CEdO 540 Post#2

I have had the unique experience over the last few days to be taught by the experts in the area of statistics. As I have said in previous responses, my experience with statistics is sketchy at best, and the fog of time has clouded any knowledge that might have been gained in the past. Fortunately, I have students in my advanced composition class who have recently taken AP statistics . My inquiries concerning statistical jargon and procedure were met with a chorus of answers, and I think that the students got a kick out of teaching this old dog. I couldn't help but be reminded of the very nature of 21st century skills, and the fact that teachers are not the only experts in the room. I learned from whatever source was available, and my sources, regardless of generational issues, were sympathetic to my plight. The fact that these young minds could take complex ideas and explain them in simplistic terms gives me hope for the future. During the process, I was also introduced to the graphing calculator, and found how technology can make math almost too easy. My students were able to work the problems without the help of the calculator, but I was amazed at how a machine could take a bunch of numbers and yield the answers in seconds that would have taken many minutes by hand. Where were graphing calculators when I was in school? Why did I have to walk up hill both ways to school in the driving snow everyday. :)
Capterra is a really neat resource for business, but also for educators. We often feel the need or are strongly encouraged to solicit feedback in our classrooms. Capterra provides many tools to create quality surveys without spending valuable time researching for possible survey generators. The work has been done for us, and all we need to do is tell the selected tool what to do. Capterra also provides customer service and a guide to help individuals find the right tool for the job. I would think the temptation could be to pick the first tool that comes to mind without really knowing the limits and possible benefits. Capterra provides that information on hundreds of survey tools, which in turn helps the individual find a tool that is specific to his/her needs.
I enjoyed looking at some ACT data this week, and I found that original hypotheses were proven false by the data. I hate when my assumptions are proven false, but the experience is a nice reminder why we should never assume. Now that I know where to find data concerning student achievement at my high school, I think that my department will be able to develop specific plans to improve student results on standardized tests. No one wants to admit teaching to a test, but the data certainly indicates areas of weakness that can be addressed in the individual classrooms. This shared knowledge can help all the teachers focus attention on getting the most out of students, and I hope will be motivation for students to keep achieving at a high level.

CEdO 540 Post#1

I think this new class will be a nice departure from the classes to this point in the program. In my opinion, the very nature of statistics involves black and white data. It is when humans get their hands on the data that the process goes haywire, mainly because objectivity is nearly impossible to uphold. Why do we gather data? We gather data to make determinations that will influence decisions in the future. Too many people will be affected by these decisions so conflict can often arise. Unscrupulous individuals can "cook the books" and often make spurious claims concerning what the data tells us. But the data itself has no agenda, and the pursuit of data is an important feature of an evolving society.
My background in statistics is sketchy at best. I vaguely remember doing some work with statistics in various math classes, but I have never had a class that focused solely on statistics. After our first class, I felt as though many of the terms used were vaguely familiar, which is good, but my comfort level will certainly be challenged when I am put to task with using statistical data.
Since I work in a data hungry district, I think the experiences in this class will give me the tools to use data effectively in shaping classroom instruction. I have found that the initial assignments have taken me far more time to complete than had been anticipated, but that could be a result of my nature rather than the nature of the assignments. Either way, I look forward to learning how to collect, analyze, and apply data to decisions made in my classroom, language arts department, and my school.

CEdO 535 Post#5

As we wrap up our work for this course, I will have to state that I am really beginning to transform my educational philosophy. I still struggle with the fact that the future in education is uncertain, yet I have bought into the fact that our methodologies must change with the times. At the very least, our students are plugged in. They spend considerable time using technology to communicate and learn online. As educators we can embrace this trend and use it to our advantage, or we can stay with what we have always done and expect kids to embrace outmoded teaching styles. Richardson's final chapter addresses many of the trends in education, and really challenges thinking concerning how to best meet the needs of our students.
One of the ways I can meet these student needs is to educate them on how to communicate online safely and effectively. Whether a teacher agrees with Richardson or not, the ability for students to develop work online that can be stored indefinitely, commented on by a large audience, and allows for ongoing learning seems to make sense. Work that was created solely for a teacher now has a far different audience. Work that was created for a grade and then erased from memory can now evolve well beyond any deadline. I think a Ning is a great starting point for allowing students to change the way they produce work. I love the safety and control that can be placed on a Ning, and the fact that work will be produced for an audience other than me will hopefully increase ownership and quality of work. Allowing students to create work collaboratively is another nice facet of the Ning, again with the focus on a larger audience. I will be curious to see the problems that will occur with students using a Ning, and I am still cautious about trying to do too much too soon.
Since students are communicating online so frequently, what a great opportunity for educators to show students how to do this properly. Since I have joined Facebook, I have been surprised at the number of students that have wanted to be friends. I am even more surprised at the type of content that is found on many student accounts. Although I don't befriend students on Facebook, I do think that time should be spent analyzing the pitfalls involved with social networking. To this point, I suspect that students have adapted their styles to what they have seen by others, and I think some direction would be timely. My students are my children, and I want them to enjoy their online experiences, but I also want them to make educated decisions.
I think Twitter offers the opportunity to take a tool used for social networking, and demonstrate to students how it can be used in the classroom. Keeping students informed about classroom activities, and allowing group discussions on a topic through Twitter can teach students how to use a technology tool effectively. If they then want to use the tool for personal reasons, at least I will have shown them how to use it properly.
And so, my goals with my students will now center around teaching 21st century skills. Students will continue to use the Internet for personal use, so I believe it is paramount for teachers to demonstrate how to interact responsibly in that environment. The added bonus is that I get to learn many new skills along the way, which really enriches my own personal growth as an educator.

CEdO 535 Post#4

The idea of social bookmarking will certainly get some play in my classroom. Although I currently use Delicious (and I use the term "use" loosely) I will be creating a Diigo account. With Delicious, I like that initial searches have been filtered by others, so I can essentially skip the somewhat daunting task of trying to find information in the vast repository of the Internet. Having others do the initial legwork can help save time and produce better quality results. With Diigo, I plan to use the sticky note feature to annotate what we are reading in class. What a great opportunity to look at a piece of literature as a class, and allow students to make comments directly to the document. The fact that this document can be shared with other students eliminates the usual learning in isolation problem. Through Diigo, students can read the comments of other students, and add additional comments to help our overall understanding of the piece. I also like the ability to tag items based upon student interests, and allow RSS feeds concerning those interests come right to the student. Diigo allows me to add sticky notes to the items that students will receive, and can help them focus on what I thought was important.
The idea of podcasting has been on my mind for about a year now, and I think that I have finally found a purpose for it in my classroom. I teach the interview process in my classes, for both research and socialization purposes. With podcasting, I can have the students interview other students and teachers regarding current policies at our school. Through the process, students will have to make arrangements to meet with the individual to be interviewed, present a list of questions to be asked prior to the meeting, and then edit the interview to fit the scope of the project. I think there are so many positives that will be derived from the project, but professionalism, accountability, and organization are the three that stand out. The fact that podcasts can be saved indefinitely gives me the capability to provide examples of prior student work to introduce new projects in years to come.
The screencast capability will be a nice tool as my class becomes more digital. Currently, I take students through the process for using some of these tools in class, but by the time they attempt to use the tools, much of the information has been lost. By creating screencasts, students will have video tutorials concerning how to use tools that I have introduced in class, and these tutorials will be placed online and accessible anytime by my students.
I think that this weeks work really has some possibilities in my classroom. I need to be careful not to try too much too soon. There are some other tools and skills that need to be mastered before I move on to these new areas, but I know that the new information will tie nicely to what I am going to introduce first.

