Final Project-Google Docs

After hearing how Sara used Google docs when she was an SE teacher, I thought how much a small, easy to use technology could do wonders to keep everyone informed in a school, especially between staff. I remember Sara saying that she liked to have GE teachers fill out surveys each day, to explain their students behaviors, learning, and overall thoughts about their day. One thing that I notice in my placements that I have been in, is that there is a lack of collaboration and connection. This technology can be a great tool for both keeping the SE teachers informed about how the student is working in a GE classroom, and also a way to keep daily notes and tracking system where you could show parents, faculty, and use as information for IEP meetings. I plan to use this tool extensively in my teachings because it is crucial that the SE and GE teachers work together. I also plan on using this to keep track of my own observations.
In class, we also talked about how we as teachers could use Google docs for students projects and group work. Here is a video on how a teacher can use it.



It is also a great way for students to stay on task and organized. The teacher can track how often a piece of work is edited, so participation is tracked. As long as students have access to the Internet, they are able to do everything they will need. I think of Google docs as an online library and book bag for the students. Everything they do in class can be on their individual space. They can work on papers, projects, presentations, note taking, etc. and it saves endless amounts of work. It also keeps it organized so the student doesn't have to mess with textbooks, missing worksheets, leaving homework at home, and countless other reasons why students struggle with organization. While researching Google docs, I was trying to find blog posts discussing how current teachers use it, here is one and here is another, and I thought I'd add in the very important Google docs blog. One of the many tools that I found was at this blog which details 100 tips about Google docs. I have used this list a few times already. The NWP site, which Sara has been apart of, was another useful tool. Another resource that I have used a few times because basically it explains everything that Google can do is here, if you need anything for your classroom, this site pretty much says Google can offer it!
I have put a few links on this blog post, but I also wanted to share a few ways in which students and teachers can use Google Docs to make learning easier and more efficient:
• Teachers have the opportunity to check student progress and make sure students are following the guidelines. They can provide feedback in the document. Teachers can offer advice which may lead to higher grades.
• Teachers can use the revisions history to find out who has actually helped on the project and evaluate individual participation and content.
• Teachers can discover who is not participating and have the opportunity to correct the situation.
• Teachers can use Google Docs to inform students about upcoming assignments.
• Google Docs is popular for teams that are developing an essay or a presentation.
• A team of students can create a spreadsheet which includes assignment details and deadlines. All the team members update the spreadsheet which allows students to see who is getting their work done on time and who is falling behind.
• The revision history feature allows students and teachers to see a history of the revision process of a particular document. Sometimes previous ideas and information that were removed actually deserve to be in the document. With Google Docs, this deleted content can be restored.
• Students from all over the nation can work on the same project in real-time and get involved in brainstorming sessions.


I found from this class that Google docs can do wonders for communication and learning, by making us use it for a project in our own class. I was forced to see the details, which I am grateful for because I think this tool can eliminate stress, work, and by doing this allows us to be focused more on teaching-which is what is all about! I still cant believe there is a tool that is free of charge that allows students/teachers to work with other students/teachers all around the world.

Random things about Google can be found here.

Many people probably already knew this, but one of the creators of Google is from East Lansing, MI. Read more here if you'd like.

Recap of CEP452

I wanted to use one of my posts to explain how I felt CEP 452 helped me in preparation to be a effective teacher. Whether we like it or not, technology is going to be apart of our careers, so we need to embrace it. I wrote about how technology is cruising along in a previous post, so feel free to take a look at it. There are some things that this course has taught me that I have not gotten from many others in the TE program, that being freedom to express yourself, and the idea that there isn't a right or wrong answer. Sara and Ira, came into this class explaining to us that this is a free range, less structured, and most responsibility was on the student to learn from it. This couldn't have been a better approach. Sure, the teachers could have used each lecture to go over each individual technology at extreme depth and detail, but honestly who enjoys that. What they wanted was to introduce us to them, give a short synopsis on what they do, and say "we leave it up to you to do the rest." I think by giving us the freedom to explore them by ourselves allowed us to figure out how these technologies could fit our lives and careers. The foundation of this course, is to show us "one size, doesn't fit all", so by saying "hey, here are a ton of technologies, you picked the ones that can help you the most- and fits the best". I have thoroughly enjoyed this class, and I found the technologies that fit me, and plan to use those in my career.

Video from CEP class

After class the other day, I got to thinking about the video called Children Full of Life, that we watched in class. I started thinking of a time when I was a young student, about the same age as that young student and how different my outcome was than his. I remember being yelled at in front of class for talking. The teacher had me come to the front of the class, apologize to the class and then ridiculed in front of everyone as the teacher went on for about five minutes on how not to behave, using me as the model. What the teacher didn't realize was that my glasses had broke and sitting in the back of the class I couldn't see the math problems on the board. I asked the kid next to me if I could see his paper, so I could copy down the problems. I'm not sure whether the teacher was already ticked off about something that morning, but it seems like I was that one thing that set her off. I hardly had a chance to explain myself, because she just raised her voice over mine, yelling for me to get up to the front. Not only was this humiliating but in the end I felt like the most horrible person alive. Is that really the environment that school should feel like? I feel that this video shows the way discipline should be done in the classroom, regardless of age. When students feel that their voice can be heard in class, and also in a way to defend their friends, it will create a bond and positive learning environment, rather than a scared and frightening one. If my friend had a chance to speak, and defend me, by explaining what I was trying to do, I wouldn't have been humiliated and put in one of the toughest moments that I can remember from school. My one question is, should any child have have one of their worst experiences in school be in elementary school? I say no.

