24 October 2011

The introduction last week to the classroom brochures and newsletters was very informative. These tools provide a forum to communicate information to the school community and update parents to any changes in the classroom culture. I remember when I was in grade school how we would have to take these home from time to time. My parents would hang them on the refrigerator and use them as a valuable source of information so they could manage their time accordingly. The ideas generated as to what to include in our newsletters was very helpful. Things like important dates, after-school activities and even school lunch schedules are helpful to know.

12 October 2011

The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) can be applied to students, teachers, and administrators. These standards provide the benchmark for each area to achieve excellence in. They support each other as well. The Students can't succeed if the teachers and administrators aren't playing their part. The teachers rely on feedback from the students and guidance from administration in order to stay up on the latest and greatest. Educational technology is a growing rapidly and must be utilized efficiently if the United States wants to keep pace with other global superpowers. Like I said, the NETS set the bar, it is the responsibility of the "players"in the "educational experience" to do the work.

5 October 2011

The class this week focused on assessments and data analysis. Both are key areas in the field of education. The two different types of assessments, formative and summarative, allow the teacher to gauge his students' performance and his own performance in the classroom. Data analysis provides the detailed information we use to make necessary adjustments and refinements that are so critical in order to improve performance. The spreadsheet assignments had a bit of both focuses in it. The spreadsheet logged the formative assessments 9quizzes) and provided the data necessary for comparison and pattern formation.

3 October 2011

Last week in class we reviewed the finer points of making a grade spreadsheet then applied what we knew. I was able to finish my final product this week and I followed up this effort with my reflection paper. Since I had some experience in the past with using the Excel program I was able to get the project done with little to no trouble. The only thing I needed some review on was making the formulas. All in all the project was worth it since I got to apply what I already knew to classroom culture.

Friday 23 September

Understanding and being able to interpret the legal boundaries of any profession is very important. It can be essential in the classroom environment, and as we found out in class this week, it also can cross over into the courtroom too. Fair use needs to be understood in order to ensure ideas are not stolen and copyright is observed. However, I can see where educators can get into trouble, since they want to get the key ideas across from their lesson and sometimes legal boundaries can seem blurry. Asking yourself if the material in question is in line with the subject matter is a good rule of thumb. Posting or sharing text or videos on line can be dangerous if it is not firmly apart of the content matter. Lastly, as a teacher it is probably best to clear your lesson and get approval from a fellow educator that has a wealth of knowledge and experience before diving into a sea of controversy.

Friday 16 September

This week's class focused heavily on the identity of the student and the abundance of challenges they face. The video we watched was extremely accurate and even captured the emotion involved as the scenes scanned the faces of the students in the crowd. Some of the thing I related to were being stressed out, tired, and worried what the future may hold. One of the greatest fears a student has nowadays is the debt the will certainly incur after they graduate and the loan officer comes calling. This really hit home since it acted as a source of motivation when I was in college the first time. I didn't know what to expect when I got there and I grew uncertain about the direction of study I wanted to follow. Ultimately, I lost the academic scholarship I earned and found myself applying for all sorts of financial aid. Not wanting to fall into debt or rely on my parents, I enlisted in the military. In hindsight, I suppose I was less worried about bombs and bullets than I was with books and bills. Now that I am back in school I have earned the benefits which afford me the opportunity to attend Temple University. However, I can attest to the stress and fatigue that school work places upon even the most dedicated of students. Take it from me... I have spent over two years in a combat zone, so as the song by A Tribe Called Quest goes, "I really know what it means to be stressed out...".

EDU2255 Journal: Thursday September 1

When comparing the classrooms of the 20th century to those of the 21st century the results are vastly different. Fifteen years ago the relationship of the teacher to the student was mainly a one way street. The teacher would instruct for a certain period of time either by lecturing or running a visual slide show. Essentially there was little communication in the relationship due to the fact that there was not an even flow of information and mutual exchange of ideas. It was widely assumed that students could only learn by writing down what the teacher told them and then memorizing it. Critical thinking and problem solving where not emphasized, nor was creativity for that matter (unless it was an art class).
The classroom of the 21st century must function as a center for the exchange of ideas between teachers, students, parents, and administrators. The best way to do this is by implementing technology that can facilitate interaction amongst all involved parties. Simply by using technology in the classroom the students can get involved more easily. The 21st century classroom encourages team work, not competition, in the student body. Group projects, thus, foster the development of the subject matter and keep the learners involved in learning! By learners I don't just mean students but teachers and parents as well! As long as we are all on the same page the 21st century classroom will far exceed it's 20th century predecessor.