So this last blog post is a summative reflection on the semester long EDTS 523 – Intro to Educational Technology. I have lots of thoughts and as I’m writing from my bed (YEY for my own wireless router in my dorm room!) I am excited about sharing them here.

This class was a roller coaster for me. Beginning low, and going up, up, up, plateauing, and going up again… I will finally reach the summit next Wednesday and then fall quickly back to where I began. Although I will defiantly step out into a different world from whence I came.

At first, I was bored. Some projects, I had done before and some software I had experience with. I wasn’t expecting to gain anything new. I was surprised then to find Dr. Ransom’s extensive list of resources, freeware, picture and music search sites, Google Reader etc. etc. etc. The new things I was introduced to kept me quite busy, while completing my projects seemed to come naturally and easily to me. I had been hoping they would because this is my field of study and playing around with softwares and resources is how I learn. I loved Garage Band podcasting and creating another web page. Some of the projects seemed burdensome and repetitive.  I wish we had gotten the SMART board sooner. I think having the ability to use one is a great asset.  At the conference, during on Q & A session, one teacher suggested that on a list of substitutes that they should note which substitutes are “SMART board savvy” so that teachers who run many daily activities using it, can choose those people, so their students won’t be put off and their SMART board won’t get messed up by a person who doesn’t know how to use it.  Interesting idea.

I have to say, that if I wasn’t already in this field by choice, I’m not sure this class would make me want to be. I felt, even as ED Tech student, overwhelmed at times, and can only imagine what others who don’t “do technology” were feeling. It seemed we had a lot due all the time and it never slowed, and I never breathed and really comprehended what was going on. It’s like when you drive through the country without noticing the flowers and the farms and the sunsets. You know they’re there, but you’ve never stopped to smell the flowers, appreciated the farms or enjoy the sunset – you know? You are driving too fast, attention fixed on your destination and not on your journey. I feel like our destination was too far away, we drove too fast.

Also, my personal opinion, which I hope doesn’t not jade anyone toward me in the future, is that this final is crazy. Pedagogically – 27 short answer questions as a possibility is nuts. After an entirely project-based class sans discussion of articles and concepts, asking us to magically understand them and answer them in this fashion doesn’t really line up with the whole picture. The technology picture. My Web Design final is our finalized website, my social foundations final is a self-designed and researched video project, my Comp Graphics final is a short quiz (the second and non-comprehensive) plus a self-evaluation. And then this final is like 10 times longer and completely out there.  It could just be me and my learning style and the way I prefer to show my comprehension. But I’m not sure this is anyone’s best way.

So I guess I have a lot of different feelings here – bored, overwhelmed, too slow, too fast, just right at times… it seems like every week I felt differently about it. I did learn a lot, and hope to keep visiting Dr. R’s website to check in on his resources page. I actively use Google reader and delicious now. I feel more capable in making podcasts and interactive power points.  All in all – I learned quite a bit.

Have a good rest of your time at Naz in your own programs. I hope everyone got something valuable out of this class and will use technology in your classrooms. Good luck and God bless.

The week off was busy and I put off all school work… including this blog post! whoops! I honestly forgot. I spent Sunday, Monday and Tuesday downtown at the Rochester Convention Center at the NYSCATE conference. (NYSCATE = New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education…. even though it should really be NYSACTE but you can’t say that and ni-sk-ate is much easier to say)

I went to some really interesting sessions. I went to 9 sessions in all – and 2 keynote speakers (one of which I napped through accidentally). I learned about animation, the XO laptop, helping to stop the genocide in Darfur, SMART board integration into Elementary education, using wikis and blogs in el ed,  and picked up some free stuff. (my favorite free thing was a sumo wrestler stress ball!) My favorite session was by Pete Reilly, who is the president of NYSCATE.  He talked about Empowering students and putting them in charge of their learning – transforming education. He mirrored a lot of my Social Foundations class. I love these ideas- but implementing them is the hard part.

I know that the Edu. Tech. program doesn’t outright teach SMART board use. This is a travesty. I swear there was at least one SMART Board presentation each session time! Webster CSD will have a SMART board in every elementary classroom by the end of the year. Why wouldn’t we learn how to use it – so as a Tech Specialist I can teach people how to use it and utilize it in their classroom. (IT WILL hopefully BE MY JOB!) How can my program not arm me for being able to do my job?  The only time I’ve used a SMART board is in the other mac lab when no one was there – to surf around – but not to actual put together a SMART board lesson or project. I think this should be in the program somewhere since it is so prevalent in real life!

This class is going to kill me – I feel like I’m shoving things together and things aren’t going to be my best.

Also, in my web design class we’re uploading our web sites we’ve been working on all semester to our Naz web space. So I’ll have to figure out how to hand in the web site for this class. Maybe he can just grade my other site. ha ha. Then, the rubric says there has to be a downloadable form or something – I don’t remember learning how to do that. Maybe he’ll take that off the rubric.

