My Conference Top 5

I know I posted last week that I would blog about PE technology, but the conference has swept away my attention! So instead, I will make a list of the top 5 (1=best, 5=worst) coolest things I saw/heard about at the conference and why it has relevance to me!

1. Moviemaker!!!!!!!
The workshop in Fulton on MovieMaker was so exciting! I had no idea about all of things that this software is capable of. Pam pointed out one great use for it: subplans! On a day when you know you are going to be absent (because you are going to another professional development centered on technology, hopefully), create a movie to start the students out and get them engaged for the day. I also loved and second everything Pam had to say about the MovieMaker in her blog about the conference. I plan on creating two beginning of the year/welcome back to school movies: one for students and one for parents. I think I'll even give extra credit to the students who e-mail me or post a message on the message board with comments about the movies. As soon as the seminar was over I went out and bought a nice headset with mic and headphone and I am now using it to make a tech related movie for us. As soon as it's finished I'll find some way to share it with all of you!

2. Googledoc. and other network backups
Hot Pot of Coffee (as Ron Burgundy would say)! Why didn't anyone tell me about this before? Thank you, thank you, Karen for talking about tech survival tools in your keynote!! If I had a nickel for everytime I left my flashdrive in the tower at work (or at home) or saved something to my PC and forgot to e-mail it to myself, then I would no longer have to whine about no funding for technology!! I am currently backing up my PC as we speak and I'm making a special trip into work to back that PC up and tomorrow I'm going to campus and backing up my P drive. No more worrying about having all of my documents ready for my tech portfolio! They'll all be backed up!

3.Gizmoz Characters!
I created one just for practice, follow this link to check him out! I used the text to speech tool so he pronounces the conference Mahetch instead of M.A.H.E.T.C., but it's a start.
I'm really glad Tony brought these little guys up. I had seen ads for them and just assumed that they are similar to those spam electronic paper dolls that pop up all over MySpace and other sites targeted towards screenagers. I really liked the ideas Tony had for ways to integrate these little guys into curriculum. I already can think of a unit in which I want to incorporate them. In fifth grade, my science students study space theories and the theorists that came from them. As it is now, I dress in full costume one day and teach the whole class as if I taking them through a time machine to live the life of one of the scientists. But wouldn't it be cool if one of the stops on the time warp was to meet my "friends" (Gizmoz characters representing other theorists of the time period)?!

4.Wikijunior!
I can think of so many ways for my students to use this! There is the obvious use as a research source. But, even cooler, is the possibility for them to practice critiqueing the validity of a source (among other aspects)! By critiqueing Wikijunior books, students would be meeting both tech and content standards as well as developing the life skills I mentioned in my Life Skills Blog and we discussed in our Wikinomics Chapter 9 discussion blog. It also supports a lot of the research I read on digital textbooks (see my blog on digital textbooks).

5.Texting Google
I was unaware of all of the things that you can get sent to your phone by text messaging! I assumed that "all of that stuff" only came with subscribing to web service on your phone! How exciting!

5.5 (Okay, so I cheated) I love how the conference practices what it preaches! All of the session speakers I went to had all of their information on the wiki. Now more collaboration is happening even after the conference is over! Not only that, but by reading the blogs of others, like Tara's blog on Palms for example, I can learn the information from sessions I was unable to go to!

Busted!- The computer myth about carpal tunnel syndrome-Blog 4b

There is a widely believed in myth that computer use can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. But a recent series of studies completed by experts at Harvard Medical School say this is not the case.





What is carpal tunnel syndrome and what are the physical causes of it?


"The carpal tunnel is formed from a U-shaped cluster of eight bones at the base of your palm. A strong ligament arches across these bones, providing a roof for the tunnel. Within it lies the so-called median nerve, which travels all the way from the spinal cord and controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and the fingers. This nerve also transmits impulses to hand muscles that move the fingers and thumb. When the tunnel narrows, it can create pressure that decreases blood supply to the nerve. This decreased blood supply results in the pain, weakness, and tingling that announce the syndrome." ("Computer Use Deleted As Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Cause: More Common In Assembly Line Work")



The condition occurs in 2 %-3 % of adults and can usually be treated with splints or steroid injections, with some 200,000 carpal tunnel surgeries being performed in the US each year. It is often categorized as a "repetitive stress injury," which studies show is a misnomer as it is other factors and not repetitive stress that seem to be more closely linked to the development of the condition.

