Week 5- Blog - Diversify Your Palate

                                     

Answer the following questions within a blog post please/complete tasks:

1.  Link to the blog within your blog post

2.  Discuss the author of the blog, who are they?  What do they tend to write about in their blog postings? Who is the blog audience? Do they have a lot of followers based upon comments left? 

3.  How does the blog help with your learning in this class as well as prepare you for a future in education?  Why should you read this blog or why should others read it?  Would you add this to your google reader to follow for the future as professional development? Why or Why not?

4.  What was one of your favorite posts by the blog author that you found interesting? Explain why you were interested in the post in a short paragraph.  Link to that post please. 

E-Learning and Ed Tech

2.  Wesley Fryer is the offer of this particular blog.  He stands as a digital learning consultant, and considers himself a “catalyst for creative engagement and collaborative learning.”  Many of his blogs deal with digital storytelling, e-books, and how they are being used by different educators today.  For the most part, his blog audience seems to include both parents and educators.  However, based upon comments left, he seems to have very little followers.  He may have more in different outlets, such as Facebook or Twitter, but for this particular blog, he has had very few comments left.

3.  This blog is a great resource for our particular class, because it really outlines real time developments within digital storytelling, and e-book technology.  It outlines different public developments, as well as tools that can be used, such as newly developed tablets.  In preparation for the future  it allows you to establish patters, and create a possible view for where digital storytelling is headed, and how you as an educator can exploit that information.  In the end, I would probably add this particular blog to my google reader, then maybe I can see why more people do not leave comments, and pick up some useful suggestions along the way.

4.  Better Than Teacher-Created Video Flipped Classrooms: The Power of Student Made Videos

    

      Although short, I found this particular post very interesting because of the fact that it brings up a topic that is very appropriate for students today.  Figuring out ways to bring students attention to the material being taught is more of a struggle because of technology today.  So, if technology seems to be the common denominator for lack of attention spans, then why try to beat it?  If you can manage, work technology into your curriuculum, and use it to your advantage.  Eric, a 6th grade teacher in California, discovered that if you allow your students to take charge of content within the curriculum, and create student made videos, then the outcome will be very positive.  This whole philosophy interests me because it teaches collaboration, not to mention it takes the students through the Blooms Taxonomy spectrum, which in turn gives the educator a great rubric to grade from.

Education Policies

2.  Scott Taylor is an Assistant Superintendent and adjunct faculty for the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University (per his bio).  He has had many different positions throughout k-12 as well, which reflects his experiences as an administrator working with policy.  Much of his content is aimed toward an administrative audience, and the context for many of his blogs deal with different situations between administrators and educators, as well as everyday tools that can help educators out a bot more.  Unfortunately,  based upon comments left, Scott does not seem to have a lot of followers. 

3.  Unlike Wesley's blog, this blog deals more with administration and politics within the educational system.  It also deals with citizenship shaping, which encompasses both real and digital.  These are all helpful topics for preparation  because it allows diversification within your view of the classroom.  It illustrates the political arena that you are stepping into, as well as the struggles and tasks that you may encounter.  Many of these reasons are why others should read it as well.  I am actually adding it to my reader right now.

4.  What a Dynamic Mentoring Program can Look Like

      As new educators, I am sure that some of us are nervous for that first year within our new teaching position.  Many schools have a mentoring program, and some programs are better than others, but in the end, having a great support system while you are teaching will positively effect the teacher that you mold yourself into.  The goal is to be an effective teacher, while meeting standards both with content, and now technology.  After a discussion with a high school teacher in San Antonio, Scott shared his "three-pronged approach" that serves as a great mentoring/ support tool for new educators.  The plan includes: 1. Schedule mentor/mentee observations twice during the school year 2.  Plan two to three personal gatherings of all the mentors and their charges 3.  Facilitate two virtual discussions online.  I feel that this is a great support system, and I feel that many new teachers would benefit from some sort of program, almost like a new grad program, during their first year as a teacher.

Traditional Elementary Education

2.  Vicki Davis is a full time teacher who utilizes every means of web 2.0 communication.  Her goal is to discuss with parents and teachers the topic of grabbing the attention of the current generation.  Her blogs deal with very relevant, everyday feelings and ideas.  She also has "Daily Education and Technology News" posts, which are great because it keeps the reader wanting to know what will be presented tomorrow.  In contrast to the last two blogs discussed, this particular blog in nice because it brings everything down to an everyday, real world level.  It is because of this that you have a lot of parents, and teachers who make up the majority of the audience.  There is also a more consistent amount of comments and reactions, which goes to show that she has a good support base.

3.  This blog helps within this class, because of the fact that much of the content is not theoretical.  It is very real and being put into action.  The different posts may not always deal with technology, but the basic fact that she is using technology to illustrate and relay the information is a huge factor in finding this blog useful.  These are also the reasons I feel that others should look at this blog as well, and yes, I would like to add this to my google reader.

