DEFINITION
Although the Web 2.0 site featured a great insight to microblogging through discussions, I wanted to research a better definition for microblogging since it is a new term for me:
http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid40_gci1265620,00.html
SearchMobileComputing.com defines microblogging as, “the practice of sending brief posts to a personal blog on a microblogging Website such as Twitter or Jaiku.” Microblogging is convenient because users can send their message with a cell phone, much like a text message. Users may also send their message as a video or audio.
Web 2.0 discusses Twitter, which “is a service for friends, family, and co-workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?” I was interested to learn more about Twitter so I looked it up on the Wikipedia site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter
Twitter is a microblogging program which allows users to “tweet” or “update” others by email, short mail service or instant messaging. It is a way to socially network with friends, family and co-workers through a common medium. One thing that is different about Twitter compared to other programs, such as Myspace, is that the messages sent out will be sent to all Twitter users by default. If this is something you are not interested in, you may set up your Twitter to only send your messages to specific people. Because Twitter is a type of microblog, the messages sent are extremely short (140 characters).
DISCUSSIONS
The featured Web 2.0 discussions referring to Twitter were debatable. Nancy talks about how rude she thinks Twitting is in the classroom. She states, “Kids today have enough distractions, they don’t need anymore.” She strongly believes that Twitter is not an appropriate tool to use in the classroom. Another person, Glenn, chimes in saying that Nancy is ridiculous, and that Twittering could be used as a learning tool for kids. Nancy then explains herself, “I’m first in line when it comes to looking for changes in schools today, but throwing tech tools at kids isn’t going to help solve much bigger problems.” Glenn responds with, “It's not about us throwing tech-tools at kids, it’s about letting them use the ones they want to use in the way they want to… and if students can do that by using Twitter, then far be it from us to decide how.” Nancy’s final reply was, “After presenting at NECC (and around my district and state) for five years and spending hundreds of hours planning I expect that the best and only way for the participants to get the info is through me...I am the tool. If you chatted through my presentation, I'd think you were rude--twittering is the same.”
WHAT I LEARNED
Any tool used in teaching, whether technology or not, is great if used in moderation. Obviously, if a child is twittering in class about something that the teacher is not talking about, then it is a bad idea. In this case, the tool is being abused and is not helping the child’s learning. Rather, it is hindering him from learning because he is distracted, as Nancy pointed out. However, I do not think it should be eliminated altogether. Maybe the child is twittering notes about class. In this case, the tool is useful and appropriate.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Journal 6: Software Review
"Kidspiration Assignment"
I really liked the Kidspiration program. I think it is a fun tool to use in the classroom, and I believe that it would motivate kids to complete their assignments. It is also an excellent way to introduce kids to a new kind of technology. I found the program to be very user-friendly and fun to use. I enjoyed drawing with the paintbrush option and glancing over all the different types of ideas that Kidspiration could be used for in Reading and Writing, Social Studies, Science and Math.
I found it very easy to incorporate this technology in my classroom. My project is intended for fourth graders. During one of my observations for EDUC 350, I observed a fourth grade classroom. The teacher asked his students to write a page about what they did over their Thanksgiving Break. I thought this would be a great assignment for Kidspiration. “What did you do over Christmas Break?” Students are required to both write and draw or use a symbol of what they did over the holiday. Here is an example:
I believe that by adding this visual portion to the assignment, it will not only give students a chance to express themselves, but they are also able to practice grouping items or events together.
I found Atomic Learning to be a very useful and helpful tutorial. I started from the beginning and went through each tutorial on how to use Kidspiration. After watching the first 5 or 10, I went back to Kidspiration and began to play around with the program which was really fun. I am glad I watched the tutorial because I found out a lot of convenient stuff while navigating the program. For example, I liked how you could turn off the audio voice that repeated the name of each item when it was clicked on. I am working in the middle of the night, and don’t want to wake anyone up:) The audio option is helpful, however, when teaching English Learners, as was discussed in class.
I do enjoy self-tutorials because it gives me the chance to learn something at my own pace. For example, the last Friday and Saturday we had class, we had so much to go over. We were trying to learn everything in a matter of a few hours. With the self-tutorials, I am able to go slower, and actually comprehend what I am learning as I am doing it.
