Technology Rich Schools UP CLOSE

Levin, B., & Schrum, L. (2013). Technology-Rich Schools UP CLOSE. Educational Leadership, 70(6), 51-55.

1. I found this article by using the Rutgers University searchlight resource. I typed the words, "education technology," into the search bar and this article came up. I choose to read and respond to this article because I thought the title seemed interesting and I thought it might have some good tips and ideas for implementing technology within the classroom.

2. The main points of this article:

• The research questions that guided this article were, "
• "How do school districts with long track records of successfully using technology approach technology integration? What can schools that are trying practices like 1:1 laptop programs or flipped classes learn from districts that have long implemented such practices?" (Levin & Schrum, 2013).
• Interestingly enough...
• the school districts that were observed -> their goals were not to simply implement technology BUT  to increase 21st century skills
• college/career readiness
• improving graduation rates
• closing achievement gaps
• schools followed a problem based learning pedagogy
• Strategies to implement technology:
• "Establish the vision and culture. The schools we studied have provided ongoing, differentiated professional development for their teachers and have worked to improve their school's culture and climate and transform their curriculum and instruction. They did so nearly simultaneously with implementing 1:1 computing environments. Leaders established a clear vision and mission and figured out how to fund these initiatives.
  Bring technology into assessment. These schools use technology systematically for ongoing formative assessment. Once assessment data are collected and analyzed, technology is one of the main tools principals and teachers use to differentiate instruction during reteaching and to offer individual remediation and additional practice. Several schools have robust learning management systems in place. At New Tech High School, it isn't just teachers who look at data; students use the learning management system to track their own progress on achieving the school's eight learning goals.
  Establish partnerships. New Tech's leaders, for instance, partnered with the Napa Valley business community to secure ongoing support for the school's unique curriculum and technology infrastructure. As a result of the Napa district's success with New Tech High, there is now a New Tech Network (www.newtechnetwork.org) that supports schools around the United States that focus on project-based learning and education technology. These schools have a 98 percent graduation rate and a 96 percent college acceptance rate" (Schrum & Levin, 2013).
  3. This article was relevant to our course study because it provides a look into educational technology programs that have been successful and that are being used in creative ways. This article also delves into strategies that can be used when implementing technology into a school- that will achieve results! The most important takeaway from this article is the idea, that you should not implement technology just for the sake of using it -- technology shouldn't be your main goal. You should reach your main goal by using technology. I think this article and it's goal aligns with the takeaways from the course. We shouldn't just use technology in simple ways that are not meaningful and relevant; we should make it relevant and meaningful for students and use technology as a vehicle to improve learning. 
  
  

Reflections

I have been responding to feedback throughout the course on my blog. I have found the responses that I have received to be very helpful in the creation of my blog as well as the development of my knowledge about multimedia and creating instructional tools. I have found the feedback to very useful because others bring up valid points that I do not necessary think of while I create my posts. The feedback enhances my learning experience and allows me to reflect more deeply upon my work.

I have found the mini art school to be extremely helpful in the development of my knowledge of this course. Rather, than just reading about design principles and elements, it was super useful to actually use and manipulate software to learn about the elements for myself. It was so much more helpful to actually do the assignments that the books discussed rather than just read about the principles. I enjoyed creating my own pieces of "art" that demonstrated the concepts discussed in this course and it will prolong my learning as well as enhance my instruction. I would like to apply these concepts to my teaching to ensure that my students are receiving the best instruction possible. 

I found this graphic on pinterest that I thought would be of note to this class:

Mini Art School 4

I had a lot of technological glitches with this post :(
This is my storyboard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gOWnTfhv0E

http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cIennaVo8A

Mini Art School #3

I felt that the theme for this week's mini-art school revolved around perspective.  I created three various projects for this week that reflect my various thoughts and perspectives with regards to these assignments. 
For the first part of Mini Art School, I completed the cropping activity from the book, Design Basic Index. I took six photographs that I had previously taken and cropped them to create different photos. The differences among the photos were very interesting in that they all contained the same subjects but contained different perspectives. 
Here is a sample of my work:

The above photos are of my dog, Sebastian. I tried to crop the photo so that I would remove my friend's arm from it as well as focus more upon him as my subject.

