Oh How Far I’ve Come!

Revisit the purpose & learning outcomes for this course in the course syllabus. List the course objectives in your course and reflect on the degree to which you were able to meet them. Address your progress towards those outcomes giving any examples of your experience.

1. Analyze, learn & use current technology related to learning & education:  I thought that maybe I had a good grasp on technology and how to use it efficiently.  Well, it turns out I was sorely mistaken.  I had never used Google for anything other than a search engine before this class, and I can’t believe how much I have been missing.  Google Docs, Google Drive in general, and Google Sites are amazing!  The ability to use Google Docs for collaboration is so valuable.  Students and teachers and even students with teachers can help edit and create work online.  Before, I would have been stuck with good old fashioned pen and paper, which means face to face collaboration. 

2. Resourcefully, consistently & actively participate in various individual, small group and large group assignments:  So much of a teacher’s work can be done in isolation.  It was nice learning new ways to collaborate via Skype, or the weekly meetings for this class.  It gives me ideas moving forward on ways for students to work together in groups. 

3. Practice thoughtful, cognitive reflection about the application and impact of technology in education and culture using a course blog, course textbook topics and project development:  Being in a classroom with a Smartboard and reading other blogs, I’ve really been exposed to how technology can be applied in such a way that can help students access the content.  Though I may not be a big fan of blogging personally, I have changed my mind about the impact of technology on education.  Screencasts can be used to provide extra information before or after a lesson, or even for students who are absent, or may need more visual reminders.  I have used the blogs to gain new insights on technology, for everyone has such wonderful ideas.

4. Develop several projects integrating a variety of new technologies. Selectively narrow to the tools you found the most valuable to be integrated in the culminating project based learning activity; a WebQuest: 
5. Research, design, construct, and demonstrate a personally and professionally meaningful educational WebQuest: Four and Five need to be bunched together.  I think learning about Google Sites has really opened my eyes.  I can make websites to interest and excite my students.  For some reason, kids don’t mind reading information on a webpage, and it rarely occurs to them that reading on the internet is still READING!  Well, if a little trickery on my part results in more reading of the content, then who am I to complain?  I also love the idea of Wikis and student created wikis.  Wikis are a wonderful way to encourage students to work together and publish their findings.  Before this class, I didn’t even know lay persons  could create a wiki, let alone there were several sites besides Wikipedia!

Man, when I think of how much I have learned in this class it is mind boggling.  To think that I have all these tools now, and I’m sure countless more will be coming!  And all to help the content become more accessible to students.  Accessible, and enjoyable.  It has been a pleasure.  This is me, signing off!

Copyright, Registration, Trademarks, Oh my!

Consider what you know about copyright law and Creative Commons.

• Where do you think the future of intellectual property is heading?

I’ve always been bothered by the idea of intellectual property.  At the end of the day, protecting intellectual property is all about money.  Most Asian countries (China*cough*China) don’t pay any attention to intellectual property.  In fact, they make it a point to take Western technology, rebuild it, copy it, and market it.  Just think about Samsung (South Korea) and Apple.  Apple just won a multimillion dollar lawsuit again Samsung for copyright infringement.  Think Samsung is bothered?  Only a little.  Sure they had to shell out the money, but they just got a huge boost in technology.  I think the future is going to go like this:  Someone creates a new idea (if there is such a thing anymore), markets this idea, another company takes the idea, copies it and then markets themselves.  They go to court over infringement, but at the end of the day, both companies make money off the property. 

 

• What impact do you think this has on the classroom?

As a teacher, intellectual property can be a serious issue.  Plagiarism of work, be it from a fellow student or from an authority figure, probably has the biggest impact in the classroom.  Whole websites, like turnitin.com, are dedicated to  searching student work against databases for plagiarism.  Another impact that intellectual property can have on the classroom stems from the teacher’s ability to share new ideas.  Most intellectual property allows for educational use, but as more ideas are born, it may be harder to share those ideas too.

 

• What impact do you believe social networking and collaborative tools have on intellectual property and copyright?

