Technology Reflection: Take Two

Before my "Teaching with Technology" class began, I was eager to learn about technology. But, I was also a bit naive and even fearful of how difficult the task could be to master technology, so as to become an asset and practitioner in the classroom and the school where I am employed. Getting into this, I assumed the role of a squire, who in the days of knights and lords, accompanied knights on their adventurous missions, but was by no means the expert fieldsman. Yet, I felt that the route to technology would be as adventurous as following a knight. And, minus the gore, it has been.

In fact, in my first reflection I said the following, "In true tale, technology is more an elusive liviathan than a tamed cat. It is a beast I have yet to slay. It is a peak I have yet to crest. It is a wild mare who bears no bit. Technology is the great land for courageous lords, brave knights, and self- controlled maidens, not for squires, such as I. But, alas, it is my duty. Bring me a sword. Toss me some boots. Hand me a bit. Grant me a map. Adventures are ahead." In stating these words, I was expressing my own limitations and lack of experience around technology. Yet, I also was expressing a certain degree of hopeful optimism, that indeed, I could become more proficient with time, effort and God's good grace.

After about two weeks of intense computer pecking, word searching, scalp scratching, late-night blogging and late-morning computer crashing (today around 11AM. . .yikes, I thought she was a goner), I can say with confidence that this class has added a value to my learning that has scarce been a reality since I've been alive. I love creating. . .it is in this that I often find myself expressing the character of God most joyously. Now, equipped with many tools (while still working on mastery) I believe I can not only integrate technology into my room, but I can help students integrate this tool into their lives in ways that will inspire them to continue the life-long journey of learning.

In particular, I have especially enjoyed the following:

• Making a digital story to share
• Podcasting
• Learning how to Skype
• Making picture sets on Flickr.com
• Getting started with a RSS Feed (Aggregator)--still not sure how to exactly use these words in sentences??
• AND MOST OF ALL. . . blogging.

Though there is much to learn and master, I feel I've gotten my feet wet and am ready to begin to try out the swimming. I am excited to collaborate with my science team at school and to also try and convince my administration of the necessity to clear blocks for students to use blogging and flickr.com at my school. I am hopeful, through showing off my proficiency and showing assignment samples, that my school will be quick, and yet wise, in adding these resources to our students list of skills and learning pedagogies.

Flikr to Blog Assignment

Students may use the picture and link of the landforms to complete their assignment. Further, if students desire to peruse the online Flickr for a landform, they can use the following search words:

1. Pictured Rocks, Michigan
2. Himalayan Mountains
3. Mt. Everest
4. Grand Canyon
5. Mid-Atlantic Ridge
6. Island
7. Caves
8. Sea Arches
9. Cliffs
10. Volcanic Eruptions
11. Weathering
12. Erosion

Students must identify one photo that depicts a landform and then post the picture on their blog and follow the rubric for commenting on the picture.

Steamer Lane

Steamer Lane
Originally uploaded by MastaBlasta

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mastablasta/2566961066/

No Fault of My Own

No Fault of My Own
Originally uploaded by evanembee

http://www.flickr.com/photos/emb/2369111385/

Nile_River_delta,_Red_Sea_and_Sinai_Peninsula

Nile_River_delta,_Red_Sea_and_Sinai_Peninsula
Originally uploaded by Juanmin

http://www.flickr.com/photos/juanmin/2296539312/

Amazing Cave!

Amazing Cave!
Originally uploaded by Cap'n Surly

http://www.flickr.com/photos/capnsurly/346050429/

Bricks

DSCN0482_1
Originally uploaded by n.lea_wilson

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ndlw/2083706701/

Glacial grooves

Glacial grooves
Originally uploaded by Dr.DeNo

http://www.flickr.com/photos/denatale/2825333213/

Wind erosion at work

Wind erosion at work
Originally uploaded by annalena02

http://www.flickr.com/photos/annalena/1794804120/

Delicate Arch (Arches National Park, Utah)

