After reading the two articles on Technology issues in the classroom, I think that the use of technology is absolutely dependent on the community in which you teach. I agree that students need a knowledge of technology in order to succeed in our current world, and I think teachers have to do the best they can with the resources they have. If outside connectivity is a problem for students, teachers have to do their best to schedule time in the computer labs, and to offer students the knowledge even if they can't provide the application. For example, most classrooms have at least a teacher's computer with internet. It is possible for a teacher to hook this computer up to a projector and to provide tutorials on different programs. It may not always be possible to allow every student to master every program, but at least teachers can give students some idea of how these programs work.
The truth is, I don't know what the solution is for schools with problems with outside access. It seems that teachers would be forced, like or not, to assign a limited amount of technological projects. What teacher can provide, regardless of their students' access, is information about technological resources that students can use to expand their technological fluency. For example, many community colleges and vocational schools offer computer workshops that students can attend either for free or for a small sign-up fee. By connecting students with resources outside of schools, teachers are also showing students the importance of advocating for themselves and doing what's necessary to reach their full potential.
I don't think technological assignments should be completely forgone because a few students do not have the access necessary. I would encourage those students to complete their projects using school technology, and would do my best to provide them with in-class time to do so. However, if the work had to be done at home, I undoubtedly believe that an alternate assignment would need to be provided. Does this suck? Yes. But, I don't think that these students should be more inconvenienced and stressed than their peers just because they do not have the same access to technology. Unfortunately, technology is still very expensive in our society, and requiring students to complete online work when they don't have the same resources, in my mind, is absolutely an inequality. If a student came to me with this problem, and we couldn't find a reasonable solution, I would provide an alternate, but beneficial, assignment.
I don't think there is a lot that teachers can do to increase access for students who are disadvantaged other than connect them to local resources that may be able to provide them with the technology they need. Connecting students with local libraries, internet cafes, etc. may be helpful if students don't have the resources at home. Teachers can also make the community aware of the shortage that schools are experiecing and create funds to provide low income students with the technology they need. This of course would have to be a community effort, but it is teachers who are in the position to spearhead these projects.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Cell Phones in Class?
To me, these two points of view were not exactly on the same topic. Josh Allen seemed to be writing about why schools should not provide cell phones for student use, and Liz Kolb wrote about how the cell phones students already own can be used for educational purposes. In my mind, these are not exactly the same topic. That said, I found things to agree with in both of these writings. I agree with Josh Allen that schools have better things to spend money on than providing cell phones to their students. However, I also do not know of any schools that are even considering this option. I agree with Liz Kolb that there is a possibility that cell phones could be used for educational purposes but to me, it seems that this would have to be the student's choice, not something I assigned to them. For example, while I might assign them to create a podcast, whether or not they used their cell phones to do so would be their choice. I do not think it would be smart to assign a task that could only be completed using a cell phone. Even today, some students do not have cell phones, whether for financial or other reasons. I don't think teachers have the right to require them, or to necessitate their use.
In my own classroom, I would absolutely allow students to use cell phones for certain assignments if they chose to do so. It will not be a requirement and other options will be offered for assignment completion. However, I would not allow students to use their phones except during designated times. The availability of phones means that students can text during class, and also makes cheating much easier. I plan to have a strict "one warning, and then I take your phone" rule during everyday lessons. Just as texting is not appropriate in a business meeting, nor is it appropriate in my class.
In my own classroom, I would absolutely allow students to use cell phones for certain assignments if they chose to do so. It will not be a requirement and other options will be offered for assignment completion. However, I would not allow students to use their phones except during designated times. The availability of phones means that students can text during class, and also makes cheating much easier. I plan to have a strict "one warning, and then I take your phone" rule during everyday lessons. Just as texting is not appropriate in a business meeting, nor is it appropriate in my class.
Chatspeak...
After reading the Point-Counterpoint article on chatspeak, I have to say that I agree with Mr. Monfils. Kids - and numerous other cliques, nationalities, interest groups, etc. - have had their own ways of speaking for hundreds of years. There was a time when the way we speak was considered distasteful, slang. This is the way language works; it evolves, and it always will. One of the unique aspects of language is that, unlike math or science, nothing is ever absolute. What was correct one day may be deemed incorrect in the future, or even just by a different teacher.