What factors truly impact the likelihood of having carpal tunnel syndrome?

• genetics


• women are more prone than men


• pregnancy (20%-60% of pregnant women have carpal tunnel syndrome but symptoms subside after pregnancy)


• weight (being overweight doubles the risk!)


• diabetes


• rheumatoid arthritis


• lupus


• thyroid problems


• connective tissue disorders


• previous bone dislocation or fracture

The article also gives ways to determine if you have carpal tunnel and ways to alleviate pain and ways to treat the issues causing the pain.

What's the Issue Here? For the purposes of this class, I thought the most interesting thing about this article is that technology has been "blamed" for carpal tunnel for many years, when in fact it is not directly responsible. I anticipated that carpal tunnel would be yet another issue that would make educators hesitant to require extensive use of computers, like that of the time required to use digital textbooks or e-books. In fact, in the Harvard study, it was discovered that even as much as 7 hours a day on the computer did not impact the likelihood that one would have carpal tunnel syndrome. What a relief! Our students' hands are safe to type away!!

This article had particular interest for me because my cousin just had carpal tunnel surgery. She has some of the factors that the article listed as true factors that lead to carpal tunnel as well as a family history of several more.

What're we gonna do? I anticipated that the solution to this issue would be to modify time spent on the computer, but it turns out that the best way to deal with this health issue is to continue to educate ourselves!

Eye On Technology...Complications-Blog 4a

What is Computer Vision Syndrome?
It is defined by the American Optometric Association as a "complex of eye and vision problems related to near work which are experienced during or related to computer use."
( "Working On the Computer For Hours Can Damage Your Eye Sight?" )

What are the symptoms and effects?
Symptoms are widely varied and children are more susceptible to them than adults. Short term effects include:

• eye discomfort
• fatigue
• blurred vision
• headaches
• accomodative eye focusing problems
• "eyes may be unable to smoothly and easily focus on a particular object, even long after computer work is done"
• "poor tear flow over the eye due to reduced blinking"

("Impact of Computer Use On Children's Vision")

• excessive tearing
• complementary colored lines
• neck/shoulder pain
• double vision
• after images
• waterfall illusion
• motion after effects

(“Working On the Computer…”)

Long term effects:

• reflex photo sensitive
• visual epilepsy
• photo-phobia
• slowness in changing "near-focus"
• accommodation intolerance
• blood-shot eye
• dim-vision
• reduction in comprehension-reaction speed
• increase in error-factor

( “Working On the Computer…”)

Why does it happen?

CVS is caused by many behaviors associated with computer use. For example, Belachew says that when working on the computer, your eye blink rate reduces by 70%! Moreover, our eyes were not designed to be focused at something 2-3 feet away for such long periods of time. ("Working on the Computer"). Aside from that, computers are obviously higher in the field of vision than paperwork would be. As a result, tears evaporate more constantly, thus causing dryness and irritation ("Impact of Computer Use").

It occurs in children because:

• "Children often have a limited degree of self-awareness." ("Impact of Computer Use")
• "Children are very adaptable." Children ignore the physical discomforts that would bother adults enough for them to take action. ("Impact of Computer Use")
• "Children are not the same size as adults." The "most effective viewing angle is slightly downward about 15 degrees." Can most children view a computer at this angle? ("Impact of Computer Use")
• "Children often use computers in a home or classroom with less than optimum lighting." The light in a classroom can be as much as twice as bright as is appropriate for computer use! ("Impact of Computer Use")

Several Factors That Lead to CVS are:

• dirty monitor screen
• improper lighting in the room
• reflections on the monitor screen
• inappropriate (either too much or too little) contrast
• sitting in poorly positioned chair

("Working On the Computer...")

What can be done to prevent it?
Adults ("Working on the Computer"):
Positioning Your Computer:

• You should be able to just see over the top of your computer when in a normal sitting position.
• The screen should be 21-26 inches from your eyes.
• The light coming from behind your monitor and the light coming from behind you should be as equal as possible.
• Make sure light is not reflecting in your eyes, directly or from a reflective surface (besides the screen, obviously).

Computer Settings:

• When possible, use black font on a white background (No matter how boring it is...) because it is most like standard text on a page, to which your eyes are more used to adjusting.
• Get the best monitor you can afford: the dot pitch should be no larger than 0.28 millimeters.
• Make sure the contrast is appropriate. Your eyes should be able to "track" easily. If you are squinting because it is too bright or too dim, then it's time to adjust your contrast.

