Getting To Know My Students

Let the semester begin! 

The beginning of the semester is always energizing. After weeks of a vacant campus, there are students walking around, smiling, visiting, running to class. Each semester brings a new set of students, a new class of learners. Even after teaching at RU for over four years, students in my courses continue to come to me with a wide variety of learning styles, needs and interests. How do I know? I ask and assess them. And, it's ongoing...

The first way I get to know my undergraduate and graduate students is by having them take a MI test (Multiple Intelligences). This is a FREE online test anyone can complete to show their specific learning style. Go head, take the test yourself! I have found this to be one of the most accurate MI assessments for my students (and did I mention FREE). http://www.mypersonality.info/multiple-intelligences/

Here is my profile for you to preview what the results look like. I also took the personality test, which is interesting. http://www.mypersonality.info/sonnenbergm/ I share my own profile with my students so they can learn more about my learning styles.

Why? Research shows teachers naturally teach the way THEY learn. As effective educators, we need to teach the way our STUDENTS learn. Therefore, learning as much as we can about them is imperative. My students submit weekly journal entries throughout the semester writing about the content we have just completed in class. These assignments serve as post assessments on the content, but also can be a pre-assessments of what I plan to teach the next class.

Aside from the MI test and the Learning Journal, my students also take an Educational Technology Pre-assessment. I need to know their technology ability,how proficient they are regarding the modules I teach in class. This ranges from Microsoft Office Suite, to iPads, SMARTboards, interactive software, internet resources and so on. The results will support my decisions of how to group my students when I am teaching a program or technology tool in class. Wouldn't want to bore or overwhelm anyone! For example, if you test high on Powerpoint, I am not going to teach you how to create a Powerpoint assignment, I will move you forward to a Prezi presentation or a WebQuest activity. Keeping in mind, I teach pre-service teachers, I'm also modeling these instructional strategies of integrating Differentiated Instruction, Cooperative Learning, and Multiple Intelligences (amoung many others). Many of these theories, practices, and strategies are not new to educators but need to be implemented in a systematic way which allows meaningful learning to take place.

My students assess me, yep, that's right! Not only in the course evals, but in their weekly assignments.If I see a student or students struggling on a certain topic or program, I look at HOW I am teaching it and find ways to reach out to their learning style and understanding. They also provide feedback on how they are doing through their Learning Journals and assignments.

All in all it is a constant reflective journey. I am finding out more about my students and I learn more about myself. One of the many reasons I love teaching at Rockhurst University.

Side Note:
If you haven't gotten the chance to know Howard Gardner you can (he IS still alive!): Such an inspiration to teaching: http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm

I am the IT guy!

Stereotypes, stereotypes...do we ever really grow out of them? How can our society move past them? Why do people ask for the IT guy? I am the IT guy in our department; the Instructional Technology (and sometimes the Information Technology) guy.

Last semester I was working with a student on his iPad for my course. He was having difficulty connecting to the Internet at home. He said he first called a friend of his, who asked, "Have you asked your professor, I'm sure HE knows how to help you?"

I was out in one of our local schools in November helping a teacher load her SMARTboard software when a student said, "I thought you would be a guy." When I asked why she thought this, she said, "all technology people are guys." 

The first year I taught my ED 6030: Technology in Education course, students repeatedly referenced me as a 'he' or 'him' in emails to others before they saw my first name or my face. Scenarios similar to these happen quite often to me.

In a recent article published in Campus Technology, statistics show women only hold 21.4% of approximately the 2,600 executive positions in higher education IT. The article suggests women to start taking recognition and pursuing careers in technology as opposed to waiting for them. Reflecting on this I have to wonder why women are so hesitant to acknowledge their hard work and seek out ways to move up. Is it the technology piece holding them back or their environment? As far as higher education professors, I feel surrounded by women colleagues who love to chat about instructional technology practices and the newest gadgets seen in the classrooms. However, when I visit schools for my students' service learning projects and to set up partnerships through my courses, I often find myself meeting with the IT guy.

While dedicated educators demand the STEM initiative (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) to be integrated in all areas of learning in schools, my prediction is that more girls will see the fun in technology and gravitate towards more technology-driven fields. I often read how technology is becoming more attractive to the female population with a variety of colors and advertisement geared towards the  'girly'  interests. Not everything is black and gray anymore. That being said, not all girls like pink or orange macbooks. I'm sure you have seen the little girl, Riley, on You Tube ranting about boyish toys. She explains that some girls like superheroes and some girls like princesses!  With the new release of Lego "Friends", girls will now be able to choose from a variety of lego systems which they could find appealing.

Another study came out this week showing women buy more technology than men. Park Associates surveyed 2,000 consumers to find out the reasons behind the technology they were purchasing. The study showed most women purchase technology because of the ease of using that particular technology tool. The only category men out purchased women on where LCD TVs, I don't think that's a surprise!  However, what some did find surprising was that more women like gaming systems than men.  As Jill Braff, executive VP of digital commerce for HSN, shared, "“It’s also not just about features – it’s about simplicity, the seamless use of technology and how technology fits into your lifestyle.”

