Summary:
Google says that they have not done anything wrong when they were accused of invading the privacy of students using laptop computers that have the Chrome operating system, the complaint was file in December with the Federal Trade Commission. The complaint claims that Google created the Chromebook in a way that allowed to collect information about student's search history, supposedly the foundation is doing this to analyze, "the activities of students in kindergarten through 12th grade so it can improve its digital services." The complaint insists that Google is violating a "Student Privacy Pledge" that they signed last year stating that it would not use the student's personal information for non-education purposes.
Even though Chromebooks have become popular in schools because some of the models have a favorable price, Google has gotten some of its other products into trouble by violating its users' privacy. In 2012 the FTC decided that Google created a loophole that allowed its, "digital advertising network to shadow the online activities without their consent," and had to pay a $22.5 million fine. As part of the settlement with the FTC Google agreed to period privacy after Google's Safari surveillance mislead its users about the privacy issues.
My Opinion:
I have heard some of the issues involving Google and their disregard of privacy in the past, but I did not realize how severe it had become. It makes me want to reconsider using Google and Chrome in the future. I think that students, teachers and parents should read this article and consider the pros and cons before they use this company.
Monday, February 22, 2016
Thursday, February 18, 2016
7. "Life on Mars" Summary and My Opinion
Summary:
When I first started reading this article, I thought that we were actually living on Mars, but it turns out they are participating in a simulated Mars or sMars in Hawaii that started in late August 2015. A crew of simulated astronauts including a space architect, an engineer, three scientists and a crew doctor live in a dome at 8,000 feet above sea level on a barren side of a volcano for one year and one day.
Their training included how to use the power systems, the correct way to tap on the water tank, how to get correctly get into a space suit. At first they did not receive must attention, but once "The Martian" came out they started to receive more attention, but they could not do anything about it. They were on a 20 minute communication delay just like it would be if they were actually on Mars, if something happened and they needed help it could take hours, but in the mean time the crew would have to take care of it.
The author of the article state that they have, "learned to repair, repurpose and rebuild things in ways they never would have before and value is based on its usefulness, that includes an object, a task, and even a person." Just like life on Mars, life on sMars is elemental; it revolves around sun, water, air, rocks, and what they can and cannot do with them in the right combinations.
My Opinion:
I did not know that this was going on, I had heard that they were talking about doing a simulator, but I did not realize it would be on this size of a scale. I think eventually humans will live on Mars, or the Moon if things keep going the way they are. It will probably be towards the end of my life, or it is possible it won't be in my lifetime that we somewhere other than earth, but from what I read in this article it we are getting really close.
When I first started reading this article, I thought that we were actually living on Mars, but it turns out they are participating in a simulated Mars or sMars in Hawaii that started in late August 2015. A crew of simulated astronauts including a space architect, an engineer, three scientists and a crew doctor live in a dome at 8,000 feet above sea level on a barren side of a volcano for one year and one day.
Their training included how to use the power systems, the correct way to tap on the water tank, how to get correctly get into a space suit. At first they did not receive must attention, but once "The Martian" came out they started to receive more attention, but they could not do anything about it. They were on a 20 minute communication delay just like it would be if they were actually on Mars, if something happened and they needed help it could take hours, but in the mean time the crew would have to take care of it.
The author of the article state that they have, "learned to repair, repurpose and rebuild things in ways they never would have before and value is based on its usefulness, that includes an object, a task, and even a person." Just like life on Mars, life on sMars is elemental; it revolves around sun, water, air, rocks, and what they can and cannot do with them in the right combinations.
My Opinion:
I did not know that this was going on, I had heard that they were talking about doing a simulator, but I did not realize it would be on this size of a scale. I think eventually humans will live on Mars, or the Moon if things keep going the way they are. It will probably be towards the end of my life, or it is possible it won't be in my lifetime that we somewhere other than earth, but from what I read in this article it we are getting really close.
