Review of Three Blogs
                                                       First Blog:

The first blog that I reviewed was by Stephen Anderson. The blog was called Blogging About the Web 2.0 Connected Classroom . I found this blog to be interesting and useful, as the emphasis seemed to be on effective ways to organize information. For example, as the author in the blog states, it is very frustrating when you mark something as a favorite only to see it get deleted. When the favorite gets deleted (as is the case with twitter), the post is gone and there is no longer any way to retrieve it. However, thanks to a program like evernote, the post will always be there. Even though this does raise a concern in regards to digital footprinting, the program seems to be very useful. The author mentions other ways to organize data such "weather recipies" and "ways to track fitness goals". Although I am not familiar with these tracking tools, I think they will be enormously beneficial to the person who needs to use them to meet their different goals. As a result, I found this blog to be very practical and enjoyed reading the fact that there exists such tools to monitor one's activities.         

Second Blog:
The second blog I reviewed was written by Sandy Kendell. The name of the blog was So I'm Talking MOOC. This blog discussed a conference that was held for people interested about learning K-12 online instruction. What I liked about this blog is the author went into great detail discussing the advantages and possible disadvantages of this conference. The fact that the conference had both a course syllabus and interactive video lectures shows that it really made an effort to connect to its audience. Also, the fact that the conference offered an option of its audience receiving a verified certificate also seemed to show the dedication of the presenters. One detail that I thought was very significant about the certificate was that the attendees had to take quizzes which seemed to be rather challenging. What made the blog very interesting was that the author also focused on the disadvantages of the conferences. Thus, making it clear to the audience that she was not just "selling the conference." She alluded to the fact that the conference has many participants and this might cause a problem to people who are not use to such a big audience. Overall, I thought the blog was well done; it was enjoyable and the author seemed to give a good analysis of the conference.


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Third Blog:

The third blog I reviewed was entitled Road Warrior Router by Kathy Schrock. Although I found the author to have a passionate tone in this blog, I did not enjoy it that much for a couple of reasons. The first reason is it seemed to me to be more of a sales pitch. When I read a blog, I want to get the author's real feelings about an issue or fact. It is very possible that she really enjoys the product she wrote about. However, when we read about the cost of the product or how is it is to use, it is very easy to become skeptical about whether she really likes the product or whether she is getting commission if she is able to advertise the product well on her blog. The second reason that I did not really care for this blog is because the details were very technical; they did not seem to make much sense unless one was familiar with the technical jargon that the author was using. Once again, I thought the blog was well written, but perhaps, I am not a suitable representative for the target audience it was meant for.

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Questions for Thought:
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1. Compare and Contrast each documentary. What was similar or different from the first one Digital Nation filmed in 2010 to Generation Like filmed in 2012?  
In the video Digital Nation, we seem to be given a sense of optimism about what technology can do for us. We are given the story of how a woman was able to come out of retirement to conduct her own online cooking show; we are also given explanations on how technology can help military personnel improve their efficiency by being given simulations of opposing military forces and civilians and being instructed to shoot down those militants and not civilians. Thus, the simulations are used as target practices. The video Generation Like seems to offer more skepticisms about technology as they address issues such as digital footprinting. Thus, for example, at the beginning of the video, we see a famous actor being amazed but also startled by how much information is about him on the internet. In my perspective, the two videos give the message that technology is a wonderful tool to have at one's disposal. However, as we become more aware of how to use technology, we become aware of the potential hazards it can cause for us, as reflected in the second video.
2. Your thoughts on multitasking. Do you agree? Can you multitask? Do you disagree with the video on the topic of multitasking? What do you think our students think about multitasking today?
I think it is important to be able to multitask. However, I agree with the doctor in the video Digital Nation that our brains are perhaps being given more stimulation than we can handle through our use of technology. This is especially the case for children whose brains are not fully developed. For example, as children become engaged in tasks such as text messaging, going on the internet, and listening to other people talking at the same time, their cognitive abilities may become strained and this can have a negative effect on their emotions (as they can become restless) and their ability to learn and function well in a community. Thus, I think learning how to multitask is important but should be done in moderation, as it can have negative effects on individuals.

