{"content":{"sharePage":{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"3170079","dateCreated":"1205032967","smartDate":"Mar 8, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"sbeneville","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/sbeneville","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1204501523\/sbeneville-lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/teacherdolphins.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/3170079"},"dateDigested":1531976775,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Lifelong learners","description":"I think that one thing that teachers should always remember is that our job requires us to be lifelong learners. We should never assume that we know it all, and technology is a perfect example of that. When looking at this staff development, at the beginning, I wasn't sure what we would learn that would be totally new for me. And yet, everything is new! Once you feel as if you are the "learned", it might be time to retire.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"3075431","dateCreated":"1204581469","smartDate":"Mar 3, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"meldenney","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/meldenney","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/teacherdolphins.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/3075431"},"dateDigested":1531976775,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"learning as an immigrant","description":"I feel like the quote about the "learners" versus the "leaned" sums up my "a-ha" moments that I have experienced during the first two sessions. I find it ironic and amusing that we, the IMMIGRANTS, are teaching the NATIVES--that seems backward. I get this image of the waves of immigrants that came to the US in the early 1900s, and I imagine that many of us feel the same way about technology that they felt about their new home; scared, nervous, hoping to blend in with the natives. In the end, though, immigrants had to learn from the natives. They had to watch, observe, practice, and learn how to navigate their new country by watching how natives lived, worked, talked, survived, etc. Sometimes they were also able to teach natives about their own customs and traditions from their former homes. I realize that this is how it also must be for me and technology. Just like the immigrants, I have something I can teach kids, such as how to use technology responsibily and our history pre-technology--the customs and traditions that have been in place before technology took over. But there will be times that I need to sit back and watch, observe, practice, and learn how to navigate this new world of technology from the natives. That way, I will still be a "learner" and I won't be left behind in this period of rapid, exponential change.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"3111365","body":""Exponential" is the part that floors me. As a teacher, I would be much more comfortable if I could stay at least a few steps ahead of my students - in order to "teach" them how to proceed with learning in the realm of technology. However, at this rate things are developing, it doesn't take long to fall behind! So...I guess I'll have to become more comfortable about not necessarily being "up" on everything while remaining flexible in my approach with students about our learning together. I know this will continue to be challenging for me, because I am so accustomed to utilizing the "known" to get to the "unknown". In other words, I'm feeling handicapped by my insufficient background knowledge for some of the tasks ahead.","dateCreated":"1204734091","smartDate":"Mar 5, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"debrabarnes","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/debrabarnes","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"3170069","body":"My natives at home are constantly teaching me how to do things on the computer. Then, I get my chance to teach them when they can't find a number in the phone book. :)","dateCreated":"1205032724","smartDate":"Mar 8, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"sbeneville","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/sbeneville","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1204501523\/sbeneville-lg.jpg"}},{"id":"3911929","body":"Thanks Stacy, I don't feel so left out. I often feel incompetent with technology when my own children have to help me out with something. But then, I think of all they do not know like Stacy mentioned with the telephone book,...
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\nThese past few weeks, my class has been working on power point presentation and I have actually let the students help each other more and more instead of me showing some of my ignorance with it. I have learned so much and the ones that always seem to know it all, have been the ones learning from others that you may not expect to know it. It has really put a smile on my face, and theirs too!","dateCreated":"1209087212","smartDate":"Apr 24, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"clovingood","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/clovingood","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"2886299","dateCreated":"1203559870","smartDate":"Feb 20, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"storain","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/storain","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/teacherdolphins.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/2886299"},"dateDigested":1531976776,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"at a cross road","description":"I agree that as educators we should be learners at all times, willing to change with the times and the research. I think it engages togay's childen and motivates them. However I think that technology has its place. It should not be just about the "fun" of it. Students still need the basics. I am afraid that technology, with all its glory has made people forget about pen and paper skills, and problem solving. With a click of a button I can text a thought, and not have to think about my spelling. Until state assessments match, then we can't become reliant on this as the primary source of instruction.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"2903429","body":"I totally agree, and while I have all kinds of ideas about the ideal school environment, and how education will have to revolutionize in the future, right now we are tied to our state standards and expectations with testing. Unfortunately, the type of testing that integrated technology and this higher level thinking will require (especially looking at many of the 21st Century skills) would be much more like the writing test, but even more massive.
