There is so much concern over children’s privacy, especially while online, the Federal Trade Commission has set up an informational web site that provides information to children, parents, and teachers.
www.ftc.gov/kidzprivacy Every educator should read this source of significant information and resources and should be explored fully by every educator.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Legal Issues in the Digital Age
Implementation of technology, whether in the classroom, school, or district, involves a number of legal issues. Some of these issues, such as copyright violations, were of concern in education before the arrival of technology. Technology implementation and the ease of accessing and incorporating digital data, including copyrighted text, graphics, video, and audio, exacerbated the problem other issues, such as the inequity of access to technology, sometimes called the digital divide, have come about because of technology. Other important areas include ethical question. Each of these issues affects how technology is ultimately implemented at all levels of an educational institution, from the classroom to the entire district. Teachers should be aware of implantation issues and act accordingly with professional ethics.
Duffy, J,. & McDonald, J,. (2007). Teaching and Learning with Technology Pearson
www.mylabschool.com
Duffy, J,. & McDonald, J,. (2007). Teaching and Learning with Technology Pearson
www.mylabschool.com
Friday, April 24, 2009
Do You Believe?
PODCASTING
A great way to introduce yourself to your online students is by podcasting. Podcasts are like web-based radio broadcasts that you can play over and over again. It's a good way to introduce a course and let the students know what is expected of them.
To do a podcast, go to audacity.sourceforge.net to record audio, edit the sound file, add music, and export the file. All you have to do next is upload your file to a website.
What do you think are advantages or disadvantages of podcasting?
VIDEO
Do you need a good pick-me-up? Here is a great speech given by...a kid. Just what do kids expect from their teachers? Listen up as young Dalton Sherman tells all.
http://www.schooltube.com/video/10112/Do-You-Believe-Dalton-Sherman
Reflection: So many times I am guilty of giving out information all day and never taking the time to reflect on my teaching practice. It always seems like there's so much to do...lesson plans, faculty meetings, bus duty, grading, after-school, and teaching. I have found that sometimes the teachable moments come when my students teach me. I learn so much from the diverse students that I have. I learn about caring, and empathy. I am reminded that we are all people working toward a common goal. Please watch the video and let me know what you think.
A great way to introduce yourself to your online students is by podcasting. Podcasts are like web-based radio broadcasts that you can play over and over again. It's a good way to introduce a course and let the students know what is expected of them.
To do a podcast, go to audacity.sourceforge.net to record audio, edit the sound file, add music, and export the file. All you have to do next is upload your file to a website.
What do you think are advantages or disadvantages of podcasting?
VIDEO
Do you need a good pick-me-up? Here is a great speech given by...a kid. Just what do kids expect from their teachers? Listen up as young Dalton Sherman tells all.
http://www.schooltube.com/video/10112/Do-You-Believe-Dalton-Sherman
Reflection: So many times I am guilty of giving out information all day and never taking the time to reflect on my teaching practice. It always seems like there's so much to do...lesson plans, faculty meetings, bus duty, grading, after-school, and teaching. I have found that sometimes the teachable moments come when my students teach me. I learn so much from the diverse students that I have. I learn about caring, and empathy. I am reminded that we are all people working toward a common goal. Please watch the video and let me know what you think.
R U Sure U Wanna B a Teacher?
After being interviewed by the school administration, the teaching prospect said, "Let me see if I've got this right: You want me to... go into that room with all those kids,
1. correct their disruptive behavior,
2. observe them for signs of abuse,
3. monitor their dress habits,
4. censor their T-shirt messages,
5. and instill in them a love for learning. You want me to..
6. check their backpacks for weapons,
7. wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, and
8. raise their sense of self esteem and personal pride. You want me to....
9. teach them patriotism and good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, and
10. how to register to vote,
11. balance a checkbook, and
12. apply for a job. You want me to
13. check their heads for lice,
14. recognize signs of anti-social behavior, and
15. make sure that they all pass the state exams. You also want me to
16. provide them with an equal education regardless of their handicaps, and
17. communicate regularly with their parents in English and Spanish by letter, telephone, conferences, email, homework hotline, web page, midterm newsletters, and report card.
You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a bulletin board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that qualifies me for food stamps. You want me to do all this and then you tell me...... "I CAN'T PRAY?" Are you nuts!?"
~Anonymous, circulating email
When I reflect on what it means to be a teacher, I often wonder if I'm really the best qualified person for the job. I work in the lowest paying county in the state of VA. Am I getting paid enough to do all of the things on the above mentioned list? Not really. I think I have reached the point in my career where it's not all about the money. Believe it or not, I love my job. I enjoy working in my rural community and helping students who truly are needy. Teaching has become rewarding to me, beyond my paycheck. I'm not sure I could ever leave the traditional classroom and become an online teacher. Who knows, though, until I give it a chance?
