My last post

It's hard to believe that five weeks have gone by. They were the longest yet the fastest and most intense weeks of any course I have taken so far. When I started this course I had a basic knowledge of technology and what can be done with it. Of course, I send and receive emails, use Google, and browse through websites when I am looking for information, but I never realized how much technology and Web 2.0 tools can be used in a classroom. From this course I learned how to use a website, blog, and wiki and how to incorporate them in the classroom. My favorite of these three is the website. I like the idea that homework, tests, class and school activities can all be shown in one place on the teacher's site rather than jumping around a district site. I also like that newsletters can be made on programs such as letterpop and distributed however the teacher wants and that they can be linked to the website also. Making videos can be a fun activity for students and safe if done correctly by the teacher and with the permission of the parents. It was great to learn about the many free sites that are available using Web 2.0 technology that create crossword puzzles and mind maps among other things. Del.icio.us and diigo were great. They allow you to bookmark and save your favorite websites without creating a huge list of favorites. I have learned so much. Before this class I did not know what a hyperlink was or what it did. I never made a powerpoint before let alone one with sound and then to use a Web 2.0 tool, slideboom, to publish it. I even created a video and put it on Youtube. I have discovered that there is no reason to fear computers and technology if you use it correctly. It can be fun and educational for all, not just students. As far as teaching and technology I never knew they could be fun and important in the classroom. There are so many ways that technology and Web 2.0 tools can be used it is amazing. I did not have a chance to explore all of the sites in the last week or two, but have made notes and bookmarked them for future reference and reading. I have come a long way in the five weeks of this course, but still have a long way to go.

Half way done already

Wow! I cannot believe the course is half over already and what a long way we have come. This week our groups worked on a Constructivism webquest assignment. My group discussed the assignment and how we wanted to handle the different parts. We decided that two people each would work on the history and the lesson plan and I volunteered that I would do the graphic organizer. We based this model on the 5 E's of learning-engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate. Our webquest topic was on minerals which is part of the sixth grade curriculum. This assignment was a challenge at first because we did not know how to start or what the 5E lesson plan design was. One of the people in our group came through with experiences from another class and got the ball rolling for us. Once we figured things out we had the webquest done in no time. It wound up being easier than we thought and we had fun doing it. To go along with this assignment was the instructional systems design models. These models according to the Saskatchewan Education article are "used to select and to structure teaching strategies, methods, skills, and student activities for a particular instructional emphasis." Based on these models a teacher can assess or reassess as needed the strategies, skills, and methods that they use in the classroom. They can help to determine the approach a teacher will take, creation of learning environments, and instructional techniques such as discussion, demonstration, and questioning. The BM model is more widely used because it uses direct instruction. Most teachers have learned through this method and like to use what they learned. It provides mastery learning and computer-assisted instruction. In other words the teacher has total control of the class and the lesson. The IPM and SIM models are not used as much because they use indirect instruction. By using indirect instruction some teachers feel that they do not have control of the class and as a result do not feel secure in their environment. The IPM, SIM, and PM models use the Web 1.0 features since they require project-based learning and inquiry learning. The BM model uses computer-assisted instruction and therefore uses Web 2.0 tools. The first three require students to research, not communicate. The 5E lesson plan design aligns with the inquiry process because students are required to explore, explain, and elaborate. These processes make the students "inquire" and think about what they are doing and using. As a principle I would most likely have my teachers use the 5E design in their teaching. Today's students are more technology literate and by incorporating this lesson design would allow students to use their prior knowledge of technology to explore something educational. This would be a way for the teachers to keep up with their students and technology while teaching them the curriculum.

