Web 2.0 in Inclusive Classrooms: Edmodo

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is most importantly a reminder that all students learn differently and are all equally entitled to have those needs met and addressed in the classroom.  With inclusive educations becoming the norm, all teachers are expected to practice differentiated learning even in a single lesson plan. Students with ranging Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are in a single classroom, with the expectation that the teacher is capable of addressing all the learning needs of the various students with everyone on the same page.  From what I understand the key term here is: accommodation.   Teachers can provide extra time, additional practice or assessment materials, and kinesthetic assistance, among other simple things to help such students perform as the expected classroom standard.  In recent years assistive technologies are identified as another inclusive classroom assistance but these classroom additions can be an overwhelming extras outside designated special education classes. But similar to technology standards theses aides can be tackled with minimal research. Fortunately for a teacher without special education licensure web 2.0 and making the differentiation practice less daunting. 

While I am sure there are particularly perfect web 2.0 tools to use regarding those covered by the IDEA its suggested that even those use for the mainstream students can function as an accommodation aide.  With that in mind I believe that Edmodo fits the build.  This is a web 2.0 tool described as, “A private social platform for teachers and students to share ideas, files, events and assignments.”  After playing around with this program a bit I see it as an ultimate forum for protecting the privacy of those students needed to be accommodated in the classroom.  The library feature allows me to upload readings and assignments; students are then able to access them immediately.  If I had a class where I was accommodating a student with more time this would be a great tool for allowing that access without any other students having to know.  Along with the many other features that make this program a huge benefit there is the online quiz feature.  I could use the differentiated learning technique to customize students’ quizzes with IEPs or even extend the due date.  Students can use the collaborative wall feature to immediate get extra help (always connected) and that is a great web 2.0 notion that really works to the benefit of students with diverse needs. Edmodo is just one of the many web 2.0 tools that can assist an inclusive classroom under the provisions if the IDEA. 

If there's a point, then yes

People my age and younger are building their own websites, editing and producing custom videos, working with html, maintaining blog pages, tweeting their every move…I find it all so overwhelming. Easily anxious by even the slightest things, the collaborative era seems like a new way for this generation to compete.  Building a website then turns into a competition for the most streamline graphics, the wittiest writing, most relevant content and original this or that.  In comparison to myself it seems those greater involved are either tech savvy individuals or spend all their time online.  Really I’m just jealous that they’re better at it then me.  I do want to be subscribing to RSS feeds, keeping updated on twitter, building content worthy websites, uploading my own digital photos and the like. And while that may be the case for some people the Solomon and Schrum reading reminded me that there is no shame in starting off small and simple just so long as there is a point.

The Solomon and Schrum reading got me excited about how easily new features can add to the classroom but David Jakes’ talk then reminded me that technology integration isn’t necessarily the answer.  Teachers need to still focus on the skills (some that are really timeless even) and then look to new tools that can add value to the skill sets.  One example of combining the two resources given in module three is the blogging movement.  Jakes would insist that prior to creating a “web 2.0” student blogs teachers must first look at the skill they are hoping to address.  Writing as a cross curriculum agenda is a broad enough skill but it’s the uniqueness of blogging that adds value to the practice.  Solomon and Schrum urge teachers to realize blogging in not simply about writing, rather the structure of blogging encourages particular skills.  Brevity is often overlooked in typical classroom practices but so easily gained when blogging, “Because readers don’t want to read long, rambling treatises on their monitors, students learn to get to the point” (p. 19). For that reason exactly the audience enjoys reading the blogs and posting because the notion seems easy to handle. 

Additionally hitting, “submit” after creating a post, allows for immediate publishing and so there is then a sense of accomplishment (Solomon and Schrum).  I know that generally speaking students are not excited about writing or peer reviews but the blog forum makes the task more manageable, immediately gratifying and grand skills are being honed in the process. Teachers are then covering so much by integrating blogging into the classroom.  If a post is in response to a well outlined prompt, students are developing writing and thinking skills to communicate their ideas but with an awareness of being concise, who their audience is and even grammar/mechanics as they know their peers will be giving feedback.  I believe this gives value to any classroom, especially a class like English or Literature, which has more of a focus on writing skills.  As Jakes and the reading suggests there are endless apps and tools that can be used for classroom blogging but it’s the writing skills enhanced through blogging that add value to the timeless literacy skill.  

