Blogging History... For The Future?

Image from Social Media Magic

What
This article covers various formats of educational blogging, including individual student blogs, classroom blogs, collaborative blogs and staff development blogs. It was written for language arts teachers covering kindergarten to 8th grade. The author is Catherine Poling, an assistant principal from Maryland who spent eight years as an elementary school teacher.

So What

This article is significant for the way it lays out the differences between the types of blogs. I learned that students benefit in different ways from the different types of blogs. Individual student blogs would not be suitable for younger students but would help older students develop their reflective writing skills. Classroom blogs can increase the motivation of younger students and enhance class discussions. I would have liked to see more details on what sort of assignments could be given in individual blogs, though I understand that the author's area of expertise is elementary education and not as suited to that medium.

Now What

I think that blogging is a great way for students to develop their writing skills and interact outside of the classroom. Certain writing assignments can be completed via blogging, enabling teachers to read and grade them online and allowing other students to comment on the post. If I am able to teach high school history, assigning students to blog on assigned topics (either individually or as a group) and reply to other students who are also blogging on the topic would be part of my educational arsenal. I can apply the details of this article to that.

Source:
Poling, C. (2005). Blog on. Learning & Leading With Technology, 32(6), 12-15. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Store/Product?ID=1560

A Great Idea When It Was Written

What

The article covers the use of handheld computers, sometimes called personal digital assistants or PDAs, to create concept maps as an alternative to creating concept maps using paper and pencil or a traditional desktop computers. It details the experience of a group of ninth-grade biology students in Maryland who used Palm handhelds to create concept maps.

The article was written by Regina Royer and Jeff Royer. Regina Royer teaches educational technology courses at Salisbury Univesity and Jeff teaches biology at a high school in Maryland. Jeff is also an adjunct instructor in educational technology at Salisbury University. As both authors teach courses on educational technology, it follows that they have a strong interest in the subject that led them to pursue this study.

So What

The students in the study were Jeff Royer's students. During the spring of 2003, they created concept maps on paper, on a desktop computer and on a Palm handheld computer. The study found that most of the students preferred using the handheld computers over the paper because it was easier and faster to get the task done. Students also preferred the handheld over the desktop computer because of the handheld's portability (it did not require a trip to the computer lab).

Cutting edge Palm handheld circa 2003 (Image from http://www.mobiletechreview.com)

The teacher found that his students were more interested and motivated in the project than they were with the other methods. The only drawback was that larger concept maps could not fit onto a single screen like they would on a desktop, forcing viewers to scroll around to view parts of the concept map.

Now What

The article is from 2004. Handheld computers have become obsolete since then and have been replaced by smartphones and tablet computers, so the authors' statement than handheld computers are the future is somewhat painful to read. Putting aside that fact, the study does show that students are adaptable to using technology in the classroom. The touch screens and portability of tablets make them appealing to students who do not want to be tethered to a keyboard. Tablet computers could be used in place of handhelds once the cost comes down.

Future classroom use of the iPad? From ProjectGreenApple

This article did not provide any new revelations or open new doors to me, though it was probably considered an exciting new idea when it came out in 2004. I consider myself to be familiar with the potential of tablet computers in an educational setting, both to simplify tasks and improve student interest. It is just a matter of finding the right hardware and software; since this article is eight years old, the hardware and software mentioned in it is already obsolete.

If anything, this article made me think about how quickly the technology we embrace today can become obsolete by the next new, exciting thing to come along. It reminds me that as an educator, it will be important to keep constantly up-to-date on the technology available for the classroom.




Source:
Royer, R., & Royer, J. (2004). What a concept! using concept mapping on handheld computer. Learning & Leading With Technology, 31(5), 12-16. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Store/Product?ID=1629

Leading Students to Complete Digital Tasks

The NETS-T standards calls upon teachers to be able to "design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments," which I feel I would be able to do. I feel strong in this area because of my own familiarity with technology. I am comfortable using it and I am comfortable teaching others how to use it.

