Virtual Schooling
By Niki Davis and Dale S. Niederhauser
This article discusses the rapid enrollment and interest in virtual schooling. Virtual schooling offers K-12 classes completely online. This program is for some allowing students better access to technology and for others simple making AP courses more readily available when not offered at their school. In Florida it was used to help displaced Katrina victims continue their schooling. The virtual school system is set up with a teacher communicating with their students through videoconferencing, email and a learning management system. It requires students to be more self motivated to get work done on their own, but teaches valuable technological skills to go with their course matter. The role of the teacher is much the same as it is in a standard classroom; they must have good organization and communication skills. The teacher's participation includes, "teacher-student communication without developing over dependence, assessing student work and providing timely feedback, and peer collaboration." The administrators play the role of allocating funds, maintaining the virtual schooling and the coordination of it. The article says that the most important person is the VS site facilitator. The facilitator guides the students when making choices about which class to take, they proctor exams, gives feedback to the teachers, and is a liaison between the virtual teacher and the student's school site. The article is there to introduce us to virtual school and explain ways it can help students learn.
Question?
What are some reasons for choosing virtual schooling?
Answer:
Some reasons for choosing virtual schooling are gaining access to classes no longer available at your school, when displaced and unable to physically attend school and to gain better access to technology.
Question?
What step has Michigan made to incorporate virtual learning?
In April 2006, they made it mandatory for all students to participate in online learning to graduate. They did this so they could introduce the students to virtual learning and so it would help them use it more freely in the future.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Journal 7
Technology Integration: What Happens Now?
By Linda Merillat, Jennifer Holvoet, and Doug Adams
This article gives some samples of resources still available to educators to help with the integration of technology. The first one is http://www.4Teachers.org. This site has many free resources guide you to making websites, rubrics and quizzes. Another site I found interesting was http://wested.org/tdl/. This site is to use technology to help differentiate teaching methods. It is, "a teaching theory based on the idea that instructional approaches should give students multiple options for taking in information, making sense of ideas, expressing what they learn, and accommodating differences while teaching to students' strengths and knowledge." One more I enjoyed looking at was http://www.schoolsmovingup.net. This site is about schools that are finding ways to integrate technology, and what the secrets to their success have been. Overall the article reminds us of the many options as educators we have to gain information to help us properly integrate technology into our classrooms.
By Linda Merillat, Jennifer Holvoet, and Doug Adams
This article gives some samples of resources still available to educators to help with the integration of technology. The first one is http://www.4Teachers.org. This site has many free resources guide you to making websites, rubrics and quizzes. Another site I found interesting was http://wested.org/tdl/. This site is to use technology to help differentiate teaching methods. It is, "a teaching theory based on the idea that instructional approaches should give students multiple options for taking in information, making sense of ideas, expressing what they learn, and accommodating differences while teaching to students' strengths and knowledge." One more I enjoyed looking at was http://www.schoolsmovingup.net. This site is about schools that are finding ways to integrate technology, and what the secrets to their success have been. Overall the article reminds us of the many options as educators we have to gain information to help us properly integrate technology into our classrooms.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Journal 6
Social Justice: Choice or Necessity?
By Colleen Swain and David Edyburn
Social Justice affects children in many areas and threaten to negatively affect many of their futures, just one of these is technology. Technology is getting to be an important staple in education, with many Universities requiring incoming students to have a familiarity with it. Also a majority of the jobs are now requiring workers to be technologically fluent. The article reviews the proper framework classrooms should have in place for students to help them become proficient. Social Justice comes in to play when we start thinking about whether the technology materials and instruction are equitably distributed. It goes on to discuss ways teachers can get involved in obtaining technology for their classrooms by using the Digital Equity Portal and Toolkit. It also discusses the need for using it effectively and how you can evaluate these resources for their quality. Once you have gained access to the technology for your students it is important to monitor the successes and failures and be able to make the necessary adjustments. The message being portrayed is that we, as educators, need to take the necessary steps to get technology into our classrooms.
