UTB College of Education Links

Martin, That's an interesting point. I was actually talking about this with my boss the other day. I have learned the majority about my job and job field by working. The degrees didn't necessarily provide the knowledge I needed, but my English M.A. was an expensive piece of paper that opened up a wide variety of professional opportunities. In some cases, I have to admit that the additional schooling can be helpful. In the case of this particular graduate degree (M.Ed in Educational Technology), I needed the additional framework so I could have a mental foundation to build my professional toolbox. I am not in a classroom outside of corporate training, so it was crucial that I developed a basic understanding of the concepts and theory necessary to be successful. Overall, though, I have to say that professional experience typically far outweighs additional schooling.

Nice video post Martin. Regurgitation of information and things like rote learning is what the video is stating is what education tend to be about. I think the example that he gives about two years of college Spanish, will only leave you with very limited Spanish basics- is pretty accurate. The comedian stated that the vocabulary that is taught in the classroom will be forgotten by students so why learn it in the first place. Although I don't necessarily agree with that statement, I can see how not all terms will be remembered. I feel that I did a lot of rote learning back in my days, but have since advanced in that department of learning- ha, ha. I still believe that rote learning is really good for some things such as multiplication facts- where either you know it or you don't and no abstract thinking need apply. But I feel that within certain contents actual reading is way better than simply just teaching vocabulary terms. It's funny because he's basically saying let's cut out the middle man…he'll provide a diploma almost like a drive by experience…if only it were that easy. I feel that this video would definitely be a better way to get the message across to the audience better than just stating the objective of the message. Web 2.0 technologies are critical to make the thinker think outside of the box. I thoroughly enjoyed your web post for the week- thanks. Here is another cool video link on a fun way to tackle teaching by introducing gaming: http://youtu.be/4vZhWUHPjbw My two responses to the messages by my peers- Rene, I agree that we are better able to learn from a more personalized instruction. That is why it is fascinating to me to understand the logic behind instructionall design and how we are supposed to make our modules conversational in nature. How we should use avatars to bring out that personal feel. Even though it's not the same thing, it still is a step i

Great video Martin. Thanks for sharing. Most of us "highly educated" individuals, know that no years of schooling will make you smarter than another individual. In my short life I have met countless of people who are SO intelligent but have never had many years of formal education. My mother is a prime example. She is much more smarter than me, yet, in the eyes of society, she is illiterate. I, on the other hand, am "highly educated". As a society, we need to recognize that education is not just a degree. We need to value individuals who make contributions in different ways. Nonetheless, we also need to understand that we are facing an education crisis. More people need to be formally educated. If we fail to get educated, our society will grow weaker and our standard of living will go down the drain. Education may not provide all the answers, but that "little paper" is a great investment.

Maricela, there were some things I did not agree with as well in the video but what I wanted to point out is that many times we get so focus on education and forget to pay attention to the actual career. I have heard students say they are getting a particular degree because that is what their parents want them to do. Yet, they are not doing what they want to do, many times that could be earning a certificate or an associates that does not require a 4-6 year degree.

Sean, my bachelor degree is in History yet I have worked at the University from a work-study position to now a director and adjunct instructor. Much like you I have learned most of what I know on the job, the M.Ed in Educational Technology was intended to help me move up the latter and it has helped since the job I currently hold requires a masters degree. I do agree professional experience and on the job training sometimes outweighs additional schooling.

Martin, First of all I really enjoyed Father Guido Sarducci back in the late 70's and early 80's on Saturday Night Live. He pretty much always had good insight then and it still applies today. My most memorable classes in college were the ones that the were hands on and the ones that applied directly to my degree. In other classes rote learning was fine for the test. I can regurgitate with the best. However, I remember very few of the items that I memorized with the exception of anatomy and physiology, which I incorporated mnemonics to help me learn. To answer your questions: Do we really need 4-6 years of additional education to be fully prepared for a career? Did the college/university you attended prepare you for the career you currently have? I don't think you could ever be fully prepared for any career after 4-6 years in college. I think experience prepares you fully, with experience comes wisdom and insight. That is way many college degrees are adding internships and work experience in order to graduate. For these millennial students rote learning is never going to work. They are hands on, tech savvy and ready to conquer the world one Smartphone at a time. In order for us as educators to engage all 4-6 years in learning we must incorporate ways to educate our students so that in 5 years after graduation they can remember more than supply and demand, Como esta usted? and Where is God?

Rene, I agree with you about some of the most intelligent people I know never got an formal education, but learned from their experiences and the world and people around them. In the 1960's 10% of the population had college degrees, today 30% of the population has college degrees. There have been so many advancements in every discipline across the board, yet only 10%-30% of the population are "formally educated." Does not seems possible, right? Just like you said, "As a society, we need to recognize that education is not just a degree. We need to value individuals who make contributions in different ways." I do not agree that every student is college bound. I do believe they all should have an opportunity if they choose to go to college, but some are just not ready. As a society, we need to recognize this and create alternate paths for these students to travel on without them being made to feel like their contributions to society don't count.