The above photos are of my boyfriend's father's dogs. He has nine Chihuahuas, and it was almost impossible to garner a good photo of them all at once. Cropping came very much in handy with these pictures.

The above photos were taken during my vacation over the summer to Florida. I felt that the effects of this photo changed dramatically when I cropped it in various angles, and it created a variety of designs that emphasized different parts.

The above photos were also taken during my vacation in Florida. I felt that when I cropped these photos, I was able to change the photo into a panoramic photo of a street. These tools could definitely be useful when creating designs because the crops can completely change a photo.

 The above photos were taken at Lake Wallenpaupack in the Pocono Mountains. I love this picture because of how clear it's focal point is and the way that light plays upon the image.  In this case, I like the original photo best because it is just so beautiful to begin with.

This last photo was taken at a park by my home in New Jersey. I took this photo because it is a really beautiful scene that could be taken for granted if perhaps a photo was not taken of this site. In this case, I believe the cropping does not do the photo justice and it is perfect in it's natural state. The pictures were all cropped above using Fotoflexer software.

For the next part of this assignment, I created two book covers. I have a slight obsession with my dog and I wondered what would happen if we wrote a book together (crazy, I know.)

I am a bit torn about which cover I like better. The focal point of my cover is my dog, Sebastian. (I gave him credit for the book also, because they are his thoughts.) I tried to stay true to one color palette for both photos to create a theme in which the photos went well together with the type and it was not too distracting. This cover as well as the work below was created using Microsoft Publisher.

Above, I created the conveyance exercise. I tried to write the words that I was feeling in  a natural order to convey the thoughts that I were feeling at the time to the audience. I feel that there is a flow and a movement to these words due to the directions that they are facing.

Thank you for reading my blog! 

Mini Art School #2

For my second assignment for Mini art school, I decided to focus on two aspects of effective graphic design and graphic design layout. Mini Art School has really helped to broaden my conscious into being more aware of graphic design and how I receive it in my daily life. 

1. For the first part of this assignment, I decided to complete a word portrait, based upon the exercise suggested on p. 241 of the book, Design Basics Index.  For this assignment, I had to use a variety of fonts and think about their meaning. This project really made me think about how we perceive various fonts for various messages. For this, I had to write words that I thought would represent the message that the font would convey and then I wrote a word that was the opposite of what the font was trying to convey. (As shown in the example below.)  This was a very interesting assignment because I had never previously thought about the sub-conscious messages that fonts attempt to convey through their style. As our text book, White Space is not your Enemy suggests, "The best designers are experts in type and typesetting because they understand that well-styled type not only sets the document's tone but also directly impacts it's readability, legibility, and visual hierarchy" (Golombisky & Hagen,  2010, 86). This assignment was important to me as someone who is beginning to learn about design and the fundamental power and knowledge that one should obtain with regards to working with fonts. Below is my example of my word portrait: (ps. I created my word portrait with Microsoft Publisher.)

2. For the second part of this assignment, I decided to try this! exercise on page 56 in our book,  White Space is not your Enemy.  "Put your hands on a high-end magazine. Find a feature story layout that you believe really works. Then, use the elements and principles of design to explain why the layout works. Now do the same thing with an advertisement from the same issue" (Golombisky & Hagen, 2010, 56).
Luckily for me, this assignment was right up my alley. I am like the magazine queen of New Jersey and I receive so many magazines on a daily basis, that I really can't even keep up. Today, I just happened to receive my new issue of W magazine for March 2013: "Spring Fashion in Full Bloom." W magazine is an extremely upscale magazine that caters to upscale consumers of fashion; like one who will purchase a $2,500 Chanel pocketbook. I like to read these magazines and dream about the fashion that I will not be able to purchase for a very long time; if ever; but I love to peruse these magazines and look at the gorgeous photos. 
For the layout that I felt that worked was this:

This layout reminds me of the works every time layout. This layout has a main focal point of the picture of the woman on top. This picture draws my eye in and then down to the larger font, then following a progression, my eye exits through the right side of the page. The white background of the negative space in this layout allows for a contrast that enables my eye to clearly view the picture on the top of this layout and then follow the progression of the page. The two columns underneath the picture create a balance for this layout that is both aesthetically pleasing, simple, and easy to follow along.  The movement  that exists in this layout is extremely obvious and easy to follow (as previously mentioned). The desired pattern for one's eye is extremely obvious, simple, and makes the layout very strong. I believe that the principle of movement is the strongest point of this layout and it makes this layout as successful as it is. This layout demonstrates the importance of movement and how it can make or break an artifact of design.

