Technology and Innovation of Teaching

It's a wrap-up time, at the end of the term.

We learned a lot of technologies, webblog, website, podcast, webQuest, Wikispot, GoogleApp. digital tools for story telling and etc. It is a wonderful new world in beautiful colors. And the technology is powerful. "It surely can stimulate students' interest in active learning", you might think this way.

But wait, what is the major task of education? "Engaging them, guiding them, and helping them".
In the reading of “Thinking (and talking) about technology in math classroom”, I realize that technology now influences math teaching very much as “one of the strongest forces in the contemporary growth and evolution of mathematics” and “the computers have fostered entirely new fields”. Under this situation, an educator should keep the mind conscious and not be addicted to technology.

First of all, no matter how fancy the technology is, it is only a tool for teaching. We can only use it for “our own classroom goals”, and “the purpose of the lesson”. Technology, if it is not under control, a teacher, as human beings, is easily to be addicted to it since it is really bring us a lot of convenience and fun. Therefore, applying technology in the math classroom need to be mindful.
The too flourishing features of novel technology also might cause problem in students’ learning since they might be attracted by their fancy features rather than how to use it to achieve the mathematical understanding. Further more, some math procedures, such as the decimal repetition may not be shown by using technology tool, thus it’ll cause the students’ learning incomplete. In addition to the deficiency caused by the intrinsic characteristics of technology, the “market driven” effect is also a big issue. “The initial push for technology did not for the most part come from the classroom”. The developer of technology always targets at the market and the profit first. They are not educators, and thereafter they won’t be able to understand the complexity in education process, including epistemological, pedagogical, methodological and psychological issues.

So, as an educator, we must keep alert to any “innovations” in the classroom and don’t be just addicted to the technology. Not only applying to the math class, but also applying to all subjects' class. This leads us back to the origin when we just started. "We need to focus on what we need to teach rather than technologies only. We need to emphasize the big picture of our teaching". At the end of the term, after "swimming" in the tech pool for a cool immersion, we may keep consciousness to choose what we need carefully.

Technology and innovations in teaching: it a good meal but don't be rush into it:-) This is what I'm thinking now.

Garageband- another powerful tool

It's another powerful tool for story telling and music designing.

It covers so many wonderful features; everything is similar to iMovie and windows Movie maker, but it's more powerful especially in music design.

It is for every people who enjoys music: If you are professional, you can write your own song; if you don't have any training or experience in musical composition, you still can choose different songs/melodies from the listing.

Of course, it'll take time to become skillful of using it. However, it'll another strong tool for us as teachers, to introduce another strong tool for story telling, and enjoying musics. If it is used skillfully and properly, it is good for engaging students, especially can active science teaching in the class. (I think for historical story telling about science evidences or events)

The only possible issue is it is built for Mac, not PC. It's not convenience for our PC user.

It's another proof that high tech can change everything! Even you haven't been trained in music composing, you still can compose music, by using high tech simply.

Pure world - Full version

This is a translation version from a Chinese story. I only use it for opening a small window of the Chinese world, a genuine, pure and peaceful world, of course, in long long time ago, maybe thousands years ago...................Maybe this is a dream for all nations. (it can be with music, but if I do it, the size of the file is too large, so I didn't add the music.)

透明的世界

一群美丽的蝴蝶住在那里，他们的身体都是透明的，能看见彼此的心，没有猜忌，没有怀疑。蝴蝶们一代一代地就过着这样简单而自足的生活。

有一天，来了个魔术师，他仿佛是走过了很远很长的路，眼底满是疲惫的沧桑。他惊奇着这个善良而单纯的小世界。他说，在他所生活的地方，人心是如此的狭小，妒忌的弟弟如何用诡计骗走了哥哥的财产和爱人，学不会隐藏自己心思的人如何在社会中举步惟艰。离开之前，他留下了一瓶魔水，必要的时候，可以帮助他们把心隐藏起来，不受伤害。如此天真的透明，太危险，他说。

