Reflecting on my learning!

What have I learned from taking this course?

I have learned A LOT!  I realized pretty early on in module 1, that I was NOT as technology savvy as I thought I was.   As I went through each module, reading and reflecting, I began to understand more of what is expected in an online learning classroom.  I, also, learned that: YES, my 8 year old,  knew MORE than I did about this technology "stuff."  OUCH!!!  I thought that I was doing good, by knowing how to use the projectors, computers, and the Mobi (thing) in the classrooms, I have subbed in.  When I sub for a teacher that I know, I would ask them, "Have you ever heard of or use...?"  Most of the teachers I asked, would say yes and that they used this or that almost every day!  Wait...WHAT???!!!  Almost EVERY day??!!!!  Yikes!  Boy, oh boy, am I glad I am taking this course!!!

Quotes from the readings that made me think:

1. "The role of the teacher is changing."     ---Yikes!!!
2. "Other digital innovations are simply tools that allow teachers to do the same age-old practices but in digital format." (Micheal Fullan)      ---Okay, I already do this!  I use the computer, and a projector. (I hope a projector counts?!)
3. "A constant digital presence can actually work against many of the things we want in our students: focus, reflection, critical thinking, and contemplation." (Tiffany Ford)          ---Yes, YES...a constant digital presence can sometime negatively impact a students learning.  I see this in my children sometimes!  
4. "You can't motivate studnets with technology because technology alone isn't motivating."   (Bill Ferriter)     --- I agree with this...because I sometimes am NOT motiviated by technology, it is more like annoyed!  So I need to make the technology that is available, appealing!
5. "Online assessment is an invaluable, timesaving technology tool."  (Lorrie Jackson)     ---I can see online assessment beign a time saver in upper grades, I am not sure if it would be in lower grades.  (Something to look into.)
6. "The pearl of wisdom here is that if a learner's working memory in full, the excess information will just drop out-as in disappear.  (Connie Malamed)     ---Alright!  So this explains why students forget things??!!  No not really...Not sure I am a true believer of this quote!
7. The "internet etiquette is based on the Golden Rule."     ---The Golden Rule applies everywhere!!

Resources
http://sweetclipart.com/multisite/sweetclipart/files/communication_icons_white.png
http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/chunking-information/
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech125.shtml
http://smartblogs.com/education/2012/08/17/are-kids-really-motivated-technology
http://blog.tophat.com/digital-pedagogy-overview-best-practices-and-pitfalls/
http://doverdlc.blogspot.ca/2013/06/the-rat-samr-transformative-technology.html
ttp://www.onlineprogramhowto.org/teachers/role-of-teacher/
http://www.networketiquette.net/
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/f3/2c/be/f32cbe16d8d75b3ea9633bcbd83c9c33.jpg
http://www.prn.bc.ca/ss/k5DL/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/I-am-a-digital-citizen-poster.png
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBcZqV_-Xsts3eyzZvu-GYJyAj_m0Ey7Dt7x5vz3KknCkdQ4HK5qCvj9FqQ3zTX532vcPS2dNEJamk_ahJfPXl5J94FsLf8Sec9QPpEU42weXTRtsAYQHWViuH6QJJ0lfcZgMhkEQMvg/s1600/School_Clip_Art_160.jpg

Daniel Pink's Video

  

Daniel Pink's Video

  
   I thought this video was interesting! I thought it was interesting that the higher the incentive the worse the performance. I know this was meant for a business model, but I could really relate what he was saying to the classroom. 
   
   It really made me think about how we offer rewards in the classroom.  I have personally worked with a few students that rewards worked for a short time, then the student did not care about the rewards anymore.    
  
   In a classroom that I subbed in, had one student that rewards did not work well.  The student did not respond to any type of reward that was offered. This child simply did not care.  Even taking away privileges did not work most of the time. It is very hard to work with a student that just does not care.  I spoke with the teacher and she told me that she had tried everything she could think of.  This student was just very, very smart and knew it.  So this student did not feel the need to complete or attempt the work.


