The issue of equity for students who do not have access to technology is certainly a hot topic in education circles these days. Computer use is certainly something that most kids today utilize for entertainment and social communication purposes. Those students who lack access to this technology may be left behind in our increasingly tech-centric society. This stated, I am led to wonder when students will be put on a plan such as an IEP for lack of computer savvy and access. I am well aware of my cynicism regarding this topic. I am simply concerned about the ramifications for teachers who will be left the task of teaching students computer skills to complete their tasks rather than teaching the subject matter they are hired to teach.
I firmly believe in equal access for students to the tools that they need to perform and succeed in schoolwork. Technology is clearly one of these tools, and I would have to have access to the technology for students in the classroom. I would also require, in the interest of fairness, that schools provide classes taught by professional technology educators in schools. Unfortunately, there is little to no funding for such programs for schools in today's economic climate. Students deserve a level playing field with regard to tools and services, and I cannot see any equity in the use of technology for kids if they are not dealt a fair hand in their education as to the proper methods of usage of said technology. Just because a student knows how to make a facebook page, slide show, or use the internet does not mean he or she can effectively negotiate an educational task using technology.
I am on a slippery slope here. I realize that most kids nowadays understand technology in some degree. My own technological limitations definitely inform my opinion. I see technology as a fantastic tool for learning. I myself learn daily from materials I find on the Internet. I am concerned with equal access to machinery and training for students, however. I am also concerned about the growing popularity of the use of technology in classrooms in terms of the lack of educational infrastructure to make it fair and useful to teachers and students alike.
Karl Daegling is a Social studies teacher who is crazy about geography and loves chickens!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Cell phones in the classroom
I will not include the use of cell phones as a tool for students in my classroom. I understand the potential of technology to enhance the education of students. Computers and the internet are the modern tools for information gathering and distribution, and cell phones have many of the capabilities for information gathering and storage that computers do. As Kolb describes in her article, "students
can interview each other, they can
create radio broadcasts or their own
“books on tape” with sound effects,
recite poetry, explain how they rationalize
a difficult
mathematical problem,
brainstorm ideas, work on
verbal language presentation
and communication skills, complete
class reflections, or journal scientific
research."
This application of technology makes sense, to be sure, but my perspective is that students should know how to accomplish these things without technology.
I firmly believe that students need to know how to write, analyze, remember and communicate without the use of technology. They should be given the tools to accomplish tasks using their own minds and imaginations without the help of devices beyond writing implements, books, mathematical implements such as protractors and rulers and concrete experimental supplies (science lab, for example). Students' understanding of material through actual experience will benefit them for their lifetime. It may seem archaic, but if students do not learn how to write on paper and analyze events based on hard data they research on their own they will be at a serious disadvantage because of their reliance on devices. As Allen states: "Nothing that you can do on
a cell phone will inspire students as
they make their way into the world.
I cannot think of a job where “cell
phone operation” was a skill. Employers
are much more concerned about
a student’s computing and critical
thinking skills than their phone skills."
This cuts to the heart of the issue. We need to instill some natural ability in our students. When asked a question a person should simply know to complete a task, it would be disgraceful as educators to produce an intellect that responds "Let me check my phone".
I may come across as a "tech Grinch". Actually, I am not. I believe there are numerous ways that technology of all kinds are beneficial to education. I am willing, however, to be the educator that teaches the "old school" method of learning, as I believe that students need a wide pantheon of skills to achieve to their highest potential. I trust that there are many teachers out there doing a marvelous job of educating using technology, and I feel that this is valuable for kids. I want my students to know how to use the greatest tool that they possess, however; their minds and bodies on their own. They will not have to buy a plan for service, and they will still function if their is no cell service or the power goes out.
can interview each other, they can
create radio broadcasts or their own
“books on tape” with sound effects,
recite poetry, explain how they rationalize
a difficult
mathematical problem,
brainstorm ideas, work on
verbal language presentation
and communication skills, complete
class reflections, or journal scientific
research."
This application of technology makes sense, to be sure, but my perspective is that students should know how to accomplish these things without technology.
I firmly believe that students need to know how to write, analyze, remember and communicate without the use of technology. They should be given the tools to accomplish tasks using their own minds and imaginations without the help of devices beyond writing implements, books, mathematical implements such as protractors and rulers and concrete experimental supplies (science lab, for example). Students' understanding of material through actual experience will benefit them for their lifetime. It may seem archaic, but if students do not learn how to write on paper and analyze events based on hard data they research on their own they will be at a serious disadvantage because of their reliance on devices. As Allen states: "Nothing that you can do on
a cell phone will inspire students as
they make their way into the world.
