A flash drive’s a flash drive’s a flash drive! Or is it?

I go through hot and cold spells with technology. Sometimes I want the latest and greatest and other times I’m happy with what I have and enjoy the benefits of any gadget.

Some people may argue flash drives are getting more and more outdated, and will eventually be left in the technology cemetery, along with floppy discs (both small and large) and cds (eventually). After all, there’s dropbox, email, ipods, and smart phones. Some would readily argue there are many devices on the market that can do the same thing as a flash drive. While this is true, I argue the lack of needing to be plugged into the internet gives the flash drive a serious advantage over other devices. Sure, there are workarounds to flash drives, such as email, etc., but the simplicity of a flash drive is what will keep them around for the long haul.

Picking the perfect flash drive varies from person to person, but it can be especially difficult if you’re a number cruncher, like myself. Which one is the fastest? Which one is the cheapest? Which one is the most reliable? Which is the most cost-effective? Will all flash drives fit on my key chain? Do I want a flash drive on my key chain? Nobody wants to have all of their files in one place, so I am not recommending getting a flash drive as a single place to house data, BUT they are cheaper than ever and if you can afford a few flash drives, then back up the same data on both. What are the odds that they will both “die” at exactly the same time?

As for finding the right flash drive, you could always do a google search, or just click the links below. (I already did a few searches). My personal favorite is the last one on the list, the Corsair Survivor, because I have one of these and it is durable. Unfortunately, it cannot fit on my key chain as it is too large. Hence, my continuous search. I may try a fast one, but I’m afraid it will be too large to fit on a key chain as well. The search continues.

http://superuser.com/questions/22853/recommendations-for-stable-reliable-flash-drives

From Tickle Me Elmo to ELMO Education!

In 1996 or 1997, tickle me Elmo was the “must have” toy for the Holidays.  There were stories in the newspaper and on TV about adults waiting in lines outside stores, sprinting to displays, and getting into verbal and physical fights over the toys.  The demand couldn’t have been higher, nor the supply lower.  Although I was in 7^th or 8^th grade, I know the company must have made a LOT of money selling Elmo.  Back in those days, we sat in classrooms and copied notes off the chalkboard and overhead projectors.  A few science classrooms had whiteboards.  As far as I could tell, the teachers didn’t like whiteboards as much because it seemed like markers were always drying out and teachers would get frustrated as they had to pause instruction and switch markers.

In 2011, chalkboards are almost non-existent.  If classrooms still have chalkboards, they are generally in the back of the room or covered with a newer whiteboard.  Teachers never use them as there are so many alternatives.  Many classrooms have SMARTboards and ELMOs!

An ELMO is a replacement to the overhead projector.  Depending on the district, every classroom may have one of these new devices.  They are designed to take “screen shots” of different things, as well as project anything and everything you put under them.  They automatically focus and are very cool.  While overheads needed to be manually focused and only showed the shadowy outline of anything other than markers and clear transparencies, it is clear the ELMO is the superior piece of technology entering classrooms.

In my current student teaching experience, as well as my first student teaching experience, both classrooms had ELMOs.  The first placement also had a SMARTboard and relied on that technology much more than the ELMO.  In my second placement, there is no SMARTboard, but the ELMO gets daily use.  It seems to be an ideal piece of technology to teach students.  I am slowly beginning the takeover process of teaching the entire class, but while I have been in the class, the teacher has used the ELMO for countless activities.  He gathers the third graders onto the carpet and reads a book under it, so it projects the words and illustrations onto a screen at the front of the room.  The teacher also uses the projector to demonstrate class activities so all students can see what are expected of them.  If the teacher wants to correct paragraphs or show proper ways to do math problems, he can use the ELMO to project his writing for the whole class to see.  He still has the option of using the white board, but the ELMO is ideal for showing student work to the entire class and discussing ways to improve it.

Technology is ever-changing and ever-evolving.  The chalkboard was an amazing piece of technology and although recent studies have proven that chalk dust can cause cancer when inhaled, it was one of the most revolutionary pieces of technology used in the classroom.  Whiteboards have replaced a vast majority of chalkboards and electronic boards, such as SMARTboards are slowly replacing whiteboards.  The overhead was replaced by the ELMO and I am sure improved ELMO-like devices will continue to be released.  Children are growing up in an age of technology and technology will continue to be embraced in the classroom.  Did chalkboards and overhead projectors need to be replaced?  No.  Is it a good thing that they were/in the process of being replaced?  Maybe yes.  Maybe no.  Change may be good and it may be bad, but one this is certain, change is the only constant.  As a future teacher I am prepared and ready to deal with ever changing technology in my classroom and adapting lessons to use it to my maximum advantage.  Are all teachers prepared?  Maybe!  Will technology eventually become what separates a good teacher from a bad teacher?  Probably not, but will it play an important role?  I would say yes!  Would you?

