Tech Snacks

Technology integration is not simple.  It requires a pedigogical change in how we teach.  Research shows that technology use coupled with effective instructional strategies can improve student achievement.  Technology increases the complexity of the tasks that students can perform successfully, raises student motivation, and leads to changes in classroom roles and organizations.  Technology can enhance both what and how children learn when used in conjunction with: (1) active engagement, (2) participation in groups, (3) frequent interaction and feedback, and (4) connections to real-world contexts. (From the LoTi Project)

I received the scores from my district’s Technology Survey today and was greatly disapointed by them.  I must admit I’m not surprised, just disapointed.  The Survey was based on the 1998 NETS Standards for Teachers.  The only NETS Standard we made a passing score on was the Social, Ethical, and Human Issues.  The score was just barely passing with an 80.95.  That’s good because technology integration must begin with understanding the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology. 

The breakdown of standards and their scores are as follows:

Basic Operations and Concepts where teachers demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operations of tehcnology systems and students in their classrooms are proficient in the use of technology.  The teachers scored an average of 72.95

Technology Productvity Tools are where teachers/students use technology to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.  They use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.  The teachers scored an average of 66.08

Technology Communications Tools are where students/teachers use telecommunications to collaborate, pubish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.  Teachers/students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.  The teachers scored an average of 64.97.

Technology Research Tools are used to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources to process data and report results.  Teachers/students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks. The teachers scored an average of 76.85

Technology Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Tools are the technology resources used for solving problems and making informed decisions.  Teachers/students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.  The teachers scored an average of 61.59.

 Here’s where I ask your input.  What do you think needs to be done to improve these scores and more importantly technology integration in the classroom?

There are some great web tools out on the internet and our students use them at home and at school when they can.  Social Networking is one of them.  I have a social network that I get great information both professionally and for personal use.  My social network is my support system and technology trouble-shooting system. 

Most educators working with middle and high school students are aware of the explosive involvement of youth on social networking sites. Few are prepared to deal with it.  Problems are associated with these social networking sites, but the sites themselves generally are not the problem. If you review the sites and look at the User Agreements or “Terms.” These sites do seek to prohibit harmful activities. But with hundreds of thousands — or millions — of registered members, the sites cannot be expected to engage in effective “babysitting.”    Involvement in those communities might negatively impact student wellbeing and the quality of the school environment.

More than half of all American kids ages 12-17 with Internet access use social-networking sites, according to a January 2007 Pew Internet & American Life Project survey. In order to catch their attention, teachers will have to travel on the same tech turf.

Although social-networking tools are empowering for students, are the rewards worth it? It is predicted that online school-based communities will multiply rapidly in the coming year. When using social networks and blogging you see how motivated the kids are.   Before we were, banging your head getting students to write. Then you give them a blog, and now you just can’t get them to stop.

Tech Snacks is my effort at providing fun, innovative educational and relevant ways to use technology in a classroom.  I attended a conference in Wichita Kansas.  Podstock was a day & a half of learning fun!  I’ve always been a tech geek and nothing excites me more than new technologies.  Since that is my passion I decided to share that and this blog seemed like an appropriate venue.  I’d love to hear what new web applications you’ve discovered and how you might use them in a classroom.

What are PLN’s?  How do they opperate?  What would you expect from a PLN?  I just recently heard of these Professional Learning Communities and how they opperate in cyberspace.  I also decided that my own children have been utilizing PLNs (Personal Learning Communities) ever since they had their cell phones and could text.  Now, I know that last statement will create some controversy since most children/teenagers text buddies aren’t considered “Learning Communities”.  But, I’m going to go out on a limb and say they are!  My children weren’t born with the ability to text, somewhere they had to learn how.  My children weren’t born with the ability to send picture or video messages.  Somewhere, somehow they learned how.  They had the desire to learn and found resources to guide them in that learning.  How can we as educators use the tools, like cell phones, online social networks, blogs, etc to continue guiding them in their quest for knowledge?