Blog 6: Article Review

I both agree and disagree with the content of the article below. Yes, technology has advanced rapidly within the last 5 to 10 years, and it still is. I also agree that individuals are turning more towards video sites, but I disagree when the author says that reading and writing are “very artificial and unnatural ways to communicate, store, and retrieve information” (Prensky, 2010). I know that in this digital age more things are becoming more technology driven, but I think that future generations should still know how to write and read. The author gave a warning before he talked in depth about why reading and writing is no longer needed, but I continued to read. I probably should not have because as a pre-service teacher, I had to disagree with everything he was saying. Yes he made valid points about how there is some type of communication technology that can make up for writing and reading skills, like recorded stories or the kindle reading the text. However, he failed to mention a few other factors, like reading a menu at a restaurant, or searching or reading movie titles. Yes movies are a digital story, but the viewer has to be able to read the title.

As a future teacher, I plan on using technology in my classroom as much as I can. I agree that students in today’s society learn better and can be more creative with technology, but not every school as access to the same technologies out there. YouTube I think is a great resource. Like the author mentions, I think YouTube is great when it come to allowing people to just communicate and share their point-of-view to other viewers; plus YouTube is great for how-to videos. Unfortunately many schools have YouTube blocked because of the inappropriate content. Hopefully, my future school sees the positives that YouTube, and other video sites, have to offer, and does not block them. Because I think digital media, especially videos, are a creative way for individuals to express themselves. So as a future classroom teacher, I hope that I can show my administrators the plus side to YouTube and other video sites (if they are blocked), so I can have my students create and post videos to a class video channel. However, I do expect to teaching my student reading and writing skills because I do not plan to see these skills vanishing during my teaching career. Just because there is technology that can “do” these skills does not mean that they are still not necessary to learn.

            Does this mean I do not think that eventually there will be a type of technology that will take over reading and writing skills for everything? Absolutely not, I think that eventually there will be, but I think that we are still a long way away from that point when writing and reading skills are no longer necessary.

Prensky, M. (2010). Why You Tube matters. Why it is so important, why we should all be using it, and why blocking it blocks our kids’ education. On the Horizon, 18(2), 124–131. doi:10.1108/10748121011050469

Blog 5: Political Cartoon

What educational policy issue is this political cartoon about? 

Race to the Top

What is the purpose of the cartoon (why did the artist create it?)

I think that purpose of this cartoon is to show that students are catching on that their progress and success determines their teachers’ salaries.

What techniques did the artist use to draw your attention (refer to the cartoon analysis guide from our classroom activity)?

The artist used stereotypes and caricature by giving the teacher glasses and making her female. There is also attention drawn to the teacher and the student talking because both are have a bold article of clothing (both shirts are heavily covered in). Another feature in this cartoon is an argument not a slogan. The student’s response to his grade is not just an typical comment that students make when they get a bad grade. Instead, the young boy’s response is directed toward the teacher directly.  

What is the opinion of the artist?

The opinion of the artist seems to be that students are going to be more “controlling” in the classroom. If students do not get a good grade on an assignment (like in the cartoon) then they will blame the teacher and play the “pay cut” card when talking about their grades. I think the artist feels like the students are just going to give up and try to manipulate the teachers.

According to the artist, who benefits and who is negatively impacted by this policy?

According to this particular cartoon, students would be benefiting an the teachers will have the negative impact.

What opinions do others have on this issue?

I feel like others could also see how the students can upper-hand teachers, but I also could see how others would focus on the teacher and how he/she is lacking instruction for students.

Did you find this cartoon persuasive? Why or why not? 

Yes, I would find this cartoon to be persuasive, especially with the text at the bottom that reads, “The students quickly caught on to the new merit pay system.” I think the text in the cartoon goes to show how students could easily take advantage of the teachers.

What do you think is omitted or missing from the cartoon?

I do not think anything is missing from the cartoon. I think the artist got his/her point across very well. However, I would have like the teacher to have send something back because I thought that the pay was from standardized test scores, not homework assignments that are passed back.

What questions do you have about the issue that the cartoon does not answer?

I kind of already mentioned this, but why is student talking to the teacher about a pay cut over what appears to look like a homework assignment, when the merit pay if more based on the standardized test scores.

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: June 2012. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2013, from http://oldschoolteach.blogspot.com/2012_06_01_archive.html#.UV80RRjR2Ap

The Uncertain Impact of Merit Pay for Teachers - NYTimes.com. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2013, from http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/the-uncertain-impact-of-merit-pay-for-teachers/

U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). The Cartoon Analysis Checklist (p. 1).

Blog 4: Relating Tech Plans to Interview

Being from the state and interviewing a teacher from the state, I looked into Ohio’s Educational technology plan and how Ohio views technology in the educational world. Like other states, Ohio knows that technology is not only changing the world, but that it is changing the way teachers teach and students learn. That is why Ohio created a Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan is divided into 5 main goals with each goal having multiple objectives. The goals are as followed:

            Strategic Goal 1- By 2015, increase the daily use of educational technology within K-12 classrooms to 80% to support standards based instruction.

