As I was looking for information to help me predict the school of the future, I came to realize that first I needed to get to know how the minds of today’s student work. By understanding how students think, we are better able to teach them. Because of this, I came to the conclusion that schools of the 21st century would be shaped or tailored according to their thinking. Caught in the web, I noticed how many windows I needed to tab in order to jump from one to the other to get the most of it. I then realized this is how the student’s mind must work, one that can multitask. One page after the other, video clips, homework assignments, music in their ears, a cell phone with a text message waiting to be answered, and the ever frequent call into the next room, “Yes mom, I’ll be there in just a sec!” Seriously, are the schools ready to meet this challenge?
Society changes, technology changes, students change, therefore schools must change as well. For instance, I would like to take you back about 100 years to the turn of the 20th century. Notice an article I found, Technology Explosion: Early 20th Century written by Lynn Browne, July 2003. In part, the article states: “The pace of economic growth was very rapid in the years around the turn of the 20th century… Technological advances in different areas were combined to produce new products and new systems that had profound consequences for the ways in which people lived. Although individual initiative and luck continued to play important roles, the pursuit of technological advances became more formalized in universities and businesses. This was the age of mass production… bringing more and more products within the reach of more and more people”…“This period saw important changes in education, …Free education for all was widely supported as a way to ensure that children learned civic values and that immigrant children were introduced to the prevailing culture. … In the early 20th century, curriculums became more practical …”
Do we see the similarities? Sure the technologies that we have at the turn of this century are far more advanced than those in the early 1900’s but did those advances of their time make any less impact on their lives? We stand placed at the same threshold. Another technological explosion has taken place and again we must adjust to it, in every aspect of our life. Where do we start? The most logical conclusion would be in the area of education of course. Doesn’t everything start there? I find it interesting that one thing stated above was that they wanted to ensure “…that immigrant children were introduced to the prevailing culture. …” It is interesting to see where we have changed in that respect. Now emphasis is being placed on teaching multicultural education, learning about their culture, their background and then we know better how to instruct them about ours. Another thing to take note of is the comment above, “curriculums became more practical”. They became practical in that they conformed or changed to fit the needs of what was going on in the world around them. Since we have experienced another explosion, only this time more extreme, even more so do we need a change in the education system.
The article “Possibilities for 21st Century Education” written by Anne Shaw asks the question, “What is 21st Century Education?” It answered, “It is bold. It breaks the mold. It is flexible, creative, challenging, and complex. It addresses a rapidly changing world filled with fantastic new problems as well as exciting new possibilities…It is abandonment, finally, of textbook-driven, teacher-centered, paper and pencil schooling. It means a new way of understanding the concept of “knowledge”, a new definition of the “educated person”. A new way of designing and delivering the curriculum is required.” Can it be defined any better? I think not.
Speaking of definitions, all of these changes have brought about a change in the definitions of the terms that have become synonymous with education. Here is a list of the terms and what the American Association of School Administrators offers as to a new way of defining them:
· "Schools" will go “from ‘buildings’ to nerve centers, with walls that are porous and transparent, connecting teachers, students and the community to the wealth of knowledge that exists in the world.”
· “Teacher” - From primary role as a dispenser of information to orchestrator of learning and helping students turn information into knowledge, and knowledge into wisdom. The 21st century will require knowledge generation, not just information delivery, and schools will need to create a “culture of inquiry”.
· "Learner” - In the past a learner was a young person who went to school, spent a specified amount of time in certain courses, received passing grades and graduated. Today we must see learners in a new context:
o “First – we must maintain student interest by helping them see how what they are learning prepares them for life in the real world.
o “Second – we must instill curiosity, which is fundamental to lifelong learning.
o “Third – we must be flexible in how we teach.
o “Fourth – we must excite learners to become even more resourceful so that they will continue to learn outside the formal school day.”
What about technology in the 21st century school? The above article stated “There should be full access to technology… If we can, we will obtain laptops for every student and teacher. Buildings will need to be wired in such a way that students can access their files, as well as the Internet, from anywhere in the school. Various labs and learning centers should be set up around the campus. Art, music, theatre, television, radio and film studios can be created with relatively small expenditures. All classrooms should have televisions to watch broadcasts created by their school as well as by other schools in the district.” Administrators themselves will be trained in the new technology, in this way the teachers will be fully supported in their professional development and in their use of technology for learning. As far as funding is concerned, local industries will help fund technology in the schools because they know that their future workforce is going to be adequately trained in this area, thus eliminating the need for retraining, therefore the money they invested in the school for technology is paying off for them in the long run. It is a give and take relationship, one that is mutually beneficial for all in the community.
What about the curriculum of the 21st century school? What will it look like? Will we teach skills and content and be done with it there? To the contrary, students will learn how to better use these things and to put it to use through activities and projects and many other technological tools. They will gain knowledge not just by memorizing what is in a textbook but by making practical application of what they learn. They will be given the technological tools to empower them to create projects that can touch the world in a way never before done. They will have the pride that comes along with making a difference, not only in their own lives but in the lives of others. They not only acquire the skills, but they understand in a way that allows for the application of them. What more could we ask, than to have educated the students with the skills that will get them through the rest of their lives, productively.
As an educator, I have started to do my homework. This week, I went to the Mid-Atlantic Handheld and Emerging Technology Conference. There I learned a good amount of technology tools that I can use to enrich the students’ experience in my Spanish class. I strongly recommend you to watch a video posted here. Have you been paying attention to how your students learn? Are you ready to teach in the 21st Century schools? I don’t know if I am, but I know that I am ready for the challenge. Click on this video and you will hear a prediction of what the future will look like. In the school of the future you discover the talent that your students have and you didn’t even know they had it. Computers don’t get tired of repeating the same thing over and over again and allow students to collaborate, create, and be themselves. Computers should not do it all alone. I truly invite you to take part in this change for the best for our students. Let’s teach them in ways that they understand. In the process, we will eliminate the disconnect that exists between schools and students of today.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
To Engage or Not To Engage #8
When we investigate topics that affect education we are actually opening a box of needs. These needs are required for a change, a change in the education system which will require a change in the curriculum. This is not new, in fact, it is very old. The curriculum has gone through many changes over the years to accommodate the needs of new generations and this is the time that calls for a curriculum update. As an educator, I see the different stages that my students go through. I am not too old, but I have been alive long enough to see how society is changing.
The other day my husband wanted to buy a present for our daughter’s graduation and wanted my company. By the way, she did a spectacular job in school this year! To continue, I was on my way to a professional development about “Teaching in the Block” -No, it was not about how to integrate technology to address the needs of students in the 21st Century, but definitely the extra time could be useful. Since I was unable to accompany him, he went alone. When he got there, he saw a present he liked and wanted my opinion. Within a few minutes after I first talked to him, I received a text message with the picture of the present and the question, “Do you like it?,” I did so I quickly replied, “Yes.” The graduation ceremony was that night and my daughter wore a beautiful pearl necklace chosen by “both of us.” I thought to myself how amazing technology is!