3. Is there an addiction happening in society today with technology or is it just a new way of living? Should we be concerned?

I think like the message given in Generation Like we should be concerned about the way technology dominates our life. Even though it is normal for us to search new issues on the internet and use e-mail as a form of communication, it becomes scary when we get to the point where we will be lost without our I phone or computer. By becoming too dependent on these devices, we may lose skills that are important. For instance, when we use word document, we are so use to word making corrections for us that we are not concerned as much about how to remember to spell a word. As a result, even though technology makes life easier for us in many ways, we, at the same time, lose valuable skills that we once had because we do not think of them as important anymore.


4. Do video games serve a purpose in education or are they a waste of time?

I think video games serve a purpose in education so long as they have an educational goal or purpose in them. For instance, a video game that just seeks to entertain students will be a waste of time. However, if the video game calls for students to think critically about an issue or problem, then the game will have a place in education. However, the teacher administering the video game should be sure that the video game not only has an educational goal but that that goal is in line with the objectives that he or she set out for his or her course.

5. How did what you watched in the two videos support your feelings about technology or how did it change your views?

I think the two videos Digital Nation and Generation Like confirmed many of the feelings I had about technology. I think the video Digital Nation helped me understand how technology can be used as a therapeutic tool; this is something that I have not given too much thought to. Both videos gave a well balanced account of the benefits and potential hazards of technology. Since the video Generation Like is more recent, it seemed to me to focus a little more on the hazards of technology. Although I was aware of some of the hazards, this video made me think a little more deeply about them.


6. Are kids and adults today ruining their digital footprints by sharing too much information online without realizing that it may be detrimental to their future? Should they care? Are they focused on too much of what others think?

I think people need to be prudent about what they put on the internet and should give extra thought about whether they want someone else to see or know about a personal fact about them. So, I think they should care if the detail is personal, like credit card information or deep feeling they have for an organization or for themselves. However, at the same time, it is not beneficial to become too paranoid when using technology. For instance, if someone wants to celebrate the fact that he or she won a contest or a game and wants to put it on facebook, I do not see anything wrong with that.

7. What do you feel are the dangers of technology use? Are there any?

I think sharing too much information, bullying, and plagiarism are significant issues that one encounters using technology. However, those same concerns can be found where technology is not used. Therefore, I do not think the problem is technology; technology is simply a tool.  Giving classes like digital citizenship to students can help students become good community citizens of the internet and can help people in the future exploit the advantages of the internet more effectively.



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Overall Final Reflection:
Please add anything else you feel would explain your views about the videos and how they relate to educational technology or your personal lives.
What was your favorite part of either video? Why? Most interesting?

My favorite part of the videos was the woman who was able to engage in an online cooking class. This shows how technology can benefit people of all walks of life. The most interesting part of the video for me was when the doctor talked about the effects that technology can have on the brain.

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                                                            Digital Citizenship

                                       

                                        

