Katie NapierCI 350Harold Blanco4 December 2013 Twitter Assignment

Throughout the course of a month, I have had the opportunity to follow a variety of educators

that have shared thoughts, advice, and teaching strategies that should function to increase my skills as a

future teacher. These influential individuals would include: Pernelle Ripp, George Couros, Gwynneth

Jones (aka “The Daring Librarian”), and Chris Weijr. In addition, I have also had the opportunity to follow

Dr. Harold Blanco who has posted a variety of materials regarding the utilization of technology within

the classroom. Overall, I intend to implement much of the teaching strategies/advice that I have

received to become a more effective teacher.

Pernelle Ripp:

Pernelle Ripp is a fifth grade teacher and a mother of three children that currently resides in

Washington. Overall, she is best known as the founder of the Global Read Aloud, a project that was

initiated in 2011 for the sole purpose of connecting individuals through books. This simple operation has

resulted in more than 30,000 connections world-wide. In the words of Mrs. Ripp, “Global collaboration is

necessary to show students that they are part of something bigger than them. That the world needs to

be protected and that we need to care for all people. You can show them pictures of kids in other

countries but why not have them speak to each other? Then the caring can begin.” Thus, through

collaboration permitted by the use of technology, children from around the world can come together

like never before.

Throughout this month, Pernelle Ripp has posted a variety of tweets that include articles,

pictures, video clips, inspirational thoughts, and information regarding effective reading strategies. Since

Mrs. Ripp feels so strongly about the power of reading, she attempts to increase student motivation

towards this subject as frequently as possible. In order to determine prior knowledge and student

preference toward reading, Mrs. Ripp periodically, instructs her students to write brief reflections

regarding their experiences with books and whether or not they enjoy reading. These reflections offer

feedback regarding student growth and motivation; thus enabling the instructor to modify her

curriculum when necessary in order to increase student achievement.

In addition, Mrs. Ripp also utilizes her blog: Reading through the Fourth Dimension, to share her

thoughts concerning student motivation. For instance, she offers solid advice regarding how to get boys

interested in reading. Such tips include: acknowledging their different reading levels, allowing them to

choose their own books (to an extent), permitting students to sit anywhere in the classroom when

reading, offering them a variety of ways to share their thoughts, and frequently demonstrating your own

enthusiasm and love of books. Such tips will ultimately stimulate motivation for reading in girls and boys

alike.

Not only does Mrs. Ripp steadfastly believe that student creativity, innovation, and collaboration

should be encouraged through the utilization of technology, but she also asserts that grades and report

cards do not accurately reflect student progress; and thus should not be utilized as the sole indicator of

student academic achievement. Regarding this topic she posted an entry on November 24, 2013,

declaring that report cards fail to “tell the story of the boy who hated to read and now has read two

books already. Or the story of the child who thinks he is the world’s worst writer but did an assignment

all on his own.” Thus, Mrs. Ripp suggests that observational feedback should replace test scores as a

reflection of student progress. Ultimately, I agree with Mrs. Ripp; in that tests should not be the primary

indicator of academic success since such assessments fail to address many areas of student learning.

However, I do believe that utilizing some forms of assessment are necessary to determine whether or

not a child has completely grasped a particular concept.

Not only has Mrs. Ripp posted tweets regarding student motivation, strategies for

reading instruction, methods of student assessment, and the uses of technology in the

classroom, but she also has utilized Twitter to express her frustrations with traditional staff

meetings. She basically argues that staff meetings should be a more collaborative process that

involves technology. Regarding this topic, she writes:

Overall, I completely agree with Mrs. Ripp regarding this matter. If we are expecting our students to

adapt to today’s technology in order to succeed in the 21st Century, we should model this behavior by

incorporating this technology not only into our curriculum but also into our daily lives. Ultimately, I have

found the majority of Mrs. Ripp’s tweets to be highly enjoyable as well as applicable to my future career;

thus I have learned much regarding student collaboration, the utilization of technology within the

classroom, and the power of effective reading instruction.