Delicate Arch (Arches National Park, Utah)
Originally uploaded by backlitcoyote

http://www.flickr.com/photos/backlitcoyote/634861066/

hawaii lava

hawaii lava
Originally uploaded by Cory.Lum

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corylum/212170565/

Student Sample for my HAT assignment EDTP 504

Http://www.flickr.com/photos/thane/410418802/

The Guatemala sinkhole is a good example of a type of landform that can result from a destructive force called erosion. In particular, erosion is the process of transporting weathered sediment from one place to another. Sinkholes form as the ground beneath the surface is washed, or eroded, away by water and the ground above, or the surface, becomes unstable and unsupported and caves in as a result of gravity, which is another erosive force. Notice in the picture that there is a large black hole, roughly the width of four emergency vehicles. You can tell this is a hole by noticing the water streaming down the right side of the hole. The break in the pavement, where the whole is, suggests that gravity, a type of erosive force, contributed in its formation. Further, knowing that the location of this picture is in Guatamala, and that there is poor planning and execution of underground water transport systems, I can infer that the underground flow of water induced erosion of the lower deep ground layers, leaving the top layer, upon which the city was built, an accident waiting to happen. I can thus conclude that this is not a landform created by constructive forces since this is not the result of crustal deformation, volcanic eruptions, faulting or deposition of sediment; rather, erosion is the culprit. Lastly, I predict that this landform will continue grow and expand in width and depth because the underlying force by which this landform was created, namely erosion due to water flow and gravity, will continue to act beneath the surface, thereby placing the surrounding public in danger of another catastrophe.

So, what does this all mean: Thoughts on Adventure 9

"There is little doubt that the Internet will continue to explode as the most comprehensive source of information in histroy. . . [and] there is no doubt that the ability of our teachers and students to use that knowledge effectively is of the highest importance." The use of knowledge, be it true knowledge, makes a man wise. Constant application of knowledge to the real situations of life are, in my opinion, one of the greatest ways to honor God with our lives. Perhaps, as the Roman empire opened roads, which paved the way for the Gospel to rapidly grow, perhaps the Lord is doing another good work in opening up the internet to the billions and resourcing students and teachers is a part of God's mighty world-wide movement of grace.

Collaboration is the medium through which products of the 21st century are to be manufactured. The necessity of working together is epitomized in marriage. Collaboration has a new page which includes the opportunity to work together with others worlds away. However, I hope that in collaborating across the globe will not steal the weaken the collaborative necessity of working with people here (neighbors, family members, etc.).

Literacy must extend beyond the reading and writing that we've known until know. It certainly doesn't limit this definition, but it must grow to include editing ("being a critical reader and viewer, not simply accepting what is presented). Further, we must grow in literacy of publishing. Nowadays, everyone can have a voice; therefore, "we must teach and model the ways in which ideas and products can be brought online." Also, literacy must include virtual collaboration, information management (as we "collect, store retrieve relevant information").

Some key BIG SHIFTS (as listed by Richardson):

1. Many, Many Teachers, and 24/7 Learning

The teacher in the classroom mustn't be the only contributing teacher to students. The Read/Write Web allows classroom teachers to be fantastic facilitators and networkers with other commoners and professionals.

2. Collaborative Construction of Meaningful Knowledge

3. Teaching is Conversation, Not Lecture

4. Writing is no longer Limited to Text

5. Mastery is the Product, Not the Test

6. Contribution, Not Completion, as the Ultimate Goal

LASTLY, Teachers as:

1. Connectors
2. Content Creators
3. Collaborators
4. Coaches
5. Change Agents

I do not think any of these labels for teachers are anything new. However, the way in which we can do our job is changing as swiftly as the internet capabilities itself.

The Social Web: The Sixth Adventure

Not many people have friends that are scattered around the world. I do! And, they haven't come from my "social web" experiences. I have had the privilege of traveling and meeting people throughout the USA and Africa.

But, now, with the social web explosion, students and educators have the opportunity to collaborate and "meet" people from across the globe. The implication of learning in isolation is shifting even beyond learning within small groups to the possibility of learning in small groups that have members scattered throughout our world.

Twitter, Diigo and del.icio.us are social web features that permit the quick sharing of everything from comments to whole folders of archived websites on a particular topic. I will highlight one point that I like about Diigo:

1. The whole class sets up an account and password and then they save links relevant to the topic of study (this would have come in handy about a month ago when my students were doing research on Friction).

