Chapter+2+TPACK

"text cloud" of our TPACK Chapter 2 reflections by the [|wordle.net] tool mentioned in our 3rd class by Amity. toc

**Abstract - draft**
Chapter Two describes the digital divide that is found in most school systems. The first divide focused on the diversity in the accessibility of computer hardware and software. The second digital divide expressed the disparity in technological instructions that students receive. This disparity is due to the lack of knowledge and understanding of integrating technology into content areas. The third divide is based on inconsistencies found in the effective use of technology within the diversity of students’ cultural backgrounds. This divide can be bridged by applying a variety of instructional strategies, creating “equitable classrooms,” and engaging students in “good teaching” practices. Kelly defines the "wicked problem" as "how to best use technology to help students learn a lesson". Each divide is unpacked and then further developed to suggest improved practice (“bridging the divide”) within the TPACK framework. Kelly then concludes the chapter with a theoretical framework that is the foundation for the analysis and strategies presented within the chapter.The TPCK is a concept that can be incorporated into teaching practices by bridging the three digital divides through the integration of knowledge with technology, content, and pedagogy.

Reflections
Amity

Technology is good or bad depending on how it is used in schools. Many teachers have no idea of how to incorporate technology. Others are fluent, due to early engagement and interaction with effective tools and teachers. TPACK is a wicked problem (love it) and therefore each teacher must depend on the idea that each student deserves a customized solution to their learning. Amen to that. Sins of the unaware: Assignments that are tracked according to ability. Lack of cultural awareness. Improper training. No parental support. Lack of training. No support. Dream scenario: parents, teachers, students, and administrators with common goals of “ideal learning environments” (wicked!) that include technology. Phew!

Teachers...[|WE are responsible for bridging the divides] for only WE have access to the information that is needed! [|We are conduits, connectors, networkers]! The earlier that students experience diversity in life, the more able they will be to deal with diversity in their future.

What happens when only a few teachers teach using the TPACK model? This is another form of inequity. We must be like yeast...we have to spread out and rise and build up the structures....we must empower each other and encourage each other much like we encourage and empower our students. Staff training is necessary; it must occur frequently and scaffold learning.

Cindy is there. She states: “there is a greater work to do. “ Beyond the divide, at hand there are many children who either suffer or succumb to the dull cycles of school, children who can become researchers, historians, photographers, actors, archaeologists, artists, and whatever else that can be dreamed in multimedia. Give the students tools and an audience. Record them and allow them to revise. This will make school more about learning. Allow students to construct and connect. ..................

Rhonda
As I read each reflection, two common ideas were expressed. The first idea was the awareness of the first digital divide. At one time or another, we have experienced the limited accessibility to technological hardware and software. Equity within the first divide seems to be impossible to obtain. Some school districts are committed to reducing this divide by providing technological equipment, and professional staff development. But with deep budget cuts can this equity ever be achieved? There is a lack of laptops, internet, and smart boards for our teaching instructions and for our students. This was expressed over and over again. Maybe the first divide should be called the “socio economic” divide? However, on March 7th.....[|Internet] The second idea that was expressed was the responsibility that teachers have to bridge the “digital divide.” The lack of computers and other hardware does not diminish our responsibility to create equity in accessibility for all students. After reading Chapter two and reading your reflections, I began to feel guilty for not providing my students with technological accessibility. I integrated [|Goggle Earth] into my social studies unit on mapping. This provided my students with a visual image that I was not able to present to them. Not only were my students excited, they were now able to understand the concept of a “bird’s eye view” as well as the spatial relationship between a town, state, country, and continent. According to the reflections,the second and third “digital divide” was not as prevalent as the first. The third divide did not provide examples of references for information on cultural sensitive technology could be found. I tried to find links to assist our cohort with this information, but only found access to web sights on diverse culture.

[|Edweek article] To learn about Maine's Tech Report:[|Edweek Maine Report]


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Charmaine
Many common threads run through the classes’ reflection on TPCK Chapter 2. Clearly, use of technology in schools is not consistently used because of inequities and distribution of technology within the schools. Schools need to be challenged to provide better equity in technological resources.

It is not just limited access to technology that may be the problem in schools but how that technology is utilized. If staff lack training, and there are no technologically savvy staff on board to provide assistance and encouragement in use of technological tools, it is not likely that much use of technology will occur even if the technology is available. People do fear change and new experiences. Technology is both a change and a new experience for all involved. Teacher training in technology is imperative, and an integrated support system needs to be on board to assist and allow staff to be risk takers and gain excitement and confidence in what they can do.

Motivational challenge needs to be presented to all stakeholders: i.e. students, teachers, parents and other community members. Opportunities may be out there but the problem remains because of seeming lack of interest.

