Perhaps
I’m sitting in the Manhattan surgical center waiting for my husband and so I have a lot of thinking time. I’ve been reading through my Feedly consuming articles on education, art, technology, and current news. I started a search for instructional technology jobs and it suddenly hit me that maybe it’s a better use of my skills and knowledge to not go into art eventually and get an MFA and teach art at the college level, but to use my background to ask questions that other people in educational technology/instructional design/educational research might not ask.
If I taught classes in Ed Tech at a college level I could push for not just teaching a handful of apps, but creative inquiry, and hands on exploration of technology and then how to apply it to education. I’m a firm believer that if you don’t know how to make the tech work for you, if you can’t hack your software or hardware, that you can’t really use it fully. I want teachers to not look at a computer like a magic box that holds them hostage, and I want to push them out of their comfort zones creatively.
So, maybe I should get a PhD in this field? Clearly I’m going to need to look into this more, I did see plenty of good/teaching jobs in higher ed that only required a MS, but I do have plenty of burning research questions, and I have an analytical mind, so it’s not like engaging in research and inquiry are foreign concepts to me.
Challah (adapted from Baking with Julia)
2 Tbsp unsalted or salted butter (really soft or melted)
1 1/2 Tbsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup tepid water (around skin temp, 80º-90ºF)
pinch of sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk
2 1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs
6 -7 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour (I prefer King Arthur because it has a higher protein level, just don’t use soft wheat southern flour)
GLAZE
1 large egg (extra yolk optional)
1 Tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
poppy seeds
coarse salt
Keep the 2 Tbsp of butter nearby for buttering the dough for the rises.
Whisk the yeast into the water. Add a pinch of sugar and let rest until the yeast has dissolved and is creamy, about 5 minutes.
Pt the milk and stick of butter in a saucepan on the stovetop or in a bowl in a microwave and heat until butter is melted. Add the honey and salt. If necessary, let the mixture cool so that it is no warmer than 110ºF.
If using a stand mixer: Get out your mixer bowl and add the creamy yeast to the milk mixture, along with the eggs, and stir to mix. Add about 5 cups of flour, beat on low speed for 3 minutes or until the dough starts to come together. Beating on medium-low, add as much additional flour as needed to make a soft dough that will clean the sides of the bowl. Knead on medium-low for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth, soft and elastic.
If you’re doing it by hand: Order is the same, but you probably want a large wide bowl for easy mixing with a wooden spoon. My favorite is a metal bowl for kimchi making I got from the local Asian market, it’s HUGE!
Take the dough out onto a clean, floured surface and work it by hand until it passes the windowpane test: you can stretch it thin and see lots of light through it and it won’t break (some small holes are ok).
Slather the mixing bowl with the reserved butter. Place the dough ball into the mixing bowl and coat the exterior of the ball with more butter. Cover with plastic wrap, or a damp towel, or a large tupperware lid
Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until doubled in volume. When the dough is fully risen, deflate it, cover it as before and let rise until it doubles in bulk again, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Cut the dough in half and keep one piece of dough covered while you work with the other.
Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Four strand braiding is a little different from the typical three strand, but it makes a much nicer loaf of bread, and it’s not hard at all. Roll each piece into a rope about 16″ long; it should be slightly thicker in the center and slightly tapered at the ends. Align the ropes vertically, side by side and start braiding from the center down. Take the left-most strand and weave it over-under-over. Repeat.
When you’ve reached the end, turn the loaf around so that the braided half is on top; braid the lower half. Pinch the ends to seal and tuck the ends under the loaf. Transfer the loaf to a prepared baking sheet and gently plump it to get it back into shape; cover with a towel. Braid the second loaf, put it on a baking sheet and cover. Let the loaves rise at room temperature for 45 minutes or until soft, puffy and almost doubled.
Glaze and topping:
Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 375ºF. Whisk the egg (and extra yolk if you so desire) and milk/cream together in a small bowl. Brush the tops and sides of the challahs with glaze. Reserve the leftover glaze for brushing the loaves during baking. if you’re topping the loaves, dust them with the seeds; sprinkle coarse salt over the loaves, topped or not.
Bake for 20 minutes. The loaves will expand and expose some of the inner dough. Brush the newly exposed dough with the reserved glaze and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until the loaves are golden and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom. If they start to brown too quickly, cover them with a piece of foil. Let cool before slicing.
Thinking About an MFA
I’m pretty sure that ultimately, at some point in my life, I’m going to go through grad school again and get an MFA. It’s the degree I wanted in the first place, I just couldn’t justify the expense and the huge risk of not being able to find a job while my husband was really sick and needed health insurance. So I made some sacrifices that at the time made absolute sense to me. I went back to school to get my teaching license and get a Masters in another field that I’m passionate about: Educational Technology. I thought I’d be able to at least make enough to get us on more stable ground financially and be able to at least make life a little more creative and interesting for some of the kids in my future classrooms. I do genuinely love teaching. Anyone who saw me work at MHS East or at the MAC for MXTW could see that. Unfortunately, my car is completely unreliable now and K-State isn’t flexible when it comes to not having a car for the student teaching semesters. Both were very rude surprises this semester. So I had to postpone my student teaching for a year.
To make matters worse, the two undergrad level art courses I took in the previous two semesters really just make me want to get my MFA. The classes were actually challenging and engaging, which is more than I can say for most of the education classes I’ve had to take. I also feel out of place when I’m in my education classes, like that is not a good fit for me. At KU I was just another art student and I could talk freely with my peers about all sorts of things. Our critiques were filled with people talking about stuff. It’s not like that here. People are much more reserved, like they are afraid to talk or have opinions about things. I stand out a lot more both in my level of participation and how I dress. I feel like some of my peers think I’m a pretentious show-off and I’m not. I have a wide knowledge base, but I only call on it when it’s relevant to the discussion. Besides, how is knowing about things or being able to draw logical conclusions about something bad? I never had a moment at KU where someone flat out asked me, while looking at me like I was a space alien, “Why do you know that?” Being able to recall facts does not in anyway make me exceptional. At other times I just feel very big fish in little pond and I hate that. I want to grow as a person, I want to be learning things, and it’s starting to feel like my time at K-State is just going through the motions to get a $60,000 piece of paper.
