Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Teaching with Technology - ISTE 5 - Participating in an OnlineEducational Community
I joined the edutopia community in order to show participation in an online educational community under the user name "Math Teacher". I happened upon this community when researching the my ISTE 5 triggering question and found a lot of interesting and informative posts and articles. I decided to comment on a blog post by Schoolhouse Media titled, "Social Media - Adopt or Face Irrelevancy". I thought this was especially relevant because of the ISTE 5 Google Hangout posted by Dr. Wicks. Because of this discussion and the blog post, I am considering ways in which I can use social media, not with my classroom, but as a tool to correspond with teachers about teaching practices. At this point, I am too new to this community for it to have helped in ways other than to shift my point of view on using social media to aid in teaching, but I do plan to keep up with this edutopia and see what sort of information and resources they have in the future.
Teaching With Technology - ISTE 4 - Digital Citizenship Infographic
https://magic.piktochart.com/embed/9976243-digital-citizenship
I chose to create a general infographic concerning the potential dangers involved with irresponsible technology and social media use, and some ways to stay safe and appropriate. With the prevalence of social media and technology abuse students (and parents) need to know how to help themselves in preventing potential issues. Overall, I hope that the visual is fairly striking and the links to other resources are very useful.
I chose to create a general infographic concerning the potential dangers involved with irresponsible technology and social media use, and some ways to stay safe and appropriate. With the prevalence of social media and technology abuse students (and parents) need to know how to help themselves in preventing potential issues. Overall, I hope that the visual is fairly striking and the links to other resources are very useful.
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Accomplished Teaching Final Reflection
This quarter, I started with the intent of learning how to differentiate instruction in ways to allow all students to gain access to algebra regardless of where they came to me. Although differentiation was not the focus of this course, I did find ways in which I could help my students at their level through reflection and the work we have produced. My learning about the use of reflection to help guide our practice as an individual, small group, or even an entire staff has had an impact on the way in which I teach and interact in my class.
First, the general information concerning reflection as a tool was enlightening. Early on, the Reflective Practice Spiral as presented by York-Barr, Sommers, Ghere, and Montie (2006, p. 20) revealed the power that the use of reflection may have starting with the individual and eventually leading to an entire school staff. One aspect of individualized reflection that I struggle with is the ability to maintain perspective when teaching. My most difficult class, due to both attitudes and abilities (the class is comprised of approximately 50% students with an IEP) is also at the end of my day. When lessons do not go well during that period, regardless of their success throughout the remainder of the day, I have great difficulty taking a step back and evaluating how things went overall. Instead, I have tended to focus on the way that single class period goes and taken that as the level of success the day attained. However, I have begun to reflect with a partner who is constantly asking how all class periods went in an attempt to get my focus away from the single class that may not have gone well and refocusing my reflection toward the bigger picture of how all of my classes went. This particular reflection partnership has helped me a great deal in including how all classes went rather than fixating on the one class that may not have gone well. The practice of reflecting with a partner is not one that I would have appealed to me without this class, and the readings and research in which we have participated.
Another element that has helped me a great deal is the lesson plan (KC's Lesson Plan) that we had to create and debrief with a partner. My work with Sara was difficult to get going because of our different schedules, but was very interesting and informative. The lesson I created, centered around solving systems of equations, has been very difficult in the past because although it has some real world applications, it is not the most intuitive types of problems to solve. The fact that I had Sara’s input, a teacher with relatively little experience in the world of math, was very interesting and helpful, especially the fact that she provided me with some suggestions and ideas that turned out to be very appropriate to the content being taught (even though this was definitely out of her comfort zone). The helpfulness was hopefully reciprocal as I provided feedback on her lesson based off of To Kill A Mockingbird, even though Language Arts is definitely outside of my comfort zone. This collaboration was also helpful in revealing how useful it can be to collaborate with those outside of my content area. I have found myself rarely in the position to make an obvious connection with teachers from the Humanities contents, but this collaboration allowed me to discover that there are possibilities to collaborate with other contents even when the opportunity is not obvious.
Finally, when we were required to research some of our own material concerning the traits of accomplished teaching, I was struck by the ways in which my peers and I approached this task. The article I found dealt with personalized learning environments and was very specific to my initial reflection desires. In the article, there were many informational topics, but the aspect that resonated with me most was the definition of educational equity presented by Hanover Research, “Educational equity is not simply about equal access and inputs, but ensuring that a student’s educational path, curriculum, instruction, and schedule be personalized to meet [the student’s] unique needs” (2012, p. 7). In ensuring that my students get the most they can out of their class, I need to be able to not only work toward individualizing their lessons, but may also need to take into account that they have other commitments that require them to miss classes and require other modes for them to gain access to the information provided in class. Another article I found interesting had a Language Arts focus, but was surprisingly informative to my practice. The article by Tobin (2008) titled, “Conundrums in the Differentiated Literacy Classroom”, helped to offer information about grouping and the benefits and potential pitfalls. One of the best tidbits of information I found from that article is that whatever the method for grouping, a focus on homogeneity versus heterogeneity for example, it is important to not let the groups get remain stagnate or else the practice loses its’ effectiveness (2008, p. 164). Since I am considering using grouping as a differentiation strategy, this struck me as very important moving forward. Further, the work we did at the beginning of the course and throughout with respect to the Danielson framework was important to shaping the way in which I approach the idea of differentiation. In Domain 1, Danielson outlines the requisite elements for an effective teacher, particularly with 1b and 1e. Knowing the student, their interests, skills, and needs, as well as providing appropriate grouping are all elements needed to differentiate successfully in today’s classroom (2013, p. 11, 23). For example, the Distinguished level of 1b offers elements that teachers should be cognizant of when designing lessons and utilizing strategies. These elements range from planning with a various level of follow up tasks so that students with low ability will experience success and learning as will the students who have shown or previously acquired a high level of ability to taking into account the various cultures in the room and participating in them to gain greater insight into the lives of students (2013, p. 13). This, along with many other articles and discussions, provide information that I will be taking with me moving forward in my planning for, and use of, various differentiation strategies.
