Creating a Personal Learning Network for the Future

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." - Hellen Keller

              As I come to the end of my formal technology education studies, a choice lies before me: keep the status quo and eventually stagnate into ineffectiveness, or continue on the journey I have thus begun.  Since the first is an unacceptable waste of all I have learned so far, I will choose the later path.  In order to continue growing and maturing into an effective educational technology specialist, there are several things that must be put in place.  I must gather a support group of colleagues and professional subject matter experts who will help me to continue to progress, and from whom I can continue to learn. I need to create a resource base with which to stay current and help me to stay on the cutting edge of current and emerging educational technology. To build upon the framework that I have already learned, it is important to define several areas of further study to deepen my understanding of the proper application of technology in the classroom.

            There are three people who have been  great assets in my growth and learning thus far, and who I hope will continue to do so for years to come.  Nan Halpern, my current mentor, is always exploring and sharing ideas and example of emerging technology.  She does not take no for an answer, so she will help to push me to do my best.  Scott Parker is a friend from my church who manages a group of Java software developers.  Since one of my long term goals is to learn to write in Java, he will be a great resource. He has already gotten me started in finding training activities and is willing to help me as I learn.  Steve Rose is my first technology mentor, and although he lives in California, he is always willing to give advice or help with figuring out solutions to tough technology issues.

            One professional that I would like to follow is Lisa Nielsen, the author of the blog, “The Innovative Educator”.  She crusades to make school less boring and more relevant.  According to the bio on her website, http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com, she has been named one of the top 100 influential voices in education.  Educational relevancy is very important to me, so I want to learn as much as I can from her.  Steve Hargadon (www.stevehargadon.com) is another blogger that I intend to follow.  He has many articles and informative posts.  Included in his blog is a weekly podcast on current educational issues.  For a more practical approach to classroom technology, there is Dr. Sam Patterson and My paperless Classroom. I plan to follow his Twitter feed (twitter.com/SamPatue).  Although he currently teaches K-5 technology, many of his ideas work throughout elementary and middle school.  His ideas and experience in science will also be helpful.

            Along with these individuals, there are several educational resources that I think will be beneficial.  Ed Tech Roundup (www.edtechroundup.org) is a great site to see what is new in classroom technology.  Edutopia (www.edutopia.org) part of the George Lucas Educational Foundation, Has many ideas for using tech effectively in the classroom.  Because we are presently considered a technologically poor school, a site like Free Technology for Teachers (www.freetech4teachers.com) should come in very handy.  There are many good free solutions out there, they are often just hard to find.  This site should prove invaluable.  I have already mentioned Steve Hargadon’s site (www.stevehargadon.com) and The Innovative Educator (http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com) as sites of value.  For a more unconventional view of technology use, I choose MindShift (ww2.kqed.org/mindshift).  They seem to discuss all the issues that we as teacher would like to address, but may be timid to mention.  Descriptions  of many of these sites can be found at https://www.brainscape.com/blog/2015/01/top-education-tech-blogs/.

            There are three areas in the technology realm that I would like to continue exploring with ongoing training.  I would like to learn to program in Java.  I plan to do the lessons and tutorials at  www.w3schools.com.  You can even get a certification for completing the program. Along with this, I want to learn how to use Smart Technology more effectively, integrating the lessons and presentations with the use of student response clickers.  I am somewhat familiar with this technology, but there is so much more that can be done with it.  I will be also looking into becoming certified by Microsoft as a Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA).  They teach the fundamentals of IT technology.  This would be a great skill set to have in a technology school setting.

            These are just a few of the many resources available to the teacher desiring to advance technologically.  Continuing my education in technology skills will be very important for me in the future.  Surrounding myself with key people, resources, and ongoing educational activities will help me continue to be effective and relevant in the classroom for years to come. 

Teamwork graphic from Microsoft Office, licensed under Creative Commons.

Hellen Keller Quote retrieved 2015, from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/helen_keller.html

Are tests the only objective assessments of student learning?

            In the past, tests were looked at as the only real way to measure learning.  If you did not give a test, you were left with a feeling of incompleteness.  This was magnified by the fact that both parents and administration expected it.  For some people, testing is no problem.  For others, even the mere mention of a test elicits sweaty palms and heart palpitations.  

            My own son helped me to see things differently.  He is borderline dysgraphic and dyslexic.  Yet he is an amazing hands-on learner.  He issues are not severe enough to merit help by an IEP, but still had great difficulty when testing.  His 8^th grade history teacher came to us with a request.  He wanted to verbally test him. His score went immediately from a “D” to a “B-“.  This started a journey of alternate ways to find out what he had learned. I recently have become greatly interested in a group of exercises called “thinking maps”.  The last school I was at did several in-service trainings related to these.  I was very interested to hear one trainer say, “Do I have to give a test over this?  No, I do not.  I already know they understand it.”  Of course the students do not mind either.  I like the idea of “alternate ways of finding out what a student knows.  I just wish we teachers had a little more freedom to use them.  There are still parents and administrators that do not want to change.  Even in the “old days” there were a few innovators.

