Jim’s Blog

In our technology class we have learned how to use some common tools such as Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.  I can say that even though I consider myself experienced with the Microsoft Office programs I still learned a few new things and I’m glad for it.  What was most useful that I learned was how to be creative with Word.  I mostly have done simple word documents but now I see how I can make elegant and creative documents.  Both serve a purpose.

The most enjoyable project for me was the digital story.  It made me realize that I can be creative and present content in a visual and auditory manner that is effective.  I can see how it would capture the students’ attention.  It was also fun and it therefore emphasizes that using technology to teach can add variety and keep your interest from waning.  I think that overall the class really helped me open up to the possible uses of blogs, applications like Windows Movie Maker, and websites in education.  Before I taking this class I never really thought about the uses of these technologies.  I also realize that there is a lot more out there that I’m not familiar with that would probably be useful.  The value of keeping up to date with technology was realized.

As a science teacher I hope to teach students how to incorporate computer use after lab exercises, like excel to graph data or PowerPoint to present the results of an experiment.  Since I learned that simulations and animations are useful for teaching students about complex science phenomena I hope to explore the use of them in the classroom as well.  I can also see me using websites to organize a lesson for the students.  While it is not feasible to use technology in every aspect of a science class I will consider its use whenever possible.

This article focuses on a study conducted at State University of New York Fredonia titled ““iTunes University and the Classroom: Can Podcasts Replace Professors?,”.  The study compared the achievement of students who attended a live lecture to the achievement of students who watched a podcast of the lecture.  The students who watched the podcast lecture scored slightly higher on a test based on the lecture.  The success was attributed to the ability to be able to stop, pause, and rewind while taking notes, thus the student is active instead of passive and can go back if they miss something.  I thought this was interesting as we are always taught that lecture is not the best way to deliver the content to the students.  I still agree with this, but I do think this study has some value.  First I realize that this study was conducted at a college campus, but I feel that it could probably be applied to secondary education.  No matter how well a lesson is developed, at some point we have to deliver and explain the content.  Certainly a class should not be all lecture.  I also don’t think that the podcast should replace the professor and this probably wouldn’t happen as according to the article “more than 90 percent of students said they preferred “traditional lectures WITH computer-based learning as a supplement for revising” their notes”.  I can see a couple of ways that podcasts could supplement a lesson or an idea at least generated from the concept.  I’m not sure if it is possible but it would be great if the teacher could record podcasts of key parts of the lesson in which students may wish to return to.  Let’s face it, even the best students don’t always get it all, I know I still miss things as a graduate student.  Another use I can see being beneficial would be as a review or synopsis of important concepts that the students may need to refer back to when doing a homework assignment.  I definitely like the idea of students being able to go back to information.  We could argue that students could just use their textbook, but if it’s a podcast maybe they would be more motivated to learn?

I guess I will be repetitive…yes, Stephen Decatur does not have any exciting technology within its classrooms!  At least Eric P. got to see microscopes, I haven’t even seen the microscopes in my science classroom!  In my classroom there is a projector, a TV with VCR/DVD(?) player, and what looks to be old desktop computers.  They do however have access to laptops.

Now, I will comment on Easton High School in Talbot county, where I observed there during the winter semester.  All students have laptops that they carry with them all over the school.  After reading Joe’s blog, I think he might be conerned about this, but let me say first that I noticed very little discipline problems related to the laptops.  I observed students create PowerPoints and do activites similar to our treasure hunt assignment, just less formal.  The students mostly used them effectively and appropriately.  They were focused while completing internet assignments.  One difficulty I can note is that if the server is down, they can’t connect!  This was observed a couple times and it did affect the teacher’s lesson plan.

