Thursday, February 24, 2011
Twitter Reflection
What we did…
I have been tweeting personally for about 3 years now. I love the concept and the shared knowledge that comes with it. I would say that I do it haphazardly. I tend to be more of a listener to other tweets than an individual who puts information out. I have grown professionally from it. I follow various technology groups and other individuals that provide up to date information on things that interest me. I allow push notifications to my iPad with twitter and other 2.0 tools.
The NETS Standard Met…
Facilitate and Inspire Student learning and Creativity: model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.
The way I can use this information…
To collaborate with others in a professional way. Many educators use twitter as a source of finding information. Twitter is also used to communicate in an informal way that doesn’t involve everyone in everyone else’s business. It is a top down communicative hierarchy. In my school setting I can send information without a follower of mine having access to another follower of mine through direct access of my account. So, in other words there is no reply to a “wall post” like in facebook so communication is kept relatively “in house”.
February 24, Chapter 4
My classroom is a bit different because it encompasses the entire school. In the previous chapter I mentioned some of the tools that we are using at S.J. Welsh. I took a good look at www.gaggle.net to find a safe and secure way for my teachers to use blogs with their students. This is a difficult tool to incorporate considering the district will not allow communication without it being through their infrastructure. One of my ELA teachers posed a concern to me. She wants to incorporate blogging into her classroom and that is what prompted the gaggle discussion from me to her. I have also spoken to my principal about doing a weekly podcast for the school/community. At this point we are in the discussion phase with that as well. In this chapter the author says that some schools are publishing their newspapers online. We also do that at S.J. I post our newsletter on our school website and spotlight the “highlights” on the S.J. App. I am using other tools like Skype, Google docs, twitter and other forms to collaborate with the community. We started using twitter last year and it has been a slow but effective tool to use. It especially comes in handy when we have important information that we need to get out quickly.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
February 17, Chapter 3
This chapter was filled with web 2.0 tools that can be used by anyone not just an educator. I almost had information overload of all the content that was presented. Some of the tools I am familiar with. I use YouTube, Tagging, delicious, Picasa, Flickr, RSS, blogs, wikis, podcasts, and Google Applications. Google Chrome is my choice of web browser, and as an example provided…S.J. Google Documents. In the link provided is a form I made for Classroom Observations at my school. It is based on the District Observation Rubric that all schools in Calcasieu Parish use. I also implemented skype (Solomon, 2006) into the communication processes that we use at our school to decrease classroom interruptions for the sake of instruction. Our teachers leave the program running on their computers and if the office needs to get a “non-pressing” message to that teacher the admins/secretaries instant message those particular teacher/teachers. Non-pressing: (mom brought lunch to front office; Johnnie is a bus rider today; Suzie’s cheerleader money is in the office for pick-up….). We are currently working on ways to use the video feature for collaboration. In my opinion I am fairly literate with technology and the terms associated with it, however there were many terms that I had a better understanding with the book. I learned the Ajax programming language being a web development technique used for creating interactive Web applications (Solomon, 2006). The language utilizes the technology asynchronously (no server). I mentioned earlier that my school uses skype but I did not correlate the term VoIP term with it (Solomon, 2006). I love the open source generation we are immersed in. GIMP is useful for photo retouching, image composition, and image authoring (Solomon, 2006). I have worked with GIMP in the past and it has many features that are useful at the proper educational level. I use widgetbox (www.widgetbox.com, 2011) to create the S.J. Welsh Web Application and on the app I have Google calendar, maps, and Picasa synchronized to it. I am currently at the application stage with Google regarding their Chrome OS and the chrome notebook (Cr-48) associated with it. We are trying to become a pilot program for its integration into education (http://www.google.com/chromeos/pilot-program.html). Monday, February 14, 2011
January 27, 2011
20 Things I learned About the Web
1. The internet and its beginnings to what it is today. Interesting that how the protocol works to send chunks of information and then puts it all back together again. The traffic that flows depends on the amount of bandwidth provided.
2. Cloud Computing is becoming more useful today. Being able to save and even store print services in the clouds increase the capability for mobility. This minimizes the physical media one would need to store information.
3. Web Apps allow us to use products that were once used with a cd for installation purposes, i.e.. Microsoft Office. Its cool that server side can update the app and then the client always has the newer version and all you need is a web browser to access it.
4. HTML, Java Script…the building blocks or code that drives the www. All you need is a web browser to compile the information desired.
5. HTML 5 is the advancement and improving on previous versions of html tagging to do more things without add-ons.
6. 3D in The Browser is relatively new but as bandwidth increases this will become more common for information requiring depth and textures.
7. New Browsers like the latest version of Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Opera, or Google Chrome — is important for security, fast-paced changing of the internet, and, compelling innovation.
