Journal #4: “It's Time to Trust Teachers with the Internet: a Conversation with Meg Ormiston” (NETS-T III-V)

Schaffhause, D. (2010, December 1). It's time to trust teachers with the internet: a conversation with meg ormiston. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/12/01/its-time-to-trust-teachers-with-the-internet-a-conversation-with-meg-ormiston.aspx?sc_lang=en

Summary:  Meg Ormiston works with schools as a consultant and she works on integrating technology into the classrooms. She argues that while educators are required to incorporate technology into their teachings and classrooms, school policy, flawed IT departments and stressed administrations are only creating barriers for them. Ormiston claims that schools simply don’t trust teachers with the Internet. School administrators believe that they, not the teachers, should decide what Web sites are appropriate for the students. Ormiston makes a great point in that if teachers are not trusted enough to select trusted and safe Web sites and materials for students, then should they be trusted to teach at all? Finally, Ormiston suggests that just like in the past teachers previewed films and videos prior to showing them to students to make sure they are appropriate and the same should be done with the Internet today. Teachers are qualified to make these judgment calls; after all, they are responsible for teaching and student learning.

Question #1: Do you agree or disagree with Meg Ormiston in that the use of the Internet should be more feasible for teachers and students in the classroom?

I agree with Meg Ormiston and believe that Teachers should have access to the Internet and use all the technological and educational tools available to keep the learning process for students interesting and motivational. I also agree that teachers should first check out the sites that will be visited in class as a measure of responsibility and to protect students.

Question #2: Some people argue that in order to keep students safe, the IT Department should block all access to the Internet use in the classroom. Do you agree?

Like Ormiston said: “If you’re doing nothing but blocking all day long, teachers are going to give up using technology.” Also, having use of the Internet readily available for teachers in the classroom is a great way for teachers to communicate with the administration in real time. This could be very helpful, especially in an emergency.

Journal #3: “100 Things that make me HAPPY”

 In no particular order…

1.      Lucas, my Chihuahua

2.      Isabella, my 3 year old niece

3.      Michelle, my 14 year old niece

4.      Sleeping in

5.      MUSE, the British rock bank

6.      Luis Miguel, the Latin singer

7.      Sunny, warm days

8.      Halloween

9.      Shopping at Staples or Office Depot

10.  Cabernet Sauvignon

11.  Dish Network

12.  Shopping for shoes

13.  Taco Shop food

14.  Travelling

15.  Going out to eat

16.  Las Vegas

17.  Music Concerts

18.  Lazy Sundays

19.  Long hot showers

20.  Flowers

21.  Flores, Guatemala

22.  Champagne brunch

23.  Family get-togethers

24.  Pandora

25.  Filet Mignon (cooked medium-rare)

26.  Twilight Saga books and movies

27.  TV show “Vampire Diaries”

28.  TV show “How I Met Your Mother”

29.  Pumpkin pie from Costco

30.  Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet

31.  Puppies

32.  Clean bed sheets

33.  Baby commercials

34.  Going to the movies

35.  Wine Tasting

36.  Facebook (although I’m pretty new at it)

37.  Cherry Pie

38.  Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, candied yams, Honey Baked ham, potato salad, pumpkin pie, and bread rolls all on one plate, but only on Thanksgiving Day….and getting seconds, maybe thirds.

39.  Blackberry Torch smart phone

40.  Cheese-all kinds

41.  Giving to charity

42.  Catching up with old friends

43.  Getting into a freshly washed car

44.  Everyone’s optimism at the beginning of the New Year

45.  Romantic Comedies

46.  Comic Con Convention

47.  Watching Disney Movies

48.  Finishing a great book

49.  Barnes & Noble

50.  Receiving greeting card through USPS

51.  Taking my dog out for a walk

52.  Music by Robin Thicke

53.  U2

54.  Home cooked meals

55.  Having a good hair day and makeup day

56.  Baking cupcakes

57.  Spring cleaning (de-cluttering)

58.  Actually making $MONEY$ at a garage sale

59.  Recycling

60.  Skype

61.  Fabric Softener and Dryer sheets

62.  Scent of lavender

63.  Holding a newborn baby

64.  Fresh cup of coffee in the morning

65.  Birds chirping

66.  Silence

67.  Getting a tax refund

68.  Shopping for a Christmas tree

69.  Good health

70.  The feeling after you have paid off a credit card

71.  Estate sales

72.  Maná, the Mexican rock group

73.  LOVE

74.  Being in LOVE

75.  Google

76.  Silver and turquoise jewelry

77.  A nice cold Gallo beer from Guatemala, maybe two

78.  Bacon (thick slices)

79.  Shopping at Costco and knowing that I won’t need toilet paper, tooth paste, vitamins, paper towels, and anything else that I just purchased, again for a long, long, long, time. Also, the food samples are great!

80.  Rainy days (when I get to stay home)

81.  Avocados

82.  The sound of crickets at night, because they remind me of how naive I was as a child…I used to think that those sounds were made by the stars.

