Design Challenge 10A

Q: How can I encourage positive values in my classroom?
A: You can do this by following 8 easy guidelines.

• Create projects that are related to the student's lives and interests.
• Concentrate on the final project instead of the smaller steps it takes them to get there.
• Instead of using individual learning techniques, focus on cooperation and collaboration
• Link the lesson back to real life situations and ideas.
• Focus the activity around a problem that the students must solve
• Practice respect in the classroom-student to teacher, teacher to student and student to student
• Instead of a dictatorship in the classroom, use a more democratic approach.
• Communicate...Communicate...Communicate!

Q: Why should I care about creating a positive learning environment?
A: Learning environments reflect what and how the students will learn.

Q: What things can passive learning environments tell about the classroom values?
A: A typical passive learning environment tells the student that they must sit in their assigned seat and stay quiet unless they are speaking with the teacher. These environments tell the student that individualized work is valued over cooperation and collaboration.

Q: What types of problems can come from commission?
A: Items that are available but placed or used in an inappropriate manner might have an inverse result than initially intended. For instance, inappropriately placed loud video equipment might interfere with a quiet study area of the room.

Q: What types of problems can come from omission?
A: If students do not have access or easy access to items, they will simply not take part in activities that utilize and learn from those tools.

Q: What kind of learning environments influence student learning?
A: The arrangement of furniture and types of furniture chosen are the main influences of a learning environment. However, available tool and resources are just as important.

Q: What are some differences between individual learning environments and social learning?
A: Individualized learning environments are quiet and students are separated from each other. There is little to no collaboration encouraged. Students are expected to sit in their assigned seats and communicate only with the teacher. In a social learning environment, however, students are encouraged to collaborate and cooperate with other students and the teacher. The teacher directs activities instead of standing in front of the room spilling out facts. Students have options as to where in the room they would like to do projects. There tends to be a section in
the classroom where collaboration activities can take place without interfering with quiet work of the other classmates.

Q: Why should I concern myself with multimedia software?
Chosen correctly, multimedia software have been shown to enhance education, especially inn math and science.

Q: Is there anything to worry about when choosing multimedia software?
Most multimedia software is created by business and not professional educators. Thus, you need to first evaluate the software you will be using before you actually use it in the classroom. Make sure to choose software that is truly educationally based. Take care to not just choose the flashiest product or one that does not create a collaborative learning environment.

Q: How can I be responsible for changing student's values by myself?
You cannot do this on your own. One teacher cannot really make a change without the cooperation of the community, parents, and the school. They must also see the importance in changing these values and fully support the change. The students must see what they are doing in the classroom is also what is being taught at home. The more it is encouraged in the classroom (involving parents, students, school staff and other community members) the more it will be dispalyed outside of the school environment.

Design Challenge Eight - Part 1

Presenter: Tori Spinoso

Title: Integrating the use of technology into non-traditional classrooms.

Equipment required: Internet access, overhead projector, speakers, laser pointer

Abstract: Public school classrooms integrate people of all ethnic races with all levels of technological intelligence. Good schools are now leaning toward using technology more and more in the classrooms. However, it has been stated that white males have the most access to computer time minority students and those of a lower economic status receive the least. According to Infoplease.com, approximately 19% of elementary-high school students are Hispanic. What does this mean for you as a teacher? It means that educators need to concentrate on how they might incorporate technology into classrooms that include females and non-white students. This presentation will discuss options such as creating bi-lingual on-line stories, connecting with schools in other countries through epals.com, creating virtual fieldtrips of contries that relate top the classroom students with the use of Flickr. We will also discuss the opportunities to develop coorporative learning situations by bringing together students with similar expertise and collaborative opportunities by bringing together students with varying expertise levels.

Fourth Topic Chosen
Safety and Student Use of the Internet

Description of Essence of the Issue (25 words) or less
Although the internet is an amazingly powerful tool that should be accessible by all, remember that it IS accessible to all...even those intending harm.

