Hi Everyone! Here are the questions for week 5. We are looking forward to a great discussion. If you have any questions please let us know. Kathryn and Gretchen.
#1
In the article "7 Things You Should Know About Wikipedia", what are the implications for teaching and learning? How could this be used in the classroom? Do you think it it is age appropriate for elementary students? Why or why not?
#2
The article "Uses & Potentials of Wikis in the Classroom" states, "Today's students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach". What does this mean to you as a teacher? Give one or two ideas on how we can adapt our classrooms to the needs of today's students. Also, do you completely agree with this statement ,or is it meant to primarily focus on the lack of technology in most schools?
#3
As a teacher allowing students to use wikipedia, how would you raise awareness about using only factual information and avoiding "wikiality"?
****wikiality- Stephen Colbert's term. Stating that on wikipedia any user can change an entry and if enough other users agree with them it becomes true.
#4
Online researching has enabled students to access an unlimited amount of information. How important is teaching them to use printed material in this technologically advancing world? Explain.
#5
Do you agree with Ferris and Wilder's argument that wikis "help bridge the gap between teachers and students?" Explain your answer and provide examples.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
26 comments:
In the article "7 Things you Should Know About Wikipedia" there are several implications for teaching and learning. First of all, it can be a great way to have older students take ownership of their own learning and give them confidence that their contributions are valued. They can be encouraged to do indepth research of their own on a topic of interest and contribute to an article of that topic on wikipedia. Second, it is important for students to realize that everything they read is not always true. So wikipedia gives students many opportunities to research facts they read on wikipedia and do their own research to justify their belief in a wikipedia article instead of just taking it at its word. It is a great way to teach students to evaluate the truth of what they read, which is crucial in the 21st century where information is so readily available from many different sources with varying reliability. I also agree that students should not site wikipedia as their sole source for research because the info is always changing, but they can use it as a starting to point from which they would evaluate the information it gives before siting it. One quote from the article sums up wikipedia's value in academics: "Wikipedia can encourage students to analyze what they read, ask questions, and engage in reflective, creative learning."
In response to question 2: The quote "Today's students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach" has many implications for teachers. First of all, students today process information in a very different way than students of the past did. They are more receptive to visual learning due to the fact that they are constantly bombarded by visuals in their every day life ranging from TV to video games and computers! Teachers of today need to realize that our students have multiple intelligences and learning styles many of which revolve around visuals and technology because that is what our society is increasingly based on. We as teachers can still base our teachings on text, however for our students to be engaged this text needs to be atleast partially in its electronic format as that is what students of today react best to. We as teachers need to allow our students to be creative and use as much technology as possible. We should be engaging our students by way of technology whenever possible. However, I dont believe that is quote is referring to just a lack of technology. Our students today clearly have different learning styles than students of the past. Today's students tend to be more hands on learners and we as teachers need to take that into account. By this I mean that students should not always be expected to always demonstrate their learning by way of pen and paper. Students should be encouraged to express their learning in ways that best suit them, and if this means technology then it should be accepted and even encouraged. However, there are many other ways to express learning such as building objects, expression through theater arts, and many others. Students learn very differently today and we as teachers have to rethink our teaching methods to account for this!
I agree with Theresa on her comment of students being different learners today than in the past. Today, students are processesing information at higher speeds which means teachers need to teach in a way that keeps students engaged all of the time otherwise students will be bored and will immediately tune teachers out.
I agree with the article's statement that "today's students are no long the people our educational system was designed to teach." Today teachers are taught to teach to the test because now our jobs depend on it. If our students are unsuccessful on the formal assessment, our jobs are in jeopardy so we do everything we can to make sure that our students are successful. It seems the only way to do that is through the traditional paper and pencil method. However, what teachers really need to take a look at is the fact that students are not successful with this assessment because it does not meet their learning needs. Students today "learn by doing." As teachers we need to have more of our lessons with "hands-on" activities that have meaning to students. We also need to incoporate technology into the classroom because that's what students are used to and therefor it keeps them engaged during the lesson.