Flickr pics

My family and I had the opportunity to spend a couple days in Wisconsin Dells over the extended weekend. My photos from left to right and top to bottom are some of the highlights of the trip. My son Seth in the bulldozer is a perfect start because he loves heavy machinery. The second picture has my wife preparing the boys for trick or treating at the mall, which turned out to be a nice substitute for going around the neighborhood in Sheboygan. Cole and Seth are being boys at Knuckleheads and wrestling more than dancing. In the forth picture, my oldest son, Cole, squeezed into this plane, although he made no attempts to actually ride it. My youngest son, Owen, had the opportunity to ride in a fire truck although the ride was similar to a bucking bronco. One of the balls got loose from ball city and made my son's day. Cole and Seth are posing outside Mouse Jaw restaurant, and although I don't like picture poses, they both look rather cute. The eighth picture shows how my family will continue to help the dental industry. My wife and Owen are wrestling over a cookie in the next two pictures. One should never interfere with my wife's love of cookies. In the next picture, Owen is playing with a mini etch a sketch, but likes putting everything in his mouth more than actually drawing. My son Cole proudly displays his pumpkin carving skills. The thirteenth picture shows my young artists after completion of yet another project. The last two pictures shows the culinary side of Cole. He helped his mother bake Halloween cookies, and they turned out nicely.
The purpose of my picture is obviously for personal use, and hopefully represents some of the fun my family had over the extended weekend.

CEdO 535 Post#3

RSS feeds are an appetizing way for me to manage students blogs efficiently and certainly warrants further study. I think the biggest issue with student blogging, other than online safety, is how in the world I will be able to follow all of the activity. With RSS feeds, it would appear that this question will be answered. In general, I like the fact that information comes to me at one source, so hopefully I will be able to better manage my time.
But as the issue of time rears its ugly head again, I am still uncertain as to a course of action with using all of the new tools we are learning. I could easily spend every waking moment grading essays, and now I am being taken further outside my comfort zone and challenged to be even more connected. The beauty of this graduate program is that it introduces me to many new tools that can be used in the classroom, and although a seemingly daunting task, I know enough to be patient with myself and not try to do everything at once. I will spend time learning how to use these tools, and hopefully will be able to incorporate many of them in my classroom over time.
The photo sharing assignment is one that has me most befuddled. I know in one sense I should store my photos online in case of a catastrophic computer failure, but I have difficulty thinking of ways to use photo sharing in my classroom. This thinking stems from the fact that my photos are personal in nature, so I might be a bit close minded when it comes to creating assignments for my students using photo sharing. Perhaps as I struggle through the process of using online photo sharing classroom ideas will present themselves, but it is too early to determine whether or not that will be true.
I am still struggling with the microblogging idea. I was on the verge of creating my first online posting, but I recanted before saving. I am not one to share personal thoughts outside of my immediate family, and although I know that microblogging can be a great way to share educational ideas, I still can't wrap my mind around why it will be a benefit for my classroom.
I loved the debate on the video we watched, and it addressed what I have been thinking for a long time. We don't know what the future will bring, so it is difficult to get individuals on the same page concerning how to plan for its arrival. I love the fact the educators need to change, or at least challenge, personal teaching methodologies, but this dialogue is a challenge due to stubbornness on our parts. We may acknowledge the need for change, but no one is standing in line to relive the process of reinventing our curriculum. Student teaching was difficult enough the when we didn't know anything, so asking teachers to revamp what they do puts them in the vulnerable position that they were in while they learned their craft.
But as we continue to develop our craft, we should look for new ways to engage out students. RSS feeds and photo sharing might be two avenues to reach our students, and allow them the ability to not only receive relevant information, but to unleash their creative potential.

CEdO 535 Post#2

The first order of business is to discuss the idea of Wikipedia in the classroom. I know that I have shied away from allowing students to cite Wikipedia during the research process, but have suggested students use the site as a starting point. According to Richardson, this is a popular approach for many teachers. After having a chance to really investigate Wikipedia, I might be changing my stance concerning students citing this source during the research process. As Richardson states, and I loosely paraphrase, we together can do more than any individual alone. Many of the topics in Wikipedia have extensive research from multiple resources. The culture of Wikipedia seems to police itself and seems to strive for accuracy. What I have found with Wikipedia is that for general topics it is a great resource. As we look at very specific topics, the success rate seems to wane, but that doesn't mean that Wikipedia isn't useful. It is still a great starting point for research, and I think it has become a source worthy to be cited in research.
For my purposes, asking what is microblogging could easily be changed to why microblog. I might be too old fashioned to handle the idea of Twitter and Plurk, but hopefully I will be able to find some value in these services. As a tool to have students connect with each other and give quick responses concerning ideas in the classroom sounds good to me. I could have students use either Twitter or Plurk to share ideas related to topics discussed in the classroom. So I have reluctantly joined both sites in order to fulfill the requirement of this class, and to hopefully open my eyes as to the value for my classroom. But if I am supposed to be interested in following the random musings of people that I don't really know (or even people that I do know) I think that I am the wrong person for the job. People who use both services claim that they are wonderful, but I am solitary by nature, and don't feel the need to spend more time that I don't have following people that I don't know talk about things that don't matter to me. That sounds really brutal of me to say, and I don't mean to bash anyone who loves microblogging, but for me, the idea doesn't blow my hair back.
My positive vibes concerning blogging are increasing the more we study the variety of uses for blogs. As I have said in previous posts, my biggest concern would be student safety. But I like the fact that students would be able to learn from others that I teach. I think the discussions could be much more valuable between 140 students than simply 25 students in a class. Whether I ever move towards having students contribute to a worldwide audience is something that will need to be addressed down the road. I also like the fact that blogging can help students deal with conflict. I am sure that many students will simply say things that won't hurt any feelings, but I think that being honest with each other will encourage further discussions about specific issues. But to do this, we have to move beyond a comment being construed as a personal attack. By keeping control of what is allowed to be posted, I think that I can help with conflict resolution and keep the fragile world of personal feelings a bit more stable.

CEdO535 Post #1

I had the unique experience this weekend to hear a speaker discuss the importance of 21st century skills in the classroom. I have to admit that after reading Presentation Zen I have evaluated PowerPoint presentations based on what we read. This speaker reminded me of Reynolds, and his presentation seemed to include quite a few principles that we studied. At the end of the conference, I introduced myself to the speaker, and it occurred to me that I was speaking to the author of our current book. Will Richardson did a great job sharing his thoughts concerning technology in the 21st century classroom, and he emphasized what he wants schools to teach his children. I was impressed with how down to earth Richardson was, and I reflected on the conference during my 120 mile drive home.
I was excited to read the first three chapters of Richardson's book, because I felt that by meeting him, I had a better understanding about his viewpoints. Suffice to say, his writings did not disappoint. Richardson has a comfortable writing style, and although he is a proponent of web tools in the classroom, he doesn't beat people over the head with his ideas
One of the ideas that I like is the implementation of blogs in the classroom. Richardson gives helpful hints on how to get started with that process, and also addresses pitfalls that can occur. I have been working with the LMC director at my school, and I will be using a blog for at least one of my classes during the second semester. My school district only allows the use of EduBlogs, and now the school wants to pilot a program where the blog is hosted on our server. I am one of the participants of this plan, and I think that the experiment will be rewarding. Blogs are intriguing because they can allow for a global audience. Perhaps students will take ownership in their work if they know that anyone can view their work, including parents. I also like the ability to address some of the dangers concerning posting online, and the controls that can be set by an administrator. I am currently researching and getting feedback concerning how best to create my blog under the guidelines of the school district.
RSS feeds is another interesting topic for this week, and I am sure we will be learning more about them throughout the class. My year has gotten significantly more busy, so it will be important to be efficient with my time. By using RSS feeds for my personal and professional life, I will hopefully be able to save time because: the information comes to me, and I can read the information in one spot. Recently, I spoke to my students about Google Alerts, and there seemed to be some interest in further investigating all that it had to offer. Students can similarly use RSS feeds to have relevant information sent to them without spending significant time trying to separate the wheat from the chaff by using Internet searches.
Overall, I am excited to immerse myself into this class, and that is probably due to the success I had in the last class. We are starting to get to the meat of the issues concerning the use of technology in the classroom. It is essential to make educated decision concerning students using blogs to post information. Have student information on the web cannot be taken lightly with an attitude of do now apologize later. Although my role might change by allowing students to interact with the world online, it is paramount that I keep them safe. The students in my classroom are my kids, and I will protect them in the same way that I protect my kids at home. We must have honest discussions about technology in the classroom, and be willing to address our concerns, as well as the impact it will have on our children.

