The first topic I would like to reflect on is Simulation Games. I personally believe that simulation games are one of the best uses of technology in the classroom. Simulation games can be used in a variety of different ways. One of my favorite uses for simulation games is in history. There are many games currently available that allow players to explore history either the way it happened or by changing elements to see different possible outcomes. These games make subjects that students often find boring and unrelatable fun and interesting. The down side to simulation games, mainly in history, is that they are not entirely accurate and students must be taught to see the difference between the game and what actually happened.
The second topic I would like to reflect on is the topic of conducting effective searching with students. More often then not high school and college students use google to look for educational information and will only use the top five websites they see. Students are very rarely taught how to evaluate the website for quality. After reflecting on this I determined that students are not taught how to evaluate websites because of a lack of communication among teachers. Elementary teachers say kids are too young while middle school teachers say it is the technology teachers job while the technology teacher says it is the english teachers job and by high school they're already expected to know how to do it. However, in all of this arguing, no one is actually teaching students how to evaluate websites. The truth is, all teachers should stress this subject in all grades, even in college.
The third topic I would like to reflect on is the use of Search Education. When I first read about the website in the book I believed it was a part of google used to assist teachers with find lesson plans and activities for all subjects. I checked out the website and found that instead of having all subjects, Search Education provided education on how to teach students to search the internet properly. Search Education has the possibility to be one of the best teaching resources I have come across. With Search Education you can select the specific area and level you are looking for and google will provide you with a great lesson plan for it. Search Education also offers daily challenges for students and even has lessons for teachers so that all teachers can master internet searches before teacher their students.
References:
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.
Paxton, S. (2016, February 21). Simulation Games. Retrieved February 21, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjKWRU7ww8A
Search Education – Google. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2016, from http://www.google.com/intl/enus/insidesearch/searcheducation/index.html
One of the concepts in the textbook that I found exciting was the Connecting Possibilities example of High Tech High. High Tech High is a group of charter schools originating in San Diego, California. High Tech High incorporates project-based learning with modern technology and real world experiences. High Tech High has three major categories of learning: Personalization, Adult World Connection, Common Intellectual Mission. Personalization gives every student an advisor who helps with long term goals and allows students to begin their digital portfolio. Adult World Connection places each student with an adult in the community to follow and requires each student to complete semester-long internships. Common Intellectual Mission means that they do not use tracking or higher placement, all children are on the same level.
While I loved the idea of the school, I disagreed with some of the policies. Of the three policies I most agree with the Adult World Connection. I believe it is crucial that students learn how to interact with the world around them as adults before they graduate. As students enter college they are repeatedly told by just about everyone that "You are an adult now, act like it". But no one ever teaches us how to be an adult. We are expected to find a job, but are not given information on how to find one or any experience to help us get hired. I love that the Adult World Connection satisfies many of those issues. Through internships students are given experiences that will allow them to find jobs, as well as improve their chances of college acceptance and teaches them how to behave professionally. By following an adult member of the community students can learn how to behave as an adult, which may be one of the best things a student can learn.
The second concept I reflected on was the learning groups from the instructional methods section. The book briefly explains that learning groups work together to work out and solve problems. I wanted to learn more about group learning so I found an article from Edutopia.org about Teaching Kids the Benefits of Working Together. From the article I learned that being able to work in a team was once an undervalued skill that is now considered an essential in almost all workplaces. While it is great to teach students a skill they will need in the workplace I also found out that there are many benefits to teaching students in small (or large) groups. These benefits include: Responsibility, Social Awareness, Self Management, and Self Awareness. While group learning can be difficult to facilitate, students see an increase in academic ability. This video about The College Preparatory School can help you determine if group learning is best for your class.
The last concept I would like to reflect on is Digital Citizenship. The textbook talks about the importance in developing a students sense of safety and responsibility online. The book also defines Digital Citizenship as what everyone part of the digital community must know to use technology effectively and appropriately. While I believe that is a wonderful practice I also believe now is the time to reform the way digital citizenship is taught. After reading countless articles about how to teach digital citizenship I found that the most common method is to have children play silly games that explain the importance of safety and dull posters telling students not to be mean online. However, all that teachers appear to be doing is telling students what not to do, not actually teaching them. One can tell a child the right and wrong way to do something all day long, but until the student has practiced the lesson, they will not fully understand. Through projects such as online discussions or even blog and social media post based assignments students can fully practice the elements of true Digital Citizenship.
Resources:
Collaborative Learning Builds Deeper Understanding. (2012, December 5). Retrieved February 05, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWEwv_qobpU
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. Munro, S., & O'Brien, M. (2006, October 19). Common Ground: Teaching Kids the Benefits Of Working Together. Retrieved February 03, 2016, from http://www.edutopia.org/common-ground Paxton, S (2016, February 2) High Tech High. Created with Toondoo http://www.toondoo.com/View.toon?param=9691452
