Stoll, Help Desk

I just read a couple of chapter in Stoll’s book and found Help! I’m stuck at a help Desk! to be very amusing.  I don’t think I would be able to repeat a simple step the way he described that he had to do.  I am more hands on and would have to come and show them how to do it.  I also think that they would remember it better too. 

 

Still reading, more to come later…

More myspace

I am beginning to feel that my myspace friends aren’t really involved in myspace.  I am commenting more than anyone else and feel that I am just adding comments because no one else is.

 

However, I really like the one group that I joined where the students post math problems and we (teachers) help solve them or give advice on how to solve them.  That group usually has a new question daily, but I’m usually too late to answer it.  I sure wish they had that kind of help when I was in school. 

 

Also, I had one group member write something and post it by hand on the group discussion board.  Anyone know how they could have done that? I really like that idea especially with math problems that you can’ t find symbols for. 

Grades

Ok, right now I haven’t looked at my grades because I read where Nate said that some people got zero’s and I automatically figure that is me.  I can’t remember posting anything last week at all.  I know that I have been checking and commenting on other, but have I done any type of posting to mine.  WEll, I guess I’ll check one day this week, but for now I’ll just wait to see after I work on my SNS a little more. 

Hot Chalk and NBC

I just looked at the vdeo that was in the Education News this week(scroll down until you see the youtube video).  If you don’t have a hotchalk account you might want to get it just for the achived and current NBC programs that will made available to us through hot chalk.  I can’t wait to check it out, now all I have to do is remember my login.  LOL

 

online and math classrooms

Online courses might have been easier back in 1999, but today, they are convenient, not easier.  I hope that Stoll has looked at all the advances in technology since he wrote the book and feels differently about technology use for online courses now.

 

He did bring up a good point, however, about computer use in the math classroom.  I agree computers don’t need to be used in a math classroom until mastery of the basics is dons.  Students today expect things quickly and usually get it. This generation is used to gizmo’s and computers; that is why we almost have to bring them into the classroom.  IF the students would listen and pay attention tot chalkboard lectures still, we wouldn’t need alternate methods of teaching, but those days are gone.  Students want to be entertained while they learn.  I don’t remember thinking my classes were boring when I was a kid, but the only thing I had was an Atari on a black and white TV set that only got 7-8 channels on a regular basis.  So times change, so teachers and schools need to change with the times.   I, personally, think that technology is the way to change with the times.  Students are capable of learning more than ever because it is all at their fingertips.

Still Reading

I am still reading the book, High-Tech Heretic.  I came across Stoll talking about how the students in kindergarten were using computers and why did they need them at such a young age.  I just wanted to give you my impression of what he said.  He was talking as if the teacher sit back in their chairs and eat bonbons while the students sit and stare at the computer screens all day.   Just because you have a computer in your room doesn’t mean you don’t teach anymore, it just means now you have more options on how and what to teach.  I feel as though he is writing this book for a uneducated audience and trying to persuade them, without facts, that computers are bad for education.  I am glad that most (or at least some) don’t believe everything they read.

Routine

I think I have fallen into a rut in my Social Networking Space. I go in, check to see if I have any friends to add or messages in my inbox.  I have had 2 people now that want me to add them to my friends list, but I don’t know who they are.  Anyone else have that?  I just leave it and don’t respond.  I also had one out of the way message and I clicked on Spam on that one.  Why do people you don’t know want you to add them as your friend.  I don’t get it.  What do they gain by doing that?  My profile is already public.  Anyway, back to my routine.  Then I check to see any new posts in the groups I joined. Sometimes I reply, sometimes I don’t.  Then I log out or go back and play mental blocks application that I downloaded to myspace.  By the way, I thank those that joined the group I started, but for some reason, it didn’t form because I found today where it should have said it, but it said I wasn’t the moderator of any groups.  I don’t know what happened there.  Sorry guys.  

 

I am a member of three groups now.  Those three keep me pretty busy reading and replying.  

Tv and eductation

I was reading High-Tech Hereticand Stoll was discussing how TV said it would be a “boon for education” (p. 117).  He then wanted to know where the boon was.  I believe he is wrong.  I think that the TV is what is educating our youth today.  It may not be the things that we want to be taught, but a lot of what is learned today is through the TV.  In my opinion, that might just be what is raising most of our youngsters.  We have a much more violent and lazy generation than when I was a kid.  I think we had  many little fights, but now when a person gets mad they are out for blood, where as many years ago they fought more, but with their fist and were friends again later.  In today’s society they are usually dead or critically injured so no room for making up. 

Why We’re Here

On page 84, Mr. Wenglinshy’s study concluded that  ”. . . teacher’s computing competence has the most effect on whether technology helped or hindered the students.” and  “. . . schools should insist on teacher training in technology. “  Even though Stoll doesn’t agree, I do.  I feel that is the teacher can use the technology to help a student to understand a difficult concept than that would be a great use of technology.  If they don’t know how to implement the technology and only use it for games and research, then it isn’t really using technology to its fullest. 

 

I also agree that we need PD on technology and I believe that a yearly PD would be necessary to keep the teachers up with all the latest technologies.  There are so many tools out there that a teacher could use right now, that one technology PD a year really isn’t enough. 

my space

I have been getting on my space and checking it out regularly and really like the one group that I found that have students put math problems they need help with up for us to help with.   As a teacher, I do feel that it is cheating if they just get the answer with no explaination, but I also feel that students will learn if they want to from the answer if they are given an explanataion with it.  I don’t give them all the answers, usually I give them a starting point and have them try to finish the rest of them on there own.  There was one that I couldn’t answer becasue it has been so long since I looked at those type problems, but I posted for him to send the answer when he gets it to help me out with a reveiw as well. 

 

I don’t have many friends still, but I keep up with the groups and hopefully other math teacher will find me.  I love my game that I put on my home page.  That is my addiction right now.  I haven’t missed a day playing it yet.

 

I still have a hard time finding people that I know have spaces, but I don’t know their email address.  If they used their real name when creating the account I can find them, but if not, I need their email.  I guess that helps cut down on spam, but if you joined  myspace you probably want people to find you.