   
   I think it would be interested to implement an opportunity for students to have time to research a topic that interests them, that may not be taught in their classroom. If the students are only told to decide on a topic to research then come up with a way to present what they have learned. I wonder what their learning would look and sound like.  What type of project would they present?  

  

   I found the building blocks to be interesting.  The building block in David Pink's video are:

• Autonomy - the urge to direct our own lives.
• Mastery - the desire to get better at something that matters.
• Purpose - the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves.

  What would a classroom look like if we, as teachers, added these building blocks to our lessons?

  I wonder if the students would be more eager to learn.  I think if our students had the urge, desire, and yearning to learn, our jobs would be so much easier.  If a teacher can find a way to spark those three things in his/her students then what students can learn is limitless.

Resource

-Daniel Pink's The Puzzle of Motivation

-http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/rewards-d-word-stars-prize-incentive-bonus-enticement-colorful-illustrating-reward-good-performance-to-encourage-47493081.jpg

-https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.M31b362a56cefc908b5e38960d6f23cdao0&pid=15.1&P=0&w=198&h=171

http://img3.custompublish.com/getfile.php/1843108.2013.ssbbccebps/250x0/5430887_1843108.png

-http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2011/03/Learning-is-Fun.jpg

Digital Footprint

What role can we as teachers have in making sure that our students have a positive footprint?

I think that we need to start teaching students the proper way to use the internet from a very early age. I believe that students need to begin learning "online behavior" in kindergarten.  In kindergarten, students begin learning about digital footprints.  Basically just teaching them that everything they do on the internet can be traced back to them.  We do not want to scare them, but they need to understand that what they put on the internet is there for the rest of their lives. 

I do not think that we need to have a long list of "internet safety rules."  However, the students need to know what is expected of them.  Each year after kindergarten, we need to build on their understanding of a digital footprint.  

Once they are in the middle elementary grades, then we need to begin teaching about online honesty and internet etiquette.  Online honesty, basically refers to not cheating on online tests and doing their own work.  Internet etiquette is "treat others the way you want to be treated." (Persian Royalty)  The older the students get, the more likely they are to have some sort of social networking site.  And the Golden Rule, that we teach our students/children applies to the social networks too!  

What does my digital footprint look like?

Well, my digital footprint is almost nonexistent.  I researched myself and found that I have a Facebook and a Pinterest account.  I think that to keep my footprint positive, I will remain on the path I have been following, when it comes to using social networks.  I use the rule, that if I am not comfortable saying to or in front of my parents and/or my children, then it does not go on my social network site.  



Resources:
http://digitalcitizenshipdr.wikispaces.com/file/view/footprints2s.gif/323763896/footprints2s.gif
http://www.networketiquette.net/
https://acampbell99.wordpress.com/2013/02/08/why-teaching-digital-citizenship-doesnt-work/
http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles/2012/11/26/online-education-programs-tackle-student-cheating
http://comps.canstockphoto.com/can-stock-photo_csp9428325.jpg

Curating Resources

How would/do I curate my resources 

as a regular part of my planning?

Since I am only substituting currently, I am curating ideas for my future classroom.  I try to find activities that I can use with various grade levels.  

I currently use Pinterest when I am setting up a future unit.  I like to label the folder with what the unit will be.  Then I can just pin all the activities or information that I think I might like to use on day.  

The Eric Carle unit that I have curated, I have actually used in a Kindergarten classroom.  I curated this file because I was giving the opportunity to plan my own unit using Eric Carle books.  I spent several hours planning and pinning this unit.
This is my Eric Carle folder:

https://www.pinterest.com/jessicarau/eric-carle

This is my Dr. Seuss folder that I have curated:

https://www.pinterest.com/jessicarau/dr-suess/

In the future when I have my own classroom, I believe that curating using Pinterest will be a part of my weekly lesson planning.  When I am planning a unit, i will begin with what standards I plan on covering.  Then I will begin the process of looking for activities and different way to use technology in the lessons.  While I am looking I will pin what I think I might want to use.  Finally, when it is time to put the lessons in my plan book, I will be able to refer back to that unit on Pinterest and pick what pins I want to use!

