The Last Assignment...

For the final article assessment, Ted S. Hasselbring and Margaret E. Bausch discuss Assistive Technologies for Reading.

"Text-reader programs, word-prediction software, and other aids empower youth with learning disabilities..." is the thesis for the article. The authors point out that not nearly enough students with learning disabilities are getting the help they need.

Now, with products such as Read & Write Gold, Read, Write, & Type!, Read Naturally, and READ 180, there is a plethora of assistive aids out there for these students. These aids provide summaries, comprehensions checks, word pronunciation, decoding, and spelling help, as well as background knowledge to clarify context.

Main points:

• 10% of U.S. students receive special education services
• Many of these students are learning in inclusive classrooms, so teachers need more effective aids to help educate them
• Assistive technology devices are used to aid with functional capabilities of individual with disabilities
• Assistive devices are more likely to be used in special education classes than in regular education classes, and for students with severe rather than learning disabilities
• Assistive technologies help greatly with reading support. This includes catching up and understanding, reading interventions, and strengthening and improving reading skills
• Read & Write Gold software is used in school and provides text-to-speech output of words, sentences, and paragraphs to help students read and write
• Read and write assistive technology allows students to succeed and take control of their own learning
• Technology is just a tool in education, students still need good teachers to succeed

I find it very interesting that so many assistive technologies are available, but that we do not use them here at Sitka High. I know that the amount of students with 504 and IEP plans is much higher than that of students with severe disabilities...

I like that these programs are made for older children (4th to 12th grades) because these are the students who need the most help, especially if they have slipped through the cracks for so many years. Also, the fact that these programs are individualized to the student and are in student control is essential in that it give the students ownership over their own learning.

IEP

The Digital Guide Touristique

Currently at Sitka High we have 25 high school students visiting from Toulouse. My mentor teacher really wanted a project that the Sitka students could do cooperatively with the Toulouse students, so I developed the following unit, (which consequently became my IEP project.)

The 11 Sitka students in French III/IV will be paired-up with a French student to create a digital tourist guide. The guide will be a know before you go cultural introduction to either Toulouse or Sitka. Sitka students will narrate the guide in French while Toulouse students create the subtitles in English. The students will also add music, transitions, and a title photo and credits.

I have created a sample of this assignment about Whitefish, MT to show students. This sample shows my personal growth and my mastery of the MovieMaker program.

Please find my assignment description, lesson plans, and rubric for my IEP unit here:
Whitefish Model
Digital Guide Touristique
Rubric
My Reflection of this Process

Social Network

Sharing is fantastic!
It seems like every time I want to find something online it takes way too long. Isn't the Internet supposed to make life easier, make searching go faster?

Well, I think I am finally understanding the trick, and it isn't google.com. I like http://tappedin.org/tappedin/because instead of swimming blindly through the muck, other educators are sharing useful sites and better ways of searching. This is great because I can pass on these tools to my students as well.Also, there is chatting with other educators to share ideas.

However wonderful an online community may be, I am not sure I would make time for visiting were it not required for this class.

Three Sites

At http://diannekrause.edublogs.org/
I found a woman named Dianne Krause who is a French teacher in Pennsylvania. She is also a wife and mother. As if this weren't enough, Dianne details her newly emerging responsibilities as a Classrooms for the Future coach. In other words, Dianne is responsible for training her colleagues in the new technology used for teaching. Some examples include wikispaces and voicethread. This site has tons of information for those of us learning how to use technology in our classrooms, as well as great links.

http://theconnectedclassroom.wikispaces.com/
This site is also part of Classrooms for the Future. There is a lot of tech info, as well as the process Upper Merion High School is following as they develop their own projects and become a school of the future. The best thing about this site is that it made me search for the definition of Web 2.0... which, after revisiting the site, I find clearly defined: http://theconnectedclassroom.wikispaces.com/Web20

Finally, I like http://www.globalschoolnet.org/
This isn't the best site as far as ease in navigation, but there are some great links to movies about using global understanding as a tool in teaching communication and, and as they say, fostering collaboration.

