Hey, there!  I'm glad you've decided to visit my little blog.  If this is your first time here, WELCOME! If not, welcome back. So after last week's post, this question was posed: "Do you see your focus on teachers' use of tools spill over to students' meaningful use of tools?"  And my answer? Absolutely! Generally speaking, a teacher's comfort level and confidence when utilizing and demonstrating technology directly correlates (in my opinion) to a student's willingness to engage with and explore said technology. Teacher's attitudes, habits, and modeling can build an atmosphere of learning, if you will.  And that, friends, is the basis of my "Call to Action". To understand where I'm going with this, consider the figure (below) representing modified levels of the digital divide in school (Hohlfeld et al., 2008) as shared by Ritzhaupt and Hohlfeld, 2019, p. 23. 

     I firmly believe my district has done a great job of providing access to our students. We're a 1 device:1 student district and have been since the pandemic.  We initially worked with local internet providers to establish emergency connections/accessibility for students lacking those resources when we closed schools unexpectedly.  When we returned to in-person instruction, our district provided internet hot-spots for students who needed them. Our district's technology infrastructure has been updated frequently and maintained over the years so all in all, we've done a good job of covering the first level in the digital divide.  Level one, check.  Our issues, based on conversations with colleagues and students, direct observations, and my own personal experiences, begin at the "use" level- level two- and progress into the "creation"-level three-stage. I completely agree with the authors that, "...if the teachers are not trained to meaningful integrate ICT into students' instruction (e.g.,, sufficient professional development),...the Digital Divide may manifest as inequitable learning experiences with the ICT resources for the students" (Ritzhaupt and Hohlfeld, 2019, p. 24).  So what accounts for our digital short-comings?  

     Let's consider dividing factors that might be impacting our community members. Is it age? Maybe. From my own personal experiences with colleagues in my building, the younger teachers seem to be more willing to embrace and explore technology for more than just online worksheets and Zoom conferences.  Generally speaking, many older teachers are failing to keep up with changing technologies and are lacking skills and a knowledge base necessary to help students make the most of the technology they have. (Note I said "many" and not "all". There are exceptions. :-) ).  What about race, geography, socio-economic status, or gender, you might ask? Well, I'm not sure I feel comfortable making any assumptions about those factors. But age, for sure, is currently a dividing factor in our school. I have to wonder, though, if it would continue to be a factor if teachers were given adequate technology training. Professional development that actually helps build teachers' technology competencies and leads to more tech-savy teachers of all ages is imperative if we're going to help students increase their own digital successes. And that, my friends, leads me back to how we choose to use our technology and the "cans" and "cannots". 

      Our district has seemingly addressed the "haves and have nots" (level one) hurdles facing our students and now we must do something about the "cans and cannots" (level two).  We are currently falling short in our preparation of students to use technology for their personal empowerment. Thus, my "Call to Action". 

Normore, A. H., & Lahera, A. I. (Eds.). (2019). Crossing the Bridge of the Digital Divide:  A Walk with Global Leaders. IAP. ISBN:  9781641133906.

     

Ritzhaupt, A.D., & Hohlfeld, T. N. (2019). An Examination of the Digital Divide and its Dividing Factors in Formal Educational Settings.

Learning Technologies to Bridge the Digital Divide-week 1

    Welcome back to my blog. I'm happy you're here!  So the Spring semester has just begun, and I find myself in the middle of another exciting opportunity to learn more about technology integration and its impact on education.  During this first block of classes, I'm enrolled in EDUC 5353 Learning Technologies to Bridge the Digital Divide and it promises to stretch my thinking, for sure.                                                                                                             

     The assignment this week is to begin thinking about a "Call to Action" that will address digital inequities in our community. Our resources this week include a photo essay of sorts as well as a podcast, both of which feature the work of Nicol Turner Lee, the director of the Center for Technology Innovation. In the podcast, Dr. Lee shares her insights into the technological inequities facing America, specifically a small, rural town in Virginia. Her thoughtful musings made me consider the technological inequities that might exist within my own community. My community, for the purposes of this blog and my impending "Call to Action", will be my local school district. 