I cannot think of a job where “cell
phone operation” was a skill. Employers
are much more concerned about
a student’s computing and critical
thinking skills than their phone skills."
This cuts to the heart of the issue. We need to instill some natural ability in our students. When asked a question a person should simply know to complete a task, it would be disgraceful as educators to produce an intellect that responds "Let me check my phone".
I may come across as a "tech Grinch". Actually, I am not. I believe there are numerous ways that technology of all kinds are beneficial to education. I am willing, however, to be the educator that teaches the "old school" method of learning, as I believe that students need a wide pantheon of skills to achieve to their highest potential. I trust that there are many teachers out there doing a marvelous job of educating using technology, and I feel that this is valuable for kids. I want my students to know how to use the greatest tool that they possess, however; their minds and bodies on their own. They will not have to buy a plan for service, and they will still function if their is no cell service or the power goes out.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
chatspeak; heresy or handy?
Is chatspeak detrimental to the English language? Only if proper English is not taught well in schools. Vernacular, dialect and slang have existed since English has existed in it's modern form. As educators, we must adapt to the language variants our students utilize to communicate with each other, and must remain able to understand their language. Technology has fueled a new version of communication, so we must keep up. Just as shorthand is used by stenographers to speed their ability to translate events, chatspeak may well become the new shorthand in our increasingly technology based society. This in no way means that proper English should be put on the back burner.
I pity the job applicant who cannot put together a coherent sentence. A legal document or research paper written in chatspeak will not only be completely discounted but laughed out of the room. Proper English simply must be taught in schools to ensure the success of our students. Imagine a college application with the sentence " I m the bst cndidte 4 u". That student is not going to that college. The beauty of wordcraft is one of the joys of reading a novel. The language is compelling, descriptive, and elicits emotion. Would you read a novel that relied on abstract contractions, sideways smiley faces and lol? I would guess not. Student's learning of the intricacies of traditional language is crucial to their success in the academic world, the workday world and the real world of legal documents. The skill to write and read our established language is essential for our students. We have to understand that simple person to person communication has changed, though. In any regard, if we do not like it, there is not a thing we can do about it.
I have always been amused by lingo. It doesn't hurt anyone, and can be a bonding force for those "in the know". I definitely laughed the first time a surfer buddy of mine called me "bra". Sure he was confused when I called him "panties", but that was my own personal joke because I am a bit of a stickler for proper English. We need to have a sense of humor about slang and such constructs as chatspeak. It will only hurt the users if they do not know any other way to communicate. It is our job as teachers to provide a good education to help our students succeed. It is also our job not to get indignant when all they are trying to do is create a little bit of language of their own. It is rather creative, in it's own way, kwim?
I pity the job applicant who cannot put together a coherent sentence. A legal document or research paper written in chatspeak will not only be completely discounted but laughed out of the room. Proper English simply must be taught in schools to ensure the success of our students. Imagine a college application with the sentence " I m the bst cndidte 4 u". That student is not going to that college. The beauty of wordcraft is one of the joys of reading a novel. The language is compelling, descriptive, and elicits emotion. Would you read a novel that relied on abstract contractions, sideways smiley faces and lol? I would guess not. Student's learning of the intricacies of traditional language is crucial to their success in the academic world, the workday world and the real world of legal documents. The skill to write and read our established language is essential for our students. We have to understand that simple person to person communication has changed, though. In any regard, if we do not like it, there is not a thing we can do about it.
I have always been amused by lingo. It doesn't hurt anyone, and can be a bonding force for those "in the know". I definitely laughed the first time a surfer buddy of mine called me "bra". Sure he was confused when I called him "panties", but that was my own personal joke because I am a bit of a stickler for proper English. We need to have a sense of humor about slang and such constructs as chatspeak. It will only hurt the users if they do not know any other way to communicate. It is our job as teachers to provide a good education to help our students succeed. It is also our job not to get indignant when all they are trying to do is create a little bit of language of their own. It is rather creative, in it's own way, kwim?
