Week10: Reading Edutopia

This weeks reading leaves me thinking how I will set up my classroom and how I will do so in adherence to the state and local building and fire codes.

There are so many wonderful things to do.  In one of our pre-K classrooms there are not any windows; big bummer! The teacher does her best to create the sense of space in how she decorates and utilizes the space. She is considering painting windows on the walls and using it as an interactive space.

What does your classroom look like in your mind?

Stellalunalorax

Week 10 Reading: The World Is Open for a Reason Make That 30 Reasons

I am so fortunate to be the one who posts on this reading especially given that I am considered a Non-Traditional Learner who has been attending both traditional and non traditional type classes for eleven years.  As a student seeking Teacher Certification within NYS the OER (open educational resource) is not necessarily an option.  Some of the courses can be taken online but the true certification is not yet available to a learner seeking online educational resources within NYS...Sure would make my life easier if it were! It often times feels to me as if my time is WASTED sitting through lecture when I could be doing so much more. Is there an element of position justification involved with institutions not being inline with 21st Century Skills?

I submit that from a marketing perspective institutions such as our beloved Cortland would serve an even larger demographic of people if more opportunities for OER were available.  There are sometimes less than 30 classes available online during semesters, winter and summer session.To me it seems unproductive to not offer the maximum availability of online course and degree programs especially since "we all learn."  Bonk asserts 10 reasons why institutions and organizations freely share online content, included in the 10 reasons are the dissemination of information, student assistance, alumni support, sharing ideas and practices, marketing, global education, goodwill, feedback, economic support and career options, and setting an example regarding the rights of all to be educated. He also notes that institutions of higher learning throughout the world are already doing this; Australia, Canada, Afghanistan, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Notre Dame and the United Kingdom.  All the more reason for each of us to maximize our talents in the technology sector and be prepared to teach and learn in multiple ways.

As leaders and advocates our responsibility to society will include the Three P's as outlined in Bonk's work; the technological infrastructure, online content and a participatory culture of learning. When awareness is heightened to the vast inequality in education the time is ripe for change.  I believe we have been teetering at the cusp of an educational revolution in our country for decades, change is happening in slow yet immense ways.  The recognized value of OCW (opencourseware) has not yet peaked in the Upstate area. However it continues to reach around the global world seemingly are we going to let it pass us by? It is our responsibility to check our egos at the door and really walk the walk and talk the talk of educational equality.  As stated in Bonk's piece, "convenience and flexibility are the learning watchwords" We all work, have lives, need money, etc and all deserve the opportunity that OCW and OER provide.  I can say with honesty that I would leave the traditional courses offered in an instant if Cortland were to become the innovator in the fields of OCW and OER that is is in the field of Teacher Preparation via  traditional methods.

Respectfully submitted,
Stellalunalorax

Our Wikis

Since for week 8 we don't really have any readings, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss our wikis a little bit! For week 9 we have some readings on wikis in education, but for some reason the links weren't working for me.

Now that we have been in our observation classrooms a few times, where do you see wikis fitting into an elementary classroom? Do you think you could have children submit homework on wikis or is that too much to ask considering that some families may not have access to a computer?

Do you think it is unlikely that a first-year (or even second or third-year) teacher would have time to have a wiki that highlights all subjects? In other words, would teachers be able to find the time to post and maintain activities, games, assignments, etc for every subject or is it more reasonable to choose one subject and go from there?

Lastly, how do you feel about your own wiki? I know that I am finding it very hard to do the things that I would like to do with my wiki... I have many ideas but I can't technologically figure out how to do them!

Since I have asked a bunch of questions, I figured I would give a little of my opinion... Thinking about myself as a future teacher, I have thought that maybe the best way to use a wiki in my class would be to communicate with parents. Instead of sending letters home (which from the classroom I am in, it seems to happen daily), maybe the letters could be posted online. But then you run into the trouble of access to the computers or if parents would bother to get on the site and check for newsletters. Additionally, teachers could communicate student progress through the wiki. Just some ideas...

See you guys tomorrow!

Our Posting Schedule

Week 4: Darcy 2/14

Week 5:  Brittney 2/21

Week 6: Amanda 2/28

Week 7: Darcy 3/7

Week: 8 Brittney Spring Break

Week 9: Amanda 3/21

Week 10: Darcy 3/28

Week 11: Brittney 4/4

Week 12: Amanda 4/11

Week 13: Darcy 4/18

Hope this helps,

Darcy

Peer Evaluation's

Just a reminder, Shufang posted a "Peer Evaluation" that we have to include under project 3 in our TaskStream for the blog. So far so good! Hope everyone enjoys their break!

Internet Safety Week 7 Reading

Our reading for week 7 includes the Internet Safety link from the New York State Education Department and is as follows: 

         "The emergence and use of new technologies strengthen the need for all learners to know and practice safe    effective, ethical use of technology through training in Internet safety. While many students and teachers use various technologies often, others may use it infrequently or lack basic access or information to use technology. Yet all learners, including the youngest students, students with special needs, and English language learners, can receive guidance in information literacy and the safe and ethical use of telecommunications tools such as social networking spaces and online coursework to meet learning standards, credit or degree requirements, and life-long learning needs. NYSED can assist by providing technical assistance for instructional programs designed to promote the proper and safe use of the Internet."

In my observation the students spend most of their time watching or listening to the teacher do or perform the technology; however when the Smart board is utilized each student that I have observed interacting on the smart board has had prior knowledge of how to make it work and what to do with it. 

I would like to see the traditional "desk" make way for a laptop in the community of the classroom.  Too often our students are leaving their classrooms to learn about technology as if it is somehow separate from the rest of our content curriculum. Some classrooms keep the computers covered and are used as a reward during "play time" in which the students are playing social networking type games such as "Club Penguin"  or "Pandanda"

With that said there will always be a need for students to write legibly and comprehend what they read as well as navigate the internet in a safe, educational and meaning making way which complements the state and national core curriculum as well as the scope and sequence of the district. 

We as pre-service teachers have a responsibility to prepare ourselves and our students to have 21st Century Skills comparable with current Industry Standards.  

Happy Day!

Darcy B