Before the end of the school year, a guest speaker came to the school to talk about internet safety. His goal was to inform our kids how they could protect themselves from internet predators. In the process, he polled the students as to how many were connected to the internet; used the internet as a communication tool to talk with friends and… to strangers; and posted their personal information online; among others. It was very shocking for all of the educators there to see how many hands went in the air. Even those students that I thought never did anything wrong, raised their hands. I said to myself, “We are definitely living in different times, time to make some adjustments to the way we do things in schools.” Usually, I tell my kids not to talk to strangers, but seriously, isn’t that what they do whenever they visit the internet and chat online? How will we help students protect themselves if they are not taught? To avoid the topic, the integration of technology, would be the cause of many mistakes.
Have you seen the way these kids communicate nowadays? They want to know about a topic, they Google it. They want to ask opinions about something, they chat online with others. They use technology to organize and accomplish specific tasks and goals and to interact with others; like the need to get instant gratification like what comes from playing a video game. If we left all the instruction about technology to the students’ own experiences while using it then we will be affecting our own relationship with the students as their educators in this area. We want them to see us as knowledgeable, if not more so, in this area. In this way they will feel a connection with us. We don’t want them to feel that the computer is doing more for them than we are.
Isn’t it amazing to see how more adults too are engaging into the same type of communication because they find it efficient and fast? Isn’t that the way we should be educating, efficiently?
Every blog that we have posted in this class calls for a change in the curriculum. Every single one explores the changes in today’s society and how today’s generation learns. Moreover, they all have a list of recommendations of what educators need to do in order to teach the new generation. For students, it will mean teachers enhancing collaborative learning, alternative assessment, and individualizing learning. For teachers, it will mean learning Information and Communications Technology (ICT) literacy knowledge and skills. At the same time, it will mean supporting student learning in a technology-enhanced environment. For schools, it will mean to successfully integrate technology into the curriculum in such a way that they are ready to address the social, legal, and ethical issues related with technology use.
Taking for instance:
· Elle’s article, “Why blog?,” where she lists a number of reasons and ways that teachers could incorporate blogging into their planning.
· Jeanell’s article, “Got Technology? Now What Will You Do With It?,” where she encourages administrators to: “Understand the elements and characteristics of long-range planning for the use of current and emerging technology” and to “Use technology to collect and analyze data and other information to improve decision-making and other management functions.
· Marie’s article, “Solving Issues,” analyzed the issue of funding for technology in the schools and how important it is that educators become familiar with web tools to better incorporate them in their lessons.
· Miss Karns’s article, “Kids Today…,” discusses the topic of digital disconnect and student disinterest and how it could be solved by providing students’ with activities that involve technology they are familiar with and enjoy.
· Pamela’s article, “Internet Filters,” in this article concerning internet filters, she commented that the solution may be to “involve more people in the decision making process about which sites to block, provide easy methods for teachers to get particular sites unblocked, consider different levels of protection based on the type of school (elementary, middle, high), educate parents and teachers on the limitations of Internet filters”
· Tara’s article, “Classroom of the Future?,” introduces two universities that have virtual classrooms on 'Second Life'. She explains the opportunity for collaboration, immersion, aesthetics, creativity and social interaction. She says, “So not only is it a source of collaboration it helps people understand abstract concepts.”
· Or my article, “Worldwide Kids,” where I discuss the topic of global education. I explore the topic, why it is important, and what needs to be done to help our students become more competitive internationally for the 21st century. It involves the ability to know about other countries, cultures, and languages.
Searching the internet for curriculum updates, I found a neat website called CyberSmart! Curriculum. It is “dedicated to promoting the new information and communication technology skills associated with teaching, learning, and living in a connected world.” Because the curriculum allows teachers to comfortably include technology, this website has designed ways that it can be done. Moreover, it offers professional development online to help administrators and teachers to use digital information effectively in education. It is aligned with ISTE's National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) Performance Indicators.
Accepting the changes in society is not easy. People are used to “the same old same old.” For example, if a wall needs to be painted to bring it into harmony or to compliment other walls around it, will we stand around forever discussing it? No, we paint the wall. The same goes for the educational curriculum. Wondering whether using technology is the thing to do, will only cause delay in addressing the needs of today students. Researchers have long said that the curriculum must change to integrate the use of technology. Those who develop the curriculum need to go ahead and make the changes and it must come into effect soon if we are to touch the lives of the ones that influence the creation of the curriculum in the first place. I read an article called, “Towards a Free Education Curriculum By 2015.” It describes the thoughts of leaders and practitioners on how to refine free software technologies to achieve a bold vision: to develop a free education curriculum by 2015. Their goal is to open wide access to education across the world. One of the presenters, Dr. Mackintosh says, "There is simply not enough money to build the schools required to educate children in the developing world, nor will we be able to train enough teachers," "So we need to think about innovative approaches, even if that means the de-institutionalization of education as we have come to know it in the industrialized world." So whatever it takes, and whatever collaboration it takes, as long as we all have a common goal, to educate the students to able to survive in the workplace of the 21st century.
The other day my husband wanted to buy a present for our daughter’s graduation and wanted my company. By the way, she did a spectacular job in school this year! To continue, I was on my way to a professional development about “Teaching in the Block” -No, it was not about how to integrate technology to address the needs of students in the 21st Century, but definitely the extra time could be useful. Since I was unable to accompany him, he went alone. When he got there, he saw a present he liked and wanted my opinion. Within a few minutes after I first talked to him, I received a text message with the picture of the present and the question, “Do you like it?,” I did so I quickly replied, “Yes.” The graduation ceremony was that night and my daughter wore a beautiful pearl necklace chosen by “both of us.” I thought to myself how amazing technology is!
Before the end of the school year, a guest speaker came to the school to talk about internet safety. His goal was to inform our kids how they could protect themselves from internet predators. In the process, he polled the students as to how many were connected to the internet; used the internet as a communication tool to talk with friends and… to strangers; and posted their personal information online; among others. It was very shocking for all of the educators there to see how many hands went in the air. Even those students that I thought never did anything wrong, raised their hands. I said to myself, “We are definitely living in different times, time to make some adjustments to the way we do things in schools.” Usually, I tell my kids not to talk to strangers, but seriously, isn’t that what they do whenever they visit the internet and chat online? How will we help students protect themselves if they are not taught? To avoid the topic, the integration of technology, would be the cause of many mistakes.
Have you seen the way these kids communicate nowadays? They want to know about a topic, they Google it. They want to ask opinions about something, they chat online with others. They use technology to organize and accomplish specific tasks and goals and to interact with others; like the need to get instant gratification like what comes from playing a video game. If we left all the instruction about technology to the students’ own experiences while using it then we will be affecting our own relationship with the students as their educators in this area. We want them to see us as knowledgeable, if not more so, in this area. In this way they will feel a connection with us. We don’t want them to feel that the computer is doing more for them than we are.
