Jonathan Skinner-Theories of Critical Thinking

 In today's world technology is used for many different aspects of life. It is used for communication, displaying images, learning, designing, and many other tools.  In the past decade, there has been a huge shift in education in how the information is transferred and relayed from the teachers to the students.  In today's world, standing in front of the class and simply lecturing and writing on the board does not suffice anymore.  It does not create a rigorous enough environment to create a sufficient level of deep learning.

   In the assigned articles, there is a somewhat repetitive thought behind the fact that educators can not simply stick to the traditional ways of teaching.  This is addressed thoroughly in the article how new pedagogies find deep learning. Educators have to step out of that comfort zone and really take on a new role.  These new pedagogies have to involve the students having a bigger role in how the information is delivered and learned.  This falls pretty heavily in the Blooms taxonomy model educators try to follow in that students need to spend more time analyzing information, creating and designing.  By doing this and having a more hands-on role, the students are able to enter a deep learning atmosphere.

   The use of technology is a great way to use new teaching methods and get students more engaged in today's classrooms.  However, there are still many teachers that may feel uncomfortable with the use of technology in the classrooms.  This falls into the category of adaptive learners.  With all the new technology schools have today there are some that are going to be more responsive to implementing these new styles of teaching, and there are going to be those that are less responsive and adaptive to it.  As time goes on and these new pedagogies continue to grow and become more popular, they will become more successful and teachers will become more comfortable with the use of them in their classrooms.  Educators have to more open and willing to use these because students learn differently in today's world.

  Once again, the articles are stressing the fact that teachers need to change and adapt to meet the different needs of the students.  Teachers need to be willing to let the students have a bigger role, and even at times let the students help the teachers learn.  There are times when there are students in the classrooms that may actually know how to use a source of technology better than the teacher.  This could be a teachable moment even for the teacher themselves.  I feel that Google Classroom, Edpuzzles, Newsela articles, etc. are great tools to use to let the students become more engages and have differentiated instruction to meet students needs.  However, as discussed in the article Empowering learners with digital and media literacy, we must as educators teach students how to correctly use technology and monitor what students are doing with technology.  The sky is the limit on what we can do as educators with the use of technology.  Teachers just have to be willing to adapt to it.

Ca'Layci Coffey--Theories of Critical Thinking Response

The world of education is always changing--researchers are constantly discovering new information about how the brain works, how students learn, and finding new ways to apply "old" theories and ideas to the present-day classroom. Further, as new information and research about the potential impact technology and its role in the lives of students emerges, school leaders and educators are challenged to re-evaluate the way technologies have been used in the classroom. This influx of new knowledge places the field of education at a crossroads. Educators and school leaders face an important decision regarding the way we are utilizing technology in our classrooms and what improvements we can make, as well as address how we will approach adopting new practices and educational technology in order to meet the needs of all students.

In their article, "The Adoption Process, Part II," Everett M. Rogers suggests that the "rate of adoption" of innovations depends upon several characteristics that will determine how quickly the innovations will spread more widely and the likelihood that they will be adopted (Rogers, 1963). One characteristic that leaders in education must consider when planning for the adoption of educational technology in schools is the "compatibility" of the new technology. Educators must decide if the educational technology they want to diffuse is "consistent with their "existing values and past experiences" (Rogers, 1963). Once educators decide how compatible today's schools are with emerging technologies, it will become more clear the affects diffusion will have on students, educators, and leaders in schools.

Educators must also consider how they are using technology to equip students with the necessary skills needed to create a life in our "technology-driven (society)". In "Empowering Learners with Digital and Media Literacy," Renee Hobbs presents that young people view the news as a "significant source of stress because it reminds them of the peril the world is in" (Hobbs, 2011). I can attest to this feeling; it almost seems easier to avoid the news to escape feeling "unsafe", threatened, and overwhelmed by everything going on in our world. However, Hobbs also suggests that, "people need news and information to take advantage of life's opportunities for themselves and their families" (Hobbs, 2011). This concept applies to my future job because I will find ways to regularly engage my students with news and current events in a healthy and agreeable way. According to Hobbs, this may, "support the development of learner's background knowledge," while also preparing them to be informed citizens (Hobbs, 2011). While I want to protect the feelings and mental health of my students, I know that it will be my responsibility to provide real-world information to best prepare them for life outside my classroom.