很多年后，魔术师又回到了原来的地方。那里已经没有了透明的蝴蝶，空气里弥漫着他在人类社会中所熟知的浑浊。每一只蝴蝶都有了黑色的身体，保护着自己，也在伤害着别人。魔术师忽然意识到自己犯了一个多么严重的错误。他拿出解药，可是没有一只蝴蝶愿意去喝它。

“他们再也找不回原本透明而简单的心情了。” 他叹息道。

Pure World

Long, long time ago, there is a swarm of beautiful butterflies living in a forest. Their bodies are transparent. They can see the heart of each other; they can share everything with honest. No suspiciousness, no jealousy. Age to age, these butterflies live in such a simple and satisfied life.

One day, there is a magician coming by the forest. It seems he walks for such a long time on a long way. He’s full of tiredness, and full of exhaustion. He amazes such a pure and nice small world. He says, he hasn’t seen anywhere like here. Everybody is so pure and simple, living in such a peaceful land. He said, at where he’s living, the people are narrow-minded. The jealous younger brother used tricks to cut out his old brother’s property and wife. It’s so hard to do anything in the society if you don’t know how to hide and protect yourself there. He says, it’s not possible to live there without knowing how to cover your heart. Before he leaves, he leaves them a bottle of magic liquor and hopes that it’ll help them to hide their heart if it is necessary, for avoiding hurts from the others.

“You are too clear and naive”, he says, “It is so dangerous”.

Several years later, the magician comes back to the forest. He finds that there are no more transparent butterflies there. The dirty smell fills in the air, as smelly as in human’s society. Every butterfly has a black body. They protect themselves and hurt the others; no one likes to be honest and pure. The magician realizes what a big mistake he made. He takes out antidotes, but it seems no one likes to take it...........

"They cannot resume their original pure and simple mind". the magician sighs.

The end.

Digital books: several facets

Last week, one group presented a technology lesson on "digital books". In this modern world, digital era, the digital book and its applications will bring a new window in learning for all the people, including students.

As Kevin introduce to us, there are a lot of applicable features built in google. Google book is one of them, which provides a very good online library for teachers and students, especially for newly published books for "preview" purpose. As long as the teacher can carefully choose the good book and recommend students to read it, definitely it'll benefit to students' learning.

I actually have been beneficial from reading "digital books". I accidentally found the online version when I couldn't get my favored book. Usually, some hot-topic book is hardly to get from libraries. Either it is already lent out, or you receive "re-call" notice from the library soon after you get the book even you haven't finish reading. It is a kind of hectic and headache. But if the book is digital, everybody can share online. To teachers, to students, to everybody who wants to read that book, the publication of the digital version of that book will be a great news without any question. It is just as same as that word "Sharing Resources". Besides, in this world, the natural resource gradually becomes more and more scarce, such as the resource of energy and resource of forest. If the paper printing is changed into digital publishing, it obviously will save natural resources. So, the publication of digital books is not only for the readers' sake, but also for the publishers' benefit.

Of course, digital books bring the readers a lot of convenience for reading in this digital era; digital books provide more fancy features to encourage reading; digital books make the knowledge be global. These benefit is not for our teachers, our students, but also for our communities, our society and our world.

I like digital books. I appreciate all the effort that google promotes in education, technology and daily life for "resource sharing", for being globally united into one world.

My digital reading journey, as well as my attempt to promote my students for digital reading, will start from google books.

Digital books in digital world, will benefit us as educators, no matter if we are digital immigrants or digital natives.

Favored book found in "google books": Mad about physic, The force of nature and Error Analysis; Zero.

Resources, wikipedia and google scholar

Last week, we did wikipedia editing.

After I edited, I felt something wrong. The topic I wrote is not what I was familiar with. I had to search Internet to find some reliable (relatively) resources. This made me feel bad.

I'm used to trust the publication as being authorized. And I ranked Wikipedia as reliable knowledge pool before. But now, it seems I'm not right.

