Many adult learners were taught a more passive and instructional manner from students in today's classrooms. Most adults think today's classroom is "instructor led" because they were originally taught this way in grade school. There are various teaching styles which may encourage the adult individual to think more "out of the box" which can be a challange for some adult students.
Adult students have many various responsibilities, other than being in the classroom studying; such as a spouse, home, children, elderly parents, and even physical or emotional issues to deal with. Adult students may process information differently than younger students and may require different tools to help them succeed.
This very interesting and useful article helps to understand the very many different learning styles of adults and can be applied to other students as well. I feel that this article was a helpful tool in understanding some of the characteristics of the non-traditional student and useful ways to encourage success of the adult learner. As I continue with my own studies, I have learned some helpful hints on why I am focused on certain aspects of my own studies more than I understood before reading this eye-opening article. By understanding the wide spectrum of learning styles of students of all ages, teachers will be able to instruct and plan their lessons to fit everyone's needs in the classroom!
3rd. source:http://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/ualturki/Digital%20Library/Characteristics%20of%20Adult%20Learners%20with%20Implications%20for%20Online%20Learning%20Design.pdf
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
online learning-takes Motivation & Determination
After watching this video on a "virtual classroom" which teaches students Spanish via a teacher who works from her own home, I thought this would relate to my previous post on adult learners- their determination and motivation. I see that these middle school students (7th and 8th gr.), wanted to learn a foreign language with the determination needed to succeed with distance learning. I have learned that motivation in the distance learning classroom plays a major role in the succeess of the students, whether they are middle school age or older adults.
As I plan my lessons for teaching Spanish to students, I will consider using a distance learning outlet, through "epals", SKYPE, or any other of the many useful tools to connect and converse with Spanish speaking students. I will use motivational techniques and well as my own determination to create a positive and successful experience for my students.
2nd source:http://www.edutopia.org/online-learning-west-virginia-virtual-school
As I plan my lessons for teaching Spanish to students, I will consider using a distance learning outlet, through "epals", SKYPE, or any other of the many useful tools to connect and converse with Spanish speaking students. I will use motivational techniques and well as my own determination to create a positive and successful experience for my students.
2nd source:http://www.edutopia.org/online-learning-west-virginia-virtual-school
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Virtual School Teacher Certification
"Career Opportunities". Georgia Department of Education. 4/22/2010
"Certification Requirements for Instructional Positions". Florida Virtual School. 4/22/2010
I searched around various virtual schools and what it took to apply for a teaching job at them. To become a teacher at a virtual school you have to have a teaching certificate in the state which the school server is based out of (generally it’s in the name of the school, i.e. Florida Virtual School). To get a certificate in another state it’s rather easy, just have to submit a standard or Level II certificate to the NBPTS and it must be comparable to the new state’s standards and you can get one.
Some schools have various other qualifications that have to be reached. For example to become a highschool teacher at a virtual highschool in Georgia, you have to attend a 10 week online teaching training course. Although upon completion of the training course does not guarantee you a job at the school. The qualifications vary from school to school but all require a state certification.
I found it interesting that for the most part becoming an online teacher is being treated exactly like becoming a normal school teacher with little variation in the requirements. I’m surprised that not every virtual school has some sort of online training course for their teachers, for I feel teaching online is a complete different experience than teaching on a face to face basis. It requires a special kind of organization, motivation, and understanding when teaching the course. Besides in video chat situations you are completely disconnected from your students. This can be hard for some teachers ajavascript:void(0)nd a training course should be set up to help teachers realize that is how the courses will be held and how it is a completely different setting.
For my video I was unable to find one on getting certified, but found a video on getting a certification online to teach overseas for virtual teachers.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Effectiveness of Distance Learning
Ozkan, Hasan Huseyin, "Cooperative Learning Technique Through Internet Based Education: A Model Proposal", Education Spring 2010, Vol. 3, P499-508, Article accessed from LCCC Library/Ohio Link April 19,2010.
This article explains that Distance Learning Education is a development in teaching due to technological development. Distance Learning is a way to solve a problem for people who are looking to further their education or to continue education through conflicts such as work schedules, family, financial problems, and for people who are pressed for time. Distance Learning has many elements of communication: Email, blogs, podcast, video, electronic conference, video conference, and various chatting programs are just a few.
I have taken a few distance learning courses just to fit more classes into my schedule. I believe that it is a very effective solution to take classes learn what you need to learn and still have the time for anything else your life may have going on.
By the year 2001 60% of companies in the United States had implemented at least one type of distance learning source that was available for their employees to use to continue their education for their job qualification. So overall distance learning is not just for the typical school aged person, it has evolved into many other forms of education for almost anyone who wants/needs the education.
This article explains that Distance Learning Education is a development in teaching due to technological development. Distance Learning is a way to solve a problem for people who are looking to further their education or to continue education through conflicts such as work schedules, family, financial problems, and for people who are pressed for time. Distance Learning has many elements of communication: Email, blogs, podcast, video, electronic conference, video conference, and various chatting programs are just a few.
I have taken a few distance learning courses just to fit more classes into my schedule. I believe that it is a very effective solution to take classes learn what you need to learn and still have the time for anything else your life may have going on.
By the year 2001 60% of companies in the United States had implemented at least one type of distance learning source that was available for their employees to use to continue their education for their job qualification. So overall distance learning is not just for the typical school aged person, it has evolved into many other forms of education for almost anyone who wants/needs the education.