Laptops or Paperweights

Laptops or Paperweights

Laptops are a fantastic thing.  I’m using one right now.  Their potential is almost limitless, but it is all in the eye of the beholder.  As a teacher in training, I have been trained to use laptops to their greatest potential, which is always changing and expanding.  If you asked me how well I thought I could incorporate laptops into my classroom, I would definitely say there was a place for them; however there are other less-technical ways of achieving the same results.  In my first student teaching placement, my class had access to a laptop cart every afternoon.  When I first began student teaching, I made a lot of use of the laptops, but as my time in the classroom wore on, I found more personal and interactive things to do with the students, not on the laptops.  The classroom was equipped with a smartboard and students loved coming up to the board, manipulating problems and using the smartboard.  After several weeks of not using the laptops, I was pleasantly surprised to see the laptops being distributed and students logging on.  I found out that the class was going to take a math benchmark test on the computers, in an effort to save paper and help give teachers additional feedback, as to how long students spent on each problem.  Not far into the test, it seemed as though old-fashioned paper tests would have worked better as half the class lost internet connection at least once during the test.  Luckily, the test was designed to auto-save student progress, but time was still lost as students had to log off and log back on to re-establish an Internet connection.  Do I think minor problems such as Internet connections should stand in the way of using technology in the classroom?  No.  Do I think valuable classroom time can be lost if technology does not work correctly?  Yes.  Is the trade-off worth it?  I think so.

The most important lesson I learned in my first placement is that teachers need to be flexible!  Expect the unexpected!  Anticipate technology hiccups and be prepared with old-fashioned methods to teach students.  We are in the age of technology and we should embrace it.  The iPad 2 came out this past Friday and I can for-see more and more of these devices making their way into classrooms.  Eventually classroom-wide pen pal writing will be replaced with iPad face-to-face or Skype conversations.  Money is an issue and will always be an issue, determining when technology reaches classrooms, but change is constant and it is the responsibility of teachers to change and adjust with technology, using it to the classroom’s greatest advantage.  I look forward to using technology in the future, but I will always have hard-copies of worksheets and games in a binder, to grab as a last resort.  I hope schools who offer laptops to students will overcome minor aches and pains of using technology, such as dropped Internet, as computers can be incredibly useful in enriching children’s learning experiences.  Teachers just need to use their imagination on how to best utilize technology in their classrooms.

One final thing to note.  Students with disabilities were allowed to still take the test with pencil and paper.  The idea behind this is that students are taught from a very young age test-taking strategies for paper tests.  Student cannot underline key words or facts on a computer screen.  The idea of taking tests on computers may almost be a dis-advantage to students who were never trained on test-taking strategies for tests on computers.  Does one way vs. another benefit or impair different test takers?  Are students with disabilities given advantages other than the already established advantages, such as extra time?  Is it fair to all students?

Feel free to begin a list of how you might choose to use technology in a classroom, if you were a teacher or if you are a teacher.  Thanks.

What is the best Technology?

2/24/11

Is old technology bad technology? Is no technology better than bad technology? Is there such as thing as no technology? I raise these questions and ask you to look through and contemplate these thoughts and questions not only through a general educator’s lens, but also through a special educator’s lens.

I’ve heard that certain private schools in the area are obtaining iPads for kindergarten students to practice writing their ABC’s with their fingers. I have seen certain Science teachers pass an iPad out to students in the middle of class, to have them look up the answer to a question, to share it with the rest of the class, while the teacher continues teaching the lesson and fielding other responses. I have seen an interactive Periodic Table of Elements app and had the pleasure of watching some students practice math flash cards on their iPod touches. What is the best technology?

I have also been in classrooms that do not have a smartboard and have to share an overhead projector between two rooms. These teachers still use different colored chalk and invite students to come up to the board at the same time, rather than individually, as more than one student can write on a chalk board at the same time, but this is impossible with a smartboard. Which is the better technology?

I raise these questions because I think they are important questions for any teacher to contemplate. Unfortunately, if a math teacher loves his chalk boards or white boards, it may not always be up to him if he or she gets to keep these boards. The district may make the decision to put up a promethean board or a smartboard, simply due to a state grant, where if they don’t use the money, they lose it. As humans, we naturally adjust to change. Teachers make necessary adjustments to change, but is one form of teacher necessarily “better” than another?

