Digital Blog Post #I

Chapter 4 was a great insight on steps that teachers are mandated to take. Teaching is not just about bettering the students. It is a job. What comes with a job are goals, expectations and demands. Teaching is no different in that aspect. For some people, thinking about the stipulations that come along with an education career is intimidating. I find it challenging and exciting.

Understanding by Design is an approach to curricular development set forth in a series of book by educators Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe (Transforming Learning with New Technologies) There are three steps or “stages” involved with UBD and they include: Identifying desired results, determining acceptable evidence and planning learning experiences and instruction. This is a great guideline for teachers who may just be starting out and are looking for a little more structure to go off of. UBD is designed for a standards based curriculum. It is a process that helps avoid the common problems of treating the textbook as the curriculum rather than a resource, and activity-oriented teaching in which no clear priorities and purposes are apparent. (Understanding By Design ASCD) This is something I would want to do a little more research on especially when I get my own classroom. As much as I love creativity and the ability to test your own theories, this is exactly the kind of guidance I would love to have as a first time educator.

During a case study assignment that was previously completed in another class, expressed my feelings and opinions on standardized testing. This chapter fit right into the genre of my expression. New approaches to assessment is an imperative action in my opinion that should be addressed sooner rather than later. Within this section it gave examples on how different forms of assessment for further students understanding on information and skills students are required to possess. It also went on to express how we have taken “No Child Left Behind”, which was supposed to be a positive change in our academic integrity, and manipulated it into being a negative disciplinary strategy. “Tests are driving the curriculum instead of the curriculum driving the tests. (Transforming Learning with New Technologies) Reading through some articles that are pushing towards a new direction of standardized tests, there is a lot of discussion on revising the infrastructure on how schools are administering their curriculum. “Trend 10” from Core Education mentioned some things along the line of “schools planning ahead to ensure there is the proper infrastructure in place and access provided to the appropriate devices for all students.” (Trend 10: New Approaches to Assessment) This website was also very pro technology. According to the author, technology in education is the future. Schools need to prepare for this education curve or will be left behind and not keep up with the demands of educational requirements. Students need to be able to access their data in school management systems at all times and teachers need to be able to be insured that students are who they say they are. Identity authenticity is a major concern but schools need to be prepared with the correct technological equipment in order to move forward in today’s direction. We have miscalculated the direction in which standardized testing has taken up and we need to take control of the reigns and steer it towards a more productive and less damaging path.

Student performance rubrics are created to give students a concise visual as to what is expected out of them in an assignment. They are also a guidelines for teachers to utilize while grading multiple assignments from different groups/students. While some may be accustomed to creating these rubrics with a pencil and paper, technology has allowed these criteria demonstrations to be created and stored in a much simpler manner. Using Excel or Word through Microsoft, teachers can access different rubrics to different assignments, update, adjust and consult whenever they need. Rubrics are imperative to a curriculum. They provide guidance and structure and allow a teacher to enable students to work more independently. Grading according to an explicit and descriptive set of criteria that is designed to reflect the weighted importance of the objectives of the assignment helps ensure that the instructor’s grading standards don’t change over time. (Grading and Performance Rubrics) This form of written communication assures both students and the teachers that their performance grading is equal in standards.

This chapter was imperative to a young professional looking towards a career in education. It was directed more to the actuality of teaching and not just towards the emotional standpoints. Keeping on top of assignments, staying in the scope of the curriculum and learning about new and improved methods of assessment and standardized testing are all major aspects of a teacher’s career.

Resources:

Maloy, R. (2011). Transforming learning with new technologies. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Membership. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2015.

Rubrics - Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation - Carnegie Mellon University. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2015.

Trend 10: New approaches to assessment. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2015. 

Blog Ch 9

     Chapter Nine was a good source of information for teachers and students trying to learn new ideas to use for learning in the classroom. There were a lot of examples and explanations for those looking to incorporate new and refreshing lesson plans into their curriculum while allowing children to express their creative and unique individuality. Using multimedia throughout a lesson plans opens the learning experience to new light. Allowing children to find themselves within different learning strategies not only helps them as students, but allows the educator to learn more about their pupils and their learning styles.

