While this weeks post may be optional, thanks to my exposure to the TEGIVS material, as a teacher I will not be without options for introducing interactive technology in my lesson or course materials. I would certainly feel comfortable operating in the virtual learning environment now that I have been exposed to the pedagogy side. In fact, so much so I will be coauthoring a new Wiki that is designed and developed to train Naval Intelligence Officer Trainees for the Naval Reserve of Canada. Together with the help of a subject matter expert and graduate of it's professional school, I will assist with the content, course management, technical aspects and development of small remote groups of trainees in the virtual environment. And I owe all of my thanks for being confident and competent in this approach, to Dr. Barbour (sorry for the formality Michael) . Honestly, this course is everything I hoped TED 6020 would be when I had taken that. Sadly, it was not and I didn't have a choice to opt out, since it was a part of the College of Education's required core courses for certification. So for me, the knowledge skills and abilities learned in this course will benefit two careers, but I only had to pay one tuition fee!
Upon further reflection, I have discovered many ways to approach virtual learning methods from a variety of perspectives, through those of the student (my role in this class), as an instructor with the assigned projects for this course, and as a reviewer of materials like the TEGIVS. So, to answer the prompt for this week, I would say I can definitely move forward with any virtual learning initiative that my school may be planning in this regard. While I am able to navigate the web and technology applications with minimal difficulty, I was missing many of the key ingredients to successful virtual learning. That said, I believe I have made great strides in understanding the power and limitations to virtual learning, such as overcoming isolation, course management preparation, communication skills, cheating, collaboration, as well as many others. Consequently, I now believe that this option (VL) opens doors to learning that single working parent families, academically, economically, or socially disadvantaged students, chronically ill, or other exceptionalities, that traditional education may have bypassed.
Oddly enough, it also carries the same problems traditional schooling has faced--lack of funding and political will on the part of some districts and states. The word is options, not obsolete, as in the need for teachers in the virtual learning K-12 environment. We are needed now more than ever, and this stuff is just another tool for our toolbox.
Brad.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Blended Learning is the elixir for resource strapped districts.
Scenario 3: Using the knowledge garnered from the Teacher Education Goes Into Virtual Schooling (TEGVIS) case study materials, I have prepared the following ficticious scenario to make the case for Virtual Schooling.
Max is a Junior who goes to school in a small district outside of Gaylord, Michigan. This area is reknowned for its summer golf and related travel industries. Max has learned that due to the lack of Guest Worker permits issued by the Federal Government, many area resorts will be in need of seasonal workers beginning next Spring. Max is a very motivated student who has enjoyed the Business classes he has taken with Mr. C, but would like an opportunity for a more hands-on learning approach so he asked him if he would look into this.
Mr. C had some experience working in a Career and Technical Center in Detroit and still maintained his credentials for CTE endorsement. After a few phone calls, he found another school that was willing to provide online instruction in their Food Service Management program, as well as a local chef, who was willing to teach the "hands-on" skills through an apprenticeship program in a nearby golf resort. In addition, Mr. C contacted the MDE and learned that Max could qualify for nine dual enrollment (articulation) credits in Culinary Arts Management through different State community college programs. Mr. C agreed to be Max's coach in conjuntion with the curriculum requirements of the CTE Center in Detroit. After a meeting with Max's guidance counsellor, parents, and the school administration, all were in agreement that Max's request could be possible.
The technology selected for this program is a two-way interactive video, chosen for it's superior ability to provide demonstration and labratory skill across the curriculum (see http://projects.educ.iastate.edu/~vhs/bettendorf.htm ). Second, course management and student interaction could be easily tracked and facillitated using WebCT courseware management tools including online discussion, text interaction, and quizzes. Mr. C agreed to be Max's CTE coach using a formal agreement that the school counselor used for other virtual school students in the school. Finally, Max was to report to the Golf resort twice a week in the afternoons for formal on-the-job practicum for skills assessment, which was also formallized with the district and the school counselor. This holistic approach to limited in-school opportunities are exactly the kind of advantage online learning can offer students like Max.
In Mrs. Wortmann's scenario involving online curriculum issues of isolation, cheating, and general communication problems, I have attempted to address many of these with practical technology applications, and best practises for this emerging field from Iowa's Learning Online (see http://projects.educ.iastate.edu/~vhs/index.htm ) . The topic of online learning is especially relevant for CTE teachers, and I found the TEGVIS materials quite useful for analysis and integration for my scenario.
Max is a Junior who goes to school in a small district outside of Gaylord, Michigan. This area is reknowned for its summer golf and related travel industries. Max has learned that due to the lack of Guest Worker permits issued by the Federal Government, many area resorts will be in need of seasonal workers beginning next Spring. Max is a very motivated student who has enjoyed the Business classes he has taken with Mr. C, but would like an opportunity for a more hands-on learning approach so he asked him if he would look into this.
