Made to Stick (Makeup: June 30, 2010 Chat session)

My first impression of the introduction was “how does this apply to this class?”. As I continued to read, I was pleasantly surprised with what I was reading and was able to form mental images. I was familiar with the majority of the examples that the author used, especially the urban legends and the proverbs.

The unexpected reaction that I had was that I would actually continue to read this book beyond what is required for this class. I am interested in reading more about “SUCCESs” and how it may assist me with my training skills. The question I am left with at this point is: How do I present formatted, clear cut information in a SUCCEsful way?

I am not a traditional educator. I am an

instructor on a mobile training team (MTT) for the military. I am often in a different state each week with new personnel attending each class session. On average, I instruct two two-day sessions covering the same material each time. The software application that I teach is standardized and cannot be changed unless the software developers change it. There are seven types of reports that this software application will produce. All of the information entered into this report as well as who, what, when, where and why is governed my military regulations and policies. So, how can I present information such as this in a more SUCCESsful way?

The material I cover is somewhat boring to many, almost like chemistry to those who have not been previously exposed to the application. I have so much information that I must cover during to the two-day session so I must admit that I sometimes sound like a recording. Other times, I may sound like a walking talking regulation simply because I must quote/give the official answer from the policy or regulation to many of the questions that I am asked. This book, Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, will be read in its entirety to seek and possibly get an answer to: How can I present dry, boring as many students say, material in a more SUCCESsful way?

2009 METS for Students

I reviewed the Michigan Educational Technology Standards for Students in grades 9-12. After reading them, they appear to be somewhat advanced skills that they are asking the high school students to acquire prior to graduation. Do the same requirements apply to the educators? There are many educators who cannot perform these skills themselves. Are these requirements to be met by each student? From a personal standpoint, the same should be required of all educators, especially if they are instructing students. The more students learn at this level, the more equipped they will be for college and the future of technology. How to determine whether the information is fact or fiction, as well how to properly site a source should be learned at the high school level. Learning how to cite sources properly prior to college would be most beneficial because many adults, like myself, struggle with how to properly cite a source, specifically information found on the internet.

The requirement to complete at least one online credit, course or online experience should be increased to a four hour requirement. Students should be required to take a one hour course each year to build upon what was learned in the previous year. This allows students that may have not been exposed to technology previously an opportunity to learn at their pace and get what information they need to succeed.

Overall, from a technology perspective, I think the goals that Michigan’s education system has set are great. Ensuring that students are aware of the fundamentals of technology, such as file types/formats, gives them a greater knowledge base and chance of succeeding in college as well as the workplace. The more information students are equipped with prior to entering the workforce is an advantage for them as individuals expected to know how to use a computer and perform various functions.

2010 Michigan Educational Technology Plan

The plan is starting out with the “right frame of mind”. The first goal is align and integrate the standards of the three systems. Once the standards are aligned, the groups can then begin working towards a common goal. As with the National Technology plan, in theory it is a great plan to ensure that all students have access to the same technology but realistically can it be it implemented and how will it be funded.

Goal 2 is a great utilization of the resources that the State has access to at all levels of government, as well as public and private institutions. Goal 3 seeks to enable the transformation of teaching and learning to improve student achievement. By incorporating technology standards and requirements into licensure, certification and endorsements ensures that teachers meet certain technology requirements. Will all educators be required to complete technology requirements or only those pursuing certifications and/or endorsements?

Goal 4 seeks to ensure that all interested parties are informed. Communication is key within any organization or community. Although Michigan is planning to make sure that educators, policy makers, and communities understand the inclusion of technology and all the data is available, they must also ensure that the audience is familiar with the technology and what they data means for them as a stakeholder.

With Goal 5, the States plans to simplify the process of gathering data via a decision support system. Decision support systems simply the reporting process and alleviates the need to request duplicate copies due to misplacement. Assigning Unique Identification Numbers allows one to obtain data without knowing who the individual is; therefore, a student is not subject to having their information displayed for others to access.

The plan lays a great foundation for the inclusion/continued use of technology.

Review of National Educational Technology Plan

The National Educational Technology Plan has set some very aggressive goals for the American Education system to work towards achieving. In order to achieve these goals, it will require all parties to be very diligent in doing their part to assist in the transformation of American education.

As I continued to read the plan, I realized that the concept and plan sounds great but wondered, “Where is the money to achieve this goal coming from?” I recalled an encounter with a teacher at Wal-mart during one of my business trips (maybe in TX); she was purchasing two boxes of composition notebooks for her students with her personal funds. If school districts cannot afford to assist their students with basic supplies, how will they equip the schools with the vast amount of technology that would be required to implement a plan of this magnitude?

The plan addressed the need to build the capacity of educators. As we have learned/are learning in this class, our educators need to be learning what technology is available as well as how to utilize it effectively. Offering online education to the educators ensures that those located in less suburban areas will have access to the information.