Monday, February 15, 2016
6. "What does research really say about iPads in the classroom?" Summary and My Opinion
Summary:
Even though the research on teacher integration is limited it has been found that teachers are resistant to fully integrating of iPads and technology into their class rooms, due to lack of training, access and time. Jeanne, an elementary and part-time professor, and Tanya, an university professor and former special education teacher, both love technology and using it as a teaching tool. "They had their university assign fifteen pre-service teacher interns to the elementary school that Jeanne is a teacher at," and trained them to use iPads in the classroom as a teaching tool, and how to troubleshoot problems.
It is necessary for all teachers to have training in order to use an iPad effectively even though "younger" teachers are often presumed to naturally know how to use technology. Even though this belief is popular not all of them know how to use technology to, "design and implement lessons." Both with children and without children, the interns were given time to "play" on iPads and were able to go into classrooms and help teachers with their lesson plans and planning ideas.
Just like it was wrongly assumed that younger teachers know everything there is to know about technology, kids also do not fully understand it and do not know how to use it. Children also need training and elementary students need to know how to respect and care for the iPads. Children also need to be taught how to correctly and safely use Google, Safari, and Chrome.
Project Based Learning is one of the main reasons why iPads improve classroom learning; they can be used to reach a wide variety of students at every grade level, learning disabilities, reluctant learners and gifted students. As a teacher uses technology the more comfortable they will be with it in their classroom and the more beneficial with will be to them and their students.
My Opinion:
I use to be against technology in classrooms, but as I read more articles I am learning how it can be beneficial in a classroom. It personally makes me feel better than I am not the only one my age that does not understand technology and does not know how to include it in my classroom; even children need training and help with it. I still do not think that teachers should completely rely on it, but if it will help my future students improve and provide a level playing field I will give it a chance.
Even though the research on teacher integration is limited it has been found that teachers are resistant to fully integrating of iPads and technology into their class rooms, due to lack of training, access and time. Jeanne, an elementary and part-time professor, and Tanya, an university professor and former special education teacher, both love technology and using it as a teaching tool. "They had their university assign fifteen pre-service teacher interns to the elementary school that Jeanne is a teacher at," and trained them to use iPads in the classroom as a teaching tool, and how to troubleshoot problems.
It is necessary for all teachers to have training in order to use an iPad effectively even though "younger" teachers are often presumed to naturally know how to use technology. Even though this belief is popular not all of them know how to use technology to, "design and implement lessons." Both with children and without children, the interns were given time to "play" on iPads and were able to go into classrooms and help teachers with their lesson plans and planning ideas.
Just like it was wrongly assumed that younger teachers know everything there is to know about technology, kids also do not fully understand it and do not know how to use it. Children also need training and elementary students need to know how to respect and care for the iPads. Children also need to be taught how to correctly and safely use Google, Safari, and Chrome.
Project Based Learning is one of the main reasons why iPads improve classroom learning; they can be used to reach a wide variety of students at every grade level, learning disabilities, reluctant learners and gifted students. As a teacher uses technology the more comfortable they will be with it in their classroom and the more beneficial with will be to them and their students.
My Opinion:
I use to be against technology in classrooms, but as I read more articles I am learning how it can be beneficial in a classroom. It personally makes me feel better than I am not the only one my age that does not understand technology and does not know how to include it in my classroom; even children need training and help with it. I still do not think that teachers should completely rely on it, but if it will help my future students improve and provide a level playing field I will give it a chance.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
5. John Hunter, The World Peace Game
John Hunter is a public school teacher who created the World Peace Game in 1978.
His first job was in Richmond, Virginia teaching gifted students. There were no manuals to follow, no standards in gifted education. He was determined to declare a space for his students where they could create and make meaning out of their own understanding.