George Couros:

Another influential individual that I have had the opportunity to follow on Twitter would include

George Couros. Overall, Couros is a Division Principal of Innovative Teaching and Learning that desires to

promote student collaboration and innovation through the utilization of technology. Ultimately, Couros

believes that the primary way to bring about effective learning in today’s society is by fully embracing

technology. In the words of Couros: “There are so many skills that our students need in today’s world

such as the ability to collaborate, create, and communicate...My question is, in our world today, can you

be an effective learner without using technology? We constantly talk about preparing kids for their

future but I am concerned that some of them are not even prepared for their world right now.” Thus,

Couros urges his fellow educators to utilize technological resources within the classroom, insisting that

“Change may feel hard, but it is part of learning. We expect it from our kids, we need to expect it from

ourselves.” Therefore, in an attempt to increase teacher effectiveness and student motivation, Couros

strives to connect classrooms, educators, parents, and administrators through the implementation of

such Web 2.0 tools as: Google Drive, Google Handouts, and Remind 101. For instance, he tweets:

In addition, George Couros also advocates the utilization of Twitter within the classroom,

insisting that Twitter has ultimately functioned to aid student writing. Many people today fear that (due

to mobile devices and social networking), children today cannot compose messages in complete

thoughts. However, Couros posted an article that suggests otherwise. In the article entitled “The

Dumbest Generation? No, Twitter is Making Kids Smarter,” the author indicates that a recent study of

student writing, reveals that the utilization of “textisms” were virtually nonexistent in formal papers.

Furthermore, the use of Twitter and other forms of social media has actually helped to create a

generation of critical thinkers that do not passively take in information; rather, individuals today are able

to collaborate and voice their opinions like never before. Thus, Couros advocates the utilization of

Twitter and other forms of social media in an attempt to stimulate student growth and the development

of critical thinking skills.

In addition, Couros also advocates a policy known as “Individual learning and mass sharing,” in which he

counsels educators one-on-one in the area of Professional Development. In these individual sessions, he

encourages individuals to ask questions regarding a particular form of media that they are interested in

incorporating within their curriculum (such as blogging, social media, or Google Drive). He then works

with that particular educator to set up the web-based applications desired and posts their

accomplishments on Twitter to inspire other educators to do the same.

Overall, I love the idea of educators connecting with one another in an effort to increase our

effectiveness! I completely agree that faculty and administrators should collaborate in order to

complete the commo n goal of preparing students for life in the Twenty-first Century.

While Couros firmly advocates the use of technology for connecting and collaborating within the

classroom, he does recognize that some educators will be quicker to adapt than others. In his blog

“Principal of Change,” Couros implies that we must “understand that people are at different points in

their journeys” and thus, some educators may require more support/guidance before they will be ready

for change. However, regarding this topic, Couros tweeted the following:

Overall, I have learned much regarding: leadership, motivation, collaboration, and the

importance of technology within today’s classroom. Thus, I intend to implement many of the

technological applications and Web 2.0 tools that Couros recommends (such as Google Drive, Twitter,

and Google Calendar) in order to better prepare my students for success in the 21st Century.

Chris Wejr:

In addition, I have also had the privilege to follow Chris Wejir, principal of Kent Elementary, on

Twitter. He frequently posts tweets regarding: leadership, motivation, assessment, and parental

involvement. Thus, I have found his tweets to be extremely relevant to my future teaching career.

Regarding student motivation, Weijr composed the following entry in his blog, “The Weijr Board,” “It is

no secret that I have some strong opinions on using awards and rewards to “motivate” our students to

be better behaved and achieve more in schools. Instead of using carrots and sticks to bribe and punish

students, we need to work to create the conditions for students to motivate themselves and move to a

more intrinsic model of motivation in schools.” Thus, Weijr expresses his belief that rather than offering

children “bribes” to complete their work, we need to make the work meaningful and relevant to the

children so that they will desire to complete assigned tasks independently. Ultimately, Weijr endorses

methods of instruction that will promote self-determination and autonomy within the students, thereby

preparing our learners for success in the 21st Century.

