Saturday, September 22, 2007
Publisher: New York Times
Date of Publication: September 16, 2007
Author: Winnie Hu
Submitted by: Ernest A. Poole
Summary of article:
The Newton Street School of Humanities in Newark, New Jersey has gone through significant changes. With the pressure if NCLB on the district a partnership between the teachers union and Seton Hall University has led to a considerable shift in the way the school is operated.
Relevance to integrating technology into language arts for improving student learning:
The technology was not given to the children but to the staff. Each staff member was given a laptop and professional development along with them. Many of the staff that were resistant to the change either left or were forcibly transferred from the school. Assessment driven instruction has taken hold throughout the school and across subject area. New microscopes (which is technology) were personally purchased by the principal.
I found this paragraph interesting:
"In keeping with the school’s new focus, he said, he has adjusted his science lessons to emphasize the basic reading and math skills being measured on the standardized tests. For instance, he said, students will write essays analyzing the technology shown on old “Star Trek” episodes. They will read aloud more in class, do more calculations in the lab, and summarize scientific research from the Internet."
Your perspective on relevance of the issue to your teaching assignment:
As a science teacher, I want to integrate more technology into my lab, specifically for research. Math and literacy skills are something that I STRESS in my classroom. I was also interesting, and funny, that the students did some analysis on fictional technology when some of it has actually become reality.
While I don't agree with the 'pay-for-grades' aspect of the article since I believe that (academic) success is its own reward, I also must realize that this might be the only way to get to some of the students. However, it is still a slippery slope.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Article Summar
Publisher: The New York Times
Date of Publication: September 13, 2007
Author: Michelle Slatalla
Summary:
This article is a detailed account of a real-life experience the author, Michelle Slatalla, encountered. The author describes a situation in which her neighbor was looking for technical support from a member of Slatalla’s family. The story goes on to tell that since Slatalla’s husband was not available to help with the neighbor’s problem she instead was looking for assistance from Slatalla’s daughter, Clementine. Clementine, a fifth grade student, was more knowledgeable than her mother when it came to circumstances requiring tech-support. Slatalla states that while Clementine did “not look like the archetypal I.T. guy in a black T-shirt who sits hunched over a computer screen with a a Mountain, Dew, she did share some of t the same DNA.†(Slatalla, p. 1)
Slatalla uses statistics from the “Bureau of Labor Statistics†to make reference to the skills that her daughter possessed that made her qualified to be a “computer support specialist.†The article goes on to tell of how Clementine was able to solve the neighboring family’s dilemma. She even went so far as to write out a “cheat sheet†for the adults in the family so that they could assist their children (ages 4 and 7) when using the internet.
This article does a great job of citing an example of how well prepared many of today’s youths are to face the ever increasing demand for technologically savvy individuals in the workplace. Though the author’s daughter was only a sixth grade student at the time, she was well-trained in the proper use of various computational skills.
After reading this article, I was happy to see an example of how one young girl was capable of exceeding expectations of technological literacy skills. I believe that this is a very promising realization. I feel strongly that it is my duty as a teacher to continue to challenge my students. I believe that very often today’s students very capable of successfully employing technological literacy skills with great ease.
SCHOOLS ALONE "CANNOT HELP POOR"
CURRENT ISSUE 1
BBC NEWS
9/6/07
NO AUTHOR FOUND
- REPORT FOR CHARITY JOSEPH ROWNTREE FOUNDATION
ASCD SMARTBRIEF
SUMMARY:
THE ARTICLE BASICALLY SAYS THERE ARE MORE FACTORS TO THE EDUCATION OF LOW INCOME STUDENTS THAN THE SCHOOL THEY ATTEND. THE STUDY WAS DONE IN ENGLAND AND THE OTHER FACTORS ARE:
1. THE STUDENTS ARE AWARE OF THERE SOCIAL STATUS
2. DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS HAVE DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TOWARDS LEARNING AND SCHOOLS
3. THOSE WHO WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP READING AND WRITING SKILLS OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL WERE MORE APT OT HAVE BETTER SELF-ESTEEM
4.HIGHER INCOME FAMILIES HAD BETTER HOMEWORK HELP AND MORE PHYSICAL SPACE TO DO THE HOMEWORK
THE PROBLEM AS I SEE IT IS WE AS EDUCATORS NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT SOME OF THESE FACTORS. IT IS NOT ONLY THE LACK OF A COMPUTER IN THE HOME BUT ALSO AN ATTITUDE THAT MAY PERSIST THEIR.
