Recent Changes

the 21st century
and 11 resulting steps to transform education.
much more rapidly
rapidly than education. enrich the educational
educational process.

Second, I would dare to include in an explanation of distance learning the idea that learning happens when a person is acquiring knowledge, even in the absence of an instructor. For example I visit museums around the world with my 4th grade students. Through the internet we “walk” through the Louvre and we inspect the Mona Lisa (front and back). We also visit the Metropolitan Museum in search of treasures from long ago. The Prado also has an amazing tour for us to take.
In addition, I take my students on city tours. While reading From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, I pull up a map of NYC on the Promethean board. Then I open the Active Studio software and I get out my magic pen. My students and I “walk” the streets of New York. By the end of this practice, students who have never been in NY can tell where the Metropolitan is located and how big Central Park is; they can even find the United Nations in the city map.
doing so.
2. Distance learning can use several different delivery technologies. Identify and compare several different distance learning delivery technologies. What do you see as the future of these technologies?
a classroom.
Videoconferencing
Videoconferencing is another college course.
Computers
Computers are getting reckon with.
4.
4. The terms of each.
Synchronous: Happening at the same time. Synchronous communication, for instance, is characterized by time-dependence; that is, the sender and receiver communicate at the same time. An example is a telephone conversation.
of commitment.
Asynchronous:
Asynchronous: Happening at electronic mail.
This
This approach is long hours.
I
I believe that face interaction.
5. Many educators do not see distance learning as ever replacing the teacher in the classroom. Do you believe that distance learning technologies will ever substantially replace teachers in K-12 classrooms? If so, under what circumstances would this occur or be appropriate?
at school.
I think that teachers should be trained to use technology in creative and productive ways. They must plan lessons in a way that includes technology. Students should learn how to use technology appropriately and ethically. But, maybe at the risk of sounding out of touch, I don’t see technology replacing teachers, at least not in K-12 environments.

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Chapter 9
things to differentdifferen t people. How distance learning?
The book defines distance learning as the process in which the teacher and students are physically separated. I believe that this is a very limited and simplified concept. First, to have distance learning occurring you also need distance teaching. A holistic distance educational process should be in place in order to create successful distance learning.
Second, I would dare to include in an explanation of distance learning the idea that learning happens when a person is acquiring knowledge, even in the absence of an instructor. For example I visit museums around the world with my 4th grade students. Through the internet we “walk” through the Louvre and we inspect the Mona Lisa (front and back). We also visit the Metropolitan Museum in search of treasures from long ago. The Prado also has an amazing tour for us to take.
In addition, I take my students on city tours. While reading From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, I pull up a map of NYC on the Promethean board. Then I open the Active Studio software and I get out my magic pen. My students and I “walk” the streets of New York. By the end of this practice, students who have never been in NY can tell where the Metropolitan is located and how big Central Park is; they can even find the United Nations in the city map.
In short, distance learning happens not only as a class or as an organized activity, but from my perspective it also happens when you are searching for information and you gain knowledge from doing so.
2. Distance learning can use several different delivery technologies. Identify and compare several different distance learning delivery technologies. What do you see as the future of these technologies?
One of the delivery technologies mentioned in the book is the TV. I believe that this medium is here to stay. As television sets get slimmer and develop better images, they make a perfect instrument for the delivery of distance learning. Classrooms have them embedded in walls. They can be huge in order to accommodate a large audience or tiny and portable. The newest televisions include internet access, making them more compatible with the technological needs of a classroom.
Videoconferencing is another excellent way of connecting students and instructors. In my experience, I have two sisters, one in Spain, the other one in Argentina. It is just mind boggling the way in which we conference through Skype, from three different continents, and we feel as if we were together in a room sharing a cup of coffee. I believe that this type of conferencing will get better and will even replace the telephone in the near future. New phones have video conferencing capabilities. Imagine what this could mean for distance learning. You could be on vacation, or sitting at the doctor’s office waiting to be called in, and instead of wasting time, you could be taking a college course.
Computers are getting smaller. Tablets are being improved and getting less expensive. All these technologies are evolving rapidly. Distance communication will become, in my opinion, a force to reckon with.
4. The terms synchronous and asynchronous distance learning are referred to several times in this chapter. Define and compare the two approaches. Especially identify the pedagogical benefits of each.
Synchronous: Happening at the same time. Synchronous communication, for instance, is characterized by time-dependence; that is, the sender and receiver communicate at the same time. An example is a telephone conversation.
Both approaches have cons and pros. The synchronous approach is good because it emulates classroom instruction. It gives the student a chance to communicate with the teacher and get immediate clarification on things that were not understood. It also gives the teacher immediate feedback. In this way, the teacher has the opportunity to adjust teaching methods as needed. Immediate and face to face communication is ideal in order to create a smooth learning process. The con is that this interaction has to happen at a scheduled time. It is not good for people who are on the move or cannot attend a prearranged lesson. From a pedagogical standpoint, this delivery method has a higher value to both student and teacher, but it requires a high level of commitment.
Asynchronous: Happening at different times. Asynchronous communication, for instance, is characterized by time independence; that is, the sender and receiver do not communicate at the same time. An example is electronic mail.
This approach is better suited for an independent learner. It is not pedagogically suitable for younger students who are not autonomous. Te huge benefit of this type of learning is that students can learn at their own pace, creating their own study hours. Students can take courses even when they are out of town, or when they need to work long hours.
I believe that the fusion of both approaches is the way of the future. The perfect online course, from my perspective would be the one that is mostly asynchronous, but also has a synchronous component in which an online meeting time is scheduled weekly, for those students who need face to face interaction.
5. Many educators do not see distance learning as ever replacing the teacher in the classroom. Do you believe that distance learning technologies will ever substantially replace teachers in K-12 classrooms? If so, under what circumstances would this occur or be appropriate?
I don’t believe that in the near future teachers will be replaced by computers. If so, students would have to go to a different kind of school to be trained on how to learn in this way. An example of this is that my son, who is currently at UF, is taking a math class where there is no book, and most training is done through technology. Even though my son is a technology “native”, and an A, “gifted” student, he is paying to attend an out of school workshop in which a professor helps students understand what’s taught online. What is amazing is that this workshop has hundreds of students per class. In short, I’m paying an outside source to teach my son what should be taught at school.
I think that teachers should be trained to use technology in creative and productive ways. They must plan lessons in a way that includes technology. Students should learn how to use technology appropriately and ethically. But, maybe at the risk of sounding out of touch, I don’t see technology replacing teachers, at least not in K-12 environments.