Perhaps if we find ways to make technology relevant to girls' lives we can close this gap between men and women in STEM fields. I know I will... IT is possible!



(Note: here is an example of one program out there which encourages STEM for girls: http://www.girlstart.org/about-us )

Top Stocking Stuffers

I'm not sure if these technology gadgets really could fit into a stocking, but here is the top 10 (or so) list of what was most popular for Christmas gifts this year.

Drum roll please...

1. iPad 2
2. Kindle Fire
3. Apple TV
4. iPhone 4S/iPod Touch
5. MacBook Air
6. Nook Color
7. Wii
8. Playstation 3
9. iPod Shuffle (2GB)
10. iPad Bluetooth Keyboard Attachment (see #1).

Bonus gift: Freehands gloves! (not on some lists, but a must-have for you texters)


Now, the real fun begins. Learning how to use these tools effectively! Whether you are an educator or not, one simple rule applies: get to know your technology.  Before you start spending a considerable amount of time with your new (and probably pricey) gadget, read about it. Use your new gift in small amounts and in a stress free, low risk environment. Enjoy the technology, don't start off with frustration. While instruction manuals and how to guides can be cumbersome, talk to those around you who have used the technology item before. What are some tricks or shortcuts they have used? Also, every company has a website on how to use their product, you can also check there. Sometimes they will post quick tips, videos, or a blog where others post their successes or challenges with the technology equipment.

You will save yourself time in the long run if you take the time now to understand what makes your technology tick.


NOTE: This list is in no particular order as it truly depends on who your sources are. I blended the lists from two websites: http://www.itbusinessedge.com/slideshows/show.aspx?c=93974&slide=9 and http://www.cnet.com/?tag=hdr;brandnav

FLIP OUT!

In case you haven't heard, there's a 'new' instructional strategy teachers are using in their classroom called "Flipping your Classroom" or the "Flipped Classroom".

Basically it is this: instead of a teacher lecturing IN class, they digitally provide the videos (they used powerpoint) or podcasts to the students as homework OUT of class.   Class time is spent on collaborative learning projects, individual help and engaging activities. This prevents boring lectures and the students 'sitting and getting'.

Who came up with this notion? Well, Jonathan Bergman and Aaron Sams were the first ones to coin the phrase. As teachers at Woodland Park High School in Woodland Park, CO they wanted to create ways to engage their students who were present in class and make sure those who missed class were receiving the instructional support they needed.  You can see the chart of how it all came to be at: http://mindshift.kqed.org/2011/09/the-flipped-classroom-defined/.

Famous questions, what does the data show? did the test scores go up? Well, they did. In fact, they also saw other positive effects of this teaching model: lower behavior problems and decreases in students flunking math and english. Obviously, the students in this school had devices at home to access the videos. This could be a challenge for some schools and teachers. Students may not have internet access at home and/or the program the teacher is using with the video. If this is the case, the teacher will need to think of a creative solution.

But reflect on this model: instead of sitting through a professor or teacher lecturing each class, what if you did you 'homeowork' and projects IN class and watched those lectures at home. You are able to pause the lecture where you need to take notes, write down questions, and refer to the readings. Then in class you can work on showing what you learned in a collaborative and engaging environment. Instead of, at home, where you may not be able to find the answers and you are isolated in what you are learning. You can also take breaks from watching a 20 + minute lecture!

As you begin a new year, share this idea with an educator. Remembering, it needs to have a purpose tied to the objective! Start with the end in mind and decide if that particular unit, lecture or activity would actually benefit the students, if the Flipped Classroom model is used. I have tried a similar method in my courses with much success. You bet I will 'flip' some lectures and projects in my course next semester, when it will be meaningful to enhance the learning of my students. 

I think it just might make me more flexible as an educator and my students may flip for joy!



Resources: READ MORE ABOUT IT
http://www.thedailyriff.com/articles/are-you-ready-to-flip-691.php
http://www.thedailyriff.com/articles/the-flipped-class-conversation-689.php

Thankful for Thoughtful TFA Teachers

I'm thankful for my career! More than anything, the teaching aspect of it. My students are dedicated and committed to learning in and out of my course. I could share many special stories with you, but today I am giving thanks for 6 graduate students of mine who are also TFA (Teach for America) corps members. They are all in my ED 6030 Course: Technology in the Classroom. We have had several insightful discussions together either in small group or through their reflection journals about the challenges they face, especially related to technology resources in their classrooms.

What is Teach for America? I encourage you to visit their website if you have not heard about this inspirational organization: http://www.teachforamerica.org/our-mission.  Teach for America is a non-profit organization that aims to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting the nation's most promising future leaders to teach for two or more years in low-income communities throughout America. The organization aspires for these "corps members" to gain the insight and added commitment to tackle the root causes of America's achievement throughout their lives. Rockhurst has developed a partnership with Teach for America, so they may take their graduate level course here to earn a Master of Education Degree and teaching certification in their content area of interest.

