better late than never…

I’ve been very out of touch this summer, and I’m just now getting around to writing a post that will cover BOTH assignments.

Google Apps is probably the tech tool that I found most useful to my professional work.  I had experimented a bit with it before, but I am much more confident using it now that I’ve played around with sharing and editing documents.  Also, Lisa L. and I used it to create an on-line version of the MS Student Bullying Survey.  We spent too much time tallying the results of the pre and post surveys last year, and we’re so excited to now have an electronic version!  We’ll just have to figure out the logistics of administering it.

I also hope to use the Waynflete website or Google Sites to create more informative and useful web pages for my students.  Over the past two years, I’ve just met the minimum requirement of posting my course expectations.  I’d like to post assignments for my classes (I think this is only allowed in the US right now), as well as resources and notes or examples recorded on the Tablet PC.

Finally, I’ve used Jott on a few occasions this summer, but I’m guessing I’ll use it more when I’m not in vacation mode.

On to the videos….

The “Pay Attention” video got my attention.  I think technology is such a powerful tool for teaching, and there are certainly many, many ways it can and should be integrated in the classroom.  I’m excited to challenge myself to use it more and more this year.  The challenge is finding ways to use it to compliment the material and concepts, and not just as one more thing to do.

I resist the notion that the primary way we, as teachers, can reach our students is by creating digital learning environments.  As a parent, I want just the opposite.  I want my daughter to appreciate, at least as much as I do, nature and the outdoors.  I can’t imagine playing video games or texting a friend over getting outside to hike or sled and connect with a friend in person.  Yet, I know that many students I teach fit into the first category.  I think there is a lot to be said for using technology, when it’s appropriate and beneficial, and also purposefully not using it when other means are better (even if students don’t necessarily agree…).

The end of the video included some statistics about how graduating seniors felt about their high school education (i.e. How useful was it to them?).  As a math teacher, I have often struggled with the question, “When am I ever going to use this?”  How often do you use the math you learned in middle and upper school?  (How often do you write a book report or lab or take a quiz, for that matter?)  For me, the specifics of what you are learning are not the point – they are the venue for developing critical thinking skills.  How would greater use of technology change this?  Would students feel their classes are more relevant?  Would they feel that their teachers could relate better to them?  Or would they feel that teachers are more distant and relying too much on digital assistance?

Finally, the Dan Meyer video was a refreshing final video.  I like his approach and the simplicity, yet purposeful nature, of his lessons.  Not every math skill and concept fits into this mold, but there are certainly many areas that do.  I think collaborating with other teachers really helps us to develop and refine these (and all) kinds of lessons.

Thanks, Page, for the thought provoking videos, and blogging colleagues for your thoughtful and honest comments!

The Video Assignment

Ok, well, I am sorry my post is a bit late, but I will admit that I watched the videos the day the assignment was given. After watching the first one I fumed for awhile. I moved on to the second with a more closed and skeptical state of mind and then finished the remaining two. Dan’s by far being the most reasonable. I closed my computer for my personal safety, mumbled something about – consumerism driving our education, irresponsible parenting practices – like allowing kids to watch hours and hours of TV, play computer games etc. (Please, whoever posted a previous comment about sitting in front of a TV screen as an NON-stimulating experience – AMEN.) So, I forgot about the assignment for awhile because the videos made me upset. Ok, and while we’re at it – this whole hoopla about mind-brain-muscle reflex response being soo good for kids due to playing video games -is this for real?? In what life saving situation are we going to need to push buttons really fast while sitting completely still? Ok, I see the scientific connection but honestly. Shouldn’t we be encouraging healthier things like better eating habits, healthier living and taking care of ourselves. According to the movie King of Corn – the people in their 30’s today may have shorter life expectancies -by a decade- than older generations due to poor diet, lack of exercise, and the degridation of our agricultural system.

A few nights ago -after my fuming subsided- I woke up with a response I put together in my dreams. It was a bit mean and biting, so, I will revise it.

