Where in the w2.0 am I?

Questions from Dr. Fritz

2008-12-09T17:11:00.000-08:00

What is the quality of my learning networks: diversity, depth; and, How connected am I?

This is a tough question because of the constant evolution of the learning network. Currently, I am connected to several Diigo groups, follow blogs, produce and receive tweets, and have a constant flow of information that is fresh, engaging, and consumes more time than I am able to dedicate! I feel connected enough to engage students in connections as well. Before this course, I felt as though I was only an "end unit" of a connection. Now I manage my network and make an effort to connect others.

How has what you learned in this course changed/altered your view of the process of learning?

I see the process of learning as connections with people, information, and life. I have come away from this course with a greater commitment to connecting students with practical applications of information - in other words, connecting students with life instead of just teaching them about it. For example, as a Spanish instructor, instead of teaching students how to interact with Spanish speakers, connect them with the Spanish-speaking world; use social networks to connect and live. After all, with such a connected and Internet dependent world, does a true language immersion still exist? Teaching them how to connect to a bilingual network may soon be an important element of L2 language instruction.

What questions are still outstanding?

Not really sure. I am anxious to implement the Latino Leadership social networking project with my students and put much of what I experience to work with my students. I am also looking forward to the new connections and challenges.

Planning and Implementation - Teachers, Students, and Curriculum

2008-12-04T21:11:00.000-08:00

“Efficient people do things right, effective people do the right thing.” Dr. Juan Baughn

During a visit to Penn State Great Valley last summer, Dr. Baughn talked about his experiences in making difficult decision that were right for the students but not efficient for the school. Efficient makes life easy for the institution and the instructor, but it does not always translate into the right thing for the student. When considering the topic of planning and implementation of instruction with technology, I believe that the instruction and technology we implement must achieve what is right for the student.

When it comes to choosing a web 2.0 technology (that is not blocked by a school) as a tool for instruction, many of the decisions related to the technology are left to the individual teacher. For instance, the choice of what tool should be implemented, what students should be expected to do with the technology, how they should interact with the technology, and how their experience with the technology should be evaluated, are primarily left up to the instructor. Unlike curriculum, web 2.0 tools are at the discretion of the teacher and the configuration of the network. This creates a great responsibility for the instructor. If an instructor chooses a web 2.0 tool that does not align with a curriculum, the possibility exists for reducing the validity and effectiveness of the curriculum. This current state of free choice leads me to wonder if the implementation of web 2.0 instructional tools should be under the supervision of the committee (or persons) responsible for curriculum? As web 2.0 tools become more robust and capable, instructors must consider the effect of “cognitive outsourcing” on curriculum, instructional methodology and the student.

Overall, planning and implementation must be effective for the student. Efficiency, although it is desirable, should not be the guiding factor in planning and implementing technology. The risk of efficiency as a goal is the use of technology for the sake of technology. Student instruction must be developed and implemented for their growth and development. Of course, one also needs to find a balance that reflects reality.

Latino Leadership - Social Networking and affinity group work

2008-12-04T17:49:00.001-08:00

Latino Leadership Online is an initiative that transforms a face-to-face affinity group into a blended experience with the purpose of cultivating a larger group through the use of social networking tools. I have chosen the Latino Leadership group to serve as a model for the possibility of a socially networked high school diversity group. The Voicethread below discusses the overall mission of the project.

Safe practices with Web 2.0 : Personal safety and homework

2008-11-25T20:37:00.000-08:00

There are so many issues to consider with the internet and student safety. Lately, I have been reflecting on the differences between the internet at school and the internet at home. I believe there is a significant difference between the two environments that relate directly to the personal safety of students. Based on compliance by most schools with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), internet access at school is generally safer than internet access at home. CIPA requires internet filtering or blocking on EVERY connected computer and a comprehensive internet safety policy. (Solomon & Schrum) Schools also log all websites and monitor behavior. These measure are greater than what can be found in the typical home internet environment. With that in mind, teachers need to consider the internet environment students will access when completing an assignment that require learners to go online. Teachers must be aware that there is a difference between the two and ensure a safer process for the students.

Here are a few considerations that come to mind:

Do your homework - It may sound like hyper-supervision, but go through the assignment yourself. Even commonplace exercises like a Google search can go awry. Think of keywords that are relevant to your topic and search the way your students would - check the resulting pages and images and ensure that the websites are what you intended. If not, consider providing your own keywords or creating a customized search engine for your students.

Be a presence - One of the best practices in online and blended learning is for the instructor to be an active participant. For example, when your students are posting/writing to blog or forums, take the time to respond immediately to their posts. This lets your students know that you are partners in their experience and are an active member of the learning environment. Take that step from supervising to facilitating.

Create a private space - Do not assign any tool that you are unfamiliar using or unfamiliar with the connected community. Learn the tool and learn how to create a private and safe space. If a private space is necessary but not possible, move on to a new tool. After all, the web 2.0 facilitates the experience, it doesn't define it – find another site or tool that helps you achieve your goal.

