Personalizing Education

Teaching diverse learners and students is guaranteed in our profession.  Whether you experience students of a different race or gender or learning preference of ability, teaching them all is still your job.  While it is our responsibility to teach every student, we do not and can not teach every student equally.  This is where the idea of Universal Design for Learning UDL, comes into play.  The idea of UDL is to make sure that each student in your classroom, regardless of abilities and preferences, can learn the information that is required of them.

There are many pros that I can see for educators teaching with UDL in mind.  For example, on the most general level, it requires teachers to personalize education.  Even for the most average of average student who needs no specialized instruction, by having a teacher constantly thinking about diversity in learning, that student will end up getting some kind of specialized or personalized education.

flickr.com

 On a deeper level, it really plays in favor to those students who do need specialized education.  In my experiences, it is easier to be prepared for diverse learners in your classroom that to try to play catch up.  By keeping the idea that each student will learn differently, either by a unique disability or ability, a teacher can be prepared for what comes his or her way.

An example of a UDL model playing in favor of certain students who need specialized instruction as well as regular general education students would be a student who has a hearing disability.  If a teacher were to assign a video for his or her class to watch, it would behove the teacher as well as the student to add captions so that if the student has a hard time hearing the video, they can still read. This idea of captions, however, can really help students who are struggling with reading.  Captions in a video would work the same way as a read-along device, helping the students hear and read the words at the same time.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Closed_Caption_Demonstration_Still-Felix.png

I cannot find very many cons or downsides to differentiating learning for students.  I think it is a great habit for teachers to get in to because it helps personalize education not only for those who need it, but for everyone.  The only setback I could foresee would be in implementing a UDL with several different students who have disabilities and abilities and it being very time consuming for a teacher.  However, I don't think this should discourage anyone. I think that by considering the possibility of having a student with a unique disability or ability and preparing for that before hand, will help the transition to a real classroom where you have those students.

Beyondwebct.wordpress.com

 

Mixing Realities

http://www.schooltechnology.org/2011/05/01/new-student-technology-photos/

As technology grows, so do our abilities as educators to reach and teach our students.  Through a ton of new interfaces, such as standard QR codes to advanced Leap Frog Tag Readers.  These types of interfaces begin to connect our real physical world to the interactive online one.

My mixing realities between real and fake, students can experience their feelings, thoughts, and activities on a whole new level.  With the ever growing pressures for students and teachers to perform well in the classroom, it may prove to be beneficial for the classroom setting as a whole to break away from physical reality, where consequences matter, into the virtual world where we can suspend the physical consequences for a while.

In many youth, spending time online via social networking sites, live role playing games, or internet usage,  has allowed them to suspend their reality and adopt a new identity for themselves; an alter ego of sorts.  

http://www.operationtrooplift.org/tag/cheats

This new alter ego may become harmful if left to run wild, in which many cases of cyberbullying may appear.  However, this alter ego may prove to be a powerful tool, in which more shy children can be given a stronger voice to their ideas.

http://iphone.appstorm.net/roundups/lifestyle-roundups/100-social-networking-apps-to-feed-your-internet-addiction/

While I have personally never seen nor experienced a successful classroom where their is intermixing of virtual and physical worlds, I plan on incorporating it in my classroom.  I see a lot of potential in giving my students the options to express themselves in another world.  As I see it, many teachers are open to the idea of assigning multiple options for a project, ex: a powerpoint, a speech, an art exhibit, etc.  It makes sense to me that by having the students participate in online worlds as an option for a project/homework/free time, just as those other options are there.

Gamers are the new Students

   Video games are another new media in which teachers are now experiencing at their disposal to reach out and educate their students.  I think using all sorts of things that children are interested in, whether gaming, music, sports, etc and using that information to better educate children is a great idea.  This trick in teaching is not new.  I can remember in my schooling where the teacher went to extra lengths to incorporate the things that we, her students, were interested in.  The new media, or thing a lot of students are interested in, is video games.

   Gaming, while it intrigues me, is not really my thing.  I have played a variety of video games throughout my childhood and adult life to know that I'm not very good at them.  I have a hard time focusing a lot of my time and focus at any given part of the day to play.  While I know this about myself, I do think I will try to use video games in my classroom.  The way I reason it is I don't like all the things that I know my students will like, but I still try to appeal to them through that source.



