Using technology to remind students of homework

I have been dealing with a class that tends to forget homework. Over the last few weeks, I have bribed them with acculating rewards (soda, donuts, pizza, BBQ) for the last day if there is 100% homework completion. They have gotten close, but so far there have been no perfect days.

I talked with one student on why she had not been doing her homework. I also asked where she wrote her reminders down. She said she kept that in her phone, but forgets to check it. (gasp!) So I went over it adn showed her how to enter it into her phone, which happened to be an iPhone, in a way that it would remind her over the weekend.

This is not a new idea. Schools are also making it easy to share homework assignments online. But I found it takes the extra step of showing the students how to maximize their devices.

Then, I had an even better idea. It may not be original, but I thought it up by myself. In my class, I am going to set up a Google Calendar that I can invite students to view to supliment any assignments I say in class. The benefit of this is I can easily set reminders so that it pops up on a student's computer or smartphone. Though it may sound complicated, setting up a Google calendar and programming the steps in are easy processes. Despite the ease, it is a reliable, high-tech way to remind students of their assignments.

(Pics to come)

More of my student's C&P art

Reflection: OUSD visit

(this is something I had in my notes that I had yet to post in my blog.)


This was an exciting visit. The potential to give every student an iPad is exciting. The provide a means of "instant" engagement. Listening to the educators story of how they developed their plan and put it before the board/district gave me hope as a future educator that I would be able to do something like this. I am sure it would require a great deal of work, but it is nice to know something like this can be done.

What I saw in the biology and chemistry classroom at OHS seemed to scratch the surface of the potential of the devices. The hook-up with Moodle is advanced beyond a "traditional" class, but what they were doing could be done on any device or computer. It is still a valuable option, but I would like to see things taken further.

One thing I discussed with Anne Rene was enabling the camera option on the devices so the students can make their own videos and presentations versus a lab write-up. I am sure with more time I could come up with more ideas, this is just the first thing that came to mind.

I tried to think of ways I could maximize the use of these devices in my English class. I kept getting stuck on ideas that could also be done with a computer or even paper. My thoughts behind this investment is that it should be done in a way that fully utilizes the unique device. This reminded me that as technically advanced I consider myself, I am still stuck in the traditional lesson and assessment ideas I have grown up with.

Response: Learning in New Media Environments

This video filled me with hope and frustration. Everything Mike Wesch said was logical and exciting, so it left me wondering why more of this stuff is not being done in classrooms. And as I thought about it, I was having a difficult time things of ways to seamlessly blend new media in schools. Most of the stuff I have done is overt and done by the traditional approach to teaching.

Aside from that, I wonder, if I was clever enough to develop a "sprawling," all-encompassing plan such as his, would I have the ability to implement it. Despite the willingness of many individuals to improve education, there are so many pieces in the system that resist change. I do not want to get away from the main idea of the video and go off on a tangent about the "power of one," but it was a concern I had while watching the video.

This video affirmed one thing I have held true for a while. This is the most stimulating period in all of human history, and as teacher, I cannot fight that. I should be meeting students interest and use potential of media and tech to engage students in a way that I "trick" them into learning. I am reminded I have work to do and more to learn, but I should carry on my desire to inspire critical thinking and problem solving.

Response: Are grades necessary?

The ideas I got from Pink are very idealistic. This does not mean I disagree with them, but I shudder because I know it would be a lot of work to implement the ideas he states. It requires a shift from some of the fundamental teaching practices, and though I try to be open minded, it is difficult to see them implemented.
I applaud his call for creativity, but as Pink states, that cannot be graded. So there lies a dilema: can a teacher grade somethings (traditional class work) and not others? I keep getting caught up in circular logic that I may not convey clearly. It is a matter of determining what is essential, what constitutes as learning, and how that is measured. Tradition class work, which I see as typical class activity geared around "depositing information" in students, can be measured by assessments. The creative work Pink calls for is more difficult to assess.
I think that their needs to be some system for monitoring progress that includes specific criteria. Otherwise, growth cannot be measured. I think this is the idea behind the standard grading system. But those numbers have been changed to a different meaning where students are ranked and labelled according to achievement. Grading has lost
Going back to the original question, I do not think grades and learning are linked. Getting an "A" does not make a person smarter, it simply shows their progress on a certain assessment. I believe in a system that measures growth toward mastery and the encouragement of creative output, but it is difficult to do so without returning to the traditional grading format.

