Team 5 discussion
From Instructional Technology Wiki
Future Paper
paper 2 Team 5 Comments by Randy Colbert
All the different things mentioned here are either already here or will be soon. One important thing that team 5 does mention the reluctance to change anything. Those of us who have been in education many years have seen it many times; something great for students comes along and the administrators resist change. BUT how often is it a financial issue, especially in public schools?
Comments by CJ Flay
Who cares how schools look in the future? What matters is the relevance of the education the students recieves. Does it matter if they are at a one room school house, on a sprawling campus, or at a computer desk? Not at all. What matters is are they being equipped with the knowledge they need to be competitive in the marketplace.
All education needs to be student centered, anything else is extraneous. What also is extraneous is the manner that education is delivered rather it be high tech using the latest in high tech gadgetry or old fashioned lectures popularized by Socrates or Socrats as my excellent friends Bill & Ted refer to him as.
The information that is given and how much of it is retained should be the bottom line. If students learn better in a high tech environment than so be it. Invest in computer lab and al the peripheral equipment. I'm a computer teacher and all for it. If, however, studies show students learn best in small group settings with with face to face verbal instruction than maybe we should reconsider all the gadgets.
Comments by Terri Ferguson
It is happening, absolutely! It has been happening, definitely! I like to see the new technologies being designed and built. I even want to get the new stuff, I just don't want to pay the price they want for it because it is new. I am one of those who wait to get it when the price goes way down.
Comments by Kim Poole
Radio was definitely a medium that fizzled. It did have some uses that worked but could not keep up. Much like future education, the properties of radio merged into improved products. Everything evolves and education neeeds to pick up the pace. It is definitely hard to imagine school in 2050, but it will be interesting to see. Extracurricular activities, like sports and chorus/band, are highly influencial in schools today. How will they factor into future schools? How do we keep the beneficial interaction and involvement in virtual learning environments?
Comments by Evan Herreid on Futures Paper
I have to say that I am a big proponent of educational technology. My mindset is anything that we can use to assist in learning we should use it. There should be more programs out there that would allow school systems the avenue to bring in these innovative technologies at severe reduction in cost or no cost at all. I think that what has been going on with the advances in technology and some of its new innovations the next 25 years are going to be incredible and I hope that I am a part of it the whole time. To think about what might be with virtual world technology or holography, maybe we can open the world so that a student could take a class in another country by just sitting in an environmental room that simulates his/her projection into the classroom across the globe and allow for interaction with the students that are there.
Comments by Rhonda Griffith Wouldn't it be great if North Carolina could be nationally noted for something in education like on the cutting edge of virtual schools, and I'm not just talking about "online classes" but real virtual worlds like the AET Zone? So many of us experience each day in our own classrooms blocked educational sites that we can't even go to because they might be considered a 'security threat' like VoCATS websites and sites relating to the holocaust. So, we, like the students, have to resort to using vtunnel and feel like we're underground hackers ourselves. If I want to get something through the system to use in one of my classes, I go to one of my hacker kids and get a routing site. Isn't that sad?
Instead of trying to keep our kids within boxes, why don't we allow them creativity or avenues to use their talents like Joy says below with virtual interaction? I have one of the smartest kids I have ever seen with programming skills, and "just to see what he could do" he hacked into the school system to look at a few passwords. He didn't cause any real damage, though he could have if he wanted to. The people who are supposed to be monitoring our system had to call him in to have him "tell them how he did it." Our principal was mad because he was an embarrassment to our school, and in repsponse, he vowed to see to "that kid never touches another computer ever!" This, of course, is out of reason!
The kid did it out of boredom, admittedly so. Why not use his talents for good? Put his skills to use by having him put systems online we don't currently have, maintain the school website, or upload all the curriculums/syllabi online? That might would keep him busy and have him graduate. There has to be a better way.
comments by Joy Knight
Ah, cyber education....If North Carolina’s public schools are to educate students so that they will be competitive in a marketplace that values online learning and virtual interaction, the state will need to ensure that its schools at the very least have a virtual component. With the inception of the Virtual High School, the state seems to have met that challenge. Currently, there are ninety-seven charter schools in North Carolina. There are, however, no cyber charter schools in the state. In fact, North Carolina has rejected two applications for cyber-charters. Nonetheless, careful consideration of as many issues as possible in making amendments to the existing legislation or in creating new legislation will help to ensure that North Carolina plays an important role in guiding the development of virtual learning in the state as it attempts to provide a “sound basic education” for each of its students. Otherwise, students in NC will be ill-prepared as education becomes more global.--Travelingdoxies 08:20, 28 June 2007 (EDT)
Comments by Grayson Beane
Since you guys talked about the cyber schools of Pennsylvania, I started thinking about the Amish. The Amish don't believe in school past the 8th grade and Penn. used to let them keep a journal as an independent study until they were 16 and could legally drop out. Does anyone know the Amish position on computer technology? It has been more than 10 years since I've spent any time with an Amish person and I'd like to know. I'd bet they are opposed, but I would also bet the bishops are having a hard time enforcing it. The technological advances are even harder to reject i would bet.
