My Fundemental Beliefs About Technology In Education

What effective use of technology can, and should, help a school become:

Guiding Statement 1

I envision an effective school using technology to let kids be kids, teachers teach, and allowing all educational community members to work smarter not harder, while utilizing skills that are needed for the 21st Century Work Force.

Technology should be implemented into an educational setting to make completion of tasks easier. That is not to say that meaningful learning should not occur, but tasks that are able to be simplified by technology should be. The simplest illustration of this would be using a word processing document to complete an essay comparing and contrasting two time periods.  The task of writing an essay is still completed, and the skills required are still used; however, completed easier than with pen and paper. Technology should free teachers from secondary, yet required, aspects of their job such as grading, collection of assignments, planning, meetings, memos, and other such items; therefore, freeing their time and efforts to their primary roles of creating meaningful learning activities and caring for their students.

      In a similar fashion, technology should free students from extra work that distracts from meaningful learning. Technology should be implemented for improving student achievement and nothing else. Not for bells or whistles, not for bragging rights, but solely to help students succeed. If we can make students lives easier in terms of work load we can increase their learning load. Basic skills such as research, constructing knowledge, and critical thinking should not be rendered obsolete by technology, but rather enhanced.

Guiding Statement 2

I envision a school where student’s casual knowledge of technology is bridged into academia through relevant and meaningful learning activities.  

      Technology skills should not be taught in a vacuum. Technology should be taught technology while exploring content. Students do not need a class on PowerPoint. They can learn PowerPoint while completing a project where PowerPoint is the medium in which they demonstrate their understanding. Students in today’s schools have never known life without the World Wide Web. This means that students know enough to be dangerous. This prior technological knowledge can be beneficial, but can also interfere with meaningful learning. Students with this knowledge are accustomed to instant point and click gratification. If want an answer they Google it. This is an example of ineffective learning through technology. As educators it is our job to tap into the prior knowledge these students have regarding technology and shape it for the purpose of meaningful learning not just point and click learning.

Guiding Statement #3

I envision an educational community dedicated to conservation, a goal which technology can facilitate.

If change in our world, society, or community is going to occur it will begin in education. Creative and critical thinking is needed to solve the world’s problems.  These problems consist of resource depletion. All resources are scarce and choices must be made on how to ensure responsible use of these resources so future generations can enjoy an improved quality of life. It was said that computers will replace paper. That vision has yet to become reality in our society. Schools, though effective use of technology can impact the world not just by educating the leaders of tomorrow, but by ensuring that there is a tomorrow for those leaders. Teaching students how to use technology to conserve resources is just as vital of a skill as teaching them how to use a word processing program.

In an educational community guided by the previous statements one would see…

Teachers using technology to:

Ø       Effectively limit time taken away from instruction

o        Collecting/passing out paperless assignments via e-mail drop boxes

o        Automatic rubrics that grade student’s assignments when submitted to the e-mail drop boxes. This rubric software takes teacher created criteria and scans the student submission for level of completion. The software then provides teacher created feedback. This is a quicker way to proved feedback for students and frees teachers to concentrate on instruction and students

o        Developing lesson plans through standard based objective driven data bases such as marcopolo that teachers can adapt to their needs

o        Communicate with parents, colleagues, and students in an effective manner; however keeping in mind that education is a profession where physical presence is required to positively influence/impact lives of young men and women

Ø       Creating lessons and instructional activities that teach technology skills through content

Ø       Become liberated from “extra-work” and experiencing the joy that comes with teaching

o        Working smarter not harder in order to enjoy time with their students, family and, passions which recharge the creative and caring spirit that educators possess and need to be effective

Ø       Participating in technology mediated professional development

o        Learning technological skills and instruction techniques that enhance student learning and achievement

o        Critically evaluating new technology to ensure effective teaching can occur with each new device

o        Collaborating with other educators to enhance and upgrade their curriculum

o        Celebrating best practices

Students using technology to:

Ø       Effectively limit time taken away from learning

o        Turning in  paperless assignments via e-mail drop boxes

o        Reflecting on previous assignments and assessments to ensure  that assessment is of and for learning

Ø       Uncovering topics rather than covering

Ø       Engaging in real world authentic assessments

Ø       Developing skills needed to participate in today’s economic environment

o        Collaboration

o        Critical thinking

o        Information Literacy

Ø       Being active engaged learners

Ø       Learn needed digital skills through content

Ø       Address essential questions and issues that affect their life

Ø       Seek relevance of school related curriculum         

Ø       Become liberated from “school work” and experiencing the joy that comes with learning

o        Working smarter not harder in order to enjoy time with their family, friends  and, develop their passions which create informed citizens of the world

