Online Teaching Internship Reflection

My experience in this course reminds me of the importance of passion and humanity. It was so amazing to see the amount of effort and skill with which Dr. Giddens directed the class and our intern experience. The level of intellect, caring, humanity, and leadership was impressive and almost overwhelming. With each correspondence you could tell that he was as sincere, as he was concerned, as he was competent about Instructional Technology. I truly hope to have his level of understanding and patience as a teacher. Honestly, I have lost some of that, and I am very intently looking forward to recharging and getting that back this Christmas Break.

My Principal and I talked today about the power of perception and the importance of being affable and accommodating; its affect on the parents, as well as the students. This reminds me of the Art of War by Sun Tzu, who says that a Commander beloved by his men, can punish them without fear of bitterness or a drop in morale, unlike a 'harsh and hard' Commander. On the contrary, the beloved Commander is respected all the more by his men, because his discipline is perceived as from a loving Father to a son, not as judgment and punishment given by a Superior. The relevance to school is that students and parents who truly understand that his/her leader/teacher sincerely cares for and is concerned with the well-being and final destination of youth will understand and forgive any shortcomings or problems that arise from my class, assigning unpleasantries to love and not malice.

That said, it is all too important that I trust in the effort that my students put forth and also encourage honesty and trust, which will make sure that they feel comfortable with being honest with their teachers. In these days of economic woe, the ensuing pressures placed on families, the resulting time lost due to extra hours on the job, and/or the need to drop out and work make academics an often back burner priority, as is the possibility of adults helping, guiding/mentoring the young. Therefore, a teacher, especially at this time, must understand and see developing and learning human beings in his/her apprenticeship, instead of fully-developed and responsible students with unbridled passion for learning. Whereas it would be great if every student were aflame with our content area desire, we must remember always to be realistic idealists.

In regards to the other trait, passion, I hope to exhibit the same level of intensity and desire for learning that Dr. Giddens exemplified every day. I was very much so continually impressed by him, particularly, his diction. With each communication, I learned more and more about his consideration for his students and firm grasp and thorough understanding of the content. I truly appreciate the time with him and the example he set.

Moving onward, I hope that I will find exactly my niche inside of instructional technology that works for me. Whereas I love to help kids do better, I am struggling inside the classroom, because of their general lack of effort. Sometimes it is sad, because their circumstances are quite horrible. For others, it is their comeuppance, if they are honest with themselves. What would be ideal, I guess, would be to work as you and Dr. Giddens are doing, preparing other teachers who are going to bless so many countless others through teaching. I want to and need to teach college/online, so that I can finally be able to fully challenge not only my own mind, but that of others as well.

I will begin sniffing around more intently now that this, my final course to become a certified teacher is complete and that I will be only 3 courses away from completing my Specialist's degree. I must say that it feels so good to be nearing the end, because I have been through a lot in these past few years and the journey/progress is rather amazing. But not because of me, because of the experiences, the examples I've set for others, and how I have learned to depend and believe in the goodness of others, instead of always looking toward my own. I do want to help others, but at the same time, I want to also be happy and find peace of mind. I assume that I would teach at least two more years at my current school, so that I can get the $17,500 off my student loans. Then, depending on the calculations, I may continue to teach for 10 years or not. Either way, I know that my future will be bright and blessed, so long as I continue to do my best. Whatever it is, I need to hurry up, because I am getting married in March, and I hear that Doctoral degrees and kids, particularly babies, are like oil and water and do not get along well. No we are not expecting, but we do expect to be expecting in a couple years.

Anyway, to everyone here and everyone every where, God bless and peace to you. May your goals be realized and may you appreciate success, like you always hoped you would, in grace and respect.

Happy Teaching!!! :-)

Using Instructional Videos in the Classroom

My project of choice will use the process of creating, revising, and evaluating instructional video as a means of covering the selected following International Society for Technology in Education's 2008 National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for Teachers which are taught in Dr. J. Giddens Introduction to Instructional Technology in Early Childhood Education:

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:
a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS. Teachers:
a. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:
a. demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations
d. model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning

I have selected the following Candidate Learning Outcomes from the Georgia Reqs 505-3-.85: Online Teaching Endorsement Program (OTEPO) to serve as my evaluating criterion with this project:

1.i.IV. utilize synchronous and asynchronous tools effectively (i.e., discussion boards, chat tools, electronic whiteboards, etc.).
1.i.VI. effectively use and incorporate subject specific developmentally appropriate software in an online learning module.
2.i.I. demonstrate effective strategies and techniques that actively engage students in the learning process, in designing, and assessing online learners and instruction.

The previous standards were selected because they reflect the basis of a module, the discussion, the product, and the assessing of that product.