Overall, Weijr recommends that competition should be utilized with discretion within the

classroom due to the fact that children need to learn to work cooperatively with one another. Thus, in

order to intrinsically motivate students, he suggests utilizing technology in the classroom. Due to

relatively recent technological advancements, children today are exposed to a variety of media, mobile

devices, and social networks that can be ultimately inspire students. With today’s technology, the sky is

the limit! Thus, we, as future teachers need to utilize this fact to our advantage. In addition, Weijr also

believes that in order to motivate low-achieving students, we need to begin recognizing the

talents/strengths of these individuals (rather than merely uplifting advanced students). Furthermore, he

asserts that if traditional award ceremonies were adapted to recognize the accomplishments of the

underprivileged/ low achieving students, this would ultimately promote autonomy and motivation

within such children. For instance, Weijr writes:

Overall, I am very appreciative that Weijr has brought the issue of awards to my attention, prior

to reading his blog and twitter posts, I had never truly considered the impact that traditional awards

ceremonies could have upon underprivileged/underperforming children. Furthermore, I also did not

realize that offering children “bribes” to complete their work could ultimately function to decrease

student autonomy and self-determination. Therefore, I now intend to utilize methods of intrinsic

motivation by implementing technology within my classroom, by making each assigned task meaningful

to my students, and by recognizing the efforts of each child.

In addition, Weijr disregards standardized testing as an accurate method of assessment.

Ultimately, he believes that standardized testing merely provides a “rough sketch” of student abilities.

Thus, he asserts that this form of testing should not be utilized as the primary indicator of student

achievement. In addition, Weijr also advocates a method of reporting student progress. Rather than

sending report cards to parents, Weijr recommends that teachers discuss progress and student work

with parents in a one-on-one setting:

Overall, I believe that parental involvement is necessary with to promote student learning. Therefore, I

would highly recommend that educators consider this form of “report card.” This will enable the

teachers and parents to effectively collaborate; thus increasing the probability that the needs of the

student will be fulfilled. Furthermore, Weijr also proposes the utilization of technology to increase

parental involvement (as can be seen in the following Tweet).

Thus, Weijr recommends that teachers utilize available resources to better connect and interact with

parents/guardians.

Overall, I have learned much by following the posts of Chris Weijr. Due to his posts on rewards

and motivation, I now intend to utilize intrinsic motivational techniques, in an effort to maximize

student autonomy and achievement. In addition, I am also appreciative that Weijr brought the

importance of parent-teacher collaboration to my attention. In order to maximize parental involvement,

I now intend to utilize such technological resources as: Twitter, class blogs, Remind 101, and Facebook.

Ultimately, these methods of communication should promote parental collaboration and involvement.

Gwyneth Jones (The Daring Librarian):

Throughout the course of a month, I have also been able to follow Gwyneth Jones, a member of

the ISTE Board of Directors from Washington, D.C. (who is also known as the Daring Librarian).

Undoubtedly, Jones is one of the most unconventional educators that I have had the opportunity to

follow. Thus, I have been exposed to a variety of peculiar materials. She posts anything from video clips

of Lady Gaga to comic tutorials (and a few educational sites in between)! Overall the “Daring Librarian”

strongly advocates the utilization of technology in order to spur student creativity and innovation. Thus,

through her numerous posts, I have learned much regarding various forms of technology that can be

implemented within the classroom. For instance, one of the many resources that Jones advocates would

include Flocabulary, an instructional website that is utilized by over 15000 schools. This site produces

educational hip-hop music that can be utilized to help children remember various facts/concepts.