My husband is also no longer having severe health problems, and due to the ACA, he finally has insurance through his employer where he’s been working full-time for over a year. Not that that’s a solid gig though. He was not supposed to have a job this school year, because of budget cuts, but his bosses fought for him to stay, because having someone who’s as tech savvy as he is is a great asset to a school. So, nothing is definite for us, and when your basic things like employment are shaky, it’s pretty stressful.
Which brings be back to the MFA and my own intellectual restlessness. I like a lot of the professors in K-State’s art department. They’ve really improved the facilities since I first attended in 2005. K-State’s art department even offers a decent stipend and an almost guaranteed GTA position the first year, so I’ll get the necessary teaching experience that’s required if you want to go on to be a professor. That’s all really great, but I want to get the hell out of Kansas. I’ve lived here my whole life, and there just aren’t the opportunities here that I need, not to mention the current political situation is an utter mess, and I don’t see it changing anytime soon. The 2014 election here was a wake-up call for me and my husband. It’s really expensive and shitty to be poor in Kansas, and there aren’t many opportunities for people with our skillsets. Skillsets which are highly valued (or at least employable) elsewhere. There are lots of good people in Kansas, and cool places, but it’s hard to live here when you know it could be better elsewhere.
Currant & Lemon Zest Cream Scones
Currant & Lemon Zest Cream Scones
To ensure proper rising and flakiness, be sure the butter is cold. You might need to chill the flour and butter mixture after cutting the butter in, but before you pour in the cream. You can substitute dried cranberries and orange zest or dried cherries and sliced almonds for the currants and lemon zest if you like.
Ingredients:
For the dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup dried currants
1 cup heavy cream
For the topping:
1 Tbs. Demerara or turbinado sugar (the big crunchy stuff)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. heavy cream
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 425°F. Get out a baking sheet and cover it with a sheet of parchment paper.
To make the dough by hand, in a bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Using a pastry blender, or whisk (used like a potato masher) cut in the butter until the mixture come together in a coarse crumb, and the butter is the size of peas. If you don’t have a pastry cutter or a whisk, use your hands in a crumbling motion to make the butter pieces pea sized and evenly incorporated, but be sure to chill the mixture for 10 mins. after this since your hands will warm up the butter too much).
Stir in the currants. Pour the cream over the flour mixture and fold with a big spoon or spatula just until the dry ingredients are moistened. You might find that there is some flour in the bottom that doesn’t want to incorporate with the rest of the dough. Push the dough that is sticking together to one side of the bowl and dribble a bit of cream over the dry parts until it will all come together on one dough ball. Don’t add too much cream, or the scones will turn out too moist and won’t rise as well.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently pat out into a round about 1 inch thick. Cut the round into 8 wedges (or whatever shape you like) with a sharp knife or biscuit cutter. Make sure you are cutting straight down through the dough and not slicing. The scones will not rise well if you slice. Place 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.
To make the topping, in a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Brush the dough with the cream and sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar.
Bake until the scones are golden brown, 13 to 17 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Makes about 8 scones.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking.
Berry Galette (adapted from Baking with Julia)
I made this one at my parent’s house with berries from their yard 2 years ago. It’s not pretty, but it’s not supposed to be, I also had too many berries for one galette, and you can see why parchment paper is such a good idea. Always make sure you use parchment paper, otherwise you’ll be soaking delicious burnt berry sugar off your pan for hours. Sugar that you could have been eating after they effortlessly flaked into big delicious shards…
Basic Galette Dough (for sweet or savory)
Each disc will make one galette large enough to serve 4 to 6
3 tablespoons sour cream or full fat greek yogurt
1/3 cup cold water
1/4 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Sweet Berry Filling
1-1.5 cups fresh berries (all one kind or a mix, you can also sub berries for stone fruits, pears, figs, or apples) (feel free to add some herbs or spices for interest: ginger, thyme, sage, cinnamon, nutmeg, mint, etc.)
1-2 Tbsp butter (softened)
turbinado sugar for sprinkling
1 Tbsp honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup
Mix together the cold water and whatever fermented dairy you’re using. In a separate bowl mix the corn meal, flour, and salt together. Add the butter and cut it in using a pastry cutter. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, you can use your hands using a pinching and rolling motion with the butter pieces until the butter is pea sized and the dough has a mealy consistence. If you have a food processor you can also use that, but I prefer doing it be hand to avoid over working the dough. Pour in the water/yogurt mixture and using a spatula, gently fold everything together until a wet dough is made. Don’t over mix or your crust will be tough. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film and press together into a mound and wrap it up tightly. Stick it in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours.
When the dough is properly chilled, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Flour a work surface, place your dough on it, and pat your dough out gently into a rough circle or oval shape until it’s about .25 inch or 6 mm thick. Transfer it to the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Place 1-1.5 cups of berries in the middle of the dough. You want about a 2 inch border of dough. Drizzle berries with honey, and daub them with bits of softened butter. Fold the dough up in sections, around the berries, pleating it as you go. Sprinkle the whole thing with turbinado sugar (you can add a cream or egg wash to the outside if you want it to stick better, cinnamon is a nice tough too depending on the fruit). Stick in the oven (middle rack) for 35-45 mins, or until golden brown. Carefully transfer it using a spatula or two onto a cutting board or cooling rack. Wait 10 mins (or go to the grocery store for heavy cream or ice cream). Cut into wedges and serve plain or with whipped cream or ice cream.
