Blog #3

          When attempting to solve educational problems in school, George Polya designed an approach. First, students need to understand the problem. Students need to identify the type of question they are being asked, what the question is asking them to do, and what they already know that can help them solve the problem (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 159). Second, students need to use problem-solving strategies. Since Polya’s approach was specific to math this included computational approaches, breaking a problem down into sequenced steps, connecting given information with what they know, making further deductions, and deciding whether a chosen strategy will lead to a solution to the problem (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 159). Lastly, students need to check their results. Students need to determine whether they have solved a problem correctly, or if they should try to solve the problem a second time by reassessing what is being asked for in the question, eliminating now-obvious wrong answers, or rechecking their computations and procedures. I have personally used this process to successfully attempt and solve math problems as well as problems in many other subjects. A trick that one of my teachers taught me is to practice the really difficult problems with a guide. Go through the motions and steps of doing the problem following the correct way, then take a break come back and attempt the problem again-this time on your own. My teacher always said yes practice makes perfect, but only if you’re practicing the correct way.

  Jonassen notes that students need to encounter problems that are not easily solved, even when using Polya’s problem solving methodologies (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 160). In school students are typically asked to solve only structured problems that include all the information needed to solve them. Such problems are “organized in a predictive and prescriptive way”, have a single correct answer, and follow a “preferred, prescribed solution process” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 160). In order to prepare students for real-world problems, teachers need to incorporate “ill-structured problems” that have no simple, single formula to solve (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 160). Teachers need to implement problems that represent real world problems which are complicated, and usually require costs and benefits and compromises to be resolved.

  Teachers need to incorporate these, maybe in areas other than math, to prepare students for the real world. Diverse problems that involve multiple scenarios, creative thinking, and differentiating results are problems that offer greater learning opportunities for students. Facing such problems, students learn to define the problem more precisely, consider a number of possible solutions, evaluate the pros and cons of each approach, decide on the most viable course of action, and reassess their strategy in light of its results (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 160). Essentially, teachers are one of the main influences in preparing students for the real world; accurate and beneficial preparation can only occur and be successful if teachers provide insight into real world problems as well as teach students how to approach real world problems.

Photo Credit to Ken Whytock on Flickr

  There have been many studies showing the increased educational outcomes from incorporating educational games into class time. I have played educational games in class in a competition, educational games online in single player, and even created personalized educational games and virtual flashcards for test practice.

Computer and web-based games of the twenty-first century have been designed with educational rather than entertainment goals in mind. A survey done in 2012 showed that the use of education based games by teachers, with one-third of elementary school educators using these games two-four times a week, increased motivation and engagement of students and conveyed academic material in a more relatable way. Games are active, challenging, and demanding of focus and concentration to solve problems in innovative ways, whereas school is most often passive and un-inspiring as students take in information and repeat it back on tests and papers (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 171).

Researchers from MIT concluded that when students play games, they experience five essential freedoms of learning: the freedom to fail, the freedom to experiment, the freedom to fashion identities, the freedom of effort, and the freedom of interpretation (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 171). Through the experience of playing educational games, young students “build new cognitive structures and ideas of substance” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p.171).

As a student I have had the opportunity to play educational games as well as passively sit in class and listen to a lecture. When class time consisted of educational games involving competition, I have walked away from the class- having taken no notes- and retained and remembered most of the information presented because it was presented in a interactive, engaging manner. Research has proven the importance of educational games, and experience has proven the value of educational games.

Photo Credit to Intel Free Press on Flickr 

Electronic communication is vital to student success. Electronic communication is beneficial because technology is literally at students and teachers, of the twenty-first century, fingertips. There are several types of electronic communication that make communication easier and faster, and make education more interactive.

One type of online communication is email or text messages. Email or text messages are “online communications that feature electronic exchanges between friends, teachers, family, etc” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 187). Text messages are usually brief communications, whereas emails can be significantly longer. An extension of this type of communication is a teacher or classroom website that consists of internet sites “developed by teachers to communicate information about themselves and classes to students, family, and educational personal” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 187). A more interactive version of this are blogs which are “publicly accessible online journals written by individuals for wider audiences to read and comment on” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 187).  Online discussions are “electronic forums in which teachers and students discuss educational topics” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 187). Another form of online communication is Wikis which are “websites that teachers and students create and edit together by reading and revising each others ideas and comments” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 187). Teachers can also use these sites to post links and resources that they want students to explore. 

