Final Blog for EDUC 407

It is almost over! I must say that this class has been really resourceful for me and my future. Over the course I worked with new and old technology tools and resources that allow teachers and students to work together. According to the syllabus for the class students would work with current technology resources by analyzing and learning how to incorporate them into lessons. While learning how to use these resources students would act as the educator, the student, and the peer by participating in various individual, small group, and large group assignment.

Now that the class is just about over I can say that I successfully completed the class according to the student learning outcomes. During this course I was able to use some really cool resources like google docs, Edmodo, YouTube, and many more. These resources are really great and learning how to correctly integrate them into our lesson plans was the over all goal of EDUC 407. I think by participating in the individual and group projects it gave me multiple perspectives and that is why I can say I successfully completed the class.

During this class I think the project that I most liked was creating the Cell Phone Fairy Tale. This project was a challenge for me because not only was time consuming it was my first time creating a video and putting it together as a whole. For this project students had to work individually and alone to create a whole fairy tale story. I think it was really unique because we all used different props and pieces to create the story scene. I think as the educator you can see the individual creativity, but also you can see how the group worked together as a whole. As the student I stressed about all kinds of things from my tone to how fast or slow I was reading. Although the project was to incorporate technology I think I had to use a lot of grammatical and literature sources as while. 

The last learning outcome for the class was building and finalizing a WebQuest. This project was an individual project and I must say was also a challenge. A majority of this class is was based on Project Based Learning and this project was different. The hardest part for me was creating a question. I have created one other WebQuest in the past and it is not the easiest thing to do. However I think in this class because I learned how to use a lot of different tools and it made creating the WebQuest a little easier and a lore interesting. I must say overall this class was very useful and taught me a lot about technology and how to use it in the classroom!

 

Copyright

What exactly is the definition of copyright? “The exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material, and to authorize others to do the same.” (Google, 2016) There is so much more to this definition I believe, but this is the simple stated definition one will find when looking for what copyright is. I honestly did not know how many different definitions, terms, and laws have been placed in action due to this simple word!

After reviewing everything in this weeks module I realized the only thing I really knew about copyright is that we should not do it and that it is a synonym of plagiarism. There are so many different laws regarding copyrighting and so many different cases that have been filed in the courts due to people stealing others work. I think for me I knew about copyright issues in the music industry and movie industry just because of the FBI warning you get when you purchase the material. I also knew that not to long ago many artist formed together to stop their music being downloaded without people paying for it.

I personally think it is a great thing that we have copyright laws because our work should be our own. I know that I would not want to work hard on something and then have someone else say they did it. I would not want to work months on a song or movie and then have someone just take it. Think about it this way, if someone walks in your house and takes something that belongs to you they are stealing. Just the same, is someone downloading a song or movie and then sharing it with others for free, stealing no matter how you look at it!

I think I was kind of shocked after reading the copyright laws I searched for. I never realized there were different categories to copyrighting. For example, one that I read was about applying fair use to new technologies. This example hits close to home because I am in the education field. Basically fair use allows teachers to use copyrighted material to create educational multimedia with certain restrictions. Some of the restrictions include face-to-face student instruction, directed student self-study, and presentation at peer workshops and conferences. As long as you are following the restrictions and using the material how it should be used it is legal in every way.

I personally think copyright is going to affect the education system a lot more now than before. These laws were designed to protect individuals and keep their work safe. “Copyright laws were not designed to facilitate the sort of sharing and collaborating that has become widespread in the digital age.” (Tech & Learning, 2014) Because copyright laws were designed before all of these new technologies and sites were created this is a very difficult thing to teach young children, even children in high school. Everyday without even thinking people, including myself, post pictures and quotes we find because we like them not realizing sometimes those very items are being copyrighted. With technology increasing it is important to teach children about the laws because even a picture can be copyrighted. I think many teachers already have an issue with students stealing other people’s work online and as technology increases so will the amount of cheaters teacher find. Technology has made it so nice to participate in online classes and use different programs to complete projects, etc., but it has also made it super difficult on teachers to distinguish who is cheating and who is not!

