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Maria D. Martinez

More Colorado Districts Saving Money with 4-Day School Weeks | Education News - 10 views

www.educationnews.org/...-money-with-4-day-school-weeks

money school classroom resources 21stCenturySkills education

shared by Maria D. Martinez on 07 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • The savings come mainly from reduction in support staff, maintenance costs, food service and transportation which allows schools to retain teachers and academic programs that would have to be dropped otherwise
  • It is the parents who typically have the most difficulty adjusting, with most schools reporting negative parental reactions due mostly to increased child-care expenses for the fifth day.
  • In addition, after one year into the three-year experiment with the new schedule, another unexpected benefit popped up: an uptick in test scores. Webb thinks that the increased “sense of urgency” of the shortened week seems to encourage teachers and students to make every hour in the classroom.
  • Maria D. Martinez on 07 Oct 12
     
    This website gives an insight of what Colorado districts are presently doing: 4-day school weeks. Are we headed that way?
  • ...12 more comments...
  • Maribel Gracia on 07 Oct 12
     
    Maria the article is very interesting. I think it can benefit our district because our district is very short on funds.We get directives of turning of the light or computers when we are not using it so the district doesn't pay too much money. In all programs, our budget have drastically gotten cut in funds so maybe if we have a 4 day instead of 5 day we can save money. Also teachers would love this because it would give them a break so they won't get burned out with all the changes in our district. Imagine it can be a three day weekend :)
  • Victoria Lopez on 07 Oct 12
     
    This is very interesting. As a teacher, I would like to move to this 4 day week schedule to enjoy a three day weekend every weekend; however, as a parent, if I were not employed by a school district and worked at a regular 5 business day week, then I would be upset at the inconvenience it causes. I would have to pay extra money for child care services as stated in this article. So although this 4-day school week has its pros its cons also have to be weighed out by those that would be affected. I guess a positive would be that it would create jobs in child care for the fifth day. As an educator, by day 5, I am out of gas. So I can see how working digently throughout the 4-day school week proves to be similar in test scores when compared to those of the 5-day school week.
  • R. Palomares on 08 Oct 12
     
    Maria D. Martinez, this article poses an interesting thought about maybe going to this measure if budget cuts continue, but I don't think were headed that way. The 4-day school week seemed to have a positive effect with this Colorado school district because their state testing scores seemed to increased according to this article. On the downside, the district only saved $150,000 which isn't very much considering the amount of time and effect one day can have on education.  I think that the 4-day school week would be an interesting challenge that everyone will adjust to easily if there's a need to implement it.
  • Jaime Villarreal on 08 Oct 12
     
    I agree with the districts that implemented the 4-day school week in order to save on the operational costs. I believe that having a short week will motivate both students and teachers to work harder and more focused on the tasks needed to be completed knowing they will have a three day weekend to get ready for the next round of intensive work days. Difficult times call for difficult measures and thinking outside of traditional methods will allow us to meet the ever changing demands of a society struggling with an inconsistent and unpromising economy.
  • Alberto Gonzalez on 08 Oct 12
     
    I did read the article and this is true that the school district did save a huge amount of income for having four day school weeks. However if you decide to have a four day school week somewhere along the line school districts still have to meet about 187 days of school, so we would be taking a risk of shorter summer vacation or shorter vacations. But hey looking at the data I am for it, but just shorter vacations.
  • Leonila Pena on 14 Oct 12
     
    There's been rumors that school districts here in the RGV would do this if the budget crisis got worse, but I have yet to see it happen. There are many other ways that the school districts can reduce costs, however if they did go into the 4-day school weeks and extended the school days, then I guess there would be no difference. Like the article states, it would mainly affect the parents because of child-care expenses, but maybe this would make parents value their childrens' education more, because unfortunately there are many parents that see school as free daycare and as long as they can leave their kids there 5 days a week while they are at work they don't care about anything else. Whatever it is that school districts decide to do to reduce costs will work only if they have a good plan in place along with a good backup plan.
  • Diana Cedillo on 14 Oct 12
     
    I agree with Victoria. Viewing this article as a parent/teacher would have two different outcomes. We (the U.S.) are already behind in Education. We seem to be cutting funding in the area we are the most weak in; education. If we struggle with students learning the material in a 5 day school week and retaining the information over a two day weekend, how are we suppose to have them grasp and retain in 4 days? I don't believe having a 4 day work week will motivate teachers and students. I believe it'll make it worse. I vote NO.
  • Sergio Perez on 15 Oct 12
     
    Once in a while you will hear in the news how the students from the United States compare to those in other countries. The Center for Public Education wrote an article about how the amount of time of school affects our students. They compared top performing countries to the United States and they were unable to find a correlation between less school time and lower test scores. The article also states that some high performing countries have their students spend less time in the classroom than the United States. You can find this article at the following link: http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Organizing-a-school/Time-in-school-How-does-the-US-compare I know at my school district, teaching positions have not been filled because of the budget. Although the savings for a four-day week may be small it is still a savings. The parents that work will be having to look for daycare. Some of these parents are barely making it and this additional cost could be too much for their budget. There are many pros and cons from the four-day school week for the schools and parents. If the school has the funds then I would favor the school week to remain at five days.
  • Sonia Aldape on 15 Oct 12
     
    Maria, an article worth looking into especially with all the cuts in all departments at our district. Within the district we have been trying to conserve energy but that will only go so far. The state has really reduced the budget for our district which makes it tough therefore, they should consider the 4 day work week. Students would love this as well as teachers. On the other hand, parents would probably say NO.
  • Sara Aldape on 15 Oct 12
     