Web 2.0 Tools in schools
Smart, Maya. “Digital Portfolios Pull Double Duty.” www.Edutopia.org. 20, May 2009.
Many schools are now requiring students to generate and use ePortfolios. ePortfolios may be used to demonstrate and showcase competencies outside the academic curriculum, for example, the competencies required for active citizenship. In other cases, students may create ePortfolios of their learning in academic programs to show progress and achievement in a course or program. In many schools, students comment on each others work using social networking ePortfolio tools.
"You are only as strong as the weakest piece in your portfolio," a quote by Doug Martin, a teacher who believes one hundred percent in ePortfolios. Martin feels that there is a lot of competition for today’s teenagers and that they need to understand that the schoolwork they complete will help define their prospects tomorrow. The goal of the class is for each student to create a professional portfolio for employment or college. Digital portfolios allow students to have more opportunities to receive constructive criticism, scholarships and job offers.
There are a growing number of educators who see value in having students build digital portfolios. Students’ fascination with social networking sites has helped with the introduction of ePortfolios in the classroom. Students want collaboration and instant feedback.
The author of this article, Maya Smart, is an education writer and is very knowledgeable in her field. This article has help enforce to me the value of using ePortfolios in the classroom and even if the teacher is not comfortable with the technology, there are sites and other sources to rely on and learn and it is easy to learn as they go.
The article was written in 2009 and is very current now that more and more schools are requiring students to create ePortfolios. I think that the information is definitely accurate with today’s expectations of students and is very helpful in giving a way for students to have an edge over other students when applying for college and jobs and allows the admission officers something else to assess a student on rather than just their scores.
My opinion on the topic of ePortfolios used in the classroom is that they represent opportunities and challenges for students and teachers. ePortfolios provide new ways of teaching, assessing and managing student learning. They allow new ways of recording experiences and managing one’s career. I think that ePortfolios are a good thing and will be required in most schools very soon.
I found the above website to be very useful in researching eportfolios. The material on the site is clearly identified. There is information about the author. There is contact information available if you should have questions. The website is up to date and updated frequently. All the links on the site are in working order. The purpose of the site is clear and the content achieves the purpose. The website is complete and well organized and easy to navigate. All the information appears to be accurate and free of bias. The links are related to my needs and overall were worthwhile to check out. I feel this site is very valuable for the information needed and I would bookmark it for future use.
Web Tools for Teaching
Web Tools for Teaching
http://webtools4teaching.wikispaces.com/RSS
This website is very useful, especially for the student just learning about web tools and the terminology. I think this site is really self explanatory and I felt it is also very informative. I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning definitions about finding information online and the various types of tools available to do that. I would also use it as a reference page for students in my classroom.
http://webtools4teaching.wikispaces.com/RSS
This website is very useful, especially for the student just learning about web tools and the terminology. I think this site is really self explanatory and I felt it is also very informative. I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning definitions about finding information online and the various types of tools available to do that. I would also use it as a reference page for students in my classroom.
Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
Davis,Vickie "Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts" http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-teachers-vicki-davis
This video shows how using web tools empower students in learning and sharing ideas. The instructor, Vickie Davis, uses all kinds of technology to connect her students with others all around the world. She believes that all students have the capability to learn, and for some just the conventional way may not be enough. She focuses on teaching and learning effectively, with collaboration between students, learning and using new software, wikis, researching and thinking.
Her students learn by helping teach lessons, with an example in the video of learning a virtual life program. She explains that it is not possible for everyone, including herself, to know everything, and she learns from her students too. She is co-founder of “Digi Teen”, where students from all around the world can study digital citizenship.
I find Ms. Davis’ ideas and style of teaching very intriguing and very empowering. I believe students stay involved and motivated and learn more than just classroom lessons, they are learning life skills that will follow them in all their endeavors.
Empowering Studentsfor Life: Research Skills in the Age of Testing
Foote, Carolyn, “Empowering Students for Life: Research Skills in the Age of Testing” MultiMedia Internet Sch 17 no2 March/April 2010 Article accessed from LCCC Library/Academic Search Premiere April 18, 2010
The use of Web 2.0 Tools has become essential in classrooms today. Though many consider students today to be Digital Natives because of their use of social networks, uploading videos and blogging to name a few common areas of usage by young people today, the facts are that not all students engage in all these activities, and they need instruction in some areas to become more proficient. This is important because knowledge enables students to become engaged in the internet, databases, researching, thinking and learning. Being engaged leads to empowerment.
These tools are not just for use in the classroom. Part of the education process is to prepare students for the workplace and businesses today, down to the Military, use forms of social networking tools in daily operations. Teaching research skill is “imperative because. . . the ability to seek out relevant information is critical.” If we don’t teach our students the necessary skills we are failing them.
There is a vast amount of information to be explored, studied and researched, and there are many tools available to do just that. Some of these tools include wiki sites, search engines, YouTube and blogs. It is equally important for librarians to be familiar with these tools to be able to know the go-to tool for student guidance. Some librarians and even some teachers may feel that it is not their job to deal with these tools, but it is the job of all involved in the education of our youth. Teaching these skills to students not only helps students to complete assignments but these skills will remain with them long into their employment years. Some educators may think that teaching students to use these tools is time consuming, but once students learn them and apply them it can save a great deal more time in the long run.