     My school district is located in an urban city nestled within the Wichita Mountains of southwest Oklahoma. The city itself boasts a population of roughly 94,000 people, of which approximately 14,000 are school-aged children enrolled in our public school system. According to statistics and information found on the "Public School Review" website, our district's (comprised of 25 schools) test scores rank in the top 50% of public schools in Oklahoma. Additionally, our district ranks in the top 20% of public school districts in Oklahoma for the most diverse schools. Per the website referenced, our district's minority enrollment is 63%.  A public statement made by our district's McKinney-Vento liaison suggests there are approximately 600 students enrolled in our district who meet the definition of "homeless" and are being served/aided through her office. I share these specifics with you to highlight what might be considered inequalities amongst our student population and to illustrate why I feel it's imperative to address the issue of technological inequities within my school district. 

     My district has done a great job of securing 1:1 devices for our students and hotspots for those who need them and providing IT assistance for parents and students during periods of remote/virtual learning such as we're currently experiencing. Therefore, physical access is not necessarily an issue. The divide, as I see it, becomes apparent as one considers how we (as teachers and facilitators of learning) are appropriating the skills and competencies necessary to facilitate said learning and assisting those students who might be on what Dr. Lee refers to in her podcast as "the wrong side of the homework gap".  Our district has invested great sums of money in purchasing many licenses for specialized sites and student learning management systems yet hasn't invested in actually helping teachers learn how to maximize the benefits of those sites and systems. Sure, our teachers got the prerequisite "Spend some time looking around the platform and playing with it yourself; email us if you have any questions" bit before being sent on our way to muddle through and learn the basics. What's missing, though, is a concerted effort to help our teachers realize the full potential of said sites and systems, and therein lies the need for my "Call to Action".

                                                                   

     If you have an interest in accessing Dr. Lee's photo essay "Closing the Digital and Economic Divides in Rural America", you can find it here: https://www.brookings.edu/longform/closing-the-digital-and-economic-divides-in-rural-america/ .  If you'd like to access the podcast featuring Dr. Lee, "Who's Left Out by America's Digital Divide", you can find it here:   https://www.brookings.edu/podcast-episode/whos-left-out-by-americas-digital-divide/  

Until next time, Friends!

Digital Storytelling-Week 5

     So here we are in week five.  I'm currently working on draft number four of a story I thought I had a handle on. I'd planned each shot meticulously in my mind and even had some thoughts on the type of music I'd use to help convey the emotions I wanted to really connect with my audience.   Little did I know I would be stretched and unsettled over the next three weeks and my story would morph into something quite different from my original thoughts.    Although my story has taken some unexpected turns, the concept, the subject matter, and the audience have all remained the same. 

     After several re-writes over the weeks, I am now at the point of no return.  My final plan-the one I'm stickin' with- is to create a documentary style story. I will not appear on camera but rather act as an off-screen narrator.  My focus will be the stories and reactions my colleagues share during their interviews.  There will be several individual interviews and at least one interview in a small group setting.  The script (what little there is of it) will be entirely dependent on the participants.  They will be carrying the bulk of the conversation/story while I manage the story transitions to (hopefully) move seamlessly from topic to topic.  The subject matter is teacher stress and burnout and will, quite possibly, address several topics.  I have the shots in mind that I'd like to make and I have the story progression all mapped out. I know I've got the tools I'll need to record (iPad, lapel mics, iPad stand, lighting, etc.) and plan to edit through Moviemaker HD . My current timeline includes filming this week, editing over Thanksgiving break, sharing with my colleagues during our week six and being ready to share with all of you, my peers, the following week. Before I get to that point, however, I want to revisit some of the resource options Dr. Shannon shared with us.

     I guess, like any novice storyteller, I am still looking to include some kind of "WOW" factor to ensure my audience stays fully engaged.  I've kinda' wrestled with this because I know that a great story will keep an audience fully engaged without any special extras. I know my subject matter is relevant and compelling to the right audience but maybe I should include something extra "just in case".  I have experience with Chatterpix, one of the tools Byrne included in his online article. While my students love the talking animation feature Chatterpix includes, I don't think it's quite right for the seriousness of my story.  Adobe Spark, while useful, doesn't sound as though it offers the same level of "extras" as the MovieMaker HD Pro (which I currently use) does. WeVideo, however, is a resource I do plan to investigate since I am making a documentary of sorts.  I don't plan to include AR or VR so I won't be using any of those resources, nor do I plan to create an ebook or podcast.  Many of these resources, however, would make engaging additions to my tech club "tool chest", so I'm definitely bookmarking Byrne's article to refer to later with my students. Kapuler's web article included a ton of resources, most I'd never even heard of. That's definitely exciting for me as a "techie" and I'm excited to investigate and explore them all with my students. But back to this student's assignment: my digital story.

