Activity #11

Problem	Steps to Solution	Teaching Students
There is not sound coming out of the student computers.	1.       Check to make sure speakers are plugged in to the correct place on the computer. 2.       Make sure the speakers are turned on and have power from an outlet/electrical source. 3.       Make sure the master volume is not muted for the computer. Muted            Not Muted 4.       If all of these are working, check the speaker properties in the control panel àsounds and audio devicesàgeneral properties, to see if the speaker’s inner workings are working correctly. 5.       Contact the technology coordinator.	I would provide the students with sample speakers that have different problems with them.  Students would follows these steps to figure out what is wrong, maybe a plug came undone, computer was muted, or a different cable is necessary.
I can’t connect to the network.	1.       Make sure the network cable is connected properly. 2.       Ensure that the LED lights are blinking, which means the network is working. 3.       If the LED lights aren’t blinking, try reconnecting the cable. 4.       Try another wall/floor jack or use a different cable. 5.       Contact the technology coordinator.	I would give the students computers with different network problems, like a plug unplugged, network turned off, or no power source for the network.  The students would follow the solution steps to solve their problem.
My computer keeps freezing up on me.	1.       Stop clicking and let the computer “process” the information. 2.       Ensure the computer is responsive by hitting the caps or number lock on keyboard. 3.       Press ctrl + alt + del and open task manager 4.       In the task manager see if any programs are not responding, if yes, close the program. 5.       If none of these works, reboot the computer by holding the power button to force a shutdown. 6.       If the problem persists, contact the technology coordinator.	I would explain to the students if the computer is freezing they should STOP clicking, typing, etc. immediately.  Then, we would practice the other steps, checking keyboard, ctrl+alt+del, and closing programs.
My printer won’t print.	1.       Make sure all wires are correctly plugged in to the computer. 2.       Make sure printer is on and has power from outlet/electrical source. 3.       Make sure the printer you want to print to is the one you selected. 4.       Check the printer for a paper jam (remove paper if necessary) and ink/toner levels (replace ink/toner if necessary). 5.       Contact the technology coordinator.	I would set-up different problems and have the students work through the steps to figure out what is wrong.  One computer might be set to a different printer, wires unplugged, or low ink/toner levels.
My SMARTboard pens aren't working.	1.       Calibrate/Orient the board. 2.       Right click the smart board icon in the bottom right tray and select “orient.” 3.       Tough the nine locations to calibrate the board. 4.       Ensure all four pens and the eraser are correctly in their pen trays.	I would have each student calibrate the board and follow the remaining steps, ensuring all pens and eraser are correctly in their tray.

Module 11 Reflective Post

Computer Troubleshooting for Teachers and Students Summary:     

      

                This website is dedicated to help teachers and students solve common technical difficulties that occur in the classroom.  The website provides possible ways of troubleshooting problems with hardware and software, like Microsoft office, speakers, keyboards, etc.  The website breaks down each “topic” and provides general steps to take when experiencing a problem.  The table format is used to provide teachers/students with step by step instructions on fixing a certain problem.

A Computer for Every Student and Teacher: A Lesson Learned about Planning and Implementing a Successful 1:1 Learning Initiative in Schools Summary:

                This article summarized the results from twelve North Carolina Schools that implemented a 1:1 learning initiative.  This article shares the necessary factors including: deployment, wireless network, hardware and software tools, policies and procedures, support personnel, professional development, school leadership, and sustainability to successfully implement a 1:1 learning initiative.  The feedback from both teachers and students was used to help other institutions implement a system similar to the ones observed in the study.  The article recommends that at least six months of planning should be completed prior to implementing a system like this, and often times, it will help to adopt policies and procedures used by another school, and adapt them to your own school’s system. 

One of the negatives for teachers was the fact that not all students had their laptops every day.  Sometimes, students’ laptops were being repaired, were left at home, or they didn’t have it because they didn’t have the money for the insurance policy.  These factors limited teacher use of laptops, and made it difficult for teachers to utilize the full potential of their lessons.  Students also had some negative reports regarding where to keep laptops stored during downtimes (such as lunch).  Schools had to develop places to store the laptops so they were safe and secure during the downtime in the classroom and elsewhere throughout the building.

Reflection:

                After looking at the website, I feel this is a website every teacher should be exposed to before the school year.  During my mentorship for EDFI585, I’ve been working with our technology coordinator.  It is amazing to me to see some of the things teachers complain about being broken that are easily fixed by following the guidelines on this site.  Often times, our coordinator will walk in, check one or two wires, and the problem will be fixed.  I know most teachers don’t think to look at those types of things, but students can be very clumsy around wires at times and accidently unplug or loosen an important wire.  By looking at this site, teachers can save themselves and the technology coordinator valuable time.