  

   One of my favorite modified video game lesson that I have read was done by a guy named Mr. Todd Nesloney.  He took the popular app, Angry Birds, and turned it into a real life game about geometry and physics.  The students created 3D figures of the "birds" and the "pigs" and set up their own levels to try and beat the pigs.

   This type of "gaming" in the classroom, as well as tangible board-like games, are ways that I think I can handle.  I'm not sure I'm quite as prepared to enter into the World of Warcraft interface, I'll stick to baby steps.

"Simple" Machines

Teachers have begun to struggle with how to introduce technology appropriately into their classrooms without overwhelming themselves or their students. (as I mentioned in my iPad incident a few posts back)  However, the answer to this question may not be as hard as it seems.  To be honest, until a few weeks ago, the thought of integrating technology APPROPRIATELY seemed very daunting.  But it doesn't have to be.  What about teaching our students with projects based on "simple" technology.  What I consider to be simple technology would be a piece of technology that has been around for a while and has become familiar to us.

 A camera or standard video camera are two very "simple" technology tools that most everyone is familiar with.  Now, yes, there are some very complicated and expensive devices that fall under the digital camera and camcorder category, but we'll stick to the basics.

Recently I have watched some of the most interesting and creative class projects come to life via video. When I say video, however, I don't just mean moving pictures.  Some of the projects that I watched were just voice overs of a slide show of pictures as opposed to actual video.

Video courtesy of SchoolTube
This is an example of a video production solely put on by students.

Video courtesy of SchoolTube
This is another example of a video put on by students, however this video only uses pictures/video without student faces.

I believe this may be the easiest way to incorporate higher thinking, such as creativity, with technology.  Have your students create videos based on their own videos or pictures or through animation sites.  The technology is so broad that almost any topic can be transformed to a video presentation as opposed to the boring book report.

I cannot wait to implement video based projects in my classroom.  I plan on doing everything I can with videos, from critiquing already made videos to the creation of their own.  I think that by teaching the kids with the aid of technology such as videos, it teaches them to not only be critical of the videos that they watch on their own time, but also teaches them the hard work and thoughtful planning that goes on when trying to create their own video.

Technology Bandwagon?

Should teachers jump on the technology bandwagon and launch themselves into the online world? 

YES! There are so many benefits for teachers working with their classrooms and students online, via social networking sites like Twitter and Edmodo or through a simple online class website.  Some teachers use the excuse of using Learning Management Systems (LMS), such as Moodle or Blackboard,  is their "online presence".  However, these systems cannot be accessed by the general public nor can they have personal information added about the teacher or class.  LMS seem very robotic and automated to the students and parents viewing them, lessening the connection that they have with the site and the person behind the site.  A teacher website can change some of these things and might even be easier to operate and manage than some of the LMS.

Pros of a Teacher Website:

Good Teacher Website Curtsey of dfulford.weebly.com

• An easy way to be able to still "teach" out of your classroom.  By posting homework, review sheets,  or external links, students and parents who need the extra help to understand, have access to this information at all hours of the day.
• Helps with the "What did I miss?" If teachers are posting daily assignments and topics, this can greatly help a student who has missed a day or two in the classroom.
• Your website goes farther than your classroom.  Not only can you share your ideas with other educators as you post to your class website, but if you are a new teacher, a class website is a good way to make a good impression on a perspective school.
• It connects you to your parents.  While some parents are very active in their child's schooling, some cannot find the time or means to get to the school and meet you during school hours.  By having an online website, connecting with these parents gets easier.  While these parents aren't physically meeting you, they feel as if they are meeting you through an online interface, building connections, trust, and a support system online.
• It's becoming easier.  With website generators such as Weebly and Google Sites, creating and maintaining a website is becoming easier and easier.

Cons of a Teacher Website:

• It's not a catch all.  Some teachers may view the website as another way to teach remedial students; while it can be a helpful tool it cannot replace the teacher themselves.  Don't get too carried away in the capabilities that the website may have on your students.
• Not everyone has Internet.  I would be wary of only posting assignments or homework to a class website as not everyone has Internet access to gain access to these assignments.  A class website shouldn't hurt a child's success.



