Review of the 2009 Michigan Educational Technolgy Standards for Students

While reviewing the Michigan Technology Standards for Students, I was thinking, I wish teachers were held accountable for these standards as much as they are held accountable for reading, writing and mathematics.  It amazes me to think that the majority of jobs my 4th grade students will have, will end up dealing with technology in some shape or form.  I am NOT doing my duty as an educator to prepare them for their life after school.

Technology in our school consists of Smart boards in three classrooms out of 18 total, a computer lab with 13 computers, and one computer in each classroom (95% of the time used by the teacher).  If we are preparing our students for the future my school district needs to provide us with better means to do this.  Although we are trying our best to teach our students for the future, we need to be provided with the materials. 
When reviewing the MI Technology Standards, I focused on the grades 3-5 standards because I am a fourth grade student.  As of right now, the only standard that we are hitting on a regular basis and I feel comfortable to say that we are fluent in this standard is 3-5.RI. Research and Information Fluency.  Our fourth grade students have research homework to complete each week that deals with the social studies units we are teaching.  During this time we teach the different ways to gather and locate information.  We also discuss the importance of gathering information from websites that are credible and ways to cite their sources. 
To be honest, I didn’t even know that there were technology standards for students.  I am glad that I was given the opportunity to read these and become aware of the standards.  I am going to take action and hold myself accountable to these standards.  I will also share them with my principal and fellow teachers. 
The Michigan’s 2009 Educational Technology Standards for Students has in it specific, easy to understand indicators in all grades K-12.  These standards paints a clear picture as to what technology skills students are to be learning and what technology lessons teachers ought to be teaching.  What I found intriguing about the Michigan’s 2009 Educational Technology Standards for Students was the way the standards are articulated.  Take the following Pre-Kindergarten Communication and Collaboration Standard for instance: 
By the end of Grade 2 each student will work together when using digital tools (e.g., word processor, drawing, presentation software) to convey ideas or illustrate simple concepts relating to a specified project

This standard is easy to understand and it gives the student as well as parents an overall idea as to how and why technology will be used to show what is being taught in the classroom. 
As a parent of a 3rd grader myself I am fascinated by the type of homework assignments my daughter has that require the use of the computer.   She uses the internet to research endangered species in her science project assignments.  She uses desktop publishing software to create a brochure about Georgia history in her social studies homework.   She is also capable of using the computer calculator to check to see whether or not she answered the mathematics problems correctly.   I feel as though quality technology standards are giving our children the tools to succeed in this ever changing world today. 

Reference

Michigan State Board of Education. (2009). Michigan Education Technology Standards. Retrieved from http://techplan.edzone.net/METS/

Comparison of the 7th Standard of the Professional Standards for Michigan Teachers and the objectives of this course

When you look over the Professional Standards for Michigan Teachers in the area of technology and compare them with the objectives of the EDU 590Technology in Education online graduate course offered at Central Michigan University, you’ll find that they are both consistent in the approach to teaching technology in the classroom.  There were many objectives in the EDU Technology in Education course that I found covered Michigan Department of Education Technology Standards.  The one objective I found to be the similar was the following objective:

The student researcher will be expected to reflect on his or her knowledge related to the following objectives by creating web-based “blog” entries and, if necessary, completing self-paced online tutorials.

What’s unique about the aforementioned objective is that it can be used to cover many of the elements of the State’s Technology Standards.   Here are a few of the standards that are covered in that one objective:
a.  Understand the equity, ethical, legal, social, physical, and psychological issues surrounding the use of technology in K-12 schools and apply those principles in practice;  
b.  Successfully complete and reflect upon collaborative online learning experiences;
c.  Demonstrate an understanding of and the ability to create an online learning experience, and demonstrate continued growth in knowledge of technology operations, resource evaluation for quality, objectivity, and reliability and concepts including strategies for teaching and learning in an online environment;
g.  Use technology to engage in ongoing professional development, practice, productivity, communication, and life-long learning.

