Educators at elementary, middle, and high school levels will find that integrating digital tools and resources--many commonly used by students in their "out of school" lives--can be a springboard to creativity and new skills. Following are ideas for how word processors, presentation software and hardware, mind-mapping applications, search tools, and visual literacy Web sites can contribute.
Elementary
1 Students can practice their reading strategy of sequencing by looking at four or more pictures in a sequence from Flickr. Next, they look at the word processing document that their teacher prepared in which the sentences are not in the correct sequence. The students rearrange the sentences to depict the actual sequence from the pictures by moving the sentences around in the word processing document. In a future activity, they do the sequencing without the visual prompt.
2 Teachers can show students a Flickr or Google picture that focuses on a topic and have each student list all the topical vocabulary in the picture. Students look at a restaurant picture and list all the words about food. In groups of two or three, the students share their lists to increase the reading vocabulary of all the students. They organize their words into categories such as food, adjectives describing foods, and what is used to serve or eat food. The teachers then give them a passage about a restaurant to read.
3 Elementary teachers might prepare their students to answer the questions words (who, what, where, and when) by showing them an Internet picture on the whiteboard. The students circle the visual clue on the whiteboard that answers each of the questions. A student circles the clock and writes when next to it. The teacher verifies that all students can answer these question words for the picture. Then the students look at a written passage and circle the words that answer the four question words for that passage.
4 To help students focus on details in their reading, teachers may find a Google or Flickr picture and then write statements about it. Some of the statements are tree and some are false. The students look at the picture and then read the statements. If the students indicate that a statement is false, they circle the part of the statement that is incorrect. A variation is for the teacher to write a passage based on a specific picture. The teacher takes four slightly different pictures of a city comer, such as pictures taken one minute apart. The students read the passage and then look at four similar pictures to pick the one being described. Often the students will have to reread the passage to find the details to be able to identify the correct picture.
5 Students can overcome the difficulty of finding the answer to a question about a passage. They go up to the passage being displayed on the whiteboard, underline the critical words in the question, and then underline the same words found in the text. A student underlines the critical words in the question, "Where did Bob study for the test?" and then searches for the same words in the passage. She finds "Bob studied for the test in the kitchen before he ate supper," and so she underlines the critical words Bob, studied, and test. She easily answers the "where" part of the question. Students see how words in a question can literally be in the passage or the words can be inferred through other words.
6 Another exercise is to have students from two distant classes demonstrate their reading comprehension by using videoconferencing. Students read the same story and then groups of students create a literary frieze. In a frieze, students position their bodies and use facial expressions to show what is happening in a scene and the emotions in the scene; there is no movement and no talking. As the group from one school does a frieze, the other school tries to identify the part of the story, what characters are in the part, and what emotions are being shown. The frieze students verify if the other class is correct. Then the other class presents a frieze about another part of the story.
Middle School
7 Students may increase their reading vocabulary drastically by learning root words through the teachers' interactive PowerPoint. The teachers show several words that have the same root such as astronomy, astrophysics, and astronaut and ask the students to discover the common root. Once the students have identified the root word, they hear or see the meaning of it. Next, they see more words with astro in it, and they write down the meaning of each word.
8 Teachers can give a baseline reading speed and comprehension passage and then demonstrate how to read in phases through PowerPoint or whiteboard demonstrations. The teacher has students read phrases from a screen such as, "The old men," "moved slowly," and "toward the counter." Students take turns marking off phrases on the whiteboard. Then they read a digital text and mark the text into phrases by inserting slashes. Students move from word-by-word to phrase reading and comprehension.
9 Teachers can give students a computer file that has a list of two vocabulary opposites (such as freezing and roasting) and then each student word processes all the words in between the two extremes. Next, the students compare their lists in small groups. Individually, students read a passage in their word processor, highlight all the words in the text that present the author's tone such as happy or angry, and then change each word's font color from black to red. The students share all these red words and discuss how these words contribute to the passage's tone.
10 Television is one tool that can improve students' ability to read quickly. The teacher turns off the television's sound and turns on the television's captioning feature. Students have to be able to read the text quickly; they do not have time to reread a word before it goes off the screen. The teacher has each student read aloud the text on the screen in a round robin fashion so that each student has an opportunity to read. The student reads whatever he or she can from the screen before it changes.
High School
11 Teachers can download the text of a piece of literature from Gutenberg (www.gutenberg.org/wiki). Then they insert essential questions or critical questions into the text to help the students in their thinking process as the students read the text. After the teacher downloads Don Quixote, he or she inserts the question, "How does reality interfere with one's dream?" at the beginning and at the end of the windmill chapter, digitally distributes the revised text to the students, and asks them to answer the essential question after they have read the chapter.
12 Reading the same story in newspapers from different locations is one way students can improve their analytical skills. Students download an article on a nation's election from that country, from the United States, and from that nation's neighbor from an online newspaper source. They analyze the bias that each article presents by highlighting and bolding words or phrases within the word processing document. Then they summarize the bias of each article with examples from the article.
13 To help students see the commonality of themes across literature, teachers might create a blog about a common literary theme. Students reading Of Mice and Men, Toning the Sweep, and Romeo and Juliet can provide examples to demonstrate how the theme of discrimination is a focal point in each of their readings. They can then compare discrimination among their various pieces of literature.
Harry Grover Turtle is an educator-in-residence at Syracuse University.Source Citation: Tuttle, Harry Grover. "Read all about it: motivate your students with these exercises.(Column)." Technology & Learning 27.6 (Jan 2007): 24(2). Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale. Florida Gulf Coast University. 4 Apr. 2007 http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=EAIM&docId=A158960166&source=gale&srcprod=EAIM&userGroupName=gale15690&version=1.0.
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my say:
This article is about how all the grade levels can use technology to there benefit outside the classroom to get a head start. The computer has massive tools to better your kids of any age. for elementary students, "Students can practice their reading strategy of sequencing by looking at four or more pictures in a sequence from Flickr. Next, they look at the word processing document that their teacher prepared in which the sentences are not in the correct sequence. The students rearrange the sentences to depict the actual sequence from the pictures by moving the sentences around in the word processing document. In a future activity, they do the sequencing without the visual prompt." By using these programs the internet provides you, you are doing yourself a favor.
In conclusion, I like the way this article explains each way of learning on the web for each student. I think it can do alot for a student, such as development of a subject where a kid fails. I think by reading this article, I learned a thing or to about the different kinds of techniques these technologies can go to work for you.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
The case for open source: open source has made significant leaps in recent years. What does it have to offer education?(Cover story). Miguel Guhlin.
In these days of tightened belts, accelerated global competition, and a growing need to equip both educators and students with the skills they need to innovate, more and more districts are exploring the open source option. Essentially, open source software differs from commercially developed, or closed source, software in that the application's source code is publicly distributed and available for modification by users. Open source relies to a great extent on the free software movement. In this context, the term free refers not to cost but to the freedom users have to modify the source code.
Not a new concept, open source has been available since the early '90s with the development of the GNU/ Linux operating system and a whole suite of accompanying software applications. (See "Resources for Schools," p. 21). But it was mostly programmers, software developers, and similar techie types who recognized this asa boon. Open source has continued to evolve, however, and in the past three years the development of a graphical user interface has made it increasingly accessible and viable for end users without special training.
THE PEER CONTRIBUTION MODEL.
Education, in particular, seems especially well positioned to benefit from today's open source alternatives. Web 2.0 contributory applications such as Wikipedia and Flickr are now gaining traction in the more progressive schools as powerful tools for leaming. This recognition has laid the groundwork for a broader understanding of the benefits of the kinds of collaborative communication tools offered via open source. In fact, a central vision of the K-12 advocacy group Free Open Source Software is that school systems be environments that promote authorship and collaboration.
From the professional development angle, much stands to be gained. Educators might equate the open source development of software to the open source development of curriculum. Instead of having a group of educator-specialists developing curriculum for the whole district, the curriculum is developed by teachers in the trenches. This approach has a number of benefits, but at its heart requires recognizing the value of peer contributions.
In a proprietary model, teachers who wanted to share a lesson with their grade-level teams would have to buy that lesson before using it. Even if they licensed the lesson, they still would not have the right to modify it for specific purposes. In an open source model, communities of teachers (a campus) could work together to change lessons and then share their lesson plans with colleagues.
This model is being pioneered by the Georgia Public Library Systems, which chose to eschew proprietary automation systems in favor of a free open source system (the Library Journal shares the story of Evergreen at www.libraryjournal .com/article/CA 6396354). This has empowered librarians to work together to build or help others construct a product that directly meets their needs rather than relying on commercial vendors.
The free nature of open source also encourages the development of 21st century skills for students. Innovation is fostered when students have legal "hacking" privileges that allow them to manipulate, customize, and improve Net-based applications. As with educators, they are learning to work collaboratively within a global community toward the end of improving a product for the good of all.
Beyond that, the skills students develop in using open source applications at school will free them of a dependency on often expensive commercial software programs. For instance, the professional-level image editing tools that constitute a heavy investment for schools are often not within the financial reach of students on their own. Knowing how to use a comparable open source alternative, such as the GNU Image Manipulation Program, will go a long way toward keeping kids from pirating programs and violating proprietary licensing agreements.
Among the additional advantages of open source is its ability to facilitate school-community relations. Students, parents, teachers, and administrators are able to exchange electronic documents--such as blogs, wikis, and library automation systems--that encourage them to participate in the decision-making process.
THE ROI ADVANTAGE
A switch to free open source software also minimizes cost and allows funding to be diverted to equipment and other programs. For instance, the OpenOffice suite is an alternative to expensive basic application programs (word processing, spreadsheet, and so on) offered by major vendors. Many such programs on the market offer features seldom used in education but for which educators must pay. From an ROI standpoint, it makes sense to take the money earmarked for widespread licensing and apply it to a different area of need, such as consultant services.
A sample cost comparison might look something like this: If a desktop computer costs $1,300, certainly as much as $140 of that might be spent on software, if not more. The cost for Windows XP is $41 per machine; MS Office, $49; and antivirus software, $50. For a large urban district with perhaps 20,000 computers, this translates to $2.8 million, a savings the school board is bound to find impressive.
Consider all the services--previously proprietary--that have gone open source. Online discussion boards, like Moodle or phpBB, help educators facilitate online courses, enhance professional learning offerings, host book studies, or conduct online meetings (such as this one: http://lms.saisd.net/ctrforum). Content management solutions enable users to share their work via the Web without having to get their Web page software up and going first. This is powerful because users who have little or no experience in Web design can share documents with each other. The cost of a commercial course management system could be as high as $280,000 per initial sale and 22 percent of that for annual licensing and support fees (go to www.immagic.com/eLibrary/general/imm/I060108Epdf for more information).
Additional examples of newly open source services include mail systems (for example, Xchange in lieu of MS Exchange), chat tools, survey tools, and now--with the just-released Curriki--learning management systems. The tools (a list is available at www.schoolforge.net) that educators need are quickly becoming free and open source.
While there are many more examples both at the desktop computer level as well as the district level--consider, as well, the efficiency aspect. In the past, the model for implementing solutions for schools was as follows: (1) Get approval--which hinges on funding--for a technology project; (2) go through a bid process; (3) work with the vendor to customize the solution; and (4) hope that no budget cuts eliminate future funding. With an open source solution, you can immediately implement the solution after developing a plan and hire consultant at a fraction of the total price of a commercial solution.
Although clearly a cost saver in the long term, it's important to look at the larger picture of open source. The Consortium for School Networking, a group that's done extensive studies on TCO for schools, suggests in "Taking TCO to the Classroom" that "districts should review open source software opportunities by application area, but with the understanding of support, training, and integration implications of adding yet another application or operating system."
THE CHALLENGES
In spite of the benefits, school districts and universities may still balk at abandoning the old ways of doing things. So, what challenges do educators need to overcome as they consider open source tools in their teaching, learning, and leadership environments?
Though counter to the whole notion of digital technology itself, fear of the unknown still ranks high among "digital immigrant" educators. Starting small is one way to address this obstacle. Mixing Windows XP or Mac OS X with free software is an option. Some districts, such as the Dallas ISD, chose to deploy teacher laptops with Windows XP and StarOffice basic application software. Instead of paying $40 per computer for a proprietary office suite, the district paid $25 (total, not per seat) for district-wide unlimited installations. The highly developed OpenOffice, which features a familiar interface, is good first step.
The same solution addresses the lack of support staff most districts have. With more familiar Open Source applications--such as switching to the Apache Web server from Windows--open source troubleshooting from a support side becomes more commonplace. Also, by allowing your district staff to learn key tools for example, the back end of blogging and online forums is PHP/ MySQL--they can provide support as needed without being programming experts.
A dearth of time, money, and resources for getting staff up to speed is another very real concern for districts. Online tutorials can come to the rescue. One excellent resource containing 11 video clips about OpenOffice and information on how to get more can be found at NewsForge (http://business.newsforge.com). An alternative is to hire an OpenOffice consultant like Solveig Haugland, author of an OpenOffice Training and Tips blog and book (find out more at http://openoffice.blogs.com). Also, there are about 100 tutorials (Web and Flash) available at www.learnopenoffice.org.
A lack of standardization can also presenta problem. Not all applications that run on Windows or Mac OS X will work on GNU/Linux. For example, Inspiration graphic organizer software does not work on GNU/Linux. However, you can use free, open source diagramming software like Dia (which also works on Windows). Another alternative is Cmap Tools.
Also key is getting buy-in from district decision makers who often least understand the technical issues of transitioning to open source. An effective approach to getting these administrators onboard is to demonstrate a long-term cost comparison between open source and proprietary applications--be sure to reference the CoSN report mentioned previously. Another angle is to point out the advantages of open source in helping bridge the digital divide by increasing access of important documents and applications to parents and homes via the collaborative tools. For practical tips on getting started, see "Eight Steps to a Smooth Transition," p. 18.
TRANSFORMING EDUCATION
"Do I dare ... disturb the universe?" asked poet T.S. Eliot's J. Alfred Prufrock. MIT's OpenCourseWare Project responds, "Our answer is yes ... we must create open knowledge systems as the new framework for teaching and learning.... we see [OCW] as opening a new door to the powerful, democratizing, and transforming power of education." MIT plans to make the primary materials for nearly all of 2,000 of its courses available on the Web. These will be available for use by anyone, anywhere. What if schools in your state did that with their curriculum scope and sequence, lessons and activities? What if the nation did?
The power of openness holds tremendous potential, and not just in the software arena. A wave of change is headed for schools. It involves a different way of valuing individual contributions by students, classroom teachers, and administrators. Experts say each of us is an expert on a particular topic. Open source invites us all to find that topic and share. For educators, it is a matter of opening the door to a worldwide community of expert software.
Miguel Guhlin is a bilingual educator and technology specialist who writes a regular blog at www.techlearning.com.
