3,928 Matching Annotations
  1. Jan 2019
    1. Writing online differs from using paper and pencil, too.It’s more informal, although most texts should be grammat-ically acceptable and use conventional spelling. Immediacy isanother difference: Writers post their writing within sec-onds. Third, writers create multimodal texts with digitalphotos, video clips, and website links. The fourth differenceis audience: Writers send e-mail messages to people in dis-tant locations, including military parents serving in Iraq andAfghanistan, and their postings are read by people world-wide.

      Now, we need to teach our students how to navigate communicating in a much different way than what was taught in previous years. What I believe is most important in this list, though all aspects of online literacy are important, is teaching tone and understanding how to communicate with different audiences appropriately.

    2. Some students learn to surf the Web, locate and readinformation, and communicate using e-mail, instant messag-ing, and blogs outside of school; others, however, haven’thad many digital experiences. Teaching students how toread and write online has become a priority so that they be-come fully literate in today’s “flat” world.

      Due to a range of outside forces like class-gap and poverty, in our classrooms we will have students that range from high technological literacy to almost no experience with technology. In today's world, it is our job to shrink that gap between those students who have the privilege of experience with outside technology and those who do not.

    1. Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society.

      This expresses the importance of teaching literacy in all content areas-- not just English classes

    2. Achieving literacy is a lifelong learning process.

      Does this mean no one ever really achieves literacy? Or can it be better defined as a skill that is continually developing?

    3. It's not about being literate or illiterate anymore, but having adequate skills for today's demands.

      In order to function best in society, you have to be literate.

    4. Achieving literacy is a lifelong learning process

      Really good point.

    5. Literacy is more than just reading, writing, and numeracy. It's not about being literate or illiterate anymore, but having adequate skills for today's demands.

      Its not just about having the skills, but using it successfully in everyday life.

    6. We all know what "literacy" means, right? Well, maybe not.

      What is literacy? What do you think?

    1. No, every human needs Vitamin D. While a big library can be very satisfying, do not get bullied into it. That’s as bad as being bullied into getting rid of it.

      This is life changing.

    1. This means providing a safe, ethical, and supportive culture in their classroom to encourage all students.

      I agree with this statement being an important part of an effective learning environment.

    2. Beyond that, it requires students to act ethically, legally, and safely online.

      This is a very important because sometimes kids don't realize the things they post online will stay online forever. This could hurt them in the future.

    3. To be an innovative designer, students must understand the basics of problem-solving.

      Being an innovative designer can help students become critical thinkers and engage in project based learning.

    4. digital citizen.

      I think this idea of being a "digital citizen" is interesting and very important in our society today. Educating students to utilize technology is critical because it is a tool they can use for the rest of their lives.

    5. A creative communicator expresses themselves clearly and concisely through digital media

      It is sometimes difficult to interpret what someone is saying through technology, so it is important to be fully aware of how and what you are saying to people through technology.

    6. Computational Thinker

      Nice term for "tech savvy"

    7. Chiefly that means teachers regularly inspire students to act responsibly as they participate in the world — especially the digital world.

      The digital world seems to follow you wherever you go, so it's vital that we teach our students to act responsibly.

    8. It also requires students to learn solution design, meaning they have to diagnose problems, prescribe solutions, and even make those solutions with digital tools

      Learning how to deal with problems digitally can help students to learn how to work out problems in their daily lives and even other areas of technology.

    9. This means understanding the rights and responsibilities that go along with using modern technology. Beyond that, it requires students to act ethically, legally, and safely online.

      Sounds good

    10. Students need to be receptive to an education if they’re actually going to learn.

      This is very true. They need to be able to be receptive to be able to get something out of their education

    11. To be a computational thinker, ISTE says students must be able to create and employ strategies for solving problems that use technology.

      Computational Thinkers

    12. To be an innovative designer, students must understand the basics of problem-solving

      Problem Solvers

    13. These tenets are fulfilled when students set up individual learning goals and customize their learning environments to achieve those goals.

      In my opinion this is what education is all about child centered learning

    14. In total, there are 29 ISTE standards that apply to these five groups.  We’ll cover each of those standards on this page.

      Main idea of the article

    15. 2. Digital Citizen

      One of the goals for ISTE is that students become good digital citizens. Has this become the online equivalent to being a law abiding citizen? How important is this compared to being a tangible citizen.

    16. With that in mind, the ISTE has established seven key standards for students to follow. ISTE student standards are: Empowered learner Digital citizen Knowledge constructor Innovative designer Computational thinker Creative communicator Global collaborator

      Goals of ISTE

    17. As a result, students need to know what reliable information looks like and where they can find it.
    18. To be effective educators, each teacher must also know how to be a learner.
    1. Right now I’m on a cherry tomato + bagel seasoning kick, but I’ve been known to get nutritional yeast involved.

      This is life changing. ;)

    1. So if you are tired during the day, check that you’re giving yourself the opportunity to get 7 to 9 hours.

      This is super helpful. Bold

    2. So if you are tired during the day, check that you’re giving yourself the opportunity to get 7 to 9 hours.

      This is super helpful.

  2. Nov 2018
    1. "Although images were present on the pages of textbooks before, there are more images now; these images look and function differently from those found before. The page is used differently to the way it had been"

      When comparing textbooks and writing from many years ago, one can see that the way in which images and diagrams were utilized than is very different from now. Images are now used from often in print texts, and they are often used to tell more of the story than the print is.

    2. "If, going one step further, we compare a contemporary textbook with “pages” on the Web dealing with the “same” issues, we see that modes of representation other than image and writing—moving image and speech for instance—have found their way into learning resources, with significant effect."

      When comparing print textbooks or to 'pages' on the internet, we see that not only are images used to further the information but that moving images, which I can only assume are gifts or videos, and speech are also utilized to further share information.

    3. This reminds me of the saying a picture is worth a thousand words. It's true sometimes a picture, song, video, or skit can convey a message better than words themselves.

    1. For this research, which aims to help the training of autistic students and students with intellectual difficulties in identifying communication cards, we use an application installed on a smartphone. The application allows choosing between PECS or cards used in school. We used PECS because they decreased problem behaviors and increased speech in some individuals

      This is a great tool for studentzs with kids with intellectual disabilities

    1. And these new literacies are embodied in new social practices—ways of working in new or transformed forms of employment, new ways of participating as a citizen in public spaces, and even perhaps, new forms of identity and personality.

