Today's Learner...

Today's learner is like an ipod. When brand new, it has the potential to become a tool equipped to take on many tasks. The first step in using an ipod is charging it and turning it on. Similarly, people must turn on their minds and be open to the vast amount of knowledge and information that is available. To take full advantage of ipods, one must add music and applications. Learners also acquire new information from a variety of sources, and their own personal "applications" are opened when called for in different situations. According to Siemens' article, "nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning". An ipod must connect to sources like computers, chargers, and the internet in order to be constantly up to date in terms of software and content. As stated in his video, "the network is the learning." Likewise, learners must connect to various online and print sources, as well as other people to create an environment in which they learn constantly.

Consumers will notice that original first generation ipods are no longer on the market. The technology that existed in them has become isolete with the addition of color screens, larger storage devices, video ipods, touch screens, and ipods that have the ability of going online. Though ipods in general are a fairly new technology, those created as little as five years ago realistically are no longer used. Up-to-date information is also a necessary component of connectivism. Information presented today may not be relevant tomorrow. Learners must keep up with the constant flow of information to remain an informed member of today's ever-changing society.

Article referenced: Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age

Video referenced: The Changing Nature of Knowledge

Video Reaction

I recently watched the video Pay Attention! which all educators should watch as a reality check, asking us to pay attention to our students and their needs, skills, and interests. Today's students exist in a technology dominated world and it's our job to reach them by using the tools they are familiar with to make learning engaging and meaningful. This video reminded me to a similar video and discussion from a previous graduate course, in which we discussed the jobs that this generation of students will be applying for in the future. It would be a disservice to them to ignore the advances and importance of technology. These students know and are familiar with tools like cell phones, Facebook, Twitter, and ipods - why not assign homework or give pop quizzes that must be completed via text message? Or ask students to create Facebook pages for characters in books they are reading? Or use podcasts to communicate with them? Though each of these ideas may not be ideal in every school setting, the point is that the old ways of lecture, note-taking, and cramming for exams is becoming less effective and we need to understand the world our students live in to create the most effective learning environment.
The video also points out that we always talk about and encourage our students to read more. However, they are composing and reading thousands of e-mails and text messages a year. This is literacy! It's time to take advantage of their knowledge of these tools and create a link to learning.

I found this website interesting and useful. Pay Attention: Ideas for becoming a better teacher

Blogs: Safety Tips for Children

Here are some ideas that children should know to ensure safety when blogging.

• Talk to your parents about Internet use so you know what sites they feel comfortable with you using.
• Never post information that is too personal, such as home address, phone number, or school – this information is valuable.
• Your user name also should not reveal too much information about yourself.
• Report bullying or harassment to a parent, teacher, or other trusted adult.
• Think carefully about your actions online (don’t be a cyberbully yourself). You shouldn’t impersonate someone else, or post pictures of other people that they are not aware of or do not approve of.
• Be aware of privacy settings and know who has access to your blog.
• Set settings for who can comment on your blog so that you approve all comments first, or consider turning off the comment feature.
• Avoiding linking your blog to others’ who may have public access. Don’t be concerned with popularity.
• Remember that once you post a picture or comment online and someone sees it, you can’t take it back.
• Keep your password a secret from everyone except your parents.

Click the icon below for more information about blog safety for children!

Blogs in the Classroom

The possibilities are endless. It's time for us as educators to take advantage of the many resources and technologies available. Before using blogs or other web tools with students, I believe it's important to be completely familiar with the technology. For this reason, I think it would be beneficial for me to become part of a community of teachers to share and offer ideas, as well as to gain experience blogging. Once I felt prepared to share my knowledge with students, here are just a few of the ways I would do so.

1. Journal writing/reading responses: Typically, when students are asked to write informal journal entries or responses to books they have read, the teacher is the only one who reads what is written, which sometimes develops into a written conversation. If this same task was completed using a blog, this would allow other students to read each others' thoughts and ideas. They could respond to their peers' posts and read comments from everyone, not just one teacher. A sense of community would develop from working together and offering comments.
2. Discussing and debating current events: Using my blog, I could post links to articles or videos that would be appropriate and relevant to class discussions. The students would post their opinion on these matters. This would require them to read, think about how they feel, express their feelings in a safe environment, and stay informed about what is going on in the world they live in.
3. Extending or introducing class topics: Before beginning a unit or new lesson, I could use a blog as an introduction, or anticipatory set. I would post a question for students to consider, a short reading to make them think, a topic to discuss with family members, or an assignment to complete before class. As a post-topic activity I might ask students to reflect upon what was discussed during class, or informally assess their learning by reading what they took out of the day's lesson.

Standards (related to all 3 ideas):

ELA :
Standard 2

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.

Students will read and listen to oral, written and electronically produced texts and performances, relate texts and performances to their own lives, and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent. As speakers and writers, students will use oral and written language for self-expression and artistic creation.

Standard 4

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.

Students will use oral and written language for effective social communication with a wide variety of people. As readers and listeners, they will use the social communications of others to enrich their understanding of people and their views.

Technology:

Standard 2: Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.

Computer Technology

Key idea: Computers, as tools for design, modeling, information processing, communication, and system control, have greatly increased human productivity and knowledge.