Conclusion- What I will use in my classroom

I have learned a lot from this class that I want to utilize in my classroom. I was pro-technology use in the classroom before but really had no idea of the variety of possibilities, and to be honest, I was embarrassed and hesitant to use something I am so unfamiliar with. My favorite things that I learned about that I want to utilize in my classroom are the wiki-textbook that students write; social bookmarking sites that are helpful; vidcasts/podcasts of educational videos/files; student blogs; and curriculum webs. A lot of these things take a lot of time and I think it is easy to get overwhelmed- like I felt with this class!- but I think if I started implementing a little bit at a time, then both my students and I could really enrich the teaching/learning environment. Technology is the way of the future, after all. And I certainly don't want to be left behind because I am too nervous to implement technology. One of the things I read in one of those articles talked about a huge difference in attitude that it takes. The old way of thinking is that technology could be really helpful in supplementing lessons. The new wave of thought is that it is becoming intimately intertwined with the teaching. Our nation is really falling behind, both in regards to technology usage and academically. Somehow we need to bridge the gap that has been created so that struggling learners and even the very bright, but bored ones can again be successful in school and motivated to learn.

Social Bookmarking

Social Bookmarking is a way to basically make your favorite sites public. It is especially helpful for teachers because you can organize them into the topics you cover. This saves a lot of time in the long run. In future years when I am teaching the same topics I will not need to go online on a hunt for useful websites- wading through the ones that either no longer work or are not very helpful. Social bookmarking is helpful as well because the sites alert you when sites have been updated. This is especially helpful when you have student blogs to check through. That way whenever they are updated you know about it and you don't have to spend hours clicking through various pages. Bookmarked sites let you know how many times a site has been hit. And although this does not guarantee that it is a very good website, it may mean that a lot of people found it useful.

They way that I most intend to use it is for my own personal file keeper. As I stumble upon useful websites I can bookmark them. It is diffferent than just regular bookmarking because it is through the network, so whichever computer I use they will be accessible. It will also allow me to organize websites by topic: exponents, integers, equations, percents... that way when I am teaching it again I know just where to look,

Student-Selected Topic-- mini-laptops for the classroom

My school just purchased 30 mini-laptops. We even have wireless, albeit spotty. I love the idea of losing these in my classroom. I am very optimistic about the future use of these laptops. Just a little while ago I had my students watch an internet video walking them through step-by-step how to do geometric constructions. They loved it! But it would have worked even better if each kid could have watched their own video with headphones so that they could rewind, pause and repeat whenever they needed to.

I have 2 concerns: accessibility and monitoring what they have access to. The issue of accessibility is basically a non-issue: I don't see anyway to remedy this until all students can be provided with one. There have been discussions among other schools that give each student one for the school year- it usually results in increased amounts of accountability and responsibility. The other issue is monitoring. How do I have the kids do something like a curriculum web that needs internet research but also monitor that they are not going places they shouldn't. I'm not worried about porn or even youtube- the WebSense censoring program takes care of that- but what about just other fun sites that kids like to go on- games, music etc. How do we prevent them from going on sites that have nothing to do with what we are teaching.
Is there a way that I could control all of their computers from mine? Or that I could lock them out from all sites except a few that I select? That would be perfect!

Using Multimedia

Multimedia typically refers to a combination of text, pictures, movies, and sound on web pages. If you are making a website, like we are- depending on the type of image, music etc there are better and worse options for formatting. JPEG vs GIF for images; Real Player vs Windows media player for music; Quicktime for movies.

The effects of multimedia I think are obvious: it makes websites more interesting, fun to go on, unique. Of course, there is also a downside, if you use too much media. I have been on a few math websites for kids where they are obviously trying to appeal to kids with animated graphics, lots of color etc, but I feel so over-stimulated by looking at the page, that I never even use it, and there's probably some good stuff on there. So while it is important for a website to have multimedia on it, you want to be careful that it is effective and not overwhelming.

