Week 6

I really enjoyed the readings from this week and continue to find myself shocked daily on just how much information is available free to the public online. First of all, I don’t think I realized how valuable a resource The Chronicle of Higher Education truly was. I know I have read articles from the site before but it has never clicked to be a resource for me before. I have tagged it on my delicious account and set myself up to receive occasional e-mail updates.

The Internet has changed the way we view and access information in ways that I don’t even think could be listed. I hear jokes about people saying the “internet fad will pass” and I know that this was a true belief at one time. Now, the idea of being without the Internet leaves me with an almost hopeless feeling. I feel like I restrict myself way too much though. My first reaction to signing online is to check my e-mail and then go on facebook. After scrolling through the most recent updates I will sometimes tap my fingers and feel almost bored. The fact that the world is at my fingertips sometimes doesn’t occur to me. My newest obsession is stumbleupon.com. This website lets you choose what you want to see and then introduces you to thousands and thousands of things that you WANT to see, to hear, to play with. It’s one of the biggest enablers to my procrastination I’ve ever had to face. But, at the same time, I learn constantly through using it. Despite the fact that Stumbleupon.com deters me from wanting to do my homework, it’s way better than watching TV because at least it makes me think.

I am so excited for the shift that I am sure is going to come with digital textbooks. It’s so frustrating sometimes when I want to read an article on the UF website but can’t because it’s not available online. The idea of having to get up, get dressed, gather my stuff and go to the library is almost funny. I’d rather spend that time looking for a new article that does apply to what I’m investigating. I know it’s lazy but it easily puts into perspective what I value most, and quick and easy access to material is at the top of my list.

One aspect of the reading that I want to reflect on is the idea of self-grading digital texbooks . I’m not sure that this promotes active intrinsic learning and participation. What motivation do students have to do well if they’re only working for the grade that the computer will give them. I cherished the comments that my teachers wrote on my homework, especially if they were assignments that I had spent a long time completing. Making grading 100% digital takes away the personal aspect and seems like an unreasonable choice for valuable assessment methods like short answer or essay questions. I would hate for a digital grading system to replace the use of these assessment methods because they require the most complex thought processes and critical thinking skills.

An aspect of digital textbooks that I am really excited about using in my future classroom is the ability that students will have “to jump around in their e-textbooks. From any homework problem, for instance, students can click to the relevant part of the text, or can jump to a part of their professor's recorded lecture that touched on that concept (if the professor makes use of that feature).” (Yonge, 2009). I feel like this tool would be the ease of access that students need to push themselves the extra step to understanding material. It can be annoying to have to go and find a topic that you don’t understand in a book that you don’t like reading.

Overall, I am very excited about the future of digital textbook technology and can’t wait to see what they come up with next to make learning easier and more fun for students!

Resources:

Yong, J. R. (2009, September). New E-Textbooks Do More Than Inform: They'll Even Grade You. The chronicle of higher education. Retrived from http://chronicle.com/article/New-E-Textbooks-Do-More-Than/48324/?sid=wc&utm_source=wc&utm_medium=en

Week 5

- How indispensable are mobile computing devices in your life? Are they an "extension" of who you are?
- How can mobile computing devices be used in disadvantaged or underdeveloped environments?

My cell phone goes with me everywhere. I wake up to the alarm that I set on it and then check it- responding to any text messages I may have gotten in the night. Then I have breakfast and take a shower and check it again to make sure nothing has changed in the world since I took my shower. After I’ve packed my stuff I double check to make sure I have it with me and put it in my pocket for easy access during my commute and then I head to class. During class I check to make sure it’s on vibrate and then use it a clock to let me know how many minutes left till class is out. After class I use it to call work and make sure everything is going smoothly until I get there and then go to the Library. At the Library I have the shelf location text messaged to me from the computer so I can find the book I’m looking for. Then, I might receive a tweet or two from my friends in Europe about what they’re doing that night.

Basically, I’m trying to emphasize that I am attached to my cell phone and it doesn’t even have the Internet. In the Fall I’m going to be getting an iPhone with a camera and internet and I can only imagine that my obsession with staying connected via mobile device will turn into a full fledged addiction. My cell phone keeps me connected with my family, with my coworkers, with my peers and with my social life. It helps me coordinate when I get up and when I move from place to place. I haven’t owned a watch in years. To expect any level of involvement less than this from my students would be absurd and completely hypocritical. Cell phones should be allowed in school because they are allowed in life and they are not going away any time soon. A student using their cell phone in class should not insult teachers, they’re not doing it to be disrespectful. They’re doing it because it’s a part of who they are, an extension of themselves. To take that part away would be cruel.