Cultural Competency PreTraining Survey

Here's the link to the survey. Let me know if you have any problems. You shouldn't need any credentials and hopefully it will go smoothly. This survey will take approximately 15 minutes. Please be aware that while there is a 'back' button, if you go back, your responses will be deleted and you will have to re-enter them again. 

SURVEY

Thanks for taking the time to complete it and your patience. There are "?" on  many of the questions, you are strongly encouraged to click them to access more information about the question and subject matter.

Reference materials:

Yull, D., Blitz, L.V., Thompson, T., & Murray, C. (2014).  Can we talk? using community-based participatory action research to build family and school partnerships with families of color. School Community Journal, v24 (n2) 9-32. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1048538.pdf

Reiter, A. B., Davis, S. N. (2011). Factors influencing pre-service teachers' beliefs about student

achievement: Evaluation of a pre-Service teacher diversity awareness program. Multicultural Education. v19 (n3), 41-46. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ955944.pdf

Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the teachers: Effective professional development

in an era of high stakes accountability. Retrieved from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Staffingstudents/Teaching-the-Teachers-Effective-Professional-Development-in-an-Era-of-High-Stakes-Accountability/Teaching-the-Teachers-Full-Report.pdf

Lopes-Murphy, S. A. (2014). Experiences in Postsecondary Education that may lead to cultural intelligence: Exploring and proposing practices. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, v26 (n2). 287-296. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1060833.pdf

Moloney, R., Saltmarsh, D. (2016). "Knowing your students" in the culturally and linguistically

diverse classroom. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, v41 (n4), Article 5.

Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1098117.pdf.

Sandell, E. J., Tupy, S. J. (2015). Where cultural competency begins: Changes in undergraduate

students' intercultural competency. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, v27 ( n3), 364-381. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1093756.pdf

Villegas, A.M. (1988). School failure and cultural mismatch: Another view. The Urban Review, v20 (issue 4) 253-265. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01120137

Yang, Y., Montgomery, D. (2011). Behind cultural competence: The role of causal attribution in multicultural teacher education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, v36 (n9). 1-21. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ940861.pdf 

Villegas, A.M. (1988). School failure and cultural mismatch: Another view. The Urban Review, v20 (issue 4) 253-265. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01120137

Salerno, A. S., Kibler, A. K. (2013).  Before they teach: How pre-service teachers plan for

linguistically diverse students. Teacher Education Quarterly, v40 ( n4),5-26. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1072105.pdf

Lin, M., Lake, V. E., Rice, D. (2008). Teaching anti-bias curriculum in teacher education programs: What and how. Teacher Education Quarterly, v35 (n2) 187-200. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ817318.pdf 

john

Learning Blog

What did you learn about learning itself when working with technologies?

I learned that unfortunately, it seems that people who write the manuals/instructions and help guides, often don't realize that they are writing for users who don't have the same experience in technology as they do. What this translates to is content with is inaccessible to the very people they are trying to teach.

I also learned that a strong indicator of success is the student's sense of self-motivation. I my experience successful learners of technology often 'take their work home with them', that is they spend time away from the classroom and continue to learn on their own time.


Where there any aspects of new territory in what you attempted within this module – and how did you address your own learning needs if that was the case? 

Currently using Prezi is my new territory, I remember when it was first introduced as the PowerPoint killer, and it certainly looked more dynamic than the standard PowerPoint. However, I have never felt the need to use it, as PowerPoint was sufficient for my needs. So working in Prezi is definitely new territory for me.


In what ways did your review of the work of others help you learn about your own future work?

Whenever you review the works of others you are able to gain insight into your own, even if it's to say, "Arrgh, I should have said that....!"  By seeing how other people examine and present issues, you're able to re-examine your own concepts and expand how you previously thought about your work.


Are there other comments and notes that you want to make about your personal learning and/or the challenges that will lie ahead as you start thinking about the learners with whom you will someday be working?

I always enjoyed the learning process and have always been self-directed, which I think as made me successful in learning new information. However, I realize that it requires patience and a willingness to learn from mistakes.

The challenges I've found recently and this may seem as a generational matter, is that many students seem to lack the attention span and adaptability needed to learn new technology or the information required to use it.

Now I do know when it comes to saying video games and smartphone usage, younger users are doing very well with adopting new technology or the behaviors needed to operate them. However, I wonder if that's more a matter of such technology being designed from the ground up for these types of users and taking in accord how they learn.

If content creators and instructional designers want their audience to be more responsive to learning, they need to provide content in a method which is more in touch with how this generation of learners learn.





 

Old School learning for a new generation

GCompris Activity Suite

http://gcompris.net/index-en.html
http://gcompris.net/screenshots-en.html

GCompris is an open source (free to use for Linux, about $10 for windows and mac) activity suite which provides a wide range of activities for students 2-10. While not as polished as most commercial suites, it does offer a lot of activities. What offsets the inconsistencies in quality, is the ability to select individual packages to suit your need and taste.

