# data[].attributes.body
Cassie Whaley
Professor Dubusky
November 26, 2018
Blog Five

Many school across the world have placed bans on the internet for students and staff. To some that may seem appropriate, but as I dug a little deeper into the content of this article, it made me wonder if that was actually appropriate, or if there was a lesson to be learned for the 21st century learners in my classroom. One of the things to point out is as school districts, higher up staff members, and teachers, we must ask what we are putting into our curriculum and what kind of citizens our 21st century democracy requires. There are three identified visions,  which I would like to point out. The first one is, personally responsible citizens. Digital Citizenship defines that as "citizens who act responsibly in their communities, act as informed voters, and generally obey laws". This is the kind that has dominated what is taught inside the schools. The part where teachers can step in here, using technology, is to teach credibility to a deeper extent. Considering how open to technology students are and how quickly they pull up resources, I can teach how to backtrack whether that ".org" is really trustworthy or just looks to be. Students can also begin to understand what statements on social media are credible and why, and we can help with that by doing something like a class Twitter. Using a class twitter, we could go through credibility together. This is one of many instances where the blocking of social media could be harmful to the 21st century students. The second identified vision is participatory citizens, which is defined by Digital Citizens as "citizens who understand government, know how it works, and actively organize community efforts as regular part of their lives". This vision allows teachers to create a safe space using social media for the students who may be scared, hesitant, or unsure of their opinions. We can teach the difference between what meaningful interactions are, and what to avoid on the internet. The third vision is justice-oriented citizens defined as "citizens who critically appraise social, political, and economic structures; tackle injustice; and seek systemic changes" (Digital Citizens). This vision allows teachers to reach students in a way that raises awareness of oppression and good ways to cope and move forward with that. For example, deciding whether a site is biased or un-biased and why. We must educate students and help them become informed before they can make appropriate decisions. This was a lot to take in, however, if we as educators can include these things in our curriculum, we are on the right track to helping students become civically engaged and responsible citizens using things they are used to and comfortable with, right at their fingertips.

Like every other article, there are two sides to each story. The first side is that when schools ban social media in hopes to control and maintain student behavior, they are also taking away the responsibility of the teacher to educate the students about today's world. People firmly believe that school is for learning, yet fail to imagine a school where technology and social media can be used in a positive light. I was one of those people for the past several years, but we need to sometimes look outside the box to help educate students fully. This is what the world is coming to, and it doesn't have to be viewed as negative, there are positives! The second view is that social media can help students grow as digital citizens in a democracy. Teachers are learning too, and it's important that we allow our students to take place in that growth. Our students will leave school and vote and be a part of the community whether we're ready for them to or not, so why let them go outside of the school uneducated when we have the knowledge? Social media has hundreds of positive outlets and many positive ways to be used in the classroom.

Teachers have standards to meet and curriculum to teach- but social media can make that goal even more within reach in the classroom. So, to finish up, I leave you with this. Would you rather your child be taught at an unbiased level about how to be a good citizen, or hope he or she learns on his own? Should educators not teach about credibility and civic rights while we have the chance?

# data[].attributes.body
Cassie Whaley
Professor Dubusky
November 12, 2018
Blog Four

While reading "Assistive Technology for Students with Learning Disabilities", one thing really jumped out at me. There are many ways and uses for technology to be used in the classroom for all students, but specifically students with disabilities, it can be very assistive. The summary points of why and what assistive technology is was stated as this, "

1. Assistive technology ranges from low- to high-tech.

2. Assistive technology can be used in two ways: to support learning and to bypass a challenging task such as handwriting.

3. In order to be effective, assistive technology needs to be embedded within quality instruction" (Assistive Technology).

This summary helps people to grasp an understanding of assistive technology. The technology can be anything from a pencil grippy, helping a student to write, to a laptop that a student uses all day to speak for them. These kinds of technology can support learning and help a student grow or help to avoid challenges for students. And lastly, a teacher needs to incorporate these things into his or her lessons. Now that we have an understanding of assistive technology, the next thing I enjoyed reading was that most people overlook how powerful, unique, and helpful assistive technologies can be. Assistive Technology stated this, "We may not consider the default functions of word processors to be ground breaking, but for students with learning disabilities, functions such as spell check and text-to-speech can be a tremendous help when composing and decoding words." As a soon-to-be educator, it is important to understand not everybody will be learning on the same level at the same time. Some technologies we overlook can be extremely helpful to students who struggle with spelling, sentence structure, or writing in general. These software's on computers can help students with their sight words or typing for those who struggle with hand writing by using things like "speak to type". Computer software's help students with a wide range of disabilities and can be helpful for students without, too! And a third thing I'd like to discuss is the amount of considerations that come with assistive technologies. Students deserve the most help we can offer in the classroom, however it can be an extensive process. With more of the high-tech stuff, comes training, new classroom tools, and lots of money being spent that does go through higher up people. It can be a long process that requires a lot of work, and technology is changing so rapidly, it is hard to keep up.