                The next article was very interesting in terms of implementing 1:1 learning initiatives.  I hadn’t really thought about all the planning that needed to take place prior to implementation.  It was very eye-opening and helpful to see some of the struggles and successes of other schools that were implementing this.  One of the biggest problems I would foresee in my own district is the insurance policy.  A lot of the families in my district would have a very difficult time trying to find the funds to cover the insurance cost for their children’s laptops.  I’m sure we could tweak and develop different terms to help them out, but this would be a consistent problem for our district.

Activity #10

Activity 10 Option 1
For activity 10, I connected with Naftal Mandi, a teacher at a Tanzanian University.  Naftal attended BGSU and has made several trips to the U.S.  I met him through our librarian, who is teaching our current sixth graders about Africa.  Naftal has helped to put us in contact with several schools throughout Africa.  Right now, we are working on an African study through an Edmodo group.  Our students posed questions to a school in Tanzania to find out information about their day, weather, food, hobbies, etc.  In return, the African school’s students also returned questions and answers.  By the end of the year, it is the goal to have a Skype class with the African school, but this is still being worked out with timing, materials, etc.  Our sixth graders are making posters, pamphlets, booklets, etc. to display their newly gained knowledge of the African Culture.  I hope to remain in contact with Naftal through Facebook and e-mail as we continue this exciting connection.

Module 10 Reflective Post

Educating for Global Competence: Preparing Our Youth to Engage the World Summary:

                In chapter one of this book, the focus is on three forces that shape the lives of Earth: flattened global economy and changing demands of work, global migration, and climate instability.  With these forces in mind, companies are looking to hire people with a certain skill set and knowledge of their surroundings on a global scale.  To help prepare future employees (students), there are several skills that can be focused on in the classroom.  While it is important for students to understand the concepts of math, reading, writing, science, etc. they also need to be well-versed in their cultural traditions and worldviews, examining how they affect one another.  When thinking in terms of competence on a global scale, teachers should keep these four questions in mind:

What topics matter most to teach?

What exactly will students take away from a unit, project, visit, or course?

What will students do to learn?

How will we know they are making progress?

To address these questions, the book suggests focusing on design principles that will support global competence among students.  The book shows us an Earth Science lesson that promotes global competence among students and allows us to see how a teacher can affectively prepare their students for the growing demand of the 21^st Century.

Sister Cities & Sister Schools Summary:

The goal of Sister Cities & Sister Schools is to promote collaboration between communities on a global scale.  The technology we have available today has helped support this organization and promotes growth amongst the citizens of the world.  The communities can collaborate to complete projects and share their values, traditions, and backgrounds with one another.  The connections that can be made using technology (Skype, Facetime, blogging, etc.) help to promote a global understanding of diverse communities, cultures, and way of life.

Virtual Field Trip – Hershey’s Chocolate Summary

                The trip takes us through the Hershey’s Factory in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  We see how all the beans are processed, refined, and formed into the chocolate we know and love.  The field trip shows students the entire process behind the making of a chocolate bar, kisses, etc.  This field trip helps promote a global competency because it shows where the beans come from (South America) and how they farm the beans and ship them to Hershey.  The students can see how many people and machines the beans come in contact with and how a global collaboration is necessary to make the famous chocolate.

OERcommons Summary:

                Open Education Resources (OERcommons) is a website that students and teachers alike can visit to gain access to a wealth of resources.  The resources include lectures, courses, modules, lessons, quizzes, tests, homework, etc., worldwide.  The resources are available for nearly every grade level, subject, and topic, which allows all users to find value in this site.  Users can also network and collaborate worldwide using OER.  This will allow students/teachers to experience a diverse learning environment and connect to people across the world. 

Response:

                Preparing students to be global citizens and have global competence through the use of Sister Cities & Sister Schools, OERcommons, and virtual field trips will benefit future generations throughout their education and lives.  The 21^st century is about teamwork/collaboration and overcoming obvious differences in opinion, ideals, and values worldwide.  IF students understand, communicate, and make connections with people around the world, they will be able to be courteous of other opinions and different ways of thinking.  The virtual field trips help students realize the importance of worldwide collaboration and how beneficial it can be when people from different backgrounds work together to create a common product.  Global competence will continue to grow and expand as technology grows and expands giving people more and more ways to communicate, connect, and collaborate as a planet.

Reflective Post #9

Tweeting the Night Away: Using Twitter to Enhance Social Presence Summary:

            In the article, we learn how twitter can be used to help enhance the online classrooms to engage students in the missing “social presence.”  Twitter can be used to replace the social interactions that would occur outside of a normal classroom (i.e. passing a professor, talking to classmates, etc.) that wouldn’t happen in an online setting.  The recurring theme made throughout the article is the fact that Twitter is outside of the “classroom” setting to allow more flexibility than tools such as discussion boards or chat rooms that are part of the online system.  The article then points out some other positives that Twitter can offer, like fast responses to questions and setting up meetings outside of class time.  Other benefits include connecting with a professional community, supporting informal learning, and maintaining ongoing relationships.  Possible drawbacks for using Twitter include poor grammar (less than 140 characters), addictive, and time-consuming.  In conclusion, if users establish relevance for students, define expectations, and model effective use, Twitter can be a huge success and enhance the social and cognitive levels of students.

