Feb 8 assignment- Critical Friends
Kristin Drew EDUC 792
Dearborn:
Diving into Digital Tools to develop early language fluency
Without reading her paper, the logo communicates a clear idea about what her work is about. This teacher is researching digital tools to teach students how to read and write in the English language. After reading the home page, I noticed that I could not find out about the digital tools because the video would not work for me. I read her paragraph about why she chose this topic which is to align teaching practice with the district goals and her organized links to the Common Sense media website. Her audience seems to be Elementary school teachers that are also looking to incorporate digital tools for teaching students, specifically in her district, because she aligns her ideas with her districts goals. Her pages all reflect that she is addressing the audience of her colleagues. She is references Common Core, 21st Century skills, TPACK, SAMR as well as ISTE standards so this shows that her audience is not only teachers in her own district but all over the US. And her writing indicates this as well. She offers links to the digital tools that she recommends.
Gottfried:
Again, without reading her topic or any works on her site: her logo indicates to me that she is investigating the teaching, learning, connecting and inspiring students through the use of school blogs. I assume that she will present research into techniques to use school blogs. After reading her home page, I understand that she worked with a committee to rework the portfolio idea to make it a more authentic learning experience for students. Unfortunately, I could not read the infographic that seems to explain the whole blogging process. It looked colorful, and clear, I could see how she broke down the sections and explained what to do at each step. I really appreciated the way this process is focused on students being teachers as well as learners, interesting and empowering. Her project implemented blogs for student to teach, reflection (always good) and document their learning. Her description seems to connect well with her logo. Her logo is clear, but simple. It uses few words to communicate her big idea. I believe that her audience is the community that she works in, her PLC of New Tech High, to lay groundwork of this new process and inspire others to incorporate these ideas in their school-wide vision. Her Capstone shows me that she is communicating not only with her own PLC, but also to the learning/teaching community at large. She connects blogging to the corporate work world as well as the education community.
Vale:
The logo Classroom Community- Better Together indicates that her capstone is about creating a learning community within her classroom, I assume she investigates how to build better relationships with, and among her students. After reading her home page, her logo seems to be exactly what she her project is about. She has 2 quotes on her page and her paragraph about why socialization is important for a learning environment. I think her audience is every teacher, but her photo of students looks like it might mainly focus on elementary level education. It seemed to me that there was data for teachers however, I did not see the connection being made to building a better community, and the district test scores. I did not read her research paper but I assume that her data there justifies her conclusions.
Kristin Drew EDUC 792
- In the search box on the top right type one of the following names: In the list that comes up, choose the Home page for each person.
- Dearborn
- Gottfried
- Vale
- Before you even read their website, look at their logo. What do you think their project is going to be about? After reading, how did their logo fit with their website? Did it represent what their website was saying? Peruse their site using the navigation embedded in their page. Make notes on the overall look of their site and on their logo. Also focus on their audience.
Dearborn:
Diving into Digital Tools to develop early language fluency
Without reading her paper, the logo communicates a clear idea about what her work is about. This teacher is researching digital tools to teach students how to read and write in the English language. After reading the home page, I noticed that I could not find out about the digital tools because the video would not work for me. I read her paragraph about why she chose this topic which is to align teaching practice with the district goals and her organized links to the Common Sense media website. Her audience seems to be Elementary school teachers that are also looking to incorporate digital tools for teaching students, specifically in her district, because she aligns her ideas with her districts goals. Her pages all reflect that she is addressing the audience of her colleagues. She is references Common Core, 21st Century skills, TPACK, SAMR as well as ISTE standards so this shows that her audience is not only teachers in her own district but all over the US. And her writing indicates this as well. She offers links to the digital tools that she recommends.
