Richardson calls the internet, “[…] the most comprehensive source of information in history” (125). I completely agree with him; it is. I also feel that the internet should remain only informational, or educational. The vast amounts of information on the internet are becoming more and more collaborative (125). When students collaborate via the internet, its focus should be on something that will teach them. However, I feel that too much internet collaboration is a bad thing for students. Students, in my opinion, should learn the social ropes of group work while working face to face. There is much to be gained from working right next to somebody. I do not mean that the internet should never be used as a collaborative teaching tool. It should just be used in moderation.
A sub-heading in this chapter is entitled “New Literacies”. Technology is creating a new definition of what it means to be literate. Kids must learn to be critical readers, so as to judge if the content they are reading is worthy, is correct. In addition, students must learn to be publishers of information, since nearly everyone with internet access is capable of publishing work.
All of these changes in technology should also lead writing teachers to expand on the ways that they teach writing to students. Richardson quotes the National Endowment for the Arts as saying that less than 50% of adults in America read literature (131). This should speak to teachers. Our society is becoming fast paced. People find it harder to take the time to sit down with a good book. Examples of this can be seen through sports as well. America, a long time ago, was wild about baseball. Now, many baseball stadiums—save World Series games—are left barely occupied. The nation’s focus has shifted towards more fast paced and entertaining sports such as football and basketball.
Teachers need to do the same thing. They need to switch their focus to things that are fast paced and entertaining. Teachers should teach writing by using tools such as Moviemaker, which allow students to expand their written stories with things like music, images, and narration.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Memo About a Webquest
Webquests are extremely useful to teachers. This technology should be given a chance to help students succeed in the classroom. There are many reasons that support the use of webquests. First, a webquest could save students from losing a day of solid instruction in the case that their teacher is absent. An online assignment will give them all a chance to get direct instruction from their teacher. In addition, a webquest will guide students along as if the teacher were right there with them. Second, webquests are a great way to teach students about working together with a common goal. Moreover, student will be in varying buy similar proximal zones of development. Group work could benefit students, because they can learn from their peers.
About a Webquest
A webquest is, essentially, an online assignment. With a webquest, though, the internet takes the place of the usual paper assignments. All the questions and directions to the assignment appear on the web page that the teacher has created. Students are guided through the assignment as if the teacher were there instructing them.
Webquests can go beyond a teacher’s instruction. The internet’s multitude of information is right at each student’s fingertips. Moreover, a webquest also offers great visual aides, and assessment tools (www.teachersfirst.com). Most every page on the internet uses some kind of visual representation. As a result, webquests will benefit students who are visual learners.
Webquests can go beyond a teacher’s instruction. The internet’s multitude of information is right at each student’s fingertips. Moreover, a webquest also offers great visual aides, and assessment tools (www.teachersfirst.com). Most every page on the internet uses some kind of visual representation. As a result, webquests will benefit students who are visual learners.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Response to Chapter 6
I had some trouble accepting the ideas in this chapter. I may have already made up my mind before I even read it, though. In the second sentence of the chapter I read this: "[...] our relationship with the internet [...]" (Richardson 89). This made me think: are our relationships with the internet, or are they with the actual people who sit behind their computer screens throughout the world? Farther down I read this: "[...] we have many friends out there just waiting to be found and connected to [...]" (89). This quote made be consider many students with whom I went to school with, and the many students I have come into contact with in the recent past. Many of those students don't have their love and belongingness needs met. As a teacher, would I be setting these children up with a false hope, a false mindset for meeting their essential needs?
In contrast to my anti-social web comments above, I easily accepted what Will Richardson had to say at the end of chapter 6. He notes that we can use social networks to benefit our own learning (100). I completely agree with this. As long as social networks are used to meet students' knowledge needs, and not their love and belongingness needs, they are very beneficial. Moreover, they should be used to enhance students' knowledge.
In contrast to my anti-social web comments above, I easily accepted what Will Richardson had to say at the end of chapter 6. He notes that we can use social networks to benefit our own learning (100). I completely agree with this. As long as social networks are used to meet students' knowledge needs, and not their love and belongingness needs, they are very beneficial. Moreover, they should be used to enhance students' knowledge.