Not a Great Teacher Website Curtsey of 

http://schoolcenter.gcsnc.com/education/staff/staff.php?sectionid=1107&

• It does take time.  While the process has become easier, you still have to do the updating and upkeep.  If you don't upkeep your website, there is no point in having one.

Here are some of the most basic pros and cons that I felt were important to consider when creating your online presence through the usage of a class website.  Both of the screenshots of websites prove that both teachers (whose websites I am borrowing) have some-what of an "online presence".  The first screenshot of a website has a picture of the teacher with a caption telling a few interesting things about himself.  Additionally, he has several links on his page that are consistently updated for his classroom.  This is an example of a website that I thought was very helpful; He provided some information about himself as well as key information that parents and students need.  The second website lacked some key information.  It had no picture or personal information on this teacher.  Additionally, the links this teacher did have, weren't very helpful or were blank.  These two screenshots of teacher websites help prove that not only being online is helpful; running an updated and useful website is key.

Wiki Work

   Over the past two weeks I have conducted an experiment to evaluate my experiences with reviewing, editing, and monitoring and Wiki page, a page on Wikipedia.  The page I choose to monitor and edit was on Dame Schools under the username TaceyM.  Overall, the process of editing and monitoring this specific page was rather boring.  I edited the page, which notifies all previous contributors unless otherwise changed, and waited two weeks for nothing to happen.  From speaking with some of my fellow classmates who choose various topics in education, culture, etc., the experience seemed to be fairly similar.  I think to get the full affect of the "collaboration" part of the Wiki, you have to contribute a lot.

Highlighted sections are my changes to the Wiki

  
   In terms of using Wiki pages in the classroom, I think it would have to be saved for only very specific scenarios, much like a GoogleDoc.  However, I feel like by using GoogleDocs, a teacher will be able to see specifically what each student contributed to the work.  In a Wiki document, I'm not sure how well you would be able to get this information.  Additionally, working with the "Wiki Speech"while editing was a bit complicated.  I'm not sure I would have enough time in the classroom to explain all the necessary information needed to properly edit the document while allowing time for students to actually edit.

Do you understand these copyrights as they have been read to you

The C word. The Big Scary C word. COPYRIGHT!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Copyright-uncertain.png

Ever since I was in elementary school, there was a strong emphasis on copyright, copyrighted items, and using copyrights.  But what does it all mean? What makes something copyrighted and why are they copyrighted?  These are questions that still go through my head today as I push my way through the maze of copyrights.

When I was in school, I learned that something was copyrighted if it had the copyright symbol on it.  However, since then, the Copyright Act of 1976 was amended to include any new idea, picture, song, etc.  Basically, as soon as something new is created it is copyrighted with or without the copyright symbol.  The basic goal of this new amendment was to make new items easier to copyright and protect the owner from other people using their work to make money or distribute without permission.  

Based on this definition, you either need to know a lot of people in order to get permission to use their work or produce sub par work as the tools you need, such as music and pictures, are unable to be used.  This is where "Fair Use" fits in.  In the amendment, an exception to the rule, "Fair Use", was implemented as well. The "Fair Use" amendment, however, is not as clear as some would like.  The list of factors that the law states to be used when determining was is fair and what is not is as follows

1. The purpose of character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes 
2. The nature of the copyrighted work
3. The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work

The law also states that the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.  

This amendment isn't exactly cut and dry.  There are several rules and exceptions to rules that seem to be constantly changing. As a pre-service teacher, protecting my students and the works that they are learning from is my top priority.  However, it seems as if the ever-changing copy-right laws are slowing me down.  On the brighter side, while the copyright laws seem to be always updating, so do the options that educators have for working with copyrighted items.  One of the most influential websites that educators have on hand is Creative Commons. 

http://www.argazkiak.org/photo/creative-commons/

This website is full of "free to use" copyrighted works that students, educators, and the common public can use without worrying about infringing copyright. Several teachers have adapted this website, encouraging their students to either use this  website for all new media or an advanced google search, allowing students to filter their searches to show only free to use images and works.  As I continue school, I will try to keep up with the copyright rules, as of right now though, I think I will follow suit of those educators before me: teaching kids to always cite their work, use media from creative commons, and use advanced google searches.  

