Blog Post #2

            As far back as I can remember I have used Microsoft Word, whether it be in class, for homework, or for personal things. As a student, I have used Word to take notes during lectures, to write papers, to do homework assignments, and to complete group projects. Almost all of the courses I have taken in college, and many if not most in high school required that I use a word processor, and I always used Microsoft Word. I have seen my teachers use word in class to teach. For example, my Spanish teacher would use word to type our answers to questions as we said them aloud, and would project them on the board so that we could get the spelling correct. Also, many of my teachers used word to create worksheets and handouts for us.

            As a student, I have never had severe restrictions regarding where I got information for research projects, papers, or assignments. It was only ingrained in my mind that “not citing your sources is plagiarism”. For any assignment, I had to cite where I got information because of copyright. However, I was allowed to use information that I learned from sources because of fair use. As the Code of Best Practices for Fair Use” stated, fair use allows for creative activity and an advancement of knowledge (Media Education Lab). My teachers would print off handouts from books, or upload PDF versions of a chapter of a book for us to read, and would cite where they got the information from. Other teachers would take graphs from a textbook in order to further explain it. These things are legal under fair use, because according to the podcast on Copyright and Fair Use, they are considered non-profit educational purposes for using material that is not yours. As a teacher, I would use materials in the same way that I have experienced my teachers use them under fair use, blending handouts and lessons I create myself with other materials that will supplement the lesson. I would ensure that my students understand copyright and fair use and I would teach them how to cite their sources when gathering their own information for assignments. I will stress the importance that they should only be using a little bit of information found in copyright sources and that most of their work should come from themselves, as a lesser amount of information taken from a source is more likely to be legal under fair use (Lever-Duffy 266).

            In class we discussed ways that Twitter can be used by teachers and as educational technology. I knew that Twitter was a great source of information outside of the classroom, but I have learned that teachers and students can use it to learn new techniques of teaching, new assignments or projects, or new technologies that they can use in their own classroom. I also learned that as a social networking tool, teachers can use Twitter to connect parents to their children while they are at school through tweeting about projects going on or tweeting pictures. Twitter can be a way to keep parents involved with their child’s progress in school, and using social networking sites in this way is a new skill I have learned through this class. I would probably use a social media site to keep parents aware of classroom happenings, as well as to keep the students up to date on assignments and test dates. I would like to use a program that allows the students to sign up for alerts via text message, because I found those very helpful in high school. I would post things like clarifications on assignments, reminders about due dates, and reminders about what to bring to class the next day.

Blog Post #1

          Computers are an important part of education because they enhance the learning experience by providing students with various ways of learning. This ensures that students with all different learning styles are accommodated. Computers allow teachers to create presentations through software like PowerPoint and Keynote that provide students with a visual representation of material through their multimedia capabilities of graphics, audio, and video (Lever-Duffy 13). This helps those who have trouble learning through verbal presentation alone. Also, access to the internet through computers in a classroom enhances the educational experience by allowing students to complete quizzes and activities that will help them further comprehend the material being taught (Lever-Duffy 12). Concerns regarding how teachers use computers in the classroom include the ability to pay for computers and allowing time to use computers. Many school districts in the U.S. cannot afford to provide computers for every classroom, which limits how and how much teachers use computers to enhance learning (Lever-Duffy 16). Also, making time to incorporate technology and computers into lesson plans is difficult for many teachers (Lever-Duffy 17). A main concern now is that teachers use technology to reinforce what they are teaching. As it is difficult to have personal time with each student to ensure they are understanding the material, computer programs provide that personal help each student needs. (Lever-Duffy 32). Therefore, teachers are being encouraged to incorporate computers into their lessons often. Numerous factors make students different from one another such as diverse backgrounds resulting in a lack of knowledge of English, various learning styles, different environmental factors, and different levels of thinking skills. All of these concerns can be addressed with one thing: more computer use in the classroom. I agree that computers provide programs to students that can increase their knowledge of English and topics taught in class. From what I have seen through my teachers, the computer has made creating lesson plans and keeping students engaged in the material much easier. There is a major problem of schools lacking technology due to funding, and I think that is something that needs to be addressed, as technology is playing a large role in increasing knowledge.  

          The ISTE Standard for teachers that especially gladdens my heart is to “facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity” through technology. As a teacher one of my main goals is to inspire all of my students and to make a positive impact on them. I want to share with them my love for the social sciences, which will be done by allowing them to use technology to dive deeper into history and make real-world connections to it. Through digital resources students can not only find out more information through digital archives, but also create projects and watch educational videos. In a subject that many deem boring due to how they were taught it, technology is necessary to engage students and facilitate creativity. One standard that I believe is outside of my skill set is part of the “design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments”. It requires that teachers “create learning environments that allow students to make their own educational goals and manage their own learning”. I am not sure what type of technology based lesson would foster this. However, I think that through developing my technology literacy I will learn how to give students an environment in which they will be able to do this.  

          I fully agree with the definitions of “digital natives” and “digital immigrants”. To be a digital native is to be someone who grew up being comfortable with technology and technology being a part of everyday life. Digital natives do not have to think twice about using technology to answer a question, communicate easier with others, and learn. I also agree that digital natives figure out how to use new technologies on their own, whereas many digital immigrants seek help in using new technologies. In school I had numerous teachers who needed help using technology. Whether it was figuring out how to turn the volume on while watching a video, or opening a new tab on the web browser, a student was always quick to jump up and help the teacher when they asked. This impacted my learning experience numerous times because it caused a disruption in the flow of class that led to talking and off-task behavior by fellow students. Also, I have always heard teachers talk about how “kids these days” are attached to their cell phone, often using words such as “addicted”. This shows how many teachers, “digital immigrants”, do not use technology such as cell phones as often as students, “digital natives” do. I had a few teachers who were older in age who did not use technology at all in the classroom. This hindered how much I learned in the class because I was not provided with visual graphics, videos, or other interactive programs to enhance my learning. I anticipate that my future students will be even more dependent on technology than I am, even though I am considered to be a digital native. As new technologies and programs continue to be developed, I will be learning them as an adult whereas my students will be growing up with them. Technology was not a significant part of my education in elementary school, however, it will be for my future students, which I believe will result in brighter students that are more comfortable with educational technology than I was at their age.    

I have never taken a class that was devoted to computer literacy or learning how to use various computer programs. However, in different classes throughout middle and high school I used Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Prezi to complete projects and presentations. I have had mostly successful experiences with using technology for education.

I hope to learn how to become more comfortable and efficient using the computer for my schoolwork. I also am looking forward to learning about the various ways technology can be used in the classroom to teach, as I want to be a teacher. I think that this class will help me in the rest of my student career and in my teaching career in the future.

I found that my learning style is extremely varied. My results for the questionnaire show that I am just as much an active learner as I am a reflective learner, and that I am only a slightly better visual learner than I am a verbal learner. I found that I am a sequential learner, which does not surprise me because I was aware that when solving difficult problems or critically thinking I must take slow steps to reach a full understanding or solution. I find it easier to learn facts rather than think about theories or concepts, which is a reason I love history, and this learning styles questionnaire showed that by telling me that I am more of a sensing learner than an intuitive learner.