Read web-based readings chapter 8 of Collins and Halverson

Chapter 8 discusses some very interesting points about education and technology in the classroom.  As students’ knowledge of technology grows, so too should the school’s knowledge and in cooperate it into their classrooms.  Developing new curriculum and teaching methods to help reach out to our students is a great way to get students more involved and interested in school.  Using games and other types of software to help teach lessons and get students, thinking about topics or subjects that may have seemed boring to them before is a great idea.   Technology is always evolving and so are students, so we as teachers and educations need to evolve with them and use the tools that they see interest in and get their attention.

 

Resource:

Collins, A., & Halverson, R. (2009). Rethinking education in the age of technology: The digital revolution and schooling in America. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

The chemistry of cookies - Stephanie Warren

This is an awesome video which talks about chemical reactions using cookies as an example.  It describes each step and how different reactions occur during the cooking process.  This would be a great video to show students who are learning about chemical reactions.  You could follow up the lesson with students making cookies and describing the process as they go.  They could then look at other foods they cook and how they are involved in a chemical reaction. 

Resource:

Ted Education: The chemistry of cookies - Stephanie Warren 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6wpNhyreDE&feature=youtube_gdata

U.S. students lag around average on international science, math and reading test

I found this article very interesting and scary.  After reading the article I found that 22 countries had higher science results than the US.  As stated in the article, “While the intentions may have been good, a decade of top-down, test-based schooling created by No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top — focused on hyper-testing students, sanctioning teachers and closing schools — has failed to improve the quality of American public education,” Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said in a statement. (p. 1,  Lyndsey Layton)’’  China has made it to the top and the article stated that this is because, “they have focused on teacher preparation and investing in its most challenging classrooms (p. 1,  Lyndsey Layton).”  This is a scary thought when you think of the US and China as top global powers and leaders and we, the US, are lacking behind not just China but 22 other countries in education.  One of the reasons stated in the article for the poor test scores was due to the US being so diverse and having disadvantages with poverty; however, Vietnam scored better in math and they have 79 percent of students at or below the poverty line.   One hope that the article sees for improving future test scores is the introduction of the Common Core academic standards.  My daughter’s school as incorporated these standards into their classrooms and I have already noticed a difference from my past experiences with the curriculum and how they have really focused on math and science.  Hopefully, this will help improve our future leaders’ knowledge so they can continue to improve our education system and our global world.

 Resource:

U.S. students lag around average on international science, math and reading test

By Lyndsey Layton, Published: December 2 | Updated: Tuesday, December 3, 5:00 AM