In September 2011, the U.S. Department of Education sponsored
a new project called Digital Promise. The bipartisan, public-private initiative
will fund research in educational technology and will bring leading
technologies into the classroom to help students with problem areas such as STEM
subjects. Review the main directions of this project using the provided link
and post your thoughts on which initiatives could be particularly helpful for
the development of next-generation learning environments in Alabama schools and
colleges. (Focus on your own subject area and grade level.)
Many of these initiatives look very promising to me. My focus is elementary education (I particularly like 3rd grade), so the parts involving new technology and games for problem areas seem appealing to me.
ReplyDeleteI think the "GeoGames that help students analyze data across geographical areas to solve real-world challenges" is great because it can apply what the kids are using and learning in the classroom to real life.
I like the video game competitions where students can create their own levels. Seems like a great channel for creativity and motivation.
I also like the competition that will involve STEM subjects. Seems like something that would interest my ideal grade level (3rd).
I really like how Digital promise is all about the advancement of technology and the speed of results. It seems to be completely focused on learning tools and seeing what works best.
(pjones)
I am in the elementary education program, but I am primarily focusing on 6th graders. The challenge of creating breakthrough technologies really appealed to me because I am currently in a 6th grade math classroom. To be able to teach your students in weeks what would usually take months would be life changing for them! I think it's incredible beneficial that, "Digital Promise will begin its work by partnering with technology firms and researchers to map the R&D landscape,identifying opportunities for breakthroughs in learning from the cradle through a career." I think that this kind of research & development will contribute to the enhanced development of highly-intelligent, next-generation learning environments in Alabama schools.
ReplyDeleteThe projects from the Digital Promise are providing tools for the next generation learning environment. I am a K-6 Resource teacher. Personally, most of my students love learning with the help of technology. Several initiatives caught my attention. The most important in my opinion would be the online tutor. Several of my students do not complete their homework because their parents or guardian do not understand how to help them. Especially in math the concepts have changed since they were in school. I also like the STEM Video Game Challenge. I think students would love learning through video games especially since they play them all the time anyways. The "GeoGames" also appealed to me because students would be able to solve real world problems. In the education world I often here that as teachers we need to help students make connections to the "real world". These initiatives if implemented properly can help our students in this digital age.
ReplyDeleteThe digital tutor project and instruction software, which are mentioned in the initiative, would offer great support if they adapted it to math education. It could give individual attention to every student that a single teacher may struggle to give. As well it could provide a review of topics covered in previous subjects that teachers don't have time to cover each semester. This could already be feasible. Khan Academy is a free, online source that covers K-12 math with videos, exercises, stats that show your progress, and discussion boards. However, students must still be motivated to learn, and that would need to be addressed in any digital program.
ReplyDeleteUsing video games to promote interest in STEM subjects is a great idea. Both in using the virtual world as a learning space, and in showing how their design is a real world application of STEM. Students often question the value of math, and they need to see more of its practical applications.
This year, I am teaching sixth grade resource. The online tutor would be very helpful for my Resource students. Often, there is not an actual tutor at home to help them with their homework. Right now, we have IXL for math which we use at school and at home. The students test on math skills and work at their own pace. If they get an answer wrong, the online tutor explains the answer. When we work in the computer lab, we can reteach individually while everyone else continues to work at their own pace. We could use this for all subjects.
ReplyDeleteHowever, motivation is an important part of the equation. Students who are motivated tend to work at home on their own. The ones who do not care do not take the time to do the work at home, especially in middle school.
The video game challenge could be a very interesting concept for motivating students who do not like pen and paper written work, but love video games. Teach boys in the way they enjoy learning. I like it!
These projects sound like really cool ideas. I'm in special ed and technology is a great tool to have in school. The "system that creates augmented reality for students with hearing disabilities," is a great idea. Things like this are much needed in Alabama's school systems. I hope it doesn't take forever for it to be implemented in to Mobile County's school system. I think students with speech problems or who don't talk need something like a ipad/tablet, so they can learn how to communicate. But it would take alot of money for all those kids to have their own.
ReplyDeleteAlso the online tutor that is tailor to a students comprehension and learning style is a great idea. It would really give students with learning disabilities alot of help for when they have to do homework. I know in Mobile school system they let the high school students do credit recovery and the online tutor is something that could help those students out. Especially the special ed students.