Social networking and collaborative tools are all about sharing ideas.  A great, new idea is going to be spread, and probably quickly.  Intellectual property and copyright infringement is the last thing on anyone’s mind when a brilliant idea happens.  Take peer-to-peer file sharing; it was a great idea and for many years violated intellectual property and copyrights left and right.  With social networking another problem arises.  Ideas spread from one person to another so rapidly that the original creator can be lost or forgotten.

At the end of the day, I understand that we live in a capitalist society, and we want to make money.  Therefore, intellectual property and copyright laws make perfect sense.

 

Reach Across the Screen

Consider you own use of social networks; are you on Facebook? Instagram? Pinterest? Twitter?

• What reasons have supported your use of social media? 

I don’t really use social media.  Several years ago I created a Facebook page and I don’t think I have ever visited it.  I don’t have a MySpace or a Twitter account.  I have plenty of personal reasons not to be involved in social media, and I can’t really say I feel like I’m missing out on something.

• What impact do you believe social media will have on education?

Information can now be shared at lightning speed.  As fast as fingers can type or text knowledge is spread.  What used to take centuries, or years, or days, can now be known in minutes.  Such a rapid spreading of information must have an impact on education.  Now, students can collaborate with each other and their teachers outside of the classroom.  Though not directly tied with teaching, social media can also give access to a student’s personal life.  Students do not always share personal matters with their friends or their teachers, but oddly enough they will share with the cyber world.  I think it can be beneficial to know if a student has changing circumstances at home or emotionally, and here social media may be of the greatest use.

• On culture?

I don’t want to sound like a total technophobe, because I’m not, but I think social media has done more harm to this upcoming generation than help.  Kids do not communicate face to face anymore, instead, their entire lives are lived out via technology.  They don’t know how to talk, and I fear that somehow our connection to humanity is weakened by screens between our eyes.  I don’t know. 

 

Crystal Ball

Consider the educational tool you researched and presented. Make a crystal ball prediction 10 years out about this tool or type of tool.

• What impact do your predict will this trend have had in education?

Tools like TED Talks have been used and will continue to be used in the future.  TED Talks is a forum that specializes in sharing and discussing new ideas, theories and successes.  The talks range cover important topics from global warming, poverty, and renewable energy.  Important figures in the world, like Vice President Al Gore to educators like Thomas Friedman, film maker J.J. Abrams, and amazing citizens, all speak on TED with visions of bettering the world around them.  TED Talks are among some of the most innovating ideas that happening right now.  I believe this is what gives TED Talks value.  History/Social Studies is based on the relevant events that happened in the past, but an educator must try and make history valid to the here and now.  TED Talks offers that possibility.

• What benefits do you predict?

TED Talks takes what is known about the past to create new ideas and technology for the future.  The talkers are generally under fifteen minutes, not too long for a student’s attention span.  There are several video clips, for TED Talks have been recorded since at least 2002, and it is easy to find a Talk that will fit various situations.  The speakers are usually interesting and leads naturally to inquiry.  Some of the speakers are even young adults and children, which students may enjoy.  Another benefit of TED Talks is the immediacy of the sessions.  TED Talks are up-to-date and address relevant concerns.

• What pitfalls? Be thoughtful and creative

One of the major pitfalls to TED Talks is the elevated level of speech of the speakers.  Sometimes the speakers are too eloquent and may speak above their grade level.  Because of this, students may become frustrated or bored if they cannot comprehend the speaker.  The Talks would also have to be screened for content and for time.  If the Talks drag on then students will lose interest.  If the Talks are not interesting then students will not pay attention.  Some of the older Talks may not be relevant, but may still be worth watching for comparison value.

All in all, I think TED Talks can have a valuable place among future History classes.  They offer in depth conversations that can enrich student History experiences.

