Journal #9: Are Schools Inhibiting 21st Century Learning

The article “Are Schools Inhibiting 21st Century Learning?” by Dave Nagel uses a number of different technology based surveys to examine whether or not schools and teachers are advancing technology skills or inhibiting them. Overall it seemed that (while the teachers, staff and parents thought "local schools are doing a good job preparing students for jobs and careers of the future,") many of the students felt that the teachers were in fact limiting their technology use.

The article also talked about how the different "education stakeholders" about different technology tools that can be used to enhance the students learning. Both teachers and students felt that electronic learning tools like educational games and online learning. But, even though both teacher and students expressed interest and acknowledged the benefit of these tools, only a small percent were actually using them (11% of teacher said they were presently using educational games and only 8% of students said that they had any experience with online learning.)

Questions:
1.) Q: How do you feel that this class has prepared you to deal with some of the issues addressed in this article?

A: I think that this class has not only introduced me to tools that I had never encountered before, but it has also made me more comfortable using the tools that I was already familiar with. It gave me more insight to using everyday applications like Word or PowerPoint and also introduced me to applications on the web that enhance my use of those tools.

2.) Q: What was one thing in this article that stuck out to you?

A: One thing that stuck out to me was that there were such big differences between the percent of teachers that thought the technology tool was useful and the percent that were actually using the tool. According to the article “65 percent [of teachers] indicated that they thought educational gaming would be an effective tool for students with different learning styles and would help engage students in coursework” but only 11% were actually using them in their lessons.

Journal #8: Computer Tutors vs. Teachers

The article that I read was “Can Computers Tutor Students as Effectively as Teachers?” by Jeanie Cole and Ken Luterbach. In this article the two authors debate the two sides of the question. Luterbach believes that yes computers can tutor students as efficiently as teachers. He points out that studies have shown that “achievement from computer-aided instruction equaled achievement from teacher-led instruction” and that students who were struggling with the material showed improvement when using the computer lead instruction. The author says that as long as the instructor (be it a teacher or a computer) engages the students attention, makes the content relevant, and increases the students confidence both modes of instruction can be equally effective. In the end the author points out that computer provide “individual attention, immediate feedback, and unending patience” that is important in helping students learn.

Jeanie Cole argues that, while computer software has evolved greatly, it can not take the place of teacher lead instruction. She emphasizes the fact that students need the connection that teachers provide. She says that “A teacher satisfies student needs for connections to others, challenges them beyond expectations, promotes high-level and collaborative learning and can adjust to student personalities and learning styles.” She gave a number if examples of how her students have responded best to computer based learning when she has still been interactive. On the whole she feels that computer based learning is a useful tool for tutoring students that struggle but they can not reach the student on all levels.

Questions:
1.) Q: Which side do you agree with the most?

A: I am a little torn on this subject. I think that computers probably could teach the subject matter to students as effectively as teachers but I also agree with Jeanie Cole in that students still need that connection that the teacher brings. Overall I think that teachers still have the upper hand.

2.) Q:What do you think would be the most effective way to use computers as tutors?

A: Computer-based teaching would be most effective, I think, when it is integrated with teacher-based instruction, so that the student can still get all of the benefits of the computer set up and still have the connections through the teacher.

Journal #7: Middle School Classroom Management

The article that I chose was Middle School Classroom Management: Behavior Action Plan by Adam Waxler. This article basically talked about how classroom management is one of the most important and most difficult skills to master, and that it can be an especially daunting task for middle-school teachers. Waxler talks about the fact that many first year teacher let the first few weeks of the school year fool them into thinking that there doesn’t seem to be much of a problem with managing their classroom. Once the students start to feel more comfortable though, they begin to test the teacher boundaries.

Waxler then goes on to give an alternative to the standard reward and punishment management systems, which he says is “only a temporary solution to an ongoing problem. Students who respond to the rewards begin to do their work and behave ONLY if a reward is involved, while at the same time many students who thrive on negative attention actually begin to seek out the punishment.” He suggests the behavior action plan. This is a more “proactive plan” that’s main purpose is to keep the students actively engaged in the lessons. The behavior action plan calls for the students to set up their own plan. They do this by completing three statements: “I am writing this plan because I...”, “This behavior was not appropriate because...” and “To prevent this from happening again, I plan to...”. The students then sign and file their statements. The author feels that this management plan has more long lasting effects because it makes the student acknowledge their actions and then think of ways to correct that behavior.

Questions:
1.) Q: What did you find most interesting or informative about this article?

A: I found this article interesting because I would like to teach middle-school and in my observations I have found that classroom management in middle school classrooms can be an issue. So far I have seen a number of reward systems and I have not really thought that any of them were terribly effective and I am interested in the different types of techniques out there.

2.) Q:How effective do you think the Behavior Action Plan would be?

A: I would have to say that I do not one-hundred percent think that the Behavior Action Plan would be very effective. If the student still does not think that their behavior is in the wrong, filling out the BAP afterwards would not really get the point across. Also, I do not quite understand if this plan is ment to be implemented before the unwanted behavior takes place or afterwards.

Journal #10: Inspiration Tutorials in Atomic Learning

Overall I did not get a whole lot out of the Atomic Learning tutorial, I personally like to get into a program or project first and fiddle around with it. So, looking at the tutorials first was not as helpful to me as opposed to if I had started the Inspiration project and then looked back on the tutorials when I came upon a problem or question. I did find them very well done though and I think that they would be very helpful in explaining specific questions that you might have. One thing that I did like a lot was the fact that it had a step-by-step visual of exactly what the person was explaining.

