Academic Writing

This assignment required me to change text from AMA to APA format---I dislike having to format written work---it just demands so much thought!  But I muddled through it.  You can check out my work here.

In looking over the NETS-T Standards, I found only a couple that fall under this assignment:

Standard 3:  Model Digital Age Work and Learning by modeling and facilitating effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning.

Standard 4:  Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility by advocating, modeling, and teaching safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.

Wrath of Khan

This assignment also had me watch a video, but this one was about how videos have become a bridge between teacher and student.  And I just have one question....where was this guy when I suffered through Statistics and PreCal?! lol  But in all seriousness, I know a lot of teachers who take advantage of all sorts of online websites and videos.  For example, there's Starfall, BrainPop, and FCAT just to name a few.  Most districts set up specific guidelines as to what online resources a teacher can use and if I were to find a new one, I would be required to get permission to utilize it in my classroom.  Needless to say, I spend a great deal of time surfing the net to get an array of ideas when I plan a lesson (creative, don't you think) because I have a very diverse set of students, as we all know is common in today's classrooms.  As to hope and change for aspiring teachers--I hope that they will be open to change in the way they teach future students.  Because with technology being as it is, keeping up with it will definitely make the job easier.  I agreed wholeheartedly when Khan mentioned the positive attributes of having this type of learning in the classroom--the teacher has more time to focus on specific students, student's are more likely to achieve success due to self-pacing and practice, and most important, students can peer tutor one another.  This scenario is what an active and engaging classroom looks like.  A whole lotta learning going on!

Creativity

For this assignment, I was required to view a video concerning the lack of creativity in our education system.   Sir Ken Robinson did an excellent job in defining the lack of creativity that is found in the classroom of today.  Even though this video is now 7 years old, I can relate to what he was saying.   As a teacher of today, we do discourage creativity from our students.  We expect them to act, talk, and learn within the norms of everyone around them.   If they’re fidgety—we medicate them in order to control them; if they’re legarthic—we medicate them in order for them to keep up.  We stifle the artists, musicians, dancers, problem-solvers, and comedians---all because we are taught that the classroom is designed only for learning.  Simply put, “We get educated out of creativity.”  I find myself saddened by this unrealistic scenario in which I am in.  As a teacher, I consider myself different than most because I encourage each student’s creativity, I encourage my students to express what they’re thinking and why, I encourage them to tell me ways in which I can make their learning easier.  When you really think about it, this creativity is almost like differentiating—keeping the content but adjusting the presentation, right?  This age of technology that we find ourselves in, in my opinion, only inspires me to add more creativity to teaching my students, so YES, it is a major impact in my classroom.

Voki

The assignment today required me to accomplish a few things:

• Write an introduction about myself and verify the word count using the readability statistics
• Create an avatar via the Voki website
• Link it all here on my blog

After typing my introduction, I just clicked on the spell check and the readability appears (see the Jing image below)

I'm familiar with this tool because I use it to level text for students and to verify that my numerous past papers did not appear passive.

Creating the avatar was fun, and there are so many choices!  But as usual, I'm having difficulty with embedding...well duh!  I think I finally figured it out! Yay me!! lol





The NETS-T Standards that this assignment fall under will include:
Standard 1: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity by promoting, supporting, and modeling creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.

Standard 2: Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments by designing or adapting relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.

Standard 3: Model Digital Age Work and Learning by communicating relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats.

Standard 4: Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility by developing and modeling cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital age communication and collaboration tools.

Standard 5: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership by evaluating and reflecting on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.

Word Clouds

Well, I really liked doing this assignment.  And as soon as I'm finished with this blog, I'm going back and creating a Wordle using my Philosophy of Education Statement.  The NETS-2000 standards are less - compared to the NETS-2008 by far!  Just for giggles, I captured a photo of both of them (see below):

 

And you can really see the difference.  Notice that in 2000, the focal words were technology, teachers, and learning whereas in 2008, the focal words were learning, students, and tools. I also found it interesting that in 2000, "teachers should be prepared to meet the standards and indicators," but in 2008, "effective teachers are to model and apply the standards as they design, implement, and assess learning experiences to engage students and improve learning."  That says it all, doesn't it?  That in a span of eight years, the standards changed from requiring teachers to prepare to incorporate technology in the learning process to applying technology in the classroom that would enhance learning.

Change Will Happen - Webinar

This assignment was a webinar that compared technology use in two schools:  Carpe Diem and St. Mary's.  We all know technology is on a fast-moving track, especially in the world of education, and that it is incorporated differently. So which model should we as educators AND administrators follow?  A combination of both, is the best choice mainly because with the Carpe Diem school, the students lacked the most vital ingredient when it comes to learning--engagement.  Although test scores were high, what exactly were the students learning?  They were learning memorizing.  St. Mary's understands that technology, hence, mobile devices, are an added ingredient in engaging students with learning.  I absolutely loved the quote mentioned:

"Teachers give the pupils something to do, not something to learn; and the doing is of such a nature as to demand thinking, ... learning naturally results."  J. Dewey

How true!  In my classroom (even though I am only involved in remediation), I've brought in iPads which I have loaded with content specific applications that ENHANCE my student's learning.  I work with numerous ELL students that lack letter name/sound identification--there's an app for that: TwinklP2Pop; Letter Toy; ABC Writing.  For my students who need extra help with Phonics--Tic-Tac-Toe Phonics.  For those who need practice with sight words--Word Match.  The list is endless and there's an app for EVERYTHING!  And most of these apps allow you to add specifications and keep records that enable me to monitor progress.

I've had the opportunity to use my smartphone on occasion, but that is a little tricky because everyone wants to use it at the same time, so I will normally use it only if a need arises.  There are no iPads in the classrooms at my school, just computers, so I would love to work on a grant to remedy that problem.

The Rocketship model really appealed to me--until I saw the learning lab segment.  I feel that if they were to move those computers into the classrooms, the model would work much better.  So basically, what I'm actually trying to say is that for our students to achieve the potential of learning that we all envision for them, technology has to be a constant in their classrooms and teachers must be proficient in delivering the content.

Google Sites

Well it is good to know that my hard work has finally paid off for this assignment.  As a requirement as an undergrad, I had to create a website that described my philosophy of education, provided claims and cross-cutting themes with evidences, and of course, that provided my resume.  The template was chosen for me because I'm in Education.

As a graduate student,  the requirement is the same--create the website (or e-portfolio) and include samples of work with evidence, so you may find the same Claims and Cross-Cutting Themes in both the undergrad/graduate pages, but the work is very different, which is an excellent way to show my growth in learning.  I even linked this blog into a page--were you able to find it?

Since the website is specifically about me and shows my work, I feel that there is only one NETS-T Standard that applies:

Standard 5:  Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership by continuously improving their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.