Greg Monfils noted that children "codeswitch" between chatspeak and standard English, and he is absolutely correct. What he failed to mention is that we all codeswitch all the time. The way we speak to our significant other is not the same as the way we address the class during a presentation, the way we speak to our best friends is different than when we speak to a co-worker. Codeswitching is not only common but necessary in our world. And the truth, kids know the difference between chatspeak and standardized English. They may not always choose to acknowledge that difference, but they know there is one. Chatspeak is not hindering students' ability to grasp traditional English. Instead, it is allowing them to communicate effectively and quickly with their peers.
I did question the logic of Ms. Howard. In her writing she states, "We may have different sets of
linguistic conventions according to our ethnicity, family, friends, and our work and school communities, but at some point it is time to realize that the English language must be used effectively to understand and to be understood." This quote states that English language must be used effectively. What it fails to recognize is that kids are using chatspeak to communicate effectively. Their point is being heard, understood, and they are recognizing the words of others. This is effective communication. Ms. Howard doesn't seem to understand that effective communication comes in a variety of forms, many that she wouldn't even recognize or understand. She doesn't seem to acknowledge that those who communicate differently from what she thinks is right are often just as effective, if not more so.
Greg Monfils noted that children "codeswitch" between chatspeak and standard English, and he is absolutely correct. What he failed to mention is that we all codeswitch all the time. The way we speak to our significant other is not the same as the way we address the class during a presentation, the way we speak to our best friends is different than when we speak to a co-worker. Codeswitching is not only common but necessary in our world. And the truth, kids know the difference between chatspeak and standardized English. They may not always choose to acknowledge that difference, but they know there is one. Chatspeak is not hindering students' ability to grasp traditional English. Instead, it is allowing them to communicate effectively and quickly with their peers.
I did question the logic of Ms. Howard. In her writing she states, "We may have different sets of
linguistic conventions according to our ethnicity, family, friends, and our work and school communities, but at some point it is time to realize that the English language must be used effectively to understand and to be understood." This quote states that English language must be used effectively. What it fails to recognize is that kids are using chatspeak to communicate effectively. Their point is being heard, understood, and they are recognizing the words of others. This is effective communication. Ms. Howard doesn't seem to understand that effective communication comes in a variety of forms, many that she wouldn't even recognize or understand. She doesn't seem to acknowledge that those who communicate differently from what she thinks is right are often just as effective, if not more so.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Powerpoint...Yay or Nay?
One of the things I really liked about the presentations was the use of videos within the slideshows. Dustin's video of "Please excuse my dear aunt sally" was effective in getting students to remember the information and entertain them at the same time. I had the song stuck in my head all throughout class, which was annoying, but it probably won't be something I forget. Music is a really effective way to get students to remember things and I think it needs to be used more in classrooms. Jessi also had a number of great videos (which we didn't watch but I've seen before) that incorporated music.
Throughout the presentations, I noticed that a number of people turned around and spoke directly to the board while presenting. I feel like this really removed me from the presentation, and also made it difficult to hear the speaker. I think the main reason that people did this was to point out a word/spot on the screen. This would be eliminated if the presenters had a laser points or long pointing stick like many teachers do have in the classroom. It's hard to show students where to look without these tools. I also noticed that a few people had their information come flying in from off the screen and I found this to be distracting, but that might just be my individual preference.
After watching some of the other presentations, the only thing I would have changed is to practice a little more and run my presentation beforehand on the presentation computer. I was sad that my drum roll didn't work! I think this just showed me how important it is to be prepared when giving a presentation within a classroom. Students notice mistakes and can be distracted by them.
I personally am not a big fan of using powerpoint presentations in the classroom. While I think they are effective tools for corporate/collegial presentations, in my experience they do not work well with younger students. Part of this is that teachers often use Powerpoints incorrectly, trying to get too much information on each slide, or creating bright, distracting slides. This causes students to be distracted, or to just copy down what's on the slide and pay no attention to what is being said. As a teacher, I might use powerpoints very sparingly, but would intersperse them with other methods of presentation. I do, however, like Powerpoints for showing photographs in the classroom.