I ditto many of the previous comments – propaganda – whose selling this intell? Micorsoft? pentium? Get real. The fastest way to turn me off and make me mad is to set the “scare” tone. good grief. Frankly, the core of the message was diluted by all of the sappy hype. Those kids look soooo pathetic. Go out and play in the sunshine would you. (Ok, I said I was upset.)

Well, I don’t like the idea of integrating technology just because this is the way kids “think now” and what does that mean anyway?? It seems to me kids have lost their ability to take in a wider variety of simuli – slow and fast – “Powerdown” my butt. Well what was WRONG with the way we thought before computers??? Why can’t we have both? To me, the video seems to project the idea that teachers should use all of these techno-gadgets in anyway that we can. I don’t buy it. Kids are loosing their ability to problem-solve before turning to “how-to’s” on the internet, they are loosing patience, they are loosing the ability to listen even if the presentation does not have flashing ads, lights, and fast moving text with music. I am responding to this loss. I use technology in limited and specific ways because I see it being a dominant part of their lives outside of school. I like it as a new type of tool but I am not going to amp up student use of technology just because this is how they have been programmed to “think”. Knowing how to access a variety of ways of thinking, learning and listening is important too.

I will use technology with my moral filter on and on the lookout for what cold possibly be lacking or not being learned because of this high speed incorporation. I’m open but hang on to my skeptisism.

not paying attention

Wow, I found that first video so condescending and propagandizing that it immediately made me skeptical of the next three videos.  I disliked teachers being categorized as dull, snore-inducing technophobes who are so out of touch with teenage interests that they need it spelled out for them.  The examples of how technology can be used were poor and invoked my biggest fear of incorporating technology in the classroom: using for the sake of using it.  And I’m skeptical of some of the statistics.

I think the general message was sound: kids use computers and iPods, and we use chalk and markers, and we need students’ classroom lives to match their outside lives more effectively. I think classrooms in general are lagging when it comes to technology.  But I’m not quite ready to give up ink and paper, nor reduce face-to-face discussion and learning.  As another post mentioned, there are dangers to too much technology as we are already seeing in these kids who spend so much time using computers, video games, and cell phones.  

I liked the last two videos which seemed to be more realistic.  There are amazing opportunities with technology and it does seem to be to this century what mass production was to last century.  Very thought-provoking questions were raised.  I would love to hear the makers of the first video address some of those questions.

It reminds me of an article I read on cnn.com a few weeks ago– did anyone catch it?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/07/15/bio.tech/

excerpt:

 

Transhumanists, according to Bostrom, anticipate an era in which biotechnology, molecular nanotechnologies, artificial intelligence and other new types of cognitive tools will be used to amplify our intellectual capacity, improve our physical capabilities and even enhance our emotional well-being.

The end result would be a new form of “posthuman” life with beings that possess qualities and skills so exceedingly advanced they no longer can be classified simply as humans.

“We will begin to use science and technology not just to manage the world around us but to manage our own human biology as well,” Bostrom said. “The changes will be faster and more profound than the very, very slow changes that would occur over tens of thousands of years as a result of natural selection and biological evolution.”

Bostrom declined to predict an exact time frame when this revolutionary biotechnological metamorphosis might occur. “Maybe it will take eight years or 200 years,” he said. “It is very hard to predict.”

Other experts are already getting ready for what they say could be a radical transformation of the human race in as little as two decades.

“This will happen faster than people realize,” said Dr. Ray Kurzweil, an inventor and futurist who calculates technology trends using what he calls the law of accelerating returns, a mathematical concept that measures the exponential growth of technological evolution.

In the 1980s, Kurzweil predicted that a tiny handheld device would be invented early in the 21st century, allowing blind people to read documents from anywhere at anytime; this year, such a device was publicly unveiled. He also anticipated the explosive growth of the Internet in the 1990s.

Now, Kurzweil is predicting the arrival of something called the Singularity, which he defines in his book on the subject as “the culmination of the merger of our biological thinking and existence with our technology, resulting in a world that is still human but that transcends our biological roots.”