Isn’t it amazing to see how more adults too are engaging into the same type of communication because they find it efficient and fast? Isn’t that the way we should be educating, efficiently?
Every blog that we have posted in this class calls for a change in the curriculum. Every single one explores the changes in today’s society and how today’s generation learns. Moreover, they all have a list of recommendations of what educators need to do in order to teach the new generation. For students, it will mean teachers enhancing collaborative learning, alternative assessment, and individualizing learning. For teachers, it will mean learning Information and Communications Technology (ICT) literacy knowledge and skills. At the same time, it will mean supporting student learning in a technology-enhanced environment. For schools, it will mean to successfully integrate technology into the curriculum in such a way that they are ready to address the social, legal, and ethical issues related with technology use.
Taking for instance:
· Elle’s article, “Why blog?,” where she lists a number of reasons and ways that teachers could incorporate blogging into their planning.
· Jeanell’s article, “Got Technology? Now What Will You Do With It?,” where she encourages administrators to: “Understand the elements and characteristics of long-range planning for the use of current and emerging technology” and to “Use technology to collect and analyze data and other information to improve decision-making and other management functions.
· Marie’s article, “Solving Issues,” analyzed the issue of funding for technology in the schools and how important it is that educators become familiar with web tools to better incorporate them in their lessons.
· Miss Karns’s article, “Kids Today…,” discusses the topic of digital disconnect and student disinterest and how it could be solved by providing students’ with activities that involve technology they are familiar with and enjoy.
· Pamela’s article, “Internet Filters,” in this article concerning internet filters, she commented that the solution may be to “involve more people in the decision making process about which sites to block, provide easy methods for teachers to get particular sites unblocked, consider different levels of protection based on the type of school (elementary, middle, high), educate parents and teachers on the limitations of Internet filters”
· Tara’s article, “Classroom of the Future?,” introduces two universities that have virtual classrooms on 'Second Life'. She explains the opportunity for collaboration, immersion, aesthetics, creativity and social interaction. She says, “So not only is it a source of collaboration it helps people understand abstract concepts.”
· Or my article, “Worldwide Kids,” where I discuss the topic of global education. I explore the topic, why it is important, and what needs to be done to help our students become more competitive internationally for the 21st century. It involves the ability to know about other countries, cultures, and languages.
Searching the internet for curriculum updates, I found a neat website called CyberSmart! Curriculum. It is “dedicated to promoting the new information and communication technology skills associated with teaching, learning, and living in a connected world.” Because the curriculum allows teachers to comfortably include technology, this website has designed ways that it can be done. Moreover, it offers professional development online to help administrators and teachers to use digital information effectively in education. It is aligned with ISTE's National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) Performance Indicators.
Accepting the changes in society is not easy. People are used to “the same old same old.” For example, if a wall needs to be painted to bring it into harmony or to compliment other walls around it, will we stand around forever discussing it? No, we paint the wall. The same goes for the educational curriculum. Wondering whether using technology is the thing to do, will only cause delay in addressing the needs of today students. Researchers have long said that the curriculum must change to integrate the use of technology. Those who develop the curriculum need to go ahead and make the changes and it must come into effect soon if we are to touch the lives of the ones that influence the creation of the curriculum in the first place. I read an article called, “Towards a Free Education Curriculum By 2015.” It describes the thoughts of leaders and practitioners on how to refine free software technologies to achieve a bold vision: to develop a free education curriculum by 2015. Their goal is to open wide access to education across the world. One of the presenters, Dr. Mackintosh says, "There is simply not enough money to build the schools required to educate children in the developing world, nor will we be able to train enough teachers," "So we need to think about innovative approaches, even if that means the de-institutionalization of education as we have come to know it in the industrialized world." So whatever it takes, and whatever collaboration it takes, as long as we all have a common goal, to educate the students to able to survive in the workplace of the 21st century.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
"Smart Mob" Useful for Education? # 7
In a recent review I listed a few of the technologies that “Digital Natives” have at their fingertips. Among them, “smart mobs” were mentioned. I was asked “What is a smart mob”? So I thought a good review would be to answer that question. In doing so, I have searched the many websites that I could found to try to inform you as well as myself about the topic, but I feel I will need your help to finish it. If I were to begin with the end in mind, I would like for this to be a collaborative review, in which all the readers add a comment about how we, as educators, could use “smart mob”.
The traditional general definition of mob is:
Mob—an indiscriminate or loosely associated group of persons or things.
Of course, it can be used in a derogatory way to mean where there is disorder or unruliness. Is that true of the “smart mob”? Wikipedia has this definition:
“A smart mob is a form of self-structuring social organization through technology-mediated, intelligent "emergent behavior". The concept was introduced by Howard Rheingold in his book Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution. …..A smart mob is a group that, contrary to the usual connotations of a mob, behaves intelligently or efficiently because of its exponentially increasing network links. This network enables people to connect to information and others, allowing a form of social coordination….. Depending on how the technology is used, smart mobs may be beneficial or detrimental to society.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_mob#_note-NYT-Yearinideas
The above definition referenced Howard Rheingold’s book Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution. For more information about this book and its author, you can visit the site: http://www.smartmobs.com/
Moreover, Wikipedia listed some examples of “smart mobs”:
Smart mobs who arrange to meet up over the Internet and show up at a retailer at a specific time and use their numbers to negotiate a discount with the retailer.
- eBay — a collection of users who are empowered by the Internet and eBay to buy and sell and maintain the quality control over all transactions through the rating system. People can leave positive, negative or neutral feedback, depending on how they felt about their transaction with that seller.
- Text messages that were sent in the Philippines, which are thought to be partly responsible for the demonstration that ousted former President Joseph Estrada. Examples of such a text message read "Wear black to mourn the death of democracy," "Expect there to be rumbles" and "Go to EDSA".
- The 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks (11M), and the reaction from the people against the government in the Spanish elections of 14 March 2004.
- The 2005 civil unrest in France exhibited smart mobs - the French national police spokesman, Patrick Hamon, was quoted in the Wall Street Journal as saying that youths in individual neighborhoods were communicating by cellphone text messages, online blogs, and/or email — arranging meetings and warning each other about police operations.
Even this class can be considered as a small “smart mob.” With each article we post, we share all of the amazing ways and tools that we could use to integrate technology into our classroom. Moreover, we discuss current issues in education and technology and hopefully we come up with solutions on how we are able to make it better. We could get things accomplished as far as changes in curriculum, or changes in other areas that concern. Furthermore, we could join our forces, as educators, to come up with a plan on how we can integrate all students to the learning process whether they like or not : ) well! Is it what a mob, a smart one could help us accomplish?
