Reflection 5: Video Case Analysis

Handhelds Go to Class

Link: http://www.edutopia.org/video/movie.php?reset=cookie&keyword=137&id=Art_955

Outside of Chicago Illinois, Carl Sandberg High School was one of three schools in the Oreland Park School District to receive handheld Palms in 2000. The district distributed 2200 handhelds to the three high schools in the region, and the students had the opportunity to buy/rent the palms for a discounted price or they could use one of the handhelds that were a part of a classroom set. The capabilities of this technology was that it allowed flexibility of the lessons that the teachers prepared, it helped with organization on the students’ part, the handhelds produced timely and quality research, and they allowed interactive participation during lectures and projects inside and outside of school.

The used of the handhelds produced a student-centered learning because the students had control over their individual Palm. The students utilized their handhelds by organizing their own data, submitting their recordings to the teacher, and downloading quality research from sources that they read. The teacher did have some control over the assignments because he/she could change the format of a handout and then “beam” it to the students, and he/she could collect the assignments from the students as they were submitted. I still feel that the technology made for student-centered learning because the teacher and the students had use of the Palms and the students were judging how the handhelds could best fit their learning.

A particular assignment that the video addressed was a biology assignment where the students were asked to calculate their ecological footprints – or in other words “the number of hectors needed to sustain a human being.” The teacher integrated the technology into the assignment by having the students research various terms and ideas on the topic through their Palm, save their research, and then use it to collect data at home. The students then used their handhelds to record their data (food intake, weight of clothing, exercise, etc.), submit it to the teacher, and keep their project organized in their own Palm. The teacher commented on the use of the handhelds in the assignment by saying that the Palms helped the students stay organized because they did not have to mess with a folder, and the Palms also allowed the students to work on their projects inside and outside of class by saving their work. She also said that the handhelds produced more accurate research as well. The teacher made it very clear that she believes that real world learning heavily impacts the classroom and that a big part of education is keeping up with what is going on in the world.

I feel that this technology was a great addition to the classrooms of Carl Sandberg High. Although the video did not address ways to assess the students’ performance, I feel that it would be an easy thing to do. The teachers could always collect the handhelds and go through a quick check to see how well it was organized, or the teacher could also ask the students to print off a progress report from their Palm to monitor how their project is coming along. The teachers could also ask for things to be “beamed” to them so they could get the students work on their own handheld. As with anything, there could be some downfalls in using this technology. For one, if the student forgets his/her Palm then they would not have their information to work ahead on the project, and for two, the risk is always there of students losing/breaking the handhelds. Also, the Palms could bring along distractions such as various internet sites and chatting among students. However, I do feel that the positives of using the Palms outweigh the disadvantages. The advantages of using this technology would definitely be its ability to be small and compact so the students could pick up where they left off once they leave the classroom, and I feel that it offers a great way to stay organized. The Palms also allow the students to access resources to gain quality research which plays a vital role in the students’ learning.

Reflection 5 (Video Case Analysis)

http://www.edutopia.org/video/movie.php?reset=cookie&keyword=037&id=Art_909

Geometry in the Real World: Students as Architects, is a ten minute video about application within Eeva Reeder’s high school Geometry class. The last five weeks of her class are based around teams of two to three students who create a model of a high school in the year 2050. Included in the students’ projects are costs of the building, an architectural sketch, a 3-D model of one classroom within the school, and a final presentation of the complete project. The significance of this specific project is that Eeva had two professional architects come to the school to mentor the students throughout their learning and to evaluate their final projects. Eeva has been doing this project with her students for a few years, and has continued to actively engage her students and impress her colleagues.
There were a few technologies within the video that I recognized, but there was one that I am not familiar with. Students used Microsoft Powerpoint for a part of their presentation, and used an architectural program to create buildings. Within these buildings, students could create layouts of rooms including staircases, windows, tables, chairs, etc. It was nice to see the students smiling and enjoying this project because it was applicable to what some of them might do after their education. All the students produced their own projects using the technologies mentioned with the help of Eeva’s Geometry lessons and the assistance of the two professional architects. Each group had to learn to talk to each other and work toward a compromise in their project, which is a valuable lesson to be allowing them to do early on.
Eeva mentioned that her colleagues ask her how she can allow these students to do a five week project when there are other lessons to be covered. She said that within this project lie the lessons that the students need, and their active engagement in the projects are helping them learn and understand through practical use and discussion. Before Eeva could have begun this project, she would have had to consider what technologies were available to her students, and would those technologies contain the necessary provisions to help the students learn and complete their projects. From a pedagogical standpoint, Eeva would have to consider what cognitive activities that the students would elicit from participating in this project. She would have to ask herself how project-based learning can benefit her students. She probably knew that by giving her students something practical like this and letting them figure it out for themselves, they would become involved in it to a higher degree than normal.
In the video, assessment was based on architectural design, reasoning behind the work, and the presentation itself. Eeva had a rubric for each part of the assessment, so it was noticeable that she had been doing this for a few years and was comfortable with the process. As a teacher in Eeva’s situation, I would not sway from the way that she does it. I am not familiar with the architectural programs that she uses, so I could not compare it with other architectural programs. I might have students take a field trip early on to take pictures of modern architecture or browse the internet to look for modern architecture that could influence students’ ideas. Overall, allowing students to use technology at all is a step in the right direction, as this generation thrives on technology.