Overall, I am grateful for having had the opportunity to take this class early on in my Master's program. The elements involved with this class have helped shape my thoughts moving forward with respect to what it means to become the type of teacher I hope to be. My synthesizing elements paper (Accomplished Teaching Paper) turned out to be something different than it would have been if I had been required to produce this at the beginning of the quarter mainly because of the aspect of reflection this class has emphasized. The number of resources I have been exposed to, as well as, the opinions and research provided by my peers and professors has provided me with a much clearer vision of the teacher leader I would like to become through the duration of this program. Moving forward, I hope to deepen my understanding, and use, of differentiation strategies so that I can better reach all of my students regardless of their skill level. I also want to continue building my skills as a teacher leader so that I can help my colleagues become better teachers, but also to become more comfortable working with teachers of various contents and experience from whom I can further learn and hone my practice.
Danielson, C. (2013). The framework for teaching: Evaluation instrument. Retrieved from: https://www.danielsongroup.org/download/?download=448
Hanover Research. (October 2012). Best Practices in Personalized Learning Environments. Washington, D.C. Retrieved from:https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwi9_ZWXu8PJAhVU_mMKHWxDDtcQFggiMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hanoverresearch.com%2Fmedia%2FBest-Practices-in-Personalized-Learning-Environments.pdf&usg=AFQjCNEydYQaMsjIIYiMSC2_VwjAfGK1Ow&sig2=Nb8qdMTqC5yBIOGNTS6XzA
Tobin, R. (Winter 2008). Conundrums in the differentiated literacy classroom. Reading Improvement, 45, 159-169. Retrieved from: http://ezproxy.spu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=eft&AN=508023571&site=ehost-live
York-Barr, J., Sommers, W., Ghere, G., and Montie, J., (2006). Reflective practice to improve schools: An action guide for educators. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press.
First, the general information concerning reflection as a tool was enlightening. Early on, the Reflective Practice Spiral as presented by York-Barr, Sommers, Ghere, and Montie (2006, p. 20) revealed the power that the use of reflection may have starting with the individual and eventually leading to an entire school staff. One aspect of individualized reflection that I struggle with is the ability to maintain perspective when teaching. My most difficult class, due to both attitudes and abilities (the class is comprised of approximately 50% students with an IEP) is also at the end of my day. When lessons do not go well during that period, regardless of their success throughout the remainder of the day, I have great difficulty taking a step back and evaluating how things went overall. Instead, I have tended to focus on the way that single class period goes and taken that as the level of success the day attained. However, I have begun to reflect with a partner who is constantly asking how all class periods went in an attempt to get my focus away from the single class that may not have gone well and refocusing my reflection toward the bigger picture of how all of my classes went. This particular reflection partnership has helped me a great deal in including how all classes went rather than fixating on the one class that may not have gone well. The practice of reflecting with a partner is not one that I would have appealed to me without this class, and the readings and research in which we have participated.
Another element that has helped me a great deal is the lesson plan (KC's Lesson Plan) that we had to create and debrief with a partner. My work with Sara was difficult to get going because of our different schedules, but was very interesting and informative. The lesson I created, centered around solving systems of equations, has been very difficult in the past because although it has some real world applications, it is not the most intuitive types of problems to solve. The fact that I had Sara’s input, a teacher with relatively little experience in the world of math, was very interesting and helpful, especially the fact that she provided me with some suggestions and ideas that turned out to be very appropriate to the content being taught (even though this was definitely out of her comfort zone). The helpfulness was hopefully reciprocal as I provided feedback on her lesson based off of To Kill A Mockingbird, even though Language Arts is definitely outside of my comfort zone. This collaboration was also helpful in revealing how useful it can be to collaborate with those outside of my content area. I have found myself rarely in the position to make an obvious connection with teachers from the Humanities contents, but this collaboration allowed me to discover that there are possibilities to collaborate with other contents even when the opportunity is not obvious.
