An Appreciation of Tech for Teachers

With this being my last blog post, I thought that I would write about how I benefitted from this course, and how I will apply what I have learned into my future classroom.  This will directly apply to my last post; in which I wrote about how the classroom has changed technologically over the years.  In this post, I will be writing about how I overcame some of my qualms about technology, and what I will put to use for my students in the future.

One piece of technology I really enjoyed was Edmodo.  I enjoy how it is in the simplest sense, Facebook for students.  It has all the same features as Facebooks, but without the negative aspects.  For example, there are no distracting posts or adds on the site.  Also, the only posts that students can directly comment on are the teacher’s.  In order to make a comment, students must create their own original post.  The site can be used to show videos, websites, pictures, etc.  I like that it is similar to Facebook because if students used the real thing, they would become distracted by their own accounts and pages that were unrelated to the work.  I want to use Edmodo to continue classroom discussion outside the classroom.  I can use this to post additional resources or get opinions from students on assignments, lectures, videos, etc.

Something else I learned in this course was how I can use my own voice for online materials.  I think there is something very personal about hearing your instructor’s voice when you are not in the classroom.  The familiarity makes it seem like your actual instructor is with you, giving you the confidence to learn what is being taught online.  If given a random link created by an unknown, it seems like the teacher did not put much effort into creating the supplemental material.  This is why I rely enjoyed the voicethread project.  It was easy to post pictures, links, and videos, and then comment on it with what I would say about it in person.

As I have expressed in class, Google Tools has been my favorite tool that I have learned about this year.  The usefulness of Google Docs and Google Sheets is evident in the way it is collaborative.  Gone are the days in which PowerPoint versions have to be emailed from group member to group member.  These tools offer automatic saving, online chat, and online publishing.  My favorite feature is the automatic citation service in MLA, APA, and Chicago Style.  It has already saved me hours of time since I have learned it from class.  Google Forms was also fun for me.  I loved creating quizzes that way.  I am just so thrilled that from now on, whenever I am told to present a project for class, I will not automatically resort to the tired, old PowerPoint presentation. 

Sources:

http://www.edison.k12.nj.us/Page/6419

https://cit.duke.edu/blog/2010/01/ddi-voicethread-pilot-open-to-duke-community-during-spring/

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2014257/10-great-google-tools-you-need-in-your-business-workflow.html

Oh, How the Times Have Changed

H. (2014). The evolution of the classroom - Technology just got better. Retrieved April 20, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXdM-9pdFLw

I am now twenty-one years old.  I have been in school for sixteen years (staring in the year 2000). I think it is time for me to reflect on the technological revolution in education that I have seen unfold before my very eyes.  Not so long ago, my classrooms looked very different than the ones I learn in now at this university.  For example, classrooms in my elementary school years only had one computer, they had an archaic overhead projector on wheels, a TV on wheels that was shared with the entire hallway of classrooms, one computer lab, and no personal technology to speak of.  The internet was a fairly new concept to students, and the main method of contact to parents was through take-home newsletters. 

We are now teaching in a very different world.  In many classrooms that I observe, most students are equipped with some form of personal computer, digital projectors and televisions are built into the structure of the classroom, computer labs are absolutely standard, and students are more versed in technology than I am.  Although this is where the world is headed, I still tend to be a little nostalgic about my simpler classrooms.  I do not think I can argue that simpler was better, but there are certain aspects about it that I miss.  I wish to discuss them here.

One aspect of education that has changed drastically is research.  When I was very young, I remember when the teacher would hand a list of the students’ research topics to the librarian and then he or she would compile a cart of books on our respective topics.  We would use the books as our main sources and learn how to cite them by looking right at them.  Now, a world of sources is at our fingertips.  Students are able to use databases to find scholarly sources on their topic and can use citation engines to create their bibliographies automatically.  Obviously, I am trying to make a point here.  I am always one to stand on the fence regarding the use of convenient technology in some aspects of learning.  Although it is quicker and more effective to find resources online, this can prohibit students from learning other skills.  These may include skills such as knowing how to navigate a library, knowing how to use various formats of citation, and learning how to discriminate between a good and bad source.

On a similar note, I do believe personal computers in the classroom are a great idea.  I have seen them be a great resource for group projects, essay writing, and note taking.  However, I have also seen their disadvantages.  During my observation hours, I saw how much of a distraction they can be.  Schools cannot filter every distracting website.  I have seen students distracted by online shopping, email, music, and videos.  In this case, the teacher would have to control when the devices can be on and off the desks, which can take away from class time.  Having the internet while reading can serve as a plagiarism temptation as well, which is a major concern for me as a future English teacher. 

