Celeste+Byrne

 Celeste Byrne Auburn University at Montgomery Research & Technology Project 



Our students are our future, and therefore should be treated that way. As an educator, I feel one of the most important factors affecting student achievement within the classroom is the ability to capture student interest and send their curiosity for learning to new heights. If the children within the four walls of our classroom are our future, then it is our responsibility as educators to provide them with the tools necessary to succeed beyond the experiences of today. If we are creating the future leaders of tomorrow, we need to look at what tomorrow may bring. It is time to step out of our comfort zone and discover all of the exciting learning tools that are just waiting to be explored. There are countless numbers of innovative forms of technology waiting to be put to use within our classrooms. These programs are designed to fit students as a whole learner. There is no need to continue sitting in a desk doing the same old monotonous desk work, technology is within our reach and it is what our educational programs need to regain student interest and send their minds soaring.

I want my students to wake up in the morning with an uncontrollable anticipation for the new and invigorating experience they will encounter in my classroom today. In order to create that desire within the hearts of my students, I feel it is my responsibility to observe them as individuals and find innovative ways to meet their personal interests and needs.

As we look at today’s generation of students and the vast amount of resources that surround them, it is not difficult to see that technology plays a large role in their everyday life experiences. If technology is where their interest lies and where the future of education is headed, then this is what should be brought into the classroom. By appealing to their interests, we gain their attention and the end result is powerful learning that will stay with them throughout their educational journey.

There are a vast amount of technological tools out there to stimulate student interest. By using these tools, we bring our children deeper into the world of technology that surrounds them and provide them with a base knowledge that allow them to keep up with the fast passed electronic world by which we are surrounded. As educators, we know that we are to strive to educate our students as whole learners and work to engage all aspects of student learning. In 1956, a group of educational psychologists gathered to create a classification system addressing the levels of intellectual behavior that are important in learning. This system, Blooms Taxonomy, found that over 95% of the test questions students encountered require them to think only at the lowest level possible...the recall of information (Officeport.com).

Bloom identified six levels within the cognitive domain. The lowest level is simple recollection or recognition of facts, then it is followed by understanding, application, analyzation, evaluation, and the highest level is creation. By reaching for the higher-order skills we will help our students achieve more meaningful learning. By using new and invigorating uses of technology we can submerge our students in higher level thinking while stimulating their interest. Technology can be the first step to an new outlook on education.

 Our fast paced world of technology has not only change the procedures of our daily life, it has change the way we think in order to keep up with these changes. In Daniel Pinks, // A Whole New Mind //, six essential components are addressed concerning our ability to adapt to the modern world. He addresses six aptitudes, which he labels as "the six senses". These are design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning. These six senses work with the concepts of of the left-brain to create a balance, in turn developing the whole mind.

Pink explains that with the changes brought about through technology, there is a steady shift from left-brainers dominiating the world to a right-brain dominance. Right-brainers tend to be more creative and innovative and able to adapt to the changes taking place within the world, while left-brainers tend to be more sequential, literal, logical, and analytic.

Our generation is currently experience a shift from the information age into the conceptual age. Just knowing facts won't get a person far. They have to know how to make sense of the world that surrounds them.

Resources:

Blooms Taxonomy. Retrieved October 1, 2009, from __http://officeport.com/edu/blooms.htm__

 Pink, D.H. (2006). // A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future //. New York: Berkley Publishing Group.

  I chose 6 forms of technology to use within my classroom:

6 Forms of Technology: 1. Google Earth 2. Twitter 3. Podcasts 4. [|Digital Storytelling: iMovie] 5. Personal Response System (PRS): "clickers" 6. Social Bookmarking



1. Google Earth:

A. Google Earth is a program that allows users to browse for a variety of different information pertaining to planet earth. This application uses a satellite to locate virtually any place on earth. Once a location is selected, users can zoom and manipulate the image for further exploration. This dramatic use of satellite imagery is sure to capture the attention of every student within the classroom. This program allows the user to take virtual tours of cities, observe the seating at sports stadiums, as well as explore the coast of an unfamiliar beach. Students can zoom in on an unlimited amount of structures and locations that would have otherwise been text on a page or a picture in a book. Google Earth is a free download that is quick to set up and easy to use. Step by step instructions are provided in great detail and many wonderful ideas for educational use are suggested. Google Earth is just one of the free programs offered through Google for Educators.



