Exit Slip 9/27/2010

An interesting debate began in lab today.  The statement posed was, “Technology Makes Life More Difficult for Teachers.”  We were then asked to regroup according to our opinion --  agree, no opinion or disagree.  I was not surprised that I was a member of the smallest group, 2 as a matter of fact, which agreed with the statement.  What I found most interesting was that the largest group had no opinion on the matter.  I guess that I assumed that those who fall into the 20-35 year age range would wholeheartedly disagree.  I have been told that technology is here; today’s youth does not want the technologies but needs them to survive; technology makes your everyday life easier.  Of course, these messages come to me by means of advertisements -  advertisements for various digital gadgets.

I could see posing this question to the parents of future students.  It would give me a read on how much the families depend on technology.  If it is held as a high priority and I am not using it to an extend they approve or I am not using the “right” technologies, then I am inviting trouble.  If the majority of the families do not use technology for whatever reasons and I push the matter, I also invite trouble.  As with so many things in education, it will become part of the large balancing act.  One thing that I know as fact is that if I refuse, outright refuse, to bring technology into my classroom, then the school will hire someone who will.

Joshua Judges Ruth

Last week, I was instructed to view four websites and create a list of criteria for my students to us to determine whether or not a web site is credible.  I got caught up in reading the text that this was put on hold.  Actually, I think I was avoiding this because I had no idea how to tackle this assignment.  I spend so little time online and I do not use electronic sources when searching for information.  Since I have seen so few, I really have NO idea how to determine the credibility of a web site.

Feeling awful about not completing the assignment and knowing that we were due to discuss it that very day, I attempted it during the hour break between lecture and lab.  I was not sure what to expect when I visited http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/.  My first reaction was an audible laugh.  The picture of the tree octopus on the homepage was hilarious.  I suppose that gave me my first criteria, common sense.  After just looking at the page something within me told me that it was not a credible site.  Then as I began to read, it became very clear how absurd the site was.  I would tell students to apply a little common sense to what you view online.  Just because it is on the Internet it does not mean that it is true or right.

The site about martin Luther King, Jr. at http://martinlutherking.org/ at first glance did not seem so absurd.  It did not appear to be an untrustworthy site until I began clicking the articles and reading.  I read so-called information about this man, which I had never heard before.  I scrolled to the bottom of the page to see who created the page.  I became very uneasy as a white supremacist website opened.  I felt as if I had gotten there by mistake and was also quite surprised that the school’s computers allowed the site to open.  I quickly closed it feeling as if I had done something very wrong and would get in trouble.  I clicked at the bottom of the page and the same site opened.  I closed the site to ponder what had happened.  I decided that comparing the information on one site with the information in other media to corroborate it would be a good test of credibility.  If similar information can be found in books, magazines or newspapers, then the information would most likely be genuine.  This line of thinking was also applied while viewing http://www.allaboutexplorers.com/index.html.

When I opened the last site, again I laughed out loud.  Not because of the appearance of the site but because of the subject.  I had heard of the problems of Dihydrogen Monoxide some years previous.  I can’t remember if it was Rush Limbaugh or Penn & Teller who took this cause all the way to capital hill.  Petitions to get this “invisible killer” out of our schools were presented to numerous senators and congressmen.  When told of the number of fatalities caused by DHMO almost all signed immediately to have it banned.  I have a vague recollection that somebody actually stood on the senate floor and spoke about this. As I said, this was a number of years ago, and I would have to go back through my newspaper clippings to get the details correct.  Anyway, I personally never saw a problem with Dihydrogen Monoxide better known as WATER (di- hydrogen meaning 2 hydrogen and mono- meaning one oxygen – H2O).  As far as the credibility of the site, I would say that you need to be able to find the information on a site in some other widely trusted electronic media such as a radio program or tv program.

