Week #14 The Last One

Here it is- the last blog; What did I learn the most about this class? Besides the course work and valuable material, I still am haunted my inability to say no. I want soooo much to do so many things for so many people that I loose sight of what is most important. This class reminds me of the respect that belongs to the educational system of our society. Sometime I guess we think too much of what is right for us on our terms and forget what was decided by the people who have walked before us. It is only from their data that we can reflect on the results and make the changes necessary in education that will only improve the experience for generations to follow.
Signed...work in progress - Sam

Week #13 New Skills in the Semester

Week #13, wow - I've been exposed to so many skill sets this semester it is going to take another year to implement and perfect them. Just kidding, from the earliest part of the semester I starting using the material I learned and analyzing the data. This course has done nothing short of molding myself into a more productive and efficient teacher. Thank you......

Week # 11 Copyright Jeopardy

Copyright laws, hmmm... I have always respected them because I understand how much work goes into writing anything. I have to be honest though, I've been attending post-secondary schools for almost ten years and I really can't remember any institution reinforcing the seriousness of the issue. Maybe I should make it a strong obligation to bring this issue to the forefront. To be a complete and sucessfull journalist, there is no place for copywrites infringments....

Week #12 Notebook Presentations

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the majority of the notebook presentations. But I can share my experience of what I learned making my presentation. The research turned out to support my belief in what value our elderly can give always share with the world. My main presentation was about gentleman whose philosophy still guides a small company named Nintendo today. Instead of getting lost looking so far into the crystal ball, why not take something already known and make it better. The Nintendo Wii console is still the largest selling game console sold today and its graphics are the simplest and easest to use and understand by young and old.

Week #10

Well the video project is complete - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay1KdZfAjwE - I was allowed to do this project with my students in the classroom a chose the concept of 'Horseplay' as main topic. I have actually experience this on a day to day basis with some of my students. Maybe when you watched the video one might think it is a little harsh. I can assure that no one was injured during the making of this video. I used the storybook template with the students and we spent a period one day orchestrating what we would do and how we were going to film everything. We shot the footage the very next day and even how time to do the sound. I use a 'Safety' ring binder in the classroom and that is where we found a website that had a lot of statistics on teenage workplace injuries - http://www.careersafeonline.com/demo/demo.html - Those statistics were very powerful so the students wanted that to come across in the video. Together we had a lot of fun making the video and the kids love the fact that some of them are on YouTube. Of course all the proper permission forms were filled out and signed first by the parents and the students after I obtain verbal permission from the administration to do this project. Since 'Safety' is such a hot button topic in schools, I plan on building a video collection by choosing a different safety topic every year.Hope everyone enjoyed the video!!!!

Week #8

Well we are getting ready to make a video in class. It is supposed to be a short video, 30 to 90 seconds long and have a public service announcement message to it. Taking a look back, I guess there would have been many reasons to use video in my previous projects. Just the fact that when you use that kind of technology over and over again you will get more proficient. It doesn't have to be a long video either. As an Automotive Technology Instructor, I had to learn how to take what I have mastered and break it down into very small chunks. Some of those 'chunks' could be taught with the help of video taping. I find myself thinking about using diigo. I could use that technology to create a page that would contain some video links to YouTube. Classroom teaching, homework, and make-up work would good examples of how 'video taping' could be incorporated into my program.

Week #6

After reading chapter 8, Real vs. Possible, I find myself comparing things to my life as a teacher. I can appreciate someone else stating that keeping up is exhausting and challenging. See I love using technology but I teach in a environment where 2 out of 3 students have an Internet connection at home, let alone a computer. I do feel that we need to continue to push our students into the use of technology because if we don't our education system in American will never turn that corner. But this chapter does go to prove that economic disparity really gets in the way of what 'policy makers' say should be accomplished in the classroom. Those 'policy makers' what to control what goes out the door but they have no control of what walks in the door. As long a America is an open door country I feel we will always be faced with our educational hurdles.
On another note, I don't agree though about Non-traditional students 'not' completing degrees as do traditional students. I have been going to school in Berks County as a non-traditional college student for almost 10 years now and I have crossed paths with many non-traditional degree earning individuals. Of course I do understand that surveys are skued by many different variables and location in the country has a lot to do with it.
I did enjoy one of the last quotes that stated that "Technology is a giant mirror reflecting back at you." After all the long and tiring days; after I take a little time for my 're-grouping.' I always keep asking myself, am I doing enough for the students, the school, and my country. This chapter does challenge us to put special emphasis on citizenship and social responsibility. Sometimes I just feel like I a feather in the rough - we will see.....

