Session 6 Reflection

I knew that I wanted to incorporate technology into my classroom, but wasn't sure of how to effectively do so. Before I started this class, I was imagining that I would create SMART Notebook lessons, play movie clips, and have students blog instead of using a writing journal. My horizons have certainly expanded since taking this course. I am familiar with many more Web 2.0 tools and content-relevant websites that will not only deepen students' learning, but will also engage and motivate students.  

Most of the things I learned this semester will help me help students' develop their 21st century skills. I had never heard of Internet Workshop, Internet Inquiry projects, or a wiki before I started this class. Now, I am confident that I can use these concepts and tools to enhance student learning. I now have the tools and knowledge to make an introductory movie to a unit or create a SMART Board lesson. While I have the knowledge to use all of this great technology, I will not introduce it all to students right away. For example, I probably won't have students create a 5 minute film using iMovie, but I could have them create a movie using Animoto or Digital Storyteller. Storytelling using technology is a fun activity for students, and also deepens their understanding of the content. The one thing I probably won't use in class is the Voki. While it is fun, I'm not sure it is something I would have my students create or something that I would put on my class wiki.

I've had a fairly easy time using most of the technology we worked on in class with the exceptions being SMART Notebook, Garage Band, and iMovie. I was a little terrified of those applications when I started working on my projects. However, I learned by trial-and-error and was able to pick up the basics. I feel much more comfortable using the technology that we worked on this semester. In fact, I've already started teaching my husband how to create and edit a film in iMovie!

Insights From My Peers

Well, it is certainly easier to use Google Reader to check out my peers' blogs than to click through each individual link. Google Reader is a user-friendly tool as it consolidates all of your favorite blogs and RSS feeds in one place. I also like how you can click on the link in Google Reader to be brought into the person's actual blog should you choose to do so. 

My peers have great ideas about using Web 2.0 tools in the classroom. Reading their blogs not only gave me insight as to how they will use technology in the classroom, but it also illustrated their enthusiasm for helping students develop 21st century skills. There were many commonalities amongst my peers. Wikis, Google Docs, and Google Earth were common tools mentioned on my peers' blogs. However, it is important to note that people are using Wikis and Google tools in very unique ways.

For example, Dave envisions his class wiki having a "workspace" where students can access information for class, including: assignments, lessons, and reading materials (2011). Whereas, Sue likes the idea of using a wiki to improve communications and transparency between students, parents, and the teacher. By posting assignments and assessments online, parents are also kept informed of due dates and what is being learned (2011). 

Mike will use Google Earth to illustrate the effects of deforestation in the Amazon. His ag-ed students will use Google Earth for images for research projects (2011). Nida, on the other hand, will be using Google Earth to supplement a geography lesson.  Google Earth will provide detailed visuals for students to understand key concepts, including: historical regions, major cities, and environmental elements (2011). 

Lastly, I wanted to comment on Melissa's post. Melissa did a Google search for secondary agriculture education only to discover that there was nothing listed on the Wikipedia link. Her idea was that she would work with her students to create content (2011). While I agree that it would be a weighty endeavor, I admire her positive attitude and willingness to give it a try. Hopefully we can check back in a year or two to see that Melissa's class populated that page!

References:

Capozzi, D. (2011). Web resources for teachers. I Have To Get To Class Now. Retrieved from http://ihavetogettoclassnow.blogspot.com/2011/06/web-resources-for-teachers.html. 

Cunningham, M. (2011). Web resources. Falling Star's Blog. Retrieved from http://fallingstar44.blogspot.com/2011/06/web-resources.html. 

Kazmi, N. (2011). Web resources for classroom - EDCI 5825. History's Mysteries. Retrieved from http://nik05001-studentofhistory.blogspot.com/2011/06/web-resources-for-classroom-edci-5825.html. 

Kingsbury, M. (2011). Web resources week 5. Caution: Man with a brain in use. Retrieved from http://mike-intro.blogspot.com/2011/06/web-resources-week-5.html.

Prihar, S. (2011). Technology in the classroom week 5. Science Rules. Retrieved from http://sciencerules42.blogspot.com/2011/06/technology-in-classroom-week-5.html.

Web Resources for Teachers: Wikis and Google Docs and Blogs - Oh my!

