This is from an archived blog posted by David Kuropatwa, from Saturday, February 28, 2009. It is titled "Google Never Forgets" and contains the contents of another blog posted by Seth Godin. David said he plans to share the contents of this blog with his classmates.
The blog has to do with your digital footprint and the effects of what you post online now may have on your future in terms of employment, friends and so forth. The entry contained a request for a babysitter on Craigs list. When the person googled the applicant's names, one had a My Space showing how they love to binge drink, another had a shoplifting police record, and the other had left a blog stating how they had to apply for a menial job beneath them and would quit the minute they sold a painting.
The whole idea is that what you do now ends up as your permanent record--"Google never forgets!" The recommendation of the blog was to leave a "trail of good stuff" and to always act as if you're on candid camera. I thought this was interesting in terms of the discussions we have had in this class. It is certainly something to make clear to our students and to remember for ourselves.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Response to Damon's presentation:
I found the visit from Damon into our elive classroom to be fun and interesting. It really made me stop and try to visualize life in the bush and in rural Alaska. As I listened to him talk and looked at his list of technologies and ideas I realized that these students have obstacles to overcome in terms of distance, but they also have a lot of advantages in variety, new technology, and specialized presentations. It really is a whole new way of looking at education.
I like the idea of an open system and open source and the use of DART in which parents and teachers can communicate, as well as an open content wiki. I think this may be a tool that is useful not just for long distance, but in the classroom such as with EAL students. It may serve as a way to help the parent help their child with homework, and in finding ways to communicate so that the child can stay on top of his learning. I guess I'm thinking it may be a way to help close the culture gap between home and school, so that the student receives more effective learning. I would have to investigate exactly how that might work.
Overall I found his talk to be interesting and informative. I just wonder what types of training there is in the ASD in terms of implementing new technology into the classroom.
I like the idea of an open system and open source and the use of DART in which parents and teachers can communicate, as well as an open content wiki. I think this may be a tool that is useful not just for long distance, but in the classroom such as with EAL students. It may serve as a way to help the parent help their child with homework, and in finding ways to communicate so that the child can stay on top of his learning. I guess I'm thinking it may be a way to help close the culture gap between home and school, so that the student receives more effective learning. I would have to investigate exactly how that might work.
Overall I found his talk to be interesting and informative. I just wonder what types of training there is in the ASD in terms of implementing new technology into the classroom.
Following:
So once again I am pulling from David Kuropatwa's archived material. This post was made on Monday, April 13, 2009, and is titled "My Class Blogs-Part 5". As part of the preparation for his calculus student's final exam, David has them create a Wiki Solutions Manual.
Each student is instructed to make two edits to the wiki. The first edit is a "contribution", in which they have to solve, write out and annotate one of the problems. They are instructed to write clear and well defined so that interested persons can learn from the problem. The second edit they are to make is a "construction", in which they edit someone else's work. This can be an error correction, a re-organization, or just adding some sort of color. They are encouraged to be creative. The result is a wiki that becomes a "collaborative solutions manual!"
I think this is a great idea, where the students share their work and can learn from one another. I was thinking that this may be a good idea for a 5th or 6th grade class to do as a way to help each other on their homework and mentor one another. It could serve as a form of tutoring. It also would not have to be just math. Student's could post ideas and suggestions in regard to other types of homework as well. It certainly is something worth thinking about, especially in terms of incorporating technology into the classroom.
Each student is instructed to make two edits to the wiki. The first edit is a "contribution", in which they have to solve, write out and annotate one of the problems. They are instructed to write clear and well defined so that interested persons can learn from the problem. The second edit they are to make is a "construction", in which they edit someone else's work. This can be an error correction, a re-organization, or just adding some sort of color. They are encouraged to be creative. The result is a wiki that becomes a "collaborative solutions manual!"
I think this is a great idea, where the students share their work and can learn from one another. I was thinking that this may be a good idea for a 5th or 6th grade class to do as a way to help each other on their homework and mentor one another. It could serve as a form of tutoring. It also would not have to be just math. Student's could post ideas and suggestions in regard to other types of homework as well. It certainly is something worth thinking about, especially in terms of incorporating technology into the classroom.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Following:
Once again David Karopatwa has not blogged recently so I again searched through the archives of his blogs. I came across this blog posted on Saturday, April 11, 2009, titled "Rules We Live By." In this blog Darren discusses how he has become more and more interested in visual design as it pertains to teaching. This is another of many blogs that he has posted that have to do with visual content. I find this interesting given that he is a math teacher. In this blog he showed slides with fascinating pictures that he used to relate his Introduction of Statistics to real life applications for his students.
Darren then listed these Rules to Live by:
Break apart big ideas into smaller bite-sized pieces
Simplify the message (even when discussing game theory to predict the future)
Give a message space to stand out and contrast to focus attention
Use more visuals and less words
Use clear, easy- to- read charts with simple shapes and colors to add texture and clarity.
He noted that these ideas work best especially when presenting more conceptual ideas.
I believe that his goal is to allow students the opportunity to formulate opinions and ideas on their own. He seems to give his students a venue to construct their own learning and he is there to help facilitate the process. I think that as a teacher I need to be aware of my approach as to what I am trying to convey to the students so that I allow them the ability to think for themselves without me doing all the talking. I guess I need to be sure to credit them with the ability to expand their thought processes to grab onto big ideas.
I know that it is true that visuals do stimulate our thought processes in ways that words alone do not. And if children are presented with clear images that relate in relevant ways their learning to the real world they live in, then they will be stimulated to participate and even eager to learn more. I think that is what every teacher would wish for.