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\nI believe we should be moving towards an age of more project-based learning and authentic (and I mean AUTHENTIC) assessments. For example, what if an architect led an integrated project with students and had them construct a proposal for a building or other task. Some students would immediately be highly motivated, others might try things out, and then realize that they need more information (more research) in order to be successful at the tasks. Teachers would be there to guide students and offer assistance, preparing them with those necessary reading, writing, and math skills\/understandings. And, what if they were truly evaluated by the architect (the expert in the field)? All kinds of things we ask students to do because we know they need the practice (persuasive writing, powerpoints, oral presentations, research, thinking, collaborating with partners, learning for the future, actually remembering and experiencing what they are being asked to learn....etc.)
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\nDon't sell my idea to dpi, but I truly believe school might (or needs) to move towards a "role playing" model. Where students "play" that they are really members of different career fields. How do we do this now? How would we possibly have the time to plan everything to be this involved? How would this be assessed with standards-based testing?
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\nI mean, I just find it troubling that our true job is to help create citizens who are productive and successful in their future lives, but many of our students do not see the connection between education and career\/future success. If learning was nearly always through the lens of a career and role playing, think about the possibilities of students learning so much more in depth and being so much more engaged and prepared for the future. Why do we stop playing kitchen and dress up after kindergarten?
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\nOk, off my soap box....","dateCreated":"1203635299","smartDate":"Feb 21, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"tamaralynn","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/tamaralynn","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1202793136\/tamaralynn-lg.jpg"}},{"id":"3060091","body":"There is no doubt that there is a tremendous amount of technology out there, that it is changing all of the time, and that we, as educators, need to keep abreast of the latest developments. However, I agree with Sheila about knowing the basics. I've always thought that technology should be used as a tool (one of many), but we shouldn't use it just for the sake of using it. Yes, there are many, many opportunities to use technology on a daily basis in our classrooms. But as the posters before have said, we need to remember what resources are available to our students at home. We still need to think strategically about the best way to teach students a particular skill or strategy.
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\nMaybe this is obvious, but it almost seems to me that we need to think about technology in two ways:
\n--using it as a tool to teach new skills to our students
\n--teaching students about the technology itself so that they can use it as tool for themselves
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\nBack to the "basics" idea again:
\nWe've all experienced power outages, computer crashes, cell phone reception black holes, and clogged up\/super slow dial-up. So I still want to be able to write a letter correctly without spell check and microsoft word, check the gardening book so I know how to plant my tomatoes, balance my checkbook without on-line banking, and go to the library to do my research from a book.","dateCreated":"1204503821","smartDate":"Mar 2, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"JWorkman","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/JWorkman","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1204504714\/JWorkman-lg.jpg"}},{"id":"3070607","body":"I agree with the back to the basics ideas while also incorporating technology in meaningful ways for our students. As a teacher who is still relatively young and has grown up with the web through middle school, high school, and college, I cannot imagine life without this technology and information at my finger tips. However, I am absolutely capable of functioning without it. As digital immigrants, I think that is important for us to develop our technology skills in order to meet the needs of our students, but I also feel that it is important that we teach our students how to access information and write if\/when technology fails.","dateCreated":"1204565161","smartDate":"Mar 3, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"jarndt","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/jarndt","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"3080913","body":"I agree with everyone about making sure that there is a balance when it comes to integrating technology. It seems to me that the key is to INTEGRATE and not isolate these skills that we may use technology to teach. Julia mentioned that students still need to be taught to look up information in a book, balance a checkbook by hand, etc. As teachers, we need to make sure that we are teaching both at the same time. I think it is very easy to get swept up in the new and exciting part of technology (or at least it has been for me). I know I absolutely love the attention that I get from my kids when I use technology to teach something. The SMART board is equivalent to a video game for them and I can easily trick them into learning something without any effort. I confess that I am quick to let "the basics" that we are referring to go if there is a time struggle between it and using technology. Just recently I have noticed that I anxiously pushed my students through taking notes and researching an animal so that we could get started on learning how to put their information into a PowerPoint. The recent discussions have kind of reminded me to make sure that I am not going too crazy with all this new stuff we are learning.
