After looking back on this semester and especially on this class, I realize how much I have actually learned. Following the first class, I felt like the biggest idiot when it came to technology, almost as if my brain had been replaced with a fog machine. I expected this course to be a class on actually using technology machines like a Mac and a Smart Board and although I wish at least the Smart Board had been touched on, I am overwhelmed by the amount of education I received during this course.

Some of my favorites include RSS. I think this phenomenon is absolutely amazing and have set up one form or another on each of my family members computers including my own. I also enjoyed learning about how to blog and use wikis, something I definitely plan to use in my classrooms.

My goal as a teacher is to gradually incorporate some of these applications into my classroom. I feel as though some of the applications might overwhelm the students, especially some of the more rural area students. Likewise, most of the applications, such as glogster, will stimulate the students and make learning more exciting.

Although I can’t believe this semester is over, I really have enjoyed this class!

JFK timeline

Jen B. on Dipity.

Bridging the Digital Divide

Upon hearing about the growing digital divide in my own backyard, I decided to do a little research on the subject. An interesting website I found discussing the consequences of the digital divide turned out to be on a Clinton/Gore website. http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/New/digitaldivide/digital3.html Clearly, this is not a new situation. Some startling facts include an increasing digital divide between races and a developing partition between those living in a rural community compared to those living in an urban setting. The site goes on to present the former administration’s agenda on bridging the divide. Although the site offers beneficial suggestion in closing the gap on a national level, it offered little help in assisting the classroom teacher on a classroom level.
After further research, I stumbled upon a podcast by technology expert Mario Armstrong. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6715965 In it, Armstrong mentions the array of digital divide definitions, from those with no computer at home, to those with a computer but dial-up internet. Armstrong offers several options to bridging the digital divide on a school district level as well as a classroom level. A fascinating issue he mentions is the vast amount grant money offered on Federal and State levels that is never touched!
An additional resource I discovered not only gave statistical information on the cause and effects of the digital divide but also present methods for presenting the problem to your students for consideration. http://www.riverdeep.net/current/2002/01/011402t_divide.jhtml
The city of Pittsburg is making great strides in closing the digital gap. http://www.post-gazette.com/neigh_city/20010511techcity2.asp After the conclusion of an alarming study showing the city’s underwhelming technological advancements (a reality true of most US cities), the city is taking action by spending $1.5 million in foundation grants to train 700 staff members, and investing $24 million in hardware and software upgrades. The article touches on one extremely important thing to remember- even if provided with state-of-the-art technology, some teachers will still refuse to incorporate it into their classrooms.
In today’s world, including developing countries, technology is imperative for success. Studies have found that those students with access to technology are exponentially more likely to flourish. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to ready my students for life and for this to take place, technology must be incorporated into my classroom.
I have had the privilege to observe two schools in the same school district with a huge technological gap. In the magnet school, each teacher was provided with a personal desktop, as well as, a laptop computer. The classroom possessed both classrooms desktops and a smart board, and the students had access to personal laptops. At a rural high school (in the same district), the technology standard fell much lower. The teacher had a desktop computer, but the classroom lacked any additional computers for the students. The only other piece of technology in the classroom was an over-head projector! Noticeably, these students were not being given an equal education compared to the students attending the magnet school.
After doing research on this pressing issue, I came across numerous sites advertising classroom grants. (example- http://teachersnetwork.org/grants/grants_technology.htm ) I believe this is a true solution to the digital divide problem. Netbooks today cost, on some sites, as little as $12.00! http://www.swoopo.com/brw/laptops-netbooks_50.html If teachers and administrators will take the initiative and apply for grants or ask local businesses to sponsor technology in the classroom, I believe the gap can, in the very least, shrink.

Teacher Leader

The Networked Student

The networked student takes the reigns of their education by changing what it means to learn and what it means for teachers to teach. Networks facilitate new learning and new associations unachievable in earlier years. For students, the possibilities are endless as networks not only bring other students together to work collectively, but experts are also incorporated in inferences.

In order for network learning to be extensively successful, digital literacy must be implemented. The majority of avenues to knowledge are gained quickly, or even immediately, through the use of technology. Students must be knowledgeable as to how to acquire the desired information via podcasts, Google, databases, or news feeds.