There's this new app called "I'd Cap That"

There is this new app I have seen going around my clinical practice site. It's called "I'd Cap That" by Krisp Software. It is a unique photo app, currently only available on iOS devices, which adds a random caption to every photo a user takes. The idea is to be funny. Currently, the description for the app in the iTunes store states it "takes your every day iPhone photos and slaps a hilarious (and often crude) caption on them." It also disclaims this is for "entertainment purposes only" and it may offend people.

Aside from the grammatical mistake in that description, there is another problem to worry about with this app. iOS products are prevalent in high schools, and I have already observed a student use this app to harass another student by taking pictures and uploading embarrassing pictures with lewd comments to Facebook without the student's permission. These are great tools to have in the class, but not when they lead to cyber-bullying and harassing. (The described incident has been handled.)

So keep an eye out for this. Use it as a teachable moment for cyber-bullying, web privacy, and common courtesy.

Update: Photo Project

Here are some early submissions to my photo project assignment. See last week's post for the details.

Digital Learning Reflection

Digital Learning Reflection on Prezi

Photo Project

I am still working on Crime and Punishment with my English 10H class. This week, I am making them get out of their comfort zone by being creative, but not with writing.

I tasked them to create a picture that represents a theme of the book, not a scene, through computer software, such as Photoshop or the free program GIMP. They would have to use at least three pictures to make up their original, final picture. In class students are unable to use a computer, download this program, or struggle with it, I am also allowing them to use scissors and glue to make their piece.

I gave them this presentation to explain the basic features and functions of GIMP, since it is a free program that it fully loaded. Feel free to borrow/modify it if you want to try something different.

This project is due Monday May 7th. I will update and share their reflections and possibly some of their artwork!

I made my class use Prezi

In my English 10H class, we are reading Crime and Punishment. In order to give students context to this expansive book, I had groups of students explore people, concepts, and historical events related to, but outside of the story. They had to make a 10 minute presentation. And I asked them to try Prezi.

None of them had tried this tool yet, but they really got a kick out of my demonstration and all attempted it. I explained the value of having a tool where multiple people could work on it and not have to worry about only having it saved in one place. For those who were having difficulty or frustration, I implored them to try Google Docs presentations, so they could get a similar experience of having something they could work on simultaneously and saved in a "cloud."

Most of the presentations have gone, and they have been really great to watch. I asked them to reflect on the Prezi process, and most said it was somewhat frustrating, especially with the schools laptops having low quality trackpads making it difficult to use. Despite this, most said they would try it again and saw the value of having a more involved presentation tool.

So find some way to squeeze it into your class. I highly recommend it.

Just use Prezi

Today, I had the need to teach using some direct instruction before letting the students work in groups on projects. I borrowed some material from my CT, and I made a Prezi. Seeing the results and interest from the students I cannot recommend this enough.

While PowerPoint and other presentation software used to be and exciting change from overhead projectors, they lack the excitement and inherent engagement they had in the past. They zooming effects of Prezi, set to a picture of the Crab Nebula, got students "oohing" and "ahhing" a somewhat dull topic. They even laughed when the big picture was revealed, and I made the pun- now you can write thesis statements that are out of this world. You may view it here. English teachers, feel free to steal/adapt.

So use it. Go to the website and play around with the blank template. (The remanufactured templates don't leave much room for customization.) This is no so much instructions, though I could make those, rather this is a technology recommendation, a tech-ommendation, if you will.

Exponential Laziness?

One of the things I debate as an English teacher is the use of SparkNotes, or simliar book summary products. While they are not a substitute for reading the novel, I can see the value as a review tool and a way to revisit something already read.


Videos and film also have mixed, though mostly negative, impressions as an educational tool. It is a shame, but not my argument in this post.

I bring this up because I just found this.

Video.
SparkNotes.
Video SparkNotes! My brain is struggling to cope with this.

In less than 10-minutes a viewer can passively absorb a text. At the moment there are nearly two dozen of these summaries. I am still reviewing these cultural phenomenon, so I will not pass swapping judgement of their usefulness.

As it is, SparkNotes are typically a tool for students who do not want to read. Now Video SparkNotes can enable kids who are too lazy to read the SparkNotes!