LibraryThing.com or Shelfari.com "allow you to create an online catalog of all of the books in your physical library, and then you can add notes, descriptions, and, of course, tags that describe what they are about. The best part is, however, that you and your students can then connect with everyone else. . ." I am hoping to significantly increase my classroom library with biographies, autobiographies, novels, etc. that have direct or indirect connections to science. I like the idea of students being able engage other people who are reading the same books.

Flickr and the Seventh Adventure

On May 14th, during my EDTP 504 Teaching with Technology class, I worked collaboratively with classmates to create a Flickr account and post some pictures there which we could use in developing a lesson. I am not sure I like Flickr yet! I love pictures and I like how pictures can promote learning, especially within science. Nevertheless, Flickr is one of many technology tools that I am now aware exists but have yet to master. Hence, my issue may not even be with Flickr as much as it is with technology as a whole. As a technology immigrant, it will take a long time to "learn the language" and yet, I feel the tension of knowing it is of great aide to teachers, but not knowing how to use it very well. This can be discouraging to foreigners.

This year I began doing something that I think could evolve into a Flickr project in years to come. Each unit, I "hired" a photographer in my room to capture high-lights of lessons, activities, labs, and daily classroom life in my science class. Then, these students printed these pictures and turned them into a poster that was hung in my room as a reminder of ALL the great things we do in science. Perhaps, as an extension to this "job" I could hire someone else to develop these pictures into a flickr project??? Hmmm!

A couple of key features that I like about Flickr are:

1. Annotating one or more portions of a photo in order to draw attention to an area of the photo or to pose questions related to specific spots on the photo.
2. Starting online discussions about a particular photo (or set of photos). This can connect students from around the world and could make great applications for a Social Studies connection or science discussion.

The New Killer App for Educators: The Fifth Adventure

RSS feeds provide a way for educators to subscribe once to a host of weblogs, then every time something is posted to your preferred list of weblogs, the post is automatically downloaded onto your aggregator (the feed collector).

This helps you save time from having to go to thirty sites and scroll through thirty emails. You go to one site, scan all the feeds and emails and keep what you want, organize it, and read it now or save it for later. Also, every time someone publishes something via blog, with a key word that you can set up, which will aggregate this blog into your feed as well for your reviewing (which can be helpful if you are researching a topic or if you've published something and you want to track it around with some of its key words).

Richardson suggests using Google Reader as an aggregator, as opposed to bloglines.com (ok, I'll go and do this again. . . since I already set one up on bloglines.com but have been having difficulty with its initial use). Note to self: check to see if there is a National Science Teachers Association feed I can subscribe to as well as some Middle School feed.

Clarence Fisher likens an aggregator to a personal guide. This can be a significant analogy to the realm of student literacy. In education, part of the role of a teacher is to help teach literacy and to promote independent literacy learning. "As a teacher," Fisher says, "I consider one of my main jobs to be serving as a personal guide, helping kids to fill their aggregators with content that is relevant and useful for them."

The application that most excites me, at this point, with an RSS feed is using this with student weblogs. Hence, I can collect all student blogs into my aggregator, allowing me to "scan through all of the class content in one place," says Richardson.

Getting Started with Blogs: The essential first steps of a third adventure

The fact of the matter is, there are some students and some teachers who have yet to obtain access to internet usage. And, until this figure reaches 100%, blogs are limited in their effectivenes to be used to teach and promote learning.

Begin by using blogs to post a link to an interesting online article. Continue this progress by posting links and adding your own commentary and/or interpretation on the significant points of the article.

Richardson also encourages using blogs, initially, for posting homework and related classroom websites. Further, link other good blogs from your blog as sort of student models of what an appropriate and ethical blog looks like and can accomplish. Also, encourage students to post comments to your blog and questions you pose on your blog. Lastly, as an educator, invite students to begin their own blog and negotiate its use and personality (in other words, what it is for and what they can post).

If students are going to blog, make sure parents give permission, and include within the permission that nothing beyond a first name would appear (or pseudonyms) and how the teacher's RSS feed can be used to help monitor what they are posting.