Darren then listed these Rules to Live by:
Break apart big ideas into smaller bite-sized pieces
Simplify the message (even when discussing game theory to predict the future)
Give a message space to stand out and contrast to focus attention
Use more visuals and less words
Use clear, easy- to- read charts with simple shapes and colors to add texture and clarity.
He noted that these ideas work best especially when presenting more conceptual ideas.
I believe that his goal is to allow students the opportunity to formulate opinions and ideas on their own. He seems to give his students a venue to construct their own learning and he is there to help facilitate the process. I think that as a teacher I need to be aware of my approach as to what I am trying to convey to the students so that I allow them the ability to think for themselves without me doing all the talking. I guess I need to be sure to credit them with the ability to expand their thought processes to grab onto big ideas.
I know that it is true that visuals do stimulate our thought processes in ways that words alone do not. And if children are presented with clear images that relate in relevant ways their learning to the real world they live in, then they will be stimulated to participate and even eager to learn more. I think that is what every teacher would wish for.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Following:
Darren Kuropatwa did not post a new blog this week, so I went into his archives to June 30, 2009. This blog shared a two minute video clip titled "Ted, Ideas Worth Spreading", from TED.com, featuring Arthur Benjamin made in February of 2009. In this clip Arthur Benjamin, a math professor, states that at the top of the math pyramid of learning we find calculus. He asserts that instead, the top of the pyramid of mathematical learning should be statistics and probability. Benjamin affirms that the laws of nature are written and defined in calculus and that it is necessary for science and engineering. However, he believes that in our everyday lives we should and do use statistics involving the random understanding of data. He says that statistics could help our economic woes and can be fun. He notes that games and gambling are based on statistics and probabilities.
Benjamin advocates that math curriculum needs to change from "analog to digital" in the sense of moving from classical continuous forms of data to discreet and to the randomness of data that would be more significant in our everyday lives. The clip ended with him advocating that curriculum and math learning would be far more significant if students understood what two deviations from the "mean means," and he said he "means" it.
For me this post just serves to re-emphasize what all educators should understand--that what we teach should be current and relevant to the student. Students will learn and retain more information if it is meaningful and relevant to their everyday lives, rather than just learning standard, traditional material that uses rote learning, consisting of meaningless facts and equations.
Benjamin advocates that math curriculum needs to change from "analog to digital" in the sense of moving from classical continuous forms of data to discreet and to the randomness of data that would be more significant in our everyday lives. The clip ended with him advocating that curriculum and math learning would be far more significant if students understood what two deviations from the "mean means," and he said he "means" it.
For me this post just serves to re-emphasize what all educators should understand--that what we teach should be current and relevant to the student. Students will learn and retain more information if it is meaningful and relevant to their everyday lives, rather than just learning standard, traditional material that uses rote learning, consisting of meaningless facts and equations.
Reviewing the Standards (NETS-T)
In reviewing the NETS-T it is apparent that we have definitely met Standards:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity,
2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments,
3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning,
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility, and
5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership.
The two different lesson plans that we developed meet standards #1 and #2. These assignments inspire creativity as well as use our knowledge of the subject matter, teaching and learning and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. My lesson plan that used nasa. gov allows students to explore real-world issues and solve problems using digital tools and resources the same as the other sites that were chosen. The same is true with the lessons using voice-threads, the students can collaborate, comment and participate in the process and thus allow for reflection and clarity of their conceptual understanding, thinking, planning, and creative processes. It also incorporated our own creativity and skill in thinking and planning.
The lesson plans also incorporated the use of contemporary and digital tools and resources to maximize content learning and allow for creativity.
The assignments on Copyright and Digital Citizenship distinctly met standard #4, promoting and learning about safe digital practices, etiquette, and responsibility.
We have discussed standard #6 in terms of continuous growth and improvement and what that means for educators. Our blogs certainly allow for us to participate in a global community and and glean as well as share information. I think that we have thoroughly covered and met all of the standards in this class. Much of the process will be up to us and how we incorporate and use this information in our professional practice.
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity,
2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments,
3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning,
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility, and
5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership.
The two different lesson plans that we developed meet standards #1 and #2. These assignments inspire creativity as well as use our knowledge of the subject matter, teaching and learning and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. My lesson plan that used nasa. gov allows students to explore real-world issues and solve problems using digital tools and resources the same as the other sites that were chosen. The same is true with the lessons using voice-threads, the students can collaborate, comment and participate in the process and thus allow for reflection and clarity of their conceptual understanding, thinking, planning, and creative processes. It also incorporated our own creativity and skill in thinking and planning.
The lesson plans also incorporated the use of contemporary and digital tools and resources to maximize content learning and allow for creativity.
The assignments on Copyright and Digital Citizenship distinctly met standard #4, promoting and learning about safe digital practices, etiquette, and responsibility.
We have discussed standard #6 in terms of continuous growth and improvement and what that means for educators. Our blogs certainly allow for us to participate in a global community and and glean as well as share information. I think that we have thoroughly covered and met all of the standards in this class. Much of the process will be up to us and how we incorporate and use this information in our professional practice.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Following:
On Wednesday, October 21, 2009, David Kuropatwa put together a list of bloggers who use the daily student "scribes" he discussed in an earlier posting. This is where one student is selected each day to write out the text and classroom learning for the day for the rest of the class or for absent students. Long distance students can also access these blogs from around the world. This list may be worth referring back to when I begin to teach to glean information as to how other teachers use "scribes" as well as how students can teach other students.
On Friday, October 23, 2009, he shared his new Math 10 Curriculum. Blogs like his are important to keep in mind and follow because they are filled with invaluable information from seasoned teachers.
On Friday, October 23, 2009, he shared his new Math 10 Curriculum. Blogs like his are important to keep in mind and follow because they are filled with invaluable information from seasoned teachers.
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