Portfolio

https://sites.google.com/site/katieemd400/



Above is the link to my Digital Portfolio for MD 400. I worked on many projects such as a digital story, podcast, digital image, and concept map. We used programs such as PhotoShop, PhotoStory 3, Inspiration, and Audacity. I really had a great time. This class has changed the way in which I think about using technology in my classroom. I am much more open to the ways in which using many of these technologies will increase my students understanding of academic materials and concepts. The technology was very easy to use and I look forward to using it in my own classroom this fall!

"The Computer Delusion"

I thought that Todd Oppenheimer's article presented a very interesting view on integrating technology into the classroom. Having been written in 1997 I think it represents the fearfulness many had about bringing computers into the classroom. I think about my encounters with computers in the 1990s and what comes to mind is Oregon Trail and the phrase "apple, control, reset." I was pretty young, but I definitely did not know much about computers. There are many valuable skills to be learned from interacting in the classroom in a very traditional way. I believe that students need to learn how to write first through the typical paper and pencil technique, as Oppenheimer reported the executives for Mobil Oil greatly believed in. But as my education progressed I don't see how I could have reached the point I am at now without computers. So much of my learning was centered around writing and research. The projects were lengthy and would have taken twice or often three times as long without access to computer databases and word processing programs. Thinking about high school I can remember late nights on the computer typing essays with many windows of research open all over the screen. I can not imagine having to sit in the library hunting through hoards of irrelevant information just to find a few useful and necessary facts. Computerized research has greatly changed the way high school and college level academics can function. In the days of book-based research 10 or 11 sources would have seemed outrageous, now it is a minimum requirement for most work. My college thesis would have been an impossibly daunting task without the use of my laptop. I feel that the ease in which information can be accessed and translated into projects for school has greatly increased the expectations of the modern student and the amount of information the modern student learns. Without access to online research students would miss out on much of the valuable information put in their projects. When a teacher assigns a 10 page research paper in 2010 it would most likely have translated to a 20 page hand written paper before the use of computers.

I also believe, however, that Oppenheimer was expressing an important and viable fear. It is understandable to be worried about what the effects of computers would be on younger students and their development because there was no way to know what would happen. This fear reminds me of the current fear around cellphone radiation and cancer. People are scared because they do not know what would happen because it was new. Often people are scared of the new, because it pushes them out of their comfort level. But new does not always mean bad. From personal experience I would not have the academic successes I have had without the use of technology in and out of the classroom. I believe that the fear of programs that would undermine a child's development has been overcome because the new educational programs have proved themselves to be great. Oppenheimer spoke for a generation of people faced with something new and unknown. I would be very interested to see how he would feel about the multitude of technology uses being realized in today's classrooms.

"Digital Divide"

I believe that there really is a "digital divide" today. It spans across not only genders and SESs but also generations. The articles, especially the article disussing the gender issues surrounding technology really got me to thinking about my own school. The majority of the staff members in our school are female and do not consider themselves "tech savvy." They can do the basic e-mail, powerpoint, microsoft word, and internet but their knowledge of other educational technologies seems to fall very short. They also seem to be very unwilling to learn about these new technologies. I think this unwillingness comes from a place where women do not feel as comfortable with technology as men because they are not as interested in it. This only does a disservice to the children. Women are often afraid to break through barriers of discomfort and struggle with unknown tasks. I feel its very important for women in education to willingly dive in and explore technology for the benefit of their students.

I also notice in my own work place a digital divide among the generations. Younger staff members are much more willing to integrate new technology into the classroom to better their teaching habits, while older staff members feel they "don't get" technology and stick by a mindset claiming "you can't teach an old dog new tricks."

I feel that a solution to these types of problems can come from more educational technology trainings in schools. If teachers know what technology is available to them and how to best use these technologies they will become better teachers. Technology can be very dauting, but if school administrations work to help increase comfort levels with technology teachers will feel more comfortable using the tools available and the students will flourish.

Non-Linear Powerpoint

I really enjoyed non-linear powerpoint! As soon as we discussed its uses I began to look back at lessons I had taught throughout the year and ways to improve them. For my non-linear powerpoint example I took a health lesson and game that I had put together using index cards this year and turned it into an interactive, fun teaching tool. I think that it is a great way to interact with students because they are being presented with informating, choosing and answer and being provided immediate feeback on their response. It also provides a more forviging arena for making mistakes. In a non-linear powerpoint the students are not writing down their answer for someone else to check over, they are self-checking and making their own corrections without having to commit to one choice permanantly. Its a much more forgiving and fun tool than traditional classroom techniques.

Class Reflections

I have learned SO much from this class. I used GoogleDocs the first day when I sent pictures to one of my friends after class. I didn't consider myself very tech-savy but I guess the class I took in college really preped me to understand a lot of what's been going on in this class. I'm enjoying all the new programs and concepts I've learned. Its really great. I'm really excited about all the new things I've learned and am anxious to bring them into my classroom. I have first and second graders but I'm itching to work with them on Inspiration concept maps, photostory, digital photography...its really great! I find a lot of the programs that we've been learning are easy to use. But I definitely understood everyone's frustration with Photoshop...I've felt their pain. I really like the way this class is structure to "discover" our own ways of doing things. I'm a very hands on learner who thrives on trial by error, and this definitely works for me. Having to sit as a group and go step by step on programs can be really tedious, so I'm very happy that we are exploring new things on our own!I also found the copyright segment on the class very informative. I evaluate the way I use materials much differently now that I ever did before. I was really interested to see how the law has been able to keep up with the technology...something that is very different!

Inspiration Concept Map

It took me a long time to get "Inspired" to make this concept map. It was a daunting task, but I turned out loving it. I was really afraid of it. I began making a rough draft on paper of what I wanted my concept map to look like. In reality once I got into the program I didn't bother finishing my hand drawn map because making it in Inspiration was far easier and less time consuming.

I loved the way it turned out, and how it feeds my organizational needs. In a school setting students can use it to help them build their own concept maps. In special education we use mapping of ideas all the time on the whiteboard or large papers. Inspiration is much more interactive and organized than a paper and marker ever could be.

Copyright - have we all been copywrong?

Before reading the article about copyright I had no idea of many of the rules and stipulations, and had never really considered them before. In my mind if I googled it, I could use it. I think that school districts need to do a much better job of educating their staff around copyright issues. Teachers need to know how to teach their students where to find good information and how to access that information appropriately. The implication of this is more training and more consultation with experts. Copyright laws and training would be a great teacher professional development day topic. When teachers are taught how to appropriately find and use information it will be much easier to pass these practices on to their students.

In the digital age, teachers need to be more aware of the information their students use and where it was taken from. Teachers should require not only a bibliography of information used but a list of pictures and other digital media. I feel that teachers now need to be more discerning with what they allow students to use in their classroom and set stricter guidelines around the way in which presentations are done.