With Twitter, I have found myself interacting with the education technology community. It is an easy hashtag to look up, and there are many great articles and discussions that occur within it. I feel that this interaction has helped me to foster new ideas on how technology can be used in an educational setting. In my future career, Twitter might be helpful in allowing me to connect with other peers and have discussions with others whom I might not have had the chance to meet otherwise.
The digital divide could either work to a students advantage or disadvantage. If students have had extensive experience with technology, they could be well off and find no trouble working with technology in the classroom, if they do not, however, they might find even some of the simplest tasks difficult and frustrating. For this reason, I believe it is important to have a comprehensive check to see if students know what they are doing and to gauge where they are at technologically so they do not fall behind.
In a classroom setting of 8th graders, I would probably use tutorial software which allows each individual student to move at their own pace. This takes pressure off of the students to keep up with others because they can control how fast they move through the tutorial and if they understand the lesson clearly.
Friday, September 29, 2017
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Blog Post 3
There are many ELA technology standards that exist, and while I'm sure it would be helpful to learn more about each of them, I am fairly confident I would be able to teach a few with the knowledge I already have. Among those standards are "Multimedia" Literature, "Multimedia" Informational Text, "Multimedia" History/Social studies, "Multimedia"Science/Technical Studies, "Text Structure" Informational Text, "Use Multiple Sources", and "Evaluate Speakers Point of View". I feel confident in my ability to teach these because I have encountered them many times throughout my school career. The standard that I feel I would need to focus most on learning more about is "Use Digital Media". I have close to no experience creating graphs using technology so I am not confident that I could teach others to do it.
If I had students of high school age I would definitely implement the use of email in the classroom for assignments. In college it is vital to know how to use email, from writing a proper one to being able to send out mass emails, it is a tool that a student cannot survive college without. It is for that reason that I would teach the students how to use it before they head off to college. As for digital citizenship, I will make sure my students understand the importance of their online identity, including what they make their email name. Things like that do not simply disappear and I will stress that.
Some of the skills I acquired from the newsletter assignment were how to create a banner and how to format a document with columns. One thing I did not like was the requirement of a cut-off piece of page. I could not figure out how to insert a dotted line and it was quite frustrating. I also did not like how, by inserting a picture, it could mess up your whole spacing. It was hard to make sure it was just right.
If I had students of high school age I would definitely implement the use of email in the classroom for assignments. In college it is vital to know how to use email, from writing a proper one to being able to send out mass emails, it is a tool that a student cannot survive college without. It is for that reason that I would teach the students how to use it before they head off to college. As for digital citizenship, I will make sure my students understand the importance of their online identity, including what they make their email name. Things like that do not simply disappear and I will stress that.
Some of the skills I acquired from the newsletter assignment were how to create a banner and how to format a document with columns. One thing I did not like was the requirement of a cut-off piece of page. I could not figure out how to insert a dotted line and it was quite frustrating. I also did not like how, by inserting a picture, it could mess up your whole spacing. It was hard to make sure it was just right.
Friday, September 15, 2017
Blog Post 2
My experience with Microsoft Word has been that of a typical student. I have used the program to write thousands of essays, create advertisements, and to write letters. Most teachers, I have witnessed, use Microsoft Word to create syllabi, tests, quizzes, and worksheets. While these are relatively basic uses of Microsoft Word, I believe that they are crucial in helping students to be successful in the classroom.
My experience with copyright and the fair use of educational materials has been extremely limited because I was simply not aware that it was going on. As a student in high school I simply followed my teacher's instruction and used the materials that were provided for me. Now, however, after reading the Center for Social Media's, "Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education", I have a better understanding of how I can use copyrighted materials in my classroom for educational purposes. To avoid any kind of violations I would educate my students on the principles of fair use and how copyright violations are more of an obscure concept and judgement has to be used in all cases.
Using videos in the classroom can enhance a student's learning experience if it is done with careful consideration and planning. If it is not, students can become distracted, uninterested, or even restless if the video is long. In order to try to prevent this from happening I would make sure that I did three specific things before incorporating a video into the classroom experience:
1. I would test the video beforehand to ensure all students had a good view and were able to hear the audio properly. Though this seems like a small action, it can drastically change a student's experience. Nothing is worse than not being able to see or hear a video and being too shy to speak up about it.
2. I would give the students a small synopsis of the video beforehand and ask them to discuss what they think the main ideas, importance, and purpose of the video are before they have viewed it. This way students will be more invested in the video because they know some of the background and have talked about their thoughts on it.
3. I would pause the video at certain spots and ask the students their simple opinions on events or storylines of the video. This way, if students missed certain symbolisms or important events, they would have a chance to hear their classmates discuss the video and hopefully gain more knowledge that they did not necessarily pick up.
My experience with copyright and the fair use of educational materials has been extremely limited because I was simply not aware that it was going on. As a student in high school I simply followed my teacher's instruction and used the materials that were provided for me. Now, however, after reading the Center for Social Media's, "Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education", I have a better understanding of how I can use copyrighted materials in my classroom for educational purposes. To avoid any kind of violations I would educate my students on the principles of fair use and how copyright violations are more of an obscure concept and judgement has to be used in all cases.
Using videos in the classroom can enhance a student's learning experience if it is done with careful consideration and planning. If it is not, students can become distracted, uninterested, or even restless if the video is long. In order to try to prevent this from happening I would make sure that I did three specific things before incorporating a video into the classroom experience:
1. I would test the video beforehand to ensure all students had a good view and were able to hear the audio properly. Though this seems like a small action, it can drastically change a student's experience. Nothing is worse than not being able to see or hear a video and being too shy to speak up about it.
