ETE 100: Prompt 10

Discuss how you would integrate some of the online resources identified in the chapter for teaching that particular core subject area in a P-12 classroom.    


Chapter 8: English/Language Arts

There are many tools online for English/Language Arts. Many students struggle with reading and writing because they dislike it. However, if it was online, it would be more interesting to students. Some students may not even realize that they are doing English, and they may learn to truly enjoy it. It is important to use technology in every subject, but people read all the time when they are online and it is a big part of being online. They write Facebook posts, comments, read blogs, and even have to read and write to navigate online. 

First, as I have mentioned before, I would make my students keep a weekly blog and be required to comment on fellow students blogs as well. I would also allow them to write in the class as well to practice writing, but I think keeping a blog is so common in today's world, that they may not even realize that it is helping them practice writing and thinking skills. 

In addition, I think it is important for students to research topics online in order to expand researching skills. It is important for students to be able to gather data and analyze data. They should be able to utilize this data. I think it would be a good idea to have students answer a question give the day before and research the question. Then they could bring back what they have found through their research. It would be good for them to be able to find little-known facts and see how deep they research something. 

Online libraries are a valuable tool in the classroom. Sometimes, books can seem daunting. Students don't realize that they read all of the time when they are online. It is good to have books online that they can highlight in and make notes on the side without damaging books. There is also an unlimited supply of online books. If students had Kindles or iPads, they would be able to use grammar games and apps as well. 

There is an endless supply of technology that can be utilized for English/Language Arts. Students can even learn other languages through online language learner programs. It is simply a matter of how one incorporates it into the classroom to give students the opportunity to learn in the technology age. 

ETE 100: Prompt 9

Identify which position you believe is most accurate/valid, and explain why.

Issue #15: Too Much Screen Time

I would agree that too much screen time is a bad thing, even if it is used for stimulation. Of course, I think it is perfectly okay to use technology for creativity and learning exercise.Still, too much of anything is never a good thing.

 A valid point was made in the argument that childhood obesity is a problem. When children spend too much time online or watching TV, they go outside and get less exercise. Many children I see today often waste their days in front of the TV. Yes, learning online is a good thing, but the fact is many kids or online or watching TV that is not educational at all. 

It is a good tool to have the internet and TV in the classroom, but there needs to be limits. Students should still play outside. Their eyes and their bodies will need breaks. They will also need time at home to go run around and burn energy at home. Students often come home and watch TV instead of keeping active. That is why I think that students these days have far too much screen time and it needs to be limited to keep them in a healthy and active lifestyle. 

  

ETE 100: Prompt 8

Identify which position you believe is most accurate/valid, and explain why.  

Issue #7: Facebook Etiquette

I think it is more accurate to stay away from becoming friends with students on Facebook. For me, this is a personal choice. I am a Resident Advisor at Bradley and I chose to not friend my residents either. My Facebook is for me and my friends. If I become friends with students or residents, I think there is a possibility they will look for ways to get me in trouble. I do not want to risk students finding something inappropriate, even though I try very hard to make sure I am keeping my Facebook clean. 

However, I think it is perfectly acceptable to be friends with students AFTER they are no longer your students or in the school district. I am friends with many of my teachers from high school, and it is a great way to keep in touch and let them know how my studies are going. 

As far as keeping in touch with students while they are still attending school, a school based "type" of Facebook would be beneficial for students to ask questions or review online. This would eliminate the personal side of being friends with students. I do think it is okay for students to be allowed to know some information about you as a teacher, maybe just not everything. 

Overall, Facebook should be only for students and teachers to be friends on once the student is no longer in the district. This keeps teachers safe and from getting in trouble. Teachers should take precautions to protect their Facebook and make it more private. This will keep teachers from losing their jobs. 

ETE 100: Prompt 7

Discuss which technologies you believe, in accordance with the Gretzky Principle, we should be skating toward in American K-12 classrooms, and explain why.  

