Memoir of a First Experience
In today’s schools it is normal to see the illuminated eyes and faces of students from laptops, phones, tablets, televisions, etc. It has become the societal norm to own all different types of technology, technology that has completely revolutionized the traditional forms of electronics and communication. It has only been in the last seven to ten years that technology has made its way into our lives and schools. My first true experience with technology took place in the 2nd grade with the Apple Color Computers. As young seven and eight year olds we had no idea what these computers were, we just knew they were fun, cool looking things to play on that did not involve using pieces of paper. At the time we did not have a clue that we were playing on pieces of technology that were going to revolutionize our lives, the way the world was going to run and the fact that we were and are the generation of technology creators and users.
The buzz of the week was that the computer lab was getting the new Apple Computers and were getting rid of all their “out of date” PC’s. When the computer lab was first occupied by PC’s only the upperclassmen went to the lab for class and to use the computers because they functioned on a very utilitarian basis. Now, with all the different functions of the Apple computer almost all students from Kindergarten to eighth grade could use them not just for academic assignments and research but for finding new ways to be creative on the computer.
Lined up outside of the computer lab, the second grade class was the last of the day to get introduced to the Apple Color computer and become familiar with all its amazing capabilities. We did not even know what an apple computer was or looked like but we took the word of everyone else that it was something very, very special. “Gianmichael Santimauro,” finally! My name was called and in I went into a computer lab that was unlike anything I had ever seen. The usual grey and black boxes and wires were replaced with the rainbow colored backs of the apple computers. Red, Purple, Yellow, Pink, Green, etc. the colors of the computers went on and on. The teacher led me half way down the aisle to a wondrous green machine that would even amaze someone who had traveled all the corners of the earth. Down I sat, ready for my new adventure. The teacher pressed the little bright button. That now all too infamous Apple ping awakened the machine and off I went.
We were the generation that was first introduced to the Apple computer and we were the testers to see how it would or would not work. Being introduced to such an amazing machine at a young age was one of the most beneficial things my school could have done for me. Computers were not at the point they are now almost fifteen years ago but someone was smart enough to know they were certainly going to be important in the future. Ever since that day in the computer lab, technology continues to grow more and more important in the world but also in my life. I believe in the importance of human beings being self-reliant and without the help of machines all of the time but without the development of technology we would be a very different world and a world for the worse.
Multimedia Reflective Essay
As human beings we are innovators, creators and forward thinkers. We live in a world that is constantly changing and developing around us; from medicine, to sciences, architecture and technology. By being such forward thinkers we create new ways to learn, teach and think with the goal it will make us better off for the future. In the form of Multimedia technology we can create learning environments that completely shake up traditional education systems for the better. With new communication technologies such as Twitter, facetime, conference calls, etc. we can knock down global barriers and move towards a globally integrated world. Online learning environments are one technological tool for a new class room and it is how our Communication 410 course operates. A course that calls for the learning and mastering of global media structured through global media. We are early on in our semester but already the tasks required to complete are more interactive than any other face to face classroom setting and involve more real world integration of multimedia use. With an emphasis on the globalization of the world and the classroom, I will give insight into online learning and technology integrated classrooms and the learning experience.
There are two major points of interest that we have been reviewing and studying so far in our Communication 410 course. The first is creating a completely globalized world where the barriers of communication are broken down and we can create a “flat” land scape where physical and hidden divides are no more. The second point which is in direct relation to creating a globalized world, is the implementation of technology in our school systems for the benefit of learning and teaching. With the creation of newer and better technological resources and the overwhelming use of these technologies as a global community, we have decided that technology will be a major factor in our lives, business and schools. This technological integration comes with many benefits in the growth of our education system but it comes with draw backs as well. If used properly, online learning environments and technology integrated classrooms can be great alternatives to the traditional forms of teaching that have not changed in hundreds of years. Online learning environments give options for students who do not work well in the classic learning structure. The implementation of technology in the classroom can create a digitally integrated course where students are sharing information between each other, working on assignments together while physically separated and gaining real world technological experience.
