As teachers, we throw a lot of different technology at students depending on which content area you teach. Have we ever taken the time to ask our students what their opinion is on all these web applications? This article is a teens point of view on various technology such as: tablets, teacher websites, google drive, khan academy, twitter, Evernote, and interactive whiteboards.
After reading this students critique, teachers really need to have a good understanding and purpose for using the technology in their classrooms. Technology can be overwhelming so we need to take the time to teach our students how to get the most out of each resource. Surprisingly, I agreed with most of this student's input on the various technology, but there are some that eye opening. This article leads to the idea that maybe we should get our own students to give input on what they think about the technology we use in our classrooms.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/youth-radio-youth-media-international/a-teen-take-on-edtech_b_7336854.html
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Incorporating Technology into Education-- Nolan Samuelson
Thinking back to when I was in 8th grade almost 10 years ago, it was crazy to think that a majority of our 'technology' was the use of an overhead in math and rolling in a large TV cart to watch a dvd of a historical movie or informal video of an event.
We as teachers now have the power to continually provide students with resources, examples, artifacts, etc through the use of technology in school and outside of school.
https://teaching.berkeley.edu/incorporating-technology-your-teaching
This article from the University of California details how students can be immersed in information and videos with the proper use from teachers. Finding Youtube videos, short audio bits, a collage of pictures can all be great benefits for students because we now have the generation of no paper pencil, but all electronics. The biggest thing the article touches on is getting all ages engaged with the lesson of each class. These engagement activities can be done easily with technology and students will be more likely to watch and observe a video rather than a 10 minute lecture on yesterday's lesson.
We as teachers now have the power to continually provide students with resources, examples, artifacts, etc through the use of technology in school and outside of school.
https://teaching.berkeley.edu/incorporating-technology-your-teaching
This article from the University of California details how students can be immersed in information and videos with the proper use from teachers. Finding Youtube videos, short audio bits, a collage of pictures can all be great benefits for students because we now have the generation of no paper pencil, but all electronics. The biggest thing the article touches on is getting all ages engaged with the lesson of each class. These engagement activities can be done easily with technology and students will be more likely to watch and observe a video rather than a 10 minute lecture on yesterday's lesson.
Assignment 7 Amy Schneider
The article I chose has to do with utilizing more technology in a marching band setting. This is a link to the article by Matt McFarland talking about Ohio State's Marching Band and how they use technology to serve their purpose.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2013/11/05/ohio-states-marching-band-revolutionized-halftime-shows-heres-how/
Ohio State utilizes an app for iPads called "Drillbook Next" and it not only saves them $24,000 in printing costs, but it serves them in a more applicable way of learning drill. As a band teacher who prints several sheets of drill every week for every student in band, I can say that it is a hard concept for my new students to grasp at first. What Drillbook Next does is put everything into motion and allows the student focus on their spot individually as well as the big picture or entire ensemble.
The article states “Before this year we wouldn’t have been able to learn that much music and that much drill in that short of time. The iPad has really helped that,” said Waters, who views the changes as a revolution in how students learn and his instructors teach."
I like the idea of using this app for marching band. The article states that marching bands have always been a low tech class, but this app opens a lot of doors. I look forward to experimenting with this app in my classroom to see how it enhances my students' progress.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2013/11/05/ohio-states-marching-band-revolutionized-halftime-shows-heres-how/
Ohio State utilizes an app for iPads called "Drillbook Next" and it not only saves them $24,000 in printing costs, but it serves them in a more applicable way of learning drill. As a band teacher who prints several sheets of drill every week for every student in band, I can say that it is a hard concept for my new students to grasp at first. What Drillbook Next does is put everything into motion and allows the student focus on their spot individually as well as the big picture or entire ensemble.
The article states “Before this year we wouldn’t have been able to learn that much music and that much drill in that short of time. The iPad has really helped that,” said Waters, who views the changes as a revolution in how students learn and his instructors teach."
I like the idea of using this app for marching band. The article states that marching bands have always been a low tech class, but this app opens a lot of doors. I look forward to experimenting with this app in my classroom to see how it enhances my students' progress.
Monday, July 6, 2015
Assignment 7 for Joe Fitzpatrick
Education has always aspired to keep up with advances in science and technology. Nora Sabelli's "Complexity, Technology, Science and Education" (2006, Journal of the Learning Sciences, 15(1), p. 5-9) identifies modeling as the third leg of a stool upon which a student's learning is perched. In order to be fully understood, a phenomenon must be not only physically observed and explained, but also modeled. Modeling allows students to have virtual 'hands-on' experience in their education, to get a more visceral feel of up-to-date science and technology.
In this class, we learn about what information technology is available for us to make lesson plans and conduct the everyday business of a classroom. Sabelli notes that science teachers can take a long-term view of science and advances within it. These change slowly enough so that science doesn't suffer the "accountability pressures" (p. 6) of other disciplines - we can write F=ma yesterday, today, and forever. The science of information technology, however, is much more fluid; new apps arise almost daily, and it is up to teachers to use apps to create the magic of learning. The apps we use today might not be the apps we use tomorrow, though, and even the science classroom evolves over time. We do, however, teach science that evolves more slowly.