Next, it seemed like an obvious choice for me to analyze a Michael Kors advertisement for its graphic design elements. I am a huuugeee  fan of this designer and of his style. Michael Kors is known for making his products to be simply made but beautiful and this advertisement is no exception.

The main focal point of this advertisement is the gorgeous leather MK bag that the model is holding. As soon as I saw this ad, my eye went right to the pocketbook. There is definitely a major implementation of the contrast principle at play in this advertisement. The colors of the clothing that the model is wearing allow for the whiteness of the bag to stick out in contrast. Mr. Kors also uses the white for his logo to appear on this advertisement because of the stark brown background of the desert scenery. The white in this advertisement really pops against the background and the diversity of colors that exists.  There is also the element of balance at play during the conveyance of this message on this advertisement. The model is holding the bag on an angle because she is sitting on an angle. This idea represents the unity that exists within this advertisement. This advertisement is very simple but it manages to transmit its' message to me, "BUY THIS BEAUTIFUL WHITE LEATHER MICHAEL KORS BAG."  

Mini Art School #1

Hi everyone!

I had a lot of fun creating the visual and design aspects of this blog that you will get to see. It was great for me to actually use the software and create visuals using the design rules that I have read about in the texts for this week's class.
Assignment 1
For the first part of this blog post, I went to one of my favorite blogging websites, Hellogiggles.com and critiqued it's graphic design according to the "Ten Web Design Rules that You Can Break," from the website Webdesigner Depot that was linked to our eCollege course page. I created a screen-cast, using the software "Screencast o matic." I  have previously used this software and find it very easy to operate and access.

Here is the link to my screen cast!
http://screencast-o-matic.com/u/MDp/hellogigglescreencastly

Assignment 2
For the second part of this week's blog post, I decided to do the assignment, "Design Basics Index: Decisive Design Presentation exercise"  on page 71 in the text. For this assignment, I had to draw a variety of borders and within those borders create sketches using geographic designs. I created my drawing on my iPad using the application, "Doodle Buddy." I experimented with the type of brush I used (size, type...etc.) and the effects that were available in the program (glitter and smudge.) Experimenting with this program provided me with a wonderful activity to see how my iPad can be used to create various aspects of graphic design, especially the initial stages. (Unfortunately, I am not the most artistic individual so please excuse my drawing if it looks like it was done by a five year old---it was me.)

It was very interesting to see how I could use the various tools within this program to create a graphic design. It was also very easy to export and send, which is something very important that I would like in a design software. This aspect of the assignment allowed me to be creative and use my iPad for a different purpose (rather than browsing on Facebook or pinning on Pinterest)

Assignment 3
For the third section of this blog post, I decided to create the "Design Basic Index: Harmony Exercise,"  which was listed on page 58-9 of the text. For this section, I decided to create three various posters for a summer music festival. I chose my type of music to be techno or house music because it carries a stigma for using bold graphic design in it's advertisements and shows. I used the program, Microsoft Publisher, to create my posters. I have not had too much experience using design software so I was not comfortable using other software products. (I tried to use the software Gimp, but as I was very confused.) I am hoping to be able to use other types of software to create more designs in the future. As I started creating with this software, I became very comfortable with the idea of creating design and I started becoming more creative with my work. As one can see, as my progression of designs grows, so does my creativity (I hope.)

Thinkfinity Groups

When thinking about my upcoming Multimedia Montage Project, I have joined two additional groups on the thinkfinity.org website that I think will enhance my project. The two groups that I have joined include: Technology Integration K-5 and Reaching English Language Learners.

