Monday, January 28, 2013
Week 2 Posting
In the last two lessons you have seen samples of how to teach something on-line, whether technical stuff like html or general readings like history statistics etc and how to lead on-line discussion forums. Many educators say that the last great innovation in education was the invention of the printing press-that is until now. The world wide web is a new mode comparable to invention of the printing press.
The videos from lesson 1-2 'Did You Know' and 'Help desk' both address these questions. The first video ends with the words
'Shift Happens'
This refers to a shift in education. Discuss these points of the videos. Do you agree with this? What do you think of the affect of technology on education or teaching? Has it affected how and what is being taught in the school? Will it in the future? How has technology affected you? Do you put things (publish) on the internet?
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When interacting with any group of students, or people for that matter, you need to understand your audience and gear your lessons toward them. As we all can attest to, there are teachers out there that refuse to learn their audience and continue to teach the same way they have for ten, twenty, or even thirty years. The world has changed immensely in the past 30 years with the widespread use of personal computers, cell phones and the internet. Now our students may be communicating more online than in physical reality. If we use this information to our advantage we can use the internet to reach them on their own level.
ReplyDeleteWhen we apply this to ourselves we can understand that what we are learning in Kean, or anywhere else, right now will become outdated very soon. However, the broad concepts that are carried through the classes should always be relevant.
When addressing the question of whether or not i publish on the internet I have to say not as much as others. I do not have a facebook or many other popular social medias. Twitter is mostly limited to receiving information with few exceptions. I have used the internet for retail purposes though. I headed a kickstarter project that was successful and recently launched my own, very simple, website.
Jorge, an amazing way I saw technology used just this semester was with a professor who poses a question to the class and asks everyone to text their answers to a google voice account. When everyone answers, he goes over the answers with the class. Everyone can answer indepent of what others would have said if students spoke one at a time... you know, when they feel, "Someone else said it, why should I say anything now?" or "I don't want to look stupid so I won't say anything."
DeleteAnson, I had the professor who used this technology last semester and I loved the idea. It is like a holding up your answer on a small dry erase board but without knowing who wrote it. The only downfall is that not all students have cellphones and are not allowed to be used in schools. I plan on teaching middle school math and I know the school I would like to teach at does not allow phones in the classroom.
DeleteBernadette/Anson, there are other types of similar setups. There are classroom response systems that allow teacher to do a wide range of things, from taking attendance to assessments. It's really neat. The one site that comes to mind is iclicker.com. The downside is that they can be costly. I'd recommend creating a donorschoose.org account when you start working for a school district and write a grant to have one donated to your classroom.
DeleteJuan - I like your comment. Thanks! I will keep this in mind and look into it.
DeleteBernadette and Juan,
DeleteI took a nursing class in which every student was given a clicker. When posed with a multiple choice question, it is effective, but costly. In an elementary-high school setting, i would recommend, say, transparencies with dry erase markers. It would be cost effective and can be placed on an overhead projector.
Another idea for multiple choice polling would be color chips... each color corresponding to an answer. Students can drop a chip into a bag and then tallied.
Indeed, these ideas take longer than the high tech ways, but when you have to make due with what you've got...
I have a professor like that this semester. I have him for the theory and practice of teaching science. His name is Dr. Baldwin and he showed us the whole cell phone form of teaching. I love it and helps you as the teacher keep track of what your students are thinking while incorporating technology in your classroom.
DeleteThe world is changing and new technology is being invented everyday. As the world changes and technology grows, education must also. The video suggests that American education is lagging behind the growth of technology. Students are influenced by technology and have access to it constantly. If used properly, technology can be very beneficial students.
ReplyDeleteTechnology has an affect on how and what is being taught in school. Technology changes the role of both the student and the teacher. The teacher acts more as a facilitator of learning. The teacher outlines the goals and guides the student through the lesson. Students have a more active role un a technological classroom. The students conduct the research and analyze their data. The student works more independently from the teacher.
Technology has affecte me in so many ways. I have access to the web 24/7 thanks to the smart phone, I take online courses and I can video chat with distant relatives Amin thee things. As for publishing on the Internet , I have used Facebook.