Great video, Martin! My wife and I have this "more schooling" conversation often as we are both pursuing our doctorates hoping that it will open more doors for us in the future. We have found this to be both true and not true. Some jobs want you to have more schooling and others think that having to pay you more because of all of the schooling you have is not worth it. We have been on both sides of the hiring spectrum. The degrees provided me to an extent with the tools I needed for my job but, the piece of paper and the tests I took made me eligible for the job I have. It is my opinion that teacher education programs just cannot prepare you for being in a classroom. There is a huge difference between learning about something and actually doing it. The classes that were hands on seemed to be the only things that prepared me for being a teacher... for example lesson planning, etc. All the lecture in the world couldn't prepare you for the personalities that you encounter when teaching and the socioeconomic factors as well. No two students are alike. In the end, I don't think we need all of these years of education (for many of us it's 10 years of higher education) but we do need to networking with professionals in our field and the ability to say that we have the piece of paper that makes us an "expert" in our field.

Daniel, If we don't need all those years of education do you have an alternate plan for being successful at whatever degree you have choosen? I think on the job training would be so much more interesting, helpful and educational. What are your thoughts?

Lu, something that the military does and it does it very well in train its soldiers and they do this mainly with hands-on and on the job training. I went to school to be a helicopter mechanic, as a matter of fact I was just telling my wife last night that I failed my first test and was given one more chance or I would be kicked out. The reason I failed it was because it was an open book test and I had never tested in that manner so I was lost. I had always studied or memorize the material and that is how I was successful in school, never had I had an open book test. Once I got the hang of open book test I was an expert at taking test but not an expert mechanic. It took several months of actually working on the helicopters next to people that were already experts that made it possible for me to learn all the ins and outs of my job as a mechanic. To be honest with you, I could have done just as well without the school part.

Daniel, I do agree that we need the education to follow certain careers but I don't think we need all the content that is required to earn a degree. For example, why do I need to take kinesiology to be a history major? Why do I need to take two more histories and two more governments when I have been studying this same subject throughout my k-12 education. It just seems that some of these degrees are made longer just to keep a student in college where they'll be spending more money on tuition and fees.

Lucretia, I agree with you. On the job training is more interesting, helpful and educational. As a teacher, I think that I could have learned what I needed in two years and then spent the rest of my years doing hands on learning in the classroom. I still have to attend training's that are relevant to my job anyway which are sometimes helpful. Martin, I agree we don't need all of the content that is required to earn the degree. I must say that it has been helpful to take a few classes outside of the realm of my degree. But, I'd rather send my child to a doctor that has a broad knowledge of biology, medicine, genetics, etc., instead of only a understanding of just common child illnesses like the cold and flu. In K-12, we are not simply teachers of one subject. I may have been hired to teach history, but, I'm also a friend, coach, mentor, occasional health consultant (when they come to me before going to the nurse), mediator (there are plenty of disagreements in middle school students), math teacher (History involves some occasional mathematical work), etc. You took a history or government course from about 1st or 2nd grade all the way through your senior year in HS, right? If you were going to be my College or High School teacher, I think having 4+ college history courses would make you more of a subject matter expert, no?

Daniel, I agree, the more you read, research and practice a field the better you will become, well at least in theory that is the way it's supposed to work. But as you mention to Lu, that you could have learned what you needed to learn in two years and the rest could have been hands-on. Maybe that should be something higher education should be looking at, more of the real world setting instead of so much classroom time.

Martin, Nice video. I've seen it before after one of our instructors posted it in another class a few semesters ago. Although funny, it is also kind of unfortunate in a way. I have to admit that after 4 years at a university I too probably did forget many of the things I learned. It does get you to thinking if it all was entirely necessary. I have a business degree and I am currently working in the higher education area so I don't think my specific degree has helped me in that sense. Obviously, you still need to have good communication and writing skills but I don't know if you necessarily need to attend 4 years of a university to obtain these skills. I think much of what I've learned in my current profession have been things I have learned on the job. I think in general I find that I learn better that way in actually practicing something and making mistakes and learning from mistakes rather than reading a manual, textbook etc.. Although at times I know reading and grasping information in that sense can still be crucial.

Lu, You bring up a good point in how many college degrees are adding internships as part of degree requirements. I have noticed this as well and I think this is a great effort on the part of the academic institutions. It provides the students with the real life experience and the ability to actually apply what they have learned in classes and also gain knowledge from the actual practice. I think it also provides them with an opportunity to begin to network with individuals and have those connections upon graduation. These internships could also be great to allow for students to take early on in school which could give them a better idea about the profession and if it may be the right fit for them.

Rene, I definitely agree. We need to value contributions that others make to our society who may not have doctoral degrees or any other types of degree. Our society needs to have a diversity in the contributions made in order to function. Your post makes me think back to the video I believe Jaime posted a few weeks ago by Sir Ken Robinson. We are not all fit to attend a university and there is nothing wrong with that. People can still gain much needed knowledge through other avenues and still make critical contributions to our society.

Amanda, The interships do provide some great advantages to students. My son is majoring in Agricultural Economics and he has an internship with the USDA this summer. He needs "practical" experience in just agriculture. They have him working in the fields, inspecting crops. The point is to give he knowledge not only in just his own small part of agriculture but a total picture of the world of agriculture. He seems very excited and knows like you said will provide him "with an opportunity to begin to network with individuals and have those connections upon graduation."

