TECHNOLOGY…What? When? Why? How?

Terry Atkinson-East Carolina University

Teachers and their questions about technology…

How do I work a SmartBoard? What if I only have one computer in my

classroom? What if I don’t know much about

computers? There is so much to choose from and so

much I don’t know. Where do I begin???

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXh4EuJa2TU

MAKING SENSE OF TECHNOLOGY….

What is it?

At your table, devise an answer to this question in TEN words or less….

TECHNOLOGY….

Our definitions…

Wikipedia’s definition…

Technology is a broad concept that deals with human as well as other animal species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt to its environment. Technology is a term with origins in the Greek technología (τεχνολογία) — téchnē (τέχνη), 'craft' and logía (λογία), 'saying'.[1] However, a strict definition is elusive; "technology" can refer to material objects of use to humanity, such as machines, hardware or utensils, but can also encompass broader themes, including systems, methods of organization, and techniques.

Technology

How might a teacher help students accomplish this?

Ideas? Tools? Crafts? Strategies?

A free tool available via the Internet that might help….. wordle.net

Comparing theirs & ours…

www.wordle.net

Our wordle….. Other literacy-related wordles…

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/1137337/joycereads

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/1137313/library

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/1137293/U.S._

presidents

At your table, access the Internet and do the following…

1) Search the Internet for an important piece of text (speech, important document)

2) Copy the text (using control c)3) Access the following URL…. http://www.wordle.net (Click on create)4) Create a wordle by pasting the text into the text box

(using control v) and clicking GO5) Then “play” with the text (alter font, language, layout,

color options)

Try it…..

Why would you use Wordle rather than more conventional “technology”?

What are its advantages/drawbacks?

How could it be used effectively?

When might I feel comfortable using it with my students?

Questions to consider…

Background information that may help…

◦Media….means of communication

Six basic categories of media: 1) text 2) audio 3) visuals 4) video 5) manipulatives (objects) 6) people

Does your comfort level rise as you know more?

Does your comfort level rise as you know more?

Consider your learning objective. Determine which media & technology best

“fits” the learning objective and your resources.

For example…. The Five Themes of Geography

Do how do you make decisions about media & technology using this information?

"Web 2.0" is commonly associated with web development and web design that facilitates interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design[1] and collaboration on the World Wide Web. Examples of Web 2.0 include web-based communities, hosted services, web applications, social-networking sites, video-sharing sites, wikis, blogs, mashups and folksonomies. A Web 2.0 site allows its users to interact with other users or to change website content, in contrast to non-interactive websites where users are limited to the passive viewing of information that is provided to them.The term is closely associated with Tim O'Reilly because of the O'Reilly Media Web 2.0 conference in 2004.[2][3] Although the term suggests a new version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer to an update to any technical specifications, but rather to cumulative changes in the ways software developers and end-users use the Web.

tag cloud -source: Wikipedia

So what about the use of tools on the Internet?

Want global partners for class projects?

ePals http://www.epals.com/   In2books

http://in2books.epals.com/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fdefault.aspx

  Oz Projects Net http://www.ozprojects.edu.au/

Global School Net

http://www.globalschoolnet.org/GSH/pr/

Web 2.0 tools open new worlds for students….

The nature of literacy is rapidly changing. (see handout for striking statistics)

Yet, few classrooms do not reflect the digital, networked, multimodal, and multitasking world in which their students readily seek answers to questions, share information, and communicate through social networks.

-Leu, Zawilinski, Castek, Banerjee, Housand, Liu, & O’Neil, 2007

- The reasons?

The new literacies…

Next steps…◦ Find a partner who is interested in experimenting and risk-

taking with media & technology. Share, collaborate, and support one another.

◦ Find a “more knowledgeable other” so you can ask questions, problem-solve, and challenge yourself with media and technology.

◦ Take risks WITH your students…you do not need to KNOW IT ALL…

◦ You have the power to…..

Feeling a bit more confident?