IEP Proposal

For my IEP, I intend to learn MovieMaker to an expert degree. This includes finding out how to import music as background, change subtitle positions, etc. Also, I will need to learn how to teach all of the information I learn in French for my third year students, as well as our visiting students from Toulouse.

I think, to get started, I will visit our very savvy tech. teacher and see what sort of text book/other information he has on MovieMaker.

Article Assessment:The Overdominance of Computers

Lowell W. Monke has a great appreciation for the importance of instilling technological skills in students. However, he holds strong opinions about when and where these skills should be taught. Many times throughout this article, Monke stresses the importance of teaching young children good people skills before teaching them computer skills. He Notes values such as hope, loyalty, commitment, and tradition which we cannot teach students with a spreadsheet. In addition, Monke states that students need to see how their actions can affect their own lives, as well as the lives of others and feel the direct results of those actions before turning to the virtual world where results are virtually non-existent. The author also discusses the importance of allowing students to develop at their own natural pace without applying external technical fixes.
Some important points Monke makes:

• Preparing young people (for the virtual/digital world) involves first strengthening their inner resources like self-discipline, moral judgement, and empathy
• Students need authentic experiences
• Nearly everything a child does today, chatting, texting, etc., uses technology which distances that child from direct contact with the living world
• It is crucial for schools to help develop children's distinctly human capacities
• Teachers should question how heavy use of computers helps young children with the following needs: loving relationships with adults, outdoor activity, unstructured playtime, the arts, hands-on work, and conversation with adults and other children
• Technical skills should be taught at the end of high school in order teach students with current technology
• Students should understand hardware and software, instead of never knowing what is inside of all those "black boxes"

I finally feel some bit of synthesis with an article from Educational Leadership! I totally agree with Mr. Monke. I have definately come around to an understanding about how important technology is in the world today. I know that students, as well as I, need to be able to use this technology. However, I have always felt that there was a time and place for it. It just makes sense to teach a child to be the best human they can be, to live in the real world and be who they are before allowing them to go out there to the Internet (digital not-realness that is capitalized like it is a real place or something...) and live a fantasy life. This really is happening. Take for instance a beautiful, smart, and talented young girl. She is overweight and fifteen. She has been contacting older men on the Internet. She can be as skinny as she wants, as old as she wants... in the Internet world. But what happens when she runs away to meet one of those men? This is where we are failing our children. This child was not confident enough in her own self. She was not forced to face reality, was not taught important life skills. Now she is lost for a while.

As a teacher, I will be looking out for this behavior. But it is so hard because as a high shcool teacher, I am at the end of the line. Students will already be in the habit of going to that not-real place...

Rubric for Digital Biographical Story

In the future, when students create biographical stories similar to Jeanne d'Arc, I will use the following rubric to grade them.
Please view my rubric at:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=df347m4x_3zt6zs3g9

The Digital Story of Jeanne d'Arc

This was an amazingly fun, frustrating, an inspirational task.

I still had issues with the music. I can't import anything from my itunes or a disc playing in the drive. Also, I wish the subtitles would go to the very top or bottom of the screen. But these are all things I will be learning soon...

I will look forward to using this technology for my French 3/4 students, as well as a group of 25 students who will be coming to Sitka from Toulouse in April. I would like them to make short commercials in French/English with subtitles. I think this will be a great learning experience and my host teacher is also very pleased with the idea.

You may watch my digital story about
Jeanne d'Arc on Teacher Tube at:
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=f73fbb3af2a1803153c9

Phase I of a Digital Story

This map portrays a simplified version of the life of St. Jeanne d'Arc. She is a French heroine who lived during the 1400's, though she was not canonized until 1920. She lead the army which eventually drove the English out of France during the 100 year's war.

I will be telling Jeanne's story in her native tounge, with subtitles in English. The story will be told in the first person, stressing the hero's young age and immense bravery. This project will be the culminating activity for a Unit stressing biographies and question making at high school level French 3.

I am looking forward to this project and have enjoyed the research thus far.

Educational Philosophy

I have now created a one minute presentation describing my educational philosophy. I used pictures that I like, but whose relevance may not be particularly obvious to others. I used music that matches perfectly! I must say, this was FUN! I have been inspired to use this tool, WindwsMovieMaker, again.

