Personal Learning Reflection

At the beginning of CEP 810, I thought I was fairly competent with using technology. I was willing to try new things in my classroom. I knew there were a lot of great benefits to using the technology, but if a parent were to ask, “Why are you using (insert wiki, Quizlet, mobile devices) instead of doing it the way we did things as kids?” I don’t know if I would have been able to give them a great answer. Many of the things I learned this semester would help me understand the value of what we do in the classroom and explain why it is important.

My two goals from my Personal Growth Plan were:

1.) Find out if using technology in the classroom as part of a lesson is beneficial to my students.

2.) To allow my students to succeed beyond the walls of my building.

What I have learned from the International Society for Technology in Education and the National Education Technology Standards (NETS) helps me understand what I need to do to reach my goals.

First, I now know there are technology tools I can use in everyday lessons. A good lesson/unit will address several levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. There are tools available to help at each level of Bloom’s. Some examples: Remembering -- Social bookmarks and You Tube; Understanding -- Twitter and Blogster; Analyzing -- Google Reader and other RSS feeds. Creating -- Prezi and Voicethread. Using these tools is an extension of things that come natural to them in this day and age. They become an extension of the way students get/share information outside of the classroom.

Secondly, I need to apply the NETS whenever my students are using this technology. I need them to see the big picture. I need them to understand what they are doing is more than just part of a lesson. When they are creating, they might be collaborating, showing creativity and demonstrating digital citizenship. When they are analyzing, they might need to do additional research (informational fluency) and using critical thinking and decision-making skills. It might sound like more work, but a good teacher would do this if it were being done with pencil and paper, so I don’t see it as more of a burden -- but an opportunity.
I now see things available on the Internet in a different way. Before, I thought there were things out there that did not fit in my plan. Things like Lemonade Stand seemed like just a game that students wanted to do to get out of typing lessons. Sure, I knew the game was created as a learning tool. Now, I see it as a way students need to critically think about the information that is given to them (90 degree day equals more lemonade sales). In the future, I would be more likely to discuss what students found out after a round or two of the game. This would make them more cognizant of their critical thinking (I hope it doesn’t take the fun out of the game!).
One assignment that I turned in that I feel really exemplifies good teaching with technology would be my Personal Technology Plan using Voicethread. Using Voicethread, and seeing others use it, helped me connect future lessons with the NETS. Students using the tool have an opportunity to be creative. There is the opportunity for analyzing others work and leaving feedback. It is possible that students on the other side of the world could see the presentation and leave feedback. In that case, the students need to be aware of the global reach of their work. If students use pictures or music, they must be aware of the responsibilities of digital citizenship, etc.
I am confident that using technology in day-to-day lessons, with a focus on the NETS, I will be teaching my students how to succeed in beyond the walls of my classroom. And if an administrator or parent asks, “Why?” I can answer them with utmost certainty.

Learning Styles

Well, I can't believe my logical-mathematical is so high! Reflecting on my own learning, I would assume linguistic and visual-spatial would be high. Interpersonal is also not a surprise as being one of my more dominant styles. I was always the kid in grade school that could be doing something else, and as long as I could hear the teacher, pick up any information that was needed. I have a few students in class like that now. It's hard to tell if they are listening or not; They sure don't look like it. If I can see it; I can usually figure out what is going on. I'm not good at drawing at all, but I've won awards for my newspaper page designs and photographs. I do like working in groups and trying to talk out solutions to problems. I feel it helps to connect what you are thinking to what others are thinking.

I was never one of the students who liked to sing songs about the leg bone or the multiplication table. I enjoy music, but just not for learning. However, I always blamed my apathy for music on my grade school's lack of a music program. My current school has wonderful opportunities for students, and I really want to get my sons started on the piano. I was surprised that bodily-kinesthetic was so low. I played sports through high school and still compete in rec/church leagues. Playing Jeopardy along with the people on TV is one of my favorite past times. Running on the treadmill at the gym, I felt like I was getting more correct than when I watch on the couch at home. I thought I had a stronger connection to that style.

We can't offer every lesson to every learning style. I think we should try for the most relevant in our classroom (visual and linguistic seem to be the top two). Using centers or choices, might help others make a stronger connection to the lesson. Maybe, to help a small group of students who might be struggling, you teach to a specific learning style a couple times a month. Even if this doesn't work with the content, it might keep you from completely losing the student. Give them something they truly would enjoy once and a while.