One way that I adapted my lesson to fit students' learning needs (during my student teaching) was during a dictionary lesson when students were learning about alphabatizing. Instead of giving students a worksheet to fill out by writing the words in alphabetical order, I gave students index cards with words on them and they needed to put the cards/words in alphabetical order. The students were really engaged in the lesson because they weren't just writing (which most hate to do) they were physically putting the words in order. It was something different and that is what kept them engaged in the lesson. Sure it took more work for me to make the cards but the activity assessed the students the same way a worksheet would have, except I was given a more valid result because I met the needs of my students.
In "7 Things You Should Know about Wikipedia," there are several ways to include the site in your teaching as well as learning. Students can seek out more information on a topic that wikipedia doesn't elaborate as much on and add to the site. Not only does this give them ownership and confidence it is helping the student learn more about that topic. Teachers can use this type of activity for several different classes. To go further with that the teachers can explain how some facts on this site are not true, and they could spend a lesson on finding the true facts for a certain topic.
As for the apprriatness for Elementary students, I guess it would depend on why they would need to use wikipedia to find information. The younger students would probably not benefit too much from a wikipedia lesson, but middle school aged students might.
amyh said.....
In answering question #1 7 Things You SHould Know About Wikipedia" There are several pieces of information that a worth while for teachers to look at and decide if their students are able to handle the website. If you have mature students who are able to do the research to find out if the facts the are looking up are truthful then yes I would say go ahead and use it. It would be a good way for students to do further research. If students are just looking up in a project and spitting out the information they aren't learning much beyond the facts of the project. If students are looking at wikipedia they have to really know their subject because they have to know if the facts that are given are actual facts or something that might be misinformation. Do I think it is appropriate for elementary age kids? Again i think the indivual teacher needs to make that call. If their class is quite advanced they might introduce a simple subject with a simple wiki and say with what you have learned see if you can find the facts that are not true. It would bring a larger understanding to the subject. But I really would have to say for the majority of elementary students I wouldn't use wikipedia.
Lauren,
I really loved your idea/lesson on giving the students index cards to put words in alphabetical order. That is a great way to keep kids engaged, and it illustrates a new way to do something "old".
It seems a lot of you agree that our students are much different than the past. I too agree that there are many learning styles that teachers need to embrace and teach to. What does this mean for the teacher though? How is it possible to teach to each students style in a six hour day?
In response to others' posting on question one, I agree that using Wikipedia in the classroom will depend on the students in your class. If students are more advanced like Amy suggested then the teacher can try using wikipedia with the students to see how well they do with it.
I am still "up in the air" on whether or not I would use wikipedia in my classroom. On the one hand users are not really sure whether or not sources are reliable but then again after reading the article "Fatally Flawed: Refuting the Recent Study on Encyclopedic Accuracy by the Journal Nature" they state that wikipedia has one-third more errors in it than Encyclopedia Britannica. So, books also have errors in them as well. It may not be as many, but they do have some. With this information who can you really trust these days anyway?
I think if I were to try using wikipedia with my students I would only use it with upper-elementary students like fourth or fifth grade. I would also make it a point to explain to my students that if they are going to research a topic they need to find additional sources that say the same thing about that topic.
In my undergrad classes I would use wikipedia to get additional information on certain topics discussed in class because the teacher would talk way too fast. Because we didn't have a text book I would use wikipedia to get the additional information I needed. I liked using it because the vocabulary they used was less complex and easier to understand (yes, I have a horrible vocabulary). So, I guess what I am trying to say is that wikipedia does have advantages and disadvantages and if I were to use it in my classroom, I would only use it with upper-elementary students and I would explain the importance of finding additional sources.
I agree with Theresa's response to number 2. Students are definitely not the same learners as they were in the past, and teachers need to modify their 10-year old lesson plans to accommodate today's learners.
In response to question #1, I agree with most people in saying that using Wikipedia in your classroom would depend on the type of students you have. I’m not too sure if the site is appropriate for elementary students but I think the general idea of the site is brilliant. I would make a class Wikipedia so students (elementary age) could go on and add/change information that is relevant to the grade and age. I feel that using Wikipedia in a classroom would be used more at a middle school/high school age; also depending on the maturity of the students. I think there is a lot teachers can learn from this as students are learning different then they did 10 years ago. Teachers need to be updated and trained on this and similar types of technology so they can engage their technological evolving students in the classroom. Wikipedia gives students the ability to be creative and take ownership for their learned knowledge.
