9.2- Sample Virtual Course

   I looked through the Virtual Learning Academy website to find out a few things about virtual schools and how they can affect different aspects of how we view education.  What I found was interesting as it pertains to New Hampshire.  I also looked at the Arkansas Virtual Academy to compare the two and now  have a different view of virtual schools.

   Anyone in New Hampshire, up to the age of 21, can attend VLACS without a tuition fee.  If you want to attend VLACS and you are not a resident of New Hampshire, you can attend on a tuition basis.  A student from Arkansas can attend the AVA for free also but do not allow anyone from another state to attend.  They must also meet an age requirement which wasn't listed, but am assuming is around 21 also.  When I looked at both websites I wasn't able to find anything that specifically talked about working with local schools.  I did see that both states have implemented the common core standards and work with schools to figure out what will count towards a diploma as well as college courses.  In New Hampshire students can be part time and either accelerate their high school progress, use the virtual learning as an enrichment experience, or finish any incomplete coursework.  Students can also gain college credits while they are attending VLACS.

   Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find anything like that on the Arkansas website.  However, you can ask to receive more information since what is listed is very limited.  I could see myself getting student involved in more enrichment activities through the virtual schools and maybe do more partnering with them.  There are some things that the virtual schools offer, like college credit hours and tours that can be hard to fit into a schedule during traditional school time.  I think this would give students a better idea of what all is out there and allow them to figure it out on their own time.  I think that the New Hampshire site would be easier to use though and I really love the idea of blended learning labs.  They describe them as "a space where students engage in a variety of online learning experiences before, during or after the school day"(Virtual Learning Academy. nd.).  I think this is a great example of how to use virtual learning schools to enhance students experiences.  

References:

Arkansas Virtual Academy. 2013. Retrieved from http://www.k12.com/arva/home#.UpEX3cQ3u9M

Virtual Learning Academy. n.d. Retrieved from http://vlacs.org/

9.1- Educational Value of Virtual Schools

   Quite honestly, when I think of virtual schools I go back and forth about whether I believe them to be of educational value.  It may be something that works well for a few and not for the majority of people out there.  I think that the reason I can't make up my mind is because there is not enough data yet to determine whether or not virtual schools are actually as effective or more so than regular brick and mortar schools.  I know that some data has been collected, but as far as data from K-8 students goes, there really isn't much out there.  That being said, I do believe that there are some great benefits to virtual schools that cannot be ignored.  One of the first things that comes to mind is how convenient virtual schools could be for those who may have a hard time in a regular school setting or have extremely busy schedules.  The virtual learning academy makes the statement that "Students need to work outside of the classroom because of extracurricular activities such as sports, arts, and travel. The independent schedule of an online course provides a student with flexibility to learn at any time of the day. There are also students dealing with an illness or injury that prevents them from physically being in the classroom"(Virtual Learning Academy. n.d.).  The flexibility of the classes are nice and could help with specific situations where a student is hurt and can't go to class or may learn better at different times of the day.  

   While the flexibility of online learning is great, I think one huge thing to keep in mind is that it takes away from social experiences.  I realize that not all social experiences are good ones, but isn't that how we learn about others and ourselves?  There are times that I wish I could have missed out on some embarrassing or hard situations with other people at school, but I learned something from each one and it made me the strong person I am today.  I know that some social connections are made via internet, but I don't think it can replace actual human contact and close interaction.  One woman exclaimed "kindergarten kids learning in front of a monitor — that’s just wrong"(Brown & Layton. 2011).  I must say that I am inclined to agree because I think that kids need to be around other children their age and have time to explore outside and learn how to get along with others.  Since collaboration is such a vital skill that students need to have in order to really thrive in today's economy, I feel like sticking kids in front of a computer from the time their 5 until they graduate high school is setting them up for failure.  There's still not a lot of research in the K-8 area of virtual schools, but I don't see it doing much good for younger students, but I think older students would do alright if they chose it for the right reasons.  

