reflection #5

So this week, our Technology project was on Critical Analysis of information, basically checking to make sure that the information you are getting from the internet is true and correct. I did mine over the website http://www.dhmo.org/. I’d suggest before finishing my reading my blog, you should check out this website, before reading the rest of it. Most of the information is veritably correct so you can trust it.

I did the steps that the program requires, checked the domain name, and this one is pretty standard with DHMO being a not necessarily common name for this chemical substance, but when it’s referred to as Dihydrogen monoxide, this is an acceptable term.

Most of the time .org is safe because it is based on a organization. The website itself looked, decent you can tell it was designed a while ago, and there is a single ad space for amazon.com on the website, So not too shady. Another finding that is positive is that it is the first result in the searches for Google, yahoo and excite. So it is fairly commonly used. While I cannot see that it who owns it Tom Way owns the copy right, the fact someone went through the trouble to copyright it is a good thing.

Now that the analysis is over, I can spill the beans. I found this website hilarious. Based on my experience as a research chemist in high school and undergrad, I recognized DHMO as another term for H2O. So all the things I read about were hilarious, because it’s all true, it just isn’t exactly as advertised. Obviously steam can burn you and if inhaled water can be dangerous. One thing I am desperate to know is if like it mentions on the site if the church of Scientology actually refuted the they use DHMO on a regular basis, because that is funny.

Reflection #4

After reading the chapter, is it Age or IT.  I realized first and foremost that I identify with Gen X-ers way more than my own generations. Then I tried to answer the questions posed at the end of the Chapter.
1. Are you more comfortable composing documents online than longhand?
I'm more comfortable longhand I write almost everything on a notepad before I transcribe it.


2.Have you turned your "remembering" (phone numbers, meetings, and so on) over to a technology device?
This is mixed, I learn important numbers like my wife's or pizza hut. However if it is someone I am studying with or someone I work with I trust my phone to keep up with it.  

3. 
Do you go to meetings with your laptop, iPad, or tablet?
no, done have a tablet or a smart phone, I do however bring a notebook.

4. 
Are you constantly connected? Is the Internet always on whether you are at home or work? Is your cell phone always with you?
Yes, to a point, I keep the internet running at my house, and always have a phone on me. No smart phone though.

5. 
How many different activities can you effectively engage in at one time?
This is a hard question, I can manage the big picture on many tasks at once, But i prefer to focus on one thing at a time, to make sure I get the details right. 

6.Do you play video or computer games?  
Yes.

Now I realize that most people my age and younger, are much more tech savvy than I. So I obviously need to get used to these things, and proficient in them if I am going to excel as a teacher in the future.

Reflection #3

After reading the article"Electronic Portfolios as Digital Stories of Deep Learning". I realized that the authors thinking about education is much in sync with my own. She brings about a comparison of things like checking the" assessment OF learning vs. the assessment FOR learning." This strongly correlates with my belief that it is more important that we teach our kids how to learn, than what to learn. Granted I respect the standardized testing as an important check for teachers, making sure we are capable of our jobs but it does have downsides. When we teach to the test, and it is all we are judged on we can get lazy. Critical thinking skills are lacking as well as the ability for children (and adults) to understand complex concepts as a whole, as opposed to a single blip of information completely separate to all others. To rectify thinking like this the author brings up the idea of grading through portfolios, and I like to think I took this idea a ran with it. With the use of the portfolio we can see how a student progresses, and what kind of tutelage presents the greatest change from week to week. I think if properly use, although it may take a lot of work from both parties, portfolio could provide, learning on a deep intrinsic level as apposed to surface learning mention, enabling students to finally make connections between their blips of knowledge. Hopefully with the development of this blog, through out the semester I can check my self. Find the items that enabled me to learn faster, and deeper, as well as find ways to make my career in education more efficient and useful, for myself, my school, and my students. I'm starting to come up with ideas, for my future students, that without a class like this I would have thought impossible. I'm very excited about the premise of my wiki and hope to use it sooner than later.

Reflection #2

After Reading the articles Digital Native, Digital Immigrants, I finally understood something, I was hopelessly a Digital immigrant. I do all of the things it mentioned, invite people to look at my computer screen instead of sending a URL; I call to ask about the reception of e-mails. Worse than that I wrote all of this on a legal pad before I typed it up on word, then I’ll paste it into this blog. Like I said, I am hopeless. However now that I know this I can start to try an bridge a language/thought barrier I didn’t realize existed. The breakdown of how educational gaming was enlightening to a point, however in this generation you don’t have to look far to see its footprints. I have gathered over the last few years that the video game industry was on to something important; Interactive, goal-oriented, technology is the quickest deepest way to affect these Digital Natives. Most of my observations come from the X-box, and its achievement system, and one truth regarding that, that truth is that I will continued to play a video game long after I have lost interest in its content to get that last achievement. So by creating an interactive, social, digital platform, that features a series of goals, we may be able to improve both initial interest and participation after the initial excitement subsides. This to me could be ground breaking, and with the advancements in technology both with capacity and price it is highly possible to accomplish in the near future. If we continue using archaic methods we will slow down the progress of these Digital Natives, as well as the generations after us. Using these methods we may be able to teach them to filter through all of the information they see every day, and only let the relevant and true information affect their decisions and values.

