One of the things that Mr. Phillip's brought up about how the authors talked about how we must know lots of information about the operating system really got me thinking. I completely agree that this part of the article completely goes against what we are trying to do with BYOD. However, I also think it should make us pause and really consider the implications of BYOD. It would be extremely challenging, if not impossible for all teachers to be well versed in all of the platforms out on the market today. That being said, students will need assistance which will lead to teachers needing assistance. I believe that this will be one of the greatest challenges that we will face. Therefore, I think we should look at how we could help to solve this problem. Some of the quick ideas that were running through my head included have a forum on the different platforms that teachers could post to and eLC’s could respond or other IT personnel could respond. We could also offer PD for teachers on the platforms that they are not familiar with since most staff has a smartphone. I also like what Berger said about being more technologically brave when it comes to doing new things. While I don’t think everyone in our district is brave I think that once they are able to see the benefits more and more people will buy in.
The other thing that stood out to me was the cost factor. While I am seeing more and more students with devices not all students can afford them. Therefore, we will need to be able to provide some sort of device to those students. I see these types of devices replacing the laptops that we currently have in the future.
I also believe that we need to look across several platforms and not just the one type of device talked about in this article because our world is ever changing and teaching students how to be able to navigate different platforms and devices will help them learn how to learn. I think that this is the greatest technology gift we can give them. By only having one type of device they will become very proficient in that device but there is no telling what the future will hold. Therefore, we should prepare them to be able to handle any device and learn how to figure things out when something is new so that they will be more “technologically brave” than the generation before them.
Monday, January 28, 2013
[Linenkugel] Tablet Trials
One key idea that stuck out in my mind that several others mentioned was the idea of keeping the students academically engaged - with a ‘structured’ use option. This will deter the students from having the ability and extra time to be easily distracted and instead to be on task.
I love the idea of “on the spot” research … this has become an easy way to incorporate the BYOD for my class. I like the idea of introducing a concept/artist/technique/etc. and giving them a predetermined amount of time to research and discover new sites/apps or references for us to learn from. The students really like this approach, it seems to give them a sense of ownership and definitely plays a part in allowing even the shyest of them motivated to share and become more actively involved in the lesson. As it is with many things, the frequent exposure to using BYOD will allow for both myself and students to appreciate and familiarize themselves with this convenient alternative. A lot of my students like to have a reference on hand when drawing and this BYOD allows for that to happen very quickly and without the trouble of getting the mini laptops out and logged on; another benefit is the lack of worry that it will let them sign on to the network.
I totally agree that if you use technology infrequently, the students will see it as having ‘low useful value’ as stated in the article and referenced by others. I chose to start the second semester by implementing the use of technology early and also promoting the idea of BYOD in all of my classes as well. I feel like this has already given them a different perspective than my previous classes when it was introduced later and only for specific projects. I am interested in learning and expanding the classroom management aspect of this concept though just to be sure that I keep the off task exploring to a minimum. I hope to gather ideas from the research articles and collaborating with other colleagues in this class to find best practice. I agree with Claus about the roadblocks of incorporating it into daily class... for me specifically I think that it will vary depending on projects but I should keep it frequent enough that the students don’t lose the interest and don’t misinterpret the value of it. I completely agree with Berger about being ‘brave’ and allowing for some control to be placed into the students to be the expert of their own device and also both students and teachers to be willing to learn while doing! The eKIDS have an important role in all of this as well... I am starting a new project with my class now that touches on the idea of creating multi-media presentations for classroom activities which allows them to choose a subject to discover a useful tool for a specific teacher/topic and then share it with them.
I love the idea of “on the spot” research … this has become an easy way to incorporate the BYOD for my class. I like the idea of introducing a concept/artist/technique/etc. and giving them a predetermined amount of time to research and discover new sites/apps or references for us to learn from. The students really like this approach, it seems to give them a sense of ownership and definitely plays a part in allowing even the shyest of them motivated to share and become more actively involved in the lesson. As it is with many things, the frequent exposure to using BYOD will allow for both myself and students to appreciate and familiarize themselves with this convenient alternative. A lot of my students like to have a reference on hand when drawing and this BYOD allows for that to happen very quickly and without the trouble of getting the mini laptops out and logged on; another benefit is the lack of worry that it will let them sign on to the network.
I totally agree that if you use technology infrequently, the students will see it as having ‘low useful value’ as stated in the article and referenced by others. I chose to start the second semester by implementing the use of technology early and also promoting the idea of BYOD in all of my classes as well. I feel like this has already given them a different perspective than my previous classes when it was introduced later and only for specific projects. I am interested in learning and expanding the classroom management aspect of this concept though just to be sure that I keep the off task exploring to a minimum. I hope to gather ideas from the research articles and collaborating with other colleagues in this class to find best practice. I agree with Claus about the roadblocks of incorporating it into daily class... for me specifically I think that it will vary depending on projects but I should keep it frequent enough that the students don’t lose the interest and don’t misinterpret the value of it. I completely agree with Berger about being ‘brave’ and allowing for some control to be placed into the students to be the expert of their own device and also both students and teachers to be willing to learn while doing! The eKIDS have an important role in all of this as well... I am starting a new project with my class now that touches on the idea of creating multi-media presentations for classroom activities which allows them to choose a subject to discover a useful tool for a specific teacher/topic and then share it with them.
[Berger] Tablet Integration
Claus, Phillips, and Marx all contributed a similar point from the article regarding the recommendation that you should know everything about a tablet operating system before distributing tablets to students. This of course can prove to be a lofty difficult goal to accomplish when using BYOD, especially for the non-technology-loving-teachers (and students). After all, learning the ins and outs of all of the tablet operating systems out there would be virtually impossible. I’m not sure if any teacher, technology lover or not, has the time to learn all of the operating systems our students are using. Perhaps the most valuable goal to have is to become more technologically “brave”, or to not be afraid to “mess up” when it comes to technology. Learn the operating systems as you go with the students. After all, they probably know more about the operating systems than you do. If I learned the ins and outs of every technology my students utilized in my classroom before allowing them to use it, it’s very unlikely I would be where I am today in regards to technology integration. Can knowing all of the operating systems help with classroom management, and tablet integration? Yes, but it's also unrealistic to think you can can learn all of the operating systems, especially when they are evolving and changing so quickly. Technology is constantly evolving! You have to learn to roll with it!