OTEPO	0--1	2--3	4--5
1.i.IV. utilize synchronous and asynchronous tools effectively (i.e., discussion boards, chat tools, electronic whiteboards, etc.).	The candidate created a superficial discussion prompt.  It fails to illicit any quality thought provoking responses by the students.	The student created an acceptable discussion prompt. Although it does generate dialogue among the students, it does exceed by causing students to evaluate others' work, support their own, and expand upon ideas.	The student created an excellent discussion prompt. It not only generates dialogue among the students, but also causes students to evaluate others' work, support their own, and expand upon ideas and themes elsewhere.
1.i.VI effectively use and incorporate subject specific developmentally appropriate software in an online learning module.	The video editing tools and/or software recommended were inappropriate for the expertise and access level of student and there was not adequate information provided to them to make mastery possible.	The video editing tools and/or software recommended were appropriate for the expertise and access level of student and there was adequate information provided to them to make mastery likely.	The video editing tools and/or software recommended were excellent choices for the expertise and access level of student and there was organized quality information provided to them to easily ensure mastery if directions are followed.
2.i.I. demonstrate effective strategies and techniques that actively engage students in the learning process, in designing, and assessing online learners and instruction.	The rubric given did not properly assess mastery, was unorganized, and have weak definitions.  The students were required to do simply create a video to be acceptable.  No criterion for excellence were provided to ensure students were challenged.	The rubric given did properly assess mastery, was organized, and had acceptable definitions. The students were required to do more than just create a video to be deemed acceptable. Criteria for excellence were provided to ensure students did not just get by.	The rubric given properly assess mastery, and challenges a student to create a video of great instructional and aesthetic quality, considering the age range of the intended audience. The rubric ensures that the information and experiences from the instructional parts of the module are incorporated into final/work product of the students/learners.
Total ____

1. Read the following excerpt from a literature review which discusses some of the research supporting the use of instructional videos.
2. Begin to think about how a video could help you in your classroom. These are basically used for one of the following four reasons: Demonstrations, Introductions, Support/Reinforce, and Explain. Simple Examples:
1. Demonstrate conflict resolution skills, classroom procedures, or even how to find the bathroom on the first day of school.
2. Introduce gravity using a sky-diving video, or show a bottling company production line before reviewing multiplication.
3. Support/reinforce a lesson on the continents with an animation showing the breaking up of Pangea.
4. Explain the process of the life cycle with a fast motion National Geographic video.
3. On the discussion board, please complete the following:  Post an idea you have for using an instructional video in your classroom.  How will the video add to your class and/or do something previously more difficult or tedious?  What did you find interesting about the research excerpt and why?  Did this encourage you to use/include videos in your classroom?  Why or why not?
4. Take some time to view a few of the videos created by the following two content producers.  One is a ‘beginner’ and the other is more ‘adept and experienced’:
   Charles Hampton  http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPI_E8r-wLz-Ilfc2l72lzA?feature=plcp
   PatrickJMT  http://www.youtube.com/user/patrickjmt?feature=plcp
   Youtube Education page http://www.youtube.com/education
   Youtube Sesame Street  http://www.youtube.com/user/SesameStreet
   Note the presentation method, goal, and basic simplicity.  Remember, it doesn’t have to be Hollywood, just helpful.
5. Based on this information, plan a lesson that incorporates a video in a meaningful way.
6. A few reminder tutorials may help you, if you need it.

1. GIMP
2. MSPaint
3. Windows MovieMaker

As always, if you need assistance and I am not available, you can reference past sections of the course, or search on youtube for assistance for virtually any of your editing needs.

The Rubric is below.

Video Evaluating Rubric
Grade	0—1	2—3	4—5
Relevance     2.  Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments                        Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS. Teachers:                        a. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity	Video does not relate to the standard/topic and/or is weakly connected. The video does not add to the lesson, but actually distracts.	Video is relevant, but does not academically relate or contribute to the declared topic. The video connects to the standard/lesson logically or symbolically, but essentially entertains.	Video is directly related to the topic and is a perfect example of the  process or scenario discussed. The video generates interest and discussions.
Quality 3.  Model Digital-Age Work and Learning                        Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:                        a. demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations                        d. model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning	Video is missing vital steps.  The video is shaky, out of focus often, long awkward pauses, audio doesn’t synch, etc...  The video was not edited to contain a title, subtitles or captions if necessary.	Content is essentially complete, only misses a few unnecessary components.  Errors/mistakes listed in the previous category are missing or only a few are present, which do not affect the didactic quality of the video.  The video has a title and does not infringe upon any copyrighted material(s).	Process or event recorded is complete, appropriate, and comprehensive, containing captions where appropriate for those who are hearing impaired.  The video was edited to achieve a high aesthetic.  The video adds to the academic quality of the lesson and essentially contains none of the errors from the previous categories.
Explanation                        1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity                        Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student  learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:                        a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness                        b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources	Explanation not present or barely justifies the videos’ inclusion.  It is not clear why the video was included in the lesson or the explanation and/or the video itself leaves the viewer with more questions than answers.	Explanation is present and acceptable, but fails to fully detail exactly how the videos' inclusion & quality added to the academic value of the lesson.  The explanation more centers around the lesson and not the richness or value added by the inclusion of a video.	Explanation is exemplary and thorough, fully, exactly, and explicitly       explaining the videos' inclusion & quality.  It is clear because of the rationale, logical ties to the content, quality of the visual product, and overall vision for the lesson that the video was included thoughtfully, purposefully, and carefully.
Total