Education is an urgent priority under the Obama administration. In order to achieve the goals that are set forth, as stated in the plan, everyone involved must embrace innovation, implementation, regular evaluation and work to continually improve the education process. As with any system, to include the education system, all parties or the majority must be willing to work to achieve a common goal. Overall, it is a good plan and is achievable with dedication, willpower, endurance and accountability among other things. Most of all, the government must assist tremendously in financing a plan of this magnitude, especially in economically deprived areas with very little access to technology.

7th Standard (Technology) of the Professional Standards for Michigan Teachers vs. EDU 590 Objectives

The 7th Standard and EDU 590 both emphasize the use of technological tools, operations and concepts to enhance the learning experience, personal and professional productivity and communication among students. In EDU 590, our assignments are structured so that we will have to use the technological tools that are available (Blackboard, media, software applications, etc). The creation of a blog post enabled each student to become familiar with the concept of blogging as well as communicating with our peers and others to relay information in a forum outside of Blackboard’s discussion board (7g). This allowed the students of EDU 590 an outlet to express our views on various subjects and solicit the feedback of others (7b).

The research paper assigned requires that the students evaluate an educational technology plan, curriculum, website and software application which ensures the understanding of the various issues surrounding the use of technology in K-12 schools (7a).

Having to develop a technology based lesson plan and have it evaluated ensures that the students are aware of how to create and evaluate an online learning experience so that students would be able to achieve the same quality and level of education in a traditional environment (7c/7e).

To ensure that the students understood how to apply technology to assess and evaluate assignments, we were required to submit a 2,000 word essay (Plagiarism assignment) to “Safe Assign” for evaluation. The software application evaluated our work to determine if it was plagiarized or our own work (7f).

Incorporating a presentation allows each student the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge that was learned in class and present it to others utilizing many of the methods that may have been learned in EDU 590, if they had no prior knowledge.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is when a minor (child, teen or preteen) uses the Internet, cell phones, or other digital media devices to harm another child. It is only considered bullying when minors are involved on both sides, the bully and the one being bullied. Children sometimes do things that they think are fun and consider it to be playing or a joke, not realizing that they are actually causing harm to another individual. It is essential that these types of things are explained to our children, especially when they have such free access to so much technology.

I often express to the minors that I mentor that they should be aware of their actions towards others and in public. What may seem insignificant to them, such as a negative comment made as a joke, may be taken out of context by someone who overhears or reads the message (text/email) sent. Once a text, instant message or email is sent, it cannot be taken back. Although they may have sent it to one person does not mean that the person it was sent to will not forward it on to others for their review. With a few keystrokes, what was meant for one person is now seen by anyone they choose to send the message to. With so many phones having features that allow one to record audio and video, anyone can record the actions of others at anytime without their knowledge. Embarrassing moments are posted to websites in a matter of minutes. Some phones allow posts directly to websites such as Facebook, Utube, Twitter and others. The best way to prevent cyberbullying is to talk to minors about the serious effects that it can have on them and the other individual.

To learn more about cyberbullying, visit:
www.stopcyberbullying.org
www.stopybullyingnow.hrsa.gov
www.wiredsafety.org
http://kids.getnetwise.org

Cyber High Schools

I was not aware of cyber high schools until I began looking for information to review for this blog assignment. Based on the sites that I have visited and the information reviewed, I have not gathered enough information to form a well documented opinion on a cyber high school. Based on the information I reviewed, it seems that cyber high schools are fairly new and are becoming increasingly popular. According to the sites, cyber schools are having a significant amount of success. Any alternatives that are made available to assist students with school, especially the completion of high school is a good thing. Students today are faced with a declining job market requiring skills beyond a high school education; therefore, it is essential for all students to graduate high school. The cyber high school gives them the opportunity to continue pursuing their education and gain basic computer skills that are essential in today’s environment.

There are positives and negatives to attending school online. Attending school online allows me to complete my course work around my work schedule and other things that are going on in my life. However, the downside is that it easy to miss deadlines and get behind in class because you do not have to attend classes and meet at designated times throughout the week. It is challenging as an adult to manage my time and would be equally as challenging for a high school student, especially if they have to work. There are many students who are unable to attend due to circumstances in life, such as helping the family financially, teenage pregnancy, and/or illness. Overall, offering students the ability to continue their education is essential to their success in the future. If a student is able to accomplish their high school education online, they may be inspired to pursue higher education online as well.

Michigan’s Dropout Prevention

I applaud Michigan’s efforts to reduce the high school drop out rate. I agree that increasing the legal age from 16 to 18 in order for a child to drop out of school is a great first step. Since an individual is not considered to be an adult until the age of 18, they should not be allowed to make a huge decision, such as dropping out of school, until that age. A bonus to the dropout law is that they now must have parental consent in order to dropout of school prior to the age of 18. More states should follow Michigan’s lead with this decision.

