What I Learned This Quarter TIE300

   The first day of class, we were asked what we would rate ourselves in terms of computing. I remember very clearly that I gave myself a 5 out of 5 points. I thought I knew everything about technology and computers, but this class proved me wrong. I found it very challenging but exciting.

            I feel I have learned a lot this quarter. Some of the things I learned about were TPACK, Diigo, Twitter, Google Docs, VoiceThread, how to make videos, and the importance of technology in the classroom. These were some of the things I learned this quarter. There were many other important things I learned about, but these are the ones that I liked the most.

            This class opened my thoughts and expanded them. It enabled me to think beyond my comfort zone and reach even further. It helped me think out of the box and enabled me to think about technology in a completely new different way. This happened when I learned about TPACK. It showed me that education and technology should not be seen as separate, but interrelated. It gave me a new perspective about how technology can be and should be integrated into teaching.

            Another thing I learned about is to be organized. Before this class, I did not know how to manage websites. This quarter I learned about Diigo. This tool helped me stay organized with the websites I was using for different assignments, homework, and other personal things. Another thing that helped me stay organized is Twitter. I never imagined that this social site would help me stay informed about the latest information in an organized way. I created a list that helped me group people by interest instead of having everybody’s posts on the same page.

            Not only did I learn about how to be organized but about different important tools that will benefit me as a student. Some of these are Google Docs, Voicethread, and Prezi. Google Docs gave me the opportunity to create and edit documents anywhere. In addition, I learned that I could edit the documents, as many times as I want and they will automatically update. Another thing I used was VoiceThread. I think this might help me with some presentations. I can see myself using this tool to create videos and presentations with voice narrations. The last thing I used was Prezi. Although Prezi was not part of the assignments given in class, I had the opportunity to use it for my Smart Table presentation. I even added a video to it, something I had never tried before.

I learned a lot this quarter. These were the most memorable things I learned how to use. I also think that I will be using these tools in the future. Not only did I learn about new technological tools, but also about the importance of technology in the classroom. As a future teacher, I think it is very important to include technology in the classroom. This class gave me a better understanding of how important this is in today’s world. We are attached to technology; it has become the main way to connect to each other. As a teacher, I need to find ways to stay informed about the latest inventions and figure ways to incorporate them in my classroom. This will benefit the students who will be exposed to them at a very early age. This will also benefit others in the future who might learn from the children I teach today. Thanks to this class, I can see myself as a teacher who will integrate technology as much as possible in her classroom. 

Resources: 

Explore Diigo

Explore Voicethread

Explore Prezi and "start zooming!"

Copyright Law And Technology In The Classroom

 

            

      Everyday, people use information from different sources. We use this information to transmit things we learned and that we want others to know about. Even in the littlest thing, we use information from other people. Sometimes, law shelters this information and it can get us in trouble if we do not use it correctly. The law protects creators and works. At the same time, it seeks a balance so this information can be open to the public. Other things are not protected by copyright. These include facts and ideas. A common term about the improper citation and use of someone else's information, generally when writing a paper, is plagiarism. I always remember that all of my English teachers would tell me: “If it is not a fact or something that everybody knows, cite it.” This helped me remember that the information I gather from different sources is protected and that I should give credit to the words and ideas of their creator. Personally, I would not like to know that someone claimed something I created or invented as his or her own work. It would not be fair.

            It is important to give credit to other people’s work. This will keep you out of trouble with copyright laws. A good thing to keep in mind is that if it is not yours, give credit to the creator. The more you are informed about copyright law, the easier this gets.

            One of the things that have opened the door to information in many ways is the internet. This also applies to the use of technology in the classroom also. The internet allows us to share and find vast information. One should be careful with the use of the internet and technology in the classroom and in any other setting. Copyright law protects most of the information we find on the web. Some of the things that can get you in trouble, and the most common one, is to download copyrighted material. Most teachers use videos to enhance a lesson for visual and auditory learners. They should be careful to use material appropriately and legally. One of the ways a teacher can minimize the risk of violating the copyright law when using a video is to use an original DVD or ask for permission from the author. This issue may affect me too, as a teacher, when I plan to incorporate the use of videos in my classroom.

