Multiculturalism in the Classroom

EDUC300 Module 7 Synthesis

Multicultural Education in an Online Curriculum

 

By Ilicia Kelly

 

 

            Cultural competence. Is this a term you are all familiar with? I understood the concept when it was introduced to me in grade school, but when I reached college, the term reached a whole new level. This semester, I have finally grasped the concept and understood the impact of neglecting such an important concept in the classroom setting. America has been the melting pot for hundreds of years, yet teaching practices have remained insensitive to the cultural barriers that often occur, which inhibit effective teaching from happening.

            Why does this happen, you ask? If our culture is so diverse, why do we still see barriers to understanding other cultures in the classroom? "It is increasingly a cross-cultural phenomenon, in that teachers are frequently not of the same race, ethnicity, class, and language dominance as their students" (Culturally Relevant Pedagogy). If teachers are a different race and culture than the students and isn't sensitive or even aware of the differences that can affect their teaching strategies, how can that educator be prepared for the challenges that will inevitably happen? From the reading, Culturally Responsive, the differences between cultures of Nonwestern and Western can affect the learning styles. Many of the differences stem from the fact that Nonwestern cultures emphasize group cooperation, harmony in nature, extended family, religion intertwined in culture, and socially oriented characteristics. Western cultures tend to emphasize individual competition, task oriented, nuclear family, and control over nature and all aspects of life. These differences make priorities in learning very different, which can affect learning styles. If we don't know our students, how can we tailor a lesson plan to benefit a culturally diverse student base? "Educational programs must be aligned with learner needs, interests, values, student perceptions, communication styles, and desired learning outcomes that apply within a particular cultural context" (Culturally Responsive).

 

  First, let's explore what it means to be multicultural. A mistake that is commonly made is that a culture is defined by physical attributes. Do you think that African Americans have the same culture as Africans just because they originate from the same country? Another mistake is making assumptions about a culture based on traditions in history. "Any conceptualization of culture as able to be reduced to a set of traditions drawn from the past ignores the complex systems of exchange and interrelation that stretch through history, and that also currently take place under systems of imperialism, cultural dominance. and globalism" (Hybridity as a Response to Multiculturism). This is based on "essentialism, which claims that cultural differences emerge from biological differences between races, genders, etc. This essentialist viewpoint sees identities as fixed and emerging from biology, which generally leads to the reduction of a diverse group to a homogenized, monolithic mass" (Hybridity as a Response to Multiculturism). If we assume white, European culture is the 'norm' and any other culture is outside the norm, those differences "risk becoming an oppressive set of racist stereotypes" (Hybridity as a Response to Multiculturism). "The “cultures” of multiculturalism are usually marked as distinct or “other” from the white Europeans, thus perpetuating systems of inequality and subordination" (Hybridity as a Response to Multiculturism).

            What challenges arise for educators in respect to multiculturalism? "Unfortunately, technologically mediated learning experiences may accommodate the singularities of a dominant Western culture at the expense of cultural responsiveness to the cultural backgrounds of all participants" (Culturally Responsive). Creating an online forum and a lesson plan for students that you have never met can be challenging and limits interaction needed for an instructor to create effective lesson plans that are sensitive to the diversity of cultures. "Community colleges with egalitarian and democratic principles are philosophically more supportive of meeting diverse student needs and student diversity than any other type of institution in higher education" (Multicultural Education). I did a lot of research and found some solutions that we can apply to our teaching methods that could break down the barriers for multiculturism. "Research on student-directed management approach, which is rooted in the belief that students have the primary responsibility for controlling their behavior and are capable of controlling their behavior, identify teachers adopting the following classroom management concepts: student ownership, student choice, community, conflict resolution, natural consequences, and restitution" (NYU Steinhardt). If students can have more say in the structure of the classroom, then they can adapt the lessons to their own cultural priorities and make it more applicable to their core beliefs, hence enhancing authentic learning! "Students are more likely to succeed if they feel connected to school and a positive, respectful relationship with teachers helps create such an environment" (NYU Steinhardt). If a student feels that the teacher doesn't understand him/her and isn't invested in their education, that teacher will not be effective in the classroom setting. Creating an environment that is sensitive to each culture and makes those students feel welcome and important will positively impact those students and keep them motivated and invested in their learning. In the poem from the reading, Becoming Joey, a little Mexican boy Jose feels that he is so different from the other students, from his clothes, name and accent, that he feels he has to change who he is just to go into school and try and fit in. A learning environment that makes students feel that they have to adapt to the environment is not conducive to effective learning strategies and won't foster higher order thinking with positive outcomes for the students.