     My intended audience is the stakeholders in my school district: our administrators, school board members, parents, the education department chair at our local university, and anyone else willing to watch/listen. The purpose of my story is NOT to call anyone out or point fingers. The purpose of the story is to help these people, many of whom have been out of the classroom for a very long time (if they ever were in the classroom in the first place), see what teachers are feeling. Yes, they've probably already heard most of these points my colleagues will be making, but I want them to really see that the crisis is here at our own front door. And while my colleagues and I are grateful and appreciative of the small retention bonus awarded us earlier this year or the Christmas bonus every employee received, these issues are not going to be resolved by throwing money at the problems.  It's going to take a united effort from all of us to rectify this situation before the crisis gets any worse. I also want other teachers to find some support and solidarity through this story. Many teachers are suffering in silence, crying on the way home from work each night so their family members, friends, and colleagues won't see their pain.I don't have any answers but we do have some suggestions worth considering.  

     This assignment has helped me strengthen my video production skills as well as my writing skills. It's opened up a plethora of new tech resources for my students and I to explore and, hopefully, entice other teachers to explore. Additionally, it has helped me find my voice and courage to tell the story so many teachers are experiencing these days. I want our community, including our students, to know that teachers are fighting daily to give their students the very best they have to offer but unless there are drastic changes to how we see educators, how we treat educators, how we pay educators, education as we know it will be a thing of the past. Because as we sit and debate the issues and sweep them under the rug, the highly qualified, college trained teachers we rely on are leaving the career field in droves.

    

Byrne, R. (2019). Ten digital storytelling tools for students of all ages. Practical Ed Tech (n.d.). Retrieved from:  https://practicaledtech.com/2019/08/26/ten-digital-storytelling-tools-for-students-of-all-ages/

Kapular, D. (June 3, 2020). Top 30 tools and apps for digital storytelling.  Tech & Learning.  Retrieved from:  https://www.techlearning.com/tl-advisor-blog/30-sites-and-apps-for-digital-storytelling

Digital Storytelling-Week 3

 Greetings!  It's been quite a week and I'm feeling a bit underwhelmed by my own efforts recently.  My blog post this week is anything but stellar and I find my current state of uncertainty unnerving. The assignment was to share my Digital Storytelling Project Plan.  And that, my friends, is what is at the root of my uncertainty.  Prior to class Monday evening I thought I had my story all figured out. It's a topic I feel pretty passionate about so I thought I could see my story from beginning to end very clearly.  Now, not so much. I'm counting on you, dear classmates, to help me decide how to tell my story.  Here's the link (below) to my project plan. And thanks in advance for helping me tell this story.  

Respectfully,

Pam

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f_hNQJyHN0nJ7IvqRVComrWvB6H3bteA/view?usp=sharing  

Digital Storytelling-Week 2: Becoming a Digital Storyteller

      This week's assignment had us taking a closer look at creating, sharing, and assessing digital stories- or "new media narratives"- as Ohler (p.17) refers to them.  Our objective this week was to view an online digital story example, reflect on the piece, and make connections to Ohler's text via discussion questions.  With that in mind, I grabbed a bowl of popcorn and sat down to enjoy a couple of tantalizing presentations produced by Met Media.  And when I say "tantalizing", I am not being facetious; I truly found the content engaging.  

    The first presentation I viewed was a "behind the scenes" look at the Met's Digital Storytelling Lab for students: #MetKids- Our Words, Our Stories.   (You can check it out here to see this super example of digital storytelling for yourself): https://www.metmuseum.org/metmedia/video/metkids/metkids-made-by-kids/digital-storytelling-lab-2016 .  The story revolves around young participants creating original stories based on the art found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's galleries. The story is a personal narrative mini-documentary featuring the young authors giving their "take" on what the experience was all about. The uplifting music playing in the background adds an air of whimsy to the content and draws the viewer into the pure pleasure and excitement the students experienced. The story relied on live-action sequences and photo stills to convey the intended message. The producers of the video also utilized on-screen text to label people and "chapters", if you will.  Overall, this personal experience story was engaging and interesting to watch.  Perhaps I found it as such because I have an interest in the subject matter. As Ohler points out, "...a story resonates when others can relate to it" (p.25).  I definitely found the content relatable and was completely engaged. I found the presentation memorable, not on an emotional level, per se, but rather from an interest and educational standpoint. I caught myself wanting to question the subjects of the piece about their experiences with the subject matter. I also wanted to question their use of the Twine (choose your own adventure) site and the MDQ (major dramatic question) technique they utilized. That, according to Ohler, was the hook that made me an active viewer. Would a different viewer have the same experience? Maybe or maybe not, depending on their level of interest in the subject matter. 