In each category of horizon, near-term horizon, mid-term horizon, and far-term horizon, I think there are good ideas of technology that can be utilized in the classroom for the students and the teachers to use. 

For the near-term horizon, I think it is a great idea to use cloud computing. It is a great tool to use for research and to use for collaboration. This is good because collaboration in the classroom is always a great and valuable tool. The video shows a 4-year-old being able to work this, so I think it would all ages would be able to operate cloud computing. Google apps are also good for the near-term horizon because Google is so common and used that many students will be able to work it. In addition, there are so many apps to use it is good for whatever the class may need. 

Next is the mid-term horizon which discusses the use of cell phones in the classroom. I strongly believe this is a good and innovative idea to use in the classroom because nearly every student has a cell phone and would be willing to use it in school, even if it was for learning. Cell phones are able to do so much, and most of them even have internet access.Cell phones definitely coincide with the Gretzky Principle and skating towards the horizon. 

Finally, there is the far-term horizon. Without question, the Augmented Reality Shooter is very interesting and could prove to be extremely valuable in the classroom. Though the video depicted a zombie game, there could be other games that could provide and educational purpose for students that they will enjoy. In addition, the game is interactive which would get students up and moving. I think this is also important. Students get restless sitting in desks all day. AR could get them up and out of their seats.  

ETE 100: Prompt 6

Discuss how you have witnessed the evolution of technology integration in society and in the classroom during your lifetime – from the when you were a student in elementary school to present.

When I was in school, technology was never used. Teacher had large PCs, but they were not used for attendance, grades, or school work. We did have one computer class. We would use a CD ROM to play math games and learn how to type. For a lot of students, this just seemed like a break from regular class time. At my house, we had one large home computer. No one really got on it. As kids, my siblings and I had to ask permission to get on dial-up internet because otherwise it would interfere with the home phone. If my parents had cell phones, they hardly used them because they only had a certain number of minutes. 

Towards middle school, class was still based on work in school. Teachers still did not use computers to take attendance, and although some teachers had newer computers, they were not used very often. It was a big deal when our teachers told us something had to be typed. I remember I would always need to ask my parents for help with typing, because otherwise it would take to long. The main program we would use would be Microsoft Word to write papers or type out things for big posters. Even typed papers were rare assignments. Unrelated to school work, I was constantly getting on my computer at home to get on the internet and play games. I got a Facebook in 7th grade, when it was not nearly as popular. More and more of my friends were getting cellphones, a simple flip phone that could only call people and maybe send 50 text messages and month. I, however, did not have a cell phone in high school. 

During my years in high school, computers and technology use became increasingly more significant in high school. I took a computer class, a financial aid class using computers, and nearly all of my papers were typed. This was the time period where the school systems were all converting to electronic use to take attendance online and so on. I remember they used a program called SIS (student information system) which never seemed to be working. Students could access their grades online. No classroom assigned homework online though. A couple of smart boards were used, which was very different from the projectors used in middle school and elementary school. Nearly everyone had a cell phone, but those were always band in classrooms and even in the hallways during class. My cousin went to a private high school, where every student was issued a lap top. I always thought that this was a good idea and as technology advances, then perhaps more technology like iPads, Kindles, and lap tops will be used in school.  

Technology is very different than it was when I first began school. It's crazy to think I will be able to tell my kids I was born before the internet. Though technology was rarely used in my childhood it will be something to work on when I am the one teaching and trying to incorporate more and more technology into the classroom. 

ETE 100: Prompt 5

Discuss how you plan to integrate technology in your classroom in order to enhance the teaching and learning process and achieve the five educational standards identified by ISTE for teachers.

There are many ways to integrate technology in the classroom if one does their research. It is important to have technology in the classroom because it has become such a hedge stone in today's society. If teachers can utilize technology in the classroom students will be able to benefit. 

