Reflection - Educational Philosophy Video

My educational philosophy video can be seen on youtube.

I really enjoyed this project. I have wanted to learn simple video editing for a long time, but have never put together a project. The process was fairly straightforward, and I have already been talking with students and colleagues about what kind of video projects might be worth pursuing. One possibility is the use of videos to create user guides for the software we are using in the PHSgeek project. The use of video screen capture programs, rather than just screenshots, would make this work interesting to students.

I completed this project using entirely open source software. I used kdenlive for the video editing, and found it easy to use after reading one tutorial. The program was not as polished as something like iMovie, but after reflecting on the question of which software to use with students I come back to the principles of open source. It's not about price, it's about access. If we can make high-quality video projects with programs like kdenlive, we can install the software on any computer in the school without any concerns about licensing issues. Even more important, anyone with a computer at home can make videos on their own time. This is a huge benefit of open source software, and the field of video editing is one where this is likely to be significant. Not many students are going to write a paper at home for fun because they can use an open source word processor, but many students might try their hand at video editing if they have unlimited access to the technology.



There are technical aspects of this video that I could improve, but they are easy details to address in subsequent projects. For the purposes of this project, having simply put all the pieces together to make an edited video was a significant step forward for me, and one that I will use with students shortly.

Reflection - Energy Project Presentation Video

The video recording of my Energy Project slideshow presentation can be seen on youtube.

After twelve years of teaching,I am quite comfortable speaking to groups of almost any size, and any age. That said, it is always good to reflect critically on presentation style.

I feel my presentation focuses on clear communication. I always strive to be honest about my level of understanding of the current subject, understand who my audience is, and gauge their ongoing level of understanding and interest in the subject. I use tools such as slideshow software to facilitate a two-way conversation, rather than simply perform a one-way delivery of information. I try to set up presentations that allow for flexible delivery; every slide in the presentation does not need to be shown, and every section of the slideshow does not need to be presented. The structure of the presentation, particularly the use of a navigation bar on every slide, means these decisions can be made during a presentation with no interruption of delivery by right-click menus or by returning to the design mode to find a particular slide or section of the presentation. This also means that one slideshow can be used for many different audiences, for different levels of depth and different presentation lengths. One presentation can be used in front of students, colleagues, the school board, and the public, always choosing to share appropriate sections for the current audience, and easily skipping over levels of detail that are not appropriate to the current audience. This also means that questions can be taken mid-presentation, without causing any difficulty by taking a nonlinear path through the material being presented.

I have found two things most valuable in preparing this presentation. The first is the chance to focus on this particular material. We have been so focused on the technical work of refurbishing computers and learning new software programs, that we have not dug too deeply into the specific environmental benefits of the project. The research for this presentation helped lay the groundwork for a deeper understanding of this work, and will lead into some independent study opportunities for students, or an entire science or social studies class focused on these issues. The second thing I gained is a better understanding of how to share files online. It was frustrating to sort out file format issues among the different sites. I found I had to convert my files to PDF format in order to post them effectively. I will sort out some of these technical issues and begin to use these file sharing sites with students and colleagues. I look forward to the way these services can enhance the collaborative atmosphere we foster at our school.

Energy Project Sideshow

My energy project is about PHSgeek, a program I have started at Pacific High School this fall. We accept donations of old computers, and students learn to refurbish them by installing the Ubuntu Linux operating system and a suite of open source software. The project is causing students and a number of adults to rethink the role of technology and school in everyone's lives. For some students, the concept that any program we use in the project at school is fully available to them at home is eye-opening. Students who have not done homework in years have started to do "school work" at home because technological barriers have been taken down, and school and computers have been made fun again.

The project and slideshow presentation focus on the environmental benefits of this project. The spreadsheet that I made for the project examines the impact of scaling up the PHSgeek project, examining the amount of hazardous materials that can be removed from the waste stream or disposed of properly. The project could expand by processing a higher volume of computers, or by serving as a model program that other schools can replicate.

The presentation includes one feature I feel all slideshows should have a website-style navigation system. This is simple to implement, and breaks the presenter out of the linear-presentation mode that slideshows tend pull people into. For example, it is easy for a presenter to respond to questions if there is a navigation system on-screen that does not require a right click menu to access, and it is easier for audience members to see the overall structure of the presentation.

I have had some trouble getting the slideshow and spreadsheet posted with proper formatting online, so I will sort that out shortly and post the links. The spreadsheet should now be visible, but you will probably need to play with the zoom buttons on the right side of Google's pdf viewer. The slideshow is also visible now, although the navigation bar at the bottom does not work in Google's pdf viewer. If you want to see how the navigation bar works, you can download the pdf file and the links should work.