We have been learning great ideas for utilizing technology in the classroom.  I wonder how many of us will be in schools where we can effectively use the skills we are learning?  I know I will be disappointed if I’m in that boat.  As a science teacher the internet has many uses, as I’ve mentioned before computer animations and simulations are a great way to teach difficult concepts and concepts that cannot be visualized.  Without a computer at every students desk this will be difficult to incorporate.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/news-by-subject/technologies/index.cfm?i=57889&page=1

With the upcoming disbursement of $44 billion to states for educational use comes the question of how to use it.  In an article from eschool news, “What do students want from their schools?”, it is suggested that they look to a survey done by Project Tomorrow.  The results of the Online Speak Up survey were reported at a briefing in March on Capital Hill.  A statement was made that “students can be viewed as a digital advance team: They are early adopters and adapters of technologies, creating new uses for various technology products to meet their various sophisticated needs.”  That statement says a lot about the role of technology in students’ lives.  The fact that students were able to make suggestions about what technologies they feel could be important using an online survey is unique.  They knowledgeable enough to be able to realize the capabilities of the technologies they use in the classroom.  I must admit that I unfortunately am not familiar with some of the technologies students listed as being valuable.

One area touched on in the article is the use of mobile devices; students reported that they would like to see more use of these devices in their learning.  This would include cell phones, laptops, mp3 players, smart phones.  Of course these devices could be a distraction, yet students responded that they would use these devices to communicate with students, work with others on projects from home, and play educational games, do internet research, record lectures to listen to at a later time receive alerts about upcoming homework or tests, or access their schools web portal.  Obviously students have an idea about how to use this technology beneficial manner.

Students also made suggestions about digital textbooks and the capabilities that would exist that are not possible with print textbooks.  They also expressed an increased interest in taking an online class.

I’ve touched on some of the points from the article, if you are really interested in what students had to say check it out.

This report hints at the positive outcomes that the stimulus bill can provide for education.  Phil Portier mentioned in his blog how a governor “is REFUSING the money because the Obama administration won’t let him spend in on paying down school construction debt” (http://psportier.edublogs.org/).  This really is a shameful attitude to have considering the enormous good that can come from this stimulus bill and how it could fulfill some of the technology desires of students indicated in the article.

One final personal note, the fact that students are way ahead of me on the use of some of this technology has me wondering…..

After listening to Dr. Noguera speak at the Riall Lecture at Salisbury University on March 10 I left feeling concerned about our education system.  I get the same feeling of concern when I learned how more scholarly students in countries such as India and China are and how different education is in those countries.  Then to hear that Dr. Noguera state that other less developed countries were graduating more literate children and they don’t even have access to the wealth of technology that us U.S. citizens have really made me question what are we doing wrong?  Mr. Pfoutz touched on the same point that “island nations he [Dr. Noguera] visited had little to no access to technology yet were consistently graduating literate students” in his blog (http://epfoutz.edublogs.org/).

I agree with the benefits Mr. Pfoutz pointed out such as the wealth of information on the internet.  I would like to add that after completing my annotated bibliography on the use of computer simulations to help students learn science concepts that are difficult to understand, are dynamic (mitosis & meiosis for example), and difficult to visualize and the positive results they had on student learning I realize the benefits of technology.  Even with all the benefits of technology we are still not doing a good job of educating every single child.  So what good is this technology if we can’t solve the underlying problems with our education system?  Imagine the accomplishments and learning combined with technology that could be achieved if we could fix the issues of today’s education system.

In reference to the Bayer laboratories where students got to learn in hand on situations, I wonder if it was really the technology that increased their motivation and learning.  Certainly it may have been a factor but, perhaps there were other aspects.  Maybe they felt their mentors had higher expectations for them?  Perhaps they finally felt as if someone cared about them?  Maybe it was the relevance of their learning to real life tasks and situations?  In the end, no matter how good the technology, we still have to focus on other issues.

As a side note, I thought it was interesting how he mentioned the need for an earlier start for children.  I had made the same comment in my blog Sceince education neglected (see below).  His statement helps confirm my feelings on this issue.  How to make it happen though?  One could argue that it should be the parents responsibility to work with their children prior to kindergarten, but I’m sure there are a lot of parents who don’t have the means to or the ability.  Should NCLB apply to kids before they start kindergarten?  Should young children also have the right to a quality pre-kindergarten education?

