Thanks for the great discussions tonight. I hope you all walked away with some better insights and information that will help you understand and work with digital learners. Before the next class session please take a moment to collect your thoughts and reflect on tonight's discussion. Within your post please also include links to resources and readings you might have referenced or found.
Have a great week!
Skip
ps - check out this link to some of CommonCraft's youtube videos - they are the company that makes the easy to follow videos. http://www.youtube.com/user/leelefever
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This evening’s class was a whirlwind of valuable information. I realized that we could have easily spent the entirety of this course on the single subject of digital learners. Obviously, the topic is vast! The greatest comfort for me came from the idea that one’s advancement in the area of technology can be taken in baby steps. The goal is to do something new in a new way a little at a time. I don’t have to understand it all right this moment, but I can enjoy the infinite journey of using technology.
ReplyDelete-Darla
http://campustechnology.com/Articles/2007/05/Engaging-Digital-Learners.aspx?p=1
http://teacherleaders.typepad.com/the_tempered_radical/2009/02/learning-from-the-met-teachers-as-digital-learners.html
Hi Everyone,
ReplyDeleteLast night was very informative and interesting. Thanks to last night I now have a google account and a reader page. I'm looking forward to using the RSS technology. I also got on to twitter.com to check that out. I'm not sure what I think of it, plus, I wonder if I have the time for something like that. I already have a facebook account, and I do enjoy visiting with my friends-using that instead of email.
I think the best thing, about all of the technology that is coming out, is that it is so much more user friendly than it ever used to be. It is amazing how once you start to use it, you become dependant on it.
I found a better article on using the ipod touch and iphone in the classroom. I think it can give you some more insights into how to use cell phones in the classroom. It is amazing the applications these "i" products have. Some apps. are for free. I'm starting to think that our classrooms of the future will involve using both the laptop and some sort of ipod touch/phone device. It's pretty cool and fun!
Take care,
Thora
http://wirededucator.wordpress.com/2008/07/25/an-ipod-touch-in-every-classroom-yes-with-education-focused-apps/
From Diane Taylor
ReplyDeleteWow, collaboration does work! I thought I might need to take Jessica's advice and seek therapy for my digital phobia and frustrations. Instead I tried using Internet Explorer in place of Firefox as Skip suggested and I made my firewall less powerful as Thora suggested. Voila, I was able to post a comment. It might seem silly, but being a digital immigrant I feel like I have really accomplished something. Thank you Jill and Jessica for giving us great presentations. We all have hard acts to follow. I feel encouraged to start a Google page starter with RSS feeds. Since I only was able to answer two out of the six digital questions, I appreciate being labeled a digital immigrant rather than being called something worse. If you would like to read the interesting article about how digital learners are expanding the horizon of learning, you can find it at http://cnx.org/content/mi7218/latest/
Have a great week! -Diane
P.S. I posted this last night in the wrong section
The class was refreshing. I really had a good time listening and contributing to the discussions. I think that my skill set is right about in the middle of the pack so I have things/ideas to offer and a ton to learn, but I'm not overwhelmed. The more I engage in technology the more comfortable I feel about experimenting. Just tonight I took Laura's class on Pages. Great material! I think that for my presentation I will create a brochure or a newspaper article so that I can apply what I have learned. The other thought I had was, the more "you" delve" into technology, the more you see the connections and the more intuitive it begins to feel. It doesn't seem to matter whether you are using Page's or Keynote, I-Google or Teacher.pageflakes... all the navigating is essentially the same. Today I also created a google account so now I can post as Ray and not anonymous. I created my page so now I too can begin RSS feeding. I surfed to a couple of sites, but could find/figure out how to link that to my home page. I'll check out the link Skip sent us and try again later. Here is the URL if you are interested in reading the article by Nicolas Carr titled Computing the Cost. He has some interesting arguments that are worth considering. Have a great week. See everyone next Tuesday.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thesunmagazine.org/issues/399/computing_the_cost
Last night was a great class. I enjoyed talking about technology and hearing what everyone has to say. It’s so amazing all the things that have been invented and all the things that are going to be coming. ☺ We are lucky to live in such a world!
ReplyDeleteI also have a Google account now and have perusing the net looking for RSS feeds that I’d like to subscribe too. I am starting to think that cell phones in the classroom could be useful, okay, maybe not in kindergarten, but I could think of several good reasons in the older grades. The sky really is the limit...or it used to be, maybe it’s not anymore!
I think that it’s going to be difficult to change my thinking from Digital Learners to Multiple Intelligences too. We could continue learning for at least a few weeks. I sure could.
I would like to say from my view of being one of the first presentation people that I would suggest that the presentation go earlier in the evening. Thank you for being such a kind group of listeners. Thanks, Jessica for inspiring my RSS curiosity!
The video I referred to is called ‘Pay Attention’ and you can find it both on TeacherTube and YouTube if you’d like to see it. The articles I used are on the website of Marc Prensky. They are under the title of CLASSICS. Both of the articles I used were written in 2001. He has an updated one from February/March 2009, where he coins the term: Digital Wisdom.
