Interactive Whiteboards for Autistic Students

Hello Everyone!

This week I read an article entitled, “Whiteboards Engage Autistic Students,” by Kathleen McClaskey and Randy Welch.  I chose this article because I hope to become a special education teacher in the future and I thought this would give me good insight into the minds of autistic children.  The main purpose of this article was to share with others that with the proper interactive tools, autistic students’ capabilities can drastically transform for the better.

The article first gives background information, explaining that these students have short attention spans, are socially uninterested, and do not like to be involved with reciprocal play, or social learning.  The majority of autistic students require a great deal of one on one instruction with the teacher because they typically need to be taught skills directly, rather than through observation.

The Autism, Communication, and Technology (ACT) Project at Spaulding Youth Center in New Hampshire bought interactive whiteboards for five classrooms that contained students with autism or neurological disorders.  The students varied in age from 7 to 20 years old.  The main purpose behind doing this was so that group instruction would increase, and thus autistic students could participate in social learning.  They hypothesized that with this tool, it would lead to better communication skills for these students, both in and outside of the classroom.  This interactive whiteboard was invented in order to engage students in virtually any subject, including: using pictures to create a story, observing the weather, or learning math and science.   There were many obstacles to overcome when making it, but it definitely paid off in the end.  Due to this new invention, the students had learned appropriate social behaviors, such as raising their hands before speaking, “taking turns using the interactive whiteboard, and engaging in instruction for about 45 minutes, compared to 15-19 minutes before the ACT Project.”  By the Second year, the whiteboard started to be used for literacy purposes, and student “engagement was extended to 90 minutes in the morning, with additional afternoon activities in math, science, and social studies.”  Group instruction became natural, and students were able to better express themselves through the use of this new technology.  These positive results led to teachers raising the bar for their autistic students because it was apparent that they were capable of achieving so much more than what everyone had thought.

After learning about this interactive whiteboard, I am definitely an advocate of it.  I feel that it would be very beneficial for me to utilize in my future classroom since I plan on becoming a special education teacher and will most likely have autistic students in my classroom.  I would incorporate it throughout the day for each lesson that I teach because it clearly does wonders.  It would allow my students to become more engaged with the learning, which would lead to a higher success rate.  It would also introduce group learning and appropriate social and communication skills for my students.  These are all things that not only could be used inside the classroom walls, but also things that they can take with them and use in the real world.

This article best aligns with ISTE NET-S Standard number 2: Communication and Collaboration.  “Students interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.”  It falls under this category because the main purpose of this interactive whiteboard is for students with autism to engage in social behavior and become involved in group settings.  Therefore, communication and collaboration with others is key for positive results.

The APA Reference to this Article is: 

McClaskey, K., & Welch, R. (2009, February). Whiteboards Engage Autistic Students. Leading and Learning with Technology, 36, 30-31, Retrieved March 26, 2012 from ISTE.org. 

http://www.iste.org/LibrariesLeading_and_Learning_Docs/February_2009_Learning_Connections_Whiteboards_Engage_Autistic_Students.sflb.ashx 

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Madison 

Common Core Standards for Elementary Schools!

Hi Everyone!

After watching the video on common core standards for elementary schools, I would have to say that I am an advocate of them.  Common Core Standards are a set of standards that, “provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them” (www.corestandards.org).  Therefore, all across America, students in elementary schools are learning the same things.  This is how it should be in my opinion.  

There are numerous advantages to this system.  Since the curriculum is the same everywhere, teachers from all across the nation have the ability to communicate and collaborate with one other in order to discover the best ways on how to implement these requirements.  It also makes for an easy transition for teachers, students, and parents, if they happen to switch schools.  Without common core standards, they would have to relearn what is required of them, if they were to move or switch schools for any reason.  Also, teachers of course could not collaborate with one other across the nation about what they are doing because the standards would be different, and thus, collaborating wouldn’t be very beneficial.  Therefore, Common Core Standards have the potential to open a whole new world of educating and learning!

A road block to this movement is that it’s going to take a lot of time, money, and support to implement.  It will be a huge task just making sure that every teacher across America is on board with it and would want to make the change.  Not only that, but there has to be some sort of follow through to make sure that every teacher is actually implementing it.  It will probably be a huge challenge because it’s more than likely that some teachers are “set in their ways,” and won’t want to make the change.

After learning more about Common Core Standards, I really do think that this movement can bring a lot of value into the educational system.  I would definitely like to implement it in my classroom when I become a teacher.  I am excited to see what the future holds!