There is obviously a lot more when it comes to keeping students safe on the internet, but it is important to realize that not all internet environments are equal. When teachers assign internet-based assignments for homework, they must take into consideration the differences between the school and home internet environments.

Reference:

Schrum, L., & Solomon, G. (2007). Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools. NY: Intl Society For Technology In.

Research and the reflective practitioner: The F2F Experience

2008-11-11T10:25:00.000-08:00

Last week I attended a face to face (F2F) workshop called Teachers Teaching Teachers (TTT). It was organized by the Multicultural Resource Center . Ironically, I specifically attended this F2F workshop as part of my research for my Web 2.0 Social Networking class! I looked forward to this workshop because, Gene Batiste - the vice president of Leadership Education and Diversity at the NAIS , was offering a session on the benefits and challenges of implementing an affinity group for an independent school community. The social networking project that I am researching for social networking class is along the lines of affinity group support via a Web 2.0 infrastructure.

So why attend a F2F when there are so many online options? In class we have researched tools and their implementation through sound methodology, but I believe that the practitioner needs to bring their social network to life with some F2F time. We use Diigo, blogs, virtual conferences, etc... to research and reflect but I believe that there needs to be a balance. Personally, I found great value in taking the time to disconnect and meet people, not avatars or user names. And even though I sat through the TTT workshops thinking that this would be more efficient online, I found value in seeing people, shaking hands, and having "real" F2F conversations. Although it may feel as though the primary source of research nowadays is the web, the reality is that behind these sources of research are people. In my case, I tend to forget that the tool or information I am accessing may have another person involved. There is someone, some group, and/or some network of people we are accessing through the web.

No matter how inefficient and limiting a F2F session may be, there is value in a blended approach to social networking. The session I attended with Gene Batiste was fantastic! He had a great welcoming manner, spoke with encouraging confidence, and motivated his participants to believe that affinity group work is possible in even the most conservative environments. The presence he radiated cannot be mined through the Internet. Imagine Obama's election victory speech at Grant Park in Chicago live versus on a screen. The content is the same but the feeling one gets from witnessing and sharing F2F is incomparable.

Overall, as I use the web to research and reflect, it is important to remember the emotional/motivational benefits of being involved in a network that can come to life (F2F) at some point.

Creating my social network - Response Blog #1

2008-10-31T12:45:00.000-07:00

Defining my social network seems equivalent to defining part of my personal learning environment. I am networking resources and people I want to receive information from and provide information to. In this process, before considering a tool or network, I ask myself the following questions:

Who do I want to connect with?
How will I do it?
Will I be able to contribute?
Do I have the time?

Staying connected with a network has not been very easy. The tool must be transparent and not require too many steps to access. Some tools that have worked for me are Diigo, Facebook, Twitter, and CNN.com. CNN may have just raised an eyebrow but let me explain Diigo and Facebook first.

The Diigo user groups are a good way to find an instant network. For a while now, Dr. Fritz has recommended that we connect with Vicki Davis' CoolCatTeacher blog. As much as I respect her suggestions, I could never find the energy or enthusiasm to add another source to my reading. When I joined the Diigo network I decided to join the 'Educators' group - guess who started the group? Yep, Vicki Davis. As a member of that group, I get a weekly digest of links to the most relevant readings, blogs, tools, sites, etc… for educators. With the digest, I get the essence of her blog. I also follow Vicki Davis on twitter. Everything she posts into the 'Educators' group in Diigo she sends as a tweet as well. So, although I do not follow the blog closely, I am connected to her network in other ways; learning from the tools and readings she is recommending.

Now for the CNN.com clarification; CNN.com is a good example of a site that socially networks around topics in the news. After reading a news article, CNN.com gives the reader an opportunity to discuss the topic in an open forum with other readers. Also, the site connects you with blogs that are linking to the story you are reading and also to blogs that share similar tags. The benefit of incorporating a social network to the daily news has been great. There is reading the news, and then there is socially networking the news. Socially networking the news creates greater and more frequent opportunities to discuss issues with higher order thinking skills. For example, you read about the economy, then proceed to a discussion where you compare, contrast, explain, relate, debate, etc… Get the point? It is more than just the morning coffee and a paper!

Finally, I try to make my social network a little more than just educational - I need some fun! I have had a great and rewarding time reconnecting with friends through Facebook. FB has provided me with an opportunity to grow a network of friends and colleagues that I can call on to share, reflect and collaborate with when the opportunity arises. We talk, share pictures, and form part of a network.

New course, new challenge

2008-10-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

I am excited for the assignment/challenge of creating a social network. One of the ideas that I have been thinking about for this assignment is diversity/affinity group support. I am going to try to create a social environment that facilitates discussions based on the topic of multi-cultural inclusion for high school students. In previous projects, I have dealt with topics directly related to my academic instruction - this time I want to focus on students' social well-being.

