Class Reflection

"Digital Citizenship" is a term that I never heard of until tonight.  The world wide web is like a new country.  It is a concept to think about when I am teaching in the classroom.  Teachers and students have rights in the virtual world.  The Digital Citizenship website is important for all people to know.  Are we truly protected in this new country?  Do we actually read the license agreements when we are downloading information?  The answer should be yes.  I think all agreements should be read.  Don't you read formal agreements on paper before signing?  Of course, so why are people changing now?  The digital world will soon change the legal world. 

Class Reflection

I never knew Wikipedia was a virtual community.  I always thought of it as a quick way to search common information not realizing how many people posted/edited.  The ongoing process of knowledge is definitely related to constructivism, as one student had mentioned in class.  John Dewey would be proud to see how far his theory advanced in the world today.  The virtual community in Wikipedia is one example of how information literacy is changing, but the "bytecoin."  The bytecoin creates a new atmosphere with virtual monetary value.  Who knew that a concept my student presented in Science Fiction class would exist today.  A good way to implement information literacy in a future class is having students write personal reflections online rather than in their notebooks.  I am so happy to test out the new apps and post on my next blog.

Chapter 5 Reflection

      "Information Literacy" is vital to our society today.  Students and teachers are constantly on the internet searching for information.  My favorite search engine is the infamous "Google."  I use the word infamous because Google is sly in that it provides an abundance of information in a matter of seconds, but at some cost. How much of the information is credible?  This is a question that I ask myself every time I search a website, which makes it even more difficult for students to find valid information.  In providing research projects, I would apply the techniques from the chapter.  The idea of giving students various websites is good to substantiate credibility.  I also like how students can compare credible websites to those that are not, such as "Wikipedia."  I observed a lesson in a sixth grade class last week where the students were researching a topic on healthy habits and bullying.  Students immediately printed information from Wikipedia.  Unfortunately, students did not understand why Wikipedia was not a credible website.  The next day in class, the teacher had to show the bias within the article to prove her point as to why it was not a valid website for the students' projects.  The internet is a good tool to enhance students' learning, but guidance is always necessary.  As David Jonassen mentioned in his article, "Computers as Mindtools for Engaging Learners in Critical Thinking," technology should be a learning tool.  The students develop critical thinking skills from the active learning environments.  For example, "semantic networks."  Students can map the structure of an article or story for constructing their own understanding.  Jonassen also presented "visualization tools" (graphs, charts) and "conversation tools" (chats, emails, blogs).  Both help all students create their own level of thinking, which is student-centered.  Rebecca introduced a great article in her blog last week about a school in Mooresville, North Carolina.  The students used technology to enhance their own skills.  The article presented two different students in the same class who had to present their interpretation of a work.  One student who was outgoing decided to present his interpretation by using a video.  The second student who was more timid presented her interpretation in a blog.  Both students used technology in different ways to display their own thinking.
      Technology is rapidly changing not only within the classroom, but even in a Public Library located in San Antonio, Texas Click Here.  The article presents a BiblioTech Public Library transformed into the digital world.  People of all ages can access 18, 000 books from MacBook Pros and iPads.  The future of technology is constantly unfolding before our very eyes.

Questions:

1.  Computer skills are important within all academic subjects.  Students no longer have technology classes to teach certain skills, such as researching websites or typing a paper.  What are some ways that computer skills can be brought into the school system without taking away time from the academic subjects?

2.  From your days of schooling, do you feel that audio recordings of published books and/or poems are effective to use within the classroom?  Why or Why not?

3.  After reading the article about the Public Library in Texas, would you agree or disagree in implementing the same environment throughout all libraries in the U.S.?  Explain.

Class Relection

As I've mentioned in a previous blog, I tend to lean towards the theories of Behaviorism and Construstivism.  The Constructivist Theory can be difficult to utilize in class due to the curriculum, but "authentic" ideas enhance students' higher level of thinking.  From watching the Individual Educational Videos in class this evening, teachers and students presented the Constructivist Theory.  The students' videos of "The American Dream" and "The American Nightmare" displayed how they understood a concept and related it to reality (outside world) or personal experiences.  The videos were phenomenal and I am excited to start mine.  I hope to one day use it in my own class. 

WebQuest Topic

The WebQuest will be designed for grade levels 9 & 10 in an English Language Arts class reading Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlett Letter."  Students will gain a better understanding of the author, historical background and themes presented in the novel.  Students will use many resources and gather information they find to create a comprehensive presentation of Puritan ideals, beliefs and society's standards in connection to the text.

Common Core Standards for students applied are as follows:

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.3 Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.6 Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.9 Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.5 Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.

Chapters 2 & 3 Reflection

There are many theories in the field of education.  As a teacher, different theories need to be applied to the classroom for teaching, learning and assessment.  Every child should be treated as a "unique" individual because not every student learns the same way.  From my experience of teaching and observing classes, general education students can be in a class with IEPs and ELLs.  Teachers have to be able to accommodate all students.  It is a challenge for both students and teachers.  Technology is one tool in aiding and accommodating different students in one classroom.  When I think back to my own learning, most of it comes from other people (teachers, parents, friends, etc.), active learning environments and personal experience.  "Behaviorism, Cognitive Science and Constructivism" can be incorporated into a classroom.  I tend to lean more towards "Cognitive Science" and "Constructivism." In an English class, memorizing Vocabulary words are important for Vocabulary Tests and SATs.  How many of those words do students truly remember in the future?  It's the active learning, thinking and collaborative projects that students remember.  The "metacognitive awareness" is the most valuable lesson because a student can think about his or her own thinking.  Reading circles are good ways for students to interpret literature amongst themselves.  If one student does not understand the reading, then another student may be able to help the other.  This type of learning environment is "student-centered." Students assess their own learning.  Another example for students to assess their own learning is by creating a portfolio of written work.  The portfolio shows how the student develops his or her own thought process through writing.  Is a "teacher-centered" learning environment necessary?  Absolutely, students need structure and guidance to reach the goal.  Old and new ways of teaching methods can be integrated into lesson planning.

Questions:

1.  According to Chapter 3, "Standards-based assessments" are important in measuring what is expected of a student for a certain grade level.  Do standardized tests truly measure how much a student will succeed in life?  And if the answer is no, then why is there so much pressure on students and teachers?

2.  Students and teachers are able to express their creativity by using Technology.  How much technology should be utilized in lesson planning for a 40 minute class?

3.  How do we as teachers or educators assist those students who do not have access to technology 24/7  as oppose to those who do?

Class Reflection

I was nervous about the concept of the "E-Teacher," but after today's class I am a little more at ease.  I now have some great websites, such as Educreations and Glogster to utilize in the classroom.  As an English teacher, I will do some research on "The Infinite Thinking Machine."  It is a great concept for students to write and share short photo essays.  I learned that technology is not just about computers.  Technology is our everyday world.  I love the concept of blogging about class and our personal reflections from reading because I gained new knowledge from my peers.  This new knowledge would've never existed without the innovation of technology.  I am not quite sure how to use "Twitter," but it seems like a fun way for students and teachers to interact.  It also enables students to collaborate amongst each other.  Thanks to researching "Twitter in Education," I can create a class newspaper for a Journalism elective class.  Twitter also allows different subject classes to interact.  This is a great way to relate lessons in different subject areas.  Students and teachers become one large community for support.