8. Plug-Ins are still used today and they operate independently from the web browser so security could be an issue. I use Flash from Adobe a lot under this category. I like that Google Chrome had Adobe built in to process updates, security fixes, and patches.
9. Browser Extensions add to your browsers overall experiences, many of them are written in the same language that the web is written in making it easier and less secure.
10. Synchronizing the Browser. Sync works by being able to apply your digital world back together in case doomsday comes and destroys it. Apple uses sync for transferring its media and dropbox syncs content to every device that it is stored on. Google Chrome saves everything the way you have it anywhere by logging into any device with your Google account.
11. Browser Cookies are bits of information that remembers what you did before to speed up your user experience. They can remember passwords, login names, shopping cart data…
12. Browsers and Privacy. Browser security helps protect you from malware, phishing, and other online attacks, while privacy features help keep your browsing private on your computer. History of the web sites and cookies stored can be deleted by the Browser’s options.
13. Security Risks. Phishing takes place when someone masquerades as someone else, often with a fake website, to trick you into sharing personal information. Malware, on the other hand, is malicious software installed on your machine, usually without your knowledge.
14. Limiting the Risks; Modern Browsers pre-check frequents sites. Allow your browser to update all of its features to prevent attacks. A browser sandbox builds a contained environment to keep malware and other security threats from infecting your computer. If you open a malicious web page, the browser’s sandbox prevents that malicious code from leaving the browser and installing itself to your hard drive.
15. The URL is comprised of the scheme, hostname and the path. The path is sometimes displayed before the hostname. Https:// means the address has a secure connection.
16. Ip address is the number that every url has assigned to it. The Domain Name System is the phonebook of the web.
17. Validating Identities: Some sites have an extended validation certificate. This is used as added security to trust that you are going to the address that you actually want to go. It is wise to check a site’s certificate before sending sensitive information.
18. Evolution. As time goes on information will increase in size and scope, so some think that the user experience will “slow down” because of all the traffic. Google has made WebP that cuts down the average image file size by 39%. Google Chrome uses pre-resolution to pre-load links while the DNS is coding the desired site.
19. Open Source is the code made available to all. Mozilla Firefox is an open source browser. Apache is an open source server powered by the Linux open source operating system.
20. It is just the beginning…Use it and improve it!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
February 10, Chapter 2
Digital Natives vs. Digital Immigrants
I would dare to go even further with both of the two mentioned groups are still being controlled somewhat by those in Education with Digital Stagnation. Please excuse my words but the “powers that be” stop true digitalization on its binary track. The author cites from Adapted from Project Tomorrow, 2006,p.7 that the majority of technology use in school is done by the desktop computer; 82% from 6-12 and 93% by teachers. Those figures reflect my school's use of technology as the desktop computer leading the way. We are still using power points and have integrated promethean software into the classroom. I wish I could say we have a lot more technology than the traditional computer but it's not the case. This was true 20 years ago so I think something is wrong here. In my opinion students have the opportunity and access to learn more with technology out of school than they do at school. The students of today are mobile and socially interactive. If my students had a choice they would definitely use their mobile devices (ipods, cell phones, ipads) to communicate with each other. We need to use that to education’s benefit. At the exponential pace that technology grows, our schools will become more outdated than ever if we keep the same old philosophy. The author says, "students know that they are tech-savvy and report that their school are not." I would hope that students would like their school to be a learning environment where their education and acquisition of knowledge takes place at a higher rate than at home. I think this philosophy is the same as previous generations but in some instances I do think that balance has shifted. Those classrooms of yesterday were centered around the school and the teacher. The students were spectators to learning and the after-hours connections to learning were more character based. Hard work and life lessons were connected through the family in a non digital way. Today, school should be a node of the student’s network of learning. I do believe students are multi-modal and they learn in very different ways. The teacher becoming a facilitator is becoming the need, not an option, therefore that facilitator must have necessary skills to change and “give up the power”. We must support our teachers with professional development strategies the same way we want to support our students. Then we can target our students with how they learn to maximize their learning experience. Constructivism is rooted in how my students learn. The author suggests that using web tools helps the process of students learning based on their previous knowledge. I would agree with that statement. Many of our students use email, tweet, use social sites as well as "comment" and "collaborate" with friends on the web. Building upon that knowledge that the students already possess is essential to learning. Using constructivism, project based learning strategies infused with web 2.0 tools is an excellent approach to education. Learning takes place formally and informally with knowledge management as an important aspect to its success. In this 21st century the audience will be the measurement of assessment and the production value of the process will be the steps to success. The curriculum should be designed with the student or teacher in the center; depends on who is being "taught". At my school we use skype, twitter, blackboard, and email to communicate. The desired tool is used according to who is the learner and what is to be communicated. With skype for example, the administration has modeled the use of it and we issued a small assignment to our teachers using it. Now it is an important video conferencing and instant messaging tool used to communicate with teachers for those times when we don't want to interrupt instruction yet still send an important message. Web-based tools add the ability to communicate and collaborate with the world outside the classroom and at no cost beyond the technology (WEB 2.0, 856). In this curriculum we modeled and implemented a project based assignment using a web 2.0 tool for communication. Now the task is to continue this approach with other curriculums throughout the school.
