impressions during first class...

These are a few of our favorite things (links, actually)

Iluminations

A math activity website by the NCTM, the major math group for teachers

Storybird

A website for elementary school children to create online picture books

Moodle

A website that hosts resources to share with the community, such as a class website.

Hela, Greg, and Jen

Edutainment (Hole in the Wall) WiseQatar.org

Check this out!!! WiseQatar has great videos of great education practices.

http://video.wise-qatar.org/learning-world--episode-3----new-technologies-video-129.html

Geeking out... Providng children with a learning autonomy.

I recall as a adolescent having limited access to the Internet; however, I do remember my mother purchasing an Encarta encyclopedia CD for the computer. I found myself "Geeking Out" -- The Living and Learning with Media article defines it as: "an intense commitment to or engagement with media or technology, often one particular media property, genre or type of technology." This opportunity to engage with such technology opened a world of knowledge. I remember playing trivia games, information quests games, watching historic videos all of this easily accessed with a click. I think that providing children with these outlets can help them experiment and follow their interests in a self-directed manner. This provides them with a certain autonomy over the information they want to explore. I remember sitting in front of my computer watching videos of the fall of the Berlin Wall, or about the Atomic bomb or when the movie Titanic came out I remember researching extensively about the Titanic. I think that to some extent having access to an online encyclopedia was a really great learning tool for me. I can see how these tools can be used in the classroom in a controlled way, but allowing students to engage in topics of their interest.
I say we provide children with times to "GEEK OUT".

I had mixed emotions after reading Bob Regan's article "Why We Need to Teach 21st Century Skills- And How to Do It" I agree with Regan that students "can use technology to solve problems, collaborate and create...and that technology provides the ability for students with diverse learning styles to engage with ideas in ways not previously possible." However as a teacher I find it hard to let go of the "traditional" way of learning/teaching due to my own experience with computers. When I was younger I had the most wonderful penmanship. I loved to look in the dictionary to find new words and their spelling. I took pleasure writing thank you cards. I remember how I was taught to plan my papers using an outline. Now I forgot it all. My organization, handwriting, and outlining have been neglected as my exposure and confidence to using video, images and online applications have increased. As I embrace these new interactive technology tools I can't help but check my face book several times a day, surf the web for great deals or play scrabble for hours. I have become a full blown procrastinator. I understand the obsession children have with texting, facebook etc.... I feel we all need reminders to get back to the basics and use our own thinking first. I am grateful to share my feelings here. Being able to reflect is so important. Hopefully more people will begin to be honest with themselves and maybe this could eventually bring us closer to who we are and what we are really here for.

Technology Skills in the 21st Century

As our class comes to an end I decided to read and blog about why it is so important to teach 21^st century technology skills. As teachers we know how that technology can be implemented in many ways within our classrooms yet a major question occurs “why is it so important to use technology and why is it so important that out students learn to use these skills?” In his article about the importance of technological skills in the 21^st century, Bob Regan discusses how technology can provide multiple types learners of learners with options that weren’t always possible. Technology is limitless in his eyes and can provide students with the appropriate accommodations they need to successfully learn. Thinking in terms of middle school students, many of these kids are going home night after night and using these technologies in their everyday lives (i.e. numerous social networking mediums- facebook, twitter, AIM, etc.) and therefore feel comfortable and motivated by their interests. Regan noted that Sara Martin a technology coordinator at Hart-Ransom Union School District in Modesto, California said “students are more comfortable experimenting with technology and visual images because these things are often a regular part of their lives outside of school". In my past teaching experience I have seen so many students shut down when something was tricky or boring for them. I feel that it is important to listen to my students and take their interests, style, and culture and use it to their advantage. Thus, instead of banning these sites or saying school isn’t a place for them it is important to help them learn the ways of the social networking world as they learn about necessary standards (i.e. science, social studies, English, etc.). Using these forms of technology as a bridge to join communication, personal expression, and content students will be learning a plethora of information in an interdisciplinary matter that joins many skills they will use throughout their lives.

Are we preparing our students for the future?

Despite all the talk of 21st Century Standards and creating technologically savvy students, the assessments our students face each year do not actually mirror the presumed goals we have for these same students. I am all for bringing technology into the classroom, which helps me tremendously in structuring lessons that are differentiated so that all of my students can be successful in my ELA class regardless of their various learning styles, skill sets, and "ability levels." However, at the end of the day, I feel as though I am doing my students a disservice if I do not also ask them to participate in traditional learning activities--working independently, reading text and responding in traditional written form. This is because (as we are more aware of than ever given the time of year) it is my job not only to make sure my students are engaged, successful, and increasingly self-directed learners, but also, and often more importantly, able to perform well on the traditional state test at the end of each academic year.

