Weblog 1: Introductory Survey

Personal information:
#1-4 can be found under my profile information.

Learning Style and more:
5. In order for me to feel comfortable taking intellectual risks in a classroom, I need to feel safe. I need to know that the people in the class are open-minded and willing to consider multiple points of view. Any time you take a risk, failure or "being wrong" may result, so I need to know that I can have the freedom to risk failure and have the opportunity to try again.

6. As a student, I learn best by example, demonstration, and class discussion (especially when the discussion involves everyone in the class). The first thing I do when I do not understand something is to try to reorganize the information so that I can understand it, or I ask an outside person for help. Though I would describe myself as contemplative and sometimes silent in class, I am a very active listener, which I also think is a kind of participation; if everyone was talking, who would be listening? I have always been a conscientious student, though I especially appreciate reading and projects that are relevant and engaging. Lastly, as part of our end of the year evaluation here at Saint Joe's, we are required to complete a candid and reflective self-assessment; reflecting on your own teaching is such an important part of being a professional and being an educator.

7. Well, I think many people in the class would agree with me when I say that this school year is going to be a difficult one for so many of us. Most of us are teaching new classes that we've never taught before (in the interests of "challenging ourselves"), it seems that our list of "professional responsibilites" gets longer and longer every year, and the morale of the troops is quite low.

Technology Section:

8. I believe that the most important technological invention in history, by far, is the internet. The people who have internet access can find any information they need at their fingertips (knowledge is in everyone's hands, not just people with access to books) and the world of communication has been revolutionized. The internet is efficient and easy.

9. List of technologies that I believe are essential to my life:
car
electricity
indoor plumbing
medicine
*computer

10. In relation to technology, after a typical school day, I use various technologies in my home, such as the telephone, electricity, indoor plumbing, clean running water, and the internet. I use the microwave, the stove, and the refrigerator. While I do not have cable, I do use the t.v. for watching dvds.

11. I think cell phones can be used inappropriately by students and teachers alike both in and out of school, and I believe that cell phones are also promoted excessively by the media. Students can text each other answers to questions, and cell phone use during class is distracting for both students and teachers alike. While cell phones are a great convenience, I can remember numerous occasions, personally, when I have been out with friends and they spend the entire night checking their phones, which I think, when done excessively, is really rude. Frequent distractions tend to disrupt socialization.

Also, I think that PowerPoint can be overused in many classrooms. With all its animation, clip art, and font choices, it is difficult to see PowerPoint as anything but a glorified overhead.

12. DO: We need to complete projects that we can use in our current classes that we teach OR that we will teach some time this year. Also, I would like to have class discussions/professional dialogue about key issues pertaining to technology. I do not doubt that I can learn much from both my teacher and my peers alike. STUDY: We need to study current event articles on the use/misuse of technology in the modern classroom; we need to be informed of up-do-date information in this arena since technology is always changing. BE: We need to be supportive of each other and be open-minded. We need to be diligent. We need to be critical thinkers. We need to be reflective. We need to be willing to try out different technologies. AVOID: We need to avoid completing projects that we do not use in our classrooms.

About Dr. Shutkin:

13. Regarding questions I would like to ask Dr. Shutkin: What is the value of promoting the use of technology in our classrooms? Do we use technology to make our lessons more entertaining? Do you think that a good teacher has to be a good entertainer? Or do we use technology for a different reason than that of entertaining our students?