Digital Wunderkammern
Rationale
The organization of secondary education builds upon the specialization introduced in elementary school: instead of one teacher teaching many topics, students move from class to class, taking mandatory and elective courses. This structure reflects how our society views topics of knowledge. We think of math as being very different from music, even though many studies have shown that music education increases math skills, and music is mathematically structured (harmony, time signatures, tuning, etc.). Similarly, our culture holds science and art to be radically different fields. The left brain-right brain dichotomy is a popular myth with absolutely no scientific backing, which helps bolster the idea of analytical thinkers (scientists) vs creative thinkers (artists) (Nielsen, Zielinski, Ferguson, Lainhart, & Anderson, 2013). At her TED Talk, the famous astronaut Mae Jemison had this to say about how we teach art and science:
If we keep thinking that the arts are separate from the sciences, and we keep thinking it’s cute to say, “I don’t understand anything about this one, I don’t understand anything about the other one,” then we’re going to have problems…When these concepts underly our teaching and how we think about the world, then we have a problem, because we stymie support for everything. By accepting this dichotomy, whether it’s tongue in check, when we attempt to accommodate it in our world…we’re messing up the future. Who wants to be uncreative? Who wants to be illogical? Talent would run from either of these fields, if you said you have to choose either, and then they’re going to go do something where they think, “Well I can be creative and logical at the same time” (2002).
Placing sharp boundaries around disciplines is artificial and not a reflection of how knowledge works outside of school. By utilizing interdisciplinary teaching, students are better able to recognize bias, overcome preconceptions, engage in critical thinking, tolerate ambiguity, and learn in a deeper and more meaningful way (Science Education Research Center, 2012). According to The National Council for Teachers of English, ”educational experiences are more authentic and of greater value to students when the curricula reflects real life, which is multi-faceted rather than being compartmentalized into neat subject-matter packages” (Science Education Research Center, 2012). This lesson reflects how learning works outside of the classroom. Connecting art to science not only enhances learning about art, but students who have trouble interfacing with scientific concepts might have an easier time if they can relate it to something they already enjoy or understand, such as art. Similarly, a student who enjoys science, might be able to gain a greater appreciation of art and history through this lesson.
In Picturing Science, Producing Art, Caroline A. Jones and Peter Galison claim that, “…art [and] science…are historically and culturally embedded. Neither practice has unique and absolute purchase on ‘reality’, and neither is alienated from history as its rhetoric might imply” (Jones & Galison, eds., 1998, p. 3). Bringing art and science together is nothing new; the two disciplines share a common history. During the Renaissance, the zeitgeist of humanism helped shape both fields (and our idea of what a well-rounded education is) into what they are today. The educated elite sought to explore the natural world, to better understand humanity’s place in it. People began to catalogue and illustrate the known world, as well as collect specimens for Wunderkammern (cabinets of curiosity) to show off to guests. Objects were collected for their novelty and beauty, as well as scientific study. Artist polymaths like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo not only made great contributions to art, but anatomy, architecture, optics, and engineering. Cross-pollination continued into the 18th and 19th centuries, with the equine anatomical work of George Stubbs, and the motion photographs of Eadweard Muybridge. In the 20th century, the physicist Niels Bohr was inspired by Cubism, and it shaped his work on wave and particle duality theory (Lehrer, 2008). This rich, shared history between art and science is key to understanding contemporary art and why many artists use technology and scientific discoveries in their artwork.
This lesson appeals to multiple senses because students can create their final work in whatever medium they like: drawing, painting, sculpture, movement, sound, etc. To put it in Multiple Intelligence terms: Art-making is inherently Visual-Spatial, Intrapersonal, and Kinesthetic; but this project can also appeal to individuals who identify with the Naturalistic, Verbal-Linguistic, Interpersonal, and Musical categories. Digital Wunderkammern exposes students to a variety of audio-visual media, as per Dale’s Cone of Experience: we watch an educational film, we look at still pictures, etc. However, most of the lesson involves direct experiences: creating a webpage, arranging the class Wunderkammer, photographing, sketching, creating artwork, etc. The lesson also utilizes many categories of Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy: students analyze and evaluate the images they find online to collect ones they find interesting, they analyze connections between objects when creating the class Wunderkammer, they evaluate the work of their peers a number of times during the lesson and give feedback, and finally they apply previous artistic skill and knowledge to solve the problem of creating a new piece of artwork.
Facilitation Theory is a humanist educational theory which calls upon the teacher to not be an instructor of skill or knowledge, but a facilitator of learning. It aligns well with student-centered learning practices. The theory was developed in the 1960s by the great psychologist Carl Rodgers. He was inspired by Dewey’s writing, as well as his own experiences in clinical psychology. Rodgers is responsible for person-centered therapy, which flew in the face of psychoanalysis and other therapist-centered psychotherapies of the mid 20th century. According to Rogers:
because of the continually changing atmosphere in which we live, we are faced with an entirely new situation in education where the goal of education, if we are to survive, is the facilitation of change and learning. The only man who is educated is the man who has learned how to adapt and change; the man who has realized that no knowledge is secure, that only the process of seeking knowledge gives a basis for security. Changingness, reliance on process rather than upon static knowledge, is the only thing that makes any sense as a goal for education in the modern world (Zimring, 1994, p. 415).
Rogers wrote that attitudinal qualities were what made a teacher an effective facilitator. The core attitudinal qualities are realness, prizing, and empathetic understanding. Realness concerns being honest with your students. It is incredibly important to have a human relationship with your students to create a safe and respectful learning environment. Rogers believed that teachers who adopted the traditional persona of the authoritarian teacher discouraged interest in and respect for learning. The second quality, prizing, is having a non-possessive caring for your students; acknowledging that your students are fellow human beings with emotions, hopes & dreams, etc. The last quality, empathetic understanding, is the ability to understand your students’ human condition: their attitudes about learning, their home life, their emotional states, etc. (Smith, 2014). In research done by Rogers and others, students in facilitative environments were more creative, engaged in higher-levels of problem solving, had better attendance rates, reported that they enjoyed lessons, and showed greater independence and initiative-taking behavior (Zimring, 1994, p. 420).
