pennyjarr

OLPC

2008-04-13T20:35:00Z

David Pogue reviews the $100 laptop.Added: October 04, 2007 From the New York Times

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM33EEAszHA

I found this video to be informative and displayed how durable OLPC laptops really are. I have never seen anybody throw water on a laptop, or any other technology for that matter, so that was neat to watch.

I like that the video discusses the many pros of these laptops, such as the relatively low cost, laptops being provided to children in other countries, the durability of the laptops, how children can communicate with one another in their classrooms, that they are solar powered and the battery life. I also liked that he discussed the ‘cons’ of these laptops such as not containing a hard drive, having a c.d. drive or that they are slow while waiting for programs to load. I think that these ‘cons’ are irrelevant as these children are most likely extremely grateful for the laptop instead of being greedy and picky about the speed of loading programs or that it doesn’t have a c.d. drive. If these children have never had a laptop or been on a computer, they wouldn’t know the difference anyways. And as far as the speed is concerned, I know many Canadian’s who cannot afford the Internet and if they do in fact have it, I know many students, as well as single parents who have a dial up connection. The only reason that we as Canadians complain about how slow the Internet can be is due to us experiencing a faster connection somewhere and then returning to a slower connection at home. I think that people need to remember the good of these laptops; the opportunities and experiences they will provide to these children and either offer their services or money to make them faster or simply keep their mouths closed.

I also liked this video as I found other articles and blogs on the OLPC project, and I found more recent articles to be negative and discuss issues and people whom I had no interest in hearing about. I don’t care about Nicholas Negroponte and the ways in which he may not be living up to his job expectations, rather I care about finding a solution to the problems they are currently encountering. If the laptop prices are being raised, it is unfortunate, yet understandable. Nor do I think that $188 for a laptop is expensive, especially considering the fact that these laptops are being shipped around the world. Although it is in deed frustrating and disappointing that many children are yet to receive a laptop, I think we all must remember the positive aspect and the original intent of this project and remain focused on getting these laptops completed and distributed.

Epilogue of Meaningful Learning with Technology

2008-04-13T19:39:18Z

Meaningful learning should engage students in interactive, appealing, educational ways that promote student success and encourage students to continue learning and developing in that subject area. To engage students in such ways promotes learning, success and conveys the reality of learning from life experience and opportunities that are made available by a trip to the grocery store, tallying the number of blue mini vans that pass by within a period of an hour, organizing a fundraising event or being a reading buddy. I saw this as I feel that these are the experiences that children remember and enjoy learning from. I am not saying that textbook work is irrelevant or doesn’t have value, as everything in life can’t be fun, I just believe that allowing students to learn in these ways motivates them to learn and truly understand concepts. I feel that we as educators need training in how to properly assess these ways of learning so we can conduct such ways more often, with meeting the provinces curriculum expectations. I feel that children take these experiences, can become quite passionate about learning, and in turn come up with their own ideas in how they can further develop a concept and or how these concepts can be assessed.

I believe that children recognize meaningful learning when they feel confident and proud of the work they accomplished. I feel that they have met their own goals when they go home and proudly tell their care givers what they did/learned about in school or beg their parent to give them 5 minutes on the computer so they can show them the work they completed. I think they also share their pride over meaningful learning by sharing success stories with their friends or taking a project home instead of throwing it in the recycling box at school. I think that children also recognize meaningful learning when they remember a project they did months (or even years) before and can clearly articulate how they completed the research and conducted the work. Although marks are important and necessary, I think that being proud of project and putting it in a portfolio is an excellent assessment. After all, when we teach children how to multiply, we want them to practice and utilize this skill in everyday life so they know that they need 8 cookies in order for themselves and their 3 other friends to each have 2 cookies. I felt that we need to prepare children for real life experiences so they ca cope and make it in this competitive world, know how to succeed using various tools and understand that their efforts are meaningful, even if attempts are unsuccessful in the beginning.

I personally do not care how children learn in meaningful ways, whether it is through the use of technology, textbook work, art, physical activity or communicating, so long as they understand how they can use this knowledge in the present and future in other means of accomplishing goals.

Chapter 1-What is Meaningful Learning

2008-04-13T16:56:08Z

While reading chapter 1, I learned various ideas to the term of technology. I have always considered technology to be devices that can aid someone is creating or completing a task. I have never considered technology to consist of environments, cognitive learning strategies or critical thinking skills. I now think that this was due to my ignorance around the subject of technology and the various ways in which we can learn from it. However, I agree with the text when it says that technology supports meaningful learning. I have learned a lot through taking this course and understand how technology can be used to support meaningful learning.