Also, both the article and the flow chart both seemed to miss an extremely vital piece of knowledge necessary when choosing a tablet- COST. Isn’t this the first bit of information we seek before even considering a product? I would be interested in looking at a flow chart that also considers cost, so we could weigh the wants and needs of students and teachers with our budget. I’m also envisioning that a single device across a district would also not be the best choice, simply because the wants/needs vary so much depending on the nature of the class and what the intended use of the tablet. I’m envisioning that it would be GREAT if we could have carts of different devices. For example, I might need a cart of iPads to utilize a great app only found on iPads, but I might need an android device to utilize a flash browser for a java based simulation.
I'm envisioning a great eKids project, where students learn the ins and outs of the different operating systems (with how-to guides, or tutorials)? They could also analyze the functions in each tablet they find critical, etc. I could definitely see this as a valuable tool for both teachers and students.
Also, both the article and the flow chart both seemed to miss an extremely vital piece of knowledge necessary when choosing a tablet- COST. Isn’t this the first bit of information we seek before even considering a product? I would be interested in looking at a flow chart that also considers cost, so we could weigh the wants and needs of students and teachers with our budget. I’m also envisioning that a single device across a district would also not be the best choice, simply because the wants/needs vary so much depending on the nature of the class and what the intended use of the tablet. I’m envisioning that it would be GREAT if we could have carts of different devices. For example, I might need a cart of iPads to utilize a great app only found on iPads, but I might need an android device to utilize a flash browser for a java based simulation.
I'm envisioning a great eKids project, where students learn the ins and outs of the different operating systems (with how-to guides, or tutorials)? They could also analyze the functions in each tablet they find critical, etc. I could definitely see this as a valuable tool for both teachers and students.
{Marx} Using Tablets (I pad):
This past year, I have basically placed my hybrid, and global studies class, under the realm of PAPERLESS. Everyday we use our own devices, or laptops, and I am anxious to see the benefit of tablet learning compared to laptops. Mr Phillips, who on occasion does have a good idea, pointed out a very valid quote- "the key to successfully adopting tablet technology was to ensure that students remained academically engaged with the device on a regular basis so that they became accustomed to its use". You have to be "all in"- if you believe in it, and use it in class, and embrace it, the students will too. So, we use our laptops every day, we take notes, maintain a file, perform bellringers, take tests etc-all on the computer- I am all in, so they are forced to be...
The research brought up many interesting points, one of which dealt with lecture notes. I forgot about all the app possibilities with tablets, especially the ability to handwrite notes, both as a student and as a teacher- essentially as a smartboard. Moreover, the research also provided me with a good tactic, or use for short articles in class. Although we know all students do their work ahead of time, some maybe sick, or simply forgot to read, so short reading prompts will bread better discussion.
Overall, the tablet technology- such as quiz taking, interacting with fellow students and being user friendly make a strong argument to support tablets in the classroom. I was surprised to see how many students liked to use the tablet better than the laptop (keyboard being one thing i was surprised about). However, the research indicates that as instructors, we need to be experts not only with the technology, but also the compatibility of technology.
This past year, I have basically placed my hybrid, and global studies class, under the realm of PAPERLESS. Everyday we use our own devices, or laptops, and I am anxious to see the benefit of tablet learning compared to laptops. Mr Phillips, who on occasion does have a good idea, pointed out a very valid quote- "the key to successfully adopting tablet technology was to ensure that students remained academically engaged with the device on a regular basis so that they became accustomed to its use". You have to be "all in"- if you believe in it, and use it in class, and embrace it, the students will too. So, we use our laptops every day, we take notes, maintain a file, perform bellringers, take tests etc-all on the computer- I am all in, so they are forced to be...
The research brought up many interesting points, one of which dealt with lecture notes. I forgot about all the app possibilities with tablets, especially the ability to handwrite notes, both as a student and as a teacher- essentially as a smartboard. Moreover, the research also provided me with a good tactic, or use for short articles in class. Although we know all students do their work ahead of time, some maybe sick, or simply forgot to read, so short reading prompts will bread better discussion.
Overall, the tablet technology- such as quiz taking, interacting with fellow students and being user friendly make a strong argument to support tablets in the classroom. I was surprised to see how many students liked to use the tablet better than the laptop (keyboard being one thing i was surprised about). However, the research indicates that as instructors, we need to be experts not only with the technology, but also the compatibility of technology.
I Pad's in the classroom-Session #2
(Claus) Like Mr. Phillips and Mr. Hageman, the first thing that stood out to me was the five recommendations the author’s made, to teacher who were planning on using tablets in their classrooms. The one that I related to the most was the recommendation about teachers knowing everything about the tablets their students would be using. This would be a pretty easy thing to do if all your students had the same tablet but with BYOD you have no idea what you are going to get. In reality there is no way a teacher can know every tablet out there, inside and out. I guess I shouldn’t say it is impossible but highly unlikely considering all the other things teachers must master. In my own classroom I have seen how not knowing all the different operating systems can hinder the learning process. It is very difficult when you have some students who have a device that will work with the program you want to use and others do not. I am not sure what the solution to this problem is besides requiring students to have a specific operating system on their devices.
I also agree that the technology you choose to use in your classroom must be used on a daily basis. I feel as if I use technology a lot in my classroom but not everyday. After reading Mr. Phillips’ post about the teacher at the high school using her companion site everyday in class, I began to think about how I could use my site in my classroom everyday. There are several roadblocks I think about when processing how to incorporate my site into everyday instruction. The first is having the technology available for students to use, we only have two computer carts for our team and other teachers need to use them as well. Although students can bring their own devices I still have several students without their own devices to use in class. Also there are several challenges with math, as I wrote about last week in my blog. This semester I am making it my goal to incorporate my companion site more effectively in my daily instruction.
Overall, I thought the article gave an insight on some helpful hints when incorporating tablets into the classroom. I look forward to continue researching the best practices when it come to BYOD.
