Reflective Blog #3

          "Anything interesting happen while I was gone," is something my son always says to me after he has been away from the house for awhile.  I have enjoyed the process of learning about different technologies during this class and how to invoke true learning with these technologies.  The last couple of weeks has been an eye-opening experience when I  learned about how blogs and wikis could help me personally and how they will add to my classroom.  My eyes were further opened this week as I read about eportfolios.  As a classroom teacher, there is a never ending search for lessons and assessments that kids will buy into.  The problem with eportfolios is that they are like any learning vehicle, if not done properly, students will only do it for a grade.  How can we get students to take ownership?  How can we create an assignment where a student is intrinsically motivated?  How can an eportfolio get students to truly reflect on the educational process?  Will students use metacognition, and think about their thinking?  Hebert talks about the purpose of an eportfolio.  To summarize, he says that if we can get a student to grow metacognitively, and learn how to tell a story about his learning, he will be given the opportunity to own the portfolio which leads us directly into AFL (Assessment for Learning.)   

          Assessment for Learning uses a metacognitive process where students and teachers decide where students are in their learning process.  Also, students are to interpret evidence, choose where their learning will lead them, and then figure out how they need to get there.  AFL has produced ten research-based axioms that help a teacher to improve classroom practice.  There are two principles that I like the most.  The first, AFL should take into account the importance of learner motivation.  When a student is motivated, they produce their best work.  They take ownership.  The second principle that I think is important is that learners need to grow in their capacity for self-assessment so that they can become reflective and self-managing.  I think that interesting assignments that require self-reflection lead to self-management and ownership of an assignment. 

          As for myself, I have already bought in.  I spent several hours the other night creating a thirty slide powerpoint about my family for my eportfolio.  I want to create a link to show a little about who I am and who my family is.  A small part of my portfolio needs to reflect who I am.  I was sad to find out that Google Sites only allows 100mg total with a limit of 20mg per file.  My family powerpoint is 177mg, oh well.  It was well worth it.  Dr. W, I'll send you the powerpoint.  I will also show the educational path I've gone down when I describe the changes in my thinking based on this ETEC class.  I thought I had a pretty good grasp of technology but I was wrong.  The class has opened my eyes to the brave new world of technology out there.  I've been Web 2.0 'ed.  After learning about many transcendent technologies, my vision has changed.  I see the many attainable possibilities for my classroom.  Collaborative wikis, reflective blogs, and concept maps are in my classroom's future.  I have a whole new way of looking at the "wisdom of the masses" technologies like Wikis, Delicious, and Flickr.  I am thinking about how I can get students to help create a mathematical concept on the fly.  Where learning creates itself, much like new-wave software developers write programs daily.  Students will be excited and motivated to show their work to everyone.  Eportfolios will be a great way for my students to wow people.  They will be interested because its new age technology.  They will be interested because the world will see their work.  They will be interested because the process of self-reflection will lead to satisfaction and ownership.  They will be proud of what they created.  They will grow by the empowerment of metacognition.  I want to learn more about eportfolios.  An eportfolio is a digital refrigerator where anyone can hang their best work while telling you how they did it, and thought it through.             

         

Blog Reflection #2

            I was surprised that I knew a few more answers than I expected from the Literacy quiz.  However, the quiz showed me how much I didn't know as well.  I knew four search engines and was excited to learn about the two kid-based search tools, Noodletools and Tekmom.  We have two kids and are always looking for more education with safety from the internet.  I knew what a blog was but I didn't know that blog was really from weblog.  I knew how quotation marks were used in searches and how boolean words were used as well.  I just learned what URL stood for right before the quiz.  I've used the Easywhois website before for another class but I forgot the name of it so I didn't get that one right.  I knew most of the extensions except for .ac.  I had no clue about external links and using the link command.  The personal website information helped learn a few tell-tale signs that I didn't know.  I didn't know about www.archive.org.  I did not know about how to do a turtle search for higher ed.  I had heard about Google placing sites in order based on the number of hits, or popularity.   

            I picked the website, allaboutexplorers.com.  The initial domain name did not give any clues as to the validity of the website nor did the extension since it was a .com website.  I did not see any personal webpage clues when I looked at the domain name.  Easywhois didn't show any real clues except that the email address of the author was centennialsd which is probably a school district.  When I did the link command, I saw a New York Times article that showed how the allaboutexplorers.com website was an educational link created by a group of teachers to show how a website could have false information.  The article said the website was "peppered with false facts" about explorers.  If you go to the "about" link within the website, they describe how a group of teachers created this website as an educational tool to prepare students to be discerning on the web. 

