American Revolution History Challenge (iRLO)

Ahh…nothing like the last minute. I love pressure.
In creating this iRLO, I invested many, many hours of thought and time. It was VERY challenging to me because of the interconnected and complicated nature of programming. I would like emphasize my appreciation for the simplified process we utilized through the Scratch program. Scratch took most of the work out of true programming and I am lucky to have it as a resource.

Now that I have working model and can adapt it to meet my future needs, I am very excited about the potential for creating multiple activities related to class material and content. I believe these programs are an excellent way to engage students with material. However, I will, over the course of time, improve the questions, add visual appeal, and MUST attempt to incorporate sounds to reinforce the interactive nature.

I am very interested in utilizing this type of program because it is easily accessible outside of school, and if developed appropriately, very engaging with a very broad scope and depth of content. There is a ton of potential here…

American Revolution History Challenge (Scratch Program)

B.8.7 Identify significant events and people in the major eras of United States and world history

The iRLO is developmentally appropriate for 6-8^th grades and probably 9-12^th grade as well depending on individual student needs. The standard I have selected is specified for 8^th grade students but is applicable to younger students as preparation for the standard. Furthermore, it is appropriate as a refresher for students who have theoretically already achieved the standard. I like the statement, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”

The iRLO is developmentally appropriate because the questions are general and highlight significant events during the American Revolution. The wording of questions and answers may be challenging for some students, but the words can be changed to suit the needs of students.

My iRLO is a simple program which asks a series of questions related the history of the American Revolution. The question list is short (only seven questions) but definitely challenges students recollection and/or study skills to find the correct answer.

The iRLO is interactive through the student/user needing to click images and press letter keys which correspond to correct answers to questions. I have included my peers’ suggestions to include responses for incorrect answers, thus increasing the interactive nature of the program. I also changed the timing of words being displayed on screen increase the efficiency of the activity.

Rethinking a Technology Dominated World

Oooh...that last chapter.

After reading the last chapter of Rethinking Education in the Age of Techonology, I am full of many, many reactions, notions, and feelings. Overall, I agree the current system of the institution of school needs to change in big ways for it to be more effective; however, I whole-heartedly resist the idea that the place and purpose of "school" will one day be inneffective and pointless. I do no like the idea of certificates and of students choosing to work versus continuing thier education as soon as middle school. (The suggestion of an eigth grade understanding of math is a joke...right? I hope so.) There is a great benefit to being exposed to, challenged, and required to develop an understanding of a variety of broad topics. The challenge is making interesting and meaningful. 

The sentence which means the most to me is, "The rethinking of education that we promote with this book should aim towards strategies that provide access to the new educational resources for everyone in society, and give people the motivation to take advantage of these resources. This demands rethinking education not in isolation, but considering the interplay of society, education, and learning" (pg 129). I love this sentence; however, the vision and direction the authors see is nothing like my own. I agree in attempting to incorporate technology as a supplemental, engaging, and useful tool/resource, but I will always emphasize the importance of individual thought and contemplation before "asking and searching" for the answer online. The ability to search, evaluate, and decipher informational sources should be emphasized as well due to the increasing diversity and amounts of information available, but becuase I recognize the potential for abusive and inappropriate uses of many forms of technology, I will emphasize and model moderation and responsible utilization.

Interactive Learning Communities

Also, it is my goal to engage students with the material which interests them, but within the required content areas I teach. I will allow as much leeway as possible, but in the end, student focus should be upon a variety of material content. This is a challenge, but is very possible through creative and flexible assessments which utilize individual student interests and strengths. Furthermore, I believe that by attempting to and finding ways to incorportate parents/guardians and other community members into the learning process, relevance of material through opinoins and express creates itself. If recognizable figures and members of students' lives have reactions, thoughts, and feelings about material, then so too will students, even if only on a much smaller level. It is my goal to create an interactive learning community between myself, students, parents/guardians, and larger communities. In this way, I will make learning real.

Habits of Mind

1) From what viewpoint are we seeing, reading, or hearing this?
2) How do we know what we know? What's the evidence, and how reliable is it?
3) How are things, events, or people connected? What is the cause and effect? How do they fit?
4) What if...? Could things be other-wise? What are the alternatives?
5) So what? Why does it matter? What does it all mean? Who cares?

These are an incredible series of questions which all people should ponder at all times. I will incorporate something similar into everthing I attempt to teach.

Peer Led Discussion (What Does it All Mean?)

In coordinating our peer led discussion of the chapter we chose from Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology, our group did an excellent job of suggesting questions and directing the focus of our discussion. In fact, and as Professor Boyer noted, we probably had too much content prepared for an effective in-class discussion. I beleive this is mostly the result of our number of group members (4). Other groups had only two members.

We presented questions to the class, organized and fostered discussion, collected group input via internet/computer access, and attempted to foster further discussion by exploring group contributions. I recall our discussion time went very quickly, especially because of how we shaped the discussion around each member leading a topic. We had a lot of materail!

Overall, I beleive we did a fairly good job of engaging chapter material and invoking class thought beyond the direct content of the chapters. We engaged them by challenging them to think about how they would achieve certain tasks such as communicating with and engaging parents/guardians and students. (This is one of my goals. I envisions parents/guardians and students teaching one another and sharing in the experience of learning.)

As a future educator, I will look back upon this and other experiences and remember the benefits of the challenge presented by having students shape and lead discussion (learning). Many of the best learning experiences, outside of my failures, have occured as I attempted to explain my understanding of material to others. I love it!!

