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This week’s class discusses using online communication tools in Education. Our professor began the notes with an interesting photo and question prompt. She started our notes with the picture that you see on your left. She writes that the picture was taken in the 1950’s and that it is displaying various commuters on a train, heading to work. Mrs. Beaudin notes that she often hears that young people spend too much time buried in their phones and other mobile devices to notice the world going on around them, but given what we see in this picture sixty years ago... what has really changed? I thought this was an incredibly interesting observation and it really made me think that technology should be viewed within a context of its time.
I have long been of the belief that every generation thinks that the one coming next has everything, and the one that birthed them must have had to do things so differently, occasionally this manifests itself as they are “out of touch”. Everything is contextual. The generation of individuals on that train reading newspapers looks at my parents generation and thinks, “TELEVISION!? I remember the days when you had to pay a copper to the young lad on the street corner to get the PAPER and actually READ the news... it was either that or huddle around the transistor radio in order to receive your evening news.”
My parents generation looks at my generation and thinks, “INTERNET!? I remember the days when you had to sit with your whole family around the black and white television and see what had happened that day in the world, you couldn’t just log on and see what happened in London thirty-five minutes ago.”
I assume my generation will go something like this: “TELEPATHY!? I remember the day when you had to sit and listen to your internet physically CONNECT... literally it ‘dialed up’ to your computer before you went ‘online’. Now you kids just get instant, live tweets to your brains about news of your choice.”
Basically, in a nutshell, this is what happens:
I have long been of the belief that every generation thinks that the one coming next has everything, and the one that birthed them must have had to do things so differently, occasionally this manifests itself as they are “out of touch”. Everything is contextual. The generation of individuals on that train reading newspapers looks at my parents generation and thinks, “TELEVISION!? I remember the days when you had to pay a copper to the young lad on the street corner to get the PAPER and actually READ the news... it was either that or huddle around the transistor radio in order to receive your evening news.”
My parents generation looks at my generation and thinks, “INTERNET!? I remember the days when you had to sit with your whole family around the black and white television and see what had happened that day in the world, you couldn’t just log on and see what happened in London thirty-five minutes ago.”
I assume my generation will go something like this: “TELEPATHY!? I remember the day when you had to sit and listen to your internet physically CONNECT... literally it ‘dialed up’ to your computer before you went ‘online’. Now you kids just get instant, live tweets to your brains about news of your choice.”
Basically, in a nutshell, this is what happens:
Basically I think that new forms of communication DO create connections, but only really for those in the generation that it is created in, those that come after it, and those that are open-minded enough to embrace it in the moment. As an educator I hope to stay open-minded about the role that online communication tools can play in my future classroom.
I had to laugh out loud during our course notes when I read this sentence from our prof: “As a student at the U of L, you have been exposed to Moodle and possibly (depending on how long you have been here) WebCT (also known at Blackboard).” (Beaudin, 2014) Yeah.... that is totally me haha.
“MOODLE!? I remember the day when you had to log onto WebCT/Blackboard and no one really knew what they were doing!” I actually didn’t say that, just seemed like an appropriate joke given the nature of the post. Moodle actually works quite well. More importantly though, I feel more professors have embraced the idea of handing in assignments online, using discussion boards in Moodle, etc. For me it isn’t that the Moodle website platform is really superior to WebCT, but it is being used more effectively. Also, the WebCT server tended to crash when we all went to write our online tests at the same time, which was less than ideal.
Mrs. Beaudin also had an interesting observation regarding her own children and the use of text messaging. She says in our notes: “I know with my own children, they often won’t answer a phone call, but will respond immediately to a text. I’m not sure why that is. Perhaps you have an insight? Thoughts for teaching? How would you encourage students to use their mobile devices to enhance teaching? What boundaries would need to be set in the k-12 classroom?” (Beaudin, 2014)
I have to admit that I am as guilty of this as anyone else. Full disclosure: I hate talking on the phone. For dedicated readers my relationship to the telephone is almost parallel to my relationship with elevators. I fully recognize the strengths of the device and admire its efficiency, I just really dislike using them. The main difference in these relationships is that I use the stairs so that I am not lazy, and I choose to text versus phone calls because I AM lazy. I apologize to Mrs. Beaudin if she is reading this because I am not sure I have any great insights to offer on this topic, however, I would say that she, at least in part, serves to answer her own question later on in our notes.