One side, or way to look at assistive technology is that it is great for the classroom. Assistive technology is great for all students and can create a classroom of thriving students. There are several pros, like "helping students bypass the tasks of handwriting and spelling" and how assistive technology can " improve the writing skills of students with learning disabilities". Assistive technology can be as little as dimming the lights or as large as an entirely new computer system, it just depends on what's happening in your classroom. However, some look at this entirely different. This article states this, " In addition, research cannot be produced quickly enough to match the rate of technological innovations, and as a result, educators tend to rely on the claims of the producers of the technologies rather than evidence-based research" (Blackhurst, 2005). Technology is growing at the snap of our fingers and it can be hard to keep up. We lack the proper research when it comes to knowledge on assistive technology, we lack training, and we lack the money to keep advancing. People can base their knowledge off websites in hopes for the best, but it may not ultimately be best for the students in the classroom who have disabilities.

Assistive technology can be a means of many things, high or low tech. Some items can even be found in your own homes needing no training but having the same effect in the classroom (helping students). So, I leave you with this. Do you think assistive technology is worth the process? If we are truly thinking of what's best for our students, shouldn't their needs be first, regardless of the effort? And lastly, how can we improve the understanding of assistive technology, if at all?

# data[].attributes.body
Cassie Whaley
Professor Dubusky
October 29, 2018
Blog Three

While reading "Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology", one thing that grabbed my attention was just-in-case learning and just in time learning. Just-in-case learning knowledge is vocational and practical training which is fostered in schools. Just-in-time learning is "the kind of learning that is typically associated
with technology is a much more informal, hands-on sort with a more immediate application" (Rethink). Schools are teaching what they believe to be relevant, whether it be including technology or not. Even though that is the case, people still fear that technology will change the way schools teach, assuming that schools would teach to the most current trends rather than what is "important" (being deeper, older history, the basics). Another thing that spoke volumes to me was that one day, "just in case" and "just in time" learning will work together. This is a great change in mind set and as an educator, we should think of it that way, rather than wanting things to be traditional because that is what we are comfortable with. Technology can be used to do amazing things and it is (quite literally) right at our finger tips. A third part of Rethink that stood out to me was ways to bring technology into the classroom that can help make students more intellectual. A few examples are games. When people think of games, they assume along with that comes very little learning, which is not the case. Technology provides hundred and thousands of games that provide analytical, real-world, and deep thinking material that is also entertaining. Computers provide instant feedback which is critical in helping students understand (trial and error). Students can read, process, write, and share information in an instant as well. Apps like Evernote allow us to bookmark, highlight, and write on notes while sharing with our peers. Technology makes students excited and is relatable for them. They can see feedback and learn how to be experts on things. This is critical in the students growth and development. Technology challenges students but also provides a sense of comfort and growth. It is great for the classroom, and worth not being a "traditional" educator.

Like every article or story, there are two sides. Rethink says this, "One of the biggest misconceptions today is that the new emphasis on technology in schools and popular culture will erode the traditional liberal arts education and reorient school so that it favors vocational, practical training". People are fearing that technology is teaching to the interests rather than the needs of our students. That in itself is one view of technology- it is taking over what is important. On the other end of the spectrum, the opposing side believes that technology is making students more intellectual. By providing apps, games, and new ways to think about things, students become more intellectual as a whole. An educated person is expected to have the ability to think independently, having knowledge and expertise in many areas. If schools are just teaching the traditional things, students cannot grow to their full potential. Technology is a great asset to the opposing side.

Technology can be an overwhelming idea, especially for educators. We want to best meet the needs of our students but we also want to be comfortable. For me though, comfort is not even in the though process. Students reaching their highest level of learning is the goal, my comfort is not relevant. Technology can be used in amazing ways and will create an amazing learning environment in my classroom. My question for you is, why remain comfortable? How can you incorporate technology without leaving parents under the assumption that you are "just teaching trends"? I encourage you to think differently, if not for yourself, for your students.