Sabelli notes there are two organizing principles for science education - one is how well a phenomenon is modeled and used in experiments, the other is how complex an overarching system may be. Students use science every day to aid in decision making - Sabelli gives two examples: global climate change and whether to eat genetically modified foodstuffs. While these organizing principles may appear very different, they are intertwined - something can be modeled as itself alone or as part of a much more complex system. She asks education researchers to focus their attention on both these principles, to help students make decisions with better scientific understanding.
In this class, we learn about what information technology is available for us to make lesson plans and conduct the everyday business of a classroom. Sabelli notes that science teachers can take a long-term view of science and advances within it. These change slowly enough so that science doesn't suffer the "accountability pressures" (p. 6) of other disciplines - we can write F=ma yesterday, today, and forever. The science of information technology, however, is much more fluid; new apps arise almost daily, and it is up to teachers to use apps to create the magic of learning. The apps we use today might not be the apps we use tomorrow, though, and even the science classroom evolves over time. We do, however, teach science that evolves more slowly.
Sabelli notes there are two organizing principles for science education - one is how well a phenomenon is modeled and used in experiments, the other is how complex an overarching system may be. Students use science every day to aid in decision making - Sabelli gives two examples: global climate change and whether to eat genetically modified foodstuffs. While these organizing principles may appear very different, they are intertwined - something can be modeled as itself alone or as part of a much more complex system. She asks education researchers to focus their attention on both these principles, to help students make decisions with better scientific understanding.
Friday, July 3, 2015
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-goodwyn/technology-in-the-classroom_b_1857369.html
The article that I am reviewing is called "Technology Doesn't Teach, Teachers Teach" from the Huffington Post on September 6th, 2012. The article discusses the importance of teachers being trained on technological advancements in the classroom before they attempt to use it as a teaching tool. The article also discusses the unique relationship between a student and a teacher, and how technology should not replace that relationship, but rather enhance it.
A section of the article discussed a school in Miami that adopted new technology resources. The result of using these resources resulted in a 7% increase in test scores. A direct quote from the article states the following:
"These dramatic improvements would have been compromised if the teachers themselves had not been brought into the process responsibly. That is why our investment in upgrading classrooms needs to focus equally on making sure teachers know how to use digital tools effectively."
The article goes on to state:
"Along with digital content, the district provided teachers with ongoing professional development designed to show them how to build engaging lessons, enhance their current curriculum and inspire students by integrating digital media, hardware and software."
These schools that have taken professional development time to educate teachers on these technology tools have benefited greatly. What I took from the article is that the special bond between a teacher and a student can never be replaced. While technology enhances the learning process, it cannot replace the teacher teaching the student. I believe too often we use technology in classrooms simply because it is the newest and hottest thing on the market. The question we should ask ourselves is, "Are we using this tool to enhance or replace teaching?" I am a strong advocate for technology in classrooms, however, we should use technology to make the learning process more efficient, rewarding, and ultimately beneficial for the student.
The article that I am reviewing is called "Technology Doesn't Teach, Teachers Teach" from the Huffington Post on September 6th, 2012. The article discusses the importance of teachers being trained on technological advancements in the classroom before they attempt to use it as a teaching tool. The article also discusses the unique relationship between a student and a teacher, and how technology should not replace that relationship, but rather enhance it.
A section of the article discussed a school in Miami that adopted new technology resources. The result of using these resources resulted in a 7% increase in test scores. A direct quote from the article states the following:
"These dramatic improvements would have been compromised if the teachers themselves had not been brought into the process responsibly. That is why our investment in upgrading classrooms needs to focus equally on making sure teachers know how to use digital tools effectively."
The article goes on to state:
"Along with digital content, the district provided teachers with ongoing professional development designed to show them how to build engaging lessons, enhance their current curriculum and inspire students by integrating digital media, hardware and software."
These schools that have taken professional development time to educate teachers on these technology tools have benefited greatly. What I took from the article is that the special bond between a teacher and a student can never be replaced. While technology enhances the learning process, it cannot replace the teacher teaching the student. I believe too often we use technology in classrooms simply because it is the newest and hottest thing on the market. The question we should ask ourselves is, "Are we using this tool to enhance or replace teaching?" I am a strong advocate for technology in classrooms, however, we should use technology to make the learning process more efficient, rewarding, and ultimately beneficial for the student.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Pros and Cons of Technology in the Classroom
As a school that is going to get one-to-one technology for our kids soon, this article was an interesting one for me, as I know the influx of even more technology will definitely bring its share of challenges. Given the fact that cell phones are a pretty big problem at our school already for many teachers given the fact that most students have them and many of them choose to abuse the texting/social media piece (not to mention all of the incredible apps that allow kids to cheat), I was not only looking for a little positivity out of the article, but possibly a little validation as to potential pitfalls we can look forward to experiencing.