           

            I also did research on the Victorian Robot website.  When you look at the front page it was easy to see that Robots did not do the many things that they said they did.  The domain name was www.BigRedHair.com which cast doubt for me but was surely not definitively bogus.  The Easywhois did not have much information to debunk the website either.  The emails and connections were Yahoo-related which made it seem like a personal website but I am not experienced enough to know.  However, when you do a link command, you find that the author is a science fiction comic/book writer.  He writes books about installing these Victorian robots into his fictional stories.  I can see how people, especially our youth, can be tricked by false websites.  

           

            Before I read the search engine website you gave us, I did some research on my own.  I did not know that search engines were so complicated and secretive.  I thought I understood Google until I did some research.  Google has over 200 indicators to guide their searches.  In 2009, they changed their searches to include a users web history as well.  Google, Bing, and Yahoo are search engines that have secret algorithms unknown to the public.  When I went to Alta Vista, Yahoo and the Go search engines, I noticed they might be all the same company:  Yahoo.  The three websites were almost identical and had Yahoo labeling everywhere.  Go seems to be different but affiliated to Yahoo.  Google was slightly different in their presentation but the same websites came up.  They way that Google formatted their page, especially their ads, was slightly different.  They also had more advertisements and direct links to sites that had nothing to do with the subject searched.  After reading the search engine website you gave us, I noticed again that most of a search engine's algorithm is a closely kept secret.  However there are general rules that are followed.  The location/frequency method of keywords on a web page where the location of the keyword (ex:  close to the top) and the frequency that a keyword pops up will determine where the page will rank in the search.  Web pages are also penalized by some search engines for spamming.  Also, many web creators will continually rewrite websites until they get a much higher ranking.  So, many search engines use link analysis , or "off the page" analysis to rightfully rank these repeaters.   I also read that most search engines are web-crawler based where millions of pages are searched until matches are made to the keywords using the search engine algorithm.

            After completing the MAPping information activity, I see how careful I will have to be in the future when looking at websites.  I am so glad to get the set of tools from this class to validate websites.  I look back and realize that I'm not so sure about whether the Wikipedia information I have used in the past was correct.  In the future, I will happily show my students how to use these tools to check out websites.  I can see how students might easily fall into false information that could change their values and beliefs for the worst.  Educators need to lead the way concerning internet validity.

            I feel that I am sprawled all over the internet.  Different Email accounts, news, sports, and movie locations are in different locations that I have to travel to.  The closest I have been able to come to organize is using MyYahoo!  However, I can only pick from predetermined locations negotiated by Yahoo.  I can see how Delicious will give me the ability to have all of my favorite locations coming to me, social or otherwise.  I like organization.  This is the first time I have felt that I can organize the sprawl.  Tagging is powerful!  I am in the process of tagging all of my websites on my home computer.  One question I have is, "Will I be able to download my bookmarks at work?"  Most of my educational websites are on my work computer.  I also like the idea of social bookmarking where others share your bookmarks.  I can see a point in the future when one can bring any type of data  and entertainment directly into your device (computer, phone, or tablet).  The day of the "Mass Formatter" will begin to die.  AOL, Directv, and Yahoo will all have their place but I can see being able to bring in only select data from every venue into one place.  I wouldn't have to subscribe to the big conglomerates like Directv.  I could watch the channels that I wanted directly.  Similar to downloading a song that I want to hear on Itunes.  Del.icio.us will allow me to get organized and save me so much time. 

            I had no clue what was going on out there until I read the O'Reilly article.  I am finally starting to understand the emerging ascendant technology and how it works.  O'Reilly's article is the best article I've read in a long time.  The story of Netscape vs. Google, where the net changed from browser to services.  I had never heard of the "long tail," where all of the small sites made up the content instead of an expensive contract for a small collection of the largest sites.  What a concept!  A concept based in great freedom instead of control.  The "wisdom of crowds" where Wikipedia and Blogging harnesses a collective intelligence and uses it as a strange filter where content continues to improve as people continue to correct the live web using open source technology.   Where the wisdom of subscribing using RSS technology, trusts users as co-developers to cull the fat and create a better product.  Our forefathers would shake in their boots.  Software changes as well.  The "perpetual Beta" where software applications are created daily instead of a new software application finally coming out after being worked on for a long time.  I wonder what the next IPod/Itunes technology will be that allows multiple devices to use one type of software?  I was amazed that people are designing lightweight software to be hacked and mashed up with other services to create new services that will further extend the web.  I had no clue what was going on! 