 

           Adrianne posed an interesting perspective in her experience with multicultural education in her education. She recalls lame attempts at cultural exposure to Mexican culture in the form of "fiestas". I could relate! Sometimes it's barriers with the educator in their understanding of cultural competence. In an article on Education.com, I found some research exposing cultural bias in the classroom. "Cultural bias in teaching occurs when classroom instruction, learning activities, materials, and lessons largely reflect the contributions and/or cultural values and perspectives of the majority race or culture. In the United States, that race is White, Caucasian, or European American, and the culture is largely mainstream oriented (Strickland, 2000). In most classrooms with predominantly ethnically and culturally diverse students, cultural bias is also presented as an inherent promotion of the perceived superiority and effectiveness of mainstream cultural modes of learning, thinking, and performing" (www.education.com). Maybe the 'fiestas' only succeeded in making that culture so abstract and different than the mainstream culture that it became more biased.

 

         Christina Boxler enjoyed the poem Little Joey, from our reading, as well as I. To avoid students feeling like an outsider, it's important for the educator to be culturally competent to avoid students like Little Joey from feeling like an outsider. This inhibits learning if students can be themselves. The NEA defines cultural competence as "having an awareness of one’s own cultural identity and views about difference, and the ability to learn and build on the varying cultural and community norms of students and their families. It is the ability to understand the within-group differences that make each student unique, while celebrating the between-group variations that make our country a tapestry. This understanding informs and expands teaching practices in the culturally competent educator’s classroom" (NEA). The article also outlines how the benefits of "student outcomes can be improved by incorporating racial and ethnic minority contributions in curriculum and diversifying pedagogical practices. They see cultural competence as both a moral and ethical responsibility to create a welcoming environment for students to succeed. The impact of having educators who have the ability to challenge and motivate diverse student populations can dramatically improve our educational system and student outcomes"(NEA).

            In dental hygiene school for my associates, our instructors had us create a project called Cultural Competency, which required us to all pick one culture and create a tri-fold display with information and pictures that we could all learn from. It was such a great idea and encouraged us all to explore just how many differences can occur within one classroom, whether it was race, age, occupation, lifestyle, physical handicaps, and religion. All of these things affect how we live, learn, and defines us at our core. Accessing this information in our students and creating an environment that taps into those core beliefs, as well as initiating a student-directed approach, will foster authentic learning.

            In an article on EHow, they discussed the pros and cons of multicultural education. In discussion difference races and cultures in the classroom, there are some snafus that the teacher must be aware of. If you neglect to mention certain cultures of students in the classroom, the discussion may cause them to feel alienated. Another consideration is the race and culture of the teacher and it's relationship to the discussion.  "Agencies such as the National Council for the Accreditation for Teacher Education (NCATE) and some state departments of education require teachers to complete multicultural education prior to obtaining their teacher certification. In an abstract study conducted and written by Patricia and Alvin Larke of Texas A&M University and reported in the Research in Higher Education Journal, researchers interviewed six teachers of multicultural education, five of whom were African American, and discovered that each teacher's gender and ethnicity had an impact on his or her training style and instructional authority, including evaluating student progress and assigning course grades. Two women teachers who participated in the study reported that their mothering experiences caused them to be more nurturing toward students. Another female multicultural education instructor felt that she was perceived as being an "angry Black female" while she taught the course. She also noted how white males challenged her authority during the training. To provide balanced training, it is important that educators be properly taught to handle their own beliefs surrounding people of diverse ethnicities. Teachers must also be properly trained on how to react to combative responses they receive from students" (EHow).

 

Self- Assessment- 100

Summary of Learning from EDUC300

EDUC300 Module 7 Synthesis

Summary of Learning

By Ilicia Kelly

 

            This semester has been an enlightening journey as I explored the world of pedagogy and online learning technologies. There have been so many topics and mental adventures that I want to create a short summary of each one!

            I have researched my digital footprint in the world of Google and was shocked at how many internet sites have used my information! According to an article on netlingo.com, "it is now widely accepted that in this era of e-mail, texting, blogging, and social networking, trying to hide one's digital footprint is practically futile. In fact, it's been reported that the FBI can hear your conversation via your cell phone even when it is turned off (the only thing to thwart this is take out the battery). Unlike paper trails, which can ultimately be destroyed or eliminated, "digital paper trails" are recorded and stored at remote locations that you may not even be aware of, and to that degree, there is nothing you can do to erase these records.

            I have explored the meaning of higher order thinking and techniques to in the classroom that will give me great results. HOT (higher order thinking) challenges students not to simply memorize information, but to "understand, infer, connect, categorize, synthesize, evaluate, and apply the information they know to find solutions to new and existing problems", according to ReadWriteThink.org. "Families and out-of-school educators can play a significant role in encouraging higher order thinking with their kids and teens, even when having a casual conversation.  Asking open-ended questions that don’t have one “right” answer gives children confidence to respond in creative ways without being afraid of being “wrong.”  After reading a book together, a parent might ask their child a question such as: “If you were that character, how would you have persuaded Timothy to turn himself in?” rather than something like “What was the main character’s name in the book?”" (ReadWriteThink.org).

