Google Docs and Digital Tools

     I was first introduced to Google Docs at the middle school where I was employed from 2009-2013. At the time, it was a requirement and the administration offered various "workshops" and encouraged teachers to incorporate the tool into classes. I didn't do a lot with the tool, however, as this was middle school and access to a personal computer or tablet was limited. I have found out, more recently, however, that this is a great tool for promoting collaboration among writers, security against system "crashes" and transient issues with technology.
    In the past, I have tried to incorporate collaboration into the classroom daily. Writing was no exception. I have tried to facilitate group writing the old-fashioned way, only to find it highly unsuccessful. Google Docs was the answer to that since students could co-author the same work through technology. This tool is a safe place for students to share their ideas, collaboratively work on a document and edit that document.
    Google Docs also offers the security of saving work in "the cloud". Rather than have students complaining about the file that was saved to their grandmother's computer, this is a place that can store it all. I can recall emailing myself every document I authored or created while in undergraduate school. I was so proud of how I could work on the document, revise, refine it from any location. This would have been helpful.
     In response to the article, " The Impact of Paperless Grading", by Houston, I must say that I have recently made efforts to create a paperless classroom. Our school does not have subscriptions to GradeMark or Turnitin, but I would be eager to try these if they were available. We do, however, use digital tools such as Edmodo, a site resembling Facebook with an educational twist, and Dropbox. Both tools offer students and instructors a way to digitally turn in and organize work. I typically allow students to email their work to me as an attachment and I use the "Track Changes" and "comment" tools from Microsoft Word to offer feedback. This has been more beneficial than the traditional method of turning in work.

   Overall, Digital tools enhance the classroom, particularly the writing classroom. By fostering collaboration through tools like Google Docs, and offering a secure deposit site, students are held accountable, instructors are more organized, and education moves with the future. One issue concerning digital tools and its impact on writing, however, is the issue of plagiarism. This issue requires dutiful attention from instructors and integrity of students. I work around this issue in my classroom by also implementing traditional writing on paper to familiarize myself with the student's writing ability. And of course, when a submission raises suspicion, it is easy to research it. In my class, it is often found at Spark Notes.

Archives and Research

     I have to be honest, yet again. I was overwhelmed with the materials for this week. There was just so much! One of the archives presented that I can envision using in my classroom  would be the videos from Civil Defense that help explain a different time, a time of fear and  for example, the Cold War.  In my classroom today, students finished reading a novel that focuses on the inferiority of women in the Afghan culture, and are currently reading "A Jury of her Peers" by Susan Glaspell, "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin and other female empowerment stories. The Rural Civil Defense resource has a great resource on the " issue of female employment" that would generate discussion over gender roles in the classroom. The video shared above is from Youtube, but is also a classic sexist propaganda piece that would generate debate about a woman's role in the workplace, society and the home.

     Other issues from this week that I would like to comment on include the issue of laptop usage. I commented on that topic previously, but I continue to debate this daily, often with a varying perspective.Though some instructors feel that laptops hinder the learning experience, others feel that it is vital.  In my experience, I have seen instructors misuse, overuse and under use the resource of technology. Teachers who use laptops as babysitters exist. Teachers who cannot relinquish any control over their classrooms, and fear the laptop because it is not their lecture that is the focus exist as well. Just like with any tool, I feel strongly that a balance can be achieved. If instructors design their course with technology in mind, and consider how this access can help them cover more content and do so more deeply, then a successful experience with technology is possible. At first I agreed with research cited in the article by Carrie Fried, that "Human Attention and capacity to process information is selective and limited" ( Kaheman, 1973, Posnur,1982). Then it dawned on me that this research was older than me. And though I do feel overwhelmed with info at times, I know that in this age, we just have to learn to process it differently, quicker and adapt to the medium of the time. I overwhelmed, excited and fearful for the processing needs of my four-year old daughter. There are no words.
   

