Excel Crossword Puzzle on the Presidents (NETS 2,3,5)

This crossword puzzle is a great way to use digital tools to address students' unique learning styles and a fun way of communicating ideas and content to the students. It was created using Microsoft Excel and AtomicLearning.com which is a great tool for continued professional growth and technological education.

Journal 9: Web 2.0, Today's Technologies, Tomorrow's Learning (NETS 5)

Groff, J, & Haas, J. (2008). Web 2.0: today's technologies, tomorrow's learning. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(2), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume3620082009/SeptemberOctoberNo2/L_L_September_October_2008.htm.

It's easy for teachers to feel as though technology s working against them, distracting students from their studies. However social networking sites allow for a feeling of collaboration and communication between teachers and students, and they offer a comfortable space for sharing ideas. These services also empower educators to pose more interesting questions, giving students time to discuss in and out of the classroom, generating multiple theories and correct answers through an open discussion. Additionally, simulation activities facilitate critical learning and thinking. The goals of these simulations is to produce conceptual knowledge of experiences that may otherwise be too difficult, expensive, or impossible to experience in real time. These simulations also model problem-solving skills and collaboration efforts in a highly engaging setting, pulling students "out of the classroom."

What are some examples of simulations that allow students to develop conceptual experiences that they otherwise could not in real life, and what classes could they be applied to?

One example of these simulations is a tour of the body or a simulated surgical procedure for anatomy class. (This is actually akin to simulations currently used by surgeons to improve dexterity.) Another might use a hot air balloon simulation to discuss gases chemistry and weight displacement in physics. The WWII role playing simulation in the article is a perfect example of a lesson on early 20th century tensions in world history.

These simulation tools seem more specific to class content than social networking, etc. Where can educators go to find these services?

Simply googling "educational simulations" brought up several options. And sites like Classroom 2.0 forums have mentioned several services as well.

Class Marker History Test

Journal 8: Tapping the Wealth of Social Network for Professional Development

Greenhow, C. (2008). Tapping the wealth of social networks for professional development. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume3620082009/JuneJulyNo8/36810g.pdf

This article underlines the highlights of social networking sites for both students and teachers: immediate connections and being "one step of separation from public figures." Greenhow makes a point to emphasize the fact that research on educators' uses of these tools are just beginning. Teachers can use the sites to share issues in the classroom (and throughout their schools and districts), anecdotes, and advice. Students may use them for encouragement, support and "peer validation." We all know that some students are not necessarily motivated by grades, but this type of affirmation from their peers can assist in allowing a student to pursue a specific interest, even if it is academic.

How else can educators use these tools?

They can follow students' progress as well as academic publications and scholars. There are various educational publications that offer accompanying networking sites and links. And tools like Classroom 2.0 provide a constant stream of new ideas and forums that offer teachers a chance to learn about not just up-to-date technologies, but also curriculum ideas and interpersonal relations.

How is it that these services benefit student-teacher and student-student relationships?

Greenhow notes that "such social networking services allow many-to-many broadcasting, previously only afforded to the privileged few, so that classroom ideas, questions, or puzzles...can be quickly circulated through a vast network, putting others' problem-solving skills and political acumen to work for you."

Journal 7: Online Meetings (NETS 4,5)

Online meetings can take many forms, and comprises several other Web 2.0 tools. There is web conferencing, which used for live meetings where each participant is at their own computer with microphone and listening capabilities--often with a web camera as well--and connected to each other through the internet. Webinars are usually more closely related to a classroom setting conducted by one speaker to an audience, who may or may not participate--most participation may take place through chat form, polls, or questions posted for the speaker. Other forms of online meetings include password-protected web-based chat groups, microblogging, Nings, wikispaces, and online bulletin boards.

FACULTY MEETINGS
The first relevant discussion thread that I read involved faculty meetings, which many teachers felt were a waste of time and involved mostly information that could easily be passed to teachers through a form of memorandum. The crux of the thread was that several of the educators agreed that online meetings were not only a more efficient way of distributing information throughout the faculty, but also a means recording what is discussed for future reference and a method for making all ideas & voices heard. One of the sites suggested, CampfireNow.com, was an example of a password-protected web-based chat group. Other suggestions included building wikispaces that would be used by the entire faculty and online bulletin boards for posting issues prior to the meeting. It seems the general consensus of the educators on this thread was that, at the very least, using these online meeting instruments would help in making traditional faculty meetings more productive. Therefore, much of the thread was devoted to encouraging the educators to take steps to alleviate the hesitation of their colleagues and advocating "practicing what they preach" when it comes to technology.