Coping With Technology

In Rethinking Edcuation in the Age of Technology, I really like the ideas of customization, interaction, and learner control. To be honest though, my definitions for these terms and the ideas are not exactly as the authors see them.

Customization

In my mind customization, is found through the variety and types of options students have in shaping and engaging the content materail. As an educator, I envision this as presenting a lesson to include a scope of material and topics, expose students to this information through readings, brief lecture, discusssions, and assessments designed to allow students to explore material. Furthermore, these assessements will then be utilized by studetns to prepare a presentation through which they will communicate thier understandings of material with the class to overlap and cover as much material as possible related to the lesson. Also, I will allow students to suggest assessment topics and formats.

Interactive

The interactive format of learning will incorporate a variety of levels of feedback, such as, my own, peers, parents/guardians, other faculty, principal, etc. I envision fostering the student learning experiences with as much positive reinforcement and criticism as possible. I will make it a point to quickly express to students my thoughts about their achievement and ability. Also, through the utilization of other sources of feedback and assessment, I will incorporate other perspectives and thoughts into students' experiences. In this way, they will be engaged multiple types of positive feedback.

Learner Control

Also, learner control means a that students have a voice in their experience of learning. I will do my best to create a variety of assessment topics and formats, but I will always students to suggest alternative topics and formats. It will be my goal to be flexible and open-minded. Furthermore, in an effort to engage students with their experience of learning, I will allow/require students to reflect upon the tasks and projects they complete, as well as the assessment critiques they recieve.

Certifications

At this point in my experience and understanding of the educational process, I am not sure how to feel about certifications. My initial understanding is based upon the perceived benefits of overall and comprehensive learning. I realize the amount of material makes learning very difficult, but a balance should be achieved between what is required and what is optional. It has been my experience that the more things people learn about the more rounded and appreciative they are of the world around them. This is one of the most important things about education which I whole near and dear to my heart. As an educator, I do not want to produce minds, I want to help people create themselves and make this nation and this world a better place.

Public Service Announcement (PSA)

In creating this PSA, our group prepared a message related to inattentive texting. It is my opinion that attempting to multitask while texting is dangerous, irresponsible, and will lead to larger and long-term social problems than are currently apparent. We do not oppose texting, but we feel texting should be utilized more responsibly and in moderation.

The topic for our PSA took about two days to form as we bounced ideas off one another. After selecting a topic, we spent about an hour discussing ideas for scenes and a theme for our message. While we planned, practiced, and shot our scenes, we felt very confident and hopeful our PSA would turn out to be appealing and effective.

After filming our scenes, I was unable to participate in the editing process becuase I was scheduled to leave for another weekend of military training.

*Also of interest is to note the partners I had arranged to create a PSA with backed out because they decided to change thier grade contract and thus did not need to complete this project. I luckily was able to find Andrea and Molly.

As a future educator, I feel this experience will be beneficail in assisting and development of assessments and my expectations for student achievement. Because I know the fun and challenges of such assessments, I will be able to guide student projects towards successful completion. With the experience of the PSA and SLE, I will attempt to create group projects which are fairly simple, allow students significant autonomy in choosing a topic, and challenge students to effectively organize and communicate the understanding they have developed of material.

Below is the link to our PSA:
http://youtu.be/YszEzo3edww

Public Learning Community (PLC)

BFF's in Broadfield

Our group attempted to put together a rough format which showed specifically how technological resources could be utilzed by teachers overall. We created a theoretically classroom and showed how the technologies could be utilzed together. This was the intent anyway...

From this project, I contemplated a great deal about the technologies which I will undoubtedly utilze in an attempt to engages students both in and out of class, as well as their parents/guardians. I envision a classroom setting which emphasizes students exploring content and asking questions of one another and myself. It is my intent to only lecture when absolutely necessary, such as early on and at the end of a lesson. I intend on fostering student learning through group and individual work as well as a variety of projects. Furthermore, I will also incorporate student presentations into lessons, thus engaging students with each other's learning.

I also intend to engage students with material outside of the classroom as often as possible. I am hopeful students will have access to computers and internet. If not, I will have to adjust fire and attempt to format outside work to be fairly simple and allow for utilization of the computer resources at school.

I also intend to get parents/guardians as involved with students learning as possible. I will do this by creating an online source of some sort through which parents are able to access class assignments, grades, and updates related to class activities. Furthermore, I will develop assessments which challenge students to share thier understanding of material with thier parents/guardians/elders, etc.

In all honestly, I feel my effort in fostering this PLC was very minimal. This is not to say I did very little though. It was my idea to develop a connection between the topics (edmoto, edublog, and John John's rap) to encompass a potential class format and structure. Also, during our discussions about the topic(s), I contributed a fair number of ideas which were incorporated by group members. I don't know if they were already thinking those same ideas, but I did notice my ideas being stated.

In completing this task and presenting our information to class, there are many benefits hidden within the assessment. For me, I believe the most important are cooperation and group work, public speaking (epic fail for me again), and the reflection which occurs afterwards. My thinking about the future teacher I will become has been greatly influenced by my experiences in these classes.

Teaching Ella

I will utilize technology to communicate assignments and expectations to both students and parents/guardians. This will allow access to information by all persons involved and responsible for the education of the students of my classroom. Technology will be the key and like through which I reach the parents/guardians of students and utilze them, hopefully, as a source of motivation and encouragement.