I will be the first person to defend appropriate use of video of films in class and the validity of the artfulness of the medium. But this has some unsettling implications. Can you reduce Romeo and Juliet to a 9 minute and 18 second clip and still appreciate the value of the story? Probably not. Viewers may get the gist of the plot, but they miss the heart of the story: the themes, the linguistic intricacies, and the build-up that make this a classic piece of literature.

They may be a good tool for review, but there is no way to regulate that. To allow students to savor the creations of these great authors requires, I need to employ thoughtful instruction on how to approach a piece and look for more than plot. This is a call for attention as to how to get student to appreciate a novel in a world where tl;dr* is becoming a ubiquitous term. (*too long, didn't read)

EDSS 531 Journal #5

•Looking back at your teaching last semester, what did you discover about the needs of students in your classes? What kinds of “needs” surfaced that surprised you?

•To what degree do you think you really understand the needs of your students? How wide is the “gap” between them and you?

•What might have surfaced in the reading or in your teaching (about the realities of students’ needs) that triggered a negative response in you? Try to identify why this response was triggered and how it relates to your biases.

The two things that come to mind are: students need to write more and students need to know class in an environment to take chances and make mistakes in the process of learning. Writing is something that is learned by doing and receiving feedback. It is about taking chances and pushing oneself. This relates to my second concern. I am surprised that students are so concerned looking for the one right answer or are afraid of being wrong that they do not make attempts in the creative process.

This is a difficult thing to teach because I cannot get caught up in my thoughts on a piece that I squash the chances of a student formulating their own thoughts. And when they do, I have to be positive and constructive so that if what they said was not completely accurate, they can learn without being afraid of trying again in the future.

I have thought about these things and I will take more thought, observations, and experience until I get a better understanding of their needs. Through college, writing has become a natural process and I have elevated my skills in this area. While I want to hold high expectations to motivate the students, I need to “recalibrate” my thoughts on writing levels in high school versus college.

In all subject areas, there is a difference between the levels of work in high school and college. I have been accustomed to one way, but high school students are not at this level. It was a stark realization, but it comes with the duty as a teacher to get them to this level. I had to confront the notion that adolescence today are less capable of critical thinking because of the Internet and television. Fundamentally, they are no less capable than any other generation, it is a matter of presenting them with relevant and engaging challenges to inspire this activity.

I also recognize that in the 6 years since I was in high school, culture and generations have changes, so I do not know everything about student academic, emotional, physical, and social needs. But with this knowledge, I can be open and receptive to there needs as they arise so that I can respond. I do not know everything, but this is not an invitation not to try. Rather it is a challenge to help every unique student.

EDSS 531 Journal #4

What are your biases and how do you mitigate your behavior when working with students?

This is a difficult question. I am not sure how to answer it without sounding either insincere and oblivious or ignorant and prejudiced. I do not know if I could discern and post specific examples, but I know I have a limited perspective as a young white male. Growing up in a primarily white middle-class area outside of Buffalo. My high school consisted of the same demographics, thus I grew comfortable with people like myself.

In California, things are much different. There is more diversity, which I have tried to actively open myself up to, but this process will never be complete. Every student, parent, and colleague I work with is a unique person who has a perspective different than my own. These are the things I need to keep in mind, not surface judgements and assumptions.

Response outside of "Disrupting Class" questions

I feel like I just peaked around the curtain or got some cheat codes how to advance myself professionally, and do something that will genuinely help students. I hesitate posting this "secret," but I reckon I can share with anyone who reads this blog.

Having just finished the first five chapters of "Disrupting Class," it seems my views of what it means to be a teacher in the 21st century have changed. I hinted at it in the last question in my previous post. Maybe teachers of the future will create and facilitate content and resources rather than directly instruct. I feel like most students are non-consumers of the writing process. They do it out of obligation, not desire. I just have to create resources and videos and let them teach themselves. I can also be present for individual attention.

This seems like it devalues my role as an educator. But I would be doing the hard work of creating the student centered activities on computers or whatever technology I have access to. I do the heavy-lifting up front, and let the students do the learning in school and at home.

It is daunting, but it also seems like the obvious way to have students learn, which the the ultimate goal.

EDSS 530 "Disrupting Class"

Chapter 1: Why Schools Struggle to Teach Differently when each Student Learns Differently

1. Explain the difference between interdependence and modularity.  How is education currently organized?  

Interdependence and modularity are opposite terms to describe the organization of a system. A system or product is interdependent one piece is reliant on the on the make up of the parts around it. Modularity is more flexible system where pieces can be changed as needed. In an interdependent system, one piece cannot be changed without changing everything around it, or even the whole system. But in a modular system one piece can be replaced or substituted and fit in with the existing process.