This article is very useful to the understanding of how important Web 2.0 Tools are in all aspects of the world today; from education to the workplace, or just for personal enrichment. For Digital Immigrants it provides detailed information on how learning these tools and how to use them empowers a person to attain higher goals and greater knowledge. It shows how obtaining these skills are crucial and can lead to advancements in the workplace.
I believe this source was very helpful in proving the necessity and importance of learning and using Web 2.0 Tools starting in the schools and all through life. I recommend parents and students alike to read this to get a greater appreciation for learning and using these tools.
The use of Web 2.0 Tools has become essential in classrooms today. Though many consider students today to be Digital Natives because of their use of social networks, uploading videos and blogging to name a few common areas of usage by young people today, the facts are that not all students engage in all these activities, and they need instruction in some areas to become more proficient. This is important because knowledge enables students to become engaged in the internet, databases, researching, thinking and learning. Being engaged leads to empowerment.
These tools are not just for use in the classroom. Part of the education process is to prepare students for the workplace and businesses today, down to the Military, use forms of social networking tools in daily operations. Teaching research skill is “imperative because. . . the ability to seek out relevant information is critical.” If we don’t teach our students the necessary skills we are failing them.
There is a vast amount of information to be explored, studied and researched, and there are many tools available to do just that. Some of these tools include wiki sites, search engines, YouTube and blogs. It is equally important for librarians to be familiar with these tools to be able to know the go-to tool for student guidance. Some librarians and even some teachers may feel that it is not their job to deal with these tools, but it is the job of all involved in the education of our youth. Teaching these skills to students not only helps students to complete assignments but these skills will remain with them long into their employment years. Some educators may think that teaching students to use these tools is time consuming, but once students learn them and apply them it can save a great deal more time in the long run.
This article is very useful to the understanding of how important Web 2.0 Tools are in all aspects of the world today; from education to the workplace, or just for personal enrichment. For Digital Immigrants it provides detailed information on how learning these tools and how to use them empowers a person to attain higher goals and greater knowledge. It shows how obtaining these skills are crucial and can lead to advancements in the workplace.
I believe this source was very helpful in proving the necessity and importance of learning and using Web 2.0 Tools starting in the schools and all through life. I recommend parents and students alike to read this to get a greater appreciation for learning and using these tools.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Preparing to Teach with Technology: Helping Students Reach Their Full Potential
Teacher Certification
Futrell, Mary Hatwood. "Preparing to Teach with Technology: Helping Students Reach Their Full Potential." January, 31. 2007. Article accessed from the Internet April 18, 2010. http://www.edutopia.org/preparing-teach-technology
This Scholarly Research Article was written by Mary Hatwood Futrell, who has been the dean of the Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD) at George Washington University since 1995. Her expertise includes teacher development, national certification of teachers, national standards, and violence in schools. Futrell also is co-director of GSEHD's Center for Curriculum, Standards, and Technology (CCST).According to the article, Futrell was a high school business teacher in Alexandria, Virginia when her high school created a computer lab for the students at the school. Futrell initially was not sure the technology would be utilized, and, even worse, she and her fellow staff members even wondered if the students who used the computer lab might just create problems and destroy the lab.
Futrell goes on to say that she and the other staff members of the school were pleasantly surprised and even almost shocked at the amount of students who participated in the computer lab and participated without causing any type of ruckus or problems. The students, from all walks of life, from college preparatory to vocational students, were genuinely interested in learning about computers.
It was then she had an epiphany at the endless possibility that technology could be used to enhance the learning process for students.
Futrell eventually alt erred her career path and began to work in the Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD) at George Washington University to help prepare teachers to become computer literate and helped teach and certify teachers to use computer technology in the classroom to educate their students.
"Last year, for the first time, we began working across our Teacher Preparation and Educational Leadership departments," Futrell said. "Our educational technology faculty is working with our teacher-educators to prepare them, as well as their students -- our future teachers, counselors, and administrators -- to be proficient with technology. All faculty members will be able to demonstrate their ability to teach via technology, because the best way to teach others is to demonstrate you can do it yourself. Currently, most faculty are at least competent using presentation software, word processing software, e-mail, and the Web.
"As part of their certification requirement, all of our student teachers must go through training to integrate technology into their teaching," Futrell continued. "They must demonstrate their ability to effectively use technology as part of their teaching repertoire in a variety of settings, according to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards and increasingly to meet state certification requirements. They also use video cameras to tape themselves in the classroom, analyze their teaching, and become more reflective practitioners."
Now, the following certainly sounds familiar. I think everyone in class should be able to relate to this.
"Further, a number of our student teachers are developing electronic portfolios to present samples of their teaching," Futrell said. "These experiences ensure that our teacher candidates are prepared to work in technologically rich classrooms .... They will have the confidence to effectively use technology because they have had first-hand experiences demonstrating their own ability to use it and because they will have seen it used well on our campus, for administrative purposes (e.g., attendance and grading) as well as for teaching and learning."
Futrell further states in the article how amazed she is when she goes into the schools in the greater Washington D.C. Metro Area and observes how the new crop of young student-teachers and young teachers are utilizing technology to enhance the educational experience of their students.
This is really a great article and truly encapsulates why Mrs. Macek teaches this course and why it is important as today's educators that we, the students, are taking the course.