I will also undoubtedly utilze a blog of some sort through which I challenge stduetns to engage course material and express their understanding of it. Furthermore, through blogging, I will expose students to the ideas of others and encourage them to critiqie, positively and respectfully, the ideas of others. This critique will hopefully creat dialogue, respectful communication, and development of thoughts and ideas.

In class, I will also utilze technologies which allow students to create presentations through which challenge students to effectively and accurately communicate their understanding of course material. I will then utilze presentations to engage students with one another and open another line of dialogue.

Eras of Education Lost and Gained

This week’s reading from Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology, it was interesting to read about the transformation of the education system from the people (families) to the institutional system of government sponsored schools. Although parts of other chapters and moments of our discussion have touched upon this transformation, the reading of this chapter hammered home the point.

For me personally, I feel the transformation to the public school system is the most beneficial overall for our nation, its people, and when the time comes, our world. When we cooperate together and pool our resources to provide equal education for our children, we honor the equality our nation was based upon and create a living example of equality in action. In my opinion, the current system does not create equality. Although there are larger issues at play, the utilization of property taxes as the main source of income for schools does nothing but maintain the status quo and increase differences between rich and poor. (I apologize for the rant.)

The influences which encouraged the development of the institution of education are unfairly attributed to conservative forces within the government which were attempting to homogenize the population. The government is a reflection of the demands and needs of the people it represents. There were admittedly conservative elements which desired to indoctrinate the immigrant population (according to the authors), but the same immigrant population undoubtedly realized the opportunity and benefits of education which existed in our nation. I believe the institution of education was and is essential to promote human equity.

As I attempted to verbally express in class last week (and failed epically to do), the movement which the authors argue for in which the responsibility of education is shifting back to families from the government, is, in my opinion, wrong. Although I agree with some of the benefits of this shift such as increased interaction with influential family members, engaging with material due to these interactions, and the rights individual people and families have within our nation, I whole heartedly believe that whatever the future holds for education, especially in terms of incorporating technology, in needs to be done through a system (institution) which ensures human equity.

I also have a bit of a bone to pick with the idea of teaching to learn. I agree it is becoming increasingly difficult and impossible to teach “all the knowledge they might need as adults” (pg 95). However, I believe in the benefits of learning certain required information such as the history of our nation and world, the political functioning of our nation and world, and other essential knowledge. To not learn these things will, in my opinion, erode individual participation in the government and other social interactions. This does not consider the potential negative implications of technology to do the same.

The authors recognize this and other concerns when they ask, “…what will happen to learners who are unwilling or unable to take advantage of the technologies that drive the life-long learning environment” (pg 104)?

Vouchers

I also feel motivated to address my personal opinion about school vouchers. Due to my personal understanding of the cultural and institutional nature of religious beliefs and their impact upon society, especially through private and home schooling, I disagree with religion being indoctrinated alongside and within what should be secular education. I would like to make it clear I whole-heartedly support religious diversity and acceptance, but disagree with government support, in nearly anyway shape or form, of private education. In my opinion, a voucher system is wrong.

I realize this is controversial, but it is what I believe.

As a future educator, I believe it is important to be aware of the shortcomings of the larger education system(s) and strive to not be a part of the problem. I believe I can improve the education provided by public means by incorporating technology and family involvement in each students' experience. For me, this means developing as open and clear communications as possible with students and their parents/guardians. Furthermore, I will strive to incorporate parents/guardians into students' learning by developing projects which encourage and require interactions with parents/guardians and other elders.

The future of education should be one of interaction and cooperation between the institution as it exists now and the larger surrounding communities. The authors write, "...the explosion of learning content out of the control of constraning institutions allows learners to customize learning experiences in terms of personal, rather than institutional, values and beliefs" (pg 96). I support finding a balance between individual interests and the collective need for institutional requirements.  For me, the institution of education must find ways to adapt and incorporate community involvement and resources for education.

Interactive White Board Lesson (State, Nation, World)

In designing my IWB lesson, I invested roughly 8hrs of thought and development over the course of several weeks.  I thought about what type of lesson I could utilize to meet a WDPI standard while at the same time I would be able to adapt to a wide range of grade levels. I believe this will always be one my goals as a teacher. I put much thought into the words I used, interactive elements present in the lesson, repetitive nature of material, and of in-class management.

As an educator, this lesson has helped me to recognize a practical implementation of technology within the classroom. Although I have not conducted an actual lesson with IWB and the material I have prepared, I feel confident in its overall effectiveness. Furthermore, although the lesson is found in what is shared on the screen, as a teacher, I feel it is incredibly important to always ask questions outside of what is directly asked.

This lesson has also helped me prepare for my responsibilities as an educator by challenging me to anticipate situations which may challenge the desired outcome. By putting thought into situations and imagining myself presenting material, I gain confidence. Also, by practicing in my mind I am able to know what points to make and how to address and monitor the effectiveness of my lesson. For instance, if I expect in my mind a certain level of student involvement and engagement with the lesson, it allows the reflection process to be potentially easier because I will monitor and recall factors from during the presentation which are related to my expectations.

The History and Future of School

In completing this week's assigned reading, it was interesting to discover the interpretation which was presented about the history the United States' educational system. The description of the influences which have led to the development of the institution of education as we know it today is very interesting to think about and ponder. The transition of the responsibility for education from the family to the institution and government is VERY interesting to think about, especially when contemplating motives of behavior and interactions between parents/guardians and educators.

It was very interesting to consider the "dormant" period in which mass education has dominated while the apprenticeship style lost favor. The authors argue that aprenticeship or style of it is likely to redevelop due to the quantities of information and skills necessary as well as the percieved role technology is described in having as it reshapes education and learning.