Response to Chapter 8
I like the idea that Podcasting is a way for people to work together with a common goal. When people work together with a common goal, great things can be accomplished. Podcasting, Richardson tells us, "is yet another way for [students] to be creating and contributing ideas to a larger conversation [...]" (Richardson 116). This technology affords teachers an opportunity to teach their students, not only about technology, but also about life: working together can accomplish a great deal.
I also like the notion of Podcasting, because it gives teachers a way to motivate kids about their subjects. For example, a history teacher allowed students to recreate an historic event via podcasting. This way, students are learning, and they are having fun. When these two things are paired together, kids benefit, and that's what teaching is all about--helping the students.
I also like the notion of Podcasting, because it gives teachers a way to motivate kids about their subjects. For example, a history teacher allowed students to recreate an historic event via podcasting. This way, students are learning, and they are having fun. When these two things are paired together, kids benefit, and that's what teaching is all about--helping the students.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Chapter 4
Responses to Chapter 4
Richardson writes that, “everyone together is smarter than anyone alone” (Richardson 61). This gives using Wikipedia a new meaning. It allows teachers to use it to teach a profound lesson that is valuable to both teachers and students. Students can see how beneficial it is to work together with a common goal. This type of behavior has created the amazing informational bank that Wikipedia is.
Richardson suggests that, if you have a student who constructs an amazing research paper, you could allow your student to publish on Wikipedia. This would be great for teaching students how to defend and question their papers. People will likely edit the post, then students can question whether the edit was correct, or their original post was correct. It would spark critical thinking and analysis skills.
Richardson writes that, “everyone together is smarter than anyone alone” (Richardson 61). This gives using Wikipedia a new meaning. It allows teachers to use it to teach a profound lesson that is valuable to both teachers and students. Students can see how beneficial it is to work together with a common goal. This type of behavior has created the amazing informational bank that Wikipedia is.
Richardson suggests that, if you have a student who constructs an amazing research paper, you could allow your student to publish on Wikipedia. This would be great for teaching students how to defend and question their papers. People will likely edit the post, then students can question whether the edit was correct, or their original post was correct. It would spark critical thinking and analysis skills.
Chapters 3,5,7
Chapter 3
If you put your name on your work, you should be aware of the consequences (Richardson 47). Posting publicly is something that one should take seriously. Richardson calls it adding to your “online portfolio”. As a teacher, it would be good to think of posting on the internet as a means of making your own portfolio that is visible to everyone.
Richardson tells us that 80% of all homes can connect to the internet. This is amazing. However, it brings up the notion that it is important to consider how many kids are able to access the internet from their homes. Of the 80% that Richardson mentions, 99% some poor communities may contribute to the 20% who cannot access the internet.
Richardson says he believes it is unreasonable to grade every post a student makes. However, he does believe some sort of assessment is in order. I agree with him. If a teacher treats each post as if it were a formal paper, the students may begin to tighten up and show a lack of creativity. Weblogs, to me, are a great tool for sparking conversation and creativity—not for writing formal papers. As Richardson suggests, teachers should merely grade the posts on how much effort the students put into them.
Chapter 5
RSS feeds would be great for a teacher to learn about new research in education. They could learn about new instructional strategies, or new ways in which to motivate students. I wonder about students using RSS feeds for a high school English class, though. Unlike science, there is not a great deal of ongoing, cutting-edge research about books. As a result, I question the benefit of RSS feeds for high school English students.
If teachers relied heavily on the internet for instruction, they could benefit from using RSS feeds. It would take a teacher a long time to search for each student’s weblog—especially if they were scattered throughout the internet.
Chapter 7
Richardson talks about how some of the content on Flickr is questionable. This could make preparing to use the tool completely useless. Would many schools already have the website blocked? If they did, would it be beneficial to students to not see the material? Would it be more beneficial for students to see the questionable content, yet be able to use the technological tool?