# data[].attributes.headline
Blog One (Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants)

# data[].attributes.subject
Blog One (Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants)

# data[].attributes.body
Cassie Whaley

Professor Dubusky

September 12, 2018

Blog One

As I was reading the article, “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” one of the first things that stood out to me was when it mentioned is how different kinds of experiences lead to different brain structures. Now-a-days, kids are growing up with technology and fast pace thinking and learning. It is going to be almost every student in our classrooms, so us (as a whole, maybe not personally) as “digital immigrants” need to do our best to teach meeting their needs, including technology. The second thing that stood out to me was that the teachers (immigrant instructors) now are struggling to teach the generation now that speaks an entirely different language, so to speak. Digital Natives (this generation of students) learn very quickly using technology and graphics, where as we may not appreciate that and use it to its’ max. We (me personally) need to come to an understanding that technology can be positive, and it will absolutely help our students be the best and most successful they can be. Thirdly is how we teach. We need to communicate in the language they speak, which the article states as “But it does mean going faster, less step-by step, more in parallel, with more random access, among other things” (Prensky). The content is next. The article says this, “here are now two kinds of content: “Legacy” content (to borrow the computer term for old systems) and “Future content” (Prensky). We need to teach meeting their needs, regular curriculum more quickly, and more advanced digitally.

There are always positive sides and negative sides to things. One positive is that eventually, people who lack the knowledge of technology, will be able to teach their entire classroom. If we as educators continue teaching with what we are comfortable with, it may not reach the students. They are growing up different than we did, they think and process differently, and we too need to be able to learn and think that way, for their education. So, if we take the time to learn, this process of using technology and digital things and maybe changing content can change the classrooms for the best. A con would be having to change content and tools a little bit. Although that can be timely, I do not feel like there is actually a negative to this. It is a great way to meet the needs of our students. Like the example they shared in the passage, “In my talks I now include “thought experiments” where I invite professors and teachers to suggest a subject or topic, and I attempt– on the spot – to invent a game or other Digital Native method for learning it” (Prensky). If you’re concerned about being timely, it is possibly to think quickly. It is possible. This is a great article. The only question I am left with, which may never be able to be answered, is why now? Why is technology becoming so relevant now? And do we ever seeing it going backwards, to paper and pencil, or will it only grow from this point?

# data[].attributes.body
Cassie Whaley
Professor Dubusky
October 17, 2018
Blog Two
While reading "21st Century Fluency Series", what really stood out to me was that as educators we must be willing to make adjustments in our classrooms to meet the needs of today's students. The students now learn entirely differently than even I did as a child, and technology is a MUST. Secondly, a few of the seven adjustments that stuck out to me were for educators to take the time and make the effort to catch up, collaboration, and new assessments and evaluations. If educators can look at the way the classroom is being run and make these adjustments, school will meet the children where they are. 21st century learners and their educations are worth learning how to use Google, learning how to and what to use Podcasts for, and worth spicing things up a little. Using collaboration lets the students use their imagination to the fullest and also allows the students to use the technology they use on a daily basis while also allowing their culture and diversity to be shared. If teachers can also change up the way they assess rather than just giving a student 5/10 and saying they are not competent, the teacher could ask how they could change what they are doing and how they could better use and try other pieces of technology. It is a learning process for educators and students as well. The third thing I would like to point out is where the article points out that our biggest challenge is that educators need to be better at "comprehending and accepting the changes" (21st Century Fluency Project). It amazes me that technology and society is changing so quickly that yesterday is (literally and metaphorically) already in the past. We as educators need to put in the work in our classrooms, as these students are not the same as we are/were.

To each story, there are two sides. Two each truth, there are pros and cons. A pro to this article could easily be said as this, " If we are willing to acknowledge this, meet the digital generation half way and embrace their world as
we expect them to embrace ours, we will set them free. And in doing so we will be able to leverage their digital lifestyle and help each and every one of them become better, more engaged, more independent learners" (21st Century Fluency Project). The biggest positive here is not only teaching an education at their level, but allowing them to embrace who they are and how awesome they are, using the things they do (phones, computers, collaboration, etc). Educators have to get down and dirty, but it is well worth it in the end. A con could be that even after learning how to embrace the students and their diversity, sometimes educators sometimes still go back to their old, more comfortable ways, because that's easier. What's easier for us may not reach the students, which is clearly not the goal of educators. To look at the con as more of an encouragement, once we go so long embracing technology, that too will become a new habit. Let that be a goal, rather than bouncing back to what may be easiest. To end this blog post, I would ask this, why do we allow comfort to be where we stop? If life was all about comfort, would we even be where we are at today or would we be more self-less and progressive? If the students needs are truly first, teacher development is worth it, correct? How does your classroom look?