CEdO530 Digital Storytelling-Entry #5

I am intrigued this week with our study of rubrics. For some reason, my mind only works with percentages, so using rubrics with point values always screwed with my mind. Although I don't usually use rubrics, I can appreciate the value for both the student and the teacher. That being said, I am going to make a concerted effort to incorporate rubrics into my curriculum this year, and determine future use based upon the experiences. Whenever I give an assignment, I discuss criteria that will be used to assess student performance, but a rubric would probably streamline the process. In language arts, I have always tried to grade papers using the 6+1 writing traits guide, and I like how it can identify specific areas of weakness. I would love to find a system that limits subjectivity in grading, but I know that will be difficult to find. Even the 6+1 lends itself to subjective grading, but it does provide a vehicle for some objectivity that would be missing without the grading criteria. I will certainly be mindful of the successes and failures of using rubrics for my assignments this year, and I will also seek feedback from my students to see if it helped them tailor their assignments to what was being assessed.
The group work this week is both a positive and negative undertaking. Positive in the fact that we get to write a paper, something that I enjoy creating. Negative in the fact that we are reviewing two products that are foreign to me. Hopefully, through a meeting of the minds, my group will enlighten me about what is unfamiliar, and we will be able to create a paper worthy of merit.
The Pecha Kucha presentation in theory really got me excited. Now that I have test driven this presentation style, I am not sure that I am ready to buy. I certainly don't blame the product, because I like the idea of working within certain constraints. My disappointment is that I wasn't able to create the presentation that I had initially envisioned. The initial plan was to create 20 slides about writing in iambic pentameter, and show the parallel between that form of writing and the form involved in creating a Pecha Kucha presentation. For whatever reason, my ideas led to dead ends, and I decided to scrap the idea. Hopefully I am resilient enough to revisit my initial ideas after I have more experience with this presentation form. I still like the idea of using it to create a week in review for those who are absent or for parents to view. But, as always, my mind tries to weigh the value of the product versus time to create ratio, and I am not sure that the idea would bare fruit. So, in the end, I have been frustrated with this assignment because I was unable to create what I set out to accomplish. But frustration that leads to learning can be good, and my frustration has yielded a fair amount of knowledge concerning a presentation style that I previously knew nothing about.

CEdO530 Digital Storytelling-Entry #4

The Presentation Zen reading for this week really hit home today. We had an early release day in the district because we had a guest speaker coming to talk with us about professional learning communities. The presentation lasted from 1:45-3:30. Thinking about the book in a general sense, I found myself rating the presentation from the Zen point of view. The slides were heavy with text, the presentation seemed endless, and the handout was a copy of the PowerPoint slides. Prior to reading the textbook I would have been bored with the presentation. After reading the text I was bored because I knew there was a better way to present the information.
Specific to the reading this week, the speaker would have been wise to trim some of the fat from his presentation. I have a difficult time sitting for any length of time, but sitting in one spot for nearly two hours was an exercise in torture. I don't care how great of a presentation you have, expecting people to sit for that long and pay attention is silly. Our speaker had an excellent message, but with attention spans beginning to wane at about the 10-15 minute mark, I wonder what the audience learned from the presentation. By shortening the presentation, I believe the message would have been clearer, and the impact greater.
I love Ben Sander's emphasis, not on success or failure, but on contribution. None of the usual concerns that many presenters worry about are important. It doesn't really matter if we are a success or failure, because if that is our concern, we will not be effective. Sander also discusses the great concept of not taking ourselves too seriously. Obviously, we put extensive time into the preparation and polished delivery of our message, but that doesn't mean that we can't make mistakes. We should be able to laugh at ourselves within the context of doing our best. If we have that attitude, there will be a greater chance of a naturalness appearing in our presentations, and a better connection with the audience.
The Prezi tool is really fascinating because it is unlike anything that I have seen before. Having a giant canvas to put one's information, and then linking that information together seems like a really cool way to make presentations. That being said, I have found Prezi a little more difficult to use effectively than how it was described. But I suspect that my struggles revolve around having to learn a new tool and having high expectations for myself. I sometimes don't have the patience with myself to really give something a chance. I think with more use, Prezi will be a great tool to add to the arsenal.
The Pecha Kucha assignment has also been a little bit of a struggle, again because it is a new way of thinking for me. I like having the storyboarding ability in the planning analog stage, so when I go to the computer, my time will be spent more efficiently.
Overall, the week's assignments have been a challenge for me, but a good challenge. I think that I have found new tools that I will be able to share with my students, and hopefully I will remember not to take myself too seriously while I learn how to use the tools effectively.

CEdO530 Digital Storytelling-Entry #3

I am really intrigued by the Presentation Zen principles that we have been studying so far. At the beginning of our reading, I was essentially a blank slate when it came to presentations. As I have alluded to in previous writings, I have always avoided presentations because I thought they would bore the pants off my students, and be of little or no value concerning getting information where it needed to go. But now I am starting to understand how powerful and meaningful presentations, when done correctly, can be for the presenter and the viewer. I like the idea that Reynolds presents concerning amplification through simplification. I have seen many presentations that are a labyrinth of information, and Reynolds suggests that eliminating clutter (noise) can really make for a powerful message. I love the idea of less is more, and that time should be spent finding graphics that can really develop visual representations of ideas. That being said, I am a little frustrated at the price tag that accompanies many of these graphics. Fortunately, our book does offer some free sites that will help me find images without having to pay for the privilege.
Speaking of images, Animoto is awesome. I have known this for quite some time, but it is nice to be reminded about the power of this tool. I plan to have my students use Animoto to represent what is important to them concerning family and their lives in general. I think that this tool provides enough options for the user to have control of their presentation, or to simply let Animoto do all the work. However this tool is used, I think that it will be a wonderful addition to my students' technological arsenal.
I am most excited about the "This I Believe" site. I am never very good at providing my students with outlets to submit their written work, but this site will help me change that trend. I will be using this site for my advanced composition students by having them submit essays as a culminating activity toward the end of their time with me. I think the writing assignment challenges students to really examine what they believe and what helped forge their belief systems. I will be presenting this idea on the first day of class, and I hope it is met with enthusiasm by my students.

