My 2 cents...about 2 cents worth (David Warlick)

     David Warlick is an edublogger whose most recent post was on our "civic duty." This post not only expressed his disappointment about not being to do more, but also referenced a very smart and funny show that I've watched on more than one occasion: Jeff Daniels' The Newsroom.  That alone was enough to intrigue me, but I also appreciated and share some of the same sentiments about that state of elections and voting in today's society.
     It seems, now more than ever, that the votes that count the most come not from people, but from checkbooks (or, more accurately, wallets); not from the average American citizen, but from millionaires, billionaires, and big corporations. Unfortunately, I can't compete with that, which is worrisome...doesn't that contradict everything for which our country used to stand? What happened to caring about the "poor, huddled masses yearning to breathe free?" Or, as Mr. Warlick eloquently stated:
   
     "...this election was not about issues.

This election was about volume. ..and volume is $bought$ before the voting begins.

This election happened in dark rooms where checks were written, adding zero after zero, with the expectation that the writers would soon be legally freed from many of the consequences of acting to add many more zeros to their bank accounts."

    As discouraging as that sounds, I still believe (perhaps rather naively) that a person's voice and vote is important, and that the political process that we have, while severely broken, can be fixed (if enough of those voices speak and are heard). So I hope that in the next election, enough of them will speak out as opposed to stay silent.

Just like science, learning is messy!

     I really enjoyed reading the Learning is Messy! edublog post "Close Reading? Ok, how about Close Doing?" Student engagement is key to student learning, especially in science. STEM education, however, is notorious for having many opportunities for students to observe scientific phenomena, but not necessarily having activities where they are effectively describing and communicating what they observe. In other words, there is little emphasis on scientific literacy in STEM education, which puts students at a severe disadvantage.
    How can this trend be reversed? The blogger for this post expresses concern about traditional science field trips and other hands-on activities that students participate in, because there are very little opportunities for student learning to be enhanced by these "stand-alone" activities; rarely are connections made that improve learning. Students are not often encouraged to take notes or ask questions, and they also may not be given the opportunity to tie in their experiences on the field trips to units that they are studying in the classroom. Furthermore, technology is not effectively utilized to bridge this gap.
    I particularly liked and appreciated the blogger providing ways to address this issue. In particular, I appreciated the suggestion of having students not only take notes and ask questions, but also creating digital photos and video clips that they could use free sites, such as Flickr, to archive for future discussion and use. Computers, tablets, and/or cell phones could be used in the classroom to share this data and generate meaningful discussions and inquiry-based learning opportunities. This could help improve science field trips, activities, and student involvement in them.

Cell phones in the classroom? Are you sure, Dr. Kolb?

     I appreciated Dr. Kolb coming to speak to us about cell phones being used in the classroom for more than just opting out of discussions and engagement. The policy for cell phone usage at my field placement is changing-they are increasingly being utilized as a learning tool. In my mentor teacher's classroom, cell phones are used by students to make observations during laboratory experiments and to record/share data with other group members. Students that take Forensic Science as their elective are also able to use their devices to take pictures of staged crime scenes. Students at many other schools, however, are not as fortunate; I am aware of policies in other public schools that completely prohibit cell phone use. 

    While I understand and appreciate the policies of other schools, it seems as if continuing them may be very detrimental to student engagement and learning in the classroom. Cell phones are more accessible and affordable to students than other forms of technology, which can yield positive outcomes for school districts that are having challenges incorporating technology use into their budgets. In addition to assisting with funding issues, using cell phones for performing formative assessments of student learning is a time-saving measure. Assessments can be done in real time, and because students are already very familiar with how to use them, very little time is needed for training. Student responses for formative assessments also have the added advantage of allowing students to provide them anonymously, which can also increase student engagement. It takes away the fear of embarrassment that students may have of providing a wrong answer, and allows the teacher to determine where there may be any gaps in knowledge or misconceptions.    