For teachers to expect parents who are unskilled in technology, to help their children gain technology skills in their homes is unrealistic. It becomes all together necessary to motivate and provide opportunities for learning technology for all stakeholders. It would seem wise to begin training in technology at a very young age, to familiarize children with proper use of technological tools. People tend to seek out things they desire to do and know based on, “What’s in it for me?” An interest in the value to technology and the connection to the future success of their children can be a motivating factor.

Learning technological skills is a real necessity given the demand in the market place for those with a good command of technology. A real selling point is that, if we want our students to become productive members of society, with highly skilled careers, then it becomes a must that our students become highly skilled technologically, and gain high levels of achievement in school. Success does breed success. http://www.edutopia.org/building-bridge-science-and-technology [|success] http://www.useit.com/alertbox/digital-divide.html

Jake
Most of our reflections recognized Kelly's three digital divides as a new and insightful way to consider the former single digital divide topic. Here are two resources for expanding our perspective on the 2nd and 3rd digital divide.

Regarding the second digital divide of quality TMI, [|Marc Prensky]'s article [|"Adopt and Adapt: Shaping Tech for the Classroom,"] in the December 2005/January 2006 issue of //Edutopia// magazine presents an excellent framework for understanding technology adoption in the classroom. He breaks down technology adoption into 4 typical stages:
 * 1) Dabbling.
 * 2) Doing old things in old ways.
 * 3) Doing old things in new ways.
 * 4) Doing new things in new ways.

I think Marc Prensky's framework is a pragmatic and useful way to gauge the use of technology in our classroom.

Paul Gorski, founder of [|edchange.org] and an assistant professor of Integrative and Interdisciplinary Studies in George Mason University's New Century College, wrote an [|essay] in 2001 that uses a multicultural lens to better understand the third digital divide. It is a passionate and intense essay that focuses on not simply inadequate attempts at closing but eliminating digital divides.

Per our video in class [|Pay Attention], here is a link to explore using cellphones in class.

**Cindy**
TPCK - Chapter 2 Reﬂection

A statement made in the text really stood out to me. M.A. Kelly states, “Whether technology helps to increase achievement for all, or merely exacerbates existing inequities, is largely dependent on how it is used in the schools.” This statement sums up an internal struggle I have been wrestling with this year. I mentioned previously that I was the K-3 Technology Integrator for MSAD9 these last six years. Most of my time in this role was at Mallett School, as it had both the largest population and the largest number of teachers interested in technology. Now that my position has been cut, and I am back in the classroom, I see a dramatic decrease in the use of technology. I’ve heard comments such as, “ I haven’t taken my students to the lab yet this year. I know that I should go at least once before the year’s end.” or “ Now that I don’t have support I’m not planning on doing anything.” Chapter 2 discussed inequities in technology but an additional one is within the school itself. Students, at least in the MSAD9 district, and I would presume to generalize this issue to other districts, have an inequitable experience depending on their classroom placement. I had hoped, thought, that I had done a better job of helping teachers to see the benefits of technology integration; how technology, curricular content and pedagogy interrelated and supported learning for all. I knew that there would be a decrease in use once my position was eliminated but I had thought it wouldn’t be quite so drastic. In my second grade unit, of four classrooms, I am the only one that integrates technology on a regular basis. I am very fortunate that a laptop cart is housed in an extra room across the hall. My students can often be seen traveling across the hall to get a laptop for word processing stories for our classroom wiki, researching, dictionary use, e book libraries, spelling practice, math practice, project use, or to get the projector cart or Smartboard. I feel that one of my strengths is using technology to support and transform learning. Our classroom wiki has provided my students with outside comments on their writing pieces and growth. We created a historical calendar of area inventors, as a fund raiser, as part of our local history and invention unit. Students digitized artifacts and photographs for this. As we study the founding of the Sandy River Valley we are preparing to create a claymation video of Stephen Titcomb’s arrival in the Farmington area and his family’s settlement. Both of these experiences are to help make history alive and understandable for young students who developmentally have a difficult time with the concept of time. Making scenery, dressing characters and reenacting the story will help young students compare and contrast time “then and now.” The video will be uploaded to Maine Memory Network for global viewing. The technology supports this process. The learning of the tools and applications are embedded in the greater work of recording history. While I feel good about what I am doing I know I have much to do. I feel that I have a democratic classroom and that children have a voice in decision making and in their learning. I feel that I am working to have a technologically equitable classroom but I am not “ all the way” there yet. I think that the gap between my students with access at home and those without is narrowing. Learning in the classroom is for all whether technology is included or not. I think that daily incorporation of technology tools is helping to take the “ novelty” of using a digital camera, a scanner or a laptop away. All of my kids set up and put away projectors and the Smartboard. I still am working to make sure that all of my students have feedback on their wiki entries. I am searching out college and high school classes that will give my students an audience for writing. At parent conferences students without access showed their parents our wiki. I have encouraged public access through the public library but know that that has not been taken advantage of. I know that MSAD9 had a once a week lab open to parents and students but stopped this practice last year due to poor attendance. I feel that I have made a start in building a TPCK foundation in my classroom. I know I have much work to do. I am excited by the potential of this course and the discussions and sharing we will have and the growth I can make. _