As I said, I had not finished before it was discussed in lab.  It was suggested during our review that the same information should be found on at least 3 other sites.  This does not make the process foolproof, but it can eliminate a lot of garbage.  I was glad to know that I wasn’t too far off in judging the credibility of websites. 

Rethinking Education Preface & ch. 1

I understand that as a teacher, I cannot ignore the technologies which are infused in the lives of today's students.  I understand, as the book stated, that much of the information that a young person acquires today comes to him electronically.  I just don't necessarily believe that these technologies need to be present in all aspects of education.  Perhaps it is because I was not taught to learn this way that my perspective on the topic is so different from the majority.  But, if students use technology constantly to manage their everyday lives, then is it really necessary to use it constantly in school?  That is to say, they already know how to manage the technologies for specific purposes; shouldn't we as educators teach them to incorporate other ways of thinking?  Finding the information online is not the same as learning something.  I really am worried about finding that balance between acquiring the information and doing something with it or actually learning from it.  Students could spend time online putting together a list of websites that deal with a particular topic, but after looking at them, has the student really learned something from those sites?   I also worry about what the students are looking at as well.  Now knowing that anyone can edit a wiki, I would never trust the information found on that type of site.  I have seen and heard many erroneous statements made because, “well, it was on the web so it must be right.”

As I come to using technologies in the classroom almost kicking and screaming, I worry about teaching my students all that they will need to know in my content area to advance to the next level as they travel through school.  Knowing that my students will always be more adept at using technologies, how can I make my class relevant to them?  Honestly, I don’t know.  Just as there is a gap between the technologies in students’ private lives and what they see in school, there is an even bigger chasm between my potential students and myself.   Without even meeting me, they already know that they are smarter and faster at using iPhones, YouTube, blogs, or pretty much anything else on the internet, than I will ever be.  I suppose one way to keep from being duped, is to have the students complete an assignment “the old fashion way” with the antiquated paper and pencil and then ask them to convert it to a digital medium.  That would allow for me to teach the content and then have the students teach me the technologies.

I don’t want to sound as if I am completely against using technology.  I do firmly believe that it is a great tool to communicate with parents, especially in this day and age of the blended family.  When Mom and Dad are divorced and each remarried, it would help greatly if all the adults involved in a child’s life had access to what is happening in school.  I can see podcasts of lessons being very useful to the shy student who did not want to raise a hand to ask a question.  The student could view the podcast at home for review before attempting an assignment.  This would also be of great help to students who miss class due to illness.  Rather than getting just a list of missing assignments, he could also hear the lesson before attempting the homework.  A list of reliable websites that offer tutorials or practice could help students improve.  And I suppose that as I use technology more and see positive results in terms of students’ learning, I will become more comfortable expanding the use of such tools.  I understand that I will need to constantly look at this and constantly refine it.  Students will change as will technologies.

exit slip

Today I was intorduced to a new way to catalouge and manage information that I find online.  Unlike a "favorites' list, my Delicious account will become an interactive tool I can use during my teaching career.  By connecting to other accounts that have tagged sites with similar content, I can streamline my searches and save much time.  It may also point me in a direction that I may not have otherwise gone.  Though it seems redundant at this point, as if I am just recreating my favorites, I can see how in time this will save me much work and frustration.  I can certainly see the advantages of being able to access my lists from any computer.

I also learned that I still have a LONG way to go in terms of catching up with some of the technology that has advance during the years since I last taught.

Cyber life replaces social life

Wow!  I just finished watching the Frontline video: Growing up Online and I am not sure how to react.  I am reeling in emotion.

