Final Course Reflection

As I reflect on the various tools and topics covered throughout this course, the biggest take-away is the importance of building your PLN or personal learning network.  The best way to continue growing your knowledge of technology and the tools that are available is to have one place where you can store the information, communicate with colleagues and neatly organize the data that you have collected to easily share.  The depth of information and the tools available for your use on the internet is enormous.  Developing your PLN will keep you connected with the changes and introduction of new tools. 

At the time of my mid-term review, I stated that Kim had introduced all of the course objectives.  In order for us to proceed with our final project, create lesson plans, address core standards and utilize the tools that were introduced to us, the course objectives had to have been met.  There were eight major Course Learner Outcomes with each of them connecting with the use of technology.  We learned how to implement various tools and applications in our classrooms as well as how to connect this technology to the common core and ISTE standards.   We also learned how to write lesson plans and develop curriculum that includes the use of technology.

            It is important for all teachers to integrate technology into their lesson plans because technology is a part of our lives today.  Students today know no other time.  They are smart, savvy and nearly all students today, no matter what grade, own some type of technology device.  Students today have a smaller attention span, expect to be entertained and want something more than listening to a lecture.  Transforming a lecture about poetry to include the students creating word clouds, will be much more memorable to students than a dry old-fashioned lecture.  Technology adds excitement, keeps students engaged and will reinforce the meaning behind the lesson.

            I have found several barriers to technology integration.  The first barrier is that not all students are given access to computers at home.  They may all have a DSi, or an iPod, or maybe an Xbox or Playstation, but not all students are allowed to use the family computer.  As a teacher, the challenge is a classroom of students with mixed skill levels.  I have learned to modify my lessons to include students of all levels, however many lessons take longer to get through because of the diversity of computer knowledge.  Another barrier is the technology available to you to teach If you are trying to run new technology with legacy equipment, that too can be a barrier.  This is an extremely difficult barrier to overcome as you must use what you have and you need to learn as many work-arounds to problems.  The upside to this is that it gives you a chance to teach troubleshooting to your students.  Finally, another barrier is managing your PLN in such a way that you are able to quickly review, new links, posts, tools, etc.  Using tools like Diigo allows you to organize articles, tools, and other connections in one neat place.

            Some of my favorite Web 2.0 tools include Voki, which allows you and your students to create their own Avatars, Jing and Screener which allows you to record your desk top movement while you narrate the steps you are taking  Prezi is a great tool for presentations.  It is far more dynamic than PowerPoint.  Weebly is a great tool to create your own website.  It allows up to 40 free student accounts and is so easy to use.  All of these tools would fit neatly into any lesson plan.  Whether you are teaching language arts, math, social studies or science, you can easily integrate any of these tools into your lesson. 

            In all honesty, I have only begun to create my PLN.  I have connected with several teaches, bookmarked 14 sites and have reached out to a couple of my colleagues at the school where I teach.  I have had little time to participate in any discussion but will use what I have as a launching pad to collect information over the summer as I develop a new curriculum for the computer science classes at my school.

            I have enjoyed this class immensely.  It has been challenging and has required a lot of work, but I have learned so much.  Thank you Kim!

Field Experience Observation and Interview

The following is a two-part Jing presentation of my field observation, the questions I asked the teacher and the responses that she gave me.

Part I:

 Field Observation Video Part 1:




Part II:
Field Observation Video Part II 




I want to thank Mrs. Kristine DaRosa for her time and for sharing her class with me.  She has a group of bright students who not only demonstrated their knowledge and ability to use technology in their classroom but also that they have a wonderful teacher that invests the time in her students.  Thank you Mrs. DaRosa!

Mid-Term Reflection

The following two Audioboo recordings are my mid-term reflections.  Yes!  I have learned a lot.  Can't you tell by all the awesome information that is contained here in my blog?

listen to ‘Deb Minassian Mid Term Review Part 1’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘Deb Minassian Mid Term Review Part 2’ on Audioboo

My Trip to the Azores

I traveled to the Azores with my Aunt Linda last August/September.  We visited 3 of the nine Azorian islands that are located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.  This trip had a lot of meaning to us as my grandmother and grandfather (Linda's Mom & Dad) were from the Azores.  My grandmother's family was from Sao Miguel (Saint Michael) and my grandfather's family was from the island of Pico.  This is the video I created using Animoto using pictures from my trip.  I took over 600 photos so it was difficult to narrow down my choices.

Two Excellent Web 2.0 Tools

Convincing third, fourth and fifth graders that Computer class is not social hour has been one of my biggest challenges since jumping into teaching elementary grade students, only five months ago.  The key I found is to begin each class with the hook; something fun and interesting that they are eager to learn.