Moving right along

Moving right along we are in week two of our class already. Last week we learned about some of the Web 2.0 tools available, the different levels of technology, opened several accounts, created websites, blogs, and wikis, submitted our first assignments on Moodle and so much more. The work load is a little overwhelming. I am trying to keep up, but working full time often makes it difficult to do so. I am usually up late trying to figure things out or going to the Curriculum Library for help. I still have some work to do from last week, but on to this week and a new set of learning experiences. Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 have many differences. Web 1.0 did not have the abilities to do what we do today. It gave teachers the ability to add to a direct instruction classroom. The students were given a task and they were required to practice it. There were no research tools available such as Google. I remember being able to only type and play games. If we were given an assignment in school we would need to research it using books, newspapers, encyclopedias, and so on. After that we were then able to work on the computer to type our information and make it presentable. Web 2.0 allows us so many more luxuries and accessabilities. It is available to several teaching styles and can meet the needs of students with learning disabilities that could not be met before. With Web 2.0 we can research, organize, reflect, etc. We have different means of communication available besides email. These include websites, blogs, podcasts, wikis, smartboards, digital bookmarking, and interactive whiteboards. Students can use webquests and WIP's to learn more about a particular topic. Ahhh, the net generation. Each generation seems to have a name. It started with the baby boomers, generation X, generation Y, and now the net generation. Today's digital students are different from previous generations of students because they are used to having everything at their fingertips and in lightening speed. Digital students grew up with this changing technology and have grown to rely on it. They can access several different things at once and can spend hours playing on the computer and video games, cell phones, ipods, and whatever else is out there. There is so much that I know I missed several. Previous students had to work for their information. They were required to research a topic using books and encyclopedias and to make sure that the information was accurate on their own. There was no easy way. To top it off, if someone did not have a computer with Web 1.0 technology, they were made to use an electric typewriter to type their paper or draw by hand a project to be turned in. Things have come a long way, but for us previous students, myself included, sometimes these old ways still have their merits, and old habits die hard. The net generation is often difficult for teachers to work with because they know more than the teachers. In order for the teachers to be aware of what their students are doing and what they can use to keep them interested in class is a tough task. Teachers should be made to learn about these technologies. Many teachers do not want to learn or cannot be bothered because they feel that the way they learned is just as good today. But, the times they are a changin, and so do the teacher's outlook and implementation of technology in their classrooms. Technology is so involved in schools and the curriculum that it has it's own set of standards. These include: creativity and innovation; communication and collaboration; research and information fluency; critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making; digital citizenship, and technology operations and concepts. The most implemented of these standards are: research and information fluency; critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making; and technology operations and concepts. Before taking this class I was nowhere near ready to deal with today's technology, digital students, or the above mentioned standards. Even though this is only the second week, I already feel as if I am slowly becoming prepared to face these challenges head on with the knowledge I am receiving. Classrooms are gradually changing from 1.0 to 2.0 by including some of the new technologies that are available. The most popular and used is the smartboard and/or interactive white board. These technologies keep students interactive and engaged. There should be no reason for these students to get bored. They replace a direct instruction classroom and keep students interested. Some of our assignments/activities for the week involve us having to view several sites and open accounts. These sites were del.icio.us, diigo, and slideshare. These tools were interesting and useful for today's classroom teachers. They allow you, the teacher, to bookmark websites that you can use in your classroom and see how many other people have these sites marked as well. Today, students enjoy using YouTube, but it is not always safe for them. It is unfiltered. By using slideshare you can control what your students use in the classroom. This week we also created mind maps. Most of us used Inspiration for the first assignment and then we had a choice of three for our second. These helped us to see that there are different ways to present information to the students and make it a little more interesting for them rather than using regular handouts. Internet safety is a major concern for students, teachers, and parents. As teachers we are one of the main fronts in protecting children. By evaluating websites and restricting student's access to other sites that are not safe, as teachers we can teach our students another level of technology, one that should be taught before anything else.

What is a blog?

This is my first week in Literacy and Technology. I am nervous about all of the different Web 2.0 tools that we are going to use. I have heard the term Web 2.0, but I am not really sure what it means. Guess I will be finding out soon enough. During my first week I worked with my group, the Teck Trekies, on our Powerpoint presentation. Since I joined the class a little later my group already had the presentation together, but I was able to add narration to some of the slides. This was really cool since I had never done this before. I also learned about LoTi and discussed it with my group during one of our WizIq meetings. In our discussion we came to the conclusion that technology is not used effectively in schools. WizIq is new to me also. It seems kind of strange to meet with people virtually, to hear them, but not see them. This week I started my personal website, blog, and wiki. I was concerned about all of this being on the internet, but realized that it had to be safe or we would not have been asked to do them. I am still not sure what a wiki is. Our class requires us to use Moodle. This is my first time using this as well and find it interesting that everything you could need for your class is there and that assignments are submitted through here as well. I learned the difference between Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants. Even though I was around before Web 2.0 and probably most of Web 1.0, I am still considered a Digital Immigrant because I did not really grow up with technology. Technology definately adds convenience to our lives, but sometimes can make things more difficult. We cannot afford to keep up with the ever changing technology. Most memorable for me during this first week is the abundance of resources that can be used in regards to technology and schools. To think we are only scratching the surface of this in our first week. Included in this memorable moment is the creation of my previously mentioned website, blog, and wiki. Also, to realize how important it is to evaluate websites and make sure that they are reliable, current, and safe. I think this class is going to be a rocky road. There are so many assignments, videos, readings, and activities to do that I do not know how I will ever keep up. Most of these activities are interesting and educational in regards to the course topic, but there are so many. This is completely overwhelming, but will be worth it in the end. Technology is vastly becoming important in learning and teaching. It is all around us and needs to be included in education. There are so many resources that can be used. It is important for teachers to know about this technology to keep up with and teach to their students because they come in knowing more than we do. This is empowering because teacher and student are able to learn from each other. Our blogs are supposed to be an ongoing event throughout the course. They are to be informative and educational with catchy titles, but I find this task to be daunting and will attempt the challenge.