FOR ME THIS HITS HOME RATHER HARD. THE STUDENTS I TEACH ARE MORE LIKELY FROM A LOW INCOME HOME. THE FACTORS ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO OVER COME BUT I THINK IF WE CAN GET THE PARENTS ON OUR SIDE TO REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A HIGHER INCOME FOR THEIR CHILDREN WE MAY BE ABLE TO COMBAT SOME OF THESE FACTORS. WE COULD ALSO USE THE INFAMOUS 37.5 MINUTES TO DO MORE GOOD FOR THE STUDENTS BY PROVIDING AN EXTRA HELP SESSION FOR HOMEWORK OR MORE COMPUTER TIME TO TEACH TECHNIQUES.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Current Issue 1
Publisher: Education Week
Date: September 18, 2007
Author: Catherine Gewertz
Link: http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/09/19/04poor.h27.html
Summary:
The educational accountability movement is looking at and studying ways to improve NCLB’s scope and focus. In a study done by Civic Enterprises llc, a Washington-based research and public-policy group, and the Lansdowne, Va.-based Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, found that high-achieving students form low income families by the fifth grade started to show a lag in their education. The study showed that high-achieving students from low income families begin just as strongly as higher income families, but somehow their foundation contend that because students are high-achievers that NCLB tends to feel that they will do well and they continue to focus on the low-achieving student. While the study show that the students who are high achievers form low income families graduate in four years at a 90% rate, it stills does not show that they continue their education past that. What may happen is they go to less selective colleges and tend not to do as well as their high income counterparts. The opposition comes from Michelle M. Fine, a professor of social psychology and urban education at the City University of New York. Although she welcomes the findings of the study she feels the study was too narrow in that it only captured 6 to 7 percent of our country's k-12 students. She would like further studies to try to find out how race holds back low income students because the study revealed that of all races the low-income Chinese student tended to excel in math and remain successful. What is the cause of this?
This article is relevant to integrating technology into the ELA classroom because it not only does not show how technology was used and even if there was any technology in these schools where the low income students attended. I would venture to bet that in a low income neighborhood there is just not that much technology to help integrate students from this economic group into the mainstream. They lag behind because they are not familiar with and do not know how to use the latest technology because they couldn’t afford it and their school districts did not provide them with it. In the formal years students are not introduced as much to many types if technology because they have to learn the basics or reading, writing and spelling. This may account for the fact that there is not much difference between low income and high income students who are high achievers. The differences begin to emerge when one group has access to technology and the other does not.
My perspective on the relevance of my teaching assignment is that I feel lucky and blessed to be teaching at a school that fosters technology. It is a place where students have access to different types of technology and is encouraged to be creative learners. They are encouraged to use technology to help them and others learn. We foster alternative assessment and help other teachers through professional development.
Monique Powell-Thompson
Christine's articlette
Title of Article: Mauritius: Developing learners' metacognitive skills
Publisher http://www.lexpress.mu/ via allafrica.com
Date of Publication 9/18/2007
Author : Shardha Sandapen
Summary of article:
This article discusses metacognition as it related to reading. The author poses the idea that metacognition can be taught, then she gives some strategies for teaching students how to think about and evaluate their own learning.
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Some of the strategies include:
self-questioning- students should be taught to think of the "5Ws" as they read who, what, when, etc as they read through a text.
rereading - when students read text they they do not understand, they should reread the text and look for clues as needed.
clues- pictures, metaphors, similes glossary terms
underlining or highlighting key sentences - students must determine which sentences are important enough to be highlighted.
taking notes
summarizing - one sentence per paragraph - while reading.
discussing the main ideas with a friend
Relevance to integrating technology into language arts for improving student learning
Students can learn more when they realize they're not learning and can identify ways in which they learn, or learn best.