    WOW!!! Kids would be estatic, but that would mean parents would have to look for babysitters. Since parents have to work because of the economy, it would be very difficult. But for those that are stay home parents it's a plus. Do you think it would really help the districts? How do parents feel about it? Here is another article about it. http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/kids-try-to-fill-extra-day-off-with-4day-schook-we/
  • Maria L Mata on 16 Oct 12
     
    I think it is awesome that districts can think outside the box and find alternative ways to save money for the district and try so hard to keep their personnel without sacrificing the curriculum. I have been reading up on school districts that are saving money by eliminating bus routes. I think that is another great idea, not only to save money but it helps students, parents, grandparents get their daily exercise. Here is on of the articles that talks about it: http://www.activatenoblecounty.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=75:walking-school-bus-can-save-money-lengthen-lives&catid=3:latest&Itemid=16
  • Juanita Casanova on 16 Oct 12
     
    Well, I think the idea of having a four-day week has its benefits. The district would help save money by eliminating hours of energy used in the classroom. That in itself could save thousands of dollars by the district. The money saved could be utilized in other areas. Here is a link to some creative ways other districts are utilizing to save money. http://www.mamapedia.com/article/creative-ways-to-cut-expenses-in-a-school-district
  • Saul Mendiola on 17 Oct 12
     
    I think that districts here in the valley are far from moving to this 4-day school weeks. It would have to be most or all of the school districts from around here in order to work more effectively. There will be a lot of unhappy parents due to child care expenses. On the other hand, us teachers will probably enjoy it. As it is most of us already stay late hours at school everyday to finish up. The districts will have to show how much they are saving by doing this and at the same time maintain or improve scores.
  • Santos Alvarado on 03 Dec 12
     
    I read the article and I believe the 4-day week has its benefits but as well it has its downside. I believe at the end the positive benefits will outweigh the downsides. If any district is going to implement the 4-day week, the district has to have the parents and community behind them if they want the system to work. I can see how having a 4-day week will have a positive effect on test scores, because the students and teachers will make every hour count for instructional time, knowing they only have 4 days to teach the concept within the week. I can also see improvement in attendance with students and staff, now parents and teachers can schedule their appointments on the off day during the week. Article: http://crosscut.com/2012/02/16/education/21873/The-fourday-school-week-why-less-really-is-more/ A superintendent in Oregon explains the reasons why a shift to a four-day school week works well for students, teachers, and families. Start with better academic performance.
Adam Hovde

RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms - YouTube - 12 views

www.youtube.com/watch

education paradigms change integrating Classroom 21stcenturyskills Spring 2013 Spring2013

shared by Adam Hovde on 14 Mar 13 - No Cached
  • This RSA Animate was adapted from a talk given at the RSA by Sir Ken Robinson, world-renowned education and creativity expert and recipient of the RSA's Benjamin Franklin award.
    • Adam Hovde
      Adam Hovde on 14 Mar 13
       
      What did you "get" from this video?
    • Juan Betancourt
      Juan Betancourt on 18 Mar 13
       
      I think that he hits on very good points. I think that we should encourage the students to collaborate instead of copying, do engaging fun stuff rather than boring, more hands on with a purpose rather than read and tell me what you go out of it. Some students complain that the work is boring, but when i ask them: what can we do to make it fun? They don't have any ideas. Is that a product of the industrial revolution or standardized testing?
    • Dara Cepeda
      Dara Cepeda on 25 Mar 13
       
      Wow awesome video..very informative and eye opener. It's so true, education needs to evolve for we are still stuck in an old age. Teachers are forced to teach to the test and forget the real valuable meaning of education. Then we ask ourselves, why are these children acting like that? The public education is teaching them only to pass a test instead of create a great citizen with morals, dreams. We need to teach them to be creative and produce new tools, to become inventors for a brighter future.
    • Edna Orozco
      Edna Orozco on 10 Apr 13
       
      Educational system definetly needs to change, and we are the key to that, altough it is going to be hard specially if we are trying to figth against what we are used to, and what we were taught.
  • Adam Hovde on 14 Mar 13
     
    A discussion by Ken Robinson on what education is today and how it needs to change to meet the needs of students.
  • ...12 more comments...
  • Adam Hovde on 14 Mar 13
     
    This video is why I decided to get my masters degree. It made me think about what kind of teacher I wanted to be. I decided that I wanted to be more technology based and want to learn how to help others be more engaging with students but others have gotten a different lesson from the video. What will you get from the video?
  • Cristina Pintor on 14 Mar 13
     
    Very interesting video Adam! Thanks for sharing. There are so many flaws in the public education system that I personally think that we should start changing the way we are teaching our kids. Unfortunately it seems that administration only focuses on having students pass the standardized tests instead of focusing on getting students ready to success in life.
  • Isabel Cabrera on 15 Mar 13
     
    Great Video! He was all over the place, but made some very interesting points from the beginning of public education. I remember going to school and everyone telling us you need an education in order to have a job, which was very true. I think our educational system has changed and will continue to change. We have moved away from the textbook, which is the way we learned (paper & pencil). I remember writing definitions, memorizing speeches, and copying math problems onto our lined paper to solve equations. Now students are exposed to technology which enhances their learning in interesting ways.
  • Ana A. Cavazos on 17 Mar 13
     
    The mindset of education has to change now! We are still teaching as he said, "in batches," where we condition children to one way of thinking and stifle divergent thinking. We have talked about "thinking outside the box" and "GT students", but those are the students who were not "conditioned" as we would have them be. The real world is not as we teach, we must allow our students to work collaboratively and think independently. By the same token, I believe that our teachers are victims of the very same mindset, trained to teach strategies, and deciphering questions in order to get those scores. The parent's mindset has changed as well, they no longer tell their children that education is important, and expect for teachers to do all the teaching, not realizing that a child has to have a strong foundation. We are no longer just getting clean slates, but unstructured children who are then labeled ADHD…or are they just divergent thinkers who do not conform to our way of teaching?
  • Cesar Mata on 17 Mar 13
     
