Helen R. Ward FRIT 7235 Article Review 1 Hakverdi-Can, M., & Dana, T. (2012).

Exemplary science teachers' use of technology. TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 11(1), 94-112. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ976573.pdf Identification: Research Summary: This study was performed to examine the computer and application use, the knowledge of using computer applications, which computer applications were used during instruction and how technology was a requirement for students by an elite group of science teachers. The study also examined how they made the educators made the decisions to use the technology. All of the individuals in the study were recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching identifying them as being outstanding science teachers. The study determined that teacher self-efficacy (Hakverdi-Can & Dana, 2012), class room management, and computer knowledge all played a large part in these educators using technology and applications. It also determined that most of these teachers use computers for retrieval of information via the internet, the use of presentation tools, online communication, digital cameras, and data collection probes (Hakverdi-Can & Dana, 2012). They also employ a wide variety of computer software, including simulations, programming languages, spreadsheet and database programs, electronic bulletin board communications software, and word processors (Hakverdi-Can & Dana, 2012). The most interesting connection was that there was a definite correlation between these science educators using computers and applications and the students use of computers and applications. The study showed that the level of use by the science teacher and their knowledge or lack of knowledge directly influenced the students use of technology in the science classrooms. Critique: The research was very interesting and reinforced the importance of the science educator being comfortable with technology in the science classroom in order to convey that comfort and importance of technology to the students. Due to the continuation of technology being integrated into our content standards the article was very informative and the information can be used by other educators in the science field to promote the advanced use of applications. The only issue with the paper (other than the grammatical errors) was the educators that they deemed as exemplary and the lack of polling of other science teachers that were not PAEST recipients. Possibly a comparison should have been conducted between what the authors see as exemplary science teachers and those who did not receive the PAEST to determine if the data would be the same.

As mandated by our state standards, technology has become a vital part of education and is woven throughout instruction and learning. This article does an excellent job of giving data based research and conclusions regarding the computer and application use of a group of science teachers. The personal implications are that an understanding and use of technology in science classrooms is based on many different factors but our students need to see us and experience through us the incorporation of technology in the learning environment. Students seeing the educator comfortable with the technology will serve to raise their comfort level and encourage them to use a wide variety of computers in the acquisition of science content.

Helen R. Ward FRIT 7235 Article Review 2 Willingham, D. (2010). Have technology and multitasking rewired how students learn?. American Educator, Summer, 23-28. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ889151.pdf Identification: Professional Practice Article Summary: Do students have a love affair (Willingham, 2010) with technology? How do they seem to know exactly what to do and how to operate any form of technology? Has technology changed the way that our students process information? Most importantly, does technology in a classroom help students to learn or should it change the way we teach? According to Willingham, students between the ages of 8 and 18 spend more than 7.5 hours per day using a phone, computer, television, or other electronic device (Willingham, 2010). So do students today learn in a completely different way and should we, as educators, change the way we teach these students? The author believes that students do not learn in a completely different manner and that regardless of whether students have changed the way they learn the first major issue with learning is the engagement of students. This is a factor whether technology is employed or not. The technology used should aid in presenting problems as both challenging and solvable (Willingham, 2010). These technologies should engage students and make students want to learn something new. The educator may not reach this engagement simply because technology is present. The educator must know what to do with it in order for students to take interested and learn. (Willingham, 2010). Multitasking is another skill that many believe has a direct connection with the way students learn now that technology such a factor. Studies have shown that learning has not actually increased because of the constant multitasking instead the working memory or mental space (Willingham, 2010) that we all use has increased. Students that are chronic multitaskers tend to perform worse on standard cognitive control abilities (Willingham, 2010). The constant attention to more than one task may actually make them less able to concentrate on a single task because of an increase distractibility factor. While technology does seem to be an excellent tool for teachers to use in the classroom, it has not changed the way students learn nor has the multitasking that students employ while using the day-to-day technology helped them process more information. In classrooms, teachers should avoid making students multitask. They should also think about what the technology can and cant do and educators need to be well trained on the technology to make it interesting. While technology can make learning content more entertaining, educators should focus on helping students become engaged with the content itself (Willingham, 2010).