Our notes talks about the advantages of using Email as a communication tool comapred to the telephone. Mrs. Beaudin notes that, “Email is time-independent. This means, unlike a telephone, that you can answer messages at a time convenient to you. It also means that you can think about a response before replying. You can even take time editing your response until it expresses your point as clearly and carefully as possible.” (Beaudin, 2014) This is really how I feel about text messages. As someone who can make a habit of not knowing what to say/sticking his foot in his mouth (shocking I know) I like the idea that I am able to take a minute and think about how what I am about to type may sound to someone on the other end. Of course there is always room for misinterpretation and I apologize to my girlfriend many times over for the jokes I make that may not sound like jokes at the time.
In regards to texting and Emails in the classroom though I see the lines as blurred, but firm. I know that may not make a whole lot of sense, but let me explain. I do not see myself ever giving out my number to students in my k-12 class. I do not feel there is anything that will go on in class that cannot be asked in an Email, telephone call, or face to face meeting. For me, texting is to “private” of a communication tool to share with the vast majority of my students. I would be extremely uncomfortable if anywhere from 10-30 some high school girls had my telephone number and could text me anytime they wanted. That is not to say that it would actually happen, it is just a terrifying proposition for me.
Having said that if I was coaching a basketball team, as I try to every year, I would have very little problem with giving out my number to my players so that they can get a hold of me anytime to let me know of schedule changes and the like. The line between the two is admittedly blurred, but for me the classroom is a much more professional environment than the gymnasium with 12 players fighting as one team.
I would say that the most important communication tools for my future classroom are Email, twitter, and blogs. I see Email as a necessity for every teacher. It allows easy and fast communication with parents and colleagues. Students can send you projects if they miss class time and you can send homework or provide assistance with things without fear of your phone number ending up in the wrong hands. Parents can ask questions and voice pleasure or concerns with their child’s progress and I can reply at my own pace, but in a timely manner. Twitter is something I hope to use in the classroom although admittedly I am still brainstorming the best possible uses of this device. I like how simple and succinct Twitter can be though, and hope to find a good use of it for my classroom in the near future. Lastly, blogging is something I have grown fond of over the last 6-8 months and think that a weekly, or bi-monthly classroom blog would be a great communication tool for my classroom. One of our websites said it best this week saying that:
“Weekly class blog: posting announcements, class candid moments, student’s achievements, assigning group tasks and disseminating learning resources and helpful links. Since a blog has an excellent feedback system, they can immediately respond to voice out their queries, topic clarifications and ideas for class activities. You can also dedicate a post to your model student and special awards to motivate them. By updating it on a regular basis, parents will definitely appreciate your effort in fostering the learning process.” (Jones & Terrell, 2013). All in all, online communication tools are going to be a big part of my future classroom for corresponding with parents, students, and fellow teachers/colleagues.
References:
Beaudin, Lorraine. (2014) Module Ten: Using the Net to Communicate. Retrieved: March 28, 2014; From: http://ed4764.weebly.com/module-ten-communicating-with-parents.html.
Jones, Reese, & Terrell Shelly (Nov. 2013) 12 Online Tools For Effective Teacher to Student and Parent Communication. Retrieved March 28, 2014; From: http://shellyterrell.com/2013/11/22/12-online-tools-for-effective-teacher-to-student-and-parent-communication/
Image Reference:
Train Commuters. (1955). Retrieved March 28, 2014; From: http://ed4764.weebly.com/module-ten-communicating-with-parents.html
I had to laugh out loud during our course notes when I read this sentence from our prof: “As a student at the U of L, you have been exposed to Moodle and possibly (depending on how long you have been here) WebCT (also known at Blackboard).” (Beaudin, 2014) Yeah.... that is totally me haha.
“MOODLE!? I remember the day when you had to log onto WebCT/Blackboard and no one really knew what they were doing!” I actually didn’t say that, just seemed like an appropriate joke given the nature of the post. Moodle actually works quite well. More importantly though, I feel more professors have embraced the idea of handing in assignments online, using discussion boards in Moodle, etc. For me it isn’t that the Moodle website platform is really superior to WebCT, but it is being used more effectively. Also, the WebCT server tended to crash when we all went to write our online tests at the same time, which was less than ideal.