Due week #5

Part 1 - Social bookmarking seems to be a very powerful tool that I can utilize for myself as a professional and for the students in my classroom. I chose diigo for starters to set up an account. I did find it a little challenging because it was the first time I ever creating something like that. I was able to add bookmarks and tags but I don't understand the whole list thing yet. I was comparing the 'list' page to my teachers; what is private and public? As far as its use, I plan on this becoming a powerful communication tool for myself professionally. I can have colleagues visit my diigo account and my students can visit also; which means I can now assign reading assignments on the internet just as we do in class. All this will better prepare my students for learning in the classroom. Here is my link http://www.diigo.com/user/samedu610 - I am not sure which is more important though, the library or the lists. If you go to my list you can click on the 'library' tab and see what I have entered. I will continue to build after I clear some questions up with the teacher.

Part 2 - 5 excel ideas - well I chose to build on what we did in class. I too agree excel is something all students of the 21st century should be comfortable using. I actually worked today with our math coach to create a two part project which is similar to the two we completed in the classroom. See remeber I teach automotive technology at a secondary career and tech school. I have to incorporate academic standards such as math, english, and science into my program; so we have 'coaches.' Anyway, all students take an 'end of program' assesment and the end of their three years and their grades get distinguised as basic, competent, and advanced. The take a written component and a hands-on component. I am going to incorporate the use of excel by taking all their grades and their level of competency and making a two part project. I only have two computers in my theory room so I have a laptop cart signed out for October 3rd. The math coach will help me coordinate this lesson so I am well prepared. It also helps that she is very proficient in Excel. The students will learn the same basic principles of excel as I did and it will also be a chance for them so see where the grades fall into each level of competency so they are more prepared for their senior year. I will provide questions in a worksheet that will get them to sort different data and build different graphs.

Due for week #4

1. Google Apps is definitely a powerful tool, for teachers and for students. As a educator I found many things that would be useful in the classroom and as a student, the resource material is endless. I teach automotive technology at a rural school district's career center. I know for a fact there is a large number of students who do not have Internet access at home. In my classroom we have two student computers with about 25 students at any one given time, rough I know. Watching the videos all I saw were classrooms with monitors and keyboards in front of every student; not going to happen where I am at. But that wont stop me from having technology in the classroom. I joined the technology committee last year, which helped me land a 'smart board' in my classroom this year. I have used it since day one and the students love it. Not to mention all the jealous teachers im my department. Taking this class has my mind spinning with so many different ideas, I can't wait to use them all (already started). What I have to do is break things out in units that I can focus on each quarter. The school does have a traveling laptop cart that can be signed out and I just booked two dates in October. Along with the Math coach here at the career center we just completed an excel assignment that is similar to the one we did in class. But the data I am going to have them input is the cost of owning and operation a vehicle over the course of three months. That relates to cars and I am teaching them how to do things in excel. Now what I want to do is create something using the google apps that the students and I can do together. Maybe create a blog or a wiki, not sure yet. Something that can be shared with other teachers, administration, and parents. Even though I am not a technology teacher, I can still use those tools to help bring my automotive students along in the 21st century.
2. As far as browsing the Google Apps for lesson plans in my area, I was unsuccessful. I did view several of them and noticed they are very well written. I wish it would be like that for automotive technology. All that I can do is borrow that technology and incorporated those ideas into ideas that will work in my program area.

