Including All Students on the Internet

Chapter 11

Internet equity is a very important issue with regard to Education. It indicates that all students should have the opportunity to access the vast amount of information that the Internet has available. This equity needs to be present not only with regard to schools and districts, but also, within each school and individual classrooms. Teachers can organize classroom environments to make sure equitable access to the Internet is available to all students. This will guarantee students’ appreciation and understanding of what the Internet has to offer. Also, Internet equity fosters interaction among students and communities.

Could certain students in a classroom be getting more time on the computer than others? Just because a classroom has an internet connection, does not mean it is used equitably for each student.
Carefully keeping watch over this one aspect will help distribute access evenly among students. Being aware of each student’s abilities and learning their needs is key to accommodating those needs. Collaborative tasks help the students appreciate each other's abilities and makes learning more enjoyable for all and it fosters confidence. Besides keeping watch over time distribution, another area to keep in mind is the fact that some students’ navigational skills may not be as good as others. This could result in their time on the Internet not being as productive; therefore they begin to get behind. One way to help with this is to pair them up with a student who has acquired these skills and make sure they have opportunities to work together navigating the Internet. They should also have time to work on their own to practice their new skills.

What about students who have been formally identified as having special learning needs? The book suggested that we could share with these ones the information about navigation strategies before we share it with the other students. This could give these students the opportunity to help teach some strategies necessary to navigate the Internet. In turn, it could help these students be more interested and give them confidence. In addition, many useful resources on the internet offer assistance on ways to include all students in classroom activities. One of these is Special Education Resources on the Internet (SERI) http://seriweb.com/. Here you will find many links for addressing special education issues.

Many sites on the Internet can provide teachers with practical ideas for instruction and many other informative resources. They can help teachers with important assistance as they seek to include all students in all classroom activities. Assistive technology tools such as online text readers can help students who have reading or language problems. A text-to-speech reader reads text out loud from webpages to help in this area as well. Some sites where these can be obtained are Read Please http://www.readplease.com/rpfree.php and TextAloud MP3 http://www.nextup.com/textaloud/. The internet also offers opportunities for those who are visually and hearing impaired. For these students, the internet browsers allows them to enlarge the print size appearing on the screen to whatever size they need and feel comfortable with. For those who are hearing impaired, American Sign Language Browser http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm provides helpful information on communicating with persons who are deaf or hearing impaired. This is a useful link to have and could be incorporated into any internet workshop. For the student who may have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, a very good resource is LDOnline http://www.ldonline.org/. Here teachers will find help with establishing effective instruction for students who are challenged in this way.

In closing, a key element to keep in mind is to remember that all students have special and unique needs that have to be recognized in order to make any instructional decisions. As teachers, we have the responsibility to learn about each student’s background and abilities, which will allows us to address the needs of each and every one of them. The Internet and its equitable use in our classroom offers many resources to allow for the creation of instruction and learning experiences that address all learners. New literacies need to be accessible to all students. It is vital to understand that these new literacies will prepare them for their future. Teachers have a key role in determining the success of each student with regard to learning by developing and constantly improving these skills.

English and the Language Arts: Opening New Doors to Literature and Literacy

Chapter 5

The world of a language extends beyond imaginable words. It grows bigger with each opportunity to explore and to learn more about the language. The more exposure to different tools to learn it, the easier it is for the learner to be proficient. Teaching students to read and write a languagewith the Internet is an excellent way of helping students learn fast. The Internet offers a world of opportunities; it functions as both the source of new challenges as well as the source of excellent instructional supports. The Internet provides teachers with the necessary tools to present learning experiences that last forever. In the process of learning a language, students have the opportunity to participate in electronic discussions about famous books and writers, view a video of an important author explaining her writing process, read eBooks, post comments and ask questions, collaborate with other students to create projects, join a global discussion group via email, and much more. Teachers give students the opportunity to participate in collaborative projects with students from around the world, in turn, helping students build a deeper appreciation for the differences and important aspects of other cultures.