In the class, Kevin tell us that Wikipedia can be used as a resource, for starting up. But it should not be used as the only resources.

It's a bit clear. At least, I think in high school level, I can encourage my students using it. But I'm not sure if we can use Wikipedia as a resource for the high level scientific research.

In addition, Kevin suggest to use google scholar. The resources there is more scholarly. I checked it, the google scholar can reduce about 85-99% in the amount of info that we get from google search. This is a big difference. Also, the university library is a more reliable resources for scientific research, although the authority to use it online is limited.

So, now thing's getting more clear. Wikipedia can be used at a rich resource for starting, even in a rigorous research. Or, we can use Wikipedia as a good resource for normal level research, such as elementary or high school. For high academic level research, after starting with Wikipedia and google scholar, we probably need to seek more reliable research results from academic orientated library, quoting on more specific and more recent research results with a carefully identification.

I'm happy for knowing more about Wikipedia, through the Wikipedia writing. And I'm happy for knowing more about learning resources. Those inexhausible resources will moisten our knowledge field.

Elluminate - Online Learning Experience

July 2nd, we're gather in the online classroom, hosted by Kevin. The Online classroom has a good name: Elluminate room

Kevin starts review the article about "assessment", then turns to show us what's happened in last week in Washington. Everybody seems so excited. We're listening, watching, clapping and chatting.

One hours passed very soon. Everybody feels so satisfied. It's a class, like in a real classroom; it's not a class, we can do listening and chatting at the same time!

What a wonderful platform! It's a very good experience. It's much better than the last time I was at EnglishTown. The audio is so clear and the image is so steady. Also, the features and functions are much more advanced. "Elluminate room" does illuminate us being willing to study online.

There is tiny, tiny issue: it's too easy to be distracted, by everything, includes the fancy features (you can do a lot of "trials" and your teacher can't see:-) Oh, too bad), the free discussion setting, and the free chatting by typing (we chat / discuss too much, I even couldn't catch up with these rolling messages).

Probably, this is because it's the first time for online class in Educ 482, and everything is interesting at teh first time: Everybody meets online as if meets in the real classroom; there are too much things to learn and to try. These are possible reasons. It seems everybody feels very well and different. Anyway, we're so excited. I believe the distraction will be eliminated with the time going.

Thank you so much, Kevin! It is engaging! It is fun!

Assessment

Today's topic is tough. I got headache for a very long time about it.

Assessment. It's such a big topic!

In 401/402 study, we learned about two forms of assessments, formative assessment and summative assessment. At that moment, this issue seemed so clear. Now, it turns back to chaos in my mind.

As I knew, there are several "realities" related to the mark:

1) "No zero mark" rule. This is totally make sense to me. The students' mark reflects their learning progress. According to the pedagogical philosophy, school is a place that people do something for students, and students are the centre of the school. thus, "zero mark" means the student didn't learn anything this term in the school. It turns out that kind of question: what does the teacher do in this term?

2) There are certain limitation line for the average mark of the students to enroll the certain university. And also, there is certain mark required to keep your qualification studying in university. It does mean the "grade" and "mark" are objectively influence students' future.

So, As high school teacher, I have a lot of questions.

1) I want to know "does the grade matter?"
2) "Does the assessment have any standard?" If Yes, what is about? If No, then why? and what are the SAT, Provincial exam and term exam for?
3) I agree that "mark shouldn't be the only standard to evaluate students" and assessment should evaluate students from many angles, such as skills, multi-intelligence, social abilities, etc. However, I just want to understand clearly, is there any standard system to assess students' efforts and progress in equality? This equality is a protection for students' equal right to enroll certain levels of universities and it is so important to students.

Also, before we want to create something new, I think we need to have a relative mature idea to create the New first, then destroy the old one. I really struggle with the novel ideas when they are only some pieces of segments. We need to think ahead of time, but the reality is, if there is no better solution to replace the old one, we'd better to keep it. Although criticism becomes more and more fashion now.