Rationale
UBD Lesson Plan
Digital Wunderkammern Rubric
Lesson Resources
Rubistar: Rubric Creator for Teachers
The Secret of Drawing: Line of Inquiry on YouTube
The History of Museums on YouTube
References
International Society for Technology in Education. (2007). ISTE standards: Students. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-S_PDF.pdf
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). ISTE standards: Teachers. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-T_PDF.pdf
Graham-Dixon, A. (Director & Writer). (2005, October 8). The line of enquiry [Television series episode]. In The Secret of Drawing. BBC2. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H59cVnnF9Y
Jemison, M. (2002, February). Teach arts and science together. Lecture presented at TED2002, Monterey, CA.
Jones, C. A., & Galison, P. (Eds.). (1998). Picturing science, producing art. New York, NY: Psychology Press.
Lehrer, J. (2008). The future of science…is art? Seed Magazine. Retrieved from http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/the_future_of_science_is_art/
Maranto, J. V., & TED-Ed. (2015, February 5). The history of museums – J. V. Maranto. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHo928fd2wE
Nielsen, J. A., Zielinski, B. A., Ferguson, M. A., Lainhart, J. E., & Anderson, J. S. (2013). An evaluation of the left-brain vs. right-brain hypothesis with resting state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (Y. He, Ed.). PLoS ONE, 8(8), E71275. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0071275
Science Education Research Center. (2012). Why teach with an interdisciplinary approach? Retrieved from http://serc.carleton.edu/econ/interdisciplinary/why.html
Smith, M. K. (2014). Carl Rogers, core conditions and education. In infed. Retrieved from http://infed.org/mobi/carl-rogers-core-conditions-and-education/
State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education. (2015). National core arts standards. Retrieved from http://nationalartsstandards.org/
Zimring, F. (1994). Carl Rogers. Prospects, 24(3-4), 411-422. doi:10.1007/BF02195279
Zinevych, S. (2013, March 05). Noble blogger guidelines: How to cite pictures [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://writtent.com/blog/the-honor-code-of-a-noble-blogger-how-to-cite-pictures/
Digital Citizenship
by Ashley Flinn & Ai Mackay
What are digital citizenship skills?
Who is responsible for educating kids about digital citizenship?
Assignment: On average, children are 12.1 when they receive their first mobile device and of children 8 years of age and younger 2 percent have their own cell phone.” Mobile phone use is growing. How can we teach children the meaning of “community” and friendship” in the use of devices that can track us, that can be hacked, and can be used for cyberbullying? Do we, as teachers, have a responsibility for showing proper use or is this the responsibility of the parents? What advice does your group have for using technology in teaching in ways that increases meaningful learning? Give two guidelines.
SUMMARY
Guideline 1: Implement holistic computer science standards that fully address digital citizenship. We recommend the ones in the Computer Science Teacher Association (CSTA) Computer Science Standards (2011).
Guideline 2: Talk to your colleagues and PTOs about how the internet is a neutral tool. Many of them will have strong feelings about it one way or the other: some will be luddites, some will be futurists. Many will be blinded with fear about their kids’ online activities. Strive for meaningful conversations about the positive and negative aspects of the internet, and how adults can improve their digital citizenship skills and share them with their classroom/children.
DISCUSSION
Ai: My opinion on this matter is that as a teacher we are responsible to guide students to use good manner and etiquette, and only way we can show the proper cyber communication, we need to incorporate them within our lesson.
Ashley: I definitely agree that we need to teach good internet citizen skills in the classroom. Cyber bullying can be dealt with when teaching empathy and understanding in the classroom. The Computer Science Teacher Association has come up with some really helpful standards for teaching computer skills in a holistic manner, and one of the “strands” it deals with is Community, Global, and Ethical Impacts, which concerns digital citizenship. I think if these standards were implemented that it would really help.
Excerpt from Computer Science Teacher Association (CSTA) Computer Science Standards (2011)
Strand 4.2.5 Community, Global, and Ethical Impacts
The ethical use of computers and networks is a fundamental aspect of computer science at all levels and should be seen as an essential element of both learning and practice. As soon as students begin using the Internet, they should learn the norms for its ethical use. Principles of personal privacy, network security, software licenses, and copyrights must be taught at an appropriate level in order to prepare students to become responsible citizens in the modern world. Students should be able to make informed and ethical choices among various types of software such as proprietary and open source and understand the importance of adhering to the licensing or use agree- 12 • csta k–12 computer science standards ments. Students should also be able to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of information they receive from the Internet.
Computers and networks are a multicultural phenomenon that effect society at all levels. It is essential that K–12 students understand the impact of computers on international communication. They should learn the difference between appropriate and inappropriate social networking behaviors. They should also appreciate the role of adaptive technology in the lives of people with various disabilities.
Computing, like all technologies, has a profound impact on any culture into which it is placed. The distribution of computing resources in a global economy raises issues of equity, access, and power. Social and economic values influence the design and development of computing innovations. Students should be prepared to evaluate the various positive and negative impacts of computers on society and to identify the extent to which issues of access (who has access, who does not, and who makes the decisions about access) impact our lives. (The CSTA Standards Task Force, 2011, p.11-12)
Excerpt from Computer Science Teacher Association (CSTA) Computer Science Standards (2011)
Community, Global, and Ethical Impacts (CI)
Grades K–3 (L1:3.CI)
The student will be able to:
- Practice responsible digital citizenship (legal and ethical behaviors) in the use of technology systems and software.
- Identify positive and negative social and ethical behaviors for using technology.
Grades 3–6 (L1:6.CI)
The student will be able to:
- Discuss basic issues related to responsible use of technology and information, and the consequences of inappropriate use.
