Who's In Charge Here???

I remember, not so long ago, when my computer was something I didn't use everyday and never thought about when I wasn't on it. My computer was just a tool that served at my command for researching and writing a paper, playing a game of free cell, making a list, getting my mail, listening to itunes. It served me well for these functions, generally did what it was supposed to do, and left me alone. Back then, my computer knew who was the boss, knew that I was in charge of it. What the heck happened??? Somehow, this little marvel of modern technology has me serving at its altar almost 24/7. And, the rare times I am not bowed before its screen, I am thinking about it! It's no longer, "My name is Kerry and I am a digital immigrant". Now it's, "My name is Kerry and I am a digital immigrant computer addict". My computer is running me! Can you believe it? I, who only 9 weeks ago thought I would never survive this class, am now not only surviving, but thriving! Perhaps, thriving too much--as I can't seem to stay away from the computer! It all started with the midterm ppt reflection. I had never done a ppt before so I was a wee bit freaked out. Then, while finding links for our group TH, I found one on ppt. It was a tutorial designed mainly for students and, also, for digital immigrant teachers, like myself.

(PPT Tutorial Site Link: http://www.actden.com/pp/index.htm )

I didn't even have to go through the whole thing. I viewed enough to feel confident to get started. Next thing I knew I was creating my reflection ppt. It wasn't until I started playing with the design (color, fonts, clip art) that I began to become obsessed. I was like a kid at a carnival. "I want to try this, and that, and that, and this...". I was still somewhat under control at this point. It was the discovery of animation that was the cause of my downfall. I was completely and utterly hooked on the whole design aspect. I wanted to call people and offer to do their ppts for them! Right after I finished my reflection ppt, I started on my Change Project ppt for Nature of Schools. I had been dreading this since it was assigned in February, hoping I'd be able to learn enough to type some text in the appropriate places without it taking me forever and a day. How time and a little experience changes one's perspective! I was so happy to have this ppt to do after my reflections were finished. I didn't have to go through immediate withdrawal! It wasn't until I was at the tweaking stage of my Change Project that I realized I had run out of ppts to do! Panic time! Need to create something, preferably that incorporates text with colors, design, art, and animation! Wait a minute...HA4, the one I wasn't going to do because it involved ppt and I can't do ppt...well, that was then-this is now! I can do ppt. In fact, I can't not do ppt! The discovery that I had another fix was such a relief. I loved doing the HA4. It was truly fun and it left me filled with ideas of presenting/introducing lessons using ppt.
I showed my HA4 to my 9 year old son, Adam, and asked what he thought. "Mom, this is awesome. How come my teachers don't ever do this?" followed by, "Do some kids really get to do these presentations on the computer in school?" "Not in your school, not from what I've seen", I answered. Then he said the magic words, "Can you show me how to do this?" Oh, music to my ears! I could teach my son! I forgot that he is a digital immigrant. Within 10 minutes he was flying solo and telling me he didn't need any more help! But, here's the important thing--he loved it and wanted to know why his teachers never use it and why the students can't use it to type reports. On the rare occasion he is required to type something in school, it is always in Word. PPT is such a better venue for kids. The boxes, alone, make it more kid friendly as opposed to staring at a big blank white screen. Adam's question is a valid one...why don't more teachers in his school use ppt for presentations and for student work??? I know that many teachers would say they don't use it for lessons because they don't have the technology available in the classroom. Only a few rooms in my school have smart board technology. However, that doesn't mean you can't use it at all! Take the HA4 I did introducing myself and my students assignment. If I couldn't show it on a big screen, then I would just gather them around one of the classroom computers and I would present it there. Maybe not as big an impact, but my son saw it on the small screen and it still excited him. As for students using ppt, there is no reason why they shouldn't and my class will definitely use it--especially, now that I'm the ppt queen!

Following my ppt frenzy, I realized that I had to create a wiki. A what?? I went online and researched this funny word, going first to wikipedia. I killed two birds with one stone; I now know what a wiki is and what wikipedia is and where it got its name! I have long relied on wikipedia for information, never knowing that the information could be supplied by anyone and their brother (mother, father, sister, friend, boss, . . .)! It always sounds so professional and accurate. Interestingly, a few days later I read a magazine article crediting some college professor for much of the information posted. Whew! That was a relief! Anyway, I found creating my wiki to be easy and fun--almost as good as doing a ppt! I think I was so confident and excited from my ppt success, that I approached the wiki with more of an open mind than I would have before. PBWiki was easy to use, but I did have trouble formatting some of my clip art. Not sure why this was, especially since it was only problematic with certain pieces. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed creating my wiki. I am looking forward to seeing everyone else's wiki's and "leaving editing evidence" of my visit! Please visit my wiki at the link below. The password is pressure