According to the New York Times article “New Economy; In the tech meccas, masses of people, or 'smart mobs,' are keeping in touch through wireless devices” written by John Schwartz; Published: July 22, 2002, “It's not all fun and games. Smart mobs in Manila contributed to the overthrow of President Joseph Estrada in 2001 by organizing demonstrations via forwarded cell phone text messages. Protesters at the World Trade Organization gathering in Seattle in 1999 were able to check into a sprawling electronic network to see which way the tear gas was blowing. The Sept. 11 terrorists used such devices to plan and coordinate their attack, and the victims used them to convey information -- and, in the case of United Airlines flight 93, learned of the other attacks and took action that may have prevented even more devastation.” In other words, if corrupted people have been able to use smart mobs to communicate and they have been successful, it must be because smart mobs can be an effective digital tool to use for a good cause; a tool which could be used by students to effectively collaborate with one another. Now, to the real question, how can this avenue be useful to educators if at all?
The Experience Designer Network (EDN) is a weblog authored by
Well said, I agree. How can we do this?
He continues, “A smart mob empowered by shared learning goals would be a formidable force. It is not too difficult to imagine students (youth or adults) engaging in mobile ad hoc social networks (or smart mobs) in order to pursue common areas of interest. This is what smart mobs do.” I have started to brainstorm about the many ways that we, as educators, could integrate smart mobs as a teaching tool.
To start with, the difference between the learning that goes on in a typical classroom and the learning that could go on in smart mobs is that in the first one the learning is controlled from a “central source” -in this case the curriculum???. The learning goes on as far as that central source allows it. On the other hand, the learning that could go on in smart mobs dos not have limits. I can see students exchanging their thoughts, ideas, and creations and collaborating to reach a particular goal. For example, students study a particular subject of their choice in groups and participate in online communities -smart mobs. Additionally, students will become autonomous, responsible learners who are in charge of their education. As educators, we are the ones who work with the students, we know their needs and when they are ready to continue. The learning should not be limited, especially now when education is going all the way through a large-scale revolution in the direction of a more participatory form of learning.
If we were to introduce smart mobs into schools, educators should definitely guide students through the learning process that goes on in smart mobs. I agree with Seely Brown when he says that students need some structure, direction, accountability, and assistance to determine bad information from good information.
As I was thinking how I can use smart mobs in teaching Spanish, I came up with several ideas that could apply to the teaching of other subjects. For example, as a guide I will introduce my students to the lives of the Aztecs. As an assignment, students will recreate the Aztecs society, including how they would have avoided their distruction. The weakness that I see in this assignment is that they will base most of their ideas in the arguments and researchers of others. So I will probably ask them to recreate the Aztecs’ society and explain how they would have fit into today’s society if they were alive.
The topic of smart mobs reminds me of the book Wikinomics when the Tapscott and Williams compared TakingITGlobal with the United Nations. The authors say, the site listed over two thousand youth-initiated and –managed community action projects that tackle tough issues ranging from closing the digital divide in rural India to preventing HIV in Uganda. This United Nations is run not by senior diplomats, but entirely by young people aged thirteen to twenty-four years old. TakingITGlobal is an online community that connects youth to find inspiration, access information, get involved, and take action in their local and global communities. It's the world's most popular online community for young people interested in making a difference, with hundreds of thousands of unique visitors each month.” as defined in the website.
In conclusion, with “smart mobs” teachers could get together to look for solutions to current educational issues that we as educators encounter daily. Students could get together to analyze and come up with ideas on how to solve school and society issues. The word “Mob” makes me think of a bunch of locusts passing through a corn field, everyone of them working together to shape their path. The same way, but in a smarter way, we can shape our path, but without affecting others in detrimental way. Instead, to find a path that allows for the creation of newer and bigger ones.
What uses do you see for smart mobs in the schools?
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Video Technology in the Foreign Language Classroom #6
In the last twenty years foreign language teachers have been searching for ways to make learning in the classroom more like what occurs outside of the classroom. Recent technology has given the foreign language teacher the tools that will supplement their curriculum and emphasize meaningful activities to enhance the student’s learning experience. If used correctly, video technology gives opportunities for learning that students would not be able to experience otherwise. Students are able to watch native speakers interacting with one another in real world settings speaking with one another and using different accents, using different postures and gestures to provide alternate forms of communication. Moreover, the use of the video camera is a tool that has been around for a long time.
Only since the introduction of video-based materials into the foreign language classroom, teachers and students have available to them the material necessary to simulate real-life experiences in both the target language and culture. Some of the types of materials available to the foreign language teacher are: videos for curriculum enhancement, foreign literature, art, fashion, film, commercials, and culture among others.
In the article “Video Production in the Foreign Language Classroom: Some Practical Ideas” the author, Sebastian Brooke, explains how he uses the production of videos as a way to eliminate students’ anxiety. Brooke says that “video production relieves the students of some of the anxiety they may feel when giving live performances and accordingly they appear more relaxed and confident in their language production on video.” He requires all of his students to prepare a group video about a scenario of their choice. More exciting is the fact that Brooke breaks down the use of video technology using three different approaches: mini-documentaries, interviews and creative audience targeted advertisements. In each one of the approaches, all students are involved in the production of the videos; as editors, creators of scripting, producers and hosts. It is very interesting to see that the title of this article proposes the use of video production in the foreign language classroom when he really explains its use in the English classroom. I still like the article because it explains many practices and ideas that apply to the teaching of any language.
In a few simple steps, Darlene Combs explains in the article Using Digital Video in the Classroom what is needed to get started in the video production. She says, “Video production lends itself to enhancing the creative and thoughtful writing process.” It is very true for Spanish language learners. Students are able to use their creativity, which in turn allows them to become better writers once they are able to view their own work and learn from their mistakes. Also, video production encourages teamwork.
I started the use of video technology when trying to present authentic language situations in Spanish, printed texts were not enough. Photographs and illustrations (even with the addition of audio tape recordings) lack the dynamic quality necessary to provide an active context to present and work through the various linguistic features of the language being used. On the other hand, voice register, tone, and gestures bring a slice of real life into the classroom, which not only can lead to a fuller comprehension of the spoken language, but can also benefit learners in a number of other ways.
As a final point, I encourage the use of video technology to teach Spanish. They are easy to produce and fun to watch. Last school year, I initiated the production of videos. I introduced my students to Latin American food with a video of myself cooking a dish from Latin-America. My students liked the video very much. In fact, a week later we had a “Taste of Latin America Day” in which all students had to bring a dish from a Latin American country. All students, including those who never completed any assignment, brought a dish. I belive that I motivated them with the video. A few months later, all students videotaped one another while presenting a paragraph about themselves. I used this assignment as an assessment tool for me to know where they were, and for them as a self assessment. They were encouraged to use proper grammar, current vocabulary, correct tone, fluency, among others. Using video technology in the classroom enhances the learning experience in a positive way and students are very enthusiastic about using it. While most educators will agree that a qualified language teacher is the most important factor in foreign language instruction, video production does show promise as a supplement to traditional approaches to foreign language teaching.
Only since the introduction of video-based materials into the foreign language classroom, teachers and students have available to them the material necessary to simulate real-life experiences in both the target language and culture. Some of the types of materials available to the foreign language teacher are: videos for curriculum enhancement, foreign literature, art, fashion, film, commercials, and culture among others.
