Education in the 21st Century

As society rapidly changes in this age of technology, so does the field of education. With the acceptance and reliance of technology in society today, teachers have access to an endless supply of new tools that can be incorporated in the classroom to to engage students and assist learners. To be an educator in the 21st century means to be flexible and open to incorporating technology in the class in a variety of different contexts, not only present material to students, but for students to use as a tool to demonstrate what they have learned.

Technology is a valuable tool that can be used to enhance a child's educational and learning experiences by making learning more meaningful to the student. As it becomes more and more difficult to engage and retain student attention through a lecture, technology seems to be the answer. Technology in the form of smart boards and PowerPoint's can enhance a lesson and the materials being presented with cool effects, bright colors, graphics, examples, and video links. If a student is engaged in a lesson then they will be able to learn more.

Not only does technology help keep student attention and focus, but it encourages more participation and motivation compared to traditional teaching strategies. Internet research and WebQuests allow students to take an active role in their education by allowing them to research information and topics that they would like to learn more about. When students are in control of what they decide, they are able to become independent learners. Not only does technology promote independent learners, but it also facilitates active thinking because students are able to spend more time analyzing text and information than if it was given to them in the form of a lecture. Research is an essential part of education, therefore it would make sense that students should have access to a place, such as the internet, where they can find tons of current information. The internet also offers many interactive and multimedia programs, as well as access to hundreds of online courses and lesson plans.
In a quickly changing society it is essential that students have access to current up to date resources with information that concerns current and real would issues. Technology also allows students to feel connected to those issues and their community by allowing learning to take place beyond the classroom through blogging buddies or programs such as Skype.

Another role that technology plays in the learning process, is that it is able to meet the needs of diverse learners. Technology allows the teacher to use a variety of different programs to meet the different learning styles of the students compared to one teaching style for all of the students. Students who struggle with math or other subjects can use online manipulatives or other programs to help them learn. Technology also opens the doors to a wide variety of new learning experiences. There are so many different technology based projects for students to create to demonstrate their learning including an Imovie, PowerPoint, podcast, Frames video, blog, wiki page, an online portfolio, online assessments, or a WebQuest. Technology based projects are a great way for students to demonstrate that they have met course standards and unit outcomes in place of testing or writing essays or reports. Projects that focus on different learning styles, allow more students to be successful. Not to mention, technology based projects create more freedom of learning and more opportunity for creativity.

Despite the endless and limitless possibilities in which technology can be incorporated into the curriculum and classroom, it can only be a powerful teaching tool if it is used properly. As a teacher in the 21st century, it is the responsibility of the educator to keep pace with changing methods and better teaching strategies. The role of the 21st century educator is to keep students engaged in what is being taught in the classroom, to create independent learners, to provide students with unique learning opportunities, and expose students to skills and technology that they will use in the future.

Natural Disaster Pre-Quiz

Hello Nate and Ashton

Hi Nate and Ashton,

My name is Jena and I live in Maine. I have an older sister who is also my best friend. I also have a dog and a cat. I am really excited for winter and snow.

ACTEM Conference

I thought that the ACTEM conference was a great experience. I learned so much about how to incorporate technology into the classroom and use it to help students learn. After attending this conference and seeing how current teachers are successfully using technology in their classrooms today, it has increased my confidence and belief that one day I will also be able to successfully use technology in my own classroom. 

The first session that I attended was the Sspongebob Smartboard and student response system. In this session I learned how the Smartboard actually works. I knew what it was but I had never seen how they were used. The presenter showed how seamless it made lessons appear. I learned that links can be inserted into the slides so as the teacher talks about the topic they can touch the link and it will automatically go to the website. 

The second thing that I learned at this session was about the program Scratchpad. I had never heard of this program before and I learned that during a lesson it makes impromptu brainstorming permanent. In other words you can ask the class a question and you can write on the smartboard what it is that they say and then you can save that list and print it out later for tests and quizzes. I thought that this was a great idea to get the students involved with their learning and be able to print it out for later use. 

The third thing that I learned at this session was about the Senteo. I had also never heard of this tool before. I learned that a Senteo is a handheld device that allows the teacher to give the students a paperless quiz. This can be used as an excellent assessment tool. It allows the teacher to give true/false tests, yes/no questions, and multiple choice tests. I also learned that this is a helpful tool because it leads to differentiated learning/teaching. For example, the teacher can take the students who all missed certain questions on the quiz and work with them in small groups until they understand. Not to mention, the Senteo created student engagement so that the students actually looked forward to test taking.

