Blog Post #D

          Classrooms and technology have become very integrated in the twenty-first century. In some circumstances they are so integrated that students “attend” all of their classes and do all of their homework and tests strictly online. This is known as virtual schools. But, before something as integrated as virtual school there is a strategy categorized as online learning. Online learning is “the delivery of educational experiences through computers and technology” (Maloy et al, 2013, p. 142). Virtual schools are “educational organizations that teach students mainly though online learning” (Maloy et al, 2013, p. 142). Students attending virtual schools never actually enter a physical school and do all of their learning and tests online. Blended Learning, also known as hybrid learning, is “a combination of clicks and bricks in which students have face-to-face interactions with teachers in a school classroom that is combined with online coursework and testing” (Maloy et al, 213, p. 142). 

Photo Credits to Photonquantique on Flickr

Photo Credits to Italki on Flickr 

         Personally, I have participated in all three forms of learning. Through primary school up until about tenth grade my main source of school was by physically attending class that occasionally integrated educational experiences with the use of computers or other technologies. In my second semester of tenth grade I took a few Florida Virtual School classes. The FLVS classes were strictly online classes where I never met my teacher or fellow classmates face-to-face. These classes involved multimedia, lectures, and written text all online- along with homework, projects, and tests. Attending online classes gave me insight into and experience with online communication and virtual classrooms and chat sessions. By the time I entered eleventh grade I started dual-enrolling and got my first experience with blended learning. All of my math classes involved in class lectures and tests but homework, the class book, and other resources were online. 

          I was surprised to read in Transforming Learning with New Technologies that as of 2012 Florida was one of the five states that required high school students to complete and online class. I think that this was a very smart decision. I believe this because next year I will be participating in only online classes, and through the learning process many of my advisors told me that almost all of their students attend at least one online class. So, making students attend an online class previous to college helps them gain an experience needed to be successful in the future. 

          The US is a multilingual society and as teacher it is important to remember this. Along with different primary languages and capabilities, classes contain very diverse learning styles among student. In every class there are students who: 

• require a teacher’s presence and fixed routines, whereas other prefer flexible situations in which they can work independently on their own interest some of the time
• prefer listening to instructions and watching demonstrations before trying a new activity because they worry about making a mistake and appearing foolish in front of their peers, whereas other students, less concerned about what others think of their efforts, would rather try a new activity first and learn from their mistakes, gravitating toward the spotlight provided by individual or group presentations 
• learn by reading words and expressing their own ideas in written language, as opposed to others who require visual images and auditory cues to understand and remember new concepts; depending on the topic of study and personal levels of motivation, different students prefer combinations of reading, writing, listening, and speaking effectively to learn

(Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 245)  

Photo Credits to Sacha Chua on Flickr

In order to ensure success and confidence of every student teachers need to find a balance in their
classrooms. Personally, I prefer a combination of all learning styles as a way to absorb and retain the information better. When classroom activities have involved reading, watching videos, and listening I have been able to retain and reiterate the material better. This of course is enhanced and more engaging with the use of technology. 

          Teachers also need to make sure that their forming their classrooms with the idea that their students are diverse. Teachers need to make sure that students with disabilities such as language barriers are not being left behind. Multicultural education describes how teachers go about affirming the expansive diversity of student interests, needs, and talents present in every school classroom (Maloy, et al, 2013, p. 246). Multicultural education is based on the idea that all students should have an equal opportunity to learn in school. Multicultural educators organize teaching and learning to achieve multiple outcomes at the same time - providing majority students information about individual and groups who are different from them while offering diverse students opportunities to locate themselves and their histories and cultures within the school curriculum (Maloy et al, 2013, p. 246). In order to ensure student success teachers need to: reveal hidden histories and untold stories, create culturally relevant curriculum and instruction, expand teaching methods and approaches, and connect classrooms with communities and cultures. 

          Although I am not a diversity student learning a new language, culture, and history, I have enjoyed learning histories of other cultures, seeing different approaches to classroom instruction through different point of views, and learning about my fellow classmates and their communities. 

Photo Credits to the Oregon Department of Transportation of Flickr 

          Teaching linguistically diverse students can be done and enhance with technology. The first way is using online languege translation services, such as google translate. Using a service that is universally available, easily accessible and user friendly is important. Online translation services are faster and more efficient ways for linguistically diverse student to have access to translations. “Resources have many classroom uses, notes, assignments, and other materials can be proved in english but also in other languages - an important resource when there are speakers of multiple languages in the class is online translation services” (Maloy et al, 2013, pg. 248). This service can be used to to write reports, translate school letters, etc. Another resource for multilingual student is a multilingual web resource such as wikipedia. Multilingual web resources broadens access of informations to everyone, and ensures that students understand the content. Finding the origins of english language word, using websites such as wikipedia, help students understand and put into context english words. 

          Although english is my primary language it is important for me to understand these concepts and know what web resources to use. If I ever find myself doing a project internationally or working with a international business it will be important to make sure that any web resources I provide are multilingual. 