There are 4 parts to achieving a successful digital learning environment in order for technology integrated class rooms to work to their full potential. The first is having the capital to access this technology in the classroom and to every student and faculty member. The technology must be up to date and functioning at a high level so that it helps our teachers teach the material in the designed way and for the students so they are able to learn the material properly. The use of old technology that is not operating on the same level as newer technology hurts our education system because it places our students and teachers behind the technological curve of the rest of the country and the world. The second part is teachers and students need to have total and complete working knowledge of the technology being used in the classroom. “It’s not just about technology…This is about having teachers be highly effective and highly engaged with students to close academic gaps” (Time Magazine). Our educators must be accepting of the technology integration and embrace that it is a vital component to grow our education system. If the teachers do not wish to learn how the technology operates than our students are at a disadvantage. The students must have complete and total working knowledge of the technology just as their teachers do. The third portion is our students must be at the center of the learning environment. The technology should not be something our reformers integrate because the rest of the world is doing it. It must be a calculated adjustment making sure students are benefiting from its integration and are learning and thinking at a higher level than before. The fourth portion is the use of the technology as an interoperable system. All information pertaining to the use of the technology must be accessible from a student to student level, teacher to student level, parent to teacher level, etc. A major advantage of having technology in the classroom is the ability to exchange information and this can encourage teacher and student participation and even parent participation.
The use of technology is a great tool to be able to incorporate in our education systems but it should not be our only source of educational tools. You cannot replace the use of face to face communication and teaching techniques in the classroom. Teachers must always stay involved in the work of their students and should not use the technology as a substitute for themselves. Our education system must strike a balance between our personal and traditional learning environments and technological learning environments. “In the transition of knowledge the children and teachers should not be faced with a choice between books and screens, between newspapers and capsuled versions of the news on the internet, or between print and other media” (Maryanne Wolfe pg. 3). We have an opportunity to change the way we operate our classrooms but there must always be a balance struck. Educating our students and teachers using technology is a huge advantage in moving towards a globalized world. When we can implement technology in our schools correctly from a young age, we allow for the digital divide to become smaller and smaller until there no longer is a divide. When students learn about and use technology from a young age it becomes a norm in their lives. The more we as people, educators, reformers and leaders incorporate technology into our education systems the faster we will move to an integrated, globalized world.
Active participation, critical thinking and interaction are vital components to making sure online learning is a valuable and a beneficial way to learn. In our communication 410 course we use all different forms of social interaction and thought sharing sites. Being able to incorporate the lessons we learn in our class sessions to our personal lives is a very beneficial tool to learning but more importantly understanding the material. We are constantly asked to draw reference to our own lives such as our first experiences with technology. For me that was my first day working on an apple color and the unique imagery that is associated with that memory. Having the opportunity to relate the lessons in our class and the material we gather outside of class has been a major learning curve. In order for our Communication 410 course to work for myself I must be actively participating in the assigned readings, assignments, seminars, etc. It is very important to me to always be actively participating in order to learn. One of my favorite aspects of this course is our ability to use different social media sources to stay in constant communication. From commenting on one another’s first assigned leaps and drawing reference to our own lives form others, to actively watching and posting on our google hangouts. These modes of social media allow for the digital format of the course to feel more personal. Lastly, and possibly the most importantly, I am constantly looking to find what it is I am learning within this course. Though we are only a few weeks in, I have already come to appreciate the benefits that technology can offer to learning environments both in the classroom and digitally. In the first few days of class I was pretty against the integration of technology in classrooms but already I have begun to turn a new leaf. I have come to appreciate the benefit that it can have both for educators and the students independently. Moving towards a globalized world, economically and socially, involves technological incorporation at some of the lowest levels. If we can keep moving in the right direction with education technology, I have complete faith that we will become a very efficient and sustainable globalized world.
