Dimond High School is pretty hooked up when it comes to technology. Much of the information that I was asked to find out about came to me at the beginning of the year when I was getting the lay of the land at Dimond and finding out what resources were available to me. I would say that Dimond is behind the times of technology when it comes to Smart Boards. They have projectors and every teacher seems to have a Lap Top computer that wants one. Most teachers use the computer labs or mobile lap top computer cart in there classes at some point during the year. I don't know of any technology classes offered at Dimond where students use technology to create movies or videos. In the class I am teaching I have a semester project that I have encouraged students to create movies, videos, slide shows, power points or something using technology.
I did come to a road block when I tried to get the program "Comic Life" installed on the lap top computers for use in my classroom. I wanted to have the students create a comic using the program. The tech coordinator was not very knowledgable as to how to do this or if it was even possible to do this. Turns out, I won't know or it won't happen this semester in time for me to use it. BUMMER!!! It was going to be a really cool project. Anyone have any ideas for me? Any other cool comic programs or resources out there?
A Link to the Anthropological Assessment Document of my School's Technology Culture
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhdntmgx_1dk42cm
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Assessment: "Listen to the Natives" by Marc Prensky
Janice Crawford
iamjlc@gmail.com
9/15/07
Listen to the Natives
By: Marc Prensky
OVERVIEW:
The article discusses the idea that technologically, schools are stuck in the 20th century and students today are rushed, technologically, into the 21st. The article attempts to explore how schools/teachers can use their students’ technologies productively and to the schools, teachers, and students advantage. When students’ knowledge surpasses that of the school and teacher, there is a catch up game happening while trying to figure out how and whether or not to use the new technologies in the educational setting. The article presents ideas as to how
MAIN POINTS:
➢ The term digital native refers to today’s students. They are the native speakers of technology, fluent in the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet.
➢ Students as digital natives will continue to evolve and change so rapidly that teachers/schools will not be able to keep up. Traditional in-services and trainings will no longer be sufficient to train educators.
➢ Schools should be teaching kids how to program, filter knowledge, and maximize the features and connectivity of their (electronic) tools.
➢ Teachers need to start putting engagement before content.
➢ Digital tools are like extensions of students’ brains
➢ According to the article, students want more technology in schools
➢ Schools need to find ways to integrate kids’ technology rich after-school lives with their lives in school.
➢ If parents and teachers don’t stop and listen to the kids they serve, value their opinions and make major changes (in regard to technology in schools) on the basis of the valid suggestions they offer, we will be left with school buildings to administer, but with students who are physically and mentally somewhere else.
➢ Two things need to happen in the classroom today: more one-to-one personalized instruction and self-selected learning groups by the students. Virtual groups are one way to broaden the possibility for a student to find a compatible learning partner.
REFLECTION
As an educator, I haven’t heard a lot of this before and I don’t think most schools are aligned with the thinking in this article. This article makes me wearisome of the implications.
I disagree with the following quote for the article, “Today’s students have mastered a large variety of tools that we will never master with the same level of skill. From computers to MP3 players to camera phones, these tools are like extensions of their brains. Educating or evaluating students without these tools makes no more sense than educating or evaluating a plumber without his or her wrench.” I think this is absurd.
Students aren’t computer programs they are human beings. Students are independent of the technologies they use and one can most certainly evaluate a students learning dependent of those technologies.
If this article is true then where are those trainings and new world in-services that they say we need as educators in order to teach and evaluate our students?
I do agree that teachers need to put engagement before content. Make the classroom and activities interesting!
iamjlc@gmail.com
9/15/07
Listen to the Natives
By: Marc Prensky
OVERVIEW:
The article discusses the idea that technologically, schools are stuck in the 20th century and students today are rushed, technologically, into the 21st. The article attempts to explore how schools/teachers can use their students’ technologies productively and to the schools, teachers, and students advantage. When students’ knowledge surpasses that of the school and teacher, there is a catch up game happening while trying to figure out how and whether or not to use the new technologies in the educational setting. The article presents ideas as to how
MAIN POINTS:
➢ The term digital native refers to today’s students. They are the native speakers of technology, fluent in the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet.
➢ Students as digital natives will continue to evolve and change so rapidly that teachers/schools will not be able to keep up. Traditional in-services and trainings will no longer be sufficient to train educators.
➢ Schools should be teaching kids how to program, filter knowledge, and maximize the features and connectivity of their (electronic) tools.
➢ Teachers need to start putting engagement before content.
➢ Digital tools are like extensions of students’ brains
➢ According to the article, students want more technology in schools
➢ Schools need to find ways to integrate kids’ technology rich after-school lives with their lives in school.
➢ If parents and teachers don’t stop and listen to the kids they serve, value their opinions and make major changes (in regard to technology in schools) on the basis of the valid suggestions they offer, we will be left with school buildings to administer, but with students who are physically and mentally somewhere else.
➢ Two things need to happen in the classroom today: more one-to-one personalized instruction and self-selected learning groups by the students. Virtual groups are one way to broaden the possibility for a student to find a compatible learning partner.
REFLECTION
As an educator, I haven’t heard a lot of this before and I don’t think most schools are aligned with the thinking in this article. This article makes me wearisome of the implications.
I disagree with the following quote for the article, “Today’s students have mastered a large variety of tools that we will never master with the same level of skill. From computers to MP3 players to camera phones, these tools are like extensions of their brains. Educating or evaluating students without these tools makes no more sense than educating or evaluating a plumber without his or her wrench.” I think this is absurd.