The section discussing the evolution of the school system was also very interesting to read because it put into a new perspective the purpose behind many of the characteristics of our current educational system (pgs 60-62). This section included disucssions of compulsory attendance, graded schools, tests, textbooks, carnegie units, and comprehensive high schools. The authors write, "The system that eveolved has proven very effective in educating a highly diverse population," but society has changed and become diverse beyond the capicity of the current instution to effectively address.

Fundamentally the authors point towards these changes as being related to an increase in life span, decreased birth rate, and increasing diversity of the population. The first two points are the most interesting to consider because they hint at reduced tax revenue with which to fund schools and decreased tax payer interest in spending on education. The reduced interest is further reduced by increased demands related to health care and retirement. And, the increased diversity of the population correlated to increased student population suggests the need for more specialized and intensive education practices, which means increased spending.

The future of education suggested in the reading is interesting to consider. The authors suggest certificate training may become the trend of the future as people consciously decide which certificiates to pursue. This personal choice seems to be influenced by personal interest with consideration of economic opportunities. Before making this arguement the authors discuss homeschooling and its benefits, workplace learning, distance learning, etc.

The second chapter dealing with future of education and school was very interesting to contemplate. I especially appreciated the some of the authors' words, "These technological developments raise concerns about equity, social behavior, and the cultural cohesion of society...we argue that it is important for sciety to begin thinking more broadly about how to deal with these new developments in order toa ddress teh issues and problems they reaise for teaching and learning" (pg 90).

As a future educator and as I have stated repeatedly throughout this semester, I believe it is incredibly important to consider and attempt to anticipate what the effects of our long-term utilization of techonology will be. And, as Professor Boyer has repeatedly stated, technology must be utilized responsibily. To me, this means responsible use means it must be used, it should be carefully utilized to elicit desired outcomes. For me, this means engagement of material within individual students minds and not just reading and quickly processing or copying and pasting.

It is important for us to constantly challenge and engage our students, and in my opinion, it is essential our future children are able to remember, understand, explaing, and interpret information from within thier own minds. In developing these skills and abilities, technology holds a great deal of potential for assisting the processes involveed, but in the end, technology should be a tool of enhancement versus realied upon necessity.

Furthermore, schools and educators must make every effort possible to responsibly incorporate technology into students' environments. This will ensure schools are able to compete and keep pace with the rest of world, and in correlation with effective teachers, its students' will do so as well. I also believe the nature of school will likely change over time to the point where potentially the physcially setting is removed.

No matter what though, I believe the experience of education must be as equal and fair as possible to ensure the principles of political equality and justice which I believe in. Although the authors' suggest responsibilty for education shifted from partents to the government generations ago, I argue the responsibility has never shifted. I say this because I believe the government is us; it is comprised and influenced by parents. Therefore, the responsibility has always been in the hands of the people because "we the people" are the government.

Enthus and Skepti (Chapters 2 and 3)

Enthusiast

After reading both chapters and contemplating the role of technology in education, my personal opinion about technology’s role is definitely one of a positive perception. I agree with many of the points posited by enthusiasts. Technology allows for incredible access to a vast amount of information. I believe education is important in a multitude of ways beyond the specific content which is taught. The institutions of education provide for a real-world physical setting in which interactions may be guided and structured towards a desired end. The unparalleled access available through technology is the most incredible quantity ever possible thus far in human history. In the future, it is apparent this information will continue to grow and diversify. Because of this, not only is technology likely to become a key tool in education, but it is essential educators model for students responsible utilization of the resources available.

Another benefit of technology within the educational process is the ability it provides for individuals to connect with and engage material and topics. This personalization of the content and current events makes learning inherent in the process of being engaged. Furthermore, technology allows individuals to express their ideas about topics and to receive feedback from other individuals, potentially the world over. This level of feedback is nearly instantaneous and holds the potential for potential positive change upon a scale nearly unimaginable.

In my mind, access to technology equals access to information which is the key to future education. As discussed, at the same time technology allows for individuals to personalize and focus their educational outcomes, the connectedness created through technology allows for a more balanced and distributed outcomes overall. In essence, I believe technology has the potential to eliminate differences between borders and across oceans. In sharing ideas, communication differences, and attempting to understand, we will slowly develop larger coherent and connected ideas and perspectives. So although perspectives will diversify, they will also become connected and understood through communication. However, the potential technology has is only as beneficial and positive as we make it to be.  In the end, our actions and methods of utilization will determine the outcome. For instance, if we are unprofessional, insulting, close-minded, and refuse to consider the people’s ideas around us (respect), then I believe the benefits of technology will be for naught.  In my opinion, individual learning and understanding of information must first be based upon the perspectives of higher social behaviors taught as a part of the educational process.

Skeptic

Although I believe technology will have a huge impact upon the education process, I still recognize and ponder a few detriments which sober my enthusiasm.  I will attempt to make this next section as short and sweet as possible in order YOU may more effective form your own ideas and hopefully respond. I think it is important to keep in mind the idea of utilizing technology responsibly. If educators emphasize the correct aspects, reinforce positive behavior, and model them consistently, my personal skepticism will be reduced. Sadly though, I fear the thoughtfulness of my fellow human beings who are live today and the impact of their inconsiderate actions upon the future.

First and foremost, I am concerned about access to technology and the vast quantities of information and opportunity which it unlocks. In our society and the world in general, technology is more of a commodity and luxury than an inherent resource. Because of this, I am concerned for the long term availability and distribution not only of technology itself but also of knowledge.