Here are a few "Good Educator's Blogs" per recommendation of Richardson:

1. http://tinyurl.com/zxlxq
2. http://tinyurl.com/j6shy
3. http://tinyurl.com/225srt

Currentyly, my school does not allow student access to blogging. However, this past Thursday I spoke with my school's tech. administrator about blogging and she seemed optimistic about the possibility of students receiving this privilege soon. I am hoping this is the case!

Things I've done since May 11, 2009

I have:

• Started a blog on blogger.com
• Started a wiki on wikispaces.com
• Downloaded Skype on Skype.com
• Collaboratively created a podcast
• Designed and written a movie off of movie maker
• Learned what a webquest is and how to find resources to obtain one and make one
• Used flickr.com to upload photos and manipulate images for student assessment
• Set up a Blogline off of bloglines.com

Though, at this point I would still describe myself as an immigrant (into the world of "i"), I am beginning to feel a little more competent and confident in seeking ways to incorporate technology into my lessons and into student product.

The Eighth Adventure: Podcasting

No, this is not some sort of primitive tool and dye making adventure about snow pea pods and casting and molding. Podcasting has been on the scene for some time. And, one classroom application is that it is "students teaching students what they've learned," says Richardson. The essence is capturing audio-only clips of students, teachers, etc. and saving them to a blog or other website for later listening. Some sample ways to use podcasting are:

• podcasts of student artwork, explaining their piece
• podcasts of narrating science lab procedures, results, interpretations and conclusions
• podcasts of musical performances
• podcasts of new teacher orientation information
• podcasts of summative products (written turned oral narratives)
• podcasts of research and inquiry based learning results
• podcasts of annotated field notes on an outdoor lab day

I love story-telling! I am not remembering what it was called, but back in March on NPR, they had a science story hour every Tuesday night (I think it was Tuesday anyway). I love the concept of students telling digital audio stories, fact or fiction, that incorporate related core curriculum within the story.

Technology Tools in the Classroom: Webquests and Differentiation

Dear Lynda,

One common thread that has permeated your feedback on my teaching has been to incorporate and work on differentiation. Well, there certainly is no one way to do it; however, I have learned of another tool that could sure help me design lessons for GATES students and those who have IEP's and need a more structured and guided approach to a lesson and/or concept to master.

A webquest is an online guided lesson that walks students through a series of tasks, which culminates in some sort of project. Teachers can create a webquest using a tutorial and website links from: http://www.teachersfirst.com/summer/webquest/quest-a.shtml

Also, teachers can access pre-designed webquests, through a variety of content through the same link as above.

Generally, the webquest follows the this format:

1. A Mission: which describes the lesson activity and the culminating product for this lesson.
2. Resources: a list of all of the related websites that students will use for researching or information obtainment that will allow them to access the necessary resources to finish their product.
3. Evaluation: a rubric by which student products will be graded
4. Message for Teachers: the hints, notes and need to knows for teachers conducting the webquest.
5. Alternative Lesson Plans: alternate lessons that are indirectly related to the webquest that can serve as extensions for students or as alternatives.

Webquests usually involve more than one media type, such as: internet links, PowerPoint presentations, printouts, video and/or audio files and can range in depth of knowledge, content, and required time to complete the lesson.

Perhaps most intriguing about a webquest is that students are generally enthusiastic about participating in this type of interactive lesson. As educators, it is essential that students are motivated learners and working online and independently, on a topic of interest that they can have choice in the product makes their learning an engaging experience and curriculum rich. This helps support differentiation based on interests. Further, students learn how well the internet can support and contain great research materials. By providing students with varied readiness types of research needed, directly in the webquest, students can work at their own pace and at their own readiness level, which helps in the goal of differentiation as well.

I can definitely see the application of this unique lesson-type suiting GATES students who pass out of portions of units or entire units. I can also see how this guided inquiry could help students with IEP's participate in something more adequately suited for their readiness level.

Here is a sample, middle-school science webquest: i. http://www.powayusd.com/projects/MT&R/conflictyellowstonewolf.htm

"My Dad says. . ."

This is the first of a series of short films (A "Glad to be a Boy" production) that I hope to create that explores the preambles, joys, and challenges of being a boy and the wonderful charge and responsibility of becomming a man. This video is about my family, a mom and dad and three young boys. It is told from the perspective of my oldest son.

