Readings for "Digital Storytelling"

        While educators are certainly justified in their wariness to constantly adapt new technologies into their curriculum--after all, no one would profit from a teaching curriculum that had no technological or pedagogical stability--I don't think any educator could find a subtantial argument for not implementing digital strytelling into the curriculum. The fear that digital storytelling would erode the traditional roots of storytelling and learning is unfounded. Quite to the contrary, the only difference between digital and non-digital storytelling is the computer application. Bernard Robin describes in very simple terms the mechanics and application of digital strytelling: "at its core, digital storytelling allows computer users to become creative storytellers through the traditional processes of selecting a topic, conducting some research, writing a script, and developing an interesting story" (3). That's all, no bells and whistles, nothing fancy, only time-honored storytelling put on a screen instead of a page.
       It is contradictory than in a technological age such as this one, where hardly anyone is ever really incommunicado, we seem to feel the most isolated from our past and each other. Technology moves so fast we feel afraid to atttach ourselves to anything. Digital storytelling helps to remind us that we still a technological and societal heritage that can be tapped and studied. Kristen Rebmann describes one of the great uses of digital strytelling as "the desire to help children develop personal narratives while engaging in the literacy practice associated with the information age" (2). Sharp educators have realized it is imperative we keep the "personal" in "personal narrative", and that digital storytelling's aim is to do just that.
       One of my favorite instructional examples of digital storytelling came from the article entitled "Tell a Story, Become a Lifelong Learner". On page 22 of the article, the suggestion to students is to create a digital stry centering around a Greek myth. I think such a project sums up perfectly the link between traditional and digital learning. Myths and legends were how our ancestors passed along morals, information, beliefs, anything really. In the 21st century, students can reread these myths and create a presentation that  "adapts it for their own culture and generation". The greatest promise of digital storytelling is its ability to make the past seem relevant to the modern student, who seems to be losing hope in the traditional modes of information distribution and entertainment. The greatest way to show the current relevance of literature, anthropology and history is to close the perceived, but false, gap that separates students from their educational past.

Readings for "Distance Learning"

       One concept mentioned in several of the articles concerned the idea of a "social community", or a network through which both educators and students can connect with one another. Specifically, such social communities usually take the form of pages like Facebook, Twitter, etc., or may be a Wiki for a classroom (or something related). The benefit of such communication sites is two-fold: 1) the educator is never out of touch with students, and can assist them at virtually any time during an assignment, and 2) students feel much less of a burden if they can easily converse with other students about an assignment. Nothing is more frustrating for a student than to leave class with a head bursting with ideas, only to come home and have all the ideas jumble together and become incoherent. Having a social community in place does much to ensure that this student will not simply quit the project out of frustration. Rather, he/she will confer with other students and, hopefully, figure out a solution to the problem. This, in my mind, is the primary beneficial function of social communities as used through distance learning.

       In the Alford article, I particularlyliked the professed method of "active learning". Distance education is absolutely dependent on active learning: students must garner the ability to help themselves both inside and outside the classroom. The suggestions of the article--"read, listen and watch the course materials more than once...take notes...interact with instructor and classmates...become involved in disucssing and defining..." (4)--point towards an educational collaboration that would be very difficult to render without the aid of distance education. The greatest danger in distance learning, it seems to me, is the idea of moving too fast through different educational media devices. According to Valentine, instructors "need to realize that the technician is an integral part of the experience of distance learning" (8), and therefore the teacher-as-technician must take precedence in the educational atmosphere. However, I believe teachers must also remain cognizant of older methods of student-teacher interaction that are not necessarily outdated. Of course, multimedia presentations and Wikis are now very useful for our classrooms, but, then again, sometimes a class needs a good old fashioned debate about a reading assignment. No one is advocating a return to candlelit symposiums, but only keep in mind that each new tool used in distance learning should be examined for efficacy, not merely novelty.
 

Readings for "Communications with Wikis, Blogs and Podcasts"

