Finally the blog seems to be working though it still seems a bit slow. This is the first time I’ve been able to connect this week. Even this morning it was impossible for me to connect. Anyway, last week I made a mistake and told you to bring your pictures for tomorrow, but they’re really for the 18th. Tomorrow I will be filming you, bring something short to say (without reading) that you can post to your blog. Here are your reading assignments:
Schools Grapple with teachers’ Facebook use
Study the following site about webquests, begin thinking about a possible webquest you could develop for your level.
To view webquest samples visit Webquest.org
12 comments ↓
Facebook and myspace are social sites that have been very popular for quite some time. I believe is OK to communicate with your students online. There should be certain rules to maintain a healthy and productive relationship between students and teachers. As teachers we should beware of how students approach us when their writing through one of these sites. Likewise, we must also be careful how to communicate to students, especially adolescences. Students at this stage can be contradicted and controversial when teachers disagree or misunderstand any point of view. I consider that facebook and myspace are great tools to share educational information or personal experience that can be related to any class. As an example, my colleague communicates very friendly with her students. Through facebook she presents student’s pictures participating in class. They love that type of attention. She has also communicated with ex – students that she has not seen for many years; they have planned to reunite and have met at her house. I have been integrating this type of communication myself, and it has been very effective. I do believe we need to visualize this type of communication through technology in a positive manner.
Facebook is the site most used by the youngsters. It’s
new and as always when there is a new tool in technology everyone wants to use it. When it is used
with an educational purpose is always an advantage,
so if it is there use it, just be careful with the misuse.
Before using this resource with the students set the
rules and the limits. You want to be in facebook not
in the news.
October 17, 2008
Facebook and My Space have become very popular indeed. I asked around and I was impressed with how many of my 8th and 9th graders had My Space. I asked them why they had My Space and they told me that some of their friends from other schools told them about this site. They also expressed “ I feel liberated, I make new friends and I can explore new things.” Since there are no formal policies governing these social sites teachers should be very careful if they interact with students.
Margarita
Comment # 7
Regarding the article about Face book and My Space, I think these are two pages or sites, expressly created for the person who wants to interchange friendship, find old friends and so on therefore I found that from the concept the pages has you can discriminate the use of it. So I think that if there is any student that you can share a social relation with the lines and respect social relation has, it is probably you could succeed in given other kind of support for those students who needs a palm in their shoulders I don’t think this spaces could be considered to teach or to maintain academic order of ideas I really believe that these spaces are for social approaches and I find it perfect to it. Actually I had a few students that relate with me through it and what they are looking for are my advices, love and care and up to now it has been a beautiful experience.
Reflection # 6
Face Book and Webquest
I opened a page in Face Book a couple of months ago, and went back to it once. I just can’t seem to relate to it as a means of communication. But, that’s just my personal experience. I know that for other people it’s a very powerful tool for personal expression and communication. As a teacher, there has to be a balance between you as a person-friend and a professional. I suppose this fine line must be kept at all times, even with new ways of communication, like Face Book. If there are professionals that can’t distinguish this fine line, regulations must be formulated and enforced by schools and other institutions. Other wise, since Face Book appeals to so many diverse backgrounds, it seems to be another powerful way to reach your students.
As I looked through different examples of Webquest, it really seems like an excellent tool that responds to our times. There were some examples that were very well organized, and precisely addressed a skill. But, here again, some were very sloppy. Schools that have a whole learning management system (ex. Moodle) would really make good use of a tool like this.
Reflection 6
Facebook use
Facebook is definitely a great means for social networking, but not for teachers communicating with students.
As an educator, I would not interact with a student using Facebook, unless it was a college student and one that I would know would not cross the line. I would be polite accepting them as a friend, but that is as far as I would go. I agree that this could cross the boundary of acceptable social behavior between teacher and student and that this could also cause bias when the instructor gives a grade (and yes, it is sad to say, but we have seen easily biased teachers).
Jared Stein “believes that educators should keep a clear line separating educational relationships from social relationships. As long as the use of the tool is related to learning, education or professional development, I don’t see it as being a problem”.
Another professor, Alec Couros believes that “there needs to be a shared agreement between teachers and their students as soon as a social network is established. It’s ok to exchange messages about course assignments, but if you see that I’m signed on, don’t send me a message making small talk”.