Flip the Switch

     This week we have explored the concept of social bookmarking. I reviewed the tool, Inoreader, and found that this would be a useful tool for the classroom and as well as personally. My understanding of the tool is that it is a "Pinterest" of online reading materials. For current events, a subscriber to this site can find articles, not websites or advertisements, on a specific topic. I did not find it helpful for historical topics, but that could mean that I need to further explore the tool. Most of the texts that students read in class can be related to some current event. Using this tool could eliminate the unnecessary browsing through ads, blogs or content that might not be recommended for sources in a formal paper. If an instructor wants students to go directly to articles, this would be the perfect tool. However, it seems most applicable to current events.
   In response to the ban on laptops, I agree and disagree. I love the idea of the "kill switch". There are times that I feel it is a hindrance or a distraction for students to have access to social media, Google and the internet during a discussion or a lecture. As a public school teacher, I am encouraged to lecture as seldom as possible, so discussions would be my greatest issue. I do not want students to "sparknote" the answer to a question during a whole group discussion. I want to know how they think, what their analysis of a work or character is, and what they think will happen next. Being able to just temporarily suspend the internet connection would provide opportunity for these rich discussions with real and honest thought and response. Within minutes, however, I may have them use the web to find analysis of the same thing from others and compare and contrast these perspectives.
   In regards to my disagreement with this article, I do not feel that removal of the laptop is the answer. Removal would limit access for those who may only have the access on the school grounds or through school programs. The laptop should be accessible at all times, but there may be times when internet access should be suspended or limited. For example, I often use Edmodo for projects, discussion boards, etc with my high school students. I would like to be able to "lock " them to just one particular site or place at a time. This will ensure focus on the particular task at hand and limit distractions. For some students, the internet is too tempting. I can relate. Sometimes it is too easy to lose focus and check your bank account or shop or use social media. The multitasking that comes from the web is it not always beneficial. Students do need to understand how to find information in a book as classmate.Dena Fulton points out. The internet and laptops should be a supplementary tool but should be accessible often enough to keep students savvy and familiar with new and upcoming tools

Week Four Readings

This week has been the most challenging for me. I haven't dealt with a wiki until now other than posting discussions to wikis that were already creating for the purpose of professional development. Additionally, that experience has been over five years ago.
    The topic of Wikipedia as a source has evolved since I was first introduced to the topic. Most of my students and myself were under the impression, and had been instructed to never use Wikipedia as a source. Even though I didn't share this with my students, I have found myself visiting Wikipedia for the minimal purpose of having a starting place, looking to the sources it cited, and double-checking the information that way. Though there are some limitations to Wikipedia, there are also advantages.
    When teaching middle school social students, I became frustrated with the outdated information in the textbook. Though I wasn't a " textbook only" teacher, it was new content to me and that's where I started. In certain parts of the world, history was changing and evolving in real time. Wikipedia accounts for this. Information on Wikipedia can be updated in real-time. What an advantage that did not exist when looking only to textbooks, printed every decade or so, for historical news. Wikipedia is reflective of our current world: constant change.
     One reading this week, "Wikiality in my Classroom" was a great article that related both sides of the Wiki debate. Just like so many tools emerging in society today, proper application, balance of use, and well-trained instructors and professionals will make the difference. This reminds me of the first week discussing Bill Gates and the reflection that you can't just give a kid a laptop. As educators, we can't just tell them to "google it". Knowledge of credible sources, knowledge and experience with comparing sources, definitely allows a place for Wikipedia. It also utilizes the critical thinking and inferential skills that students need to develop. Look at this, look at that, apply what you already know, make a conclusion.
    It is also important to note that textbooks haven't always told the truth. I remember reading in my previous graduate program, "Lies my History Teacher told me" by James Loewen. This book helped me realize that history in itself is a matter of perspective. Consider the American Indians and how they were depicted in textbooks, stories and elementary school lessons even when I was in Elementary School in the 1980s.
  Wikipedia is a tool that can be modified, updated in real-time. Students need to be able to critique sources, compile sources, apply their own knowledge and experience and make conclusions. Online research is an appropriate tool for that. The stereotypes surrounding Wikipedia reflect the lack of knowledge and instruction that educators receive. It is not, however, useful if the researcher ( student) doesn't have the ability to infer, judge, compare and evaluate.
 One one last note: Colbert's test of Wikipedia, the information concerning elephants, is an extreme example. If other sources contradicted this, one could assume that false or misleading information had been used. In fact, Colbert's whole analysis of Wikipedia is extreme. I conclude that most of the information on Wikipedia is usable, but like any other source, I would continue to research it, compare and contrast it with other credible sources.