83.  Growing up and living in Southern California

84.  Children’s laughter

85.  Getting all the green lights, especially when I’m running late

86.  Learning something new

87.  Being born in the United States of America, the greatest country

88.  When strangers smile at each other and show acts of courtesy towards one another, like opening doors and picking up something the other dropped

89.  When hard work pays off

90.  Singing in the shower and in the car

91.  Mexican TV Novelas

92.  Luis Fernando, my Godson in Guatemala

93.  Going through old pictures and re-telling funny stories

94.  Hearing my dentist say that I have no cavities

95.  Voting, knowing that I have a say on how things may work out

96.  When the sun warms my skin

97.  Planning surprises

98.  Getting a manicure/pedicure

99.  My functional/dysfunctional family

100.Checking off that last item on my “Things to Do” list

Journal #2: “Join the Flock!” (NETS-T I-III & V)

Ferguson, H. (2010). Join the flock!. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/issues/Join_the_Flock.aspx

Summary: According to Hadley Ferguson, educators should know what a Professional Learning Network (PLN) is, why they are useful, and how to start one. Ferguson states that a “PLN is a community of individuals around the world who are learning together.” With the help of Twitter, people can now come together and create a community based on collaboration and learning. In order to create your PLN, you must first set up an account with Twitter and learn how to follow. Once you learn how to follow other people’s tweets, you should start tapping into great lists that other people create. Ferguson suggests that you “watch and listen” to other’s tweets, you can learn from them what tools they are using in the classroom. She also suggests that you “re-Tweet” information that you found insightful and useful. By doing this you are exposing yourself to others that share your ideas, while also expanding your own PLN.

Question #1: As a future educator, do I plan to create my own PLN?

Absolutely, I believe that having a PLN is very beneficial in terms of networking, but also as a way to keep up with new technology and tools that can help with classroom instruction. 

Question #2: What were your initial thoughts about Twitter and have they changed?

To be quite honest, I have always thought that people who have a Twitter account are mostly self-centered and egotistical. I had no idea about the many benefits, especially in education, of having a Twitter account. I am very pleased to learn that Twitter is “Community + Collaboration + Community…all dedicated to making learning and education the best it can be.” My perspective has definitely changed and will be encouraging others to jump on board with Twitter. 

Journal #1: “Do Web 2.0 Right” (NETS-T I-IV)

Light, D. (2011). Do the web 2.0 right. Learning and Leading with Technology, 38(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/issues/Feature_Article_Do_Web_2_0_Right.aspx

Summary: In the article, Do the Web 2.0 Right, author, Daniel Light, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using Web 2.0 tools (blogs and wikis) within the classroom. Light interviewed 39 educators, within 22 different schools, and wanted to learn from them what was successfully working.  According to Light, there are three areas that affect the success of Web 2.0 tools in the classroom, these include; instituting daily practice, carefully considering the audience, and teaching and enforcing appropriate behavior.

The teachers interviewed found that classroom blogs are a great tool to jump start communication. Therefore, daily practice is crucial in maintaining open communication. Blogs were also especially effective for the shy students that normally withdrawal themselves from “actual classroom” discussions. However, some students are fearful of their peers viewing their work and misinterpreting or judging it. So educators must carefully decide who the intended audience will be. Lastly, educators must enforce and require appropriate behavior from their students at all times, even when using Web 2.0 tools. Students should learn to take responsibility of their comments and should be advised that collaboration, as well as mutual respect for one another, is a must.

Question 1:  How do I see myself using this technology in a Spanish classroom setting?

Web 2.0 tools can be very beneficial in a Spanish classroom setting. Allowing students to surf the Internet to find useful information regarding Spanish speaking countries and cultures, and then sharing their findings on a class blog would promote collaboration and insight.

Question 2:  How can I respect/protect my students’ privacy while still using blogs as a teaching tool?

According to Light’s research, blogs typically fell into two categories, individual and classroom. While classrooms blogs are a great way to jump start communication, individual blogs worked best when used primarily as a means of communication between individual students and their teachers. Individual blogs give students the freedom to express themselves, without the fear of having others read and judge their work.

Technology Self-Assessment: School 2.0

Technology Self-Assessment: School 2.0

NETS-T  V  (Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership)

Selected Resource:  Digital Education

After completing the Technology Self-Assessment, I decided to further research NETS-T  V; Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership, because I realize that it is essential to continue to grow as an educator if I want to be effective and show leadership.  The problem that I face is that up until today I had no knowledge as to where to go for additional resources and/or for information regarding new technology and how that technology could be used in a classroom.  I’ve since realized that there is a vast amount of FREE information available to educators online.  The website www.edweek.org is a free site available to anyone interested in education. It contains various current event articles in education as well as the uses/advances of technology in schools.  I found a great article on how Google Apps has expanded to the educational marketplace.  Some of the new Google Apps include student tools for creating e-portfolios and even game based learning apps. What’s even better is that most of these apps are free. Both students and teachers could access these apps via computers, iPhones, iPads, Smart phones, and more.  My anxieties towards not knowing about, or how to use, the  most current and effective technological tools have been dissolved thanks to all the free information that is available online.