-Madison

Resources I used include: 

Elementary School CCS: http://youtu.be/1IPxt794-yU

www.corestandards.org

Are Grades Worth It?!

Hi Classmates!

This week, I read the article, “From Degrading to De-Grading,” by Alfie Kohn.  The main purpose of this article is to share with the audience that the traditional grading system can be very ineffective.  

Kohn brings up three major effects of the grading system.  The first one that he mentions is how, “grades tend to reduce students’ interest in the learning itself.”  Research conducted in the motivational psychology department, shows that the reward system, (letter grades) does not work.  This is because people become disengaged and disinterested in what they are learning, and instead, set their eyes on the prize (a high grade).  They do whatever it takes to obtain the reward, while only retaining and learning a miniscule amount.  Studies have shown that students in all grades, and all cultures, “demonstrate less interest in learning as a result of being graded.”  I could not agree with this more.  From my experience, and past observation of other students, it is evident that everyone gets caught up on what grade their teacher gives them.  This frantic worrying takes away the actual learning process.  Most students that I know will remember material just long enough to take a test and as soon as the test is over, many of the things that they had learned goes right out the window.  Their slate is wiped clean.  If someone was to ask a student about a topic that they have already been tested on, chances are, that student wouldn’t be able to give that someone a very suffice answer.  It’s crazy!  Students shouldn’t be so caught up in the grades, because after all, grades are extremely arbitrary and abstract.  They are what one, individual person thinks of your work.  Therefore, one teacher may think your work is just average and decide to give you a “C,” while another teacher may think that same piece of work is outstanding and decide to give you an “A.”  This potentially confuses students because they are never quite sure what different teachers reactions will be, so they spend their time trying to figure out how to impress the teacher, rather than focusing on actually learning, comprehending, and retaining the information that they are presented with.  

The second major effect of the grading system that Kohn mentions, is that, “grades tend to reduce students’ preference for challenging tasks.”  If students have a choice between tasks, majority of them will pick the easiest one.  I agree with this as well.  Students are scared away from doing anything that is remotely challenging due to their fear of getting a low grade.  Therefore, they take the easy road in order to receive a high grade.  Students are preoccupied with high grades because most of the things that they endure in the future will revolve around their GPA, such as getting into college, graduate school, and sometimes, getting a job.  Grades are usually one of the top competitors when applying for a school.  If admissions has to choose between two people with similar performance, they will probably choose the one with the higher GPA.  Although a student with a lower GPA might actually have more knowledge than a student with a higher GPA, it doesn’t seem to matter.  The end result is what most people this day in age seem to care about, rather than the process of getting there.  Therefore, in my opinion, the ends do not justify the means.

The third major effect of the grading system is that, “grades tend to reduce the quality of students’ thinking.”  This goes hand in hand with the first major effect mentioned above.  Since grades reduce students’ interest in learning, it seems only natural that students would be “apt to think less deeply.”  Studies have shown that students are less creative and retain less information when being graded than their peers who simply get feedback rather than grades.  Comments, along with the grades did not seem to help either.  It was found that, “the highest achievement occurred only when comments were given instead of numerical scores.”  This makes sense because if students know they are being graded, than the grade is all they focus on.  On the other hand, if students are not being graded, it allows for their mind to open up and absorb the information in front of them.  Thus, they are able to perform at a higher level because they will have actually retained the information that they have learned.  

