Frontline-Week 5

1.  Compare and Contrast each documentary.  What was similar or different from the first one Digital Nation filmed in 2010 to Generation Like filmed in 2014 ? 

While the 2010 documentary seemed to be a fairly balanced assessment of the challenges and attributes of the Internet, the 2014 documentary seemed much more focused on the capitalist/narsisistic lens of adolescent Internet use.  Both documentaries were extremely in depth and tried to be unbiased.  I enjoyed the 2014 documentary the most since the material covered was not overwhelming.  The 2010 documentary was slightly over whelming, it almost tried to cover too many topics.

2.  Your thoughts on multitasking.  Do you agree?  Can you multitask?  Do you disagree with the video on the topic of multitasking? What do you think our students think about multitasking today?

I do not believe that anyone is ever truly able to multitask.  Someone who says they multitask is often mistaken. What they are actually doing is quickly moving their superficial focus from one thing to another.  This belief worries me, since it often keeps someone from truly exploring what it means to focus intensely on one thing for a long period of time.

3.  Is there an addiction happening in society today with technology or is it just a new way of living?   Should we be concerned?

Yes, I believe there is a technology addiction happening today, especially with young people who have not known any other ways of living.  I see them walking around with their phones just as people in the 1950's never went anywhere without their pack of cigerettes.  This worries me since what we learn or do not learn in youth effects the rest of our lives. 

The idea of addiction happening on a societal level is debatable, however their are a few truths that cannot be ignored.  Many children today do not know how to be quiet with their own thoughts, they constantly need to be gaming or on social media.  This lesson is an important one for children and remains important for adults as well.  Sherry Turkle articulated this very well in the 2010 documentary and also in her recent book Alone Together.  


4.  Do video games serve a purpose in education or are they a waste of time?

I believe that video games can have a place in education as long as we do not confuse entertainment with education.  If a game is effective and entertaining, great.  However, if it is only entertaining and the educational purpose is lost, there is no reason to use it in the school setting.  Schools need to get out of the entertainment business.  What happens when the power goes out and the generator fails?   

5.  How did what you watched in the two videos support your feelings about technology or how did it change your views?

The videos definitely supported my feelings concerning technology.  Unfortunately, I was deeply disturbed by the Second Life founder describing the future.  His forecast for the future is not a world in which I want to live.  I cannot express how sad this makes me feel for the people who find our world so boring that the Internet offers them more.  

On a basic level, the founder did not look particularly well either.  He had huge circles under his eyes and his skin looked clammy.  Is that what spending hours in Second Life does to the human body?

6.  Are kids and adults today ruining their digital footprints by sharing too much information online without realizing that it may be detrimental to their future? Should they care?  Are they focused on too much of what others think?

I would hesitate to say that they are forever "ruining their digital footprint".  However, I do not understand this yearning to share anything and everything.  To tell you the truth, it makes me sad. Ideally, we should be comfortable enough to know that we know who we are and there is not a need to advertise who we are.  In addition, I wish the Internet were more transparent.  I feel that people would be kinder to each other in the comment sections of websites if the anonymity were replaced with full names.  It kind of reminds me of road rage.  People act out when they think they are anonymous.

7.  What do you feel are the dangers of technology use?  Are there any?

One of the clear dangers of technology use is that there is no element of surprise.  The internet that is experienced by us is a custom tailored experience to our "likes".  When we do not experience new things and make authentic discoveries on our own, there is a serious loss which occurs.  It stunts our human development.  I think this is why it is important to unplug periodically.  On a purely academic level, this idea of finding only what you are looking for is a dangerous concept.  

Overall Final Reflection:

My final take away from both documentaries was this:

1. Learn from each other.  Don't be afraid to learn from your kids and your kids will be more willing to listen to you.  

2. Collaborate and figure out solutions.  Kids will tell you that they wish they did not have to sleep with their phone.  They just don't know how.  If we work together and problem solve, we can show them that an alternative way of living is possible.  Model what this means. 

3.  Remember you are the adult. Sometimes you do know better. Have kids turn in their smart phones at the end of the night so the phones can be charged and the kids can "power off".  

