My Technology Lesson Plann

My Technology Lesson Plan

Growing up Online

Growing up online is a video that discusses how technology is taking over the lives of children in our society today. Everywhere you turn, at home, in school, everyone - technology is literally in the faces and hands of children around the world. This video discusses how technology can positively and negatively affect the lives of children today. Not just their social lives, but there personal lives as well and the family member around them.

1. A survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that in 2004, 67 percent of parents said the Internet has been a good thing for their children. However, this number decreased to 59 percent in 2006. In 2012, 69% of parents of online teens said they were concerned about how their child’s online activity might affect their future academic or employment opportunities, with some 44% being “very” concerned. Cite some reasons why parental support for their children’s independent internet use is decreasing. Why do you think the number of parents who reported the Internet being a good thing for their children has decreased?

I think think that more and more parents are becoming aware that there is a lot going on in the internet world, than they are not aware of. Some parents are afraid of predators, while other are afraid of cyberbullying. On the internet, not everyone is who they say they are. Not every child understands the consequence of what they put out on the internet, or the information that they give away can do. Pretty much, these kids are letting strangers into their personal lives without even knowing it. Some children do not understand the dangers that they could encounter. I think the number of parents who reported the Internet being a good thing for their children has decreased is because these children do not know or understand the consequences that their actions may have.

2. More teachers are using tools to try to detect cheating or deter students’ inclination to cheat. In the program, we see the use of plagiarism-detection tools like Turnitin.com and writing assignments completed during class time to make sure students do their own work and generate their own ideas.

How can we as educators stop students from using material they found online as their own work? Should that be considered cheating, in your opinion?

One educator states in the video that we should take cheating as a given. He further states that we should also not simply say that cheating is cheating, but that we should better define what cheating is. Personally, I believe that cheating is cheating. Taking someone else’s words, ideas, etc. is simply that - THEIRS. It does not belong to you if you did not say it or come up with the idea yourself. I think that the teacher who thinks that not all cheating is cheating, is wrong. I do not agree that rules should be bent, or that students should learn that cheating is okay sometimes. I think that cheating is wrong all the time.  

3. One student claims he "never reads books" but relies on summaries and annotated notes he finds on Web sites. He confesses that he feels guilty about this, stating, "I feel like I kind of cheated it."

In your opinion, should he feel guilty? Why or why not?

Yes, in my opinion he should feel guilty. He took a shortcut because he said he “didn’t have time” to read it. He said that he feels like he owes it to himself to read it, but that he doesn’t have time. He also acknowledges that he would have enjoyed reading it if he had. So, not only did cheat the read by taking a shortcut with sparknotes (and going against his school policy), he has cheated himself out of a good read. Romeo and Juliet is a classic story (that is the story he did not read) and had he read it in the first place, he would have been doing the right thing. He would’ve also had the opportunity to read a classic story, and as a teenager, it may have been a story that he could’ve related to since Romeo and Juliet were teenagers as well.

4. Before the Internet, in order to be seen by the world, you had to be portrayed in some form of mass media, and you had to be famous in some respect -- in the news, in politics or as a celebrity. Now anyone can be seen online by anyone else in the world. Some people have become famous for videos or photos they’ve posted (such as Autumn Edows).

In your opinion, should people like Edows, or others who become “ famous” through their online presence, be considered “celebrities?”

Has the ability to create an online persona, and receive worldwide attention for it, affected our cultural values?

In my opinion, no - I do not think that people should be famous for posting videos or pictures online. People should be famous for their talents - like singing, dancing, acting etc. Anyone can go online and posts videos or picutres. I think the the ability of creating an online persona, where people can view videos and pictures of people worldwide has had a defining impact on our cultural values. Anyone can posts videos and pictures online - anyone. In society today, younger generations think that the more “likes” you get on social media makes you “famous” or “popular”. But they don’t realize, someone who sings good and someone who sings bad can both post a video singing the same song. Does it make them famous? - No, I don’t think so. Talent is what makes a person a famous.

5. Shows like "To Catch a Predator" on Dateline NBC (http://www.nbcnews.com/id/10912603/) contribute to parental anxiety about online media. It is obvious that certain elements of programs like “To Catch a Predator,” and even this documentary, will likely increase parents’ fears.

Cite one current event from the past year where a young person has been affected (positively or negatively) by being active online. (find a linkto a news story, describe it in your answer to this question, and provide the link as well). Click here to see an example of what I’m looking for.