Resources: 

 Chua, S. (2014, January 6). 2014-01-06 Learn how you learn. Retrieved June 2, 2015, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/sachac/11808693135/in/photolist-iZuD4v-55fbhg-8xKPAS-houiJL-9g8fM9-awSatg-5AMomq-5PfbKC-4GXcBN-64AF8s-7zdq6d-hotT5g-crGWio-4HYDEu-6gFqCh-BRvkE-b2fFmX-4BTZe3-BRvmg-7BiCvg-bzndNi-dnW8Kg-rKq2v-rKq6r-zPxrZ-fSxitz-e8hX5S-5Y3AcF-rK  

 Dsselof. (2012, July 5). Learning Styles. Retrieved June 3, 2015, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/28678908@N05/7510823992/in/photolist-crGWio-8Vs4b8-4BErB7-92R9kE-niKRjD-4WNX5H-feSVtP-cEJH2A-6kXKz1-nhvje1-dJLNLx-rKq2v-5QBxZA-fjyxkZ-8hCzTj-bDTr5X-bkgXQp-bK5ydk-4m5ojv-9iUFFR-2Eoo1-4YCQkv-8tnGwN-9jBkRL-6pznWE-bpRSVN-av13q6-c  

 Fissore, P. (2007, April 25). Your success, our commitment. Retrieved June 3, 2015, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/pierofix/497601659/in/photolist-KYkCX-iDxLiz-eMii5E-dAtzGK-efWxey-jkQwd-fqj9Bp-bQCh6-4ZZL89-aj3r8Y-8Phfzm-9ut932-dwWHw5-dy7VqD-4cDH3c-jguuCC-gngvpk-eBgYBe-7VsPiK-qYiFAN-8N85PB-dRB5nU-8z46Zb-bpDgSG-5sp1Ck-bHG7Xv-gcM8Tz-nbAw4b-

 History-art-photos. (2009, August 26). Google Translate: Барате голем. Retrieved June 3, 2015, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/history-art-travel-food/3858282055/in/photolist-6SWGQp-9y32uz-9imCmR-ajP6YC-q94M9-3BAyRY-c3iQ6U-82e4dk-82e4ce-82e4aF-6v4NCM-6v8ZVj-dxMxVa-2tdRcX-8H8Dcn-bmvRq8-diGUKu-9BjULQ-5WAqeW-9Eh2YY-ayrK4W-az8iVU-6v4NEx-6v4NFK-6v4NyZ-ePG

 Italki. (2009, July 21). SpeakENG_product_explanation_2. Retrieved June 2, 2015, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/italki/3742081681/in/photolist-6GF9vF-rXAK8w-9kVqu7-5tg5Pp-qtDRcm-5RmTgq-kyVXf-5A7koK-5A7kmM-5AbBZY-5AbC1o-5A7koi-5AbC25-5A7kmz-5AbC2o-8AvD5a-88Ltif-pz2qHt-nvZ6HN-4Pj6PU-98Wukm-kvewfn-nvYW8o-fPPQiq-kvgDpC-opKerd-fPPQry-fPxhdF 

 Photonquantique. (2013, March 3). PhotonQ-HacKIDeming SOLE. Retrieved June 2, 2015, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/photonquantique/8526976276/in/photolist-dZuYYm-8BjV45-5aSdu-ciwyFY-8HpsMe-cixGYb-8GSHFq-6kDk1X-8BgNop-8BgMJF-8BgNT6-64rho1-4N9eK1-aqHae2-aqKPCu-aqHa2k-aqKPFG-aqH9WX-aqKPW3-aqHa4V-aqHa72-aqKQbG-aqHaye-aqKQ5Y-2s7L9h-8BgP3a-8BgN  

 Queen's University. (2013, March 5). Blended learning (Biology). Retrieved June 3, 2015, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/queensucanada/8571559421/in/photolist-e4rtZg-e4x6zy-e4x6s7-e6w2gp-e4rtJp-e4x6mS-e4rtEg-e4x6vE-76LBGu-eybD5-dyTauJ-dyMGcF-nnhTv3-e6BEGU-e4rtL8-e4x6xA-e4x6ou-e4x6ed-35mnuk-7Nixnb-atib7j-gnpZxX-dsmnUT-sgct2K-sxDxWn-sgcF3D-sxtNoL

 The Oregon Department of Transportation. (2009, September 26). 2011 Diversity Conference. Retrieved June 2, 2015, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/oregondot/6235421713/in/photolist-av1aCV-5xo4TX-5xss87-4TCbd9-7aAJ3K-8JwWux-7WXmd1-p2uVgi-uzPMJ-7aAHov-frimb8-ekjcNf-6wKZTt-7ykukq-ekkaNA-oDv92N-5FKUZg-8JExtY-ekkhpS-e59WQh-8xxDYY-gJJRka-gJHDev-ekes5c-ekjfrL-ekjem5-qoT2Cs-9mS