Another long-term concern of mine is related to the idea expressed in Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology, which states, “Technology undermines the need to know things yourself, as long as you know how to find the information and help you are seeking” (pg. 46). This statement is one which honestly elicits a great deal of fear. In what ways would future lives change? Human self-reliance, individual and group, would be eroded and resiliency could be weakened.

Conclusion

After reading these chapters and contemplating technology, I recognize both the positive and potential negative impacts upon current and future societies. For example, right or wrong, harmful or not, the behavior of human beings walking around the earth with their faces down staring at and interacting with a screen while navigating is / does / and WILL have long-term impacts. I guarantee it.

What human interactions and experiences are missed?What human interactions and experiences are altered?What happens to real-world social interactions?What happens to our interaction with the world in which we live?What happens …?

The cultural creations of human beings interact with and influence the biological manifestations of ourselves, and thus these biological manifestations impact our interactions with the world and our cultural creations.  In essence, everything we do matters because it has an impact upon us and our world.

Some might say I’m over thinking this, but I would rather do so than not think about it all.

American Revolution History Challenge (iRLO)

content area needs. With practice, I see Scratch as a potentially engaging interactive tool which can be utilized for assessment.

Upon completing and submitting my rough draft for iRLO we developed utilizing Scratch, I discovered a great sense of accomplishment and anticipation of the future. It was a great feeling to have finished something which seemed sooo difficult and honestly, impossible. I remember thinking, “There is no way I’m going to figure this out…(insert expletive here)!!” However, I did finish, and it feels great. Furthermore, I feel confident about the changes and modifications I desire to make because I know if I am patient and put forth the proper effort, I will succeed. In contemplating the amount of time I invested in this project, I would say a conservative estimation is 10-12 hours. After considering the amount of time I invested yesterday (the day before the due date) and factoring in loss of time due to the frustration nap and eating binges, I am happy with my level of accomplishment and look forward to making the program I created, better.

The experience of creating this rough iRLO was very positive and influential in my thinking as an educator. In piecing it together, I had invested much effort into searching the internet for advice, resources, and ideas. Furthermore, I downloaded multiple, already created iRLO to observe their functioning and program structure. From all of these sources, I developed my own idea. As an educator, this process is exactly what future students will be asked to do as they navigate the digital world and attempt to gain an accurate understanding of the real world around them.

The route I went with my iRLO was as a quiz of sorts, which challenges students to identify the correct answer. The questions are related the American Revolution. In writing the questions, I thought of high expectations. The wording and answer to questions will challenge students to read carefully and think about their answer. In thinking about my questions, I feel I need to restructure them and pose questions in other ways to further evoke engaging thought.

The program I have created, once fine tuned and developed into a finished product, can and should be utilized to challenge students’ thoughts and ideas about a variety of historical questions. The program can be adapted to meet the needs of other lessons within history and even other

Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology

In the opening pages of the book Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology, I was amazed by the similarities and stark differences of the authors' words, my personal thoughts, and the discussions which have been occurred in class (or at least the mention of thought provoking ideas). The importance of technology, which cannot be denied, is hopefully evident to everyone. It is here to stay.

However, the implications of this are not so clear. The impact of technology on the education system(s) of the United States and world are interesting to consdier. How will these structures change? I believe the public school system MUST be maintained as an institution and format for preparing our future generations for societal membership, national and global citizenship, and including digital citizenship. Who knows, maybe one day people will be discussing Universal membership. Creepy kinda...blows my mind.

One of the most striking statemenst from the reading was...

 "The public is demanding higher standards from K-12 schools with policies that limit the variety of learning opportunities. And communities are less willing to raise taxes for schools, bcause a smaller proportion of households have children of school age. Children raised on new media technologies are less patient with filling out worksheets and listening to lectures..."

 Although this passage states points which I had previously considered and thought about, their inclusion together made me hesitate to continue reading until I fully appreciated each sentence. There are a lot of "big ideas" and practical lessons to be learned from this reading (anticipated).  The ideas discussed are incredible to consider and ponder. What will happen? Who will decide? Also, who will have access to future resources and information.

Another interesting point made in opening pages described how technology has changed the function and responsibility of various jobs. "The work has changed from hands-on to inferenctial, or from concrete to abstract." This is also very important to think about. As technology has simplified (on the surface) and streamlined the functioning of world, our world has changed, and so too have the physical actions, mental capacities and demands of everyday life. The authors and others have likened these developments to a Technology / Information / Knowledge Revolution, and have focused most discussion on the positives of these experiences. I prefer to focus ont the word knowledge. I feel the developments related to technology are more importantly attributed to some type of "Knowledge" Revolution; however, in the long run, is this knowledge based upon individual memory and recall developed through engagement of a variety of learning resources and exercises, or is it more the availability of information for individuals to utilize as deemed necessary and relevant? Maybe both? It is important to think big picture and long term in order we attempt to perceive the potential detriments of such development and strive to lesson thier impact.

In closing, I believe technology is useful, beneficial, and necessary. However, I also believe it has the potential to create a world (in the future) which is not the one intended. We have a responsibility to "improve" this world. I realize the subjective nature of the word improve, but I believe the point is clearly stated by the authors when they write, "Our fear is that social cohesion and equity inherent in the promise of public schooling will be undermined by this second revolution" (Technology / Information / Knowledge).