I one hundred percent agree with shift happens because the world as we know it today, is moving into a technology shift. Day by day our technology is being updated and one day the students that we teach will have a so called one-up against us in the world. That is one of the reasons why it is vital that technology be included in the classrooms. It could be one of the most valuable aids in the classroom. Instead of there being just one reason why this should be included in the classroom, there are in fact many. Technology in general is affecting the way our youth's learn from smart boards to our smart phones. Students want the connection with electronics in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteThis way of thinking has tremendously affected the way I'm being taught in school. When I first started college professors were using transparencies. Now that I have class in the Stem as a graduate you cannot walk into a classroom without a professor displaying a PowerPoint on the over-head while using a smart board at the same time. After understanding again that shift does happen, one could conclude that technology will be used in a similar if not more advance way in the near future.
Technology has affected me because when I wake up and leave my house, I'm under the common agreement with myself that I am one lost soul without his android. People text, Facebook, call, and email me on this device. During my leisure time I enjoy playing online video games. Another thing that I notice is no matter what your applying for now-a-days, everything is online whether it be via school or job application. As Amy said before me, having unlimited access to the web 24/7 is an awesome privilege. I say privilege because many of us found out how lost we were without our technology during the Sandy.
Jarred,
DeleteWow, you brought back memories by mentioning transparencies. I, too, remember the “good old days.” Like you said, the technological changes in education are happening so fast. I assume that many on this board are educators or soon-to-be educators. However, I am not an educator, yet. So, I do not have first-hand knowledge of all the changes currently happening. From what I hear, K-12 schools use internet websites for homework, tests, and grade submissions. These are drastic advancements from my student experience.
As for the Android, I have not caught-the-fever, yet. I am still waiting for a way to get a smart phone without the data plan. I think I may have a long wait!
As technology advances, the means for disseminating information increases. Inversely, the amount of time it takes for the information to be spread decreases. Ancient humans migrated across the globe in terms of centuries, even millennia. Animals pulled wagons with wheels to move people from their land to another people’s in terms of years. Boats allowed people to cross small bodies of water to find new, exotic places. Ships brought people across oceans in terms of months. Railroads crossed continents in weeks. Automobiles, soon after, crossed those same continents in days. Airplanes made this trip in hours.
ReplyDeleteBesides physically transporting people to new places to share ideas, technology allows disembodied ideas to be transmitted. Smoke-signals sent pre-arranged messages to neighboring communities. Pictographic and written languages made messages transportable when the message sender couldn’t deliver the message himself. The printing press sent the same message to many people, far and wide. Every photographic image replaced a thousand of those typed words allowing people to see for themselves. The telegraph sent signals very rapidly over electrical wire. While the phonograph stored the sounds of a person’s message for many people to hear later on, the telephone transmitted the same message to a lucky listener almost instantly. The kinetoscope paved the way for motion pictures while “talkies” brought the sounds and images together to give a more complete message. Television allowed these sights and sounds to be sent to many people all at once instantly. The internet lets people go to the information they want, when they want, instantly.
I feel there are a number of positive and negative potentials in technological advancement of information exchange. These issues are not about the technology itself, but with the users of the technology. When I studied computer science back in 1992, my professor used to remind me, “GIGO – Garbage in, Garbage Out. A computer only does what it’s instructed to do and is only as smart as the user.” More importantly, the user’s power to access such vast amounts of data on whim leads me to quote the movie Spiderman (2002), “With great power comes great responsibility.”
The convenience of doing my homework in any location at any time I choose does provide great latitude in my schedule. With my research only clicks away, I never have to worry that the book I need is checked out, that the library is closed, the materials I want are at a library far from home, or that I need to make another trip for another book I didn’t realize I’d need. Surfing from topic to related topic is quite easy, without the need to go back to a card catalog. Enormous amount of information can be learned on a lazy Saturday without ever getting out of bed.
The ease of putting information on the internet provides for the most current information to be readily available. Without the need to wait to compile numerous articles, do the layout and design of a journal, proofreading, printing, finishing, and distribution, information can be shared immediately with the world. Being privy to the latest information makes the learning experience more valuable.
Search engines can often bring up quick answers to straight-forward questions easily by entering in keywords. The quote above, “With great power…” has stuck with me for a long time, but I didn’t remember where it was from. Googling (now an accepted verb!! ha!) “great power comes responsibility” yielded an answer to my question and my ability to reference it. Ten years ago, I would have written such a paragraph as, “I remember hearing once… but I don’t recall who said it.”
