Mind Changer

“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.”  B.B. King

           In response to a comment from another blog “Reforming Education”, an individual requested that I provide concrete suggestions and implementations of restructuring the resource room and/or purpose.  In my personal professional opinion, Resource Special Education teachers’ current duties are to assist students in completing the General Education teachers’ assignments, the classroom manger in an inclusion setting, or the in-house substitute teacher.  With Common Core providing an admirable platform, it is acceptable to say the dynamics of the resource room and teaching methodology must shift in the 21^st century to accommodate the educational demand.

In a very informal case study of twenty-five English resource students, the processes of changing how my resource room functions began during the 2011-2012 school year.  However, the major changes occurred during 2012-2013 school year.  The scope of the students’ disabilities ranges from specific learning disabilities to very mild mental retardation and range in age from thirteen to nineteen years old.  The background of my students’ lives varied from single parent to racially mix and to adopted families’ homes. 

How did I change the expectations of my students?

The first thing that must change is the Resource teacher’s mindset of his or hers abilities and purpose for teaching.  As it is written by the Apostle Paul in Romans, “…transform your mind by the renewing of the right spirit…”  Instead of having a group of students working on several different skills as the same time, elementary resource teachers should develop flexible groups based on the concepts that need to be taught.  Yes, this means that members of the flexible groups may and should change according to the students’ needs or deficiencies. 

How to determine who belongs in which flexible groups?

Flexible groups can be determined by students’ data.  Elementary resource teachers can use curriculum based assessments or achievement gap profiles.  Then, the resource teacher must design and teach lessons based on that data.  Now, the resource room aspects or appearances mirror that of the general education classroom.  Simply stated, the resource room imitates and is parallel to the general education classroom.

In designing the lesson plan, a technology performance- based lesson appears to be the most appropriate style of lesson for the newly designed resource room.  A technology performance-based lesson provides the maximum amount of adaptability in the lesson and assessment opportunities based on specific rubrics.  The specific rubrics must explain the expectations clearly and distinctly for the students to meet the optimal performance requirements.

In changing the resource teachers’ mindset and purpose for being an educator, staff members, building administrators and special education directors will slowly begin to change their perceptions or ideologies about the resource room’s learning environment.  Note that this transformation or restructuring starts with the purpose of the resource teacher not from upper administration.

Reforming Education

Reforming Education

“If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.”        
                                              John Dewey


     

      Understanding what integrating technology is in the classroom goes beyond the simple application of SmartBoards or interactive whiteboards and document cameras. Integrating technology deals with comprehending the essence of research learning. It is the key in teaching learners how to grasp knowledge and expanding their knowledge of the world’s current notions. Knowing that learners’interactions and social skills have changed, Madeline Hunter states “Any growth requires a temporary loss of security.” History notes that a traditional educator had excellent control of his or her classroom, desks are in nice neat rows, learners’ materials are organized above and beneath their desk, and learners did not speak unless the teachers gave them permission. Moving forward requires a technology-based curriculum that reconstructs and transforms the tradition classroom; upgrades a traditional educator into a 21st century; transfigures the meaning and teaching in Special Education resource rooms and embraces John Dewey’s philosophy about educating learners in their era. 

 

 

       There are hundreds of reasons why technology should be integrated in the classrooms. And yes, there are just as many issues in K12 school systems that hinder the integration of technology in the classrooms.  Regardless of the reasons or issues, learners are demanding that education transforms their ability to create, expand, and explore the world’s nuances. Common Core Standards dispenses a platform of methods and means that expose learners to a higher level of creativity, communication, critical thinking, and collaborative learning.

 

 

      Does higher levels of creativity, communication, critical thinking or collaboration relate to integrating technology or change the definition of a struggling and/or learning disabled learner? If the answer is yes, then mutation of the learning environments between general education and resource classrooms must be similar in instruction and dynamics.  Resource classrooms' obligations must be more than a location for learners to come and complete general education assignments or homework. The solution begins with rubrics. Rubrics, as an assessment tools, introduce a specific and diverse review of learners’ products.  A Chinese Proverb says “Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time.” Rubrics give educators an explicit set of criteria to assess learners’ performances. Rubrics provide struggling and mildly disabled learners’ performances and products to be reviewed differently.

       How long will it take for this excellent approach of teaching to reach the atomic K12 school system?