Amity
The chapter addresses the digital divide and proposes three levels of division. The first level is access to hardware, software, and the Internet. The second level is access to achievement-enhancing technology mediated instruction. The third level of the divide is access to culture-sensitive technological pedagogy.

This chapter did not grab me as much as the introductory chapter. In spite of coming from an economically deprived area (Washington County) my parents always found the money for computers. We had an Apple when I was 3 but no TV until I was 12. Also, since starting my career as a teacher, I have worked in either a privately-funded school with lots of technology, or Maine public schools with the MLTI program in place. Whenever I have started a new position, my first question is about access to tools, and I have never been disappointed. I am very lucky.

The second divide is about limited access to achievement enhancing technology mediated instruction, and this does strike a chord with me. I believe many teachers today have no real idea of how to use the tools effectively. Often I find myself silently re-writing a lesson to use tech effectively. Anytime I see a paper survey I want to shout SURVEY MONKEY! I keep quiet, however, because I know that my own fluency comes from early engagement and interaction with effective technology. When I was 12 nd homeschooled my brother and I produced a newspaper using a desktop pubishing program. Oh, that little paper was cherished in our small town! And it was an effective teaching project for us.

The third divide pertains to culture sensitive technological pedagogy. This is a new concept for me to grasp. When I think of different cultures using technology my mind jumps to myriad Spanish-speaking friends from various countries who can text and make power points with facility. However, I do wonder about some programs like Glogster which uses words such as “emo” to describe a style. My kids in school could not believe this! “Emo” was seen as very negative to them.

So using technology is not as simple as, “Here is this tool, use it.” A hammer naturally lends itself to swinging and hammering but when a student is asked to created a database of known plants on a nature trail and MAP them, where to start? What if the student does not come from a family of naturalists? What if they have never heard of GPS? The divides make for “wicked problems” again which deserve customized solutions. I try. I try.

James
Covering issues of equity of access to information and communication. Must be addressed in order for adequate student wide learning to exist. Focuses on teaching any subject with technology in ways that make technology and ICT available to all students. Current state of student access (digital divide). First digital divide, access to technology hardware, software and the internet. 1) After school access to computers. 2) Work with parents to find public ICT facilities. 3) Develop strategies to counter public ICT problems. 4) Get colleges and Universities on board. 5) Learn about student ICT access in classroom. 6) Advocate for ICT distribution. 7) plan for equipment failure. Second digital divide: Disparities in how ICT is used at school and in public. Low income students and schools get the shaft. Different technology assignments for higher and lower level students. Low income parents have no clue. Defensive teaching students are made to do busy work and detailed instructions in order to keep them from getting in trouble. Third Digital Divide: Access to culture-sensitive technological pedagogy. Is technology received by students compatible to there cultural backgrounds. Degree of access is the issue not the split between haves and have not’s. TPCK is the key to educating all students with technology. Context of the classroom environment, demographics of the student body. Need to make teachers life long learners and to continue to strive to succeed. Many problems arise when using technology which need to be addressed by the educator. For this to occur teachers need to be properly trained on all types of technological problems.

The author’s definition of equity of access is certainly not what I had originally defined it as. I, like most educators, had limited it to the availability of equipment or Internet access. The three levels of access were not something that I had consciously previously considered in regard to technology. In fact, cultural awareness is just something that I try to be aware of all of the time. So it was important for me to see the author’s acknowledge The lack of specific strategies for dealing with the three levels was a bit frustrating. I envisioned some sort of examples to help clarify the way to be technologically aware of cultural bias. It seemed as though the author’s blamed their lack of examples on it being a “wicked problem”, but a few specific suggestions would certainly have helped my teacher toolbox to expand.

