Journal 7: Designing with Technologies

Chapter 2 stresses the idea that the internet is multifaceted in many different ways, and has the capacity to convey information that would result in a meaningful way of learning. Moreover, when working on collaborative-problem and project-based activities like the ones we learned in class, it is interesting to see how much emphasis is placed on the way information searching acts as an interactive way of learning. The in class activities that we worked on this week were both interesting and creative. During the puzzle game that we had to solve through the various clues on Word, I found that it was very useful because it stimulated the students but at the same time allowed them to get a grasp of the writing program. Thus, such an exercise encompassed both strategic learning skills and some fun in between. Further, playing around with the LopArt accessories really allowed me to make use of my creativity. The colors, as well as the paint-brush functions were really neat to experiment with. Above all, however, the most interesting function of the LopArt accessories was the ‘movie’ function. When I pressed on the icon that showed a film scroll – I could visually retrace all my steps through this movie/playback function. This function on the LopArt program is actually very useful because it gives you the opportunity to go back and see exactly how you made something earlier in the artwork.

Answers to chapter questions

Chapter 2 questions
10. In today’s classroom it is not uncommon for many students to have excellent information literacy skills. In fact, students might be so well and able to use the internet that they might even have handhelds that come with features such as Bluetooth, GPS, a USB outlet or even wireless internet access. Thus, todays generation of students are more than literate in finding information on the interenet – however it is important to remember that the information they find might not always be accurate. Thus, as a teacher, it is important to teach students about good search engines, Wikis, and other academic sources of information in order to make sure that students are using their skills to find relevant and up to date material. Thus, being information literate encompasses a wide variety of skills that are important for proper research.
11. Before students engage in internet searches it is important for them to know what types of observations and examples they will be looking for. In order to make sure that students are aware of what is asked from them it is important to lay down the ground work by focussing on the elements needed for proper scientific inquiry and experimentation. A good way to get students comfortable with internet searches would be to try and use different web-quests that set them on their way. Chapter 2 mentions the program WISE as a web site that functions as a free online science learning environment for students 5 – 12. Such sites spread the seeds necessary for strong internet growth.

14. Many people think that the Internet is a recent innovation, when in fact it has really been around for over a quarter century. The early history of the Internet began as ARPAnet, a U.S. Department of Defense project of whose goal was to create a nationwide computer network that would continue to function even if destroyed in a nuclear war or natural disaster. Throughout the next two decades, the network that evolved was used mainly by academic institutions, scientists and the government for research and communications. The appeal of the Internet was obvious, as it helped such institutions to connect to each others' computing systems and databases, as well as share data via E-mail. The internet has changed the way we think about time and space altogether, the functions associated with network management, and commercial entities now offer the internet to almost anyone that has access to a computer. This change in focus marked the beginning of the Internet's astonishing expansion and its continues promulgation over many now obsolete technologies.

Chapter 3 questions
2. Inferences are a fact of life, there’s almost no way to get around them – either your INferencing or you’re OUT! Every day we must make calculated hypothesis of what is going on in our lives, and how we deal with information presented to us. Hypothesis testing is just one of the many ways we use our ability to inference on a regular basis. Inferences are also used to predict interactive physics, the outcome of medical examinations, and even the Law School Admissions Test is practically made up of just inference questions. Thus, the ability to inference information based on a small sample is extremely important.

4. Chapter 3 discusses at length the idea of the term microworld and its relevance in the way we use hypothesis’s to justify and make sense of the social world around us. Moreover, programs such as Logo provide users with a simple set of commands to get them comfortable using a computer program language, as well as learning to manipulate the commands and operations. Thus, in using the program Logo students can test their inferences by trying to create simple commands in order to construct objects on the screen. A good example of inference work within the program logo is that the language might teach you how to make a command for a specific shape or letter, however it will not show you how to make every single shape or every single letter. Thus, students must infer from their previous work whether or not the language command will actually work. Lastly, even if students have trouble learning through inference, this program and others like it enable learners to represent their own way of thinking through exploration and experimentation of the different microworld software.

8. Simulations are not always the easiest entities to learn, especially when students are asked to use a new program that they have never seen before. However, chapter 3 expresses the simplicity in the program SimCalc, which uses a math oriented set-up to teach students the significance of animated worlds, and dynamic graphics. By experimenting with different shapes, sizes and patterns, students come to learn the basic calculating ideas that are necessary to understand the basics of math. Furthermore, because the most commonly available educational simulations are those that can be found under Laboratory simulations – I think I would also use this program to teach basic physics and biology. However, the most captivating of the sim-technology is certainly and without a doubt SimCity, the popular urban simulation game that lets you explore many different ages and histories in the comfort of your own classroom. Through these fun and interactive game-like simulations, students really get into how far they can succeed in this simulated world. Little do they realize the important technological and learning skills that they are acquiring – it’s just that fun!

