Automate vs Informate

Creating a Culture for Teaching and Learning was an awesome article! It was so good that I made copies and gave it to my superintendent, principal and English teacher/department head.  It made me step back and evaluate the use of technology in my classroom and our district.  Our district just incorporated a “BYOD”; bring your own device, program in our high school.  Teachers and students are encouraged to use iphones, ipads, laptops and etc to enhance learning.  However, I found myself wondering if we got the cart before the horse so to speak.  Just because electrical devices can be used in the classroom now, does not mean learning will be enhanced.  In fact, it could be hindered. I do not mean by students texting and being distracted either, but because teachers have not asked themselves if they desire that technology to “automate” learning or to “informate” learning.  Do I consider “flipping” my classroom just because it will speed up the lesson or because it will enhance the lesson?  Will my students who have access to technology at home get ahead of my students who do not if I flip a lesson? These are the types of questions I started asking myself.  I was most intrigued at the idea of putting a live video in my classroom by which families and other teachers could watch me teach. I actually like the idea.  What better way to show others what is important to me and the skills needed to be successful in my class.  What if a teacher got a great idea from me or gave me an idea to improve one of my lessons? Students could benefit! In the end, we cannot buy more technology for our schools if we first do not ask ourselves some very important questions! It reminded me that just the other day I saw some teacher throwing away some brand new mathematics manipulatives.  I can remember years ago I would have killed for those.  It was like the district had bought them because they were the “in” educational item at the moment, but then never used them.  I can see that happening very easily with technology. So what if we get every kid an ipad.  If we do not know how to truly incorporate the use of that technology in the child’s learning, it too will just be another manipulative gone to the way side. 

Educational Blogging: Do we really do that?

Reflective Blog #1

I just read an article by Stephen Downes’ on Educational Blogging. I was shocked to find the article was written back in 2004. I was shocked because it appears that educational technology, or I guess I should more properly say, the use of technology in education does not keep up with the rapid pace of the use of technology in the real world.  Being a mathematics teacher, I'm going to have to really get out of my comfort zone to see and develop ideas of how blogging can impact my students learning in mathematics class.  However, as I look around at other subjects within my school and others I've taught at, I can see that educational blogging is not being used as it was intended, that is as true blogging. Just because a teacher may use blog software to post class syllabi, rules and announcements, does not mean she is blogging.  Also, if a teacher posts a writing prompt on a blog site or an IWA (independent writing assignment as our teachers call it) on a blog site for students to respond to, does not mean the students are blogging either.  True blogging is a result of a legitimate intent to read, learn and respond to information.  “It starts with listening” as stated in Mr. Downes’ article.  For instance, most adults, including myself, and kids “google” when they have a question about something.  Many times I’ve read articles that included information  I did not completely understand or wanted to know more about.  As a result I began to look for more information on the internet…which may have led me somewhere else and so on and so forth.  Imagine if that were happening in context of the classroom and that one article may lead to another, and that along the way students could ask questions and make statements to others that had done the same thing along the way.  That would be true blogging.  Blogging, in its purest form, leads to research based learning.  I do not see this occurring in the educational environment.  I believe this is happening for several reasons, but I’d like to mention just a couple. The first is I do not believe teachers truly understand the concept of blogging. I know I did not until I started reading these and other articles.  As a result, I do not believe they know how to incorporate this into their curriculum.  Furthermore, the school environment and the policing of web content by administrators on teachers and students could have a negative impact as well.   

With this being said, educational blogging in some places is obviously working well.  I believe as time goes by and more teachers become educated on the proper use of technology in their curriculum, that blogging will definitely become a viable tool in learning. 

Putting it together (take 1)

Education should be seen as a method to better ones self and life situation. It should not be the goal of education to teach a subject, but instead to teach a way of thinking. A way of thinking that is necessary in life to approach and solve everyday problems.  Education is not a goal to be reached, but instead a process needed for life. Education should empower individuals to be better people and citizens who can interact with life in a positive manner and it should provide students with the necessary skills to observe and interact confidently in everyday life.   

 

The purpose of education is to instill in every individual the desire to be a life-long learner that seeks to better ones self first at the college level if so desired and then  professionally and personally.  Education should empower students to influence cultural values and real-world problems in a positive way while using proven methods and critical thinking.

 

 As the teacher, I should not just be seen as the expert in a particular field, but also as a mentor, leader, encourager and facilitator.  It is my desire to develop relationships with students in which they feel comfortable interacting with me inside and outside the classroom, not just about mathematics, but anything that concerns them as well.  It is my role to not only educate my students in mathematics, but to continue to educate myself by broadening my base of knowledge and skills in mathematics and technology so I may meet the increasing technological skills of my students. I will also facilitate and encourage the same continuing education with my colleagues.

 

It is my goal to provide a learning environment in which expectations are clearly defined, yet personal differences in students are recognized.  The learning environment in my classroom will provide students confidence in trying to do mathematics boldly by providing acceptance of mistakes and the encouragement to continue to try. I will do this by providing purposeful lessons and activities that are sequential and clearly defined.  Students are expected to give their full attention and to be open minded to the idea that they themselves can learn math.  As the teacher, I will be held accountable for my students’ performance on state mandated tests and will therefore expect competency and accountability from my students to be demonstrated through different types of assessments. 

 

Education of my students should result in a student who is confident and thus motivated to meet the challenges in and outside the classroom. Students will recognize the value of education and not see it as a point to be reached, but rather a journey upon which they will continue.