Article #5 - Challenged Based Learning (CBL)

      What is "challenged based learning"? Before reading this article I didn't understand what educators meant by challenged based learning and it was unclear to me what they meant by the phrase. But now challenged based learning can be summed up as "what is known about the emerging learning styles of high school students and leverages the powerful new technologies that provide new opportunities to learn to provide an authentic learning process that challenges students to make a difference". This definition got me thinking about how I can use technologies in the classroom as part of my teaching future. Giving students control of their own ideas and letting them express their thoughts using their personal technologies is something that I think helps students stay engaged in the classroom and take an assignment more seriously.
     While reading this article I liked the way the authors broke down the steps of challenged based learning and gave helpful resources for students to follow. Having useful resources as part of the challenged based learning would be much more effective for students, teachers, experts in the field, etc. and makes the learning more effective and validated. When talking about sustainability in the example provided in the article I remember teaching my second grade students about how recycling works, of course in a very simplistic way. Challenge based learning, if I had prior knowledge of what that meant, could have been a great way to let the students get involved in their own learning and let them come up with different ways in which to implement recycling in their lives. This article was very educational to me to read because I didn't understand the scope of challenged based learning and didn't truly realize that was even a "thing".
   

Article #4 - iPad Literacy

          Through the introduction of the iPad and other tablets like it, we have opened a new way at teaching and learning for both students and teachers. I like the idea the article raised about how learning can be an anytime and anywhere thing where the student and teachers don't have to be sitting in front of the computer screen in a stationary position where they can get bored or distracted. With the ease of an iPad we can learn at the ease and comfort to help us focus. 

          Not only does the iPad help with the comfort and ease of anytime learning. The endless supply of apps that students and teachers can download can be extremely helpful and educational for all types of learners and any subject. When using an iPad in the classroom many teachers can take an incentive approach for their students. When you are done with your assignment, you may use the iPad to play educational games, practice certain skills, or enjoy exploring the internet for fun new facts. 

          I liked the parts the article focused on digital literacy because I have always liked reading on paper rather than on a computer screen. With the different strategies for reading off of a digital domain, students can be taught the best ways to improve their literacy through reading directly from the iPad or any other electronic device the school, teacher, or district may facilitate. 

          There will come a time, I believe, when each of us will be teaching with iPads, have iPads in our classrooms, or at least personally have one for ourselves that we can let our students use. It is an easily transported and worthwhile investment for educational and recreational purposes. 

Article #3 - Keeping Students Safe Online: What Works?

Growing up, our entire generation has been influenced by technology, from social media, cell phones, internet, laptops, and so much more. As future educators, our students are going to continue an upward trend of using technology in just about every aspect of their lives. So the question is, how do we keep out students safe from the unnecessary and damaging things that they may stumble across when using technology inside and outside the classroom? 
          I'm sure all of us can relate to our teachers, parents, and any adult authority figure telling us to be careful about what we do on the internet cause there are dangerous and bad things that can happen and we could be harmed if we're not careful. It was all to scare a little bit of sense into us. I found in interesting in the article right off the bat that they were saying "fear-based" perspectives is not effective. When I learned about the internet and we had access to computer we all learned that we needed to be careful what kind of information we were putting out there and who and what we were talking about. Studies have shown that kids aren't as afraid of that tactic as they used to be and that was really shocking as I read this article. Bullying and harassment most often by peers happens online and through other technology such as texting. If students are able to learn how to protect themselves then they will fall victim to the internet demons. 

          I liked that the article focused on texting and "sexting" as a main point in teaching kids about technology because our cell phones are everywhere. I'm sure pretty much all of us are typing our blogs while we text friends and have our Facebook open. Cyber bullying is not the only way students can be harmed. Texting isn't as safe as some might assume and we as role models and educators should be teaching our students about that facet of technology as well. I'm glad the article touched on it. 

          It's teaching the students "Netiquette" that will benefit how they handle the responsibility of being online and having access to technology. 

Article #2 - Transliteracy

         "Transliteracy"?? Communication comes in many forms. Oral, written, video, and even musically. Transliteracy is a term born out of the necessity to put into words how communication has changed over time. I found this article's approach to the fact that the internet and computers has become such a large part of our everyday lives that it needs to be thought of as one of the most important ways of communication really interesting. A lot of what we read as students is given to us virtually. 

          Personally, I don't really like reading things of a computer screen so when I'm presented with a task that has to read a mass amount from the screen I dislike the experience and most of the time get a headache. I can relate to the slogans presented in this article to remind kids to slow down and make the reading worth my while. I always had a hard time in my younger school age years and still today comprehending what I was reading. When I would take the level's test every other year in elementary school I always did exceedingly well in vocabulary and word identification when reading. But when asked to recall what happened in the passage I just finished reading, I could only list maybe one or two things. My comprehension levels were down but my ability to read words was very high. I still struggle with going back and having to re-read passages or sentences that I just read because my mind tends to wonder as I'm reading the words off of the page. I have to remind myself to slow down and pay attention.

          I liked the discrepancy the article presented with what students are expected to understand and how much they actually do due to the virtual stimulation of the outside world. A lot of people don't enjoy reading because they are influenced by movies and other ways of retaining information. It's our time as teachers to instill in our students that reading and comprehension is just as valuable, if not more valuable, that finding things on the internet. 

          

          

Article #1 - I Can't Think!

"I can't think!" gave me a new outlook on the term "information overload". I had always used that term in a joking and non-serious manner, meaning that people were talking too much, too fast, and all at once, and my brain wasn't comprehending any of it. After reading this article I realized it does actually happen. Like the spark plugs in a car, our brains are wired to absorb information, and when the spark plugs go out, just like a car, our brains stop running, they simply shut down and can't retain any new information being presented. 

          I found it interesting that when our brains go in overload and begin to quake, we are forced to make mind-numbing decisions that affect us entirely. Our decision-making skills, which are key in this, and our emotions within our brains take a back seat and we are unable to process. We are paralyzed by the idea of making a wrong decision and the amount of information needed is overwhelming to say the least. It is funny to think that when we need to be rationale and make well-informed decisions, it is our inability to make those decisions that drives how we think.

          We have brought the century of "information overload" upon ourselves. With the easy access to internet (googling every chance we get), Facebook, Twitter, E-mail, Wikipedia, and much more, we find ourselves trying to validate what we already know is true to ourselves and how we make our decisions. Our decisions can also be hindered by the mass media due to the fact that we can be influenced in our decision-making to change our minds much more simply than centuries past. Who knew a simple text message could ruin your thought process or decision-making at that time? I thought it was really interesting that studies have shown that if you respond to things like texts and emails in batches, and not right when they pop up on your blackberry or iPhone, you will have an all around better outlook on the decisions you made recently. 

          This article got me thinking: When given a choice of colleges, we all chose Western. But why did we all choose Western? Was it Bellingham that drew us here? Was it the major that we wanted to study? Was it our fascination with the Canadian culture and it being right there? Or was it friends and family telling us that Western was a good school?