What I learned this quater in TIE 300

              I initially thought this was going to be the most challenging class of this fall quarter. Being an “adult learner” I had a fear of technology, but I knew it has become an essential part of a classroom.  Therefore, I knew I had to try to learn as much as possible in this technology class. I think I’ve succeeded.  This course has helped me overcome my fears of technology and it turned out that it was not the most difficult course. I was so unsure of myself at first, but it became easier and easier to post my weekly blogs, prepare a slide presentation with images and videos, and  make a video.

           The first thing I learned to do was to open several free online accounts. I opened Google, Blogger, Twitter, VoiceThread and Diigo accounts. I had never even heard of some of these, such as Diigo and VoiceThread.   I have since learned that Diigo is a  free social bookmarking, research and knowledge sharing tool that will be helpful for taking notes and information.  I can then share information with future colleagues and students. VoiceThread is also a sharing tool that will help me create interactive collaborations with others. It will allow me to add images, documents, and videos.  Other users can add voice, text, audio file, or video comments. 
  
          From taking this class, I have learned that Google Apps has so much to offer. It is so much more than a web search engine. Some of the Google tools we got to use in class included Docs, Drive, YouTube, and Slides. I learned how to search for and insert images and video footage in a presentation. We even used Google Apps to create our very own website. I am amazed that all these tools are available free of charge.

         By far, the assignment I enjoyed the most was making a video of an important person in the history of computing.  I knew nothing about making a video on a computer and then being able to post it on YouTube. I now have technological skills I can take with me into my future ECE classroom. Thank you Professor Cunningham.

                                      

 https://www.diigo.com/
http://voicethread.com/
 http://youtu.be/06X0spzdMkw

Maria Zavala

Copyright Laws

                  I believe that copyright laws are fair and reasonable sanctions regarding the intellectual property of others. In my opinion, it is important to give credit when credit is due. The problem of plagiarism does occur in some schools, and students should be better educated on the subject of respecting the works of others. In my opinion, copyright laws would not really influence my use of technology in the classroom, as I would make an extra effort to follow the existing guidelines on the subject while I prepare my lesson plans.  The article by copyright attorney Nancy Willard highlights the fact that “a large amount of material that is either in the public domain or that has been made available for classroom use is available on educational Web sites. Such material can be freely used or used in accordance with the designated requirements,” (Willard, 1).  I would plan on using such materials or incorporating them in a way that does not violate copyright laws.

            If I needed any material that required permission from the copyright owner, I would probably send them a letter much like the one featured in the article. I would also encourage my students to do the same if they needed access to such a source.  In the event that there would be an issue with material posted on the district’s website, I would talk with other school administrators about how to properly solve the issue in accordance with those specific copyright laws. The article also suggested that teachers should remember copyright laws when constructing a specific lesson so that students could also create original material and be copyright owners themselves. I believe it is beneficial for students to learn about these provisions so that they can respect the work of others and use works and their own material constructively.

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech121.shtml

http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/copyright-internet.htm

http://education.illinois.edu/wp/copyright/implications_for_educators.html

Media Literacy

                                                      

   

Media Literacy

            Media literacy can be defined as the “the ability to make sense of the messages one receives from multiple media formats,” (Avery, 11). According to OME’s Media Literacy Guide, media literacy involves an “informed and critical understanding of mass media, the techniques used by them, and the impact of these techniques,” (Baker, 10). Scholars involved in this field assert that media literacy is a crucial skill and believe that its development is essential for all members of the American public. With regards to higher education, a certain emphasis has been placed on the advancement and availability of media literacy-focused courses and student access to them.

            The importance of media literacy has grown exponentially over the years, as more and more mass media formats are introduced often. Many people I know get their news from their mobile devices or through various apps. Unfortunately, the days of reading magazines, newspapers, and even books with pages and bindings are long gone. With everything available online, and much of it personalized to our tastes, it becomes a challenge for us to effectively engage ourselves with different facets of mass media and all of those different messages. Having the skill set to critically think about the messages we receive and interpret becomes vital. It is important for us to do our own thinking and draw independent conclusions about information in the media. Many people blindly believe a message they receive from the mass media as truth or fact without pausing to consider the source, purpose, and intentions behind that message. I believe that in order for us to be at our best, we must not only be informed of our world, but rather accurately informed of it.

www.iste.org/docs/excerpts/MEDLIT-excerpt.pdf

Avery, Susan.  Media Literacy and Library Instruction: A Case Study of Writing with Video. College and University Media Review 13: 77-93.  

 http://web.b.ebscohost.com.nl.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=4&sid=eb97eef2-6e17-4eb8-bc69-f1695eb237f1%40sessionmgr112&hid=125&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=57756759

http://cima.ned.org/media-development/media-literacy

 http://medialiteracyproject.org/learn/media-literacy
 

 

VoiceThread, Example of a Web 2.0 tool

October 25, 2014 

 

                                  

       Web 2.0 tools and technologies allow access to a myriad of information around the world and help students think critically and solve problems. This collection of Web-based tools (e.g., wikis, blogs, instant messaging, podcasting, YouTube, etc.) allow students to interact and communicate with their teachers, peers, and learn about different cultures around the world. One such tool some schools use is VoiceThread.