With its great pictures, and the availability of the annotation tool, Flickr could be a great asset for teachers to reach visual learners. In English class, a student is expected to learn via their verbal skills. However, if a teacher could integrate the readings with visual content from Flickr, many students would benefit from it.
If you put your name on your work, you should be aware of the consequences (Richardson 47). Posting publicly is something that one should take seriously. Richardson calls it adding to your “online portfolio”. As a teacher, it would be good to think of posting on the internet as a means of making your own portfolio that is visible to everyone.
Richardson tells us that 80% of all homes can connect to the internet. This is amazing. However, it brings up the notion that it is important to consider how many kids are able to access the internet from their homes. Of the 80% that Richardson mentions, 99% some poor communities may contribute to the 20% who cannot access the internet.
Richardson says he believes it is unreasonable to grade every post a student makes. However, he does believe some sort of assessment is in order. I agree with him. If a teacher treats each post as if it were a formal paper, the students may begin to tighten up and show a lack of creativity. Weblogs, to me, are a great tool for sparking conversation and creativity—not for writing formal papers. As Richardson suggests, teachers should merely grade the posts on how much effort the students put into them.
Chapter 5
RSS feeds would be great for a teacher to learn about new research in education. They could learn about new instructional strategies, or new ways in which to motivate students. I wonder about students using RSS feeds for a high school English class, though. Unlike science, there is not a great deal of ongoing, cutting-edge research about books. As a result, I question the benefit of RSS feeds for high school English students.
If teachers relied heavily on the internet for instruction, they could benefit from using RSS feeds. It would take a teacher a long time to search for each student’s weblog—especially if they were scattered throughout the internet.
Chapter 7
Richardson talks about how some of the content on Flickr is questionable. This could make preparing to use the tool completely useless. Would many schools already have the website blocked? If they did, would it be beneficial to students to not see the material? Would it be more beneficial for students to see the questionable content, yet be able to use the technological tool?
With its great pictures, and the availability of the annotation tool, Flickr could be a great asset for teachers to reach visual learners. In English class, a student is expected to learn via their verbal skills. However, if a teacher could integrate the readings with visual content from Flickr, many students would benefit from it.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Response to Chapters 1 and 2
Chapter 1
● Chapter one introduces the idea that our ability to access material online makes us reconsider the “expectations we have for our students”. This is something that I had never thought about before. Since most students can easily access the internet at school, teachers’ expectations should be higher for them on, for example, a research project. As a prospective English teacher, I can see that my expectations for the amount of research students do would be less if they all had to thumb through books at the library. With correct use of the internet, though, all students have the ability to quickly access multitudes of information about a given topic.
● Chapter one also explains a modern dilemma in the classroom: technologically savvy students are often pitted against technologically slow teachers. Teachers who are not good with computers are not to blame, though. They are merely products of their own generation—a generation that Prensky call “digital Immigrants”. How is this dilemma to be overcome? Should school districts just wait on the next generation of teachers who are “digital natives” to fill the classrooms? Should the “digital immigrants” who now fill the classrooms be trained? The book assumes that these digital immigrants will take the initiative to train themselves. It states, “The good news, however, is that the tools discussed in this book have just as much chance of closing this gap [between students and teachers] as widening it” (Richardson 7). I feel that few teachers will take the initiative to teach themselves about the technology available for their classrooms. A more likely solution to the problem would come from schools training their teachers to become technologically savvy.
● Chapter one talks about internet safety. In the chapter, it mentions that the risks of the internet can be alleviated by planning. This gave me the idea that, as a teacher, I should take the time to introduce the rules of the internet to students. In other classes I have heard about the value of taking time during the first few days of school to teach students about the rules of the classroom. This same idea is applicable to internet use in the classroom.
● Along the lines of safety, the book mentions that students should get parental approval before they publish their work on the internet. This idea had never crossed my mind. Having read it, though, I can see how important parental approval could be.