Kohn goes on to reveal other reasons why traditional grades are not beneficial.  He states that “grades aren’t valid, reliable, or objective.”  This talks about what I mentioned earlier, in that grades are abstract and subjective.  Two different teachers can give a student two different grades for the same test or project.  Just as well, the same teacher can give a student two different grades for the same project if s/he assesses the work at two different times.  Sometimes, I feel that it’s all about the mood the teacher is in while grading.  If the teacher is in a good mood, s/he will give a student an A, if s/he is in a bad mood, that student could be given an F.  Okay, so maybe it’s not that extreme, but you get the point.  Grades are arbitrary.  They are simply what one human thinks of your work.  Kohn also states that grades, “distort the curriculum,” in that teachers give material that will be easier for them to grade.  “Grades waste a lot of time that could be spent on learning.”  Too much time is spent on teachers filling out their grade books and speaking with unhappy parents and students about low grades, rather than spending that time on actual teaching and learning.  “Grades encourage cheating.”  I have seen this happen time and time again.  Students focus all of their attention on different creative ways they can get away with cheating, rather than actually learning, just so they can be certain to end up with a good grade.  “Grades spoil teachers’ relationships with students.”  I always wonder if students have a genuine relationship with their teachers, or if they just wanna “butter them up” to get the good results.  “Grades spoil students’ relationships with each other.”  I have found this to be very true.  Grades have the potential to ruin a friendship.  I often hear students comparing their grades and asking, “What did you get?”  If a student gets a higher grade, it can cause bitterness, especially if the student who receives the lower grade knows for a fact that he/she put more effort into that assignment.  Grading on a curve causes the biggest resentment of all between students.  This is because only a certain amount of students can get an A, a certain amount of students can get a B, and so on.  This teaches students to try and “beat out” other students as if they are obstacles to overcome.  I don’t agree with this grading system at all.  I once had a teacher whose philosophy was, that a perfect distribution of grades, meant that he was doing an excellent job as a teacher.  Therefore, he made it so that the majority of the students ended up with a C, which is average, some students ended up with B’s and D’s and only a select few, ended up with A’s and F’s.  Thus, creating a perfect bell curve.  This philosophy is absolutely absurd to me!  This grading system sends the message that, “the point isn’t to learn, or even to perform well, but to defeat others.”  This saddens me, because the whole purpose of education seems to be at a loss with this type of system. 

The article suggests ways to make a change.  It explains that the first step can simply be to have a conversation about the grading system and maybe discuss its’ pros and cons.  It suggests to phase out the grading process in stages.  This can include freeing the younger levels of grades before doing the same for upperclassmen so students can experience what it’s like to go to school and not have it revolve around grades.  Another suggestion the article makes is for teachers to stop grading on a curve and to stop ranking students.  This makes for competition and resentment between students, rather than learning.  Kohn explains that there are other ways to assess students, in what he calls “authentic assessment.”  This is comprised of things such as: teachers’ narratives, students’ portfolios, and student-led parent- teacher conferences.  There will always be excuses for why grades must be given, such as the large class size, or the lack of time students actually spend in the classroom.  However, these are not valid excuses in my opinion.  

Interestingly enough, Kohn had the same policy as one of my college professors.  He told his students, just as my professor told us, that although he was compelled to give us a grade at the end of the term, he refused to give us any grades on individual assignments throughout the term.  Rather, he gave us comments and feedback, and tried to have conversations with us as often as possible.  He also told us that any grade given to us at the end of the term could be discussed and changed if we showed him that we had learned.  Not being graded raised much concern among the students, including myself, because being graded is all we have ever known.  However, his system was only helping all of us in the end.  He was the first professor I had that didn’t believe in grades, and frankly, it was a big relief and weight off my shoulders.  I learned more in that class than I did in a lot of my other classes that I was being graded in.

  

As a future teacher myself, I would like to try the grading system that Kohn and my college professor did.  That is, I would prefer to only give a grade at the end of the semester, rather than on every individual assignment and test throughout the entire semester.  Essentially, I would love to not give a grade at all, because I think grades have many downfalls.  However, this probably can’t happen, so I will give a grade but not until the end of the semester.  During the semester, however, I will give feedback, and have conversations with my students.  It will be hard work but I believe it will open an authentic and genuine door to learning.  I believe it would all be worth it in the end.  The students will not have to be hung up on what I think of them, they will not have to try and impress me, and most importantly, they will not have to try and beat out other students.  I will hope for an environment where students can expand their knowledge, and can collaborate and work together to bounce ideas off of each other, and as an end result, grow and learn together.

This article aligns with ISTE NET-S 4: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making.  In order to implement a new grading system, students, teachers, parents and administration would have to: a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation, b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project, c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions, and d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.  If a school wants to do away with grades, then there will most certainly have to be critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making involved in the process.  It won’t be an easy transition, so thats why students, parents and staff will have to collaborate and come up with ideas to make this possibility a reality!

I am an advocate of getting rid of grades and replacing them with constructive comments.  I think it would benefit students to a much higher degree and put actual learning back into the curriculum.  I do not think the change will happen any time soon, but I am hopeful that someday we can make progress towards that direction.  I wouldn’t go so far as to say that there is absolutely no value in a grade at all, but I do think constructive comments would be much more beneficial.  Grades are important right now, because that’s all we know, but I think we have the potential for something so much greater.  Im looking forward to see what the future holds!

Kohn, A., (1999, March). From Degrading to De-Grading. Learning and Leading with Technology. Retrieved March 10, 2012, from ISTE.org http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/fdtd-g.htm 

See you all Tuesday!

