A Reflection

I can't believe tonight was the last class for my Computers in Curriculum Design & Evaluation course. It seems like just yesterday that I created this blog. Looking back from the beginning of the semester until now, I can definitely say that I gained extensive knowledge regarding how to effectively implement technology into the classroom.

There are several great online educational tools out there that I read about and/or used to assist in my projects, which I plan to definitely implement into my lessons. I especially loved QuestGarden for use in creating WebQuests, and since I am an aspiring Language Arts teacher, I think My Access! is an amazing online writing tool. I'm really looking forward to using both programs when I start teaching, which will hopefully be by this time next year.

I'm so glad that we were required to create a blog and write in it once a week as it allowed me the opportunity to learn through both my own reflection and through that of others. I definitely plan to integrate blogging in my classroom, as I think it's an extremely effective learning tool, especially for Language Arts teachers trying to instill a love for writing in their students.

I'd like to thank Dr. Luongo for a wondering learning experience, and I'd like to wish the best of luck to all of my classmates in their teaching endeavors. Happy Holidays to all!

Can the Text Message Cause Problems in the Classroom?

As most younger students are becoming increasingly more comfortable with using the text message to communicate with their friends and relatives, rather than picking up the phone or writing e-mails, I have started to wonder whether or not this will present problems in the classroom, especially for those teaching Language Arts. I recently asked a friend, who teaches high school English, for her thoughts on this topic, and her response was that she often receives e-mails and essays in "text lingo." She is finding that many of her students have little regard for proper grammar in their writing.

I wonder if there can be a similar negative impact on students' oral communication skills. If they are becoming more comfortable texting rather than communicating verbally by placing an actual phone call, can this have a negative impact on their interpersonal communication or oral presentation skills? Can the reliance on text message communication also later negatively impact their relationships with friends, relatives, co-workers, etc.?

After doing a little research to find out what other educators are saying regarding this topic, I found an article on The Columbus Dispatch Web site entitled, "Text Messages May Be Classroom Conduit." In the article, many educators seem to be in favor of the text message and note its positive impact on their students. However, there are some that cite a negative impact, as they are finding that their students are allowing the text talk to permeate through their classroom assignments.

It seems that the increased use of text message communication has both a positive and negative impact on students. However, I think that it might be a good idea for teachers, most especially those teaching Language Arts, to try to reinforce the message that the language used in text messages is not appropriate for more formal writing, such as in professional e-mails or essays for school. Also, teachers should discuss the appropriate use of the text message, stressing that there are times when an actual verbal conversation or more lengthy writing via an e-mail is necessary. I'd be curious to know what others might think about this topic.

NJ ASK- Why No Technology Section?

While working on a PowerPoint presentation, which focused on the NJ ASK test, for my Assessment of Student Ability & Achievement class, I began to wonder why Technological Literacy is not a section of the test. Though I still believe the basics, such as Language Arts Literacy, Mathematics and Science should be tested, I definitely think technology skills should be an additional assessment component of NJ ASK.

Technology should be considered a more valuable subject to 21st century learners than it is currently viewed in national education, as well as in state districts. Though technology has been integrated into national and state standards, it can be said that it is still not an area that is of equal importance to the subjects of Language Arts, Mathematics and Science, as it is not an area that is deemed necessary for a standardized assessment. I'd be curious to know what others might say regarding this issue or if this is something that is currently being addressed by state and/or local officials. My hunch would be that within the next 5 years, Technological Literacy would be a section added to all state assessments nationwide.

School Web Sites are Outdated

After completing an assignment for my Computers in Curriculum Design & Evaluation course, which required me to review an educational Web site and present my feedback to the class, I was a little uneasy, as I discovered that many school Web sites in my town are extremely outdated.

The Web site that I reviewed is actually the site for the Gifted & Talented school in my town. Though the site does present some really great information regarding the various programs the school offers, it isn't a very easy site to navigate through nor is it very aesthetically pleasing.

I offered some suggestions for improving the site, which included adding more multimedia to the site, such as real images, graphics, audio and video, to help make it more interesting for students, parents and other teachers, who may be visiting the site. I also thought it would be great if the school would require all teachers to regularly update their home page and link to a blog, which would provide an avenue for students to communicate with each other and with their teacher on lessons and other issues relevant to the class.

