Final Reflection

I learned so many amazing this semester!  I thought I was internet capable.  Now I truely am!  First, I love infographics!  I have already started writing down ideas on how to implement them into my class.  I think they are very creative and give students a new way to express what they have learned.  Animoto was one of my favorite things about this semester.  It is very easy to use, and very creative. I am also making a list of ways to incorporate animoto into my class.  I really liked using screencast-o-matic.  It has been my favorite app this semester. I also liked making the comics.  I think students will love being able to make their own comics, and incorporate them into presentations.  I have always wanted to add more technology to my class, but really didn't know how.  After this class I am taking so much information with me that my students are going to have technology coming out of their ears.  I have even decided I want to make my own class website.  Some of you probably already have class websites....well, i'm a little slow.  It isn't finished, but you can find what I have completed so far by clicking here or use the convenient QR code.

My entire classroom is going to be QR-ed in August!

Teens Kindness and Cruelty on Social Network Sites (PEW)

Lenhart, A. (2012 June 5) Teens, kindness and cruelty on social network sites. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/files/old-media//Files/Presentations/2012/June/Teens%20Kindness%20Cruelty_NCMEC_WorkingGroup_talk_Lenhart_060512_PDF.pdf

According to the teens and young adults surveyed, cruelty and bullying is not that prevalent on social media sites.  Most say that it only happens once in a while, and when it does happen they just ignore it.  Girls are more likely to be bullied through social media than boys are.  I think that has to do with the attitudes of girls versus that of boys.  I have noticed that boys tend to get over hurt feelings easy and faster, while girls try to hurt each other emotionally.  Most teens get advice from parents and teachers about what is appropriate or inappropriate to put online.  Most teens have privacy settings on their social media set to friends only, this cuts down on bullying over social media.  Percentages were high for parents who have friended their children on social media, check your teens pages everyday, and use parental controls on cellphones and internet use.  The statistic I find interesting is a very high percentage of parents are saying they talk to their teens about social media and what is appropriate and inappropriate.  The percentage then goes down 30% -40% for teens who say their parents talk to them about social media.  

At some schools students are forbidden to have their cellphones, while at others they are welcome to have them.  If an issue comes up between two students they do not have the ability to discuss the problem with their parent or teacher, and make a rash decision to make an inappropriate comment.  I think this attributes to some of the inappropriate postings on social media.  Social networks are generally good places to share pictures and comments with friends. However teens and young adults need to understand what is appropriate for these sites and what isn't.

45/150

Teens and Online Video (PEW)

Lenhart, A. (2012, May 3). Teens and online video.  Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/files/old-media//Files/Reports/2012/PIP_Teens_and_online_video.pdf

This article is about teens and how they use video.  I discussed teens chatting, uploading video, and live streaming.

Applications like Skype, Googletalk, and Ichat are used for online chatting, and are seeing a rise with teens 12-17 years old.  White teens, and teens from higher income homes are more likely to video chat with their friends.  Also teen who are avid users of social networks, texting, and internet are more likely to video chat.  

Only one third of the teens surveyed said they record and upload video. It is pretty even between gender and race on which teens take and upload video.  However, teens who are regular users of the internet, social networks, and texting are more likely to upload video, especially to their social networks.

Only a handful of teens surveyed said they used live streaming.  Of those that did, it was again even between gender and race.  The teens that do take part in live streaming are also avid users of the internet, social networks, and texting.  

What I took from this article is that if you used technology, you probably use ALL technology.  Teens that are using live streaming, video chatting, and uploading their own video, are also the teens always on the internet, using social networks, and texting.  They all seem to go hand in hand.

13/150   

American Teens and Mobility (PEW)

Lenhart, A.  (2012, June 14).  It ain't heavy, it's my smartphone:  American teens and the infiltration of mobility into their computing lives.  Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2012/06/14/it-aint-heavy-its-my-smartphone-american-teens-and-the-infiltration-of-mobility-into-their-computing-lives/

This presentation was very informative from a numbers stand point.  It gave lots of percentages of what networks teens are using, and it even broke down into percentages of the different races and how they used their phones.  The presentation overall was very dry.  However, it did illustrate the massive change that technology has been through over the last 14 years.  It showed that social networks are the priority with teens.  It also showed that most teens are trying to be responsible while using those social networks.  Surprisingly, the survey that was done showed teens at  17 years old being the most responsible with information that is being loaded on to social networks.  From the presentation we learn that teens are all over Facebook.  However, Twitter numbers are drastically rising, and Tumblr is on the rise.  This presentation was given in 2012.  I believe that Facebook has become somewhat stagnant for teens.  I find more teens and preteens asking to be my friend on Twitter and Instagram.  Having just signed-up for Tumblr, I am sure I will get those requests soon. Today more teens are texting and instant messaging, than talking on phones.  Most teens are not even using email anymore, because of the social network boom or society is in.  Again, this presentation was a little dry for me with all the numbers.  However,  I did learn several different things that I found interesting.  Since this presentation was given in 2012, and the surveys had to be completed before that, I think some of the information is a little misleading.  I would like to see these surveys completed again to see how things have changed just in the last few years.  It seems like technology continues to grow at an alarmingly rapid pace.

47/150

10 Things to Know About How Teens Use Technology (PEW)

Purcell, K. (2013, July 10). 10 things to know about how teens use technology. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/files/old-media//Files/Presentations/2013/KPurcell%20ACT%202013_PDF.pdf

This presentation covered 10 things that adults should know about teens and technology trends.  

1) Although Facebook use has slowed among teens, other social networking sites have increased use, especially Twitter.  My opinion is that as parents learn to use and monitor social networks, those networks will be abandoned by teens who will move on to other networks.

