Digital Blog Post #C- Chapter 8

Digital Blog Post #C- Chapter 8- Communicating and Collaborating with Social Media

First, when using the power of social media, teachers can communicate with students, their parents and even other teachers around the world, and they do not always have to use emails,texting or blogs as the chapter explained. Surprisingly, this chapter also explains that twitter can be a source of communication for teachers wanting to talk to other teachers in their community or even around the world. "You can search hashtags (#edchat, #edtech, and #ukedchat) for general conversations about education or instructional technology" (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 199). This page also says you can look up #scichat and #scitalk for anything about science, and also hashtags for english/language arts, math, and so much more. After reading about how twitter was a place for teachers to talk to other teachers,  it really surprised me. I actually went on my personal twitter account and read many comments teachers have made and are continuing to make on all of these hashtags. When I become a teacher in a few years to come, I am going to start using twitter to talk to different teachers about different subject matter etc. It will be very interesting to know how other teachers teach their students even when they are complete strangers, and the fact that they could live anywhere in the United States, or even outside of the United States is very interesting to know as well. The video below will explain how to use some teacher hashtags. Along with the video, I am providing a ToonDoo comic that relates to what I talked about above.

Second, When children text now a days, they use textspeak or digitalk, According to Maloy, et al, that way of texting is "an abbreviated collection of symbols and letters that are used for quick communication when using cell phones or text messaging on a computer" (Turner, 2010). One of 3 examples from this book is, "Hey, Wuz ^? Nm here. U look gr8 2day Wht R U doing 2morrow?" When I text my friends, I write to them as if I am actually talking to them in person. So for example, I would of wrote that digitalk/textspeak out properly like this: "Hi, what's up? Not much here. You look great today. What are you doing tomorrow?". Many children today are so use to texting in the improper way that they actually start using it in the classroom when doing classwork, and even at home when doing homework. Yes, I am sure I have texted improperly before, and may still do it here and there, but sense I am in college now, I got myself out of that habit, because it is bad to write that way all the time. When I become a teacher and I notice a child writing this way, I will try my absolute best to get them out of this horrible habit.

Photo credit to Krypto on Flickr

Third, Another form of communication teachers can use to get a hold of students, their parents or other teachers is with something called Skype. Skype is a computer program where you can call people and talk to them through a microphone just like you would if you were talking to them on the phone. When talking over the computer, you can video chat and talk/see the person at the same time. Skype also has an option where you can type back and forth to one another if you do not feel like actually talking or seeing the person your on with. With Skype, Teachers can video chat other teachers that could be in the same building as them, different state or town and/or even in a different country and have their classes meet one another through the computer camera. When I become a teacher, I am going to try and video chat another teacher in the same building as me, and see if we can do a big class lecture together and see if it could work. That would be very interesting to find out!

In Conclusion, Their are many ways for teachers to communicate through social media. You can use Twitter, Skype, blogs, teacher websites, and so much more. When it comes to teachers communicating with students, they will not always get proper English out of their students. Many students are so use to texting with improper English that it sometimes shows up in their school work. That is why teachers are here to help, to make an impact in their students lives in a way that is big or even small!

Resources:

D. (2014, January 26). Twitter Hashtags for Education Explained. Retrieved May 24, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5KU7x1ujqw

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Murphy, S (2015, May 24).Teachers use twitter. Created with Toondoo with http://www.toondoo.com/cartoon/10166947

Digital blog post #2 (optional)

Digital blog post #2- Chapters 2 and 5 (optional)

First, there are many barriers that can be overcome with using technology in today's classrooms. What I thought was interesting when reading through chapter 2 of the transforming learning with new technologies textbook, was about the teachers personal attitude about using technology in classrooms. When teachers have a negative attitude towards technology in the classroom it either means they do not really know how to use technology to make it beneficial to learning or they are just use to the old textbook material learning. Negative attitudes towards technology can be over come if you just try and explore ways it can be used beneficially towards your students. When I become a teacher I will be using technology in many ways so I can make the learning environment in my classroom fun with videos, power-points etc. I will also never make learning boring, and have my students look forward to coming to class.

Second, When reading through chapter 5, I never knew there was so many electronic note taking sights/programs that students can use for there class/homework notes. Personally, I have never used any before besides Microsoft word. To give some examples from the book, there is Notestar, Onenote, and even Microsoft word for note taking an even and option to record your teacher talking in class and you can listen to it after class or when your at home doing your homework. One example in particular from this book  I liked reading about was Onenote. "Onenote, a commercial software program and app for either Mac or PC computers, is a multifacted electronic note-taking option. Onenote serves as a digital notebook for multiple notebooks or binders that can house different types of data with the click of a mouse or push of a button" (Maloy, et al, 2013 p. 106). Also, I have posted a short Video of what Onenote is all about down below. When I become a teacher I will definitely be referring these note-taking options to my future students.

