Heather

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Reflection #4- April 8th, 2010 Fair Use for Media Literacy Education

As I read through this, I found myself thinking about a lot of things. First my topic with Maureen on Google Docs regarding Turnitin.com. Some of the teachers in my building use this and recently in a Social Studies meeting we discussed who was having students write term papers and who wasn't and the importance, ramification, detriment, plagiarism etc. that all goes along with it. Turnitin has gotten some mixed reviews here.... some don't bother, others require it.... I think it really links to how tech savey the teacher might be.... It's always fun though (not really) to figure out what to do when a kid is BUSTED for plagiarism. Anyway- I really do think it is necessary to be teaching (at the high school level) appropriate research skills and additionally to ever year review this idea of "fair use" and the rules/guidelines that must be followed. Tied into this is also the use of pictures... I mean kids make posters, powerpoints, art students are making renditions of pictures... It is imperative that we teach students about the proper way to cite sources and what is or isn't acceptable use of someone else's creation. And therefore, if we expect them to follow such guidelines, than we must in fact know and understand the guidelines ourselves. I thought some of the myths at the end this reading were goofy/silly... in a sense, like how could educated people not 'get' these things.... I also hate when people play dumb... "I didn't know, I had no idea." Come on... if you take someone else's stuff and use it for anything... you have to at least consider whether you are doing something wrong. One thing I learned with regard to my students making podcasts or movies though, is that the length of the 'borrowed' music is actually situational. Other teachers that come in to help with the laptop carts are saying only 10 seconds worth.... or something to that affect. But this guide says that it is situational and that context is critical, and that educators need to apply reason to reach a decision with regard to infringment. I don't think I learned much that I didn't know before, but I am happy to know that this document exists and that I am able to refer back to it in the future. It solidifies what I am doing with my students, helps to clarify minor details with regard to things like video, music and pictures that kids are now dumping into all sorts of products they create. It makes me feel more knowledgeable about the subject in general.

//Heather,

I understand your frustration with the book. However, the point you make at the end of your reflection, "the principal/district needs to have a vision, resources have to be allocated appropriately, teachers have to be willing to get on the tech bus, students need to be doing things that interest them, everyone needs to be liberal in their thinking with regards to technology, the principal needs to lead the school into the future through technology" seems to be as or more relevant today than when this book was published. I also believe that this is partly the point of the book. What is most interesting to me, however, is that educators are still having the same conversations. Collectively speaking, why haven't we all moved ahead?//

Reflection #3- March 25th, 2010 (pages 57-96)

Ok... I'm getting a little annoyed at this book, because I don't really feel as though the author is coming to any real or at least significant revelations. As educators I think we can all pretty much assume that some schools integrate technology well, some do it ok, but could do it better etc. I guess the one redeeming thing about this book is that it shows a spectrum so that as administrators we can establish a clear vision and always try to work towards it while being receptive to new technology and cognizant of the fact that it is always changing and advancing. My biggest problem with the book is that it is old. Ludlow Springs is putting kids in spreadsheet classes in high school. Kids in my district are programming by 10th grade. The biggest things to come out of this book for me so far are as follows: the principal/district needs to have a vision, resources have to be allocated appropriately, teachers have to be willing to get on the tech bus, students need to be doing things that interest them, everyone needs to be liberal in their thinking with regards to technology, the principal needs to lead the school into the future through technology. I'm pretty sure that these points are the reason for the book, but I am hoping to find more relevance in the next sections.

