I want to thank all of you for participating in my blog and joining me on Skype. I will keep the Skype up and running.-- However, you may not see me much because I am taking the summer off. This is much needed. Thanks again!

So I was thinking


Each of us wrote a 10 page paper on new and emerging technologies.

We should post it as a book. We can use a wiki space or another format and title it- Emerging Technologies and their implications to Education. Then each of us could post our paper. Each paper would be like a chapter in the book.

What do you think?

Everyday Math

We are adopting the Everyday Math program. The administration in our district has stressed the importance of communication amongst the staff members using this program.

I will be taking a course that requires field hours and was thinking about designing somekind of social network for the district.

I was just wondering if you could drop me a few ideas as to what format I should use.

Basic website? Wiki? Blog?

I watched the video Blackboard k20 connection on the blackboard website- http://www.blackboard.com/us/index.Bb

I often am amazed that administrators discuss how to change the actual classroom setting and do not really think about how to change the actual structure of the school.

This blackboard is an amazing. I especially like the idea that each child has access to an on-library. This is desperatly needed for those children in poverty. (When I went to Jones International online for my master's they provided us with a library filled with ebooks. It was absolutely the best thing I ever used. They also had a librarian available for live chats. I am now using questia.com. It is the world's largest online library)

Back to the blackboard- I also liked the fact that it forced k-12 to become part of a community. So many times they teaching in their own little "Bubble" not connected to any businesses or colleges.

This week I really enjoyed chatting on skype, especially when there was alot of laughs about GWB.

April 21-25

Can you say BUSY!

I had a meeting to discuss my blog business idea. I landed the job!--- So now it is pamphlet making, webdesigning, and everything else. Yes, I know my website was not the fanciest but that is why I have a tech savvy partner. Oh- the name of my business-- ME Motif-- a design team for you and about you.

As for skype I have not been on at the same time as others. Due to state testing week, I have been working added hours online. I did drop Derek a chat about how he is managing the two large projects we have between our classes and was able to talk with Dr. T. for a little while.

AND . . . my principal found another grant for me to write which is due April 30th. I am two pages into it. I hope one of these grant opportunities will give my school some money for a smart board.

State tests are next week- so it has been very hetic at school.

AND . . I am off to Columbus this weekend. My sister and I meet half way and let the kids swim in a hotel.

All I can say is thank goodness I am not sick anymore. :)

Here I am thinking, Cleveland not the most forward thinking city around. But now I am starting to think a bit differently.

I was reading the Cleveland Plain Dealer and in the Art section there is an entire article on the Second Life and how Cleveland has a virtual boom town there.
http://www.cleveland.com/living/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/living-0/120798921322270.xml&coll=2

http://teach.case.edu/secondlife/

Wendy Shapiro states in the article, "It's only popular if something is happening when you go somewhere, whether it's learning of events or concerts. Just looking around is insufficient."

I have always believed that Cleveland has gotten such a bad "rap", which we may deserve. Lately, I am noticing a new spirit here in our town. One that is embracing new and out of the box thinking. I hope the business invited to join this project will host exciting and new events that encourage people to visit our town.

I also would like to see Case begin building the new Medical Mart in the Virtual world. This has been a highly discussed building that will allow people of the medical field to display, train, and sell medical products all in one area. With the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, and Metro all within 15 minutes from the Mart it is sure to be a hit. I am would guarantee people who are not able to be in actual attendance would visit it in the virtual world.

AND can you believe it. My brother works at and attends Case and never even mentioned this!

Last week I was talking with Dr. Toledo about the instant messaging feature we have been using. I was thinking. Too bad that this could not be expanded further to help students, help each other.

Here is an illustration. Imagine a instant message system called Skype Tutor. When the Skype Tutor was opened there would several groups listed. For example, fractions - basic, fractions- ordering, fractions- mixed numbers, Geometry- area, Geometry - perimeter, etc.

The student would pick a group that would be able to assist him/her with the specific type of math homework for the night. The other students in that group would also be working the same topic and they all could help one and other out. The Skype Tutor board would also come with an interactive white board.

Students could also form new groups if the one they were looking for was not listed. Kind of like a wiki skype.

Imagine . . .

ADHD

My brother and I were talking about his disseration at his 29th birthday party. He is getting his PH.D in sociology.

He believes that all of this technology is causing ADHD.

Now- both of us have ADHD and take medication for it. I told him that we would still be ADHD even if we lived in a van down by the river without any technology.

He said we may have a gene for the disorder and technology is triggering it.

I don't know I think there were ADHD people out there long before everyday people had television.

What are your thoughts?

Borrowed Time

March 24-

Last night I watched the movie Gone Baby Gone. I won't ruin the ending but I was so mad when it was over. It really made me think about today's society.



Example 1- this week at school one of my SED students had a mental break in class. He was taken away by an ambulance and police. He is in 2nd grade. Why did he have a mental break? His mom lost her job and no longer had insurance to keep up his meds.