Edmodo

Educational technology tools are what have enhanced our learning in the 21st century. There are so many advantages to using these kinds of tools in the classroom. I believe that these different programs and tools can be used in all grades from K-12 and represent about 60% of what is going on in the classroom.

Today teachers can logon to the Internet and create an account for just about anything they desire. The tool that I picked this week is Edmodo. What makes this tool great is that it was created by everyday teachers that knew the struggle of using different programs in the classroom. Districts have strong restrictions on different sites the students can logon to and this became a real struggle that these teachers noticed. So in 2008, when this site was created teachers, parents, and students were able to create a free account that enabled them to communicate with one another about educational purposes.

Ed tech tools like Edmodo are great because students are accustomed to using different technology pieces on a daily basis. Facebook is a very common social medicia tool in the 21st century and Edmodo is a mimic of this site. Edmodo allows teacher, parents, and students to logon to this facebook like account, and communicate in a safe and secure manner.

Some advantages to Edmodo are the fact that one can logon anywhere, the communication factor, and the secure network. As long as someone has internet access he or she can logon to edmodo. All smart phones, tablets, and computers make it easy to login and start chatting it up. It is a great way to get everyone involved. Teachers can create announcements, assignments, and tests that parents and students are able to view. This means teachers and parents can be on the same page and the famous “I didn’t know it was due excuse” is gone. Finally, the network is secure for students because they can only communicate with the knowledge of the teacher. There are no private inboxes so the students cannot message each other privately.

Like every program and tool there are some things that make it hard to use. With Edmodo I think that students will not want to use it as much as facebook or twitter because education is involved. Unless the teacher really knows how to incorporate the program into the assignments then the students are going to consider it just another school assignment. Another thing is the fact that having the internet is a requirement. This is can be a struggle if it is required because some students may not have access at home. They may not have a tablet or phone that allows them to logon.

I think this program is used often in some areas and in other areas not so much. In the next 10 years I feel like something else will come along and take the place of Edmodo. It is popular but something else may be stronger and better. As technology improves something else is always better. Nevertheless, technology is something that will benefit every student and so long as teachers are trying to incorporate it into the classroom they are doing justice for the kids.

 

 

Cloudware

Cloudware is perhaps one of the greatest tools needed in not only the educational field, but every other profession that deals with interactions and collaboration. Cloudware runs off remote internet and software. In schools it is common to see programs like google docs, google classroom, picasa, etc. all of these programs allow students and teachers to collaborate on small and big projects.

For me personally, cloudware is something that I find useful. I have used many cloudware programs to complete my credential and I find that most of these programs are easy to use. I think that it becomes very useful as a college student to be able to access your documents at work, home, in the classroom, or wherever you are. I know that for me as a part time student, a full time employee, and a full time mother it becomes extremely important for me to do my work whenever I get the chance. I like using google docs because it is free and it is something very similar to Microsoft Word. I also use my gmail account often for work and educational purposes.

I do think that there are some downfalls with cloudware. First, if your computer does not have the right security protection viruses and leaking of information becomes extremely high. In this case documents and important information can be stolen. Another thing that can cause this to be a downfall is that not everyone has access to the interent all the time and sometimes the interent goes down. Unless you are saving things constantly sometimes when the interent goes down so does what you are working on (google docs is great though because it saves your documents every so often). And unless you are always somewhere there is internet then there are times when you might not be able to access your documents.

As an educator I have found all cloudware to be helpful because students in the 21st century are prone to use technology more than half of their day. I know that with my school we use google classroom with our teachers and students. We also have a google document that can be updated and edited for our small group instruction classes. Another thing we use is something similar to facebook it is called edmodo. With edmodo our students can get on and have interactions with other students and teachers. I think it is important for our students to use technology because they are better prepared in the future.

Project Based Learning

“Project-based learning is still a relatively new idea for most teachers. It’s not the kind of instruction most of us had a chance to experience as students.”(Boss, Krauss, 20) But in the 21st century, a number of trends are contributing to the adoption of project-based learning as a strategy for education. Project-based learning consistently emphasizes active, student-directed learning. 