Instructional videos featuring animated problem-solving are one of the greatest and most helpful supplemental/educational tools for students struggling with mathematics (Höffler & Leutner, 2007; Bolliger & Supanakorn, 2011). They are effective, inexpensive to produce, and increase understanding, while at the same time decreasing anxiety (Papa, Seaberg, Rees, Ferguson, Stair, Goldfeder, & Meurer, 2008). Students are viewing videos from sites like Khanacademy.org, specifically developed for the purpose of providing high quality instructional videos for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects. Their growing library of 3500 videos are designed with such quality that a  learner anywhere in the world could develop a high school level math and science education, solely using this website (W. Bender, interview, December 13, 2011). Youtube.com has an educational page (instructional/educational videos only) that provides content for every level of school, from Pre-Kindergarten to post-secondary and more. Youtube.com/education has channels like Khanacademy, with more than 12 million views; Sesame Street, getting over 18 million views; Spacelab, getting over 28 million views, and many more. PatrickJMT, one youtube provider, has over 100,000 subscribers boasting over 45 million views and only focuses on high school mathematics.

68% of all United States students are not proficient in mathematics and would greatly benefit from the boost of resources and flexibility offered by online resources (Peterson, Hannushek, & Riddel, 2011). However, despite having access to these resources, the achievement gap remains, so much so that one out of every 5 post-secondary students is enrolling in remedial mathematics coursework (Planty, Hussar, Snyder, Provasnik, Kena, Dinkes, Kewal-Ramani, & Kemp, 2008). Minorities, especially African Americans, are also greatly disadvantaged in regards to mathematics education, such that 50% are low-achieving (Spencer, 2011). Experts warn US secondary, collegiate, and post-graduate educators that students are being passed on with increasing mathematical deficiencies (Wenner, Burn, and Baer, 2011).

Though instructional videos are not a cure-all, they are helpful and prolific. For instance, a simple youtube search yields almost 1600 videos on a topic like ‘solving systems of equations elimination’?  Whether you search for ‘law of cosines’, ‘distance rate time word problems’, ‘pythagorean theorem’, etc. the number of quality results are at least in the hundreds. There is plenty of instructional technology, like instructional videos, available for students to use (Bolliger & Sopapakorn, 2011). Offering the key convenience and control aspects, pausing and rewinding, online presentations and instructional videos are highly valued support resources/supplemental tools  (Höffler & Leutner, 2007; Bolliger & Supanakorn, 2011). The availability and subsequent utilization of supportive resources available is a concept called proximity. The proximity of supplemental materials to a student working on a task is necessary for deep learning and reduces anxiety helping students do what is required to succeed academically (Harel, 1998; Newby, Stepich, Lehman, & Russell, 2006; Redmond, Thomas, High, Scott, Jordan, & Dockers 2011).

It is clear that there are enough instructional videos available, but maybe the students don’t have the technology to access them. Currently, the proliferation of technology is growing at an exponential rate, particularly with mobile or portable devices. Tablets, netbooks, laptops, and notebooks are out-selling desktops currently 2 to 1, and in just three more years are expected to reach consumer levels of as high as 9 to 1 (Selleck, 2010). Students are not just using Blackberrys, PDA's (personal data assistants), Apple, Windows Mobile, and/or Android devices solely for entertainment purposes, but increasingly, students are understanding that these handheld devices are highly helpful and convenient educational tools which enhance their learning experience (Song, 2011). Additionally, exposing students to higher levels of technology integration and innovation inside and/or outside the classroom increases computer proficiency, a key to promoting workplace readiness (Inan, & Lowther, 2010; Juan, Huertas, Steegmann, Corcoles, & Serrat, 2008).