4.  Be selective in what you use in the classroom.  Sometimes bells and whistles are just that:  Bells and Whistles.


And now...introducing..... my first podcast....

listen to ‘Objective Podcast’ on Audioboo

Teachable Moments-Week 4

We all come upon them, the unexpected opportunities of a teachable moment.  Using the Internet and technology is no exception.  When using technology, teaching opportunities present themselves to us all,  parents and teachers alike.  The question is this: are we prepared for these moments?

Some parents will say it is the job of the teachers to teach digital citizenship.  And yet there will also be teachers who say it is the job of the caregivers to teach digital citizenship.  Their curriculum is full as it is.  How can we add even more to their full plate? Meanwhile, time marches on and moments are missed, long before parents and teachers wake up to their responsibility.

As with most things, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.  Both teachers and parents bear the responsibility of teaching digital citizenship.  The interesting thing is though that it is not a separate entity or class. It should be woven throughout the day, at home and at school.  Like most teachable moments, the best teaching occurs without separation.  And as Steven Carr Reuben writes, learning most often occurs in the midst of the casual moments of real life.

If much of learning occurs during these casual moments, we know one thing for sure. Teachers and parents must be educated in digital citizenship.  They must understand what it means to be a good digital citizen before they can teach it.  And ideally, they do not just teach it. They model it.  Interestingly, throughout all of these digital citizen discussions, I found a common theme.  We are so worried about "kids these days" that we forget to look at ourselves.  In actuality, teenagers gripe just as often about parents being mentally absent, constantly checking their smart phones and not making eye contact.  And all this time we thought it was the kids needing the lesson!

First, by educating families and teachers about digital citizenship, we take the authoritarianism out of technological use.  It is no longer just about the kids using it responsibly.  It is about all of us. Secondly, when we are all learning together, a conversation is initiated.  Teachers and parents and students all participate and discuss what it means to be a good digital citizen. Interestingly, through this discussion, we all learn that being a good digital citizen connects to all aspects of life.  We learn what constitutes stealing.  We learn the pillars of academic honesty and integrity.  We explore different ways of communicating.  We learn what constitutes a quality source.  And we learn to speak up when we see (or read) something that is wrong.

The Internet is changing as I write this.  We are continually transforming it and moving towards a new  entity.  Because of this, it is even more important that we continue these discussions with students and parents and teachers.  Through these discussions we ask ourselves how we wish to see the future Internet.  And through these discussions, we actually help shape the future Internet.

You never step in the same river twice.  I suppose this could signify the Internet as well.  It is up to us to prepare ourselves mentally and physically for the step.  And through this preparation, we help shape the river.

Ed Tech Blog Explorations-Week 3

Preferences, Pet Peeves, and Stop Animation

During this week's blog readings there were several points that struck me.  First, there is so much I do not know.  Second, I need to find some extra time in my day.  And third, the best ed tech bloggers tended to look like real teachers.  I don't know, but I think there might be a connection here.  Now, you are probably wondering just what does a real blogger/teacher look like?  Without getting into specifics, blogger photographs should look like the blogger combed their own hair and are PROUD they did it themselves.  They combed it, and they own it.  They didn't need someone to do it for them.  They're not trying to be someone else like say....this guy:

        Mr. Personality, PhD and TedX Phenom

Maybe I am being overly critical, but I tend to get suspicious when someone uses professional photographs of themselves in their blog.  These suspicions rise even further when their book advertisements take up the majority of the blog.  These two things coupled together make me feel as if the blog is no longer about teaching and technology. It very quickly becomes about the blogger.  Then I begin to wonder if the blogger has implemented their thoughts and tools in an actual classroom.  Technology is constantly evolving.  And to implement this technology the blogger needs to be in the classroom now, not 5 years ago.

The three blogs which I spent the most time reading were Liz Davis's, Angela Maiers's, and Kathy Schrock's.  Of these three, I liked Kathy Schrock's blog the best.  Her posts were practical and clear.  Each post had a distinct purpose and you really learned something by reading it.  Her posts were not just philosophical rants on the purpose and need of tech in the classroom.  After reading a post and trying out what she explained, you could physically produce something of value.  Her blog was obviously technologically savvy and well versed, yet they were written in an accessible way.

