I often wish I had a crystal ball with which to look into the future. What would be different? What would be the same? What would I have accomplished? Whose lives would I have touched? Here is my chance to be a crystal ball. These are my predictions for a classroom of the future.
In the classroom of the future, technology will play a major role. There will be 1:1 computing where each student will have a convertible laptop. Students will use these laptops to take notes, produce movies, podcasts, and videocasts. The days of PowerPoint will be behind us. Students and classrooms will maintain blogs. Ongoing conversations between students in the classroom and students from around the world will occur via Skype and through online chats. These discussions will give students a more global perspective and help students break down their own preconceptions about other people and other countries. With increased cultural sensitivity, the leaders of the tomorrow will better be able to solve conflicts and wars will be unnecessary. Teachers will not longer be "sages" but guides or facilitators of information. In turn, students will have a stronger voice in the classroom and be more invested in their education.
Teachers' lives will also change. No longer will teachers break their backs lugging journals to and from home, nor will teachers spend hours and hours after school grading. Teachers will be able to access student blogs and work from work computers at home. Teachers will be better able to give immediate feedback to students. Evaluative forms will be easier to access and use during the day. Teachers will also be able to post information from class that absent students may access and students may review.
Parent involvement will be improved thanks to teachers and students keeping parents in the know. Parents will subscribe to classroom and student blogs and receive updates through RSS feeds. They will also leave positive and constructive comments for the students. (Did I mention that all families will have computers and Internet access at home?) With greater parent involvement, families will be able to work collaboratively with teachers and offer their own expertise.
There will be ample professional development and team support for teachers as they explore technology. 24 hour help will be available for troubleshooting. Technology curriculum experts will work with teachers to develop lesson plans and provide on-going support. Funding will also be readily available for new hardware and software programs and upgrades.
Okay, so maybe this is a very optimistic reading of the crystal ball. However, just think of what we could accomplish and the information students would have available if we could obtain all this!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Bonus: Online Thinking Tools
Free Online Thinking Tools (http://www.intel.com/education/tools/index.htm)
Visual Ranking:
This online thinking tools allows students to create ordered lists. Students use higher order thinking skills as they reason and analyze their choices for organizing their lists in a specific way. One of the project ideas explained in this description is analyzing the characteristics of the different characters in Charlotte's Web. Which of Wilbur's friends play significant roles in keeping him alive? I think this is a fun idea to try with students. Since it is so easy to drag and drop, students can easily complete this assignment without using multiple pieces of paper or consuming valuable erasers. This would also be a great tool with social studies or science.
Seeing Reason:
This online thinking tool helps students explore relationships in complex systems. Students can then create causal maps. I think this is a great tool to help students share ideas visually. Cause and Effect is something I worked on in reading with my 3rd grade students. For some, this can be quite challenging. I like how I could use this as a visual tool for any of my students either as a challenge or as a way to support understanding of relationships. Another topic this would apply to is Science. My third graders learned about the heart and how it works. Creating a map explaining what happens with the blood and oxygen in the body would be beneficial. I actually found this tool to be easier to use than Kidspiration. While there are not the frills that Kidspiration has, the simplicity of this tool is great for the young students.
Showing Evidence:
This tool aids students in organizing arguments with supporting evidence. Not only does this tool provide the framework for developing an argument, but prompts students to look at the quality of the evidence. While the Intel Education site provides an example for elementary students, I believe this tool to be better suited to middle and high school students. For the younger ones, it can be difficult to see beyond one step out in their thinking. Should an elementary teacher use this tool, there would need to be a lot of support and scaffolding during the process.
Visual Ranking:
This online thinking tools allows students to create ordered lists. Students use higher order thinking skills as they reason and analyze their choices for organizing their lists in a specific way. One of the project ideas explained in this description is analyzing the characteristics of the different characters in Charlotte's Web. Which of Wilbur's friends play significant roles in keeping him alive? I think this is a fun idea to try with students. Since it is so easy to drag and drop, students can easily complete this assignment without using multiple pieces of paper or consuming valuable erasers. This would also be a great tool with social studies or science.