My favorite thing about this project was the freedom. I really felt like this was my own creation. I spent hours staring at the computer screen, and Sean was about to pull his hair out, but I feel good about the end product. It means something to me.

Dr. Ohler, you have created a monster...

Please, view my Educational Philosophy at:
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=61a4284fe7ed5a8b7949

Article Assessment #3

Shanna Rounds November 15, 2007
shannarounds@yahoo.com
Tools for the Mind
by Mary Burns

In this article, Mary Burns addresses the trouble with technology in schools. The problem is not the technology itself, but the way our students are using and, more importantly, not using the resources available to them. Burns points out that students most often use Microsoft Office tools, such as Power Point, which only require low-order operations. Unfortunately, according to Ms. Burns, higher-order applications such as spreadsheets and databases are rarely used. On-line collaboration has also been neglected and therefore negates the need for broadband, which was highly sought-after for school use. In Burns' view, the Internet is simply an electronic textbook. So what is the reason students are not using computers to create learning experiences? It is really very simple, teachers themselves do not understand the tools or their instructional possibilities.

The solutions Burns presents to us is that we teach critical thinking first. She notes that we must return to the belief in the need for critical thinking, learner-centered education, and for students to use the computers as mind tools.

Main Points:

• Tools such as PowerPoint, Word, and Publisher are all low-order applications.
• Spreadsheets and Databases demand concrete and abstract reasoning, higher-order applications.
• We should teach critical thinking first and technology later.
• Focus on curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
• Students must become creators of information and ideas, not just users of technology.
• Plan your curriculum and fit in technology. Do not shove curriculum into technology.
• Technology should support the core areas of teaching.

I appreciate what this article has to say. I think Ms. Burns is focused on what is important, rather than simply assuming that technology is the end-all-be-it for the future of education. I am now encouraged to learn how to use technology which addresses higher-order thinking so that I may teach my students the same skills. I would, however, like to know what she means by calling computers an "expensive fad for boondoggle"? The article was terribly boring, but at the same time had a lot of truths embedded in it.

Reflecting on my Presentation

First, I look at the screen too often. A good presenter would have notecards, or have all their slides memorized. Also, my presentation is boring. I wave my hands around too much. I need a way to change the slide myself, (unfortunately the remote control did not work.) I am not sure how I would make this particular subject more interesting besides getting the audience involved, (if I had one.)

Some good points include clarity and a strong voice, (a family trait.) I was relaxed and comfortable while presenting. Video is a good tool for self-analysis. I would be curious to see video of myself teaching and actual lesson to a classroom full of students.

ENFIN!

Well Folks, 24 hours of trying to upload this thing and it finally happened! It isn't even very interesting is the sad part...

But if you dare, you may watch my video presentation at :
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=98e39ca7994f93311ba2

Watts Happening

Engergy Project

This was really fun! Sean and I did get tired of writing down every time we turned on/off each light switch we used in the house we house sat, for a whole week. But it was all worth it. I learned that although $.92 per week for lighting doesn't seem like much, $.28 cents is so much less. What really impressed me though, is the fact that for a 100 watt light bulb you get 1600 lumens. For the same amount of lumens the energy efficient bulbs use just 23-30 watts! I have heard some people complain about the type of light that the energy efficient bulbs put off, but I think it's just a matter of light/lamp shades.

It is so easy to make a difference this way. We hear about how much we consume and are continually told to lessen our consumption, especially of energy. Well, changing light bulbs is a great way to take action or tell others how to take action.

Check out my Power Point Presentation and look at the data I found.
http://www.slideshare.net/gueste3f1de/watts-happening-150357

My Spreadsheet with data may be found at:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pqyNp1Svqo1lTTeCPMTB0dw

Article of Assessment #2

Shanna Rounds 10/11/07
Shannarounds@yahoo.com

The Educators Guide to the Read/Write Web

By Will Richardson

In his article, Will Richardson gives us a glimpse into the Read/Write Web. He tells us that we are no longer simply gathering information from the Internet, but that we can now actively participate in adding, editing, and deleting information.