Several techniques allow teachers to present many opportunities to enrich children’s literacy experiences. They are enhanced by integrating the Internet into classroom instruction. Some of the techniques include:
· Teachers helping and getting ideas from one another, visiting other teachers’ websites
· Teachers creating instructional resources that other classroom teachers can use
· Teachers posting Internet Project ideas for others to join and learn from their successful experiences
· Teachers planning new visions for literacy and learning

The internet provides opportunity for supporting literacy learning by supporting all four of the language modalities: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. It allows students to communicate about their work. As students use the Internet to create projects, not only do they communicate in ways never done before, but they also increase their writing skills as they read and write to collect information needed for the project. In addition, Internet projects help with the development of speaking and listening skills. Listening and speaking experiences evolve naturally out of Internet projects, as students exchange information and plan their presentation. Also, students are more careful with their grammar because they know that their projects are posted on the Web for everyone to see and comment on.

Another reason that makes the Internet a great tool is the fact that students can become writers at an early age. They can publish their work and invite comments from others, correspond with experts about their writing, read responses to their writing, and write messages back to others. One site that opens new doors to authentic writing experiences is Poetryexpress. Here the students get ideas for creative writing. This site walks students through the poetry writing process and provides different types of poems to get them started.

In closing, as a Spanish teacher I have experienced the power of the Internet to teach languages. Because students are able to copy and paste text, images, videos, and audio, among others, they have the opportunity to create great multimedia projects that enhances the learning of a particular language. Also, teachers benefit from the vast amount of resources available to language learners. Students can view other students’ projects and more. Because the Internet permits rapid, written and oral communication between students around the world, they can practice the language in authentic settings such as speaking Spanish with a native speaker. What I really enjoy the most about the new literacies is that the Internet makes it possible for them to be seen by others, to be public. Through the Internet, teachers communicate with one another to help each other by sharing ideas to improve the teaching of a language.

Special Ideas for Younger Children: Using the Internet in the Primary Grades

Chapter 9

Introducing the “New Literacies” to children in primary school is most beneficial for it lays the ground work for their success when using the Internet in their later education. The decisions that teachers make about introducing internet use in the classroom should be accommodated in accordance with the child safety guidelines. This chapter provides a number of ideas to assist with this and finding resources that will be useful when working with young children. The goal is for teachers to be able to design and share a series of workshop activities for young children, take part in online projects, make judgments about how well each website helps students learn, and describe instructional strategies to foster young children’s understanding. One classroom example demonstrates how the internet contains many fine resources for young learners and it mentions how the students had many important experiences with stories, letters, writing, and learning skills. I particularly liked the part where the teacher began the lesson with the message of the day that she read from the internet. Kids were engaged and they wanted to know what each word meant. The use of technology also helped her kids identify and learn the color names quickly; she used KidPix software to display colorful information. Also she always showed webpages that did not have advertisements. She shows the Magical Kingdom webpage to ensure child safety.

Primary kids should also be taught basic navigation strategies. Taking the time to teach these basic skills such as hyperlinks, bookmarks, mouse skills, and other emerging navigation strategies will ensure their continued success in this area. This can only be achieved by allowing them to navigate between webpages. It could be as easy as allowing them to visit a site to practice the alphabet. By dragging one letter children quickly understand the basic skills of scrolling, viewing links, selecting sections of that site, and much more. Consequently, this will then help young kids develop the new literacy strategies required to locate information on the internet. Working with children in primary grades requires special attention to small details that will ensure the best use of what the internet has to offer.

Once young kids become familiar then the task could be a little bit more challenging. For instance, young learners could keep an internet writing journal throughout the year that they can share every other week in class. This simple and easy tool will allow teachers to track their students’ writing skills and developments. The book suggests the use of Chateau Meddybemps among others. Furthermore, these young learners could learn how to collaborate with one another and other classes as well. Websites such as The Mind’s Eye Monster Exchange Project and The Monarch Watch allows students to create and keep track of their creations. Webquest is a great tool because it is a more structured place where the students can work alone or in groups. The most important part of all is that young learners develop their navigation skills and begin to know how to acquire useful information on the web.