The most interesting thing brought up by this chapter (9) had to do with future types of multimedia which will appeal to other sense besides just the visual and sound senses: taste, smell and touch! Very weird and cool. All I can really picture from this is virtual reality websites that bring interactivity to a whole new dimension.. o my nerdiness knows no bounds.

Wikis

The most popular Wiki is wikipedia, an online encyclopedia that is freely written and edited by multiple authors. More generally speaking, wikis are websites that have multiple authors. The information is not copyrighted and all edits are kept track of- a history provided for every change made.
Making a wiki is actually a lot like making our websites but also seems to combine some elements of a class blog, where students can post responses to things other students contribute. The biggest difference is that instead of responses, the input of other students is actually incorportated into the original. Chris said something that seemed like a helpful metaphor: you build a house but keep all the scaffolding on and you can just keep adding new rooms, changing things around constantly with no real hassle.
The most interesting use of a wiki that I learned about was a WikiBook. Your students could make a Wikibook about the topics covered all year. VERY COOL! They basically write their own textbook. Obviously a few issues pop up, besides the typical censoring inappropriateness. Organization is a toughie. But you could go in and at least make an initial set up, in an outline format, and the students could provide the "meat" of the wiki, which other students can correct and improve upon. I love this idea and can't wait for the day that all my students have internet access and I could actually do this as a class project. My various students over the course of years even! could work on it!

Factors will impact using curriculum webs in schools

Chapter 12 mentions these factors as being involved: people, classrooms, computers, computer labs, connectivity, software issues, and email. Basically I see it all come down to having accessibility to technology, implementing curriculum webs wide-spread throughout classrooms effectively, and having a positive attitude or approach to using this type of technology in the classroom. Most of us agree that technology is a good thing for the classroom so reluctance or hesitancy does not seem like an issue I would be having.

Obviously an issue for most of us is accessibility. Our schools may have computers, but perhaps not many, or they may not be hooked up to a wireless network. Or if they are, the service is spotty. So the solution becomes, it will have to be an "at-home" implementation. But many of my kids don't have a computer or the internet. Or they are not allowed to use it. These issues we have hashed out and rehashed. So what CAN we do? We can try and stay positive and come up with some way to do this. Perhaps instead of every student having a computer in front of them, you could at least hook up your screen to an LCD (if you have a SMART board box at least) and go through the curriculum webs from one screen. And while yes, this may not be ideal, you can instruct those kids with internet to go online at home as well and explore for themselves.

Podcasting

A Podcast is literally an ipod plus a broadcast. There are a variety of types of podcasts: audio, vidcast, and enhanced podcast (audio and a still image). Podcasts have a variety of uses. They can be used for radio programs, blogs, educational,interviews, reviews, and news and politics. They are a great resource for both students and teachers. As a new teacher it can often be difficult to know the best way to teach a topic. Podcasts allow teachers to watch other teachers teach the topic in a way they probably had not thought of. Students can also listen to a podcast or watch a vidcast- say, if they for some crazy reason get sick of hearing you yap all day. It is also an amazing way to help struggling students- for remediation purposes- to whom maybe you don't have the time to spend re-teaching an entire lesson. Kids can even make their own podcasts, which brings a creative, fun edge to a topic.
I love the idea of podcasts! I am constantly confiscating random electronic gadget and toys, and one of the articles I read for the annotated bibliography mentioned that the traditional in-school attitude of NO ELECTRONICS does two bad things: kids love technology, so you're denying them something that they love; also, you are not meshing with their world, which is rapidly becoming all about technology.

What makes an effective website?

A lot of this chapter (8) describes an effective website is one that is all about organization and "chunking"- is that a technical term!?-. I completely agree with this. No matter how awesome, intelligent, thought-out the material is that is being displayed is, if the website lacks organization or is just one long rambling, no one will be interested in reading it/be able to understand it/ or be able to get the most out of it. Color coding, or using color to distinguish different elements of a page is useful. Using multimedia is fun, interesting, and can be much more helpful than words describing it... a picture's worth a thousand words, right? Trying to use less words and more symbols I think is helpful especially on math websites, especially if being used by students. Also speaking in the vernacular of your audience is very important. If you are writing for kids, try to talk less formally. It is also oddly comforting when you are on a website to learn something if it does not sound pedantic, but instead uses humor and a freedom of speech not usually associated with educational websites.