YOUR WEB 2.0 REVIEW SERIES #7: ONLINE MEETING SOFTWARE AND SERVICES
This discussion thread was essentially a poll to get opinions from educators & administrators about what they think are the superior online meeting tools in terms of financial commitments, ease of use, and important features. I was surprised by the number of available tools and their different features. Some favor brainstorming (i.e. GoogleDocs) while others focus on uses for virtual classrooms (i.e. Elluminate and Wiziq). Several of these instruments had their own drawbacks--for instance, when I looked up Skypecasts, they were no longer available--such as echo/feedback, expensive fees required, or lack of video capabilities. However, so many tools were mentioned, it's easy to imagine that there's something out there for everyone.

Journal 6: A New Concept of Citizenship for the Digital Age (NETS 5)

Greenhow, C. (2010). A New concept of citizenship for the digital age. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=March_April_No_6_1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4516&ContentID=25564&DirectListComboInd=D.

In this article, Christine Greenhow discusses one of the biggest obstacles to teaching digital citizenship. Most will agree to the definition given by Greenhow of digital citizenship as "the ability to practice and advocate online behavior that demonstrates legal, ethical, safe, and responsible uses of information and communication technologies." But the predicament that educators have run into is that there are no comprehensive universal guidelines to determine exactly what constitutes legal, ethical, safe, and responsible uses. Although it's simple for Netiquette.com to say that the golden rule of netiquette is "Remember the human," the actual interpretation of digital citizenship is basically left up to the individual educator or institution. So even though digital citizenship is as crucial a technological competency as innovation, collaboration, and technological fluency, there is no mainstream idea of what it really is. Which is unfortunate, since a large percentage of employers use these web 2.0 tools to recruit, prospect, and promote. And as adults, students need to be aware of everything they input into the world wide web.

Why will this problem continue to exist for years to come?

Just as there is no international council on off-line etiquette, it is unlikely that a panel will materialize that has any claim to authority over the matter of digital citizenship. The definitions of etiquette and citizenship vary across cultural borders, and therefore so will that of digital citizenship. For instance, burping is considered impolite in western cultures, however in China, it is a sign of respect to the chef. This is a distinction that has continued for years. How can we expect students across the world to agree on its online counterpart. (I just had a funny thought: What would be the online counterpart to burping?)

What are some main ideas of digital citizenship that may transcend cultures?

Respect for self, respect for others.

NETS-S Power Point (NETS 2,3,4)

This Power Point presentation is an example of an avenue by which we can effectively communicate information to students, as well as exhibiting a technology-rich classroom experience. The content of this particular presentation is supposed to offer original ideas for using technology in within the classroom experience in order to tackle a few of the NETS-S standards.

NETS-S Power Point Rubric (NETS 1, 2)

This rubric is an illustration of using digital tools to motivate students and facilitate creativity. If we are able to share with students exactly what needs to be done to reach a certain score on projects and assignments, research shows that they are more likely to aim for those criteria. The assignment was done collectively as the class decided what would be included for each "square" and was then uploaded using Embedit.

Social Bookmarking--Delicious (NETS 4,5)

1. NATIONAL ARCHIVES
I found a short essay, titled “The Deadly Virus: The Influenza Epidemic of 1918.” It discussed statistics and provided both photographic evidence relating to the essay and primary source documentation, such as letters, photos, and telegrams.

These primary sources are important for students’ (and teachers’) research, as they are available alongside various websites that remain unauthenticated. Online research is a method often used by students, and they require genuine information.

2. NEA—ACHIEVEMENT GAPS
Students groups who may experience achievement gaps include racial/ethnic minorities, English language learners, students with disabilities, boys/girls, students from low-income families. Several guidelines set aside by the NEA for teachers to build on in order to identify and override achievement gaps are listed on the website. A few that speak to me include the following:

• "Ensure that your school has a mission statement that commits to cultural competence as an integral component of all its activities. The cultural competence committee should be involved in developing this statement." I really believe that this mission statement would help to outline goals in cultural competence. Mission statements and manifestos are useful tools in illustrating goals as set by not just educational institutions, but companies, social clubs, etc.--in fact, one must often be presented with small business loan applications. Clearly outlining an institution's (or on a smaller basis, class's) goals is a way to make sure that all parties strive for a common purpose.
• "Network with other schools that are developing and implementing culturally competent systems. Adapt the processes and information that are consistent with your school's needs and interests." To use others' examples of successful enterprises is helpful when deciding what course of action to follow in one's own undertaking. It gives educators an idea of what works and what doesn't--like walking into an experiment halfway through in order to determine the next step. It's a demonstration of team work.
  
