NMC Horizon Report

             When we were assigned the task of blogging about the New Media Consortium (NMC); I immediately started to wonder what exciting topic in technology we would now have to become abreast on. Never did I think that it would be something that has sought to "chart the landscape of emerging technologies for teaching, learning and creative inquiry and produces the NMC’s series of Horizon Reports. Since the launch of the Horizon Project in March 2002, the NMC has held an ongoing series of conversations and dialogs with hundreds of technology professionals, campus technologists, faculty leaders from colleges and universities, and representatives of leading corporations."

              Every year this report is written based on a number of things such as current technological trends and tagged information that individuals bring to their attention by using delicious. I believe that the fact that current trends in technology and the views of individuals in society is taken into account is awesome; "straight from the horses mouth."

             As the Horizon Report states, the aim is to highlight emerging technologies. There are normally six technologies of focus in each horizon report. One of which is near-term horizon which is expected to be in use in institutions within twelve months. Then there is the mid-term horizon that is expected to be in use by one to three yeatrs. The final is the far-term horizon which spans a four to five year period. The Horizon Report for 2010 can be viewed by following this link. A wonderful synopsis of this report for 2010 is eloquently stated by Mary Bart. You can read her entire findings by following this link. I think that she states quite clearly the findings of the report for 2010.

              Follow this link to view NMC Horizon Report for 2009.  Follow this link to view NMC Horizon Report 2007. One thing that the report in 2009 highlights are some key trends and challenges which are as follows:
"Key Trends

Technology is increasingly a means for empowering students, a method for communication and socializing, and a ubiquitous, transparent part of students’ lives. Technology continues to profoundly affect the way we work, collaborate, communicate, and succeed. The perceived value of innovation and creativity is increasing. There is increasing interest in just-in-time, alternate, or non-formal avenues of education, such as online learning, mentoring, and independent study. The way we think of learning environments is changing. Critical

Challenges
Digital media literacy continues its rise in importance as a key skill in every discipline and profession. Students are different, but educational practice and the materials that support it are changing, only slowly. Many policy makers and educators believe that deep reform is needed, but at the same time, there is little agreement as to what a new model of education might look like. A key challenge is the fundamental structure of the K-12 education establishment. Many activities related to learning and education take place outside the walls of the classroom — but these experiences are often undervalued or unacknowledged." 
 
              To view an eloquent analysis of the focus area initiatives from 2008-2010 for the Horizon Report is to follow this link.          
 
               The current technology plan at my school does not support the items outlined in either 2007-2010 Horizon Reports. Networkings sites like Classroom 2.0 will play a part in keeping schools current in technology. Whether or not my school is ready and is trying to advance with the trends of the time; technology will continuously to evolve. The possibility of having gesture based use of the internet and web based autopsy I thought was overtop technology in movies like CSI Miami. Looking at this report it seems the way that the world will be. After a while becoming the norm.

                Can you imagine going into a class and presenting information by using gesture based technology! I would enjoy that lesson and I am sure that my students would too. The Net Gen students are ready for all this technology. Like the challenges like I had listed above state, are the school systems ready though? One of my colleagues in this class seem to be immersed in technology at her school. Some schools are so far behind that it makes you wonder when they will move from just merely presenting the class lesson on merely the overhead projector. Of course, schools will embrace technology in different strides. The mere fact is that whether or not schools drag their feet in getting immersed in technology and prepare 21st century leaners, technology is available and it will keep getting better as the months, no days go by. The questions is will schools be participators or watchers of this new technology that is, may, and will become available!

                   Hope that you found this informative. It was a joy for my to see the NMC Horizon Reports. I am sure that I didn't look at all the reports said. I hope that you walk away from this blog bearing in mind the possibilities for technological use is vast, as is outlined by the report. Similarly, so too are the trends and challenges that school will face vast. I see technology as having a wide variety of items to use; question is, are we going to use any? I see the use of technology in the Classroom as one of the ways to change teaching and learning to being student based, creative, and interesting. Read this article about the Effects ofTechnology in the Classroom.

                    Until we meet again in cyberspace, embrace technology as is availiable at your school. Remember, this is not the end, it is only the beginning of the technological journey that mankind will make.

School Boards: Their role in schools

             The National Education Plan (NETP) states that, “education is the key to America’s economic growth and prosperity and to our ability to compete in the global economy… just as technology is at the core of virtually every aspect of our daily lives and work we must leverage it to provide engaging and powerful learning experiences.”