During the video, Understanding and Applying Technologies to Teaching and Learning, I found concept of “Third Place,” to be genuinely intriguing.  Jakes suggests that for students the space between school and home that also allows for learning is worth noting when thinking about the structure of physical classrooms and practices surrounding it.  Web 2.0 suggests this consistent collaborative generation via the Internet but the concept of collaboration isn’t as new as the Internet.  Students learn even while in social settings and yet in the classroom, teachers so often work to isolate the individual because it seems unfathomable they would in fact choose to engage with academic material by choice.  The nature or web 2.0 rather shows us differently, that young people are often engaged in passion based learning during their free time.  If thinking about how these notions may apply to my classroom I first think of the collaboration skills that are needed for group work, students exercising how to respectfully and assertively create a voice for themselves, accountability, effort level and peer editing. Making use of a wiki page and Google Apps would allow for the skills to be enhanced through technology.  Students can then be connected within their own workspace –taking a break to go on Facebook but staying connected in the “cyber space.” They are collaborating but in their own space and generally at their own pace.  This openness also allows for them to use their passion via multimedia during group projects.  Using things like movie maker, flickr and so on gets them excited about how they can contribute. 

In consideration of Jake’s push to recognize passion-based learning, I thank Solomon and Schrum for providing a professional development portion in each chapter.  As a new teacher my career is where my deepest passion lies at this point in time the web 2.0 feature, micoblogging, can truly add value to my experience.  This innovation is, “…a cross between blogging and text messaging with a character count” (p. 33) allowing for thoughts, news, etc. to be shared instantly in the most straight to the point kind of way. When thinking about the skills that I need as a teacher, it is an awareness of what’s going on in the field and a regular connection to other teachers has a huge impact on my ability to do well in the classroom.  “Educators connect with one another using microblogging’s short, quick message system to ask questions and share information” (p. 40) allowing us to essentially network with our peers.  This simple web 2.0 forum to collaboration and stay connected supports profession development for a career field that is always interested and yet can never find the time.

The resources for this week’s module has left me thinking mostly about my pedagogy and how I need to have a better understanding of the skills I am trying to integrate within the content of the curriculum.  Also there needs to be better communication between the departments (classes) as Jakes suggested because realistically not every tool is applicable to every class and something like having a blog page for every class does the opposite of what we hope to achieve.  Using things like Moodle and hashtags are going to create cross curriculum tech skills that we need to add value to the learning.  Web 2.0 tools are only applicable if they enhance the learning experience to fit the agenda of the newest generation.  

Horizon Report Innovations are Nifty

Mobile Computing:  Instant email access would be the greatest benefit of mobile use at the middle school level.  Though students have assignments written down and explained in class I so often get those additional emails asking to clarify or help work out some homework related issue.  Since I am not always at my computer, nor are my students, there is this unhelpful lag time that we are left with.  Surely when students are stumped doing a problem it would be easiest if they could get feedback right away and mobile emails access would enhance that instant line of communication outside of school, especially during homework time. 

Open Content:  A school database similar to blackboard would be a huge benefit to teaching and learning.  If there were a place where all handouts, reading, assignments, notes, power points, etc. were digitally posted, the student would never have the excuse that too often comes with unorganized middle school students.  The simple availability even at this grade level would foster students making choices on when and how to better review and practice the material along with simply seeing it again if it’s gone missing. 

Electronic Books: The greatest feature of a digital book system is the cost, especially for schools always facing budget cuts.  Like the students have personal laptops at our school, Kindles or Nooks could be provided just the same -with all text and reading books added to the device.  The students would have all the books conveniently available with just the presence of the single device and they would be working with newer technology -learning skills like, digital annotating, which may in fact be the norm in years to come.  Lastly is the go green benefit the school is so greatly trying to foster. 

Augmented Reality: This innovation is currently the most enhanced version of making connections in the classroom.  If the classrooms are equipped with technology that allows for instant access to what’s going on in the real world, students are going to be much more involved in making connections with the material.  This would obviously benefit science class material like weather changes, natural disaster, plate tectonics, etc. as well as connecting Social Studies content with current events: Mesopotamia versus modern day Iraq, since we all know how much children LOVE to learn about History and things that they see as no longer applying.  Students need to be making those kinds of connections to their lives and the world around them if they are really to critically think about the material. 

Gesture-based computing: While this innovation is amazing, the necessity in schools may not be a clear, rather another way to think about its benefit is to that of the bodily-kinesthetic learner.  Means of interacting with the computer is beginning to change and this change is creating a better tool for this particular kind of learner.  For students who benefit most from hands-on assignments, the gesture-based computing will be a change from the idle computer desk experience. 