I worry that I am a defensive teacher with my 5th graders. I really limit their own exploration in the lab because they are unable to do the tasks that I assign in a reasonable time frame. The first assignment I had was for them to type their newspaper article and use the computer to create a picture for their column. This simple task took almost three weeks! I was shocked. The next assignment was handled in a more controlled way. I hope that the book deals with strategies for teaching those socio-economically disadvantaged children who don’t come prepared with those basic typing and formatting skills. I felt like an ogre when I read about the “wait for me” aspect of the defensive teacher. I really did that. I wouldn’t let them go on until I checked their work and really took the fun out of the computer work. I will have to pay attention to that as this course goes on. I had always felt like I was a technology savvy teacher, but I had always worked with high school kids who had been taught the skills in middle school. Being the middle school teacher is a WHOLE different ballgame. I do need some new strategies to help equal the playing field. One of the things that I would like to try, after reading section two, is a parent training session. Since I have been in the district, I have only seen one parent night to address the PowerSchool needs. I know that I get a lot of parent calls or emails due to a lack of navigational skills, so I would really like to try to work with them to improve our communication. I don’t know that it is really an access to equipment issue, so much as an access to the teaching (the 2nd digital divide) necessary to maneuver the program. Even though I post my assignments with the requirements and an explanation, the parents can’t figure out how to get to it. I really want to help parents to help their children. I know that it won’t happen overnight, but maybe getting a conversation around this started at my next team meeting is the first step. Overall, I really looked at equity through a different lens, and that is always a good thing. This chapter allowed me to be reflective on my practices and to see some of my weaker areas. It is hard to admit that I still have so much to learn, but I think the supplemental texts that I purchased will give me more of those skills and specific strategies that will aid me in those changes.

Charmaine
It is mind boggling for me to perceive a time when there will be true access to information and communication for all students from various backgrounds especially given the tight economic constraints because of lack of funds in education that might provide equity and technology to all. It is fine to purpose ways to bridge the technology gap through local colleges and public access. However, if the teacher is in a poor district with limited resources, no colleges in the town, limited public access to technology in the town, and even parents who are not interested if their child learns technology or not, the student may be facing the impossible dream. My classroom would be enhanced if there could even be fair and equal distribution of technology within the school. Within my school building some classrooms have “smart boards”, some classes have individual laptops and some teachers have LCD projectors. The inequities, because of poverty and ethnicity differences, have always existed even before the big push for technology. I can see that if all forms of technology were equally distributed and teachers were adequately trained, technology could be a big boon for students and it is highly probable that successful achievement for all would result. Again, as chapter 2 states, it takes the synergetic combination of parents, teachers, students and administrators with a common goal to have a successful learning environment which includes technology, to ensure the best possible, high level educational experience and assist students in gaining successful “understandings” on a global scale.

Keith
Chapter two from TPCK was much more engaging than chapter one. It raised many valid ideas. I especially found the descriptions of the three different types of digital divides to be interesting.

I was aware of the “first digital divide” though I did not realize that there were two others that went along with it. The first divide is all too real in rural Maine. In Western Maine, where I teach, access to technology equipment and the Internet can be a challenge, at least privately This greatly impacts the opportunities of students and their families. I really liked the point that the authors made that teachers are responsible for bridging this type of divide. When I read it, my initial reaction was, just another thing to add to a teacher’s responsibilities. After thinking on the matter, it truly made sense, however. Teachers are often in a position to transmit information to parents. Providing a list of public ICT access places would be easy. It also might be possible to have the school’s computer lab accessible after school hours. There are many places in the community where computers are available such as churches, the public library, and even the college. Families just need to know where to go to access the equipment. Providing these opportunities would enhance each child’s academic experience. This would be especially true if valuable information seeking or problem solving activities were provided by the teacher.

The second type of digital divide exists as well. Having technology access is not enough. The equipment must be used for valid and meaningful purposes. Teachers need to be trained on effectively integrating technology into content areas. This is an area that I could use some assistance. I have an understanding of how to use a variety of technology and I have strong content knowledge, but I don’t always know the best ways to put this information together. Integration support would greatly enhance the learning opportunities for my students. The last couple of years my school district provided integration specialists to help classroom teachers. Unfortunately the positions were some of the first to be cut from the budget. My school has lots of equipment, it is often not used or used effectively.

I am not as clear on the third type of digital divide. I know that it has to do with being culturally sensitive when teaching with technology, but I guess I do not see why when using technology you have to be any more or less careful than other times. I believe that being culturally sensitive is important at all times in the classroom. All students need to feel valued and respected whether or not technology is being used. I understand that using technology is not bias free, but in all honesty what is. Cultural differences should be incorporated and students need to be stretched beyond their own culture.

It is important that today’s teachers have an understanding of the different types of digital divides. Only then can students’ academic opportunities be equitably achieved.

Rhonda
Reflections from Chapter Two

Chapter Two stated the importance of accessibility to the information and communication of technology literacy. Before reading this chapter, I had the understanding that the accessibility to computers was more important than technology literacy. This chapter revealed the importance of the equality of ICT literacy for all students regardless of their cultural background. As stated in Chapter One, the digital divide between the “digital natives” and “digital immigrants” becomes more apparent in the achievement of the “full spectrum frequency” ( M. A. Kelly, 2008) of ICT literacy. As a “digital immigrant” (M.J. Kehler, & P. Mishra, 2008), I am fortunate to have access to communication, construction, and entertainment technology. However, I have not achieved the ICT literacy that is necessary to integrate digital technology successfully in my classroom.