            We've researched and created web tools to use in the online learning forum, from grading apps to blogs, and immersed ourselves in their application and effectiveness in the online learning environment. A web 2.0 tool that I found that would be helpful in the education field is Edmodo.com. This is a helpful tool where the students can develop skills with technology as well as incorporate new methods of synthesizing the information learned in class. I watched the video that explained an overview of Edmodo and it sounds amazing. It even has a calendar that looks a lot like the one Dr. Gusa uses in her module. In that vein, we had to enroll in a TOOC classroom which gave us access to a new concept of online learning and feedback from other instructors, while exploring more web tools and creating blogs. We were asked to start a Twitter account (which I've never used before) and tweet about our experiences.

            While using discussion forums in this course, we broke down the main principles of discussion forums and how using the right questions and rubric, we can make those discussion forums more conducive to authentic learning and guide our students to creating comprehensive posts and responses. According to the reading "Benefits of Using Discussion Boards in Your Classes", discussion boards are reflective in nature. "They force students to read other perspectives and carefully consider a response." Discussion boards are a great learning tool for students who have social anxiety. Discussion boards also force students to use research from the class to support findings which creates more active learning for the students.

            Dr. Gusa had us review our current rubric and create a new one that our class felt would give better feedback to our fellow students. We explored barriers to online learning and tips to overcome those barriers. Assessment was a huge topic because it's so important in the learning process to have effective and constructive assessments, both in the formative and summative assessments.

            And finally, we explored cultural barriers to the classroom and how those barriers, if ignored, can inhibit learning. "Educational programs must be aligned with learner needs, interests, values, student perceptions, communication styles, and desired learning outcomes that apply within a particular cultural context" (Culturally Responsive).

            My favorite topic this course has been the assessment topic in module 5. While we explored the meaning of assessments and the different forms, we were constantly assessing ourselves and our fellow students. Our need to be liked and not cause anyone more work created a false peer assessment review that wasn't productive in the classroom. Dr. Gusa noticed the trend and asked us to revamp the peer-assessment and explain our reasons for the difficulty in a true peer assessment. The simple act of looking inside and identifying my barrier to constructive criticism opened up my fear of creating more work for another student in the face of an already overwhelming course load. I realized that I was just shortchanging my classmates and was attempting not to rock the proverbial boat. "In such cases, peer reviewing (a common task for small group collaboration) is often superficial, unhelpful, and/or judgmental. It takes time to establish community, and 12 weeks (the common length of a semester in a paced program) is sometimes insufficient for those new to online learning to develop both the requisite skills and confidence to fully participate in collaborative learning" (IRRODL).

 

            I have learned a lot about myself, my learning style, and my future teaching style. I'm not sure if teaching is in the cards for me in the future, seeing as there is only one college in my area and there are no openings for staff in the near future, but at least I'm prepared if the opportunity arises. In the meantime, I plan on pursuing a career in public health and applying my techniques to staff development. Breaking down the learning process into learning techniques, assessments, barriers to learning, and creating a happy, collaborative, safe learning environment, are all things I will take with me from this course. I want to thank my fellow classmates for making this experience productive and I will always remember your thoughtful and uplifting comments, and a bigger thank you to Dr. Gusa for always listening to us and trying to make this experience as enriching as possible!

 

CP1. You write an academic post that ask essential questions that addresses key points of the module.

CP2. Your post is comprehensive with references to multiple sources from the module.

SP3. You express your feelings, values or beliefs about the topic or share a personal connection to topic.

TP1. You present your synthesis with clarity, enriching it with links to researching articles, video talks, blogs on module content.

TP2. You provide links when able or supply APA citations and bibliography for resources that cannot be linked

My evaluation and self-evaluation: CP 30 pts.; SP 20 pts.; TP 50 pts.

 

 

Pass or Fail? Effective Assessment Can Make the Difference.