Class Reflection

2008-10-05T09:23:00.000-07:00

This week in my Constructivist Learning Environment class, we were fortunate to experience a sample lesson that emphasized the importance of engaging learners immediately in a lesson and the effects of a strong learner response. In the sample lesson, the presenter displayed a collage of images that stimulated strong, engaged, and extremely varied responses from the groups. As an instructor, I believe the response was fantastic but there was a challenge - some of the responses from the groups were "off" the intended target/objective the presenter had anticipated. As a result, the unanticipated responses became an issue during the debrief session of the activity when the presenter was not able to reach his intended goal of the lesson. Fortunately, this lesson was just a practice constructivist lesson and therefore the issue was only a learning experience. It demonstrated the amount of preparation and facilitator skills required to bring varied ideas together and focus them back to the agenda for the day.

Personally, the best part of the day came after the presentation, during the critique. I felt that the interactions during the critique of the process was an amazing learning experience. The class engagement and the groups ability to clearly contrast between this lesson and previous ones, made it very easy to identify and analyze the differences in supporting and scaffolding the learner's experience. It emphasized in practical terms the theoretical information we have been investigating regarding constructivist instructors and the preparation, skill, and facilitation necessary to guide the learning experience in an appropriate direction.

Parent's Day - As a teacher

2008-10-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

So now I am convinced that the audience plays an important role in directing your activities and approach on Parents Day. This week, I was the instructor giving a Parent's Day presentation. My principal instructed us to teach a lesson, as we normally would with our students, as a manner of giving parents insight to the class. This element immediately created a difference between my experience last week as a parent and the experience my parents would have in my class. Parents experienced the course versus sitting their for an "information dump". This method may not have worked at the evening Parent' Day I attend last week. The difference between this Parent's Day and the one I attended a week ago, is that one is a day school and the other a boarding school. Therefore, my parents are seeing their children for the first time in many weeks and they are also visiting for a longer period of time - Friday to Sunday. Due to the longer visit, parents follow their child through a typical day. Their attention is focused on the emotional and social well being that the boarding experience is creating in their child. Experiencing the environment for themselves may be the best way to facilitate that understanding.

Back to school night as a parent

2008-10-04T09:27:00.000-07:00

This week (9/25) was 'Parent's Night' at my son's high school. The process for the night was to attend all his classes for eight minutes... for the INSYS 527 people who may be reading this - I'm not 'blowing smoke' when I say that I really wish that the instructors had done more that just present the information. The "information dump "by teachers was boring and not even remotely engaging. As I sat through the teacher presentations, I was obviously still thinking about the Constructivist class I am taking at PSU . What would have happened if the instructor had "sprinkled" in a constructivist flavored activity? It may have been more interesting... but I'm pretty sure some parents may have complained. It was an evening presentation - after a long work day, and now a longer evening... some people may just want the information given to them. On a parents day presentation, instructors must be aware of their audience - come to think of it, my son's school may have done the right thing in facilitating a quick evening at school.

Teaching colors?

2008-09-18T19:09:00.000-07:00

Today I “sprinkled” a non-traditional activity into the classroom. According to the curriculum I need to follow for the first twenty days of school, today was the day I was required to teach colors. For high school students this is a topic that is as interesting as grocery shopping with your parents. For myself, as a language teacher focused on communicative skills, I was dreading this day - how often do we talk colors? I figured this would probably be a good opportunity to step out of my approach and try something non-traditional and influenced from my constructivist class. I decided to not think about teaching and instead play an easy game that involved colors. Speaking absolutely no English (a department policy), I came to class with a bunch of colored 2 x 2 cards and started to play a card snatching game. The rules of the game are fairly simple: two players stand with a desk between them and their hands to their sides. With five colored squares laid out in front of them, as soon as they here me call out a color, the first person to snatch up that colored card from the table wins a point.

The game was simple, tons of fun for us competitive folks and yielded surprising results. I did not speak any English to the students and they managed to play the game, recognize the colors, and enjoy the game in about five minutes. We played almost the entire period and then I debriefed the activity at the end with a quick assessment. All students learned their colors and enjoyed themselves with what I thought would be an otherwise boring topic. The greatest surprise for me was my reaction at the end of the activity. The break from the teacher-centered environment energized my spirits and allowed me to enjoy observing the class rather than conducting it.

INSYS 527 – If I “copy and paste” my Word document into my blog will I learn more?

2008-09-12T12:50:00.000-07:00

So here I am, once again, writing another blog entry. My main question for this entry is as follows: Is the blog a tool for learning or are the learning experiences a result of an experience unrelated to the blog?