Third, when surfing the web for information for writing tern papers or doing projects it is very easy for students to plagiarize there work. When you want to use someones work you need to remember to always quote it in your work them give them credit within the paper and even on the resources/work cited page at the end of your paper. Plagiarizing can result in getting a 0 on the assignment and even getting a referral (those were the consequences that would happened if you were caught plagiarizing when I was in high school). Here is an article you can look at with rules for avoiding plagiarism so that it will never happen to you when you are writing future papers and making projects!

In conclusion, chapter 2 explained many positive and negative things about using technology in the classroom. It was very big on explaining that things do change and it can be very beneficial for students in the classroom to use technology and to learn from it as well as teachers learning how to use it in the classroom in a beneficial way for students to learn material being taught by using laptops, smart boards etc, and not just always using textbooks. Chapter 5 talked about how to use technology through websites in a beneficial way like finding electronic note taking sights/programs to use, how not to plagiarize peoples work and to always credit them when you want to use there work, how to use search engines etc. It also talked about how cyber bullying takes place on the internet. If you are catch being a bully on the internet or even in school it has consequences so never be a bully!

Resources:

Basic Rules for Avoiding Plagiarism. (n.d.). Retrieved May 17, 2016, from http://wps.prenhall.com/hss_understand_plagiarism_1/0,6622,427073-,00.html

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Murphy, S (2016, May 16). Discussion 2- by Samantha14266. Created with ToonDoo http://www.toondoo.com/cartoon/10126208
 (This picture is about barriers in technology, forgot to make it my picture title).

O. (2013, November 24). Welcome to the all-new OneNote. Retrieved May 17, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bKiatpaacg

My first blog- EME2040

Digital Blog Post #1- Chapter 1

1) First, Technology is used a lot inside the classroom now a days. Students and teachers use tablets, smart phones, and even laptops in ways students can learn with topic related videos or articles they find while surfing the web. With the use of laptops there are 3 basic categories to chose from: Ultra-portable, Thin-and-light, and Midsize. I honestly did not know the types of laptops there are, and I was surprised when I was reading this chapter, because I thought a "Laptop is a Laptop". Little did I know, that was not the case. As referenced by Maloy, et al, in chapter 1, "High quality laptops offer substantial battery life, an easy-to-read screen display in all kinds of light, sufficient memory to run multiple applications, and enough processing speed to handle downloading information and processing files"(2013, pp. 6-7). Although I am not a computer geek, and I have much to learn about computers/laptops, in my classroom I would have a few laptops around the room for my students so they can do projects using power point etc. and also they could do homework. When using technology in the classroom we can all learn things we did not know before about laptops like how they are made and how they work. This article, How Stuff Works explains very well the pieces of a laptop and how it works. 


2) Second, I was very interested to read about TPACK since I had never heard of it before. TPACK stands for technological pedagogical content knowledge. It explains that while using technology for student learning you can use curriculum and pedagogy while not focusing mainly on one or the other when teaching to elementary and or secondary school children in the classroom. I hope to learn more about TPACK and the positives that come out of it through this class. The video I posted below explains more about what TPACK is. Also I will be posting a video below of 2 elementary school teachers in Texas using TPACK with their students. (I know she wanted 3 minutes or less with the videos, and this is about 6 minutes, but I think this video shows TPACK very well!!)

3) Third, Technology devices can be used in many ways in the class room. When people use laptops or smart phones/ipods to go on social media, especially children in this generation, they mainly go on twitter, facebook, instagram etc. to become social with family and friends. It can also be a learning experience for some. As referenced by Maloy, et al, in chapter 1, "An Ipod, for example, is a device to play music. Add a speaker and it becomes an entire classroom listening technology that plays songs, pod casts, and other recordings for students"(2013, pp. 13). Also when you go on twitter or facebook you can scroll upon educational videos or learn all the recent drama their is with celebrities that pop up all over as you surf the web. In a more school related focus, instead of holding around all your bulky textbooks, you can now purchase E-books and have all your reading done in the palm of your hand or on a laptop. When I become a teacher I will be using laptops in my class room and hopefully a smart board as well. Social media can be used educationally in the classroom or for amusement will all these devices out there being sold today. 

   In Conclusion, their is so many things 21st century teachers can benefit from when using technology in their classrooms. It will keep teachers more productive and not always having to read the material being taught from the textbook. When I was in high school I remember when teachers taught word for word from the textbook and how boring it was until we got smart boards. Technology will also benefit the students because they become more out to learn when surfing the web etc. for what they are learning in class and they will also become more imaginative when it comes to projects that are being assigned. Chapter 1 from Transforming Learning with New Technologies is a very good textbook to read to find out some of the many things you can do while using technology in school for learning!

Photo credit to queensu on Flickr

Resources: 

Flores, A. [Ashley Flores]. (2013, June 23). TPACK Example. [Video File]. Retrieved from 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a90EvWfoLU.

Kimmons, R. [Royce Kimmons]. (2011, Mar. 22). TPACK in 3 Minutes. [Video File]. Retrieved 

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wGpSaTzW58.

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.   

Wilson, T., Valdes, R. How Laptops Work. Retrieved from 

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/laptop.htm