Comments on Paper 2 by Chad Parker
Education will definitely have to undergo a definite paradigm shift if true reform is to take place. While it's not all bad to keep a few of the "old school" philosophies in mind, those who resist technological changes are fighting a losing battle. As your paper states, I think it's somewhat ironic how many of us demand and expect the comforts of technology, yet we resist it in so many other ways. I use a site from pbs.org with my sixth graders on how technology has changed from 1900 to the present. Many are amazed. Next school year, I'm going to bring in an 8-track tape and see if students can guess what it is. While doing research, I also found an article about textbooks disappearing in favor of electronic books. However, the author finally concludes that in order for the profit motive to work, there will need to be a national standard, moving power to the federal government in this area. The section on cyber charter schools was rather interesting. Even though an interesting concept, I still feel that losing the human contact factor, especially in K-12 education, is not completely advantageous.--Ceparker526 16:22, 27 June 2007 (EDT)
Comments by Sara Rhyne
I still think that the table top computer would be one of the coolest advancements towards children with disabilities and communication problems in the educational setting. It is difficult when you see a new piece of technology and immediately know a child it would help, but realize that most of the money used to fund that technology will go to purchase alcohol instead of improve a child’s quality of life. (No offence to the bars, I will think the computer is just a cool the first time I get to buy a drink with one, but that there should be a societal balance.)
Comments by Marianne Lore
I think your team's paper has hit on something, many people are afraid of change. You can see this hesitation in almost all technology tools recently brought to the public's attention. Look at the recent announcement of the I-phone, shortly after the announcement statements were on the news and several online forums questioning the applications reliability. The big question is how do we change the outlook of parents and administrators to a positive one when changing is brewing in the near future????--Mlore 01:06, 26 June 2007 (EDT)
Comments on Paper 2 Lee Ann Luman
You made a fantastic point regarding college professors teaching our prospective teachers with current technologies. These future educators would be better prepared to teach today's digital natives. Yes, our homes are better equipped with current technologies but our schools are getting left behind. If the general public knew what was going on in our classrooms today, we would most likely get more funding. The public is busy trying to make ends meet and does not have time to walk into our classrooms to see what is going on.
Comments by Carolyn Query
I found the following exert from the paper important: Administrators, teachers, and parents who bury their heads in the sand hoping the technology "fad" will pass them by may be resisting because they see change as a threat or because they do not understand how technology can be integrated into the traditional educational system. This is so true. So often these three groups don't listen to technology requests because they don't understand how it will be used and generally don't want to listen and try to understand. They want to spend money the same way they always have like purchasing classroom sets of remediation materials.
Comments on paper #1 by Joy Knight
When I first told my Honors E/E students that we would be using a radio warm-up (2 min.) activity called StarDate; they weren't sure of what to expect. It is a daily, original broadcast from the MacDonald Observatory in Texas. StarDate tells listeners what to look for in the night sky, and explains the science, history, and skylore behind these objects. It also keeps listeners up to date on the latest research findings and space missions. It even offers tidbits on astronomy in the arts and popular culture, providing ways for people with many diverse interests to keep up with the universe.
Then we got into a discussion of XM verses Sirius Radio. Sirius uses three SS/L-1300 satellites to form an inclined elliptical satellite constellation. According to the Sirius website which says the elliptical path of its satellite constellation ensures that each satellite spends about 16 hours a day over the continental United States, with at least one satellite over the country at all times.
I love CJ's comment about the freedom to visualize and make analytical or qualitative connections while listening to the radio without the media channels streaming images associated with their text.
Comments by Chad Parker
As many have already mentioned, educational radio has served its useful life in delivering educational content to American schools. Until I read our book, Teachers as Machines, I wasn't aware of the extent of its use in the educational setting in years past. I also didn't know that education seemed to somewhat control radio and its uses in its infancy. Using radio in relatively poor but developing countries, as the paper mentions, would be the only use I could think of at this time in history. (I remember some of the old Gilligan's Island shows as I type this and how they listened to radio for their news.) From what I've seen in the classroom, most students must actively be doing something. Unless the speech is very informative, is accompanied by a visual, or contains parts that are somewhat humorous, student attention spans wane quickly. They are just too accustomed to all the stimuli that today's technology tools, "toys," and other electronic gadgets can provide. As many radio stations now broadcast via the Internet in addition to the air, I begin to wonder if we could ever find a way to take radio on the Internet and use it in the educational setting once again. There would have to be somewhat of a resurgence in educational programming, however. Just a thought.
