Blog Posting 4: A Review of My Tech-Integrated Unit Presentation

The TPCK Model:

1. TPCK is the basis of good teaching with technology and requires an understanding of the representation of concepts using technologies;
2. Pedagogical techniques that use technologies in constructive ways to teach content;
3. Knowledge of what makes concepts difficult or easy to learn and how technology can help solve the problems that students face;
4. Knowledge of how technologies can be used to build on existing knowledge.
5. Teachers need to know not just the subject matter they teach but also the manner in which the subject matter can be changed by the application of technology.

I will address each point separately:

1. I believe that Rob and I were able to represent concepts of our unit through technology. Although our presentation gave a short overview of what these concepts were, I believe that as students go through the unit and all pieces of technology, including the e-sheets and Webquest, that these concepts would be even better represented through technology.

2. I think this second point may have been the strongest part of our presentation. On my part, I tried to differentiate by content or interest in a few areas, which I have learned is a very constructive way to teach. Also, it is very clear that many students today are well-versed in technology, so the fact that we included so much technology in our unit was another way we tried to build good teaching into our project.

3.We entered this project with the knowledge that The Great Gatsby is not the easiest text for students; indeed, I recently reread the novel, and some of its themes and symbolism can be difficult for readers to grasp. The use of technology in this unit could help students with some of these concepts; we not only used technology to explore the historical backdrop of the novel, but also to explore themes, concepts, symbols, and how these ideas translate to modern-day times. I believe this part was another strong point in our presentation.

4. Our Webquest is a good example of how we used technology to build on existing knowledge. By the time students get to the Webquest in the overall unit, they will already have read the novel and have developed (hopefully) a strong sense of the historical background of the time. Using the Webquest, students can design their own project and ideas about the novel and time period. I was very satisfied with how we were able to integrate technology, and especially the Great (Gatsby) Webquest to meet these needs of our students.

5. In any other class, Rob and I would have likely designed this unit with some technology--like PowerPoint or another similar program--but we would not have done this much technology integration. This course helped us to realize how any unit of study could be changed by integrating technology. Personally, I will approach all lesson-planning differently now because I realize how much it can change a unit. We were able to make these English and history lessons so much more accessible to students because of the technologies we used.

Overall, I was very satisfied with our presentation. I believe it showed how much work and time we put into the unit, and I hope that we were able to demonstrate these ideas well in class.

Have a great summer, everyone!

Blog Posting 3: Response to "Key Findings" in Generation M2

The "Key Findings" section in, Generation M2, a study of youth's use of media in the present day, gave a brief outline of the statistics of the report. Generally, this section of the reading was not surprising to me. It noted, quite obviously, that the use of media amongst America's use has increased over the last years, dramatically in certain areas, including cell phone use and social networking devices. The noted decreases were in reading, which again, came as no surprise to this reader. There are many ramifications from this study, and I believe that it begs the question of whose responsibility it is to monitor children's and teenagers' use of media and technology. Initially, as I was reading the findings, I thought to myself that the responsibility should lie with the parents. However, as educators we know that our students' home lives are not always the best situations, and so schools should take on some responsibility in teaching children how to correctly use technology.

Two points that I would like to discuss are (1) the emotional and psychological findings of report, and (2) the differences in media use between "tweens" in different ethnic groups. I believe that this first point makes a strong case for why educators should help their students understand the proper uses of technology. As the text points out, as tech use is increasing amongst the younger generation, it seems that it is bringing along many social and emotional issues; to me, that signals that some parents are not doing their due diligence in monitoring media use in their home. For those students who are not getting good direction for media use at home (and the study points out that parental restrictions DO help children), teachers need to step in, as they should with any other issue to the fullest extent allowed.

The second point I found interesting was that there seems to be much more technology use by children who are Hispanic or Black compared to those who are white. I do not want to make any assumptions about the first two cultures or the tendencies of the home lives of those in the Hispanic and Black cultures; I am not from either of those cultures, nor am I an expert of those cultures. However, I think it would be worth further exploration by educators or a study like Generation M2 to try an account for these differences.