4. You Don't Need another Gadget to be a Great Teacher

     This was a very interesting blog post, because of the fact that it seems to be so true.  There are theoretical thinkers who like to plan things out, and on paper, it looks like the epitome of perfection, but when it comes time to execute that particular plan, it goes horribly wrong, and they cannot understand why or how.  The basic fact that I feel they forget is the human element.  If we were all robots, then yes, it would have been a mystery as to why the plan went wrong, but we are human.  These are why, as Vicki states, her favorite educators are pavement pounders.  These are the type of teachers who may have a plan, but understand that the plan can change, and sometimes you need to ride the wave if you want to be an effective educator.  The title of the post comes into play when you consider that some of these "theoretical teachers" think that if they have more gadgets and technology, then their plan will work.  However, technology is irrelevant if you cannot be an effective, practical teacher to begin with.  In the end, there is a divide, there exists gritty teachers who can read the human aspect in their class, and use it to everyone's advantage, and there exist paper teachers who can only draft a good lesson plan, but when it comes to execute it, they lose all confidence, because they lack the ability to read their class.

Week - 4- PBS Frontline - The World We Live In

Questions for Thought:


1.  Compare and Contrast each documentary.  What has changed from the first one (Growing Up Online) made in 2008 to the newer one (Digital Nation) filmed in 2010 ?  How did what you watched in the two videos support your feelings about technology or how did it change your views?

The effects which the digital world is having on today’s youth, and our current world has not only started to sink in, but has started to change the way human interactions occur, and how effective learning happens.  Within each documentary, it seems to be very clear that technology and the evolution of technology within society is something that is here to stay, and instead of fighting it, and feeling discouraged because students seem to be distracted more easily, we need to embrace these changes to the advantage of educators.    The main similarities between Growing upOnline and Digital Nation (link) is evolution.  This evolution is biological, societal, educational and technological.  Some would argue that it is not a progression forward, but a de-evolution backwards, and with that bleak outlook taking center stage, the feeling of misunderstanding, and fear of the unknown is truly at the epicenter.

For instance, Growing Up Online centered around how technology is effecting students, teachers and parents, when it aired in 2008.  It was hard not to notice that so many teachers and parents were holding on extremely tight, because they wanted to keep control of a changing landscape.  The only way they knew how to get past the fear of the changes were to monitor every second of their child’s time online.  As a result, the kids rebelled by basically proving that they knew more about that world, and then their parents did.  Evan Skinner, the mother who was head of the PTA for Chatham High School seemed almost extreme in her stance.  It was if she was living in so much fear, but trying to stay strong and keep that persona, that she has just become a sort of digital hypochondriac.  She did not seem to realize that teachers like Steve Maher were figuring out that technology can be successful and engaging, when it is used on the student’s level.

Digital Nation seemed to cover more of a broad spectrum.  It quickly looked at Chatham High School, but it really focused on the ever changing world, influenced by the digitization of society.  Multitasking seems to be an illusion that so many of us think that we are great at.  However, it is still hard to believe the Stanford studies, from the success of “wired-in” students at MIT.  The presence of balance is still the biggest goal, which both of these documentaries outlined.  The gaming addicted individuals in Korea is just one end of that balance spectrum.  Maybe the middle is somewhere around the school that was opened, that involves a game based curriculum.  The fact of the matter is, the leading industry today is computer science, and the developing digital world is at the for front.  Quite literally, our job as educators is to prepare our students for digital citizenship more and more.  As children grow up, already wired-in, we will not be able to ignore this, and Darwinism will once again reign supreme.

2.  Your thoughts on multitasking.  Do you agree?  Can you multitask?  Do you disagree with the video on the topic of multitasking?

The idea of multitasking sounds nice, and useful.  However, it really seems to just be an illusion.  I feel like I know lots of people who seem to be capable of multitasking, but when you really analyze how they multitask, the specific tasks that they are doing could be accomplished with better quality, if they were focused on just one task at a time.  With the development of technology, and the status of feeling wired-in to the world around us, it is hard to discount multitasking.  It feels as though there may be a shift occurring, and if the brain is not showing signs of multitasking being strength, then overtime it will.  With each generation from here on, it may seem to shift to more of a reality.  It will be interesting to follow the studies as time goes on.

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

           

Addiction seems to be a strong word, and often has a negative connotation.  I would describe it more as a growing dependency.  Society is growing more and more dependent with technology, and in turn, this dependency is changing the way we live.  At some point a wrench needs to be thrown into the gears.  We need to step back, and take an inventory of what we need, and what we do not need.  Technology has been a saving grace in so many ways, but it has also been a burden, and if we cannot find that balance, that will be the time when there should exist a heightened concern with the dependency for “instant gratification”.  We still have time, but it feels like we are getting closer and closer to a point of no return.

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

            

Video games serve a great purpose in education.  They are especially useful with today’s youth.  I am not saying all video games are great teaching tools, but the interaction and stimulation between students and games have shown to serve students and their core skills very well.  In one portion of Digital Nation, it was stated that today’s youth spends 50 hours per week with digital media.  If 30 of those 50 hours could be spent with disguised educational digital media, then it would be very interesting to see what their test scores would look like.