The second session that I attended was about using Math programs to improve math scores. This session was a little more difficult to understand but I still learned a lot. The fourth thing I learned was about a program software called Geogebra which is a mathematics program that combines geometry, algebra, and calculus. It is an interactive program that allows students to learn how to measure using a movable broken ruler for example. Here is a link that gives more information about geogebra. http://www.geogebra.org/cms/

The fifth thing that I learned at this session was about Curriki. Curriki is an open educational resource as well that gives teachers access to all types of lessons. The site allows you to browse by subject or type in a specific key word. It gives teachers access to lesson plans, simulations, ideas, and worksheets. http://www.curriki.org

The sixth thing that I learned at this session was about the program Jing. Jing is a program that can be used to create a movie or screen shot of a students learning and thinking process. If a student is doing an online math exercise, jing can be used for the student to talk about what they are doing and the reasons why they are doing it that way. Then when the teacher looks at the students answers the teacher does not have to guess how the student got the answer they did. Instead the teacher can listen to the students reasoning and can see how the student is working. This tool gives better teacher incite on how the student is learning and where they may be struggling. 

The third session that I attended was Jim's Best of the Web. This was an absolutely amazing session. Jim talked about how to find great teacher and student websites to assist in learning. Not only did he give us a wonderful list of web resources he also offered great advice about using the technology in the classroom. I found this session the most helpful.

The seventh thing that I learned was that the number one problem with education is lack of creativity and inspiration. There are great websites out there that can be used to re-engage students in learning if they are used along with lessons. However, it is best if students use these websites to push the learning boundaries, not just as a tool to help fill out worksheets. For example, he showed us the website called Spelling City and explained that spelling does not really help students it is a waste of time, if you want good spellers then you must have them reading. However, if you use this website it can be a great tool that can get kids excited about spelling again, but have them explore with it and learn new words. http://www.spellingcity.com

The eighth thing that I learned was about a website called iknowthat.com. It is a great resource that kids can use and play interactive games and activities to get kids excited about learning. There are games and activities for every grade level in every subject. There is also great information available for teachers as well. He also talked about not using the term virtual when looking for an interactive lesson, instead use the term quick time virtual reality or QTVR instead. http://www.iknowthat.com/com

The ninth thing that I learned was less about technology and more about teaching. Jim said that we need to have kids become connected to the digital world but keep them engaged in the real world. technology is great for students to use but we need to connect it back to the real world. 

The final session I went to was less helpful. It was about a program called CREST that works with rural middle and high schools. The goal is to develop careers and life aspirations towards IT careers.

The tenth thing that I learned was about integrating technologies like the GIS, GPS, and web design into lessons that focused on solving a community problem. I learned what place-based education is. It is about taking the curriculum and making connections to the community. It is about using the community as a learning tool. 

Egyptian Mummy WebQuest

My goal for this WebQuest is to have students learn about the mummification and burial process in ancient Egypt. 

1. The Changing Mummy 

a. Topic: Mummification and burial in ancient Egypt was not always an exact science. Students will learn how the process changed from the very first mummies of the Pre-Dynastic Era to the Late Period.

b. Grade Level: 6th grade

c. Task: You are a group of historians who have been invited to present your findings at a major historical conference about the "Changing Mummy". In order to be ready for the conference you must gather all of your information about how mummification and burial has changed throughout history. Good luck at the conference!

d. Roles:

*Historian 1: Your job is to research mummification and burial during the Pre-Dynasitic Period and the Old Kingdom dynasties.

*Historian 2: Your job is to research mummification and burial during the Middle Kingdom and New Kindgom dynasties.

*Historian 3: Your job is to research mummification and burial during the Third Intermediate Period and the Late Period dynasties.

2. The Mystery and Curse of King Tut

a. There is so much mystery and myth surrounding the famous pharaoh, King Tut. By researching the death of the famous King Tut, students will learn about the mummification and burial process as well as why there is so much mystery, intrigue, and superstition surrounding King Tut. 

b. Grade Level: 6th grade

c. Task: Everyone want to know about the mystery of King Tut and you have been invited on an archaeological dig to explore his famous tomb in Egypt. You have assembled your team and you must enter his tomb and gather as much information as possible to present a detailed report of all of your discoveries to provide an explanation about the mysteries of King Tut.

d. Roles:

*Excavator: You get to open the tomb. You must explain how what you find in the famous pyramid and tomb of King Tut.   