An educational community using technology to:

Ø       Linking school and community through collaboration and cooperation

Ø       Communicate effectively to foster relationships

Ø       Ensure resource conservation

Ø       Accomplishing womb to tomb education

KSP 621 Final Course Reflection

An overarching theme that I kept coming back to me while engaging in the learning experiences offered in this course was that LME professionals must promote their resources and their knowledge and skills base.  The readings from the course drove this point home, while the activities such as our reference evaluation and examination of a reference product provided a chance to practice skills that will be needed, such as advocacy and promotion,  on a regular basis in the profession.

The course reflections enabled me to draw up plans of action, taking the course activities and experiences and bridging them into my current practice. Using this medium, a blog format, to present and record my reflections will be an invaluable piece in recalling completed tasks.

A lingering question about the future of reference, sparked by this course is, how to best advocate for the reference services that individuals such as LME’s provide. In this course we examined why and even how to advocate, but never identified research based best practices that have proven effective. I gained valuable insight into effective ways that my peers have advocated, and I know that one way might not be successful in all situations; however, I wonder if extensive quantitative research has been done in this area.

Dragon Dictate App for I Pod Touch

    I have been working with a teacher who has a student that cannot type. The teacher came to me with a goal of the student being able to engage in word processing applications to complete basic school work tasks. The student had been using the software Dragon Dictate on a computer; however, the student was frustrated that the software was not accurate.
    I looked into the free Dragon App from I Tunes and how it would work with our I-Pod Touches we have on inventory. The app version is very clear and accurate. The only step left was to bring the text from Dictate into a usable form. The steps below lay out a simple and easy plan for students who need similar accommodations. Please note that these steps could be applied on an I-Phone, I-Pad, or I-Pod Touch.
   1. Download free Dragon Dictate App from I-Tunes
   2. Set up your e-mail account on your device. I suggest utilizing your Hotmail, GMail, etc. for the simple fact that you will not need to mess with ensuring domain/server settings.
   3. Dictate into your device
   4. Tap the icon in the lower right hand corner- select send to e-mail
   5. Send the text to your e-mail account
   6. Copy and paste into your word processing software
   7. Edit and save as needed.

Review of Scheurman's and Newman's Educational Construct

I was first introduced to Scheurman and Newman during undergraduate work at the Minnesota State University, Mankato in a Social Studies methods class. Scheurman and Newman wrote an article for Social Education (1998 pp. 23-25) entitled Authentic Intellectual Work in Social Studies: Putting Performance before Pedagogy. The article helped to inspire me as a professional educator and is the basis fort this summary document.

G. Scheurman is an associate professor of teacher education, at the University of Wisconsin -River Falls. Joining the faculty at UW-River Falls in 1993, Scheurman taught middle school and high school in Douglas, Wyoming. He holds a doctorate in educational psychology with emphases in lifespan intellectual development, constructivist learning theory, and intrinsic motivation from the University of Iowa. His bachelor's and master's degrees are from the University of Wyoming.

F. M. Newman is a professor of curriculum and instruction at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and was director of the Center on Organization and Restructuring of Schools.

Newman and Scheurman weigh in on the debate between what they call transmission teachers: those who expect students in their classrooms to memorize a preordained set of information and master a specific set of skills, and constructivist educators: teachers who design discovery projects and active learning lessons. Newman and Scheurman believe that neither style of teaching will achieve the goals of social education alone. They argue that what is needed is a set of criteria that ensures that teachers are designing curriculum that enable students to participate in authentic intellectual achievement, that is, applying knowledge (facts, insights, theories, and concepts) to specific areas of society. They use an example of a US Attorney to describe their position. An attorney must have background knowledge on laws, previous cases/rulings, social/political insights, and skills such as reason and personality. They cannot simply have the knowledge; they must also present that knowledge in such a way to their audience to ensure the best representation for their client.

Newman and Scheurman state that significant intellectual activities need to have three benchmarks to ensure their effectiveness in the classroom. All activities should be judged according to the ability to have students construct knowledge, engage in disciplined inquiry, and have students see the value of the activity beyond school. Newman and Scheurman feel that too many schools have tried to focus on pedagogical techniques and the process of creating knowledge with the hopes of increasing student performance. They believe that that approach is backward. Social studies teachers should focus on the quality of student intellectual work then allow the nature of that performance to guide how they teach.