Five to Ten Main Issues or Ideas or Concerns
1. Be cautions about people who request personal information over the internet.
2. Meeting friends through the internet could prove to be a dangerous adventure
3. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has a form to fill complete if one ever feels uncomfortable or in danger called the CyberTipline.
4. Cyberbullying can occur and it can be a criminal offence.
5. Service providers can screen or block out inappropriate e-mails coming in.
6. Surfing the internet can easily bring one to inappropriate sites that hold inappropriate information.

What Can/Should Students Learn:

Students need to be taught:

• The internet is a very powerful tool and is mostly used for very educational uses, however, there are some who violate other's rights while on-line.

• Never to give out personal information such as name, address, phone numbers, SSN's, School name, common hang out locations.

• How to analyze and determine who is an appropriate "friend" and who is not

• Where to go and who to contact if one should ever feel scared or in danger through the internet.

• How to determine whether a site has appropriate material and what to do if it doesn't.
• How to create an appropriate username or login names.
• Never share passwords and usernames with anyone other than parents.
• Do not share personal information while on chat pages. Many stalkers use these sites to gain trust of individuals using chat rooms.
• Do not instantly trust that someone is who they say they are on-line. Teach appropriate techniques to help them determoine who they are in contact with.

Reflections on Ethical Issues #3

Third Topic Chosen

Plagiarism

Description of the Issue

Plagiarism can take the form of intentional or unintentional plagiarism. Some get a thrill out of taking the risk while others simply make mistakes.

Five to Ten Central Ideas

The difference between plagiarism and paraphrasing are often misunderstood Students sometimes do not understand the difference between "common knowledge" and information they need to cite sources for. Citing sources incorrectly can be a major reason for inadvertent plagiarism. Plagiarism can range from papers turned in using another's work word-for-word to the writer accidentally forgetting to enter some important information in the citation. Works are now copyrighted with or without the copyright symbol. Using works that are in the public domain are usable as long as the source is cited. Plagiarism and copyright infringement can be punishable by a court of law.

What Students Can/Should Learn

Educate them on exactly what is plagiarism. Many students do not understand the exact definition and what they might be doing could fit into that definition. Teach research techniques. If students don't feel they understand these techniques the more willing they might be to copy another person's work. They need to understand the school's plagiarism policies. They need to clearly understand the penalties of such actions. They should be trained on time management, writing and planning skills. This could help them to feel less stressed and in turn possibly less willing to use someone else's work as there own. Teach students about creative commons works and educate them on how they might take advantage of works that are licensed through it. Teach them about the works in the public domain and how to use them.

Reflections on Ethical Issues #2

Second Topic Chosen

Acceptable Use Policies

Description of the Issue

For the district to approve students internet usage within the school system, we had to guarantee that you, the students, would abide by some rules.

Five to Ten Central Ideas

Appropriate communication will be encouraged - anything less is unacceptable. Students need to be taught the rules ethical and legal computer use. Students will be taught safe and appropriate computer social behavior. Students will be told about the use of available and unavailable sites and programs. Students will be educated on the possible lawsuits against the teachers, the school district and even themselves. Students will be taught about copyright infringement and plagiarism.

What Students Can/Should Learn

Acceptable communication will be taught to all students who are using the school computer system. Vulgar language, bullying and disrespectful communication will not be tolerated. Students should learn about the acceptable methods of communicating on-line. Personal information should and will be kept private. The students name/phone number/photos/school information or home address will be allowed to be shared by either the student or the teacher. There will be some discussion about safety and the possible issues that can come out of sharing personal information or meeting with someone who is not a classmate, friend or family. Students will be taught about software/program term of service and what they mean. Some internet programs/sites allow access for free but then they retain the rights to anything that is put on their site. Students will be educated on copyright infringement. They will be told about the proper way to find text, photos, videos and also how to credit the users. They will be told about the possible lawsuits that could arise if one would use the school computers to download illegal items, such as music or copyrighted images, text and audio files. Students will be educated about the school's acceptable use policy and have a signed AUP in place before any computing rights will be given. The educators will go through the policy line-by-line and explain each item to the extent that they students understand what they are to abide by. Parents will be expected to do the same at home. They will learn about the outcomes of not following these rules.