       It is a little embarrassing for me to admit that before this class (and specifically this section of the class), I had not the faintest idea of what either a wiki or a podcast was. Whenever someone brought up the subject, I would usually get by with nodding my head and vague phrases like, "No, I haven't heard of that podcast, but I have a friend in theater who has a great one!...". Dark days indeed.
       Thank God I have a definition now from "Classroom Connection": a podcast is "an audio or video file that is automatically delivered over a network and then played back on another computer". Finally, I can participate in a conversation about podcasts and know what I'm talking about. I enjoyed how the article "Podcasting in the Classroom" made the point that podcasts allow teachers to utilize what they once had to confiscate--cell phones, mp3's, etc. And not only that, but students can present projects through the medium of podcasts, or just use podcasts to track the progress of an ongoing project (2). In Thompson's article, he brought up the usefullness of google.docs, and how such networking gives a teacher and students confidence in themselves, as well as a sense of team effort. I believe podcasts can operate in a similar way. Podcasts can be used to not only show the progression of a project, but also serve to remind a student body that there still remains much creativity even in assignments as simple as "pretend you are interviewing Abraham Lincoln on the eve of the Civil War".
       The second item I have only recently come to understand is a Wiki. A Wiki, I've learned, is a website that allows a group of people to discuss, add and edit content. It is a great exercise for class discussion, most importantly because it can take place outside  the classroom. Koopman's article points out that a Wiki would allow a student who says "I always think of something smart to say after the discussion is over!" to harness an idea and send it out any time to her peers for evaluation and criticism (2). Again, the focus is on individuals working collaboratively; every student's idea contributes to a larger whole that will hopefully encompass the entire range of the class's syllabus and expectations. Speaking specifically for me, I found the suggestion in Morgan's and Smith's article the most in creating a Wiki for my own academic purposes. They said it is important to organize the Wiki based on subject; not every Wiki is a jumble of scattered information. Also, I appreciate that Wikis normally have links to other related Wikis (4). Such a relationship on the Internet seems to assure a student that there will never be a case where they are left behind in an intellectual desert. There will always be some way back to collaboration and information.

Readings for "Web-based Tools for Classroom Instruction"

       This section cincerning Webquests was probably one of the most helpful and informaative csections in our class so far. I learned a lot about a subject I knew little to nothing about. Particualrly helpful for me was Halat's suggestion of visiting webquest.org, to view examples of well-contstructed Webquests for the classroom. I must admit, when I first heard of the assignment to design a Webquest, I found it daunting: I had never even heard of a Webquest before, let alone asked to design one for students.
       Lispcomb writes that "research has found that students will develop more meaningful ideas of the past if it personalized for them" (1). In my mind, nothing attaches a subject like history more to the brain and imagination than finding a way to make the past seem relevant to each student's life.
I also agreed very much with Lipscomb who said that in choosing a Webquest to use make sure not to pick one that requires extraneous adventures with online search engines (2). I think this is a valuable bit of advice: I recall doubting myself on many projects in junior high, as well as high school, because I was overwhelmed with research options.What I appreciate most about the Webquest format is that it can be either an individual activity or a group project. A teacher could either assign individual projects (which would increase personal connections with an academic subject) or a team activity (allowing students to foster a sense of contribution to the success of the group).
       Of course, Halat points out the obvious risk in assigning a Webquest, namely that students will become distracted by the multitudinous other websites at their disposal while completing the project (3). But, I think that in our current stage of educational development, it is almost impossible to keep students from tinkering around on the Internet during an assignment. Certainly teachers should not condone it, but I fear a witchunt would only make kids want to goof off during an assignment more. The Webquest, even with this flaw, is valiantly attempting to personalize and energize lesson plans that otherwise may have remained monotonous and dreary.

      

Readings on "Educational Technology and Visual Learning"

     Visual imagery in the classroom allows for students to become, as Roswell says, more "self-directed" in their learning. What I think she means is that images in the classroom allow a student to drawn their own unique connections rather than only the connections offered by the teacher to the group. "Images are suspended in webs of meanings, and one reason that they are valuable is that it is possible to trace threads of meaning from elements in the images that can be used in the curriculum" (Roswell, et al. 3). Constant lectures and outlines dull the excitement of classroom learning. Visual literacy is needed to both gain new insights into old ideas and keep the well-worn subjects of a classroom fresh.

     Perhaps more importantly, visual learning turns out to be a great starting place for learners encountering an entirely new subject area. The article we read about visual learning with autistic learners was especially thought-provoking: the very order of the day and daily activities was spelled out so clearly in only a handful of visual reminders/cues. It seems that the autistic learner can be seen as a baseline for many types of learners; that is, complex ideas can first be understood by grasping the basic and fundamental parts of the ideas. This means visual aides are most helpful in fostering that initial understanding. For example, no English class reading Camus's The Stranger will grasp its significance immediately. But, through the use of basic visual aides, a student can see each part of       Camus's idea come together, from existentialism to personal responsibility to the notion of rebellion.  