      Times have changed so people have to adapt with the changes

    2. none of us could have predicted the reach and the influence the multiliteracies idea would have, way beyond our own circles of personal and professional association. Even the idea of a ‘Google search’ was unimaginable ten years ago

      things have changed alot over the years. learning online is and finding information out online is the main source to go to now instead of a book etc.

    3. The Multiliteracies view of design has three aspects: Available Designs (found representational forms); the Designing one does (the work you do when you make meaning, how you appropriate and revoice and transform Available Designs); and The Redesigned (how, through the act of Designing, the world and the person are transformed)

      I think this is important in breaking down information and connect back to construction of online content.

    4. Meaning makers don’t simply use what they have been given; they are fully makers and remakers of signs and transformers of meaning.

      I think this is a very relevant quality in the constantly changing world we are in today and therefore we should aim for our students to be meaning makers.

    1. Working online is a fluid experience which calls for flexible learners.

      As an online learner myself, I find this to be extremely true. There have been many times where assignments or tasks that my college professors have assigned that have been so challenging that I have had to adjust the task (by using multiple resources, other programs, etc,) to better my understanding.

    2. our understanding of construction and creation needs to be broad enough to allow for change in the future

      Sonia Livingstone's definition of media literacy is spot on- it is essential that we teach our students how to create AND construct using technology (using multiple modes) because our society is constantly, rapidly evolving.

    3. Construction calls on creativity as well as persistence, flexibility, and revision. Construction asks our students and teachers to focus on the power and patience employed during work process…and not just the final resultant work product.

      Online construction has more to do with process of creating rather than just getting it done. This means that more attention is given to the steps within the process like editing, revision, getting others opinions, etc.

    4. Online reading comprehension (ORC) has elements of “communication” identified as the last of the five skills students need.

      I never would of thought ORC had elements of communication - though I can see how communication could be used when doing online reading comprehension especially when discussing pieces of text.

    5. Construction calls on creativity as well as persistence, flexibility, and revision.

      Construction and creativity are different BUT go hand in hand in a sense. You need to be creative in order to construct effectively, along with other elements listed.

    6. During the ORC process students learn during an inquiry process and then send this message out to others using a text or tool of their choosing.

      What I take from this is that student's can share their understanding of what they have learned to others. ORC is about the communication and how they can share it with other people.

    7. Online reading comprehension (ORC) has elements of “communication” identified as the last of the five skills students need. In order to fill the void I would see concerning the creativity, composition, and design skills students need…we have been developing online content construction (OCC)

      It is important for teachers to understand this concept and to help students understand this so that they can use it in the classroom.

    8. It may be a small designation to make, but I see a great deal of difference between the act of creation, and the sustained, informed, evaluative elements embedded in construction.

      I do see the distinction between construction and creation but I also see how they easily and usually work hand in hand. I think when helping students use the web and technology to guide and scaffold learning both should be included.

    1. As student writing moves from page to screen the key difference between the traditional writing process and OCC is that teachers and students need to consider other elements that are particular to working with online informational text (e.g., semiotics, visual literacy, multimodal design).

      Basically, online content construction brings in ideas of mulimodal design visual literacy, and semiotics. When students are working with print information and creating things in print contexts they usually do not encounter these things nor have the opportunity to incorporate the into their work easily (besides drawing but that can be difficult for some as well). Since they do not encounter it much in their learning environments, they must be led through the process of what to do with these elements and how to appropriately use them in their own work. Just like we do with reflections.

    2. OCC is defined as the skills, strategies, and dispositions necessary as students construct, redesign, or reinvent online texts by actively encoding and decoding meaning through the use of digital texts and tools.

      Honestly, this explanation confuses me a lot but here it is.

    3. As society has incorporated dynamic and new media in everyday life, educators are required to expand traditional understandings of text and literacy that have replaced many of the ways that we communicate, create, and socialize

      It is very important that this is actually taught within the classroom since it is so important that students actually understand the new ways they are interacting with literacy and online information. While they may know how to access it, read it, etc. not all students are taught how to actually use what they view online in a productive manner like they do print sources we have in the classroom. This ties into online content construction because students will have a better grasp at online comprehension if they can use it with online content construction which would be using it hands on.

    1. My special education students typically miss out on taking courses of personal interest. Electives are often replaced with supplemental math or reading classes to bring the students up to grade-level expectations. So I decided to bring student interests into my resource rooms.

      I would love to do this within my classroom, I believe this is a great idea! Students will love this project, and that it can also be self paced is a great plus!

    1. Some students struggle to capture their thoughts on paper because they have poor handwriting skills or because they cannot hold a pen or pencil. Technology gives students extra support that traditional methods cannot provide.

      This will be a great tool to use technology inside the classroom. I never thought of it to be used this way, so this article really helped my find my understanding of technology inside of my future classroom.

    1. These fan videos include sampling clips from movies or television shows, creating movies within video games, using flash animation (or stop motion animation, claymation, etc.), roping friends and family into participating in a live-action video, and so on, all set to a favourite song or used

      It isn't exactly like they are talking about, but this reminds me of when my Spanish teacher allowed us to create music videos and songs based on the topic we were learning about in class.

    2. Popular song + movie editing

      this makes me thing of a lot of vines and movie scenes

    3. Music and music video remixes (e.g., Danger Mouse’s “Grey Album” and the Grey video

      Grey Album=The Beatles "White Album" and Jay-Z's "Black Album"

    4. recording a series of anime cartoons and then video-editing them in synchrony with a popular music track; mixing “found” images with original images in order to express a theme or idea

      Young people use videos and music to express a feeling

    5. to use images and sound and vide

      gifs and memes

    6. It involves mixing digital images, texts, sounds and animation; in short, all manner of found artefacts. Young people are picking this up on a massive scale and it is becoming increasingly central to their practices of making meaning and expressing ideas.

      I think we see this on twitter and other forms of social media. We take a phrase or picture and create new memes and pictures.

    7. no remix, no culture.

      remix shows culture

    8. More specifically Lessig refers to a practice of creative writing within the school curriculum in parts of North America whereby students read texts by multiple authors, take bits from each of them, and put them together in a single text.

      I remember doing things like this in school. We would study different authors can take elements of their work and remix it into our own work

    9. History shows us, for example, that remix isn’t specific to digital times but has always been a part of any society’s cultural development (see, for examp

      Remix has a long history

    10. Lessig (2005) says that every single act of reading and choosing and criticizing and praising culture is in this sense remix, and it is through this general practice that cultures get made.

      I never thought of the fact that talking about a book or movie with someone is a form of remix

    11. By “remix” we mean the practice of taking cultural artefacts and combining and manipulating them into a new kind of creative blend.