The structure of this assessment goes completely against all the touted 21st Century Learning Standards mentioned in this week's reading. Students are not allowed to collaborate. They are not allowed to think imaginatively or creatively. They are not allowed to choose a form of response or expression that best highlights their particular strengths. In the past few weeks, my curriculum has changed completely from the typically diverse and engaging lessons I use for the greater part of the school year--lessons that foster group collaboration, inquiry and discovery, and allow students to discover and use their many individual strengths in order to be most successful with the material. Now we are entirely focused on preparing for the state test, which means lessons are increasingly independent. There is always a definite right answer and right way of doing things, and there is no room or time for individualized expression. And honestly, in the past few weeks, my students' practice test scores have gone up.

I do not understand how we as teachers can hope to provide an equitable curriculum for all of our students at all times if the assessment we are preparing them for is so drastically unfair and unrealistic at the end of the day. If our students will be expected to collaborate on projects in the 21st Century, why wouldn't they be expected to collaborate on their assessments? If our students will be able to and expected to use videos, websites, social networking, text messaging, and various other technologies to be successful in the 21st Century, why wouldn't they be expected to use such technologies on their assessments? This is why I feel there is currently a drastic rift between what we expect of our students, between the skill set we acknowledge our students will need to possess to be successful in their professional and personal lives, and those skills we assess each year on high-stakes tests. But until they change the ways in which students are assessed, we as teachers will be forced (at least for some part of the year) to teach to these tests as for reasons I will never understand, someone has determined that our success as educators should measured not in student engagement, not in our students ability to collaborate successfully while still thinking independently and creatively, not in our students use and application of 21st Century Standards, but in our students' abilities to fill in bubbles.

NDM and Possible Problems

As others have noted, I also was surprised by the point made in Weigel, James and Gardner's article that screen-based simulation limits input to two of the five senses. While obvious to me now, I hadn't thought of that before. In general, I found this article particularly useful for the social networking project we're starting at my work. The concerns and possible problems related to using new digital media for educational purposes are ones that we likely will face and need to be prepared for. The idea that the Internet may promote a mob mentality where the majority opinion is viewed as correct in particular is one that we need to guard against. While it's inevitable that problems will arise when administering the site, hopefully the teachers will be able to turn them into teachable moments.

Returning to the theme of global awareness, I had a great talk recently with a teacher at a school in Pakistan. She directed me to a video made by their 5th graders in which they visit their local beach and are shocked--shocked!--to find it dirty. They clean it up, and also interview a few "litterers." While the kids speak in English to the camera, the interviews are untranslated and in what I assume is Urdu. Although I know that most US schools block YouTube, this video is a great example of possible cross-cultural communication/understanding facilitated by the Internet. I think most American kids (and kids from across the globe) will relate to the sentiments expressed by the Pakistani children, and as a result, they hopefully will have a better understanding of our "shared humanity."

21st century skills as a compliment to curriculum

Bob Regan’s article reinforced how important technology use is in our classrooms today, not as a supplement but as a compliment to the curriculum. It has become clear that technology is a growing part of our world and will continue that trend for years to come. As a teacher in these technological times, it is my responsibility to teach 21^st century skills in a meaningful way.

Last year my students were exposed to google earth for the first time. At first, this tool was introduced to them separate from our curriculum. A week later we revisited google earth and barely any of the children remembered how to use it. In order to teach 21^st century skills, teachers must integrate them into the curriculum. In order to teach a new skill specifically using technology, we as educators must provide children with opportunities to explore and problem solve as they engage in meaningful curriculum. With these opportunities technology will not just be a new tool to learn, but a part of the learning process.

Time to catch up!

After reading Regan's article, I realized that technology has become and is such a vital part of our student's lives. Living in this digital world means understanding the technology that comes with it. In my previous post, I had mentioned that I was not sure how I felt with technology and, at times, feel that our students are exposed too much to technology. However, Regan refers to Dewey's philosophy of education - "learning by doing" - and stopping to reflect on the world today, technology is something our students are going to have to understand in order to "make it" later in life. Dewey was an avid believer in education through experience, as am I, but the experience that I had received growing up has significantly changed. The experience our students are now going to have to go through requires the use of technology. While I am still not a 100% supporter of technology, I feel that with the pace the world is changing at, technology is something that will always be around and will only become a larger part of our lives. I guess it is time for me to put down my guard against technology and really see and take advantage of what technology can offer.