As a teacher, networked learning may seem confusing, uncensored, unorganized, or even unnecessary, but in reality, networked learning can be extremely ordered with enhanced tools, more new ideas, and few conventional rules. Traditional pedagogy gives the instructor sole control over the information to be expressed while networked learning allows the student to direct their education while the teacher becomes more of a facilitator.

I love this model of learning and I think it allows for the absolute best individual educational experience. Students, in my opinion, will be more engaged when allowed to participate in their learning experience. They also will receive a sense of pride in conquering a concept on their own. Students are also more likely to remember the information they learn through networked learning, as opposed to the conventional way of receiving information. If the resources are available, I definitely plan to use this model of instruction.


John Pederson on the Network Learning Manifesto
"John Pederson joined Cindy Seibel and Lorna Costantini to finally do a follow up to his presentation at Edcuon 2.1. John had presented his Network Learning Manifesto and had included a parent voice as part of his presentation. The backchannel during that workshop and the show chat room from Monday night hosted the same exciting folks. It was a great discussion about how parents can fit in the learning process."
http://www.ourschool.ca/john-pederson-on-the-network-learning-manifesto.html


Educon Conversation, better late than never.
"This conversation was from John Pederson’s Session, The Networked Learning Manifesto: Welcoming Parents into the Conversation."
http://learningischange.com/2009/05/28/educon-conversation-better-late-than-never/

Service Learning Projects

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ASBV1L6FVFF-ZGR6OWcydnNfMGhjNWJoOGc3&hl=en

Here are some awesome ideas if you are interested in implementing service learning projects into your classroom.

Glogster

Service Learning Project: Your Community Through the Ages

Title: Your Community Through the Ages

Area of Service: Community Development and Oral Histories

Grade level/setting: 8th Grade

Subject Area: American History

Unit Description:
During a unit on the Cold War era, students will do a study of its influence on their community by choosing a local landmark or person to research. If a person is chosen, students will conduct a recorded interview of that person using questions previously formulated. Students will then take the information discovered in the interview and create a biographic article based on that person’s experience and the research they will conduct individually. If a landmark is chosen, such as a mural, students will individually research the significance behind it and frame an article comparable to the articles developed based on human experience. If possible, students will video themselves talking about the landmark on location. Students will then take the completed articles and upload them onto a wiki. Articles must include a picture of the person interviewed or the landmark at all costs. The recorded interview or video will also be uploaded. Students from the entire community and beyond will be invited to participate in this service learning project with the intension of expanding the wiki to cover more the community’s history than the Cold War. Through a partnership with the local newspaper, various student articles will be published every day bringing awareness to the existence of the wiki and the request for community involvement on the wiki. This is a truly hands-on way to make history relatable by bringing it to the student’s backyard.

Goals:
 Students will apply inquiry skills to study American History using primary sources.
 Students will research the role of men and women of diverse backgrounds in the Cold War era and the different impressions experienced because of the period .
 Students will better understand the influence and background of the Cold War and its impact still felt today.
 Students will appreciate their local community and its contribution to our history.
 The Community as a whole will connect and acceptance will increase because of the shared experience.

Standards:
SS.8.A.1.1: Provide supporting details for an answer from text, interview for oral history, check validity of information from research/text, and identify strong vs. weak arguments.

SS.8.A.1.4: Differentiate fact from opinion, utilize appropriate historical research and fiction/nonfiction support materials.

NETS:
Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

Research and Information Fluency: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.

Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making: Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.

Technologies/Web applications:
 Wikis will be used in this project to launch the research material. Wikispaces.com offers an advisement free environment while also being easy-to-use.
 Along with the wiki, students will employ digital cameras, video cameras, recorders, and laptops to complete the assignments.
 Students will also be required to upload podcasts onto the wiki.

Assessment:
Students will be graded based on their wiki participation. A rubric will be provided to explain the wiki requirements. Requirements include understanding of the concept research, thoroughness, and creativity.
The wiki will be a portion of the student’s research paper grade.

Imagine.....