Critique: No one can argue that todays student is bombarded each day with technology and seems to spend an exorbitant amount of time engaging in some task that uses technology. It has often been debated as to what effects all of this use is having on our students learning capabilities and if it is truly rewiring their brains. To know that research has shown that they are not learning any differently and that the multitasking is still not a good practice is important for every educator.

Helen R. Ward FRIT 7235 Article Review 3 Vaidyanathan, S. (2012). Fostering creativity and innovation through technology. Learning & Leading with Technology, 39(6), 24-27. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ982836.pdf Identification: Theory-into-practice Summary:
Our students must be well educated in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM) subjects. They must also develop the key skills of creativity and innovation (Vaidyanathan, 2012). This can easily be achieved by teaching through digital art and design. Digital design is neither learning about technology or learning with technology, but learning through technology (Vaidyanathan, 2012). Digital art and design helps students to understand STEM concepts in a real world setting (Vaidyanathan, 2012). In the digital environment the computer is the tool that students use rather than standard pens and pencils. Using the computer as a creative tool makes students feel that they can make mistakes because things can be undone with a PC that cannot be changed when work is done with traditional pen & paper. They feel free to see the what if without fear of failure (Vaidyanathan, 2012) which encourages scientific experimentation and exploration. This assuredness of being able to correct and make mistakes leads students to explore and experiment with more individually creative ideas. Digital design begins with math, science, and engineering making it very good ways to teach the STEM subjects in a very inexpensive way. There are many free software applications that can be used to help keep the cost of the project at a minimum. Feedback from parents and students has been very positive in regard to the digital design class as students learn content while being able to be creative. Critique: This article has wonderful ideas in regard to teaching students the STEM subjects though a digital design concept. The school that has implemented this project as had extremely successful results in content conveyance as well as positive feedback from students and parents. This method of teaching would be very beneficial to both the content educators as well as the art teacher. It would provide an excellent opportunity for collaboration between departments. The only difficulty that may be encountered would be access to a computer lab with enough computers for each student. While the software requires little to no money, the computers themselves are expensive and many schools do not have the funding for a large computer lab.

Helen R. Ward FRIT 7235 Article Review 4 Hakverdi-Can, M., & Sonmez, D. (2012). Learning how to design a technology supported inqury-based learning environment. Science Education International, 23(4), 338352. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1001628.pdf Identification: Research Summary: This article describes the experience of pre-service teachers learning how to design a technology supported inquiry-based learning environment using the Internet (Hakverdi-Can & Sonmez, 2012). In this study, pre-service teachers were asked to design a WebQuest to convey content. The participants were then asked for feedback as to their experiences and reflections after completing the creation. The participants were also asked is they would continue to use these methods in the future. Inquiry-based learning has proven to be difficult due to constraints such as teaching, policy, school culture, and student constraints (Hakverdi-Can & Sonmez, 2012). Trying to maintain the open-ended nature of science (Hakverdi-Can & Sonmez, 2012) by using technology to create these environments has shown to have a positive affect on learning. The discovery of the WebQuest in 1995 by Bernie Dodge and Tom March has helped to provide a great internet based tool for students. Using the WebQuest as a teaching tool (Hakverdi-Can & Sonmez, 2012) to support an inquiry-based environment helps students to engage in learning environments through direct participation, understand the main idea in a short period of time, make real-life connections, and improve critical thinking ability (Hakverdi-Can & Sonmez, 2012). They also assist educators with assessments, making it easier to individualize the assessment and provide the instant and necessary feedback. The WebQuest is also student-centered and motivating due to the constant use of technology by todays adolescents. Critique: I agree with the finding of the study that the WebQuest is a valuable tool in creating an inquiry-based environment. I frequently use WebQuests while teaching in my classroom simply because the students seem to enjoy the learning process and seem to retain much of the content. The information in this article and the inclusion of WebQuests in the curriculum would assist all science teachers. The purpose of this research was to discover the implications of using this learning method by pre-service teachers, however, it would be more beneficial to study opinions of those currently in a

classroom environment. The opinion of seasoned teachers describing their experience with this method of learning would be very beneficial and would hold more credibility.