Mr. C had some experience working in a Career and Technical Center in Detroit and still maintained his credentials for CTE endorsement. After a few phone calls, he found another school that was willing to provide online instruction in their Food Service Management program, as well as a local chef, who was willing to teach the "hands-on" skills through an apprenticeship program in a nearby golf resort. In addition, Mr. C contacted the MDE and learned that Max could qualify for nine dual enrollment (articulation) credits in Culinary Arts Management through different State community college programs. Mr. C agreed to be Max's coach in conjuntion with the curriculum requirements of the CTE Center in Detroit. After a meeting with Max's guidance counsellor, parents, and the school administration, all were in agreement that Max's request could be possible.
The technology selected for this program is a two-way interactive video, chosen for it's superior ability to provide demonstration and labratory skill across the curriculum (see http://projects.educ.iastate.edu/~vhs/bettendorf.htm ). Second, course management and student interaction could be easily tracked and facillitated using WebCT courseware management tools including online discussion, text interaction, and quizzes. Mr. C agreed to be Max's CTE coach using a formal agreement that the school counselor used for other virtual school students in the school. Finally, Max was to report to the Golf resort twice a week in the afternoons for formal on-the-job practicum for skills assessment, which was also formallized with the district and the school counselor. This holistic approach to limited in-school opportunities are exactly the kind of advantage online learning can offer students like Max.
In Mrs. Wortmann's scenario involving online curriculum issues of isolation, cheating, and general communication problems, I have attempted to address many of these with practical technology applications, and best practises for this emerging field from Iowa's Learning Online (see http://projects.educ.iastate.edu/~vhs/index.htm ) . The topic of online learning is especially relevant for CTE teachers, and I found the TEGVIS materials quite useful for analysis and integration for my scenario.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Virtual Schooling, It's not for everyone...
Topic One: Challenges
Indeed! Although I briefly touched on the notion of the stigma sometimes attached to virtual schooling in last week's blog, I believe the article from Convergencemag.com really has a bead on this emerging field of education. This weeks reading presented by author Susan Patrick, highlighted many of the challenges that are associated with this fast-growing segment in K-12 education. I will attempt to focus on just two:
Challenge One: One Student, One Computer, One highly qualified and highly motivated teacher?
As is the case for many types of instructional technology before virtual schooling came along, many educators have been too quick to judgement on the this latest trend in educating the nations' students. Fear and loathing on this front is hidden under the guise that online education is inferior to bricks and mortar public schooling. On this issue, Patrick really hones in on the source of this fear by stating, "Online learning is not a technology issue. It is a curriculum and instruction issue." (p. 38). So, overcoming this challenge for some is just part of the culture of the teaching professions general attitude towards change associated with new technology. I believe that from what we've previewed on virtual learning in this class so far, teachers are going to be needed more than ever. While technology is the tool, the instructor must provide the mentorship, knowledge imparting skills, leadership, and guidance in the virtual school environment.
Challenge Two: Cash is King--follow the "Green" brick road.
The article cites some level of complaining from those in the virtual schooling business, that they are held to a higher standard than most traditional schools. I believe this is a good thing. It will allow districts to align their curriculum, bring in highly qualified and technologically savvy instructors, to form a more solid standards-based curriculum that in the end will help students succeed. The article suggests that funding for virtual schooling is one of the major obstacles to its growth and is a primary source of conflict among it's detractors. For me, I believe that it is the obstacle. The tax-based funding pie is only so big, and can barely fund the old model. This problem is well articulated by the author who cites former Iowa State Senator Richard Varn on the current state of affairs for funding issues in virtual education. Both the author and Senator Varn suggest that such conflict over financing of virtual schooling could be best handled by cost capturing. That is, there are many opportunities to redirect state budgets to allow for virtual education. Chiefly among them are, state-to-state and district-to-district credit acceptance of online learning, and dual enrollment or articulation agreements among highschool and post-secondary institutions. Perhaps the Minnesota State solution is best, the dollars follow the student model is argumentitively the most student-centered and cost effective, even if it means more virtual schooling.
Topic Two: Efficacy and Pedagogy-A case for the Virtual Environment
Detroit has a large variety of alternative schools, but they seem doomed to fail from a curriculum and instruction planning perspective due in part to their similar approach to pedagogy from the very institutions these At-Risk student came from. That is, in theory let's say we take 100-200 students who for a variety of reasons (social, economic, etc.) have not succeeded in the traditional high school. Now we concentrate them in an environment where they are now faced with a "last chance" mentality, with the same curriculum and instructional methods, or even "dumbed down" material, and we expect them to succeed? This is where I believe we fail these students.
Brick and mortar type schooling may not be the answer for this group. Perhaps it is time to give this special population a chance at online learning instead of "Last Chance" learning. A place where many of the instructors are not highly qualified, or even certified! Why not instead, allow them the latest technology, a more interactive curriculum, and more importantly, the necessary job-related higher order thinking skills that virtual schooling has to offer.
Brad.
Indeed! Although I briefly touched on the notion of the stigma sometimes attached to virtual schooling in last week's blog, I believe the article from Convergencemag.com really has a bead on this emerging field of education. This weeks reading presented by author Susan Patrick, highlighted many of the challenges that are associated with this fast-growing segment in K-12 education. I will attempt to focus on just two:
Challenge One: One Student, One Computer, One highly qualified and highly motivated teacher?