Your perspective on relevance of the issue to your teaching assignment
I am constantly thinking aloud to show students how I cope when I don't understand. I do this on a major level - bringing them my concerns when I have to read a boring text for school and just can't 'get into it'. The students 'help' me by telling me how to connect to the text. They've given me strategies such as, chunking, pair and share, drawing parallels and just do it - then get some ice cream. When I pose confusing questions in class, I'll follow up with a fake voice that says"WHAT is this lady talking about? Why would a person be his own worse enemy.. what does an enemy do anyway? Who are my enemies? Do I do worse things to myself than they do to me?" I show them the path form confusion to understanding- I show them that they can identify (momentarily) as confused, and I try to let them see how to work things out after the point at which they realize they're confused.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Current Issue Review I
Title: Experts Eye Solutions to '4th Grade Slump'
Publisher: Education Week - Eye On Research
Date of Publication: Published Online: 9/10/07; Published In Print:9/12/07
Author: Christina A. Samuels
Summary:
Christina A. Samuels states in her article that struggling readers who navigated under the radar in early grades, usually decline further into a phenomenon, researchers call the '4th grade slump'.
The University of Colorado at Boulder, Florida state University, The University of Houston, and Baltimore's Kennedy Krieger Institute will receive $30million for the next five years from the National Institute of Health to conduct researches on the cause of this trend. The centers will focus on interventions that can be implemented in the classroom.
Peggie McCardle, chief of the child-development and behavior asserts that a strong knowledge base of the situation will help enormously in identifying children with learning disabilities and facilitate early intervention. Laurie E. Cutting, the associate director of the Kennedy Krieger Institute for the Study of Reading Development, state "When you are younger , you're learning how to read. When you're older,....It really becomes a tool for learning, not a tool that you're learning".
Early intervention is the key. However, the need for help will continue until a solution is found. Certainly, "reading difficulties can be ameliorated", said Laurie E Cutting.
Relevance for integration of technology into language arts and to my teaching assignment.
Consequently, this phenomenon requires a strong dose of Assistive Technology to help solve the students' problem. In the era of multimedia and the advent of an array of resources to facilitate learning, we should find ways to fight the slump and avoid a larger catastrophe. For my teaching , I adopt a constructivist approach. Students must be able to read and understand in order follow the written instructions while building their own knowledge. Unfortunately, the struggling readers never fully enjoy the experience.
Lauren Edmonds Current Issue
Publisher: Smart Brief
September 13, 2007
PRNewswire-USNewswire
Summary- In the state of Utah, the board of education had approved a K-11 charter school that
will be taken completely online. The school will add a twelfth grade the following year. The school will be called, Utah Virtual Academy. The school will open with 500 students in September 2008. This is not the first of its kind in the US. There are others serving four other major metro areas.
Every student will have an assigned state certified teacher. They will assign lesson and will create family outings to make sure that the students are getting the additional outside experiences that would take place at a traditional school.
I can see how this would be a great opportunity to keep you child at home and not have to actually home school them. I believe that this is another way to get technology integrated into school, but it is taking the school out of everything. I think especially for Language Arts there is a piece missing by only communicating though the computer. The face to face interaction and learning language is so important to ELA. I would not want to teach a class like this to kindergarteners or even elementary students. This program should be reserved for students that are in the higher grades and have proven to the education department that they can handle and have the support at home. How can you teach a kindergartener on the computer? Won’t they miss out on something?
Even though I am not a fan of the online learning experience, it would give some students and their families the feel of going through home school. The students are given the opportunity to receive excellent instruction regardless of their location or financial situation. It allows the students and their families the flexibility to work at their own pace. This is an excellent way to integrate technology, but I think that it is missing the necessary person to person contact that Language Arts class needs.
Amy Marnell's Article Summary
Authour: Laura Devaney
Publisher: eSchools News online
Date: September 1, 2007
Summary of article:
This article talked about a study that was done on 50 third and fourth grade students that used ebooks for reading purposes. The research was trying to prove that the students' use of eBooks would motivate them to read. After the students completed a survey, 17 students expressed a solid interest toward reading. Fifteen students said they liked reading on the handheld devices better than reading hardcover books and most of the students found it fun and interesting.
