Food For Thought

As I sat on the couch with my computer browsing screencasting videos on YouTube, my daughter sat next to me with her own computer.  She was much more interested in what was playing on my screen, however.

"What are you doing mama?" she asked in her sweet little voice.

I explained to her that I had to find videos for my class that showed good, better, and best examples of a screencast.  I don't think she was quite sure what that meant, but she didn't care - she was much more interested in what was on the videos I was watching.

"What are they doing?" she leaned in closer to see.

I was looking for screencasts on how to screencast with Snagit - something that would be helpful in completing my next assignment.  As I told her about the program she began to squirm in her seat.

"Can I do that?" her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

She about fell over when I told her that she could indeed download the program onto her own computer.  I know exactly what she was thinking.  She watched "how-to's" on YouTube all the time.  I could already see her envisioning the videos she could make for others to watch.  As I leaned over to show her, my son piped up from across the room (he was on his computer playing his favorite game, Total War).

"What?  What is she putting on her computer?"  he asked, indigent he wasn't getting it on his.

I reassured him that we could put it on his also, but made sure to set the guidelines.  Of course, my daughter kept getting an error message and it wouldn't download the program, which led to a meltdown, which you definitely don't want to hear about lol

Anyway, as all of this was going on, I was thinking that my children and I have our own springboard for a Personal Learning Network here in our house.  We all have this growing passion for learning about technology.  I have the ability to begin teaching them how to expand their communication and networking skills so they can expand their own personal learning networks (actually, they could probably teach me a thing or two about networking).  My son is one of those kids who is definitely all about choice, so learning through PLN's would be perfect for him. Definitely food for thought.

All About Choice

Intro:
In the article Shelly Terrell: Global Netweaver, Curator, PLN Builder, Howard Rheingold shares with us his own personal experience of learning to create personal learning networks, then proceeds to explain what exactly a PLN is.  It is built by connecting, interacting, and sharing information with others all over the world through technology.  A good way to begin teaching students how to do this is by teaching them how to use blogger.  Blogging allows students to connect with others in their own classroom first, building necessary networking and communication skills that they can then transfer to a larger PLN network.

All About Choice
For me, the key word in this article is choice.  In a personal learning network, you get to choose who you learn from and interact with.  you get to choose how you want to learn your info.  Exactly the kind of learning needed for differentiated instruction in the classroom.  Moreover, choice is an intrinsic motivator.  Students are more likely to want to learn if they are interested in what they are learning.  They are more likely to remember what they are learning if they are able to choose how they are learning it.  

Its also a pressure free kind of learning.  You don't have to be an expert - you are a learning community.  You learn from each other - it's a give and take relationship.  You share your ideas, you listen, and you contribute.

Making Connections:
For me, this is reminiscent of that participatory culture.  Students are more likely to contribute if they feel that what they have to say is important.  By engaging students in PLN's you show them that they do have a voice - what they have to say is important and what other's have to say is important.  I like Shelly's description of it - "Passionate Learning Networks."  They are a great way to get students passionate about learning.  See the YouTube Video I found on one teacher's use of PLN's in her classroom - its a tad long, but she talks about how they connected to students around the globe and we get to hear from the children how they feel about it:

Best Books/Blogs list from Scholastic

Just passing along some info that may be useful :)

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/decembers-best-books-blogs-and-strategies-teachers?eml=Teachers/smd/20141128/Facebook/TeachersPage/INST/2100/decembers-best-books-blogs-and-strategies-teachers

My Life in 6 Word Memoirs

"That Kid"

Love this and just wanted to share it with you all who are here to become teachers. We should always remember there is more to "that kid" than meets the eye. There are more to his/her behaviors than we could ever imagine - and sometimes even we don't know the whole story behind them. So keep fighting for them...you can't save them all, but if you can make a difference for even just one, you have changed the world.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/11/14/teacher-to-parents-about-that-kid-the-one-who-hits-disrupts-and-influences-your-kid/

Constructing Identities

Intro
Just like our identities are influenced by the media, our identities are also shaped by what people say about us. As author Donna E Alvermann outlines in her article, Reading Adolescents' Reading Identities: Looking Back to See Ahead, all readers are different, but this fact doesn't necessarily mean we should classify them as struggling.  Alvermann goes on to explain how it is our very promotion of "normative ways" within the schools that contribute to the "cultural construction of struggling readers." In other words, all students learn differently and at their own pace.  When we try to make students fit into our mold, we create problems.  We force definitions upon these students lives, in effect, creating disabilities that should not be a part of what makes these students who they are.