- Identify the impact of technology (e.g., social networking, cyber bullying, mobile computing and communication, web technologies, cyber security, and virtualization) on personal life and society.
- Evaluate the accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness, and biases that occur in electronic information sources.
- Understand ethical issues that relate to computers and networks (e.g., equity of access, security, privacy, copyright, and intellectual property). (p. 15)
Grades 7-9 (L2:9:CI)
The student will be able to:
- Exhibit legal and ethical behaviors when using information and technology and discuss the consequences of misuse.
- Demonstrate knowledge of changes in information technologies over time and the effects those changes have on education, the workplace, and society.
- Analyze the positive and negative impacts of computing on human culture.
- Evaluate the accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness, and bias of electronic information sources concerning real-world problems.
- Describe ethical issues that relate to computers and networks (e.g., security, privacy, ownership, and information sharing).
- Discuss how the unequal distribution of computing resources in a global economy raises issues of equity, access, and power. (p. 17)
Flow chart of standards for the Community, Global, and Ethical Impacts strand:
Ashley: A great example of how the internet can help build community and compassion when it is missing locally (Prager, 2014). I think a really important thing to remember is that there is a lot of bullying that happens outside of the internet, and kids who are most at risk in small communities (LGBTQ and racial minority youth) often need to go outside of their local IRL community to find a safe space and a sense of community online. LGBTQ youth are online more than non-LGBTQ youth; about 45 minutes longer every day. As for a greater sense of community: “LGBT youth reported high rates of civic engagement online, including having taken part in an online community that supports a cause or issue (77%), gotten the word out about a cause or an issue (76%), written a blog or posted comments on another blog about a cause or an issue (68%), and used the Internet to participate in or recruit people for an event or activity (51%)…For each form of online or text-based engagement, LGBT youth participated at rates that were approximately twice those of non-LGBT youth.” (GLSEN, CiPHR, & CCRC, 2013).
“For many LGBT youth, online spaces offer one’s first opportunity to connect to other LGBT people.” (GLSEN, CiPHR, & CCRC, 2013). This is such an important lifeline for youth that are at greater risk for depression, self-harm, eating-disorders, and suicide. The It Gets Better Project was started online by sex-advice columnist Dan Savage and his husband Terry Miller as a way to reach out to LGBTQ youth around the world, and let them know that they are not alone and give them hope (Savage Love, LLC; 2014).
Ai: It’s really important that we stress these issue to our students. I run across an negative example (what happens if we do not use cyber etiquette) this week on facebook page: offensive comments on Facebook yard sale page. The bigger issue here is that facebook nor the page administrator did not control the matter, and it kept escalating. Of course, the facebook has some guideline and standards, but they were no good since“(the comments and photos) were within their community standards.” Police are investigating on this issue, but this is truly disgusting.
Ai: Here are some other cyber bullying stories with very regretful results… We must educate our students… what information should be shared online, as well as the horrible consequences of the action. I know that some people may feel that these things should be taught at home, but I feel school being in a social setting has more advantage in relating to the issues.
Ai: I think this video sums up our concerns… and it happens Every Day.
Ai: Here is a link to the obligation guideline. Also, this site: http://www.stopbullying.gov/laws/federal/ explains both federal and state laws and policies.
Ashley: This part is of the utmost importance, because it makes it clear that it is OUR responsibility as educators to stop bullying: “When bullying and harassment overlap, federally-funded schools (including colleges and universities) have an obligation to resolve the harassment.” (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2014).
Ashley: Video: this one has boys and girls reacting to the Amanda Todd video; it’s powerful and gets the raw reactions of teenagers to bullying…
at 5:39 a young man hits the nail on the head: “ High school students, you know, they feel weak, so they pick on people weaker than them. So they can at least, you know, have some power. And they find an easy target, like someone who already has past problems and they just, they make it worse without realizing that, you know, that that has very bad consequences (TheFineBros, 2012).
Ai: Good video, totally agree with the boy.
RESOURCES
National Crime Prevention Council: Teaching Youth Cyber Ethics
iKeepSafe.org: Cyber-Ethics
Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship
Cyber Etiquette for Teens: Top Ten Tips
Appropriate Online Behavior Social Networking Etiquette Cyber Bullying Awareness
Computer Science Teacher Association (CSTA) Computer Science Standards
REFERENCES
Abbott, C. (Director), & STRUTT Central (Producer). (2013, March 9). Cyber bullying virus [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmQ8nM7b6XQ
GLSEN, CiPHR, & CCRC (2013). Out online: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth on the Internet. New York: GLSEN.
iKeepSafe. (2015). Cyber-Ethics. Retrieved from http://www.ikeepsafe.org/educators_old/more/c3-matrix/cyber-ethics/
Lohmann, R. (2010, December 11). Cyber Etiquette for Teens. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/teen-angst/201012/cyber-etiquette-teens
Prager, J. (2015, April 27). Support rolls in for bullied teen whose cries for help were ignored by school [Editorial]. Addicting Info. Retrieved from http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/ 04/27/support-rolls-in-for-bullied-teen-whose-cries-for-help-were-ignored-by-school-video/
Savage Love, LLC. (2014). It gets better project. Retrieved from http://www.itgetsbetter.org/
The CSTA Standards Task Force. (2011). CSTA K–12 Computer Science Standards (Publication No. 978-1-4503-0881-6). Retrieved http://csta.acm.org/Curriculum/sub/CurrFiles/ CSTA_K-12_CSS.pdf
TheFineBros (Directors). (2012, November 18). Teens react to bullying (Amanda Todd) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF6cmddWOgU
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2014, March 21). Federal laws. Stopbullying.gov. Retrieved from http://www.stopbullying.gov/laws/federal/
Learning Theories & Neuromyths
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
I first encountered Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences when I was working at Manhattan High School and a teacher who I had worked with closely was interested in how I would “score” on it. I liked (and still like) this teacher and she was happy when she was able to guess things correctly about me, so I took her test. She gave me a sheet with a grid of the Multiple Intelligences, I circled statements that were most accurate, and she scored it. She was happy that she had identified me as a Visual-Spatial person, and said it was indicative of high intelligence that I scored highly in the other areas. I was glad that she was happy, but I was highly suspicious of the value of the test. Full disclosure: I’ve been given IQ tests that actually measure specific abilities. This test didn’t measure anything other than one’s perception of one’s capabilities (which is pretty biased, and is going to be wrapped up in personal mythologies and generalizations like “I’m a math person”, “I’m good at sports”, “I’m not brainy”) and enjoyment of certain activities. This seemed pretty meaningless to me, so I wanted to see if there was anything to support this idea of Multiple Intelligences outside of the field of education. I was also worried about how it could be used to pigeonhole kids either through self enforcement or teacher bias. It also plays into the false notion that abilities (and by extension, intelligence) are fixed or inherent values.