Journal #6: Virtual Worlds

Second Life? Post by Lucy Gray

A virtual world is a computer-simulated environment where users can “interact, play, learn, do business and communicate in an online environment.” This means that users create avatars, or virtual representations of themselves, and then interact with each other through everything from text and graphical icons to visual gesture and sound. The most common forum for virtual worlds are MMOPG’s (or massively multiplayer online role playing games.)

Virtual worlds are also growing as an educational tool. In the discussion board on Classroom 2.0 one of the users mentioned how she uses Second Life () in a variety of ways; like to hold office hours for the college students in her online class and to meet fellow educators from around the country and the world. These virtual worlds can also be used to create museums where students can explore the Louvre from thousands of miles away or teachers can set up their own aerospace and science museums. Another example of the global applications of this technology is the project being done in the Modesto School District. One of the users discusses how students who are studying Japanese are collaborating with Japanese students who are studying English to set up a virtual community.

One of the teachers also talked about how he had used a virtual setting to create a 3-D model of an eyeball with labeled and interactive parts that the students could explore. This teacher also had a number of interesting ideas of what could be done with virtual spaces including building a virtual Peaquod and haveing the students “go in search of Moby Dick” or build an internal combustion engine to “demonstrate how the parts of it work so they can get up close and personal to see it actually in motion without being burned.” These are just a few of the amazing ideas of what can and is being done with this new technology.

Related links:
http://sleducation.wikispaces.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_world

Journal #4: Distance Learning

Point/Counterpoint: Is Distance Learning Effective? by Jean Kiekel and Diane Stelacio

The article that I read was “Is Distance Learning Effective?” by Jean Kiekel and Diane Stelacio (from the September 2007 issue of Learning and Leading with Technology.) This article has two different takes on whether distance learning (mainly online learning) is an effective learning/teaching tool. The first author (Ms. Kiekel) feels that distance learning is a wonderful tool that allows students to learn in a way that best fits their learning styles (which is especially important for gifted and disabled students.) She also feels that smaller schools and more rural or isolated schools would most benefit from these types of programs because it allows them “to increase the number and depth of courses offered to students without increasing the size of their faculty or school buildings.”
Ms. Stelacio agrees with Ms. Kiekel on most point. Although she does not feel that distance learning is more or less effective then onsite instruction; she does believe that distance learning could be a helpful alternative to give student access to a verity of programs that they might not be able to have at their own school. She also thinks that it gives student to find their best way to learn. On a whole she feels that “online learning is a viable alternative promoting individual growth while expanding the classroom boundaries”.
Overall there dose not seem to be much disagreement between the two authors. They both feel that distance learning is effective, just not necessarily more so that a traditional in school environment.

Questions:
1.) Q: Do you think that distance learning could replace onsite instruction?
A: I think that distance learning could be a great tool for some students, especially in cases where their school does not offer as many different of extracurricular courses, but I do not think that it would ever overtake onsite instruction. The face-to-face interaction between teachers and students is too important and (for the most part) I do not think that too many middle school or high school students have the self dedication to basically work on their own.

2.) Q: who do you think would most benefit from distance learning?
A: I agree with Diane Stelacio in that I think that students who do not have equal access to different programs and classes would benefit most for distance learning. I know friends who went to schools in different areas and did not have access to the same classes that I did (things like the fact that my high school had a number of AP courses but my friend a different district only had three or four available.) I think that it would be a great way to give students access classes that would be very beneficial to their educational advancement.

Journal #3: Blogging

Five Don’ts of Classroom Blogging by Julie Sturgeon

Teacher often think that the worry and bother of trying to manage and oversee a students class blog is not worth the benefits that they bring. This article, “Five Don’ts of Classroom Blogging” by Julie Sturgeon, basically talks about how teachers can avoid five common mistakes and make blogging a success. The first don’t is “Don’t just dive in.” The author talks about how you should make it very clear to the students what you expect of them and what is not permitted (bullying, cursing, ect.) The secont don’t is “Don’t confuse blogging with social networking.” This means that the blog needs to be set up in a strictly educational format; it is not meant for socializing.
Next is “Don’t leap for the freebees.” This means take the time (and maybe a little money) to invest in a forum that will allow you the access and control that you need to oversee the blogs. The author also brought up a good point about how “there is no way to build a cyber-fence around a particular classroom project; students have access to the entire blogging world-and vice versa.” Then the author says “Don’t force a sequential style” (meaning don’t make it so that the bloggs can only be listed in order of when they were posted.) This is so that the students can arrange them in ways that make the most sense or are meaningful to them. And lastly the author says “Don’t leave the blogging to the students.” This means that you have to still be an active participant in the blogging process. You should lead by example and make sure you are knowledgeable enough to lead and teach the students about the process.

Questions:
1.) Q: What would you do to make sure that the students understood your expectations and what is acceptable in their blog?

A: I like the idea of having the students sign a “Conduct Contract.” Not only do you need to discuss what they can and can not do but I think that it is a good idea to have it in writing for the students to look back on; and if there is some sort of issue tat you need to address with a student you can use it as a reference. I also think that it is important for students to understand that a classroom blog is like an extension of school; all of the school rules apply an if they break any of those rules they are subject to the schools punishment.

2.) Q: What do you think would be the best way to find the resources to set up a blog if the free blog spots are not acceptable?

A: The article mentions places like “Class Blogmeister” that you can use. If you have to subscribe to a service you can always talk to the school and see if you can apply the expense to the math or science budget (or whatever subject you teach.) You could also try to set up a donation drive (recycle cans, bake sale, car wash, ect.)