In response: The Misuse of Money

You'll want to read this: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/01/03/the-frontier-of-classroom-technology/a-misguided-use-of-money

I have been convinced that technology is an essential tool that must be used in the classroom and will provide students with the relevant preparation needed for higher education and future careers. However the question that remains is “who will implement the instruction through this technology?”

As Thomas explains, technology is nothing more than an expensive paperweight if the instructor is not competent enough to use it properly. Tablets, laptops, and smartboards are incredible tools with the potential to transform classrooms, allowing the students and teachers to access a wealth of information displayed in a variety of mediums to meet the various types of learners’ needs. Yet far too many classrooms in far too many schools have computers that are never turned on, laptop carts that remain locked in a closet and computer labs that are rarely visited by a student. A teacher at my school was given an Ipad when she started teaching yet has not taken it out of its box. This kind of waste is mind boggling! I could make a connection between this complete lack of engagement by teachers and the budget deficits existing in education and other government bureaucracies, but that is a tangent not worth walking down.

Even more important than the technology is the competence of classroom teachers. Administrators need to more diligent when making choices about hiring and promotions by checking references, frequent observations and reviewing their students’ achievement data. After the hiring, meaningful professional development must be required so that teacher will continue to be proficient in relevant instructional practices. It is my belief that a strong teacher that cares about their students’ development will embrace any technology tool that makes instruction more effective. Good teachers are reflective practitioners who are constantly looking for more creativity and engaging ways to teach. The more interested the students are and the more fun they are having, the easier classroom management becomes. Everyone is happier when students are engaged and learning.

Technology alone cannot transform education. Good teachers in an analog classroom can only go so far. Put technology in hands of a skilled educator, however, and the possibilities become endless.

Google friendly lesson plan

I am currently brainstorming way I can begin to flip my classroom from the traditional paper and pen learning environment to a more relevant digital venue for collaboration and creation. To get some "ready to use" ideas I have reviewed a Google Apps lesson plan that can be found here.

Overall I think this is a worthwhile lesson. The topic is relevant and important in the current global context. The teacher does a nice job of setting up the activity with a bit of research to build background knowledge. Also, the assessment activity requires students to create an authentic presentation based on their research which is the highest level of thinking according to Bloom's Taxonomy.

I have a few critiques of this plan and some changes that would need to be made before I could use this plan in my classroom.

#1- The creator of this plan is very unclear about what is expected of the students. She is also unclear about what information is important for the students to come away with. The lesson lacks an objective and a focus for what the teacher wants them to get out of the news article. Specifically, the teacher wants the students to discuss the "main issues discussed in the media," If I gave these instructions to my students they would sit with blank stares. To modify these instructions to fit the needs of my students, I would ask them to look at three articles and find some common themes recognized among them.

#2- My major concern with this lesson plan and is the biggest roadblock to implementing this lesson plan in my class involves the lack of structure and direction given to the students about what is expected for their independent research. If I gave these directions, I would predict that less than 10% would attempt this request. Far more structure and instructions need to be given. Students should still independently search and select their research sources but expectations need to be more clearly defined.

New Toys

Before beginning The Paperless Classroom course at Johns Hopkins on Tuesday, I was under the impression I was a relatively technology savvy teacher. I have been humbled and overwhelmed by the amount of resources available for me to use to increase learning in my classroom and it is only the third day of class.

My ego had been inflated by my administrative staff for choosing me to present to the other staff members at our school about ways to infuse technology into the classroom. My PD included instructing teachers how to use  ITunes. Yes, ITunes. And, so far, there has been no use of podcasts, videos, or music reported.

After being introduced to multiple resources I have felt inspired to try and integrate more ways to use these tools in the classroom. Today, I received a package from donorschoose.org which included a camcorder I had ordered. Originally I planned to use the camcorder to solely record myself teaching so that I could watch myself and improve my practices. Yet, when I showed my students our "new toys" we had received, I told them the purpose of the camcorder was for them to create movies with it, to send IReports to CNN, and to document their debates. I had not previously thought through this pitch; it just happened to be what came out of my mouth. And the result was just what my instructor, Shelly Blake Plock (@Teachpaperless) said would happened. Their eyes lit up and they wanted to use this new tool to LEARN and to demonstrate their learning. It really enforced the philosophy in my mind that a classroom without these tools is not productive.

Day One

Baby blog is born