The constructivism learning theory states that there is no absolute answer because the knowledge is different from person to person depending on his or her personal meaning (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Because the knowledge varies, this theory plays a smaller role in the classroom than the constructionism learning theory.
The constructionism learning theory basically states that people learn most effectively when they are building or creating some kind of "artifact" (2010). In this week's video, Dr. Orey explains that this "artifact" also includes PowerPoint presentations, which is a very attainable task in most classrooms. I believe that it is quite difficult to make all or at least most lessons fit the constructionism theory in that students are creating something physical, but the use of technology makes this much more realistic. PowerPoints can be created within just a few class periods. These particular sources fit into the constructionism theory in that the spreadsheets are the creations or artifacts students are using to deepen their knowledge on the subject.
In Chapter 11 of our book, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, Howard Pitler, Elizabeth R. Hubbell, Matt Kuhn, and Kim Malenoski highlight the technological tools of spreadsheets, databases, and web resources when "Generating and Testing Hypothesis" (Pitler, Hubble, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). These authors were stating that hypotheses are usually only used in science but can be used within any subject with the correct task at hand and modifications. With tools, such as spread sheets, Google Spreadsheets, and wikiCalc, students are able to focus less on the calculations process and more on the implications of their results, which means more analytical and deep thinking skills being used (2007).
Resources
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program seven. Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubble, E.R., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K., (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA, ASCD
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Cognitive Theory and Technology
The Cognitive Theory is the study of the thought process. In this theory, it is important to learn and focus on how people think and how new information is processed in the brain. As an educator, it is important to be conscious of this theory because it explains how people learn and think, which is exactly what we expect of our students. In the video, "Cognitive Learning Theories," Dr. Michael Orey explained various components of the Cognitive Theory, which have a correlation with some of the instructional strategies described in the resources (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Chapter 4 "Cues, Questions, and Advanced Organizers" and Chapter 6 "Summarizing and Note Taking" of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works presents various strategies that can be used with technology that parallel quite nicely with the Cognitive Theory (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).
Dr. Orey mentioned that people have a limited short term and working memory and are capable of only remembering about seven (give or take two) pieces of information at a time (2010). The use of Advanced Organizers in the classroom is effective and straight to the point, and learning this information from the Cognitive Theory about our short term and working memory gives me a different perspective of how to use them. Using these organizers is effective, but using them through "chunking" or by presenting about seven pieces of information at a time would be more successful and not as draining.
Another component Dr Orey presented was the idea of Dual Coding where people create an image of the word as well as the actual word and is stored in different parts of the brain (2010). For example, if we are learning the word "dog" we may see a picture of a dog as well as the word. When we recall this in our minds, we will see the picture of the dog alongside the actual word, hence the "dual" aspect of this concept. This principal of the theory correlates with the instructional strategy of using Advance Organizers as well because it presents a visual for the students. Dr. Orey said that we learn better when more stimuli are used. The learning process would be more effective if students can use more than one of the five senses (2010). With this in mind, Advance Organizers in technology, such as Webspiration or Inspiration, are graphic organizers that can be created in front of the students, which makes the process interactive and engaging. Students are more likely to learn something when they feel included and in control of the creating process.
Virtual Field Trip tools are also innovative tools for the classroom. Personally, I have used these "field trips" when researching various venues for events a couple of times, but the thought never occurred to me to use it in the classroom. It is one thing to show a still picture of a historic place, but it becomes a whole different, enriched experience to see it through the perspective of standing inside of it.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program five. Cognitive learning theory [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Dr. Orey mentioned that people have a limited short term and working memory and are capable of only remembering about seven (give or take two) pieces of information at a time (2010). The use of Advanced Organizers in the classroom is effective and straight to the point, and learning this information from the Cognitive Theory about our short term and working memory gives me a different perspective of how to use them. Using these organizers is effective, but using them through "chunking" or by presenting about seven pieces of information at a time would be more successful and not as draining.
