The Goal

So, what does it all mean?

It means, things are changing.  The way students are taught is changing.  The way that teachers teach is changing.  The way teachers, students and parents communicate is changing.  School is changing.

Change isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  Sure, it is a bit scary to branch off and try something new.  But, it can also be exciting.  One of the beautiful things about change is that it doesn’t have to happen all at once because change will always be there.

So, what does it all mean for me?  Well, as a teacher I need to be willing to change for the betterment of my students.  I will need to constantly evaluate the tools I use and the way I help my students learn.  I need to keep what works and be willing to replace that which does not.  Some changes may be huge shifts and others may be baby steps.  But, it in the end, if it benefits the students, then change is necessary.  As I become more familiar and more comfortable with using technology, then my students will only benefit.

I have had great concern about reaching students with different learning styles.  As I have found, technology is not synonymous with video or visual media.  Other senses can be stimulated.  I also found that many sets of skills are used when using the different technologies and higher order skills can be challenged.

So, what does it all mean?  It means that it is just the beginning.  It is always a beginning!

I look forward to my journey to become the tech savvy teacher in the epilogue.  Once all the pieces are in place, it makes for a nice picture.  Everything is organized and manageable.  It helps the teacher stay on top of things, it allows the students different, more engaging ways to demonstrate understanding of concepts and it reaches the parents in a timely manner all without losing contact with the students. 

I suppose I am still trying to break away from my presumption about technology in the classroom.  Mention technology infused classroom and a picture of a silent classroom where no one is interacting with each other but instead everyone is looking at a computer screen jumps to mind.  I would not want to lose that personal contact with the students.  Technology does not drive a wedge between teacher and student.  If anything, it can connect teachers and students by helping the teacher excite students about learning.

Social electronic butterflies

I have already expressed my feelings about social networks in the classroom in a previous post and since then, my feelings have yet to change.  I would like to address these two aspects of the social web: friendship based and interest-based.

First of all, I think it is ridiculous that people believe they need an electronic means, such as Facebook or Twitter, to keep up with those in their physical space.  If somebody is in your physical space, then just talk to them!  Call them!  Write them a letter or if you feel the need to use some sort of electronic technology, then email!  These methods have served me and my friendships well over the years.  I don’t need to go the Facebook to check up on my Goddaughter.  I actually go see her.  I talk to her mother.  I send her hand written cards and notes.  I have one friend who admitted that there have been times when she, her husband and two children have sat around the kitchen table at dinner and not spoken one word to each other but texted one another throughout the entire meal.  Not only is that the height of being impersonal, but how the heck are you suppose to eat your fried chicken if you don’t put your cell phone down?

I can understand the attraction to the Internet based on interest.  If something interests you, you want to find out more about that subject.  As we have discovered, the Internet has a wealth of information about all subjects.  But, caution needs to be used when connecting with people on the Internet who have the same interests as you do.  They are complete strangers.  Actually, they are worse.  They are faceless, complete strangers.  If contact is made base on a common interest, it can be confused for a friendship, after all that is how we develop our face-to-face friendships.  We align ourselves with those who have similar interests as ourselves.  Unlike face-to-face friendships, not much else is known about these connections.  With a face-to-face relationship, we can observe the person in all areas of life.  We are not just told who he/she is but we can see it and judge for ourselves.  I know that this is not a foolproof method for judging character, but at least it is self generated.  In an online situation, all I know about an individual is what that individual tells me.  It is much like using a word to define itself.  If I am going to use the web to expand my interests, I will stick to web sites about that particular subject.  I will not seek out new “friends.”

 I would like a buffer between the dangers of the web and students.  Consulting a credible website is fine but talking with faceless people based on a common interest is scary.  If I had to choose between a wiki page, which I am not fond of yet, and a social tool such as Facebook, I would choose the wiki.  It is interest based.  You wouldn’t visit the wiki unless you were interested in the subject matter.  And it is collaborative while maintaining personal space, if you will. 

I know that one argument for the use of the social web in the classroom is that kids are already using it, so put it to good use in school.  My argument is the opposite; kids are already using the social web, so lets teach them other ways to communicate and learn. 