The US education system is decidedly interdependent. The book cites several examples regarding special education needs, classroom and facility design, and the limits of textbooks and curriculum. The pieces that make up the education system are gridlocked, which means change and improvement are limited. Standardized testing limits a teachers ability to adapt a lesson so a particular individual or group can better grasp a topic.

At my current CP school site, the technical resources are limited in this way. Components such as computers, projectors, and document cams are strictly regulated by the district. Teachers are not able to use their own technology in the classroom. For instance, a teacher found a $60 document camera that works very well, but is not allowed to use it. The only option they have, if the district provides one, is a more expensive, less effective one the district provided because of a deal made with the manufacturer. 

Chapter 2: Making the Shift:  Schools meet Society’s need

2. Explain the disruptive innovation theory.  What does this have to do with schools?

The disruptive innovation theory is an economic explanation for the way established companies and products can be shaken by simple changes. Market leaders in most fields survive on simple improvements that drive consumption, called “sustaining innovations.” A disruptive innovation happens when a new company or product arrives on the market that may not be as good as the traditional product, but it is cheaper or easier to use, and therefore it begins to take over the market. It appeals to non-consumers and takes business away from the traditional producer. With improvements, the new, disruptive innovation becomes the new standard.

This disruptive innovation theory is rooted in economics and an open, capitalist market. The public school system, however, is a monopoly. Schools have improved along the lines of sustaining innovations. But there has not been any “game-changing” disruption because there is no outside party or company to shake things up. However the authors of the text, Clayton Christensen, Curtis W. Johnson, and Michael B. Horn, state that emerging technology could be a means to service struggling students and non-consumers in this “industry.” They predict disruption as a result of new technology.

Chapter 3: Crammed Classroom Computers

3.  Why doesn’t cramming computers in schools work?  Explain this in terms of the lessons from Rachmaninoff (what does it mean to compete against non-consumption?)

Filling schools with technology does not work because they are only being used to accomplish the same tasks students have always worked on for the past several decades. They are merely a tool or supplement to traditional teaching. They are only a sustainable change, they are not disrupting, because presently they are not competitive with a human teacher.

The Rachmaninoff incident the book describes is a decent analogy. Earlier record players were an option for those who could not see live performances. They were not competing with the consumers of live shows, because they technically were not as good. But they took over the music market by appealing to the non-consumers. They gave a way for people who were not consuming, to consume. Then came innovation, and personal music players still reign.

If computers were to supplant traditional teaching, it would have to start by appealing to the people who are not getting anything out of traditional education. Right now technology cannot compete with human teachers. But if it wins over the non-consumers, its potential will be realized and it can spark new innovation.

Chapter 4: Disruptively Deploying Computers

4. Explain the pattern of disruption. 

The pattern for disruption occurs in a S-curve on a graph depicting growth or market share over time. First, a new technology or innovation goes for the non-consumers, not to compete with the established “leader.” Basically, it starts its own market for the people who are not being served. Over time, the new innovation improves, and there is a dramatic spike in users which creates the S-shape of the graph. This is due to the consumers leaving the traditional product in favor of the new because it is usually cheaper and/or easier to use. Then the growth plateaus as the new innovation approaches 100% of the industry as more trickle in to the market.

5. Explain the trap of monolithic instruction.  How does student-centric learning help this problem?

Monolithic instruction is rigorous, non-engaging, and does not check for understanding. Keeping up with pacing and lesson plans are more important than checking to make sure each student is not only keeping up, but mastering what they need to move forward. A monolithic view is stuck in tunnel vision. Sure the class is “moving forward,” but the teacher is unaware if everyone is keeping up.

Student-centered learning is build around checking for understanding and adapting lessons so that students are growing. Assessments are used to monitor progress and provide instant feedback and differentiated instruction. Therefore, it is less high stakes. The focus is not on what percentage has been mastered, but how deep a student has gotten into a particular subject or material. Students get help where they need it, not just told what they are doing wrong.

Chapter 5: The System for Student-Centric Learning

6. Explain public education’s commercial system.  What does it mean to say it is a value-chain business?  How does this affect student-centric learning?