In response Lauren's post about how teacher's today are often driven by teaching to the test because of high stakes assessments: I believe that as teachers today we need to teach using many different approaches besides just lecturing and expecting students to write their responses. If we as teachers endeavor to use many different styles to present material such as audio, visual, hands on experiments, etc. and at the same time allow our students to express what they have learned in creative ways that work best for them; They will be comprehending the material on a much deeper level and will therefore be able to do well on state assessments. Many children do not get much from just having information just spit out at them and then being expected to spit it back out for assessments. They need to discover learning and take ownership of it inorder to understand it deeply. I believe that this also touched on Kathryn's question about how to attend to different learning needs of our students when the day is so short. If we endeavor to teach with many different strategies that incorporate the multiple intelligences and strenghts of our students and allow them to be creative in responding to show their learning they will be much better off and we will have done our best to give them the ability to succeed!
In response to Theresa’s last posting, I agree when she says “I believe that as teachers today we need to teach using many different approaches besides just lecturing and expecting students to write their responses. I think that this also allows teachers to reach a variety of students based on their needs (special education). My second student teaching placement was in a 6th grade special ed classroom. The teacher had a Smart Board and didn’t really use it a lot. I did incorporate it into my teaching and found it to be useful as I was able to involve and reach more students with the material being taught.
Students are no longer the people are education system was designed to teach because our education was not based on a technological mind. What we are teaching and how we teach is based on being able to do things for yourself, discovery, and interpretation. All that can be done through the intertnet because someone else has done it and published it.
As a teacher, I think that I have to be more creative in developing lesson plans that are different from what can be found on the internet, but at the same time, use the internet to help further their exploration. Students today rely on the internet, the communication, the easy way out of work.
Adaptations can be made in the classroom where research projects focus on cross-refrencing information and checking for validity by obtaining several sources that state the same facts.
Another adaptation that can be made is for the stduents to create their own end product. Some students would rather make a movie on what they have learned, write a song, write a formal report, interview, etc., more can be done via the internet and students should have the opportunity to develop their own creativity as well as explore what else is out there in the world.
I agree with the statement, but there is also a lack of technology in most schools. Schools need to be able to keep up with the students needs as well as the child's needs in a school setting so that each student can be successful. I think that the primary concern is for the student to be taught in a way that will benefit the student in the future.
In response to "7 Things you should know about Wikipedia" I agree with Goaliegurl21 in that students should do the work and make sure that the information they are getting from Wikipedia is in fact the real deal. The problem is that our students today are told to go google it and come back with an answer. Students are not actually researching and cross checking information. I remember going to school and having to have books as a source and journal articles as a source. The internet was just a guide to the "real information". I think that the research aspect is disappearing because of the time constraints we are working under.
Alison and Amy also pointed out the age appropriateness of using Wikipedia. I would not use it for elementary aged kids, and I would not get into it with middle schoolers either. I would teach them the quality sources and explain that there are other sources out there, like Wikipedia, that can give you a jump start for information, but it really isn't a good source because it can change daily so you never know if that source will hold up.
Some students could use the information from Wikipedia and know that it is a jumping block, like Amy said, advanced students. But in reality, what are the chances you are going to have a whole class who will not take advantage of that?
In response to Kathryn's question on how teachers can teach a lesson that is appropriate for each students' learning needs, I think that it is important for teachers to teach lessons that are "hands on" and that shy away from the typical lecture and taking notes lessons. Don't get me wrong in some instances basic knowledge is needed for students to understand concepts that elaborate further on the basic knowledge. I think it is very important that teachers teach lessons that allow students to meet the teachers' objectives in a way that allows students to learn by doing. I think in most cases teachers will find that students need that activity because they learn by doing. It kind of goes back to the example I shared with you about the alphabatizing the word cards. Students were able to meet the objectives in a way that was different from just filling out a worksheet. Because most students are "digital learners" worksheets and lectures are no longer acceptable and in order to meet our students' needs we need to be more creative in giving them lessons that allow students to learn by doing.