Citations
Rheingold, H. (2012). Attention! Why and How to Control Your Mind's Most Powerful Instrument. In NET SMART how to thrive online (p. 3). Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. Proust and the Squid, Maryanne Wolf, 2007
Ramirez, M. (2014, August 28). What it Really Takes for Schools to Go Digital. Time Magazine.
Task Force, A. (Director). (2014). Learner at the Center of the Net Work World [Motion picture]. The Aspen Institute Task Force on Learning and the Internet. You tube
Leap #3
Below is a video of Monique Markoff, someone who is studying and an advocate for blended learning. Also is our connectiones between Giovannas responses and Monique's work.
Blended Learning and the Future of Education: Monique Markoff at Tedx Ithica College
Interviewee Connection with Scholar for Leap #3
We decided to interview Giovanna Maria, a ninth grade education teacher at the Summit school in Seattle, Washington. Giovanna graduated from Northern Arizona University where she earned her degree in education with a minor in special education. When looking for individuals to interview for the subject of blended learning, we had a few other people we were trying to get in touch with. Unfortunately with the inability to schedule a meeting time with these individuals and time running out, we decided to interview Giovanna, Gianmichael’s Sister. Her educational background in the Summit charter school made her an excellent individual to interview. We chose Giovanna because we knew she would give us a unique perspective into the world of blended education both its benefits and drawbacks because she herself, is learning to incorporate it today in her classroom. Her classrooms settings, technology incorporation and overall perspective on the subject, allowed for her work and our researchers work to align very well. When looking to find the research work of an individual we came across Monique Markoff. Monique extensively works in the field of blended learning and is on the frontline in its incorporation and education. We found Monique’s TED Talk to be a perfect contributor to the responses of Giovanna to our questions. At times their opinions differed and at times they agreed but they both view the integration and adaption of blended learning as a positive in education.
One of the first questions we asked Giovanna during our interview is if she in fact likes to integrate technology into her classrooms or if it could serve as a potential distraction. This is one of Monique’s first addressed questions. She describes that when we first think of students with technology we might think of them as looking up the answer to a quiz, or being on social media while working on a power point. In general, we view students with technology as a distraction. What Giovanna very importantly stresses, is that technology can be used positively but in accordance to the “norms and expectations,” of the teacher. When technology is used properly it serves as a great facilitator for students to link and work together.
The next topic that Monique brings up is the importance of face to face interaction when it comes to the integration of technology in the classroom. She speaks about a school in Fresno, California that was offering credits to students through online classes in order for them to earn credits towards graduation. During the first round of the online classes, only 23% of the students that took the online courses passed. The school then decided to conduct an “after school lab,” where a physical teacher could be present and available to help the students. They found that of these students participating in online courses after school, 43% passed these courses. Lastly, the school decided to create an all summer school session, where these students could come in for a full day and get help on their online courses. Of these students that did their online courses during the summer, 95% completed the courses. Giovanna had an interesting stance on the integration of technology in the classroom, because of the environment she teaches in. The Summit School, where she teaches, has a project based curriculum where students are constantly working in groups and physically interacting with their peers and teachers while operating on their computers or other means of technology. Her key opposition was that you must be able to look at the environment that you are educating. She feels that her 9th grade students would not be able to handle the responsibility, task orientation and maturity level required to complete an online class. Giovanna also talks about the different learning styles of students. She notes that if a student is a great visual and auditory learner, she may assign them to watch a video on a historical event, rather than have them read it, or Vis versa. Virtual communities offer the opportunity for students to learn in different ways due to their flexibility and their “universal way of educating.” Both educators believe strongly in the use of technology in the class room but begin to differ when it comes to the possible age and grade implementation of this technology and in what ways you use it.
