Technology Lesson Plan

I was part of a team of four people that cooperatively created a Learning Plan remotely, without meeting in person to work on the project. The lesson we designed was for a 3rd grade Spanish vocabulary lesson. This is a quote from our plan about the purpose of our lesson:

"We want the students to leave with a better understanding of vocabulary in Spanish.  Working together as a group, the students will get a better understanding of the vocabulary through various games and other applications.  Through the use of these new technologies, they will get a better hands-on feel of the vocabulary and doing it in a fun way!  The students are going to be working on different vocabulary areas such as colors, animals, and other objects they may need to know in the future.  This is a fun introduction to the beautiful Spanish language."

This was the same group that we used to create our Public Service Announcement as well as our Professional Learning Community. Therefore, we already had a great team dynamic. We even nicknamed ourselves the "dream team." This made the task much easier to complete. We evenly split up the work for designing the Learning Plan so that no one person would be stuck with all of the work. We each did a fair portion of the work, so while we each contributed, it did not seem like it took a lot of effort. I personally was able to complete my part of the task fairly quickly.

Our Learning Plan was great practice for designing lesson plans in the future. It also was great practice for working on a team without meeting in person. These are both practical skills for any educator to have, so having this as a project makes a lot of sense. I really enjoyed designing this lesson with my "dream team" and look forward to making more technology-infused lesson plans in the future.

Rethinking Education: Chapter 6 *Book Project*

The title of Chapter 6 is "The Three Eras of Education."

The three eras reflected upon are apprenticeship, universal-schooling, and lifelong-learning, the latter of which we are entering now.  When we moved from apprenticeship to universal-schooling, a lot of changes were made in several different areas.  Examples of areas where change was made include expectations, content, pedagogy, and location.  These areas and more are changing now as we move to lifelong-learning.


Quotes from Chapter 6:

"Before the Industrial Revolution, parents wanted their children to follow in their footsteps.  And so the education they expected for their children was the same education they had acquired." pg. 93

I am so glad that this is not the case.  I truly believe that the majority of parents don't want their children to follow in their footsteps, but to instead get an even better education than the one that they themselves have received.  This is at least the case with my parents.  Neither of my parents graduated from college. My father works in a factory and my mother is a waitress.  While my parents lead fulfilling lives and have a lot to show for all of the hard work that they do, they have always wanted better for me and my little brother.  I am going to be the first in my household to graduate from college, and my parents couldn't be happier for me.

"With the knowledge explosion, it is becoming impossible for schools to teach people all the knowledge they might need as adults. Extending schooling for more and more years to accommodate the explosion of new knowledge and the growing demands for education is not a viable strategy   So learning how to learn and learning how to find useful resources are becoming the most important goals of education." pg. 95
It used to be that a four-year education at a college was the norm.  Now students have to push hard to get through in four years, with the norm being four-and-a-half to five years for many majors.  I personally will have to be at UWSP for five years total to complete my major, which is why I related to this quote.  I also remember in high school how much information there was for me to learn, and how much I could have learned beyond what was able to be taught to me during the short 50 minute class periods.  I completely agree that the best skill to teach a child is to find useful resources so that they can teach themselves because there is no way to teach children everything during the 8 hour school day.

"The pedagogy of schooling has evolved a long way from the early years, when, as Larry Cuban describes, students were expected to recite in order the names of all the bays along the east coast of America. But it is still a mass-production pedagogy, where many students fail to learn what is taught." pg. 97

When I read the quote, I imagined Ms. Trunchbull from the book Matilda slamming a ruler on a desk and calling out a student to stand up and ramble off some relatively useless information. It seems ridiculous to me that there was a time when rote memorization was thought to be the best way to teach students.  If anyone told me to memorize the bays on the east coast of America today, I would laugh in their faces. There are so many more useful things that I could spend my time learning, my favorite being how we learn.  From my studies, I have learned that memorizing information isn't always the best way to learn.  Most importantly, it's not fun.  We need to be able to engage students so that they are having fun while they learn.  We have so much technology and methods to engage students that rote memorization seems like a very barbaric way to teach.  We have certainly come a long way as a culture.

