Final ED483 Blog

 Before taking ED483, I had a general understanding of computer usage; I took CIS110 my freshman year of college, so I had the foundations, but I just never expanded on them. I had the ability to run a computer and get by with the basics, but I didn’t realize just how valuable technology could be in the area of education. Because of ED483, I now feel like I can be a leader for my students not only in my areas of study, but also in the world of technology.

I think my biggest current technological asset is my e-portfolio. Before ED483, I had no idea that online applications were the norm, or that e-portfolios even existed. Now that I have learned how to put together an e-portfolio, and have been shown the basics of how to put one together, I have the groundwork for having a really great e-portfolio - it may help me get a job someday, because it shows that I am technologically advanced and willing to go the distance in order to constantly grow professionally.

One of the artifacts that I think best displays my ability to integrate technology and education is the flipped lesson plan that I created. A flipped classroom is a form of blended learning which encompasses any use of Internet technology to leverage the learning in a classroom, so a teacher can spend more time interacting with students instead of lecturing. The flipped lesson meets NETS-T Standards 2 (Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments) and 3 (Model Digital Age Work and Learning) because it shows that I have the ability to create presentations and videos, while integrating that technology into the classroom, through the form of a flipped lesson. In an ever-increasingly technology reliant world, my knowledge of flipped classrooms will prove invaluable.

I also think my ability to use Google docs, forms, and other various online programs make me a technological asset. In several of my artifacts, I integrated Google docs and forms into my lesson plans. That, along with my basic knowledge of how to create a lesson plan in Moodle, could set me apart from the crowd.

Another important technological asset that I now have is the knowledge of grants and the ability to write up a grant proposal, along with creating a budget spreadsheet. A lot of schools are struggling financially, so to be able to pull in some money for educational opportunities on my own would be a huge positive feature to many schools.

Overall, with my e-portfolio and many artifacts, I think I have many of the technological skills which school districts are looking for. I have shown that I can meet NETS-T Standards as well as Michigan Standard 7.

21st Century Education

The 21st century is the new age of technology. The extent of our technological capabilities today far exceeds what anyone could have imagined, even twenty years ago. There is a rather infamous quote (whose validity is under discussion) from a patent officer in 1899:  "Everything that can be invented has been invented" - now the humor of the statement just compounds as time goes on. Whether it is a legitimate quote or not, the point remains: there is truly no limit to what technology may be able to do. We can only hope to grasp what is happening now and try to ride the waves of technology as they break. In the area of education, especially, classrooms, students, and teachers should all be kept up-to-date on the latest technology (as much as budget allows) because if kids don't get introduced to it at school, they will already be behind today's vast technological market.
The 21st century classroom should, as I mentioned, embrace technology as much as possible. Modern kids barely even remember what a blackboard is, nor do they need to. Every classroom should have an interactive smartboard - it is an amazing tool to get both teachers and students involved. A step even further than the smartboard is rapidly becoming reality: multi-touch surfaces. What if every student's desk was a multi-touch surface?? "Okay kids-please get out your history book" - students tap the appropriate icon on their "desktop" and voile - there's their textbook! Students can interact with the pictures, the pages, do homework literally on their desk, and then swipe it to the teacher's desk when they're done. How amazingly cool would that be? And yet, it is not that far out there. The 21st century classroom will need to incorporate these things in order to keep up with the times. How about another cool technology that 21st century classrooms could (and should) soon have-biometrics. In an article I found on Edutopia called, "Five Future Technologies that Will Shape our Classroom" they explain: "Biometrics is the technology used to recognize humans based on specific physical or behavioral traits. In the future, this technology will help intelligent software completely understand the physical and emotional state of children learning in the classroom. Course material presented to students can be altered on the fly and will be perfectly tailored to individual needs based on biometric signals from students." Wow. Talk about helping out the teacher. But students can only benefit from such measures.

So-what should the 21st century student have? Well a "notebook" of some kind, certainly. Whether it is an iPad is less important-what matters is that students should have the same technological capabilities in school as they have at home. In today's ever-changing society, kids need to have their attention captured more firmly than ever before. By putting the tool directly into each student's hands, they are helping to create their own environment, in all the best ways. Here's another cool future technology that 21st century students may well have; from the same article, a different technology - augmented reality eye-wear: "AR is essentially the layering of further data on top of the reality we already see...imagine having an AR Benjamin Franklin sitting at your desk explaining the Declaration of Independence. The immersive experience that students will enjoy both in and outside the classroom will be amazing." 21st century students will experience things that no other generation has, and they will flourish because of it.

 As  for the 21st century teacher - well they just need to keep up! Teachers should be equipped with everything, if not more, than the students have. Think about an iPad containing all their grades that they can take home. How about having all the students turn in their assignments by swiping them from their multi-touch desk to the teachers. How much more complicated, yet at the same time so much simpler. Teachers, too, must learn to embrace their technological surroundings, or risk losing credibility. 21st century teachers must learn to make their jobs easier, not harder, by incorporating all that modern technology has to offer.

What a wonderful world.