Though these sound like great suggestions, I'm sure I'm not the first person who brought these ideas to the surface. There's likely a problem with funding for the Web sites in this school district, which again brings up the issue of whether or not technology is an important part of education.

Facebook as a Learning Tool

After months of being pressured by my friends and relatives, who tried earnestly to convince me to join Facebook for social networking purposes, I finally gave in and joined a week ago. It took a while for me to jump on the Facebook bandwagon because I didn't know if I would find the time to come home everyday, check my profile and respond to friend requests and posts from friends. Now that I'm a member, I'm really glad I joined. I've gotten back in touch with several long lost friends and relatives, and I've really been enjoying it.

Since I'm a full-time student working toward my Master's in Teaching, I started thinking about a possible place in the classroom for Facebook. I definitely think teachers can use Facebook as a way of sparking discussions on assignments and lessons among their students. Since, I'm hoping to start my teaching career as a Middle School Language Arts teacher, I started to think about specific ways that I could utilize the program in my classroom to help with my Language Arts lessons. I thought that it would be a great way to post poetry and other literary works and have students post their interpretations and provide personal feedback on other required readings. This would allow students to start an online discussion by using a technology platform that they would enjoy using and likely already be familiar with.

I did a little research to try find out if any teachers were currently using Facebook in their classrooms in any way, and I came across an article entitled "Faculty use Facebook as Learning Tool", from The Independent Voice of Central Michigan University, which talks about professors' use of Facebook in their classrooms. One journalism professor uses the program to communicate with his students and provide feedback on assignments, and he said it's a program that students are really enjoying. He and other professors at the school view Facebook as a great tool for use in the classroom, and I'd have to agree with them. Facebook is a really great social networking tool, but it can definitely serve as much more than that in a classroom.

Starfall.com

Starfall.com is a really amazing educational resource for teachers of early childhood education, who are looking for fun and motivating methods for teaching their students how to read and write. It is suitable for pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, first grade and second grade, and it provides several fun and interactive programs all devoted to engaging and inspiring young children to love learning how to read and write. As most young children have such short attention spans, I definitely think it's vital to keep them excited while they are learning with fun and appealing learning tools.

I navigated through a few of the programs, and I can definitely see how children will enjoy learning to read and write with Starfall.com. As they click on images and letters, they can hear audio pronounciations of the letters and sounds. They are also taught words and letters through very fun and catchy songs, which are sure to keep many young child amused and motivated as they become eager to continue to learn how to read and write. Students are also provided instant feedback, which is very motivational for young children, as it instills a sense of confidence in their abilities. Starfall.com also provides several helpful tools for parents to use when assisting their children in learning to read and write and to reinforce what they are learning in school.

Though I don't plan on starting out my career in education by teaching young children, it is definitely an area that I would like to experience someday, and Starfall.com would be a great tool to help me inspire and instill a love for reading and writing in my young students.

Discovery Education

Discovery Education seems like an extremely helpful online resource for teachers looking for effective ways to integrate technology into their classroom curriculum, and I was really impressed to learn that such an extensive Web site is available for teachers and parents. It offers various types of digital educational tools, including subject and grade specific lessons that include videos, virtual labs and explorations, which can definitely help teachers make learning much more engaging and motivational for students of multiple learning styles.

After reviewing the site, I was really impressed with the features of Discovery Education Science, in which the programs provide a highly interactive learning environment that allows students to research and explore as real scientists. I can definitely see how these programs can be effective in engaging students while they are learning science, which can often be a difficult subject to grasp for many.

Discovery Education Assessment was another tool that can be extremely helpful to teachers in preparing their students for standardized tests, as it assesses student progress toward meeting state standards for reading/language arts, math, and science. This allows teachers to better focus their instruction in effort to improve student learning and help to increase their test scores.

I was also happy to see that Discovery Education offers several resources to assist in enhancing curriculum, as well as teachers' professional development, such as Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators, which offers a categorized list of the best sites for teaching and learning and the New Teacher Survival Central, which offers helpful tips and tools for new teachers. That's one section that I'm sure I'll be visiting often when I start my first teaching job next year.