As is the case for many types of instructional technology before virtual schooling came along, many educators have been too quick to judgement on the this latest trend in educating the nations' students. Fear and loathing on this front is hidden under the guise that online education is inferior to bricks and mortar public schooling. On this issue, Patrick really hones in on the source of this fear by stating, "Online learning is not a technology issue. It is a curriculum and instruction issue." (p. 38). So, overcoming this challenge for some is just part of the culture of the teaching professions general attitude towards change associated with new technology. I believe that from what we've previewed on virtual learning in this class so far, teachers are going to be needed more than ever. While technology is the tool, the instructor must provide the mentorship, knowledge imparting skills, leadership, and guidance in the virtual school environment.
Challenge Two: Cash is King--follow the "Green" brick road.
The article cites some level of complaining from those in the virtual schooling business, that they are held to a higher standard than most traditional schools. I believe this is a good thing. It will allow districts to align their curriculum, bring in highly qualified and technologically savvy instructors, to form a more solid standards-based curriculum that in the end will help students succeed. The article suggests that funding for virtual schooling is one of the major obstacles to its growth and is a primary source of conflict among it's detractors. For me, I believe that it is the obstacle. The tax-based funding pie is only so big, and can barely fund the old model. This problem is well articulated by the author who cites former Iowa State Senator Richard Varn on the current state of affairs for funding issues in virtual education. Both the author and Senator Varn suggest that such conflict over financing of virtual schooling could be best handled by cost capturing. That is, there are many opportunities to redirect state budgets to allow for virtual education. Chiefly among them are, state-to-state and district-to-district credit acceptance of online learning, and dual enrollment or articulation agreements among highschool and post-secondary institutions. Perhaps the Minnesota State solution is best, the dollars follow the student model is argumentitively the most student-centered and cost effective, even if it means more virtual schooling.
Topic Two: Efficacy and Pedagogy-A case for the Virtual Environment
Detroit has a large variety of alternative schools, but they seem doomed to fail from a curriculum and instruction planning perspective due in part to their similar approach to pedagogy from the very institutions these At-Risk student came from. That is, in theory let's say we take 100-200 students who for a variety of reasons (social, economic, etc.) have not succeeded in the traditional high school. Now we concentrate them in an environment where they are now faced with a "last chance" mentality, with the same curriculum and instructional methods, or even "dumbed down" material, and we expect them to succeed? This is where I believe we fail these students.
Brick and mortar type schooling may not be the answer for this group. Perhaps it is time to give this special population a chance at online learning instead of "Last Chance" learning. A place where many of the instructors are not highly qualified, or even certified! Why not instead, allow them the latest technology, a more interactive curriculum, and more importantly, the necessary job-related higher order thinking skills that virtual schooling has to offer.
Brad.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Virtual School and Stigma
After reviewing the readings and watching the video clips on the history and current state of virtual schooling in the U.S., I would have to say that there were some surprises. First, I was rather shocked to read in Watson and Ryan (2007), that in order to teach for the Michigan Virtual School, I must first pass Michigan Virtual University's Online Instructors Course. I found this particularly disturbing, given the monopoly on MDE's alliance with MSU for provision of this training. If Virtual Schooling is indeed a growth area, one would think that the state would have the forethought to accredit more than one teacher prep school for this endeavor to meet growing demand. Further, nowhere does it state in Public Law 123 or 124, that Highly Qualified Teachers according to NCLB (MTTC qualified and graduates of state approved teacher education programs) cannot teach these courses. How is it I can teach Virtual High School in another state that has reciprocity with Michigan, but I cannot teach at the only VS system in this state? This one is begging for a court challenge under the Full Faith and Credit Article in the Constitution (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_Faith_and_Credit_Clause ).
Secondly, I did not realize that there was such varying degrees of support, either financially or politically, for virtual schooling as one reads the state-by-state comparisons in Watson & Ryan. Some programs receive Federal funding (Colorado), some states fully embrace it (California), while others treat it with the stigma that correspondance schools once had (New Mexico). While I realize that Public education is mostly a state controlled venture, there are already enough inequities built into the system to hinder student progress. In addition, until Michael made note of the differentiation in definitions of Cyber School and Virtual School, I wouldn't have known there was a difference. Overall, I am suprised at the level of work that appears to go into planning and preparing for teaching a virtual school class using the course management system with it's high levels of feedback and communication requirements. As the NACOL article suggests, the isolated virtual school student is definitely a myth from the examples of Synchronous and Asychronous modules provided in Michael's lecture on IVHS.
Next, what I did know about Virtual School was that it existed in just about every state in the U.S., and every province in Canada. In fact, my experience as a participant of online learning and its early forms span more than a decade. While trying to complete my undergrad degree, I had taken a few courses that were hybrid correspondence, video, audio, and even web-based over that time. Fast forward to 2004, where I even spent a year in a California law school pursuing a J.D. via online/correspondance before the state passed a law requiring all Baby Bar participants to have a Social Security Number (I'm still waiting!). Since then, I have taken almost all of my Graduate CTE classes at WSU in a virtual environment, which for a commuting Canadian I am most grateful given the tie-ups at the tunnel on some days.