Examples are: computer training, arithmetic, science, geography, games, reading and art. GCompirs very much reminds me of the early days of computer education, before form became more important than substance.

Of course the cost would give a school district pause, but I believe the price to very reasonable considering the amount of content provided. I know when we purchased learning software for my children, each individual CD rom could cost up to $20 and certainly didn't provide as much content as this suite.

The biggest issue is that in order to get the most out of the software, you need to be running Linux. As most schools are using either Macs or Window boxes, it could be a big issue as far as acceptance goes. The counter-argument is that at Linux system often has much less hardware requirements and therefor the investment in technology will be considerably less that with the other two.

The way to eliminate the cost altogether would be to use Linux as the main operating system, removing the cost not only for GCompris, but of Windows/Mac licensing as well...and less expensive technology. I know it would be a hard sell, as people prefer to use technology they are familiar with and wish provide students with knowledge they can use.

However there's a big picture way to examine this question. Most people have no idea what operating system they use, save the bare minimum. What they do know is what software they use, even then only at the most basic terms. So I submit that at this stage of their development, all students need to know are the lessons they are being taught. The don't need to see the gears behind the screen, only what happens when they point, click and learn.

Further, Linux has done a lot to shed its geekiness and is more accessible than ever. Besides I would expect the systems to be maintained by technical people, who should be able to handle a Linux install. Also it is quite common to have systems with dual OS, Windows and Linux on the same computer.

The low equipment requirement (Pentium 3) makes it extremely accessible to students or districts with reduced resources. It works on multiple OS's, including older versions (XP) and supports multiple languages.

GCompirs provides the ability not only for under-represented and under-served communities to have access to learning tools, it also allows 2nd/3rd world countries access as well. So while not perfect, it can be a great tool to provide low cost learning to students and locations which simply lack the funding to purchase the best and brightest, but need access nevertheless.

Interview with an onliner

My interview was with a 13 year old girl, who was/is homeschooled. The majority of her learning experience has been online and she is very comfortable interacting in the medium. The biggest take-away for me was the dissatisfaction online learning experience. I know from my own experience, that every course, teachers and peers will be different, some better, some worst. However I believe this is true regardless of delivery system.

Secondly was the issue of pornography, while I know there are filters that can be placed, I also know they can be easily circumvented. While I am all for free speech, I do wish there were more content filters turned on by default on social media. I would rather see an active consent to remove the filters, than to assume everyone is an 'adult'. Especially as we know the majority of people who use social media are younger.

How long have you been 'online'?

 

I've been online for 5 years.

 

What do you do when you are online?

I talk to friends, watch videos, listen to music and post my artwork onto my Tumblr blog.

 

Describe the projects that you make/do?

 

I draw, all the time. I've also been working on game design, coding and concept art.

 

How has your experience been learning online?

 

It hasn't been as good as I'd expected. There is nearly no communication between the classmates and the teacher, and there's no hands on experience. You receive your books in the mail, and the teachers do no more than tell you which chapter to read. And they almost never reply to you or grade your papers in a reasonable amount of time.

 

Do you frequent social media?

 

I use Tumblr and Twitter, and I use them a lot. I check them regularly. 

 

How do you deal with negative people online?

 

Unless they've said something really offensive to me, I normally just ignore them. I've had people try to bully me so many times online, that I've just stopped caring.

 

Is social media a big part of your life?

 

It keeps me from getting bored, but I don't believe it's a big part of my life. 

 

if there was something you could change about social media, what would it be?

 

I'd really, really like it if there was more of a filter on pornography. I can go on Tumblr and look up my favourite anime video game, and see a whole bunch of anime pornography. It's awful, especially since the game is targeted to audiences 16 and under. Thankfully, people on twitter have more sense and make sure that their twitter is blocked to everyone under a certain age.

The benefits of Technology in the classroom

My research paper will be on the emerging role of technology in the classroom. Our discussion on Technology Refusal, really brought to light the division that exists between traditionalists and those who are embracing the newest technology in the classroom.

What I hope to show is that the technology provides more benefits than hindrances and should not only be given a chance, but should be accepted whole-heartedly as a force for good.

 

                                                          Annotated Bibliography:

 

Beschorner, B. & Hutchison, A. (2013). iPads as a literacy teaching tool in early childhood.
International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 1(1), 16-24.
 
Like it or not, more and more schools are implementing technology into the classrooms at earlier ages than ever before. However there is considerable debate not only concerning the use of technology in the home, let alone in the school environment. Questions such as, how long, how young is too young and what about student's social development are only a few of the questions being asked.

This journal piece provides background into what occurred when iPads or tablets were introduced into the classroom setting for four and five year old children. It seeks to answer questions about viability, learning behaviors and whether or not it was a success.