Week Three Readings

I am excited about the positive outlooks concerning Twitter and other social media. It seems like we often hear the negativity of these media tools, how they take time from our families and the marvels of folks scrolling, tweeting, and facebooking on their mobile phone constantly, avoiding traditional human contact. Most of the readings this week supported the idea that social media can foster future "real" relationships, break the ice, and set up conversations that might have otherwise never taken place. I agree with the idea that social media keeps us close without being too close, a sense of knowing each other while continuing with our own daily busy lives. I can think of several current friends that grew from Facebook acquaintance status. Simple conversations, liking a picture or a comment can set up easy conversations that develop naturally. It truly provides a sense of "we are all here together". Growing up and living in a small town, I should be used to all knowing all, but social media has made this even more real.

    Prior to this week, I had a twitter account. I did this solely for school, as it was a requirement during a professional development, yet anything beyond having an account never came to fruition. I never learned how to navigate twitter. I am going to try again. Several of my students are following me. They are going to get bored! On the other hand, I am excited about implementing a Twitter project in the classroom with an upcoming novel. I learned of the idea from the week's reading of specific classroom implementations. Students will assume a character  role and will tweet accordingly through the progression of the novel, with all students following and being followed by their classmates. What a real, authentic way to engage students in the reading long after class hours! I am taking a gamble on this project that hopefully will be a small one. Until recently, my district has kept a policy on the books that any social media connection between teachers and students was forbidden. A committee is now in place to revisit these policies. My students are extremely excited about using this tool in the classroom.
   The document concerning teens and their online privacy needs was an interesting read. I found it reassuring that most students do not feel that online access makes them more vulnerable to bullying. My inference is that even though online bullying may occur and it may seem a safe place for a weak bully to intimidate another, it is traceable unlike the traditional bullying that was " he said, she said". It was surprising to me as well, that Facebook was the most popular social media. I hear many students commenting about Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr. It seems that our youth is accepting the social media world and has a more positive outlook regarding this tool. It can be used positively and they get this. Hopefully, the old folks will catch up to the positive perspective.

Blogs in the Classroom

     After reading Dr. Tryon's article, "Writing and Citizenship", I felt silly that I have been previously enthusiastic over character analysis papers and argumentative essays in which only the teacher or perhaps a peer will read. Currently, my students are writing argumentatively over the issue of capital punishment. This topic is a prevalent theme in a novel we recently read in class. It occurred to me how much greater the ownership may have been if I had prompted students to blog about these issues, under a pseudonym, or not, giving them the freedom to share their argument beyond the teacher's red pen and perhaps in a place where there is great concern and interest over this topic. As the article suggests, students may become more interested in current events, political concerns and matters of the citizen, if their voices were shared publicly. The ability to have others, maybe even the public, critique your argument would prompt students to strengthen their positions, further their research and to go beyond the requirements of the classroom and traditional expectations. This is writing that matters and causes students to become a part of their world, rather than watching from the outside. I cannot clear my mind of my own students who know little of politics besides what they hear their parents say. Many of them have not traveled beyond the borders of their rural county or region. What a great way to introduce them to a new world of thought!! This is certainly going to impact my classroom and the binder full of plans I have for this year.  I have always thought that students should help design their course, as we get new students, new learners each semester. This article supports what I already knew but wasn't sure where to start or who may look at me critically from the powers that be. We will see.

Response to Week Two Readings

     In response to "Why Heather can Write", I found myself wanting to know more about fan fiction and how this might look in my own classroom. I found myself wondering how my colleagues would respond to this as well. Was this literature? How truly creative was this? How does fan fiction apply to other novel series besides Harry Potter? Could this be adapted for classrooms that embrace the classics? Perhaps students could write original narratives that convey similar themes. I agree with the author that digital literacy is important for our students and that it often what engages many of them who would otherwise be disengaged. This is a great example of students learning by doing. It is okay to be in the drafting process. It is a community of support and extensive scaffolding for those who need it. Critics, however, may claim that students are less than original. Yet, we all learn by watching, then doing and eventually we make something of our own.