EDMS 550 - The Best and Worst of Tech and Topics

In general, I have learned a lot about incorporating technology into the classroom and using various different technologies to benefit student learning. I have gained a lot from the hands-on activities we have completed using technology from creating and maintaining a personal blog, to researching and presenting on Web 2.0 tools, to editing a personal website with our own work. Mr. Becksfort did a great job of explaining various technologies and demonstrating how to practically use them in the classroom.

I am not sure how to respond for the "worst" part of tech and topics. There was not one class period or one assignment that I did not benefit from or feel that was useless. The video editing was by far the most challenging project, primarily due to the tedious nature of the editing process and the difficulty I had manipulating the video editing software. However, the use of video may come in handy in the classroom and could be an effective method for delivering a lecture or leading a class without being physically present in the classroom. So I did see the value in the video editing project.

Overall I had a great experience with the Educational Technology and Topics course. I learned a lot about technology and look forward to using technology in the classroom.

EDMS 550 - Does Technology Change The Way We Teach?

I believe technology can change the way we teach, but only if the teacher chooses to use technology in the classroom. The technology can exist, but if it is not used how can it change the way someone teaches?

For those teachers who do use technology in the classroom, I think it does change a teacher's strategies and methods. First, a teacher has to determine what s/he wants students to learn and then has to decide how to incorporate technology to help students achieve the desired instructional goal. The teacher also needs to consider the individual needs of each student and determine if the technology being utilized is beneficial in aiding a student's learning. Using technology for the sake of using technology is not effective if it does not meet the educational needs of students.

EDMS 550 - Web 2.0 Technology Presentation Overview

I decided to use Historypin for my Web 2.0 project. On the Historypin website you can upload your own photographs and "pin" them to a specific location on a map. You can even zoom in to the street level on the map. The idea is to compare what the area looks like today with a photograph showing the same area at a different time. For example, you could upload a photograph of you in the house you grew up in and compare it to what the house looks like today.

The website was relatively easy to use. My only complaints are that I had some trouble with loading photographs from the Internet and I had trouble finding the proper street level view on the map that I desired. I tried to show a picture of an historic park in Cincinnati when it was built to what it looks like today and the only street level view available for the address I entered into the map showed the street running alongside the park and not the actual park entrance that I wanted to show.

The few disappointments notwithstanding, I like what the site does and I can envision using this website as an educational tool in the classroom.

EDMS 550 - The Value in Learning from Fiction

Initially, I thought the prompt "Is there value in learning from fiction?" was going to be easy to answer. But the more I think about it, the more reservations I have concerning my my initial answer. The majority of my learning experiences, particularly in elementary school, involved fiction in one way or another. I learned to read by reading fiction. I learned math by solving fictional math problems. So, I guess there is value in learning basic, elementary skills from fiction.

But as I progressed through high school and into college, more and more of my learning was derived from non-fiction sources. A majority of my learning in college involved real-life case studies and examining the business practices of real companies. My intended content area, social studies, is almost entirely based on non-fiction. However, I do see learning possibilities in social studies by having studies consider "what-if" scenarios and having them respond to questions such as, "What if Nazi Germany and the Axis Powers had prevailed in World War II?" So, I guess that I do believe there is value in learning from fiction, but I think the value declines the older and more advanced the student becomes.

EDMS 550 - Video Edit Critique

It was somewhat strange looking and listening to myself on video presenting a lesson to my fellow classmates in my Technology and Topics course. My initial reaction to watching myself present the lesson was that my movements were a bit awkward and I moved my hands way too much when I was speaking in front of the class. However, each time that I watched myself on video, I became more comfortable watching and evaluating my presentation. After watching the entire video three or four times, I noticed that my delivery was much smoother and more relaxed starting approximately halfway through the video through the end of my presentation. Also, I was able to get over the initial shock of watching myself on video and was able to clearly critique my presentation.

