Adventures in Ed Tech

Posted on April 29, 2015 by tech4teachers19

Passion and curiosity.  Those are the topics we are meant to focus on as we come to the culminating activity for the Graduate Certificate in Ed Tech program from MSU.  Thomas Freidman asserts that in this technology driven culture we currently live in, we must have more than just intelligence.  We must also have the passion and the curiosity to remain relevant in the workforce (Freidman, 2013).

Freidman’s article and the ending of this first part of the masters program come at an interesting time for me.  This year has been a time of great change in my own career.  The change was driven by my own desire to follow my passion, instead of staying in a comfortable job; a job that no longer inspired my curiosity. For my final project I used Powtoon to create an animation of my journey, which I hope demonstrates just how much I believe that if you follow your passion you will find success and happiness.  Enjoy this Adventure in Ed Tech!

References

Campbell, S. (2010) Twitter Bird Sketch. [drawing]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/thecampbells/5042764163/in/photolist-8FBu6H-ayG6Vj-6NM2tt-avgZqq-69cP9q-4VrsTg-fg5gJH-6Nuj9w-6Lb4yf-5ro1T9-5qtbaW-6Bxfdw-8oTdWZ-7aXhjJ-7U4KnJ-65Hcmv-8nAByF-f9G133-4qVUMu-6yNCXa-a1vp4W-ayDr8X-3McFgH-dV5Q7M-7FutAY-6aKyLM-cAT173-5JUo43-aDHpGW-6XoNHZ-7tygge-a1swhv-5oC1rK-9aHWfJ-5XW7XZ-cNL529-bKUVDn-5dwffj-avx5pY-e1GtBw-5Bi2KA-5BpnGU-cp4fTm-f7syrv-xhWkS-eRooBr-4qCtaS-artgBQ-6TaS6s-7i765k

Friedman, T.L. (2013, January 29). It’s P.Q. and C.Q. as much as I.Q. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/30/opinion/friedman-its-pq-and-cq-as-much-as-iq.html?_r=0

Kazuma, jp. (2008) Wii Controller [photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/kazuma_jp/2412932140/in/photolist-4FdUEh-ykWnv-4MdHZt-zcsYb-GNTFH-7Shsgd-yXirg-yQwhT-4kXhsX-t1hyn-66ajMr-3VSc4z-t2MLz-4reFUA-cbRg7J-7zxJtE-7ztRGn-pfvHD-MNJoR-4GtehK-7zxrTA-cbVbPh-4uDeuJ-bUR8B6-5ehJup-iMW1fk-gEprD-7K7nwD-gEppH-4qZFqk-9afqK4-uJ6z3-uWVhJ-zCLS3-sGzAQ-7rQXsR-c5v9Q7-2wRFr3-4dTnrJ-u2fcx-4HAymb-qSJrn-qSJtE-M966U-4CEFbQ-4i81MF-7dTncP-4wP7jL-5urUfF-4t7VGS

McHorney, D. (2014). Makey Makey Kit [Photograph]

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Failure!!!

Posted on April 26, 2015 by tech4teachers19

How to incorporate failure as a learning mode in education is a Failure PiktochartWicked Problem indeed.  As part of my Wicked Problem Project in CEP 812 I had the opportunity to research, discuss and think about ways to incorporate failure into education.  In my Think Tank discussion there was never any doubt that failure could be a valuable learning tool.  The wickedness of the problem comes from the paradigm shift that would need to occur to incorporate failure into our current learning system.
I believe that through TPACK inspired incorporation of standards based mastery learning, personalization and technology, failure can in fact be re-introduced as a powerful learning tool.  Click here for the full essay on my proposal.

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Teaching with Tech: A high school surveyed

Posted on April 16, 2015 by tech4teachers19

In order to better understand the community Tech Survey
of practice of a local high school, I surveyed their faculty about teaching with technology.  The survey brought to light some interesting things, some of which are highlighted in my essay and in the infographic included to the right (Click on the image to get a closer look).  The exciting thing about this school is that the teachers are already doing some great things with technology.  They are utilizing the tools they have now and are eager to learn how to do even more with technology.  That is a good thing, since one thing that came to light is that the students at this school are not getting their hands on technology in the classroom on a very regular basis. It seems that as more technology makes its way into the school, teachers will be interested in learning how to make it work.

References

Dustwin. (2014). Document [clipart]. Retrieved from https://openclipart.org/detail/196139/document

OpenIcons. (2013). Presentation [clipart]. Retrieved from http://pixabay.com/en/presentation-canvas-beamer-98489/

Rock1997. (2011). Internet1 [clipart]. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypertext_Transfer_Protocol#/media/File:Internet1.jpg

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Combating Dyslexia with Bookshare.org

Posted on April 6, 2015 by tech4teachers19

How would you like to take a class in which all the lectures were given Booksin your native language, but the textbook and worksheets were in a foreign one? I often imagine this is what life is like for people with dyslexia. Dyslexia affects the ability to read, but does not have an impact on intelligence.  I imagine students with dyslexia sitting in class able to understand the lecture and participate in discussions.  Then those same students go home to do their homework and the words on the page make no sense.