Comments by Ryan Crater
I believe that the days of the radio are behind us for todays society. Children are using the radio for entertainment not education for example the Ipod. I believe it was a useful educational tool back in its day but not now.
Comments Crystal Padgett
I agree with Ryan that Radio has already had its hay day. Many of our students are way past it. However, I can see the positive uses in parts of the world where they aren't as fortunate as we are. Even in my low socioeconomic school, their parents can't pay $3.00 for a field trip, but their children have ipods, DS, cell phones, etc.
Comments by CJ Flay
I like radio.
Having stated that, I had to think about the reasons why. At first I was stumped. I thought about convenience. It is there in my car, my kitchen, my camp in the woods. I listen to radio on work days in my classroom. However, that wasn't the answer. I moved on to content. I listen to music, stock car races, ball games and talk shows. I was getting closer to the reason.
Since my teen age years music has been a big part of my life, the majority of it heard on the radio. I could keep up with stock car races and ball games by keeping an ear to the radio while doing something else. I can listen to Rush Limbaugh, Car Talk radio and Garrison Keilor's Lake Woe Begone Days as for the thought provoking or entertainment values.
These ideas while closer are still not the ultimate reason I like radio in the face of much newer and higher tech devices. I like radio because I provide my own visuals. Much as I rather have my wife read Harry Potter to me than see the movie I feel the same about radio. I provide my own images to songs without the help of music videos. With a good color commentator announcing a stock car race I can conjure up the mental picture of the action going on in vivid detail.
Do I need to see Rush Limbaugh to hear his discussion of political woes? No, I think that is why I prefer to listen to him rather than see Larry King on television.
I have a mind. Please let me use it rather than spoon feed me images.
I believe radio will always have a place, albeit limited, in the classroom.
Comments by Grayson Beane
I think there is still a place for instructional radio.I read all the history and the negatives of one way communication, but radio doesn't go away. The satelite radio is a good example. We love radio we don't love commercials. Sat. radio removes the commercials and we listen right along even with ipods and downloads and everthing else. A large audience is out there. Many people get most of their daily news and hence their daily education through radio.
Comments by Evan Herreid
I am not sure if I agree with the statements of Grayson that there may still be a place for instructional radio in todays world. It would almost seem like a step backward. What types of programs would students get to listen to. Todays children are more interested in their IPhones and text messaging to stop long enough to listed to a radio no less instructional programming on the radio. I am not sure if there is anything out there now outside of "Car Talk" on NPR Sunday mornings and that is more of a comedy sketch than informational. Ok so it was a great medium of the past and recent present. I am not sure if it is all that viable in todays society.
Comments by Sheila Richardson
I think in the United States that instructional radio is a thing of the past. However, as the article mentioned, it may be useful in developing countries where it may be the only choice. I may be biased against radio because I am a terrible auditory learner. It seems that satellite radio could be a possibility but we would probably only use it for entertainment purposes and not education.
Comments by Karon Hughes
Personally I would hate to sit an listen to an educational program from the radio because I know of too many other technological avenues to use. But...I can imagine if I were a student in an developing country I would probably listen intently to the air waves. For today's students in the US - most would have a difficult time just listening to the radio for instruction - students today are visual and auditory learners.
Comments by Rhonda Griffith
I must say I agree with the majority, instructional radio doesn't seem to have a place with today's generation. These kids today are multitaksers! They want to hear music, but they also want to be playing video games, text on cell phones, talking to somebody next to them, and assure me they can be listening to something else all at the same time. And you know, the kicker is they're right! They can! I don't know how, but they can. For me to study, I have to have the entire house silent, and pour hours over textbooks and notes just to get what I need out of the content. Then again, I'm not of the same generation these kids are. I try, but I'm "old school" as they constantly remind me. I try to put up a good front but more often than not fail miserably. Even when I'm in my own vehicle, as soon as a radio commerical comes on, I'm channel surfing.
Comments by Lee Ann Luman
While reading for team 3's correspondence education, I read quite a bit about instructional radio in developing countries. Until then, I was unaware this was still a means of distance education. In reading other's responses, I would have to agree that I would have a difficult time just listening to instruction, but if I had never experienced any other way to receive information...WOW. Again, the drawback here is the one way communication.