Educators are on the whole very supportive of Multiple Intelligences, probably because it can hypothetically help with the idea of differentiated learning and “learning styles”. However, it also encourages the vapid relativism that is all too often found in schools: “Everybody is a genius”, gold stars for everyone, etc. If everyone is a genius, the word loses all of its meaning. We would never assert that everyone is a champion athlete or a hero.
People are insecure about their intelligence in American culture, it’s one of the reasons why intelligent and creative people are ostracized and undervalued. Because Americans see intelligence as something we are born with (which is true to an extent, nature and nurture both play a part), this flies in the face of our meritocratic values: being “smart” seems unfair. So we compensate for our insecurities: we buy into pseudoscience like Baby Einstein, BrainGym, Left Brain/Right Brain dominance, that we only use 10% of our brain; we post feel-good quotes on Facebook like “Everybody is a Genius” and falsely attribute them to Einstein, we watch trivia shows and over-congratulate ourselves when we get the correct answer, we laugh at the ridiculous caricatures of intelligent people on the TV and think how superior we are to those weirdos who are “too smart for their own good” (Big Bang Theory, the “Straw Vulcan” trope, etc.). We do everything but value learning and intelligence. I’m not saying that individual Americans don’t value learning and intelligence, plenty of us do, but the culture as a whole does not. We wouldn’t have such poor funding for the arts and sciences, underfunded schools, No Child Left Behind, early high school start times, or any standardized testing if we actually valued learning.
Which brings me back to Multiple Intelligences. Gardner argues that the link between cognitive abilities is weak, and that his Multiple Intelligences are distinct cognitive abilities. It is far more likely that the opposite is true: neuroimaging studies and intelligence testing do not support the idea of distinct abilities, but a general intelligence (Carol, 1993, p. 624-625). Additionally, Gardner’s categories are almost identical to ones proposed by Plato 2500 years ago (Geake, 2008, p. 126). A lot has happened in scientific discovery since then, especially in the field of neurobiology. Furthermore, Gardner’s definition of “intelligences” is highly subjective.
John B. Carroll absolutely slays the concept of subject-based abilities in his book, Human Cognitive Abilities: A Survey of Factor-Analytic Studies:
…any ability refers to variations in performance on some defined class of tasks. If there is such a thing as mathematical ability, it would refer to…those tasks normally taught and assigned in mathematics courses in school, at different grade levels from elementary to graduate school. Such tasks might differ markedly in their characteristics and requirements; it is not a forgone conclusion that there is only one mathematical ability…mathematical tasks involve a variety of abilities, not only higher-order abilities, but also lower-order abilities such as induction, sequential reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and sometimes visualization. [As well as] specialized mathematical knowledge…“Mathematical ability,” therefore, must be regarded as an inexact, unanalyzed popular concept that has no scientific meaning unless it is referred to the structure of abilities that compose it. It cannot be expected to constitute a higher-level ability. Similar statements could be made about other everyday concepts like “musical ability,” “artistic ability,” “creative ability,” “problem-solving ability,” and the like (1993, p. 626-627).
And to all this criticism you might say, “Well, I don’t care. I use this theory in my classroom and it works/my teacher said it works, so I’m going to use it.” However, though practicality is always important in the classroom, it’s clearly not the only concern. Being unconcerned with science as it portains to education is wrong-headed, and “undermines the professionalism of teachers.” (Geake, 2008, p. 124). Our profession needs to increase its rigor, especially in the current political environment that seeks to strip us of any shred of autonomy. Entertaining pop-science theories will not help with this. As Geake points out on the subject of neuromyths, “The phenomenon of their widespread and largely uncritical acceptance in education raises several questions: why has this happened?; what might this suggest about the capacity for the education profession to engage in professional reflection on complex scientific evidence?” (2008, p.124).
My teaching will be affected by the idea of Multiple Intelligences, because I will continue to encounter many teachers who wholeheartedly believe in it and other neuromyths. I will do my best to explain why these myths are not supported by scientific evidence and how they can do harm in the classroom when applied in certain ways. I will differentiate my instruction based on the individual children in my classrooms: challenge their weaknesses and comfort-zones, and encourage their strengths.
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy
As an artist, I am flattered that creating is at the top of the list, but I definitely don’t think that creating always requires higher order thinking from analyzing. Indeed, being adept at finding information on the internet can require higher order thinking skills, because it can involve complex connections, applying previous knowledge, and evaluating search results. It’s far from lower-order thinking. In art class, we create and then analyze the created work by critiquing it. All of these things in the Taxonomy are important, and they need to be utilized when crafting lesson plans, but the hierarchy feels arbitrary and it encourages thinking about these skills as distinct entities instead of being highly related and connected when engaging in almost any task.
Dale’s Cone of Experience and Universal Design for Learning
Dale’s Cone of Experience and the bastardization of the original diagram is a great example of a neuromyth. It also mirrors what happened to the diagram of the 5 tastes on the tongue.