Today, I am leaning towards seeing the blog as a super cool, efficient, web 2.0 tool with nothing new to add to current learning experiences. Reflecting on the actual value of the blog tool, is there any cognitive experience that is improved with a blog that did not already exist with the word processor? The blog writing tools are actually pretty weak compared to any word processor. With that in mind, why are we using blogs? I have personally assigned blogs for the ease of accessing all of my students’ reflections from anywhere with an Internet connection. I have not assigned blogs because I think the tool will help them learn better. In my current class, I appreciate my instructor's approach: she has assigned a weekly reflection either through a blog entry or a submitted Word document. This approach indicates to me an emphasis on the reflection – not the technology. Perhaps it is not the blog that is facilitating learning, rather the reflection and synthesis. With this though in mind, it reminds me of David Jonassen his mindtools. Jonassen has an interesting point when he states that we need to recognize that “computers are lousy teachers.”

Lesson Plan Commentary

2008-06-17T20:03:00.001-07:00

This the lesson I have created at http://secondrepublic.weebly.com

Objective: Learners will identify the values and beliefs of an influential political force from Spain’s Second Republic.

Learners: Upper high school students (Grades 11 – 12)
Subject Areas: Spanish, History, Studio Art

The embedded image is a bit difficult to see, so here the link just in case you would like to see a larger show.

I appreciate any constructive criticism.

In the News Assignment

2008-06-12T11:21:00.001-07:00

Copyright, Fair Use, Creative Commons and the public domain are issues that are important as we move toward becoming producer and consumers of content on the web. In reading different articles, blogs, and websites, it is evident that digital citizenship must become a priority as we become greater integrators of technology in the classroom. My thoughts about digital citizenship and our responsibility as educators went into "overdrive" after seeing an example of a well-intentioned teacher's site clearly violating copyright. This particular site stood out for me because it was showcased as an example of an educational wiki at this wiki site. The teacher's intention of motivating her learners with a video of Mexico is fine. The show itself, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, is also a great show for anyone interested in cultural immersions. The problem is that the video she used from YouTube is not a legal recording. The video was created with material that was originally copyrighted for The Travel Channel, L.L.C..

There are a wealth of resources on the internet that have the potential to enhance our instructional strategies. I believe that as instructors and students are encouraged to move toward a greater production on the internet, there is a greater chance of producing content that violates copyright. Mia Garlick (2005), general counsel at Creative Commons, also agrees: "with the widespread adoption of digital technologies and the commercial phase of the Internet in the late 1990s came the empowerment of individuals to copy and redistribute content' (p.78)

This issue is important in education because teachers have an ethical responsibility to model acceptable behavior. Leaders, I believe, have a greater responsibility of ensuring they are resources to their faculty's professional growth. Overall, we should work toward producing work that is congruent with the ethical standards of our profession. We need to evaluate our lessons and content using guidelines that enforce Fair Use and responsible digital citizenship. Understanding, modeling, and teaching this concept is important for our digital natives.

So what do teachers need to know?

Copyright protection is automatic once the work has been created and it lasts a long time – the life of the creator plus seventy years! In addition, since March 1989, the law no longer requires that a copyright symbol, date, and copyright holder's name be placed on the work in order to claim copyright protection. (Russell)

Not all creative work is copyrighted. There is content available in what is called the public domain. Public domain material is not protected by copyright and is available for use.

There is also material that is licensed under Creative Commons. Creative Commons was founded in 2001 and is led by a Board of Directors that includes experts on internet and intellectual property law. Creative Commons provides licenses that allow users to control the permissions they would like and creates an easy way to share content with other users without having to ask for permission directly.

Creative Commons is working towards balancing two extremes, total control and none at all. "Creative Commons defines the spectrum of possibilities between full copyright — all rights reserved — and the public domain — no rights reserved. Our licenses help you keep your copyright while inviting certain uses of your work — a "some rights reserved" copyright. "(creativecommons.org)

How does this affect me as an Internet Miner?

Having an understanding of the legal issues for the use of content from the Internet contributes to becoming an effective "Internet Miner". Educators are not exempt from practicing Fair Use policies on copyrighted material - limitations do exist. http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html

An additional consideration educators need to focus on while mining is to search for content licensed under Creative Commons or in the public domain. Mining can begin at sites similar to creativecommons.org and we can also use keywords such as "creative commons" in our searches.

How does this affect me as an Internet Integrator?

Having a better understanding of my legal and ethical responsibilities toward content on the internet will better align my teaching with ethical standards. It may not have a direct effect on the content learned, but it will hopefully model the type of digital citizenship I expect from our students.

How does this affect me as an Internet Policy Advisor?

As part of modeling, I will ensure that the course syllabus and assignments addresses the issue of copyright, fair use, and the options available through the creative commons licenses. For those students (or teachers) that need additional guidance, I could provide support with some examples that clearly delineate the appropriate and inappropriate uses of content.

How does this affect me as an Internet Producer?

This concept applies to more than just than just a lesson. It is about using content legally and knowing about the alternatives. As a result, using Creative Commons licensed material can be associated with different projects. Student success for producing within the legal realm will require have a good collection of databases, a clear understanding of the law, and clear policy of what is acceptable and not acceptable.