In the article “Video Production in the Foreign Language Classroom: Some Practical Ideas” the author, Sebastian Brooke, explains how he uses the production of videos as a way to eliminate students’ anxiety. Brooke says that “video production relieves the students of some of the anxiety they may feel when giving live performances and accordingly they appear more relaxed and confident in their language production on video.” He requires all of his students to prepare a group video about a scenario of their choice. More exciting is the fact that Brooke breaks down the use of video technology using three different approaches: mini-documentaries, interviews and creative audience targeted advertisements. In each one of the approaches, all students are involved in the production of the videos; as editors, creators of scripting, producers and hosts. It is very interesting to see that the title of this article proposes the use of video production in the foreign language classroom when he really explains its use in the English classroom. I still like the article because it explains many practices and ideas that apply to the teaching of any language.
In a few simple steps, Darlene Combs explains in the article Using Digital Video in the Classroom what is needed to get started in the video production. She says, “Video production lends itself to enhancing the creative and thoughtful writing process.” It is very true for Spanish language learners. Students are able to use their creativity, which in turn allows them to become better writers once they are able to view their own work and learn from their mistakes. Also, video production encourages teamwork.
I started the use of video technology when trying to present authentic language situations in Spanish, printed texts were not enough. Photographs and illustrations (even with the addition of audio tape recordings) lack the dynamic quality necessary to provide an active context to present and work through the various linguistic features of the language being used. On the other hand, voice register, tone, and gestures bring a slice of real life into the classroom, which not only can lead to a fuller comprehension of the spoken language, but can also benefit learners in a number of other ways.
As a final point, I encourage the use of video technology to teach Spanish. They are easy to produce and fun to watch. Last school year, I initiated the production of videos. I introduced my students to Latin American food with a video of myself cooking a dish from Latin-America. My students liked the video very much. In fact, a week later we had a “Taste of Latin America Day” in which all students had to bring a dish from a Latin American country. All students, including those who never completed any assignment, brought a dish. I belive that I motivated them with the video. A few months later, all students videotaped one another while presenting a paragraph about themselves. I used this assignment as an assessment tool for me to know where they were, and for them as a self assessment. They were encouraged to use proper grammar, current vocabulary, correct tone, fluency, among others. Using video technology in the classroom enhances the learning experience in a positive way and students are very enthusiastic about using it. While most educators will agree that a qualified language teacher is the most important factor in foreign language instruction, video production does show promise as a supplement to traditional approaches to foreign language teaching.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Digital Students vs. Digital Immigrant Teachers #5
What is happening to the U.S. education system? We look around and we see brand new schools being built with some pretty exceptional technology. This technology, however, seems to be limited to the cafeteria, security system, and computers. These newer schools and even some of the older ones that have upgraded may have computer labs boasting of some up-to-date systems in them. That is commendable; however, our concern should be on the classrooms themselves and the teaching styles in them. How have they been upgraded?
“Our students have changed radically. Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach,” is the observation of Marc Prensky in his article Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. (Prensky, October 2001.) Students today have grown up with computers, video games, mp3 players, cell phones, and many other digital toys. It is estimated that college graduates have spent less than 5,000 hours reading, but over 10,000 hours playing video games. Everything is at their fingertips. Also an integral part of their lives are the internet, e-mail, instant messaging, and live chats. Even more recently is the addition of smart mobs, blogs, wikis, modding, and more.
Prensky terms these students of today “Digital Natives” for they are considered “native speakers” of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet.
So for those who did not grow up with this environment but are willing to incorporate and adopt most aspects of the new technology, compared to the “natives”, Prensky terms these ones “Digital Immigrants”. I like how he uses the comparison even when talking about our accent. Even when these immigrants successfully adapt to their new environment they always retain, to some degree, their accent (like the author says, “their foot in the past”). For example, the author says that they will look to the internet for information second rather than go there first. Other examples of a “digital immigrant accent” is printing out a document to edit it rather than editing it on the screen. Or having someone come to your office to see a website rather than just sending them the link for it. It is funny to think of it, however when it comes to education, it becomes a serious matter. I have experienced that myself with several colleagues. It is like they refuse to immerse themselves into technology because they are afraid of walking on unknown soil; I can imagine it would be like an immigrant would feel. Prensky considers “the single biggest problem facing education today is that our Digital Immigrant instructors are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language”.
Students of today can receive, process, and adapt to information rapidly. In other words, they are capable of doing several things at the same time. They are used to parallel processing. I have noticed how well my students perform when we complete activities that require the use of computers, the Internet. As many specialists have said, students of today function on “instant gratification and frequent rewards.” They want to learn with games that provide immediate feedback. On the other hand, take for instance us, the teachers of today, which the author calls “Digital Immigrants”, mostly because we may have very little appreciation for these new techniques that the “Natives” have learned and perfected through years of use. Because some us did not grow up in the “Digital Era”, we are considered to be “Immigrants”, who learned – and now choose to teach – “slowly, step-by-step, one thing at a time, individually, and above all, seriously”, as the author implies. Where are we?
In his article, Twitch Speed Learning, Keeping up with Young Workers, Prensky identifies ten cognitive styles that differentiate Digital Natives from Digital Immigrants (Prensky, 1998). Of those I chose some that I found very interesting. They are:
“Our students have changed radically. Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach,” is the observation of Marc Prensky in his article Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. (Prensky, October 2001.) Students today have grown up with computers, video games, mp3 players, cell phones, and many other digital toys. It is estimated that college graduates have spent less than 5,000 hours reading, but over 10,000 hours playing video games. Everything is at their fingertips. Also an integral part of their lives are the internet, e-mail, instant messaging, and live chats. Even more recently is the addition of smart mobs, blogs, wikis, modding, and more.
Prensky terms these students of today “Digital Natives” for they are considered “native speakers” of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet.
So for those who did not grow up with this environment but are willing to incorporate and adopt most aspects of the new technology, compared to the “natives”, Prensky terms these ones “Digital Immigrants”. I like how he uses the comparison even when talking about our accent. Even when these immigrants successfully adapt to their new environment they always retain, to some degree, their accent (like the author says, “their foot in the past”). For example, the author says that they will look to the internet for information second rather than go there first. Other examples of a “digital immigrant accent” is printing out a document to edit it rather than editing it on the screen. Or having someone come to your office to see a website rather than just sending them the link for it. It is funny to think of it, however when it comes to education, it becomes a serious matter. I have experienced that myself with several colleagues. It is like they refuse to immerse themselves into technology because they are afraid of walking on unknown soil; I can imagine it would be like an immigrant would feel. Prensky considers “the single biggest problem facing education today is that our Digital Immigrant instructors are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language”.