I still remember my final exam in college Zoology.  By a strange twist I ended up taking the class one-on-one with the smartest man I have ever met.  Dr. Cunningham had skipped his Masters and gone right to his Doctorate.  He went from college freshman to Dr. Cunningham in 5 ½ years.  There was no written exam, only oral.  We started on the human body.  “Start with the mouth and trace the path of food through the body, giving all enzymes, organs, and processes helping digestion”, he said.  That was only the beginning.  He did give small hints as needed as we went along. It really did not seem like a test, more like a conversation. Yet, I dare say that when we were done he was aware of what I knew about the subject.  I received a B+.  I can also say that of all the classes I studied in college, I remember his the most.

            Testing has its place and will probably never be phased out, but there is a need to look for an use other less stressful ways of verifying learning. 

The Technology-infused Classroom

The Technology-infused Classroom

My vision of the technology-infused classroom is one of interconnectedness. The classroom is equipped with high speed internet with both LAN and wireless access. Each student would have a tablet or laptop that would contain their digital textbook, Microsoft Office, and other software needed for the class.  There would be a SMART board and projection system mounted in the front.  At least one good camera or web cam would be available for videoconferencing with others outside of the classroom and recording demonstrations for students to review after school hours.  If possible, the student tablets would be equipped with cameras also. The sound system speakers would be mounted around the room so that everyone can hear the same. Each student would have a smart response device to answer questions and interact with the SMART technology. There would be a network/wireless printer for everyone to access when needed.  A teacher computer and a document cam would be connected to the SMART board for teacher notes and demonstrations.

            The school would have a platform such as Edmodo where students & parents can check for announcements, retrieve homework pages, ask questions and even chat together in a supervised chat room while away from school. Grades could be viewed at any time. There would be an area for students to turn in digital assignments.  Each student would have a Turnitin.com ID for checking the digital homework to be submitted. A basic filtering system would be in place to monitor basic internet activity.

            This vision will have to happen in stages.  Funding would have to come from a mixture of technology budgeted items, donations from school partners, and grants written by teachers, staff, and technology committee members.  A priority list would be established and goals set.  Depending on the school organization, fundraising could be an option for some items. It is important for schools to get to a place where they can stop playing catch-up with technology issues and begin to think ahead toward future needs. These goals can only be accomplished if administration, teachers, parents and students work together to convey the necessity of the missing technology and jointly pursue its acquisition. 

Visual Literacy in the Classroom

Each class assignment, I seem to learn something new.  I thought that I had a substantial understanding of the resources that the internet had to offer, and maybe that is still true.  Still, I do know that I keep finding or am being introduced to new sites almost on a daily basis. BrainPOP has been a huge boost to keeping kids engaged now that I am teaching writing and reading in a traditional 7^th grade classroom.  Having a ceiling mounted projector has now become a necessity.  PowerPoint has added a new way to get across notes in a more interesting way.  It also lets me print those same notes for kids that have trouble keeping up when writing notes. 

My next desirable acquisition would be a SmartBoard.  There are several math tools that are very helpful when doing geometry or graphing.  I have used Smart response technology before and I would like to be able to do the smart response classroom exercises with these students.

I eventually would like to have a classroom where each student has a tablet or laptop that could be linked to the internet.  At present, getting into the computer lab happens only about every other week.  Imagine being able to access the internet in the classroom at any time during the day.  Online programs, Office 365, Google Docs would all be open for use in the classroom. With that kind of access, the world is only a click away. 

Instructional Strategies: Learning and Growing

     It is a sad fact that teachers often get in a rut and tend to only use a few instructional strategies in their classroom.  Using a variety of strategies can help to meet the varying needs of the students in the 21^st century classroom.  It offers multiple ways to learn and gives the students multiple  ways to look at and think about presented material. Students that struggled with classical teaching methods can now reengage and flourish as material is presented and taught in new and interesting ways.

     Technology can make it easier to use more of these strategies.  It is especially useful in assisting in group learning formats, enabling a wider range of participants to collaborate and discuss new ideas.  Productivity software has not only allowed us to do things more quickly, it has allowed us to do things that we had not even imagined only 10 years ago.  Who would have thought you would be able to video chat in real time on the other side of the world? 

     After researching the various strategies, my mind is awhirl with new ideas that I want to implement or at least try in my classroom.  To keep from becoming irrelevant in the 21^st century classroom, it is important for teachers to continually grow and innovate and guard against growing stale.  Now I feel like there are so many ideas, and so little time to fit them in.

Tech Reflections

This blog will be a place to post my reflections and insights that I gain on my journey to acquire a 

Masters in Technology from Grand Canyon University.
Drop in often; you may learn something. 

Hey, It could happen...