stefanie9

I am not too sure why we are reading this chapter so late in the course, because I found it to be quite helpful in terms of supporting the way we learn through the use of technology.  In the section titled Learning with Technology there are several points that suggest the benefits of using technology to assist in learning.  For example:  technologies should function as intellectual tool kits that enable learners to build more meaningful personal interpretations and representations of the world.  This can be linked to our use of blogging within this course and our personal lives.  For instance, having had the opportunity to share my views and opinions on certain matters I have been given feedback from people who have agreed or disagreed with me.  In addition, I have also been able to read other people’s posting on matters that I probably would never think of on my own.  I have been able to form new perceptions on the world of teaching and working with children through the use of Live Journal.

The use of technology also helps people learn more than what they set out to learn. By researching articles you are always being linked to other concepts and notions that are similar to the one you are trying to research.  To me this is amazing because it broadens your sense of learning and it enables to you expand your knowledge without really having to try and look up additional information.  However, I can also see how this could confuse some people and make them become side tracked.

Meaningful learning with technology includes many components.  For example the text states that “technology as a social medium to support learning by conversing:  for collaboration with others, discussing, arguing, and building consensus among members of a community and for supporting discourse among knowledge-building communities” (Jonassen et al., 1999, p.8).  This is particularly true in our current class.  We must work collaboratively with the other members in our groups and classrooms to produce sufficient blog posts and we must then assist each other by providing feedback.  It is constantly a task to challenge our friends on their points of view to enable one to keep an open mind.  If this concept is placed on a larger scale such as the World Wide Web, it is definitely an important way for people to learn new information through the experiences and values of other people.  This can be helpful within child settings such as schools because children can begin to use forms of technology to expand their learning and development individually as well as collaboratively with others.

I found this particular article to be very informative.  I am very interested in photography myself, and have recently started a small business with my boyfriend where we take pictures of children and young adults playing sports (particularly hockey).  As a child I was very interested in photographs always looking at picture albums my mom or other family members had.  I used to organize the pictures to create stories about my family and I can quite honestly say that even now I have become almost addicted to taking pictures of everything I do, and documenting them on either online photo albums, albums or my newest hobby scrapbooking.

What I found interesting about this article was that children are often compared to adults on their ability to use a camera.  Apparently Kodak conducted a study in which documented  that “three quarters of children aged six years and older living in economically developmental countries own or have use of a camera” (Sharples et al., 2003).  I found this to be quite surprising.  I remember as a child the cameras we had in our house were expensive and I was not able to use them without the permission and assistance of my parents.  It wasn’t until I was in grade five that my parents finally bought me my own camera, one that was waterproof and durable just  ‘incase’ I dropped it.  I remember taking pictures of everyone doing everything, and often people would start to become annoyed.  Because I took a lot of pictures, my parents decided that it would teach me how to become selective in the pictures I took if I had to purchase my own film.  I actually think that this is what helped shaped me into the photographer I am today.  I am not saying that I am brilliant, but I am definitely selective in what I take and I am constantly trying to have centered pictures with good lighting and positions.  I especially enjoy candid shots of people.

Part of the article suggests that there is a difference between children and adults in terms of their ability to properly use a camera, some of which include:  their lack in competence in aiming cameras and framing scenes; thinking about a photograph as a pictorial image and so on (Sharples et al., 2003).  I think I agree with this conclusion for the most part.  I mean, we all know that children develop their fine motor skills at different times, so obviously children lack the competence to aim a camera or frame subjects accurately.  But I also think that is what makes a child’s picture so unique and enjoyable to look at.  It is from their perspective, their point of view and their stance literally.  I think children taking pictures is an amazing opportunity for them to develop motor skills, become creative and develop a sense of pride for what they produce.  Using cameras will be something that I will use within my classroom when I become a teacher. 

Better late than never!

This chapter was quite interesting.  I learned a lot about knowledge based forums, and am actually excited to try them out with children.  My only concern is how we can get all children involved, because most classrooms have one or two computers and not all children have access to the internet or computers at home.  I think it is definitely a great way for children to collaborate with one another as well as become more goal directed.  It is also a perfect opportunity for children to share information with one another on topics they are interested in.  It's a great method to use in schools when you want to expand children's learning as well as provide them with opportunities to share their opinions.