Flickr/Creative Commons

Photo Attribution:
Original Image:"Folding in a metamorphic rock called psammite/pelite, Creigh Hill, Angus, Scotland."

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14508691@N08/4053469471/

By: Shandchem

Released Under an Attribution-Share Alike License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

This might just seem like a drab picture of a rock, but to those who teach science, this is a gem. A folded metamorphic rock bent and twisted by the heat and pressure of the earth over thousands of years. Add in the thousands of years it would then take for this rock to reach the surface and you can understand how rare it is to stumble upon one of these.
I could use this image in many ways for science. It has obvious signs that it is a metamorphic rock. I could show this in class and ask students to explain how this was formed, or prove to me the type of rock it is. For the creative students, I could ask them to tell the story of the rock through the rock's point of view. Any of these assignments would let me know if the students can apply their geology knowledge to identify the rock.

Here is a link to my own photo of a metamorphic rock at the end of my neighbor's driveway. It has a similar story, only it was probably pushed hundreds or thousands of miles by glaciers.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/63741425@N08/5796336087/in/photostream

PC Maintenance and Security

I thought I knew quite a bit about computer maintenance and security. There were many Atomic Learning tutorials that I was familiar with, but there was a few things I didn't know about.
MSConfig
I always wondered why my computer kept getting longer and longer to start up. I heard it was because it would have to turn on more programs as I added more to my computer, but I didn't know I could turn them off so easily. I learned that I can use Selective Setup to turn off programs that I don't need all the time. Atomic Learning also taught me that I can go to a site (Startup Programs and Executables Listing) to find out if all of those cryptic codes are needed. This is something I will definitely be doing soon to both of my computers and suggest it to others (especially my father-in-law, who is always frustrated by the fact his computer starts so slowly). I was surprised at how easy it is to do.

Running Disk Defragmenter
One thing that I learned from this tutorial is how often this should be done. I usually do this once every six months -- or longer. Atomic Learning suggests it be done every month. I know this takes a long time, but it will be worth it. I knew that files get put into different parts of memory, but I was surprised to learn that all the extra work your computer puts in to find all of those parts actually creates wear and tear on the computer. Defragmenting can add to the life of your computer. I don't think many people know about this tool. And those that do, usually don't know about how often it needs to be done. This is worth sharing.

Setting Up Content Advisors
As a parent, this is something everyone should know about. Right now, my kids only use PBSkids.org on the laptop when one of the parents is around. But someday, there will be a time when they can use the computer on their own. I will definitely be setting up the content advisor. I can customize the content. It is not an all-or-nothing type of option (unless that is what I want). As my kids get older, I could gradually move up the level of content allowed. If there is a site I reviewed, I can create an exception. This would be worth sharing to other parents, other members of my family, and even to parents of my students who are concerned with the content that might be viewed. No big surprises here since I knew this was available on our school computers and controlled by our administrators. We can let them know if there is something we want to use, and the administrators can open it up.