Saturday, July 24, 2010
I have been hit in the gut, face, arms and privates by bullies in school. This is a pretty direct form of aggression and intimidation. As a peaceful, ethical and basically loving individual I was scarred by the hate I felt towards me that I in no way initiated. I always wondered why I was tormented, and then slowly began to realize that people picked on me because I was an easy mark. I was different, clearly not aggressive and a smart kid. I had big lips and talked too much: My parents were both teachers in the school system i attended. I did nothing to initiate abuse. I was friendly and enthusiastic, which some kids saw as a threat, apparently. In today's world, there is a whole new opportunity for those who wish to inflict pain on others...the use of technology to terrorize others.
Cyberbullying is completely foreign to me. I do not give a whit about what people think about me, and if someone posted something about me on the internet or threatened me electronically it would frankly be meaningless. If you are not in front of me about to hit me I simply do not care about your abuse. I understand, however, that people whose primary mode of communication is the internet or cell phones with text features could feel intimidated by remote threats in their inbox or phone. Just as the note stating "Im gonna whale on you as soon as you get off the bus" from my childhood, I understand that abstract threats via modern media achieve the same purpose. To attempt to intimidate or threaten through new technology would constitute cyberbullying.
Free speech is a slippery slope. Legally, what one says does not constitute what one does.
Cyberbullying falls into this category. Just because you threaten via technological means does not constitute a crime. If the threat is carried out physically then it becomes a different matter.
We as educators must understand that it is no different from the threat notes of old, and must act accordingly. Safety is crucial to a good learning environment. We have a unique opportunity to monitor threats presented via the internet because we all have access to the medium. We can see the notes now, and have a responsibility to act on the available information. If a student is being bullied, we can research the information, even if it cell phone based. As educators, we have a responsibility to respond. Even if we cannot locate the source, we need to council our students that cyberbullying is just that... a remote threat that has come from someone that is not courageous enough to step up and make the threat personal.
Solving the problem in the classroom presents an interesting issue. Confrontation of an individual is impossible. "I didn't do it" is not easily disproved, however, creating a blanket rule of conduct may work. Schools may attempt to intervene, but the complexity of the legal issue will cause untold problems that are not worth the trouble. It becomes up to us in the classroom to address the problem. This issue must be dealt with pre-emptively. A policy of zero tolerance regarding negativity should be outlined on the first day of class and a discussion regarding the consequences should be outlined. If a student shows evidence of cyberbullying, the offender should be held accountable via a classroom tribunal. Making an anonymous threat should be treated as an act of terrorism, and given over to the class to research. This proactive approach
may well deter potential bullies from acting out. Reinforcement that cyberbullying is an act of cowardice will help those bullied realize that they have the upper hand. There is nothing worse than being singled out as a chicken. My advice is to turn the tables. Let the students know that if they choose to torment others remotely, they will be humiliated personally. I realize that this is a harsh solution, but I have no time for people whose intent is to hurt others.
Cyberbullying is completely foreign to me. I do not give a whit about what people think about me, and if someone posted something about me on the internet or threatened me electronically it would frankly be meaningless. If you are not in front of me about to hit me I simply do not care about your abuse. I understand, however, that people whose primary mode of communication is the internet or cell phones with text features could feel intimidated by remote threats in their inbox or phone. Just as the note stating "Im gonna whale on you as soon as you get off the bus" from my childhood, I understand that abstract threats via modern media achieve the same purpose. To attempt to intimidate or threaten through new technology would constitute cyberbullying.
Free speech is a slippery slope. Legally, what one says does not constitute what one does.
Cyberbullying falls into this category. Just because you threaten via technological means does not constitute a crime. If the threat is carried out physically then it becomes a different matter.
We as educators must understand that it is no different from the threat notes of old, and must act accordingly. Safety is crucial to a good learning environment. We have a unique opportunity to monitor threats presented via the internet because we all have access to the medium. We can see the notes now, and have a responsibility to act on the available information. If a student is being bullied, we can research the information, even if it cell phone based. As educators, we have a responsibility to respond. Even if we cannot locate the source, we need to council our students that cyberbullying is just that... a remote threat that has come from someone that is not courageous enough to step up and make the threat personal.