Chapter Two discussed the impact of three digital divide within the ICT literacy. The first digital divide focused on the accessibility of computers and the Internet. At our school the Internet is limited, due to a computer block and poor electrical wiring. When the power is interrupted, the accessibility of computers is also interrupted for an indefinite amount of time. This interruption impacts teachers’ and students’ computer usage. Another interruption, that occurs, is when the second and third grade students participate in on line testing. This prevents other grade levels from having access to the computer lab.

Success within the second digital divide requires access to technology instructions from skilled teachers. Skilled teachers may not be accessible which creates an inequity for students. The skilled teachers must also be able to integrate technology with problem solving activities to increase students’ understanding, instead of relying on technology skills and practice drills. These skills and practice drills do not provide technological knowledge. In order for me to achieve success in enhancing instructions in technology, I will need to acquire a deeper understanding and knowledge of technology. I learned from Chapter Two that when I integrated technology in previous lessons, I used a “ defensive teaching” ( M. A. Kelly, 2008) approach in my lesson. I was not intentionally trying to control the students, but trying to work with the diversity of learners in my classroom. This teaching approach hindered the students that were able to work on their own.

The third digital divide is based on the cultural background of all students. Cultural background equity needs to be considered when using software and planning lessons. However, this is difficult to achieve due to the diversity in cultural and learning styles in classes.

As stated in Chapter One, the TPCK framework is a context process that will meet all students’ needs in the ICT literacy, regardless of their cultural background.

Meg
One of the things that I understand now is why we took History, Philosophy and Ethics and Research Methods before taking this course. While reading this chapter, I found I needed that background knowledge. In this chapter, a real challenge for me was the use of the acronym “TMI.” I know that the chapter explained it as “technology mediated instruction” however every time the authors used the acronym, I thought “too much information.” I literally had to look up what TMI meant every few pages. Leaving that aside for a minute, I was very interested in the digital divide conversation. I had of course heard of the term before, but I only knew it as what the authors describe as the “first” digital divide: the haves and the have-nots. We have tried to solve part of the first divide in our district. I am blessed to be able to teach in a school that has one to one laptops. However, there is an interesting attitude at our school. Many students don’t like the laptops! They don’t like carrying them around all the time (they’re heavy!) and they also think that they are old. They complain that they can’t do enough with them. There are also many complaints about the ‘Net Nanny, Bess, that our school employs. The students feel that it is too restrictive and in many cases it is. For example, a student would be blocked from many sites if he/she were researching breast cancer. I don’t know how to solve this, but it is interesting to note. I had not considered the other two digital divides: “access to achievement enhancing TMI” (p. 39) and “ access to cultural sensitive technological pedagogy” (p. 43). Both of these digital divides were interesting. I should hope that I don’t use technology as a reward. I hate being held back when I am exploring new technology, so I don’t think I do that to my students, especially when the next direction is something like “hit enter” but I will be more aware of it in the future. I also enjoyed the discussion of teaching as an “ill-structured ‘wicked’ problem” (p. 55). Teaching is amorphous and ever changing. That is one of the things I like best about it! It is never the same, day-to-day and year-to-year. I have three sophomore classes on B days. The same lesson could look very different in each one of those classes. I am interested in hearing more about how the context to TPCK can help me to teach these lessons more effectively. There is so much to do! How do we do everything that is asked of us? This is the most important question that I need answered.

Jenny
This chapter made me feel a bit bad! As a teacher and a single mother (who grew up without a computer), I did not realize the importance of having one in the home. I do have a very basic computer that my children use to type on. I also have dial-up internet, which is rarely used, because we never have time to just get on and explore. Getting twin five year old boys home, fed, bathed, read to, and into bed has been my priority. I guess we’re a prime example of the “digital divide,” which makes me thankful that my children have computer lab one day a week at school.

Before reading chapter two in the Handbook of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Educators, I hadn’t realized that there were multiple digital divides. The aspect of equity, referred to as the first digital divide, is the basic one that I believe most of us think about when we think about equal access to technology. The second digital divide has to do with the inequity of how ICT is used in and outside of schools. The schools that have “fewer technologically skilled teachers, the children who get different technology assignments, and those who have less skilled parents,” are clearly at a disadvantage. The third digital divide has to do with the extent the TMI (technology mediated instruction) received by students is sensitive to their cultural backgrounds (p.43). This has to do with it’s “user-friendliness.” Bridging this divide requires us to think about cultural differences, being sensitive, and creatively incorporating them into TMI. This chapter also led to some questions. What does ICT (information and communication technology) literacy really involve? I am one of the two literacy teachers at my school, and I have never before heard of ICT literacy. What is it? What is the best ways to teach it? And truly how important is it, when my main goal is to get lower achieving students to meet, and hopefully exceed the average reader and writer in his or her class?