The multimedia aspect of the internet provides greater learning approaches for students. More visual learners can find videos, sound recording, animated diagrams, and interactive pages. Interactive pages afford immediate feedback which further enhances the learning experience.
Conversely, access to so much information can be overwhelming. With so many suggested sites, sifting through data to find reliable information can be a hassle. With so much extraneous information at the fingertips, going astray is quite easily done.
DeleteMultimedia can be misused as an end to a means rather than a supplemental aid. Reading and writing skills seem to be worsening from lack of practice. Far too many students are graduating high school in June and attending college in September with developmental reading and writing on their class schedules. If those with aspirations of a college degree are lacking in language skills, what is to be said of those who are not even looking at going to college?
Access to all this information on small, handheld devices leads to the issue of academic integrity, cheating. As a teaching assistant, I have numerous times brought to the attention of the professor a student attempting to access data on a phone during a test. In this case, the technology is being sorely abused.
Plagiarism runs rampant with students copying and pasting information from webpages (without citing) and purchasing of papers from entrepreneurs who have stock-papers on common topics or can create custom papers for a little more money.
Educators will need to find ways of ensuring that students use the power of the internet and other technologies for good rather than evil. As science, literature, and history, continue to grow in terms of the amount of information, new topics of study can always be added to the curriculum. The manners in which they are taught will undoubtedly change as well. From mimeographs to Xerox copies to PDF’s posted online, information will always find new, innovative ways into the classroom.
Beside this online course, I have taken hybrid courses which contained classroom instruction along with online aspects, such as WebCT. Currently, I assist a few professors with putting their handouts and assignments on Blackboard, another online platform. This course has inspired me to create a webpage for my job as coordinator of the biology open labs. Rather than providing tons of handouts in the open lab, which students lose and always want another, I will put all information online so they can print it themselves or access it paperlessly and when they want without having to come in when I am on duty. I am looking forward to learning more about web publishing in this course for me to enhance the learning experience for the students I work with.
On a personal level, I rarely put anything on the web. I have Facebook so I can be found by people (like from high school), but I do not post statuses anymore. At first, I thought it was fun, but quickly noticed the minutiae that people were posting and the lack of direct interperson skills people possessed. I prefer conversations of greater substance and in-person.
Sorry, folks... I didn't realize until I had already typed everything that there was a limit! I promise my answers will be less than 4092 characters from here on out... but since I wrote it already, I didn't want to waste it. haha :c)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree that shift happens. Technology has changed education is many ways. Teachers and students have immediate access to a great deal of information. Remember grammar school? I’d ask my teacher a question and they would respond with something like “look for the answer in your book” or “go to the library and find out.” Nowadays you can “Google” the exact question that you have and get hundreds of answers to your question within seconds. There is no more visiting the library and being referred to the card catalog.
ReplyDeleteTechnology is important. I personally feel that it improves the overall quality of education. The use of technology in the classroom, if used properly, can make teaching difficult concepts simple, by making lessons engaging and memorable.
Technology is an important part of my life. I would be lost without internet access, my nook, my phone…I cannot image a world where these things do not exist. I publish things constantly on the internet, specifically pictures, videos and thoughts via Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. I have also published a few powerpoint lessons via www.authorstream.com.
The ‘help desk’ video was hilarious. It goes to show you how change affects people. It may cause doubt, frustration, and fear. The man in the video was afraid he would lose text. This video is similar to how some people I have met use a computer for the first time. This helpdesk video is exactly how people who begin to use a computer act. One of my older co-workers was working on his computer and then it crashed. Our boss told him to reboot it and my co-worker said to our boss, “I am not capable of doing such thing.” I smiled and went back to work. As educators, we must embrace change and helps students focus on becoming successful contributors of society.