            I can see a Wiki database for our school district that ties all of our Geometry teachers together in one Wiki.  Right now, I create curriculum and send it out in Emails.  If the documents are too large, I place it on a Free Drive so that others can get the information.  Of course, the drive erases every two weeks so I am always resending information to this location.  I can see how wonderful it would be if everything were within one location, where everyone had access, and were also informed when new information was added.  Each person could edit as needed, creating a better curriculum using the wisdom of the "collective Geometry teacher" in Mesquite ISD.  I need to learn the ins and outs of this technology.  The disadvantage would be to get fossilized teachers to buy into the concept.  So many have such a hard time moving into new technologies, and they complain all the while.   I am also afraid of poor editing practices of some teachers.  I'm afraid I will not be able to keep important material from being lost.  I guess if the concept's life is important enough, it will "find a way" like Jurassic Park dinosaurs.  I'm also worried about hurt feelings among people that know each other when one edits another.  Wiki's in the classroom would be great since digital natives would love jumping into this parallel thinking idea where ideas and concepts are developed on the fly.  Introverted students might receive equity as their voices are heard.  Students would think this is so much more interesting than the usual.         

            One of the Web 2.0 technologies that I would like to explore is Flickr.  My son and I love to go and take pictures.  I love great pictures, and I think this site would be great to explore and share with others.

Penix Reflective Blog #1

Reflective Blog #1                                                                         Johnny Penix

                                                                                                     6-12-11

      

          When my educational technology philosophy is written down I am able to discern the direction I need to go in getting new technology.  My philosophy helps me to realize that technology is about people not technology.  My focus needs to needs to always include my students, teachers, or parents when thinking about how to use technology to improve student success.  Technology must be about student success! 

          Blogging is somewhat new to me.  I know of it but had never done it until this week.  From the article, and the short time I've been Blogging now, Blogging seems to be a good social outlet to connect small groups and to also allow connection to whole world.  It seems to me that Blogging promotes writing and can obviously be used in education.  I agree with the article that Blogging is great for some people.  My wife would be a great Blogger.  She loves to write and put her feelings on paper.  This would give her a voice.  For me, not so much.  However, from an educational standpoint, I believe it would be a good tool that allows everyone an equal voice, unlike classroom discussion.  One can post when the time is convenient for them.  A teacher can easily post notes and discussion point for students to see or write about.  I also like that Blogs allow you to vary the scope of people able to see the Blog.  You can have a private connection between Teacher and Student, as well as all students in a group being connected to the world.  I think that Blogging hasn't reached its potential and may not ever.  I think that people have moved on to newer social media technologies like FaceBook and will continue to move onto the new technologies yet to have appeared.  Blogging has its place but may possibly never get much bigger.

          Creating a Culture for Teaching and Learning  talked about a video camera in the classroom.  Wow!  The hidden, unseen world of the classroom.  If people only knew, and maybe that's why they should know.  The High School classroom can take on many faces throughout the year.  It would be interesting to see how the public feels about those faces.  Teachers can be great, and not so great.  Students can be... (just like the last sentence.)  I think that a camera in the classroom would eventually change the way we teach forever, for the better.  There's too much hidden atrocity in a classroom.

          Educational Technology connects educators to multiple resources and othered educators via the internet.  These educational websites showed how educators could find digital material like publications, libraries, journals, audio, video, and video-conferencing.  Educators could connect with other educators using social media like Ning, Facebook, and Twitter so they can share new ideas curriculum, and methods.  New technologies for the classroom are also previewed and discussed.  So, educational technology is used to connect students, teachers, parents, and the greater community so that educators can have the greatest chance for facilitating student success.  The articles by Prensky show that radical changes have occurred in the way our N-Gens think!  Video games, and multiple technologies have created students that multi-task and use parallel think.  Educators are way behind in the way we should teach these kids.  Instead of the kids lacking the ability to learn and focus, the onus is on the teacher to catch-up.  The future is bright but we need to stop blaming and get in the game! 

Digital Concept Map

Educational Philosophy of Technology

            My educational philosophy of technology is that technology should be used to connect students, teachers, parents and the surrounding community into the classroom.  My educational belief system is rooted in the philosophies of Constructivism and Pragmatism where students are the center of the educational environment.  Technology must be used to connect teachers district-wide so they can collaborate on creating a rich and exciting curriculum.  In the classroom, technology must be used to focus learners on the main ideas of curriculum using multiple methods to vary instruction for every learning style.  Above all, a caring teacher must create positive relationships with students to  ensure success.