As a student of the twenty-first century, I use online communication each and everyday. I use email to communicate with my teachers, I use Canvas to attend virtual office hours, and I’ve used class websites to access the curriculum and virtual lectures. Extending this communication into blogs and wikis allows students to be interactive and engaged in class discussions. Online communication is not only beneficial, but it is critical for student success.

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Resources: 

Intel Free Press (2012, October 3) Smartphone as Child Toy. Retrieved May 26, 2015, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/intelfreepress/8047838494/in/photolist-dgah17-69gAyG-6bB8S4-bH9Tg2-7RTpT4-fXm1by-maeBpG-5UePgp-fXm9NW-cVpfry-ceYWmA-7FWaZK-hESWES-crtVDj-7RWPki-2oWLB4-6xENLw-haWqQq-6fTwPn-4wyKcY-b8yNiP-dyinb2-7RHGZT-7Dtw1S-6xNSHd-pHyNER-ceYW 

Korbel, K. (2015, May 25). Padlet Board 1. Retrieved May 26, 2015, from http://padlet.com/kck0222/h29tvyjmmscd  

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

Whytock, K. (2012, September 14). Powerpoint slide: "Problem Solving" Retrieved May 26, 2015, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/7815007@N07/7985592878/in/photolist-daEfxQ-99Md4J-n6ERgp-71oTwW-58v3vN-4m6viF-7zgy6x-qVFAmN-qVEwMy-rdfxui-qVPC3V-qgewN9-rdfwNZ-qgrNDx-qgew7j-qVPAZH-qVPALM-rd6J4P-rd9Nc3-bBnb9-bBmT1-5zwVVv-934CA8-rd9MWd-rd9ME1-qgrLUk-rd6GVB-qg  

Blog Post #2 Ch. 3, 5

         There are three main ideas on how digital technology can “transform and affect attitudes and behaviors of students and teachers in ways that propel learning and organizational change” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 46). Technology must be unique which means that computers and digital technologies must accomplish what non-electronic things cannot, or at least not in the same way with the same impacts and results. Technology must have a powerful approach where it has a strong impact in schools and will be “substantive in nature and long lasting in duration” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 46). Technology must be transformative which means that technology should alter how teachers teach and how students learn. This should be done in ways that make school an increasingly relevant, more engaging place for education to happen. Technology must possess these three qualities in order to ensure a transformation in teaching and student learning.

    Technology can transform five major, and critical areas in an educational environment: critical thinking and problem solving, digital literacies, electronic communications and collaborations, creativity, and digital citizenship. But, Nicholas Burbules and Thomas Callister's observations concluded that the “capacity for transformation is not intrinsic to the technology itself” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 47). This means that “simply adding computers to school classrooms or requiring students to use technology in their assignments will not change education” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 47). Technology, by itself, cannot change schools; a transformation of education requires the optimal utilization of technology by teachers and students which “opens new possibilities for learning across grade levels and the curriculum” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 47). 

In my personal experience, when technology has been used beyond simple power-points and other basic web 2.0 tools, and was used to actively engage students, including myself, I have learned the content more thoroughly and have been more genuinely interested. This is classified as an active learning environment. 

Transformation of education requires not only optimal utilization of technology but also correct learning approaches based on one of the four learning theories. But first, a teacher needs to understand their students of the twenty-first century. How People Learn stated that people are “goal-directed units who actively seek information” (Maloy et al, 2013, p. 47). The best way to foster and develop “goal-directed units” is by active learning. 

Active learning is where students are “physically and cognitively involved in the learning process, personally doing something to compare and contrast ideas and information rather than passively sitting and listening to explanations, viewing videos, or reading about a topic” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 28). An active learning environment, although the optimal educational environment, involves some implications for teachers. An active learning style requires that teachers discover and work with “preexisting understandings that students bring with them”, teachers teach subject matter in an in depth manner that provides many examples of the same concept and a “firm foundation of factual knowledge”, and teaching of metacognitive skills should be “integrated into the curriculum in a variety of subject areas” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 48).

