Reflective Blog #1

Educational Technology Philosophy
Having my educational technology philosophy actually written down is very  useful for several reasons.  First, having to put my thoughts together to write it made me really examine how I feel and think about the use of technology in education in general as well as how I feel and think about my use of technology in my specific teaching assignment, my teaching method, and my classroom.  Thinking this subject through allowed me to realize that my views about educational technology have been somewhat tarnished by unavoidable district issues of budget restraint, outdated ideas and uses, and a lack of individual technology support.  I have been out of the classroom for over eleven years and many times feel as if times have passed me by.  I constantly think I am playing catch-up to stay current.

Examining my views also helps me to see the large gaps in my knowledge about educational technology which will help to point me to projects that will add to (not repeat) the knowledge I have.  Being a teacher responsible for educating students with 21st century skills requires that I immediately leave my comfort zone and make a conscious effort to explore new software, new teaching methods, and new connections.

Blogging: Will I stick with it?
I think the concept behind blogging is absolutely brilliant.  Putting yourself out in an environment for anyone to see is a step I am willing to take if it leads to information I can use to improve my teaching, my parenting, or just myself.  I would absolutely love to use blogging as  a means of communication with teachers, parents, students, and the community.  Blogging stands to be one of the easiest and user-friendly tools a teacher can utilize.  Have we met this potential of blogging? No, in regard to education, I don't believe we have.    I completely agree with Downes' statement that if I require a student or parent to respond by blogging I have already destroyed the true essence of what it means to blog. It then becomes just another method to gather required responses from students. Same teaching method, just different medium. 

Blogging has great potential if used within an entirely different teaching environment that the one most teachers today have.  The technology is already present, the only thing holding it back is the people.  Government required internet filters, district rules and regulations to follow, lack of parental understanding and support,  lack of adequate access, and societal pitfalls are all important issues to address when using blogging in the educational setting.

November's #2 Coming Attraction: Live Video Camera in the Classroom
I immediately zeroed in on this topic because a teacher next door to my classroom is about to start videotaping her 6th grade math class and placing the footage on her school web page.  I think this is a great resource for students and parents.  Students sick at home will be able to see the teacher teaching the lesson and stay caught-up and those that were present can re-watch the teacher teach the lesson if they get home and forgot how to work a problem.  I think this idea has great potential for ALL students: those with chronic health issues, those home schooled, and those in alternative placement for behavioral issues to name a few.  Parents can watch teachers teach skills with their child increasing learning opportunities for both and allowing parents to be much more involved with their child's education.  

The downside is that a teacher may have legal issues to contend with if something inappropriate happens in class while recording.  Child privacy rights may be infringed upon if an altercation within the classroom is recorded and then and made available for the public to hear or see.  Also, parents amy abuse the technology and use it as a way to check-up on their child or the teacher.  I think that Downes is correct in saying that having a videocamera in the classroom will force teachers to constantly evaluate what they are teaching and how it is being taught.

My Expectations for This Class
I would be interested in learning how to incorporate technology into my class without it looking like I am teaching the same way and only using technology to change the apearance of student output.  I would like guidance as to how I can urge those that make school policy to be more open to an entirely new way of teaching.  It also would be beneficial for me to have classmates give ideas and experiences using different aspects of technology within the educational setting.  I hope for (and have been greatly pleased with) the instructor's willingness to share his knowledge on aspects of this class...even those that seem as first glance to be quite basic skills.  Some of us are not educational techies and have been out of the educational technology loop for quite some time.  It is a relief when an instructor is willing to assist step-by-step in my personal educational growth.