I believe that social bookmarking holds real value to teachers and students both. Having links to so many sites organized by tags makes such better use of our time than the old way of "favorites" and bookmarking to a computer. I especially like that this site is accessible from any computer, not just the one I have at home or my laptop which I don't always have with me.
Sharing and using this information is where I place the highest prioritiy. The time it is going to save me is invaluable. Now I don't have to do a search over the whole internet. I can pick and choose the sites and have them ready to go to on just one website. I see this being valuable to students as well. Not only will they be able to save time doing research, but they can do it at home or in the town library as well as at school. No more excuses that "I have it on my computer at home and so I can't work on it here!" or vice versa. These same students can share what they have found with their teachers so that the next group of students will have that same wealth of knowledge and links to go to without the hassle of searching the internet.
I can see the value of social bookmarking with administrators sharing their links with their faculty. This would be great when it comes to directing them to sites that have to do with teacher evaluations and professional training days. The administration could have these bookmarks set up so that, on the day of training, each teacher would know exactly where to go.
Social bookmarking would also be great to serve as links for parents to do to help their students with their homework. Having links to sites that help explain the new math or a scientific concept would be of value to all parents. I would like to be involved with this! There could also be bookmarks to parenting education and other parenting blogs that might be of use to some parents.
After I read Chapter 1 of Trends and Issues, I at first related to the earlier definitions of technology. I well remember the days when films, filmstrips, TV and overhead projectors were "technologically smart"! And I could see where the 1970's definition of using this type of media "for instructional purposes alongside the teacher, textbook, and blackboard" (pg. 4) would have been the most current.
I found, however, the most current definition to be the one that I thought more applicable. This is probably because I am so much more aware of the need for "ethical practice" in learning and performance, using "appropriate technological processes and resources." (pg. 6) The ethical element was left out of other definitions, but because of such worldwide access to information, there need to be guidelines and boundaries set to prevent the misuse of technology, especially in education and learning.
Not realizing that there was a difference, I too would have defined instructional technology as including "computers, videos, CD-ROMs, overhead and slide projectors, and other types of hardware and software". (pg. 7) I find it surprising to see that what I thought was instructional technology was in reality instructional media. Renaming the field Instructional Design and Technology includes this media, but it also includes the "systematic processes" (pg. 6) as well.
As a teacher, I want to apply the current definition of Instructional Design and Technology by ethically "facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources" in my classroom.
My social bookmark site is http://delicious.com/rose_weaver
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Reflection Week 3 - Wikis
Before taking this class, I had never heard of wikis. I had no idea what they were or what they could be used for. Since the readings and the videos and the experience of setting one up, I have a whole new appreciation of this "new" application. I especially liked setting up the links between pages, although I had to watch a video to figure out how to set up a link to the internet!
I can see many ways that it can be used both in my life and in learning. The first application in using a wiki is in organizing the data that I have for a scrapbook retreat that I and another friend host every year. This year we are hosting two separate retreats, each four days long. One of the great benefits is that I can link my blog to my wiki, where each person will have several inner-links by which they can see a list of other attendees, a list of snack options to bring, a list of roommates, and a place to add names of new people who would like to come. All of these pages could be edited, whereby every scrapbooker could add to suggestions that have been made. They could also give suggestions on how to improve the retreat. I see a wiki as a tool to help cut down on all the emails I receive on a daily basis and on emails that I have to send.
I also see the potential of using wikis in the classroom. For example, a group project is designed around Diary of Anne Frank. A wiki could be used by the various groups to organize their project, to delgate various parts of the project, and to edit the final project. Various links could be added to search for newspaper articles of that time concerning the War and maps that show locations where Anne was, etc. The final project would be edited by all the participants of the group, thus giving viewpoints from all involved.
I see great potential for using a wiki. I am looking forward to developing it for my life!
http://www.scrapbookqueen.pbworks.com/
I can see many ways that it can be used both in my life and in learning. The first application in using a wiki is in organizing the data that I have for a scrapbook retreat that I and another friend host every year. This year we are hosting two separate retreats, each four days long. One of the great benefits is that I can link my blog to my wiki, where each person will have several inner-links by which they can see a list of other attendees, a list of snack options to bring, a list of roommates, and a place to add names of new people who would like to come. All of these pages could be edited, whereby every scrapbooker could add to suggestions that have been made. They could also give suggestions on how to improve the retreat. I see a wiki as a tool to help cut down on all the emails I receive on a daily basis and on emails that I have to send.