 

World In Their Hands

I’m actually very excited with the idea of having Smartphones or other comparable devices in the classroom.  For one, imagine a student who was absent the day before.  As a teacher, my lesson would be available via YouTube or Screencast.  The student can use the device to access the material.  As a History teacher, I can use the internet to expose the students to realia, or even have students do Scavenger Hunts.  They can have a list of items (questions, or images related to the day’s topic) and students would use their device to record the sites where they found the information.  As an Into activity, I think the students would have fun while still researching a given topic. 

One large benefit of having such devices in the classroom is that all students will be able to access the internet.  It levels the playing field and gives all students equal and balanced (read supervised) access to the internet.  Students are willing to research topics that interest them, and these devices would allow them to instantly answer questions that might pop up into their heads during a lesson.  I would hope that such devices would fuel a student’s curiosity.

However, Smartphones and other such devices can be a distraction.  Though, in all honesty, I think the younger generations are so accustomed to having the devices, that this may not be such a worry.  There is always the fear that students will use the devices inappropriately by browsing on illicit and explicit sites.  To protect the students, certain steps would have to be made to prevent such browsing.  There is also the issue of cost.  For a single subject teacher, the amount of students I would be responsible for would be anywhere from 200 to 300 students.  That is a lot of money to spend on electronic devices.  And Smartphones and tablets are a sought after commodity.  I would be worried about the devices walking off, so there would have to be a security plan implemented as well.

Regardless, I hope that one day students will have their own personal device in the classroom, be it Smartphone or tablet.  I think the future of teaching will involve these devices more and more, and I am excited at the prospect.

A Cloudy Issue

  A large part of me has no idea what the Cloud is.  I accept the Cloud like I accept Netflix and texting.  I don’t really know how it works, but I know it does.  Cloudware does allow unprecedented sharing of ideas.  As a future educator, I am excited for my students to be able to use Google for research, Picasa for online photo albums, and Snagit to create and share their own videos.  Snagit, for example, can be used to make online records of my lessons, which could be useful for when students are absent, or if students need some accommodations.  I can see the Cloud being used more and more in the future to facilitate project-based learning.

Personally, the whole Cloud thing is a little ambiguous.  Is it anything that is digitally saved via the internet?  I am thankful for it, however it may work.  Last year my car was broken into.  My mom and I both had our Nooks stolen.  And since car insurance SUCKS we had to repurchase our Nooks out of pocket.  The books and apps that we had purchased (which amounted to more than $200) were just another casualty of the theft.  Then we had a bit of good news.  When we activated our new Nooks, the lady told us that all of our purchases would be downloaded to the new devices, free of charge (well, we had already bought them once).  My mom and I were ecstatic.  I may not know how the Cloud works, but I am very glad that it does.

Project-Based Learning is the Way to Go

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/21st-century-skills-changing-subjects-larry-rosenstock-rob-riordan

Edutopia.org has many interesting articles, but none caught my attention as much as “Change the Subject: Making the Case for Project-Based Learning” by Rob Riordan.  My teachers at LaVerne have been stressing the importance of Project-Based Learning (PBL) and espousing the benefits of cross-curriculum programs since the first day I stepped into their classrooms.  Riordan says it best: “The purpose of learning in this century is not simply to recite inert knowledge, but, rather, to transform it.”  Rote memorization is not as important today as it was fifty, forty, or even thirty years ago.  The internet has minimized the need to have vast amounts of information memorized (for good or for bad…I mean, who even remembers phone numbers anymore?)  It seems the way we test for comprehension is similarly out of date.  Students don’t need to be taught how to regurgitate information; they need to learn what to *do* with that information.  I’m so excited to be entering the education field when the pendulum seems to be swinging towards that direction. 

I also agree with Riordan that the distinction between subjects should be blurred as we move forward.  Subjects do not exist in a vacuum, and it’s silly to treat them as such.  Some subjects should seamlessly work together (History and English, Science and Math, just to name a few).  I believe the new common core standards will even promote the subjects working together (I hope at least).