Who Knew Making a Movie Could Be So Easy?

I just finished making my first movie. I used Windows Movie Maker and found it fairly easy to use. My movie was based on my recent trip in April to Ireland. This was the first time I traveled without my family, let alone to another country. Windows Movie Maker was fun, but I had difficulty in trying to figure out how to put music along with my narration. Everytime I tried to put the two together one took over the other. Since I do not have an ipod I also found it difficult to download music because everything required an ipod account for mp3 downloads. So, I just used narration. It will be something for me to play with another day. At first I was going to do my recent graduation from MSMC in May 2009, but later thought that Ireland might be more interesting. I also found the animations and transitions fun to play with. I could have played with them all day and added one of almost each to all of my slides, but thought it might be overkill.

Who Knew Grading Could Be So Easy

After using Engrade.com for its grading system, attendance, calendar, and some of the other features I found it rather easy to use. The only thing I did not do was print access code flyers for the students to have access to grades, etc. The students and grades I used were for a real 6th grade summer school math class which is why I used only the first initial of the last name. I based the dates of the assignments on July summer school days and used every other day for a due date. I found that I liked all of the features of the program. It took me a little while to figure out how to post a grade since I thought I had already entered the assignments, but once I did I was on a roll. The program was easy to use and the introductory tutorial was a great help and very simple to follow along with. I like that when entering grades the teacher has the option to mark the student as either missing or being exempt from the assignment. Depending on the option that is chosen could allow the student's grade to be added later. I also liked that there were several options on how the grades can be applied (percentages, tens, etc.). Having a calendar is nice for the teacher, students, and parents to keep track of work and due dates. Overall it is convenient to have access to a gradebook, class attendance, a calendar, and viewing student access in one area. I did not like that after I entered assignments while setting up the class that I later needed to reenter the information in order for it to appear in the gradebook. I thought it would be applied from the first entry. If there was one thing I would like to improve it would be creating different codes for parents and students. I feel that the parents should be able to view more than what the students do. Engrade would be useful for classroom teachers because it is nice and easy to have everything in one place rather than having to record everything in multiple areas and that the parents and students can see exactly what is going on and when. Parents and students would like this software because if a student misses school they would be able to see what work was missed and/or due. They would also be able to see when other assignments, tests, or quizzes are due. Parents would like the software because nowadays parents are not able to go to open houses or other school functions because of work and other schedule conflicts. By having access to this software parents would be able to see what their child is doing, when it is due, and if the child was absent when they thought their child was in school. This is my first time using any kind of grading system and overall I find it to be very useful. It's different areas make it easier for teachers to keep track of what the students are doing as well as when the students access their accounts. It is also convenient when talking to parents to be able to show them everything and explain to them that they can also view their child's work.

Student-Centered Class

After listening to Dr. Peggy Grant, PhD, I was surprised at how strongly she feels against student-centered classrooms. She feels that teachers are not encouraged to be risk takers and that they are scared because they do not know what will happen. Student-centered classes are an accident waiting to happen and that teachers need to feel control. I felt this was strong and harsh. Student-centered classes can be incorporated into certain parts of a lesson plan, not the whole class. By making this the focus of a whole class a teacher would certainly need to be prepared for the unexpected. This particular class format may be beneficial for some learners who need a little less structure. Dr. Grant needs to spread her wings and give her students a little freedom and creativity, but with her guidance. Perhaps then she will realize that a student-centered class is not as scary and unpredictable as she thinks.

