Reading questions 4

What I did:  

I listened to the podcast,  "The Myth of Multitasking" (Scientific American 7/15/2009).  I read pages 12-15 of Multimodal Learning Through Media: What theResearch Says (2008, Metiri Group)  I followed up the reading by reading the Wikipedia article "Web 2.0"

What I Learned:  
Click to read my reading questions 4 responses.

NETS-T:  This assignment aligns with:
- Standard 5b, which states that teachers are to: "exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building and developing the leadership and technology skills of others."  As teachers, we are called on to be educational leaders.
-Standard 5c, which states that teachers are to "evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis..."

How I Can Use It:  This assignment caused me to reflect on reasons why we need to use current technology.  I had to formulate a response as to why technology is necessary for our schoolchildren.  As educators we are often questioned by people who say "I never had such foolishness when I went to school!"  These people should be taken seriously, as they are the ones who vote to appropriate funds for our schools.

reading questions 2

What I did:
I read the required article, titled "Multimodal Learning Through Media: What the Research Says". It was a very interesting article about some popular wisdom that has always been presented as truth.

What I Learned:
Use this link to view my written responses.

NETS-T:  This assignment related to:
- Standard 3d, which states that teachers are to "model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning."
-Standard 5a, which states that teachers are to "participate in local and global learning communities..."  This article increased my professional knowledge and caused me to reflect on popular wisdom.  We students in this class were all involved in reading this and responding to it.

How It Can be Used:  This article took a hard analytical look at the commonly held wisdom that "We remember 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we see and hear, 70% of what we say, 90% of what we say and do."  As with most conventional wisdom, it isn't totally wrong, but it is far from totally correct.  From this article I came away with the knowledge that I should "question the data".  In this case, actual numbers (percentages) are given.  I should always question how it was tested, and how valid is this data.  I should teach my students not to accept what they have "always heard", but should develop healthy skepticism.  This is especially important in the technology age, because not everything on the Internet is accurate.

My Learning Styles Reflection

My VARK Questionnaire Results:  I was close in my guess.  I guessed that I was Visual, Aural and Solitary.

What did I do? I took the VARK test to determine my learning strengths. According to the online test, my scores were Aural-5, Read/Write-5, Visual-4, Kinesthetic-2.  According to the test, I have a multimodal learning preference (like many other people).  All of these go with my background as a violinist and pianist.  Aural would be a developed strength for me because, as a violinist, I must constantly hear and adjust my own pitch and blend with other musicians. I rely on written music because I don’t memorize well.  Playing an instrument is a physical action, so that would be the kinesthetic.

What did I learn? Use this link to view my responses to the test questions.  This is not the first time I have done modalities testing.  This has come up in my coursework and in inservices since around 1993.  I have used surveys in connection to myself, my children and my students. I find it very interesting.  However, all the assessments have been pencil-and-paper.  These papers end up being cumbersome, piling on my desk as more people take them. I was pleased to find this online test. It gives instant results, so discussion can take place right away.

NETS-T: This activity related to standard 2a which states that teachers "design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity."

Students will find that this is a test that promotes introspection.

How to use it? I like to use modalities tests at the beginning of the school year to re-engage students into the learning mode.  My students and I will appreciate this online test for its immediacy of results and the discussion that follows.