The teacher said that the students' interest in reading increased when the books they read were available on the handheld devices. Some students asked if they could use them for math. The teacher also reported that if the students were not motivated to read, the handhelds provided lots of motivation, but for the students that struggled with reading, the ebooks didn't make a difference.
The research was conducted by a team of grad students that is funded by grants from AT&T and Campus Compact and the research will continue to see how valuable these devices are to students. The research proved that the use of ebooks is fun and will hold the interest of students.
I think the use of handhelds can improve student learning in all subject areas. If something can hold the interest of a child to become more motivated to read, then that same child and others can be motivated by school as a whole. I remember watching a video in Stan's class on how a math teacher used handhelds with the students and the students were really engaged and excited about school. It seemed like these devices can save a lot of time because students can take tests on them and teachers can even differientiate their instruction much easier.
I would be really interested in using such devices with my 6th graders because I think they would think learning is so much more meaningful and fun. My school is using a Reading 180 program this year and a Read About program which comes with software. This software can tract a student's progress. I am excited to hear more about these programs at my school and hope that technology will continue to grow in my district.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Push for "net neutrality" stalls
Title: Push for ‘net neutrality’stalls
Publisher: eSchool News online
Date: September 14, 2007
Author: eSchool News Staff and wire service reports
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=7364&page=1
Summary:
The issue discussed in this article is called “net neutrality.” Net neutrality is the practice of service providers to list or rank information how it sees fit, usually for a fee. When a search is performed the order in which the results appear is controlled by the provider. The argument suggests that educational use of the Internet is at stake with the current practices of companies paying for preferential listings to Internet providers. The supporters of net neutrality believe that all companies and websites should have equal representation on searches. Although the fight for such a cause is diminishing, some educational groups keep hope that net neutrality will one day be enforced. However, the justice department did rule on September 6th that “Internet service providers should be allowed to charge a fee for priority web traffic.”
The Department of Justice, who is looking into Internet practices, feels net neutrality has many implications that could essentially raise Internet service costs to the consumer. They also feel it could change how the Internet develops in the future. The different levels of service we now experience is driven by market forces and not regulation. The Department of Justice has taken much criticism from organizations and supporters for net neutrality.
Organizations like Goggle and Yahoo along with education groups feel that phone and cable companies could discriminate web sites and services if not regulated. EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association feels that charging is against the general principle of the Internet. Other top issues with this debate involve freedom of speech, equal access to information, and privacy and consumer rights. For now the supporters for net neutrality are loosing steam but will continue to fight.
My perspective for my environment says to leave the regulation out. Part of the learning process with Internet searching is filtering out useless information. Students have to make decisions and problem solve. A regulated search takes all of the unknowns out and would hinder students that can get creative while staying appropriate. Regulation itself is out of control as it is. This is a free country and if a persons business can make money and support this economy than good for them. Government should stay out of free enterprise. Besides, like the article mentioned, the price we pay now for Internet and other technology would increase with regulation.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Publisher: The Seattle Times
Date: September 12, 2007
Author: Lynn Thompson
Link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/snohomishcountynews/2003881008_librarians12n0.html
Summary:
I chose this article for somewhat personal reasons, which I will explain toward the end of my summary.
This article reflects on a worrying trend amongst too many school districts, that of cutting librarian positions. The article cites several reasons for this, but notably the restraints of budgets in the efforts to raise state test scores. Rather than acknowedging the absolute necessity of librarians and the tremendous level of knowledge and experience they can bring to a school, it appears that more and more disctricts are using their money on increased instruction in those areas most affected by state tests.
"The reality is that some districts and principals tryto get test scores up by spending more time ontest-taking and less time on open-ended projects, whatwe call discovery learning,"
This quote in the article from Marianne Hunter (president of the Washington Library Media Association) succinctly sums up the worrying trend plaguing large amounts of school districts and individual schools across the USA. The article continues to explain that the situation has reached such levels of concern that a task force has even been set up, and they are now calling school librarians "highly endangered." This same task force believe that when administrators place such unwaivering levels of judgement about school successon ELA and Math scores, it "denies the instructional value of libraries and the teaching role of librarians"
"We know the research shows that students who go to schools with strong library programs do better onstate tests," is one quote within the article that demonstrates how important libraries and librarians are. When considered carefully and openly, it is not too difficult to see that librarians are (and should be) central to any literacy program, because their support, experience, and knowledge can be of the highest value in classroom settings where teachers use the development of literacy.