Today's student, the Digital Natives we learned about in the first two weeks of course, are geared toward this type of technology. They use it at home and on the road and expect to use it in the classroom. Today's technology has an almost unlimited ceiling in regard to how teachers can use it to bring the world to the students and even bring the students out into today's world.
I hope that makes sense.
technology based schools
Sources:
Mezzacappa, Dale. High School 2.0. EducationNext. Spring 2010 Vol. 10 No. 2.
Welcome to the Maine International center for Digital Learning. MICDL.(2010) http://wwwmicdl.org/Our%20Mission
In my last blog, I found an podcast about a school that gave each student laptops and used technology in every aspect of their education and managed to be successful and pull their test scores up.
In contrast, I just looked a scholarly journal article in which a school in Philadelphia decided to undergo a serious overhaul of their school and make it totally based on technology. They even built a state-of-the-art building to house all of the new technology. Here, each student was also given a laptop.
This school turned out to be a 32 million dollar embarrassment. Most of the students did not adjust well to the new technology and found themselves frustrated instead of challenged. Test scores did not increase. Students seemed to be in a state of shock from being taken from the normal school books and pencils routine to a grandiose school building with laptops and new technology. Today, it is a high school like most other schools in the U.S. with a few more laptops that average high schools. The pedagogy has not changed so far.
I also read an article from a website about the Main initiative project (which gave students in Maine each a laptop). From what I saw on their website it seems like instead of doing an entire overhaul of their educational system, they decided to build on what they had by adding laptops. This is the main difference I can find between these two schools and I am certain it is the reason behind the Philadelphia school's failure and the Maine school's success. It is important to not get too ambiguous when incorporating technology into the classroom. It is good to keep up with technology, but a huge influx of technology in a school (like in Philadelphia) is not beneficial to students and ends up frustrating them.
Mezzacappa, Dale. High School 2.0. EducationNext. Spring 2010 Vol. 10 No. 2.
Welcome to the Maine International center for Digital Learning. MICDL.(2010) http://wwwmicdl.org/Our%20Mission
In my last blog, I found an podcast about a school that gave each student laptops and used technology in every aspect of their education and managed to be successful and pull their test scores up.
In contrast, I just looked a scholarly journal article in which a school in Philadelphia decided to undergo a serious overhaul of their school and make it totally based on technology. They even built a state-of-the-art building to house all of the new technology. Here, each student was also given a laptop.
This school turned out to be a 32 million dollar embarrassment. Most of the students did not adjust well to the new technology and found themselves frustrated instead of challenged. Test scores did not increase. Students seemed to be in a state of shock from being taken from the normal school books and pencils routine to a grandiose school building with laptops and new technology. Today, it is a high school like most other schools in the U.S. with a few more laptops that average high schools. The pedagogy has not changed so far.
I also read an article from a website about the Main initiative project (which gave students in Maine each a laptop). From what I saw on their website it seems like instead of doing an entire overhaul of their educational system, they decided to build on what they had by adding laptops. This is the main difference I can find between these two schools and I am certain it is the reason behind the Philadelphia school's failure and the Maine school's success. It is important to not get too ambiguous when incorporating technology into the classroom. It is good to keep up with technology, but a huge influx of technology in a school (like in Philadelphia) is not beneficial to students and ends up frustrating them.
Project Learning: Expeditions in Portland, Maine | Edutopia
Project Learning: Expeditions in Portland, Maine Edutopia
Citation: (2010, April 16). Project Learning: Expeditions in Portland, Maine. Video posted to http://www.edutopia.org/. (2010).
In this video, students in Maine were all given a laptop for their own personal use. Having a one-to-one laptop to student ratio has made all the difference in their school's test scores and the morality of the school as well. The school system itself is a low-income school district, with more than 50% of students receiving a free or reduced lunch.
Upon receiving all of these laptops, the teachers in the building had to decide what to do with them. They decided to develop something they call "Expeditionary Learning," in which students use technology to solve problems and use their own ideas, as well as tie all the subjects together in a relevant manner. For example, in a science class they studied modern art structures adn created their own videwos of the structures and used their research to create their own structures. This combined science, math, technology, and art into one activity.
The teachers mentioned that it was a lot of work to come up wiht something so innovative and untested. Every week they have to re-evaluate their lesson plans to see where the students are at and where they want them to be. however, the teachers were all excited about what they were doing, and morale of the school was high. I think that even though this new way of learning was a lot of work, teachers were all involved and interested in expeditionary learning as well as the students.
I especially agreed with the comment the principal made towards the end of the movie. He said that he doesn't agree with simply teaching standards, because who knows if those standards will be everything the students need to know 10 or 20 years down the road. Even though we don't know what students will need to know in 20 years due to this rapidly changing world, we do know that students will need to be given the tools they need to solve problems, think critically, and work with other people.
Personally, I would love to teach in a school that is so innovative. I think this school is on the right track when it comes to imbedding technology throughout the whole teaching process, and I also think that teaching students to think critically and work with others is more important than teaching students rote information. I think if you teach students to think critically, learning rote information will soon follow. This school did not specifically teach rote learning, but their test scores were still extremely high, proving that teaching effective critical thinking skills is a way to increase test scores among students. I think Ohio schools have a lot to learn from this school in Maine.
Citation: (2010, April 16). Project Learning: Expeditions in Portland, Maine. Video posted to http://www.edutopia.org/. (2010).