     Media Synergy refers to video, digital and print materials that are combined with face-to-face instruction to build powerful learning environments for students. (Transforming Learning With New Technologies) This includes many different forms of media from social to print, to broadcast all of which could be beneficial in a learning environment. Using media synergy in a classroom has benefits that allow students to keep up to date on recent events while also learning the different concepts behind publishing and exporting the information. According to Professor Don E. Schultz, “Synergy-thinking was driven by two approaches.. A) The added value of simultaneous media exposure and B) The extended impact of sequential media messages delivered by multiple media forms. (Media Synergy – The Missing Ingredient) I had heard of social media and the expansive impact it has on young people because of its immediate effect and exposure. I never thought about using these Medias together to create a media monster in a sense, allowing and interpreting information through the interaction of more than one agents. Students and teachers are participating in this new synergy era by participating and interacting in these different agents and using them as one educational cooperative interaction.

      With so many different sources and resources available some of the most basic initiatives can still be used to make a huge impact in a classroom setting. Using video in the classroom (or an online classroom) is a major source of individuality for students expressing themselves and their learning techniques. It is a source of creativity and peaks student interest in projects and assignments. These unique learning experiences exposes students to thousands of resources available at their fingertips and introduces them to an entirely new idea of expression and learning. One example of using videos within the classroom would be YouTube. YouTube has received a bad rap in some aspects because of its accessibility to anyone and whatever content they want to post. While it is regulated and most inappropriate content is removed, there is still some that is unsuitable for a classroom. The creators of YouTube have created an answer to this however. Youtube.edu is classroom friendly and suitable for students of all ages. Using resources such as YouTube and other video related sites is a great support system for students learning new concepts. It gives students and teacher so many different capabilities like pausing and rewinding if something isn’t clear. Or, the ability to turn off the sound or take away the picture depending on what angle your trying to teach the class.

     Watching videos is an amazing resource for students to learn in a new and unique refuge. If you wanted to take it a step farther however, why not give the students the ability to create the picture or video being analyzed. This is an engaging active learning resource that involves students in creating information and education tools. It also introduces new computer programs and editing software to students who may have never utilized them before. Creating movies and photos enables students to think outside the box of a typical assignment. They will have to use their creativity and brainstorming skills. According to an article published by PBS “The major difference between books and film is that visual images stimulate our perceptions directly” (Adaptation: From Novel to Film) Teachers enabling their students to participate in movie photography assignments can incorporate them into their curriculum throughout the year. While participating in these assignments students will also be working on their grammar, editing and publishing skills as well as learning new concepts introduced to them through the editing software’s or document learning.

Students in this day in age have such a wide variety of opportunities to learn new concepts and ideas. It is no longer about the pen and paper. Incorporating their technology skills with their academic skills gives them a wider range of opportunities for their futures. This was a great chapter on skill sets and curriculum activities that are available for teachers and students.

References:

Maloy, R. (2011). Transforming learning with new technologies. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

 Adaptation: From Novel to Film. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2015. 

 