I do not completely agree with the statement “Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach.” This implies that the educational system was built upon the notion that there would be no linier change over time. Many people have mentioned the multiple intelligences as if they are new. The idea of multiple intelligences has been around for a long time. It is not a new idea that some students are visual learners and need those cues. If you look into any classroom you will see many visuals on the walls, and even in technologically advanced classrooms these visuals still appear. As a teacher, our resources have expanded though the use of technology. It is not just that students want us to use the computer; the computer has multiple benefits for teachers as well as students. Say you were completing a compare and contrast essay with your students, you could use the computer and a projector through the duration of your lesson. These forms of technology have the same idea as an overhead or Elmo. However, with the use of the computer your mistakes are much more forgiving; you can save the material, print out hard copies, etc. During the lesson, most people now can type faster that they can write, and the legibility has greatly improved. Overhead transparencies fade in time, can be erased easily, and are very time consuming. You can have printed text on the transparencies, but it would be the work of the teacher not the students.
Quite frankly, the state tests play a huge role in the “design” of teaching today. Yes, students are coming to school with more problems that before, but their ways in which they learn have not changed that much; technology and the resources teachers now have available to them has changed.
In response to the 7 Things You Should Know About Wikipedia. Unfortunately, Wikipedia is not a reliable source of information. Students may use Wikipedia as a source with the understanding that the information can be edited, false, and contain opinions, biases, and misconceptions on the topic they are researching. I would strongly advise my students to perform their research as Elliot did; by compiling information gained through primary and professional sources, and use Wikipedia to compare how a topic is perceived. The information can also be used as a form of open ended survey, and you can also use it for statistical comparisons. I think Wikipedia could be used in a classroom of more mature students completing a research project. Students must be forewarned of its credibility. I do not think it is appropriate for elementary aged students to use. There really is no project they do that would require that much research. I also think it would be incredible difficult for them to filter out inappropriate information, and compare factual information gained through the use of primary sources.
I agree with Christine's answer on the reliability of Wikipedia. Unfortunately, I was never told that Wikipedia was not as reliable as I had anticipated until my third year in college. It definitely is a good source to compare information when using a more reliable source. However, if one is only using Wikipedia for information, chances are, something in their project will be inaccurate.
In response to Christines comment of learners today versus in the past, I guess I never really thought of multiple intelligences being around for a long time. Yes, students way back when were strictly either visual learners, auditory learners, kinestetic learners, or tactile learners. I think what has changed is the way students receive the information while learning not necessarily how they receive that information. For example many students these days are bombarded with engaging activities such as video games, computer games, ipods, etc. Students today need to get information in a more creative way. Using your typical worksheets and overheads just won't do anymore. Teachers need to be more creative with their lessons and one way that keeps students engaged is using the computer. But I also think there are ways that lessons can be different from the traditional paper and worksheets. For example instead of using paper and pencil to solve math problems, why can't the teacher have students use markers and individual white boards? Whenever I would use those in my student teaching lessons, students would become so engaged in learning and would actually want to do the math problems. Lessons don't always have to be about using the computer they just need to be different from the paper and pencil methods we are so used to using with students.
In response to Lauren's comments on how students learn. I do agree, students are now getting information from multiple sources that come in various forms. I still think the key is to change up your teaching strategies. Students get bored learning the same way. Honestly, I don't blame them, I get tired of doing the same things over and over. By using multiple teaching approaches, you not only reach more students, but there is the anticipation factor of what's going to happen next.
I agree in saying that Wikipedia is not a true accurate site to base information from. I do think it is a good starting point for students to begin. Teachers just need to be aware of the information students are pulling from the website and be sure they have incorporated online technology such as “Turnitin. Com” into their classes.
Well, the majority also seems to agree that wikipedia is not age appropriate for elementary students. I agree that it is more appropriate for 8-12th graders. I think one way to introduce students to wikipedia would be to allow the class to contribute information that they have found onto the webpage. This way they are using other sources to find and document new information, but they will get hands on experience using wikipedia.
Teachers and other educators who use wikipedia in their classroom or with their students need to make sure that the students have all of the facts before they use the site. Explaining to the students that everything they see and read on wikipedia is not necessarily true would be a good way to start. I had a professor here at cortland who first warned myself and my class about the possible pitfalls of using wikipedia. I agree with goaliegurl21 in that students could be encouraged to research and contribute material to wikipedia and that it would definetenly give them a sense of pride having their material and research published on the web.