In this video, students in Maine were all given a laptop for their own personal use. Having a one-to-one laptop to student ratio has made all the difference in their school's test scores and the morality of the school as well. The school system itself is a low-income school district, with more than 50% of students receiving a free or reduced lunch.
Upon receiving all of these laptops, the teachers in the building had to decide what to do with them. They decided to develop something they call "Expeditionary Learning," in which students use technology to solve problems and use their own ideas, as well as tie all the subjects together in a relevant manner. For example, in a science class they studied modern art structures adn created their own videwos of the structures and used their research to create their own structures. This combined science, math, technology, and art into one activity.
The teachers mentioned that it was a lot of work to come up wiht something so innovative and untested. Every week they have to re-evaluate their lesson plans to see where the students are at and where they want them to be. however, the teachers were all excited about what they were doing, and morale of the school was high. I think that even though this new way of learning was a lot of work, teachers were all involved and interested in expeditionary learning as well as the students.
I especially agreed with the comment the principal made towards the end of the movie. He said that he doesn't agree with simply teaching standards, because who knows if those standards will be everything the students need to know 10 or 20 years down the road. Even though we don't know what students will need to know in 20 years due to this rapidly changing world, we do know that students will need to be given the tools they need to solve problems, think critically, and work with other people.
Personally, I would love to teach in a school that is so innovative. I think this school is on the right track when it comes to imbedding technology throughout the whole teaching process, and I also think that teaching students to think critically and work with others is more important than teaching students rote information. I think if you teach students to think critically, learning rote information will soon follow. This school did not specifically teach rote learning, but their test scores were still extremely high, proving that teaching effective critical thinking skills is a way to increase test scores among students. I think Ohio schools have a lot to learn from this school in Maine.
Effectiveness of Distance Learning in Special Education
Coombs, Norman. "Bridging the disability gap with distance learning." Technology and disability. 8 (1998) 149-152. Print.
- I believe we can all agree that distance learning is one of the hottest issues in education.
- In the Article "Bridging the disability gap with distance learning, A gentleman who worked at the Rochester Institute of Technology volunteered to experiment with enriching the traditional telecourse with the use of e-mail and computer conferencing, the were surprised that the Blind History Professor volunteered! Correspondence classes and telecourses were aimed primarily at working adults. Through the internet, students with disabilities can access text materials formerly only in print.
- The Professor would post series of questions to begin a group discussion. The exchange is through text and therefore is accessible to a screen reader and speech synthesizer for blind users. The display can be enlarged or colors changed to facilitate its use by persons with low vision. Since it is in text, there is no need for interpreters for deaf participants.
http://www.edutopia.org/technology-visually-impaired-video
http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/learning.html
The above website offers a variety of special educational tools that will help in a special ed. classroom.
Classroom Potential: Going Global
Leaz, Bob, "How to Go Global in Your Classroom." Blogs: Bob Leaz. June 30, 2009. http://www.edutopia.org/technology-global-classroom
Bob Leaz, a educational technology blogger from Edutopia.org, discusses the potential positive results of going global in today's classroom.
Leaz claims, "given the level of sophistication of today's students, why not use technology to extend the classrooms and collaborate globally?: Furthermore, Leaz states, "Today's digitally connected world presents challenges and opportunities never before seen. To be successful in the workplace tomorrow, students must know how to interactively collaborate with peers locally as well as globally."
Leaz argues that today's students should be offered the chance to use technology in the classroom to work on projects in a collaborative fashion with students from around the world.
He cites one instance where high school students from the United States and high school students from Singapore collaborated, via Google documents, to create a web site dedicated to promoting tolerance and eliminating bullying in school.
Leaz also mentions how some college professors will use videos from YouTube as a way to bring experts "into the classroom" for their students. Students are required to view the YouTube videos before class and then the class discusses the content matter. Later on, the experts in the YouTube videos can be brought into the classroom, via teleconferencing, to discuss their YouTube video with the students in the classroom.
I enjoyed Mr. Leaz's blog because there is so much optimism in the subject he discusses. We have learned in class that today's students are indeed digital natives who are used to not only multi-tasking but also used to utilizing technology on a daily basis.
Today's world indeed is shrinking and we are connecting not only with our neighbors on our street, but now also connected with our neighbors in our global neighborhood. The shared project between the students from the United States and Singapore not only resulted in a cool project (a joined web site), but it also probably provided the students from each country to get a better understanding about the culture in the other county and how it defines, tolerates and reacts to an issues such as tolerance and bullying.
Teachers are crippled by teaching to the OAT and OGT tests, and I'm sure it limits the amount of time they have to work on cool independent projects because they need to hit as many standards and objectives as possible. However, if organized, a teacher can find time to work on a collabortive project that is enriching for one's students.
Virtual Schools
Wood, Christina. "The Virtual Classroom: Online Learning." The George Lucas Foundation. April 2005. Accessed from the Internet on April 18, 2010. http://www.edutopia.org/online-learning-video
The video I accessed pertained to the advantages of Virtual Schools and online learning as it pertains to course quality, closing the digital divide and flexibility in class schedule.
The video begins by stating how the Internet facilitates a whole new world of learning and connecting people and cultures that traditionally had been a world apart.
The Virtual School Academy consists of 300 high school in 16 foreign countries and the United States and offers over 150 different high school courses. It's a non-profit organization that is designed to assist challenged students and also challenge accelerated students. All of the schools combine to provide some form of instruction in the Virtual School.
