More Tech and Edutopia Article

A "recent" Edutopia article about not blocking too many sites from students at school actually has a negative effect on students rather than protecting them. This article has brought up issues that we have already talked about in EML 595 and I'm sure any MLTI schools have faced. The problem I have with this article is that it was originally published 11/5/2008. The day after President Obama got elected with much excitement. Now, two years later things have changed drastically. My point is, so much has changed over the course of the last two years, politics, economy, morale, etc. but it doesn't seem like we have lifted any of the bands or the strictness of using the internet in schools. If anything, we are getting stricter. Is this really teaching our students anything? Eventually they will use a computer and have full access to all the good and bad available to them via the web. We should be teaching them how to be critical of information presented to them, how to communicate effectively with others over the web, and use the resources available to expand their learning in interests both in school and at home. Blocking everything on a large scale penalizes those who would and those who need to learn how to use the technology purposefully.

Getting closer to TPACK

I know that we have sort of talked about TPACK and moved on, but it is still lingering in my head. I am sure we are all doing some great things with technology that are close if not at the optimal stage of "Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. I thought I would share a couple of new resources that I am using to get closer to that ideal and would ask you to respond back with ideas/resources that you have.

1. Edmodo- It is like facebook for school purposes. This social network is free and is designed to be a place for students to get and turn in assignments, have discussions with peers, answer polls, get feedback from peers and the teacher, etc. I haven't fully explored all the options of this website yet, but it helps you as a teacher be able to organize and grade assignments as well as go paperless.

2. Assistments- This program is put out by WPI. If you use the Connected Math Program it is especially great for you. How many times have you had kids some in and say "I didn't understand what the book was asking me and my parents said they didn't do this kind of math". If you teach CMP, I'm sure many times. The great feature of this program (besides grading your student's work and giving you extensive data) is that it gives students immediate feedback and offers them hints if they need it. You can assign problem sets that directly line up with CMP units, or you can assign skills based assignments. The students complete the assisgnment right online and then submit to you. It is also free!!! I am knew to this program too, but I am trying it out this week with both my math classes.

Try these resources out and let me know what you think!