I was amazed at all these tips, particularly regarding the position of your computer. I was pleased to see that I am in a "appropriate position" for many of them. But if I follow every tip, it's really difficult to find a good spot for my computer.

Kids ("Impact of Computer Use"):

• "Have the child's vision checked." Make sure that your child's vision is good before they use the computer so that any vision problems can be corrected or treated before exposing the child to the types of eye strain associated with computer use.
• "Strictly enforce the amount of time that a child can continuously use the computer." AOA says children should take a ten-minute break every hour to minimize eye focusing problems.
• "Carefully check the height and arrangement of the computer." Adjust the chair so it is of an appropriate height (the same as adult's). Since this usually involves heightening the chair, this may mean using a foot stool for the child's feet (to ensure good body mechanics) and or padding for the seat of the chair itself (mom or dad's lap would be great because then you get together time, too!).
• "Carefully check the lighting for glare on the computer screen." No direct light should come from behind the monitor. In other words, don't put a lamp on the table on the opposite side of your monitor, or put your monitor directly in front of a window. Also, don't allow direct light to hit the screen. How can you tell? This article suggests putting a flat mirror on the screen and see if any light sources hit the mirror, because sometimes glare can be so subtle that you don't notice it on the screen itself but it can still be impacting your vision. If you want to go the extra mile, you can add a "glare screen" to your computer monitor, but it is less necessary these days as more and more computers are flat screens. If you are going to purchase a glare screen, then make sure it has an American Optometric Association Seal of Acceptance.
• "Reduce the amount of lighting in the room to match the computer screen." Use dimmer switches, three-way bulbs, and avoid overhead lamps.

What are the big three?
There are three rules to follow in order to avoid CVS. While these rules may not align with the information above, but they are easy to remember and are generally accepted as good rules of thumb.

1. "When working at a computer, blink often because this rests and re-wets the eyes."
2. "Take breaks from the computer. Use the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds, and look 20 feet away."
3. "Breathe fully, since taking complete breaths is important in relaxing the muscles."

("Working on the Computer...")

What's the issue here? Our ever evolving world not only requires constant change but also constant care. With new innovation comes new concerns. Physical symptoms related to computer use are popping up everywhere because computer use is becoming more and more extensive. But like any tool, if you take necessary precautions, then you can navigate the technological world free of physical harm. A hammer can be dangerous, too, if you hold it by the spikes on the back of it.

What're we gonna do? Avoiding, or at the least minimizing, the health risks and symptoms of constant computer use is relatively simple if you take the necessary measures to ensure that you are optimizing your work area. You wouldn't use a chainsaw without protective goggles, so don't use a computer without making sure lighting and positioning are appropriate. either.

Static, Dead-Tree or Dynamic, Engaging-Blog 3

Yet another new wave in technology (has everyone polished their digital surfboards recently?) are digital textbooks. They come in many forms and have many features and, as with any other new technology, there are advantages and disadvantages to each. But before we go there, let's take a look at student attitudes on the issue.

Student Attitudes

• Students are anxious to move away from "expensive, heavy, dead-tree textbooks." ("Connecticut Teachers 'Bring Physics to Life,' Provide Students with 'Clearer Understanding" from LexisNexis Academic)
• For reasons of "novelty or interactivity," students surveyed prefer digital textbooks ("Paperless Learning"http://www.edutopia.org/paperless-learning).
• One student claims that she "has a short attention span" and "pages of boring text-- it's not interactive enough." ("Paperless Learning")
• However, the same student admits that she would miss books if they disappeared entirely.

Features

Some digital textbooks, like Kinetic Books, have (LexisNexis Article):

• course-long, computer-based text
• automated homework
• interactive simulations (hundreds of them) and animations (thousands of them)
• hours of audio and video
• standards-based text and curriculum

Some digital textbooks, like those developed by Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFBD), have:("Digital Textbooks"http://www.edutopia.org/digital-textbooks)

• computerized text files linked with digitally recorded sound files
• the ability to be distributed over the Internet or on CD-Rom
• "text being read in natural, human voice" rather than synthetic
• "advanced searching and navigation capabilities of computerized 'E-Text' books"