Because they serve in low income schools, one of the issues they face is the digital divide: the inequalities individuals, families, schools face due to the lack of information and communication technologies accessible to them. Many students they teach do not have internet access or even a computer at home. Some of their schools do not have internet/wireless access, let alone 'smart' technology.  This may seem surprising in the Kansas City Metro area, but it a reality for these teachers. When presented with the assignment of looking through available grants they could possibly apply for, they quickly realized the roadblocks associated with researching grants for their classrooms. A few of them have found grant possiblities, but others are taking matters into their own hands. They are working with the veteran teachers in their buildings to provide professional development and use the limited resources they currenting have as they seek out other avenues of funding.

Even through their journey of locating resources, the commitment to delivering the best education to their students has been at the forefront. They instantly reflect on if they had the technology tools available to many other schools, how would these tools close the achievement gap and raise achievement in their classrooms?  Always student centered and focused on the achievement of their students, they have written thoughtful reflections such as this one...

  I see my students interact with my iPads [one through ED 6030 and one through TFA] and dream of what they would think of a giant version of this otherwise known as a Smart Board.  However, my students suffer from the school district's frequent overlooking of our school with innovative technologies or software due to the reality that our test scores rest just over district norms.  I do believe . . . that my students deserve the best of the best.  They deserve to have equal access to the great resources that are available and transforming education.  

Teaching is both rewarding and challenging. I am thankful for teachers and future teachers who set their sights on bringing to their classroom the best education they can provide.  I am thankful for those educators who strive to reflect on their practices and improve their teaching each day, with a smile on their face and keeping each of their students learning at heart... with or without technology.

Today's Forecast: Cloudy

It's all relative, if you ask the following groups of people the question, "what is a cloud? This is how they might respond...

 The average person: "a big puffy thing in the sky"

A  professor: "a mass of condensed water vapor in the atmosphere"

A college student: "where I store my stuff!"

The National Institute of Standards and Technology:
(cloud computing) "is a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction."
http://www.nist.gov/itl/csd/cloud-102511.cfm

What's that you say?

Basically, cloud computing has been around longer than you think. Do you use Gmail? That is called a Software as a Service cloud (SaaS).
Have you ever bought an "all you can eat meal"and never went back for seconds? Wouldn't it have been nice to buy only the small portion you consumed?  Through cloud computing organizations no longer have to pay to run at full capacity, only for what they use? This type of cloud computing system is called Infrastructure as a Service cloud (IaaS). This one is popular in higher education.

The highest level of cloud computing is Platform as a Service (PaaS). When an organization would rather build their own software tools and manage all the systems themselves. Some higher Ed institutions and other organizations are moving this way.

What does cloud computing mean to the individual technology user. Simply this: cloud storage...

Your PC, iPad, smartphone, etc being in sync at all times. Rockhurst U uses a cloud system for their portal: https://my.rockhurst.edu/web/mycampus/home. Another good example of this is Google docs. A popular and highly reviewed cloud storage option is "Sugarsync". No more carrying around that annoying flash drive or feeling of frustration and anxiety because you forgot which device you saved a file you need immediate access to. Watch the demo, try it out. It's inexpensive.   https://www.sugarsync.com/

One crucial point to remember: you will need internet access to mange and access your cloud storage. But, the feeling of having all your files backed up to one spot from all your devices will leave you with more sunny days than cloudy ones.

Who Says Using Technology Impedes Social Interaction?

It doesn't have to!  Another service learning project yesterday, mission accomplished.  This time the 6th graders came out from Holy Cross Catholic School. As blossoming middler schoolers, you might expect some challenges, but not this group. They quietly came in and my pre-service graduate students worked with 3-4 students at a time.  We covered the essentials of internet safety, cyberbullying through role-playing activities and showing them various videos provided free by: http://www.netsmartz.org/Educators.

The students proceeded to move forward with their Powerpoint projects and SMARTboard notebook activities individually on the RU computer lab desktop computers.  The activities we had them engaged in were built off their interests and curriculum from their classroom. As they excitedly went throught the creation and completion of their projects, a clear constant varaible was evident: they repeatedly were showing each other their work.

I'll be honest, this was not an avenue we were directly encouraging or had focused on. Their confidence was on the rise. Their motivation and excitement was expressed through their positive behavior and sharing of their work.  I must say, I was reminded quickly, as I'm sure my pre-service teachers were, the crucial piece of allowing students to ENJOY learning. The Holy Cross students were skipping around showing their color printed copies of their powerpoints, pointing out their frog dissection from the SMARTboard, and discussing how and why they were using the programs. As educators, we must offer them opportunities through small groups, 'think, pair, share' activities and informal, open conversations to move around and proudly communicate their hard work.

As schools rapidly progress towards new technologies,  individualizing instruction, offering 1:1 technology tools initiatives; the promising theme is clear: motivating students to do their best and share their hard work. Time is tight during the classroom day, but social interaction and keeping high expectations for students to discuss the evidence of their learning is a key factor in a collaborative community.

Special thanks to the RU Department of Education graduate students: Felicia Cash, Matt Dow, Nicole Flowers, Rebecca Paul and Rose Rylko.