Chapter 2
● Chapter 2 presents some of the benefits to blogging. It tells us that “the class can go paperless” (23), and “students never misplace their work” (23). However, the author makes the assumption that all students have a computer with internet access. A teacher cannot spend a whole class period in which students blog. They would have to do much of their blogging at home. Many K-12 students come from families who cannot provide enough food for their children. Those families especially cannot provide computers with internet access. In response to those quotes, I feel public, K-12 schools are far from completely relying on the internet.
● The internet does seem like a good place for professionals to collaborate. Chapter 2 says that weblogs will “make it easy to communicate with peers who might be teaching the same course” (22). The ability for teachers to communicate with people across the globe will benefit students. Teachers can share ideas and work collaboratively with a common goal. This will bring about great results for their classrooms.
● Chapter 2 mentions that, with the internet, “student work no longer ends at the classroom door” (28). This would be a great motivational tool for students. If they realize the public—and especially their peers—can view their work, they may be inclined to put more effort into what they do.
● Chapter one introduces the idea that our ability to access material online makes us reconsider the “expectations we have for our students”. This is something that I had never thought about before. Since most students can easily access the internet at school, teachers’ expectations should be higher for them on, for example, a research project. As a prospective English teacher, I can see that my expectations for the amount of research students do would be less if they all had to thumb through books at the library. With correct use of the internet, though, all students have the ability to quickly access multitudes of information about a given topic.
● Chapter one also explains a modern dilemma in the classroom: technologically savvy students are often pitted against technologically slow teachers. Teachers who are not good with computers are not to blame, though. They are merely products of their own generation—a generation that Prensky call “digital Immigrants”. How is this dilemma to be overcome? Should school districts just wait on the next generation of teachers who are “digital natives” to fill the classrooms? Should the “digital immigrants” who now fill the classrooms be trained? The book assumes that these digital immigrants will take the initiative to train themselves. It states, “The good news, however, is that the tools discussed in this book have just as much chance of closing this gap [between students and teachers] as widening it” (Richardson 7). I feel that few teachers will take the initiative to teach themselves about the technology available for their classrooms. A more likely solution to the problem would come from schools training their teachers to become technologically savvy.
● Chapter one talks about internet safety. In the chapter, it mentions that the risks of the internet can be alleviated by planning. This gave me the idea that, as a teacher, I should take the time to introduce the rules of the internet to students. In other classes I have heard about the value of taking time during the first few days of school to teach students about the rules of the classroom. This same idea is applicable to internet use in the classroom.
● Along the lines of safety, the book mentions that students should get parental approval before they publish their work on the internet. This idea had never crossed my mind. Having read it, though, I can see how important parental approval could be.
Chapter 2
● Chapter 2 presents some of the benefits to blogging. It tells us that “the class can go paperless” (23), and “students never misplace their work” (23). However, the author makes the assumption that all students have a computer with internet access. A teacher cannot spend a whole class period in which students blog. They would have to do much of their blogging at home. Many K-12 students come from families who cannot provide enough food for their children. Those families especially cannot provide computers with internet access. In response to those quotes, I feel public, K-12 schools are far from completely relying on the internet.
● The internet does seem like a good place for professionals to collaborate. Chapter 2 says that weblogs will “make it easy to communicate with peers who might be teaching the same course” (22). The ability for teachers to communicate with people across the globe will benefit students. Teachers can share ideas and work collaboratively with a common goal. This will bring about great results for their classrooms.
● Chapter 2 mentions that, with the internet, “student work no longer ends at the classroom door” (28). This would be a great motivational tool for students. If they realize the public—and especially their peers—can view their work, they may be inclined to put more effort into what they do.
Response to "Syncing Up with the iKid"
I once read an article entitled “Lessons from Skateboarders” written by Richard Sagor. In this article, I read a poignant passage about teaching: “[…] if we don’t pay attention to what motivates youth and then use those insights to design our approach, we will lose more students than we will save” [1]. This quote is very applicable to today’s technology. Kids are motivated by it whether it’s social networks on the internet, cell phones, or music devices.
