Breathe-KY Convergence Conference October 10, 2009

The past week has been a little crazy for me. I started the week by trying to get all of my grades in STI for our 9th week grades at school. I normally try to do this as I go, but with my speech practices starting, preparations for our Homecoming at church, the fall festival at our school, and normal teaching and home duties, oh yeah…and classes, this has been a feat to say the least. I had to get my lesson plans and copies done ahead of time for Thurs., Fri., and Monday for this week, because I had to be out to attend the Kentucky Convergence Coference.

This is the first year anyone from our school has attended this conference, and we weren’t really for sure what to expect. While there, I learned that the conference was mainly geared toward post-secondary and graduate courses. However, there were a few meetings that gave me some ideas for my classes geared more in the K-12 level.

I’m sure that if my peers had went with me to the conference, they would have completely freaked out, because there is so much technology available that our school does not have, or does not use. This past year, half of our teachers received mimeo boards (cheap smart boards basically), but most teachers do not use these to their capabilites due to a lack of training on these. The rest of us will be getting a mimeo board soon, and I can’t wait. I’m looking foward to not having to group students into 3-5 students all of the time, to let them rotate at my computer, and a laptop that I have available.

I did learn some new things at the Kentucky Convergence Conference. I was not familar with wimba pronto (an instant messaging device for education. I also learned about class capture systems such as tegrity, echo 360, etc. I also had the opportunity to use clickers. The presenter allowed us to participate in a survey, in which we used the clickers to select our responses, and the responses correct or incorrect were generated in a bar graph. That was pretty neat- I could really use something like that.

Also, I did attend a session entitled, “Online toolboxes.” The session mainly focused on adding discussion boards and group projects to your online course. It was a great session, but I had already learned a lot of those things just from this course. Another session I went to was called, “The 7 principles of online teaching from Chickering & Gammon.” The presenter did an outstanding job of introducing topics such as faciliating student to student interaction in an online class, providing prompt feedback to online students, praising students, etc.” While the principles were very basic, they were great reminders of what one can do in the classroom, and online.

I learned a bit about podcasts. I was not really sure what these were, but I can defininately see the benefit in creating podcasts for mini-vocab sessions. This would work great in a language course. There were KET presenters at the conference, who demonstrated how their online courses were set-up into modules, much like this class. In essence, my point is that there were all sorts of technology related topics that I learned about, but I must say, I learned a lot of them from this class. I did take some great ideas from the conference, that I hope to incorporate this year.

My colleage and I are planning to develop a Wikispace to collaborate on a unit on Earth and Space Science. She will be approaching it from a Spanish perspective, and I will be teaching the science behind it. This is a project that we hope will inspire some of our colleagues to get on board. I would love to come up with something that requires our whole school, as well as teachers, to get on board with this. It would help our faculty to see just how behind we truly are in technology, and hopefully help them to see that small steps can be taken to try these new ideas.

The Role of Student in the Classroom

After reading a couple of articles about the role of a student in the classroom, I found some common threads that were mentioned. Students, first of all, should be ACTIVE participants in their education. By active, this means that students should contribute to classroom discussions by not only answering direct questions posed by the teacher, but answers questions posed by their peers. This again, is not all that the student should do. Students should feel free to ask questions, or express their own ideas about a subject, not only to their teacher, but also their peers. This allow students to construct their own knowledge about their learning, and apply if to their education.

A student’s role is also to be motivated about their learning. This role is also tied to a teacher’s role as well. However, if students are truly interested in learning, it is their job to THINK. When thinking, student’s should be able to find some prior experience or knowledge to apply this new learning to. When doing so, they should mentally prepare themselves to learn more about this new concept or idea. Now, this does nto always happen, but a student who wants to be actively involved in their education, should THINK.

As the teacher’s role is now a facilitator (or should be), the student’s role is to take given information or instructions and coordinate that task for himself or group members, and begin the task. The student must be a task monitor by checking himself/herself in terms of on task study time, noise level, and quality work. He or she should be responsible for gathering materials needed for an assignment, when given directions to where resources can be found. He or she should also put back materials when finished. These are simplistic roles, but roles that I use in my classroom as a cooperative learning teacher. Students take on the roles of coordinators, task master, noise monitor, clean-up/maintenance. While all students take on different main roles, all students are still required to take part in the assignment and learning itself. For example, just because one student is the noise monitor, does not mean his/her sole role is to tell their team to keep an appropriate noise level in the classroom. He/she must also be involved in the task that the coordinator has assigned to him/her, and cooperate with team members to accomplish that task.

