Reading Journal: For Tuesday Feb. 14

Executive Summary from “Horizon Report 2010”
Eight things I learned:
-The horizon Project has been going on for seven years
-A key trend of thinking is that people want to be able to access technology to be able to work, study and learn where ever and whenever they want to.
-All technology is becoming more and more cloud-based
-Technology allows for cross-collaboration between campus departments for research and projects
-A challenge that students are facing is that teachers do not have the ability to adapt teaching methods to fit the technology.
-Finding correct forms of evaluating new research on the web
-Developing key skills in digital media literacy is crucial and extremely important
-Within the next four or five years there will be wide-spread visual data analysis available
4 Questions to Pursue
-If the Horizon Project has been going on for seven years, why is this the first time I have heard of it?
- I think that there should be one form for evaluating all research on the web
- I like the fact that everything is now cloud-based, it allows for more constructive sharing with colleagues.
-Before technology is used in the classroom the lesson plans need to be adapted first.
Mobile Computing from “Horizon Report 2010”
Eight things I learned:
-Nozbe, Wesabe, and TripIt are all programs that work like Evernote.
-The portability of mobile devices makes technology more accessible to students and teachers
-Study done shows students who had access to mobile devices as opposed to students who only had access to laptops, were shown to work on classwork more frequently than those who only had access to laptops
-Based on performance scores, students who watched podcast lectures as opposed to normal lectures that both were equally effective.
-Hotseat is a tool that allows students to respond to teacher prompts and quizzes via Facebook, twitter, and other web sources.
-One university gave all incoming freshman an iPhone or iPod
-More and more people are turning to using mobile computing as opposed to using their laptops
-There are mobile platforms like the iPhone and iPad, then there is a middle level of technology like smartphones and netbooks, and then finally there are laptops.
4 Questions or Ideas to Pursue
-Carthage should invest in giving iPhones or iPads to their entire incoming freshman!
-I would like to see more studies done like the one that took performance scores and compared them to normal lecture as opposed to podcasts.
-Mobile devices should be more accessible to students and teachers if the studies are showing that students are turning to technology to help them outside the classroom.
-I would like to try the TripIt program. It sounds like it would be fun to use.
Executive Summary from “Transforming American Education Learning Powered by Technology
Eight things I learned:
- New research needs to be developed on using technology in the classroom
- Using technology to create individualized learning experiences
- If students use real world tools it will help them to understand real world problems
- Technology-based assessments can be used to help students learn “in the moment” meaning to give them instant feedback.
- Teachers can use technology to create a “Teaching team” and have more built-in support
- Even though there is a huge gap (funding –wise) for schools to use technology, it is the teacher’s responsibility to use technology to the best of their ability.
- Technology can be used to improve educational productivity
- 4-year colleges need to work more closely with k-12 grade schools to help bridge the gap in technology.
4 Questions or Ideas to Pursue
-Shouldn’t the research already be done on using technology in the classroom to know how it will affect students before we start using technology?
-I really like the idea of having a “Teaching team” to use for support for lesson planning and interacting with other teachers.
- If schools want teachers to use more technology in the classroom, than they need to be able to fund it. It is very difficult for a teacher to try to teach her students when she does not have enough resources available.
- I think every school district should have a “contract” with a neighboring college, to help students and teachers use technology in the classroom.

Chapter 1: “Transforming American Education Learning Powered by Technology”
Eight Things I learned:
-According to Kaiser Research 8 – 18 year olds spend 53 hours a week using technology
-The goal is to teach students how to use technology beyond the classroom
-One Pilot is a program that was piloted in 2009 that allowed students to work independently and at their own pace in mathematics using technology.
- Specialized learning to fit each individual student by using technology programs
-There are three categories in being considered technology-literate: information literacy, media literacy, and digital citizenship
-Information Literacy is the ability to retrieve and evaluate what information is useful and reliable.
-Media Literacy is the ability to use, understand, and communicate by using different types of media
-Digital Citizenship is to behave, develop, and use technology appropriately, socially acceptable, and respect others privacy

4 Questions or Ideas to Pursue
-I think students should be taught how to use technology following the three categories used to consider if people are technology literate, or not. They are good qualities and skills to have for students and teachers.
- Shouldn’t the goal be to encourage students how to learn beyond the classroom, with or without technology?
- I think that students can achieve an individualized learning program without having to depend on technology.
-I would like to see more research done on the One Pilot program used in New York City’s schools.