The four learning theories are behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, and constructionism. Behaviorism states that learning is a “set of changes in human behavior created as a response to events in the environment” (Malor, et al, 2013, p. 49). The focus is that learning is a process of memorizing, demonstrating, and imitating, and learners should be provided with “explicit and planned stimuli” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 49). The primary target of this learning strategy is memory tasks and recall. Cognitivism is the view that learning is influenced by “non observable and internal constructs, such as memory, motivation, perception, attention, and metacognitive skills” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 49). The focus of technology use and computer instruction should be based on individual learning needs and differences. The focus of cognitivism is on “program design and interaction, and how the learner shares control of instruction with the computer” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 49). The “primary targets of this learning strategy are active learning, transfer of learning, comprehension, and metacognitive skills” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 49). Constructivism claims that every person “interprets and constructs the world in his or her own way” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p.49). This means that learning is a process of “manipulating and interpreting the surrounding world in a unique way for each individual” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 49). The focus of teaching with a constructivism view is “on computer activities on learning, stressing the actions and responses of learners rather than those of teachers” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 49). Constructionism “emphasizes the idea that learners build their own knowledge and adds the idea that those knowledge structures are public entities” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p.49). This approach is in contrast with, or opposite to, “instructionism”. 

There are four learning theories and then there are two learning approaches. The first is teacher centered, also known as transmission teaching, where the major focus and energy of a class flows from the teacher to the students. Knowledge is conceived, portrayed, and provided as “discrete facts commonly understood by everyone, and knowledge is fixed, something we can all point to and understand in the same way” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 51). The second approach is student centered. This approach involves students actively in all elements of a class, “from planning lessons, conducting activities and experiments, engaging in discussions, and participating in assessing the learning”(Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 51). “The goal of the teacher is to create situations in which students participate in minds-on problem solving and thoughtful reflection about academic experiences” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 51). Neither of these approaches are ideal used by themselves. The goal is to build a “culture of inquiry” which involves teachers and students working together to “investigate problems, pose solutions, and reflect on what they are learning” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 51). Personally, I know that an active learning style truly is the ideal learning environment. An active learning style forces a student to be involved thus requiring that student to listen to the information, try and absorb the content, and find the meaning within the material. 

Because people are “goal-directed units who actively seek information” (p. 47) and currently live in the 21st century, information is used on a daily basis to “write essays, prepare for exams, develop personal talents, and propel ones quest for knowledge” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 99). “Information is the currency of learning in schools” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 99). Due to the internet, smartphones, and tablets people are on constant information overload. But, because information research is so critical to academic success it is important to possess information literacy. Information literacy is “the ability to recognize when information is needed and to then have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 99). “Students need to be able to be their own search experts, fact-checkers, and information analysts when working online” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 99). In summary, “everyone of the 21st century must know how to access and assess information” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 99). 

When evaluating online information it is critical to understand that there are four types of information, aside from correct and accurate information, that the internet contains. The internet contains misinformation which is either false or out of date or both. The internet contains “malinformation” which is what “reasonable people might consider bad or harmful information” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 113). The internet contains “messed-up” information which is information that is poorly organized and presented. Lastly, the internet contains information what is considered “mostly useless” such as trivial or eccentric topics; mostly useless information is based on personal assessment, because what is useless to one person might be valuable to another. So it is important for students to understand that the first website they come across might not necessarily be the best website. This has been critical for me to learn throughout my high-school and college experience where I have written many research essays, researched and prepared for many class discussions, and collected numerous information for class presentations. 

Because malinformation is very prevalent on the internet it is important for schools and teachers to posses and use information management and control strategies. The first strategy is censorship which is where “material deemed offensive is banned” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 113). The second strategy is using a filtering software that “attempts to block material from computers by identifying certain objectionable keywords or phrases” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 113). The third strategy is partitions that “restrict access only through pages that are themselves lists of approved sites” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 113). The third strategy is using labels which is a type of rating system that attempts to “identify for consumers a standard of safe material for children” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 113). The last strategy is using critical reading skills which is the approach that teaches people of all ages how to “read online material and decide for themselves its usefulness or appropriateness” (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 113).

Internet Access Controls without Censorship  provides more information and instructions on adding censorship to a personal computer. 