The joys and woes of being an educated person! As you may notice, most of the comments in this blog are "educated". I think one of the reasons for requiring a four-year degree is to become a well-rounded person not just to learn how to be teacher, engineer, or an agricultural individual. As Daniel pointed out, most of the training to become an effective educator is done out in the trenches. Lu, also makes a good point: networking. We all know that many times is not what you know, but rather who you know. At any rate, I would highly recommend any individual to become "formally educated". The advantages of being an "educated" person far outweigh the disadvantages.

Rene, don't get me wrong, I'm a huge advocate of higher education I just think that we might be over doing it. I'm also a firm believer that not everyone is college material, I heard someone this week say that "not everyone is college material, besides we need good bar tenders." We need to stop trying to send everyone to higher education and focus on technical options; at least that is my take on this.

Amanda, this has been my biggest beef with dual enrollment for the last 10 years, getting these very young, extremely educated graduates who have no experience what so ever. Who in their right mind will hire a 21 year old with a master degree and no experience in the field? The dual enrollment programs need to incorporate internships into the program, allowing for these young students to acquire some sort of hands on experience before graduating.

Martin, I wholeheartedly agree that not everyone is college material. But we need to give the opportunity to anyone who wants it. Sometimes the "non-college material" individual may realize that they like college and may actually do very good.

Internships do provide an excellent opportunity to see the area of study for what it really is in real life. The worst thing I think someone can do is to focus academically and find out at the end that this is really not what you thought it would be. In Texas there has been an increase in developing courses in each Program of Study that provide exposure to the field, but the focus on going to Higher Ed has made many students shy away from the two-hour courses that are not receiving Dual Credit or a higher weight on their GPA. Local Districts seem fixated on this. The State just introduced the concept of graduating with Endorsements to help force a higher value on career focus in hopes that these Practicum type courses find there way into graduation plans. Sometimes old school parent influence is hard to shake as well. Time will tell!

Martin, Great video! Sometimes we need something entertaining in education to clear our minds. To answer your question Do we really need 4-6 years of additional education to be fully prepared for a career? Did the college/university you attended prepare you for the career you currently have? Sometimes the 4 or 10 yrs of education that we get sometimes does not cover it all. I think that we learn a lot of it from experience and actual hands on training. When we finish college and go out and look for a job what is the first thing they ask " How much experience do you have?" Your university may have prepared you right if you had the opportunity to have a internship. Internships are great! They help you prepare for the outside world of college. You also get to see the real life work experience in your career. That is when you know if you picked the right career. No one will ever be prepared for anything right off the top. You learn as you go and one day at a time.

Rene, I don't think that everyone is illiterate...you make yourself become that way. Everyone is intelligent in their own unique ways and I think that we as a society should see that. Sometimes the ones that don't have the fancy degrees are the ones who can help us the most in some cases. Every one is college material. They just need to find the when is the right time.

Rene, While there are many tech habits that are good to develop over the course of the long haul, the most important one for me is backing up my data. I can't count how many times over the years that I have been bit by losing a hard drive, a project, documents, etc. because I thought "hey, that could never happen to me." I also have to say that a good idea is to just keep an open mind. While I really do not like social media at all, I can see there are benefits, both personally and professionally.

Excellent remarks about backing up data. Most of us have learned by our own mistakes. I am an advocate of backing up data and saving often. Sometimes I don't do as I say. I am getting better but I still need to work on this tech skill. It becomes more challenging when you have to back up data from different hardware (work, personal, graduate work, and the list goes on). Thanks Chris and Sean for your feedback.

Rene, I agree with the others that have posted that backup is very important. I use Dropbox for important documents so that I can retrieve them quickly and easily and without fear that something with crash. I like all the others that have posted have lost many documents that were needed, simply because I did not back stuff up. My husband bought me a 128 GB USB when I started this program. It is like having a computer on a stick. I can store anything and everything. So I store in Dropbox and my USB just to make sure. My husband has a company and uses a computer geek. The computer geek says the number 1 problem with most all computer programs and software is that the computer is not updated on a regular basis. So to avoid any unforeseen problems just update automatically.

Chris, great article with very important reminders about good tech habits. I especially like the phrase "engaging in portable procrastination and failing to live in the present" All things that we are guilty of at some point. Technology and the internet can be overwhelming and we can quickly move from one thing to the next in a short period of time. This list is a good reminder that being organized, staying on tract and backing everything up (in a free program) is really important for success. Ultimately, all of that work will be for nothing if you don't back up your data. So in response to your question, Rene, backing up my data in a good program would be most important to me.

Right on Daniel. Those of us who use data constantly, understand the importance of backing up that data. As a digital immigrant, since I was not born with an Ipad, I am constantly afraid of not finding some piece of information and having to do it all over again. We must convey that message to digital natives.

Lu, you have a very important comment about a good tech habit: update your software. We are now able to transmit audio, video, and other multimedia files to mobile devices. The number of apps out there is incredible. However, we need to continuosly update our software. If we don't update, we are running the risk of our software not meeting our needs and the needs of those we serve.