I learned a few things about myself while doing the video editing of my presentation and my plan is to apply what I observed and improve upon my presentation skills and appearance. My first priority is to relax. At the beginning of my presentation, it was apparent that I was not very confident about what I was saying, but as I went along in my presentation, I saw a noticeable change in my demeanor as I became more comfortable and confident. I believe I would have started off more relaxed if I was more confident that I had accurately completed the assignment and had rehearsed my presentation before class. I did not think that was necessary since I had given the presentation two days earlier for another class. Still, after seeing what the previous presenters did for their lesson plans, I was concerned because my lesson plan was different from the others and this caused me some anxiety. Once I got into the content portion of my presentation, I was more confident because I knew the information was accurate and the attention from my classmates gave me comfort they were engaged and interested in what I was saying.

The second thing I want to improve upon is my movement during a presentation. Having to be near the computer to advance my Prezi presentation, I was rooted in one place during the entirety of my presentation and repeatedly looked and motioned at the projector screen. From information learned in communication courses, I know it is important to move around during a presentation to engage the audience. However, since I had to be near the computer and, not wanting to walk in front of the projector and block the audience’s view of the screen, I stayed behind the podium in front of the computer the entire time I was speaking. For future presentations, I will consider the layout and arrangement of furniture in the room and make appropriate accommodations to ensure that I move around the room without distracting the audience.

The third thing that I need to improve is the tone and volume of my voice. I have a mild and it is difficult at times for me to be heard, particularly when I am speaking in a large room. This was evident during my video critique. At times, my voice was barely audible, particularly when I turned my face away from the audience to look up at the screen. This happened too frequently during my video and may cause me to lose the attention of some members of the audience. In addition to the volume of my voice, I struggled with the tone of my voice. There was very little inflection in my voice resulting in a dull monotone while I was speaking. With proper preparation and practice, I believe that I will be able to adjust the volume of my voice and the tone of my voice to enliven my presentation and better engage the audience.

 Finally, I also want to improve my posture and eliminate some of the fidgeting and hand movement that was prevalent throughout my presentation. I believe most of the body movement during my presentation resulted from nervousness due to a lack of preparation. When I paused to gather my thoughts and continue speaking or at transitions in my presentation a moment of panic from the silence of not saying anything contributed to the excessive body movement and hand gestures. With the proper amount of practice and preparation, I believe I will have less body movement and hand gesturing.

EDMS 550 - The Value of Portfolio Assessment

Portfolio assessment has the potential to be a valuable instructional tool that can significantly enhance student learning. There are several benefits to portfolio assessment in comparison to other forms of assessment such as standardized testing. First, portfolios can demonstrate a student’s learning over a period of time rather than just at one point in time. Second, portfolios can assess student learning utilizing a variety of assessments allowing students to use various intelligences and/or abilities to demonstrate learning. Third, portfolios should ensure that students are actively participating in their learning and assessment. Finally, educators can review student portfolios at various points in time to adapt instruction to meet individual student needs. Along with the benefits, there are also potential drawbacks to portfolios. The most apparent is developing a consistent and objective rubric to grade student portfolios. Care must be taken by the educator to ensure that all student portfolios are graded equally.  

EDMS 550 - Presentation Critique

At first, it was somewhat strange looking and listening to myself on video. After watching for a few seconds, it was obvious to me that my movements were a bit awkward and that I move my hands quite a bit when I am speaking in front of a crowd. However, each time that I watched myself on video, I became more and more comfortable watching and evaluating my presentation.

There are a few things I learned about myself while doing the video editing of my presentation. First, I need to relax and start my presentation in a more comfortable manner. Second, I need to move around the room more often so I am not rooted in one place constantly talking and motioning to the screen. Third, I need to work on the tone and volume of my voice. I have a mild voice and was very monotone during the presentation, neither of which result in a dynamic presentation that will maintain the attention of the audience. Finally, I need to improve upon my posture and eliminate some of the fidgeting and hand movement that is prevalent when I am speaking. I believe most of the body movement is caused by nervousness and anxiety and can be corrected with practice and preparation before the presentation.

