Telling the Real Stuff From the Fluff

I believe that teaching students and teachers to evaluate websites is extremely beneficial. With today’s modern technology, anyone can literally post anything on the Internet. This may pose a dangerous situation, that is why we need to be aware of the “fluff” that is out there. I thought it was interesting to evaluate the three websites I chose using Kathy Schrock’s checklists. It really enabled me to pay attention to things I wouldn’t have normally noticed, such as the date the website was updated and the author of the site. This is so important because data is constantly being updated, and you want to be sure you are reading current information. Out of the three websites, I chose to evaluate one teacher website, Time for Kids, and two student websites, The Underground Railroad and Civil War for Kids. I plan on using both of these websites in my classroom. Though the teacher evaluation checklist was more intense than the elementary checklist, it really made me think about content and pedagogy. I especially like the section at the end of the elementary checklist that asks students to write a paragraph telling why the website is helpful (or not helpful) for a certain project they are researching. I would like to incorporate this checklist into my classroom because I believe it provides the opportunity for students to synthesize the content on the checklist and make an educated decision as to whether or not that website is suitable for their purpose.
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/eval.html

Digital, Digital, Digital!

We definitely live in a "Digital Tech Savvy" world! Monday night's class certainly proved this to be true. We had a great experience online, but it would have been even better if I had a microphone to communicate with the other class members! It was difficult typing my responses because you need to listen to the people who are already talking, read the responses that are popping up on the screen, and then formulate thoughts in your own head. It would be much easier if i could just talk through a microphone! Walmart here I come :)
I really enjoyed the fact that Dr. S had her webcam on! It made me feel at ease to be able to see her, as well as hear her! I guess this has something to do with me being a visual learner. Plus, it made me feel like I was actually in a class.
Well, our group chose the name "Digital Chicks" and our group motto is, "Changing technology one computer at a time!" (Very appropriate for this class!!) Digital literacy is very important for teachers today because it is a way for students to actually synthesize information, as well as apply newly acquired skills. Literacy is no longer just about reading and writing. Along with digital literacy, students need to be aware of information literacy, which means knowing how to find, analyze, and use information. Digital students of today's society need to be able to take reading and writing to a higher level because this is what they are going to be expected to do in many of their future careers.
One way teachers can be sure that they are preparing students for this digital age is to constantly incorporate the Six National Educational Technology Standards into their classrooms. We worked as a group on Monday to brainstorm various tools aligned with the standards that teachers can use to develop skills in the classroom. We came up with products such as clipart, wordart, Kidspiration, morning message on smartboard, and class webpages, webquests, wikis, and blogs, just to name a few. Teachers must make their classrooms and curriculums appropriate for the digital learner. I feel that most teachers are able to inspire student learning and creativity, but they do need to provide more digital age learning experiences and assessments in order to stay in tune with the "Net Generation."
Children of today are living in the Net Generation. They don't know life without the Internet or technology because this is what they have been exposed to from birth! At the end of the school day, I watch as the countless number of cell phones and i-pods come out of my fifth graders' book bags! I didn't get a cell phone until I was 16....and I just got an i-pod two years ago! Students of today are learning to become multi-taskers with technology. However, many schools are lagging behind and this is a problem. Some people believe that students cannot focus on more than one thing at a time. This is not at all the truth!! I see children multi-task everyday in the classroom, when given the proper opportunities to do so. I believe many schools out there aren't giving students a chance to take off with technology...and this scares me. How will they be prepared for what is ahead??
With Web 2.0, content is created, shared, remixed, repurposed, and passed along. It includes images, video, and multimedia. This is MUCH different from the "read only" Web 1.0. With Web 1.0, students were passive in their learning environment. It was based on teacher-centered instruction, and instruction was factual and knowledge based. The new and improved Web 2.0 is the read-write web! It focuses on a student-centered learning environment in which the collaborative exchange of information takes place. Authentic learning takes place with Web 2.0 because it engages students in active, inquiry based activities. Students are taught to be critical thinkers and decision makers. This is definitely how I want my students to approach their learning!

Dust off the Cobwebs!!

I found it very informative to review the different LoTi levels. Much of the content presented was an eye-opener! It is an interesting way to break down technology use in our schools (or lack there of...). Before reading the description of the level, I took a few minutes to reflect on the question posed in the beginning of each level and think about how it directly relates to my classroom and district. I actually ranked my district at a level "3". Many of the projects we do with our students are inquiry based in which students have to think of their own guiding questions for their research. Last year, my colleagues and I created a "Colonial America WebQuest" in which my students had to conduct research, draw conclusions based on the research, and create an electronic Colonial America Newspaper. This year, we are planning to do a unit on The Civil War in which students will have to construct guiding questions and conduct research based on the topics they are interested in researching. We are still thinking about a culminating project! Any ideas?
I think teachers need to "dust off those cobwebs" and start to experiment with the joys of technology. It may take time to get to level 3, but they need to start somewhere. I bet they will probably be very surpirsed of how much more engaged their students really are!

CHANGE Anyone??

No, I don't mean money! They say some things never change...this definitely is not the case with technology! Change is really the essence of education as we know it today! Over these past few days, I have spent A LOT of time exploring the various resources posted on Moodle. Every website I visited, every video I watched, and every article I read seemed to reinforce that technology is growing stronger day by day. After viewing the "Learning to Change..." video, I realized that technology is not a choice anymore. As the video states, a young child growing up in today's society is certainly living in the "now." He/she is in the world of texting, Facebook, and internet research. Instead of learning in a traditional classroom setting, much of what students learn in school is based around technology. This is a huge change for many educators.
I agree with the point the video raises of standardized testing not helping students to succeed in the future because many of these tests are just based on simple fact and recall. Where is the real world application of skills? How is a standardized test going to give students the skills needed to find, process, and synthesize information? Yes, testing is needed to assess whether or not a student has grasped an important concept, but the answer is simple. Students of today's world cannot become prepared for what is really out there unless they are constantly exposed to everything technology has to offer.
I also found the "Chapter One Power Point to be very interesting. Technology is definitely present in every aspect of daily living, and as the chapter explains, computers support communication beyond classroom walls. Our students of today really are "Digital." When I think of technology, communication is one of the first things I think of. Take this class for example. We, too, are "Digital" students using technology to communicate our ideas with one another in order to make meaning. As the "Differentiation Video" explains, the learning environment has changed from what it has been in the past. It is now a sharing of information...and one of the best ways to do that is through technology! Many students do know more about technology then their teachers. Sometimes I even find myself calling for a student when I can't figure out how to do something on the SmartBoard or on the computer!! And to tell you the truth, they usually solve the problem! They are constantly exposed to technology, so their minds are almost trained to think in that mode.
As educators, we must be willing to take "the leap" into the world of technology...even if it is out of our comfort zone. I belive it is time to make a change, and I am so excited to hear what my peers in this class are doing with technology in the classroom. Change isn't necessarily a bad thing-especially in this case! So, are you ready?

An Interesting "Leap" into Technology!

During this week I was able to finally take the "leap" into the world of blogging, websites, and wikis! Honestly speaking, I was overwhelmed at first...but I soon realized that these wonderful resources are a lot of fun to explore and set up! Now that I have begun to explore the various tools that will help me to creatively inform instruction in my classroom, I must begin to think about how these tools will help enhance my literacy instruction.