Hobbs goes on to suggest that school leaders' belief that simply providing access to digital technology will automatically enhance learning is a huge mistake, and does students a great disservice in terms of what they could be getting out of the experience with the technology they have in front of them (Hobbs, 2011). This concept applies to my future goal of one day working as an administrator in public schools. I recognize the importance of using digital tools to "promote critical thinking, creativity, and communication and collaboration skills," (Hobbs, 2011) and would use resources like Instructional Technology Resource Teachers (Kuhn, 2008) to aid in the implementation and diffusion of educational technology. Further, new research suggests that, "educational technology is making it easier for teachers to ensure depth without deliberately employ(ing) one of the popular taxonomies" (such as Bloom's Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain), and as a future leader I would strive to provide my staff with the best possible resources to "purposefully and wisely" integrate and utilize technology (Kuhn, 2008).

Resources:
Hobbs, R. (2011). Empowering learners with digital and media literacy. Knowledge Quest, 39(5), 12-17. 
Kuhn, M. S. (2008). Connecting depth and balance in class. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(1), 18-21. 
Rogers, E. M. (1963). The adoption process II. Journal of Cooperative Extension, 1(2), 69-75. 

Rachel Robertson-Theory of Critical Thinking

           Technology has become ingrained in the culture of education within the last decade. Computers were a once a week treat for classes only twenty years ago, now students have access to some sort of technology or device for several hours a day. The problem with the influx of this technology into schools is that simply by having access to it, does not mean that they are competent in using it to enhance their learning, "simply purchasing the latest digital technologies does not necessarily lead to the acquisition of digital and media literacy competencies." (Hobbs, 2011). Often students do no take the time to search for and evaluate the information properly. As the media specialist at my school, it often falls on to me to teach these skills of research and evaluation to the students as the classroom teachers often don't have time to properly take on the subject. I only see each class once a week and it really needs to be a daily skill that they must repeat often to truly grasp the concepts of digital literacy.

            While technology integration for students may take time to properly show them how to use it, for teachers the implications for their own lessons is purposeful and driven as they are able to accommodate students at their individual need.  Within a classroom of twenty plus students, a teacher can accommodate a variety of learning styles while also challenging individual students. "One cannot help but meet a variety of learning styles, with experiential depth, if technology is purposefully and wisely integrated into the regular day-to-day curriculum." (Kuhn, 2008). Our teachers today will often use Google classroom to send out assignments for students to use daily and receive their assignments. Often teachers are incorporating websites into their lessons that have games that the students will play to practice the skills of the day.

            As an educator, it can be intimidating when looking into all the ways and different types of technology to incorporate into the classroom. When taken in stride, it does not have to be something scary, it can be liberating seeing students take their skills and be able to apply it in real-time to real-world issues. "Technology has unleashed learning, and the potential for students to apply
knowledge in the world outside of school; new pedagogies leverage all of this in the
formal learning process."(Fullan & Langworthy, 2014). Technology is used to create deep learning while connecting it to curriculum standards. I use many different types of technology in the library, with a combination of low-tech, no-tech, and high-tech stations that are referred to as makerspaces, which many libraries across the country are adopting. Digital literacy is the new normal in education. Students often do adapt faster than their teachers but they will still need guidance on how to evaluate what they are using and how they are incorporating it into their own life outside of the school community.


Fullan, M. & Langworthy, M. (2014). A rich seam: How new pedagogies find deep learning. London: Pearson. Retrieved from https://www.pearson.com/content/dam/one-dot-com/one-dot-com/global/Files/about-pearson/innovation/open-ideas/ARichSeamEnglish.pdf

Hobbs, R. (2011). Empowering learners with digital and media literacy. Knowledge Quest, 39(5), 12-17. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

Kuhn, M. S. (2008). Connecting depth and balance in class. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(1), 18-21. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

Chase Brisendines-Theories in Critical Thinking

            The use of technology in the classroom should not just replace the pencil and paper worksheets and activities that have existed in the past. The growth of technology has provided educators with an opportunity to increase the depth of learning for our students. As a classroom teacher I have seen time and time again technology used in a way that is not creating critical thinkers, and instead just a replacement for the same old activities we did on paper. In today’s society we need to do a better job to create lessons that apply critical thinking skill to prepare our students for the future. Technology can be an aid in this movement if it is used in the correct way.

