Making Field Trips Podtastic!
By Aliece M. Weller, John C. Bickar, and Paul McGuinness
March 2008
Students traveled to the Boston Museum of Science to visit an exhibit that was designed to engage students in learning. This article focuses on the importance of technology in engaging students to learn more when they travel on field trips.
Using podcasting, a form of digital media that is distributed over the Internet, students can access information in the museum that adds to their learning experience. For young students especially, podcasting is an excellent way to grab students’ attention and help them get involved in an exhibit. According to the article students could, “take digital photos and videos; record audio interviews of other museum staff and visitors, as well as ambient audio; record notes in a variety of text and audio formats; and access additional information via the Internet on topics of their choosing,” during their podcasting visit to the museum (p.19).
Podcasting allows students to have a more personalized visit to the museum while also walking away with valuable information. Using podcasting teachers can even add information to enhance their students’ experiences in the form of quizzes and additional lessons.
1) Is podcasting at a museum a good idea for all students?
Yes! Podcasting is a great idea for all students because it taps into each individual student’s learning styles. Whether a student is a kinetic learner, an auditory learner, or a visual learner, podcasting has a way of engaging each type of student.
2) What are some of the pitfalls of using podcasting on a field trip?
One pitfall of using podcasting on a field trip or in any classroom is having the funds to implement such a technology. Unfortunately, podcasting is not inexpensive. It involves computers (desktop or laptop), Internet access, and in some cases microphones, and additional computer software like iTunes and Final Cut Pro. For most schools this kind of technology is too expensive and therefore not conducive for many schools.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Journal #7
Envisioning the Future of Education
By Mark Van ‘T Hooft
March 2008
This article looks at the importance of technology in education and its role in changing the way students learn on a daily basis. According to the author, Mark Van ‘T Hooft, “… learning and formal education are increasingly at odds, as more and different types of learning are happening outside of the classroom than in it. (p.13)” Hooft also points to the importance of learning while mobile.
Learning while mobile, according to Hooft, allows for the learner to be more connected with the teacher and involve conversation and more interactions than would otherwise happen in the classroom. Learning while mobile also allows the learner, or student in most cases, to be connected with environments they would otherwise not have access to without technology. For example, the Internet allows students to access websites with valuable new information on current events as well as historic events. They can learn about developing sciences and emerging art forms all with the click of a button. How else could students learn about all of this without the Internet, a mobile technology?
Although the concept of learning while mobile sounds great, it does have a few bumps that need smoothing over. Hooft points to the fact that several factors hinder the concept of learning while mobile from being truly exceptional. These factors include the “participation gap”, “transparency problem”, “ethics challenge”, and “fear factor” (p.16). Hooft claims that the way to combat these negative aspects of learning while mobile is for schools to teach, “creative thinking and problem solving” skills to their students (p.16).
1) How do you see the future of technology changing education?
I see the future of technology drastically changing education. In a few more years I believe that more and more students will be opting for online education classes verses traditional in-school classes. Already many universities are offering online classes to their students and in the future I see high schools and possibly middle schools offering the same type of classes online. Students respond well to technology and could benefit hugely from online classes. Only time will tell if my predication will come true.
2) Do you believe that there is really more learning happening outside the classroom than in it as Hooft claims?
I believe there is more learning happening outside of the classroom for some students but not all students. I think that some students who have no respect for their teachers may learn more from technology and the Internet than they do in a classroom. However, I still believe that many students benefit from the learning that occurs in a classroom.
By Mark Van ‘T Hooft
March 2008
This article looks at the importance of technology in education and its role in changing the way students learn on a daily basis. According to the author, Mark Van ‘T Hooft, “… learning and formal education are increasingly at odds, as more and different types of learning are happening outside of the classroom than in it. (p.13)” Hooft also points to the importance of learning while mobile.
Learning while mobile, according to Hooft, allows for the learner to be more connected with the teacher and involve conversation and more interactions than would otherwise happen in the classroom. Learning while mobile also allows the learner, or student in most cases, to be connected with environments they would otherwise not have access to without technology. For example, the Internet allows students to access websites with valuable new information on current events as well as historic events. They can learn about developing sciences and emerging art forms all with the click of a button. How else could students learn about all of this without the Internet, a mobile technology?
Although the concept of learning while mobile sounds great, it does have a few bumps that need smoothing over. Hooft points to the fact that several factors hinder the concept of learning while mobile from being truly exceptional. These factors include the “participation gap”, “transparency problem”, “ethics challenge”, and “fear factor” (p.16). Hooft claims that the way to combat these negative aspects of learning while mobile is for schools to teach, “creative thinking and problem solving” skills to their students (p.16).
1) How do you see the future of technology changing education?
I see the future of technology drastically changing education. In a few more years I believe that more and more students will be opting for online education classes verses traditional in-school classes. Already many universities are offering online classes to their students and in the future I see high schools and possibly middle schools offering the same type of classes online. Students respond well to technology and could benefit hugely from online classes. Only time will tell if my predication will come true.
2) Do you believe that there is really more learning happening outside the classroom than in it as Hooft claims?
I believe there is more learning happening outside of the classroom for some students but not all students. I think that some students who have no respect for their teachers may learn more from technology and the Internet than they do in a classroom. However, I still believe that many students benefit from the learning that occurs in a classroom.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Journal #6
Journal #6 Photo Sharing
Photography sharing is literally sharing photographs with others via the Internet. You can share photographs by uploading them and putting them on your blog page, web page, sending them with an e-mail attachment, and posting them as your picture for an online dating service.
Using a website like Flickr (you can sign up for free) you can upload your pictures and organize them in a variety of ways. You can organize your photos into sets with common themes (usually a few photos) or you can organize them into collections (usually several photos). Once you have organized them you can then share them with others.