10. Erik Erikson coined the word ‘identity crises’ as a way to explain the subsequent shifts of mind and body that people consequently develop and redevelop as they grow up. Surely the novel idea of taking on many different simulated identities lies at the crux of any such development. Role playing means figuring out your place in the real world just as much as it means figuring out your place in cyber-space. Thus, such simulations allow students to actively engage each other and their interests in a fun and stress free environment. Playing on the computer allows for different avenues of self-discovery and engages in active critical learning at the same time.

Journal 6: Supporting Writing with Technology

Chapter 4 expresses many of the uses and values of writing with technology. One of the main ideas that the chapter reinforces is that the ability to write with technology allows us to better organize our ideas and focus them more clearly to our audience. Concept mapping is only one of the many ways that we have learned to showcase our writing techniques. In this sense, mapping tools such as semantic networking allow for the steady stream of ideas combined with a spatial representation of what we are interested in communicating to the viewer. Specifically, the writing site Poetry Forge allows students to visually recognize patterns on the screen that help them to grasp a better understanding of the placement and punctuation of words. As well, this creative and interesting usage of poetry to teach punctuation adds an element of curiosity and intrigue for the students using the program. For example; using the metaphors "Spring is...," "Freedom is...," and "Diversity is...," allows students to explore how language works to convey meaning while closely examining the intricacies of metaphor. This site is very easy to use and sincerely interactive. Furthermore, the website Kidscribe encourages kids to take part in on line dialogue with different students from many unique cultures and places around the world. This site is especially interesting because students can respond to each other or just use the site for the purpose of improving their writing skills.

Clearly, writing with technology only influences students to think positively about their manipulation of language – and really gets them started on the right path. These web sites act as great tools for different parts of the writing process, as poetry Forge might teach a student about the nuances of rhyme and reason, a site like Kidscribe enables the learner to interact on a more social level with the other learners on the site. In essence, it is important to keep in mind that when using these programs there needs to be supervision, encouragement and high level of responsible feedback for students. In this way, the student will gain an increased array of tools to use in their own daily writing.

Answers to the chapter questions:

2. I find that most students in the early stages of writing have a lot of trouble with both tense-setting and grammar. In order to help them with this challenge a writing website that is based on a type of ‘School-House-Rock’ theme where it is both fun and interactive to learn about grammar would be a great way to integrate technology and writing into the classroom. After examining the writing process the most important aspect I feel is to get a clear spatial picture of what you wish to express. As such, once the student can communicate broadly what they wish to accomplish in their writing, then the process becomes much easier. Thus, I would recommend a website that begins with the basic principles of writing and steadily increases as the student understanding increases.

4. The idea of blogging or any type of informal publication whether it be on the internet of in a special class live-journal surely motivates the student to put time and effort into their work, especially if they think that they will have an audience to share it with. Moreover, one way to leverage this potential for motivation in the classroom would be to make sure that at the end of the learning module maybe you actually make hard copies of the live journal and give one to each member in the class so they can either put it in their portfolio and share it with each other and their parents.

6. Certainly students are not always familiar with the best way to collaborate on a given assignment, however the best way to make sure that the group is successful is to determine roles and norms from the get-go. It is important to have due-dates as well as specific criteria to guide the students in the group project. Moreover, one might even want to experiment with giving the group different roles for each person in order to keep the group motivated and on task.

Journal 5: Communicating with Technologies

Whether using Facebook, Myspace, or Youtube, it is certainly quite clear that there are several reasons one might want to participate in these types of computer-mediated conferences and discussions. Firstly, the mere idea that people can now communicate without the restrains of time and space is simply technologically amazing. Furthermore, computer viability has become a great advantage for people with more introverted personalities – as they are given more of a chance to think and then speak with the use of computer communication. In these cases it becomes easier for some people to experience, observe and participate in their own daily lives.

The most interesting ideas expressed in chapter 7, and generally in our society are surely the ideas associated with connecting through videoconferencing. I find this to be one of the most controversial pieces of communication technology, as its main advantage is also its weakness. In some circumstances it would be great to have a live video-conference for business specific needs – I don’t know how well it would afford the classroom learning experience. While technologies such as this can help to bridge the gap between schools and students outside experiences, it must be used in the right context in order to create a positive learning environment. In spite of these queries, I really see ‘Videoconferencing weekly Topic Series’ where high school students from Missouri were able to interact, send email questions, and respond to a constitutional expert for the education of a civics class, as the next wave of implementation. This type of bridged geography is exactly the extra-oomph that classrooms and universities might be missing. This type of guest-lecturer via video-broadcasting is really a terrific idea with broad areas of expansion.