@TaceyFacey - PLN and Twitter

PLN- A Professional Learning Network

Educating and learning go hand and hand.  As teachers, are main job is to educate our youth based on a set curriculum.  However, most people/students assume that the students are the only ones actually learning in the classroom.  How do teachers enhance their own knowledge? How do teachers perfect the art of teaching/delivery? The answer to that lies in every teachers secret toolkit: their PLN, Professional Learning Network.

Why do teachers need this awesome resource? TO GET BETTER AT WHAT THEY DO! We've all had that teacher that was the absolute worst teacher, everything that was taught was taught either wrong or in a hard to follow way.  You left class everyday hoping and praying that some magical spirit would influence him/her to make them better at their job (seriously, your education was on the line!).  That magical spirit is a PLN.  If that horrible teacher did not have a PLN, their teaching styles probably have not changed must since the last time you were in their class. (scary, right?) 

http://edudemic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/twitter-superhero.jpg

As a pre-service teacher, I'm a little nervous about this PLN.  How do I add that to all the other things I am trying to do? What if I turn out like that horrible teacher? Thankfully, several teachers have already begun to answer this question via Twitter.

TWEET TWEET! TWITTER!

Twitter is a social media site that allows users to not only "follow" people/interests by responding to them or by personally posting thoughts via Tweets.  The most interesting thing (and perhaps the best thing for teachers) about these tweets is that Twitter users can attach a # (a hashtag) and then a word to your tweet.  The hashtag acts as a label, sorting and filtering based on the hashtag.  For teachers this is GREAT! It's basically an online filing cabinet for every great idea that you came up with OR that you saw someone else come up with. Image the possibilities as a teacher to grow their personal PLN's through Twitter.  As the "Twitterverse" in general has grown, so has the 'educational side'.  

I have my own personal Twitter account, @taceyfacey, and I have recently began to follow some influential people in the "EduTwitter World".  I even participated in my own Twitter Chat.  A Twitter chat is exactly what it sounds like, a chat/conversation taking place via Tweets on Twitter. The educational world on Twitter has taking this Twitter chat to a whole new level.  Several of the most influential educational Twitterers have formed different kinds of Twitter chats based on educational topics.  For example, the most popular and influential chat that occurs is #edchat.  Basically, if I wanted to participate or just "watch" the chat, I could search for #edchat and see everyone's post who included the hashtag #edchat.  Then, if I find something interesting or have thoughts of my own I want to contribute, I either Tweet out or Retweet (copy) what someone has said.  Later, when I search my own hashtags for #edchat, I can see every great idea that I came up with or that someone else came up with that I retweeted.

I recently participated in my own twitterchat #flipclass.  The flipped classroom is something that is heavily discussed at NCSU.  Through several of these discussion I am very curious about the whole process and hope to one day incorporate it into my own teaching.  By participating in this chat, I was informally invited to participate in some Edcamps in my area.  Forming connections like the ones I formed within a short hour of tweeting, is how teachers grow and update their professional development and learn new techniques. Yes, jumping into the conversation may seem a bit daunting and possibly hard to follow, but practice makes perfect right? I see Twitter as the perfect way for teachers to update their PLN; its free, its easy, and its constantly updating/new.  If Twitter isn't you're thing, find something else.  There is no reason any teacher should not be online looking for new collaborative partners.  Another good site that I use for personal entertainment as well as PLN growth is Pinterest.

Go Ahead, Google Me

"Oh, I'll just 'Google' it!"

www.google.com

Google has transformed from a regular search engine to a powerful tool used in common everyday language.  The power of Google and "Googling" things ads a whole new dimension to our technologically based society. And as our classrooms begin to accept this new technology, how will they be affected by Google?

Talking about Google in the classroom offers a lot of different doors.  As a teacher, one could use this opportunity to talk about the validity of websites to teach students not to believe everything they see on the Internet via Google.  A good example or seg-way into this discussion would be to look at different googled websites and have the kids discuss and decide which is real and which is not.  The latest article about a scandal between Martin Luther King and Google is a pretty interesting fact you may want to mention to the class, being age-appropriate.