The "Knights" of the square table: Thoughts on "Adventure" (aka. Chapter) forth

Wikipedia contains the expertise of the learned, the experience of the aged, and the evolution of idea, both fact and fiction. In many regards, teachers, despite their warnings to students to avoid these "sources", find themselves at odds with students who cannot depart from these info-rich texts. However, the old addage, "if you can't beat them, join them" may be appropriate as teachers and students rethink the usage of this popular resource. What if, for example, wikipedia became more than a place to get information, but a place to add information? A place to divulge your experience and expertise? It is happening! And, according to Will Richardson, it should happen more often!

Often times, wiki pages that are devoted to a particular topic reveal the combined work of 10's, 100's or even 1,000's of editors. Why couldn't students be a part of creating a collective research paper. Further, students who are supposed to research a topic, have their work completed for them at wikipedia. Why reinvent the wheel? Yet, I do believe the skills necessary to do good research and critique poor research are invaluable; hence, we cannot do away with the benefit of pressing students to "reinvent the wheel," so to speak.

How about developing a classroom wiki? These can contain helpful review materials, podcasts of student work and thinking, relevant YouTube videos, book reviews, reflective essays, history, responses to teacher prompts or collaborative assignments.

I've just created a wiki page. The link is: http://www.wikispaces.com/user/my/christopherrairick
However, I set it as private. . .I'm not really sure what that means yet. I am also not sure what it is I've actually just done; however, if it something I do not need to master yet, I am good with working on it over time!

An alternate "adventure" about someone's kid

My reflection on this alternate adventure, in response to a blog found at: http://www.edutopia.org/ikid-digital-learner

My kid, your kid, but what is iKid? This much is true, this iChild , who may have less than 4 years of heartbeats, has a foreign language, where the old castle system is quickly fading in its ability to interpret. However, it is the native tongue in the new castle domain. Do you remember? The new castle is simply the new day and age where classrooms are wall-less, timeless informational incubators, where students learn about the world by having "a hand in creating it," says Josh McHugh from his blog. What is this language? I'm still decoding it myself, but it sounds like, "MySpace," "Blogging," "Wikis," and other social technologies.

iKid, in all reality, are those who will soon become ourLeaders, ourTeachers, ourCommunity and ourWorld. "Children, by actually creating their own learning environment, would retain far more knowledge than they would from ordinary teaching methods," explains McHugh's article. But, there is a dilemma. According to McHugh's blog, "A recent survey by CDW Corporation shows that teachers are more likely to use technology to ease the administrative requirements of K-12 education than to utilize it in instructional applications." Today's average teacher is ill-equipped for the task of having a class full of iKids who learn in iWays. Further, students within the classroom have a different mindset toward learning and their time. First, it is quite egocentric. Second, it must entertain. Third, it must contain multiple chunks, like a well-masticated swallow, which permits for quick and easy digestion. And fourth, and perhaps most essential, it must be connected to the internet. This is not an easy task on the part of teachers.
Therefore, some suggest that the only way to peel them away from other iRelated materials in hopes of capturing attention and interest, and therefore learning potential, is to join the iWorld and provide opportunities to contribute to this land of "i."

Resources teachers have used to enhance student participation in the iWorld:

1. DyKnow Vision
2. Moodle
3. BlogMeister
4. Bloglines
5. Edutopia

One response to McHugh's article reports, "Finland is ranked highest on international math/science high-school exams with Asian countries like Singapore, China, and Korea not far behind. If we want to prepare "iKids" for the global market (it will be in it's upcycle when they are adults) then implementing open source tools are a must. Educators need to "digitize" their classrooms so that our children can one day flourish in the sci/tech sectors." No doubt, digitization is essential; however, I have also read that Finland is ranked highest on their reading scores. Here is my point:

The iWorld, which is a part of the new castle (as I've defined) requires something that every other tool requires, namely literacy. Though many students can access the iWorld in productive ways, there is still the ever-important ingredient that supercedes the iWorld, in my book. Namely, a child needs to know the workings of the English language and develop literacy skills necessary to permit them into the realm of the iWorld with the necessary maturity and amour so as not to harm themselves or others. If responsibility readiness is underdeveloped and educators cave in to an iKid's interest readiness, it is a recipe for disaster.

