Ok–I have been trying for the last hour to log in to uniblogs so I can blog and my password would not be accepted.  I forgot that the email address that was on file under my profile, had been terminated so I couldn’t just click the forgot my password link.  Everytime I typed in www.uniblogs.org, I was redirected to http://edublogs.org.  After trying over and over to get my password to go through, I decided to look back through my papers from where I had written down my username for my uniblog account.  I hadn’t written my password down, but luckily I had written down the login page website.  Helpless at this point, I typed in the address and typed in my username, and the same password in which I knew was correct and it went straight in to my blog page.  I still don’t understand that.  Needless to say, I changed my email address on my profile just in case anything like this ever happens again.  I am still so puzzled.  It would have been horrible if I couldn’t get my blog page to open up–I would have had to create an entire new page and have everyone relink it to their gators…….that was scary!!  Shew!!

While reading through Teachers and Machines, I couldn’t help but visualize the divide between historical classrooms and present classrooms.  There is a significant difference between the class of the past, and the class of the present.  According to Cuban, early classrooms taught in a unifom manner, “passive, routine, and clerical.”  In the same way, the teacher was more like a drill sargent.  The teacher talked the majority of the time and the instruction consisted of lecturing and asking questions.  In the same way, the children were seated in bolted down seats which were all facing teachers’ desk at the front of the room.  Furthermore, the classroom was extremely structured.  On the other hand, according to Cuban, classrooms later strived on “Pedagogical progressives that called for instruction that built upon student interests, that opened up classroom windows to the larger world, and plunged students into activities that had intellectual and social outcomes.”  This is more the direction of our classrooms today.  Thus, the idea is the teacher acts as a coach/advisor instead of a ”drill Sargent.”  Likewise, there is more moving around the classroom and different teaching styles/methods.  Moreover, teaching is ideally to accommodate diverse learning styles and meet the needs of all individuals in the classroom.  Nonetheless, it is amazing to think of the past classroom and how far education has progressed into the classrooms that we have today.    

So how exactly do you assess educational equity?  Wow!  In other words, how do you make sure that all students are being treated equally and everyone is pretty much on the same page?  This takes a lot of student evaluation which can be done in a variety of ways.  At some points, interviews can be conducted, student observation with a check sheet could be used, forms of tests to determine skills, student questionnaires, etc.  There are a variety of ways to evaluate where students rank according to diverse skills/tasks within the classroom.

Our text states that “educational equity is concerned with both student access to resources (who has it and who doesn’t) as well as the meaningfulness of those resources to students as compared within and between the classrooms, schools, and districts.”  Nonetheless, after reading into educational access a little more, I wonder if it is our responsibility as the educator to give the child that doesn’t have access to a computer at home, more time on the classroom computer to create “equity” between the children without access and the child that has access.  Educational equity has different ways actually that it can be interpreted.  Some people might consider equity as creating an equal gender related atmosphere among the learning environment.  I guess the first step to creating educational equity within the classroom, is a good clear definition of what it really means.    

I really liked the positive aspect of social networking that was displayed in the interview with Danah Boyd.  There are so many negatives that I hear about MySpace and Facebook, and just social networks in general.  Nonetheless, I really liked her approach about kids just wanting to hang out.  She mentioned the fact that these social networks are very similar to when we got on our bike and rode down the road to go hang out with our friends.  She also mentioned that usually kids are not going to the web to meet strangers—they just want to talk with their friends. 

I also liked the comparison of social networks to the telephone.  Used to, I could sit on the phone for hours upon hours at night.  Now, I log on to MySpace and message whoever I want to and I am finished—I can focus on my homework–thus I have had social time, in a sense, and homework time. 

In one of my classes, we have to do group projects and we decided to meet in the chat room on Blackboard, to discuss our project.  Nonetheless, we are usually finished within 45 minutes, and we have covered everything that we needed to for perfecting our project.  On the other hand, if we had to meet face to face, I would almost guarantee that our 45 minute meeting could very well turn into hours of talk time.  It just seems that the social networking sites are much easier, to the point, and they save a lot of time when keeping up with people.   

In the world of information technology, there is an idea that technology is the driving force within society. According to the article, there has been a significant decline in women that enter the information technology workforce area. Nonetheless, I had never thought of it before, but as a result of this decline in feminine influence within the technology workforce, there is an absence of feminine input and ideas into the field. The article mentioned the fact that information technology is the driving force and with the absence of direct female impact, the direction in which new technologies venture, could be sort of biased. Thus, I wonder if there were an increased number of females in the information technology field, if there would be a significant change in the direction of new technologies?

The article continues to describe the “Digital Divide.”

According to Andrea Matwyshyn, the Digital Divide is “the gap that exists within and across countries between information technology ‘haves’ and ‘have nots.’” When I think of this idea, is it possible that there could be a digital divide that happens within the classroom? Could there be a point where children that have access to new technologies accomplish a higher level of achievement as opposed to the children that don’t have the access? I am trying to think of myself as a child, and I was one of the children that didn’t have the “new technological advances.” Nonetheless, I did work with technology in school, and it was something that I took great interest in and I don’t feel that I was at a significant disadvantage. I remember children that had all the technological newbie’s and I ranked up with them in school. Now if disadvantage children had no access at all to technology, then I believe there could be a negative impact on the child. Could such an ongoing occurrence lead to a potential divide? It is possible. That is a scary thought. That is why it is crucial to incorporate as much technology as possible into the school learning atmosphere to give children an equal chance at obtaining the rewards that technological learning aids express.