When I was younger, I was taught Microsoft word, PowerPoint, and hardly any Excel.  Now, students are better equipped for the world we live in.  They can connect to the world, access any information they choose, connect with classmates and teachers, and teachers can connect with parents.  Even if I long for the old days sometimes, I can see how the evolution of technology is good and necessary. 

Genius Hour

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

C. (2013). What is Genius Hour? - Introduction to Genius Hour in the Classroom. Retrieved April 20, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMFQUtHsWhc

Before watching the video that introduces the idea of “Genius Hour,” I was not aware that I already had the pleasure of experiencing it as a student on more than one occasion.  In as early as first grade I was encouraged to complete research on topics that I am passionate about.  I remember completing class projects early and being told to work on the individual project of my choosing.  Looking back, I can see how this has enriched my education.  While researching something I was curious and passionate about, I was able to learn valuable research techniques and did not feel as overwhelmed by the process.  Sharing my findings with my peers was exciting because I became the expert on the subject.  I was able to pursue an interest that I have always had, in an academic way, with the assistance of an educator at my side.

I also experienced a version of Genius Hour at the post-secondary level.  In a preliminary writing course I had to take, I had to create a twenty-page research paper.  However, instead of assigning specific prompts to us, our professor had us create a “guiding research question” (see video) about a topic that we were genuinely interested in pursuing.  So, when we had to read fifteen or more articles on this topic, it would not bog us down and bore us.  We would be excited about creating an argument around the topic.  We would get to dispense our knowledge with the rest of the class.  Although this was a class requirement, and there was not specific time set aside for this as a “go at your own pace” kind of project, it still made the process more rewarding.

In the future, I want to teach English at the secondary level.  That being so, I am left wondering how I will be able to incorporate the idea of Genius Hour into my classroom.  I am aware that teachers are given a set curriculum that they are required to get through within the semester.  Being required to teach specific texts within a certain period of time, how can I individualize assignments for students and make it interesting for them?  At the elementary and even middle school level I think it is somewhat simpler to achieve this.  I do not recall having much freedom in my high school English classes.  If anything, we were able to choose between reading certain novels and poems, or writing on a topic that was chosen from a set list of topics.  This is something I will be researching in the near future.

https://www.haikudeck.com/genius-hour-education-presentation-A90vWXBBXn
https://www.haikudeck.com/genius-hour-education-presentation-WjpY2U2PPu

The "No Homework" Revolution

Spongebob presents an attractive idealistic educational experience that revolves around the idea of not assigning homework to students.

http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1057449/why-the-no-homework-policy-wont-work

http://chicago.suntimes.com/uncategorized/7/71/178160/no-homework-policy-improves-home-life-for-younger-students-at-one-cps-school

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar07/vol64/num06/The-Case-For-and-Against-Homework.aspx

Link #1; Argues against the "no homework" policy
Link #2: Argues for the "no homework" policy
Link #3: Offers arguments for both sides of the issue

      If you happened to read through my previous post, you can assume that I am not in one-hundred percent approval with the idea of a flipped classroom being beneficial in all classrooms.  I still hold to the belief that the idea is too new to be implemented successfully in all subject areas.  In order for it to be successful, a student must be completely motivated to review the pre-made materials at home and be ready to practice the freshly attained skill the next day in the classroom.  If a student fails to prepare him or herself at home, or if  an instructor fails to pay close enough attention to each student's personal growth and struggles, the efforts of creating a flipped classroom are quickly compromised by an individual's inability to comply with the program.  I bring up the flipped classroom issue because I feel that the idea falls directly in line with the "no homework" plan in education.
     Like the flipped classroom idea, this idea proposes that students should never complete any school-related work outside of  school property.  The reasons for implementing this policy are largely idealistic.  For one, those who support the idea believe that homework does not do much for the student except add to their stress by increasing their workload.  They believe that in order for a student to truly retain knowledge, they must be accompanied by a qualified professional, and not just by mom and dad.  They also believe that the time gained by not having homework would add to the time the child has with his or her family (not that I am against an increase in quality time with the family).  More reasoning for this design comes from the belief that students can learn in other ways at home besides completing a worksheet or book report.  For example, some teachers are just requiring students to read for thirty minutes a night.  However, I do not understand how it can be confirmed that the students are actually doing this.
       I realize that I am mostly traditional in my thoughts about teaching and classroom design.  Nevertheless, I still believe in a world that requires the completion of some homework assignments.  And I am not just saying this because I am no longer a kid.  At the level of school that I am currently in, I prefer to have homework in my classes.  If  I fail to understand a concept in class, I can go home, refer to the subject in the book at my own pace, and solidify the information at my own pace.  Then, if I feel confident enough, I can even move ahead and prepare myself for the next lecture.  I find myself using this practice in my foreign language class especially.
     The reason I still support homework is because I know that it works as practice of a concept that was freshly taught.  It can be used as a self-assessment in which a student can gauge his or her own understanding.  Of course a student will most likely be able to succeed when there is an instructor always present and helping them.  To truly know if one understands the material, they need to try it completely on their own.  I know that this is the case because of personal experience.  Sometimes I trick myself into believing I know a concept so I do not have to go back and study it.  If I am not assigned practice for it, then I continue to deceive myself.  I learned in an educational psychology course that this is called "false knowing."
    I do not call for the abolishment of homework, but I also do not call for excessive amounts of homework.  The key to my argument here is moderation.  It is good for students to practice, and to have some sense of responsibility outside of the classroom.  However, they should not be bogged down by the amount of work that is expected from them.  The assignments therefore be enough to solidify concepts for the student, but not to the point where they are completing meaningless busy work, or non-age appropriate amounts of work.