Mrs. Beaudin also had an interesting observation regarding her own children and the use of text messaging. She says in our notes: “I know with my own children, they often won’t answer a phone call, but will respond immediately to a text. I’m not sure why that is. Perhaps you have an insight? Thoughts for teaching? How would you encourage students to use their mobile devices to enhance teaching? What boundaries would need to be set in the k-12 classroom?” (Beaudin, 2014)
I have to admit that I am as guilty of this as anyone else. Full disclosure: I hate talking on the phone. For dedicated readers my relationship to the telephone is almost parallel to my relationship with elevators. I fully recognize the strengths of the device and admire its efficiency, I just really dislike using them. The main difference in these relationships is that I use the stairs so that I am not lazy, and I choose to text versus phone calls because I AM lazy. I apologize to Mrs. Beaudin if she is reading this because I am not sure I have any great insights to offer on this topic, however, I would say that she, at least in part, serves to answer her own question later on in our notes.
Our notes talks about the advantages of using Email as a communication tool comapred to the telephone. Mrs. Beaudin notes that, “Email is time-independent. This means, unlike a telephone, that you can answer messages at a time convenient to you. It also means that you can think about a response before replying. You can even take time editing your response until it expresses your point as clearly and carefully as possible.” (Beaudin, 2014) This is really how I feel about text messages. As someone who can make a habit of not knowing what to say/sticking his foot in his mouth (shocking I know) I like the idea that I am able to take a minute and think about how what I am about to type may sound to someone on the other end. Of course there is always room for misinterpretation and I apologize to my girlfriend many times over for the jokes I make that may not sound like jokes at the time.
In regards to texting and Emails in the classroom though I see the lines as blurred, but firm. I know that may not make a whole lot of sense, but let me explain. I do not see myself ever giving out my number to students in my k-12 class. I do not feel there is anything that will go on in class that cannot be asked in an Email, telephone call, or face to face meeting. For me, texting is to “private” of a communication tool to share with the vast majority of my students. I would be extremely uncomfortable if anywhere from 10-30 some high school girls had my telephone number and could text me anytime they wanted. That is not to say that it would actually happen, it is just a terrifying proposition for me.
Having said that if I was coaching a basketball team, as I try to every year, I would have very little problem with giving out my number to my players so that they can get a hold of me anytime to let me know of schedule changes and the like. The line between the two is admittedly blurred, but for me the classroom is a much more professional environment than the gymnasium with 12 players fighting as one team.
I would say that the most important communication tools for my future classroom are Email, twitter, and blogs. I see Email as a necessity for every teacher. It allows easy and fast communication with parents and colleagues. Students can send you projects if they miss class time and you can send homework or provide assistance with things without fear of your phone number ending up in the wrong hands. Parents can ask questions and voice pleasure or concerns with their child’s progress and I can reply at my own pace, but in a timely manner. Twitter is something I hope to use in the classroom although admittedly I am still brainstorming the best possible uses of this device. I like how simple and succinct Twitter can be though, and hope to find a good use of it for my classroom in the near future. Lastly, blogging is something I have grown fond of over the last 6-8 months and think that a weekly, or bi-monthly classroom blog would be a great communication tool for my classroom. One of our websites said it best this week saying that:
“Weekly class blog: posting announcements, class candid moments, student’s achievements, assigning group tasks and disseminating learning resources and helpful links. Since a blog has an excellent feedback system, they can immediately respond to voice out their queries, topic clarifications and ideas for class activities. You can also dedicate a post to your model student and special awards to motivate them. By updating it on a regular basis, parents will definitely appreciate your effort in fostering the learning process.” (Jones & Terrell, 2013). All in all, online communication tools are going to be a big part of my future classroom for corresponding with parents, students, and fellow teachers/colleagues.
References:
Beaudin, Lorraine. (2014) Module Ten: Using the Net to Communicate. Retrieved: March 28, 2014; From: http://ed4764.weebly.com/module-ten-communicating-with-parents.html.
Jones, Reese, & Terrell Shelly (Nov. 2013) 12 Online Tools For Effective Teacher to Student and Parent Communication. Retrieved March 28, 2014; From: http://shellyterrell.com/2013/11/22/12-online-tools-for-effective-teacher-to-student-and-parent-communication/
Image Reference:
Train Commuters. (1955). Retrieved March 28, 2014; From: http://ed4764.weebly.com/module-ten-communicating-with-parents.html