Comment and tell us what you think! How could the list be revised if you were an online teacher?
1. correct their disruptive behavior,
2. observe them for signs of abuse,
3. monitor their dress habits,
4. censor their T-shirt messages,
5. and instill in them a love for learning. You want me to..
6. check their backpacks for weapons,
7. wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, and
8. raise their sense of self esteem and personal pride. You want me to....
9. teach them patriotism and good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, and
10. how to register to vote,
11. balance a checkbook, and
12. apply for a job. You want me to
13. check their heads for lice,
14. recognize signs of anti-social behavior, and
15. make sure that they all pass the state exams. You also want me to
16. provide them with an equal education regardless of their handicaps, and
17. communicate regularly with their parents in English and Spanish by letter, telephone, conferences, email, homework hotline, web page, midterm newsletters, and report card.
You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a bulletin board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that qualifies me for food stamps. You want me to do all this and then you tell me...... "I CAN'T PRAY?" Are you nuts!?"
~Anonymous, circulating email
When I reflect on what it means to be a teacher, I often wonder if I'm really the best qualified person for the job. I work in the lowest paying county in the state of VA. Am I getting paid enough to do all of the things on the above mentioned list? Not really. I think I have reached the point in my career where it's not all about the money. Believe it or not, I love my job. I enjoy working in my rural community and helping students who truly are needy. Teaching has become rewarding to me, beyond my paycheck. I'm not sure I could ever leave the traditional classroom and become an online teacher. Who knows, though, until I give it a chance?
Comment and tell us what you think! How could the list be revised if you were an online teacher?
Distance Learning and Learner Attitudes
Has there been an increase in learner achievement due to distance learning opportunities and has distance learning changed learner attitudes? Explain.
I took my first computer class in 1989, when I was a senior in high school. Printing a document with no typos was a huge success for me. If I didn’t understand something, I felt it was the teacher’s responsibility to help me understand better. Hey, computer technology was a new thing to the class of ’89!
10 years later, in 1999, I took my first telecommunications distance learning class. It was an interactive 2-way video and 2-way audio music research and bibliography class. Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell (2008) explain how this is achieved by equipping both the sending and receiving sites with cameras and microphones, which are interconnected by some means of 2-way transmission, which in my case was satellite. Since the class was live and I couldn’t go back and watch a video recording of my class, I took notes like a wild woman. I was only able to ask my professor questions and get immediate feedback on class night. I continued to take several distance classes, and appreciated the opportunity to develop my music career at night without interfering with my day job. Although expensive, I jumped at the chance to get graduate university credits while attending a local community college.
Now in 2009, here I am working on my first online Masters degree! When I thought it would be impossible to go back to school, the internet has made higher education a reality for me. At last, the internet is as common as the cell phone or television as a means of communication. It has certainly surpassed snail mail. According to Wegner, Holloway, & Garton (1999), the practice of using the internet to deliver coursework in higher education is sweeping the nation, and I can see why. Wegner, Holloway, & Garton (1999) establish that “computer-based instruction facilitates learning how-to-learn skills such as collaboration, problem solving, locating and using information, and communication skills” (p. 104). I have learned to be self-disciplined during my internet classes. The classes are fast-paced, and to stay on top of the game I have to stay caught up on my class readings. I have to allow time for technical difficulties. What if there is a storm and the internet is down? I’ve learned that I can’t wait until the last minute to turn in my assignments. Timeliness is important in distance education. Appropriate communication skills are a must. I gain a lot from the discussion boards, seminar, and email correspondence with classmates and professors. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve grown up since my college days, or if it’s because the price of tuition has sky rocketed and I want to get my money’s worth out of the classes, or if it’s simply because I want to know more, but there has definitely been an increase in my learning achievement after enrolling in online classes. My attitude about internet degrees has changed significantly after enrolling at Kaplan. Who would have thought quality education was available via the internet?
Question: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? As a student again? Facilitator of online instruction? Or telling your students about the olden days of early internet-based instruction?
Question: What has been your biggest challenge while working on an online degree?
Smaldino, S., Lowther, D., & Russell, J. (2008). Instructional technology and media for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Wegner, S., Holloway, K., & Garton, E. (1999). The effect of internet-based instruction on
student learning. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 3(2), 98-106.