References

Didden, C. (n.d.). Podcasting Music - The legal implications - CBI. Retrieved June 10, 2008, from http://www.collegebroadcasters.org/podcast.shtml.

Eunjung Cha, A. (2005, March 15). Creative Commons Is Rewriting Rules of Copyright. Washington Post. Retrieved June 5, 2008, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A35297-2005Mar14?language=printer.

Friedman, P. (n.d.). What is Fair Use?. Retrieved June 10, 2008, from http://whatisfairuse.blogspot.com/.

Garlick, M. (2005). A Review of Creative Commons and Science Commons. Educause, 40(5), 78-79. Retrieved June 5, 2008, from the Eric database.

Gross, G. (2007, December 1). Lawsuit Against Creative Commons Dropped. PC World. Retrieved June 5, 2008, from https://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/140189/lawsuit_against_creative_commons_dropped.html.

Main Page - CC Wiki. (2008, May 19). Retrieved June 11, 2008, from http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Main_Page.

NEA: Code of Ethics of the Education Profession. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2008, from http://www.nea.org/aboutnea/code.html.

Russell, C. (2003). Understanding the Public Domain. Knowledge Quest, 31(4), 19 - 21. Retrieved June 5, 2008, from the Eric database.

U.S. Copyright Office - Fair Use. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2008, from http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html.

On the road from 'bad' citizenship

2008-06-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

Lately, I have been reflecting on ethical issues under the topic of digital citizenship. Specifically, the copying and pasting of images off the Internet. After the "Get Creative" video from creativecommons.org that Dr. Fritz presented to us, working on an Acceptable Use Policy with several classmates, and having our instructor challenge us to consider our roles as policy advisers, I realize that I need to change the way in which I produce and also the expectations I have for my students as producers. In other words, as I create documents for lessons, I must reconsider my current practice of using any image I can 'right-click' on and 'copy'.

In preparing to discuss this topic further, I came across Wes Fryer's blog entry about Digital Citizenship. In this blog entry he has a list of student-generated questions concerning digital citizenship. The one that stood out the most for me was #27: "When do you know when you are being a bad citizen?" My immediate reaction was, How can you not know?!?! My understanding or right and wrong doesn't change on the Internet, but for some reason, I do things I would not outside of the web; like copy unauthorized images. What is it about the Internet that prevents many from extending their real world values into their interactions on the Internet? There are many variables that effect our practices on the Web, but overall I believe that most adults understand their actions and make choices that they are comfortable 'living' with. Is there anyone reading this right now that has never copied an image from the Internet without the expressed permission of the author? If so, I really (seriously) would like to know how you acquired or were taught those values. As an educator moving towards a greater integration of technology into my instruction, I find that I am producing more with a greater reliance on resources from the web. As a result of greater technology integration, I will also be placing my learners into the role of producer. In doing so, I believe I have an ethical responsibility not to only protect them from dangers, but also teach them how to consume and produce legally.

For student presentations, I previously would never require students to cite the sources of their images or confirm whether or not they were acquired legally. I realize now that I must accept greater responsibility in teaching my students about digital citizenship and holding them accountable for their choices once informed. After all, there are easy and legal ways to acquire images off the Internet. For example, flickr.com has a search filter that, when enabled, will only return results tagged with a CC license. With a database that seems to grow exponentially (2400 images a minute), why choose illegal over legal? As an educator, I guess my reason for never tackling the copyright issue with students, or within my own lessons, was never because I did not know right from wrong. It was really just about taking advantage of the degree of anonymity on the Internet, not being aware of easy alternatives, and not understanding the impact copying the image has on the photographers.

So how do photographers feel about this issue? Here is Dan Heller's blog. His post, discussing the Orphan Act of 2008 (photos) was interesting to me because it contextualized the issue. There are people that lose when we copy images they use for income. I plan on sharing Dan's blog with my students. Although it is long for most teenage attention spans, with some diigo highlighting and sticky notes, we should be able to focus on the 'heart' of the issues.

As I begin to have a better understanding of my role in technology integration, I am looking forward to ensuring that my students recognize that their moral compass works the same regardless if they are online or off.

Education Unplugged...

2008-05-29T06:49:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking lately about my teaching practice and the steps I need to do to become a better educator? In this process I thought it would be useful to question the use of the web 2.0 as an indispensable instructional resource. Specifically, what purpose is the web 2.0 serving in my lessons?

I believe that, at times, my use of web tools to enhance the educational experiences of my students has merely covered up poor instruction. Although a cool looking website with a wiki or blog may appease parents, schools, and motivate students - what is the purpose of its use? If I am to grow as an educator, I need to question the process of my teaching, the learning activities I chart for my students; I must have a clear pedagogy and approach that is founded on something other than the "oh that is cool" factor. Computers and technology do not teach... they are just instructional tools for use by the teacher.