Thankfully, text-to-speech technology is a tool that can help transform those textbooks from gibberish on a page into meaningfHeadphones_by_K4pturul information.  Click the link below to read my review of Bookshare.org, a tool that gives audio access to hundreds of thousands of books, and how it can help students with dyslexia achieve success in the classroom.

Full essay can be found HERE!

References

Bookshare.org (n.d) Retrieved April 2, 2015, from Bookshare.org

K4Ptur. (n.d.) headphones [picture]. Retrieved from http://k4ptur.deviantart.com/art/Headphones-82050379

Milani, A., Lorusso, M. L. and Molteni, M. (2010), The effects of audiobooks on the psychosocial adjustment of pre-adolescents and adolescents with dyslexia. Dyslexia, 16: 87–97. doi: 10.1002/dys.397

Rocket000. (n.d.), books [clipart]. Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Books-aj.svg_aj_ashton_01f.svg

Tunmer, W., & Greaney, K. (2010). Defining dyslexia. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 43(3), 229-243. doi:10.1177/0022219409345009

Wadlington, E. (1996). Teaching students with dyslexia in the regular classroom. Childhood Education, Fall 1996, 73,1; ProQuest pg. 2. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/62597491?accountid=12598

K4Ptur. (n.d.) headphones [picture]. Retrieved from http://k4ptur.deviantart.com/art/Headphones-82050379

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To tech or not to tech…a “frozen thought” dilemma.

Posted on March 21, 2015 by tech4teachers19

Why are humans so stupid? This is the question James Paul Gee attempts to answerbanned cell phones in his book, The Anti-Education Era: Creating Smarter Students through Digital Learning, (2013). While he focuses on several issues in his book, my essay reflects on the term he calls “frozen thought,” which is a byproduct of human created institutions.

In my essay I focus on the current technology use policy in my district and how we have had to work through the difficult process of unfreezTwo_Cell_Phones_2ing a policy that is out of date. Gee puts forward some very intriguing ideas, but with the right awareness perhaps humans can be smart after all.

 

References:

Gee, J.P. (2013). The anti-education era: Creating smarter students through digital learning. New York, NY: Palgrave MacMillan

Wikipedia. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ATwo_Cell_Phones_2.png

Pixabay. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://pixabay.com/en/no-cellphones-cellphone-not-allowed-35121/

 

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An Ill-Structured Problem

Posted on March 14, 2015 by tech4teachers19

This week in CEP 812 we looked at different types of problems we come across in our profession.  They were categorized in three different ways.  First, Well-Structured Problems, which have one definite best solution.  The second, Ill-Structured problems have many potential solutions. And the third, Wicked problems, which are so complex and have so many variables, that there really is no BEST solution.

Below is a screencast I made of an Ill-Structured problem I face in my work and a technology tool that I can use to help solve the problem.  Check it out! (If the embeded link does not play, click here.)

Here is a link to be able to download OfficeMix.

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Lessons in Application

Posted on November 14, 2014 by tech4teachers19

It has been a month since the end of my most recent class at MSU.  While I have not been working on coursework for the MAET program, I have had a few opportunities to apply the lessons I have learned so far.

First, I had the opportunity to prepare and present three sessions of professional development for 37 of my colleagues.  The theme for our session was technology, but I was able to decide the topics.  One of the very first things I learned at MSU was the power of a personal learning network (PLN).  In our first class we created a Twitter account and started to connect with other educators who were also using technology in their classrooms.  I found this to be extremely valuable and I wanted to share this resource with my colleagues.  I created a Google Presentation (click here to check it out) on the ins and outs of Twitter.  In the 45 minute training I explained how Twitter could be utilized to grow a PLN, guided teachers through the process of creating an account and finding some relevant people to follow, and explained some of the intricacies of Twitter. (What is a hashtag anyway?)

It was the last part that got a little tricky.  I had surveyed the participants prior to the training, so I knew that out of 37 people only 5 were currently using Twitter.  The problem was I knew for a fact that the ASB advisor was well versed in things like hashtags, mentions and follows. I knew she would be bored by the basics.  In order to differentiate the lesson (see that, even teachers need differentiation), I added an “Advanced Users” slide at the end of the presentation.  I had shared the presentation with the participants, so she was able to click to the end to see my slide about TweetDeck and follow the links to learn more about it.  In this way I was able to meet the needs of a diverse group.

