Journal 7
Social Justice: Choice or Necessity? By Swain & Edyburn

This article presents the issue of social justice and how it relates to the availability of technology in the classroom. Simply providing students access to technology is not enough. For example, allowing students to use computers for tasks such as drill and practice programs for a subject like Mathematics, or for the purpose of developing “vocational” skills such as keyboarding and word processing is not enough. Students must be provided with the opportunity to use the computers for the purpose of developing creative minds as well as more advanced problem solving skills. A great example is the opportunity provided by Scratch, a program for used for online story telling, animation and game design. Children using Scratch have to problem-solve to fix programming bugs and set design goals for their projects. (For more information about Scratch, check out Journal # 4 of this blog.


If social justice is to be achieved, individuals in a community should have a similar chance at obtaining the good things in life and that includes higher paying jobs. Access to more intellectually stimulating activities on the computer is therefore a social justice issue because students who are not well prepared in using technology and problem solving will have fewer opportunities for well paying jobs when they grow up. Providing adequate training in technology is NOT a choice- the quality of life and future of our students depends on it!

Question: How will I ensure social justice with regards to technology in my classroom?

I will do everything I can to provide equitable learning opportunities for the children in my classroom. That means that if a student needs more time on the computer or more tutoring in order to master a particular skill, I will provide it. If that means keeping the kids after school and giving them more of my time- I will do it. Also, it is my hope that my school will allow me to develop a peer-tutoring program that focuses on technology.

Question: Have I seen first hand, the availability of technology affect the career opportunities of individuals in my life?

Yes. I found that the individuals in my life who came from wealthier backgrounds were far more likely to own a computer as teenagers. These same individuals were far more likely to go into fields that required tech savvy workers. These same individuals make FAR more money than those who have not been able to acquire those kinds of jobs because of their comfort level with technology.

Journal #6
Inspiring Students with Peer Tutoring, by Brandy Smith

This article was inspiring to read. The author provided an opportunity for students who would otherwise slip into the background of a classroom to become leaders among their peers. Students who were extremely shy, had behavioral issues or had great potential but were otherwise neglected because other children were gaining the attention of their teachers were asked to join a Tech Club. This Tech Club met for two hours after school on a weekly basis. The children were taught how to use laptops and honed a variety of skills that could be used in the classroom. They were then asked to give presentations to their peers and conduct small group tutorials on the technology they mastered.

This program accomplished several things. First, it provided students with more time using the computers. Laptops that were otherwise left untouched by teachers, were checked out and used in the classroom on a weekly basis. Second, this program allowed teachers to integrate the use of technology in their curriculum. Instead of sending the children to the library to do research for a project, the teachers invited the Tech Club students to come into the classroom and teach the children how to do searches on the Internet. Not only were students learning about a particular subject matter, they were learning about computers as well. Finally, the project allowed the Tech Club kids to develop leadership and teaching skills that they will carry with them the rest of their lives. What a great idea this was!

Question: Would I be willing to host a Tech Club at my own school?

Yes, I think this is a brilliant way to get kids excited about technology and learning. I think it is absolutely worth the few hours of extra work each week to see these children succeed. It is empowering and has the potential to set the tone of their learning experience for the rest of their lives. I would love to be able to make an impact like that.

Question: What can I do now to prepare myself for taking on something like a Tech Club when I begin to teach?

I already have integrated more technology into my lifestyle. I bought myself a laptop computer and am using it daily. I am also taking the time to learn about the various programs available… I am using far more than the Internet, word and power point on a daily basis. This class is also quite helpful- I am no longer so intimidated by technology. I have learned that with just a few minutes of exploring a program- I can learn so much about it.

Journal #5
Fulldome Video, By Linda E. Law

I recently had the opportunity to experience a fulldome video presentation at the Natural History Museum in New York City. The presentation took me on a wild ride throughout our solar system that was not unlike the “Star Tours” ride at Disneyland. I was enveloped by visual and audio sensory input that got my adrenaline to the point where I felt my chest nearly burst with excitement. I left with a skip in my step and the crazed feeling that I needed to learn more! I hurried to the astronomy hall and hung out there for a long time, soaking up as much information as I could. The funny thing is, before the presentation I had walked through that same hall and felt no need to pause and learn something about our solar system. This experience demonstrated to me just how valuable the fulldome video presentations can be in educating out youngsters today. Otherwise apathetic students can be turned into avid learners with these kinds of presentations. I know!