Rene, The habit of backing up files has been the most critical for me as professional and graduate student. I think I've been on the lucky side to never have lost a project for work or school. I can't imagine having put so much effort and time into something only to lose it in a matter of seconds. I constantly make sure to back up my items on my external hard drive. The article mentions the use of DropBox and Google Drive and although I have used these for group work in the past, I prefer to keep my items saved on my hard drive and external hard drive. I definitely see the benefits of having access to your content online from any computer but for some reason it has never significantly appealed to me. I guess I may be somewhat leery of where I upload content.

Amanda, I really like the convenience of online back up and I use it effectively. Online back up has allow me access to my files anywhere there is an Internet connection. However, like you, I rely heavily on my computer's hard drive and external hard drives. I think it's a habit that is hard to break. Plus, you never know when those online back up sites may crash. Thank you for your comments.

Sean, I think that is a good point about keeping an open mind. I think its something I definitely need to keep in mind when it comes to social media. I'm not an avid user of many of these tools but I don't think I have fully used them to their potential. I think there are both professional and personal benefits that one can gain from using these tools effectively. For example, social media seems like a great tool to network with others and gain some new insights on things.

Rene, I think that we should stick to the tech habit that benefits us all. I personally prefer to save my stuff on my hard drive and on my USB. This way I have it in two different places. Drop box is good and we use at my work a lot. It works great when you work with a group persons that need to retrieve the document to make certain changes. When we were getting checked for Accreditation Drop box saved us!

I agree Felipe! the problem I foresee is the fact that the current generation (millennial' s) are so saturated with technology that I do see pockets of what I call Evaders of technology on the raise. One example I can give is during our department's job fair event last month I was surprised to discover there were a few students that did not have a Facebook account nor felt an attraction for digital technologies. Unlike, most of the peers that have immersed themselves in technology and probably use on a daily bases technology to communicate with others if this becomes a trend who will then train the super-digital natives?

While I agree with you Felipe, I do see Jaime's point. Some people are just not as attracted to technology as others. Maybe it is to daunting to them or they just can't afford to keep up with the trends or maybe some people just don't want to be found on the internet (for example: in a Google search). In the end, our society is a technological one and like it or not that is the shift that is in the process. Eventually, everyone will have to jump on the bandwagon and learning how to use technology.

Fabulous article Felipe. I especially like this: "The digital natives of today are the ones who will be pressured to take all of the present technological wildness and make it make sense for the next generation. They are the… super-digital natives who will flip this world upside-down with what they will have to offer." I still remember when I used to type research papers using a typewriter (oh, boy, I must be really old and outdated!). Well, not really. Today, I am reaping the benefits of the generation before me. Today's generation is reaping the benefits and pitfalls of my generation, and so it goes. My generation was also very creative with the resources we had at the time. What I am trying to say is that every generation will have challenges and opportunities. We must learn to proliferate with the changes. There will always be technological gaps between generations. It is the responsibility of each generation to find the potentials for the technology available at that time. Furthermore, those in educating the next generation must use the technology to support educational endeavors and integrate it in the classroom.

Jaime, I think you are right about the overwhelming amount of technology applications out there. The acceptance and reluctance to those technologies seem to be as much personality driven, as generational. I believe what we can do as educators is to help guide students through the process of evaluating a need and selecting an appropriate technology solution. I think the biggest motivator encouraging the use of one App or another is satisfying their initial need to socialize. We need to lead them to the productivity Apps that will help them academically and as they enter the workforce. I think technology use picks up exponentially when you can demonstrate to students that the technology skills they acquire through daily life application is transferable to meeting their career goals.

Daniel, I believe that those we are unable to reach in time to help them onto the fast moving train of technology evolution will be at a huge disadvantage. The reality is it is only going to go faster. One of the things I advocate is for leveling the playing field by making technology available in schools and providing teachers the support for implementing the technology, whether it be training or time to participate in Personal Learning Communities (PLC). Without our help, students may wake up some day and figure out they missed the train.

Rene, I understand where you are coming from and it seems like just yesterday. I was one of those that was ill prepared for college and when the requirement for a typed research paper emerged, I quickly found alternate means of accomplishing the task. In my mind, I never expected to have to do much typing or research once I entered the Army. Well that did not play out as expected and as I work on my third graduate degree, I still struggle. I almost missed the education train, had there not been a teacher that said it was never to late and worked with me to get me onboard. We do have the wisdom on our years that that our students do not. We have to find a way to motivate the next generation to embrace technology, look ahead critically and seize every opportunity the future may bring.

Educating the Current Generation

Daniel, It is true that whether people like it or not, technology is becoming a huge part of our society and will be here to stay. I know there are still people out there that are not comfortable using technology, have fears in using it, or just don't like it. One of my friends refuses to switch to a smartphone and has stuck with her basic cell phone for years. I've heard that pretty soon only smartphones will be available. I think this will likely happen with other avenues where you will need to have a Facebook account or access to a certain app in order to accomplish some basic tasks.