Solving the problem in the classroom presents an interesting issue. Confrontation of an individual is impossible. "I didn't do it" is not easily disproved, however, creating a blanket rule of conduct may work. Schools may attempt to intervene, but the complexity of the legal issue will cause untold problems that are not worth the trouble. It becomes up to us in the classroom to address the problem. This issue must be dealt with pre-emptively. A policy of zero tolerance regarding negativity should be outlined on the first day of class and a discussion regarding the consequences should be outlined. If a student shows evidence of cyberbullying, the offender should be held accountable via a classroom tribunal. Making an anonymous threat should be treated as an act of terrorism, and given over to the class to research. This proactive approach
may well deter potential bullies from acting out. Reinforcement that cyberbullying is an act of cowardice will help those bullied realize that they have the upper hand. There is nothing worse than being singled out as a chicken. My advice is to turn the tables. Let the students know that if they choose to torment others remotely, they will be humiliated personally. I realize that this is a harsh solution, but I have no time for people whose intent is to hurt others.
Once again I have found an advantage to my non participation in the realm of internet social interaction. Except for my musical endeavors, I am virtually invisible on the web. A few sites came up when I Googled myself and aside from simple address and phone number posts the sum total of my internet identity is audio clips. There is not one single picture of me on the internet. Not one piece of music I have made, participated in making, or produced available for listening or downloading from the net contains content inappropriate for a child, church goer or hardcore prude. My abstinence from internet networking provides me a clean slate that I am now extremely thankful for.
I would not change a thing. I have considered the advantages of creating a Facebook page for my band, but ultimately I prefer human contact to network. I still like to talk to people on the telephone. Would posting dates for gigs, providing audio clips and creating a profile for my band help my music career? Probably. But the mystery of what I do seems more powerful than full disclosure.
As I enter the teaching profession, I see the potential trouble that participation in social networking could cause for an educator. We are responsible for upholding the values that our society holds dear. We are also required to be transparent and accountable for our actions, as we should be. We are responsible for educating the next generation of citizens, and should be a great example for our students. We must uphold high quality standards, because we may be the only purveyors of these standards to our students. All we have to do to understand the levity of these principles is look at elections, and how every candidate is scrutinized. We will be scrutinized in exactly the same way, by kids and parents. The National Enquirer researcher has nothing on a curious kid looking for dirt. Our First Amendment rights become conditional as teachers. Once we become responsible for teaching children, we must act according to a higher standard.
40 % of MySpace users are 35 years or older. I fall into that age bracket. My generation is busy catching up to the burgeoning youth market for new technological innovation that includes social networking. I am somehow pleased by my lack of curiosity in the medium. As a living being I value personal interaction over mechanical communication. I understand its place, and will use it when appropriate, but don't waste your time trying to find me on Facebook. I will not be there. I am right here. If you knock on my door I will open it. If you call me on the telephone I will answer.
Find my music and art at:
http://www.wepress.org/webib.html
http://www.dropsy.net/eskimo/discog.htm
http://www.notnoise.com/
I would not change a thing. I have considered the advantages of creating a Facebook page for my band, but ultimately I prefer human contact to network. I still like to talk to people on the telephone. Would posting dates for gigs, providing audio clips and creating a profile for my band help my music career? Probably. But the mystery of what I do seems more powerful than full disclosure.
As I enter the teaching profession, I see the potential trouble that participation in social networking could cause for an educator. We are responsible for upholding the values that our society holds dear. We are also required to be transparent and accountable for our actions, as we should be. We are responsible for educating the next generation of citizens, and should be a great example for our students. We must uphold high quality standards, because we may be the only purveyors of these standards to our students. All we have to do to understand the levity of these principles is look at elections, and how every candidate is scrutinized. We will be scrutinized in exactly the same way, by kids and parents. The National Enquirer researcher has nothing on a curious kid looking for dirt. Our First Amendment rights become conditional as teachers. Once we become responsible for teaching children, we must act according to a higher standard.
40 % of MySpace users are 35 years or older. I fall into that age bracket. My generation is busy catching up to the burgeoning youth market for new technological innovation that includes social networking. I am somehow pleased by my lack of curiosity in the medium. As a living being I value personal interaction over mechanical communication. I understand its place, and will use it when appropriate, but don't waste your time trying to find me on Facebook. I will not be there. I am right here. If you knock on my door I will open it. If you call me on the telephone I will answer.
Find my music and art at:
http://www.wepress.org/webib.html
http://www.dropsy.net/eskimo/discog.htm
http://www.notnoise.com/
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Fresh off the boat: notes from a recent digital immigrant
When I graduated from high school there was not a single computer in the entire school.