 

Just last week I introduced my third grade class to Voki.  I first learned about Voki in my Learning with Technology class.  One of our assignments was to create a Voki and embed it into our blog.  I had so much fun creating my Voki and knew that this would be a huge hit with my third grade class.

 

Voki is user friendly and doesn’t require an e-mail address to begin.  Students are able to pick from several categories of faces including animals, animee and fantasy.  Modifications and details can be added including sun glasses, bling, hats and facial expressions.  My students had a great time and were disappointed when class was over before they could complete their Voki.  In order for students to save their Voki, they need to have an e-mail address.  Since I knew I would get a similar response from my other students, I looked into Voki Classroom.  Voki Classroom allows you to setup classes and students.  It allows you to create a logon and password for each student, review existing lesson plans, make assignments and best of all the students can create their own profile and voki.

Voki.com offers lesson plans that cover a wide variety of subjects.  I used the following lesson plan fr my third, fourth and fifth grade classes.  I had them create their own Voki and had them create a public service announcement about cyberbullying and digital citizenship.  The class was a huge hit and the students will be presenting their vokies during the next class.

http://l-www.voki.com/open_pdf.php?file=Cyberbullying PSA _6-8th Grade SUBJECT_.pdf


 

 

Working on a lesson plan about Digital Citizenship, I learned about a web 2.0 site called Digizen.  The Digizen website provides information to teachers, parents and students about digital citizenship.  It is a site where you can learn and share ideas about social networking and cyberbullying.  You can create a Digizen, play games, watch videos, and obtain ideas for role playing.  There are separate areas for teachers, parents and students.  The website is easy to navigate and another great interactive website where you don't need an e-mail address.

I felt that Digizen had great information about cyberbullying and had the students reference information for the Voki public serviceanouncement.

 

The two NETS standards I would use to adopt this lesson plan is:

 

2. Communication and Collaboration

Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and

contribute to the learning of others.

a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers,experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media

b. Communicate information and ideas effectivelyto multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats

c. Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures

d. Contribute to project teams to produce originalworks or solve problems

4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate

digital tools and resources.

a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation

b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project

c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions

d. Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions

 

My Reflections and Answers to Growing Up Online and Digital Nation

1.     Compare and Contrast each documentary.  What was similar or different from the first one (Growing Up Online ) made in 2008 to the newer one (Digital Nation) filmed in 2010 ? 

Growing Up Online opens by informing us that 90% of children today are online.  It is the first generation to grow up with computers and the internet.  We learn that the internet is

a place for self-expression where you can complain about your parents, and a means to connect with other people.  The internet is a place where no one is in charge.

Digital Nation’s documentary takes a different approach looking at the effects of being “connected” has on our children.  The documentary is divided into nine segments, each looking at the social issues that are directly related to being connected to technology at each waking moment of the day.  Topics such as distraction, and the new way students socialize, the ability or inability to multi-task, and how teachers need to modify their methods to educate a classroom of students who are unable to think clearly and need to be stimulated at every moment.

The similarities between the two documentaries are in the messages that social skills have changed.  Communication happens through Facebook, MySpace and texting.  Kids are communicating in a field where no one is in charge.  Both documentaries talk about the level of distraction and the cause for concern about over-exposure and the concerns that today’s students are not able to focus, are academically challenged, the increase in plagiarism, and diminished reading and writing skills.

2.     Your thoughts on multitasking.  Do you agree?  Can you multitask?  Do you disagree with the video on the topic of multitasking? What do you think our students think about multitasking today?

Multitasking was discussed in length in the Digital Nationdocumentary.  Multitasking, in my opinion, is a talent.  It is something that some people can do and others are unable to do it.  It is a known fact that women are better multitaskers than men.  As a wife, mother, daughter, teacher, bookkeeper and student, I know I am multitasking but am also aware that there are times I am doing a great job and other times I am not.  Digital Nation demonstrated students that function as multitaskers; as they juggle their

smartphone and laptop while having lunch with fellow students or in class listening to a professor lecture while texting or responding to e-mail.  The documentary also proved that although the students could manage more than one technology, they were not able to multitask well.  The experiment proved that the level of distraction was high enough to preclude the students from completing the tasks effectively.

I agree with the documentary as I see firsthand in my class that students are easily distracted, have poor listening skills, need to be “having fun” and struggle when given more than one task.  As pointed out in the Digital Nation, I believe that students think they are excellent multitaskers.  As a matter of fact, the majority of students today think they are good at everything, because society has allowed them to think that they are good at everything.  When you raise children to believe that “everyone gets a trophy,” and that “we don’t keep score,” you are working with kids that have not been told that life just doesn’t work that way. 

3.     Is there an addiction happening in society today with technology or is it just a new way of living?   Should we be concerned?

