Technology Teaching Horizon

Moving to the 21st Century Teaching

As a technology teacher, I feel lucky to be teaching in this 21^st Century Education era that has a lot of openness for new technological trends. That is why I always like to make changes to my learning units to be able to asses my students learning needs. This master’s course had made me reflect on the important role that I have as a facilitator and guide for my students, Also on how I need to continue modeling and practicing 21^st Century Skills to enhance: analysis, collaboration, sharing and creativity.

This year, I am teaching 6^th grade middle school students and one of the units I really enjoy teaching in on Digital Citizenship. This is an important unit because we discus who we are in the net and the importance on having a positive attitude and action. All of the units follow the MYP Design Cycle, which involves four different stages:

1) investigation, 2) planning, 3) creation and

4) evaluation.

Unit:  Digital Citizenship

Area of Interaction: Health and Social Education

Significant Concept: Global Education

Unit Question: How can positive Digital Citizenship help when using the net? Technology: Google Apps, Chrome, phones, ipads, cell phones and ipods.

My Unit Presently:

1) Investigation – Using different search engines, to research the following concepts: Digital Dossier, digital Citizenship, Digital Dossier and Digital Immigrant. Students will receive some guidance on how to select appropriate and validated sources; to understand whom their role in the net. Students will annotate in their findings in their electronic notebooks made in evernote.

2) Design – The students will design with some guidance in groups in a collaborative way a mental map, with Lucid Chart, to highlight: who they are in the net and the positive and negative impacts they have in their daily lives when it’s usage.

3) Plan- Students will evaluate the proper Digital Citizenship when using the net and will produce with some guidance using Google Docs, a storyboard for a (1-2 minute video), that displays the tech era they live in today and recommendations of a proper usage to have a positive Digital Citizenship.

4) Create – Students will videotape the scenes in teams following the storyboard an will edit these in iMovie; with the use of any device of their choice.

5) Evaluate – Students will evaluate the video created against the design specifications and will also reflect if the final product (the video), had an impact of the viewers.

Next school year:

I will continue working with Google Apps and Chrome to be show different applications and tools to give students the technology skills that can be used for other classes and their every day lives.

Technology: Google Apps, Chrome, phones, ipads, cell phones, ipods, flip camera’s, green screens, earphones and any other device needed. (BYOD).

1) Investigation – Using different search engines, to research the following concepts: Digital Dossier, Digital Citizenship, Digital Dossier and Digital Immigrant. Students will receive some guidance on how to select appropriate and validated sources; to understand whom their role in the net. Students will research and annotate their findings on Google Docs and that way they will take advantage of all the tools they have in one space.

2) Design – The students will design with some guidance in groups in a collaborative way a mental maps or in any other type of organizer: who they are in the net and the positive and negative impacts they have in their daily lives when it’s usage. Students will use any mental map maker of their choice to highlight their knowledge understanding on written or visual form according to their learning style.

3) Plan- Students will evaluate the proper Digital Citizenship when using the net and will produce with some guidance using Google Docs, a storyboard for a (1-2 minute video). Students may choose what theme according to their interest they would like to teach others about Digital Citizenship. Students may analyse and plan the presentation freely on the theme selected that displays the tech era they live in today and recommendations.

4) Create – Students will videotape the scenes in teams following the storyboard an will edit these in any application of program of their choice.

5) Evaluate – Students will evaluate the video created against the design specifications and will also reflect if the final product (the video), had an impact of the viewers. Students will be asked to make an assessment to students using Google Forms, Today’s Meet or Socrative.com to show to their peers their instant knowledge an feedback on the theme.

Three years from now:

I will continue working with Google Apps and Chrome to be show different applications and tools to give students the technology skills that can be used for other classes and their every day lives.

Technology: Google Apps, Chrome, Cloud Computing and Mobile Device (BYOD )and remote labs.

1) Investigation – Using different search engines and Pinterest to research the following concepts: Digital Dossier, Digital Citizenship, Digital Dossier and Digital Immigrant. Students will receive some guidance on how to select appropriate and validated sources; to understand whom their role in the net. Students will research and annotate their findings on Google Docs and that way they will take advantage of all the tools they have in one space. Students will also create an account on Diigo, to start building up their online resources.

2) Design – The students will design with some guidance in groups in a collaborative way, a short visual with words using the application or program of their choice of their understanding on: who they are in the net and the positive and negative impacts they have in their daily lives when it’s usage.

