Article Assessment Three

Landon Roberts - landonmroberts@gmail.com - 11/17/08

Tools for the Mind - Mary Burns

Overview

In "Tools for the Mind,"  Ms. Burns pulls back the curtains to take a closer and more in depth look at why computer technology in the classroom has not engaged students to the extent that it was hoped it would.  Ms. Burns discusses the battle between lower (power point, word processor) and higher (databases, spreadsheet) applications in the classroom.  Ms. Burns believes that there is a much needed move that needs to take place between these two levels of thinking skills. She believes that students should be using higher order thinking software and teachers need to be trained in these kinds of applications.  Ms. Burns gives some reasons why she believes higher order tools are not as often used, (not user friendly. take more time to learn) and then discusses some possible solutions to dealing with this problem.

References

• Students and teachers must become creators of information and ideas, not simply users of technology.
• 81% of technology use is electronic presentation.
• online collaborations and content-oriented simulations are rarely used in today's classrooms.
• Lots of professional development opportunities focus on teaching skills instead of teaching how computers could possibly enhance student learning
• Many teachers are self conscious and intimidated by technology because they believe that do not know enough to use it.  

Reflection

I see this issue a lot in the classrooms that I observe.  When a project is presented to the students, they are asked to put it in a PowerPoint presentation, or write a paper about it.  Most of the time the material is copied and pasted and not cited.  Students today with the fast paced world in which we live don't seem to want to take the time to learn something in depth.  Skim the surface, get it done and move on.  I honestly think that issue that Ms. Burns addresses is a very scary reality for today's students.  Students are used to skimming the surface and are having a harder and harder time actually thinking.  Teachers on the other side of the coin are expected to get through so much material, that there is little time for experimenting and getting accustomed to more thought provoking software and computer based educational material.  I think that Ms. Burns hit the nail on the head in her first strategy when she mentioned teaching critical thinking skills become technology.  I believe that is the number one issue in our educational system today.  Kids have a hard time thinking through problems and issues.  When that problem can begin to be solved, I believe a lot of our issues in schools will begin to fix themselves as well.

Powerpoint Presentation Analysis

Wow!  That was uncomfortable but insightful.  I did not particularly enjoy watching myself stumble through my powerpoint presentation, but I did get some insights into how I act while speaking in front of people. 

Strengths

• Eye contact was good
• I did not read directly from the powerpoint
• I generally was turned toward the audience
• Voice tone was good

Weaknesses

• Said Um too much
• Thoughts were not totally clear and congruent
• Paced back and forth in the same spot, THE WHOLE TIME
• Played with my powerpoint remote a lot

This was an interesting assignment.  I think everyone should force themselves to watch how they interact in front of a group.  The insights gained can be very helpful in becoming an effective speaker.  That is the whole point of what we are trying to do.  As teachers, the most basic principle is that we can communicate ideas to our students.  If we are not able to do that effectively, than our students will suffer the greatest consequence.  I plan on doing this exercise more often.  I think that lessons gained from critiquing our work will have tremendous positive consequences.   

Unfortunately, I am having some difficulty with the technology side of the assignment.  I have not been able to download my presentation onto teachertube or youtube.  I think that internet speed down here in Ketchikan is insufficient.  I have edited my video and cut it down in length so hopefully I will work this time.

Energy Conservation Project Results

The results are in.  After some field work and some number crunching, I now have some data to answer the question, how much oil could a save annually by using cloth grocery bags instead of plastic grocery bags?  To be very honest I was surprised at how little oil is actually used.  At an individual level the results are not staggering, but as more people are added to the equation, the impact on oil resources definitely begins to take its toll.  Here are links to my spread sheet and powerpoint presentation.

The reason that I wanted to look into this issue is because it seems like it is such a simple way to reduce energy waste.  While I was traveling through Europe a few years ago, that was one things that really stuck out to me.  No one used plastic bags when they shopped.  Everyone carried their own cloth bags with them.  I felt like that was one thing I could bring home with me that would easily be introduced into my life.  While I am not perfect, I have been able to make some changes in that area. 

As with most research, this project brought more questions and problems to answer.  Although the oil numbers were not jaw dropping, that amount of bags that are thrown away was.  That effect that plastic bags have on the environment was probably the most important thing that I learned throughout this project.  The animals that are affected by plastic bags being blown all over is a real concern.  With only 2-3% of plastic bags being recycled, the number of bags in our landfills and floating around the world is sickening.  By using a cloth bag, I can not only save oil, but I can also protect our environment as well.