Daniel Pink and A Whole New Mind October 18, 2009

When I saw the required book list for this course I was pleased to see Daniel Pink's book on the list. Having already read the book for another course eased my cluttered mind. I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time and re-reading through the first few chapters I am seeing things I had not before. I was also very fortunate to hear him speak at the 2009 Texas Music Educator's Convention. It was a wonderful speech and can be heard here. I recommend the longer version and remember that he is speaking to an auditorium full of musicians.

Being what most would consider an "artsy" person, simply because of my field of music, I was thrilled to hear Daniel Pink exclaim that R-Directed Thinkers would rule the world! Well not exactly, but that the creative nature, that has been for so long neglected, would rise to the front of the line. They are not to replace L-Directed thinking but to work alongside. We seek beauty in our lives not simply functional purpose.

One of the topics he writes stands out for me most is the discussion on the SAT which measures L-Directed thinking. My own children never tested well on the SAT or any other standardized test. They are all very creative people, being artists and musicians. They always did well in school where they were given opportunities to show their understanding of a subject matter in a way that was not always a written test. By having this means of assessment they were successful in school. But to move forward in their education, and to receive academic scholarships, they would need to score much higher than they ever could on the college entrance tests. One of my children took the ACT 4 times just to score high enough to earn an academic scholarship (which he did get). I don't know that he really learned any more information from test to test but more that he learned to beat the test. So what did that all prove? Absolutely nothing. The concept of an alternative test to the SAT, such as the Rainbow Project by Professor Robert Sternberg to measure those high-touch abilities, would give R-directed thinking students a better chance to show their skills.

In my studies about brain research and learning, I am always drawn to the ways that I can help my own children and my students learn better and to remember what they learn. I think that Daniel Pink's writings suggest that by embracing whole mind thinking we can advance ourselves in society and culture.

Pink, D. (2006). A whole new mind: Why right-brainers will rule the world. Riverhead Trade.

 I actually held these brain halves. Way cool.










November 19, 2009
I have not been very faithful to updating my posts for this class. It is not a required part but I had hoped to note the highlights of my readings here. This has been a very fascinating course discussing our brain, how we learn and how we make those memories. As I go through each week's readings and videos I am frequently taken back to my own memories of school and how I learned and remembered the information for my classes. Sadly there are some classes that I barely remember taking and cannot recall much from the class. I will need to consider the class situation and what made certain times more or less memorable. I also must analyze my own classes that I teach and have to question how memorable am I making them for my own students?

Digital Portfolio October 15, 2009

 Mary Kuterbach's Digital Portfolio

Creating a digital portfolio was a good experience. I had to stop and think carefully about what I wanted to share that would give someone a good picture of who I was and what my goals were. I see this project as one that will continue to evolve. Digital portfolios are a unique way to show yourself as a part of the 21st century.

I originally wanted to create a more professional looking portfolio (and not that you can't do that in Glogster) but Glogster is too much fun and I enjoy the creative impulses it pulls out of me.

Self Evaluation October 14, 2009

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I chose to self evaluate a podcast that I did for a Web 2.0 class. The rubric found at http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/podcastrubric.html contains more items than were required in my podcast. I kept many of the items but I adapted it to create the following:

Category	Exemplary 4	Proficient 3	Partly Proficient 2	Incomplete 1	POINTS
Introduction	Catchy and clever introduction. Provides relevant information and establishes a clear purpose engaging the listener immediately. Tells who is speaking and where the speaker is located.	Describes the topic and engages the audience as the introduction proceeds. Tells who is speaking and where the speaker is located.	Somewhat engaging and provides a vague purpose. Does not clearly state who is speaking and location.	Irrelevant or inappropriate topic that minimally engages the listener. Does not state who is speaking and location.
Content	Creative and original content enhance the purpose of the podcast. Vocabulary enhances content. Topic is focused. Conclusion clearly summarizes key information.	Accurate information with appropriate vocabulary. Stays on topic and conclusion summarizes information.	Some information is inaccurate or long winded. Vocabulary is adequate. Occasionally strays from topic and conclusion vaguely summarizes information.	Information is inaccurate and vocabulary is inappropriate for the audience. Does not stay on topic and there is no conclusion.
Delivery	Well rehearsed, smooth delivery. Highly effective enunciation and presenter's speech is clear and intelligible, not distant and muddled. Expression and rhythm keep the audience listening. Correct grammar is used throughout.	Rehearsed, smooth delivery. Enunciation, expression, pacing are effective throughout with correct grammar.	Appears unrehearsed with uneven delivery. Enunciation, expression, rhythm are sometimes distracting during the podcast occasionally with incorrect grammar.	Delivery is hesitant, choppy and sounds like the presenter is reading. Enunciation is distant and not clear. Expression and rhythm are distracting with poor grammar throughout.
Audio/ Music	Music enhances the mood, quality, and understanding of the presentation. Music is owned by creator, creative commons or copyright cleared.	Music provides supportive background to the podcast. Music is owned by creator, creative commons or copyright cleared.	Music provides somewhat distracting background to the podcast. Use of copyrighted works is questionable.	Music is distracting to the podcast. Copyright infringement is obvious.
Technical Production	Presentation is recorded in a quiet environment without background noise and distractions. Volume of voice and music enhance the presentation.	Presentation is recorded in a quiet environment with minimal background noise and distractions. Volume is acceptable.	Presentation is recorded in a semi-quiet environment with some background noise and distractions. Volume is occasionally inconsistent.	Presentation is recorded in a noisy environment with constant background noise and distractions. Volume changes are highly distracting.

