Final Project

Technology Integration Matrix

The lesson plan that I used to incorporate in my Final Project was from my CURR 310 course. I had to apply modifications for a child with Autism in a lesson plan for 8^th and 9^th graders regarding point of view. The assignment was to complete a worksheet about Points of View, using specific stories such as To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and a story entitled, “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs” by Jon Scieszka. While the Point of View worksheet would be very beneficial and helpful to the students, this lesson plan’s lack of opportunities for the use of technology is disconcerting, especially since the lesson plan states that this will be one entire unit. While I did incorporate the worksheet in my matrix, I decided to add more assignments to make it a more substantial and technology filled unit.

For the point of view worksheet, I applied it under the first standard listed in my matrix, regarding the ability to citing textual evidence. According to the lesson plan, I, as the teacher, would begin my reading “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs”. After, I would begin my discussion of point of view and its importance in the literary community. The first thing I would do is present a Powerpoint presentation explaining the definitions of the different types of point of view, such as first person, second person, third person omniscient, third person objective, amongst others. I would continue to discuss this with the specific protagonist in the short story, which in this case, is the wolf. I would have the students read aloud certain passages, and discuss in groups of two or three about the differences between the wolf’s point of view and the story that they were told growing up by using graphic organizers with the sections marked “Wolf”, “Pigs”, and “Same”. Then we would come together as a class and discuss all together what was written on their graphic organizers. The point of view worksheet would be assigned for homework.

The next day I would have them get into groups in order to delve more into the lesson on point of view. I would have them choose passages that they feel best demonstrates Scout’s point of view in To Kill a Mockingbird, and create the same scene in the point of view of another character. I would then have them note the differences of perception, outcomes, and discriminations based on which character they decided to replace Scout with. I will specify that it does not have to be a character that was in that particular scene. It would be interesting to read about her father’s point of view during a scene with Scout and her brother. After the new stories are created, I will set up an activity that involves one person from each group alternating groups in order to share their new creative stories and observations. After that activity, I would have the class come together for a class discussion involving a couple of volunteers to read their stories aloud, and to play YouTube clips of various recordings of the novel in order for the students to get a better idea of what the tone and theme of the book is. Their homework assignment would be to write a reflection on that day’s class, including their stories and how they worked with their group, and what they observed about various points of view.

Later in the unit, I will assign a group project on racism. Point of view is tied in because I will want them to use Scout’s point of view of racism throughout the novel and compare it to other characters, including her father. This project must include direct quotes from the text with page numbers, and using their creativity to create new perceptions of characters, giving a purpose to the new points of view activity from earlier in the unit. They will do research on several sites that discuss racism and apply their new knowledge to the novel’s characters and plots, and how it is a crucial theme in this novel. I would also suggest to them that YouTube is a great way to see clips of various documentaries regarding racism and inspirational speeches such as Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech. This project will give them a wide variety of technological opportunities while applying the theme of racism to what they know about the novel. These assignments and activities include the usage of technology in order for the students to produce a vast knowledge of what is going to be an essential part of their academic and personal lives.

Reasons for Bringing Technology into Schools

This website caught my attention because it explicitly mentions the reasons that technology is so important to have in schools. The reasons they list are:

1. Support Thinking Processes

2. Stimulate Motivation and Self-Esteem

3. Promote Equity

4. Prepare Students for the Future*

5. Support Changes in School Structure

6. Explore Technology Capabilities

*I cannot help but feel that this reason is the most important. The whole idea of a successful teacher is preparing their students for the future. And, as we all know, Technology is our present AND future, so we must embrace it!

Reasons for Bringing Technology into Schools

Chaucer Technology School

I happened to stumble across the Chaucer Technology School in England. My first thought was about the irony of that name, considering Chaucer lived and wrote during the Middle Ages. But I read about their work and found it interesting.

Based on what I read on their website, they are a charter school who accepts adolescent students with high level academic achievements. They have artwork that is displayed on the website that I found quite remarkable.

See for yourself!