Question?
How can schools with financial difficulties aquire the technology?
Answer:
By using Digital Equity Portal and Toolkit, you can gain access to websites with solutions such as discounted hardware and free educational software.
Question?
What are some factors that define social justice in technology?
Answer:
That the technology is readily available, can be used regularly, that it is used to enhance the education of students and applies to real life situations and that it can be monitored for effectiveness.
By Colleen Swain and David Edyburn
Social Justice affects children in many areas and threaten to negatively affect many of their futures, just one of these is technology. Technology is getting to be an important staple in education, with many Universities requiring incoming students to have a familiarity with it. Also a majority of the jobs are now requiring workers to be technologically fluent. The article reviews the proper framework classrooms should have in place for students to help them become proficient. Social Justice comes in to play when we start thinking about whether the technology materials and instruction are equitably distributed. It goes on to discuss ways teachers can get involved in obtaining technology for their classrooms by using the Digital Equity Portal and Toolkit. It also discusses the need for using it effectively and how you can evaluate these resources for their quality. Once you have gained access to the technology for your students it is important to monitor the successes and failures and be able to make the necessary adjustments. The message being portrayed is that we, as educators, need to take the necessary steps to get technology into our classrooms.
Question?
How can schools with financial difficulties aquire the technology?
Answer:
By using Digital Equity Portal and Toolkit, you can gain access to websites with solutions such as discounted hardware and free educational software.
Question?
What are some factors that define social justice in technology?
Answer:
That the technology is readily available, can be used regularly, that it is used to enhance the education of students and applies to real life situations and that it can be monitored for effectiveness.
Friday, March 9, 2007
Journal 5
How to Fight the New Bullies
By: Rosalind Wiseman
This article discusses how bullying in person is becoming the least of students and parents worries. Cyberbullying is the new trend and is possibly more damaging. Whereas a bully in school has to show their face while threatening or making rude remarks, the internet cyberbullying is mostly anonymous and is not as easily watched. Some examples given in the article were instant messaging cruel messages, taking degrading or embarrassing pictures of another student and posting them online or texting cruel messages via cell phone. Rosalind Wiseman states that there is hope within the educational system to put a stop to some of the cyberbullying. Vermont, specifically is creating new legislation for bullying laws because they had a suicide of a 13 year old boy, who had been bullied in person and online. This new legislation may allow school officials to become involved in discipling students for their off-campus bullying on the internet or cell phones if it is disrupting the learning of a fellow student. The advice that was given by Rachel Simmons, who wrote Odd Girl Out , was to students. She says to "be the same person online that you are in real life. If you wouldn't say it, don't send it." She also reminds that nothing on the internet is really confidential. A spokesperson for Stand Up!, Shanterra McBride, advises parents to "not be intimidated by technology. Sit down with your child and let him or her take you through Web sites like MySpace, Facebook and YouTube." By being on top of monitoring what your kids interests are on the web, you can ensure they are staying out of trouble online.
Question?
How common is cyberbullying?
Answer
According to the survey in the article, 90% of middle school students have had their feelings hurt online, 75% have visited a website bashing another student, 40% have had their password stolen and changed by a bully and only 15% of parents polled even knew what cyberbullying was.
Question?
What can parents do to stop this as much as possible?
Give boundaries to your children with the technology you purchase for them and always keep computers in family areas. As parents, we need to be monitoring what our children do online and save and print any evidence of cyberbullying.