    The video was very eye opening. Everyone can agree that their must be change to our current system of Education. What we can't seem to agree on is what those changes should be. I feel as if he spent most of the time talking about whats wrong with education and why than actually providing solutions.
  • Adam Hovde on 17 Mar 13
     
    I agree with all of you. this video opened my eyes to the way our rducational system is running. I guess I have always known it ran this way but I did not think that it bu us in the "batches" to be processed. I am hoping to use my Educational technology degree to change teh way I teach my students and hopefully I can get other teachers to do the same.
  • Cora Mendez on 18 Mar 13
     
    Good video Adam. It brings up many issues with today's education. I totally agree that it is okay to raise standards for learning, but our students were not brought up that way. We are told to teach to the rigor and wonder why the students perform so bad. It is because the higher level thinking and rigor that we are now expecting comes with time and not overnight. Our children were not taught that way and to all of a sudden raise the standards is too much at once. I am confident that it will happen, but it will take time. Another issue was ADHD. When I was in school, I never heard of such a thing. His words exactly, "it seem to be an epedemic ." There could be many factors contributing to hyper and inattentive students, but parents rarely look into alternative ways to help their children. More has to be done to provide these students with help, so they can be successful and not have to be on medicine. If we let our little ones work collaboratively, and if teachers were to have more leeway to teach in their classrooms; some great learning and discovering could take place.
  • Georgina Salas on 18 Mar 13
     
    Very interesting video. There was so much information about education and the economy. I agree that our students are bored in class and with school. Why are they bored??? The reason is because teachers teach the test. There is no time for fun or learing with fun things. I feel that if we teach in a fun and exciting way we will not lose the students as soon as they walk into the room. They will come to school wanting to learn and excited and wondering what they are going to be learning for that day.
  • Jessica Burnias on 18 Mar 13
     
    Wow that was a great video. He had some very interesting points. I do feel that our students are bored in class. The teachers today are teaching to making sure that their students pass the test. As teachers I guess we need to find a way to make our lessons more interesting. That is why it is real important that we incorporate technology into our lessons. We all know that students take a greater interest when technology is involved. He had so many great points. It inspires me to be a better teacher.
  • Heather Luna on 20 Mar 13
     
    I agree with Georgina and Jessica. Students do get bored, because of the "tunnel vision approach" we are often forced to implement in the classroom. The focus on state testing has kept many of us from teaching our students to truly think critically and problem solve. Technology is an excellent way to engage our students and promote higher-order thinking skills and collaboration. If students are motivated, with meaningful and engaging lessons, I believe they will strive to be life-long learners.
  • albert rodriguez on 25 Mar 13
     
    Yes, students are bored these days, however, I don't blame teachers necessarily -- it's the system we're all in. They are victims of circumstance here. It's all about accountability and the test. I think technology may be the light at the end of the tunnel, because it's engaging, fun, and besides being a way of bringing their outside world interests into the classroom, technology isn't going anywhere. So many excellent points to support what we all already know. Good job.
  • Gayle Curry Robinson on 15 Apr 13
     
    What a powerful presentation. It really hits close to home. I have a 5th grade son who I feel this was written for! Divergent thinking - YES! They're not all little products off an assembly line. I completely agree traditional education has conditioned students not to be creative and taught them there is one answer. Some of even the best kids are just totally turned off to school. I really appreciate the presenter's view point. Very often I express my concern with the so called epidemic and wonder why there are so many students who have been diagnosed with ADHD. To see the trend follows the trend of standardized testing is amazing, scary, and really disheartening. Thank you for sharing this great video.
  • Lupita Sanchez on 22 Apr 13
     
    This was a great video, the presenter make several good points. Times have changed and so has our students therefore we must change our way of teaching as well. However, I believe we must be trained how to teach our divers learners. How can we reach our students if we still have a traditional way of thinking. I totally agree with the video we must raise the bar in order for our students to be challenged. Remember we are competing with video games, music,texting and social networking. We must prepare ourselves in the same matter to reach them as well.
  • Conrado Gonzalez on 01 May 13
     
    This is truly the best video I have seen in quite a long time. I already knew a bunch of these problems but the speaker has tremendous delivery power, has his insight well organized and overall organizes very effectively all these historical, economic, cultural, and political variables.
Sara Aldape

Free Social Teaching and Learning Network focused solely on education - 6 views

www.sophia.org

shared by Sara Aldape on 11 Nov 12 - No Cached
    • Sonia Aldape
      Sonia Aldape on 12 Nov 12
       
      Mrs. Mata, great resource for educators as well as teachers. I especially like the different web 2.0 tools that can be incorportated in sophia.org. You are right this will be an awesome starting point for the next assignment we have to do for this class. I navigated the different subjects offered by sophia and I really feel that the videos along with the quiz is tremondously helpful for immediate feedback. Thanks for sharing.
    • Sara Aldape
      Sara Aldape on 13 Nov 12
       
      Awesome site for social learning that encourages exploratory and cooperative learning to make education more affordable. Thanks for sharing.
  • Maria L Mata on 11 Nov 12
     
    Looking ahead in our calendar, this is a topic we will soon be covering. Found this website that covers tutorials in several subjects and helps teachers get set up for Flipped Classrooms. If you have tried it, has it worked positively or not, why or why not? If you have not tried this, what would be your biggest challenge?
  • ...1 more comment...
  • R. Palomares on 12 Nov 12
     
