Audio Project Idea:

The truth is that I have no idea what to do for the audio assignment.

It was my hope to use this as a means to elaborate on complicated terminology that we expect students to lern in biology, ie, parts of the cell. This would include not only the title and definition, but also a way to relate those ideas.

the target would be high school biology students.

Chapter 7: Educational Technology for school leaders

Russ Cole
Chapter 7 Reflection
Dr. Cullen

            Learning any language is facilitated by exposure. While some years ago, it would have been hard to find a place to be immersed in another culture if you yourself were not a part of it, today it is largely as simple as going online and finding a forum. This chapter references Web2.0 as a tool that can be used by those who struggle with the English language to engage and learn from the English speaking world at their leisure.

            Beyond these functions, the internet offers the chance to partner with classmates in privacy, rather than require the demeaning appearance of a student or teacher aid to accompany the student. This undoubtedly fosters better bonds than dependence, while allowing the student supportive interactions with one another.  The book mentions that this gives the opportunity to make mistakes in private, and builds self confidence which allows the student to feel more comfortable contributing in the classroom.

            Our text does mention, however, that the internet is not always a safe place. However, it also recognizes the internet as far safer than it is made out to be, and calls for effective monitoring of time spent and location visited online. The chapter implores schools to make positive decisions which benefit students by allowing them to use the internet to communicate and learn effectively.

            I must admit at this point that the ELL student was not one that I had prepared for. This is unfortunate as the science classroom often has foreign, complicated and necessary terminology as a part of its curriculum which would only compound the problems as a student faced with such a limitation. As can be imagined, such a student would struggle without rescources specifically designed to facilitate their understanding.

            Fortunately, this section mentions Youtube videos and internet forums as supplemental resources that can help these students learn. These are the very same methods used by college professors to immerse struggling students in a refuge ripe with clarification and explanation that is graspable and comes in all varieties. All students in the classroom can benefit from outside resources that help them understand foreign concepts, and this is no different for the ELLS who may need to be exposed to the material several times in order to fully understand the concepts discussed. I have also seen instructors who benefit from creating their own online videos to help their class with homework and study for exams. This could also benefit anyone who is struggling to grasp the lesson from only singular encounters in the classroom.

            While this is certainly a viable option to consider for my classroom, I would also support any school system willing to try such a method to promote the growth and involvement of students with English as a second language.

Chapter 5: Educational Technology for school leaders

Russ Cole
Chapter 5 Reflection
Dr. Cullen

                Chapter five of the text discusses what is true about the media that students use to communicate. As an example, it uses texting and discusses all the complex implications of a seemingly short and ignorant text message. The truth is that texting is complex and sends as much information in its subtlety of tone as its sender hopes to gain the response, each message being carefully calculated, often in short time, by the its sending party. Such complex behavior does not represent a void, but rather a mastery of complex social and organizational skills; it is then up to the teachers to harness this in a way that is valuable to the students’ learning experience.

                The text gives an example of a classroom in which the instructor gives the students the option of working on a project through Instant Messaging or email. Unsurprisingly, a majority of the students pick messaging. Interestingly, while the instant messaging route provoked several off topic discussions, the free enterprise of the IM discussion produce generally more fruitful results from the students involved. The email groups were more on topic, but had trouble contributing new ideas to the discussion and talked less frequently.

                The truth is that current communication technologies and processes can be used to benefit in the classroom if effectively harnessed by the instructor. Students can be encouraged to use these skills for collaboration rather than distraction, but it requires an attentive teacher and a workspace that is not restrictive to the productivity that this method stands to offer.

                In the science classroom at the university, students learn to succeed by sharing their understanding of the information with each other. This experience allows the students to see complicated information from new standpoints and expands everyone’s knowledge pool.

                In the High School setting, similar involvement of the students would certainly be desirable and, at this point, probably encouraged. So then, I intend to incorporate some few projects, likely in the place of homework, that require the class to interact, in person and through media, to collaborate on a specific set of ideas and tasks. In this way, students will be exposed to each other’s perspective, allowing them to see the subject in a new light and grow in that area where previously they experienced limitation.

