EDLD 5362 Week 2 Assignment

Technology Interview

Ms. Munn-6^th Grade Language Arts

1.    How many years have you been teaching?

·      This is my 20^th year teaching

2.     Compare and contrast your teaching practices and instructional strategies from your first few years to today in terms of the use of the Internet.

·      My first year teaching, I taught at an alternative school that was run like a boot camp.   We were part of the Rock Hill School District in South Carolina but met at a camp that was run by the Police Department.  We were in 12 x12 cinder block rooms with no windows and did not have much to work with.  I had to teach all subjects to 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th graders.  I did my best just to make sure that students stayed out of trouble.

·      My next three years I spent teaching 4^th grade at an inner city school.  We had very little resources.  I did have a couple of computers for the kids to use but no Internet access.  I bought some Jump Start programs and installed them on the computer for the kids to use.  My students also went to the computer lab once a week to work on a computer program for remediation.

·      When I started teaching 6^th grade language arts and social studies in Fort Mill, the Internet was starting to be used more.  I had my students use the Internet to do a Black History research project.  I also set up my own classroom website and had my own online grade book that I would send weekly reports to parents.

·      Since the Internet and computers have become more easily accessible in the classrooms and at school, I have started having my students not only do research projects on the computer but also share their work with me through Google Docs.  I did my first research project last year with my students, working with Matt Phillips, where I had my students do all of their work on Google Docs and share it with me.  I went through their documents and made notes on what needed to be changed for their final drafts.  The students did not have to print anything to turn into me.

·      I also like using the Internet to show short video clips to introduce a new topic to students.  This is something that I would not have been able to do in my earlier years.

·      I also like having the Internet because it allows me to communicate in a timely fashion with both parents and teachers.

3.     Have you always had Internet access within your schools?  How is it different from your first few years to today?

·      I have not always had Internet access within my schools.

·      It was not until around my fifth or sixth year teaching that the Internet began really being used in schools.

·      Today Internet and wireless is readily available in school.  I cannot imagine teaching some of the lessons that I do today when I first started because the technology was not there.

4.     What were the major research and learning theories in your first few years?

·      When I first came out of college there was a big push for Whole Language.  This is the way that I learned to teach.  My actual undergraduate degree is Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Elementary Education.

·      Word Walls were also big when I first started teaching. 

5.     What are the major research and learning theories today?  How do they differ from questions 4?

·      Common Core is the big push right now for students and trying to prepare them for college.

·      The interesting thing about Common Core is that it is not that different from Whole Language.  We are just using a few new words and terms.  We are pushing for students to learn cross curriculum and to write more.  Whole Language also pushed for this.  The only real difference is the shift to more informational text.

6.     What are the characteristics of students from your first few years versus today?

·      Students from my first few years of teaching did not expect everything to be flashy and to be done now. 

·      The curriculum has also accelerated from when I first started teaching.  Students are learning certain concepts much earlier than when I first started teaching.

·      I think with this generation having had the Internet and computers in their classrooms since preschool, they expect everything to be done instantly.  

·      Students in my first years liked to make projects or draw things for projects.  With the programs like iMovie, Prezi, and even PowerPoint that is out there now, students would rather do projects electronically where they can express their creativity more.  

Technological Evolution Within the Classroom

 Technological Evolution                                                                                                               1

Technological Evolution Within The Classroom 

EmilyF. Poeppelman

Lamar University

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Abstract

The internet has been growing at an expontential rate since its birth in the 1960’s.  With this growth has come many changes in the world including major changes within the classroom.  The internet has opened window for students across the globe in several ways, as it becomes cheaper and cheaper the access becomes greater and greatere.  Thus, teachers have had to adapt to better their teaching styles and prepare their students for this ever changing world.  Technology has evolved the classroom in three major ways including; communication, teaching strategies, and made students responsible for their own learning.

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          Technology has not only changed our world, but it has changed how people think and function.   For instance, when waking up in the morning a typical young adult no longer walks to the door to obtain a newspaper, instead they log onto Twitter using their phone and look for any tweets from CNN news.  Technology has made human lives easier and more time efficient.  Furthermore, teachers need to prepare their students to be successful in todays ever changing society.  Thus, using technology now plays a huge role in preparing students where it once was absent.  Since 1970, technology has changed the classroom in three major ways including communication, teaching strategies, and most importantly empowered students for being responsible for their learning.