The game started out in an inner city urban school in 2978 as as a four foot by five foot plywood board. He was creating a lesson for his students on Africa. He put all of the problems of the world there and wanted to solve them he wanted them to be, “immersed and learn the feeling f=of learning through their bodies,: instead of his just lecturing or book reading. It has evolved into a four foot by four foot by four foot Plexiglass structure with four Plexiglass layers. It contains:
An outer space level with black holes and satellites and research satellites and asteroid mining
An air and space level with clouds that they push around
A territorial air spaces and air forces
A ground level and sea level with thousands of pieces on it
An undersea level with submarines and undersea mining
There are four countries that the kids get to make up the names of, some are rich, some are poor. The countries contain:
Different assets, commercial and military
Their own cabinet
A Prime Minister
Secretary of State
Minister of Defense
CFO or Comptroller
Mr. Hunter chooses the Prime Minister based on his relationship with them, but they can turn it down. The students also choose their own cabinet. The game also contains:
A World Bank
Arms dealers
A United Nations
A weather goddess who controls a random stock market and random weather
The game not only contains all that is listed above, but also a 13 page crisis document with 50 interlocking problems. Some of the problems are:
Ethnic and minority tensions
Chemical and nuclear spills
Nuclear Proliferation
Oil spills
Environmental disasters
water rights disputes
Breakaway republics
Famine
Endangered species
Global warming
He also puts a a saboteur in the game, the child is trying to save the world on the surface, but they're also trying to undermine everything in the game. “They do it secretly through misinformation and ambiguities and irrelevancies, trying to cause everyone to think more deeply.”
They are also reading some of “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu, the 4th graders, “understand how not to follow, at first they do, the paths to power and destruction, the path to war. They learn to overlook short-sighted reactions and impulsive thinking, to think in a long-term, more consequential way.” One of the Ideas for this game came from Stewart Brand with a CoEvolution Quarterly article on a peace force and some of students have created a peace form in the game. The students run the game, Mr. Hunters is just the “clock watcher, clarifier and/or facilitator.”
Hunter says that every game is different, some are more about social issues, economic issues, warfare, etc. He also says that, “if only they could pick up a critical thinking tool or creative thinking tool from this game and leverage something good for the world, they may save us all. If only.”
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
4. "10 Most Engaging Uses of Tech Integration" Summary and My Opinion
Summary:
There are many effective ways to use technology to enhance students' education and engagement.
A few examples of audio/video feedback are Google Docs, screen-casts, Evernote, Livescribe pens and many more. They provide timely feedback from teachers to students and most students say that they found it to be more, "personal and informative and it keeps them engaged." This type of feedback is especially beneficial to students who are visual and auditory learners.
When students create digital portfolios with the intention of sharing for comments and critics by peers, teachers and parents. The blended model combines technology and the direct instruction method, it has increased engagement and, "extended the learning beyond the formal learning setting." Ms Gupta had her students watch video lectures at home then when they come to class they have collaborative group discussion and problem solving. She also videotaped her lectures for students to re-watch as many times as they need to. Some might be concerned that students would become disengaged as they do when the direct instruction method, which usually has poor results. Gupta said, "while it is easy for students to zone out our gets disengaged during the lectures, it is hard to do so when students are working in small collaborative groups with teacher floating around to address their misconceptions."
It has been found that using blogs and Facebook groups as learning tool helps to enhance students' engagement on and off the school's campus. Judy Willis states that, "In humans, the dopamine reward response that promotes pleasure and motivation requires that they are aware they they solved a problem, figured out a puzzle, etc." This method is very beneficial to young children, but it still applies to older children and even teenagers.
If students have the option to choose their issues and select their own partners they are more likely to drive the conversation resulting in stronger projects. The article states that, "the best projects are student driven and student led. If students are given mini designs projects, it not only keeps their attention and interest but also teaches art and tech skills. Technology allows classes to do projects that involve the entire class with more ease than if it is done with paper. For example Kerry Gallagher had her students study a topic, put digital copies of drawings in an online folder. They then proceeded to create a QR code for their peers to scan to access images on their devices; they were then projected onto a screen for the entire class to be discussed.