Advantages

• Students with disabilities can learn better from digital textbooks with audio features than with print-based textbooks. ("Digital Textbooks")
• Standards-based curriculum makes it easier for teachers to "fit in" these resources. (LexisNexis).
• Digital textbooks (roughly $25 a student) are typically less than one third of the cost of standard textbooks ($100+ a student). (LexisNexis)
• One teacher says, it engages his students in ways a standard textbook cannot. (LexisNexis)
• Students build better problem-solving skills because of their interactions with the text. (LexisNexis)
• Digital textbooks lend themselves to different learning styles. (LexisNexis)
• Digital textbooks allow students to form a better connection with the content than static textbooks would. (LexisNexis)
• Digital textbook quizzes and homework give students immediate feedback on how they did and provide students with the opportunity to retry. ("Paperless Learning")
• Automated grading saves teachers hours of grading time. ("Paperless Learning")
• When students are working with these "texts" in class, the teacher is free to graze and monitor progress rather than being tied up with lecture. ("Paperless Learning")
• According to one teacher, using digital textbooks in the classroom yields a situation where, "It's a classroom environment where they're leading the charge and the teacher is guiding that learning." ("Paperless Learning")

Disadvantages (many subject to opinion and debate)

• INERTIA and RESISTANCE TO CHANGE on the teacher's behalf is the largest deterrent for digital textbooks (not just digital textbooks, but technology in general, I'd say). ("Paperless Learning")
• Digital textbooks raise the concern that we are requiring that much more time where students are glued to a screen instead of a book. This raises concern both because we are raising student dependence on computer-based learning in place of text and also because prolonged periods of computer time have been shown to cause physical issues (see my future blog on CVS). But one student's response was that she'd be online doing something else if it wasn't this. ("Paperless Learning")
• To develop these textbooks is an "enormous project" that takes considerable time and most textbook companies aren't yet willing to make that leap. ("Paperless Learning")
• The interactivity of these textbooks is more crucial for certain content areas than others (according to some), for example, math and science. ("Paperless Learning")
• Programs that use synthetic speech are more difficult for students with dyslexia and hearing impairments to understand. Moreover, the audio features of these digital textbooks are incapable of "reading" graphics to students that need that support (but how is that any different from a standard textbook?). ("Digital Textbooks")

What's the Issue Here?

There are several issues that digital textbooks attempt to be the solutions for, the most important of which are:

• addressing different types of learners, including students with disabilities
• engaging digital natives
• integrating technology in a meaningful way

What're We Gonna Do?

By using digital textbooks, we are encouraging students to self-regulate, self-motivate and self-learn, which are all skills that we are trying to foster in this age where self-direction is the key to professional survival. Similarly, as one teacher pointed out, it promotes problem-solving skills, not only a key objective for standardized testing but also a critical skill for day-to-day life. Moreover, multiple intelligences, such as visual learners and spatial learners, benefit from these types of interactions and demonstrations. Additionally, it becomes easier for students to reevaluate unclear concepts by reenacting demos and animations.

Harnessing technology in this way, brings information to students in a format that they like and are becoming increasingly familiar with. Digital natives (our students) are accustomed to constant saturation of stimuli and an "old-fashioned textbook" only comes at them with one stagnant page at a time. Therefore, digital textbooks minimize the divide between how students are used to retrieving information and how it is presented in schools.

As reflective educators, we are constantly looking for new, meaningful ways to integrate technology in the classroom. This approach not only engages students but also it does so for a fraction of the cost of its soon-to-be outdated predecessor. Moreover, because digital textbooks can be revised and reissued, they become obsolete far less often than standard textbooks.

Turn Them On to Technology- Blog 2

"Kids Today..."
By many accounts, "kids are hardwired differently." As we read in Chapter 1 of Richardson's Blog, Wiki's, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Webtools for Classrooms, our students are 'digital natives,' who have grown up saturated with technological innovation. The authors of "The Sky's the Limit" (http://www.edutopia.org/skys-limit) concur that our students' expectations of technological convenience and usage are completely different from ours. This is attributed to the fact that anyone high school age or younger is unlikely to remember a time when cell phones, game consoles, and broadband Net access were nothing short of automatic daily essentials.
These sources, and others, also agree that schools fall short of what students are exposed to at home. Students are disinterested at school because they consider it irrelevant. So how do we reach them?