The section on authentic (complex/contextual) learning seemed to be quite correct. Many teachers are focused on meeting curriculum requirements instead of offering various ways in which their students are able to learn. Although curriculum requirements must be met, I believe that there are different ways to engage students beyond pen and paper exercises. I think that the use of manipulatives is a great way for children to learn math beyond textbook work. Taking them outside the school to let them count and graph different colour cars or the make of the car is an easy, yet fun way to engage students while meeting curriculum expectations.

Collaboration through using technology is another concept that I agree with but have never considered in the ways the text described. I have asked for assistance with the use of technology many times regarding various technology but always thought of it as a lack of my personal skills instead of thinking about how I was learning from the other person in a collaborative way. I have sought such assistance through various forms of communication ranging from MSN to getting face-to-face assistance. I personally prefer seeking help from a person who is with me in the same room so I am able to ask question and receive more detailed answers than what I would receive through an MSN conversation.

The use of technology as tools for students to learn from instead of students learning from technology is another concept I found interesting. Using programs such as word processors and spreadsheets has always been a task that I have done in return for marks throughout my school career. I have progressed from the first time I used both forms of technology and am now confident in using both. I have also improved my skills with PowerPoint presentations as I have found this program to be of much assistance with school projects. I have grown from creating basic PowerPoint presentations to adding special effects, colours as well as changing fonts. I am currently improving my skills when I am forced to use the Microsoft 07 version when I am using the computers at Ryerson and have concurred various trials and tribulations. I despised the program when I first had to use it, as I did not know that you had to save documents differently for older versions of Word. I later went home to discover my essay was in code. I thought that I lost my essay but went back to school and saw the different ‘save’ options that are available in the new Microsoft Word. That was a scary experience trying to learn from, and about technology.

Assessing Meaningful Learning with Technology

2008-04-08T18:54:59Z

Chapter 10-Assessing Meaningful Learning with Technology

Although life proves that we are unable to choose how we are tested on information, having alternative and authentic assessment means that we as educators are providing opportunities for success as well as preparing our students for their future. It is unrealistic to think that we can achieve our goals in life through demonstration, despite my opinion on the importance of hands-on interaction. I also believe in providing such alternative testing methods as individuals learn, study and provide answers in various ways. Some assessments can be completed along the way through alternative and authentic assessments, to ensure that students, employees etc., are on the correct path and to show their instructor that they understand what they are learning. I feel that it is as important to understand something as it is to know that same information, as if a person doesn’t understand how to do something or why it is done in such a manner, what is the point in them learning that information as they will not retain the knowledge.

E-Portfolios seem to be an enriched tool that offers students various ways to collaborate, display their work, view personal progress and development, share their work with family and friends, as well as enhancing computer skills. Adding pictures from digital cameras is also an excellent way to display children’s work to their family and can be accessed in later years. Another way to add children’s work to an e-portfolio would be scanning the work as I have found that most schools have a scanner in their computer lab. I believe that e-portfolios are an excellent way of maintaining a constructivist approach to learning and incorporating families into their child’s education. As many parents work and lead busy lives, they may not always be able to attend parent teacher conferences and I believe that e-portfolios would be an excellent way for them to view their child’s work and remain an active participant in their child’s education.

I found the information on the Rubric Processor to be quite interesting and it actually sounded like it would be easy to use. I liked that the user is able to enter up to seven criteria of which the assignment would be marked. Further, I thought that it is great that the administrator can add various ratings or performance levels for each criterion. I also thought that this program enables the teacher to provide their students with feedback, comments and allows the children to see how they managed and what areas they can improve on. I think that an ideal and fair way to create a rubric would be to engage students in the process and allow them to contribute ideas on specifics of which they are being graded. I think that they would help them while they are working on the assignment, as they know how and what they will be evaluated on.

I loved the idea of clickers. I think that this is a fabulous way to keep children actively engaged through lessons and allows them to provide feedback and answers without feeling embarrassed saying a wrong answer. Instead, they can see that they were not alone in their thought process. It also allows the teacher to notice where s/he needs to be more detailed in their lesson plan and where they must focus more attention in order for their students to grasp certain concepts or when the students need further instruction before being tested.

Ch8 & 9

2008-03-04T19:41:19Z

I think that there are varying answers as to what makes an engaging and effective design challenge. I think that simply allowing children to create their own synthesized ‘voices’ would be fabulous for them. I think that if you gave them 3 or 4 requirements that would be in their assignment would be suffice for the age of the children I plan to work with. I also believe in the constructivist approach, and feel that letting them explore the Scratch website would allow them to be creative and add their own interesting designs. I think that is a fabulous that they can control their entire project I like how this program promotes constructivism.