“Students use iPods for medical school study”, eSchool News

http://www.eschoolnews.com/media/eschoolnews/eschoolnews0209.pdf

Over the next couple years, Ohio State University medical school will be given Apple iPod touches preloaded with medical software that will replace textbooks.  Medical students will be able to use their iPod touches to view high-quality images of organs and body parts, videos showing surgical procedures in detail or calculate medicine dosages for patients.  Medical students can perfect their stethoscope skills and detection of abnormal heartbeats by listening to recordings of heart murmurs over and over.  In addition to being a wonderful resource aid for medical students, “it has a coolness factor to it, and students want to carry them,” said Justin Harper.  Justin Harper is a third-year medical student and helped implement the use of the iPod touch program.  Vice dean, Catherine Lucey stated that they are committed to providing their students with the best tolls available and that she expects iPods will be common use among medical school students all over the U.S.

I actually do not own an iPod, but after reading this article I feel I should go out and buy one!  iPods appear to be versatile mobile mini computers in which you can access internet, store data and media,  play music and view photos and videos.  There are many different applications like Contacts, Calendar, Calculator, Maps, Weather and Stocks that are useful every day.    Will there be a day when iPods completely replace textbooks?  This article reports on the use of iPods in medical schools; will iPods ever become commonplace in secondary education?  It is quite possible that if students have a cool attitude toward the use of iPods that motivation to learn may be increased.  An advantage to using iPods to replace textbooks, especially in the sciences, is the ability to replace static representations of scientific phenomena with dynamic representations, videos or simulations.  Visual and auditory learners would both benefit from the use of a media device such as the iPod touch.  One concern of mine is that the iPod could be used in place of actual dissections when students are learning anatomy.  I hope that the replacement of dissections with video and imagery will never occur because there is still an important value gained from experiencing the real thing.  However, as an aid to dissection the iPod touch is no doubt a winner.

How important do you think science education is?  “Science education in the spotlight” published by eSchool News addresses the concern poor science achievement scores, among other concerns.  Since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act “science has been on the back burner” according to Gary Wheeler, executive director of the National Science Teachers Association.  According to eSchool News 82% of the nation’s 12^th graders did not meet expectations on the 2000 National Assessment of Education Progress Science test.  When compared to other industrialized countries the nation’s students are not ranked at the top. Is NCLB to blame? As a result of NCLB there was a concentrated effort to focus on math and reading.  Some schools that are facing difficulties with getting students to achieve sufficient test scores are forced to focus more energy on math and reading allowing science education to fall behind.  80% of teachers in San Francisco schools during 2007 reported spending 60 minutes or less on science instruction and 16% reported spending no time at all on science.  The statistics are saddening in my opinion (I am after all a science teacher candidate!).  The article also mentions decreased time spent on social studies, music and art as well.

Why is it necessary and acceptable to devote so much time to math and reading at an early age and not other subjects?  Why do schools have to devote more effort into teaching math and reading?  Perhaps math and reading are not being taught effectively at lower grade levels thus the need for more instructional time.  I wonder if children need to be started on basic number and language schools prior to kindergarten, an opportunity generally presented only to kids whose parents can afford to send them to preschool.  Perhaps the government should make it a priority to ensure that all children get proper developmental education prior to K-12.  Why do I feel it is important to devote equal time to science, especially at an early age?  I can recall many experiences that were important in shaping my interest in science, and those experiences started at an early age.  To promote greater interest and achievement in science and to be in the top tier of nations producing top notch scientists I think science education at an early age is vital and the issue of science education needs to be addressed.

You might be asking why science is so important anyway…

Just remember that everyday your life is affected by a contribution from science!

Science promotes advancement in today’s world and will continue to play an important role in solving many of today’s issues.  There are still many (and will always be) unanswered questions and dilemmas facing scientists today.  Consider HIV, cancer, abuse of natural resources (oil), habitat loss, environmental destruction, stem cell research and the list goes on….

As part of my research and technology class at Salisbury University with Dr. Royer we are exploring the art of writing blogs.  This is my first time ever publishing on the internet and I’m excited about using blogs to discuss my thoughts as I work toward becoming a teacher.