I also agree that the technology you choose to use in your classroom must be used on a daily basis. I feel as if I use technology a lot in my classroom but not everyday. After reading Mr. Phillips’ post about the teacher at the high school using her companion site everyday in class, I began to think about how I could use my site in my classroom everyday. There are several roadblocks I think about when processing how to incorporate my site into everyday instruction. The first is having the technology available for students to use, we only have two computer carts for our team and other teachers need to use them as well. Although students can bring their own devices I still have several students without their own devices to use in class. Also there are several challenges with math, as I wrote about last week in my blog. This semester I am making it my goal to incorporate my companion site more effectively in my daily instruction.
Overall, I thought the article gave an insight on some helpful hints when incorporating tablets into the classroom. I look forward to continue researching the best practices when it come to BYOD.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
{Hageman} - RE: Phillips - Trials of Ipads
{Hageman} - RE: Phillips - Trials of Ipads
After reading Effective Adoption of Tables in Post-Secondary Education, one of the first thoughts that crossed my mind was a point that Mr. Phillips initially discussed. I understand that teachers need to be knowledgeable about the content they are teaching. In addition, with the explosion of technology in the classroom, while teachers need to have a base and knowledge of the platforms, it seems nearly impossible to be an “expert” on the various devices and systems. I realize that this article was speaking more toward the single tablet in this study, but in my mind, part of the beauty in the BYOD classroom, is that students become the experts and take ownership in various parts of their learning. When I have students use their devices, they become the manager and guide in their learning experience. Sometimes, part of that learning experience requires trial and error for the best ways to utilize the power of their own device. Just last week, students in my class took five minutes at the beginning of a bell to identify apps that could help them prepare for high stakes test such as the ACT and SAT. What the students produced in that short five minute segment was much more valuable than me directing them to a particular location. In addition, the students found apps that they personally liked and collaborated with other students that had similar devices. As a result, the students learned a simple way to use their devices for “good,” and found apps that can become a daily part of their lives.
The other point that Mr. Phillips made was that It is not just enough to say that I have technology in my classroom, if I am not integrating the device on a daily basis. As Mr. Phillips point out, it does no good to have a companion site that nobody visits or uses. As an English teacher, the thought of having a table for every student makes me giddy. I am currently reading my first book (for this class) with a Kindle reader on an Ipad. To be totally honest, I thought I would hate it. Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed the experience and immediately started thinking about how wonderful it could be to utilize tables rather than paper books in the classroom. The ability to highlight and take notes directly into the device made me a very engaged reader. I immediately started to think about the engaging possibilities if all students were to have access to a tablet.
The other point that I keep coming back to when reading the various articles on BYOD, is that I really think much of the implementation is less about the device and more about the traditional management and planning that I learned in education classes. Students can daydream and pass paper notes while reading a hard copy book, just like they can toggle between apps and be distracted on a device. A good, well-planned lesson that utilizes the device for clear academic purposes, as well as strong, traditional classroom management strategies will keep the students engaged and focused, regardless of the educational tool used.
After reading Effective Adoption of Tables in Post-Secondary Education, one of the first thoughts that crossed my mind was a point that Mr. Phillips initially discussed. I understand that teachers need to be knowledgeable about the content they are teaching. In addition, with the explosion of technology in the classroom, while teachers need to have a base and knowledge of the platforms, it seems nearly impossible to be an “expert” on the various devices and systems. I realize that this article was speaking more toward the single tablet in this study, but in my mind, part of the beauty in the BYOD classroom, is that students become the experts and take ownership in various parts of their learning. When I have students use their devices, they become the manager and guide in their learning experience. Sometimes, part of that learning experience requires trial and error for the best ways to utilize the power of their own device. Just last week, students in my class took five minutes at the beginning of a bell to identify apps that could help them prepare for high stakes test such as the ACT and SAT. What the students produced in that short five minute segment was much more valuable than me directing them to a particular location. In addition, the students found apps that they personally liked and collaborated with other students that had similar devices. As a result, the students learned a simple way to use their devices for “good,” and found apps that can become a daily part of their lives.
The other point that Mr. Phillips made was that It is not just enough to say that I have technology in my classroom, if I am not integrating the device on a daily basis. As Mr. Phillips point out, it does no good to have a companion site that nobody visits or uses. As an English teacher, the thought of having a table for every student makes me giddy. I am currently reading my first book (for this class) with a Kindle reader on an Ipad. To be totally honest, I thought I would hate it. Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed the experience and immediately started thinking about how wonderful it could be to utilize tables rather than paper books in the classroom. The ability to highlight and take notes directly into the device made me a very engaged reader. I immediately started to think about the engaging possibilities if all students were to have access to a tablet.
The other point that I keep coming back to when reading the various articles on BYOD, is that I really think much of the implementation is less about the device and more about the traditional management and planning that I learned in education classes. Students can daydream and pass paper notes while reading a hard copy book, just like they can toggle between apps and be distracted on a device. A good, well-planned lesson that utilizes the device for clear academic purposes, as well as strong, traditional classroom management strategies will keep the students engaged and focused, regardless of the educational tool used.
Friday, January 25, 2013
[Phillips] - Trial of iPads in University Classes
I thought this article had some interesting research and results, but I also thought it was interesting for another reason. The article reflected research from the summer of 2011 and now only 18 months later, many of the statements made are out of date. They discussed several times that one of the main benefits to using tablets, specifically iPads, is the inability to use more than one application at a time - like students could do on a laptop. Their reason for stating this was to show that tablets would be less distracting compared to laptops. While I'm not that familiar with iPads, I do know that you can now access multiple applications on other tablets and smart devices.
With that being said, there were several points that the article touched on that caused me to reflect on our current practices. The first point I want to mention is the part of the article when they discuss homework, the lack of student completion, and how they addressed it. This really didn't have anything to do with the technology, but it was almost humorous to me to read that homework turn-in and completion was not just a high school or middle school problem, but also a post high school problem. The way they handled this was to have some class time set aside to read a "critical article". This way they knew everyone completed the assignment and everyone was prepared to contribute to the class discussion which made it a richer and deeper conversation.
Okay, so back to the technology. One of the other points that they made that was critical to the iPad integration was the fact that you had to know everything about the tablet operating system. This point actually inhibits our work towards BYOD. I think it's impossible to make sure teachers know all operating systems inside and out. We know that students will obviously bring technology with varying operating systems, and while there aren't that many operating systems out there, I don't think it's a reasonable request for teachers to know all the operating systems that students will be using.