Rene, While I am in the same generation as you and your typewriter, sometimes i feel like we give this generation a little too much credit for being tech-savvy. "It is clear from recent research that there is significant variation in the ways in which young people use technology, suggesting that rather than being a homogenous generation, there is a diversity of interests, motivations and needs. So while some young people might be regarded as 'digital natives', these are by no means characteristics shared by all young people simply because of their exposure to digital technologies." This study done in 2010 suggests that, "The idea that technology changes our lives profoundly is so ubiquitous in public discourse that it has become almost cliché. Both within and without the academy claims abound that technology is changing more rapidly than at any other time in human history. Often such claims convey a sense of urgency, pressing us to keep up with changes and raising concerns that some in our societies are being left behind." Beyond the Digital Natives' Debate http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2330&context=edupapers

Daniel, Hello! Technology is evolving quickly and is constantly changing. However, people who do not get in the band wagon might miss it. I know there is still several people who refuse to learn about technology but the truth is, it's here to stay. They need to adapt and evolve with technology if not they are going to stay behind regretting that they did. In schools its important for teachers to get the necessary trainings so they can teach their students as well as learn themselves. It is very important for out children to learn about what technology has to offer and keep up with all the changes because it is the Future! Jose Davila

It is always fun to show my college students some of the technology they used a few years ago and now have become something of the past--ex: floppy disk. The constant change of technology makes it a necessity for educators to continue to grow in the field of Educational technology. Although it is difficult to keep up it is a necessity.

A scary and exciting article and, honestly, something I had never even considered. What would the super-digital native look like? Wow, that's truly something to ponder and have deep thoughts about. However, I believe that we should focus on how the upcoming generation is being prepared with technology in the classroom or for educational purposes. We have seen many issues with tablet integration in schools (http://www.edudemic.com/5-critical-mistakes-schools-ipads-and-correct-them/) and we may be learning from these mistakes but where is the supporting literature and research on these issues? We need to be more proactive in the documentation and reporting of solutions to these problems and not be so critical and simply pointing out the problems but instead working towards solving the greater issues. We are on the precipice of change and should choose if we want to be agents of change or of purpose. Which will you be.

Jose, What types of things do you do in your classroom to show the progression of technology? I think this sort of lesson is a necessity to show them how fast our world is changing.

Daniel,. I am not a teacher, but I know that in todays world it is very important to introduce technology to our kids. I agree with with you Daniel the world is changing and technology is the future in education.

It is not the students that have issues with technology, it the teachers that struggle the most with learning new applications. Technology is constant and therefore the learning process for both students and teacher should also be constant.

Great article! My wife and I are constantly using technology and notice that our 2 year old likes using her Leap Pad however, she is not addicted to it... she will put it down and play with her other toys. We are not against our kids watching tv. They are both in daycare and spend most of their day interacting and playing with other children. In the evening we allow them to watch the Disney channel and to our surprise they are playing while they are watching... not glued to the screen. I think finding a nice balance with the use of technology is important.

I believe that the question posted this week should be based on the child's development. Piaget has some guidelines (albeit, outdated) that may be consulted. Every child, based on nurture and nature, develops differently. The one-size-fits all mentality of how much technology a child needs (as posted in another class' post) cannot be part of the way we handle the use of technology. As a society, we have done very well in promoting the benefits of technology for children and youth. We should not take a step backwards by limiting some activities on the future generation. Information is expanding tremendously. We need to continuously update and expand our knowledge base. Technology is an excellent way to develop that knowledge base and to meet the expectations of today's complex society. Limiting the use of technology in the early years will limit a person's ability to function effectively in the later years. Nonetheless, parents (as Daniel mentions) and teachers must manage the use of technology for our children and find a balance for that unique child.

Much like Abel and Daniel I have two young children and I sometimes do question myself about how much time I let them spend on their mini iPads and iPhones. I will admit I am guilty of asking them to use their devices while on long trips but then again I do not travel too often. We have a similar topic in my other class and I indicated that we need to keep a balance between the amount of time spent using any device and the amount of time doing so sort of physical activity. My daughters recently joined a kick ball team, this type of activity allows them to spend more time exercising and socializing with other children other than through a device or in school. Again, we must maintain a fine line and make sure that we are keeping a close eye on what our children are learning and experiencing with electronic devices.

Chris, My question is are we really raising tech-savvy kids or does the developer just make the device so user-friendly that appears our kids really are tech-savvy? We assume that they are tech-savvy when possibly they are device-savvy. Does it make a difference in the outcome of their development? Just questions I thought of when reading the article. As for the screen time, there really are not a lot of studies that have been conducted about this. All the studies have been done on TV and video games. But it stands to reason that if adults spends too much in front of a screen a variety of physical ailments occur, then a toddler would have the same and possibly a great deal more due to their developing brain. The article below addresses some of the problems with too much screen time for young ones. http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2014-01-22/health/bs-hs-ask-the-expert-screens-20140122_1_screen-time-ipad-app-toddlers

Daniel, I experience the same thing with my nieces and the television. Sometimes, they just want to have it on the channel but aren't glued to the screen. They're busy doing their own activities or playing with each other. I guess they are already learning to multi-task. I think there needs to be a good balance between technology and other activities. They each have their own benefits.

Chris, In response to your question about how much time is needed for true balance, I don't know if there is one definite answer. I think this could vary with child to child. However, I do think it is so important for children to be exposed to different activities outside of the tablet or other technology related activities. I think the parents will be the ultimate judge about how much time to dedicate to each activity. I think it will certainly be a learning experience on both ends.