• "Build and use a network of 'natural helpers' at school and in the community as well as 'experts' who have knowledge of the culturally, linguistically, racially, and ethnically diverse groups." I think it is extremely important to use all the resources we have, including people ("experts") to facilitate all our objectives in education. If we are able to muster assistance throughout the school as well as the community to help us close these achievement gaps, we should most certainly use them to the fullest capacity. They can teach us as well as the students.

3. CYBERBULLYING
In taking the quiz, "Are you a Cyberbully? (14-17)," I learned that I am "cyber risky." However, in my attempt to be as honest as possible, I did fess up to using bad language online. I catch myself cursing all the time although I only use this type of language in certain company. If it weren't for that (3) score, I'd have been a "cyber saint" with flying colors, since my only other offenses consisted of using someone else's passwords without consent (used my husband's to retrieve our VW password to pay a bill) and using an email address that looked like someone else's (my sister-in-law & I had the same name for 6 years, and we used to get each other's email from family members on occasion). Although I'm not surprised, because I go out of my way to be courteous online.

In reading the item "Offsite Internet Activities and Schools," I came across information citing the limited jurisdiction that school officials have over cyberbullies. It reveals that there has to be proof of in-school student impact in order to exert authority over the perpetrators. The article states, "Although, you should note that some courts have not extended the school’s authority to offline and off-premises actions in a cyberbullying case when the cyberbully himself did not bring the printed materials into the school." (http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/educators/offsite_internet_activities_and_schools.html). This is troubling at this specific moment when bullying is a hot-topic headline, because it is more likely that cyberbullies will use off-campus servers--away from authority figures--in order to bully their victims. For this reason, I think it is critical that we speak about cyberbullying not only from the perspective of potential cyberbullies, but ALSO to potential victims. When victims try to put on a brave front without contacting officials, they are taking the power to protect them away from educators and authorities.

4. KATHY SCHROCK'S GUIDE FOR EDUCATORS
Under the heading "Subject Access" I chose to visit the "History & Social Studies" area. Clicking on this area directed me to an extensive list of resourceful links to websites, some with troves of primary source information, others with additional links to supplementary sites. In my future classroom, I could reference these links in order to assign small research assignments on subjects from "What historical event happened on my birthday?" to "Name and map the original 13 colonies." There are even links to example American history curricula available with sample lesson plans.

Because we have been discussing rubrics in class, I was drawn to the "Assessment & Rubrics" component. In the article "Make Room for Rubrics," contributor Mary Rose deals with the definition and practicality of using a rubric to grade writing assignments and projects. Looking back, I have realized that rubrics are not a new concept. I remember being given a specific rubric for grading the writing composition portion of the annual standardized exams, although at the time it didn't have a name. I am mostly interested in secondary education, including mostly "right-brained" subjects such as English and Social Sciences. A lot of grading in these areas can tend to be subjective, as there are less often right/wrong answers. More often, these analysis assignments are graded on efficiency of explanation of perspective. It makes a lot of sense to get the students' input on these grading policies, and I look forward to implementing them in my classroom. Just like we did in last week's ED422 class, I could ask students what they would expect to make for each element of an assignment. If the students come up with the guidelines, they are allowing themselves to come up with their own goals. Although we have access to other sites containing examples of these assessments, Kathy Schrock's site is a useful for everyday references and updates for these tools.

5. MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES
The results of my multiple intelligences quiz showed that my top three strengths were Bodily-Kinesthetic (75%), Musical (75%), and Logical-Mathematical (can you believe it?--75%). I then watched the video titled "Multiple Intelligences Leave No Child Behind." The original article and video highlighted the positive consequences of using students' multiple intelligences to their advantage. However, I learned that although accentuating these strengths is favorable for the students' self-esteem, focus, creativity, and learning habits, standardized testing severely inhibits the schools' ability to progress within these programs. These standardized tests still only apply to one or two of the multiple intelligences, leaving out the other six. So that while some students may excel in naturalistic or interpersonal intelligences, these strengths are continually ignored in favor of logical, analytical, and mathematical aptitudes.

6. TEACHING TOLERANCE
For this exercise, I chose grades 9-12, Social Studies, "A Town, A Teacher, and Wartime Tragedy." This lesson describes how one progressive English/journalism teacher in Utah encouraged her students to discover provocative subjects for their journalistic assignments and wound up founding a museum to preserve the devastating history of Japanese internment camps during World War II.