I have decided to join the technology integration group because I believe my participation in this group will help me answer the essential question from week 1, "What are 21st century skills and why are they important?" I hope that that my membership in this group will prove to be fruitful; in that I will gain a practical insight into how (specifically) technology is being integrated into elementary classrooms. I chose to focus on elementary because I think that my project will focus on the audience of elementary students (since I student taught K-5 ESL- I have some experience teaching and appealing to this audience.) When I think about the implementation of  21st century skills in an elementary classroom, the idea from the "Curriculum and Instruction: A 21st Century Skills Implementation Guide," and how it addressed the manners in which schools can meet the needs of these learners in a time when "pen and paper" methods of teaching are becoming obsolete. "To meet the needs of twenty first century learners schools need to adapt a twenty first century skills  curriculum and employ methods of instruction that integrate innovative research proven teaching strategies, modern learning technologies, and real world resources and contexts" (Partnership for 21st century skills). I am hoping that my membership in this group will enable me to learn how to teach to students who have grown up with today's digital tools and access to multimedia and smartphones.

I also have decided to join the group, "Reaching English Language Learners," because I hope that this group will be able to provide me valuable insight into how to teach my specific my specific content subject matter of ESL.I am hoping my participation in this group will help me create my "toolbox," full of teaching resources and strategies that I will be able to use during my future teaching career.

Coffee and Consumerism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRlgc6GA924

INTRODUCTION 
For this post, I have decided to analyze and discuss a Starbucks commercial featuring the singer, Michael Buble. To begin with, the brand Starbucks itself contains social connotations and assumptions in our society. For example, the Starbucks experience is very different than the Dunkin Donuts experience. Starbucks is a more upscale chain with a different aesthetic piece than Dunkin Donuts. Starbucks is all about the coffee and the experience whilst Dunkin Donuts is more about the coffee and the food (as well as being much more cost efficient than Starbucks.) Starbucks' locations are usually much more inviting than Dunkin Donuts with couches and comfortable places to sit and chat. It is integral to think about the differences between these two coffee chains when discussing and analyzing a Starbucks commercial. When one views a Starbucks commercial, they are already well aware of the target audience as well as the message that is being conveyed by the video. In our society, Starbucks has a reputation for serving coffee that is more expensive than other chains and providing a more upscale, or exclusive experience than other coffee chains.  Starbucks is seen as a brand that caters to "yuppies," and this knowledge is integral to any analysis of a Starbucks commercial. By definition a "yuppie" is "a young, ambitious, and well-educated city-dweller who has a professional career and an affluent lifestyle" (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/yuppie). A yuppie is the stereotypical definition of a Starbucks customer and their targeted audience to whom they market to. Below I will be analyzing the above commercial as both a consumer and or a video producer/ or creator. 

ANALYSIS
The purpose of this video is to sell pre-made Starbucks Frappacinos that can be found in your local grocery store. The message of this commercial is that if you drink a Starbucks Frappacino, your life will be perfect while you drink this coffee and you will be able to relax and have some "you time." The notion of this "you time," would be an exclusive idea in itself because time to relax is unfortunately only available to those who have the financial means to relax and to take some time to themselves. (note: I am not saying that only wealthy people have access to relaxation but the idea of relaxation can only permeate other societal classes when they can afford the expensive coffee and more importantly the time to relax, or time just for themselves--which can be difficult for anybody in any financial status.)  
This commercial is selling a "perfect" version of reality in my eyes. I would love to drink coffee that would make Michael Buble appear and all of my problems disappear--however, that just isn't going to happen. The reality in this video is one of where everyone is happy and the coffee is a symbol of being able to relax and have time for yourself--an exclusive notion in itself.

AUDIENCE
The targeted audience of this commercial would be "yuppies," or more specifically women who are "yuppies." These women are very well-educated (hence the lady's glasses in the video), have money to spend, and they are stressed out. (They also might happen to have a thing for Michael Buble.) One could believe that the targeted consumer would think "Wow, that is a wonderful idea, I would love to have some 'me time' with a delicious frappacino." The information in this video is conveyed through the main woman in the commercial. The woman grabs a Starbucks drink and suddenly her day is transformed to being a little better than before. (i.e. The man selling roses is suddenly Michael Buble- what an improvement!) This commercial is told through her eyes so that one can easily obtain the main message of this video which is that this coffee drink will make your day better and allow you some time for relaxation. 