Reflection #2- March 19th, 2010 (pages 1-56)

When I got to the end of this section, one of the last things that I read was "Mitchell's decision to concentrate its technology investment on children in the pre-K and primary grades makes sense to me"... and it resonated. Each school district needs to appropriate the money they recieve for technology in the smartest way, to benefit the children that need it the most. Pflaum states that he has become convinced that computer technology offers the greatest support at the low end of the performance curve.... I see his point, but think it could really benefit students, if used properly, at all levels. One theme that ran through all of these was vision and strong building leadership. It makes me realize that as an effective principal, with regard to technology integration, that I would have to be, not only on board, but also knowledgeable and willing to coordinate curriculum. Pflaum added in that teachers need a strong sense of ownership over their school's technology. I agree, buy in is critical. But they need training as well. If they don't feel trained and supported, then they will not integrate the technology into their classrooms. All of these schools were really good examples of how technology can and does work. I am curious as to what he will include for the contrary.

media type="custom" key="5598657" Reflection #1- March 11, 2010 Read NETS and Reflect.

I remember taking my typewriter/ word processor to college, how sad is that. I also didn't have a cell phone until my senior year of high school. I never did myspace, barely keep up with my facebook account, never even used the signature thing on my email at work until this year, etc. So, technology causes extreme anxiety for me. I have always just learned what was necessary at the time, so yeah... I see myself as being at a huge deficit in this area. I can use effectively what I know...but this is miniscule in comparison to what my students know. And in this, I believe that I am probably not alone. So thank you iste, NETS, etc. for laying the foundation for all of this, but shame on my district and other districts like mine for not providing enough training to us teachers. At Hatboro-Horsham, we have many C4F classrooms, we have online courses, all of the cutting edge high tech stuff, but I am at a loss as to what it all is, and how it works. Teachers, in order to embrace it and utilize it, need to be educated about it and trained within it. In the end though, doesn't it come back to money.... no contract this year, budget cuts all around, but teachers my age and older are supposed to utilize technology that quite frankly we may not even know existed. GREAT! It's a never ending battle. Administrators need to be visionaries, and should utilize this NETS foundation to integrate the technology available to them. But the most important and pressing issue is having staff trained and equiped to utilize this technology. Our network goes down and we are crippled. You want us to be paperless, but then you complain that we have too much stored on the network. Use the internet, but then don't put enough computers on the cart, or allow the PE teachers to sign the cart out months in advance so that no one else has access to it. Give us a laptop, but not enough projectors. Tell us to teach all of Western Civ in 90 days and to implement technology while doing so, but what should I do when one podcast/imovie eats up 4-5 days of class time? Foundations and plans are critical and necesary for implementing technology, so I am happy to have read through all of this, but the reality is that districts, individual schools, teacher capabilities, resources available, money, time, student skill levels are always going to run the gamut. So while NETS gives us a direction to move in, my fear is that it will always be a never-ending battle. As I embark on a career at the administrative level, I do embrace the Adminstrative NETS as a relavant guide, and given my tirade... it is no surprise that I think #2 is critical. We must create a digital-age learning culture, but in order to do that, we must also train our teachers to use this technology. If you want me to implement podcasting, teach me how to do it first and then make sure the equipment is available to follow through... if you can't do that, well then back off a bit.

//**Heather, I feel what you are saying in your "tirade" and get your frustrations. Each is valid and real. Your reflection also makes me think about how we, as educators, are training ourselves in this technology without waiting for the PD to arrive. The tools and the training are available if we look, and they technology allows us to become proficient at our own pace. Teacher training is, of course, an absolute necessity. But, I believe there has to be a point where we stop waiting for that train to arrive and hop on ourselves...personal professional development. It is what our students have done. I understand the anxiety that technology can cause, but it does not have to if we work to "own" it. What are your thoughts?**//

Response- 3/18/10 Of course I see your point and in a world much different from the one I currently live in, it might be possible. I think it is situational. I would be willing to get on the train, but outside of school I am a single mother of two boys, I work a second job to make ends meet and I take a graduate course. I have to clean, shop, do wash, and cart kids around. I barely sleep as is... I take my job seriously and would always do whatever is asked of me, but training and time on that would be greatly beneficial.

I loved my electric typewriter, but I do not miss it!

All that I can say is Professional Development!

Theresa