Final thoughts on technology and tech class....

• How your view of instructional technology has or has not changed over the course of the semester.
• The quality and appropriateness of what you have learned/created this semester.
• Evaluation of your comfort moving forward with technology.

After learning about all the types of technology that are currently available, I can see how much teaching and learning have changed over the years. It is exciting that there is so much information available on line, and that students (and teachers) can benefit from other people's ideas by reading blogs, wikis, internet projects and more. As we have been learning in other classes, collaborative learning is an excellent way to engage students and motivate them to learn successfully. Not only can they collaborate with their classmates in the classroom, they can collaborate online with people they've never even met.  

We learned about a lot of different types of technology, sometimes it was hard to keep them straight and understand their differences and applications. Looking back at it all from the vantagepoint of the end of the session, I do see uses for everything we were shown, although I don't know that I will use everything in my classes. At least not in the immediate future. My favorites (and most likely to be used) are wikis, Smart presentations, shared documents and internet workshops. Those are all things I can and will use effectively in my math classrooms. Probably some of the "quiz" type applications also. There were times when I was extremely frustrated because the new information was coming at me very quickly and I couldn't keep up with it, so I got "lost" frequently during the classroom demonstrations and instruction. When I spent time afterwards, with help from the instructor, classmates or just on my own, things became clearer and I was able to use the new technologies. For me, and probably for the others also, I think a written explanation of the technology would have been extremely helpful. Starting with step by step instructions on how to set things up, how to edit them, save them, share them etc. In fact I would STILL like to have that for future reference!

I am relatively comfortable going forward with most of the technologies we've learned and used this term. I will continue to play with things to get better at using them and to learn about some of the capabilities I didn't have time to explore during this term. I will certainly be receptive to learning about and incorporating technology in my classroom. It will be interesting and educational for me and my students.

Week 6-homework for tech class "Other people's blogs..."

This week, I used Google Reader to read through some (most) of my TCPCG colleagues' blog posts. The Reader makes it very easy to find the posts and navigate through them. By far, it is a more efficient way to access them than going through a list of links and clicking on individual URLs.

I was struck by a few things as I read through all the posts. Well, I was struck by quite a number of things but I will only mention a couple.

First, there are so MANY websites and types of technology available  that it will take a long time to learn about all of them and figure out which ones work best in our own classrooms and teaching style. I am sure this is an ongoing evolving process, as our classes change each year, and our teaching skills develop, and new technologies appear on the scene. It is clear that today's classroom and the classrooms of the future will be very reliant on technology to enhance and supplement the curriculum. How fortunate that today's children are quite comfortable with technology and in many cases prefer it to personal interaction. The interactive technologies- wikis, internet projects, and many websites, for example,  will appear to be "all technology" while still fostering relationships and collaboration between students. They may work together more comfortably in this way than working together at a table in a classroom.

I also noticed that while we each had different websites that we noted as our "most likely to use" sites, there were a lot of votes for wikispaces, which is one of my favorites. It can be used in a variety of ways: to document or supplement material covered in class, as a communication tool between students, parents and teacher, as a forum for discussions among students, as a repository of completed projects, as a link to assignments posted on google docs, or links to websites for research and help, a place to view news and current events, and more.
It can incorporate many other sites and technologies- Vokis, calendars, projects, images, google documents, videos, screencasts, links to other websites. Kind of one-stop shopping!
It will be my go-to technology for quite a while I  think.

Sheri mentioned a website of internet etiquette (Netiquette) that she would be using and Lori expressed concern about the advisability of using internet websites that connect users with users in other countries to create on line communications, when using it as a resource for school children. Both of those comments serve as a reminder that we can appreciate and utilize these resources but we must remain vigilant and cognizant of inherent dangers and problems.

On a non-technological note, I really enjoyed reading other students' blogs about learning theories. Each person has a different interpretation of the theorists' views. It helps obtain a well-rounded understanding by listening to everyone else's ideas in addition to my own. (that would be "assimilation and accommodation" of ideas from "more knowledgeable others"...) Amazing how many ways there are to view theories and learning and how in the end, it all starts to connect and come together. Whew!

Websites I will definitely use in my high school math classroom!

My student teaching classroom has a computer lab attached. I hope when I begin my own teaching I will have good access to computers also. Websites provide an excellent resource to help students understand new math concepts, whether they need help with a specific problem, or just a general grasp of bigger ideas.

I have found two web sites I will be using- one to address each of those uses.

Dr. Math is a question-and-answer site designed to help students solve math problems (Drexel University, 2009). It is sorted by grade, subject and topic. Each problem is worked out in detail, and the explanations are written in plain English, very easy to understand. I may use it myself to find alternative ways to explain a new concept I will introduce in class!

Another site I am very interested in is the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (Utah State University, 1994-2010). I like to use manipulatives to demonstrate mathematical concepts. Sometimes it is hard to find the objects that are applicable to the idea, or they are not practical to work with in real objects (too large, expensive etc). This site allows us to use them interactively online, providing a visual imagery which can help students understand more abstract concepts.