Due for week #3

1. What do I think about the "language" that many of my students speak? I speak it, I live in the area that my students live; so I guess I have evolved with today's language. I don't lock myself into a position where I get stuck. I like where I am at and I like where I have been. I am also looking forward to where I might go. I guess I adapted like animals do with the changes in their environment. Because I don't shut the doors and windows when I get home, it has allowed changes in my life and my language to be on a subtle basis. When I don't understand what is being said by a younger person, I do what they do, just ask.
How do I perceive technology? I think think there is a lot of good, but that price also brings some bad things as well. I think I can tie this together my feelings to what I read in the Educause text. The Educause text continues to revolve mainly around post-secondary learning. With that being said, the clientele of student will also be different, but my feelings about technology will carry across secondary into post-secondary. Like I stated before, technology is a great tool; what scares me is the inability of many students/people being able to 'step-out' of their IPOD, or their cell phone, or their PDA. Technology is a great tool but it can never take away the human ability to prioritize the circle of life. I appreciate technology because it blossomed while I was growing up. I still think its OK for kids to play with matchbox cars and tonka trucks. If everyone in the world thought that using computer driven devices would secure there existence in life, they are in for shock. The service industry is the only industry driving America. Plumbers, Electricians, Auto-Technicians are some examples of what fills the workforce - computers are working people right of jobs. Yes computers do make those professions more efficient, but they are not doing work. People are too scared to get there hands dirty. I see it everywhere, kids would rather do nothing and surf the web than burn some calories doing some hard labor. One has to look into the past, what made this country so great 100 years ago wasn't the computer. It was the character of the person. A blend of hard work with some efficiency intertwined (i.e. the computer) - All I see in the future is a lack of secure decision making - kids today have so much data at their fingertips they are having trouble locking on to decisions - they have the numbers but they can't get to the conclusions. Please don't get me wrong, I love technology. I use it in my classroom and I it does make the learning experience so much better. I wish it were around when I was in school. But that switch has to be turned off sometimes. Its OK to pick up twigs and rake leaves. The readings in the Educause are exciting and also distrubing; I don't like reading that NetGen learners "refuse to accept our elders speeches or sermons." I think we can learn from each other. Older people and younger should come together for the betterment of the world, not its my way or else. That is the feeling I am getting from this reading. I did like that Chapter 6 addressed the issue of students lacking critical thinking - it does reinforce my beliefs. I don't know if that is bad or good? - we will see

2. What is considered a R/W program? To be honest I am still not 100% sure but I think I know. My understanding stems out of my research with Google Docs, I believe a R/W program requires no software installed on your computer. Your computer at home will run software programs that are on another server (i.e. from the Internet). Your computer is basically a dummy terminal. I did some research and watched a video, I think the concept is really neat. My head was already spinning on how I can use it in my classroom. I teach automotive technology but I know Google Docs can fit into my curriculum. I always tell my students that this profession is very special and that we have to learn so many different things from different fields and IT technology is one of them. My wheels are spinning....

Due for week #2

I have to get things rolling here. I have been reading the on-line text for a couple days now. It has been a while since I read something that has my interest so deep. I like the way the book starts by looking back into history, my history I guess. See I was born in the seventy's which makes me from Generation 'X' and I was raised by a very strict old school Italian family. I fit the mold of so many descriptors in the beginning chapters; I was the one who programmed the VCR and I reset all the digital clocks when the electric went out. That went on until my mother passed two years ago. I still laugh inside just thinking about it. My parents wanted nothing to do with it. I on the other hand was intrigued by the technology. See, I was raised with a black and white TV and I remember how long it took to warm up - ha ha
I think my only gripe about this book is takes a look only into the education at the post-secondary level. Because I teach and for my whole live I have been a very socially outgoing person, I think I have put together a good sense of reality. I use the Internet as a valuable tool and yet there is something very real about not living in a bubble. What I mean is this, not every family has a computer and the Internet at home in our city of Reading. I work in the Reading School District (secondary level), so I experience this everyday. I cannot give assignments that involve blogging and typing essays for homework. These kids that come through my door have more troubles than 'not be able to connect to the Internet.' One of my jobs is to expose these kids to technology not in an overwhelming way but in a way that it sparks the fuel that hopefully somewhere in their successful lives they will able to expose technology to their children; so that someday they will meet up with today's technology.