iPod + Broadcast = Podcast

Image courtesy of www.polkadotsalmon.co.uk

+

Image courtesy http://evilmonito.com

= PODCAST!


Well folks, I have officially mastered yet another technological skill: I can now make the most incredible podcasts you can ever imagine! Just kidding, but I do have a good grasp on the programs used to create a podcast (namely Apple's GarageBand) and a good understanding of how to use this technology in an educational way. If you were fortunate enough to visit the link to my first podcast (below), you can see this for yourself.

I think that podcasting is a potentially valuable educational tool because of the way it conveys information through sound and pictures. I plan to teach high school biology and I know from personal experience that teenagers are more likely to pay attention to an auditorily and visually stimulating lesson, such as a podcast. Although it may be hard for students to learn specific facts and data from a podcast because of its quick speed, they are still likely to grasp the overall message of what is being presented.

Podcasting may also prove to be a unique type of assignment to give my future students. Students could be required to create and publish a podcast on a specific biological topic. The research needed to complete the assignment would serve as the educational medium while the creativity involved in making a podcast would stimulate interest and follow-through. I found making a podcast to be fairly fun once I figured out what I was doing and I would have been pleased to work on such an assignment when I was in high school. . . unfortunately the technology did not exist when I took high school biology in 2000.

Hi everyone, I posted a new episode to my podcast, Christopher Lahys Podcast. Please click the link below to view it. http://clahy.podOmatic.com/entry/2009-10-26T00_22_58-07_00 See you there! - Christopher

Technology Topic: Segways

Technology is usually used as a tool to facilitate ones ability to learn different information by enhancing the learning experience. Science education, however, often uses the technological details of a specific form of technology to demonstrate certain principles and concepts. An example of this could be analyzing circuits in physics in order to understand the principles of electric currents, rather than using a computer with circuits in it to look up information about electric currents. Volunteering at the Science Museum of Virginia gives me a weekly opportunity to practice my ability to use technological demonstrations as a way of teaching scientific concepts.

Here is a link to a Segway commercial in case you don't know what one is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sztUuNNBxbc

Today, I was doing my usual Friday activity of volunteering as an exhibit interpreter at the SMV. One of my main duties is "gallery education," whereby I help museum guests with the learning process. I was especially fortunate today because I was assigned to ride a Segway around the museum as a demonstration of physical principles, namely the practical applications of a gyroscope. After grabbing the attentions of various museum visitors, I not only let them see how the machine works, but I also let them take short rides so that they actually get the experience of riding it. In science, experience often plays a key role in the learning process.

Courtesy of www.future10.com

Segways are certainly advanced technology and could even be considered futuristic. Therefore, the technological mechanisms that are used to control the device can be a useful way to teach complex scientific concepts. I have always thought of technology as a way that educators enhance the process of learning, but now I recognize that technology can be an educational tool in other ways as well. In this case, the technology of the Segway was an actual demonstration of the concepts being taught in a lesson.

I have never ridden a Segway before and I found it to be extremely easy and fun. It was fun to cruise around the museum; through doors, up the elevator, into the gift shot and through the cafe. It is a very versatile mode of transportation. I couldn't help thinking how this invention could change the world, namely that people would become even fatter and lazier than they already are. Although this would probably come true were the Segway to become commonplace, I would still advocate its use because of its brilliant design.

All in all, the Science Museum of Virginia offers me the opportunity to use technological demonstrations to teach, thereby helping me gain teaching experience. It is almost like being a lab instructor once a week. Today was the most fun I have had working there yet and I thought I should share it with my blog because of its technological as well as educational relevance.

Sexting in Schools

Courtesy of http://blogs.ktvb.com

Today I randomly overheard a news broadcast on television about a new technological problem amongst teenagers with cell phones: sexting. Most people have now heard of this surprising new form of amateur pornography often created and circulated by middle and high school aged children. Sexting has become a hot-button issue amongst law enforcement agencies, public school administrators, parents of teens and teachers.

