Current Issues and New Directions

New Directions

In my current job I do not get to use much technology, unless it is something that my students can do from their phone in class.  It doesn't mean that I did not try.  However, with most of the funding for software and devices going to English because it is the weakest subject at my school when it comes to STAAR.  I believe that it is important that students develop some sort of skill in school or have some sort of aid to help them study for classes.  I believe this week’s reading has really helped define what I can do in the classroom.

Distributed or E-Learning Environments

When I first started out teaching a few years ago I wanted to really set up an E-Learning Environment.  I first began to use Edmodo as a way to develop and e-learning classroom, but I found that no students signed up for it and even when I offered it as extra credit I still had students that would not sign up for it.  Then I switched to Moodle, which was developed to be more of a e-learning environment than Edmodo.  I still had students not sign up, I even created activities for them to do at home for which no one participated or if they did very few of them did.  So I put it by the wayside and have never used it again.  However, I am currently a graduate assistant for the university and part of my job is student tutor students who are trying to take their EC-6 test.  I have begun to develop online learning environments for them to learn and study the materials for social studies.  These students go to the weebly page that I have set up for them and there are lessons and activities that they can do themselves, with me there to guide them.

The learning objectives for E-Learning would be to develop the knowledge and skills for the students who come to be to be successful on their test. The goal would be to learn how to analyze primary source data quickly and efficiently on a computer screen. I attainment of the learning goal would be about the same because either way depending on how you design a primary source activity, either in person or online, it all depends on how the student reads the document.

Networks or WEB 2.0 Technologies

I have yet had a chance to use Web 2.0 technologies in my classroom.  However, I have had certain colleagues tell me what they have done with WEB 2.0 tools in the classroom.  The biggest tool that my colleagues have used was Twitter.  If I were to use Twitter in my classroom, this is how I would use.  As many of you know I teach History, particularly US History, there are several Twitter accounts such as History in Pictures (@EpicHistoryPics), that my students could use.  One lesson that I have thought about doing involves using the pictures that they have on the twitter account mentioned above and have my students retweet one.  Then the other students would have to analyze their partners picture that they retweeted.  A second lesson that I have developed involves tweeting student’s reactions of political debates.  I might use this one this year since we are having our Presidential election this year, it would be interesting to see their live tweets as they watch the candidates’ debate.

The learning goal of using something like Twitter in the classroom would be about getting students to explore the academic side of Twitter, instead of retweeting something that their friends did.  I think it would also be to teach them about the importance of what they tweet, because so of our students don’t realize that what they tweet is there for the world to see.  On an educational historical goal, in relation to the second lesson, it would get them to feel more invested in a political debate when many of them have not reached voting age yet.  I think the online formats of a web 2.0 technologies are good and goals can be achieved better online than in person because of the fact that most students who don’t speak in class because they do not want to feel like an outcast, they somehow are able to find their voice on land which means they learn more in this type of setting than in class.

Digital Games or Simulations

I have used this in class before and it is probably my go to assignment for when I want to review with my students, I turn to digital games.  There are two programs that I turn to when dealing with games, Kahoot or USA Test Prep, the second one deals with getting students prepared to take the EOC for US History.  For the USA Test Prep program, I can have my students do it individual or compete with other students.  I have found that games are usually the best way to review students and catch them up on things they need to know.

The learning goal for anything is to have the students review for things that we have done in class to make sure they have a firm grasp on the material.  I do think that this works better than having them complete a study guide in class because here they are competing with other students, and no matter what most students that are in class are very competitive students.  I am find that out while I am teaching Summer Acceleration because I am using games to stimulate learning.

Issues Related to Instructional Design

I think that for E-Learning the ethical issues would be using people videos and not crediting them for the work that they put into the video.  I know for Web 2.0 tools the biggest ethical issue would cyber bullying, if a teacher doesn't check the hashtag on a regular basis cyber bullying may occur.  This is a big issue in today's world and a teacher must be ever vigilant if they are to prevent that especially if they want to incorporate technology in the classroom. For the last one the ethical issue is how competitive, I know that in my class sometimes the competitive nature of the game goes too far and people get really mad and could start a fight in the classroom.  At home, the question could turn into what will happen the next day at school?

The only program that I do know that helps with a person with a specific learning disability is USA Test Prep.  In almost all the games and activities that you can do online, it allows for the program to read you the question, directions, and answer choices.  Granted the program itself does not allow for the best voice because it is a more computer generated voice.  However, it does allow for greater accessibility than the other things that I have mentioned. 

In almost all the programs that I have mentioned you can design instruction around them.  For USA Test Prep, everything is pre-made for you and you do not have to make anything yourself.  However, you can choose what order to put the activities and lessons in, to make it more beneficial to students.  For the other programs that I have picked for Web 2.0 Tools its more monitoring kids in how they discuss online, but you have already created a lesson to get them to discuss using twitter.  For E-Learning, such as blackboard or Moodle, you make everything so the instructional design is however you wish to make it.

In all the programs that I have picked, the teacher only has to give the students the instructions and then watch them go.  I think that the only guidance that would be necessary would be to ensure that students were following the instructions and that no one was doing something inappropriate.