I viewed all the blogs you reccommended. But I found one appealing to me, Boarderland. He was humorus and what he said resonated with me. I found many of them too busy and I couldn't focus on them.
Many topics were covered in them, from education to personal interests. You learned things from what their interests were and what family members were like. To their political views on education and beyond.
Seemed to be a variety of purposes. From spewing off personal rants to providing a place to share and HEAR others. Providing a place for students to see how small and connected the world is. I see a useful purpose in much of that, in all of it actually. It is good to have a place to spew. And, it is good to have a meetin' place for thoughts and ideas. Students would like to communicate with teachers via blogs would be my guess. Especially if they were allowed to have a code name for posting, they could feel free to share without judgement.
Back to the Boderland Blog: I especially liked a couple quotes I'll share. Referring to laptops, "the don't drop those things problems" and saying until they design one with Fischer Price in mind it will be a problem. And talking about the problems we face when everyone can't do guided practice at the same time... Bryan, you face that every Thursday evening... I laughed like crazy when I read the good and bad things about sixth graders! I have mostly served sixth graders in my career.
In the Daily Grind blog the author mentioned a time when they were required to email their district office for some information, and rather than get the requested information electronically they had to, ironically, wait for snail mail...
The purpose for students to me right now is "MOTIVATION". I am becoming more motivated as I learn more and become competent.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Sunday, March 11, 2007
March 8, 2007 assignment
How can teachers reasonably ensure that students meet the ISTE standards?
We certainally can with the right resources! All we need is that these standards become priority and staff be provided with the time, equipment, teaming, money and training.
I thought of how often we make assumptions of students coming with certain readiness skills. What skills will we presume students have in relation to technology? And skip teaching those skills, creating gaps in some students learning.
I only looked at the K-2 standards and have the following comments: (concerns really).
We certainally can with the right resources! All we need is that these standards become priority and staff be provided with the time, equipment, teaming, money and training.
I thought of how often we make assumptions of students coming with certain readiness skills. What skills will we presume students have in relation to technology? And skip teaching those skills, creating gaps in some students learning.
I only looked at the K-2 standards and have the following comments: (concerns really).
- The class rooms I have visited in Corvallis wouldn't have the materials or budget for the simple level on requirements such as interactive books, educational software, multi media encyclopideas... especially class sets
- Wouldn't have the abilities to interact evenly among their families, i.e., one elementary has 75% on free lunches
- What about loss and damage when using delecate equipment with very young children and students experiencing behavioral difficulties?
- How do we achieve collaborative tasks? With no collaborative planning time.
- What will have to go?
- Create programs... with support of teachers, families and students when?
- Training to ensure fidelity in programs across a district
March 1, 2007 assignment
Paula Robinson
March 2007
Prepared for Bryan Miyagishima
Response to article written by Todd Oppenheimer, Tech made easy: It’s not all about gadgets and gear
This article supports my philosophy about technology in the schools. I am not sure if I have adopted my philosophy because I am of the generation that had type writers in school (before correction tape and word processing). Making current technology something I am just beginning to grasp, as an owner of a jump drive, digital camera, cell phone, home computer and PALM Pilot. I LOVE my personal technology and can’t see ever desiring to go back. However, as my father, an old cowboy says, "It’s more horse than I can ride". This simply means that with all the devices I use, if you look closely to how I use them, it might bring on a chuckle because I have no idea of their actual capabilities. They are used at a surface level. Even at an elementary level they bring ease to my life to some degree.
That said, my philosophy is this (thus far), I see much value to technology. It frees time, it gets tasks done with ease and they appear "professional". It keeps me on time and connected (when I want to be, I do turn it off often). But I would give it all up if I had to decide between art, art appreciation, the discipline of learning a musical instrument, the wealth of benefits of physical activity, the spiritual nourishment of being on top of a mountain or in a deep bed of dew kissed moss. Even more than those things , a connection to another human being that is truly intimate. I fear the loss of those things as brain pathways change, as people become more narcissist and isolated.
The comments that resonated well with me throughout this article were:
School as a public forum
Simplicity to technology, everything in moderation
Focus on group collaboration, in my profession this is a skill one must posses
Focus on fundamentals (keyboarding, basic skills) and history
Don’t forget about tools such as: dice, base ten blocks… they’re cheap, powerful and teachers can learn to use them
Use tools, kids are fascinated by them; they offer physical experience
The more muscle the more memory, I have seen a research summarizing that engaging the muscle by chewing gum enhances performance in memory tasks - some teachers here allow chewing gum for standardized test situations
K-6 developmentally need imaginative, tactile and experiential opportunities
American educational systems move too swiftly and if slowed down would offer opportunities for students to collaborate, problem solve and dissect a topic
Students who are "machine trained" may not have the interpersonal skills to navigate the work and work community
March 2007
Prepared for Bryan Miyagishima
Response to article written by Todd Oppenheimer, Tech made easy: It’s not all about gadgets and gear
This article supports my philosophy about technology in the schools. I am not sure if I have adopted my philosophy because I am of the generation that had type writers in school (before correction tape and word processing). Making current technology something I am just beginning to grasp, as an owner of a jump drive, digital camera, cell phone, home computer and PALM Pilot. I LOVE my personal technology and can’t see ever desiring to go back. However, as my father, an old cowboy says, "It’s more horse than I can ride". This simply means that with all the devices I use, if you look closely to how I use them, it might bring on a chuckle because I have no idea of their actual capabilities. They are used at a surface level. Even at an elementary level they bring ease to my life to some degree.
That said, my philosophy is this (thus far), I see much value to technology. It frees time, it gets tasks done with ease and they appear "professional". It keeps me on time and connected (when I want to be, I do turn it off often). But I would give it all up if I had to decide between art, art appreciation, the discipline of learning a musical instrument, the wealth of benefits of physical activity, the spiritual nourishment of being on top of a mountain or in a deep bed of dew kissed moss. Even more than those things , a connection to another human being that is truly intimate. I fear the loss of those things as brain pathways change, as people become more narcissist and isolated.
The comments that resonated well with me throughout this article were:
School as a public forum
Simplicity to technology, everything in moderation
Focus on group collaboration, in my profession this is a skill one must posses
Focus on fundamentals (keyboarding, basic skills) and history
Don’t forget about tools such as: dice, base ten blocks… they’re cheap, powerful and teachers can learn to use them
Use tools, kids are fascinated by them; they offer physical experience
The more muscle the more memory, I have seen a research summarizing that engaging the muscle by chewing gum enhances performance in memory tasks - some teachers here allow chewing gum for standardized test situations
K-6 developmentally need imaginative, tactile and experiential opportunities
American educational systems move too swiftly and if slowed down would offer opportunities for students to collaborate, problem solve and dissect a topic
Students who are "machine trained" may not have the interpersonal skills to navigate the work and work community
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