By: Rosalind Wiseman
This article discusses how bullying in person is becoming the least of students and parents worries. Cyberbullying is the new trend and is possibly more damaging. Whereas a bully in school has to show their face while threatening or making rude remarks, the internet cyberbullying is mostly anonymous and is not as easily watched. Some examples given in the article were instant messaging cruel messages, taking degrading or embarrassing pictures of another student and posting them online or texting cruel messages via cell phone. Rosalind Wiseman states that there is hope within the educational system to put a stop to some of the cyberbullying. Vermont, specifically is creating new legislation for bullying laws because they had a suicide of a 13 year old boy, who had been bullied in person and online. This new legislation may allow school officials to become involved in discipling students for their off-campus bullying on the internet or cell phones if it is disrupting the learning of a fellow student. The advice that was given by Rachel Simmons, who wrote Odd Girl Out , was to students. She says to "be the same person online that you are in real life. If you wouldn't say it, don't send it." She also reminds that nothing on the internet is really confidential. A spokesperson for Stand Up!, Shanterra McBride, advises parents to "not be intimidated by technology. Sit down with your child and let him or her take you through Web sites like MySpace, Facebook and YouTube." By being on top of monitoring what your kids interests are on the web, you can ensure they are staying out of trouble online.
Question?
How common is cyberbullying?
Answer
According to the survey in the article, 90% of middle school students have had their feelings hurt online, 75% have visited a website bashing another student, 40% have had their password stolen and changed by a bully and only 15% of parents polled even knew what cyberbullying was.
Question?
What can parents do to stop this as much as possible?
Give boundaries to your children with the technology you purchase for them and always keep computers in family areas. As parents, we need to be monitoring what our children do online and save and print any evidence of cyberbullying.
Journal 4
From Toy to Tool
By: Liz Kolb
Liz Kolb discusses in her article that instead of rejecting the everyday technology students rely on, we can help them integrate the "toys" into learning "tools". Her main technology she is discussing is cell phones. She said she had always felt cell phones were a tool to cheat with and distract with, but came to understand that she could use this technology instead of fighting it to enhance her classroom. She recommends using the phones for audio blogging. Audio blogging is done with their cell phones, and is then immediately posted as an audio file on their blogs online. It can be a great tool for interviews instead of tape recorders. They can use their phone and then the interview will be immediately posted in their blog, where they can leave them or use video editing software to make the audio for movie clips with pictures taken on their cell phones as well. The flip side is the concerns with audio blogging; privacy issues, copyright issues, cost issues and control issues. The privacy issues revolve around the fact that blogger.com is not password protected so anyone will have access tot heir blogs. The copyright issues are just to make sure that students understand they can not post copyrighted material, such as songs without permission. The cost issues, of course, arise from the fact that not all students will have phones along with the fact that some of their plans may be restrictive to audio blogs causing their monthly bill to go up. The control issue is concerned with trusting the students with the responsibility of being allowed to bring phones to class. There have to be boundaries of what is acceptable to work on with their phones during class time and what is not. Liz Kolb's point is great in that by allowing students to use their phones we are connecting their technology to learning and teaching them important tools they can use their toys for.
Question?
What other technologies that students regularly use can be incorporated into the classroom?
Answer
Cameras, Video Cameras and Email
Question?
How do you keep the students honest with their phone usage during class?
Answer
Boundaries being set will be important. Giving them guidelines as to what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviors in the classroom will give students the opportunity to gain trust. If the trust is broken, consequences must be utilized such as loss of privileges in class.
By: Liz Kolb
Liz Kolb discusses in her article that instead of rejecting the everyday technology students rely on, we can help them integrate the "toys" into learning "tools". Her main technology she is discussing is cell phones. She said she had always felt cell phones were a tool to cheat with and distract with, but came to understand that she could use this technology instead of fighting it to enhance her classroom. She recommends using the phones for audio blogging. Audio blogging is done with their cell phones, and is then immediately posted as an audio file on their blogs online. It can be a great tool for interviews instead of tape recorders. They can use their phone and then the interview will be immediately posted in their blog, where they can leave them or use video editing software to make the audio for movie clips with pictures taken on their cell phones as well. The flip side is the concerns with audio blogging; privacy issues, copyright issues, cost issues and control issues. The privacy issues revolve around the fact that blogger.com is not password protected so anyone will have access tot heir blogs. The copyright issues are just to make sure that students understand they can not post copyrighted material, such as songs without permission. The cost issues, of course, arise from the fact that not all students will have phones along with the fact that some of their plans may be restrictive to audio blogs causing their monthly bill to go up. The control issue is concerned with trusting the students with the responsibility of being allowed to bring phones to class. There have to be boundaries of what is acceptable to work on with their phones during class time and what is not. Liz Kolb's point is great in that by allowing students to use their phones we are connecting their technology to learning and teaching them important tools they can use their toys for.