             As I read though these articles I begin to think if educators are truly preparing students for the future. “To be ready for college, workforce training, and life in a technological society, students need the ability to gather, comprehend, evaluate, synthesize, report on, and create a high volume and extensive range of print and nonprint text….”. (Hobbs 2011) I feel as a classroom teacher many times we are not using technology with this idea in mind. As teachers our use of technology should be focused on creating learners who can use the technology they are learning in our school today to make them thoughtful digital citizens of the future. “Connecting learning to student’s real lives and aspirations is often what make new pedagogies do engaging for students.” (Fullan 2014) Lessons for students will also improve student engage if teachers will create lessons that apply to students futures. Lessons that engage students are going to create a deeper level of learning in the classroom. As a teacher I need to do a better job of having students synthesize and evaluate the information they are reading on the internet.

            Teachers must not use technology to replace the old things they used to do. “When used correctly, educational technology gives new meaning and utility to long-established educational paradigms…” (Kuhn 2008) Technology should be used to create lesson for students that will create a deeper level of learning. Instead of having students make a word document with notes about the 3 branches of government, have students create a concept map describing these ideas. I myself have fallen victim to not using technology to increase student learning. As Kuhn also mentions in Connecting Depth and Balance in the Class Technology can also be used to reach many different type of learners. Each student has different ways and as a classroom teacher technology can be a tool used to reach these different types of learners. Most students that we come across in our schools have some sort of technology accessible to them at all times, and they know how to use this technology. Teachers need to do a better job of creating lessons that use technology while also reaching a high level of Blooms Taxonomy. As a teacher to do a better job of creating lessons that will engage my students in a technology lesson that will also make them critical thinkers.  An example of this is having students create a campaign commercial for a presidential election instead of having students making notes about how election media work’s.

         

           

  Resources:

Fullan, M. & Langworthy, M. (2014). A rich seam: How new pedagogies find deep learning. London: Pearson.

Hobbs, R. (2011). Empowering learners with digital and media literacy. Knowledge Quest, 39(5), 12-17.

Huitt, W. (2011). Bloom et al.'s taxonomy of the cognitive domain. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University.

Kuhn, M. S. (2008). Connecting depth and balance in class. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(1), 18-21.

Rogers, E. M. (1963). The adoption process II. Journal of Cooperative Extension, 1(2), 69-75.    

           

           

K. Word Theories in Critical Thinking Reflection

            The technology that we are incorporating in the classroom today can hardly keep up to where students need to be in their future jobs. It is our job now to be facilitators and teach those soft skills that connect their new learning to real world circumstance.  The theory of relative advantage really hit home with me as a millennial because I have seen the shift in the technology adoption that Rogers in The Adoption Process (1963) discusses. I can see some of my co-workers being called “farm people” for not embracing technology that will help make their lives easier. In my own lifetime, cell phones were introduced and have replaced several other items that everyone once needed. Some people did not feel the need for cell phones at first but slowly everyone has went through all of the stages mentioned in the article and are now carrying a cell phone. In return, cell phone technology has changed society, some for the better, and some for the worse. I can see my generation struggle with managing their time and relationships because of it.  I was amazed Rogers predicted this in the 60’s.

            Students in the classroom cannot just be thrown a device and told what to do. Teachers have to “empower their learning by making the technology meaningful.” (Hobbs, 2011) Technology is meant to take the lessons to the application and analysis level, the most complex level of Bloom’s taxonomy. Students and even parents need to be taught how to search and use the internet so that they can be proficient in everyday use. Proficient also means more than just “googling it.” They need to know how to decipher what is real and meaningful from what it not. In a social media and news covered world, we as teachers need to be able to help our students use these tools correctly. I believe that this is one of those instances that we have to learn beside our students because both of these technology platforms are ever changing and evolving. (Fullan and Langworthy, 2014)

            In the classroom, I am challenged with a time frame in which I have to teach twenty students and do so by meeting all of their learning needs. Technology has made this job of differentiating easier for me but at the same time stepping up the rigor for my students. I can research and use programs designed for my grade level and students’ interest. These allow students to work at their pace and style at the times when I cannot guide them. It has revolutionized core instruction in the classroom by giving me more time for small group instruction. Technology makes it easier for teachers to get deeper with content and take care of the needs of those who are advanced or those who need a reteach of standards.