21st Century Technology

Bob Regan’s “Why We Need to Teach 21^st Century Skills – And How to Do It” reminds me of conversations that I had with many liberal arts admissions officers when I was deciding where I would go for my undergrad. “A little arts education will teach you how to think,” they tell me. “You might not learn how to do a specific task by memory, but you will have the critical thinking skills to figure it out.”

Whereas, when I was growing up, technology meant teaching kids how to type without performing the “hunting-and-peeking” technique, being able to properly shutting down the computer, and troubleshooting by using CRT-ALT-DEL, Regan’s article presents itself as the 3.0 or 4.0 – 21^st century – way of using technology in education. The question of whether a teaching should integrate technology into his/her classroom is out the window; in the 21^st century – you simply HAVE to.

For me, the skills that Partnership for 21^st Century Skills points out parodies what Scott Moran said to us last week about what it means to be a progressive in the world of education in general. Problem solving, critical thinking skills, global awareness, etc. should not be “new” skills created by the boom of technology, but rather skills that have always been important to cultivate - technology is just a rising important means to include.

21st Century Skills

Kids always have a general curiosity about the world. Children ask questions, make discoveries, and are encouraged to become lifelong learners. What’s different between years ago and today?

Bob Regan explains that Partnership for 21^st Century Skills offers the skills needed that we as teachers need to teach. These include thinking and problem-solving, interpersonal, collaborative and self-direction skills, global awareness, and others. Again, the question is, what is different about years ago and today?

Many of the skills seem obvious to me in terms of what children should be taught. It’s almost funny that Regan is coining skills like problem-solving skills as new. I guess these skills aren’t new, but in a 21^st century world, they need to be taught in a new way.

Today’s technology needs to be fully integrated into all curricula so that students learn these skills and incorporate them within their learning. Today’s technology gives kids the opportunity to learn more about their questions. Children can research and find answers on the internet. Teachers can incorporate videos or pictures that make the curricula more meaningful, just as Dewey says learning should be. It is our job as teachers to envelop the curriculum with technology and incorporate it into classroom learning. Students need to keep up with the times so that they enter the world with knowledge of skills that will continue to keep them as lifelong learners.

21st century skills

Reading the article about 21st century skills made me really think about how much education has changed and is changing. Now there is so much that goes into education. Incorporating technology and using multi-sensory items in the classroom never used to be something that educators think about. It requires more thought, effort and planning. At the same time, I believe that it keeps students extremely engaged in their learning - but it definitely requires skills that never used to be taught in classrooms. There are some people who are against using technology too much, however I think that it is extremely beneficial. It is just important for educators to keep in mind that in order to use 21st century technology, we need to be able to teach the skills that go along with it. And while it make take more effort and planning, in the end it will make the classroom a much more engaging and dynamic learning environment.

Teaching 21st century skills.

            When educators, parents and politicians come up with the issue of technology and education, there is two different path to go through: you will find some of them who believe that technology does not need to be a big part of education; and some of them who advocate for a daily integration. As Bob Regan established in this article, “Educators must find ways to incorporate multimedia technologies into everyday activities, and help students explore and master new ways to communicate what they are learning.”

                The first thing that we need to do as educators is recognize which is our relationship with this issue and how we are going to solve it. Secondly, we need to define what technology is. In my opinion people who are against of introducing technology into the classroom believe that technologies are passive tools where children cannot have interactions. But the rest of them, who really advocate for the incorporations of technology, believe that children can still be active learners using technologies.

                For me technology is a tool, where children can interact, explore and develop different kind of learning.  For example mathematic games, language games, etc. It is very important to understand that technology needs look different in an early childhood classroom and a high school classroom. As children are growing, the use of technology must change and it can be use for collaborative learning, critical thinking, problem solving and literacy.

                After reading this article I started to think and look for other information which explain about technology and the early childhood classroom. I found a very interesting article, which speak about the importance of being responsible in integrating technology as an interactive tools. http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/using_technology.htm

                The 21 century is giving us a chance to advocate and recognize a different way to develop important skills in our student. Technology needs to be a partner in our teaching and we need to understand that learning by doing can be possible with the use of technologies. If we are going to a field trip, we can give to our students cameras and let them take their own pictures.

