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ISTE. Robinson, LeAnne K; Brown, Abbie; Green, Tim. “The Threat of Security Hindering Technology Integration in the Classroom.” Learning & Leading with Technology. September/October 2007.
The processes and increased permissions needed to use available technological resources have become so extensive that many teachers are no longer integrating technology into the classroom, or they are not allowed to be functional within their restrictions. This is not advantageous because teachers should integrate technology into the classrooms and curriculums. While security and safety is important for a number of reasons, the goal of improving student learning through the integration of technology is becoming harder to achieve. Access is one of the necessary conditions for full integration. It is important to correct this hindrance, because the presence of technology in PK-12 classrooms is a contributing factor in the development of more authentic and opportunistic learning environments.
1. What are the threats demanding the security?
Emails and inappropriate/untrustworthy sites may contain viruses. These viruses can over-take the computer and stop productivity and classroom lessons. In computer labs, students may forget to log off the computer, leaving their information and resources vulnerable to outside use.
2. What are examples of security hindering technological integration?
Some schools do not allow teachers to burn CDs via the CD-RW drives because teachers could violate copyright laws if they are allowed to freely burn CDs. This feature would be useful to teachers who would like to burn their PowerPoint presentations or send home documents with selected students. Some teachers no longer integrate technology into their curriculums because of the conflicts and hassle of increased permissions needed to use the available technological resources. With email being monitored, teachers are afraid to check email at school for fear that people (even parents and other teachers) may send something that is offensive to the person monitoring the email. This limits the communication link between teachers with parents, students, and coworkers, yet teachers are expected to communicate with these people. Automatic log-off screens in computer labs log students off during small group or lecture time, erasing their current projects and open windows. Constant concern about loosing work distracts students from learning and creates a negative attitude towards computers. Additionally, teachers are often required to have webpages for students and parent accessibility, but districts filter web resources that teachers cannot access. Teachers are then monitored on what can be posted on their pages, and are limited to the templates of the districts.
ISTE. Resnick, Mitchel. "Sowing the Seeds of a More Creative Society." Learning & Leading with Technology. Dec/Jan 2007/2008. <http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/Current_Issue/L_L_December_January_2007_2008.htm>
In our rapidly changing world, success is not based solely on what we know, but rather on our ability to think and act creatively. People must continually come up with creative solutions to unexpected problems. The challenge is to form a classroom that will focus on helping students develop as creative thinkers, to help them succeed in real life problems outside of graduation. New technologies have the potential to help people develop as creative thinkers, if they are properly designed and used.
Resnick uses two technologies called Crickets and Scratch to support the thinking spiral. In this spiral, people imagine what they want to do, create a project based on these ideas, play with their creations, share their ideas and creations with others, and reflect on their experiences, causing them to imagine new ideas and projects. This process allows children to better understand the interactive objects in the world around them, learn important science and engineering concepts, and to create and control things in the physical and online world. Students will be better prepared for learning and creating in our Creative 21st Society!
1. How do Crickets aid in developing creative thinking?
Crickets are designed to link children between the concept of technological applications (ie: automatic doors, automatic lights, stuffed animals that talk when you squeeze them, etc) and creating them. Cricket is a technological tool that allows children to connect lights, motors, and sensors to it, and then program their creations to spin, light up, and play music. Children can then get creative with their inventions and create things such as musical sculptures, interactive jewelry, and dancing creatures. One child created an alarm clock that, when prompted by sunlight coming through his window, would play music and twirl a feather onto his face. Children can be inventors and create functional products with Crickets.
2. How does Scratch aid in developing creative thinking?
Scratch gives students the abilities to create and control things in the online world. Students can create interactive stories, games, and animations, and then share them on the web. They can create reports and presentations unique to the typical PowerPoint presentation. Students must set design goals for their projects, problem-solve to fix program bugs, collaborate, cooperate, and co-teach to produce a product. Children can be the initiators of their own learning and creations!
ISTE. Allen, Josh & Kolb, Liz. “Should Cell Phones be Banned from Classrooms?” Learning & Leading with Technology. Dec/Jan 2007/2008. Cell phones are often used in classrooms for non-educational purposes. There are plenty of negatives that are associated with cell phone use in classrooms. For instance, paying for cell phone plans are expensive, cell phone use would cut into the already limited class time, not all students have them, and cell phones generally serve as distractions for the students. However, there are also positives associated with cell phone use that often go overlooked. Students can 
use the information and tools learned via their cell phones and integrate them into their professional lives. It is also another way for schools to connect to the real world. Cell phones can be used for knowledge construction, data collection, and collaborative communication. Students can then become more competitive in the 21st-century world. Cell phones can be audio recorders, digital video camcorders, still cameras, note-taking devices, calculation devices, scheduling and management tools, phone conferencing devices, Internet researching tools, faxing and scanning devices, blog and Web page editors, or even audio assessment recorders. Web-based software can also be accessed from cell phones and used to a child’s benefit (ie: Jott allows a hearing impaired students to record audio on a cell phone to create text-written emails). Another unique feature of cell phones can be to take pictures during a field trip and create a slideshow for future reflection.