There was another point that the article made that really made me think. In the article they said, "the Internet access provided by the iPads allowed the students to challenge misleading facts and statements made by other students during the discussions, enhancing the dialogue within the classroom." What came to mind when I read this statement was the TV show "Pardon the Interruption" on ESPN. If you haven't seen it, two guys sit across form each other and discuss current topics in the world of sports. They often argue each other's points and pose statistics to back up their points of view. At the end of the show they refer to another guy who they call "stat man". His job is to check the validity of all the stats and the accurateness of all the comments they make. He then tells them about the mistakes they made and corrects them. If, during classroom discussions, teachers would require different students to be the class "stat man", I think that would help deepen the engagement level of all students. Maybe that comment is a little far out there, but it was just an idea.
Lastly, I want to address two other quotes from the article. At the beginning of the article the author states that the research shows, "the key to successfully adopting tablet technology was to ensure that students remained academically engaged with the device on a regular basis so that they became accustomed to its use". The author also cites a quote from (Murphy, 2011) stating that, "adopting technology for technology’s sake does not guarantee improved learning outcomes or an enriching educational experience". I think that these two comments are very important. If students don't see the tablet as an essential and necessary part to the academic learning experience, then they may be more likely just to see it as a gimmick. One of our teachers at Oak Hills made an interesting comment yesterday that relates to this quote. When I asked her about her companion site and how she gets her students to access it, she said the key was using it every day. Students know that in-order to get the class assignment, they have to go to the companion site. They know that when they take a formative assessment quiz, they have to go to the companion site. She doesn't use it occasionally, but rather they use it every single day. It's expected and demanded that they use it. The second point that I sited was the fact that adopting technology just for technology's sake doesn't automatically lead to increased student achievement. There has to be an explicit and purposeful reason for the use of the technology and it has to be well thought out and well planned. It is a tool to support well designed classroom lessons and instruction.
I thought this article had some interesting research and results, but I also thought it was interesting for another reason. The article reflected research from the summer of 2011 and now only 18 months later, many of the statements made are out of date. They discussed several times that one of the main benefits to using tablets, specifically iPads, is the inability to use more than one application at a time - like students could do on a laptop. Their reason for stating this was to show that tablets would be less distracting compared to laptops. While I'm not that familiar with iPads, I do know that you can now access multiple applications on other tablets and smart devices.
With that being said, there were several points that the article touched on that caused me to reflect on our current practices. The first point I want to mention is the part of the article when they discuss homework, the lack of student completion, and how they addressed it. This really didn't have anything to do with the technology, but it was almost humorous to me to read that homework turn-in and completion was not just a high school or middle school problem, but also a post high school problem. The way they handled this was to have some class time set aside to read a "critical article". This way they knew everyone completed the assignment and everyone was prepared to contribute to the class discussion which made it a richer and deeper conversation.
Okay, so back to the technology. One of the other points that they made that was critical to the iPad integration was the fact that you had to know everything about the tablet operating system. This point actually inhibits our work towards BYOD. I think it's impossible to make sure teachers know all operating systems inside and out. We know that students will obviously bring technology with varying operating systems, and while there aren't that many operating systems out there, I don't think it's a reasonable request for teachers to know all the operating systems that students will be using.
There was another point that the article made that really made me think. In the article they said, "the Internet access provided by the iPads allowed the students to challenge misleading facts and statements made by other students during the discussions, enhancing the dialogue within the classroom." What came to mind when I read this statement was the TV show "Pardon the Interruption" on ESPN. If you haven't seen it, two guys sit across form each other and discuss current topics in the world of sports. They often argue each other's points and pose statistics to back up their points of view. At the end of the show they refer to another guy who they call "stat man". His job is to check the validity of all the stats and the accurateness of all the comments they make. He then tells them about the mistakes they made and corrects them. If, during classroom discussions, teachers would require different students to be the class "stat man", I think that would help deepen the engagement level of all students. Maybe that comment is a little far out there, but it was just an idea.
Lastly, I want to address two other quotes from the article. At the beginning of the article the author states that the research shows, "the key to successfully adopting tablet technology was to ensure that students remained academically engaged with the device on a regular basis so that they became accustomed to its use". The author also cites a quote from (Murphy, 2011) stating that, "adopting technology for technology’s sake does not guarantee improved learning outcomes or an enriching educational experience". I think that these two comments are very important. If students don't see the tablet as an essential and necessary part to the academic learning experience, then they may be more likely just to see it as a gimmick. One of our teachers at Oak Hills made an interesting comment yesterday that relates to this quote. When I asked her about her companion site and how she gets her students to access it, she said the key was using it every day. Students know that in-order to get the class assignment, they have to go to the companion site. They know that when they take a formative assessment quiz, they have to go to the companion site. She doesn't use it occasionally, but rather they use it every single day. It's expected and demanded that they use it. The second point that I sited was the fact that adopting technology just for technology's sake doesn't automatically lead to increased student achievement. There has to be an explicit and purposeful reason for the use of the technology and it has to be well thought out and well planned. It is a tool to support well designed classroom lessons and instruction.
Monday, January 21, 2013
[Phillips, BYOD - Maine Experience]
It was very interesting reading the article and then reading the different opinions associated with the article. In regard to the "laggers", I think that it's not soley about providing support with one certain learning management system or one certain program. While that is absolutely necessary, the problem I see is the lack of confidence and the lack of perseverance in trying new and different technology. I often hear teachers say, "I don't want to break something" or "I don't want to mess it up". They also get frustrated with the fact that we are always changing with the way we do business. One of the new Common Core Standards in Mathematics deals with teaching our students perseverance. It's ironic that I feel like this is one of this skills that a lot of us adults are lacking as well. In the world that we know and that we are used to, we figure something out by reading the manual. With today's technology, there is so much you can do with it that there really is no manual per se. It's working with it, spending time with it, and not being afraid to "mess" something up.
