Week 8 Response

1. If you were the teacher, how would you handle this situation?
If "by this situation" means the two girls cheating, I would give them both zeroes the test they were found cheating on, as this is clearly a situation that would be considered cheating. However, if it instead refers to the growing problem of cheating using cell phones in the class room, that's a little different story. I suppose I would most likely require students to put their cell phones out on their desks while they took a test. That way I could monitor them much easier than watching to see if students are texting in their laps.

2. As a teacher, would you ban all cell phones in your classroom?
I believe cell phones could definately be used in an educational manner in the classroom. Off the top of my head I can't think of any applications, but I am sure there are plenty. Also, as a band teacher, I'm sure there will be plenty of times where I need to focus on just one group to get a part right. If my other students are texting each other, instead of talking to each other, which they most likely would do if cell phones were banned, would keep the noise level down and allow the students who are having the problems concentrate on what I need to teach them without distractions from conversations going on around them.

3. What should happen to Laura and Jessica?
I don't think anything outside the realm of what happens to other students who cheat using less modern methods of cheating. They were using technology to do things that students have been doing for probably since school started. For the test they were caught cheating on, they should probably get zeroes, but beyond that, I'm sure there's not much I as a teacher could do.

4. Should cell phones be prohibited in schools? If so, how do you make parents feel
that their kids are safe at school? And how can a policy be enforced?
I feel as though cell phones should not be completely prohibited in school. They are a very useful tool in the right context, in an academic perspective. Plus, students are just going to sneak them in anyways if they're prohibited. However, I think certain measures need to be taken to prevent the misuse of cell phones. For instance, having students place their phones on their desks durin tests can help eliminate texting answers to classmates. And I think that if there really is an emergency where a parent needs to reach their child, the cell phone is the perfect way to do that.

Week 6 Discussion

By utilizing technology for storytelling and paper writing, students gain a familiarity with the various aspects of the technology they are using to create the story. For instance, by using iMovie, students also learn how to import pictures, video, and audio files into the program to use in their story. They also learn how all these tie together to make an impact on the reader/watcher. This could be useful outside of school in a business, for instance, when making a presentation for a meeting. If the content is interesting and well laid out, it will be much more effective at presenting the ideas contained within.
I believe that there is no end to the amount of learning a teacher should have concerning technology before bringing it into the classroom, as technology is constantly improving and evolving. It would be impossible to know everything there is to know about it. That being said, the teacher should have enough knowledge to be able to help students import files to the software being used, how to troubleshoot problems concerning saving the presentation, for instance, and also tips and tricks that might make it easier for the students to complete the assignment. Also, and I say this from personal experience, the teacher should be able to troubleshoot problems where plug-ins are required for a system, such as the newest version of Flash media player, so that each student can get the materials needed to complete their project.
By giving shy students the opportunity to make their presentation with a video, it might help take the pressure they may feel with all eyes just on them. The concept of having to entertain everyone in a class can be hard for some people, so when they have more than one thing for the audience to look at and pay attention to, they can relax a little, knowing that they don't have to "perform" the entire time. However, relying solely on technology during presentations may not be a great idea either. If a high school teacher gives all students the opportunity to use digital presentations for their papers, the students may be unprepared when they get to college, if the professors there decide they want the students to hand write their papers, and present them in front of the class, with no technology at all. Outspoken students, on the other hand, could benefit from digital storytelling because by having another "presentor" going on, they are forced to turn the limelight over to the digital presentation. This could help enforce the idea that perhaps they are not necessarily the most important thing going on all the time, constantly. It could also help them stay concise and to the point, if they tend to babble and go off on tangents, especially if there is a time limit in place. It is much easier to monitor total time if it is handily displayed on the bottom of the screen at all times.