So what am I saying? I believe that the first step to becoming a good teacher is to enter the instructional design process unplugged; no phones, pda's, laptops, projectors, etc... If it needs to be powered, do not use it! Ironically, Knowing how to teach and motivate in an "unplugged" learning environment may provide me with a better understanding of how to better integrate technology.

A Google search for the "The Greatest Educators Ever" resulted in a book by Frank Flanagan. He lists 18 educators spanning history as we know it; none of them used the web 2.0.

I contributed!

2008-05-26T17:52:00.000-07:00

I have been reflecting recently on my lack of contribution to the web 2.o. Well, this weekend I stayed at the Double Tree Hotel in Rochester, NY - and guess what? I posted a review of my stay on the hotels.com website! I know this is really not a big deal, but it is a first step toward contributing.

Hotels.com screens all reviews before posting them, so for now there is no link...

Response Blog #1

2008-05-06T17:20:00.000-07:00

Mastering a field of knowledge involves not only learning about the subject matter but also learning to be a full participant in the field." - Brown & Adler

I'm not a fan of beginning a reflection with a quote but here goes...

Yesterday I learned how to build a platform bed that will turn the trunk of my 4runner into an alternative to a tent for camping. The specifications and instructions are available here if you are interested. What I also learned from this link is that consumers of the web 2.0 have a responsibility. If I build this platform, I should go back to the forum and post something about my experience that may help the next person. The social construction of knowledge requires users like you and me. For way too long I have been stuck in the mindset of 1.0, well more like 1.5. I lurk over others contributions. I count on forums for product reviews, open source software for functionality, and user ratings for my foreign movie selection in Netflix. I have been reading and taking but never writing and contributing. As consumers of the web, are we reaching a point where it is our "civic duty" to ensure that we contribute something?

There is probably a lesson waiting to be extrapolated from my ramblings here, I think the title is "Good citizenship in the Web 2.0". The lesson will give students the opportunity to think about what it means to be a good citizen when participating in the social web.

Mindtool Reflection Feedback

2007-12-13T17:59:00.001-08:00

Thank you Jason and Lakisha (learner & former colleague in Tennessee)! The feedback that I received from both of them was very insightful and I plan to implement most of it.

It appears that Jason learned from the WebQuest and had an overall good experience. His insights though, indicate that I need to clear up technical glitches and refine the activities a bit further. Lakisha on the other hand, became very annoyed at the technical glitches (security setting in wikispaces and angel were too high) and most of her comments focused on getting access to Angel and wikispaces. Overall though, she enjoyed the topic and just wished that it had run smoother.

The input I received from both of these educators and the process of having another person (especially an educator) review my instructional material was very helpful has taught me a good lesson – collaborate with colleagues! It is such an easy and common-sense approach to improving as an educator yet I never take advantage of the opportunity.

Based on their experiences, these are the adjustments I would make to the WebQuest:

Resolve any and all technical difficulties that are related to access. I currently work with a group of students that cannot afford to struggle with technical difficulties - they quickly lose focus and because of their low-level of motivation will not complete the assignment if it is cumbersome.
I will make format the PDF document so that it is able to accept text input. The reason I choose not to include a MS Word document is mainly for reasons of accessibility. I try my best to not require the learner to invest additional money into software/hardware. Although many computers have MS Word, the lower-income computing options do not.

Jason recommended that I record the skits. I thought this was a great idea - I could record the videos and create a database of example to show future learners.

Classroom/Assignment 1.0 to 2.0

2007-11-28T09:49:00.000-08:00

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Mirrors or Windows?

2007-11-27T09:45:00.000-08:00

Yes…I know… not the most original title considering there are about a million blogs using these metaphors but I have found some value in thinking of the use of technology in these terms. I first heard these metaphors used to discuss the teaching of diversity and multiculturalism. I was on planning committee for a diversity workshop where we were creating activities for high school students in an effort to foster “respect”. In one of our meetings, the director of diversity asked us to consider if the activities we were creating were “mirrors” or “windows”. Were the activities “windows” onto diverse viewpoints or self-reflections? She was not trying to guide us one way or another. She wanted us to have a clear understanding of the effect of the activity. After reading Jonassen’s chapter on asynchronous communication, I felt that the “windows” and “mirrors” metaphor could apply to how we view our use of the web 2.0; especially as it applies to discussion boards.

Thinking back to my previous classroom, I asked myself if my use of discussion boards fell under the category “mirrors” or “windows”? Were the discussions mainly reflections for the group (“mirrors”) or was there an opportunity for learning from viewpoints outside of the group (“windows”)? I realize now that I have been mostly “mirrors”, with an occasional “window”. Students have been reflecting and responding from within the group. Although I have been happy with this level of participation, I’m starting to feel as though I have not used one of the most valuable utilities of being connected to the WWW; the first two W’s – World and Wide.