In the article, they list two obvious pros: instant answers and wider access to information (video, music, articles, pictures). The other two they mention are somewhat interesting to me, though: Peace of mind for parents knowing where there students are and having them accessible at any time, and social learning (social media). These last two are interesting to me because they are basically the reason kids struggle to have their cellphones: They are heavily emotionally invested in social media, which means one tweet or relationship status update can set them off. Also, mom/dad/guardian is constantly texting them throughout the day, distracting them from their studies (I can't tell you how many times I tell a kid to put his/her phone away and their response is "but it's my mom!"). However, being a new parent myself, I can see how knowing where my kid was at all times and knowing I could get hold of him if I needed would be a good thing, and that the social media aspect may help bring some of the quieter, more introverted kids out of their shells and allow them to begin expressing themselves in person as well as online, although I still think it's a rather slippery slope.
The cons section had a few obvious ones, such as inappropriate materials, cyberbullying, and the disconnect of "face-to-face" interaction, but also mentioned something I hadn't really considered: Some people think too much time in front of a video screen or monitor can have harmful effects on a person's health. However, as we move more and more closer into the digital age that these kids are living in, I think it's important that we understand the cons and try to find ways to limit or avoid them completely, somehow. I think most schools either have or will have strict filters to prevent the inappropriate materials (although it's difficult; even google image gets inappropriate pretty quickly, even with the strictest of safe searches), and cyberbullying is definitely a problem that isn't going anywhere any time soon, which I know from experience is the main reason kids get into physical alteractions. However, just like with everything else in our world, no matter what we do in our classrooms, even if we simply had pencil, paper and chalkboards, there will always be some sort of problem. I think that, as long we we continue to evolve with the times and come up with new and creative ways to manage the technology that is coming (whether people are ready or not), then it will prove to be a very useful tool in education. Not only that, but it's not like we can avoid it, so we might as well try to be as proactive as possible now so we can be prepared when it all hits the fan in a few years!
Here is the link to the article
In the article, they list two obvious pros: instant answers and wider access to information (video, music, articles, pictures). The other two they mention are somewhat interesting to me, though: Peace of mind for parents knowing where there students are and having them accessible at any time, and social learning (social media). These last two are interesting to me because they are basically the reason kids struggle to have their cellphones: They are heavily emotionally invested in social media, which means one tweet or relationship status update can set them off. Also, mom/dad/guardian is constantly texting them throughout the day, distracting them from their studies (I can't tell you how many times I tell a kid to put his/her phone away and their response is "but it's my mom!"). However, being a new parent myself, I can see how knowing where my kid was at all times and knowing I could get hold of him if I needed would be a good thing, and that the social media aspect may help bring some of the quieter, more introverted kids out of their shells and allow them to begin expressing themselves in person as well as online, although I still think it's a rather slippery slope.
The cons section had a few obvious ones, such as inappropriate materials, cyberbullying, and the disconnect of "face-to-face" interaction, but also mentioned something I hadn't really considered: Some people think too much time in front of a video screen or monitor can have harmful effects on a person's health. However, as we move more and more closer into the digital age that these kids are living in, I think it's important that we understand the cons and try to find ways to limit or avoid them completely, somehow. I think most schools either have or will have strict filters to prevent the inappropriate materials (although it's difficult; even google image gets inappropriate pretty quickly, even with the strictest of safe searches), and cyberbullying is definitely a problem that isn't going anywhere any time soon, which I know from experience is the main reason kids get into physical alteractions. However, just like with everything else in our world, no matter what we do in our classrooms, even if we simply had pencil, paper and chalkboards, there will always be some sort of problem. I think that, as long we we continue to evolve with the times and come up with new and creative ways to manage the technology that is coming (whether people are ready or not), then it will prove to be a very useful tool in education. Not only that, but it's not like we can avoid it, so we might as well try to be as proactive as possible now so we can be prepared when it all hits the fan in a few years!
Here is the link to the article
Why One-To-One?
I read two articles. The first article I read was about why we have to move past one-to-one. As a teacher at a one-to-one school there were some valid points. Sometimes one-to-one is implemented as a way to show off the things we have and the program lacks vision. The focus is on the device itself. They used the term spray and pray in the article. Spray or spread the technology to everyone and pray that you see a learning increase. There are still teachers in my building who do not use the technology they have been given. The short time we are given at an inservice to work with technology just isn't enough. Teachers are bombarded with tools but aren't given time to practice using them. The other article I read was how to make a one-to-one classroom effective. Here are the ten tips. Let teacher play with their technology give them time to create. Create a physical space in your classroom that allows for different type of work, individual, group, and partner. Create a class website. Have blogging rules. Be a facilitator rather than the bearer or knowledge. Plan for how student s will interact with the materials given to them. Let them create! Differentiate. Don't force students to organize things in your own way. If they want to use stickies or a calendar let them. Manage content, and try flipping your lessons. I think both of these article focus on one thing. There has to be clear communication and vision for the program teachers, parents, and students.
http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2015/04/03/10-rules-for-a-successful-one-to-one-classroom
http://novemberlearning.com/educational-resources-for-educators/teaching-and-learning-articles/why-schools-must-move-beyond-one-to-one-computing/
http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2015/04/03/10-rules-for-a-successful-one-to-one-classroom
http://novemberlearning.com/educational-resources-for-educators/teaching-and-learning-articles/why-schools-must-move-beyond-one-to-one-computing/
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