Reflective Post

Reflective Post: Transforming Learning With New Technologies

Photo from Flickr, Credited to: Partriaziasoliani

In this age of new technologies, it's to anyone's advantage to increase his/her skills in the effective application of electronic devices.  Taking a class such as this is a definite step in that direction.  For someone who was practically illiterate in the area of digital devices, my experience in this course has been very engaging and insightful.  I've not only been made aware of the prevalent existence of this scientific knowledge, but learning about its effectiveness in the classroom setting has truly opened my eyes to a new and fascinating world in education.  The textbook for this course titled "Transforming Learning With New Technologies", is filled with terminology which enables novices like me to identify and relate to specific expressions and subjects.  The course textbook is also filled with rich and relevant information, helping students and instructors to effectively navigate through the lessons. 

The hands-on experience in the course, for me, has made the biggest difference in my learning.  It one thing to tell a student how to do something, but when you allow a student to get a feel of doing something by putting his/her hands on it, the learning is then taking to a whole new level.  The student engagements in the course assignments have been priceless for the learning experience.  Being able to engage in discussion posts by sharing thoughts and information has added a different element to the learning experience.  Using new technologies can be intimidating enough, but learning and engaging together in the learning process can also add some fun to the experience.  Collaborative learning has been the best part of the learning experience for me.  I able to learn better in a group setting, not just because of the fun element, but each team member is able to bring a different perspective and skill that's helpful to other members of the group.  The experience of seeing how technology can level the playing field for special needs students has also been one of great awareness and knowledge.

Aside from all of the excitement of learning with new technologies in the course, another thing that has been helpful is finding out about the legal and ethical practices which come with using such technologies.  I was not aware of the legal usage or copyright laws that accompanies utilizing photos.  Thankfully, I'm learning about how to give proper credit to people for their photo work.  I've learned that through a site called Creative Commons, permission has already been granted to use photos and only artist credit is needed.  

Because Technology is changing the way that we are learning, it is imperative that high standards be placed, not just upon students, but teachers as well.  Educators from around the world are working together to help transform the educational realm with NETS (National Eduactional Technology Standards).  This will not only help students to improve critical thinking skills, but being educated with new technologies will allow them to compete globally in the job market against many other skilled and technologically inclinded candidates.  (ISTE, 2012)

Resources

ISTE, (2012)  ISTE and the ISTE Standards.  Web, 2012. Retrieved 23 Apr 2014 from http://www.iste.org/standards

Journal Post # 11

What is Digital Inequality and the Participation Gap?

Photo Credit to flickr: alexandraacosta1

We have made leaps and bounds in the age of new technology.  When I was growing up in my childhood years I can remember playing a game called Atari. It was more like little dots and squares moving around the screen as you moved the joystick back and forth, and up and down.  After Atari, the Nintendo was the next best thing.  Shortly thereafter, we had the Super Nintendo.  With each new game installment, the graphics became neater and more realistic.  Now, we have moved on to the world of playstations.  The graphics are so real that we now have more adults playing these games than children.  Technology is fastly taking over the world of activity, entertainment, business, and education. Yet, there seems to be a digital divide between those who use the technology and those who don't.  Some who don't care to use the new technology often times hesitate out of fear of not being electronicallly saavy while others financially cannot afford to keep up with every new digital device which hits the market.  These two dilemmas eventually lead to digital inequality and the participation gap.

So, what is meant by these two terms, "digital inequality" and "participation gap"?  Digital inequality refers to the users of technology who sometimes lack the access, independence, and ability to use the technology.  They may have access to it when they are at school, but whenever they are home, they are not likely to have use the same technology.  Therefore, their skills become very limited as they do not have access to practice or anyone to tutor them about the deeper levels of particular technology usage.  (Sayparn, 2011)  Henceforth, this leads to what is termed as a participation gap.  Not everyone can participate in new technology because not everyone has unlimited access to these technologies.  Because of the limited access to these new digital devices, many are left behind in the area of skill and competency.  (Jenkins, 2008)

Tech Tool 12:1  (Teach with your iPad)
A website established at North Carolina State Universtiy provides strategies about using iPads in the classrooms.  It also provides instructions about iPad apps and accessories. (http://teachwithyouripad.wikispaces.com)

 

Summary & Connection

 

Educators must do their best to help students who have limited access to newer technologies than their peers.  Since much of what is learned today centers around technology and the internet, teachers have a great responsibility to try and level the playing field for those students who are less skilled and capable.  Only by doing this will we be able to take significant steps forward in trying to bridge that gap between digital inequality.