"Somebody's watching me"

The idea of podcasting, video- and screencasting and live streaming is somewhat troubling to me.  This explosion of  “self-produce, homemade entertainment” is going to make navigating the web an even more difficult task.  Strategies can be taught and learned for judging the credibility of websites, but I cannot see that to be true as far as podcasts and videocasts.  In my frame of reference, these –casts are akin to radio and talk shows.  With those traditional broadcasts, you either like them or you don’t.  If you speak to the audience of the Oprah show, you will be told it is a good show because of X and that all others fail by comparison.  If you speak to the audience of the Jerry Springer show, you will be told it is a good show because of X and that all others fail by comparison.  Does content make a –cast better than another?  Does the technical aspect of the production make a good –cast?  Because these media seem so subjective, I don’t see a way to hold them to a particular standard.  Because they are so subjective, is there a way to evaluate them?  Does popularity alone make a good –cast? 

I must admit that the technology which make pod- and videocasting a reality is impressive.  Just to see the rate of progression in these technologies is impressive.  I can see these becoming useful tools in the classroom if used correctly.  I do like the idea of connecting language classes from around the world.  I truly enjoyed my high school and college German classes mostly because my instructors were from Germany.  It made all the difference learning from native speakers rather than somebody who learned German as a second language.  They were able to teach not only proper German but a bit of the fun slang as well and explain the meanings of those colloquialisms.  It was also just cool to be able to say that I knew somebody from Germany.  Frau Crull and Herr Jarosch taught me that what I was learning was relevant.  It was useful as well as fun because I knew two people who actually communicated in this manner. (And, yes I do realize that I may have just made a point for the pro-technology camp at this point.  I think perhaps I need to refine what my skepticism is all about.  I do not argue that using technology in the classroom is a bad thing.  I take issue with the type and amount to be used.)  Connecting students through technology can bring that excitement about the subject matter to today’s classrooms.

Publishing audio and video to the web, again, raises concerns about privacy.  Revealing too much information about students is a scary topic.  I admit that I am a mamma-bear; I protect my children’s lives with mine, as I am sure so many others do.  However, I think a lot of parents let their guard down in settings they perceive to be safe.  Lots of talk swirls about “safe schools.”  “My child is safe, she is at school.”  Not necessarily the case.  Once that Internet connection is made in the classroom, danger can potentially make its way into the classroom.  Therefore, I think that any use of audio and video should be restricted to the classroom and school itself.  One of the arguments for publishing to the web is to have an authentic audience.  Opening up these –casts to a school population as opposed to just a classroom population I believe has the same impact without the same danger. 

Podcasting, video- and screencasting and live streaming blurs the lines between public and private.  It feels a bit like Big Brother with this idea that everything should be transparent.  Everyone should know my every thought – write a blog, publish a podcast or a videocast.  Sometimes, my learning is just for me.  I am learning to play the guitar, but do I need to subject millions of people to my very bad rendition of Stairway to Heaven?  I think not.  As with so many things in life, these tools need to be tempered with moderation. 

Fun with Flickr, not Flicka

I will admit that I had fun with Flickr (not Flicka, although I enjoyed that book and movie as well.)  At one time, I was able to try my hand at photography.  I enjoyed capturing a complete and complex story within a single simple frame.  It seemed to balance nicely with my appreciation for the written word’s ability to vividly paint a picture of a scene.  I can see many potential uses for this within a Language Arts or English classroom.  Viewing images and then writing about them as well as posting pictures of images brought to mind from selected readings could serve as very useful tools when teaching composition.  Viewing actual pictures from the settings of books can help students better understand stories and themes.  Nothing can be more powerful than making the reading tangible.  Reading about the horrors of Nazi Germany in Anne Frank:  The Diary of a Young Girl is very moving.  But, to see actual pictures of Auschwitz not only as it was during that time but as it stands today as a reminder of that dark mark in human history would bring that book to life.  And, if that picture comes to the classroom from a person who lived through that experience, the effect would be unfathomable.