Another point that I want to bring up is what Kara touched on. In the article they discuss students using their laptops in the Language Arts classes 1 - 3 hrs per week. While I agree that 1 or 2 hours seems kind of low, I think 3 hours is getting closer to hitting it just about perfect. In some of the discussions I've had and in some of the readings I've done, it's been suggested that the computer be used no more than half a class period maximum. The reason for this is a tendency to drift. If you have a well defined and structured lesson and you use the clock as a tool, you give the students a short amount of time to do the required assignment or task that you have given them and then you stop and reflect. It's natural that kids and adults if given too much time online, will drift. I'm sure some of us experienced that while working on this assignment, or when you are entering grades into progress book, or whatever else you are tasked with that involves using a computer.
I want to go back to what I said in the first paragraph about being afraid to "mess" something up. As teachers, we often have some anxiety with not already knowing all the answers and not knowing exactly how class will play out. In the case of technology, we will never have all the answers. We need to let the students own the technology usage in our classes. They will tell us what they can use to discover the information we are seeking. We need to let students disseminate, own, and lead the technology usage in our classroom. Don't be afraid that they are going to "mess" something up. That is a fault of ours, not theirs.
It was very interesting reading the article and then reading the different opinions associated with the article. In regard to the "laggers", I think that it's not soley about providing support with one certain learning management system or one certain program. While that is absolutely necessary, the problem I see is the lack of confidence and the lack of perseverance in trying new and different technology. I often hear teachers say, "I don't want to break something" or "I don't want to mess it up". They also get frustrated with the fact that we are always changing with the way we do business. One of the new Common Core Standards in Mathematics deals with teaching our students perseverance. It's ironic that I feel like this is one of this skills that a lot of us adults are lacking as well. In the world that we know and that we are used to, we figure something out by reading the manual. With today's technology, there is so much you can do with it that there really is no manual per se. It's working with it, spending time with it, and not being afraid to "mess" something up.
Another point that I want to bring up is what Kara touched on. In the article they discuss students using their laptops in the Language Arts classes 1 - 3 hrs per week. While I agree that 1 or 2 hours seems kind of low, I think 3 hours is getting closer to hitting it just about perfect. In some of the discussions I've had and in some of the readings I've done, it's been suggested that the computer be used no more than half a class period maximum. The reason for this is a tendency to drift. If you have a well defined and structured lesson and you use the clock as a tool, you give the students a short amount of time to do the required assignment or task that you have given them and then you stop and reflect. It's natural that kids and adults if given too much time online, will drift. I'm sure some of us experienced that while working on this assignment, or when you are entering grades into progress book, or whatever else you are tasked with that involves using a computer.
I want to go back to what I said in the first paragraph about being afraid to "mess" something up. As teachers, we often have some anxiety with not already knowing all the answers and not knowing exactly how class will play out. In the case of technology, we will never have all the answers. We need to let the students own the technology usage in our classes. They will tell us what they can use to discover the information we are seeking. We need to let students disseminate, own, and lead the technology usage in our classroom. Don't be afraid that they are going to "mess" something up. That is a fault of ours, not theirs.
[Linenkugel] Maine & BYOD
[Linenkugel] After reading both articles and colleague responses, it made me start thinking of the timeline of my own experience with technology. Since I have been in the OHLSD district, we have taken several different approaches on technology in our specific building. When I first started 9 years ago, we had a computer lab with 30 Mac Desktops and I was able to have Photoshop Elements on all 30 of them:) I could take my whole class there with an assignment that we could all work on simultaneously....This was AMAZING! Those were the days!;) Unfortunately, we have since gotten rid of the lab, Macs and also ½ of the total of Photoshop Elements and the other ½ (after some begging) were placed on the mini laptops (which for those of you that know what these are like... not even comparable for several reasons - the main one being the size of working space and screen). This is where I struggle to assist all of my students at the same time while having another project going on at the same time because only ½ of the class can work on Photoshop on a rotation.
Once I started using my document camera, I actually felt some of the same feelings that Berger was describing of ‘jumping & shouting for joy’...because no longer did I have to teach a demonstration/process to 4 tables/small groups huddled together at a time, but, my whole class could look up and watch me go through step by step up on my Smartboard (much more efficient). This has also allowed my students to show/present their own work or offer a demo of their own.
For the last several years, I have implemented technology in my classroom and have had some hurdles along the way. Some of the frustrations with adding technology still exist daily, like the getting out and putting away of all of the mini laptops into the cart (which is never easy or quick); logging on process; so that takes several minutes out of instruction...which is where the BYOD can come into play for me for certain things and has/will be much more efficient & more successful for the majority of the students. I have used this for simple tasks like finding an image to use as a reference and/or to fill out a survey/google form for creating groups or deciding on choice for projects. As stated in the article, “According to a 2011 Pew Internet Project teen survey, 77 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds have cell phones, a major jump from 45 percent in 2004.” Edutopia.org and for those that do not have the technology or for whatever reason their parents won’t let them bring it in - we have mini laptops available for them to use. Although if BYOD is going to be used across the whole building on a daily/weekly basis... we will need to have more carts available or have to split them into smaller sets rather than a whole cart; assuming each teacher only needs a few (5-10) to accommodate for those without their own device.
Like with change, there will always be resistance and as long as we as a district are committed to allowing for time & money for professional development & room/time for the learning curve ...we can work through it together. If there is training and available personnel to assist the teachers that need it - it will be much easier to convince them of the many pros that this has to offer to their classroom and enhance the learning of their students.
I am also interested in further developing our districts concept of eKIDS and the idea behind creating and doingTAPS so that in addition to teacher resources we could have these students be ambassadors and be seen as a resource as well. Some students are so interested in learning more about technology and willing to try new things without the fear of failure or it being too hard. Both of these articles were interesting to read and I especially took note of a few of the suggestions for middle school (I already shared the frog dissection with our 8th grade biology teacher). I am interested to try the textplus.com application and compare it to remind101 that I have implemented using this past semester. With all of the trouble that my classes just had with saving their projects, I am thinking that the use of the dropbox (free for up to 2 gigabytes) might offer some resolution to that as well.
I have 2 new 6th grade classes and 2 new 7th grade classes coming to me for the first time tomorrow and have included on my syllabus that I am participating in this elearning/BYOD opportunity through OHLSD/XU and made them aware that I will be using this with their children this semester and that more information will be coming to them soon.