REPRESENTATION 
The main character in this video seems to be bookish and nerdy. She is dressed in a business casual manner with jeans. Perhaps she is either a student or works in a very informal environment. This woman looks like the epitome of the Starbucks customer. She is well-educated, well-dressed, and a bit stressed out. She is dressed in this manner so that the target audience could relate to her. Perhaps they are young working professionals who need a break during their day for some luxurious coffee. Her clothes and styling reveal the target consumer of this product.  The purpose of the window-washer and the flower seller (who turn into MB (Michael Buble.) is to show how mediocre, daily experiences can change for the better because one has had a Starbucks coffee drink.  I that men's voices have been left out of this commercial. MB does not really appeal to men for reason that he appeals to women (his dreamy looks and smooth voice.) I know my boyfriend is not going to drink a Starbucks frappacino because everyone will turn into MB and he will have some "him time." 

DESIGN
Primarily, I would definitely see this commercial being broadcast on a cable subscription network  such as Bravo, HGTV, or the Style network which cater to similar audiences. I think the medium of a TV commercial was chosen because it can reach a wider audience than some other mediums; like an advertisement in a magazine. The TV commercial gives this advertisement an additional dimension in which the desired message can be conveyed to the target audience. A TV commercial makes the most sense in the case of this advertisement because it has the music as well as the before and after effect that can be easily understood in this medium. 
It looks like the set has been modeled to mimic a ritzy office space in a city. The connotation of a window washer would prove that this would be a city-scape. The luxurious details in the crown molding of the set suggest an upscale or exclusive experience that is occurring in this commercial.  The couches in the lobby in this video are orange which suggest radiance and brightness which mimic the main sentiment of this video- that drinking Starbucks frappacino is a relaxing, happy, and positive experience as well as luxurious.  

"Steer Less and Suggest More"

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I am trying to get all my work done so that I can enjoy the last few days of break (homework free). Since I have some free time now I decided I would work on my blog. I am also a little sad :( to say that this will be my last entry into this blog. I enjoyed keeping it and I would love to keep another one. My main problem is that I do not have motivation to write in one on my own. I do not really have anything to write about or any extreme passions or what not. Hopefully one day I will find my passion to blog about something. One kind of blog that I really enjoy are ones that are like year long projects. For example after reading Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project (2009), which was turned into a book. You can see her blog here:http://www.happiness-project.com/. I really enjoyed her idea of documenting one year of her trying various techniques to find happiness. (I highly recommend the book). Interestingly enough, one of her projects was to start a blog. She found that it brought it her a lot of happiness because she was able to interact with her readers on an intimate level through the comments section. If I were to start my own blog, I would definitely model it after hers.
Anyways, in closing I would like to make a few remarks about my experience in the Introduction to Teaching with Digital Tools course. I highly enjoyed this course. It opened up my mind to the myriad of possibilities of using technology when I teach. Prior to this class, I had a slight interest in technology but I never knew how to apply it to my own pedagogy. This class definitely provided me with a lot of inspiration that I plan to implement once I start teaching. I love the idea of using a wiki. I would love to set up a wiki for my students in which they can access assignments, websites, documents, and interact with one another. I also plan on implementing skills for Twenty First Century learners into my lessons. I feel that this class has prepared me for becoming an educator in these modern times and provided me with positive attitude about creating and implementing change in the classroom. One quote that I really liked and would like to leave you with was, "Steer less and suggest more" (S.Nash as cited in Richardson p.143). I think this quote summarizes the direction that 21st century educators should be moving. They should move toward a goal of not spoon feeding students with information but with providing them with the knowledge and tools that they need to find the information for themselves. I would like to implement this style of teaching into my own pedagogy.

Teachers and Apples

(picture from: http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/files/2011/02/ipads2.jpeg)

          Teachers and apples go way back. I am sure you have heard the old cliche about the teacher's pet giving the teacher an apple. But what does this adage mean for today's classrooms. Clearly the apple has fallen off the tree and into your local mall or electronics store. The technology company Apple has seen success in a way like no other. For the past twenty years (or so), they have been light-years ahead of their competition with their innovative products that have essentially changed the way we live. Currently, the iPad (see above) is being adapted for use into classrooms for instruction and other purposes. As Dr. Falkenstein mentioned in the screen cast (http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cX6tqoOMk), iPads provide many benefits within the education world. 