Because it is an embarrassing subject often swept under the rug, Japanese-American internment doesn't get a lot of attention in our history classes. I would use this lesson to illustrate the various ways that our country has discriminated against its own citizens. It is an interesting tangent theme closely related to the more frequently in-depth lesson about Jim Crow laws, as both occurred within the same generations of Americans. I would also use it as an example of how racism does not just stem from the individual, but often from one's own government. There
are many other examples throughout the world: South African apartheid, burning of monasteries by Mary I of England, etc. But I would use this lesson in order to illuminate the steps our government has taken toward rectifying its past errors.

7. MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION AND EQUITY AWARENESS QUIZ
Two questions that I found interesting were:

• 4.) "In a 2007 study, UNICEF rated the treatment of children in the 23 wealthiest countries in the world based on 40 indicators of child well-being. Which two countries received the lowest ratings?" The answer is "The United States and the UK." I think it's astounding that these two nations rank the lowest based on 40 indicators. I am really interested to know what those indicators would be, and how large portion of the population is used in the study.
• 12.) "What percentage of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender high school students report that their teachers 'never' or 'rarely' respond to homophobic remarks made by other students, according to a national study by GLSEN?" The answer is "84.5%." I'm not so much interested in this question as in the answer. I would like to see related follow-up questions concerning attention paid to disparaging remarks in regards to race or gender.

Oh, and I only got three questions right, which makes me feel like I'm living in some sort of bubble.

8. NETIQUETTE GUIDELINES
I actually got 90% on the netiquette quiz. I had never heard of "scrolling," typing a single letter in the compose area and continuing to hit send. I think it is just as important to teach students netiquette as it is to teach them etiquette, because impoliteness should be warded off at any age and never tolerated, especially at the expense of others. And students spend a large amount of time online, and should always act as responsible digital citizens. Besides, maybe it's just because my grandmother gave me a new book of etiquette every year for Christmas, or maybe I'm just nice, but rudeness makes me so :-//. (VERY ANGRY!)

See all those caps? According to the quiz, I'm shouting.

Journal 4: Playing with Skype

Weller, T. (2010). Playing with skype. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=March_April_No_6_1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4516&ContentID=25508&DirectListComboInd=.


This was an interesting article to read as a follow-up to our first journal essay, “The Beginner’s Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips.” In the first article, Zanetis talked about these field trips as a less costly alternative to traditional field trips. Weller also uses Skype as a link to the outside world, but Skype is even less expensive than the equipment necessary for VFTs. Essentially, the writer reflects his experiences using Skype as a means to draw in the audience in both the concert and the classroom setting. It is an interesting way to supplement the knowledge of the instructors by including personal interaction with experts. For example, the writer used the program to connect his music ensemble with the composer of the very pieces they had been studying. Imagine the opportunity to have a class discussion with Ray Bradbury following a lesson on Fahrenheit 451, or tackling California’s unique process of popular sovereignty with the help of a state legislator all the way in Sacramento.


What are the minimum technological requirements for the use of Skype in a classroom, as opposed to the concert setting in the example?


The requirements are more basic for using Skype than VFTs. It would be very simple. The only necessary components would include a computer with broadband capabilities, a web camera/microphone setup, and a projector. The image could easily be projected onto a common white board. It could easily be done with only a Mac computer and projector--and if the class is small enough, a projector may not even be necessary.


What is a useful byproduct of these telecommunication systems?


These relatively recent strides in telecommunications assist us in encouraging the students to appreciate how “small” the world really has become. They serve to illustrate the similarities in our intellectual pursuits, by enabling us to connect with experts around the globe.

Journal 3: Navigate the Digital Rapids

Lindsay, J, & Davis, V. (2010). Navigate the digital rapids. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume3720092010/MarchAprilNo6/Navigate_the_Digital_Rapids.htm.

The authors of this essay encourage educators to become comfortable with ever-changing tech trends, and incorporate up-to-date technology in the classroom. In order to do so, we must address any fears that we may have regarding the newest programs. Their studies show that students thrive on customization. Involving students in monitored, web-based, global projects serves to differentiate students' experiences from their peers by allowing individualization. One note that piqued my interest was the idea that it is okay to use these tools to provide interaction no directly related to the topic at hand as it fosters conversation and individual thought. And it is important to encourage communication in this initial controlled environment. The whole process allows the educator to "flatten" or break down the walls of the classroom with the intent of bringing the world to the student.

Why is it important to monitor students' work/dialogues in a controlled environment?
Lindsay and Davis point out in the article that students are similar to new drivers. Just as drivers who have been through a driver's education program are more likely to be responsible on the road, students who have been educated on the courtesies, responsibilities,and safety of the web are better equipped to use it.