Here’s something to think about…What if the media implications discussed in Clay Shirkey’s talk had been available during the settlement of Roanoke? What if while the settlers were associating with the Indians, teens were Facebooking about new love and the fact that their parents were moving into the surrounding Indian villages? Then, their families back in England could have maintained contact with them and even saw pictures of new Indian relatives. Women might have tweeted of how their new Indian mother-in-laws were overbearing, while men tweeted about life on the land. In the case of starvation, tweets could have been posted on Twitter or placed directly on the Monarchy’s website to send food immediately.

On the other hand, if the settlers had been massacred by the Indians, live video feeds could have been up loaded by cell phones giving ships from England the chance to maybe come to the rescue. The original Roanoke settlement might still be thriving now if today’s media had been around in the sixteenth century?

It’s scary to think of how life would be different today if immediate, global media had existed throughout history. Do you think having the advantage of today’s media will further generate a better world or will it make a difference at all?

The Machine is (Changing) Us!

Michael Wesch’s lecture, The Machine is (Changing) Us: Youtube and the Politics of Authenticity, presents a unique insight into today’s social networking and the social networking movement that is Youtube. Wesch’s depiction of the motives behind the engagement in present crazes like American Idol and Youtube, suggest that Americans and, in particular, young Americans today own a narcissistic attitude and a belief in warranting the right to be seen and heard. These social networks provide just the avenues sought after.

For decades, the media, specifically television, has dictated our conversations, opinions, and even our culture through one-sided communication. Today, like never before, people mediate the media. Social networking can be used as an opportunity in finding ones identity. The film discussed that in certain circumstances, people felt more comfortable revealing aspects about themselves to the world through Youtube than with their close friends and families. Social networking also allows a comfortable way to connect to others, inevitably improving the situations of those feeling insignificant and making bigger differences for causes that might otherwise be ignored.

My opinion of social networking after watching the video has not changed and I believe educators have no other option than to implement some form of social networking into their classrooms. Most students directly or indirectly are involved in some sort of social network and it is our job as educators to teach them to use it responsibly and morally. I think simple classroom wikis or nings and global service learning projects are some great ways to employ social networking into the classroom. Other networks like Youtube can be a great resource for teachers and students alike, when used logically. My only concern with social networking is that genuine face-to-face conversations will be compromised and maybe even lost to the generations coming after us. Does anyone else share this concern or am I being a spoilsport? haha

Sigi Freud

The educational collection I contributed to encompassed podcasts about the life and works of Sigmund Freud. Freud, as most of us know, is recognized for his suppositions concerning the unconscious mind and his unprecedented theories relating to sexuality. Although many of his theories have been discredited, psychoanalysis as it exists today can, in almost all fundamental respects, be traced directly back to Freud’s original work.
To begin my unit on Freud, I would show a preview of a documentary on Sigmund Freud made by the people at Biography. The video found at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1790072718824083699#docid=-7134767319633389506 gives an exciting, engaging overview of Freud’s life. Next, I would separate the students into small groups and have them answer and discuss guiding questions for the purpose of intensely analyzing his major theories including his sometimes absurd presumptions. The collection would be used during this portion of the lesson for the reason that some of the podcasts lecture on Freud’s theories, such as his theory of development. Each group would take turns listening to the podcasts and analyzing his other theories through websites like http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/freud/freud02a.html. This website is unique, in that, many of Freud’s theories are explained along side pictures of his patients, his family and his manuscripts. To conclude, I would wrap-up the lesson by initiating a class discussion about the theories to ensure that all content and objectives had been covered.

Veterans History Project
http://www.servicelearning.org/slice/index.php?ep_action=view&ep_id=259

Brief Description: Students create video and audio oral interviews with veterans from World War II to the present. They will contact veterans and veterans groups, set up the appointments, prepare the questions, learn how to use the audio or visual equipment, and conduct the oral interviews. The completed interviews will become part of the Folk Life Collection of the Library of Congress.