EIGHT STEPS TO A SMOOTH TRANSITION
1. Convene a committee representative of teachers, administrators, and office staff and share the problem with them.
2. The problem: We're spending a lot of money on software licenses. Let's brainstorm some solutions that lower that total cost. Get buy-in on beginning with a familiar basic application open source tool, such as OpenOffice, which can be easily shared and includes a clipart library (www.openclipart.org).
3. Prioritize the different solutions. Thoroughly evaluate each solution in a test situation so that the committee is aware of why something works or doesn't. Have the members keep a blog or journal of what they experiencing.
4. Survey all stakeholders. Focus on function and need rather than product. This will give you the data you need to make decisions on the best solutions.
5. Maintain regular communication. Via newsletters and a Web page, disseminate committee findings and keep stakeholders abreast over time of funds saved and how they've been redirected to worthy projects that directly impact students, teachers, and community.
6. Immediately create quick reference cards for the open source solutions you choose. Also train your help desk. You can turn to OpenOffice textbooks as well as Web site resources.
7. Make the transition across several campuses, setting up training and offering to do on-site demonstrations for teachers. Also setup a FAO page online to help train everyone.
8. When you announce the decision, make CDs of the software available for people who do not have a high-speed Internet connection at home, including parents of district students. Offer to give those away at the cost of the media/duplication.--MG
RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS
CMap Tools (concept-mapping software)
http://cmap.ihmc.us
GAIM (instant messenging client)
http://gaim.sourceforge.net]
Mozilla Firefox (Web browser)
www.mozilla.org
Mozilla Thunderbird (e-mail program)
www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird
OpenOffice Suite
www.openoffice.org
RealPlayer (media player)
www.real.com
Scribus (desktop publishing tool)
www.scribus.net
For more programs and resources, go to www.schoolforge.net.Source Citation: Guhlin, Miguel. "The case for open source: open source has made significant leaps in recent years. What does it have to offer education?(Cover story)." Technology & Learning 27.7 (Feb 2007): 16(5). Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale. Florida Gulf Coast University. 4 Apr. 2007 http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=EAIM&docId=A160421014&source=gale&srcprod=EAIM&userGroupName=gale15690&version=1.0.
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my say:
This article is about the many softwares we have used in the decades we have used computers in the classroom. Lynnx was the first system, and it provided really no help in school except for typing programs. When Microsoft came out in the early 90's every thing changed. They came out with tools such as encylopedia, refrence books, and the word processor to practice typing. Microsoft has helped develop a good ciriculum for teachers and has many good programs such as powerpoint, excel and word. Many believe it is the best tool we have in education. "Beyond that, the skills students develop in using open source applications at school will free them of a dependency on often expensive commercial software programs. For instance, the professional-level image editing tools that constitute a heavy investment for schools are often not within the financial reach of students on their own."
In conclusion, we have come a long way since the early 90's, are progressing every year. Microsoft has been a big help to the educational department. Not only that its technology are helping kids succeed at a higher rate then ever before. I believe this article is big news, because growing up at that age i saw computers jump, and I believe it is only going to grow for these kids of the future.
Not a new concept, open source has been available since the early '90s with the development of the GNU/ Linux operating system and a whole suite of accompanying software applications. (See "Resources for Schools," p. 21). But it was mostly programmers, software developers, and similar techie types who recognized this asa boon. Open source has continued to evolve, however, and in the past three years the development of a graphical user interface has made it increasingly accessible and viable for end users without special training.
THE PEER CONTRIBUTION MODEL.
Education, in particular, seems especially well positioned to benefit from today's open source alternatives. Web 2.0 contributory applications such as Wikipedia and Flickr are now gaining traction in the more progressive schools as powerful tools for leaming. This recognition has laid the groundwork for a broader understanding of the benefits of the kinds of collaborative communication tools offered via open source. In fact, a central vision of the K-12 advocacy group Free Open Source Software is that school systems be environments that promote authorship and collaboration.
From the professional development angle, much stands to be gained. Educators might equate the open source development of software to the open source development of curriculum. Instead of having a group of educator-specialists developing curriculum for the whole district, the curriculum is developed by teachers in the trenches. This approach has a number of benefits, but at its heart requires recognizing the value of peer contributions.
In a proprietary model, teachers who wanted to share a lesson with their grade-level teams would have to buy that lesson before using it. Even if they licensed the lesson, they still would not have the right to modify it for specific purposes. In an open source model, communities of teachers (a campus) could work together to change lessons and then share their lesson plans with colleagues.
This model is being pioneered by the Georgia Public Library Systems, which chose to eschew proprietary automation systems in favor of a free open source system (the Library Journal shares the story of Evergreen at www.libraryjournal .com/article/CA 6396354). This has empowered librarians to work together to build or help others construct a product that directly meets their needs rather than relying on commercial vendors.
The free nature of open source also encourages the development of 21st century skills for students. Innovation is fostered when students have legal "hacking" privileges that allow them to manipulate, customize, and improve Net-based applications. As with educators, they are learning to work collaboratively within a global community toward the end of improving a product for the good of all.
Beyond that, the skills students develop in using open source applications at school will free them of a dependency on often expensive commercial software programs. For instance, the professional-level image editing tools that constitute a heavy investment for schools are often not within the financial reach of students on their own. Knowing how to use a comparable open source alternative, such as the GNU Image Manipulation Program, will go a long way toward keeping kids from pirating programs and violating proprietary licensing agreements.
Among the additional advantages of open source is its ability to facilitate school-community relations. Students, parents, teachers, and administrators are able to exchange electronic documents--such as blogs, wikis, and library automation systems--that encourage them to participate in the decision-making process.
THE ROI ADVANTAGE
A switch to free open source software also minimizes cost and allows funding to be diverted to equipment and other programs. For instance, the OpenOffice suite is an alternative to expensive basic application programs (word processing, spreadsheet, and so on) offered by major vendors. Many such programs on the market offer features seldom used in education but for which educators must pay. From an ROI standpoint, it makes sense to take the money earmarked for widespread licensing and apply it to a different area of need, such as consultant services.
A sample cost comparison might look something like this: If a desktop computer costs $1,300, certainly as much as $140 of that might be spent on software, if not more. The cost for Windows XP is $41 per machine; MS Office, $49; and antivirus software, $50. For a large urban district with perhaps 20,000 computers, this translates to $2.8 million, a savings the school board is bound to find impressive.
Consider all the services--previously proprietary--that have gone open source. Online discussion boards, like Moodle or phpBB, help educators facilitate online courses, enhance professional learning offerings, host book studies, or conduct online meetings (such as this one: http://lms.saisd.net/ctrforum). Content management solutions enable users to share their work via the Web without having to get their Web page software up and going first. This is powerful because users who have little or no experience in Web design can share documents with each other. The cost of a commercial course management system could be as high as $280,000 per initial sale and 22 percent of that for annual licensing and support fees (go to www.immagic.com/eLibrary/general/imm/I060108Epdf for more information).
Additional examples of newly open source services include mail systems (for example, Xchange in lieu of MS Exchange), chat tools, survey tools, and now--with the just-released Curriki--learning management systems. The tools (a list is available at www.schoolforge.net) that educators need are quickly becoming free and open source.
While there are many more examples both at the desktop computer level as well as the district level--consider, as well, the efficiency aspect. In the past, the model for implementing solutions for schools was as follows: (1) Get approval--which hinges on funding--for a technology project; (2) go through a bid process; (3) work with the vendor to customize the solution; and (4) hope that no budget cuts eliminate future funding. With an open source solution, you can immediately implement the solution after developing a plan and hire consultant at a fraction of the total price of a commercial solution.
Although clearly a cost saver in the long term, it's important to look at the larger picture of open source. The Consortium for School Networking, a group that's done extensive studies on TCO for schools, suggests in "Taking TCO to the Classroom" that "districts should review open source software opportunities by application area, but with the understanding of support, training, and integration implications of adding yet another application or operating system."
THE CHALLENGES
In spite of the benefits, school districts and universities may still balk at abandoning the old ways of doing things. So, what challenges do educators need to overcome as they consider open source tools in their teaching, learning, and leadership environments?
Though counter to the whole notion of digital technology itself, fear of the unknown still ranks high among "digital immigrant" educators. Starting small is one way to address this obstacle. Mixing Windows XP or Mac OS X with free software is an option. Some districts, such as the Dallas ISD, chose to deploy teacher laptops with Windows XP and StarOffice basic application software. Instead of paying $40 per computer for a proprietary office suite, the district paid $25 (total, not per seat) for district-wide unlimited installations. The highly developed OpenOffice, which features a familiar interface, is good first step.
The same solution addresses the lack of support staff most districts have. With more familiar Open Source applications--such as switching to the Apache Web server from Windows--open source troubleshooting from a support side becomes more commonplace. Also, by allowing your district staff to learn key tools for example, the back end of blogging and online forums is PHP/ MySQL--they can provide support as needed without being programming experts.
A dearth of time, money, and resources for getting staff up to speed is another very real concern for districts. Online tutorials can come to the rescue. One excellent resource containing 11 video clips about OpenOffice and information on how to get more can be found at NewsForge (http://business.newsforge.com). An alternative is to hire an OpenOffice consultant like Solveig Haugland, author of an OpenOffice Training and Tips blog and book (find out more at http://openoffice.blogs.com). Also, there are about 100 tutorials (Web and Flash) available at www.learnopenoffice.org.
A lack of standardization can also presenta problem. Not all applications that run on Windows or Mac OS X will work on GNU/Linux. For example, Inspiration graphic organizer software does not work on GNU/Linux. However, you can use free, open source diagramming software like Dia (which also works on Windows). Another alternative is Cmap Tools.
Also key is getting buy-in from district decision makers who often least understand the technical issues of transitioning to open source. An effective approach to getting these administrators onboard is to demonstrate a long-term cost comparison between open source and proprietary applications--be sure to reference the CoSN report mentioned previously. Another angle is to point out the advantages of open source in helping bridge the digital divide by increasing access of important documents and applications to parents and homes via the collaborative tools. For practical tips on getting started, see "Eight Steps to a Smooth Transition," p. 18.
TRANSFORMING EDUCATION
"Do I dare ... disturb the universe?" asked poet T.S. Eliot's J. Alfred Prufrock. MIT's OpenCourseWare Project responds, "Our answer is yes ... we must create open knowledge systems as the new framework for teaching and learning.... we see [OCW] as opening a new door to the powerful, democratizing, and transforming power of education." MIT plans to make the primary materials for nearly all of 2,000 of its courses available on the Web. These will be available for use by anyone, anywhere. What if schools in your state did that with their curriculum scope and sequence, lessons and activities? What if the nation did?
The power of openness holds tremendous potential, and not just in the software arena. A wave of change is headed for schools. It involves a different way of valuing individual contributions by students, classroom teachers, and administrators. Experts say each of us is an expert on a particular topic. Open source invites us all to find that topic and share. For educators, it is a matter of opening the door to a worldwide community of expert software.
Miguel Guhlin is a bilingual educator and technology specialist who writes a regular blog at www.techlearning.com.
EIGHT STEPS TO A SMOOTH TRANSITION
1. Convene a committee representative of teachers, administrators, and office staff and share the problem with them.
2. The problem: We're spending a lot of money on software licenses. Let's brainstorm some solutions that lower that total cost. Get buy-in on beginning with a familiar basic application open source tool, such as OpenOffice, which can be easily shared and includes a clipart library (www.openclipart.org).
3. Prioritize the different solutions. Thoroughly evaluate each solution in a test situation so that the committee is aware of why something works or doesn't. Have the members keep a blog or journal of what they experiencing.
4. Survey all stakeholders. Focus on function and need rather than product. This will give you the data you need to make decisions on the best solutions.
5. Maintain regular communication. Via newsletters and a Web page, disseminate committee findings and keep stakeholders abreast over time of funds saved and how they've been redirected to worthy projects that directly impact students, teachers, and community.
6. Immediately create quick reference cards for the open source solutions you choose. Also train your help desk. You can turn to OpenOffice textbooks as well as Web site resources.
7. Make the transition across several campuses, setting up training and offering to do on-site demonstrations for teachers. Also setup a FAO page online to help train everyone.
8. When you announce the decision, make CDs of the software available for people who do not have a high-speed Internet connection at home, including parents of district students. Offer to give those away at the cost of the media/duplication.--MG
RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS
CMap Tools (concept-mapping software)
http://cmap.ihmc.us
GAIM (instant messenging client)
http://gaim.sourceforge.net]
Mozilla Firefox (Web browser)
www.mozilla.org
Mozilla Thunderbird (e-mail program)
www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird
OpenOffice Suite
www.openoffice.org
RealPlayer (media player)
www.real.com
Scribus (desktop publishing tool)
www.scribus.net
For more programs and resources, go to www.schoolforge.net.Source Citation: Guhlin, Miguel. "The case for open source: open source has made significant leaps in recent years. What does it have to offer education?(Cover story)." Technology & Learning 27.7 (Feb 2007): 16(5). Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale. Florida Gulf Coast University. 4 Apr. 2007 http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=EAIM&docId=A160421014&source=gale&srcprod=EAIM&userGroupName=gale15690&version=1.0.
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my say:
This article is about the many softwares we have used in the decades we have used computers in the classroom. Lynnx was the first system, and it provided really no help in school except for typing programs. When Microsoft came out in the early 90's every thing changed. They came out with tools such as encylopedia, refrence books, and the word processor to practice typing. Microsoft has helped develop a good ciriculum for teachers and has many good programs such as powerpoint, excel and word. Many believe it is the best tool we have in education. "Beyond that, the skills students develop in using open source applications at school will free them of a dependency on often expensive commercial software programs. For instance, the professional-level image editing tools that constitute a heavy investment for schools are often not within the financial reach of students on their own."
In conclusion, we have come a long way since the early 90's, are progressing every year. Microsoft has been a big help to the educational department. Not only that its technology are helping kids succeed at a higher rate then ever before. I believe this article is big news, because growing up at that age i saw computers jump, and I believe it is only going to grow for these kids of the future.
Kentucky's student learning plans go "live".(Technology Update).
The state of Kentucky recently launched a new Web-based system that automatically creates Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) for every middle and high school student. The state is paying about $350,000 a year to Toronto-based Career Cruising for a system that will allow students (starting in the 6th grade) to begin planning for their futures. Students have the opportunity to explore careers and colleges, create resumes and online portfolios, and even determine financial aid options for college. The system also automatically uploads test scores to each student's page.
Several middle and high schools began training with this technological tool in September 2006. Training will continue throughout the 2006-2007 academic year.
According to the Courier-Journal, students in Cindy Meyer's eighth-grade health class at Oldham South logged on for the first time two weeks ago, using the program's career-matchmaker function that lets students complete an interest survey and matches them to 40 professions. The site then shows students information about those careers, including video interviews with people in those professions, and allows them to see the corresponding college majors, along with the colleges that offer them.