A very popular and effective instructional tool is the instructional video. The demonstrator/star is commonly an expert, who models precision and possesses great intelligence and skill. Another model, shot from the perspective of a peer and features error identification and analysis, is also gaining in popularity and validity (Wouter, Tabbers, & Paas, 2007). Even experts make mistakes and can all the more better display the learning opportunities which arrive from errors, capitalizing on 'teachable moments'. Error analysis is one of the best ways to ensure student learning and validate instructional practices (Chen-Charpentier, Dimitrov, & Kojouharov, 2006). It demonstrates and supports the importance of not skipping steps and being through, key concepts in mathematics education. Whether by scanning, the print-screen function, photographing, or the best method, animation, using screen capturing programs like Hypercam, it is important that online mathematics instructors utilize technology strategically when integrating error analysis to demonstrate proper methods and processes (Huifen & Dwyer, 2010).

This also underscores the importance of staying informed of developments in technology. This is tough, since in this economy, school's cannot afford expensive pieces of technology like smart boards, so instructors are becoming creative in terms of fully utilizing and refurbishing the technology they already have (Waters-Adams, 2006). Utilizing the principles of action research, one mathematics instructor combined a drawing tablet ($80) and a projector ($330) and essentially produced a smart board for roughly one-tenth of the cost. Smart boards are perfect for demonstrating mathematics problems, since an instructor can easily manipulate images, rearrange data, and perform common tasks like erasing displaying formulas, pulling up supplemental information and more, providing learners with a clear model for skill acquisition (Zimmerman and Kitsantas, 2002). This instructor using this as a workaround uses a reflective rationale (Waters-Adams, 2006). Being able to record presentations featuring smartboard or smartboard-like displays helps provide online mathematics learners with a more familiar method of learning, while at the same time offering the key convenience and control aspects, pausing and rewinding, the reason online presentations and instructional videos are valued so highly (Höffler & Leutner, 2007; Bolliger & Supanakorn, 2011).

This method of mathematics instruction is also useful because by analyzing all of a student's problem-solving steps, an instructor can learn what prerequisite skills may be lacking on the large scale, so that adjustments in the lesson or course can occur. Students find this method highly beneficial. In an interview one student exclaimed, “Why couldn't we have been learning like this the whole time?” (Hampton, 2012).

Bolliger, D. U., & Supanakorn, S. (2011). Learning styles and student perceptions of the use of interactive online tutorials. British Journal Of Educational Technology, 42(3), 470-481. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2009.01037.x

Chen-Charpentier, B. M., Dimitrov, D. T., & Kojouharov, H. V. (2006). Combined nonstandard numerical methods for ODEs with polynomial right-hand sides. Mathematics & Computers In Simulation, 73(1-4), 105-113. doi:10.1016/j.matcom.2006.06.008

Hampton, C. (2012). Teaching test taking strategies to 9th grade Algebra students using a student response system. (Unpublished Universal Design for Learning Unit). Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA.

Harel, G. (1998). Two dual assertions: The first on learning and the second on teaching (or vice versa). The American Mathematical Monthly 105(6), 497–507.

Höffler, T. N., & Leutner, D. (2007). Instructional animation versus static pictures: A metaanalysis. Learning & Instruction, 17(6), 722-738. doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2007.09.013

Huifen, L., & Dwyer, F. M. (2010). The effect of static and animated visualization: a perspective of instructional effectiveness and efficiency. Educational Technology Research & Development, 58(2), 155-174. doi:10.1007/s11423-009-9133-x

Inan, F. A., & Lowther, D. L. (2010). Factors affecting technology integration in K-12 classrooms: a path model. Educational Technology Research & Development, 58(2), 137-154. doi:10.1007/s11423-009-9132-y

Juan, A. A., Huertas, A. A., Steegmann, C. C., Corcoles, C. C. & Serrat, C. C. (2008). Mathematical e-learning: state of the art and experiences at the Open University of Catalonia. International Journal Of Mathematical Education In Science & Technology, 39(4), 455-471. doi:10.1080/00207390701867497

Newby, T. J., Stepich, D., Lehman, J., & Russell, J. D. (2006). Educational Technology for Teaching and Learning (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Papa, L., Seaberg, D. C., Rees, E., Ferguson, K., Stair, R., Goldfeder, B., & Meurer, D. (2008). Does a waiting room video about what to expect during an emergency department visit improve patient satisfaction?. CJEM: Canadian Journal Of Emergency Medicine (Canadian Medical Association), 10(4), 347-354.

Peterson, P., Hanuchek, E., & Riddel, J. (2011) U.S. proficiency in math and reading lags behind that of most industrialized nations, endangering long term economic growth. Education Next. Retrieved May 1, 2012 from http://educationnext.org/u-s-proficiency-in-math-and-reading-lags-behind-that-of-most- industrialized-nations-endangering-long-term-economic-growth/

Planty, M., Hussar, W., Snyder T., Provasnik, S., Kena, G., Dinkes, R., Kewal-Ramani, A., & Kemp, J. (2008). The condition of education 2008 (NCES 2008-031). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.

