What, So What, Now What Migrant ESL High School Students Succeed Using Networked Laptops

Knox, C., & Anderson-Inman, L. (2001, February). Migrant ESL High School Students Succeed Using Networked Laptops. Learning & Leading with Technology, 28(5), 18-21. Accessed November 12, 2012, from ISTE. WWW.ISTE.org

What: In this article by Carolyn Knox and Lynne Anderson-Inman entitled Migrant ESL High School Students Succeed Using Networked Laptops it is about technology for Spanish speaking students. It explains how student that do not speak English as a primary language do not understand the material given to them in secondary schools. The technology available to them is note takers and speech to text. It describes how program works and benefits students that don’t speak English as a first language. The authors go over the results of this program and in detail explain the 5 results. These five results are Student Success in School: higher grades, Individual Migrant Student Lifestyles, Student Acquisition of Bilingual Literacy Skills, Teachers in the Classroom, Student Acquisition of Technology Skills. The article also explains the benefits of wireless note taking devices for these students, allowing for the difference in language and reading skill.

So What: this is important because many students that we as educators may have in our class may not speak English as a first language. As an educator it is my job to ensure all my students have the same opportunity to learn and retain the information. Some of the students that do not speak English as first language tend to get board, or skip class, or just don’t try. So it is important to have access to the technology that can help these students learn and feel a little more comfortable in the classroom.

Now What: I fully intend to incorporate this technology into my classroom if I am faced with students that do not speak English as a first language. Students need all the help they can get especially if they do not understand the language the lecture is being presented in. being in southern California this will probably be a common problem I as an educator are faced with. I will do every thing in my power to make sure my students have the tools necessary to succeed in my classroom.

What, So What, Now What: Beyond Words

Porter, B. (2006, May). Beyond Words: The Craftsmanship of Digital Products. Learning and Leading with Technology, 28-31. Retrieved November 10, 2012, from ISTE. www.ISTE.org

What: In the article Beyond Words by Bernajean Porter she describes how important it is for students in the 21 century to not only have narrative skills but multimedia skills as well. She describes hoe images are important because people process visuals better than narrative text. She says students should have skill in creating things such as a photo essay. The photo essay uses photos to ensure understanding. The next thing she says is that sound is just as important as the pictures. She says sound should not be just background noise but it establishes tone, feeling, mood, and emotional context of the story. She also says that voices should not just be reading of the narrative but using a variety of tone and pith to keep the audience captive. She says the next important thing is the design of the product. She says using technology is an art form. She says the design is an extension of student’s ideas and imagination. It is just as important to have good design that doesn’t take away from the main message of the project.

So What: this becomes extremely important in the 21 century. Students need a variety of multimedia to use and master because visual for the new age of learning. Because students can learn better by visual then reading it is important to be able to use the technology at hand to correctly convey the message at hand.

Now What: As I become more and more learned on technology available for students and teachers I will do my best to incorporate these cool technology applications into my classroom. I think it is important that students learn not only writing skills but also it is important to learn how to use the technology available to them. It is also important for the students to make sure the bells and whistles of technology do not take away from the main points of their project or paper.

What, So What, Now What Capturing Stories, Capturing Lives: An Introduction to Digital Storytelling

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Jakes, D. S. (2006, December 29). Capturing Stories, Capturing Lives: An Introduction to Digital Storytelling. In JakesOnline. Retrieved November 9, 2012, from http://www.jakesonline.org/storytelling.htm

What: In this article by David S, Jakes called Capturing Stories, Capturing Lives: An Introduction to Digital Story telling he describes step by step processes for students and teachers to create a digital story board. He shows us not only why this is important but how it works. He goes through the process so any one can follow it. Step one is writing; the first step to any storyboard whether it is digital or written is writing the story, or an out line. Students can and should write and rewrite their storyboards so the best message is conveyed. The next step he describes is the script. He says the scripts are the building blocks to the storyboard for the movie. This is important so the storyboard will deliver meaning to the story. The next step is the storyboard. The storyboards are the main ideas of the writing and narrative. This also allows the student to draw an imaginary scene of the movie. Students can be very creative with this depending on how their vision of the movie goes. The 4^th step the author says is to locate the multimedia of still photos or videos that convey the message of the storyboard to a more concrete and personal video.  In the 5^th step he says that students use the technology available to them to create the storyboard using all of the aforementioned steps. He goes into detail about how to create the storyboard. The last step once the student has finished the digital story is to share their final productions and stories. This is important so students can be proud of their hard work and effort in the digital storyboard.  He tells the different things students should learn such as an authentic personal learning experience and using technology to convey and complete a message and their vision of a personal story.