~Citations WEB 2.0:New Tools, New Schools
I would dare to go even further with both of the two mentioned groups are still being controlled somewhat by those in Education with Digital Stagnation. Please excuse my words but the “powers that be” stop true digitalization on its binary track. The author cites from Adapted from Project Tomorrow, 2006,p.7 that the majority of technology use in school is done by the desktop computer; 82% from 6-12 and 93% by teachers. Those figures reflect my school's use of technology as the desktop computer leading the way. We are still using power points and have integrated promethean software into the classroom. I wish I could say we have a lot more technology than the traditional computer but it's not the case. This was true 20 years ago so I think something is wrong here. In my opinion students have the opportunity and access to learn more with technology out of school than they do at school. The students of today are mobile and socially interactive. If my students had a choice they would definitely use their mobile devices (ipods, cell phones, ipads) to communicate with each other. We need to use that to education’s benefit. At the exponential pace that technology grows, our schools will become more outdated than ever if we keep the same old philosophy. The author says, "students know that they are tech-savvy and report that their school are not." I would hope that students would like their school to be a learning environment where their education and acquisition of knowledge takes place at a higher rate than at home. I think this philosophy is the same as previous generations but in some instances I do think that balance has shifted. Those classrooms of yesterday were centered around the school and the teacher. The students were spectators to learning and the after-hours connections to learning were more character based. Hard work and life lessons were connected through the family in a non digital way. Today, school should be a node of the student’s network of learning. I do believe students are multi-modal and they learn in very different ways. The teacher becoming a facilitator is becoming the need, not an option, therefore that facilitator must have necessary skills to change and “give up the power”. We must support our teachers with professional development strategies the same way we want to support our students. Then we can target our students with how they learn to maximize their learning experience. Constructivism is rooted in how my students learn. The author suggests that using web tools helps the process of students learning based on their previous knowledge. I would agree with that statement. Many of our students use email, tweet, use social sites as well as "comment" and "collaborate" with friends on the web. Building upon that knowledge that the students already possess is essential to learning. Using constructivism, project based learning strategies infused with web 2.0 tools is an excellent approach to education. Learning takes place formally and informally with knowledge management as an important aspect to its success. In this 21st century the audience will be the measurement of assessment and the production value of the process will be the steps to success. The curriculum should be designed with the student or teacher in the center; depends on who is being "taught". At my school we use skype, twitter, blackboard, and email to communicate. The desired tool is used according to who is the learner and what is to be communicated. With skype for example, the administration has modeled the use of it and we issued a small assignment to our teachers using it. Now it is an important video conferencing and instant messaging tool used to communicate with teachers for those times when we don't want to interrupt instruction yet still send an important message. Web-based tools add the ability to communicate and collaborate with the world outside the classroom and at no cost beyond the technology (WEB 2.0, 856). In this curriculum we modeled and implemented a project based assignment using a web 2.0 tool for communication. Now the task is to continue this approach with other curriculums throughout the school.
~Citations WEB 2.0:New Tools, New Schools
Monday, February 7, 2011
February 3, Chapter 1
Chapter 1 focuses on the philosophy and ideals that are emerging in this new age of information. The race to world interconnectivity has changed the way we teach and learn as a society. We are no longer a society that relies on manufacturing, industrials, and the learning techniques that produce those job opportunities. We are now a nation that is competing with other nations for the global economy and our young people need the necessary skills to develop bloom's taxonomy higher order skill set to compete globally. We have transformed from web 1.0 to 2.0 incorporating sharing, collaborating, project-based assessments,with social expressions as the leading elements of open source web applications. Our students need to be prepared for this highly competitive market so we must have educators that are professionally developed in transferring that knowledge by using the technologies themselves. Our educational system is built on an outdated system that requires real change and brave intellectuals to lead it. Then and only then we can start to compete. I think our school is being lead by our district as a whole and we are lagging behind in preparing our students for the next generation of competitive jobs. The national infrastructure ranks 20th in the world when it comes to broadband infrastructure and some studies gave data showing achievement that has a resulting impact on broadband connectivity. Lastly, we must provide and support the teachers so they will have the expertise in using the tools that identify learning styles and then use that data to tailor assessments to meet the individual needs of the multimodal learner.
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