3) Plan- Students will evaluate the proper Digital Citizenship when using the net and will produce a Google Hangout of five to eight minutes of their knowledge and expertise on the unit theme and will share it to the class.

4) Create – Students will create a video, site, magazine, radio station, etc of all their findings with the use of any application of their choice.

5) Evaluate – Students will evaluate the created against the design specifications and will also reflect if the final product, had an impact of the viewers. Students will be asked to make an assessment to students using Google Forms, Today’s Meet or Socrative.com to show to their peers their instant knowledge and feedback of the theme.

I feel ready to be part of this learning and teaching transition. I believe that the exposure with applications and technology tools and devices are important for this 21st Century Global Education. Therefore, "In all aspects of school life students are encouraged to love learning, live purposefully and to become responsible, contributing citizens of the world". I am sure that with my guidance, students will be able to be ready for this 21st Century Learning that goes beyond the classroom doors.

References
New media Consortium.(2013) Horizon Report 2013, K-12 Edition. Retrieved From HZ NMC Horizon Report:http://www.nmcorg/pdf/2013-horizon-report-k12.pdf

The American School Foundation.(2014). Mission and Vision. Retrieved from the American School Foundation. Education Global citizens for a ChangingWorlds:http//www.asf.edu.mx/about/mission-and-vision/index.aspx

Where do I Stand in this 21st Century Learning

My 21^st Century Learning Experience

Being a technology teacher makes me special in this 21^st Century Learning era. I am so lucky because the course I teach is one a learning aid that can trigger and inspires the inquiry in learners. There are so many online resources that can accommodate to all learning styles and differentiation with my students. This week, which I have being exposed to a master’s course on Instructional Technology from the University of Buffalo, I have been able to confirm that learning goes beyond the classroom wall. That the old practices of wanting to have students relying on your own expertise and knowledge is old fashioned; when they can have access to numerous online sources on the net. I also have reflected on my responsibility and role of a teacher, which is a guide, or facilitate the student’s inquiry onto real problems to make their learning representative. Also that learning can happen with diverse applications and programs by sharing creations, teaching and sharing your expertise on any subject matter in all directions, teachers to teachers, peer to peers or interrelated. But most important of all that using technology to enhance learning is provoking new technologies which we have never imagined, like the 3D printers, mobile labs, clouds, social medias, among others; which will make our societies connect to solve new problems arising and specialize and gear careers to envision new devices, theories, objects, etc. to improve our world.

Class Adaptation to Meet Special Needs

From Students to Creators, Teachers and Active Learners

As educators we always have three different pace of learners: slow, intermediate and fast learners. The slow students are the ones that might take more time to reflect before starting to work to verify the learning process, can feel insecure, do not have knowledge or a educational base on the subject or sometimes the way the teachers addresses the lesson does not match the multiple intelligence they use the most. The intermediate student, have the educational fundaments and skills but lack of learning motivation. These students feel comfortable, which  reflects on the outcome of their work and do not take the risk to move on to a higher level. As well as the slow learners, the teaching style provided by the teacher can affect their performance, because it does not match their multiple intelligence. On the other hand, the fast learners have a strong educational basis, are confident and risk takers and want to finish the work as fast as they can to move on to a new learning lesson. As a technology teacher, my main concern are the fast learners; who have the technology skills or know the programs and therefore finish their assignments before the other students. According to Alexandra R Moses article on TrainYourself: A Guide to Online Tech Tutorials, ” Using technology as an integral part of the learning process moves students beyond simply being computer users” (edutopia, May 5, 2008). So what I will incorporate into my unit lessons for the fast learners, is the option of becoming creators and teachers by making tutorials of any skill, tool, shortcuts or application and programs to be shared to the class. This will allow the skilled technology students to keep on learning and sharing their expertise and at the same time and will provide a learning guide for others to follow. These tutorials will be added on to my Moodle page in a special space titled “From Peer to Peer”. This title emphasizes how students will provide each other the 21st Century learning skills with tutorials and will confirm their learning path for any subject.

Students will have the freedom to search for some applications or programs of there choice to create the tutorials. Since the educator of the 21^st Century Learners are guides or facilitators, I will recommend some free app's for ipads: Educreations, ScrrenChomp or Doceri, for laptop or desktop computer: QuickTime, Camptasia, iMovie and GarageBand or digital camera's or computer webcam's. Students may work individually or in groups on their tutorial. The most important part is that they highlight in their own words and actions the learning steps clearly to be able to serve as learning guides. 
Students need to view technology as a way to communicate ideas and their educational expertise. At the end of the learning rode, I would like my slow, intermediate and fast students to feel confident on the hardware and software, etiquette and intellectual property level they stand. By being able to learn at their own pace and to be exposed to skills and tools to solve real problems, will make technology easy to apply to their every day.