The article mentions that students who are friends with their professors shouldn’t expect favoritism from them. I love Facebook, but as an educator I consider myself very traditional about certain things. If a student needs to communicate with me about the class, they can send me an email or call me. To me this would be preferable and perhaps would save me a lot of misunderstandings and aggravations down the line.
I think that facebook is a great way to communicate even though I don’t agree with it being a tool through which you can communicate with your students. I don’t close that option because you can create a facebook account just for the class and not for your social life. Even though as the article says “I believe that educators should keep a clear line separating educational relationships from social relationships,” I think that us as educators should let the student know about this thin line that seperates one from the other and let them know if any are trying to pass that line. Using facebook as an educational tool has it’s pros and it’s cons like Elise mention in her reflection it can bring alot of misuderstandings and aggrevations along the way. But theirs always an option, you just need to know how useful can facebook be.
Facebook has become very popular among the students. Them all talks about it and seems excited.
They spend many hours on the web socializing with
other from their same age. The use of this technology
is not bad, but be specific with them about the use and
purpose of the tool in the classroom.
Reflection 7
Nation’s First Tech Literacy Exam and 6 Education technology trends
I was very pleased with the information I read on that first article. It was about time that student’s technology literacy is assessed on a national level. It is very important to determine ways to define and measure students’ knowledge and skills in understanding important technological tools. I have read a few times the “No Child Left Behind Act” and had never seen the requirement that students demonstrate technological literacy by the end of the eighth grade.
It is wonderful that all these things are being taken into consideration, because it will eventually force all schools to implement better technological programs (except Puerto Rico, of course!).
Some of the comments on this article were very appropriate. I particularly liked two of them the most. The one that basically mentions that “A committee of technology experts, engineers, teachers, scientists, business representatives, state and local policy makers and employers from across the country will advise West Ed on the content and design of the national tech literacy assessment”, but no mention of the students being included.
The other commentary: “Students should be held accountable only if the high schools have the appropriate software programs that allow students to access the latest in software techniques”.
I didn’t feel that the article on the 6 education technology trends was that great. It mentioned that “educational technology provides for differentiated, individualized instruction”, (something that all of us know) and it described each one of those 6 trends.
1. Web – Teachers creating content for themselves and peers. The story about the creation and development of you tube was very interesting (those rags to riches stories always appeal to me).
2. Could computing – It’s the remote server versus the ancient central server linked to a network. The servers could be descried as being in a cloud somewhere.
3. SOA – software solution to organize and manage multiple processes
4. SCORM – ensuring that digital content can be integrated into any learning management and very importantly, that “nothing anytime soon is likely to take the place of an excellent teacher or an inspiring professor”.
5. Telepresence – works great for companies abroad, but not for students. For schools and universities, paying for telepresence may not be cost effective.
6. 21st century learning – totally agree with “every child in America needs 21st century knowledge and skills to succeed as effective citizens, workers and leaders in the 21st century”.
So the idea is that these 6 trends together should make it possible for children to be well prepared for the rest of this century.
Reflection 8
Technology for the visually impared.
I’ve watched this video hundreds of times. Not because it’s hard or long, but because I failed to comment on it, watched it and lost my notes (I don’t know how many times) so here it finally is.
It is great what the Boston Latin School is doing for the blind and visually impaired. As human beings we take for granted what we have and seem to forget that there are many less fortunate that lack one or more of their capabilities.
The different players presented were great, along with the digital media that allows for a disk to be inserted and even bookmarked if necessary. The fact that the Adobe Reader documents can be read out loud is something great. Also having programs that can scan a test or a photocopy and convert from print to Braille (in any foreign language) is awesome. The tactile images were interesting too, where a teacher takes a paper with a design, passes it through a machine that heats it up and raises the ink for these students.
I had a college professor in New York that was completely blind and it took me about 3 weeks to realize this (it took others much longer and some never realized it at all). I was in denial that he was totally blind and actually passed my hand in front of his eyes to test if he could at least make out shadows. This man walked from home to campus everyday and (vice-versa) no cane, or anything. He would walk straight into the classroom (no hesitation), write on the board (and make perfect circles too!) and somehow, had the ability to make participate those students that raised their hands. Don’t ask me. Class would always be dismissed on time.
I did think there was something a bit weird about him and that he didn’t blink or focus much (but hey, I thought maybe he did a little coke, something “perfectly normal” for a lot of NYC people, especially professionals..). One day he bumped into a chair that had been left in the middle of his pathway (and I just thought he was plain clumsy), but one evening I saw him feeling his watch (very subtly) and realized, my god, I think he’s blind!
