Chapter Ten and Epilogue

In chapter 10 Richardson sums up how the internet is and will be affecting our lives on a personal and professional level.  He assumes that college graduates will be expected to interact with other people around the globe in their chosen profession.  I think that he overestimates how widespread this global interaction will be.  I can think of many careers that will not take this route.  At the same time he seems to scoff at how students of today are expected to work independently, instead of  collaboratively, as if this could be considered a criminal offense.  I object to this notion.  Independent work has a valid place in the education process.  In its absence, students would not be able to develop many essential skills - skills that must be fine tuned before collaboration is entered upon.  And I maintain that collaboration already exists, even if it is not global.

In his list of "big shifts" Richardson continues to put down other sound educational practices, such as lecturing and memorizing.  He seems to see no need for personally acquiring knowledge, because information is just a click away.  To my mind, he seems to be advocating that we abandon practices that have been demonstrated to be tried and true - practices that have carried us from one century to the next - for centuries!  Is our information revolution really more colossal than the industrial revolution was in its time?  I don't think so.  I think a complete restructuring of education, based on Richardson's vision, would prove to be disastrous for our students and our society.

In the epilogue, a picture is painted of a teacher who appears to have completely embraced Richardson's view for education.  As a result, the teacher's professional life seems to be one of simplicity and bliss.  I have a lot of trouble believing this would be the case.  

 

Chapter Nine

Chapter nine delves into the world of social networks, a world that I honestly have no desire to enter.  I think that if I were younger I might belong to Facebook, just to keep track of the people I knew in high school, college, and the work place.  But at this point in my life I keep in touch with the people who are most important to me.  I think that it would take a lot of time to track down the other people I have known, assuming that I can still remember their names!  I have not been convinced that there is a place for Facebook in my classroom, especially when other sites abound, that can provide the same service.

Richardson introduces Ning as being similar to Facebook.  Instead of focusing on personal relationships, Ning's claim to fame is all about making interest-based connections.  Again, I feel that there are plenty of other ways to connect and share information, without resorting to Ning.  Another site that is described, ArtSnacks, specializes in forming connections in the world of art.

Richardson, at times comes across as a child in a candy store, wanting all that the internet can offer.  I would prefer it if he weren't so over-the-top about each site he introduces.  Instead I would rather that he emphasized that, while there are many options, prudence requires that we pick and choose carefully.  That way we do not become overwhelmed by our choices.  To me it's all about time management and balancing how we fill up our days.

Chapter Eight

Chapter eight explores the area of audios and videos that are published to the web, most of which are amateur, home-made productions, and can be shared with an almost infinite number of people.  Because video cameras are found in almost all technology, people have the ability to record events and other people almost anywhere, under almost any circumstances.  This can potentially invade the privacy of all of us - an issue that I expect will be settled in the courts at some point in the future.

One of these capabilities is podcasting, which is how non-professional audio is broadcast to the masses.  Another is video publishing, the most popular being YouTube.  Another technique, that allows you to add audio to what's being seen on your computer, is called screencasting.  Finally, live streaming TV provides a live audio-video account so that anyone not able to be present at the event can watch it from their home computer or cell phone.


How can these be helpful in education?  Well, certainly videos have been posted on YouTube that give detailed explanations of content taught in school.  This can be a boon for students who need a second look, or who may have been absent.  Live streaming TV can bring more viewers into the audience, thus allowing a parent or relative to view what he would have otherwise missed.  As a teacher, I'm not sure that I would have the time myself to get involved in the creation of any of these, but I can readily see that they could augment classroom learning, and I believe that they already do.

Chapter Seven

Chapter seven describes in great length the web site Flickr.  This is a site where images and videos can be posted and shared with others, whether on a personal or professional level.  As far as using Flickr in the classroom, there is no guarantee that the content found on the web site will be appropriate for students to view.  But for me, the bottom line is that, once again, Flickr is not a site that would be very useful in a math class.

I see how Flickr can be a useful tool in other subjects, but I would hope that "old-fashioned" methods for completing projects do not become obsolete.  There is something to be said for working with your hands.  It brings a different feeling of satisfaction when you have created something by hand.  There should be a variety and balance in people's lives.  As teachers, we are responsible for guiding our students in establishing that variety and balance.