Visual Data Analysis: Currently this system is geared more toward the sciences, whereas complex data can now be looked at in the simplest form.  Through interactive manipulation of variables in real-time, students as researchers and discoverers can:  “… zoom in to examine specific aspects of the renderings, or to navigate along interesting visual pathways, following their intuitions and even hunches to see where they may lead. (2010 Horizon Report)” Being that research is already a complex and difficult skill, this literal hands-on interaction with the material could make the process so much clearer for middle school students. 

The World is Flat

In The World is Flat, by Thomas L. Friedman, the notions of how the world has flattened must come from somewhere before it can be further understood. When I think of my classroom of students I always have to be prepared for the question: “But why?” Kids like to know the root of any situation and so an insight to start with might most appropriately be, “Flattener #1: 11/9/89,” the fall of the Berlin Wall –where it all started.  The wall’s demolition marks the end of the Cold War or the communist system (6^th grade terms: an economic and social system controlled by a government that only believes in doing things their way even though they claim to have the peoples best interest in mind) where all the citizens were equal yes, but poor (52). The wall down meant nearly the entire world could participate in the capitalist system (6^th grade terms: an economic system where people have the option to do their own thing to make money without the government holding them down) where the strict controls of communism had left people in great need of profits (53). This physical space in turn allowed for people to visualize the conceptual space, “ –our ability to think about the world as a single market, a single ecosystem, a single community (54).”  It wouldn’t seem that this one event might impact so many but it in fact has; and that trickle affects my students as well.  With that being said I will, “tell my kids:” the competition is far and wide.  Expectations are literally at a global scale and so that’s even more reason to work hard.  As an educator I too must be aware of the level playing field that the children are competing at, hence classroom practices must be a reflection.  To incorporate this “learning,” I could look into curriculum instruction in other countries; compare the other practices with my own model and learn from alternative techniques. 

The Curriculum instruction I hope to improve by studying other systems of teaching is made possible through Friedman’s theory of  “In-Forming” or “Flattener #9.”  This “insight” notes the profound impact of search engines (Google as a pioneer with Yahoo and MSN as grand followers) in equalizing knowledge (177).  Google has allowed for knowledge to be available in all languages allowing for every individual to control their own involvement in the global community, “It is empowering the formation of global communities, across all international and cultural boundaries, which is another critically important flattening function” (183).  People are sure that the information is out there it’s now simply a matter of them finding it on the web. What makes this a move in the direction of Friedman’s flattening notion is that the information is accessible to all people regardless of class, education level, economic status or physical location (generally speaking). Friedman suggests: “In-Forming is about self-collaboration –becoming your own self-directed and self-empowered researcher, editor, and selector of entertainment… In-forming is searching for knowledge” (179).   This flatter seems most relevant to teaching, especially in the case of research scenarios.  Whether it’s in the case of gathering my own resources or leading my students in the right direction to gain insight and knowledge on different topics.  I need to make a better attempt to involve myself in the global community.  The search engines are there as a link to the flattening era but knowing how to narrow searches and broaden resources is a skill that comes with practice and involving myself in dialogues surrounding the matter of “In-forming.”

All the flattener tools lead to a more globalized world, but acknowledging the triple convergence allows for the simple attributes to come together and work most efficiently.  It would seem that, “convergence one” is just a matter of logic, but like any theory it has to be put in writing, or said allowed for the “ah, ha” moment from everyone; which leads to Friedman’s “insight.” The simultaneous improvement of complimentary goods allows for more productivity and efficiency of each flattener.   Learning about each notion is even easier to apply when understanding how they can work together to help both myself as and educator and my students.  Being able to collaborate on projects, search the Internet in the same effort and connect with my students through email at all times is just proof of how convergence one has such an impact. When all flatteners come together there is a new platform of web-enabled collaboration, “ – for the purposes of innovation, production, education, research, entertainment… –like no creative platform ever before. This platform now operates without regard to geography, distance, time and, in the near future even language” (204).  Recognizing how all these flatteners work together allows for more streamline lessons in the classroom.  While some of the theory details may not directly apply to 6^th graders, enough of the concepts can be scaled to fit their lives and converged for more effective classroom practices.  This may mean coming up with projects that are modeled like those of other countries school districts in ways that involve research, classroom software, and/or connecting with other students outside the classroom. I imagine there are ways to go about convergence one that can be molded to fit exact units and lessons. 

Day One Blog -It's Saturday, I'm here

So I finally got the blogger to work, thank goodness. Thus far the class has been a pleasure and I'm glad that on a Staurday (now afternoon) things are more interactive rather than striclty lecture.  Educ 5701, here I am! 

Peace, Love, Technology