Module 9 Questions:
What do you see yourself using in the next year? What will be most helpful in your professional situation?
In my professional situation, a teacher at a BYOT school, I see myself using the SAMR model A LOT. This model is extremely helpful in guiding me as I build my lessons to ensure that I am reaching my goals in redefining the education of my students. I wish the SAMR model had been introduced to me when I received word that our school had decided to go beyond the iPad carts and allow students to have devices daily by allowing them to bring their own. It would have given me a clearer perspective on HOW to use technology in my room from day 1!
How can the information you learned over the past 18 weeks be used in the rest of your school and/or corporation?
I think I should push for more PD opportunities - or even LEAD more PD - to share the data and models like SAMR and TIM to help the rest of my school learn best practices for technology integration. As I've stated before, we were just given the iPads and told that the students could now bring theirs, without really any further direction. Sure, we've had PD covering specific apps and webtools. But it's not about the apps! Maybe I can start the tech integration overhaul at my school by being the example! I can demonstrate the change in use and provide evidence of effectiveness and share my new knowledge by modeling all the new skills I've learned here and hopefully gain some followers. :)
Monday, June 23, 2014
Sunday, May 4, 2014
One bad Apple...
There is no denying it. Our students today are overloaded, overwhelmed, and over-connected. Consequently, what is bad becomes what is craved - digital stimulation without restraint is the lifeblood of the American youth! So the question then, is how do we (the overworked educator) pull on the reigns of this desire for digital dosage?
Anya Kamenetz presented three classroom management ideologies in her article, "Freedom, Digital Distraction and Control." While each has its merits, I can relate entirely to her thoughts on control through technology. This "fight fire with fire" approach attempts to redirect distracted students using technological "nudges" through the use of digital classroom control, content blocking apps, and practiced self-management. This approach does not villainize technology, but rather re-focuses on and glorifies the educational possibilities contained within. At Shelbyville Middle School, the student BYOT policy allows all students to bring and use personal devices for educational endeavors. I would love to be able to state here that all is well in this land of the connected - but all students using all technology appropriately at all times is, at this point, a pipe dream. Once the novelty of the connected classroom wears off, maybe we could reach Kamenetz's idea of full self-control, but it's just too early in the game. Right now, students need techno-nudges and LOTS of modeling in hopes of creating a self-sufficient digital learner. Try as we might, vigilant as we attempt to be, getting off-task is just too easy for our students who are so over-connected and therefore in need of constant changes - especially when the stimuli is digital! This is why I, as a connected teacher, am doing what I can to make each lesson attractive and each app as captivating as a Greek Siren. Without this, students cannot help but seek to find distractions that promise to suffice the digital desires. Simply put, students must WANT to be actively engaged in the educational technology that promises to connect them to that ever-precious 21st century skill. When we are able to achieve this, then we will have set ourselves in the path to self-sufficient learners. It will take time and vigilance, but I believe eventually the fire will contain itself and students will begin to look at technology as tools for educational achievement first, social networking second. And through my experience, it is with fire that we will contain the fire.
Anya Kamenetz presented three classroom management ideologies in her article, "Freedom, Digital Distraction and Control." While each has its merits, I can relate entirely to her thoughts on control through technology. This "fight fire with fire" approach attempts to redirect distracted students using technological "nudges" through the use of digital classroom control, content blocking apps, and practiced self-management. This approach does not villainize technology, but rather re-focuses on and glorifies the educational possibilities contained within. At Shelbyville Middle School, the student BYOT policy allows all students to bring and use personal devices for educational endeavors. I would love to be able to state here that all is well in this land of the connected - but all students using all technology appropriately at all times is, at this point, a pipe dream. Once the novelty of the connected classroom wears off, maybe we could reach Kamenetz's idea of full self-control, but it's just too early in the game. Right now, students need techno-nudges and LOTS of modeling in hopes of creating a self-sufficient digital learner. Try as we might, vigilant as we attempt to be, getting off-task is just too easy for our students who are so over-connected and therefore in need of constant changes - especially when the stimuli is digital! This is why I, as a connected teacher, am doing what I can to make each lesson attractive and each app as captivating as a Greek Siren. Without this, students cannot help but seek to find distractions that promise to suffice the digital desires. Simply put, students must WANT to be actively engaged in the educational technology that promises to connect them to that ever-precious 21st century skill. When we are able to achieve this, then we will have set ourselves in the path to self-sufficient learners. It will take time and vigilance, but I believe eventually the fire will contain itself and students will begin to look at technology as tools for educational achievement first, social networking second. And through my experience, it is with fire that we will contain the fire.