During my classroom observation assignment at Godwin High School yesterday I saw a girl texting in the back of the classroom throughout the entire period. This made me think of how easy it might be for this young girl to be sending lude images during school hours and actually within the classroom itself. It is remarkable how much high school has changed since I attended high school.

Courtesy of http://www.theweek.com/

Seven years ago I attended Douglas S. Freeman High School in Henrico County; a school always considered to be the mirror image of Godwin. When I graduated in 2002 cell phones were prohibited in the school building. Students had to leave them in their cars when they came to school. Not only were cell phone rules more strict, but the whole concept of "sexting" didn't even exist yet (after all, cell phones of this time were not camera equipped). Cell phone were primarily used for emergencies and on the weekends. This is in contrast to how cell phones are used by the teens of 2009. Modern teens use their cell phones for text messaging, video messaging, picture messaging, surfing the internet, watching tv, listening to music and, occasionally, for calling people. With all of these features, its not surprising that teens use cell phones 24 hours a day, both in and out of school.

With all of these new technological features present on modern cell phones, it really isn't surprising that people have begun using them in sexual ways such as sexting. As a future educator, I believe that it will be important to be vigilant about enforcing a strict cell phone policy, to prevent such things as sexting and cheating. Both to maintain order and focus in my classroom as well as to protect the students themselves.

Teenagers do not always act sensibly, and sexting illustrates this perfectly. Sexting could result in embarrassment, bullying, demoralization and even students being arrested for distribution of child pornography, but teens apparently still don't seem to get this. Just because a technology exists doesn't mean you have to use it. Teachers, parents, school administrators and law makers can curb the sexting trend, but it will take a concerted effort.

The whole concept of "sexting" is a pertinent and interesting example of how technology can influence schools in a negative way. Technology can most certainly be used to greatly enhance the learning potential of students, but can also be used in ways that are extremely detrimental to the educational environment. I am glad I saw that girl texting in class yesterday because it helped provoke a lot of thought and reflection on my part. . . it also gave me a great topic for a blog post!

Check out this website for information on keeping technology safe: http://www.wiredsafety.org/

Web + Log = Blog

I believe that for my first blog entry I will discuss my recent experience observing the goings on of a modern American high school. I have spend the last two days completing a classroom observation assignment at Mills E. Godwin High School for my curriculum development class. I shadowed two different biology teachers, one who teaches remedial biology and one who teaches honors/AP biology. Although there were many interesting aspects of this experience, I have decided to focus on the presence of technology in the school that I observed in honor of my instructional technology integration course. After all, I created this blog solely for this course to begin with.

Throughout the day I noticed the dominating presence of modern technology in the old, antiquated school building. For example, all the students and teachers have laptop computers, projectors display computer screens on the wall, smartboards are present in a few classrooms and TVs are omnipresent. Even the instruction in all of the classes I witnessed involved at least some sort of modern technology. The teachers I shadowed used internet videos, textbook dvds and lab tutorials to present the students with the material. The students, as a result, became quite engaged in the lesson. Questions were shooting back and forth between the teacher and her class throughout the technology-assisted lesson. It appeared to me that the students not only found the material more interesting and understandable coming from technologically advanced equipment, but also easier to manage and organize (largely as a result of their laptops). I observed the same trend in both the remedial as well as the advanced biology classes.

All in all, I believe that new teachers need to be prepared for this technology-rich school environment that is present in today's schools. Even since I graduated from high school only 6 years ago a LOT has changed with school's technology. . . . mostly for the better. I thought that this observation would be a great way for me to start my blog because one of the main purposes of running this blog is to familiarize myself with new technology that could be useful to an educator. Although blogger.com was blocked on Godwin's internet server, I believe that the use of a blog could potentially be a valuable tool to enhance the teachers/student interaction to maximize learning potential.