Technology is highly addictive; I see it in my eight year-old.  Since its inception, I have been connected technologically.  I have always wanted to be a part of “bleeding edge” technology.  Having worked at Cisco Systems for almost nine years, I experienced the transformation of how society collaborates.  Attending meetings where people are typing on their laptops and fidgeting with their smart phones versus ten years ago when people came to meetings with a notepad and a pen.  I was working with people who

would ask you a question over instant messaging rather than in person even though they are sitting in the cubicle right next to you.  Is this the rise of anti-social behavior of just a glimpse into the new world of social behavior?  In the first segment of Digital Nation, we see a family together in the kitchen.  The mom is getting dinner ready, the son is at the table with his laptop and the dad is directly across from the son on his laptop.  There is a lot of communication happening, but not among the people in the room.  When my daughter is using her DSi or on her laptop, it takes about 30 minutes to talk her off the darn thing.  I have been met with temper tantrums because it is time to shut it down.  I know myself, when I worked at Cisco; I was connected all the time.  I had a need to check my e-mail all the time.  If I got up in the middle of the night to get a drink of water, I would check my e-mail before I went back to bed.  Sometimes I would stay up and never go back to bed.  Yes, technology is addictive.  Digital Nation pointed this out clearly when it introduced us to the South Korean Rescue Camp and the fact that the South Korean government has declared gaming an addiction and treat it as a psychological disorder.  Yes, I believe we should be very concerned.  In Growing Up Online, we see a different side of addiction where kids with eating disorders or the need to be someone different are using the internet as an avenue for their addiction.  Since this is a world where they can freely express themselves, in their own right, it is a kind of addiction.  Whether you are addicted to gaming, e-mail, texting or certain, it is all ways the internet pulls us in and makes us want more.

4.     Do video games serve a purpose in education or are they a waste of time?

Video games can serve a purpose in education.  There are several websites that I use in my class to reinforce classroom lessons.  NeoK12 is an excellent site of free lesson games, and videos that cover a wide-range of topics for the K-12 student.  Watching

Digital Nation and the concerns presented with gaming addiction, it is easy to conclude that video games are bad and should have no place in the classroom.  However, if used with a good foundation of Digital Citizenship, video games can reinforce important skills and topics that we are covering in the classroom.  One website that I have found to be helpful is www.sites4teachers.com.  Using video games can improve math, science, fitness levels and cognitive skills.

5.     Do you believe that digital tools, such as Google tools and technology in general can save schools that are struggling?

Free online tools and technology cannot save struggling schools alone.  It takes teachers with the knowledge and skills to use them and implement them in the classroom.  It takes a buy-in from parents; it must conquer institutional barriers, collaboration both locally and globally and must happen within the school.  The school must be connected at all levels, embracing technology in the curriculum.  I read an article in the Washington Post about a young man named Melvin Marshall who attended a school that offered a class called “Virtual Learning English Language Arts,” although the

school district felt that it had implemented the latest technology in the classroom, the teaching environment failed this student.  The student received no instruction from a teacher, rather all instruction and classroom work was done on the computer.  The student was asked to read and answer questions online.  Although the computer corrected the students work, the computer was not programmed to inform the student about why they got a question wrong.  This technology scenario failed the student.  The teacher was not skilled in integrating the online technology within her class.  Instead she sat behind her desk doing other work rather than assisting her students.

Implementing technology in schools whether struggling or not needs to be done in a manner to cultivate enthusiasm among the students and with teachers who know how to integrate it in the classroom.  Knowing how to use digital tools is great, but being able to to use them in your lesson plan is an investment that needs to be made by the school, the teachers, the students and the parents.

6.     How did what you watched in the two videos support your feelings about technology or how did it change your views?

 

 

The two videos did nothing to change my views about technology.  I am a proponent of the use of technology as long as it is implemented in a way to enhance education and

believe that it should never replace the human interface of teaching.  Having the ability to integrate technology into your lesson plan will engage students and teach them life skills of the 21^st Century.

 

 

 

7.     Are kids and adults today ruining their digital footprints by sharing too much information online without realizing that it may be detrimental to their future? Should they care?

According to Microsoft, 56% of adults they surveyed don’t take their online profiles seriously.  If you have more than half the adults with this opinion, how many children feel the same?  We are our children’s role models and protectors which should also include internet safety and digital citizenship. 

 

 

 

There are many kids and adults that have no clue what a digital foot print is or understand completely, that their actions, words and photos could forever follow them.  In the video embedded in this blog, it discusses the importance of caring about your online activity and the things that can be affected by what you post online.  I showed this to my Grade 5 students in my digital citizenship workshop.  They were amazed that something that they posted online could prevent them from getting into the college of their choice.  We can educate our students in the classroom about the importance of sharing information online, but how do we reach the parents.  Adults posting their every move and photos of their kids on Facebook may seem harmless, but for predators, it could mean trouble.  Many people don’t know, don’t realize or don’t care.  I believe that every person should care about their digital footprint and the lives that may be effected by their words and pictures.