WebQuests

This was my group's topic-- this is from our powerpoint presentation:

WebQuests are web-based lessons. They are organized around a question, issue, case, or problem that requires students to use web resources to complete an inquiry or investigation involving higher-order thinking. It is composed of different activities for the student to complete, and the complexity of these activities can be left up to the student. It can either be created for short-term or long-term units, depending on the academic goals and objectives the teacher wants her students to meet.

The purpose of webquests are: to make learning more inquiry-based rather than being driven by the teacher;to differentiate instruction through technology; to enhance students' skills with using the Internet; to make learning more engaging by leaving the learning-process more in the hands of the students than the teacher's.

There are 7 Elements in a webquest:
Introduction- a statement that sets up the problem, putting it into context, and often includes an essential question
Task- a statement of what is to be done to complete the WebQuest
Process- a detailed step-by-step guide to completing the WebQuest
Evaluation- an explicit statement of how any products resulting from the WebQuest will be judged , often in the form of a rubric or rubrics
Credits- links to web-based resources and citations to print-based resources that will be used by the learners to complete the WebQuest
Conclusion- a statement that ties the WebQuest together, perhaps leading to additional questions or encouraging learners to continue to increase their understanding of the subject matter
Teaching Guide- information for teachers about the purposes and structure of the WebQuest, including the elements discussed throughout this book

Pros in the Eyes of Students:
Lessons and projects are interactive and thus more engaging.
Students are responsible for their own learning; they are allowed to work independently and at their own pace.
WebQuests can be accessed through any computer, whenever. They offer a comforting sense of privacy for shy, reticent learners, allowing especially these students to build confidence and interest in the subject matter.
Students use different skills such as reading, typing and navigating the world wide web by being able to access different website links; generally enhances research skills
Students can also enhance auditory and visual skills by watching and listening to educational videos

Pros in the Eyes of Teachers:
Student input and progress can be tracked by the teacher.
Teachers can differentiate instruction by including higher-order thinking work for advanced learners, to incorporate a deeper sense of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Teachers can better incorporate more of the multiple intelligences into lessons and projects.
There is less paperwork for teachers.
WebQuests allow for alternative assessment of students.

The Cons of Webquests:
Lack of student experience with technology, which can compound difficulties for English language learners
Can be very time-consuming for the teacher. Building the WebQuest takes time. Also if teachers need to show students who are not technology-savvy how to work on a computer and access information, this can take longer than conducting a regular classroom lesson.
Monitoring issues: Students may spend too much time online and lose focus. Students may not know how to work independently and may need direction and constant monitoring. Also, it can be difficult to answer all students’ questions timely.

Planning Instruction and Assessment

Although I am going to distinguish between them right now, the book points out that this is purely heuristic. Instruction and assessment are supposed to be interwoven to truly be effective.

To plan for instruction, you want to make an instructional plan (which functions like a traditional lesson plan or a teacher's edition of a textbook)~ this is basically a how-to-guide on how to implement your lesson: timing, grouping suggestions, teaching method suggestions, a list of materials/equipment. An instructional plan should also have scaffolding suggestions. To remember what scaffolding refers to think of the literal meaning. Scaffolds are temporary constructs put up around a building that is being built to help workers. So in the education world, scaffolding refers to the temporary modifications teachers can take to help struggling learners- making problems less complicated, esp- until the learner is ready for the scaffolds to be removed, to do the unmodified activities that avg/above average learners can do.

Planning for assessment involves creating a performance criteria, scoring rubrics, self-assessments, and online assessments. All of these are meant to help gauge if the learning objectives have been met. Most of these are pretty self-explanatory, but let's elaborate on what is meant by "performance criteria." Performance criteria refers to what students usually call “what it takes to pass.” It is kind of like what is “par level for the course;” a decent job done. It is good to define this for the students so they know explicitly what you are looking for. For instance, you might instruct them when making a graph, “You need a title, label axes correctly, plot points correctly, show the work it took to find the equation. Write about the similarities and differences of the line” This is the performance criteria. Students should certainly try to go above this. You could give suggestions: color code lines, make your write-up very specific and talk about all that you notice.