"iMovie Assignment"
Using iMove was a very fun experience for me. We were able to choose from several prerecorded clips, and then edit them together. I had never done any sort of editing before, so this whole process was new to me. I found iMovie to be very simple to navigate. Once I got the hang of it, I enjoyed adding the different transitions and special effects to the clips. One of my clips featured a waving blue CSUSM flag, and I was able to make it a mirror image, which gave the clip an interesting effect. Adding music to the final cut made the movie complete.
I am excited to create and edit our own movie in 422C. My classmates and I had fun taking crazy pictures of ourselves in class; I can only imagine the excitement when we are creating our own movie!! I think this is a great learning tool for students. Kids can learn technology and have a blast doing it. I might use this in an upper elementary classroom. Kids could make and edit a movie as part of a presentation assignment. For example, instead of performing a skit in class to demonstrate a concept, they could simply create a movie of their skit. This would allow the students to not only show that they understand the material, but it would give them a chance to show off their talents using a iMovie. Most of all, they would have fun doing it.
I really liked the Kidspiration program. I think it is a fun tool to use in the classroom, and I believe that it would motivate kids to complete their assignments. It is also an excellent way to introduce kids to a new kind of technology. I found the program to be very user-friendly and fun to use. I enjoyed drawing with the paintbrush option and glancing over all the different types of ideas that Kidspiration could be used for in Reading and Writing, Social Studies, Science and Math.
I found it very easy to incorporate this technology in my classroom. My project is intended for fourth graders. During one of my observations for EDUC 350, I observed a fourth grade classroom. The teacher asked his students to write a page about what they did over their Thanksgiving Break. I thought this would be a great assignment for Kidspiration. “What did you do over Christmas Break?” Students are required to both write and draw or use a symbol of what they did over the holiday. Here is an example:
I believe that by adding this visual portion to the assignment, it will not only give students a chance to express themselves, but they are also able to practice grouping items or events together.
I found Atomic Learning to be a very useful and helpful tutorial. I started from the beginning and went through each tutorial on how to use Kidspiration. After watching the first 5 or 10, I went back to Kidspiration and began to play around with the program which was really fun. I am glad I watched the tutorial because I found out a lot of convenient stuff while navigating the program. For example, I liked how you could turn off the audio voice that repeated the name of each item when it was clicked on. I am working in the middle of the night, and don’t want to wake anyone up:) The audio option is helpful, however, when teaching English Learners, as was discussed in class.
I do enjoy self-tutorials because it gives me the chance to learn something at my own pace. For example, the last Friday and Saturday we had class, we had so much to go over. We were trying to learn everything in a matter of a few hours. With the self-tutorials, I am able to go slower, and actually comprehend what I am learning as I am doing it.
"iMovie Assignment"
Using iMove was a very fun experience for me. We were able to choose from several prerecorded clips, and then edit them together. I had never done any sort of editing before, so this whole process was new to me. I found iMovie to be very simple to navigate. Once I got the hang of it, I enjoyed adding the different transitions and special effects to the clips. One of my clips featured a waving blue CSUSM flag, and I was able to make it a mirror image, which gave the clip an interesting effect. Adding music to the final cut made the movie complete.
I am excited to create and edit our own movie in 422C. My classmates and I had fun taking crazy pictures of ourselves in class; I can only imagine the excitement when we are creating our own movie!! I think this is a great learning tool for students. Kids can learn technology and have a blast doing it. I might use this in an upper elementary classroom. Kids could make and edit a movie as part of a presentation assignment. For example, instead of performing a skit in class to demonstrate a concept, they could simply create a movie of their skit. This would allow the students to not only show that they understand the material, but it would give them a chance to show off their talents using a iMovie. Most of all, they would have fun doing it.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Journal 5
“Social Justice: Choice or Necessity?”
