MyAccess Report

I learned about MyAccess last summer and I was very, very impressed with the program. It is definitely an extremely useful tool for teaching and improving writing skills. The MyAccess Report clearly illustrates the features as well as the benefits of this web-based writing program. What I like most about it is that it gives immediate feedback about the write-up, therefore it constantly assesses the student's writing. The process is very easy and the feedback includes the score or the grade for the submitted writing material. By receiving the score, the students can immediately see their strong points as well as know which area to improve on.

I really love this writing program and based on the report, MyAccess helped and continue to help students increase their standardized test scores. The grades for their writing assignments also improved after teachers incorporated MyAccess in the teaching instruction. I really hope I will able to introduce and avail of this program when I start teaching because this is something that both teachers and students can benefit from.

Technology and ESL Programs

While I was looking for possible topics for a research paper, I came across an article titled "ESL Programs Allow for Self-Paced Learning" which is about how technology is being used to promote and support ESL programs in a high school in Irvine, California. I am sure these software programs are available anywhere but I wonder if it is readily available in every school and every classroom with students who are trying to learn English. Accordingly, certain software programs are being used in the classrooms to help Limited English Proficient (LEP) students learn the English language based on their skills, which means they learn in a pace right enough for them to cope. The Steps to English Language software emphasizes on communication and introduction of language pattern with interactive activities. For example, the topics deal with real-life situations and the audio sounds very natural that students will be able to copy voice patterns that include pitch, sound, and pronunciation. There are also computer activities that require students to work with their peers which gives them more opportunity to build their vocabulary and language structure. Another advantage of the program is it does not allow students to depend on their teachers for direct instruction. They do not just listen and take notes in class but they actually are able to have control over their learning. And because the students love the interactive activities and visuals, they are more engaged and motivated to learn. I thought this is really interesting because I believe technology can be used as a tool to support ESL programs. The main concern though is if there is enough money to finance these programs so that ESL students will have ready access to it.

NETS

The 2008 NETS for teachers really emphasized on what are expected from the teachers nowadays. Indeed, the use of technology in education is necessary and has to be taught and promoted in the classroom. In order for our students to be able to compete globally in this technologically advanced world and succeed in the process, teachers should be able to provide them with necessary tools to guide and help them out. The NETS also require teachers to continue to improve their professional practice and I suppose that would include trainings. I just hope that the school/administration will be able to provide teachers the necessary trainings they need in order for them to keep up with technological advancements.

I was able to look into the ISTE and one of the articles dated Feb 2007 is about the plan to eliminate the funds for Enhancing Education Through Technology Program for FY 2008. I'm not sure what is the situation now (whether it was eliminated at all) but I am surprise that the government even considered eliminating it. It does not make sense to me considering that if we really intend to produce students that are competent enough to deal with the challenges as far as education or employment are concerned, we should encourage programs such as the one stated.

Internet Safety

Internet safety is definitely a major concern nowadays. Indeed, the internet is a wonderful resource not only for adults but also for our kids. The video on "A Vision of K-12 students" refer to our students nowadays as the 21st Century Learner. They only need to punch several keys and immediately they have access to the rest of the world. Unfortunately such access can also be dangerous to them. We worry about identify theft, or meeting criminals on the net, or exposure to pornographic materials, but no matter how much we worry about it, we cannot get away from using the internet. Emails, internet purchases, banking activities, to name a few, are now part of how our society functions. For example, I never blogged until I enrolled in a reading class last summer. I was hesitant about the idea, but since it was required I had to do it. Although I now appreciate its value, I realized that in order for me to function and participate in some activities like educational activities in the college, I have to use the internet to blog.

Although we worry about internet safety for our children, the use of internet is something we have to be open about and deal with. It is important that we are constantly aware of the information that our children acquire and give out as well as who they interact with. Our children are now the so-called digital learners, so just to be safe we have to talk to them about the internet and be watchful in order to protect them from any potential dangers.

Hello (GE 555 Class)

Hi Professor! Thanks for helping me set-up my Blackboard account. I look forward to a very interesting and informative class ahead.

After a two-month break, I am going back to blogging. I am sure this will also be a very interesting and rewarding experience. I also look forward to wonderful exchanges of ideas with the other students in class.

Happy blogging everyone!

Blogging

First, let me extend my appreciation to Professor Luongo and my fellow students who made this summer class a wonderful and enjoyable experience! I really learned a lot of information from this class that will be very useful when I finally get to teach. The lessons, the instruction, the engaging discussions, and the shared laughters made this class special. Thanks to everybody for being "nice" to me during my second book reading :).

The blog? I must admit that the blog was the only item in the syllabus that I did not like at first. I never had any experience with blogging until this summer. I wasn't motivated by the thought that I have to have a blog account and I was very hesitant to write on such a public venue. However, as the days went by and although I was slow with my blogging, i actually found myself reading my fellow students' blogs almost everyday. I enjoyed reading the articles that they posted and read about their thoughts on various issues. I was able to read interesting articles that I would probably not find if not for the blog. I also learned about websites that I could visit later on if I need to find research materials on education or about reading. Although I am not completely into blogging yet, I must admit that the experience was interesting. If there is another thing that I will remember most about this class, it would be the experience of being able to join the world of blogging then learn and enjoy the experience.

Thanks everybody for making this summer class really fun! Have a wonderful summer everyone!

NCLB and Test Scores

I came across this article today at the Education Week website edweek.org titled "Since NCLB Law, Test Scores on Rise". The article is about the result of a study conducted by the Center on Education Policy that studied data from all 50 states from 2002 to 2007. According to the study, student achievement in mathematics and reading has risen on state tests, particularly in elementary and middle school and that the gap between white and minority children has narrowed since the passage of the NCLB Act. They observed a "moderate to large" gains in mathematics and reading for 4th graders, while most 8th graders fared well in math but not much in reading. I find this to be a very interesting development. Please check the article if you want to read further.