Article Assesment #1

Nick Leiser E-Mail: asnal2@uaa.alaska.edu 6-16-2008
Article Title: The Overdominance of Computers
Author: Lowell W. Monke

Article Overview: This article discusses the role of technology in today’s classroom. Monke thinks that technology should not be taking the place of interpersonal communication. Students need real life experiences to learn human qualities such as honesty, compassion, trust… Students today are not failing because of a lack of technological skills. They fail because they lack hope, compassion, trust, respect, a sense of belonging, moral judgment, stability, community support, parental care… Technology should be taught in the last two years of school that way we aren’t training students in technical skills that are soon to be obsolete.

Reference Points:
1. Just because schools should be preparing students for a high tech society does not mean that children of all ages should be using high tech tools. We live in a vehicle dependant society, but we don’t have 10 year olds driving around in cars.
2. Assessment data shows that the more access students have to computers, the lower their overall test scores were.
3. As a result of increased time spent with computers, video games, and TV, the current generation of elementary students will experience 30% fewer face-to-face encounters than the previous generation (Hammel, 1999).
4. It is the lack of hope, compassion, trust, respect, a sense of belonging, moral judgment, stability, community support, parental care, and teacher competence and enthusiasm that keeps so many students imprisoned in ignorance.
5. We label students too quickly, and are eager to apply external technical fixes (including medications) to students who often simply aren’t ready for the abstract, academic, and sedentary environment of today’s early elementary classrooms.
6. Teachers should spend considerable time during the last two years of high school outfitting students with the high-tech skills they will need when they graduate. This “just-in-time” approach is far more efficient instructionally and financially than retraining younger students in technical skills soon to be obsolete.

Significance: We should take a close look and maybe even rethink the use of technology at younger ages. Make sure that the use of technology is not replacing human interaction. Also be careful not to go overboard on the opposite end of the spectrum and remove computers completely from elementary classrooms. They are a great resource for nearly every subject imaginable.

Educational Philosophy

Philosophy Statement
As an elementary school physical education teacher, I believe that every student should be kept as active as possible. Students should be introduced to a wide range of fun, developmentally appropriate activities that encourage social interaction, teamwork, fair play, and the development of motor skills.
Educational concepts such as the importance of exercise, warm-up, stretching and proper nutrition should be incorporated in ways that don‘t detract from physical activity. In addition, students should learn about the body’s major systems.
The gym should be a safe, non-threatening environment where students of all abilities feel comfortable.
Before and after school activities should be offered as a way to expand on or supplement what is taught in class, foster interest in the program, and create opportunities for parent involvement.
It is recommended that kids get an hour of exercise every day. Because schools don’t even get close to providing that much physical education, students should be encouraged to participate in recreational activities and sports programs outside of school. The best way to ensure an active healthy lifestyle through all stages of life is to develop a love for it at an early age.
You can see my slide show at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DGsuJpXXK0

Presentation Evaluation

After watching my energy conservation presentation, I noticed a couple areas where I can improve.

-My presentation is long and boring. If I present things like this in the future I need to keep them shore and sweet.

-My hand gestures make me look nervous, and distract from what I am saying. I need to reduce and slow down the hand gestures.

-I say "and" a lot, especially when transitioning from one topic to another. I need to find other "filler" words, or just pause.

You can find my spreadsheet at: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pbRw4L_yMLOpDoeNptDIgVA

You can view my presentation at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCF1RBkLi44

Energy Conservation PowerPoint

My energy comservation project is on fuel consumption. The PowerPoint covers how much gas I use in a week, and how much it costs me assuming that gas is $3.60 per gallon. It also shows three different scenarios and how much I could potentially save by making minor changes.

In addition, my slideshow points out some tips on how to become more fuel efficient, and it points to some new technology to look for in the future. Here is a link to the project: http://www.slideshare.net/nickleiser/energt-conservation-powerpoint/

Article Assesment #3

Nick Leiser e-mail: asnal2@uaa.alaska.edu Date:5-3-08
Article Title: Tools for the Mind Author: Mary Burns

Article Overview:
This article points out how the perception of technology in the classroom has recently changed. We have shifted from a time when the potential of technology seemed limitless, and funding was plentiful, to a time where the potential of technology has been greatly untapped, and funding has been redirected to meet the needs of NCLB. It also discusses how technology has been used primarily for show and tell purposes rather than to promote a higher level of thinking.

Reference Points:
1. With budget cuts for technology and new NCLB requirements, the value of technology as an educational tool has come under scrutiny.
2. Use of lower order technology tools has become prevalent. Tools that involve a higher order of thinking are not used enough.
3. We are becoming a copy & paste culture. Students are putting together reports and presentations without absorbing the information.
4. Technology has been used primarily for show and tell purposes. Programs like Word and Powerpoint are frequently used to create presentations. According to a survey on the frequency of technology use in the classroom, electronic presentation was the most used form of technology. Technology is not being used to cultivate learning and deeper understanding.
5. Geographic Information Systems, Computer Aided Design Programs, and Simulation Software Programs should be used to promote higher levels of thinking.
6. Capitalizing from technology’s educational potential will require a return to our original assumptions; the need for critical thinking, for learner-centered instruction, and for students to use computers as mind tools.

Significance:
The significance of this article is that we as teachers are not taking full advantage of the potential that technology has for educational purposes. We need to re-evaluate the use of technology in our classrooms and determine how we can make better use of it. I found this paragraph from the article to be the most helpful when it comes to trying to change how technology is being used. “To implement these recommendations, teachers need a panoply of supports. They need opportunities to work together with colleagues to plan rich, preferably interdisciplinary activities in which technology serves to extend learning in ways that would not be possible without its use. They also need effective instructional and technology leadership from school and district administrators, access to higher-order technology tools, time to learn about and integrate these tools, and follow-up support and coaching.”

Energy Conservation

The question that I am asking for my energy conservation project is,"How much fuel and money could I save by riding my bike to work instead of driving?" I googled fuel conservation and there were several good sites that relate to the subject. Riding a bike instead of driving was even listed on one of the sites as a suggestion to decrease fuel consumption.

To answer this question I need to know how far it is to work, round trip. I also need to know my trucks gas mileage. I will look up the distance to work on Mapquest.com. To figure out my gas mileage I will divide the number of miles driven by the gas used. I will also document how much and where I drive for a week. This will help me determine if there are any other areas where I can become more efficient.

Anthro-Tech

After assessing the technological culture at Nunaka Valley I have come to the conclusion that there is an amazing amount of untapped potential when it comes to the use of technology in schools. We have technology and computer lab time available to us however it is not always used and there is not a big emphasis on educational technology in our curriculum. The amount of technology that students are exposed to seems to be largely at the discretion of the teacher.
A couple of teachers are working on a TTL grant that will bring digital storytelling to our school. This will be a great project because it will get the whole school involved with the use of technology. Hopefully it will help teachers become more comfortable with the incorporation of technology in the classroom. http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhm7ws2s_0g97td9fb