Answers to chapter questions
1. Online chats and instant messaging can exhibit much value in the classroom – but such technology must first be sanctioned and have specific limitations if ‘real’ learning is to take place. In order for real learning to take place, students must be focused and engaged in the classroom initiatives and not simply distracted by such tools. In essence, these communication tools when applied thoughtfully and comprehensively can add quite a bit to classroom learning by helping to integrate more shy and introverted students. Also, such technology can help the learning environment become more friendly and interactive.
2. Technologies such as At&T’s knowledge Network Explorer shows how one tech communication system can implement a wide variety of learning initiatives. This program uses videoconferencing to connect students with experts, their peers, virtual field trips and it could also help them connect to their parents. Networks like this could help bridge student and parent by setting up a way that parents can check up on their children’s school experience by making the parents active agents. Such a network could help involve parents by having a special page where child and parent can communicate and discuss the class activities – sort of like an online journal-discussion experience. I think implementing ideas that help to keep parents involved in the child’s progress would be greatly appreciated by both teacher, and parent.
3. Asynchronous (not in real time) communication is vital for communication via technology. It makes everything less awkward and less time consuming. However, the most important way that asynchronous communication bests synchronous is in the way of response, and response time. Verbally deft individuals or people who need more time to formulate a response will largely benefit from this type of communication as they can take the time to develop their idea. Often, as is the case with my friend Mandy Faibish, once she has the time to actually think and plan out what she wants to say – she can do it masterly in any technological format including her specialty, in an email. However, if she were to try and do all that in the 2 minute passing of phone conversation, Mandy would not fare so well. Thus, while asynchronous communication may be less socially desirable in real-life, it works wonders when used with computer technology.
4. Podcasts are much more multidimensional than regular radio broadcasts, for example; student created webquests can display information in more interactive and appealing ways. Having the opportunity to design, develop and collaborate with other students in order to facilitate the use of podcasts is very useful for both learning and teaching. Using podcasts to illustrate a point or even to integrate a radio-broadcast into the picture truly helps students grasp concepts more concretely. Finally, podcasting can help students integrate the use of the internet into their daily lives.

Journal 4: Community Building with Technologies continued . . .

“In a democratic and culturally diverse society, students need to comprehend multiple perspectives . . . and learn to interact with people within their diverse society and throughout the world”

In chapter 6, pages 120-137 we read that communication is the key to unlocking cultural differences and gaining a new understanding of the world around us. Web sites such as KidLink, iEARN, and Global Schoolhouse now make it possible for many different geographic areas to interactively connect with each other. iEARN learning circles are just one example of the many innovative techniques that the internet can now offer as a specific teaching technology. With this program, collaborative partnerships created between a small numbers of schools can be directly beneficial to the sharing of knowledge and learning through doing approach. Certainly we have come a long way from when I was in grade school, as one of the means of collaborative learning used to be that of the Pen Pal. Now with programs like iEARN, students have a superior focus when using these rigidly structured by highly effective ‘wisdom groups’. It is important however, to recognize that the source of group efficiency in these groups stems from a larger focus on cooperation and team-work. Thus, learning circles such as iEARN create a way for teams to participate with each other as well as through comparison and collaboration. While I feel like the discussion board on web-ct McGill is an attempt at a learning circle it is very unorganized and cluttered. While it remains possible to interact and help each other through a group environment, I feel like web-ct acts more for the utility of professors at McGill than for students. I think McGill students would actually benefit from a learning circle like iEARN where discussions are better directed, therefore cutting out unnecessary gobbledygook.

During our last class, I found that there was quite a bit of confusion during the time where students were trying to upload their personal profiles onto the internet. Chapter 6 talks about how teacher isolation has long been one of the obstacles in the way of exchanging ideas and information. Last class we probably could have used 10 Professor Bruzzese in the room, as this small internet task proved quite challenging on the whole for the classroom. I think that such a learning circle would be a good idea for parts of this course that prove challenging - so that students enrolled in this course as well as the future, would have a better idea of how to successfully complete the in class task without having to constantly ask their peers or the professor. Having a guide-like-learning circle would surely benefit students during the more difficult and challenging parts of the course. Hence, classroom time restraints and physical separation of teachers from their students can and perhaps should be mediated by integrating technology and coalescing communities of practice – thereby inadvertently creating a continuous and relevant student-teacher discourse.

Answers to chapter questions

6. Blogs and Wikis are some of the most advanced learning/teaching technology on the internet today. While some people might view them as a waste of time – for the purpose of education they are exactly the opposite, they save you time. Being able to upload your journal to a blog that can be accessed by anyone (including our professor) at any time only increases class efficiency and helps students and teachers learn from each-other. Furthermore, blogs and Wikis are some of the most advanced technological interfaces of the 20th century – and perhaps without this technology it would be difficult to keep track of the voluminous information that exists. Furthermore, blogs and especially Wikis act as a great source of environmental sustainability as it cuts down on paper costs and resources. Lastly, these types of learning circles allow for a constant exchange of ideas, therefore permitting malleability across the educational community through adaptation and change. Further innovation can only lead to blogs, wikis, and other text-messaging that one day could travel directly through our cerebral cortex and into our very minds via the net.

7. We have already discussed many ways that such technological learning circles help communicate ideas and solve problems. In my journal I discussed an idea that having a latent class learning circle would be a good idea for parts of this course that prove challenging - so that students enrolled in this course as well as the future, would have a better idea of how to successfully complete the in class task without having to constantly ask their peers or the professor. Having a guide-like-learning circle would surely benefit students during the more difficult and challenging parts of the course. Thus, setting up a play-by-play instruction via the internet would surely help clarify many of the more tricky parts associated with this course and others.