Blog Journal Three

I feel as if the more basic standards, such as LAFS.1112.L.3.4 and LAFS.1112.RH.3.7, will be easy to teach with my existing knowledge as these are standards I implement frequently myself as a student. I have used the internet and technology in order to find the definitions and meanings of words, as well as using online tools to make charts and graphs, several times throughout my academic career. As such understanding and teaching these things will not be a challenge for myself. What will perhaps prove more difficult will be implementing more complex and involved standards, such as LAFS.1112.W.1.2, which requires a deeper level of integration of technology into what the student is doing. However, I think with time and the development of my skills as an educator that I will find myself perfectly capable of teaching each and every ELA standard.

The resources in the CPALMS Educator Toolkit were incredibly easy to access and provided a surprisingly large selection. I chose to go through the Educational Games in the English section as I felt it to be something I in particular would like to implement within my classroom. I would like for my students to enjoy learning as much as I always have, and I think this would be one way to go about it. There was again a wide selection to pick from and I found this appealing as well, as it allows the teacher to choose a game type that best suits their content needs and teaching style. Pictured below is a small sample of some of the games it had for English.

I loved the newsletter assignment! I had a lot of fun with it and it made me really think about the kinds of things I want to implement in my own classroom. I felt like it was a perfect way to express who you are and even the style in which you teach, all while remaining in the academic and professional field. While this assignment didn’t give me any technological skills that I didn’t already have, it allowed me to see one way in which I can utilize my skills in Word to create a document that can be used in my future classroom. This kindling of the spark for creativity and exploration of methods in which these skills can be utilized rather than the teaching of these skills themselves is something I personally benefited from a lot.

Also a side note to keep in mind while viewing my newsletter that is truly indicative of who I am as a person: I cried a little bit the first time I saw the candy corn border because I thought it was so cute.

Blog Journal Two

Just about everyone involved in academics, either as a student or as a teacher, has a basic familiarity with MS Word. I was introduced to it personally through school, and only was able to have access to it at home as well within the last year due to growing up in a very poor household. I actually became certified in MS Word during my time at high school within a vocational branch, which increased my familiarity with it exponentially. I think it is an invaluable tool for students and educators alike to have access to, as it is used to create a wide variety of things used in academia – from newsletters, articles, worksheets, essays, and so much more. It’s one of the most user-friendly programs within which it is possible to construct such projects.

Learning about copyright and fair use was something I have also experienced in the same vocational branch as I mentioned before. It is incredibly useful information to know, especially as we progress forwards into becoming educators. We have to strive towards doing things in the most ethical way possible not only to establish professionalism as educators but to also set an example to our future students. This kind of ethical consumption and use of others’ work within the allowed parameters is also something we should directly instruct our students in, so that as technology becomes more prevalent within the world and the classroom they can create within that space while still behaving ethically. I think encouraging students to create and to use other’s works in their own is a good idea, and a good way to familiarize them with these concepts in a tangible way that they can understand.

I think a lot of academic dishonesty occurs due to misinformation and lack of opportunity. This is because a good majority of academic dishonesty is either accidental or due to a student feeling as if they are unable to do the work themselves, either due to an insecurity in their own ability or to feeling overwhelmed with their work. I think that both of these problems can be addressed on a larger level as well as directly by teachers themselves. To combat the first cause of academic dishonesty a more rigorous and helpful teaching on what exactly qualifies as academic dishonesty and how to avoid accidentally participating in it would be helpful in assuring that less likely for a student to do so. The second cause can be avoided by providing more resources to students, and by teaching them emotionally fulfilling things – such as how to deal with stress and a higher workload, as well as how to build confidence in their own abilities. By implementing these things in the classroom we can help combat academic dishonesty.

In a similar fashion I think that we can combat decreased levels of participation directly within our classrooms with our actions as educators. It is true that there can only be so much done for those who are truly dead set on being disengaged, but I have experienced myself a greater desire to interact in classes that either I am directly interested in or classes in which the teacher made an effort to interact with the students. If a teacher seems unmotivated and or uninterested in what they are teaching, then students are going to feel the same. By putting effort and care into what we teach we are more likely to cultivate an environment in our classrooms in which students will want to participate.

Blog Journal One

I think there are several contributing factors that lead to students and teachers alike wanting to incorporate technology in the classroom. Our world is ever evolving and developing and there is a definite desire to have this represented in the classroom, providing students with the best possible jumping off place and equipping them with the best materials that we as a society have. With new technologies come new ways to grow and learn that previous generations didn’t have access to, and wanting better for coming up generations than those before them is a very universal want in the education system. I think there is also a certain level of desire for students to be prepared for what they will face in the new world that they are being brought up in. Our world is becoming more complex and tech reliant by the day, and by including this in their learning spaces we are assuring that students will be comfortable with this level of technology and best prepared for a world that is so reliant upon it.

I think that the ISTE standards are great starting points in making sure classrooms are utilizing technology in a way that will benefit both the educator and the student as much as possible. I think however that if they were enforced in every classroom there would be a conflict as different people learn in different ways and for some technology doesn’t propose any meaningful contribution to their learning experience. Because of this I think they’re good concepts to keep in mind when technology is in use in the classroom but not something that is particularly applicable to everyone and their teaching/learning style. On a personal level I identify the most with the “Learner” standard as even when I am in a teaching setting I like to leave myself open to the knowledge of others and work with them to further both of our understandings of a topic. I also personally struggle with the “Designer” standard as I don’t really use technology in order to create learning situations. I use it more to present information as opposed as a way to teach through experience, and this could be something I could possibly consider experimenting with in the future.

For myself the terms “digital native” and “digital immigrant” make sense on a very basic level, but then begin to fall apart upon closer examination. It is true that for the most part that those of us who belong to the more recent generation hold a higher level of expertise when it comes to technology. However this is only due to familiarity and practice, which can be seen when there are individuals within this generation that are unable to operate newer technologies and those in past generations who are able to do so with ease. As such, even those of us who are in a recent generation and considerably tech savvy might one day find ourselves not being able to keep up with the evolution of technology and inevitably fall behind in our ability to use the latest innovations. These terms thus are useful when speaking broadly, but should not be expected to always hold true. If we think about these terms in this way they can then be useful to us in conversations that revolve around technology and the general gap of capability that seems to be present between generations.