            Strategic Goal 2- Provide technological expertise and solutions to create more student-centered and data responsive educational systems by 2015.

            Strategic Goal 3- Develop a structured system to evaluate programs and practices during the next two years to ensure effective utilization of resources and to achieve the goals of the Commission.

            Strategic Goal 4- Target and utilize Ohio’s Public Service Media and Education Technology affiliates’ resources to increase educational technology integration into instruction in coordination with Strategic Goal 1.

            Strategic Goal 5- Increase collaborations with regional-level networks by 2012 to better identify and address local district needs, particularly in underserved regions of Ohio.

These goals are to the point and show the support to accessing all forms of technology needed for student learning into the classroom.

       In Ohio’s Technology Plan 2009-2014, eTech Ohio, a combined agency of the Ohio Educational Telecommunications Network Commission and the Ohio SchoolNet Commission, divides the current and future initiatives into two groups: educators and learners (students). According to the current Tech Plan, educator initiatives are “Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, Professional Development for Data-driven Decision Making, New Assessment for Individual Achievement, Peer-to-Peer Support, Educators as Learners, and Access to Materials” (eTech Ohio, 2005). For learners, the current and future initiatives are “Leveraging Student Technology, Technology Literacy, Digital Citizenship, Universal Access to Online Learning, Early College Options, Lowering Barrier to Entry, and Ongoing Career Development” (eTech Ohio, 2005). As a learner, I was able to see a few of these initiatives starting to take place in my high school before I graduated, but I am sure that a lot has changed in the past 3 years. Then now as a pre-service teacher, I have been taught on how the educator can help students learn some of these current and future initiatives, like Digital Citizenship.

       I am glad to see that Ohio seems to have specific goals on getting technology into the classrooms, but I cannot stop thinking about the teacher that I interviewed and what she said about technology. Although all of the classrooms in her school have SMARTboards, SMARTboards are becoming “old” technology. Also, my teacher commented on how in her district, there seemed to be a lack of professional development workshops to help teachers with technology. Yet, in the Technology Plan 2009-2014, the majority of the initiatives for educators revolve around professional development. So is my teacher not looking in the right direction, or is the district not supplying the adequate opportunities for professional development? And even though the district has technology available in the classroom, it is behind other county school districts and many schools in the state. Again, is this the district’s fault? Or the State’s? I am glad to see that Ohio does have goals and a Strategic Plan for Educational Technology, but after looking through some of Indiana’s and federal Tech Plans, it makes you wonder if the Federal and State Government are setting the bar too high for today’s economy. 

eTech Ohio. (2005). Ohio’s State Edcational Technology Plan 2009-2014 (Technolgy Plan) (pp. 1–17).

eTech Ohio. (2009). Ohio Strategic Plan (pp. 1–19).

Blog 3: The State Governments Role in Ed Tech Polocies

Although grants and some funding can come from the Federal Government, it is the State Government that hands out the money to the different districts and schools. According to the budget breakdown of school funding for Indiana’s schools, found from http://stateimpact.npr.org/indiana/tag/school-funding-formula/, “Currently, each district receives a minimum amount of $4,280 per enrolled pupil.” Attendance is not the only factor that wages into the amount according to StateImpact Indiana. Districts can get additional funds depending on the number of students who are on free and reduced lunch, students with disabilities, and students who graduate with honors. Also, kindergarteners are not counted as a whole student; instead each kindergartener is counted as half of a student. No wonder my schools growing up made such a big deal about students staying in the school system. It might not have to do with technology but this funding from the State Government is still crucial when it comes to needed money for technology, if the schools cannot be rewarded a grant to cover the costs of the expenses.

Now, what about actually getting technology into the classroom? Like the Federal Government, State Governments’ have technology plans too. Everyone knows that technology is a blossoming phenomenon in today’s classrooms. Most schools have so much technology available to them today then they did just 5 years ago. Each and every year there is something new for teachers to use with their students. “Technology holds great potential for education, but students are not using it to improve their learning because a) they don’t have access to adequate hardware and software and b) their teachers have not been adequately prepared.” (Zhao & Conway, 2001) So even though several people know that technology will enhance student learning, the problem is that not EVERY school in America has the money to pay for the amazing technologies for the students. And if the schools do have access  for the funding, their teachers are uneducated about the technology and either do not use it, or they are not engaging the students. The State is giving districts money, schools can get grants to pay for technology, but in the end, if the teachers do not have the training to incorporate the technology correctly into their instruction, then the technology is pointless and a waste of money. It is great that the State Government, and even the Federal Government, care about the schools getting access to the technology, but realistically not every school is going to be able to afford the technology, AND the Government should focus more on the training the teachers have to do. Let’s start with educating our educators with informational and hands-on professional development workshops, and then move on to funding the technologies!

 Bite-Sized Budget Breakdown: How Are Schools Funded? (n.d.). StateImpact Indiana. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://stateimpact.npr.org/indiana/topic/school-funding-formula/

Zhao, Y., & Conway, P. (2001). What’s In, What’s Out-An Analysis of State Educational Technology Plans. The Teachers College Record. Retrieved from http://www.tcrecord.org/content.asp?contentid=10717