Learner Activities

What makes a great activity? Certainly one that is engaging and motivating. Chapter 5 discusses two types of learning approaches: direct instruction and inquiry-based learning. Activities can be either. Basically "direct instruction" activities are where it is clear what skills need to be acquired and it is clearly layed out how to acquire them. The focus is on gaining proficiency not quelching curiosity. Inquiry-based is where the ends aren't quite clear; where you need to be curious and find out what type of answer you need before even finding it. For instance, if the topic is slope-intercept, a direct instruction activity focuses on teaching what slope and the y-intercept are. It states the facts, then works on the skills necessary for proficiency. An inquiry-based approach is if a student comes to an understanding through exploration-- like looking at real life examples of a changing rate; like phone rate plans for example.
Obviously the latter seems more engaging, however, procedural proficiency is definitely necessary. It is difficult to differentiate procedures in math, but topics can be explained in a variety of ways, and at a slower pace, for those learners who need more processing time. The more interactive, curiousity-sparking activities are more easily differentiate-able, especially with on-line actitivites, where for instance you can't move on to the next level until you've demonstrated enough proficiency. The activity grows in complexity as the student gets better at their own pace.

The topic for my curriculum web is slope and y-intercept. These websites I found to be helpful. I put them in order of when they would come into play in instruction. The first offers an introduction, the second is for the learning, and the third is for the assessment. The level of interactivity goes from least to most.

http://www.math-play.com/Slope-Intercept/Slope_Intercept.html
This one might be a little boring- not a game-, but it is interactive and a helpful introduction to this topic. It allows students to change the slope and the y-intercept and see the resulting line. It also asks probing questions for the students to start thinking about the consequences of changing the slope and the y-intercept.

http://www.mathwarehouse.com/algebra/linear_equation/slope-intercept-form.php
This website is nice because the students can use it at home to help them self-teach, or it can be used in class. It has boxes to click on for the answer. Therefore, you could put the site up on a smart board, and give the class time to work out the problems, then click on the automated response. It also has the sliding line, so students can control slope and y-intercept, and not only see the line created, but also a table of values.

http://hotmath.com/hotmath_help/games/kp/Karappan_Poochi_Sound.swf
O wow! This site is AMAZING! It is a fun game for kids. Basically, cockroaches crawl across the screen in a straight line. There are three rounds- first is the easiest, find the y-intercept; second, find the slope; and third, find the equation of the line the cockroaches crawl on. Once you type it in, a laser shoots them and they die. It is timed, so after a few minutes, you lose that turn and have to try again. You need to reach a certain proficiency to be able to move on. It is challenging and fun!!!! So easy for differentiation- since you move on as you get better.

Curriculum Area- relation to technology

While technology can probably be used to aid in teaching any subject, it is most readily apparent that this is the case in teaching math and science. As a math teacher, I have found several ways that I utilize technology in my classroom: calculators, the projector, and the smart board. I am really only comfortable using the first two of these. But oddly, I have found that even my 8th graders are unfamiliar with using calculators and often don't type in the appropriate order. I did not push this, which I probably should have, since most of the state exam cannot be completed with a calculator, and my students' basic computation skills are severely lacking. In hindsight I really ought to have used the calculators more in my classroom, especially since for the extended response section, where they can use them, they are rather clueless. I did just receive a large overhead calculator aid, so I think this will help me teach my kids how to use one. It's probably too late this year. Yikes! As for the projector, I have actually just received one and am getting accustomed to using it. It is slightly awkward to write on, but I think my students appreciated the change of pace. It is really useful for the overhead algebra tiles! I finally got my internet connection for my classroom and really should learn how to use the smart board. It is so intimidating, however, and I am not sure I am ready for it. Maybe once I make some curriculum webs of my own, my eagerness to share those will override my hesitancy of using the smart board.
Technology is especially useful in teaching math, both because it sparks interest in what can be a rather dry subject, and because it makes rather abstract concepts more readily apparent . The internet and education websites provide great animations and other aids to explain difficult topics. But more than that, technology is the way to bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world. Mathematicians today rely on technology. And computers, which most certainly fascinate our kids, rely on math. Technology can help us help our students to not only understand the math we're teaching, but also to inspire a curiosity into how math affects the world around them.