In the article “Syncing Up with the iKid”, the notion of motivation is a recurring theme. In the very first paragraph we are told about a teacher who used technology to get her kids to “dive enthusiastically” into the work of Hawthorne. In addition, the article tells us that teachers are trying to figure out how to use kids’ technology tools as teaching tools. Teachers know that technology motivates students. They also know that, if students are interested, they will be more likely to pay attention to the lesson. Teaching today is more than standing in front of a classroom and giving direct instruction; teaching is also entertainment.
The use of technology allows teachers to move away from the dusty style of direct instruction. For example, the program entitled Logo allows children to “[create] their own learning environment”. By using programs such as Logo, students are directly involved with their own learning. They are not passive sponges who sit and listen to a teacher drone on. They are being entertained while they learn.
Technology also affords students to participate when they otherwise would not. For example, Hamstra allowed students to do analyses of a text on a computer screen. Students who would not voice their opinion in class are afforded the comfort of quietly giving their thoughts on a computer screen. This is an innovative way to involve students.
All of this technology is great, but there seems to be potential danger that the article does not mention. As a prospective English teacher, I can see great value in using computers to allow students to respond to texts. However, this robs students of a social education that is learned through face to face classroom discussion. One may argue that weblogs allow students to collaborate. That argument would be right; weblogs do allow students to communicate. However, will students get out of touch with reality if their only means of social communication is through a computer screen? For example, if a student writes an insulting comment on another student’s weblog, the student who wrote the comment will not see the reaction of the person whom he wrote the insulting comment about. Many instances like this may lead to certain numbness about the feelings of others. A connection to the internet may lead to a disconnect with the reality that live interaction with humans creates.
Computers afford teachers the opportunity to motivate students. At the same rate, though, computers could take away certain social skills that are necessary. The only answer seems to come from the Greeks—moderation. Computers, and interaction through them, should be used in moderation. Teachers should not force students to depend on computers for their only communication. They should use computers as a motivational tool.
[1] Richard Sagor “Lessons from Skateboarders”. Educational Leadership. 2002.
In the article “Syncing Up with the iKid”, the notion of motivation is a recurring theme. In the very first paragraph we are told about a teacher who used technology to get her kids to “dive enthusiastically” into the work of Hawthorne. In addition, the article tells us that teachers are trying to figure out how to use kids’ technology tools as teaching tools. Teachers know that technology motivates students. They also know that, if students are interested, they will be more likely to pay attention to the lesson. Teaching today is more than standing in front of a classroom and giving direct instruction; teaching is also entertainment.
The use of technology allows teachers to move away from the dusty style of direct instruction. For example, the program entitled Logo allows children to “[create] their own learning environment”. By using programs such as Logo, students are directly involved with their own learning. They are not passive sponges who sit and listen to a teacher drone on. They are being entertained while they learn.
Technology also affords students to participate when they otherwise would not. For example, Hamstra allowed students to do analyses of a text on a computer screen. Students who would not voice their opinion in class are afforded the comfort of quietly giving their thoughts on a computer screen. This is an innovative way to involve students.
All of this technology is great, but there seems to be potential danger that the article does not mention. As a prospective English teacher, I can see great value in using computers to allow students to respond to texts. However, this robs students of a social education that is learned through face to face classroom discussion. One may argue that weblogs allow students to collaborate. That argument would be right; weblogs do allow students to communicate. However, will students get out of touch with reality if their only means of social communication is through a computer screen? For example, if a student writes an insulting comment on another student’s weblog, the student who wrote the comment will not see the reaction of the person whom he wrote the insulting comment about. Many instances like this may lead to certain numbness about the feelings of others. A connection to the internet may lead to a disconnect with the reality that live interaction with humans creates.
Computers afford teachers the opportunity to motivate students. At the same rate, though, computers could take away certain social skills that are necessary. The only answer seems to come from the Greeks—moderation. Computers, and interaction through them, should be used in moderation. Teachers should not force students to depend on computers for their only communication. They should use computers as a motivational tool.
[1] Richard Sagor “Lessons from Skateboarders”. Educational Leadership. 2002.
Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38371972@N06/sets/72157618014254987/
Grade: 8Set: KY-4-1Standard: SC-08-4.6.2.1 The Sun is the major source of energy for Earth. The water cycle, winds, ocean currents and growth of plants are affected by the Sun’s energy. Seasons result from variations in the amount of the Sun’s energy hitting Earth’s surface.;KY-4-1.SC-08-4.6 Science > describe or explain energy transfer and energy conservation;
Grade: 8Set: KY-4-1Standard: SC-08-4.6.2.1 The Sun is the major source of energy for Earth. The water cycle, winds, ocean currents and growth of plants are affected by the Sun’s energy. Seasons result from variations in the amount of the Sun’s energy hitting Earth’s surface.;KY-4-1.SC-08-4.6 Science > describe or explain energy transfer and energy conservation;
Monday, May 11, 2009
Technology Autobiography
I tell myself I do not like computers, but I believe it is because I do not know a great deal about them. Moreover, I believe it is due to the idea that I like to depend on myself. Sometimes, I cannot depend on my computer to do what it is supposed to due; things happen, and technology has its flaws.
My experience with computers has, mostly, been limited to word processing and PowerPoint presentations. Until my junior year of college, I would hand write my papers, and then I would word process them. I was afraid all of my hard work would be lost if something happened to the computer. When I finally got sick of the hand cramps, I began to word process my papers from a hand written outline.
I began doing PowerPoint presentations in high school. I can remember being able to do all of the fancy things with the program—such as making words fly in with a stroke of a key, and making a screen neatly fade into the next. However, I have long since forgotten how to perform those actions. Resultantly, the PowerPoint presentations I made while in college where very basic. Luckily, my professors were not grading my ability to use the program.
PowerPoint and word processing, as I said above, are the programs I have used most often. However, I taught myself how to use an audio recording program called Cakewalk. Here, I found the value of technology. This program allowed me to enhance my musical ability, because I could record songs using only my computer. This, in turn, allowed me to critique what I had done.
Since my experience with the Cakewalk program, I can see that technology is invaluable to enhance students’ learning. The problem is, I do not know how it should be used to enhance students’ learning. I am sure that after our class is over, I will have discovered several ways in which I can embellish my lesson plans with technology.
In addition to enhancing subject material, I can see another great role technology should play in a classroom: technology should be used to motivate students. To find out what motivates students, we need to know more about them. Based on my own assumptions, most of today’s students spend a great deal of time with the internet. As a teacher, I could take something that already entertains—or motivates—them, and turn it into a rousing, education tool.
My experience with computers has, mostly, been limited to word processing and PowerPoint presentations. Until my junior year of college, I would hand write my papers, and then I would word process them. I was afraid all of my hard work would be lost if something happened to the computer. When I finally got sick of the hand cramps, I began to word process my papers from a hand written outline.
I began doing PowerPoint presentations in high school. I can remember being able to do all of the fancy things with the program—such as making words fly in with a stroke of a key, and making a screen neatly fade into the next. However, I have long since forgotten how to perform those actions. Resultantly, the PowerPoint presentations I made while in college where very basic. Luckily, my professors were not grading my ability to use the program.
PowerPoint and word processing, as I said above, are the programs I have used most often. However, I taught myself how to use an audio recording program called Cakewalk. Here, I found the value of technology. This program allowed me to enhance my musical ability, because I could record songs using only my computer. This, in turn, allowed me to critique what I had done.
Since my experience with the Cakewalk program, I can see that technology is invaluable to enhance students’ learning. The problem is, I do not know how it should be used to enhance students’ learning. I am sure that after our class is over, I will have discovered several ways in which I can embellish my lesson plans with technology.
In addition to enhancing subject material, I can see another great role technology should play in a classroom: technology should be used to motivate students. To find out what motivates students, we need to know more about them. Based on my own assumptions, most of today’s students spend a great deal of time with the internet. As a teacher, I could take something that already entertains—or motivates—them, and turn it into a rousing, education tool.
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