I have a feeling I’m going to learn a great deal from this class. I had never heard of TMI, the three digital divides, or ICT before now, so my knowledge can only grow!

Lisa
Reflection to Chapter 2, Handbook of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge

This chapter focused on the three digital divides- the first was the divide between those who have technology at home and those that do not. The second was the division between how technology is used and taught in schools. The third was the difference in how technology is taught and accessed based on cultural differences. This chapter also defined each divide in depth and gave suggestions for solutions. I feel the biggest divide is not in whether classrooms have the access to technology or not, but how well it is utilized. For instance, our school has a laptop cart with thirty brand new laptops on it. These laptops are not used much by the teachers, myself included, due to lack of training and experience. I have found that being able to use a computer and many programs as an individual does not translate directly to being able to teach it and use it appropriately in the classroom. The portions of this chapter that touched on equitability among students are very important. This subject is important in all areas of teaching, not just when integrating technology. In our school, there is a lack of cultural variety on the surface. After getting to know all of my students and their families, I have found there are many backgrounds, religions, and family structures represented. There are so many learning styles and personalities as well!

**Christine**
Reflection of Chapter 2- TPCK book

Some definitions: ICT- information and communication technology TMI- technology mediated instruction


 * It is the teachers job to bridge the digital divides

There are 3 digital divides: access to technology hardware, software, and the Internet access to achievement-enhancing TMI (technology mediated instruction) access to culture-sensitive technological pedagogy

“It is important to bridge the first digital divide, and to do so as early as possible in children’s lives to start them on the path to developing high levels of ICT literacy and ‘full spectrum frequency’” I know that technology is important and it is important as a teacher of kindergartners to start the use of them in my Kindergarten classroom.

Farmington and Wilton do have some community places where children and families have access to technology- UMF (Mantor Library), Farmington Library, and the Wilton Public Library. These are benefit to our community.

I liked how the book summarized (numbered the key points) of each digital divide. Made it easier to understand the reading.

“A skilled teacher with two computers can be more effective than an unskilled teacher with 30.” Teachers need to be smart in how they use their computers and technology skills. Lots of thinking and integrating needs to take place to get the most out of their resources and instructional time.

After reading the last chapter and having a somewhat negative attitude toward computer use, I read this quote and thought it was good. “... a teacher with a class of children from different cultural backgrounds can choose to focus on the potential obstacles this presents to teaching, or to focus on the opportunity it affords to enhance the presentation of the curriculum with the real-life experiences of student and their families, helping students learn substantive positive lessons about each other’s backgrounds.” I can choose to look at computers as a hinderance to my teaching, or as an opportunity to introduce and teach my students something they may not have been exposed to before. As an educator, I need to seize the moment. Maybe this will be my time to shine!

“Wicked Problems”= No 2 situations are a like. They need to have a custom made solutions. We need to learn from these.

**Kurt**
After reading chapter 2, it was particularly interesting to me that the authors did not mention special needs kids, or did I miss something? I think what REALLY makes this all a”wicked problem” is all of the issues that involve the three digital divides in combination with the variables associated with special needs kids. With 103 students on my rosters, to say that the context of the classroom is complex is an understatement. Initially I felt that this chapter did a nice job of describing my classroom, excluding widespread ethic diversity, but offered little in terms of solutions.

I thought that Kelly’s treatment of ethnic diversity in the classroom was strange. He recommends that teachers be sensitive to cultural differences (i.e. personal space and eye contact preferences), and to teach in ways that engage these variable belief systems. (44-45) He then finally admits that the problem is too complex and recommends that we should vary our instruction “so that the cultural preferences of different students are all covered at different times.” (46)

Honestly, I feel that I can do better than that. I have no doubt that there exists a number of great divides that are directly related to socioeconomic status and ethnicity, and an equal number of at least partial solutions. But culturally sensitive TMI seems weird. Access to the technology is a socioeconomic problem; the technology itself is a tool for teaching. Instruction must be sensitive to cultural variation, but aren’t the tools universal? For example, I teach research and writing. All students, regardless of their cultural background will need to use the internet to do research and subsequently write a paper. Is there really a way that I can modify the use of technology in accordance with ethnic variables? What I always do is allow students choices in topics and direction of their research. Is this TMI? If it is then it has been around much longer than computers. I think that Kelly has ministered a shotgun wedding between ethnicity and technology, justified by the birth of a very real socioeconomic divide.