Once I started using my document camera, I actually felt some of the same feelings that Berger was describing of ‘jumping & shouting for joy’...because no longer did I have to teach a demonstration/process to 4 tables/small groups huddled together at a time, but, my whole class could look up and watch me go through step by step up on my Smartboard (much more efficient). This has also allowed my students to show/present their own work or offer a demo of their own.
For the last several years, I have implemented technology in my classroom and have had some hurdles along the way. Some of the frustrations with adding technology still exist daily, like the getting out and putting away of all of the mini laptops into the cart (which is never easy or quick); logging on process; so that takes several minutes out of instruction...which is where the BYOD can come into play for me for certain things and has/will be much more efficient & more successful for the majority of the students. I have used this for simple tasks like finding an image to use as a reference and/or to fill out a survey/google form for creating groups or deciding on choice for projects. As stated in the article, “According to a 2011 Pew Internet Project teen survey, 77 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds have cell phones, a major jump from 45 percent in 2004.” Edutopia.org and for those that do not have the technology or for whatever reason their parents won’t let them bring it in - we have mini laptops available for them to use. Although if BYOD is going to be used across the whole building on a daily/weekly basis... we will need to have more carts available or have to split them into smaller sets rather than a whole cart; assuming each teacher only needs a few (5-10) to accommodate for those without their own device.
Like with change, there will always be resistance and as long as we as a district are committed to allowing for time & money for professional development & room/time for the learning curve ...we can work through it together. If there is training and available personnel to assist the teachers that need it - it will be much easier to convince them of the many pros that this has to offer to their classroom and enhance the learning of their students.
I am also interested in further developing our districts concept of eKIDS and the idea behind creating and doingTAPS so that in addition to teacher resources we could have these students be ambassadors and be seen as a resource as well. Some students are so interested in learning more about technology and willing to try new things without the fear of failure or it being too hard. Both of these articles were interesting to read and I especially took note of a few of the suggestions for middle school (I already shared the frog dissection with our 8th grade biology teacher). I am interested to try the textplus.com application and compare it to remind101 that I have implemented using this past semester. With all of the trouble that my classes just had with saving their projects, I am thinking that the use of the dropbox (free for up to 2 gigabytes) might offer some resolution to that as well.
I have 2 new 6th grade classes and 2 new 7th grade classes coming to me for the first time tomorrow and have included on my syllabus that I am participating in this elearning/BYOD opportunity through OHLSD/XU and made them aware that I will be using this with their children this semester and that more information will be coming to them soon.
Byod. (Andy Marx). I pad
The article about byod was very thought provoking. The use of personal devices, despite concerns over texting, web surfing or cheating, is the wave of the future. These devices are tools, tools for analysis an research and assessment. The only real obstacle is encouraging,or educating educators, how to use these tools in the classroom. I found that things like the socrates site, are great ways to get teachers to try it and grow comfortable. However, in poorer, under funded districts, I can see how technology would be tough to include everyday. I just hope that we realize it is critical for us to adapt to our students, not the opposite. Ben brought up some great points, and the use of our new technology can truly improve learning, more than the calculator! Our future sure is in flux, who knows we could be teaching in a collegebsetting sooner than we think.
(Berger) BYOD and the Maine Experience
I was a Junior in high school during the 2002-2003 school year when the one-to-one laptop project was implemented in Main. The sheer idea of receiving a laptop as a student in 2003 sent a giant shock of jealousy through my technology-obsessed psyche. Melissa Claus also mentioned the novelty and and rarity of the concept of bringing a laptop to school in 2003. Laptops were new, they were shiny, and they were expensive. When the 7th and 8th grade teachers in Maine heard they were receiving a laptop for every student, they must have been jumping and shouting for joy, right? The opportunities I am sure were endless!! Then, I looked deeper at the statistics provided in the article. 50% of the teachers used the laptops for formative assessment. 56% use the laptops to differentiate instruction. 51% of students use their laptop in language arts only 1 to 3 hours a week! Even more shocking, only 75% of the teachers used the laptops for classroom instruction (which seems high, but what on earth are the other 25% using, an overhead projector??).
I realize the world of Google Apps didn’t rule the world yet at this time (although Moodle was a driving force), so maybe the teachers didn’t have the collaborative technology available to them in 2003 as we do now. Still, excuses aside, I can’t fathom the overwhelming joy of receiving a laptop to use in school, only to discover that I would be using the laptop 1 to 3 hours a week in each of my classes. I wonder if the districts who have implemented the one-to-one ipad program have experienced similar results. After handing over millions of dollars into a 1-1 ipad program, do all of the teachers embrace this incredible opportunity, or did 25% decide to stick with pencil and paper and the handy dandy overhead projector?
Maybe it’s the concept of BYOD that makes me tick with jealousy after reading the Maine Experience. After implementing BYOD for a while in my classroom, I can’t help but to drool over the possibility that every student had their own, universal mobile device. Sure, there are a lot of awesome educational apps out there (Mobile Devices for Learning listed many great app suggestions), but how many apps are available on every platform (android, iOS, amazon, and even via the cloud on laptop internet browsers)? The answer is, not many. I have discovered there are several different comic strip creation apps, for example, available on all devices, but the key word is different. I came up with the genius idea for students to create a digital comic strip over a concept covered in class, using ANY application on the device of their choice. Yikes! The project was successful, but chaotic and time consuming to say the least. I’m wondering, if it is so difficult to get 53% of teachers to allow their students to utilize their one-to-one laptops in their classrooms 1 to 3 hours week, how on earth will we get 53% or more of teachers to utilize a classroom full of 15 different devices, even 1 to 3 hours a week? Is BYOD implementation in every classroom an impossible dream?
(Claus) Maine Experience & BYOD
As I began reading “The Maine Experience,” the first thing that surprised me was the fact that they started this program in the 2002-2003 school year. I made a personal connection to this year because I was a senior in high school. I can remember using computers in school but I am not sure I ever saw a laptop. Now ten years later, I can’t imagine my life without my laptop. Of course my first response is why aren’t all school districts embarking on this type of initiative. The obvious answer is the cost, but can we really put a price tag on a good, valuable education? The benefits seen in Maine should be looked at carefully by school districts across the country and hopefully will affect budging having the end goal to be to implement a similar program.