Helen R. Ward FRIT 7235 Article Review 5 Gura, M. (2012). Lego robotics: Stem sport of the mind. Learning & Leading with Technology, 40(1), 12-16. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ991224.pdf Identification: Theory-into-Practice Article Summary: The article described how using Lego robotics in a competition or classroom setting can provide students with a fun way to meet standards (Gura, 2012) while exploring technology and science in an engaging and hands-on manner. The students, depending on age, use Legos to build a variety of robots. These robots are then programmed to solve real world problems such as climbing a ramp or lifting a crane to move objects (Gura, 2012). While using the Legos, students are learning content and meeting science standard. They are also learning problem solving skills, critically thinking, and creativity (Gura, 2012). Students can also work in groups which teaches collaboration and fosters an environment for productivity. These robots can be used to teach a variety of subjects. In science they can be used to teach the middle school standard of simple-machines and in math, they can be used to teach math skills such as estimation, measuring, county, and algebra (Gura, 2012). Using Legos to teach science, technology, and math concepts helps to bring the subjects together rather than teaching each subject in isolation and helps to inspire creativity while engaging students. Critique: The idea of using Lego robotics in the classroom to teach is a wonderful idea; however, the initial cost would be an issue. The kits are approximately $300.00 each and we would need enough kits for at least 7 groups. Our initial investment would be around $2100.00 for one of our 8th grade classes for which we have not the budget. Students would also need access to laptops or computers in the classroom to program the robots which would be an additional cost. The ideas in the article were very well presented, apply to a wide array of subjects and would be easily implemented if not for the cost. A way to distribute some of the cost of the project would be to engage the math department as well as the graphic design departments into the initial expense.

Helen R. Ward FRIT 7235 Article Review 6 Courduff, J. (2011). One size never fits all: Tech integration for special needs. Learning & Leading with Technology, 38(8), 16-19. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ935415.pdf Identification: Professional Practice Summary: Undeniably students with disabilities are the most difficult group of students to reach and teach; however, using a variety of software programs and different technologies along with introducing teachers to a tiered process of training these students can make great strides in reading and writing across all content areas. The first aspect of integrating technology into SPED classrooms is to organize and train the educators that will be implementing the programs. The author described a method of tier training which would eliminate the focus on the time it would take to learn to use the technology and instead place the educators into tiers of learning. This method is organized into more of a scaffolding design and helps to develop the skills required to introduce the technology to assist in meeting IEP goals. Educators are slowly weaned from the more traditional face-to-face methods of learning and collaboration and taught to use social networking and other means of collaboration to advance their use of technology and to gain comfort in using it in the classroom. By training and guiding the educators to integrate technology in the classroom the students are receiving the benefits. Through the use of speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and other word prediction programs students learn to engage in writing and have become enthusiastic (Courduff, 2011) about using technology to speak their stories into existence (Courduff, 2011). Students can also create e-portfolios so that educators can track the progress of the gains in all academic subjects. Critique: Of the 3 middle schools in our county ECMS, by far, contains the largest population of SPED students. We are constantly looking for methods to enhance the learning and advance these students. This article was one of the best that I have read thus far as it gives practical ways to deal with a problem that we face each and every day. The example of the student that was able to record the audio for his Power-point presentation was extremely useful. While this is not directly related to science, the improvement of reading and writing abilities and scores is going to be seen throughout all content areas making this article relevant to all educators. There are only two areas of difficulty that