With three boys it is a challenge to keep them focused on their studies and off the X-box. They are just wired to want to play those games. Therefore, anything that can keep their attention and possible educate them at the same time sounds great. Universities are already using students to help develop games in partnership with game manufacturers. My experience with the Mobile County School System computer labs was not good and many students are not hooked up to the internet so I wonder if this can really be of help to our local community. At the ISTEM convention I sat in on some amazing things teachers st Homewood, and Hoover are doing now. They are ready for this type of initiative. One teacher videos her first class every day, then posts it on her WIKI and students who are out just watch class from home. All the students are required to have the internet at home so something like the individualized tutoring referred to would be an awesome tool.
ReplyDeleteIn reading the initiative, the main aspect that stood out in relationship to Higher Education was the Urban Education Lab. It identified the use of "trials" in order to test out the new technology that would be created for schools and also create a standardized test for each community it chose to address.
ReplyDeleteThis relates to higher education because many of the researchers will be at a higher education institution, and if those researchers hire assistants to help them, it will create an opportunity for many students on campus to develop their work ethic as well as national understanding of the education system. In taking part of a widespread study, it will also educate those student workers on the importance of research and its effects on our society.
Ultimately, the Urban Education Lab will serve to not only educate our nation on what technology works and doesn't work, but also our college students (who assist with the project) about the importance of research.
I think Digital Promise will broaden the type of educational technology available to classrooms. Right now in my Prekindergarten classroom we often use Starfall.com. In most cases Starfall includes appropriate grade level phonemic awareness activities. There have been a few instances when the lesson was not grade appropriate. For instance, just this week the letter “Q” was the letter of the week. Starfall’s lesson for “Q” was to understand that “Q” and “U” usually go together. While this is true, it was inappropriate for the grade level. At this point we are trying to match letters with what the letters say. Starfall’s activity could be modified but it would be nice to not have to modify the lesson. I think Digital Promise’s goal is to have activities appropriate for every grade level in one spot.
ReplyDeleteIt also seems Digital Promise’s goal is to lessen the cost of most programs and websites available. These programs are great resources but are often too expensive for some schools to afford. Yet, the schools that cannot afford them are often the ones that need them the most. Therefore, I think Digital Promise will help all schools to have grade appropriate and inexpensive access to learning activities.
I see that Digital Promise will move the classroom toward a stronger practice of differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction is very difficult for a teacher with a classroom of thirty or more students. Trying to switch teaching techniques for all the learning channels can be too much for many teachers. However, tutoring software programs and instructional programs that have a record of the students' learning styles can present material according to those learning channels. The article mentions that results from the DARPA/NAVY "digital tutor" suggests that it can take months instead of years to train a student to be an IT expert. The article also states that "well designed instructional software can provide personalized learning." This can definitely help teachers from being overtaxed in this area by having computers provide most of the differentiated instruction while the teacher mentors and guides the class.
ReplyDeleteDigital Promise even includes partnerships with video game companies such as Valve, which is famous for creating the Half-Life games and the brain-exercising Portal 2 game. This approach along with the National STEM Video Game Challenge shows that the plan is exploring all avenues for teaching technology. I think it is a good move. Companies such as Valve, AMD, and others have extensive knowledge of mathematics and physics and can contribute much toward the STEM initiative. The companies can also design practical learning environments that will prepare students for STEM-related careers. I look forward to seeing what they will create.
I am a high school teacher and the Launch of 2012 National STEM Video Game Challenge was interesting. Apparently this is the second year of this challenge. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.The challenge is making and playing video games to foster motivation for STEM subjects. Todays kids are playing video games more than ever, so what a great way to transfer it into education.
ReplyDeleteThe next thing that interested me was the Leading Video Game company Establishes Education Prize. This is for researches, teachers, and students that are interested in the Portal 2 which is a brain-challenging puzzle game. Valve, which is the creator of the game, will run a competition for middle and high school students and teachers. They will create levels for Portal 2 that can be used at home and in the classroom. They will be competing for prizes worth $250,000.
