Final thoughts.....

I thought I would share some final thoughts on the blog, because this could potentially be my last post. First of all, I have really enjoyed taking this class. I have sort of come full circle throughout the semester. What I mean by this is that I started off the semester by realizing that my limited knowledge of technology did not even scratch the surface of what was available to use. As we went through each class, I gained a little bit of confidence thinking that I was learning quite a bit. When I left class last night though it was with the realization that, although I have learned a significant amount, my knowledge about the use of technology is still very limited. There is just so much to know! Things are changing and additional programs and tools are literally being developed everyday.

So, I guess I will take with me the concept of TPACK. Technology is not an add-on or an after thought. It is an integral part of the teaching process. Keeping up to date and learning new applications is just another challenge of teaching. Novice and expert teachers need to meet the challenge for the sake of their students' learning! Leaders in this area are necessary in every school, so that the appropriate tools can be purchased, the technology is used, and students reep the benefits. Even though I am now interested in the higher ed setting, the challenge I will face is similar. I hope I can keep up!

Podcasts

After completing the readings, I am very excited to learn more about podcasts in class tomorrow night. I had never really thought of the field trip "guide" being a podcast. When I visited Alcatraz they gave me a headset and put me on a guided tour. I got to listen to all sorts of information as I walked around. I learned much more than I would have by walking around myself and it was much more time and cost efficient than having a walking tour guide. The funny thing is that I had never really thought of that as a podcast!

I see the potential for podcasts in the classroom even more than some of the other tools that we have discussed. I think that they would be potentially very useful in "frontloading", or teaching students about content before they read. I cannot wait to hear how people are already using them! (And how to do them...I have no idea.)

I have started to think, though. Does technology allow the "rich" to get richer and the "poor" to remain poor? By rich and poor, I mean, do school district that have lots of money and resources continue to offer children more and more while districts with tight budgets offer very little in terms of technology? For example, when I was teaching in one school district in Iowa there was one student computer for each classroom and no lab. The computer was dated and didn't offer any programs except for AR. Up the road 20 minutes at another school district the elementary school had a number of student computers in each classroom, a lab with multiple programs, and mobile labs. I would like to do more reading in terms of equibility in technology. I would expecially like to know more about states other than Iowa.

Teacher Tube

I know that we talked about this resource quite a while ago, but I only recently had time to check it out. What a fantastic site! When I was teaching in the classroom I remember thinking, "If I could only find a clip to show _____." Unfortunately, if our school library didn't contain anything (which most of the time it didn't), I was out of luck. I tried to create my own visuals and trust me, I am not a great artist. I didn't always have much success!

Teacher Tube eliminates that problem in a number of cases. I tried searching various topics that I remember covering in the classroom. I found a pretty good resource for almost everything I typed. The great part is, you can be fairly selective about what type of clip you use, especially the length.

The other nice part about Teacher Tube is the learning opportunities for teachers that are available on the site. I was able to find a 23 minute video discussing and demonstrating the use of literature circles in the classroom. Professional development in the convenience of my home at any hour that I choose. How great is that?

Digital Storytelling

I have been very excited to try creating my own digital story. It did not take me that long to actually write the story, because I knew what direction I wanted to head in after watching the sample stories in class. However, it took me a long time to select the pictures to go along with the story. I really wanted the pictures to capture the essence of my words. I have decided it must be difficult for a children's author to hand over their work to an illustrator. So much of the meaning of a story that includes pictures is developed in the images!

I also had NO idea how to use imovie, but I think that my project is coming along nicely. I am still trying to figure out how to add sound to my title screen. I also have a couple of pictures that I still need to add. I have completed my rationale though. In fact, I had a hard time determining a specific lesson or unit that I would use this for. Not because I didn't see the relevance, but because I saw SO MANY possibilities! I chose to write about a high school classroom developing digital stories to further develop the distinction between the topic and the theme of a story. I am very curious how other people envisioned using digital storytelling in the classroom!

Keyboarding

When reading To Keyboard or Not to Keyboard (Baugh, 1999), this week I was reminded of my own experience learning to type. I am dating myself a little bit, but we didn't start to learn keyboarding until seventh grade. It was an entire class period devoted to typing on typewriters (and, really, I am not THAT old!) I distinctly remember the frustration when the teacher taped a piece of paper over my hands so that I could not look at the letters. There was such a great compulsion to look under the paper!