Implications
Alvermann focuses on the effect of imposing norms on adolescents, but I have seen this imposition have an effect even at a very young age.  Kids are a lot more perceptive than people give them credit for, and they are able to perceive these norms as well as their own ability or inability to meet these norms - even in Pre-K.  I would take this a step further and say it is not only the norms set forth by society which place expectations and limitations on our students/children, but also our own words and actions.

My son has always had trouble with literacy since he was in Pre-K.  He wasn't learning his letters fast enough, he wasn't writing his name the way other children were, etc, etc.  I heard "he's not" from his Pre-K teacher, and his Kindergarten teacher, and his First grade teacher.  What I didn't realize was he was hearing it too.  I didn't realize he was taking these words and creating an identity for himself - this very identity of a struggling reader that Alvermann focuses on.  But it was a combination of things which helped to create this identity.

I know I've told this story before, but there's always a different aspect of it that I need to talk about. That's because the whole process of creating identity is complicated - there are SO many factors involved!  Even our actions affect how children create their identity.

I was in my son's classroom for back-to-school night last year and they had goals for themselves as readers posted in the room.  My son's read:  "My goal is to be a faster reader."  I could have kicked myself.  I would always read with my son, but I would read fast because I had my own reading/homework to do.  So, naturally, my son assumed that since I'm going to be a teacher and I get good grades, I must be a good reader.  I read fast, so good readers must read fast.  Therefore, he was not a good reader because he didn't read fast.  What!?  

Suggestions
Now how to undo the box we have put around our children in creating their identities?  It is a long, difficult task to change how students view themselves.  But it CAN be done with conscious effort.  Alvermann makes some suggestions on how to go about this in light of reading identities:

We need to show children that literacy is not inaccessible just because they need more time or different strategies in order to learn how to read.  And we need to do this at a young age.  We also need to show children that there are multiple ways of being a reader.  This is easier than ever with all the technology we have these days.  If we help students figure out what counts as reading, it can empower them to be advocates for themselves in the classroom.

These suggestions can even be generalized to other areas where kids have defined themselves as lacking.  We need to show children that it is ok to learn differently and/or at a different pace than other students.  We need to empower them to think out of the box - to consider their strengths and weaknesses as suggestions for how they should approach their learning.  And this begins by modeling it through our choices in how we teach material.

Humbly Learning From My Kids

I admit it.  I am NOT smarter than a fifth grader.  Every day I am increasingly aware of how little I know about technology.  This lesson comes mainly from my children.  Here I am thinking I'm cool because of what I'm learning in class, yet I am constantly surprised by what they know how to do on the computer.  I wanted to share with all of you something my daughter showed me that will make life ten times easier for certain tasks.

It is called "Snipping Tool."  As my daughter informed me, "it comes already on your computer." Unfortunately, this is true only if you have a PC.  I did a little research on Macs, but found they do not have this capability.  The closest they come is a screen shot, but this is exactly what I'm trying to avoid!  So, on you PC, just click on the start button, type "Snipping Tool" into the search bar, and voila! There it is.  I always did a screen shot, pasted it into paint, then cut what I wanted or added what I wanted to the image.  With snipping tool, you can do that all in one step!  As the computer describes, you can use this tool to "capture a portion of your screen so you can save, annotate, or share the image" without ever having to open another program.  Fantastic!!

