. The problem with tablets is that student screens are so small, it is easy to hide what is going on - unlike the ambient glow of a large PC or Mac screen. More importantly, it is difficult to insure that students aren't misusing the use of these tools.
 
   My critique of this article is more centered on the thoughts that different institutions have on how to prohibit the misuse of technology, but not get rid of it completely. Instead of taking all of the technology away from a student group, why not instead encourage proper use through a reward system or put assessments on the iPads that have to be completed for full credit to be received. If a student chooses to ignore these assessments in favor of social media, than why not allow their grade to suffer in conjunction with their poor performance and inability to complete the tasks at hand?

   I'm confused as to why social media is constantly the white elephant in the room....what is more important, helping students understand the curricular expectations and information or constantly telling them "no" to Facebook? I used a Facebook template with my previous employer and had student fill in interests of the authors, etc. and I was the one that got weird looks! Um, OKAY!

Author of "Ghetto Schooling," Passes Away Sept. 7th

Read About Jean Anyon

Anyon is actually a new source I found for my research project on urban education and standardized testing, and this month she passed away, leaving the nation to bid farewell to source of compassion and ideas that Anyon suggested of cultural reform in urban districts. I feel as though our culture and society has gotten away from the term "ghetto" and is now embracing more of the "urban" terminology. Never the less, Anyon's ideas on improving the urban education system create a question of reformation for the child who is deep in the opportunity gap. I have spent several hours review ideas that students are not able to properly progress because they are too tied down by their histories...good and bad. Influences in a child's life are crucial.

Maybe because I am in a new, beautiful school that I should forget about where I came from; but that just isn't possible for me. The kind of hurt I saw my former students go through is completely unacceptable for such a wealthy country with so many resources. Why wasn't anyone patrolling or finding resources? How can America be home to people that are illiterate at 18? How can we let students get that far behind and fall so hard into the opportunity gap that they truly will never get out?

I remember as an undergraduate, I wrote a paper on the linguistic critical case named "Genie." Genie never learned how to speak or read during her critical period and therefore, was forever damaged developmentally and otherwise.....by the time students get to high-school, what more can we do to get them out of the gap?

Well, as teachers of English we should feel empowered by being able to help students find their voice by examining their own personal narratives. Students shouldn't feel tied down or separated from what they should know or can't know or don't know; education has to start being practical and influential; we can't expect students in urban districts to understand everything in Hemingway; but if they are able to appreciate the intensity of his writing and the way that his life was displayed through that writing...we would more influential then diagramming sentences or memorizing rules of math....am I off here?

Technology, Language Learning and Integrity

As I was completing the readings for this week and looking over some information for other classes, I see so much the importance of technology of students who are learning a new language. I spend a lot of time trying to cultivate my own learning by thinking about my experiences as a child who was extremely dyslexic. How did I learn to read or speak another language? What were some of the things that helped me become more involved with my learning? When I was in school, we all took French until we were in 6th grade when we could begin choosing French or Spanish.

French was so hard for me because I hadn't really learned how to read English yet! I remember the only technology that my French teacher used was the television program called "Muzzy" with what looked a Big Foot kind of character who provided me with much laughter and helped soothe my sweaty palms and I thought about suggesting it to the new school where I am working because I heard that 20 years later, and my pre-school friend, Muzzy, with his funny French accent is now an online language learning tool for all to enjoy. Before my suggestion, I Googled reviews and researched and found there is a large Muzzy-hating population that actually returned what they bought from BBC founded program, one reviewer even said, "We just couldn't watch it," referring to the supplemental information on videos that was presented.

My qualm this week is how to solidify to parents and students that a technology is needed or appropriate for the classroom? Everyone has different ideas on what is appropriate or necessary, and if a student is bringing in their own iPad, Kindle, etc. then why discourage other gaming and learning opportunities? How do we determine that? I'm interested in hearing other people's ideas on language learning and technology like Rosetta Stone, etc., what kinds of tools are out there to make learning a new language fun? I feel as though learning a new language increases the vocabulary and understanding of language learning that students will be able to complete in there own native language, whatever it may be.

