Gottsha Teaching with Tech

Will technology be an equalizer, an end to education inequality? I think there is a two-fold answer, both yes and no. Yes: A quality education is easily accessed from a computer; whereas, living in a certain community or at least within commuting distance of a educational institution was necessary for reaping the benefits of gaining a quality education. No: It is still a case of the have and have nots. Instead of having to live in a higher-end community in order to attend a better school, one has to have a good computer, access to the internet, and/or various other tech tools necessary to participate in online educational environments. However, technology still increases access to a quality education, and even though we can never completely address economic disparity in society. If education leadership justifies the need for online education, and having access to educational resources society would benefit. Check out this article. It talks about how online publ...

      We always see and hear about how technology is the future, and in response teachers and educators alike feel a sense of anxiety when confronted with technology becoming the future of education. Thoughts of students staring at a computer as opposed to engaging in classroom activity pervade our imagination. There is a fear that a computer will ultimately transform into being the new teacher, but I don’t think that this alternate reality of a computer-taught generation will ever come to fruition.       I think that teachers are the future and technology will become a mode of hyper connection, allowing students, teachers, and other educators to connect globally. As a result, a quality education will become accessible to those who have a connection to the internet. My perception of social web platforms when they first emerged, was that it would decrease social connectivity, but my perspective has changed. Facebook has allowed me to keep friends, in...

Anyone can become a journalist. It used to be that a journalist required the assistance of a crew, but technology has changed that. Tim Pool, like many other citizen journalists, utilize smart phones and drones to capture events at the right moment. Content curators and storytellers are instilled with a new purpose in online communities, they can become citizen journalists. Many content curators generated topics to provide others with a wealth of knowledge on a particular subject; however, citizen journalism provides those who preserve stories through online media with a whole new purpose. The opportunity to become a part of circle of storytellers that  seek to provide information from a "ctizen's" perspective.

In 1976, the copyright law was rewritten, because the music industry along with other forms of media justified a need to revisit the law. Fair use was introduced, and perceptively educators thought that this law would be a good thing. It provides many benefits to educational institutions. Resources are often limited, and for many teachers, instructors, and professors, supplying a purchased copy of print or other type of media may not be an option. The copyright law acknowledges that an originator/author has the right to assume their creations, whether that be their writing or other media, as their personal property, and therefore also have the ability to control it's physical propagation. The Fair Use, written underneath the copyright law was supposed to depict that portions of print or media could be utilized for educational purposes, but the problem is that the fair use law was so loosely defined that it is perceived as "illusory" (Crews). It seems that the fair us...

     Learning for me, is like placing ideas into boxes. These ideas packed into boxes all have some sort of relation and/or connection. Social bookmarking is heaven sent for a person that seeks to understand the world through categories. Social bookmarking streamlines the process of a simultaneous need to categorize and collaborate ideas. I don't think that every person has an inner need to categorize their thoughts and life to the extent that I do, but social bookmarking serves as an excellent tool to reflect upon a process of learning.    Placing ideas and documents into categorical files is a process that humans have conducted for quite some time, but social bookmarking and tagging allows people to collaborate their thoughts and ideas in addition to placing them into categories. I believe that a vast majority of learning is constructed with social interactions, and utilizing tech or apps that allow learners to share and build upon other's ideas is most d...

I need your assistance. My expertise in creating a website that is both easy to navigate and visually pleasing as well is lacking. The material needs to be updated, as I created the E-portfolio for an assignment prior to graduating for my BS in Secondary Education. My main concern is I don't know what platform to use. Google Sites was easy to create, and best of all, it was free. If you have an E-portfolio that you don't mind sharing, or a review of a site that was easy to use along and visually appealing I would greatly appreciate your assistance. Check out my portfolio. I know, it's outdated. I need some pointers! ( Heather Gottshall Portfolio )

The first day of school for teachers is much different than the first day of school for students. The entire day is a celebration, an attempt to instill motivation and inspire through meaningful Professional Development (PD) courses. Over the last several years, technology integration has been an aspect of focus for PD. However, I think that we have been setting our priorities incorrectly. Educators have rushed to integrate technology, and it has dominated many classrooms to a point where the classroom objectives become secondary. Technology is a tool to enhance learning, and I don't think that technology should replace the role of a teacher. Below are some tips to utilizing technology in the classroom, and a couple of types of technology integration. Tips for Integrating Technology Start somewhere- It's not necessary to utilize technology in every lesson, especially if you are just starting out. You can use... YouTube Google Creating on-line projects Collaborati...

When I was a very young girl, I always wanted to travel the world. I was curious as to what other people were like, along with their culture and geographical setting. The internet has allowed me to get a taste for what the world is like. I have travelled to numerous places, but for the places that I have yet to traverse I can at least have secondary view of what different places, peoples, and cultures are like, and AR apps and platforms have made this possible. The internet and search engines brought books to life, and now AR and VR serve to bring the internet alive. The world is now within your grasp; not only is the information available through text, but it presents a technological capability of visual representation. Should we hold our applause for the day that the data can also be represented by an experience, and experience that allows us to touch and feel. AR technology like Blippar, is just the beginning of AR being incorporated into the classroom. Is it possible that AR is...

Homeschool is the new rage. I was homeschooled, and it seemed that I was part of a minority group. From my perspective it felt like my family was bizarre. I yearned to be normal and blend in with other young adults. The last thing I wanted was to be ostracized. Now, homeschooling families, with the assistance of social media, have access to community support groups designed to meet the needs of homeschooling families. Nowadays, you can connect and be a part of any community. The internet has become a web, connecting people with similar interests. Social media platforms have greatly increased the support and benefit for those that decide to educate their children at home. When social media first emerged, people feared that we would become senseless drones buried in a computer or mobile phone. That concept was a bit exaggerated, and though younger generations have seemed to lose interest with intrapersonal interaction, social media has also increased our ability to connect with other...

Sir Ken Robinson discusses creativity, and his view of how creativity is cultivated resonates with me. What are your thoughts about creativity and online learning and discussion; propose that you are an online educator, what implements would you design for the classroom to help foster creativity?

      Thirty-six students, several different states in the U.S., and a few different countries later, you have a distance online classroom, EME 6414- Web 2.0 Based Learning and Performance to be exact. Distance classes-- e-learning spaces, allow people from varying backgrounds and cultures to exchange ideas and collaboratively learn. Although e-learning classrooms present challenges, such as creating a curriculum that is engaging, one that is socially interactive, and addresses each learner wholly, it presents an advantage. These distance learning courses are culturally inclusive, and they increase access to a quality education. The challenges in creating an online curriculum are present, but the benefits are clear, the opportunity to learn has become more equitable.      So...for professionals, with a passion to increase accessibility to a quality education, there lies countless opportunities for intrepid educators and trainers.     ...