The myth of the tongue map
Both are a great lesson as to why good design is really important to infographics and diagrams. Ambiguity can easily lead to misunderstandings. There is no rational I can think of for why the information Dale was presenting was shaped as a cone. Both examples can also be used to teach media literacy.
Universal Design for Learning looks legit. The three guidelines are:
- Provide Multiple Means of Engagement
- Provide Multiple Means of Representation
- Provide Multiple Means of Action & Expression
By giving more options you allow for more individualized learning. It seems very straightforward and well done.
My Theory of Choice: Flow
Flow was first described by researcher Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, but has been expanded upon by other researchers. It describes an intense, highly motivated, highly focused state of mind where the sensation of time can cease to exist. Speaking from personal experience, it’s a very addictive state, an ecstatic state, that all artists strive for, because it is when our best work is done and when we are the most productive. Regularly experiencing flow greatly increases one’s feeling of well-being. It doesn’t just happen to artists, but to everyone. You can even experience flow while cleaning a house; you just get into a rhythm and things seem to get accomplished effortlessly. This also mirrors the state of “hyper-focus” that people with ADHD experience (though they are probably not identical brain states). It’s also similar to the Zen Buddhist state of “no mind”. When applied as a learning theory, educators seek to create an environment where flow can be experienced and thus enable the learner(s) to become very immersed in the task at hand.
” Challenge vs Skill Level and Emotional States (Oliverbeatson, 2015)
Adequate skill level and challenge level are very important to this, because if the skill level of the learner is high and the challenge level of the task is low then the learner will become disengaged and just finish the task if they are motivated by points, or not finish the task if they view it as being below them. This is especially relevant in teaching gifted students. However, if the skill level of the learner is low and the challenge level of the task is high, the learner may experience anxiety and shut down. This may lead to negative thoughts towards a subject (math, art, etc.) or erode the student’s self esteem. This supports Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development model. Passive activities such as teacher lecture or watching a video are not conducive to initiating flow. Things that teachers can do to encourage flow in their classrooms are:
- Providing students with immediate, informational feedback. This helps to increase the intrinsic motivation of the student.
- Encouraging students to persist, and emphasizing the importance of trying new solutions and building on multiple failures.
- Valuing and encouraging cooperation over competition.
- Supporting student autonomy.
- Tempering new challenges to match students’ skill levels.
- Emphasizing the importance of the material.
- Focusing on understanding the principles, instead of memorizing facts.
(Schweinle and Bjornestad, 2009).
Practical considerations for applying flow in the classroom include length of class period. Flow can be experienced during a 30-45 minute period, but block scheduling can make better use of it, as it will account for time to get into the right brain state and let the learner experience it for longer. This is why art studio classes are 3 hours long and why students will often stay much longer (5-8 hours) if time allows and they get into the flow state. Cultivating a supportive, respectful classroom environment is also crucial, but that should be a high-priority concern for all educators.
References
Carroll, J. B. (1993). Human cognitive abilities: A survey of factor-analytic studies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Geake, J. (2008). Neuromythologies in education. Educational Research,50(2), 123-133. doi:10.1080/00131880802082518
National Center on Univeral Design for Learning. (2014, December 11). UDL Guidelines: Theory & Practice Version | National Center On Universal Design for Learning. Retrieved from http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines_theorypractice
Oliverbeatson. (2015, January 5). [Challenge vs. skill, showing “flow” region.]. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Challenge_vs_skill.svg
Schweinle, A., & Bjornestad, A. (2009). Flow Theory. Education.com. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/flow-theory/
TED. (2008, October 24). Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Flow, the secret to happiness. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXIeFJCqsPs
Thalheimer, W. (2006, May 1). People remember 10%, 20%…Oh really? [Web log post]. Will Work At Learning. Retrieved from http://www.willatworklearning.com/2006/05/people_remember.html
Tongue map. (2015, April 3). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 05:40, April 20, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tongue_map&oldid=654814937
Mobile Media & Digital Citizenship
By Ashley Flinn and Ai Mackay
Our Question: What can we do as institutions, companies, and schools to help students to become better digital citizens in the use of mobile media (see articles below, the mobile video, or choose one of your own)? Provide two examples of what can be done through teaching or training.
More progressive mobile device policies need to be adopted.
Mobile device policies in the schools need to not be so draconian. Ai has seen many examples of bad school policy about mobile devices. She has not personally seen a class where the teacher suggest or even allows the use of mobile device in class. Many teachers would take the phone away if they saw students handling it. The basic idea of disallowing mobile device is that the teacher may lose students’ control, and or it is treated as distraction to the class. The sad truth is that what the teacher is teaching, content wide, can be mostly be found through the mobile device. For example, YouTube is full of scientific experiments, geographical or historical information, as well as how to solve an equation in algebra. Therefore, it would be more beneficial, if the teacher incorporated the technology. The teacher can become more like a facilitator to oversee the students advancement, or hold a flipped classroom through use of technology. So one solution/suggestion is to think outside the box and traditional method, and do not be afraid to incorporate it in learning activities. Luckily at Ashley’s school, many high school teachers let the students use their phones as recording devices for multimedia projects and for looking up information that is blocked by the district firewall. After all, if we do not let them associate with digital world, how can we teach them to be a part of it?
The digital divide needs to be properly addressed.
As we have discussed before, all students need access to a computer outside of school. Due to the socioeconomic digital divide, schools have a responsibility to level the playing field and give students access to devices that will help them succeed. According to the Center for American Progress, there is not just a difference in access to technology, but how that technology is used: “Forty-one percent of eighth-grade math students from high-poverty backgrounds, regularly used computers for drill and practice. In contrast, just 29 percent of middle school students from wealthier backgrounds used the computers for the same purpose.” (Boser, 2013). This can be as small and inexpensive as a flash drive to help with transporting and backing-up schoolwork, especially if the student doesn’t have internet access at home. It would only cost about $1 or less if purchased in bulk, and they should be able to squeeze some money from the enrollment fee (which are actually unconstitutional).