Stearns, Susan C. (2012). Integration of technology into the classroom: Effects on reading comprehension Research Papers. Paper 248.

This research review compares the effects of computer technology as a supplemental tool to support and improve the reading comprehension of struggling and at-risk readers with equivalent non technological or traditional print based treatments. They feature a wide array of technology being used in an effort to provide support for the student. Their results so that technology in the classroom, provided superior or equal benefits than traditional methods of supplying support for struggling students.
 
Hsien-Chang, T. (2015). A senior teacher’s implementation of technology integration.
International Education Studies, Vol. 8, No. 6.
 
One of the biggest issues regarding technology in the classroom, is technology refusal. We have seen in our reading, that the strongest pushback against technology in the classroom comes from older teachers who are often unable to adapt the their changing classroom environments.
 
This study seeks to show that as long as teacher is willing and able to learn new skills, adaptation to new technology doesn't have to be career changing result.

 

Duygu Erişti, S., Aşkım Kurt, A., Dindar, M. (2012). Teachers’ views about effective use of technology in classrooms. Turkish Online Journal of Qualitative Inquiry, 3(2)

One of the biggest complaints from teachers concerning the introduction of technology into the classroom, is that they are never consulted or asked to provide feedback concerning the success, failure and most importantly, how to improve the technology experience in the classroom.

This paper describes the experience of 21 teachers who provided feedback via focus groups, observations and the researchers own journals. There were two recurring themes: Problems experienced by teachers regarding technology use in class and suggestions for effective use of technology.


Bang, E., Luft, J.(2013) Secondary science teachers’ use of technology in the classroom during their first 5 years. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 29,(4) 118-126.

As noted previously, older teachers seem to have more resistance as well as a higher/longer learning curve in regards to new technologies than their younger counter parts. This is true because generational speaking, the younger teachers in general, are more 'digitally native', than their mature co-workers. This study seeks to ask, what happens to the relationship between technology and 'youth', when the younger teachers become more established, more 'traditional'? Do they like their mature peers, turn away from technology and fall into the familiar patterns advocated by the establishment, of which they have become a part of? 

What's MySpace Grandpa?

First I have to admit, every time I read the word MySpace I cringed, as it pulled me right out of the reading. Of course the concepts of utilizing social media as a communication tool are the same, but the execution evolves.

The social media tools that replaced MySpace, such as facebook, twitter and others have changed how people interact online. The way we communicate today is much more interactive, instant and ironically intimate.

That being said, the issue that caught my eye and is a subject I take great interest in, was the story Vasudevan, Dejaynes, & Schmier (2013) repeated about the student sharing information with a girl he just met:

Not wanting to lose touch, Joey and the young woman “swapped URLs” so that they could access and be linked to each other’s MySpace profiles. The three of us listening to the story laughed out of curiosity, and Joey clarified that “they”—presumably, youth of his generation—are more inclined to share online profile information than phone numbers. (p. 31)

In many ways this openness represents the double-edged sword of limitless communication. Yes, the technology allows students to become more invested in their learning. Yes, it allows instructors the ability to communicate and interact with students more readily than ever before. All of these are good things and it’s great that teachers are trying to incorporate it into their instruction.

However part of the school experience goes beyond learning a particular subject. In many cases it is in school where we learn the rules of being part of society and how to apply what we have learned. One of the things I have found lacking so far in speaking about new media, is the social aspect of the technology apart from its educational value.

When students blog, tweet and post, they are exposing themselves to the world, for better or worst. As we know from the news, this is the aspect that causes many students to stumble and often there is no net to catch them.  

One of the things I wish we did better as educators using this technology is spending some time on the practical side of things and not just on the bells and whistles.

Vasudevan, L., Dejaynes, T., & Schmier, S. (2013). Multimodal Pedagogies. In C. Lankshear, & M. Knobel (Eds.), A New Literacies Reader: Educational Perspectives (pp. 31). New York: Peter Lang Publishing.

450 million book sales can't be wrong

In many ways the debate over internet literature, resembles the discussions of the Harry Potter books in which traditionalist complained that young people were wasting their time reading ‘low brow’ books, when they should be reading the classics.

There is of course validity in that point of view, because the key to literacy is knowing the rules: sentence structure, grammar and so on; something that the internet often fails miserably at.

Still the response from parents was and rightfully so, “When was the last time you saw a line of a hundred children waiting to purchase Huck Finn?” The Harry Potter series despite not being a classic, not only brought children to literature, to reading again, it kept them there for a decade. I mean book sales of close to 450 million for the book series, tells us there was a lot of reading going on.

The internet is following a similar pattern in which young people are using the medium to take an interest in reading. Let’s be honest here, the majority of content must be read. Young people students, write all the time now, whether it is blogs, fanfiction, web pages and even tweets. They are consuming and producing the written word in order to communicate and isn’t that what literacy is all about?