Based on this rubric I would have given my podcast
          

Introduction	4
Content	4
Delivery	4
Audio/Music	4
Technical production	4

I think this rubric covers many areas that are necessary to a quality podcast. The key features of this rubric mention areas from creative aspects, presentation and technical aspects.

Cell phone project response October 13, 2009

A response!
Well I was very excited to hear back from some of my contacts. Though the one from the original assignment link I have not heard from since our quick phone discussion. However, if the articles I quoted in my last post, I mentioned a teacher from the Tampa Bay area named Jennifer Gould. I emailed Jennifer and asked her a few questions. She emailed me back today. Here is her response:

Cellphone Project Details

Name of teacher: Jennifer Gould

Location: Wiregrass Ranch High School, Wesley Chapel, Florida

Grade level for project: 12

Content Area: Language Arts (AP Literature)

Specific project: (ie- podcasts, camera use, texting) Internet search for author background information

Resource used: Internet

Inside or Outside of school? During Class

Policies: (ie- permission note, etc.) WRHS allows students to use their cell phones during class, per teacher instruction, as educational tools.

Links: none

What did you learn from doing this project with your class? Students LOVE to be the first one to finish the search!

What would you do differently if you did this project again? Put them in groups and put together a sheet of biographical questions about the author for them to specifically search.

What recommendations would you have for another teacher who would like to do a similar project? Be sure you have enough students with Internet access on their phones so that groups are feasible. Be sure to address appropriate versus inappropriate and reliable resources prior to the search to avoid faulty information.

Cell Phone Project Inquiry October 9, 2009

Just as I was finishing my writing for this assignment, I received a phone call from Pat Sattler, one of the teachers from the suggested k12cell phone project website. Needless to say I was very excited. I had tracked her down to her school earlier in the week, but not finding an email I called the school and left a message. She had attempted to email me but our filters (as good as they are) kept booting her email out of the system. Finally reaching me by phone we talked briefly (I was in the middle of my school day) and she promised to email me at another address and help me out with some information. So now we play email tag and hope we connect. When I hear from her I promise to come back and post an update. In the interim I leave you with my research.

Cell Phone Project Inquiry

Using cell phones in the classroom is a new idea and not many school districts have warmed to the idea. Teachers on the other hand are beginning to see the value of using technology that many of their students already have and are very comfortable in using. The assignment to find and interview a teacher who has used cell phones in the classroom proved to be more challenging than I expected. I attempted to contact four different teachers. Unfortunately I have not had a response from any of them at the time of this writing.

However in my research I came across two interesting articles recently reported by the St. Petersburg Times online edition and the Dallas Morning News online edition. The article from St. Petersburg Times describes teachers in the Tampa area who regularly have students use cell phones to complete assignments and projects, in and out of class. They have used their phones for photos, as calculators, to view the internet for class work and take notes. One teacher says
"They all have them anyway, and they're all dying to use them in class," said Spanish teacher Ariana Leonard, who admitted that she stores her life in her cell phone and uses it for a variety of functions. "If they're texting when they're supposed to be listening, I might tell them to put it away. But you might teach them a way to use it that might be applicable to their learning." (Solochek, 2009)

Thinking like this is why it works for this school. Their open policy and support from parents and staff alike have helped students understand the appropriate use of cell phones in the classroom. They still have policies in place for monitoring and keeping students on task but with their changing attitude, students are using them less for distraction and more for class work.

From literature to Spanish to Chemistry classes, teachers and students are finding ways to use this computer in their pocket. To sum it up, Jennifer Gould, a literature teacher at Wiregrass Ranch High School said "It puts the education in their hands."