Another point that Monique brings up is different learning environments that are used to facilitate blending learning environments. She did her research into class room set ups, while on the board of the Alpha school. They established a few different blended learning settings. The first was a Rotation Model, where students would be in groups with each other, a small group with a teacher, a small group with computers and then would rotate throughout the day. The next setting they identified was a Laboratory Model, where students would go for part of their day, as a whole, into a computer lab and work there. Lastly, she established an Open Classroom Model. Where 60 students could be in the same room as three teachers and the flexibility of the room was utilized. This model is the way Giovanna’s school operates. In one corner students could be learning social studies, in another students could be learning math and in another students could be learning science. This type of learning environment proves Giovanna’s points about the importance of students staying task oriented, especially when operating technology do to the amount of distractions that could be happening in the room. The technology also serves as a great opportunity for students to go home and continue to work on lessons they learned that day, which Giovanna points out. In a learning environment with 60 students and 3 teachers, it seems almost impossible for teachers to answer every question throughout the day. Blended learning allows for these students to continue to practice their education outside of the classroom even without the immediate availability of the teacher.
Lastly, Monique talks about the barriers when it comes to the integration of technology in the classroom. She brings up a specific example of a school she worked at and in 2009 decided to test out the concept of blended learning by placing a new teacher into the a computer lab for an hour a day while the students worked on a math computer program. The school found the experience to be disastrous and ineffective. One of Monique’s major points is that teachers must be trained enough in this technology, that they are able to use it effectively and to the benefit of the students. This is something that we as a media communication course have been talking about since day one and is a major reason for why we asked Giovanna if she feels that teachers, especially older ones, have the ability to integrate this technology into their classrooms. Giovanna brings up the points that teachers must be able to learn how to use technology, how to incorporate it into the classroom and how to in fact teach its use to the students. Giovanna then poses the interesting question in her response, right in line with Monique’s, “What kind of school do we want? Because our teachers must represent that.” If teachers do not value the same ideals as the school when it comes to incorporating a blended learning environment then it is doomed to fail and will not benefit any one.
Both Giovanna and Monique come from very similar backgrounds and work in very similar educational settings and it is because of this that they align so well on their opinions of integrated or blended classroom settings. Monique says a very interesting statement, “the computer is the tool.” She mentions you would not simply hand a student a text book and say learn from this and how technology is the exact same way. As Giovanna and Monique say, in order for blended learning educational environments to grow, both the proper integration of technology must be present and the education and innovation of teachers must be as well.
Multimedia Reflective Essay (2)
Can an educator inform in a way that evokes creativity, critical thinking and passion from those seeking information? One of the greatest flaws our world’s education systems possess is a lack of interest and pursuit to change the ways that we teach in order to reach more than one type of student. We live in a world where technology offers the opportunity to create information, obtain that information and facilitate in educating in more than one way. Our world changes socially, environmentally, technologically on a yearly, monthly and daily regimen. Yet our education system, derived from a military background, has yet to evolve with the rest of our changing world. Through social media sites, television and the internet students have a vast pool of current information they can pull from. However, during certain hours of the day we expect students to ignore that information and solely focus on the book, movie or lecture of a teacher. Sir Ken Robinson talks extensively regarding this in his RSA (The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts) speech, Changing Education Paradigms. This is the way our education system has functioned since its beginning, but now it has started to evolve and adapt to the new needs and options educators possess.
Educating with the goals to evoke creativity in both the educator and learner is something our education systems need and are beginning to try. A TED (technology, entertainment, design) talk by a man named Kirby Ferguson, a New York based filmmaker, discusses the concept that creativity is always a remix of something else. This is the concept that components of something, no matter how innovative they may be, always stem from something that already exists even if its copying comes subconsciously. Whether it be an essay, video, presentation, book, etc. we take information we already know, create new and combine these to make an innovative and relevant piece that benefits those who view it. Our education system should be no different. We must copy the pieces of our schools that work and help to create learners who will be able to take on the ever changing world that awaits them. We must transform the pieces of our education system that do not work and create modes of educating that benefit and cater to all students at different levels. Lastly, we must combine the pieces of our education system that work with our newer entities to create a learning environment that gets the best out of each and every student.