In relation to the Wiki applications, I have always been told throughout high school and University, not to use Wiki sites as they are unreliable and not scholarly.  After reading about Wiki's I can see that because anyone can go in and edit a page, some information may be unreliable, but for the most part it is a great way to gain quick insight into certain topics of interest.  I like the fact that the Wiki's offer environments for students to engage in collaborative, coauthored work that is continually evolving and improving.  It makes students feel that they have contributed to something that is long lasting.

On page 111, it mentions that freedom can encourage creativity but it may also result in unfocused, unproductive time spent by the students.  In this case, it is suggested that teachers provide frameworks and outlines to enable students to stay on task.  This can be implemented in almost all activities children partake in when using the computer or the internet.  Teachers must provide children the chance to explore the topics of interest, but they must also monitor that they are using them appropriately.

Blogs are something that before this class, I would never have used.  Mainly because dishing out personal information on blogs is something that I am not totally interested in.  But now that I have experienced writing my thoughts onto a page where people with similar interests can read, and comment, it makes me appreciate them more.  I like the idea of using a blogging system within the classroom.  It provides an opportunity for children who may not feel comfortable speaking out loud during class discussions, to communicate more efficiently and freely on-line.   On page 120, it states that in order to ensure students are using blogs in ways that support learning, teachers must clearly define the objectives and assess whether a blog is the best instructional tools for meeting these goals.  I think it is important for teachers to familiar with the process of using blogs and also monitor what the children put on it, and teach them that they must act in a professional manner when doing so.  I still find it amazing how teachers can use the tools of technology within classrooms to assist and elaborate on information learned within the classroom. 

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Isn't it amazing that approximately eight and a half hours of a child's day is spent using some form of media technology? I remember when I was younger, most of my time was spent outdoors. I rarely watched TV, we didn't have a computer, and the only time I talked on the phone was when someone called us. It wasn’t until high school that technology began to play a big part in my life. I think though, that the use of technology has allowed to us to accomplish so many new and important things. The text suggests however, that by allowing the various forms of technology to be your primary source of communication with others, eventually decreases your social ties with people.

I am guilty too, for using e-mails and MSN as my primary sources of communication, mainly because I am constantly in front of the computer doing something for work or school, and it seems more convenient to write bulk messages to people I need to get in contact with. I think, however, that the use of instant messaging within the classroom can be both beneficial and risky. For one, children have the opportunity to communicate with other children in the school, in their community or across the world. It enables them to share ideas, and stories that can expand their knowledge of different subjects, BUT on the other hand, it is risky because some children are not certain of safety rules and uses, and it can also be misused in the sense of bullying and so on.

Just recently I read an article discussing cyber-bullying http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/bullying/cyber_bullying.html, and it made me realize how knowledgeable children are now in terms of using the internet. We give children less credit than they deserve. Children are able to create websites, download programs and images, upload images and videos, and connect with people across the world, and personally I think that most children are self taught, and haven’t been made aware of the risks and safety guidelines for online communication. In the text it suggests some safety guidelines for online communication (pg. 152), and I believe that this should be made available to children in their homes, at school and in any community setting. Children need to be educated on how to use the programs available appropriately as well as be made aware of the consequences if misused.

I like the idea of using podcasting and videoconferencing in the classroom for extended research, however, once again I am concerned about the safety of allowing children to be seen over the internet. I think that teachers should be knowledgeable of safe sites to go on, or develop contacts with people whom are reliable and responsible to conduct proper communication with children. It should be a monitored activity in which the teacher supervises the entire process.

In terms of the use of moderators, I think it is such a valuable asset to learn how to keep the discussion boards in focus of key concepts, help fellow classmates identify the most relevant ideas, and steer the direction of the conversations to maintain its purpose. I believe that this can help children build better social skills in terms of working with groups of people, they can gain leadership skills and act as a resource to other students.

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Wow!  I never realized how many search engines and directories there are out there for our convenience.  I am a Google user, mainly because that's what my homepage is set at, but also because it just seems like the easiest search engine to use.  I found these two chapters to be very eye-opening in terms of assisting not only children but myself when it comes to researching on the net.  In the beginning of chapter two it mentions that the internet is 'intelligent' in terms of its capability to store and retrieve information you have previously looked upon or saved, and personally I find this very creepy.  It's amazing that as I am sitting here using my laptop, I didn’t  have to type in my password and username to log into my blog page, my computer saved all that information for me.  It still amazes me that this little computer can do so many neat things to save me time and make my life easier.