http://underpressure.pbwiki.com/FrontPage

As I mentioned in a previous blog, my Change Project for Nature of Schools involves bringing podcasting technology to the school in which I substitute and which my son attends. I prepared an equipment and cost proposal which I presented to the school principal. In addition to audio, I included video podcasting in the proposal, which requires a video camera and video editing software. It increased the cost by approximately $1,200-$1,500 . I figured that we could always drop down to just audio podcasting, but I wanted the principal to understand the enormity of the return she'd realize from that additional $1,500 expenditure. Video podcasting opens up a whole other world of technology to the students (and teachers!). Digital video is such an integral part of the digital native's world. Video podcasting would allow them to experiment with filming and with digital video editing. In addition, having both would enable more classes to use podcasting simultaneously, with one class using the audio equipment, while another used the video. The principal was familiar with audio podcasts but had never thought of the video component. Bottom line, she loved it and agreed to put in a proposal to the district tech department if I would put together a power point outlining the educational theory, research, and teaching/learning applications of this technology. Did she say power point??? You can't imagine how wonderful it felt to be able to say, "Yes! I can put together a wonderful power point presentation for you!" and really mean it! Can you imagine if she had asked me this a month ago, or even 2 weeks ago? I would have freaked. Anyway, I am thrilled that podcast technology may be coming to this school. I had this really cool idea that if I end up working there I would have my students do a take off on the old radio serials. I would actually use technology to teach them what it was like when there was very little technology, when people would gather around the radio, every week, to listen to what was akin to an audio soap opera. The students could create a story line and write and record monthly installments. I think it could be so much fun and help them develop strong communication and writing skills since the scripts would have to be written to be heard only. They would also develop skills in acting and directing. Will it happen? I'll let you know. But for now, I can dream!

Treasure Hunt
Our group TH was on Integrating Technology in the Classroom. We found many wonderful websites. The hard part was narrowing them down! Thanks to the extra efforts of Joe and Michelle, our TH was a huge success!

Data Sets and Online Tools

• Technology integration takes time…for teachers to learn and embrace, for schools to support, for curriculum designers to incorporate.
• Even with the power of technology today, people-to people connections and face-to-face communication are still central to learning.
• Meaningful discussion skills cannot be developed online.
• Technological resources need to be brought into the classroom where students can engage in discussions that help them observe and learn the nuances of discussion that are impossible to acquire over the Internet.
• Teachers must establish effective discussions in the classroom by giving students access to technological data and resources that can be manipulated by students and then discussed and referred to in face-to-face discussions.
  
  Example of bringing tech data into classroom to teach discussion:
  Raw Data, a Web page teachers and students can use to find interesting and useful educational facts for learning and discussion. One North Carolina teacher used the Raw Data page to teach middle school and high school students about the science of waves while helping them learn such computer skills as keyboarding, database utilization, and spreadsheet creation.
  Once skills are developed, students can participate in effective on-line exchanges.
  There are a number of online tools that can be added to your curriculum to help students develop or test their own hypotheses about a given topic: Lunch Savings Calculator, Universal Currency Converter, Sun Rise/Set Calendar, WebCams, and Graphing Tools are just a few.

If you need to reach me, contact my computer as it is now in charge of me! Until next time...

We Are the Agents of Change

Digital media in the classroom…I am amazed at the range of tools and applications available today. It is hard to fathom that many schools are already using these on a daily basis, while others, like mine, have none of this technology and, in fact, barely use computers. I was especially struck by Will Richardson’s blog posting regarding what we, as educators, need to “unlearn” in order to meet the needs of students in this digital age. What he suggests is intriguing; educators not as transmitters of information but as connectors to information; classrooms and curriculum not as deliverables, but as extensions; and learning not as an event itself, but as a continual process. Richardson acknowledges that education change is slow and he recognizes the inherent fears that many teachers feel about technology. His advice to educators, to start by becoming a different learner, is sound and doable for anyone. This struck a chord with me because it made me realize that many teachers really do have a tendency to get complacent with a curriculum and style of teaching. And, it’s understandable. This is a very demanding job. But, Richardson is right that teachers must stay students and life long learners. I believe the changes he talks about will occur as more digital natives enter the field of teaching. However, I think it is the administrators who will have to affect true change in the culture of their schools. They will have to support the digital native teachers as they step outside the box and try new things. They will have to encourage others to follow this lead, while providing the tools and training necessary to make it happen. This will ultimately require digital natives in positions of authority and that is what will take some time.

Richardson did inspire me to start thinking how I could implement connectivism and technology into my classroom. Assuming I stay in the Title 1 district that I sub in, this will be a challenge. But, I have begun to realize that in order to affect change one must start somewhere, however small. Here is what I've come up as a start:

A few teachers in my school do have smart boards. I would definitely want one and I would use it for lessons, web access, and applicable software programs. I will teach my students how to use it. The ones in my school are basically “hands off” to the students. Mine will be hands on. In fact, the first time I used one last year it was the 3rd grade students who told me what to do from having observed their teacher-so I think they can handle it!
My class will also have a web site, not one designed and run by me, but one collaboratively created and maintained by my students. WebQuests and Treasure Hunts will be ongoing activities. When work is done in my class, I won’t tell my students to read a book, I’ll tell them to work on their webquest! Remember, you don't even have to design one if time or fear are stopping you. There are hundreds of brilliant webquests on line that you can use in your classroom--so there is really no reason not to being this! And digital storytelling—I love this! And DigiTales is a great site. (http://www.digitales.us/resources/seven_steps.php) Even if you can’t actually make a film, it has individual elements that you can still use effectively.
Speaking of films, I would also bring in my video camera and camera stand. I did this when my son was in first grade and I was subbing in his class. It was at the end of the year and I had the idea that the class could make a little “goodbye” film for their teacher. The kids all came up with what they wanted to say and they each took turns filming each other and, at the end, they got into a big group (their idea!) and yelled out “Goodbye”. I put this on a cassette, including all the mistakes and do-overs because they were so funny, and the kids gave it to their teacher on the last day of school. She loved it! Do you know, when I see or sub for kids from that class, who are now in 4th grade, they still ask when I will bring in the camera again! They loved it!

This is just a start, but it’s a start! All of these things are easily doable and can be built upon. Better yet, I think it will make teaching easier. I so fear teaching math because I see the kids now and they are all over the place in terms of learning style, comprehension and ability. Then I think about the many math SW programs I could use with varying techniques on the same subject, and I feel excited and invincible! And for students who have computers and internet access at home, I will give them fun learning websites they can visit to increase their skills in areas where needed—something not one of my son’s teachers has ever done in his 5 years in school. That’s really sad (and inexcusable) when you think about it.

In keeping with Sir Ken Roberston's plea, in his podcast on TEDTALKS, that we stop educating from the "waist up" and educate the "whole" being, I will incorporate yoga into my classroom--at the very least, the breathing and relaxation elements. Done correctly and consistently, I believe that yoga can have a positive impact on anger, lethargy, depression, and hyperactivity. Better yet, it is a lifetime tool. For those who missed this video podcast, I strongly urge you to watch it. Robinson is witty, engaging, and most of all, right on target regarding education!
http://www.ted.com/tedtalks/tedtalksplayer.cfm?key=ken_robinson

Perhaps the most important thing I plan to do is to share my technological hits and misses with other teachers. I have observed that some teachers like to hoard their special talents and knowledge, making it seem that only they can do this. Then, there are other teachers who believe they can’t do something (like technology), and become jealous of the others who can, and more steadfast in their resistance to it. Not me! I will encourage anyone who is interested by showing them how easy it is. I will appreciate their fears, slowness, and need for repeated instruction—because I am the same way. I will share anything I’ve bought, learned, or created with anyone who wants it. That is how you begin to change a culture! And that is how, little by little, person by person, technology, integration literacy, and web 2.0 will start making their way into all of our schools. We are the agents of change. How we handle this knowledge and convey it to others, will determine its success.
Digital natives need to understand how daunting technology is to digital immigrants and to less experienced digital natives. They tend to speak fast and in jargon that is Greek to the less experienced. And they tend to expect those they’re instructing to “get it” immediately. Patience and repetition are key—otherwise we will scare off those who are willing to try. It is not unlike what Ken Robinson said in his podcast about how we teach children that “mistakes are bad”. This not only kills creativity as Sir Robinson believes, it also kills desire and motivation. So, please, all of you wonderfully talented digital natives that are going out into the educational world, be as patient with the adults you are instructing as you are with your students—know that it may be tedious, frustrating, and slow going. But, know that if you don't scare them off, it will make all the difference in the world!

Moving on to inquiry based learning:

The best information was on the YouthLearn site.

http://www.youthlearn.org/learning/approach/inquiry.asp

This site communicates inquiry-based learning/teaching in clear, understandable, and usable terms. I was especially impressed with their statement:

It may be that traditional education will start becoming more and more like inquiry-based learning over time. Why? Because an inquiry-based approach is more web-like in how students pursue knowledge, as opposed to the linear, vertical and compartmentalized structure of traditional education. As the web-like Internet increasingly permeates society and education, the traditional structures will have to adapt to the forms of the new media.

This is completely in line with everything we are learning in this class. In addition, this site has other great links, including one on How to Create an Inquiry-based Project, and another excellent one on Teaching About and With Technology. Here is some of my favorite advice from this link:

Always integrate technology into your larger learning goals, not the other way around

When you do find kids who know a little more, are a bit more adventurous, or are more engaged by a technology, use them!

Trust the kids. Model thoroughly, then trust them!

Never explain things too deeply—you want to give the kids plenty of room to explore. Remember, your goal is not to create PowerPoint experts, it's to teach core curriculum skills and help kids understand the many communication, research, and creativity tools they have at their disposal. Good critical thinking is more important than technological excellence.

WebQuests & Treasure Hunts:

This quote, from Education World, regarding the effectiveness of constructivist technology learning, (i.e. webquests, treasure hunts) says it all:

"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." Confucius

The internet abounds with webquests--including info on why to use them and how to create them. Two excellent sites are:

http://www.bernardsboe.com/wams/academics/isaacs/webquests/index.html

http://webquest.org/search/

Until next time...