Redmond, A., Thomas, J., High, K., Scott, M., Jordan, P., & Dockers, J. (2011). Enriching Science and Math Through Engineering. School Science & Mathematics, 111(8), 399-408. doi:10.1111/j.1949-8594.2011.00105.x

Selleck, E. (2010). Tablets to surpass desktop sales by 2015, analyst predicts. Slashgear. Retrieved May 1, 2012 from http://www.slashgear.com/tablets-to-surpass-desktop-sales-by-2015-analyst-predicts -1790370/

Song, Y. (2011). What are the affordances and constraints of handheld devices for learning in higher education. British Journal Of Educational Technology, 42(6), E163-E166. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2011.01233.x

Spencer, J. A. (2012). Views from the Black of the Math Classroom. Dissent (00123846), 59(1), 76-80.

Waters-Adams, S. (2006). A theoretical underpinning for action research in education. Action Research in Education. Retrieved from http://www.edu.plymouth.ac.uk/resined/actionresearch/arhome.htm.

Wenner, J. M., Burn, H. E., & Baer, E. M. (2011). The Math You Need, When You Need It [sic]: online modules that remediate mathematical skills in introductory geoscience courses. Journal Of College Science Teaching, 41(1), 16-24.

Wouters, P., Tabbers, H. & Paas, F. (2007). Interactivity in video-based models. Educational Psychology Review, 19(3), 327-342. doi:10.1007/s10648-007-9045-4

Zimmerman, B. J., & Kitsantas, A. (2002). Acquiring writing revision and self-regulatory skills through observation and emulation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94, 660–668.

Preparation for Online Instruction

In regards to the technical preparation for school, my cooperating teacher focuses greatly on programming languages, PHP, HTML, and CSS. I learned HTML back in like 2005 and still use it off and on, depending on what I choose to involve myself in. Sometimes, just to brush up on things, I will choose the raw code view for the posts to D2L and see can I see it before hand/predict and also, look for new things. Interestingly enough, codes for line breaks, font attributes, picture orientation and size, etc, have changed drastically since then, or have become completely obsolete and now are controlled/set with CSS.

PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor; it is server programming language. HTML, Hyper Text Markup Language, is website language that can be interpreted by a browser, no server needed. CSS, Cascading Style Sheet, affect the way a web page's text looks. So, for instance, when I learned HTML, I was learning to write a web page for my parents. When I did this, HTML was used to determine the placement and orientation of everything on the screen, images, text, 'add to cart buttons', checkout, etc. Then CSS was used to change the way text looked, this way, Titles, product descriptions, item quantity, etc. was different. PHP was used to set up the shopping cart, order generating, logins, etc. It took a lot to learn HTML, and I didn't have the energy or time to move forward to PHP, because that was the end of the summer.

HTML has since gone through 5 different transitions. Thankfully, much of the language's essence is still the same, but the changes must be kept up with if I am to stay current. The website that I used, which is excellent, is http://www.w3schools.com/. Just as they said, I recommend those wanting to learn use notepad to write the code, not a program like DreamWeaver, because you need to KNOW the language by the text, not by what you see. It always reminds me of the Matrix movie, when he was like I don't even see code anymore, I see a blonde, brunette, red head. DreamWeaver does certainly have its place, for instance, I needed it to create the clickable polygons, that overlaid my pictures. I could have just used a clickable square, but I was trying to produce a great quality site.

Anyway, while typing I received his response. He has definitely had a lot of divine directing towards online instruction. His on the job experiences built a strong foundation for online instruction. Also important, is the development of online pedagogical skills. He spent years learning more and more about online instruction in its creation. This has surely made a great difference in his practice. I think it is cool to see how similar his preparation has been. To tell a little about how my experiences mirror his is somewhat coincidental to the point of being uncanny.

Like him, I too was imbibed in technology as soon as it was made available to people. As in, my parents bought one of the first IBM PC's for the house. The case and monitor were altogether. There was a 5.25” floppy drive as well as 1.44” hard disk drive slot in the front. The screen was 16 colors and DOS based. I learned DOS commands, about text editing, Basic commands, and more. After that, my brother helped found the technology club at Banneker High school and established a partnership with, Tech Corps Over GA. This non-profit organization would take old business computers, normally trashed after an upgrade, wipe them, repair them, strip them, rebuild two types of machines, base and special/custom, give them free internet access, word processing capability, Windows, monitor, and whatever necessary peripheral devices and give the base models to impoverished communities and sell the special/custom models for next to nothing. My brother and I, (he the most) learned so much from that. Learning things from the inside and out.