Finally, I have to admit that I have gained quite a bit of knowledge on the subject of the history of Instructional Technology, ergo virtual school, because of the IT 7100 course I am taking this semester with Prof. Mihalak. She had us do some readings on the history of IT, which included the many independent learning forms discussed in the Clark (2007) reading . It also happens to be the subject of my term paper in that class too.
Brad.
Note: California is the only state that allows alternative forms of earning a J.D. God Bless the Republic and Arnie too! Someday, I will finish that degree too.
Secondly, I did not realize that there was such varying degrees of support, either financially or politically, for virtual schooling as one reads the state-by-state comparisons in Watson & Ryan. Some programs receive Federal funding (Colorado), some states fully embrace it (California), while others treat it with the stigma that correspondance schools once had (New Mexico). While I realize that Public education is mostly a state controlled venture, there are already enough inequities built into the system to hinder student progress. In addition, until Michael made note of the differentiation in definitions of Cyber School and Virtual School, I wouldn't have known there was a difference. Overall, I am suprised at the level of work that appears to go into planning and preparing for teaching a virtual school class using the course management system with it's high levels of feedback and communication requirements. As the NACOL article suggests, the isolated virtual school student is definitely a myth from the examples of Synchronous and Asychronous modules provided in Michael's lecture on IVHS.
Next, what I did know about Virtual School was that it existed in just about every state in the U.S., and every province in Canada. In fact, my experience as a participant of online learning and its early forms span more than a decade. While trying to complete my undergrad degree, I had taken a few courses that were hybrid correspondence, video, audio, and even web-based over that time. Fast forward to 2004, where I even spent a year in a California law school pursuing a J.D. via online/correspondance before the state passed a law requiring all Baby Bar participants to have a Social Security Number (I'm still waiting!). Since then, I have taken almost all of my Graduate CTE classes at WSU in a virtual environment, which for a commuting Canadian I am most grateful given the tie-ups at the tunnel on some days.
Finally, I have to admit that I have gained quite a bit of knowledge on the subject of the history of Instructional Technology, ergo virtual school, because of the IT 7100 course I am taking this semester with Prof. Mihalak. She had us do some readings on the history of IT, which included the many independent learning forms discussed in the Clark (2007) reading . It also happens to be the subject of my term paper in that class too.
Brad.
Note: California is the only state that allows alternative forms of earning a J.D. God Bless the Republic and Arnie too! Someday, I will finish that degree too.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Emerging Technology and The Great Divide
I read this weeks reading in the Horizon Report (2008) with great interest and contemplation. The potential for many of the emerging technologies discussed therein are as numerous as the mind can wander. While they would all certainly have useful and practical uses in the classroom, I believe that the Grassroots Video category shows the most immediate and user-friendly use for the K-12 setting. I have to look no further than my own home to see the potential and wide reaching implications of the YouTube "movement". My three children ranging in ages 6-13 will often congregate around the family room computer to view the latest buzz about a funny video, music video, or even instructions on how to make or do something. The technology is easy to use and provides instant gratification for the audience. For this reason, I believe the Grassroots Video category will have the greatest impact on teaching in general.
While content can be a source of concern to educators of all subjects, I believe a sort of filter could be explored by concerned administrators to address the wide open content available on site's like YouTube. I believe this is where the emerging technology converges based on the overviews of each one discussed in the Horizon Report. For instance, tagging and labels (Collective Intelligence), can make the task of finding appropriate materials easier. As users compile tags and data on Wiki-type sites, the compiled labels, tags, and other relevant intelligence gathering on a topic can function as a necessary filter for student use. Data Mashup technology also has an ability to "reverse" filter the data by pulling in only relevant data and RSS feeds to a single site using multiple forms of data that can be edited by the user or teacher (see Horizons Report 2008, p. 20). For me, the Collective Intelligence is the pre-cursor to Data Mashups, and when combined, hold the most promise for educators looking to combine the Internet into analysis, synthesis, and evaluation for teaching and learning purposes. This anti-teach-to-the-test recipe for weaving Web content into your classrooms will, without a doubt, transform the types of content available for my teacher toolbox. To me, these are the most exiting of the categories and as such, are inseparable.
Finally, due to the overwhelming negative position on use of cellphones in the classroom by the teaching profession (mine included), I feel that this technology will not make it's way into the classroom in a meaningful or sizeable way any time soon. Many Districts have a no cell phone policy during instruction or even during school hours. This is a controversial topic and would take years to fix.
While content can be a source of concern to educators of all subjects, I believe a sort of filter could be explored by concerned administrators to address the wide open content available on site's like YouTube. I believe this is where the emerging technology converges based on the overviews of each one discussed in the Horizon Report. For instance, tagging and labels (Collective Intelligence), can make the task of finding appropriate materials easier. As users compile tags and data on Wiki-type sites, the compiled labels, tags, and other relevant intelligence gathering on a topic can function as a necessary filter for student use. Data Mashup technology also has an ability to "reverse" filter the data by pulling in only relevant data and RSS feeds to a single site using multiple forms of data that can be edited by the user or teacher (see Horizons Report 2008, p. 20). For me, the Collective Intelligence is the pre-cursor to Data Mashups, and when combined, hold the most promise for educators looking to combine the Internet into analysis, synthesis, and evaluation for teaching and learning purposes. This anti-teach-to-the-test recipe for weaving Web content into your classrooms will, without a doubt, transform the types of content available for my teacher toolbox. To me, these are the most exiting of the categories and as such, are inseparable.