            The two schools of thought that most represent my educational belief system are Constructivism and Pragmatism.  Constructivists believe in a student-centered environment.  After being teacher-centered during the first several years of my career, I realized that a student-centered philosophy, with my role as facilitator, would greatly benefit my students.  High school students today wilt with too much lecture and too much teacher.  I believe that mathematical activities based on authentic real-world tasks will motivate my students to explore and work with the main ideas of Geometry.  I also believe in the Constructivist thought that multiple representations of the same process, taught in varied ways,  cater to the different learning styles in your classroom.   Pragmatism is also deeply rooted into my educational philosophy.  I believe that teaching a child to think and problem-solve is very important to understanding math.  Problems that children face, in math as well as life, should allow them to become strong social beings able to manage their world and increase their belief in themselves.  Pragmatic discovery learning also has a place in my classroom.  Almost every discovery learning activity I have created has been successful in my classroom.  Both of these philosophies are labor-intensive for teachers, so I try to add several assignments and activities each year.  I adhere to the Pragmatic axiom that everything can be improved and made better.      

            Technology plays an integral part of my classroom and, in a grander scale, technology needs to be filtered throughout the district to tie all of our math teachers together.  Using technology has allowed us to create a more uniform and rich curriculum for our district.  All of our math teachers are able to access our curriculum through emails and shared drives with the move of a mouse.  Teachers are still able to use their unique abilities but now have a stronger base to start from.  Ideas are collaborated upon and shared throughout the district to continue to strengthen our curriculum.  Teachers are not on an island anymore and are now a part of a vibrant curriculum that they had a part in creating.  Collectively, we started creating curriculum as a group, at our own high school, and district-wide as well.  We begin our meetings by talking about the best ways to get across concepts with an eye toward keeping the student interested and motivated by varying our methods, and our use of technology.  Individually, I have been responsible for creating much of the Algebra and Geometry curriculum for my school and our district.  After receiving a projector, I was able to start showing anything that I created by computer onto my drop-down screen for my students.  I began to create powerpoints that were well-received around the district.  The powerpoints I made addressed the apathy and lack of visual representation that students needed.  The powerpoints use color-coding, movement, and simplicity to get across mathematical concepts.  Finally, I was using technology to address disinterest and a lack of clarity in certain mathematical concepts.  I became an informator, as technology was used to address the needs of my students.  Technology has also allowed me to create fun and interesting games like Jeopardy, Baseball, Basketball and Wall Dominoes.  Students need interesting and fun activities to stave off the boredom of math.  My smart board freed me from standing in one location in a room.  Not only can I represent shapes, lines, and highlight important material, I can closely connect to students anywhere in my classroom. I am also able to put out discipline fires as well.  We don't have access to computers everyday for all students.  However, we do have a rolling computer cart of laptops that can be checked out during the semester.  I also have a set of clickers in my classroom where students can work problems from the projector by answering A, B, C, or D.  Students love the clickers.  I am able to connect with parents by sending mass emails online informing them of how class is going and making sure parents are aware of their child's progress while keeping  them informed about future tests.  Our school is in the process of creating the ability for parents to check student grades online anytime during the six weeks.  My educational philosophy of technology is that technology should be used to connect students, teachers, parents and the surrounding community into the classroom.   

            Creating relationships is the most important tenet of teaching.  If students don't think you care, they will never fully enter the educational process.  I believe in bringing passion to my subject and my students.  I love to see the light come on when my students "get it."  Whatever method it takes, by discovery, explanation, or backtracking to square one, or by using different technologies, or physical devices to get a point across.  When you care and show your passion, the student buys in.  When the light comes on, and the smile shows forth, I'm on cloud nine.  When students try again in math for the first time in many years, or when they say that "this isn't so hard," my heart leaps.  Every student is different, and I love to find the buttons that turn on the light.  If I can find a way for a student to be successful on a small scale, I can usually build their success into something larger.  However, I die a thousand deaths during the year and go home many nights disillusioned and unsure how to proceed but I am buoyed by each and every success.  Math is probably the least favorite subject of most students.  However, to combat this belief system, I try to have fun and interesting activities in my classroom.  My favorite teacher in college showed me that I can make math exciting and that I didn't have to be embarrassed about loving math.  I am the child of deaf parents.  Growing up in the world of sign language has been vital to my ability to conceptualize mathematical concepts for students.  I have been asked to explain the world to deaf parents and other deaf people since I was a very young child.  ASL (American Sign Language) is a concept-oriented language that throws out all of the in-between words that the English language supports.  To use ASL, you have to paint a visual picture.  Deaf people are demonstrative and so am I.    I also believe that it is important to show students how I use math in my everyday life, and how math is used in other walks of life.  If I can create relationships with my students that include mutual respect, enthusiasm, and a little bit of fun, I believe they will allow me to fill the gaps they have and help them to be successful.

            Technology is an important tool in connecting students, parents, teachers and the community.  A well-collaborated curriculum can be created when teachers are connected by technology, parents and the community can be connected to the classroom, and a loving teacher can connect students to educational success.  Technology is a social tool that helps connect education to learning.