In college, a few students had them, but they were all computer science majors. The computer labs were mysterious places where the green glow of illuminated faces and the ticking of keys suggested some kind of robotic trance had taken over the students. The internet came into it's own long after I had graduated from college. I did not own a truly functional computer until 2009. In my work and life I simply did not need one. It has only been recently that I have experienced the multitude of ways computers can be used for myself. I have one toe in the water
that is today's technology, and am finding myself pulled into the pool. I am truly a recent digital immigrant.
In reality, digital technology is not foreign to me. I did master "pong", but that is the only video game I have mastered. I have used computers in recording studios and can negotiate basic computer functions and programs. What I have found is that my analog upbringing and education has created a very different thought process for me than that of younger digital natives. As Perry states, "Different kinds of experience lead to different brain structures". I am living proof. It takes me much longer to achieve the same digital task than many of my more savvy peers. The current digital culture has a language that I have mastered at about a second grade level: "People who grow up in different cultures....actually think differently". My analog mind must now change with the times. I have discovered that my wealth of knowledge, although crucial for becoming an educator, must be translated into the digital realm to reach students who have always existed in a digital world and speak that language fluently.
What does someone like myself who up until now has had practically no experience with computers in a classroom do to teach in a technology based world? One word. Adapt. I have skills, but they are described as legacy skills: "Legacy content includes reading, writing, arithmetic, logical thinking, understanding the writings and ideas of the past". I am now convinced that I must filter my knowledge through modern technology to reach students. Today's kids want to use their technology, so I need to embed my knowledge in a medium that they are enthusiastic about. Computer games, blogs, websites and other interactive media can certainly carry my message, and indeed must be used to keep the attention of my students. It just requires creativity on my part, and a rapid immersion in the digital world.
I have a new found enthusiasm for technology. My steep learning curve has been frustrating (spending two hours trying to plug a chart into a document) but as I forge ahead it does become easier. I am a hands on learner, and the more I do something new the better I understand it. I am slowly learning the language, but it is getting easier. I am actually looking forward to the challenge of creating a curriculum utilizing what I am learning, after all, it is new
to me, and new equals exciting in this case. I will always be a digital immigrant, but the water in the pool is getting warmer, and I am learning how to swim.
When I graduated from high school there was not a single computer in the entire school.
In college, a few students had them, but they were all computer science majors. The computer labs were mysterious places where the green glow of illuminated faces and the ticking of keys suggested some kind of robotic trance had taken over the students. The internet came into it's own long after I had graduated from college. I did not own a truly functional computer until 2009. In my work and life I simply did not need one. It has only been recently that I have experienced the multitude of ways computers can be used for myself. I have one toe in the water
that is today's technology, and am finding myself pulled into the pool. I am truly a recent digital immigrant.
In reality, digital technology is not foreign to me. I did master "pong", but that is the only video game I have mastered. I have used computers in recording studios and can negotiate basic computer functions and programs. What I have found is that my analog upbringing and education has created a very different thought process for me than that of younger digital natives. As Perry states, "Different kinds of experience lead to different brain structures". I am living proof. It takes me much longer to achieve the same digital task than many of my more savvy peers. The current digital culture has a language that I have mastered at about a second grade level: "People who grow up in different cultures....actually think differently". My analog mind must now change with the times. I have discovered that my wealth of knowledge, although crucial for becoming an educator, must be translated into the digital realm to reach students who have always existed in a digital world and speak that language fluently.
What does someone like myself who up until now has had practically no experience with computers in a classroom do to teach in a technology based world? One word. Adapt. I have skills, but they are described as legacy skills: "Legacy content includes reading, writing, arithmetic, logical thinking, understanding the writings and ideas of the past". I am now convinced that I must filter my knowledge through modern technology to reach students. Today's kids want to use their technology, so I need to embed my knowledge in a medium that they are enthusiastic about. Computer games, blogs, websites and other interactive media can certainly carry my message, and indeed must be used to keep the attention of my students. It just requires creativity on my part, and a rapid immersion in the digital world.
I have a new found enthusiasm for technology. My steep learning curve has been frustrating (spending two hours trying to plug a chart into a document) but as I forge ahead it does become easier. I am a hands on learner, and the more I do something new the better I understand it. I am slowly learning the language, but it is getting easier. I am actually looking forward to the challenge of creating a curriculum utilizing what I am learning, after all, it is new
to me, and new equals exciting in this case. I will always be a digital immigrant, but the water in the pool is getting warmer, and I am learning how to swim.
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