Finally, due to the overwhelming negative position on use of cellphones in the classroom by the teaching profession (mine included), I feel that this technology will not make it's way into the classroom in a meaningful or sizeable way any time soon. Many Districts have a no cell phone policy during instruction or even during school hours. This is a controversial topic and would take years to fix.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Aptly Named?
After viewing the Marco Polo website, it was very clear to me what types of things that an education website should strive for. Before I delve too deeply into my rubric comparison of the site contents, I just thought I'd comment on the title of the website. The name Marco Polo translated into English (Webster or otherwise) would be Mark "The" Chicken. Now, I don't want to offend the namesake, so I would also add that Marco Polo the Explorer transcends the very spirit of learning, and thus is very aptly named. Just a bit of irony, I suppose.
Now, the actual site itself is an exceptional collaboration of ideas and content for the classroom teacher. The cross-curriculuar content in literacy, technology and other subject areas is exemplary. I consider myself a good web harvester for all things school related, but I have not come across this site until Michael suggested it for review. I'm very glad he did.
My group website evaluation tool was designed in a traditional rubric format with seven categories, which looked at such things as site Accuracy, Authority, Relevance, Diversity and Inclusion, Evaluation, and Supports for Special Populations. In all, Marco Polo scored very high or perfect in many of the categories we selected. If I were an Administrator of a Elementary or Middle School, I would probably develop or mandate some of the professional development opportunities that are linked to the "Rollout" section of the site. The fact that it has a corporate sponsor in Verizon does not bother me in the least. In fact, I think it makes for good corporate citizenship to make significant contributions like the Marco Polo website. Overall, I would definitely use the site for it's content and structure and added value to the curriculum.
Now, the actual site itself is an exceptional collaboration of ideas and content for the classroom teacher. The cross-curriculuar content in literacy, technology and other subject areas is exemplary. I consider myself a good web harvester for all things school related, but I have not come across this site until Michael suggested it for review. I'm very glad he did.
My group website evaluation tool was designed in a traditional rubric format with seven categories, which looked at such things as site Accuracy, Authority, Relevance, Diversity and Inclusion, Evaluation, and Supports for Special Populations. In all, Marco Polo scored very high or perfect in many of the categories we selected. If I were an Administrator of a Elementary or Middle School, I would probably develop or mandate some of the professional development opportunities that are linked to the "Rollout" section of the site. The fact that it has a corporate sponsor in Verizon does not bother me in the least. In fact, I think it makes for good corporate citizenship to make significant contributions like the Marco Polo website. Overall, I would definitely use the site for it's content and structure and added value to the curriculum.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Baskin Robbins and The 31 flavors of Teaching
I believe this weeks reading on Gorski really just boils down to knowing your students and doing your best to meet their individual needs. The cultural and learning styles of the students I most recently taught were not necessarily all that diverse. The school's population was approximately 95% African-American, 4% Mixed-heritage, and 1% Hispanic. Given that scenario, I wasn't forced to dig to deep for culturally sensitive materials save for the usual 1 or 2 exceptional students who were placed in my program.
Having just completed my Teacher Education and certification, which has all student teachers complete BBE 5000 and SED 7050 (Diversity and Special-Ed), I feel I am able to meet the challenges of most of the diversity challenges of today's classroom. More importantly, my work in the Navy has prepared me well for most of the challenges of the workplace and school environments. A few years ago, I was selected for and received extensive diversity training, so that I may serve as a Workplace Relations Advisor at my Unit. That said, 13 years at Chrysler also prepared me well for my second career as a teacher. As a Business teacher, I was constantly bringing in workplace examples of differences in culture or opinion to better prepare my students for workplace realities. I believe this is often called the "Hidden Curriculum" in education.
Gorski lists his seven considerations for culturally appropriate multiculural education using Internet-based resources, which I won't repeat here, other than to say that most technology-savvy teachers do instinctively. That is, I carefully select resources that best fit or illustrate the main point of my instruction. For example, I taught a unit on Financial Literacy last semester and the students enjoyed it because it was highly interactive. It contained short video clips on banking and financial concepts, used actors that were culturally diverse, contained many cross-curricular activities, and allowed the instructor to easily adapt the content to the needs of the students (It even had a Spanish version !). In all, the site contained many of the considerations that Gorski considers, but I would caution any teacher to waste valuable time trying to find that perfect website that contains all of the above.
Generally speaking, I will not use a web-based resource if it is not authoritative (business or education endorsed), or does not reflect the curriculum I am required to give the students. I am conscious of my duties as a teacher to provide a culturally diverse and appropriate curriculum and I use my common sense when deciding to use any resource in my classroom. Finally, the Gorski reading basically highlights the things I do naturally as I plan my instruction on any given lesson or unit.