Alright- sorry for forgetting to post earlier. See you all on Wednesday.

wooooooah – a lot of things were accomplished today. The webquest seems like an awfully big project to do in one class period. It seems super in depth and like you need more time. A big project for the last class – plus the final review, plus (maybe) the web site! jeepers. It feels like we crunching at the end. This class in general has been so full of information, gadgets, widgets, projects, softwares etc.etc.etc. Sometimes I loose track of where we are in time and space in this class.

I’ll just do my best! I’ve been posting my visual/audio projects from my classes to youtube. I guess if I loose everything – tey’ll still be there. So far, it’s only my claymation and podcasting projects – but once my personal website gets online I’ll post a link to that too. Anyway – i’m going to see a play this evening, so I’ve got to run!!

GOOD NIGHT AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING….. gobble gobbe

But when my mind isn’t completely overwhelmed with the inumberable possibilities of the software … it’s called Garage Band. It’s a good thing I don’t have this at home – I would spend all my time on it! I know that my perfectionist personality will allow me to make something JUUUUST so after long and arduous finicking. I’m going to be doing min eon my research paper. I feel like it’s a good idea anyway – don’t have to do too many new things. I’ve got a lot of projects on my plate right now.

So I added some links to the OUTSIDE LINKS page – you might wanna check them out. I have a claymation video on youtube now! I think I’ll post it below OR you can follow the link.

I’m proud of it! YEY!

So my claymation project is done, I have a EDU 501 paper and video, I have this class’ Podcast and PowerPoint and I have 2 websites to perfect. I enjoy project based learning… but seriously… a little overwhelmed.

I really enjoy creative commons searching for music and photos. The claymation video’s music is a creative commons find. I like it!

Oooohk! Have a great weekend everyone! Only 2 classes left! We can do it.

Oh my goodness!!!!
I just sent out my application for the job of my almost dreams.

I have wanted to teach internationally for yeeeeears. My 4 months in Bangladesh teaching English made me fall in love with the place and the people. My heart has yearned to return ever since. I think about it everyday.

Due to these two things that have invaded my person – I began to look into international schools and specifically ones in Bangladesh. I found a school called American International School / Dhaka. I had, initially before I left on my trip, been in contact with a teacher of that very school via blog! Upon my return, I continued to speak with her – but not very often.

Two weeks ago – out of the blue – she e-mails me and says she has told her superintendent about me, and he has encouraged me to apply! Imagine the way my heart began to jump inside my chest! This was completely unexpected and very exciting … but there was an issue.

This issue being that I would not be completely finished with my Master’s degree if I was offered and accepted a position for 2009-2011(contracts are 2 years initially). I would love to work there as their elementary technology coordinator or computer teacher – but those positions aren’t open for the coming year. (that’s why its my ALMOST dream) I’ve applied for the elementary classroom position. Also, I have no real experience beyond student teaching. Combine these things and it makes sense to stay in the US, finish the degree, get experience and apply when the positions open for 2010-2012 (hopefully they do). RIGHT?!

Well, after talking with my family and friends, I decided to apply anyway. I can always turn it down and apply again. Or I don’t get it, and I apply again next year.

Also, there are two other schools that have been brought to my attention, both by self discovery via internet surfing, and also by my teacher connection at AIS/D. There is International School Dhaka and Grace International School. Bother AISD and ISD are American based and certified by New England Association of Schools and Colleges. (YEY! It’ll count for my prof. certification!) Grace International, on the plus side is a Christian school, but it British based in curriculum and therefore would not count.

But I don’t really want to work at ISD or Grace – I want to work at AISD. It has the best reputation, and my teacher contact RAVES about her administrator. Honestly, I’ve never herd anyone as happy with their boss as she is!

Alright- well….. I already got an e-mail back from the admin. He’s forwarding it to the elementary principal, but says they may not consider me because of my lack of experience. okay – now i can cry myself to sleep.

I am really grateful that we learned about dream weaver. This is most definitely help me in the future. I am making a personal website to shamelessly promote myself to my perspective employers. I started with an HTML base but opened it in dream weaver and it looks a lot nicer now. Although it still took quite a bit of time to set up, now I just have to plug in my information and figure out how to get .pdf documents linked so they open on any computer.

Podcasting is pretty awesome. Right now I subscribe to 2 stand-up comedy shows, one photo shop tutorials show, and some slam poetry. I would really like to look around I-U and check out the university podcasts. I think it is really great that they are podcasting lectures for the greater good of the general population.

I have lots of work to do on my PPT project, along with a movie final, 2 websites and a claymation project. So there’s a lot on my plate right now, but I’m handling it. See you next week!

So today in class we got time to work on our non-linear power point project. I’ve chosen to work alone because of time constraints and the hassle of finding time to work with a partner. In undergrad it was much easier because we all lived on campus or near campus and could find time. Now with people all over the Rochester area with part time or full time jobs, it’s much harder to find the time. Also, I usual like to spearhead projects like this, and without the time I’d probably end up doing a lot of the work myself anyway. I’m pretty particular about things and having done this before, I’d be picky and don’t want anyone to have to deal with me and my attitude!

I’ve decided to do a S.S. power point on the Rochester Area. The elementary standards usually call for an entire unit or two on learning about NYS and your hometown. So if I ever teach in the RCSD this will be very useful!

