Week 5: Evaluate Three Blogs

Picture

Blog One: Cool Cat Teach Blog

The author of this blog is, Vicki Davis. Vicki is a full-time teacher and mother of three from Georgia. Vicki was first in business setting, then became a stay at home mom in the 1990's.  Then her children's school called for her to come teach, which made her the teacher she is today. 
Vicki became a blogging guru in 2005 when she first heard about blogging at a conference. Now, as a full-time teacher she also is a speaker at many educational conferences by Google and other well known companies such as, Discovery. She also "...created the nonprofit that runs the Flat Teacher Conference where students and educators get together in a flattened environment" (Cool Cat Teacher Blog, 1).

Flat Classroom Conference

Vicki is, "...passionate advocate for inspiring and informing teachers, parents, and professionals about how to reach this generation of learners" (Cool Cat Teacher, 1). Many of her followers believe she is enthusiastic and can really further the educational process using technology into the classroom. To read more comments left by her mentors and followers, please click here.

Honestly, after reading Vicki Davis' blog, it really made me open my eyes to see that their are endless possibilities in education. As a teacher, you can be a teacher for your students, or you can advocate for yourself, other educators, parents and your students by furthering your professional development, opening your eyes to new possibilities, and become a "Vicki Davis." Others should read this blog because it some may not know what I did not know, about the possibilities and the Flat Classroom. Bringing students and teachers from all over the world to become more aware of technology, leadership and presentation skills, and understanding of diverse culture and collaborations.

I would add this blog to my google read to follow for the future as professional development because Vicki is an ongoing, interesting and enthusiastic teacher who helps students, parents and teachers understand the importance of bringing technology into the classroom and how to stay "fresh" as an educator.

I thought the last blog post she wrote was interesting. She was talking about being in a classroom, and how some people/students/teachers do not live everyday to the fullest. Everyday you live should be taken to its fullest potential. You are never going to be given this day back. Just live everyday in the classroom, these days will pass you by. Make everyday worth while. Soon it will be the last day of school and your students will not be your students anymore. This is so true, to not only the classroom and your students but to life.

LIVE EVERYDAY.

Picture

Blog Two: Learning Is Messy

Brian Crosby is the author of Learning is Messy. He has been an educator of 30 years with students in higher elementary grades, with a background of educational technology and outside education. He is an advocate for "at risk" students, "Brian fuses his “at risk” students use of technology with field trips, art, hands-on activities and a problem-based approach, to build their schema of the world while at once connecting them to it" (About me, 1).

Brian tends to write about his everyday life (personal and education).  The audience of this blog is students and educators with "at risk" students (so every teacher..). I noticed that he had many questions about how to integrate technology with students. What I thought was great, is that he gave out his email and responded  to many many comments and gave many links that he thought would help.

Picture

I enjoyed reading this blog. He showed his students work, his class blog. He really brought his educational expertise to us. Showed us as educators a simple way to engage and interact with students.  At first, I thought this was a very basic blog, but after really searching as seeing this teachers reliability and consistency, I changed my way of thinking. I would add this blog to my google read to follow for the future as professional development. He is very hands on with his students and stays on top of giving readers hands on, fun projects to do with your student.

The blog that "caught my eye" was, What Happened To My Pedagogy.  This post was about bringing his students together as a group to be more active learners. This specific lesson was on Skype and Google Docs to write non-fiction pieces with a class from across the country. The students "...excitement, focus and requests to work extra outside of school on their research reminded me what we had been onto previously. We didn’t have this new pedagogy down to perfection, but we were well on our way, and with some support we would be even closer to being there now (not that you would ever get to perfection mind you)" (What Happened to My Pedagogy, 1).

Picture

Blog Three: The Curriculum Corner

The blog, The Curriculum Corner had two authors, Jill McEldowney and Cathy Henry both second grade teachers in the same large, diverse school district (also neighbors!). Jill and Cathy's dream is, "...to create a site where busy teachers can go to find current, relevant, meaningful and ready to go lessons and activities that fit their classroom structure and meet these common core standards.  This site is intended to always be a work in progress as new trends or ideas in instruction develop.   The focus for this site is the primary grades with an emphasis on first and second grade..." (About Us, 1). 