            I often consider how quickly technologies become “old and outdated” in our schools, but I never considered the libraries that I used to check put those old VHS tapes from. Just as we invest money in technology to invest in our student’s digital literacy, libraries are expected to do the same. “Although investments have been made…simply purchasing the latest digital technologies does not lead to the acquisition of digital and media literacy competencies.” (Hobbs, 2011) We need librarians and teachers that can teach how and when to use technology proficiently.    This is a hard task to take on when the tech world is changing so fast.

Resources:

Fullen, M & Langworthy, M (2014) A rich seam: How new pedagogies find deep learning.

London: Pearson.

Huitt, W. (2011). Bloom et al.'s taxonomy of the cognitive domain. Educational PsychologyInteractive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University.

Hobbs, R. (2011). Empowering learners with digital and media literacy. Knowledge Quest, 39(5), 12-17

Rogers, E.M. (1963). The adoption process II. Journal of Cooperative Extension, 1(2), 69-75.

Mallorie Belyeu Theories of Critical Thinking Reflection

Technology is a big contributor to education today. Technology is an instructional tool for teachers to use in the classroom. Technology allows teachers to differentiate learning at a whole new level, but still keeps the core concepts of critical thinking. “When used correctly, educational technology gives new meaning and utility to long-established educational paradigms, such as Benjamin Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised) and Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences.” (Kuhn, 2008) While teachers hold onto the core values of critical thinking, we begin to focus more on the learning process instead of covering required content. When we incorporate technology as a learning tool, we deepen the learning that takes place in our classroom and help our students make real world connections outside of the classroom. For example, we read a book called Save me Seat in my sixth grade reading class. One of the main characters in the book is from India. Throughout the text, we hear a lot about Indian culture. I use this opportunity to bring in technology and allow my students to research Indian culture and specific terms we hear in the text. My students learn far more by conducting the research themselves.

 All too often, I encounter an educator who views technology as a nuisance instead of a valuable learning tool. Creative thinking and Critical thinking are two different types of thinking, but both are important when it comes to connecting our students with technology. Whenever we hand our students a piece of technology to use, we must set clear expectations for the technology use. "Unfortunately, many school leaders mistakenly believe that simply providing children and young people with access to digital technology will automatically enhance learning." (Hobbs, 2011) Technology has the ability to enhance learning like we have never seen before. It is constantly changing, and we as educators have to be willing to change too. Personally, I use the Bloom’s Taxonomy question stems to plan questions and assignments in my lesson plans. I make a point to plan for critical and creative thinking to allow my students to take what we are learning to the next level. 

I feel as if all of the articles assigned were created to motivate educators to ignite a spark of creativity and critical thinking in our students. Technology has shifted the roles of teachers and students in the classroom. “In particular, once they have mastered basic skills, students know there is so much more ‘out there’ and are unimpressed by pre-packaged, depersonalised learning experiences. But at the same time, teachers cannot simply let go of the reins. Teachers risk erring by standing too far to the side, by being too ambiguous about learning goals or failing to define success.” (Fullan, 2014) From an early age, our students are exposed to technology. I know children who have iPads by the age of 2. The students in our classroom know that there is a whole world of technology out there. They are used to being able to access the entertainment side of technology within minutes. We have to learn that we are no longer the sole voice that teaches our students. We have to step aside and play the role of the facilitator. It is our responsibility to plan and give structured access to technology for learning purposes. 

Resources 

Hobbs, R. (2011). Empowering learners with digital and media literacy. Knowledge Quest, 39(5), 12-17. 

Kuhn, M. S. (2008). Connecting depth and balance in class. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(1), 18-21.

 Fullan, M. & Langworthy, M. (2014). A rich seam: How new pedagogies find deep learning. London: Pearson.