Another component Dr Orey presented was the idea of Dual Coding where people create an image of the word as well as the actual word and is stored in different parts of the brain (2010). For example, if we are learning the word "dog" we may see a picture of a dog as well as the word. When we recall this in our minds, we will see the picture of the dog alongside the actual word, hence the "dual" aspect of this concept. This principal of the theory correlates with the instructional strategy of using Advance Organizers as well because it presents a visual for the students. Dr. Orey said that we learn better when more stimuli are used. The learning process would be more effective if students can use more than one of the five senses (2010). With this in mind, Advance Organizers in technology, such as Webspiration or Inspiration, are graphic organizers that can be created in front of the students, which makes the process interactive and engaging. Students are more likely to learn something when they feel included and in control of the creating process.
Virtual Field Trip tools are also innovative tools for the classroom. Personally, I have used these "field trips" when researching various venues for events a couple of times, but the thought never occurred to me to use it in the classroom. It is one thing to show a still picture of a historic place, but it becomes a whole different, enriched experience to see it through the perspective of standing inside of it.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program five. Cognitive learning theory [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Behaviorism and Technology-ism
The theory of Behaviorism revolves around Operant Conditioning, which has two major components: reinforcement of desirable behavior and punishment of undesirable behavior (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Behaviorists believe that praising or rewarding a desirable behavior will reinforce it and ignoring or punishing an undesirable behavior will stop it. With that said...
This week we are focusing on various instructional strategies that use technology, which correlate with the principles of behaviorist learning theory. In Chapter 8 "Reinforcing Effort" of Using Technology in with Classroom Instruction that Works, there are four sources that contribute to one's success, which are "their own innate abilities, the assistance of others, luck, and effort" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). According to these authors, effort is the most rational one to choose or depend upon for success because it is the most controllable of the four (2007). It is important for teachers to teach students this idea because it is the "ground leveler" in the classroom; all students are able to put forth effort. In order to do this, teachers must be straightforward about effort and expectations, as well as create opportunities where the students are in control and can physically see their effort. The instructional strategy presented in this chapter is using a spreadsheet to track student effort. With the use of a rubric, students are assess themselves according to how much effort they believe they put in for the task. As students record their assessments in a spreadsheet, their data can be made into charts as a visual representation of their effort. Data charts are very "black and white" since they are direct representations of the information put in by students. This strategy correlates with the behaviorist learning theory in that students with positive results will continue their hard work to continue to achieve that success. Students with lower results (the undesirable behavior) will (theoretically) try harder so that they achieve higher, or the desirable, results/behavior. Students can see that the more effort they put in the better their homework or test/quiz results are, and will therefore continue to work hard. This also works the other way around where students that are not putting in much effort can see how it affects their homework and test/quiz scores, which will theoretically motivate them to try harder next time.
The other instructional strategy was Chapter 10 "Homework and Practice." This strategy also correlates with the behavior learning theory. The main reason teachers assign homework is because it supplies more practice for students beyond the classroom. The behavior learning theory fits into this in that if students thoroughly complete their homework everyday, their quiz/test scores will reflect this since they are practicing more than someone not doing their homework. It is important for students to understand the reasoning behind homework: more practice and not because the teacher is mean. Once they realize this, they can then understand the reasoning that the more practice they do the more successful they will be. Students that do their homework may receive a sticker or stamp, which would also reinforce them to do their homework everyday. Students that do not do their homework may lose their recess, which would encourage them to do their homework everyday.
Teachers may want to combine these two instructional strategies by creating a spreadsheet for homework and quiz/test results so students can see that the affect of doing one's homework will most likely mean a higher quiz/test score.
Some believe that the theory of behaviorism cannot be applied to today's 21st Century classrooms, and I am not one of those believers. It may not be as relevant as it once was but I believe that it is still worthy enough to be aware of within the classroom.