During the video, a teacher from the Florida Virtual Academy, which began in 2000 and is the oldest virtual academy in the United States, mentioned how virtual academies do a great job of closing the digital divide. Her assertion is that students from rural school districts in Florida do not have the same access to quality instruction compared to their city and suburban counterparts in the state, and virtual academies provide them with that quality instruction that they otherwise would be missing. This theme is also reiterated in video as it examines the role of virtual academies in West Virginia and in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Finally, the video promotes flexibility as another major bonus of virtual schools. Student Zoe McNealy is an excellent ice skater with aspirations to make the Olympic Games. By taking classes through a virtual academy, she is able to create a school day that best suites and works with her rigorous skating schedule. She can make a classroom schedule around her time at the ice rink in order to both maximize on the ice rink and also get the most out of her time in her virtual classroom.
I think this was an excellent video in terms of providing several strong arguments in favor of virtual academies and distance learning. It also was a balanced piece because there is a point in the video when one of the proponents of virtual academies flat out says he would not recommend a student taking his or her complete high school education through a virtual school because he still thinks there are social advantages to a traditional land-locked school that a virtual school can not completely need. He thinks that virtual schools can not completely replace traditional school, but it certainly can enhance the education received at a traditional school.
http://www.edutopia.org/online-learning-video
The video I accessed pertained to the advantages of Virtual Schools and online learning as it pertains to course quality, closing the digital divide and flexibility in class schedule.
The video begins by stating how the Internet facilitates a whole new world of learning and connecting people and cultures that traditionally had been a world apart.
The Virtual School Academy consists of 300 high school in 16 foreign countries and the United States and offers over 150 different high school courses. It's a non-profit organization that is designed to assist challenged students and also challenge accelerated students. All of the schools combine to provide some form of instruction in the Virtual School.
During the video, a teacher from the Florida Virtual Academy, which began in 2000 and is the oldest virtual academy in the United States, mentioned how virtual academies do a great job of closing the digital divide. Her assertion is that students from rural school districts in Florida do not have the same access to quality instruction compared to their city and suburban counterparts in the state, and virtual academies provide them with that quality instruction that they otherwise would be missing. This theme is also reiterated in video as it examines the role of virtual academies in West Virginia and in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Finally, the video promotes flexibility as another major bonus of virtual schools. Student Zoe McNealy is an excellent ice skater with aspirations to make the Olympic Games. By taking classes through a virtual academy, she is able to create a school day that best suites and works with her rigorous skating schedule. She can make a classroom schedule around her time at the ice rink in order to both maximize on the ice rink and also get the most out of her time in her virtual classroom.
I think this was an excellent video in terms of providing several strong arguments in favor of virtual academies and distance learning. It also was a balanced piece because there is a point in the video when one of the proponents of virtual academies flat out says he would not recommend a student taking his or her complete high school education through a virtual school because he still thinks there are social advantages to a traditional land-locked school that a virtual school can not completely need. He thinks that virtual schools can not completely replace traditional school, but it certainly can enhance the education received at a traditional school.
http://www.edutopia.org/online-learning-video
Effectiveness of Distance Learning
- Ellis, Ken, dir. Online Learning: West Virginia Virtual School. http://www.edutopia.org/. N.p, 2005. Web. 18 Apr. 2010.
- This video is about middle schoolers in West Virginia who are taking a Distance Learning Course in Spanish because there are not enough qualified teachers in the area who can be hired in at their school. Joyce McClanahan is a virtual schoolteacher who works from home and is the head teacher in twenty one different Spanish classes in fifteen West Virginia middle schools. She teaches forty five minute classes in which she communicates with the class through a two way phone call. The class listens as she lectures and there is a faculty member in the room to oversee everything.
- When the class is not listening to Mrs. McClanahan they complete activities, modules and quizzes online. Although she does not meet the students face to face they communicate through phone calls (also out of class individual calls), recorded emails and regular emails. The students go home to work on their assignments and if they have questions they have the opportunity to call and ask. The recorded emails allow the teacher to evaluate the students' pronunciation and listen to any errors that are occurring in speech.
- I think for a school that had to resort to a Distance Learning Program for such a difficult subject as Spanish, technology has served them well. I think that the recorded emails are a great tool for distance learning and are greatly impacting the level of teaching Mrs. McClanahan is reaching.
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Sanders, Stephen N., ed. "Virtual Schools." http://dpi.wi.gov/imt/onlinevir.html. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2010.
Wisconsin legislators have enacted to rules for teachers who are teaching online at virtual schools. They are trying to make effective techers at these schools. Begining in July 2010, teachers have to have 30 hours of professionsl development training in order to teach online. Wisconsin has a virtual online school that is ran by the state. Anybody in the state can enroll to take online courses and are encouraged to do so. Wisconsin has Wisconsin Virtual School which has grades 6 through 12 and Appleton eSchool which has grades 9 through 12. These two schools have already been certified through the state and meet all the critera the goverment has put into place to make sure that these school are effective. They must improve learning through planned instruction, diagnose learning needs, have content delivered through class activities, report to parents, administrators, and be able to evalute the effect of instruction need.
This is up to date and is new for the up coming school year. This is written by the goverment of Wisconsin so it written by someone with expertise. This reflects that there is laws being written to produce effective virtual schools. A "real person" can use this information and is written so that everybody can read it.