Maybe I was just extremely lucky growing up, or had teachers that were way above the curve, but I did a lot of projects.  I was always proud of the end result.  Having something that I could touch and see and share was so rewarding.  It’s amazing what can be accomplished when you’re invested in something, and know that everyone will see the finished project.  Riordan comments that “When we learn — really learn — we transform the content, the self, and the social relations of teaching and learning.”  He couldn’t be more right.  Learning is not a passive activity.  Repeat: Learning is not a passive activity.  Students need to experience learning with all their senses and then *do* something with that knowledge.  After all, what good is knowledge if it is not explored and shared?

What do you know, the world is flat!

Impressions:

What can one say about Tom Friedman?  He’s an incredible speaker, writer, and visionary that we would be remiss not to listen to.  After watching his presentation, I keep remembering him saying “While we were sleeping” the world flattened.  Maybe.  I think in many ways, America hasn’t been sleeping, we’ve been ignoring.  Americans (and yes I mean this to be broadly speaking) aren’t that interested in the outside world. (A hold on from our past Isolationist behavior?) For those who are paying attention to the international community, the ability to collaborate on such a massive, global scale is not surprising, but for those who are content to stay inside the proverbial American border, such change can seem rapid and confusing. 

Education-You’re Our Only Hope:

American education needs a massive wake-up call, but I’m not talking “progress for the sake of progress” either.  How can we as a nation compete on a global scene without the proper language?  When France was powerful, the world spoke French. When England became dominant, the world learned English.  Now the language of dominance is not limited to a country, but to technology.  Unless American children become fluent in the language and usage of technology, we are going to be left behind both in economic importance and cultural relevance. Domestically, I think we’re making inroads by moving toward the common standards, but we have a long way to go.

A Frog in Hot Water:

So why hasn’t America jumped on the globalization bandwagon?  Friedman offers some interesting ideas.  One reason is that he believes we are in a “Quiet Crisis”.  After 9/11, America shut down its borders.  No one was welcome.  Having new ideas that stepped away from tradition was quickly seen as taboo.  Thus, there was a drying out of innovative thinkers in America that we are still recovering from.  We are like the frog in warming water.  Underneath us the world is heating and stirring, bubbling from beneath.  But the temperature is only rising gradually for now, and we’re becoming accustomed to the heat, so we stay where we are.  Soon it will be boiling, and unless we take advice from people like Friedman, we’ll just keep sitting until it is too late.

Shift Happens

I am often terrified and simultaneously excited about where technology is taking us and where it will lead.  I can’t quiet the silly little thoughts in my head that worry that one day all this technology will turn us into Borg.  Or, what happens will computers decide they don’t need humans anymore?  As paranoid and unrealistic as my fears may be to some, they still bother me.  And the truth is, we don’t honestly know what will happen in the future.

As for now, I think technology has drastically changed the look of learning for students.  Sadly, teaching methods haven’t really caught up.  Students are still penalized for having cell phones in school, and computers are designated as research tools only.  I recently did fieldwork at a middle school and was surprised by how little students actually know about computers.  Oh, they can find MySpace and Facebook and definitely Wikipedia, but they don’t know how to separate good information from bad, or how to word their searches to find optimal results.  Why can’t 13/14 year old students successfully navigate the web?  I stumbled upon an unlikely answer when I followed a group into their Keyboarding class.  First of all, Keyboarding?  Keyboarding!?  Now, I agree knowing how to type on a computer is important, but does it warrant an entire class!?  Shouldn’t it be something like “Internet Navigation” or “Website Design”?  The activities for this class surrounded around playing “Math games” and perfecting typing.  Back when I was in Jr. High, we did the exact same things…that’s depressing if you think how far we’ve come.  No wonder we’re behind the rest of the world in technology!

A large part of me wants to opt out, and just observe how technology will alter the future.  Though I recognize the irony in the statement since I’m currently blogging.  Which, for the record, I remember when this was called “going to a message board”.  But, as this video so nicely points out: Shift Happens.  I don’t know what will happen in the future.  I do know that unless the American education system wakes up and understands that technology is not some passing fancy, then our students will ill prepared for the future.