Resources
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program four. Behaviorist learning theory [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
This YouTube video I found sort of relates to the topic in a "theory kind of way." It's more for entertaining purposes! You can watch below or click here
This YouTube video is about Operant Conditioning from a little girl's perspective! :) Watch below or click here
This week we are focusing on various instructional strategies that use technology, which correlate with the principles of behaviorist learning theory. In Chapter 8 "Reinforcing Effort" of Using Technology in with Classroom Instruction that Works, there are four sources that contribute to one's success, which are "their own innate abilities, the assistance of others, luck, and effort" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). According to these authors, effort is the most rational one to choose or depend upon for success because it is the most controllable of the four (2007). It is important for teachers to teach students this idea because it is the "ground leveler" in the classroom; all students are able to put forth effort. In order to do this, teachers must be straightforward about effort and expectations, as well as create opportunities where the students are in control and can physically see their effort. The instructional strategy presented in this chapter is using a spreadsheet to track student effort. With the use of a rubric, students are assess themselves according to how much effort they believe they put in for the task. As students record their assessments in a spreadsheet, their data can be made into charts as a visual representation of their effort. Data charts are very "black and white" since they are direct representations of the information put in by students. This strategy correlates with the behaviorist learning theory in that students with positive results will continue their hard work to continue to achieve that success. Students with lower results (the undesirable behavior) will (theoretically) try harder so that they achieve higher, or the desirable, results/behavior. Students can see that the more effort they put in the better their homework or test/quiz results are, and will therefore continue to work hard. This also works the other way around where students that are not putting in much effort can see how it affects their homework and test/quiz scores, which will theoretically motivate them to try harder next time.
The other instructional strategy was Chapter 10 "Homework and Practice." This strategy also correlates with the behavior learning theory. The main reason teachers assign homework is because it supplies more practice for students beyond the classroom. The behavior learning theory fits into this in that if students thoroughly complete their homework everyday, their quiz/test scores will reflect this since they are practicing more than someone not doing their homework. It is important for students to understand the reasoning behind homework: more practice and not because the teacher is mean. Once they realize this, they can then understand the reasoning that the more practice they do the more successful they will be. Students that do their homework may receive a sticker or stamp, which would also reinforce them to do their homework everyday. Students that do not do their homework may lose their recess, which would encourage them to do their homework everyday.
Teachers may want to combine these two instructional strategies by creating a spreadsheet for homework and quiz/test results so students can see that the affect of doing one's homework will most likely mean a higher quiz/test score.
Some believe that the theory of behaviorism cannot be applied to today's 21st Century classrooms, and I am not one of those believers. It may not be as relevant as it once was but I believe that it is still worthy enough to be aware of within the classroom.
Resources
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program four. Behaviorist learning theory [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
This YouTube video I found sort of relates to the topic in a "theory kind of way." It's more for entertaining purposes! You can watch below or click here
This YouTube video is about Operant Conditioning from a little girl's perspective! :) Watch below or click here
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The Reflection
Introduction
This course has been a real pleasure and I enjoyed and actually looked forward to the assignments. It has been exactly what I have hoped to find in this program and I hope the future courses are similar to it. Throughout this course I have learned many new ideas and have even changed some of my own perspectives. I have learned how to use tools, such as wikis, blogs, and podcasts, effectively in the classroom and how to create each of these as well. Thus far, I have found this to be the more beneficial course yet!
In what ways has this course helped you to develop your own technology skills as a professional teacher?
This course has helped me develop my own technology skills by requiring me to venture out and try new avenues of technology. I love using my computer on a daily basis and am quite familiar with the Internet and what it has to offer, but this course has presented different challenges for me. I have listened to podcasts but never created my own, and it was actual a very simple process. I can definitely imagine myself using podcasts in the future both in the classroom and maybe even personally. Blogging and creating my own wiki have also been great accomplishments that have proven to be quite simple as well. I have learned several effective ways of using both these tools in the classroom, which I will definitely consider when I am in my own classroom. I now have even more resources to turn to and I know that they are quite easy to use, which is sometimes the reason for not trying new strategies.
In what ways have you deepened your knowledge of the teaching and learning process?
Just in this last discussion, I have come to the realization that learning is no longer one-sided. Teachers learn so much from students as well, we just have to have open minds. Technology is changing classrooms to more interactive and engaging ways of learning. Students now have the opportunity to be active learners and have more control of their learning. One of the main reasons why I am even in this master’s program is because I want to expand my knowledge and learn more about the educational field. It is commonly known and said that it is important to be life-long learners, and I find that especially true in our field of education. There is constantly new studies and research to consider, plus more importantly, our students are ever-changing. Our students are not the same and do not learn as we did when we went to school. This course has really driven this idea home in that technology changes the role of the teacher and the environment of the classroom. My knowledge has deepened in that I am now more aware that the teaching and learning process is not the same as it once was and will only continue to change.
In what ways have you changed your perspective from being teacher-centered to learner-centered?