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Through classroom readings and discussions, I have come to the realization that digital citizenship is a broad category which covers a wide array of ethical issues that are similar to responsibilites and expectation that we are expected to follow and make in other aspects of our dailylife. The article Seventeen Topics to Teach K-8 About Digital Citizenship reviews  not only some of the responsibilities, but also some of the hazards that we can encounter using the internet. Although I was aware of issues such as "plagiarism" and "stranger danger, I was not aware of other issues such as "cyberbullying" and "digital footprints" which can cause problems to internet users of all ages. As a result, articles such as Media and Digital Literacy: Resources for Parents are important because their focus is on how to help parents protect their children from internet hazards. Children are the most vulnereable population of internet users who can succumb to its hazards because they are not as experienced as adults are in dealing with dangerous situations.
    The article Media and Digital Literacy: Resources for Parents provide useful tips for parents on how to monitor their children's internet usage. I especially like the idea of parents and children using the internet together. This not only gives parents to find out what their children are interested in, but also provides bonding time between children and parents. If children encounter something strange or unusual on the internet, they are more likely to share what they encountered with their parents if they are use to sharing the internet. Thus, allowing parents to investigate and deal with a potential internet hazard such as cyberbullying. Another important idea stated in this article is that everything on the internet can become public. By explaining the possibiliy of "digital footprinting" to their children, parents will help their children realize the possible hazards of sharing too much information about themselves on the internet. As a result, children might think twice about sharing a possibly embarrassing photo or piece of information about themselves on the internet.
     However, it is not only important to teach children and students about the hazards of using the internet. It is equally important to teach them about the benefits. After all the internet is a wonderful piece of technology that has potential benefits for its users. It would be a shame to prevent children or students from using it just because of potential dangers involved in using it. Frotunately, the internet can be used as a tool to help model good behavior practices for both children and students. A useful article entitled Why Teach Digital Citizenship? offers guidelines to children and  students on how to practice digital citizenship. By being taught virtues such as not to commit plagiarism on a blog and to proofread what one writes in an e-mail, parents and teachers can help their children and students become positive role models and make issues such as "cyberbullying" become less of a threat to internet users.
     To control potential hazards of the internet, teachers as well as parents need to act as role models for children. In the article Why Teachers Need Digital Citizenship , the author discusses the importance of teachers to make an effort to know as much about the internet as possible. By understanding how important the internet can have in students' daily lives, teachers will be able to take action against some of the negative parts of the internet. For example, teachers can show websites to students that are educational, entertaining, and harmless. By exposing students to such websites, the teacher can help prevent students from going to websites which might be hazardous to students.
     In conclusion, parents and teachers can work together to help prevent children from being exposed to internet hazards. The internet is an amazing tool that can be entertaining and educational to students. As mentioned above, it can offer potential hazards to students. However, by giving students an idea of the importance of digitial citizenship, students can not only learn appropriate behavior skills on how to be a good internet user, but they can also learn the potential hazards of it. Once they become aware of its hazards, they can take appropriate steps to resolve any problems they may encounter.     
      
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Webquest (Part Two)

I would like to do my webquest on the American Revolution for high school students. I found a helpful webquest on the american revolution for eigth grade students. Although this webquest is aimed for middle school students, I have gotten a few good ideas from it. I enjoy the way the presenter of the webquest incorporated activities which engage students in "higher order thinking." By giving students the opportunity to write an editorial, the teacher is increasing student motivation and critical thinking skills. I would like to use an approach similar to this one. However, I will focus more on the justice of the war, whether the colonist were correct in opposing taxation, and I may focus more on speech/debate skills.

Review of Webinar Blog (Part One)

   
The webinar Socializing with our students.....sort of was interesting because it discussed a social media website called Eduardo which gives students the benefits of facebook with an educational slant. The reviewer of this webinar stated that the website was very easy to use and gave students/teachers the opportunity to belong to an educational community since there were already participants of the website who were already engaged with producing various types of teaching tools (such as quizzes).

                                   

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The webinar continued by talking about different social media website and all of these seemed to be very valuable websites to use with students. Perhaps, the most important part of the webinar review for me was a reminder from the teacher not to get frustrated if things do not work out and to always be as prepared as much as possible when trying out a new piece of technology.





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 This advice is very useful to me as I could easily see myself trying something new in regards to technology in class, only to realize that I did not fully understand how to use it. I think the reviewer and lecturer did an effective job listing various resources which I will like to try to use in future classes.




    The next webinar I reviewed was   The Essentials of Neuroscience in Student Learning. This webinar was very interesting to me because the lecturer and reviewer showed how important it is for students and teachers to feel in control of the technology they are using. Oftentimes, we get so carried away by looking at a new piece of technology and do not realize how much more effective that technology can be for us if we are able to look at ways in which it could benefit us. That is why I think the discussion regarding long term versus short term learning was so important in this webinar. If students can see that something that they learn will have a long term benefit for them, they will be more motivated to learn about it. Therefore, the lecturer did a very effective job in focusing on long term benefit because students can see how a technological learning tool can be both useful and productive for them.