But, as the article explains, budget-cutting is affecting this invaluable resource to the extent that librarians are often one of the first positions condsidered unessecary when it comes time to budget for a school year.
"When your back is against the wall and you're trying to keep reductions out of the classroom, those are the positions you turn to," highlights just how little emphasis is placed on the value of library space and librarians.
The author also explains how vital librarians are in the educational process, especially in terms of developing technology related skills such as reserach and citical thinking. Many students, as we know, can easily use the Internet in ways that are unsuccessfull and produce results that are often not relevant nor cited correctly. In recent years, librarians have become a classroom teachers best resource for helping in this area, and their knowledge in areas of reserching text,books, journals, and articles is simply invaluable to students presented with such vast arrays of information technology.
One example of this is explained in the article, notably a program called the "Big 6" developed by the University of Washington. Through the program, librarians are provided with opportunities to work with teachers and students to help collect and collate necessary research, and evaluate the accuracy of results. By working with teachers and their curriculums this approach is designed to develop the critical-thinking skills so many stuents desperately lack.
"Their mental processes are still being built. They still need help in selecting resources; they still need someone to talk it over with and guide theirthinking," states one librarian conveying the importance of working together to develop those skills necessary in todays society. One of the quotes that most resinated with me was from the dean of the University of Washington Information School who said that when interviewing incoming freshman and outgoing seniors what students value above all else wasn't the content of a particular class "but rather the life skills of problem-solving and critical thinking, the same skills librarians are trained to develop and promote"
There appears, as always, to be a total lack of understanding on the part of those responsible for making the most crucial of decisions within our schools. Is it, in part, due to the lack of pedagogical experience our administrators have? Is it the fact we have non-educators in some of the hightest positions within our education systems? Or, is it the fact that the issues surrounding state testing have taken precedence over all other issues within education? Personally, I feel it is a disgraceful combination of all three.
As I said in my introduction, I chose this article for somewhat personal reasons because this issue has now affected my own school. We were created as a school in 2004 out of the need for restructuring a failing school. By separating one existing school, the city and state created two schools who were immediately placed on the Impact list (we were part of the original "dirty dozen" city schools). Both schools were also considered "in need of improvement" and so placed on another list. As part of the restructure, however, we were required to share the one library that existed in the building. This worked reasonably well (though not ideal) and at least all students in the building had access to a librarian and the resources she provided.
Whilst we (as a our own school) demonstrated progress, improvement, and many gains in terms of academic acheivement, the school downstiars has been less successful. It was placed on the SURR list earlier this year, and the State spent a week in the building to assess and make recommendations for this coming September.
One of those recommendations very quickly became a requirement, and that was to remove all library facilities from my school allowing the other school 100% access to the librarian and library. This leaves our students withoout ANY access to the libray at all. Students are not allowed to enter the room, and our teachers are not allowed to ask for assistance from the librarian. As part of the state recommendations, the school also received 2 state of the art Science labs, and all the wonderful things associated with having access to this resource.
So, the reward for making progress it seems is that one group of students receives far less resources and zero library time, whilst the other is provided with all the necessary resources.
As I said in my response to "America's Perfect Storm", what angers me the most about these kinds of decisions, is that both schools serve the very same students. They are from the same neighborhood, have the same issues, and need the samea ccess to the same resources.
What's also disheartening for me, is that in recent years a great deal of investement has been made in terms of training librarians to become technologically literate themselves and, as a result, they have become some of the greatest advocates of change in terms of integrating technology tools into literacy and ELA curriculums (and all other subject areas). By cutting such vital positions, we are losing the very people who can help schools better integrate technology in relevant and meaningful ways.
Tips on how to create readers
Title of Article: Creating readers
Publisher: Teacher Magazine
Date of Publication: Sept 5, 2007, part I and Sept 13, 2007, part 2
Link: http://www.teachermagazine.org/tm/articles/2007/09/05/06millermentor1.h18.html
Author: Teacher Magazine interviewing Donalyn Miller
Summary of article: The article is an interview with Donalyn Miller, a 6th grade Language Arts and Social Studies teacher.