I did learn to type. The keyboarding class was a good start. I learned home row and the proper finger for each key, but it wasn't really until college when I was forced to type all of the time that I got very good at it. A 45 minute class once a day without an engaging reason to be typing just didn't quite do the job!

The article made me ask myself, "How would this experience have been different if I had begun to learn keyboarding at a much younger age?" Baugh (1999) talks about pre-k/kindergarten keyboarding skills. I am going to begin informally talking about the keyboard when my daughters are sitting at the computer or learning a new letter. Not only because I think kids are on computers at much younger age than seventh grade, but because when they do get to the point where they need to learn to type and I think that process would be much easier to learn if the process started at a young age. Hopefully, they will not feel panic when someone puts a paper over their hands and says they cannot look, because they will have quite a bit of experience with a keyboard before they get to that point!

Did anyone have a similar experience to mine, or vastly different, when learning to type?

Reference
Baugh, I. M. (1999). To Keyboard or Not to Keyboard. Learning and Leading with Technology,
27(4), 28-31.

Well....

this is an interesting post, because I started off by searching teacher blogs. I wanted to find some real-life example of classrooms using blogs to communicate with parents, students, and other school personnel. However, I got sidetracked by an article that I read on a site called TeacherLingo.com. This site is basically a communication hub for teachers of all types. Everyone has a blog on the site and writes about whatever her or she chooses. On one of the blogs a teacher referred to this article http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?i=59180, titled, Schwarzenegger: Printed texts are old school. I couldn't help but become sidetracked.

Schwarzenegger is encouraging schools in the state to look into using online books. I know we talked about this briefly in class a few weeks ago and it looks like California could be moving in this direction. The article alludes to the fact that California is facing a huge budget deficit and Schwarznegger's proposal of using online materials rather than printed books could potentially save the state millions of dollars.

I wonder what the publishing companies think of this? I am assuming that many of them have seen this move coming and have started to change their business plans based on the changing needs of schools.

I am also wondering if all the schools in California would have the necessary technology to utilize online books for each student. There could be hidden costs in moving towards online books if schools do not have the infrastructure to handle this change. Also, what impact would this have on students? Would the expectation be that every student have internet access outside of school to complete homework? I am sure that many people are currently asking these same questions and most have probably been answered, but they immediately came to my mind.

I will be eagerly anticipating California's next move!

Digitales

I am using class time tonight to sit and work on my digital storytelling project. I wrote my script and so I was ready to sit down and do some further planning on a storyboard. I was having trouble with the storyboard that was posted on our wiki (probably operator error), so I decided to search the internet for another option. In my search I found a really cool website that I don't think that we have talked about yet. It is called DigiTales. I found a lot of good examples of digital stories on this site, as well as a very useful storyboard. I just wanted to share this with you! If you are looking for an idea it may be a good place to look.

Technology and Assessment

One of my research interests is using student data to change teaching practices. I decided this week that there must be lots of connections between gathering , presenting, and using data and technology. I did a searched google for technology and literacy assessment. One of the interesting sites I found was to the Oregon Department of Education. They have developed a program called Technology Enhanced Student Assessment. Basically, students are given reading and math tests on the computer. The results of the test are put into a spreadsheet and teachers are able to gain insights about their students' strengths and needs from the information. (I would personally go beyond the spredsheet and create visual representations for the class and each individual student.) Using technology alleviates the need to correct paper and pencil test. It also eliminates the paper and pencil, which saves the district money! I would assume that is is also easier to compare testing results over time if the computer is used to present the data. If you are interested in seeing more, the website is http://159.191.14.139/.docs/pg/11493.

Digital Storytelling

I have been curious about digital storytelling since we started discussing it. I wanted to know more about the possible applications in the classroom and I found a fantastic website that I wanted to share with all of you. The link is http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/.

First of all, it shares some really good start up information. For example, this website shares 7 Elements of Digital Storytelling, samples for evaluation, and a step-by-step guide to create a digital story. There are also links to other 2.0 resources: a podcast, a list of digital storytelling blogs and wikis, etc.

However, I thought the most interesting part of this website was the example section. There are multiple different examples of digital stories across content areas. Check these examples out and let me know what you think! I absolutely love the ESL stories. I can see how they could easily be used and incorporated into instruction.

ipod possibilities...