     Another concern involving cell phone use in the classroom is the issue of equity. While cell phones can be costly and students of varying backgrounds and socioeconomic status may be unable to provide their own devices, school districts may be able to provide devices to these students due to the savings that they have when allowing those that do have access to use their own devices. While at one time I was somewhat skeptical of the educational benefit of cell phones in the classroom, my experiences at Thurston High School and with my own daughter have shown me how beneficial they can be for typically developing students and for those with special needs. Thank you Dr. Kolb for helping to enlighten us on the benefits of their educational classroom use.

David Theune's visit to EDUC 504

     The night that David Theune came to visit our class, I wasn't sure what to expect. While we have learned about many technological tools for our use as teachers, I still wasn't quite sure how I could effectively get my students to use it to enhance their learning. It's been difficult for me to keep the internet, blogging, and tech tools like Prezi to be distracting; how in the world could I expect my students to do a better job than me? Then Mr. Theune began to show us about the wonderful ways that he's been able to use technology not only to teach content in his classroom, but to build connections between his students and their communities.
     As important as it is for students to be knowledgeable of the academic content of school, it is equally as important for the school environment to provide a place for students to foster positive relationships with each other and with other members of their neighborhoods and those less fortunate. The community service projects that his "kids" have spent time, energy, and their intelligence working to develop have helped them become more compassionate and empathetic human beings. It reminded me that as teachers, it is important for us to be heavily invested in the socialization of our students.
     School is not a place for students to go to be filled with academic knowledge like swimming pools are filled with water; it is, in the spirit of Dewey, a place for them to learn how to be positive and productive members of society. We, as teachers, are charged with using the tools available to us to help make this happen. So I want to thank you Mr. Theune for reminding me that my job as a teacher is about more than just filling up empty vessels with academic content, and for showing me how technology can be used to do it.

Connections Across Disciplines: Photosynthesis meets Spongebob

Photosynthesis...Photosynthesis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqEDz2vfhpQ

carbon dioxide + water =light energy=> glucose + oxygen

6CO₂ + 6H₂O =light energy=> C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂

     For this post, I wanted to take some time to highlight a project of my classmates in the blue cohort that chose photosynthesis as a topic for their Connections Across Disciplines assignment for EDUC 504 (Teaching with Technology).  I can imagine that students will really enjoy the use of Spongebob Squarepants to grab their attention (I sure did) in teaching a concept as important as photosynthesis. My colleagues (Katie, Anthony, and Lourdes) who all  have STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines, were able to link their content areas together by using the process that plants use to convert light into food. This process involves chemical reactions that involve math, and are important in biology...what a perfect fit!
    The image of the popular cartoon character Spongebob acting in the same way that a plant releases oxygen is memorable and accurate.  It is also quite simple, which I think makes it brilliant. This could be used with students to create a fun learning environment. It was quite easy for me to find the link to  a YouTube clip using my computer. Students or teachers can easily access these images from the internet using their own devices (computer, cell phone, tablet) and incorporate them into notes or powerpoint presentations.
     There are also many internet resources and websites devoted to explaining photosynthesis, which provide plenty of support for both students trying to learn the material as well as teachers trying to develop lesson plans. This material could be a good way to introduce a laboratory experiment as well;  there are many biology lab experiments that can involve plant growth and development. Connecting an image like Spongebob that is so easily recognizable to a process as abstract as photosynthesis is a great way to make science and math real and relatable to students.
 

Is my online life organized? Not exactly...

Today's post, as I understand it, is supposed to be about organizing my online life; more specifically, my presentation to two of my classmates about Evernote, and to theirs about BlendSpace and Google Drive.  It was quite interesting, because while I like Evernote, after listening to my classmate's presentation about Google Drive, I was sold that using it would help me out tremendously. Ironically, when I was giving my presentation about Evernote, she became convinced that it was what SHE would use most often. I also enjoyed learning about BlendSpace, but had some concerns about how to use it and still have the things that I post to my class (like quizzes, tests, and lecture notes) be secure.

I really enjoyed this opportunity to learn more about what's available to help me become more comfortable with technology and to help me become more organized. The thought of having multiple classes and students to keep up with as a teacher makes me a bit apprehensive. It's hard enough for me to keep up with ME and MY STUFF; how in the world will I be able to handle the work of one (or many) classes of 30 students? Knowing that there are programs and applications to help me make me feel a lot better about my ability to manage a classroom...and my life.