There are many sources on the internet that will help our young learners acquire navigation skills. It is very important children develop these skills as early as possible so that when they get into secondary education they will be able to use the tools that are already being implemented. I have 6th, 7th, and even some 8th graders who I feel have not had adequate training in simply navigating the internet. I have taken these classes to the computer lab and I have spent a lot of time educating them in basic technological skills such as logging in, typing the address correctly without spaces, scrolling up and down, and using the back key, among others. In general, online-based projects help students to practice and apply strategies that are part of the five elements required for the new literacies. They will allow them to identify important questions, navigate complex information, critically evaluate that information, synthesize it to address those questions, and then communicate the answers

A Tribute to Our Teacher

A Tribute to Our Teacher is a video that I found on Teacher Tube. In this video, High School Spanish students pay tribute and give thanks to their teacher, Amy Haney. It was created by Jesse Depinto. I found this video to be very interesting and creative. The video is divided into sections; each devoted to give thanks to the teacher for something learned in the Spanish class. It presents several clips from activities that the students did in class. I was amazed to see how involved the students were. These activities, including typical games, reminded me of those that I played as I grew up in the Dominican Republic. More importantly, it reminded me of many games and activities that I can integrate into my instruction to engage students in the learning of a foreign language. Through this video, I learned to admire the teacher as well. She seems to be a very dedicated teacher willing to do whatever it takes to help her students learn Spanish. Also, this video provided me with further resources such as, www.sparkenthusiasm.com, a website that she created which contains links to many other resources that Spanish teachers can utilize to make learning process more enjoyable for all.

Developing A Homepage for your Classroom

Chapter 12

Developing a homepage for your classroom is part of learning and applying the knowledge that new literacies have to offer. Teachers and students frequently visit web pages with the intention of informing themselves about a particular subject. Creating a web page for the classes that you teach to keep your students informed about activities that will take place in the education setting could be an excellent informative tool. It is portable and students can access it from home. A well-established and well-kept web page is another way of helping students learn. It enables all students, even those that are not part of your roster, to benefit from the instructional materials and links to information resources. Creating a homepage also helps parents to keep up to date with what is happening in the classroom. In addition, it gives a positive image of professionalism to the public, one that shows that we are keeping up with technology and incorporating it in our instruction.

One teacher’s example showed how easy it was to create a webpage. This teacher would devote one page for each unit that she taught. She would create links that would be useful for that unit and included them on that unit’s page. What makes this so great is that she can go back and use the same units the next year without having to do a lot of work. Of course, she would always examine the sites that she provided links to ensure the safety of her students and add new ones to be up to date with the information. She would publish their work on the homepage for parents and others who are interested to view the students’ accomplishments. This teacher would also receive comments by other teachers who liked how she taught a certain unit and it gave them ideas to use. This provides opportunities for collaboration by all involved in a students’ instruction.

This chapter also discussed useful information on where to find good examples of classroom homepages. One way to do so is to go to any search engine and type in keywords such as Ms., Mr., or Mrs.; classroom; homepage etc… If looking for particular grade levels simply add in that grade level when doing the search. It is a good idea to explore as many as you can to get a good idea of ways they can be used, links that can be useful and ideas from other teachers that maybe we had not thought of before. Weblogs are also becoming a useful tool for creating homepages. Teachers that I know use Blogger, for example, to post the daily work and homework.

Creating a homepage is very simple. All you really need is to know how to use word processing skills along with how to cut and paste. You can use a web editor to create the basic look of your homepage and then all you need to do is upload it on a server and obtain a URL (web address). There are some useful tutorials available on the web on how to create your own webpage and these are listed in this chapter. It is very important, though, to remember to use open source material to avoid using “ illegal” material when “borrowing” images, text, etc… from another website we may see and like on the internet. Most webpage owners have copyrights in place, which would require us to obtain permission to use anything they may have on their site.

Last November, I created my own webpage. It is located in wikispaces.com. The name is tiempoparaespanol.wikispaces.com. I call it my wiki. For me, it is the best thing that I could have done, especially this year when I have to teach middle and high school. I travel to seven different classrooms to teach seven different Spanish levels. As you may have perceived, I needed to come up with an easy and practical way of managing my classes. Most importantly, I needed to organize myself to keep a record of all activities done in class in each class for those students who are absent, to post links to important activities, to post task or projects, to display students’ work since I do not have a place where to do it, and much more. My wiki has several pages: homepage, countries of Latin America page, about me page, one page for each class, my favorites websites page, the school website page, and the hall of fame page (here I post students’ work.) Each one of these pages is very important and I update them regularly. Having this webpage allows me to have access to all my classes’ information from any where in the world. In fact, I was sick for several days L and all I had to do was to post all the assignments that I wanted the substitute to do with them. Of course, my substitute was tech educated J One of my favorite sections is the Spanish IV page because it has links to blogs they have created in Spanish. I love my high tech students!