"...Can Be Reached @ the Following Addresses..."
Students need to feel that their personal interests are valuable and significant to their educators. If you want your students to value what you have to say, then you need to show them that you value what they have to say. So how do we do that?
When writing "The Sky's the Limit," the edutopia staff interviewed and polled several students. The students were all too eager to give input on what technologies they should see in their classrooms (see ..."Using These Tools...For the Greater Good." below to see what they had to say). This is significant because one way of reaching your students is simply to ask them. When provided with a forum free of fear of criticism, students openly share their ideas and desires.
In Will Richardson's blog, "TeenTek, Teen Kontent" http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/untitled/, Richardson acknowledges an educator who has created TeenTek.com, a place in which his students blog about what they find "newsworthy and interesting." Richardson praises this educator, "Jeff," for "teaching the tools of the trade in the context of what kids discover as meaningful." Not only is TeenTek, whose slogan is 'Technology by teens for teens - Hardware, Games, Cellphones, Music, Movies,' a great outlet for kids to share their worlds with the rest of the world(s), but also it's a fabulous tool for teachers to use to 'research' the teen viewpoint. After fifteen minutes of reading blogs on TeenTek, I was able to get an 'inside view' of the perspectives of teens all over the world about everything in technology from Pokemon to biosensor helmet makers. TeenTek reminds me quite a bit of this course, in which students can individualize and personalize their education by sharing what most impacts their educations, their professions, their personal philosophies, and their daily lives.

"...So That Information Can Be Forwarded..."
Why is it so important for students to "get their way" (as skeptics may describe it)? Richardson explains in "TeenTek, Teen Kontent," "It's all about helping kids to understand that one of the most powerful things they can do when they have an audience is teach."
Empowering students enables them to become leaders. Giving students the opportunity to speak out garnishes the attitude that Tapscott describes in Chapter Five of Wikinomics: "This new generation of prosumers treats the world as a place for creation, not consumption. This new way of learning and interacting means they will treat the world as a stage for their own innovations." (p. 127)
But Richardson, like so many others (including the author of this blog), fears that schools are not fostering this attitude. Richardson explains this fear and his own expectations of what students must become in his blog, "It's the Empowerment, Stupid" http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/its-the-empowerment-stupid/. Besides being "prosumers" as Tapscott describes them, Richardson coins several other labels (or "tags," in del.icio.us lingo) that upcoming generations must fit under: self-learners, self-selectors, self-editors, self-organizers, self-reflectors, self-organizers, self-reflectors, self-publishers, and self-protectors. For the purpose of this blog, I will simply refer you to Richardson's blog for the meanings of each of these terms. However, I will discuss them in a different blog to be added at a later date. Suffice-it-to-say, both TeenTek.com's program and this course cultivate all of these types of labels.

"...Using These Tools...For the Greater Good."
As promised so many paragraphs ago, here is what teens have to say 'should be' in their classrooms. They appear in this blog in the same order as they do in "The Sky's the Limit." The first bullet beneath each is what the kids had to say about the use of these technologies in the classroom and the remaining bullets are what I had to say about the use of these technologies in the classroom.

The Laptop

• The students interviewed said that using laptops in class would prepare them for the work environment as that is what they expect to be using upon entering the workforce. Moreover, they claim that the laptop is mobile and that way they will always have their work with them. Additionally, one student adds that textbook companies should put textbooks online so students can work on their laptops instead of carrying around all of those books. I wonder if she knows that they have? (see my blog on "Taking It to the Screen" to come later this week)
• My commendations: I completely agree with all of the reasons that the students gave about the use of laptops in the classroom. I would like to add that the students at my school (from grades 9 -12) are required to not only have a laptop but also bring it with them to class each day! Yikes, the wonders of private education! Wouldn't it change the way we teach in public high schools if this expectation were feasible there as well? Wow, what we could do!
• My concerns: Realistically, funding for such an endeavor is near impossible and a laptop is a kind of a large ticket item to put on a public school "school supply" list. Additionally, having students bring these to school increases the danger of theft (the importance of locking your locker would become even more paramount than it already is!!).