What in the world is a "Ning?"

According to Ning.com, it is "the social platform for the world's interests and passions online. It seems to fall somewhere between a network of chat rooms, a series of blogs, and bulletin board. With inexpensive advertising available. I think.

Journal 2: Finding Students Who Learn with Media

Bull, G, Alexander, C, & Fester, B. (2010). Finding students who learn through media. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25255&DirectListComboInd=.


Bull’s commentary on the use of media in the classroom was very interesting. The article began by pointing out the use of online tools that offer access to primary sources--which are helpful in this world of Wikipedia, et.al., with their abundant, but unauthenticated information. The article goes on to mention www.primaryaccess.org as an example of a program with which to use this information. This site, for example, is set up so that students can make short movies about a subject they may be studying. What really piques my interest is how the article reflects the way teachers are able to take the projects created by the students and dissect them in order to assess both content comprehension and technological skill, both equally important fields in this age. Thus, teachers are able to use this analysis to provide focus for students both individually and as a collective group.


Why is it important that both content and technology are guaged?


I think that because so many aspects of our lives will continue to involve ever-developing technology, it is important for ALL teachers to integrate technology into their curricula. Technology in school isn’t just calculators and word processors anymore. It touches everything from communication (email blasts) to physical education (pedometers). So we, as educators, have to be able to incorporate these tools AND assess proficiency in addition to passing on the knowledge of our individual subjects.


How is the knowledge of students’ levels of comprehension useful to the teacher?


Knowing the students' relative strengths is similar recognizing whether a student is an auditory learner or a kinesthetic learner--in fact, there could very well be a correlation. Taking this assessment of their proficiencies and creating discussions and assignments around them is how we can maximize each student’s potential.

Journal 1: The Beginner’s Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips

Zanetis, J. (2010). The Beginner's guide to interactive virtual field trips. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=March_April_No_6_1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4516&ContentID=25443&DirectListComboInd=.

This article, by Jan Zanetis, was an introduction into the idea of virtual field trips. We are constantly bombarded by information citing the decrease in funds to our school districts. Extra-curricular programs are always the first to go. One of these to be removed is field trips: although fun and often incredibly informative, they can be costly. However, the good news is these changes come at a time when we have a convenient alternative: virtual field trips. There are several online resources to choose from that provide access to virtual field trips that are relevant to a whole array of subjects. These days, students are familiar with several types of technological media, so it is often quite easy for students to adapt to this virtual setting. Although the video-conferencing equipment be costly, many providers can assist educational institutions in finding grant money or donors to make these virtual “outings” more accessible to students in all areas.

What is an advantage that VFTs have over traditional field trips?

Although traditional field trips are often a welcome break in the monotony of day-to-day classroom learning, they were usually relegated to visits to nearby locations. With virtual field trips, students in Alaska can visit NASA in Houston as easily as the National Baseball Hall of Fame. And VFTs still give students a peek into a world outside their own daily lives, just as traditional outings always have.

What is one drawback of VFTs?

Just as traditional field trips were expensive, so is the equipment necessary to access live interactive VFTs. However, it is pleasing to see that the companies supplying the equipment often give schools options for assistance in financing. And the equipment can be shared by the whole school (or whole district in more rural areas).

Introducing...Sarah Hunt!

My name is Sarah Hunt. I'm from a tiny town in the panhandle of Texas, called Panhandle, Texas. Original, I know. I left that booming metropolis to attend the University of Texas in Austin where I studied theatre and European history. Good move, Sarah. Good move.

My very first computer was a hand-me-down Mac, where all I knew how to do is play Oregon's Trail. So I was a Mac before Mac was cool. I was in high school when the internet (or "intermat," as my GrAnne says) really took off. So I didn't even receive word processing education until sophomore year. Yeah, that's what they called it back then. Given the option, I prefer the Mac Pages & Numbers to Microsoft Office. It's more compact. However, at my office--I'm a Realtor for Coldwell Banker--I'd like to think I was very influential in finally getting the office to update from Windows 98 (in 2006) to Windows XP. Baby steps.

My husband, Mark, says I'm a nerd, but I've always liked to learn. I feel comfortable in the classroom. In college, I was the girl that was in attendance in every single class. I'm not sure who I inherited this trait from, but I think it stems from two of my high school teachers: Mrs. Loerwald & Mrs. Martin. They strived to make learning not only intriguing, but fun. And that's the teacher I want to be. This is why I love that the CSUSM COE mission statement emphasizes "life-long learning" and "reflective learning."