RSS Page Reflection

After a few days of adding feeds to my Google reader, I found the number of items a bit overwhelming. 350 from NPR? More than 300 from e-learning 2.0? Really. Webblog-ed only has four? I had to sort through what to read, what to browse and what to skip. I noticed several trends over the last couple of weeks when I checked my reader every couple of days.
What I Have Noticed
First, there is the news feed. NPR didn’t allow me to just choose Education as a topic. Instead I get all the U.S. news items. Maybe I didn’t set it up correctly, but I tried numerous times. The news feed gives you everything. If it is news, you get it. And lots of it!
Another thing I noticed about a couple of the sites was that it was hard to distinguish an article from an advertisement. E-learning 2.0 contains a lot of reviews of products, but also has a lot of bits that seem to be advertisements (in addition, there are many ads embedded into the feed). This accounts for the high number of feeds for me to read.
The feeds I tend to really read are a couple of the blogs. One of them being Will Richardson’s Webblogg-ed. He seems to post every week or so. His blog is informative and thought provoking. He’s not trying to churn out items for people to read. Looking back at some of his blogs, often they tend to relate to a current event.
What I Have Learned
First, I learned that I don’t have to read every item. I don’t read every item in a magazine or newspaper. I scan and observe. I read bits that interest me. If the entire thing is interesting, well, then I read it all. It makes those high numbers seem less overwhelming.
Secondly, I have learned some things I could put into use (either personally, professionally, or to share with others). The feed “Free Technology for Teachers” made me think about several things. First, this is something we could use for our group project on podcasting. Professors from the University of Pennsylvania are invited to post 60-second lectures. Not quite like a “Last Lecture,” but something to get you thinking. I watched a couple. One was called “An Open Letter to Mr. Rogers.” The female, African-American professor talked about how she loved his song about his neighbors; how she wanted a neighborhood like his. She didn’t get it. People were kind, but still showed signs or racism. She applied it to the segregation of neighborhoods that still exist which ultimately leads to segregation of schools.That, in itself, was informative. But there was more. I learned I could use these lectures in many ways: for infomation (quantum physics in 60 seconds), as a topic for my students’ writing (What makes a poem a poem?), as something I/my students could also create.
What I Can Use in My Classroom
I could see myself using RSS Reader pages in my classroom for a variety of reasons. First, there could be the lesson on how to read through all of those feeds. I know it can be a problem area for sixth graders. They have to be taught how to read for information, not just for comprehension. They need to know there are different purposes for reading. Secondly, I could set it up the way our CEP 810 instructors advised us to create our own feed. Start with a required group feeds. Add four more that related to the subject area. Add four more for personal reading. Students love to share what they find on their own. A byproduct is I could get to know their interests a bit more. If you looked at my personal feeds you would see I selected running and golf feeds. I could find out the interests of my students while promoting an informal research session for them each time I have them read through the feeds. Finally, I see this as a great way of teaching them about the technology that is out there. I never used Google Reader before, but I know a lot of people who do. It is something people use to stay connected and up to date for their job, as well as their personal interests. This is a great tool to have on your belt for becoming a life-long learner.

Get 'er Done!

A typical day at the office. Note the sticky notes (several sizes and colors) the crowded in box and the paper on the right that needs to be filed.

Another stack that needs to be filed or put back into binders.

A screen capture from my Iphone of the app "Easy Task".

This time of year there are many distractions at school. There is no normal schedule anymore. Prep time is used to attend IEPs. Music practices take some students out of class. Visits to the middle school take everyone out of the building for half the day. And it’s hard to ignore the beautiful weather. Add in a track meet, 25k run, my son’s birthday, self diagnosed adult ADD, sleep deprivation, CEP 810 -- there is a lot on my mind. So far, the Getting Things Done philosophy has helped get some of these things out of my mind because I have a plan in place.

I had a difficult time following the blog by Kelli Forrister due to the updating of her files. So I looked up GTD and David Allen. I even downloaded his podcasts to listen to in the car. After listening to a couple of his first podcasts, I was ready to collect what I had on my mind. I’ve always been a sticky note/scrap paper type of guy. I am always writing something down and sticking it my pocket. I'lI start the day at school making a list of materials I need related to the lesson plans and leave room for a running to-do list. I write things in the corner of the whiteboard when something comes up in class. It worked (or so I thought). I often wrote the same things over and over (e.g. plan next LA meeting, type out track letter, organize science and LA folders, etc.) The papers kept piling up on my desk. I thought it was time to reinvent myself.

I knew I could use paper and pencil, but I didn’t need another stack of paper on my desk or another note going through the washing machine. So I went to my iphone. I found a free app called “Easy Task.” It uses similar buzzwords as the GTD system such as “next action.” I have been adding things to the list as they pop into my head. T-ball game. Got it. LA meeting idea. Done. Follow up with a call to NASA (Yes, that NASA. For a tile from the space shuttle I heard about on Twitter. Found out my new principal went to Space Camp. Yeah! Brownie Points.) I can sort my actions by importance, due date, or type of action. I can even sync it with some calendars (Google calendar is not one of them. Shucks!).

Going through the GTD process is slow right now. I am still thinking about how I am thinking about GTD. I forget to enter dates when I use Easy Task. At first I didn’t like it. But then I realized, when listening to Allen, is that I’ve done a lot of this before. If I were to create a lesson on getting organized for my students, I would create similar tasks. It is really the easiest way to stay organized. I am beginning to like it. I now get the sense that my CEP 810 instructors created the task calendar with GTD in mind (Begin... Due...).

