The good, bad and the ugly!

Well I was cracking up when I read the 5 Stages of Twitter Acceptance that Dr. Dell posted. It felt like someone was reading my mind! Sadly I am still on step 1. I keep asking people at work if they are on Twitter and why. I'm hoping something will click soon This week I did read that we are going to participate in a chat and I was disappointed in the selection...then I saw it - A chat for Title I people! I was so excited! I can't wait until Feb. 2nd to participate. When I got the job in my district for Title I Math, I was the first and only teacher to have that position. Let me tell you it has been an uphill battle trying to figure out paperwork, teaching, etc.

Anyway....here is a link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZJYVqxVz6c)  I found to add a column to TweetDeck. Although I found the button to add one, I couldn't figure out which type of column I needed to add. This video summed it all up..in one minute! Gotta love YouTube!

Now onto the real topic, networked classrooms. According to the article, The Good, Bad and the Ugly, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140701205016-291918127-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-online-learning, "students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction." Well I knew it, we are going to be replaced with robots just as I predicted earlier. I mean if test scores will go up with online learning, then of course we will follow that lead. Soon even 1st graders will be sitting in their pj's with their juice boxes working on their online classes!

I have to preface this with saying I am kind of skewed when it comes to technology and networked classrooms (and it's not just because I am old..ha). My situation is similar to Brian Crosby (from chapter 3 in our Personal Learning Network book) because I too only work with the disadvantaged, low income and lowest performing students in my building, so one major disadvantage I see is access to technology. Some of these kids come to school wearing the same clothes for a week at a time, have holes in their shoes .and live in their friends basements. Therefore access to technology in their homes is very limited, along with the idea of bringing their own devices. Another disadvantage I see is procrastination and lack of motivation. These kids are more worried about not having food to eat, than what their learning in school, so just trying to motivate them to succeed is a huge hurdle that (only) online learning can never provide. (And yes, I do realize that we are talking about adding technology, not technology taking over!) I was very impressed with the way Brian has taken these kids (virtually) to places they may never see...actually it made me a little jealous that I am not that inventive :).

Now on a happier note, lets discuss the positives about a networked classroom!
According to Personal Learning Networks, there are far more benefits to having a networked classroom than challenges. I think the best part would be the collaboration. I know that personally I work SO much better when I can learn with someone else or in a group. I also see how beneficial it is for students to help teach each other, and I am not just talking about shoulder buddies. I can only imagine the benefits of connecting with other children around the world! How fascinating to be able to do a unit on another country, and be able to contact students there and be able to ask them questions about their culture! I would also love to check out a virtual fieldtrip!

I know I need to do more in my classroom with technology and reaching out in the world! I feel so limited with math! We follow the curriculum so closely with the textbook (not my idea) that it seems almost impossible to integrate any fun at all...lol.  But like the book states, start small and it suggests starting a blog in the class. The only problem is that I don't have any computers in my room  (except mine)! (Just a small problem..ha!)  I also like the suggestion of publishing students work. I know how proud kids are when you staple their paper to a bulletin board, so I can't imagine the joy of seeing their work published on a video! I have also been thinking about having the students record themselves teaching a math concept. I just need the extra time to do these things. I don't know how you young people do it....haha

 - Personal Learning Networks by Will Richardson