Here are a few my daughter snipped, then put into paint to add the words:








I asked my daughter how she learned about this tool - of course, she found it on YouTube.  Here is a basic video on how to use it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVn0av_6nqY
And here's one with a little more info and insight:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUyV3Hjrahc

As you can see from the video, there are a variety of ways to use this tool.  There are tons more videos with even more examples. Of course, the tool may not be practical for all projects/applications, but for the most part, it is a great time and space saver!

Gender Remixed

Intro - Using the Remixer
Using the Gendered Lego Advertising Remixer, I mashed up some "girl" and "boy" Lego commercials; the remixer used the video from one set marketed to girls along with the audio from another set marketed to boys - or vice versa.  This technique underlined the different marketing techniques used for girls vs those used for boys.  See the link below if you want to see for yourself:
http://www.genderremixer.com/lego/#

The results were very interesting.  Honestly, I never really noticed the differences before using this remixer.  The boy commercials, in general, were geared toward things traditionally masculine: adventures and violence, using adventurous music with dark or monochromatic colors to enhance this idea.  The girl commercials, in general, were geared towards things traditionally girly: tinkly music, houses, cafe's, baking, hearts, animals.  All of these ideas were promoted by the colors of the girl Lego sets - pinks, purples, and any other pastel colors that look nice with them.  Something very interesting I noticed was the social aspect of the marketing.  Girls were always pictured together in the Lego Friends videos - from the beginning, all the way to the end.  In the boy Lego commercials, the boys were never actually shown playing.  The only "togetherness" you saw was from the Lego characters themselves - never in real life.  This certainly says something about how society views platonic relationships between males vs. those between females.

Gender Roles Influenced by Media
Now, I see nothing wrong with making "boy" and "girl" Legos, or other toys, for that matter.  It's the classification that creates the problem.  There are some who appreciate this difference.  I personally played with both types when I was younger.  For a long time they didn't have the ones made specifically for girls and I was perfectly content playing with the ones available - the Lego characters included girl figures, so I had everything I needed.  Then they came out with a set that I absolutely had to have - it was a "girl" set featuring a stable.  I'm not sure if it was truly the girl features that attracted me - I just liked the idea of having a stable.  I would have wanted the set regardless of which colors were presented in it.  But I do remember liking  the contrast of the "girly" Legos compared to the boring colors of the "boy" Legos.  I think it was more about having something different.

Something to note here is the fact that I was probably less affected than most when it came to marketing techniques and influence from the media because we really weren't allowed to watch TV when we were younger (that's a whole different story - I'll tell you about it sometime).  We played with both "boy" and "girl" toys without bias - we had barbies mixed right in with Hulk Hogan and the like.

This isn't the case with many kids though.  They are directed from a very young age by the images the media portray to them - and these images are further reinforced by their parents.  The message: Girls should be social butterflies who like to bake and do things in the home.  Boys shouldn't be so reliant on social relations.  Rather, they should focus on the "manly" things in life - like adventure and proving their manhood, etc.  As parents we need to actively engage our kids in conversations about these gender-stereotyped images presented to them in multiple ways.

Making Changes
We need to break down the barriers between "boy" and "girl" things in life.  Our kids should be able to do/play/act/think/feel anyway that is true to who they were born to be.  Some worry that if boys play with the feminine toys - or vice versa - that this act will influence their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Let me provide you with living proof right now that this notion is completely unfounded.  My son always played with my daughter's ponies and dolls, and my daughter always played with my son's toys (including cars, Nerf guns, "boy" Legos, dinosaurs, etc).  I never said a word about them being "girl" or "boy" toys.  For a while, my son's favorite color was pink.  I never said a word about it being a "girl" color.  I have taught my son to cook and clean, the same as I am teaching my daughter how to cook and clean.  And both of my children are perfectly "normal" - as viewed by the outside world.  My theory in life is you should do what makes you happy - not what makes everybody else happy.

I am happy to see that this issue is becoming more prominent in society.  Barriers are being crossed in ways they never were before.  Disney is trying to break the mold and empower women.  ABC portrays the "Modern Family."  Granted, we still have a LONG way to go, but change is slowly but surely making its way into the media.  Though this slow change means parents need to take action - speak to your kids about gender roles/gender stereotypes.  Give them information that is on their level.  Here is a good article about this:
http://www.pbs.org/parents/childrenandmedia/article-stereotypes.html

Engage Me!