Since the class when we discussed the new ipod coming out, I have been compelled to go buy one. Up until this point I have been able to resist purchasing one, but I spent some time online this morning researching all they can do. I might have to go buy one!

As I was reading through the features, I was trying to think about all the possible usages in an elementary classroom (a high school classroom brings even more potential)! The ipod has the capability of recording and playing back speech. I thought this would be fun for writing stories. Can you imagine if students were able to record their "seeds", or writing ideas, as they came to them? Then during Writer's Workshop students could play back their notes. They wouldn't be able to say, "I don't know what to write about!" The connection between their own life and the writing process could potentially become very strong.

This recording feature can also be used to post audio to websites. Students could read the class news into their ipod and then take it home for their parents to listen to or easily send it in an email. This function could also be used for fluency work, to listen to the teacher read books, or to get information from a class that they missed. These are just a few of the ways that the audio playback feature could be used.

The ipod also has the capability to record like a camera with audio. This would also have many potential uses. For example, students could do Reader's Theatre and easily video tape it and play it back. Students could do an interview and video tape it. There are so many possibilities!

The best part of the whole product is that they really are quite inexpensive. I probably sound like an infomercial, but I really do think that these new ipods could have a great place in the classroom.

Another late post....

I have decided that posting on Wednesdays actually works best for me. I hope it doesn't bother anyone. I have actually been at home with sick kids the past couple of days, but I have been busy bleaching and spraying Lysol everywhere! I am very disappointed that I am going to miss the IPTV presentation tonight. I feel like I really know something about IPTV...Sid the Science Kid, Cailou, Super Why, etc.! I have seen most of them. ;0)

This week I decided I would look up online activities for preschoolers and I found one that I really like. It is called http://www.storyplace.org/preschool/other.asp. The reason that I like this website is it includes an online story, online activity, activity to at home, and a list of related books. It is also very easy to navigate, which is very important for young learners. Check it out and tell me what you think! Also, if you know of other free online sites for very young learners, let me know!

It's already Wednesday

I am so sorry for this very late post! This week really flew by. I am really excited for class tonight. I spent a significant amount of time on the Reading Revolution site this week and I am eagerly anticipating learning more about it.

The readings about social networking made me think a bit more about the use of such sites in the classroom. I tend to agree with that, yes, social networking sites can be appropriate to use. I understood the opposing argument, but I think that students need to learn how to use social networking sites appropriately. To say that bad things can happen when socializing is true, but isn't it more effective for students to learn the dangers, how to best protect themselves, and what to do if something negative does happen while using a social networking site? If we never let children do anything that had a possible negative outcome, we wouldn't let them do much.

I also think that it would be beneficial for students to learn what is appropriate to post and what is not. It is important to know that what you write and post WILL be seen by others. (This could be a good lesson to be learned before going to college and posting a bunch of pictures on the internet that you MAY not want future employers to look at. :0) )

Research Article #2

This artilce:

Staples, A., Pugach, M., & Himes. D. (2005). Rethinking the technology integration challenge: Cases from three urban schools. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 37 (3), 285-311.

was fairly long, so I am going to try to be as concise as possible when summarizing. I chose it because , as I have mentioned time and time again, all of my experience is in urban settings with a limited amount of technology available. In this case the researchers observed the outcome for three different schools in their efforts to infuse technology into their curriculum. They were looking to answer the following questions:
- How do schools use fiscal and human resources to support technology use?
- How does the existing culture or ecosystem of the school impact technology implementation?
- What factors mediate decisions regarding technology integration in schools?
Qualitative data was collected to conduct the three case studies.

First of all, each school was given 32,000 dollars to hire a 1/2 time technolgy specialist. The school also received support from a university-employed instructional technology specialist once a week. These specialists were provided with an opportunity to network once a month. Each school used these funds in different ways within the parameters of these expectations.

Case #1- Rosa Parks This school believes in project-based learning. The principal defined the role of the principal by setting the expectation that each teacher would use technology to support these projects.

Case #2- Central Elementary The computer lab became a place to do project rather than a drop off point. All teachers varied in their technology usage.

Case #3- Again, the computer lab became a place to do projects, not a drop off place where students work was unconnected to classroom learning. This school focused on developing online report cards. They didn't focus on tying technology in with curriculum in a lasting way.