On a personal note, it is not always the students that are considered to be “at-risk” who drop out of school. There are some instances when students are not placed in the proper classes to challenge their growth. For example, my brother, who was a straight “A”, sometimes “B” student dropped out of school, not because he was struggling in school but because he was bored with it. I am glad to say that he did obtain his GED (General Education Development) diploma. My mother was against his dropping out of school but because the law only required him to be 16 in order to make this decision, my mother could not make him stay in school. If the legal limit was 18, my mother would have been able to ensure that my brother remained in school until 18 (senior year).

Offering alternative routes for students to complete their high school education is a good way to ensure that more students remain in school and/or continue to work towards completing their high school education. Some students need more individualized attention than others and providing an environment where those needs may be met will keep the student engaged in the learning process. By working in a small group, students are less likely to feel intimidated by their lack of knowledge or inability to grasp certain material as fast as their classmates. An environment of this type, will also allow students time to ask more questions to ensure that they understand the material that is being presented. More states could benefit from programs of this nature.

Joe’s Non-Netbook

My first thought was “how silly” but as I continued to watch I realized that the student was expressing his view about the textbook. The video became funnier as I watched the remainder of the clip.

Technology has advanced so much that students are actually bored if they have to sit and read a book. Some students expect to have the same technology available at school that they have at home or is available at other locations outside of school. Joe mentioned in the beginning of the video clip that the book was a foreign tool...it is quickly becoming one. Digital readers, such as the Kindle, are eliminating the need for hard copy books. Digital readers can hold up to 200 titles. Once books and/or magazines are uploaded, they are digitally displayed and the pages can be changed by sliding the scroll bar or pressing the “next” button. With digital books, users can bookmark pages, add notes and search the pages for specific passages. Joe tried to double-click on pictures, words, and text within the textbook, which was not possible. With digital readers and other electronic devices (iPad, iTouch, computers, etc), you can simply click on the word, photo, text and/or hyperlink to obtain additional information.

Students and society in general want information instantaneously simply because technology affords us the opportunity to have it that way. The down side to this great technology is that we are losing a lot of the basic things. For example, if the power goes out for an extended period of time, many of the tools that we have come to rely on would not be available for use. As a child going through school, if the power went out I was still able to complete my homework assignments because there was a dictionary, thesaurus, a set of encyclopedias, and other reference materials available for use. Unlike today, I had to write all of my assignments because I had no typewriter (foreign tool), word processer or computer. Things have changed a lot.

The Increased Need for Academic Integrity in the Digital Age

There is an increased need for academic integrity in the digital age due to the increased use of technology in and out of schools. Previously, students had access to very limited resources: encyclopedias, magazines, newspapers, teacher/parent provided materials, and the library; if there was a computer at school, it was located in the library and/or administrative offices. In today’s society, students have access to technology at their fingertips via their cell phone or personal computer. Although there is an increased need for academic integrity; there is also a need for additional instruction and guidance to students on how to properly research and cite sources.

Academic standards are continually increasing but instruction is decreasing due to various reasons: shortage of educators, budget cuts, decreased requirements for language arts, and increased reliance on technology. Throughout the United States many schools, districts and States are increasing graduation standards and academic requirements for students to graduate high school. Many states have incorporated tests that students must pass in order to proceed to the next level. Standards are increasing but the reasons mentioned previously are affecting the amount of time that educators have to cover subjects in depth and the quality of education that the students receive. As students are required to meet more requirements to “make the grade”, they sometimes resort to academic dishonesty whether it is by seeking assistance from others or sources readily available, such as the Internet. At no time should someone knowingly or intentionally take another’s idea but if not given the proper guidance, it may occur unknowingly.

Given the increase of reliance on technology (i.e., plagiarism checkers) for instruction and grading, schools should also increase their instruction, especially when requiring papers (research, literature reviews, etc), on how to properly lookup and cite sources. Students should begin receiving instruction on how to research and cite sources at the time that they begin receiving writing assignments/requirements. As a graduate student, I am not always sure how to reference/cite some sources that I may use in my literature reviews and/or when conducting research. Given the individual’s background and lower education received, the student may or may not have been taught the correct way or fully understand that although they may paraphrase they must still give proper credit to the author/source that the idea originated from.

As with any use of technology there must be a check and balance system in place and an accounting for human error. There are some that will intentionally misuse technology for their individual gain; for example, purchasing a term paper from one of the “term paper mill” sites and submitting the work as their own, which is a deliberate act of plagiarism. There are other instances where an individual may simply overlook placing a quote in quotation marks or forget to add the citation for a source. As the amount of information becomes readily available via digital technology, the need for academic integrity will continue to increase.

Hello EDU 590

Hello EDU 590 Instructor & classmates,

This is my first time creating a blog. I look forward to learning with each of you.