Parents will also receive passwords and will be able to access their child's online information. They will also be encouraged to leave comments for their child and/or the school's guidance counselor.
As an added bonus, the plans can also be viewed in English or Spanish, and can be accessed from anywhere there is an Internet connection.
While students and schools are not required to use the Web-based system, they are required to complete plans for each student as part of the state's new graduation requirements. In addition, the Kentucky Board of Education is considering holding schools accountable for the plans by including students' completion rates in the state's student-testing system.
Additional states including Washington and Delaware are looking into similar programs. Both states plan to begin getting students online in the next two years.
To find out more about Kentucky's Individual Learning Plans visit: www.education.ky.gov/KDE/Instructional+R esources/Individual+Learning+Plan/default. htm.Source Citation: "Kentucky's student learning plans go "live".(Technology Update)." Curriculum Review 46.5 (Jan 2007): 4(1). Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale. Florida Gulf Coast University. 4 Apr. 2007 http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T004&prodId=EAIM&docId=A157097310&source=gale&srcprod=EAIM&userGroupName=gale15690&version=1.0.
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My say:
This article is about the state of kentucky and how they are releasing there lesson plans to middle schoolers over the web. To many this is a smart idea, because kids know what to expect when they come into class. Not only does it put out the plans, but puts out all the stuff you did in class that day with the grades. This is a smart idea so kids know how there doing in class, as well as parents. According to one of the students of the program, Cindy, "using the program's career-matchmaker function that lets students complete an interest survey and matches them to 40 professions. The site then shows students information about those careers, including video interviews with people in those professions, and allows them to see the corresponding college majors, along with the colleges that offer them. "
In conclusion, this program is a terrific tool in technology. It is really great, because of the benefits it provides you with, such as test scores, hw, and even your attendance. It is a perfect way to see how you are doing in the course, and parents can see how your doing as well. This program has been used in many states and is proven to be effective, and is the new effective way to keep everybody up to date on your studies.
Several middle and high schools began training with this technological tool in September 2006. Training will continue throughout the 2006-2007 academic year.
According to the Courier-Journal, students in Cindy Meyer's eighth-grade health class at Oldham South logged on for the first time two weeks ago, using the program's career-matchmaker function that lets students complete an interest survey and matches them to 40 professions. The site then shows students information about those careers, including video interviews with people in those professions, and allows them to see the corresponding college majors, along with the colleges that offer them.
Parents will also receive passwords and will be able to access their child's online information. They will also be encouraged to leave comments for their child and/or the school's guidance counselor.
As an added bonus, the plans can also be viewed in English or Spanish, and can be accessed from anywhere there is an Internet connection.
While students and schools are not required to use the Web-based system, they are required to complete plans for each student as part of the state's new graduation requirements. In addition, the Kentucky Board of Education is considering holding schools accountable for the plans by including students' completion rates in the state's student-testing system.
Additional states including Washington and Delaware are looking into similar programs. Both states plan to begin getting students online in the next two years.
To find out more about Kentucky's Individual Learning Plans visit: www.education.ky.gov/KDE/Instructional+R esources/Individual+Learning+Plan/default. htm.Source Citation: "Kentucky's student learning plans go "live".(Technology Update)." Curriculum Review 46.5 (Jan 2007): 4(1). Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale. Florida Gulf Coast University. 4 Apr. 2007 http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T004&prodId=EAIM&docId=A157097310&source=gale&srcprod=EAIM&userGroupName=gale15690&version=1.0.
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My say:
This article is about the state of kentucky and how they are releasing there lesson plans to middle schoolers over the web. To many this is a smart idea, because kids know what to expect when they come into class. Not only does it put out the plans, but puts out all the stuff you did in class that day with the grades. This is a smart idea so kids know how there doing in class, as well as parents. According to one of the students of the program, Cindy, "using the program's career-matchmaker function that lets students complete an interest survey and matches them to 40 professions. The site then shows students information about those careers, including video interviews with people in those professions, and allows them to see the corresponding college majors, along with the colleges that offer them. "
In conclusion, this program is a terrific tool in technology. It is really great, because of the benefits it provides you with, such as test scores, hw, and even your attendance. It is a perfect way to see how you are doing in the course, and parents can see how your doing as well. This program has been used in many states and is proven to be effective, and is the new effective way to keep everybody up to date on your studies.
Broward schools experiment with multimedia: SCHOOLS ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH MULTIMEDIA PROJECTS THAT EXPAND LEARNING WELL BEYOND TEXTBOOKS AND SIMPLE C
Byline: Hannah Sampson
Mar. 18--At one table in a Nob Hill Elementary fourth-grade classroom, students read about the cerebrum on a website their class has created.
Another student downloaded photos of the respiratory system and saved them on a laptop. Perched at his own station, 10-year-old Levar Smith helped a fellow student post comments on the class blog. "He's gonna post his thoughts or comments or questions," explained Levar, the blog manager. "He's gonna hit publish." Welcome to 21st-century learning, where Wikipedia competes with the encyclopedia and reports can just as easily be shown on an iPod as printed on paper. The computerized buzz of activity in the Nob Hill classroom was one example of an initiative that the Broward school district launched last school year to better prepare students for a technology-centered world.
The Global Learning Initiative through Digital Education for Students -- GLIDES for short -- lets students research real-world problems that interest them and create tech-heavy presentations for their subjects.
"And it's not about the FCAT. This is true learning," said Nob Hill Elementary teacher Sari Weltmann. The fourth-graders that she and teacher Michele Benson supervise at the Sunrise school are focusing on health and fitness. A healthy recipe book, commercials on fitness and videotaped demonstrations of preparing healthy snacks will likely be elements of the class's final presentation. A handful of schools took part in the initiative's pilot in 2005. By next school year, an additional two dozen or more will be participating, thanks in part to a $1.1 million grant from the Florida Department of Education.
Schools choose a broad topic -- like aviation, energy, music or cultural differences -- and students from different classes and grades team up to create projects that incorporate videos, podcasts, websites or other media. AVIATION CONNECTION At Miramar High School, which has an aviation magnet program, some students combined that subject and psychology for their projects earlier in the school year. Some projects explored racial profiling after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, while others looked at how aviation has influenced science fiction.
"What we were trying to get them to do was think about the subject we had put out there and use the technology that was available to them to create a multimedia presentation that was not just the facts -- but to bring creativity to it and to bring personal points of view to it," explained psychology teacher Deborah Harrell, whose five classes were among those that participated in the project. Jeanine Gendron, the Broward school district's director of instructional technology, said the projects not only prepare students for the future by forcing them to use technology, but they also teach them how to work in teams, manage a long-term project, analyze information and present it in an interesting way. Pompano Beach High School social studies and English teacher Jill Burdo said students get a taste of real-life stress that they might face in the workplace. "You end up working in a huge group and everything rides on this presentation and that's really the climate in the classroom," she said. Last semester, the school chose music as the topic, and students examined everything from business practices at Apple's iTunes to musicians' biographies and music's influence on politics. Sophomore Kristin Swanick, 15, worked on two projects at the same time, for her world history and international business classes. She researched iTunes for one class and, for the other, she dressed up in costumes from various eras to record video clips that showed fads in music over the years. Kristin said it was tough -- in her words, "a lot of work" -- but the payoff was worth it.
UNVEILING Parents, administrators and technology experts filled the school's auditorium for the final presentation, for which students were required to dress professionally. "They were very impressed with all the work that high schoolers actually did," Kristin said.
The experience, she said, has inspired her other work. "It makes me look deeper into a project and be more creative because I want things to stand out," she said.
Copyright (c) 2007, The Miami Herald
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business
News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.Source Citation: Sampson, Hannah. "Broward schools experiment with multimedia: SCHOOLS ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH MULTIMEDIA PROJECTS THAT EXPAND LEARNING WELL BEYOND TEXTBOOKS AND SIMPLE COMPUTER PROGRAMS.(Global Learning Initiative through Digital Education for Students)." Miami Herald (Miami, FL) (March 18, 2007): NA. Academic OneFile. Thomson Gale. Florida Gulf Coast University. 4 Apr. 2007 http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T004&prodId=AONE&docId=CJ160694149&source=gale&srcprod=AONE&userGroupName=gale15690&version=1.0.
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my say:
Who thought in this day and age we would be saying bye bye to textbooks! The day has come sooner than later . Teachers are throwing out the textbooks and are using multimedia text books to teach there kids in the classroom. Many believe it is a wonderful idea, because textbooks can be so dull and boring. "What we were trying to get them to do was think about the subject we had put out there and use the technology that was available to them to create a multimedia presentation that was not just the facts -- but to bring creativity to it and to bring personal points of view to it," explained psychology teacher Deborah Harrell, whose five classes were among those that participated in the project.
In conclusion, I belive this is a big step not only in the broward school system, but all the school systems out there. By using the technology that is given to us, we are making strides to teach are kids in a better way then text books ever did. Even though this idea has just come up recently, I believe in a few years, this idea will be nationwide. Thats when we can wave bye bye to textbooks forever.
Mar. 18--At one table in a Nob Hill Elementary fourth-grade classroom, students read about the cerebrum on a website their class has created.
Another student downloaded photos of the respiratory system and saved them on a laptop. Perched at his own station, 10-year-old Levar Smith helped a fellow student post comments on the class blog. "He's gonna post his thoughts or comments or questions," explained Levar, the blog manager. "He's gonna hit publish." Welcome to 21st-century learning, where Wikipedia competes with the encyclopedia and reports can just as easily be shown on an iPod as printed on paper. The computerized buzz of activity in the Nob Hill classroom was one example of an initiative that the Broward school district launched last school year to better prepare students for a technology-centered world.
The Global Learning Initiative through Digital Education for Students -- GLIDES for short -- lets students research real-world problems that interest them and create tech-heavy presentations for their subjects.
"And it's not about the FCAT. This is true learning," said Nob Hill Elementary teacher Sari Weltmann. The fourth-graders that she and teacher Michele Benson supervise at the Sunrise school are focusing on health and fitness. A healthy recipe book, commercials on fitness and videotaped demonstrations of preparing healthy snacks will likely be elements of the class's final presentation. A handful of schools took part in the initiative's pilot in 2005. By next school year, an additional two dozen or more will be participating, thanks in part to a $1.1 million grant from the Florida Department of Education.
Schools choose a broad topic -- like aviation, energy, music or cultural differences -- and students from different classes and grades team up to create projects that incorporate videos, podcasts, websites or other media. AVIATION CONNECTION At Miramar High School, which has an aviation magnet program, some students combined that subject and psychology for their projects earlier in the school year. Some projects explored racial profiling after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, while others looked at how aviation has influenced science fiction.
"What we were trying to get them to do was think about the subject we had put out there and use the technology that was available to them to create a multimedia presentation that was not just the facts -- but to bring creativity to it and to bring personal points of view to it," explained psychology teacher Deborah Harrell, whose five classes were among those that participated in the project. Jeanine Gendron, the Broward school district's director of instructional technology, said the projects not only prepare students for the future by forcing them to use technology, but they also teach them how to work in teams, manage a long-term project, analyze information and present it in an interesting way. Pompano Beach High School social studies and English teacher Jill Burdo said students get a taste of real-life stress that they might face in the workplace. "You end up working in a huge group and everything rides on this presentation and that's really the climate in the classroom," she said. Last semester, the school chose music as the topic, and students examined everything from business practices at Apple's iTunes to musicians' biographies and music's influence on politics. Sophomore Kristin Swanick, 15, worked on two projects at the same time, for her world history and international business classes. She researched iTunes for one class and, for the other, she dressed up in costumes from various eras to record video clips that showed fads in music over the years. Kristin said it was tough -- in her words, "a lot of work" -- but the payoff was worth it.
UNVEILING Parents, administrators and technology experts filled the school's auditorium for the final presentation, for which students were required to dress professionally. "They were very impressed with all the work that high schoolers actually did," Kristin said.
The experience, she said, has inspired her other work. "It makes me look deeper into a project and be more creative because I want things to stand out," she said.
Copyright (c) 2007, The Miami Herald
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business
News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.Source Citation: Sampson, Hannah. "Broward schools experiment with multimedia: SCHOOLS ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH MULTIMEDIA PROJECTS THAT EXPAND LEARNING WELL BEYOND TEXTBOOKS AND SIMPLE COMPUTER PROGRAMS.(Global Learning Initiative through Digital Education for Students)." Miami Herald (Miami, FL) (March 18, 2007): NA. Academic OneFile. Thomson Gale. Florida Gulf Coast University. 4 Apr. 2007 http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T004&prodId=AONE&docId=CJ160694149&source=gale&srcprod=AONE&userGroupName=gale15690&version=1.0.
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my say:
Who thought in this day and age we would be saying bye bye to textbooks! The day has come sooner than later . Teachers are throwing out the textbooks and are using multimedia text books to teach there kids in the classroom. Many believe it is a wonderful idea, because textbooks can be so dull and boring. "What we were trying to get them to do was think about the subject we had put out there and use the technology that was available to them to create a multimedia presentation that was not just the facts -- but to bring creativity to it and to bring personal points of view to it," explained psychology teacher Deborah Harrell, whose five classes were among those that participated in the project.
In conclusion, I belive this is a big step not only in the broward school system, but all the school systems out there. By using the technology that is given to us, we are making strides to teach are kids in a better way then text books ever did. Even though this idea has just come up recently, I believe in a few years, this idea will be nationwide. Thats when we can wave bye bye to textbooks forever.
Dade schools had tele-visionary: The school district's instructional television network exists because of Don MacCullough.(Miami-Dade County, Florida)
Byline: Tania Deluzuriaga
Mar. 14--When Don MacCullough joined Miami-Dade Public Schools in 1954, he intended to be a teacher, not a pioneer. After all, most of the technology MacCullough used to build the school district's public television empire hadn't been invented yet. "Nobody had a clue," said MacCullough. "I was stumbling around trying to do what I could at the time. We saw a need and we tried to fill it." When he retired in 1995, MacCullough oversaw one of the largest and most comprehensive educational broadcast systems of any school district in the country.
"He was the visionary that saw there was so much potential for education in instructional television," said district spokesman Felipe Noguera. "He really was ahead of his time." MacCullough spent more than half of his career as the WLRN station manager. Under his direction, the district gained control of all 20 instructional television channels available in Miami. "It was what any teacher would do," MacCullough said. "I just figured whatever was there, we ought to use." At first, the system was used to broadcast live instruction in black and white. As technology advanced, so did the programming. With the advent of video technology, the system allowed teachers in several schools to watch the same program on the same day without the district having to buy numerous copies of the same program. "The idea of having enough copies was not possible," MacCullough said. "This was an efficient way to save the school district money and provide the materials teachers needed." MacCullough prefers not to think of himself as a visionary. Rather, he says he was simply in the right place at the right time. "It was the best job anyone ever had," he said. "I was extremely lucky." Though he has been retired for more than a decade, MacCullough will be watching closely as the School Board debates what to do with any excess bandwidth left after converting the system to digital. "Just like we did in the first place," he said. 'I hope they'll look at this and say, 'How can we use this to solve problems?' "
Copyright (c) 2007, The Miami Herald
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business
News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.Source Citation: Deluzuriaga, Tania. "Dade schools had tele-visionary: The school district's instructional television network exists because of Don MacCullough.(Miami-Dade County, Florida)." Miami Herald (Miami, FL) (March 14, 2007): NA. Academic OneFile. Thomson Gale. Florida Gulf Coast University. 4 Apr. 2007 http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T004&prodId=AONE&docId=CJ160535420&source=gale&srcprod=AONE&userGroupName=gale15690&version=1.0.