Their blog is more like a website full of resources within classroom management (behavioral, organization and common core), as well as reading, writing, math, social studies, and science assessments and units. This site was so refreshing to see. As educators we are always looking for more ways to better our classroom.  Because this site is so new I did not find many comments, but the comments I did find were encouraging and compliments towards Jill and Cathy. They also post a lot of their recently added pieces to Pinterest, which is a great way to document the work you have done and gives the blog more viewers.

This blog was worth viewing anything and everything on the blog. I really enjoyed seeing different units I could use in my (future) classroom as well as different classroom management strategies, writing workshop methods and worksheets to keep myself and my students well organized during the school year. I will add this to my google reader to follow for future educational references because their are so many tools. These educators really want to help educators and students around the country (or world!). They are also adding onto their website/blog in Summer 2013! I will definitely be waiting for that!

I honestly loved everything about this website/blog. It was set up more like a website than a blog but had so many different resources for teachers to use in their classrooms. If I was to enjoy one part of the website more than others I would have to say the behavioral tab. I am a Educational Assistant working with students with special needs and always looking for different ways to help them succeed. With this tab, their are many different links to look into to fit your students needs. Such as:  Babushka’s Doll, How I Feel Emotions Journal, and Lifelong Guidelines.

I really enjoyed reviewing all of these blogs! 

-Marissa

Week 4: Online Learning PBS

1.  Compare and Contrast each documentary.  What has changed from the first one (Growing Up Online) made in 2008 to the newer one (Digital Nation) filmed in 2010 ?  How did what you watched in the two videos support your feelings about technology or how did it change your views?
      Growing Up Online and Digital Nation were very different. The first one that I watched, Growing Up Online was the affects that technology has on children socially and emotionally. This video was hard to watch at times, children partake in adolescent behavior as young children. Children are in danger of cyberbully at school as well as home, or wherever they go because of the Internet and cell phones. Everything is done in an instant rather than keeping bullying at school (I hate to say that, but it is true. Bullying used to be at school, and face to face). Nowadays, children are scrutinized wherever they go with many different technologies bullying them (Blogs, Pictures, IM's, Emails...and the list goes on).
      This video went as far as showing the short term and long term effects of bullying at school, cyberbullying as well as suicide. A young boy killed himself because the bullying became so bad. The parents had no idea of the bullying, because everything was kept secret online. He talked to another boy thinking of suicide, and both found a questionnaire site with questions to describe themselves which then went on to help them decide on their best way to kill themselves. SCARY is all I have to say. Technology today is too accessible to young children which also makes them grow up too fast.

      The newer video, Digital Nation, which was filmed in 2010 was more about the benefits of technology in today's world in a school setting. Don't get me wrong, Digital Nation still talked about the downward effects regarding multitasking and rehab from too much exposure to video games. Although, technology has long lasting side effects, explained in both videos, it is still known as a benefit in today's technological world. Technology is developing very fast, which is making it tough to understand and relate to everything but at the same time helps students learn. For example, in the second video, a school in The Bronx, New York was failing horribly in many educational tasks, reading, writing math you name it. After hiring many principles to help change this, they then hired an advocate for technology in the school. Everyone in this school owned a Mac and was to use that computer academically as well as personally. They could personalize their Macs by adding stickers or what not. Quickly, there was a change in this school. Technology is so new, but so driven by students world. Bringing technology into the classroom will help them want to learn. Educational scores improved dramatically in this school. By giving those students a desire, they were able to have an easier time adapting into the educational setting. Those students wanted to come to school everyday. Those students wanted to show their teachers and other students what they were able to accomplish. 
     Both of these videos were very interesting and so true. There are so many pros and cons, as their is with any issue. 

http://www.annapolis.gov/Libraries/BoardsCommissions/Cyber-Bully-Cyber-Bullying-fact_1.sflb.ashx

2.  Your thoughts on multitasking.  Do you agree?  Can you multitask?  Do you disagree with the video on the topic of multitasking?