Madison

Computational Thinking!

Hello Fellow Group Members,

This week, I read the article entitled, “Computational Thinking: A Digital Age Skill for Everyone,” by David Barr, John Harrison, and Leslie Conery.  According to the article, a lady named Jeanette Wing said that computational thinking (CT) is, “a way of ‘solving problems, designing systems, and understanding human behavior by drawing on the concepts fundamental to computer science.’”   She argued that everyone, including children, can benefit from CT, not just computer scientists.  Her statement became very controversial and many people suggested altered versions of Wing’s original definition of CT, but none of them were universally accepted.  In 2009, the National Science Foundation (NSF), funded a project in hopes of making CT accessible in Pre K through 12 classrooms.  NSF joined ISTE and the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), in order to come up with an, “operational definition, a shared vocabulary, and relevant, age-appropriate examples of computational thinking tied to current educational objectives and classroom practices.”  The members of ISTE and CSTA who were working on the project stated that computational thinking, “differs from critical thinking or mathematical thinking because it is a unique combination of thinking skills that, when used together, provide the basis of a new and powerful form of problem solving.”  They also stated that CT is “more tool oriented” and that it, “makes use of familiar problem-solving skills such as trial and error, iteration, and even guessing in contexts where they were previously impractical but which are now possible because they can be automated and implemented at much higher speeds.”  CT plays a crucial role in today’s society because technology, now, more than ever, has changed the way that people operate in their personal and professional lives.  Technology has the ability to expand our knowledge in unimaginable ways.  

The authors wrote this article in order to enlighten people on what computational thinking really is and how it can benefit society.  The article states that, “the long-term goal is to recommend ways that all students have the opportunity to learn these [computational thinking] skills and to ensure that they can be transferred to different problems and used in different contexts.”  Therefore, the main purpose of the article was to persuade people to agree to incorporate CT in Pre K through 12th grade curriculums so that all students can benefit from CT.  

I would incorporate CT into my future classroom because it seems like it would be very beneficial for my students to learn.  With technological tools on the rise, it seems only natural that my future students should acquire those specific skills.  One activity that I might do with my future class that would require CT skills would be to do a Scratch Activity.  They would have to create a story, which would follow a traditional story line with the introduction of characters, a conflict, and a solution.  The Students would have to add sound and animation.  They would acquire CT skills because they would be creating and controlling charters through technology and implementing possible conflicts and solutions for them. 

The article aligns with Net Standard 4: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making.  It fits with this standard because according to the article, students “plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project, and “collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.”

Overall, I think CT is a very valuable skill for students to learn and I support the article’s main point and conclusion, which is to incorporate CT skills in the Pre K through 12th grade Curriculum.  It will only benefit students to acquire these types of skills, especially with technology becoming bigger and more popular everyday.  The combination of technology, computational thinking, and our beautiful minds has the power to open a whole new world of knowledge and, in my opinion, endless possibilities!

The APA Referece to this Article is:

Barr, D., Harrison, J., & Conery, L. (2011, March/April). Computational Thinking: A Digital Age Skill For Everyone.   Leading and Learning with Technology, 38, 20-23, Retrieved March 1, 2012 from ISTE. org. http://www.iste.org/Libraries/Leading_and_Learning_Docs/March-2011-Computational_Thinking-LL386.sflb.ashx 

See you all Tuesday :)

-Madison

Electronic Reading Devices for Everyone!

Hey Group!

This week, I read the article entitled, “Digital Libraries: Shifting the Landscape,” by Gen Bull and Marth Sites.  As the title implies, the article talks about replacing physical books with digital ones.  In my opinion, I think that making the shift to electronic books presents many opportunities and advantages. 

A main electronic reader that the article mentions is the Kindle, which is becoming increasingly more popular.  It still has imperfections and, “it is best suited for linear content that does not require the user to move quickly from one section to another,” but it gets the job done.  Nielsen states that two major benefits of the Kindle are its, “equal-to-print readability and multi-device integration.”  Therefore, it is just as easy and clear to read text from a Kindle as it is to read text from a physical book, and it allows an individual to read the same book from many different platforms.  For example, a person can start reading a book on their Kindle, then switch to their iPhone if they are out and about, and then later switch back to their Kindle.  I think this is wonderful because often times people want to read, but do not want to brink their book with them everywhere they go, since they tend to be big and bulky at times.  This way, with an electronic device, a person can store their book in their back pocket!  Another benefit to the Kindle is that it, “includes a built-in-text-to-speech option that will recite any book aloud.”  This is a great option for individuals who are visually impaired or who are auditory learners.

