Evolving Classroom Education: Where is K-12 Technology Headed?

In his blog "Evolving Classroom Education: Where is K-12 Technology Headed?", Matthew Lynch discusses the importance of the action(s) that needs to take place in order to integrate technology into classrooms.  Lynch suggests three types of methods: BYOD, NUI, and PLE.  BYOD is known as Bring Your Own Device.  With this method, students are encouraged to bring their smartphones and tablets to school for classroom use.  NUI is known as Natural User Interfaces.  As defined in the article, NUI uses the body's movement to provide outcomes.  Today, there are many devices does this such as Nintendo Wii, Xbox Kinect, and Siri.  The greatest advantage about NUI is that it plays a huge role for students who are blind, deaf, autistic, and physically disabled.  PLE is known as Personal Learning Environments.  This type of method is student centered.  It focuses on  allowing students to choose resources through electronic formats for individual learning that best fits their learning style and pace.
Ultimately, Lynch provided good points that could help schools stay within budget on technology.  However, I do not agree with one of the three methods.  The idea of students bringing their own smartphones or tablet devices to school is asking for problems to happen within the classrooms.  Students may not pay attention to the teacher because they are busy playing Candy Crush or updating their Twitter accounts.  It is already bad enough in college, but to ask for students in K-12 to bring it to school   As for NUI and PLE, I would actually like to see these to take place in classroom(s).  I think NUI is a great way to incorporate students with challenging disabilities to stay connect and still be able to participate in the classroom. I also think PLE is another great method that allow students to learn in a way that best fits their style and pace.  Not all students learn the same way, so for students to use technology to help them learn things at a rate that is appropriate for them is fantastic.

Voki

Documentary: Bully

Bully 
/ ' boole/

(noun)
  - a person who uses strength or power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker

Who delegated those to pick on kids who cannot defend for themselves? What gives bullies the idea to torment a classmate? When will bullying stop?  Where did bullying began? Why we have bullies in the world today?  There are endless questions as to why bullying exists.  As shown in the 2011 documentary Bully, there are countless stories of kids who are bullied at school, online, on the bus, at home, through their cell phones, and on the streets of their towns.  But the really problem to bullying is that the victims rarely speaks up!  The only way to help lessen or even prevent bullying happening is by having school officials, faculty,and staff to take a course on how to identify those who are being bullied.  Also, schools should make the environment comfortable for students to feel safe and have the courage to speak out against their bullies.  Who cares if you are being a tattle-teller?  As long as you are protecting your life and dignity, then nothing else should matter.  The bullies are the scum bags, not you.

Augmented Reality Snags a Coveted Spot in Classrooms

In her article "Augmented Reality Snags a Coveted Spot in Classrooms", Laura Devaney writes to inform readers about augmented reality apps.  Augmented reality apps enhances things in reality by using things from the web.  At the beginning of the article, Devaney gave an example of how this app would work in a classroom.  The student holds a tablet in front of famous paintings.  For each painting, something comes to life-sounds, animation, or a pop-up fact linking the painting to historical events.  I found this really great for students to not only look at the painting but also see more to what the painting means.  I have never heard of augmented reality before but from what I have read, I think this would be a great app to implement in classrooms.  This would also help students in acquiring technology skills that they will be using later during their school career.

Five Essentials to Create Connected Students

I found the article "Five Essentials to Create Connected Students" by Vicki Davis funny yet so very true to society today.  Davis did a great job at pinpointing the simple, and obvious, mistakes many people make while connecting through social medias and blogging or creating a professional page for oneself.  Why?  There are two reasons: 1) there are still quite a few people who lack technology skills and 2)  some people have acquired the skills but do not use them properly.  For example, the misuse of hashtags.  Hashtags are used for searching something specific in the Twitter world.  I do not have a Twitter but I know some people who use hashtags on Facebook.com.  Even though I do not know anything about Twitter, I can obviously see that the overuse of hashtags are unnecessary.  Here's an example:

By looking at this, I did not know that there could be about 12 different ways to say food or seven ways to say "I"m tired."  This is so funny to me to read all these hashtags.  I just laugh at how unnecessary those are for just one post or picture.  