2. I would give the students a small synopsis of the video beforehand and ask them to discuss what they think the main ideas, importance, and purpose of the video are before they have viewed it. This way students will be more invested in the video because they know some of the background and have talked about their thoughts on it.
3. I would pause the video at certain spots and ask the students their simple opinions on events or storylines of the video. This way, if students missed certain symbolisms or important events, they would have a chance to hear their classmates discuss the video and hopefully gain more knowledge that they did not necessarily pick up.
Saturday, September 9, 2017
Many teachers are encouraged to use technology because of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). This act states that when students complete the 8th grade, they should be knowledgeable about technology and how to properly use it. Because of this, teachers are encouraged to use technology in the classroom order to help their students through a more hands on approach. Teachers also are influenced by their respective state requirements and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Each state, while different in its requirements, typically requires teachers to be knowledgeable in at least some aspect of technology. The NBPTS, which technically has no official requirement for technology literacy, requires diversity of teaching methodology, which can be met but the use of technology in the classroom. NETS is also a major project that has had influence on students as well as teachers. While it sets requirements for teachers and their use of technology, it also creates guidelines for students and measures their technological abilities. Because of this, NETS creates an incentive for both students and teachers to broaden their use of technology in the classroom. The way a student learns is also a major influence on their use of technology in the classroom. Technology can help different types of learners because it is versatile and can adapt for their needs, instead of simply catering to one.
The ISTE skill standards are set in place to help teachers effectively use technology to better their teaching techniques in the classroom. One skill standard that I feel is particularly out of my skill set is the requirement to "Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments". I feel that I lack in this requirement because I am not a very technologically aware person. The scope of technology is mind-boggling to me and I am not even close to knowing what kinds of tools and programs are out there to help assist students. After this class, however, I hope I will have widened my view and have gained insight in to what all is available to use. One requirement, however, that is particularly meaningful to me is, "Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity". This requirement means a lot to me because I believe that every person should have the freedom to express themselves and be creative. All too often in education, people focus on the correct answers rather than the thought process that leads to them. With this requirement, I believe it shows teachers that it is okay and beneficial for students to think outside of the box and use different mediums to learn and grow.
I believe the term "digital native" is too broad and that it places many into a category in which they do not belong. While yes, I am a digital native, I do not consider myself to have the skills that many assume natives to have. For that reason I think that native needs to be a term that is more loosely used because many children who are considered natives, did not grow up with the technology that was expected of them, and this is largely because their parents, digital immigrants, where not familiar with how to approach the increasingly technological world.
One thing I have noticed is that most of my teachers are not keen on embracing technology completely. Instead of using useful programs to combat plagiarism they still require hard copies of papers, instead of allow students to use their computers in the classroom, they ban them completely. While some of this may be due to the mindset of, "Back in my day this is how things were done", much of it, I believe is because many teachers are not aware what is available to them or do not trust the technology they could potentially use. Though I understand this, I feel that the impact on my learning has set me back a little. Instead of learning how to operate different programs, I have been forced to use techniques of the past. While this does not necessarily hurt me now, it could in the future when I am required to use a relatively well known program that I have no experience with whatsoever.
I hope that with my future students I will be able to stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest technology and equip them with the skills they will need to use it successfully. I know that technology is constantly changing, and with my students I hope that I will continue to listen to them to find out what the newest trends are, and hopefully incorporate that into the classroom.
The ISTE skill standards are set in place to help teachers effectively use technology to better their teaching techniques in the classroom. One skill standard that I feel is particularly out of my skill set is the requirement to "Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments". I feel that I lack in this requirement because I am not a very technologically aware person. The scope of technology is mind-boggling to me and I am not even close to knowing what kinds of tools and programs are out there to help assist students. After this class, however, I hope I will have widened my view and have gained insight in to what all is available to use. One requirement, however, that is particularly meaningful to me is, "Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity". This requirement means a lot to me because I believe that every person should have the freedom to express themselves and be creative. All too often in education, people focus on the correct answers rather than the thought process that leads to them. With this requirement, I believe it shows teachers that it is okay and beneficial for students to think outside of the box and use different mediums to learn and grow.
I believe the term "digital native" is too broad and that it places many into a category in which they do not belong. While yes, I am a digital native, I do not consider myself to have the skills that many assume natives to have. For that reason I think that native needs to be a term that is more loosely used because many children who are considered natives, did not grow up with the technology that was expected of them, and this is largely because their parents, digital immigrants, where not familiar with how to approach the increasingly technological world.
One thing I have noticed is that most of my teachers are not keen on embracing technology completely. Instead of using useful programs to combat plagiarism they still require hard copies of papers, instead of allow students to use their computers in the classroom, they ban them completely. While some of this may be due to the mindset of, "Back in my day this is how things were done", much of it, I believe is because many teachers are not aware what is available to them or do not trust the technology they could potentially use. Though I understand this, I feel that the impact on my learning has set me back a little. Instead of learning how to operate different programs, I have been forced to use techniques of the past. While this does not necessarily hurt me now, it could in the future when I am required to use a relatively well known program that I have no experience with whatsoever.
I hope that with my future students I will be able to stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest technology and equip them with the skills they will need to use it successfully. I know that technology is constantly changing, and with my students I hope that I will continue to listen to them to find out what the newest trends are, and hopefully incorporate that into the classroom.
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