Week 8 - Why Wireless ? (Thoughts on Nov. 2007 blog)

"Why Wireless ? ... Because their century demands it". I thought this summed it up very well. Since the students will need to be technically literate in the coming years. I must agree that having a wireless network available is a big help to accessing information.

Students can continue learning outside of the classroom and not just between 7:30 am and 2:30 pm. The wireless network can make class blogs and teacher instructions available 24/7 and make learning a lot easier for the students with personal web access devices.

The only downside to this is giving students access to a wireless network could encourage frivolous web browsing. Web sites such as myspace or ones that allow video games could easily distract from a students regular learning needs. If the wireless network has security in place, it could block such websites so that easy web access doesn't become a hindrance to learning.

Week 7 - The Fischbowl and Technically Illiterate Teachers

In reading Karl Fischs' blog about teacher illiteracy, I found it irritatingly fascinating that anyone (especially a teacher) would be proud to be illiterate when it comes to computers. No one should be proud to be stupid, not even in Alabama. Taking pride in not knowing something is intellectually lazy. Therefore I must agree with Mr. Fisch that anyone who refuses to learn new computer technology will be equivalent to someone 30 years ago who could not read or write.

I also agree that any such person should be shown the door. Including administrators that overlook said inadequacies.

Learning is lifelong and should never be closed off just because it is bothersome to some people to have to learn something new. Times change and improve, and those who do not change with the times will be left behind. In the case of teachers, it would be the students who suffer if the instructor is not able to prepare them for a world that operates on computer technology.

Web Accessibility and Adaptive Technology

Steve showed the class new technology that improves accessibility for handicapped or impaired persons on the computer. He passed around a braille device that looked like a laptop without a screen that spoke in letters and words. We viewed the "Jaws" program on the big monitor that showed us how a person who was legally blind could use a PC and keep up with the class.

Week 6 International Classroom Blogs

I discovered a website called Epals. It is listed as a "Collaborative learning Experience", where students can submit work online and review others blogs. Interactive publishing and exploration is encouraged and can be tracked by parents and Administrators. It has many of the same features that ALEX has, and in addition it can showcase students' work to teachers and youth in more than 200 countries and territories through the ePals Global Network.

It can be viewed at http://www.epals.com/

Another website called classroomblooging.com has a list of instructors and their particular field of expertise. Some of the more interesting international profiles were from instructors that helped in learning a foreign language.

I found that the instructors have an international educators summit online, where teachers share information and ideas. The internet makes all this possible instead of plane tickets and convention centers, as were required in the past.

www.classroomblogging.com

Week 5 - Blogs in the Classroom

Marisa Dudiaks' second grade class uses a blog in the classroom. After a field trip to a Native American reservation, the class shared their experiences online. This was reported to have made the quieter students "come alive" online and show more academic interest. The blogs achieved longer question and answer sessions and were even active during the summer vacation. The blogs have turned students into modern day pen pals, as some even stayed in contact after the class had ended. Grammar and spelling were improved as students were aware that their parents may read what they write.

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/19/technology/circuits/19blog.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5090&en=33627811ca310596&ex=1250568000

Will Richardson is an instructional supervisor at a school in New Jersey. As a former English teacher, he posted a forum for students to blog about a book they were to read for class. The blog was so successful that the author of the book learned a new perspective on her own writings from reading the students blogs. Mr. Richardson then made the use of blogs a "staple" for the curriculum at his school. It now has over 400 blogs in use at its website.

Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/03/AR2006040301350.html

Week 4, The Movie

Shift Happens. China and India will outnumber the U.S. in English speaking citizens. Most of the world will be connected by computers and internet. The world is changing rapidly, and in exponential form. I liked the Albert Einstein quote about not being able to solve problems using the midset that created it. I thought the presentation was very insightful.

Im fascinated that classroom teaching will be forever altered by computer technology. The way we communicate will be worldwide, with mostly English speaking students. This means it will be easier to stay up to date and current with knowledge and technology. No longer will we be considered backwater and hay seed for simply living in Alabama.

Week 3 , ACCESS blog

ACCESS stands for Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators and Students Statewide.


The ACCESS program allows students access to specialized advanced placement courses that may not be available in their area. It has web based courses with multimedia conferencing, interactive video, and blended subject matter that pertains to the specialized area.

It allows online, interactive learning. Live teaching done through IVC (interactive video) can enable students to feel more interactive and enhance interest level. In addition, it provides access to advanced diplomas, courses, remedial, dual enrollment and advanced placement. ACCESS also provides teachers with multimedia technology that can enhance classroom learning.

ACCESS can allow certain schools access to a certified teacher, that may not be available to them. Thus, making use of Internet technology, to eliminate the problem of time and space. Certified teachers can specialize in an area so that the student can be instructed in a specialized field.