What It All Means

After finishing the book Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, my perception of the importance of technology has changed drastically. In these short few weeks, I have gone from half-heartedly appreciating the benefits to wondering, thinking, and pondering what the future forms education will be. The benefits of technology are obvious and encourage in myself a hope for better and more effective teaching/learning strategies.  Will Richardson does an excellent job of exposing readers to the positive nature of technology and its incorporation into the classroom. Furthermore, in the closing chapter and epilogue, he succinctly expresses why technology is in education is essential to students’ futures.

I feel one of the most important points to take away from the closing chapter is related to the flood of information available on the Internet. With the vast quantity of information available, students must develop the skills necessary to filter, organize, interpret, and synthesize content. As the Internet access expands and technologies are developed, these skills will become more and more important. As an educator, the subject content I will be teaching is obviously important but I must keep in mind the larger life skills and lessons which are possible and often necessary for preparing students for their roles in future society.  The education I provide must incorporate a multitude of skills and content creatively linked and related to the subjects I will teach.  To me, this idea is expressed when Richardson writes, “By inviting students to become active participants in the design of their own learning, we teach them how to be active participants in their lives and future careers.”

Here is where the real learning….

Contemporary Issue Podcast

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/21/technology/20101121-brain-teachers.html

In creating a podcast, I exerted a significant amount of energy and thought. I did not complete the assignment on-time for various reasons, but I did attempt to. The majority of the difficulty I experienced was related to the use of the Audacity program (quite obviously). The issues were related to downloading free sound effects and music and incorporating those into the podcast. I utilized Free Music Archive (FMA). Link: http://freemusicarchive.org/ The FMA website includes a wide variety of genres with a plethora of songs within each of those genres. I highly recommend this site for future use.

The recording of the stated portion of my podcast went relatively well. The most difficult part was choosing what exactly to say and what not to (three minutes isn’t very much time). Editing the mistakes and sprucing up the audio was relatively easy. By watching the screencast from Lynda, I was able to pick up a few recording and editing tips which alleviated my tensions.

The most difficult portion of the podcast was the lead in and out music along with the inclusion of an appropriate sound effect. I had difficulty positioning and fading a segment of the music. In fact, I had to generate silence through audacity in order to position my clips effectively. I feel another podcast assignment or attempt on my part would benefit my experience immensely.

Another issue I had was related to converting the audacity file to MP3. This was a source of much consternation for a brief while, but after calming down and carefully reading directions I discovered the resolution which I sought.

Random observation: I too, as Dr. Boyer, do NOT like my voice.

After creating a podcast and considering its application to my future as an educator, it is easy for me to see how such technology can be incorporated into my teaching. Podcasts allow students to engage the material beyond the classroom, be creative, be expressive, and with the proper questions, students will engage in higher level thinking. Furthermore, podcasts can easily be shared and utilized as points for discussion and further thought.

Wallwisher Screencast

The screencast analysis I created for Wallwisher was an excellent learning opportunity. The assignment exposed me to the development of new skills, critical thought about the material, and recognition of personal performance. In completing this task, I contributed a significant amount of time, energy, and thought.  Overall, the task was/is simple. However, I ran into an issue with the application loading not loading properly online, and because of this, I literally wasted an hour attempting to load my page.

The screen cast analysis engages us with different tools which hold potentials within the educational setting. WallWisher is an application with much potential for organizing and making classroom information, such as assignments and topics, available to both students and parents. Furthermore, it has the potential for stimulating thought and discussion through exposure to a variety of information and various perspectives which might otherwise have gone unexplored.

I believe the greatest lesson learned is included in the idea of methods and diversity of information provided. By attempting to engage students through multiple methods and allowing for participation, teachers are providing learning environments in which students increase the likelihood of retaining and utilizing information for future use.

*I am feeling rather ill today. I apologize for grammatical errors.

http://www.screencast.com/users/zach_ruesch/folders/Jing/media/96a5a90f-9ce0-4dbc-9a8a-e2416dce5ce0

Flickr and bookFace

Flickr

The utilization of Flickr for classroom purpose is exceptionally interesting because of its many abilities and possibilities. I personally feel inclined to make use of the ability to locate pictures from specific locations on earth. I feel this ability and the many user taken pictures which are made available will increase student awareness and understanding of the larger world in which they live. I had previously heard about identifying and associating images with specific grid coordinates, but had no idea it was possible to peruse others photos. Despite the fact I had heard of Flickr, I had absolutely no idea of its purpose and included possibilities. It is also interesting that viewers (students) are able to comment on each other’s pictures. This again increases student exposure to locales, images, and discussions which they likely would not have otherwise had.

I also like the idea of incorporating Flickr as a way to develop understanding between parents and teachers about the events studies which occur in the classroom. The ability of parents to read and see images from actual events and identify their children in images, must impart an increased level of involvement through which students and parents can interact.

Facebook

The reading about Facebook was interesting to me because of the personal experience I had with a class discussion which utilized this online social network through the creation of a group. The discussion was about Veterans and their experiences during war. As I recall the discussion was interesting to observe, but I personally hesitated to become involved (personal reasons).  However, the discussion was interesting and the students who participated seemed to be very interested. When I was first invited to join the group, I was surprised to learn a class was utilizing bookFace because of the perception of it as a distraction and deterrent to academic study.

After completing this reading and considering past readings, the possibilities for thoughtful, guided discussions and interactions are quite exciting. The examples of bringing classes together and encouraging online participation, especially from students who might be reluctant to speak in class, are very inspiring. Furthermore, student familiarity with Facebook is another reason why it may function effectively as a forum for discussion. It is also obviously another way to engage students with classroom materials outside of the classroom. The ability to engage, inform, and foster discussion are invaluable and important to keep in mind when considering the educational potential which Facebook has.