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my say:
Technology in the early 50's was dull and boring, especially in the school system. But one person had a idea, and it was brilliant. Mr.MacCullough came up with a county school channel for all his kids, so they could learn by visual stimiuli. From that point on it became a hit and I think we took big steps toward making technology work in this classroom. Who didn't love the famous writing shows and painting sessions we watched in the early days. These stations have developed and have become a big hit in schools all over the country. I think such things as distance learning have developed from these channels.
In conclusion, I believe these channels have helped generations of kids in school and even though it is over 50 years old, it was a start of generations to come in technology.
Mar. 14--When Don MacCullough joined Miami-Dade Public Schools in 1954, he intended to be a teacher, not a pioneer. After all, most of the technology MacCullough used to build the school district's public television empire hadn't been invented yet. "Nobody had a clue," said MacCullough. "I was stumbling around trying to do what I could at the time. We saw a need and we tried to fill it." When he retired in 1995, MacCullough oversaw one of the largest and most comprehensive educational broadcast systems of any school district in the country.
"He was the visionary that saw there was so much potential for education in instructional television," said district spokesman Felipe Noguera. "He really was ahead of his time." MacCullough spent more than half of his career as the WLRN station manager. Under his direction, the district gained control of all 20 instructional television channels available in Miami. "It was what any teacher would do," MacCullough said. "I just figured whatever was there, we ought to use." At first, the system was used to broadcast live instruction in black and white. As technology advanced, so did the programming. With the advent of video technology, the system allowed teachers in several schools to watch the same program on the same day without the district having to buy numerous copies of the same program. "The idea of having enough copies was not possible," MacCullough said. "This was an efficient way to save the school district money and provide the materials teachers needed." MacCullough prefers not to think of himself as a visionary. Rather, he says he was simply in the right place at the right time. "It was the best job anyone ever had," he said. "I was extremely lucky." Though he has been retired for more than a decade, MacCullough will be watching closely as the School Board debates what to do with any excess bandwidth left after converting the system to digital. "Just like we did in the first place," he said. 'I hope they'll look at this and say, 'How can we use this to solve problems?' "
Copyright (c) 2007, The Miami Herald
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business
News.
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my say:
Technology in the early 50's was dull and boring, especially in the school system. But one person had a idea, and it was brilliant. Mr.MacCullough came up with a county school channel for all his kids, so they could learn by visual stimiuli. From that point on it became a hit and I think we took big steps toward making technology work in this classroom. Who didn't love the famous writing shows and painting sessions we watched in the early days. These stations have developed and have become a big hit in schools all over the country. I think such things as distance learning have developed from these channels.
In conclusion, I believe these channels have helped generations of kids in school and even though it is over 50 years old, it was a start of generations to come in technology.
Learning to read and write using the Internet: sites you don't want to miss!(Technology in the Classroom). Jan Lacina.
Full Text :COPYRIGHT 2006 Association for Childhood Education International
Like many of my students, I communicate primarily through E-mail. One evening last week, I needed to check my E-mail account; since my 2-year-old daughters were occupied with play dough, I thought it would be a good time to quickly glance at the computer screen. So, I said, "I'm going to check my E-mail quickly, and then we will eat dinner." Not expecting any resistance, I was surprised when one of my daughters said, "No, I check my E-mail." I was not quite sure I clearly understood her, so I asked "You will do what, Caroline?" "I check my E-mail!" she yelled at me, while running toward the computer. Although she does not have an E-mail account, she understands that when she types on the keyboard, letters appear on the computer screen. She even recognizes a few of the letters she types. If not watched carefully, Caroline will turn on the computer and begin to type--or when she thinks I am spending too much time on the computer, she turns it off. I learned a very important lesson from Caroline that night: When she is a few years older, I must model and scaffold telecommunications, just as I currently model fluent reading from a book.
Young children today are exposed to technology at a much younger age than they were five to 10 years ago, and technology is now an important component of literacy. With early technology exposure, children have become telecommunications literate. Telecommunications literacy means that a child can not only operate a computer, but also locate and analyze multiple forms of information (Valmont, 2003). As Valmont explains,
Students who use the new technologies effectively will be the new literacy "haves," while those who do not will be literacy "have-nots." As educators, we must be prepared to help all students become proficient in using advanced technologies in their development of literacy and thinking capabilities. In other words, we must do all we can to help our students become telecommunications literate. (p. 2)
To be able to function in the world today, children need to learn how to read beyond a paperbound book. In this column, I highlight Web sites you do not want to miss. I chose these sites because they provide unique opportunities for children by promoting active literacy learning through technology use.
Benefits of Using Technology To Teach Reading
There are numerous benefits of using the Internet to teach reading and writing. Many online stories published on the Internet offer young children a wide variety of choices. They can select such options as story animation, oral narration, or word pronunciation on-demand. Offering such choices when reading allows children to take ownership of their reading (McKenna, Labbo, & Reinking, 2003); as a result, reading becomes fun and relevant to their own lives. Second, to become a member of a global community in our technology-driven world, children must now learn to navigate, read, write, and think critically by using informational and communication technologies (Karchmer, Mallette, Kara-Soteriou, & Leu, 2005). Workplace demands changed radically with the infusion of technology; as a result of such changes, teachers also must think of new ways to not only integrate technology into the curriculum, but also teach students how to critically read, using technology.
Web Sites To Save as Favorites
The following Web sites were some of my favorites, since they were interactive and provided ways to practice literacy skills. I have categorized them as sites useful for phonics and phonemic awareness, comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, or writing. With the federal government's focus on scientifically based principles in the teaching of reading (No Child Left Behind Act, 2002), the five principles deemed necessary for the teaching of reading--phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension--cannot be ignored. Despite a new emphasis on writing with the addition of an essay section to the SAT test, writing remains the neglected "r" in most states (National Writing Project & Nagin, 2003). Therefore, I also chose to include excellent Web sites that encourage the development of written communication.
Phonics and Phonemic Awareness
www.starfall.com
This Web site is excellent for early literacy, as it introduces the letter sounds and interactive online stories for intermediate and advanced readers. The online material offers beginning readers the opportunity to explore and interact with words and the sounds that make up those words. Users can order printed materials or download materials for free. Parents can take part in this online adventure with their children.
www.sadlier-oxford.com/phonics/control_page/front2.htm
This site offers excellent activities for Pre-K to 6th-graders, from matching pictures to working with high-frequency words and vocabulary development. These activities are great for classroom use or for practicing phonics skills at home.
www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementary/palmasola/rcompindex1.htm
This site offers games and activities to help children practice the elements of phonemic awareness. The aspect of phonemic awareness covered are: rhyming words, counting syllables, where is sound, from words to sentences, and making oral predictions. Each section includes interactive and colorful graphics.
Comprehension
www.literacymatters.org/18under/index.htm
The goal of the Literacy Matters project is to improve the literacy development of middle grade and secondary school students who might be struggling in certain areas. This site provides parents with ideas about how they can support literacy learning at home and offers students the opportunity to participate in interactive, online tutorials. The site also provides resources for teachers, including professional development activities and downloadable lesson plans. In particular, the section on using think-alouds is especially interactive and useful.
www.readwritethink.org
The comprehension Web sites below were developed by ReadWriteThink.org. The ReadWriteThink site was developed in collaboration with the National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE) and the International Reading Association (IRA). The site offers peer-reviewed lesson plans and interactive graphic organizers, all of which are aligned to IRA/NCTE literacy standards.
www.readwritethink.org/materials/trading_cards/
The interactive Character Trading Cards tool is a fun and useful way for students to explore a character in a book that they are reading, or it can be used as a pre-writing exercise when creating characters for original stories.
www.readwritethink.org/materials/plot-diagram/
The Plot Diagram is an organizational tool focusing on a pyramid or triangular shape, which is used to map the events in a story. This mapping of plot structure allows readers and writers to visualize the key features of stories.
Fluency
www.busyteacherscafe.com/units/fluency.htm
This Web site provides a research-based overview of reading fluency, while also providing Internet links to various Web sites that promote and encourage reading fluency. Links to assess reading fluency also are included.
www.teachingheart.net/readerstheater.htm
The Web site offers a large number of free scripts for implementing a Readers Theater. The National Reading Panel (NRP) (2001) explains that repeated and monitored oral reading is essential in the development of reading fluency.
www.texasreading.org/utcrla/materials/primary.asp
The Vaughn Gross Center for Reading at the University of Texas at Austin offers a wide variety of online materials. These materials include a number of professional development guides, in which fluency is a major focus.
http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4446
Scholastic offers an oral fluency assessment calculator for grades 3-5. Many early literacy teachers throughout the United States are required to monitor their students' fluency rates, as recommended by the NRP. Scholastic's calculator will indicate if the child is at or above grade level, or if the child needs intervention.
Vocabulary
www.vocabulary.com
This site allows you to access various learning activities and lesson plans designed to foster vocabulary acquisition. It also provides recommended reading lists and test preps to help students practice their vocabulary skills.
www.idiomsite.com
This site provides explanations for the most common idioms we use. By clicking on a phrase, definitions are provided. This site would be an excellent tool for assisting ESL learners in learning everyday phrases.
www.infovisual.info
This site offers a different way to learn words by displaying pictures. It acts as a visual dictionary and encyclopedia all in one!
http://artsci.shu.edu/classics/ classics/rootsof.htm
This page offers free downloadable software to find Greek and Latin roots of words in the English language. Directions for downloading are explained step-by-step and both teachers and students can access the other useful Web resources mentioned therein.
www.randomhouse.com/features/rhwebsters/
This site offers various links where users can practice vocabulary, learn new words, and even look up popular books. It also features a dictionary game designed for students to learn new words and definitions and directions on how to select a dictionary that is right for you!
www.word-detective.com
This site is the online equivalent to a newspaper column that answers questions about words and the English language. You can access archives of questions from past issues or submit your own question about words. There are How Come? columns designed for science questions and archives to research previous questions as well.
http://puzzlemaker.com
This is an excellent site for teachers, parents, and students! You can create and custom-design various puzzles for students to practice vocabulary. Word lists are provided for certain topics, or you can create your own puzzles based on whatever words you choose to practice. Links also are provided for science facts, a teacher's store, homework help, and other resources that are beneficial to both teachers and students.
Writing
http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/scramble.htm
Magnetic Poetry is an excellent, creative way for students to play with words and create their own poems. Children also can unscramble popular poetry, and share these poems with one another.
www.kidpub.org/kidpub/
This site offers access to thousands of real-life stories written by children all over the world. You can post a story of your own or choose from the online archive. It costs a small fee to join the KidPub page in order to publish your own stories. This page is an excellent tool for students who want to learn how to publish literature as well as share their stories with others all over the globe.
www.stonesoup.com
This magazine is made up entirely of content by children from all over the world. It is an excellent resource to share with students in your classroom. There are links online to subscribe to the magazine as well as biographies of the children who have contributed to the magazine.
www:readwritethink.org/materials/letter_generator
The Letter Generator tool is designed to help students learn to identify parts of a business letter or informal letter, and then generate letters by typing information into letter templates. A sample letter is included, and students can learn about the parts of a letter by reading descriptions of each part.
www.readwritethink.org/materials/postcard/
The Postcard Creator helps students learn to identify the typical parts of a postcard, and then generate their own postcard messages by typing information into letter templates.
References
Karchmer, R. A., Mallette, M. H., Kara-Soteriou, J., & Leu, D. J. (2005). Innovative approaches to literacy education: Using the Internet to support new literacies. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
McKenna, M. C., Labbo, L. D., & Reinking, D. (2003). Effective use of technology in literacy instruction. In L. M. Morrow, L. B. Gambrell, & M. Pressley (Eds.), Best practices in literacy instruction (pp. 307-331). New York: Guilford.
National Writing Project, & Nagin, C. (2003). Because writing matters: Improving student writing in our schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
National Reading Panel, The. (2001). Put reading first: The research building blocks for teaching children to read. Jessup, MD: National Institute for Literacy.
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Pub. L. No. 1-7-110, 115 Stat. 1425. (2002). Retrieved September 12, 2006, from www.ed.gov/legislation/ESEA02
Valmont, W.J. (2003). Technology for literacy teaching and learning. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.Source Citation: Lacina, Jan. "Learning to read and write using the Internet: sites you don't want to miss!(Technology in the Classroom)." Childhood Education 83.2 (Winter 2006): 117(3). Professional Collection. Thomson Gale. Florida Gulf Coast University. 4 Apr. 2007 http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodId=SPJ.SP12&docId=A157032441&source=gale&srcprod=SP12&userGroupName=gale15690&version=1.0.
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my say:
This article explains the significants of younger kids are getting exposed to the computer at a early age. By getting younger kids to use the computer, they are helping themselves get ahead of the pack. As the author said, "As educators, we must be prepared to help all students become proficient in using advanced technologies in their development of literacy and thinking capabilities. In other words, we must do all we can to help our students become telecommunications literate." By doing this kids will become better readers and writers, and teachers won't have to do so much work. You make think the internet isn't for young children, but your wrong. The internet actually has some stuff that can help your kid with reading and writing before they enter school. The great thing about it is the technology these days, the infants can use to better themselve for there education.
I believe this article is important,because it explains some of the many steps kids have to take to be a better reader or writer, at such a early age. Any head start a 3 year old can get will only help them get a head start over there classmates. If technology was around when we were that young im sure many kids would of done that. The technology we have in this day and age is designed to make every generation a little bit smarter then the first.
Like many of my students, I communicate primarily through E-mail. One evening last week, I needed to check my E-mail account; since my 2-year-old daughters were occupied with play dough, I thought it would be a good time to quickly glance at the computer screen. So, I said, "I'm going to check my E-mail quickly, and then we will eat dinner." Not expecting any resistance, I was surprised when one of my daughters said, "No, I check my E-mail." I was not quite sure I clearly understood her, so I asked "You will do what, Caroline?" "I check my E-mail!" she yelled at me, while running toward the computer. Although she does not have an E-mail account, she understands that when she types on the keyboard, letters appear on the computer screen. She even recognizes a few of the letters she types. If not watched carefully, Caroline will turn on the computer and begin to type--or when she thinks I am spending too much time on the computer, she turns it off. I learned a very important lesson from Caroline that night: When she is a few years older, I must model and scaffold telecommunications, just as I currently model fluent reading from a book.