All of our readings for this week have focused on the creation of online content and constructing meaning through that creation.  In my blogs, I have mixed this idea with the argument in favor of technology use in the classroom.
http://shawneeedu106.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-great-outdoors-vs-technology.html
http://shawneeedu106.blogspot.com/2014/11/intro-in-article-reading-images.html

I want to leave you with one last idea from Lawrence Lessig's Remix: Making Art and Commerce in the Hybrid Economy":

"Interest-based learning is the learning driven by found interests. When kids get to do work they feel passionate about, kids (and, for that matter, adults) learn more and learn more effectively."

I, for one, know this is true about my own learning experiences.  Ask me how much I remember from my classes here that didn't pertain to teaching.  If we know it is true about ourselves, then why wouldn't we apply it to our children/students?  And we wonder why we have so many children with attention problems in our classrooms.  Let's take advantage of the situation and show our children how to use this technology in a way that benefits them.  Let's engage our students!

Multimodality and Education

Intro
In the article Reading Images: Multimodality, Representation, and New Media, author Gunther Kress focuses on the changing forms of literacy and how we, as the designer of this literacy, need to focus on helping our audience make meaning of the text with the variety of media we use to represent our topic.  Gunther states that "the processes of making texts and reading texts are both processes of design" when technology is involved.  The texts are presented in a multimodal way, giving the reader the opportunity to make a decision for themselves about how they will make meaning from the information they are provided.

Given the rapidly changing modes of technology, the key question becomes "how to make my communication most effective in relation to this audience, here and now"?  Gunther gives us a variety of questions to consider in order to answer the previous:

1. Which mode is best, most apt, for the content/meaning I wish to communicate?
2. Which mode appeals to the audience whom I intend to address?
3. Which mode most corresponds to my own interest at this point in shaping the message for communication?
4. Which medium is preferred by my audience?  Or by me?
5. How am I positioning myself if I choose this medium or this mode rather than those others?

Why Is This Important for Teachers?

As a teacher, these questions apply to learning in the classroom.  Technology is a great way to assess student learning.  It grabs the students attention by allowing them to interact with and summarize the learning material in a manner that is significant to them.  As we model making decisions to answer the above questions for our students through the assignments we give, our students become more capable of answering the questions for themselves.  This gives our students a strategy that will serve them not only in the classroom, but in whatever walk of life they choose.    

I had never heard of the term TPACK before doing some research for this blog, but it is this very idea of integrating learning with technology in order to make learning more meaningful for students.  Here is a brief overview:

Conclusion:

Many are afraid to integrate technology into the classrooms or even allow it into their homes, considering it an evil that should definitely be avoided.  Some feel it hinders children's social skills, while others feel it takes away from time that could be better spent in the great outdoors.  I am convinced it is all about balance, like everything else in life.  I am convinced that our students would benefit immeasurably by teachers including technology in the classroom - it is the "language" the kids speak and we should use it to our advantage.  

I have a feeling views on technology will change with time.  After all, it was one of the best known philosophers who said that writing will "produce forgetfulness in the minds of those who learn to use it" 

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/wordscape/museum/plato.html

It was one of the greatest French writers who thought that the mass production of books would destroy the constructs of society; Hugo Victor's novel, the Hunchback of Notre-Dame is based on his quote "the book will kill the edifice."

Now, writing and books are the foundations of our education.  Those who think that technology will destroy the constructs of our society will see that it is becoming, and maybe already IS, the constructs of our globalized society today.