    Mrs. Mata, I liked this website that you shared with us. It looks similar to Khan academy but I liked the additional feature of the quiz. This quiz will make sure you understood the concept if you actually saw the video. I particularly liked the quiz next to the video because it provides the student immediate feedback to see if he/she understood the concept or if he/she needs to replay the video and re-learn that material covered. I think one of the biggest challenge would be to actually get the students to watch the video outside of the classroom but I think this can be solved by making it as a mandatory assignment.
  • Alberto Gonzalez on 16 Nov 12
     
    Really enjoyed this website resource guide especially using flipped classrooms in classrooms. I've heard that alot of educational workshops are incorporating flipped classroom methods. Dr. Corbeil introduced us to flipped classrooms in my instructional design course and I thought it was amazing how students can learn so much with so little lecture. But yes I totally agree with these teaching techniques and would like to use them in the near future.
  • Maribel Gracia on 26 Nov 12
     
    Great website. I think our future is flipped classrooms. It has already started in some school districts such as Dallas ISD.This website has alot of information that is very useful for teachers. I have not use or created a flipped classroom yet, but with tutorials and technology equipment should not be so difficult.
Isabel Cabrera

Deeper Learning: Defining Twenty-First Century Literacy | Edutopia - 22 views

www.edutopia.org/...-deeper-learning-rebecca-alber

literacy 21stcenturyskills Education 21stcenturylearning technology Classroom integrating

shared by Isabel Cabrera on 05 Feb 13 - No Cached
Cora Mendez liked it
  • Deeper Learning: Defining Twenty-First Century Literacy
  • problem solver, critical thinker, and an effective collaborator and communicator.
    • Isabel Cabrera
      Isabel Cabrera on 05 Feb 13
       
      Watch this video to see how this student defines deeper learning and how it has IMPACTed his life!
    • April Canales-Perez
      April Canales-Perez on 11 Feb 13
       
      The video would be a great video to show students because it can be inspiring to them. He is from another country and he has struggled academically but he never gave up. I like how he picked a topic that has impacted his life and has experience in immigration. I like the name of his school "IMPACT" because I truely believe that school has impacted his and has allowed him to further his knowledge in a much deeper way than a regular school setting.
    • Isabel Cabrera
      Isabel Cabrera on 11 Feb 13
       
      I was also impressed with this school because it allowed the students to conduct their own research but still stay with the topic of government regulating laws. He chose a topic that was relevant and meaning to him: Immigration. He was engaged and learned a lot about U.S. laws.
    • Edna Orozco
      Edna Orozco on 14 Feb 13
       
      I saw the video, I was amazed on how the kid learn, this is a dream not only for students, but also for families and the education, Can you imagine to have schools working like this, hands on! where actually students learn and are engaged all the time!. Good article Isabel.
    • Juan Betancourt
      Juan Betancourt on 14 Feb 13
       
      Problem Based Learning is a great way to take advantage of the interests the students have, it helps them take ownership of their learning and making it more relevant to them.
    • Dara Cepeda
      Dara Cepeda on 16 Feb 13
       
      Wow that is something we should all consider, to create deeper learning through PBL. Very interesting to see how students can actually get engaged with a Project based lesson, it opens the door to understand problems and find possible solutions. It helps them to learn by using higher order thinking and at the same time it gives them the skills to be successful in their future career. Thanks for sharing that video with us Isabel :)
    • Isabel Cabrera
      Isabel Cabrera on 17 Feb 13
       
      To Edna and Juan, I could see how pbl lessons could be incorporated especially at the high school level. I could see the students using their higher thinking skills and deeper learning taking place with such topics like this, instead of textbook and worksheets. I know that in your engineering dept at PHS, you are already incorporating skills at a higher learning for these students. I think our district has already started implementing deeper learning by having the Early College and Engineering Dept.
    • Jessica Burnias
      Jessica Burnias on 18 Feb 13
       
      I think it is great how problem based learning is allowing to students to relate what they are learning to real world situations. This important they are being taught more than to just pass a test. They are using critical thinking skills and collaboration which are very important to be successful in the real world. Great video.
    • Isabel Cabrera
      Isabel Cabrera on 19 Feb 13
       
      Problem based learning allows for them to research on a topic that is meaningful and relevant to the student. It does allow for critical thinking and independent learning.
  • ...6 more annotations...
    • Isabel Cabrera
      Isabel Cabrera on 05 Feb 13
       
      Are we preparing our students for the 21st century?
    • Adam Hovde
      Adam Hovde on 06 Feb 13
       
      It is hard to forecast what the 21st century needs from the students in school today. The smart phone was developed just a few short years ago and now it seems everyone has one and can use it proficiently. What technologies do we need to prepare students to use? What are we doing in class that students can take and use for the rest of their lives? These are very hard questions to answer. One of the "skills" I try and teach in my classroom is to make each lesson relevant to every student. In the video the student was able to do a project in his AP Government class that was relevant to him and he was able to find meaning in the project. Many students today can use their smart phones, tablets or PCs to help reserach, problem solve, critical think and collaborate. How do we as educators foster the desire in the students to use these technologies to do these things. It can be a big hurdle in some school districts that do not have the technology resources that other districts have. I do not think we can every really know if we are really preparing students for the 21st century but we have to give it our best shot and hope what we teach them carries over to the real world.
    • Isabel Cabrera
      Isabel Cabrera on 08 Feb 13
       
      New technologies are coming out every year with new and improved features. The best thing for teachers is to expose the students to what is available out there and make them comfortable with technology. I expose my students to a variety of technologies and sometimes they are just amazed at how I created it and I tell them that is it something I learned from one of my college classes. I encourage them to continue their education after high school if they want to live in a nice house and drive a new car. If you give them the tools, we will be surprised at what they come up with and maybe they will invent something new. It is our job to make learning relevant and meaningful.
    • Heather Luna
      Heather Luna on 11 Feb 13
       