      This means taking many different ideas and mixing them together to create one product.

    1. Overload comes from bogging the lesson down with too many inputs or modalities at once. Teachers will keep modalities both focused and organized. They will also switch activities and lessons every 15 to 20 minutes, as this is the point at which students begin to tune out and lose focus.

      This is important to take into account when using multimodality in the classroom. It is good to change it up a bit when using this approach.

    2. Multimodal teaching is successful because it appeals to all learning styles. Students are ensured to receive their lesson by one or more modality, through which they learn best.

      This is important to incorporate into the classroom as a teacher because each student learns differently from each other. And as a teacher, it is important to understand this and to teach in a way that is beneficial to every student in the classroom.

    1. This means that we need to extend the range of literacy pedagogy so that it does not unduly privilege alphabetical representations, but brings into the classroom multimodal representations, and particularly those typical of the new, digital media. This makes literacy pedagogy all the more engaging for its manifest connections with today’s communications milieu. It also provides a powerful foundation for a pedagogy of synaesthesia, or mode switching.

      This concept can be very powerful as the pedagogy can really make learning authentic and relevant in the growing world of technology therefore motivating kids to be learners and creators as they construct knowledge.

  3. Oct 2018
    1. This could impede a child’s registration of information in memory and impact the integration of the information needed to form concepts. 

      amazing idea and great website

    1. Attracting over 11 million views monthly, Do2Learn is an unparalleled special needs resource website started in 1996 through a NIH Small Business Innovation Research grant. Learning disabled youth access thousands of free elementary-level worksheets for literacy, math, visual discrimination, behavior management, and more. There are also printable picture cards available to promote functional communication in children with Autism.

      this is a website I'd be interested in especially because my focus is on kids with ASD.

    2. Educational websites assist children with learning disabilities master basic skills in reading and math or advanced concepts like calculus

      Its a way to keep them engaged in learning while the teacher can walk around and assist.

    3. Parents and special education teachers often have difficulty finding new tactics to provoke a love for learning in children with learning disabilities

      It is difficult to keep them engaged and excited about learning.

    1. Consider, for example, just a few of these new technologies: Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Siri, Foursquare, Drop-box, Skype, Chrome, iMovie, Contribute, or any of many, many mobile “apps” and ebooks. Each requires additional reading and/or writing skills to take full advantage of its affordances

      Each new technology requires a different skill to fully be able to grasp it.

    2. We live during a time in which new technologies continuously appear online, requiring additional skills to effectively read, write, and learn, sometimes on a daily basis.

      We have to be able to adjust to the new technologies that are appearing every day.

    3. Make it a policy to always teach a new technology, with new literacies, to your weakest reader(s) first. This enables struggling readers and writers to become literate in this new technology before other, higher-performing students in reading. Those who struggle with reading and writing become literate in a new literacy before others and can teach this new literacy to others who are not literate with this new form.

      I love this idea, though it is very true that it is very rarely done this way.

    4. 4.New literacies are multiple, multimodal, and multifaceted, and, as a result, our understanding of them benefits from multiple points of view.5.Critical literacies are central to new literacies.6.New forms of strategic knowledge are required with new litera-cies

      Some of the more important aspects of New Literacy findings.

    5. However, this does not nec-essarily mean they are skilled in the effective use of online information, perhaps the most important aspect of the Internet. Studies show that stu-dents lack critical evaluation skills when reading online

      This is where critical thinking skills and reading comprehension skills would come in handy. We were never taught how to look at online literacy spaces like we look at print literacy spaces, so we assume that the strategies we use for one cannot be replicated with the other but this is untrue.

    6. Many students do not read search engine results; they simply click and look their way down each list of search results, reviewing each web page, often skipping right past a use-ful resource (Leu, Forzani, & Kennedy, 2013).

      I have found myself doing this sometimes, and then I have to remind myself to slow down and actually read things.

    7. We live during a time in which new technologies continuously appear online, requiring additional skills to effectively read, write, and learn, sometimes on a daily basis.

      Our job as teachers to assess this and make sure our students know how to work technology.

    8. Typically, Wikipedia is simply used for information. Reverse this and use Wikipedia to make critical evaluation skills the primary focus. Select an entry for any topic being studied in the classroom. For homework, have students find one claim made at the site that is contested by others online and bring the disputed information as well as the sources to class. Have students share their disputed facts and sources and discuss critical evalua-tion strategies that could be used to help resolve the conflict. This conver-sation will teach many new online research and comprehension strategies to your students

      This is a cool idea. I think it would be really useful in teaching students about the use of wikipedia.

    9. Starfall (www.starfall.com) is an exceptional resource for children that supports the development of early offline reading skills within an online context. Starfall is free, a gift from the CEO of Blue Mountain Greeting Cards, who is dyslexic, to honor all the teachers of reading who helped him on his journey. It includes delightful activities that teach CCSS foun-dational skills in reading: letter-name knowledge, phonemic awareness, phonics, and sight word recognition. It also develops both early compre-hension and advanced comprehension skills.

      I've never heard of this! I will have to check it out!

    10. Many students do not read search engine results; they simply click and look their way down each list of search results, reviewing each web page, often skipping right past a use-ful resource (Leu, Forzani, & Kennedy, 2013).

      I agree with this. I find google scholar very useful to for educational purposes.

    11. 348PERSPECTIVES ON SPECIAL ISSUESThe UnitedStatesIn the United States, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Initia-tive (2012) establishes more uniform standards across states to prepare students for college and careers in the 21st century. One of the key design principles in the CCSS, research and media skills, focuses on the integra-tion of online research and comprehension skills within the classroom such as locating, evaluating, synthesizing, and communicating:To be ready for college, workforce training, and life in a technologi-cal society, students need the ability to gather, comprehend, evaluate, synthesize, and report on information and ideas, to conduct original research in order to answer questions or solve problems, and to analyze and create a high volume and extensive range of print and nonprint texts in media forms old and new. The need to conduct research and to produce and consume media is embedded into every aspect of today’s curriculum. (CCSS, n.d., p.4)Three changes are especially noticeable in the English language arts standards of CCSS:1.There is a greater focus on reading informational texts.2.Higher-level thinking is emphasized.3.Digital literacies are integrated throughout the English language arts standards.

      I remember the schools I went to focusing on this a lot. I think that it has helped me tremendously in higher education.

