I didn't really need to read these articles to know that I wanted to offer technology in my classroom. Really, the whole class has been leading us to that conclusion. I think as teachers we need to be innovative, so if access is an issue we can try to find ways to fix that.
There have been several programs set up by teachers where you can trade teaching supplies, or put together wish lists or a site where you can get sponsored for field trips/class projects etc. If I am going to make technology a requirement in my class, I will be sure to provide the resources to do it. If I can't make that happen, I'll assign something else.
It would be an obvious disservice to my students if I didn't incorporate technology in my class because it is so important in today's workforce. There are ways to assign things that involve technology and providing the resources. It depends on what school you are in, or what district, but most schools have a computer lab.
There are many grants and opportunities available for schools and teachers, especially when it comes to technology. TEachers can also fund raise, partner up with the local library for school use on their computers or create a school wish list. Students really do need opportunities to explore the many advantages of technology; otherwise they are more likely to work low paying jobs because the mastery of these technologies helps in getting a job.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
NO Cellphones allowed!!
I do agree that cell phones should be banned in the classroom. While Liz Kolb made a pretty good case for why cell phones should be allowed in the classroom, I don’t think it was strong enough. I think having cell phones in class will only increase disruptions and take away from actual learning time. I also agree with Josh Allen that there is no profession that has “cell phone operation” listed as a skill. There may be some uses for cell phones in the classroom, but they are few and far between. Also, many students have cell phones, but some still do not. Other students might have cell phones that do not have the technology that newer ones do; so that could cause problems with lessons.
Josh Allen also brought up the point of cost to the school, since not all cell phones are the same. “When discussing the money that districts would spend on cell phones, don’t think about just purchasing the phone. You will also be paying for some type of plan that would probably include text messaging and Web access if you were to get the most out of what you have.” This is very true; if we are going to assign cell phone lessons, then we need to provide the cell phone to do that assignment. It’s not fair to students to assume that a; they all have the technology and b; they all know how to use it.
When reading this article, I was wondering how a teacher could really monitor their students while using cell phones. Even if a teacher was to take the cell phones away until they were needed for the lesson, they could not really ensure that their students aren’t doing other things on their phones. I also am curious about how the ability to use a cell phone in class might increase cheating in schools.
Josh Allen also brought up the point of cost to the school, since not all cell phones are the same. “When discussing the money that districts would spend on cell phones, don’t think about just purchasing the phone. You will also be paying for some type of plan that would probably include text messaging and Web access if you were to get the most out of what you have.” This is very true; if we are going to assign cell phone lessons, then we need to provide the cell phone to do that assignment. It’s not fair to students to assume that a; they all have the technology and b; they all know how to use it.
When reading this article, I was wondering how a teacher could really monitor their students while using cell phones. Even if a teacher was to take the cell phones away until they were needed for the lesson, they could not really ensure that their students aren’t doing other things on their phones. I also am curious about how the ability to use a cell phone in class might increase cheating in schools.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
cHaTsPeaKz OMGZ!!111!
“Do I find chatspeak inelegant, even annoying to the point of aggravation? Sure, sometimes, but that makes it all the more attractive to teens who, by any means at their disposal, will codeswitch to create a private language that excludes members of my generation who will most likely find their code aesthetically wanting.”
Before I read this article I would have said, YES! Chatspeak is destroying our youth!! But, now I’m leaning towards no, because kids can codeswitch; they have been doing it forever! Sure, occasionally we might get papers with chatspeak, but if we address it and don’t allow it, students will stop. You might have heard that teens like to push boundaries; shocking, I know. They know better than to include it in school papers, but they need to see how far they can go. It’s life.
I’m wondering why Linda Howard is so sure that students won’t be able to switch gears when writing in an academic setting. I think chatspeak simply derived from not wanting to press a million buttons on your phone or computer. Students still have to go to school from ages 5-18; so why wouldn’t they be getting a “proper” education there? As teachers we can incorporate why chatspeak does not belong in academia; but it is okay to use outside of school or work life.