Chaucer Technology School

iPads in the School System

When I was completing the internet portion of Interactivity 5, I noted that the teacher mentioned that iPads were going to be incorporated into the curriculum. I will admit, I was a little dumbfounded, due to the expense of such a piece of technology, especially to provide them to the students. Besides financial concerns, there were concerns of student responsibility. What if a student breaks it due to misbehavior, or even simply by accident?

Additionally, but I am not entirely sure how many students are knowledgeable in using iPads in an educational manner. They know plenty about Facebook and Twitter, but do they know anything about DragonSpeak (educational voice recorder) or SlideShark (post and share Powerpoints)? Hopefully, they can learn in a timely fashion, specifically before they are distributed.

What do you guys think?

Twitter and Literature

Here is an interesting article from September 2012 that I found interesting about Twitter being considered a place for creative literary minds to express themselves. Enjoy!

Twitter and Literature: Unlikely bedfellows?

Beware....Another Shakespeare Post!

So while perusing different sources for my Shakespeare term paper, I discovered my personal heaven in an iPad. That's right, folks: a Shakespeare app!

It is probably the most wonderful thing I have ever discovered. It has his complete works and sonnets with a concordance! AND, if you want to upgrade to pro, you get some kind of "Shakespeare Around the World" option and a section full of quotes said by the Bard.

In each play, there is the Dramatis Personae which is all of the characters with explicit information about every one of them, from their role in the piece to their hair color. Also, they have scene breakdowns that you can refer to if you need help.

Discovering this beautiful thing was fantastic, not just because of my love of Shakespeare, but it really did help get the characters straight in my paper, thanks to the Dramatis Personae. So, if you are a Shakespeare lover or class taker, I would get this app. It's available for iPhone and iPad!

Educators Work Better to Incorporate Technology into the Classrooms

While Internet surfing, I found an article that was very interesting about college students not being educated enough in the incorporation of technology in the classroom. It shocked me to know how much of a problem it was to even have computers in schools. Hope you enjoy and get something out of this!

Educators Work To Better Integrate Technology Into The Classroom

Interactivity #5

Pedagogical Use of Technology

For this activity, I interviewed a 9^th grade English teacher from Parsippany High School in the Parsippany-Troy Hills District. This school has already been on its way to using technology for all aspects of education. Although the teacher was not familiar with the specific NETS Standards, when I gave him a copy to peruse, he did say that a lot of these elements are incorporated into their lessons. He informed me of the weekly meetings he has with his colleagues and supervisors and their discussions about different ways to use technology in their classrooms. These technology-filled lessons make the students’ learning experience a more beneficial one through the use of technologies such as smartboards, iPads, Wikis, and Emailing.

The teacher I interviewed gave me substantial answers as to what types of technologies they use and how it will assist their students. They use laptops in computer labs, have teacher-teacher, teacher-student, and student-student interaction through email, and they use smartboards. The smartboards are beneficial for the teachers as much as the students because they can display their already-created lesson without wasting precious class time writing it on the board. He also mentioned that next year, they will attempt to incorporate the use of iPads into the curriculum. According to the teacher, the reason why technology is so important in school is because they can give students real world information in real time. They can provide them with news articles, archive information, and YouTube clips. In fact, he gave me a specific example: the day after I interviewed him, he was planning on showing a clip of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. I remember, in my high school class, we read the speech, but now technology permits the speech to be watched as if they were present during the event.

I was surprised to hear about the idea of iPads being provided for students in class. They are an expensive mode of technology; needless to say, the school would need a large budget in order to afford the amount of tablets needed for the students to use during class. Also, it surprised me to find out that he plans to explore Wikis for next year. The Wiki will have the required assignments for the students, and they will be required to submit these assignments on the Wiki instead of a hardcopy. I was shocked because of the major changes technology has had on the school system since I graduated from high school four years ago. The teacher said himself that the teachers are online this year; next year, it will be the students’ turn.