Podcasting, Vidoecasting, and Live Streaming

The possibilities of podcasting, videocasting, and live streaming upon and in education are interesting to consider because of the increased levels of interaction these tools allow not only between students and the material but also one another. This seems to be a reoccurring theme within EDU 331. For me personally, the utilization of technology as a tool will likely be essential to my teaching style and practices. As related to these specific tools, I believe they are another potential layer which could be utilized to increase and develop students’ understanding of the specific subject matter being taught and skills of tools which are increasing in necessity for future generations to function within future society.

First and foremost, I am traditional in the understanding that as much information as possible should be taken away from classroom instruction through various readings (form may vary and utilize technology e.g. RSS) as well as responsible lecture and discussion groups. After this stage of learning, students should be challenged to engage the material outside of the classroom and the school in general through writing tools such as blogs. At this point, more interactive tools such as podcasts could be utilized for students to take their formed and written ideas and create a verbal expression of the ideas. The main objective of all these forms is activity with material, discussion, and further thought. In the end, a video production of some type could be utilized in which students’ are challenged to create a full-fledged “teacher” style lesson through which other students could be exposed to new ideas for the first time.

These levels of interaction increase in complexity of task as the students’ learn valuable skills not only of the subject specific materials but also of many other skills such as: rational and analytical thought, effective writing, discussion and support of points (written and verbal), teamwork, professionalism, commitment, discipline, communication skills, technology skills, etc. I am beginning to see benefits of technology which I did not previously understand and/or appreciate.

Governor Walker Introduces Budget Repair

February 11, 2011

For Immediate Release
Contact: Cullen Werwie (608)267-7303

Emergency measure is needed to balance the state budget and give government the tools to manage during economic crisis

Madison– Governor Walker today released details of his budget repair bill. 

“We must take immediate action to ensure fiscal stability in our state,” said Governor Walker.  “This budget repair bill will meet the immediate needs of our state and give government the tools to deal with this and future budget crises.”

The state of Wisconsin is facing an immediate deficit of $137 million for the current fiscal year which ends July 1.  In addition, bill collectors are waiting to collect over $225 million for a prior raid of the Patients’ Compensation Fund.

The budget repair bill will balance the budget and lay the foundation for a long-term sustainable budget through several measures without raising taxes, raiding segregated funds, or using accounting gimmicks.

First, it will require state employees to pay about 5.8% toward their pension (about the private sector national average) and about 12% of their healthcare benefits (about half the private sector national average).  These changes will help the state save $30 million in the last three months of the current fiscal year.

“It’s fair to ask public employees to make a pension payment of just over 5%, which is about the national average, and a premium payment of 12%, which is about half of the national average,” said Governor Walker.

The budget repair will also restructure the state debt, lowering the state’s interest rate, saving the state $165 million.

These changes will help the state fulfill its Medicaid spending on needy families of about $170 million; funding that the previous administration did not have in its budget.  It will also allow the state to spend an additional $21 million in the Department of Corrections.

Additionally, the budget repair bill gives state and local governments the tools to manage spending reductions through changing some provisions of the state’s collective bargaining laws.

The state’s civil service system, among the strongest in the country, would remain in place.  State and local employees could continue to bargain for base pay, they would not be able to bargain over other compensation measures.  Local police, fire and state patrol would be exempted from the changes.  Other reforms will include state and local governments not collecting union dues, annual certification will be required in a secret ballot, and any employee can opt out of paying union dues. 

A full summary of the Governor’s budget repair bill is below.

Fiscal Year 2010-11 Budget Adjustment Bill Items

Employee Compensation:

Pension contributions:  Currently, state, school district and municipal employees that are members of the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) generally pay little or nothing toward their pensions.  The bill would require that employees of WRS employers, and the City and County of Milwaukee contribute 50 percent of the annual pension payment.  The payment amount for WRS employees is estimated to be 5.8 percent of salary in 2011.

Health insurance contributions:  Currently, state employees on average pay approximately 6 percent of annual health insurance premiums.  This bill will require that state employees pay at least 12.6 percent of the average cost of annual premiums.  In addition, the bill would require changes to the plan design necessary to reduce current premiums by 5 percent.  Local employers participating in the Public Employers Group Health insurance would be prohibited from paying more than 88 percent of the lowest cost plan.  The bill would also authorize the Department of Employee Trust Funds to use $28 million of excess balances in reserve accounts for health insurance and pharmacy benefits to reduce health insurance premium costs.

Health insurance cost containment strategies:  The bill directs the Department of Employee Trust Funds and the Group Insurance Board to implement health risk assessments and similar programs aimed at participant wellness, collect certain data related to assessing health care provider quality and effectiveness, and verify the status of dependents participating in the state health insurance program.  In addition, it modifies the membership of the Group Insurance Board to require that the representative of the Attorney General be an attorney to ensure the board has access to legal advice among its membership.

Pension changes for elected officials and appointees:  The bill modifies the pension calculation for elected officials and appointees to be the same as general occupation employees and teachers.  Current law requires these positions to pay more and receive a different multiplier for pension calculation than general classification employees.  Under the state constitution, this change will be effective for elected officials at the beginning of their next term of office.