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Chapter 9
1. Distance learning means different things to different people. How do you define distance learning?

https://lms.fiu.edu
Broward Plan
Broward County Public Schools District Technology Plan:
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/dtp/
District Strategic plan:
http://www.browardschools.com/pdf/strategic_plan.pdfBroward County Public Schools District Technology Plan
District policies that address technology:
School and district technology usage: http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/sbbcpolicies/docs/P5306.000.pdfan Distric Technology Usage
Technology addressed in the SIP plan:
Technology
Subtotal: $100.50
National Education Technology Plan:
http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010National Education Technology Plan
Broward County Technology Goals and Objectives:
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/etp/section1/TechnObj05-08.pdfBroward County Technology Goals and Objectives
Florida Education Technology Plan:
State Tech Plan

I also think that children need to learn how to read and comprehend, even if this is done with a Kindle in hand. Actually I'm one of those rare people who believes that this new generation needs to be taught more social studies and history. Some "digital natives" are so foreign to what's going on in their country, or cannot even place Paris in a map that the thought of them voting (if they can get away from the xbox for a few minutes) gives me chills.
I believe that the best thing is to create a strong partnership between educators an technology so we can offer students the best education they can get.
Five keys to unlock
the 21st century
and 11 resulting steps to transform education.
I enjoyed this article because I think that we need to unlock the 21st century in education by applying each one of the 5 keys. It is obvious that the world is changing much more rapidly than education. Large bureaucracies and lack of funds make it very hard for the educational system to evolve.
We are working towards making these keys a part of our schools. Technology is becoming the hot topic in education. I can't wait to see how these new tools will enrich the educational process.

The main problem is old technology at schools and lack of budgets to replace it. In some instances warrantees are expiring and schools don't have enough money to fix already existing equipment.
Another big problem is teache's need to be taught how to use the technology.
Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants
This article explains the difference between what the author calls "digital natives and digital immigrants". It also attempts to explain how teachers and the whole educational system should adapt in order to better serve the "natives".
I am a "digital immigrant" and at some points I even call myself "technologically challenged". Anyhow, I am trained to use technology in many wonderful ways in order to help my students achieve their educational goals. I am completely certain that I have the capability of educating them by using technology for their benefit.
Here is my analogy. I am also an American Immigrant (Born and raised in Buenos Aires Argentina). And I am, teaching America's future, with an accent. However, I can document that my students make amazing gains during a school year.
I'm making this point because I feel that the author disregards the ability of "digital immigrants". At one point he puts down MIT professors, which I believe are an elite of this country's technological wisdom.
I agree with the author in that we have to prepare teachers and train them in order to become technologically savvy. But unlike the author, I have extreme confidence in teachers and I'm sure that it is doable. You don't need to be born in a boat in order to learn how to sail. How terrible would it be if you could only speak and understand the language you were born into.
I also think that children need to learn how to read and comprehend, even if this is done with a Kindle in hand. Actually I'm one of those rare people who believes that this new generation needs to be taught more social studies and history. Some "digital natives" are so foreign to what's going on in their country, or cannot even place Paris in a map that the thought of them voting (if they can get away from the xbox for a few minutes) gives me chills.
I believe that the best thing is to create a strong partnership between educators an technology so we can offer students the best education they can get.

https://lms.fiu.edu
Broward Plan
Broward County Public Schools District Technology Plan:

Broward Plan
Broward County Public Schools District Technology Plan:
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/dtp/

12. Support ICT training for educators to enhance instruction
Professional Development for educators includes the use of appropriate technology integration to enhance instruction.
Questions 1 and 2 on pg. 33
1. Planning is accomplished as a collaborative effort at my school district. The main participants in this process are the Superintendent, his cabinet, and the committees composed of administrators that represent Elementary, Middle, and High schools in the area. There are also groups that represent different departments of the educational system.
My suggestion for improving the planning process at the district level would be that channels of communication should stay fluid and open. Communication should flow in many different directions. The large bureaucracy of the educational system makes change almost impossible.
2. At my school the planning process is also a collaborative effort. The main participants are the Principal, and the Assistant Principal. This particular schools includes the Leadership Team and several committees in the planning process. The school's planning process integrates with the district's process in a way that could be represented by a Venn Diagram. On one side we have the District, On the other side we have the school. In the overlap we can find things such as Curriculum, Safety, Security, etc. that are reviewed by both entities.
I like the way in which my school plans because many different groups can voice an opinion before there is a final decision. Anyhow, the last word relies with administration.