I think this process will help me. I can be heard muttering, “If it takes less than two minutes, do it!” I spend a few minutes each morning while my computer is turning on to file the papers that need to go back into cabinets or binders. I went through my physical inbox at school and purged many things that I realistically will not complete (ISD classes I thought were interesting, old memos I have taken action on already, LA department meeting minutes that need to be filed with the head secretary). I have reestablished my priorities. Most importantly, I do feel less stress. I feel I can see what I need to do with the push of a button. I can see today, the next week and some things I already want to complete over the summer... (Pause to enter CEP 810 assignments now)... I’m back. Yes, I see GTD as helpful.
I will continue to try GTD. If I can use it the rest of the school year and for my tasks over the summer, I feel I will be more comfortable with it as the school year approaches (and the family trip to Disney). As one instructor said, “Even if you don’t use this exactly, your thought process is much different. You’ll never look at assessments the same way again.” I can insert organization where assessment is in that sentence, and it will be true. Get the task on paper; get the idea on paper, and then follow up on it!

I did it!

Social Network

A couple of years ago, when a friend announced he was being stationed in Afghanistan for a year, I opened a Facebook account. Soon, a flood of people I knew in high school wanted to be my friend (again). When other friends from college spread out around the country, it was a great place for us to post pictures and keep up with each other. While it was quite addicting at first, the traffic of people I'm interested in hearing from has slowed. I still check it about once a day as I wind down. I do post about 3-5 a week to "show off" something my kids say or announce a clever thought. I use it as a way to keep my friends laughing or smiling. However, if there is something I want to say to someone personally, I really am careful about what I post. An email or a phone call is how I like to conduct personal business.
A recent purchase of the iphone has changed how I communicate with friends. Text messaging is so much easier. It is quicker than email and I know it will be read by them and not the entire Facebook community. The phone also makes it easier to put up a Facebook post at a tball game, or after finishing a 25K race.
I never thought about the professional uses much until joining CEP 810. I have several teachers that are Facebook friends and we usually keep it social. Everyone once and a while, we share an article or link that deals with a subject we teach or, recently, changes the governor wants to make. We use it to spread information to not only other teachers, but everyone else who might be reading our posts. I know see the political advantages of Facebook.
When I joined Twitter for this class, I was stunned by the amount of content specific posts that can be found. A simple search can bring up hundreds of tweets and links. I was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of information about education, but now I see the value in the sharing of this information.
How can this benefit my teaching or classroom? Well, since a couple of teachers are also parents of students in my class, I get to see a side of the students and their family life I don't normally see. I am reminded during my nightly check of Facebook that it is cold and flu season. That it is baseball/soccer/lacrosse/track season. I get to see what some students did on vacation. This year when students asked if I was on Facebook, the conversation went something like this:
"Mr. Bailey, are you on Facebook?"
"You mean that thing where you post what you are doing and can play MafiaWar and give people chickens in Farmville?"
"Yeah!"
"Never heard of it!"
The class would be puzzled by my answer. The three or four students who knew I had an account played along, and only last week did someone admit that they found me on the site. (I'm usually hard to find because there are so many sites for Ben Bailey -- the Cash Cab guy -- that I get buried in the search.) I've had former students try to friend me, but I wanted to keep my private life private. Shortly before taking the class I thought about starting a profile for Mr. Bailey, where I could allow students to "see" what I want to reveal to them. It could be a place to open up a bit of my personal side, and allow me to see a bit more of their life.
I did share to students I started a Twitter account for this class and asked how many of them had accounts. A few did, but far fewer than have Facebook accounts. I think it is because there are very few students that have devices that allow them to tweet at any time. I'm sure I could easily sway my sixth-graders into opening up accounts with encouragement, but do their parents want that? I don't think it is still widely acceptable, but parents are coming around.
The social network lab had great ideas for using it in class -- to post discussions and background channel chatter -- that I hope to use soon.
Currently, social networks are part of my everyday routine. I am gaining some confidence that I will soon be able to use these in my professional life and introduce them to my student's lives in a way that shows them another benefit to these networks as I have been recently been shown through this class.

PLN Visualization

Here is what my current PLN looks like.
In the middle
I am in the middle with my son. He represents my family. I learn from them in many ways. The family's needs are always changing. We often connect at home, as represented by our kitchen table. I learn who these people are and who they are becoming. I can see myself in this group.
To the left
This side represents my academic connections. My current school of employment, my current school where I am taking classes, and the school where I studied previously. I have many teacher friends from GVSU as well as Northern Trails. We are always sharing at NT. I even learn from the students. I connect with many teacher friends online through Facebook, that I originally met at GVSU. Blogs, twitter and the online classroom keeps me connected with current MSU group members. I learn things that make me a better teacher, educator and leader. I learn what they need to become the same.
To the right
My social networks include people I met at GVSU, high school friends, people I currently work with and those from church. I am more likely to see them in a more social setting, such as a golf course because we are located more closely than the group to the left. I still use online tools like Facebook or an e-mail, but since I am in closer contact, and often know their schedule, I am also more likely to call them. While some other teachers are in this group, I learn more about them and what makes them tick. I learn what others are doing to become better husbands, fathers and leaders in the community. I also get to know what kinds of things I like to do in my free time.
How will it change?
As I expand my network, I will meet even more people. Many will be out of my time zone. I will learn things from people that have more experiences than I have. I already viewed Twitter posts from NASA. I would have never have checked it out, but Twitter delivered it to me. Electronic/online networks will open the door to adding to all of my PLNs.