                Every tool that a teacher uses in her classroom needs to be part of a curriculum that develops critical thinking and problem solving. But the most important think: learning how to be citizen of the world. As the article that I mentioned said before “Technology is not going to go away and we are in the midst of a major sociocultural quantum shift. These technologies are revolutionizing the world our children will live in. So our task is to balance appropriate skill-development with technologies with the core principles and experiences necessary to raise healthy children”

Example of resources for math game (Mathematic for teacher EDUC 540)

(http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivitySearch.aspx)

Digital Madness!!!

This week I chose to blogg about the article on Bloom's Digital Taxonomy! Wow, let me just begin by saying this shows you how much influence technology has had on our world, and how we evulate each other and realte to each other. I was previously familiar with Bloom's Taxonomy, but had never heard of the digital version until now. I must say that it is reassuring to know that there is a method to the madness. This article shows how the use of technology moves beyond "just games" as some may think it is, and can support a student in any of those areas (evaluation, creating, etc.) through a digitial medium. Our students can still organize and present information, just like they would if they were writing a paper or making a paper board. Except for now, presentations can be made through online measures and planning can be done in digital outlines! I think Bloom's Digital Taxonomy would be a great resource for teachers to use to correlate the use of technology to these higher order skills as well as serve as resource for defending your use of technology to adminstrators. After reading this, I got a better understanding of what parts of the use of technology correleate to what. This makes me better versed in this area and gives me a better understanding of the skills needed to perform any given task. I look forward to trying to make this knoweldge part of my planning.

Five Minds for the Future

As Weigal and Gartner pointed out, “Both the demands of the workplace and the demands of education have changed profoundly and promise to do so for the foreseeable future.” The more I learn about the history of education, the more I realize how little it has changed over the last hundred years. The table in the “Looking Back and Peering Forward…” that charts the 5 W questions plus more concerning institutional educational development is exciting looking forward as an educator and somewhat depressing looking back as a student. All of this week’s reading got me thinking about global citizenship and social activism. Growing up in what has been a largely complacent, inactive generation driven by consumerism, it is inspiring to look to the future that is already growing citizens with “five minds for the future” having the equalities of “disciplined, synthesizing, creative, respectful and ethical.” (Weigal and Gartner, 2007). What is even more inspiring about it is that although this is what the current students in our schools are growing into, this is also a possibility shared by all ages that want to embrace it. It reflects an ideal of a continuing, self directed, collaborative education. This naturally stresses a teacher’s role as both facilitator and learner, but not director.

Is digital citizenship and global citizenship the same thing? When we consider the 6D brain of the 21^st Century Fluency Project and its fluencies, they are. If our guiding principles are “leadership, ethics, accountability, fiscal responsibility, environmental awareness, global citizenship and personal responsibility,” we are definitely headed in the right direction.

One of the most exciting aspects of this shift in education will be that students who have been stopped at a skill /drill level by an outdated school system due to different learning styles will have access to education that encourages flexible, higher level thinking instead of enforcing the order of skill/drill and only after that-if there is time- higher order thinking. If we view students as co-architects of their learning, “different” learning styles will be more acceptable. Education will be more self-directed and therefore more truly differentiated for all students. This has and will continue to be a slow shift in the American educational system. There is still the issue of funding and access on a basic level here in our country and in developing countries.

Too Little, Too Late?

Survey: Soft skills. After this week’s readings the subject header in the email caught my eye.
According to the survey introduction:
This survey is to answer the research question: “What soft skills are employers looking for in new graduates?”

Soft skills encompass the personal, interpersonal and professional skills needed to perform well on the job and foster career advancement.

