Responses to Week 6 Questions.
1. At the beginning of the semester, I had no familiarity with instructional technology. My comfort level with technology was also low. I would say that I had a steep learning curve over the course of the semester, as the course helped me achieve a level of comfort with several important technologies: the smart board, the wiki and i-movie. In particular, the wiki was the most user friendly tool and the most useful in terms of what I would use in my teaching practice. I see the wiki as a place to gather useful resources and information and present it in a format with which students can interact.
2. Because all of this technology was completely new to me, my learning with them was necessarily experimental. I feel that some of my products are works in progress and will continue to improve. The instructor did a good job of showing models of the different kinds of things we created so that the standard of work was high.
3. I definitely feel that I am comfortable moving forward in using the Smart Board, the wiki, and i-movie. In fact, this was one of the greatest benefits of the class for me: improving my comfort level with these technologies.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
Using Google reader to read classmates blogs
As I read through my classmates blogs, I was impressed by the level of work that has been undertaken by all of us over the past six weeks. Many of my classmates are quite versant in technology and have been a great help to me over the past six weeks. Google reader is a great tool that allowed me to go through a number of blog posts and pick out ones that seemed relevant to me.
For example, I noticed that Emily also liked the "Knowing Poe" website as much as I did so I browsed around some of the other websites she mentioned and added some of her suggestions as additional teacher resources to my wiki. I also liked a website that Barb mentioned, "Dr. Math" as it has on-line descriptions of how to solve specific math problems at all ages and stages. This could be a very helpful resource for a special education teacher.
One thing in particular I noticed about myself as I went through these blogs is the usefulness of my wiki as an organizing tool for many of the resources and ideas I have developed over the past six weeks and would like to use as a teacher. After going through my classmates blogs, I think I would like to create another wiki, or perhaps expand the same one beyond language arts, to include math pages and perhaps learning skills pages. It seems like a great way to build a personal resource bank for my use as a special education teacher.
For example, I noticed that Emily also liked the "Knowing Poe" website as much as I did so I browsed around some of the other websites she mentioned and added some of her suggestions as additional teacher resources to my wiki. I also liked a website that Barb mentioned, "Dr. Math" as it has on-line descriptions of how to solve specific math problems at all ages and stages. This could be a very helpful resource for a special education teacher.
One thing in particular I noticed about myself as I went through these blogs is the usefulness of my wiki as an organizing tool for many of the resources and ideas I have developed over the past six weeks and would like to use as a teacher. After going through my classmates blogs, I think I would like to create another wiki, or perhaps expand the same one beyond language arts, to include math pages and perhaps learning skills pages. It seems like a great way to build a personal resource bank for my use as a special education teacher.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Week 5 Technology class web resources for the classroom
The first website I would consider using in my classroom is Project Gutenberg. Because I plan on specializing in language arts as a special education teacher, this website could be particularly helpful in opening up to students different ways of reading. This project makes digital and audio books available for free and many of the classic books are available here. Since it is web based, I could teach a lesson on accessing web based literature in alternative formats. I could show students how to download books both from the library and from Project Gutenberg. Since most students have ipods, they could download books and listen to them this way as an alternative to print.
The next website I would definitely use with middle and high school students is the "Knowing Poe" site. This is one of the best language arts resources I have ever seen on line. It provides access to a primary source (Poe's literature) with a great interactive function that teaches annotation and allows students to easily interact with the text in a fun way. As icing on the cake, the text is also available in audio format. The whole thing is very user friendly and visually pleasing. This is a great model use of technology and I would like to see it available for a variety of literary texts. (Knowing Poe, 2002)
References
Maryland Public Television. (2002). Knowing Poe: The literature, life and times of Edgar Allen Poe. In thinkport.org. Retrieved June 28, 2002, from http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/writer/telltaleheart_play.asp
The next website I would definitely use with middle and high school students is the "Knowing Poe" site. This is one of the best language arts resources I have ever seen on line. It provides access to a primary source (Poe's literature) with a great interactive function that teaches annotation and allows students to easily interact with the text in a fun way. As icing on the cake, the text is also available in audio format. The whole thing is very user friendly and visually pleasing. This is a great model use of technology and I would like to see it available for a variety of literary texts. (Knowing Poe, 2002)
References
Maryland Public Television. (2002). Knowing Poe: The literature, life and times of Edgar Allen Poe. In thinkport.org. Retrieved June 28, 2002, from http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/writer/telltaleheart_play.asp
Monday, June 27, 2011
Week 5 T2P
If a student is given a percentage of the classroom time to devote to self-directed activities, then the student will be intrinsically motivated and will develop creative learning activities because when a student is given freedom, her autonomy is enhanced, and autonomy is an essential component of intrinsic motivation. As Daniel Pink points out, intrinsic motivation is made up of three components: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. This is consistent with Dece and Ryan's theory of self-determination whose elements are autonomy, competence and relatedness. When a teacher allows a student to spend a significant amount of time in self-directed activities, she is respecting and honoring that student's autonomy. When a student experiences autonomy or freedom in this way, her intrinsic motivation is "jump start" -ed.
Moral implications:
When a teacher makes a choice to honor the autonomy of a student, she is affirming that student's intrinsic value as a human being. I believe this is a fundamental right of students and children and a corresponding responsibility of teachers. Moreover, teachers have a responsibility to foster the creativity of children as future citizens and problem solvers. Every time a teacher promotes autonomy in the classroom, she enhances the creative thinking of those in whose hands our future rests. Every time she quelches autonomy, she enhances narrow-minded and rigid thinking.