Also, in an effort to grow my own PLN on a local level, I created a weekly informal gathering I have named “Tech Tuesday”.  Each week I invite members of the faculty and staff to my room at lunch to have a technology discussion.  Some weeks we focus on a particular topic, others we discuss whatever is relevant for those who attend the meeting.  I have found these meetings to be a great way to connect with educators on a local level.  I have learned a lot from the other teachers at my site.  My favorite is when a teacher walks away with a solution to a problem that had been plaguing them and is able to come back the following week and share with their colleagues.

The other really exciting thing I have been able to take from MSU and apply to my school site is the maker kit I studied.  I worked with the MakeyMakey kit for CEP 811.  On October 8, my school held an “Arts for All” Day.  This was an assembly that brought out the Visual and Performing arts classes, the Vocational Ed classes and local artists.  In the past the day has been a chance for students to showcase the work they have done in their elective classes.  This year the administrator in charge decided to make it a more hands on experience.  This fit right into the Maker Movement that we were learning about in class.  I volunteered to run a booth and let the students experience the fun of the MakeyMakey kits.  They were amazed that they could use everyday objects to create a controller for the computers.  There was a very nice write-up in the local paper that details the experience the students had during this great experience.

Overall, I am very excited at the things I have been able to take from the MSU program and share with my students and my school.  It is very rewarding to see the real world application of the things we are learning in class.  That is something we need to remember as we plan curriculum for students in this digital age.

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Final Evaluation

Posted on October 8, 2014 by tech4teachers19

After spending the last few weeks exploring the Maker Movement, I believe it is vital to the future of education.  As a Special Education teacher I see incredible opportunities for leveling the playing field and getting kids excited about learning again.  My students come to me in high school believing they are broken.  They know they are not successful at this thing called school and most of them think it is their fault.  My goal is to help them rediscover that they have something amazing to offer the world.  In order to do that they have to be willing to take risks.  By changing the culture of the classroom, from “memorize these facts and regurgitate them back to me”, to a place where students are encouraged to work together and create, I hope to help my students discover what unique skills they can bring to the group.  As James Paul Gee stated in the video Grading with Games, “The group is smarter than the smartest person in the group,” (Gee, 2008).

I would love to see the day where my student, who can not write at even the first grade level, could come to the table with other people who have a similar interests as him, and be an equal participant.  I believe that the Maker movement is a key to this.  The type of maker kit one uses is not important.  I explored the MakeyMakey kit for this class and I have plans to use it in an assignment later this semester.  However, the first week of school I had students work in groups to try to build the tallest tower they could out of 64 plastic cups.  This did not require fancy equipment or expensive computers.Photo Aug 19  It did require the students to work together, to struggle, to go back to the drawing board time and time again.  At about minute 5 of their 20 minute time limit, I had one group say to me, “We’re done.”  I thought that was the classic example of where their education had gone wrong up to this point.  They built a tower with all the cups, so they must have successfully completed their mission.  Imagine the shock on their faces when I told them they weren’t done.  That they should try again, perhaps leveling their current creation and starting from scratch.  While some students had a hard time with this, what I saw reinforced my belief that I was headed in the right direction.  Students who are typically disengaged in their educational experience were some of the most engaged in this activity.  They were leaders in their group, they were encouraging the others and there were smiles on their faces.  That is what the Maker Culture can bring to education.  If we get kids to buy into themselves again, to believe that they have value and that time spent in the learning environment is not time wasted, then I think we will be headed in the right direction.

I have been amazed at my experience in this program so far.  I swore I would never get a Master’s degree because school was not something I looked back on with fondness. (I know, that’s a funny thing for a teacher to say!)  See, the thing is, I love learning.  I remember looking through my books and syllabi at the beginning of each semester and feeling excited about the learning possibilities.  Each semester my frustration and disappointment would mount as I found myself sludging through research papers and cramming for multiple choice tests.  In CEP810 I knew I had found something different.  Although I wasn’t able to articulate the difference, I was fully engaged in my assignments, thinking about them even when I wasn’t actively working on them.  After taking CEP811 I now have a better understanding of myself and why this program has resonated so deeply with me.  The assignments (for the most part) don’t ask me to just read and write about theories.  They ask me to play, explore, apply and create.  It is these elements, which are such a part of the Maker Culture, that set this learning experience apart for me.  It is those elements that I hope to bring to, not just my classroom, but beyond that as well.

References:

Edutopia. (2010). James Paul Gee on Grading with Games . Retrieved from http://youtu.be/JU3pwCD-ey0

McHorney, D. (2014). Cup Challenge [photograph].