5.  Do you believe that digital tools such as google tools can save schools that are struggling?

           

I do believe that digital tools, which may include Google tools, can and will save struggling schools.  However, they will only accomplish this job with educators and administrators who believe in and are well versed in using said tools.  Within both documentaries, I saw teachers using smart boards, digital worlds, as well as many other technological advancement to stimulate their students.  This willingness to live on the frontline of the new frontier will save education.

6.  Do parents of today have any idea what their kids are doing online?  Whose job is it to teach them the safety and digital responsibility? Parents/Teachers/Community/Government??

           

I believe that parents today have a much better idea of what their kids are doing online, then four or five years ago.  There is a shift occurring, and that shift involves parents who may not be natives to this digital world we live in, but they are not total aliens either.  They have grown up around the technological advancements that kids today take for granted.  I feel as though Evan Skinner was a representative for that last group of parents who are still trying to hold on, even though they know that they can learn from their kids.  There was a great point made by a student in that documentary.  They basically said that they have grown up within this digital world.  They know the safety involved.  If they see a screen name they do not recognize, or someone they do not know who is asking to be their friend, they stay away.  It is almost like growing up with parents that speak a foreign language.  You are going to be speaking that language when you utter your first word.  I think parents and teachers should reinforce this “street knowledge” that these children already pick up, without being overbearing.  The community and the government will not be a factor.

7.  Are kids and adults today ruining their digital footprints by sharing too much information online without realizing that it may be detrimental to their future? Should they care?

I think too much information is being shared, but at the same time, kids and adults are discovering a new, digital identity.  It is almost like they are so excited about finding out who they truly are that they just want to share it with everyone, disregarding the consequences along the way.  It seems to be getting better now, then how it was before, when Facebook forst came out, and employers were going onto people’s pages left and right.  I honestly think, in general, the overall sharing to the masses is becoming departmentalized and strategic.  For instance, you may post your band to Youtube, and start a Facebook page.  You would want exposure in that instance, but if you are looking to become a partner at a prestigious law firm, and your best friend took a picture of you doing a keg stand, then I think today, that person knows enough to have their Facebook page locked down.  There has been a huge shift in awareness of what you allow people to see and not see within the past 4 years.

8.  "Stranger Danger" and predator fears are often overblown by the media on shows such as Datelines "To Catch a Predator".  What are the real dangers of technology in this day and age?

 The real dangers today seem to be identity theft for adults, and bullying for children.  In general, kids today seem to have their wits about them when they are navigating the digital world.  They have to worry more about discovering that if you have the dependency to be wired-in every second, even when you feel safe at home, home may not always be your safe haven.  The bullying will still persist, and it may take a lot of courage and discipline to tune it out.  As Growing Up Online pointed out, it really is a problem, and continues to be one.

 Concerning adults, the need to have passwords and computers locked down, is a growing concern more and more.  It seems as though there have been numerous occurrences of bank account breaches, and vital information getting into the wrong hands.  This is a danger that will need to see an evolution on how to fight it.  

Week 3 - Digital Citizenship- An Educators Civic Duty

 

         In our current reality, which is the 21^st century, our world is bombarded with technology.  Most of us would consider ourselves wired in.  For better or for worse, we have married ourselves to technology, web 2.0 and all of the responsibilities and consequences that come along with this particular marriage.  It is because of this digital world, that we have to be aware of both our digital footprint, and in return, our digital citizenship, because of that footprint.  There are both positives and negatives to the responsibility of our individual digital citizenship.  As educators, we have a responsibility to teach our students about good digital citizenship.  Why would it not be our job, when we are expected to be one of the many influences who shape them into a good citizen in general?

As awareness and possible dangers of individual digital footprints grow, so does the awareness of shaping that footprint into the practice of being a good digital citizen.  However, as David Nagel points out in his article, 'Banning Is Not the Answer' to Mobile and Social Tools in Schools, policy makers may need to draft policies to reform citizenship in the digital age, but it will not progress our students, if they were to ban the digital world all together.  It is our reality now, and we as educators, have a responsibility to help our youth find the balance between being a digital citizen, and being an actual citizen, and make sure that line stays clear.

It is scary to be a digital citizen in this day and age, because it is such a new frontier, but that does not mean we should live in fear.  There are so many useful tools out there that can help our schools teach our students material in an interesting, more efficient way.  It would be a terrible investment choice to stop that now, because of fear of sexual predators, or identity theft.  Those things are very real, but because of the fact that everything is now accessed anytime, anywhere, by the push of a button, the media may be picking that ball up and running with it, as Benjamin Radford points out.  The media thrives on fear, because it makes or breaks an interesting story, and at some point, this may prove to work against the 21^st century education system.  It is our job to make sure students know how to stay one step ahead of that, and stay safe online, while using it to their advantage.

            As we explore the advantages of practicing good digital citizenship, we may realize that the fundamental skills we teach along the way, may make our students the best that they can be, without even really realizing it, until we are finding ourselves reading a blog, or comment that a student in third grade wrote, like Jac de Haan found himself reading.  The discovery that we have not only taught the material, but that the fundamentals that we teach along the way, are being used in both expression and communication in a meaningful way may be our  confidence builder that we are supplying the world with competent, digital citizens.