Based solely on the video, I was left with the impression that technology and the Internet were used by students not necessarily to cheat their way through school but to short-cut their way through.  To have a student say he “read” Romeo and Juliet in 5 minutes (thanks to the Internet)is to me absurd!  To me, the students seemed more concerned with their cyber social lives than even living their physical lives which of course include school.  School was portrayed not as a place to gain the skills necessary to carve out a future but a place to endure until the time came that they could go back online.  The students arrogantly believed that they knew better than the teachers.  And to a degree, some of the teachers made it sound as if there was nothing to be done about this.  “Everyone uses spark notes, everyone knows that everyone does it so just accept how that is and teach to that” was one message that I heard.  It made that teacher sound as if he had given up.  I applaud the English teacher who asked the students to power down for one class and create on the spot.  If every class every day uses the latest and greatest technology to teach, couldn’t it become like white noise; it is seen and heard and used so much that it stops being effective?  This notion came across to me even as I watched students seemingly engaged in a technology infused classroom.

I was particularly appalled by the comment from a teacher that teachers really need to be “entertainers.”  I could sing and dance in front of the class by means of a powerpoint presentation but that is no guarantee that students will learn.  The desire to learn needs to be present.  The relevance of what is taught needs to be evident to make the student want to learn.  If there is no connection between the subject matter and the student’s life, then the student will never own his education.  That relevance or the importance of wanting to learn is not dependant on the technology in the classroom.  It is a value that is taught and fostered at home.  If parents (or whomever the adult figures in the child’s life may be) are involved then I believe that a true desire to learn will spring forth. 

The teens in the video argued the same position I did many years ago that it is their private life and adults have no business prying into it.  Whine, whine, whine.  Now as a parent, I say whine, whine, whine all you want.  Everything, I mean EVERYTHING my children do is my business.  It is my responsibility to know what my children are doing in my house, out of my house and in cyber space.  It is my responsibility to know each individual who touches my children’s lives, whether they are physical or digital.  It is unacceptable to me to hear a parent say, “I had no idea what she was doing online.”  If you didn’t know, it was because you didn’t want to know.  You cannot give a child a cell phone, not monitor the activity and then be surprised when it has been used inappropriately.  You cannot put a computer with Internet access in a bedroom with a lock on the door and then be shocked when the child reveals very personal details to complete strangers.  I am not saying that students should never go online.  What I am saying is that parents need to be vigilant about monitoring their child’s activities until such time that the child demonstrates good judgment.

As a future teacher, I need to remember how I wish to have my children taught.  When talking about the Internet, safety is definitely a priority.  Appropriateness and relevance of core content and use of certain technologies need to constantly be evaluated.  As always, finding a way to implement this idea is the trick.  I know that because students have been plugged in for years, the way their brains process information has changed.  Balance is an idea that keeps coming to mind.  I need to balance my approach, considering all scenarios.  Remember, computers are great as long as they work.  Teachers need to teach in a manner that will reach their students.  On the other side, students need to learn to think and create in ways other than digitally on the off chance technology may not be readily available due to the lack of money to upgrade or something much more simple such as a power outage.

Blogs as teaching tools

As I finished the assigned reading, more than ever I realize that there is no avoiding the presence of technology in today’s society.  And, technology in education is only going to increase over time.  Even if I don’t like it, even if I am resistant to it, I cannot ignore it.  I need to strive to be at least half as knowledgeable about these technology tools as my students. 

As I am getting on the ramp to the information super highway, I found the information in these chapters to be enlightening.  I had my own opinion of the usefulness of blogs.  Before starting this class and the reading, I had looked at very few blogs and had certainly never posted to one.  I had decided that blogging was for the most part egocentric.  The authors of the blogs I had viewed seemed very self concerned wanting to make sure that everyone knew their opinions on the stated topic.  They did not seem inviting or interactive.  I much prefer the notion that blogs are collaborative, interactive communities where learning could take place.  I also realized that I fell prey to one of the pitfalls of maintaining a blog, which was electronic journaling.  In my last post, I simply wrote but did not attempt to engage the reader in an exchange of ideas.  I wonder, how many other potential educators fail to see blogs as more than an electronic journal?