 

Resources:

Jenkins, H., (2008) The Participation Gap: NEA. Retrieved 9 April 2014 from http://www.nea.org/home/15468.htm

 

Maloy, R.W., O'Loughlin, R.E.V., Edwards, S.A., Woolf, B.P. (2014)  Transforming Learning With New Technologies.  Boston, Massachuettes. Pearson

 

Sayparn, M., (2011)  Instructional Technology: Digital Divide Versus Digital Inequality.  Retrieved 9 April 2014 from http://maysayparn.wordpress.com/204/02/07/digital-divide-versus-digital-inequality

 

 

 

 

 





 

 

Journal Post #10

What is Performance Assessment for Teachers and for Students?

Photo courtesy of Garuyo, August 12, 2010

Putting teachers in a classroom with a group of diverse students and asking them to educate those students is one big challenge.  Asking those same students to learn all of the curriculum being taught in less than a year is something even more challenging.  So, as an observer of such, you may ask yourself these questions, "How do the teachers know exactly what students are learning?" or "How does a teacher know what he/she is teaching is being taught in an effective way so that students are grasping the material?" Most importantly one may ask, "What about the students who know the material, but aren't good at test taking?" What helps to answer these types of questions is what is called performance assessment.

So, what is performance assessment?  "Performance assessment...is a form of testing that requires students to perform a task rather than select an answer from a ready-made list." (Sweet, 1993)  In regards to performance assessment for students, sometimes standardized tests are not always a good indicator of what a student has learned or of how effective a teacher may be.  Some good types of performance evaluations involve homework, writing assignments, and group assignments. (Maloy, O'Loughlin, Edwards, & Woolf, 2014)  Students tend to learn better when they are able to explore in their learning environment and use their creative abilities.  Unlike answer taking tests, performanced based learning allows students to sometimes physically grasp the lesson, giving them that hands-on type of learning approach.  This type of learning is known to be more effective for students.

Teachers are also required to receive performance assessments.  A teacher's efforts inside the classroom don't always show up on the student's test scores.  Neither can a job of a teacher be fairly evaluated by a list of written criterion. A principal or supervisor may evaluate a teacher based on a list of standards or student test performances, but these are not always good indicators of a teachers impact in the classroom.  Performance assessment for teachers are similar to students because both stress the importance of hands on interaction as opposed to taken tests.  (Maloy, O'Loughlin, Edwards, & Woolf, 2014).

Tech Tool link:
Most teachers in the classrooms are using interactive whiteboards as a tool to provide lessons and materials to their students. These smart boards are like an extention of a computer. They are utilized in the classroom by teachers as a digital, modern-day blackboard. Projectiles produce images onto these big digital boards, and they act like a computer screen. You can manipulate images on the whiteboard by using your fingers or some other type of tool, just as you would use a mouse on a regular computer. Teachers find these digital boards to be very helpful for presenting group or classroom information, and students find that interactive whiteboards are very helpful tools which provide them with hands on, visual, and auditory learning all in one.

Summary & Connection

Teacher and student assessments are a big part of the educational word today.  Much of the test taking philosophy is losing its power to performance assessment. Interactive assignments which push students creative juices are geared more towards student appraisals than is jotting down a answer in a fill in the blank paper, or some simple multiple choice test. Smart boards and other technological devices are helping students to participate in real-life learning lessons in which students will most likely engage themselves in the real world. With technology-based learning and more of a hands on approach to learning, students and teachers alike are involving themselves in the assessment process.

Resources

Sweet, D., (1993) Performance Assessment. Web. Consumer Guide. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/OR/consumerguides/perfasse.html

Maloy, R.W., O'Loughlin, R.E.V., Edwards, S.A., Woolf, B.P., (2014) Transforming Learning With New Technologies.  Boston, Massachuetts. Pearson