My impression is that this has to be done in all state. There has to be rules and laws to enforce these schools to be effective.
Wisconsin legislators have enacted to rules for teachers who are teaching online at virtual schools. They are trying to make effective techers at these schools. Begining in July 2010, teachers have to have 30 hours of professionsl development training in order to teach online. Wisconsin has a virtual online school that is ran by the state. Anybody in the state can enroll to take online courses and are encouraged to do so. Wisconsin has Wisconsin Virtual School which has grades 6 through 12 and Appleton eSchool which has grades 9 through 12. These two schools have already been certified through the state and meet all the critera the goverment has put into place to make sure that these school are effective. They must improve learning through planned instruction, diagnose learning needs, have content delivered through class activities, report to parents, administrators, and be able to evalute the effect of instruction need.
This is up to date and is new for the up coming school year. This is written by the goverment of Wisconsin so it written by someone with expertise. This reflects that there is laws being written to produce effective virtual schools. A "real person" can use this information and is written so that everybody can read it.
My impression is that this has to be done in all state. There has to be rules and laws to enforce these schools to be effective.
Potholes in the Road to Virtual Schooling
Glass, Gene V. "Potholes in the Road to Virtual Schooling." School Administrator 67.4 [2010]:32.
This journal is about the problems that virtual schools are having. This is such a growing field that the question is raised whether or not teacher quality is an issue. It talks about different virtual schools and how they are getting money to runs these schools. One of these schools recieves about $20 million every year. They have 3,000 students that attend this online school. There are no buildings, no buses, no cafeteria, it is just a virtual school with one office located in a high rise building.
According to this journal nearly one in every 50 students are attending an online high school either for credit recovery or all classes online. In a few states, in order to get your high school diploma, you have to attend at least one online class. Gene Glass brings up the debate that legislators have to decide issues on effectiveness and funding.
This was written by Gene Glass who is a professor. This is an up to date journal since it was written in 2010. This article talk about the problem if on line schools are effective. He also states that this is expanding so much that it is hard to have up to date information. This is written so the average person can understand what he is talking about.
My impression on this article is that there has to be studies done to see if all virtual schools are effective and where is the money going to some of these schools.
This journal is about the problems that virtual schools are having. This is such a growing field that the question is raised whether or not teacher quality is an issue. It talks about different virtual schools and how they are getting money to runs these schools. One of these schools recieves about $20 million every year. They have 3,000 students that attend this online school. There are no buildings, no buses, no cafeteria, it is just a virtual school with one office located in a high rise building.
According to this journal nearly one in every 50 students are attending an online high school either for credit recovery or all classes online. In a few states, in order to get your high school diploma, you have to attend at least one online class. Gene Glass brings up the debate that legislators have to decide issues on effectiveness and funding.
This was written by Gene Glass who is a professor. This is an up to date journal since it was written in 2010. This article talk about the problem if on line schools are effective. He also states that this is expanding so much that it is hard to have up to date information. This is written so the average person can understand what he is talking about.
My impression on this article is that there has to be studies done to see if all virtual schools are effective and where is the money going to some of these schools.
Effectiveness of Virtual High Schools
Ellis, Ken, dir. Virtual High School: Education on Demand. www.edutopia.org. N.p., 2005. Web. 18 Apr. 2010. http://www.edutopia.org/virtual-high-school-hudson-high-school.
This is a video clip about a virtual high school and some of the students that are attending this school. One is a female who is taking some of her classes online and the rest at a regular high school. She takes some of her classes on line because she wants to be an Olymipic ice skater and the ice time is the best when it is in the morning. Some other students take classes on line to further a pursued interested like a boy that is taking a higher computer class that his regular high school offers. This video also gives details about the effectiveness of virtual high schools. They have a 90% graduation rate. Most of the classes are classes that their home school would not offer. This was written to inform students and parents about the school and how it is beneficial to students.
This was written by the people of the virtual high school and other schools that participate in the program. This is new and up to date for this topic. The information is accurate as possible since this is a new and is growing very fast. Trying to find the most updated information is hard. A real person can watch this video and understand it very easily.
I was impressed with this virtual high school. I found the video to be very interesting and informative. The video gave a lot of information on this topic and school. This video does support my view that virtual high school has a benefit and that this one is effective.
This is a video clip about a virtual high school and some of the students that are attending this school. One is a female who is taking some of her classes online and the rest at a regular high school. She takes some of her classes on line because she wants to be an Olymipic ice skater and the ice time is the best when it is in the morning. Some other students take classes on line to further a pursued interested like a boy that is taking a higher computer class that his regular high school offers. This video also gives details about the effectiveness of virtual high schools. They have a 90% graduation rate. Most of the classes are classes that their home school would not offer. This was written to inform students and parents about the school and how it is beneficial to students.
This was written by the people of the virtual high school and other schools that participate in the program. This is new and up to date for this topic. The information is accurate as possible since this is a new and is growing very fast. Trying to find the most updated information is hard. A real person can watch this video and understand it very easily.
I was impressed with this virtual high school. I found the video to be very interesting and informative. The video gave a lot of information on this topic and school. This video does support my view that virtual high school has a benefit and that this one is effective.