Question?
What other technologies that students regularly use can be incorporated into the classroom?
Answer
Cameras, Video Cameras and Email
Question?
How do you keep the students honest with their phone usage during class?
Answer
Boundaries being set will be important. Giving them guidelines as to what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviors in the classroom will give students the opportunity to gain trust. If the trust is broken, consequences must be utilized such as loss of privileges in class.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Journal 3
Video in the Age of Participation
By: Glen Bull
This article discusses the fact that with the success of YouTube and Googles acquisition of them, digital video is becoming the new "it" in technology. Being able to use digital video technology can be an incredible resource for teachers. Teachers will be able to section off video segments for teaching tools much more easily. PBS and National Geographic are just two groups that make their material available online for public use. National Geographic has footage of African Wildlife and PBS offers it's NOVA science programs for teachers to reference in their lessons. Though these sites have helpful videos not many are set up with easy reference to help teachers find videos they are looking for. Discovery Education has set up a very helpful resources where teachers can key in the content they are looking for and it will direct them to some of their 40000 video segments they can use in their lecture. Discovery also allows for teachers to and students to pull one of their video clips, edit or remix it and repost it to their site for someone else to possibly use. These kind of programs can help teachers to easily include video into their lectures, helping hem to keep the interest of students and give a more vivid demonstration then they could have done with lecture alone. Another site available is Next Vista which is an online library of videos put together by teachers and/or students. There is a lot of new technology available online to help edit and create video clips of your own, which can also be a great lesson for students.
Question?
What ways can we incorporate this technology into our classrooms?
Answer
It would be beneficial to utilize these video clips in our teaching to give students a more visual example. It can also give them some new technology training to have them find video clips to help with their own projects, as well as, make their own video clips.
Question?
How can we make this technology more readily available?
Answer
Have a summer course available for teachers to take to train them on searching the web for video clips and how to edit or create their own. Also work with educational programs to get a catalog of video clips into the computers at your schools.
By: Glen Bull
This article discusses the fact that with the success of YouTube and Googles acquisition of them, digital video is becoming the new "it" in technology. Being able to use digital video technology can be an incredible resource for teachers. Teachers will be able to section off video segments for teaching tools much more easily. PBS and National Geographic are just two groups that make their material available online for public use. National Geographic has footage of African Wildlife and PBS offers it's NOVA science programs for teachers to reference in their lessons. Though these sites have helpful videos not many are set up with easy reference to help teachers find videos they are looking for. Discovery Education has set up a very helpful resources where teachers can key in the content they are looking for and it will direct them to some of their 40000 video segments they can use in their lecture. Discovery also allows for teachers to and students to pull one of their video clips, edit or remix it and repost it to their site for someone else to possibly use. These kind of programs can help teachers to easily include video into their lectures, helping hem to keep the interest of students and give a more vivid demonstration then they could have done with lecture alone. Another site available is Next Vista which is an online library of videos put together by teachers and/or students. There is a lot of new technology available online to help edit and create video clips of your own, which can also be a great lesson for students.
Question?
What ways can we incorporate this technology into our classrooms?
Answer
It would be beneficial to utilize these video clips in our teaching to give students a more visual example. It can also give them some new technology training to have them find video clips to help with their own projects, as well as, make their own video clips.
Question?