By: Colleen Swain & David Edyburn
Technology is a major factor in our society today. In Swain and Edyburn’s article, the authors discuss the social justice issue, regarding technology. Basically, most colleges and jobs require students and employees to be able to use a certain amount of technology. As far as college, students must be able to use basic computer functions when conducting research on the Internet, creating PowerPoint presentations, retrieving and sending e-mails, and submitting assignments online. If the student is not familiar with these basic functions, they are at a severe disadvantage. Likewise, higher paying jobs, nowadays, require employees to be familiar with a certain amount of technology. If the employee candidate is not technologically savvy he will most likely be passed over for a candidate who is more familiar with the systems used at the job sight. The person who was passed over is forced to work at a lower-paying job. The authors want to know the best way to reach everyone and teach them to use the technology available.
While several schools in our society are working hard to get more and more computers in the classroom, there are still many schools that don’t have this luxury. Children at these schools are at a major disadvantage. It is our job, as teachers, to find ways to obtain computers for our classrooms. Sometimes, you can purchase computers in bulk at highly discounted rates. In one of my classes, Mary Stefanki Davis discussed how one parent donated a significant amount of money for her PE program. With those extra funds, she was able to purchase several new items for her students. If teachers just ask, there are financial sources hiding in unexpected places. :)
A final topic the authors discussed was that of whether incorporating technology in the classroom should be a teachers’ choice. They explain that this is a matter of social justice because it affects the child’s future endeavors in life. Whether the student is college-bound or headed for the work field, knowledge in technology will significantly affect the child’s path in life.
Question #1: Do you agree with the authors? Do you think that a teacher’s choice to incorporate technology in the classroom is a matter of social justice?
Absolutely, I do. Our job as educators is to teach students not only about reading, writing and arithmetic; It is our responsibility to teach them about life. In today’s society, technology is a huge part of our life. I, for one, want to prepare my students to succeed in the real world. I plan on doing my best in keeping up with the latest technology, and integrating it into my classroom.
Question #2: How would you deal with a colleague who chose not to incorporate any technology in her classroom?
A. I would pretend I didn’t notice, and not say anything.
B. I would casually ask her why she didn’t want to use technology in her classroom, and then just drop it, regardless of her answer.
C. I would tell the principal.
D. I would do my best to help her, first, realize the importance of technology, and then I would make suggestions on what she could do to include technology in her own classroom. I would also have her read this article, and explain to her the importance of technology for our students’ future.
ANSWER = D :)
By: Colleen Swain & David Edyburn
Technology is a major factor in our society today. In Swain and Edyburn’s article, the authors discuss the social justice issue, regarding technology. Basically, most colleges and jobs require students and employees to be able to use a certain amount of technology. As far as college, students must be able to use basic computer functions when conducting research on the Internet, creating PowerPoint presentations, retrieving and sending e-mails, and submitting assignments online. If the student is not familiar with these basic functions, they are at a severe disadvantage. Likewise, higher paying jobs, nowadays, require employees to be familiar with a certain amount of technology. If the employee candidate is not technologically savvy he will most likely be passed over for a candidate who is more familiar with the systems used at the job sight. The person who was passed over is forced to work at a lower-paying job. The authors want to know the best way to reach everyone and teach them to use the technology available.
While several schools in our society are working hard to get more and more computers in the classroom, there are still many schools that don’t have this luxury. Children at these schools are at a major disadvantage. It is our job, as teachers, to find ways to obtain computers for our classrooms. Sometimes, you can purchase computers in bulk at highly discounted rates. In one of my classes, Mary Stefanki Davis discussed how one parent donated a significant amount of money for her PE program. With those extra funds, she was able to purchase several new items for her students. If teachers just ask, there are financial sources hiding in unexpected places. :)
A final topic the authors discussed was that of whether incorporating technology in the classroom should be a teachers’ choice. They explain that this is a matter of social justice because it affects the child’s future endeavors in life. Whether the student is college-bound or headed for the work field, knowledge in technology will significantly affect the child’s path in life.
Question #1: Do you agree with the authors? Do you think that a teacher’s choice to incorporate technology in the classroom is a matter of social justice?
Absolutely, I do. Our job as educators is to teach students not only about reading, writing and arithmetic; It is our responsibility to teach them about life. In today’s society, technology is a huge part of our life. I, for one, want to prepare my students to succeed in the real world. I plan on doing my best in keeping up with the latest technology, and integrating it into my classroom.
Question #2: How would you deal with a colleague who chose not to incorporate any technology in her classroom?