I don’t believe working with discussion boards in a “mirror” is a negative thing. Not all activities need or work well with “windows”. In Jonassen’s discussion board example, the one where the students would propose an ordinance regarding the legality of same-sex marriages, it would probably benefit the students to discuss the ordinance first in a group discussion (“mirrors”) before presenting it to an outside group (“windows”).

In my particular case, I was thinking of a discussion board assignment I gave where I asked students to discuss whether industrial change in Latin America was worth the environmental sacrifice. We had just read a short story by Horacio Quiroga that had a central theme of “man vs. nature”. Students shared and discussed each other’s viewpoints. This activity was primarily a “mirror” and I found it to be successful in engaging the students’ interest towards Horacio Quiroga’s writings. In thinking of this of this activity in terms of “mirrors” and “windows”, I could have a created a “window” by inviting the participation of another group of Spanish-speaking students from outside of the class. Preferably students from a high school class within Latin America or the Caribbean (the logistics of getting this accomplished requires some effort; right now I am just exploring the concept). If reaching out to another teacher in another country seems daunting, another way to have incorporated a “window” into this activity could have been to invite native Spanish-speaking students or even parents from within the school community. If that still seems difficult, I would create a “window” with a Webquest or Online Research Module where the students would be guided to essays of opposing views. I believe the overall assignment with a “window” would have had a greater impact on students’ views and has greater potential of being a greater overall experience.

I hope that the use of “windows” and “mirrors” has not been too confusing. Basically, what I am hoping we consider when we use communicative tools is to not forget that we have the ability to communicate with the world. And if the world is just too unrealistic, then just try another school, district, state, etc…

Web 2.0 and the history of the calculator?

2007-11-15T12:42:00.001-08:00

I recently read an article about the pros and cons of calculator use in elementary education (http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr072.shtml). I found this article interesting because the calculator is a technology that has evolved exponentially from its inception; it reminds me of the internet. In 1895 the American Arithmometer Co. (a leading calculator company in its time) sold a total of 286 calculators (http://www.officemuseum.com/calculating_machines_adding_listing.htm). Fast forward 112 years and the number of calculators in the world is nearly impossible to calculate. For example, Casio alone passed the one billion mark at the end of December 2006 (Museum of Computing, 2007). So how does this relate to the internet? I believe that the internet is going through an evolution similar to that of the calculator. At first the calculator was a tool that was not accessible by all. As technology improved, so did its widespread use. Eventually it became pocket-sized and affordable. It entered the classroom and became an educational tool – it also became a topic for debate. This sounds very similar to the story of the internet. In a recent blog post by Kevin Dorsey, he mentions a faculty member who did not want to incorporate Web 2.0 technology into their teaching. As irritating as that faculty member may have been, the faculty members views are not surprising. The calculator debate, the "how and when" to integrate it, is still alive and strong 35 years after the pocket calculator became affordable. How many years are we into the "read/write web"? Seven? Eight? Better yet, how many years has Web 2.0 been a visible presence in your school?

As the presence of Web2.0 tools in the classroom increases, it seems logical to me that there will be a group of instructors who will question the "how and when" of the integration. In the article mentioned above, the author (Linda Starr) summarizes the following claims by both calculator proponents and critics. I have reprinted them below. In my opinion, this calculator debate could also apply to the web:

Calculator proponents claim that calculators

allow students to spend less time on tedious calculations and more time on understanding and solving problems.
help students develop better number sense.
allow students to study mathematical concepts they could not attempt if they had to perform the related calculations themselves.
allow students who would normally be turned off to math because of frustration or boredom to increase their mathematical understanding.
simplify tasks, while helping students determine the best methods for solving problems.
make students more confident about their math abilities.

Critics say calculators:

produce students who can't perform basic tasks without a calculator.
encourage students to randomly try a variety of mathematical computations without any real understanding of which is appropriate or why.
prevent students from discovering and understanding underlying mathematical concepts.
keep students from benefiting from one of the most important reasons for learning math -- to train and discipline the mind and to promote logical reasoning.
inhibit students from seeing the inherent structure in mathematical relationships.
give students a false sense of confidence about their math ability.

(http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr072.shtml, 2002)

I'm interested in learning more about the criticisms for internet use. I have an awareness of the social risks that are prevalent in the internet but what are the academic risks? Is there a cognitive consequence to introducing Web 2.0 tools early in a child's education?

Making it from point A to point B with a wiki on your back…

2007-11-08T09:08:00.000-08:00

How would one assess student learning if they used a wiki to do a collaborative task?

Interesting question… It almost sounds like one of those wordy math problems that draws the students’ attention away from the basic formula. Forget the fact that the train is carrying Hannah Montana and Zach Efron and calculate when it will arrive! My daughter would be so happy to hear that both Hannah and Zach are on the same train that she would begin figuring out how she could make it onto the train and forget the original problem. So how does this apply to assessing students’ learning if they used a wiki? The use of a wiki should not overhaul or significantly change how I would assess learning or collaboration. In my opinion the “wiki” is a tool that allows the learning and collaboration to occur at any place and at any time. It facilitates the process for the learner and allows them to experience an assignment in a way that would not be easy or convenient without the technology. The same benefits apply for the teacher. Remember traditional group work before email? It either involved a lengthy phone call or a face to face meeting. For the teacher, it was not easy to be aware of all the revisions and meeting that went into a group project outside of class. When used appropriately, wiki technology makes it easier to enable and track collaboration.