Comments by Carolyn Query
My dad listened to the radio all day, everyday, until the day he died. I tried to share his love, but couldn't. I'm a visual and auditory learner and I think kids today are, also. They will stare at a computer monitor and listen using headphones and be totally lost to anything else going on around them.
Comments by Terri Ferguson
I like radio as well, but I only like to listen to music. I can't stand talk radio--I have trouble following it because there is no visual stimulus. I am a total visual learner. I had no idea that radio was even used as an instructional tool as expressed in your article. On the other hand, I can see why it has really not survived as such a tool. We, as a society, are so used to seeing, touching, and listening not just relying on our auditory sense.
Grayson again
I know when I'm beaten. I wouldn't listen to instructional radio either. But, I do learn from the news and other programs I hear on the way to work.
Comments by Becky Chappell
To me the radio is a source of pleasure. It makes me laugh when I hear some of the outrageous things the DJ do to people. I am a dancer at heart and love to move with the music. Even though I have a terrible voice, when I am driving from school to school, I belt it out like Cher! Sometimes I think taking the visual out of the mix makes me listen and pay more attention. Plus, I don't get lost in the visual and tune out the audio delivery. Most of the news I hear is from the radio, weather too. The technology is simple and easy--at least for those I have in the car and at home. I too, like the radio.
Retrieved from "http://zeno.ced.appstate.edu/wikis/CI5630/index.php/Talk:Team_5_discussion"
Comments by Randy Colbert
Educational radio? This was an idea that was beat before it ever got started. Without some visual to add to the audio, people lost interest fast.
Comments by Patty Ramsey
I had not really thought about radio being instructional until this class. I am a lover of NPR and do actually learn quite a bit now that I think about it! I would think that radio being free and able to reach many would be beneficial to the education system. However, by itself, radio is kinda bland for today. There is not any interaction (unless you call in to answer a trivia question!)with a teacher and the station would have to have an announcer to talk verrrry slowly for me to understand (which would make it boring). I would think that it could be used as a first step in other countries that I read about in the paper.
Comments by Sara Rhyne I am a big listener to NPR too. There are lots of international tidbits that I would have never bothered to look up or read from written sources. But in the classroom. I’m undecided. Possibly we should still be reaching to those who are auditory learners. I’ve seen kids who have to close their eyes to pay attention to a video when video is all that is ever offered. Not so sure about satellite radio though. We just got Sirius in a new vehicle and I have been surprised at how unreliable it is.
Paper 2 Comments by Ryan Crater
This was my favorite paper of them all. Technology is here to stay and it is not a fade. Adminstators are now realizing this and I believe are jumping on board. I think the North Carolina Virtual School has been a wake up call for a lot of unbelievers. Technology has no boundaries in Education right now we as educators have to find out whats works and what doesnt work in our classroom because there is so much new technology out there.
Paper 2 Comments by Becky Chappell
They whole idea of Cyber School is very attractive to me. So many students are so turned off by traditional education methods. Perhaps this would be the answer to a high drop out rate. When the Senior Projects are due in our county some students drop out because they do not feel confident in writing a research paper and they are scared to death to get up front and give a speech about their project. Cyber school would be a much more comfortable means of delivery.
I never really remembered radio as a medium for educational instruction. How boring that would be now, we are so used to interactive instruction, even as teachers there is less lecturing and more "hands-on" or problem solving. Nice article to the point and informative. --Mlore 22:31, 22 June 2007 (EDT)
Comments on Futures paper by Sheila Richardson
I like the idea of Cyber School. It opens up so many possibiities if students from all over the world were involved. Talk about penpals from other countries!!! Who would monitor the progress of students in the cyber schools? I could see that it could have many of the problems that homeschooling does. All of us know that there are success stories of homeschoolers and horror stories. Any type of self-motivated learning takes student motivation which tends to be a problem in public schools. I believe that the use of technology motivates a few students part of the time.--Srichardson 23:30, 26 June 2007 (EDT)
Comments on Future Paper by Karon Hughes
Your team is right! "It is happening!" Technologies are a part of education...and will become even more so in time. The stage has been set...the computers, the Internet, distance education are here to stay...and as technology leaders we must find ways to make all this happen. Educators must be provided with the technology tools, resources and support to use to make technology happen. Our universities should instruct future teachers with and about technology uses in the classroom.
Comments paper 2 Crystal Padgett
Throughout my life I have seen many technolgy changes. When we got our first VCR, for $100 or more, it had a cord that was attached to the remote. You could only control it if you were sitting close. Technologies are changing rapidly and as new ones come, the current is getting cheaper.
I agree that many professors educating teachers need to provide technological experience so future teachers will "teach as they are taught".
