To Be or Not to Be....

Too young for online assessments?

So a few weeks ago, we did our first round of assessments for our kindergarten students.  No big deal, or is it?  This time we did the testing on Chromebooks with the kids wearing headphones.  Now for most students, I would say fine because they are in deed Digital Natives.  But for kindergartners, I would have to say, we are not there yet.  And if we want to get there we have to do a lot more to prepare our students at the preschool ages.  There's a big difference from a toddler playing games on a tablet for fun and a baby taking a test that is recorded and reported as a part of our end of the year scores.  The question becomes to be or not to be?

As I sat and assisted each student in my group through our version of the MAP test without offering any assistance but instead just trying to keep them on task, I would have to vote, "not to be".  I had one little girl telling me how pretty my nail polish was, while another kept trying to give me hugs.  Then there was the one that I had to keep reminding that she was actually taking a test so she should look at the screen and finish.  Then there was the ones that were so intrigued by the touchscreen that they just kept hitting letters with no regards to the correct answer.  It was absolutely horrific to watch.  And I fear the results in the end.  For this environment, I don't think that the touchscreen Chrome books was the best tool especially seeing that this group of kids were not regularly using Chrome books in the learning environment.  This is a prime example of the problems posed with evolving technology.  "One of the acknowledged truisms of educational technology is that technology evolves much more rapidly than the willingness of teachers, learners, and educational institutions to exploit those technologies for learning." (Mason, 2004, p. 3)  In this case, a better idea might have been to use assessment tools that included audio and visual stimulants but with less distractions.  Maybe if it was designed as more of a game delivered on a tablet, then the kids would focus more on getting the answers right.  Also maybe if there were stimulants to let the kid know how they were doing, it would keep their attention on doing better.  Another idea would be video conferencing where an instructor goes over each question to the group and then the kid just selects the right answer on their tablet.The keyboard and touchscreen together overwhelmed the kids and our test results will reflect that in the end.  Unfortunately that is one of the downfalls of technology, if not used appropriately in the proper setting, you can get results that do not accurately reflect the performance of the audience.

References

Mason, R. (2004). Evolving technologies. Encyclopedia of distributed learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Week 1

The internet and my smartphone are two things I could not live without.  I use the internet for school.  "Modern, high-speed computers and telecommunications have facilitated the rapid movement of financial resources, goods and services, and have created an interdependence among the world's economies" (Molnar, 1997, p. 1).  I conduct most of my financial business online.  In addition, I shop online and keep in contact with out-of-state family members, as well as follow world news online.  I never leave home without my laptop, my tablet or my phone.  I usually have one of the three or at the very least my smartphone.  The great thing about my smartphone is that if I can't access WiFi, I can still access the internet through 4G.  Also, I can program reminders for important activities in my phone so that I can stay on top of my appointments.  Without these technologies and technology tools, I would be greatly limited in completing tasks in a timely fashion due to my busy work and school schedule.  It would be hard to keep in contact with out-of-state family members and friends.  I wouldn't be able to go to school online.

My dependency on technology is heavily based on my experiences. Today, I use technology in every aspect of my life. I am currently an online learner and I work in a school rich in technology. Technology and learning go hand-in-hand. "Increasingly, many concepts and ideas cannot be taught without the aid of technology to represent and manipulate them." (Molnar, 1997, p. 3) Can you remember the last time you ran into an encyclopedia salesman? When was the last time you looked up anything in a book? The internet is convenient and it's quick. In this class alone, I learned, through my resources online, that in 1959 computers in education was first introduced in a large scale project. I also learned that "in 1963, John Kimeny and Thomas Kurtz transformed the role of computers in education from primarily a research activity to an academic one." (Molnar, 1997, p. 3) You can look up millions of pieces information in one place in a matter of moments but it does require some skill. Computers are a must in education to properly prepare students for the 21st century. "Broadly speaking, the two major functions of education are to transmit the culture, values and lessons of the past to the current generation; and to prepare our children for the world in which they live" (Molnar, 1997, p. 1) What better way to prepare our kids be successful in today's schools and tomorrow's workforce than through computer proficiency. Computer literacy is no longer enough.

References

Molnar, A. (1997). Computers in education: A brief history. T.H.E. Journal, 24(11), 63-68.

Week 2

            Technology is a big part of my life at home and at work.  I’m also an online learner so technology is a big piece of my day-to-day in every aspect of my day.  At work, a big piece of my job is working on the computer and acting as an administrator for our student information systems.  I also do a lot of computer troubleshooting for our staff.  I am definitely a millennial learner.    “This induces learning based on seeking, sieving, and synthesizing, rather than on assimilating a single “validated” source of knowledge” (Dede, 2005, p. 7).  I am constantly doing Google searches to research a topic.  Technology has helped me to become a very resourceful person.  It’s accessible and convenient.  The internet is the one piece of technology that I could not live without.  I do everything online.  I pay my bills online.  I shop online.  I pay my taxes online.  I go to school online which has proven to be a great opportunity and experience for me.  “Increasingly, people want educational products and services tailored to their individual needs rather than one-size-fits-all courses of fixed length, content, and pedagogy” (Dede, 2005, p. 8).  Walden is definitely tailored to my individual needs.  It’s convenient.  It allows me to take one class at a time and still qualify for financial aid.  It also works well with my work schedule and my lifestyle.             

           Technology influences just about every part of my life with the exception of personal relationships.  I am not a big social media user.  I think it’s great for networking but I think hinders people’s genuine and personal interactions.  I have friends that will invite me to important events via Facebook rather than shooting me a text or a paper invitation.  I often miss special events because people have gotten so out-of-touch with making personal contact because of the convenience of social media.  Overall, I see technology as a huge benefit.  It makes my life easier and it has allowed me to do something that I’ve been trying to do since high school.  It has allowed me to successfully pursue a bachelor degree without taking away from other aspects of my personal and professional life.

References:

Dede, C. (2005). Planning for neomillennial learning styles. Educause Quarterly, 1, 7–12.

Welcome to My Blog!

Hello all. Welcome to my bog!  Today is my first official day as a blogger.  I am not very familiar with the process but I look forward to learning this new application.  Since I've began my studies at Walden University I have learned to use several online tools to assist me in the classroom.  Two of my favorite tools so far have been Google Docs and Webspiraton.  Both allowed me to easily work on group projects in real time with other group members.  I'm hoping this blogging experience will enhance my learning experience and give me yet another tool to use in my future classes to interact with my peers.  Good luck everyone and I look forward to reading your blogs!