            Another thing that might affect me as a teacher is the use of music media in the classroom. I might plan an activity that requires me to use a certain song. The easier way to get the song would be to download it. If I am not careful, I might end up downloading copyrighted material. This is just an example of how the copyright law may affect my use of technology in the classroom. After learning about this issue, I see myself being more careful about the way I found and share information with my students. In addition, I will be careful on how I use technology in my classroom without breaking the copyright law. 

Resources:

Schools, the internet, and copyright law.

Copyright law in Illinois

Copyright and Fair Use

Media Literacy and Its Importance

   

            When thinking about media and literacy as separate concepts, many ideas come to my mind. Media refers to all the means of mass communication, for example: television, radios, newspapers, etc. The term literacy is more obvious, it is the ability to read and write. When these two terms combine to create media literacy, its meaning becomes very clear after we defined each separately. Media literacy is the ability to understand, interpret, evaluate, and create media. It is more than a process; it reaches every part of our lives.

            Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media. It is the ability to understand and evaluate the meaning of symbols transmitted through media. Many parents think of this as a thread for children. It is impossible to protect children from the impact that media literacy has in their lives. What we can do, as educators and parents, is to teach our children how to approach this. It is important to help children think critically when they encounter it. This will help them control the impact it has on their vulnerable minds and take control over the situation.

            Now days, it is important to help children develop skills to know how to analyze critically everything that has to do with media literacy. That is a reason why this skill has become a part of standards used in all classrooms of every state. This standard reads: “1. Understands the main idea or message in visual media (e.g., graphics).”  It can be applied to language arts, social studies, and many other subjects. It can become a way to use critical thinking skills and practice them.

            By using these skills, children can develop many other skills. One of them is to think critically. This helps children know the real meaning behind something they found in any type of media. In addition, it helps them identify marketing strategies. Children are always exposed to marketing. When they are left alone watching TV, advertisements are mixed with their favorite shows and they do not even know it. Then, children are bombarded with advertising information that makes them loose focus of what they were doing or may want. Overall, these skills can be enhanced through the use of critical thinking on media literacy.

            Media literacy can be an ally or a thread to parents and teachers. It is our responsibility to take advantage of this and to turn it into a learning opportunity. We cannot prevent our children to be bombarded with information. On the other hand, we can equip them with skills that will help them dodge the wrong information. 

Resources:

Visual Literacy

Why is Media Literacy Important?

What is Media Literacy? 

Second Life Experience

Everybody loves video games. I remember playing Mario Bros when I was little. Then, I moved onto playing The Sims and in other virtual worlds. These virtual worlds were very interesting. They offered me the opportunity to create and experience unimaginable things. One of these was to connect with people around the world and learn about other cultures. This is what got my attention most of the times I decided to create an account in a virtual world game. Today, I thought those days were gone. I thought I had move onto creating and experiencing those unimaginable things in the real world. I would have never imagined that, after almost a decade after, I would be experiencing this as part of a class.

This quarter, I was introduced to Second Life, a virtual world. I had never heard of Second Life before this class. My instructor introduced me to it. At first, I thought it was going to be something boring and pointless. I never imagined that this “game” could have a lot more to it.

 My second life experience was very interesting. I was able to create my own avatar and adjust its appearance as many times as I wanted. In addition, I had the opportunity to visit several worlds. This was the most interesting and exciting part of it. I thought that the design of each world was very well designed. There were some worlds I had the chance to visit that had museums built in them. Other worlds had “classrooms,” houses, planets, islands, beaches, and many other things. Also, I had the chance to meet with people I knew as well as with people from around the globe.

Meeting people from other places seemed exciting at first, but when a teacher decides to use this space as an educational tool, it may have its constraints. I observed that there were people who were there to socialize and learn from each other. Yet, there were others who had different intentions in mind. I did not get to see the worse of this game, but I read some reviews that explained the different cautions one has to have if intended to have children create accounts on this game. Nevertheless, I think that as long as they are supervised, this could be a good learning experience for students.

