Approaching 14/15

As I teach Digital Citizenship, Web Design, Programming, and IT Comm Tech, pretty obviously my classes are technology rich. Regardless, all the software still is specific to solve a problem or accomplish a task, not just software for software's sake. Even so, I am constantly finding new programs and apps  to use, such as Socrative for class polls and Memiary for keeping track of group projects. Many of the concepts from this class clearly indicate how the constant evolution of technology in students' lives make it a vital requisite to "keep up".

The single most memorable aspect I will take with me is "Engage me or Enrage me".

I am constantly "volunteered" to lead professional development/in-house training/workshops for teachers, staff, and the community. Sharing works.





What do you see yourself using in the next year?
What will be most helpful in your professional situation?
How can the information you learned over the past 18 weeks be used in the rest of your school and/or corporation?

Learn by using Technology

Over my 34 years at Gibson Southern, my curriculum has evolved from just Programming to the rich and varied classes we currently offer. How can we teach students to learn by using technology?

Let me give 10 quick examples from the classes I teach:

• Photography & Editing through using digital cameras and Photoshop
• Expressing Themselves through Twitter, Facebook and Blogs
• Deliver a Message through Slides
• Personal Finance through Sheets
• Accounting Concepts through QuickBooks
• Collate Data through Internet research
• Organizational Skills through Access
• Think Scientifically through Structured and Object Oriented programming
• Design and Layout through InDesign
• Artistic Expression through Fireworks

What about demonstrating mastery without explicit requirements?

The last project in my Web Design class has only the following instruction: Make a website about yourself.

While not stated, the expectation is that the sites will include:

• Navigation Spry
• Photoshopped images
• Flash animation
• Links to other sites
• Cited material from other sites
• All covered principles of good web design.

All of the concepts covered during the entire semester - demonstrating their entire skill set - is the logical final step of a semester of projects. 

Atmosphere

I wish I could say that the totality of my current classroom atmosphere was "self-control". For the vast majority of my students, hopefully, giving them quality guidance towards completing relevant projects incorporates their own sense of intrinsic accomplishment. The vast majority - unfortunately there are a few that require a gentle push at regular intervals to keep them on task. Another term I recently encountered that aptly describes the typical teenage student is "constant partial attention". Rather than seeing this as an unsolvable problem I see it as just another challenge as part of the educational process.

As stated by others, those with successful classroom management techniques tend to not realize their success or seem to need to focus on classroom management. The continuum across control by authority, control by technology, and self control might better be described as a 3-pronged approach rather than separate entities.

I propose that the singular requisite resource is the ability of teachers to function in the setting that best works for them.

Stakeholders

There are three commonalities between diverse groups of stakeholders when it comes time to deal with technology integration.

What have you done for me lately?
Stakeholders should receive hard evidence that technology use improves student motivation, improves test scores, and is an integral part of the educational process.
Black is this year's pink.
Technology is not a fad and is not a passing fashion. Technology is not going to be used for technology's sake but rather as a crucial tool.
The check is in the mail...
A 1:1 approach can actually reduce costs through replacing the need for textbooks alone. It will be a cost effective means to reach curricular goals.

21st Century Skills

There is a rather large corporate entity at the northern edge of our school district that manufactures world-class quality vehicles (No name - but Let's Go Places). They are an excellent community neighbor. I was at a meeting a few years back where our Superintendent was basically asking: "What would YOU like us to be doing to prepare our students for the work force after college?" We pretty consistently send 85%+ of our graduates on to post-secondary education.

Their answer was quite simple about the qualities they wanted in a potential employee:

1) Be able to work as part of a team

2) Be able to express yourself clearly 

3) Come to work to work

Notice - no mention of robotics, STEM, technology, Cultural Touchstones, Extra-Curricular Activities, Sports (gasp! heresy!), Fine Arts - and so on. 

I have to say this heavily influences me to pick "Ways of working. Communication and collaboration."

I need to focus on building students' abilities to work together. I do many team projects. The not-so-hidden agenda is about getting everyone in the group to contribute - using each person's strengths - developing leadership - accepting a team role.

I need to focus on what I consider a multiple layered approach to communication - being able to deliver content in multiple formats tailored for diverse and separate methods from 7 seconds in Vine to overkill minutes in YouTube and/or from brevity in Twitter to the verbosity of a Blog post (not mine, of course).

   

 

Philosophy of Education

Civilizations have two choices: to progress or to stagnate and decay. The stereotypical person (not just school-age) most often makes decisions based on extrinsic short-term rewards and follows the easy traditional path. In the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes, “We are all tattooed in our cradles with the beliefs of our tribe.”   Education is the fundamental way to preserve values and knowledge to enable growth. A teacher therefore strives to encourage the skills and attitudes needed to develop the competent individual who is intrinsically motivated to take the road described by Robert Frost as “the one less traveled by”.

My personal objectives as a Digital Citizenship / Web Design / Computer Programming / Information Technology and Communication / Tech Support teacher are threefold. The first objective is to cultivate the skill sets necessary to solve problems using technology tools. The second objective is to nurture a life-long work ethic of constant improvement characterized by Stephen Covey as “sharpening the saw”. The third objective is to foster a mindset of organization, collaboration, communication, experimentation, and synthesis.

There are cultural touchstones and scientific concepts that are the root system for a developing mind. Yet, rather than planting a regimented orchard, students must be treated, as stated by John Stuart Mill, as “a tree which must grow and develop itself on all sides.” Every individual is just exactly that – an individual who learns best in different ways at different times at different stages of development.  

Class content must be genuine – perceived and acknowledged by students as relevant – and constantly evolving. Methods and curriculum must not stagnate.  The standards set for my students can be no less than the standards I set for myself.

1. I look forward to sharing the experiences of the other members in this class on our mutual voyage of discovery  of better ways to use the 1:1 environment to enhance our teaching.

2. We are just finishing the first year of our Chromebook rollout. We have found some (easily bypassed) potholes on our journey!

3. Since I am in a technology-specific curriculum area, I hope to pick up tips and techniques with my fellow teachers.