So What: why is this important. It is important so students can relearn to use their imagination and use their creativity that is more than just a paper. This broadens what the students can do to convey a message or story. It gives the inspiration back in the hands of the students. Most of us have drawn or doodled a comic book at one time or another this is just another way to tell a story and one that visually and audibly entertains the students and their intended audience.

Now what: I am sure that we will use this information in class as a teacher. As a student it is good to know how to do this because papers get bring sometimes and power point only have limited creativity. By using a digital storyboard as a student and a teacher you can break the monotony of classroom instruction. You can allow for more creativity with the projects at hand.  I surely intend to use this technology in my classroom so my students are open to their imagination and I don’t have to read so many papers.

Build an Assistive Technology Tool Box

Ahrens, k. (2011, November). Build an Assistive Technology Tool Box. Learning and Leading with Technology, 22-24. Retrieved October 13, 2012, from ISTE

What: This article describes how there are programs that can be installed for special needs students. It shows how to go about getting your IT support to install programs for special needs students. It describes what features are available for special needs students and what the primary function of the program is. It shows what programs are out there such as magnification for students that have trouble seeing. There are also on screen key boards, voice over or narrative and other different ways to help students with special needs use a computer.

So what: This is important to an educator because you never know when you will have a special needs child in your classroom. With technology becoming such a big part of our lives this will help make it easier for students with special needs and teachers so they can help special needs students. I know as an educator I have had special needs students in my classes I know how stressful it can be for both the teacher and the student.

Now what: As an educator I will get together with my schools IT department and have them install these programs if they are not already installed. It is important to remember that educators are there to help all there students. It may be stressful for the educator but think of how stressful it is for the student. If one of these programs can help a student understands and succeeds than it is our duty to ensure these programs exist on campus for our students.

What, So What, Now What: Learning Connections: Students Dig Up Dirt to Learn about Internet Safety

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Morehouse, J. (2012). Learning connections: Students dig up dirt to learn about Internet safety. 34-35. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-leading/issues/september-october-2011/learning-connections-students-dig-up-dirt-to-learn-about-internet-safety

Students Dig Up Dirt to Learn About Internet Safety:

What: In this article by Jesse Morehouse, he describes how easy it is for any one to find information on people over the Internet. He allows his class to try and find facts about him on the Internet. He also has them try and find as much information as they could in 20 minutes on a complete stranger. It was scary how much information students could gather one someone in the course of just a few minutes. Then in the article he showed how to accurately set privacy settings on social networks so that strangers could not look them up. It was an experiment in Internet safety.

So What: this is important to anyone who has a digital footprint. Internet security is a big deal and should not be treaded lightly. He has given his class profound knowledge of keeping their information safe, and keeping themselves safe. This is important for all Internet users. Any one who has a digital footprint should keep their privacy in mind when making profiles or blogs. It is not difficult to find information about people who have a digital footprint.

Now What: I can use this article in my own life and rethink my privacy settings on my own social networks. I can also use this article in my own classroom to ensure the safety of my students and their information. All teachers to ensure their students remain safe from Internet predators should use this safety technique. I can also help my parents and family by creating safe Internet practices for them, to help guarantee their safety as well as my own safety. I would recommend to all who read this blog to look at their own privacy settings and change them accordingly.

How to incorporate digital learning into the classroom

Using model 3 of the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T), area d which says model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning. This standard uses technology in the classroom to help students open up the vast knowledge of research and learning.
   