Students of today can receive, process, and adapt to information rapidly. In other words, they are capable of doing several things at the same time. They are used to parallel processing. I have noticed how well my students perform when we complete activities that require the use of computers, the Internet. As many specialists have said, students of today function on “instant gratification and frequent rewards.” They want to learn with games that provide immediate feedback. On the other hand, take for instance us, the teachers of today, which the author calls “Digital Immigrants”, mostly because we may have very little appreciation for these new techniques that the “Natives” have learned and perfected through years of use. Because some us did not grow up in the “Digital Era”, we are considered to be “Immigrants”, who learned – and now choose to teach – “slowly, step-by-step, one thing at a time, individually, and above all, seriously”, as the author implies. Where are we?
In his article, Twitch Speed Learning, Keeping up with Young Workers, Prensky identifies ten cognitive styles that differentiate Digital Natives from Digital Immigrants (Prensky, 1998). Of those I chose some that I found very interesting. They are:
“Connected vs. Stand Alone
Since 1970, the communication revolution has moved from a world connected by telephone (a synchronous communication tool), to a worldwide network of communications (both synchronous and asynchronous) including e-mail, bulletin boards, broadcast messages, chat rooms, etc.
As a result, new learning tools have developed to access knowledge, whether they be listserve, users groups, wikis, blogs or outsourced customer support centers in Ireland or India. "
“Payoff vs. Patience
According to Dr. Jeanne B. Funk, a psychologist with the University of Toledo, a game-playing child typically spends between 5 and 9 hours a week playing video games. What is it that keeps this child engaged for hundreds of hours attempting to learn and master a computer game?
Part of the explanation is that computer games have mastered the dynamic of feedback and “payoff.” The challenge remains for educators to develop similar interactive rewards dynamics for learning content."
“Technology as Friend vs. Technology as Foe
Finally, “digital immigrants” perceive technology as something to be feared tolerated or at best harnessed to one’s purpose. Digital natives perceive computers as their friend. Whether working, playing, relaxing or communicating, younger learners actively search out ways to use technology to construct a new cognitive environment."
Since 1970, the communication revolution has moved from a world connected by telephone (a synchronous communication tool), to a worldwide network of communications (both synchronous and asynchronous) including e-mail, bulletin boards, broadcast messages, chat rooms, etc.
As a result, new learning tools have developed to access knowledge, whether they be listserve, users groups, wikis, blogs or outsourced customer support centers in Ireland or India. "
“Payoff vs. Patience
According to Dr. Jeanne B. Funk, a psychologist with the University of Toledo, a game-playing child typically spends between 5 and 9 hours a week playing video games. What is it that keeps this child engaged for hundreds of hours attempting to learn and master a computer game?
Part of the explanation is that computer games have mastered the dynamic of feedback and “payoff.” The challenge remains for educators to develop similar interactive rewards dynamics for learning content."
“Technology as Friend vs. Technology as Foe
Finally, “digital immigrants” perceive technology as something to be feared tolerated or at best harnessed to one’s purpose. Digital natives perceive computers as their friend. Whether working, playing, relaxing or communicating, younger learners actively search out ways to use technology to construct a new cognitive environment."
As educators of today, it is important to know how our students process new information, and what kind of activities are engaging to them. Moreover, the curriculum should be structured to make room for more creativity. As a Spanish teacher, I try to present the different vocabularies using many colorful graphics. I have noticed that they respond best when the visual stimulation is appealing. Many of them are not just visual learners, but also kinetic learners, they like to be actively involved in the learning process. Therefore, I have included activities that require them to create with technology. For example, students will compose and send electronic e-mails in Spanish. They will create Power Point presentations about themselves, their families, and their favorite activities, among others. Also, they are required to use the Internet to investigate about other cultures and countries, to solve problems, to plan vacations and more. The challenge is to recognize the learning strategies that are appropriate for “Digital Natives”, understand the different ways they process information and design learning tools that will get the most from their exceptional skills.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Spanish, the Digital Way #4
Today more than ever, foreign language teachers have a vast source of places to go to enhance the learning of a second language with the use of hands-on material that can be enabled with the use of technology. Prior to the 21st Century, researchers found it hard to predict the teaching of a foreign language with technology. They could not see the extent to which technology has changed the educational environment. For example, they predicted that in the virtual college of the future, students would receive electronic lectures, obtain readings, contribute to discussions, and send e-mail messages. Indeed, they were right, in the present not only are students able to learn about a foreign country (such as, Dominican Republic) through the World Wide Web, but also to practice a foreign language (such as, Spanish) with a native speaker. There are many research-based ideas on how to incorporate technology into the foreign language classroom, such as, the use of word processing, the internet, multimedia presentation programs, publishing programs, and many others like these.
In the article “Using the World Wide Web to Integrate Spanish Language and Culture: A Pilot Study” the author explains how a group of students benefited from using the Internet as a tool to learn Spanish. This study included thirteen college students enrolled in basic Spanish who used the internet to complete five activities. The five activities were created taking into account the Spanish culture and language. For example, one of the activities was to plan a family trip to Madrid. The students had to search the Internet to make all the arrangements to make this vacation possible. They had to find accommodations, restaurants, places of interest, and museums, among others. The researchers found that the use of the Internet helps students gain a better understanding of foreign languages and cultures. The students involved in this study revealed that the Internet is a great place to find interesting things about the Spanish language. Moreover, the students claimed that many times they got side-tracked from the given assignments due to the vast amount of activities and information found. They described the internet as “a good learning tool, more current than just reading about it in a book.” (p.78). My students have completed similar activities and they have expressed how much they have learned and enjoyed doing it, as well.
Applications of the Web in the Spanish Classroom is the title of an amazing PowerPoint that I found while browsing for fun activities to do in my Spanish classes. In this PowerPoint, the teacher, Maria Jose Bermejo, listed a great amount of web sites that teachers can search to help students learn Spanish. I like this PowerPoint because it includes many websites that I like to use in my Spanish classes; all in one place. It enhances the use of learning activities to practice Spanish, such as:
· Scavenger hunts
· Self learning and self check
· Vocabulary, spelling, grammar, among others
· Web quests to Spanish speaking countries
· Latin American places and cultures
In addition, second language acquisition (SLA) researchers have demonstrated how the use of technology increases language learner’s motivation, self-confidence and higher self-esteem. This results in students being more successful and motivated to learn (Marr 2000, Okolo and Ferreri 1998.) The way language learners exhibit on-task behavior when technology is involved helps, not only researchers, but also educators to understand that these students perceive computers as having a positive effect on their learning. Therefore, it is the educator’s responsibility to be prepared to apply technology in the educational settings to produce technology-capable students, which in return will enhance learning. In fact, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) encourages all educators to provide learning opportunities that produce technology-capable students. The National Education Technology Standards (NETS), initiated by the ISTE and funded by the US Department of education and others, suggests curriculum-based strategies that will help teachers accomplish the curriculum-based Foreign Language Standards.
