Website Evaluation

It took me a lot of effort to finish my website. Finally, it is complete. I have definitely enjoyed doing my first website and learned a lot in this class. Please take a look at my website and projects I have made throughout this course. I would love to hear comments from you to make it even better. Thank you for taking your time to evaluate my work.

Please, click here to get to my Educational Technology website. 

Connecticut Research Engine iCONN

I heard of iCONN before, but I did not know what it was exactly and what to do with it.  In class I found out what a great service it is, as it provides access to licensed database for everyone in Connecticut. You can get articles from magazines, newspapers, educational journals, and many more. There is no need to drive to the library or search in Google to find valuable information. No matter how affluent or poor school districts in CT are, qualitative materials are available to all for free through iCONN.

As I will be an elementary school teacher, I looked through “Kids InfoBits” database.  It offers developmentally appropriate and visually appealing materials on different school subjects including art, health, people, history, geography, science, and more that are retrieved from popular magazines and newspapers. It would be so expansive to buy Kids Discovery, Time for Kids, or any other magazine in a bookstore. From “Kids InfoBits” a student can access to free and get up-to-date materials. It also has an Elementary dictionary to look up at unfamiliar words without going to a separate web page. In addition, there are tools for educators to teach how to write a research paper. I will definitely encourage students to use iCONN  to look for reliable and updated materials.

The Computer Delusion

We live in a high-tech world. But must computers be a priority in school? Numerous studies are done and proved that computers improve student learning. But are the results reliable? Now throughout the country, spending on technology increases. Schools cut on teachers and programs such as art, history, physical education and spend millions of dollars on computers. By replacing teachers with computers in a classroom we do more harm than good to our students. I believe there is no either/or solution. Learning computer skills is essential in the twenty first century. I believe computer use improves teaching, makes lessons more engaging. Work with computers brings students valuable connection with teachers, other schools, and students around the world. We just need to make sure to use computers properly and train teachers to enable full use of technology. Technology should be viewed as a facilitator of learning, not a substitute for live instruction. It is not enough to put a computer in front of student, a teacher needs to educate students to use a computer in a way that promotes learning. 

Non-Linear Power Point

In this class I learned that I could do much more with Power Point Presentation than just presenting each slide in order. With non-linear Power Point one can make a more interactive presentations. Non-linear Power Point is a presentation format where the slides can be used in any order. Teachers can make multiple-choice quizzes. Clicking on the answer will bring you to a slide with that answer and tells whether it is correct or not. Non-linear Power Point can be easily done by linking together hyperlinked text or pictures to a slide. I will definitely use this kind of presentation in my teaching, because it makes learning engaging and assessments easy. 

Digital Divide

After having read the article on “digital divide” I remembered the time when I studied at the university in Russia. About seven years ago the technology was not well-developed as it is today. My professors often gave assignments to do on a computer, including writing research papers and presentations. Neither my peers nor I had a personal computer, let alone an access to the Internet. There was a computer laboratory at the university with about thirty outdated computers with slow Internet for more than 300 students. I remember how I felt frustrated to find a computer and have my assignments done on time. That made me feel so helpless. I totally understand how children with fewer opportunities to access technology feel disadvantaged.

            Nowdays it is unfortunate that there are students who still do not have access to technology. Furthermore, even though others have, the quality of access is low. We cannot assume that students who have the Internet at home with good connection to those who get information through cell phone equal.  The issues of the “digital divide” shifted from access problems to kinds of access. What could be done to help disadvantaged students with regard to technology issues? I believe that first of all teachers need to be aware what type of access their students have before assigning any work that has to be done using technology. If a teacher knows that this particular child does not own a computer, and he has to go to the library to use one, than this teacher has to be flexible and take actions together to solve a problem. The article on “digital divide” offers other solutions. Libraries should stay open. Schools can provide access to the labs after school, Comcast can offer low prices to access the Internet. These are some of the ways to solve technology issues, but not all.

            It is also unfortunate to know some urban schools use technology for drilling information rather than as a tool for broader learning. For instance, Hatch Middle School spend millions of dollars to by software programs to prepare students for standardized tests, instead of spending money on hiring high-qualified teachers who could help full use of technology. In contrast, effluent districts consider technology as an aid to support the goal to find information, gain new knowledge. “There is no substitute for quality teaching,” says Susan Patrick, the department director of educational technology. Here “digital equity” takes an essential part. Teachers need to be aware of technology resources, provide contents that are culturally relevant and connected to their community. It is not enough just to put a computer in front of a student, it is vital to take into consideration “digital equity”.   

Inquiry-Based Learning

Inquiry-based learning is a student-centered learning which is focused on developing critical thinking, problem-solving skills, seeking solutions to questions, and reflecting on what students are doing. 

 I had been studied in a traditional school for many years which was based on memorization of facts, listening to teachers, and giving answers that teachers expected from us. Traditional way of learning did not involve a lot of thinking, but knowing concepts well. In college I experienced some inquire-based learning when teachers encouraged us to make observations, ask questions on what we were doing, reflect, and evaluate. That kind of learning required a lot of learning.  

In my future classroom inquire-based learning will definitely be a big part. I will try to incorporate this type of learning in every subject to make connection between various disciplines. Lessons will be based on students’ interests. I will make emphases on collaborative work where students are divided into smaller groups to discover things and search answers to questions on their own. Hands-on activities will be used to make connection to ideas. Technology will be integrated to enhance students’ thinking and creativity. Computers are useful to search information, contact experts, and share their projects with others. All these and many other inquiry learning techniques will be useful to involve students in learning process.

Copyright Issues for Educators

The Internet gives us access to enormous amount of information. However, can we copy them legally? Only after having read the articles on copyright laws and discussing them in class I realized that I cannot just copy videos, music, photos, documents, and books for myself, because the materials have copyright protection. Under “fair use” some materials can be copied if they are used for educational purposes and are part of the curriculum. However, they cannot be posted on blogs and websites. One of the most interesting things I learned in the classroom is that educators can’t show videos or DVDs in class as a reward. It is certainly that I won’t do in my classroom, as it is the violation of the copyright law. There were several cases when teachers were sued, although those teachers had good intentions for their student. There are many tricky limitations under “fair use”, even though materials are used for educational purposes. I will make sure to educate students on copyright issues, explain what is safe to do and what is illegal. It is certainly good to know what copyright law is.