My high school English teacher had her AP students create an individual blog as opposed to a more traditional writing journal. I distinctly remember using my blog as a medium to post reading responses, write stream of consciousness ideas, and respond to classmates' work. I took pride in my blog and used it to express myself creatively. Using technology in this class made a big impact on me as a student and learner. Listed below are two resources that I believe will motivate my students to learn just as I was inspired by my high school teacher:

Teaching History wth Technology - Wiki

I previously discussed how I want to have a Wiki to post a class calendar, project guidelines, and class materials. I will also use the Wiki to ask students to reflect on a "Quote of the Week" or post their vocabulary words. I like the collaborative aspect of a Wiki, but also like how it is a great central repository of information. What I hadn't really thought about what having students own a Wiki on particular unit that we are covering. For example, I'm currently creating a unit plan on The Crucible. Using a Wiki is an awesome way to engage students and give them a sense of ownership in their learning. Students will contribute to and edit their site:

• A page entitled "Character Study" is a place where students can post a picture of the Venn diagrams they create that relate to a particular historical figure in The Crucible. As students observe and learn more about their character, they can edit the Wiki accordingly.
• "Contemporary References" is also be a nice page to have. Students can post videos that they liked from The Crucible movie starring Winona Ryder and Daniel Day-Lewis or share the movie that they are creating as their final project.

While the Teaching History with Technology website has a lot of great ideas for using Wikis, I see that they have similar videos and resources for a wide variety of technologies. I definitely "Diigo-ed" this website!

The Literacy Web @ UCONN

The website lives up to its description of classroom resources at just a click away. One aspect of this website that teachers will find extraordinarily helpful is that it is somewhat grade-specific. Recommended resources for grades 7-8 and Grades 9-12 are spiked out separately. Often times it is difficult to discern on if a web resource is grade-appropriate or not. One of the resources that I found on this site that will be useful for helping students' understand the historical context of the literature they are reading is the American Memory site sponsored by the Library of Congress.  This would be a good example of a website to use on an Internet Workshop. Lastly, I like how the Literacy Web was compiled by an authority on the use of Internet technologies, Dr. Donald J. Leu, and a doctoral student focused on the integration of technology and literacy. I feel much more confident using resources that have been vetted by experts.

References

The Library of Congress. (2011). American memory. Retrieved from http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html.

Literacy Web at UCONN - Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. (2007). Literacy web for classroom teachers. Retrieved from http://www.literacy.uconn.edu/teachers.htm. 

Teaching History with Technology. (2011). Wikis. Retrieved from http://thwt.org/wikis.html. 

Good Teacher

A good teacher cares about her students' success both inside and out of the classroom. A good teacher wants to see her students be intrinsically motivated to learn because doing so will empower students to continue learning throughout their lives. A good teacher knows that is is important to connect to her students and care about what experiences and thoughts they bring to the classroom every day. A good teacher then applies what she has learned from her students to help create learning objectives and make instructional choices that motivate students and encourage lifelong learning.

Week 3 T2P

It is not necessary for the educator to change the learning process to meet the learning styles of each individual student, rather it is important for the educator to use complementing learning theories in the classroom to challenge students' to become well-rounded learners. Kruse believes that effectively using complimentary learning theories in the classroom recognizes each student's different needs and experiences (e.g. background, experience, and development) and challenges them to be well-rounded learners. Kruse's theory informs us that when students are encouraged to reflect on their prior experience and exchange understandings with each other, they are able to deepen their understanding of the content and each other.  

Week 3 T2P + Morals/Ethics

It is not necessary for the educator to change the learning process to meet the learning styles of each individual student, rather it is important for the educator to use complementary learning theories in the classroom. Kruse believes that using complimentary learning theories in the classroom recognizes each student's different needs and experiences, but also challenges students to become well-rounded learners. When a teacher invests the time into understanding their students' background, experiences, and biological development, then the teacher is able to create a learning environment where students feel supported to share understandings and experiences with their peers and the teacher. Classroom dialogue is critical for deepening students' understanding of the content, but is also important for preparing students to practice discourse in a democracy. 