The Design of an Online Community of Practice for Beginning Teachers Summary:

            This article addresses the issue of teachers leaving the profession because they feel overwhelmed with a lack of support.  One way to combat this growing trend has been to provide a mentor teacher to help beginning teachers.  The mentor teachers can help provide guidance and assistance in struggling or under-developed areas for beginning teachers.  Another way beginning teachers can get help is with resources like lesson plans, relevant links, and materials.  EdNA Online is one resource site for beginning teachers to help relieve some stress from lack of materials, lesson plans, etc.  Using mentors, online resources, etc. can help retain teachers in the field and improve student outcomes.

What Parents Want in School Communication Summary:

            Anne O’Brien shows us a survey to help schools build positive relationships with the community and student’s parents.  Parents want the news to be as fast and easily accessible as possible.  This means using online resources to help provide parents with the information they want.  Parents want to be able to access information like: grades, policies, concerns of slipping students, etc. regardless of the child being elementary or secondary.  Again, most parents seem to want the information as soon as it is available to the public, so utilizing emails, websites, etc. is very important amongst community-school communication.

Five Steps to Better School/Community Collaboration Summary:

In the article, we are given five helpful steps to create a strong community-school collaboration to help improve classroom success.  Expanding our vision of school to include community is the first step to improvement in the classroom.  Community members helping in the classroom can help students relate to the information better.  The next step is reaching out to all stake-holders by contacting them and collaborating with them to help meet the needs of students.  Creating a resource map can help students understand the types of resources available outside of the school setting.  Connecting the curriculum to the real-world is another way to help relate the community to the classroom.  Finally, designing a challenge for the community can help promote collaboration amongst students and community members who might otherwise be uninvolved.

Reflection:

            After using Twitter this week (and in a previous class) I think it would be very beneficial to have Twitter discussions with a class.  Building solid relationships outside of a classroom setting can be very beneficial.  With a site like Twitter, you can pull resources from all over to bring to the table.  One drawback for me, would be the fact that I can’t utilize this in my own classroom very well, as kids are “underage” for Twitter usage.  If anyone has any suggestions about this, I’d be willing to hear them.

            Being a second year teacher, I know the struggles that many beginning teachers face in regards to “extra” work.  Some of the programs that are designed to help beginning teachers I feel do more harm than good.  Especially at this point in time, where OTES is being implemented, standards are changing, and testing is changing gears, something like the RE program just adds more unneeded stress.  The premise of the program sounds great, but when you break it down, it is just more “busy” work that the beginning teacher has to go through.  Now don’t get me wrong, there are several areas (reciprocal observations, observations, and discussing lessons) that are beneficial, but for the most part, it is busy work.  Most of the “assignments” were completed in student teaching, and year 1 and year 2 are the exact same thing.  The binder creation is important, but who is checking over these binders?  For most of the work I’m doing outside of the classroom, no one is seeing it except for my mentor and me.  When you finish a year, you complete a piece of paper to send in saying it is completed.  Again, who is looking at your completed work?  It seems to add more stress to beginning teachers and mentors to find time to meet and discuss assignments, observations, and planning on top of the everyday duties of the job.

Reflective Post #8: Digital/Participation Divide, OLPC

The New Literacy: Scenes from the Digital Divide 2.0 Summary

Part One:  The article first looks at the original definition of the “digital divide,” where people were separated by access to technology.  Now, the digital divide has evolved to be those who are “at home” with technology and those who are not.  The article compares the divide to past controversial divides, like printing the bible, and explains how the divide will grow wider for people on the “wrong” side.

Part Two: Part two looks at research done by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation into the realm of digital learning.  Connie Yowell, the director of education, looked at numerous factors, including gaming to see how it impacts learning.  Studying an 8yr. old boy led her to see how he was using technology for Pokémon and looking at the websites a 14 yr. old girl would visit, helped support Yowell’s statement that “the classroom is no longer the primary learning site.”  The article concludes with Yowell’s final thoughts on students and teachers collaborating with technology.

Part Three: The reader is introduced to Howard Rheingold, an author and professor, who advocates the use of social media to increase understanding of digital literacy.  Rheingold promotes the use of Web 2.0 because of its ability to “mobilize new, powerful forms of collective action.”  Using social media and manipulating the available tools (Wikipedia, YouTube, etc.) can lead to problems being solved faster than they’ve ever been.  Rheingold finishes by saying that this new approach challenges the thought of the teacher as the authority and students memorizing facts for “regurgitation” on a test.

