I was thinking today about the integration of technology into the process of record-keeping, especially in Special Education, because I almost got Carpal Tunnel Syndrome completing forms about testing accomodations for the EOGs. (I have been living an epic EOG experience in which I have been administering EOGs in various settings for the past two weeks, and it will continue next week but that is another story...)
Anyway, the point is, we have all this detailed information in GoalView software about students' IEPs and their needs and their legally required accomodations. Then along comes EOG testing, and we take many of those details and write them over and over on these poorly-reproduced forms that have to be signed (I am not kidding) four times-- three times by the test administrator/teacher, and once by the principal. The same form must be completed for each child, each time s/he tests. There is no match at all between what is technologically possible, and what actually happens where the rubber meets the road during one of the busiest times of the year.
I couldn't program my way out of a paper bag, but I have no doubt the developers of the GoalView software could come up with some kind of app to perform this function! Then, however, they would have to be sufficiently motivated, which would involve spending in these crazy budgetary times....
Friday, May 27, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
SuperKids Does Super Job of Reviewing Software
I should just admit up front that I rarely, if ever, go shopping for software (or hardware, for that matter). As long as what I have still works I tend to be complacent, which could explain why my laptop is eight years and my students laugh at my cell phone...
Anyway, I'm also embarrassed to say I had never looked at the http://www.superkids.com/ site until Professor Fine posted the site under the topic of software evaluation. It is amazing!! I mean, where do these people find time to write such detailed review of new educational software?!?! It gave me a window on the world where they live, which made me feel excited and inadequate all at the same time.
I poked around and found a few programs that seemed really great. If my district weren't closing my school next year I would probably ask my principal to buy at least one of these programs, for example, "Professor Finkle's Basic Division" ( http://www.superkids.com/aweb/pages/reviews/math/2009/Professor_Finkles_Division/merge.shtml )
Sad to say, a significant portion of my middle-school students arrive not knowing how to do long division, so that is what piqued my interest in that program.
Anyway, I will keep this and similar sites in mind as resources for wherever I end up!
Anyway, I'm also embarrassed to say I had never looked at the http://www.superkids.com/ site until Professor Fine posted the site under the topic of software evaluation. It is amazing!! I mean, where do these people find time to write such detailed review of new educational software?!?! It gave me a window on the world where they live, which made me feel excited and inadequate all at the same time.
I poked around and found a few programs that seemed really great. If my district weren't closing my school next year I would probably ask my principal to buy at least one of these programs, for example, "Professor Finkle's Basic Division" ( http://www.superkids.com/aweb/pages/reviews/math/2009/Professor_Finkles_Division/merge.shtml )
Sad to say, a significant portion of my middle-school students arrive not knowing how to do long division, so that is what piqued my interest in that program.
Anyway, I will keep this and similar sites in mind as resources for wherever I end up!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Digital Tools for the Classroom
In reading chapter four, I was struck by the fact that even this 2010 (4th edition) is a little outdated, for example, there are no thumb drives pictured in Figure 3.20 "Four Types of Data Storage Cards", and the picture below it shows a floppy disk, which I think few people use anymore. I just thought that was interesting, because it shows how quickly the technology does change. Of course, theoretically it is very important for teachers to keep up with changing technology. In practice, it is very challenging!
One small example of the pace of change is this: While some of the teachers (myself included), were learning how to use interactive whiteboards, others who never had them suddenly found the district had installed a newer technology, "Mimio", in their rooms. It is similar but more sophisticated and takes up less space.
What is ironic and frustrating, though, is that the compuer at my teaching station is so old that it frequently took a long time to process any signals given through the whiteboard. Even the PD person who came to show us more programs to use with our whiteboards grew very frustrated with trying to demonstrate things in my room.
No real answers to that, I guess, just an observation that all of the integrated technology must keep up in order to see the maximum benefit!
One small example of the pace of change is this: While some of the teachers (myself included), were learning how to use interactive whiteboards, others who never had them suddenly found the district had installed a newer technology, "Mimio", in their rooms. It is similar but more sophisticated and takes up less space.
What is ironic and frustrating, though, is that the compuer at my teaching station is so old that it frequently took a long time to process any signals given through the whiteboard. Even the PD person who came to show us more programs to use with our whiteboards grew very frustrated with trying to demonstrate things in my room.
No real answers to that, I guess, just an observation that all of the integrated technology must keep up in order to see the maximum benefit!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
The Internet in the Classroom: The Good, the Bad, and the Strange
Many of us think of using the computer as being almost synonymous with using the internet, but Morrison & Lowther make it clear that the internet is a tool that teachers can choose to use or not. On the good side, it is an incredible source of information and images. On the bad side, anyone can post just about anything as "factual", and it can be very difficult to get an 11-year-old to distinguish between (for example) an historical society site and a sophisticated-looking website of a neo-Nazi Holocaust denier.
Communication is another area that is greatly enhanced for teachers, at least theoretically, by using the internet. This works best when all of the students' families have internet access at home. For example, I communicate regularly with my sons' teachers by email, but I have never successfully communicated with any of my students' parents via email.
