Digital Blog Post #D - Chapter 5

In reading Chapter Five this week, there were many options that gave me food for thought and reflection, so I reviewed and chose the following three concepts.

The first is ‘Becoming Fluent with Technology’, the initial thing that came to mind before reading this portion was that I think of this in terms of language. But when I reviewed Webster’s dictionary online the secondary description gave more insight for a technological use that being ‘done in a smooth and easy way’, which is certainly what I hope to achieve, one day! Our book spoke about how it’s not really the ‘knowledge’ that we have trouble finding, but just how to understand, analyze and use it in effective and day to day life applications. Just this morning, my husband asked me when we will go back to ‘standard time’, because he was noticing that the sun is rising later and later etc. So I clicked into the search engine on my phone and asked a question. My phone responded with a general description of when in March and then in November time is adjusted. This was because I asked a general question, not specific dates for 2016.  So for me in a sense this was a small ‘Aha’ moment that related right back to this concept in our book. Sure it gave me ‘correct’ information, but in order to find specific dates etc., I need to define that…part of becoming ‘smooth and easy’. As for how that would affect my teaching, I would say that as I model fluency, my students can learn more effectively too.

The second concept that made me really think was the section on ‘Electronic Note-Taking’ which immediately brought some thoughts to my mind and in a sense gave me some pause. When I returned to school in the spring semester, I took four classes, and as such I went out and purchased four paper notebooks, for as the name implies ‘note-taking’. I was a bit surprised that when I arrived in my classes that many of my fellow classmates came in carrying Laptops, etc. and were ‘typing’ notes in as the professors were lecturing and my thought was ‘How can they type and listen at the same time?’. Then it occurred to me that perhaps this was like the stenographer of old (do they still have people who do that job?!?!) but I don’t think the stenographers were trying to ‘learn and absorb information’, just taking notes for later transcription. So how do you absorb enough to learn content?  And that piggybacks on my observation experience for my Intro to Education class, the teacher I was observing was teaching eighth grade US History. At the beginning of class he provided the students with already prepared Cornell Notes, because he said the students were either a) reading below grade level or b) never taught to take effective notes. I know our text pointed out and described several computer technologies and tools for Electronic Note-taking, but it just made me wonder if before employing these electronic systems it might be better to actually teach students skills (like Cornell or others) for better note-taking. That aside, the other side of the electronic ‘argument’, if you will, is that if internet and/or electricity is cut off, how do I study from notes that are ‘locked in cyberspace’? Just a rhetoric question from an old school girl!

The third concept from this chapter that led to some additional pondering on my part is the idea of ‘Cognitive Load’, which our book defines as ‘the way information presented online can either support or restrict understanding and learning by readers and viewers.’ (pg. 116) This is something that as I have used websites, both as a student and just for my personal use, I sometimes find difficult to navigate. I am even more aware of this as I search through websites for this week’s assignment, I feel like I’m living in the children’s story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears…one website is ‘too big’, one website is ‘too little’, finding the ‘just right’ one can be a struggle! As a future teacher I’m hoping that knowledge gained in classes like this one will give me skills and guidance so that create a blended classroom (physical and electronic) to serve the educational needs of all my students.

This chapter was full of juicy tidbits and insights, and if I can improve on my fluency in technology, understanding of electronic note-taking and find useful tools for navigating to the best online educational support, my future students could benefit greatly.

 

 

By robin2040 | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

 

 

 

References

AVID Site Team (Ed.). (2015). Cornell Notes. Retrieved September 22, 2016, from http://schools.hsd.k12.or.us/liberty/Academics/AVID/CornellNotes/tabid/6217/Default.aspx

Fluent. (n.d.). Retrieved September 22, 2016, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fluenthttp://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fluent

Goldilocks and the Three Bears. (2016, September 18). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 15:12, September 23, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Goldilocks_and_the_Three_Bears&oldid=740030343

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Woolf, R (2016, September 23) Toonie Concepts. Created with TooDoo.  www.ToonDoo.com embed.

Digital Blog Post #B - Chapter 2

As I began reading Chapter Two this week, unlike in the introduction to last week’s chapter, I did find that I could identify with the representative teacher called Ava.