I feel that there are many ideas and activities out there. Other teachers have put  their own ideas on there for our use.  Teachers are so busy with so many other aspects of their profession, they do not have time to reinvent the wheel.  We can just borrow others ideas.









Resources:
-https://lingos.wordpress.com
-http://www.clipshrine.com/
-http://www.econtentmag.com/Articles/Resources/Defining-EContent/What-is-Content-Curation-79167.htm

Moving Mindset

Will Technology Work for me in 
Lower Grade Classrooms?

I think I would like to add more technology to the lower grade classrooms.  I feel that our digital native students need the technology to enable them to be better more well rounded students.  I am very willing to make this change.  I want to help my students have a more hands on approach to learning.

However, with doing this in the lower grades, I feel that as a teacher I will have to help them with their personal learning.  I do not think that students in the lower grades need to learn only from technology.  They need to have a balance of technology and hands on learning.  Having technology readily available for all students, will help the students that do not have access to technology at home.

Even though, I am very willing to add as much technology as possible into the lower grades, I am not sure that it will be easily possible, due to the fact that some students may not be ready for the technology.  I feel that it would be hard to allow the students to use much technology at the beginning on the Kindergarten year.  I would begin the kindergarten students off with learning technology safety.  I feel that teaching the students how to be safe and use the technology to benefit them, is very important.  

I worry about giving students to much technology time will effect their divergent thinking.  I want my students to continue to be creative and imaginative thinkers.  I feel it can be challenging to balance physical book time and technology time.

As the teacher, when using the technology in the classroom, I believe that I must be able to demonstrate and have a great understanding of  the best way to incorporate the technology and be competent in being able to explain how to use the technology.  I would chose to use the iNACOL standards.  Being that in the lower grades technology would just being introduced to the students, I would pick and choose which standards I would use.  I would want to be able to incorporate the iNACOL standards with the current state educational standards.

Resources
-Engaging digital Natives Video
-Before Bringing in New tools, You Must First Bring in New Thinking
      By:Mark Prensky
-http://www.onlineprogramhowto.org/teachers/role-of-teacher/
-http://fun2binfirst.blogspot.com/

Authentic Assessment

Is authentic assessment possible in every subject area?

        
      Yes, I believe that authentic assessment is possible in every subject area.  However, the key to authentic assessment is that the teacher and students MUST care about the curriculum.  I do not think that every lesson that is taught can have an authentic assessment attached to it.  The teacher needs to pick and choose when to use authentic assessment.

Can all grade levels demonstrate mastery?

     Yes, all grade levels can demonstrate mastery  through authentic assessment.  In the lower elementary grades, the students can make a poster or perform a skit.  This will show that the students understand and retained the lesson that was taught.  In the upper grades, the students can perform a skit, do experiments, journaling, or produce a video.  This will show that they learned the material.

Is it practical for teachers to complete these types of assessments in the high stakes testing environment?

     Absolutely!!!  Students need feedback outside of high stakes/standardized testing!!  As a teacher, we need to supply our students with lower stakes assessments.  These assessments provide our students with the ability to be creative and use resources not available with high stakes testing.  When students are giving the opportunity to own their learning and use different methods of expressing what they have learned, they will be more engaged.

Resources:
-http://oureverydaylife.com/definition-authentic-assessment-useful-students-special-needs-    6725.html
-http://tamaravrussell.blogspot.com
-chenloyola.wordpress.com
-http://successimg.com
-http://www.edutopia.org/10-assessment-tips-for-class
-http://www.brighthub.com/education/online-learning/articles/35429.aspx