Another opportunity a teacher has with talking about Google in the classroom is Internet safety as a whole.  This topic of internet safety could be broken down into several different conversations such as cyber-bullying, cyber-safety, personal vs. private information, etc.  Upon thinking about ways to implement lessons on Internet Safety and Google, I 'Googled' myself to see what I would find.  While I'm not in the classroom yet, I am still working which means prospective employers still can Google my name to find out more about me. This is what I found:

1st page of 'Googling': "Tacey Miller"

2nd page of 'Googling': "Tacey Miller"

As you can see, there are quite a few websites that come up that are not me.  The two webpages that come up are my Pinterest account and my EDUCON account.  In the mini images bar, only two pictures of myself come up.  I have several other webpages and websites that I own and operate but they do not come up with you Google me.  I'm actually quite impressed on how I showed up in Google, I feel that if a possible employer were to Google me I would come up as acceptable.  I really like how (on the second page) my EDUCON account comes up.  As a future teacher, when things as career oriented and awesome as EDUCON come up via Google, I feel that it makes me seem educated about the field that I am planning on going into and could possibly score me bonus points.

To me, after 'Googling' myself and evaluating how I want to address internet safety and Google in my classroom I have decided in terms of information about me out there; Quality over quantity. I feel that it is really easy to have a lot of websites and webpages that come up when someone is 'googled' that might not be the best information to have as "public knowledge".  I feel that it is probably best for everyone to limit the number of webpages/sites that can be easily found about them via Google, AND make the ones that do come up really say something about them.  I think that if someone, like a possible employer, were to judge me based on what came up in Google, I like to think that they would think I was a girl who liked to craft and was interested in current events in education. (To me, that's a pretty good representation and it's not far off!)

What is this Digital Divide Stuff?

    The Digital Divide, and all things technology, have been in and out of the classroom.  We all know, as teachers and pre-service teachers, that no classroom is created equal.  There is diversity, among things like access and privilege, and technological tools were not exempt to these diversities among students.  The divide, as I understand it, is beginning to change.  Back when the divide was beginning to occur, with the new technology of calculators in the classroom, it was primarily about access, or so we thought.  Now, as access to technology and internet becomes more available and accessible, is access really the problem? Based on the previous definition of the digital divide, it should be closing right? The problem of access is narrowing so why isn't the digital divide? Through doing some research, I created my own digital divide infographic that will help clear the confusion of the term and provide some possible solutions to closing the gap.

   While this Infographic is way smaller than I would like it to be, you can still get the idea of what I was trying to create.  Basically, my infographic focused on some statistics that were broken down by three different categories (race/ethnicity-black, white, hispanic, household income- <30,000, 30,000-49,999, 50,000-74,999, 75,000+, and education attainment- no high school diploma, high school grad, some college, and college+). These categories were then compared to what several thousand people report using the internet for, these options were email, buying a product, using a social networking site, banking online, and searching.  I choose to focus on these statistics because I feel this is a prime example of how our digital divide gap is so wide.  The majority of people who use internet for social networking are of a minority group, lower income group, or lower education attainment group, whereas things like banking or searching are primarily dominated by white, higher income groups, and higher educational attainment groups.  If the minority groups, lower income groups, and lower educational attainment groups have access to internet but aren't being productive, they aren't closing the gap.  

   This is the prime example that just providing the poor with the same technologies as the rich will solve all problems.  We need to make sure minority, etc. families not only have reliable, productive internet access, but that they are trained in how to use it.  Simple programs, such as Microsoft Word, some families don't know how to use.  We need to match not only the quantity of technology in all families but also the quality.  Some solutions that I provide to help combat this divide include keeping public libraries and school computer labs open for longer periods of time.  I feel by doing this students and families have more access to better computers and software.  My other solution is to write/lobby to local school boards and government officials to try and revamp the system.  Other solutions that I've read about include providing cheaper Broadband internet to families with students on free/reduced lunch.  I believe it is steps like these that will close the gap in the digital divide, not just pouring/dumping more technology onto the hands that don't know what to do with it.