Different Crosswords

After completing both the A4 assignment and the HA4 assignment I don't know which way I like making crossword puzzles better. There are many programs available to make cwp's and some are free while others require registration or passwords. I have used Excel, Armored Penguins, and a type of Puzzle Maker. I found both of these assignments exciting at first, but by time I was finished I was so frustrated and spent so much time on them that I had little time to do other work. I liked the organization of Excel when I was finally able to save it as a jpeg, but changing to this format was tricky if not difficult. Armored Penguins was easy to insert the information, but again to save it to another format required me to copy and paste into a word document then copy and paste again into paint in order to save as a jpeg. Even though I found these assignments to be more difficult than anticipated, I would use one of the free web programs to make any future puzzles and just print and copy the final result as well as the answers.

Making a crossword puzzle

Using software along with teaching subject areas can be an asset to a classroom depending on the program and the class. For example, Excel would be best used for a math classroom to have students make charts, graphs, and spreadsheets. Word can be used in just about every subject area. There are few exceptions to this. At the same time it can also be beneficial to teach the different softwares separate from the subject areas in a computer lab. By using a computer lab students can focus on how to use the software and where it can be incorporated in their school and other aspects of daily life. After learning this, then the students can apply this knowledge to the classroom. No, this project would not help students to learn how to use Excel and vocabulary. Excel should be taught for math and any other related courses, but definitely not for a project such as this. I found this to be extremely frustrating and feel that students might have as difficult a time. Next time I would have students use an online site that allows them to make free crossword puzzles. These sites would of course be approved by the teacher and the district. There are other options available for such a task, but using Excel is an absolute NO.

Do Schools Kill Creativity?

While listening to Sir Ken Robinson talk about education, he brought up some points that I had not put any thought to. He stated that there were three areas of education: first, human creativity; second, we don't know about the future; and third, capacities for innovation. When we think about it we realize how important education is. It is incorporated into every aspect of our lives-family, friendships, work, and so on. Robinson compared education to being as deep as religion and money and just as important. We use education to teach children for a world we do not know. As adults we do not know what will happen tomorrow so how are we to know what will happen in 20, 30, or 40 years? And educate our children and students for such a world? Robinson stated that "creativity is as important as literacy". As children we are extremely creative and not afraid to make mistakes. In fact, making mistakes is part of our education. However, mistakes often make children afraid to be creative and this is something they tend to lose as they get older. The world needs more creativity. Robinson also gave a brief history into public education. He said that public education did not exist before the 19th century and only came about because of the Industrial Revolution. Today, we are in a new world and a new Industrial Revolution. This will only continue to expand. It used to be that many jobs required a degree. Now, the degrees are worth nothing and/or higher degrees are needed. He felt that the only reason for public education was to produce university professors because education used the head but slightly to one side. Sir Robinson made some very strong statements that I agree with. One is that intelligence is distinct. Each one of us has a different level of intelligence and some people are still not afraid to show their creativity. We must use the gift of human imagination wisely. This is all too true. Without imagination we would never be able to dream the dreams that make us strive for what we want to be. Imagination gives us a sense of determination. Finally, children are our hope and that we must educate them for the future to make something of it.

WebQuest or Web Inquiry Project

Who knew there were so many technological ways of studying on the internet. If you wanted to know something you went to Google or another browser for information until you found what it was you were looking for. Then came WebQuests and now Web Inquiry Projects. What's the difference you ask? A WebQuest (WQ) is a form of scaffolded instruction by which a student learns information by doing a particular task with provided links and resources. The students are guided through the quest until they accomplish what was set out for them to do. Web Inquiry Projects (WIP) are a more challenging way for students to learn rather than having it given to them in a WebQuest. Students are urged to actively pursue the information they are in search of. The data is usually "uninterpreted" and includes weather, sports, and music. By using a WIP students might be more interested in learning the material in the curriculum rather than having it given to them. This would be especially true with the new generation of Digital Natives who need information at their finger tips. Web Inquiry Projects will most likely take the place of Webquests as students become more active in their education. WIP's "prepare kids to be independent inquirers" and move away from the dependency of WebQuests.

Learning Theories

Learning theories can be broken into three categories-behavior, cognitive, and social. Some might say that one is more important than another, but I feel that they need to act together for students to achieve the best outcome. In the social learning theory students learn to behave according to their surroundings. It may be from watching others (modeled behaviors) or from the environment in which they live and go to school (learning environment). In behavioral learning theory one can probably recall Pavlov's test with dogs, food, and the bell. This was a perfect example of classical conditioning. For some this type of conditioning may not be appropriate or just feel that there may be a better example. This other example could be in operant conditioning when a person has a particular reaction to a designated stimulus. For many people cognitive learning theory is the most important. This is the way a person thinks and the impact they may have on themselves, others, and the world in general. Cognitive learning can help to achieve a better society and give insight to the goal of human thinking. The learning theories concept map is a good source of information to help see the three major theories in a simpler format and as a reference tool.