We are asking students, alum, faculty and employers to participate in the survey to gain a broad sense of what people think are important soft skills for the 21st century new employee. The knowledge we gain will assist with identifying how we can improve educational curricula in agriculture, natural resources and related disciplines.
(Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Student and Alumni Survey 2011)
While hard skills encompass reading and math, soft skills are collaborative and social. In Learning: Peering Backward and Looking Forward, Weigal, James, and Gardner (2009) argue, “Most would agree that a well-educated individual should be able to successfully participate in a global economy where money, culture, ideas, and people circulate rapidly; to synthesize and utilize vast rivers of information obtained through a variety of channels (textual, visual, multimediated); to engage with this information across a variety of disciplines; to be comfortable negotiating a range of social connections, including interacting with diverse populations; and to serve as an engaged and responsible member of one's profession and one's communities.”
In order for students to do this, they must have developed the soft skills to collaborate and communicate in diverse range of settings, both mediated and interpersonal. One of the final questions on the survey was “Who is responsible for the development of soft skills, the university or the employer?” I thought to myself, “It might be too late.” Though it is likely that one can develop soft skills later in life, these skills must be the basis of a foundational curriculum within our elementary schools. If we expect our students to compete in a global economy, we must prepare them for this economy from a young age. To this end, we must pursue opportunities for our students to engage in a global exchange of knowledge through social media, provide them with opportunities to work collaboratively using technology and “brick and mortar,” and a structure interdisciplinary experiences that strengthen their transfer of knowledge across contexts. I commend institutions of higher learning for their thoughtful reflection about the role of soft skills in the work place; however, it is time for schools to reflect on the role of soft-skills in preparing students for meaningful democratic and participatory engagement within society.

What is the internet, anyway?

Regan's article's about adapting to the 21st century struck me because being able to use critical thinking skills when finding information on the internet is an entirely new skill. This is something that never occurred to me. Growing up using computers and the internet, I never thought about the skills people need to have in order to do so. The comfort level of young people is also increasing because they are using the same media at home. Therefore they already have the skills necessary to complete their projects in schools. Diverse learning styles is always something teachers are thinking about in schools. With these new technologies, there are more possibilities than ever before. The way students are learning is entirely different than it ever was before, and teachers need to adapt their teaching styles in order to keep up with today's new technologies.

I just watched a youtube video from NBC's "Today" show from 1994 where they are discussing what the @ sign means and trying to figure out what the internet is. The description of the clip says, "Don't laugh too hard at Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric. It's easy to forget how relatively recent a phenomenon the Internet is for most persons who use it today!" This is very true. After using a type of technology for so long a person forgets what it was like when it first came out. Imagine what people thought when TV or even the phone was first invented! It is still hard for me to wrap my brain around new technologies and I cannot begin to imagine what the future is going to be like.

"Today" Show Clip

I used Text2Tape lite, a program downloaded from the app store on my macbook to translate my text to voice. Then, I made it into a podcast. Enjoy!

Podcast

Bloom's Digital Taxonomy reaction

The reading based on Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy was very interesting. It shows just how far society and education has evolved. Having this tool/guide for helping facilitate our students thinking around the use of technology for more than just entertainment also helps us as educators prepare our students for the real world. One quote that I found to be a good summation of the need for this new tool was, “Bloom's Digital Taxonomy isn't about the tools or technologies rather it is about using these to facilitate learning. Outcomes on rubrics are measured by competence of use and most importantly the quality of the process or product.” By holding our students to just as high standards as when they are writing papers or doing group projects, the use of technology in the classroom can be seen by them, as being more high stakes (designing a blog or creating a Facebook page for a character from a novel) and less trivial (as making a power point presentation).

Sensory + Technology = Success!

Even though I’m considered a “digital native”, there are many times when I feel like a “digital immigrant” in the classroom. For example, when I was doing my undergrad student teaching, I had to work with Promethean and SMART boards and didn’t have a clue where to begin! Yet as this week’s articles point out, our students are quite familiar with these gadgets, love using them, and as in my case, can’t wait to “teach” the teacher how they work! Seeing their curiosity with technology inspires me to think outside the box and find ways to integrate this component in the curriculum. Along these lines, I loved when Bob Regan wrote, “we don’t want to teach our students science, we want them to become scientists.” In my view, a textbook is like a paintbrush; alone, it can do little, but when paint, paper, and a cup of water come into the picture, a beautiful painting is able emerge. As I’ve mentioned in prior blogs, my goal as an educator is to make learning come alive so that my students make connections with the material and apply it to real life situations. With the advancements that technology has made over the past few years, the possibilities for reaching all learners has increased tremendously and has provided for extensions of lessons that may not have been possible otherwise. Yet, seeing Andrew Churches’ creation of Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy was fascinating because for the first time, I could see where “current” terminology (i.e. podcasting, twittering, googling) would fall in the tiers. Like the paintbrush analogy above, I can now use Bloom’s original and digital taxonomies as guides for the tools I’ll need in order to provide leveled scenarios that will make my students think and collaborate with others.