                              

Adora Svitek is a 21st Century Learner and Educator model to follow, that shows teachers how students model the skills needed for this educational era.

References

Alexandra R. Moses (May 22,2008). Train Yourself: A Guide to Online Tech Tutorials.         [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.edutopia.org/online-technology-computer-tutorials.           [Last Accessed January 15, 2014].

Common Core in Action: Math in the Middle School Classroom. (2014,September 4).           Edutopia. [ONLINE] Available athttp://www.edutopia.org/blog/ccss-middle-school-                 math-tech-monica-burns [Las Accessed January 15, 2014].

Web 2.0 Student and Young Adults Empowerment

Adora Svitak a 21st Century Learner and Teacher

Wow, it is really amazing to see a young girl who has clear perspective of what are the needs of the 21^st Century Learners. Adora Svitak video Presenters Introduction, made me reflect on how web 2.0 can empower students and young adults on there learning paths to give them a clearer expectation of were they are heading too. She mentions that anyone can do anything they want. That children and teenagers can feel limited in this adult world in many ways, but everything is possible. She uses herself as a clear example of how she got started as a writer, then as a blogger, then became interested in the education and how she is a learner and teacher of this 21st Century Education. She inspires educators, students and administrators by showing learning skills and resources to make learning easy and representative. I am sure that my students will be inspired by her and will pursue and reflect who they want to be.

As for the learning scenario, everyday we expose students to new learning trends that inspire them, and their learning feedback teaches and gives us insight information. In her video she displays herself giving a class to adults. As a teacher she shows different learning styles with technology, easy and understandable lectures and instant feedback response to questions asked. Adults seemed fascinated and interested with all the visuals she used. So, if adults enjoy the class why can’t we make these enjoyable and at the same time fulfill the needs of the 21^st Century Learners? 

It is true when she mentions that learning should be the one area where students should take control to really shape their learning experience. Due to the fact that they follow their inquiry, analyze a variety of sources to outline possible perspectives, solve problems or make conclusions, and the best part of it is that they share it to the numerous online communities. As educators, we have a great responsibility on motivating the creativity and imagination, creation and sharing of our students. This will lead them to greater expectations and to a true acquisition of knowledge.

“Writing is a mark you make on the world and make sure that mark is something you can be proud of and at the same time let your imagination really flow don’t worry about what others think and worry first for yourself and then you can get started on editing and revision (Adora Svitak, 2009)".

 Refrences

Adora, S. (Narrator). (2009). Presenters Introduction [Online video]. United States:lanscorp.                 Retrieved January 10, 2014, fromhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unbbLmADNqc&               list=PLC9C32ABBF75687B9&feature=c4-overview-vl

Assignment 9 #EDC601

NMC Horizon Report Overview

What is the Relevance for Teaching, Learning or Creative Inquiry?

According to NMC Horizon Report: 2013 K-12 Edition, there will be a dramatic impact over the next five years to come in education worldwide due to six emerging technologies or practices applied in learning, that will create a change on teaching, learning and creativity and these are: Cloud Computing, Mobile Learning, Learning Analytics, Open Content, 3D Printers and Virtual Remote Laboratories. Schools and educators must begin understanding and being part of this transition to understand the needs of the 21^st Century Learners. These technologies or practices will occur on a time frame of three horizons: 1) near-term, 2) mid-term and 3) far-term.

Near-term which will happen in a length of months, in which students develop their learning, playing and working around cloud computing and mobile learning. Mobile learning with tablets and phones have grown in schools to provide a one to one learning to support students learning acquisition inside and outside the class. This is frankly what we see today in our school campus, how children choose and decide upon a huge number of apps, which will be the best according to their learning needs. According to ICT’s Facts and Figures Report at the end of 2012, 6.5 billions of accounts where registered in the mobile market and for 2013, there are 3.4 billion users; which means that there are more mobile users that desktop users (Horizon Report:2013 K-12, p.16). On the other hand, educational publishers are designing interactive educational materials for mobile devices and also e books and magazines have gained a significant space. Mobile devices provide a rich library of content, video, videoconference tools, high-resolution cameras, game platforms and fast web browsers and easy emails. As for cloud computing it offers schools and organizations solutions to store, to have conferences and collaboration and for suite management of programs as computer solutions.