Seeing Reason:
This online thinking tool helps students explore relationships in complex systems. Students can then create causal maps. I think this is a great tool to help students share ideas visually. Cause and Effect is something I worked on in reading with my 3rd grade students. For some, this can be quite challenging. I like how I could use this as a visual tool for any of my students either as a challenge or as a way to support understanding of relationships. Another topic this would apply to is Science. My third graders learned about the heart and how it works. Creating a map explaining what happens with the blood and oxygen in the body would be beneficial. I actually found this tool to be easier to use than Kidspiration. While there are not the frills that Kidspiration has, the simplicity of this tool is great for the young students.
Showing Evidence:
This tool aids students in organizing arguments with supporting evidence. Not only does this tool provide the framework for developing an argument, but prompts students to look at the quality of the evidence. While the Intel Education site provides an example for elementary students, I believe this tool to be better suited to middle and high school students. For the younger ones, it can be difficult to see beyond one step out in their thinking. Should an elementary teacher use this tool, there would need to be a lot of support and scaffolding during the process.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Ethics Position Paper: What Parents Need to Be Aware Of
The National Institute on Media and the Family created a parent guide to online social networking. This guide discusses profiles, friends, chatboards, photos, videos, mobile networking, and safety and security issues. Each topic is discussed with both the positive and negative characteristics. I found this guide to be very informative and helpful for parents who may not already understand social networking sites and their capabilities. If I were still in the classroom, I would probably distribute this information at Parents' Night. Some of the information applies to adults and their social networking forays, as well. It is so important for parents to know what their children are doing on the Internet. Staying connected, playing games, and having fun are all benefits to using the Internet, but there are also downsides that parents need to be aware of and monitor regularly.
It is extremely important for parents to know who their child is talking to and what information their child is sharing with their friends. How does your child know each person? What information is available for the public to see? Are privacy settings in place? Are there any unusual friends who the parents do not know personally? Parents should discuss with their children how to handle strangers and what information is not okay to share, such as one's address, telephone number, and birthdate. According to a study at the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2008, "48 percent of K-1st reported viewing online content that mde them feel uncomfortable, of which 72 percent reported the experience to a grownup, meaning that one in four children did not" (http://enough.org/inside.php?id=2UXKJWRY8#6). This information is highly disturbing. These children are barely able to read or write, but they're finding inappropriate websites and not telling an adult. As children get older and are able to share more, what happens?
Parents should also talk with their children about cyberbullying. Just as in face-to-face encounters, it is not okay for anyone to threaten or bully. It is also not okay to do these things to others. The New York Times covered an article on January 13, 2009 discussing online threats to children. A task force comprised of 49 attorneys general looked into the problem of sexual solicitation online and found that this was not the biggest problem facing youth online. Instead, they found "bullying among children, both online and offline, poses a far more serious problem" (http://www.newyorktimes.com/2009/01/14/technology/internet/14cyberweb.html).
I have also learned through personal experience that putting anything in writing, whether it be email, a post, etc., it not a good idea when you're upset. Children need to understand that taking time to calm down and think about a matter that is upsetting is important. Once something is written and sent, that information can be passed around without your knowledge and without your consent. There are times when talking to a person one-on-one is better. Children can also use social cues to understand how they are making other people feel. By writing and sending letters and comments online, children cannot see how their words impact others.
Parents should know their children's usernames and passwords. However, children and parents need to discuss trust and what the parents will do when they sign in. Children need to feel as though their parents are looking out for them rather than feeling like their parents are trying to control them. Another way to be aware of children's activity online is to keep computers in a public place in the house with the monitor displayed for others to see. Keeping computers out of bedrooms and other private places allows parents to see what is going on at any given time. My parents always told me and my sister that we should not have an expectation of privacy when it came to the computer.
Parents need to be involved and monitoring their children's online activity whether it be social networking sites, playing games, or surfing the Internet. Trusting filters or child-friendly browsers is not enough. Parents must be proactive by talking to their children. By staying involved and keeping a continuing dialogue with their children, parents may be able to better protect their kids.