Her students at
The interview is aimed at providing tips for teachers and parents on motivating reluctant readers, encouraging parent involvement and providing techniques for having students in and outside class. Teacher’s magazine points out that the methods used produced outstanding results in terms of motivating youngsters to read and testing results. Last years her students received a 100 percent passing rate on the reading portion of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. There are many techniques and methods that Donaly Miller uses with her students to help them be better readers or simply to get them to read independently. Here are some of them.
The teacher gives her middle school students choices in what they read. She reads extensively the literature for children and she is able to recommend and provide lots of books, in different genres. When a student finishes a book, then the teacher makes a big deal out of it and the whole class listens to a brief recommendation from that student.
As to reluctant readers, Donalyn Miller suggests that teachers should try to ask the child about movies he/she saw. ‘There have been a flood of movies made from children's books in the past few years. I can often suggest a book based on a movie that a student has already seen’ says Donalyn Miller. When a student saw a movie it would be easier for him to accept to read a book that inspired a good movie. The child will increase his comprehension skills and will get him into reading.
Another way to have students into reading is by incorporating a podcast for children. This is an effective means of having students read and listen to books when they say that reading is boring or too hard. Also, magazines with sports heroes would be a low-risk way to get reluctant students to find reading pleasurable.
The parents play an important role in this process. Educating parents on how to help their children read more is strongly recommended by Donalyn Miller. She says that teachers could set up workshops in school for parents who want to help their children enjoy reading more. Workshops like that will impress upon the parents the importance of their role in helping their children.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Justin Fox - Current Issue #1
Current Issue #1 - Justin Fox
EDLA 615 - Language Arts and Technology
Lawmakers step up NCLB renewal process
21st-century skills, data-driven instruction are areas of focus in new House draft proposal
From eSchool News staff and wire service reports
September 6, 2007
This article speaks of possible revisions to the No Child Left Behind Act, proposed by Rep. George Miller, Democratic chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, and the committee's senior Republican member, Buck McKeon. The revisions center around the improvement of graduation rates at the nation’s lowest performing schools, and pushes for more flexibility in measuring school and student progress. This flexibility includes using scores from state test in areas previously not considered, such as history, and the sciences. It also pushes for a concentration on improving skills that students need for the 21st century, “such as problem solving, critical thinking, and collaborative skills.” It also will “allow states to measure how well students first learning English are doing at acquiring language skills, instead of judging these students on standard reading tests.”
I am particularly happy that the new revisions consider the non-English speaking population of schools, and takes into consideration the fact that the immigrant population of this country is rapidly increasing. This also implies a greater concentration on assimilating these students (to a degree) into our culture, thus giving the students a greater opportunity to succeed in American society. Of course, the point is made in the article that this “substitute test would only be allowed, however, for two years after the law is enacted.” This clearly implies a shift back to an original way of thinking in the current version of the NCLB, where ALL students are looped into the same category. Note that this original way of thinking thus severely hampers the progress of the aforementioned non-English speaking population.
There is also a shift in focus to non-traditional areas of assessment, which seems to be a great improvement. This allows schools to be recognized for making a student more well-rounded, and aware of his or her surroundings. By providing that “schools could get credit for student performance on history, civics, or science exams,” the House is recognizing that English and Math do not truly define literacy in this country. Students need to be aware of the current issues that affect this country, and become more informed citizens. This new draft version of the NCLB considers that very point.
I was disappointed to see no mention of improving upon students’ technological literacy, even though it is mentioned in a later article from eSchool News on the same issue (see Laurie B’s current event review). This concentration has always seemed to be upon simply providing teachers with the technological tools to improve student literacy in the traditional areas of English and Math. On the other hand, if we wants students to be truly prepared for the 21st century, and allow us to truly be on par with other leading nations around the world, why not mention computer literacy as another part of the NCLB. I feel that technological literacy could be easily integrated into the traditional literacy areas, and allow similar goals to be served…just on a more advanced, and beneficial level, in terms of the future economical success of this country. After all, isn’t this what the NCLB is all about?