There are many good sites and more are appearing all the time. I am sure I will find new ones to use, as I search the web for interesting ideas.

References:
Drexel University (1994-2009). Ask dr. math.
retrieved from http://mathforum.org/dr.math/


Utah State University (1999-2010). National library of virtual manipulatives.
Retrieved from http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html

LT week 5- Final Reflection

We have learned so much in the past 5 weeks, theorists and theories and applications and even physiology. It will all be relevant and helpful as we go into our teaching careers. I have also learned a lot about myself AS A LEARNER. I hope I will be able to apply these new insights to my own teaching in the future.

I now realize that I need time to assimilate and accommodate new information. I have a love of learning and a curiosity about most everything, so new information is welcome, but I find that I have not had as much time as I need to think about all I have been presented.  I'm sure in coming months and years I will understand the connections and implications much better than I do today.
I also note that it has been difficult for me when given a task to focus on only one aspect or response to a question, as I always have multiple responses and "angles". I'd like to think of that as balanced and open-minded, it may just be that I don't follow directions well.
It has been a source of frustration all session that I do not feel I have produced my "best possible" work, as there have been severe time constraints all along. I have met all the requirements and deadlines, but I am not totally happy with what I have done. I know I could do better, I would have LIKED very much to do better. "Good enough" is not an option I am comfortable with for my own work.

When I am teaching, I will try to gauge my students' comfort with their assignments to proactively address frustration and pressure. I want my students to learn, and I want them to enjoy the process and feel that they have participated and responded to their best abilities. If that means the assignments should be smaller in short time frames , or given later deadlines for larger projects, or having touchpoints to assess progress, then I hope I will do that.

One last T2P Blogpost-

If students are given enough time and resources to put in the effort they want to, they will learn successfully and feel good about their work, because they have some control over their learning process and have time to reflect and retain their new information. According to Piaget, learners need to assimilate or accommodate new information, connecting it to their existing knowledge framework. And Dan Pink believes learners are motivated to learn to achieve mastery over a subject that they feel is important.  A good teacher will give her students the opportunity to feel they have produced their best work and learned to their best ability in order to build their confidence and self esteem and feeling of competence. The positive emotional response they feel will encourage them to continue to learn and put forth full efforts as they progress in their education.

LT week 5- A Good Teacher

A good teacher cares about her students, both in their academic development and in their emotional (affective) domain. She will focus on each child as an individual, understanding that one child's circumstances, needs and goals will not be the same as another's. She creates a classroom environment that provides safety and freedom and community in order to give her students an optimal environment in which  to learn successfully. She takes the time to get to know each student, so she will be aware of any problems or influences from outside the classroom that might affect his/her ability to pay attention and think about the  classwork. She will notice if a student is struggling and needs extra help or attention to assist them in grasping new concepts. She encourages her students to explore and participate with confidence that they will be heard and respected. She welcomes feedback about her teaching and examines her practices to try to improve


From last week's T2P-

IF: If lessons are presented in a variety of styles,
THEN: then students will learn more effectively 
BECAUSE: because the lessons will appeal to their own preferred learning style and they will feel more comfortable and confident performing the tasks. 
CONTEXT: Regardless of personal preferences, some subjects are more easily presented and understood in one style than another.
EVIDENCE: According to Howard Gardner, each person has strengths in particular intelligences and learns better when they  use their preferred intelligence to process information. 
MORAL IMPLICATION: A teacher whose practices rely on traditional lectures and texts is not taking advantage of all the ways that students can be engaged. If students are given opportunities to learn material in their preferred styles they will feel more interested and more "recognized" as individuals with different talents, and may understand new material more easily. At least they will put more effort into the process, which will improve their success as a learner.
REVISED MORAL IMPLICATION: A good teacher will consider her students as individuals with different interests and abilities. By presenting material in ways that will stimulate their curiosity and enjoyment she is demonstrating her caring and attention to their preferences while providing them opportunities to learn and grow. People need to feel cared for and respected and feel a connection to the people around them (ie the teacher and classmates). Students who are given tasks they find relevant to their interests will put more time and effort into learning. This will create in them a joy of learning that will lead to growth in their academic and personal lives for all their lives.  

Technology Tools for students with special needs

This week we have been learning about software and devices to assist students who have impairments and disabilities.