I was thinking about how far technology has came in the United States, and it is everywhere! I went to a new doctor’s office last week and they had computerized boards that they enter all information in to. In addition, when they prescribe medicine it is entered into the computer board and it is sent electronically to whatever pharmacy you tell them to forward it to. Then you arrive at the pharmacy, pick your medicine up, and head on home. It is so convenient—is sounds small but I was amazed!

Also, the other day I was craving a junior bacon cheeseburger plain with extra crispy bacon, so my husband proceeded to order the cheeseburger to suit my preferences. He went through the drive thru at Wendy’s and repeated my order to them, exactly the way I had stated it. Nonetheless, he got it home to me and it had everything on it. I was going to try to make it without the burger, but my craving just couldn’t leave so he headed back to Wendy’s. When he explained the mistake to the manager, the gentleman apologized and informed my husband that it wasn’t their fault because the orders are not even taken there at the restaurant! There is a lady that sits in an office in another state, and she has a camera where she can see you, and she takes your order, enters it in a computer, and forwards that order to the restaurant. Isn’t that crazy? I had no idea. Anyway, my point for these drawn out stories is the fact that technology is all around us and we do have businesses that aren’t afraid to try new technological advances. Nonetheless, usually in the end the technology makes life a lot easier—sometimes we don’t see it at first but that is usually the trend.

While reading through the article, Mob Rules (The Law of Fives), I couldn’t help but think of how far we have come with technology.  I remember being in middle school and not even knowing what a cell phone was.  Cell phones weren’t near as convienient as they are nowadays.  Even when the computer came out, there weren’t very many people that could afford to have one.  Nonetheless, as technology has improved, a cell phone and a computer are much more easy to purchase now than they were in the very beginning.

When thinking of the relation to education, the article mentioned that “we are the network.”  We create a network of learners in the classroom.  In the same way, their education doesn’t have to be limited to the classroom–with the use of technology we can expand the learning environment and it can include opportunities around the world.  Likewise, as technology enhances there are more learning tools that become available in the classroom. 

I am still trying to get used to living in a new area–not too far from home, but yet very different.  The other day I was walking around work and it just hit me at all of the people passing by that resembled my friends and coworkers from home.  I know some might think I am crazy, but it is a comforting thought.  It seems like everywhere you go, you will always have the “brown noses,” “trouble-makers,” “loud mouths,” “procrastinators,” etc.  I spent the whole day finding people that reminded me of the people I worked with/my friends.  There would even be vehicles that passed by that looked like vehicles that my friends drove–it was very satisfying in a strange sort of way.  :-)  Nonetheless, I learned a valuable lesson by looking around.  Your friends are always going to be your friends no matter how distant they are.  By finding people that reminded me of people I had left in my home town, I realized that my friends and family are with me where ever I may go–they’re only as far away as I let them be.  In addition, I realized that a new place doesn’t have to be so foreign if I find the things that I am comfortable with, it very quickly becomes home.  :-)

Personally, I do not believe that we can shield our children from all stereotypes, but we can enhance the educational environment to give children the tools to withstand stereotypes.  For example, diversity is a big focus in today’s classrooms.  There is a push to include diverse posters, videos, technological tools, games, books, etc.  Nonetheless, the idea is to allow children to appreciate diverse populations.  In the same way, by promoting and environment that is clear of sterotypes among the learning environment, children can appreciate gender diversity and hopefully be comfortable with choices that they make.  In addition, hopefully an appreciation would be built for jobs and to approach the world of stereotypes with an open mind.

 With equity in the classroom, the No Child Left Behind act can be followed through with.  Equity in the classroom calls for creating an atmosphere that equalizes the experiences among all students.  Some children may need a little extra help/attention while others may not need as much assistance.  Nonetheless, the idea is making children feel that they are equal among their classmates.

What exactly is equity?  At first I was thinking more along the lines of equality.  Is equity and equality the same? 

According to Utah regulations, “EQUITY is fair and just treatment of students, staff, and community members–must be the cornerstone of an educational framework.  Achieving equity means individual differences are valued; high expectations are held for all; instruction occurs in inclusive environments; diversity is recognized and appreciated; and discrimination, stereotyping, and bias are not accepted.”

Likewise, “Equity recognizes the need to treat unequals differently in order to ensure that the quality of the educational experiences are equal and of high standards.”

http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/equity/principles.htm

On the other hand, the Nottingham City Counsel says “Equality is about making sure people are treated fairly and given fair chances. Equality is not about treating everyone in the same way, but it recognizes that their needs are met in different ways.” http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/sitemap/services/social_issues/equality_and_diversity/what_is_equality_and_diversity_.htm

Therefore, I would have to say that equity and equality are much the same.  Both are working toward non-stereotypical behaviors and pushing toward viewing all students as equals.  Both terms involve organizing a learning environment that focuses on the positive aspect of diversity and promoting a positive self image among students.  Nonetheless, the idea is to give students a chance at being anything he/she wants to be, minus the stereotypes.  This is where freedom comes in to play and children should be confident in their choices and not afraid of “being accepted.”  We talked about this in our chat—how we are built with expectations and we seem to be disturbed if there aren’t set guidelines for projects/assignments.