It is amazing the things these people can do. One day I gave him a ride home and he directed me (you know 2nd left, 3rd right, , etc.) and I never understood how he did this (especially with me chatting incessantly). I said oh, because of the traffic lights, but then I realized that not all were red (for me to stop), so how did he know precisely where to tell me to turn! Someone said maybe because of the bumps on the road, but I laughed and said: hey that would be in PR, no bumps here.
The professor mentioned that as a child he had gone to one of the best schools (he was blind at birth) and that his wife was also blind and that the “State” had forbidden them to have children. They still weren’t sure about what they were going to do there, not because they didn’t think they weren’t capable of handling it, but because they were afraid that their child would be blind as well.
I wanted to share this because to me this man was amazing; a professional, smart, independent, handsome. I asked him about grading papers and tests (he indicated that he had someone for that) and if he wasn’t afraid of muggers walking home at that time of the evening. He said not really, that that was the reason why he only had a very simple watch and very little cash on him, just in case.
Reflection 9
Reports Reveal Online Learning and Keeping Pace Research
It was pleasing to evidence the rapid rate at which technology is growing in the United States. According to the NACOL report, 42 states have supplemental or full time online learning programs and of the 8 states that offer neither, they are already in the planning stages for introducing online learning opportunities.
Technology can be a great tool if used adequately, but when used in a classroom environment, that has brought about “increased scrutiny of online programs, particularly full-time programs, in a few states”, which is a good thing. An example of this is Colorado, which made numerous changes to the state’s online education regulations.
It is very important to create a division within the state education department to oversee all online programs and that all online programs report annually to the state. It has been proven that online learning works and these programs are increasing educational opportunities for students across the country.
It’s good for regulation to exist, but they should allow innovation. One of the important aspects of regulation should be ensuring equal access to online courses (by every student) and high quality professional development for online educators. This includes assuring that any virtual program that operates in a public school has the responsibility to make the program available for students who don’t have their own computers. Online programs also need to accommodate physical handicaps such as audio or visual difficulties.
Keeping Pace Research
This reading was very similar in terms of information to the first one, except that it contained a lot of data, particularly statistical in nature. It is pleasing to constantly read about how online learning continues to grow.
After reading this study, you can evidence how in the very beginning stages these online programs are. There still needs a lot of clarification and uniformity to be developed among the US, but it is certainly better than nothing. It seems like every state is doing their own thing when it comes to these programs. They are addressing different things in different states. One of the aspects that called my attention the most is the flexibility of these programs and elective offerings (such as Mandarin Chinese).
State policymakers continue to be challenged to find the most appropriate ways to oversee these new programs and it is definitely not an easy task to accomplish. It was good to know that aside from a few questionable practices from a few programs, just about all of them are working fine. There should be some regulation of online learning, but it shouldn’t be overdone.
I was very surprised on the little response of the data gathering efforts by Keeping Pace 2007. How can it be possible that a nation that has 42 states participating in significant online learning programs and only 82 surveys were completed? This to me was completely shocking and it actually makes you wonder about the accuracy of the results when there was so little participation.
I was also very shocked with disbelief to learn that New York, such a “cosmo” city, doesn’t have any sort of offerings for supplemental or full time online programs. I would have never envisioned that such a progressive state would be so behind technologically and educationally speaking.
It is great to note that the Keeping Pace survey results demonstrated that many online programs are growing rapidly. The number of audits conducted on online learning programs definitely needs to improve (only 3 states so far).
The statistic percentages on the grades levels of the online programs survey (38% elementary, 62% middle school and 85% high school), should increase for every level. The tendency seems to be that the higher the grade level, the more availability of online courses (which in a way makes sense).
The important thing about all this information is how each state has adopted online programs and the fast pace at which it is rapidly growing. I would certainly hope that someday these statistics prove true for Puerto Rico.
Schools grapple with teacher’s Facebook use
I must say, I’m not a facebook fan. I think it is because I have had so much trouble with my internet connection and besides facebook is very slow to work with. It takes hours and in my case I don’t have that extra time right now. Maybe in the future I’ll give a chance. I have my personal page in facebook, but I can’t see myself working with my students through this site. Maybe it is because at this time I’m teaching second graders and I see facebook more as a tool that can be used for higher level students.
Leave a Comment