Flickr Energy Transformation

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38371972@N06/sets/72157618014254987/

Grade: 8Set: KY-4-1Standard: SC-08-4.6.2.1 The Sun is the major source of energy for Earth. The water cycle, winds, ocean currents and growth of plants are affected by the Sun’s energy. Seasons result from variations in the amount of the Sun’s energy hitting Earth’s surface.;KY-4-1.SC-08-4.6 Science > describe or explain energy transfer and energy conservation;

On scrutinizing the master’s tool, the second “adventure”

As essential is the hammer and nail to the carpenter, so is the computer and a weblog to the teacher. If a carpenter can build a house, it is due to his skill with his tool. If a teacher can build a learning environment, it is due to his skill with his tool. This tool, so essential to the masters, and only to be found in the new castle types, is the weblog. Valiant Richardson echoes this sentiment, when he says that there is a trend that is moving curriculum toward a digital environment. Where paper once ruled, computers and weblogs are exacting this old castle practice.

The skills, such as reading, writing and thinking strategies are static, like Hammurabi’s code, which mustn’t be withdrawn from history past, present or future. However, blogging becomes the new context to bring these skills to bear. For instance, it is like giving a carpenter, bred upon hammer and nail, a set of power tools. The cuts, the nails, the buildings must still be made, but the tools by which one builds have transformed the carpenter’s capacity to work his trade. So too, teachers, given the technological tools found on today’s internet, can transform our capacity to work and cultivate the work and skills necessary for today’s kids and tomorrow’s future.

Take for instance, these 10 ideas, not Commandments, of how a blog can begin to push on the walls of the old castle:

• Promote anlytical and creative thinking
• Promote creative thinking
• Increases access and exposure to quality information
• A place to record: reflections, journals, writing prompts, student work, book club comments, student reactions
• Permits differentiation possibilities based on readiness and student interest
• Paperless, online filing of information, thoughts, ideas
• Collaboration with others (including peers, professionals, experts, and other interested individuals)
• Recording of meeting minutes, best practices, lesson plans
• School Websites
• Supports differentiated learning styles
• Corollate with standards that are common in language arts classes

"Weblogs expand the walls of your classroom," says Richardson. Indeed, I would take it further than Richardson and say that Weblogs break down the walls of the classroom by inviting you to a new seat, not for the elect of the roundtable, but, a seat among the histories that were, the histories that are, and the histories that will become.

Any faithful steward must pass this tool along to the next generation to wield and to protect.
~

The Teacher's Toolbox: Reflections on the first "Adventure"

Reader Note: ("Adventure" is synonymous to "Chapter")

Adventure #1: Regarding the tools of the trade, in which I, a miser of tools, but a master of none, seek to deconstruct an old castle to build a new one.

There is an old castle, which can be found in multitudes of every district and province. It is ruled by an old rule which lacks a deep rooted connection to reality and the ever-fluxing culture and educational needs of its inhabitants. This old castle characterizes most of our schools.

There is a new castle, yet to be built. For its builders are prisoners at the old, wherein they are conspiring to break free and break down the old to build the new. These new castles are not restrained by stoned walls and arched buttrices. Neither are these new castles confined to space and time. You may wonder then, how can one build this invisible and timeless bastion? This, too, was my question. I can collect tools; but, can I weild them like my master? It is the sword master, not the sword carrier, that is worthy of being a knight honored.

I want to help build this new castle. I want to help spur others toward the same task. To build, we need a foundation, a structure and a purpose. I contend, the foundation for any structure cannot be anything less than the Glory of God, Christ. For my master spoke to me, that in so resolving to keep Christ foundational to any structure, be it a profession, a family, a home, a school, a business or church, it cannot fall. So many structures, and castles, are worthy to fall, but I pray they are not those whose foundation is Christ. Why? How is this conceivable? Well, as my eloquent and estute master informed me, when there competes anything with the glory of Christ, this foundation can shake and fall. But, there will be no contender. There will be no other. For He, He cannot allow it. Such is the glory of the most Glorious. Further, the foundation supports the structure and the purpose. And, is it not true, that the structure which technology erects hangs by a thread which dangles like the spider, but from the hand of God, who holds all things tightly or loosely? It is true!