Here is his web address. Go look around. He has some thought provoking ideas.
http://www.marcprensky.com
All right, everyone, have a great week!
<3 Jill
Perfect article to support our discussion..
ReplyDeleteTeaching Gen Yers
http://www.techlearning.com/article/16894
I left class after our discussion with a racing mind and lots of excitement for the opportunities that the future holds with integrating technology in the classroom. I was feeling a little overwhelmed with the thought of trying to implement technology in my Kindergarten class. I am now excited to start getting my feet wet and trying to meet my students needs in a new way. Thank you all for a great discussion I look forward to many more to come!
ReplyDeleteMelanie Kent
http://www.edutopia.org/mary-scroggs-elementary-school
Hello Everyone,
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing class filled with knowledge, respect and innovative ideas! I want to thank both of our digital presenters for diving into unchartered waters and showing us how to gracefully swim into the techno world. I realize this is the future, so we as teachers need to accept the concept of digital learning and provide this type of environment. I listened and learned from all the articles, but found the one Young Minds, Fast Times to be amazing. We need to listen to children and respect how they desire and need to learn! It is difficult and fearful to change, but I know I want to try! So, today I had a high school helper work with two children to publish a page from their writing journal (simply word document). It took so long for the little ones to find the keys, but they did, and when that piece of paper popped out with their words you could see the pride in their smiles.
Personally, I can’t wait to set up my Google page and learn more about an iphone!
Have a great weekend!
Amy
I just read through the comments that have been posted so far and I couldn't agree with you all more. My brain would not shut down after the class, so I got up in the middle of the night and played with iGoogle and teacher.pageflakes.com. Teacher.pageflakes made the most sense to me. If you haven't had a chance you should check it out.
ReplyDeleteI was so jazzed I decided to try something new with my first graders. If you work for Bend-La Pine, you may be familiar with how kids can search for on-line information through the library checkout system. Anyway, I challenged my kids to find information about the heart, lungs and other body organs using the Webpath Express links. Long story short, they did fantastic! They loved searching for information on-line and working together with a partner to solve problems. One of my kids said, "Mrs. Multop, that was so fun. Can we do research again?"
Looking forward to seeing you all next week.
Jessica
From Donna Blankenship
ReplyDeleteGreetings to all digital immigrants and digital natives and those of us in between. Following the class on Tuesday night I began to see the world through the eyes of a digital immigrant and I am motivated to catch up with the kids that I work with and become a native. I truly believe that we must speak the language of those we serve or we will lose the excitement and the joy that they come to school with everyday, ready to learn and be challenged.
I am finding my view of technology is emerging into more of a healthy respect rather than a fear of what the tech world has to offer teachers and students. I find myself arguing with my daughter who is six about being addicted to screens, computer, Nintendo DS and TV. Now I am realizing these are simply the tools of her culture and she is using them as any native would. With limits in place these tools have the potential to challenge her to expand her possibilities and deepen her understanding of the world around her.
Here are some resorces I found last week as I was researching for my article:
Digital Directions: (free subscription monthly magazine) edweek.org click on Digital Directions and click on free subscription
teachstrong.org
4teachers.org
teachertube.com
schooltube.com
See you soon,
Donna
From Caitlin Vallerga
ReplyDeleteI feel as though I walked away from class last Tuesday with many new digital resources to use in my classroom. As soon as someone brought up a new concept or idea, I was looking it up online and bookmarking it on my computer. I’m especially excited about the self-publishing site (http://www.lulu.com/en/products/?cid=en_tab_publish) and the make-your-own podcast site (http://www.gcast.com/?nr=1&&s=238686058). I found our discussion on the concept of digital natives and digital immigrants also very interesting. I’ve decided that I’m somewhere in the middle of those two; I don’t fear using technology or trying new things but I find it hard to keep up with how rapidly technology is changing. For example, I don’t know exactly how to go about making a podcast but I’m confident that I could make one after some trail and error.
p.s. I posted this on the wrong one the first time. Here it is again!
From: Melissa Weller
ReplyDeleteGoodness! Like Caitlin, I, too, posted this in the wrong spot! I am definitely learning as I go!
Here is my original post:
I am so intrigued by all of the ideas that we discussed regarding digital learners. I didn’t realize how many different resources are available to my students and myself. I personally, am interested in signing-up for an Igoogle account. The idea of not having to go to many different websites, but having the information directly sent to my account, is amazing! I started to ask my friends and colleagues about RSS feeds and Igoogle. One of my friends is a 3rd grade teacher in Eugene at a school that specializes in technology. At her school, children have their own laptop. I found that she has a wealth of information to share in regards to finding new ways to use technology. I am grateful to have a friend that I can consult with, as I pioneer my way through to becoming technologically literate! From the class, I learned how important it is for me to learn and grow using technology, so I can keep up with the technological needs of my students.