      According to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, students must learn the essentials for success in today's world, such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and collaboration. As a fifth-grade teacher, I attempt to promote these elements, but am often unable to do so because of the spotlight on standardized testing and AYP. This year I planned on integrating PBLs in the classroom, but was informed that my students would be unable to use the computer lab and/or the COW for anything except a specific program. This was very disappointing, but I made the most of it. The problem is that even if this "program" is improving my students reading ability (which seems to be the case), it not truly preparing them for the 21st century. Students are losing the ability to think critically, solve problems, and collaborate. I am confident that if given the opportunity to integrate PBLs, I would see an even greater improvement in my students reading abilities, as well as, there overall abilities. We have to move forward, but getting everyone to "buy-in" is proving to be a difficult task! I found this video on "21st Century Learning" and thought I would share, it is long, but has some great information: http://youtu.be/zSNWr_QYyPw. Enjoy!
    • April Canales-Perez
      April Canales-Perez on 11 Feb 13
       
      I don't believe we are preparing our students for the 21st century. Yes there is some teachers who will take the time and integrate technology into their lessons, but if administration doesn't support this then its very challenging to do this. We as teachers have a lot on our plate and we must make sure that students pass the state assessments. Teachers and administrators lose focus on what is really important and what our students need because of state assessments. If they don't see us doing passages or word problems then we aren't doing our jobs. I do agree it is our job to make learning relevant and meaning but will we ever be given the opportunity to do this. My students are always collaborating in class and applying the knowledge they have learned to real world problems. I challenge them to think and come up with their own answers and ideas instead of me doing it for them. I know there is much more that I can do, but its a start.
    • Isabel Cabrera
      Isabel Cabrera on 11 Feb 13
       
      To Heather & April: The "STAAR" test I hear is very higher order thinking. It makes the students think outside of the box. The students have to analyze and internalize the data or read the stories very carefully because there are two really good answers. Unfortunately, we have a large number of students reading below level that we are trying to catch up those students. We can only try to do our best to integrate technology into the classroom.
  • (National Council of Teachers of English), twenty-first century readers and writers need to: Gain proficiency with tools of technology Develop relationships with others and confront and solve problems collaboratively and cross-culturally Design and share information for global communities to meet a variety of purposes Manage, analyze, and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information Create, critique, analyze, and evaluate multimedia texts Attend to the ethical responsibilities required by these complex environments
  • Being literate means one who is advanced at reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
    • Georgina Salas
      Georgina Salas on 11 Feb 13
       
      Now should we add computer literate as well? Since this is the way we are heading. Plus the students will eventually be STAAR testing in the area of technology.
    • Isabel Cabrera
      Isabel Cabrera on 11 Feb 13
       
      As new technologies are coming up, I feel that teachers and students should "keep up with the Jones." The more you are familiar with computer features the more comfortable you will be with computers and be able to adapt to new technologies. A lot of the web 2.0 tools we have been using are similar in some ways. For example, Spicy Nodes and bubbl.us are very similar tools. It is just a matter of exploring! The creativity in students will come out as they incorporate new tools into their projects. In addition, everything is now online..college admissions, financial aid, housing, and work study.
  • But for all the amazing, valuable stuff on the Web, there's loads of misinformation, half-truths, and misquoted, useless stuff. In preparing children to be literate in today's world, it's urgent that we teach the skill of scoping websites with a critical eye. Kids need to be explicitly trained in spotting everything from blatant pseudo-facts to slightly questionable content. This ability to "filter" will be required of them in both university and work.
    • Cora Mendez
      Cora Mendez on 19 Feb 13
       
      This is so true. We need to teach our students how to use the information that is out there on the web. However, we must also teach them how and where to look for reliable data on the internet. They need to understand that not everything that is on the internet is true.
    • Isabel Cabrera
      Isabel Cabrera on 19 Feb 13
       
      We do need to educate our students that not everything on the web is valid, just like commercials that are just gimmicks or have a "catch" to it. We need to teach them how to look for credible sources and that anyone and even them can write something on the Internet and that doesn't mean that it is true. There are even pop ups or emails that can invite viruses or can sell your emails for scams. It can be dangerous if the wrong people get a hold of your personal information.
  • It's true that, through deeper learning, many teachers and schools are already guiding students into this new century well-equipped to think critically on their feet, problem solve, and communicate effectively.
  • It's not about the actual tech - it is about the skills needed to get accurate information.
  • Isabel Cabrera on 05 Feb 13
     
    21st century learning skills: problem solving, critical thinking, effective collaborator and communicator
  • ...5 more comments...
  • Isabel Cabrera on 05 Feb 13
     
    Are we preparing our students for the 21st century? Are we using Deeper learning by activating prior knowledge and experiences? Are the students internalizing information, researching, analyzing, generalizing material beyond the content?
  • Georgina Salas on 11 Feb 13
     
    I enjoyed this video. It showed how someone not from this country chose to educate himself and look into the laws for immigration because he went through the experience. I feel that if anyone saw this video it would push them to do more with their education. I believe that if elementary, middle school, and high school students saw this it would inspire them to care more for their education and purse higher education than a high school diploma.
  • Ana A. Cavazos on 14 Feb 13
     
    We need to bring this reality into our classrooms, our students take too much for ganted, but it would be even more effective if we give them a real life driving question that involves our students helping immigrants like this one get the education they so desire. Through a pbl driven lesson, students will come up with solutions, thus helping them truly understand the problems of this particular students. Perhaps we can teach empathy as well.
  • george saenz on 15 Feb 13
     