    12. 1.The Internet is this generation’s defining technology for literacy and learning within our global community.2.The Internet and related technologies require new literacies to fully access their potential.3.New literacies are deictic; they rapidly change.4.New literacies are multiple, multimodal, and multifaceted, and, as a result, our understanding of them benefits from multiple points of view.5.Critical literacies are central to new literacies.6.New forms of strategic knowledge are required with new litera-cies.7.New social practices are a central element of new literacies.8.Teachers become more important, though their role changes, within new literacy classrooms. (p.

      Findings of New literacies theory

    13. However, this does not nec-essarily mean they are skilled in the effective use of online information, perhaps the most important aspect of the Internet. Studies show that stu-dents lack critical evaluation skills when reading online (Bennet, Maton, & Kervin, 2008; Forzani & Maykel, 2013; Graham & Metaxas, 2003) and that they are not especially skilled with reading to locate information

      YES. I 110% agree with this. Our generation & younger generations seem to lack the critical evaluation skills needed to read the internet. I don't understand why some people lack this skill, however? Are we just too comfortable with trusting the internet?

    14. Finally, each online tool regularly is updated; each time this happens new affordances appear, requiring addi-tional skills and strategies.

      This reminds me of my grandma. Every time her iPhone updates, she gets freaked out because what she knew, was all changed and in different places. I feel that children and teens, have the skills to problem solve and figure out the update, where many older people do not.

    15. We live during a time in which new technologies continuously appear online, requiring additional skills to effectively read, write, and learn, sometimes on a daily basis.

      I completely agree. At some times, its hard to keep up. I think that kids today are constantly exposed to new forms of technology and have to develop new skills to effectively read and write on the internet all the time.

    1. With Google Classroom, teachers can incorporate interactive reading lessons for students to work on comprehension and fluency skills while creating a fun, supportive, and engaging learning environment.

      The key here is interactive and that students will be working/getting feedback from each other.

    1. teacher and student modeling of online research and comprehension strategies (questioning, locating, critically evaluating, synthesizing, and communicating).

      Useful information on the comprehension strategies within the IRT model, all of which build upon another (the ability of communicating the information to your peers being the hopeful end result)

    1. nternet Inquiry Projects are student interest driven, and are more authentic as a learning activity than traditional WebQuests.

      This is important for the students to research what they choose, because they will gather knowledge without realizing it, and it helps them learn how to navigate the internet.

    2. considering the credibility (truthfulness) and validity (usefulness) of the information obtained.

      This is something that is SO important. Many people do not know the difference between real news and fake news. This is a great place to start in educating people on the differences.

    3. identify an area of interest

      I like that students come up with something that is interesting to them

    4. Students collaboratively (with the instructor) identify an area of interest and co-construct a driving question to guide inquiry.

      Creating a driving question is what I find most difficult to do, but once you have the perfect driving question it will lead you or your students in right direction. Driving questions are supposed to be open ended though, so everyone will have different answers or thought processes.

    5. Students critically evaluate online information by considering the credibility (truthfulness) and validity (usefulness) of the information obtained.

      This is a critical phase (as are the others) that really sets the basis for online navigation that will continue throughout the child's life. It is important to be smart and efficient on the internet and be able to critically analyze what is important, valid, and credible for every search done and even things that come up on social media.

    6. Internet Inquiry Projects are student interest driven, and are more authentic as a learning activity

      This is so important in being able to engage students in their learning and therefore creating more motivated learners who want to gather knowledge about the world around them.

    7. These learning activities and assessments are supercharged through the use of digital texts and tools, while building the web literacies of you and your students. As you become more familiar with Internet Inquiry Projects, you’ll find that you regularly use the web for teaching and learning every day.

      I want to incorporate technology in moderation as a tool for more interesting and interactive learning activities in my future classroom.

    8. The design, focus, and length of the Internet Inquiry Project should be determined by your student learning objectives, as well as your own technological, pedagogical, and content area knowledge (TPACK) and objectives.

      You should incorporate your own ideas and teaching strategies as well.

    9. This process involves the following five phases: Students collaboratively (with the instructor) identify an area of interest and co-construct a driving question to guide inquiry. Students engage in online collaborative inquiry as they search and sift through online texts using digital tools to address their focus of inquiry. Students critically evaluate online information by considering the credibility (truthfulness) and validity (usefulness) of the information obtained. Students synthesize what they have learned during their online inquiry by actively curating and synthesizing information across multiple, multimodal sources. Student engage in online content construction by synthesizing what they have learned and selecting the best digital text or tool before sharing this answer.

      The five phases involved in the process.

    10. The Internet Inquiry Project is an online research project that helps students develop the important digital knowledge and skills needed as they build their web literacies. Internet Inquiry Projects are student interest driven, and are more authentic as a learning activity than traditional WebQuests. I

      Internet inquiry projects can keep students active and engaged in their learning activities.

    1. How can innovative teachers use Instagram?

      I follow many educators on Instagram. I find it really cool to be able to see real teachers at work from all over the world. All of these teachers have amazing content and ideas to contribute and it is really awesome to see them collaborate, offer advice, and open up genuine dialogue about education on their pages.

    2. That reluctance is understandable, but it is important for effective 21st century teachers to be adaptable, especially in our ever-evolving educational landscape.

      I agree with this. Teacher's must keep up with the times. I believe this because new technologies have the power to help us become better educators and our students better learners.

    3. IG combines the categorize-by-hashtag system used by Twitter with the image-driven nature of Pinterest to create a place where educators can come to network, share and discover new ideas, and interact with each other on a more personal level.

      I think this is why many teachers are drawn to instagram.

    4. You can find many teachers with these qualities on social media platforms like Twitter and Pinterest, which are popular online communities that innovative educators use to build a personal learning network, share ideas, discover new technologies, and find inspiration.

      The high school that i want to was very pro-social media and pro-twitter. The principal followed us all on twitter. He stayed connected with us and was easily accessible if we had any issues.

    1. how teaching comprehension skills for traditional print text might be beneficial for reading online, and if online reading might require additional or different instructional practices.

      It is important to teach this to students so that they know how to approach online text and how to understand it because it is different from reading a regular book.

    1. Teach a mini-lessons on the differences between .com, .gov, .org, and .edu domains

      This is important to include when teaching young children about how to research online. They should be able to recognize what websites are more appropriate for what they want to learn about.

    2. Additionally, because online reading occurs within rapidly changing technology that may or may not be familiar to teachers, and students are frequently engaged with outside of school, lessons that build on students’ prior knowledge of these technologies can and should be employed.