As an educator that creates 21st Century Learning Environments, it is vital to engage students in relevant and meaningful learning environment.  When the students can articulate the standard when given an assignment it not only shows clarity to the assignments between teacher and students and it provides credible evidence that student has grasp the overall concepts of the lesson.

Reference

Michigan State Board of Education. (2008). Professional Standards for Michigan Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/SBE_approved_PSMT_May_13_2008+coverpg_258601_7.doc.

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Cyber Bullying, Sexting and Other Recent School Internet Filtering Policies

The Internet can be a wonderful place full of information, entertainment and communication. But it can also be an extremely dangerous place to be if you do not know how to protect yourself.Consider these statistics: 1 in 5 children are sexually solicited or approached over the Internet in a one-year period of time. Online Victimization: A Report on the Nation's Youth;  The "ideal victim" is between 11 & 14 years old and has exclusive use of a computer in a private area.

Almost every school system in America now have an Internet security system that blocks certain websites like myspace, facebook and other social networking sites that many middle and high school students use.  Most school systems also now have policies against the use of cell phones in while in school.  For example in the Clayton County School District in Jonesboro Georgia where I teach may be permanently confiscated and provided to law enforcement if a student is found using it during school hours.
As educators and parents, we understand the need of cell phones for our adolescents and teens, but we also see the results and dramatic risks of inappropriate usage. Only through educating our children/students about the risks of cyberbullying, 'sexting', and academic cheating can we help them make informed decisions about responsible cell phone and internet behavior and keep them safe.

Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between mobile phones.  Cyberbullying "involves the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group that is intended to harm others.
There are a number of internet interactive games that invites students, to play out difficult situations through online games before they live them out in real life. Targeted to young adolescents and teens, these games offer guidance about responsible behavior and teach them how to use technology to enhance their personal safety. Here are few websites of those interactive games that help with internet safety
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/games/cybersense_nonsense/index.cfm
http://www.nsteens.org/videos/gaming/
http://www.onguardonline.gov/default.aspx#

In addition to helping schools teach students about internet safety and the consequences of bad choices, parents should also play some of these internet/cell phone safety games with their kids and talk to their children about making the right decisions and being responsible while either on the internet or using the cell phone.

References:

Teen Internet Safety Study, (2006), National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Retrieved from http://www.netsmartz.org/safety/statistics.htm

Cyberbullying Prevention & Response Kit, (2010), Web Wise Kids, Retrieved from http://www.webwisekids.org/PDF/Cyberbullying-Prevention-and-Response-Kit.pdf

Review of Chapter 1: An intro to Action Research

"Why try to re-invent the wheel", is what first came to my mind after reading chapter one of the book An Introduction to Action Research by author Jeffrey Glanz.  As defined by the book, research can be thought of as some sort of investigation to discover or establish facts. The author, Glanz mentions how professional educators must have some prior knowledge of research in order to effectively evaluate their students.  Without prior knowledge about certain situations related to teaching, an educator may not be able to effectively reach all of his/her students.  Effective teaching practices should and must be shared through professional learning workshops by the education profession in order to better find out what practices work best in certain situations.  I am in agreement with the notion that the more collaborative efforts made by one's profession to make the product better the better the product will be. 

In the county where I teach, it's mandatory that teachers meet once a month with other teachers from different schools that teach in the same field.  This is called In-Service meetings and they are designed to for the purpose of helping to make teachers better through the practices and experiences of their peers.  I enjoy taking part of the In-service sessions because it allows us to bounce ideas off one another in order to help each other become better teachers.   I really enjoy the fact that we are all allowed to take part in the textbook/software adoption program.  During this time we invite the publishing companies to come out and give their pitch to us about why we should adopt their product.  It's because of our experienced research that we always seem to find the best product that works best for our students. 

Reference

Glanz, Jeffrey. (2003). Action Research: An Educational Leader's Guide to School Improvement. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon.