In the Dallas New article, an intermediate school is involved in a program that used donated smart phones from Verizon. These students also have turned cell phones into the latest technology in the classroom. Teachers and kids are excited about their lessons but also understand the rules in place for their use. A commenter to the article explained that these phones also have a software program that allows teachers to turn off features and monitor what the students are using. So here is another example of schools that embrace technology and make them tools for education.

I recommend that you go and read the articles and especially the comments below. It is interesting the response that this generated in both situations. There is a student from Wiregrass who also responded to the Tampa Bay article and the related comments.

Sources:
Solochek, Jeffrey S. Some Tampa Bay high schools allow cell phones to be used in class. October 4, 2009. Retrieved from http://www.tampabay.com/ October 8, 2009.

Unmuth, Katherine Leal. Keller's Trinity Meadows  students use cell phones as classroom computer. February 20, 2009. Retrieved from http://www.dallasnews.com/ on October 9, 2009.

Cell Phone Digital Story October 7, 2009

I knew I was going to be an educator when....
There were two challenges with this assignment.  One, could I really answer that question? Two, how was this going to work with my outdated Motorola Razor? Answering the first question was the easy part. Using my phone was what gave me a few problems but I found a way around it all. When I started this project I had not decided exactly what program or web 2.0 tool I wanted to use for my digital story. I ended up doing it in Voicethread and could have called in my recordings very easily but I had already created mp3s of my flute and voice. I wanted to try some different ways to get my voice recorded and downloaded as an mp3. I used http://www.gabcast.com/ to record myself on the flute. I used drop.io to record my story. Once I had the recordings in mp3 format I used Audacity to edit them and create each section of my story. Again, had I made the decision before to use Voice thread I could have called my comments in on each slide.
Doing the pictures was another challenge. I could take pictures with my phone but my choices after taking them were to either store them or send them in a text message. I couldn't email them or download so I sent them in a text to my husband who then emailed them to me from his phone. Once I had them on the computer it was an easy task to upload them to Voicethread.
This was a fun project to do and I imagine with a better phone it would possibly be easier. You can view my digital story here.

Cell phones in Education- Helium Debate October 4, 2009

I feel that cell phones should not be banned in schools. Like any piece of technology, there are positive and negative aspects to its use. A parent's first choice for providing their children with a cell phone has usually been for safety. It gave the parent a sense of calm knowing that their child had a means to contact them at any given time, especially in an emergency situation. In these times of hectic schedules and long hours, the cell phone is frequently deemed a necessity in coordinating the lives of families. Under these circumstances, cell phones should definitely be allowed in schools.
What about other circumstances? What could be seen as an accepted use of the cell phone in school? What about using the cell phone as part of the school lesson? Why can't one of the easiest computers available to students be a regular part of their day? As a presence in the school day, educators have often seen the cell phone as a distraction. Teachers and school administrators should not ban this tool, but embrace it. If we take the device and turn it toward educational purposes, students will begin to see it as more than just another technology toy. Marc Prensky said in his article, "What Can You Learn From a Cell Phone" (2004), "given the opportunity, we can be certain that students, as they have been doing with all useful digital technology, will quickly embrace and use the tool and make it their own in various unexpected ways." Those in education must do as we have always done and guide our students in appropriate ways to use that technology.
There are many ways a teachers can incorporate cell phones into the lesson. Even elementary students, who may not have advanced smartphones, can be involved by using the common applications available on most cell phones, such as camera, calendar and voice recorder. Students can use the camera to take pictures for an assignment, use the phone memos and calendar as a planner, or voice record assignments, and use of the calculator. These are very simple tasks that do not require phones with every application. There are a variety of additional, simple ways to use cell phones in the class room without being a distraction that so many fear it to be. From sending pictures to Flickr and creating podcasts, students can share content with their class and others around the world. Encouraging students to create and share gives them ownership in their learning.
Using cell phones in the classroom is just taking advantage of a technology that our students already love and feel comfortable using. They have embraced this technology and use already use it for these purposes outside of school, why not make it tool for learning?

Resources:
LaMontagne, J. (2009) Please turn on your cell phone. Retrieved October 4, 2009 from http://changeobserver.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=10277
Prensky, M. (2004) What can you do with a cell phone? Retrieved October 4, 2009 from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky-What_Can_You_Learn_From_a_Cell_Phone-FINAL.pdf
 VanDrimmelen, J. (2007) 8 Ways to use camera phones in education. Retrieved October 4, 2009 from http://edutechie.com/2007/06/8-ways-to-use-camera-phones-in-education/