Website Evaluation

There are five main questions to ask yourself when trying to evaluate a website: the five w's : who, what, where, when, why (created by Kathy Schrock-- I'm practicing upholding copyright laws!) These questions are very good to ask yourself because not all websites are equally useful. Some may have incorrect information on them; may falsely claim to be unbiased; may represent the information in a confusing way. Especially if you want to use technology and websites in your classroom instruction, you don't want to be infront of the students googling "polynomials" for the first time and then just randomly clicking on links (unless random searching is what you're teaching, of course). You will want to know ahead of time which websites are useful, accessible, and represent the information both accurately and clearly. I really did not have any idea how many useless/less valuable websites there are for math. Useless because they are targeted for high school or college level students. Nowadays it is almost always better to get an interactive, animated website rather than just dry, typed up notes/walk-through of procedures. Another reason you want to check out websites for evaluation before telling links to students is that many for education are not free!? So much on the internet is free, but many organizations put together a huge database for teachers but you need to pay for subscriptions. Also- if you have a wireless network at your school and want to show sites, many are restricted as soon as you get to school because of the board of education's restrictions. This is why it was useful in class when we were talking about education-y alternatives to you-tube (on which at home you can view really helpful, awesome animations of a variety of math topics).

Very Helpful Math Websites

Many uses for Algebra Tiles:
http://mathbits.com/MathBits/AlgebraTiles/AlgebraTiles.htm


For a variety of interactive manipulative-friendly lessons:
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/NAV/topic_t_3.html

The Impact of Copyright on Educators

The chapter that we had to read for last week's class discusses copyright regulations and a loop hole for teachers called "Fair Use." Basically something can be copied if it is a small portion of the whole; if it would be, time-wise, impossible to seek permission, and if the copy is for only one class and one course. It is mentioned that all copies should be returned to the teacher before students leave the room with them; that the teacher should only keep one copy for herself. What is most pertinent to me was the sentence that talks about how copying pages from a workbook is not ok.
I understand that copyright was put into place to give rights to the authors of works. I can completely understand not being able to say copy an entire book and distribute that. But math workbooks?! I do not feel like photocopying workbooks destroys the integrity of the work in any way. The issue of copyrighting as presented in this course's textbook conflates "illegal" and "unethical." These are not necessarily the same thing (murder, for instance, is obviously both- speeding is certainly not unethical). It is completely unrealistic as well, since while the schools usually provide each student with some type of workbook, teachers typically run across another source that they want their students to work through. As with many things I think it is more important to follow the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law. But clearly the number of court cases and monetary settlements reached because of copyright infringement is evidence that this is not how the law works.

Introduction

I am now entering my second semester as a grad-school student. I left Santa Fe, NM, which is where I went to college, at the end of May 2008 to become a Teaching Fellow. My major was very basic- a Liberal Arts degree, however the program offered is very unique. We study the history of math and science; philosophy; ancient Greek; French; and music theory. I received what is called a classical education with a hands-on approach. We only read primary sources- no text books. We do not sit in lectures; the students do most of the talking/asking questions/discussing. I loved my college experience and try to bring that hands-on inquisitiveness into my classroom.

As a current teaching fellow I work as an 8th grade math teacher in Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn. My school is in its third year. Many of the teachers either are or were teaching fellows. Like many schools these days we are all about incorporating technology into the classroom, but our means do not really allow for this. We are still largely a chalk-board-using school. Though I do not have full-time access to a smart-board I would really love to start incorporating it into my classroom, but I am unsure of how to best use this, and I am just unsure and uncomfortable with using it. Even projectors make me nervous! I would say right now that is my goal for this class: to become much more comfortable with incorporating technology into my classroom.