The Great Outdoors VS. Technology

This article was found on Facebook this morning with the comment: "My children won't have them"

http://theunboundedspirit.com/why-steve-jobs-didnt-let-his-kids-use-ipads/

I couldn't resist - I had to re-post it and comment on it with the following:

I think we are doing our kids a great disservice if we keep them from technology.  Whether we like it or not, the world revolves around technology...it is our future.  Its about setting appropriate boundaries and providing the proper guidance.  Technology is not all about mindless staring at a screen - that is a common stereotype.  And like other stereotypes, it needs to be dismantled. Technology is chock full of opportunities for our kids to be creative.  Just because they are building and imagining with pixels instead of blocks does not make the process less artistic.  In fact, it is probably more innovative because certain physical restrictions to the creative process have been removed.  We need to teach our kids to love and value both the great outdoors and the great world of technology - there needs to be a balance between the two.

Dismantling the stereotype:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LhEZ_TJwuY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhc9Ywn0mXE

This dismantling of stereotypes is something we see in our articles for this week, as they discuss the creative side of New Media - see my blogs for additional dismantling:
http://shawneeedu106.blogspot.com/2014/11/intro-in-article-reading-images.html

Life Changing New Literacies

Intro
In chapter 15 of Best Practices in Teaching the New Literacies (Donald J. Leu, et al), the authors define new literacies, provide "principles that inform instruction in New Literacies," and help us understand how the New Literacies fit into the Common Core State Standards as a way of understanding the importance of teaching our students these New Literacies.

To begin, the authors define the difference between "New Literacies" and "new literacies" theories for the reader.  "New Literacies" is the general, all encompassing theory about technology in which the internet has become a defining, multifaceted technology that is essential for our students' success.  Therefore, it is necessary to teach our students how to become literate in using this technology.  This is where the "new literacies" come in.  These "new literacies" encompass all the little pieces that make up the skills and strategies necessary to survive and thrive in these rapidly changing technological innovations.  This lower case theory is used as a lens for viewing the requirements of the Common Core State Standards.

CCSS  
Because the Common Core State Standards never actually say the word "internet," teachers often overlook incorporating teaching literacy as a part of technology.  But if children are being taught to use computers/technology even at the tender age of 1, it would make sense that we should begin teaching them about new literacies at this time as well.

The authors cite various resources that accomplish this:
Starfall:  http://www.starfall.com/
ReadWriteThink.org:  http://www.readwritethink.org/

The authors go on to make a very interesting point:  teachers can give students who are struggling in reading a boost by teaching them this new technology first.  This positions these students, who were formerly seen as "dumb," as "experts" within the classroom - and maybe even outside of the classroom.

My Point of View
The idea of making the "last student" the first, has the power to change a students life.  Many times, students who struggle with reading have low self-esteem.  Even though schools try not to make the variety of reading levels obvious in each classroom, the students are well aware of their differences.  Not only are they aware of their differences, but they are painfully aware when they are the ones with the low reading level.  There has been much research regarding the correlation between a student's self-esteem and his/her instructional reading level, and it has been shown that there is a positive correlation between the two.

Moreover, once kids get this idea in their heads that they are "dumb," it creates a kind of wall in their thinking and becomes very difficult for them to think around.  My son has had difficulties with reading since he was in preschool, and he has always been well aware of this fact.  The trouble was, I wasn't aware that he was so acutely aware of his difference until it was too late.  I knew my son had difficulties with reading, but I also knew he wasn't stupid - he just learns differently than other students.  It took me years to break down that "dumb" wall that had formed in his head.  It took me years to get him to believe that he truly was smart, regardless of his reading level.  Just now, in 7th grade, he is beginning to enjoy reading.

Conclusion
My son was lucky.  He always made friends very easily and is well adjusted.  But I have seen other kids who weren't so lucky.  I have seen kids who withdraw from those around because they feel so different.  I have seen kids who get pushed to the side because their struggle takes up too much time.  I have seen kids who get teased mercilessly for being "dumb."  This idea of giving these kids back the power using one of their own strengths could totally change the way they view themselves. Suddenly, the roles are reversed.  Suddenly, these "dumb" kids have a purpose.  Suddenly, these kids who were ignored or made fun of have an expertise that all the other kids need - they are now a hot commodity, and that role has the power teach them valuable life lessons.  Its like the "starfish" story:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uytlJ8urv4I