Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Homework or not?
I read an article today about a teacher debating weather or not to grade his students homeowrk. And as his thoughts were that giving them homework was like giving them a test to do at home since it is going to be graded. He is thinking that grading homework might be old fashioned and needs to be looked at as just practice, not grades. My here is the article, http://101studiostreet.com/wordpress/?p=583 go ahead and read it, comment on this blog or his on what your thoughts are.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Homework done in the classroom, while lesson done at home?
Here is something for some teachers to think about. A high school math teacher will explain his thoughts in this article.
http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2010/04/transparent-algebra-homework.html
http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2010/04/transparent-algebra-homework.html
Monday, April 19, 2010
Should we really be blocking social media?
http://mashable.com/2010/04/13/social-media-ban-backfire/
This article discusses the unintended negative consequences of restrictive internet filtering policies in education, government and business. Here's the main point from the first two paragraphs:
"Humans have a natural proclivity to want what they cannot have. Our insatiable appetite for sharing information, combined with the nearly limitless ways to access the web have thus far frustrated the most sophisticated attempts to block access to social media services.
From the Great Firewall of China to the public schools of Britain, IT security experts are finding that restricting Internet access can have the unintended consequences of civic backlash, poor worker productivity, and students unprepared for cyber threats."
And here's his point regarding content filtering in schools:
"My own university bans the Internet in some large lecture halls. Yet, when I wander in back of the room before lecture, I see students hunched over cell phones, the signature blue and white colors of Facebook, and an inordinate number of students camped out near the perimeter of the hall, where a weak wi-fi signal permeates the room.
Meanwhile, some schools in Britain have chosen to “lock down” their systems, allowing access to only verified websites. However, a report from their government’s department of education found that “this approach had disadvantages in the schools visited. As well as taking up time and detracting from learning, it did not encourage the pupils to take responsibility for their actions.”
Additionally, children were less likely to understand proper Internet safety when outside of school. By contrast, in those schools that took a more educative approach to e-safety, teachers could use incidents of phishing, cyber-bullying, and inappropriate material as a way to discuss how such encounters should be dealt with in the future. Indeed, in at least one high school where cell phone use was part of the curriculum, the principal noted that inappropriate use of technology is exceedingly rare."
In other words, blocking access to social media sites may ultimately prove more distracting — and potentially more dangerous — to students."
This article discusses the unintended negative consequences of restrictive internet filtering policies in education, government and business. Here's the main point from the first two paragraphs:
"Humans have a natural proclivity to want what they cannot have. Our insatiable appetite for sharing information, combined with the nearly limitless ways to access the web have thus far frustrated the most sophisticated attempts to block access to social media services.
From the Great Firewall of China to the public schools of Britain, IT security experts are finding that restricting Internet access can have the unintended consequences of civic backlash, poor worker productivity, and students unprepared for cyber threats."
And here's his point regarding content filtering in schools:
"My own university bans the Internet in some large lecture halls. Yet, when I wander in back of the room before lecture, I see students hunched over cell phones, the signature blue and white colors of Facebook, and an inordinate number of students camped out near the perimeter of the hall, where a weak wi-fi signal permeates the room.
Meanwhile, some schools in Britain have chosen to “lock down” their systems, allowing access to only verified websites. However, a report from their government’s department of education found that “this approach had disadvantages in the schools visited. As well as taking up time and detracting from learning, it did not encourage the pupils to take responsibility for their actions.”
Additionally, children were less likely to understand proper Internet safety when outside of school. By contrast, in those schools that took a more educative approach to e-safety, teachers could use incidents of phishing, cyber-bullying, and inappropriate material as a way to discuss how such encounters should be dealt with in the future. Indeed, in at least one high school where cell phone use was part of the curriculum, the principal noted that inappropriate use of technology is exceedingly rare."
In other words, blocking access to social media sites may ultimately prove more distracting — and potentially more dangerous — to students."
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Roll Up Laptops
I watched a video this morning on possible new technology on laptops. Laptops that roll up? Really, who would have thought of something like this. Not me but I guess they are really working on something like this. This video will show you all about it.
My thought is, is that it would be the greatest thing ever, but it might be more for things to go wrong. Take a look at the video and discuss it below if you would like.
My thought is, is that it would be the greatest thing ever, but it might be more for things to go wrong. Take a look at the video and discuss it below if you would like.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Classjump
I was introduced today about a new way for teachers to make they webpages. A website called Classjump. I know that most of our teachers are now using Google Apps for their websites but this is also another great tool that we could use. Newell-Fonda teachers are using this as a daily assignment for themselves but making sure that the students no long are able to come back to school, telling the teacher that they didn't know the homework. Because what the teacher will tell them, "well you should have looked on my ClassJump site." I haven't messed with this site much but when I do, I will add to my post. Hopefully in a few days I will know more about this.