Just about any visual aid used in a classroom could be converted to a Flickr image.  Annotated pictures of science experiments would reinforce learning, a series of “how to” pictures would help when acquiring a new skill such as playing an instrument or mastering a jump shot.  Classes could photo tour a specific region in Geography class.  Photos of current events could encourage more in-depth discussion of a topic in Social Studies rather than putting a writing prompt on the board.  If students have access to camera phones, a Math class could participate in a video scavenger hunt for real world use of math.  They could take the pictures of people using math in their everyday lives and post it to the class site for analysis and discussion at a later date.  Then there is the obvious application in a class wiki.  Parents, grandparents and students from other classes from around the world could see the learning that is taking place within a classroom.  Which brings me to my major concern with tools such as this, which is posting pictures of students on the web.

I would not want my class web- and video-log to become a hunting ground for predators.  When publishing pictures of students on the web, strict policy must be in place as to who has access as a means of protecting the students.  Many times on Facebook or MySpace, pictures are posted without much thought of the consequences.  Protecting students while they are online includes protecting their identity.  Posting names of students in conjunction with their pictures seems risky, especially if it can be connected to a physical location. 

I can see this as a very useful tool when addressing students with different learning styles.  Many are visual learners and if used correctly, this tool could ignite a student’s passion.  A subject that once seemed boring or hard to understand may all of a sudden seem inviting.  This tool could help to bridge that gap between left-brain analytical thinking and right-brain free form creative thinking.

The Happy Huge Time Waster

I have an enormous feeling of being overwhelmed when thinking about The Social Web.  I understand that this idea of all people having the ability to contribute to the content of the web as well as learn something from the web is the epitome of the Read/Write web.  But to me, it is down right overwhelming.

When I think of The Social Web, I immediately think of Facebook, or as a friend & Facebook user calls it, The Happy Huge Time Waster.  If I haven’t talked to somebody since third grade and have not actively sought that person out using other means, there is probably a reason.  I don’t really care if some guy I knew in high school who is now living in Arizona is watching a Rosanne rerun at this moment.  I don’t need people buying me a virtual round of drinks when what I really need is a real drink!  And people who poke me through Facebook probably do so because they know if this is done in person, it is probably best to be well out of my reach.  I say all of this having some exposure to Facebook.  I was convinced some time ago by a friend that I NEEDED a Facebook account.  I created the account very cautiously due to a great fear of identity theft.  I did not put in too many personal details, I only became friends with people I was friends with in real life nor did I post any pictures.  Changing my routine to include checking my Facebook account was the first hurdle to pass.  As I began checking posts, I felt as if I was wasting my time.  I was reading things my friends had already told me themselves either via email or a phone call.  My disdain for Facebook was cemented when a family member passed away and another family member posted that fact on her wall BEFORE the rest of the family was informed.  I do not believe that I have the right to know everything about everybody I know, and they do not have the right to know all about me.

Don’t even get me started on Twitter.  It is a mini-Facebook.  Granted, my knowledge of Twitter comes from the pop media and all the reports about celebrities using Twitter.  In my opinion, Twitter is nothing more than an ego stroke; “Look at me, but don’t expect me to look at you.  I am so important that you need to follow me and know my every thought, but don’t you dare think that I am going to respond to you personally.”

Whether or not this was the intended use of The Social Web, this is what it has become for a lot of people.  I cannot see a constructive way of translating this to a classroom setting.  I do understand the argument of online collaborative learning from an infinite number of sources, but that only adds to the feeling of being overwhelmed.  When can one subject be set aside to examine the next if more and more information is being contributed?

One positive that I can see is the bookmarking capability such as Delicious.  As I become more proficient at gathering information online, this capability will help me keep things organized.  Perhaps as I use this to weed out what I believe to be irrelevant, I will come to regard the Web as a reliable, manageable source of information.

RSS. What?