“There will be no distinction, post-Singularity, between human and machine or between physical and virtual reality,” he writes.

videos assignment

As I watched the videos (I saw the first one in an online class I took last summer) I kept thinking, “propaganda…” Sorry, Page. While I agree that technology can be a very useful tool, and can help reach all types of learners, I had/have the feeling that we’re losing something along the way. Don’t get me wrong, I know it’s huge and here to stay, and I’m an enthusiastic consumer in my personal life, and I’m trying to become more knowledgeable and incorporate more technology in my professional life. BUT… I’m afraid that we’re not encouraging as much thoughtful, deep reading for meaning as we once did. There’ve been several articles written lately about this issue, the most provocative being “Is Google Making us Stoopid?” in the July/August issue of the Atlantic Monthly. I’m afraid that kids are becoming less patient with spending a lot of time on a piece of literature, writing, etc. I worry that they’re less able to sustain attention and focus than they used to be. The unintended consequences aren’t clear yet, but if we can be watchful for them we can (hopefully) take steps to counteract them.

Other thoughts: I found some of the statistics given in the first video disturbing, quite frankly. In any given day, 68% of children under two will use a screen media for an average of two hours?? That’s appalling! And then the question “Why?” was answered with “richness.” How can two hours in front of a screen be a rich experience for a one- or two-year-old? It’s a passive, mind-stunting, language-development-killing activity for a child that young.

In reference to the statistic about the billions of searches performed on Google each month, the question “To whom were these questions addressed before Google?” was asked. I’d like to think that the answer is “reference librarians.” Okay, maybe not the whole 2.7 billion…

I enjoyed the Dan Meyer video more than the others, not because his message was different, but because of the way he personalized it. He didn’t (as someone in another post said) try to shame teachers into using technology, he just said, “Here’s what worked for me. Here’s how it made me a better teacher.” That was cool.

Create efficiently, teach creatively and still find time to spend in the great outdoors!

If Dan Meyer had been my math teacher in HS, I think I would have been more enthusiastic and confident! Of course the fact that he is young and hip definitely has its allure, but he is also an imaginative and fun teacher who engages his students in less traditional ways. Not only has he used (simple) technology to enhance his lectures/lessons to supplement the textbook exercises, his students are interacting, sharing and collaborating in the classroom-go Dan! Also clear from his message in the video clip is this: (1) no fancy bells and whistles are needed and, (2) choose carefully. Dan simply replaced one outdated tool that left him shackled with another that allowed him freedom of movement. He later learned by trial and error that too much information is simply too much; one carefully selected image sufficed for engaging conversation and investigation. In my experience, trial and error are key when venturing into technology land.

The other three highly promotional videos used all of the vocabulary that teachers love to see/hear: collaboration, integration, creation, engaging, interacting, efficient planning, etc… Perhaps the purpose was to encourage many of the teachers today from a generation (mine) who spent much more time outside than they did at a computer screen. I highly value the time I spend outdoors and I moved to this state to do just that; however, I can’t speak Spanish with Casco Bay nor can I connect and collaborate with friends, family, students and colleagues with such ease without modern technology.

Consider this: I could write a poem (in Spanish, maybe with a translation, too) about the sea by hand on a journey. Later, I could scan the text (and perhaps an image), post it on my Facebook page or on a blog (has anyone checked out Ben’s?), and ask my Spanish speaking friends and colleagues for INSTANT feedback. How cool is that! I have had dinner and kept in touch with family via video conferencing (SKYPE), and my son feels a physical and emotional connection to people he might not otherwise know. Wow! For me, both personally and professionally, it is about balance and moderation, and keeping it simple. Personally, teaching with/about technology is as important as teaching my students/son to row a boat, investigate tide pools, respect self, others and the earth or to remember to say “please” and “thank you”. Technology has become an integral part of my life both in and out of the classroom.

The 4 video challenge

Great clips, Page! Very thought provoking. Right now for me all the tech stuff (and I’ve always been a fan) is struggling to integrate with reading and work I’m engaged in on environmental ed., sustainable practices, exposing children to nature, etc. I’m reading books like Last Child in the Woods(Louv) that raise troubling questions about how distanced kids are from nature, with negative consequences. The first video especially really seemed to promote how knee-deep kids are in technology. But I think we need to step back and look at it. Must we accept what is? What are the implications? I think technology is positive if it truly encourages creativity, but often I think it encourages passivity. There is a place for meeting kids where they are, but also it’s important to make school a haven for escaping technology and offering an alternative experience.

