Richardson, Weblogs, and the Classroom

As we probe further into computer technology by viewing Will Richardson's videos discussing blogging and including technological advancements in our classrooms, we can further realize the impact technology can have on education. Richardson, cooperating teachers, and participating students discuss the benefits and opportunities with using Weblogs: posts, discussions, mentoring, reactions, homework dependability, parent interaction, resource availability, etc. As educator's are slowly discovering, the Web can be an invaluable resource for them and their students. It allows out-of-the-classroom interaction between teachers and students, students and students, and students and other children their age. Weblogs and the Internet provide an outsourcing agent for students to be active readers, writers, and publishers of their own work, as well are contributors to others' works (Wikipedia, Blogspot), and connect with others through similar interest by way of Social Bookmarking sites (Furl, del.icio.us, Jots). Furthermore, according to a Pew Internet report entitled Social Networking and Teens: An Overview, "More than half (55%) of all online American youths ages 12-17 use online social networking sites." Social networking sites such as Myspace, Facebook, Hi5, and more have taken the teenage and young adult society by storm. This means students are already using the internet, and are presumably enjoying their time using it. In this case, incorporating blogs and social bookmarking into classrooms can provide students with a better understanding of the media they are using, further enhancement in their education, and more enjoyment in the material they are learning and how they are learning it.

Ok... so what? How do we incorporate the Web and blogging into the classroom, and how do we do it effectively? Theoretically, you can introduce the Weblog in a similar way of introducing a journal or writers notebook; explain to students how they will be keeping a "journal" of anything they choose (or if you have a particular subject, introduce that as well). Only, instead of having pen and paper, students are able to type their ideas on the computer, for everyone-- other students-- to interact with. Students will be able to revise, react with, and respond to their own and others' posts; or introduce the Web on a research level, using student collaboration to create social bookmarking pages that are related to class materials. Or have a class blog to discuss literature (as Richardson did with his students and the Secret Life of Bees), to further class discussion and allow students to elaborate ideas and collaborate together regarding the literature outside of class, requiring student-student interaction over the Web. The interactions between students and teachers with regards to the Weblogs, "give [them] control over [their] own learning" (Richardson YouTube). That's the important thought: having control over learning. Students can feel and understand the responsibility of the work they're being required to do, but will also value the their ability to be creative and have say in what they are doing.

The Sheltered Lives We Lead

Friday night, as I was flipping through the channels, I came across 20/20. The show began by mentioning a prospering city in NJ, explaining the wonderful jobs and the greats schools that existed there; overall a good life. Following the short segment on this prospering town, another city was mentioned. This city, not far from the one I just mentioned, is considered the poorest city in the United States, and in 2004 & 2005 was considered the most dangerous city as well. In Camden, NJ the murder rate is seven times the national average. Fifty-eight percent of the children residing in Camden live under the poverty rate. Preschoolers walk to school as citizens are being arrested or as drug deals as being made, and from their bedrooms at night, children an hear gunshots from the streets...

This particular episode of 20/20, which focused on the city of Camden, also focused on three students of Camden-- their lives, their education, their struggles. While each student had a different living situation and different struggle, their goals were the same: attend school and become something, anything, to help their family get out of Camden.

Members of the Camden School System explained they can only do so much for students: tutors and volunteers are needed since there is a lack of interest from teachers to work in the area. Furthermore, books and materials are limited.

As I was watching the students strive for a future and wish for something as simple as curtains on their windows, I began to truly realize the inequality that exists in our school systems. As we continue to talk about ways to include technology in the classroom, it occurs to me that some of these students have never even touched a computer, and the schools have trouble enough finding funding for texts. How, if we find ourselves in a school so shunned by the advancements education has seen, can we incorporate technology when we will be struggling to equip our students with books of their own so they can read at home? These student deserve to work on and use a computer as much as the students in their neighboring communities (the ones that have prospered), but what happens when the technology isn't available?

Techonological Standards

As prospective teachers we are constantly subjected to demands must meet and standards we must adhere to. From our current professors (who truly want to give us the best education we can receive so we are able to prepare our future students as they have prepared us) we were demanded endless hours of hard, though interesting and intriguing, work. From the parents of our future students we are demanded to provide their children with proper schooling, the best classroom atmosphere, further requirements that may seem difficult to accommodate (even though we understand they are only speaking up in the interest of their child(ren)). From our future students we are expected to be role models; give nothing less than our best and provide constant knowledge…

With so many standards and expectations already having to be met from so many people, it’s scary to know we have more to meet: New York State and National Standards. You know… the ones we MUST include in our teaching methods to keep our job. The National Council of Teachers of English, or NCTE, determines a set of standards for English teachers to adhere to regarding technology/communication. With every other standard in place, we are now given expectations to include technology in our classrooms. Is this good or bad?

That depends on the teacher. For me, I think the standards are reasonable, and give teachers loose guidelines to follow when they have no idea how/in what way to include technology in their lessons. Technology can be a powerful tool in the classroom. Students who are given the opportunity to use technology in the classroom, during research project/papers, in classroom activities, etc., will be better suited and more comfortable to use it on their own or in the future in the workforce.

Let's try this again...

My original blog wouldn't let me sign in again so I had to create another one... here's the post from the first one though. It's not extremely exciting since it was only the introductory blog!

ENG 307 has started with... well... blogging. Far from shocking. Here is the first blog (of many) introducing me, Jessica. Hope you enjoy the rest!