Rethinking Education: Chapter 5 *Book Project*

The title of Chapter 5 is "The Seeds of a New System of Education".  The text has made it very clear that our current education system has to change and has been changing for quite some time.  The question still remains, however, of what exactly the new system will look like.  Chapter 5 addresses this question by looking at new developments in education that may be possibilities for the new face of education.  The chapter addresses home schooling, workplace learning, distance education, adult education, learning centers, educational television and videos, computer-based learning software, technical certifications, internet cafes, and lifelong learning.

Quotes from Chapter 5
"Homeschooling has been successful at improving student learning.  Children who are school at home score significantly better on standardized tests in every subject area."

I thought this was interesting because it goes against what I had thought about kids that are home-schooled   I know that there are families out there that do homeschooling very well.  However, I know more families that don't teacher their children up to par with traditional schools.  I know one family that several of the children do not have their GED certifications, even as they enter their mid-20's and early-30's.  This quote suggests that they are more of the exception than the rule.  This is a relief to me because homeschooling is an option that is growing in popularity.  I take comfort in the idea that more homeschooled children are being educated at a higher level with technology.

"Perhaps it will turn out hat some of our most productive citizens are the older people, who use their retirement leisure time to keep learning." pg 79
The traditional thought in our society is that the younger generations are the ones that are most productive   It really is a revolutionary idea that our older citizens may be the productive ones.  I wish our society was already more like this.  I know the traditional feeling that after one works hard for their entire life that one should just sit back and enjoy retirement by playing golf, caring for grand-kids, and activities of the like.  My grandparents have this attitude for themselves. I hope for something more exciting in my own retirement someday.  I want to participate in book clubs, travel, and learn once I am no longer employed.  It sounds like a much more productive and exciting life than relaxing in a rocking chair.

"Some countries, such as China, have tried to restrict access to the web in order to prevent people from learning about things that the government does not approve of." pg 88
Ummm...what?!  This seems absolutely ridiculous to me.  Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to be an American citizen. We live in the land of the free, and this means that we also have free access to the vast pool of information on the web.  Some material is censored, of course, but as citizens of the U.S.A. we have the world at our fingertips. We should appreciate this a lot more.  

Rethinking Education: Chapter 4 *Book Project*

Chapter 4 of the text Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology is titled "The Development in American Schooling.

The argument of the chapter is that we know how education changes because education has changed so much in the past.  The central topic revolves around the idea that the Industrial Revolution led to universal schooling and how that impacted education. Now, the Knowledge Revolution is changing how we educate students.

I thought this chapter was very interesting.  Even as an educator, I've never looked to deeply into education's past.  I've realized that it's important to look back at how the education system has changed up to this point to understand how it can change in the future.  I also agree that education needs to change.  We've changed so much as a society that it would be silly to think that we wouldn't need to change how we educate ourselves.

Quotes from Chapter 4:

"As Walter Ong argues, old people were revered in oral cultures because they were the storehouses of memory, whereas written records came to replace this role of old people in literate cultures.  similarly, Ong argues that 'study' became possible only when there were written records.   Writing down ideas makes them easier to evaluate and challenge, and thus to be modified an refined over time."
When I sit and think about how education has changed over the years, I usually only think about what has occurred in my own short lifetime. This quote from the book is great because it forces one to think about education in the days before laptops, and even before those little one-room school houses.  We have always been teaching the youth of our respective cultures, even before the written word.  The idea that studying didn't exist until the written word is also an interesting idea to consider.  People from the oral culture passed down information through story-telling.  They listened, pondered, learned, and retold.  However, they didn't sit down and study until the written word existed. It's an interesting idea to wonder about.

"Frederick Carlton argued that there were only three possible ways to occupy children in the cities: 1) working in factories 2) getting into trouble in the streets, and 3) learning in schools.  Once child labor laws were enacted, the choice between education and crime became clear to urban leaders." pg. 54

It astounds me that there was once a choice for children to either work in factories or learn in schools.  I know that this is part of our history, but it still amazes me. I sometimes take for granted the age that I grew up in.  My life would be so radically different had I grown up before child labor laws were enforced.  I could have been stuck in a factory, or worse, confined to the home, had I lived in a different era.  I'd much rather be where I am today: a young woman enrolled in a public university.  I have lots of options for what I could do with my life.  Society has come a very long way since before the days of child labor laws, and I look forward to seeing our society grow and change in the future.