Online Predators
Dowell, Elizabeth B., Ann W. Burgess, and Deborah J. Cavanaugh. "Clustering of Internet Risk Behaviors in a Middle School Student Population." Journal of School Health 79.11 (2009): 547-553. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 18 Apr. 2010.
** (i) This journal does a great job of touching on some of the key dangers relating to online predators. It talks about the affects of Internet usage by children, middle school students, and teenagers. Like most tools, the Internet comes with several advantages and disadvantages, but the difference is that many of these disadvantages literally put the lives of today's youth in danger. The usage of the Internet leaves users open to many variations of online predators.
** (ii) Since this generation has had access to the virtual world for nearly their entire lives, this journal reiterates the importance of Internet safety. Through research and survey's, this journal documents the various types of adolescents that exemplify "at-risk behavior." Being smart about our own safety when using the Internet has been of growing public concern, especially among those adults and youth who live in a world of technological communication.
** (iii) This authors of this journal entry are all credible. Elizabeth B. Dowell is an associate professor at Villanova University, Ann W. Burgess is a professor at Boston College, and Deborah J. Cavanaugh is a coordinator/senior researcher at the Justice Resource Institute.
** (iv) This journal is definitely new and up-to-date for this topic; it was posted on April 18th, 2010.
** (v) This article is extremely useful because it is entirely relevant to today's concerns about the dangers of the Internet, and the abundance of online predators throughout the virtual world.
** (vi) The information presented in this journal is entirely accurate. The statistics that are presented from this exploratory study were made possible from Finkelhor et al's (2000) Youth Internet Safety Survey.
** (vii) A "real person" could definitely use this information, and can apply it to there everyday and future lives. The access to virtual information, as well as the probability of encountering online predators, is here to stay. This journal is easy to read, no matter what reading level you are at. It is important to learn more about the facts and how to prevent fatal occurrences through the practice of Internet safety.
** (viii) My opinion concerning online predators is that it is a very serious problem that most people overlook until they are personally faced with the consequences. The general feeling of most people, no matter what the topic, is that "it will never happen to me." However, this journal showed that there are way too many young students portraying high-risk Internet behavior, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
Williams, Pete. "MySpace, Facebook attract online predators." NBC News. N.p., 3 Feb. 2006. Web. 18 Apr. 2010. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11165576/
** (i) This resource is about the dangers that popular social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook possess. The experts say that you have to be careful about what you are posting online, because "somebody is always watching." These sites have been known to attract online predators. It's not just young people who are pa-rousing these immensely popular sites; police nationwide say that potential sexual predators are as well.
** (ii) This article was written to warn parents to monitor what their children are posting online. How they present themselves is crucial: potential predators that are searching and scanning these sites already have poor intentions at heart.
** (iii) Pete Williams is a Justice correspondent, and is authorized to write about this particular subject. He also included several quotes and examples of the dangers of online predators in this article.
** (iv) This article is written in 2006, so it is relatively new, but definitely not up-to-date. However, it shows that the issue of online predation has been a problem in the past and present as we try to prevent these occurrences in the future.
** (v) This article adds to my research because it talks about two of the most popular social networking sites. These websites grow in numbers everyday, increasing the amount of online predators.
** (vi) This information is reliable and accurate in its depiction of the dangerous side of the MySpace and Facebook websites.
** (vii) The reading level of this information is basic for the average person (especially since it is taken from the Nightly News section for NBC News. A "real person" can both understand and use this information, and will hopefully take the warning of online predators seriously.
** (viii) My opinion is that although many people use and enjoy the Myspace and Facebook website, it's important to remember the basics when it comes to Internet safety. By setting the right security settings in your webpage, as well as filtering out personal information, it becomes easier to prevent a possible internet predator from choosing you to be their next victim.
Ellis, Ken. Common Sense Tips for Digital Generation Parents. Edutopia.org. The George Lucas Educational Foundation, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2010. http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-parents-commonsense-video.
** (i) This resource is about explaining to parents that the virtual world is a good thing: it helps kids create, express themselves, meet people, etc. Kids are exposed to more powerful tools than any other generation in history has had access too. However, parents need to extend their parenting skills into the digital world. By using common sense, parents can keep their kids safe, smart, and responsible in the online world.
** (ii) This video explains to parents that they have tools to turn to to help them understand and manage the lives of their digital children. One of the tools discussed in this video is Common Sense Media, which is a website that provides trustworthy information and education for kids to thrive in our world of media and technology.
** (iii) Liz Perle is Editor in Chief of Common Sense Media, and is qualified to speak about this topic.
** (iv) The release date for this video was May 27th, 2009. The information is new, and up-to-date with today's technology times. It will also remain updated, because the Common Sense Media website is always being revamped.
** (v) This video is great for my research, because it explains the impact the digital world has on kids; as Liz stated in the video, "This is their world. It's digital life to us, but to them--it's just life. So we really have to embrace it." By understanding this strong connection our generation has with the Internet and using common sense, the various forms of online predation can be put to a hault.
** (vi) The information is entirely accurate and relevant to today's times. Liz also includes a handful of statistics concerning technology and children.
** (vii) A "real person" can both understand and utilize this information. Adults can take this video as constructive criticism and implement the common sense Internet safety tips that are being presented.
** (viii) I can definitely relate with what Liz is talking about in this video, and I can see the benefits of parent's becoming more familiar and comfortable with technology in their lives. After all, the digital world plays a huge role on their child's life, and often times, their safety.
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