My Thoughts on "Joe's non-netbook"

In this fast past, "microwave" world we are living in today people are becoming increasingly more impatient.  No one wants to get out of the car and wait in line to get something to eat anymore, they rather stay in their cars and place their order in the drive thru window.  In the case of education students don't like to read the textbooks or a novel anymore, they'd rather download the information from the internet, copy and paste it, and turn the assignment in without even knowing the material.  My response to the Youtube video entitled "Joe's non-netbook" will probably sound like so many other frustrated teachers today who are finding it more difficult to motivate students today.  In the video, Joe plays a high school student who complains to his teacher about his history assignment.  Joe is sitting in the classroom explaining to his teacher that he can't read the information in the textbook because it is too small.  Then he complains to his teacher that the pictures in the textbook are too small and then starts to patronize the teacher by asking the teacher, "why can't I double click on the picture in the book to make it bigger"?  As the teacher tries to help Joe the student and answer his sarcastic question, other students are laughing.  The video is less than 2 minutes long but the message rings loud and clear.  Why are so many students not motivated to do their best?  The following may be reasons students aren’t motivated to complete their school work.

• The work is too boring
• The work is too hard
• They do not see the connection between the daily work they do now and successful future they could have.

These are reasons I have heard over the years as a teacher myself.  Many students feel education is irrelevant to life.  Education now has to compete with friends, cell phones, MySpace, shopping, latest T.V. show/movie, Xbox, IPODs, PSPs, etc. They do not see education as preparing them for their future life or career.

I think that parents should held more accountable for the children.  They should be required to attend PTSA meetings and other school related functions that supports their child, the school and the community.  I feel that if parents, teachers, administrators and students all became familiar with one another, then the expectations and the motivation factors can be reached. 

References

Joe's Non Notebook,  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkhpmEZWuRQ

Thompson, J, Why Students May Not Be Motivated to Do Their School Work.  http://theapple.monster.com/benefits/articles/6996-why-students-may-not-be-motivated-to-do-their-school-work

Review of the 2010 Michigan Education Technology Plan

As I reviewed the current state of education in the State of Michigan I am cautiously optimistic over the positive effects new technology has made in the classroom.  Many states including the state of Michigan now have its own Educational Technology Plan.  A substantial number of the goals and objectives in the Michigan Educational Technology Plan come directly from the National Educational Technology Plan.

Under the current National Educational Technology Plan, education has become an urgent priority driven by two clear goals.

•    By 2020, America will raise the proportion of college graduates from where it now stands [39%] so that 60% of our population holds a 2-year or 4-year degree.
•    By 2020, America will close the achievement gap so that all students – regardless of race, income, or neighborhood – graduate from high school ready to succeed in college and careers.

These are two clearly stated goals that can be measured.  On the other hand, the State of Michigan Education Technology Plan comes up short when it comes specifying objectives and goals, and instead have goals that are too general with a lot of complexities that “looks and sounds” like a wonderful plan to implement in all schools across the country.

For instance under the Michigan Education Technology Plan’s Teaching for Learning Objective “all Michigan students will have meaningful technology-enabled learning opportunities, including assistive technologies and virtual learning opportunities that develop proficiencies as defined by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (21stcenturyskills.org), required to become lifelong learners, including ethical, safe, and discerning behavior while using information and media technology.

This objective sounds nice, it has all the bells and whistles, but it is too general and not specific enough.  As a result of not having clearly stated goals, I feel that the state of Michigan has lagged behind other states when it comes to providing quality technology education.  There is research that support my case.  According to Technology Counts 2007, a joint project of Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, Michigan received a D+ grade in the area of access to technology and a D grade in the area of capacity to use technology.  Now Michigan did do well in the area of use of technology receiving an A- grade, however the overall grade for the Michigan was a C grade.