A. Elliott's Theories of Critical Thinking Reflection

After reading through the five articles on theories of critical thinking, I am satisfied knowing that the field of education is a continuous process of improvement, always striving to make learning authentic for students. Being an educator in the 21st century, one of the lines that resonated with me most was from R. Hobbs article where she writes, "Unfortunately, many school leaders mistakenly believe that simply providing children and young people with assess to digital technology will automatically enhance learning."  (Hobbs, 2011) These technological tools can truly transform the classroom when teachers use them to assess learning at the most complex levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. As a teacher, it is always my goal to allow technology to take learning to the next level, whether it be to have students connect with other students or create a piece of work with the knowledge they have gained through a unit of study. Of course, there are times when I may use technology for students to complete a Google form as a formative or summative assessment, but I realize that this is not where technology tools truly change learning for students.

Differentiated instruction is the key to reaching all learners. Technology serves as a catalyst in allowing that differentiation to happen seamlessly. For example, I use Google Classroom as my digital platform for assignments. One of the amazing features within Google Classroom is that assignments can be given to one student, a group of students, or the whole class. This allows me to quickly build interactive practice based on what students need. There are also some incredible features within Google Forms that allow students to move onto different material based on what their answers are to the Google Form questions. Also, all of the extensions available through Google provide different tools that ease learning for students with learning difficulties. These are simple tools, but when used to their full potential, allow me to almost effortlessly differentiate instruction. In the article Connecting Depth and Balance in Class, Kuhn mentions, "Fortunately, the differentiating power of educational technology makes meeting the needs of different intelligences or learning styles more and more possible." (Kuhn, 2008)

The information in these articles strongly effects all educators at any level of education, because the technology we are witnessing right now is only the surface. We have to equip our students with the skills to use this technology to continuously learn, discover, and create so they will be prepared for the jobs that are not even created yet. In order to keep learners engaged, educators must be engaged with their own technology in and out of the classroom. I love the description of the learning partnership in the article A Rich Seam. (Fullan and Langworthy, 2014) It depicts the teacher learning alongside the student, with the teacher as a partner of learning, rather than the individual with all the knowledge. When teachers begin to learn alongside their students, a beautiful dynamic develops in the classroom. Technology allows this to happen on a daily basis with students sharing their findings and creations with their teachers and visa versa. I look forward to watching the field of technology and the field of education continue to merge in order to better our world. 

Resources:

Fullan, M. & Langworthy, M. (2014). A rich seam: How new pedagogies find deep learning. London: Pearson.

Hobbs, R. (2011). Empowering learners with digital and media literacy. Knowledge Quest, 39(5), 12-17.

Huitt, W. (2011). Bloom et al.'s taxonomy of the cognitive domain. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University.

Kuhn, M. S. (2008). Connecting depth and balance in class. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(1), 18-21.

Rogers, E. M. (1963). The adoption process II. Journal of Cooperative Extension, 1(2), 69-75.

Alabama Virtual Library Demonstration

EBSCO Host
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8PETXCNc3A

The database that I choose to research is EBSCOhost. It is geared more towards college students and it contains a plethra of peer-reviewed journal articles as well as books and other resources. When you search using this database, you can easily narrow your search and you can also get full text articles which will save you from having to go to the library. EBSCOhost can also be used for teachers to do research when searching for new teaching ideas. For example, I could research different ways to use technology in the classroom. EBSCOhost is one of the many useful databases on the Alabama Virtual Library website.

Alabama Virtual Library Demonstration

GALE PowerSearch

I decided to go my research and recording on GALE PowerSearch. This resource caught my eye because it was in the list of recommendations on the AVL homepage (and was a resource I have not used before). This resource holds a wide variety of databases in it and is very user-friendly. Additionally, the search options can be as broad or as specific as the consumer needs. I also am a fan that you can narrow your search after the results are calculated (as shown in the video). This resource would be an excellent choice for introducing students to database search engines.

Alabama Virtual Library Demonstration

EBSCO Host

I chose the collection of databases called EBSCO Host. This resource, provided by Alabama Virtual Library, has an incredibly wide variety of databases. Users can select the database that's appropriate for them, or they can select all. Because there are so many resources available in this search engine, it could be appropriate for many different age groups and types of people. In my own classroom, it's a great resource to use for maybe a web quest introducing academic search engines.