A. I would pretend I didn’t notice, and not say anything.
B. I would casually ask her why she didn’t want to use technology in her classroom, and then just drop it, regardless of her answer.
C. I would tell the principal.
D. I would do my best to help her, first, realize the importance of technology, and then I would make suggestions on what she could do to include technology in her own classroom. I would also have her read this article, and explain to her the importance of technology for our students’ future.
ANSWER = D :)
Journal 4
“Sowing the Seeds for a More Creative Society”
By: Mitchel Resnick
In his article, Mitchel Resnick begins by explaining how we are living in a more “Creative Society.” He explains that while schools teach students how to deal with specific situations and solve certain problems, students are unprepared when they are asked to think creatively on the job. In order to help develop students into more creative thinkers, Resnick discusses two types of technologies that are designed to help prepare students to live a Creative Society.
The first is called “Crickets.” When I was about 7, I had a talking life-size doll named, “Cricket.” She had a rubber mouth that actually moved when she talked, sang and told stories. I was fascinated with her. I never thought to discover how she talked. I had just assumed that she was a real live toy that happened to talk. Then, just today, I was walking through the Wal-Mart, and noticed a stuffed electronic parrot that would talk and move when I walked passed him. The toy had some sort of sensor that signaled the toy to react. Resnick explains that kids don’t usually notice how a toy talks when you press it, or how a light goes on when you walk up to a front door. It just happens. The author’s idea is to have a technology where kids can learn how electronics work. “Crickets” are a way for kids to design their own “toy” or interactive object. With Crickets, kids can create “musical sculptures, interactive jewelry, and dancing creatures.” By creating a toy themselves, kids not only have a fun object to play with, but they actually learn something about technology and the way the toy works. This is a much more educational idea for a child, rather than just buying the child a talking, moving toy. One 11-year-old girl comments, “With Crickets, you don’t have to use what someone else made. You can make it yourself.”
The second technology Resnick talks about is called, “Scratch.” It is similar to Crickets in that it allows students to create or invent. The only difference is Scratch is prepared by students online. Kids can create interactive stories and games, and distribute their ideas with each other on the web at http://scratch.mit.edu.
Crickets and Scratch are great ways for students to broaden their creativity. Resnick concludes that while these technologies are excellent ideas, we need to be continuously thinking of more and more ways to engage our student in a more creative learning atmosphere.
Question #1: How can you incorporate Scratch into the classroom?
I went to the Scratch website and noticed a simple “coin flip.” If I were going to teach a lesson on probability or statistics, this could be a good tool for the kids to use in the classroom. Students could record how many times in a row the coin randomly landed on heads or tails. The results should indicate 50/50. Another project I could use Scratch for could be in a writing or art class. As a fourth grade teacher, I may ask my students to write a short story and create an interactive drawing through Scratch. The site enables students to draw, and label objects. Students make the drawing interactive by clicking on an object. When the object is clicked on, it will either move or make a sound. This would be an excellent way to incorporate technology in the classroom.
Question #2: Besides these two new technological ideas, how else could you get your students to practice creative thinking in the classroom?
I would have an “Inventor’s Day.” I would encourage my students to come up with fun new ideas. There would be no limit on their inventions, other than it has to be something that they have never heard of before. Students may either write a paper describing their inventions, or they could create a prototype by either drawing a picture or making some sort of diorama. If the invention is a game I would want to see them create it. It doesn’t have to be too fancy; A simple poster board and markers would do just fine. This would be a fun way to entice students to think creatively.
By: Mitchel Resnick
In his article, Mitchel Resnick begins by explaining how we are living in a more “Creative Society.” He explains that while schools teach students how to deal with specific situations and solve certain problems, students are unprepared when they are asked to think creatively on the job. In order to help develop students into more creative thinkers, Resnick discusses two types of technologies that are designed to help prepare students to live a Creative Society.