Finally, when we were required to research some of our own material concerning the traits of accomplished teaching, I was struck by the ways in which my peers and I approached this task. The article I found dealt with personalized learning environments and was very specific to my initial reflection desires. In the article, there were many informational topics, but the aspect that resonated with me most was the definition of educational equity presented by Hanover Research, “Educational equity is not simply about equal access and inputs, but ensuring that a student’s educational path, curriculum, instruction, and schedule be personalized to meet [the student’s] unique needs” (2012, p. 7). In ensuring that my students get the most they can out of their class, I need to be able to not only work toward individualizing their lessons, but may also need to take into account that they have other commitments that require them to miss classes and require other modes for them to gain access to the information provided in class. Another article I found interesting had a Language Arts focus, but was surprisingly informative to my practice. The article by Tobin (2008) titled, “Conundrums in the Differentiated Literacy Classroom”, helped to offer information about grouping and the benefits and potential pitfalls. One of the best tidbits of information I found from that article is that whatever the method for grouping, a focus on homogeneity versus heterogeneity for example, it is important to not let the groups get remain stagnate or else the practice loses its’ effectiveness (2008, p. 164). Since I am considering using grouping as a differentiation strategy, this struck me as very important moving forward. Further, the work we did at the beginning of the course and throughout with respect to the Danielson framework was important to shaping the way in which I approach the idea of differentiation. In Domain 1, Danielson outlines the requisite elements for an effective teacher, particularly with 1b and 1e. Knowing the student, their interests, skills, and needs, as well as providing appropriate grouping are all elements needed to differentiate successfully in today’s classroom (2013, p. 11, 23). For example, the Distinguished level of 1b offers elements that teachers should be cognizant of when designing lessons and utilizing strategies. These elements range from planning with a various level of follow up tasks so that students with low ability will experience success and learning as will the students who have shown or previously acquired a high level of ability to taking into account the various cultures in the room and participating in them to gain greater insight into the lives of students (2013, p. 13). This, along with many other articles and discussions, provide information that I will be taking with me moving forward in my planning for, and use of, various differentiation strategies.
Overall, I am grateful for having had the opportunity to take this class early on in my Master's program. The elements involved with this class have helped shape my thoughts moving forward with respect to what it means to become the type of teacher I hope to be. My synthesizing elements paper (Accomplished Teaching Paper) turned out to be something different than it would have been if I had been required to produce this at the beginning of the quarter mainly because of the aspect of reflection this class has emphasized. The number of resources I have been exposed to, as well as, the opinions and research provided by my peers and professors has provided me with a much clearer vision of the teacher leader I would like to become through the duration of this program. Moving forward, I hope to deepen my understanding, and use, of differentiation strategies so that I can better reach all of my students regardless of their skill level. I also want to continue building my skills as a teacher leader so that I can help my colleagues become better teachers, but also to become more comfortable working with teachers of various contents and experience from whom I can further learn and hone my practice.
Danielson, C. (2013). The framework for teaching: Evaluation instrument. Retrieved from: https://www.danielsongroup.org/download/?download=448
Hanover Research. (October 2012). Best Practices in Personalized Learning Environments. Washington, D.C. Retrieved from:https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwi9_ZWXu8PJAhVU_mMKHWxDDtcQFggiMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hanoverresearch.com%2Fmedia%2FBest-Practices-in-Personalized-Learning-Environments.pdf&usg=AFQjCNEydYQaMsjIIYiMSC2_VwjAfGK1Ow&sig2=Nb8qdMTqC5yBIOGNTS6XzA
Tobin, R. (Winter 2008). Conundrums in the differentiated literacy classroom. Reading Improvement, 45, 159-169. Retrieved from: http://ezproxy.spu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=eft&AN=508023571&site=ehost-live
York-Barr, J., Sommers, W., Ghere, G., and Montie, J., (2006). Reflective practice to improve schools: An action guide for educators. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press.
Teaching with Technology, Module 4 -Keeping Relevant with Technology
My triggering question for this module was: How can I continually improve my knowledge of, and expertise in, technology to incorporate in my professional practice?
In researching this question I found a couple articles that spoke, at least in part, to my focus. The first article I found deals with the need for teachers and technology directors to work together to ensure that both the desired technology used is appropriate and that the programs are supported with appropriate levels of technology. Too often, Johnson (2013) argues, teachers forge ahead with technology use that is either not best supported by the technology available (or its' current set up) or technology directors move ahead with technology allocations that are not what a teachers needs or requires. One of the best ways in which to ensure that technology is appropriate for all is to form a "technology advisory committee" which is "composed primarily of educators (teachers, librarians, and administrators) but should also include parents and students—and of course, representatives of the technology staff" (Johnson, 2013, p. 81). The use of this committee approach is necessary to ensure that both the technology is appropriate and the technology is supported.
The second article I found discusses the need to have all levels, teachers, districts, and states, involved to effectively and lastingly incorporate technology in the classroom. Gunn and Hollingsworth (2013) researched the Southern Alberta school district and their implementation of technology in the classroom. The findings indicated that when the district implemented a 21st century curriculum shift including technology, they also utilized a focused curriculum of professional development over the course of three years yielding a significant growth in teacher comfort, familiarity, and use of the technology. Although the study was limited to three years, the authors acknowledged the need for an extended observation to determine whether this was a sustained shift, the fact that most teachers incorporated the desired technologies and strategies shows a significant impact by the districts program. Gunn and Hollingsworth (2013) conclude that, "any school district willing to undergo such a project must be willing to commit time and monies exclusively designated for the upgrading of information and communication technologies. They must also be willing to provide significant systemic support for pedagogical change" (p. 215). This effort is necessary for any school district to impart change, however, the lack of necessary support seems to be the downfall of many district or state-led changes.
Sonja found an article of particular interest to me as a math teacher. In the article, Pearce led his math classroom into a completely online, paper-free class. The class would do all of their work on an iPad and then upload it as a pdf so that he could see what his students did that day. The results of this article were fascinating in that student self reported "I am good at math" at nearly 80% after having worked through the digital class Pearson set up (2015, p. 49). This shift from worksheets and such to a completely digital class is something I have often wondered about as schools are limiting copies due to budgets, finding difficulty in shifting their curriculum to the new Common Core State Standards, and experiencing a necessary change in the way teachers need to relate information to students because of the prevalence of technology.