EDMS 550 - Video Editing

For me, video editing simply means making changes to images recorded on video. When a video is initially recorded, there may be undesirable segments of the video the user does not want to retain. The user would review the raw video footage and eliminate certain segments leaving the user with a refined end product. This process would be similar to revising an initial draft of writing, making modifications to eliminate errors and unnecessary content, and to mold the remaining information into a finished product to be used for a particular purpose. Video editing is the same concept, just with video instead of print.

EDMS 550 - Using technology in my lesson plan

For my lesson plan, I created a Prezi presentation to deliver the content. Throughout the presentation, I incorporated a few videos to show the students to break up the oral lecture and to engage the students in discussion. I use one video at the beginning as an introduction and a springboard to the lesson. The other videos provide visual examples of the content in the lesson.

EDMS 550 - What Is Wrong With HTML?

I have no idea if HTML has any shortcomings or if there any issues with using HTML. If there are, I am sure I will learn about them in my next EDMS 550 class.

EDMS 550 - Report finds blogs are on the decline...

A study by the Pew Research Center finds that blogs are declining in popularity due to social media networks like Facebook and Twitter. Typical of me to get involved with a technology ten years after it was popular.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/technology/internet/21blog.html?_r=1&ref=technology

EDMS 550 - Creative Commons Picture

This photo montage of Over-the-Rhine (Cincinnati, OH) is the work of Wholtone. The author released this work into the public domain granting anyone the right to use the work without any conditions. The photo was obtained through a Google search using the Creative Commons licenses. The photo can be accessed via the link commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Over-the-Rhin....

EDMS 550 - Legal Concerns

I have a few concerns regarding potential legal issues when I think about my future in education as a teacher My primary legal concern involves students making false accusations, of any kind, against me. Typically I see these as "he said...she said" situations where the teacher has no real solid defense. Another legal concern I have involves violence and physical confrontations with students. These include situations where a student attacks me or I am in the position of trying to break up a fight between students. Any physical contact between a student and a teacher would seem to invite potential legal issues. Other legal concerns I have are related to student rights as determined by IEPs, Section 504, and other laws granting certain rights and privileges to students.  The concerns regarding these issues center on my ability to adequately provide the necessary modifications and accommodations to students as specified by IEPs and other legal documents.

EDMS 550 - Legal Brief Presentation

http://prezi.com/s6l6vqlrisy3/edms-550-legal-brief/

EDMS 550 - Legal Brief

LEGAL BRIEF

Citation: Board of Regents of State Colleges v. Roth, 408 U. S. 564  (1972)

Topic:  Procedural due process

Issue: Does a non-tenured professor have rights to procedural due process, as granted by the Fourteenth Amendment, after employment at a university has been terminated?

Facts:  Mr. Roth was hired in 1968 by Wisconsin State University–Oshkosh as a non-tenured professor of political science for one academic year. After Mr. Roth completed the academic year for which he was hired, the university did not rehire him for the next academic year. Mr. Roth brought legal action alleging that his Fourteenth Amendment Rights were deprived on two grounds. First, Mr. Roth claimed the university did not rehire him because he criticized administrators at the university during his year of employment. Second, Mr. Roth claimed the university was either required to provide him a reason for not rehiring him or was required to hold a hearing with Mr. Roth prior to deciding not to retain him. A district court granted summary judgment on the procedural due process issue and remanded the case to the Supreme Court.

Findings: The Supreme Court ruled the Fourteenth Amendment did not entitle Mr. Roth to an explanation from the university or to a hearing regarding his employment with the university.

Rationale:  The Fourteenth Amendment provides rights to due process for instances in which “liberty” or “property” interests are infringed. The Supreme Court held that Mr. Roth’s “liberty” interests were not infringed because the university, in deciding not to rehire Mr. Roth, did nothing to harm or prevent him from future employment opportunities. Mr. Roth’s inability to successfully prove the university did not rehire him because of critical remarks he made about the university influenced the conclusion by the Supreme Court that Mr. Roth’s right to free speech had not been deprived. The Supreme Court also ruled Mr. Roth’s “property” interests were not infringed because the university created his employment and the terms of his employment provided no benefit other than employment for one academic year. Since Mr. Roth was employed for the full academic year, his “property” interests to employment at the university were not deprived. The Supreme Court referenced a state law providing for protections for professors employed at state universities. The state law provided due process protections for tenured professors. Mr. Roth, a non-tenured professor, was not entitled to the same protections afforded tenured professors. Therefore, the Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Roth had no recourse, via a hearing or receiving explanations, against the university.