Having more states adopt the ISTE Standards would be helpful.
The ISTE Standards concisely outline what digital citizenship is:
Standard 5. Digital citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.
a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology
b. Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity
c. Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning
d. Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship
(International Society for Technology in Education, 2014)
Here’s a map of the US showing states that have adopted, adapted, or referenced the ISTE Standards (International Society for Technology in Education, 2015).
With the ISTE standards, teachers and administrators will have a quality framework to help guide their technology policies, as well as curriculum and lessons. Furthermore, teaching programs should really take standard 6 to heart, because I don’t know many teachers or administrators who meet ANY of those objectives:
6. Technology operations and concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.
a. Understand and use technology systems
b. Select and use applications effectively and productively
c. Troubleshoot systems and applications
d. Transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies
(International Society for Technology in Education, 2014)
So here’s a rhetorical question: How can you hold kids to standards you aren’t holding yourself to?
Push for e-books, when feasible.
E.O. Wilson’s Life on Earth iBook is an example of a high quality e-book that fully utilizes the possibilities of the technology.
At the same time we need to be mindful of the fact that reading on a screen isn’t the same as reading from a book or piece of paper, our brains might not retain the information as well (Jabr, 2013). However, many of the studies that report a negative effect on comprehension and memory are from a time when screens had abysmal resolution and are a very different product from the high-resolution screens that we now use. Another factor is the great advances in digital typography that have been made in the last 15 years. Websites (and e-books for that matter) can be designed to have absolutely beautiful and highly readable layouts that would have been impossible 10 years ago (Linda D., 2013). More studies definitely need to be done in this area! However, E-books do have some distinct advantages over paper books:
- Lighter weight than a textbook (better for our students backs)
- Searchable text
- Texts are updateable, no need to purchase new editions (saves money)
- Self-publishing an iBook is easy and free (if you own a Mac). This is great as an educator, because you can tailor your textbook to your class, and make changes on the fly (much better than having to run off 150 copies of some chapter or article).
- Ability to embed video and other forms of media.
- Assistive tech capabilities: text can be made larger, different colors, different typefaces to make the text easier to read; and apps like Bee-Line Reader.
Make better apps, demand better apps, don’t just be a complacent tech consumer.
Be aware of current tech trends so you don’t waste tons of time on out of date technology or a boring/unhelpful app. Augmented reality is a emerging trend in educational technology and has many uses, especially for science education. This video shows many interesting examples of augmented reality (SIfyInnovations’s channel, 2011).
We need to educate ourselves to be EXCEPTIONAL digital citizens.
It’s not enough to be able to check your email, edit a gradebook on an iPad, or even just know how to use GoogleDocs. Teachers who are ignorant digital citizens need rigorous professional training to catch them up. You can’t effectively teach critical thinking skills unless you yourself are a high-level critical thinker, why should digital citizenship be any different. The annual Little Apple Tech Fest and monthly AppyHour that are hosted by USD 383 are a great start, but more teachers need to be reached, and higher quality instruction is needed (specifically at Little Apple Tech Fest, the man who was supposed to teach Scratch never showed up, and a lot of the presentations are just vendors).
Find cool uses for mobile devices.
Seek out apps that will actually enrich student learning, not just pay lip service to the idea of technology integration. The Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas has a very robust education department. They have a number of installations and projects that can be used by educators with mobile devices:
STOP LOOK LISTEN
Commissioned by the Spencer, artists Velasco and Davidson-Hues have created an unusual “way-finding system” for the museum. Inspired by images from the SMA collection and common traffic signage, their works outside the museum announce “Warning: Art Approaching,” while MP3 audio tours inside offer offbeat looks at the collection, encouraging visitors to slow down and, as the title suggests, stop, look, and listen.
SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL PODCASTS
See the Spencer through young eyes by touring the galleries accompanied by audio podcasts from Southwest Junior High School eighth-graders. As part of a Communications Class project, students visited the museum, studied the artworks and chose one to use as an inspiration for a podcast. The narratives brief the listener about the selected work and also incorporate the students’ own observations and reactions.
Some science classes are using mobile devices to collect data and then post it online, so that the findings of their experiments are more robust and significant (mzmacky, 2010).
References
BeeLine Reader. (2014). BeeLine Reader. Retrieved from http://www.beelinereader.com/
Boser, U. (2013, June 24). Are schools getting a big enough bang for their education technology buck? Retrieved from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education/report/ 2013/06/14/66485/are-schools-getting-a-big-enough-bang-for-their-education-technology-buck/
International Society for Technology in Education. (2015). [ISTE standards around the nation]. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/sf-images/Standards/195-14-standards-adoption- map_v3.jpg?sfvrsn=2
International Society for Technology in Education. (2007). ISTE standards for students. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards/standards-for-students
Jabr, F. (2013, April 11). The Reading Brain in the Digital Age: The Science of Paper versus Screens. Scientific American. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/ article/reading-paper-screens/
Linda D.(username). (2013, September 4). What 12 of the world’s biggest websites looked like at the beginning. Retrieved from http://www.boredpanda.com/worlds-biggest-sites-at- launch- wayback-machine/
mzmacky. (2010, August 10). IPad Science Tools. Retrieved from http://ipadschools.wikispaces.com/Science+Apps
SIfyInnovations’s channel. (2011, November 30). Augmented Reality for Contextual Learning in Schools & Higher Education [YouTube video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTU73_i8AOg&list=FLS51Wm-9kzMFVmjnc471yHg&index=2
Spencer Museum of Art. (2015). Education. Retrieved from http://www.spencerart.ku.edu/ education/
balderd/ash 