Instead of teachers collecting all of the tracking data, ask the students to start tracking their own progress that includes, "informal conversations about their leaning, feedback on papers, feedback and progress notes from prior assignments, a list of strengths students feel they are developing based on standards, a list of challenges students feel they need help with based on the standards, 3 goals the student would like to accomplish by the end of the 2nd marking period, and any questions students may have about the course."
My Opinion:
While new technology is being created, the old technology is being improved. It is inevitable to not use some kind of technology in the present day classroom. After reading this article I am realizing how important and beneficial it is to not only students, but also to teachers. There are so many more outlets and resources for students now and most include some type of technology. I do not think that everything on this list would be ideal for the type of classroom I will be teaching, but most of it will. I am learning to embrace technology as it is being improved and I have some experience with most of the items on the list and I can say that I personally had a good experience and it was beneficial.
There are many effective ways to use technology to enhance students' education and engagement.
A few examples of audio/video feedback are Google Docs, screen-casts, Evernote, Livescribe pens and many more. They provide timely feedback from teachers to students and most students say that they found it to be more, "personal and informative and it keeps them engaged." This type of feedback is especially beneficial to students who are visual and auditory learners.
When students create digital portfolios with the intention of sharing for comments and critics by peers, teachers and parents. The blended model combines technology and the direct instruction method, it has increased engagement and, "extended the learning beyond the formal learning setting." Ms Gupta had her students watch video lectures at home then when they come to class they have collaborative group discussion and problem solving. She also videotaped her lectures for students to re-watch as many times as they need to. Some might be concerned that students would become disengaged as they do when the direct instruction method, which usually has poor results. Gupta said, "while it is easy for students to zone out our gets disengaged during the lectures, it is hard to do so when students are working in small collaborative groups with teacher floating around to address their misconceptions."
It has been found that using blogs and Facebook groups as learning tool helps to enhance students' engagement on and off the school's campus. Judy Willis states that, "In humans, the dopamine reward response that promotes pleasure and motivation requires that they are aware they they solved a problem, figured out a puzzle, etc." This method is very beneficial to young children, but it still applies to older children and even teenagers.
If students have the option to choose their issues and select their own partners they are more likely to drive the conversation resulting in stronger projects. The article states that, "the best projects are student driven and student led. If students are given mini designs projects, it not only keeps their attention and interest but also teaches art and tech skills. Technology allows classes to do projects that involve the entire class with more ease than if it is done with paper. For example Kerry Gallagher had her students study a topic, put digital copies of drawings in an online folder. They then proceeded to create a QR code for their peers to scan to access images on their devices; they were then projected onto a screen for the entire class to be discussed.
Instead of teachers collecting all of the tracking data, ask the students to start tracking their own progress that includes, "informal conversations about their leaning, feedback on papers, feedback and progress notes from prior assignments, a list of strengths students feel they are developing based on standards, a list of challenges students feel they need help with based on the standards, 3 goals the student would like to accomplish by the end of the 2nd marking period, and any questions students may have about the course."
My Opinion:
While new technology is being created, the old technology is being improved. It is inevitable to not use some kind of technology in the present day classroom. After reading this article I am realizing how important and beneficial it is to not only students, but also to teachers. There are so many more outlets and resources for students now and most include some type of technology. I do not think that everything on this list would be ideal for the type of classroom I will be teaching, but most of it will. I am learning to embrace technology as it is being improved and I have some experience with most of the items on the list and I can say that I personally had a good experience and it was beneficial.
Monday, February 1, 2016
3. "Digital Tools Evolving to Track Students' Emotions, Mindsets" Summary and My Opinion
Summary:
Sidney D'Mello said that, "emotions have a powerful influence on cognition." Academic researchers are developing computerized tutoring systems that are personalized for each student. The information that is gathered is based on the student's, "facial expression, heart rate, posture, pupil dilation, and many more." This is used to detect and analyze if the student is bored, confused, and even their overall engagement, which leads to the, "computer avatar to respond with encouragement, empathy, and maybe a helpful hint."