An Ethical Quandary I Need Feedback Concerning....

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/07/meet-teach-america-resistance-movement-s-growing-within/67125/


I have a debate going on in my head about this. When I was in high school and toying around with the idea of teaching my brother had a friend who was doing Teach for America in Philadelphia. She was a biology major and when we went to visit her she was living in the slums of Philadelphia smiling all of the way through her teaching assignment with at-risk and low-level learning urban students. She had no training in education other than the TFA training that was supplemented to her when she signed up. A part of me thought that was so cool; she was a professional in her field, who better suited to work with students? I put it to the back of my mind and never thought about it again until, ironically, on Facebook a previous professor from my undergraduate career at Millersville posted a picture stating, "Students Resisting Teach for America."

I reexamined my thinking about this program when I read up on the movement (something I only did because I respect this professor and wanted to know more). I couldn't fathom why anyone would resist a movement to put capable professionals into the inner city, but then I reexamined it more. I find myself in between a rock and a hard place....as someone who taught for 3 years in the inner city I know that those programs need capable and excited people, but I also thought about the choice factor that is removed. TFA expects everyone to work in the inner city and complete the assignments to really....better themselves. I worked in the inner city to better the community and better myself, but I wanted to make a difference and I refused to look for another job until my first class (everyone in it) had graduated because I couldn't bare the fact that I would leave that string unattached.

Furthermore, in the sense of technology, we could then see that TFA recruits who are usually at the top of their classes, would integrate new technology and digital literacies more effectively, but then again....are they qualified? Just because you're a professional in your field, should to be allowed to work with a population that needs someone empathetic and understanding, not always the cream of the knowledgeable crop?

My first year working in the city I lived down-town and immersed myself in the culture. A lot of people told me it was stupid, and granted I didn't love walking home from work sometimes - but it was part of me understanding the area and the priorities of the community. It wasn't always easy or comfortable, but I got out of my comfort zone because I longed for a connection with my students.

When the article discusses minimizing "churn" or the in-and-out rotation of teachers and staff, I really could speak to that...you need consistency with students in the inner city and TFA strips those ideas away.

Really, I am in a quandary. I really want to know what you think about this.....

Thanks!

Article of Interest

http://education.mit.edu/papers/GamesSimsSocNets_EdArcade.pdf


Viewing this article really opened my eyes and provided me we a new opportunity to get to know gaming systems more throughly and provide new ideas to not just use Jeopardy or "Who Wants to be a Millionaire," but link what I am teaching to gaming systems. I see a lot of interesting connections that this article could help with, but more importantly, connecting with boys and boy writers. Boys in the classroom can difficult, especially in English because students think reading and poetry are "girl" things. I feel as though implementing even gaming terminology would help make new connections. Page 5 of this article actually lists all of the talents of a "guildmaster" in World of Warcraft and how the skills provided actually are the same that are desired in the workplace. I found this interesting...and also thought back of to the time I worked in an urban district and referred back to "Call of Duty," my male students paid attention and understood. Ironically enough, that led to other good connections pertaining to "Walking Dead" the comic and TV show. If nothing else, enhancing the gaming cultures influence on the classroom and recognizing the importance of being aware and facing the "white elephant" in the room.

Digital Literacies and the Danger Zone

     I feel like the most important thing about understand digital literacies and the reform movement involved in changing our schools to become more in-tune with the technology is helping everyone understand what correct usage really is. The "Danger Zone" is when teachers or students misuse medias because they aren't sure the effective use of certain applications, programs, and tools to provide information. Even Facebook started out just a function of Harvard, and it changed so much when the world got involved. Now we see people posting pictures that are inappropriate or berating each other on the internet, we see a heathen culture emerging that makes it okay to say and do and "YOLO" every bad decision we make. We see young men and young women persecute each other via text messaging, tweeting, and pinning. Technology is an amazing thing - like a new gift, but we can't abuse it and we can't make excuses for other people's behavior because they are not able to use it appropriately. It is unfair to teach without it because it dismantles the norms and when students enter the workplace or higher education they will be held accountable for the information they did not absorb when they were in high school or during their formative years.