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EdCamp

Posted on October 4, 2014 by tech4teachers19

Last week as part of CEP811 I got to participate in a sort of EdCamp experience.  We used GoogleHangout to meet up with several of our classmates and discuss ideas that we have been studying.  I brought the topic of MakerCulture to the table.  I have become very interested in this idea.  I wanted to hear from others about how they see this working in the high school setting.  I was also curious what technological infrastructure other schools were working with.  It was great to get feedback from my classmates about their own experiences.

This type of conversation has amazing potential for the teaching profession.  So often the professional development setup for teachers is a one size fits all approach.  lecture hall 3
It is hit or miss in terms of effectiveness and usefulness.  I know of quite a few teachers who completely dread PD days.  EdCamp allows teachers to connect with others about topics that are interesting and relevant to them at the moment.  Teachers themselves are often experts and school districts fail to capitalize on this amazing resource.  EdCamp would allow teachers to share their knowledge, connect with others who they may not usually interact with and grow in ways not possible in a sit and listen type PD.

There are several things to consider in trying to organize an EdCamp.  The first would be participant buy-in.  EdCamps only work if people are willing to participate.  I think giving participants information on what an EdCamp is and maybe a short video on what it will classroomlook like, would help people be more willing to try out this type of experience.  Another consideration would be physical space and presentation tools.  computer labIt would be important to have access to several different types of spaces that could work for different size groups with differing needs.  It would also be important to establish group norms so that the EdCamp does not become one person on a soap box.  It is important that EdCamps remain a safe space for all people to contribute.

I would really like to see the introduction of this type of learning experience for the teachers in my school district.  I know that many of the teachers would welcome something new, in which they felt valued.

References:

Bench, E. (2008). my classroom in bonn [picture]. Retrieved from https://flic.kr/p/4uUZez

Frank. (2009). Classroom [picture]. Retrieved from https://flic.kr/p/6rpvub

velkr0. (2009). classroom [picture]. Retrieved from https://flic.kr/p/6hRRXf

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Universal Design for Learning: One more Lesson Design Revision

Posted on October 4, 2014 by tech4teachers19

When I completed the revision of my lesson during week two I built in a lot of choice and flexibility.  My main focus at that time was to identify which students had or had not mastered the content.  At the time I noted that students would have several options of how to re-learn the information they had not yet mastered.  For this revision I have more specifically delineated examples of activities the students can choose from.  Some examples of the additions to my lessons are the use of a video lesson tool called Zaption. This website allows you to create video lessons with material found on the web.  You can embed questions, drawings, and text in their free version.  flashcardsStudents can then watch the “tour” and experience the learning at their own pace.  Another option would be for student to design (either digitally or on paper) their own flashcards to help them study.  Check out my lesson here to see more examples of how I used UDL to make the material more accessible for ALL students.  A final addition made to the lesson will ask the students to reflect on their learning process.  They will make note of which activities they used in the lesson.  They will rate the effectiveness of each tool and comment on why they gave the activity that rating.  According to the guidelines put forth by CAST, “The goal of education in the 21st century is not simply the mastery of content knowledge or use of new technologies. It is the mastery of the learning process,” (Rose, D.H. & Gravel, J. pg. 5. 2011).  By having students complete this last reflective step they will be on their way to understanding how the learning process works  best for them!

As a Special Education teacher I am already aware of the many specific and varied learning needs of the students in my classroom.  I have students in high school who are decoding at the 3rd grade level.  I have students who can decode at grade level, but for whom comprehension is an issue.  I have a student who is not able to express his ideas in writing at even the first grade level, but often has insights into grade level material that he is able to express orally.  These many different needs have required me to incorporate a variety of learning tools and methods into my classroom for years.  The difference and “Ah Ha” moment of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is coming to understand that the tools I make available to one student can just as easily be used by EVERY student in my room.  The example often given when explaining UDL is the sidewalk cut outs designed for people with wheelchairs.  curb cut outThe use of those cut outs is not limited to only those in wheelchairs.  They are useful to people pushing strollers, rollerbladers, the elderly and many more.  Anyone can use them and it does not take away from the experience of anyone using that sidewalk.  That same principle can be applied to my classroom.  If I let the student with writing issues use a Speech to Text tool, then there is no reason not to let ANY student use it if they so choose.  And choice is the real key here.  Students may choose to use a tool one day, and not another.  They may feel like drawing with paper and pencil for one activity and the next time they may choose a web tool like Animoto.  Having the choice and learning to understand what works best for them and when, is really the bigger goal.

 

References:

CAST. (2010). UDL at a Glance. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/bDvKnY0g6e4.

Rose, D.H. & Gravel, J. (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines (V.2.0). Wakefield, MA: CAST.org.

Turner, B. (2008). Almost Midterms [photo]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/60588258@N00/2289427576/

Wikipedia. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Truncated_domes.jpg

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