Digital Promise offers many interesting and promising ideas. I think this will help get technology into schools that, otherwise, would be unable. I am very interested in the innovative research projects Digital Promise is investing in. It is great that leading researchers are coming together to figure out what works and what doesn't. The STEM video game challenge would appeal to almost all students and be highly motivating. As fast as technology is advancing, this initiative is exactly what is needed to help our students in the Digital Age.
ReplyDelete“Digital Promise” could be very useful in high school math classes. Students that do not find math interesting or useful would be able to get a better grasp of the subject without realizing they are actually learning. If we, as teachers, can make our students, not only participate in an interactive software-based class, but also collaborate in making it better, the results could be incredible. This could be done by using the software during the class and asking questions on how we could improve it, engaging the students in a participatory argument.
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ReplyDeleteI teach 2nd grade and my students love anything to do with technology. We have classroom ipads and computers they work with daily and it hold their attention unbelievably well. Technology in the classroom is a great incentive as well; my 2nd graders love to earn extra time on the ipads to do their educational games. I currently work in Baldwin County where we are currently going through the implementation of "Digital Renaissance". This program loans apple Mac books to all students in grades 9-12 and will expand to all middle schools next year and this will continue until all classrooms 4-12 have Mac books for each student. I believe that Digital Promise is exactly what we have seen and will continue to see over the next few years with the implementation of this digital renaissance.
ReplyDeleteI liked several things discussed in Digital Promise but the launch of the national stem video game challenge really caught my attention. My students write in their journals and share stories on a daily basis about video games they enjoy or are currently trying to advance in at home. I also mentioned earlier that my current class has a very high interest in doing any assignment or learning activity on the classroom computers or ipads. I also thought the Robots that are use non-verbal cues to teach vocabulary to kids is a great idea! Students learn best when they are investigating on their own or do interactive activities and do not realize that they are learning.
I teach high school student that have been exposed to lots of technology whether it be at home or at school. All of them take online classes but as I was reading the DIGITAL PROMISE article I was interested in the " Online tutors that provide real time comprehension and tailor learning strategies." I think that would be amazing for my students. They get tired of hearing me all the time trying to teach them math standards that they just are not grasping. I think it will be terrific for me to be able to say okay go to this website and see if the online tutor can help you. My students who do have special needs learn very different than other student, and sometimes my teaching is not tailored to their learning styles and if can get very frustrating so I am excited about this.
ReplyDeleteDigital Promise will be a huge benefit to our students. This program will expand the type of educational technology that they are exposed to. Most of the students in my 4th grade class have little to no experience with technology at home. Our school technology is very limited as well. The online tutor is a wonderful idea. I believe that this program will really benefit those students who need differentiated instructions. I also like the idea that this program is designed with the students with special needs in mind as well. They often get over looked.
ReplyDeleteOn a daily basis student encounter smart phones, tablets, and video games making difficult to keep students' attention, and I feel that this program will help.
I love that we can continually improve and enhance our learning programs, digital promise provdes a way for students to enhance their learning experience and for teachers to give students a chance to learn in a different way.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had this opportunity when I was in school! I'll bet things would have been more memorable and absorbed much easier if we had the digitl capabilities we have today.
Digital Promise is a project that will benefit all levels of education. I am in the elementary grades (2nd grade), and the two initiatives that stood out to me were New Investments by NSF on Cyber-learning and New Analysis by Council of Economic Advisers on Learning Technology Market. In order to advance in technology in our schools, we need the funding to allow it. Also, we need well-trained teachers to be able to apply these new skills in our classrooms. Every child is different, and not all students are going to have the same needs. Teachers need to be well-trained on new technological programs and approaches to use with their students that will accomodate all required needs. Everything is changing in our world today and the sooner students are given the opportunity to learn in these different ways being used now, the more knowledgable they will be when they enter high school as well as the work place one day.
ReplyDeleteWe were not given all the opportunities that students are given today. Teachers need to have the means and availability to use these new technological programs in their own classrooms. As a prospective teacher,I will take advantage of every opportunity given to enhance my students technological knowledge.
Anna
I lOVE that Valve supports education. Their games "Portal" and "Portal 2" are the most entertaining mediums for critical thinking and physics that I've ever encountered.