Friday, April 18, 2014
Parental Controls
As an educator the scariest monster under my bed is the ill-supportive parent. Many parents do not necessarily choose to put on this mask as much as they just happen fall into it through lack of communication and/or just a flat-out fear of the unknown. As a key stakeholder group, parents need to be in the know in order to be able to be the happy, fully supportive teammate we as educators need in our corner. Technology integration is a new, constantly evolving beast for parents. In reality, the most experience many parents have had throughout their own school careers was the required keyboarding class. That's it! That being said, parents do not know how to approach the idea of technology integration with their child's education and therefore will shy away from getting involved. In order to ease parents' fear of technology integration and therefore create a supportive home base, there are three specific points of knowledge I would like to share with them on day one.
1. The 3 P's: Purpose, Plan, Policy
The best way to help parents accept and understand educational change, is to provide them with well-explained process and procedures. It is hard to support and be a part of anything that is not fully understood! Our parents will need to be introduced right away to how technology integration addresses the 21st century skills and, consequently, is now necessary in today's learning environment. The plan for usage and detailed expectations, as well as consequences for not meeting those expectations, also need to be clearly addressed. This is so that parents are not met with an unpleasant experience with teachers and administrators later. (I mean to say, how many times have we heard, "Well I didn't know that app wasn't allowed!") In accordance with a letter written by Sandy Kendell, parents need to know what kinds of activities to expect and what limitations to set at home. Continuity in regulations is essential to forming a proper safety net between classroom and living room.
2. Digital Citizenship
I cannot express how disheartening it is to see adults engaging in social network activities that we work so hard to prevent in our classrooms. Parents have to be role models in using technology appropriately. Being that technology integration (and particularly social media usage) began and has continually evolved far after the educational careers of our parents ended, a digital citizenship course for parents is nothing short of necessary. Essentially, we need to address how parents should "parent" digitally.
3. How to provide home support
The part of technology integration that stresses both parents and teachers out the most is how to adequately provide digital support away from the classroom. This should begin by teaching parents how to use the same devices/apps the students use. This could be accomplished by holding tech workshops for parents or online support forums ("how-to's") for parents that cannot attend such workshops. Parents should be encouraged to get involved as often as possible in their child's integrated lessons and activities. The more that involvement occurs, the more the parent will understand and consequently become a part of the learning process. In addition, parents who remain in constant contact with teachers about happenings in the classroom have the edge in being an effective educational ally!
I truly believe that by providing parents/guardians with the above information right off the bat, it will create an ease in what seems like such a complicated evolution in the daily educational process. And when parents feel more comfortable with what is happening in the classroom, teachers have a better-prepared partner to support our students growth beyond the bell.
1. The 3 P's: Purpose, Plan, Policy
The best way to help parents accept and understand educational change, is to provide them with well-explained process and procedures. It is hard to support and be a part of anything that is not fully understood! Our parents will need to be introduced right away to how technology integration addresses the 21st century skills and, consequently, is now necessary in today's learning environment. The plan for usage and detailed expectations, as well as consequences for not meeting those expectations, also need to be clearly addressed. This is so that parents are not met with an unpleasant experience with teachers and administrators later. (I mean to say, how many times have we heard, "Well I didn't know that app wasn't allowed!") In accordance with a letter written by Sandy Kendell, parents need to know what kinds of activities to expect and what limitations to set at home. Continuity in regulations is essential to forming a proper safety net between classroom and living room.
2. Digital Citizenship
I cannot express how disheartening it is to see adults engaging in social network activities that we work so hard to prevent in our classrooms. Parents have to be role models in using technology appropriately. Being that technology integration (and particularly social media usage) began and has continually evolved far after the educational careers of our parents ended, a digital citizenship course for parents is nothing short of necessary. Essentially, we need to address how parents should "parent" digitally.
3. How to provide home support
The part of technology integration that stresses both parents and teachers out the most is how to adequately provide digital support away from the classroom. This should begin by teaching parents how to use the same devices/apps the students use. This could be accomplished by holding tech workshops for parents or online support forums ("how-to's") for parents that cannot attend such workshops. Parents should be encouraged to get involved as often as possible in their child's integrated lessons and activities. The more that involvement occurs, the more the parent will understand and consequently become a part of the learning process. In addition, parents who remain in constant contact with teachers about happenings in the classroom have the edge in being an effective educational ally!
