8.1 Animoto

http://animoto.com/play/zdJabIKBYRmgng4zjrypKQ

7-4 Blog: Google Apps

School systems today are continually getting more pressure to improve student learning. Teachers are feeling a rising pressure from federal, state, and local groups to improve student achievement. The use of quality and organized data has become more vital in how educators assess their practices and screen their students’ educational progress. The question is, how do school communities use Google Apps in a meaningful way to improve student learning and teacher’s professional development.
  First is through school wide collaboration. Teachers can sort and share their data utilizing Google spreadsheets. Teachers can increase efficiency utilizing Google docs for sharing and being able to edit and use others information and findings in their pedagogy. For example if a teacher did research on what technologies are working in the classroom to increase student learning’s the data could be organized a shared threw out the school community’s utilizing Google apps.
Second is student engagement utilizing Google Apps. Google Apps are a great tool to publish student’s work. Google Apps provide multiple sharing settings with the intent to share students work threw out the school community. Third is sharing reports, school activity’s with parents.

5-4 Blog: Social Networking

Today, educators have increasing pressures and obligations to prepare students for the ever-changing 21^st century. The jobs of yesterday simple do not exist. Students must be prepared to navigate this new technological world to compete. In addition students need to utilize this technology safely. With that said it is the school community’s obligation to keep digital usage in schools safe with the intent to use digital tools for learning.

Collective web 2.0 digital tools such as Wikis, Instagram and blogs, are being used on a daily bases by our 21^st century learners. These are all common places our students use to socially network. There can be many positive outcomes by integrating social networks into our schools as well as some negatives.

Social networking provides real-world learning and provides students with familiar tools that are being utilized in today’s job markets. Such as blogs to share ideas and finding with other colleagues. Students can utilize class blogs by sharing their ideas and findings on particular class assignment. Teachers can also use this blog for assessments and guidance’s. Social networking can also be a wonderful tool for student engagement because of its popularity amongst our students.

Pitfalls utilizing social networking in schools are possible cyber-bulling amongst students that can be a deterrent aimed at student learning. Another con is keeping students from using the network for negative socializing. There are many more alleged pitfalls in utilizing social networking in schools, but the fact is that school leaders need to keep online interactions positive with the intent to learn. Teachers and administration need to Report any incident of harassment, or anything that is inappropriate on or offline. Leaders need to ensure all of the school community understands the appropriate use of social media. All in all similarities between digital social networking are very much the same as typical social interactions. All social interactions demand the same level of citizenship and consciences for misconduct. 

Blog 3 (PLN)

Personal learning network (or PLN) is a network of colleagues that learn from one another. We have all heard the phrase “why reinvent the wheel” when you can take and use others discovery’s to build upon your own visions and ideas to improve your own pedagogy. In other words if there is a technique or tool a teacher is using to improve student learning, why not learn and use it in your own pedagogy. A personal learning network (or PLN) is a place for educators to create networks to grow and contribute to their own professional development.

The 21^st century learner and educator have an array of web 2.0 tools to utilize while networking. Such as Google Docs, Twitter, Facebook and many more. A great example is using blogger in this class to collaborate and share findings and ideas to improve our integration of digital tools into our school community’s. It is essential that as educators we continue to improve our own pedagogy and a perfect place to speed this process up is on the World Wide Web. Personal learning networks are a convenient and beneficial place to continue to build our professional development.

 

2.2 Blog post-Digital footprint & digital citizenship

          Reflecting on my venture obtaining my masters degree here at southern New Hampshire University I see my digital footprint growing rapidly. While on-line, I can now take courses and receive credit.  Through the medium of the informational superhighway, there is time to capitalize on collaboration, communication and reflection through “midnight chats, email messaging and digital video”(Boone, 2001). All of these hone my professional leadership skills. Utilizing hardware such as my iPhone, iPad, laptop and many more digital tools allow the process of networking to get easier. For example, networking through Blogger utilizing my iPhone anywhere, anytime. Also relying on web 2.0 tools to make life easer. Such as using Freedly cloud to organize my peer’s Blogs all in one location and accessing post by simply clicking on peers name. Please feel free to click on URL to build your own Freedly cloud Feedly Cloud is Now Available .... Although the 21st. century Web is very helpful for learning it is not completely safe and appropriate.
         Boundless amounts of information can be accessed and downloaded with a few strokes of the keys.  Little by little books, magazines, and newspapers are becoming obsolete as the Internet replaces them.  The school community must model and demonstrate digital citizenship. Skills to judge appropriateness on the web are added to life skills for students in the twenty-first century (Roempler, 2001).  The informational superhighway brings a plethora of information; however, not all that should be viewed or explored by minors. The Information Age has brought libraries new wealth, some of which includes smut.  Therefore, laws such as the Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000-CIPA are enacted.

        Not only does the technology need filtering on what comes in, but also more thought before jumping on the bandwagon of a new trend.  Technology integrators must promote and learn to balance the excitement of technology with thinking.  Technology integrators, parents and educational leaders must lead by example and encourage well built policies to ensure that the technology being used is “safe, legal, and ethical”.







Reference:

Roempler, K. (2001)  “Literate—and Safe—on the World Wide Web”: July 2001: ENC Focus 8(3): 6-          8.www.enc.org.
Boone, S.  (2001).“The Communication Revolution.” ENC Focus :2-3
www.enc.org/focus/horizons.

Blog 1-3

As people of action, a technology integration specialist should recognize that words alone will not motivate staff members.  An effective technology integration specialist empowers each educator individually by infusing technology to discover the best use of technology.  Technology integration specialist witness more success with helping colleagues to become technology literate if they plan to side step the human factors-fear and frustration.  All too often technology integration specialist bring the challenge for new technology use but mistakenly introduce it as some professional homework for teachers to master.  Just as technology integration specialist adapt to change and reconfigure mindsets accordingly, teachers must also be shown that they can be in control and not adversely affected by it.  By exemplifying “a high touch caring approach to introduce change”, a technology integration specialist will see more enduring success and is steps closer to accomplishing the vision (Polka, 2000).  The combination of data and information may not necessarily advance our knowledge; however, using information and technology can collectively develop knowledge to gain insights into the realm of wisdom (Mendis, 2005).

            Teaching in the twenty-first century incorporates some form of technology in any given day of school.  It remains enticing and user-friendly. Daily it becomes less of a distraction and a more effective instructional tool (Mueh, 2004).  Although it heightens student learning, it is some teachers who still grapple with the change. Teachers are required to step up as the technology leaders in the classroom. As students observe teachers leading with technology, it sends the message that they, too can take control and lead the learning. Whether it is electronic devices or the almighty Internet, technology includes everyone.  Soon students make their own transition from non-participants to stakeholders in their own education. 

Reference:

Mendis, Patrick.  (2005) “Leadership Aspects of Integrated Learning with Technology in Democratic Environments.” Academic Leadership:  (vol.1(2): http://www.academicleadership.org/volume1/issue2/articles/mendis.html.

Mueh, Kristine.  “Evolving with the Internet:  Taking Technology for Granted –Finally” ENC Focus: (pages 1-6)  www.enc.org

Polka, Walter S. (April 2000): “High Tech, High Touch.”  School Administrator1-7.

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