Example 2- Again this week called social services twice for child abuse. One for a girl that is getting beat up by her 10 yr old brother. And the other for a student I have been calling on since kindergarten. He is now in 3rd grade. This time he came to school with carpet burns all over from being dragged around by his step father.



My point being. We do nothing. Social services comes in and creates a "plan." Seldom is it followed through and another one is made. These children live in horrid conditions, the schools, notify, and nothing is done! It is maddening and it is becoming more frequent at my school.



So what does all of this have to do with technology. Well as we move into this knowledge based area, our children of today will require highly advanced skills to make it in the work force of the future. This is not being done for the majority of the low middle class and the poor children of our country. I actually see our advance into this new economy as a splitter. We will begin to have more poor. The divide between poor and middle class will become extreme. The website below shows how we are failing to provide all people of our country access to technology.

http://knowledge.insead.edu/contents/Soumitra2.htm

Finland has ranked #1 and the United States #7 for networked readiness. (The following website provides a more detailed explaination of how it is measured http://www.idc.com/groups/isi/main.html

I truely believe our educational system is living on borrowed time from the industrial age. This time will soon expire. We need to realize that education is not the "catch all" for this society. We need health insurance for all. We need social service agencies that are empowered to take action. And we need more social service agencies.



We need to allow the economic transgenerational movement to decrease. In the United States it currently takes 8 generations to get out of an economic class. This is not the American Dream!

In relation to economic equality-The four key factors to intergenerational movement between economic classes are: education, race, health, and the state of residence (Hertz, 2006, pg. 4). Technology is not one of the key factors. "France, Germany, Sweden, Canada, Finland, Norway, and Demark," continue to beat the United States in intergenerational movement amongst economic classes. France did not even make it in the top 20 for technology but continues to be allow family members to move between economic levels.This then brings up an interesting point. I am sure that many of us believe that technology in the classroom will help children become better prepared for the 21st century. However, according to these stats we may consider investing more money into the child's residence, health, and promoting not degrading their race. What if the factors that are occuring outside the classroom have more of an impact on a student's educational attainment, than what is happening in the classroom?

Hertz, T. (2006). Understanding Mobility in America. Retrieved on March 12, 2008 from the website: http://www.americanprogress.org/kf/hertz_mobility_analysis.pdfSutta, D. Retrieved on March 12, 2008 from the website: http://knowledge.insead.edu/contents/Soumitra2.htm

OK - I will stop now- I can go on forever. I should have never watched the movie. Another mind bending movie that has changed my life forever- Sicko- by Michael Moore.

This week my computer has been much nicer to me. :) Although it is not allowing me to download spybot- but my fire walls are on high power.

YEAH! I have finally joined Skype. I was waiting for all of you on MSN. I never got the email. This is a technical issue I am having with Walden.

This week, along with completing my classes, I am writing a grant for my school. The grant will request $10,000 for the purchase of interactive white boards for my school. Part of this grant will involve the local highschool students. If we get the smartboards 6 positions will be posted for seniors and juniors to apply. They will send their resume to our elementry school and 6 students will be chosen to be the technology support for these devices. The students will collaborate with the elementry teachers about their technology needs. The students will then complete any streamlining, podcasting, interactive games, that the teachers need for their whiteboard. Not only will the students be teaching the elementry instructors, but they will also become positive role models for the younger students. The 6 students will work as teams to help each other with assignments throughout the week using Wiki spaces and emails. If the team is unable to solve the technical dilema they will work with their community technology mentor. These mentors will be available through email and Wiki boards. This is the program in a nutshell. Wish me luck!

For those of you not in Ohio-- Let me tell you IT IS SNOWING!

Math question- We do alot of team teaching in the 3rd grade. I made up a sheet for the students on multiplication and division. The students were allowed to use calculators and we have been doing this type of math for over a month now. Here is an example. There are 45 bananas. How many can you put in a carton so that each carton has an equal amount. The problems got progressivly harder and were in chart format. Anyways the regular education teachers said I shouldn't be giving them such hard work. They need constant guidance! Why are we so afraid to let these kids try things. The regular education teachers also had a COW when I let them use calculators. They said this helps nothing. I just don't think our teachers understand the importance of problem solving over rote memorization. I was frustrated.

This week in a nutshell-
On Sunday morning my computer was infected with the SMITFRAUD-C virus. I thought I had it undercontrol until Monday morning when I was welcomed with the blue screen of death. I taught a class Monday after work, was at a meeting until 7:00 at night on Tuesday, taught class Wednesday and Thursday until 8:00 and by Friday I was exhausted. I forgot to mention that I work from 8-4 everyday with elementary students! What a week.

I reset my MSN live messenger. Sorry I was not available most of the week. I did not do my system recovery until Thursday night.

I tutor online and we use Spark This is very similar to Messenger, so I can't wait to hear from my classmates!

I did not recieve the email list of contacts. Can someone email that to me?

I am still working on the pictures. I have to have them all downloaded from my safe file on line. -Which I have no idea how to do.

I hope everyone else has had a great week. I am hoping for a spring break with no snow.