Emerging Technology

A current technology that has emerged and submerged itself into our society is the iPad and iPad2.  This technology has taken over the way we communicate, learn, and view news today. 






This technology has also shaped learning and how some students learn in the classroom.  According to some experts, iPads have revolutionized the way kids learn today. Here at Davidson Middles School in Crestview, FL, our science department won a grant and has outfitted each student in advanced science with an iPad to use at school. The instructor has stated that students who used to hate science are now anxious to come to class because they get to use the device.

See below how the iPad has influenced math classes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/education/05tablets.html?pagewanted=all

The iPad hwoever, does not come without some problems.  Most school districts are in a budget crunch so it is hard to get the money needed to have this type of technology in schools.  In addition to that the right classes need to be selected for use and wifi has to be installed in the school if its not there already.  Another problem is filtering what the kids can access and what they can see.  Most schools have filtering systems but the extra precautions are needed with new technology.  The benefits to this is that students will get to use in the classroom tools that most of them use everyday at home. Students whose parents have iPads would have an advantage over those who don't have them in their household.  Therefore, we even the playing field when everyone is exposed to the same type of learning.  Another benefit is that the traditional classroom is given up for more advanced and higher level thinking which is where we want our kids to be in school.  As educators we owe it to the kids to provide them with the tools needed to succeed. If they have never worked on a computer what type of jobs are we setting them up to have?

According to Winnie Hu, "A growing number of schools across the nation are embracing the iPad as the latest tool to teach Kafka in multimedia, history through “Jeopardy”-like games and math with step-by-step animation of complex problems."(New York Times,, 2011) To stay a step ahead we must allow more technology in our classes and not be afraid to use it.  We must also find grants and benefactors to help offset the cost of providing this technology. Last,  we must insist that companies like Apple provide better pricing on these devices like the XO laptop, so that they can be brought into the classroom without breaking the bank.

Hu, Winnie(2011)Math That Moves: Schools Embrace the iPad.New York Times. Published January 4, 2011. Retrieved from 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/education/05tablets.html?pagewanted=all

Impact of Technology

As I look back on the way I studied in college in the 80's I know that technology has influenced the way I learn dramatically.  I was always one to take plenty of notes.  I didn't read a whole lot of textbook due to the type of notes I took from the professors.  Reflecting now I see that the way I learn has changed for the better.  Learning online has made me more aware of the subject matter that I study and I do a lot more research for facts. With the influx of the internet I can see how too much information can be detrimental to learning.  Not only does it affect my learning but it has affected the way I teach my classes.  I want them to know as much as possible but I want it to be accurate.  Checking and re-checking resources has been a time consuming matter but it makes the learning experience for me all the more interesting.  I never knew there were so many theories on learning out there. If there's one thing I 've learned it's not only to cite the source but verify the source.

Looking back on face to face to environments which for me was not to long ago, I see the need for it in undergraduate courses.  Students need to see the professor and believe what they are saying and trust them to give them correct information.  With an online  class its hard to trust someone you can't see.  Also, learning for me has become more in depth.  By that I mean that I take the time to understand everything and not just the parts that are pertinent to me.  I did that a lot in college.  Face to face environments, while purposeful, has its limitations. My attention span is not long so I can't sit and listen to anyone talk anymore.  I love learning at my own pace and getting information that I want out of the lesson.  The biggest difference in the two is collaboration.  I have communicated more with online students than I ever have in a F2F classroom and I have this new technology to thank for it. My communication skills have been increased and I express myself more online.  Is online better that face to face, I don't know but online sure is convenient.

Responded to http://minerclass.blogspot.com and http://edtheory7105.blogspot.com

New Technologies

About a year ago I tried to incorporate using blackboard in the classrooms.  Blackboard is an online tool that is used for classes to communicate and submit assignments much like we do in online classes.  I wanted the technology department in our school system to use it so that we could share ideas that help us in the classroom and provide more resources to give our students.  The use of blackboard would help tremendously because it could cut down on email and conference calls and most of all meetings that take hours to complete.  The first response was that it would take time because it had to be set up and everyone would need to log in and make comments and responses almost daily.  A few were not sure about using it because they were used to the old way of communicating through email and phone calls and most of all text messages.  I tried to explain the relevance of it.  If we use it we are more apt to get our students involved in using it and making it a large part of our curriculum.  If we display confidence in it then students will take to it more readily than if we look like beginners ourselves. Lastly, I informed them of the satisfaction they would get out of using it and not have to check emails all day everyday. They could simply check the communication board and see if their questions were answered or not.  While I did not have success in doing it, a few of us have adopted the use of blackboard and one by one others are joining us.  It has become a most helpful tool to my overall instruction.

