Chapter 12 Review

1. What is educational technology literacy? Why is it important for educators?
Educational technology literacy is the ability for educators to apply the technologies they acquire to enrich their teaching and to enhance their students’ learning. It is an essential skill that must be continually updated. Educators must understand and accept required educational technology literacy expectations and plan to meet these increasing professional requirements.

2. What impact does NCLB have on educational technology standards?
The No Child Left Behind Act mandates student technology literacy requirements and has created a series of actions steps for states, districts, and schools to use to evaluate their use of technology in improving student achievement. In response to NCLB, states have developed technology standards for students, as well as associated technology standards for teachers and have included these within their certification and licensing requirements.

3. What is certification? What role does technology literacy play in certification and licensure?
All states license or certify teachers to be employed as educators with the requirements set by each state’s Department of Education. Teachers must fulfill certain requirements including specific technology requirements usually through an undergraduate course in education technology. Teachers who graduated before specific technology requirements can take courses in educational technology for certificate renewal. National certification has no directly stated technology requirements other than diversity of teaching methodology.

4. What is the difference between state and national certification? How is technology literacy incorporated in each?
State licensing or certification is required by each state with specific technology requirements usually through an undergraduate course in education technology. National certification is a voluntary system to improve teaching and learning by encouraging teachers to become nationally certified by demonstrating achievement of rigorous high standards, although there are no directly stated technology requirements other than diversity of teaching methodology.

5. How and for what purpose did ISTE establish NETS? What standards are currently in place?
In 1998 ISTE prepared and released “Technology Foundation Standards for Students” from its NETS project initiated to create a series of national standards that could be used to facilitate the use of educational technology by students, teachers, and administrators to promote school improvement. Student achievement in specific technological areas target categories teachers can use as guidelines for planning technology-based activities for student proficiency in learning, communication, and life skills.

6. How have states used NETS for furthering the advancement of educational technology?
Many states adopting NETS standards also utilize NETS for strategic planning for technology. Goals include student access to appropriate technologies, teachers skilled in the uses of technology, and ongoing professional development for teachers. Districts use NETS to make decisions about technology acquisition and implementation, as well as designating certification requirements to identify student technology competencies within the curriculum and inclusion of mandates within a strategic plan. ISTE NETS is often at the core of state solutions to achieving technology literacy.

7. What is NCATE? How have NETS standards changed college programs through NCATE adoption?
NCATE is the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. NETS standards provide NCATE guidelines requiring that colleges of education include courses or experiences in the use of technology for instruction, assessment, and professional productivity.

8. What options do preservice teachers have to achieve technology standards? How do they differ from options offered to inservice teachers?
Technology standards are achieved by preservice teachers through their education course requirements. Educational technology standards and requirements for inservice teachers are often included directly or indirectly into annual professional evaluations. Inservice teachers can either take college credit courses in educational technology or other related technology skills, or they can participate in district workshops to achieve competency.

9. How do corporations provide training resources for teachers? Give examples.
Many technology companies charge for their technology training, although there are some free video-based online professional development training resources in topics including educational technology training. Apple offers professional development options such as “Technology Infused Learning” that provides educators who know the basics of technology in the classroom the opportunity to learn how to use digital tools to engage students, enhance learning, and meet state content standards.

10. What unique technology training is required for noninstructional educators? Why are they different?
Noninstructional educators need unique specific technology to serve specialized student needs and contribute to the school community. Media specialists have access to journals about technology literacy in the context of media centers. Administrators have access to publications and workshops and professional development conferences focusing on administration and leadership technology. Guidance counselors and instructional support fields need specific technologies to make the most of available resources for the benefit of students. Training opportunities also include college credit courses, district technology workshops, professional organizations and conferences.

Digital Technologies Classroom Wish List

After considering the various types of digital technologies presented in this chapter, what three pieces of equipment do you think you would most want for your future or current classroom? Explain why you selected these three and how you would use them for teaching and learning.