For myself as a future teacher, and I believe for all teachers, we have the responsibility to monitor students' use of technology in school, as well as teach them how to use it responsibly and intelligently. I would love to use technology in my class as much as possible because it is something students can easily relate to (as the study obviously shows us). As I believe it is my duty as a teacher to promote social justice and social responsibility, I should promote these ideas in technology as well.

Blog Posting 2: What Kind of Role Should Technology Have in Education?

The question posed above is one that is certainly asked often in the education world. Technology, as we know it today, is extremely pervasive in our daily lives; it is unavoidable in many cases. Many people, including myself, embrace these technological advances. I personally feel that my life has been advanced in many ways due to technology. However, I can also recognize negative issues people feel with technology, and there is quite a range of issues; how advanced should we allow weapons to become? What kind of risks do cell phones pose to our health? And, of course, how much technology should children be exposed to?

The Flickering Mind by Todd Oppenheimer, Tech Tonic by the Alliance for Childhood, and the NETS-S by the ISTE are three pieces of text that offer differing views on technology in education. In the Oppenheimer piece, the author takes a strong stance against the pervasiveness of technology in education. Though he does not seem to stand against any technology in our schools, he recognizes the technology gap between rich schools and poor schools, and this gap seems to trouble him deeply. Indeed, the technological differences between these types of schools are making the gap between the socioeconomic groups even greater, and it is something that should be changed. Any initiative to place technology in the classroom should be meant for all schools, but I do believe that such an initiative should take place.

Really, I believe Oppenheimer is taking issue with how technology is being used in education (not its existence in education), as is some of Tech Tonic. Both pieces charge that children are put in front of screens (or left in front of screens) too often, which damages their educational experiences and their social-emotional well-beings. Again, these are points that I agree with; computer-screens cannot replace teachers and textbooks. Computers and other sources of technology should enhance the educational experience. I strongly agree with a point made in the second piece, when the authors state that "we must approach our capacity to develop and use powerful new technologies with restraint and respect—a respect that takes into account its potential for enormous material, social, and ecological repercussions, both positive and negative," (p. 10). Technology should be used, but we should be aware of how we are using it and what effects that use will have on students and the education system. This piece goes on to describe how we can accomplish this in the classroom.

The NETS-S piece hosts a list of six expanded concepts that the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) feels should dictate the use of technology in education. The fifth concept, titled "Digital Citizenship" states, "Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior." This concept fits in well with the other two pieces, both which demand this idea in technology in education. In my mind, this means that these three differing opinions can be reconciled. Perhaps Todd Oppenheimer will never embrace technology in education as the Alliance for Childhood or the ISTE will, but I do believe that if we take the proper measures with teaching technology to our students and using it in our classrooms, it can be a successful tool for education.

There is a need to be wary of education; there is no need to stand against it, at least in education. Yes, it is a matter of choice if one chooses to use it in their daily life or to what extent they use it, but it should be included in education, in a safe and productive manner.

Blog Posting 1: My personal educational philosophy

My personal education philosophy matches closely with the pedagogic progressives of the early twentieth century. Led by John Dewey, this movement proposed to make the education system about those who it serves, the students. Dewey believed that children learn best when their interests were included in the curriculum design. The movement believed that child-centered classrooms were the best fit for the American education system.

I tend to agree with these thinkers. Today, we are alienating too many children with curriculum designs and classes that they cannot relate to and do not find important to their lives. While there are certainly academic fields that should remain in schools (English, math, history, etc.) we need to make these subjects applicable and interesting to our students. Schools do not work for the students as they should, and we can fix that by making our classrooms more child-centered.

I think that this philosophy (and my opinions) also leaves much room for technology in the classroom. Today, most children and teenagers are well versed in technology, and their interests often lie in this realm. By integrating technology into the classroom, we can combine students’ interests, differentiate the curriculum, and allow the students to be leaders in their own education process (and perhaps learn something as teachers from our students). Technology and a child-centered education seem to go hand-in-hand, and I think that both of these educational ideas belong in the classroom.