Unfortunately, this is how most students interpret homework assignments that they know will not be assessed by the instructor.

My argument is to provide homework assignments in moderation.  There is no requirement to eliminate practice completely or overload our students to the point of which they despise their studies.


Sources

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/9c/09/cc/9c09cc687730edb292a1c956d0035104.jpg

http://www.quickmeme.com/img/98/98ca600a9245d90a2a9b333126c45f5a29d2b1b5ae8678769060dfb7a9fa70d0.jpg

https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/p/6/005/089/3a3/0fdca9f.jpg

   

Seating Arrangements: Do's and Don't's

The Importance of Seating Arrangements in the Classroom

Several possibilities for seating arrangements in the classroom

As someone who is wanting to teach at the high school level one day, I think it is important to realize the implications on a learning environment that can be brought on by a good or bad seating arrangement.  And as someone who was not in high school very long ago, I thought I would share some of my experiences regarding what works and what doesn't.

The Orderly Rows Arrangement:  This is probably the most traditional seating arrangement that there ever was.  This arrangement consists of perfect rows of desks all of which face the board.  The attention is focused at the front of the classroom, the board, and the instructor.  This arrangement is beneficial if the attention desire is to be at the front of the room constantly.  There is little room for collaboration between students and the instructor is to always be the center of attention.  If this arrangement is good for any subject, I think it would be math.

The Separate Tables Arrangement: The separate tables arrangement is mostly seen in elementary and middle schools.  It works wonders for student collaboration and has the potential for students to grow socially by interacting with new peers.  If the arrangement has drawbacks, it is that some students will inevitably have their backs to the front of the room.  This makes it difficult for them to focus their attention on the front of the room.  Students may have more trouble paying attention, as they may be in an interactive setting with their peers.

The Circle Arrangement:  The circle arrangement works best when a class discussion is required.  All students can see and hear each other.  The teacher can sit among the students and hear all contributions.  If I recall any drawback of the circle arrangement, it is that it can be a tad intimidating for students who are hesitant to speak up in front of their peers.  With all eyes on the speaker, a sense of stage fright may induce a student to hold back his or her comments in discussion.

The Face to Face Arrangement:  The face to face arrangement of desks is my favorite arrangement by far.  I experienced it in a Senior year English class and thought that it worked out the best for me.  For one, there are two groups of students sitting in a cluster of desks that face each other.  This is ideal for assignments that require a debate format.  Two opposing sides can sit across from each other, debate, and communicate face to face.  Also, the instructor is able to be positioned in the middle of the two groups, to direct and support the students.  This way, the teacher is not seen as the main authority in the class, but more of a guidance figure.  Arranging the desks in this way allows for a significant space in the middle of the classroom.  This is ideal for presentation giving and student performances.  There is not an audience straight in front of you, so it is less intimidating.  For projects that require collaboration, the arrangement gives way to pre-sectioned groups.  

https://www.google.com/search?q=classroom+seating+arrangements&espv=2&biw=1600&bih=799&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiS6a-NkfvKAhVCn4MKHQGeC50Q_AUIBigB#imgrc=9L_XZ17xiJj0sM%3A

https://www.google.com/search?q=classroom+seating+arrangements&espv=2&biw=1600&bih=799&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiS6a-NkfvKAhVCn4MKHQGeC50Q_AUIBigB#imgrc=hFOZIAndoqm3BM%3A

https://www.google.com/search?q=classroom+seating+arrangements&espv=2&biw=1600&bih=799&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiS6a-NkfvKAhVCn4MKHQGeC50Q_AUIBigB#imgrc=5a6lnT3BPMxAPM%3A