Although I find the rapid advancements in technology amazing, I still believe in the power of reaching every learner through non-tech means. Before reading the article that Gardner contributed to, I hadn’t really thought about the repercussions of solely relying on technology, probably because I never imagined myself doing so. Yet, in reading that gadgets such as computers and screens only use TWO out of the five senses (seeing and hearing) I was shocked! I mean, I do see how the other three are neglected, but I guess by being around them so much, I hadn’t given it much thought. Like John Dewey, I believe in the power of “learning by doing” and feel that educators and parents should create a balance between technology use and hands-on experiences. For instance, if I were to do a lesson on gardens, I could touch upon all the senses by using online sites for the step-by-step progressions of plants (and possibly a virtual field trip to a garden if a real one wasn’t possible), bring in different flowers so students could smell them and learn which aromas attract which insects, plant seeds in a clear glass container so students could see the roots of flowers and vegetables, and then bringing in roasted vegetables and zucchini flowers so that students could taste the products they watched grow and also learn that certain flowers can be eaten! Technology is great, but when combined with sensory components, our lessons have a greater chance of becoming meaningful and memorable.

Working with Technology

"Current research suggests that when young learners do dive deeper for information online, their search skills are typically lacking. They are prone to drift off-task as they become distracted by tangential material and fail to return to their original search thread (Palfrey and Gasser 2008)."

The article by Weigel brought to my attention a conversation I recently had with a Latin teacher. He was explaining to me that his seventh grade students use an Internet program that allows them to enter in information for the purposes of studying and the website in turn creates digital flashcards. Not only does he enjoy using the program himself for his studies, but he encourages his students to study this way. However, he did explain a couple of downfalls. First, he stated that many of his students gather their information from Internet resources that do not always provide accurate information. Secondly, some students have told him that the program doesn't work to their benefit because their distracted by facebook, instant messaging and games.

After further discussion we established a number of ways he could scaffold researching and provide them with websites that he has read and approves of. Additionally, we decided that he may want them to use the school's computer lab to create the next sets of flashcards as a class for the purpose of modeling focus and efficiency.

It is so important that teachers do not put aside new technological resources due to deficits. Rather it is a teacher's responsibility to educate students on how to use resources appropriately so that they may enhance their learning experiences. In the future those who are currently learners will be expected to have a certain level of technological literacy. Therefore, it is critical that teachers assume the responsibility of encouraging students to explore the Internet and technological resources, but model how they should and can be used to their fullest potential.

I finally figured out how to upload videos to Youtube!

Always On

Technology has given us the tools to be always on. There are multiple avenues for communication now - so many that I wonder what business people ever did in an office before computers... write letters all day with a typewriter or dictate to a secretary? This is so bizarre to me.

With this always on syndrome, information can move alot faster. People can also exhibit more impulsive behavior when information moves faster. I thought what Scott Moran said last week about bullying was interesting. Though getting bullied at school has always been a problem, it's only recently that one can get bullied everywhere they go. We're always on - for better or for worse.

To harness this double-edge sword I think as educators we need to think of learning that happens inside the classroom as a seed of something that can extend outside of the classroom walls. In the Weigel, James, and Garner video that we read for this week, the plainly point out that "mobile tools such as handheld computers or similar portable, sophisticated appliances have the potential to free student from the classroom context and immerse them in rich, meaningful learning experiences while maintaining access to text- and graphics-based learning supports." We need to optimize this power! I wonder if there are any educators who help design content for apps, etc. The classroom has really lost it's walls and doors. In the spirit of that please check out a story I made with my iPhone while I was waiting for the subway. I used an app called StoryKit made by Children's Library.

http://iphone.childrenslibrary.org/cgi-bin/view.py?b=fowl6e34rxoyntw4qbki

Next year in my classroom I plan on collaborating with parents more in this way. They are the teacher at home, so why don't we give them the tools to reinforce what we're doing in the classroom? Why don't we pass out online game sites organized by skill set to parents at the beginning of the year? We can continually come back to it, as kids would be playing games at home that help us teach them at school!

21st century education

So, I wanted to experiment with posting a video response but I was a little shy about video taping myself SO I video taped my very cute dog and just did an audio response! However it was taking forever to upload! I left my computer open with it uploading for TWO DAYS and it never finished. My internet is very slow so I will try and post the video again. For now, here is a picture of my dog looking at pictures of herself on my laptop (shes so vain).