Students are now publishing interactive work online. This means they can interact with many different professionals and learn from a wealth of resources. Some tools which make this interaction possible include wikis and RSS aggregators. Wikis are site that anyone can edit. RSS aggregators separate, filter, and store information. Sites like Furl.net can save copies of websites in a searchable folder. Also, podcasts allow teachers and students to listen to content relevant shows at their convenience.

The issue is that now, as teachers, we must decide how this Read/Write Web will affect our curriculum. It seems that literacy has taken-on a whole new meaning! Most importantly, students must be able to evaluate and question everything they read- especially on the Internet.

Main Points

• Some cool tools on the Read/Write Web are web logs, blogs, wikis, feeds(RSS), social book marking, and podcasting
• These new tools demand that we teach students how to actively question and evaluate published information instead of passively accepting it as legitimate.
• Traditional pedagogy is being challenged. The teacher's role shifts from a content expert to a guide who shows students how to find and evaluate resources, communicate, and publish online.
• As more content becomes available online, it becomes less appropriate to rely on outdated textbooks and handouts.
• Teachers must monitor student use and teach students how to use the tools safely to enhance learning.
• The Read/Write Web is a place where every person with Internet access can join and ongoing global conversation.

On a personal note, the Read/Write Web sounds like a lovely idea, especially with the help of RSS to filter out the muck. As a French teacher, I see a vast amount of opportunities as far as linking my curriculum with the francophone world.

As far as student use is concerned, connecting with professionals and monitoring their own Web travels, I am not so confident in these activities for students. My current experience, I have noticed that many high school students are not very motivated. They may use the web to find music or video games but they are no more excited about using the web for research and projects than they are about reading their US history books.

As far as Wikis go, especially Wikipedia, I have been directed not to rely on these sources whatsoever. (Perhaps because of "Big Brother" stunts which organizations such as the CIA like to perform.)

Finally, it always comes back to the "haves and the have nots." How do we so easily forget about all the teachers, and especially the students, who do not have regular access to the Internet? Shall we just leave them out of the global conversation? Shall we continue to ignore the voices of the poor as we have done for all time?

P.S., the blog spell check does not recognize "wikis", "podcasts", "RSS", or "aggregators"...hmm.
Also, why do we capitalize Internet as if it were a real place?

For my Energy Project

This is the proposal for my current energy project. Now, I must go and look at light bulbs...

How efficient are the lights in the house we are currently housesitting? Would energy efficient lighting be worth the cost?

The Energy Star (a seal of approval from the US government,) is stamped on certain energy conserving light bulbs and fixtures. You can find more information at
www.energystar.gov/index.cmf?c=lighting.pr_lighting.
Another helpful site in the lighting field is www.americanlightingassoc.com/info_energywise.php

The data required to answer this question includes:

• wattages for each light bulb in the house
• cost per watt
  
• total cost of replacement energy efficient wattage bulbs and fixtures
• total wattages for energy efficient bulbs

The measurements for this project include:

• amount of wattage used over the a one week span
• documentation charts next to each switch and light fixture
• total cost of used wattage
• formula to show what wattage would be for energy efficient bulbs for one week
  
• subtract cost of wattage of new bulbs from current cost and compare this number with cost of new bulbs, (and fixures.) Is it worth it?

This one is going to be a real eye opener!

Being an Anthropologist

You may find my final report about the Technology Culture at Sitka High at...
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=df347m4x_0ffvt5k

For this report, I joined forces with the four other MAT students here at Sitka High School:

• Kate Coseo - Science


• Jeff Glase - English


• Ike Kahler - Math


• Hillary Seeland - English
  

We scouted the school and tracked down pertinent information and illustrious persons with knowledge about the technological culture at our school. It seems that many students are tech savvy. In fact, 70-80% of students have a computer and Internet connection at home.

This project really made me open my eyes and look around at just how intertwined digital equipment has become in our daily lives. When I read articles and hear lectures about embracing technology, I find myself resist. It feels like the world as we know it is about to end and an new digital wasteland will soon emerge... However when I just relax, look around, and realize how easily these digital tools fit into life, it seems all right.