Week 5 T2P

If students are emotionally connected to what they are learning, then they are more likely to understand the content. Instructional activities that provoke an emotional response, both positive and negative, have a direct and cyclical impact on student motivation. The human brain is a network of connections. Neuroscience informs us that there is a chemical reaction that happens when synapses in the brain fire that is directly tied to our emotions. Daniel Goleman, an education psychologist, believes that students who have the tools to recognize and manage their emotions are better equip to learn. His research illustrates that students who develop emotional intelligence are more motivated and better able to resolve conflicts, pay attention, and participate in teams. When teachers implicitly model how to express and manage their emotions, then students are able to learn from their example and apply those skills to their own lives. As previously mentioned, motivation to learn and emotional responses are cyclical; therefore, it is important for educators to reflect on their instructional activities to ensure that their students will be emotionally involved in the content. When students are emotionally connected to the material, then the material is relevant to them and they are likely motivated to learn more.

Putting Assistive Technology to Use

While there is more technology available in schools now than there was several years ago, it is critical that this technology is actually used to help all students in their learning. One example of technology that is being harnessed more in schools is Assistive Technology. Assistive technology employs numerous tools  in an effort to improve the learning process for a variety of disabled students. As described in WikiBooks (2010a), "Assistive technology, or AT, is a field that is changing as fast or faster than the rest of technology used in teaching and learning." 

1.  Students with hearing impairments often have difficulty in classes that are primarily lecture or discussion-based. Speech recognition technology could be used to record and convert the audio input of the teacher or a classmate to text that they can read. For students with severe hearing impairments, an FM system may be a good form of assistive technology to use. An FM system is a wireless, portable device that uses radio transmissions to send auditory signals. As the teacher, I would wear a small microphone. The student with the hearing impairment wears a receiver that is either clipped to their clothing or connected to their hearing aid (Adaptive Technology Center for New Jersey Colleges, 2010). I would also be sure to include a lot of visual aids in my class that would also assist not only the hearing impaired students, but also any visual learners in the class.

2. Low vision is a severe visual impairment, but usually does not mean blindness. An example of a person with low vision is someone who is unable to read a book or newspaper at a normal viewing distance, even with the assistance of eyeglasses or contact lenses (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, 2004). Low vision individuals benefit from adaptations in lighting and/or print size. This is where the e-reader can be useful. For students with low vision, e-readers offer a variety of text sizes as well as several levels of gray. There are several other features of many e-readers that can be considered assistive technology (e.g. convert text-to-speech and read aloud newspaper and books); however, it is important to note that often times the menu choices for such options are difficult to read and the keyboards on e-readers are very small making it difficult for students lacking dexterity (WikiBooks, 2010b). 

Another option for students with low vision is DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System). DAISY was designed to be an accessible audio format that could be used by individuals who are unable to read print as easily and efficiently as a person who has full use of their sight. Some of the features of the DAISY system are image files, video playback, and support for standard files such as .wav and .jpeg. Essentially, DAISY is a "talking book" that functions much more effectively and dynamically than books on tape (WikiBooks, 2009).

3. Students with physical limitations, whether it be temporary or permanent, can benefit from assistive technology as well. Speech recognition software allows students with limited or no motor skill in their arms and hands to produce typed documents, manage software, and perform research with a computer, just like other non-disabled students (WikiBook, 2011b). 

There are two different kinds of speech recognition. Speech recognition converts spoken words to text. Broadly speaking, speech recognition means it can recognize almost anybody's speech and convert it to text. On the other hand, voice recognition refers to speech recognition that is trained to work for a particular speaker. This technology works by recognizing speech based on the individual's unique vocal sound. 

4. Students with non-communicative Autism can benefit from the use of assistive technologies as well. Traditionally, students with non-communicative Autism used a picture board, which was essentially a laminated sheet of paper with pictures that have Velcro glued to the back. As you can imagine, there are a limited number of pictures that can be used, thus limiting what the student is able to "say." This is where AT comes in. More traditional assistive technology is software that turns a computer into a talking picture board. This software often includes capabilities for the user to write text and the computer will translate it to spoken word (text-to-speech).