Rebecca Sedwick is a 12 year old girl who jumped to her death in September of this year She was bullied online, not by social media that everyone is aware of, but but new media. This article discusses how these new cites can be a harmful source and a new way for cyberbullying. These cites are ask.fm and KIK.  These are cites that everyone should be aware of. Cites like these, and cyberbullying led to the death of Rebecca Sedwick, a 12 year old girl.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/10/living/parents-new-apps-bullying/index.html?iref=allsearch

6. Teasing, lying, gossiping, threatening, spreading rumors or harassing online (and offline)can severely affect people’s self-concept and self-esteem and have an impact on their emotional state. In the program, we see one girl who describes flirting with boys and then revealing she was just kidding. She explains: "You wouldn’t do that to someone’s face, but online is completely different. ... No one can do anything. You’re at your house, they’re at their house."

In her quote, this teen is describing Suler’s disinhibition effects. Which one do you think it is, and why?

She was describing the Invisibility disinhibition effect. This has the effect of “you can’t see me”. While having an online conversation with someone, they cannot hear your voice, hear your reaction, or see the look on your face and vice versa. While online, you may do or say things you wouldn’t otherwise do. You can say what you want, and they cannot do anything about it. Simply, you are invisible in the online world.

7. At the end of the program, Greg decides it’s time for him to "disconnect" by going to the Coast Guard Academy, where he will spend seven weeks without cell phones or the Internet.

Have you ever thought about "disconnecting" from it all?

Do you think it would be easy or difficult for you personally?

What would you enjoy or dislike about disconnecting?

I have never thought about “disconnecting” from it all. I remember using the internet when the internet first started. I was a teenager, and since then, the online world has been a big part of my life. I use the internet for online schooling, research, and I do use facebook but I do not get on there every day. I think, if I ever wanted to disconnect, that it would be easy to do. Of course I do rely on the internet for information, I could still find other ways to get the information I need. However, I would still NEED to use the internet for my college courses. Cell phones are another story - I only have one phone, a cell phone. I do not talk on my phone all the time, but I do have it on my all the time in case of emergencies. I do not have a house phone, so my phone is something that I could not give up - simply because it is the only way I can make a phone call. However, I do have a smart phone, and I could easily disconnect from the smartphone world, and go back to a regular phone. It would be hard, because I’m so used to it (that would be the thing I would dislike about it), but I could do it!

Tech Tool Review

by Jennifer Jenkins

National and State Technology Standards

1. The purpose of the National Education Technology Plan (NETP) is to increase the number of college graduates who holds a two-year or four-year degree from around 41 percent to 60 percent by the year 2020. This will close the gap on the number of students who graduate from high school ready to succeed in college and in their careers.

I think that this goal puts a lot of pressure on teachers and students, however it is possible. Yes, this is a 20 percent increase - but there is still time to reach that goal. I think that these numbers may be scary to teachers and students and be a real wake up call, but it is needed. In order for America to continue and to be successful, our future depends on these children and what we as educators are teaching them.

2. Main Assumptions:

• Many of the failings of our education system stem from our failure to engage the hearts and minds of students.
• What students need to learn and what we know about how they learn have changed, and therefore the learning experiences we provide should change.
• How we assess learning focuses too much on what has been learned after the fact and not enough on improving learning in the moment.
• We miss a huge opportunity to improve our entire education system when we gather student-learning data in silos and fail to integrate the information and make it broadly available to decision-makers at all levels of our education system—individual educators, schools, districts, states, and the federal government.
• Learning depends on effective teaching, and we need to focus on extended teams of connected educators with different roles who collaborate within schools and across time and distance and who use technology resources and tools to augment human talent.
• Effective teaching is an outcome of preparing and continually training teachers and leaders to guide the type of learning we want in our schools.
• Making engaging learning experiences and resources available to all learners anytime and anywhere requires state-of-the-art infrastructure, which includes technology, people, and processes that ensure continuous access.
• Education can learn much from such industries as business and entertainment about leveraging technology to continuously improve learning outcomes while increasing the productivity of our education system at all levels.
• Just as in health, energy, and defense, the federal government has an important role to play in funding and coordinating some of the R&D challenges associated with leveraging technology to ensure the maximum opportunity to learn.

I think that many educators may take offense to the first assumption, because it may be taken as educators are not doing their “job” and teaching children effectively. Administrators may also take on this same feeling in that they are not running the district appropriately when they feel they may be doing the best they can. I think that some of these assumptions do seem harsh, unless you focus on the big picture of things. Students may feel like they are failing because their work is giving the school or district a bad score. However, in all aspects, change can only come from within - and it is up to everyone to make a difference. Administrators, teachers, and students need to work together to make a better learning experience.

3. Five Essential Areas

1.0 Learning: Engage and Empower

All learners will have engaging and empowering learning experiences both in and out of school that prepare them to be active, creative, knowledgeable, and ethical participants in our globally networked society.

2.0 Assessment: Measure What Matters

Our education system at all levels will leverage the power of technology to measure what matters and use assessment data for continuous improvement.

3.0 Teaching: Prepare and Connect

Professional educators will be supported individually and in teams by technology that connects them to data, content, resources, expertise, and learning experiences that enable and inspire more effective teaching for all learners.