EDUC300 Module 6 Synthesis by Ilicia Kelly



      We are always assessing things in life. Did my hairdresser cut my hair too short? Was my chicken overcooked? In a classroom setting, as students, we are always wondering, am I getting this concept? Did my paper seem smart and cohesive? Did the teacher like it? As a teacher, we need to wonder, did the students understand the material? Are they learning it? Is the learning authentic? In order to answer those questions, we can use assessments. I stated the following in my initial post in the discussion forum:

      Assessment allows educators and students to give feedback while learning is occurring (formative) or afterwards (summative) in the form of tests, papers, etc. We explored the concepts of assessments so we can better understand the point of giving each other assessments at the end of our responses. "The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning... The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark" (CMU). Formative assessment can be used as a guide by the instructor as a form of communication to lead the student in the right direction. It has little to no point value in the assessment. Summative assessment has a high value in grade to the student and evaluates the student and the quality of the assignment. (From Module 5)

There are different ways to do assessments, and each way will give different forms of feedback. The trick is to find ones that help give higher order thinking and extrapolate deep learning.

• Performance assessments: students develop a product such as a blog or wiki
• Authentic assessments: students complete work under the same conditions that they would in the real world
• Portfolio assessments: students demonstrate progress over time by showcasing artifacts and reflecting on their learning
• Computer generated and scored tests and quizzes: allow for banks of questions, randomization and, in some cases, instant feedback (Student Learning Outcomes)

        According to the reading, Student Learning Outcomes "Such performance-based assessment techniques require students to directly reveal the abilities and skills and knowledge that professors desire to develop in their students." Assessment allows students to show how much information they absorbed and prove their understanding of the material. Assessments are critical in the learning process. Assessments can be individually authentic for each student by getting to know them through the semester. Creating a detailed description about information to be covered in the sections, detailed assignments and rubrics so the students know what's expected, and to give good feedback, you can be authentic for all feedback. "Timely and frequent feedback is especially important in an  online environment where the chance for students to become confused or feel alienated is greater than in a traditional course. Ask students early in the term how the course is going and for suggestions for improvement" (Student Learning Outcomes). (Initial Post)

            Regina Azimova makes a good point when she discusses the importance of assessment.  As I stated in my initial post, "successful assessment techniques embody creativity, adaptability, reliability, and validity. Through the use of multiple methods, triangulation, and the measurement of knowledge and performance over time, effective assessment techniques can begin to capture and reflect the complex nature of learning" (Good Practices for Assessment).

            I loved the quote Christina Boxler posted from the video by Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution: “…if you're doing something you love, an hour feels like five minutes. If you're doing something that doesn't resonate with your spirit, five minutes feels like an hour. And the reason so many people are opting out of education is because it doesn't feed their spirit, it doesn't feed their energy or their passion.” I completely agree because it's the same concept for me. I also believe another reason people are opting out of education is because the cost is so high and when you graduate, you can drown in your own debt while unable to get a job. A college degree no longer guarantees a job after graduation. In an article in the Denver Post, "about 48 percent of all working college alumni - not just recent graduates - were underemployed in 2010 as the United States began a slow recovery from the Great Recession, including 5 million graduates in jobs that require less than a high school diploma, according to a study from the Center for College Affordability and Productivity".

            If we are to produce respectable students and release them into the workforce, we must make sure that they are prepared. According to an article from Concordia University, " the goal of authentic assessment is to enhance the learning process and help students gain knowledge while completing tasks that are beneficial to their “real-world” experiences" (Education.CU-Portland.edu). As educators, it's our job to get to know students so we can help create lesson plans that will apply to their lives to make the learning more authentic. It is our duty to make a rich learning environment so they can learn, synthesize the material, and make it part of their thought process. How can we make sure of that? Using effective assessments that will ensure the students are learning the material. A combination of formative and summative assessments will guarantee the students are learning what they need to know. This will ensure authentic learning takes place and helps these students survive in the vicious shark pit of life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My mother always taught me if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all! But will that help our peer assessments?

EDUC300 Module 5 Synthesis

by Ilicia Kelly

             This has been a tough week, with emotions running high. The class (myself included) is visibly struggling through the assignments and I can almost see the blood, sweat, and tears on their posts. My work has been keeping me up so late each night that I'm actually sick with a severe head cold right now. I've actually run my body and mind into the ground! But the show must go on! This week, we have discussed our current rubric, ideas to improve it, opinions on TOOC, and how to improve our discussions to create a more lively debate.

            We explored the concepts of assessments so we can better understand the point of giving each other assessments at the end of our responses."The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning... The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark" (CMU). Formative assessment can be used as a guide by the instructor as a form of communication to lead the student in the right direction. It has little to no point value in the assessment. Summative assessment has a high value in grade to the student and evaluates the student and the quality of the assignment.