Reflection #5 -- Hotlinks

Edublogs.org -- Blog creation site for educators and students
This site allows you to set up your own blog for your classroom (if you're a teacher) or as a student. As some of its features it has spam protection and you can add multiple pages to your website, or upgrade to Premium for even more. The best part of this site is that it was built by educators for educators and have committed themselves to helping other teachers at all levels integrate blogging into their classrooms.
http://edublogs.org/

Answers.com -- Blogs for educators
This site is a compilation of blogs created by educators or people dedicated to research in education and technology. They even have blogs interating subject areas, including a math one! Woo-hoo! :-)
http://www.teachers.answers.com/main/teachers_weblogs.jsp

Weblogg-ed.com -- The read/write web in the classroom
This site has a long list of sample blogs and articles on how you can integrate blogging and other technology into your classroom. All these can be found in the right-hand column under "Categories."
http://weblogg-ed.com/

Reflection #5

http://www.edutopia.org/video/movie.php?reset=cookie&keyword=137&id=Art_1270
The video I watched was called "Highschool.com." It discussed the many different public and private schools that are now offering classes through the Internet. The schools provide classes for students in grades 7-12 and in a variety of subjects, from random electives to AP classes. In the case of Virtual High School (or VHS), a group of public schools came together to create the school. Each school has at least one teacher that has committed to teaching an online course. Of the teachers interviewed, the majority of them liked having a virtual classroom. They said that they have a much more interactive classroom, and are able to meet with more students one-on-one if they need extra help. One teacher even said she feels that she can evaluate students' strengths and weaknesses more quickly in the virtual classroom than a real one. However, even the professionals agree that a student's high school experience should not be limited to only Internet classes; the school social environment has too much of an impact on students lives to be dismissed. In the end, though, it is the students that are in charge of their own education since having online courses, students have to ve self-motivated to keep up with course work. However, with a 90% course completion rate and AP students showing a 10% higher achievement on exames, these Internet classes must be doing something right!

The majority of the technology used in this video includes personal computers, laptops, and the Internet. Students also use other technology such as calculators and conference call systems for certain classes. Nearly all the technology used was student and teacher-centered; both students and teachers had to use the same technology, namely computers and the Internet, for educational success. Using this technology, I believe, does make the lessons more engaging for students. Using a computer is much more interactive than sitting in a classroom where the teacher may or may not be engaging the students. Using computers and the Internet requires students to be attentive and engaged in the what is going on during the lesson. Also, many times students can begin their lessons at a time that is convenient for them. This enables them to choose what time they "go to school" and will most likely be a time when they are more able to concentrate.

From a teacher's point of view, a great deal of planning must go into each lesson taught in a virtual classroom. One educator pointed out that one's tone of voice cannot be used in text form, so he has to be especially careful with how he words instructions and lessons. Also, teachers must take the time to develop their course website and any tools they wish to implement on that site, such as activities, discussion forums, downloads, etc. It is also important for teachers to remember that since not all their students attend the school in which they teach, the instructors must be willing to spend extra time outside of school on the phone (or using other means of communication) with students who need extra help. However, this allows for individualized time with students, as well as a great way to get to know students and develop a relationship with them. Assessment using virtual classrooms can be done any number of ways, including standard tests and quizzes. However, one could also use online activities that track students' achievement and pin-point students' strengths and weaknesses.

Overall, I saw many advantages to using a virtual classroom for a few courses during a student's high school career. Internet classes require that students be self-motivated to complete the course. Students are likely to be more engaged, and teachers can help more students one-on-one using a virtual classroom. However, I believe this only goes so far; a student who does not have a chance to interact face-to-face with their teacher loses the chance to get to know their instructor on an even deeper level. Also, it takes initiative for a student to call a teacher they have never seen or met before. If I were to ever teach a virtual course I almost feel that calling each student before class begins would be at least a good starting point to take the first step and introduce myself.

Reflection 4

As far as my experience with blogging goes, I have not had too much luck. My username and password never work, so I have to reset them eveytime I login to the Team Blog. I like what blogs are capable of, expecially the team blogs where we can post our own comments. It is very similar to our discussions on the M321 homepage with Letter Writing/Field Experiences.

As far as the E-portfolio goes, I am excited to be using this as a professional resource now and in the future as a teacher. I look forward to the completion of it in the future, because then I will see how far I have come in four years, what I have learned and gained from personal experiences, etc.

Reflection #4

My previous experience to blogging before this class was limited. I did have a Xanga website for a while, but I haven't updated it in a long time because I spend more time on Facebook. ;-) But I think having a blog can be very beneficial for my future classroom. I can use it to keep students and their families updated on classroom happenings, as well as post interesting things I find on the Internet. Since the Internet is becoming much more accessible, I think it will be a very good tool for communicating between the classroom and home lives of students.

Thus far, this class has helped me to find a new site to blog and how to use it. I'm interested in learning about how to post other things besides pictures, though. I'd also like to know if there was any way to build in a chat-room or discussion forum for students to talk to each other, instead of just leaving comments on my own posts.

Reflection #3

Throughout my K-12 experience, I encoutered different technologies in my classrooms. These include overhead projectors, computers, TVs, VCRs, calculators, DVDs, the Internet, cell phones, and satellite TV. The best tecnology integration I had in school was in high school. My pre-calculus teacher hooked up her calculator to the overhead projector to show us how to solve problems on our own. The technologies I've had the most experience with inclue the Internet, word processing, e-mail, and power point. The least amount of experience includes podcasts, creating web pages, and games/simulation. I would most like to learn how to create and maintain a website during this course.

The video shown in class two weeks ago included many of my "top five" technological innovations. These include the smart boards, blogs, podcasts, video/audio conferencing, and websites. In my own classroom, I would use blogs and podcasts to keep my students and their families updated on what is going on in my class, as well as giving and receiving feedback. This I think would also be good to post interesting things for student access. The main thing I learned from that class period is that technology is not limited to chalk boards and computers with power point. It is always evolving and there will always be new things to integrate into one's classroom.