                Meanwhile, having been a student myself, I also believe that class time is most effectively used for classroom activities. Unless otherwise required, personal communication devices are to be kept out of sight and remain unused while class is in session unless otherwise indicated by the teacher. The very same devices that have great potential in the dispersal of knowledge also have an unfortunate knack of cutting it off at the source by simple distraction.

                Ultimately, it is clear to me that communication, no matter what the process, stand to benefit the student so long as it remains mostly focused and is diligent in its use. It is my hope to allow for such interaction as much as possible and effectively encourage my students to use it wisely.

Chapter 4: Educational Technology for school leaders

Russ Cole
Chapter 4 Reflection
Dr. Cullen

                Teachers are technological immigrants while students are natives to a strange and far away land. Could things possibly be worse? From the perspective of the text, things could not possibly be better. Instructors should encourage students to explain current technologies to them (even if the instructor is already familiar) to encourage the student and possibly benefit the teacher.

                Technology has many possible applications, currently uniting the entire world through the internet. Your class can share positive interactions with someone next door or even strong constructive interactions with someone currently across the globe and anywhere in between. Technology can be used to allow students to interact with and learn from people with far greater and far different skills from their current teacher which promotes new experiences.

                Interacting with professionals provides an excellent opportunity for children to learn from someone with knowledge that they have likely never encountered. Such opportunities promote growth in ways that can be difficult to find in the otherwise secluded classroom, and can be accessed more easily now than ever before

                Along with working with students, teachers can work together, learning from each others’ strengths and building strong relationships as well as new opportunities for their students to learn. Teachers may have trouble knowing each other’s unique talents due to the solitary nature of their jobs, but such projects provide opportunities for everyone to learn.

                I have encountered and even grew up as a part of a school system in which teachers were effective colleagues and worked well together to encourage their students to be at their best. Such a system was incredibly effective at teaching the students within it and even reached several students outside of it. This is the kind of instructor that I would hope to be if given the opportunity.

                I have also seen the advantages, both in school and Sunday school, of bringing in people from the field and the powerful impact that has when the student can say, undoubtedly, that something they learned about is a real and impactful force in the world. I am often surprised that it makes such a difference, but am a strong believer at this point in my life, and fully plan to have interactions with the professional contacts which I have maintained from my undergrad studies. Students do benefit from talking with, being questioned by and edited by people from outside the classroom, especially those individuals who they deem to be professionals.

                Lastly, I believe in encouraging students by allowing them to teach us. Some of my most positive experiences from high school involved the few times that someone paid attention to something I had done on my own or asked for my assistance. Such experiences reassured me of my value and I can only hope that my attitude, actions and words can say this to my students. If I have the opportunity to actually learn something new out of it, which will likely be more often than not, then this is certainly a fine bonus.

Chapter 2: Educational Technology for school leaders

Russ Cole
Chapter 2 Reflection
Dr. Cullen

                No more cookie cutter high schools? This chapter means to say that it wants more customizable high schools and makes a reasonably strong argument for them.  The world is changing rapidly, and it has been for some time. We do ourselves no service by trapping the education system behind, ensuring it stagnates. As times change everything, in order to be successful, has become fluid and able to change with the needs of those who use it, except for public schools which appear and work much as they did years ago.

                We have new technology, as do schools, but we also have new needs and a new world that changes at a new pace and our schools are not matching it. Students today need classes customized to them if they are to learn the skills they will need in life. Likewise they need school to offer teaching styles that are effective for their particular type of learning. Finally, students will need schools to meet their hectic schedules if they are to be able to make any use of it at all. To do this, a school building would need to exist and function in no way which any current school exists or functions. A seemingly impossible task faces our school system if it is to meet the needs of its student population.

                Unfortunately, few of these suggested changes are new. Many have been suggested over and over for years, but are strongly resisted. Not only by school boards and principals, but also by the teachers within the schools who respect the ideas as novel and well meaning, but inapplicable.

                As a prospective instructor, I can do little other than offer my support of schools effectively meeting the needs of people in changing times. I do believe that our schools need to change in order the meet the needs of students and I also believe that it will take radical and effective long-term change before we see a real impact on students. I also believe, however, that too much freedom can send the wrong message.

