TPACK

TPACK or Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (Tpack.org) basically is whether an educator is prepared to and willing to teach in a world of constantly changing technology. TPACK is important, because we must prepare our students to go into the real world and be productive and successful. Tech is at the forefront of nearly every industry in one form or another. It's important that our students know how to operate and compete in that climate. I feel pretty good with regard to my technology aptitude, but intend to continuously upgrade and increase my knowledge base and practices. I believe all teachers should be working toward the goal of being "tech-savvy." I also feel that in the very near future it will no longer be a choice, but rather a requirement for all teachers to be on top of their technology game.

NETS addressed:

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating
the effective use of digital tools and resources.

1. Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning
   
2. Exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others
   
3. Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning
   
4. Contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self- renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community 
   

Academic Writing APA style

Three words: OH! MY! GOSH!!  This took me forever to do.  I didn't realize how rusty I had become where referencing comes in. I'm also hoping that I did the right thing by googleing first definition in the paper to find out who the author was.  It seemed most likely to be tied to an prof. named Charles Bonnell who does workshops and has written a book on the subject.  At any rate, that is who I gave credit to for the number 2 reference.  I have a new respect for my students who are just learning how to reference and cite sources. I now see how they get so confused, and well, down right irritated.  At any rate, I managed to muddle my way through and here are the results.  I can honestly say that I hope I don't have to do another one of these for awhile!

On a more positive note, however, there were some web sites out there that I found quite helpful.  As always, my old standby site for citations and such is the Purdue Owl.  I also found some helpful tools on eturabian.com.  Yes, I know what you're thinking, but "eturabian" has its namesake's formatting as well as APA and MLA formatting tools.

The NETS addressed in this assignment:
 

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning

Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:

a.	demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.
b.	collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.
c.	communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats.
d.	model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning

Creativity

This was an awesome Video by Sir Ken Robinson about how public education, while well meaning, is actually squandering our children's creativity by crushing it as a young age. He discusses how not everyone can or should fit into a neat and tidy mold of what has become known to educators as the model student.  The model student of course growing up to be a college professor.

I can really relate to this seeing as how my undergraduate degree is in Business Administration.  There was a day when a BS in Buad was sought after.  Now, I hate to say , but Bachelor's degrees in business are a dime a dozen.  At the very least, you must have an MBA and usually more specialization to go anywhere in middle or upper management.

The world's employment face is changing as technology changes.  I agree with Mr. Robinson that we need more diversity and more creativity.  Lets face it, if you are doing what you love, you're much more likely to put your heart and soul into it.  When we are doing what we love, we are happier, healthier and more productive.

As educators, it is important for us to remember that we are teaching children to become positive productive members of society and not to just become "mini mees" or excellent test takers.

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.

a. Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.

b. Address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources

 

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.

c. Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.

d. Contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community.

Wrath of Khan

I watched a short video about a former hedge fund manager named Salmon Khan who has hung up his fund manager boots and created a really cool series of web based videos for classroom or home instruction.  I was very intrigued by this concept, so I went to the website and it is a really great site if you teach the core subjects.  I could see where this could be a great introduction or reteach at home tool.  I could also see it being used in the classroom to help students along when the teacher is working one on one or with another small group.  Students can stop, rewind, play back, etc.  So, they can watch the examples and methods employed as many times as they need to without the rest of the class having to know.  This would be especially helpful to those shy students who would rather fail than be recognized or pointed out as having to have something re explained or repeated.

Unfortunately for me, Mr. Khan has no videos that I could find dealing with teaching Computer Business Applications in Microsoft, and well, that is what I teach.  Therefore, I guess I won't be using this anytime soon.  I find that a shame since it really seems to be good material and, he, it's free!  This is also one of those instances where a shallow scale approach like in the Carpe Diem School (Carpe Diem vs. St. Mary's webcast) could be a positive approach and use in the classroom.  I do also believe that this is best used as a supplement and not the only form of instruction.  There is nothing like live communication with another human being.
 The Nets addressed in this assignment were:
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.

a. Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.

b. Address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibitleadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.

c. Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.

d. Contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community.

Avatar-- Voki

In this assignment I made an avatar and recorded a short narration by way of an introduction .

Here is a link to my avatar giving my introduction.

I enjoyed this activity and can see me teaching my students how to use this.  I'm not sure, however, how I would actually use this while my students are working, because they are always using the computers to complete their various Microsoft projects. I'm sure I can get creative and figure it out though.  I do think they would enjoy it.  This is definitely something I need more practice and research time with.

  The NETS I see here are:
 1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:

a.	promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
b.	engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers:

a.	design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.
b.	develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
c.	customize and personalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources.
d.	provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:

a.	demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.

Word Cloud

This is the first time of have ever used Wordle.  Pretty cool site!  I have seen these things before and wondered how they were made.  Now I know! Our task was to make a "wordle" using first the 2000 Nets for Teachers and then the 2008 revised Nets for teachers.

I made the NETS 2000  wordle kind of disorganized and overdone, because in all honesty, that's the way I view the 2000 edition of the Teacher Nets.  Also, note the focus of the 2000 wordle is TECHNOLOGY, whereas the focus of the 2008 wordle is LEARNING.

I made the Nets 2008 wordle with equal numbers of horizontal and vertical words and the edges more squared off and lined up.  I feel the 2008 Nets are more concise and easier to understand, and to me the 2008 wordle in much easier and less confusing to look at and understand what is being said.  I used the same color scheme on both, because they are both an attempt at the same goal which is to give educators a framework to use in order to teach students in an ever advancing and changing technological world.

 I also developed a wordle for my class using their vocabulary from their current Powerpoint lesson.  Here it is:

The NETS addressed in this assignment were"all of them!"   Number 5, Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership, however, stands out the most.  This is, after all, a guide for teachers to use to ensure that they are meeting all the needs of all their learners in a digital culture that is very different than when many of us were young learners.

Carpe Diem

For this assignment we were instructed to watch a short webinar video about technology in the classroom. There were two very distinct models being used in the two schools.  In the Carpe Diem School, students were basically being taught by the technology (shallow scaling) as opposed to the other school, St. Mary's School, where students were taught to use technology to solve problems and find answers.(deep scaling)

I feel pretty good about my ability to teach in a more "doing is learning" way, however , I feel that I still need a lot more practice.  This class has helped immensely!

I currently use desktop computers, laptops, a SMartboard, iPads, and smart phones in my instruction. My class has used the Microsoft Office suite extensively.  We also use Prezi, Cengage, several WVDE sites, blogspot, google, and many others that I just can't think of right now.

I would love to see teachers and students have access to some of the new Surface tablets from Microsoft.  They are fast and portable like the iPad, but they also run the complete office suite and flash player.   If I were in a position for recommendations to the school board, I'd definitely suggest a tablet like Surface that kids could check out and take home, but due to cost constraints and liability issues, I don't see this happening anytime soon.  Perhaps, there could be some kind of reduced price purchase option for students.  Considering what schools spend on text books, I could see this as being a possibility.  If the student owned the device with a parent's permission, that would at least relieve some of the liability issue.

I believe the answer is somewhere in between the two models. ( Carpe Diem verses St. Mary's). And, I think that's a good thing.  Sometimes it's good that a person can just turn on a tutorial and learn the information. (Carpe Diem) That within itself is an important skill and one that I see being used in the real world for on the job training.  That should only be a small piece, however.  Working in small and larger groups to solve real problems with the help of technology is the real goal.

The NETS addressed in this activity include:

1c.promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes. 2b.develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress. 2d. provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching. 5.by sharing your information, Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.