Since my brother decided to pursue a career in technology, then I, as his loving and dedicated older brother, have also had to keep up with technology to be close to my brother. We have worked together on lots of things. We fix computers, reprogram them, flash phones, mod Wii's, and all kinds of other stuff. Clearly he is much more proficient than myself, but I try my best to keep up. Anyway, I have been able to develop a solid technology background working at GA Tech, helping them upgrade their accounting software, and also working for Intelliteach, which provides 24 hour help desk services for law firms all around the world. All this time I have been tutoring, during undergrad and at Sylvan Learning Center, working on education degrees, and have been in the classroom for six years.

Like I would imagine he was, I was completely blown away when I heard about instructional technology, because it allows me to combine two important areas of my life together into one. I am continuing as he does to perfect the merger between the two by developing a better understanding of what online learning is and how it takes place. I hope to be as successful, knowledgeable, dedicated, and effective as he is in this field.

His response is below....

As requested, here are my responses to:

·         a short reflection upon my training for online learning environments

·         additional training I would like to pursue in order to become an effective online teacher

My training for online learning environments:

As I’ve stated before, my preparation for teaching in online learning was largely self-directed. Since my undergraduate and graduate experience occurred prior to the existence of now common and ubiquitous components of the internet, I strayed into the nascent movement toward online learning and teaching via a series of serendipitous circumstances. Key events that helped me build skills for conceptualizing, constructing, and delivering digital learning experiences included:

·         working with one of the best Media Specialists early in my teaching career. I had the great luck to begin my first professional teaching in a school where there was a well-known and innovative Media Specialist by the name of Paula Galland. Paula was ever looking for an trying new ways to develop efficient, effective, engaging, relevant, and deeply meaningful learning experiences for students. Less than a week into my brand new teaching career, Paula delivered four (at that time) state-of-the-art Macintosh computers to my room and encouraged me to participate in a National Geographic program in which middle school students used telecommunication resources to electronically learn with a partner school from another location on the globe. Paula also rustled up a computer and modem that I could use to explore the early 1990s (pre-World Wide Web) version of the internet. Paula and I collaborated to construct an online presence for our middle school and she continued to lead to and through all manner of rich foundational experiences for communicating and teaching online.

·         working with a district-wide project in the middle school where I began my career and strengthened my pedagogical skills. In the early 1990s (around 1992-1993 or so), I was fortunate enough to be part of a group of middle school teachers who were (thanks to funding from the district, one of the district’s community Partners in Education, and a wealthy individual) able to explore and learn about using dynamic mathematical modeling software. We plunged into the study of systems thinking. Along with my colleagues, I was able to attend extremely powerful professional development, national conferences, and mathematical modeling software industry meetings. Being steeped in the potential of constructing digital simulations, I found myself continually communicating and learning with people from all over the world via email, telnet sites (early hypertext internet directories), and dial-in servers. I was cognizant of the fact that people were engaging in training/teaching sessions without being in the same location. I saw the implications, that learning could and was moving into online frontiers. After that, I began to research, read, and practice any and everything I could that would sharpen my skills as a teacher beyond the confines of the traditional brick-and-mortar school.

·         being asked to deliver professional development in my school district. As I was working with my peers in absorbing and integrating the precepts of Systems Thinking and the meaningful use of mathematical modeling software (in our case, a resource known as STELLA), I was increasingly relying on tools and resources from the internet to communicate and collaborate with writers, educators, researchers, industry leaders, and scientists. My district’s professional development director noticed and asked me to share what I was learning with others in our district. Being unable to go to all of our district’s schools all of the time, I advocated and taught others to go online to communicate, share,and learn. I was also teaching students in my 6th grade classroom to do the same. Parents began to ask me if there would be opportunities for students to learn or go to school online. I knew the answer was yes. Soon, I was reaching out (via online tools) to like-minded educators and teachers around the world to help me refine my approach to creating and delivering online learning experiences.

·         changing my occupation from classroom teacher to instructional technology consultancy. Around 1999, I left the classroom and went to work for a Regional Educational Services Agency that maintained an onsite Educational Technology Center. When I went to work for the First District RESA ETC I wanted to blend my love for teaching with my desire to help classroom educators at all grade levels to meaningfully integrate technology in a more efficient and effective manner. As I had imagined, learning had begun to move online. During my years with First District RESA ETC, I frequently communicated and worked with Georgia Department of Education officials who were beginning to recognize that learning and teaching would no longer be confined to physical classrooms.

·         working with the Virtual High School program. Around 2000 (or thereabout), the Georgia Department of Education partnered with a nationally recognized Virtual High School program. The DOE sought Georgia educators who wanted to develop online courses. I jumped at this opportunity. My opportunity to develop a high school course was extremely rewarding. I developed the course but did not get to teach it. It’s safe to say a newborn daughter necessitated a few lifestyle changes. Even so, my work generated positive feedback from the instructors who taught the course I had developed. I resolved to explore all manner of learning management/content management systems and how they could be used to facilitate richer, more robust online learning. Blackboard, Moodle, etc.