CEdO530 Digital Storytelling-Entry #2

I find it rather ironic that my literature classroom is devoid of any digital stories. Perhaps I would go further and say that this fact is also pathetic, but my psychologist has told me to think only happy thoughts. I think that literature is rich with stories that need to be told, and that by experiencing them, readers will learn more about themselves. The problem with literature is twofold. The first issue involves the why does it matter factor. If a student is planning on attending a technical college, and probably never take another literature class after mine, then why does what Twain wrote have any significance to them? And the second issue involves Hamlet's response to Polonius when asked what Hamlet was reading; "words, words, words." Literature requires the reader to read words, then have those words become meaningful on the movie screens of our minds. With the advances in technology, information is received and digested in the visual form, and makes reading a difficult sell. So I have two choices on how to proceed with my dilemma. I could quit my job and go back to running a restaurant, or I can figure out a better way of selling literature to the masses.
The topic of digital storytelling has emerged at the right time in my career. With a classroom filled with visual learners, expecting students to voraciously read books without first selling the story will be as successful as trying to milk a bull. (I will not explain this comparison any further because I think you get the point) So I will do my best this year to make stories come to life through the use of digital storytelling.
The scary issue for me with using digital tools involves the amount of time needed to be successful. I know that Reynolds addresses the ideas of busy vs. busyness. Everyone is busy, but busyness is usually self-imposed. For me to be successful at digital storytelling, I will really have to be efficient at using my time. I can't waste time struggling with whether or not everything I do will be successful. Per the advice from Presentation Zen, I must identify my point and why does it matter. If I can focus on those two questions, I won't spend time being overwhelmed with self-doubt and other insecurities. At that point in our reading, I really felt like that was something that I could accomplish.
Since the stories in class are already written, I need to find ways to make the story come to life. Just because I love what we read doesn't make the class important to my students. The idea of stickiness will also help my plans to use digital storytelling in class. With storytelling being a natural and appealing method to share information, following the six characteristics concerning stickiness should really help my students be open to receiving the information.
I am really looking forward to getting to work on creating some digital stories. I know that not all of my efforts will be rewarded with students rushing to class to learn, but I do know that the tools we have been given so far will greatly improve the chances of my students wanting to read and participate intelligently in class.

CEdO530 Digital Storytelling-Entry #1

I have one predominant thought concerning the first lesson in this class. I am cautiously optimistic that what we will be studying will help open my eyes about the power of presentation through the use of electronic tools. This might be the first opportunity to take theory and make practical applications for the classroom. In literature, I try to let the work speak for itself, and let students do most of the talking. As I reflect on this philosophy, I know that I am cheating the students out of some wonderful learning opportunities by avoiding power point, or in my case, keynote presentations. To this point in my career, I have avoided using these presentation tools with the exception of as a review before tests. My main excuse for this avoidance involves what was covered in our reading of Presentation Zen. I never wanted to torture students with nauseating amounts of slides filled with data, and I didn't feel confident enough to use the presentation tools to make slides that were really meaningful. This class will hopefully help me overcome my reluctance to use presentation tools and provide me with ideas on how to be a more successful presenter.
As indicated in our reading of Digitales, everyone has a story to tell, and the oral tradition has been around longer than any other form of communication. That being said, it behooves us to extract the richness of our stories through the use of digital tools, and allow our stories to be stored for future generations to enjoy. But not every storyteller is created equally, and the same story told by two different individuals can yield remarkably different outcomes. Imagine a popular joke that you have heard in the past and recall the delivery of the punchline. In one case, the mastery of the delivery makes the joke funny for one, while intolerable for another. I think that Digitales will provide the tools needed to be, at the very least, a better storyteller, and allow me to better share experiences with my students.
Having a good story is a great opportunity to enlighten others, but deciding what is necessary and what is superfluous is a challenge to be addressed. Presentation Zen seems to address this challenge by providing, as the author indicates, and approach, rather than a method for presentations. Reynolds discusses that there is not a one size fits all approach to presentations, and that each situation requires a unique perspective. But by using the approach discussed in the book, the presenter seems to have a better chance to have a positive impact on his/her audience. I like the idea of simplicity, but it also scares me. We all probably think that the information we present is important, so being willing to thin out our material can be a daunting task. Perhaps less is really more, as long as we are willing to objectively let go of some of our materials in order to extract what is really meaningful.
Between the two readings I think that I will have a great approach to presentations, as described in Presentation Zen, and quality tools to present a story, as provided in DigiTales. My hope is that I will challenge some of the ways that I currently deliver information, and in the process, find ways to create quality presentations that can be used, and continually improved, throughout the years.

CEDO 525 Final Thoughts

This class has made me realize how my anachronistic teaching style needs to adapt to the times. Reflecting back, I admit that I teach like I was taught, and coached like I was coached. But today's students and players are different than those of days gone by, and need to be handled differently. What was good for the goose does not translate into something good for the gander. But now I feel that I am better equipped to make meaningful changes to my teaching style. The lesson revision assignment made me realize that I am probably the main reason that my students are not excited about literature. Just because I love reading doesn't excuse my throwing the books out there and expecting kids to share my passion. The strategies we have studied will hopefully help get kids excited about learning again, and make them more successful students.
The setting objectives strategy will be my starting point for revising my teaching style. I like the idea of making the KWHL chart available to students via Google Docs. I think that having students think about what they know, what they want to know, and how they plan to acquire the knowledge will not only reveal prior knowledge, but it will also give ownership of the learning process back to the students. They will have a say in how the obtain information, and reflecting on what they have learned can help develop better habits for future units. I also want to make sure that my objectives are clearly stated for students, and I will make them available electronically on either Moodle or Google Docs.
Providing feedback is arguably the most important strategy to incorporate into a classroom, yet one that is difficult to make meaningful. I think that by having students create blogs they will be able to communicate with each other on issues throughout the year and provide more valuable feedback than simply feedback from the teacher. Last year I started using Senteo software with the new smartboard in my classroom. I really like that feedback on quizzes is immediate, and that problems can be addressed when the information is fresh in the students' minds. The smartboard itself will also allow for immediate feedback while allowing students to be more participatory and engaged in classroom activities.
I have tried to do a good job with cooperative learning through the use of Google Docs. I love the fact that there is a revision history, so I know what kids have been doing, but it also allows for additional technology to be explored. Skype has been a nice compliment to Docs and allows even more freedom for students to work together. I am also thrilled that I learned about Webspiration. I think that Inspiration is an awesome tool, but cost and limitations concerning collaboration has made me reluctant to pursue this software. Wespiration has the same features as Inspiration, but is free and allows for collaboration. This will be a great addition to collaborative efforts in my classroom.
Nonlinguistic representation is probably going to be the biggest change this year in my classroom. Looking at the textbook for our next class, a presentation expert stated that slide shows should never have more than six words on a slide. After I regained consciousness, I realized that might be excellent advice for anyone who is presenting. We want our audiences to be engaged and not simply reading words on a slide. I think we also challenge ourselves to become better presenters, rather than simply reading what we have on a slide. I am very heavy in linguistic representation, but I now realize the importance of nonlinguistic representation for student engagement, and I will be utilizing this strategy significantly in my classroom.
I will also reinforce effort in the classroom by using an effort spreadsheet produced in Excel software. My participation grade was often a gift to all students regardless of effort, but now I will be able to look at data showing how student effort effects performance. My hope is that the hard workers will be motivated to work even harder, while my students lacking motivation can see that improved effort can produce improved grades.
I could go on and on, but this reflection makes me feel like a failure as a teacher. I think that the strategies I learned will make learning visible in my classroom again. I know that the technologies I have used helped student engagement, and I also know that being more knowledgeable concerning strategies to help student learning will make my job more rewarding.