State of Michigan Technology Report Card     Overall Grade C
Access to Technology     D+
Use of Technology    A-
Capacity to use Technology    D

Reference:

Michigan Department of Education. (2010). State of Michigan Educational Technology Plan. Teaching for Learning in a Digital Age. Retrieved from http://techplan.org/STP%202010%20Final.pdf.

Technology Counts 2007, Education Week, Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/toc/2009/03/26/index.html

Technology Counts 2009, Education Week, Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/apps/tc2009/state_compare.html

Much Needed Program That Is Making a Difference

In a state that has had major problems with high school students dropping out of school, Michigan is doing a good job trying to change the trend.  Michigan's newly created Dropout Prevention Efforts are showing progress and positive signs that may actually help students graduate on time.  In the two years the Dropout Prevention Program has been in existence Michigan has reported a 1.7 percent decrease in the number of overall students that drop out of school. 

When I first read about Michigan's Dropout Prevention efforts I immediately thought about a topic I had read about, heard about, and talked about with my colleagues a couple of years ago concerning our nations dismal graduation rates.  I can remember back in the fall of 2006 when an article in the USA Today listed the graduation rates of the 50 largest school districts in America.   In the USA Today article, fourteen cities including Detroit, Baltimore, New York, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Denver and Houston had less than 50 percent of its students graduate on time according The Council of the Great City Schools. In the Detroit school district only 21.7 percent of its students graduated on time according to the report which was the worst out of the 50 largest school districts in the entire country.  This kind of striking data was an embarrassment to the state of Michigan school system, which had a 15.9 percent dropout rate according to the Michigan Center for Educational Performance and Information and ranked 39th out of 50 in per state graduation rankings.  As a way to help step up its efforts in education Michigan Department of Education came up with the Dropout Challenge, a four year strategy of engagement that support new strategies that schools are implementing to solve its dropout rates.

I applaud the efforts being made by the state of Michigan’s Department of Education in their approach to being proactive to help students graduate on time.  The Dropout Challenge has a lot good components in it that I feel could help improve, not only the state of Michigan, but all schools.  One component to the Dropout Challenge is the online professional learning community, which is alternative education program for students who have either already dropped out or are at risk of dropping out of school.  In the two years Michigan has reported actual dropout rates since this program has been introduced, the number of dropouts has dipped by 591 students, or 1.7 percent, a small but positive improvement.  Other components seem to be working in the plan as well.  I find this to be a positive sign and hopefully more states adopt similar programs to help more “at risk” students graduate from high school and go on to be productive citizens in their communities.

Reference:



Umpstead, B. (2010). Michigan uses online learning to reach at-risk students. e-School News, Retrieved from http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/06/02/michigan-uses-online-learning-to-reach-at-risk-students/ 


Toppo, G (2006) , Big-city schools struggle with graduation rates, USA TODAY, Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-06-20-dropout-rates_x.htm

Review of the National Educational Technology Plan

Any plan that involves improving our countries educational system should be viewed as one of the most  important political issues of today because it involves the future of this country, which are our children.  As a business and computer science teacher myself for 8 years, I found the National Educational Technology Plan to be refreshing because it says it will involve changing the way school systems operate.  The one part about the National Educational Technology plan that I found most interesting is the Drivers of Change objective.  What this Drivers of Change objective basically is, is allowing technology to become the vehicle to help facilitate learning to students in schools as well as at home.  What schools have done for years is try to make all students adapt to the one way education road to education.  We all know that road, reading chapter after chapter in a textbook and answer the questions at the end of the chapter for homework.  Then tell the students to try to remember all of the chapters as we get ready for the all important STANDARDIZED TEST in the spring, after spring break of course, to measure whether or not the student is making progress.  Ranking students based on what was done on a test.  Ranking schools based on what the population of the school scored on the tests.  Good schools versus bad schools, new textbooks versus old textbooks.  What makes me so frustrated as a teacher is that I see this happening everyday in other classrooms.  Teachers complain that the students are not motivated. Administrators blame teachers for motivating their students.  Parents complain to the Administrators about how their child is being treated unfairly by the teacher.  What is unique about the way I teach my students is that I don't rely on textbooks to facilitate learning in my classroom.  I try to rely on various technology systems like the educational computer games, interactive blogs, collaborative projects that involve the use of three to four different software applications.  I see myself as using this Drivers of Change model already because I try to make my class relate to what my students are interested in.  If you ask me if schools should embrace this new way to educate and motivate our children that involves video games instead of textbooks, texting and blogging instead of notes taken from lecture verbatim, social networking instead of extra after-school remediation or the use of web cameras & video imaging instead of library research to find the answers, I'd vote yes.