"The increasing diversity of the population has meant that it is often more difficult to use the same instructional strategies to teach students from different backgrounds." pg. 63

Demands on schools have changed radically over the course of the century.  One of the biggest changes was the increase in diversity.  With this diversity came achievement gaps that we, as educators  need to figure out how to close.  We can't just stand up on a podium and teach and expect all students to receive a fair education.  As educators, we need to be sensitive to the needs of all students of all backgrounds and ability levels. A student's education is individual to the student. and we should treat it as such.

Rethinking Education: Chapter 3 *Book Project*

As I discussed in my previous post, Chapter 3 discusses the argument of a technology skeptic.

A major point that the chapter made was the cost and access of new technology.  This is an issue that legitimately worries me about my future as an educator. I have no idea where I'll end up teaching.  My hometown school district has funding for new technologies, but other school districts might not.

I really disagree with the skeptics' vision of schooling. I don't believe that our school systems are locked into place. With new teachers graduating from college every year and entering the workforce, I believe that we can adapt to the changing world of technology. I also believe that the extra time that teachers put in organizing and implementing new technologies is so beneficial to the students that it is worth it several times over.

After reading an example of both perspectives, I agree that it may be difficult to implement new technologies and strategies into some classrooms. However, I feel that the effort would be well worth it.

Quotes from Chapter 3

"From a principal's publication in 1815: 'Students today depend on paper too much.  They don't know how to write on a slate without getting chalk dust all over themselves.  They can't clean a slate properly.  What will they do when the run out of paper?'" pg. 30

I think that it's a little bit hilarious that this quote is a thing that exists. However, it does invite some deeper thought beyond what is obviously funny.  Educators have always had to fight to have new technologies incorporated into the classroom.  Schools have been resistant to change long before modern technology was brought into the picture.  Schools have fought against paper and pens, which we now consider to be the staples of the traditional classroom  As paper, pens, and even basic computers have all won the fight to be incorporated into modern education, my hope is that the new technologies of the day will also win this fight.

"The existing instructional system adapts to the new curriculum in predicable ways. Teachers can regard the new curriculum as a foreign invasion into their regular teaching practices , and try to fit in in with those practices." pg. 34

This quote further proves my belief that far too many teachers use technology in the classroom in ways that are not useful to students at all.  This quote also brings back my example of my old high school teacher that only used his SMART Board for Youtube videos and Powerpoint Presentations.  A new form of technology invaded his classroom and he tried to adapt it to his regular teaching practices, rather than revamp teaching practices in order to incorporate new technologies. I realize that it is difficult to change teaching practices overnight, but we have had existing technologies for quite some time now, and as educators we should embrace the future of education rather than cling to the past.

"Even though the costs of computers and network connections have declined considerably in recent years  cost is still a serous barrier to those technologies becoming central to schooling." pg. 37

Despite being a huge advocate for technology in the classroom, cost and access still worries me.  I know that a lot of inner-city schools do not have access to different technologies. There are always grants and other ways to obtain funds, but even that might not be enough. It's easy for me to forget about these schools because I grew up in a school that had access to computer labs and other technologies.  We didn't have everything, but we did have enough that we could do a lot of technology-based learning. I have never taught in a school without lots of funding, but I would imagine it would be difficult.

Rethinking Education: Chapter 2 *Book Project*

The second chapter discussed the perspective of a technology enthusiast. I thought that it was really interesting how the chapter discussed that we are living in the 21st century and we still tend to teach children like we did in the 19th century.  We have to prepare out students so they can adapt to the work places of tomorrow.  My favorite part of the chapter discussed using interactive web games to get students engaged in what they are learning.  I used to love educational games when I was growing up.  This is something that I want to implement heavily in my own classroom.

I agree with several points in the enthusiasts perspective, especially when it comes to the use of games to engage students.  I also agree that sitting and memorizing lectures is what kills a student's curiosity and eagerness to learn.  I'm interested to read the skeptics view of technology in the next chapter.  I have a feeling I'll disagree with several points, but I'm sure it will be worth reading.

Quotes from Chapter 2:

"Enthusiasts argue that trying to prepare students for the 21st century with 19th century technology is like teaching people to fly a rocket ship by having them ride bicycles." pg 10

I picked this quote because my Educational Psychology professor describes education in a very similar way.  He frequently says that we try to teach students to ride a bike by reading about the bike, giving a presentation about the bike and sketching the bike. We should just let the students ride the bike.  I really enjoy the symbolism and believe it to ring true.  Students are going to graduate from school and be expected to use a vast array of technologies.  If we don't prepare them for this future, then we are not doing our job as educators.