                                     
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The webinar Technology to Improve, Promote Technology, and Streamline the Educational Process partly resembled the webinar that I reviewed. The reviewer of this webinar informed us that the presenter in the webinar focused on promoting a conducive learning environment with the goal of helping students becoming more efficient learners. As a result, he focused on such topics as stressing the importance of cooperative learning, encouraging students to personalize their learning objectives, making students and teachers aware of how resources can facilitate both the learning and teaching process, and emphasizing the importance of using guides, such as rubistars. I think the reviewer did a very effective job in relating these topics to his own personal experiences, and from that perspective, the webinar was effective, as the topics seem to be relevant to the presenter's audience. Also, the topics generate interest. For instance, the topic of cooperative learning is explored in such education articles as Advantages of Cooperative Learning, while the topic of personalized objectives is discussed in articles such as Setting Their Own Learning. The presenter's view about promoting an educational environment conducive to learning is reasonable as he stresses the importance of students working together in groups and developing interest in what they are actually studying. The presenter talks about the importance of technology for both teachers and students. In fact, one of the most important parts of the webinar review for me was when the topic of rubistars was introduced, as this is an important assessment tool for teachers. Furthermore, the author makes an effective point of stating that teachers can benefit from resources as well as students. The point the author and the presenter seem to be stressing is that students and teachers should not be hesitant to look for resources, as resources can really help them achieve their objectives.
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Apart from mentioning blogs and stating the importance of technology, I would have liked to have seen the presenter explore the technological aspect more in depth. He talked about rubistars, which is an important website for teahcers. However, I would have liked to have seen a more detailed analysis of particular websites and apparatuses that can be used to enhance education. In conclusion, I enjoyed reading about this webinar because I think it focused on important philosophical issues regarding education, which is both interesting and useful. Yet, I think the presenter could have explored more specific aspects of education in depth. Therefore, the webinar was partly useful to me.

Webinar Review

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                                                                  Overview


       
  I chose to review the webinar Technology Integration to Meet the Needs of the Common Core by Andrew Miller, who has experience working as a technology expert and consultant in school districts.In the webinar, Miller talks about technology standards that the authors of the common core have established for schools and how teachers can implement those standards in their classrooms. Throughout the webimar, Miller interacts with his audience by asking them questions such as how they feel about using technology, how much time they think they should devote to technology, and whether they think their children know more about technology than they do. He asks these questions not only to assess his audience, but also to understand their current teaching situation with the goal of helping them find solutions to issues they may have with implementing technology in their classrooms. Therefore, the webinar contains both philosophical explanations (understanding the relationship between common core standards and technology) and practical applications (actually using technology in classrooms) for its audience. M
iller is a strong advocate for using technology in the classroom. However, he does not necessarily believe that technology should be used all the time. Like the authors of the common core, he believes that teachers should use their discretion in deciding under what circumstances technology should be used in the classroom. Thus, Miller does not think it is necessary, or even desirable, for teachers to always conduct classes as seen in the picture below.



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          Miller does see benefits for both students and
          teachers in using technology in the classroom. When citing the common core standards, he emphasizes some key words used in those standards when analyzing the importance of students becoming familiar and comfortable when using technology for academic purposes. Technology helps students to find multiple resources on a topic and allows them to compare and contrast those resources in order to find the most important ones for a topic or subject matter that they are researching. As a result, students learn how to investigate. A similar point is raised in the article Exactly What The Common Core Standards Say About Technology. In this article, the author states that by using technology, students make complicated decisions about ways in which to use technology for research projects. The teachers also take a more "active" role in their classrooms. Miller says before technology became a prominent part of the classroom teachers were more like consumers of knowledge-following lessons from textbooks, etc. However, technology has forced them into the role of producers of knowlege-they create their own lessons as they have more resources at theur disposal.
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   Miller also goes on to emphasize that integrating technology in the classroom is every teacher's
responsibility and not just the responsibility of the technology experts in the various schools. Teachers should thus work colloboratively in trying to find ways to implement technology in their classrooms. Another important point that Miller discusses is about diagnosing students in order to undertsand their technology skills. Even though students may understand how to play video games or downsload music on their i-phones, it does not necessarily mean that they know everything there is to know about technology in a school environment. Teachers need to diagnose their students to see what their technology skill level is instead of making assumptions about their skills. Miller talks about rubrics as efficeint ways to assess students' abilities. After assessing their abilties, teachers can have a better understanding of how much technology they should use in the classroom and develop reasonable expectations on how well students will perform on projects that require the use of technology. Miller concludes his webinar by explaining how formative assessment and collaborative learning can be enhanced with technology. Since formative assessment is done on a short term basis, teachers can come up with innovative and creative ways to assess their students and to teach them while they are being assessed, Technology tools, such as google docs, can help students learn collaboratively, as they can interact with each other on a project even if they are not in the classroom.
                                           