Teacher and Students Meet in the Middle

I enjoyed reading this article, because the point made here is very true and relevant to the classroom today- teachers should be willing to allow students to teach them too. I have experienced this more than once. During a lesson just a little over a month ago, I was teaching how to create line graphs, pie graphs, and bar graphs using excel. After trying this many times myself, I was sure I had gotten the glitches out, well…I hadn’t. When some of my students made their line graphs, the student’s noticed that the scale was incorrect. After examining data, and trying to change the scale, many were still bumfuzzled, including me. Since I wasn’t sure how to fix the problem, I simply said, “I will give 5 bonus points to the first person who shows me how to fix the scales.” Well, it wasn’t but 5 minutes later, that I student asked me to come to her computer, and she showed me how to fix it.” I praised her, and told her thanks for helping us fix this problem. I used this as a teaching experience. I told the students that when they are creating documents and spreadsheets in the future, that there may be things that arise, that we haven’t learned how to fix in class. You must be willing to play with these programs by being confident that you can and will eventually figure it out. Of course, there have been many times when my students have stepped in and helped me! I always appreciate it, because I know that I’m not perfect, and there are some pieces of content that I teach, that I sometimes study just as long and hard (if not more) than my own students. So, if my students can teach me, then I think this is an excellent opportunity for shared knowledge, and wonderful higher order thinking opportunities.

The Function of a Know-it-All October 8, 2009

The function of a know-it-all can actually benefit a class immensely! While most students grit their teeth, and secretly want to throw their textbooks at these people, these are also the people from which they seek help. Know-it-alls are able to explain concepts to their peers that the teacher may not always be able to get across to them.

On the other hand, a know-it-all can also create a sense of competition in the classroom. Those students who tend to be quiet or usually a bit behind the rest, strive to prove that they too know something, and that the Smarty’s are not always the ones who have the answer. All students, at one time or another, seek the attention of the instructor. Sometimes this is because they want to confirm that they are doing ok, or to just contribute.

Another function of a know-it-all is that the teacher can place these students with students who need extra help. However, the teacher must really know the personality of a know-it-all. The know-it-all should not have a personality that would degrade someone else. If it’s just a really smart student, and not a smark alec (sp*), then this student might be very useful in small groups to help those who do not understand certain concepts as well.

Is there more than one role for students?

Of course! The role of a student might be just as complex as that of a teacher at times. As a student, you must be able to learn how to interpret the way your instructor communicates. For example, my teaching style is probably a lot different than someone else. My students know that the brainwarmer work begins class. I don’t have to prompt, they begin. However, this came with practice. My students did not automatically know to do this, I had to train them to perform the way that I wanted them. Now, it is routine for students to begin their brainwarmer and write their homework in their daily planners.  Other instructors may simply start class after taking roll. Then, others might start class by having students perform daily jobs. It’s really all up to the teacher. The role of the student in this situation is to be not only a self-starter, but also an interpreter of the instructor’s communication.

The role of a student is to organize their own thinking about a concept that is taught. The way I interpret something will be vastly different from the way you may interpret it. We all have different PROCESSORS. Thus, we have to internally find a way to organize that information in a way that we can understand it. So the role of a student is to organize and synthesize information.

The role of a student is to then tackle the assignment or discussion by applying the information that they have obtained. Some may set out a plan of action to do larger projects or to do smaller projects, they may simply jump in.

In the words of my niece, the role of a students is to be on time, to answer the teacher when called on, to obey the teacher (or else you get detention and no snacks 🙂 ) , and to do your classwork and homework. You know, after writing all that stuff up there, and then listening to her answer, it made me think of how complex the world becomes after passing the age of 11 …well…maybe a little older.