Digital Blog Post #F

      This chapter went more in depth with the strategies teachers can use to incorporate more communication among themselves and their students. I found it intriguing that we use many of these resources through out our course but I had never thought about using them in a younger class setting. I also witnessed some of the newer forms of communication and convenience for students through one of the resent observation days at a local high school. I really enjoyed Chapter 8 because of its relevance to my everyday life and the insight it gave me to when I become a teacher on my own. .
     There are so many forms of communication that are easily accessible in today's world. For some it is more convenient to pick up the phone and make a direct call. For others, email or texting are the preferred choice in communication. When I was growing up it was considered inappropriate or out of the norm to have communication with your teachers anytime after the school day. Thinking back on it, this could make things inconvenient when you had a question about an assignment because you had to wait until the following day to consult with them. Even then sometimes it still wasn't clear or you would need more time for explanation. With the availability today on the internet, communication between teachers, students and parents are not only considered normal, they are also extremely helpful and insightful. I hadn't realized how important our Canvas page was to me until reading this chapter, but I would be utterly lost without its structure and communication resources. These sources also allow teachers to further reach out to students by opening up the school day to longer hours, engaging students, sharing information with families, building learning communities, publishing student work and energizing student writing. (Transforming Learning With New Technologies) The Wiki sight we have been working on as a class is a perfect example of communication, building a community as a class, engaging students and extending school hours. That assignment has given me insight on the amount of opportunities I have using technology whether it be academic or professionally related. I think if younger students are introduced to different strategies and learning tools earlier in life, they will generate a better structure on problem solving and thinking outside the box. "Newer technologies such as computers and video conferencing are not necessarily better (or worse) for teaching or learning than older technologies...they are just different...The choice of technology should be driven by the needs of the learners and the context in which we are working, not by its novelty." (Technology, open learning and distance education)

Picture provided by:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1125774/

     Teachers today have different set of circumstances in which they can be creative within their teaching. Years ago, there was a lot of printed paper worksheets, workbooks and #2 pencils. Today, they are trying to cut back on the amount of paper used and increase the amount of student participation. Many teachers are looking towards creating blogs or websites in which they can fabricate their own e-classroom and decorate or design in the way they please. A lot of these websites have a list of educational links, the class syllabus and some personal information about the teacher if they wish to share. I think this is a fun way to get kids involved within the class. I have seen instances when students may be too shy to connect with a teacher and ask questions regarding assignments or due dates. With a website or blog, I think it would be undemanding for a student to touch base with the class and it set of standards, while also connecting with the teacher and feeling them out as a person. I think it is important for students to feel comfortable with their teacher. Comfort between a pupil and educator is a great way to open the lines of communication and understanding. Teaching Today gave a multitude of risks that can be associated with student blogging but followed it up with ways to prevent any unnecessary conduct. "Policies regarding the displaying of any student work must be adhered to strictly. Take the necessary steps to secure parental permission before using the blog in a participatory manner." (Teaching Today) 
     I found it amazing that Wiki's were such a huge contributor and benefactor in student creativity and participation. Having been participating in a group Wiki I find that it can be intriguing to try and create something well written and well fabricated. This chapter really opened my eyes to the affirmation of a Wiki's benefits for student learning. A standard Wiki is described in our book as "a collection of academic information and class notes related to specific curriculum frameworks." (Transforming Learning With New Technologies) An example of what a Wiki could be used for as a teacher would be creating a student study guide. Instead of using the regular PowerPoint presentation, a teacher could create a Wiki in which students could all interact with. They could edit their own answers and study based off what the teacher provides them with. This would eliminate the use of paper copies and enable students to access their study guides anywhere with internet access. It is also a great lesson on teaching the ways to avoid plagiarism and the correct forms of citation. This is a lesson that is taught through out a students career but I think it is helpful to see it done in a collaborative setting where adjustments and changes can be made need be. Also with a Wiki, students may be graded on their class participation and the amount of work and effort they put in to their own Wiki page. Not only do students participate with on another on group assignments, but they also participate with their teachers and educators on editing and making sure their assignments are factual and written in the correct format requested. 
     Chapter 8 gave up an insight on helpful communication strategies in which we can all use as educators to help engage students and their family members. It also went in depth on helping teachers reach out to their students in less quintessential ways by stepping out of the box and engaging in more creative and personal activities. I thought this was a great chapter and I learned concepts that I hope to use in my future profession. I also learned to never fear the unknown of the future. This class was intimidating at first because of its expectations. I had never done any of the assignments required and learning them was scary. I am now confident in a whole new set of skills I have acquired and am grateful for the time I have taken to learn them. 



     
Resources:

McKimm, J., Jollie, C., & Cantillon, P. (n.d.). Web based learning. Retrieved October 7, 2015.

Maloy, R. (2011). Transforming learning with new technologies. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Using Blogs to Integrate Technology in the Classroom, Education Up Close, Teaching Today, Glencoe Online. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2015.