Waking up With Technology

   Technology and technological interaction is a huge deal in today's classrooms; from elementary to the university/college level.  As I mentioned in my last post, the term digital native generally refers to someone who has been completely immersed in technology since day one.  Since writing my last post I have begun to dive into looking at my own technology usage and what role technology has played in my life, forming my digital native-ness or not.

   Through speaking with my dad over the past 24 hours I have learned quite a bit about my own involvement in technology.  My parents worked in pretty technologically-driven careers as I was growing up, even though they don't have the word "computer" or "engineer" in them.  My dad, when I was growing up, owned his own printing shop, a franchised Sir Speedy.  My mom, at the time, was a CPA in a small firm, working with mostly "local celebrities" (she worked with several NASCAR teams, which to me was a big deal).  While neither of those jobs make you think of technology or technology usage, both were heavily influenced by technology.

   As my dad remembers, we jumped on the "bandwagon of technology" pretty quickly.  My dad grew up in a military family and he can remember his dad making sure that his family was well-equipped with the latest gadget.  My dad, I'm assuming, was brought up with this mindset and continued it with his own family.  While my dad was growing up, he remembers his first computer being a Tandy TRS-80, or a TRASH 80 as he called it.  The storage, as he remembers, for the Tandy was on a cassette drive.  He then said that he remembers upgrading to a Commodore Vic 20 and then a Commodore 64.  The storage for these computers used a floppy disk.  He remembers how the early machines did not come with software; you had to write your own.  While we were discussing his technological childhood he mentioned how he was never that interested in writing the "BASICS" for the computer, but his older brother loved it and wrote most of the software that was used in his household.  He was in high school when the Macs came on the market, which was a big deal because it was the only machine that came with a mouse and allowed for "click and drag".  He also remembers being required to take a typing class in the high schools computer lab which held two computers and a dot matrix printer.

Tandy TRS-80 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80

   Just by listening to my dad's history, before we even reached mine, was very fascinating to see how while he wasn't born with computers, but how quickly the education system seemed to revamp and include them in the curriculum.  As we discussed my own involvement with computers he basically said that I had access to a home computer all of my life, bouncing back between PC and MAC.  He said while I was younger, we had several simple software games that I could play but by the time I was interested in technology it was cheaper to buy gaming systems such as Nintendo and educational programs such as Leap Frog.  As the subject of educational games came up I remembered my own adoption of computers in elementary schools, that is about the earliest that I can consciously remember being on a computer.  We had a complete computer lab; a computer for every student and several printers.  The only software and class that I remember specifically working with/on the computers with was in my art class which is very interesting to me.  We had a program called Kid Pix that was an interactive paint studio.  

Kid Pix Studio

http://www.overstock.com/Electronics/PC-Kid-Pix-Studio-Deluxe/1477052/product.html

    The paint studio had many different features and we used them to create different types of art, from abstract-interactive pieces to portraits and landscapes.  I didn't just use the computers in Art, I was required to take a typing class and be able to use Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint.  However, the part of educational technology that stood out to me was my usage in art.  Now, as an adult, I always associate technology with creativity and freedom of expression.  I know several people's first thoughts are things like mechanical and productivity, and I still think of technology in these connotations, but my first thoughts are always back to creativity.  I think because no one thought of technology as a tool for art, my art teacher made it her mission to incorporate it as much as she could.  And in her defense, it worked.  Yes technology is great for productivity, but using technology to express yourself is even greater.  This is a revolutionary idea for most people, it was to my elementary self, which is why I think it stuck with me for so long.

To be or not to be a Digital Native

   The term Digital Native has begun to be thrown around a lot recently, from as small as in blogs to as large as national media attention.  All of these sources have varying ideas and beliefs about digital natives and how to teach them however I think we are all missing the most important question:

 WHAT ARE THEY?!