I truly believe that by providing parents/guardians with the above information right off the bat, it will create an ease in what seems like such a complicated evolution in the daily educational process. And when parents feel more comfortable with what is happening in the classroom, teachers have a better-prepared partner to support our students growth beyond the bell.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Houston, all communication has been lost....
Choose the 21st Century Skill you believe is most crucial to students' lives outside the school walls.
1. Why is this skill most important?
2. How might this skill be used in your Technology Infusion Plan?
3. How can this skill be assessed?
Skill: COMMUNICATION!
1. In my experience, I have found that communication, effective communication, is the common ground on which all other skills need to meet in order to create a successful, self-sufficient, problem finding and solving society! Without the appropriate level of skill in communicating, a person is essentially cutoff from the real world - total isolation. And let's be honest....it takes a village! Society cannot exist and function without talking/writing and listening/reading happening. No communication, no collaboration. No collaboration, no growth, and certainly no innovation! Let me be clear. When I speak of communicating, I'm not simply referring to the ability to convey one's thoughts and/or feelings to another human being, but in fact communication within oneself also! (Be honest, the person you talk to the most is yourself.) Communication is what leads us to work together to achieve clarity of issue, focus of job at hand, and effective collaboration to attack limitations.
2. In a social studies classroom, opportunities to address and practice communication already are abundant. But toss in a technology infusion plan, and you have your own piece of infinity right at your feet. Here are some ways in which I have dipped into this infinity:
3. To assess something means that there is an end-point, a mastery of skill. Communication is not a finite skill. There is always room to grow and develop. Therefore, I do not often assess communication...but rather, give students "Growth Points." Simply put, these points can be earned when I see a student become more involved in discussions or show effective, successful collaboration with peers. However, next year I would love to steal this Blogger idea and begin having students keep personal blogs for classroom reflection and collaboration of ideas. :)
1. Why is this skill most important?
2. How might this skill be used in your Technology Infusion Plan?
3. How can this skill be assessed?
Skill: COMMUNICATION!
1. In my experience, I have found that communication, effective communication, is the common ground on which all other skills need to meet in order to create a successful, self-sufficient, problem finding and solving society! Without the appropriate level of skill in communicating, a person is essentially cutoff from the real world - total isolation. And let's be honest....it takes a village! Society cannot exist and function without talking/writing and listening/reading happening. No communication, no collaboration. No collaboration, no growth, and certainly no innovation! Let me be clear. When I speak of communicating, I'm not simply referring to the ability to convey one's thoughts and/or feelings to another human being, but in fact communication within oneself also! (Be honest, the person you talk to the most is yourself.) Communication is what leads us to work together to achieve clarity of issue, focus of job at hand, and effective collaboration to attack limitations.
2. In a social studies classroom, opportunities to address and practice communication already are abundant. But toss in a technology infusion plan, and you have your own piece of infinity right at your feet. Here are some ways in which I have dipped into this infinity:
- Daily Morning Announcements produced with iMovie: This is the quintessential display of developing presentation skills. Each and every day, my students would create a short movie to present the daily school announcements (reminders, daily lunch menu, occurring activities, character trait of the week, vocab of the week, Pledge of Allegiance, etc!). This movie would play schoolwide through the use of the closed-circuit broadcast system.
- Current Event Friday: Students gather and bring in any current (local or world) event to share and discuss with their peers each week. Some weeks, the topics are dry or lack the possible formation of opinion and debate. Other weeks.... WOW! One example is the current theories surrounding the missing Malaysian flight, MH370. I sat back and watched 6th graders discussed possible issues with not only the flight itself - but also the search! They listened to each and every peer's theory and displayed collaboration of ideas and issued possible solutions or even debunked another student's ideas with facts! Communication at its finest. During these student-led discussions, the students are encouraged to fact-check one another on personal devices and some even come to class with multiple webpages ready to reference! :)
- Frequent intervention and conflict management: I do not believe in nipping the student's conflicts for them. As an adult, no one has stepped in to pull myself and another adult together to end whatever issue may be pulling us apart. So why not teach the students to solve personal problems themselves? Simply put, I will pull students who are in conflict together and act as a mediator as I coach them through resolution strategies. More often than not, student-to-student conflict has begun and perpetuated on social media. During these peer-to-peer interventions, I ask the students to discuss with one another how social media has helped/hurt the situation and allow them to offer suggestions to each other on how to avoid conflict through social media.
