Don Tapscott; reading response 3

One of the three important criticisms that Don Tapscott makes is multitasking. I agree with Don Tapscott, Internet allows us to multitask such as doing homework, instant messaging, facebooking, watching videos and such. Our generation is used to doing so many things at once; we are able to get things done faster and able to get a lot of things done at once. I agree with Don Tapscott with having facebook, instant message on while I'm doing my other homework or assignment. I feel more comfortable when it's there and when it's not on it bothers me and I end up logging into my MSN and facebook. I can't say I'm the best multi-tasker, but I see a lot of my friends who are able to get their work done while listening to music or around loud environment, watching videos and doing bunch of other stuff. When I start doing other stuff I get off task and can't get things done. But this is very beneficial to some teenagers who work well in these environments. 

Second criticism that he makes is that kids aren't paying attention in school. I agree with what Don Tapscott is saying, teachers should come out of their comfort zone and start teaching in new technology ways. Start listening to how student's want to learn, interact with the students and explore new ways to teach. If we change the way of learning, students will start paying attention.

Third criticism is that the kids are doing all right. People predict that if you're spending time on the computer playing video games, you'll become zombies, but that is not true. Our generation have actually improved from last generation. Some evidence shows that our generation become smart and able to work around technology.  Parents assume that we are not getting any work done on the computer and think that we're wasting time. But we are developing new skills while using technology and there's always a new thing we can learn.

Yes, I do agree with need to change “the relationship between student and teacher in the learning process”. We've been working in the traditional way for long time, it's time to change around the learning process. If results of implementing technology into the learning process turns out well, it can be incorporated into the curriculum, if not they can always switch back to the traditional way.

I think this (3rd) article has a greater understanding of technology in our generation. Don Tapscott explained all the issues that we deal with our parents all the time when using computer. They do not see the Don Tapscott's/ our view on technology. Don Tapscott understands how our generation is like and the how our future is going to be like.

Teachers’ Views on Technology in the Classroom

Culbreth Middle School
I think the ipod touch tool is one of the idea that is worth pursing at Mackenzie. Allowing students to use the ipod touch to do work will get some students to pay attention and get something done. But some will always go off doing something else. Just by giving them ipod you can get their attention and students that don’t like working by the traditional way will/may get their work done on the ipod touch. The teacher in the video talked about answering questions in the beginning of the class is a good idea to review. By doing this everyday it will get the students to review, learn and prepare for their next test or quiz. This will also benefit the teacher because after they submit their work the teacher is able to receive it right away. Teachers don’t have to worry about students not submitting their work and they’re able to request them to fix their work easily on their ipod touch. I think I will be one of the students who will benefit from it because I like to review in the beginning of the class to bring back memories from the previous class. From there when teacher teaches a lesson we are able to remember the previous lesson and continue learning the next lesson. This will benefit both the teacher and the students by making students feel more comfortable with what they learned and raise their mark. The teachers will also feel proud of their class and feel that they have accomplished something.We can buy these ipod touches with the money we earn from contests and fundraisings.

H.B Whitethron Middle School
This idea is also connected with ipod touch, mobile device and computer. By making students look up information through their ipods and phones will allow students to easily access their work and make some students to actually do their work. Students that lack of organization will most likely lose their papers and assignments. By using technology, it will prevent it from happening and students can adventure new way of learning and studying. Some student’s are able to express themselves better by using technology. When it comes to projects and assignments; students will be able to get their work done and have good finished product. Allowing students to use these technology will also prepare students for the next generation technology and our generations are the generation that will be creating more new technologies. We should be familiarizing with technology for better technology in the future. 

Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction

I do have a lot in common with Vishal, I spend a lot of my time on the computer not doing anything productive. I have trouble controlling myself on the computer, I can't stop myself from going on social networks and instant messaging. The websites are always on while I'm working on something. My time on the computer has some positive effect and some negative effects on my grades. When I'm online chatting with friends, asking for help has a positive effect on my grades because they help me understand and I'm able to do my work. It has negative effect on my grades when I'm online on facebook or other websites, I can't control myself to close and start working.

Yes, it does amplify my personality, through technology your able to meet new people and get to know each other through facebook, msn, etc. These technologies helped me make closer friends, meet new friends and increase my social circle/social life. Using technology I'm able to express myself through status and people like me who are shy are able to talk to people on facebook, msn freely.

I think gaming affects our sleeping patterns because when you're playing games you don't keep track of the time and time passes by really fast when you're doing something that you enjoy. This will cause some people to stay up late at night playing these games or going on social networks and chatting with people. I'm one of those people who stays up late on the computer going on social networks and watching dramas and videos. Sometimes it does affect my ability to retain information because if I don't have enough sleep and I can't pay attention during class and I won't be learning anything. Anything that I learned during that lesson wouldn't stay in my head, I wouldn't know anything and this will disrupt me from getting grades I want and need.

Alan Eaton does have a point when he says that technology has led to a  "balkanization of their focus and during of stamina" because technology does disrupt our study sometimes. It distracts us from working because Internet is available for us, it will make people go onto websites that they shouldn't be going on; not doing the work. But I don't think this applies all the time. Technology does help when we are studying in school and some people work better with technology. Technology allows us to research and learn from researching and increase our knowledge. It's doesn't always make a problem, sometimes it's very beneficial.

Schools should be embracing more technology because these days everything is being changed to technology. Schools should follow the trend, by using technology we are able to learn and make different ways of learning and teaching through technology. Now days a lot of teachers asks their students to hand in their work through e-mails. Through teacher's websites and e-mails, we are able to have more interaction/communication with the teachers outside of school.