            The consensus was that giving a poor grade to another student was difficult because we didn't want to hurt feelings. We explored why peer assessment was important for learning and also why it's difficult to peer assess. "In such cases, peer reviewing (a common task for small group collaboration) is often superficial, unhelpful, and/or judgmental. It takes time to establish community, and 12 weeks (the common length of a semester in a paced program) is sometimes insufficient for those new to online learning to develop both the requisite skills and confidence to fully participate in collaborative learning" (IRRODL). It is difficult in an online course to really get acquainted with your classmates, so when you see a harsh criticism, it makes us instantly defensive. Although conflict may create a more interesting discussion, many of us may shy away from conflict. "Argumentation can bee seen as a crucial part of coordination in collaboration in the sense that participants try to change each other's point of view" (O'Donnell, Hmelo-Silver & Erkens, 2006). It's hard to review your peer that you don't know very well and never met face to face, because such criticism won't be taken as well by a virtual stranger.

Cassandra made a good point that it's difficult to hurt people's feelings, and Josh stated that he would just search for the bests posts that he could give a 100 to and only respond to those. I am actually guilty of doing the same thing sometimes. I wouldn't even respond to the posts that were obviously lazy and lacked any proof of comprehension on the weeks work.

            Can arguments really expand the dialog? Are we really exploring information in this course that can cause an argument and a heated debate? Probably not, but adding a bit of spice to the discussion can result in more comprehensive learning and keep our interests. "Argumentation can bee seen as a crucial part of coordination in collaboration in the sense that participants try to change each other's point of view" (O'Donnell, Hmelo-Silver & Erkens, 2006). It's hard to review your peer that you don't know very well and never met face to face, because such criticism won't be taken as well by a virtual stranger.

            How can we improve the rubric? I had an idea that I found from an interesting article. It states that peer assessment is an important tool, but using it in the right was is imperative to the success of a peer assessment. One idea was to incorporate three comments on the end of the response:

§                              One thing I really like about this is …

§                              One way to make this stronger could be …

§                              Did you ever think about …" (ASCD)

I think this could really help make the responses more authentic and create more of a conversation, rather than an exchange of the information we found for our original post.

            In TOOC this week, we explored concepts like Wiki tools for learning. It's a web app that lets others collaborate with information that you've acquired. I like using Wikipedia for information because it's always informative and I feel undervalued in it's merit, but having apps that help collect information would be super helpful in group activities for school or work. TOOC also had us do some readings that gave more background on Wikipedia and how it always uses reliable resources. "This means that we publish the opinions only of reliable authors, and not the opinions of Wikipedians who have read and interpreted primary source material for themselves" (Wikipedia).

            Dr Gusa asked us to identify our motives for being in this class. I fall into the category of "non-traditional students who have jobs, families, and carry a full load of classes. They are stretched to their limit" (Dr Gusa) and in that were many sub-categories. The categories that define myself are as follows; Dental hygiene major that needs this course to graduate with no interest in teaching online (no offense because I would prefer to teach in a clinical setting) and "students, because of integrity and pride will work hard to produce their best work, even if it kills them". I enjoy learning new things and different ways of looking at a subject. I enjoy learning tools that I can apply to many different aspects of my life. This is why I find that I am a constructivist learner. "Piaget posited that every learner has a mental representation of the world which he or she constructs through their experiences... If the new experience aligns with their mental representation, the learner assimilates it in the form of new knowledge into their existing schema" (Taxonomy of Learning Theories).

            During my associates degree, I was also able to forgo work and concentrate on my education. Now that I have 2 kids (3 if you count my husband), a full time job, and a home to maintain, it makes continuing my education so much more difficult than anything I have tried to achieve in my ENTIRE LIFE!! It's so important that I finish this degree that I am going without sleep or any free time just to do quality assignments and complete all papers/ activities. At this point, I am so close to finishing that it's become the hardest semester so far and I am tempted each day to quit. I know this is the time when you must push the hardest and the victory will be so much sweeter, but it doesn't change the fact that it's wearing me down into a puddle of stress. I also may skip the final revision in exchange for some sleep, but we can only do our best and hope for a good grade. I received a letter today stating that I have been awarded the College Academic Award because I have the highest senior cumulative grade point average in the Dental Hygiene curriculum!!! This may have been the hardest semester, but my hard work is paying off!

           

References:

 

O'Donell, A., Hmelo-Silver, C., & Erkins, G. (2006). Collaborative Learning, Reasoning, and Technology. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

 

Self Assessment- 100- I fulfilled all requirements of the rubric

Future of Online Teaching with new Web 2.0 Tools

EDUC300 Module 4 Synthesis

by Ilicia Kelly

 

            This module has been an enormous undertaking. This module was split by a spring break that gave such sweet respite from the burden of this course load, but made returning to the mundane tasks of life harder than before! Among the class readings regarding the future of online teaching, we had TOOC assignments exploring Diigo, Evernote, and other web 2.0 tools to assist us in our future careers of teaching.