The interactivity of new media technologies provides a number of capabilities to enhance education.  As is evident from the popularity of computer games, interactivity can be very engaging   In fact, this is why drill and practice games, such as typing tutors and Math Blaster, can entice children to learn content that they might otherwise consider "boring." pg 18-19

I owned and played Math Blaster with my brother when we were growing up.  The reason that I can look at the text and type the words without staring at the keyboard on my laptop is that I had typing games that I played in my middle school class that taught me while entertaining me. Using games to teach is a very great way for students to learn.  There are even games such as Assassin's Creed for the Xbox that are incredibly historically accurate.  Players can interact with places and people from different eras of history so they are learning while playing. While this game isn't a directly educational game, it still teaches.  If we can figure out the best ways to use games, we can keep students engaged and learning.

"Like progressive reformers throughout the 20th century, technology advocates do not like the aspects of traditional school, where students are supposed to sit still and listen to teachers talk, memorize the information given them by teachers and books, and regurgitate that information back on tests.  They think that this destroys most students' curiosity and desire to learn." pg 28

I completely agree with the above statement. Growing up, I saw too many of my classmates get bored with the traditional, boring classroom.  I truly believe that if my classmates had been more interested and engaged at school, more would have ended up going to college.  It's really quite sad to think about.  Students in this day and age are not wired to sit and listen to lecture for hours on end.  As educators, we need to engage our students and foster their creativity.  This is the best way to reach all students in the classroom.  If we don't reach all students in the classroom, we are not doing our job as educators.  This is why I am an advocate of teaching with technology.

Rethinking Education: Preface and Chapter 1 *Book Project*

We started reading a new book for our class titled Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: The Digital Revolution and Schooling in America.  The preface does a good job giving us a teaser of the book's central arguments.  The first chapter discussed how education is changing.  The big point of the chapter is that people no longer need to visit physical locations such as schools and libraries to learn.  With the growing amount of technology we have at our disposal, we literally have the entire universe at our fingertips. However, as teachers we need to restructure the way we teach in order to incorporate the vast array of technology into our classrooms.

Quotes from Preface and Chapter 1:

"If educators cannot successfully integrate new technologies into what it means to be a school, then the long identification of schooling with education, developed over the past 150 years, will dissolve into a world where the students with the means and ability will pursue their learning outside of the public school." Preface pg xv

I found this quote thought-provoking. The quote is worded in a way that I actually had to read it twice to understand it.  I completely agree with what it is saying.  Our public schools are in desperate need of an update. People are already turning to online schools, and this trend may mean the end of the traditional public school.  This is a startling idea for an education major, which is why I chose this quote.  I think it's great that we have so much access to the vast pool of information that we have collected as a society, however I'm not ready to see the end of the public school system. Right now it seems that educating oneself with technology and public schooling are two separate entities.  We need to update our school system so they can be one and the same.

"Instead of accessing knowledge through visiting physical locations such as schools and libraries, people can find information on practically any topic and communicate with others wherever they are." Chapter 1 pg 4-5

I have always been a lover of books and the written word.  In the summers back home, I would spend hours in the local library reading every book I could get my hands on. I find it sad that libraries in the traditional sense aren't as necessary anymore. However, the accessibility of information today is incredible. I love being able to access a wealth of information from not only my laptop, but from the iPad and my cellphone as well.  I also remember the days long since past when people actually sent each other letters through the mail. As everything changes, now people can communicate via phone calls, emails, text messaging, and video calls through programs such as Skype.  It's amazing to think how far we have come as a society in terms of technology in the past two decades.

"Schools often provide computer labs, tech prep courses, and computer literacy and programming courses to help students learn about technology, but do not try to rethink basic practices of teaching and learning."

This idea has always amused and troubled me.  Schools do often spend thousands of dollars on computers and SMART Boards and other fancy new equipment, but teachers don't adapt the way they teach.  The worst case scenario is that a lot of teachers get these technologies but then never use them.  I remember in high school that one of my teachers got a SMART Board during my senior year. However, all he used it for was Youtube videos and to show Powerpoint presentations.  He might as well have been using a projector screen.  This seems to reflect the general attitude of teaching with technology in many parts of the United States right now.  We have technology, and we can show students how to use the technology, but not how to use technology to enhance learning.  I aspire to be part of the generation of teachers that changes this mentality.