Teacher webpages are another possible avenue of communication with students and families that I think work better in some schools than others. Some teachers in the county where I work post homework assignments or other information on their webpages with a reasonable expectation that their students will check the page, but that would not work at my school.
I do maintain a website connected to a documentary project I have worked on over the past eight years. The project is about historic African American schools in Southeastern North Carolina, and I recently premiered my documentary film "Under the Kudzu" (about two of the schools) at UNC Wilmington. My website, in case anyone is interested is, is http://www.underthekudzu.org/
Communication is another area that is greatly enhanced for teachers, at least theoretically, by using the internet. This works best when all of the students' families have internet access at home. For example, I communicate regularly with my sons' teachers by email, but I have never successfully communicated with any of my students' parents via email.
Teacher webpages are another possible avenue of communication with students and families that I think work better in some schools than others. Some teachers in the county where I work post homework assignments or other information on their webpages with a reasonable expectation that their students will check the page, but that would not work at my school.
I do maintain a website connected to a documentary project I have worked on over the past eight years. The project is about historic African American schools in Southeastern North Carolina, and I recently premiered my documentary film "Under the Kudzu" (about two of the schools) at UNC Wilmington. My website, in case anyone is interested is, is http://www.underthekudzu.org/
Planning for Computer-Integrated Lessons
The iNtegrating Technology for inQuiry (NTeQ) approach is a ten-step process that covers everything from defining the problem/specifying objectives to the last step, assessment. One thing that I find interesting is the text's insistence that "the problems need to come from the students' world so the students can relate to them in a meaningful manner." (Morrison & Lowther, 2010, p. 34). While I agree with the goal of having students relate to the problems, I think there is more than one way for students to relate or buy in to a topic. Taking an example from their immediate environment can be effective, but that is not always possible and could be quite limiting. Instead of always trying to draw on my students' life experience, I try to get them engaged by giving them some choice in the topics of their projects, and having them brainstorm the questions we will research. This worked well in a recent unit on the Solar System.
Morrison and Lowther make the point that simply using the computer can increase engagement and motivation. I think this is generally true, and it is one of the best reasons for using computers. Student motivation is critical, yet I think we don't address it often enough in professional development because it is so difficult to influence.
Computer use in the classroom can also be humbling for teachers, when the realization hits that our students' approach to life and learning is fundamentally different from ours (at least, those of us in our 40s and older!). I recently read an article about a study that showed college students learned more in a physics class taught by graduate students using interactive "clicker" technology than a class taught by a respected senior professor (Associated Press, Wilmington Star-News, 13 May 2011). A lot of our old assumptions about how students learn best have to be reevaluated in light of this kind of research.
Morrison and Lowther make the point that simply using the computer can increase engagement and motivation. I think this is generally true, and it is one of the best reasons for using computers. Student motivation is critical, yet I think we don't address it often enough in professional development because it is so difficult to influence.
Computer use in the classroom can also be humbling for teachers, when the realization hits that our students' approach to life and learning is fundamentally different from ours (at least, those of us in our 40s and older!). I recently read an article about a study that showed college students learned more in a physics class taught by graduate students using interactive "clicker" technology than a class taught by a respected senior professor (Associated Press, Wilmington Star-News, 13 May 2011). A lot of our old assumptions about how students learn best have to be reevaluated in light of this kind of research.
Computers and Instructional Approach
As a teacher who always leans toward a student-centered approach, I like the opportunities offered by computers, while at the same time I struggle with a number of challenges. These challenges include limited access to good computers in the high-poverty school where I have been teaching, deficits in social skills that make cooperative work challenging for my Special Education students, and my own learning curve when it comes to utilizing new technology in the classroom.
The Reflection questions in chapter one of our text ask whether using computer requires an inquiry-based approach. I think it's safe to say no, not necessarily, as many educational websites are made for an individual student to receive immediate feedback on individual work. One good example is www.ixl.com, which helps students practice math specific math skills and is broken down by grade level and topic. As good as sites like this are, they don't build critical thinking skills or communication skills.
Thus far, I realize most of my use of computers in the classroom has been for skill reinforcement or research. I did do one project with my students that required that required them to gather information and write a "letter to the editor" about a real-world problem, namely, the potential environmental and health impacts of a proposed cement plant. I like the NETS emphasis on authentic problems (NETS-S 4a) , and I look forward to gaining new skills that will allow me to do a better job of coaching my students in this direction.
The Reflection questions in chapter one of our text ask whether using computer requires an inquiry-based approach. I think it's safe to say no, not necessarily, as many educational websites are made for an individual student to receive immediate feedback on individual work. One good example is www.ixl.com, which helps students practice math specific math skills and is broken down by grade level and topic. As good as sites like this are, they don't build critical thinking skills or communication skills.
Thus far, I realize most of my use of computers in the classroom has been for skill reinforcement or research. I did do one project with my students that required that required them to gather information and write a "letter to the editor" about a real-world problem, namely, the potential environmental and health impacts of a proposed cement plant. I like the NETS emphasis on authentic problems (NETS-S 4a) , and I look forward to gaining new skills that will allow me to do a better job of coaching my students in this direction.
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