             NETP outlined five aspects that are crucial in the plan for the nation. The areas are learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure, and productivity. In regards to learning, all learners are hoped to have engaging and empowering learning experiences that will serve to make them participants of the globally networked society.

              In terms of assessment; again the focus is on the use of technology, this time with emphasis on measuring and assessing data for continuous improvement. I like the fact that the focus is on using technology, that constantly evolves, to implement and foster the growth and sustainability of these areas.

               Another focus of NETP is teaching. The focus here is on the support of educators “[who are] connected to learning data and tools for using data, content, resources, and learning expertise…and inspire more effective teaching for all learners.” (Page 8) 

               In the area of infrastructure, it is recommended that students and teachers have access to the internet and other broadband services both in and out of school. Of course, the aim here is to support meaningful use of these services that will enhance the teaching and learning environment as well. The aim is to get students to be not only engaged learners, but also to be able to perform in this technologically advancing society.

             Without a doubt, all of the above areas once implemented and continuously improved on, should lead to productivity, which is the final aspect of focus by NETP. Productivity is tied in with the fact that all levels will take advantage of the use of technology with improved learning outcomes being the end result.

               It is now up to schools on the local level to implement the various aspects that are outlined in National Technology plan. Obviously there is a huge emphasis on technology being used to lay the foundation in the advancement of educational opportunites to students.

               In every county/district there is a school board. School boards and their roles will vary depending on where you go. One thing that is sure though, is that these school boards have responsibilities that are tied to the effectiveness and sustainability of schools.It is believed that "these are changing times for public education, and even more challenging is the work of local school board members. Today's local board of education is the leader on the front lines of public education. The board is responsible for putting in place the proper keystones for students to learn and achieve at the highest level possible. Board members' primary agenda is raising student achievement and involving the community in the attainment of that goal."

               On the other hand it is believed that "since the 1980s school boards have been experiencing erosion of power. State regulations have eaten into school board authority from above, while teacher unions and school-based management have worn away at it from below. Instead of viewing recent increased state involvement as usurping school board authority, Conley (1993) sees it as an opportunity for schools to focus their attention on "issues of internal coordination and quality control."

                One thing that is certain is that school boards still play a role, be it on a large scale or not, in developing the school curriculum and making changes that are deemed necessary. The school board in my county plays a huge role in the policies that are implemented. School boards are normally the first entity that is expected to lead reform and change in schools. Watch this video by Secretary Duncan and listen to his charge to school boards. After watching that video I am sure that you see that you see that school boards still have a vital role to play in the school system.

               Like I said before, the school board in my county has a lot of power. They are the ones that pass and implement policies that relate to the classroom and the school in general. There are obviously individuals on these boards that have not been in schools that are web based and in their estimation they turned out fine. I call this resistant to change. It is human nature to stick to what we know. As we say back home "stick to the evil that you know!"

               On the other hand, how can schools educate their boards about web in schools? How can this creative way of teaching be impressed upon school boards? What should be done in order to ensure the support of school boards?

http://www.screencast.com/t/iDoCyDKUEHSupport of School Boards

               Of course, one has to remember that there are a number of negatives that are associated with web use, such as the risk of predators that prey on the young and inexperienced. One thing that I have found is that everything in life may have negatives. As it relates to internet use if one is taught internet safety then the chances of the negatives having a major impact is lessened.
               
                As there are negatives, so too are there positives as it relates to the use of the web. Here is a school according to the Columbus Local News that have used the web in interesting ways. Parents can access their students grades via the use of the web. Read the entire story to get the understanding of their use in full. This leads me to the ways in which school boards can be educated about the use of the internet.

               School officials can prepare a tutorial that outlines other schools that may have implemented some of the same web tools that they would love to employ that may have worked. As the article above shows, school boards can be shown how parents can have easy access to their children's grades and completed assignments be simply going online.

               School boards may also be invited to attend classes that have the use of the web being utilized to show the creative ways that the web could be interwoven into the lesson. The school boards should also attend many of the professional development sessions held for teachers, so that they can see and play an integral part in the professional development training that the teachers are getting. The aim is for the board to see that any proposals that they may have been given is being implemented at schools with the teachers being properly equipped with the necessary training.