Chapter Six

One of Richardson's main themes is that use of the internet allows us to provide information to people around the world who share the same interests that we do.  This ability unites people around the globe, and even allows them to create together, without even leaving the comfort of their own computer.  I agree with him.  It is a mind boggling concept. 

One method, that Richardson suggests, of becoming, and staying connected to others is through the use of Twitter.  He states that this is the way to stay informed about the people and organizations in our lives.  Some schools have used Twitter to keep parents and others in the community abreast of the goings on in their schools.  He maintains that Twitter has the ability to give us a detailed account of the events in the life of a friend who may live a distance away.  But do we really need to know what that friend is doing minute by minute, as Richardson suggests?  Can't a phone conversation accomplish the same thing, but at a deeper level?  And don't schools already maintain communication through their school's website?  Are other means of communication really necessary?

Richardson then introduces social bookmarking sites called Diigo, that give the user the ability to organize, annotate, and highlight favorite sites; and Delicious, which allows the user to share links by the manner that the sites are tagged.  This seems to me to be a bit overwhelming.  How many different ways do we have to use to accomplish the same task?  How can interpersonal relationships survive with so much time spent on the web?

Technology overuse is something we should be concerned about, because we are only in the beginning stages of this information revolution.  It will take time to understand the long term implications of how these innovations might be affecting the children of today.

Chapter Five

I found Richarson's enthusiasm for Really Simple Syndication (RSS) to be a bit too much to take.  Yes, there are advantages to organizing the web sites that a person follows, but to question why on earth someone would not have already set up a google accoung is a stretch. Some people, I think, prefer to maintain simple lives, without always being connected to the internet, or other forms of technology.  I think that our lives today are jam packed wth "things to do".  Why would someone be so willing to add just something else to the list of "to do's"?

Richardson suggests that we follow blogs of other teachers to keep abreast of what they are doing in their classrooms.  As I've previously mentioned, I think that this is a reasonable use for blogs.  But in all honesty, I'm not sure where are we supposed to find the time to do that on any kind of a regular basis?  While it makes sense to keep abreast with new happenings, I don't think that it is as critical as Richardson suggests.  In some occupations, such as financial advisors, knowing the latest data can be a critical factor.  But I disagree that (as Richardson suggests) when you take a camping trip, you should have to make arrangements to make sure that you don't miss reading any texts.  I can remember a time in my life when if you missed a TV show, you had to wait until the summer, and hope to be able to view it in reruns.  And leaving the house?  Well, we could go out and not be bothered with the sound of phones ringing.  And when we returned home, we had no clue as to whether anyone had called us in our absence!  Somehow we were able to survive, and yes, life was blissfully simpler and somehow just a little bit more interesting!  Life held more surprises, because we couldn't predict everything that was about to happen.

Chapter Four

I agree that a wiki is a great way to share and collaborate on line. It can have many uses, such as reporting news events as they happen.  It allows for corrections to be made, so if one person recounts an event inaccurately, then someone else can correct the errors, thus ensuring that the news event is portrayed wihout error.  But we are at the mercy of those publishing the news.  Yes, corrections can be made, but what about the person who checks the wiki before any corrections are made?

I always view things in terms of "how can they be used in a math class".  I can picture presenting a lesson on a wiki, but I'm not sure how interactive it would be. Much of the time spent in  high school math class is spent on developing skills that can be used in various situations.  As I've said before, I don't think that teaching math allows for the broader use of wikis as easily as other subjects.  I do like the fact that different pages can be created on a wiki, thereby helping to organize the subject matter. But I find that the process of editing isn't always reliable.  A method that works one day doesn't necessarily work the next.  And sometimes the buttons in the edit mode don't perform the operation that they are supposed to.

Strategies for Wikis in Math Class is a site that has some good, concrete ideas on how wikis can be utilized.  I will certainly investigate the suggestions found there.  I think that I will be able to find a way to use wikis in my classes.