Mid-term horizon will occur in time frame of two or three years and it focuses on Learning Analytics and Open Content. This stage will track the behavior of users online to observe the repetitive patterns to make predictions on the students spending habits. Therefore, Learning Analytics is important for educators and researchers to understand student’s communication and interaction with online courses and texts. Students are learning the benefits of it when they engage on the learning platforms and track the data to make an individual learning experience. As for Open Content, it has benefitted students, educators and schools by providing open sources to increase learning by enriching the curriculum, lesson plans and teaching strategies of develop and developing countries. Flipped classrooms is a great example of how teachers all over the world, create videos or develop content to share with colleagues. Another example is Creative Commons, which provides resources that can be shared and distributed openly online. This openness has created a huge network of education collaborators who share and create and feel more confident to make their own educational resources.

Far term horizon, which will happen in a time frame of four or five years, based on remote laboratories to give school access wireless networks to make scientific experiences more accessible to schools. It also promotes inquiry learning with no limitations and increases students confidence by allowing to work at their own pace and interest. Also the 3D Printers are a valuable tool for teaching and learning by promoting the inquiry process for any discipline and students are able to create and learn the concepts on designing, programming on engineering and science models.

Now that you know were the 21^st Century Learners are heading too, it is time for you to reflect and get ready to be part of it!

References

New Media Consortium.(2013).Horizon Report,K-12 2013, Edition. Retrived from HZ NMC Horizon Report:http//www.nmc.org/pdf/2013-horizon-report-k12.pdf

Assignment 8-1 #EDC601

Educators Expectation for the 21st Century Learners

Looking for 21st Century Educators

Today I want you to reflect on your role as a 21^st Century educator we are immersed in and why it is important that you consider updating your classes to meet the needs of the learners. Time has passed and humans have evolved marking a new trend in technology, interaction, communication, creation and information access. You know it because you live it constantly when being in the classroom. The setting is totally different from when we were students. No more limited information from books, magazines or other hard copy sources, when now we have different Internet browsers filled with zillions of informational pages available at the tip of our fingers. No more one set of slow and old technology devices for the entire classroom with limited time use, when now the classes are filled with different devices from laptops, ipad’s, headphones, cell phones, etc. from the students or provided by schools to teachers and students. No more traditional education, where the teacher limits the creativity of the students to one single point of view. This learning scenario is something we can’t stop, but it is important for you to reflect on the different components that provide a quality education in this 21^st Century learning era.That is why educators play an essential position in the classroom and need to renovate old teaching practices into a guiding role of facilitators or mentors to enhance the process of inquiry, analysis, reflection and interpretation of knowledge. Teachers must adapt their learning units to different learning strategies and class dynamics, include in all lesson plans differentiation tasks and drift these to real problems to achieve learning by practice and apprenticeship method.

Technology is an essential key of the 21^st century learner and you know it. We are part of it even though we are not the digital natives and we must cope up with it. As an educator, you need to decide within the objectives and course alignments of the units, to enhance learning with technology and if not required to use other learning strategies to provide the students with learning skills and tools for their future. Another issue is the quality of education that is now geared to collaboration of peers and teachers for the creation and sharing of knowledge. Therefore we need to provide individual and group dynamics learning centers to cover all learning needs to offer tools and skills for the future. Students will be able to outline their own trail of learning inquiry by using different sources: teachers, hard copy sources, online sources and their peers and we must abandon the age of memorization and information ownership. As educators we need to provoke an ongoing learning process where the students are given different tools and learning techniques to enhance their knowledge and to share their expertise to their community.

If you think about it, I am sure you are already immersed in this change or in the process. What we should be worrying today is about guiding our students on a positive digital citizenship when being on the net. The expansion of the net has created new problems of accessing, communication and creation that we need to face. According to Dr. William Ranking’s ACU video, he reflects on the cycle of technology, highlighting what we have being living today in this technology era with a transition. In which humans can solve a problem by creating and adapting new technologies, being successful on these, and how new problems arise with the change in culture by these, that leads societies to a stage of destabilization by threatening the existing culture.

It sounds too familiar don’t you think? We should stand close to our students to keep on guiding them and understanding the new learning needs of this 21^st Century experience. So be ready and update your classes to meet their expectations!

Assignment 7 #EDC601