I realize that this is pretty critical of this chapter, but I really don’t see anything here that will impact my classroom. Maybe I’m missing the point.

Ruth
Digital and Cultural Divides  The first digital divide is access to technology hardware, software, and the Internet. In Western Maine, the biggest difference among students is the socio-economic differences. This chapter introduced interesting data about the students who have and do not have broad band access to the Internet at home. Broadband access to the Internet at home has been associated with higher Internet engagement, more frequent Internet use, and decreased television watching. This chapter highlighted methods teachers can do to help students overcome physical access. Some suggestions included: work with parents to identify community resources i.e. after school programs, library, etc.; take steps to learn about access, talk to parent/guardian as well as student; and plan for equipment failure.  The second digital divide refers to disparities in how technology is used at school as well as outside of school. Schools that serve low income students tend to have teachers who are less technologically skilled. Different technology assignments within the same culturally mixed classroom often exist. The students with the lowest grades get the drill and practice technology assignments, while those with the highest grades get the creative, interesting assignments. Thirdly, how technologically skilled a student’s parents are affect the student’s ability. Parents of minority and low-income students are generally less likely to provide students with achievement enhancing technology activities. The age of a student’s parents is also a factor. I found this data very interesting and very useful to empathize with different students’ technology backgrounds.  The third digital divide is access to culture-sensitive technological pedagogy. Cultural sensitivity is more a matter of presence versus absence. Teachers need to bridge the gap by being sensitive to cultural differences, embracing them, and being deliberate about incorporating them into lesson plans. Helping all students learn about other cultural diversity is very important.  In Maine, students and teachers are very fortunate to have MLTI program to help bridge the gap of the digital divide. Teachers need to take advantage of technology. Can you imagine being a student who is used to completing assignments digitally with projects like creating podcasts, movies, and web pages going to a classroom where technology is not integrated into the curriculum? 

Hattie DeRaps
Review Chapters 1 & 2 TPCK

I found the first chapter of the TPCK book to be very clear and direct. I appreciated the authors’ definition of technology because it included older forms of technology in with the new. I think that this definition is a comforting one in that it could help some to realize that we all already use some technologies in our daily lessons. In addition to their definition of technology, the authors seemed to understand that there exists a baseline fear for those who have not themselves grown up with technology or who do not possess a huge interest or excitement for technology. Plus, even if you are someone who has used technology, it is an ever-changing field. You can never ‘done’ learning about technology, which must be a frustration for those who do not completely understand or feel comfortable with existing technologies. In my reading of the first two chapters of this book, I really felt like its authors must have attended some of the technology trainings at my school. I thank the coordinators of these events because they are tirelessly chipper and often undaunted by the negativity and lack of morale surrounding these events. This started to all make sense, though, when the authors talked about the fact that introducing new technologies and/ or giving repeated trainings will not necessarily change the philosophy of the teacher who is resistant to integrating technology into his or her teaching. I had never thought of technology as a part of one’s philosophy, but it makes sense that it is absolutely part of the foundation of one’s every day teaching. If I am a teacher who believes that students should have actual books rather than photocopies of books for reading, I’ll make sure that it happens. If though, I do not place the same value on students having an actual book in their hands, I will place my attentions and resources elsewhere. In the second chapter, the authors made the connection between changing technologies and changing workplace skills. Of course, it makes sense that as new technologies are developed to aid the work environment (the authors point out that this is, in fact, why new technologies are invented), new skills are required of workers in order to ensure success. For instance, I know have a friend who lives in Hollywood. She is an online journalist and completes most of her work via the Internet and her cell phone, and she records her interviews via podcasts. She is not from Hollywood, but from Strong, Maine. She grew up poor but with the skills and the interest to develop her understanding and use of technology. Even though there are probably thousands of examples of poor, rural students who’ve made careers in technological fields and live fabulous lives, there are obviously many who are left behind. This issue is addressed in chapter two. I was struck by the statement that “even if the differences in the physical access to ICT were to be immediately erased, and all schools and families had high-end equipment...the differences in use would perpetuate the digital divide” (40). This makes sense when we think about the enormous amount of time, curiosity, and baseline knowledge it takes to figure out and to navigate new technologies. Just because I have a new program does not mean that I will understand how to use it or how it will be useful to me. This is why, in my opinion, we have a responsibility to integrate and encourage appropriate technologies into our teaching and into our lives. The final aspect of this second chapter that connects to my teaching is idea that we need to differentiate between data entry and higher-level tasks for students. I have several students who are in classes where they are continually “practicing” skill sets and low-level functions using technologies. Then, I see and hear about other classes where students are thinking for themselves and truly building on skill sets and their technological abilities. Just because you use a computer in a lesson does not mean that your students are learning more about technology. There needs to exist some sort of understanding that students who are not encourages to stretch their skills and their thinking will become bored with technology and could be turned off from it. Using technology just for the sake of using is not appropriate. It needs to make sense in terms of curricular objectives and work to move students forward in their understanding and application of technology.