After reading this article, I realized that technology has evolved in so many ways.  I can remember back then when computers were used for homework and gaming and phones were used for calling each other.  Where has this gone to?!  Today, it is hard to separate ourselves from our phones.  We cannot last five minutes without looking at our phones for a text message or updating facebook statuses or taking photos on snapchat.  It is ridiculous!  I must say that I am one of the many people who cannot put the phone down.  I know my limits such as no texting and driving and no texting during class and work.  

21st Century Skills: Why They Matter, What They Are, and How We Get There

Ken Kay, president of 21st Century Skills, discusses the reason why the education system of the United States needs to be revised to adapt to the changes of the 21st century.  He made three valid points: 1) the world is constantly -and rapidly- changing, 2) schools across the nation are neglecting to adapt to the changes, and 3) the United States has no clear focus on the future of our economic competitiveness.  Kay goes on to expand each of his three points.  Point #1 - the world is constantly changing.  Technology is replacing anything and everything such as garbage trucks and assembly factories.  Machines are programmed to take place of human beings' jobs.  Point #2 - schools across the nation are neglecting to adapt to the changes.  Kay states that the public education system is not implementing nor preparing students for the economic, workforce, and citizenship opportunities and demands of the 21st century.  Instead of trying in schools, students are dropping out because they fear of actually applying themselves in schools.  The current school dropout rate is up to 70% in the United States.  Point #3 - the United States has no clear focus on the future of our economic competitiveness.  Because students lack the 21st century knowledge, there is no one to maintain America's economic statuses.

I completely agree with Kay that schools are shying away from teaching students the 21st century skills that they need.  The education system should be reinventing itself to fulfill the acquired knowledge of those skills.  I also feel that students should learn how to think, learn, solve problems, communicate with peers, collaborate, and contribute as a whole.  Just reading from a textbook will help improve someone's knowledge, they need to engage and learn from each other.

Why Tough Teachers Get Good Results

Would you rather have a nice and fun teacher or an intimidating and challenging teacher?  In the article "Why Tough Teachers Get Good Results", Joanne Lipman emphasizes on how the education system needs to be "old-fashion"- meaning no more giving the students the easy way out of learning.  At the beginning of the article, Lipman gave an example of a teacher she once had.  He was strict and wanted the orchestra to be PERFECT.  If someone was off key, he would stop the whole orchestra and called them "idiots".  Lipman compliments on this his way of teaching.  However, not the name calling but definitely the challenging aspect of it.  She also encourages for the education system to implement tougher teaching skills.

Overall, I absolutely agree with Lipman and her findings in this article.  I do believe that students today are being spoiled in the classrooms.  They are handed the information and basically copying it onto their papers for grading.  Easy A+.  I have also noticed that teachers give out way too many praises.  Praises, as stated in the article, are good but not great to be used all the time.  Sometimes it is okay to tell a student that they are wrong.  It will only encourage them to work harder the next time around to get the right answer.  Lately, I have been hearing teachers tell students to "don't memorize" information.  Well if you don't memorize, how else can you retain the information.  The article then mentions that "cultural difference helps to explain why students in China (Chinese families int he U.S.) are better in math."  Not to be bias, but I am proud to have grown up in an Asian decent household.  My parents and siblings pushed me to work harder in school.  While I was still in 2nd grade, I remember them already teaching me 3rd grade materials!  My father would be disappoint, not only in me, but also my brother and sisters when we make a B or lower on assignments.  As a result, I am a hardworker in school and I do not complain much about the amount of assignments given.  Instead, I work on those assignments to the best of my ability and I always keep in mind that I am a day closer to becoming a teacher.  When I do get my own classroom, I do see myself implementing these "old-fashion" teaching.