            What comes to mind when we think of online students? In the past, I had a different idea of online students than I do today. I used to picture some old weirdo who had social anxiety, sitting at his computer late at night, typing up some papers to email to a professor. As far as I knew, the education wasn't as good a quality as 'real' college and I never pictured myself being an online student. Well, here I am; an online student. Online learning is becoming so common these days that even traditional classroom settings are incorporating an online segment in the curriculum to acclimate today's students to the world of online learning. According to US News, more than 6.7 million students—32 percent of total higher ed enrollment—took at least one online course through a university during fall 2011." An article from Franklin University did a study and found the following are characteristics of an average student in online classes:

 

1. Female (70%)
2. 33 years old Working and earning a salary of $65,000 a year
3. Studying business (34%)
4. Attends part-time Seeking a bachelor’s or master’s degree (75%)
5. Lives within 100 miles of the physical campus (80%)
6. More likely to attend a nonprofit institution (65%)
7. Value the school’s reputation (75%)
8. Motivated by career advancement (46%)
9. Prefers online studies because they’re busy & need flexibility (68%)
10. Appreciate the ability to study anywhere, anytime (31%)

 

            What do online students need to persist and have deep learning? Now we know that the average online student is an adult, we need to explore the concept of andragogy, "the art and science of helping adults learn" (Pedagogy vs Androgogy). From that reading in this module, we know that adult learners differ from a child learner because their motives are different, their experience in life can be applied to learning, they are very motivated learners, and they are more problem centered in their learning. Using the model of andragogy, the teacher can "prepare a set of procedures for involving the learners in a process that includes a) establishing a climate conducive to learning (b) creating a mechanism for mutual planning, (c) diagnosing the needs of learning, (d) formulating program objectives that will satisfy these needs, (e) designing a pattern of learning experiences, (f) conducting these learning experiences with suitable techniques and materials, and (g) evaluating the learning outcomes and re-diagnosing learning needs" (Pedagogy vs Androgogy). As future educators, once we understand the difference between children and adults and their methods of learning and the motivation of adults, we can formulate a lesson plan. The learning process of adults is more of a ''self-actualization" rather than the simple memorization of information. Adults are in these classes to gain knowledge that they intend to use in their daily lives, not a child in a geometry class who is frustrated with the concept that they may never EVER use the formula for finding the area of a triangle in real life. With the knowledge that adult learners have a rich base of experience to draw from during their education, the learning theory that would apply most effectively would be the theory of constructivism. "Constructivism essentially maintains that people learn by constructing their own knowledge on the basis of their experiences. Constructivist learning theories recognize that everyone's framework of prior knowledge is unique, thus they have their own needs, goals, and contexts (Taxonomy of Learning Theories). "Current perspectives on educational reform are based on the premise that the knowledge students need is growing and evolving so rapidly that it is no longer practical for them to memorize a fixed set of facts and skills. Instead, students must acquire flexible knowledge that they can adapt and use as tools for solving a wide range of problems" (O'Donnell, Hmelo-Silver & Erkens, 2006).  Heutogogy is the concept of "truly self-determined learning" which applies to present day online students (From Andragogy to Heutogogy). When I am an instructor, I will use Rogers student-centered approach on five key hypothesis:

1. We cannot teach another person directly: we can only facilitate learning.
2. People learn significantly only those things they perceive as being involved in the maintenance or enhancement of the structure of self.
3. Experience which is assimilated would involve a change in the organization of self tends to be resisted through denial or distortion of symbolization, and the structure and organization of self appear to become more rigid under threat.
4. Experience which is perceived as inconsistent with the self can only be assimilated if the current organization of self is relaxed and expanded to include it.
5. The educational system which is mostly effective promotes significant learning is one which threat to self, as learner, is reduced to a minimum.

           

            Christina Boxler had a view of using technology as a tool, not a substitution for a teacher. I found an interesting article that gave some helpful ideas how to create an environment that will counteract the high attrition rate of online learners, isolation, and dissatisfaction at teaching methods, and incorporate technology in a way that supports learning. Online learning has become so prevalent that we need to understand the different needs of online students and how traditional teaching methodology does not apply. Creating a classroom with goal orientation, adaptability, accessibility, alignment, experiential value, collaboration, constructivism, learning orientation, multiplicity, and granularity, we can create dimensions of an online class that address the gaps created by online classrooms. "The function of supporting social networking as a viable option for distance learning is something that they do provide.  Each of these dimensions can be incorporated into various social networking mediums to support learning activities.  As a result, not only is the environment for learning structured and managed, but learners may find a reduction in the feeling of isolation or a stronger sense of community.  McLoughlin (2002) noted that learners need more control over their learning environment. Designing scaffolds for learning involves conceptualizing new roles for learners and teachers in fostering task engagement, social interaction and peer feedback” (Enhancing Social Presence in Online Learning).  