Another thing that was brought to my attention in the article was the fact that math teachers seems to use the technology less than the other subject areas. This was not surprising to me because this is where I struggle in my own classroom. I can come up with all kind of things for students to do on the computer in my class but making it truly meaningful and valuable is the difficult part. I am hoping to continue to learn and make additions to my current instructional practices.
I made a direct connection from the first article, “The Maine Experience” and the second article “Mobile Devices for Learning.” The biggest concern with the laptops for all students was the cost. BYOD seems like a great solution to this issue. Looking at my students, I would say 85% of them have a smartphone that can access the internet on. Of course BYOD isn’t as simple as it seems, as I have found out in my own classroom. There are several different types of mobile devices out there that can and cannot run certain programs. I also agree with Ben that mobile devices are still viewed as “evil” in some teachers eyes. Some people still believe that cellphones has no place in schools. The article was a great article for people who are just starting off with BYOD and those who are not sure about BYOD. I really enjoyed looking at the recommended apps at the end of the article. I look forward to continuing to learn about effective ways to implement BYOD in my classroom.
Another thing that was brought to my attention in the article was the fact that math teachers seems to use the technology less than the other subject areas. This was not surprising to me because this is where I struggle in my own classroom. I can come up with all kind of things for students to do on the computer in my class but making it truly meaningful and valuable is the difficult part. I am hoping to continue to learn and make additions to my current instructional practices.
I made a direct connection from the first article, “The Maine Experience” and the second article “Mobile Devices for Learning.” The biggest concern with the laptops for all students was the cost. BYOD seems like a great solution to this issue. Looking at my students, I would say 85% of them have a smartphone that can access the internet on. Of course BYOD isn’t as simple as it seems, as I have found out in my own classroom. There are several different types of mobile devices out there that can and cannot run certain programs. I also agree with Ben that mobile devices are still viewed as “evil” in some teachers eyes. Some people still believe that cellphones has no place in schools. The article was a great article for people who are just starting off with BYOD and those who are not sure about BYOD. I really enjoyed looking at the recommended apps at the end of the article. I look forward to continuing to learn about effective ways to implement BYOD in my classroom.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
(Dion Reyes) BYOD 1 to 1
I thought that Andy brought up some great questions that I thought about as I was reading. I also thought about the incredible cost that a program like this would cause for a district.
The first item that crossed my mind was the cost factor because nothing can get done without someone spending the money on it. As Christian pointed out, BYOD helps to alleviate the financial strains that many districts are currently facing while still bringing updated technology into the classroom. However, I do think that there will still be a need for some kind of device in every classroom for those students who either cannot afford a device or those whose parents will not allow them to bring their device for multiple reasons.
Going back to Andy’s questions I thought about how do we get the majority on board so that the “laggards” will eventually follow. While I think that the cost factor of BYOD is great, I think that is can be a challenge to staff members. I do believe that BYOD will help some students with the familiarity component when it comes to navigating different tasks, but I also believe that many students are only familiar with the tasks that are most essential to their personal lives. These tasks might align with what a teacher is trying to accomplish or not. I believe this will be one of the greatest obstacles we will face as we move forward with this initiative across our district. I see teachers becoming frustrated with the fact that they themselves are not familiar with the operating systems the students are using or finding something that works across all platforms. While I believe finding something that works on all platforms will become easier with time as technology progresses I also believe that we can alleviate some of that by having some kind of central place where teachers can go to for ideas or sites that work. We will also have to prepare teachers for how to handle the struggles of using different platforms. This means we will need to continue to support the staff throughout the building with eLC’s and different professional development opportunities for teachers. I believe this, like all things, will have a learning curve and that teachers will become more knowledgeable as they become more familiar with the different technologies and products out there. Other than training teachers how to use all the different platforms out there, I believe we must sell it to them as a learning opportunity. We are after all supposed to be educational leaders in the classroom and therefore should be able to show our students that while we might now always know all of the answers we can figure them out and learn like they do which I believe will lead to classroom leaders that can help with other students. All of this will be a process but if we can start the fire, I believe that it will spread.
Friday, January 18, 2013
My Maine Response
This article and study highlights the obvious need for technology in education. The 1-1 laptop program is something that I think all schools and districts hold out there as something to work towards. While I agree that having these devices provided by the school for each student comes with extreme benefits, with the budget constraints that many districts face, this isn't a viable option for many. I would actually almost prefer a BYOD program that allows students to bring devices they are already familiar with.
When starting a 1-1 laptop program, while many, maybe all, students are familiar with laptops and computers, there is still that initial phase of teaching how to use the device - maybe it is an unfamiliar operating system or the keyboard/mouse is set up differently. When students bring their own device, that phase is eliminated as students have already mastered their device and completely personalized it. This allows for instruction and engagement to begin immediately from day 1. Students have devices, this we know. The struggle is getting those devices to school and combining them with engaging, standard-based instruction.
The reality is the students we teach today will soon be leaving us and moving on to college and careers. No matter what they decide to do after leaving Oak Hills, they will need technology skills. We have a responsibility to begin providing this instruction and developing these skills as early as possible, or at least give the opportunity for this type of instruction.
When starting a 1-1 laptop program, while many, maybe all, students are familiar with laptops and computers, there is still that initial phase of teaching how to use the device - maybe it is an unfamiliar operating system or the keyboard/mouse is set up differently. When students bring their own device, that phase is eliminated as students have already mastered their device and completely personalized it. This allows for instruction and engagement to begin immediately from day 1. Students have devices, this we know. The struggle is getting those devices to school and combining them with engaging, standard-based instruction.
The reality is the students we teach today will soon be leaving us and moving on to college and careers. No matter what they decide to do after leaving Oak Hills, they will need technology skills. We have a responsibility to begin providing this instruction and developing these skills as early as possible, or at least give the opportunity for this type of instruction.
{Andy Marx}
A Middle School One-to-One Laptop Program:
The Maine Experience
From 2000-2005, the Maine Learning Technology Initiative, provided 7th and 8th grade students and their teachers with laptops, creating a true 1 to 1 environment for learning. Teaching at Oak Hills, where we are always ahead of the technology curve, we can empathize with some of the struggles and the successes of the implementation of a more student centered, technologically advanced classroom.