*Medical Examiner: You get to perform an autopsy of the mummy. You must explain how the mummy is preserved and the way that the organs are preserved. How did King Tut die?

*Historian: Your expertise is ancient Egyptian mummies. You get to research the curse of King Tut and his burial process.

3. The Pharaoh is Dead! (I think I'm going to do this one)

a. Topic: Students will learn about the mummification and burial ceremony in ancient Egypt by researching the roles of different people who played a major part in preparing the ceremony and the body.  

b. Grade Level: 6th grade

c. Task: The Pharaoh is dead! And you have been asked to oversee the entire burial process from mummification to the sealing of the tomb. Your job is to organize the entire ceremony. Good luck!

d. Roles: 

*Priest: You must oversee all of religious ceremonies and cultural rituals for your Pharaoh as he is buried.

*Embalmer: Your job is to prepare the Pharaohs body using all of the current medical embalming techniques to create a mummy.

*Builder: You get the job of creating the pyramid and decorating the tomb that your Pharaoh will spend the rest of eternity in.

4. In the Morgue

a. Topic: In this quest students will focus on each individual step to mummification of a person. They will divide the body into different sections and learn how each particular body part was preserved. As a group they will all research the burial ceremony.

b. Grade Level: 6th grade

c. Task: The Great Pharaoh has died and the council wants the most qualified embalmers to perform the job. You are known throughout the land as one of the greatest embalmers and you have been chosen, based on your specialty, to preserve the Great Pharaoh. But before you are chosen you must pass an interview with the council. In the interview you must explain in detail how you would preserve the body parts you are assigned. Oh and since the council has a tight budget you will all work together and perform the burial ceremony as well, so you must look up information on this as well. Good luck!

d. Roles:

*Embalmer 1: Your job is to embalm the outside of the body, the arms, legs, and skin, and to wrap the body when embalming is complete.

*Embalmer 2: Your job is to embalm the inside of the body, and the organs such as of the head, such as the eyes and the brain.

*Embalmer 3: Your job is to embalm the major organs of the body minus from the neck down.

*All of you must research the burial ceremony

Assistive Technology in the Classroom

One of the challenges of teaching today, is being able to reach all of the students. This becomes more of a challenge in a class with where there is a wide range of learning needs. Not all students learn the same; therefore, to be an effective teacher it is essential to adapt the curriculum to address all types of ability levels. Technology, combined with different teaching methods, strategies, and materials, can be used to help design a more inclusive classroom.

It is important to understand that if a child is struggling with comprehending an idea or concept, it is the curriculum rather than the student that is disabled. (www.cast.org/publications/UDLguidelines /version 1.html#intro) A non-flexible curriculum deprives students of learning opportunities because it doesn't create room for alternative teaching methods to adapt to the range of learning, auditory, motor, or sensory disabilities. Just as detrimental, it also fails to meet the needs of advanced learners and students that have lost interest in school. If a teacher fails to address the diversity of learning needs in their classroom, then ultimately they are failing their students.

However, assistive technology coupled with alternative methods can be used to effectively provide students with the information that they need. Some examples of useful technology that can benefit students include: the Alphasmart, Type to Learn, the Lomak, the Tango, as well as programs like Read Please, and Start to Finish books. The Alphasmart can be used to help students improve their writing and spelling skills. Typing is an important skill that all students need to learn. The Alphasmart and a typing program like Type to Learn can be used to assist students struggling with basic coordination and typing skills. The Lomak is another devise that assists a student with typing if the student cannot control their arms, hands, or fingers, a fine motor skill. A great devise that is a very important for children, who struggle with autism or other disabilities that interfere with their ability to communicate, is the Tango. The Tango allows the students to not only become engaged in the classroom and talk to their peers, but it also allows those students to ask academic related questions. These are all great high tech devices that make learning easier for kids that have a physical disability that interferes with their learning. Despite the benefits of advanced assistive technology, one of the drawbacks is that it is very expensive and many schools have a limited budget to spend which makes it difficult to get this technology into the hands of the students.