In terms of the internet use in schools, I do think that it is extremely important that children are made aware of the safety issues when using the internet for research or leisure.  I think that is why students are not fully exposed to the use of internet research in school because of the lack of knowledge by "digital immigrants" (meaning the older generations).   However, I can see how difficult it can be to monitor what children search on the internet during school times, but I also believe that by making children aware that there are inappropriate sites out there and by teaching children how to avoid them and exit them, this will allow them to really develop as internet researchers and users.  I do also think that teachers need to become more educated on using technology within the class, and that it should be a mandatory course taken in teachers college or as a follow up course.

I was also particularly amused by the beneficial use of handheld technology.  Recently, I bought my boyfriend a GPS system and I swear it is the best investment anyone can make.  It allows us to travel to places that we are unfamiliar with, and if for some reason we make a wrong turn, the GPS relocates itself and comes up with an alternative route.  This would be an exciting feature to use with children when going for neighbourhood walks or school trips.  

In chapter four they talk a bit about the use of PowerPoint and concept maps.  When I was in elementary school and high school we used concept maps, but they were drawn by hand or printed out for us on a piece of paper.  This method really helped me organize my thoughts and findings, and I am definitely going to have to check out the websites available for this method of organization.  In regards to the use of PowerPoint, I was first introduced to it in College, and quickly became familiar with the program and I have used it for many things including lecture notes as well as a picture slide show for my family.  It would be interesting though to see how you can incorporate this in elementary settings, and how children can use it to present their projects and findings. 

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So, as I was thinking the last couple days about my first encounters with technology and it took me back to when I was young, maybe about 4 or 5 years old.  I received this little computerized robot thing (can't remember his name) on which I played games that focused on math skills and language/reading skills.  It was my personal little friend who told me YES you are smart or OPPS Try again!  But I also had other encounters with technology, like a radio where I would record myself singing or talking or telling stories.  I even recorded songs that I enjoyed listening to on the radio.  There were even times where I borrowed my parent’s video camera and filmed my family doing nothing or something without them even noticing (perfect for when you get older and watch the tapes back!!).  I also was a huge camera lover.  I always took pictures of people with our Nikon camera, and quickly learned how to use the focus and the zoom.  My parents always encouraged me to use what they owned and offered me help whenever I needed it.  I was a very curious child, always trying to make little video or picture collages for my family members on their birthdays or special holidays, and in fact I still do that to this day.

I believe that my first experience with a computer was in Elementary school.  We had computer days where we would spend 40 minutes to an hour on the computers located in the library, where we would play games that focused on typing skills and listening skills.  These were interesting but definitely not LONG enough for me to really get into what I was doing.  Actually as I am thinking about this experience, I am amazed at how different it is now.  In all the classrooms I have worked in with children, the computer is such an amazing tool.  It is weird because not a lot of the students use the computer, but hopefully now that I am taking this course I will be able to encourage children to use it for their benefit.

I think a lot of people are scared of technology.  I mean I used to use a typewriter to type all of my projects out when I was in elementary school, and it wasn’t until high school that my parents FINALLY bought a computer (which was sooooo slow you could watch a whole episode of Full House before it loaded).   This is where my first real experience with the internet came about.  I downloaded the ICQ application, and was then able to talk to my friends on the computer; I was able to research information online instead of going to the library (even if it wasn’t 100% accurate).  Since then, I have fallen in love with the computer and use it for everything.  However, I still do not know all the ins and out's and find myself sticking to the things I know well.  Sometimes though (this being an example) I branch out and find something new to learn about.

Getting back to people being scared of technology, I believe that it is because it can be overwhelming.  I mean there are hundreds of different computers available, some with dual processors, web cam attachments, etc., and there is always a new and improved version of EVERYTHING.  How can we possibly keep up with technology when it is constantly changing?!  I bought a new laptop last year, and already I have seen seven other ones I wish I had bought instead because of some nifty feature it has.  Maybe I am falling into the realm of consumerism, but how can I help it?  Everyone wants the best (and if you don’t then you’re kidding yourself).  Technology is overwhelming because people like my father, who never used a computer (ever) while growing up can't be bothered to learn the ins and outs of the computer and the internet and staying connected with the up and coming programs.  He is however, very in tune with the latest TV’s or entertainment systems.  I just know that instead of being frightened and overwhelmed with the use of technology, I am going to have to embrace it considering this is where our future is heading.

I am really excited to learn about new programs and new technology that can be beneficial for a classroom.  I think that even if I had not chosen to take this course, I would have still tried to incorporate the use of technology in the classroom, but maybe by taking this course I will learn how to use it appropriately with children as well as making it entertaining and exciting!