By the time I become an educator and hired by a school district, I hope that technology will already be a vast portion of the curriculum. If not, I would express to my colleagues the importance of such tools for the students’ learning and for the convenience of the teachers. Ideas I got from my interviewed teacher such as Wikis, iPads, and YouTube clips are great ideas for me to use in the future and share with my colleagues.

Interactivity #4: The Pedagogical Uses of Technology

Pedagogical Uses of Technology for English

This lesson plan caught my attention due to the unique way of understanding Shakespearean drama. Because Twelfth Night is not normally a play that is studied in school, the fact that there is such an interesting way to learn it was quite surprising to me. Also, I understand the importance of making drama and literature come to life in order to recognize the thematic plots and character relationships. Although the title of the lesson plan seemed trivial and clichéd, reading the work the students would be doing made me realize the benefits that will come out of this activity, including a better understanding of the text.
One significantly large gap in this lesson plan is the lack of pronounced standards. While the 8^th grade standards I focused on were applicable to the lesson plan, the fact that the plan itself did not have standards selected already was a little disconcerting to me. Additionally, the use of technology is very limited. As I added in my spreadsheet, there are many other forms of technology that can be used, such as DragonSpeak, a voice recorder that will help the students listen multiple times in order to decipher word meanings through their contexts.

Although there is not much technology listed in this lesson plan, what they do list is very beneficial and necessary for this project. The CD and CD player are needed for the initial project, but when they are used, it will increase the students’ understanding of the material. By using songs to determine character relationships, they will be able to analyze the reason for these emotions and encounters, and apply them to their understanding of the play.

While some aspects of this lesson plan are a bit limited, the activity itself is a great way to ensure the students’ acceptance and knowledge of the material that seems to have the consistent reputation of being incomprehensible. 

The World Shakespeare Bibliography Online

As I was researching for my Shakespeare term paper, I realized that even 16th century literature has an impact on technology. It didn't hit me until I came across several options for research materials that were in various different languages and applied to many different cultures. It would be extremely difficult to find these choices without internet and computer access. This online database is the best to use for Shakespeare studies because of its many materials and descriptions of them. The only problem is that it does not have the materials themselves; inconveniently, they just have the citation information and it is up to you to find it in your own library. This can be a challenge considering your library may not have full access to these articles or books.

In the past, when using this database, I have found information and titles that would be perfect and influential to my topic; that is, until I discovered the name of the journal where an article had come from. In other words, the journal was in a different language but the article itself was in English. Needless to say, after a couple of hours of desperate searching, I did not find the article in its entirety. Hence my many trips to Alexander Library in Rutgers-New Brunswick. There I was able to scour through the Shakespeare Quarterly journals and many volumes of the Shakespeare Survey. 

Now, don't misunderstand: I did find articles and books to use through this database as well. It was mainly an inconvenience to have to find them ourselves, especially when they may not have even been in this country or language. But alas, I did very well on my term paper from my last class, and am determined to do so again, so this is where I shall remain.

How to use this database:

Step 1: Go on to the Sprague Library Website and click "Databases"

Step 2: Scroll all the way down and find "World Shakespeare Bibliography Online"

Step 3: Once on the database, click "Advanced Search" on the top

Step 4: Type in a keyword regarding topic to search. For example:

Step 5: Click on a result that fits best with your topic and research! 

After finding a result, you need to search for it on the library website to see if they have it, and if they do, see if it is in stock. 

HAPPY SHAKESPEARE!