My understanding of RSS is shaky due to my lack of enthusiasm for the Internet.  I do not regularly follow any blogger or website.  In fact, maintaining this blog has proven to be a very difficult task mainly because I do not “get on” the Internet on a daily basis.  When I do need to be online for any particular reason, I find it to be rather inconvenient.  Even with that said and my limited understanding of RSS, I can see some time saving value to this tool.  As I understand it, after setting up the appropriate account or accounts, new posts published on sites I flag concerning specific topics I choose will be collected for me to view at my convenience.  The biggest hurdle for me is again, checking this new collection service on a regular basis.  As of right now, my car phone (yes, I call it a car phone because I only have it with me when I am going to be in the car.  Thankfully, it is not a bag phone!) is a pay as you go phone.  I can make calls, take calls and get fancy with sending and receiving text only txts.  My keypad looks just like the keypad of a land line phone.  If I want to use the letter E, I have to press the number 3 button two times.  Get the picture?  I do like the idea of the collection work being done for me, and should I ever upgrade my hardware, I can see myself using this tool.  It is not unlike my subscribing to the industry specific periodical, Sporting Goods Dealer, when I managed a sporting goods store.  When I took the time to peruse an issue, all articles within were related to the sporting goods industry.

I can see this specific tool working more for me in the educational field as more of a professional development tool rather than a teaching tool.  Articles concerning teaching practices could be delivered to me and then I could use that information to refine my skills as a teacher.  I know that enthusiasts would argue that articles concerning the subjects students were studying would come to the classroom to provide more opportunity for learning.  While that has a degree of truth to it, there is also great value in teaching students how to go find needed information.  In this day and age of instant gratification, it might be worth our time to help students understand that if they do not find what they need the first time they look, they need to continue to keep looking.  Students need to learn to dig deeper than the first page of results of a Google search.

To Wiki or Not to Wiki?

My opinion concerning the use of Wikis, specifically Wikipedia, in the classroom changed after learning more about Wikis.  I have used Wikipedia from time to time to look up things.  In doing so, I assumed that all the information on the site was researched and posted by some sort of institution or company that would fact check every statement before use.  I likened it to an electronic Encyclopedia Britannica or electronic World Book Encyclopedia.  Therefore, I never questioned the completeness or reliability of the information.  I had no idea that anyone with access to the Internet could make changes to the site.  That realization changed my opinion of Wikipedia.

Now knowing this, I would not fully trust any information found on the site.  I am not suggesting that there are Wikipedia saboteurs who get their thrills from messing up sites or posting erroneous information just to screw up the Wikipedia users.  Then again, that doesn’t mean there aren’t those who do that.  I do understand that when information is posted, proper credit should be given to the original source of the information, but really, who looks at the footnotes?  Once a person finds the answer to a question on the Internet, it is taken almost as gospel.  “Well, it is on the Internet, so it must be true.”  I make this statement because I have done that to a point myself.  Once I find the information I am searching for, I don’t read the fine print.  I assume that somebody else has already authenticated it.  My thought has always been that, “well, if it is on Wikipedia, it must be right.”  I think I developed this way of thinking because of the wide use of Wikipedia.  Even if you rarely use the Internet, you have at the very least heard of Wikipedia.

I am certainly not of the opinion that Wikipedia should be banished from the classroom.  It is a good starting point for any type of research.  I now know that I will have to guide my students as to their use of Wikipedia.  I will need to teach them how to judge the reliability of the information found there much like judging the reliability of any website.  I do see the potential value of a classroom wiki.  Lower grades could create a wiki with a separate page for each subject – “What we did in Math,” “What we did in Science,” “What we did in Reading,” etc.  At the end of the year, the wiki would contain a year’s worth of learning.  This could be used as a reference the following year as the students build on knowledge acquired in the previous year.  In the higher grades, a separate wiki could be built for each subject that would contain not only the notes from the class but a synthesis of the information.  Sections could be added to the pages to address the higher order thinking of Bloom’s Taxonomy.  True understanding of the subject area could also come about by collaborating with other classrooms of the same subject within the same building or from other classes of the same subject from anywhere if the wiki is made available to individuals outside a specific school.  Of course to avoid the shadow of doubt which has now been cast upon Wikipedia, teacher approval of posts would be required before students could add to the site.

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.