The Bluetooth Technology

• The students want the technology that they use in the classroom to be equipped with Bluetooth technology so that the pieces of technology can be more transferable and better able to communicate with one another. Instead of remembering your flashdrive everyday just sync your PowerPoint from your desktop to the laptop hooked up to the LCD projector. The students argue it makes sending information easier and more universal.
• My commendations: Kudos to the kids for understanding the importance of communicative technology and not just "gadgets" in the classroom. Also, making computers Bluetooth compatible is relatively inexpensive in that if the PC is not already Bluetooth equipped, then purchasing a USB Bluetooth toggle can be as little as $20. This was an exciting revelation for me, because it solves my problem of getting my pics from my cell phone to my PC. My PC (it's "old" in computer years) does not have a slot for my memory disk and I do not subscribe to the e-mail service on my phone.
• My concerns: Bluetooth also makes academic dishonesty temptingly easy. Syncing a paper from one laptop to another is a lot less conspicuous than passing a flashdrive back and forth.

The Cell Phone

• A point that the article brought up that I was not aware of was MobilePrep http://mobileprep.positivemotion.com/home/, technology that allows students to use interactive electronic flashcards on their cells. They can study for tests and teachers can upload their own flashcards for students to study from.
• My commendations: This is exciting for me! I think I may play with it this year...
• My concerns: I don't know enough about this one to see the flaws with MobilePrep. I will get back to you on that one but, of course, the obvious concern with having cell phones in the classroom is the potential distractions of texts, calls, etc.

The Digital Camera

• The students suggested taking pictures of whiteboards full of notes rather than taking valuable class time copying notes.
• My commendations: I think the students' suggestion is a good one. I have allotted in my budget to purchase a digital camera and accompanying mini-printer for my classroom this year. I only see some of my students twice a week. If we are working on a time lapse experiment, like growing plants, much happens in between chances for them to observe. This year, I will be able to photograph their experiments while they are away and when then return they can make observations from the photos. Similarly, if students are generating a unique creation, building a bridge for example, then they can take photos of failed attempts and/or stages of their progress.
• My concerns: I hope that digital photography of classroom notes will not make students lazy? Also, how many cameras are you going to have? How many copies of these photos will the teacher need to make...this could get pricey.

The Graphing Calculator

• Besides the obvious math functions of a graphing calculator, students point out that they can search websites using their graphing calculators. Also, they can access references, such as the periodic table. Additionally, they can compose their own equations for physics and other math-based sciences.
• My commendations: Innovative tool. We have here another example of a piece of technology that students can use as a platform for their own innovations (I'm reminded of the IPod hackers mentioned in Chapter Five of Wikinomics).
• My concerns: How do we ensure that a student's work is his/her own?

The Nintendo DS

• The students point out the educational programs available on this console: BrainAge http://www.brainage.com/launch/index.jsp, for one. They also pointed out that you can connect several DSes and race each other.
• My commendations: This is an engaging device with potential for bringing engaging software into the classroom.
• My concerns: Students may be distracted by the other functions of the DS, including the ability to chat/text with each other.

The Video Camera

• The kids point out that teachers could tape lessons and then post them online for students to revisit confusing concepts or visit if they are absent.
• My commendations: The students' idea is a great example of students taking initiative to be responsible for their own learning.
• My concerns: That is an awful lot of added work for a daily endeavor but may be worth while for special demonstrations or presentations. Or is this something the teacher could train students to do? How exciting would it be for a student to be the one who gets to post the video for the day at the end of class?

The Flash Drive

• The kids call it an easy and inexpensive way to bring work to and from class.
• My commendations: I agree, I'd be lost with any of my flashdrives.
• My concerns: It's easily "lose-able" and who is going to purchase them? The school? Or the parents? Again, the issue of academic integrity comes up as well.

The PA System

• Students argue that instead of bells dismissing them between classes, it should be music...of their choosing, of course. As an incentive, perhaps students could be rewarded with the opportunity to nominate songs.
• My commendations: I like the incentive idea. What better way to motivate those students with high music intelligences? My school uses classical music in place of bells at the middle school and high school level. It's a different classical song every trimester. If you're not in class by the time the song's over, then you're late. Both students and their parents yearn for the opportunity for students to select the music instead.
• My concerns: Obviously, we have to censor the music to make sure it is appropriate for school. There is also the possibility that it could get students riled up, depending on the nature of the music. I'm also thinking that this is a bit of a stretch as a use of "technology in the classroom."

The Universal Remotes

• Students suggest that if teachers had one remote that controlled the TV, the computer, the DVD player, etc., then it would save class time and effort.
• My commendations: Another keen observation by the students.
• My concerns: Is this really a necessity?