Article Assessment #3: Ohler, Orchestrating the Media Collage

Ohler, J. (2020). Orchestrating the Media Collage. Retrieved November 29, 2009 from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/mar09/vol66/num06/Orchestrating_the_Media_Collage.aspx


Overview

In "Orchestrating the Media Collage", Jason Ohler describes literacy as an evolving concept that goes beyond the reading and writing of text. He describes the need for students to be able to make a "media collage" composed of writing, sound, images, animation, and any other relevant media that develops. Ohler points out that newer forms of media demand new forms of literacy, and that these new forms of media are usually participatory and collaborative. The lag time between a new form of communication being "read-only" and when it becomes "read/ write" is shrinking as well. Ohler goes on to list eight insightful guidelines for teachers in working with this concept of evolving literacy.


Reference Points

• The ability to integrate multiple forms of reading and writing into a meaningful whole is a sign of fluency.
• Literacy is an evolving concept. Being literate means being able to read and write "in the media forms of the day, whatever they may be."
• A shift from text-focused work to media-collage focused work is appropriate. Students can and should represent their learning, curiosity, and creativity in a way that combines multiple modes of communication.
• Traditional essay writing and the visually differentiated writing of the web should support each other, not work against each other in school.
• Highly creative, effective writing is the foundation for most new media, if it is to be done well. That writing is not the end product, however.
• Art concepts are essential to effective literacy in its multiple forms.
• The report-story continuum offers a rich opportunity to explore areas of interest.
• People need to develop literacy both with and about digital tools. Learning how to use digital tools is not enough. Students must also learn when to use them, and the consequences of their use.

Reflection

This is one of the more insightful articles I have read about the overall changes in education related to the collaborative nature of the internet. One quote near the end of the article caught my attention in particular: "The fluent will lead, the literate will follow, and the rest will get left behind." A teacher who understands the changing nature of literacy and learning can help students become fluent in existing media forms, and comfortable with the unknown changes that will come. Effective teaching and learning is an ongoing intellectual challenge, and one we should all embrace for the opportunity to significantly improve our practice.

Article Assessment #2: Richardson, The Read/ Write Web

Richardson, W. (2006). The Read/ Write Web. Retrieved November 28, 2009 from www.corwinpress.com/upm-data/10848_Chapter_1.pdf


Overview

In "The Read/ Write Web" Will Richardson discusses the evolution of the internet from a primarily one-way platform to a collaborative tool. Richardson considers the earlier internet one thtat focused on reading, while the current version of the internet balances reading with writing, the consumption of content with the production of content. Richardson discusses specific examples such as Howard Dean's use of blogging in his 2004 presidential campaign, and the use of blogging in language arts classes. He lists the tools of the collaborative internet including blogs, wikis, RSS, social bookmarking, online photo galleries, and audio/ video casting.


Reference Points

• The original intent of the internet, according to the people who created its early structure, was to make a collaborative environment.
• Students today are not only readers and writers, but editors and collaborators of online content.
• There is an important distinction between publishing and managing information. Anyone can publish information online, but it takes a more critical mindset to manage information effectively.
• I would like to begin using wikis and social bookmarking with students.
• I would like to learn more about the Children's Internet Protection Act, and research effective filtering practices. Overly restrictive practices take away much of the collaborative nature of the internet. Anyone who doubts this should try working behind a filter that blocks all blogs and Google Images.
• In the first video, Richardson calls writing on the internet "connective writing". I like this way of thinking about the difference between writing that stays in the classroom and writing for an online audience.
• Richardson also says we "read as editors" online, taking information from less polished posts.
• Richardson says, "I don't save anything on my hard drive anymore," and adds that he posts everything online to facilitate collaboration. This seems to be an exaggeration; it is hard to imagine he wrote a book through an entirely transparent process. This form of exaggeration misleads people who look to Richardson to help them understand how to use the current version of the internet.
• Richardson quotes Clarence Fisher, who speaks of "thinly-walled classrooms". This metaphor sounds better than the more commonly heard "classrooms without walls". Some walls are important, but recognizing the need to go beyond them is important as well. Fisher's phrase captures the balance we should all be after.

Reflection

At first I found little of significance in this article. The internet has become steadily more collaborative over the last five to ten years, so many of these concepts are not very new. It was interesting to rethink the long history of the internet, however. At its beginning the internet was fully collaborative, fully read/ write, because everyone using it knew how to share content. As the audience expanded, many new users started out as "read-only" users. So the "evolution" towards a read/ write web is really a return to a more level playing field for most users.

Research Plan: Computer-Related Waste

Introduction: The amount of electronics in the waste stream is a global problem with local origins. For this project I will examine the issue of computer-related waste in Sitka. I will look at two specific aspects of electronic waste. The first is a simple estimate of how much computer-related waste is produced in Sitka. The second is an examination of how much a computer refurbishing program based at Pacific High School could affect the dynamics of this waste stream.

