Journal entries on November’s book readings

Module 2

I LOVE THE BOOK! I find it very readable and valuable. I would like to learn more about teaching information literacy – if you have any other resources, please send them along. I spoke with our curriculum coordinator about where they should formally integrate it. Our new middle school librarian/media specialist does a great job but it needs to be taught from third grade on.

Module 3

November’s chapter on expanding relationships, in addition to the exercises we did at the same time (online projects and penpals), really emphasized the opportunities to get students to think of communicating outside the classroom. The section on the fax machine isn’t that practical to put to use in our schools (I think they’d do better with e-mail at this stage) but it illustrates the point that you don’t need complex technologies to accomplish the goal of expanding relationships. Look around you and think outside the walls. Video conferencing with a webcam in the classroom as a technique to link home and school could be very useful and today it could definitely be possible. November’s points about dealing with relationship management and communication skills as they become far more complicated and important than the technology piece of making the initial communication happen are very interesting. He didn’t say a lot about teacher websites. I think they are really important for a communication link to home and the community. Our efforts to post student work has been spotty but successful and I expect we’ll see a lot more of it in coming years.

There have been a few areas of enlightenment where the light bulb goes on in my head and I finally “get it”. Information literacy was one of those. November’s book, in addition to some great websites I found, really taught me the importance of teaching today’s students how to navigate and learn in the information world. It’s become such a buzzword but I didn’t really understand it until now – and the light bulb just went on.

Module 4

Chapter 3 on Emerging Roles within the Knowledge Community deals with teachers ramping up the technology highway. I deal with teachers on all scales of the tech. adopting spectrum so it was helpful to read about teachers as digital immigrants, reverse mentoring, shifting control, and managing fear. I especially liked the list of Worst Fears and Best Hopes and the connections that can be made between the two. I was fascinated that some of the fears hadn’t even occurred to me. I do see teachers who are less than five years from retirement and hope to race the clock – retire before they have to deal with that horrible technology stuff. Their reluctance to learn amazes me – do they think their life will not be affected by technology after retirement? But to read some of their fears helped me have a better understanding of some of their feelings. I copied that page and hung it on my bulletin board to review every once in a while – just to remind me.

Module 5

I enjoyed November’s writings on the primary sources. As I said in my discussion post, I wish I could take history again with some of the amazing resources at my fingertips. I went next door to Exeter, NH a few weekends ago and saw an original copy of the Declaration of Independence and I was mesmerized. I’d like a history class using MarcoPolo, WebQuests and National Archives!

Final

November’s book was particularly illuminating to me. I looked over some of the topics: information literacy, expanding relationships, emerging roles, primary sources – at the beginning of the course and didn’t really understand how technology can alter the learning environment. Prior to this course I was viewing it simplistically as teachers needing to learn computer skills but I am slowly (but surely) learning about transforming the classroom environment by expanding relationships, using primary sources, etc. and how the use of technology may provide opportunities that wouldn’t be otherwise available.

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