ReplyDeleteAs an Ed Admin, I wouldn't have direct contact with this sort of initiative but I can definitely see the merit of such endeavors and would beg, plead, or bargain to get something like that approved for my programs.
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ReplyDeleteThe Digital Promise initiative has the capacity to transform school systems nation wide. Funding for elementary-secondary education has been --- from the county to the national level. This initiative will serve as a guide and pattern to what resources are beneficial, working, and has a lasting impact in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteAs a math teacher, I am especially excited to see the possibility of having more technology in the classroom. It can be quite a task to teach a classroom of thirty to forty students how to master algebraic concepts via the limited resources that are currently being provided due to lack of funding. With this new initiative, we will have more access to successful, innovative, savvy technology that will engage and capture the interest of our students making learning a joyous experience.
There are benefits to all of the of the initiatives described in the "Digital Promise." Since funding is always an issue; I found points of the "Creating a League of Innovative Schools" to be especially important. I have been amazed to learn of the outrageously high cost of some programs. This initiative could make it possible for schools to be better able to afford more programs. Also, time is valuable. Making sure tools are meeting needs in a timely manner is useful.
ReplyDeleteI am going into Special Education. Therefore, I found the "New Investments by NSF on Cyber-learning" initiative to be important. The advances in technology will be useful in assisting students' individual needs.
The two initiatives of the "Digital Promise" project that are most germane to my studies in higher education include: "Identifying breakthrough technologies" and "Learning faster what's working and what's not". Programs in Higher Education must constantly work to remain ahead of the curve in terms of the newest information and technologies in the fields they offer degrees in. A good example would be most institution's unwillingness to adopt programs in "Social Media", because the information being taught becomes outdated too fast. College degrees are too expensive and too much work to attain for their worth to diminish that quickly. From marketing to biology to creative writing, the digital promise project's initiative to realize what is working and what is not, quickly, allows for the most up-to-date technologies, that appear to have the longest shelf-life in the field, to be taught. In order to also be the most competitive degree-recipient, being updated on the latest technology in your field, up until the day you graduate, is another key initiative. The closing of the gap between the commercial and industrial research arenas, and the higher education settings, will only benefit everyone more in the long run.
ReplyDeleteDigital Promise should help students to make a giant leap into becoming 21st century students who can compete globally in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. As a future science teacher, I am excited about the opportunities that my students will have to master science. They will have excellent learning tools to use. For example, the STEM Video Game Challenge should help to engage my students. Also, the digital tutor will benefit struggling students and perhaps those students who are seeking enrichment. In closing, Digital Promise will definitely improve teaching and learning. It will also prepare students for future jobs and careers.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome initiative! Baldwin County collaborates and partners with Mooresville Graded School District in North Carolina, which is one of the school districts listed under the League of Innovative Schools. I will be attending a technology conference there next month and can't wait to hear about their involvement with Digital Promise. As a preschool teacher of students with special needs, I think the robot that teaches vocabulary through non-verbal cues is an innovative and creative idea! Many students with special needs at this age are non-verbal; this technological advancement would truly boost their language abilities! The GeoGames initiative is very cool as well. Baldwin County Schools purchased a program called iStation, which I believe we learned of through our partnership with Mooresville. It is an online, individualized literacy program for students that is based on Science! While it does have students learn about different aspects of Science, I do not think it necessarily challenges them to solve real world problems. I think GeoGames would be an awesome additive to our school systems in Alabama. Our students need to have more opportunities to think on a deeper level while trying to work through processes.
ReplyDeleteThis initiative is just what we need for our education system. I love the idea of the National STEM Video Game Challenge. The challenge embraces the making and playing of video games to motivate STEM subjects. The video game challenge has tons of big name sponsors such as Microsoft XBox 360 and Entertainment Software as well as outreach partners like Boys & Girls Club of America and American Library Association. Incorporating video games into education, especially STEM subjects, is a fantastic idea because in today's society if you say the words "video games" the students come running. Students have fun playing video games, even if they are educational, which makes this video game challenge a great way to improve classroom learning environments.