Finally, the different items you put on your webpage may depend on your needs. Some may include: an area for parents and others to send email, a place to publish students’ work, homework assignments and due dates, links to other sites. You may want to create a link to your name on the webpage so that when different ones click on your name it gives them your email address so that they may easily get in touch with you. Developing, utilizing, and regularly updating your classroom homepage allows you to show that you are implementing the new literacies that are required for the ever-evolving technologies that are available to our education system. You are also letting them know that you will continue to progress in this area. Anyone who accesses your homepage will readily see the evidence of this. Moreover, your students will appreciate the fact that you take the time to keep them informed. Some have even asked me if they could join my wiki; I have told them that they will create their own in a collaborative way. I will think of something very soon.

Navigating the Internet with Efficiency and a Critical Eye

Chapter 2

This chapter explored the literacies necessary to navigate the internet using strategies that help us get the most out of it. It also emphasizes the responsibilities of teachers to become familiar with navigating the Internet. It states strategies such as, querying search engines, critically evaluating multiple forms of information, weaving through search results, and systematically maneuvering within one website as important aspects to consider in order to make sense of information on the internet. Moreover, the chapter focuses on how to locate and use internet browsers to their potential so that we, as educators, are able to properly integrate Internet resources in the classroom. The key factors of effective teaching and learning with the Internet are: navigate the Internet, avoid excessive commercialism, and apply the knowledge gained to develop critical thinking. In other words, teachers learn that it is not how fast students can find information on the Internet, but about how accurate, relevant, appropriate, and useful it is.

This chapter discussed three internet browsers: Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator and Safari, which are commonly used to locate, view and organize webpages. Learning the features of these browsers is an ongoing learning experience, one we learn from our own experiences, from other teachers, and also from our students; an important factor is to explore and to take full advantage of all the features of a browser. Another issue to take into account is the amount of advertising we want to expose our students to. This can be controlled by the way we configure the browser or even by the browser we choose to use. Managing internet browser tools for use in the classroom employs the following strategies: developing a starting page, replacing commercial links with educational links, organizing bookmarks and sharing these with others, downloading and installing plug-ins (tools to read graphics, audio, and video) and saving web pages.

Teachers could benefit by attending Internet workshops or professional developments as early as the beginning of the year. It will be a big time-saving feature because teachers could learn from the presenter and from one another. Another time-saver is to make sure the Internet is used as a resource and not taught as a subject. This is why it is important to allow time at the beginning of the year to give thorough instruction about its use, thereby eliminating repeated instruction with each activity during the year. Consequently, teachers will be better prepared to teach students early on. Moreover, teachers will be able to successfully integrate the use of Internet as an instructional tool. In turn, students will learn its proper use and will use it effectively.

In order to effectively use the resources available in the Internet, teachers will benefit from knowing ways to organize, to manage, to search, and to share resources. Some strategies listed include: designating a startup page, visiting educational links, organizing bookmarks and sharing them, saving webpages onto the computer, and downloading plug-ins if necessary. Being organized also means knowing where to locate, for example, images and audio files. However, care must be given when using particular information from a website to make sure it is not copyrighted material and if permission is needed in order to use it. Additionally, when using a keyword in a search engine a few tips can be helpful such as enclosing phrases with quotation marks, using phrases that are common among teachers, using the “topic plus keyword” strategy which helps narrow results and using electronic spelling supports for when we may misspell a word. I find these features so helpful. For example, I have a favorite site for bookmaking all the neat webpages that I find. It is called del.icio.us. I love all its features including the capability of categorizing webpages as personal, education, and more.

Child safety issues are a big concern and need to be taken into consideration. It is important to help students understand what the risks and benefits are; from learning how to find reliable information quickly and using it appropriately and utilizing or clicking the back button to leave unwanted webpages. To eliminate this last one, one can ensure to use search engines designed for them in mind. Also, the school’s Acceptable Use Policy needs to be updated regularly as well as the need to establish internet filtering rules. In addition, students should know the difference between searching and browsing, with searching being more focused, with a purpose in mind; when browsing, students tend to be sidetracked easier by things off topic. A good idea is to help them narrow down the keywords they will use to search with and then helping them to understand the information that results. I realized how import this is to ensure that students learn strategies to efficiently navigate the Internet. I have noticed that when I have taken the time to discuss the webpage, parts of an address, the purpose, accuracy and other features, students are prompted to question the sources instead of assuming that its content is accurate.