Young children today are exposed to technology at a much younger age than they were five to 10 years ago, and technology is now an important component of literacy. With early technology exposure, children have become telecommunications literate. Telecommunications literacy means that a child can not only operate a computer, but also locate and analyze multiple forms of information (Valmont, 2003). As Valmont explains,
Students who use the new technologies effectively will be the new literacy "haves," while those who do not will be literacy "have-nots." As educators, we must be prepared to help all students become proficient in using advanced technologies in their development of literacy and thinking capabilities. In other words, we must do all we can to help our students become telecommunications literate. (p. 2)
To be able to function in the world today, children need to learn how to read beyond a paperbound book. In this column, I highlight Web sites you do not want to miss. I chose these sites because they provide unique opportunities for children by promoting active literacy learning through technology use.
Benefits of Using Technology To Teach Reading
There are numerous benefits of using the Internet to teach reading and writing. Many online stories published on the Internet offer young children a wide variety of choices. They can select such options as story animation, oral narration, or word pronunciation on-demand. Offering such choices when reading allows children to take ownership of their reading (McKenna, Labbo, & Reinking, 2003); as a result, reading becomes fun and relevant to their own lives. Second, to become a member of a global community in our technology-driven world, children must now learn to navigate, read, write, and think critically by using informational and communication technologies (Karchmer, Mallette, Kara-Soteriou, & Leu, 2005). Workplace demands changed radically with the infusion of technology; as a result of such changes, teachers also must think of new ways to not only integrate technology into the curriculum, but also teach students how to critically read, using technology.
Web Sites To Save as Favorites
The following Web sites were some of my favorites, since they were interactive and provided ways to practice literacy skills. I have categorized them as sites useful for phonics and phonemic awareness, comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, or writing. With the federal government's focus on scientifically based principles in the teaching of reading (No Child Left Behind Act, 2002), the five principles deemed necessary for the teaching of reading--phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension--cannot be ignored. Despite a new emphasis on writing with the addition of an essay section to the SAT test, writing remains the neglected "r" in most states (National Writing Project & Nagin, 2003). Therefore, I also chose to include excellent Web sites that encourage the development of written communication.
Phonics and Phonemic Awareness
www.starfall.com
This Web site is excellent for early literacy, as it introduces the letter sounds and interactive online stories for intermediate and advanced readers. The online material offers beginning readers the opportunity to explore and interact with words and the sounds that make up those words. Users can order printed materials or download materials for free. Parents can take part in this online adventure with their children.
www.sadlier-oxford.com/phonics/control_page/front2.htm
This site offers excellent activities for Pre-K to 6th-graders, from matching pictures to working with high-frequency words and vocabulary development. These activities are great for classroom use or for practicing phonics skills at home.
www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementary/palmasola/rcompindex1.htm
This site offers games and activities to help children practice the elements of phonemic awareness. The aspect of phonemic awareness covered are: rhyming words, counting syllables, where is sound, from words to sentences, and making oral predictions. Each section includes interactive and colorful graphics.
Comprehension
www.literacymatters.org/18under/index.htm
The goal of the Literacy Matters project is to improve the literacy development of middle grade and secondary school students who might be struggling in certain areas. This site provides parents with ideas about how they can support literacy learning at home and offers students the opportunity to participate in interactive, online tutorials. The site also provides resources for teachers, including professional development activities and downloadable lesson plans. In particular, the section on using think-alouds is especially interactive and useful.
www.readwritethink.org
The comprehension Web sites below were developed by ReadWriteThink.org. The ReadWriteThink site was developed in collaboration with the National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE) and the International Reading Association (IRA). The site offers peer-reviewed lesson plans and interactive graphic organizers, all of which are aligned to IRA/NCTE literacy standards.
www.readwritethink.org/materials/trading_cards/
The interactive Character Trading Cards tool is a fun and useful way for students to explore a character in a book that they are reading, or it can be used as a pre-writing exercise when creating characters for original stories.
www.readwritethink.org/materials/plot-diagram/
The Plot Diagram is an organizational tool focusing on a pyramid or triangular shape, which is used to map the events in a story. This mapping of plot structure allows readers and writers to visualize the key features of stories.
Fluency
www.busyteacherscafe.com/units/fluency.htm
This Web site provides a research-based overview of reading fluency, while also providing Internet links to various Web sites that promote and encourage reading fluency. Links to assess reading fluency also are included.
www.teachingheart.net/readerstheater.htm
The Web site offers a large number of free scripts for implementing a Readers Theater. The National Reading Panel (NRP) (2001) explains that repeated and monitored oral reading is essential in the development of reading fluency.
www.texasreading.org/utcrla/materials/primary.asp
The Vaughn Gross Center for Reading at the University of Texas at Austin offers a wide variety of online materials. These materials include a number of professional development guides, in which fluency is a major focus.
http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4446
Scholastic offers an oral fluency assessment calculator for grades 3-5. Many early literacy teachers throughout the United States are required to monitor their students' fluency rates, as recommended by the NRP. Scholastic's calculator will indicate if the child is at or above grade level, or if the child needs intervention.
Vocabulary
www.vocabulary.com
This site allows you to access various learning activities and lesson plans designed to foster vocabulary acquisition. It also provides recommended reading lists and test preps to help students practice their vocabulary skills.
www.idiomsite.com
This site provides explanations for the most common idioms we use. By clicking on a phrase, definitions are provided. This site would be an excellent tool for assisting ESL learners in learning everyday phrases.
www.infovisual.info
This site offers a different way to learn words by displaying pictures. It acts as a visual dictionary and encyclopedia all in one!
http://artsci.shu.edu/classics/ classics/rootsof.htm
This page offers free downloadable software to find Greek and Latin roots of words in the English language. Directions for downloading are explained step-by-step and both teachers and students can access the other useful Web resources mentioned therein.
www.randomhouse.com/features/rhwebsters/
This site offers various links where users can practice vocabulary, learn new words, and even look up popular books. It also features a dictionary game designed for students to learn new words and definitions and directions on how to select a dictionary that is right for you!
www.word-detective.com
This site is the online equivalent to a newspaper column that answers questions about words and the English language. You can access archives of questions from past issues or submit your own question about words. There are How Come? columns designed for science questions and archives to research previous questions as well.
http://puzzlemaker.com
This is an excellent site for teachers, parents, and students! You can create and custom-design various puzzles for students to practice vocabulary. Word lists are provided for certain topics, or you can create your own puzzles based on whatever words you choose to practice. Links also are provided for science facts, a teacher's store, homework help, and other resources that are beneficial to both teachers and students.
Writing
http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/scramble.htm
Magnetic Poetry is an excellent, creative way for students to play with words and create their own poems. Children also can unscramble popular poetry, and share these poems with one another.
www.kidpub.org/kidpub/
This site offers access to thousands of real-life stories written by children all over the world. You can post a story of your own or choose from the online archive. It costs a small fee to join the KidPub page in order to publish your own stories. This page is an excellent tool for students who want to learn how to publish literature as well as share their stories with others all over the globe.
www.stonesoup.com
This magazine is made up entirely of content by children from all over the world. It is an excellent resource to share with students in your classroom. There are links online to subscribe to the magazine as well as biographies of the children who have contributed to the magazine.
www:readwritethink.org/materials/letter_generator
The Letter Generator tool is designed to help students learn to identify parts of a business letter or informal letter, and then generate letters by typing information into letter templates. A sample letter is included, and students can learn about the parts of a letter by reading descriptions of each part.
www.readwritethink.org/materials/postcard/
The Postcard Creator helps students learn to identify the typical parts of a postcard, and then generate their own postcard messages by typing information into letter templates.
References
Karchmer, R. A., Mallette, M. H., Kara-Soteriou, J., & Leu, D. J. (2005). Innovative approaches to literacy education: Using the Internet to support new literacies. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
McKenna, M. C., Labbo, L. D., & Reinking, D. (2003). Effective use of technology in literacy instruction. In L. M. Morrow, L. B. Gambrell, & M. Pressley (Eds.), Best practices in literacy instruction (pp. 307-331). New York: Guilford.
National Writing Project, & Nagin, C. (2003). Because writing matters: Improving student writing in our schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
National Reading Panel, The. (2001). Put reading first: The research building blocks for teaching children to read. Jessup, MD: National Institute for Literacy.
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Pub. L. No. 1-7-110, 115 Stat. 1425. (2002). Retrieved September 12, 2006, from www.ed.gov/legislation/ESEA02
Valmont, W.J. (2003). Technology for literacy teaching and learning. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.Source Citation: Lacina, Jan. "Learning to read and write using the Internet: sites you don't want to miss!(Technology in the Classroom)." Childhood Education 83.2 (Winter 2006): 117(3). Professional Collection. Thomson Gale. Florida Gulf Coast University. 4 Apr. 2007 http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodId=SPJ.SP12&docId=A157032441&source=gale&srcprod=SP12&userGroupName=gale15690&version=1.0.
http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/retrieve.do?subjectParam=Locale%2528en%252C%252C%2529%253AFQE%253D%2528su%252CNone%252C24%2529%2522educational%2BTechnology%2522%2524&contentSet=IAC-Documents&sort=DateDescend&tabID=T002&sgCurrentPosition=0&subjectAction=DISPLAY_SUBJECTS&prodId=SPJ.SP12&searchId=R1¤tPosition=1&userGroupName=gale15690&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28ke%2CNone%2C24%29%22educational+Technology%22%24&inPS=true&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&displaySubject=&docId=A157032441&docType=IAC
my say:
This article explains the significants of younger kids are getting exposed to the computer at a early age. By getting younger kids to use the computer, they are helping themselves get ahead of the pack. As the author said, "As educators, we must be prepared to help all students become proficient in using advanced technologies in their development of literacy and thinking capabilities. In other words, we must do all we can to help our students become telecommunications literate." By doing this kids will become better readers and writers, and teachers won't have to do so much work. You make think the internet isn't for young children, but your wrong. The internet actually has some stuff that can help your kid with reading and writing before they enter school. The great thing about it is the technology these days, the infants can use to better themselve for there education.
I believe this article is important,because it explains some of the many steps kids have to take to be a better reader or writer, at such a early age. Any head start a 3 year old can get will only help them get a head start over there classmates. If technology was around when we were that young im sure many kids would of done that. The technology we have in this day and age is designed to make every generation a little bit smarter then the first.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
More Video Games, Fewer Books at Schools?.
Full Text :COPYRIGHT 2007 Ziff Davis Media Inc.
CHICAGO (Reuters)--Of all of the proposals aimed at improving America's failing schools, there's one idea kids will really like: More video games and fewer books.
At least a number of educators hope so, arguing that children would get more excited about school and that video games can present real-life problems to solve.
Nobody is talking about putting violent video games such as "Doom" or "Mortal Kombat" into classrooms, particularly given concerns they may encourage aggressive behavior.
Instead, educators such as Indiana University associate professor Sasha Barab are developing alternative video games that can teach as well as entertain.
In one game designed by Barab, the player assumes the role of an investigator seeking to find out why fish are dying in a virtual park.
Various theories are offered such as excessive logging or farm fertilizers, and the players share data about water quality and compare hypotheses. If they recommend kicking out the loggers, the park may go bankrupt, giving students a real-world dilemma.
"I believe in digital media literacy. If we don't make changes in the way we educate our children, they will be left behind in world markets," said Barab, a former high school teacher. "Right now, I'm not that optimistic about where schools are headed."
Another backer of video games as educational tools is Katie Salen. A game designer, Salen is working with a group called New Visions for Public Schools to establish a school in New York City for grades six through 12 that would integrate video games into the entire curriculum.
"There's a lot of moral panic about addiction to games. There's a negative public perception and we know we have to deal with that. But teachers have been using games for years and years," Salen said.
"We're looking at how games work and we want to think about ways to redeliver information. It's quite unknown territory."
Next Page: "The world is not a video game."
'The World Is Not a Video Game'
The MacArthur Foundation is investing $50 million to investigate whether video games promote learning, and last month sponsored a panel discussion on the subject in Chicago.
"Kids don't just play games. The games inspire so they then turn to books," said Connie Yowell, director of education at the Chicago-based foundation. "There are bad games, but people tend to blame the tools instead of learning about the tools."
To be sure, there are plenty of questions about the educational value of video games, as compared with books and traditional tools.
Dr. Joshua Freedman, a neuropsychiatrist at the University of California, Los Angeles, said video games are interactive and can help with spatial concepts.
"But there's still a question about the value to the extent that most of the world is not a video game. They're not getting problems in real world situation," he said.
Video games engage children with continuous action, a concept known as "enthrallment," that raises the threshold for engagement, Freedman said.
"It's the equivalent of giving kids a lot of sweets and then wondering why they don't want to eat regular food," he said.
Several studies have shown that video-game playing corresponds to higher rates of attention deficit disorder (ADD) among children and are associated with aggressive behavior. Freedman noted, however that cause and effect are difficult to prove.
"I wouldn't say that using more games in education shouldn't be done, I'm just saying that it should be done with our eyes open," he said.
One teen, Shelby Levin, a tenth grader with a 3.5 grade point average at North Farmington High School in Farmington, Michigan, acknowledges that he plays games mostly for fun.
A fan of sports games and violent games like Grand Theft Auto, Levin, says: "I don't think you can learn more from playing video games than from reading a book or doing an assignment."
But Levin, 16, also participates in the virtual world online called Second Life, and says he does pick-up some important skills from his time on it.
"In Second Life, I'm playing with kids from France, Italy and Germany. We all come together and hang out online. You learn about entrepreneurship because you have to hustle people and make money," he said.
That's one reason some are advocating classroom time to be teaching children how to build virtual worlds--much like archeologists, engineers, and others do--and to play games alongside others on the Web.
What's more, the trend toward administering more standardized tests does not prepare children for a digital future, said David Williamson Shaffer of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and author of "How Computer Games Help Children Learn."
"We've organized our schools using methods from the Middle Ages," Shaffer said. "We should start to have a discussion about what needs to be learned."
Barab marvels at the skills her son has mastered from video games, but limits him to six hours a week, fearing addiction.
"My 6-year-old, Julian, can step into a video game and a world of rules and figure them out. He's not scared of the unknown or scared of failing. I think that's something valuable that video games provide. But, I want him to experience much more, and relationships outside of games," Barab added.Source Citation: "More Video Games, Fewer Books at Schools?." ExtremeTech.com (March 19, 2007): NA. InfoTrac OneFile. Thomson Gale. Florida Gulf Coast University. 3 Apr. 2007 http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=ITOF&docId=A160750663&source=gale&srcprod=ITOF&userGroupName=gale15690&version=1.0.
