Standards and PLN's

1. What does the research say about this? One of the articles that I read called, Digital Natives, Yet Strangers to the Web written by Alia Wong, discusses that technology needs to be entered into the conversation and curriculum of teaching because while students know what technology is, and some of the ways it can be used, they don't know how to fully take advantage of it, and they aren't being taught of all the ways that technology can be useful. Wong quotes Reuben Loewy, a teacher who is arguing for better treatment of technology, when he compares the teaching of technology to the teaching of sex ed. He says, "it entails a smattering of information about their reproductive organs and a set of stern warnings about putting them to use" (Wong). Too often we ignore the standards of teaching technology and go straight to warning them about sexual predators and strangers. This could be rectified with making sure that all the ISTE standards are being taught. On the ISTE website, it talks about how being a digital citizen is no longer a choice. Technology is everywhere, and learning about how to be a responsible digital citizen is essential for survival in this world. 
2. How can this be effectively integrated into your teaching? This can be integrated into my teaching because I want my students to leave my class feeling like they can comfortably contribute to the world around them. I want to make sure that they know the positives and values that technology can bring to the table. One of the standards that I want to integrate into my teaching is the standard of Creative Communicator. I think that the sub standard where students are responsible for communicating complex ideas clearly and effectively through digital objects, is super important. English seems like such an "old school" subject since it revolves around paper and old texts. However, being able to use the original texts and then use digital tools to create something new from that seems meaningful to understand English. 
3. How will this help your students? I think this will help my students relate to the world around them. Knowing that there are standards that need to be met helps me get a handle on how I can support my content with technology. Also, letting the students know that they need to be responsible for being a digital citizen that knows the web will help them to know ways they can use the internet as they go out into the world. For me, if I had understood different programs on the internet rather than the same couple of programs, then when I got to higher education, I think I would have been able to do things a little bit better when I first started. 
4. What are your goals with regard to this topic? I think my goals for technology standards are to help myself as an educator. The idea of PLN's are helpful for me to get ideas to teach different subjects, and see what ideas are out there. As far as goals for my students, I think that to sum it up shortly would be to help students contribute to the world through technology. 
5. How does this shape your vision for empowered learning for your students? I want to empower students through technology so they can feel like they are effective. I want them to be able to feel like they don't have to just deal with not understanding something.

Works Cited 

1. “ISTE Standards FORSTUDENTS.” ISTE | Standards For Students, www.iste.org/standards/for-students
2. Wong, Alia. “Digital Natives, Yet Strangers to the Web.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 21 Apr. 2015, www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/04/digital-natives-yet-strangers-to-the-web/390990/.

Equity and UDL

What does the research say about this?

UDL is an interesting idea. It discusses how each child should be allowed to learn in the way that works for them. There are three main principles of UDL, representation, action and expression, and engagement. I think that the research on this method of teaching is positive. While reading up on UDL, I found an article that was written by Elizabeth Stein for Education Week. She writes about what UDL is about, and how we can implement it in our classrooms. 

How can this be effectively integrated into your teaching?

How will this help your students?

What are your goals with regard to this topic?

For me, I am especially interested in how UDL can be used in teaching in a high school English classroom. One of my main goals as a future educator is to make sure that no one falls off the side of the road. It is far too easy to teach just the "easy" kids. Specifically those who don't find themselves struggling with a behaviour issue, or those who fall into the gifted category. From my preliminary research of UDL, I think that this would be effective in my classroom. While researching, I found something that I think would be interesting to use in my classroom, interactive notebooks. These notebooks can be tailored to each student, and can be used to develop a mixture of class discussion and learning as well as individual learning. One example that I saw, was set up using the right side to enter class information such as discussion topics, quizzes, conversations, and notes. The left side was used to review questions missed on quizzes, place questions from homework and individual activities, and participating in in-class activities. I really like this idea of the interactive notebook because it can be used in so many ways. To jot down ideas from a web search, to outline paper topics, and to review different literature excerpts. I think that I would like to use some form of these interactive notebooks in my future class. 

How does this shape your vision for empowered learning for your students?

This idea of UDL helps shape my vision for empowered learning through the fact that using this technique, lets the students take control and responsibility for their own learning. I think that college is a good example of note taking being a more UDL approach to learning. In college, we are required to learn the information, but we aren't told how to learn the information. Sure, some classes have more busy work than others, but all in all, note taking is up to the student. For example, for me, some of my classes I know note-taking on my computer is going to be more beneficial to me as opposed to pen and paper. But in other classes, sticky notes, highlighters, and paper are going to help me understand the material far better. I think that allowing high school and junior high students the ability to take control of their own learning to some degree will set them up to be more successful in college, and life. Many students use the first semester of college to play around with learning techniques, and figuring out how college actually works. Unfortunately, their grades seem to reflect that technique. Giving students the tools to learn before they reach college, seems like the most productive route. Implementing UDL in a high school setting will help each student feel like they are worth something on an academic level. 

Stein, Elizabeth. "Sparking Up Lessons with Universal Design for Learning." Education Week, https://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2015/10/21/sparking-up-lessons-with-universal-design-for.html. Accessed 15 January 2018.

Initial Blog Post -- Digital Literacy

1. What is digital literacy and why is it important? 

Digital literacy is being able to have a basic understanding of computers and how they work. You also need to know what is expected of you online, whether that is being respectful and having an online identity that is appropriate, learning navigation, participate in creation, evaluate sources, and understand what can be done with technology. Digital literacy is important because we are living in the world of technology, and we need to be aware of how to participate in that community. It's also important because technology can be used to do so many other things outside the realm of social media. It is important to understand how to use technology in a safe and appropriate way. 

2. What should students be able to do with technology?

Students should be able to navigate, learn how to create on various programs, be aware of safety, and establish an identity for themselves. They should also learn how to contribute to the technology conversation. 

3. Why is it important for us to use technology in education?

I think that it is important to use technology in education because it opens up the conversation between teachers and students. Students are born in this world of technology. They speak fluent digital language, and having the teacher interact with them on their level can increase understanding and build trust and interest in the content area and the class.  Another point for using technology in the classroom is that it can help address every child's needs. There are barriers that each child must face in education and technology can help bridge those gaps. ELL learners can be helped especially through technology using google translate. There are many things that technology that can bring to the classroom.  

4. What concerns do you have about using technology in education?

Some of my personal concerns about using technology in education revolve around the fact that technology is not always the most reliable source to portray information. If you are teaching a lesson and the main part of the lesson involves technology and it breaks down, that could be frustrating. I'm also a little intimidated in my own confidence. I'm not always sure what to do in the situation, and that makes me a little nervous. 

5. What is your current stance on the use of technology in education?

I think that it is a good idea! I love that we have access to technology in education. I have already seen some great things in the education system with technology. For example, in the school that I work at, there is a program called Lexia that all the students go on. It is accessible on the computers and the ipads. This program has boosted reading scores, as well as children's self-confidence. I learned in my educational psych class that reaching multiple areas of a student's brain is going to strengthen that student's learning. Technology can greatly impact education. However, I do have my concerns that I have listed above. I also am dealing with the issue of trying to get students to unplug from technology and participate in the physical world around them. I think that while there is a place for technology in education, it cannot be the sole vessel of learning. 

6. What are your goals for this course?

My goals for the course are to increase my own confidence in technology use and try to get some ideas for my own classroom. I also want to actually apply the learning that we are doing into my own life. I don't want to just "learn and dump". I want to put this information to use one day. I also want to get better at reaching out to my peers.