Even though there is increasing power and affordability of technology that tracks eye movement, voice recognition, and many other, it may take a few decades for the applications to be available for whole classrooms. MIND Research Institute's math software, that is widely used, is not only to develop math skills, "but also curiosity, perseverance, and a mindset that mistakes are powerful learning opportunities." This software would be able to recognize the strengths and weaknesses on many domains of individual students then customize problems. At the moment, "MIND Research Institute gauges mindset and character traits that are primarily on a average second grade level."
Mindprint Learning on the other hand uses several online cognitive assessments to create customized profiles of how individual students learn including, "everything from verbal reasoning to spatial perception." Similar to other programs in this field they are trying to create a "user-friendly" version that both teachers and parents can use to create a personalized learning experience.
My Opinion:
To a certain degree I think that these types of programs will be beneficial to students and it is going to give teachers insight on how their students think and the way that they learn the best. The fact that the programs will be designed specifically for their individual needs and will help them in areas that they need help in; I think will be a good contribution to education. I do not think that we should rely on computers completely and it should not take the place of the teachers. Even if the the computer can sense your emotions and help you, a teacher can provide reassurance and help in a way that a computer can't.
Sidney D'Mello said that, "emotions have a powerful influence on cognition." Academic researchers are developing computerized tutoring systems that are personalized for each student. The information that is gathered is based on the student's, "facial expression, heart rate, posture, pupil dilation, and many more." This is used to detect and analyze if the student is bored, confused, and even their overall engagement, which leads to the, "computer avatar to respond with encouragement, empathy, and maybe a helpful hint."
Even though there is increasing power and affordability of technology that tracks eye movement, voice recognition, and many other, it may take a few decades for the applications to be available for whole classrooms. MIND Research Institute's math software, that is widely used, is not only to develop math skills, "but also curiosity, perseverance, and a mindset that mistakes are powerful learning opportunities." This software would be able to recognize the strengths and weaknesses on many domains of individual students then customize problems. At the moment, "MIND Research Institute gauges mindset and character traits that are primarily on a average second grade level."
Mindprint Learning on the other hand uses several online cognitive assessments to create customized profiles of how individual students learn including, "everything from verbal reasoning to spatial perception." Similar to other programs in this field they are trying to create a "user-friendly" version that both teachers and parents can use to create a personalized learning experience.
My Opinion:
To a certain degree I think that these types of programs will be beneficial to students and it is going to give teachers insight on how their students think and the way that they learn the best. The fact that the programs will be designed specifically for their individual needs and will help them in areas that they need help in; I think will be a good contribution to education. I do not think that we should rely on computers completely and it should not take the place of the teachers. Even if the the computer can sense your emotions and help you, a teacher can provide reassurance and help in a way that a computer can't.
Monday, January 25, 2016
2. (cont.) "A Teenager's View on Educational Technology" My Opinion
For the majority of this article I agree with the author and her opinion on educational technology. I think with the technological advancements that are occurring that it is inevitable for tablets or laptops to not be incorporated in the classroom. I think that there are more students who do not understand technology and do not know how to use it than schools think, therefore if schools want to use this kind of tools they should offer bootcamps to both students and teachers to help them understand. I personally do not want to use google classroom or evernote, because I like to take notes the old fashion way, and I like to have a physical document, but I do see how they would be beneficial. I have recently discovered google drive and I find it to be very useful especially when I have to save documents and I forget my flash drive; it was also useful to me when I participated in group projects, because we had different schedules and our teacher was able to give us feedback quickly. I have been using Khan Academy for the past six years and it has helped me immensely with my school work, I highly suggest it.
I think teachers should not limit reaching their students through twitter, because not all students have it, I personally do not. I can see how interactive whiteboard would be beneficial when and if the programs have been updated. I am trying to learn and understand technology, because I know that when I start teaching I am going to have to be to use it in my classroom and help my students with it as well.
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