The End

The class has been informative and helpful. I feel as though I have taken away new resources to look for information. Overall I think that the class was designed to introduce those with little experience with technology to the variety of mediums available to be used. I think that a student who has taken a class in technology before or has used it at all might not necessarily find most of this course useful. I also think that this course could be improved by making it more difficult. Maybe it is because I am at the end of my program, but I felt like it was too easy. There was very minimal reading and little work/research involved. I think that making the expectations higher might make it more useful for the more experienced students. Professor Langhorst, thank you for being understanding and for having a classroom environment that focused on the important stuff. I hope that the baby is doing well!! Amy

Copyright

Copyright laws provide a safety net to artists and creators of many things. As educators it is crucial that we have an understanding and awareness about what those laws entail and how they effect us in the classroom. In our discussion this week I am struck by how many teachers, myself included, do not know much about these laws. Fair Use Policy was a completely new term to me. My guess is that since I come from a technologically aware generation that many of my older coworkers may be even less aware of these laws. I think that schools may need to consider offering detailed training on Fair Use Policy, what they are allowed to do differently as educators, and how to use apply knowledge of these laws in the classroom. It is difficult to read scenarios and truly grasp how it all works. It would be beneficial to the school for administrators to realize the need for this knowledge.

In reading about Fair Use Policy and Copyright laws I do find myself feeling as though it is a bit vague or a bit inconsistent. Some things are considered acceptable that surprise me, other things about the law seem to make it overly difficult for teachers to use materials. For example, I thought it surprising that schools could post clips or music on Internet blogs as long as it was password protected. Yet, teacher could not create a lesson involving clip art and then pass it along to other teachers (even if the lesson was about the clip art). It seems as though even items that are not used by paying originally can often still be protected by these laws to prevent them from being overly used or spread around. Maybe I am misinterpreting how this works, but that seems a little silly. What difference does it make if I let a teacher use a lesson or if they recreate it themselves. It is still the same graphics being used the same number of times. It seems as though the system sometimes makes you jump through hoops needlessly.

Since I still don't fully understand all of the policy on copyright I am now nervous about what I am using for this blog or even my classroom. I think I need to research more on my own about the topic. I am nervous that I may be doing something wrong and not even know it. I would never download something illegally or do something blatantly wrong, sometimes ignorance is destructive though. I want to be informed and knowledgeable so I can field questions from students or other teachers. I have the capability of researching on my own and it is my responsibility to know since I could be held accountable.

Wiki's can be Wicked

Well, To all educators who have used wiki websites in their classroom, you know that wikis can provide students with a wonderful opportunity to apply what they have learned about a variety of topics. It combines student use of knowledge, computer skills, and critical thinking to develop a website that demonstrate comprehension of the subject matter.

Yet, there is still the perspective that wikis can really be wicked. They are composed of user imputed information that may not be well researched even if speculated to be factual. Even though these sights might be carefully monitored, like wikipedia is, for erroneous information or opinionated subject matter, it still can be misleading if you check the information during a time when the wrong information is still posted.

In my experience with college professors and the collegiate educational environment, it seems that many professor hold the opinion that this sort of website does not lend itself well to thorough research. I tend to agree with this line of thinking. Even assuming that the information on a wiki site is totally correct, we are still left with the fact that sites like wikipedia do not present information meant for much more than general knowledge. The information may not be for research or delving deeper into a situation. Not unlike using any encyclopedia. this is an unacceptable form of research for this age group. No college professor would teach researching by using an encyclopedia. That was covered in elementary school and middle school. There are a variety of sources written with a variety of perspectives and designed for research purposed that would serve this purpose much better. It is no wonder that many professor do not agree with the use of such sites for legitimate research assignments.

In using wikipedia like sites I have found that they are great starting points to gain general information about subjects and to find links to other sources that expand on these subjects. This is where wiki sites prove useful and less wicked for researchers. For students learning to research they will quickly find that a simple google search on a topic will lead to a time consuming process of filtering through lots of unreliable information. Having a place to being, and links to work with right off from the start leads to a more productive research experience. Thus, I would not discount wiki sites as entirely wicked, they just need a little critical thinking to interpret the best way to utilize them. Not unlike researching any topic and the sources, you can't take things simply at face value. Wiki sources, even when checked for information, cannot be used as a sole source of information. They were not designed to be used this way.

Online Assessment

In many environments it is beneficial for the teacher to implement online assessments in the classroom. For universities and collegiate level students this makes sense for exams that are strictly testing the knowledge and comprehension level of students. Unless the program is a distance learning classroom, an essay style test is not easier for the teacher or student if administered online. For the elementary level, online assessment really is not effective. Some students will work through computer programs on a computer that measure comprehension of books they are reading or check for understanding of a lesson they've learned in a program. It is great for students to learn these necessary computer skills. However, the teacher also needs to ensure that the student learns to bubble in scantron and take paper tests. The testing system in most states has not converted to computer systems and probably will not for quite some time. This means students need to learn basic test taking skills. Some students have mentioned the effectiveness of online assessments because they can be translated into other languages and balance the learning environment. My concern with this is that translating an assessment does not help the student learn the information, it assesses how much of the English instruction he was able to pick up and retain. If anything, as an English language learner students I would be frustrated by an assessment in my language but no instruction in my language. It would seem contradictory. I think that if a teacher uses this resource they need to ensure that the students is proficient enough in their native language to take the test (because often they lose fluency in their own language while learning another) and try to make sure that the instruction is offered in their own language. Otherwise, you are setting the child up for frustration. Online assessment has potential, but the instructor needs to be critical in determining the best use and most effective implementation of the assessment in this form.