So everyone has a computer, now what? and Bytespeed
My next seminars were with the Newell-Fonda School District & Bytespeed Computers, explaining to us what to do with our laptops. Now since we are just in the early stages of implementing a 1:1 institute we still have a lot to do. But some of the things that we learned from this is to pilot them first. By doing this we need to get some students to help us with this by getting a few of the laptops that we are looking at, let them try them, get some feedback from the student, teachers, parents and other staff. Once we get them all figured out on what we want to do, we will go further. But right now we are looking at deciding between Apples and Windows. They both have pros and cons. And as a technology person I'm looking for the best things for our students. But also want to make as simple as I can for our teachers and myself. And with Apple they have some really great products, good professional development and also great support. But they have some downsides on the technician side. How ever the company we are planning on choosing for our Windows side is Bytespeed Computers, and they are working with another company from Milford, Thinix. These two are both working on a user interface that will really be easier for our students. But then the group asked with aren't that we are suppose to be teaching students how to use computer. So if we are teaching them how to use an interface that we create at our district, how are we benefiting them. And I answered back, we aren't suppose to teach them how to use Windows, Apple or Linux, we are there to teach them how to utilize the resources that they have in front of them. So if we gave them a laptop with Apple operating system, that doesn't mean that we are teaching them to like Apple, and even the same with Windows. We are teaching them to take advantage of all the stuff that we supply them.
iPad in Education
http://homepage.mac.com/reece2
Today we attended a conference on 1:1 laptops in schools. My first seminar was on the iPad, which was released this last weekend from Apple. First of all, all it was, was a big sales pitch on the iPad and first of all it was suppose to be about using it in education. Not a thing was taught on how to use it in education. That's because no body knows how to use it yet since it's so new. But my thought on the iPad is that it would be a bit harder to use them. Since they are most of a device that a tool, that's my thought. I say that because since they are more for fun and not learning. First you would have to really watch what you do on it since you can't put on an anti-virus software. Second of all, there isn't quite all the apps out there that are going to work very well for education. Also, how do you keep your students from going to the app store and downloading games and other apps that aren't needed. I didn't really catch a lot of this presentation since it was everything that I have seen on t.v. commercials and on the internet. But to me I don't think that is will work very well in a 1:1 environment. Still looking at PC over Macs.
Today we attended a conference on 1:1 laptops in schools. My first seminar was on the iPad, which was released this last weekend from Apple. First of all, all it was, was a big sales pitch on the iPad and first of all it was suppose to be about using it in education. Not a thing was taught on how to use it in education. That's because no body knows how to use it yet since it's so new. But my thought on the iPad is that it would be a bit harder to use them. Since they are most of a device that a tool, that's my thought. I say that because since they are more for fun and not learning. First you would have to really watch what you do on it since you can't put on an anti-virus software. Second of all, there isn't quite all the apps out there that are going to work very well for education. Also, how do you keep your students from going to the app store and downloading games and other apps that aren't needed. I didn't really catch a lot of this presentation since it was everything that I have seen on t.v. commercials and on the internet. But to me I don't think that is will work very well in a 1:1 environment. Still looking at PC over Macs.
Monday, April 5, 2010
E-hawks on Facebook
You can now find the Emmetsburg E'hawks on Facebook. Search for Emmetsburg E'hawks on your Facebook page and become a fan.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Visual WikiPedia
Electronic Devices or Not?
Where do we draw the line on this subject. Schools are always looking at different things to keep things running smoothly but yet giving students the advantage of electronic devices such as cell phones, iPods and mobile internet devices. But when they start abusing the ability to use these devices what do we do than? Do we take them away completely or not, or do we just allow them. I'm wondering what would happen if you just allow them to use them freely and still giving them rules to follow with them. Will they still abuse the right since it isn't as much fun breaking the rules or will they continue to use them for fun and not education? Now with 21st Century Learning, we really can't keep them from using them because we are suppose to be educating students for the future job world. Studies have shown that the schools that allow these devices have had fewer problems with them school that do ban them. And with the financial situations the way they are we should not be banning them but embracing the students who use this technology. But providing guidelines for the allowed usage would have to be in play a part in this. But as the technology leaders in the schools we need to find was to bring these devices into the education side of things. There is always going to be problems with whatever side you choose but when do we stop fighting the students and try new things. Technology is always going to be changing and with that education will be always to keep up with it and also changing with the new tools that come out for computer, iPods and cell phones. So I leave it at that but there is always discussions allowed.
A good website to check out is PBS Teachers.
Google or Topeka?
Since today is April 1st, also know as April Fools Day, Google has decided to play a trick on us. Instead of having a neat Google logo up top, they changed it up a little today and put Topeka. You can read all about it name changing at Google's "Why We Changed Our Name".
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