Technology can be an excellent support to keep students with disabilities learning at the same pace as the rest of the class. Technology that is new is usually fun and generally keeps student attention longer, as students enjoy learning, especially if it involves learning a form of technology that is developed to be user-friendly and interactive.

If chalk boards are considered old technology, is this considered bad technology? Has a chalk board ever broken down before? How about a smart board or overhead? What was there before chalk boards? Will future generations someday ask “what was there before smartboards?” As if technology eventually becomes so old and obsolete that people forget about it? Is it that technology ever truly becomes obsolete or is it that it is human nature and the consumer spirit in America that is constantly looking for the next best thing?

I consider myself an intermediate computer user and I use a fairly respectable Windows PC laptop, which runs fast on Vista. HOWEVER, one of my friend’s from high school (we graduated in 2002), still uses the same desktop computer he had, operating on Linux. Now, I do not know much about computers other than over time they begin running more slowly. My friend told me the reason people always need new computers is because websites and programs are becoming ever-more needy of memory usage and “fat” with “stuff”. Eventually, Windows and Apple computers need to be replaced because they don’t “keep it simple” like Linux. Does this make an older computer operating on Linux software any less effective than a brand new PC or Mac?

There is no easy answer to the many questions I presented, but as with any blog post, there is always room for comment! Feel free to leave your thoughts and opinions on the subject!

New Teachers and Implementing Technology

I believe it is important for teachers to implement technology in their classroom, regardless if they are new to the profession or seasoned veterans.  When technology is used appropriately, it can transform good lessons into great lessons, extend student focus, and glamorize various aspects of lessons.  However, I have been student teaching for several weeks and have access to a laptop cart in the afternoon.  Unfortunately, I find it is seldom I take advantage of this resource.  Why?

In the beginning of my placement I thought I would make daily use of the laptops.  Unfortunately, I found precious time is wasted when students get their computers, log on, and then again when they have to log off and return their laptops to the laptop cart.  One of the reasons it takes students so long to return the computers to their rightful spots in the cart is because the charging wires are not securely fastened inside the cart, forcing students to take extra time and find the correct charging cord for their laptop.

The total time wasted is roughly 20 minutes.  In addition to the 20 minutes, many student computers randomly lose Internet connection and sometimes have to be re-started.

I still believe computers can be excellent extensions of the teacher, aiding in student learning, which makes it that much more frustrating when minor problems arise during use.  However, unless students are working on a multi-class lesson, I would question if the use of laptops are worth the time required to use them.

I have subbed in classes where laptops are used on a daily basis and that teacher avoided the setup time by having students grab a computer as they trickled into the room.  Waiting until everyone is in the room and calling groups of students to go up and grab their laptops seemed to extend time necessary to get a computer.

I am still improving the writing and implementation of lessons and classroom management.  I use technology in every lesson, as I use a smartboard, but I admit I could make better use of the classroom laptops.  I am still trying to develop productive lessons, where students learn an extensive amount, in the time provided.  My goal is to incorporate laptops, but I am discovering it is more difficult than I originally believed, as I need to find the websites ahead of time and I don’t want my cooperating teacher to think I am using technology as the easy way out, not teaching students and having them get their information directly from online sources.  Are there any simple lesson plans or ideas that people may have to incorporate laptops into lessons, without replacing the teacher?

On a side note, if you do have several websites for students to explore, how do you guarantee they all read the same information and how do you test this?  Is the only way to create a “scavenger hunt” worksheet, telling students they must go through the various sites and find the facts necessary to answer the questions?  How can students be given the opportunity to show what they have learned, in an organized fashion, where the teacher can still assess learning, without having students do large projects?  Is homework enough of an after-lesson assessment?

The main point I am trying to make is new teachers have a lot on their plate.  I am sure the average new teacher knows more about technology than the average veteran teacher, however it may be just as difficult for new teachers to implement technology into lessons as veteran teachers.  The sheer quantity of extra questions and lack of experience that new teachers have to contend with may be enough to keep them from taking full advantage of their technological skill.  At least, initially.  I plan to use more technology in future lessons, but I want to get more comfortable with discovering how my students learn best.

In addition to the many questions listed above, can technology aid individuals in a classroom, such as students with disabilities, or will it serve to be an additional distraction?  I personally believe, if used properly and in under the right circumstances, technology is always a positive.  But, there may be those who disagree.