There are a number of factors that contribute to the succession of project-based learning. Projects give students a real-world context for learning, which makes them want to know the answer and how to get to that answer. Projects offer students choices and gives them a voice, making their learning experience about them, and most importantly giving them motivation to complete the project. Projects are open-ended meaning students need to consider and evaluate multiple solutions and all possible outcomes. “Projects are typically framed with open-ended questions that drive students to investigate, do research, or construct their own solutions.” (Boss, 2016) Therefore, all of these contributing factors create critical thinking skills students carry with them after high school.

Problem-based learning is different from what is happening in most of today’s classrooms because it takes time and it is a process not a test. Students in today’s classrooms face lots of challenging situations, but most of them are unrelated to what they are being taught in the classroom. What I mean by this, is that there is no time in the classroom for long processes and higher thinking. Students are faced with problems in the world and those become the motivation to get out of school. As a former substitute teacher, I cant being to tell you how many teachers had to cut back on the fun group projects such as creating a Mission in the fourth grade or even just doing a basic science fair project. There is not enough time and unless it is on a benchmark or state test, chances are it will not be taught in the classroom. What is happening in the classroom today is testing that is it, just seat time, benchmarks, and good old standards.

   I have continuously gone to school since I was five years old (I am 29 now), there has never been a time in my life where I was not taking a class or in a classroom. I have been both a teacher and student in my life and both I might say have the same perks! When I was a student in elementary I remember few projects that got me thinking critically. Most of the time we had individual projects that made us think enough to get the solution. But, I do remember I was able to create projects and write papers about those projects. In schools today, time has went away with the project and has focused more on the paper. I wish some students had to time to resourcefully get to the answer and really know why that is the answer. I feel I was able to do this and that has made me a lot more resourceful as a teacher.

I like project-based learning because it gives the students a chance to interact with others while finding the solution to real life problems. I think a big advantage to project-based learning is the fact that students can use critical thinking skills even after high school. being able to think critically about what you are trying to accomplish is very important and most kids these days do not know how to do this. It is a sad story, but because we are teaching to the test real life kind of does not happen in the class. I do feel that one disadvantage (even though I said it was an advantage) can be working in a group. Sometimes kids hate group work because most of the time the work never feels equal. I think that if the teacher is good at what he or she does then the groups will reflect that and work will seem a little less stressful. Either way if you like or dislike project-based learning, it is a good thing because being able to think on higher grounds already has more than half of the population beat!

If there is Interest, there is Teaching

   Children come from all different places in the world and with that said, that means children are learning different things, at different paces, and for different reasons. When we think about learning we always think about the classroom and the structure that comes with it. The formal instruction that teachers give, with formalized lesson plans, and the daily routines that come along with those lessons. But if we stop and think about the purpose of learning and how it happens,we quickly realize that learning is not only done in a structured classroom, that the best learning comes from curiosity and findings in the world.

Sugata Mitra states that schools are becoming obsolete, not that they are not well-functioning institutes, but we are training our children to be the same and to learn the same things. After watching both of his videos this week, I thought to myself how true this really is. Working in the educational field we see children of all sorts with all sorts of differences. As a teacher I know that school is not for everyone, it is sad to say, but not all children were meant to go on to a four-year university, and even more sad to say that some children will not even graduate high school. What these videos made me realize is maybe we are doing this education stuff all wrong.

In the videos, New Experiements in Self-Teaching and Build a School in the Cloud, Mitra takes his computer to small places where children have limited opportunities with technology and education period. He left his computer outside and after 8 hours children were browsing and learning how to use the computer. It amazed him that after a few tries these kids wanted faster processors and a better mouse. What is even more amazing to me is it was all self-taught with help from peers. I loved hearing that children were able to figure things out because as an educator that is what we strive for. After hearing what was happening I realized more than ever that children of the future are coming from everywhere and those who use their abilities and curiosity make up a good number of doctors and lawyers.