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\nI know this is unrelated to technology, but the whole discussion sure does remind me of our K-2 meeting discussion about Lucy Calkins. We are using a model that teaches children all of these new and different ways to write, while very often completely ignoring the conventions of writing. More and more children seem to be moving up the grade levels with some great content, but can't name the parts of speech or consistently forget to capitalize beginnings of sentences.
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\nHow do we fit it all in without letting something fall away??","dateCreated":"1204596330","smartDate":"Mar 3, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"karacoleman","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/karacoleman","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"3102927","body":"I believe I have heard Martinette call it the "stuff before the fluff".
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\nTwo other thoughts:
\nTechnology can be very one dimensional. As technonogy imigrants we know how to look in the phone book or check the newspaper if we can't find something on-line. However, I think some of the technology natives stop their search if they can't find something on-line. They just don't have those other resources as fully ingrained as we do.
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\nTechnology can also be very sedentary. Really, is there any need to get up out of your computer chair? All the answers can be found right at your fingertips. No need to even move! Well, I guess a real technology native would probably be sprawled on a bed (not in a chair)somewhere with a laptop (where else but in his lap!), an ipod stuck in his ear, and a cellphone glued to his hip. I can sit here in front of my computer and check the weather, balance my checkbook, pay bills, add movies to my Netflix queue, make lesson plans, look up Dream Dinners, download music, and still have time to take a quick peek at the People magazine site. I only have to get up to well, eat.","dateCreated":"1204681483","smartDate":"Mar 4, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"JWorkman","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/JWorkman","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1204504714\/JWorkman-lg.jpg"}},{"id":"3115821","body":"It sounds like the basics vs. technology debate is a fundamental issue for all of us and it poses a question that is not easily answered. It reminds me of a report I heard on NPR the other day about a music magazine that is ceasing publication. The reporter asked about transferring their magazine to the web and the publishers responded that the kind of in-depth articles that are found in their magazine are not compatible with putting them online. That is because people will not give that much sustained attention to the computer screen--there is something about holding a book or magazine in your hands and turning each page. My point is, I think the way to make sure the basics don't get lost is to make them relevant (Tammy I think you said that first), and the way we make them relevant is to somehow enstill a love for those basics in children. In other words, somehow getting them to see how it feels to find a letter in the actual physical mailbox addressed to you (instead of the inbox), opening it up and reading what's on the page; the tactile sensation of flipping through an encyclopedia to do research, the crackle and pop of a vinyl record and yes, even the pain of balancing your checkbook (which I find gives me much more satisfaction and a sense of moderation with my money than online banking). For many kids, the old becomes new again and they get excited to experience these things. I think our energy would be put to good use to expose them to these things so maybe they will hold onto them as technology becomes more dominating.","dateCreated":"1204746422","smartDate":"Mar 5, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"meldenney","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/meldenney","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"3170061","body":"One of the Teaachers of the Year (state or national) from a few years back talked about his job as an "edutainer". Keeping those basics are crucial. And yet we are in competition with technology in maintaining the students' attention. This may be off topic...but could this also account for the rising number of students diagnosed with ADHD?","dateCreated":"1205032601","smartDate":"Mar 8, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"sbeneville","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/sbeneville","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1204501523\/sbeneville-lg.jpg"}},{"id":"3307075","body":"I don't think the ADHD question is off topic at all. While correlation isn't neccesarily causation, we can all see the numbers of kids with attention issues rising along with the popularity and amount of time spent on video games, computers, etc. Would it be impossible to have children love the sound of the spine crackling on a new book as much as some love getting a new video game?","dateCreated":"1205767679","smartDate":"Mar 17, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"cnunnery","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/cnunnery","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"3911827","body":"ADHD? Oh, yes. I strongly believe that many children today are affected by the "blip, blip" of the computer games. Many cannot sit still for long periods of time or even short ones for that matter. When you ask them what they like to do outside of school, being outside is usually not the number one choice and "cracking" the spine on a book as Casey mentioned is way down the list. My mother had an interesting take on what we did after school. A newspaper columnist, John Rosemond, also