As a Spanish teacher, I encourage the use of techonolgy. I try to engage my students by having them use technology tools in which they are more likely familiar with. We use the internet to search, practice, learn new vocabulry, play games, and more. I really like http://www.quia.com/ because it allows students to play a variety of vocabulary games that are acccurate and fun. Also, I like my students visiting http://www.studyspanish.com/ to practice grammar. For example, the students are able to complete activities in which they need in order to practice the Spanish conjugation, how fun! Finally, Microsoft Office has many neat programs that my students use to create different projects, such as PowerPoint, Movie Maker, Word and more. This coming school year, my students will begin to create a blog in Spanish. There, they will write all about themselves. The title will be "Todo acerca de mi" (they can pretend to be somebody else for security), a project they have done in the past, but this time they will have the opportunity to do it on the internet, and to post it online for others to see their progress, instead of waiting for the final product. I am very excited about this. Wish me luck!
In the article “Using the World Wide Web to Integrate Spanish Language and Culture: A Pilot Study” the author explains how a group of students benefited from using the Internet as a tool to learn Spanish. This study included thirteen college students enrolled in basic Spanish who used the internet to complete five activities. The five activities were created taking into account the Spanish culture and language. For example, one of the activities was to plan a family trip to Madrid. The students had to search the Internet to make all the arrangements to make this vacation possible. They had to find accommodations, restaurants, places of interest, and museums, among others. The researchers found that the use of the Internet helps students gain a better understanding of foreign languages and cultures. The students involved in this study revealed that the Internet is a great place to find interesting things about the Spanish language. Moreover, the students claimed that many times they got side-tracked from the given assignments due to the vast amount of activities and information found. They described the internet as “a good learning tool, more current than just reading about it in a book.” (p.78). My students have completed similar activities and they have expressed how much they have learned and enjoyed doing it, as well.
Applications of the Web in the Spanish Classroom is the title of an amazing PowerPoint that I found while browsing for fun activities to do in my Spanish classes. In this PowerPoint, the teacher, Maria Jose Bermejo, listed a great amount of web sites that teachers can search to help students learn Spanish. I like this PowerPoint because it includes many websites that I like to use in my Spanish classes; all in one place. It enhances the use of learning activities to practice Spanish, such as:
· Scavenger hunts
· Self learning and self check
· Vocabulary, spelling, grammar, among others
· Web quests to Spanish speaking countries
· Latin American places and cultures
In addition, second language acquisition (SLA) researchers have demonstrated how the use of technology increases language learner’s motivation, self-confidence and higher self-esteem. This results in students being more successful and motivated to learn (Marr 2000, Okolo and Ferreri 1998.) The way language learners exhibit on-task behavior when technology is involved helps, not only researchers, but also educators to understand that these students perceive computers as having a positive effect on their learning. Therefore, it is the educator’s responsibility to be prepared to apply technology in the educational settings to produce technology-capable students, which in return will enhance learning. In fact, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) encourages all educators to provide learning opportunities that produce technology-capable students. The National Education Technology Standards (NETS), initiated by the ISTE and funded by the US Department of education and others, suggests curriculum-based strategies that will help teachers accomplish the curriculum-based Foreign Language Standards.
As a Spanish teacher, I encourage the use of techonolgy. I try to engage my students by having them use technology tools in which they are more likely familiar with. We use the internet to search, practice, learn new vocabulry, play games, and more. I really like http://www.quia.com/ because it allows students to play a variety of vocabulary games that are acccurate and fun. Also, I like my students visiting http://www.studyspanish.com/ to practice grammar. For example, the students are able to complete activities in which they need in order to practice the Spanish conjugation, how fun! Finally, Microsoft Office has many neat programs that my students use to create different projects, such as PowerPoint, Movie Maker, Word and more. This coming school year, my students will begin to create a blog in Spanish. There, they will write all about themselves. The title will be "Todo acerca de mi" (they can pretend to be somebody else for security), a project they have done in the past, but this time they will have the opportunity to do it on the internet, and to post it online for others to see their progress, instead of waiting for the final product. I am very excited about this. Wish me luck!
Monday, July 16, 2007
Worldwide Kids # 3
Looking at the world from space must be a unique experience. This round circle mostly filled with blue, green, and white colors, represents only one sphere in the universe. Looking from above the clouds, as an alien, this world would give the appearance of an untouchable one. One that is perfectly made, but hard to reach, to touch. One may be amazed at its design, with waters connecting all around. From way up in the sky, it is not difficult to think of the world beneath as one with many people connected together in culture, language, and information about one another. It seems so small! The reality is that we are not. Even with the innovation in technology, which provides us with the sources to be in many parts of this world at once, to learn from one another, the education reform of the United States has not emphasized the importance of including global education into the curriculum. In general, our students lack skills, such as the ability to know about other countries and cultures and the ability to know how to speak more than one language. As our students get ready for the 21st century, they need to receive education about the global world.
Global education has not been one of the most important topics of the American education system. In fact, there is no way of knowing to which extent global education should be included in the creation of a lesson plan. School districts have not provided teachers with guidelines so as to know how much global education should be included and how. Actually, some teachers may consider the inclusion of global education as a job that only science teachers should do. They fail to include, expose, and encourage classroom-based activities that will allow students to learn more about the world. Researchers have emphasized that global education is appropriate for all ages as well as relevant in all subject areas (Tyve, 1992.)
We need to help our students become more competitive internationally. Some of the questions that come to mind are: How can we incorporate global education into the curriculum? Why is it important? Why do we have to do it? If students are to be ready for the 21st century, they need to have some basic skills on how the economic, environment, social, culture, and technological systems of the world work (Tyve, 1992.) It involves the ability to know about other countries, cultures, and languages.
In the past, the curriculum had to expand to include subjects that were not taught before in order to meet the needs of the students. Today, the education system must expand to take in global education, which includes globalization and international knowledge, among others. The article Putting the World into World-Class Education by Sharon Lynn and Vivien Stewart stays, “…globalization is driving demand for an internationally competent work force. New security challenges require greater proficiency in world languages, and increasing diversity in our nation’s classrooms and workplaces necessitates a greater understanding of other cultures.” It defines global education-international education as the knowledge of other world regions, cultures, and global/international issues. Furthermore, to have a global education includes having the skill of communicating in languages other than English, working in global environments, and using information from different sources around the world. Also important is placing value on, and showing respect and concern for other cultures and peoples.
With the growth of technology, schools and students have access to computers, the internet, and many digital tools that make it possible to learn more about the world. In the article, Harnessing Information Technology For International Education, the author Linda G. Roberts says, “Computers have powerful multimedia capability, storage capacity, and connections to digital cameras that make it possible to tell the story of a community.” For instance, teachers can involve their students in multicultural projects, which require the search of facts, leading to a general understanding of the place, people, and culture of other countries. For a more specific knowledge, students can visit the different web sites that allow for global connections with virtual classrooms in which they have the opportunity to communicate with people from other countries. In conclusion, with the emergence of technology the world has become smaller than looking at it from space. Why not teach our children to view it as such, to be close with the culture of the world, to know about the economies of other countries, to speak several languages, and to have the openness that the authors of The world is Flat and Wikinomics talk about.
References
Kagan, Sharon Lynn, and Vivien Stewart. "Putting the World into World-Class Education: Introduction." PHI Delta Kappan 01 10 2007: 195-196.