Throughout the presentations, I noticed that a number of people turned around and spoke directly to the board while presenting. I feel like this really removed me from the presentation, and also made it difficult to hear the speaker. I think the main reason that people did this was to point out a word/spot on the screen. This would be eliminated if the presenters had a laser points or long pointing stick like many teachers do have in the classroom. It's hard to show students where to look without these tools. I also noticed that a few people had their information come flying in from off the screen and I found this to be distracting, but that might just be my individual preference.
After watching some of the other presentations, the only thing I would have changed is to practice a little more and run my presentation beforehand on the presentation computer. I was sad that my drum roll didn't work! I think this just showed me how important it is to be prepared when giving a presentation within a classroom. Students notice mistakes and can be distracted by them.
I personally am not a big fan of using powerpoint presentations in the classroom. While I think they are effective tools for corporate/collegial presentations, in my experience they do not work well with younger students. Part of this is that teachers often use Powerpoints incorrectly, trying to get too much information on each slide, or creating bright, distracting slides. This causes students to be distracted, or to just copy down what's on the slide and pay no attention to what is being said. As a teacher, I might use powerpoints very sparingly, but would intersperse them with other methods of presentation. I do, however, like Powerpoints for showing photographs in the classroom.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Technology and Attention Spans
After reading the article on technology and attention span, I have to say that I do not wholly agree with either position. To me, they are too "all or nothing." I don't believe that the use of technology has to be distracting and overwhelming, as the first writer describes. However, I also do not believe that every assignment should be done with technology, eliminating books, as the second author proposed. I think that it is possible to offer a steady balance of technological based projects and traditional pen/paper projects. This set-up really allows the teacher to cater to more students and offer assignments for many different learning styles. While most kids use technology for their own entertainment, I know that not all students enjoy technology based assignments. This too is simply because different kids learn in different ways. As John Davidson quoted, "They can process information much faster than most of us. Because of this, we as educators must change the way we teach and what we teach." I agree with this statement, but think there are multiple to do this; it doesn't require an all-digital curriculum.
I was left with a major question after reading this article. I would like to know what experience these men have within a high school classroom. I noticed that both men are involved in the world of education, but at the management level. To me, their arguments lacked any real knowledge of students. The first article did not account for the fact that students can focus for long periods of time if they are engaged by the assignment. The second did not take into account the fact that many students enjoy reading real books and creating tangible products. It seemed that both men need to speak with students in order to realistically assert their positions.
I was left with a major question after reading this article. I would like to know what experience these men have within a high school classroom. I noticed that both men are involved in the world of education, but at the management level. To me, their arguments lacked any real knowledge of students. The first article did not account for the fact that students can focus for long periods of time if they are engaged by the assignment. The second did not take into account the fact that many students enjoy reading real books and creating tangible products. It seemed that both men need to speak with students in order to realistically assert their positions.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is the use of the internet, or cell phones, to bully another person. The Cyberbullying can range from mild to severe and is a growing problem with students. I personally have never been involved in any cyberbullying, either as a victim or as a perpetrator. When I was in school, the only real online communication we had was AOL Instant Messenger. With Instant Messenger, you have to choose to accept messages from people you don't know or who aren't on your "friends" list. I only ever communicated with people I was friends with, and did not accept messages from people I didn't know. I also never even thought of using the internet to bully other people. I didn't bully in person either.
Schools face a lot of problems in dealing with cyberbullying. For one, the majority of this type of bullying does not occur on school grounds. This forces people to wonder if the school really has any right to police student activities when they are not at school. I also think that some parents probably believe that they can handle their own child's behaviors when they are not at school. In class, we discussed the fact that Oregon recently added cyberbullying to its laws against harrassment and bullying. While it is now legally recognized, many schools are still left without cyberbullying policies, and don't know exactly what to do about it.