Question: How much can a high-school-based computer refurbishing program affect the dynamics of the electronics waste stream in Sitka?

Google: An hour on Google leads to many resources related to electronic waste, and a clear sense of the complexity and severity of the problem. For example, simply sending a computer to an electronics recycling firm does not guarantee the computer will be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way. Many companies take a few steps towards proper disposal, and then ship the largely unprocessed remains to disposal areas in developing countries. Proper reuse and recycling strategies are beneficial to the environment, and help people in a number of different ways.

Data: There are several kinds of data needed to answer my question. The first kind of data relates to how many computers are brought into Sitka, and where old computers go when they leave the island. The second kind of data relates to the amount of harmful or valuable substances in these computers.

Methodology: I will do some internet research to determine the kinds and amounts of harmful and valuable substances in computer waste. I will call several of the larger agencies in Sitka and find out how many computers they have, how often they are upgraded, and how the old computers are disposed of. I will then create a spreadsheet that demonstrates how a school-based refurbishing program could affect these numbers.

AnthroTech

One of the classes I am teaching this session has a technology focus. I am teaching students to refurbish donated computers by installing Linux on them, and then making them functional for specific use scenarios. Some of these computers will stay in the school, some will go home with students, and some will go to other families who need computers. Because of this project, I have been thinking a lot about the issues raised in this assignment.

In the process of making room for the computers we received for this project, I dug through all the existing technology in our school. It is amazing what schools fail to get rid of in due time. The oldest item I found was a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk, circa 1980's! There were a bunch of large camera batteries, parallel printer cables, huge scanners, and other technological artifacts. We have made a recycle pile and a pile that could feed into a technology museum, which may be an interesting project at some point.

My full AnthroTech can be found here.

Article Assessment #1: Prensky, Digital Natives

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. Retrieved September 28,2009 from http://www.hfmboces.org/HFMDistrictServices/TechYES/PrenskyDigitalNatives.pdf

Overview:

Marc Prensky writes of Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants. Digital Natives are people who have grown up surrounded by digital devices and are used to being connected to others in many ways. Digital Immigrants grew up in a time before everyone was connected electronically, and are learning to use digital devices and structures much as people learn a new language later in life. Prensky describes a divide between these two groups, and argues that Digital Immigrants must adapt their teaching styles to those of the Digital Natives they wish to teach, rather than expecting Digital Natives to learn in the style the Digital Immigrants are used to.

Reference Points:

• Digital Natives – People who are “'native speakers' of the digital language of computers, video games, and the internet”.

• Digital Immigrants – Those of us who were “not born into the digital world but have, at some later point in our lives, become fascinated by and adopted many or most aspects of the new technology”.

• Most Digital Immigrants are more used to a linear approach to teaching and learning, while most Digital Natives are accustomed to a nonlinear approach. (Prensky uses the word “random”, but nonlinear is a more accurate term.)

• Some of our methodology must change. We must facilitate a nonlinear approach to learning, that allows students to think in the style of hypertext they are accustomed to using.

• Some of our content must change. We must distinguish between Legacy and Future content, and determine a meaningful balance of each to focus on.

Reaction:

I enjoyed Prensky's articles about the difference in teaching and learning styles of “Digital Natives” and “Digital Immigrants”. I disagree with his use of certain terms for subtle but important reasons, and there are some overall thinking that I disagree with as well. However, the topics he raises are important to consider, and he has done a decent job of helping foster a discussion among educators and related professionals.

My thinking is flavored by a number of personal influences. I have a background in physics and technology so I have a deep understanding of some of the terms that writers like Prensky use rather loosely. For example, he speaks of “random access” such as hypertext. The invention of hypertext has changed reading dramatically, but it is not random. A much better term, and quite significant for the tasks which educators have to carry out, is “nonlinear”. It would be difficult for us to plan out a course in which students follow a random sequence of learning experiences. But giving them an overall course outline and facilitating a nonlinear passage through that course, is quite straightforward to plan. Distinctions such as these are important if we are interested in helping educators develop a new style of teaching. This is not a fault of Prensky, but it is incumbent on us to more fully articulate the points he has raised.