            He mentions benefits for both teachers and administrators. I have first hand seen some of the great instructional benefits that iPads and Apple Applications can provide in the classroom. Unfortunately, I do not currently have an iPad but I do have an iPod Touch and an iPhone. I have used these devices to supplement my lessons that I am currently teaching at a private learning center. The kids absolutely adore the innovation and creativity that the applications from these tools have brought to the classroom. I can specifically recall that I did one lesson with the students about the Magic School bus and the human body. I was able to use my iPod to show the students video clips from the television show and we were able to calculate specific events in our lives according to the human body calculator app. I loved using these technologies with my lessons and I hope to use more like them in the future! Some other useful apps that I have found on the Apple network are the Math Puppy Bingo Game, (where the students can play bingo to solve math problems), I feel ...Electric! (This application teaches the students about different feelings and various vocabulary words, the students can listen to music and create their own mood pets in this app as well. I also want to discuss the Talking Tom app. This app repeats whatever the students say. My friend who is a speech pathologist uses this app in order to help her students hear and understand their speech and language. Below, I have included some screenshots of these apps from my iPhone:

(In their respective order: the first picture is a screenshot from Math Puppy Bingo, the second is from an application that allows the students to practice writing, the third is the feelings and emotions app entitled I feel Electric, and the last one is Talking Tom). 

         With these applications and more the possibilities for iPad use in the classroom are endless. Also, I would like to include this video that further demonstrates the uses of iPads in the classroom. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw6oZh_spAs.

        As Dr. Falkenstein has mentioned, the iPads provide tremendous benefits for classroom instruction as well as administrative duties. Since the iPads are small and portable, they are very easily used by students in small groups or centered activities and the teacher can also the iPad to monitor the student's progress. The administrator can also use the iPad for walkthroughs of the classroom, since they are small and portable and allow for mobility. 

         I can not wait to see how this technology is going to change the world of education! 

      

Post # 2 : Blog and Website design

Throughout this course, we have been experimenting with website layouts and design. This is an important twenty-first century skill, in order to tell the difference between a poorly designed website and a properly designed website. Since I am no computer programmer or web design professional, I definitely learned a lot so far from this course and this process. I believe that when creating an online forum or website for students there needs to be some design elements taken into account. Since there is a myriad of resources and graphics available on the internet, it is necessary for one to use these resources in their web venture. However, one must not let the graphics overpower the website. The purpose of them is to simply enhance it and allow for an engaging atmosphere for the students. I gained a lot from reading the website: http://library.albany.edu/imc/webdesign/index.html. One of the pages on this website that was the most helpful was the selection about color contrasts. From previous experiences with PowerPoint, I have noticed the importance of color contrast. "High contrast between text and background makes the text easier to read. Black text on white is the easiest. White on black, even though it is high contrast, is harder to read. Certain color combinations, such as red and blue, should be avoided because they result in extremely high perception problems."(Lipera, University of Albany). It is super important when creating websites and blogs to maintain a high contrast amongst colors in order for the website to be easy to read. When a website is difficult to read, nobody is going to want to use it and its' effectiveness will definitely dwindle.  I think that this website would be beneficial to all who use the internet to create blogs, websites, and more on the internet. I think that this website is extremely accessible and allows for the public to gain a better understanding of web-design.  I found this website which gives hilarious examples of poor webdesign. (If you would like a laugh and to see some examples of bad web design please view: http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/)  Some of the categories on this website are overload (with many graphics) and "gorgeous websites from the 90's"- these websites are prime examples of what NOT to do when creating a website. I would recommend this website for anyone who is creating their own website on the read/write/web.
I have been personally using the web to create websites and blogs for a few years (starting from hometown.aol.com - where you can create personal webpage to my current facebook and twitter page). I wish I could link my original sites that I have created so you can see how pre-historic they are. As I recall, they are overloaded with graphics (such as a blinking stars background that was all the rage) and quite difficult to read. I would like to think that my web designing skills have matured and improved since those early days. (My last website that I created prior to this course was for a cultural club at Rutgers University, where I served on the executive board as the group webmaster. You can check out the website here: http://lebanese-americanstudentsatrutgersuniversity.yolasite.com/)  Now I believe in a more understated view of web design, such as this blog. I think the simpler the website is, the easier it is to navigate and peruse.