The presence of technology in the classroom has really changed the role of the teacher. It used to be that the teacher was the only one with the knowledge and his or her only job was to pass this information on to the students. The teacher’s words were absolute and there was no use in arguing with it because he or she was the teacher and that was that. This idea has completely changed and is now looked upon as old fashion even. Nowadays, students can teach teachers as well, especially when it comes to technology.
Students are not empty “containers” or “banks” that need to be filled. I think now they are individuals that still need to learn from the teacher, but also need to be guided through their own learning by the teacher. Many students have the Internet at their fingertips through phones, iPod, iPads, and laptops and they need to be guided and taught the skills to use these tools effectively. Each student has his or her own way of learning and I believe that differentiated teaching is more realistic with the help of technology.
In what ways can you continue to expand your knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology with the aim of increasing student achievement?
I think the best way to continue the expansion of my knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology is through taking note of the different schools I get to substitute in. In this point of my life, I have the opportunity to work in or visit different schools, which is great to see what schools are doing. Unfortunately, many schools within a district often have the same ideas with minor changes, but I have still learned so much. Also, discussing with other teachers through blogs will also be a great way of expanding my knowledge. Though, what may work in one state or city may not be as effective in another, but the more ideas and knowledge I have, the better chance I have of creating an effective curriculum in technology that increases student achievement. I think just having the awareness of technology in the classroom is a really big step towards being more successful in the classroom. I am a fortunate one because I am taking courses specific to technology in the classroom, which makes me more aware than others. I am learning how technology can help student achievement, which I believe is the first step in expanding my knowledge in this area.
Goals
My first goal is to get a full time teaching job, but once I achieve this my first goal will be to incorporate technology into more assignments. Depending on where I get a job may determine how much technology I can actually use because it would not be fair if not all students have access to computers and such tools. If my students do not have much access to computers, than I would achieve this goal by allowing as many opportunities possible for students to use the computers throughout the day by opening up my classroom before, during, and after school. My second goal would be to use the computer time effectively. It seems that many elementary schools operate similarly in that each class gets about an hour of computer lab time a week so I would be sure to have meaningful activities during this time. Instead of allowing students have free time, I would create lessons, such as create document in the word processing program or some sort of typing game. These are smaller, hypothetical goals I currently have in mind. I suppose since I am not in my own classroom yet, I should have an easier time accomplishing these goals since there is not anything to change in the first place.
Conclusion
This class has been the best course thus far. It has been the first class where I have been challenged to actually use technology. I really enjoyed that we had some sort of “technological” task each week, and our application was a URL rather than the traditional essay. This class has really reminded me as to why I have decided to earn my master’s degree in this area. I really enjoy using technology myself and I want to share that passion with my future students by teaching them how to use these tools to be successful academically, personally, and eventually professionally.
This course has been a real pleasure and I enjoyed and actually looked forward to the assignments. It has been exactly what I have hoped to find in this program and I hope the future courses are similar to it. Throughout this course I have learned many new ideas and have even changed some of my own perspectives. I have learned how to use tools, such as wikis, blogs, and podcasts, effectively in the classroom and how to create each of these as well. Thus far, I have found this to be the more beneficial course yet!
In what ways has this course helped you to develop your own technology skills as a professional teacher?
This course has helped me develop my own technology skills by requiring me to venture out and try new avenues of technology. I love using my computer on a daily basis and am quite familiar with the Internet and what it has to offer, but this course has presented different challenges for me. I have listened to podcasts but never created my own, and it was actual a very simple process. I can definitely imagine myself using podcasts in the future both in the classroom and maybe even personally. Blogging and creating my own wiki have also been great accomplishments that have proven to be quite simple as well. I have learned several effective ways of using both these tools in the classroom, which I will definitely consider when I am in my own classroom. I now have even more resources to turn to and I know that they are quite easy to use, which is sometimes the reason for not trying new strategies.
In what ways have you deepened your knowledge of the teaching and learning process?