     When Digital Nation was talking about all the multitasking we do with technology now, I was doing three different things while watching this video. I was on Facebook, listening to the video and looking at my cell phone. This is while sitting, there are many other people that walk while talking on the phone, looking at the internet and texting. Multitasking is a skill, but can make it hard to comprehend certain things. When talking about my personal example, I had to review the video during the times I was multitasking. 

     I agree with the video on multitasking. It is difficult not to multitask. Everyone does it in today's society with their cell phones and laptops while in class.  And, if you think about it; when there wasn't the technology we have today, were those students really listening are were they multitasking by listening to their professor listening, doodling, or daydreaming?

3.  Is there an addiction happening in society today with technology or is it just a new way of living?   Should we be concerned?
    After watching these videos, I believe there is an addiction happening in society today with technology. Children and adults are constantly looking at their cell phones for text messaging, viewing: Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and many other kind of social media. Using myself as an example, I have to look at Facebook every morning when I wake up and constantly throughout the day (I hate to admit it), I also view Pinterest and Instagram constantly. There are other kinds of technology addicted people in today's society, playing video games. My sixteen year old brother plays video games when he comes home from school and plays until he needs to go to bed. Other teens and adults stay home from work and school to play video games non-stop throughout their day, it is their "job". I believe that technology can be an addiction and concerns me very much. Like I said, to a degree I believe my younger brother is somewhat addicted to video games, and I believe I am somewhat addicted to Facebook.

4.  Do video games serve a purpose in education or are they a waste of time?
    I believe that video games can serve a purpose in education. Apps on iPads are "games" but very education and teaches them in such a different way and can relate to almost anyone. Educational games are usually simple and easy to access and help students comprehend difficult tasks and information that traditionally they may not always understand.

5.  Do you believe that digital tools such as google tools can save schools that are struggling?
   If schools can complete and sign off on grants, I believe that computers or iPads to each student and use a google tool will help save schools that are struggling. The school I work at was just built, also a SINI school in reading, writing and math just bought iPads for every student in the school.I truly believe that using the iPads in class will help those students with all skills. My kindergartners are using writing apps to learn how to write the alphabet. These apps are fun and keeps all of the students engaged. Their can be a very challenging student in the class that does not want to engage in many activities, but using the iPad or an technology sparks his interest.

 I am still learning about google tools. Right now, I believe that google does have its benefits educationally, but I don't know to what grade is appropriate. At the college level we are able to blog and use google reader. I am excited to learn more about google and how to interact students.  


6.  Do parents of today have any idea what their kids are doing online?  Whose job is it to teach them the safety and digital responsibility? 
Parents/Teachers/Community/Government??

     I believe that parents in today's society can have an idea of what their kids are doing online if they want to. Right when parents give their children that freedom of doing what they want online, the freedom will grow and that's where you have lost them. It is SO SO SO IMPORTANT to teach every child safety and digital responsibility but some parents are not there, or do not care, or don't understand why they need to be safe or teach their children to be safe on the Internet. 

    If I could give my students, children and community the understanding of what could happen and why we need to be careful, I would conduct school meetings, town meetings or state meetings. It is important that as role models to our children, that we model and help parents, teachers and children better understand the importance of digital citizenship. 

7.  Are kids and adults today ruining their digital footprints by sharing too much information online without realizing that it may be detrimental to their future? Should they care?