1. A scanner is an input device that captures and then translates printed copy or images into digital data into the computer. Once an image is in digital format it can be edited using various software. Publishing programs incorporate digital images to create class newsletters, or presentation programs create lecture support visuals. Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) scanners help grade tests and analyze results, saving time while tracking student progress.

2. Digital cameras input photographic images directly without having to scan them (although the scanner has other more versatile features). Pictures can be previewed saving time and storage space. Digital photos can be manipulated with computer software. Some digital cameras can record brief video and audio clips, and zoom for close images. Students would be motivated to learn digital photography and associated software applications because of academic and personal use benefits.

3. A data projector plugs into the computer’s monitor port and displays the signals that are also sent to the monitor, providing a display that is large and bright enough to be seen across the classroom. Data projectors can also accept a variety of video inputs making them an effective replacement for the classroom TV monitor.

Reference: Lever-Duffy, Judy & McDonald, Jean. Teaching and Learning with Technology, 3rd ed. Pearson Publishing, 2008.

Chapter 8 Review

1. What online resources are available to assist educators in researching areas of interest?
Online publications – online versions of many educational journals are available on the Internet and usually include current and archived articles, and they typically offer related links; some offer automatic email updates and special offers.
Online professional organizations – offer a wide variety of services from a central location of relevant and useful resources related to the organizations’ focus as well as links to other pertinent websites; websites for professional organizations include teachers’ unions, professional associations, content area groups, technology groups; they typically provide calendars of events, current and archived publications, online stores, and current news about issues important to that organization; some include conferences, chats, and live audio or video Internet broadcasts featuring important people in the field.
Weblogs (blogs) – virtual online spaces that provide a forum for the expression of ideas and consideration of other viewpoints, and the inclusion of comments and links makes blogs powerful interactive writing tools.
Governmental sites – the U.S. Department of Education website includes information about current education news, national standards, programs, grants, research, links to other federal agencies, and a wide variety of publications and reports available by mail or download; the U.S. Department of Education provides useful and comprehensive education links including access to ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center, the world’s largest database of educational information containing abstracts of documents and journal articles). State departments of education websites offer similar services but emphasize educational issues within that state.
Education portals – offer various services providing current links to other resources on the Internet, teachers’ guides, lesson plans, Net events, audio and video clips, web hosting, clip art libraries, educational games, information about schools and colleges, and a variety of instructional resources accessible by grade level and content area.
Favorite links – bookmarking useful websites provides a collection important information.

2. What is a PDF file? What advantage does it offer over files in HTML format?
PDF files are files that have been saved in Adobe Acrobat format, which is a conversion software package that saves a publication exactly as it looked on the printed page including custom layouts, photos, and other graphics. PDF files are often used to share published information because they maintain the formatting and detail that is lost when presented in HTML. Usually PDF publication websites include a link to connect directly to Adobe’s free download page to read the file.

3. What is a weblog? How might it be used for teaching and learning?
Weblogs are virtual online spaces that provide a forum for the expression of ideas and consideration of other viewpoints, and the inclusion of comments and links makes blogs powerful interactive writing tools. Educational blogging sites (edblogs) give online space to students of all grade levels opportunity to publicly post daily journal entries, comment on peer postings, collaborate on group projects worldwide, research what other bloggers have said on a topic and connect to resources they have found. Educators can facilitate the use of weblogs to encourage students to write and communicate.

4. How are government educational sites of value in terms of resources? How do they differ from commercial and organizational sites?
The U.S. Department of Education website includes information about current education news, national standards, programs, grants, research, links to other federal agencies, and a wide variety of publications and reports available by mail or download; the U.S. Department of Education provides useful and comprehensive education links including access to ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center, the world’s largest database of educational information containing abstracts of documents and journal articles). State departments of education websites offer similar services but emphasize educational issues within that state. Government websites inform and protect the public, organizational websites offer a central location of relevant and useful resources related to the organizations’ focus, and commercial websites promote products and services.