      Regardless of one's interest level in the subject matter, there is definitely academic value contained within and through the use of this presentation.  Ohler (2013) suggests equal parts academic focus and engagement when creating a story. Within the story, it was easy to see the academic value of the cross-curricular content areas involving language arts (writing, story elements, etc.), art, and public speaking.  How could it be used in education? This digital story could be used to introduce students to the art of digital storytelling because it contains so many of the elements that make digital stories dynamic:  music, on-screen text, live-action sequences, and photo stills, among others. Or perhaps it could simply be a precursor to a lesson on writing adventure stories. I've given two examples of its possible use in education and I'm certain there are many more I've not considered. 

     How would I assess what I saw in this digital presentation?  I would draw four or five specific traits from Ohler's Digital Stories Assessment Traits table (p.90) to create a rubric. *Note: I take exception to Ohler's (2013) statement that, "...traditional educators often aren't new media literate (a situation that is changing as teachers become younger and more digitally savvy) and thus don't feel comfortable assessing new media projects..." (p.84).  While I realize he is not speaking in absolutes, I believe that educators, no matter their age, are life-long learners and are willing to learn IF someone is willing to teach them. 

     Speaking of being a life-long learner, I found this digital story so interesting, I decided to watch some of the student-created stories that were included on the #MetKids site so I could informally assess the students' presentations. They were great and became sort of motivators for me as I have decided to plan a stop-motion animation unit for my Intermediate Music students.  I'll let you know how it turns out.  Until next time...

Mrs.Thomas: TeacherTechster

Resources:

Ohler, J. (2013). Digital Storytelling in the Classroom: New Media Pathways to Literacy, Learning, and Creativity. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications ISBN-13: 978-1452268255; ISBN-10: 1452268258.

Digital Storytelling Week 1

     So the road to my Masters includes a short layover in "Digital Storytelling". To be honest, I've been looking forward to this class. I love all things "techie" and am frequently called upon to assist others in my building. I started our school's technology club where students have the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of broadcasting, green screen and stop motion technology, and our own version of digital storytelling.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.  Let me pause briefly to introduce myself.  

     My name is Pamela Thomas and I am an elementary school teacher.  I have been teaching for 24 years and began my career as an early childhood teacher primarily teaching students in Kindergarten and first grade.  Recently, however, I decided to make the move to teaching elementary Music to our entire student population (approximately 300 students).  As mentioned earlier, I started our school's technology club and provide opportunities for our students to work with technology in a variety of ways not always available to them in the regular classroom setting. Members of the "club" learn how to use stop-motion animation, green screen applications, recording and editing software and other tech resources to create and broadcast news casts and commercials all while telling their own stories they share with our school audience.  

     The experience I've gained at work while sponsoring our "Technology Club" and helping students discover an interest in technology helped me discover a hidden passion I didn't even realize I had. I absolutely LOVE the creative outlet I'm afforded while telling stories through digital platforms. I have taken over the role of web-master for our school as well as "social media coordinator" (fancy, self-appointed title for Facebook page administrator). These additional roles, while rewarding, are also time- consuming and stressful. Thinking about all the additional duties and responsibilities teachers have thrust upon them has led me to consider a story about teacher burnout and the teacher exodus we're currently seeing. This isn't a new topic but it is certainly a timely one, in my opinion. We've heard experiences from around the United States, but I would like to bring the issue down to a more personal, district-level issue. My approach would be to include "shadow" interviews with new teachers as well as veteran teachers to hear their experiences and perspectives and see where these interviews take us.  It's still a really rough idea but I think it's one worth following. According to Ohler (2013), "...the heartbeat of most good stories is conflict resolution" (p. 9).  Teachers are in conflict and need to be heard. Telling their stories and bringing to light the real issues facing our educators may just help them, their students, and education as a whole survive this most difficult time.  