I think the most important lesson to be garnered from this section visual literacy is that visual aides are exactly (and only) what they profess to be--aides to the classroom experience. The greatest objection to the use of visual literacy in the classroom is that forces the teacher to dumb down the content of the lesson; catering to the attention span of the student body, while not worrying about whether the pertinent information has taken seed. "The content classroom," writes Flint and Brozo, "reflects the idea that no content area can be understood in isolation from other content areas..." (2). Herein lies the inherent advantage in visual learning, that it forces the reader to make connections outside of the image itself. Only lazy teachers and apathetic students would settle for viewing Picasso's Guernica and addressing it tritely as a "really cool painting". There is history behind it! Visual aides are not a crutch for the classroom, but rather a method of extension.

 

Readings for "The Internet and Professional Development"

       Choosing a career in education is (to the surprise of no one) an especially challenging career field. This is so not only because an educator must establish a respectful and diligent learning environment, but also because the strategies and technologies used in teaching alter with such rapidity that education would rival the medical field in a contest of how fast information becomes outdated.
      I was particularly inspired by something mentioned in the Huber article. A small section was dedicated to dispelling the myth that "having a good plan" excuses an educator from falling short of their expectations. As Huber puts it, "learning organizations...often develop such rigid plans that it leaves no room to address emerging issues" (2). I have spent several years as a tutor in math, history and English, and know from first-hand experience that whatever plan worked for one student is almost guaranteed to be somewhat inapplicable to the next student. I think one of the marks of an outstanding educator is not that they necessarily know the solution to every problem, but rather that they entertain new ideas and solutions should the standard one become obsolete. Of course no teacher can solve every discrepancy in a class! Yet it is no badge of honor for a teacher to stick to a single solution, either because it is comfortable to refer to or as an excuse not to learn anything new in the field.
       Not only new methods of teaching, but the implementation and codification of new teaching methods are needed to ensure educational success. I was particularly inspired by the short blurb in Darling-Hammond and Richardson's article titled "The New Paradigm". This short little story detailed how teachers in a struggling urban school attended a seminar in which  coaches "introduced curriculum and teaching strategies and data analysis techniques during professional development meetings..." (6). Prior planning and understanding of the new guidelines were essential in this situation. I think too often the view of a student body towards a teacher--i.e. that the teacher stands alone agaisnt a group of learners--becomes adopted by the teachers themselves. And suddenly all the teachers are afraid to ask for help on everything from lesson plans to grading techniques. Professional development prevents teachers from feeling as though they are alone in creating and maintaining a lesson plan.

 

Readings for "Education Technology and Assessment/Rubrics"

       Of course, the largest problem facing a teacher in the digital age was pointed out time and again in these articles--namely, how does a teacher fairly grade such a wide range of options? The idea of a digital portfolio becomes appealing in such a situation, because it allows for many modes of educational expression, and also has the benefit of providing the teacher with a record of progress that student makes in a subject.
       What I found most interesting was the description of a "blueprint" as an assessment tool, which was detailed in the article titled "Evaluating Student Projects". Especially in the case of film or other multimedia projects, this method of evaluation avoids much of the confusion that stems from individuals or groups designing their own presentation. The only drawback is that a blueprint may lack a very solid rating or grading scale. This is where, I believe, rubrics would make their appearance.
        I am still getting used to the difference between holistic and analytic rubrics, and I know they are separated by important distinctions. For holisitc rubrics (as was said in "Designing Scoring Rubrics for Your Classroom"), it seems that there is often no definitive answer to a proposed question. Also, some mistakes in the process can be tolerated as long as the final product is of high quality. Analytic rubrics, on the other hand, are best used when there is a concise and quantifiable answer to the proposed question. I never considered the difference between rubrics before, and I now see how important this is. I am planning on being an english teacher, so I believe I will be relying on holisitc rubrics more often than analytic rubrics. I say this because literature and literary criticism are constantly subject to revaluation; as we learn more about particular authors, novels and their development, our understanding of the great works of literature also alters. If I were to assign a project--perhaps one that concerns the book The Giver and the morality of euthanasia--it would be unfair of me to say one answer is correct and one is wrong. An holistic rubric gives me the opportunity to entertain all viewpoints as long as they are presented clearly and with purpose.
       As far as rubrics are conerned, the most helpful piece of advice came from Reeves and Stanford in "Rubrics in the Classroom: Assessments for Students and Teachers". In this article they write that "before beginning development of a rubric, the teacher should clearly visualize what is expected from the written project, product or process" (2). By working backwards in this way, it is easier for both the teacher and the students to get a grasp of how each component of the product is evaluated, how the final product will be graded, and how one can see that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I think group projects in particualr can benefit from this style of evaluation/grading. It would quite an academic experience for students to see how all their individual labors coalesce into a coherent, and possibly novel, approach to a subject.