B. Vygotsky believed that human activities take place in cultural settings and can not be understood apart from these settings (Woolfolk 18). Google Earth is a learning tool that gets students as close to the actual cultural settings as possible without actually being there. Pink also agrees that in order to thrive, the student must be actively engaged and experience the culture that allows us to understand the world beyond that in which we have become accustomed (Pink 2006). Google Earth is a system that is supported by an incredible number of theories within our learning community. This is an incredible way to create an amazing learning experience.

C. I would use Google Earth as an educational tool that brings what once may have been considered an unattainable tour of a land far away into a virtually realistic exploration. Through this program students are able to discover every area of the planet and expand on concepts that relate to many parts of their daily curriculum. As students read stories and form mental images of the setting or city within their creative mind, they can use Google Earth to compare and expand. Many students, especially in lower income schools, haven't had many opportunities to experience or observe a large amount of the places and culture that exist throughout the world. Through this program I could create a virtual tour that shows them the location as well as the shelters and structures within that location. Students can navigate, investigate, read maps, explore historical locations, and create their own 3-D models to share with their peers. The list of uses within the classroom expands as far as the users mind can travel.

Resources:

Fermann, E. //Using Google Earth in the Classroom//. East Chester, New York. Retrieved September 27, 2009, from __www.geosociety.org/educate/.../creatingGoogleEarthTours.pdf__

WestEd for Google. //Google Earth: In the Classroom//. Retrieved September 27, 2009, from __www.google.com/educators/activities/pdfs__

Pink, D.H. (2006). //A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future//. New York: Berkley Publishing Group.

//Welcome to the Classroom Google Earth Wikis//. Retrieved September 27, 2009, from __http://classroomgoogleearth.wikispaces.com/#toc0__

Woolfolk, A. (2010). //Educational Psychology (11th Edition)//. Pearson Education, Inc.

2. Twitter A. Twitter is a social networking website used for micro-blogging. It can be defined as a multimedia blogging system which allows individuals to send brief updates to others who participate within that service. Users are able to control who has the ability to follow their postings as well as choose the the users they would like to follow through an easy to use security feature. This service allows millions of users to stay connected with each other through a simple message that explains what they are doing at that particular moment in time. Twitter limits the user to a maximum of 140 characters, and yes spaces and punctuation do count as characters. Users communicate through "tweets" which are sent to external devices such as personal computers and cell phones. Twitter approaches social networking in a way that allows individuals to express themselves to a large quantity of people in a short amount of time. A simple way to explore this technology while leaving room for creativity would be to make changes within the topic being communicated based upon the educational objective being communicated. 



B. As a social networking website, Twitter can be easily connected to Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development. According to Piaget, our cognitive development is influenced through our social transmission (Woolfolk 48). As children "tweet" with one another they are observing the views of others and begin to steer away from their own egocentric tendencies as they gain curiosity for those around them. Pink explains that when we communicate with others we should tell a story. He states that our lives are filled with stories and we should share them (Pink 65). Twitter is a quick tool that allows us to share our story with a large amount of people in a short period of time. 

C. My personal interest came from a personal encounter within one of my collegiate courses. Twitter allowed our entire classroom to communicate with each other about classroom issues as well as individual ideas within an objective. This class allowed us to come together as a cooperating community of learners within a short period of time. In my elementary classroom, twitter would be used to encourage students to express themselves as individuals. But it wouldn't stop there, this could also be a powerful tool that pulls children away from an egocentric thought process through constant observation of the individuality of others. Student have the opportunity to learn other methods of thinking by listening to their peers. My favorite part of this technology is its ability to stray away from the everyday topic twitter uses and create my own. I can create twitter activities that ask the student to apply daily objectives. If a lesson was taught on questioning as you read, I could ask the students to "tweet" any questions that may arise as they read their story. Twitter is an affordable approach to creating a social classroom community that strives to communicate and recognize the views of others. 

Resources: Emerging Internet Technologies for Education. (2009). //6 Examples of Using Twitter in the Classroom.// Retrieved September 27, 2009 from __http://www.emergingedtech.com/2009/06/6/6-examples-of-using-twitter-in-the-classroom/__ <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 112%;"> Grosseck, G., Holotescu, C. (2008). //Can We Use Twitter for Educational Activities?// Retrieved September 29, 2009, from __http://adl.unap.ro/else/__

Pink, D.H. (2006). //A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future//. New York: Berkley Publishing Group.