·         being immersed in an environment where others shared a desire to learn as much as possible about online learning. As a favor to the school districts that First District RESA ETC served, I began a blog and collected and disseminated advice for and about online/digital learning. I was able to attend local, state, regional, and national conferences focused on enriching and perfecting online pedagogical practices. My colleagues lauded and enthusiastically supported my efforts. During this time I was surrounded by the best, brightest, and loyalest colleagues I have ever known. Everyone of my colleagues explored and shared the same desire I did. We had a work environment that became a veritable Camelot of best online teaching practices. Sadly, despite our innovative experiences and successes, state funding cuts left me no choice than to move on. Even so, I was still determined to perfect my online teaching skills.

·         working in other occupations dedicated to the perfection of online learning. After leaving District RESA ETC, I began working for Georgia Southern University (part-time) and Georgia Virtual School. Though these entities support differing communities both use similar resources and approaches. Being able to develop and implement content for GSU and GaVS has continued to allow me to pursue training to acquire more knowledge and skills for teaching and learning online.

Additional training I would like to pursue in order to become an effective online teacher:

I am currently exploring research and experiences that give me more of an understanding of learners and what educators need to do to better meet the needs of students as fellow human beings. Although content and courses are important, the needs of people are even more so. I want the knowledge, tools, and resources that let my learners know that I fervently believe that they are important, that their well-being and success genuinely matter to me. Toward this end, I have been studying literature and research that explores how to help people develop grit (see: Duckworth’s work). I like to think that this and related information will guide my thinking about how to construct online learning experiences where students acknowledge and build the wherewithal and skills to cognizantly, consistently, and conscientiously dig in and become a lifelong learner.

In addition to a better understanding of the psychology of helping students develop a sustainable passion for learning, I want as much training/professional development as I can get in regards to assessment. Assessment should drive learning. I want to know about the best methods for ascertaining what online learners know and are able to do. I want to know about new resources, tools, and practices that will allow me to give students timely and rich feedback. I want ways to help my learners track their performance and improve upon what the discover and do.

I want to acquire a deep and useful knowledge of the tools and skills necessary for arranging an inviting environment for online learning. I want to learn as much about programming as possible. Having a strong understanding of HTML5, CSS, PHP, and database driven resources will be key to allowing me to construct digital resources that load faster, work on multiple platforms, and across different devices. I want  to make my content available and accessible any and everywhere.

Modern Day Instructional Environment

I want to start this off saying that my student was on Scared Straight last night, November 8, 2012.  His name is Quantavious.

http://www.aetv.com/beyond-scared-straight/video/fulton-county-ga-3823683579#3823683579

I broke up a fight between him and another student on the last day of school.  This fight, against all odds, took place just behind me, a known martial arts practitioner, and the cops.  I have been told to my face in an honest conversation that students don’t want what we are offering.  They don’t want to stop living that life.

Dr. Calvin Mackie says that in this day and age, Education is Useless, because as the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.  

http://schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/19/my-view-education-is-useless/

I think about the education and training that I received prior to and that which I am receiving now, and I wonder how do we combat this?  I see the attrition of those who care; wittled down by those who show up, to be seen portraying a ‘thug’ like they see on TV or on the music videos.  People think that this is just a stereotype.  This is just something that people say to sell diversity literature or lectures.  No Sir; No Ma’am.  The effect of the media, the loss of the black man, the resulting pressure on the black woman, and the culminating effect on the black youth is NOT at all a farce, cliche, or exaggerated.  It is true.  I see it everyday.  I grade it every day.  I tell it to go to class everyday.  I teach it everyday.  I hope anyway.

Insert...Just after posting this to facebook, I saw one of my former students post a picture of his new tattoo. Are you ready...

I am not writing this to be a kill-joy or a ‘nay-sayer’.  I am just stating my reality.  I am saying this to speak upon the overwhelming importance of being a role-model, father-figure, Uncle, Big Brother, Mentor, Confidant, and ‘good’ man/woman, who also happens to be a teacher.  Those who hope to venture into a majority minority school in certain communities with a certain SES need to truly be aware of what they are going to face and exactly what kind of teacher that they need to be for the students that they will be entrusted with.  Ladies and gentlemen, they need light.  They need us to be exactly what they need...A relief, an example, a hope, a reason to believe and move on.  

So many times I think about what Jesus must have felt, when my students come to me, in need, tired, hungry, hurt, and/or curious.  We think we have problems...One student in my class is struggling with HIV, another is an adopted young lady who has a mother who just died a prostitute, yet others still are spoiled brats, some are trying to do their best just because that is the right thing to do, while there are others that don’t believe that they can change their situation.  