Just in this last discussion, I have come to the realization that learning is no longer one-sided. Teachers learn so much from students as well, we just have to have open minds. Technology is changing classrooms to more interactive and engaging ways of learning. Students now have the opportunity to be active learners and have more control of their learning. One of the main reasons why I am even in this master’s program is because I want to expand my knowledge and learn more about the educational field. It is commonly known and said that it is important to be life-long learners, and I find that especially true in our field of education. There is constantly new studies and research to consider, plus more importantly, our students are ever-changing. Our students are not the same and do not learn as we did when we went to school. This course has really driven this idea home in that technology changes the role of the teacher and the environment of the classroom. My knowledge has deepened in that I am now more aware that the teaching and learning process is not the same as it once was and will only continue to change.
In what ways have you changed your perspective from being teacher-centered to learner-centered?
The presence of technology in the classroom has really changed the role of the teacher. It used to be that the teacher was the only one with the knowledge and his or her only job was to pass this information on to the students. The teacher’s words were absolute and there was no use in arguing with it because he or she was the teacher and that was that. This idea has completely changed and is now looked upon as old fashion even. Nowadays, students can teach teachers as well, especially when it comes to technology.
Students are not empty “containers” or “banks” that need to be filled. I think now they are individuals that still need to learn from the teacher, but also need to be guided through their own learning by the teacher. Many students have the Internet at their fingertips through phones, iPod, iPads, and laptops and they need to be guided and taught the skills to use these tools effectively. Each student has his or her own way of learning and I believe that differentiated teaching is more realistic with the help of technology.
In what ways can you continue to expand your knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology with the aim of increasing student achievement?
I think the best way to continue the expansion of my knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology is through taking note of the different schools I get to substitute in. In this point of my life, I have the opportunity to work in or visit different schools, which is great to see what schools are doing. Unfortunately, many schools within a district often have the same ideas with minor changes, but I have still learned so much. Also, discussing with other teachers through blogs will also be a great way of expanding my knowledge. Though, what may work in one state or city may not be as effective in another, but the more ideas and knowledge I have, the better chance I have of creating an effective curriculum in technology that increases student achievement. I think just having the awareness of technology in the classroom is a really big step towards being more successful in the classroom. I am a fortunate one because I am taking courses specific to technology in the classroom, which makes me more aware than others. I am learning how technology can help student achievement, which I believe is the first step in expanding my knowledge in this area.
Goals
My first goal is to get a full time teaching job, but once I achieve this my first goal will be to incorporate technology into more assignments. Depending on where I get a job may determine how much technology I can actually use because it would not be fair if not all students have access to computers and such tools. If my students do not have much access to computers, than I would achieve this goal by allowing as many opportunities possible for students to use the computers throughout the day by opening up my classroom before, during, and after school. My second goal would be to use the computer time effectively. It seems that many elementary schools operate similarly in that each class gets about an hour of computer lab time a week so I would be sure to have meaningful activities during this time. Instead of allowing students have free time, I would create lessons, such as create document in the word processing program or some sort of typing game. These are smaller, hypothetical goals I currently have in mind. I suppose since I am not in my own classroom yet, I should have an easier time accomplishing these goals since there is not anything to change in the first place.
Conclusion
This class has been the best course thus far. It has been the first class where I have been challenged to actually use technology. I really enjoyed that we had some sort of “technological” task each week, and our application was a URL rather than the traditional essay. This class has really reminded me as to why I have decided to earn my master’s degree in this area. I really enjoy using technology myself and I want to share that passion with my future students by teaching them how to use these tools to be successful academically, personally, and eventually professionally.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
My First Podcast
Hello! I have officially created my first podcast in the classroom! I asked a group of third grades questions about their experience with technology on a daily basis.
My podcast
My podcast
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills
Virtual classrooms, cell phones that are also used as computer processors, cars that steer themselves! It all sounds like a futuristic world, but do not be fooled for these are all parts of the world we live in. My first sentence actually reminds me of the Disney movie, "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century." The movie came out in 1999 but was set in the year 2045 making it very futuristic with virtual teachers and such. Little did Disney know (or maybe they did know, it IS Disney) that some of their "futuristic twists" were not too far off from what we would see in the near future.
Technology is changing the world rapidly and due to this the workforce is not the same as it was 15 years ago. As society changes, employers' expectations of their employees change as well. As educators, it is our job to not only teach students the academic content, but to prepare them for the future as well. This is when 21st Century Skills come into play. The website, "The Partnership for 21st Century Skills" is completely dedicated to changing education through the passing of knowledge and the sharing of resources so that students are taught the 21st Century Skills.