I enjoyed reading about the teacher and the methods used to ensure student safety in using the Internet. These methods engaged his students, motivating them, but at the same time he was able to teach them how to be safe while on the internet. He encouraged the sites that ensured safety. An interesting tactic that the District where he taught used was to require the students to obtain an Internet Driver’s License. In order to get this license the students were required to take several online quizzes that would evaluate their responses to different situations they would encounter, whether their responses were appropriate and safe. Only after passing these evaluations would they be given a Driver’s License with permission to use the internet.

In summary, new technologies along with search and navigational tools are always emerging. Our challenge as educators is to keep up to date with them as well as the new literacies that must be learned. Our responsibility is to teach these emerging technologies and tools to our students, helping them to become more critical and efficient in their use of the internet. An important aspect to remember is to teach our students navigational strategies at the beginning of the year that would help them in future exercises. Another tactic could be getting the students to share their experiences with the whole class; as suggested in the book. This would help them know what others felt to be advantageous practices and what pitfalls were encountered and how they could be avoided in order for others not to make the same mistakes. Also, students could work together to analyze webpages. This collaboration could help students become involved. Finally, my school would benefit from having a webpage like Caroline Joiner’s High School Library. It includes resources, safety, critical thinking, and the role of the student and the teacher when navigating the Internet.

New Literacy for New Times

Chapter 1

New Literacies perspectives consider the Internet as important to literacy as a book, paper or pencil. It is considered a literacy issue not just a technology issue. New Literacies encourages teachers to identify, navigate, critically evaluate, synthesize, and communicate the important information found on the internet in order to help students be successful with this tool. Since these literacies are ever changing, it is important for teachers to keep up-to-date with them.

The example of the 8th grade team shows how the curriculum has updated standards, modified the most frustrating aspects of The NCLBA (or in the process of…), among others adding more expectations for the teacher. The problem is that the time in the classroom certainly has not been increased, nor has the curriculum changed to include the use of the Internet in state assessments or other ICT (information and communication technologies), such as word processors. Two of the teachers from the team who attended an academy, learned the use of the new literacies and wanted to put them into practice. They quickly discovered how none of the established curriculum had taken into account the use of the internet or other ICT. Their task was to bring the administration of their school up to speed with this new concept. They found out that the Internet offers resources that provide easy-to-use teaching tools to help meet state curriculum standards and better prepare the students. Moreover, they saw an increase in students’ motivation when they used technologies, and the statistics proved this. They were able to convince the school and began implementing their strategy. The result was a very productive first year. The enthusiasm was noticed by all, even the parents. Even though the state assessments still did not measure their new use of these technologies, there had been a great increase in learning. It gave the whole team a new energy to continue making the necessary changes.

The biggest change seen around the world is that through the use of the internet, students are finding more excitement in the learning process and the challenge that comes with it. It helps students and teachers collaborate better and work together globally. The challenge remains to understand the new literacies that we need in order to get the best use of the internet; to effectively use it as a teaching tool. Most important is to not think of this as an add-on, but integration into our curriculum.

Something to keep in mind is that the internet has been adopted into every aspect of our lives faster than any other technology before. We need to understand why it has become so important so fast. This is the age of information and communication and the internet has become just as important as reading a book and writing a letter. But, of course, it requires new skills, such as being proficient at reading, thinking critically, and communicating with the internet. These are the literacies that are discussed in this book. And of course being able to navigate the different web sites is a critical skill necessary as well.

The “New Literacies Perspective” is an integrated theoretical perspective that helps us understand what students need in order to learn about the internet and how we can best use it in the classrooms. There are five functions that include the following:

New forms of strategic knowledge are central to the new literacies: New technology for networked information is complex. We must use new strategies for its effective use.

Learning is Often Socially Constructed Within the New Literacies: Students learn best when they work together, building off of one another. They collaborate and teach each other new skills and strategies, enhancing one another. In fact, it is noted that many of the students have a better level of knowledge of technology than their teachers. Each person in the classroom can bring something to the table to increase the knowledge of all, even the teacher.