     As far as which platform I might choose to use, I haven't given it much thought. Presenting the story as a podcast is a possibility, as is a traditional video presentation. Middleton (2013) offers some very compelling thoughts (for the time) on using the podcast/videocast as an option for delivery of the digital content. He describes the process by which the media is recorded and shared via an RSS feed for distribution. Further, he points out that students need choice in how they access the media and may be more willing to subscribe to an automated feed (iTunes, etc.) due to ease of use.  When considering distribution of my digital story, I must think about the audience I intend to reach. At this point in the planning process, I expect my story to be for a very small, specific audience. I am not planning to reach the masses with my story, just those individuals within my immediate school community who can help affect change and, as Ohler (2013) suggests, "...help us make sense out of the chaos of life" (p. 9). Either way, I am looking forward to the engagement and education this story will bring.

Middleton, A. (2013). Digital voices: A collaborative exploration of the recorded voice in post compulsory education. MELSIG & Sheffield Hallam University. CC BY NC-ND 4.0

Ohler, J. (2013).  Digital Storytelling in the Classroom:  New Media Pathways to Literacy, Learning, and Creativity.  Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications

    

Univeral Design for Learning (UDL)

 Our blog assignment this week was to summarize an article about Universal Design for Learning. While I had heard that term on occasion, I had no real grasp of what the concept really was. For that reason, I chose to review an article that gave me a better understanding of what it is and how I should be implementing it in my classroom.  According to authors Lynn Kennette and Nathan Wilson, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is, "...an approach to curriculum development aimed at removing barriers in education to make it accessible to the largest number of learners" (CAST, 2011).  Ensuring access for all is a major, maybe the major, goal of UDL. It's not a tool or a kit one buys to magically make learning happen. Rather, it is a framework of thoughtfully designed strategies to help remove barriers to learning.  It is built on clear goals and flexible options for all learners.  

  Clear goals and flexible options/choice are among the things I make every effort to use to facilitate learning in my classroom. I didn't realize, however, that I was using UDL; I thought it was just good teaching.  The article points out that, "...properly applied UDL principles help meet the needs of students with exceptionalities and students of culturally diverse backgrounds while also benefiting all learners" (Kennette and Wilson, 2019).  The authors suggest several specific tips for implementing the UDL framework and I've tried to consider them thoughtfully as I design my lesson. The first principle of UDL is multiple means of representation.  With regards to my lesson, I have included several different representations of beat boxing: video samples, written samples, audio samples, and teacher modeling.  The hope is that at least one of those methods will "speak" to each of my students.  The article goes on to assert, "There is also evidence that supports the benefits of UDL's second principle: multiple means of action and expression" (Kennette and Wilson, 2019). Given that my lesson assessment is designed to be video-based, I need to rethink how I plan that assessment piece. I realize now that I need to add a student reflection section and an alternative for demonstrating the acquired knowledge (for choice).  With respect to the third principle, multiple means of engagement, my lesson utilizes an engaging website, exciting tools (Chromebooks and iPads), collaboration with peers, and YouTube video samples. I believe integrating these tools will aid in student engagement and result in a positive learning outcome for each of them.

     After visiting the CAST website, I have identified a few strategies I believe would enhance my lesson and remove any possible barriers to learning that might exist. Among those strategies are designing activities that produce authentic learning outcomes, communicating to real audiences, and reflecting a purpose that is clear to the participants.  Although the lesson plan was clear in my mind, I am not certain that I have planned to communicate the purpose of the lesson adequately to the students.  In order to achieve maximum engagement, I believe students must understand why the content is relevant and necessary. While I tried to make sure the content was appropriate for different racial, cultural, ethnic, and gender groups, I don't believe I focused on the culturally relevant aspect of the lesson.  I teach in a mid-sized district in south central Oklahoma. Will the majority of my students find beat boxing appealing? My purpose when I conceived this lesson was to expose students to a variety of musical genres they would most likely not listen to on their own. Now I find myself second guessing my own choices. Should I have allowed the students to choose their own genre? Could I have created the lesson in such a way that students would have had more control over their learning?  I included opportunities for collaboration through cooperative groupings with clear goals, roles and responsibilities but have I prepared them for successful collaboration with their peers?  I mentioned in my lesson plan that I would be utilizing a rubric for grading students' contributions to the project. I also need to remember to clearly establish the expectations and norms for working within those groups.  The CAST website and UDL have definitely given me a lot to think about and reconsider as I make the final revisions to this lesson plan. 

References:

CAST, Center for Applied Special Technology (2011) Universal Design for Learning Guidelines  version 2.0, Wakefield, MA.  Retrieved from http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines

Kennette, L. N. and Wilson, N. A. (2019).Universal Design for Learning (UDL): What is it and how do I implement it?  Transformative Dialogues: Teaching and Learning Journal. (12)1