Chapter Three

Chapter three attempts to give guidance and directions on creating a blog and blogging with students.  Richardson gives a reasonable attempt at guiding a novice through the ins and outs of blogging.  But his directions lack the clarity that the instructions which Keri has given us in class - a perfect example of how a real live instructor cannot be replaced so easily.  There is no amount of technology that can compare to having someone teach you in person.

I found the figures included in the book difficult to read, because the font size is fairly small.  If someone is trying to learn how to blog from this book, I think that the size of these figures should be enlarged to make it simpler.

I continue to have doubts as to how I could use blogs with my students, other than mentioned previously in chapter 2.  The examples that are given generally involve subjects other than math.  Also, I can foresee that some students, especially high school students, might post blogs that might not necessarily be appropriate for publishing.

Chapter Two

Since my first blog entry, I have acquired more experience using the internet than I could ever have imagined possible.  I have successfully designed my own blog, but I don't think that I will end up continuing to post entries on it.  I don't really have the time to record my thoughts on gardening, and I'm not sure that anyone would really be interested in what I have to say.  I think that blogs can be a great source of information - a way for people to connect with other people who share similar interests, as long as they can make the time commitment.

As far as using blogs in the classroom, I'm not sure how I could use a blog in teaching math.  There is no way to write in a blog in "math language".  A student would have to record their work in word, using math symbols and superscript.  This is a very slow, tedious process, and would not appeal to too many students.

I think that probably the best use for blogs would be to follow other math teachers.  There is a site called the top 25 blogs for math in the classroom.  I think this would be a good place to begin to investigate how blogs could be useful.  The math example in this chapter involves AP calculus, a course with highly talented and motivated students.  It is possible that these students could be interested in posting blogs about calculus, but I think that the average math student would almost do anything else than blog about math.  Also, I think I object to using a blog to post notes on material that was taught in class.  I have a fear that we are creating a generation of students who have poor listening skills, because they can always catch up on the details later on line.  I would be more inclined to use a blog for notes sporadically, as opposed to using one on a regular basis.

It has been said about including technology in the classroom that, "The most common--and in fact, nearly universal--teacher-reported effect on students was an increase in motivation."

http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html


I feel that as teachers we are constantly being asked how we can motivate our students more.  So we are encouraged to utilize techniques that students will find interesting.  I am afraid that the burden of learning is being taken from the student and placed on the back of the teacher.  Why can't students be more involved,  without being entertained?  What happened to the work ethic, and being proud of one's accomplishments?  Students should be willing to learn all subjects, even those they may not like.

Chapter One

My main concern with Will Richardson's push to include more technology in the classroom is that critical skills will decline even further.  The pattern in education has been to wholeheartedly embrace "new" methods, and throw the "old" ones completely out the window (even though they have proven to be successful).  I think that if education includes too much technology, basic skills will eventually disappear.  (It is already happening in math with the overuse of calculators.)  People learn from being exposed to different methods of instruction, and technology should be only one component of it.  As it is, the average student today wants to be entertained when he/she is taught.  Attention span is shrinking.  Quest for knowledge is diminishing.  And a work ethic is hard to find.  My students admit that they "cannot live with their phones, ipods etc."  And they're not kidding!  What if technology failed?  How would young people survive?

Mr. Richardson references statistics about the widespread use of technology.  But this widespread use is primarily in the area of communication, such as Facebook, IM, email.  Yet at the same time, ironically, we are breeding a generation of users that don't answer their phones, don't respond to emails in a timely fashion, and very often, abuse these forms of communication to gossip about one another.  Students and society in general have become very dependent on technology for simple tasks.  How many among us can still dial a phone number without using our address book?  It's great to use these shortcuts, but how many have a Plan B to employ when Plan A (technology) isn't functioning?

Brain function is the same today as it always has been.  What has changed is attitude.  The typical students think that they are entitled to be fed information in the most palatable manner.  And that the information should repeatedly be explained to them until they can repeat it.  But our current world of education has forgotten an old Chinese proverb, "I hear and I forget; I see and I rememberm, I do and I understand."  What's missing today in public education is the commitment of the student to "do".

Overall, I am in favor of the use of technology in education, but only where it is appropriate, and as long as it is nor overused.  I am interested to see what new technology tools I will learn that I might be able to use in my classroom.