Journal Reading #3

Herold, B. (2016). Teaching Shakespeare the 21st Century Way. Education Week, 36(12), 17-20.

SUMMARY
The focus of this article was on how modern digital technology can be used to teach classic Shakespearean Literature. The author includes benefits and limitations of using digital tools with students to learn and dissect works that were published over 500 years ago. 

RECOMMENDATIONS
Make technology work FOR you not AGAINST you! - The author acknowledges the fact that classrooms have been flooded with computers/tablets/software/platforms etc. over the past decade, and how overall the tools have more so been used administratively and not necessarily to create new, more powerful learning experiences. Many students AND teachers to this day prefer to read print versus digital books.In order to make technology work FOR you in an English/Reading setting while maintaining the integrity of the originally print, utilize tools such as Social Media, YouTube, Digital reading platforms etc. in order to help make the old texts come alive!

Going Digital for Discussions - Shakespearean literature is very complex in structure, language etc. and can be very nerve wrecking to students when we are asking them to paraphrase and analyze in class. By using online discussion forums such as Edmodo during these units, even the shyest and unsure of students will feel more comfortable to participate anonymously and discuss virtually. 

It's OKAY to use PAPER! - There is something to be said about "old school" pen & paper these days. Students are able to easily annotate, decode, and paraphrase while they are reading. One of the teachers in the article had her students write in a notebook each day, where they were able to write about their thoughts on Macbeth, and write their own versions of the story. While this can also be done typed, she felt that students had a better connection when they had their own hadwritten notes and pictures in the margins of their notebook. Some of the students in the class stated that they have grown up with paperback books, and like the feel of writing in the margins, highlighting important passages, and putting different colored post-its on each page. While everyone had their own preferences, the classroom teacher stated that as long as we have technology, Shakespeare will forever remain "young".

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REFLECTION
This article was very close to home because we are currently reading Romeo and Juliet in my co-taught freshman English class. The language is very confusing for anyone, but imagine having a learning disability ON TOP of reading something that difficult! I have used YouTube audio & ITunes University with my students, and encouraged them to listen and follow allowed while reading. It is difficult for my students to decode words, and then try to understand what those words mean. If they can HEAR the words being said through the audio, it is a little bit easier for them to comprehend the content. I personally like the feel of paperback books, and writing all over the margins with my notes, and it was nice to hear I am not the only one! We have so much pressure on us as teachers to utilize technology in the classroom, but this article made me feel like it is still okay to love and teach classic paper books!

David Pogue Ted Talk

My Favorite Time Saving "Tech - nique" 
I think that my favorite tech-nique that I learned from David Poque's Ted Talk was about how to make texting sentences quicker than ever! David  said that "when you're typing on your Blackberry, Android, iPhone, don't bother switching layouts to the punctuation layout to hit the period and then a space, then try to capitalize the next letter. Just hit the space bar twice. The phone puts the period, the space, and the capital for you. Go space, space. It is totally amazing." Of course I had to immediately get my phone to understand what he was talking about, and of course it worked! I've already shared this short-cut with two people in the 5 minutes that I have watched the video. If only everyone knew this technique, they might text with complete sentences =]

My Most Important Gear

Gear: Use of Space and Time

This part of the framework states that "Personalized learning requires changes in the way instructional time is used and the learning space is designed. Many schools are shifting away from Carnegie units to competency-based learning. This type of system adapts learning to meet the needs, pace, interests, and preferences of the learner. As the pedagogy shifts, so too must the learning space" (Alliance for Excellent Education 2015).

This gear really stood out to me the most because as a Special Education teacher, I am constantly trying to discover ways to individualize and meet the needs of the varying types of learners in my class. In the past we have always had to include special accommodations and modifications in student's IEPs in order to provide them with things such as extended time, use of computer/special writing tools, modified assignments etc. that can sometimes make the student feel different than their peers or that stigma of having to do their assignments in another way. With THIS specific gear, it ensures that ALL students in a classroom have access to take control of their learning environment AND experience to best show their skills and meet their needs. I think that this class we are currently in is a great model of how education can be flexible and take time anytime and anywhere =]

Journal Reading #2

Radesky, J. S., Eisenberg, S., Kistin, C. J., Gross, J., Block, G., Zuckerman, B., & Silverstein, M. (2016). Overstimulated Consumers or Next-Generation Learners? Parent Tensions About Child Mobile Technology Use. Annals Of Family Medicine, 14(6), 503-508. doi:10.1370/afm.1976


SUMMARY
The purpose of this research study was to discover the impact that mobile technology has on families; particularly those families that had children using the mobile devices. After conducting interviews and surveys on a variety of participants, the authors were able to determine 3 main "tensions" that are created in the home because of the children using mobile devices. 

The first tension caused is parents worrying about the effects of the mobile technology on their child. Parents in the study expressed that they wanted their young child to be introduced to technology that may be used in their future education; however they worried that introducing the technology so young could be causing an early addiction to the devices, lower creativity and social skills etc.

The second tension caused is parents worrying about their perceived loss of control. A couple of parents stated that they felt lost when it came to how to utilize the types of technology that their children are using, and are therefore unable to help them learn. Other parents felt at a loss because they aren't always 100% sure if their child is on safe websites/applications.

The third tension caused is family stress. Some families reported that their child using mobile devices resulted in less family time together, however also noted how helpful the devices can be to keep children occupied (during church, at a siblings recital etc.). There was also a concern from parents of lower economic status that it was a struggle for them to even provide one mobile device in the family, and felt like they were letting their child down if they couldn't provide one for them.


RECOMMENDATIONS
After looking at each of the tensions and their different perspectives, the authors were able to determine new aspects of  and questions to be considering when discussing mobile technology use with young children. To alleviate parent concerns on the effects of mobile technology on their children, researchers are encouraging parents to speak with their child's clinician and discuss misconceptions of the technologies and be provided with healthy ways to use technology with their young child, and how to also include real life, hands-on experiences. Researchers noted that there was a digital divide between parents of low-income communities versus parents of higher-income communities. For each group, researchers suggested that parents empower themselves with good online resources to help assist them with creating perimeters on their child's mobile technology use. Finally in regards to family stress, researchers realized the importance of how mobile technology can be used in maintaining a peaceful household, but suggested seeking out other ways to get the same results (ex. a physical game instead of the mobile phone to keep a child occupied).

REFLECTION
Even before reading this article, I was very aware of the fact that mobile technologies are having an impact on children of all ages, and their families. You can go to any restaurant today; see a family out for dinner, and see all of the children on some type of device, totally disengaged from the rest of the family and what is happening around them. I realize that parents sometimes just want to give their children something to be occupied with so that they don't want to deal with the child, but I have always grown up to value dinner time as family time. What happened to coloring on the children's menu and playing tic-tac-toe with your sibling or parent while you wait for the food to come? After reading the article, it really hit me how there might be a certain generation of parents that aren't very familiar with the technology and are learning as their children learn. I like how the article kept referring to having parents speak with their child's clinician to see how the mobile technologies can impact their social and emotional growth. If I took one thing away from this article, it is that parents need to be provided with or seek out information on the positive ways to utilize technology with their children.

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