Relate and Reflect on Chapter 2

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kevin Honeycutt on February 2, 2009 at 4:59pm

* How can using technologies such as the fax, e-mail, the Internet, and real-time video create unique learning opportunities to help motivate students to excel?
The delight of finding learning is something we should instill and the mass availability of learning resources makes this a lot easier. Communication and the ability to communicate mean that publishing to an authentic audience is easy and that collaboration with learning peers can be simple. In short, the classroom can be as flat as the flat world that Thomas Friedman describes!

* What are the new opportunities for family involvement?
Parent involvement is no mere enhancement but I see it as crucial for positive learning experiences today. Online safety issues challenge us to engage parents in discussions about being parents online and on the heels of this discussion should come the more positive one about being a cyber-mentor and role model for kids. We're all in this together!

* What would be the impact on teaching and learning if every parent had access to daily information about their children's progress at school?
Thise that are engaged would be empowered by the information and could more easily support and enhahnce their learner's educational goals. This information might also serve to engage parents who are busy or who have marginal interest in their kid's education.

* If every teacher has a Web site, what would be the most efficient design for teachers to share their best practices?
An easy and fast journaling function that is as useful for the teacher as it is for students and parents as well as colleagues.

* Now that there is unlimited potential to celebrate the work of students with their communities, what is the best way to manage this opportunity?
As a community we should gather around our learners, study the choices we have for positive dissemination of learning products and proceed to do that which best reflects the goals and values of each community.

Permalink Reply by Connie Worthing on March 19, 2009 at 12:45pm

* How can using technologies such as the fax, e-mail, the Internet, and real-time video create unique learning opportunities to help motivate students to excel?
It is the real world. Most if not all of the children we teach have had these things or know about them from birth on. Preschoolers can operate laptops, cell phones, digital cameras, printers. These are all learning opportunities! Start teaching young ones to use these tools for educating themselves and communicating with others.

* What are the new opportunities for family involvement?
Parents can communicate faster and easier with email, wikis and cell phones. Parents can access classroom wikis and get feedback on much of what their child is doing in school.

* What would be the impact on teaching and learning if every parent had access to daily information about their children's progress at school?
For those who really checked on this and really cared...they could give reinforce and extend the learning at home...

* If every teacher has a Web site, what would be the most efficient design for teachers to share their best practices? Can be done many ways now in wikis, blogs and websites depending on the teachers purpose. I would have LOVED to have had this opportunity to access websites or blogs of my kids' teachers!! What a learning opportunity for all!

* Now that there is unlimited potential to celebrate the work of students with their communities, what is the best way to manage this opportunity?
The 2.0 web is a tool kids and adults can use to teach and communicate. We need to make sure they want to use it responsibly.

Permalink Reply by amy waggoner on April 29, 2009 at 10:34am

How can using technology such as the fax, email, the internet, and real-time video create unique learning opportunities to help motivate students to excel?

Kids LOVE anything technology, I have decided. It just seems to make them extra curious. Some of the tech tools may sound a little dated already, but if it's new to a kid and they haven't seen it, it's good. Look how kids are around the old Atari and PacMan games! They are truly the "digital generation." They seem to catch on so fast, too.

Permalink Reply by amy waggoner on April 29, 2009 at 10:37am

What are new opportunities for family involvement?

Wireless internet at home has made computer time more "family oriented." I remember looking around my living room one evening and seeing my son, husband, and daughter -- plus me -- all working on a laptop. My daughter and I were swapping cool digital photography sites. My son was talking to friends on Facebook. My husband was working from the home and checking email. TV was going on in the background still.

Permalink Reply by amy waggoner on April 29, 2009 at 1:59pm

If every teacher had a website, I would like to see website resources -- organized and categorized (like Delicious), lots of student products to inspire me and my students, classroom management tips for technology, idea center (although teachers may not want to share their best ones), "words of wisdom," some humor, and more.

There now seems to be some much more social networking going on now than when this book was published. A lot more sharing!

Permalink Reply by amy waggoner on April 29, 2009 at 2:06pm

Now that there is unlimited potential to celebrate the work of students with their communities, what is the best way to manage this opportunity?

Truthfully, I am still asking myself this question. I believe there is still a lot of trial and error going on. Teachers must manage classroom time effectively and prepare students for state assessments. Balancing the teaching and mastery of skills, covering all grade level curriculum, and weaving in 21st Century Skills with technology can be very tricky. Teaching styles, classroom dynamics, ability levels of students are also factors in the process.