               School boards could be shown the relevance of the use of the web being used in ways that is applicable to the society that these students will have to be able to function in. For example a teacher could show the use of Wikispaces that he/she may be using daily in class. Many schools use Wikispaces as a teaching tool. Some schools may have a tool such as blackboard, that is similar to Wikispaces. The student would have already been exposed to this mode of instruction in high school, therefore, his/her transition in college becomes that much easier.

                School boards should also be shown students work that they may have completed. The assignments could have been completed by using web 2.0 tools, such as jing. The students could also show how they may have used the web for research as they complete assignments.

              At the end of it all it is important that school board members are shown the ways that the web can help to improve students scores and academic performance. It must be pointed out at this point that students don't learn in the same way. By using the various web tools teachers can expose students to interactive websites that serve to enhance the student understanding of a given topic with immediate feedback. At the end of the day the improvement of student performance is the focus as the technological advancement and capabilities improve daily.

              Without a doubt there are a number of ways that school boards can be educated, some of which I have mentioned. School boards must be shown how the web can be used to enhance the schools' relationship with parents, improve the teaching and learning environment, and foster the growth and sustainabilty of 21st century learning as I mentioned earlier. I hope that you found this blog informative. I am sure that you can think of other ways to educate board members.

Controlling Internet Access in Schools

             Since the beginning of time man has sought to make their existence easier as the days, months, and years go by. Initially communication was limited to writing letters.

                                                               Letter Writing
   
              Now individuals rarely write letters. The focus is on the technological devices that are evident. Mobile phones are used to send messages. Instant messaging is available as well. One can also have video conferencing. Without a doubt, the ways to communicate instantly is quite numerous. The art of letter writing is said to be a dying one. "More than a quarter of seven to 14-year-olds have not written a letter in the last year, and one in 10 has never written one, according to a poll commissioned by World Vision." You can read the rest of the finding of the survey by using this link. I am sure that teenagers are not the only ones who are not writing letters anymore.

              With the dawning of a new day comes new and more innovative ways to use the technology that is now evident in society. The teaching and learning environment has evolved just as everything else in society. A number of schools have given students access to various technological tools. The aim is to make the students capable of not only functioning but also thriving in the 21st century. Many schools have given the students their personal laptops that should be used at school daily. Where personal laptops are not available the students have access to desktop computers. One would have thought, YES, a wonderful way to aid the teaching and learning environment.... 

               Of course, with the advent of these wonderful additional teaching ,schools have sought to inititate various policies that governs the use of the varied technological tools that the students will have access to. One such implemented policy is the trend of banning certain websites that the students should access on the internet.
                                                          Internet Banned

              What gives the school system the right to be able to be able to block certain use of the internet? The answer is quite simple: The Children Internet Protection Act (CIPA), which is a federal law that was enacted by Congress to "address the concerns about the access to offensive content over the internet on school and library computers." There are several requirements of CIPA, one of which is that "an authorized person may disable the blocking or filtering measure during any use by an adult to enable access for bonafide research or other lawful purposes." Obviously in order to disable there must be something that needs to be disabled. In this case it is the blocking of certain websites that the school activated.

                                                    Internet Ban

               However some schools, like mine, have sought to block all social networking websites. Imagine my unwanted surprise when I went to work on Monday November 1st and could not access my wikispaces webpage that I had been using daily as an integral part of the teaching and learning environment. It is a good thing that I am flexible and was able to teach the day's lesson even though our main technological tool had been disabled. This problem was sorted out by Wednesday November 3rd, however, it made me realize how limited internet use we had at our school. Everything is banned. Most websites have some sort of link to social networks. We can't even use yahoo, yes, yahoo a search engine. Google is very limited in scope as well. I know that YouTube has a number of videos that the students ought not to have access to at school. On the other hand, what about the various videos and other resources that can aid the teaching and learning environment? Yes, it is said that teachers can click the login option when it says access denied. However, even after you have identified yourself as a teacher you still can't gain access.
                Computers can't filter like a human brain. It blocks what it is told to block. Computers can't use its discretion and allow something to be shown that it may deem as being appropriate. It will block what it was "instructed" to block irrespective of any usefulness that a blocked website may possibly add. Where do we go from here? Hmmm.... That is a good question!