I chose to respond to the article by Bob Regan entitled “Why We Need to Teach 21^st Century Skills” particularly the part where it says t"Multimedia software provides a bridge to reach students who otherwise might give up on certain subjects," says Stemple. "In my classes, students can use software to become active learners and explore a subject at their own pace. This is where they can take all of the things they are learning and bring them together. I think that this is one of the most exciting parts of 21^st century education for me because it can really deepen and enhance the curriculum as well as allow it to go in new directions depending on the students interests. Individualization can be made so much easier by allowing students to research topics that are of interest to them and do more “writing for a purpose” rather than engaging in isolated skills that aren't relevant or meaningful to them.

What also struck me was when Regan mentions that multimedia applications are becoming so commonplace in the classroom nowadays whereas in the past they were reserved for students taking video or design classes. I can totally relate to this because when I was in High School I took a few TV production courses. We would get sent out into the school with these clunky on the shoulder video cameras with VHS tapes and create interviews or short movies and then come back to the “lab” and edit them using these crazy old machines where you basically re-watched your footage and selectively recorded what you wanted to keep onto a second VHS tape; it was such a tedious and confusing process. I think about how easily a “movie” can be created today using tools like Imovie and it makes things so much more accessible. Now making videos can be a fun experience that isn't so bogged down in the technicalities of using a temperamental old machine.

I feel that 21^st century education will allow for a lot of new doors to be opened in the world of education and provide students with the capabilities to explore things that go above and beyond the scope of the usual curriculum.

BRB TTYL LYL G2G BFF LMAO ROTFL LOL...

One major message i have extracted from our studies in new media is the idea that media, particularly computer mediated communication, becomes a global forum for world engagement. Also, in order to engage in this global forum, one must have particular skills and abilities to navigate the new world. These skills define a new media literacy that is integral to the success of certain higher order learning functions in children's future. The new media literacy implements a language of technology that one must be immersed in in order to participate in the changing world. It is so important to enable our students to interact with this global forum and so we must educate ourselves and our students with this new media literacy.

For some reason I could not insert the video in the blog but check out this link! I believe this video will show just some of the complexities of this new media language.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUXmLKNNz-k

Immersing gaming & other technological skills

Jane McGonigal is an incredibly persuasive speaker. Although I still have my doubts about pushing individuals to play games even MORE, she made me think twice about the arguments against gaming. She stated that gamers are "super empowered hopeful individuals" who have the following four traits:

1) urgent optimism, where they desire to tackle an obstacle with success

2) social fabric, where they tend to like people better after playing a game with them

3) blissful productivity, where they are actually happier working hard at playing games than relaxing and hanging out

4) epic meaning, where they create these epic resources such as the World of Warcraft Wiki.

I mean, honestly, who would think video games really have that much going for them, except for the fact that there is a lot of problem solving and quick thinking involved.

Linking these games to the 21st century digital era is the idea of collaboration and critical thinking. We do need to teach 21st century skills. Weigal, James, and Gartner's article argues that when you immerse technology such as social networking tools, multiplayer games, and fan communities into classrooms, you offer highly active and social learning experiences. You also provide ways to engage with each other, with information, and with the world. If we are to prepare students to be active, knowledgeable citizens in the workplace, they need to be able to use these technological skills even if they are basics. Gaming may not be necessarily the way to do it all the way, but I have definitely learned some positives about allowing teenagers to play games to a certain extent.

This newly way of thinking about technology reminds me of my cousins. They are constantly on the computer all day playing games. Even during family gatherings without computers they have their itouch or iphone doing something. Yet despite the fact that they are literally looking on the screen all day, their ability to multitask is impressive and their grade scores are still tremendously high. They can access anything they want to on the internet and can easily unlock a code or trouble shoot anything we ask. Despite not being the best at things like drawing or cooking, they have these technological skills that I believe will help them in the real world. Even when we talk about politics or news, their critical thinking skills are incredible!

How video games can save the world! And how games can connect us in our real world, thru books.

Jane McGonigal is a researcher out in San Francisco who has made it her life's mission to show how the time (3 billion hours a week, globally) people spend gaming could be harnessed to solve very real world problems. Here is her TED talk from 2010 that explains what she means by that. She also has a written a book on the subject. (And was on the Colbert Report earlier this year.)

She has just announced a new "game" that will take place during one overnight at the New York Public Library on 42nd St. Definitely check it out - and let's discuss how something like this could be created that connects books & games in our classrooms!