                Part of school, indeed, what I believe to be one of the greatest strengths of school, is the presence of discipline and rigor. Adhering to schedules and meeting standards is the driving force behind life outside of school. Those who can will succeed and those who cannot simply cannot hope to. Students must learn math through algebra II and would do well to learn the principles behind biology and English, as well as history and encountering foreign language. Anything beyond that should be, and currently is, elective to the student and in this I do believe the school system has met its duty for variety.

                What I must also agree with, however, is that schools could do far better in enabling their students to pursue those subjects that will best prepare them for their aptitudes and talents. We do ourselves no favors by letting students mill through course catalogs without guidance, and even damage by providing singular methods of instruction across multiple sections of classes.

                It is my current plan to contribute as much variety to my classroom as possible and encourage personal growth within my students so that they can find their passion and follow it. I also hope to have an open mind to new concepts that stand to revolutionize and evolve the classroom, even if I am at first uncomfortable and unfamiliar with those ideas.

Chapter 1: Educational Technology for school leaders

Russ Cole
Chapter 1 Reflection
Dr. Cullen

                This chapter discusses the concept of Partnering in detail. It explains that general models of learning witnessed in the classroom, by which the teacher teaches and the students learn, may not be effective models. Partnering is suggested as a form of cooperation between the instructor and the student, by which the students are allowed to teach themselves and the instructor acts as a guide and aid in that journey. This chapter also offers some hints as to why technology is often seen as ineffective within classrooms, and suggests partnering as a possible fix.

                The Chapter emphasizes certain roles that each individual should play. For the student he gives the following list of descriptors and objectives:  Researcher (The student is responsible for finding facts for themselves, rather than them being lectured as might happen in a more conventional classroom), Technology User (the student is to be allowed access to and become effective in using a wide array of technology in order to accomplish their goal in learning), Thinker and Sense Maker (the student should be aware that they are responsible for ultimately understanding and applying the material they are studying), World Changer (the knowledge acquired should be made relevant to the student by allowing and encouraging them to apply the concept to the world around them) and Self-teacher (the student should be able to teach themselves and acquire new information and concepts independent of the instructor’s guidance).

                The roles for teachers are also different from the standard classroom and are listed as: Coach and Guide (the teacher is not lecturer, but encourager and aid to the students’ independent and group studies. The teacher still has the information, but uses it to help rather than tell), Questioner and Goal Setter (The teacher keeps the course of the work on track and evaluates progress by setting expectations for the students to achieve) and Learning Designer (ensures the experience leads to the gain of knowledge).

                Partnering does lead to an increase in the apparent chaos of a classroom, though this has to do with the style of learning and would be, in fact, controlled chaos. Partnering also helps establish positive working relationships with parents and staff as well, allowing people to interact more freely and learn from one another.

                From my perspective, the partnering method is exactly the kind of classroom that I hope to someday lead. Students do their best and will be better prepared to further their education if they learn to teach themselves. Another advantage of partnering not mentioned in the text is that, students free to learn in new ways will be allowed to discover which ways work best for them, and thereby may be led to understand some of their own talents and self worth. These factors support the development of learners into effective workers and capable thinkers, with goals and means. It is the kind of individual that I would hope my class would enable students to become.

                While, at this moment, I have only a slight understanding of how I can implement this in Biology, I hope that my Chemistry and Physics courses will allows students as many opportunities with this learning style as I can incorporate and I believe I will begin some of these methods immediately with my fourth graders on Sunday Mornings.

                For Sunday Mornings, I plan on incorporating more small-group activities in which, instead of reading as we normally do, I will ask them a question and allow them to find the answer.  I feel that this will make them feel more empowered, as well as more respected if given time to work. I also believe the basic principles of Chemistry could be effectively studied and learned in small groups without significant lectures from myself as an instructor. I feel this will encourage more responsibility for that knowledge and a better understanding of it than lectures often bring.

                I am excited to apply the partnering method as the opportunity arises and I believe it is the style of learning that I strive to support as an educator.