The Webcam

• The students say they can easily share their thoughts with the world. They also contend that they can communicate with other students all over the world. They say it's easy to install and inexpensive.
• My commendations: The webcam is an exciting way of communicating and adds a more personal element than mere chatting and "im"ing can. My students wanted to have a webcam set up at night to monitor the actions of our pet lizard and have it in a videofeed on our class website. This proved to be complicated for our tech people to set up but at least the kids were thinking. They even offered to raise the money themselves for the equipment needed.
• My concerns: Anytime we are projecting images of ourselves to the digital world we need to be cognisant of who is watching. Students should be aware of the potential security risks there are in sharing personal images online.

The IPod

• The students claim that being able to listen to their IPods would allow them to better focus on their work.
• My commendations: At my school, the middle school art teacher got special permission for art students to wear IPods while working on individual projects. The results were: less socializing and more creative endeavors.
• My concerns: Who is responsible for the IPod? Again, theft and damage become a concern. How do you ensure the content is appropriate for school? How do you make sure that students are not sharing IPods? (I'm envisioning Dante letting Charlene listen to his uncut version of Fergie's "London Bridge" and Charlene going home and telling mom and dad all about the song (and the language) that she learned at school that day...)

The Sims ("the" isn't really necessary but for the sake of congruency: there it is)

• The students claim that Sims, along with Second Life and other real-life computer simulations, allow them opportunities for "social interaction and group learning."
• My commendations: I agree that simulations, when used responsibly, provide students with the environment in which they can learn real world applications of classroom content without the real world consequences and expenses.
• My concerns: The authors of the article and I agree on this one: "The real world is always more interesting than any computer-generated environment, so make time to go outside and play."

"Subject Line"
Here's what is all boils down to:

'What's the issue here?' The issue(s) here are: digital disconnect and student disinterest. They are directly related and, potentially the solution to one another...
'What're we gonna do?' The solution to minimizing digital disconnect, according to these sources, is providing students with learning experiences that involve technology that they both use and ENJOY using in their daily lives. Moreover, giving students input and governance over their own learning empowers them to press forward and exceed expectations.

The picture included in this blog is courtesy of Eyes Wide Apart (http://www.paigepooler.com/ewa/kidsncomps.jpg). I think it really captures the heart of this blog as it shows how much are students are:

• surrounded by technology all of the time
• infatuated with technology
• dependent on technology in their learning practices

Second Life-Blog 1

(just in case the link field doesn't work)www.edutopia.org/school-second-life

Second Life is a participant-built gaming program, which has no preset script and few limitations on what players can do (Wikinomics, p. 126). These participants are called Residents and Residents retain the IP rights to their creations. As a result, all types of users, from businesses to education institutions to individuals can participate "without fear of losing control over [their assets]" (The School of Second Life, para. 4)

What makes Second Life so groundbreaking? Its founder, Linden Labs, “has broken most of the conventional rules for building a multiplayer video game and set the standard for customer innovation in all industries” (Wikinomics, p. 126). This allows Second Life to do things that restrictive business models can’t replicate (Wikinomics, p. 127), in that, Second Life can make a big impact with fewer resources (para. 127) (like Wikipedia does). How? Tapscott, author of Wikinomics, attributes this to “positive feedback loops that are difficult for competitors to reverse” (p. 127).

But besides being an exciting real world simulation, it also shows potential for becoming a great educational tool. Global Kids, quoted in “The School of Second Life” article, states, “Working with youth in TSL is on the cutting edges of progressive pedagogy, so you might want to wait before getting involved if you aren’t willing to lose a little blood along the way.” (para. 13) Some universities are showing that they are willing to lose little blood for the sake of cutting edge progressive pedagogy. Per Dr. Royer’s discussion prompt for Wikinomics Chapter 5, Harvard is on board in a big way and other universities all over the country are investigating Second Life and its youth counterpart, Teen Second Life. Tapscott says, “This new way of learning and interacting means [the new generation] will treat the world as a stage for their own innovations.” (Wikinomics, p. 127)

Universities are not the only major contributors “buying” (only figuratively, participation is free) into Second Life. Several architectural schools are using Second Life (para. 7). Additionally, Reuters news agency, one of the most widely distributed news organizations in the world, “opened an all-digital bureau within [Second Life], becoming just the latest real-world organization to recognize the significance of [Second Life]” (para. 7). One education professional claims, “Teen Second Life has offered us the first place online where we can bring the entirety of our youth-development curriculum, without cutting corners, and then take it in new directions.” (para. 9)