Ergo it seems appropriate that the first concept I chose this week is ‘Your Innovation and Technology Readiness’.  In some ways I think that technology could enhance my future students learning, but on the other hand, because I did not grow up with technology, in a sense I feel behind the preverbal eight ball. As I looked at the Figure 2.1 on page 26, I would say that I definitely fall between ‘quick to follow proven success’ and ‘cautious observer’ because while I would characterize myself as positive in attitude, I also know where my true comfort levels lie. The idea of heading into an arena of middle schoolers who grew up with technologies I am hearing two phrases in my head. The first, I’m not sure who originally used this is ‘never let them see you sweat’ because we all know you sweat when you’re nervous. And the other line is a quote from the great FDR ‘the only thing we have to fear is fear itself’. I think I’ll go with FDR, overcome my own fear and move forward with technology!

The second concept, in a sense dovetails into the first. That being that in the Tech Tool 2.1 section on page 25, it discussed ‘apps’  for teaching and learning and for History/ Social Studies it described three specific applications which I could see working well into my future classroom. Early Jamestown, Back in Time and The FDR Years, because history is one of those subjects that is exciting, but even more so if in a way, we can ‘bring it to life’. In the literal sense this is not always easy to do, but through computer technologies history can be unearthed. I remember back in my youth making dioramas and traveling to museums to make history ‘real’ but this can be done through various software programs and that is exciting.

The third concept which I grappled with was the idea of ‘Roles for Technology in Teaching’. As I read this part which details the ways and frequency of technology usage and then the obligatory critics of technology in schools thoughts ran amok in my head. In our world today, technology is everywhere except apparently U.S schools, which in a sense struck me as almost laughable, but not quite. Babies, children and young adults are growing up technology savvy, BUT a majority of the school teachers are still of my generation, not born into it and so still ‘playing catch-up’. Yes, I know that is a wide generalization, and I do see that things are moving toward technology as more and more ‘young’ teachers enter the market.

Overall, as with anything ‘new’ we need to continue to implement and learn what the balance is that will provide the best results and continue to engage our students and help them to continue to succeed. 

Resources:

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Woolf, R. D. (2016, September 11). Digital Blog Post #B. Created with padlet.com screenshot

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Digital Blog Post #A - Chapter 1

In reading Chapter I in our book, from the beginning of the chapter as we were introduced to Hilary and Anthony, I kept thinking how much farther along these new teachers were than myself, at least in the technology arena. But I enjoy being the student and so I will embrace the technology that I am not yet as familiar with. In that vein the entire chapter gave me ‘food for thought’ and reflection, but I will pick three concepts to discuss.

First concept is the box on pages 6-7 that discusses “Tablets, Smartphones and Laptops” or “Tech Tool 1.1”. I look at this with the same eyes that the teachers of yesteryear might have looked at copiers, film strips, loud speakers, overhead projectors and even back to typewriters and mimeograph machines. These are the ‘new’ tools and will help not only me with preparing to teach the students, but also will help the students as they grasp concepts differently then perhaps I did, and perhaps even different than their peers do.  As I prepare to head into this new career, I need to acclimate myself to the ways in which my students are learning, as our textbook pointed out “using technology is not the same as being knowledgeable about technology…how can teachers best harness students interest …to propel academic learning?”(pg. 3).

This would lead into the second concept which would be for Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK).  I reviewed: TPACK explained , and found it very helpful because it gave more detail than our text.   Simply put I could be technology smart, but pedagogically challenged, and that would benefit no one. I could learn to use every available technology out there but if I don’t focus on academic essentials, the curriculum content, concepts, facts, theories and disciplines, but there would be no balance.  My primary goal as a teacher needs to be to teach and help my students to become productive members of o our society and of the world at large using whatever skills and/or technology, and perhaps even non-technological at my disposal to enhance the pedagogy.

The third concept that piqued my interest was the ‘Outside-the-classroom use by teachers’. This focused on “grading and attendance, professional correspondence and writing, research, home-school communication and educational networking” (pg.  7) Essentially my support system as I continually work for things like continuing education to better my teaching skills, which would spill over into helping my students have the best educational experiences. In today’s busy world, parents don’t always ‘come in for a conference’ like I did and my parents did, but that doesn’t mean we as teachers won’t be contact with the home situation. I think that even with technology giving way to change, it still does ‘take a village’ to educate a child, even if the village is a virtual one!

Wow, did I say I wanted to be a twenty-first century teacher? Yes, I did and I do, but for this student, the technology part will need the most ‘training’. I am a child of Star Trek (the ORIGINAL series) and The Jetsons. I grew up believing that all that is currently happening would eventually be, but it was not part of my daily existence like it is now and will be for my future students. I look forward to this journey to making my future classroom one that students will enjoy coming into. The following video stated most of what was running through my mind as I pondered the adventure I signed up for when I began reading Chapter I.

 

 

Resources:
Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.