Tyve, Barbara, and Tye, Kenneth A. Global Education: A Study of School Change. New York: SUNY Press, 1992.
Roberts, Linda G.. "Harnessing Information Technology For International Education." Phi Delta Kappan 01 10 2004: 225-228.
Global education has not been one of the most important topics of the American education system. In fact, there is no way of knowing to which extent global education should be included in the creation of a lesson plan. School districts have not provided teachers with guidelines so as to know how much global education should be included and how. Actually, some teachers may consider the inclusion of global education as a job that only science teachers should do. They fail to include, expose, and encourage classroom-based activities that will allow students to learn more about the world. Researchers have emphasized that global education is appropriate for all ages as well as relevant in all subject areas (Tyve, 1992.)
We need to help our students become more competitive internationally. Some of the questions that come to mind are: How can we incorporate global education into the curriculum? Why is it important? Why do we have to do it? If students are to be ready for the 21st century, they need to have some basic skills on how the economic, environment, social, culture, and technological systems of the world work (Tyve, 1992.) It involves the ability to know about other countries, cultures, and languages.
In the past, the curriculum had to expand to include subjects that were not taught before in order to meet the needs of the students. Today, the education system must expand to take in global education, which includes globalization and international knowledge, among others. The article Putting the World into World-Class Education by Sharon Lynn and Vivien Stewart stays, “…globalization is driving demand for an internationally competent work force. New security challenges require greater proficiency in world languages, and increasing diversity in our nation’s classrooms and workplaces necessitates a greater understanding of other cultures.” It defines global education-international education as the knowledge of other world regions, cultures, and global/international issues. Furthermore, to have a global education includes having the skill of communicating in languages other than English, working in global environments, and using information from different sources around the world. Also important is placing value on, and showing respect and concern for other cultures and peoples.
With the growth of technology, schools and students have access to computers, the internet, and many digital tools that make it possible to learn more about the world. In the article, Harnessing Information Technology For International Education, the author Linda G. Roberts says, “Computers have powerful multimedia capability, storage capacity, and connections to digital cameras that make it possible to tell the story of a community.” For instance, teachers can involve their students in multicultural projects, which require the search of facts, leading to a general understanding of the place, people, and culture of other countries. For a more specific knowledge, students can visit the different web sites that allow for global connections with virtual classrooms in which they have the opportunity to communicate with people from other countries. In conclusion, with the emergence of technology the world has become smaller than looking at it from space. Why not teach our children to view it as such, to be close with the culture of the world, to know about the economies of other countries, to speak several languages, and to have the openness that the authors of The world is Flat and Wikinomics talk about.
References
Kagan, Sharon Lynn, and Vivien Stewart. "Putting the World into World-Class Education: Introduction." PHI Delta Kappan 01 10 2007: 195-196.
Tyve, Barbara, and Tye, Kenneth A. Global Education: A Study of School Change. New York: SUNY Press, 1992.
Roberts, Linda G.. "Harnessing Information Technology For International Education." Phi Delta Kappan 01 10 2004: 225-228.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Collaboration, The Word of the Century # 2
After reading the first chapter of the book called Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful web tools for classrooms by W. Richardson and a few chapters of Wikonomics by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams, I came to the realization that collaboration was the key word of the century, at least, that is what I perceive. I have always known the definition of collaboration, or so I thought. As I investigated the concept a little more and linked it with technology, I found an excellent example of collaboration in which wikis and blogs are used, I thought, Perfect!
The name of the article is Online Collaboration: Curriculum Unbound by John K. Waters. In this article the author explained how the Amarillo Independent School District used digital tools to move their curricular documents online. In this way, educators are able to collaborate on the creation of the curriculum. The idea came from the fact that most educators did not attend face to face meetings to help with the creation of the curriculum, leaving just a few of them who did most of the work. Moreover, the final product was a binder filled with hundreds of pages that were placed on a “shelf and never look at again” (Waters, 2007).
The amazing thing about this article is that the use of digital tools such as wikis and blogs in the Blackboard system permitted the curriculum committee to communicate in ways that they never had before. It allowed for an easier way of editing, modifying, and distributing of the curriculum. The committee was able to collaborate to create the curriculum, which was monitored by the district’s curriculum specialists. The work was discussed in their individual blogs, how cool! Like the author says, "Someone adds their ideas, and then someone else adds theirs, then they blog about it, and then go back to the wiki to make more changes.…” They were able to interact and work on their own time. Furthermore, the same process is currently being used to share lesson plans and ideas online.
More importantly is the fact that the use of collaboration to create the curriculum, lesson plans, and ideas among others, will benefit the students tremendously. Teachers are in direct contact with students and they know their needs. The use of technology allows them to add, share, and modify the instruction based on their own experience and the experience of other teachers, which in turn helps students achieve. Also, if teachers have input in the creation of the curriculum, most likely they will use it. This is a big improvement in the educational field toward the implementation of technology.
I think that Blogs and Wikis are two amazing tools, perfect for collaboration.
References
Waters, John K. (2007). Online Collaboration: Curriculum Unbound. T.H.E. Journal, v34 n3 p40-48 Mar 2007. (EJ762486) Retreive July 10.
Monday, July 9, 2007
The Big Challenge # 1
Educators face a great challenge to instruct the students of the 21st century, that is, the HOW of incorporating technology as part of effective lesson planning. According to the article Are we there yet?, "schools still face challenges in using technology to improve student achievement." The article states that schools do not take full advantage of technology partly due to it's lack of use. It emphasizes that it is not enough to have computers and to join the digital age, which many schools have done, but to know how to use technology. Teachers are not prepared to integrate technology into their daily instruction.
Researchers conducted a variety of surveys that indicated how the Internet is used as a research tool intead of as a tool for interactive teaching, learning, communication, and/or collaboration. It predicts that the traditional classroom will soon be extinguished in order to give life to a more interactive classroom, where students are active learners at all times. Moreover, the surveys predicted that within three years, about 28% of students will receive online learning.
I truly like this article because it provides percentages based on real surveys conducted in schools about the use of technology.
Percentages of:
- Students receiving one-third of instruction online
- District teachers who use the internet for instructional purposes
- Subjects for instructional uses of the internet
- Students providing tech support in the district and with what are they helping
- Districts providing students formal technology training
- Teachers' skills and knowledge necessary to integrate the Internet into instruction
- among others...
The National School Boards Foundation published this article at http://www.nsbf.org/thereyet/fulltext.htm. To conclude, this article includes a list of guidelines for school leaders and communities on how we can use technology to help students achieve.
Welcome! Bienvenidos!
In this blog I would like to post all of my thoughts about education. Everytime that I think about all the ways that teachers can communicate, it amazes me. We can read and share ideas about making the education environment one from the 21st century with all of the amazing technology tools that are out there. Why not do it in such an easy way! My goal is not only to write down my thoughts and investigations into tecnology, but also to read other's thoughts.
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