Who is More Prepared for Technology in the Classroom?

Old teachers or young teachers?  New teachers or experienced teachers?  Young children or older children?

I believe the answer will always be, “The kids”.  However, I believe it more important to debate and discuss new teachers vs. experienced teachers.  I would guess younger teachers feel more comfortable with technology and will be more likely to use it.  On the flip side, I believe older teachers have a better grip on yearly lessons, how to run classrooms, how to handle classroom management, and troublesome children.

It is a toss-up as to who would be better at implementing technology in the classroom.  I do not believe age has as much to do with it, but I believe younger teachers may have a better understanding (or appreciation) of what technology can be used for in the classroom.  However, I believe it may be easier for experienced teachers to inject technology into already established lessons, whereas a younger teacher may be struggling to keep his or her head above water, without worrying about the amount of technology he or she utilizes in the classroom.

I believe some lessons lend themselves to technology more than others, and I hope that I will find ways to incorporate technology as much as possible.  I know this is a shorter post, but I open it up to anyone who wishes to add their own thoughts or comments at this time.

Children Too Young For Technology?

Is it possible that children are ever “too young” for technology?  It seems as though we have entered an age where 8 year-olds get smart phones for their birthdays!  Of course it all depends on the parents, but looking through an educational lens, are there certain tasks that students need to learn, that cannot be performed or assisted by a computer?  (Other than the obvious hand writing and cursive.)

In a 5th grade class I observed, the class was putting together science posters, on the 5 (now 6) kingdoms on the earth.  Students were broken into smaller groups, but interestingly enough, the laptop computers stayed in the corner, while students practiced spacing letters on scrap sheets of paper, attempting to get the hang of proper sizing of letters and how to center titles.  Some may argue that students could print the titles out and practice spacing whole-words out, while others may find it very important for students to work on mechanics, learning to spatially and mentally predict, using their eyes, hands, and mind.

I am not saying either way is right or wrong, as I have not had much experience in elementary schools.  I know in middle schools, if students had access to computers, they would likely be on them for this type of project, however, middle school students generally have a more developed ability of spacing and centering (probably due to what they did in elementary school).  (So perhaps they wouldn’t have to practice this?)  I would also like to point out that these 5th graders were on computers last week, gathering photos of their different kingdoms, so they did have some technology influence in their project.

Are there any other things or opportunities that people can think of, where students may be better off, completing tasks by hand, as opposed to relying (perhaps overly relying) on technology?

One last question.  At what age do you teach students they can research any type of information they’re interested in, on computers?  If schools have computers available, is it bad to give students “free time” on them?  Do students learn as much through purely exploring, as they would in a guided and structured lesson?

Can Technology in the Classroom be Bad?

Although it is tough to find specific examples of this, the answer is yes…BUT, only when teachers lose sight of the reason behind bringing technology into the classroom.  To enhance student learning!  If technology is flashy and fun, that’s all well and good, but if it is not improving a student’s learning experience, it is not necessary.  I am sure there are many examples of unnecessary technology in the classroom and people may post comments that include specifics, but I know they are out there.  For example, using technology to pick partners, when there are other non-technical ways of selecting classroom partners, could waste time and take away from student learning.

Today was my first day student teaching.  I was impressed and happy to see that my co-taught classroom has not lost sight of the purpose behind technology.  I was informed that a 5th grade class was going to be taking their ELA exam on laptops, that afternoon.  HOWEVER, students with disabilities (students that are normally targeted with technology) would be taking the test with paper and pencil.  As I know students with disabilities usually get assistive technology before anyone else, I was interested in the teachers’ reasoning for choosing to have them take the test without technology.

My cooperating teacher explained that the computers distract students from utilizing their test taking strategies.  Since this was part 1 of the ELA exam, students were expected to read short passages and answer several questions, related to the passages.  It was the teachers’ fear that students who take the test on the computer would not go back and re-check their answers.  Earlier in the year, (when students with disabilities were given the test on the computers) grades reflected that they would finish the test and simply click submit, without double checking their answers.  On paper tests, the teachers observed students re-reading questions and answers, before handing in the test.

Some may argue that the computers could be helpful, if properly utilized.  I am not sure about NYS rules, in regards to setting students up with a computer program that could read passages, but if this was allowed, I am sure this would improve student scores.  From what I have seen in other classrooms, students who have access to computer programs that read text (through headphones), generally benefit.  However, I am not sure NYS rules would allow this as an option.