What happened to textbooks?

School textbooks like reading books might one day be considered a thing of the past. Books have slowly progressed from paper to audio and now Kindle. Textbooks will be doing the same since some companies already offer a CD-ROM version as mentioned by David Warwick in his article "Textbooks of the Future". This might be a good thing since the new generation of Digital Natives are accustomed to having everything at the touch of their fingers and quickly. One of the benefits of digital textbooks are the accommodations that can be made for students with learning difficulties-"audio delivery for the auditory learners, translating text for ESL students, and presenting more pictures, graphs, and video for visual learners." On the other hand, students used to read a chapter and answer the questions at the end. With digital textbooks students would be able to copy and paste their answers to these questions. The end result: What does the student learn? and Are digital textbooks really better?

Web Site Evaluation Criteria

Web site evaluation has become important to us as we explore the internet and all that it has to offer. Whenever possible teachers might try to use this knowledge in the classroom. Two good sites to help students become aware of what to look for when trying to find a good site are TUTOR: Evaluating Web Sites and ABCs of Web Literacy. TUTOR would be best used in a elementary school setting. It is easier for the students to look at and learn. It could be presented as a hands on experience for the class by allowing each student the opportunity to engage in the work. By assigning each student a question or element and sharing their information with the class could make the learning more fun. ABCs might be better for a middle school setting. Since it is an interactive site, the students could be broken into groups and be asked to write an essay on their experiences to get an idea of their understanding of the topic and then have them review a website that they enjoy using.

A Digital Native In Hiding

After reading "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants" by Marc Prensky, it is obvious that I am a digital immigrant. I remember when computers were first coming out and we had to use MSDOS (I think that was the name of the program at the time). I would have thought that would make me a Digital Native, but it does not. If you didn't know the commands to enter you were out of luck. Thank goodness systems have come a long way since then. The term Digital Natives almost seems appropriate for this generation as each generation seems to have their own way of being referenced. This probably goes back to the Baby Boomers, but I do not recall the name for my generation. "And a language learned later in life, scientists tell us, goes into a different part of the brain." I believe this to be true for anything we learn as we get older. We tend to be set in our ways and way of thinking. For us Digital Immigrants we learned from reading, writing, and studying from books. There was nothing wrong with that then and there is still nothing wrong with that now. Yes, there are more resources available to us digitally, but are they all true or just opinions of others? Sometimes a combination of methods is better. I am a definite immigrant because I need to print out a document to edit or sometimes just to read. Maybe because I didn't grow up digitally I have more problems, but honestly looking at a computer that long just gives me a headache. Being digitally inclined or a native is certainly a benefit to have with the large world competition. Without it one would be lost. Does a person really need to have everything at the tip of their fingers and receive information so quickly? Some Digital Natives say they get bored in school because it is too slow for them; however give them a cell phone, computer, or ipod and they are a happy cucumber. There needs to be a combination of the two ways of learning for everyone to get along in this new world and a lot of patience. Some of us are slower than others. My only complaint is that I heard at one time that script/cursive handwriting was going to be eliminated because today's learners can only read print since that is all that is available with this technology and because they lack poor writing skills. How does this make someone more of an individual? Do we really need to change everything to accomodate these Natives? Until recently, I used my computer for email, papers, and minimal research. Now I am doing a blog, website, and a wiki. I use my cell phone only when I need to and almost never IM. I also don't like to text. Texting is another thing that drives me crazy. As a result people do not know how to spell and everything is in text lingo. Why? Hopefully one day there will be a happy and constructive balance of these two worlds.

Blogging Ethics

Who knew there were actually ethics to blogging? Blogging is a new experience for me. I am still trying to figure out the ropes so to speak. After reading the article on Blogging Ethics I agree with the author that quotes, whether in blogs or in another form of writing, give a reader the knowledge and understanding of where the author is coming from. I feel that quotes are an option in writing or blogging, but if done correctly will only add to the point. I also agree with the author that it is "a great opportunity to talk about the issues of plagiarism and fair use and copyright" (no pun on the topic). Having links and being able to bring the reader to other worlds is what this is all about. Since technology is increasing and books are slowly being included in this expansion it is even more important to be able to hold onto these other links, even if it is by using quotes.

del.icio.us or diigo-Which bookmark is better?