            Ashley had a great visual aid in her post. It's effective in showing an illustration of the components that envelop all aspects of learning, such as resources, interactions between the teacher and student, learning objectives, etc. The most crucial part of the illustration, where all the circles intertwine, is through the learning objectives. To begin a lesson, learning objectives must be established. From there, as educators, we can apply our teaching methods to bring the classroom to the same finish line and encourage higher order thinking along the way. With online learning, we need to be more creative in our methods of bringing students from point A to Z. There are many obstacles to online learning. I found an interesting article that gave some helpful ideas how to create an environment that will counteract the high attrition rate of online learners, isolation, and dissatisfaction at teaching methods, and incorporate technology in a way that supports learning. Online learning has become so prevalent that we need to understand the different needs of online students and how traditional teaching methodology does not apply. Creating a classroom with goal orientation, adaptability, accessibility, alignment, experiential value, collaboration, constructivism, learning orientation, multiplicity, and granularity, we can create dimensions of an online class that address the gaps created by online classrooms. Learners may find a reduction in the feeling of isolation or a stronger sense of community.  McLoughlin (2002) noted that learners need more control over their learning environment. Designing scaffolds for learning involves conceptualizing new roles for learners and teachers in fostering task engagement, social interaction and peer feedback” (Enhancing Social Presence in Online Learning).  

            A concept we explored this module is called anchored collaborative inquiry. Anchored collaborative inquiry (ACI) is a model of professional development that "combines an in-service workshop followed by the simultaneous implementation of a specific standards-based reform in the classrooms of all the participating teachers. The implementation is supported by an ongoing online discussion facilitated by the workshop faculty" (O'Donnell, Hmelo-Silver & Erkens, 2006). How do I plan to incorporate anchored collaborative learning in my online course? I plan to use the resource of my fellow teachers that I work with, the past syllabus from the previous instructor, and the online resources and teachers that were my own teachers in my college courses. Using the collaboration of all my peers and former teachers, I can create an interaction that will help me as an instructor and improve my teaching methods.

We also learned about Diigo. "While many social bookmarking sites offer some collaboration opportunities, I have found that Diigo (Digest of Internet Information, Groups and Other stuff) combines a user-friendly social platform with bookmarking features, making it an effective research, integration, and collaboration tool for use in the classroom. In this article, I compare the benefits of traditional and social bookmarking websites. Then, using Diigo as a focus, I explore the possible uses and benefits of social bookmarking for research and collaboration in the classroom". We joined a group with my EDUC300 course and are exploring the applications and attempting to collaborate with each other. "Diigo gives you a place to store and organize bookmarks for anything you’re interested in online — think Pinterest with more words and fewer pictures. But this just scratches the surface of what Diigo can do. For one thing, when you bookmark an item, you can also highlight it and add sticky notes to keep track of specific sections that interest you. And you can collaborate with others in groups, where you share the resources you’ve found on a particular topic, discuss them in attached comments, even start forum discussions" (Once You Go Diigo, You Never Go Back).

            I urge you all to check out these new web tools and try and apply them to your life. It can only make your life easier. These tools can apply to your career in education by allowing the technology to create more interaction between your students. Diigo can help with researching and cataloging information on the web and Evernote can help you organize those little notes and form thorough papers that are comprehensive and extensive.

 

Self Assessment 100 pts- proved thorough comprehension of topics discussed this module and accomplished all criteria.

TOOC Blog- Diigo and EVERNOTE

EDUC300- TOOC Blog

by Ilicia Kelly

 

            I learned about some new web 2.0 tools this week. One that I thought was catchy was Evernote.com. It is a great app that will 'free yourself from the clutter that can invade your workspace' and organize your desk. It also has some great applications, like with blogging, capturing audio messages, storing receipts for expense reports, and basically manage anything your heart desires. In the age of technology, we still want a personal record of paper receipts and to have a copy that we can hold in our hand is a great new app! According to the reading in the Intro to Learning Technology course, "the Evernote website provides a simple overview of the software, suggesting that one uses Evernote first to “capture everything,” then “organize it,” and also to “find anything fast". It's a site to save notes, audio, anything you want to store and organize. You can even sync Evernote to your devices.