     Communication has changed drastically in the last twenty years.  Telephones were a teacher’s primary way to contact parents and students with concerns and questions.  Eighteen years ago, Shannon Munn a 6^th grade language arts teacher (2013) did have a computer in her classroom, but had no internet access.  The only way she could discuss concerns with parents was face to face or calling them while they were home after school off the clock. (Munn, 2013).  However, communication has completely evolved and improved the life of a teacher.  Teachers now have the option of face to face contact via conferences or electronically via Skype, telephones, e-mail, and text messages with Remind 101.  Teachers in the 21^st century have no excuse for not contacting parents and communicating with them to let parents know what they are observing.  This communication provides learning extended from the classroom.   Ms. Kelley Shomaker (2013), an 8^th grade science teacher describes the benefits of Remind 101 a tool to text students and parents and how it extends learning outside of the classroom.  Just this week, she

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texted students around 7:00 in the evening to look outside for the International Space Station that would be flying by during the next few  minutes.  Ms. Shomaker did not know this was happening until that night.   However, her students still had the opportunity to see it because of technology.  This is something that students 20 years ago would not have had the opportunity to experience (Shomaker, 2013).   The use of communication has not only improved communication within the classroom, but extended learning beyond classroom hours.

        Teaching strategies have evolved in the classroom as well, there are always the latest and greatest teaching strategies and a good teacher is always trying something new.  Twenty years ago, the main strategies for language arts teacher Shannon Munn were based on Whole Language.  Whole Language is a strategy based on meaning and decoding spelling.  This led to a lot of direct instruction with resources including pencil, paper, markers, and projects.  Students relied on the teacher to feed them the information.   Today, the teaching strategies being pushed by teachers are the common core.  The common core standards push an inquiry approach where the classroom is student centered.  Students are in charge of thinking outside the box and working together to figure out problems and answers.  Hossein Arsham (2002), explains, “learning is the act or process of developing skill of knowledge.  Modern web based learning and computing provides the means for fundamentally changing the way in which instruction is delivered to students” (Arsham, 2002).  Thus, common core teachers are putting an emphasis on students discovering the information versus giving it to them.  As teaching strategies change, the way students learn and think ultimately changes as well.

       Technology has completely changed the way students learn and think during the last twenty

Technological Evolution                                                                                                      5    years.  Twenty years ago, students were given information from teachers and took notes and asked questions that teachers would answer.  Today, teachers are more of a monitor of the learner process where students are taking the front seat and discovering and learning information first hand.  Douglas Levin and S. Arafeh, (2009) describes the internet as a virtual tutor, students are able to retrieve information in a timely manner about anything they desire whether it is about a subject in school or a personal interest (Levin & Arafeh, 2009, p iv).  However, teachers need to monitor the use of the internet to ensure students are using it properly and to its highest potential.  Students are now creating websites, videos, blogs and prezi’s rather than a typical old poster.  Students are able to be more creative by using online manipulative to display their information in a creative way.  Amanda Lenhart describes that many students are building projects around the creation of websites (Lenhart & Simon, 2001, pg 5).  This is an authentic assessment and a valuable tool for students to learn.  As they become career ready, creating a website will be a vital skill to have as they begin looking for jobs.  Thus, teachers are not only teaching their content, but rather life skills to prepare their students for college and beyond.  Students are now empowered by having the responsibility of learner on them rather than their teacher.  This is causing them to become higher level problem solvers and thinkers.  Twenty years ago students were focused on memorizing facts rather than applying these facts to real life.

          In conclusion, education has completely morphed since 1970 due to the development of internet access within schools. The classroom has evolved in the past 20 years in several different ways including communication, teaching strategies, and empowered students to be in charge of their learning. Technology is growing at an exponential rate forcing teachers and students to adapt and change as well.  To be career ready students need to have access to the

Technological Evolution                                                                                                      6   internet and understand how to use it properly to assist with all faces of learning.  Hossein Arsham (2002) sums it up best, “education comes from learning, not teaching.” (Arsham, 2002).

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References

Arsham, H. (2002, March). Impact of the internet on learning and teaching. USDLA Journal,                16.3. Retrieved on November 17, 2009, from       http://www.usdla.org/html/journal/MAR02_Issue/article01.html

Graziano, M., Lenhart, A., & Simon, M. (2001, September 1). The internet and education:       Findings of the pew internet and American life project. Pew Internet and American Life       Project. Retrieved on November 17, 2009, from       http://pewinternet.org/~/media/Files/Reports/2001/PIP_Schools_Report.pdf.pdf

Levin, D., & Arafeh, S. (2002). The digital disconnect: The widening gap between internet-      savvy students and their schools. Pew Internet and American Life Project. Retrieved on       November 17, 2009, from       http://pewinternet.org/~/media/Files/Reports/2002/PIP_Schools_Internet_Report.pdf.pdf

Munn, S (2013, October 09, 2013).  Interview by Emily Poeppelman

Shomaker, K (2013, October 10, 2013). Interview by Emily Poeppelman