There are three options for sharing your photos with others. You can share them publicly, publicly by invitation only, and privately. Within these three options you can create a discussion board where you can discuss problems or concerns you have with other people who are also photosharing.
A recent addition to Flickr is the ability to add photos to maps. If you took a trip and wanted to show everyone exactly where you took a certain photo, Flickr now lets you accomplish this task. Flickr also lets you create a variety of ways to display your photos. You can create blurb photo books (tells a story), image kind prints, moo cards (aka business cards), photo books (random collection of photos) and calendars, postage stamps, and photo cubes.
In the discussion boards I followed people mostly asked questions about how to solve problems they were having with the technology. One person asked how to include hotspots, a source of information that appears when you drag your mouse over a photo, on some of her photos. Another person wanted to get others involved in taking a photo on a certain day at a certain time different places in the country and then posting them in a collection.
There are so many ways to share photos with other people that the possibilities seem endless. You can use photo sharing to enhance anything you create online.
Photography sharing is literally sharing photographs with others via the Internet. You can share photographs by uploading them and putting them on your blog page, web page, sending them with an e-mail attachment, and posting them as your picture for an online dating service.
Using a website like Flickr (you can sign up for free) you can upload your pictures and organize them in a variety of ways. You can organize your photos into sets with common themes (usually a few photos) or you can organize them into collections (usually several photos). Once you have organized them you can then share them with others.
There are three options for sharing your photos with others. You can share them publicly, publicly by invitation only, and privately. Within these three options you can create a discussion board where you can discuss problems or concerns you have with other people who are also photosharing.
A recent addition to Flickr is the ability to add photos to maps. If you took a trip and wanted to show everyone exactly where you took a certain photo, Flickr now lets you accomplish this task. Flickr also lets you create a variety of ways to display your photos. You can create blurb photo books (tells a story), image kind prints, moo cards (aka business cards), photo books (random collection of photos) and calendars, postage stamps, and photo cubes.
In the discussion boards I followed people mostly asked questions about how to solve problems they were having with the technology. One person asked how to include hotspots, a source of information that appears when you drag your mouse over a photo, on some of her photos. Another person wanted to get others involved in taking a photo on a certain day at a certain time different places in the country and then posting them in a collection.
There are so many ways to share photos with other people that the possibilities seem endless. You can use photo sharing to enhance anything you create online.
Journal #4
NEA Today March 2008
Mind the Gap: It’s a high-speed, high-def, WI-Fi world. But not for everybody.
Written by Cindy Long
Children without computers and access to the Internet in 2008?!? This cannot be true but sadly it is. This article mentions how there are approximately 30 million American households without computers and thus those families have no access to the Internet at home. In order for these Americans to get access to computers they are forced to travel either to the local library or a school library. For students, not having access to computers at any given moment is detrimental to their academic career. More and more students are required to use computers to type reports and conduct important research online on a daily basis. Computers are therefore essential to students’ success. For those students who do not have daily easy access to computers they are in jeopardy of falling into the “digital divide” otherwise known as the participation gap. According to the article, 39 percent of Hispanic children, 45 percent of Black children, 11 percent of Asian and Pacific Islanders children, and 15 percent of White children only have access to computers at school or the local library (Long, 1). The article seeks to encourage people to press for Internet access for all through contacting the local and federal governments.
Questions:
1) How can we implement a universal Internet program realistically?
I do not think it is possible to implement a universal Internet program realistically, that’s the problem. In order for everyone to have access to the Internet they would first have to have a computer at home. As the article mentions, 30 million American households do not have computers. If 30 million American households do not have computers how can we possibly hope to give Internet access to every American? I think this is a noble idea but not a practical one.
2) How could the “digital divide” affect me as a future teacher?
The “digital divide” could severely affect me as a future teacher. As a teacher I will definitely expect that all my students will have access to computer daily. Unfortunately, I know that this is unrealistic. However, as an educator I will be required to uphold the state teaching standards and thus will have to expect my students to use computers and the Internet daily. I will try to allow some leeway on assignments dealing with computers.
Mind the Gap: It’s a high-speed, high-def, WI-Fi world. But not for everybody.
Written by Cindy Long
Children without computers and access to the Internet in 2008?!? This cannot be true but sadly it is. This article mentions how there are approximately 30 million American households without computers and thus those families have no access to the Internet at home. In order for these Americans to get access to computers they are forced to travel either to the local library or a school library. For students, not having access to computers at any given moment is detrimental to their academic career. More and more students are required to use computers to type reports and conduct important research online on a daily basis. Computers are therefore essential to students’ success. For those students who do not have daily easy access to computers they are in jeopardy of falling into the “digital divide” otherwise known as the participation gap. According to the article, 39 percent of Hispanic children, 45 percent of Black children, 11 percent of Asian and Pacific Islanders children, and 15 percent of White children only have access to computers at school or the local library (Long, 1). The article seeks to encourage people to press for Internet access for all through contacting the local and federal governments.
Questions:
1) How can we implement a universal Internet program realistically?
I do not think it is possible to implement a universal Internet program realistically, that’s the problem. In order for everyone to have access to the Internet they would first have to have a computer at home. As the article mentions, 30 million American households do not have computers. If 30 million American households do not have computers how can we possibly hope to give Internet access to every American? I think this is a noble idea but not a practical one.
2) How could the “digital divide” affect me as a future teacher?
The “digital divide” could severely affect me as a future teacher. As a teacher I will definitely expect that all my students will have access to computer daily. Unfortunately, I know that this is unrealistic. However, as an educator I will be required to uphold the state teaching standards and thus will have to expect my students to use computers and the Internet daily. I will try to allow some leeway on assignments dealing with computers.
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