There is also the problem that schools often are not aware that cyberbullying is taking place. Since it happens off site, the only way for teachers/administrators to know about it is if a students tells them what's going on. I would imagine that students rarely want to confess to either being bullied or being the bully. For those that are cyberbullied, there could be repercussions for telling. If schools do not know that it is taking place, they cannot do anything to stop it. And, while they may be able to occasionally police student behaviors when they receive a tip off that this is taking place, there is no way to do it all the time. Many bullying cases are never reported.
I think that when teachers receive information about cyberbullying, it has to be dealt with. In my opinion, the best way to do this is to speak to all children involved, and their parents, to work out a solution. Getting the parents involved is an absolutely crucial part to dealing with this problem because they are the ones at home who can truly institute the change. While I believe it must be dealt with, I do not believe that schools have the right to punish students for what they do outside of school. I believe that this is the parents' responsibility, and their right. Bullying that happens at schools is a totally different issue, but outside of school, student disipline has to be left to their parents, and law enforcement if necessary.
In my classroom, I hope to institute a pre-emptive policy to dealing with cyberbullying. I think the best way to deal with it is to have an honest discussion with students towards the beginning of the school year about the repercussions of cyberbullying and the expectations I have for them about being respectful to their classmates. Those expectations do not lift once they exit the school building. I also hope to show my students that even if you don't like somebody, it is possible, and necessary, to be respectful to them. I would share with them some of the sad stories about student lives that ended due to cyberbullying. For many kids, it doesn't seem like a big deal, but showing them how serious it can be may allow them to see how much damage it can do, in addition to getting them into a lot of trouble. Hopefully establishing expectations and giving them all the information I can will help them to make good choices about their internet use.
Schools face a lot of problems in dealing with cyberbullying. For one, the majority of this type of bullying does not occur on school grounds. This forces people to wonder if the school really has any right to police student activities when they are not at school. I also think that some parents probably believe that they can handle their own child's behaviors when they are not at school. In class, we discussed the fact that Oregon recently added cyberbullying to its laws against harrassment and bullying. While it is now legally recognized, many schools are still left without cyberbullying policies, and don't know exactly what to do about it.
There is also the problem that schools often are not aware that cyberbullying is taking place. Since it happens off site, the only way for teachers/administrators to know about it is if a students tells them what's going on. I would imagine that students rarely want to confess to either being bullied or being the bully. For those that are cyberbullied, there could be repercussions for telling. If schools do not know that it is taking place, they cannot do anything to stop it. And, while they may be able to occasionally police student behaviors when they receive a tip off that this is taking place, there is no way to do it all the time. Many bullying cases are never reported.
I think that when teachers receive information about cyberbullying, it has to be dealt with. In my opinion, the best way to do this is to speak to all children involved, and their parents, to work out a solution. Getting the parents involved is an absolutely crucial part to dealing with this problem because they are the ones at home who can truly institute the change. While I believe it must be dealt with, I do not believe that schools have the right to punish students for what they do outside of school. I believe that this is the parents' responsibility, and their right. Bullying that happens at schools is a totally different issue, but outside of school, student disipline has to be left to their parents, and law enforcement if necessary.
In my classroom, I hope to institute a pre-emptive policy to dealing with cyberbullying. I think the best way to deal with it is to have an honest discussion with students towards the beginning of the school year about the repercussions of cyberbullying and the expectations I have for them about being respectful to their classmates. Those expectations do not lift once they exit the school building. I also hope to show my students that even if you don't like somebody, it is possible, and necessary, to be respectful to them. I would share with them some of the sad stories about student lives that ended due to cyberbullying. For many kids, it doesn't seem like a big deal, but showing them how serious it can be may allow them to see how much damage it can do, in addition to getting them into a lot of trouble. Hopefully establishing expectations and giving them all the information I can will help them to make good choices about their internet use.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Copyright Reflection
I really learned a lot today about the laws regarding copyrights in the classroom. What really stood out to me is the distinction between using a copyrighted material for educational purposes or just showing it for motivation/fun. It surprised me that a coach was unable to show a movie prior to a game, but the same movie could be shown in a classroom by a teacher. This makes me wonder how this law applies when teachers show movies for fun, or as rewards, that have nothing to do with anything educational. This happens often in elementary classes. Would this break the copyright laws since it's not really for educational purposes? I was also surprised to learn that there are such exact measurements for how much of a copyrighted work can be used. I have never given a lot of thought to what I take from the internet, especially pictures. It's something I will be thinking more about.