                I was of the impression that my school was offering differentiated blocking. However, I don't see any differentiation. Even when you try to login as a teacher, you are still blocked. I don't have what this blog outlines, differentiated blocking so that a teacher can access the website. That sounds like a luxury that I would love to bask in the glory of. What we have to do to solve this dilemma is to find the websites that we want and submit it to the technology support; who will in turn view the website and ultimately decide if you will gain access. Needless to say this is a long process. The upside is that the website once approved is available for future use as well.

               I really don't find differentiated blocking very useful. Like I said before, you are prompted to log in as a teacher to gain access and often times I am told that I still can't access the website. I think, as Attorney General Roy Cooper of North Carolina stated in his article Protect Kids on the Internet, that "computers are wonderful learning tools, but they can also expose children to dangers like unwanted content and inappropriate contact from adults through the Internet. Parents, educators and caregivers can limit the danger and help children learn to navigate the Internet safely. By protecting their personal information and being cautious about what they view, families can reduce their risks."
               
                 Without a doubt, schools need to have policies, and parents need to set rules that clearly state the appropriate use of the internet. Students should be informed about the inappropriate use, and possible negative end results, if the internet is not used properly.
               
               One thing that I have learnt is that students are curious. They should be informed of why they should be cautious when using the internet not just told don't do this or that, which is essentially what banning does. Can I tell you that if we chose to not answer a students' questions and just think that banning is the end all, then we have another thing coming. There are websites that will inform these students about the various ways they can access a blocked website. Please view this link to see an example about How to Access Blocked Websites. Here is another that gives 9 Alternative Ways to Access Blocked Websites.  This site even has illustrations. There are websites and blogs that give specific walkarounds for certain blocked websites such as Google. Check the links that I haved given you out. I am sure that there are students that will find these websites just as I have.

                                              Countless use of the Computer

                Can I also tell you that I am not saying that parents should be Helicopter Parents, which according to Danah Boyd can lead to the seclusion of students because parents are being overprotective. That is going from one extreme to the next. What I am saying is that parents should monitor their child's use as much as they can on the internet. The child should feel more comfortable asking their parents questions instead of simply a peer or a friend on the internet, who they may have never met before, and who obviously may not have their best interest at heart. As this blog in response to Danah Boyd's outlined parents should protect their children and aid the child to become responsible users of the internet. At some "point they have to learn to judge for themselves: they need the opportunity to develop their own gut feelings about situations and people to avoid. Parents can talk things over with kids and help them evaluate, gently guiding them towards the day when they’ll have to do it for themselves anyway."

               Schools should focus on educating their students about the proper use of the internet. There will still be some level of blocking, such pornography and so on. However, if the focus is on proper and safe internet use, I am sure that with expected behavior, monitoring, and education about the proper online use of the various websites students will conform. I am sure that as Vicki Davis had pointed out with the use of cell phones in her class that many people felt that it was not possible. On the other hand, with the establishment of expectations it worked. As Harold Jarche pointed out in his blog students need to be taught how social networking websites can be used for the teaching and learning environment. He goes on to outline that instead of being restrictive that schools information technology and internet use policies should state the following:

"Because the Internet is used by almost all students to do research, the school should focus on developing skills to discern the veracity of information available.

The proliferation of Web services means that their use in education should be encouraged so that students understand how best to use them and develop appropriate behaviours, guided by teachers.

The high use social networking sites suggests that teachers engage students in evaluating these services from a critical perspective and understanding how they can be used for learning.

Students who use the Internet must know how to protect their digital identity.

Ease of access to text and media online means that students must understand intellectual property, copyright, fair use (fair dealing in Canada) and how to ease copyright restrictions through licensing such as Creative Commons.

All system users should ensure that their behaviour online reflects the values of public education."

                I support Harold Jarche's views that I have outlined above. I definitely echo the various points that I have noted as well. The internet is a way to not only go places that one may never be able to go physically, but to also be exposed to other cultures through websites such as social networks. The internet is a way to have students interact with each other and get feedback on a completed assignment that is immediate. Yes the internet can be a distraction, however, proper monitoring, and the teaching of the proper use of the internet could minimize this problem.
               To Block or not to block, that is the question. This is a very debatable topic. I hope that you found this blog informative. I am sure that like everybody else you have your views on this issue. You may or may not agree with mine. One thing that is sure though is that the internet is here to stay, what we do with it is the question.