Prensky is very good at pointing out the difference between Digital Native and Digital Immigrant modes of thinking, but he seems to have a sense that the Digital Native way of thinking is superior. He also seems to think that Digital Immigrants need to adapt to a new style of teaching and learning, while there is a lot that unguided Digital Natives have to learn. For example, Prensky seems to think less of Digital Immigrants who read the manual for a program than he does of Digital Natives who simply play with a program and expect to learn its functioning. There is a balance here that both groups need to achieve. Playing with a game or program to become familiar with it works to a degree, and it is often how I introduce many educational activities. One of the best ways to teach math with manipulatives is to let students play with the manipulatives for a period of time before offering any guided or structured activity with them. But to understand any program or activity deeply, we often time have to read the manual. As an experienced technology user, I see this regularly. People come to me when they have trouble using their own technology. Most of the time I don't have an immediate answer for people's problems, but I know how to look through a manual efficiently and effectively, and I know how to conduct an efficient and effective internet search. Many Digital Natives are as deficient in these skills as Digital Immigrants are, and the consequences can be profound. The ineffective use of Powerpoint was determined to be one of the contributing factors to the space shuttle Challenger explosion.

Prensky says that some content, like Euclidean geometry, may become less important. This is an ignorant and alarming statement. A solid understanding of Euclidean geometry is required to create any graphics-intensive digital content. Knowing about basic shapes, angles, distance measurements, and coordinate systems is essential to creating meaningful graphics. To create high-quality graphics, an understanding of various higher-level coordinate systems is critical as well. Sure, there are programs (meta-programming languages) that allow users to click and drag shapes, and define behaviors of objects in a “programming” environment. But these meta languages have never been as powerful as true programming languages, and users of the meta languages will always be limited to playing with other people's ideas. People who understand the concepts of Euclidean geometry, and how to apply these concepts in the context of the Digital Native world, will be able to make the next profound leap in creating original content.

This leads me to an answer for how to deal with the problem of deciding between Legacy and Future (which interestingly leaves out the Present) content. Any approach to education that asks teachers to teach more content is doomed to resistance. Rather than teaching Legacy and Future/ Present content, we need to sort out what Legacy content is still important, and teach that content in the context of currently relevant topics that are meaningful to Digital Natives. And if we are to reach all students, we will also do this in a way that is meaningful to those who are growing up in homes without access to digital tools. A nonlinear, rather than random, approach to teaching and learning can reach all of these people in a meaningful way that is sustainable for educators.

Futuring

How would you “grade” or assess Fox Becomes a Better Person, and School Train?

Good assessment begins with knowing the learning targets that were set for students during a project. Assessment can really only be discussed in the context of these learning targets. For example, if there were a number of learning targets for the School Train project, including “Learn to combine images and audio into a video file to document learning” and “Learn to develop a metaphor” then this project was probably successful. If the goal was simply to learn to develop metaphors, the project may be considered unsuccessful. Technology is useful when it serves educational goals; technology can become an obstacle when it becomes the focus of learning unintentionally. Students should learn through technology, not about technology (for the most part). Fox Becomes a Better Person clearly shows a girl who has learned a story, and is developing her skills as a storyteller. From watching the video without any other context, it is difficult to know how much progress Hannah or her peers made towards any specific learning goals. I would want to ask whether this story was new to Hannah, what she struggled with, and what she learned in the process of making the video.


What impacts could the developments portrayed in epic2015 have on your classroom, particularly with respect to things like podcasting?

Technology has been changing society for many years, at a rapidly growing rate. But there are some things that remain constant. One of those is the distinction between information and how we use it. For example, one of the more meaningful changes brought about by changing new technology is the ability of ordinary users to create content. Any number of technological developments have allowed learners to create more interesting products. Calculators were seen by many educators as threats to learning before they were seen as tools that could facilitate a focus on higher-level thinking. Many teachers still pass on an unconscious notion that using a calculator is cheating. Similarly, ipods can be seen as a threat to education or a tool for sharing original thought. An important criteria for determining whether ipods are being used appropriately in education is quality of content. If students are creating quality work and a podcast enables their work to be shared with a wider audience, we are serving students well. If the prospect of making a podcast motivates students to produce high-quality work, we serve them well. But when we focus on podcasts for their own sake and share low-quality content, we are simply adding digital noise to an already information-overloaded society.


How might you use SabrinaJourney as a model for something you would do with your own students?

The pedagogical importance of Sabrina's Journey is the effective documentation and communication of a person's story. Her story is autobiographical, but the story could be one of a meaningful class project. I am currently teaching students to rebuild computers that have been donated to the school from the community. These are computers that individuals and agencies have retired, but are still functional. We are re-installing the operating systems on the computers, and setting them up for specific purposes. As we continue to define this program, we may want to tell the story of our work to a larger audience. A video format may serve this purpose well.

Introduction

Hello everyone. I have been a teacher for eleven years. I taught four years of middle school science in the Bronx, three years of middle school math in northern Manhattan, and I am on my fifth year of teaching math and science at Pacific High School in Sitka. If I could keep only one piece of technology in my classroom, it would be a document camera. The ability to allow any student, at any time, to show their work immediately to the rest of the class is wonderful. This sharing of ideas moves people forward and celebrates successes every day.