ReplyDeleteI am an elementary teacher and I am really impressed with the initiatives mentioned. I believe that if they are properly implemented, they will help our children soar in the digital age. Geo games are of particulat interest to me because they provide children with real world applications. I also like the idea of STEM video games because children love to play video games. They would respond well to them and learn a great deal by playing. The online tutor could also be a big help because often times parents work in the evenings and are not home to help with homework, or they may be home but not know how to help their child with their homework. This will be a beneficial resource for parents and students! (KDearmon)
ReplyDeleteDigital Promise will definitely be a great asset to education in this technological-age. I particularly like the STEM Video Game Challenge because it takes something that children use for fun and transforms it into something educational. Another aspect of this initiative that will draw youth, is that it is competitive. Most children love anything where they are able to compete. This is a special initiative because the students are learning without being aware that they are learning. They feel as though they are simply having fun. This shows them that learning can be enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteSome of the most interesting parts of the Digital Promise Initiative, to me, are some of the innovative research projects and prototypes. I am a high school special education teacher, and what caught my eye the most are the robots that use non-verbal cues to teach students vocabulary and the systems that create augmented reality for students with hearing disabilities. Both of these prototypes, if researched well and fully developed, could be wonderful contributions in a special education classroom. I think that the emphasis on continuous research and development of new technologies is a necessity in society today, as nearly all school and work environments rely on technology. The rapid testing of promising new technologies is great because it shows that they are able to identify what works and what tools need to be more refined.
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ReplyDeleteI think within Physical Education, the best initiative that would help would have to be the National STEM Video Game Challenge. They have a lot of sponsers such as Microsoft Xbox 360 and Boys and Girls Clube of America. Even though this is mainly for the classroom, I feel like you can use it within Physical Education to incorporate different technologies and to learn about other disciplines.
I support the initiative of Digital Promise because I am around students throughout the year and they love technology. Students are interested in many types of technology,such as, cellular phones, tablet, app, social media website, and gaming systems. Therefore, it is a must that technology associate with students learning so they will not lose focus so easily, like from a hour and an half PowerPoint presentation. Also, they will enjoy learning by technology in which they are familiar, such as the video game challenge. This idea of combining video games with core subject content lingered around in my mine a few times. As a result, I believe the video game challenge will be a great learning tool. I am so glad the United States is moving forward in learning technology with Digital Promise.
ReplyDeleteThe Digital Promise website would make any K-12 teacher very excited! Of course, we hear a lot of promises without the $ to back it up later, so I certainly hope that this is not the case. I found the online tutoring to be the most applicable to what I do. I would love for the content of my online learners to be able to better respond to the learners' needs. Distance learning has gotten to the point that it is pretty mainstream, but it is time to take it to the next level.
ReplyDeleteThe Digital Promise is a neat concept if it follows through successfully! The first thing that caught my eye was the list of innovated schools. One that was listed is Mooresville in North Carolina. At our first faculty meeting before the 2012-2013 school year began, our principal had some tech-savy teachers stand up and share about what they learned in the 2012 summer workshops at Mooresville. I knew this was a school but didn't realize it was in NC and didn't realize it was so high on the list of model schools for technology-very cool!
ReplyDeleteIt seems that so many of our 6th graders, and even 7th-8th graders, are playing video games nonstop. I think that the innovation I am most excited about is the "Leading Video Game Company Establishes Education Prize". If someone can create an educated game, or even lessons that is similar to a video game, I believe the students will be instantly engaged and excited about learning!
I will be teaching in a second grade classroom next school year. I think this is an excellent opportunity for our students and I could see several of these initiatives put into practice in my classroom. I feel like online tutors that assess a student's real-time comprehension and tailor learning strategies would be especially helpful in my classroom. Our school will be going to a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) school for the following year. This means students will be able to bring in any form of technology to help enhance the lesson. It would be great to have some type of online tutor for my students to use on their devices. This could be used in centers, to review the lesson with strugglers, or to aid parents when reviewing lessons at home. These programs would be a great way for students to increase technology literacy.
ReplyDeleteI think the Digital Promise Initiative could really influence and boost technology literacy in the public schools. I really like the idea of the video game industry stepping in to do more educational games. I am an elementary special education teacher, and I could definitely see using video games in my classroom for those students that are easily distracted or lack motivation. I think my students would be really excited about this!