So, I could tell you about the advantages of Evernote. I really like the fact that it automatically saves everything that you post, so you don't have to go looking for it or worry about losing it. I can tell you that you can post and/or organize everything from pictures to recipes. I could also tell you that it is a great way to communicate and store communications with students and other teachers. However, I think that there's definitely more to this assignment than that.

I really enjoyed giving a presentation to my classmates in this manner, because of a formal lecture, it was more of a friendly conversation. It promoted a spirit of collaboration and collegiality, and took quite a bit of pressure off of me. At the same time, it was quite daunting, because I really had to know what I was talking about in order to explain the advantages of Evernote in a clear and concise manner. What made it easier to do, however, was being able to do this with my peers, who were very supportive and helpful (thanks guys). I look forward to being a teacher and having this type of atmosphere with other teaching professionals, and it helps to know that I can use technology to assist me in this process.

School as a video game...

Why can't school be like a video game?

In the James Gee article, Good Video Games and Good learning, the author makes very thought-provoking arguments about video games providing good learning principles. Many of the points that the author makes reinforce the argument that video games are designed to stimulate learning. If that is indeed the case, why can't school be like a video game? Can some of those elements that make a video game enjoyable be applied to classroom learning?

Gee uses biology instruction as an example to show that it is a "game" in which it is important to play the rules; is not school the same? Are there not certain practices and norms that are required in school in order to be productive and successful? If our schools are not producing successful learners, then perhaps some of the rules and practices should change in order to have students that are successful in school also be successful in life. If indeed we learn by doing, then maybe we should "do" things in school more like the way they "do" things in a video game.

One of the principles of video games that may help schools have more successful students involves giving students the opportunity to fail, so that they are not afraid of failure and so that they can LEARN from failure. In life, there are definitely more failures than successes. In school, however,  failure is not appreciated as a pathway to success. It is important for students to feel comfortable enough in their school environment to not allow a fear of failure to keep them from taking risks. It is only through risk-taking in life that students, business owners, and people in general are able to achieve success.

Yet another principle of video games that the author highlights and that I was struck by is the principle of performance before competence. This is in direct opposition with the current school learning model, which insists upon having some level of expertise before even trying. How discouraging and daunting of a task is this? If that pressure is removed, perhaps more students would, again, not be afraid to try unfamiliar tasks and would develop persistence and cultivate natural curiosity about learning. Perhaps students would become better learners...

Technology in the classroom: if you have it, why not use it?

John Dewey and the cell phone dilemma

     This blogpost is devoted to making a case for using cell phones and other technology in the classrooms by students and teachers. Why, do you ask? I think that I'll start with my own personal story:

     When my daughter turned twelve, there were two things that she wanted almost, it seemed, more than life itself: a dog (which she'd begged for since the age of eight), and a cellphone. Not a smartphone, she would say; a little one. She wanted to be able to call her family (many of whom she LIVES with, mind you) and her friends. Although I was staunchly against it, my husband relented, and I must say, it has helped us all tremendously. She's been able to have more responsibility and communication because of it. 

      Now, keep in mind, this was on top of the Kindle Fire, the computer,  and the Nintendo Wii that she ALREADY had for her own personal use. All of this technology was great: it allowed her to communicate with family and friends, and opened up a whole new world for her. She also used an augmentative communication device, which has helped her not only connect with her teachers and peers, but complete her assignments and become an integral member of her classes. As great as all of that was, thing got even better when her middle school was able to procure a mini-IPad for her to use at school. The increased capability that she has to interact with her school work and to let her teachers know how much she really knows has been wonderful. 

While some, like one of the authors of the assigned articles, would argue against having smartphones and perhaps other small technological devices in the classroom environment, I'm all for it. From the assigned Dewey articles, it appears that perhaps he would have been also, as long as teacher instruction was enhanced, and not compromised, by their use. As far as technology has advanced, it almost seems criminal not to utilize it for the enhancement of the learning environment for all students.

It's showtime

Welcome to ToxicSpace- the space for science education and everything else under the Sun! This is my first attempt at blogging, so brace yourself...