My say:
I like the idea of this article. This article explains that teachers are thinking about putting educational video games, so kids are more interested in their education. Many parents believe this can be a good idea but also a bad idea as well. By using virtual world education, it shows a world that has not been seen by many."My 6-year-old, Julian, can step into a video game and a world of rules and figure them out. He's not scared of the unknown or scared of failing. I think that's something valuable that video games provide. But, I want him to experience much more, and relationships outside of games," one of the parents added. It also has its negative side. Many believe that by using games, it is tearing away our childrens education. We can't always play games in life, thats for leasure time. One of the teachers added, "video games engage children with continuous action, a concept known as "enthrallment," that raises the threshold for engagement," Freedman said. We will always have mixed feelings about new technology, but it is for the best for some of us to try it so we actually know if it helps are kids or not.
CHICAGO (Reuters)--Of all of the proposals aimed at improving America's failing schools, there's one idea kids will really like: More video games and fewer books.
At least a number of educators hope so, arguing that children would get more excited about school and that video games can present real-life problems to solve.
Nobody is talking about putting violent video games such as "Doom" or "Mortal Kombat" into classrooms, particularly given concerns they may encourage aggressive behavior.
Instead, educators such as Indiana University associate professor Sasha Barab are developing alternative video games that can teach as well as entertain.
In one game designed by Barab, the player assumes the role of an investigator seeking to find out why fish are dying in a virtual park.
Various theories are offered such as excessive logging or farm fertilizers, and the players share data about water quality and compare hypotheses. If they recommend kicking out the loggers, the park may go bankrupt, giving students a real-world dilemma.
"I believe in digital media literacy. If we don't make changes in the way we educate our children, they will be left behind in world markets," said Barab, a former high school teacher. "Right now, I'm not that optimistic about where schools are headed."
Another backer of video games as educational tools is Katie Salen. A game designer, Salen is working with a group called New Visions for Public Schools to establish a school in New York City for grades six through 12 that would integrate video games into the entire curriculum.
"There's a lot of moral panic about addiction to games. There's a negative public perception and we know we have to deal with that. But teachers have been using games for years and years," Salen said.
"We're looking at how games work and we want to think about ways to redeliver information. It's quite unknown territory."
Next Page: "The world is not a video game."
'The World Is Not a Video Game'
The MacArthur Foundation is investing $50 million to investigate whether video games promote learning, and last month sponsored a panel discussion on the subject in Chicago.
"Kids don't just play games. The games inspire so they then turn to books," said Connie Yowell, director of education at the Chicago-based foundation. "There are bad games, but people tend to blame the tools instead of learning about the tools."
To be sure, there are plenty of questions about the educational value of video games, as compared with books and traditional tools.
Dr. Joshua Freedman, a neuropsychiatrist at the University of California, Los Angeles, said video games are interactive and can help with spatial concepts.
"But there's still a question about the value to the extent that most of the world is not a video game. They're not getting problems in real world situation," he said.
Video games engage children with continuous action, a concept known as "enthrallment," that raises the threshold for engagement, Freedman said.
"It's the equivalent of giving kids a lot of sweets and then wondering why they don't want to eat regular food," he said.
Several studies have shown that video-game playing corresponds to higher rates of attention deficit disorder (ADD) among children and are associated with aggressive behavior. Freedman noted, however that cause and effect are difficult to prove.
"I wouldn't say that using more games in education shouldn't be done, I'm just saying that it should be done with our eyes open," he said.
One teen, Shelby Levin, a tenth grader with a 3.5 grade point average at North Farmington High School in Farmington, Michigan, acknowledges that he plays games mostly for fun.
A fan of sports games and violent games like Grand Theft Auto, Levin, says: "I don't think you can learn more from playing video games than from reading a book or doing an assignment."
But Levin, 16, also participates in the virtual world online called Second Life, and says he does pick-up some important skills from his time on it.
"In Second Life, I'm playing with kids from France, Italy and Germany. We all come together and hang out online. You learn about entrepreneurship because you have to hustle people and make money," he said.
That's one reason some are advocating classroom time to be teaching children how to build virtual worlds--much like archeologists, engineers, and others do--and to play games alongside others on the Web.
What's more, the trend toward administering more standardized tests does not prepare children for a digital future, said David Williamson Shaffer of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and author of "How Computer Games Help Children Learn."
"We've organized our schools using methods from the Middle Ages," Shaffer said. "We should start to have a discussion about what needs to be learned."
Barab marvels at the skills her son has mastered from video games, but limits him to six hours a week, fearing addiction.
"My 6-year-old, Julian, can step into a video game and a world of rules and figure them out. He's not scared of the unknown or scared of failing. I think that's something valuable that video games provide. But, I want him to experience much more, and relationships outside of games," Barab added.Source Citation: "More Video Games, Fewer Books at Schools?." ExtremeTech.com (March 19, 2007): NA. InfoTrac OneFile. Thomson Gale. Florida Gulf Coast University. 3 Apr. 2007 http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=ITOF&docId=A160750663&source=gale&srcprod=ITOF&userGroupName=gale15690&version=1.0.
My say:
I like the idea of this article. This article explains that teachers are thinking about putting educational video games, so kids are more interested in their education. Many parents believe this can be a good idea but also a bad idea as well. By using virtual world education, it shows a world that has not been seen by many."My 6-year-old, Julian, can step into a video game and a world of rules and figure them out. He's not scared of the unknown or scared of failing. I think that's something valuable that video games provide. But, I want him to experience much more, and relationships outside of games," one of the parents added. It also has its negative side. Many believe that by using games, it is tearing away our childrens education. We can't always play games in life, thats for leasure time. One of the teachers added, "video games engage children with continuous action, a concept known as "enthrallment," that raises the threshold for engagement," Freedman said. We will always have mixed feelings about new technology, but it is for the best for some of us to try it so we actually know if it helps are kids or not.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
A school of innovation.(Tim Oldham awarded DesignIT for Charity award for his innovations in special education for autistic children). Jim Mortleman.
Byline: Jim Mortleman
A school of
innovation
A specialist school for autistic children is introducing an internet multimedia system after winning IT award, says James Mortleman
An innovative design by one IT professional is set to bring major benefits to a specialist school for autistic children in the West Midlands, thanks to a Microsoft-sponsored competition.
In July, Tim Oldham's proposal for an internet and multimedia system for the Coddington Court School was voted winner of the DesignIT for Charity award -- see box below -- and is in the process of being introduced at the school.
Oldham, an infrastructure architect at BT, has a daughter on the edge of the autistic spectrum and is also a trustee of the charity autism.west midlands, the school's governing body.
'My day job is about connecting people and making IT work for people, and my home life is geared around all kinds of digital media,' he says. 'One of the real problems for children at a school such as Coddington, which takes
students from across the country, is isolation. My design was geared to connecting these children with the outside world and with modern digital life.'
But for autistic children, such connectivity is by no means straightforward. Roger Painter, the school's headmaster, says Coddington has 27 children, all of whom are very different.
'We need to make sure internet access is tightly controlled. Some children get fixated on certain things. For example, we had one child who would only surf to look at washing machines.
We would not stop that completely, but we have to monitor and limit it,' he says.
'It is easy to wrap the children up in cotton wool and pretend they are somehow immune from advances in modern technology. But some of them will move into adult education or go on to a residential college, while others might move into their own flat, with support. So we have to ensure they are not isolated from the digital world.'
Oldham knew Coddington needed to introduce online communications and digital media services, but had to work closely with the school to understand what the children could and could not benefit from.
'The range of students is diverse, with some capable of speaking to their parents over a webcam, for example, and others for whom this would be too confusing and upsetting,' he says.
One major consideration was to reduce the complexity of the interface. 'Nearly all the children communicate in symbols rather than text so it was very important we were able to provide a suitable interface,' says Oldham. 'The standard Windows Media Player interface, for example, was too complex. We had to devise a symbolic interface the children could more easily interact with.'
Another key issue was to ensure that students could access the system in a comfortable,
welcoming and closely monitored environment.
'For example, we had to be able to take the solution to them if required, which means using wireless technology and mobile devices, says Oldham.'
Speed and reliability was another major concern. Painter says some of the children tend to react quite badly if they have to wait a long time. 'If someone was trying to log on and it kept failing, they could get frustrated and possibly aggressive,' he says.
The use of a central server to house the school's media content means it will not get lost or damaged, and the solid-state devices the students use are also inherently more robust than CD players, says Oldham.
Implementation of the system is being carried out jointly by Microsoft and autism.west midlands, with Oldham working in a consultancy role.
'We do not have a "go live" date yet because we are being very careful to consult with the parents and school as we go along,' he says.
However, initial reactions from parents, carers and students
alike have been positive.
'One example a carer gave us recently is that they were able to show one parent a video clip of their daughter jumping into the swimming pool -- something she hadn't been able to do before,' says Oldham.
Painter says that children will also benefit from being able to communicate with one another. 'It will be a bit like our own version of Friends Reunited,' he says.
'Children with autism need to be included in opportunities along with everyone else in our society. This project shows that perhaps the technology we use needs to become far more accessible to those with special needs.'
[pounds sterling]15,000 on offer in design award
www.computing.co.uk/2172789http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/retrieve.do?subjectParam=Locale%252528en%25252C%25252C%252529%25253AFQE%25253D%252528su%25252CNone%25252C22%252529educational%252Btechnology%252524%257E%2529_1&contentSet=IAC-Documents&sort=DateDescend&tabID=T003&sgCurrentPosition=0&subjectAction=VIEW_TOPIC_TREE&prodId=ITOF&searchId=R9¤tPosition=6&userGroupName=gale15690&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28su%2CNone%2C24%29%22Educational+Technology%22%24&inPS=true&searchType=BasicSearchForm&displaySubject=&docId=A158187567&docType=IAC
My say:
They are coming out with a multimedia system for autistic children. "An innovative design by one IT professional is set to bring major benefits to a specialist school for autistic children in the West Midlands, thanks to a Microsoft-sponsored competition." I believe this product can totally help special kids get the ideal education they deserve. This system will have different ways for autistic children to communicate with there teachers, which is a big help to them. By using this system I believe these kids will become smarter. "Children with autism need to be included in opportunities along with everyone else in our society. This project shows that perhaps the technology we use needs to become far more accessible to those with special needs."
A school of
innovation
A specialist school for autistic children is introducing an internet multimedia system after winning IT award, says James Mortleman
An innovative design by one IT professional is set to bring major benefits to a specialist school for autistic children in the West Midlands, thanks to a Microsoft-sponsored competition.
In July, Tim Oldham's proposal for an internet and multimedia system for the Coddington Court School was voted winner of the DesignIT for Charity award -- see box below -- and is in the process of being introduced at the school.
Oldham, an infrastructure architect at BT, has a daughter on the edge of the autistic spectrum and is also a trustee of the charity autism.west midlands, the school's governing body.
'My day job is about connecting people and making IT work for people, and my home life is geared around all kinds of digital media,' he says. 'One of the real problems for children at a school such as Coddington, which takes
students from across the country, is isolation. My design was geared to connecting these children with the outside world and with modern digital life.'
But for autistic children, such connectivity is by no means straightforward. Roger Painter, the school's headmaster, says Coddington has 27 children, all of whom are very different.
'We need to make sure internet access is tightly controlled. Some children get fixated on certain things. For example, we had one child who would only surf to look at washing machines.
We would not stop that completely, but we have to monitor and limit it,' he says.
'It is easy to wrap the children up in cotton wool and pretend they are somehow immune from advances in modern technology. But some of them will move into adult education or go on to a residential college, while others might move into their own flat, with support. So we have to ensure they are not isolated from the digital world.'
Oldham knew Coddington needed to introduce online communications and digital media services, but had to work closely with the school to understand what the children could and could not benefit from.
'The range of students is diverse, with some capable of speaking to their parents over a webcam, for example, and others for whom this would be too confusing and upsetting,' he says.
One major consideration was to reduce the complexity of the interface. 'Nearly all the children communicate in symbols rather than text so it was very important we were able to provide a suitable interface,' says Oldham. 'The standard Windows Media Player interface, for example, was too complex. We had to devise a symbolic interface the children could more easily interact with.'
Another key issue was to ensure that students could access the system in a comfortable,
welcoming and closely monitored environment.
'For example, we had to be able to take the solution to them if required, which means using wireless technology and mobile devices, says Oldham.'
Speed and reliability was another major concern. Painter says some of the children tend to react quite badly if they have to wait a long time. 'If someone was trying to log on and it kept failing, they could get frustrated and possibly aggressive,' he says.
The use of a central server to house the school's media content means it will not get lost or damaged, and the solid-state devices the students use are also inherently more robust than CD players, says Oldham.
Implementation of the system is being carried out jointly by Microsoft and autism.west midlands, with Oldham working in a consultancy role.
'We do not have a "go live" date yet because we are being very careful to consult with the parents and school as we go along,' he says.
However, initial reactions from parents, carers and students
alike have been positive.
'One example a carer gave us recently is that they were able to show one parent a video clip of their daughter jumping into the swimming pool -- something she hadn't been able to do before,' says Oldham.
Painter says that children will also benefit from being able to communicate with one another. 'It will be a bit like our own version of Friends Reunited,' he says.
'Children with autism need to be included in opportunities along with everyone else in our society. This project shows that perhaps the technology we use needs to become far more accessible to those with special needs.'
[pounds sterling]15,000 on offer in design award
www.computing.co.uk/2172789http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/retrieve.do?subjectParam=Locale%252528en%25252C%25252C%252529%25253AFQE%25253D%252528su%25252CNone%25252C22%252529educational%252Btechnology%252524%257E%2529_1&contentSet=IAC-Documents&sort=DateDescend&tabID=T003&sgCurrentPosition=0&subjectAction=VIEW_TOPIC_TREE&prodId=ITOF&searchId=R9¤tPosition=6&userGroupName=gale15690&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28su%2CNone%2C24%29%22Educational+Technology%22%24&inPS=true&searchType=BasicSearchForm&displaySubject=&docId=A158187567&docType=IAC
My say:
They are coming out with a multimedia system for autistic children. "An innovative design by one IT professional is set to bring major benefits to a specialist school for autistic children in the West Midlands, thanks to a Microsoft-sponsored competition." I believe this product can totally help special kids get the ideal education they deserve. This system will have different ways for autistic children to communicate with there teachers, which is a big help to them. By using this system I believe these kids will become smarter. "Children with autism need to be included in opportunities along with everyone else in our society. This project shows that perhaps the technology we use needs to become far more accessible to those with special needs."
Remote-control classroom: an Iowa class heads into high-tech tests.(SCHOOL NEWS)(Wings Park Elementary School uses classroom performance system).
Every student in class has a remote control, and the kids are clicking away at the screen. But they aren't changing channels. They're taking a test! Terry Rex's fourth graders at Wings Park Elementary School in Oelwein, Iowa, are using a new kind of classroom technology. Instead of writing with pencils on exam papers, the students use remote controls to take tests.