It is extremely important for parents to know who their child is talking to and what information their child is sharing with their friends. How does your child know each person? What information is available for the public to see? Are privacy settings in place? Are there any unusual friends who the parents do not know personally? Parents should discuss with their children how to handle strangers and what information is not okay to share, such as one's address, telephone number, and birthdate. According to a study at the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2008, "48 percent of K-1st reported viewing online content that mde them feel uncomfortable, of which 72 percent reported the experience to a grownup, meaning that one in four children did not" (http://enough.org/inside.php?id=2UXKJWRY8#6). This information is highly disturbing. These children are barely able to read or write, but they're finding inappropriate websites and not telling an adult. As children get older and are able to share more, what happens?
Parents should also talk with their children about cyberbullying. Just as in face-to-face encounters, it is not okay for anyone to threaten or bully. It is also not okay to do these things to others. The New York Times covered an article on January 13, 2009 discussing online threats to children. A task force comprised of 49 attorneys general looked into the problem of sexual solicitation online and found that this was not the biggest problem facing youth online. Instead, they found "bullying among children, both online and offline, poses a far more serious problem" (http://www.newyorktimes.com/2009/01/14/technology/internet/14cyberweb.html).
I have also learned through personal experience that putting anything in writing, whether it be email, a post, etc., it not a good idea when you're upset. Children need to understand that taking time to calm down and think about a matter that is upsetting is important. Once something is written and sent, that information can be passed around without your knowledge and without your consent. There are times when talking to a person one-on-one is better. Children can also use social cues to understand how they are making other people feel. By writing and sending letters and comments online, children cannot see how their words impact others.
Parents should know their children's usernames and passwords. However, children and parents need to discuss trust and what the parents will do when they sign in. Children need to feel as though their parents are looking out for them rather than feeling like their parents are trying to control them. Another way to be aware of children's activity online is to keep computers in a public place in the house with the monitor displayed for others to see. Keeping computers out of bedrooms and other private places allows parents to see what is going on at any given time. My parents always told me and my sister that we should not have an expectation of privacy when it came to the computer.
Parents need to be involved and monitoring their children's online activity whether it be social networking sites, playing games, or surfing the Internet. Trusting filters or child-friendly browsers is not enough. Parents must be proactive by talking to their children. By staying involved and keeping a continuing dialogue with their children, parents may be able to better protect their kids.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Internet Safety
Janet Reno stated in a letter to parents dated September 5, 2000, "While most children know that it is wrong to break into their neighbor's house or read their best friend's diary, fewer realize that it's wrong to break into their neighbor's computer and snoope through their computer files. As children learn basic rules about right and wrong in the off-line world, they must also learn about acceptable behavior on the Internet. We need kids to understand that hacking is the same as breaking and entering--that being a hacker doesn't make them 'cool' or show their smarts--it makes them a criminal! By fostering cyberethics and promoting responsible computer use, we can better ensure the privacy and security of all Americans." (http:/www.cybercrime.gov/cybercit.htm) As seen by these comments by former Attorney General Janet Reno, privacy and security is an important issue for everyone using the Internet. By teaching children about the rights and wrongs of computer use early, children may be safer and understand their actions better.
Cyber-crime can be defined as "any illegal behavior directed by means of electronic operations that targets the security of computer systems and the data processed by them. In a wider sense, 'computer-related crime' can be any illegal behavior committed by means of, or in relation to, a computer system or network, however, this is not cyber-crime" (http://www.playitcybersafe.com//cybercrime/index.cfm). The five main offenses include, financial, piracy, hacking, cyber-terrorism, online pornography, and in schools. All these areas are of great importance. There are ways to help protect children at home and at school. Filters and child-friendly browsers can keep children from viewing inappropriate sites. However, children can also be blocked from art museums and other sites. It is important for schools and parents to guide children through acceptable use and how to react if something inappropriate happens.
Net Nanny (http://www.netnanny.com/learn_center/safety_tips) has a top ten Internet safety list for parents. These tips include:
1. Educate yourself and your children
2. Teach identity rules
3. Install filter
4. Know dangers of certain sites
5. Teach what to do
6. Manage time
7. Set guidelines
8. Keep computers in view
9. Create a relationship
10. Understand Internet privacy
From this list, schools can also work with students to understand the ways to navigate the Internet safely. By working together, parents and teachers can educate students and give them the tools they need to handle situations as they arise. Students may also learn what they can and cannot do with information at their fingertips. While children need to be protected, children also need to know what actions are not okay. They need to know about plagiarism and stealing in terms of the Internet. I truly believe it takes a village to raise a child. This is just another example of everyone working together to help children understand safety concerns as well as acceptable use on the Internet.