I also see the potential of using wikis in the classroom. For example, a group project is designed around Diary of Anne Frank. A wiki could be used by the various groups to organize their project, to delgate various parts of the project, and to edit the final project. Various links could be added to search for newspaper articles of that time concerning the War and maps that show locations where Anne was, etc. The final project would be edited by all the participants of the group, thus giving viewpoints from all involved.
I see great potential for using a wiki. I am looking forward to developing it for my life!
http://www.scrapbookqueen.pbworks.com/
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Week 2 Reflection
When I found out that I would have to make a blog and RSS feed, I have to admit that I was a little mystified. I had no problems setting up the blog, or so I thought. As many you found out, I didn't even submit my blog address correctly. I didn't realize that I needed to "activate" my account so my blog didn't even save my first week's reflection. I found this out when I went to set up the RSS feed. Imagine my surprise to read that I had not posts! Talk about frustration! But in the end, I learned a lot. When it came to the RSS feed, I had to stop and ask lots of questions. I had never heard of an RSS feed and Wikipedia didn't do anything to change that! But I followed instructions this time and was able to even subscribe to all of the blog available addresses for the group. I just went to my feed again and, after a few minutes of exploring the various "tabs", I found it quite enjoyable. Now, if only I had the time to fully utilize it!
I can see the value of blogs and RSS feeds in education. According to Seigel, computer learning must be interesting enough to not be boring and to fully utilize internet technology. I think that developing the RSS feed in a classroom situation would be very advantageous. I could specifically subscribe to sites that had important information that dealt with my subject area, be it English or Spanish. This way, the students would have up-to-date information that could be applied in classroom learning. It could be a daily requirement, if the technology allowed it, or a weekly assessment of what they learned in the classroom.
In the RSS feed, I love that all the sites are in one place and all you have to do is click on it. Some of it is already "feeding" and the other ones are easily accessible. Adding subscriptions is a breeze, so it would be so easy to add to the list of sites that come to my attention daily. I would, of course, have to learn security measures to ensure that students don't add subscriptions and only use the sites that are laid out in the syllabus.
Blogs are a great journaling tool. I see that this is where the students can journal (with preset guidelines) about the various sites that they have been to on the RSS feed. This way I can monitor what they are learning. I would give each student a different site to discuss so that way they all can read and learn that much more. I do like Dr. Horvitz's response technique and would incorporate that in the blog assignments. In this way, the students would "grasp multiple perspectives" both with the RSS feed and the blogs.
Concerning Dale and his "Cone of Experience," I see the blog and RSS feed being used by the students at all levels of the Cone. The internet can be used at all of the levels, but specifically, in the classroom, "directed purposeful experiences, demonstrations, and visual and verbal symbols" would be addressed. In setting up the scenario that I want in using the RSS feed and blogs, I do believe that I still use all of what is on the Cone in some way today. When using the internet, it may be done virtually, but it still has the same ideals behind it.
I can see the value of blogs and RSS feeds in education. According to Seigel, computer learning must be interesting enough to not be boring and to fully utilize internet technology. I think that developing the RSS feed in a classroom situation would be very advantageous. I could specifically subscribe to sites that had important information that dealt with my subject area, be it English or Spanish. This way, the students would have up-to-date information that could be applied in classroom learning. It could be a daily requirement, if the technology allowed it, or a weekly assessment of what they learned in the classroom.
In the RSS feed, I love that all the sites are in one place and all you have to do is click on it. Some of it is already "feeding" and the other ones are easily accessible. Adding subscriptions is a breeze, so it would be so easy to add to the list of sites that come to my attention daily. I would, of course, have to learn security measures to ensure that students don't add subscriptions and only use the sites that are laid out in the syllabus.
Blogs are a great journaling tool. I see that this is where the students can journal (with preset guidelines) about the various sites that they have been to on the RSS feed. This way I can monitor what they are learning. I would give each student a different site to discuss so that way they all can read and learn that much more. I do like Dr. Horvitz's response technique and would incorporate that in the blog assignments. In this way, the students would "grasp multiple perspectives" both with the RSS feed and the blogs.