Interactivity #3: Generating a State of the Art Inventory

This interactivity introduced me to many forms of technology that I would not have even thought of using when becoming an educator; mostly this is due to the fact that a lot of it is new. Doing this research assignment, in addition to talking to cousins of mine still attending high school, has helped me realized the many options I will have with my students when the time comes for me to be in a classroom. In regard to my READ 411 class, there are exorbitant amounts of resources, especially for my English major, including Storybird and Book Builder.
   Both of these technologies, which are website guides, assist the students in creating their own pieces of literature. While studying other forms of literature is important, creating their own teaches them the art of creativity, and gives them an intellectual insight to the authors’ ideas and forms of writing. In my lessons, I could ask them to incorporate a form of writing that we are discussing specifically. This will help them not only learn to analyze an author's style, but it will also help them to create their own style. This idea is essential to grasp in CURR 314 because of the way assessments and standards can be regarded and brushed upon through these activities. If the students are assigned to make their own story based on published stories discussed in class, they can be assessed of their knowledge and understanding through these technologies.
This is also extremely beneficial to READ 411 because that class is all about incorporating language and literacy to lessons in all content areas (yes, including Math). By using Storybird and Book Builder, students are focusing on their reading, writing, and language skills, which they could be doing just as much in a Math class reading a word problem. These helpful websites, along with eBooks, and even smart pens for writing lessons and corrections, prove crucial to the classroom in order to enhance assessment and language and literacy.

To Read or Not to Read: The Problems with Movies and Their Effect on the Student

Ever heard of the phrase: "The book was better than the movie"? How about: "I won't read the book, I'll just watch the movie."

Well, whether you've heard or said them, at one point or another, you have experienced them.

As a student, you have probably at one point or another decided to watch the movie, or thought the movie would give you the same information as the book. Maybe you still think that now. It doesn't matter how old you are, what you're studying in school, or even if your whole life is dedicated to reading. I am a 21-year-old English Education Major who reads every day, and I STILL sometimes have an urge to just watch the movie.

It is very difficult for some English majors to admit that at one point or another they wanted to watch the movie. Whether or not they acted on it is on their own consciences (I keep telling mine to leave me alone). In any case, it is generally known to society that the movies, while most of the time displaying decent adaptations, leave out some crucial moments in the book.

Now that is exactly what people get angry about when they see a movie based on a book, right? They say, "I can't believe they left this part out! It was so important!" While I myself get a little annoyed at these things, I keep reminding myself that there is a time limit in film and television that does not exist in books. At most, moviemakers have 3 hours to make the movie attempt to measure up to the glorified entity that is the book. When reading the book, you have all the time in the world to finish it, and even re-read some parts if you wanted. To go even further, why not read the whole thing again (I mean, there's no way I read The Other Boleyn Girl 7 times, what are you talking about?)?

While I am defending the movie industry, I am also attempting to make a point that movies are not the only thing to be relied on, especially when studying a piece of literature in school. The movies will be enjoyable, I'm sure, but books hold the key to the themes and symbolism that must be absorbed in order to understand the entirety of the text. In fact, the movies can be used in the classroom, but AFTER the book is read, discussed, and throughly comprehended. For example, after completing Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre (Happy Belated Anniversary!) in my British Literature class, we watched the BBC mini series in order to get the visual effect. 

Here is another side to this argument: Shakespeare. William Shakespeare wrote his plays with the intention of them being performed. While it is important and crucial to read and understand his plays in textual form, seeing them performed is just as necessary and helpful to reinforce our understanding of the text. Back in the 16th century, audiences had to watch the plays because most of them were illiterate, but those who were studied Shakespeare's plays when they appeared in print, shortly after their composition.

To close, I would like to thank you all for reading this post. As English, History, Math, Science, Health/Phys Ed., Music, Dance, and Art Teachers (if I forgot your major, my apologies!) there will come a time where you have to make the big choice: To Read or Not to Read?

P.S. Here's a funny cartoon for your enjoyment!

Interactivity #2: History of Technology in Schools

“I’ll just watch the movie”—The Future for Books Looks Grim

the eReader vs. the real thing

When I first saw the Barnes & Noble "nook" being advertised, I wanted it: bad. Reading is my passion, and I wanted to be able to read three books at the same time. However, I was conflicted. The nook was perfect for me: you can hold thousands of books, go on the Internet, and even play some games (if you had the nook color)! It was perfect. 

But then again, who doesn't love the touch, feel, and smell of a good tangible book, even if it's for a class in school. I can tell you, I love the smell of books. Don't judge, I know you all do too. There's nothing like the feel of the pages between my fingers as I turn the pages, and the satisfaction I feel when I reach the back cover. And yes, I might have smelled the pages as I was turning them--there's nothing wrong with that though...