References:

Brown, E., Layton, L. 2011. Virtual Schools are Multiplying, but Some Question Their Educational Value. Washington Post.com. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/virtual-schools-are-multiplying-but-some-question-their-educational-value/2011/11/22/gIQANUzkzN_story.html

Virtual Learning Academy. n.d. retrieved from http://vlacs.org/

   

Discussion 8.1- Debriefing

Argument For Keeping Brick and Mortar Libraries:

Growing up I remember going to the library and feeling relaxed because it was a safe and quiet place where my mind could wander.  Most of the way I felt was because the atmosphere provided a safe haven of escape and it would be really sad to deprive kids of that today just because we can access books online.  Libraries provide certain needs for people and can become a social learning space, a presentation space, or a teaching space.  Doug Johnson came up with these different ways of helping libraries to adapt to a digital age without getting rid of them completely (Johnson. 2010).  Even though we can use technology for many things today, it still doesn’t give kids the social aspect that all human beings crave and need in their lives.  Libraries allow people to connect in ways that other places may not.  Another great thing about libraries is the presentation or teaching space that is provided.  Our library is used for both and since it is tucked away from other parts of the school, it’s a great place for students or faculty to just focus on what’s going on at the moment without distraction. 

   Another reason we need to keep libraries around is because there is actual staff around to help when you have questions.  One newspaper says it like this “Everything said and done, the library experience of sitting on those low wooden stools, perusing through the back covers of books to finally land upon something that has really interested you and the small-talk with librarians with whom you've grown up with is lost with online libraries”(Virtual. 2011).  I love the imagery this brings to mind and it really hits home with me because of how I feel when I walk into a library.  Safe and sound.

Resources:

Johnson, D. 2010. Changed but Still Critical: Brick and Mortar School Libraries in the Digital Age. Retrieved from http://www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/changed-but-still-critical-bricks-and-mortar-libraries-in-th.html#comments

2011. Virtual vs. Traditional Libraries Battle Heats Up. The New Indian Express. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/docview/880986350

Argument for Only Using Virtual Libraries:

   Virtual libraries are extremely convenient and in this day and age it’s all about what can be accessed at the click of a button.  This can be really great for students who may be out of town or away from a library and can just access it online to complete an assignment.  I also like the fact that it’s a free and open access.  There may be some resources that aren’t available at the time, but the beauty of a virtual library is that you can request for something to be mailed or sent online to you later.  When I was thinking of the benefits to this type of library I thought about people who live in the smaller towns around Batesville and I can see this being very beneficial to them because they don’t have access to a great library. The New Indian Express newspaper states that “these days, with home work and numerous extra-curricular activities, kids seldom have the time to read books, let alone visit a library”(Virtual. 2011).  This statement rings very true of this younger and technologically plugged in generation because it seems that everyone is so rushed and it just saves time to be able to instantly pull up a resource instead of seeking it out. 

Resources:

2011. Virtual vs. Traditional Libraries Battle Heats Up. The New Indian Express. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/docview/880986350

Keeping Our Libraries

7.1 Debriefing

   Looking at different generation and how each one uses technology was very interesting.  One thing that surprised me was how many in the silent generation actually use the internet and have devices that are connected to the internet as well.  I suppose the reason I was so surprised is because my grandparents never wanted anything to do with technology, even when I offered to help them with it.  My grandparents happen to have been in the range of people who just didn't want to bother with any type of new technology and preferred to have everything sent on paper or in writing.  One trend I saw within the research was that as the generations got younger, the more people preferred sending and receiving text messages over phone calls.  The research said that these individuals view text messages the same way they do phone calls, in that they feel that they are one in the same because it's still a conversation they are having with that person.

   Something else I found to be interesting was that residents in large cities are more likely to actively participate in local news and most of the time it's retrieved with technology.  I guess I had never really thought about it, but it does make sense considering what part of the country you live in.  I get all of my news via the internet, but do not actively seek it anywhere else.  If I were living in a big city, I would be more likely to seek out the news in other formats.  Another interesting tidbit of information is that when it comes to gender, women send/receive more texts per week than men.  This information could be useful to many different people including teachers and even marketers.  All of the data that I found on different generations was from pewinternet.org.  There is so much information about the uses of technology that it's mind boggling.  Here is a link to my data spreadsheet on what I found while researching about each generation.

Technology Configurations

I tried to come up with several different lesson ideas that would include technology and then explain what could hinder the integration.  There were several that I could not figure out a solution to or if they would even cause problems for the students.  I would love any feedback that could help me to figure out what I cannot and even give me some tips about the activities I chose for the lessons.  Here is a link if it's too hard to read on here.  Thanks!

