Tech Team Saturday

National Writing Project at Rutgers University

2007 Fall Reception

Saturday, November 3rd, 9:00 a.m.

GSE Lounge & Lecture Hall

College Avenue Campus

Attending:

Joe, Susan, Kim, Jen, Kristy, Patty, Gwen, Sara, Linda (NWP@Rider)

9:00 Technology and Literacy in the 21st Century

Introductions
- Joe introduced TCs in attendance
Carousel Pre-Discussion Activity
- How do students use technology both at school and home, on a daily basis?
  - MySpace
  - Texting/cell phones
  - Youtube
  - Email
  - ipods
  - chat
  - conversational
  - formal
  - How to assess authority of sources during research
  - Music: Storage, making, sharing
  - photgraphy
  - Playing and making video games
  - browsing the web
  - word processing
  - obviously not education based unless parents demand after conference
- What kinds of technology professional development do we, the teachers, need to move forward?
  - Oh God! The kids are so much faster, brighter, etc. than I! I guess I need to know more sort of educational applications to guide them to use their skills better.
  - How to "fix it" (basic printer, etc.) when the tech guy isn't around-so my team doesn't call me.
  - evaluating resources
  - how can we "keep up" with the latest technologies if the tech is always changing?
  - I'd like to see other staff in action-go back to the peer observation/eval
  - how to not be hindered by the inconsistent tech in the district
  - time to play with tools taught
  - exposure to resources and time to figure out how to use them
  - incorporting the tech that students use into instruction
- What do we think it means to prepare students for the 21st century?
  - help them communicate effectively in a variety of methods of discourse online, traditional, oral, visual, video, multi-media
  - help them become critical and efficient at obtaining and using information
  - Somehow we must teach discernment-the kids have to grow a "crap detector." They have to be able to spot the truth since they are flooded with information from so many sources.
  - They need to know the global impact of technology on our everyday lives-new job opportunities
  - There needs to be an overall technology pedagogy-so we don't become dinosaurs by teaching to the specific technology.
  - Technology as vehicle for learning
- What technologies, both "new" and "old(er)" do you-the teacher-use in the classroom?
  - Web CT: discussion forums, student homepages, class notes, chats to document thinking
  - homework hero
  - laptops
  - LCD projectors
  - CD players
  - Audio recording
  - You Tube
  - Kidspiration
  - Overhead projectors
  - Class wiki
  - Video/DVD/TV/VCR
  - Google Earth
  - digital photography
  - Links to the other great teacher sites
  - Everyday math-district recommeded
  - old fashioned word processing
  - smart board
  - PP lecture
  - turnitin.com
  - discussion forum
  - inspiration
  - the last blackboard w/chalk known to man
Shift Happens 2.0
New Jersey Reading Association: Literacy & Tech
- Discussion of video and ideas regarding teaching in the 21st century.
- "Given the realities of our modern age and the demands of our children's future, is it really OK to allow teachers to choose whether or not they incorporate modern technologies into their instruction?"-The Horizon Report
- As technology becomes the means for information, the responsibility of education is socialize children. Fear of virtual relationships, rather than interpersonal relationships, tactile relationships. Is there a dehumanizing of students with technology?
- Isolation of earphones, phone, etc. Connected, but distant???
- Disparity of teaching of technology-training and use of teachers
- Is it enough to fund technology? Without training, it is not effective. We need effective professional development.
- Digital Natives/Digital Immigrants Mark Prensky(2001) Ed Leadership
- What will happen when the digital natives enter the teaching profession?
- Gap gets wider/socioeconomic status-are schools meeting the needs of students? digital divide
- traditional literacy vs. digital literacy???????

9:45 Podcasting Demonstration

“Audacity” How-To Demonstration
Youth Voices Radio Project
Applications for Teachers & Students
- fluency
- personal narrative
- recording books on tape
- for use with ESL students
- "listening" centers in the elementary setting
- podcasting lessons
- digital storytelling (in combination with Microsoft Movie Maker)

10:15 NWP @ Rutgers Tech Team Initiative

Tech Matters 2007 Minigrant
- books given to:
  - Kristy
  - Gwen
  - Jen
  - Sara
  - Patty
Individual Goals / Site Goals
Carousel Post-Discussion Activity

10:55 Questions & Answers / Closing Thoughts