I, as their leader, am not ashamed to share with them my pitfalls, my drama, and less than perfect past.  I tell them of hunger, of cold showers and doing homework by candlelight.  I share with them stories of domestic abuse, of molestation, and more to be a living example that there are NO EXCUSES!  There are NO UNRECOVERABLE MISTAKES!  There are NO DEAD ENDS for those who are passionate and dedicated to making a better life for themselves.

Nothing defines you, but what you allow to.  In my classroom hangs the following, which I penned,  “You are not your money, your devices or your environment, instead, you are what you know, what you believe in, and what you fight for.”  To offer them an alternative as a representative of a person who has overcome is the answer to many of my students prayers, I hope.  My goal is to always open up a slat in the lantern of pride and passion, courage and tenacity, providing them with a light of hope and a model/path to follow.

I leave you with this.  I always tell young adults or anyone going someplace I have been what is ahead both as a warning and as a call to preparation.  Parents, teachers, officers, adults of all kinds can tell you what to do, but cannot make you do anything.  No adult can make you do anything; all we can do is make sure that you are not surprised.

Peace and blessings,

CEH

Diversity in the Classroom

I always try to be a well rounded person, taking care of myself intellectually, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  By doing so, I hope to be prepared and capable of handling a multitude of situations, regardless of the circumstances.  As a result of having such an expansive sense of identity, in my mind diversity is so much more than a concept.  Evolving past the point of just wearing a piece of clothing, or playing a song, how about making sure that you excuse the absence and extend the deadlines for the Islamic kid, who just missed a this past Friday in observance of Eid, wishing her a wonderful and blessed holy day.  Diversity is not about temporary presentations; diversity is all about perpetual respect.   

You could compose mathematics word problems, stories, and scenarios with different names, circumstances, events, foods, types of music, etc.  Even a mention makes a difference.  A concrete example, I have a word problem below about a runner, I could easily inject a sentence into this problem saying he switches his mp3 player from Duod’s Chase, to Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings to help him relax, but this is not enough.

Get into a small group, 3 people max.
1.) Organize information by what it measures
2.) Make sure all the units match up.
3.) Draw a diagram and label it.
4.) Find or create a formula that uses the info you have.
5.) Work it out.
A runner is on an outdoor course. Going through a forest. He has been running at a constant rate of 8 mph for 15 min, so far. He is tired. When he trains, he closes his eyes from time to time to calm himself down and relax. He wants to try this today during the long race. There is a stream 75 ft ahead of him. He is going to close his eyes until he gets to the stream. When he closes his eyes, he slows his pace to 85% of his normal speed. How long should he close his eyes? How long is the race distance-wise, if he has one more mile to the finish after the 4ft wide stream and resumes the 8 mph pace? What was his final time?

EXTRA CREDIT! What if I then said that he had his eyes closed 3% of the entire race? How does that change things?

The true goal of diversity, in my opinion, and the true root of the demand for diversity is for every teacher to possess a genuine curiosity and desire to be a true citizen of humanity and sincerely know the students who depend on them.  In doing so, you become a better teacher and secure the vital bond between mentor and apprentice, which in turn secures their confidence in you as a leader and ensures their desire to appease and perform to the standards you set.  You become someone they respect and look up to.  And from their perspective move beyond some generic adult who teaches at me, to a caring mentor who teaches for me.  Think about that for a moment.  The concept of moving from teaching AT me, to teaching FOR me.

Diversity is not just a box to check on an evaluation form or a legal/civil right.  The essence of diversity as a human, should compel us to understand and realize that diversity to a teacher, is a student's way of life, their passion, their daily ritual, their security blanket, their family, and their reason for living.  To lose sight of this, for the sake of trying to avoid getting dinged on an evaluation is tragic.  Just as one man’s trash is another man's treasure, one man’s diversity is another man’s soul essence.  

As indicated earlier, diversity must be accompanied by a perpetual desire to learn more about all things, because as classrooms become global communities, more and more will be expected of teachers in terms of diversity.  Knowledge breeds respect, and respect precedes learning.  I believe that the keys to diversity are the acceptance of the understanding that a learner’s reality is the key to garnering a relationship that will propel them to greater and greater academic achievements.  The second key is the acceptance of the responsibility that a teacher must always learn and grow as a learner of humanity and culture his/herself.   

“No man is an island’  And ‘Bubble Boy’ is not highly qualified or certified.  We ask students to expand their horizons, but you can only give what you first possess yourself, so we must always lead the way academically, but also philosophically, intellectually, and spiritually, because diversity is a function of all of these.  So, in closing, let us be role models in all ways intellectually, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  For in doing so, we will have prepared students capable of handling a multitude of situations, regardless of the circumstances, culture, region, ethnic group, sexual orientation, or creed.