The findings were quite obvious in student performance- student writing improved, classes become more student centered, science and math scores improved (although math was not as affected as the other classes). Findings also concluded that teachers were very much on board with the program, although there were "laggards" who were a bit resistant to the program. MLTI was able to fund support- tech leaders, peer leaders for example who were able to provide aid and comfort to those who struggled.
The struggles still include assessment and differentiation, but the traditionalist vs. constructivist approaches played a major role in support for the MLTI program. Teachers who were more willing to be facilitators, saw greatest amount of success. Whether it is age, technology competence, and philosophy, the proof is in the results- it does work. Teachers and students agreed that the students became "better learners."
So let's start asking questions... what about the cost with a dearth of funding for schools? What can we do to encourage our more experienced, traditional teachers to embrace the movement to a BYOD classroom where we can have 1-1 setting? We know that instruction, creating an environment that facilitates e-learning, pedagogical skill set and deepening content knowledge, will help change the culture, but the question I have to many of you- is what obstacles are we facing in our unique situation? How can we change the culture, while being sympathetic towards our traditionalists, and pushing our constructivists to the cutting edge?
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Mobile Devices for Learning
{Hageman} - After reading this article, the first thing that came to mind was my early Catholic grade school days. We had this wonderful device called the calculator, but for some reason, it was totally off-limits in the classroom. As I advanced through primary school and into secondary education, the calculator, although still viewed at times as an evil device, slowly began to be embraced. It wasn’t until my Sophomore year of high school, when Mr. Whampler taught us the power of the calculator. He dedicated time not only to showing us how to perform calculation and solve problems, but also to real world applications.. He understood that when we left high school, a calculator was a tool that many of us would need to utilize in jobs.
To me (although not a perfect analogy), mobile devices are this generation's calculator. Student have in their hands an awesome learning tool. It is our job as educators to show students how they can utilize that tool to increase their efficiency, organize their academics, and increase their learning. As the article stated, “mobile devices are becoming as essential to students’ daily lives as, say, breakfast.” Regardless, if you still need convincing, just take a look at the new Common Core Standards.
To me (although not a perfect analogy), mobile devices are this generation's calculator. Student have in their hands an awesome learning tool. It is our job as educators to show students how they can utilize that tool to increase their efficiency, organize their academics, and increase their learning. As the article stated, “mobile devices are becoming as essential to students’ daily lives as, say, breakfast.” Regardless, if you still need convincing, just take a look at the new Common Core Standards.
Monday, January 14, 2013
[Tracy Cole] Welcome!
Welcome to the first course in the Oak Hills & Xavier eLearning Cohort!
This is your blog. Please describe below any blogging experience you have (start with your name). Feel free to experiment with font color, size, photos, etc. Express yourself!
{Jay Phillips}: I obtained by masters degree through an online program at Ball State. While I wouldn't consider it traditional blogging, we continuously posted comments about readings we had and then we had to comment on each others comments.
{Andy Marx}: I have contributed to a friends BLOG on coaching, but it was very limited, however, I am familiar with it, and look forward to utilizing it in our class, as well as professionally.
[Tracy Cole]:
I keep a blog documenting the renovation of my KingsCraft houseboat. Here is a link: A Boat ReBorn
{Tim Cybulski}: My blogging experience involves memorializing my administrative exchange opportunity in China. Check it out: China Partnership
[Kara Berger]: My only blogging experience involves the use of Blogger with my eKids students.
Ben Hageman: I do not have any direct blogging experience, other than reading one. However, I am currently excited about an opportunity to work in Blogger for a BYOD class.\
{Dion Reyes}: I do not have a lot of experience with blogging except for social media which I do not really consider blogging. This will be my real first experience.
{Jeanna Linenkugel}: http://jlcustomworks.blogspot.com/2011_06_01_archive.html
I have had some experience with blogspot through my eKIDS 8th grade class this semester, my husband and I share the above blogspot (have not done much work to it except for posting pictures/info on it). I intend to use this more with my Art 1 class in the upcoming semester as well. I would love to hold discussions using this and analyze/debate Art/Artists with my classes.
{Christian Long}: I don't have a ton of experience with blogging, other than some brief blogging in a few college courses. I have not typically been a fan of blogs and am wondering if this experience will change that!
(Melissa Claus) I do not have much personal experience blogging, however I use blogging in my ekids class on a weekly basis.
This is your blog. Please describe below any blogging experience you have (start with your name). Feel free to experiment with font color, size, photos, etc. Express yourself!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
{Jay Phillips}: I obtained by masters degree through an online program at Ball State. While I wouldn't consider it traditional blogging, we continuously posted comments about readings we had and then we had to comment on each others comments.
{Andy Marx}: I have contributed to a friends BLOG on coaching, but it was very limited, however, I am familiar with it, and look forward to utilizing it in our class, as well as professionally.
[Tracy Cole]:
I keep a blog documenting the renovation of my KingsCraft houseboat. Here is a link: A Boat ReBorn
{Tim Cybulski}: My blogging experience involves memorializing my administrative exchange opportunity in China. Check it out: China Partnership
[Kara Berger]: My only blogging experience involves the use of Blogger with my eKids students.
Ben Hageman: I do not have any direct blogging experience, other than reading one. However, I am currently excited about an opportunity to work in Blogger for a BYOD class.\
{Dion Reyes}: I do not have a lot of experience with blogging except for social media which I do not really consider blogging. This will be my real first experience.
{Jeanna Linenkugel}: http://jlcustomworks.blogspot.com/2011_06_01_archive.html
I have had some experience with blogspot through my eKIDS 8th grade class this semester, my husband and I share the above blogspot (have not done much work to it except for posting pictures/info on it). I intend to use this more with my Art 1 class in the upcoming semester as well. I would love to hold discussions using this and analyze/debate Art/Artists with my classes.
{Christian Long}: I don't have a ton of experience with blogging, other than some brief blogging in a few college courses. I have not typically been a fan of blogs and am wondering if this experience will change that!
(Melissa Claus) I do not have much personal experience blogging, however I use blogging in my ekids class on a weekly basis.
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