"Todays students are not who our education system was designed to teach" is a statement that has a lot of truth to it. I see that a few other people including lauren have refereenced that same statement, so I feel as though we are thinking along similar lines in regard to that quote. That statement ties into one of the other questions which deals with the use of printed material instead of strictly online tools/resources. Reading is one of the best ways that someone can empower themself with knowledge. Therefore as educators, we have a resposibility to our students to prepare them the best we can for their future. I would say that it is important for a teacher to stress the importance of books and reading, while also incorporating oppurtunities for technological instruction. The worldwideweb is mostly reading anyway, so you could justify your reading to the students that way...
I also agre with cristine that incorporating multiple teaching styles, and not letting students get complacent is very important if you want to run a successful classroom.
#2. It is getting harder to tell students every year to sit for 45-80 minutes a class and expect them to read from a book. The students that we have are texting, emailing as well blogging than ever before. I think it is crucial, especially with the younger kids growing up that we incorporate technology every chance we get when we are teaching. Our students , as well as teachers are growing up and learning in the digital age. Students are stimulated by multiple media outlets to satisfy their need for technology. So it would be a great idea to end a lesson with PowerPoint notes with graphics,as well as with sound.
#4. Using printed material with online researching has great advantages. Online researching such as wikipedia, can give a students instant (reliable) information that printed materials cannot give due to the fact that it may be outdated. Online research with printed materials can work together in a collaborative effort to give students the information they need to complete assignments and compare the different ways in which information can be accessed.
In response to Question #1, I definitely agree that Wikipedia is not appropriate for elementary school age children. I do not believe at this level they have much importance in using this particular reference to research academic subjects. Possibly it could be incorporated into Computer Technology special area classes at the 3rd and 4th grade level, however, I still think at the Middle School level this program is a little above their heads.
As an educator, I would begin getting my students accustomed to Wikipedia in 5th Grade. At this grade level they complete many research projects such as a State report, President Report, etc. Wikipedia could definitely prove as a useful source for these reports. However, it is at this time that students MUST be taught that if Wikipedia is used as a source- another resource MUST BE USED to find it correct. So yes, it will be double to work, but way worth it!
The idea from "7 Things You Should Know About Wikipedia" that "Wikipedia offers students an opportunity to hone their research skills—by evaluating its content against other information sources—and to engage in a global community of collaborative content development" is one awesome trait of this site. To find a definition of a term that was perfected by an expert in that field would be awesome. But furthermore, to have students add and edit to an actual site accessed by all and to be included in something like this would be ultimately incredible. We are always trying to get students to take more pride in their work- well, here we go! This is perfect opportunity!
I love the idea about creating a class wikipedia for the classroom- THAT'S BRILLIANT!!! I would definitely do this in 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Grade.
Lauren and Christine have a pretty heated debate going on over Question #2. I'll add my two cents...of course. I agree with Christine that these students we teach today haven't changed. They are just rather developed because our society has changed. The educational system has also evolved a bit with time so therefore that statement seems a bit bizarre. Multiple intelligences are not new, they have been around for ages, she's right. However, as educators, now we need to make sure that we adapt to those who have certain multiple intelligences, or furthermore those in need of academic enrichment or inclusive services. The classroom situation has changed, not the students. Educators are much more liable today. When my parents went to school they were sent home bruised and battered for not paying attention or completing their homework. Nowadays, you can lose your job if you hug a student and he or she takes it the wrong way...ugh...
I agree with what goaliegurl21 stated in the beginning. Our students today are visual learners. I learned in one of my classes a great concept that is really helpful for those visual learners. This was called Virtual Field Trips. This is where you take a place of interest for instance and make a powerpoint presentation collaborating different sites, pictures, and specifically sites that will let you tour the area. For instance, one of my classmates did the pyramids of Egypts and she took us from the top of the pyramid to the bottom. It was awesome to see the inside of a pyramid and I think young students would really enjoy it! I did mine on the Erie Canal. I showed various videos of people working on the Canal and to close played a recording of an old song they used to sing about the Erie Canal with the words up on the power point. This is something that the primary students would enjoy. Today’s students are definitely no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach. This is true for the way they visually perceive and learn things and have accommodated to new technologies. Taking virtual field trips with out students is one way we can overcome that barrier.
Post a Comment