Week One

Chapter One Notes

• Educational technology: can be broken down into four subcomponents: instructional systems and design, vocational training, computer systems, and media/audio-visual.
  
• Instructional design: how teachers can use technology to their advantage (and to the students' advantage) in the classroom.
• Vocational training: use of technology is essential in many jobs sought by high school graduates.
• Computer systems: the computer as a science.
• Media/audio-visual: television, video, listening stations
• Technology: can't fix all our problems. Some problems are even caused by technology.
• Technology doesn't replace common sense and in-person instruction.
• The need for teachers will never be replaced by computers.
  
• Using technology in the classroom has many uses, including: improving technical skills useful in future employment, differentiating instruction, motivating students to learn (using competition with self and with others, making students enthusiastic about learning), and increasing the effectiveness and productivity of instruction/classwork.
  
• Technology doesn't always work and isn't always appropriate.
• Technology is best used when it can be collaborative and can involve higher levels of thinking (synthesis, evaluation)
• Situations when children are left to complete assignments without supervision or engagement may not be appropriate for many students.
• Technology is best used when it can be adjusted to fit student needs, background knowledge, and skills.
• Issues at the forefront of educational technology today: some are societal, many are related to cultural and/or gender issues, many are legal issues (copyright infringement, downloading, etc.), or ethical issues (posting about people on public websites, stealing information, plagiarism)
• Many students cannot afford to have advanced technology and/or internet at home. Therefore, there exists a gap between the skills and abilities of wealthier children and those of poorer children with respect to use of technology.
  
• Some people are averse to technological advances in general.
• Societal issues tie in with cultural issues: many cultural communities view technology as a threat and avoid it. Is it ethical to force technology on public school children whose culture/religion forbids it? (E.g., Amish culture).
  
• Schools cannot rely too heavily on computers and technology because these things can be unreliable. Traditional methods may be just as useful if not more so (and less expensive!).
  
• Some students are unable to type or use a mouse; these students are at a huge disadvantage. Other disabilities may prevent students from being able to properly use a computer.
• Technology does provide a lot of advantages for its users: distance learning, flexibility (can be personalized to fit the needs of the user), can also help people with disabilities (e.g., people who have trouble writing using a pen/pencil).

Chapter Two Notes

• A lot of things are required for any technology program to run smoothly. Maintenance of physical machines, instructional/curricular support, trouble-shooting personnel, as well as access to technology and funding for technology are necessary.
• Teachers need sufficient training in order to effectively use technological resources. This training needs to be ongoing and must address student academic achievement.
  
• Technology should fit the curriculum, not the other way around.
• All technology should be built and bought to last and adapt.
• Teaching technology is not the same as teaching Reading or Math. It requires new techniques that need to be studied and practiced. These techniques need to be updated frequently as technology improves and expands.
  

Chapter Nine Notes

• Seeing as literacy can now be defined as including proficiency in reading, writing, AND communicating via modern technologies (whether this be email, online chat, text messaging, etc.), teaching technological literacy in school is all the more important.
  
• Objectives for student users of technology: students should be able to use technology to communicate, to acquire information, to access new resources and technologies, and to evaluate the effectiveness of programs of instruction.
• Students must be taught how to use a keyboard. (Students at Warner: most are still punching using index fingers. Who is in charge of teaching typing? When should it be taught? What will measure success/sufficiency?)
• How can we prevent social communication on the internet from escalating into social ostracism/inappropriate behavior? What rules need to be rewritten (or written for the first time) regarding social communication online? To what extent is communication online a learning objective, and what kind of value should be placed on it in schools?
• One problem with using technology to supplement instruction is that a population of diverse learners is not necessarily going to benefit from one variety of program or instruction. Differentiation is necessary. Students who are reading well below grade level may have particular difficulty completing online research projects, for example.
• The ability to self-express, revise, and publish using computers is an attractive motivator for students.
  
• There are lots of ways to motivate students to work hard using the internet. Writing prompts, for example, are easy to come by online and videos and other media may spark children's imaginations.
• Connecting core learning to what is found online may be a valuable integration tool for teachers. If students can connect what they learn in class to a different setting (i.e., the internet) they're more likely to remember and be able to recall information.
  

Chapter Ten Notes

• Technology can be of great use in ELL and foreign language classrooms.
• The ability to self-express, revise, and communicate in non-real-time settings is particularly helpful to students learning a language for the first time, whether that language is English as a second language or a foreign language such as French or Spanish.
  
• Students who are timid and reluctant to speak in a non-native language may be more likely to explore second languages online and via message boards or discussion boards, where they have the ability to edit language before it is submitted to an audience.
  
• Computers often motivate second language students to read and become literate in the language they're learning. Technology is exciting, therefore attracting kids to language through technology is a useful way to motivate students to engage in a second language.
• The computer may be a useful tool in developing academic language proficiency in ELL students.
• Interactive storybooks, language labs, and other tools may vastly improve student interactions with second languages and inspire them to seek new experiences.
  
• Word processing in the target language (with possibility to edit) may be less threatening than using traditional pencil and paper methods of assessment.
  
• Students have the opportunity to connect online (in an inclusive, non-intimidating setting) with native speakers to enrich interactions with the target language and improve expression.