Students aren’t computer programs they are human beings. Students are independent of the technologies they use and one can most certainly evaluate a students learning dependent of those technologies.
If this article is true then where are those trainings and new world in-services that they say we need as educators in order to teach and evaluate our students?
I do agree that teachers need to put engagement before content. Make the classroom and activities interesting!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Futuring Reflection
School Train/Fox Becomes a Better Person
The School Train video was interesting and inventive. I think the use of technology in the classroom is important and presents exciting opportunities for learning. I am interested in discovering ways to incorporate technology into my classroom in new and inventive ways. The school train video seemed to be a big project for the topic. I wonder how much time was spent on the video and if the students were learning anything else while the video was being made. I also wonder how much the students actually contributed to the editing and production of the final product. I also wonder how much the students learned form the making of the video. Their voices are on the video and pictures of them, but I don’t know how much they contributed to the final product. I am not able to tell from the video if the students learned what a metaphor is. I know they recognized ways in which school is like riding a train and that metaphor, but I don’t know if they know what a metaphor is outside of that context. The video does not show understanding on the student’s part. I think it is a fun idea and I’m sure the students did gain some understanding from watching the video after it was made as to what a metaphor is. I liked the use of Spanish and English translations. I would have to ask, was the assignment to make a video or was the video something that the teacher made to show what was being taught in her classroom? I would give the video project a C+.
Fox Becomes a Better Person video (well, Fox isn’t a person to begin with, so Fox Becomes a Better Fox is the correct translation, but I wouldn’t mark off for that). This video, though less technologically ‘savvy’ shows so much understanding and skill development on the student’s part. Hannah memorized the story and spoke quite well. She wandered back and forth a bit, but used gestures and voice projection well. I could tell she understood the story. There was a multicultural element incorporated through the oral tradition use, native language and the native folktale. I liked the use of her drawings behind her. The verbal, visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning techniques were all incorporated. I would like to know what the project assignment was. I would give the project an A.
EPIC 2015
After watching this video I was a little awe struck by the ideas. Part of me felt like saying, well, so what? I can separate myself from that, how will that really effect me? Technology can really only effect me and in turn what I do in the classroom if I let it, for the most part? Is some of the affect out of my control though? I had visions of my classes being broadcast on the web or my school website and parents seeing what occurs in class. No big deal, I guess, but I don’t like the idea of that. I think because I don’t know much about podcasting and who does podcast and how and why, I am unaware of all the affect it could have. I do see all this technology as a way to bring the world into the classroom, in real time, but I don’t want to get rid of the hard copy print of media and news. If technology breaks down there is no paper trail or hard copy to have a record of events and history. That all seems a little scary. I don’t like the idea of media being suited and shaped for its audience. It already is to some extent and I try my best to find objective news, which is next to impossible, but I try to find as much about the facts as I can and not concern myself with the jargon. I want relevancy in my news but not just to my interests. I could see Googlezon becoming a reality. I want to show the video to a group of high school students and get a reaction. Has anyone done that? I am really curious.
The School Train video was interesting and inventive. I think the use of technology in the classroom is important and presents exciting opportunities for learning. I am interested in discovering ways to incorporate technology into my classroom in new and inventive ways. The school train video seemed to be a big project for the topic. I wonder how much time was spent on the video and if the students were learning anything else while the video was being made. I also wonder how much the students actually contributed to the editing and production of the final product. I also wonder how much the students learned form the making of the video. Their voices are on the video and pictures of them, but I don’t know how much they contributed to the final product. I am not able to tell from the video if the students learned what a metaphor is. I know they recognized ways in which school is like riding a train and that metaphor, but I don’t know if they know what a metaphor is outside of that context. The video does not show understanding on the student’s part. I think it is a fun idea and I’m sure the students did gain some understanding from watching the video after it was made as to what a metaphor is. I liked the use of Spanish and English translations. I would have to ask, was the assignment to make a video or was the video something that the teacher made to show what was being taught in her classroom? I would give the video project a C+.
Fox Becomes a Better Person video (well, Fox isn’t a person to begin with, so Fox Becomes a Better Fox is the correct translation, but I wouldn’t mark off for that). This video, though less technologically ‘savvy’ shows so much understanding and skill development on the student’s part. Hannah memorized the story and spoke quite well. She wandered back and forth a bit, but used gestures and voice projection well. I could tell she understood the story. There was a multicultural element incorporated through the oral tradition use, native language and the native folktale. I liked the use of her drawings behind her. The verbal, visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning techniques were all incorporated. I would like to know what the project assignment was. I would give the project an A.
EPIC 2015
After watching this video I was a little awe struck by the ideas. Part of me felt like saying, well, so what? I can separate myself from that, how will that really effect me? Technology can really only effect me and in turn what I do in the classroom if I let it, for the most part? Is some of the affect out of my control though? I had visions of my classes being broadcast on the web or my school website and parents seeing what occurs in class. No big deal, I guess, but I don’t like the idea of that. I think because I don’t know much about podcasting and who does podcast and how and why, I am unaware of all the affect it could have. I do see all this technology as a way to bring the world into the classroom, in real time, but I don’t want to get rid of the hard copy print of media and news. If technology breaks down there is no paper trail or hard copy to have a record of events and history. That all seems a little scary. I don’t like the idea of media being suited and shaped for its audience. It already is to some extent and I try my best to find objective news, which is next to impossible, but I try to find as much about the facts as I can and not concern myself with the jargon. I want relevancy in my news but not just to my interests. I could see Googlezon becoming a reality. I want to show the video to a group of high school students and get a reaction. Has anyone done that? I am really curious.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