Bruce Wilson's Review of Article
Publisher : The Journal
Date of Publication: September 11, 2007
Author: Jim Patterson
Link: http://www.thejournal.com/articles/2122
Summary of Article
The article talks of a program called Paper tools Pro that helps students organize their notes better so they will avoid plagarism when writing a research paper.
It seems that not all educators are happy with these kinds of programs. Charlie Low the spokesman for C.C.C.C.( Conference on College Composition and Communication) seems to think that these programs label the students who use them as potential plagarizers. He thinks it crosses the line of infringing on their rights. He goes on to talking about opposing computer programs that putstudents papers in a national database called iparadigms that allows teachers to compare student's papers against others.
He feels students should be responsible for their own work and learn first hand about sighting sources properly in their work. I looked at the program and I can understand the opposing views on this topic, but being a special education teacher I tend to lean more toward the proactive approach to the problem. The program is ideal for people with organizational problems. I think it’s a great program as it makes students aware of the process of writing a paper. I downloaded a sample copy. It gives you a step by step approach which I think is helpful for students who have not written a paper before or for individuals who are learning disabled and have extreme difficulties organizing their ideas. It teaches them the difference between plagarizing and paraphrasing. It also shows them how to cite sources and create a bibliography.
I see Mr.Low’s point about being responsible and having an understanding about citing sources. Students should not rely solely on a program like this. Mr.Low also goes on to talk of the issue of keeping terms papers in a data base and using it to compare papers. I believe that is an infringement on student’s rights, but then I do find that a whole other issue of discussion.
If I were teaching older students I would allow them to use this program as a teaching tool. Once they got the hang of writing a research paper I would only allow it for students with I.E.P.s. Writing a paper can be very intimidating to students and you want them to feel comfortable but at the same time you want them to learn to do it on their own.
Whats next? Will we have programs that will write the whole paper for you. What is your ideas about this program and others like it.? Do you think we should be encouraging students to use programs like Paper tools pro?
Bruce Wilson's Review of Article
Publisher : The Journal
Date of Publication: September 11, 2007
Author: Jim Patterson
Link: http://www.thejournal.com/articles/21221
Summary of article
The article talks of a program called Paper tools Pro that helps studens organize their notes better so they will avoid plagarism when writing a research paper.
It seems that not all educators are happy with these kinds of programs. Charlie Low the spokesman for CCCC ( Conference on College Composition and Communication) seems to think that these programs label the students who use them as potential plagarizers. He thinks it
crosses the line of infringing on their rights. He goes on to talking about opposing computer programs that put students papers in a national database called iparadigms that allows teachers to compare students papers agains others.
He feels students should be responsible for their own work and learn first hand about sighting sources properly in their work.
I looked at the program and I can understand the opposing views on this topic, but being a special education teacher I tend to lean more toward the proactive approach to the problem. The program is ideal for people with organizational problems. I think it’s a great program as it makes students aware of the process of writing a paper. I downloaded a sample copy. It gives you a step by step approach which I think is helpful for students who have not written a paper before or for individuals who are learning disabled and have extreme difficulties organizing their ideas. It teaches the difference between plagiarizing and paraphrasing. It also shows them how to cite sources and create a bibliography.
I see Mr.Low’s point about being responsible and having an understanding about citing sources. Students should not rely solely on a program like this.
Mr.Low also goes on to talk of the issue of keeping terms papers in a data base and using it to compare papers. I believe that is an infringement on student’s rights, but then I do find that a whole other issue of discussion.
If I were teaching older students I would allow them to use this program as a teaching tool. Once they got the hang of writing a research paper I would only allow it for students with I.E.P.s. Writing a paper can be very intimidating to students and you want them to feel comfortable but at the same time you want them to learn to do it on their own. Whats next? Will we have programs that will write the whole paper for you. Whats your ideas about this program and others like it.? Do you think we should be encouraging students to use programs like Paper tools pro?
Relevance to integrating technology into language arts for improving student learning
Your perspective on relevance of the issue to your teaching assignment
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Laurie B's Current Event 1 - House Draft Would Overhaul Ed-tech Funding
ELA 615 - Language Arts and Technology
House Draft Would Overhaul Ed-tech Funding
By Meris Stansbury. eSchool News online.