                                                              
                                                                Connection
    
            Although I am currently not a teacher, I, as a student, can relate to many ideas and explanations that Miller gave in his webinar. If I were a teacher, I would use technology but only on occassions when it will enhance student learning. Thus, I wouldn't use technology just for the sake of using technology. The article Technology and the Common Core shows reasons and circumstances under which technology should be used. I think learning how to use technology for looking up resources is an indispensible tool, and if I am teaching, I would like to teach students how to conduct searches for articles using the internet. Technology is  also so useful for conducting presentations. Oftentimes, when we listen to a lecture, we can get distracted and not pay attention to some of the main points that are being presented to us. However, tools like prezi and powerpoints can help us keep track of those main points, as we have the opportunity to use more learning skills, visual as opposed to just auditory skills. As a future teacher, I would like my students to not only use but develop more learning skills. Therefore, I would like to use those tools. In addition, I would like to use collaborative learning tools, such as google docs, so students can work with each other even if they are not in class together.  The article Technology Permeates Common Core Standards supports the view of the importance of technology in the classroom.
                                                              
                                                               Reflection    
      This webinar was very useful to me. I think the most important thing I learned in this webinar is that all students come to the classroom with different experiences in technology. I was under the assumption that school children probably do not need much education in technology because they are so skilled at using i-phones, video games, etc. However, I realized from the webinar that I was very wrong about this. As a result, I learned how valuable diagnostic can be.Using diagnostics and rubrics can help teachers understand those different backgrounds and will be very helpful for teachers to decide what they want to teach. I also learned from this webinar that it is important to give reasons for using technology. After listening to this webinar, I will be sure to assess students on their technology skills prior to teaching them new skills. I will be sure to use a rubric to evaluate them in order to categorize their different skill levels. As Miller says, all the common standards have verbs and it is important to associate the verb with the purpose for doing or using something in a lesson. This is another valuable point that I learned in this webinar and one that I will pay attention to in my future teaching practices. I will be sure to pay attention to the verbs of every standard I am trying to adhere to and be sure that students are being trained on the particular skill associated with that verb.  I thought this webinar was very effective and well done. The presenter gave a power point presentation to go along with the webinar, and as a result, the lecture was easy to follow.  I think webinars are very important because the presenter interacts with his or her audience over particular issues. It is good to listen to a lecture, or read a book, about a particular topic, but when it comes to a topic such as teaching, it is best to hear from not only the presenter but also from audience members in order to hear issues that they are dealing with (most likely these issues will be similar to ones we have to deal with). Since the webinar is conducted through the internet, one can hear different perspectives from all over the country as well as over the world; thus, issues will not be limited by geographical concerns. I chose this webinar because I wanted to understand the relationship between technology integration and the common core, as these are two areas that many people have recently focused on.
                                                 Course Learning Objectives
    This webinar relates to the standards set out in learning objective number four because the presenters goal in this webinar is to explain and clarify misconceptions between the relationship of technology and the common core. He does this effectively by going over the verbs used in each standard of the common core and shows how technology integration can help educators meet that objective. He also is very clear in stating that the common core does give teachers discretion on when they should use technology. The webinar also helps with meeting learning outcome number one by showing various forms of assessment, including diagnostic, formative, and summative. The presenter goes over rubrics and emphasizes the importance of not making assumptions about students' technology skills. He makes strong arguments for this as well.