However, there are some more simple, lower tech devices that can be helpful. These include things like manipulative tools, like a cardboard "pizza" cut into slices to help students visualize math. Students with motor control issues can benefit from using a large pencil grip to help with writing, or a Touchscreen to navigate a computer screen. Books on tape can be used to help students with reading troubles and dyslexia to follow along in a story. Start to Finish books can be used to assist advanced readers who read at a faster rate with less assistance from the teacher.

Although these are only a few of the many different types of assistive technology that can be used, there are hundreds more. These types of technology not only help students with different learning types and ability levels, but it also helps students become excited and interested in learning. Many times children lose interest in learning because they become frustrated with how they are being taught. However, if they have a curriculum that is tailored to meet their needs with the use of assistive technology, then they will feel better about learning and become excited about it once again. If we as future educators can meet the needs of the students with assistive technology and teaching methods then we can motivate them and get them engaged in learning. Students that love learning, that can be seen as a success.

Education in the 21st Century

A part of being an educator is being able to be flexible and willing to introduce new tools in the classroom, even if that reaches beyond a certain traditional comfort zone. Being a teacher in the 21st century, an age of limitless technology, means that is has never been more important to incorporate new techniques. Each day we are exposed and bombarded by the technological world with the use of computers, cellphones, ipods, text messaging, e-mails, and t.v; it is unavoidable. As a result, students today are becoming more and more dependent on technology and if education wants to keep pace with its students then it needs to learn to incorporate it into teaching. As a future educator, technology in the classroom is an essential tool that can assist in teaching as well as learning if it is used properly.

It is the goal of teaching to use the most helpful methods and techniques to assist students and motivate them to do the best that they can. It becomes the responsibility of the educator to keep pace with those methods and bring them into the classroom; and with the average student spending nearly 3.5 hours each day online, it is evident that computers and technology are a huge part of students lives.("Vision of Todays Students" Youtube video) Because of constant exposure to technology, students have become "digital learners" and multitaskers.("Pay Attention" Youtube ) They are always talking on their cell phones, playing video games, checking facebook, and listening to their ipods. They are addicted to being entertained, so when it comes time to sit down and watch a teacher write on the blackboard they become uninterested. In order to reach out and connect to students to draw their attention back to learning, is to create an entertaining and creative curriculum with the use of the technology that they are most familiar with. Technology has really become a part of who we are as a society and without the use of technology in classrooms, we are seriously setting children back. We live in a world where we are forced to coexist with technology, so to use it in the class not only prepares students for life beyond school, but it helps to connect to the students and helps them to gain an interest in learning.

Not only is technology the best way to engage and reach out to students, it is also a very helpful tool that can be used where textbooks sometimes fail. Sometimes textbooks can become outdated, inaccurate, and brief on certain subjects, this limits the amount of knowledge that students can gain on a particular topic. Not only that, but textbooks do not discuss real world, current events going on. However, where textbooks sometimes fail students, the Internet as a source can be very helpful. The Internet has thousands of entries on certain topics, it can go more in depth on a subject, and it is easy access to current information in a fast paced, ever changing society.

In a rapidly evolving society, technology also exposes students to other cultures and it connects them to a global society, as well as motivates them to get involved with issues in their own communities. Web cams and e-mails between classes in different regions and countries strengthens tolerance and communication, as well as creates a more direct way to learn about other cultures rather than to read about that particular culture in a textbook. The Internet also allows students to read about current issues in their area and to get involved with their community. This early experience of students voicing their opinion about current and local issues empowers students by getting them interested, invested, and letting them know they can play an active, productive role in their community.

Despite the endless positive possibilities and ways that technology can be used as a tool to enhance learning, it can also create problems if it is not used properly. The Internet is a powerful resource but not all sources are accurate, so it becomes essential to teach students to tell the difference between an accurate and an inaccurate web page. Also unmonitored Internet use is inviting for students to drift off task and e-mail one another. Another problem that technology has created is a dependence on the need to be entertained If its not entertaining students tend to tune it out. Technology only enhances this type of attitude, when it is just as important to work on developing the skill to focus on a topic or subject when it doesn't have a flashing power point, youtube video, or movie that goes with it. However, if we as future educators can create a healthy balance with technology in the class, it will only improve and strengthen education and a love of learning.

My Introduction

This is my very first experience with blogging. I am a sophomore at the University of Maine at Farmington, where I am studying to become an elementary education teacher. This is my first day of my practicum block, which I am excited to begin.