1. Why would schools allow the use of cell phones when the same features can be accomplished with computers?
Many schools struggle to finance the newest hardware and software for teaching. To keep updated technologically is a very expensive and complex process, as technology is always changing. Cell phones are technological tools that most students already own, are familiar with, and are tools that the school does not have to fund. Additionally, more families have access to cell phones than they do computers.
2. How can using cell phones in the classroom affect students’ everyday lives?
Students can apply their knowledge of cell phone functions to their everyday lives, even their professional careers one day. Some jobs are completely mobile, and some job interviews are done via phone. Students can redirect their evaluation of cell phones as social toys to cell phones as tools for knowledge construction, allowing them to be competitive in the future. This opportunity will also allow students an opportunity to learn proper phone etiquette.
Collaborative documents are online applications that allow for the creation and revising of documents, spreadsheets, and presentationware. These documents can be used for individual use (to edit, save, store, and compare document versions), or group use (to edit, contribute, share, or publish documents). I learned from the threaded discussions the various collaborative document applications, their uses, and their pros and cons. Teachers use document sharing to build and refine curriculums, prepare lessons via collaborative document sharing, and have virtual meetings. Students can use document sharing to do both group and individual work. Students can write research papers together, prepare for student presentations, track their document versions, collaborate on work, store their work safely, and share their work with the people they choose (ie: teachers, other students, etc).1. What are the applications available for collaborative documents?There are 5 main collaborative document applications mentioned on the Classroom 2.0 website. The applications are:GoogleDocs (http://docs.google.com) GoogleDocs allows you to create documents from scratch, such as bulleted lists, sorting by columns, adding tables, images, comments, formulas, changing fonts, and more. You can create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations online. You can also upload your existing files in more popular file formats. You can then edit, collaborate, and share these projects. It’s free!YourDraft (http://yourdraft.com) Your Draft is a WYSWYG online editor, which allows you to save and share and publish as documents as HTML. Others can either read or edit your page, adding replies. You can use it to manage content on your webpages, and there is 100% clientside encryption so only you can read your documents without permission granted. There is no registration required, and you can share without passwords. WriteWirth (http://writewith.com) With WriteWirth you can upload documents, share with other people, chat, assign tasks, and track everyone’s actions with a comprehensive history. You can get feedback and blog.Zoho Writer (http://writer.zoho.com/) Spreadsheets, presentationware, and word processing are among the applications accessible with Zoho. These applications can be added to your windows office toolbars, and enable quick uploads. Zoho docs come with a set of templates, and can be added as pages to a Zoho Notebook. Zoho also has a virtual meeting function.WriteBoard (http://writeboard.com/) Writeboard allows you to create sharable, web-based text documents that let you save every edit, roll back to any version, and easily compare changes. This can be done solo or in collaboration with others. Writeboard is perfect for students, professors, and groups collaborating on a paper, as well as authors, editors, publishers, bloggers, songwriters, poets, comedians, and creatives. 2. What are the pros and cons of collaborative document sharing?PROS: Collaborative document sharing helps teams of teachers build and refine the curriculum online and at home, instead of spending extra hours in school. They can also prepare presentations and lectures. Some document sharing sites even allow for online meetings. Using the word processing applications, you can write without fear of losing or overwriting a good idea, compare different document versions, collaborate with others, and keep your writings organized. Students can work of assignments together without physically being present. CONS: However, it is possible to edit over each other’s work. You may have your work accidentally deleted or edited over, loosing your content. Additionally, collaboration will not allow for real-time questions and answers, prolonging the completion of a project. For instance, you may have finished your section, but you are waiting on your partners to include their sections, and you have to just keep checking for their updates. Overall, however, collaborative documenting can be a wonderful educational tool!
ISTE. Richard, Virginia. “Technology Incentives.” Learning & Leading with Technology. September/October 2007.