- Animoto Commercials: Several times throughout the school year, my Student Council group will produce a commercial (to be played with morning announcements) advertising the current fundraising effort or social gathering. Students get to practice their presentation skills and effective communication of pertinent information.
3. To assess something means that there is an end-point, a mastery of skill. Communication is not a finite skill. There is always room to grow and develop. Therefore, I do not often assess communication...but rather, give students "Growth Points." Simply put, these points can be earned when I see a student become more involved in discussions or show effective, successful collaboration with peers. However, next year I would love to steal this Blogger idea and begin having students keep personal blogs for classroom reflection and collaboration of ideas. :)
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Techno-philosophical Educational Perspective... for my classroom today.
After 5.75 years of teaching, I can say that my educational
philosophy has not changed as much as it has evolved. To this day, I
hold true to my original thought that education's purpose is to put the
student first in the hope of creating a self-aware, empathetic,
functional member of a society that is ever changing and in need of
constant evaluation and betterment. With that so simply said, I as a
teacher will forever need to evaluate and evolve my own methods in order
to meet the needs of each student and reach this educational purpose.
And with the explosion of a technology-based society, that purpose has
to be met with the effective integration of technology-infused lessons
and best practices.
I believe in the old cliche that an effective teacher, when asked what he/she teaches, responds with, "students." In my classroom, I firmly believe that the student, as a growing person, comes first. A student cannot be told how to be "a student" while teachers sit back and just expect greatness. I must give them the tools that help each one find value in their own individuality and encourage each to seek growth through education. I have experienced that when you put the student first, the primary side effect is an empowering of the learning process. By figuring out the wants and needs of each child, I can better formulate meaningful lessons that create an environment of critical thinkers and problem-solvers. I want the role of my students in my classroom to be that of the lion tamer - not the tamed lion. And in that, my students are gaining life-long skills that will successfully translate into an increasingly interdependent world. In short, I believe that today's students gain more by taking ownership of their learning and by molding each lesson to fit their particular interests. My goal is always to find true-to-life application of standards and help each student guide their own way to success. And that is when a teacher will witness greatness.
The technological advancements ranging from my time as a sixth grade student ('97-'98) until now is beyond phenomenal. I quite clearly remember that age-old math teacher chant, "You won't have a calculator with you at all times as an adult!" Oh, how the digital times have changed! As a current sixth grade teacher, I believe it is my inherent responsibility to create a community of technologically literate and digitally efficient citizens. To accomplish this necessary task, I currently seek any and every opportunity to integrate technology into my lessons. My school proudly encourages students to engage in technological opportunities with their own devices with a program called "Bring Your Own Technology." Students and staff alike have embraced this program with enthusiasm. In my own classroom, students have used programs like iMovie and Animoto to create visual reports on a variety of topics and through applications like Flipboard and Show of Hands students follow current events and track peer interests. Through the use of technology in my classroom, students will learn to use these devices for social betterment and personal growth. The world immediately outside the classroom is growing more and more digitally connected and technologically dependent. I believe the skills to become a responsible and functional e-citizen must be learned within the classroom.
The signature on my professional email is closed with a quote by Helen Keller. "Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement, nothing can be done without hope and confidence." If nothing else, I want all of students to always remember me as the teacher that fostered hope and confidence within each one of them. I believe that my educational philosophy is my guideline to setting my students on the path to achievement and life-long learning. While this philosophy will undoubtedly continue to evolve, I will always maintain the role of the ring master. I will always strive to guide and direct the lion tamers that will become our leaders. And through my guidance, I hope each student finds the spark within them to find that perfect path to the perfect job to create a perfect interdependent society - however technologically advanced it becomes.