5. What types of classroom management and academic tools are available via the Internet? Briefly explain how each tool might help you in your classroom.
Test generators – create multimedia tests by randomly selecting questions within their databases, allow teachers to select questions, or teachers create questions to be added to the database.
Formal and informal diagnostic tests – assess learning preferences.
Tools that generate class roll – create seating charts.
Electronic grade books – store and average student grades.
Worksheet generators – make interesting student activity sheets to create content specific crossword puzzles, word searches, cryptograms, math exercises, and multimedia flash cards.
Lesson plan websites – offer subject specific plans and lesson plans submitted by colleagues and lesson plans relevant to national or state standards; educational websites often offer lesson plan links related to the content of that site.
Lesson plan software – programs that generate lesson plans and relate them to specific standards.
Reference tools and resources – dictionaries in all languages, thesauri, grammar and spelling tools, and maps are available on the Internet.
CD-ROM based multimedia encyclopedias – are often too expensive, and in the alternative Internet available multimedia encyclopedias and research resources with links to related information may be better alternatives.
Internet – the Internet in general available through search engines is a vast source of innovative teaching resources constantly being updated and contributed to by educators.
Connection gateways – websites that offer opportunities to communicate with others provide discussion and chats on specific topics related to teaching and content areas for all grade levels, giving educators opportunities to interactively exchange with colleagues worldwide.

6. How can a classroom website improve communications with students, parents, and community?
A classroom website can offer class information as well as links to useful websites such as weblogs, e-pal, and content related sites. It allows teachers opportunities to customize in their own style to communicate information about what students do and see on the web. Classroom connection pages share classroom information and current activities, homework pages let students and parents know what is required, class calendars track important due dates for students and parents, news pages share news and events, and links offers students and parents related links to study units and school information.

7. What are web authoring tools? What types are available to educators?
There are a variety of web authoring tools to assist educators make a class website.
Word processors – one of the easiest and familiar ways to create a web page to layout files with graphics and text to save as HTML format for uploading to the Web; it is easy to use but creates only basic types of web pages.
Templates and design wizards – use predefined formats as interactive tools with customization options with links requiring only data entry and uploading.
Desktop publishing software – allows more control of the web page design, such as moving objects, adding new elements, manipulating a printed page, flexibility of websites page layouts, more sophisticated design wizards.
Dedicated web development software – allow creation of simple websites or more complex sophisticated websites with advanced graphics and multimedia similar to commercial sites. They may also be available through the ISP or portal (although usually with fewer options).

8. How are new websites added to the Web? What resources do teachers have to do so?
The files stored on the hard drive or CD need to be uploaded to a web server which connects a network to the Web and stores web files for others to access. Some schools and districts provide space on their web servers for teachers’ classroom websites and the school’s webmaster will create and maintain the site and integrate new elements and upload them into the school or district site. If teachers are concerned about the delays associated with having a webmaster maintain their website, then there are many types of website hosting service available on the Web. Many ISPs, websites, and portals offer free or inexpensive (although there may be limitations and/or possibly inappropriate advertising) web hosting services where you can upload pages to the host through an FTP program and the service will take care of creating the web access. Private hosts do not advertise on customer web sites and will give a direct URL so that the host’s home page can be bypassed. There are also some private and publicly funded websites that offer web upload hosting to schools and teachers without advertising with control of advertising on their broader sites, and although there may be limitations of storage space at least they provide an appropriate Internet environment for students.

9. What is an acceptable use policy? What impact does it have on the use of the Web in the classroom?
Schools and districts acceptable use policy (AUP) identifies and enforces the acceptable use of a school’s network and Internet access in order to prevent abuse. The AUP policy indicates the ways the Internet can be used by students. Parents are usually asked to confirm their understanding of the policy and the consequences for violating it through signature acknowledgement. Teachers using the Internet and providing links to resources through their own class websites should be familiar with the AUP in their school district.