Rescources: 

 Brown, S. (2013, August 22). Learning Theories: Universal Design for Learning [UDL]. Retrieved May 24, 2015, from http://innovatribe.com/2013/08/learning-theories-universal-design-for-learning-udl/ 

 Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

 Resnick, P. (n.d.). Flexible Blocking. Retrieved May 24, 2015, from http://www.w3.org/PICS/iacwcv2.htm 

 SHANTI at the University of Virginia. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2015, from http://shanti.virginia.edu/wordpress/?page_id=414  

 What Is FlipQuiz™? (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2015, from http://flipquiz.me  

Discussion 1: 

To become a twenty-first century teacher there are three questions that one needs to ask themselves. The first is what roles does technology play in students and teachers lives? Typically, for students the primary role of technology is socialization. In the twenty-first century more and more kids are using technology at younger ages and there are no pronounced differences in technology use between the genders. Sociologist classify electronic use by kids under five as “digital childhood”. But, due to economic, educational, and racial differences there is a gap in technology use. Kids of minorities, in lesser SES households, and with parents lacking extended educational backgrounds show less use of and access to technology. This is known as digital divides and participation gaps. This can cause an issue for teachers of the twenty-first century trying to incorporate technology into their curriculum. “Lack of access to new technologies is a contributing factor to academic achievement gaps”. Although technology has become more accessible to all income level households the availability of technology is not the only differing factor in technology. Even in low income households that have access to technology the quality of that technology is not as recent or advanced as those that higher income families posses. This is another obstacle for teachers. Digital divides forces teachers to put in extra hours, pay for materials and supplies, and lobby policymakers for change. Technology is not only a learning tool in the classroom, but it also can be a major obstacle. Assuming teachers and students overcome these obstacles, teaching techniques and learning outcomes would increase greatly. Surveys of students learning outcomes and attitudes towards school have shown that an increase in technology use increases student interaction and involvement, student interest, and student success. Technology is more than a socialization tool for students, and in the twenty-first century technology is a crucial tool for academic success. Teachers need technology to engage students and improve their success. A few things that technology offers is it differentiates instruction to students and offers diverse learning experiences, motivates students, offers access to academic info from multiple sources, and creates group learning situations. Technology is used by teachers in the classroom (presentations and visual tools), by teachers outside of the classroom (blogs and grade posts), and by students inside and outside of the classroom. As a student of the twenty-first century technology is a part of my daily life. Technology is not only an enjoyment and socialization tool, but it also makes school much easier. I have constant access to grades, documents, and academic curriculum. Education today would not exist without technology

Discussion 2: 

The second question to ask when becoming a twenty-first century teacher is what are the twenty-first century skills and technologies? “Twenty-first century skills represent the knowledge and understandings that students will need to succeed in our highly technological, information-based society”. Teachers are expected to convey twenty-first century skills such as thinking critically, making judgments, collaborating with others, and thinking creatively to their students. Believe it or not, technology and twenty-first century skills are directly linked. Teachers can foster students critical thinking abilities through the use of computers, the internet, and even social networks. As a teacher it is important to be aware of twenty-first century skills and twenty-first century technologies. Twenty-first century technologies includes computers, web sites, and web 2.0 tools. Web 2.0 tools are things such as blogs and social networks that are interactive and have the potential to transform traditional learning. Essentially, what technology does is help students be interested in the curriculum and the way that it is delivered, be involved in the discussion in the classroom, and relate to the curriculum and discussion outside the classroom. But, in order to do this teachers need to use twenty-first century technologies, and posses and convey twenty-first century skills and their relation to technology. Twenty-first century technologies and skill are important for educational purposes but also for preparing students for their future careers. Currently I am using and learning twenty-first century technologies and skills that are preparing me for my career in advertising. 

Discussion 3: 

The third question to consider is how can one begin building their digital identity as a teacher. Digital identity refers to technological talents and abilities. Digital identities are built by employees in almost all professional settings. Digital identities are created and developed through the use of blogs, websites, computers, research, and electronic presentations. Daily work, future plans, and professional development are all dependent of digital identities. This basically means that to perform in most professional jobs the use of technology is critical but also a diverse understanding of technology is beneficial. “Three goals important to aspiring teachers and their digital identities are: building a multimedia resume, learning resources and teaching tools, modeling technology for students”. A multimedia resume is important for hiring committees to view. A multimedia resume shows that one posses technologic skills necessary for the twenty-first century. Learning resources and teaching tools are necessary to create engaging class lectures, creating thoughtful assignments, and creating outside access to the curriculum through technology. Modeling technology for students it critical so that students are made aware of the current technology and twenty-first century skills, and so that students are able to successfully use technology to build their own digital identities and are prepared for their future careers. Just like a multimedia resume is important to future teachers it is also important to almost all hiring committees of all careers. As I prepare for my future career in advertising it is required that I build a digital portfolio, and that I possess twenty-first century skills needed in the todays society and an advertising career. 

Rescources: 
Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.