Having just completed my Teacher Education and certification, which has all student teachers complete BBE 5000 and SED 7050 (Diversity and Special-Ed), I feel I am able to meet the challenges of most of the diversity challenges of today's classroom. More importantly, my work in the Navy has prepared me well for most of the challenges of the workplace and school environments. A few years ago, I was selected for and received extensive diversity training, so that I may serve as a Workplace Relations Advisor at my Unit. That said, 13 years at Chrysler also prepared me well for my second career as a teacher. As a Business teacher, I was constantly bringing in workplace examples of differences in culture or opinion to better prepare my students for workplace realities. I believe this is often called the "Hidden Curriculum" in education.
Gorski lists his seven considerations for culturally appropriate multiculural education using Internet-based resources, which I won't repeat here, other than to say that most technology-savvy teachers do instinctively. That is, I carefully select resources that best fit or illustrate the main point of my instruction. For example, I taught a unit on Financial Literacy last semester and the students enjoyed it because it was highly interactive. It contained short video clips on banking and financial concepts, used actors that were culturally diverse, contained many cross-curricular activities, and allowed the instructor to easily adapt the content to the needs of the students (It even had a Spanish version !). In all, the site contained many of the considerations that Gorski considers, but I would caution any teacher to waste valuable time trying to find that perfect website that contains all of the above.
Generally speaking, I will not use a web-based resource if it is not authoritative (business or education endorsed), or does not reflect the curriculum I am required to give the students. I am conscious of my duties as a teacher to provide a culturally diverse and appropriate curriculum and I use my common sense when deciding to use any resource in my classroom. Finally, the Gorski reading basically highlights the things I do naturally as I plan my instruction on any given lesson or unit.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Teaching with Internet-based Resources: Considerations
When considering what Internet-based resources to consider for use in my classroom, I am initally drawn to that oft spoken phrase that Real Estate professionals use; "location, location, and location". More simply stated, I would consider when to use it, why I am using it, and where I have located the resource. When deciding on any resource it is best to look at the utility of the resources. Web-based resources should help with scaffolding complex curriculum or otherwise increase the creativity in both teachers and students. The selected resources should help teachers to expand the overall competency of learners. If all goes well, the students should be encouraged to explore and expand their learning experience beyond the scheduled class time and is always a good way of telling whether you have reached the students or not. Internet and web-enable resources can be a great way to engage the class and infuse the curriculum with technology.
The following suggestions or criteria are offered for additional consideration to determine the overall effectiveness of online educational resources:
The following suggestions or criteria are offered for additional consideration to determine the overall effectiveness of online educational resources:
- Is the resource supported or endorsed by an educational source or authority?
- Will it support students with different learning styles? How does the site cater to special populations, or students with auditory, visual, kinesthetic, or other preferences?
- Does it have appropriate links or refer to corresponding State or National Curriculum standards? Does your State endorse the site?
- Does the content make its educational purpose explicit?
- Is the site content accurate, up to date, reasonably comprehensive, objective and relevant for the learner, and does it use appropriate vocabulary?
- Is the site easy to use with well-organised material and clear navigation?
- Does the content meaningfully engage the learner with key content or concepts
- Does the resource provide support, give feedback, or otherwise offer students and teachers the opportunity for evaluation?
- Does the resource enhance collaborative learning by encouraging learners to discuss problems, share information and ideas and reach group agreement?
- Is the site suitable for your target age/grade level?
- Can your school's technology infrastructure support the site? Will your school's Internet safety (firewall) allow your students access?
While this is an exhaustive list of questions for consideration, it is by no means complete. The bottom line is knowing when it is approptiate to use the Internet in the classroom. As a Business teacher, the above questions are always on my mind when considering how to bolster my lessons or units with technology.
Brad.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Reeves and Oh (My God, I think they're right).
Of the four required readings, Reeves and Oh provide the most accurate evidence on the use of generational differences as a variable for consideration when designing educational technology. The fact is as Reeves and Oh stated that, "virtually no evidence can be found", despite the arguments that prognosticators Howe and Strauss make on the "Next Great Generation".
What I have deduced from the various arguments discussed in the articles, is that as a teacher, I will be best served by meeting the students where they are at. That is, if I can make the necessary leap (scaffolding) between teaching the required content and using assistive technology to drive home the point, then I will have overcome a perceived "generational gap".
To offer an analogy, grandparents provide this very same skill to parents whenever intervention is necessary in trying to get their grandchildren to understand their parents point of view. For example, a grandparent may offer a similar story or event to the grandchild and detail the decisions or results of a particular event. By smoothing over the "required learning", the grandparent has "bridged" the generational gap and the child should come away with the new knowledge. Teaching multiple generation in a variety of contexts is no different. In the workforce, HR Training and Development specialists do not necessarily break a company into 3 sessions of the different generations, they simply try to tailor the material to the needs of the company. One size may not fit all, but at the end of the day it gets the job done.
For my students, all of the articles raise a few good pointers on things to consider about thier learning preferences, or learning styles. Despite claims of being a diverse sample, the Howe and Strauss study did not describe my students. Prensky did highlight measureable differerences between the culture of todays' students versus those of my generation. However, the "Millenials", will still need to interact face-to-face in the world of work. As such, regardless of which side of the generational argument I side with, I have to do my best to get the students to learn by any means necessary. Sometimes this will be using technology and sometimes it won't.
Brad.