may be encountered. First would be those teachers that are resistant to change. If they dont embrace the thought of using the technology to increase scores then the training would be a waste of time. The other difficulty would be for students to utilize the computers that we have at the school and the noise level that would come with all of the students using the speech-to-text option. Would the students be able to concentrate with so many using this feature at once? It is my belief that it would be worth trying. Helen R. Ward FRIT 7235 Article Review 7 Edwards, M., Smith, S., & Wirt, T. (2012). Go digital. Learning & Leading with Technology, 40(1), 12-15. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ991228.pdf Identification: Theory-into-practice Summary: In 2011 the Mooresville school district in North Carolina was experiencing extremely low test scores along with an increase of drop-outs and a very low budget with which to combat the digital divide that had plagued the system for years. They had a very substantial population of economically disadvantaged students and were ranked very low for pupil expenditure rates. In trying to combat these deficits, the system implemented a 6 year plan to regain engagement of the students, raise academic achievement and promote digital learning. The district began by implementing a one-to-one laptop initiative (Edwards, Smith & Wirt, 2012). Giving these laptops to students provided them with much needed technology that would otherwise be unavailable to them. These laptops were issued to each student for them to use for an entire year. To maintain the laptops, high school students were given the choice of working at the help desk as an elective. The students were taught a variety of maintenance skills. The technology has created a learning environment for both students and educators. The students in the district have seen a dramatic increase in test scores while learning through challenging and project based (Edwards, Smith & Wirt, 2012) experiences made possible by the technology. The educators have learned to incorporate Web 2.0 tools in their curriculum and have increased collaboration and sharing between all of the schools in the district. They have also discovered a wide variety of tools to supplement their teaching such as Brain POP, Discovery Education, and Icurio. Not only has the technology issuance assisted students and teachers but it has also affected extracurricular activities. The technology has become an important information tool throughout the county due to posting of items such as schedules and coaches feedback. The funding of such a monumental task was definitely a concern, however, the school district involved the community and searched for funding from local businesses such as Lowes and the Chamber of Commerce. They also eliminated the spending on textbooks and are now using the laptops to access the online versions of materials.

Bridging the technology divide by issuing laptops to students in the Mooresville district has produced many positive results. For example there has been a 13% rise in graduation rates since the project began and the test scores in both the middle schools and high schools have experienced dramatic improved since its inception. There has also been an increase in college attendance rates among the graduating seniors by 12% since 2006 (Edwards, Smith & Wirt, 2012). Critique: What an amazing experience it must have been for a school district to place a laptop in the hands of each and every child from grades 2 thru 12. This had such a dramatic effect on scores and graduation rates that no one can deny the benefit of allowing students to experience the benefit of technology. The advantages and benefits were far reaching from the students themselves, to the teachers, to the community. However, supplying that technology is a huge expense and larger school districts would surely struggle with such a monumental task even with community support. I have often considered writing a grant to provide my classroom with laptops. This article has renewed that interest by providing funding choices and concrete proof that technology does have considerable positive effects on student learning.

Helen R. Ward FRIT 7235 Article Review 8 Light, D. (2011). Do web 2.0 right. Learning & Leading with Technology, 38(5), 10-12. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ914323.pdf Identification: Professional Practice Summary: Two researchers traveled around the United States interviewing educators about which Web 2.0 tools they employed in their classrooms and which tools seemed to produce the best results in regard to student learning. There were two behaviors that seemed to stand out among those teachers who were using the tools most effectively. The first was that educators were creating ongoing conversations among students through the creation of learning communities (Light, 2011). Also careful and complete planning was paramount (Light, 2011) in making the use of the tools beneficial to the students. The ongoing conversations typically took place through blogging either through individual blogs or through classroom blogs. Having students practice with the technology each day by blogging was a successful practice. The blogs that seemed to be most effective were those between student and teacher. These blogs served as a daily journal for the student and provided the teacher with feedback about the class. Teaching and enforcing appropriate behavior (Light, 2011) also played an important role in using Web 2.0 tools effectively. Teachers had to monitor the communication to ensure that students were respectful and focused. Students should be reminded that the blog is an extension of the classroom and behavior should be conducted appropriately. One benefit of the Web 2.0 environment is that it is available to students and educators 24 hours a day and can provide an ongoing means of communication. Students can communicate with each other and the educator can monitor the communication when it is convenient. Critique: The use of Web 2.0 tools is becoming more and more prevalent in classrooms. From projects to blogging they are providing a method of communication that is user friendly and is easily accessible. These tools can be used in any classroom regardless of subject and can provide excellent opportunities for students to share ideas with each other. The article did a wonderful job discussing Web 2.0 tools to blog and communicate

but did not include many ideas using any of the other Web 2.0 tools that are available. The article title was deceiving in that regard. I have considered starting a blog for my classrooms to have students respond daily or weekly so that I can gauge the tempo of the curriculum and the interest of the students. We currently have an 8th grade ELA teacher who requires his students to blog on a regular basis and it seems to be very effective for communication.