The first is called “Crickets.” When I was about 7, I had a talking life-size doll named, “Cricket.” She had a rubber mouth that actually moved when she talked, sang and told stories. I was fascinated with her. I never thought to discover how she talked. I had just assumed that she was a real live toy that happened to talk. Then, just today, I was walking through the Wal-Mart, and noticed a stuffed electronic parrot that would talk and move when I walked passed him. The toy had some sort of sensor that signaled the toy to react. Resnick explains that kids don’t usually notice how a toy talks when you press it, or how a light goes on when you walk up to a front door. It just happens. The author’s idea is to have a technology where kids can learn how electronics work. “Crickets” are a way for kids to design their own “toy” or interactive object. With Crickets, kids can create “musical sculptures, interactive jewelry, and dancing creatures.” By creating a toy themselves, kids not only have a fun object to play with, but they actually learn something about technology and the way the toy works. This is a much more educational idea for a child, rather than just buying the child a talking, moving toy. One 11-year-old girl comments, “With Crickets, you don’t have to use what someone else made. You can make it yourself.”
The second technology Resnick talks about is called, “Scratch.” It is similar to Crickets in that it allows students to create or invent. The only difference is Scratch is prepared by students online. Kids can create interactive stories and games, and distribute their ideas with each other on the web at http://scratch.mit.edu.
Crickets and Scratch are great ways for students to broaden their creativity. Resnick concludes that while these technologies are excellent ideas, we need to be continuously thinking of more and more ways to engage our student in a more creative learning atmosphere.
Question #1: How can you incorporate Scratch into the classroom?
I went to the Scratch website and noticed a simple “coin flip.” If I were going to teach a lesson on probability or statistics, this could be a good tool for the kids to use in the classroom. Students could record how many times in a row the coin randomly landed on heads or tails. The results should indicate 50/50. Another project I could use Scratch for could be in a writing or art class. As a fourth grade teacher, I may ask my students to write a short story and create an interactive drawing through Scratch. The site enables students to draw, and label objects. Students make the drawing interactive by clicking on an object. When the object is clicked on, it will either move or make a sound. This would be an excellent way to incorporate technology in the classroom.
Question #2: Besides these two new technological ideas, how else could you get your students to practice creative thinking in the classroom?
I would have an “Inventor’s Day.” I would encourage my students to come up with fun new ideas. There would be no limit on their inventions, other than it has to be something that they have never heard of before. Students may either write a paper describing their inventions, or they could create a prototype by either drawing a picture or making some sort of diorama. If the invention is a game I would want to see them create it. It doesn’t have to be too fancy; A simple poster board and markers would do just fine. This would be a fun way to entice students to think creatively.
Journal 3
"The ABC’s for Privacy Practices for Educators"
By: Melissa J. Dark, Clewin McPherson, & Joanne Troutner
In today’s hurried world, convenience is at the top of our list. Time saving technology is welcomed by all, to simplify tasks and make things easier. Commonly, educators are expected to maintain records and have them available for instant recall. This would not only include current documents for each student, but would also include their histories since kindergarten. It would take a caravan of moving trucks to transport such an effort. Instead of hauling around reams of paper, loading such information on a laptop, PDA or cell phone would naturally be a better choice. Unfortunately, such valuable information can be misplaced, lost or stolen. Recently, a top government official lost his laptop containing confidential information which could compromise our National Security. Less critical, but equally embarrassing, Paris Hilton also had a “techie blunder”, when someone ripped off her cell phone, containing Paris’ entire celebrity speed dial and top secret texts to enemies, friends and lovers. The article describes the best way to protect your private information in cyberspace. The authors make it as easy as ABC.
A = Asset Identification and Classification, which is to determine what needs to be asked and then select who will be privy to this information. This makes sense. I do not think the school nurse needs to know my grade point average or credit score. Likewise, the financial department should not ask about my cholesterol count even though it has to do with numbers. The article suggests to first, issue passwords that are difficult for hackers to crack, yet simple enough to remember yourself.
B = Building Privacy Policies, which means to put into writing exactly what will be asked and how the information will be dispersed. These policies protect the person giving the information that their confidential answers will not be sold, given away or fall into the wrong hands. It is a guarantee that there will be no break in confidence. Credit card companies send out disclosure statements frequently advising the card holders that they will share their private information and if the cardholder objects, they must opt out in writing. Schools and educational institutions must be held accountable for the information they gather and disperse.