The second clip, in a similar vein, obviously thoughtful uses of technology are important, as this isn’t 1908, it’s 2008. And also, I think they are criticizing public school curricula, gearing to a lot of testing, etc. We have the freedom to do lots more exciting things.

The third one was pretty interesting. I liked the emphasis on conversation, collaboration, community. Does technology really encourage this or discourage it though? I’m not sure yet. There are some ways I’ve seen it work both ways. Technology as a tool, rather than the be-all and end-all of life, seems appropraite to me, but that involves a lot of judgement and restraint. As they said, “there is a lot to be worked out.”

Dan Meyer’s clip (the 4th one if you’re keeping track) is a perfect example of this. Here is technology used as a tool to support teaching as a human endeavor, judiciously used. I liked his account of gradually refining his methodology. Nice work! It must be fun to be in his class.

–Jeff

All 4 videos were provocative and interesting; however, I thought the last one with Dan Meyer was the most helpful. I see the point of the first three-that many students are digital learners and I agree that this has many positive aspects to it. One concern though, is my belief that students still need basic reading, comprehension, writing, and listening skills.  I’ve noticed over the last few years that, in general, many students have less patience to dig deep into a theme or analyze a document or reading critically. While I do think that there are times that the fast paced technology approach is invaluable for engaging, stimulating and creativity for the students, I also think there are times that students   need to learn the slower pace of simply knowing how a book index works and the excitement of discussing a reading in depth. In the first video – Paying Attention, I liked the beginning, which addressed that there is no one way to teach-the Mel Levine approach.  But the rest of the video did seem to imply that there was one approach that would work for all students-the digital approach. I agree with this to a point-but the question keeps coming back to me about “breadth vs. depth”. The second video on the Vision of K-12 students seemed a bit one-sided.  The point that digital teaching enables students to create, consume and remix is true.  But I think that that needs to be a part of the process, and that discussion and indepth analysis also needs to be a part of the process.  The third video on We Think was ok.  I thought equating democracy/equality/freedom to technology was a stretch. As an analogy, I came away from that video thinking that it was promoting the “fast food” approach as opposed to a sit-down family dinner. All that being said, I did think Dan Meyer’s approach was terrific.  He was careful in selecting his images, had students conversing about problem solving and was enthusiastic and engaging. So to finish, I guess I’d say that technology has a significant role to play in education, but that it doesn’t have to be an “either-or” choice.

A Vision of K-12 Students Today:

I think, I noticed at the end that it was written by B. Naisbitt… I wonder if B. is related to the “High Tech, High Touch” guy John Naisbitt. Wow, what goes around, comes around!  This video had a similar message to the “Pay Attention” video.  The emotional content was enhanced by showing kids shaming teachers into getting with the program.  I’m starting to get excited about adding new teaching tools to my arsenal.

Pay Attention Video

My first reaction was, “how dumb is this, reading text to sappy music!”  The content was; however, thought provoking and affirming.  The idea’s expressed encouraged me to continue in my quest to find a global reach for students through technology and to find ways to package my teaching to penetrate the Gen Y psyche.

Late comer

Sorry to be late with this post.  Time flies when you are having fun (putting a one year old to bed).  Anyway – I am excited about working with the google apps with my PC intensive students along with Lisa K.  Not sure how it will go but at least we can collaborate with each other and I know we are both interested in working together while we teach this class.  I am not sure how we can involve the students – equation editor does not work well when you up load.  I am also interested in maybe putting together a casual group of people who would be willing to meet once a month or so and just talk about what we are doing in our classes.  People can come when they want – blogging is fun but face to face can enhance the experience and we can have the best of both worlds.  I will also be interested in joining some online communities that involve math people who are working with the tablet and see what others are doing.  Cheers.