In addition, Jones also believes that various forms of technology should be implemented to

simplify the lives of both students and educators. For instance, she strongly advocates the utilization of

digital portfolios to showcase student work and record progress. In regard to traditional grading versus

e-portfolios, Jones shared the following information:

e-portfolios make classroom learning more accessible to parents, teachers and administrators

They showcase both student achievement and student learning over time

They provide additional assessment information beyond what can be collected from traditional

letter grade

They provide students with a vehicle for regular feedback and dialogue with their teachers

They allow students to think critically and reflect upon their work

e-portfolios increase student engagement, promote a continuing conversation about learning

between teachers, parents, and students, and extend academic lessons beyond school walls

Creating digital portfolios provides an opportunity to teach students technology skills such as

how to import pictures, resize images, take screen shots, or use a digital or video camera

As can be seen, the Daring Librarian strongly advocates the utilization of e-portfolios to simplify the

lives of educators while simultaneously increasing collaboration among parents, teachers, and students.

Due to the information listed above, I intend to utilize digital portfolios within my future classroom in an

effort to provide an array of assessments/strategies that can help me to better identify the needs of

each child.

In addition, Jones highly recommends the incorporation of QR codes within today’s classroom in

an effort to simplify life for both the student and teacher. This would enable students to easily access

homework assignments or links to educational websites. Overall, I intend to utilize QR codes within my

own classroom. This will enable me to easily post assignments and inform the students of upcoming

events. Furthermore, QR codes can ultimately function to bring excitement to learning by making

various concepts relevant to daily life. For instance, when discussing supply and demand in social

studies, students could be instructed to scan various QR codes the next time they go shopping in order

to compare prices of various products. Thus, QR codes which are becoming increasingly useful in real-

life context should be integrated within the 21st Century classroom.

Not only does Jones advocate the use of QR codes within the classroom, but she also believes

that the technology can be utilized to promote intrinsic motivation within students. Thus, she believes

that various methods should be implemented to spur excitement about learning. For instance, Jones

asserts that certain digital comic strip templates could be utilized so that boys and girls alike can express

their emotions/interests through graphic displays and precise word choice. Regarding this topic, the

Daring Librarian posted the following tweet:

Ultimately, I believe that the utilization of digital comic strips is within the classroom should be viewed

as an innovative tool that can showcase student expression while encouraging creativity and innovation!

In essence, I intend to utilize this form of media to encourage my future students to “think outside the

box.”

Finally, Jones also advocates hands-on learning that focuses upon skills applicable within the 21st

Century. Ultimately, in order to increase student motivation in the areas of math and science, she

strongly endorses aspects of the Maker Movement. This STEM movement advocates effective strategies

that promote critical thinking through the incorporation of hands-on activites. This form of instruction

involves experimentation, trial and error, and collaboration. From origami creations (that teach aspects

of geometry) to robotics (which incorporates science and engineering), the Maker Movement has

functioned to increase intrinsic motivation, achievement, and autonomy within students through a

variety of “do-it-yourself projects.”

Despite some of the more eccentric posts that the Daring Librarian has tweeted over the past

month, I feel that I have been exposed to a variety of educational tips and ideas that will ultimately

function to increase student achievement and motivation within my future classroom. Overall, I am

extremely appreciative to have had the opportunity to follow such influential educators. Their views and

comments have ultimately helped me to realize the importance of technology within a 21st Century

classroom. Therefore, I intend to utilize many of the resources shared by these individuals so that I can

become an effective teacher in the future.

Harold Blanco:

Finally, I have also had the opportunity to follow Harold Blanco (@CI 350 class) on Twitter.

Throughout this month, Blanco has posted a variety of materials, including news clippings, pictures of

Interfest, information regarding the use of technology and social media in the classroom, and articles

concerning internet safety. Overall, I have found the majority of his tweets to be highly educational and

relevant to my future career as a teacher. For instance, one of the articles that Blanco posted relatively

recently explains the concept of a “flipped classroom.” Before reading this article, I was unaware that

such a classroom existed. However, I now realize that a flipped classroom involves the reversal of the

traditional classroom model. According Mike Acedo (author or this article), a flipped classroom allows

“class time [to be focused] on student understanding rather than on lecture. To accomplish this,

teachers post short video lectures online for students to view at home prior to the next class session.