 

VoiceThread is an online media album that can hold numerous media-like images, documents and videos. Its affordances are that it allows users to create their work, make comments using voice, text, audio file or video and share them with anyone they want. Students can also use it to upload images and tell stories about the images. They can type or speak their comments using a microphone or telephone. VoiceThread lets students interact with their teachers and classmates. One of its main features is that it facilitates collaborative work.  Some schools are linking VoiceThread and other student work to the school websites using WordPress, which is a full content management system that can be used as a publishing platform. One constraint related to this technology is that teachers can be overwhelmed by having to learn about the many digital tools available nowadays. Another constraint might be the inability to make connections with students who do not have computers or have a problem communicating with these social tools. Thus, it is important to understand the needs of students and teachers in relation to technology use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://voicethread.com/

https://wordpress.org/about/

http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/Web-20-or-Web-2

 

 

 

Technology Affordances and Constraints in the Classroom

The theories of affordances and constraints in relation to the use of technology in the classroom are important because of their potential value in the learning process.  J. J. Gibson's theory of affordances basically says that “affordances are the attributes that provide potential for action, while constraints are the conditions and relationships between attributes that provide structure and guidance for the course of actions.” Some of the most important affordances in education today, online technologies, allow for increase in communication and interaction capability. However, the learning outcomes do not depend solely on technology. There are several factors that contribute to the learning process such as the values and beliefs of the teacher relating to the importance of this type of learning. It is also helpful that the teacher understands the affordances of a range of technological tools and resources and how they might best help students in making use of those affordances in their learning interactions.

 Technology tools and resources are affordances that offer capabilities for learning support in the classroom. These types of affordances can allow for collaborative learning and information retrieval. Teachers can then help with the constraints by providing students with affordances that motivate and engage them. They can also increase the degree of an affordance, for example by prompting students to predict the results of an assignment. Teachers can eliminate constraints by providing additional information about the affordance, for example by explaining and demonstrating a feature of software used with the assignment. An understanding of the affordances and constraints is important as well as learning of the students’ attitudes in regards to using technology for educational purposes.  

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/J._J._Gibson.

http://web.stanford.edu/group/WTO/cgi-bin/wp/

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14759390100200105#.VEQuqBZGUg8

Flipped Classrooms

        The idea of a flipped classroom, traditional classwork is done at home while homework is completed in class, can be traced to a 2008 experiment by Aaron Sams and Jonathan Bergmann http://flippedlearning.org/site/default.aspx?PageID=1. In a classroom where teachers have adapted this form of blended learning, students work at home and at their own pace. They watch short, interactive videos that contain content and objectives. The students then use class time to improve lessons and teachers engage with them on a one-on-one basis.

          I think this is just one more tool in the teaching toolbox and should not be used every day. But if it helps students take more interest in and responsibility for their own learning, I would implement it in my classroom by, first of all, devising a flipped strategy. I would start by asking myself a series of questions about technology and pedagogy: Will I make my own videos or use others’ material, such as Khan Academy? If I decide to make my own videos, what software should I use? Most importantly, I would need to plan valuable classroom time accordingly. Since I would not be lecturing as much, the time can be devoted to activities that lead to deeper knowledge and more on-on-one discussions.

           I would start small and videotape a short lesson in the beginning. I would introduce the concept to my students and teach them how to watch the videos. Ideally, I would also teach the parents about flipped learning so parents could be involved and comfortable with the idea.

I would start videotaping lessons for the following day using an interactive whiteboard and microphone. I would then post the videos to YouTube for students to view as homework or during part of class the next day. I would probably start with simple screen casting software such as Jing and Screencast-O-Matic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lND52-k15tw. If I had difficulty in making good videos, I could use a tool called FrontRow Juno lecture-capture system http://gofrontrow.com/en/juno.  I would give them practice problems to complete at home. During class time, I would have them briefly review the corresponding section in their textbook, thus reinforcing the knowledge they had gained by watching the video. Finally, I would give the students a quiz to determine the areas requiring more practice.

Important Best Practices for Technology in the Classroom

 

CPS (Chicago Public Schools) has found a great way to incorporate technology in its school system that some parents and students find is the best choice for them. I came across a hybrid school called The Chicago Virtual Charter School http://www.k12.com/cvcs#.VDGq1xZGUg8. It is tuition-free, and according to their website, it has the latest internet technology. Its K-12 online curriculum is teacher guided and requires parental support. The school has physical classrooms that students attend on occasion. All students are loaned a computer and printer, and they also get an internet stipend. They receive technological support, if needed, along with all the textbooks and other instructional materials in grades K-8. High School courses do not require textbooks. This school is a good example of best practice of incorporating technology in the CPS school system.

This hybrid school replaces traditional pen-and-paper lessons and is an opportunity for students (and their parents,) to use technology tools and resources while they learn from the convenience of their home. Since they receive tech support, the students do not need to be computer experts, and they learn about the many resources available to them. This school is also helping reduce paper use since most of the students’ assignments are viewed and completed on the computer and High School students do not have any books- everything related to their coursework is online for them.

This new way of learning also encourages online research that enables students to get information on many topics. Since there are a myriad of resources online, students do not have to rely solely on books to complete their assignments. This can be an effective way to work at a convenient pace, and they can find the field that interests them the most. 

http://www.greatschools.org/school-choice/virtual/6983-hybrid-blended-learning.gs?page=2 

http://cps.edu/Pages/home.aspx