Technology is the tool. The new castle, the school for social, emotional, spiritual and mental growth, is being constructed with a new brick and a new mortar. Technology, so it seems, is both the tool and the wood on which it widdles. It's purpose? Human sanctification, knowledge acquisition, cultural collaboration, authentic contribution, democratic solution, global competition, and above all, Godly glorification.

These are some of the tools I have collected (and will in the next two weeks) and hope to use to help build a functional new castle:

• Weblog
• Wikis
• Movie Maker
• Podcast
• Search Engines

A new castle, however, brings new risks to her inhabitants. Safety, an illustrious ambition, must be pursued and set as a guard over the new castle peoples. But, are the commoners ready to battle for this commodity? But, if in pursuit of safety, the solution becomes a series of laws, though they may be as glorious as the Law, cannot, like the Law, transfer righteousness into the lives and hearts of the new castle. Rather, the law only serves to awaken opportunity and condemn us all in the end; though it can dissuade behavior, it cannot tame the heart. Technology brings great threat, but should we neglect this gift of glory because it can also be used as a weapon of wickedness? I think not! Thus, I must build this new castle!

Yet, I alone cannot build this castle. I mustn't be! And, indeed, it is an impossible feat! This new castle, which we already stated is not bound to place or time, demands the accepted responsibility of its district and her benefactors. Squires, masters, lords, sorcerers and magicians, like teachers, students, administrators, parents and tech specialists, we all must contribute, we all must take part, we all must seek to build a new castle. Yes, the time has come, my master has called. Onward, weak Rocinante! The adventure continues!

What do I do when I research?

The task to research is like the task to stockpile your saddlebags before setting out on a new adventure. Researching is the harvest before the feast. Yet, how does one manage such a task? I begin by narrowing a focus and perhaps some related strands of information that I would like to research for a specific task. If possible, I first go to the library and seek books and/or primary resources that I think would relate or help give me information toward my task. Then, I will utilize the web--the ocean of information, most of which is unchartered.

Technology Autobiography

Here is my short story about technology. In an attempt to keep this autobiography free from fiction, I may have to sacrifice pride for honesty. And, yet, there is honor in honesty, even if it bring a man low, according to my valiant Lord. In true tale, technology is more an elusive liviathan than a tamed cat. It is a beast I have yet to slay. It is a peak I have yet to crest. It is a wild mare who bears no bit. Technology is the great land for courageous lords, brave knights, and self- controlled maidens, not for squires, such as I. But, alas, it is my duty. Bring me a sword. Toss me some boots. Hand me a bit. Grant me a map. Adventures are ahead.

I cannot say that technology was a part of my family growing up. It was my friends and schools who harbored this gadgetry. As a teacher, I now have 3 computers in my room and three computer labs, one of which is a portable lab. Today's pen has turned into a less civilized and artistically lame keyboard. Nevertheless, this pen can craft Rembrandt's, even if you are a lowly Rairick. It is precisely for this purpose that technology be integrated into the classroom. In an attempt to level the educational playing field and promote educational equity, computers are an essential tool for today's learners. Although I feel a great sacrifice has been made in downplaying the role of book, pen and paper, I do feel that computer literacy is an essential 21st century tool.

Here are some of the benefits I have experienced from using and observing students using technology:

• Quick access to facts
• Willingness to write
• Decrease in fear of spelling incorrectly
• Visual world
• Access to research
• Interpersonal communication
• Content obtainment
• Content connections

Though there are many more benefits, and cautions, computers stand as a unique world-wide revolutionary resource. Homes, districts, states and nations have transformed in positive and negative ways thanks to computer. As with any great tool, it can leave a wake of construction and destruction. I've seen and experienced both. Nevertheless, computers belong in the classroom as much as the students themselves. They become the essential ingredients for learning.

Thus, as I revert back to my humble position as a mere squire, and nothing more, I can't but hope that some 'Insula, perhaps called Technology, shall become my inheritance in due time. Now, where is donkey, that great beast of burden? My Liege has beckoned me!