In addition to the avatar and worlds, I had the opportunity to create something. I used some tools to create shapes. I created a cylinder that later looked like a tunnel. I had in mind that I could use these tools to help my students learn about shapes. This could be a good learning experience for them. They could use the shapes to create many different things like bridges, for example. In addition to the tools, I think that the classrooms could be beneficial for teachers. It could benefit those who are teaching students in other parts of the world. It can be a way to connect and learn. Second Life offers the opportunity to create and share charts and videos. This could be useful for any teacher.

Overall, my experience with Second Life was very fun. I had the chance to look around and learn about the different things it offers. It has its pros and its cons. I think that this could be used as an educational tool as long as the children are being supervised at all times. It can also be used as a social tool to meet new people. Regardless of the intentions, Second Life could be a place for everyone. 

Resources:

Second Life

Eloise Pasteur Educational Designs - Second Life Skills Communicating

Benefits of Second Life in Education

Technological Affordances and Constraints in Terms of Education

      As mentioned many times in most of my previous posts, technology plays a very important role in our society and in education. This trend is impregnating our schools and it is becoming one of the major teaching methods. It is also becoming the center of future educational goals. Current learning standards, the use of standardized tests and their credibility, along with current views of the important goals in education are been reviewed. In the near future, classrooms will be transformed from the usual picture, of a bunch of students sitting behind a desk waiting to be filled with information and strategies to achieve a decent score in standardized tests, to a revolutionized setting in which social and meaningful skills for adulthood readiness predominate.

     These changes may take years to occur, but they are currently being reviewed. Classrooms are affected by teacher’s use of materials and pedagogy. The type of instruction used by teachers affects children’s learning. This includes the way teachers focus their attention on tests rather than preparing their students for future “real life” challenges. Another factor that affects experiences in children is the use of technology. Learning should be nourished in a social, active, and reflective setting. Most of these are lacking in our schools today. Luckily, with the review of current educational goals changes may be made to create ways in which technology will complement education as an affordance. This means that technology may play a role in education as a “possibility for action” (Affordances of Second Life for Education, Cunningham & Harrison).

      Technology as an affordance in education means that teachers will find ways in which they can take advantage of technological tools, modify their uses, and fit them into their curriculum in ways that will help students develop skills. The article “Affordances of Second Life for Education emphasizes the use of technology in the classroom as a way to enhance communication and collaboration. Another advantage, or affordance of it, is to offer simulations in which students can acquire skills in different settings. These types of experiences can be practiced with the virtual game Second Life. This game, as well as many other technological resources, can be modified from their original goal to be used as educational tools. One of the uses that came into my mind after reading about this game was that it might help students with special needs. This game could be a way in which students who need a wheel chair can explore the digital world and feel at the same physical level as their classmates. This is only one idea but there could be other benefits for children with special needs. Other technologies that can be transformed into affordances are digital gaming, Facebook, Ebooks, Blogs, etc. The idea is to mold them and make them fit in our classrooms as teaching resources.

     These affordances, like many other things, have their cons. These can be referred to as constraints. Technological constraints in terms of education mean barriers, or downfalls, in the use of these affordances as teaching methods. For example, some of the constraints of Second Life as a teaching tool could be the accessibility to other “islands” within the game that could not be age appropriate. There could be other constraints about this and other technological tools. That is the reason why teachers should be well informed and be familiar with whatever technology they will be introducing to their students. This could be a way to prevent or diminish constraints of technology in terms of education. 

Other Resources:

• Patient Stimulation in Second Life video offers a good example of how this virtual "game" can be applied to education (nurse training).

• Try second life and find out new ways of incorporating it into your classroom.

• Other affordances include the use of ebooks and stories read aloud. 