Part Four: Here we meet Mike Wesch, a Kansa State University professor.  The reader is taken through his viral video and the thought process behind it.  Mike shows us the information available online, and some sites used to collaborate and share that information with one another.  He presents his point of people collaborating to achieve a common goal by arranging/organizing information online into our own personal “web page.”

Part Five: Part five takes us back to the digital divide and a “deeper” look into its history.  We see the different time frames as the divide evolves from people not having a computer to people not having access to internet, and how this impacted jobs, schools, etc.  We meet the NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration) and what their purpose was, as well as how their organization ceased during the Bush Administration.

The Participation Divide: Content Creation and Sharing in the Digital Age Summary

The article starts by showing how people are now able to share their works without limitations online.  They can provide access to others and collaborate to promote their creations.  The dilemma is, women are under-represented when sharing their works online.  The article tries to investigate what the cause of the dilemma is, whether it is lack of sharing from women or if people take women’s creations less seriously.  In the end, we find out that certain individuals are more likely to create and post their works online, depending on key factors such as socioeconomic status, gender, etc.  The digital media is making it easier for people, but the participation divide is clearly separating those who are posting their works, and those who are not.

Finding a Place in Cyberspace: Black Women, Technology and Identity Summary

In this article, Michelle Wright, researches the impact race and gender have on the use of technology.  Wright looks at the digital divide and discusses how factors like income, household, race, etc. effect/impact it.  She had interviews with three separate women to learn their experiences in the field of technology and how they see these limiting factors effecting the growth of African American women using the web.  Wright also presents us with the percentages of internet use per month and shows us that Latinos and African Americans are number 1 and 2, respectively.   Wright finishes by showing the rise in African American women who hold jobs/attend universities focusing in technology.

Slamming the Closet Door and Taking Control: Analysis of Personal Transformations and Social Change as LGBT Podcasting Blazes a Trail of Democratization of the Media Summary

The article shows us the use of podcasting, what it is, and what can be done with it.  Podcasting is available for anyone with access to a microphone, internet and a computer.  People can record their cast and upload their audio for all to hear, respond to, etc.  The article looks at the “podcast revolution and how it was used to give LBGT adults a “voice.”  This movement allowed anonymous users to express their feelings, beliefs, etc. and share their values with the general population through podcasting.  Podcasters gained a sense of community and acceptance through the sharing and collaboration of their beliefs and ideals. 

One Laptop Per Child Videos Summary

In part one, we learn the mission of the OLPC to provide one laptop for every child to use worldwide.  We are introduced to the XO, a cheap, functional, and rugged laptop given to all students to help them grow in their education.  We also learn the 5 principles of OLPC: 1. kids keep the laptops, 2. focus on early education, 3. no one gets left out, 4. connection to the internet, and 5. free to grow and adapt.

In part two, the question “Why?” is asked.  We see how the XO can help students around the world gain an education, to better their lives and solve persisting problems.  We learn that the laptop has solar power capabilities to deal with low-power areas, they are rugged, and kids can use the laptops for music, drawing, pictures, etc.  We also see how students using the XO learn and how they are beneficial.

Can One Laptop per Child Reduce the Digital Divide and Educational Gap? Evidence from a Randomized Experiment in Migrant Schools in Beijing Summary

OLPC looks at how the laptops they’ve already donated are affecting children around the world.  We see that math scores have risen in areas, students are more focused and have higher self-esteem in school work, computer skills, and other positive effects.  The OLPC is trying to eliminate the digital divide, and working toward worldwide computer efficacy.  Although progress has been made, the OLPC points out that more data/research is needed before more schools and/or governments invest in this program.

Response:

  After reading through the articles, I have changed my view on the digital divide and feel it is a bigger presence than I thought.  I never really thought about race or gender as factors that would impact collaboration online, and I didn’t think about the participation of online users as part of the digital divide until reading the article.  Looking back now, I can see the participation aspect in other areas of technology, not just creating/sharing original works.  If you look at the world of gaming, you can see the same types of participation divides arising and it is similar among other online topics.

The OLPC is doing great things to help lessen the digital/participation divide.  I hope that their goal is one day met to provide every child a laptop that can connect them to other children around the world.  They would gain computer skills and enhance their classrooms like the examples given in the videos.  This would also give students access to vlogs and podcasts online. 

I have mixed feelings on podcasts in the classroom.  I do listen to podcasts from time to time on iTunes.  However, at times I get bored with just listening to a voice talking to me, and occasionally I stop the recording before it’s over.  I know students who would love to listen to a podcast on a topic rather than do a hands-on activity or watch a slide show, so they can be very useful in the classroom.  Giving students podcasts as an option could help engage students who aren’t normally engaged.