CEDO 525 Graphic Organizers

One of the first questions any new teacher is asked in an interview concerns the idea of organization. The teacher lies and says that organization is a strength and that he or she has a multitude of strategies in place to ensure organization in the classroom. Administrators probably see through the charade and know that the new hire will be a work in progress and ultimately need help with organization. But the new teacher can certainly develop organization in the classroom through the use of graphic organizers. There are many different organization tools available, and this assignment allowed me to examine a few of them.
The first tool that I examined is called Inspiration. Inspiration is a graphic organizer that costs $69.00 to download to a computer. The money is well spent on this product for it has an array of tools to help plan, research, and complete assignments. Users can choose from ready made templates, or start from scratch with an original design. There is a built in library to add clip art to enhance presentations. A Rapid fire key allows easy data entry, and text can be added to links, as well as notes added to key ideas. Audio and video can be added to the presentation, or a hyperlink can be added to link directly to the information. The coolest feature of Inspiration is that views are integrated. The user can shift from a graphic display to an outline display. Any changes made to either display will automatically update in the other display. For showing connections between ideas, and having a visually rich presentation, Inspiration provides a great option for graphically representing information.
Bubbl.us provides another solid option for graphic organizers. For what it lacks in aesthetics, bubbl.us compensates for by allowing users to collaborate on projects. Because bubbl.us is an online graphic organizer, users can share work with whomever they choose. Although bubbl.us allows collaboration, it does not provide the real time power of Google Docs. Colors can be enhanced to really highlight key points, and projects can be shared for collaboration, emailed, or embedded in blogs and websites. Bubble.us has a box at the bottom right corner of the screen that allows the user to better understand the function they are choosing. Bubbl.us is a powerful tool for graphic organizing, and because it is free and allows collaboration, it provides a viable alternative to Inspiration.
Education Oasis provided yet another option for graphic organizers. Fifty-eight organizers are available for download in the form of PDF files. Some of the organizers can be filled out and then printed, but the majority that I tried could only be printed. In one sense, these organizers are limiting because they are premade, and may not be exactly what a user is looking for. That being said, the user could easily upload the PDF file into Google Docs, make a copy, and then tailor the finished product to meet specific needs. There is a wide array of organizers available, and if nothing else, the user may get valuable ideas for his or her own organizer. This graphic organizer option is probably my least favorite, but again, can be a great starting point for building a really solid presentation.
I am very excited about a recent discovery. Of my three evaluations, I would definitely choose Inspiration software. The power of this tool is second to none, but the fact that it costs money, doesn't allow online collaboration, and can only be used on one computer per license gives the potential buyer pause. Probably aware of these limitations, the creators of Inspiration now have created Webspiration. Webspiration has all the functions that bubbl.us provides, but maintains the power and look of Inspiration. This online tool is also free, and I think would challenge any other online graphic organizer in existence. I will be using Webspiration in my classroom next year, but I will certainly keep the other options available as the need arises.

CEDO 525 Rubrics and Quizzes

We have spent considerable time in the first two weeks of class investigating the importance of being clear with students concerning objectives. Whereas I think I do a fair job instructing students what is expected of them on their assignments, I rarely give a rubric showing how they will be assessed. I am arguably a product of my environment in that I teach in much the same way I was taught. My teachers never gave rubrics with assignments although directions were made clear as to what they expected. But as times have changed, both with the types of students that sit in our classrooms and the quality of technologies available to teachers, it would be wise to reevaluate how my expectations for student work are delivered. To that end, I have examined both Rubistar and IRubric to see if either might be viable options for providing information to my students concerning how they are graded.
If time is short, Rubistar provides a great tool for easily creating rubrics. Templates are provided for a variety of assignments, and numerous categories within each assignment can be selected. Preloaded descriptions of each category aptly describe how the student is being evaluated. The user can customize existing descriptions in order to tailor evaluation to fit his or her needs. The finished rubric can be printed, downloaded, and even saved to an online database. The finished rubric looks professional and can be edited as the user's needs change. The downside of Rubistar is that there are only four scoring criteria for the rubrics. I have never used a point system in my classroom, and if I did, I would want five scoring criteria available. When teaching the 6+1 writing traits, a five point scale would parallel the scoring given with the trait descriptions. That being said, Rubistar provides a vehicle that provides easy to produce rubrics that can save precious time for a teacher while delivering clear objectives to the students.
IRubric has a site that appeals to the eye more than Rubistar. Rubric templates can be searched in a database or rubrics can be created from scratch. Once a rubric is created, that template can be used for other rubrics. Although IRubric doesn't have the auto fill device provided by Rubistar, it does offer the ability to create more categories for grading criteria. Another nice feature of IRubric is the ability to create a link or embed the rubric. I am making a concerted effort to reduce the amount of paper used in my classroom, and the link and embed features will help me achieve this goal. Rubrics are stored online and can be edited as the need requires. So although IRubric takes a little more time to create a rubric, I think that the features make this an excellent tool for assessment.
Although using rubrics in my classroom might be a new idea, giving quizzes is not. Frequent quizzes are delivered during the study of a piece of literature, and I always try to look for new ways for students to be assessed. I have tinkered with Senteo and Hot Potatoes with excellent results, but now Quia and Quizstar have been brought to my attention.
Quia is a neat tool in that it allows the teacher to utilize many tools besides simply creating quizzes. Although better suited for the grade school teacher, the activities section allows teachers to provide learning through different games. There is also a search mechanism that allows the teacher to find work that other teachers have created. Quia also has a survey creator and settings can be customized to achieve the desired purpose. The site offers a nice video tutorial illustrating the advantages of using the service. For quizzes, Quia is easy to use and provides an array of choices concerning question styles. All objective question will be automatically graded, and preferences for feedback can be set by the teacher. There is a nice timing feature that can be set to control how long a student has to complete the quiz. Once a quiz is created, a link is provided for students to retrieve and complete the quiz. The teacher can control how students register for the class, and results can be saved in classes that have been created by the teacher. Quia offers a 30 day trial for teachers, and a yearly subscription can be purchased for $49.
Quizstar is another tool for creating quizzes, but doesn't have the activity or survey features of Quia. Quizstar allows for quizzes to be shared with other teachers but only if permission is granted. Like Quia, QuizStar allows the teacher to control registration and whether or not the class is private or public. Objective questions will be graded automatically, and a variety of question styles can be created. Students will login to QuizStar to complete their quiz, and results are stored automatically in a grade book. The teacher can place time constraints on any quiz created, and results can be emailed to the teacher. Feedback can be immediate, received after completing a question, or set to be delivered at the end of the quiz. QuizStar also provides a free trial of 60 days, after which a yearly subscription can be purchased for $39. QuizStar parallels the features of Quia and would be another nice resource to have in the teaching arsenal.
I think that Rubistar and IRubric are two tools that I will tinker with during the next school year. The quiz generators are nice, but I am not interested in lightening my wallet when I have Senteo and Hot Potatoes for free at my fingertips. That being said, it is always wise to have as many options available for use when it comes to evaluating student work throughout the year.

CEDO 525 Thoughts about Theory

I am excited to get this new class started because I think that any learning that can be achieved through the use of technology has merit. That being said, I am cautiously optimistic about how useful the strategies we learn can be when implemented in our classrooms. My students are a fascinating study in that many do not value their education. In their defense, many will be attending a technical college after high school in order to learn a trade. That fact alone makes it difficult to get students excited about language arts, being that once they leave high school, they will probably never again sit in a language arts classroom. The majority of my students want to do the least amount of work, and they really aren't motivated by grades. With that fact alone, making connections to literature is a difficult task, and one that I love. I want to implement strategies that will allow my students to take ownership in their work. Perhaps somewhere along the line, students never learned quality study habits, and that is something that I can teach to them. But the motivation factor is a slippery slope. How do we motivate the unmotivated, who could really care less about challenging themselves in the classroom? I am lucky to have twenty of my students, in classes of thirty, attend class on a regular basis. I need to find a way to motivate students to come to class, and then find ways to make their experiences rewarding. I think that the first article we read addresses some of my concerns. Nothing that I read was new, but I think it served as a good reminder of being clear with objectives and policies at the beginning of the year.
The second article was a challenge to read. I work in a district that is hungry for data, but the data in the reading was really outdated. That being said, finding any correlation between implementing technology and student achievement is encouraging. I would like to see, and there probably is, a study done in the last couple years concerning the same issues. With technology changing so rapidly, I would think that students in our graduate program would benefit more from more current results. But as I said, I am encouraged by the findings of the study, and hope to learn more about implementing technology in my classes with a measurable increase in learning.
Overall, I think the start of this class has been rewarding and has gotten me thinking more about changes I would like to make for next year. With whatever I change, I want to make sure that it benefits my students, and that improvements can be measured. I don't want to simply abandon what I have been doing, but I am always looking for ways to do it better. I will start with helping students with organization and study skills, and hopefully find some technological tools that will help them be more successful at the beginning of the year. At that point, I want to build on those skills by adding the motivation factor. Hopefully, this year will bring more positive results, and help students prepare for what is yet to come in their lives. :)