Videos Enhance the Classroom

Hello All, In this week's discussion of technology in the classroom we have looked at how videos can really enhance lessons and instruction. Not unlike podcasts, videos should not be used as the primary source for instruction. Their use to engage students in a lesson or to reteach material really helps students grasp concepts. There are some concerns with this use of media. Some teachers feel that video often overtakes the use of reading and writing in the classroom. While I feel there is a danger of this, it is unlikely that this would really happen if the teacher is using video in conjunction with regular classroom instruction. Another concern stems from the slow buffering of videos and the lack of good technology in the classroom. As many of us expressed this week, you need to get the students' attention almost immediately or all could be lost. That said, no one has time for slow downloads. Given that many schools are behind the times in terms of updated technology, software, and network connections. Teachers will certainly have to plan ahead and possibly just download the video all together rather than streaming from online. The last concerned addressed was the content of the video themselves. These videos must bre previewed not only for appropriate content but also to ensure that what is being addressed does not bring up new principle that will only confuse students. This process can be time consuming. One advantage is that once the teacher has found some videos they like, the videos could just be downloaded and saved for future years of instruction on this topic. Then again, there are always new videos being posted so the teacher may want to look again next year anyways. I think overall video will serve to engage students in classroom instruction and assignments. I think the fear of video overtaking the use of reading and writing is a little much since technology has already been around for years and the schools are still really far behind in how they use it. Video serves as an additional tool to reach students and should not be used to supplement teacher instruction as a whole. Thanks for reading! Amy

Innovations

Innovations in technology have led to much debate on their use in the classroom. Many communities expect their schools to be places where their children are exposed to the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in our community later in life. Realistically, I think schools works towards the academic goals but they tend to be lacking in technological skills. Many students graduate from high school without a real awareness of how to use software and programs that may benefit them in their career field. I think that most students use the internet for "fun." Until they get to college, most of them have no understanding of how to use the internet as a research tool. In speaking about podcasts directly I have to say that I do enjoy the "fun" side of it. Last night I spent some time looking up old commercials or intros to old tv shoes. I have to say that media files are a much better way to preserve information than DVDs are. Here is a link to a podcast that made me smile:

Bytes on Technology

After experiencing a power outage when I got home and tried to finish school I realize how dependent we can often be on technology. In this situation I was literally unable to contact my teacher, complete my assignments, or even turn on a light for that matter. I have often joked with people who are experiencing technical difficulty that computers don't always make things easier. Sometimes computers add a different dynamic to the learning environment but they simply cause a little more anxiety because a program isn't functioning correctly or the computer freezes. I find that in the educational world technology is often outdated. This causes a huge frustration level when things don't work right. As a teacher of fourth grade I find myself at my wits end when we go to the computer lab. I take both groups I teach to the lab for a half an hour each week. While they are there they log into a program called "Techknowledge" which teaches them basic computer awareness, typing skills, and how to use different programs. This is a great idea and the students love it. Yet, sometimes in that half an hour students will spend 15 minutes just waiting for the program to load. Others have to sign in a few different times on different computers before they get one that lets them log in at all, and others have difficulty with the program freezing and are very distraught when they have to start over and lose all their points. As the teacher I find myself thinking I could teach them how to do this stuff myself in less time. The difficulty would be that in a group of 18 they each go at their own pace or struggle with different concepts. I know that I would miss some things that the program covers because I would forget that I even needed to learn them at some point. So I am left with no choice but to counsel them through their difficulties and frustrations in the lab.

On that note I bring up virtual classrooms. I picture my fourth grade students, who have little exposure to how computers work at all, trying to do school work online. I am left with a strong feeling that they are too young to succeed in such an environment. Yet, I love my online classes. I think that virtual schools are successful with a group of students who have awareness of computers, are self-motivated, and have support at home to guide them. Virtual schools mean less direct interaction between the teacher and the students. Thus the students takes on another layer of responsibility for their learning. They must be able to articulate when they are struggling with something and be willing to get remediation in a variety of ways. A students who isn't willing to do the extra steps to learn the materials will not learn anything. I think the greatest challenge for the teacher is creating a class that does not allow students to just slide by without learning the material. Online classes have less methods of evaluating. A teacher can't just walk around and visually evaluate progress. The teacher has to be creative in determining setting up activities and finding ways of evaluating that do not allow students to do the bare minimum.

So, when the computers are working and the power is available, virtual schools hold a whole new world of academic interactions. With students who are willing to learn and teachers who are willing to be creative there is a strong chance of academic success. Technical support as well as parental support will be two keys to success in such an environment. Since many communities lack both of these things much evaluation of which student to include in such a classroom must be done. I am not sure we will ever see a total shift to this environment but I am confident that even though technical difficulties occur, technology will continue to be an integral part of the learning environment.