      Children are going to constantly be using technology and its important for them to learn to use it correctly and educationally.

    1. We uploaded a pre-publication draft of the column to allow for review, remix, and commentary.

      This article is great. Randall Johnson reminds me of many educators who are using social media, blogs, and YouTube to share openly online. Many teachers have instagrams that they use to share their ideas, thoughts, content, experiences with education.

    2. Open learning, also known as open education, can be defined as a set of practices, resources, and scholarship that are openly accessible, free to use and access, and to re-purpose.

      Open learning definition

    1. trauma-like symptoms from media exposure are common in children and adolescents.

      I can see how this correlates due to the fact that a lot of the showings on television these days are violent or gory. Movies are made to be life real life and television too. As a child that would scare me to think that what i am seeing on tv could happen to me in real life.

    1. time spent using social media and increased self-esteem, increased social capital

      I don't know that i believe that there is an association between time spent using social media and increased self-esteem. There is so much bullying going on these days through social media that it is hard to believe that there is an association between the two.

    1. Hess is the first to admit that this strategy could easily be done with paper and pencil.

      See strategy explained above. This shows again that strategies designed for digital spaces can also be used in non-digital spaces and students will still get the same depth of knowledge from it.

    2. “Number two is to engage them in an active way with the text, and number three you want to encourage oral discourse. And number four you want them to do some reflection.”

      More ways to read deeply in any format but especially in digital spaces.

    3. It means teaching kids ways to break down a complex text, find key ideas, organize them and defend them.

      Ways to read deeply in any format but especially in a digital space.

    4. It takes more self-control to stay focused when reading digitally, a challenge for many students used to quickly navigating around the Web.

      I can attest to this. I know that I am a skim reader when reading print, but I am a very bad skim reader when reading digitally. I may only catch 1/4 of the content when reading digitally compared to 3/4 when reading print. We are so used to quick reading and just getting the gist when reading digitally.

    5. Technology won’t repair those gaps.

      Need to remember that just because you can throw technology into a lesson, does not mean you should because it is not always the best answer in that situation.

    6. Discourse is at the center of the strategies he teaches, which is why he’s not a fan of one-to-one programs that isolate kids on individual computers practicing rote skills through software.

      I like how he stresses talking to someone else and how that impacts your understanding (for the better). Programs within schools to emphasize individual work and doing things silently for the best work, usually is not the best way for students to learn. This goes especially for reading comprehension. Why not incorporate technology into reading in a way that allows for productive collaboration and discussion, while still keeping an organized classroom?

    7. “I don’t believe technology should ever be taught separately,” Hess said. Most of what he helps teachers learn are plain old good reading strategies, but he tries to highlight how practicing them in the digital space can make feedback easier and help students go further in their thinking.

      Reading strategies for digital spaces and for paper text can be interchanged and used in each type of reading. This is important to remember so one is not stressed to incorporate technology into everything in order to get those strategies in.

    8. “I don’t believe technology should ever be taught separately,”

      I strongly agree, in this growing world of technology we are going to be increasingly surrounded by it and technology is already incorporated into most aspects of our life. It can also engage students since it is authentic.

    9. But casual digital reading on the internet has instilled bad habits in many students, making it difficult for them to engage deeply with digital text in the same way they do when reading materials printed on paper.

      I have noticed that I tend to want quick info and text instead of being able to read and engage in long text as I am so used to quick and instant information on social media. I am also distracted by other things on technology when I should be doing things like homework.

    1. To be honest, I had some trouble setting up my first project, and as a result my students got impatient, regardless, I wasn’t ready to throw in the towel; rather, I was even more committed to improving on our next project.

      As a teacher I know not every lesson plan is going to go exactly how I plan and its important for me to remain positive and not react in a negative way if it doesnt go the way I planned. These kids need positive reinforcement and positive reactions from me and I know each kid works at their own pace so I will constantly remind myself to remain positive even if an activity doesn't go exactly how I want it go. These online activities will help in the long run by bringing different sped kids from around the world together to help each other improve and learn everyday.

    2. For collaborative projects, teachers can pair higher- and lower-functioning students, who will then work together to accomplish a common goal that is often bigger or better than what they could have done on their own.

      This is important because in a sped classroom you are going to have lower functioning and higher function kids, who are on different levels of learning, and to bring them together and have them work together to reach one goal would help with the low morals and negative approaches to assignments that sped kids can often struggle with.

    1. “For more than a century, educators have strived to customize education to the learner. Connected Learning leverages the advances of the digital age to make that dream a reality — connecting academics to interests, learners to inspiring peers and mentors, and educational goals to the higher order skills the new economy rewards.

      Connected learning allows learning to be more personalized to the individual student. It connects their academics to their interests, learners to peers & mentors who are interested in the same thing (digital world) and education goals to higher goals and skills.

    1. The key is to structure the activities collaboratively so that learners are mutually dependent on each other yet are held individually accountable.

      Group work can be construed as "divide and concur" by your students instead of them knowing they have to work together equally as a group. One must prepare collaborative learning scenarios so that students rely on each other but are still accountable for their own work. In the end, only one grade would be given.

    1. First, students need to feel safe, but also challenged. Second, groups need to be small enough that everyone can contribute. Third, the task students work together on must be clearly defined.
      1. Safe but challenged
      2. Small enough for contribution
      3. Rules and work clearly defined
    1. Some require a thorough preparation, such as a long-term project, while others require less preparation, such as posing a question during lecture and asking students to discuss their ideas with their neighbors (see concept tests).

      Collaborative learning does not need to be the sole way to learn in the classroom. It may just be five minutes of a lesson one day, but the whole lesson another.

    2. actively engage his/her peers, and to process and synthesize information rather than simply memorize and regurgitate it.

      Collaborative learning allows students to process and synthesize information rather than just memorize it for a test. They can critically think through problems and ideas this way. They will also better remember the information this way because they were active agents in their learning rather than passive ones.

    3. "Collaborative learning is based on the idea that learning is a naturally social act in which the participants talk among themselves (Gerlach, 1994). It is through the talk that learning occurs."

      Collaborative learning is based in the idea that learning is a naturally social act - so the act of talking through the problem or idea is how the students will learn the best and the deepest.

    1. Educators talk about incorporating technology into lessons on a regular basis, but are you doing it in a meaningful way?