Eliminating the idea that teachers should be the sole providers of information to students is a very innovative way of creating a “newer” way of educating. Matthew H. Bowker, a Professor of interdisciplinary studies at Medaille College, writes about the importance of students being able to create their own questions in the journal of Thought and Action. “Philosophers, cognitive scientists, anthropologists, and psychologist have argued convincingly that the act of questioning is central to thinking, to sharing and communicating knowledge, even to several important types of social interaction” (pg. 127, Teaching Students to Ask Questions Instead of Answering Them). Implementing new ways of educating that replace ways that may be outdated are vital in ensuring the positive growth of students, no matter how difficult it may be. One of the most beneficial courses I have ever taken was with a professor who was adamant about using the Socratic teaching method. He simply posed a question and required us to come up with our own answers. At times it was very difficult and frustrating but by the end of the semester I was able to think, analyze and create in a positive way that was far different from any way I operated before. By creating and building on new ways of educating, an educators reach grows because they have the power to reach more than one type of student. There should not be one way of educating, for one way of educating may work for one student, but not for another. It is the responsibility of our education systems to give educators the tools they need to be able to create learning environments that capture and inspire all students. Innovation and creativity are not things that should be developed once out of the class room, but rather in combination with the rest of the world. Access to information should not be limited to particular entities but accessible by all realms possible.
Education should not and does not fall solely on the shoulders of the educator themselves. It is the responsibility of the learner to seek out information and put forth their best effort to ensure they are doing all they can when it comes to the importance of their education. Participation and active thought are vital components to our Communication 410 course. We participate in this course by actively reading, writing and reflecting on the assignments we must do on a weekly bases. We must actively listen to and respectfully question the thoughts of our peers in order to make sure the information we receive and hopefully retain is the best we can have. We must be actively looking for patterns not just from the research we conduct or the information we receive but through our ability to learn. What is it that we do as learners that helps our educational growth and what is it that we do that hurts it? Throughout this semester and especially within this course, I have learned that education is a process that requires different components in order to be successful. There must be an educator who is passionate about what they are teaching and interested in the well-being of their students. The material and information transferred must be relevant to the setting and overall goal of the course. The mode in which education is conducted should be done so in more than one manner and in ways that is active and interesting to the student. Lastly and what I believe to be the most important aspect of the learning process, there must be a will by the student to learn; gather information, critically think, actively create questions, participate on all levels and realize the importance education has on not just their future, but their overall well-being.
This course has taught me that education, critical thinking, creativity and pursuit of knowledge do not end once outside of the classroom, but rather begin. Almost all of the information that I have gathered this past semester has been done so once outside of our class room setting and out from under the presence of our professor. Through actively reading articles and books by highlighting and annotating, watching and listening to informational videos and podcasts, the information I had access to and then retained was done so on my own. It was not until I brought this information and new found knowledge into our class room setting that I began our creativity process. Implementing this information into our tweets; pad let walls, video discussions, response pages, essays and projects, created our classroom balance of information seeking and gathering and remix creativity. I have come to realize the classroom is where creation and knowledge sharpening takes place but it is outside of the classroom, by the efforts of the information seeker, where the beginning of education takes place.
-Please view my personal recording pertaining to the points of emphasis for the paper located to the left. Thank You.
Citations:
-The RSA. (2010, October 14). Changing Education Paradigms. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U
-TED. (2012, August 10). Creativity Is a Remix/ Kirby Ferguson/ TED Talks. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd-dqUuvLk4
-Bowker, M.H. (2010). Teaching Students to Ask Questions Instead of Answering Them. Thought and Action, pp. 127-134. Retrieved from: https://summerinstitute2014.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/bowker-teaching-students-to-ask-questions1.pdf