This belief can add value to the classroom in that it gives educators a way to design meaningful authentic activities that ensure the students aren’t just doing an activity in a vacuum, but rather are completing activities that are ensuring the use of learned ,needed, knowledge. The worry of some that projects are fun and not effective will eventually fade as this criterion is implemented into the course work.

Technology can facilitate this belief of education by allowing the core beliefs to be put into practice. Technology can enhance all three areas of criteria needed to design Authentic Intellectual Achievement. Technology allows students to access a wealth of knowledge needed to meet the “Construction of Knowledge” aspect. Online reference resources are invaluable tools in this respect. If students are taught proper procedures for using technology they will be able to fully engage in “Disciplined Inquiry.” Finally technology can generate many teachable moments to ensure that the students can see “Value Beyond School”

The combination of Scheurman’s and Newman’s views with effective implementation of instructional technology can ensure that students either in a chalk-and-talk or constructivist classroom are achieving authentic intellectual studies within their discipline.

KSP 621 Graduate Course Reflection #2: Reflection of Modules 3-9

Reflection 2

Over the past few course modules, the main theme appears to be effective ways to find information. I view this as the single most important service a Library Media Educator can offer a customer, whether it is a student, parent, or teacher. I view my main goal as to assist them in becoming proficient searchers, but during this teaching phase, they still need their immediate needs met. This involves asking the right questions to identify what they are specifically looking for. Providing insight into the most effective/efficiently way of finding their information, and finally assisting them in evaluating the information are all steps that need to be accomplished. Customers must have their needs met quickly and efficiently or they will simply fall back on search techniques that they are comfortable with, which could lead to decreased support for the media center, but more importantly increased search time for the customer (an interesting Catch 22- if we as LME’s do not meet their needs, they will perceive that their method is quicker, when it is normally not, just “easier “ in their minds.

     In order to become a better educator of searching I first had to know my customers and what they default to, which for the majority of information seekers is Google. I then had to take a look at my own search habits to see if I was effective. If I can improve my searching and identify my bad habits, I can be a better educator for others. I have described these aspects in the information that follows.

 Beyond Google

I know that the most effective way to find e information is to learn how to utilize peer reviewed electronic databases; once their language is learned. However, Students will continue to use Google or similar search engines by default. It is just the way they come “programmed” us. As a result of this I have taught lessons on “Speaking the Language of Databases and Google” , where we compare the results, and syntax needed to effectively use these two types of information storage/retrieval devices.

I have also had to admit that I must become better at using Google in order to help my students. I have utilized, in countless ways, the syntax parameters of Google since examining these modules I am learning to speak another language… Googlease. The motivation to learn this language is not just to assist me in becoming a more proficient searcher, but to help my students. The fact of the matter is that my students are going to use Google, no matter how much we show them that using peer reviewed electronic databases is more efficient (once their language is learned). If students are going to use it anyway, it is up to me to have them use it in a manner that is for “good instead of evil.” One way that I am attempting to create this culture is through the following activity, an adapted Google Game approach. I am not the creator of the Google Game and credit should be given to Watkins and Elder for their great work.

Students compete for prizes daily. The must answer a question, using Google, and the searcher with the least amount of “hits” on their search phrase while answering the question correctly wins. This, along with a question of the day, a scavenger hunt that can only be answered using reference materials, and handouts on the "google Language" have not only increased student usage of the Media Center during free periods, but has also improved students search techniques, as described by classroom teachers.

     My Own Search Behaviors

For approximately two weeks, I gave caution to the wind in terms of privacy and allowed Google, to keep track of my Google Searches (the data below is a little skewed as my wife was logged in under my account when she was searching as well- hence some searches dealing with baby clothes). When examining my search habits it is apparent that when using Google I…..

1.      Do not spend more than 30 seconds looking at my results

a.      Implication- I need to practice patience when examining the results. This is a behavior I have often tried to correct in my students

2.      Do not click on more than 3 results before rephrasing my search results

a.      Positive Implication- I try different strategies

b.      Negative Implication- Again, lack of patience, and this could indicate I need to create a better search phrase the first time.  Mintex has resources that could help me and therefore help my students in developing their search phrases.  http://www.minitex.umn.edu/elm/

3.      I rely on allintitle- syntax more than any other type of syntax

a.      Implication- I need to implement other syntax strategies to be a better assistant to my students. If I do not have experience using other syntax- I cannot advocate when to use it.