Chapter 9 discusses humans having the most success in understanding concepts when they see them and I am definitely one of those people. I reread this textbook again and again, and do not usually fully understand a program or concept until I experiment with it. I agree with the section on interpretive and expressive visualization. I would have loved to see visualizations of molecules that I had to create in my grade 12 chemistry class while I was creating them. I would never have thought of that idea until I saw the picture in Figure 9.1 on page 193. It would have helped to see where I was going wrong, and hopefully would include tips on how to get in the right direction.

The section on digital cameras and phones discusses documentaries being accompanied by pictures. I agree with the textbook, as I personally find that some pictures speak much higher volumes than the text accompanied with the picture. The grade 7 students I worked with last year created their own movies about an issue that was happening around the world at the time and they did an amazing job. They added music, text and credits at the end and were so proud of their work. They wanted to show it off to everyone they could and out a genuine amount of focus and effort into their projects. They were allowed to pick the topic, pictures, music and everything that was involved in the project as long as it was appropriate. I thought that the personal documentary that was detailed in the text would have been more appropriate as they would have been that much more passionate about their project, as well as grade 7’s love taking pictures of themselves along with their family and friends. The language extension of the documentary was another brilliant idea. What a way to share information about various countries with the class, as well as educating peers about other cultures.

Chapter 9s Visualing With Video started off with a statement that I have been curious about throughout my process of reading this text. This text obviously promotes children using computers to complete homework, but the text states some of the negative effects of television watching. While children ARE being interactive while completing these projects on the computer, add the amount of time a child will spend on a computer once they leave school, in addition to the video games and t.v. they will continue to watch. Would the issues of lethargy, social isolation and obesity not continue? I understand that if a child was sitting at his seat completing deskwork, 2 of those issues would be the same, but what about social isolation. Are these activities being completed with a partner or group or does each child sit in front of a computer to complete these online projects? Is it a rumor that staring at a computer screen does damage to you eyes and how can educators team with parents to ensure that children are not going home to sit in front of a computer if that is what they did for the afternoon.

Chapter 3

2008-02-13T16:45:53Z

Although I have no experience with microworlds, they seem to be something that I would be interested in eventually taking a workshop in if one was ever offered. I would need one, as I questioned my teaching capabilities as I thought of teaching it to a class while I was completing my readings.

I really liked a few aspects of the technologies presented in chapter 3. I thought that ThinkerTools provided excellent ideas in regarding feedback to the user. I thought that was an excellent way to show students how they are doing, how to complete a task differently the next time around and ways in which they can improve their assignments. I assume that the comments would somehow be age appropriate or developmentally appropriate. I also thought it might be refreshing to the students to receive feedback from someone other then the typical people they would receive comments and suggestions from. (i.e. their teachers, parents and family) I would hope that they would take the suggestions and return to their assignment, take the comments and apply them to their work. I also liked that they break things down into single phenomena’s. I find that this is a good way to engage all learners as some students need instructions provided to them one instruction at a time. Providing a single phenomenon also allows learners to form a concrete understanding of the basic step before moving on to the next step, possibly unsure of what is going on. I agree with the authors’ opinion that feedback is an important natural outcome of experimenting with a microworld.

Interactive physics would be an excellent way to aid teachers in educating students around the subject of physics. I would also enjoy using such a program (with training) to teach physics to students. I assisted many grade levels in a science classroom last year and although the teacher provided interesting, hands on experiences to the students, learning about momentum, force, etc. would be interesting to learn on a computer. The possibilities of how lessons are taught, and how the children learn would be quite different from the experiments we all completed as kids such as dropping eggs from varying heights, building toothpick towers etc.

Simulation experiences interested me the most. I found it extremely interesting that they have such programs already in place for pilots, fire fighters, nurses etc. I think that this idea is absolutely fabulous. One of my classes completed a program similar to this on Internet safety. It walked the students through an exercise where two girls were being preyed on by sexual predators. The students had to determine what to do, how to take those steps, how to aid the undercover officers and eventually caught the predators. The simulation programs discussed in chapter 3 provide students, employees and professionals with safe, yet effective ways to save lives in the future. What else could one ask for?! I also thought that the laboratory simulations were a great idea. Another new, effective strategy to teach children other than the typical old methods we as educators have grown up knowing.

Ch. 7

2008-02-02T22:22:32Z

Disucssion boards create many opportunities for people to quickly interact with one another, offering others to view, add, help and respond to comments and questions. Personally, I have a ways to go in regards to making the best of this experience. I have few issues with discussion boards, and maybe someone who reads this blog can inform me on how to deal with these issues. The first is deleting old messages, or hiding them so I do not have to scroll so much to read new entries. I would prefer to learn how to hide them or place them in a folder as many of my classmates have asked and recieved anwers to valid concerns that I may one day find extremely useful.