Evolution, Not Revolution

When it comes to technology in today’s society there are many different opinions and views that people hold, so why would it be any different in education or in the classroom? There are tons of people today who consider themselves “crackberrys” and there are still believe it or not tons of people who refuse to own a cell phone. Other forms of technology these days include a lot of social networking sites such as facebook or twitter. Some people say it’s an invasion of privacy and others welcome the chance to connect with friends and colleagues. No matter which side one takes each person is entitled to their opinions. As a teacher it is hard to think that young students have or are exposed to many of these social networks and technologies, however after I read Using Technology in the Classroom Today, I seem to understand the role of technology a lot more. When I was in school it was about typing, power point, and research. Today technology can and should be used in so many more areas not only because it can be but because of what it can accomplish. Klopfer states that “it is crucial not only to seek to mitigate this disconnect in order to make these two “worlds” more seamless, but of course also to leverage the power of these emerging technologies for instructional gain” (p. 3). Today teachers need to look at technology and the media and use it to motivate and engage students! For example, almost every high school student and beginning middle schools students are spending their nights on facebook. Instead of banning or judging this teachers must use it as a medium to connect with their students. During a class discussion, a fellow classmate spoke about how he gave his students characters from a story and they created profiles and completed assignments as that character on a facebook page. This is the type of bridge between words that Klopfer is talking about. Teachers need to partake in the beginning of the technological evolution in classrooms and not a revolution to ban it. Learning can only happen (in my opinion at least) when a student is motivated and engaged…thus this is the dawn of a new way of teaching to help students connect and learn through a happy and relatable medium.

Social Networking

The MacArthur Study says that children use online networking to extend the friendships that they already have in their "offline world". While I do agree that many children join social networks for this very reason, I don't think that children are necessarily aware of boundaries and precautions that should be taken online. A child's intention might be to extend their friendships, but often times it ends up being a contest of who has more friends. This leads to the problem of children accepting friend requests from people they may not know, or don't know very well. Children are also not always aware that not only their "friends" can see their information, pictures, etc. I definitely DO think that technology and even social networking sites can be useful for children. I think that it is extremely important, however, to really explain in depth some "rules and guidelines" that should be followed when children are using such sites. I think children also should be informed as to possible dangers and should have a good understanding of what precautions to take when interacting on these social networks.

Importance of Play --> Technology

In my Child Development class last term at Bank Street, I learned about the importance of play for children. Through physical play with each other, children learn social skills (cooperation, negotiation, sharing, etc.) that are fundamental for their development. I will be the first to admit that I hate technology – it scares me, and I yearn for the days when you had to write letters instead of e-mails, and had the chance to run around at a park with friends, instead of getting together to play games on our DX. Even though I am not that much older than my students (2nd and 3rd graders), I can definitely feel how our understanding of technology in our lives creates a generational gap between ‘What Ms. Do wants us to do in school’ – read, write, do math in our journals, play outside and ‘What we want to do in school’ – go on the computers, play (reading) games on the PlayStation, etc.

Our readings this week (and our time in this class) have definitely reshaped how I look at my teaching. While my breakthrough last semester was the importance of play for children (why I will never take away my students’ recess), Klopfer, Oserweil, Groff, and Haas have shined another light on the development of such social skills through play in the context of technology. In their study of the 7th grade teacher, Ross, they showed that his use of the game DIPLOMACY becomes a vehicle to teach his students “the skill of negotiation….show to solve problems collaboratively, and …. be mindful of their actions/impact on others.” Like our readings and many have mentioned below, technology is going to evolve. Instead of pushing against it, I must embrace it to effectively teach my students.

Internet: How do we invest in friendships?

After reading the MacAthur Foundation Report on Digital Media and Learning I was suprised to learn that "Most youth use online networks to extend friendships that they naviagate in the familiar contexts of school, religous organizations, sporths, and other local activities. They can be "always on," in constant contact with thier friends, via texting, instant messaging, moblile phones, and Internet connections...The majoirty of youth use new media to "hang out" and extend existing friendships in these ways." This information bothers me becuase I feel that children are missing opportunities to develop real friendships. How do we teach children to see other people as trustworthy? How do we teach children the power of investment when it comes to friendship? It is not very easy to nurtue a friendship with someone you can not see or feel. I beleive that this is an impotant issue children face when making friends on the Internt. Also the chances of dishonesty are very high in an internet friendshiip. While making friends on the internet one has to be extrememly careful.