Moral implications:
When a teacher makes a choice to honor the autonomy of a student, she is affirming that student's intrinsic value as a human being. I believe this is a fundamental right of students and children and a corresponding responsibility of teachers. Moreover, teachers have a responsibility to foster the creativity of children as future citizens and problem solvers. Every time a teacher promotes autonomy in the classroom, she enhances the creative thinking of those in whose hands our future rests. Every time she quelches autonomy, she enhances narrow-minded and rigid thinking.
A Good Teacher
A good teacher is one who recognizes the gifts of all students, artfully invites students to a practice of inquiry and reflection regardless of their age and regardless of the content, and creates and supports a hospitable environment in which students can grow and learn.
First, a good teacher knows that every student is "gifted" in their own way. I believe this is fundamental to good teaching. In other words, there is not a hierarchy of intelligence with some students at the "top" and others relegated to the "bottom." It is the moral responsibility of the teacher to discover each student as a unique member of a diverse community of learners.
Second, a good teacher is one who helps students arrive at new understandings by asking themselves questions and taking time to reflect on new information and activities. A good teacher provides the student with experiences and information which lead the student to ask questions which then lead to learning and growth. I believe that this can be done at any age level and with any content.
Finally, a good teacher creates a culture of hospitality for students to learn and grow. This means that the learning environment should be without fear, which is not to say without risk taking. Children can be encouraged to take risks essential to learning if the environment they are in does not promote fear.
My Beliefs
Equality: every person deserves to be treated as equally valuable to every other person
autonomy: every person deserves to own their own process of learning
dignity: every person deserves to be treated as an intelligent, thinking, capable human being
care: as human beings, we all have a responsibility to care for each other and nurture
fear and anything that creates fear is morally and developmentally damaging and therefore wrong
Practice with T2P statement from week 4
First, a good teacher knows that every student is "gifted" in their own way. I believe this is fundamental to good teaching. In other words, there is not a hierarchy of intelligence with some students at the "top" and others relegated to the "bottom." It is the moral responsibility of the teacher to discover each student as a unique member of a diverse community of learners.
Second, a good teacher is one who helps students arrive at new understandings by asking themselves questions and taking time to reflect on new information and activities. A good teacher provides the student with experiences and information which lead the student to ask questions which then lead to learning and growth. I believe that this can be done at any age level and with any content.
Finally, a good teacher creates a culture of hospitality for students to learn and grow. This means that the learning environment should be without fear, which is not to say without risk taking. Children can be encouraged to take risks essential to learning if the environment they are in does not promote fear.
My Beliefs
Equality: every person deserves to be treated as equally valuable to every other person
autonomy: every person deserves to own their own process of learning
dignity: every person deserves to be treated as an intelligent, thinking, capable human being
care: as human beings, we all have a responsibility to care for each other and nurture
fear and anything that creates fear is morally and developmentally damaging and therefore wrong
Practice with T2P statement from week 4
If students are enabled to become teacher/collaborators in the classroom
then their self-determination is promoted
because they will be required to make decisions about the importance of information, they will need to develop competence in the content they are teaching, and they will build relationships with other students. It is fundamental to this process that students feel safe and comfortable with the task of teaching/collaborating. Otherwise, the exercise will only create fear and lead to a loss of autonomy. Therefore, making small groups for teaching experiences, and having the teaching take place in the context of collaborating, as well as ensuring student comfort with the task is absolutely necessary.
evidence Vicki Davis video clip
moral implications I believe that students bring a level of competence to many areas which competence can be tapped for themselves and others in the learning process. Furthermore, students must feel their autonomy in order to learn because real learning requires that meaningful choice are made by the learner.
revised moral implications I believe that students deserve to be treated with dignity simply by virtue of being human. This means that students have the right to be treated as intelligent and capable beings. Furthermore, students have the right to own their own learning process. This is part of their fundamental human right to autonomy. The right to autonomy is particularly important for children because they are often in a position of relative powerlessness in their relationships. Adults therefore, have an extra moral responsibility to preserve students' autonomy in their interactions with them.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Tech Class Blogg for week 4
The following is a list of technologies that could be useful for students with the disabilities listed. Hearing impaired: Hearing Assistive Technology systems are available which minimize the problems experienced by the hearing impaired including level of volume and background noise. These include a FM system, which is like a miniature radio with one station and one-to-one communicators where the teacher uses a microphone which is connected directly to the student's hearing aid. Low vision: E readers offer a variety of text sizes and several levels of gray which can assist the visually impaired. It also converts text to speech. One problem with e readers is that the menu is difficult to read so the individual is still dependent on help from another person. DAISY (Digitally Accessible Information System) is completely accessible and offers direct access to specific points in the text. (Wikibooks, 2009) Broken right arm: Speech recognition software converts spoken word to text, a technology which is helpful to the visually impaired as well as for someone with a broken right arm. This avoids the necessity of writing as it converts speech directly to text. One example of this technology is Dragon Naturally Speaking. Autism/non-communicative: Students who cannot verbalize can use voice output communication aids which display a visual representation and are accessible by button. Some examples are Big Mac and Talk pad. In addition, Language Master is a voice output device which uses cards on which can be recorded a short message. Reference Wikibooks, Assistive Technology in Education/DAISY, last updated July 2009. Retrieved at http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/DAISY |
Monday, June 20, 2011
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