    I really like the video and what they were talking about and the determination it take to educate oneself. If everone on a campus could take the time out of there busy schedula and show this video to the students it would make a difference in how they see themselves and there education.
  • Cristina Pintor on 17 Feb 13
     
    I enjoyed the video a lot. It is inspiring to see how students are engaged with a PBL lesson. Students were finding possible solutions to problems that pertain and are significant to them. If students feel that the problem affects them personally they will try their best to find answers to solve the problem. By using PBL students will also acquire the skills needed to be successful not only in college, but in life.
  • albert rodriguez on 18 Feb 13
     
    I'm glad I work at HCISD, we're quite progressive when it comes to education and Project-Based Learning is getting a lot of attention and many efforts are being made to ensure that it's happening in our classrooms. I really liked the video especially the part on how the student made his assignment have value as immigration issues pertain to him. I think we're in the right place at the right time.
  • Cora Mendez on 19 Feb 13
     
    I thought it was interesting that it was a Pbl school. It was very obvious that the student was getting a deeper understanding of the topic. He was not only learning about immigration because he had to do some research and figure out where and how it was addressed in the laws and government. He was problem solving and using critical thinking which allowed him to have a deeper understanding of his topic.
Leonila Pena

The Nerdy Teacher: Student Blogging 2.0 #EdChat - 4 views

www.thenerdyteacher.com/...tudent-blogging-20-edchat.html

shared by Leonila Pena on 20 Oct 12 - No Cached
    • Leonila Pena
      Leonila Pena on 20 Oct 12
       
      I think it's great that he uses blogging in his classroom and allows his students to express their creativity. I think this helps students explore and realize that they do indeed have creativity.
    • vincent briseno
      vincent briseno on 20 Oct 12
       
      This teacher sounds amazing. I can't imagine having to read the blogs of hundreds of students and responding to them all in addition to the rest of the required curriculum. As usual, there are so many outside-the-box teaching opportunities for subjects like history, english, and science, but I struggle finding those opportunities within my subject, math. Thanks for sharing.
  • http://diigo.com/0ts47
  • http://diigo.com/0ts47
vilma orduna

An Outsider Calls for a Teaching Revolution - Technology - The Chronicle of Higher Educ... - 1 views

chronicle.com/...130923

shared by vilma orduna on 12 May 12 - No Cached
  • vilma orduna on 12 May 12
     
    In just a few short years, Salman Khan has built a free online educational institution from scratch that has nudged major universities to offer free self-guided courses and inspired many professors to change their teaching methods. His creation is called Khan Academy, and its core is a library of thousands of 10-minute educational videos, most of them created by Mr. Khan himself.
Salina V

Tablets Haven't Killed the PC Yet -- Campus Technology - - 17 views

I can see how they would replace PCs in the future. I know that my laptop replaced my desktop here in my house. While I think they would still have the items available for those who do prefer PCs,...

started by Adriana G Hernandez on 26 Mar 12 8 follow-ups, last by Salina V on 14 May 12
Salina V

Time for Technology? - 22 views

I think most middle school students and up have a technology time already. 6th grade begins with the basics in keyboarding, and then they go into a different tech class when they are in 7th and 8th...

technology classroom

started by Laura Rivera on 02 Apr 12 10 follow-ups, last by Salina V on 14 May 12
Janice Wilson Butler

What are the stages of the change process? - 45 views

soc.li/W99AVvO

tech classroom change change-process integrating technology

shared by Janice Wilson Butler on 08 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • Janice Wilson Butler on 08 Jan 12
     
    In the edutopia blog article, Shaping Tech for the Classroom, linked above, Marc Prensky - the "creator" of the digital immigrant/digital native labels, describes the typical process of technology adoption. How accurately do those steps define what is happening on your campus with regard to technology adoption? On average, where in the process is your campus? Have you seen any "movement" through the process in the last 2-3 years? If yes, to what do you attribute these changes? If no, what can you do to move the campus forward? Click on "Comment" above to respond to the article and to your peers. Please post at least one link in this group that is relevant to your discussion. Be sure to tag your link and your discussion.
  • ...10 more comments...
  • Adriana G Hernandez on 29 Jan 12
     
    I am the librarian at our school and I have only been there a few moths. However, I think that our school has teachers that are experts in using SMART boards and other projectors and such along with many Web 2.0 tools, but we also have teachers than use minimal technology. As far as the why, I'm not sure about every teacher on campus, but a lot of the teachers I talk to don't use technology as much as they like because they feel pressed for time. They are desperately trying to plan lessons, evaluate students' work, and address the students' weaknesses. I think in order to move forward, MTT's need to mentor as many teachers as possible, the administration needs to think outside the box so that teachers have time to plan for technology integration. This link http://www.ejmste.com/v5n3/EURASIA_v5n3_Bingimlas.pdf is for an article that discusses the barriers to technology integration. It would be beneficial for teachers to read and discuss what is holding them back so we, as a campus, come up with a plan to ensure everyone gets on board.
  • Elva Mendoza on 29 Jan 12
     
    I am a 5th grade teacher at Adame Elementary and Marc Prensky description of technology integration in education describes my campus. I agree with Adriana when she says that teachers are pressed for time, especially with the STAAR test. There is a total of three computer labs at my school that are rarely used for integrating technology with the curriculum. It seems that the only technology on our campus being used is tutorial programs to enhance test scores. In the four years that I have worked at my campus I don't think we are any closer to the movement of technology integration. Unfortunately, I blame the pressure brought upon our education system, which is test driven. During the President's State of the Union Address on Tuesday he stated, "In return, grant school flexibility: To teach with creativity and passion: To stop teaching to the test :"(West Seattle Herald, Jan. 29, 2012). I think Donna ISD is heading in the right direction with the MTT program. As an MTT I will need to start sharing my knowledge with the staff through staff development and show them how enthusiastic students are to learning when given the opportunity through technology. It worries me that my students will not be prepared for the 21st century if our education system continues to be test driven, rather than technology driven. The link http://www.westseattleherald.com/2012/01/27/news/local-educators-say-obamas-state-union-address-hi is the President's State of the Union Address.
  • Paul Edward Mendiola on 29 Jan 12
     