We started to play with dream weaver as well. It seems like a program I could really get mind around and enjoy. Being that I have to learn HTML for my web design class – D.W. is pretty much 100000 X easier.  I’m excited to get my hands on it in some spare time – HAHAHA spare time!? What does that even mean? Alright – I always stay late in the lab, but tonight I’m going home, putting on my PJs and watching a movie! I deserve it.

My research paper topic is the One Laptop Per Child initiative. The XO laptop! Most of my information is coming from the website http://laptop.org. I also used NY Times articles and a book by each of the men who are the brains behind the project, Seymour Papert and Nicholas Negroponte. Because the program is still relatively new, there aren’t many, if any, peer-reviewed articles on it. I did the best I could for the topic I found most interesting to me – as a educational technology specialist and one with a heart for developing countries. “My future plans” (which never seem to be God’s!) include teaching in Bangladesh and perhaps (after completing my 3 mandatory years for professional certification) joining an NGO who trains people in developing countries to use computers, along with other trades, as a way to become economically self-sufficient, and also work to help the basic needs of the poverty-stricken be met. ANYWAY – back to the paper.

As I am writing my research paper, I’m talking inside my head. “Yeah, I agree.” “Not so much.” “Wow, this columnist was kinda snarky and sarcastic” “Maybe the critics are right.” “Seymour Papert, besides having funny name, is a really smart guy!” “Oh, interesting idea.” “Wow, OLPC isn’t the only computer designed with these purposes in mind?!” I talk to myself a lot too

I also stumbled upon this guy’s website: Wayan Vota, who writes the independent site OLPC news. His personal website wayan.com claims he is a “technology expert with over a decade of global experience in design and development of technology-based solutions”. He is also the Senior Director of the Inveneo Certified ICT Partner Program, which is a “is a non-profit social enterprise whose mission is to get the tools of ICT (information and communication technology) into the hands of organizations and people who need them most: those in remote and rural communities in the developing world.” He has also been an avid world traveler for over 10 years, and blogged about a lot of his experiences at BellyButtonWindow -his travel blog. Sooooo, pretty much, if he weren’t over 40 and married, I’d be in love with him. He sounds just like the kind of person I want to be. With all this together, I still didn’t know if he was a decent source of information… but since his LinkedIn profile seemed to be tip-top, I did use him as a reference after all. Check him out for yourself, and let me know if I made the right decision there.

So I’m taking a break from my paper, which still seems formless at 10pm on Sunday night, to write a few of my reactions here before I forget to blog about my paper . Seymour Papert is an awesome guy. He published a book in 1980, MINDSTORMS: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas. He also studied with Jean Piaget himself – a great mind in education. And so the term “thinking thinking” was born. Pretty much, in a nutshell, meta cognition, the ability to think about your thinking. He slightly transforms this idea. Papert thinks that learning about how to learn is a hugely important and vital skill for children and that personal computers can help to achieve this. I agree!!!

Critics of the program ask a very valid question- one that I myself have thought to ask of myself and of this project- why, with all the diseases, famine, genocides, and other plagues in the developing world, are we trying to get each child a laptop instead of a cure for AIDS or malaria, a daily meal, clean drinking water, a safe home etc. etc. ??? Honestly, this burns and breaks my heart. I can see those poor children, without clothes, shelter or clean water – their basic needs no being met – starving and sad, holding an XO laptop. What good will it do to connect a child with technology if their parents are home dieing of AIDS? These seem like extreme cases, but they are more prevalent then any of us would care to recognize or acknowledge.

Here is the answer that I found from Nicholas Negroponte, the co-founder of MIT’s MediaLab and founder of OLPC, “Nobody I know would say ‘By the way, let’s hold off on education.’ Education happens to be a solution to all of those same problems” (click for source). He insists that mass connectivity and education are the solution to nearly all of the world’s problems. To some extent, I agree, but I also think that basic needs, safety and health need to be achieved before a child is ready to learn. If they are hungry, sick, thirsty, poor and suffering, what good will a computer do?

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Today we looked at power point and some the cool aspects that can change it into a non-linear interactive kiosk activity. I have some prior experience with this because Geneseo’s undergrad program integrates some technology based projects – 3 of which were interactive power points. Plus, my student teaching experiences required me to integrate technology into each of my placements, so I created 4 or so power points that I actually got to utilize in the classroom. I loved to see my skills and work working in the classroom.

So, I’m pretty excited to do the power point project so I can pick a topic I’m interested in. I think I’ll do something about Bangladesh. I really like power point, and if I ever poisoned someone – I’d be the one dieing!!! I think also, because of my topic choice, and because of scheduling issues, I’ll be working alone on this project. Group project aren’t my forte

I also really enjoyed the website http://www.freeplaymusic.com/ I think this website is really awesome because of the way you can search for music and open it directly into iTunes. For examples I found music called “growing danger“. It’s so super cool that I’m going to find a way to use it in some project at some point just because.

In my other class, we are talking about websites being accessible to people with disabilities. I like the text readers – that is really awesome. Putting an audio file into a presentation, either by text reader or inserting your own voice, is an awesome way to make your presentations accessible to those with dyslexia or other issues with reading.

Hope:It could happen to you