      I appreciate that this portion of the article put the implementation of the SAMR model into context. Sure, I can now tell you the 4 steps of the SAMR ladder and what the purpose of the model is, but I believe the model can be summarized in this one question the author poses: "Educators talk about incorporating technology into the classroom on a regular basis, but are you doing it in a meaningful way?" The author shines the light on the fact that yes, especially in the past decade, there has been a huge push for educators to incorporate technology into their classrooms. However, are they doing it because they are being pushed to? Or is there meaning, purpose, and intent behind the technology driven learning?

    2. Many educators use the SAMR model and Bloom’s Taxonomy in tandem to make their technology integration more purposeful

      Although the SAMR model and Bloom's Taxonomy are similar in the sense that they present a gradually increasing order of higher level thinking, I would have never thought to use both of the models in tandem. Used together, I agree that it will allow teachers to make their technology integration more purposeful in the classroom.

    1. CASE STUDY 6

      This is literally one of the coolest ideas ever. I really want to tie HP into my future classroom just because I feel it is such a fun example of collected learning. I really like how they took the story and used it to form really great campaigns and fundraisers and these functions had actual results.

    1. Learners need support from peers and mentors to persist through setbacks and challenges. A survey of 30,000 college graduates found that a strong connection to a faculty member doubled the positive life outcomes of graduates.

      I 100% agree with this. When there is a connection between teacher and student there adds a reason for being in that class, for completing that assignment, for studying a little harder for that particular class.

    2. The research is clear: Learning is irresistible and life-changing when it connects personal interests to meaningful relationships and real-world opportunity.

      Connected learning really is a huge part of successful understanding. When something that is a part of a student's life is tied into education that student then takes a personal interest in what is being presented to them. It is no long about the grade or doing it because they have to. They are actively participating in it and actually cognitively understanding what is being taught to them because they want to.

    3. an age of abundant access to information and social connection that embraces the diverse backgrounds and interests of all young people.

      I think this is really one of the greatest achievements of technology. The amount of interaction between people from all over the world is astonishing. Back in the day it took weeks, sometimes longer to send someone a letter in the mail. Now, you can communicate with someone who is in a completely different country in a matter of seconds.

    4. Groups that foster connected learning have shared culture and values, are welcoming to newcomers, and encourage sharing, feedback and learning among all participants.

      It is so important for someone to feel welcome where they feel uncomfortable. I love that the groups that foster connected learning make sure that all are welcome and they encourage sharing of ideas.

    5. Feeling emotionally and physically safe and a sense of belonging Becoming more involved in the chosen interests they brought to YOUmedia Improving in at least one digital media skill Improving academic skills: better communication with adults and improved writing ability Understanding more about opportunities available to them after high school

      This is very important when it comes to children who come from a background of low income. They usually don't have opportunities like this and thanks to YOUmedia, they can explore what they usually would never get the chance to.

    6. A survey of 30,000 college graduates found that a strong connection to a faculty member doubled the positive life outcomes of graduates.

      It's hard to succeed when you do not have a support system at home. You need someone to be that push for you and that encouragement when you feel like you can't.

    7. For example, when reading about games they enjoy playing, teenage boys read at a much higher level than their reading level in school.

      And to add to this, I am sure that people researching something they are interested in will go in to depth and learn more about that certain topic. The topic will keep them hooked in result, wanting to learn more.

    8. Learners need support from peers and mentors to persist through setbacks and challenges

      Which is why we submit our module work to a group of our peers for feedback before submitting it for a final grade!

    9. Elements of Connected Learning

      There are 3 elements of connected learning- combining a young person's interests, relationships, and opportunities, together they allow for connected learning.

    10. an age of abundant access to information and social connection that embraces the diverse backgrounds and interests

      As technology continues to advance, we have virtually unrestricted access to not only information but contact with one another. Technology is incredible in the sense that it connects people from all over the world, different religions, different socioeconomic backgrounds, etc.

    11. social connection that embraces the diverse backgrounds

      Connections with society through in person experiences/online ones are so important.

    12. ased on her experiences writing online, Abigail decides she wants to become a professional writer. S

      I love this example. It is cool to see how connections online can make you successful/build your experiences snd opportunities.

    13. Learners need to feel a sense of belonging and be able to make meaningful contributions to a community in order to experience connected learning

      It makes it hard for someone to learn at their full potential if they are not comfortable in the learning situation, or if they feel like they are not contributing or making a difference in what they are trying to learn about.

    14. . A growing body of research indicates that interest helps us pay attention, make connections, persist and engage in deeper learning.

      If you're interested in something your're going to put more effort into it. I find myself in school now trying so much harder and caring so much more about what I learn now that it has something to do with what I want to do for my career. I had interest in basketball, and practiced every single day and played for all my school teams from when I was 5 years old to I was 18. I wouldn't have put 100% effort and played that long if I wasn't interested in the game. My example of basketball relates to teaching school because I think if I could make my class interesting to where the kids were 100% involved and locked in like I was with basketball and with my classes now, then I think they would learn the material better and be more involved by participating, paying attention, and engaging in class activities.

    15. Learners need support from peers and mentors to persist through setbacks and challenges

      Sometimes as a student, or teacher, you will have struggles and not all information that you learn or teach will come easy. During this time, it is important to look to peers and mentors for support and help.

    1. In math class, students are given challenging class problems that encourage them to seek ideas and advice from their group members.

      This is nice because if a student is struggling on how to complete a problem, someone else from the class can help them if they understand it.

    2. the teacher also gives out a group-collaboration grade for each unit, which is worth 10 percent of a student’s grade.

      As a teacher, you need to make sure that you give out a rubric for the students to complete to grade their teammates on their participation and effort. While group work can be beneficial for everyone, you need to make sure that everyone is participating to give the end grade fairly.

    3. Students quickly realize that they are able to solve problems as a group that they would not be able to solve as individuals.

      Personally I love working on projects and assignments with other people. Not everyone thinks the same so it is interesting when everyone can come together and share ideas that they have. It makes you look at things in different perspectives.

    4. To make this approach work, teachers must be willing to “cede the floor” to the students.

      Teachers need to sit back and let the student take it from there. Let them learn and make mistakes on their own but still give them guidance if they are struggling.

    5. In math classes, students are grouped intentionally to provide a mix of skill levels, which helps them to be more sensitive to group members’ needs.

      I love this idea and firmly believe in it! While grouping students by skill level is beneficial in some cases like group assessment in reading, it can also be a dark cloud over some students heads. By grouping mix skills levels together, everyone can have a different role and can contribute differently. In these situations some students may learn more, while other students may teach or lead, but they will all come out with a deeper understanding of the material than they had before going in.