As with almost any assignment, clear and detailed instructions are important in assisting the learner in reaching the assignment goals. When assigning an assignment using wikis, it is important to inform the student of the procedures that you would like for them to follow when using the tool. If I were using Wikispaces.com for one of my high school classes, I would make every effort to:

Request that students reflect and document the thoughts that motivated additions or changes through the discussion tab;

Inform students of the requirements for logging into the wiki and the expectations for participation (i.e. alternate contributions between partners, or discuss and reach consensus before editing the wiki.)

In essence, I would work towards making the presence of the wiki technology transparent. I don’t want the assignment to be a cool use of technology; it needs to serve a better purpose. Think of essays that are word processed… do we grade the content or the use of features (technology)? Wiki facilitates the process and should not dictate the grade.

So back to the original question, how would I assess student learning if they used a wiki? Essentially the same way I would any other group project; through a rubric that evaluated the objectives of the assignment. The difference is that the wiki facilitated the students’ collaboration and provided everyone with detailed documentation.

Do we think as much as we used to?

2007-11-01T13:47:00.001-07:00

As I begin typing this blog I would like to thank the advances of technology for word processing and spell check! Both of these tools have relieved me from the cognitive burden of spell-checking and the difficult motor skill of writing with a torn collateral ligament in my thumb. It's under these circumstances that I can agree with David Jonassen comments that we should form partnerships with technology and use them to assist us with cognitive burdens. He writes that the educator's goal should be to "allocate to learners the cognitive responsibility that they do best, while we allocate to technology the processing that it does best." When did Jonassen write this statement? I wonder if this is a belief that carries over from his first edition in 1996? Did he base this statement on the computation capabilities of computers in 1996? In 1996 PC's were still running regular Pentium processors; although powerful, they are nowhere near the capabilities and efficiency of today PC's. Computing today is exponentially different than 11 years ago and as a result, computers can accept more of the learner's cognitive processing. Though I agree with Jonassen, I have concerns as to how offloading processing will affect the learner? Whereas technology of the past may have shared a reasonable role in its "educational partnership" with the learner, today it can assume a greater role. Where does that leave the learner and what are instructors doing to ensure that the partnership is fair? How will instructors ensure that the tools provided are used appropriately?

As a concept, the use of technology to relieve the learner of cognitive processing is a practice that appears to have practical applications. The WWW for example has made it possible for anyone with access to the internet to find answers to questions instantly. For instance, I just "Googled" the words: "tenth US president" and in less than 10 seconds I was able to learn that John Tyler was the 10^th president of the United States. (http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/jt10.html) I did make an assumption on accuracy but with the top ten results all listing John Tyler, it was a safe assumption. So how does this apply to cognitive load? I believe that now more than ever, instructors need to move into teaching towards a performance context. Instruction needs to account for the technological partnership and request that the learner do something with the information. Let's make learning relevant to the millennials and focus on transferring knowledge from the learning context into today and tomorrow's performance context. (Check out this video… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o)

I was recently asked to help an elementary instructor as he struggled to comprehend why the majority of his students failed a test that required that they list the 50 United States. My initial question was why? Why do they need to list all 50? What is the point to this assessment? Is there a context in life that will require the majority of people to list all 50 United States? With our state of technology and on demand access to information, how relevant is it to require children to memorize a complete list of 50 states? I believe it is important to recognize the states and their relationship to the Union but disagree with the method in which I have witnessed some elementary teachers inculcate, or at least attempt to, this trivial skill. One of Gagne's critical learning conditions for this domain of information is to provide a meaningful context. With the internet as the student's partner, I suggest moving away from reciting or listing the fifty states to creating a unit instruction that accepts the technology tool and engages the student in a process of thinking – not memorizing aimlessly. Accepting technology as a partner will require shifting the learning environment from the traditional approach of production to one of performance and process. Regardless if the educational partnership with technology was engaged by or forced upon the instruction of an instructor, as computers and technology continue to relieve students from cognitive burdens, a greater effort must be made to advancing our instructional strategies and find other ways for learners to think.

Jonassen, David H. (2006). Modeling with Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc..

Hmmm

2007-10-25T16:33:00.000-07:00

Rapid ramblings... will I survive the tsunami? There is a ton of information to be learned...how do we manage our learning? A professor recently introduced us to her "personal learning environment". I describe it as a favorite folders on steroids... probably not too appropriate but it amazes me how powerful learning is TODAY and how limited the access was to that knowledge in the past.