Google Docs

Working with Google Docs has been eye opening. I didn't realize all of the things that were available on the site. I had heard of it before class but never really looked into it, assuming it was just a site where students could post a word document and discuss it. Without realizing its full potential, I now regret not using it for many of the assignments that I've had at MSU. Its perfect for group work where most of us have other priorities than just school. Since last week I have used it two times, one for personal reasons (sent a survey to family for graduation) and another for a TE class. Why didn't I know about this before? Well, it was never covered in any of my other courses. I realize its a technology based resource but honestly this could be used in all courses in college. Professors could easily get students working with it by having their syllabi on google docs. In a society where things grab on quick, this resource could explode like facebook has. It will now be on my favorites list and it becomes another tool I will use as a teacher.
Thanks to Ira and Sara

Cool Tools for Schools

This week we worked in groups to go over each of the different writing tools that are in the cooltoolsforschools website. I realized this was just a small portion of online tools that can help in every subject at school. My biggest question after class was, why don't teachers use these in their classrooms? I then quickly thought of reasons. Is there a lack of computers? Is there a lack of knowledge, where the teachers are unaware of the tools at their fingertips? Are these teachers not being trained, I mean aren't they required to have a specific number of PD days during the year.
To get a better understanding and possibly to answer my questions, I asked a friend of mine who is a teacher. She is a 5th year teacher and this year she is implementing/starting a integrated arts program in the elementary curriculum at a local school district. I asked her the following questions and I have recorded her responses. Even though this is a very small sample (1 person) I still felt I could get some insider information because she works with a lot of other teachers (and eats lunch in the teachers lounge).

*Do you use technology in your classroom, if so, how much? Yes, of course I do, I am a Mac person, there is so much you can do. I use an elmo and my laptop is hooked up to the projector. I always use online tools to try and get the creative juices flowing in the classroom.
*Do you see other teachers use computers in the class? Not really, hey I guess I am little younger and stay up to date on new stuff. I love technology but its tough because I always ask for new stuff for the classroom especially when starting up a program, but because of budgets I usually have to purchase the stuff on my own. I think a lot of teachers are kind of stagnant in their teaching. They think what worked 20 years ago still works, I don't follow that philosophy.
*Are you guys educated on the impacts of technology through PD's or any other workshops, etc?
Not really, everything that I do I pretty much find on my own except when you showed me that awesome site. (I showed her the cooltools website-haha) I wish we were changing the ways in the classroom, especially trying to implement changes and requiring teachers to use computers, email, the web and other things. The students are so far ahead of the teachers with technology.

I sort of thought I would get these types of answers. Some teachers don't want change, won't accept it and will keep going on their mundane routine. I think there should be a massive shift in these classrooms where the students aren't the only ones being graded, but also the teachers should be required to do more work (not just their normal lesson plans). They should be implementing technology in their classrooms and the administrators should hold them accountable for it. What teachers don't understand is that if they started implementing technology, their frustration and stress levels may actually go down (students are motivated to work w/ computers, they are self sufficient, and probably less discipline needed). Maybe that's the avenue you work towards when addressing the issue

We need reform?

We need reform? How about a bulldozer? I think that will do the trick.

After watching the video on the history of education and its roots I thought to myself-how true those words were that they said in that conference. I looked more into the messages the Toffler's were trying to spread by googling them and I found some great information.
Its amazing how things have evolved and most importantly the classroom. Well I take that back, everything has evolved except for the classroom. Look at cars, homes, phones, wireless technologies, military, and the capability to talk to every single person in the world. They have all been updated to fit the needs of the public. Its difficult to comprehend that the one thing every citizen is given, a free appropriate public education, can't change. Politicians are changed, laws are changed, and societies change, all to adapt to its environment. However, the issue of the classroom has been at the root of a national/global debate for a number of years and yes its been changed too, but has it really? Looking at Ira's blog, I noticed that many of the things he notices about the original (ancient) classroom still stand. The layout of the classroom, the placements of desks, same utensils, books, etc. but does this suit today's children? People and children have changed, they have accepted and embraced the new age of technology. These innovations have changed the way people interact, socialize, communicate and live.

With the children today being able to communicate with other children all over the world it seems odd that those politicians who talk reform don't notice that todays classrooms just dont meet the needs of the students. It sort of resembles a time machine, the children today are so advanced with technology that when they hit the classroom and are given a pencil and a piece of paper, they will soon be trying to figure out what it is they are holding in their hands and what time period they are in. I apologize if the post is all over the place but I am trying to explain my thoughts on how I think everything outside of the classroom has moved on but the school system is just in a back and forth battle that will solve nothing because they cant see the root of the problem- its always playing catch-up!

Digital Text is Needed

I have been doing some research on digital text since discussing it in class the other day. After trying to find the pros and cons, I have come to the conclusion that the pros far outweigh the cons based on need. As this clip (make sure to listen to the words, did they really just say "shake it like a Tropicana"?) shows if Americans do not grasp the technology and keep innovative minds hunting for new ideas, we will surely be left behind. Digital text is one of these innovations, it's crystal clear, easier to read, can use text to speech programs and is accessible anywhere you go. The future is at a crossroads right now with digital text, either we follow it and embrace its capabilities or we stay behind and worry if the technological boom has gone too far. Either way, other nations are not waiting. We should take advantage of digital text and other assistive technologies. Why not?
For students, I think this is just another avenue to get them interested in reading. Children love computers, gaming systems, ipods, etc. so why not use those tools that they love and incorporate reading activities, not to mention the help that it could provide those who have trouble writing, seeing, speaking or even hearing.