Cyber-crime can be defined as "any illegal behavior directed by means of electronic operations that targets the security of computer systems and the data processed by them. In a wider sense, 'computer-related crime' can be any illegal behavior committed by means of, or in relation to, a computer system or network, however, this is not cyber-crime" (http://www.playitcybersafe.com//cybercrime/index.cfm). The five main offenses include, financial, piracy, hacking, cyber-terrorism, online pornography, and in schools. All these areas are of great importance. There are ways to help protect children at home and at school. Filters and child-friendly browsers can keep children from viewing inappropriate sites. However, children can also be blocked from art museums and other sites. It is important for schools and parents to guide children through acceptable use and how to react if something inappropriate happens.
Net Nanny (http://www.netnanny.com/learn_center/safety_tips) has a top ten Internet safety list for parents. These tips include:
1. Educate yourself and your children
2. Teach identity rules
3. Install filter
4. Know dangers of certain sites
5. Teach what to do
6. Manage time
7. Set guidelines
8. Keep computers in view
9. Create a relationship
10. Understand Internet privacy
From this list, schools can also work with students to understand the ways to navigate the Internet safely. By working together, parents and teachers can educate students and give them the tools they need to handle situations as they arise. Students may also learn what they can and cannot do with information at their fingertips. While children need to be protected, children also need to know what actions are not okay. They need to know about plagiarism and stealing in terms of the Internet. I truly believe it takes a village to raise a child. This is just another example of everyone working together to help children understand safety concerns as well as acceptable use on the Internet.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Video
As I've mentioned previously, I often rely on my husband to handle the technology in our house. That being said, I had never used our video camera before, nor the video editing software on our computer. This project certainly taught me a lot!
Once I finally figured out how to turn the video camera ON, the camera told me the battery was dead. I then searched the house for the appropriate wires and proceeded to charge the camera. Once these technical issues were resolved, I tried filming my 15 month old. Turns out, 15 month olds much prefer seeing and maneuvering cameras than being in movies. Not to mention the fact that my son does not hold still for any amount of time. After this revelation, I called a babysitter to come watch my little man while I filmed some of his toys instead.
Filming was not too difficult once I got started. I have learned, though, that I do not have steady hands, that my left hip makes a loud popping sound when I try to stand from a squatting position, and the firemen rush out to many calls during the morning hours. In the future, I think I will utilize a tripod to steady my shots. I also plan to film where I can control for background noise a little better.
Film editing, on the other hand, was very difficult and frustrating for me. I used Adobe Premiere 8 since it's the software on my husband's computer. I spent hours of nap times trying to figure everything out. In no way do I feel very confident using this program, but I'm slowly making headway in understanding how to use it. I know there are so many more things that are possible with film editing, but I'm just trying to stay afloat right now. We'll see how proficient I am by the end of the semester. I'm definitely proud of what I was able to accomplish, though.
Once I finally figured out how to turn the video camera ON, the camera told me the battery was dead. I then searched the house for the appropriate wires and proceeded to charge the camera. Once these technical issues were resolved, I tried filming my 15 month old. Turns out, 15 month olds much prefer seeing and maneuvering cameras than being in movies. Not to mention the fact that my son does not hold still for any amount of time. After this revelation, I called a babysitter to come watch my little man while I filmed some of his toys instead.
Filming was not too difficult once I got started. I have learned, though, that I do not have steady hands, that my left hip makes a loud popping sound when I try to stand from a squatting position, and the firemen rush out to many calls during the morning hours. In the future, I think I will utilize a tripod to steady my shots. I also plan to film where I can control for background noise a little better.