Martin, I think it may be hard to define an exact amount of time but I think as a parent you're taking good initiative in exposing your daughters to other activities. I think there are so many benefits of physical activities that they won't be able to gain from technology no matter how far advanced it becomes. Although I think technology is here to stay and we need to prepare our children to use it effectively, I think we definitely need to expose them to other non-technology related activities.

I am going to teach a child to ride a bike. Should I lecture for an hour about how to ride a bike? Or, should I bring a bike and have the child get on it and start riding it? Then, post on Facebook the child's successes! Finally, text his friends and relatives of his/her progress. Hello, there is no competition! A child will learn much better visually, kinesthetically, and using social media. Therefore, should we stick to lecture or should we include some social media, visuals and activities in our classrooms. Our students are more in tune with the latter. As educators, we must also be in tune with today's technology. Here are some examples of visual literacy in my classroom: My students get a text message reminder (Remind 101) of due dates. We use Poll everywhere for surveys and instant feedback; students create avatars to introduce themselves; and we all use texting for constant communication about assignments and/or projects. Our students demand that educators re-think the way they teach by incorporating social media. We need to listen to our students' needs and teach to meet their social media thirst.

Daniel, Interesting article! I like one of the the easiest ways to teach visual literacy is to introduce a photo about something that students are studying and place hyperlinks on different parts of the photo. The information on the hyperlink tells about that part of the photo. For example my students are introduced to a new patient managing system during the last part of their first year in our program. They have not had any prior knowledge of the program. The home page of the program is just a picture of a typical dental operatory, however when you click on certain areas of the home page it takes you to specific areas within the program. I start off by just having the students observe the home page and then hover over any area and information about the area pops up to inform them where this leads and what to expect in that particular area of the program. It really them to learn without actually going to that particular area of the program and trying to navigate back to where they started. After they understand where all the specific areas of the program are, they can easily and confidently begin learning each new areas in greater detail. Another way I have utilized visual literacy is when I thought high school, I would have students in my homeroom create a travel brochure of their lives. It could not contain any words just pictures such as favorite hobbies, greatest dream, greatest weakness, greatest strength, family, etc... Then their classmates would look at their brochures and see what they could find out about each other. It was always eye opening! Friends that thought they know each other probably found out the most. It was a way to break the ice for a new school year and make lasting bonds. Here is the best site to get free photos that you can use for any subject that you teach. http://www.freefoto.com/index.jsp

Rene, I really like the idea of having students create an avatar to introduce themselves. When creating an avatar you can create who you want to be, who you think you are or who others see you as. Students would be free to express their inner selves and not just post a actual picture of themselves. My avatars are always young, very thin and of course very pretty!

Thanks for sharing the freefoto website. I am already using it for my online class! By the way, I am also guilty of dressing my avatar "pretty". Hey, at least I can be handsome sometimes!

Something that we do in our undergraduate EDTC classes is ask student to create an avatar so that we all know what everyone looks like as we post comments on the blog. Because of the online concept of the class, these avatars are the windows that represent who we are.

A very interesting article that brings some practical ideas of including available social media technology as part of literacy. Not teaching a course this semester I can only reflect on what I have done, which is limited, by including these examples in my class. The one course I used this concept was in a University Experience course in which the curriculum is to tell students how to be successful in college as well as what resources are on campus. To get students to explore the campus I created a scavenger hunt, placed the students in random teams of 4, and had them post pictures to my Twitter feed upon finding specific items/locations on campus. This was an activity performed during one class period and afterwards the students could more easily identify buildings, routes, and office locations by referring to the pictures or the other Twitter posts. To me it was a success and would use this again in an online course having certain activities requiring the student to take a picture and add it to a blog or an Instagram account to help show their progress or implementation of a technique in a classroom. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this article Daniel and I have some new ideas for more integration in the classroom environment, great job!

Abel, I really like your idea about using photos of campus resources and using social media. I teach a similar course and I am going to steal your idea. Thanks!

Great article. In my opinion, I think our society is very visual so why not incorporate this type of learning. I've used the web 2.0 tool Glogster to create a collage with photos and other images. I think this would be a great way for students to learn about each other whether it concern their interests, hobbies, goals, or anything else they wish to share about their background. I also think this would be a nice alternative to the traditional white poster board. Pictures can also be great discussion pieces. Sharing photos about certain topics through social media like Twitter can generate many responses and opinions. Students could be asked to research photos regarding a certain topic such as something native to a particular country.

Abel, I think your scavenger hunt activity is excellent. It's a very creative and fun way for students to become familiar with the campus. Additionally, it seems like a good activity to help the students interact with each other in their teams and with the other students through Twitter. Ultimately, they are all working together to help build a great campus resource for themselves.

Amanda, I have never used Glogster but I did some research and it looks like it would be a good platform for another project I am working on. I know you can sign up for a free version but is there any limits to the free version? Does it let you create as much as you want or are there restrictions? I am eager to find out and see what I can do with it. Thanks for the information.

Abel, The old saying a picture is worth a thousand words is actually very true. I really like your scavenger hunt using the pictures.If i can incorporate it somewhere I will. For my niece I did something similar in the mall. We set up "unique scenarios" that they had to take a picture of and then send them to us. Of course the first team to complete the whole thing won. We got some of the most hilarious photos. We printed them all and made a quick scrapbook for each individual and my niece for a memento of the event. I still have some of her friends tell me it was the one of the best times they ever had at a birthday party.