So I weighed the pros and cons:

-I can take an eReader with me anywhere. Mind you, I could take a book as well, but I love the thought  of having options. 

-eReaders are very difficult to use textbooks on (at least for me). I like to write and highlight, and I cannot really do that on a tablet and really absorb the information. I know a lot of students also are better able to learn that way.

-eReaders are a tad more expensive than one book, I'll admit. But going back to the options, buying one eReader is equivalent to buying probably about 30 books. And you can hold so much more than that!

Needless to say, I did end up with a nook and I love it. I do read real books as well, because we all need the best of both worlds. But whether it is on an eReader or a "real" book, reading is the most essential part of any student's life, whether they like English, Math, or Science. 

Interactivity #1: Technology Autobiography

The three most influential communication technologies in my life are my cell phone, iPad, and my laptop. Like the kids in the two videos, I am obsessed and do not go anywhere without my cell phone. If I happen to forget it one day, I feel like my right arm is missing. My cell phone is a great device for academic reasons as well as for personal and recreational. Just a few hours ago, I called to set up an observation meeting for one of my classes. In this case, making these phone calls helps me with my professionalism when I talk to people who have control over my future career, as well as authority figures that demand respect.

Oddly enough, my iPad is a great device for my education as well as for my own personal use. Whenever my grandmother would see me on my iPad, she would look at me and ask, “What can you possibly do with that thing that you can’t do with your computer?” Well, the answer I gave her can be summed up in one word: Applications, or Apps.

Now of course I have the apps provided with the iPad, along with Skee Ball, “DrawSomething”, “SongPop”, and Netflix, but I also have some educational apps as well. I have my Nook app because I love to read all of the time; that is, when I am not bombarded with schoolwork and my job. Reading is a very important part of my life, not just because I am an English Education major, but because of the influence it has had on my imagination, creativity, and not to mention my current extensive vocabulary. Whenever I can, I read anything from Pride & Prejudice to one of the books in the Harry Potter series. I also have a King Henry VIII App—yes, that exists—don’t tell your professors or they might make you get it. But for me, it’s perfect and valuable because I study that time period recreationally due to my love for Elizabethan literature, specifically Shakespeare. Of course, I have the ever so helpful and informative Blackboard App. It has everything that a student could get on their computer. Even better than that, students can access documents and PDFs that their professors post on Blackboard. And apparently, professors can tell when their students go on the website. According to one of my professors, when she posted an article for us to read, she was able to identify who did not read it (is that really true? I think that’s a myth).  So, despite my grandmother’s objections, my iPad is a great form of technology that can be used very differently from my laptop.

While my iPad is very influential and convenient for me to have, my laptop is just as good. While my iPad can access the Internet, email, and Blackboard, I couldn’t possibly write a paper on it. Writing papers is a huge part of my major, especially when I am aware that I will be assigning the same kind of assignments to my students when I start teaching.

“Olivia’s Story” really made me think even more about the benefits and importance of technology, not just for teens’ schooling, but also for their own lives. Olivia was able to teach her “big sister” all about texting and MySpace, something that most students Olivia’s age have mastery in. Because of this new need for technological resources, students are motivated more to do their schoolwork because it becomes familiar, and even fun. In the video with the students from the Technology High Schools, it was clear they understood more than anyone how technology not only is familiar to them, but also improves their educational endeavors. It helps them think in new and creative ways, and also helps them with communication and teamwork skills that will help them in school and in their future careers. Even the young girl who made the websites already had a firm grasp on the uses of technology, and how it will help her with her academic career.

While technology is a great tool for students, it can also be a little bit dangerous to use too much of it, at least without teacher supervision. They can get too caught up in those social networking sites when they need to be doing an assignment for class or for homework. As was said in “Olivia’s Story”, even though a student may not have access to a computer at home, there are always ways to use one. All in all, in the future, technology will be a tremendous part of the education system, and while it will be beneficial for students, it should be used for academic purposes only in school, saving their Tweets and Facebook statuses for home.