Is the role of the teacher imposed upon you? Or does it arise from within? October 4, 2009

I think being a teacher can be a little bit of both at times: a passion and an imposition, but I think what really demonstrates which side wins (the passion or the imposition) is based on how long you stay in teaching, and how long you continue to be a learner yourself, and how much reflection and action you take as a teacher.

One fact of life is that the majority of people must work. Most people try to find a job that best represents how they want to contribute to the world. I knew that I wanted to be a teacher since 2nd grade. I often struggled about what kind of teacher that I wanted to become, but I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher. As most, I was inspired by one of my elementary teachers. My teacher placed us in cooperative groups, and assigned a leader. At this given time, I was assigned to be a leader. My teacher placed me with three students who all had special needs. The leader of the group was not finished with his or her role, until every student in his or her group had completed the daily assignments. This was tough. I stayed in break a few times, helping my groups finish their works. I remember as a second grader making make-shift paper number lines to help my friend with map.  I would write stories and illustrate them to help with reading. I loved helping! I loved teaching! This was my passion, and it remained a passion throughout my school years. It definitely arises from within, because even on the bad days, a memory or a thought of one of my students makes me press on.

Can I honestly say that I always feel this way? No! Sometimes teaching does feel imposed upon you. Teaching can seem like an imposition systems where you are expected to teach at a certain pace regardless of how much learning takes place- which ultimately is not teaching at all. You feel teaching is imposed upon you when the goal is to see what the score of a test it. You feel teaching is imposed on you when you forget the true goal: learning! It’s not always easy to keep this goal in view, especially when the weight of responsibility and pressure for little pieces of you is often scattered all over the place, but a true teacher can rise above this mentality as long as you keep your students and learning in mind.

What is the relationship between teacher and learner?

The term relationship involves the thoughts, feelings, interactions (verbal & physical *to a limited degree, of course) in an ongoing manner. The term relationship means an involvement or association typically over a given period of time. The teacher’s role is to evoke thoughts about past experiences in the learner’s life to help him/her build new knowledge upon those experiences and apply them to benefit the learner in his or her journey of learning. The teacher must also evoke feelings or a motivation from the learner to bring the learner to a point where he or she see’s a subject as important to know more about. The teacher also must facilitate the learning, and then encourage verbally or sometimes even physically along the way. For ex: it is important to praise students when they have demonstrated excellent work by saying, “Fantastic Job!” or “Super.” By imparting some sort of praise, you are helping the student know if he or she has processes knowledge correctly or in an excellent manner. Sometimes the teacher can show this same praise by patting a student of the back, or giving a thumbs up, or showing a huge smile or joy.

The learner must also respond to these given interactions using their thoughts, feelings, and interactions to not only move their own learning along, but to express to a teacher what inconsitencies or gaps exist in their own learning. For example,  learners might express a question such as “So ..is the reason that my hair is brown is because my mom and dad’s DNA blended?” This question can lead a teacher to see that he or she is paying attention, if the learner is understanding the concept, or if he or she has a misconception. The learner in this case has a misconception of DNA, since most scientists know that DNA is not blended.

If a learner expresses a rather loud sigh or slams his or book, this tells the teacher that something is frustrating the learner. Either he or she does not understand the material. He or she is not motivated, or it could be that he or she is having a really bad day, and the material is not a priority for him/her.

The relationship, as most, is based on communication- both verbal and nonverbal- forms.

What do you think the role of teacher is? Does it differ if you’re in a classroom or online?

I think the role of a teacher is to act as a guide through relevant skills and/or information needed to encourage the development of a knowledgebase for students to withdraw from in the immediate or near future. The role of a teacher should mostly be a facilitatve one in which students are given the challenge and necessary motivation to seek and synthesize information on a higher thinking level. If teachers expect students to apply their knowledge on a higher order thinking level, it tends to force students to learn the lower levels of knowledge necessary to achieve the higher order tasks.