 I think the students in the article are a realistic depiction of most of the teenager's life. We are highly influenced by technology, we are always on the computer going on social networks, playing games, and surfing Internet. I think the writer of the article has a good grasp of technology among us, teenagers.

Placement update

1) Last week Lindsay and I interviewed Mrs. Ben David to see how she wants to incorporate technology in her classroom. We tried to make a website, we were playing with it and learning how to use it.

2) This week, we talked to Mrs. Kantor and we came up with some ideas that we can do. We have to come up with more ideas on how to put technology in the classrooms and projects. This week we are going to come up with a plan and talk to you (Ms. Cuttle) and Mrs. Kantor

Placement

1.   I think I will be best at finding online resources for teachers and developing innovative classroom lessons using technology (with a group/partner). But I am not a good fit for teaching teacher and students to use technology and software; but I think I can teach google docs to teachers and teaching video creation and editing techniques because I'm not very good with editing videos.
2.
-  Creativity- 6   I'm not very creative
-  Responsibility- 9   I take responsibility of what is given to me
-  Web design- 6   I'm not very familiar with web designing
-  Developing action plans- 7   I think I can come up with some ideas of how to incorporate technology into projects and lessons, but not very detailed and creative
-  Teaching other people- 6  I'm very bad at explaining and I don't think I would be able to explain clearly
-  Meeting deadlines- 9   I'm up to date with assignments and homework
3.  I'm not a leader
4.  I would prefer working in a team
5.  I want to work in geography, biology and I don't really want to work in English, history, business

Evaluating my idea

I can see this project being used within 3 months. Doing the project on technology is very good because you don't have to waste any paper and students who are familiar with technology are able to present well. It's just learning different skills on the computer and it may be beneficial to some students who develop new skills and able to do much better. It is worth pursuing, once the students learn how to use the web tools, they will start using it for other classes and more technology will be involved in the classrooms.

Enriching Technology

I was in the brainstorming group, coming up with ideas how to incorporate technology in our classrooms.
I remember in grade 9 doing a project on Canada's national park, where we had to choose one of the national park and research about it. I thought this project was really boring and pointless because it was one of those typical project where you research and put it on a bristol board and make it look nice. To make that project more fun and technology invovled:

For research, we can use Diigo to do our research which will help organize important points and put reminders if need with a sticky note.

When you are gathering the information, you can use Google docs, share it with your partner and less time taken away from sending back and forth information.

Make the presentation on the Prezi to show the important informations, their special recreation/place, and some photos that will attract/interest people to actually go. Since prezi has the function of zooming into one point to another I think it will attract the audience, able to send our your message through clearly and can do a really simple and effective presentation.

Idea: Project done with technology

Subject area: Geography class

Pros: - Less time spending on cutting papers and putting on bristol boards.
         - People who aren't good with arts don't have to suffer from doing all of the cutting and pasting, able to make good finished product on the computer.
         - No more typical make bristol board and put information on it
         - Bring on technology into the classroom
         - No paper being wasted, usually people just throw out their projects after
         - People will pay attention to the presentations
       
Cons: - Must need interent to access all of these informations
          - Need accounts for Diigo and Google docs
           - We don't have a good computer that will run smoothly : (

What Needs to Happen to Make the Idea Work – Who is Responsible

1. IDC student collaborates with the teacher
2. Train the students how to use the netbooks
3. Train teachers and students how to use the web tools

Google docs

-Google docs is basically online method of storing documents. It's basically like microsoft office except you can open the documents from anywhere without sending it to yourself or saving it on your USB. It's useful for group projects, peer editing and sharing files. You don't have to worry about sending files to people to see or saving files to your USB. The link to google docs > https://docs.google.com/
-Pros- As I said before, it's an effective way to do group work since you can all edit at the same time. Peer editing will be very useful because you can see what your peer is changing and you can also chat together to ask questions and such.
Cons- You need a google account to use google docs and also you need interent to access to your files.
-Teachers can use google docs by asking students to do their work on google docs and share it with them. Teachers can also do quizzes online, this will interest students and no paper is wasted. Learning how to use google docs will allow students to work in new ways, no more worring about documents not saving and no more "I forgot my work". This will allow more uses of technology in classrooms.
- http://www.youtube.com/user/docs youtube; tutorial video on how to create new docs, presentations, forms, spreadsheets, drawings, sharing
http://www.google.com/educators/p_docs.html site for educators; overview presentation for teachers to see how they can use docs, spreadsheets etc in their classrooms, how to use, and tips.

Link to our presentation
https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dc8c6bw2_0ftc7ndcg

Elnstruction contest

For einstruction contest, we can divide up into groups. Groups into people who like to write lyrics and people who like to make music videos. Since we already did surveys and such to figure out how technology can be used in the classrooms and how it would be useful, we can put that into the lyrics or music video. This is good for us because we already have results and since teachers agree to learn about using technology, we can get their feedbacks.

Futureshop contest

For futureshop contest, we can make video on how we use tehnology in our classrooms and write about the beneficials. By doing that, they will see that we use technology in our classrooms and we are able to use it effectively. By taking pictures of people teaching lesson from the smartboard and doing group work on the computer will show that our school keeps up with technology. Also making video or taking pictures of our old/bad computers will show that our computers need to be upgraded. We can write about how our school has MaCs program and a lot sciences and math teachers use the technology like smartboard during lessons.