Gottfried:
Again, without reading her topic or any works on her site: her logo indicates to me that she is investigating the teaching, learning, connecting and inspiring students through the use of school blogs. I assume that she will present research into techniques to use school blogs. After reading her home page, I understand that she worked with a committee to rework the portfolio idea to make it a more authentic learning experience for students. Unfortunately, I could not read the infographic that seems to explain the whole blogging process. It looked colorful, and clear, I could see how she broke down the sections and explained what to do at each step. I really appreciated the way this process is focused on students being teachers as well as learners, interesting and empowering. Her project implemented blogs for student to teach, reflection (always good) and document their learning. Her description seems to connect well with her logo. Her logo is clear, but simple. It uses few words to communicate her big idea. I believe that her audience is the community that she works in, her PLC of New Tech High, to lay groundwork of this new process and inspire others to incorporate these ideas in their school-wide vision. Her Capstone shows me that she is communicating not only with her own PLC, but also to the learning/teaching community at large. She connects blogging to the corporate work world as well as the education community.
Vale:
The logo Classroom Community- Better Together indicates that her capstone is about creating a learning community within her classroom, I assume she investigates how to build better relationships with, and among her students. After reading her home page, her logo seems to be exactly what she her project is about. She has 2 quotes on her page and her paragraph about why socialization is important for a learning environment. I think her audience is every teacher, but her photo of students looks like it might mainly focus on elementary level education. It seemed to me that there was data for teachers however, I did not see the connection being made to building a better community, and the district test scores. I did not read her research paper but I assume that her data there justifies her conclusions.
About the Author
As I reflect on TPACK and my journey through this Master's program, I reflect on the words of Brenna Curtis, who called the idea of where we want to be as "that sweet spot" that intersect technology with pedagogy and content, as well as Punya Mishra who called it the "total package". We, as educators of students who will go to a future that we have no idea what they really "need", have to provide them with tools to survive, to the best of our ability. What are those tools? We have Common Core Standards, and District Guidelines to set our course, and we have to know who we are teaching. We have to try to set them on "the shoulders of giants" to boost them to their potential. And each student in our charge is a spark to ignite a future fire, and hopefully, we inspire them to be their best, with knowledge, and care to make good decisions.
I realize that my journey in this program has been full of questions and doubts. Technology is not easy to integrate, or to teach. It all takes so much time, time to try out before the lesson, time to instruct and implement, and time, to integrate and assess. James Paul Gee asserts that video games are offering good learning opportunities, and while I do not disagree, I disagree with the ideas that the gaming ideas can be brought into the classroom. When someone is motivated to learn is a different situation from someone not motivated. So, I assert that until we have level playing fields, games and academics should not be equated.
I did not follow the path that most teachers did. I am a life long learner but there have been many turns and twists in my "formal" education. I dropped out of my 1st year of community college because I was working full-time and trying to live independently. I went back to school at age 25 when I realized that the opportunities that I found were not interesting to me for any length of time. I earned two 2-year degrees in Electronics and Communications Technology and moved to Washington State and was hired as an Electronics Technician. Moved back to California and worked a few more years, and then became a "stay-at-home" mom. Which meant that I stayed at home during the day and worked part-time at night. I worked as a tutor to students in the Electronics program and all levels of Math. When my youngest went to 1st grade, I went back to school again, age 45. I earned my Bachelor's in Math Education and started a credential program. I was hired as a high school mathematics teacher and have continued with my professional development ever since. PBL, AVID, and California Mathematics council training/workshops/conferences. My father became a Civil Engineer, was hired, and worked for over 20 years for the same company. My mother did many different jobs before she had children and after her children were grown. I think that my generation, and the generations to follow, will find that they need to reinvent themselves( like my mother did) and stay on the "learning track" to be able to not only keep a job/career but also, to support themselves. It seems like a life skill to be able to learn and apply your learning to do a better job and also, to keep your job relevant.
My philosophy about education is that I really and truly believe that all people can learn. We are born to learn, and until someone makes us feel bad about it, we keep going. Sometimes, when we are made to feel bad about it, we keep going, but that is a gamble. I do believe that we need reasonable expectations, and clear goals, to achieve our learning objectives; and that teachers need to make those clear to students on a daily basis.
I was drawn to the Innovative Learning program because I felt like I needed more instruction in technological resources and also in understanding not only how to implement technology in the classroom but the best practices to do so. This program has helped me find resources and bring new ideas and technologies to my students.
My Driving Question has morphed from " How can I Motivate the Unmotivated students in math?" to " How can a Growth Mindset Influence mathematics achievement?" to " Can Info-graphics Increase Learning In a Trigonometry Unit in a PreCalculus Math class?"