In closing, the use of technology must include everyone involved with education, students, parents, teachers, administrators, and district officials. For a district to initiate lasting change, they need to provide significant resources so that teachers have enough training to feel comfortable and knowledgeable with the changes. And, there are teachers out there who have experimented with many different types of classroom set ups if we look for them. I had not realized that a math class can be completely digital, but, thanks to Sonja, I have an outline of what that could potentially look like.
Gunn, T. & Hollingsworth, M. (2013). The implementation and assessment of a shared 21st century learning vision: a district-based approach. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, Vol. 45 (Issue 3), p201-228. http://ezproxy.spu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=eft&AN=89525588&site=ehost-live (Links to an external site.)
Johnson, D. (Sept. 2013). Good technology choices: a team effort. Educational Leadership, Vol. 71 (Issue 1), p80-82. http://ezproxy.spu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=eft&AN=90068955&site=ehost-live (Links to an external site.)
In researching this question I found a couple articles that spoke, at least in part, to my focus. The first article I found deals with the need for teachers and technology directors to work together to ensure that both the desired technology used is appropriate and that the programs are supported with appropriate levels of technology. Too often, Johnson (2013) argues, teachers forge ahead with technology use that is either not best supported by the technology available (or its' current set up) or technology directors move ahead with technology allocations that are not what a teachers needs or requires. One of the best ways in which to ensure that technology is appropriate for all is to form a "technology advisory committee" which is "composed primarily of educators (teachers, librarians, and administrators) but should also include parents and students—and of course, representatives of the technology staff" (Johnson, 2013, p. 81). The use of this committee approach is necessary to ensure that both the technology is appropriate and the technology is supported.
The second article I found discusses the need to have all levels, teachers, districts, and states, involved to effectively and lastingly incorporate technology in the classroom. Gunn and Hollingsworth (2013) researched the Southern Alberta school district and their implementation of technology in the classroom. The findings indicated that when the district implemented a 21st century curriculum shift including technology, they also utilized a focused curriculum of professional development over the course of three years yielding a significant growth in teacher comfort, familiarity, and use of the technology. Although the study was limited to three years, the authors acknowledged the need for an extended observation to determine whether this was a sustained shift, the fact that most teachers incorporated the desired technologies and strategies shows a significant impact by the districts program. Gunn and Hollingsworth (2013) conclude that, "any school district willing to undergo such a project must be willing to commit time and monies exclusively designated for the upgrading of information and communication technologies. They must also be willing to provide significant systemic support for pedagogical change" (p. 215). This effort is necessary for any school district to impart change, however, the lack of necessary support seems to be the downfall of many district or state-led changes.
Sonja found an article of particular interest to me as a math teacher. In the article, Pearce led his math classroom into a completely online, paper-free class. The class would do all of their work on an iPad and then upload it as a pdf so that he could see what his students did that day. The results of this article were fascinating in that student self reported "I am good at math" at nearly 80% after having worked through the digital class Pearson set up (2015, p. 49). This shift from worksheets and such to a completely digital class is something I have often wondered about as schools are limiting copies due to budgets, finding difficulty in shifting their curriculum to the new Common Core State Standards, and experiencing a necessary change in the way teachers need to relate information to students because of the prevalence of technology.
In closing, the use of technology must include everyone involved with education, students, parents, teachers, administrators, and district officials. For a district to initiate lasting change, they need to provide significant resources so that teachers have enough training to feel comfortable and knowledgeable with the changes. And, there are teachers out there who have experimented with many different types of classroom set ups if we look for them. I had not realized that a math class can be completely digital, but, thanks to Sonja, I have an outline of what that could potentially look like.
Gunn, T. & Hollingsworth, M. (2013). The implementation and assessment of a shared 21st century learning vision: a district-based approach. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, Vol. 45 (Issue 3), p201-228. http://ezproxy.spu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=eft&AN=89525588&site=ehost-live (Links to an external site.)
Johnson, D. (Sept. 2013). Good technology choices: a team effort. Educational Leadership, Vol. 71 (Issue 1), p80-82. http://ezproxy.spu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=eft&AN=90068955&site=ehost-live (Links to an external site.)
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Teaching with Technology, Module 4 - Privacy and the use of technology in public schools.
There are many laws surrounding the expectation of privacy for students in the public schools system, especially with regard to the use of technology. Unfortunately, these rights to privacy are not always easy to enforce or ensure with the prevalence of technology use in today's school environment. I read an article by the Center for Educational Privacy and Law at the University of San Diego (CEPAL) titled, "Legal Implications of Using Digital Technology in Public Schools: Effects on Privacy". In this article, several interesting points were made concerning the difficulty of technology use in public schools and maintaining student confidentiality. One of the most interesting concerns for privacy that schools face is called householding. "Householding allows data collection to occur across devices regardless of whether or not they are owned by a district or owned privately by a student" (CEPAL, 2015, p. 6). This rather sneaky method for data collection is strong enough to pinpoint usage across devices at any time, so students are not immune to data collection whether working on school work at school or home. The many laws that protect students autonomy are not much of a deterrent to this sort of activity. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), and Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), are limited in what they have jurisdiction over and the depth to which online information is protected. For example, FERPA does not have any consideration for third party application operators, the PPRA has made considerations for protection, but does not include any currently, and COPRA only protects children up to the age of 13, so is very limited once children are out of the primary grades (CEPAL, 2015, p. 10). Furthermore, the only real protection that seems to be available to parents is opting out of the use of technology devices provided by schools and districts. This brings up other, very real implications concerning the equity of technology availability, especially at high poverty schools where many, if not most, families do not have reliable access to the requisite technology.