Concerning Dale and his "Cone of Experience," I see the blog and RSS feed being used by the students at all levels of the Cone. The internet can be used at all of the levels, but specifically, in the classroom, "directed purposeful experiences, demonstrations, and visual and verbal symbols" would be addressed. In setting up the scenario that I want in using the RSS feed and blogs, I do believe that I still use all of what is on the Cone in some way today. When using the internet, it may be done virtually, but it still has the same ideals behind it.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Reflection - Week 1
In a technological utopia, I find that Reigeluth has made several good points. His list of learning-focused paradigm of education includes many of the points that an educator wants his/her student to achieve. These include mastery learning, continuous progress, authenticity, performance-based assessment, peer-assisted learning and meaningful content, to name a few. (Reigeluth, pg. 10) However, it is what I didn't list that I have problems with. One of the areas that bother me is the self-directed learning. A student has to be self-motivated in order to be on task when needed. I taught a self-paced curriculum back in the nineties. I didn't have computers, granted, but in order for the students to pass through their courses, they had to be on task and follow a schedule. Some managed to do that without problems, but I had many that struggled with this. I think having computers would not eliminate this self-motivating problem. I also found that the honor system was greatly put to the test as well. I see nothing different happening in today's technological classroom.
Another area that I had problems with was "teacher as coach." A teacher is just that -- someone who teaches. A role model. Reigeluth defines a teacher as someone who "coaches students to become better self-directed learners while helping them to acquire domain-specific skills and topics." (Reigeluth p. 10) Really, what the teacher does is demonstrates and role plays these skills so that the learner can master them. The same would be necessary if the classroom had more technology. The teacher would still need to show in real-time the instruction needed to master the material. You shouldn't minimize the human element in this situation.
I do agree that it would be great if each student had a specific plan for each of them. It is possible to use the computer and technology to accomplish some of these plans, but I believe it would make the whole experience less warm to eliminate the actual classroom-style format.
I found Postman's point of view more my style. I understand where he is coming from and even agree with his point that sometimes "new technologies do not increase people's options but do just the opposite." (Postman, pg. 1) What I took from this is that with so much technology available, the family dynamic has gone under a considerable change. People don't seem to need each other as much as before. My boys are a great example of this. When I was younger (b.c -- before computers!), we had to work and play together. We played games together face to face. We talked with each other face to face. Now, my boys each have his own DS and computer games and TV and cell phones (i.e.texting). It's harder to make the time to spend actual quality time together face to face. We just live in a faster-paced society, and I believe that is due to technology. I want to use technology, but not if it means lessening the human experience.
Both Reigeluth and Postman pointed out one of the biggest obstacles to a technological-filled classroom. The schools just don't have the funds. To push this agenda forward when the money isn't there makes the whole point moot when it comes to using technology almost exclusively in a classroom setting.
As an educator, I want to use as much technology as would be beneficial to the student. I wouldn't use it just to make my life easier if it didn't have merit for the students. As Postman quoted Alan Kay, "the problems that schools cannot solve without machines are problems they can't solve with them." (Postman, pg. 3). Technology will not solve the problems we have in society. I believe this is something that needs to be taught to this generation.
Another area that I had problems with was "teacher as coach." A teacher is just that -- someone who teaches. A role model. Reigeluth defines a teacher as someone who "coaches students to become better self-directed learners while helping them to acquire domain-specific skills and topics." (Reigeluth p. 10) Really, what the teacher does is demonstrates and role plays these skills so that the learner can master them. The same would be necessary if the classroom had more technology. The teacher would still need to show in real-time the instruction needed to master the material. You shouldn't minimize the human element in this situation.
I do agree that it would be great if each student had a specific plan for each of them. It is possible to use the computer and technology to accomplish some of these plans, but I believe it would make the whole experience less warm to eliminate the actual classroom-style format.
I found Postman's point of view more my style. I understand where he is coming from and even agree with his point that sometimes "new technologies do not increase people's options but do just the opposite." (Postman, pg. 1) What I took from this is that with so much technology available, the family dynamic has gone under a considerable change. People don't seem to need each other as much as before. My boys are a great example of this. When I was younger (b.c -- before computers!), we had to work and play together. We played games together face to face. We talked with each other face to face. Now, my boys each have his own DS and computer games and TV and cell phones (i.e.texting). It's harder to make the time to spend actual quality time together face to face. We just live in a faster-paced society, and I believe that is due to technology. I want to use technology, but not if it means lessening the human experience.
Both Reigeluth and Postman pointed out one of the biggest obstacles to a technological-filled classroom. The schools just don't have the funds. To push this agenda forward when the money isn't there makes the whole point moot when it comes to using technology almost exclusively in a classroom setting.
As an educator, I want to use as much technology as would be beneficial to the student. I wouldn't use it just to make my life easier if it didn't have merit for the students. As Postman quoted Alan Kay, "the problems that schools cannot solve without machines are problems they can't solve with them." (Postman, pg. 3). Technology will not solve the problems we have in society. I believe this is something that needs to be taught to this generation.
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