C = Choosing Technologies that Enforce Policies. This is to find specific databases that list and allow information that is pertinent. Some information would have greater access, keeping more confidential information more difficult to reveal. Encryption, third party tools and authentication/passwords are some of the tools used to determine who gets in and who gets kicked out.
Question #1 Name a time when you lost something that contained private or personal information. How did you feel?
When I was in ninth grade, I lost my day planner. Now this planner not only contained my homework assignments, addresses and phone numbers; I used to write my daily diary entries in this assignment book. My deepest darkest secrets were displayed in my little notebook that I carried with me to school everyday. I was horrified and freaked out when I had misplaced it. Luckily, someone had turned it in to the PE locker room, and all was well. I quit writing in my diary after that. I learned a big lesson that day. Don’t ever write anything down that you wouldn’t want anyone to read, unless you are certain that the information is safe. In this case, my feelings were displayed for anyone to see, and that was traumatic in the ninth grade. In today’s society we have to worry about identity theft. It sure would have been a lot worse if I had misplaced a laptop that contained my social security, credit card numbers and passwords.
Question #2 As a teacher, what will you do to protect your students’ private information?
I plan on purchasing a new laptop when I get my first job. This article is a great guide as to how to protect private information. I will take the authors’ suggestions and use their ABC guide. I will first, design a username and password that only I know that will enable me to log in to my laptop. I will create a different username and password for whatever grade book program I decide to use. This way, my students’ information will be protected if, say, my friend wanted to use my laptop or if my laptop is misplaced or stolen. The article also discusses some technologies that are useful to protect privacy. I could encrypt certain files in Windows. This extra precaution would further help to make it more difficult for a hacker to become privy to my students’ personal information.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Journal 2
“The Threat of Security”
By: LeAnne K. Robinson, Abbie Brown, & Tim Green
The article begins by describing a teacher who was reprimanded for the inappropriate use of the Internet on school grounds… No, no… it’s not what you are thinking. He simply placed a flower order online after spending his Saturday getting ready for Back to School. Because the teacher’s use of technology was not school related, the personnel director reported to him, explaining that he was being watched. To make matters worse, the school has made it impossible for the teacher to burn CD’s. He simply wanted to burn a CD of a PowerPoint presentation for his class, and was told that it was not allowed because the teachers may break the law when it comes to copyrighting issues. Because of these negative experiences, this particular teacher finds it too difficult to incorporate new technology in to the classroom. He states, “It is much easier to continue doing what I know works than to attempt to use technology that is riddled with roadblocks.”
Even a teacher’s school district e-mail account is under thorough investigation at all times. The authors explain that there are three rules pertaining to email use on school property. No teacher is allowed to transmit material 1. “that promotes violence or advocates destruction of property including, but not limited to access to information concerning the manufacturing or purchasing of destructive devices or weapons; 2. that is not related to district educational objectives; 3. that contains pornographic, obscene or other sexually oriented materials.” The authors note that while they agree with points 1 and 3, point 2 is a hard one to follow. For example, if a teacher wanted to converse with a colleague about weekend plans, this would not be an appropriate subject for email conversation, according to these rules. The combination of high restrictions and a watchful eye, cause many teachers to not want to risk getting into trouble. It is easier to simply not use the technology.
Although we are significantly advancing technologically, the threat of security is a major issue in practicing new uses of technology in schools. The authors conclude, “we… must find ways to create environments in which the potential dangers of the tools are minimized without minimizing teachers’ opportunities for professional growth.”
Question #1 What is your experience with new technology in the classroom? Did you find the restrictions too difficult of an obstacle to continue using the technology?
I am not a teacher yet, so I do not have any insight from a teacher’s perspective. However, I do have experience being a student when a professor has incorporated the newest technology in the classroom. Fall semester, 2005 I completed my final classes for my Bachelor’s in Business Administration. Ben Cherry was my HR professor. He did a great job incorporating technology into the class. We would begin every period with a discussion of what was going on in the world. He encouraged us to bring our laptops to class so we could be discussing the latest news that pertained to our class discussions. Ben was also the professor who introduced me to Pod-Casting. He would record his lectures in class, and put them online the same night. It was a great study tool. One restriction Ben had in using the Pod-Cast was that he wasn’t always able to use everything we discussed. He would sometimes say, “OK, well that won’t be on the pod-cast tonight” if we maybe went off topic. Other than that, I did not perceive any other sorts of restrictions.