P.S. To further explain my concept map on my previous post, it was based on something I have read, the brain can connect one concept to seven others on average. It is based on the interconnectedness that i feel our system needs. Also on a lighter note it is supposed to resemble a water molecule( <==Chemistry Nerd) symbolizing that it is an integral part of our education

Success of Seven Connections

Reflection 1

   The most positive thing about having written my teaching philosophy down is that now due to the time and effort I have put into it, organizing and researching, I have a better feel for my values and beliefs. I also have goals, and a better understanding of what kind of teacher I can and want to be. There is now a public record of my personal expectations and that’s something I Have to live up to. I’ve always felt that writing down your thoughts allows you to look at them more objectively, and when you can see you own ideas from afar you can more effectively pursue them, or change them.

   Downe’s article on educational blogging points out the practice as a way to rapidly share opinions and ideas around the world, but I would challenge that notion. I believe that the most important part of blogging is the variety and speed of feedback. Through feedback and conflict a person can ask questions they didn’t know existed and go deeper into their own education, as well as get conflicting opinions, that grant you an opportunity to prove or disprove theories. At the end of the day I don’t think there is a concrete limit on the effects blogging can have on education. I think that we can push our system to use this as a tool and get out at least as much as we put in. The only thing I see getting in the way of blogging as a tool is rules and restrictions that may stifle creativity and make blogging a dry, boring media, like many others (i.e. textbooks….)

  

   In November’s article, the point is brought up that school districts are more willing to spend money on new tech that they are to train educators on how to use what they have, or what they are getting.  Using lingo from this class, they are simply automating, not infomating. They are throwing technology at a problem hoping it will go away. This doesn’t work, often.  All problem need to be approached critically and solved with our brains not our checkbooks, after you have a solution you employ tech to make it easier, or more effective, not to solve a problem on its own.

   My hopes for this class are for it to push me into a better theoretical and practical understanding of technology.  Now I know this sounds obvious, but for me personally technology is weakness, no smart phone, or tablet for me, I’ve never even taken a typing class. While twenty years ago that wouldn’t get in the way of me being a teacher, nowadays it would get in the way of me working at a fast food place.  Hopefully based on the assignments in this class and the feedback and challenges I get from my instructor and classmates, I can get the ball rolling on developing all the skills I’ll need as a teacher both technical and non-technical.

My "All In" Philosophy

                The basis of my teaching philosophy is founded in my 20 years as a student, and tutor.  There is a heavy influence of sociological theory, as well as analytical methods.  These attributes can be based on my degree in Criminal Justice as well as the raising I had by a research assistant.  More than that is my insistence that a good teacher is available for any problems a student might have as well as the position of being possibly the only positive role model my students may have.  It’s important for me to be 100% vested in my students and to put forth 100% effort into making better students and better people.  Put simply, my teaching philosophy is to be “all in”. 

                I believe an education that only covers tests and course material is hopelessly incomplete.  Academically we must help students develop the tools they cannot be directly tested on.  I must teach them how to learn, how to study, and how to be a positive addition to society.

                My approach to teaching is to be “all in” like I mentioned before.  What I mean by this is to be as available to the students as much as possible. The basis of an education in the sciences to me starts with the scientific method.  When students have mastered the ability to apply the method to their problems and walk through the steps, they can then begin to teach and learn by themselves.  Biblically speaking it is teaching a man to fish as opposed to giving a man a fish. 

                I expect myself to adhere to the charge of being “all in” regardless of how tiring, futile, or idealistic it may seem.  I expect myself to help both students and colleagues succeed in whatever their goals are.

                From my students I will expect discipline, hard work, and a willingness to learn.  While not all of them will show these attributes, I will push them towards these characteristics because I believe that these things help make people successful.  I expect my students to respect my position as a teacher, and I expect myself to in turn earn that respect.

                From my colleagues I expect two things effort and good will, exhibiting these things towards the students, teachers, and administration.  
              
               I think my philosophy strongly coincides with the theory of realism, I want to focus on students as a whole person, not as chemistry student number 1. I strongly support the scientific method as a basis for critical thinking, at least for students who haven't developed these skills on their own. Finally accountability is important to me, both for myself, my co-workers and my students. I believe you can never deal with an issue if you don't take charge of it.

               Technology is a weakness for me, and I'm learning how to harness it as we speak, but I do believe it has great value. I am an auditory learner, so the lecture style has always been good for me, but not all people are like that, many need to see,feel, and manipulate things to get a concrete understanding. Technology provides us with the ability to teach students in these ways, all at the same time while sitting at their desks. We can low at the pyramids of Egypt from different angles, or built carbon chains.I'm sure I am barely scratching the surface of what it is capable of doing, and that gets me excited to learn about it, and further to implement it in a classroom of my own some day.
                Critical thinking is a skill that seems to be dying out faster than common sense.  So as listed before my main directive is to use the scientific method to teach students how to think and problem solve.  Show kids that discipline, hard work, and willingness to learn can lead you to a successful life.  As well as being “all in” so that every one of my students understand I care about their successes and failures.  Through these things I hope to be a good teacher and a great role model for my students.