    I am one of the Math teachers in Donna high school and technology integration in our campus, atleast in our department, I could say that we are still a little behind. Technology is in place but integrating them in our day to day lessons is still missing. It may not be because we have no idea to inlcude them in our curriculum but I trully believe that some of our teachers still need to be reminded that technology integration should be considered as a tool to provide effective learning experience and success for our students, connecting with them in ways they are native to. And as "digital immigrants" that we are, change is still something to be accepted. "Everybody is talking about technology integration, but few practicing teachers profess to know exactly how to proceed. The fact is that real integration requires change. . . . However, what seems to be lacking is a model that teachers can use to guide them through the necessary changes they will need to make to be successful in integrating new technology into their classroom" (Johnson & Liu, 2000, p. 4). In regards to the question on where in the process we are in our campus i should say we are still in between stages "doing old thing in old ways" and "doing old things in new ways". I do have seen some movement in our technology integration for the past 2-3 years. Student terminals, smartboards, internet access for our students, clickers, are are just some of the technology tools that we are using but integrating them are still in the works I believe. As MTT mentors in the future, I trully believe that we should have the burden to share our ideas and teach our colleagues what we have learned and be an instrument of change, genuine change in our classrooms. http://www.techlearning.com/article/41670
  • kate Binns on 30 Jan 12
     
    This article neatly summed up many of the barriers facing true technology integration. Several issues resonated with my own experiences. As Elva and President Obama stated above, often teachers primary worry in the classroom is preparing students for state examinations. Third graders spend entire lessons learning how to analyze a multiple choice question and answer it! If students do poorly on a district wide test, teachers go into immediate action to fix the problem. This pressure comes from administration, school districts, and states. In the end, teachers need to produce good to excellent test scores or they end up losing their positions. It's not that teachers don't want to integrate the technology, but at the end of the day, their performance assessment will reflect more heavily upon how their students scored on a test and not how frequently the SmartBoard was utilized. That being said, fully embracing technology could greatly enhance test scores. It will take time. There will be big failures. There will also be big successes! According to Peter Kent's "SmartBoards: Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom", "The catch phrase 'it is not the technology, it is the teacher' has never been so true as it is with interactive whiteboards. An even truer phrase however would be 'it is not just the teacher, it is the school'." Smartboards are just one example of technology that can be utilized in the classroom to increase test scores. However, whenever trying something new there will be failures. Teachers and their administration must understand that and be willing to reevaluate what they are doing. It takes our students multiple tries to master a new concept; we should allow ourselves the same time to master new technology. Works Cited: Kent, P. (2003). Smartboards: Interactive whiteboards in classrooms. In Retrieved from http://www.lhric.org/
  • Olivet Castillo on 30 Jan 12
     
    I can definitely agree with Marc Presnsky's article when it comes to the barriers that prohibit technology integration to occur. I think the first step in moving forward with this concept is the teacher. Prensky writes, "..the teachers and administrators famously resist change." "...such shifting certainly initially means more work and pressure on educators, who already fell overburdened." I think with most teachers, it is fear that is hindering them from fully embracing technology. If teachers are not comfortable or are familiar with the integration of a Web 2.0 tool, then they will definitely not be comfortable teaching/integrating it into their classrooms. As far as my campus, Veterans Middle School, I believe some progress has occurred within the last 2-3 years, it has been a slow paced progress with one or two teachers slowly embracing it. This can be attributed part to Technology Trainings provided by the district as well as the Master of Technology Teacher Program that has been provided to the entire district. Those few teachers who have chosen to participate in the program are getting the skills and confidence, so they in turn will mentor other teachers. The only way to move forward is to collaboratively work as a District and as a campus with technology integration in mind. The following article/blog provides eight simple steps to help the classroom teacher integrate technology. "Implementing Effective Technological Change: What a Classroom Teacher Needs." April 2011 by Greg Swanson. http://edtechtoolbox.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-support-teachers.html
  • Leticia Mendez on 30 Jan 12
     
    I am a BIM teacher and I guess it is easy for me to integrate technology because if I'm not using it then I am really not doing my job, because it is expected as a technology teacher. I have heard all kinds of barriers that teachers complain about, one is not enough computers or not enough training but in fact there is training and the bottom line is the change, some people find it hard to change but once they decide to give technology a try and they become consisted with using it the technology starts working for them or at least they will see it that way. Time will always be an issue and we are in education so we must make do with what we have and in our school just about everyone has a smart board and that is a step up from a regular chalk board which is an easy tech tool to engage students. The support must be there after the training because a teacher needs some one there to follow up on their training just to make sure they are implementing the technology correctly in their lessons and of course integrating other applications as well. (Dragula, 2005) Persistance and consistency is the key to integrating technology and not staying behind with the dinosaurs. Dragula, M.ED, J. (2005, April 1). How to Overcome Technology Integration Barriers. Retrieved from Tech & Learning: http://www.techlearning.com/article/42541
  • Esther Sauceda on 30 Jan 12
     
