Students accessing the digital world

"Can teachers provide equal access to the digital world to all students. If so, what does it mean to do it and what might it look like.If not, why not and what would it take."

Teachers providing access to students in the digital world depends on the school district where they're working and the resources that are available. If there is limited computer access, it would be difficult for a teacher to assign technology-based assignments. Opening a student's eyes to the digital world would also depend on the resources available to the students outside of the classroom. If there was no computer lab, or if most student's didn't have a computer at home, it would be hard to assign technology-based homework.

It would take having the correct resources available for teachers to provide access to students in the digital world. It would also take the experience of the teacher to gain more knowledge about the updated technology that is always changing and improving. For example, attending conferences and going back to school would be two different means of learning about the updated technology in order to successfully teach students the required material.

21st Century Leader

After watching the K12 Online Conference from 2009 called "You Might be a 21st Century Leader if..." I learned what it takes to be a teacher in this era of technology. This show took place on Dec. 9, 2009 at 12 p.m. and can be found at http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=439.

When people think about the word "modern", they think about the physical appearance of something, but according to the video modern learning isn't about the physical appearance of a school building, but it has to do with the way students learn and the way teachers teach.

Planned technology should be part of a teacher's curriculum and structure to create new standards. With technology being everywhere, and it being the way the world works today, technology should be integrated into learning, according to the online conference. Some examples include a good student-to-computer ratio, training for teachers to teach with digital age tools, etc.

Although I agree with what David Wells said in the conference, I feel as though the show wasn't very interesting. There wasn't any specific information I took away from the program that I could implement in the classroom. It was more of him proving his point on why people should use technology in education and was almost 15 minutes of repetitive information, in my own opinion.

Collaboration

What can we gain through collaboration? After going through last week's readings of "The World is Open," I learned that collaboration allows students to gain perspectives from outside of the classroom walls.

For instance, if a classroom in the United States collaborates through iEARN or ePals, they can work with students in classrooms across the world. Collaboration allows the students to learn from not just reading a textbook about the Philippines, but it allows them to learn about the country through speaking to Filipino students and teachers. This gives them the first-hand learning experience; as close as they can get to actually visiting the country.

Collaboration can also be used inside the classroom by pairing students up in groups. Although this isn't as different a perspective as speaking to someone on the Internet in a different country, it still gives the students a different perspective/opinion from another student in their class.

Other things we can gain through collaboration, can be learned by using social networking sites like Facebook.com and Twitter.com. These sites allow people to share their ideas in a fast, simple way.

There is nothing you can't gain through collaboration. It just expands everyone's knowledge.

K12 Online Conference: IPod Touch

I went onto the K12 Online Conference in the 2009 archive and found a session titled "Just a touch of leadership-- Using the iPod Touch/iPhone in administration." This session interested me because even though I graduated from high school only five years ago, I would have never been allowed to use an iPod in the class. It's still strange to me to see that administrators at different school districts depend on technology, like an iPod Touch, to enhance education.

Through the session I learned that administrators use iPod touch/iPhones for several different things. One thing is to take notes when observing teachers in their classroom. The session named two applications on the iPhone that assist administrators including eWalk and iObserve. This always them to see the standards and then take notes. One specific thing I learned in the video was how an administrator used her iPhone to take a photo of graffiti. She then downloaded the photo on her laptop and e-mailed it to the sheriff's department.

In the video, it stated how much time time the iPod Touch saves administrators. "It has really helped me with my management," one person interviewed in the video session said. People compared the iPod Touch to a laptop, but because of the number of applications, size, ability as a phone, the video showed how an iPod Touch is more beneficial than a laptop.

I have never been onto K12 Online Conference or EdTechTalk, since I haven't been in the education field more than this one class, but I have already found it to be a beneficial tool. Things like realizing how an iPod can be used as an administrator (and even a teacher) I would have never thought about had I not found the video conference on K12 Online Conference.

Essential Question: Integrating Technology

Integrating technology into lessons is important because, as discussed in class on Jan. 4, teachers need to focus on what the student is learning not on what is being taught. Students in today's world learn through being hands on. They use different forms of technology to communicate such as texting on a cell phone, updating their Twitter or Facebook page and sending e-mails. Creating a hand written letter is something that is rarely seen into today's world. With resources available, like computers and calculators, which are used in everyday life it makes no sense as to why a teacher wouldn't incorporate them into the classroom. Teaching is about engaging the student and helping them to learn through the way they learn best.

The purpose of integrating technology into learning is not only to help the student learn in the way they know best, but also because it ties into everyday life. As discussed in class, it isn't often that we are presented with a long division math problem and don't have access to a calculator. Integrating technology into learning also helps keep the students engaged and can make lessons more fun. For example using Wordle to show students what the focus of their essay really is. By bringing technology into the classroom, it not only engages the student but it prepares them for real world situations with technology after they graduate.

A little about me...

My name is Kelly and I'm in my first week as a graduate student at Southern New Hampshire University. I graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University in December 2008 and landed my first journalism job in Tacoma, Wash. with The News Tribune. I relocated back east and currently work for The Nashua Telegraph.
After substitute teaching during college breaks, I quickly learned I wanted to become a middle school language arts teacher. With the direction the journalism field is currently heading, I figured there was no time like the present to head back to school for my Master's Degree.