    Yes, I believe that many kids and adults are ruining their digital footprints by sharing too much information online without realizing that it may be detrimental to their future. Yes, I believe that everyone using the Internet should care, maybe if everyone would care, their digital footprint would be smaller. I am very careful of what I put on the Internet. I am working with students, I do not want a parent to google my name and see pictures or pages that are inappropriate. I also always make sure my pages are private. On Facebook, people that search for me can only see my profile picture. It is so so so important to think before you add or write anything on the internet. You could regret it in minutes!!

http://www.careerrocketeer.com/wp-content/uploads/Digital-Footprint.png

8.“Stranger Danger” and predator fears are often overblown by the media on shows such as Datelines “To Catch a Predator”.  What are the real dangers of technology in this day and age?  
    I believe that overexposure and being able to view anything imaginable online is a real danger in this day and age. There is a digital footprint for anyone using the Internet. If you were in an car accident, sports team, or in a wedding (for example) those pictures and stories could be searched when writing your name in Google. The Internet is a very powerful source. Many bullied students that bring guns to school communicate with someone online whether it is a bullying site, a blog, or podcast. Viewing the Internet has it's benefits but also has its downfalls. The internet is dangerous and that is why everyone should learn the responsibility and safety in any type of technology.

Week 3: Digital Citizenship

Voki

In this class, we are talking about teaching technology in our classrooms. We cannot go any further into this course until we, as the teachers understand how important it is to teach our students digital citizenship. As teachers we need to keep our students safe. Technology can be safe if we use it in the right way. All of us are effected my technology in some way, whether it is using Facebook to connect with family and friends or making a Skype account to talk with family across the country. It's important to model behaviors when using technology with our students. Students need to understand how dangerous technology can be if it's not used correctly.
On a teacher stand-point, if you would like to know how harmful technology can be, click here. This is a story of a teacher that made it clear how important digital citizenship is, how to understand it and WHY to enforce this to students. This teacher was a victim of another student. This student made a Facebook account of this teacher, with real pictures and information. This student then sent out friend requests to STUDENTs and was making unprofessional comments on other students pages. Let me reiterate, this was not the teacher, it was a student pretending to be her. 
This is just one unsettling example of why it is so important for teachers/parents/students to understand the importance of digital citizenship!
The smaller your digital footprint, the safer you are!!

http://csslibrary.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/digitalethics.jpg

With this being said, technology should still be promoted in an educational setting.
"In today's world, most students are attached to mobile devices of some kind whether in or out of school. When policy and practice are aligned, the amazing possibilities presented by this fact surely outweigh the challenges. Creating that alignment is our first step,"
That quote was written by The Journal: Transforming Education Through Technology. In schools today, we see students in elementary grades, middle and high school that are bringing in mobile devices. We need to use those mobile devices for the better, bring education to their personal technology to promote their digital citizenship. 

http://digicitizenship.wikispaces.com/file/view/digitalcitizenship.jpg/116429109/digitalcitizenship.jpg

Have them understand the importance that sending a text, tweet, Facebook message or picture in an instant can be potentially harmful. Students do not understand fully the importance of digital citizenship or their digital footprint. Students need to understand that the cons can overcome the pro's if technology is not used correctly. Using cell phones, tablets and iPods can hopefully benefit and endorse better behavior if used in the classroom educationally!

Week 2 Webinar: Are You Techphobic??

This webinar was about teachers, administrators or anyone in the school district who is Techphobic. Techphobia is a common phobia for new and old teachers. If you are reading this, than you must know someone who is techphobic in the school/classroom or you, yourself may be techphobic. This blog will give you ideas and ways to overcome your fears. After reading this blog, I hope you listen to the great webinar to learn more about the cures of techphoia.

http://www.sidscenter.org/podcasts/2010/asip_amchp/webinar.jpg

There are three ways a teacher learning community will help transition and adapt technology into the classroom: webinars and online learning programs, global resource sharing and social networking and collaboration.

#1 - Demonstrate the understanding of how technologies can effectively promote student learning.

Technology is a hands on, interactive way to engage students in learning. In today's society, there are many ways to integrate technology into the classroom. Bringing technology into the classroom can seem overwhelming to teachers in this day and age. Teachers that use technology in their classrooms can have the attention of their student they never knew was possible. 

Techphoic teachers, listen up!