Source:

Lipera, R. (n.d.). Basic web page design and layout . Retrieved from http://library.albany.edu/imc/webdesign/page4.html

"Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish" -Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

Yesterday we lost an important figure in the technology community. I think it is pertinent to comment on the loss of Steve Jobs and how his brilliant legacy will live on in the future. His work and innovations with Apple have been implemented in a variety of classrooms and have changed the face of education. (In districts such as Edison, they are incorporating the use of iPads in the classroom.) These devices are changing the way that students think and teachers approach knowledge. Students can become engaged using applications to learn because of their easy to use interfaces and aspects that incorporate games into learning. Steve Jobs has revolutionalized many industries including education and his legacy will live on forever.

Steve Jobs 2005 commencement address to Stanford University

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own.
And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go" -Dr.Seuss 

Hello!

Hello Everyone!
I want to welcome you all to my new blog. I have tried keeping blogs in the past but for some reason I can never keep up with them. Since this blog is for a course, I am hoping to solve that problem, and maybe figure out how I can maintain my own blog, and actually update and keep it. My blog is called "ensenanza es amor" which translated to English means teaching is love. I think that it is very important for teachers to act through love and kindness when teaching in order to never lose sight of the main goal of education - the better the lives of our students. (The name is Spanish because I studied Spanish Literature and Culture as an undergrad at Rutgers— go RU! and I find that it is sometimes easier for me to express my ideas in Spanish.)


First, this is my first time using Blogger. I have experimented with other blogs in the past (most notably Tumblr- which I was planning on using for this project, but it just did not work out). One of my favorite aspects of the “Read, Write, Web” is the ability to create a space that is solely yours. Here, I can relate all of my thoughts and feelings and the space can truly represent myself. I feel that when I have a key goal in mind, I am more likely to stick to updating and using my blog.


Next, I would like this post to focus upon technology in education and the outcomes that we hope to see when these skills are used in the classroom. Ultimately, the use of technology in the classroom is supposed to foster higher order thinking skills amongst our students. Blogs, Wikis, Skype…etc. and the multitude of tools available for use on the internet can foster the use of these skills. Specifically, when I reference higher order thinking skills I am thinking of Bloom’s Taxonomy and the skills that exist on the higher- levels of Bloom’s pyramid. (Please see this website for more information: http://www.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms_taxonomy.htm)

Above, is the Bloom’s Revised Wheel of Taxonomy. I have used this wheel when creating a myriad of lesson plans. I like how it connects Bloom’s verbs to activities that the students can complete. It bridges the gap from the abstract (the verbs) to the concrete (the activities). According to Bloom, the levels of higher-order thinking are Analyze, Evaluate, and Create. When students are working in these levels, they are not only demonstrating understanding of the topic at hand, but they are thinking about the topic in a deeper, more complex manner. When technology is used in the classroom, it should be used in a way that fosters this higher level of thinking. Some examples of higher level activities that involve technology can be:
1. The students can recommend useful websites to further reasearch on a particular topic.
2. The students can create a commercial about a certain product they they have learned about and put it on YouTube. Then they can pose questions to one another and discuss the video right underneath it.
These are just a few examples of the variety of ways one can use technology in the classroom to foster higher- order thinking.


Currently, I am taking a course entitled "Literacy Development for Middle Grades" at the Rutgers Graduate School of Education. Yesterday in class we read an article entitled, "Exploring Poetry: How does a Middle-School Teacher Begin?" (Shanklin, 2009). This article discussed various ways that a teacher can engage the students in a poetry unit and try to diminish the traditional apathetic attitude that students have toward poetry. This article contained some great ideas for changing up the poetry unit such as partner reading, allowing students to choose their poems to read, and having them present their poems to the class. The part of the article that intrigued me stated,"Keep in mind that you are inventing a poetry unit for twenty first century learners" (Shanklin, 2009). As a result of my coursework in Introduction to Teaching with Digital Tools, I found this sentence to be highly laughable. This article did not suggest any ways to integrate the use of technology into the unit or any ways for the students to use higher order thinking skills. I feel that as a result of my participation in this course, my views on education are changing and I am beginning to become a technology advocate in the classroom.


The picture is from: http://www.cobbk12.org/sites/alt/training/Blooms/circle.GIF.


Shanklin, N. (2009). Exploring poetry: how does a middle-school teacher begin?. Voices from the Middle, 16(3), 46-47.