School would be drastically different if every student had a Kindle.  Say goodbye to textbook fees!  With the Kindle, students wouldn’t have to worry about their textbook being outdated as soon as it gets published.  They also wouldn’t have to be concerned about what they should do with it when the semester ends.  In my case, I normally sell it back and get about $5.00 for it, when I originally paid $100.00 for it, just to get a semester’s use out of it.  It’s ridiculous!  If I decide not to sell it back, then it ends up just taking up space, as it collects dust in my garage somewhere.  Kindles are also environmentally friendly as they do not require printing paper. 

The article mentions that the University of Virginia is the first school of education to make this digital transition as they are removing all 50,000 physical books from their library and replacing them with electronic ones.  The article also talks about how, “It will become increasingly easier to move between physical and electronic formats- scanning a physical book to create a digital copy or using print-on-demand services to go from electronic to a physical book.”  Another great advantage for converting over to digital books, is that it frees up space in libraries, where physical books usually sit, for things such as, “collaborative knowledge creation and learning.”  With all of this being said, I believe that it will be more beneficial than not to convert to digital readers.  Although they still need improvements, I think that they are our future, and I also think that they provide many great advantages that traditional, physical books simply cannot!

-Madison Pelzel

Yes to Virtual Field Trips!

Hi Group Members! (Travis, April, and Sheila)

After reading the "Beginner's Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips," I am convinced that virtual field trips (VFT's) are a valuable tool that all teachers should take advantage of.  VTF's are "conducted virtually over the internet" and therefore, they allow students to "learn directly from experts in far-flung places without ever leaving their classrooms."  Although, of course, it would be extremely beneficial for students to go on an actual field trip and get a real world experience, it is not always possible because many locations are inaccessible and "travel costs have steadily risen over the past several years."  Therefore, VFT's make it possible to have a more accessible and less expensive way for students to experience what they are learning.  VFT's have the ability to provide everything that a traditional field trip does and they can be delivered using technology in either asynchronous or interactive synchronous formats.

Asynchronous VFT's are websites that contain text, audio, or video resources about specific topics and they are not delivered in real time.  On the other hand, interactive synchronous VFT's are "real time experiences in which students in one location learn from formal educators in another location."  The videoconferencing equipment needed for this specific type of VFT has the ability to connect "students to talented educators from across the globe who are willing to share their organizations' resources in an engaging and personal way."  Credentialed experts are normally onsite and present live interactive lessons that pertain to their specific organization.  The videoconferencing equipment allows the experts and students to communicate with each other, thus simulating a real world experience.  Experts can usually adjust "to the students' level of comprehension" and the students normally have no problem interacting with an on-screen instructor.  According to the article, students usually "find the experience novel and engaging."  The VFT lessons "often include materials targeted to the students' area and grade level as well as classroom activities for students to do before and after."  VFT's are a very beneficial tool because not only are they convenient, but they also have the ability to provide educational lessons along with real world features.

Now that I am knowledgeable of virtual field trips and everything that they have to offer, I will definitely consider them an option when I begin teaching!

-Madison Pelzel

Blogging is Worth it!

Hi Everyone!


After reading the article, "Is Blogging Worth the Risk?" I  would have to agree with James Maxlow, that blogging is indeed worth the risk.  However, I must admit that before reading this article, I had a preconceived notion that blogging was not worth it. Lisa Nielsen brings up some legitimate points as to why blogging may not be worth the risk, but the statements that Maxlow made really resonated with me and he has actually changed my whole perspective on the issue.  


Maxlow brought up the valid point that blogging is no different than any other social networking site and although we must be careful with what we post, blogging is a form of communication that allows us to express our personal and professional selves.  Another compelling point that Maxlow stated in the article is that, "after we put thoughtful and deliberate care into the personal electronic communications that we make public, we end up having to take responsibility for our comments."  He goes on to say that this is a great way to, "show our students  that effective communication requires us to consider the effects our words might have on our listeners or readers."  This statement conveys a really good message because it is saying that blogs more or less force people to think about what they are going to say before they say it.  This is a good thing because anything that is said could potentially effect someone in a negative way.  Therefore, with blogging, it causes people to think twice about their words, whereas with face to face communication, someone could say something on impulse, that they might later regret.


Blogging opens the door to a whole new world of communication and allows people to connect and share ideas with others.  Blogging is also essential in the education world, because it permits teachers to share their thoughts and experiences with their students. 


-Madison Pelzel