    6. Letting Students Teach One Another

      I believe this type of learning/teaching is extremely important for all classrooms. Students can sometimes learn much better from their peers than they can from the teacher, especially when given the chance to have student lead teaching after the teacher has taught the material. This allows students who do understand the material to help those who do not in different ways that they might understand better.

    7. focus on the mathematical process

      Focusing on the process, not the product which would be a right answer. This brings critical, deeper thinking into the discussion which will allow the students to have a better grasp on the knowledge.

    8. Harkness table (a large wooden table capable of seating the entire class),

      A more cost effective way would be sitting the class in a circle so everyone can be seen by all students and the teacher.

    9. encourage classroom collaboration by assigning students to groups to review their homework, do daily class worksheets, participate in moderated discussions, and complete hands-on projects. Often, teachers give students group tests, which, like the class worksheets, are designed to be harder than the individual assignments.

      Ways to bring collaborative learning into the classroom with minor disruptions to traditional learning

    10. Other things to consider are the need to create an effective classroom geography, focus on the process, build accountability, let students teach one another, and encourage students to be in tune with one another.

      Important things to consider when creating a collaborative learning environment

    11. n math and English, teachers cede the floor to students so they can teach one another

      Honestly, I feel like peer to peer teaching is the best way to learn, only if the peer knows the information. Because, they are able to explain, and sometimes connect it to everyday life and its easier to understand.

    12. focus on the mathematical process and not just the “right answer.” In English, the discussions are open-ended, allowing for multiple right answers.

      I like focusing on the process of solving it rather than focusing on the right answer. It helps the students become motivated to learn math and reading, because they are able to express themselves.

    13. The collaborative-learning style incorporated into the fabric of the school helps students to be resilient by aiding them with identifying their resources (peers) and testing their theories to see if they are on the right track all while developing habits of mind that form the foundation of scholarship.

      it allows students to do their own work then compare with their peers and see if they are on the right track or need assistance to get on the right track. While doing this they also develop social skills and are interacting with fellow classmates all while using collaborative learning.

    1. The key to successful technology integration is the efficient use of digital tools tools that are appropriate for the task.

      There are plenty of tools out there that we can use to help us to be successful when technology online. First, we need to see what the technology has to offer and if we are using what is appropriate

    2. SAMR is a model of tech integration designed by Dr. Ruben R. Puentedura, Ph.D. that is simple, easy to gauge, and offers all educators something to strive for.

      And that "something to strive for" is being able to take technology implementation in your classroom to that "next level"

    3. I am very happy about Apple’s consistent use of the SAMR model as a framework for technology implementation because the clear and consistent message serves as a reminder to teachers about the expectation for each of us to achieve what we cannot achieve without new technology.

      I find it very interesting (yet not surprising) that Apple uses the SAMR framework. They are, after all, one of the world's leading innovators in technology implementation, especially in modern classrooms (with iPads especially!) I also found the author's definition of SAMR framework as "a reminder to teachers about the expectation for each of us to achieve what we cannot achieve without new technology" fascinating. As technology becomes more and more advanced and integrated in our classrooms, teachers play a vital role in knowing and learning how to incorporate the technology into lesson plans.

    4. Teachers in the substitution and augmentation phase can use technology to accomplish traditional tasks,  but the real learning gains result from engaging students in learning experiences that could not be accomplished without technology.

      Technology is usually seen as a distraction and not a tool to help engage students in learning experiences.

    5. The SAMR model  is a useful tool for helping teachers think about their own tech use as they begin to make small shifts in the design and implementation of  technology driven learning experiences to achieve the next level.
    6. The key to successful technology integration is the efficient use of digital tools tools that are appropriate for the task.

      The only flip side to this is what if the school doesnt have funding for the digital tools?

    7. At the Modification and Redefinition level, the task changes and extends the walls of the classroom.

      I personally believe that extending learning outside of a classroom is very important

    8. engaging students in learning experiences that could not be accomplished without technology

      This is the new way of the world

    9. The SAMR model  is a useful tool for helping teachers think about their own tech use

      This is interesting! It requires personal reflection before teaching a subject

    10. Researchers have determined that technology integration typically moves through specific levels. The higher the level of an activity the greater the educational benefit.

      I like this idea. I think it is interesting that the higher levels are described as "greater educational benefits" as opposed to more challenging or harder.

    1. connected learning offers a way of connecting the often-fragmented spheres of home, school, and peer-based learning, leveraging the affordances of digital and networked media.

      Connected learning is a way to connect home, school, peer-based learning, and individual interests.

    2. connected learning posits that the most meaningful and resilient forms of learning happen when a learner has a personal interest or passion that they are pursuing in a context of cultural affinity, social support, and shared purpose.

      What is connected learning as a learning theory?

    1. Collaborative Reasoning, the teacher poses a question likely to incite different points of view, and students provide reasons to support their positions. Collaborative reasoning aims to "encourage students to use reasoned discourse as a means for choosing among alternative perspectives on an issue" while drawing on personal experiences, background knowledge, and text for interpretive support

      Another way to hold student lead discussions

    2. discussion-based teaching, including the Harkness Method, in which the role of the teacher in facilitating discussion is to serve "mostly as an observer," and act as little as possible.

      Way to hold student lead discussion

    3. discussion-based practices improve comprehension of the text and critical-thinking skills for students across ethnic backgrounds and socioeconomic contexts

      When students are allowed to talk out their thoughts to peers, they think more critically about the material. When they are forced to only think to themselves, then do an individual examination on their thoughts - it can become very narrow minded because they have no one else to bounce their ideas off of. We all do better when we can talk through something.

    4. More than 1200 studies comparing cooperative, competitive, and individualistic efforts have found that cooperative learning methods improve students' time on tasks and intrinsic motivation to learn, as well as students' interpersonal relationships and expectations for success

      Cooperative learning is better for students retention of information and their motivation to learn in the classroom.

    5. When compared to more traditional methods where students passively receive information from a teacher, cooperative, problem-based learning has been shown to improve student engagement and retention of classroom material

      Students are thinking and engaging with the material on a deeper level when they work together in a collaborative setting. They can talk out the problems, get feedback from each other, and build on each others ideas to get the answers.

    6. College Prep math teacher Betsy Thomas gives her students a group test prior to the individual test for each unit during the year.

      I love this idea. This shows that she isn't reaching for her students to fail or do bad if they did not understand the material the first time around. By giving the group test before the individual test, she is allowing her students a second chance to learn or review the material and help each other! It gives them a greater chance as success on the individual test.