Question #2 As a teacher, what would you do if there were too many strong restrictions when wanting to include technology in your classroom?
As a future teacher, I plan on doing my best to give my students knowledge to use the latest ideas in technology. If there was a rule that restricted my use of technology in the classroom, I would do my best to work around it. I certainly would not give up on the idea because technology is just too important to the future of my students. For example, the article discusses the teacher who was not able to burn a CD of a PowerPoint presentation for class. If this had happened to me, I would find another way to present that information. I could email myself the PowerPoint, and open it up during class. I could save the presentation on a disc or a zip. I think it is important to not let the restrictions hinder our use of technology in the classroom.
By: LeAnne K. Robinson, Abbie Brown, & Tim Green
The article begins by describing a teacher who was reprimanded for the inappropriate use of the Internet on school grounds… No, no… it’s not what you are thinking. He simply placed a flower order online after spending his Saturday getting ready for Back to School. Because the teacher’s use of technology was not school related, the personnel director reported to him, explaining that he was being watched. To make matters worse, the school has made it impossible for the teacher to burn CD’s. He simply wanted to burn a CD of a PowerPoint presentation for his class, and was told that it was not allowed because the teachers may break the law when it comes to copyrighting issues. Because of these negative experiences, this particular teacher finds it too difficult to incorporate new technology in to the classroom. He states, “It is much easier to continue doing what I know works than to attempt to use technology that is riddled with roadblocks.”
Even a teacher’s school district e-mail account is under thorough investigation at all times. The authors explain that there are three rules pertaining to email use on school property. No teacher is allowed to transmit material 1. “that promotes violence or advocates destruction of property including, but not limited to access to information concerning the manufacturing or purchasing of destructive devices or weapons; 2. that is not related to district educational objectives; 3. that contains pornographic, obscene or other sexually oriented materials.” The authors note that while they agree with points 1 and 3, point 2 is a hard one to follow. For example, if a teacher wanted to converse with a colleague about weekend plans, this would not be an appropriate subject for email conversation, according to these rules. The combination of high restrictions and a watchful eye, cause many teachers to not want to risk getting into trouble. It is easier to simply not use the technology.
Although we are significantly advancing technologically, the threat of security is a major issue in practicing new uses of technology in schools. The authors conclude, “we… must find ways to create environments in which the potential dangers of the tools are minimized without minimizing teachers’ opportunities for professional growth.”
Question #1 What is your experience with new technology in the classroom? Did you find the restrictions too difficult of an obstacle to continue using the technology?
I am not a teacher yet, so I do not have any insight from a teacher’s perspective. However, I do have experience being a student when a professor has incorporated the newest technology in the classroom. Fall semester, 2005 I completed my final classes for my Bachelor’s in Business Administration. Ben Cherry was my HR professor. He did a great job incorporating technology into the class. We would begin every period with a discussion of what was going on in the world. He encouraged us to bring our laptops to class so we could be discussing the latest news that pertained to our class discussions. Ben was also the professor who introduced me to Pod-Casting. He would record his lectures in class, and put them online the same night. It was a great study tool. One restriction Ben had in using the Pod-Cast was that he wasn’t always able to use everything we discussed. He would sometimes say, “OK, well that won’t be on the pod-cast tonight” if we maybe went off topic. Other than that, I did not perceive any other sorts of restrictions.
Question #2 As a teacher, what would you do if there were too many strong restrictions when wanting to include technology in your classroom?
As a future teacher, I plan on doing my best to give my students knowledge to use the latest ideas in technology. If there was a rule that restricted my use of technology in the classroom, I would do my best to work around it. I certainly would not give up on the idea because technology is just too important to the future of my students. For example, the article discusses the teacher who was not able to burn a CD of a PowerPoint presentation for class. If this had happened to me, I would find another way to present that information. I could email myself the PowerPoint, and open it up during class. I could save the presentation on a disc or a zip. I think it is important to not let the restrictions hinder our use of technology in the classroom.
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