Reflections on Ethical Issues

First Topic Chosen

General/Overview of Issues

Description of the Issue

In order to make informed decisions about ethical usage of the internet, students need to be informed about the possible issues dealing with proper usage.

Five to Ten Central Ideas

Privacy: Students personal information is sacred.

Intellectual property: Don't cheat or plagiarize

Public computers: Take extra precautions when using a computer that someone else will use.

Passwords and usernames: Don't share them, period!

On-line scams: They do exist so be on the lookout.

Copyright infringement of software: Don't copy your friend's CD or DVD!

What Students Can/Should Learn

Privacy: Students need to learn that whatever information is put on the internet can be accessed by anyone. Their full name, address, phone number and common hang outs should not be discussed. Depending on age, personal photos might also be off limits.

Intellectual Property: If they didn't create it they need permission to use it (unless otherwise stated as in Creative commons). This includes photos, music, text, clip art, designs and ideas.

Social Networking Sites: Many sites have special privacy settings. There are people who search these sites to gain access to individual's identifications. There are also people who search profiles to gain private information that they can use for negative reasons. They should always set the privacy settings to be the highest possible.

Public Computers: Computers can store usernames and passwords of the individual using them. They need to understand to always log out of any sites they logged into so that other people will not gain access to them.

Passwords and Usernames: They need to understand the extreme importance of keeping these private. Anyone with access to these private identifications can use them inappropriately. They can use them to cause small issues up to illegal activity.

On-line scams: Nearly 10 million individuals are targeted annually in on-line scams. These frauds can deal with things such as eBay auctions to "congratulations you won an X-Box" scams. Students need to be aware that they should never be contacted and asked personal information.

Copyright infringement of software: Students need to understand that if they didn't create it, they need to ask for permission before they use the product. also, they need to understand that copying anything with the intent of using or distributing is illegal. This includes copying CD's, DVD's and software. Students should be taught about how they can actually use certain works that have been licensed under the creative commons license.

Revisions from challenge 7

"They will need to gather and sort the appropriate information. Then the determination of the validity and importance of the information will follow. The next step will be to assemble their project and then submit it for review."

I added a few extra steps into the information section. I had listed the SSCC and DEAPR but didn't really go into any detail. I think it is important to add this as they are such important phases of the creative process.

SSCC - Challenge 7A

Searching for information effectively includes clearly defined need information, information sources and search strategies.

Sorting and judging information appropriately comes from the ability to judge the validity of the gathered information that is encountered in daily life.

Creation process involves interpretation, organization and formating of information.

Communicating needs to be done with the best information possible and through the best medium possible.

DEAPR - Challenge 7A

Designs come from imposing order to information, emerging concepts, patterns and generalizations, and critiquing and reflecting.

Encoding phases = forms, format, medium and procedure

Assembling information into cohesive communication means that revisions and reconstruction most often is required.

Publishing to both the creator as the first audience and peers as the final audience is the necessary set before determining whether the project was effective

Returning to your work to revise may be a neverending process, however, be prepared to determine when a product is finalized

An Information Acrostic - Challenge 7A

Information searching skills include locating information providers and identify information resources and tools.

Now we are creating information faster than we can process it.

Five anecdotes to coping with information overload filtering, contributing only what is important, simplicity, de-nichify and urging governmental guidelines.

Often the skills associated with design(Design/Encode/Assemble/publish/revise) are not taught to students.

Reliability and validity of information are two important aspects to consider when sorting information.

Making good designs for learning should be developed around the SSCC(search/sort and judge/create/communicate) process

Acquiring both core and advanced knowledge is a great need of today's students.

To structure an effective information search students must define: information needed, sources for information and search strategy

Integration and process are two approaches to teach information skills

Opportunities for learning should sometimes be designed around the information using process itself.

Notions of Activity structures, as defined by Harris(1998), that flexible frameworks can generate powerful learning environments, include information exchanges, database creation, electronic publishing, telefield trips and pooled data analysis.