Module 4: Assignment 7

     I'm writing to express my opinion about BYOD, or Bring Your Own Device to school.  While this hasn't been fully implemented yet in our school district, I believe it's just right around the corner. Perhaps working out the logistics of BYOD has been the stumbling block.  I have read several articles in our local newspaper concerning this issue as well as heard talk around the division about this topic. 
     Today's learners (21st Century learners) can access information that is alive and linked 24/7.  They constantly collaborate and connect to each other and the outside world.  Today's learners are digital natives who live in a multimedia world.  Their media is all color, and they prioritize visual learning.  They demand creativity and learn through trial and error. Therefore, we MUST provide them with the "means" (technology) if we expect them to learn at their fullest potential. They are boring easily with lectures, but are fully engaged and on task when technology is brought in the picture.    How do we do this?  Do we allow them to bring their own device to school? 
    First, I'd like to begin with the pros of BYOD.  The benefits of having your own device are limitless, but here are just a few.  The device provides the student with writing, inspiration, news, calculating, references, collaborating, drawing, etc..    The school system does not have to cover the cost of the purchase nor the repair of the device.  The devices are most always updated and maintained by it's owner.  Therefore, the school system's ITRT isn't having to maintain and update, which would be impossible if EVERY student had a system-owned device.  The students are more familiar with their own device, which would save navigation time during class. BYOD is not mandatory, just allowed.
     Now, please allow me to present the cons of BYOD.  As we all know, children are tech savy and can go anywhere and do anything on a device.  How do we know when they're on their device if they're really working on what they've been asked to work on?  As a parent, I control, to the best of my ability, what my children can and cannot access on their devices by putting restrictions and passcodes on their devices.  If they're using these devices at school, I have to disable the restrictions to allow them to access certain websites, etc.  Therefore, I 'm letting down my "parental guard" and feel as if I'm doing something that goes against my parenting techniques.  The students would have uncontrolled network access.  Another con is the lack of uniformity of devices and platforms.  The school system would have to pay for an infrastructure with larger bandwidth to support the amount of devices being used at one time. BYOD would require a robost network.
     I am sitting on the fence about how I feel about BYOD.  I have had to come to the raw conclusion recently that if I'm going to be an effective teacher in the 21st century, then MUST learn about technology and be more accepting of devices in my home and my classroom.  This has not been easy for me at all.  I've been teaching for 20 years.  Trust me when I say, "It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks!"  However, I want to be as effective in the last 20 years of my career as I was the first 20 years, therefore, I will do what changing I need to do to see that my students learn!  Our school system has strict policies on cell phone and device usage.  I think if we went to BYOD there would have to be a huge change in policy and acceptance of devices.  As we all know, some children do things just because they know they aren't allowed to.  Perhaps if we allow them to bring their own devices and use them for educational purposes only, device issues would be a thing of the past. If we allow BYOD straightforward policies MUST be in place and MUST be carried through for it to work.  I think we are quickly moving to BYOD.  With that being said, I must wonder, will this replace me?  Time and change will tell I suppose. 

Module 4: Assignment 3

Google Docs was very easy I thought.  Google Drive makes sharing files simple and easy.  It allows multiple people to edit the same file and allows for real time collaboration.  I chose to share our  honor roll list because my colleague and I both have to put our students who made that honor roll on one document and forward it to the office.  If we are working from the same document, then we don't have to email, print, etc.  I also spoke with her about sharing lesson plans in Google Drive.  I can plan one subject while she plans the other subject all the while working at the same time on the same document.  She isn't familiar with this right now, but hopefully she will learn soon we will work smarter and not harder.
 A link to this document is as follows:  https://docs.google.com/a/henry.k12.va.us/document/d/1RyHtp8ZlNJhOwlJPzUDPaz0L8Cr2n2mjb1alpUHHze8/edit?usp=sharing

Module 4: Assignment 5

I'm excited to learn more and begin using the new app, "Explain Everything."  According to the article and videos, Explain Everything is essentially an app with a whiteboard type screen that allows users to record, write, and move objects all while recording in real time. The end products can be pictures, videos, are even template projects.  It makes it easy for kids and adults to capture their screens and share it with virtually anyone. It also has a front-facing camera which allows its users to record themselves while creating a screen cast.  I'm assuming this is the app that teachers use to do "Flip the Classroom" units and assignments.  Explain Everything allows users to annotate any object on the iPad with the touch of their finger.

Photo Courtesy of iTunes

Teachers are able to use it to record lessons, create demonstrations, and export their videos to their blogs or Edmodo to support their instruction. They have also been able to use the videos that students create as an assessment tool.  I have this app installed on my Ipad, and I'm ready to learn more and begin using it. 

Module 4: Assignment 4

Sharing files and folders are simple, or so I thought. I clicked on the Dropbox icon on my desktop to create a folder, no problem. Everything was going well until I tried to share the folder and file. We have recently gotten new laptops in our county, and it seems that every time I try to download or do something very important, a screen pops up requiring an administrator's password. After several attempts at this, I finally just shut down my computer and restarted the entire process. That's when I realized that I wasn't actually on the Dropbox website. Once I went to the actual website instead of the desktop icon, I had absolutely no problems sharing files and folders. We have started our unit, "Long Ago and Today" in social studies this week, so I wanted to find some great lessons and activities on this topic. I found a wonderful website that I am posting a link to if any first grade teachers are interested. I can't wait to use these wonderful website. I shared this folder with my colleague through Dropbox, so I hope she finds it useful as well.


http://www.rockingham.k12.va.us/resources/elementary/1history.htm

Module 4: Assignment 2

Our Best Friends on PhotoPeach <iframe width="445" height="296" src="http://photopeach.com/embed/5t27tc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Module 4: Assignment 2

All Because 2 People Fell In Love on PhotoPeach <iframe width="445" height="296" src="http://photopeach.com/embed/5egcv6" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Module 3: Assignment 7

I have mixed feelings about bringing technology into the classroom.  I absolutely think it is a wonderful thing to have to ADD to the lessons.  For example, various media outlets, games, apps, etc.  However, technology should never be used as "babysitters" while the teacher does his/her own thing.  Unfortunately, my own children have had that happen to them too many times.  I also feel that technology needs to be monitored very closely. As a parent, that has been a major concern for me since Ipads came on the scene in their schools.  As we all know, children are genius' where technology is concerned.  They know how to meander around firewalls, etc.  Recently, I was reading an article in our local paper that said that New York had to remove Ipads from the classroom because the students had figured out, in a very small time frame, how to maneuver around the firewalls.  The local governments were debating on when and if the Ipads would be brought back into the classroom and how to up the firewalls so that the students could not get around them.  All I can say is, "Good luck."  I've learned this by dealing with one of my own techno-genuis son! Everything that I know about technology I owe to him!  Not because I wanted to learn it, but because I HAD to learn it to keep him protected and outsmart him! Therefore, I feel technology (Ipads, cellphones, etc.) are wonderful if they're being closely monitored. 
     I added two apps to my Ipad.  They are Toontastc and PuppetPalsHD.  In these apps, the students can write and act out their stories with puppets and animated characters.  There were several from the suggested list that I was interested in, but they were not free.  I'm a teacher, so I have to get freebies.  :)