How can we make this technology more readily available?
Answer
Have a summer course available for teachers to take to train them on searching the web for video clips and how to edit or create their own. Also work with educational programs to get a catalog of video clips into the computers at your schools.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Journal 2
Breathing Fire into Web 2.0
By: Justin Hardman & David Carpenter
This article discusses the problems with incoming students in school being more advanced then the technology in place in the school. The authors discuss the need to have an all-in-one system in place that can be used by teachers, administrators, parents and students. Justin Hardman, one of the authors, helped to put together a three-part system for the school at which he was working. The three components were:
1) A system where they can create a better way to communicate between faculty and students
2) A way to develop the curriculum and archive the resources
3) A way to manage the teachers profiles
After completion, teachers were each able to manage their own home page, and also include links to other school clubs and teams. The new system has a calendar, where teachers can keep students and other faculty updated as to what the class schedule is, and any changes made will be immediately available. The teachers can also load any teaching materials they wish and the other faculty will have open access to it. The new system also had space for the various clubs and sports teams to post their information. One really useful tool is the ability to store multi-media resources that can easily be accessed in the classroom for discussions. Email is also an included feature so as to make communication between faculty, parents, students and administrators much easier. The e-portfolio feature allows students or teachers to keep a portfolio of the years work, for reference in later classes or for an end of the year project. We are lucky enough to have this at a college level already, but what a great tool this could be at a high school and junior high level for students.
Question?
How can we integrate something simpler into a school that does not have the funds to yet completely get a full system?
Answer
Use the office products that come with the computers, such as Microsoft Outlook to at least have calendars and email.
Question?
What will be the most useful tool in having an integrated website for the school?
Answer
I feel having everyone linked will be the most useful tool. Teachers being able to access other teachers resources and materials and the students being able to access the calendar and assignments online would be such a timesaver.
By: Justin Hardman & David Carpenter
This article discusses the problems with incoming students in school being more advanced then the technology in place in the school. The authors discuss the need to have an all-in-one system in place that can be used by teachers, administrators, parents and students. Justin Hardman, one of the authors, helped to put together a three-part system for the school at which he was working. The three components were:
1) A system where they can create a better way to communicate between faculty and students
2) A way to develop the curriculum and archive the resources
3) A way to manage the teachers profiles
After completion, teachers were each able to manage their own home page, and also include links to other school clubs and teams. The new system has a calendar, where teachers can keep students and other faculty updated as to what the class schedule is, and any changes made will be immediately available. The teachers can also load any teaching materials they wish and the other faculty will have open access to it. The new system also had space for the various clubs and sports teams to post their information. One really useful tool is the ability to store multi-media resources that can easily be accessed in the classroom for discussions. Email is also an included feature so as to make communication between faculty, parents, students and administrators much easier. The e-portfolio feature allows students or teachers to keep a portfolio of the years work, for reference in later classes or for an end of the year project. We are lucky enough to have this at a college level already, but what a great tool this could be at a high school and junior high level for students.
Question?
How can we integrate something simpler into a school that does not have the funds to yet completely get a full system?
Answer
Use the office products that come with the computers, such as Microsoft Outlook to at least have calendars and email.
Question?
What will be the most useful tool in having an integrated website for the school?
Answer
I feel having everyone linked will be the most useful tool. Teachers being able to access other teachers resources and materials and the students being able to access the calendar and assignments online would be such a timesaver.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Journal 1
Finding New Ways to Connect
By: Eleanor Yang Su
Teachers today face a new challenge of teaching "Generation Y". Students in college now have an enormous amount of technology savvy, many times surpassing the teachers. Many teachers struggle with how they are going to be able to reach out to these students and keep them engaged in a classroom. One of the listed concerns is the constant multi-tasking of college students. One example was Bioengineering major, Chris Letrong. He often instant messages during class, when the teacher has paused to ask questions, and while studying will text message and instant message his many friends. This multi-tasking is his way to stay in touch with people while still getting his work done. A cognitive neuroscientist, Jordan Grafman, states that multi-tasking can actually make getting small tasks done harder and a longer process. One of the ways teachers are trying to keep students interested in their class is to use technology. Class websites and posting the power point presentations or study notes ahead of time for students. The fear is that college professors may be so worried about keeping students interested that they may be getting kids to come to class, but not really teaching them or getting them to remember the information discussed. Several colleges are trying to incorporate more technology and have even asked students for help with this. "They don't see it as technology, they think of it as something to help get the job done."