I took my first computer class in 1989, when I was a senior in high school. Printing a document with no typos was a huge success for me. If I didn’t understand something, I felt it was the teacher’s responsibility to help me understand better. Hey, computer technology was a new thing to the class of ’89!
10 years later, in 1999, I took my first telecommunications distance learning class. It was an interactive 2-way video and 2-way audio music research and bibliography class. Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell (2008) explain how this is achieved by equipping both the sending and receiving sites with cameras and microphones, which are interconnected by some means of 2-way transmission, which in my case was satellite. Since the class was live and I couldn’t go back and watch a video recording of my class, I took notes like a wild woman. I was only able to ask my professor questions and get immediate feedback on class night. I continued to take several distance classes, and appreciated the opportunity to develop my music career at night without interfering with my day job. Although expensive, I jumped at the chance to get graduate university credits while attending a local community college.
Now in 2009, here I am working on my first online Masters degree! When I thought it would be impossible to go back to school, the internet has made higher education a reality for me. At last, the internet is as common as the cell phone or television as a means of communication. It has certainly surpassed snail mail. According to Wegner, Holloway, & Garton (1999), the practice of using the internet to deliver coursework in higher education is sweeping the nation, and I can see why. Wegner, Holloway, & Garton (1999) establish that “computer-based instruction facilitates learning how-to-learn skills such as collaboration, problem solving, locating and using information, and communication skills” (p. 104). I have learned to be self-disciplined during my internet classes. The classes are fast-paced, and to stay on top of the game I have to stay caught up on my class readings. I have to allow time for technical difficulties. What if there is a storm and the internet is down? I’ve learned that I can’t wait until the last minute to turn in my assignments. Timeliness is important in distance education. Appropriate communication skills are a must. I gain a lot from the discussion boards, seminar, and email correspondence with classmates and professors. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve grown up since my college days, or if it’s because the price of tuition has sky rocketed and I want to get my money’s worth out of the classes, or if it’s simply because I want to know more, but there has definitely been an increase in my learning achievement after enrolling in online classes. My attitude about internet degrees has changed significantly after enrolling at Kaplan. Who would have thought quality education was available via the internet?
Question: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? As a student again? Facilitator of online instruction? Or telling your students about the olden days of early internet-based instruction?
Question: What has been your biggest challenge while working on an online degree?
Smaldino, S., Lowther, D., & Russell, J. (2008). Instructional technology and media for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Wegner, S., Holloway, K., & Garton, E. (1999). The effect of internet-based instruction on
student learning. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 3(2), 98-106.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Why Blog?
According to Montclair State University, a weblog is a journal that is available on the web, blogging is the process of updating a blog, and a blogger is someone who keeps a blog. Am I the only one living in the 21st Century who did not know these tech terms until about a month ago?!? In other words, a blog is a website, where material is updated on a regular basis. Just like email, new items show up at the top. Readers may log in to the blog and leave comments, emails, or link to it.
The use of blogs in education is unlimited. Montclair State University listed the following pluses for students using blogs in courses:
· Reflective writing/Journals
· Organizing content/knowledge
· Submitting assignments
· Sharing course related links
· Chatting among collaborative groups
Question: How could you use blogging with your students? Come on! Be creative!
Reflection:
I think having an online journal, such as a blog, would be a great way to reflect on the day's lessons. I need to do more reflection in order to become a more effective teacher. You know the usual routine....hurry to complete a lesson plan, rush to send it to your administrator on time, scramble to find all the materials you need (with no budget), and finally teach the lesson. I am guilty of just rushing on to the next lesson. I think blogging would be one way I could pause for a moment to make sure I am using best teaching practices and effective classroom management.
The use of blogs in education is unlimited. Montclair State University listed the following pluses for students using blogs in courses:
· Reflective writing/Journals
· Organizing content/knowledge
· Submitting assignments
· Sharing course related links
· Chatting among collaborative groups
Question: How could you use blogging with your students? Come on! Be creative!
Smaldino, S., Lowther, D., & Russell, J. (2008). Instructional technology and media for learning.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
What is a blog? Retrieved April 3, 2009, from Montclair State University’s Office of Technology
Website: http://oit.montclair.edu/
Reflection:
I think having an online journal, such as a blog, would be a great way to reflect on the day's lessons. I need to do more reflection in order to become a more effective teacher. You know the usual routine....hurry to complete a lesson plan, rush to send it to your administrator on time, scramble to find all the materials you need (with no budget), and finally teach the lesson. I am guilty of just rushing on to the next lesson. I think blogging would be one way I could pause for a moment to make sure I am using best teaching practices and effective classroom management.
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