As a teacher, I think it is a good idea for students to get feedback. One way students can do this is read a book and then post a short journal response on a blog. Then other students can comment and give their own thoughts, allowing them to have a good discussion. This meets standard number 2, which is communication and collaboration. Another use of standard 2 would allow students to have an email partner in another country. This is a good way for students to communicate with someone different them themselves and even learn about a different culture. 

A good way for students to be creative would be to have them create a product and make a page for it online. This meets standard number 1 and 6. Students would create a new page and make it there own. In addition, students would also understand how to work the technology. 

A classroom page where students can talk to one another and the teacher would be a useful tool in and outside of the classroom. This page would have the homework assignments as well. This also goes along with standard 2. 

Finally, an interesting way to start the day and meet ISTE standard number 3 is to go onto Google everyday and click on the Google sign to find out what it signifies. Students would be able to take 10 minutes to research the topic and learn about what it is. This is an interesting way for students to be aware with what is going on in the world and learn something different than their normal studies. 

There are of course, many more ways to incorporate technology into the classroom. For example, iPads and Kindles are a great use for reading as well as learning games. As a teacher, it is important for me to make class intriguing and technology is one way to make this happen. I will constantly keep an eye out for new ideas and new ways to use technology in the classroom.

ETE 100: Prompt 4

Describe how you can apply the current use/role technology plays in the day-to-day life of students

(include social networking) in your classroom to help achieve the six educational standards identified by ISTE for students.

There are many ways to use technology for every day use in the classroom and meet the ISTE standards. The first standard is creativity and innovation. The students can create many things online including wikipages, Prezis, YouTube videos and even Facebook groups. When students need to present, the world of technology is open for them to use to present in new and create ways instead of merely creating a PowerPoint slide or slapping information down on a poster. 

The second ISTE standard for students is communication and collaboration. It is a great idea for students to have a Facebook group and communicate through the Facebook group about what they have learned that day, homework questions, and so on. Blogging is also a good idea for students to communicate through. Students could post their papers or ideas on a blog and other students could have a discussion through comments and feedback. This is also a great way to share ideas online and work as groups together. The great thing about the internet is that everyone in the world has access to it and students in America can cooperate with students from other parts of the world. 

Next, the ISTE standard for students is to research information and fluency. Students are already constantly Googling information for their papers or researching ideas for topics to write about online. It is a great idea to allow students to research information online and have them blog about it daily. However, it is important for students to recognize the difference between reliable websites and ones that the information may not be entirely correct on, such as Wikepedia. 

Standard of ISTE addresses critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making. A great practice for students is to go online and do their homework  for practice problems. This is a fun way for students to practice their critical thinking and problem solving as well as working on their skills. For example, there is a website called Freerice.com. Teachers can create a group on this website and students can practice their vocabulary. The great thing is that for every answer students get correct, they donate ten grains of rice to help feed hungry children. There are a dozen other websites online that are similar to this website but for other content areas, like math or science. 

The fifth standard of the ISTE is digital citizenship. Online bullying has recently become a problem in the world and particularly in schools. I think it is important for students to go online and maybe keep a journal to report some online bullying they might see when they go online. In addition, it is important for students to learn what is acceptable to go on when they are online and the importance of being nice to others online. Learning this in the classroom from an early age can prevent the bullying that may not go on in school, but also outside of the classroom. 

The final ISTE standard is to understand technology operations and concepts. It is important to give a small tutorial to make sure students understand how to work Microsoft Word or how to upload a podcast. If there is new technology out there (which there always will be) it is important that students are using it. For example, in ten years there may be a new social networking site or form of Skype. Students should understand how to use this new technology and explore with it. It may help them to be assigned homework with the new social networking site such as creating a page or a group and then using this site in the classroom.

Reading over these standards, I realized that technology in the classroom is not something I always thought about. I worry more about the subjects I will need to teach. However, technology is almost like its own subject and it needs to be taught just as much as other subject needs to be taught. It is just as important that students learn a little bit about technology everyday and utilize the technology they have as it is important to learn English or Science.