10. Contrast the issues of privacy and filtering when using the Web in the classroom. What are the responsibilities of a teacher in each of these areas?
Teachers must be sure to carefully guard children’s privacy when sharing students’ work or including their images or names on a website, and it is best to have parent/guardian permission. To avoid information used by predators there should be no specific details about children including names. Teachers need to be sure their websites are consistent with school and district guidelines. Schools use filtering software that checks the content of a site before allowing it to be displayed in order to block inappropriate websites from children. Despite the claims of some that it is a restriction of free speech, teachers need to agree with school districts that keeping children safe from harmful Internet content is the responsibility of all educators.

AT Helps Schools Too (After)

My initial thoughts about assistive technology had focused on assisting people with their disabilities, rather than considering assistive technology as assisting school districts with providing appropriate public education. As I was reading the articles about assistive technology what stood out to me was that assistive technology is similar to any educational tool used to provide access to the standard curriculum and it faces similar challenges to comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regarding assessment, implementation, staff training and experience, and the need for additional funding. One question I have is what is the process for deciding what types of assistive technology are integrated within school districts considering the vast differences in resources among school districts; for example how is the decision made to utilize an inexpensive communication board rather than other high-tech costly technology?

What I Know About Assistive Technology (Before)

Assistive technology seems like modern high-tech terminology to describe expensive sophisticated computerized devices to assist people with disabilities. However, I think of assistive technology as not necessarily something new. Hearing aids and eye glasses have been around for a lot longer than computers. My thoughts are that assistive technology can include any device to help people overcome their disabilities regardless of whether it is computerized.

Kelley's Ed Tech Blog

BLOGS IN MY FUTURE CLASSROOM

The classroom study of biological sciences has relevance for understanding issues facing society now and in the future.

One such issue is the use of biogenetics (DNA genetic engineering) in the food supply. Opponents of genetically modified foods warn of unforeseen problems. “Frankenfoods” is a term activists have used to describe foods derived from GMOs (genetically modified organisms). The controversial use of genetically engineered growth hormone bovine somatotropin (BST) to increase the milk production in dairy cows has come under sharp criticism. The practice is widespread in the United States, but illegal in Canada and many European countries. Consumers’ fears about consuming dairy products enhanced through this process are evident by the many grocery stores now carrying organic milk due to consumer demand. Parents express concern that girls are developing too young and that males might develop effeminate characteristics from consuming BST products with milk-producing growth hormones. BST also increases the likelihood of cows developing mastitis which is an infection of the udder. The cows’ utters are injected with antibiotics to treat and prevent the infections, and scientists are concerned that humans might develop resistance to antibiotics by drinking milk from these cows. BST cows are also prone to infertility and lameness and have a much lower life expectancy than normal cows. Major grocery stores now stock and sell large quantities of organic milk. It is also interesting that some grocery stores have also been selling their own line of organic milk and other organic products. This is an obvious result of response to the profitability of consumer supply and demand for organic food products.
Although U.S. government regulators have determined that there is no evidence that GMO foods are unsafe to eat, they recognize the need for more research on environmental and safety issues. However, on the international level the U.N. gave importing countries the right to deny entry of any GMOs. International consumers actually have greater protections from health and environmental risks associated with genetically modified foods. Many countries prohibit the importation of dairy products from the United States. The Protocol of Biosafety is an international treaty which requires exporting nations to notify importers when products contain genetically modified organisms. However, the United States is the leading producer of genetically modified foods, yet there is no requirement to notify domestic consumers.

I would like students to be able to relate their study of biological sciences to issues facing society through involvement with this blog. Students should post their views about this topic. Feel free to discuss any positive benefits, such as increased food productivity in third world nations. I recommend that students try to get both sides of the controversy. Students can search for websites of companies that research and develop GMOs for information tending to justify the process. Government websites such as the FDA.gov will also have information. Environmental groups such as sierraclub.org will present concerns for possible risks associated with GMOs.