This allows class time to be devoted to expanding on and mastering the material through collaborative

learning exercises, projects, and discussions.” Ultimately, I believe that this form of classroom

environment would enable teachers to effectively utilize class time to scaffold students in the academic

areas/concepts that the students find difficult. Thus, the students will not be required to complete

typical homework assignments outside of class; rather they will have the opportunity to listen to the

lectures on their own time and then complete various forms of guided/independent practice in class

(which could function to increase the comprehension of material).

While I believe that a flipped classroom would have its benefits, I also believe that there are

some potential disadvantages that must not be overlooked. For instance, not all students will have

access to computers, and those who can access the internet may choose not to properly participate by

viewing lectures before the class period. However, I am very glad that Blanco posted this article because

I now realize the advantages and disadvantages of a flipped classroom. Thus, I am now better able to

determine if I can integrate methods of a flipped classroom into my future curriculum.

Not only has Blanco posted articles about the effectiveness of flipped classrooms, but he has

also posted tweets regarding the utilization of technology and its importance in 21st Century education:

.

For instance, one article described the role that technology can play in the utilization of project-based

learning. Overall, project based learning enables students to actually apply concepts and skills. Thus,

through the utilization of hands-on activities and group projects; students have the opportunity to make

inquiries, perform tests and observations, and collaborate with peers. Such experiences function to

stimulate innovation, creativity, and critical thinking---skills that are necessary to thrive in the 21st

Century. Thus, many schools have begun to embrace project based learning strategies through the

implementation of technology that promotes student collaboration (such as Skype and Google Drive).

Overall, in order for our students to remain competitive in an increasingly global economy, I believe that

students need to learn though hands-on experience. This will ultimately function to promote critical

thinking, problem solving, and collaboration within the classroom which in turn could function to

optimize student success.

Furthermore, Harold has also posted information concerning the utilization of virtual

environments in education. According to the article entitled “Three Virtual Environment Platforms that

Inspire Learning,” by Anne Cudworth, “Virtual environments teach by immersion, or the experience of

being completely surrounded by the sounds and sights of a virtual world. When students role-play in a

historical reenactment, they are learning about the history and cultures of other peoples, and become a

supporting part of the lesson itself.” Due to the fact that virtual environments tend to promote intrinsic

motivation while stimulating student interest and involvement, I believe that virtual worlds should be

incorporated into one’s curriculum. However, I also must also concur that students need to be involved

in real-life experiences and face-to-face interaction; therefore, I would not recommend the extensive

utilization of virtual environments within the classroom.

Not only has Blanco posted information regarding the importance of technology within a 21st

Century classroom, but he has also posted tweets and articles that reveal the lack of technology in many

“old school” classrooms. According to the article entitled, “Study: Teachers Love Edtech, They Just Don’t

Use it”:

95% or educators say that Edtech enables personalized learning

89% say that it improves student outcomes

87% say that it helps students collaborate

However…

Only 19% use subject specific content tools weekly

Only 31% use information or reference tools weekly

Only 24% use teacher tools weekly

Only 14% use digital curricula weekly

These statistics are startling and extremely unfortunate. If we expect to increase student motivation and

success in a competitive 21st Century economy, the application of technological skills within the

classroom are absolutely essential. Thus (although I would not consider myself to be fully “tech-savvy”),

I intend to learn more regarding technological tools that I can incorporate into my future curriculum in

an effort to increase student motivation and academic success. Throughout the course of this month, I

have learned much regarding effective teaching strategies that involve the incorporation of technology

within the classroom. Overall, the educators that I have had the opportunity to follow have shared

advice that will ultimately function to improve my teaching ability.