2)  Teens today are sharing more personal information about themselves than they have in the past.  Shared information includes pictures of themselves, phone numbers, and school names.

3)  Teens today are aware of online privacy.  Most teens using Facebook have their settings on private.  However, on other social networks, like Twitter, most teens have their settings on public.  Teens from higher income families are aware and concerned about third-party access to their information, but teens from low income families are not.

4)  Today's teens are taking an active role in maintaining a good online reputation.  Most teens, especially girls, have deleted friends or blocked them from their accounts.

5)  Most parents are concerned about their teens online use, and help to keep their reputations clear so their future is not hurt by the social networks.

6)  The education of most teens today includes the use of digital tools.  Interactive whiteboards, e-readers, tablets, and cell phones are all being used in the classroom to met educational goals.  

7)  Although technology has changed the way teens conduct research, it may be for the better.  "Googling" gives teens a vast array of information that can be easily found.  Technology makes research easier for teens to find the information, but it is still up to the teen to decide how to use that information.

8)  Digital tools can benefit students' writing skills.  Although there are concerns about informal language and poor grammar and spelling, digital tools allow students to be more creative and make writing more personal.

9)  Are "Digital Natives" really that unique?  Studies show that they are not.  Teens or "Digital Natives" just have different tools at their disposal than what we had.

10)  There is a digital divide in education and technology.  High and low income schools are not on an even playing ground.  Low income schools do not generally have the technology to implement that a high income school does.  Even then, the discrepancy between high income students and low income students having the technology at home is huge.  

A lot of this information I had already read and been familiar with.  However, I think this is a great presentation.  I would love to show this presentation to the school board in my district.  We are in great need for better technology, and this presentation is an amazing example why.  I work at a very low income Title I school and (even in 4th grade) I can see the divide in education and technology(number 10).  Looking around our district it is amazing to see what the newer schools have, for example Smartboards, Elmos, document cameras, two computer labs.....My school is 58 years old and low income.  We are lucky if the television works for announcements in the morning.  The announcements on CCTV that our school just started last year,while others have been doing them for years.  I think using technology is great, and I think the 10 things mentioned in the article are very important to be aware of, but my heart will always go back to disparities between higher and lower income students.

46/150

The Impact of Digital Tools on Student Writing (PEW)

Purcell, K. , Buchanan, J. , & Friedrich, L.  (2013, July 16).  The Impact of Digital Tools on Student Writing and How Writing is Taught in Schools.  Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/07/16/the-impact-of-digital-tools-on-student-writing-and-how-writing-is-taught-in-schools-2/

In this article 2,462 Advanced Placement and National Writing Project teachers were surveyed about digital tools and their affect on how they teach writing.  These teachers say that social networking sites, cell phones, and texting are shaping the students writing in many ways.  These tools have become helpful for teaching writing in the middle and high schools. AP and NWP teachers say that digital technology benefit students writing in several ways.  Digital technology allows students to share their work with a wide and varied audience, encourage collaboration among students, and encourage creativity and  personal expression. These benefits make the writer greater invested in what they write, which cause them to write better.  However, there are some concerns when using digital tools for writing.  Students using the tools for educational purposes in class instead of "toys", difference in access to digital tools between students, students not knowing what voice they should use in their writing, and students using formal instead of informal language are all concerns when using digital tools for writing.  Although there are many concerns, they concerns are things that have to be taught anyway before students can write.  As a fourth grade teacher, I know that I am willing to use anything to get my students invested in writing.  It is so hard for them to come up with ideas and be creative in their writing.  Even though there are some challenges or concerns, 50% of the AP and NWP teachers say the digital tools have helped their students and made writing easier.  However, 18% say it has made writing harder of the students.  As I stated earlier, I am willing to try or do anything to get my students interested and invested in writing.  I would love to try some of these digital tools in my classroom.  Even if the 18% are right and the writing gets worse, at the very least the students have opened up new avenues for communication and are using digital tools that will help them in the future.

8/150

Library Services in the Digital Age (PEW)

Library Services in the Digital Age.  (2013, January 22). Pew Research Internet Project.  Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/01/22/library-servies-in-the-digital-age/

This article is about ushering libraries into the digital age.  It discussed how people use libraries, library priorities, and what technology patrons would like to see at the library.  2,252 Americans ages 16 and older were surveyed for this article.  Reasons people gave for using the library were browsing for books, borrowing books, researching, borrowing visual media, and attending classes or programs for themselves or their children.  The survey found that people thought library priorities should be coordinating with local schools, offering free literacy programs, having comfortable spaces in the library, and offering more e-books.  Having said all that, 59% of the people surveyed agreed that libraries should move books and printed material out of public locations to make room for tech centers, reading rooms, and cultural events.  When ask what kind of technology should be implemented into the libraries, people surveyed said online services, "petting zoos", app-based access, and "redbox" lending.  73% surveyed said they would use online research services to get answers from librarians.  69% said they would like "petting zoo" access, where they could try out new devices in the library.  63% surveyed said they would like app-based access to materials and programs.  63% said they would like "Redbox" style lending machine.  This way they could check out books, movies, or music from machines throughout the community without having to actually go to the library.  In my opinion, all this technology would be really cool to use, but when it comes down to it, I would miss the library. To me, going to a library, search for your book, and finally find the right one is an experience.  Having a discussion with a librarian about a research topic or new book is something that can not be traded for cool new technology.  Once libraries start becoming less personalized they start becoming obsolete. The Digital Age is awesome, and some great things can happen as our libraries enter the Digital Age, but let's not lose sight of the purpose of libraries.

4/150