Lu, I used the free version but with the premium you do have access to more resources and class management options. However, there is still so many capabilities with the free version. You can add photos, embed YouTube videos, rich graphics, and you also have access to some creative templates. I think it's a great tool to use for information sharing amongst students on a very creative platform.

Rene, I think the idea of creating avatars is a great idea particularly in the online world. I've incorporated the use of Voki for some of the asynchronous trainings I've created. I like the idea that they can provide a little bit of personalization to a training and possibly contribute to more of an instructor presence.

I believe social media has its advantages and disadvantages. If used responsibly, there is no telling how much a teacher (or anyone) can accomplish using the wealth of tools at our disposal. I once had a teacher that had us respond to her Twitter feed in order to get our assignments. An interesting idea that forced us to get acquainted with a new techology (at the time). Now that being said, if used irresponsibly, they can be equally powerful, but usually not in the positive ways we initially intended. Unfortunately, that same teacher must have mistakenly used her Twitter feed for personal use by mistake, as the entire class was privvy to an online argument with an ex-boyfriend. Overall, I think the use of social media can be a valuable additional tool in our professional toolbox. However, as with most things, we simply need to be sure that we use them responsibly to maximize their benefits.

Lu, I think it's a great and wonderful idea of how you have your students do a travel brochure. I agree how pictures say more than simple words. The students get to express themselves and its interesting of students to learn from each other. I will definitely incorporate this great idea with my daughter when she grows up with all her friends. I am sure they will be fascinated with the idea just like I was. Yes, I am sure it was an ice breaker to start of the year. Thanks for sharing !

Daniel, The article was very interesting ! I agree with Abel in creating a scavenger hunt and find that idea to be awesome to incorporate with the students and how in doing this they were able to find departments, classes, routes and etc... I myself have created an online training for my employees, to where they can understand and guide themselves through each of the departments in central receiving. This helps them have a better understanding of each department and allows them to know each department thoroughly for inventory purposes. I have attached a map of all the departments in the university as well so it can guide them upon inventory. My employees have found it very helpful and continue to utilize it to guide them.

Daniel- Nice article. I think that social media is a great way of meeting the needs of our technology savvy students. By using social media within the classroom and beyond, we are basically speaking our student's languages. Millennials grew up with these modern technologies, and so they know technology and social media is the way that they communicate. Virtual literacy appeals to their senses, because they are keen to that type of educational medium as it is. Many of my students get impatient if our internet is running low, so I see how their can be some disadvantages to social media because we become a society of "we want it now." Impatience as we know is not a virtue. Therefore, I think as Sean pointed out there can be some disadvantages to this as well. However, I also think there is a fine line between social media being used. I currently use YouTube to display some of my educational videos, and some of my students have subscribed to my channel- before I even knew they could. What I didn't like about that is that they got to see the comments I typed on videos I had seen...that's before I even knew they could do that. So yes, technology is a great things- but it must also be used with a lot of mindfulness. Here is an additional link to the topic you have posed: http://laureljs.wordpress.com/2014/03/19/social-media-as-an-effective-teaching-and-learning-tool/ It's a simple word press blog from an educator giving their two cents on virtual literacy and social media in a social media type of way enjoy.

Rene- Great point. I agree with your comment, that a child will learn much better "visually, kinesthetically and using social media." The 21st Century child is a child of technology. Social media is second nature to them- it's the way they learn. I think that lecturing is still very important, but as educators we need to incorporate technology within the classroom environment or we are bound to loose these student's attention. At our school we are judges on our PDAS by whether we use technology in the classroom to relay our knowledge to our students. Gone are the days of complacency. We must change and adapt to accommodate the tech savvy students that we now serve.

Do you feel more schools should use technology to hold "virtual school days" during periods of school cancellation or should they just let a "snow day" be a "snow day"?

This article discusses how some schools are using technology to hold "virtual school days" and continue the learning process during periods of school cancellation because of inclement weather.

I can see how school districts heavily investing in 1:1 device solutions could go to a virtual school day for some grade levels (once a month or once a week) to immerse students in the digital environment and possibly recoup some of the cost. Thought is that students need to function at a distance whether it be for regular school, higher education or ultimately at work.

I like the idea of using virtual school days. It is the best of both worlds: stay home and learn. Students are able to spend more time with the material and allows students to think for themselves and explore new ways of learning. Nonetheless, there are several assumptions in virtual school days: Everyone has access to the information. We all know that is not the case. While all technology produces engagement not all engagement is positive. Another very important aspect is attendance. Funding is based on attendance. How will schools count one day attendance. Just giving much work does not necessarily means that students were "in class" a full day. In spite of these issues, I feel that virtual school days will work. This concept allows students to look at learning in different ways and to stimulate creative thinking.

Rene, You bring up some good points. There are still many potential issues with "virtual school days" that a district would need to consider. It won't be perfect in many aspects. However, I think the pros outweigh the cons and this strategy could definitely be beneficial for a school suffering from many cancellations. As you mentioned, it would be a change for some of the students, enable them to learn in different ways, and help maintain the learning process without any major standstills.