Does this role differ online and/or in class? I think it does to some degree. While, I think the teacher should still be a facilitator both in the classroom and online, the classroom setting gives students more direct access to you as a teacher. Sometimes it is a way for students to directly extract thinking or advice from you as an instructor. Good instructors tend to respond to these questions with scaffolded questions that allow students to ultimately answer their own questions through a series of thoughts. The role of a teacher could be the same, but at the same time, a teacher in the classroom setting has to be much more than a facilitator. The teacher is the person who leads the students to/from lunch, monitors recess, helps tie shoes (in some instances), calls home if clothes are destroyed, etc. The teacher in the classroom must deal with situations that relate to the child’s well being while at school, and sometimes those situations that occur at home. You don’t typically see this happen so much in online situations, or at least I don’t think. Ultimately, I still believe the role of a teacher is to be a facilitator of learning as much as possible, to open doors of knowledge, or point students on a course or pathway of knowledge, etc.

More Ch. 5 reflections October 1, 2009

One of our questions in the back of the chapter said, “What concerns do you have about the social aspects of online interaction?” As a teacher, my primary concerns about online interaction is (1) keeping students from posting or messaging derogatory comments or put downs to fellow students from accessing  risque information on the net either on purpose or by accident (3) keeping students from communicating with online predators or people who have alterior motives. My primary concern about online interaction is the emotional and physical safety of my students. I do feel that these concerns could be easily rectified with clear and consistent rules and consequences. Also, I think that filtering and blocking selected materials is also a great idea! I’m not a big fan of censorship, even though I am a strong Christian. I think that our kids have to know what information it out there, and learn how to emotionally deal with it. For example, while I am a science teacher, I don’t agree with evolution. However, I still teach evolution, but I also teach creationism. I think there are multiple sides to every subject, and kids need to be able to view all sides, and make their own decision about what they accept or believe. However, some things just need to be filtered. I don’t want to see my kids on an online virtual sex sight! I don’t want them viewing pornography, gambling environments, and a plethora of other things I’m probably not even aware of.

Ultimately, though, I think these concerns can be dealt with in a positive manner. If learning is real-life applicable, and motivating to students, they are more than likely not going to take the time to view other sights. Instead, students will be engaged on the task at hand.

Chapter 5 Reflection

This week’s reading focused on the obstacles of online learning in terms of the characteristics needed to be successful in an online course. Kearsely also discussed how online learning is also relevant to those with special needs. The major characteristics that the writer mentioned as ones that are needed for an online learner to be successful were for the learner to be a self-directed learner, someone who has good study habits and communication skills, and a high level of motivation. All of these characteristics, in my opinion, are very true! I am very much a self-directed learner. I always have been. I remember taking some sort of career and study skill test in the 7th or 8th grade. My results came back specifically stating to let me learn on my own without groups. Basically, give her the textbook, paper, and pencil, and she’ll figure it out. Now, of course, it didn’t say how long sometimes that it takes me to figure things out, but it did basically state that I am a self-directed learner. I have to process information, alot of the time in a list format, so that I can understand it. I am a sequential person. I love checklists. I’m not real crazy about change, but I’m working on that. In terms of online courses though, I prefer them. I like to learn on my own. I don’t understand lectures. For me, that is like a waste of time, unless you allow me to take notes.

Another characteristic mentioned was great study skills and communication skills. This is very important. If you don’t understand how to manage your time, set goals, and reflect on your own work, it would be hard to take an online course of any kind. I fit this skill as well. I don’t need someone to tell me, “it’s time to get started,” or “this is exactly how you do it.” I can for the most part interpret what it expected by the tone of the written assignment. I set goals each day for myself. Just yesterday, I had a relatively laid back day in which I had planned on completing our school’s Oct-Nov newsletter that is mailed out to faculty and parents of our school, finishing my simulation evaluation for 688, and completing lesson plans for the next school week. I, even designated time for each of those things, and for the most part reached each goal. I did not get all my lesson plans done, as I was wanting to tweak something I had done in the past.

One must also be highly motivated. People who participate in online learning, must have an inner drive to do so. One might be motivated by grades, a love for learning, or to keep a scholarship…who knows? I know that I am motivated just because I like to learn. I am very reflective about my own teaching, and if there are new ways to teach, I want to try them. I think that if you can possibly make the time, you should always strive to do your best given the best practices out there. The key is having the time. So, I guess I consider myself a successful online learner, because the characteristics needed are very similar to my personality.