  The best definition I can find is that a digital native is someone who has literally been immersed in technology since the day they are born.  Even this definition is fuzzy.  For example, does this mean that digital natives can grow old? Or is the term specific to only young people?  Does immersed mean have access to and use on a daily basis or does it mean that it existed the same time as the "native"?  All of these questions and confusions surrounding the term "Digital Natives" has caused me to shy away from the term.
   The term was Digital Natives was first coined by Marc Prensky in the 1990's.  He described the term as almost exclusively the young who spend hours with technology on any given day.  He began to make huge jumps, saying that due to the massive amounts of technology, these digital natives' brains are actually beginning to be wired differently to those who did not grow up with technology, digital immigrants.  He then proceeded to say that while digital immigrants can become successful in using various forms of technology, their skill will never be able to match that of a digital native.
   After reading some  Presky articles and doing a little outside research of my own, I came to the conclusion that I don't believe in using the term "Digital Natives".  There are several dangers, if you will, surrounding what the term, digital natives, stands for.  For example, just the stereotype that revolves around the word, even for those who don't know what it means exactly, is dangerous.  In the classroom, if a teacher accepts this term, he/she may have a pre-notion that all the students coming in his/her classroom are proficient in technology (after all they are a digital Native).  This is absolutely crazy to me.  There is no way that a person can believe that every child they meet is going to be proficient in technology.  There are so many other factors that play into that; access to technology, the wealth and social status that surrounds technology, the interest in technology, etc. AND, if you want to take it a step further, what does "proficient in technology" mean? Many students may think that their ability to find the "next best game" or message their friends means that they are "proficient".  Proficient by the students' definition means nothing in the classroom.
   Today in class we held a debate about agreeing or disagreeing with the term Digital Natives (can you tell which side I was on).  However, I didn't start out to be so against the term.  I, at first, was sucked into what the term sounds like. well I have grown up with more technology than other generations, and for the most part I guess my generation knows more about technology, so I must be a native of the digital world. However, through reading critically of several articles and researching what others have thought about the term, my ideas quickly shifted.

   This comment made on yet another website arguing the term of digital native made the most sense to me.  The term Digital Native implies that only the young can be actual natives.  However, this guy, and myself, think that it is all in what one (any one, old, young, fat, purple) is used to.  The metaphor the guy is using in this comment is basically saying that teachers are automatized to the classroom environment, that's how they gained their "eyes" in the back of their head.  Students, for the most part, have become automized to technology, for some it's almost second nature.  A new teacher, who may not have those "eyes" will have to practice to automize his/her teaching and gain those "eyes".  If a teacher, or anyone for that matter, wants to connect with some of the students' automization to technology all he or she has to do is practice and become familiar.  Automization is practice not genetics.

The Day I Met Dr. Lodge

    When I think of integrating technology into my own classroom, my head begins to spin.  It seems that everyday there is a new tablet, phone, app, or tool coming out to better "integrate technology in the classroom".  My reservations about technological integration maybe due to some of my previous experiences with it.  As I was going through the education system, I had very few teachers who even dared to bring in any outside resources let alone technological resources.  My sophomore year in college I got my first taste technology in the classroom in the form of a 1:1 classroom.  I was taking an "Applied Childhood Development" class and every student got there own iPad for the semester. (And I was stoked!)  I am about as tech-savy as the average elementary student, I can work the internet, email, a few apps and a few word processing and organization tools.  I definitely am not able to use the various forms of technology up to their full potential.  Therefore, when I found out that I was now enrolled in a 1:1 classroom with iPads I was very excited to expand my technology skills.

HOWEVER, IT WAS A DISASTER. 

    Not to talk bad about the class, and I am taking into consideration the fact that WE (teachers included) are all learning the bumps that technology sometimes can have, but it was just not done right.  As I mentioned in my previous post, the iPads literally came with 10+ pages of apps with no instruction of how to use any of them.  While I know that exploration of how new technology works can provide good learning; 10+ pages of apps is a little overwhelming.  In terms of the usage of the technology in the classroom, it turned into every student surfing the internet/Pinterest as opposed to paying attention.  This scenario, I fear, is more common than not and the students are bored.  This experience has really tainted my view of 1:1 classrooms and technology in general in the classroom.

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    To me, technology is all about saving time, not taking more away from me.  Imagine if i actually looked at all those apps on that iPad; I would never have a life.  Additionally, technology is supposed to make things more fun, in turn, integrating technology in your classroom is supposed to make learning more fun.  At this point in my life, I thought that technological integration in the classroom hadn't been integrated properly yet.  There were just a lot of teachers with a lot a technology that they wanted to use, some more successful than others.  And then it all changed when I met Dr. Lodge.