I now see that blogs are one place to exchange ideas.  As stated in the book, “writing stops; blogging continues.”  However, as a teacher, I can see a problem with that.  At some point shouldn’t the discussion on one topic stop to make way for the next?  If individuals are given an infinite amount of time to reflect and respond, few topics could be covered over the course of the year.

My final concern with using blogs as a teaching tool is finding balance between the blog and the content area of my discipline.  I want to avoid giving a student who is weak in content a good grade because the presentation, that is, the use of the blog was fabulous as well as avoid giving a student who is strong in content a bad grade because the use of the blog was weak.   I need to match the way I use technology to the way my students learn from it and can manage it themselves.  I am still quite uncertain how to achieve this and evaluate it.

My History

My History

I am sure that I spent way more time than necessary to create this digital autobiography, but then again maybe not.   Rather than just creating a timeline with photos, I wanted to deliver a specific message.   I decided to show my personal grow in regards to technology and my education.  Traveling down memory lane was fun and revealing.  It also took quite a bit of time because of my general lack of knowledge in how to use tools such as this.

My first step forward was putting down my Crayolas and picking up a pencil.  I needed to master that tool before I would upgrade to the next, my pen.  I can remember watching other kids in my class earn their pens.  I practiced my cursive handwriting until my hand hurt.  Then, the day came when I walked into Sister Myra's room and sitting in the groove at the top of my desk was my pen!

I was able to complete all my work over the course of the next four years with that pen. (Well, not that exact same pen but many more just like it)  During my 8th grade year, I would be assigned two term papers and an autobiography.  To complete these assignments and get the grade I wanted, I needed to use more advance technology than a pen.  I moved on to an electric typewriter.  It was no plain electric typewriter; it was "fancy."  The ribbon had a strip of White-Out tape right on it so if I made a typo, I could backspace and correct the mistake without the risk of dripping White-Out all over my paper.

I saw many technological advances during my high school years.  By time I was a sophomore, each math class had a computer in the room, as in one.  The school was teaching programming using paper punch cards.  Computers could save so much time, that is if you didn't drop your stack of cards!

The summer before my senior year, my father decided that it was time to get a home computer.  After careful research, he purchased a Commodore 64.  It consisted of a keyboard and a floppy disk reader.  There was no monitor; we hooked it up to an old 12" black & white tv we had.  There was no hard drive to store information; floppy disks were inserted and ejected constantly.  Also, after each use, it was carefully disassembled and put back in its boxes until the next time it was needed.

Advancements in technology came at a more rapid rate in the mid- to late 80's and during my freshman year at Illinois State University. A new computer lab with about 20 Tandy computers opened on campus.  There was no lab fee and the wait to get on a machine could exceed 2 hours.  Once on a machine, there was a 45 minute limit.

I saw the price of desktop computers fall in the years after I graduated.  Dell and Gateway became everyday words.  Next came the Internet if you could afford the cost of the dial-up and one perk was of course, email - "You've Got Mail." 

It was not only fun and funny to recall all the advancements I have personally witnessed in the field of technology, but also revealing.  I had really never thought about how technology had affected my life.  I never thought I would have a portable computer or phone.  It is really quite amazing that I can be reached almost anytime if need be.  It also made me think about today's students and the rate at which they will watch technology advance.  I realize that there is now a new type of learner in addition to the audio or tactile learner.  There are now digital learners.  There is now a generation of students who have been taught how to learn through technology.  I need to use tools such as this to reach those students.

My Technology definition

I define technology as any means by which information is transferred. In the field of education, this could include but is not limited to simple tools such as an overhead to a more advance tool such as a whiteboard. Technology can be defined as a set of tools used to share information.


Integration would depend on subject matter as well as grade level. It could be as simple as a power point presentation in a class to something more complicated such as an electronically researched and created presentation on any given topic. It could be something rigid such as a canned program designed to reinforce specific skills to something free form such as an original web page. Technology also allows for interaction between individuals. The power point presentation may spur debate and conversation in class whereas a blog may allow the audience time to reflect before responding.