CEDO 520 Musings #4

There is no question that I am an overprotective parent. If you are familiar with the commercial, I am like the mom that wraps her children in bubble wrap before allowing them to ride their bikes. In my defense, I believe that the current times necessitate this protective nature, and I would rather error on the side of keeping my children too safe (if there is such a thing). At the risk of waxing nostalgic, when I was growing up, it seemed like a safer world in which we lived. My parents would often let my siblings and me run around unattended in public places, leave us in unlocked cars, and allow us to travel alone to parks. Now perhaps, unbeknownst to me, my parents were hoping that someone would permanently relieve them of their parental duties. But I will rationalize that this behavior by my parents was simply an illustration on how the world was safer for children. My mother would often quip, after I had wandered off in a store only to return later, how she was hoping that I would have gone home with someone else. We will save the psychological trauma and socialization issues that this caused me for a later post. :) But the fact remains that my parents never worried about us being abducted, assaulted, or terrorized in any way.
I think it would be foolish to assume that my children will be safe in the current world. I remember the first time one of my children wandered off in the store. My heart stopped beating for a moment, and when I regained consciousness, I was ready to employ the armed forces in a search and rescue effort. As it turns out, my son had accompanied my wife to a different area of the store. But the point is that we need to be aware of the dangers that exist for our children and develop a plan to always keep them safe.
Sadly, I know that the time will come where I will not be considered the great protector, but I will always view my children and my wife as my most important investments. That being said, I will do whatever I can to keep them safe, regardless of their age. This point became clear to me when I was a junior in college. One of my sisters came home from a night out and was assaulted in my parent's yard. She could always take care of herself, but she perhaps put herself in a situation that could have been avoided. But that is not a knock against my sister, insomuch as it is evidence that there are predators lurking where we least expect it. My parents put me under house arrest for the next few weeks after the suspect had been apprehended because they knew that if I had my way the legal system would be the least of this individual's worries. And now my protective nature is focused on my children.
My children are starting to explore the internet, and I know that my wife and I need to play an active role in their education concerning the pitfalls of its use. We always know sites where our children have visited, and have ultimate veto power when it comes to computer use. But more importantly, we have started to educate our children about being cautious concerning the internet. It is easy to be lulled into a sense of security and to think that nothing bad could ever happen to us. I never want my children to be naive about their safety. Even things that are seemingly innocuous can prove dangerous. Having my children educated about responsible use of the internet and by monitoring their usage, I feel better about the chances concerning keeping my children safe. Will I ever take the bubble wrap off of my children? The answer is probably not, but I do want to empower them to make the right choices, and in turn, give them the best chances for being safe, both in the world and cyberspace.

CEDO 520 Musings #3

Whereas a craftsman never blames his tools, he still must find the right tool for the job. Prior to choosing the tools, the purpose of the task must be identified, and then the correct tool or tools can be chosen. I have already identified the task to be accomplished involves the integration of technology, with a purpose, into my classroom. To this point, cursory attention has been given to the technological tools that might enhance the learning of my students. In years past, I have used the excuse that technology integration took longer than it was worth, and in doing so, continued my usual methods of instruction. But as the needs of my students have evolved, my teaching style should also evolve to meet those needs. As I build my arsenal of tools throughout this program, I am amazed at how the technological landscape has evolved. There is no question that students are technologically savvy, but they need to be challenged to use technology in new ways, and ultimately develop work through this technology that is far superior than they have done before. To that end, I am excited about the tools that we have examined for this class. Adobe Buzzword is an intriguing tool in that it poses a viable alternative to Google docs. I have introduced Google docs to my classes and have found the process to be both rewarding and challenging. I am not 100% sure that "docs" is the best source for online word processing, yet there is a notable advantage in utilizing Google exclusively for its many tools. Buzzword does basically the same tasks as Google docs, but appeals more to the eye. Should I stick to what I know with Google and help students overcome some limitations, or should I introduce students to different tools and let them decide which ones they like the best? I do like the fact that having students all use the same service makes it considerably easier to troubleshoot issues, but I don't want to compromise quality in the process. I will have to continue trying other online word processing tools like Thinkfree and Openoffice before I make that determination.
Of all the tools we looked at, TokBox is the most intriguing, and one that I definitely will introduce to my students. The ability to meet online without geographic limitations is something that would help students who either can't drive or have hectic schedules. The fact that video messages can be emailed is a nice alternative to the current email method.
The whole concept of online meeting is a cool option to pursue in general. I have always chuckled at the advice of having a "sub" folder, replete with daily lessons, in case I am absent. Whereas I have the folder, I hate the fact that the lesson of the day would have nothing to do with what students were currently studying. This disjointed lesson would be viewed by my students as nothing more than filler, and they would treat any subsequent work as a waste of time. I am curious about Wimba and Elluminate as a way to get current lessons to my students. At the same time, I will stick to services that I can afford like WiziQ and Dimdim. But all of these products would provide me with a way to get meaningful lessons to my students, without putting a burden on the substitute teacher. Although the lesson would be asynchronous, I think that students would appreciate the fact that, even though I wasn't physically in the room with them, they are still learning the current material. That is not to say that this option if perfect. Obviously, writing a lesson plan for a substitute teacher involving pressing the play button on the VCR is far less time consuming than providing an online lesson, but if I knew one of my offspring was going to be home from school, I think the online lesson might have some value. In the perfect world, lectures could be made available to those who are absent, but finding the time to create these lessons, and more importantly, getting students to view them would be challenges to overcome.
Obviously, there are many other tools that will help make me a more productive teacher, and in turn, make my students more successful. Now that the foundation for this knowledge has been established, it is important for me to develop this knowledge and determine how this technology can be utilized to meet the needs of my students.

CEDO 520 Musings #2

As this year has come to a close, my reflection on the year has left me in a state of melancholy. When I was hired, I was told that grades would not be a motivating factor for my students to do quality work, or even to do work at all. Being the optimist, I thought that my passion for literature would magically transfer to my students, and that they would willingly immerse themselves into their studies. Unfortunately, the administration's sage advice proved prophetic, and I feel that I have failed my students. Never before had I seen students so willing to fail my class because they didn't want to submit missing assignments. Even when counseled that a submission of a sheet of paper with a name and some meaningless drivel would suffice and allow them to pass the class, many opted to repeat 18 weeks of hell. Obviously, expectations of my impact on students' achievement, as well as students' attitudes as a whole fell well short of the desired outcome.
I did not become a teacher to give up on my students, even when they have given up on themselves. After talking with one of my colleagues that shares the responsibility with the lower achieving students, we have concluded that a change of philosophy is needed for our students to be successful. Although it may be disappointing, we can no longer expect students to empathize with the ethical battle faced by Huckleberry Finn, nor be amused by the misanthropic nature of Holden Caufield. The words on the pages of our beloved novels currently hold no meaning for our students, but that is where technology can help. Everything that I am learning in this program will be evaluated as a possible tool to get students excited about learning. There is one thing that I have found does interest my students, and that one thing is technology. Now it is essential that I find and develop the technological tools that will help the unmotivated become motivated.
I think that a good starting point will be the introduction of Noodle tools and Google alerts. I was amazed at the response of my students this year when I had them create a Google docs account. Students who hadn't submitted anything to that point were the first to complete that assignment. Part of the problem lies in the fact that somewhere along the line the blueprint on how to be successful in school was misplaced or never fully understood by my students. Noodle tools will be a great starting point to help reestablish or create a blueprint for success in my classroom, and hopefully give students tools that will serve them for a lifetime. Google alerts allows students to be weened off their apathetic habits by having the information come to them. With the information coming to my students, I can then focus my attention on how to help students decipher the information received, and to ultimately use this information in an effective manner. By introducing Noodle tools and Google alerts in the beginning of the year, I think that my students will have a better chance of being successful in the classroom and in their lives outside of school.