What I have deduced from the various arguments discussed in the articles, is that as a teacher, I will be best served by meeting the students where they are at. That is, if I can make the necessary leap (scaffolding) between teaching the required content and using assistive technology to drive home the point, then I will have overcome a perceived "generational gap".
To offer an analogy, grandparents provide this very same skill to parents whenever intervention is necessary in trying to get their grandchildren to understand their parents point of view. For example, a grandparent may offer a similar story or event to the grandchild and detail the decisions or results of a particular event. By smoothing over the "required learning", the grandparent has "bridged" the generational gap and the child should come away with the new knowledge. Teaching multiple generation in a variety of contexts is no different. In the workforce, HR Training and Development specialists do not necessarily break a company into 3 sessions of the different generations, they simply try to tailor the material to the needs of the company. One size may not fit all, but at the end of the day it gets the job done.
For my students, all of the articles raise a few good pointers on things to consider about thier learning preferences, or learning styles. Despite claims of being a diverse sample, the Howe and Strauss study did not describe my students. Prensky did highlight measureable differerences between the culture of todays' students versus those of my generation. However, the "Millenials", will still need to interact face-to-face in the world of work. As such, regardless of which side of the generational argument I side with, I have to do my best to get the students to learn by any means necessary. Sometimes this will be using technology and sometimes it won't.
Brad.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Digital natives, digital immigrants and other generational labels...
After reading the comparitive articles on the Millenium Generation versus their preceding generations (G.I., Boomer, and Gen X), I couldn't help but notice the "experts" need to label all things by virtue of the year they were born. Unfortunately, this trend has found it's way into the mainstream of education research. I have never identified myself or my students as part of any great societal movement where I felt the need to categorize them beyond their individual learning needs. I can recall my own high school teachers telling me that my generation was going to be the first generation to do worse than their parents. After hearing it a few times, I often wondered what that said about them? I do recall feeling quite unsatisfied with such prognostication. As a result, I swore to myself that I wouldn't be worse off than "them" (Boomers for those of you keeping track).
The Reeves and Oh article was objective on the pitfalls of identifying the facts from the fiction of using generational comparitives for the purposes of instructional design. While I too concede that the Millenium generation have had unparalleled access to technology, I would not go so far as to say that any or all of my students have skills that "exceed" my abilities to be an effective teacher. At the end of the day, technology is another tool in my teacher's toolkit, however, it remains just that--a tool. I am not a "digital immigrant" as the Prensky reading might suggest, although I might easily be labeled as such, having been born in 1970.
I further agree that the Millenium generation has a high need for social connectivity in their day to day lives. So much in fact, that I had to constantly remind them that such devices (cell phones, BlackBerries, and other devices) were an impediment to building a community of learners in my classroom. Such reliance on this "interactivity" may have given this group a sense of shared entitlement to such trappings, but it has also triggered an unparalleled phenomenon of any generation on record--a prevalence for cheating. The Reeves article cites a 2006 article that shows 74% of respondents in a 2002 survey admitted to cheating versus just 34% in 1969. Cell phones are just one of the ways this problem has exploded. The ability to plagiarize given the vast amount of information available on the Internet, is but another.
The Howe and Strauss reading was particularly controversial with its many false predictions and assertions on the Millenium Generation. I wholeheartedly agree with the O'Neill (2000) criticism, that it is a "very good bad book". That is, while it does offer some "nuggets" of information and makes an effort to distinguish Millenium kids from other generations, I'm not buying the whole "teamwork first, achievement, modesty and good conduct" that the authors make. A survey of my students' interests outside of the classroom at the beginning of last semester painted a picture completely different from that of the Howe and Strauss model. In fact, many of my Grade 12 students had not completed the required community service component to graduate. Overall, I would have to disagree with much of what many of the authors claim to be fact on what Millenium students represent due to the lack of empirical evidence.
Brad.
The Reeves and Oh article was objective on the pitfalls of identifying the facts from the fiction of using generational comparitives for the purposes of instructional design. While I too concede that the Millenium generation have had unparalleled access to technology, I would not go so far as to say that any or all of my students have skills that "exceed" my abilities to be an effective teacher. At the end of the day, technology is another tool in my teacher's toolkit, however, it remains just that--a tool. I am not a "digital immigrant" as the Prensky reading might suggest, although I might easily be labeled as such, having been born in 1970.
I further agree that the Millenium generation has a high need for social connectivity in their day to day lives. So much in fact, that I had to constantly remind them that such devices (cell phones, BlackBerries, and other devices) were an impediment to building a community of learners in my classroom. Such reliance on this "interactivity" may have given this group a sense of shared entitlement to such trappings, but it has also triggered an unparalleled phenomenon of any generation on record--a prevalence for cheating. The Reeves article cites a 2006 article that shows 74% of respondents in a 2002 survey admitted to cheating versus just 34% in 1969. Cell phones are just one of the ways this problem has exploded. The ability to plagiarize given the vast amount of information available on the Internet, is but another.