I found this site to be very colorful and informative and almost overwhelming. It is quite wordy, which can sometimes make it less appealing, though, who am I to judge with my lengthy blog posts and all? I like how the site really defines the various aspects of their mission making it very black and white about what they wish to accomplish.
I have visited this website due to other courses at Walden, so I already had an idea of what to expect. However, I was surprised to see that such major companies contributed to the founding of this organization (just to name a few: AOL Time Warner Foundation, Apple Computer, Inc., Dell Computer Corporation, and Microsoft Corporation.) Many of the council members are also representatives from various prominent companies, such as Verizon, Lego Group, Walt Disney Company, and McGraw-Hill the textbook company. Seeing these big names really points out how well-connected and influential this organization must really be.
A "disagreement" or rather question I have for this site is why is it limited to only a few states? Being a Californian, I was a little disappointed that it was not on the list of states this organization works with. Is this a work in progress or is California closed off to this? I suppose that may be why I never heard of this website until my time at Walden.
When I think about this website and the implications it has for my students, I think, "Wow, we have a long ways to go." Luckily, as a contemporary teacher/substitute there are many resources, such as this website, that can help me teach the 21st Century Skills more effectively.
www.p21.org
Technology is changing the world rapidly and due to this the workforce is not the same as it was 15 years ago. As society changes, employers' expectations of their employees change as well. As educators, it is our job to not only teach students the academic content, but to prepare them for the future as well. This is when 21st Century Skills come into play. The website, "The Partnership for 21st Century Skills" is completely dedicated to changing education through the passing of knowledge and the sharing of resources so that students are taught the 21st Century Skills.
I found this site to be very colorful and informative and almost overwhelming. It is quite wordy, which can sometimes make it less appealing, though, who am I to judge with my lengthy blog posts and all? I like how the site really defines the various aspects of their mission making it very black and white about what they wish to accomplish.
I have visited this website due to other courses at Walden, so I already had an idea of what to expect. However, I was surprised to see that such major companies contributed to the founding of this organization (just to name a few: AOL Time Warner Foundation, Apple Computer, Inc., Dell Computer Corporation, and Microsoft Corporation.) Many of the council members are also representatives from various prominent companies, such as Verizon, Lego Group, Walt Disney Company, and McGraw-Hill the textbook company. Seeing these big names really points out how well-connected and influential this organization must really be.
A "disagreement" or rather question I have for this site is why is it limited to only a few states? Being a Californian, I was a little disappointed that it was not on the list of states this organization works with. Is this a work in progress or is California closed off to this? I suppose that may be why I never heard of this website until my time at Walden.
When I think about this website and the implications it has for my students, I think, "Wow, we have a long ways to go." Luckily, as a contemporary teacher/substitute there are many resources, such as this website, that can help me teach the 21st Century Skills more effectively.
www.p21.org
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Common Sense in Technology
As an educator, I am always thinking, discussing, and researching new ways to use technology effectively in the classroom. In today's society where we are constantly using cell phones, computers, iPods, iPads, etc. it only makes sense to apply these tools to learning. In many communities, our students are able to hop onto the computer and find some sort of interactive game website within minutes, which is great, but with many great things comes great responsibility.
I saw a commercial presented by an organization called, Common Sense and it brought up the important point that we need to teach our children and students how to be safe and responsible with technology. There is no doubt that technology makes our lives easier and makes it quite easy and convenient to communicate with others instantly, but it can be dangerous and life-threatening if used inappropriately. This website, Common Sense, has many tips and resources for parents and teachers when addressing the concerns of various technology tools with their children and/or students. It's a nice little website; take it for what it is.
www.commonsensemedia.org
I saw a commercial presented by an organization called, Common Sense and it brought up the important point that we need to teach our children and students how to be safe and responsible with technology. There is no doubt that technology makes our lives easier and makes it quite easy and convenient to communicate with others instantly, but it can be dangerous and life-threatening if used inappropriately. This website, Common Sense, has many tips and resources for parents and teachers when addressing the concerns of various technology tools with their children and/or students. It's a nice little website; take it for what it is.
www.commonsensemedia.org
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