Conclusions-
* Factors in technology integration-
1. Alignment with school's curriculum and mission
2. Teacher leadership
3. Public/private roles for technology recognition

Considering this article was 27 pages or something like that, I am obviously paring down the information quite a bit. I do feel that the conclusions that these researchers came to would be useful to a school that was trying to integrate technology into their curriculum. These factors could be identified in their individual school and adjustments could be made to make the integration more successful and long-lasting.

Research Article #1

I decided to search google scholar for an article that examined the relationship between technology and improved literacy. The article that I found to read is dated (probably because this issue was studied when computers were being used more often in classrooms as part of instruction). It was written in 1999, but I feel that the conclusions of this article are still valid today. We have more technology available now then when these authors addressed categorically the writing process using word processing, electronic literacy environments, and electronic portfolios. However, our new technology can still be used to engage students in meaningful instruction, as Fisher, Bean, and Flood concluded 10 years ago.

According to the authors the research suggests that using computers in the writing process:

1. Helps children to focus on content rather than mechanics
2. Encourages the production of more and better developed essays
3. Reduces the drudgery of editing

The authors review of the research regarding electronic literacy environments found:

1. Increased specialized vocabulary and coherence
2. Wide ranging possibilities for communication and expression
3. Improved mechanics of writing

They also reviewed the research regarding electronic portfolios and found:

1. They encourage students to align their work with performance standards
2. They Provide an opportunity for students to share literacy development with others
3. Their use leads to an increase in knowledge of technology
4. They improved literacy overall

Fisher, D., Lapp, D., & Flood, J. (1999). Technology and literacy: Is there a positive relationship? The California Reader, 32(4), 35-38.

This article would have been helpful to me when I was in the classroom, because, as I stated before, there was virtually no technology available in the schools where I worked. This article would provide a rationale for spending a portion of the budget to improve available technology.

Blogging

I have decided that I will go ahead and discuss a couple of ideas that I have for blogging this week. I don't know a lot about blogging. I have never really followed anyone's blog before. I read the short articles regarding blogging and decided that there are some factors to consider before jumping right in to having students post publicly on a blog (especially younger students). First of all, the words are public for all to see. Second of all, students would need to have screen names and passwords, a possible logistical nightmare. However, these are not insurmountable obstacles.

The first idea that I have could be used with a variety of age levels, although it would need some tweeking depending on the age level of the students. Many teachers have their students keep a reading log. Instead of a reading log, students could keep a reading blog. This way other students in the class could see what their peers were reading, read their classmates' responses to the books, and comment themselves about their own reading. This would give students a motivating purpose for both writing and reading. Students as young as kindergarten could participate by keeping a class reading log. Parents could be invited to view the blog and comment on the class's reading.

Blogging could also be a closing activity for the school day. The teacher or a student could lead a whole class write summarizing the activities of the day and potentially highlighting upcoming events. This could be viewed by parents, community members, and other teachers and school leaders for information. It could possibly do away with the weekly or monthly newsletter depending on the population of students that you are working with and their parents' access to the internet.

This class "newsletter" of sorts could build a partnership with another school in another area. Another class could follow a similar method and could follow each and comment on the learning that is happening in the classroom.

These are probably not THE most creative ideas, but they are things that I can see myself actually doing regularly as they are manageable and beneficial.

I'll try again

I've been thinking about technology this week since class. When I was in college I had to take a technology course. We learned about using a digital camera, creating a web page, and using educational software. (Am I dating myself a little?!? All of this stuff was brand new!) I enjoyed it and looked forward to using it the classroom. Unfortunately, when I got my first job there was a computer lab, but that's about it. My following two jobs had no lab and no other technology available other than a teacher computer. My growth in technology usage basically stopped.

I am excited to have that learning start again! In fact, this week I have been learning how to use the SPSS program. I realize that this isn't to work with in the classroom, but WOW what a great tool to analyze data. It has just made me realize that there are many tools that I need to learn more about to make my life easier!

I also told my husband about wordle. He does presentations fairly regularly in his position at work and I thought it may make an interesting visual for the people that he is sharing information with. I am not sure if he used it yet, but it at least intrigued him.

I am hoping that in this course we will examine computer software to use with young learners as well. I am curious to learn about pre-reading programs that can be used effectively with young learners. Primarily I am interested in how to determine good programs from programs that are not so good.

First class is in the books....