Public schools are run like a value-adding process. Essentially, schools rope in students, stick them in a classroom, and dump knowledge on them. This process exists because of the notion that this process makes them more knowledgeable and more valuable, educated citizens.

The book describes the process in six, circular steps. It starts with textbooks, which get assessed and adapted by states and districts, the teachers teach this curriculum, there may be some individual attention, then the students are tested and assessed, which informs teacher training, and comes back to textbook creation.

Students can get more attention and differentiation through student-centered learning, which requires teachers have to change some of their processes. This involves leaving behind the  VAP system for a more facilitated network. Since the public education system is monopolistic, there is little chance of outside disruption. Disruption would have to come within, which some educators may say degrades the value of their role, thus resistance occurs.

Student center learning can occur with the technology we have. A YouTube video can provide tutoring and customized learning. There are many forms and technologic platforms, this is just one example. Teachers need to remember their goal to educate students. This may mean that their role changes from direct instructor to creator and facilitator of this technologically based material that will help students learn. 

Minecrafting Education

This past Christmas my brother showed me a video game called Minecraft. I had heard of it before, but not really experienced it. Minecraft is a free form game where uses have access to a low-resolution world full of resources to build and craft as they please. There are other challenges, but the idea is it is a nearly limitless work for construction and creativity. At the moment, I am busy and do not know if I could commit to it, (because I know me, and I would get sucked into it.) Then I saw this:

This is just one of the many creations of the Old Globe people have released. There is so much potential for this in the classroom, it will not fit into this blog post. A quick Google search, and I found someone beat me to it. The Minecraft Teacher has a great blog of resources and ideas.

Personally, thought I am not even playing the game, thousands of users have uploaded videos and downloadable versions of their creations online. This is great visual way to present a setting for a story in English class that is inherently engaging.

For students who are playing Minecraft, I cannot imagine the joy of creating something out of a story or in response to a piece of literature by using this "game." For example building a setting would require detail and attention to the novel/story they might not have otherwise experienced. The in-depth nature of crafting means they are going to be thinking about what ever they are working on in a way that would dramatically increase retention.

History teachers, search on YouTube to find recreations of historical locations (such as: Pyramid of Giza or Colosseum)that will engage students and get them visually excited. This is also a great way to present geometry, algebra, engineering, and so on. I cannot wait to what happens to this "game" that can transcend all contents.

EDSS 541 Reading Response #21

IDENTIFY how you can use these assessment strategies in TPA Tasks.

At this point I have already submitted TPA #3. But looking over the resources, I am glad to see I was on the mark and used the right language.

I chose to examine the work of an EL student and a DHH student. For both of them, I made sure to say that just because a class are all the same age does not mean they all perform the same way on a specific assessment. They should be graded according their academic level and progress towards proficiency and beyond. I also made sure to say that my summative essay was the result of a week long writing unit that included activating prior knowledge, scaffolding, and peer help. The week long assessment gave every student appropriate time to complete.

EDSS 541 Reading Response #20

IDENTIFY 2-3 assessment strategies you can use in your unit.


The final assessment I would like to implement would be a free form reflection. Students could write, record, or present their thoughts on the unit, time travel, and the service learning project. Some students like to write essay and they can do that. But I think I need to be mindful of not wearing out the writing process. This will allow students of all needs to present information in whatever form they like. Essentially they choose their differentiation they want, but not matter what they should engage in reflective critical thinking.


I also like the use of self grading. This could be part of the reflection, or done separately on other assignments. While someone may be quick to assume that students will all give themselves the highest mark, I think certain rules would come into play. Students would be able to pick their grade, but they would have to justify it. Not only does this mean they have do more critical thinking and formulate an argument for themselves, the students should also keep this in mind while they are working. While completing each assignment, they may work harder knowing they are going to have to justify it.

EDSS 541 Reading Response #19

IDENTIFY strategies to differentiate assessment.


Differentiation depends on the need of a students. This is especially true for English Learners, or Emerging Bilinguals, and Students with Special Needs, but every student deserves accommodations that help them learn. There is a clear difference between differentiating for a better learning outcome versus a better grade.


Strategies can include assessment variety, scaffolding, activating prior knowledge, and allowing for more time. When it comes to assessment, differentiation needs to be in effect while grading. For example, English learners should be graded according to their CELTD level and the standards that apply. This does not mean native speakers are grade harder or that expectations are lowered. Assessment is the means to measure growth and progress, which can then be used to inform future lessons.