EDUC 7108 Module 4: The Disruptive Power of Second Life

Second Life, as defined by Wikipedia, is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab.  Participants in Second Life must create avatars in order to participate in the virtual world.  Second Life functions in real time.  In a YouTube video, Dr. Clayton Christensen explains disruptive technology or innovation.  He states that disruptive technology transforms a product that history was so expensive and complicated to an affordable and more accessible that a much large popular.

Disruptive Innovation Expalined

 

Second Life can displace asynchronous communication, blogs, and wikis.  Thus, it is a disruptive technology, because it can provide participants with real-time collaborative and communication abilities. I believe that telecommunication systems, social networks with skyping abilities, and face time have displaced second life.  Although Second Life is gaining popularity in higher education, I found little research in to support Second Life implementation in K12 education. 

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (2009).  Emerging and future technology:  Disruptive technologies.  Baltimore, MD:  Author.

Second life.  Wikipedia (2012).  Retrieved October 26, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Life

Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDrMAzCHFUU&feature=related

Responded to:

Brenda McKoy and Daniel Oprish



 

EDUC 7108 Module 3 Rhyme of History

  

   Image credit: Marcin Wichary; Source: The Computer History Museum

      Most people appear to be nonchalant in their thinking or usage of a computer, laptop, etc.  In 1822, Charles Babbage purposes the development of the Different Engine.  The Different Engine is the first mechanical computer or automatic computer engine concept.  As generations past, inventors merge the principles of Rhymes of History and reconstruct the embodiment of the computer.  Kevin Kelly, in his “The Next 5,00vDays of the Web” speech, renders the notion of the Web as being one global machine and its implications on the future generations.

While, Thornburg statement of Rhymes of History is "The affect or impact of a new development rekindles something from the distant past..."  In this clip from Kelly's speech, he rekindles the ideology of moving society to the next level of social networking systems.  He provides a realistic image of the Web in the next five thousand days.





Resources:
Computer History Museum.  The Babbage Engine. http://www.computerhistory.org/babbage/

 

EDUC 7108 Module 2 Emerging Technology Tetrad

Typewriter

Enhances It revolutionized office work and gave writers the freedom from ink and pen transcribing.	Obsolete Obsolesce of this sophisticated technology came through similar inventions like the word processor, eventually, replaced over the years by the Computer.
Retrieves The typewriter evolved from ink and pen transcription to a form of the printed word that replaced in- part the Printing Press. It offers greater functionality and mobility to the work and home.	Reverse The emerging technology that replaced the typewriter revolutionized how the written word conveyed. Of course, the typewriter did influence change in the office place, but the computer took office work to a higher degree of professionalism. The computer redefined or removed gender roles in the workplace. Men and women could type documents and letters.

Reference

Squidoo (2012). Obsolete Modern Technology. Retrieved September 12, 2012 from             http://www.squidoo.com/obsolete-technology#module53467702

Computer

Enhances Created global connection, unlimited resources, and information. Releasing the written word from its previous technologies (handwriting and typewriter) to unlimited and unimaginable capabilities such as, text and images.	Obsolete The Computer has evolved in size (from tubes to tablets) and capabilities (mobile devices), but does not have a rival technology on the horizon to replace it. The move in computer technology is on lesser dependence on the keyboard, which could potentially render this category obsolete (CBT, 2012).
Retrieves The Computer has still retains its keyboard from its predecessor the typewriter, with varies modifications in size and style.	Reverse The computer shows no signs of obsolesces. This is mainly because Computer scientist and Engineers are moving at a faster pace of inventing computers that are digitalized and linearized; however, our society is still embracing analog and nonlinear devices. Therefore, innovations will take time to be fully integrated into society.

 

Reference

Discover magazine (2005) Computer Emerging. Retrieved September 22, 2012 from   http://discovermagazine.com/2005/oct/emerging-technology

CBT Planet (2012) the Future of Computers. Retrieved September 22, 2012 from           http://www.cbtplanet.com/articles-tutorials/the-future-of-computers.htm

Reflection

            I remembered when my mother purchased an automatic typewriter for the house.  She was extremely proud of her for the purchase of a new typewriter.  Mom showed me her first typewriter which was a manual typewriter.  And, she explained to me why the new typewriter was better than the manual typewriter.  I, on the other hand, did not like the new typewriter.  To me, it appeared time consuming and difficult to operate.  Thus, I was more than happy when the computer was invented.  I

What does this technology do that is new?