            We also learned about Diigo. "While many social bookmarking sites offer some collaboration opportunities, I have found that Diigo (Digest of Internet Information, Groups and Other stuff) combines a user-friendly social platform with bookmarking features, making it an effective research, integration, and collaboration tool for use in the classroom. In this article, I compare the benefits of traditional and social bookmarking websites. Then, using Diigo as a focus, I explore the possible uses and benefits of social bookmarking for research and collaboration in the classroom". We joined a group with my EDUC300 course and are exploring the applications and attempting to collaborate with each other. "Diigo gives you a place to store and organize bookmarks for anything you’re interested in online — think Pinterest with more words and fewer pictures. But this just scratches the surface of what Diigo can do. For one thing, when you bookmark an item, you can also highlight it and add sticky notes to keep track of specific sections that interest you. And you can collaborate with others in groups, where you share the resources you’ve found on a particular topic, discuss them in attached comments, even start forum discussions" (Once You Go Diigo, You Never Go Back).

            I urge you all to check out these new web tools and try and apply them to your life. It can only make your life easier. These tools can apply to your career in education by allowing the technology to create more interaction between your students. Diigo can help with researching and cataloging information on the web and Evernote can help you organize those little notes and form thorough papers that are comprehensive and extensive.

Where will your digital footprint lead your future employers?

EDUC300 Module 1 Synthesis

By Ilicia Kelly

           

            This week we discussed digital footprints. Christina Boxler had a great search and found many positive things about herself. Adrienne Poucher remarked that she had a small footprint. I had a pretty pathetic digital footprint as well! I thought there may be more, but just some websites that had borrowed my name and pictures from facebook to pretend that I used those said websites for social or professional networking. I looked into purchasing a domain name on godaddy.com but it's quite expensive just to keep a domain name running. If I owned my own business, it would be totally worth it, but I couldn't justify spending money to look good to those who google my name! Maybe when I get my bachelor's and apply for a job at a college, I'll spring for the domain name.

            According to an article on netlingo.com, "it is now widely accepted that in this era of e-mail, texting, blogging, and social networking, trying to hide one's digital footprint is practically futile. In fact, it's been reported that the FBI can hear your conversation via your cell phone even when it is turned off (the only thing to thwart this is take out the battery). Unlike paper trails, which can ultimately be destroyed or eliminated, "digital paper trails" are recorded and stored at remote locations that you may not even be aware of, and to that degree, there is nothing you can do to erase these records. An example is when Google's search results were subpoenad as evidence in court to help convict a man of murder because they revealed his past Internet searches, which included information on the murder weapon and learning how to murder someone in exactly the same manner as his wife was killed." This is great news for detectives in finding murderers and killers, but scary for a teen who texted a lewd picture of herself to a boy and then found it plastered all over numerous websites, unable to remove it.

            I googled my name and disturbingly found a website named www.intelius.com which listed my name and maiden name, age, relatives, zodiac sign (gasp!), and town that I live in!! I found my name and a picture in a website named www.mylife.com which I've never heard of with my information on it, my name on a webpage named stik.com with my cell phone number on it and previous addresses, and my reunion website info. I am aware of my facebook account and the information I put on there is acceptable for all to see, especially since I am "friends" with my employers so I know they will view my information.

            What I didn't find was any positive information on me. I've been in the paper for my deployment to Iraq in the Poughkeepsie Journal back in 2004, but that's not listed. I'm not a published author, so I didn't expect to see my novel, but I thought something positive would be there. Guess I need to put myself out into the world more. I can delete my facebook account to eliminate my pictures and information being stolen, but the damage is already done so what's the point? I don't have any bad or illicit pictures on my page, so at least they aren't embarrassing. I could start some more positive pages that were discussed on nameplate or linkedin. In the reading, 5 Reasons Your Online Presence Will Replace Your Resume, only 23% of people got jobs through ads. This is sad!! I need to up my online professional networking.

            In the reading, How To Clean Up Your Online Presence, I need to delete all unwanted information and promote myself positively through new avenues. I plan to do that tonight! I will start a LinkedIn account to present a more professional avenue of expression and network.

                        According to a website Cybersmart.gov, "everything you post online combines to make your digital footprint. Remember that what you share with your friends may also be viewed by people you don't know. And once it's online, it could be there forever. So think before you post." My facebook account has pictures that these other websites are fishing and stealing and reposting my info on there for their own advertisments! In the reading, How To Clean Up Your Online Presence, I need to delete all unwanted information and promote myself positively through new avenues.

            What this means for professionals is to treat the internet like a pen with no eraser. There is actually a website called iKeepSafe.org which focuses on helping adults manage their digital footprint and apps and tools to help with their children's digital footprint for college, jobs, and life in general. On the website iKeepSafe, "Through this network of support, iKeepSafe tracks global trends and issues surrounding digitally connected products and their affect on children. This research drives the continuous creation of positive resources for parents, educators and policymakers who teach youths how to use new media devices and platforms in safe and healthy ways." It's a wonderful tool and great news for educators, parents, and children.

Self Assessment- 90 pts- I took off 10 pts because I forgot to publish it within the time frame outlined in the syllabus.