Woolfolk, A. (2010). //Educational Psychology (11th Edition)//. Pearson Education, Inc.

Young, J. (2008). //A Professor's Tips for Using Twitter in the Classroom//. The Chronicle for Higher Education. Retrieved September 27, 2009, from __http://chronicle.com/blogPost/A-Professor-s-Tips-for-Using/3643__ <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">



3. Podcasts <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 126%; text-align: center;">A. Podcasts are digital, audio, or video files that are periodically released and downloaded. Podcasts can be retrieved and stored to a variety of different technology sources, such as itunes and Winamp. Though the files must be downloaded through an online process, after downloading, the information can be stored and accessed on other devices that work offline. This provides students with a simpler more flexible learning tool available and many environments that may have been previously useless due to the lack of internet access. Podcasts allow users to listen or watch the selected Podcast whenever and wherever they desire. They are communicated as videos, verbal recordings, advertisements, and entertainment. The topic provided within the various Podcasts available are unlimited, and there should be no trouble finding appropriate matches suitable for individual student needs as well as individual student interests. <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">

<span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: center;">B. Podcast's most appealing value lies in its ability to relate to a whole variety of student interests and make them excited about learning. According to Pink (2006), stories are ancient art forms and are easier to remember. Podcasts allow students to create and tell stories in order to communicate to others. Vygotsky explains (Woolfolk 18) how social processes create more meaningful learning and thinking (2010). Observing and interacting with others allows an expansion of individual thoughts beyond personal ideas. This interaction creates changes within student thinking. <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 126%;">C. There are a variety of ways to use Podcasts within the classroom, I prefer to use it as a tool that helps improve skills such as grammar, writing, public speaking. Improving vital skills such as these, also improves self confidence which will flow into many other aspects of their educational journey. When students have the ability to create their own Podcasts, they also have the opportunity to reinforce previous learning objectives as they continue to discover throughout the creation process. Students also have the ability to select different Podcasts that suit their personal interests while still meeting the teacher's specific educational goal. One example of this is Grammar Girl. This Podcast approaches grammar in a manner that relates to young girls. I would also use Podcasts to re-communicate lessons and provide classroom updates to parents as well as students. <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Resources: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Pink, D.H. (2006). //A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future//. New York: Berkley Publishing Group.

Podcasting in Education. Retrieved September 27, 2009, from __chat.hdsb.ca/~maps/boylit/Podcasting%20in%20Education__

//Resourcing the Curriculum//. The Department of Education and Training. Retrieved September 27, 2009, from __http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/evel/curriculum/ict/podcasts/__

Woolfolk, A. (2010). //Educational Psychology (11th Edition)//. Pearson Education, Inc.



4. Digital Storytelling: iMovie A. iMovie is a video creating and editing software which allows users to create home movies and slide shows. This method of digital storytelling allows students to produce stories, timelines, and step by step procedures within the classroom by using photos and videos. Students have the ability to create movies by adding titles, music, audio clips, and personal voice overs while editing their creation. Transitions and special effects may also be used to spark visual interest within the iMovie. After the project is complete, files can be saved for future access and published directly to sites such as Youtube. This quick and easy application is usually free when you purchase a Mac computer.



B. iMovie is a powerful learning tool that relates to a variety of learning styles. Using this program also approaches learning in a manner that reaches into the higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. Among many aspects of intelligence, iMovie ventures into creation which is considered the highest level within this classification system. Creation allows students to demonstrate a full understanding of the concept learned. Students are able to use their creativity to produce movies, storyboards, and timelines. Children are able to communicate their comprehension as well as produce a personal "story" to share with others. Pink's use of storytelling definitely supports the use of this technology within the modern day classroom.

C. The uses for iMovie are extensive. My personal preference for classroom use would be to re-communicate previous lessons. This allows students to gain a deeper comprehension of a lesson as they reinforce and recreate their own ideas of what they have learned. They can act out stories that are read in the classroom through things such as plays and puppet shows. This also provides time for social interaction and lends a hand to observing the views and interests of others. By using iMovie, teachers are provided with the opportunity to review student creations and pick up on mistakes in areas such as comprehension. This program can also be used to document field trips and demonstrate teacher and peer modeling. As students become the directors of their own movies, interest in the desired educational outcome is sure to increase.