Stacey
Reflection for Chapter 2

There are many positive changes, advances, and achievements that have occurred from technology. Overall, technology is very complex especially when using it to teach children, many factors and elements contribute to the complexity of teaching and learning with technology. From this chapter, I learned the specifics about the digital divide and how I can incorporate many effective strategies and how to present and use technology with children in my classroom. I do teach many children from low-economic status and from the research I learned about how to best teach them using technology, what to avoid and about information and communication (ICT) literacy. Reading about the three digital divides, I am a little overwhelmed of the teacher’s responsibility to help bridge the divide for all children to have equal access to various forms of technology. I agree with Damarian about the pedagogical practices given in this chapter because they encompass individual constructivism as well as social constructivism. They allow the all the children access to achieve higher level learning with the use of technology and challenge them to think at a higher level. I feel the best information from this chapter was the effective strategies that should be used in the classroom when integrating technology in the classroom. I think the three strategies (attribute-treatment-interaction-pedagogy, good teaching, and equitable classrooms are very helpful and useful. More important information that I received from this chapter was the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that all children have equal and equitable access and how I can be an advocate for these children. I am more aware of the three digital divides and what I need to do in order to bridge the gaps in my classroom. I hope that I can provide more meaningful and personal technology integration with my Kindergarten classroom. I am thinking about how to incorporate technology that facilities good teaching and an environment that children are equal and enjoy the learning activities, while being challenged to solve problems, and acquire higher level thinking skills. I hope this can be accomplished with more learning and teaching throughout this course. Is this possible???

Kim
TPCK Chapt. 2 Reflection 2 Kim Fuller 1/20/09

In the last 4 years, I have been teaching in a district that is very committed to technology. Prior to this teaching assignment, I worked in a district that was less committed and the digital divide as very obvious. Where I am currently teaching, my fourth graders have access to laptops several times a week and have email accounts.The laptops are used for a variety of purposes; research, skill practice, sharedmedia experiences, communication and presentations. All grading is done on Powergrade and parents can access student grades via the internet. It is difficult for all parents to have access to the internet. It is also difficult for all students to have equal access due to lack of internet at home, problems with computers at school, blocks placed on certain sites and each teacher’s level of competence with technology. Personally, I have had to play “catch-up” with my current staff because I had not had the professional development like others in my school. I am still learning and trying to become more comfortable with the integration of technology into all the content areas. My district does provide professional development each year by hosting a week long institute where teachers can attend workshops on various topics. This past year, I worked with my fourth grade team on integrating technology into a social studies unit on Immigration and we developed a Web Quest. We also created digital field guides for an ecosystem unit and each student used a digital camera to take photos of an ecosystem and each student was able to create a field guide. This was a very successful endeavor. But I still can see where I am not doing as much as other educators so I continue to work on my skills particularly in the area of Wikis and Blogs. Technology is developing at such a rapid pace and it is very difficult to keep up to speed. I also find technology to be a personal taste. Some people are very drawn to it and others choose to do other things in their spare time. So interest and motivation can be part of the divide as well. Personally, I have been slower to embrace technology but do see its potential and how it can provide many engaging and divergent experiences for my students. I hope to become more comfortable and proficient with technology and how to use it effectively with my students.

Jake
TPCK Chapt. 2 Jake Bogar Reading Chapter 2 has made me aware of the more subtle digital divides. I see the additional divides in public school and am encouraged by reading this chapter not to reinforce them. Access to hardware, software and internet access has always been the only digital divide I have been aware of in the past. Access to quality technology mediated instruction is an important issue. We struggle with this at Mt. Blue HS. I think to have quality TMI there needs to be regular professional technology training for teachers and students. The technology committee at our school has worked hard at providing teacher training several times a year during early release days but I do not think it is enough. We are finding the gap between teachers use of technology widening. There is a need for basic computer training and advanced training.

Too often, I have observed computers used to satiate students in study halls instead of being used as tools to communicate, inquire, construct and organize knowledge. I do not use them as much as I would like to in class because of our non 1 to 1 environment and network stability issues. If each student had a laptop and broadband access at home I would feel more comfortable spending more time building organized online learning environments and resources fpr my classes. I would like to use a wiki in __all__ of my Physics classes. And I think that giving __all__ my students a more challenging lab environment will increase their engagement and understanding.