    The campus has shown much improvement integrating technology into their curriculum. More teachers are becoming familiar with Web 2.0 tools, licensed software and diverse hardware devices. Teachers want to integrate technology however face many challenges such as time to learn the skills and to integrate them into their curriculum, technical support, funding, and software/hardware. Some teachers become discourage and impatient when they encounter technical difficulties; thus, classroom computers become unused. According to Great Schools, many schools are now providing each student a laptop to access classroom curriculum, elementary schools are utilizing blogging a vehicle to collaborate and improve writing skills. Many schools are now using Web 2.0 tools to engage students and enhance student learning. Implementing any change becomes beneficial if done properly. Integrating technology becomes possible when teachers are adequately trained, software and hardware are available, provided continuous support is provided and ample time is given to implement the skill Great Schools. Technology in the classroom: Fad or foundation for learning? Retrieved from: http://www.greatschools.org/students/media-kids/130-technology-in-the-classroom-fad-or-foundation-for-learning.gs
  • Delia Torres on 01 Feb 12
     
    Since the implementation of the Master Teacher Technology Program (MTT) in our school district, I have seen a strengthened professional development in the use of technology for classroom instruction. The MMT program has been vital in creating networking connections with other teachers so that we are not working in isolation in the integration of technology. These small teacher groups are gradually moving forward to demonstrate technology integration in their classes to other teachers that are hesitant or fear it. We are learning from each other and becoming a buddy to someone else in our campuses. By networking, we overcome the fear of the unknown in technology usage and work with what we have in the classroom. Adaptation is critical, since most classroom teachers in our school district only have four computers for student usage, whiteboard, projector, and teacher instructional computer. Boss, S. (August 2008). Overcoming Technology Barriers: How to Innovate Without Extra Money or Support. Retrieved from www.edutopia.org: http://www.edutopia.org/technology-how-to-implement-classroom
  • Lisandra Medina on 03 Feb 12
     
    My campus has shown improvement in the past couple of years. Every classroom has a document camera and a smart-board! Almost every class has about 4 class computers for the students to use. The computers are not just for programs now. The computers are used for so much more now. The students have the knowledge on how to use the internet as search engines for research. The students know how to use social networking, which sometimes is not a good idea, but they know how to use it. Some times the students know how to use the computers better than the teacher. But we are always learning because technology is always changing. This is awesome because the students get to be more involved and teachers see how the technology helps the students understand the subjects better! I don't agree with this quote from a Maine teacher "You can mourn the passing of handwriting if you must; the kids certainly won't. If they are writing better and more detailed papers, yes, there has been progress." I think that technology is great but sometimes because a computer has spell check students don't know how to spell. Handwriting should still be taught as well as grammar and spelling. Sometimes these subjects are left behind do to computers. I know that in the future handwriting may be obsolete due to technology but it shouldn't!!!! http://www.edutopia.org/adopt-and-adapt
  • Karina Arias on 03 Feb 12
     
    I have only been in my school for this first semester. I have not observed many teachers implementing technology in their lessons. Technology seems to be slowly creeping into our lessons. The use of document cameras and projectors are very popular, but the actual implementation with students is minimal. One of my colleagues mentioned that time is an issue, and it is. We are very focused on delivering and making sure our students understand all concepts taught that we often leave the creativity and inquiry out of our lesson plans. Nellie Deutsch mentions that educators are eager and motivated to implement technology into the classroom, but that there are many obstacles to overcome. I couldn't agree more, we need more time to practice and explore the technologies and programs that we wish for our students to use. http://www.nelliemuller.com/obstacles_to_technology_implementation.htm
  • Michelle Salazar on 19 Mar 12
     
    In my campus I have noticed that veteran teachers tend to stay away from technology. Veteran teachers didn't grow up with technology in their classrooms and have been teaching for years with out technology that they see no need to implement it now. I really see that as shameful! Now, as a MTT in training, I really want to change these teachers minds about technology and show them how easy it is to use. "With the infusion of technology into all aspects of daily life, students are becoming more and more adept at using technology as an educational resource. Many faculty, however, are not keeping pace with their students. Additionally, faculty feel increasingly unprepared to integrate technology into the classroom." Efau, J. (2005, May 4). No Teacher Left Behind: How to Teach with Technology. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/NoTeacherLeftBehindHowtoTeachw/157372
  • Salina V on 14 May 12
     
    I seem a bit doubtful that well working laptops can be found for almost 100 dollars for schools as this article suggest, but after looking at Project Inkwell's Web site, it seems like something that we might see in the future. Although I do not foresee my campus being able to complete the "one on one" process any time soon, I feel that it is improving with technology integration. New equipment that I have seen to promote technology integration has already been coming in to our library, which helps us get one step closer to meeting integration goals. We still face a few dilemmas with technology integration, such as lack of working computers in a classroom, or no student Ethernet hookups in the portables, but our administrators do what they can to help us with problems we face with this. There is of course however only so much that they can do, but little by little, I can see the process of technology integration in to the classrooms moving along as each year passes. An example of this movement that has been done can be seen when looking back at the year when our school's portables were first put up. It was at this time that there wasn't any internet provide to those in the portables at all. There as well were not enough SMART boards for every classroom, or any computer classes for 6 grade students. Completing a project using technology with 6 graders was really hard before they opened up computer classes for them. Now, internet, although a bit limited in the portables still, can at least be reached to them, Smart board are given to each teacher, knowledge of technology use is much better than the past 6th graders, and workshops for the use of technology are also provide from time to time. This makes it much more less time consuming for many teachers who wish to integrate technology into their classrooms, and keeps our campus moving in the right track for proper technology integration in our schools. A link, by Project Inkwell, to the prototype dev
Elva Mendoza

Week 8 discussion - 38 views

I really enjoyed reading the article and definitely agree with the statement, "Yes, we can be afraid of technology," she said, "but I'm more afraid of what will happen if we don't use it." I just ...

technology classroom integrating

started by Salina V on 06 Mar 12 12 follow-ups, last by Elva Mendoza on 26 Mar 12
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