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 I work in a district that is hungry for data, but the data in the reading was really outdated.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. :)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
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.
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.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
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.
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.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
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.
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.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
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.
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