In addition, there was a deeper message to what Kathy Schrock was saying.  In her  2 Cool For School post, she discussed the value of creativity while using older technologies.  In particular, she discussed using PowerPoint to create a stop motion animation.  In the right circumstances, using the right techniques, you can create a similar product to Flash, a much more complicated program compared to PowerPoint.  I think this is an extremely important point on several levels. First, many of us are on extremely tight budgets and the coolest, best technologies may not be at our fingertips.  However, that does not mean we cannot create great things.  Sometimes it just means that we need to tap into our creativity and use an old technology in a new way to say something important.  For example, stop motion animation can at times be thought of as antiquaited, but it often is the most original work out there these  days.  And lastly, just because we have the latest and greatest technology doesn't mean we are creating something new or being any more efficient.  The stop animation video above is a great example of these points.  Sometimes what we think is progress, really isn't progress.

Webquests and My Quest to Think of Something Original

As a person who learns in many different ways, I want to create a webquest which allows students to learn about the world we live in through their 5 senses.  So far, I think our schools have got the sight thing down pretty well.  Check.  However, the listening aspect could use a little work.  We have great experience trying to get students to focus and listen to the teachers tell them about geography, but that tends to be it.  I thought it would be a great idea to take students on a virtual field trip through sound, specifically the music of the world.  By connecting the music of the world to the people that live there and the topography that surrounds them, I feel that students may find geography a little more meaningful and memorable.  Through learning geography in this way, the process also takes on a meaning of its own.  Students learn that the land shapes people, people shape the land, and the music of the people reflect this connection.  Ideally, this lights a fire of interest that has a lasting power.

Unfortunately, as I did my beginning research, I found out that other people have had this same idea.  For example, Samantha Kostelecky and Melissa Dellitalia each used this idea and yet they created very different quests.  This fact gave me great hope, I too can create something original and useful.  Now, this may be a little difficult since according to blogger.com, I cannot (at times) prove that I am not a robot.  I don't think I should be surprised...

Strolling with my youngest...

Although I cannot prove I am not a robot, I am OK with that and I do not try to be anyone but myself.  Yay, me!  I still believe I can create something original.   By connecting the music with the geography and topography, I believe I can create an original and effective webquest.

Plans for my webquest are under way.  My target age group is 5th grade which matches my elementary education major and future hopes for teaching.  Students will take on the role of a (virtual) ethnomusicologist traveling to far off lands, listening to music in the (virtual) field, collecting notes on the music, the land, and the people.  Then they will report back with their findings.  Additionally, I plan on integrating NPR World Music Cafe, the Rough Guide Website, Fiddling Around Music, Putumayo, Google Maps and Docs.  I still have a great deal of planning and implementing to do, but I have a great start.

After looking at many lesson plans and webquests, I realize that one of the great hazards is planning something that is too involved and tries to do too much.  Less really is more when planning something.  Lesson plans, in particular can be an excellent tool when planning the webquests.  Preparing a clean and concise lesson plan can result in a clean and concise webquest.  It can help you pare down your plans and keep you from making the mistake of taking on too much.  Additionally, always keeping your chosen Common Core Standard and ISTE in mind can also help you attain this goal.  In particular, my webquest seems best suited for Common Core Standard W.5.7 and ISTE Student Standards 1 and 3.

Until then...

Webinar Explorations-Week 2

Overview:

After exploring several options, I finally settled on completing a webinar concerning technology and critical thinking skill development.  The i5 Teacher: Teaching Thinking, Teaching Innovation was a good overall experience.  Hosted by Jane Pollock, the webinar was both practical and helpful.  It asked critical questions and gave specific criteria for effective use of technology in the classroom.  It directly connected teaching thinking through technology to GANAG lesson planning.

The webinar began with an intriguing question.  Is critical thinking best taught outside of the classroom? One author at Scientific American seemed to think so.  Jane Pollock considered this question and deduced that if we fail to prime the educational environment for critical thinking, maybe it is best to teach it outside of the classroom.  However, technology (coupled with other tools) can help provide a fertile environment for teaching thinking and innovation.  The ability to ask questions and use this method to learn and innovate can at times be at odds with the American thirst for measuring knowledge. To get to this higher level thinking, Pollock proposed using technology with practical, long term goals.