Now I am sitting here with the question, why are we teaching children the same things over and over every year? In the United States kids sit in a classroom for six hours a day and learn the same material. Every student is expected to participate in the same learning experience and try to produce the same outcome. We use the same California State Standards to see how each child has grown through the year. When the majority of the students accomplish the content and material we think we have succeeded, but is this true? In my book no! I am not sure why we continue to say all children learn at different paces and different times, when we expect them to learn the same thing at the same time. At the end of the year we make the students take Standard Tests (STAR) and benchmarks and they are all supposed to perform well. They are all supposed to be alike, but this is never really the outcome. Those who perform low are either not trying or considered behind. But I feel that sometimes those kids are bored and uninterested. Why should they be limited to learning material in the same way if we know that not everyone learns in the same type of setting and way? Why should a teacher be the only person in the classroom helping these students succeed, what about their peers and what they can offer? 

As a future elementary teacher I feel that Mitra’s findings are extremely important to how I will complete lessons with my students. I know it is important to treat students the same, but sometimes there is that one student that cannot have an IEP because he or she does not test low enough for it, but that same student needs extra help. I think it is important to remember that students are learning more out in the world than in the classroom. I know that children come into the classroom with different backgrounds and it is important to use those backgrounds to enhance other abilities. If you give children the opportunities to learn something they will take them, it just has to start with giving. I truly understand that incorporating peer and hands-on assignments into the daily routine are important. Students will benefit much more if they can learn in a setting that is helpful and fits their intellectual abilities.

“The World is Flat, but Technology is Not!”

As a student, teacher, and mother growth is something that I love to see in people, technology, and education. Sometimes I like to sit back and see how much growth has taken place around me. How much growth has allowed my life to change for the better and worse. The thought that I was once a child living in this big world with thousands of opportunities, and now an adult with my own child and students to help grow is breath taking. By using my words of wisdom, and of course technology, which has evolved as fast as the human life, I will be able to make an impact on this thing we call globalization and the kids that come in my life!

In the book, The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman, he explains how the world is evoloving and the use of technology is quickly adding to the countless of changes that have occured. He states that three things have happened to change the world. We started changing the country or the world, then the businesses and corporations, and finally the small groups and individuals. I feel the world has for sure opened up and globalization is taking the world for a wild ride. It is inevitable how much change has happened and as Americans we see it more and more in our everyday life. Who would have ever thought that we would have cell phones that can control our every move, systems that can control everything we do, and technology that we now DEPEND on to get through everday life including education and how us teachers instruct our students.

I work in a charter school so I have some kids from 7th to 12th grade and it amazes me how much they change over the course of the years. How my teachings and talks with them help some of them change for the better. How the use of technology has allowed me to connect to them on all sorts of levels. By using Smart boards, the ELMO, Urban Dictionary, YoueTube, etc. I have been able to connect to all my students and build great relationships with them.

Technology equipment like the ELMO and Smartboard are great pieces that help project material in the classroom. It is very common to use these pieces of technology in the classroom to project PowerPoints, videos, and other material that pertains to the lesson. Globalization is huge so not only are we using technology pieces to project the material, but we are getting the material from other sources that paved the way with the technology boom. We need PowerPoint on our computer to piece information together, youtube videos are great for added visual effect, and different educational websites help connect what students like to do (play with technology) to the lesson.

With that said a great teacher will use technology in the classroom because that is what our children like and use on a daily basis. Flipboard had a great article about how teachers can use 15 different tech tools in the classroom. I thought the article was great becasue in order to be an effective teacher technology is key. Even when I worked with the smaller kids it was important to have that hour a day of computer time. Computer time was the exciting part of the day for the kids. I used sites like Cool Math, Starfall, and ABC Mouse with the kids because they were able to work on a varitey of concepts at their own pace and learn technology skills that are necessary for the future.

Therefore, I think globalization is going to happen whether we are prepared for it or not. We are not going to be living in this 3.0 world, but more like a 5.0 world. As educators we need to make sure  students are getting not only the best education, but really learning the important things they will use. A majority of the kids we teach will have phones, tablets, computers, and other pieces of technology so why not incorporate those into our lessons? We can only win by using what they know and what they need to know to develop useful lessons!