September 10, 2007
Title II of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), also called “Teaching Excellence for all Children,” focuses on improving teaching, increasing the leadership abilities of principals, and training educators to better communicate with caregivers. One of the mandates of Title II is funding for professional development of teachers and principals, in particular those working in low performing or high-need school districts.
According to an article in eSchool News Online, two members of the House of Representatives have begun discussing the upcoming reauthorization of NCLB Title II and drafted a proposal to direct more funds to providing teacher training in the use of technology. The teachers most affected by this proposal are those that teach in disadvantaged schools. Further funds are recommended for these schools to purchase computers and software and to keep this technology up-to date. Additionally schools would be required to create and maintain internet safety procedures for students. These measures are intended to help students most in need, gain the 21st Century skills to better prepare for college and the workforce. The proposal also calls for individual states to monitor and assess the students’ progress. The goal being that by eighth grade, students would achieve technological literacy.
The proposal includes a previously introduced bill titled “Achievement Through Technology and Innovation” (the ATTAIN ACT). With the ATTAIN act included, it appears that Congress is attempting to further link technology and student achievement, a prudent and necessary move. With this connection intact, our most at risk students are directly headed toward gaining 21st Century skills.
Interestingly Ready-to-Learn Television, also reauthorized in the proposal, would continue to dedicate funds to provide educational programming and content for young children. The reauthorization however, extends the scope of Ready-to-Learn Television to encourage the development digital content as well. This addition can be viewed as a progressive improvement. Additionally, the Ready-to-Learn Television programs are to be evaluated to determine whether they are truly promoting school readiness and the actual impact they have on teaching and learning.
When the government looks to the future and makes laws based on what they see it can only benefit the citizens. In this case, the amended proposal for Title II is a very big, positive step in the direction that NCLB intended. It attempts to bring the use of technology and technology skills up to a basic level for all students. This level would allow low income and high risk students to better compete with other more “advantaged” students. If the reauthorization is approved and school districts keep up to task with updating essential technology, training teachers to effectively instruct with the new technology, and the regular assessment and evaluation of the impact of the plan, it might just give those students a good start with their technology skills. Unfortunately, by the time it is implemented and in full swing, many students would have missed this opportunity.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showstory.cfm?ArticleID=7359&page=1
http://www.publiceducation.org/
http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/images/stories/matrices/ictmap_science.pdf
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Nicole's Current Event- Using audibooks to improve literacy
Nicole Dagro Language Arts and Technology Current Event 1 Title: “Turning the Page to a New World; Program leads students with learning disabilities to read.” Author: SHALAMA C. JACKSON Source: CEC SmartBrief Publisher: The State (In South Carolina) Link: http://www.thestate.com/local/story/164945.html Date: September 6, 2007 The article entitled “Turning the Page to a New World,” published in "The State " discusses how audio books can help children with learning disabilities to read. A program has been implemented in South Carolina. This program allows students with learning disabilities to listen to assignments and books. It allows them to follow along with their assignment in textbooks as well as other books. According to the article, this innovation has been a huge success. It has raised students’ confidence, allowed them to read, expand vocabulary, and improve their reading comprehension. The students are now able to read the things their peers are reading. It helps them increase their literacy skills. In this course, we discuss how we can improve the literacy skills of our students while implementing technology. This article provides us with a perfect example of just that. The program is using technology (in this case audio books) to help increase the reading, vocabulary, and comprehension skills of these students. As teachers we look for ways to improve student learning everyday and we need to be aware of tools that can help. This is one tool that can help. I believe this is a great program. Everyday students are left behind and not able to do the same things as their peers because they are not given the tools to do so. These audio books allow the students to complete the same activities as their peers and develop the same skills as their peers. It is so important for students to have a knowledge base in literacy because literacy is the foundation to everything. One cannot really function without these important skills. If these audio books are helping students develop vital skills, then I believe that this is a wonderful and successful program. It should be used in all subjects, not just language arts. Any subject can use it for assignments and reading, including mine; Social Studies. I feel it is a shame that it is not used in more places. Students who need this and other forms of technology should have the access to use it. The only problem with this though is we run into the age old question of “Where is the funding going to come from?” |
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
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