Question?
How as a teacher do you include technology in your class without it becoming the only focus?
Answer
Technology should be used as support to help students gather information, organize data, make projects more interesting, but the information still needs to be distributed. Make a plan of what you want the students to learn and use technology to help you achieve that not take over.
Question?
What will this next upcoming generation be like with technology if their parents are already very savvy?
Answer
I am not sure anyone knows the real answer to that, but I know I am preparing myself to be one step ahead. Right now I am still battling my six year old for most technologically savvy in the house!
By: Eleanor Yang Su
Teachers today face a new challenge of teaching "Generation Y". Students in college now have an enormous amount of technology savvy, many times surpassing the teachers. Many teachers struggle with how they are going to be able to reach out to these students and keep them engaged in a classroom. One of the listed concerns is the constant multi-tasking of college students. One example was Bioengineering major, Chris Letrong. He often instant messages during class, when the teacher has paused to ask questions, and while studying will text message and instant message his many friends. This multi-tasking is his way to stay in touch with people while still getting his work done. A cognitive neuroscientist, Jordan Grafman, states that multi-tasking can actually make getting small tasks done harder and a longer process. One of the ways teachers are trying to keep students interested in their class is to use technology. Class websites and posting the power point presentations or study notes ahead of time for students. The fear is that college professors may be so worried about keeping students interested that they may be getting kids to come to class, but not really teaching them or getting them to remember the information discussed. Several colleges are trying to incorporate more technology and have even asked students for help with this. "They don't see it as technology, they think of it as something to help get the job done."
Question?
How as a teacher do you include technology in your class without it becoming the only focus?
Answer
Technology should be used as support to help students gather information, organize data, make projects more interesting, but the information still needs to be distributed. Make a plan of what you want the students to learn and use technology to help you achieve that not take over.
Question?
What will this next upcoming generation be like with technology if their parents are already very savvy?
Answer
I am not sure anyone knows the real answer to that, but I know I am preparing myself to be one step ahead. Right now I am still battling my six year old for most technologically savvy in the house!
Monday, January 29, 2007
Intro Letter
My name is Sharon Irving, and I am originally from Huntington Beach, CA. I went to Eader Elementary, Sowers Middle School and Edison High School all in Huntington Beach. After High School, I attended Orange Coast College, a Junior College in Costa Mesa, Ca. After that I moved to the Bay area and attended Cal State East Bay. I took a 6-year break after my children were born and started back up at CSUSM last spring. I will be graduating in May and look forward to attending the credentialing program here next year!
Before coming back to school, I was a corporate trainer who taught the incoming associates how to use our company software. I am comfortable with technology once I have learned it, but I am not incredibly experimental with my computer and tend to panic a little when strange messages pop up! I have always been a PC person, but must admit I am loving the Mac and considering a switch when I need a new computer. I use quite a bit of technology on a daily basis; I have my palm to keep me sane. I love my MP3 player and would probably never keep in touch with anyone were it not for a cell phone or email.
After reading the Mission Statement, I would say the part that spoke to me most was, “to collaboratively transform public education by preparing thoughtful educators and advancing professional practices.” I would say that throughout school I had many good teachers. These people were the reason I advanced in school and stayed motivated to go on to college. Some were even the reason I want to be a teacher. The only way to motivate our next generation is to have the best educators possible.
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