Listen to the Natives

Shanna Rounds
shannarounds@yahoo.com
September 16, 2007

Listen to the Natives
by Marc Prensky

In his article, Mr. Prensky refers to today's students as Digital Natives. The rest of us, not born into the digital world, he refers to as digital immigrants. Mr. Prensky points out the because many teachers are so behind our students in the digital world, we can never really catch up. As a remedy, he suggests that we take the initiative to make our classrooms more like video games, or gameplay. He also insists that we need to not only listen to our students opinions about instruction, but that we should adapt it to suit every student. Further, Mr. Prensky suggests using the students as actual teachers. He goes on to suggest that teachers use cell phones as tools, that schools incorporate programming into the curriculum, and that school should be as engaging as the after school activities in which our students involve themselves.

Top Points in the Article

• Students could learn algebra far more quickly and effectively if instruction were available in game format

• Teachers must put engagement before content when teaching

• Teachers can encourage students to form study groups outside of school, according to who has the best access to technology

• Outside school, students are fully engaged by their 21st century digital lives

• Cell phones have enormous capabilities these days

• The real reason that we ban cell phones is that students would "vote with their attention"...

As a teacher, this article makes me reflect on the kinds of technology I have already experienced during my first few weeks at Sitka High...a young French singer projected from the Internet onto the overhead screen, students at a school dance taking pictures with camera phones and dancing to music played from an i pod connected to a sound system, a DVD of children in Northern Ireland talking about "the troubles." These are just a few examples.

Students are definitely out there in the digital world, programming it, playing in it, and communicating with it. I live in a larger city in Alaska where many families have money to buy cell phones and computers for their children. What about students in villages who do not have cell phones, or cell phone service for that matter? What about students who live in rural Montana who do not have Internet access at home or the means to get to a friend's house to use digital equipment? What about children in inner cities and the rural south who do not have i pods and do not attend schools with digital equipment? Should Africans be spending money on re-charge cards for their cell phones instead of buying food, clothing, and books for their children? Because that is what is happening.

It is wonderful that games can be educational, but games are not the real world. Are our students playing games on their computers instead of getting outside to exercise? Are they sending text messages to a friend down the street instead of walking over to say hi? Have our students become so lazy that we must not only treat them for obesity, but learn to entertain them in the classroom in order to teach them?

I agree with Mr. Prensky on several points. I think we are seeing some definite benefits in the classroom with technological enhancements. We all need to learn to use these resources, which is why I am grateful for this class. However, I will not be convinced that the digital world is the end-all-be-it to bettering our children's education. I like to think that I can and will be one of those inspirational, dynamic teachers to whom children respond well. I also take pride in getting to know students and interacting with them face to face. The day I test a student via text messaging will be a sad one for me.

Futuring

Assessment:

Fox Becomes a Better Person

This performance showed a tremendous amount of work from Hannah. It is obvious that she worked hard to memorize the story about Fox. She drew pictures to illustrate her story and learned some Tlingit words. I would, of course, need a rubric before giving Hannah a grade.

Hannah gets a four in creativity. The story was a bit confusing as Fox transitioned into a better person. She could also work on having better eye contact. However, are these items on the rubric? I think that overall it is a wonderful piece.

School Train

In contrast, School Train was annoying at best. Was it necessary for the students to make faces at the camera? What was the point of using whispered Spanish phrases? Again, I would need a rubric to grade this project. The music did not enhance the idea behind the metaphor, and I do not see that every child has proven their understanding of the metaphor from this clip.
In the Classroom:

epic2015

The introduction to this clip almost gave me a migraine. In fact, working on the computer too much makes me dizzy. As far as Podcasting and its impacts on my classroom, I do not think much of technology so it is hard for me to get into that mindset. I still do not really understand what exactly a podcast is. Even so, I would feel good about getting news specifically from the francophone world by podcasts to use in my classroom. However, I feel that the clip epic2015 told us that, overall, we would be getting a lot of half-truths and fake news from future internet sources. I might stick with more reliable, primary news sources.