Reference

Office of Educational Technology. (2010). Transforming american education: learning powered by technology. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/NETP-2010-final-report.pdf

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Higher Learning or Dumbing Down Society? You decide

After watching an internet video satire by Stephen Colbert entitled "Wikiality" what I found most interesting is how easy information can distort or changes what's facts and what's true. In Colbert's satire, he mentioned how the internet website Wikipedia.com now gives information based on opinions of a majority of people with similar views and how that information can be so believable many people use this website as a resource of facts. He gave an example about Elephants in Africa and how if enough people post that their are more elephants in Africa today than there were 100 years ago then it could get posted on Wikipedia.com. Once the information is posted on the Wikipedia.com website everyone will then assume that the information is in fact true. People will now go around believing that we have more elephants today in Africa than we did 100 years ago even though nobody actually went to Africa and counted the elephants and did the research for themselves to see if this information on Wikipedia.com was backed up by scientific evidence or not.

As a middle school business education's teacher I find it all too amusing when I listen to my students explain how they know more about cell phones, music, video games, the president, Michael Jackson, than I. They get excited when we have discussion or debates about whether society is better with all this new technology today than it was 20 years ago when I was in high school. When I tell my students that I didn't have cellphone when I was in high school or that I didn't own an mp3 player until 3 years ago they all laugh out loud (lol). My students say things to me like "it sure was boring back when you was in school" or "I just don't know what I'd do if I didn't have a cellphone or my mp3 player.

I like to start the debate like this "you students download the most popular 250 songs off of the internet and play them in your mp3 player while back in the days we would buy one maybe two albums and listen to all the songs from that artist, not just the most popular songs". I tell them that they never get to "appreciate" a music artist because they only heard 1 or 2 of the popular songs.

This is the problem I see in our society today. Everyone jumps on the latest trend, the newest song, the hottest style, very few of us today do the research, sit down and read the books, or listen to the entire CD to really appreciate what is truly the facts or what is truly authentic. Wikipedia.com is a source, similar to that of a downloaded song in a sense because the information most of the time has not been researched. Much like a downloaded song Wikipedia.com oftentimes covers the those this that are popular at the time or those things that people feel are the "juicy details" much like the newest song.

Gone are the days of researching information using an encyclopedia because information is ever changing and what was history last year may now be a thing of the past today. Gone are the days of buying music albums and listening to the entire music CD because most people want to skip to the songs everybody says is the
"hot" one. Now a days people don't want to take the time to even read a magazine article. They rather flip through the magazine and look at the pictures.

In high school many teenagers today would say the digital age with all of this technology and information has made them smarter than adults. Most high school students have better phones than the teachers. They see their teachers in the parking lot with the hood up trying to fix that 10 year old use car, as the students drive to work in a better new model car with Navigation systems, Mp3 hookups and DVD's in the back seat to watch movies before they get to school in the mornings.

With all of this new technology our children are exposed to today I guess my question is are today's children experiencing an Higher Level of Learning or is society as a whole dumbing down?

References

Colbert, S (2006) The Word: WIkiality [Web],  Retrieved from http://www.colbertnation.come/the-colbert-report-videos/72347/july-31-2006/the-word---wikiality

Vance, A  (2010, July 31) "$200 Textbook vs. Free.  You Do the Math." Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/technology/01ping.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=general