	Activity #1	Activity #2	Activity #3	Activity #4	Activity #5
Technology Activity Explanation - Summary of Project(4-5 sentences), technology needed, what tool is used, anything else you want to add here...Add link to lesson plan if you find one online	Students will discover what the inside of a computer looks like.  They will first draw a picture and then use a computer to learn more about what computers are really like.  They will use a computer with internet to look for their answers and use two websites within the lesson plan itself.  Here is the link http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/02/lp285-01.shtml.	Students will create a virtual treasure hunt using Mission Map Quest. They will work either in groups or individually to complete the assignment.  They need to include at least 3 different continents and 5 different countries.  The treasure hunt needs to be math related.  They will need a computer with internet access.  http://www.classtools.net/mapgame/game.php	Students will have discussions about literature via Chatzy or Google Moderator.  They will discuss the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” using questions given to them by the teacher.  The teacher will monitor discussion and redirect students if necessary.  This activity will give students a chance to chat with others outside of their class about the book. http://www.chatzy.com/ http://www.google.com/moderator/	Students will work together to create a WebQuest on the scientific method.  They will need access to multiple computers that will allow access to the full WebQuest site.  Students must follow a rubric given by the teacher and apply creativity to the WebQuest.   http://webquest.org/	Students will use Skype to chat with students from around the world.  They will need access to a computer that has internet access and capabilities of using Skype.  They will need to be with a partner or in plain sight of the teacher while doing this.  They will discuss cultural differences with either questions given by the teacher or questions approved by the teacher. http://www.downloadinfo.co/review/skype/?kw=skype&subid=DISKUS_S&cust=skype&type=skype&gclid=CLeH0ui4yboCFVRk7AodOH4Aaw&utm_campaign=DISKUS_S&fwd=1&rnd=fe3ebc703e26c9e0475014d61c0c920635a3bfc5&ts=1383510229
Potential Issue/s
One computer classroom	This is a problem for this particular lesson because each child would benefit from having their own computer to work with.  However, I think a solution to this is to just project what’s on the computer to a screen so that everyone can see it and then you can discuss it as a class.	I don’t see how this could be worked into the lesson since each student would need time to work on their treasure hunt.	I don’t think it would be possible to do this assignment with just one classroom computer.	This lesson would pretty much be impossible to do with just one computer.  I cannot think of a way to get all students on to create their WebQuests.	Unless the class did this all together, I don’t see how it could be done.
Small cluster of computers in classroom (10)	This could be difficult for this lesson since it’s supposed to be individual work.  However, students could work in pairs and build up their cooperation skills.	This could be a problem since students have the choice between working alone or in groups.  One way to solve this is to not let them choose and just group them together, however I do think that giving them a choice is best.	This would be difficult because students would need time to chat about the book.  I suppose a rotation schedule could be given while others work on the questions before they chat.	This would be alright, but would make this project so much more time consuming unless the groups were pretty big.	Not sure about this one.
Portable computer cart COW (netbooks)	This could be a problem for this lesson because they are physically different from what they are actually studying.  You can actually open up a computer, but you can’t open a netbook if you wanted to actually show the inside of the computer.	This might prove to be a problem when working in groups and I can see one student kind of hogging the netbook.	Sometimes netbooks make it difficult to monitor what students are doing and if they are staying on task.  I can see students easily getting on or into something they shouldn’t while doing the chat.	The netbooks may not allow full access to WebQuest, which can make WebQuests look different on other devices.	This could lead to a lot of confusion if there are no ear buds or headphones provided since everyone will have their own and communicate at the same time.
Computer Lab 1:1 technology for all	Since this is a lesson for younger students, it might be hard to make sure they are all in the same place.  It may take some time, but you can easily monitor what each student is doing if you walk around.	I’m really not sure about this one.	It can be hard to monitor these efficiently if you don’t have the technology to do it, so kids sometimes get really sneaky and do things they shouldn’t.  It is easier, in my opinion to track this though rather than a netbook.	I’m not sure about this one.	I think the monitoring of this would be hard and students might try inappropriate things.
BYOD	Younger students probably don’t have their own devices or at least most don’t.  It would be easier to steer clear of this one for the young students.	It might be hard to match up devices with other students within their groups.	I’m not sure about this one.	Could potentially leave a student out of the work.  Would be hard to make sure that everyone was able to do their fair share.	Students might not be able to use Skype with their own devices if they aren’t recognized by the school’s wifi.