Resources:

iMovie Guidelines. Retrieved September 27, 2009, from __www.apple.com/education__

iMovie in Teacher Education. Retrieved September 27, 2009, from __http://edweb.sdsu.edu/sciencetg/ie/__

Pink, D.H. (2006). //A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future//. New York: Berkley Publishing Group.

Woolfolk, A. (2010). //Educational Psychology (11th Edition)//. Pearson Education, Inc.

5. Personal Response Systems (PRS): "Clickers"

A. Personal Response Systems are small handheld devices that allow individual students to select their answers to previously prepared questions through digital communication. This system is commonly used with multiple choice or true/false questions due to the setup of the remote which is often called a "clicker". As teachers conduct lessons, they are able to survey student comprehension and gain instant feedback. Teachers have immediate response to who got the question right or wrong as well as who may not have participated at all. Clickers also allow students to see how their peers responded in a private non-invasive manner. The system provides a graph with percentages of each option available.



B. Clickers are valuable educational tools that allow students to be actively engaged in their learning experience. Piaget believes students need to be actively engaged with in their learning experience in order to receive the full effect of what is being presented (Woolfolk 32). Pink (2006) states that students need to interact with others in order to learn from them. Clickers allow students to actively input their answers and observe the answers of their peers. This concept can be made even more effective by allowing students to discuss throughout the process.



C. I would use clickers to survey student comprehension in a quick manner. This tool will allow me to actively engage the students as I monitor the effectiveness of a lesson. By using clickers I can instantly tell what aspects of a lesson may have caused confusion, and find a way to bring the information back together. This also allows me to recognize the individual students who are maintaining high levels of comprehension and pair them for collaborative learning with others who may be having difficulty. To make this learning tool more exciting, I would create games such as "Jeopardy" and "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire", which could serve well during reviews.

Resources:

eInstruction. __http://einstruction.com/__

iRespond. Retrieved September 27, 2009, from __http://www.irespond.com/__

Pink, D.H. (2006). //A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future//. New York: Berkley Publishing Group.

Woolfolk, A. (2010). //Educational Psychology (11th Edition)//. Pearson Education, Inc.

6. Social Bookmarking



A. Social Bookmarking websites provide teachers and students with a way to store, organize, and share web pages that they may find useful. This system allows users to locate files and favorites in a quick and effective manner. For example, if a person wants to find information on a specific topic, they could access a social bookmarking site such as del.icio.us and enter their search term. The site will provide instant links to previously selected favorites within that program that other users found helpful within that topic. Social Bookmarking helps omit wasted time from searching endlessly and blindly over the internet. This "sharing" of information is a powerful tool in leading others to quality websites.



B. Social Bookmarking could be used as a valuable tool that allows the teacher to apply Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development, without having to provide an outrageous amount of individual one on one support. By bookmarking sites for the intended user, the student is able to explore information that meets their personal developmental needs. Students are also able to express themselves by creating their own personal bookmarking pages. This relates to Pink's "sense" of design. This personal creation and expression allows students to create a site that is creative and expressive.



C. There are a variety of ways to promote social bookmarking as an effective tool to education within the classroom. One approach to this type of technology would be to guide students through internet exploration without the worry of inappropriate websites and wasted time searching for useless information. For example, while conducting a lesson on frogs, I could find three high quality sites for the students to explore. I would be able to gather the information before the students arrive and set them free to make sense of their own educational exploration. Students can also create their own bookmarks which allow their own personal interest and promote connections with fellow classmates and others who may interact within the site. Resources:

Jackson, L. (2009). Sites to see: Social Bookmarking. Education World. Retrieved September 27, 2009, from __http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/sites/sites080.shtml__

Pink, D.H. (2006). //A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future//. New York: Berkley Publishing Group.

Social Bookmarking: Teaching Today. The McGraw-Hill Companies. Retrieved September 27, 2009, from __http://teachingtoday.glencoe.com/howtoarticles/social-bookmarking__

Woolfolk, A. (2010). //Educational Psychology (11th Edition)//. Pearson Education, Inc.

Conclusion: By playing an active role in producing the most valuable learning experience we can offer as teachers, we are also encouraging our students to become active within their own personal desires to do their best. Learning is a life long journey. The sooner we make learning an optimistic experience for students, the more likely they are to succeed in future endeavors. The world is quickly changing and our educational systems should find a way to keep up. The first place to start is within the classroom, by striving to provide our students with the tools neccesary to produce the future leaders of our world.

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