CEDO 520 Musings #1

I am excited to begin my study of internet learning resources. One of the hopes for my graduate studies was that I would be exposed to many different tools and resources that can be used to streamline my classroom instruction. Clearly the old way of teaching must evolve to include internet resources. I still consider myself a blank slate when it comes to the internet in general, and I am open to exploring any ideas concerning building my teaching arsenal. To this point, my excitement towards technology in general has been tempered by the struggles I have had with implementation. I had a smartboard installed in my room about a month ago, and it still has that new car smell. A class that I took showed me how Senteo software would be a nice addition to the smartboard. I used Senteo last year, although I didn't really utilize the power of the software. Now that I know more about how Senteo works, I have been frustrated with the program not working properly. On top of that, I have gotten students excited about using Senteo, only to tell them that it is not working on the designated day. I spent probably eight hours troubleshooting and installing Senteo 2.0 while updating my smartboard drivers to work properly. Hopefully there is a glimmer of hope with the fact that I was able to use Senteo after all the fuss. It seems to be a great tool, but if it is not time effective, it shall remain on the shelf. Time will tell.
I want to learn as much as I can about where to find internet resources that I can use in my classroom. More importantly, I want to be sure that the technology that I introduce to my students will be used safely and effectively. I was hot to trot concerning Second Life when I was introduced to it, but upon investigation, I found that it wouldn't serve my needs. I originally thought I could create a virtual classroom for my students, but I know that they could and would investigate the less savory parts of the virtual world. I didn't want the fact that I introduced students to that site on my ledger at this point in my career, so I have not gone any further with my investigation. But Second Life has furthered my thinking about the possibilities of the internet. I think and hope that resources will be developed that will do a better job of restricting and monitoring student activity.
Student safety is paramount to me, and I want to make sure I understand the internet to the point that I can protect them to the best of my ability. That point is especially important with my own children, and I need to learn how to keep them safe when using the internet. The internet is a powerful tool that should be utilized, but it is important to learn how to make wise decisions concerning its use. I hope that this class continues my education on how to provide internet tools and resources to my classes and children while keeping them safe from themselves and others.

Blog #4 The Course Itself

There is no question that the content of this course is useful to me. At the same time, I have felt a level of frustration throughout this course equaled only by my morning gaze into the mirror. I have worked hard to understand the inner workings of computer systems, and I believe that I have started to get a "clue" when it comes to what makes a computer tick. I started this course with a blank slate, which I expected to be filled with computer knowledge to rival any IT professional. I thought this way in an attempt to psych myself up concerning the pursuit of content that I knew nothing about. In a conversation with the LMC director at my high school, I lamented the amount of time I have spent trying to acquire this information, and the fact that I felt that the investment in time didn't yield the strongest return. But this conclusion is not reached because of an ineffectiveness of the course. Instead, the issue at hand is the fact that I knew nothing about the guts of the computer. I can proudly say that I currently know slightly more than nothing. As I was describing some of the assignments, I realized I was using terminology that weeks earlier was foreign to me. So even though this has been a difficult journey for me, I know that this knowledge will be an excellent bridge to other courses within the program.
Prior to taking this course, I would have never thought about purchasing computer components in order to build a computer specifically designed for my needs. Now I am happily looking through component catalogues in order to design the super, dream computer. Since money is no object for a change, it has been a fun task to design this computer, albeit only in my dreamworld.
It is remarkable the transformation in my attitude and knowledge concerning computers throughout this course. To illustrate this point, I will tell of a dove, who in the last couple of days decided to nest in a planter outside my back door. As I went outside this morning, I was greeted with the mother watching over a new egg. The mother dove sits diligently on the nest, presumably ensuring that no harm will befall her unborn offspring. I would like to say that I represent something noble in this analogy, but I am relegated to being the egg. In this fledgling stage of my computer education, I need to be watched and nurtured because I can't do it all by myself. :)
I know that I will not be ripping apart my MacBook to see how it works any time soon, but I do have a better idea about how the whole process works. There shouldn't be anything changed concerning this course, because even though I struggled throughout, I know that I will be stronger in other areas of study. I look forward to building upon this foundation in future courses.

Personal Computer Failure

If my personal computer failed I would lose.........nothing. Everything that is stored on my hard drive is also kept in online storage. Had you asked me this question prior to January of 2009, I would have had a totally different response, but my reaction would be the same. Even if I would not have my files stored online, I would not be too concerned if my personal computer failed. I am reminded of when my father retired from Menomonee Falls high school, just about the time the guidance department was moving data from filing cabinets to computers. My father had a system that had worked for so many years that he wasn't willing to relearn a new system. His filing cabinets were neat and organized, and he was able to exist very efficiently with that system. Although my father was unwilling to adapt to a new way of doing things, I have found that I do not rely too heavily on personal computers. I like what they can do for us, but at the same time, I was not raised with this technology. I had to learn to do my work the "old fashioned" way, and I could easily go back to that system. It would be an interesting study to compare the responses of the older generation to the younger when asked the question concerning computer failure. When I ran a restaurant, everything was computerized. When the computers failed, we still had to stay in business, which meant servers would have to physically write tickets. Many of them panicked to the point of having to leave the floor. They had no concept of how to write a ticket by hand and figure out the sales tax. I have never gotten too attached to technology because I know that there will always be the chance that it will let me down. Perhaps I am also identifying why I struggle with technology, because I haven't developed the trust to allow the relationship to flourish. Although it would be sad if my computer failed, like any other disappointment, I must simply go on with my way of life.

Future of desktop computing

I would probably be the last person you would want to ask concerning technology trends for the future, but in this blog, I will take a stab at the future of desktop computing. Because I don't have the gift of prophesy, I have been asking people at my school who are paid to have a clue about this stuff. In general, most people that I asked felt that the growing collaborative trend and active participatory culture created by the internet will lead to cloud computing. We will not have a need for a desktop operating system. Instead, all that will be needed in our homes is a input device (keyboard, touchscreen, touch coffee table, or our voice). The future will be devoid of operating systems.
Although I would agree with input devices evolving and allowing users to access the web with futuristic splendor, I have trouble suggesting the demise of operating systems. Perhaps a shift towards cloud computing will dominate the majority or users, but there will still be the generation that has trouble abandoning the security blanket that is an operating system. My assumption is based in large part on the current state of online computing. As I understand it, cloud computing has not currently developed to the point that it is reliable enough to tear users away from their current operating systems. This might be naive on my part, but I would feel more comfortable with companies having more time to work out kinks not yet discovered with online computing opportunities. Like we have seem with the development of the personal computer, there are many companies who have a specific strengths concerning online computing, but to this point, no one has fully grabbed the reigns and taken the lead with this technology. I think there are also still concerns with security with online computing. It is probably still safer than any current method for storing data, but the perception of personal data floating around in cyberspace for savvy hackers to grab is difficult to quell. In the end, these issues will probably be resolved and more people will be drawn to the idea of online computing.
As I said earlier, I think there will always be a market for operating systems, although they will be constantly evolving to stay current. Certainly Bill Gates will be trying to corner the market with online computing because he knows the financial upside will be staggering. As more big names come into the game, the popularity of online computing will grow exponentially. Who knows, perhaps I too will commit fully to this idea of online computing, but I maintain that I do not have the prophetic gift. :)