ReplyDeleteIn the ‘shift happens’ video, the points that stood out to me was that our world is changing rapidly and we need to adapt. Technology is advancing exponentially. Education in the United States is not. It was interesting to note that Nintendo spent double on research and development to what the U.S. Federal Government spent on research and innovation. It is no wonder why we are mediocre. As educators, we must keep abreast of the latest technology and utilize it to help students succeed and become competitive in the world. We must have higher expectations for them. I believe in utilizing technology in the classrooms, whether it is a smart phone, computer, calculator, etc. The effect of technology on education allows students to have access to the world at their fingertips. There are interactive websites, videos, programs from which the student can learn. When I did my first research paper in high school, my references were actual physical books, journals, newspapers and had to write out my bibliography/reference. Now, everything is on-line; I am able to research information in less than half the time and I use an EasyBib program that lists bibliography info needed and all I do is copy and paste. The downfall with technology is that you depend on it too much. For example, I have become a terrible speller because I utilize spell check. I do not enjoy writing a thank you note anymore because I cannot use spell check. Like my other classmates, I have a Facebook account that I use to keep in touch with family and friends (local and international). I also have a LinkedIn, MySpace and a YouTube account to name a few. I also created a website for my Math Tutees. You may check it out if you want https://sites.google.com/a/kean.edu/bennett-math-tutor/home. I will definitely create a website for my students when I become a teacher.
Hi Bernadette,
DeleteI agree with you that people, especially older folks, are so scared to try new things. I guess it is just human nature to be afraid of the unknown, and resistant to change. Honestly, I am to some degree apprehensive about unfamiliar things. However, I usually come around to accept changes.
Also, thank you for bring EasyBib to my attention. References, citations, bibliographies, etc. give me one big headache. I can never remember the proper way to create them.
In the video, “Did You Know,” the take-away for me is that nothing stays the same; there is always continuous growth happening in many facets of life. As such, technology continues to grow – progressing beyond its prior stages of development. Stagnation is not an option in life, nor is it an option in education. Educational tools, instructional methods, etc. change, or “shift” over time. “Help desk” makes the point that humans are resistant to change, typically. The discomfort with new concepts, methods, and practices, et cetera is to be expected. Innovation requires champions to facilitate acceptance of the unfamiliar. Therefore, changes in educational-instruction models that migrate towards greater technology incorporation require leaders to be resolute during the transition from old to new.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings on all the technological changes going on in education, right now. From a student-perspective, technology is the “greatest thing since sliced-bread.” For example, online courses offer the student the ability to enroll in courses he/she may not otherwise be able to take. Physical presence at a particular location, at particular time is no longer a factor in the decision process. However, from the instructor-perspective I recognize the potential for greater job destruction. The efficiencies offered by technology in terms of reduced personnel are not necessarily a welcomed reality from an employee’s view.
In terms of what is taught in educational institutions, I do not think that technology has constricted subject matter, content, etc. If anything, technology has expanded availability of information, and has enhanced the educational experience. I believe the future of technology will greatly increase the opportunities to attain greater knowledge as the world becomes more-and-more connected.
Personally, technology has been a very positive experience, especially in terms of educational instruction. As mentioned before, I have availed myself of several online courses. I am an ardent supporter of them. In contrast, I am not inclined to publish content on the web. I am still somewhat hesitant as I do not adequately understand the pros and cons.
The "Shift Happens" video demonstrates that the world is changing more rapidly than ever due to the advancement of technology. We as a nation are part of a global population and find ourselves cooperating and competing with other countries now more than any other time in history. Many of these nations are staking a larger claim in the world economy by getting the most out of their natural resources, which include their abundant populations. The way to get the most out of a nations citizenship is through education. The United States must realize that changing times require changes in methodology and attitude toward education. I believe these changes are beginning to materialize and this is an extremely fascinating and exciting, albeit challenging, time to be an educator in this country.
ReplyDeleteThe "Help Desk" video humorously demonstrates that all technology was new and "scary" at one point and represents the need for thouroughness and patience when teaching any concept or technology. No matter how simple the objective may seem to you now, when something is new or at least new to someone else, we must make sure that it is truly and completely understood by the learner.
It is apparent that technology is the wave of the present and will only grow exponentially in the future. If education is preperation for a lifetime of learning, we would be doing our children a huge disservice to not consider it a main focus in our schools.
How has technology affected me? I do enjoy all the benefits and conveniences that come with it, however, I suppose like most people my age I struggle a bit to keep up with it. I'm still getting used to my Smartphone after two months and I am working through some complications with this weeks assignment of putting together my first web page. I am determined and optimistic though, as well as looking forward to becoming more technologically savvy through this course and other means in the future. As far as publishing goes, I haven't done much. I had a Myspace page when it was popular and I did have a little fun with that. I have a Facebook page now but I hardly bother with it. I did publish a Powerpoint presentation on the Industrial Revolution last summer for my Computers in School Curriculum I class but that's about the extent of it for now.