I have no difficulties using programs such as MSN Messenger as I am always on it and find it to be an extremely quick way to communicate with my friends. When I was younger, I used ICQ, but find that Messenger provides more safety features and higher protection than ICQ did.

Blogging is a new concept to me, but thus far, I don't mind it. I am wondering how I am able to view my word count and am confused by the spell check program on live journal as it gives you a 'nbsp' in places where my sentences look fine. I also do not understand why it does not allow the writter to make the spelling correction rather than the program assuming the correct spelling of the word for me. I will continue to work on these issues and I will hopefully find my errors and stand corrected.

I have yet to experiment with videoconfrencing but think that it is a great way for students to interact with teachers and students in thier home city as well as possible 'pen pals'. This would be a great way for students to learn online, as well as learning while at home sick. They could access their teachers daily lesson so they are not missing any work.

The section on podcasts and internet radio was interesting to me as I love music, sharing music and accessing various versions of songs.

Ch. 2 & 4 of Meaningful Learning with Technology

2008-02-02T21:07:37Z

Providing children with many opportunities to investigate the world is an important aspect of my job and my future career in working with children. I found this chapter to be very insightful as I do not know various ways to 'teach' children how to find information, as I am able to search for information but am not the best at explaining how to do so. Chapter 2 discusses the use of technology and its benefits for current as well as up and comming learners.

The text discusses children searching for information and focussing on the answers needed to hand in for the marks instead of understanding and learning about the process of obtaining such information as well as comprehending what they are reading. I agree with the researchers findings that more must be required from the children in order for them to fully comprehend and be actively interested in thier research. I feel that allowing children to present thier information to their peers thorugh various forms of technology is an excellent way of expanding knowledge, experience as well as confidence. By doing this, they are expanding upon their new found knowledge by displaying they understand what they were researching.

I have heard of many of the search engines mentioned in chapter 2, yet I have not ventured beyond the engines in which I am familiar with. I feel that providing children with the knowledge and power gained by familiarizing oneself with various technological tools will impact their education and future in numerous, positive ways. I agree with the section regardging safety in comparison to accessing information as I saw this first hand at my job in the school system.   Chidlren's safety while surfing the internet is of utmost importance, yet there is a fine line between safety and hindering childrens internet learning experiences.

I found the section regarding handhelds to be very interesting as I wondered where funding for such devices would come into play when many schools currently lack the necessary quantity of computers. I found the intentions to be positive and influential as there is no denying how importatnt technology is in 2008.   I believe that intertwining childrens learning with the use of computers and other such personal devices prepares students for the world, competition, education, careers as well as providing them with the confiedence regarding computers that they will need in the future.

In chapter 4 of the text, the authors discuss writing skills and the difficulties children face regarding learning how to express themselves through writing. I thought that the semantic nets or concept maps to be quite interesting and an excellent way for children (and other students) to organize their thoughts, concepts and enable them to remain organized in completing an assignment.

I thoroughly enjoyed the section on power point presentations as they help me personally learn as I am a visual learner, as well as providing many useful and true facts. I agree with the potential pitfalls they listed as I have encountered power point presentations which have included too many slides and overzealous slide transitions. While watching such presentations, I found myself to be distracted or found myself thinking about which slide transition will be used on the next slide instead of paying attention to the presentations content.

The idea provided by Kidscribe is fabulous (or atleast in my opinion).  The concept that children can create their work in English or Spanish is wonderful as well as the fact that it promotes multiculturism, which is a practical aspect of learning in the twentieth century. Wouldn't it be wonderful if they eventually expanded thier site to include other languages!

Experience with technology

2008-01-13T22:30:56Z

Hi,

My personal experience with technology is not that in depth, nor advanced. I go on msn, facebook, check my e-mail accounts, complete homework, research, downloading music, pictures etc. It is pretty basic as I pretty well sign on the computer to surf the internet, playing around with pictures ( I love photography) or trying to learn new programs for school assignments. Sometimes I am technically challenged, but I try until I figure it out, or I ask for help.

This is my first online class, but have my Second Life account created and obviously a live journals account. I never knew that either of these programs existed, but they both seem unique and may actually be fun once I figure out how to properly use them. If I am successful in this course, I would definitely take another online class as I feel that I need to push myself regarding the use of computers. I tend to get frustrated when the computer doesn't work as simply or qucikly as I would like it to. I do like to use the computer, until I am bug eyed or frustrated, which is when I will get up and take a break.

I look forward to all of the opportunties, experiences and knowledge I am going to gain throughout this course.