Bubbl.us

Concept Map created using Bubbl.us from the content of Learning to Think Things Through: A Guide to Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum by Gerald M. Nosich.

Wordle

Word cloud created using Wordle with the article, "COMPUTER LITERACY: WHAT IT MEANS AND DO TODAY'S COLLEGE STUDENTS NEED A FORMAL COURSE IN IT?" by a panel of educators.

FlockDraw

In a digital classroom, the use of an interactive white board is a great tool, especially for visual learning. When a class is entirely online, the absence of a chalkboard or whiteboard can limit the way a student shares their understanding because they seemingly only have communication through text. In subjects such as math or science, a visual tool is usually a must. There are various online interactive white boards available, one of which is FlockDraw. This tool not only enables a student to draw or map out a problem, but it also allows them to share their board with anyone they choose via online link or embedded code. I think this is also a great tool for collaboration because anyone who has access to the board can add their own comments or drawing and communicate with others with access to the board via chat. It does not require any logging in or creating an account so it is very convenient.

This tool would be great for distance education primarily because it has the capability for a good amount of collaboration and it allows a student to express their ideas visually. I see this being used mainly for brainstorming with a group or for showing math work and understanding. The problem that FlockDraw presents is the ability to edit after the original whiteboard has been closed. This means that the collaboration has to be completed in real time but the result can be saved as an image.

Although a FlockDraw board can be embedded, it does not currently allow resizing to fit a blog. Here is my example: ALGEBRA

Computer Literacy Microsoft Office Concept Map

Part II Reflection

There were so many Web 2.0 tools that were discussed in part II of Leading 21st Century Schools: Harnessing Technology for Engagement and Achievement, it's exhilarating to know that if ever I do venture into elementary or high school level teaching, these tools are there to help inspire, inform and engage our digital natives. At the moment, I primarily work with digital immigrants so it's hard to dive right into the core of online learning and teaching. But I looked at these tools in a way that made me think about how I could get my non-technological students on the level of being able to use these tools efficiently. Considering all the tools mentioned, I do have a select few that I think my students would greatly benefit from.

One of the tools is a WebQuest. I think this can be a great tool for any level of computer and Internet users. For beginners, it can teach the fundamentals of basic Internet usage (i.e. search engines, research resources, accuracy of data) and for other levels, it can optimize and hone the skills that they've already acquired. It also helps that there are ready-made WebQuests available for teachers to pick from instead of having to create these from scratch.

The other tools I thought appropriate for my students were for writing. I think that when students are able to write about their discoveries, how it makes them feel, what excited them about class or the content, and have them share this with the Internet community, it develops a self-awareness of their experience and progress. This self-awareness can serve as the spark that ignites their interest in online learning. Sharing these experiences can be done with blogs, which are my personal favorite, microblogs such as Twitter, or the tool I was not aware of, electronic pen pals. Whatever the tool, collaboration, communication and creation are among the skills that are constantly being instilled in our students today, so we must continue to feed into the ever-evolving society of  our digital natives.

Penzu: An Online Journal

I chose to explore online journaling. I came upon Penzu, which I really enjoyed! I wrote my reflection within the journal and embedded my public journal entry link below. If you would like to go directly to the link, it is https://penzu.com/p/3dadf55f.

Google SketchUp

As an Adult Education and Computer Literacy Instructor, I have students of all levels and backgrounds and typically teach students ranging from the ages of 16 to 70+. This involves a lot of high-risk teenagers, individuals who recently got out of prison, and many parents who dropped out of high school to raise their children.

My ideal classroom would include a SMART board, laptops, desktops, and a very capable printer. I positioned my desk in the center so I am able to see what the students are up to on the computers. In my experience, many of the students waste time on the computers when the facilitator is not looking. Time in my classroom is always logged and critical in regard to Adult Education, especially if they are on track to earn their GED. A certain score on the Test for Adult Basic Education (TABE) is needed in order for the student to qualify for GED testing, and regulations are set forth which only allow a TABE to be administered after 40 hours of studying have been completed. The majority of this studying is completed at the computer so if I am able to see what the students are up to, I can ensure they are not logging non-studious hours. On the other hand, a lot of studying goes on that does not involve the computer which is why there is one long table in the center. The SMART board would be used to get students math, social studies, and science skills up to par.

Google Sketchup was magnificent in helping me structure the perfect classroom. I could definitely see this software incorporated in a subject such as science or as an advanced skill in my computer literacy classes. In science, I imagine this could be used in terms of measurements (i.e. volume). After exploring this software a bit more, I saw that this pretty much has limitless possibilities. A city can be built, buildings developed, and interior design and landscaping can be illustrated, to name a few. New components are also continuously being developed in the 3D Warehouse. For my computer literacy students, I know that having them experience building something as easy as a backyard may engage and inspire them to learn more about computer careers.