8.     “Stranger Danger” and predator fears are often overblown by the media on shows such as Datelines “To Catch a Predator”.  What are the real dangers of technology in this day and age?  

The real dangers of technology in this day and age go beyond chat rooms and gaming relationships that have been profiled on TV Magazine shows.  Today’s dangers include social networking pages, websites and blogs that allow synchronous communication.  Sites that tell young adults how to survive anorexia and bulimia, or sites that tell you how to commit suicide, or how to make bombs can open communication between your child and a predator.  In Growing Up Online, kids discussed their interaction with such websites and for one young lady, the keys to survive anorexia.  There are so many outlets for kids to communicate in a world where there are no adults, where the written word is taken literally and the real is amplified.  Facebook and MySpace have been used not only to communicate and share with friends, but also a portal for bullies that take mean to a new level.  It is a place where you can’t get away. 

Overall Reflection:
Please add anything else you feel would explain your views about the videos and how they relate to educational technology. What was your favorite part of either video? Why? Most interesting?

My overall reaction to Growing Up Online and Digital Nation is that every parent and every child should watch these videos.  My favorite part, or the discussion that caught my attention was in the Growing Up Online video.  The mother who logged into her son’s Facebook account and saw the pictures of the drunk students and the rowdiness that had taken place at Madison Square Garden one evening.  There is quite a difference in parenting your child today than parenting your child in the 20^th Century.  In the past a parent might have opened a letter if something looked

suspicious, but today do we ask for passwords to all their accounts?  How does a parent truly police that?  I understand the concern of the Mother who informed parents that their child was drinking and rowdy at a concert, but to post it on Facebook?  In the 20^th century, a concerned parent might call parents and let them know.  Today they can e-mail you or post their concern on Facebook.  Getting back to question 7 and the digital foot print, I wonder if the Mom would change her mind about how she communicated her concerns after the fall-out from posting the information on Facebook?

This was most interesting to me because I wonder how I am going to police my child.  What lines would I be willing to cross?  Would I be angry enough to post my concerns on Facebook?  I would like to think that I would handle the situation differently, in that I would express my concerns to parents face-to-face. 

Digital Citizenship is a necessary topic that needs to be discussed frequently with students.  Whether you are using technology in your classroom or not, students are using it everyday.  Kids have DSi, iPods, cell phones and computers at home that allow them access to communicate with others.  We should not be naïve in thinking that parents are teaching digital citizenship at home.  Many parents are not aware of the potential mischief their child can get into on the internet. 

My presentation focuses on the power and impact that digital citizenship plays in our kids everyday life.  One of the most powerful slides is the "Weapons of Mass Distraction."  Not only are the social tools a distraction for our students, it is also a place where destruction can happen.  Destruction of a child's self esteem, destruction of friendships and possibly lives in the future when photos or comments can haunt them when they are applying for colleges or seeking employment.






I believe that it is the job of parents to teach their children about social responsibility, however in today's world, with today's technology and tools available to kids, teachers must also take responsibility to provide leadership and set the example for using the internet to communicate.

The YouTube video is an excerpt from CommonSense.com's presentaion about Digital Responsibility.  It gives adults an inside view of online communication from kids.  Cyber bullying is a real threat in today's world and should be a part of any bullying program in your schools.  This video is an eye opener for parents, especially the photo of the young girl posing with her teddy bear.  It is not okay for kids to be taking pictures of themselves and posting them on Facebook!

Another compelling point in my presentation is the story about Max and "What Facebook Knows About You."  It is an awakening of how much data can be collected from one person.  Not only is the data collected about you, but also everyone you have "friended."  Big brother is watching you!

I teach grades 3-5 computers at a small school.  My first class was about digital citizenship.  For the third graders I had them take a pledge and gave them a Digital Citizen card when they passed their test.  The kids thought it was cool and brought them home to show their parents.  I conducted a discussion forum for the fourth and fifth graders where the students discussed their knowledge and concerns about communicating on the internet.  Many topics came up including how kids bully on the internet, what information is not cool to post or tell someone and about asking permission before you use someone else's information or images.  I directed the discussion around the 9 elements of digital citizenship and then tested their knowledge.  For all of my classes, I periodically review what it means to be a good digital citizen, especially when we are covering topics that I can directly correlate into the curriculum.

Digital citizenship is the responsibility of us all.  It is very much a part of learning the social skills of today.  What is right and wrong.  What is acceptable or not.