            From the typewriter to the computer, the improvement of speed and access to the internet is outstanding.  The innovative computer allows individuals to process larger amounts of information within the same timeframe.  Corrections of documents are easier.  The computer allows individuals to multi-task while located in one position.

What does this technology replace?

            The computer replaces the typewriter.  The computer is able to rekindle the radio as well as the tape recorder.

What does this technology bring to mind (or retrieve) from the past?

            The typewriter brings to mind how individual wrote all their documents by hand.  The computer brings to mind individuals with pencils behind their ears in a larger office all typewriting numerous documents.

What might replace this technology in the future, or what might it cause to occur?

            The technology that will replace the current computer is a voice computer.  This computer turns on and off along with completing every task by an individual’s voice.   

 

 

Learning Theory & Educational Technology

After reading the first two chapters of Psychology of Learning for Instruction by Marcy P. Driscoll (2005), I began wondering about my students' abilities to learn a concept and are the assignments demonstrating their knowledge.  Yes, there are certain factors that should be present when a person is learning. One of the factors for students’ learning environment is his or her environment conducive and stimulating.  And, will this factor or other factors cause students to “think outside of the box” or exercise their critical thinking skills? From my teaching experience, there are people who believe that special needs students cannot demonstrate critical thinking.  As a special education teacher, I disagree with that notion. Driscoll (2005) explained and defined the major learning theories and their essential components (results, means, and inputs). She continued her explanation by explaining the history of the major learning theories. This led me to become curious about the implementations modern learning theories and how educators should educate students in today’s learning environments.  Are there any compatibility between educational technology and learning theories?

From my curious about learning theories and educational technology, I believe my educational philosophy has changed. My beliefs about how students learn best may vary from my colleagues. I believe that students learn concepts and gain knowledge from a combination of learning styles (spatial/visual, tactile/kinetic, auditory and logical). Therefore, I do not believe students obtain knowledge through one type of learning style. I do, however, believe that students do have a dominant learning style. And, the purpose of learning theories and educational technology is to provide a platform for students to learn, demonstrate his or her knowledge, and gain real-world experiences through given activities.

Driscoll (2005) and Siemens (2008) consecutively provided a clear picture about the critical elements for a learning theory. Driscoll (2005) offered the psychology methodologies of learning. Siemens (2008) expanded upon those methodologies by making the connection between the major learning theories and educational technology.  In the article Learning and Knowing in Networks: Changing roles for Educators and Designers, Siemens (2008) described and gave examples of how Web 2.0 tools can assist with students’ learning. From his descriptions, do the roles of educators and designers change?

Siemens’s “metaphors of educators” characterized the roles of an instructor in a digital classroom or workplace. The roles are master artist, network administrator, concierge, and curator. From his explanation of these roles, Siemens (2008) analyzed the principles of instructivism versus constructivism and how each approach holds a varied level of values that depends on its context or complexity of the learning.

After ponding over the roles stated in Siemens’s article, how do I classify myself as an educator? Is it possible for me to hold more than one role depending on the learning situation?  While, there may be no straightforward answer to that question.  For me, it is a balancing act.  As a curator, I provide my expertise in a specific academic subject area and encourage my students to explore concepts and gain their own knowledge.  As a concierge, I direct my students’ learning opportunities.  Does the balancing act allow me to be a master artist? Or, does the balancing act support me in observing my students’ activities and/or draw attention to their innovative ideas or approaches to learning? On numerous multifold levels, I guide, direct, and influence my students’ learning. Therefore, I am more than willing to step in and out of roles in order to provide my students with a quality level of learning.

Links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8&feature=fvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0xa98cy-Rw&feature=related

References:

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Siemens, G. (2008, January 27). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. Paper presented to ITFORUM. Retrieved December 08, 2009 from http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/paper105/Siemens.pdf

Hybrid 101

I responsed to the following video presentations:

Laura http://wojoedtech.blogspot.com/
Brandi http://ballinteach44-atl.blogspot.com
Suzanne http://sue-educ7102.blogspot.com/
Marvin http://fuller8842.blogspot.com/
Lisa http://durffsblog.blogspot.com/