Twitter

These are some of my first posts and retweets on Twitter. Follow my by clicking on the link to the right!

First Blog Comment

My first comment to a blog. This blogger was writing about using technology in class. In a nutshell, I told her that we have to teach kids to use scissors; we have to show them how to use technology.

RSS Feed

This is my RSS Feed using Google Reader. I quickly added the required feeds, but have been adding more. The personal feeds have to do with running -- my new hobby.

Personal Growth Plan

I used a pencil when I started school. In high school I used a typewriter and eventually a word processor. In my first year of teaching I was afraid to bring the class to the computer lab. Today, I invite the computer lab into the classroom when I ask students to bring their i-pods and smart phones. If I want to keep up, or educate children who will have careers in jobs that haven’t been invented yet, I need to grow and offer students the best that is out there. I need to give students my best.

When I think about using technology in the classroom to make a difference I have two goals. One is a short-term goal: using it to teach a lesson. If I have students use Quizlet.com to create flashcards, study them and then take an online test, is it better than students looking words up in a dictionary, using index cards to study, and taking my pen and paper test? I want to know if getting the immediate feedback from a computer while studying vocabulary is a better than studying with a friend after school. If it is, then it’s technology I want to use in my classroom. Being exposed, in this course, to tools I could use in my classroom will help me decide which tools add to my students’ education and which ones are merely for show.

My long term goal is success for the student beyond the walls of my building. It is imperative that I use technology in the classroom if I want my students to succeed. Web 2.0 didn’t just happen over time. It can be explained. It started out. People used it. People found a way to use it better. If I use Web 2.0 tools with my students, they someday will make it better. They will help it evolve to Web 3.0 and beyond. It is my duty to keep up to date with technological tools and give my students the opportunity to explore them.

Just like learning to use an overhead projector, or new attendance software, using blogs or wikis takes time as well. I used pbworks.com for creating wikis this year as a platform for publishing science reports. It was wonderful. But next year when I do it, the learning curve won’t be as steep. Sure, I might forget how to access a function. A new feature might be added. But I now know an easier way to register all the students. I know a better way to organize the pages. I can use the extra time to perfecting the lesson. All because I increased my skill in the technology. However, my goals extend beyond my classroom. I will bring it to grade-level meetings or to Language Arts meetings. Just the other day, when a teacher sent out an email describing how to access the MEAP data, I walked up to her and told her some day (after this course) I will show her how to create video walk through where she can record herself logging on while her voice will play over the video describing the actions. She could then send this to the teachers. She agreed it would be fantastic since several teachers, even though they had the information in the e-mail, still needed help logging in.

810 Blogging Lab

Many people are familiar with traditional web pages. If they see one, they can identify it. In the past few years, blogs have become increasingly popular. However, if shown one, not everyone would identify it as a blog. Traditional web pages offer information. They may include hypertext links, pictures and of course text penned by the creator. Web pages have a variety of reasons to be published -- information, advertisements, etc. Blogs tend to be more of a communication tool. If I were to have a web page about Thomas Edison, it would be informational. I could include pictures of him and his inventions. I could embed links to Menlo Park or his hometown. A blog would more likely be written by someone and include information and pictures. But blogs are often linked to other with a similar interest. A curator at Menlo Park could be linked. The curator might then blog about the inventions you could see at Menlo Park. A reader of my blog on Thomas Edison could connect with the curator and ask them questions. The curator could then carry out a discussion through a series of blogs with those that ask questions and me. A blog is like a living web site. In fact the definition of blog is a "a diary on a web site" and a "web log". While a traditional web site is out there for people to see, a blog is there to interact with the author and readers/subscribers.

CEP 810: First Post

CEP 810: First Post: "Hello, classmates! This is my first blog. I wish it were more profound. Stay tuned!"