Film editing, on the other hand, was very difficult and frustrating for me. I used Adobe Premiere 8 since it's the software on my husband's computer. I spent hours of nap times trying to figure everything out. In no way do I feel very confident using this program, but I'm slowly making headway in understanding how to use it. I know there are so many more things that are possible with film editing, but I'm just trying to stay afloat right now. We'll see how proficient I am by the end of the semester. I'm definitely proud of what I was able to accomplish, though.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
GeoTech 2010
Last weekend, I attended GeoTech 2010 at Bishop Dunne. Saturday morning started with a bang as Chad Pregracke spoke to the group of students and teachers. Founding member of Living Lands and Waters, Pregracke, along with several employees and thousands of volunteers, works to clean up the Mississippi River--one piece of trash at a time. Not only does Pregracke pick up trash, but he now hosts educational workshops. After the keynote speaker, we broke up into various session groups.
The first session I attended was Geotagging Photos which was led by Shannon White. Ms. White led us to various geotagging sites and discussed various hardware and software options. Some of the sites we visited were www.flickr.com/maps, www.panoramio.com, www.locr.com, and www.everytrail.com. In terms of geotagging hardware, Ms. White suggested purchasing a Nikon P6000 Point and Shoot camera with built in GPS or an ATP GPS picture tracker. Software recommendations included www.geoimgr.com, Mac's iPhoto, Microsoft's Pro Photo Tools, Picassa 3 and Google Earth, and ArcGIS Explorer. If you would like to reach Ms. White, you cn email her at ShannonW@missouri.edu. You may also follow her blog geotaggingineducation.blogspot.com.
I found the second session to be very interesting. This session was called Reading, Writing, and Math with Sketch-A-Map. Ms. Barbaree Duke discussed ways to incorporate maps into lessons in order to enhance students' understanding. Three types of GIS software tools she touched on were online mapping (sketch-a-map at http://edcommunity.esri.com/sketchAMap2/index.html, Mapping for Everyone at http://www.esri.com/software/mapping_for_everyone/index.html, and Map Maker at National Atlas (http://www.nationalatlas.gov), Virtual Globes such as Google Earth http://earth.google.com and Desktop GIS such as My World GIS http://www.myworldgis.com. She gave a lesson example about Mark Twain. We looked up his hometown of Hannibal, MO and found evidence of his living there. Such evidence included a bridge named after him as well as a river named after Huckleberry Finn.
Both sessions were very informative and interesting. I learned a lot and have new ideas for using maps in my classroom.
The first session I attended was Geotagging Photos which was led by Shannon White. Ms. White led us to various geotagging sites and discussed various hardware and software options. Some of the sites we visited were www.flickr.com/maps, www.panoramio.com, www.locr.com, and www.everytrail.com. In terms of geotagging hardware, Ms. White suggested purchasing a Nikon P6000 Point and Shoot camera with built in GPS or an ATP GPS picture tracker. Software recommendations included www.geoimgr.com, Mac's iPhoto, Microsoft's Pro Photo Tools, Picassa 3 and Google Earth, and ArcGIS Explorer. If you would like to reach Ms. White, you cn email her at ShannonW@missouri.edu. You may also follow her blog geotaggingineducation.blogspot.com.
I found the second session to be very interesting. This session was called Reading, Writing, and Math with Sketch-A-Map. Ms. Barbaree Duke discussed ways to incorporate maps into lessons in order to enhance students' understanding. Three types of GIS software tools she touched on were online mapping (sketch-a-map at http://edcommunity.esri.com/sketchAMap2/index.html, Mapping for Everyone at http://www.esri.com/software/mapping_for_everyone/index.html, and Map Maker at National Atlas (http://www.nationalatlas.gov), Virtual Globes such as Google Earth http://earth.google.com and Desktop GIS such as My World GIS http://www.myworldgis.com. She gave a lesson example about Mark Twain. We looked up his hometown of Hannibal, MO and found evidence of his living there. Such evidence included a bridge named after him as well as a river named after Huckleberry Finn.
Both sessions were very informative and interesting. I learned a lot and have new ideas for using maps in my classroom.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Audio Files
Having never created an audio file, I was worried that I would struggle with this assignment as much as I struggled with animation. To my great relief, making this audio file was so much easier! After completing this assignment, I feel as though I could use this in my own classroom. While I still do not understand all the ins and outs of the program, I feel as though I have a good enough base to use this confidently with my students. Not only do I think I could introduce this to students and create my own audio files, but I think my students could successfully create their own files.
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