The journal article shared exciting new information about this emerging technology. The most exciting thing about it is that it is becoming more and more affordable for school districts to purchase. School districts can buy an inflatable dome and send it on tour, setting it up in gyms across the district. Another great thing is that although the fulldome video technology was originally designed for presentations about astronomy- it can be used to teach kids about any subject.

Question: Will I encourage my school district to purchase a fulldome video setup?

I see the value in the technology, but if the school district has limited funds, it can wait. The evolution of technology is lightning fast. I bet in just a few years the fulldome videos available to school districts will be better quality and cheaper.

Question: What do I think about the future of fulldome video in education?

I believe this technology has a tremendous future in education. In the past when it took a whole room to hold a computer and at that time it would have been difficult to imagine that each classroom would have a computer. It may be difficult to believe that some day each classroom might have its own interactive fulldome video setup- but I think it will happen.

Journal 4:
Sowing the Seeds for a More Creative Society by Mitchel Resnick




Schools often base student achievement on how well the students perform on tests. This is based on the idea that schools just need to pass on knowledge to students and the more knowledge a student gains, the more successful he or she will be. The above article points out that while acquiring knowledge is important, it is not enough. Many students lack the ability to think creatively and thus are unable to improvise in unexpected situations. Unfortunately, unexpected situations arise routinely in both our personal and professional lives. Students are graduating from High School and college with a wealth of knowledge but inexperienced in critical and creative thinking. Many employers have expressed concern over this trend and some schools are responding by implementing new technologies that can aid children in their development of creative thinking. I will discuss two of those technologies as follows.

Crickets are the first new bit of technology I will discuss. They are kits that are designed to be an artistic outlet where children can create things not only using craft supplies such as pipecleaners, pom poms and so on, but also electronic parts such as motors and sensors so that they can integrate colorful lights, sounds, music and motion into their projects. Children have used these raw materials to create their own light-up shoes that change colors based on walking speed, alarm clocks and even wearable jukeboxes. With Crickets, children can create their own unique toys- they don’t have to buy them in the store.

Scratch is a another bit of technology that stimulates creativity in children. Scratch is a program that allows children act as programmers and create stories, games and animations that can be shared with others on the internet. Just as their adult computer programmer counterparts, children using Scratch have to problem-solve to fix program bugs and set design goals for their projects.  Children who use Scratch can create their own toys, in this case, their own online computer games.  Just as with Crickets, children can act creatively instead of buying toys at a Toy Store.

Check it out at:

http://scratch.mit.edu/

Question: When might I integrate a program like Crickets into my classroom lessons?


I would like to teach Junior High School science. In Junior High, kids are often required to do a science project or create an invention. Crickets opens up the possibilities for these types of projects. Imagine what kids can do with motors and sensors?!? I can’t wait to see what they come up with.

Question: How will I generate the necessary funds to purchase Cricket kits for my classroom?

Funding is a big issue. Perhaps I can integrate the funding aspect of the project into the lesson. After all, kids will discover that they will often have to convince their superiors of the value of the projects they may be working on. This is especially true in jobs in research and the development of technology. Alternatively, with class consensus, funds can be generated by first borrowing money for the projects and then selling them to make up the money. All proceeds could go towards the needs of the classroom. This could offer an opportunity for a lesson in marketing.

Journal 3:
“Nailing Digital Jelly to a Virtual Tree” by Ferdi Serim and Kathy Schrock




Integrating ever evolving technologies (digital jelly) can be accomplished if the infrastructure (virtual tree) of a school system is ready to sustain it. The article discusses three branches of the virtual tree that need to be ready in order for the digital jelly to stick. They are organizational capacity, process management, and operational capacity. Organizational capacity includes the manpower needed to actual educate the users of the technology. A computer with the latest capabilities isn’t any good if its user is not trained on those capabilities and worse; if its user doesn’t even know those capabilities are even there. If that is the case, what’s the point of paying for technology that isn’t going to be used? Similarly, if there is a break in the branch of process management and the tools used to directly support teaching and learning such as instructional media tools among others are not provided the jelly may slip away. The operational capacity branch of the tree is also important because it offers the network security and data management needed to sustain a healthy infrastructure in which new technologies can co-exist with existing technologies.

Technology changes so quickly that within months the same item may be available in a smaller, faster, cheaper form. School administrators are often left to speculation and hope that the items they have purchased in massive quantities will sustain the evolution of technology and will be useful for many years to come. Schools must also take a look at their virtual tree of infrastructure and determine whether all three branches have the capacity to sustain the various flavors of jelly or emerging technologies they are considering.

