Journal Post #4

Focus question: How are lesson planning and student assessment enhanced by technology?

Lesson planning and student assessment are greatly enhanced by technology through the programs, websites, and apps that are available now a days. In previous years the only way to create a lesson plan was to brainstorm with fellow teachers or to just use your own brain or maybe even a book, but with the technology we have today educators can look for help in places they didn't even think of before. There are websites made especially for teachers so they can find ideas, websites made by teachers where ideas can be shared. There are also online According to the textbook Transforming Learning with New Technologies, it is easy to find already assembled lesson plans for any topic. There are also numerous apps available where you can download them to your phone or iPad and have your lesson plan, take notes on the classroom, etc and have that tool at your fingertips whenever it is needed.  Student assessment is also made easier with the new technology available. There are websites such as rubistar4teachers.org, where teachers can find rubrics that are all ready to go or they can personalize them to their own needs. There are also those little devices where you can type in answers and it sends them directly to the teacher. There re so many websites, apps, and devices that are available.

The tech tool link that I decided to explore was www.learner.org  . This website is a multimedia curriculum resource center. You can find lesson plans, activities, and videos for any topic and all grades. I explored it and I thought it was amazing. The thing that stood out to me the most was options they have for learning foreign languages. I think it is so cool how children can learn a different language so quickly, so it is great to see that they have fun and different activities available to give students.

Summary: This chapter mostly discussed the different technological tools that are available to help teachers in lesson planning, teaching in the class, and student assessment. There are so many websites, apps, programs, and devices that can be used and in so many different ways. I believe this type of technology is very much needed because it makes it so much easier for teachers. I believe it helps cut down the amount of time they spend in planning and gives more time where it is most needed, which is giving attention to the students. It makes the teacher more available when help is required and makes it easier for a teacher to quickly assess students' needs.




http://abaschool.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Technology-600x182.jpg

 Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2012).Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN:10 0-13-159611-X, ISBN:13 978-0-13-159611-5    

Journel Post #3 Common Core Standards

The common core standards a foundation of standards that provides a clear understanding of what is expected of students at each grade level. The common core are based on mathematics and English language arts, which then broadens into other subjects. Teachers are supposed to focus more on these subjects because they are "core" subjects. "It is important to recognize that “fewer standards” are no substitute for focused standards. Achieving “fewer standards” would be easy to do by resorting to broad, general statements. Instead, these Standards aim for clarity and specificity."(http://www.corestandards.org/) The mathematics standards are divided very specifically into each domain. For example, in a math class the students are learning about division. The teacher will teach the concept, show examples, give students individual practice, review, and then test the students. This method of teaching is supposed to help the students clearly understand the subject matter. The English language arts branches out into literacy in history/social studies, science and technical subjects. The standards for these subjects are supposed to prepare students for the college and career world by no later than the last years of their high school education. These also are divided carefully.

I do believe that the common core standards are effective to a certain extent, but it does have its drawbacks. I think a very positive thing about the standards is that it requires there to be accommodations for English Language Learners. I think that is very important since this country welcomes immigrant students. Without the standards I feel like it would be more difficult for educators to find a way to make it easier for those students to learn the subject matter. I also think it is great that the standards give teachers a guideline and gives them clear expectations. 

Some points to the standards is that the students are not retaining the information. Since they know what they are expected to learn and they know that it will only be required for the testing, then they just memorize in order to pass, but then they forget the information. 

http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards
http://opportunityequation.org/
http://dianeravitch.net/

Journal Post #2 Benefits and Drawbacks of Technology

"The truth is that the face of K-12 education is in a constant state of change. Educators that have been in the field for several decades may notice that the speed at which changes in methodology and student population are taking place is on a high-speed course compared to the past. Many factors play into this but none as strongly as technological advancements. The Internet, wireless devices and improvements in communication all heighten the immediacy for information both within and without the classroom." (Matthew Lynch, Ed. D)

I agree one hundred percent that the face of education is constantly changing. Especially where technology is involved. I believe that it can be very beneficial, but hindering if not controlled. It is inevitable that children will be exposed and as the years progress be more technology savvy. In result of this, schools have to constantly find new ways to incorporate technology in the classroom. The internet, cell phones, eBooks,  are all great tools that can help students explore and gives them access to information that nobody ever thought possible. But just as Matthew Lynch points out, it is too soon to know if this generation of kids will be more successful and if technology really is as beneficial as many think it is.

While technology being introduced in schools can be very beneficial, it also has its drawbacks. Children have such easy access to so much information that was never available before. When utilized correctly it it great, but there is also a lot of junk out there. Based on my personal observations, I see that kids are losing their social skills. Students should be able to come to school and be social and know how to carry  on an educated discussion in the classroom, but instead all they can think about is social media. Although that can be a great tool, I feel like face to face and personal relationships with classmates need to be established. I also agree with Matthew Lynch that it does make it difficult to keep the students' attention. It is difficult enough, but when they have easy access to tablets or their phones that is what they are constantly talking about.

I feel like it is difficult to say if technology is one hundred percent beneficial or one hundred percent a drawback. At the moment it is a grey area for me. Once the younger generations start going into their careers and bringing their knowledge into the real world, then we will truly know what the results are to these constant changes. 

http://www.supportingeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/technology-naysayer.gif

Source

Lynch Ed. D, Matthew. K-12 Technology: Benefits and Drawbacks.08/27/2013

Journal Post #1 Schools That Practice Learning-Literacy

In his blog David Warlick makes so many fantastic points that really open up our minds to the reality of today's world of education. He says that in a school that practices learning-literacy, the distinction between students and teachers begin to blur. I agree because throughout my years in school I have noticed that when I stop to help somebody and reteach the material I have just learned that I become more comfortable. I believe using this approach in the classroom is very innovative. An idea that popped into my head that can be used in any classroom is having the students find a topic they are not familiar with and make a presentation using Multimedia and teach their classmates what they have learned.That way technology can be introduced into the classroom at an earlier age. He also says that there is less reliance on textbooks and authority, and more reliance on the work of learning. Unlike years ago, students are now encouraged to challenge and be open to all types of possibilities. I believe it is very important to do so because it teaches students how to find more and reliable information. Nowadays students don't just rely on textbooks, they have millions of learning materials available to them on the web. That is why I believe it is a good tactic to ask students to always support their answer with reliable information they have found on the internet as well as textbooks. My favorite point that he made was that teachers teach from new learning, as master learners. He is completely correct saying that teachers need to continue finding new things to learn because the world does not stop evolving after graduation. That 100 percent includes bringing technology into the classroom. I personally struggle with technology, but as a future educator I am going to have to push myself to continue learning in order to be the best teacher to my students.

Summery:
David Warlick's blog is about the different attributes of a school that practices learning-literacy. He talks about how technology has helped the world of education evolve and has brought an abundant amount of information to the fingertips of students and educators. Warlick mentions that it can be somewhat of a struggle to learn and step out of the comfort zone of old fashioned textbooks.

Warlick, D. (2012, October 22). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?p=3733 

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