Implications: Several cases have decided issues of procedural due process and the decisions have varied depending on the specific circumstances of each case. The Court did address and define terms such as “liberty” and “property” interests as provided by the Fourteenth Amendment.

Bibliography:  http://supreme.justia.com/us/408/564/case.html

EDMS 550 - A Good Presentation

A presentation is beneficial if the speaker successfully achieves his/her goal in making the presentation. In general, if a presentation is good the audience was engaged and gained a benefit from the presentation such as receiving information, being motivated to do something, or persuaded to act.

EDMS 550 - Journal Review

Harry Steinkamp

Technology and Topics

Journal Review

1/20/11

            The journal article I read is entitled, “Virtual Warrensburg:  Using Cooperative Learning and the Internet in the Social Studies Classroom.” The article was written by a high school social studies teacher explaining the benefits of students working collaboratively using technology to investigate local history topics. In the example project the teacher used in his classroom, students were assigned to investigate a variety of topics concerning the local history of the city where the school is located. Students worked in teams collaboratively to research the assigned local history topic and then created web pages to share and communicate the information obtained during field trips to the city’s historical museum.

            I found this article to be very interesting and potentially very useful to me when I become a high school social studies teacher. One of the primary benefits I obtained from the article was a thorough and detailed understanding of the difference between cooperative learning and group work. The author analyzed the PIES (Positive interdependence, Individual accountability, Equal participation, Simultaneous interaction) model for cooperative learning describing each element that was required for an effective cooperative learning activity. After reading the article, I now have a working knowledge of what cooperative learning is, and I have a working model (provided in the article) to use to create a wide variety of cooperative learning activities to fit different educational situations and meet different education goals as necessary. Not only can cooperative learning be used to study local history topics, but it can be used for other historical research or in place of group activity projects.

            The other primary benefit I obtained from the article was a real-life example of an effective cooperative learning activity utilizing technology designed specifically for a high school social studies classroom that I can use when I become a teacher. The investigation of local area history topics is a universal activity plan that can easily be adopted and modified to any school in the country. If I am teaching in Cincinnati, a field trip to the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, where the historical society is located, is most likely feasible and a good educational experience for high school students. There are also other venues where students could go to research the history of Cincinnati such as the Public Library of Cincinnati and the Underground Freedom Center. There are also a multitude of topics to research and investigate regarding the local history of Cincinnati. Everything from important locations to important people, important buildings, and important events, Cincinnati offers a wealth of potential research topics for high students to investigate and learn more about.

            The article also provided some important information regarding the benefits of using cooperative learning in the classroom. Research was cited indicating learning gains for both low and high achieving students after participating in a cooperative learning activity. Approximately one hundred studies confirm the positive benefits of cooperative learning including long-term retention, intrinsic motivation, time on task, and critical thinking. Students gain important skills such as learning how to collaborate with others, maybe with other individuals from different backgrounds, and how to use technology. Both skills are required skills for success in the twenty-first century work environment, regardless of the career or job one chooses. Additionally, students participating in cooperative learning learn valuable social skills, including respect for others, after working closely with others to achieve a common goal. These facts and statistics are important to know to persuade students, parents, and faculty/administrators of the effectiveness of using cooperative learning activities in conjunction with technology in the social studies classroom to improve both the academic achievement and social skills of students.

Scheuerell, Scott. “Virtual Warrensburg:  Using Cooperative Learning and the Internet in the Social Studies Classroom.” Social Studies 101 (2010):  194-199. Accessed January 20, 2011. doi:10.1080/00377990903493861.

First Blog

This blog was established for my Technology & Topics for Educators course at XU.