Source:

http://www.arcsmodel.com/home.htm


Posted on learningsmarternotharder.blogspot.com and edtheory7105.blogspot.com

Network Connections

Networking through blogs, wikis and online collaboration chatrooms have changed my whole concept of learning. It has instilled in me that learning comes from everywhere and not just textbooks.  It allows me to open up my thoughts and not put limitations on my students when learning.  Everything they need to know does not exist in a textbook.  I have learned more and more that in my field of study (technology) the best lessons come from hands on work rather than paper and pencil assessments.

I have found that the best digital tools to use are those that are most comfortable to the user.  I am more comfortable using wikis as a learning instrument so it is what I use most.  The students are made comfortable because of its ease of use.  I believe that you cannot teach from something you do not know anything about.  Blogs are interesting in that they allow expression of thoughts as would an essay in the classroom. Digital tools are a mainstay in our learning community and should be used wisely and more often that it is in the classroom.
To learn new knowledge when I have a question I tend to first go to the internet.  I then use a variety of search engines to narrow down the information.  Then I have to decipher the good information from the bad information. Once this is done, I can ascertain which source to use as the information I need. I can also use email and chatrooms that cater to the subject. Since the information age has taken the educational realm by storm it provides the most useful information to educators.





Posted comments to minerclass.blogspot.com and  http://edtheory7105.blogspot.com/

Collaboration

Do you believe that humans have a basic instinct to “interact and work as a group?

As humans I believe our basic instinct is to do for self.  Interacting as a group only works if their is some type of outcome that must come from working in a group.  Most of us do not realize that in our everyday life we are working together even if we are apart.  I am one of those people that believes that I can do what needs to be done and I would rather not have any help.  While group collaboration promotes social interaction it also brings out those who would rather sit back and do nothing while everyone else does the work. "
Students working in small groups tend to learn more of what is taught and retain it longer than when the same content is presented in other instructional formats. Students who work in collaborative groups also appear more satisfied with their classes." (Davis, 1993)With that being said it is of great benefit for collaboration to occur.

How can technology facilitate collaboration among learners based on constructivist principles?   

"Constructivism refers to the idea that learners construct knowledge for themselves---each learner individually (and socially) constructs meaning---as he or she learns."(Hein, 1991) With the influx of technology learning the constructivist way becomes more complex. If learners are to construct knowledge for themselves then the internet will be a great hindrance to that fact.  With so many ways to acquire information it is harder now to do so.  The way to overcome that is to create problem based projects and lessons that require the student to want to learn more and want to do the research. If that is the case then the internet becomes a learning tool, like a book, and students will construct the knowledge they need to acquire.

Research Study

To see more on this subject and develop a more educational opinion on it please view the link below which tells of a study on constructivism and how it affects student learning.

http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~jmromero/juans%20docs/eportfolio%20docs/constructiviststudy.pdf




References

Davis,B.(1993)Tools for Teaching ;Collaborative Learning: Group Work and Study Teams.Jossey-Bass Publishers: San Francisco

Hein, G(1991)Constructivist Learning Theory.Retrieved from http://www.exploratorium.edu/IFI/resources/constructivistlearning.html.

How do people learn best?

I am of the belief that all people learn best by hands-on learning.  I think that you have to see it, hear it, feel it and do it in order to understand it.  In a perfect world it would be how we all learn best.  My opinion is mainly based on the fact that I am a kinesthetic learner so it is how I learn best. As an educator, I know that there are many learning styles and that each person learns differently.  Although, I know this I still believe that if you actually have an activity to enhance your learning0 you will learn it quicker. 

According to Rossiter (2006), answering three questions will help you understand how you learn best.

1. "How does my brain work? (or How do I think best?)
2. How do I process or retain information best?
3. How do I share what I’ve learned best?"

In addition to Rossiter I embrace the theory of Howard Gardner which states that "each person has the same capacity for learning; the difference is HOW they learn. All people have a strength in one (or a combination) of the following seven intelligences:

• Linguistic: interpreting words help them learn best
• Logical/Mathematical: math, numerical or logical processes help them learn best
• Movement/Kinesthetic: action or “doing something” helps them learn best
• Musical: musical patterns and/or performances help them learn best
• Spatial: using the patterns of open or tight spaces helps them learn best
• Interpersonal: understanding the meaning and intent of others helps them learn best.
• Intrapersonal: understanding one’s own feelings and motivations help them learn best."

 For more information on multiple intelligences go to the following link:

http://www.howardgardner.com/MI/mi.html

I believe that the purpose of educational technology is to enhance the learning environment and to embrace the digital age in which we live.  Learning cannot be stifled through the traditional means of education.  We must move forward and provide more rigor in classes in order for our students to compete in the global society in which they will be living on their own soon.

References

Rossiter, M.(2006)How do you learn best?Retrieved June 11, 2011 from

http://www.suite101.com/content/how-do-you-learn-best--a9003

Principles of Copyright

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yBQke4q9sI

Please click on the link above to view the power point on my topic.