Eliminating Obstacles

When I was a child and visited Disney World's Epcot,specifically SpaceShip Earth, I always used to marvel at the fact that one day, we'd be communicating via video monitors, talking to individuals across the globe.  In reality, that dream seemed somewhat impossible, but I thought maybe by the time I was an old lady, such things might exist.  As a middle class child, I remember being painfully aware of our lack of technology even in my household when a computer course's grade was based upon how well a person already typed.  In fact, I lost valedictorian and almost salutatorian because of this one class.  Obviously, the two girls who were in the lead had computers at home and typed frequently.  I, on the other hand, had nothing.

Going through college and beginning to teach at a private school, it was also assumed that every child had access to broadband and computer technology.  I never thought twice about assigning a paper that needed to be typed.  However, as I began teaching at a Title One turnaround school, I realized how much technology is taken for granted and how few students really have technology at home, even internet access.  Again, I could assume that their phones had internet, but again many do not have phones nor do they have internet access on their phones if they do have phones.  Essentially, financial status determines ability to access the internet.

In order to combat this obstacle, I began using Google Chromebooks in the classroom more that were purchased with Turnaround money as well as Title One money.  Students could now use technology live and edit even from their phones if they had access.  Sadly, overcoming obstacles seems very difficult, but if teachers seek grants and if individual students could apply for technology grants, the deficit they have in technology might be less.

Essentially, teachers must use technology in the classroom in order to overcome the challenge of lack of broadband at home, allowing students the most exposure to these elements.  I have noticed such an increase in technological ability just with the addition of  more computers to our school.  Three years ago, I had to teach students how to use a Word Processor and presentation software.  Now, they have been so exposed to it, that they immediately complete their assignments without even asking how to use the program, even when it is new.  Therefore, exposure at school is a large part of overcoming this boundary.

The Ideal Learning Community

The Ideal Learning Community

Often, when teachers think of technology, some may become overwhelmed by the vast number of options available.  Learning communities seem large in number and often similar in a variety of ways that it seems next to impossible to choose the exact correct fit for the classroom.  In my opinion, the most streamlined learning community under one platform is most ideal.

Although Google classroom is certainly an excellent attempt at a learning community, the perfect learning community would not only have an online blog site but the ability to adjust such blogs to the order which best fits the students.  The community would connect each class together as a group but also have a function which connected the class to the other sections of the learning community as well in order to strengthen individuals across ability levels while growing strong as a community within the class itself and as an individual.   Furthermore, this community would include a connection to leaders in the community or perhaps professors at the college level who students could use for collaboration, especially at the college level.

As the challenge to using a learning community is often organizing it, the ideal learning community would not only have a chat function built into the class blog but also a remind function that would automatically prompt students to turn in assignments or communicate with another class member who had responded on the blog itself.  Students would create their own blogs that would branch off the class site as well.

Ideally, as our school often looks for ways in which to involve parents, parents could also be involved in the community as well.  One of the most rewarding experiences for my mother was to partake in the college classroom in discussion.  What a better way to involve parents in the importance of an education that by involving them in classroom discussion.

All in all the ideal learning community is a safe place where students communicate with each other through respect and individually grow in their metacognition by considering viewpoints other than their own.

Digital Learning Communities

Digital Learning Communities

After reading through the digital learning communities, it is clear several are more interesting to me than others.  As a literature teacher, though I am not particularly interested in a guitar community, I know that such a resource would be something to share with other individuals in our school as well as my husband who would like another resource for becoming even more proficient in his trade.  The Cosmo community did interest me in that I have considered homeschooling and will pass this resources along to friends and family who participate in schooling at home.  Also, the technology learning communities will help me become up to date on everything technological that will aid in my classroom. The ones that interested me the most, however, were the communities with open classes at Harvard and Yale.  Particularly, I have joined the learning community at Harvard and am watching the videos on Shakespeare in order to give me a refresher to help me in my instruction.  I am happy to finally have a chance to "go back to college" without the pressure of added classes.

The most appealing attribute about Harvard classes is that I can expose myself to upper level instruction without the cost.  The fact that Harvard has chosen a wide variety of classes also makes it more interesting to those who would like to join.  In order to make these more appealing, however, they should make these more marketable by placing them on Facebook in a more seen fashion, perhaps through advertising.  Individuals are more likely to become interested in something academic it seems, through social forums rather than academic ones.

Helpful Resources

As a high school teacher, I find that there are so many resources available to students in order to further their learning.  When I work in the classroom, I find that organizational resources are the first step in maintaining a classroom that focuses on digital literacy.

One of the first resources is https://planbook.com/ .  

This resources allows teachers to not only create lessons in the format they would like but also allows easy access to standards when creating lessons.  Teachers need only to click the tab for standards and select and add their standards in order to make them applicable to their lessons.  The site contains a database of not only common core standards but also standards that have been directed by a person's state.  If a set of standards is not in the system, a teacher can create a spreadsheet and upload the applicable standards.

In addition, this site allows students to view their lesson plans at any point, and students who have missed class often find this is the most helpful way to catch up on work.

Teachers who would like to use this system can share lesson plans between themselves as well as create printable documents that meet the requirements of their individual school.

Another excellent organizational tool is Google classroom found here: https://classroom.google.com/ineligible?emr=0

This allows teachers to upload assignments as well as attach documents that students use in class.  Teachers are able to grade on this database as well as access the documents or presentations the students are creating through Google drive in order to guide them during their writing process.  Teachers can now organize the students alphabetically as well as allow students to create presentations in Classroom.  Every document is saved to the students' drive for easy access even without logging into classroom.

Remind, formerly Remind101, is found here: https://www.remind.com/

Remind allows teacher to send texts to students and/or parents that do not allow students to respond for the sole purpose of reminding them to bring assignments or turn in homework.  If a teacher finds he or she will be absent, it's another great way to remind students they are accountable even without the teacher's presence.

Poll Everywhere is an excellent tool to use with students in order to engage them with using their cell phones in class to respond to a particular prompt or answer a question to check understanding: http://www.polleverywhere.com/

Teachers set up an account as well as a question and can delete comments that are not conducive to class discussion, though a teacher should reiterate her expectations prior to using this service.

All in all, these are effective tools that help the classroom to run smoothly and in an engaging way!

The Best Digital Citizen

When I focus on what it means to be a good digital citizen, I think the utmost purpose of such a person is to operate the media responsibly, all the while promoting metacognition in others if one chooses to partake in the social aspect of such media.  One who is the best citizen is one who does not use media as a type of outlet for complaints, sarcastic statements, or judgement upon others but rather one who encourages fellow citizens to pursue their own path through their own thinking through positive language and an understanding that each human being is on a different path in life, and as one who participates in such media, one must inform and push others toward thinking for themselves, not simply feeding information to them as if it is the only real sustenance available.

Too often, one becomes a tool of this digital age instead of using the media within such an age as a tool themselves.  Digital media offers one a wealth of information, and truly responsible digital citizen will seek out the most reputable sources and integrate research in order to inform themselves and pass information along to others as well.  One who is passive is not the best digital citizen, but instead, one who is a wise citizen actively uses the digital age in order to further himself and encourage others to use such a medium as a tool and not succumb personally to its overwhelming breadth of information.

All in all, the best digital citizen is skilled with technological wisdom with the underlying motivation to encourage others to think and process as individuals.

View this awesome RSA animate that covers the often paradoxical digital age and our responsibilities within it :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk8x3V-sUgU

I've created this blog to use as a reflection for information I'm learning as an educator in the classroom and through research.  I can't wait to see what this journey holds!