"It's more fun," Courtney Ricchio, 9, told WR News. "I don't have to write, and my hand doesn't get tired." The remote controls are part of the Classroom Performance System (CPS). When students use CPS to take a test, the questions appear on an electronic screen. Students key in their answers on the remote-control response pad.
Rex is one of the first teachers in Iowa to use CPS. His students use the technology for more than taking tests. They also play learning games with the system. Sam Myott, 9, says his favorite CPS activity is a football game. "It's a math game with multiplication and subtraction," he told WR News. "Since it's on the computer, it's more fun than a worksheet on your desk."
Making the Grade
Some teachers think using CPS to grade a test is more efficient, or a better use of time, than grading a written test. The computer keeps track of the students' answers and prints out their grades at the end of the day. The computer also reports which questions the class found most difficult to answer, so Rex can review them with the group.
http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/retrieve.do?subjectParam=Locale%252528en%25252C%25252C%252529%25253AFQE%25253D%252528su%25252CNone%25252C22%252529educational%252Btechnology%252524%257E%2529_1&contentSet=IAC-Documents&sort=DateDescend&tabID=T003&sgCurrentPosition=0&subjectAction=VIEW_TOPIC_TREE&prodId=ITOF&searchId=R7¤tPosition=1&userGroupName=gale15690&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28su%2CNone%2C24%29%22Educational+Technology%22%24&inPS=true&searchType=BasicSearchForm&displaySubject=&docId=A159698013&docType=IAC
My Say:
Who ever thought you would be taking a test by using a remote? Well in Iowa, teachers in local elementary schools are using that method. "It's a new kind of classroom technology. Instead of writing with pencils on exam papers, the students use remote controls to take tests." Students seem to like it a lot better, because they don't have to write at all. "The remote controls are part of the Classroom Performance System (CPS). When students use CPS to take a test, the questions appear on an electronic screen. Students key in their answers on the remote-control response pad." This new CPS system has shown that it is very efficient and seems to be effective. These teachers persuade other teachers to use this method, and is one of the many new technologies used in schools that have been proved that they work.
"It's more fun," Courtney Ricchio, 9, told WR News. "I don't have to write, and my hand doesn't get tired." The remote controls are part of the Classroom Performance System (CPS). When students use CPS to take a test, the questions appear on an electronic screen. Students key in their answers on the remote-control response pad.
Rex is one of the first teachers in Iowa to use CPS. His students use the technology for more than taking tests. They also play learning games with the system. Sam Myott, 9, says his favorite CPS activity is a football game. "It's a math game with multiplication and subtraction," he told WR News. "Since it's on the computer, it's more fun than a worksheet on your desk."
Making the Grade
Some teachers think using CPS to grade a test is more efficient, or a better use of time, than grading a written test. The computer keeps track of the students' answers and prints out their grades at the end of the day. The computer also reports which questions the class found most difficult to answer, so Rex can review them with the group.
http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/retrieve.do?subjectParam=Locale%252528en%25252C%25252C%252529%25253AFQE%25253D%252528su%25252CNone%25252C22%252529educational%252Btechnology%252524%257E%2529_1&contentSet=IAC-Documents&sort=DateDescend&tabID=T003&sgCurrentPosition=0&subjectAction=VIEW_TOPIC_TREE&prodId=ITOF&searchId=R7¤tPosition=1&userGroupName=gale15690&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28su%2CNone%2C24%29%22Educational+Technology%22%24&inPS=true&searchType=BasicSearchForm&displaySubject=&docId=A159698013&docType=IAC
My Say:
Who ever thought you would be taking a test by using a remote? Well in Iowa, teachers in local elementary schools are using that method. "It's a new kind of classroom technology. Instead of writing with pencils on exam papers, the students use remote controls to take tests." Students seem to like it a lot better, because they don't have to write at all. "The remote controls are part of the Classroom Performance System (CPS). When students use CPS to take a test, the questions appear on an electronic screen. Students key in their answers on the remote-control response pad." This new CPS system has shown that it is very efficient and seems to be effective. These teachers persuade other teachers to use this method, and is one of the many new technologies used in schools that have been proved that they work.
Higher education struggles to recast classrooms with technology; Online learning techniques, strategies change face of education.
Byline: John Cox
Faculty and IT staff in higher education are struggling to understand what happens when computers and networks dissolve
the boundaries of what used to be called the classroom.
The confusion, challenges and excitement of being on that new frontier were clear in session after session this week at the
annual North East Regional Computing Program, a three-day conference for IT professionals in higher education.
"We're still just starting to figure this out," says Annesa Hartman, instructional designer, Landmark College, Putney, Vt.
As part of the college's Institute for Research and Training, she creates guidelines and recommendations for, and helps teachers
with, online instruction. Her NERCOMP presentation focused on applying universal design principles to make online course materials
and tools simpler to use and accessible for more students.
"A lot of teachers are [still] just happy to get something online," Hartman says. "The issue is how to make that useable and
readable to the students."
Hartman's job is the fruit of an explosion of interest in online learning, where students can access a fast-growing abundance
of multimedia resources and use them in online-mediate interactions with classmates and teachers, sometimes even in different
institutions, through chat, bulletin boards, video conferences, wikis and many more tools.
The trend potentially pits IT and network staff against faculty because it calls for a radically new sharing of expertise,
a willingness for two distinct disciplines to learn how to talk to each other, understand each other and work together.
Simmons College, in Boston, last year launched an intense effort to clarify what faculty, administrators and IT managers meant
by "academic technology," the term typically used to sum up these learning-focused technologies.
The urgency was created when the college's regular strategic IT planning process revealed a chasm of understanding between
these groups. Deans and faculty members acknowledged they often had only the vaguest idea of the technologies or their capabilities.
And IT staff discovered they often had equally vague ideas idea about what the others meant, expected or needed in academic
technology.
"What we needed was a process of mutual education," says Braddlee, Simmons' director of academic computing. The goal was to
create a common language for the different groups, to talk intelligibly and constructively about academic technology and to
make informed decisions about technology priorities, their tradeoffs, costs and consequences.
Using briefing documents, presentations, demonstrations and a set of preliminary potential priorities, the IT staff began
meeting last fall with faculty and deans, both in college-wide meetings and individual schools. It was an effort to create
a focused dialog about the strategic use of academic technology, resulting in specific decisions about the technology priorities
for implementation. As one faculty member said in a video clip, "The word 'wiki' is no longer a foreign word to me."
"Part of this was our giving up control over [deciding on our own] the three-year direction of academic technology at Simmons,"
says Gail Matthews-DeNatale, associate director of academic computing at the college. The IT group presented to faculty details
on the IT funding priorities and allocations, what could and could not be shifted, the financial and human resources needed
for technology options, and the various tradeoffs that each option would entail.
The college is now organizing for each of the technology priorities a cross-discipline working group and a companion faculty
interest group, as well as setting up a summer institute for faculty to increase their fluency with specific technologies,
and re-organizing budget priorities and schedules.
Making it possible for faculty to realize their learning goals for students through emerging technologiesais a prime focus
of instructional technology.
"I present [faculty with] options. I ask 'what if?'" says Gary Pandolfi, instructional technologist at Quinnipiac University,
inaHamden, Conn. Pandolfi is a former English teacher who started writing online materials for academic publishers, until
taking his current post at the university.
One technique is to ask a teacher what he or she enjoys doing most. One teacher's reply was "talking with students," followed
by a complaint that he has no time in class to do so. Pandolfi's suggestion was to tape the classroom lecture, post it with
a Powerpoint presentation and other notes online, require students to view or read the material before coming to class, and
then use the classroom time to talkaabout it.
One unexpected feature of online learning resources, says Landmark's Hartman, is that it requires faculty to be much more
organized and systematic than ever before. "Online content has to be highly planned," she says. "This is a revolutionary idea
for instructors. They now have to have a concrete plan for the entire course. It's not like walking into a class with a few
notes and winging it."
This was underscored by another Simmons College project: digital stories, or online narratives typically using pictures, text,
audio and video, using Apple's video-editing software, iMovie. Simmons staff found both students and faculty underestimated
how time-consuming the production process was. Now, the projects are structured so that about half the total time is spent
by the student on planning, researching and collecting digital content; one-quarter of the time in iMovie training; and one-quarter
on the actual digital story production.
Landmark's Institute makes extensive, almost exhaustive use of online usability testing tools, including software programs
that track a student's eyes movements and mouse clicks, to design, review and revise online content that's clear, simple to
navigate and achieves the teacher's learning goals for the student.
But even as all this is being invented on the fly, tools for measuring the results of online learning alsoahave to be invented.
The University of Massachusetts at Lowell wanted to evaluate "learning outcomes" for students using Web-enhanced course across
degree programs, not just outcomes for a given course. It proved unexpectedly difficult. Initially, the project team thought
it could easily access dataaoutcomes collected by the learning management system used by the entire public university system,
WebCT Vista, which is now part of Blackboard, another LMS vendor.
"We thought it would be easy to access a Web-based system that was storing results in a database," says Luvai Motiwalla, professor
of MIS, at the university's department of management. But the data was stored in a proprietary format not easily deciphered,
the documentation was poor and there were bureaucratic obstacles that had to be overcome.
The project team was able to extract data, which had to be processed in spreadsheets, stored in a separate MySQL database
and managed with a set of custom scripts, and mapped to specific course activities in specific courses for each school.
"There are so many new [online] interactions out there, how can you know which ones are being successful?" asks Steve Tello,
assistant professors at University of Massachusetts Lowell Department of Management. "The [commercial] learning management
systems only give you data on how many students logged in to a lecture, or how often: they track usage. But they don't track
'what did they learn from all this?'"Source Citation: "Higher education struggles to recast classrooms with technology; Online learning techniques, strategies change face of education." Network World (March 21, 2007): NA. InfoTrac OneFile. Thomson Gale. Florida Gulf Coast University. 28 Mar. 2007.How to Cite
Thomson Gale Document Number: A161003645
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My Say:
It is hard to believe that some students are still not getting the online education in schools. It is very important for students to grasp on technology in school, how else will they succeed in the real world without it. "Almost exhaustive use of online usability testing tools, including software programs that track a student's eyes movements and mouse clicks, to design, review and revise online content that's clear, simple to navigate and achieves the teacher's learning goals for the student. " Getting students the proper technology and software is needed in schools, because of the strategies it can teach your kids from grades k-12.
Faculty and IT staff in higher education are struggling to understand what happens when computers and networks dissolve
the boundaries of what used to be called the classroom.
The confusion, challenges and excitement of being on that new frontier were clear in session after session this week at the
annual North East Regional Computing Program, a three-day conference for IT professionals in higher education.
"We're still just starting to figure this out," says Annesa Hartman, instructional designer, Landmark College, Putney, Vt.
As part of the college's Institute for Research and Training, she creates guidelines and recommendations for, and helps teachers
with, online instruction. Her NERCOMP presentation focused on applying universal design principles to make online course materials
and tools simpler to use and accessible for more students.
"A lot of teachers are [still] just happy to get something online," Hartman says. "The issue is how to make that useable and
readable to the students."
Hartman's job is the fruit of an explosion of interest in online learning, where students can access a fast-growing abundance
of multimedia resources and use them in online-mediate interactions with classmates and teachers, sometimes even in different
institutions, through chat, bulletin boards, video conferences, wikis and many more tools.
The trend potentially pits IT and network staff against faculty because it calls for a radically new sharing of expertise,
a willingness for two distinct disciplines to learn how to talk to each other, understand each other and work together.
Simmons College, in Boston, last year launched an intense effort to clarify what faculty, administrators and IT managers meant
by "academic technology," the term typically used to sum up these learning-focused technologies.
The urgency was created when the college's regular strategic IT planning process revealed a chasm of understanding between
these groups. Deans and faculty members acknowledged they often had only the vaguest idea of the technologies or their capabilities.
And IT staff discovered they often had equally vague ideas idea about what the others meant, expected or needed in academic
technology.
"What we needed was a process of mutual education," says Braddlee, Simmons' director of academic computing. The goal was to
create a common language for the different groups, to talk intelligibly and constructively about academic technology and to
make informed decisions about technology priorities, their tradeoffs, costs and consequences.
Using briefing documents, presentations, demonstrations and a set of preliminary potential priorities, the IT staff began
meeting last fall with faculty and deans, both in college-wide meetings and individual schools. It was an effort to create
a focused dialog about the strategic use of academic technology, resulting in specific decisions about the technology priorities
for implementation. As one faculty member said in a video clip, "The word 'wiki' is no longer a foreign word to me."
"Part of this was our giving up control over [deciding on our own] the three-year direction of academic technology at Simmons,"
says Gail Matthews-DeNatale, associate director of academic computing at the college. The IT group presented to faculty details
on the IT funding priorities and allocations, what could and could not be shifted, the financial and human resources needed
for technology options, and the various tradeoffs that each option would entail.
The college is now organizing for each of the technology priorities a cross-discipline working group and a companion faculty
interest group, as well as setting up a summer institute for faculty to increase their fluency with specific technologies,
and re-organizing budget priorities and schedules.
Making it possible for faculty to realize their learning goals for students through emerging technologiesais a prime focus
of instructional technology.
"I present [faculty with] options. I ask 'what if?'" says Gary Pandolfi, instructional technologist at Quinnipiac University,
inaHamden, Conn. Pandolfi is a former English teacher who started writing online materials for academic publishers, until
taking his current post at the university.
One technique is to ask a teacher what he or she enjoys doing most. One teacher's reply was "talking with students," followed
by a complaint that he has no time in class to do so. Pandolfi's suggestion was to tape the classroom lecture, post it with
a Powerpoint presentation and other notes online, require students to view or read the material before coming to class, and
then use the classroom time to talkaabout it.
One unexpected feature of online learning resources, says Landmark's Hartman, is that it requires faculty to be much more
organized and systematic than ever before. "Online content has to be highly planned," she says. "This is a revolutionary idea
for instructors. They now have to have a concrete plan for the entire course. It's not like walking into a class with a few
notes and winging it."
This was underscored by another Simmons College project: digital stories, or online narratives typically using pictures, text,
audio and video, using Apple's video-editing software, iMovie. Simmons staff found both students and faculty underestimated
how time-consuming the production process was. Now, the projects are structured so that about half the total time is spent
by the student on planning, researching and collecting digital content; one-quarter of the time in iMovie training; and one-quarter
on the actual digital story production.
Landmark's Institute makes extensive, almost exhaustive use of online usability testing tools, including software programs
that track a student's eyes movements and mouse clicks, to design, review and revise online content that's clear, simple to
navigate and achieves the teacher's learning goals for the student.
But even as all this is being invented on the fly, tools for measuring the results of online learning alsoahave to be invented.