However, recent advances have harnessed this technology into smaller, portable devices. Students with non-communicative autism no longer have to stay at a desk computer or carry around a special device, thus reducing the stigma that these students often feel. The invention of iPods and iPhones have revolutionized speech generating devices (SGD). The iPod touch or iPhone have many applications that benefit non-communicative Autistic children. For example, many times non-communicative Austisic students are engaged through the use of symbols (e.g. photographs, line drawings and written words). iConverse, Look2Learn, Voice4U, MyTalk, and Proloquo2Go are all iPhone apps that come with pre-installed symbols with messages that allow the user to add pictures and messages. Some use text-to-speech and others use recorded audio. This is just one example of using the power of iPhones to assist students with non-communicative Autism (WikiBooks, 2011a). Another advantage to iPhones and iPods is that they are much more affordable for schools than traditional portable devices. 

iPod/iPhone Apps for AAC and Autism 

App Name	Characteristics
TapSpeak Button & TapSpeak Picture	Simple switch activation. Allows recorded messages associated with a button. Picture version can be customized with pictures for buttons.
iConverse, Look2Learn, Voice4U, MyTalk, and Proloquo2Go	These AAC apps come with pre-installed symbols with messages and allow the user to add pictures and messages. Some use text to speech and others use recorded audio. The amount of preinstalled symbols varies from 6 to 7000. The customization options vary greatly between apps as do the fees charged for the app.
NeoPaul, NeoKate and NeoJulie	Male and female voice text to speech programs
iCommunicate	A storyboard program that allows the user to create picture storyboards with audio accompaniment
Behavior Tracker Pro	Enables behavioral patterns in those with autism to be tracked and graphed
Autism newsreader	Grabs top stories from various autism health news and information sites allowing you to keep up with autism issues and developments in one place.

(WikiBooks, 2011a)

References

Adaptive Technology Center for New Jersey Colleges. (2010). Assistive technology for college students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Retrieved from http://adaptivetech.tcnj.edu/resheet/deaf.htm. 

 National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities. (2004). Blindness/visual impairment. Retrieved from http://nichcy.org/idisability/specific/visualimpairment. 

WikiBooks. (2010a). Assistive technology in the classroom. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education. 

WikiBooks. (2011a). Assistive technology in the classroom/autism. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/Autistic. 

WikiBooks. (2009). Assistive technology in education/DAISY. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/DAISY.

WikiBooks. (2010b). Assistive technology in education/eBook. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/eBook.

WikiBooks. (2011b). Assistive technology in education/speech recognition software. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/Speech_Recognition_Software.

Week 4 T2P

Reinvigorating Week 3 T2P

It is not necessary for the educator to change the learning process to meet the learning styles of each individual student, rather it is important for the educator to use complementing learning theories in the classroom to challenge students' to become well-rounded learners. Kruse believes that effectively using complimentary learning theories in the classroom recognizes each student's different needs and experiences (e.g. background, experience, and development) and challenges them to be well-rounded learners. Kruse's theory informs us that when students are encouraged to reflect on their prior experience and exchange understandings with each other, they are able to deepen their understanding of the content and each other.  

Vicki Davis -- "Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts"

If your pedagogy empowers students to be competent, confident learners who are excited to share and exchange knowledge with others, then those students will be intrinsically motivated to be lifelong learners.  Students who are supported in this way demonstrate the following outcomes: persistence, creativity, and enhanced performance, which leads to their motivation to learn for the sake of learning. Davis supports this framework through her pedagogical practices and instructional events. For example, Davis believes that the teacher does not need to be center stage, in front of students all of the time. She empowers the students to be autonomous and teach the entire classroom of learners what they feel are the most important concepts. Davis admits to not always being the most knowledgeable person in the class, and therefore, supports mutual enhancement in her classroom. Davis's instructional event, Flat Classroom Project, not only helps students study the trends in information technology, but also connects students to other people and cultures around the world, therefore demonstrating both competency and relatedness. Intrinsic motivation is fostered when teachers allow students to discover new understandings independently, and encourage students to be confident sharing that knowledge with others. 

KEY:

If

Then

Because / Why

Evidence / Theory / Terms

Moral / Ethical

Week 4 T2P

If your pedagogy helps students develop their critically conscious voices, then students will feel empowered to affect change in their community. When teachers facilitate instructional events that help students articulate their experiences, reflect on the experiences of others, and critically assess their experiences as it relates to their community, they are helping students develop their critical voices. Friere suggests that conscientization, meaning teachers and students bringing political and socio-economic experiences to the classroom, is a pedagogy that elevates the consciousness of both the students and the teacher. For students to refine their critically conscious voices, it is imperative that both the teacher and students are collaborating as mutually enhancing learners. When students are confident being critically conscious of the personal, political, social experiences that they share within their learning environment, then students are more likely to be empowered to affect change that they wish to see in their communities.   

Learning Theory Rules!