An article provided by Dr. Wicks and Sonja is concerned with online privacy as a part of creating digitally competent young people. The article had some interesting aspects that are specific to the subject of my inquiry, namely Ribble's three categories and nine elements of digital citizenship (Ribble & Miller, 2013, p. 140). The category of interest is Protect Yourself/Protect Others, and provides three elements, Digital Rights and Responsibilities, Digital Security, and Digital Health and Welfare (Ribble & Miller, 2013, p. 141). Of particular note, is the Digital Rights and Responsibilities section where educational leaders are encouraged to remind students that they are to follow certain guidelines to continue using the technology at school or provided by the school. Students are further reminded that if they find themselves in a situation that doesn't feel right, they should remove themselves from that situation and report this to an educator or administrator (Ribble & Miller, 2013, p. 140). These steps taken could potentially aid in keeping student information private, especially if an individual is attempting to illegally gain private information regarding a student.
I also liked the resource that Cassie posted, Netiquette, by Rutgers University. Although this resource is more in the vain of how to interact with others in an online educational environment, it has some great information that students should know and understand when partaking in online courses and collaboration. Understanding how to interact with others in an online venue could also help students in the ethical use of online tools and in the protection of their own and others' personal information. This type of resource could easily incorporate information about privacy and how students can stay safe when using various online resources.
Overall, the use of technology is a great way to help engage students in the educational process. However, this use of technology should not come at the expense of keeping student information private. There needs to be some additions to current federal laws to aid students, parents, and the educational community in their work to keep student information private. From the resources I read, there are some additions to current law and other legislation in the works, but they still need to be approved before they can help this privacy protection. Educators should do all they can to help curb the release of personal information, according to federal and state laws, and parents need to work with their student to teach them about appropriate and safe use of technology.
An article provided by Dr. Wicks and Sonja is concerned with online privacy as a part of creating digitally competent young people. The article had some interesting aspects that are specific to the subject of my inquiry, namely Ribble's three categories and nine elements of digital citizenship (Ribble & Miller, 2013, p. 140). The category of interest is Protect Yourself/Protect Others, and provides three elements, Digital Rights and Responsibilities, Digital Security, and Digital Health and Welfare (Ribble & Miller, 2013, p. 141). Of particular note, is the Digital Rights and Responsibilities section where educational leaders are encouraged to remind students that they are to follow certain guidelines to continue using the technology at school or provided by the school. Students are further reminded that if they find themselves in a situation that doesn't feel right, they should remove themselves from that situation and report this to an educator or administrator (Ribble & Miller, 2013, p. 140). These steps taken could potentially aid in keeping student information private, especially if an individual is attempting to illegally gain private information regarding a student.
I also liked the resource that Cassie posted, Netiquette, by Rutgers University. Although this resource is more in the vain of how to interact with others in an online educational environment, it has some great information that students should know and understand when partaking in online courses and collaboration. Understanding how to interact with others in an online venue could also help students in the ethical use of online tools and in the protection of their own and others' personal information. This type of resource could easily incorporate information about privacy and how students can stay safe when using various online resources.
Overall, the use of technology is a great way to help engage students in the educational process. However, this use of technology should not come at the expense of keeping student information private. There needs to be some additions to current federal laws to aid students, parents, and the educational community in their work to keep student information private. From the resources I read, there are some additions to current law and other legislation in the works, but they still need to be approved before they can help this privacy protection. Educators should do all they can to help curb the release of personal information, according to federal and state laws, and parents need to work with their student to teach them about appropriate and safe use of technology.
Monday, November 9, 2015
Standard 12 - Teaching with Technology, Module 3
Module 3 Triggering Question: How can I demonstrate the work processes associated with an innovative educator in the math classroom?
In my research of this topic, I wanted to discover what it means to be a technologically innovative math educator. The article I read outlined two vital aspects of technology use that are necessary to deepen students' mathematical knowledge. The first category used in the article is the use of technology as an amplifier. The article states that the amplifier use, "supports a shift in the focus of students’ mathematical activity and thinking from drawing and measuring to looking for patterns and making and testing conjectures” (Sherman, 223). I am currently using at least one amplifier in my classes, the graphing calculator. This resource has allowed my students, while working with transformations, to get past worrying about making a table, and remembering rules to make a graph and allows them to get to the inner workings of transformations. The second category used is the reorganizer. The reorganizer "has the power to affect or shift the focus of students’ mathematical thinking or activity" (223). In reflecting on my practice, I realize that I do several things associated with either the amplifier or the reorganizer, but very few of them rely on technology right now. To move toward being an innovative educator, I will need to work on incorporating technology tools as a means of moving toward deeper learning.
An additional article, from this weeks reading, offered some more interesting points of reference in determining the efficacy of technology. The two interesting ideas from this article are collaboration and connection of knowledge (Starkey, 20-21). These areas are very important in being learners with technology as they allow students to process the information gathered or learned. When students are collaborating, they are allowed to process new learning together which gives students the potential for multiple points of entry. These multiply points of entry are vital to putting their learning into their own words and style of understanding. Similarly, connecting their learning to other areas of knowledge, especially to previous knowledge, allows students to deepen their understanding and connect different issues. Both these aspects can help to strengthen any new learning and better students problem solving abilities, both of which elevate their ability in math.