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ReplyDeleteI am very impressed with the Digital Promise program. I love that there is an initiative to increase the effective use of technologies in education. The robots that use non-verbal cues to teach vocabulary are fascinating to me! I would be very excited to get to use them with some of my students. I was also very interested in the “GeoGames.” I love any tool that initiates real world challenges. I believe students work better when they can easily relate their studies to a real world application. This seems like a great program to encourage the utilization of new technologies in the classroom!
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ReplyDeleteI love how the program is a research-based, systematic approach to following through with a plan to improve education on a national level. The implications of the Digital Promise on the visual arts are very exciting! Which is why organizations like the American Arts Alliance, Americans for the Arts and the Association of Art Museum Directors are so involved. Advanced technologies can create interactive sites with 3-D simulations and virtual art experiences that are quite sophisticated. Museum collections can be digitized into 2D, 3D and video form to be enjoyed by everyone despite location or socio-economic level, bringing our amazing culture into all homes, schools and libraries! KSmith
ReplyDeleteI am excited the federal government is setting aside funds for this program as well as bringing in private support. I hope this program is successful so that more technology programs will be in our future. As a high school science teacher, I am most excited about the individual tutor idea. At the high school level, many students cannot get help with their homework at home. If I understand correctly, the program would have the capability to alter itself for individual students. This would be extremely beneficial for many students who have a homework question or who might need extra help with an entire concept. I also like the idea of faster research and development. Teachers need all the help we can get. The more data and feedback we get helps us plan our lessons more effectively. Overall the program is exciting and I hope effective.
ReplyDeleteThe Digital Promise initiative is great! I love the initiative's National STEM Video Game Challenge. It really caught my attention. This challenge is a coalition of leading technology companies, community-based organizations, and educational non-profits. The coalition created the challenge to help increase student motivation in STEM subjects by using video games. STEM subjects include science, technology, engineering and mathematics. I believe video games are a great way to get students motivated! Video games are fun and entertaining. Students will enjoy learning if they get to play games. Creating a game that will allow students to play as a famous person during a critical time period would be very helpful in a history class. For example, a game that allowed a student to play as George Washington during the American Revolution. That would be awesome! Video games can be used in every subject. A student could also learn how laws are made by being able to participate in congress. This would be a great way to introduce students to the democratic process. This would be great for a political science class.
ReplyDeleteWhile I am not a teacher – I am a step-mom to a nine year old boy. With this being said, video games are very hot around our house. I think the launching of the STEM video game challenge is pure genius! We continue to encourage students to explore academic areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and what better way to do this then to peak their interest. USA holds a STEM camp each summer for rising 6th-8th grade students where they focus on hands on learning and I think this age group would also greatly benefit from STEM video games.
ReplyDeleteIn physical education the best way to use advances in technology. Would be creating games that could be played on game systems so that you get students excited about trying it. Also, because of the advances in techology you could create tournaments against other schools to challenge your students on learning the subject area you are focusing on.
ReplyDeleteThis initiative looks great. STEM is so important and reiterates literature skills. Tech firms providing recommendations and support for digital promise appears to be the most useful to high school math classrooms. I would love for someone to walk into my classroom, assess my technology needs and find hardware and programs that work for my students and I. Administrators throwing technology on me that doesn't apply to my classroom is frustrating. This aspect of the initiative appears to not only suggest and provide the technology but then give support to make sure students and teachers are equipped to use it well.
ReplyDeleteSarah Faircloth
I am a head start teacher and we don’t use lot of technology in the classroom. It would be awesome to have a program in the classroom for our kids to use to better assist with their education. Before teaching at head start, I did my internship at a preschool through public schools and they used a program in the classroom that made the students take turns going to the computer for their turn. It rotated them in the computer center throughout the entire day when they were in the classroom. Within each students turn, they played games that tested what they were learning. It was so cute because in the classroom I was in, the teacher had it to where their picture popped up on the screen, indicating it was that students turn on the computer. The student that was at the computer at the time was to go to that student and whisper in their ear that it was their turn. I would love to see a program like this in my head start class!
ReplyDeleteThe Digital Promise program sounds like a wonderful program. I really love the National STEM video game challenge. Most children now enjoy video games and it’s probably all some wants to do. What better way to get them more engaged and motivated than what they love to do?