4.0 Infrastructure: Access and Enable

All students and educators will have access to a comprehensive infrastructure for learning when and where they need it.

5.0 Productivity: Redesign and Transform

Our education system at all levels will redesign processes and structures to take advantage of the power of technology to improve learning outcomes while making more efficient use of time, money, and staff.

The 21st century competencies are critical thinking, complex problem solving, collaboration, and multimedia communication. While students are using these real-world tools, they are learning and given opportunities that will allow them to deal with real-world problems and they will be prepared for the real world. These competencies will allow student to be productive members in a competitive workplace.

4. The State of Ohio’s Education Technology Plan aligns with the National Education Technology Plan  by incorporating more technology in and outside of the classroom, building an infrastructure that will help the success of students and educators, and better preparing students for college and the real world. They big difference in which they are not aligned is that the State of Ohio Plan does not involve as much government input as the National Education Technology Plan details.

5. The two plans are aligned by incorporating more multimedia and broadcasting, more technology in and out of the classroom, incorporating federal programs, and expanding the data system. The difference is that the State of Ohio’s Education Technology Plan focuses on virtual learning, and the NETP does not gear as much towards that area.

6. I think that these measurements put a lot of pressure of educators and students when the expectations seems out of reach/not possible. It is hard to access the “number of students” in some areas. There may not be student who want to take college credits at the same time as high school, or AP courses. Some students may not want to take distance learning courses, or on-line courses. How can you base number on something that may be simply a student preference or not? That may be a hard “goal” to reach given that student preferences will be different.

ORC Lesson Plan

The lesson plan that I choose is a social studies lesson plan for grade 5 - titled First Amendment Rights - Grade 5. In this lesson, students experience (for a short period of time, approximately 30 minutes) what it would be like to live in a society where there is dictatorship. After the torturous 30 minutes comes to an end, the students get their voices back. Now the fun begins, and the students get to learn about the First Amendment rights they have and how they have an impact on their daily lives. Students will work together in class and in groups coming up with new ideas of how they can make a change in their school/classroom with policies that they do not agree with. Students will also keep a daily journal focusing on how their lives are affected by the First Amendment and what each aspect of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right of petition and assembly means to them. Students will learn how they can make a difference in their society (in school or in their community), because of the rights they have as citizens of the United States.

OHIO SOCIAL STUDIES ACADEMIC CONTENT STANDARDS (2010)

Grade 4: Ohio in the United States

Government Strand

Civic Participation and Skills

15. 

Individuals have a variety of opportunities to participate in and influence their state and national government. Citizens have both rights and responsibilities in Ohio and the United States.

Rules and Laws

19. 

The U.S. Constitution establishes a system of limited government and protects citizens’ rights; five of these rights are addressed in the First Amendment.

SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS (2001)

Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 5)

3.

Explain the significance of the rights that are protected by the First Amendment including:

1. Freedom of religion;
2. Freedom of speech;
3. Freedom of the press;
4. Right of petition and assembly.

I think that there are many students that do not fully understand their rights as United States citizens. Most kids are under the impression that they have to go to school, listen to their teacher, do their homework, go home, listen to their parents, and then start over again on the next day. They may think they are just kids, but there is a bigger picture, an important aspect that this lesson will teach students - students are also citizens with a voice. All citizens in the United States have a voice, and a right to express their opinions and make changes on things they do not believe is right or fair to everyone. Even as students, they can make a change in their school and/or in their community. I will use this lesson to show that to students. I want my students to understand the importance of the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights and that these rights apply to them, even as kids -because they are citizens of the United States.

I think that the biggest problem with this lesson plan is that it may not be exciting enough for kids. Yes, it is interesting, but it could be more exciting. The start of the lesson has a big "wow" factor and will get the students' minds rolling - but that excitement needs to be sustained for the rest of the lesson in the days to come. So, I will need to research and try to incorporate a few more things into the lesson that may add some time to the lesson/change the length, but will make it more exciting and fun for the students. I think the part that would challenge the students the most is staying on task. The lesson itself is not too difficult for this age group, but at this age students may get a little "goofy" with this lesson. For example, students may want to change the food that is served in the cafeteria because they think it is nasty and they want it to taste better - but what their focus should be on, is how is the food unfair for students in the classroom and how can you make the choices fair/accessible to all students (i.e., what other options could be made available for students who cannot eat dairy products?). I think students will be challenged in thinking seriously and staying on task - but for the most part, I believe this lesson will be a learning experience that they will take to heart and take seriously once they understand the First Amendment a little better and how they truly can impact/change their school or society for the better. They may only be students, but they are citizens of the United States that have rights which give them power to make a difference!

https://ims.ode.state.oh.us/ODE/IMS/Lessons/Web_Content/CSS_LP_S06_BB_L05_I03_01.pdf