Sherman, M. (2014). The role of technology in supporting students’ mathematical thinking: Extending the metaphors of amplifier and reorganizer. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 14(3), 220-246. Retrieved from: http://www.citejournal.org/vol14/iss3/mathematics/article1.cfm (Links to an external site.).
Starkey, L. (2011). Evaluating Learning in the 21st Century: A Digital Age Learning Matrix. Technology, Pedagogy And Education, 20(1), 19-39.
In my research of this topic, I wanted to discover what it means to be a technologically innovative math educator. The article I read outlined two vital aspects of technology use that are necessary to deepen students' mathematical knowledge. The first category used in the article is the use of technology as an amplifier. The article states that the amplifier use, "supports a shift in the focus of students’ mathematical activity and thinking from drawing and measuring to looking for patterns and making and testing conjectures” (Sherman, 223). I am currently using at least one amplifier in my classes, the graphing calculator. This resource has allowed my students, while working with transformations, to get past worrying about making a table, and remembering rules to make a graph and allows them to get to the inner workings of transformations. The second category used is the reorganizer. The reorganizer "has the power to affect or shift the focus of students’ mathematical thinking or activity" (223). In reflecting on my practice, I realize that I do several things associated with either the amplifier or the reorganizer, but very few of them rely on technology right now. To move toward being an innovative educator, I will need to work on incorporating technology tools as a means of moving toward deeper learning.
An additional article, from this weeks reading, offered some more interesting points of reference in determining the efficacy of technology. The two interesting ideas from this article are collaboration and connection of knowledge (Starkey, 20-21). These areas are very important in being learners with technology as they allow students to process the information gathered or learned. When students are collaborating, they are allowed to process new learning together which gives students the potential for multiple points of entry. These multiply points of entry are vital to putting their learning into their own words and style of understanding. Similarly, connecting their learning to other areas of knowledge, especially to previous knowledge, allows students to deepen their understanding and connect different issues. Both these aspects can help to strengthen any new learning and better students problem solving abilities, both of which elevate their ability in math.
Sherman, M. (2014). The role of technology in supporting students’ mathematical thinking: Extending the metaphors of amplifier and reorganizer. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 14(3), 220-246. Retrieved from: http://www.citejournal.org/vol14/iss3/mathematics/article1.cfm (Links to an external site.).
Starkey, L. (2011). Evaluating Learning in the 21st Century: A Digital Age Learning Matrix. Technology, Pedagogy And Education, 20(1), 19-39.
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Standard 12 - Teaching with Technology, Module 2
Module 2 Triggering question: How can I utilize contemporary, adaptive learning tools to maximize and evaluate students’ learning of mathematics?
Adaptive learning tools have been a recent addition to the curriculum in my school district. We have access to two programs in which students are able to interact with math in different ways. One, ST Math, looks at math in a non-equation way showing pictures and game-like activities to teach the basics associated with algebra. The other, Think Through Math, looks at math in a more traditional way utilizing various feedback including live tutors and immediate feedback. I have had the opportunity to utilize both with various classes over the past several years and have found my use of them with my classes to be less than successful. So, I decided to research how I can best utilize either with my classes if I should choose to do so.
"Teachers rarely have the capacity to design curricula and assignments that uniquely cater to every student" (Johnson, Adams Becker, Estrada, & Freeman, 42). I have found it increasingly difficult to individualize my classroom with students who are ready for Algebra 1 and beyond in the same class as students who have not passed a math class in several school years. The ability to successfully utilize an adaptive math program has been on my mind for several years, but I have not really understood what elements are necessary to make a program effective. The article I found did not answer how to utilize math programs, but it did enlighten me on what aspects should be present for one to be as supportive to students as possible. Cognition, metacognition, and affect were the main categories presented as necessary when utilizing an effective program in a math class (Arroyo, Woolf, Burelson, Muldner, Rai, & Tai, 390). These areas are seen as critical to support student learning and allowing teachers to see how and where student understanding is thriving or faltering. In looking at some of the aspect or Wayang Outpost, the specific program they researched, I realized that the cognitive aspect was something that is already in place with the particular programs our district has available. It is in the metacognitive and affective aspects that the programs fall short. The metacognitive aspect described in the article were evaluated by looking at "1) open student models that scaffold the self-regulatory process, encouraging reflection and informed choice at key moments of boredom, 2) progress charts and tips that encourage good study habits, and 3) interventions supporting help-seeking behavior in order to improve self-monitoring and evaluation" (Arroyo, et al., 404). This look into how students are seeing their learning is important for both my students and myself to help us understand how they each learn. The affect aspect of learning was also very interesting to me especially with respect to using a computer program. The emotions of the learner can be very influential in the overall learning experience, "affective states and traits (e.g., frustration, boredom) can bias the outcome of any learning situation" (Arroyo, et al., 412). Since these affective traits can be so influential, regular check ins with students must occur.
An idea formed from reading the article is to use journaling as a supplement to regular program use. I believe that journaling is one way in which students can record their affective traits and thoughts about what and how they are learning the material. An additional supplement to the software could be regular information gathering around via small quizzes (which could effectively be check ins regarding affective and metacognitive states). One possible avenue for creating quizzes that could help streamline the process for information gathering is a resource like Quizlet (as presented by Sonja). I could use Quizlet or a similar technology to have students reply to questions based around what they learned, how they learned it, what information they required help on, and how they felt throughout the process of using the program.
Arroyo, I., Woolf, B.P., Burelson, W., Muldner, K, Rai, D., Tai, M. (2014). A multimedia adaptive tutoring system for mathematics that addresses cognition, metacognition and affect. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 24, 387-426. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs40593-014-0023-y (Links to an external site.)
Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., and Freeman, A. (2015). NMC Horizon Report: 2015 K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
www.quizlet.com
Adaptive learning tools have been a recent addition to the curriculum in my school district. We have access to two programs in which students are able to interact with math in different ways. One, ST Math, looks at math in a non-equation way showing pictures and game-like activities to teach the basics associated with algebra. The other, Think Through Math, looks at math in a more traditional way utilizing various feedback including live tutors and immediate feedback. I have had the opportunity to utilize both with various classes over the past several years and have found my use of them with my classes to be less than successful. So, I decided to research how I can best utilize either with my classes if I should choose to do so.
"Teachers rarely have the capacity to design curricula and assignments that uniquely cater to every student" (Johnson, Adams Becker, Estrada, & Freeman, 42). I have found it increasingly difficult to individualize my classroom with students who are ready for Algebra 1 and beyond in the same class as students who have not passed a math class in several school years. The ability to successfully utilize an adaptive math program has been on my mind for several years, but I have not really understood what elements are necessary to make a program effective. The article I found did not answer how to utilize math programs, but it did enlighten me on what aspects should be present for one to be as supportive to students as possible. Cognition, metacognition, and affect were the main categories presented as necessary when utilizing an effective program in a math class (Arroyo, Woolf, Burelson, Muldner, Rai, & Tai, 390). These areas are seen as critical to support student learning and allowing teachers to see how and where student understanding is thriving or faltering. In looking at some of the aspect or Wayang Outpost, the specific program they researched, I realized that the cognitive aspect was something that is already in place with the particular programs our district has available. It is in the metacognitive and affective aspects that the programs fall short. The metacognitive aspect described in the article were evaluated by looking at "1) open student models that scaffold the self-regulatory process, encouraging reflection and informed choice at key moments of boredom, 2) progress charts and tips that encourage good study habits, and 3) interventions supporting help-seeking behavior in order to improve self-monitoring and evaluation" (Arroyo, et al., 404). This look into how students are seeing their learning is important for both my students and myself to help us understand how they each learn. The affect aspect of learning was also very interesting to me especially with respect to using a computer program. The emotions of the learner can be very influential in the overall learning experience, "affective states and traits (e.g., frustration, boredom) can bias the outcome of any learning situation" (Arroyo, et al., 412). Since these affective traits can be so influential, regular check ins with students must occur.
An idea formed from reading the article is to use journaling as a supplement to regular program use. I believe that journaling is one way in which students can record their affective traits and thoughts about what and how they are learning the material. An additional supplement to the software could be regular information gathering around via small quizzes (which could effectively be check ins regarding affective and metacognitive states). One possible avenue for creating quizzes that could help streamline the process for information gathering is a resource like Quizlet (as presented by Sonja). I could use Quizlet or a similar technology to have students reply to questions based around what they learned, how they learned it, what information they required help on, and how they felt throughout the process of using the program.
Arroyo, I., Woolf, B.P., Burelson, W., Muldner, K, Rai, D., Tai, M. (2014). A multimedia adaptive tutoring system for mathematics that addresses cognition, metacognition and affect. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 24, 387-426. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs40593-014-0023-y (Links to an external site.)
Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., and Freeman, A. (2015). NMC Horizon Report: 2015 K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
www.quizlet.com
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Standard 12 - Teaching with Technology, Module 1, ISTE Standard 1
ISTE1 Triggering question: How can I, as a high school Math teacher, utilize technology to both enhance student learning and create genuine opportunities for creative thinking and problem solving?
Traditionally, the mathematics classroom has been a space where teachers lecture and students take notes followed with some practice. This is especially true of the higher level classes such as calculus. In my quest to increase engagement and rigor, I decided to work to finding ideas of how I can use technology to help my students' understanding and problem solving. I am not interested in introducing technology for the sake of using technology. As, Merzenich states that, "simply adding computers to conventional teaching strategies is an unsophisticated approach that, it is not surprising, adds very little to students' experiences in the classroom" (as cited in Robin, 2008, p. 221).
In order to create genuine opportunities for learning and investigation I have used some programs such as ST Math and Think Through Math that are adaptive to students' needs. I have found that these resources are less than ideal. I have also used the graphing program GeoGebra to render graphs for practice and such in the classroom. I had not thought of using GeoGebra for learning opportunities using applets as suggested by M. Hohenwarter, L. Hohenwarter, Kreis, and Lavicza in their article Teaching and Learning Calculus with Free Dynamic Mathematics Software Geogebra (2008). The use of GeoGebra in a class such as calculus was not an obvious connection that I made, but Hohenwarter et al., found that this tool may be used to "help students to better understand their algebraic manipulations of functions, to visualize characteristics of certain types of functions, and to improve their skills of sketching graphs of functions and their derivatives" (2008, p. 4). Students can certainly learn about calculus the "traditional" way via lecture and practice, but may reach greater depths of understanding working with the reasons why certain properties and theorems work (effectively learning the why, not just the how).
Here is an example applet that lets students discover information about derivatives.
An article found by Sonja Ostling, Metacognition and the Influence of Polling Systems: How do Clickers Compare with Low Technology Systems, informed me further by suggesting the use of clickers or an app or website to poll students on their understanding (Brady, Seli, Rosenthal, 2013). This use of technology was one I did not realize until I read this article and saw the potential uses for formative assessment with this type of information gathering. The traditional use of hands up or down, or thumbs up or down, in response to a teacher asking who understands material may result in students being influenced one way or the other by their peers providing me with flawed information.