Examples of curriculum potential with TSL:

* Experimenting with natural and physical sciences because of the meteorological and gravitational systems present in TSL (para. 6)
* Participating in “political and cultural exchange” in a “safe, controlled environment” (para. 6)
* Virtual summer camp on a private island in TSL where teens participated in “interactive, experimental workshop learning about global issues such as economic inequality and the genocide in Darfur” (para. 10)
* Students from New York and Amsterdam, collaborating on building hybrid city (para.12)
* Offers leadership, accelerated learning, and collaboration opportunities

To get started, a Resident should (per "The School of Second Life" article, para. 17):
* create an Account (it's free)
* choose a Resident name
* download and install the software
* have the necessary technical prerequisites, such as: broadband Internet connection and a powerful 3-D graphics card

The article offers some helpful suggestions for optimizing success with SL and TSL as educational tools:
* To “experiment with Second Life’s educational potential…play with SL in the mature grid, then move on to creating pedagogical resources that could be rebuilt in Teen Second Life (pending Linden Lab’s approval)” (para. 16)
* Teachers should "plan on building whatever you need once you get on the teen grid, since the Linden iron curtain between the teen grid doesn't allow for easy transfers of inventory (para. 16)".
* In the beginning, “require that students collaborate in building something so they learn how to communicate and can see how a different point of view can affect their creative processes” (para. 15)
* "Start with a list of Residents to talk with and educational sites to visit once you're there (para. 17)," which you can do by following the following links (for official educational page)http://secondlife.com/education and (for the Second Life Education Wiki) http://www.simteach.com/(para.18).
* You can also subscribe to email lists of interest or, as an educator, you can contact Linden Lab directly to discuss potential teaching projects in Teen Second Life (para.18).

What's the issue here? I guess this blog isn't so much of an issue so much as one possible solution to an issue. The issue being: how we can better engage our students in meaningful technological experiences that not only enhance the curriculum of other subjects, but also promote positive learning and life skills in addition to accelerating the student's technological knowledge.

What's the solution? According to this article, Dr. Royer's discussion comments, and Wikinomics' (Chapter 5) discussion on Second Life, Second Life could very well be one such tool that yields the desired outcomes mentioned above.

PS Later tonight when I have more time I am going to play around with Second Life for myself to see if I discover any new tech/ed issues while I investigate. I will add a follow-up blog as I discover new information...

First Blog: A Place to Power Up

http://www.edutopia.org/node/438

This article chronicled the success of a program called PowerUP, a program dedicated to getting relevant technology to underprivileged students and communities. This program began with four pilot sites and as grown to 250 (as of the end of 2000).

This program is designed to address student needs from all angles. It teaches them the basic skills of how to use a computer as well as the Internet, but only as a means of teaching them ways to access and present other information. While participating in the program, students learn first hand the importance of understanding how to use technology and how this knowledge will impact their future. It is also a career-building opportunity as it allows participants to network and develop meaningful relationships with supportive, positive adults and mentors.

This program really excited me because it minimized so many of the "Top Ten" issues we discussed in class today. For example, it minimizes digital disconnect in two ways: one, it teaches students how to use technology that they will need in their everyday lives. Two, even though the primary sites are in schools. Additional sites being added are spreading into the community: in community centers, housing developments and churches. This way students are literally using the same technology at school and outside of school.

Another "Top Ten" issue this program addressed was "Funds." PowerUP utilized one powerful tool to knock down this barrier, one Don Tapscott harps on quite a bit in Wikinomics, NETWORKING, NETWORKING, NETWORKING!!! PowerUP teamed up with big community groups like Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCAS, National Urban League and AmeriCorps*VISTA. This proved beneficial for all involved and everyone had something to offer. The key to making it work was effective communication, which was made possible by devotion and time. For example, AmeriCorps*VISTA members entered schools months before the sites were initiated in order to establish strong working relationships with the teachers so that the teachers would feel more comfortable and more willing to become involved.

These steps taken by AmeriCorps*VISTA members lead us to a solution to another of our big "Top Ten" issues: "resistance to change." Because participants and teachers were given the time, support, guidance, and input needed to feel confident and valued, they were willing to dive into the project, which in turn fueled the program's success!