I believe in the old cliche that an effective teacher, when asked what he/she teaches, responds with, "students." In my classroom, I firmly believe that the student, as a growing person, comes first. A student cannot be told how to be "a student" while teachers sit back and just expect greatness. I must give them the tools that help each one find value in their own individuality and encourage each to seek growth through education. I have experienced that when you put the student first, the primary side effect is an empowering of the learning process. By figuring out the wants and needs of each child, I can better formulate meaningful lessons that create an environment of critical thinkers and problem-solvers. I want the role of my students in my classroom to be that of the lion tamer - not the tamed lion. And in that, my students are gaining life-long skills that will successfully translate into an increasingly interdependent world. In short, I believe that today's students gain more by taking ownership of their learning and by molding each lesson to fit their particular interests. My goal is always to find true-to-life application of standards and help each student guide their own way to success. And that is when a teacher will witness greatness.
The technological advancements ranging from my time as a sixth grade student ('97-'98) until now is beyond phenomenal. I quite clearly remember that age-old math teacher chant, "You won't have a calculator with you at all times as an adult!" Oh, how the digital times have changed! As a current sixth grade teacher, I believe it is my inherent responsibility to create a community of technologically literate and digitally efficient citizens. To accomplish this necessary task, I currently seek any and every opportunity to integrate technology into my lessons. My school proudly encourages students to engage in technological opportunities with their own devices with a program called "Bring Your Own Technology." Students and staff alike have embraced this program with enthusiasm. In my own classroom, students have used programs like iMovie and Animoto to create visual reports on a variety of topics and through applications like Flipboard and Show of Hands students follow current events and track peer interests. Through the use of technology in my classroom, students will learn to use these devices for social betterment and personal growth. The world immediately outside the classroom is growing more and more digitally connected and technologically dependent. I believe the skills to become a responsible and functional e-citizen must be learned within the classroom.
The signature on my professional email is closed with a quote by Helen Keller. "Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement, nothing can be done without hope and confidence." If nothing else, I want all of students to always remember me as the teacher that fostered hope and confidence within each one of them. I believe that my educational philosophy is my guideline to setting my students on the path to achievement and life-long learning. While this philosophy will undoubtedly continue to evolve, I will always maintain the role of the ring master. I will always strive to guide and direct the lion tamers that will become our leaders. And through my guidance, I hope each student finds the spark within them to find that perfect path to the perfect job to create a perfect interdependent society - however technologically advanced it becomes.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
"Let there be Facebook..."
Module 1
1. What are you most excited to learn about?
2. In which areas might you serve as a leader or "expert" for your classmates?
3. In which areas will you need to spend more time exploring and getting ideas from your coursemates?
1: The class overall is exciting to me. The longer I teach, the more "connected" students are and the more they seem to need that digital stimulation to get excited about learning. However, I would say that I am more excited to learn about the Flipped Classroom experience. I feel like this could be a game-changer in my subject and finally get 11/12-year-olds find genuine interest in the world beyond their own borders.
2: After reading the responses to my introduction, it looks like Molly Harper and I will be your go-to gals for developing and implementing school wide (as well as classroom-to-classroom) policies for programs like the "Bring Your Own Technology" initiative at Shelbyville Middle School. We will be happy to advise you on how to align your school policies to ensure devices are being used solely for educational purposes and not for Facebook and Snapchat.
3: I have a hard time trusting substitutes period! Let alone on a day I have planned to use the iPads for a webquest! I hope to get ideas from my classmates that will ease my worries about sticking to my tech plan on a day when life happens and I have to be out. I am also excited to hear your success stories, not only about Flipped Classrooms, but also technology integration as a whole!
1. What are you most excited to learn about?
2. In which areas might you serve as a leader or "expert" for your classmates?
3. In which areas will you need to spend more time exploring and getting ideas from your coursemates?
1: The class overall is exciting to me. The longer I teach, the more "connected" students are and the more they seem to need that digital stimulation to get excited about learning. However, I would say that I am more excited to learn about the Flipped Classroom experience. I feel like this could be a game-changer in my subject and finally get 11/12-year-olds find genuine interest in the world beyond their own borders.
2: After reading the responses to my introduction, it looks like Molly Harper and I will be your go-to gals for developing and implementing school wide (as well as classroom-to-classroom) policies for programs like the "Bring Your Own Technology" initiative at Shelbyville Middle School. We will be happy to advise you on how to align your school policies to ensure devices are being used solely for educational purposes and not for Facebook and Snapchat.
3: I have a hard time trusting substitutes period! Let alone on a day I have planned to use the iPads for a webquest! I hope to get ideas from my classmates that will ease my worries about sticking to my tech plan on a day when life happens and I have to be out. I am also excited to hear your success stories, not only about Flipped Classrooms, but also technology integration as a whole!
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