4.      I use Google when I know what I am looking for

a.      I normally know the website that I am trying to reach, I am just lazy and do not want to type the URL into the address bar. This is neither a negative nor positive- I am using a tool to get me what I want. Just an observation.

Using other internet search engines has also informed me of ways to teach students. Below is an examination of other types of search engines. I will utilze this, and similar knowledge during my interview phase of the infmoation gathering cycle with my students. By being familiar with other types of search engines and their characteristics (including Pros/Cons) and learning the search preferences of my customer, I can custom tailor a search process that will best meet their needs.

Topic of Search: Economic Systems (mixed, market, command, etc)- looking for a site that will teach us about the different types of economic systems.

Type/Brand of Search Engine1- Hierarchical/ www.yahoo.com

Search Attempts:

1. Economics---

a.      Returned many edu’s/orgs

b.      Took me a while to realize that the directory categories were at the top of the page- very small font whereas the site listings appeared in large font further on down the page and caught my attention first

c.      In order to be efficient and effective you have to know a good deal about your topic- IE- I know about economics and I know which categories economic systems might fall under (political economics as an example)

d.      Problem with categories is that not all information can fit into one category

e.      Unsuccessful in finding exactly what I was looking for just going off of my initial search

2. Searched Economics again but went into a directory that Yahoo had linked to

 .        Was able to utilize various websites to find out about different types of economic systems

a.      http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/home.cfm- site where I found the information describing the different types of Economic Systems- was brought to this link having prior knowledge about what types of sites would teach me about economic concepts

Reflection

• Seemed to provide high quality sources that were valid (edu’s/org’s)
• Site explanation's were very helpful- allowed me to make an informed decision
• Very difficult if I did not know about my topic. It did provide high quality sites with valid information.
• I would utilize this engine if I had in-depth knowledge about the topic I was looking for. I would not use this engine if I was doing a search to gain initial entry level information
• Clean and organized, the high quality, low volume results that are returned make it easy to select the resource you want.
• I would avoid using this site with primary students. When educating secondary students in an LME role, I would suggest that students come to this engine after they have some useable resources to elaborate or validate their information
• The directory approach might be used in a general brainstorming manner. By that I mean, if you have a large topic in mind that you want to research, you could enter it into the directory search and find different facets of the topic that you could then focus your research on.

Type/Brand of Search Engine 2 (younger learners) Kid Friendly-  www.kidsclick.org \

Search Attempts
    1. Keyword Search for Economic Systems- gave me country profiles
    2. Category Search for Economics
        I had to start with society and government- did not have economics listed
    3. Alphabetical search ‘E”
        Did not have economics
           4. How are kids supposed to use the Dewey without the Key to the numbers?
Reflection:

• This is more of a secondary school topic so that may have an impact on the ability to find information
• Very easy to navigate, particularly for younger students.
• Plenty of teaching opportunities could stem from this
  • Instructing on the Dewey Decimal System
  • Examine the categories- have students predict what topic would be in each category prior to viewing. Create lists and compare. Working
• I went to Kent State’s School of Information Science (as they created and maintain the site) to examine any possible resources to utilize; however, I was unsuccessful.
• When you do find a result in your criteria there are normally only one to two results. This is very “kid” friendly in that they might not get overwhelmed with a large amount of hits. As a LME we could instruct students in determining if it is a result they would like. The amount of information returned with a result is also very assertive. Reading level, an in-depth description and explanation of other features (for example if illustrations are present  of the website are listed

Summary

Engaging in the last few weeks of course work has armed me with tools to aid my customers in their search process. I must be an effective interviewer, in order to start the process, and then direct the customer in the proper direction (Web, print materials, electronic databases, etc). Finally an exit interview enables me to ensure their needs are fully met.  

    

References:

American Library Association (1998). Information power building partnerships for learning. Chicago and London: American Library Association

Elder , K , & Watkins , K. (2006). School library journal: the google game. Retrieved from http://www.libraryjournal.com/slj/articlesinfoliteracy/864152-348/the_google_game.html.csp

 

Infromation Literacy Model

Please find a link to a paper I wrote in response to a task in one of my current graduate courses. We were required to create a information literacy curriculum model (a plan to teach students the necessary skills and content to be information literate) and reflect on what we learned. I hate reflections in formal papers as I am a believer that the writing in formal papers does not lend itself to reflection (IE- personal pronouns should not be used in my opinion in a formal research paper; however, it was part of the task). I look forward to discourse on the points I raised.



http://www.scribd.com/doc/51655786/Tromblee-Information-Literacy-Model