There are many sites out there that are already incorporated into vast databases such as jstor or ebscohost. These tools are great for search academic journals and research tools. I have used these databases many times in my own education career. As a historian I often use these sites and others to do my own research for various papers and projects.
However it can be very difficult to incorporate these items in an already established classroom. In a book found at ITSE web site at http://www.iste.org/images/excerpts/REINVT-excerpt.pdf explains how to incorporate technology into the classroom. The book main points are starting the journey; teachers are learners too, getting ready, and investment.  Starting the journey states that the students are more than ready to start new technologies in the classroom. The up and coming students are pretty much born with the technology and know how to navigate it. The article says that the time put into the technology project is worth the effort. That any thing put into the classroom the students will get ten fold. It also says that learning in a technology based classroom will enhance the students learning.

The aspect that teachers are learners too according to the book relates that in order for the teachers to utilize the technology to its fullest they must learn to use it properly. Teachers are life long learners. And must continually update their notion of technology.

When getting ready according to the authors an educator must do a few things in order to get ready for the switch to technology in the classroom. Such as the way the engage with students, classroom management, help students maintain technology. The teacher must also be willing to rearrange desks
and rearrange your plans to what is out of date and what should be kept.

All of this is an investment to the student’s use of technology in the classroom. As an educator you would invest time, money, skill. The more an educator invests the more a student will get out of the course. (Boss & Krauss, 2007)

This excerpt covers model three of the NETS-T, that of which digital age and learning
the second source I have found to include technology for students is http://www.iste.org/images/excerpts/JRTBK1-excerpt.pdf
this source covers challenges for educational technology research and measuring teachers technology uses.

The challenges for the educational technology are Unrealistic expectations for technology-based reform. Lack of consensus on research questions and methodologies. By educators. Diminished role of research in school reform. These all can pose a problem with technology in the classroom.

The article shows how to measure teacher’s use of technology by samples and methodology, literary reviews. It also measure simple things like teacher preparedness or the amount of emails regarding class are sent. Many numbers and graphs throughout the entire basis of technology in school are calculated and recorded to make sure that the technology is being used to its maximum potential. (Schrum, 2010)

Boss, K., & Krauss, J. (2007). Reinventing project based learning. Retrieved from             http://www.iste.org/images/excerpts/REINVT-excerpt.pdf

Schrum, L. (2010). Consideration on technology and teachers. Journal of Research on       Technology in Education, Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/images/excerpts/JRTBK1-`       excerpt.pdf

What So What Now What from toy to tool

Kolb, L. (2006). From toy to too: Audioblogging with cell phones. Learning and Leading with     Technology, Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/store/my-virtual-products

What: In the article From Toy to Tool by Liz Kolb she describes how cell phones can be used as a tool in the classroom. She states that students can use cell phones for audio blogging and doing interviews .she describes how she used to be skeptical about allowing cell phones in the classroom. But over time she has begun to allow students the use of cell phones because that’s how today’s students communicate with the world. She says that the phones can be used to blog, conduct interviews, take pictures, and record videos. However she does state problems with the allowing of cell phones with in the class. She brings up content control issues. She says that students could blog inappropriate materials but she counters it by saying that teachers can control the blog and allow what they think is appropriate content to be submitted. She also says there could be a problem arises with copy right issues. She says that students could potentially violate copyright and privacy issues. But she does counter that by saying that she would have the students sign a copyright and privacy contract. She also states there may be a problem with the cost. But again she counters with that most students do have cell phones and those that do not can use hers or she can allocate budget to buy phones and plans for use as a technology tool. (Kolb, 2006)

So What: The significance behind this article is to show that cell phones are no longer a toy in the classroom but can be used as a very innovative tool. I learned that cell phones can be used to create an audio blog that will download right to the blog. This makes the assignments very easy, but the students have to stay on task, and not play or text when they should not be. This has impacted my learning by allowing me to open my self to the option of allowing cell phones in my future classroom.

Now What: In the future I will give the possibility of cell phones as use of a tool in my classroom. Before reading this article I was strict about not having cell phones in my classroom. But now I know that they can be used for direct interviews and blog posting I may allow them.