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     I am a teaching fellow and by far my favorite forum that I have attended was on flipping the classroom with Dr. Lodge.  The main idea of flipping the classroom is to re-engage students through technology, which to me, is a perfect way to blend the abundance of technology that we have accumulated in our classrooms and educating our students.  Additionally, with all the time the teachers and students save by learning the basics of the unit at home, this allows more creativity and flexibility in the lesson plans for the teachers, which I hope in turn will encourage teachers to better integrate technology (possibly even re-visit the 1:1 model again).  It is as if this flipped model, in my eyes any way could help spark and inspire teachers to integrate technology in their classrooms.

YouTube - by Pocketlodge

    This model of "lecturing" as "homework" and actually learning/teaching in class (as opposed to managing) is probably my favorite model that I have seen so far.  I have done a few "mini flips" on my own but I am especially curious to see how effectively this model is integrated for myself.  If you follow Dr. Lodge's blog or site there are several teachers and even videos who rave about the success they have had with the flipped classroom model.  

SHOULD Technology and Education even meet?

   The question, should technology and education meet, is becoming a hot topic in the classroom and education arena.  There are many people who argue both sides of this question but, as our society progresses, there seems to be an overwhelming push to incorporate technology as much as we can in the classroom.

   I believe that technology should definitely have its place in todays classroom.  If not for anything else, it will at least give children some exposure to different types of media that they will definitely see in society.  In addition to just pure exposure, it gives teachers and educators another resource to use in their classrooms to bring some relevance to their lessons.  Technology, at least on paper, seems like the perfect blend of fun and "work".

   My experiences with technology has been rather slack.  I came from a school that was more than lacking in the technology department.  However, through working in and out of several different schools and doing a bit of research, I have witnessed the pros and cons of the incorporation of technology in classrooms.

Let's start with the Pros:

• The kids, especially at the elementary level, seem to really enjoy the technology (used correctly or not)
• Technology can provide another "angle" in which teach different topics and concepts to children
• Technology incorporation can help bridge achievement gaps between students by allowing students to go more at their own pace
• There are many grants that schools can apply for the be able to obtain several forms of new technology 
• Technology can help aid the teachers/administrators by providing more helpful ways of synching and organizing information
• Technology is constantly changing providing the chance for both the students to learn from the teacher as well as the teacher to learn from the students.

And the Cons:

• While technology can provide access to more tools for exploration in the classroom, technology also provides many ways for children to get distracted, i.e. the internet
• Technology also provides a new medium to teachers in which they have to find and prepare more relevant applications and tools for the students which can be hard and time consuming leaving teachers overwhelmed and frustrated
• The technology that may be needed to include ESL, Special needs programs, etc may not necessarily be covered under grants and can be very expensive
• Technology in general is very expensive, making schools really think about how to configure their budget
• Many teachers are going to need to take additional training to become fully equip with new technology which can be costly and time consuming
• Technology can fail

As we look at the pros and cons, the way I see it, of the incorporation of technology in classrooms I see a major theme; Money.

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  With Finland still topping the charts on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the US is feeling the pressure to "bounce back".  With the US not getting any better tests scores on the international level and NCLB failing, politicians are grasping at straws.  The latest straw they have gotten a hold of is technology.  There are numerous grants and federal programs offering to help schools pay for new technology.  While technology in the classroom obviously has many advantages to students and teachers, we aren't taking the time to implement it correctly.  Training for teachers, carful monitoring of students, professional workshops to give teachers the "best" applications to use in their classrooms, is what we should be focusing on to give technology a chance to work.  Technology dumping on schools is like giving a kid who doesn't know how to ride a bike, a new shiny bike.  While it may be awesome to look at, and maybe push it around, but that child isn't reaching the full potential fun-ness that he/she could be having because he/she doesn't know how to use it properly.

  I'm not trying to slam technology, I'm actually a big believer that educators should be incorporating technology into their classrooms.  However, I also believe that the US should not be using technology as it's crutch for bringing up tests scores on an international and national level.  If technology and educators can find the happy medium of technological incorporation without technological dumping I think it can be very successful in the classroom setting.  It will not fix all of the educational system's problems, but it can provide another tool to engage more students which, as future educators, is our real goal.