Final Thoughts

In my first eJournal, I saw technology through wary eyes. It seemed expensive, and risky, and complicated. My goals were find ways to overcome the frustrations posed by the language barrier, financial limitations, and lack of time present at St. Rose.

Through this course I feel I have come to a much better understanding and appreciation of technology. Twice a week, my class goes to our school’s computer lab for research, subject support, homework help, typing practice, or free/game time. Slowly, I am using more and more technology (beyond the overhead projector) in my classroom. We have made short movies and a few of my kids are becoming PowerPoint experts.

I’ve really enjoyed making the connections between educational research and theory to this course. I’m also now addicted to Wikis and am trying to find out if it’s possible to have a classroom Wiki at St. Rose.
Overall, this class has been a wonderful part of my first year of grad school and has been directly applicable to my teaching career—which I cannot say necessarily applies to other course I’ve been taking.

I want to continue working on webquests and wikis so that they become fluid and I will feel more comfortable teaching my own students how to create and respond to one.
Thank you for everything!
~Michelle

a-u-t-h-e-n-t-i-c. authentic.

I find that blogging can be more of a hassle than an advantage when it comes to practical classroom use. However, it can be used as a tool for authentic learning in some situations.

An 'A' quality blog would not only include in depth, personal reactions to assigned activities, but would include pictures, links, or other articles of information which reveal that a higher level of learning is taking place.

The skills for a good blogger would include the abilities to write clearly and concisely, to articulate their knowledge in a language that all readers can understand and discuss, and the abilities to garner interest without resorting to overly elaborate means (i.e. constantly flashing text, pop-up notifications,etc)


In order to guide students to produce "good" blogs an instructor must produce a clear and structured grading/expectations rubric. It is easy for students to get carried away or to get lost in the information, but with set guidelines and expectations, the students will always know what they should be working towards and accomplishing in order to earn an 'A.' The instructor should also monitor all posts throughout the week, so that inappropriate material is not posted. Specific consequences should be in place before blogging begins so that students are clearly aware of what results will ensue due to inappropriate action.
Instructors may come to expect students to blog about specific people or events that occurred in history for Social Studies, write an informative review of a book for English, analyze the merits of a scientific theory in Science, or create a multiple choice math test for their peers in Mathematics. The possibilities are endless, but the ability of the instructor to make sure that the blogging is carried out appropriately and that it truly illustrates authentic learning is what is truly important.

In regards to elementary and middle school blogging, daily journal entries and having an area to express questions or concerns might be the best utilization of student blogs.

As long as the resources are there, the instructor is organized, and the students are willing to take blogging seriously, then blogs are practical, authentic learning sites.

Lose Control

"Can you keep up?
Baby boy, make me lose my breath
Bring the noise, make me lose my breath
...
Can you keep up?

OOOh
I'm startin' to believe that I'm way too much for you
All that talk but it seems like it can't come through
All them lies like you could satisfy me,
Now I see where believing you got me
Gave you the wheel, but you can't drive me"

-Destiny's Child, Lose My Breathe

While this Destiny's Child song may be cheesey, it reminds me of how I felt as a student and how I feel challenged sometimes as a teacher. Pushing authority to keep up with you, realizing that you know more than the instructor, and seeing that even though the person in control has the power, they do not have the ultimate say over you. It's a great realization song.

Control is one of those issues that I feel all teachers fear at one time or another. The lack of control, the loss of control, too much control...it's a constant battle. In the classroom, a good teacher can always maintain control even when allowing their students to work on their own and manage themselves. The teacher can check what the students are doing, make suggestions, offer input, and help in any way possible. They (should) have full knowledge of the subject they are teaching and therefore do worry about being challenged by their students. However, technology challenges this security. I know for a fact that my 5th grade students know WAY more about technological gaming systems, online sites, and probably PDAs, such as Ipods, than I do. They exceed my technological expectations, and sometimes, that makes me nervous. Reading different articles which outline how easy it is to cheat using electronics has made me go to extremes when testing my students (i.e. desks turned, completely cleared, and for BIG tests, pockets emptied).

I know that when I was student teaching, one of my 11 year old students was burning movies off the internet, making his own animation, and creating complex websites. It was really cool. But, he was also overwriting school firewalls and looking at porn (yes, at 11 years old), stealing other students' passwords and posting inappropriate material, and illegally downloading pirated material. Luckily the school tech was able to trace the source and find out that this one particular student was behind everything, but I would have been CLUELESS otherwise.

How much control can we exert over a class in which the students have superior technological knowledge? I think keeping up with changing technology is imperative for teachers today, but schools need to make an effort to educate their employees to be aware of the potential electronic threats which exist.

Outside of technology, I believe it is important that students feel they have a small portion of control in the class because it gives them a chance to self-monitor, but in the case of technology, until the teacher feels that technology is as safe and controlled as their room, the students will always have the upper hand.

Post Numero Uno

the future, or how it relates to your teaching philosophy, or how it relates to your learning theory preferences, or how is used at your school or

Educational Technology (3 Haikus)

Computer goes bing
frustration flows freely now
what can I teach them?


Internet resource
is it really trustworthy
how can students tell?


Standard English here
students speak anything but
how to use the net?


Educational technology has been an integral part of my life for many years. All through high school and college I was expected to complete numerous tasks using multiple technologies. I learned amazing things and truly gained an appreciation for technology. Now, as a primary school teacher, I find it a little frustration trying to use the same technologies in my classroom. Suddenly language barriers, financial limitations, and a lack of time and materials make using technology a bigger headache than a thrill.

In the future, I hope to overcome these frustrations and find a way to make technology a positive factor in education for both me and my students.

Week 1 (getting a head start)

Well... I decided to get a head start on all of my assignments since I begin teaching at St. Rose at the same time grad school starts.

My head is whirling with assignments and activities. At least now I can check one off! Woo hoo!



~MM