Before I read this article I would have said, YES! Chatspeak is destroying our youth!! But, now I’m leaning towards no, because kids can codeswitch; they have been doing it forever! Sure, occasionally we might get papers with chatspeak, but if we address it and don’t allow it, students will stop. You might have heard that teens like to push boundaries; shocking, I know. They know better than to include it in school papers, but they need to see how far they can go. It’s life.
I’m wondering why Linda Howard is so sure that students won’t be able to switch gears when writing in an academic setting. I think chatspeak simply derived from not wanting to press a million buttons on your phone or computer. Students still have to go to school from ages 5-18; so why wouldn’t they be getting a “proper” education there? As teachers we can incorporate why chatspeak does not belong in academia; but it is okay to use outside of school or work life.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Webquet Comments
Kate’s Webquest: http://www.questgarden.com/85/81/3/090801195942/index.htm
Her webquest is really good! It looks completely professional and ready for student use. It also looks like a really fun assignment. There are many helpful sites for the students to use, all the links worked too. I really like that she had the links open in a new window; it makes it a lot easier when a new page is open that way you don’t “lose” where you were at. This webquest seems to follow the rubric completely. There are 8 links with descriptions of what the links are, pictures with the each of the processes and the state standards are listed. My suggestion for improvement is making the text color a little darker. It may just be my eyes, but it is a little hard to read when the font is not bolded.
I think this webquest is a really fun and creative way to get students interested in travel while at the same time learning a second language. She also incorporated technology into her assignment which is a really easy way to keep students engaged since they all love technology so much. I would love doing an assignment like this in a Spanish class; it’s almost like the next best thing to total immersion. Great job, Katie! I really, really enjoyed this webquest.
Caitlin’s Webquest: http://www.questgarden.com/85/63/1/090729083734/index.htm
Caitlin’s webquest is a really great one! She has pictures that can be clicked to get you to other pages. This is a really creative way of posting links; one I didn’t even know could be done. It is a really polished looking page with very concise diretions. I really enjoyed the pictures with the 3 links underneath them for various artists; this is really important for ESL learners as they might not recognize the artists name, but might recognize their art.
She followed the rubric completely and actually went a bit beyond what was asked. I think this would be a really great lesson for her to use when she is teaching. The one recommendation I would give is for her to just recheck her grammar and syntax. There are some misspelled words and students are likely to pick up on that. Other than that, I think students would really enjoy this lesson and it is a great way to incorporate art and technology.
Her webquest is really good! It looks completely professional and ready for student use. It also looks like a really fun assignment. There are many helpful sites for the students to use, all the links worked too. I really like that she had the links open in a new window; it makes it a lot easier when a new page is open that way you don’t “lose” where you were at. This webquest seems to follow the rubric completely. There are 8 links with descriptions of what the links are, pictures with the each of the processes and the state standards are listed. My suggestion for improvement is making the text color a little darker. It may just be my eyes, but it is a little hard to read when the font is not bolded.
I think this webquest is a really fun and creative way to get students interested in travel while at the same time learning a second language. She also incorporated technology into her assignment which is a really easy way to keep students engaged since they all love technology so much. I would love doing an assignment like this in a Spanish class; it’s almost like the next best thing to total immersion. Great job, Katie! I really, really enjoyed this webquest.
Caitlin’s Webquest: http://www.questgarden.com/85/63/1/090729083734/index.htm
Caitlin’s webquest is a really great one! She has pictures that can be clicked to get you to other pages. This is a really creative way of posting links; one I didn’t even know could be done. It is a really polished looking page with very concise diretions. I really enjoyed the pictures with the 3 links underneath them for various artists; this is really important for ESL learners as they might not recognize the artists name, but might recognize their art.
She followed the rubric completely and actually went a bit beyond what was asked. I think this would be a really great lesson for her to use when she is teaching. The one recommendation I would give is for her to just recheck her grammar and syntax. There are some misspelled words and students are likely to pick up on that. Other than that, I think students would really enjoy this lesson and it is a great way to incorporate art and technology.
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