has the same rules with his own child. Playing outside was your only choice for after school activities. And her definition, just like Mr. Rosemond's, of "fair weather" was anything except 30 below zero, raining, snowing or otherwise you were outside. If only our parents had the same beliefs, I feel we would not have nearly the number of medicated children, or those that needed to be so. The use of the technology has been put in over drive as a babysitter for even those too young to read. It just breaks my heart!!","dateCreated":"1209086769","smartDate":"Apr 24, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"clovingood","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/clovingood","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"2881235","dateCreated":"1203543425","smartDate":"Feb 20, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"debrabarnes","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/debrabarnes","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/teacherdolphins.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/2881235"},"dateDigested":1531976777,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"challenged","description":"On the one hand, I think it's great what resources are literally available at our "fingertips" (for both learning and sharing)on Web 2.0. On the other hand, I am overwhelmed. As the digital immigrant in the equation, I can try to catch up and\/or try things out before recommending them for use to my students. Often, we may be learning together. More staff development opportunities and\/or access, please!","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"3003649","body":"I totally agree that we need much more staff development to help us, as educators, work through the new Web 2.0. There is so much to learn and really not many willing to help us (or at least that is the way I feel sometimes)!! This class can only help those of us that are often technologically challenged to maybe feel a little better and more confident!
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\nOne thing that I think that we often overlook is that we do have children in our schools that are more challenged in this area than we are. Teaching in a rural area, we have some students that do not have computers in their homes, or if they have them, the internet access is lacking. Even if they have the computers, they are there to "play" the games and not equipt with the tools to do research for school projects. The library may not be an option for them, either... I often overlook this fact since at HES we do have so many children that appear to have more than others.","dateCreated":"1204163876","smartDate":"Feb 27, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"clovingood","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/clovingood","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"3013025","body":"I tend to forget that students may not have internet access at all. That is, I have dial-up at home,myself, so I can sympathize with the extra time it takes to get things going. But, for people who cannot connect at all, due to location....that's another issue, you're right. I heard and read in the paper last week about 3 different communities that Chapel Hill (city) is going to provide with "wireless" capability. How great is that? Another thing that comes to mind is how UNC students are required to have computers and provided with both internet access (room hook-ups and wireless sites on campus, ex: in library..?) AND lots of free technical support. Once they've gotten this kind of start - it's easy to see why\/how they become both proficient and dependent upon the technology.
\nPerhaps we could contact Bill and Melinda Gates and ask them to pilot HES along the lines of: providing us with wireless classrooms, teacher and student laptop computers, and abundant technical support? Let's talk to Tammy about our group writing up just such a grant proposal. For the Gates, Donor.Org, or whomever!","dateCreated":"1204215569","smartDate":"Feb 28, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"debrabarnes","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/debrabarnes","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"3121745","body":"I think that staff development is a key factor as well. I also think that having it available and scheduled like this class is, so that many can attend, is very important. I feel like as a beginning teacher I was "on top of" changes in technology. Now I feel as if I am getting further and further behind. My students miss out because I don't know how to use some of the technology available to us or how to effectively integrate it into the classroom. I don't think I fear trying to use\/learn something new, but I fear trying to use something new and wasting valuable class time because it doesn't accomplish the objectives efficiently.","dateCreated":"1204765898","smartDate":"Mar 5, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"cnunnery","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/cnunnery","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"3127585","body":"I know. Being able to predict how well a teaching\/learning strategy will work and how much time is needed for it to be successful - normally depends on my professional knowledge and experience. My comfort level is not just about being "willing" but also being "able" (understanding and "owning" the topic\/subject\/method\/strategy\/tool, myself) in order to be effective. Hope you have a nice day, Casey!","dateCreated":"1204808029","smartDate":"Mar 6, 2008","userCreated":{"username":"debrabarnes","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/debrabarnes","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]}],"more":false},"comments":[]},"http":{"code":200,"status":"OK"},"redirectUrl":null,"javascript":null,"notices":{"warning":[],"error":[],"info":[],"success":[]}}