The University of Massachusetts at Lowell wanted to evaluate "learning outcomes" for students using Web-enhanced course across
degree programs, not just outcomes for a given course. It proved unexpectedly difficult. Initially, the project team thought
it could easily access dataaoutcomes collected by the learning management system used by the entire public university system,
WebCT Vista, which is now part of Blackboard, another LMS vendor.
"We thought it would be easy to access a Web-based system that was storing results in a database," says Luvai Motiwalla, professor
of MIS, at the university's department of management. But the data was stored in a proprietary format not easily deciphered,
the documentation was poor and there were bureaucratic obstacles that had to be overcome.
The project team was able to extract data, which had to be processed in spreadsheets, stored in a separate MySQL database
and managed with a set of custom scripts, and mapped to specific course activities in specific courses for each school.
"There are so many new [online] interactions out there, how can you know which ones are being successful?" asks Steve Tello,
assistant professors at University of Massachusetts Lowell Department of Management. "The [commercial] learning management
systems only give you data on how many students logged in to a lecture, or how often: they track usage. But they don't track
'what did they learn from all this?'"Source Citation: "Higher education struggles to recast classrooms with technology; Online learning techniques, strategies change face of education." Network World (March 21, 2007): NA. InfoTrac OneFile. Thomson Gale. Florida Gulf Coast University. 28 Mar. 2007
Thomson Gale Document Number: A161003645
hideIfSafari(document.getElementById("infomarkUrl"));
http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/retrieve.do?subjectParam=Locale%2528en%252C%252C%2529%253AFQE%253D%2528su%252CNone%252C12%2529%2522technology%2522%2524&contentSet=IAC-Documents&sort=DateDescend&tabID=T003&sgCurrentPosition=0&subjectAction=DISPLAY_SUBJECTS&prodId=ITOF&searchId=R2¤tPosition=6&userGroupName=gale15690&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28ke%2CNone%2C12%29%22technology%22%3AAnd%3AFQE%3D%28ke%2CNone%2C11%29%22education%22%24&inPS=true&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&displaySubject=&docId=A161003645&docType=IAC
My Say:
It is hard to believe that some students are still not getting the online education in schools. It is very important for students to grasp on technology in school, how else will they succeed in the real world without it. "Almost exhaustive use of online usability testing tools, including software programs that track a student's eyes movements and mouse clicks, to design, review and revise online content that's clear, simple to navigate and achieves the teacher's learning goals for the student. " Getting students the proper technology and software is needed in schools, because of the strategies it can teach your kids from grades k-12.
Nordstrom awards $30K grant to education group
Nordstrom Inc. has awarded a $30,000 grant to Choices Education Group, which will help the nonprofit reach more than 7,000 students in 10 southern and midwestern states.
The Seattle-based nonprofit has raised $180,000 in corporate grants so far this year.
Seattle retailer Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN - News) has now awarded five grants totaling $212,500 to Choices.
The nonprofit uses donations to pay for materials and training for volunteers, many of them from the business community, who speak to children about career, life and education options.
Leo Muller, Choices' executive director, says his organization's programs have reached 5 million children in all 50 states since 1985, including 12,570 in Washington this year.
Choices Education Group's current budget is about $660,000.
Published March 26, 2007 by the Puget Sound Business Journal.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/070327/1437766.html?.v=2
My Say:
This is a big amount of money that has been awarded to these education programs and wil help nonprofit students get a proper education. I like this article, because it shows some people do care about this educational department that we have, and it is important to have the proper training in becoming great teachers. Choice Education Group did a good thing by donating that money, because it will benefit these kids and them as a company.
The Seattle-based nonprofit has raised $180,000 in corporate grants so far this year.
Seattle retailer Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN - News) has now awarded five grants totaling $212,500 to Choices.
The nonprofit uses donations to pay for materials and training for volunteers, many of them from the business community, who speak to children about career, life and education options.
Leo Muller, Choices' executive director, says his organization's programs have reached 5 million children in all 50 states since 1985, including 12,570 in Washington this year.
Choices Education Group's current budget is about $660,000.
Published March 26, 2007 by the Puget Sound Business Journal.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/070327/1437766.html?.v=2
My Say:
This is a big amount of money that has been awarded to these education programs and wil help nonprofit students get a proper education. I like this article, because it shows some people do care about this educational department that we have, and it is important to have the proper training in becoming great teachers. Choice Education Group did a good thing by donating that money, because it will benefit these kids and them as a company.
Testing companies struggle to meet NCLB demands
CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- To motivate juniors on last April's assessment exams, Springfield High School offered coveted lockers, parking spaces near the door and free prom tickets as incentives for good scores.
But the incentives at the central Illinois school went unclaimed until earlier this month, when Illinois finally published its 2006 test scores -- more than four months after they were due.
Critics pounced on Harcourt Assessment Inc., which lost most of its $44.5 million state contract over delays -- caused by everything from shipping problems to missing test pages and scoring errors -- that made Illinois the last state in the nation to release scores used to judge schools under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
But experts say the problems are more widespread and are likely to get worse. A handful of companies create, print and score most of the tests in the U.S. and they're struggling with a workload that has exploded since President Bush signed the education reform package in 2002.
"The testing industry in the U.S. is buckling under the weight of NCLB demands," said Thomas Toch, co-director of Education Sector, a Washington-based think tank.
When Education Sector surveyed 23 states in 2006, it found that 35 percent of testing offices in those states had experienced "significant" errors with scoring and 20 percent didn't get results "in a timely fashion."
Illinois saw more problems this month, when students took achievement tests that contained as many as 13 errors, officials said.
Illinois isn't the only state that's experienced difficulties:
Oregon's Education Department complained that a computerized test was plagued by system problems. Test company Vantage Learning later terminated its contract with the state, claiming it was owed money, and the state sued the company for breach of contract. Now, thousands of students who haven't completed online exams will take them in May the old-fashioned way, using paper and pencil.
Connecticut last year fined Harcourt $80,000 after a processing error caused wrong scores for 355 students in 2005. While that's a fraction of the state's 41,000 kids who took the test, state officials had to notify 51, or nearly a third, of all districts that some of their students got the wrong scores. The problem came a year after the state canceled its contract with another company, CTB/McGraw-Hill, after scoring problems caused a five-month delay in reporting scores.
The Texas Education Agency passed 4,160 10th-graders who initially failed the math section of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills in 2003 after officials discovered a test question had more than one correct answer.
Pearson Educational Measurement apologized last year after it reported more than 900,000 Michigan results weeks late. In 2003, previous vendor Measurement Inc. delivered 3,400 MEAP scores months late and nearly 1,000 results went missing.
Alabama education officials said a testing company mistakenly failed some schools while passing others that should have failed, due to scoring problems on the 2005 assessment test.
The number of students tested has risen sharply since the No Child Left Behind Act took effect. Illinois, for example, used to test only third, fifth and eighth graders but now tests students in third through eighth grades.
To meet NCLB requirements, states administered 45 million reading and math exams during spring 2006. At the end of the 2007-2008 school year, they will give about 56 million tests because they must add a science exam at the elementary, middle and high school levels.
What's more, each state has its own test, and many want them customized, said Michael Hansen, chief executive officer of Harcourt Assessment, which no longer administers Illinois' tests but still is involved in developing and grading them.
"Not only (have) states wanted different content in terms of the tests, but they also have very many different requirements as to logistics, delivery, look and feel, color, how the questions are organized, horizontal, vertical ... you name it, it was on the table," Hansen said.
On top of that, experts say, are rigid NCLB-driven deadlines.
"That means March and April we are completely ... at peak capacity and so is every one of our competitors," Hansen said. "But also then when the test results come in, they (schools) need the test results back as soon as possible ... so the turnaround from the time that the test is taken, to (when) we need to report the results is extremely tight and it's getting tighter and tighter."
Others say the problems are exacerbated by little competition or regulation.
The NCLB testing industry is dominated by four companies: Harcourt of San Antonio,Texas; CTB/McGraw-Hill based in Monterey, California; Pearson Educational Measurement of Iowa City, Iowa, and Riverside Publishing of Itasca, Illinois.
"It's not entirely a monopoly, but it is an oligopoly, with very little regulation," said Walter Haney, professor at the Center for the Study of Testing Evaluation and Educational Policy at Boston College.
Both state education departments and testing companies are "overtaxed and bursting at the seams," said Becky Watts, former chief of staff at the Illinois State Board of Education.
From 2002 to 2008, states will spend between $1.9 billion and $5.3 billion to develop, score and report NCLB-required tests, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office.
However, states spend less than a quarter of 1 percent of school revenue -- or $10 to $30 a student -- on testing programs, even though federal, state and local spending per pupil adds up to more than $8,000 a year, Toch said.
"That's not enough to produce high-quality tests in the tight timelines that NCLB requires. It's ludicrous," Toch said.
The U.S. Department of Education must be more active, Toch said.
"Instead, Secretary (Margaret) Spellings has largely washed her hands of this problem, said it's a state problem, which is a peculiar ... response because it's the federal government that has required the states to take these actions," Toch said.
My say:
Test companies are having a hard time keeping up with NCLB, because of error of checking and getting test scores. Test industries are buckling down ever since Bush did something about it in 2002, and seems to be goin down hill each more every year. So how can we fix this problem? "From 2002 to 2008, states will spend between $1.9 billion and $5.3 billion to develop, score and report NCLB-required tests, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office." Since the No Child left behind act, test scores have been going up but not to the standards of the country. We spend little amounts of money on testing practice material, and it shows it isn't enough to imporve scores for children. "The U.S. Department of Education must be more active, Toch said." If we don't do anything to help our kids this problem will seem to creep up on us, from now to the future.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/03/25/nclb.standardized.test.ap/index.html
POSTED: 10:33 a.m. EDT, March 28, 2007
But the incentives at the central Illinois school went unclaimed until earlier this month, when Illinois finally published its 2006 test scores -- more than four months after they were due.
Critics pounced on Harcourt Assessment Inc., which lost most of its $44.5 million state contract over delays -- caused by everything from shipping problems to missing test pages and scoring errors -- that made Illinois the last state in the nation to release scores used to judge schools under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
But experts say the problems are more widespread and are likely to get worse. A handful of companies create, print and score most of the tests in the U.S. and they're struggling with a workload that has exploded since President Bush signed the education reform package in 2002.
"The testing industry in the U.S. is buckling under the weight of NCLB demands," said Thomas Toch, co-director of Education Sector, a Washington-based think tank.
When Education Sector surveyed 23 states in 2006, it found that 35 percent of testing offices in those states had experienced "significant" errors with scoring and 20 percent didn't get results "in a timely fashion."
Illinois saw more problems this month, when students took achievement tests that contained as many as 13 errors, officials said.
Illinois isn't the only state that's experienced difficulties:
Oregon's Education Department complained that a computerized test was plagued by system problems. Test company Vantage Learning later terminated its contract with the state, claiming it was owed money, and the state sued the company for breach of contract. Now, thousands of students who haven't completed online exams will take them in May the old-fashioned way, using paper and pencil.
Connecticut last year fined Harcourt $80,000 after a processing error caused wrong scores for 355 students in 2005. While that's a fraction of the state's 41,000 kids who took the test, state officials had to notify 51, or nearly a third, of all districts that some of their students got the wrong scores. The problem came a year after the state canceled its contract with another company, CTB/McGraw-Hill, after scoring problems caused a five-month delay in reporting scores.
The Texas Education Agency passed 4,160 10th-graders who initially failed the math section of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills in 2003 after officials discovered a test question had more than one correct answer.
Pearson Educational Measurement apologized last year after it reported more than 900,000 Michigan results weeks late. In 2003, previous vendor Measurement Inc. delivered 3,400 MEAP scores months late and nearly 1,000 results went missing.
Alabama education officials said a testing company mistakenly failed some schools while passing others that should have failed, due to scoring problems on the 2005 assessment test.
The number of students tested has risen sharply since the No Child Left Behind Act took effect. Illinois, for example, used to test only third, fifth and eighth graders but now tests students in third through eighth grades.
To meet NCLB requirements, states administered 45 million reading and math exams during spring 2006. At the end of the 2007-2008 school year, they will give about 56 million tests because they must add a science exam at the elementary, middle and high school levels.
What's more, each state has its own test, and many want them customized, said Michael Hansen, chief executive officer of Harcourt Assessment, which no longer administers Illinois' tests but still is involved in developing and grading them.
"Not only (have) states wanted different content in terms of the tests, but they also have very many different requirements as to logistics, delivery, look and feel, color, how the questions are organized, horizontal, vertical ... you name it, it was on the table," Hansen said.
On top of that, experts say, are rigid NCLB-driven deadlines.
"That means March and April we are completely ... at peak capacity and so is every one of our competitors," Hansen said. "But also then when the test results come in, they (schools) need the test results back as soon as possible ... so the turnaround from the time that the test is taken, to (when) we need to report the results is extremely tight and it's getting tighter and tighter."
Others say the problems are exacerbated by little competition or regulation.
The NCLB testing industry is dominated by four companies: Harcourt of San Antonio,Texas; CTB/McGraw-Hill based in Monterey, California; Pearson Educational Measurement of Iowa City, Iowa, and Riverside Publishing of Itasca, Illinois.
"It's not entirely a monopoly, but it is an oligopoly, with very little regulation," said Walter Haney, professor at the Center for the Study of Testing Evaluation and Educational Policy at Boston College.
Both state education departments and testing companies are "overtaxed and bursting at the seams," said Becky Watts, former chief of staff at the Illinois State Board of Education.
From 2002 to 2008, states will spend between $1.9 billion and $5.3 billion to develop, score and report NCLB-required tests, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office.
However, states spend less than a quarter of 1 percent of school revenue -- or $10 to $30 a student -- on testing programs, even though federal, state and local spending per pupil adds up to more than $8,000 a year, Toch said.
"That's not enough to produce high-quality tests in the tight timelines that NCLB requires. It's ludicrous," Toch said.
The U.S. Department of Education must be more active, Toch said.
"Instead, Secretary (Margaret) Spellings has largely washed her hands of this problem, said it's a state problem, which is a peculiar ... response because it's the federal government that has required the states to take these actions," Toch said.
My say:
Test companies are having a hard time keeping up with NCLB, because of error of checking and getting test scores. Test industries are buckling down ever since Bush did something about it in 2002, and seems to be goin down hill each more every year. So how can we fix this problem? "From 2002 to 2008, states will spend between $1.9 billion and $5.3 billion to develop, score and report NCLB-required tests, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office." Since the No Child left behind act, test scores have been going up but not to the standards of the country. We spend little amounts of money on testing practice material, and it shows it isn't enough to imporve scores for children. "The U.S. Department of Education must be more active, Toch said." If we don't do anything to help our kids this problem will seem to creep up on us, from now to the future.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/03/25/nclb.standardized.test.ap/index.html
POSTED: 10:33 a.m. EDT, March 28, 2007
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