Modifications to Wisconsin Retirement System and state health insurance plans:  The bill directs the Department of Administration, Office of State Employment Relations and Department of Employee Trust Funds to study and report on possible changes to the Wisconsin Retirement System, including defined contribution plans and longer vesting periods.  The three agencies must also study and report on changes to the current state health insurance plans, including health insurance purchasing exchanges, larger purchasing pools, and high-deductible insurance options.

General fund impact – Authorize the Department of Administration Secretary to lapse or transfer from GPR and PR appropriations (excluding PR appropriations to the University of Wisconsin) to the general fund estimated savings of approximately $30 million from implementing these provisions for state employees in the current fiscal year (2010-11).  Segregated funds would retain any savings from these measures.

State and Local Government and School District Labor Relations:

Collective bargaining – The bill would make various changes to limit collective bargaining for most public employees to wages.  Total wage increases could not exceed a cap based on the consumer price index (CPI) unless approved by referendum.  Contracts would be limited to one year and wages would be frozen until the new contract is settled.  Collective bargaining units are required to take annual votes to maintain certification as a union.  Employers would be prohibited from collecting union dues and members of collective bargaining units would not be required to pay dues.  These changes take effect upon the expiration of existing contracts.  Local law enforcement and fire employees, and state troopers and inspectors would be exempt from these changes. 

Career executive transfers – The bill would allow state employees in the career executive positions to be reassigned between agencies upon agreement of agency heads.

Limited term employees (LTE) – The bill would prohibit LTE's from being eligible for health insurance or participation in the Wisconsin Retirement System.

State employee absences and other work actions – If the Governor has declared a state of emergency, the bill authorizes appointing authorities to terminate any employees that are absent for three days without approval of the employer or any employees that participate in an organized action to stop or slow work.

Quality Health Care Authority – The bill repeals the authority of home health care workers under the Medicaid program to collectively bargain.

Child care labor relations – The bill repeals the authority of family child care workers to collectively bargain with the State.

University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics (UWHC) Board and Authority – The bill repeals collective bargaining for UWHC employees.  State positions currently employed by the UWHC Board are eliminated and the incumbents are transferred to the UWHC Authority.

University of Wisconsin faculty and academic staff - The bill repeals the authority of UW faculty and academic staff to collectively bargain.

Debt Restructuring – The bill authorizes the restructuring of principal payments in fiscal year 2010-11 on the state's general obligation bonds.  These principal repayments will be paid in future years.  Since the state is required to make debt service payments by March 15th, the bill must be enacted by February 25th to allow time to sell the refinancing bonds.  This provision will reduce debt service costs by $165 million in fiscal year 2010-11.  This savings will help address one‑time costs to comply with the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund state Supreme Court decision and make payments under the Minnesota‑Wisconsin tax reciprocity program.

Medicaid

Address FY11 Medicaid deficit – Medicaid costs are expected to exceed current GPR appropriations by $153 million.  The bill would increase the Medicaid GPR appropriation to address this shortfall.

Authorize DHS to restructure program notwithstanding current law – Medicaid costs have increased dramatically due to the recession and expanded program eligibility.  In order to reduce the growth in costs, the bill authorizes the Department of Health Services to make program changes notwithstanding limits in state law related to specific program provisions.  The department is expected to develop new approaches on program benefits, eligibility determination and provider cost-effectiveness.  The proposed changes will require passive approval of the Joint Committee on Finance before implementation.

Technical correction – Act 28 included language that required unused GPR expenditure authority in the Medicaid GPR appropriation at the end of the biennium to be carried over to the subsequent biennium.  The bill repeals this provision in order to ensure unspent funds in Medicaid lapse to the general fund balance.

Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) – The bill transfers an estimated $3 million in savings in this appropriation to Medicaid.  ADRC's are the intake and assessment element of the state's Family Care program.

Corrections – The bill provides $22 million GPR to address shortfalls in the Department of Corrections adult institutions appropriation.  These shortfalls are due to health care costs, overtime, and reductions in salary and fringe benefit budgets under Act 28.

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Funding for Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) – The bill allocates $37 million of excess TANF revenues to increase TANF funding for the EITC from $6.6 million to $43.6 million in fiscal year 2010-11.  By increasing TANF funding, GPR funding for the EITC is reduced by a commensurate amount.

Income Augmentation Revenues – Allow the Department of Children and Families and Department of Health Services to utilize $6.5 million of already identified income augmentation revenues to meet fiscal year 2010-11 lapse requirements.

Act 28 Required Lapses by DOA Secretary – Under Act 28, the Department of Administration Secretary is required to lapse or transfer a total of $680 million in 2009-11 from appropriations made to executive branch agencies to the general fund.  The bill would reduce this amount by $79 million to ensure the lapses can be met in the next five months as this was ineffectively addressed by the previous administration.

Lapse of Funding from Joint Committee on Finance (JCF) Appropriation – The JCF appropriation includes $4.5 million related to estimated fiscal year 2010-11 implementation costs of 2009 Wisconsin Act 100 (operating while intoxicated enforcement changes).  This funding is not anticipated to be needed in fiscal year 2010-11 and the bill lapses these amounts to the general fund balance.

Sale of State Heating Plants – The bill authorizes the Department of Administration to sell state heating plants.  The proceeds from any sale, net of remaining debt service, would be deposited in the budget stabilization fund.

Shift Key Cabinet Agency Positions to Unclassified Status – The bill creates unclassified positions for chief legal counsel, public information officer and legislative liaison activities in cabinet agencies.  An equivalent number of classified positions are deleted to offset the new unclassified positions.  These activities are critical to each cabinet agency's overall mission and should have direct accountability to the agency head.

                                                                                                     

###