This particular service learning project almost entirely fulfills all the benefits and best practices described in the Inquiry Learning in Social Studies concept map. The service learning lesson plan requires that the students form the questions that will be used in the interview. Students must also choose the group of veterans they will interview, in addition to deciding between an audio or visual approach. All of these requirements enable the students to take ownership and control of their learning, while also teaching them to think and act critically. Choosing to interview the veterans of World War II connects the students life with the lives of those learned in a history book.
The methods of inquiry learning used in this lesson closely reflect the strategies mentioned in the concept map; especially the proposal to delegate tasks such as observation and recording to the students, allowing for a better understanding of social studies. After the students carry out the interviews, the completed version is submitted to the Library of Congress and each student then writes a reflective essay outlining their experiences during the project.
The Veterans History Project addresses all of the challenges and concerns mentioned on the concept map. Although most of the project relies on the student, strategies and expectations are in place to guide them through the project. The profusion of student participation might shock some teachers, but by allowing the students to take control of their learning experience and setting lofty goals (Library of Congress), students will, in my opinion, choose to contribute.
As a social studies teacher, I would definitely consider implementing this lesson plan into my classroom. Not only is it a great inquiry learning project, but it also recognizes the importance of oral history while recognizing the heroes of the past.

Inquiry learning and technology

Inquiry learning can be integrated into every subject area, social studies in particular. Inquiry based learning teaches students to take charge of their learning by allowing them to explore the world and ask questions which, in turn, leads to more questions and more learning. Zahra’s chosen article, Computer Simulations: Technological Advances in Inquiry Learning, stresses that technology-based inquiry learning without guidance can hinder learning. The author of the article states that without direction, students have trouble making predictions, interpreting data and in some cases, arrive at the wrong conclusions completely.
This article raises a point when incorporating inquiry learning into the classroom-students still need guidance. As a teacher, I hope to offer prompts, thoughtful questions and guidelines to steer my students through their inquiry learning. Although I agree with the author of the article, I wonder if directed inquiry learning can still be considered inquiry learning. What are your thoughts?

Blog, Wiki & Podcast

http://blogs.riceville.k12.ia.us/ss/6grade/
This is the link to a blog ran by a 6th grade social studies class. Although the teacher is obviously the facilitator of the blog, the students contributions occupy most of the space. Topics range from walruses to the people in Afghanistan and parent comments are welcome. Students obviously take charge of their learning, all the while knowing that their input can be read around the world. I think its not only a great way to learn cooperatively but also a way for the students to become accountable for their work.

http://studyingsocietiesatjhk.pbworks.com/
The wiki I chose was created by a teacher to re-emphasize the information taught in class. The wiki provides links to additional information that might not have been covered in class. Creating a wiki allows students to direct questions both to the teacher and other students taking the classroom outside the school.

http://americanhistoryrules.blogspot.com/2009/08/welcome-podcast.html
This podcast is only one of the many ways Mr. Taft integrates technology into his 8th-grade American history class. He uses the podcast to review for tests, give class announcements, and introduce primary resources such as speeches to his students. Mr. Taft also broadcasts his students work. This podcast was the first I had ever listened to but now that I have, I plan to implement it into my classroom.

Blog Assignment #1

Why should technology be integrated into social studies classrooms? How has the learning from our first session influenced your answer? Please support your views with content from the readings.
Technology absolutely amazes me! Words and phrases like “blog,” “twitter,” and “rss” are familiar to me, in that, I’ve heard about them but never implemented them into my daily routine. After my brain woke up from “technology overload” following the last class and focused on the reading, I realized my responsibility as a teacher was to educate myself as much as possible about the use of technology. The wealth of accessible knowledge available through the Internet benefits us as social studies teachers especially. Admission into national museums, libraries, and even different countries once visited only thorough extensive travel and wealth can now be accessed by a few clicks of the mouse.
Understanding the language of the Internet including its grammar prevents time wasted exploring irrelevant or inappropriate sites. After reading chapter two, I diagnosed myself as having “googlitis”. Simply put, I google everything. The concept of using specific search engines to research particular information had never entered my mind or my research habits. I only wish I had known this information during my undergrad years of research papers!
The idea of incorporating student blogging into the curriculum had never occurred to me until reading chapter six but it is something that I plan to use in my own classroom. I understand the concerns of some of the skeptics, but in my opinion, the good far outweighs the bad, especially when otherwise doubtful students become excited about learning. Although an incredible avenue of learning, teachers have to be extremely cautious about protecting student’s personal information in addition to monitoring student subject matter and discussions. Technology is a permanent part of today’s society and as teachers, it is our job is to give our students the tools to become productive, responsible technology users.