Approaching technology with a thoughtful awareness is a key element to effective use. First, we must ask ourselves why we are using the tool.  For what purpose?  And is it the best choice for that particular moment?  According to Pollock, best use of technology can be explained in a simple equation.

       information + images + interaction + inquiry = innovation

In essence, using technology helps students gather better information.  Through greater access to information and images coupled with increased collaboration and inquiry we reach the goal of greater innovation.  The Internet is by far more expansive than any textbook resource.  It is the ultimate multifunctional tool which can be applied to and connected to all subjects, allowing for greater opportunity for reflection and collaboration. Technology, at its best, is not simply storing or consuming information.  It is sharing and collaboration steeped in inquiry.

Connecting:

As teachers we constantly search for meaning in our teaching.  Why are we learning this? How will this benefit the student?  Continually reflecting and asking these questions helps us understand the tools we are using and how they can benefit our classroom.  For example, we all have been on numerous field trips where everyone is snapping photos. They are taking photos of this and that.  They take photos of everything.  But when the field trip is over, their memories are fuzzy.  Digital cameras and smart phones are wonderful tools, but they need to be used efficiently.  Believe it or not, studies have actually shown that taking numerous photos with our smart phones can actually cause us to remember less.  Interestingly, if we make an adjustment in our approach it can help us preserve our memory.  By asking ourselves or our students to focus in on key elements while taking the pictures, our memories are strengthened.  It brings meaning to the activity and therefore solidifies learning.  Using the technology is not enough, we need to give it meaning.

Classroom blogs can be an excellent example of this need for meaning.  Many classrooms now use blogs to communicate with parents regarding what has recently been completed in the classroom and as a platform for communicating important messages.  This is only a one dimensional use of the classroom blog though.  Many forward thinking teachers now use the blog as an extension of the classroom.  Teachers share additional resources for student exploration.  They allow students to share their work and allow for feedback.  This turns the blog into a virtual classroom rather than a glorified newspaper.

Reflection:  Can You Judge A Book By Its Cover?

I chose this webinar because of the title.  GASP!  Actually, it runs a lot deeper than that. As a mother and citizen of the world I am concerned about the blind consumption of electronic content.  What are we feeding our brains?  Too often I have seen teachers that are enamored with a new app or device without completely understanding what it is doing for the student.  The teacher never sat down and asked the important questions.  Why are they using the tool?  How is it working?  Is it working?  And is this the best tool for the job?  It is important that we are the ones asking the questions and getting the answers, rather than responding to sales pitches or hype.

Believe it or not technology is not about watching cat videos or posting your latest exploits on Facebook.  Well, actually, now that I did a little research, maybe it is a little bit.  Nora the Piano Playing Cat has her own website complete with updates on her creative endeavors and a gift shop.

Nora is creative and has great business instincts.  Her talents go beyond mousing and sleeping 20 hours per day.  Her name is now copy written and she continues to create new masterpieces on YouTube.  Now, whether or not she herself is doing it, I don't know for sure.  I think I'd rather not know, it might take away the enjoyment.

The Nitty Gritty Outcomes:

Jane Pollock's webinar addressed course outcomes 1 and 2.  By watching The i5 Teacher webinar, I learned more about designing meaningful and authentic based learning experiences with multiple and varied assessments.  Pollock directly connected the ideas of her webinar to designing an effective lesson plan using the GANAG template. She emphasized the need for all teachers to be conscious consumers of educational apps and the Internet, not all tools are created equal.  And surprisingly, sometimes a pad and paper will suffice.

In addition, I learned ways to promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding.  In particular, Pollock invited Frank Korb, a high school art teacher, to share his classroom blog, elaborating on how it is an extension of the classroom. Using the blog as a platform for communicating additional resources for learning, his students share their art works in progress and have frequent online discussions. Feedback is greatly encouraged.  In fact, his rule is this: if you want feedback, you need to give feedback.