Video Technology/Virtual Fieldtrips

I'm becoming increasingly excited about using technology in my classroom, especially with the prospect of taking my students on virtual fields trips and using video technology to expand my classroom beyond the walls of the school. Because I am a social studies major, I think that the possibilities for using technology are endless - in the best way. 

A virtual field trip that I would love to take my (future) secondary social studies students on is to the National WWII Museum. In my experience, kids don't often visit historical museums, and a virtual field trip would be the perfect way to make the past relatable to the them in the present day. With the huge upsurge of the use of technology (and since this will be a virtual field trip!), for a middle- or high school history class studying WWII, I would use: "The War That Changed Your World: Science and Technology of WWII" from the National WWII Museum. Before I did the video conference, I would have the students write a paragraph or make a list of the technology that they think existed and was used during WWII. Then I would use the virtual tour to meet Content Standard 2: All students will understand narratives about major eras of American and world history by identifying the people involved, describing the setting, and sequencing the events. (Comprehending the Past) After taking the virtual field trip, I would have students write a paper comparing and contrasting the technology used in the military today and the technology they learned was used during WWII.

As far as an original video conference, I think it would be awesome for a middle school geography class to skype with a class their age in Africa (who would have to speak English of course!). It would be even better if it could be a video-collaboration with other middle school geography classes in the area. The local classes could research the area in Africa where the other class is from and come up with questions they want to ask them, as well as some kind of skit/performance to let the students in Africa see what students in our area of the United States are like. To further incorporate the physical geography aspect, it would be cool to take videos of the local geography (as a class) to share with the students in Africa - if there are any cool museums or historic sites in the area, that would be even better. The whole unit would really make the students realize that there is a great big world out there, and that kids in other parts of the world are both similar to and different from them.

Reflecting on Michigan Standard 7 and Nets-T-Standards

            First of all, I can already see that in ED483 we have touched on every single aspect of Michigan Teaching Standard 7, which is really awesome. Not only did Eric use all the bullet points in his teaching of the class, but the students are now educated about and aware of the Technology Operations and Concepts Standard. In particular, I think that the course covered part 7a fully and effectively. I now feel more educated about when, why, and how teachers can use technology ethically and legally in the classroom.  

            I think one of the most important aspects of the Nets-T Standards was using technology to engage in professional growth and leadership (standard 5). It is common knowledge that teachers are expected (and required) to continue their education and constantly grow professionally. The use of technology in the classroom is in fact growing professionally, since technology is relatively new, and relentlessly changing and expanding. Also, the amount of information available for educators on the internet in the form of professional journals and teaching sites is outrageous, in the best way.

            Michigan Teaching Standard 7e also stood out to me: the key term there is effective. It is important to remember that technology should not be used in the classroom just for the sake of using technology; rather, it should help and enhance the learning environment and the subject being taught.

            After examining both Michigan Standard 7 and the Nets-T Standards, I feel much more excited about using technology in my classroom someday. Just knowing what the standards are makes using technology much less daunting.

Positive Technology Experience

My entire education happened in a tiny (okay…miniscule) school called North Dickinson that held a max capacity of about four-hundred students, K-12. To say the school had no money would be an understatement. Our sport uniforms were well-used (we called them “vintage” to make ourselves feel better) and our computers even more so (laptops? say what?). The students’ “technological education” was minimal, at best. However, my junior year, I had pre-calculus with the one teacher at North Dickinson who at least attempted to bring technology into the classroom. Now, for the sake of driving home just how helpful technology was to my pre-calc experience, I must tell you that I HATE math. Despise it, actually. I mean come on; math with letters? Letters should form words, words should form paragraphs, paragraphs should form…you get the picture. As for numbers? They should be kept as simple as 2 + 2. In my opinion.

            But anyway. Junior pre-calc. After half a year of struggling to pay attention and maintain a decent grade, our teacher (Mrs. I, I’ll call her), devised a plan to get us all excited about numbers (yaaay). Mrs. I decided that we would form groups, pick a math concept, and create a video that would give future students an overview of said topic. My group made a video to teach sin, co-sin, and tangent (you know, soh-cah-toa?). It was about an Indian tribe who held a great race, which a young underdog won (he was the metaphorical “runt”), despite getting a foot injury which he healed by sticking his foot in a lake and saying, “ah…soak-a-toe-ah”….get it? Well anyway, to high school juniors, it was hilarious. But I digress.

            Mrs. I’s use of technology was genius. That week of creating our video was the most fun I’d ever had in a math class. I learned how to use the computer in ways I never had before; I learned how to record footage and then make a cohesive video with the recordings, by manipulating scenes and adding music. I learned a new way to use technology-not in a computer class as might be expected, but in a math class. I had a newfound desire to discover more fun ways to use technology Not only was I excited to go to math class for that week dedicated to creating our video, but even after that, I found that I had a renewed interest in math itself. It didn’t seem quite so boring anymore. Which, considering afore mentioned hatred of math, is saying something. I began to wish that my other teachers could find a fun way to incorporate technology into their classrooms…they didn’t. But I still carry the hope that when I become a teacher (and undoubtedly some of my students will find Social Studies boring, though I can’t imagine why…), I will be able to awake a passion for the subject in them, with my own creative use of technology.