Computer History for Ryan Adameak

My experience with computers or technology in general is rather limited. Growing up, my house was the last to get the color television, cable, or even a VCR. We never had a computer or any type of gaming system. I am not trying to blame my parents for my stunted technological knowledge, but they didn't feel that those items were essential for the Adameak household. It wasn't until about two years ago that my parents got their first computer, and to this point, they connect to the internet through their phone line. Obviously, as a child, I enjoyed going to my friends' houses because they had evolved from the stone age into a world which included technology.
My first experience with computers involved the use of a Commodore 64. It was used to play Taipan and Castle Wolfenstein. I wouldn't say that it changed my life in any significant manner, although it did manage to occupy my time during the early morning hours. I didn't know the first thing about computers, so I would say that it served my needs at the time quite nicely.
When I got to college, the computer lab was stocked with Apple IIe computers, and I only used them to create documents. Did this alter my life in significant ways? I suppose, in a sense, my life was changed in that I could save my papers on a big floppy disk rather than using a typewriter. I still had trouble abandoning my IBM typewriter due to the fact that there were limited hours for the computer lab. I also felt fairly efficient with the way I was producing papers, and I didn't want to change what had developed into a good system.
When I got out of college I purchased an IBM Aptiva. This computer significantly lightened my wallet at the time, but allowed me to access the internet. The Lotus suite software was used for word processing, and AOL provided my internet access. When I started teaching, I was able to save my teacher files on this computer, and it was easy to revise my work as I improved my craft. I wouldn't say that I spent significant amounts of time using this computer, and in retrospect, I am not sure that the computer was worth the money. My Aptiva now resides in the basement and is home to an assortment of spiders and other creepy crawlers.
Computers have become more significant to me as I have continued in education. I still struggle with the time it takes me to produce quality work on the computer compared to the way that I have been doing work for years. I am sure that this fact will need to change if I intend to stay in education, and that is arguably the main reason that I am in this program.

Pearls of Wisdom

As I look back at my past blogs, I am all too aware of a common theme that runs through each entry. This theme centers on my fledgling knowledge of technology in an era that is rich with technological tools. Throughout this class, we have been introduced to tools that can be utilized in the classroom to improve student engagement. I would say to improve student learning, but the jury is still out on that point. It stands to reason that if technological tools improve student engagement in the classroom, then student learning would also be measurably improved. Now the key for me is to spend time getting to know these technological tools and deciding which can be used in my classroom.
To further this idea, I need to look back at why I became a teacher. I remember all too well what it was like to survive in the blackboard jungle. I was bored as a student, and as a teacher, I wanted to provide my students with an engaging experience that allowed them to be freethinkers rather than robots. The classroom environment that I was exposed to was drastically different than the environment of classrooms today. Technology as we know it now was not available when I was a student. I remember the often heavy-handed approach taken by my teachers to make sure I was given the information that I needed to be successful. Teachers would spew information that students would later regurgitate on assessments. Although that approach may have worked to some degree in the past, it certainly doesn't work in today's classroom.
The sad point in this reflection is that I am a hypocrite and a product of my environment. I think that my classes are fun and encourage freethinking, yet my delivery is not much different than that of the teachers I had. This issue will hopefully be resolved throughout my graduate experience, and the very reason I enrolled in the program. I want to find, through technology, ways to get students excited about learning, and part of that might involve the semantics of what learning means to students.
Students often associate learning with work, and my students don't associate work with any future benefits. I think that technology can help change this perception by allowing students to learn without it being considered work. The introduction to technology tools has given me a framework to rebuild what I do in the classroom, and in the end, help students learn with enthusiasm.
Arguably the greatest lesson that I learned so far in my studies is that technology implementation by itself is not enough. The appropriate technology must be chosen to enhance the content being taught. At this point in my learning, I could use technology more frequently, but I think that I would be using it for the sake of technology. I don't know enough yet to be able to determine how technology could be used to enhance learning. What I do know is that there are a multitude of technology avenues that must be explored and hopefully utilized in my classroom.
I have often toyed with the idea of creating a paperless classroom, but to this point have not felt confident with implementing that plan. I think that by using a Ning or Moodle to give students access to class information, and by using Google Docs for word processing, I would be well on my way to achieving my goal of a paperless classroom. More important than that, by using a Ning or Moodle for class information, students would have 24 hour access to my class. By utilizing these tools, I would be able to eliminate the walls of my classroom and the hours of the school building. The possibilities of Google Docs also will allow my students to collaborate together, for we all know that misery loves company. Hopefully, technology will take misery out of the equation, and we will be left with meaningful learning experiences.
I am also encouraged by all of the online tools that we have utilized in our studies. Prior to our class, I had never given consideration to using online tools, and as a matter of fact, I never knew online tools existed. I think the greatest advantage of these tools is that work can be completed, either individually or collaboratively, wherever one has access to the internet. No longer are we separated into Mac and PC user groups. Using online tools, we can all access the same information, regardless of the platform we use. Now that I have been introduced to these online tools, it is important that I spend time researching the best online tools for my students.
Times certainly are changing, and I think that I am preparing for this future by being involved in this graduate program. I have already started to transform my classroom because of the information we have learned in class, and I look forward to continuing this metamorphosis as I further build my knowledge concerning technology. I am excited about building this knowledge base so that I can provide and exciting and engaging classroom for my students, and hopefully have them develop a love of lifelong learning.

Week Five

Egad! After going through the assignments this week, I have reaffirmed my greatest fear in teaching; I have become an anachronism. Had I been teaching 30 years ago, I think that my feelings of self worth would be in good standing. As it stands, I have found my teaching style seriously out of touch with what my students need. After taking the learning with technology profile, I am reminded that I work in a school district that does an excellent job providing technology and training for technology used in the classroom. At the same time, the graph demonstrated how inadequate my use of technology has been, and more to the point, how I am not meeting the technological needs of my students. Ouch. I have always been one that wanted to be told exactly the way it was, but in this case, I was hoping that some magical fairy could skew the results of the survey and show how great I was at implementing technology in the classroom. But unfortunately, the data tells no lies and uses no euphemisms.
I believe that self assessment has two purposes: the first is to point out weaknesses, and the second is to exact some sort of change for the better or worse. I am currently facing the proposition of choice. I can choose to be bitter about the results, claiming that they are irrelevant, and continue to teach in my current manner, or I can embrace the results and realize that I must take steps to improve classroom instruction. Fortunately for my pension and my marriage I will opt for the latter choice.
Throughout this course, I have realized how little I know concerning technology. There is no question that I am a digital immigrant who is at best somewhere in the entry level stage of the technology professional development process. I might even be considered at the pre-entry level stage if there is such a level. I can't believe how fast technology has passed me by. Although I could lament for hours, weeks, or months how unfortunate it is that I am in this position, I would rather dust off my ego and get back on my feet. My next step is to figure out how to become "one with technology."
I think the information that we have been studying in this class has developed my curiosity about technology. I never realized how much information was out in cyberspace concerning the use of technology. I have now been given tools to go find this information, and ultimately use technology in the classroom. I know that the journey will be arduous, but I have always maintained that student success has been the only reason that I entered teaching. With that in mind, I want to have newfound technology tools supplement my content knowledge to provide the best experience for my students. I want them to be excited about coming into my classroom, not because of me, but because they are excited about learning.
My hope is that other teachers in my district get excited about learning and subsequently implementing technology in the classroom. As in any district, we probably have many teachers who are set in their pedagogical methods, and are perhaps counting the days until they are put out to pasture. It is difficult to get students excited as juniors in high school who have no passion concerning learning and no clue what they will need to do for success in the future. This is not an excuse, for I cannot control what anyone does but myself. I look forward to continuing my education and applying the skills I obtain to allow my students become prepared for whatever they encounter in the future.