Many teachers admit that their primary hindrance in implementing technology into the classroom is the lack of time to train. It is important to motivate teachers to attend professional development training. To motivate teachers, districts should make sure peer coaching and mentoring are in place to receive support and follow-up technical assistance, districts should sell teachers on the “dream” of using technology in the classrooms, districts should set up a marketing campaign for teachers, and provide access for teachers and students to use their training. The administrator must envision, develop, and implement a technology plan that clearly delineates the goals and action steps required to provide technology professional development. Also, everyone must schedule time to collaborate, and incentives should be the bait to hook all the teachers! Polk County is an excellent district to model after.
1. What are good incentives?
Once teachers attend training, the best incentive is to provide the technology and software immediately for their classroom! This way, teachers can utilize what they learn. Having students additionally train in a certain technology or technological product can provide support and confidence for the teacher to instill this advancement into their curriculum. Additionally, students can also coach each other and teachers can become more active facilitators. Another incentive is enabling student engagement, which is a highlight for every teacher. Marketing can also be motivational. Districts can put into place Star Groups, which model technology teachers, administrations, instructional television specialists, media specialists, and network managers. Having coaches to answer questions is also a plus.
2. How can you motivate teachers?
Structuring professional development according to skill level for the teachers can eliminate intimidation and allows the training to meet all teachers’ needs. Give good incentives. Provide different incentives to draw different teachers. Promote teacher and student interaction. Allow the incentives to provide access. Provide administrative support and district support.
Kiekel, Jean and Stelacio, Diane. “Is Distance Learning Effective?” Learning & Leading with Technology. September/October 2007.Distance learning is becoming more popular with the advancements in technology eliminating many of the previously known barriers to distance learning. The focus is shifting from teacher-centered to learner-centered. Many learners live in rural communities that do not have access to well qualified teachers, especially in high-level courses. Alaska is a good example of this. Distance learning is effective in these situations, and works in accordance with the No Child Left Behind Policy. Distance learning is also effective when only a few students want to take a course, maintaining depth in the curriculum even if enrollment isn’t high.The best distance learning opportunities require effective interaction, resulting in active participants. Students must feel safe to enter, explore, connect, and apply the content. Students should be encouraged to use their own learning styles to explore a subject. The teacher must be present for feedback and questions. Ideally, students should strengthen their technology skills and strengthen their writing skills. There are many occupations that are looking for these qualities.
1. What is the main type of distance learning?Online learning is the main type of distance learning. It does not replace the instructor with technology, but brings the teacher and technology together. The teacher and student are not geographically present at the same time and location, but the instructor responds with present time, clear expectations and timelines, private and group discussion areas, and online access at any time.2. What are the drawbacks to distance learning?Not all distance learning is equal. There are four main components to learning: interaction with the content, interaction with the instructor, interaction with classmates, and interaction with self. Not all of these components are addressed in distance learning, and independence may get replaced with isolation. Students must be self-motivated, interested in the subject matter, and able to meet deadlines, or else they will not do well with distance learning. Additionally, the communication style changes from verbal to written with distance learning, and teachers must be effective with written communication and make sure not to let that be a hindrance to student learning.
Willard, Nancy and Wietecha, Lynn. "Should Schools Regular Offsite Online Behavior?" Learning & Leading in Technology. March 2007.The question is whether or not schools should respond to student off-campus internet postings. This is a confrontational issue, with more than one viewpoint to consider. If there is a harmful student posting, that may threaten another person's well-being, school officials should get involved. Many times harmful postings at home are felt very significantly at school. Issues such as gossip, anger, hate, embarrassment, and cyberbullying may result from inaction on the school's behalf to intervene. However, some issues are minor and should be left for the student and parents to resolve. Some students may not be at a level in which they are responsible enough to post content maturely, but that is ultimately a family decision since it takes place in the home, although a teacher may give input. There are two sides to the issue.1. What is an example of when school regulation of offsite online behavior would have been beneficial?In Japan, one student posted something online from home that angered another girl. The girl then came to school and killed the student on school grounds. Unfortunately some students have been known to commit suicide. It would have been beneficial to have had an intervention here by the school before the murder or suicides. 2. What is the argument for school's not regulating student offsite online posting?While it is reasonable to expect teachers to teach safety issues with students, it may be a stretch to ask teachers to monitor all student postings offsite. It is nearly impossible for teachers to know all of the sites each student posts on and how often they do so. By teaching good safety practices, it is up to the students to put the lessons into practice. An example is that you can stress the importance of looking both ways, but it is unreasonable to expect the teacher to walk to every street crossing with every student to ensure safe crossings.