The Howe and Strauss reading was particularly controversial with its many false predictions and assertions on the Millenium Generation. I wholeheartedly agree with the O'Neill (2000) criticism, that it is a "very good bad book". That is, while it does offer some "nuggets" of information and makes an effort to distinguish Millenium kids from other generations, I'm not buying the whole "teamwork first, achievement, modesty and good conduct" that the authors make. A survey of my students' interests outside of the classroom at the beginning of last semester painted a picture completely different from that of the Howe and Strauss model. In fact, many of my Grade 12 students had not completed the required community service component to graduate. Overall, I would have to disagree with much of what many of the authors claim to be fact on what Millenium students represent due to the lack of empirical evidence.
Brad.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Week 3: Reflection on Blogs and RSS
After reading the four articles for this weeks reflection, I couldn't help but feel that I am definitely in the right class at the right time. As a second career teacher, I have come to realize that while I definitely have the content knowledge for most of my subject areas (Business, Management, Marketing, and Technology), I certainly could use more of the latter for what Weiler commented in his article as "content management". That is, I know what my weaknesses are, and as I learned early in my student teaching assignment, you cannot fake technology. I spent many evenings, and this past summer, brushing up on my Microsoft Office applications, since that is what I was assigned to teach this past Fall. While I have a general interest in technology, I don't necessarily have an interest in how it all works underneath the surface. However, I do know a good classroom tool when I see it.
The web applications learned in last week's class will help with the technology gaps that I have. More importantly, I know what my teacher education preparation program lacked, and I am willing to meet my deficiencies head on. The readings confirmed my belief that World Wide Web is indeed a bountiful harvest for teachers. The trick is to learn how to glean the good applications from the overwhelming number of options. I believe that using Blogger or EduBlog would definitely be an asset as a Business and Technology teacher. I could use it in Management classes, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, or any of the assigned Tech classes. I could use it to discuss case studies, link in e-Tradebook articles, engage the students in Business communication and writing skills, among the ones that immediately come to mind.
Contrary to my initial thoughts on blogging, which was just another WebApp that I don't have time for, I didn't realize as Downes states in his article, that "Blogging is about, first reading, but more important, it is about reading what is of interest to you: your culture, your community, your ideas". What is important here, is that by using Blogging as a classroom tool, I can "model" what readings and open dialogue that I hope to imbue on my students. I can filter the RSS feeds that I deem necessary. At the end of the day, their reflections and the learning process is still up to them, but I believe that I will peak the interest of most students with the technology "hook".
The ability to connect the curriculum to the community of learners beyond my classroom far outweigh any of the negatives that the authors mention about blogs (school restrictions, not being able to write what you really think, home access for poorer students). In addition, the RSS feeds application is a definite must for anyone interested in current events, technology, politics, or any other personal interest. As an educator, I will definitely use this among peers and students alike.
The web applications learned in last week's class will help with the technology gaps that I have. More importantly, I know what my teacher education preparation program lacked, and I am willing to meet my deficiencies head on. The readings confirmed my belief that World Wide Web is indeed a bountiful harvest for teachers. The trick is to learn how to glean the good applications from the overwhelming number of options. I believe that using Blogger or EduBlog would definitely be an asset as a Business and Technology teacher. I could use it in Management classes, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, or any of the assigned Tech classes. I could use it to discuss case studies, link in e-Tradebook articles, engage the students in Business communication and writing skills, among the ones that immediately come to mind.
Contrary to my initial thoughts on blogging, which was just another WebApp that I don't have time for, I didn't realize as Downes states in his article, that "Blogging is about, first reading, but more important, it is about reading what is of interest to you: your culture, your community, your ideas". What is important here, is that by using Blogging as a classroom tool, I can "model" what readings and open dialogue that I hope to imbue on my students. I can filter the RSS feeds that I deem necessary. At the end of the day, their reflections and the learning process is still up to them, but I believe that I will peak the interest of most students with the technology "hook".
The ability to connect the curriculum to the community of learners beyond my classroom far outweigh any of the negatives that the authors mention about blogs (school restrictions, not being able to write what you really think, home access for poorer students). In addition, the RSS feeds application is a definite must for anyone interested in current events, technology, politics, or any other personal interest. As an educator, I will definitely use this among peers and students alike.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Welcome to my Blogspot
Hello, and welcome to my Blogspot! My name is Brad Corlett and I am a Career and Technical Educator in Training. I have just finished Michigan and Canadian teacher certification through Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. I am currently a Masters of Arts in Teaching Candidate in CTE (also at WSU), which I hope to complete during the Winter semester. To complete my formal teacher education, I am also enrolled in additional CTE and IT classes with the hopes of completing an Ed Specialist over the next calendar year. In addition to student teaching at Randolph Career and Technical Center in Detroit Public Schools, I have taught formal Leadership and Logistics for the Canadian Navy for several years.
What I hope to get out of this class is to increase my competency in "Web 2.0", so that I help my students (and myself) become more web savvy. As a Business, Marketing, Management, and Technology endorsed teacher, I will have to stay current with the technology and business world that I am preparing my graduates for. This class (IT6230) is the beginning of this process.
What I hope to get out of this class is to increase my competency in "Web 2.0", so that I help my students (and myself) become more web savvy. As a Business, Marketing, Management, and Technology endorsed teacher, I will have to stay current with the technology and business world that I am preparing my graduates for. This class (IT6230) is the beginning of this process.
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