The Critical Nature of New Literacies: These new literacies demand that we increase our critical thinking and evaluating skills. We have to realize that with the internet it is possible for anyone at anytime to publish anything they want. This is an opportunity, but at the same time, it is also a limitation. So much of this information is unedited and it comes from people with many strong biases that influence what is published. So our job is to help students to be critical of what they encounter as to what its nature is.

New Literacies Regularly Change: New technologies appear and the literacies have to change as well, requiring new skills. In fact, learning how to learn new literacies is more important than learning the literacies themselves. This makes assessment a challenge, since it is already far behind in this respect.

Teachers Become More Important, Though Their Role Changes Within New Literacy Classrooms: Both the teacher and the student will continually be learning new skills in this area. Left on their own on the internet, students will eventually be led away from instructional material. This is a risk, however the role of the educator is to keep them engaged and on task, guiding them, but letting them direct themselves through the strategies you have taught.
The many changes that the internet has also brought to the work place is what continues to prompt changes to the way the internet is used and the new literacies that are needed in order to keep up. We see so much more productivity from lower level workers in a company because of the technology they have before them. In fact, workers are now able to compete in a more level playing field, that is, with the use of internet. They have the same opportunity as those in the higher levels of the company to use the resources of this technology. When communicating what each has learned, by collaborating, it is mutually beneficial and results in a successful performance for the good of all. This should stress the need for teaching these literacies in our classrooms. In this way, we prepare our students to use them and lead more productive, successful lives.

Why Technology?

“To Engage or Not to Engage,” that is in technology use, has been one of the most discussed topics for many educators. Because educators know the great challenge they face to instruct the students of the 21st century, they explore the HOW, WHEN, WHY… of incorporating technology as part of effective lesson planning. They also see the many uses of technology:

1. To make changes/create the curriculum:

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. 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, an on-line curriculum. In the article, Online Collaboration: Curriculum Unbound by John K. Waters, 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 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.

2. To teach global education:

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. 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.

3. To learn a foreign language:

Researchers have found that the use of the Internet helps students gain a better understanding of foreign languages and cultures. The students involved in a 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.” My students have completed similar activities and they have expressed how much they have learned and enjoyed doing it, as well. Furthermore, 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.

4. To teach “Digital Natives” Students:

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. 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. The concept “Technology as Friend vs. Technology as Foe describes “digital immigrants” as perceiving technology as something to be feared tolerated or at best harnessed to one’s purpose. It views “Digital Natives” as perceiving computers as their friend. Like one educator said, “Whether working, playing, relaxing or communicating, younger learners actively search out ways to use technology to construct a new cognitive environment."

5. To plan, discuss, conquer:

In this class, we have shared all of the amazing ways and tools that we could use to integrate technology into our classroom. Moreover, we have discussed current issues in education and technology and hopefully we have come up with solutions on how we are able to make it better. Believe or not, we have accomplished things or at least giving ideas on how changes in the curriculum or changes in other areas of concern would help to innovate the way we teach. Furthermore, we could continue to 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.) by creating wikis or perhaps, a smart mob. “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 educators exchanging their thoughts, ideas, and creations and collaborating to reach a particular goal for the best of our students.

6. *To engage or not to engage:

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. 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. 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.

7. To change the school system:

In a wiki like this one, educators have the opportunity to share their thoughts, but at the same time, they have the chance to add to the thoughts of others, allowing for a change of mind, if needed. This is done in such a global way that allows educators from other countries to share and compare. Very amazing! “The needs of students in one country may not be the same need of other students in a different country” one may say. It is not the case. With today’s technology, teachers have an open source of ideas where the can give and take resources to enhance the learning process, and to prepare students to take part in today’s workplace, that is very global.

Schools of the 21st Century

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.

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.

"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.

1. 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.
2. 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".
3. The 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks (11M), and the reaction from the people against the government in the Spanish elections of 14 March 2004.
4. 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 Brian Alger focused on exploring learning from a wide variety of perspectives. He has some comments in this area. He says, “A smart mob is empowered not by its mobile technologies as much as trust, reputation and cooperation…. If we are to be serious about the implications of smart mobs, and I believe we should be, then we would use them to build new ways of learning.”
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?

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.

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:

“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."

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.

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!

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.

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.