Schools don’t have to make these decisions alone. ISTE has organized an Emerging Technologies Task Force to create a reliable resource that educators can use when making these decisions. They have created a database where educators can explore what types of technology might work in their circumstances.

Question: How will I decide on the technology I will use in the classroom?

I will definitely keep an eye on ISTE. I was a little reluctant to pay for the membership but I am discovering that ISTE is worth the money because it offers so many resources regarding technology for educators. I will use the database made available by the ET task force and I would imagine that by the time I am a teacher, ISTE will have many other resources available too.

Question: How will I keep my fear of learning about new technology in check?

I have never really been into technology. Not because I don’t think its cool, but because I often feared the learning process. I now know that ISTE has a variety of resources available and learning about the new stuff wont be so bad. I’m so glad that there are databases available out there and that they provide the necessary information at just a click of the mouse. I will fear no more! Mostly…

Journal 2:

"The Threat of Security," by Robinson, Brown, and Green. From the Sept/Oct Issue of the 2007 L&L.





Technology is part of daily life in our society. Integrating it into the classroom is not just an option but a necessity these days. Students need it in their classrooms so that the may gain the necessary knowledge and skill base that will be demanded of them in the worlds of higher education and employment. Although the availability of technology has increased dramatically in our schools, educators are still facing problems.

The article “The Threat of Security” examines whether concern over security is hindering the integration of technology in the classroom. The article highlights some disturbing practices undertaken by school administrators in an attempt to “protect” their schools. One thing that I found disturbing is that teacher e-mail use is often monitored. Many teachers fear using their e-mail because they are afraid they might offend the individual monitoring them. Employers have been using monitoring software for years and I suppose I can understand its use during “work-day” hours. However, monitoring teachers beyond their “contract” hours goes too far. Many teachers spend extra time in the classroom preparing lessons. I can see myself staying after school and preparing lessons but I would also like to have the flexibility to check my personal email as well as do a little online shopping while taking breaks. Nobody likes it when somebody looks over their shoulder while using the computer. Teachers have the possibility of somebody looking over their shoulder all the time!

One thing that I have learned during this class is that there are countless resources available to teachers on the web. The above article points out that many of those resources are inaccessible to teachers in the classroom due to limits imposed upon them by district servers. Filters that have been purchased and installed by districts are sometimes too restrictive and teachers cannot access many of the free resources available to them.

Question: The article shared stories from teachers who have become so fed up with the restrictions imposed upon them, they have given up using technology in the classroom altogether. Will I ever give up technology in the classroom for these reasons?

I am a believer in technology and feel that it is essential in a child’s education. I can see myself being annoyed by the filters put on by the school district but the internet has a wealth of resources. Although I may find that the most ideal website I have found for a particular project is blocked by the district filter, there are countless more sites out there that can be just as useful but not blocked. The filters may make my job more difficult, but not impossible. I hope…

Question: How will I deal with e-mail monitoring at school?

As noted above, I can understand why some employers monitor the e-mail and internet use of their employees during work hours. I believe I can handle being monitored during my time on campus. This is not ideal, but tolerable. I will just have to limit the amount of extra time I spend on campus and do most of my lesson plans and other prep-work while at home so that I can check my email and surf the net without restriction when I take my breaks.

Journal 1: Intro Letter


My name is Megan Tiffany. I was born and raised in San Diego, California. I studied Psychology at CSUSM and received my bachelor's degree two years ago. After I graduated from college I backpacked throughout Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos for four months. Since I got back, I have been working at UCSD as a research assistant on a project that is looking at treatments for Schizophrenia.

Some of the things I love to do include hiking, camping, body surfing, and anything else that gets me outdoors. I also love hanging out with my cousins- the youngest of whom are 12 and 14. I especially enjoy taking them camping and leading them on Snipe hunts that last for hours and end in fits of giggling. My goal is to become a teacher so that I can hang out with kids like them everyday.

My exposure to computers during my childhood was limited. I have some vague recollection of playing Oklahoma (or was it Oregon Trail?) in elementary school but all I remember about it is a black screen and green images. In high school, I would go to a neighbor's house to use a word processor to write my papers. Since my junior year in college, computers have become part of my daily life. I can't imagine living without them now. Yesterday, I bought my first computer. No more school library computers for me! Hooray!

What impressed me most about the college of education mission statement is its commitment to educational equity. I agree that there is a difference between equity and equality. I look forward to being trained by individuals who are committed to helping me understand that difference as well as providing me with the tools I need to accomplish equity in my classroom.