The combination of using GeoGebra with my calculus class and using clickers, or a viable alternative, with all classes may result in more engaged students who are learning the information with greater depth and greater retention, as well as, providing me with valuable, real time information about students' understanding, respectively.
Brady, M., Seli, H., & Rosenthal, J. (2013). Metacognition and the influence of polling systems: how do clickers compare with low technology systems. Education Technology Research and Development, 61, 885-902. http://ezproxy.spu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=eric&AN=EJ1040689&site=ehost-live
Hohenwarter, M., Hohenwarter, J., Kreis, Y., & Lavicza, Z. (2008). Teaching and learning calculus with free dynamic mathematics software GeoGebra. Proceedings from TSG 16: Research and development in the teaching and learning of calculus. ICME 11, Monterey, Mexico. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFjAAahUKEwjo4sq7vbvIAhVCXIgKHXt9DWY&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.geogebra.org%2Fpublications%2F2008-ICME-TSG16-Calculus-GeoGebra-Paper.pdf&usg=AFQjCNEMCFCRQaEgMnVOzLF5g6F-H1kgFw
Robin, B. (2008). Digital storytelling: a powerful technology tool for the 21st century classroom. Theory Into Practice, 47, 220-228. https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/972604/files/36977374?module_item_id=8061854
Traditionally, the mathematics classroom has been a space where teachers lecture and students take notes followed with some practice. This is especially true of the higher level classes such as calculus. In my quest to increase engagement and rigor, I decided to work to finding ideas of how I can use technology to help my students' understanding and problem solving. I am not interested in introducing technology for the sake of using technology. As, Merzenich states that, "simply adding computers to conventional teaching strategies is an unsophisticated approach that, it is not surprising, adds very little to students' experiences in the classroom" (as cited in Robin, 2008, p. 221).
In order to create genuine opportunities for learning and investigation I have used some programs such as ST Math and Think Through Math that are adaptive to students' needs. I have found that these resources are less than ideal. I have also used the graphing program GeoGebra to render graphs for practice and such in the classroom. I had not thought of using GeoGebra for learning opportunities using applets as suggested by M. Hohenwarter, L. Hohenwarter, Kreis, and Lavicza in their article Teaching and Learning Calculus with Free Dynamic Mathematics Software Geogebra (2008). The use of GeoGebra in a class such as calculus was not an obvious connection that I made, but Hohenwarter et al., found that this tool may be used to "help students to better understand their algebraic manipulations of functions, to visualize characteristics of certain types of functions, and to improve their skills of sketching graphs of functions and their derivatives" (2008, p. 4). Students can certainly learn about calculus the "traditional" way via lecture and practice, but may reach greater depths of understanding working with the reasons why certain properties and theorems work (effectively learning the why, not just the how).
Here is an example applet that lets students discover information about derivatives.
An article found by Sonja Ostling, Metacognition and the Influence of Polling Systems: How do Clickers Compare with Low Technology Systems, informed me further by suggesting the use of clickers or an app or website to poll students on their understanding (Brady, Seli, Rosenthal, 2013). This use of technology was one I did not realize until I read this article and saw the potential uses for formative assessment with this type of information gathering. The traditional use of hands up or down, or thumbs up or down, in response to a teacher asking who understands material may result in students being influenced one way or the other by their peers providing me with flawed information.
The combination of using GeoGebra with my calculus class and using clickers, or a viable alternative, with all classes may result in more engaged students who are learning the information with greater depth and greater retention, as well as, providing me with valuable, real time information about students' understanding, respectively.
Brady, M., Seli, H., & Rosenthal, J. (2013). Metacognition and the influence of polling systems: how do clickers compare with low technology systems. Education Technology Research and Development, 61, 885-902. http://ezproxy.spu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=eric&AN=EJ1040689&site=ehost-live
Hohenwarter, M., Hohenwarter, J., Kreis, Y., & Lavicza, Z. (2008). Teaching and learning calculus with free dynamic mathematics software GeoGebra. Proceedings from TSG 16: Research and development in the teaching and learning of calculus. ICME 11, Monterey, Mexico. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFjAAahUKEwjo4sq7vbvIAhVCXIgKHXt9DWY&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.geogebra.org%2Fpublications%2F2008-ICME-TSG16-Calculus-GeoGebra-Paper.pdf&usg=AFQjCNEMCFCRQaEgMnVOzLF5g6F-H1kgFw
Robin, B. (2008). Digital storytelling: a powerful technology tool for the 21st century classroom. Theory Into Practice, 47, 220-228. https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/972604/files/36977374?module_item_id=8061854
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Initial Reflection for Accomplished Teaching
Something I really want to improve on is my ability to differentiate instruction. I feel fairly comfortable working with students with varying levels of prerequisite knowledge, but being able to plan for and incorporate strategies to allow access to all students, regardless of their comfort with the material, is something I am very eager to improve. The reality of teaching in my school and content area (as I am sure in many other schools and content areas) is that many students come to my Algebra 1 class without having passed math the previous year, or maybe over several previous years. This creates a massive disparity in the mathematical understanding of the students in my class. Additionally, this necessitates me to be very good at differentiating instruction to the point where I need to have my tasks be accessible to students with little prerequisite knowledge to those who are fully prepared for success in Algebra 1. Further developing and strengthening this ability is my present priority.
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