    1. You need a culture that values every student's strengths and a school community that believes everyone can learn from each other.

      Taking away the stigma that only the "smart" kids can contribute in class.

    2. "We're really learning that you don't necessarily have to be right. You just have to believe in your conclusions and find ways to prove them."

      This brings in the idea of critical thinking. If students are thinking critically about what they are studying or working on then it is better if they find an answer or idea that may not be traditionally right but if they can justify it and make someone else understand it then they are still learning!

    3. In English classes, students are encouraged to share and to listen to each other's individual interpretations of the text, underscoring the notion that there can be multiple right answers.

      I love this idea of learning in English class. It is very important to allow students to feed off each others ideas and interpretations so they know now everyone has to think the same in order to be going in the same direction.

    4. In math, for instance, the teachers prompt the students to ask each other their questions before asking the teacher, so that students learn to rely on their own collective wisdom.

      While I know most students hate this type of rule in a classroom, it is extremely beneficial for those who will give it a chance.

    5. What you see and hear are the age-old power and impact of collaborative learning, where three boys, sharing strings and chalk, are bent over the blacktop surveying triangles, as the father of geometry, Euclid, might have directed them to do more than 2,000 years ago.

      It is interesting that instead of focusing on the money aspect of the school (and since they pay $34,000 a year in tuition I am sure they have a very nice campus and very nice amenities) they focus on how they are allowed to learn and be taught. Collaborative learning means a lot within schools and I hope one day more schools realize this because it is a very easy and cost efficient thing to bring into all school environments.

    6. Tuition is about $34,000 per student and roughly 25 percent of students receive financial aid or scholarships. None have special needs or require English-language-learner services; 100 percent are admitted to college, most to top-tier universities.

      While these college prep schools are wonderful for students, this seems to be a very noninclusive school environment. Just a thought.

    7. Today, her students will become land surveyors, using rope and chalk to draw geometric shapes on the courtyard's blacktop.

      It is amazing that she is taking her students outside to be active agents in their learning instead of teaching at them in a classroom where they sit and practice problems. Active engagement like this will allow her students to remember so much more and understand the material on a deeper level.

    1. 7) When mobile technology is readily available and performing correctly in the classroom, students are able to access the most up-to-date information quicker and easier than ever before.

      As teachers, we should want students to be inquisitive and independent when learning. Technology allows students to be able to find the information that they need independently.

    2. 8) The traditional passive learning model is broken. With technology in the classroom the teacher becomes the encourager, adviser, and coach.

      As future educators we need to learn how to adapt to this new model of a technology integrated classroom.

    3. 3) It gives students the opportunity to enhance the interaction with their classmates and instructors by encouraging collaboration.

      Not only does it give them that opportunity but it gives them the chance to interact with other people digitally on a global scale.

    4. 1) If used correctly, mobile devices and the applications they support, will help prepare students for their future careers.

      Nearly all employers need their employees to be technologically advance.

    1. three key components of teacher knowledge: understanding of content, understanding of teaching, and understanding of technology.
    2. a complex interaction among three bodies of knowledge: Content, pedagogy, and technology. The interaction of these bodies of knowledge, both theoretically and in practice, produces the types of flexible knowledge needed to successfully integrate technology use into teaching.
    3. The development of TPACK by teachers is critical to effective teaching with technology.

      TPACK or technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge

    4. Moreover, this knowledge is unlikely to be used unless teachers can conceive of technology uses that are consistent with their existing pedagogical beliefs (Ertmer, 2005).

      This can be challenging when teachers become set in their ways and refuse to venture out of their set pedagogical beliefs on teaching. This can also be seen when looking at collaboration and student contributions in the classroom. Some teachers get stuck in their existing pedagogical belift that they are the one sole educator in the classroom, and the students bring very little to the table. Both of these instances are very negative for a modern classroom teacher.

    5. Teachers often have inadequate (or inappropriate) experience with using digital technologies for teaching and learning.

      This is very true, many teachers have classrooms full of students who know 10x the technological information that they themselves know. This can slow down the use of technology in the classroom. Though it can had a good verse situation of the educator/student dynamic in the classroom, where the students can help the teacher learn someone new or further their knowledge.

    6. particular technologies have their own propensities, potentials, affordances, and constraints that make them more suitable for certain tasks than others

      One needs to think about what kind of technology they are using, especially in the classroom, and if it the appropriate type to use for the situation. If the wrong type of technology was used for a certain activity or project, it could possibly lead to unnecessary frustration and unneeded struggle on the student, as well as the teacher.

    7. Thus, effective teaching depends on flexible access to rich, well-organized and integrated knowledge from different domains (Glaser, 1984; Putnam & Borko, 2000; Shulman, 1986, 1987), including knowledge of student thinking and learning, knowledge of subject matter, and increasingly, knowledge of technology.

      Teaching requires flexible access to knowledge of all areas in the discipline because they may have to quickly redirect or change their plan based on student understanding or comprehension. Students may not respond well to how a lesson was planned or taught, therefore teachers need to change their plan so the students are best catered to.

    8. Pedagogical Knowledge

      Deep knowledge about a subject

    9. Email does not afford synchronous communication in the way that a phone call, a face-to-face conversation, or instant messaging does. Nor does email afford the conveyance of subtleties of tone, intent, or mood possible with face-to-face communication

      In a similar way texting does not allow people to convey tone, so there are often misinterpretations

    10. are not even considered to be technologies

      Students don't always realize what kind of technology they have because it is almost second nature

    1. But now technology is advancing at such a rate that traditional ways of teaching and learning are not pushing students and teachers to their full potential.

      True

    2. For my classmates and me, computers were just tools to get things done

      Growing up it was the same for me!

    1. Organizing visual aesthetics and user experiences by using mockups, wireframes or pencil sketches/maps of digital content to be built.

      This statement reminds me of how important it is to pick a theme for our website, and making it organized. I think visuals are very important because they can keep the learner/reader interested.

    1. Connected learning is realized when a young person is able to pursue a personal interest or passion with the support of friends and caring adults, and is in turn able to link this learning and interest to academic achievement, career success or civic engagement.

      When there is something that is interesting to that student, they would become more focused into the lesson. Simply because its something they hold interest in and they enjoy talking about it.

    2. social support to overcome

      Great to get feedback from people!

    3. young person is able to pursue a personal interest or passion with the support of friends and caring adults, and is in turn able to link this learning and interest to academic achievement, career success or civic engagement.

      Love this! I can connect to this because a lot of my "art" friends have personal pages to sell and spread their artwork.