  

http://www.abeokuta.org/listen.jpg

During this webinar, teachers listening along on the live broadcast were able to tweet ideas/or questions.

This tweet was the last symptom of the webinar on answering; why start using technology now?

"We ask our students to become life long learners, and we as teachers should model what we speak." Susan

Everyone reading understands that bringing technology into your classroom/school is a drastic change, but technology is a new way of learning for our students.

#2 - Evaluate and use a variety of current technologies to enhance content instruction and to advance students' technological literacy.

In this Techphobic webinar, the speakers identified seven different symptoms of Techphobia. These symptoms were: too time consuming, what if something goes wrong? It's too hard to get started! What if it breaks? I don't have access (it's blocked, It's too expensive, and why change now? All of these symptoms are true to Techphobic teachers, and each symptom has a cure, along with a free and easy access website to interact, assess and help students adapt to the technology little by little, in steps with the teacher.

Some ideas this webinar gave me were: Vocaroo, a free, easy voice recording service that can help with grading (using the teachers voice to give in-depth reasoning's), substitute teachers (have them know exactly what to do by hearing your voice),  or exercises for public speakers or storytelling.

Another idea was Screencast-O-Matic which gives teachers the ability to take screen shots and save them to their computer just in case something goes wrong with the Internet. Another use for Screencast-O-Matic is taking snapshots for tests reviews, giving students the screen shots if they missed school.

Technology is very broad. If you are nervous about starting to use technology in the classroom, it is important to start out slow, and talk with other teachers who may be having the same difficulties as you are. You are not alone! Technology will come to you, and when it does you will be able to enhance your content instruction to advance your students as well as your own technological literacy!

#5 - Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of safe, ethical, legal and moral practices related to digital information and technology. 

http://netrightdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Twitter.png

Technology stretches to many boundaries. It is important as the teacher that you choose developmentally appropriate websites and teach the students how to learn correctly. This webinar had an interesting example.  This example had a teacher using Twitter with both students and parents in his class. The site was blocked, but after thinking of interactive ways to have the parents know what the students did that day, or what was coming in the future, he brought his Twitter ideas to the principle and got Twitter passed. Everything on Twitter was private between the teacher and the parents. After seeing the impact Twitter had on the student's parents, he wanted to see how the students would interact using ethical and moral practices in a private Twitter account with the teachers and other students.

This example is a perfect way to have students, parents AND teachers comprehensively understand safe, ethical, legal and moral practices using technology in AND out of the classroom! 

#7 - Demonstrate an understanding of the use of adaptive technologies and other digital resources to personalize and differentiate learning activities for every student.

More great educational resources that would personalize and differentiate learning to other students are:

QWiki is a fun and free resource for visual and auditory learners. QWiki is a little bit like google, but an easier and more colorful way to cruise through and find interesting pictures and articles. 

Another resource that can be for both teachers and students is Glogster or Glogster.EDU. This tool is an interactive tool for students working independently or group activities. There are so many pictures to choose from, along with different style fonts, colors and so much more.

#8 - Evaluate, adapt and reflect upon emerging tools and trends by participating in local and global learning communities and by reviewing current research and professional literature. 

This webinar gave me a lot to think about and many new and exciting ideas. I honestly did not know there was a phobia called Techphobic, but I definitely understand why there are many Techphoic teachers out there today. Technology has creeped up and expanded tremendously since the mid-90s. I am a twenty-four year old student and feel very behind on my technological ways!

It's so so so important that as life long learners and teachers to our students that we take it slow, understand that we are not in it alone and ASK FOR HELP. Students would love to help a fellow teacher in need.  

The new upcoming technology in schools is the iPad. I think this is wonderful, but I know some of you may be a little nervous or intimidated. There are teachers and resource tools out there to help you learn! 

Take a deep breath, Techphobic teachers! We will get through this together! It is also important that I reiterate this quote from the webinar as you move forward:

"We ask our students to become life long learners, and we as teachers should model what we speak." Susan