After opening a new account in both del.icio.us and diigo I have found them both to be interesting ways of boolmarking websites that are of interest and great use. I have watched the YouTube videos for both sights and there are certainly benefits to each one. Even though I have to play with them a little more I think the diigo site is more interesting. I like the idea that you can put sticky notes and highlight text in a sight as you are reading. We all know how handy that can be. I don't have the time to use this capability right now but do plan to use it in the future as I compile a list of websites to use in my future classroom.

Ancient Egypt Mind Map

This ancient Egypt Mind Map was made in Inspiration. I have used Inspiration for a few other projects and have learned to get around and really enjoy it. There are still a few things I need to learn how to manuever. I did ancient Egypt because I had done a unit plan on it previously and thought it would be fun and interesting to create a different mind map on the topic. It was fun creating hyperlinks and notes. I enjoyed it so much that I purchased a license agreement so I can continue to use it whenever I want.

Here is my mind map!

I created this mind map about myself and some of the things I enjoy. This was done using Mind42. After playing with it for a while it became sort of fun. I wish I could move the links around the center better rather than adding another node. Guess it will take more practice.

Technology-where do I start?

When I first started this class I was overwhelmed by the amount of technology we were going to be using. We had to open several accounts-gmail, Tapped In, Elluminate, and WiZiQ. Then we had to start our own blogs, personal websites, and wikis. Oh man, what's a girl to do. Anyway, I tackled one thing at a time and seem to be getting the hang of things, but I'm still not sure what a wiki is and what it does. As a member of group 2, the Teck Trekies, we started meeting online through WiZiQ. Although it took a little getting used to, we found that we enjoyed the meetings and almost look forward to the next one. Technology in schools seems to be sorely lacking. After watching the LoTi video and discussing the levels of technology in schools that we either work in or have observed, our group has come to the conclusion that most schools are either lacking the technology or the training to use it. The two schools that I have observed to this point did not have anything but a handful of computers and they were not used when I was there. To date I do not have any experience in a classroom other than observation. After watching the LoTi powerpoint I would say my skills are either a one or two. When I get settled in my own classroom I hope to reach a level six, but we all know that time and curriculum do not necessarily give this opportunity. It will be interesting to try and achieve the highest level of LoTi possible though. I hope to take with me from this course the knowledge of how to incorporate technology in my classroom and to get my students and their parents involved. This may perhaps include a blog, website or something else. There are so many other technologies that we have yet to discover. I am still overwhelmed by all that there is and look forward to learning more.

So much to do...so little time

There is so much to do and what seems like so little time. As one who joined the class later I did not get to meet with my group, the Tech Treckies, at the introductory meeting and as a result missed the first few group meetings online. Our group is an amazing group of five women who do their best to help each other to be sure that we reach our goals, whether they are individual for the class or together as a group. I am so happy to be part of such a wonderful and supportive group. Since I have never used Moodle for a class before it has been interesting learning all of the different nooks and crannies. Just when I think I have figured most or all of them out there is always another surprise. This week my group put together our PowerPoint for chapters 4 and 7. Although it was pretty well put together before I joined the meetings I was happy that I was still able to contribute something to the presentation. I think it came out pretty darn good. After watching the Learning to Change video I was shocked by what I heard. Education ranks #55 well BELOW coal mining in IT intensiveness. How can this be? It was also interesting to think of technology in schools as "the death of education, but the dawn of learning".

Who am I as an educator

Before taking this class I never gave any thought to the different perspectives and philosophies of education. In fact, I didn't know anything about them. After taking the self-assessment test and reading a brief description of these different philosophies I found that I agree with the results-I follow the Humanistic approach. I agree that there is always room to grow especially in education and that each person should strive to be so much more than they think they can be. Each one of us should learn to take responsibility for our thoughts and actions and want to create a better world. If we as teachers provide a nourishing environment for our students we can only hope that this will encourage them to grow and learn. Students need to learn responsibility, choice, to achieve higher levels of knowledge, interact with others, and learn control of their own destinies. This is a philosophy that I will grow with and learn more about as I continue my education and hope to pass on to my students.

Why did I create a blog?

I created this blog for my Literacy and Technology class at Mount Saint Mary College. Technology is an important feature to be used in today's classrooms. There are so many options available that I hope to learn about as many as possible in this class and to incorporate them into my future classroom. This will be a bumpy ride, but it should be fun.