My past experiences include time spent as a journalism student at Cal State Northridge and three years working part-time as a contributor to a regional high school sports website. As a result, I am very familiar with editing video in a non-linear digital format and would feel comfortable helping students develop that skill themselves. I also worked extensively with PowerPoint as I pursued my interests in history and urban studies by taking courses in those departments which included large presentations.

Visual media is usually more stimulating than text media. Compare the thrill of watching a high-speed chase or a sporting event live on television to reading about it the next day in a newspaper. The same ideal can be applied to the learning and creative process.

Image from KTLA

Many kids are visual learners. They and their classmates may benefit more from creating presentations on a subject and presenting it before the class than they might from writing a bland research paper which is turned in to the teacher. It also puts the student in the position of teaching, which may inspire some to pursue the teaching profession later in their life.

Microsoft PowerPoint is a presentation tool that students can begin to use as early as first grade and master by the time they finish middle school. In high school, PowerPoint can be used to create fully fleshed-out slideshows that can be used for class projects and presentations. PowerPoint is capable of far more than the simple text slideshows that most people associate it with. The program allows for the integration of images, audio and video to keep the audience engaged. It allows for collaborative creativity for students working in a group and allows every student to contribute according to their own personal talents. Students who are better at writing can write informative text slides, students who are better with images or video can contribute those. (Lewis 2008)

For more information on how PowerPoint can be used in a classroom, check out PowerPoint Magic, by Pamela Lewis. A free excerpt is available on the ISTE website.

Another good source on the topic is Teaching with Digital Video by Glen L. Bull and Lynn Bell. This gives teachers the basic steps on using digital video to develop a technology-enriched learning environment. A free excerpt is available on ISTE.

Source:

Lewis, P. (2008). Powerpoint magic. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/images/excerpts/POWMAG-excerpt.pdf

Introduction

My name is Dylan Boggs and I am currently in my first semester at California State University, San Marcos. I previously attended California State University, Northridge, where I graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism and a minor in history in May 2008. I have returned to the state university system to pursue a single-subject teaching credential so that I can teach high school history. This semester I am taking the pre-requisite education courses EDUC 350, 364 and 422 before being formally admitted into the credential program.

Yes. One of these. (Image from http://www.productsthathateyou.com)

I have used technology avidly since my family got our first computer in 1989. While the machine was limited to word processing and basic DOS games but it laid the framework for my future interest in technology. We had that computer until 1998. Remember 5 1/4-inch floppy disks? I do. Remember when computers didn't even have mice? What a world that was. I use computer technology often now, and I am grateful for the advances which technology has made since those days when a computer's power was measured in kilobytes. My favorite use of technology, beyond providing entertainment in the form of television, movies and video games, is the spreadsheet. I love using Microsoft Excel to organize and calculate things whenever I have an excuse to do so.

This did not actually happen.

I am seeking a single-subject credential so that I can teach high school history. I would also be open to teaching high school civics or middle school history, though I have not thoroughly investigated those options yet. I have always loved history, starting with reading books on World War II, the Norse people and the Ottoman Empire in elementary school. I have since become more interested in other times and locations including some forgotten eras like Sub-Roman Britain and many others. I hope that I can pass that interest in history onto some of my students, because the study of history is vital to understanding our civilization and who we are.

I consider myself to be very good with technology but I am by no means an expert. There are still many things about computers which stump me. As a result of my journalism training at Northridge, my style of writing and research may be slightly different from other students who are accustomed to a more conventional method of communicating ideas. I am also familiar with recording and editing video and audio clips.

In my personal life I have a number of varied interests. I sometimes play video games but I prefer older games and retro-style games like La-Mulana. I follow the news closely and keep up on events in places which most people have not even heard of, just because it interests me. I am involved in online community which develops and plays forum-based nationsims drawn from historical events and figures. I am interested in sports but not universally. I closely follow the Angels and the sports teams of Cal State Northridge. During my time here I will likely develop a following of the Cal State San Marcos athletic program. I will also watch the United States national team in any sport (mostly soccer). My favorite movies are "Red Dawn" and "The Big Lebowski," and my favorite bands are Rush and They Might Be Giants.

Thank you for reading my blog and feel free to leave your comment below.