I was interested in the decision to keep students with disabilities off computers; for fear that they would not utilize their test taking strategies.  If both teachers were afraid taking the test on the computer would impair test scores of students with disabilities, could it be possible that the general education students were also having affected grades?  Is testing on computers going to be the way of the future?  If so, should students be practicing their test strategies on computer related tests as much as possible, before students get older and the stakes of testing is raised?

If students were allowed to use a reading program, such as Wordq or ReadPleaseFREE, I would be interested to see how this would affect grades.  I would assume this is not allowed, as students would then be getting tested on listening comprehension, rather than reading comprehension.  Perhaps it depends on the type or section of the test.

Please feel free to comment and share any other times or specific situations where technology may be more harmful than helpful.  Or stated in a more positive way, please post specific instances when traditional/creative methods in the classroom are more interactive and effective than technology methods.

Again, let me state that I am a huge proponent of technology in the classroom and I find it very difficult to find specifics examples of when technology is more harmful than helpful.  However, I believe it is important to identify weaknesses in anything, to make them better.  For example, I did not think about adding the Wordq program, to read to students, until after I began reflecting and writing this blog entry.

Students with Disabilities and Technology

Since completing my technology course in graduate school over a year ago, I have begun to reflect on some of the things I wrote in previous posts.  At that point in time I was “free writing”.  Writing what first came to mind on a topic and reflecting on what I knew about each topic I chose.  Now, I would like to take my blogs in a different direction, considering the impact that technology has on students with disabilities in the classroom, as well as contemplate if there are certain types of technology that benefit students with disabilities, while there may also be certain types of technologies that harm students with disabilities in the classroom.

My very first thought of helpful technology in the classroom for any student, but especially students with disabilities is the computer.  Naturally, most students enjoy technology and if a teacher places a computer in front of a student with or without disabilities and tells them it’s their lucky day and they’ll be able to use the computer throughout the rest of the year, students are likely to be very excited and remain more engaged in learning.

My second thought was the dynavox machine, that helps certain students with disabilities communicate.  This is specific technology, designed for students with disabilities to help them.

The third type of technology I thought of was wordq software, designed to read back to children what they’ve written, as well as assist with spelling as they type.  It can also be used to read different websites and information directly to students, with the aid of headphones.

While these three technologies that I have written about seem to be helpful to all students, including students with disabilities, I wonder if there is technology out there, that may be helpful to students without disabilities, but too complicated or not assistive to students with disabilities?

I am free and open to anyone’s comments if they have any ideas or suggestions of possible technology that may help a portion of students, but not students with disabilities.  And I am not thinking of stuff, such as “hearing aids”, which are obviously only designed to help students with hearing impairments, but would not improve school quality for students who are not deaf or hard of hearing.

iPod Touch

Why doesn’t the iPod touch include a camera?  Is it because this is one of the few remaining differences between the itouch and the iphone?  It’s possible.

I looked for an “email us your suggestions” link on the apple web page to suggest they consider implementing this feature, as nothing could be better than taking pictures on the go with your ipod and then uploading them for free when you reach a wi-fi hotspot, but to no avail, apple is not like google and does not have a link to e-mail suggestions.

It’s ok though!  If I’m thinking about this then thousands of other people are thinking about this option as well, hopefully some of which work for apple and have the decision making power to implement this change.  I am sure there are technology restrictions and questions of how much more expensive this would make the product, but it would still be pretty darn sweet if they found a way, which I’m sure they will.  Apple’s competitive advantage is their cutting edge, ever-expanding innovative vision and they will find a way to get this done.  And when they do, I’ll be one of the first at the store waiting to buy.

ps – how many people still have their google readers still set up and are reading this new post?  Am I the first from last semester to post?

UPDATE:  1/16/11

Nobody responded, which means people may or may not having their google readers still set up, BUT, on a brighter note, the new iPod touch 4 came out several months ago, and they implemented the double camera feature.  Unfortunately it is not a 5 mega pixel camera like the iPhone, but it still has high def video recording quality.  I asked a worker at the apple store how it could possibly have such low picture quality, but still have “high def” quality video recording and his response was simple.

“Mega pixels are determined by the quality of the camera lens, while high def quality is determined by the software quality.”

I have no idea how much he really knew, and how much he was just saying what he thought would get the sale.  However, it is great they made the change and as apple has been on pace, coming out with a new iPod every year, their next iPod touch will likely have a far greater improved camera.  After all, phones now have 8 and 9 mega pixel cameras built-in, so all technology has to improve with time!