• If I had a student with a hearing impairment, I would try to use some sort of speech-recognition software that could translate spoken lessons in the classroom to written text for the student to read. The new iPad has a closed caption capability which would be useful for the student when viewing a video or movie. Many lessons and learning activities do not involve oral/aural work, so they would need no special assistance to complete those assignments.
• A student with low vision has several options depending on the severity of the impairment. All e-readers have adjustable font size so the text can be magnified to ease reading. They also usually have brightness and gray-scale adjustments to heighten the contrast for easier reading. For students with more severe vision impairment, a few e-readers have text-to-voice capabilities. The Kindle has text-to-voice, but does not have spoken menus, and a totally blind person would be unable to navigate through the system without assistance. So that particular e-reader would only be appropriate for a student who cannot read much text but can read a little, for brief moments. Amazon is currently working on a new version that would have full voice command for all areas of its use. They will also include a very large font for people who can read text if it is magnified in size. Other e-readers have voice command for all aspects of their use and so would be usable by students with any level of vision impairment. (Wikibooks. Assistive technology in education/ebook.) DAISY talking books are available on a multitude of platforms and can be downloaded to most personal computers for use with Word for example. The DAISY software converts text to speech and even has markers, a listener can go directly to specific points in the text, like a chapter or a particular heading. (Wikibooks. Assistive technology in education/daisy.) DAISY would definitely work well for a student with any visual impairment.
• A student with a physical impairment, like a broken arm, preventing them for writing, typing, or even holding a textbook to read, would benefit from the use of speech recognition software. The student would be able to use the software to perform tasks on the computer like typing papers, doing internet research, reading assignments from instructors. some software works as an overlay on a screen allowing the user to "select" points on the screen by identifying increasingly specific areas to home in on the point they wish to select. (Wikibooks. Assistive technology in education/speech recognition software.)
• An autistic student, who does not speak, could possibly use text to speech software to create a "voice" that would do their speaking for them. Activities using text and interactive visual learning do not require any speaking at all. Many of these activities are available on computer platforms and could be used for this type of student.

Software and devices are constantly being upgraded, enhanced and developed, so in not-too-distant years there are sure to be even better and easier ways for disabled students to learn successfully and independently.

Reference list:


Wikibooks. Assistive technology in education/ebook. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/eBook


Wikibooks. Assistive technology in education/daisy. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/DAISY


Wikibooks. Assistive technology in education/speech recognition software. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/Speech_Recognition_Software

LT Week 4 T2Ps

T2P (first)


IF: If lessons are presented in a variety of styles,
THEN: then students will learn more effectively 
BECAUSE: because the lessons will appeal to their own preferred learning style and they will feel more comfortable and confident performing the tasks. 
CONTEXT: Regardless of personal preferences, some subjects are more easily presented and understood in one style than another.
EVIDENCE: According to Howard Gardner, each person has strengths in particular intelligences and learns better when they  use their preferred intelligence to process information. 
MORAL IMPLICATION: A teacher whose practices rely on traditional lectures and texts is not taking advantage of all the ways that students can be engaged. If students are given opportunities to learn material in their preferred styles they will feel more interested and more "recognized" as individuals with different talents, and may understand new material more easily. At least they will put more effort into the process, which will improve their success as a learner.





T2P (second)

If: If a teachers's pedagogical practices reflect her trust and belief in her students' abilities and curiosity,
Context: in an environment that allows them to explore and share with others
then: they will be successful learners,
because: they feel empowered and free to work on their own and collaboratively to "own" their learning
Evidence: Deci and Ryan's Self Determination Theory proposes that intrinsic motivators like curiosity and desire to learn are more effective motivators than extrinsic motivators like rewards. They also list three conditions that foster high quality learning: Autonomy, competence and relatedness.
Moral implication: People who feel they control their learning experience and results and feel connected to others through their work will learn more effectively than those who feel stifled and controlled by rules and teachers in an authoritarian environment. They will pull themselves up to a higher understanding much more successfully than a teacher can push them up.


link to my comparison of theorists

Reflection on today's class-

The presentations given in class by our "triad" groups provided a lot if information in a useful and sometimes entertaining way. It was much easier to listen to a variety of people talking and showing slides than it would be to one person talking for an hour or two. (Easier on the talkers too). We learned about many theorists and their theories, and heard from a range of viewpoints in the  class, students as well as instructor. At times, some people in the group didn't agree with the theories being presented, or only partially agreed. We had some good discussion, particularly of my group's theorist- Howard Gardner, and reached some mutual agreement and affirmation of some of his ideas and pretty much rejected some of his conclusions. It was good to see that the group could have different opinions, and share them without fear of reprisal or criticism. As we heard other opinions, we adjusted or clarified our own ideas. Truly a collaborative discussion.

T2P (third)

If: People present their own ideas in a group discussion

Context: When the instructor facilitates an environment that encourages a free exchange of ideas

Then: people will strengthen and solidify their understandings

Because: they were given additional information to add to their existing base of knowledge, to assimilate or accommodate, as appropriate.

Evidence: according to Piaget, learners will either assimilate new information if it fits into their existing framework, or accommodate to the new information, if it doesn't fit into the framework but adds a new dimension.

Moral Implication: It is important to provide an atmosphere of trust and freedom of thought and speech to encourage the open exchange of ideas without reprisals. Students who feel confident and safe in the classroom will offer their thoughts and opinions which creates and enhances a good learning experience for everyone in the group. That participation and "ownership" of the process is the difference between learning and force-feeding. Students can memorize information and parrot it back again,  but they must discuss, question, and debate in order to truly know and understand the concepts.