I think many aspects of the copyright laws are fair, but there are some that don't make sense to me. For example, I don't think it's fair that after 70 years, a copyrighted material becomes public property. When someone creates something that is still relevent after 70 years, that person material deserves to be protected, regardless of whether or not that person is still alive. I also think it's unfair that people do not receive the same amount of time for a copyright as companies. I think the laws should be the same across the board. I also think it's unfair that you can't show a movie to a group of people. I can understand if you were charging them to see it, but I think showing it for free should be allowed. I don't understand how showing the movie is any different than simply loaning it out to five different families, which does not break copyright laws. It seems to be a slippery slope.
The truth is, I don't even know that I understand fair use enough to absolutely be sure I never violate fair use laws. I will try of course. I will do my best to procure permission for anything that I distribute in my class, or make sure that I only distribute it once if necessary before getting permission. It was also really helpful to learn about Creative Commons photos which are available for use in presentations. I will utilize this option, as well as take more pictures for presentations from clip art programs. These pictures are included on the Microsoft software, and therefore are availabe for use. I also plan to give credit to any sources I use, although I now understand that plagarism and copyright are not the same thing. I do wonder how coyright laws work in regards to using lesson plans that are posted online. If you use a lesson plan that someone posted for other teachers to use, do the same laws apply?
Within my own classroom, I plan to give my students all the information that I can about copyright laws so that they are aware of them. However, I most likely will not enforce absolutely every law within my classroom. I actually think it would be impossible to spend the time tracking down every student's sources to make sure that no coypright laws were broken, especially when it comes to pictures that they use in their work. I cannot imagine checking where every student's pictures came from. Instead, I will absolutely require students to always cite their sources, including picture sources, and give credit to those whose words they use in their papers. These are the guidelines that the majority of colleges follow, and it should help them be prepared for citing sources in college papers/projects. I'm not sure how to handle student use of Youtube in presentations. These videos are posted for public viewing, so that is one thing that I may have to look into.
I think many aspects of the copyright laws are fair, but there are some that don't make sense to me. For example, I don't think it's fair that after 70 years, a copyrighted material becomes public property. When someone creates something that is still relevent after 70 years, that person material deserves to be protected, regardless of whether or not that person is still alive. I also think it's unfair that people do not receive the same amount of time for a copyright as companies. I think the laws should be the same across the board. I also think it's unfair that you can't show a movie to a group of people. I can understand if you were charging them to see it, but I think showing it for free should be allowed. I don't understand how showing the movie is any different than simply loaning it out to five different families, which does not break copyright laws. It seems to be a slippery slope.
The truth is, I don't even know that I understand fair use enough to absolutely be sure I never violate fair use laws. I will try of course. I will do my best to procure permission for anything that I distribute in my class, or make sure that I only distribute it once if necessary before getting permission. It was also really helpful to learn about Creative Commons photos which are available for use in presentations. I will utilize this option, as well as take more pictures for presentations from clip art programs. These pictures are included on the Microsoft software, and therefore are availabe for use. I also plan to give credit to any sources I use, although I now understand that plagarism and copyright are not the same thing. I do wonder how coyright laws work in regards to using lesson plans that are posted online. If you use a lesson plan that someone posted for other teachers to use, do the same laws apply?
Within my own classroom, I plan to give my students all the information that I can about copyright laws so that they are aware of them. However, I most likely will not enforce absolutely every law within my classroom. I actually think it would be impossible to spend the time tracking down every student's sources to make sure that no coypright laws were broken, especially when it comes to pictures that they use in their work. I cannot imagine checking where every student's pictures came from. Instead, I will absolutely require students to always cite their sources, including picture sources, and give credit to those whose words they use in their papers. These are the guidelines that the majority of colleges follow, and it should help them be prepared for citing sources in college papers/projects. I'm not sure how to handle student use of Youtube in presentations. These videos are posted for public viewing, so that is one thing that I may have to look into.
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