I like the idea of "virtual days" for those "snow days." The students are able to stay in focus with school. This will help them stay in check with their school work and not make of it as a day off. Schools can do practice drills on virtual days with their students to see how it will work. This gives the student the chance to learn the virtual world. This way the students learn how to log on and attend class through their computer devices.

This article opens the possibilities for school anytime anywhere and I applaud the efforts made and taken by this school district. With all of the advances in technology the current student generation will wish they were their parents or siblings who got to stay home due to weather closing schools and instead groan when they receive notifications and emails about assignments on a snow day. Additionally, this should be used to expand include sick days to keep the student informed and actively participating in school activities and turning in their school work. UTB has a similar plan when a hurricane is barreling towards the south Texas coast to switch many face to face courses to online and blackboard modality to minimize the downtime and not have to make up or extend the term. I believe this is a great use of technology and happy that it was added here for our review. Great article!!

I find it very interesting as she states that with her system of teaching students have no excuse not to do their homework. Burgess is quoted saying "They know that I know that they have everything they need [to do their work]." I see this at home with my 10 year old, she has a laptop, desktop, iPad, iPhone and a father that knows it all. She has all the tools needed to conduct research, communicate, calculate, and so forth. Thus, as Burgess says, she has not excuse not to do her work.

Great article about educators using technology in the classroom. These technologies are impacting how educators teach and learners learn. There should be much more resources (funding) allotted to public schools for initiatives that promise to change the way we teach. There is no doubt that these tools have impacted and will continue to impact schools and the learners. The new media is making the subject matter more exciting and engaging. However, there are some challenges. First, not enough funding is allocated for technology. Second, we still have educators who are apathetic about using any kind of technology in the classroom. Third, there still is a digital divide in some of our public schools. On one side we have parents who can and will provide any tool for their children to succeed. On the other hand, we still have many parents that by no choice of their own, lack the resources to provide their children the most up to date tools to make learning a positive experience.

Rene, you touch on a point that I experienced when my daughter stared school this year. We went to her school on meet the teacher day. The teacher went over the rules and what was expected of every child, she then told us that the school was starting a program in which student would be allowed to bring a device and use in class. She indicated that it could be an iPhone, iPad, laptop and so forth. One parent asked what if their child did not have any of those devices, what they were going to do during that time. It was a very award moment but that parent had a legitimate concern. For some reason we assume that every child owns one of these devices but that is not the case, we need to take these type of issues into consideration when trying to implement a program such as bring your own device.

Martin, Your earlier post regarding how your daughter has all the tools to do her homework made me think back to some of the criticisms from others that do not believe in incorporating technology in the learning environment. I remember reading one comment on an article where someone said that "googling something is not learning". In certain aspects, that statement is true, but I definitely think technology can be used to promote critical thinking and higher level thinking. For example, students could use google to conduct research but could then collaborate with their peers by interpreting and analyzing the research on wikis or Google Drive. They could also use tools such as Glogster or VoiceThread in an effort to foster their creative skills.

Jaime I have used Wordpress in two of my previous classes. I found it to be a very good and educational tool to use. I enjoyed learning about Wordpress and using it in both of my classes. I found out it easy and effective to use. The communication with my professors using Wordpress was great. I like the fact that its convenient and free.

Justin, I agree with Laura Esquivel. The use of a cell phone in the classroom is very helpful for students to utilize and obtain information or do any kind of research. However, another educational tool that is now being used a lot is the IPAD or the Android tablet. The children in school enjoy using these tools because they are very helpful to them. The students are able to download educational applications that can help them in what they are studying and etc... My daughter and I use our IPADs frequently for school and have found it to be very helpful.

Martin, In regards to the point that Rene made...my daughter's school is doing the same. They can bring their own device as well but if they don't the can borrow one from the school. I was hesitant at first as well. Then I started seeing the things that they do with all this technology I was amazed. I so grateful that they are showing them at a young age. Sometimes my daughter helps me with certain applications.

Justin, This is a great article showing how the use of web 2.0 technologies are both easy to use and integrate in the classroom. I especially liked the way the authors referenced the use of Edmodo for project submissions in electronic format. I believe that all paper projects and assignments should be submitted in electronic format to allow for faster submission to professors, reduction in costly utilization of paper, and to be current with the way technology is used in the "real world". I really like Edmodo as I have previously interviewed a high school instructor that has implemented after hours use of Edmodo as a bonus help/tutoring service to students with astonishing results. Of the total number of students, more than 80% were participating with at least one question or response to another student once a week while 75% were participating at least two times per week. Additionally, students would help answer other student questions freeing up the instructor to answer more difficult questions or help lead discourse in the subject area. Again, really good article and a great way to kick us off on the Diigo discussion boards!

Here are some great ways to simplify the integration of social media web 2.0 tools in the classroom.

Having students borrow the technology is a great idea, until the device is lost, stolen, or damaged. I have heard complaints from the McAllen ISD that they have to pay large amounts of money of else the district doesn't let the student graduate or enroll in school.

Justin, great article. I like the flipped room concept. I agree with the teacher that lower level thinking skills should be used at home. Why? because I want the students to use their higher level thinking skills in the classroom. If they have questions and start to steer the wrong way with their higher level thinking skills. I can redirect and get them on the correct path again. Students need to be able to go home and rest. They should not have to be brain dead after a home work assignment and that is why some students hate school