Flipped Classrooms

     Most teachers are used to giving lectures. This means that information is distributed evenly for all students. This teaching technique has being implemented in schools for years. It may be considered the right way to teach. Yet, there are others who have come to change this view.
     Times are changing, so is our society and the way we communicate with others. Technology is also taking a major role in our lives and the way we communicate. Teaching is a way of communication. It is a way a teacher shares information about anything to the students. Therefore, everything that affects communication affects teaching too.
     In my last post I talked about TPACK. I explained what it is and how technology can be applied in the classroom. This time I would like to talk about a new teaching model called Flipped Classrooms. This new model also involves the use of technology.
     A flipped classroom is one in which the teacher assigns lectures and/or videos for the students to watch at home. Along with these, a series of quizzes help the students see if they understood the concept. In this phase of the homework, the students are able to evaluate their understanding of the lecture. In case they did not understand a concept, they are able to watch the lecture again, pause it, or press forward to key points. This helps students who are fast and slow learners to study and learn the concepts at their own pace.
     All of these activities are done at home. The next day, children to go to school to apply what they learned from the lecture. The teacher might have some activities or projects so students can apply what they know, test themselves, and receive immediate feedback from the teacher. The teacher benefits by knowing where their students are at and where they need help.
     Teachers who are using this teaching method provide an interactive atmosphere in the classroom. Children are able to socialize, discuss, experiment, discover, get guidance from the teacher, and many other things. This type of classroom helps those students who are visual learners, those who learn doing hands-on activities, and all other types of learning styles.
      The way I would use this idea of Flipped Classrooms would depend on the grade I am teaching and the topic we are learning about. I do not think that this method could be used for all topics. Nevertheless, I think I would try to find ways to incorporate it in my classroom.
     After learning about Flipped Classrooms I was very excited to plan an activity. This could be an activity for first graders. For example, we are learning about volcanoes. For homework I might ask them to watch these videos about volcanoes and plate tectonics.



 

 

 



     Then, in the classroom we might discuss what they learned about volcanoes and how they form. We might have group activities and a project. The project would be making our own volcano. Other assignments might be quizzes to see if they learned the concept well.

This is an example of how I would use the concept of Flipped Classrooms in my teaching.

 

 

Other Resources and Information on Flipped Classrooms

 



-Technology in the Flipped Classroom

-Learning From The Flipped Classroom

-Flipping The Classroom

Important Best Practices For Technology in Education

Over the years, the way teachers educate their students has changed. One of the factors that has influenced a change in education is technology. The implementation of it has been adapted little by little. There was a time when books, pencils, colors, and notebooks were the main resources for teachers and students. Years later, other tools like the typewriter and the computer came to revolutionize classrooms. With the computer came other more sophisticated tools and programs. All of these have influenced teachers on transforming the way classrooms work today. Without noticing it, technology has shaped the way some teachers approach their students and parents,how assessments are done, and even how children unfold in the learning community.

Along with innovation came the responsibility of using the available technological tools in a proper manner.
The idea of best practices for technology in education involves the implementation of technology in beneficial ways for students and teachers. The article Best Practices in Education Technology by Charles Fadel offers a detailed list of techniques used by some teachers around the globe that are revolutionizing the way students learn. According to this article, there are different tools being used for taking education to a new level. The best way technology is being implemented in schools is as a support for learning. Rafi.ki and NotSchool are two of them. The first brings together a community of learners around the world to learn about local and global issues. This enables learners to be aware of diversity and appreciate different point of views. NotSchool is being implemented as a way to reengage students and places them as researchers and administrators of their own learning. These two approaches, and many others mentioned in the article, are "challenging traditional school structures".  In other practices mentioned in the article, the teacher becomes the guide and even a co-learner with the students. Some of these practices focus on collaboration and participation, as well as helping students take control over their own learning. This could benefit students by helping them feel self-sufficient. It can also work as a way to let students know how to take advantage of the technological tools that this society provides for them. That way, they will be equipped with the ability to become independent and self-sufficient. The idea of all of these practices is to reinvent the way we teach our students by making technology a huge part of it.

 "The future may hold less fitting technology to existing systems of curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment,
and more transforming education."(Charles Fadel, Best Practices in Education. 2010)

Best Practices in Education Technology
Information on NotSchool
Not School Video