Class Website

I am extremely excited to reveal the class website I have been working on. I know this will help with making connections with my students and parents in my online courses. I am hoping it will also give them an outlet for additional course information and furthering their understanding on topics covered in the course. 

Please check it out at the link below! I would love any feedback to help enhance my site.

Mrs D's Science Spot

Hole in the Wall TED Talk Reflection

I recently viewed the 2013 Winning TED talk: Sugata Mitra - The Child Driven Education. It was an eye-opening talk and I found interesting the concept of putting a computer literally in a hole in the wall of a slum and leaving it there. The children flocked to it with no reason and no understanding. By simply making a computer available but with no other instruction on the topics he uploaded; it showed the sheer magnitude that learning and thirst for knowledge can have on a child.  I see this concept so often with my own children. The amount of learning a child can do on his own just by being given the materials is astounding. For example sometimes I can't figure out something on my iPad and my 3 year old can most times tell me what is wrong? Amazing and slightly terrifying :)

I love the concept of student driven education as demonstrated by Sugata Mitra and I see this come into practice a lot in my online courses. Students have to be motivated, self disciplined and driven to want to succeed in a course that is driven solely by them. No matter how student driven, I have seen first hand that a teacher is still needed and necessary. A teacher should be there to pose questions, give feedback and encourage those students learning on their own pathways.

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” by Coston Daugherty


I think EDU 653 is a lot like this. The gamification model of the course allows a student to have some freedom in what concepts they want to master while still gaining knowledge in all the necessary areas. I can see education changing with the limitless technological webtools available but the main take away is that learning will never stop. Our world is constantly changing and instructors can change with it in order to meet their students needs. I feel the dynamics of a traditional brick and mortar classroom will continue to evolve to enhance student learning and with that the instructor will also evolve.


Please feel free to watch the Ted Talk here: Sugata Mitra - The Child Driven Education

If you want to expand your knowledge on a student driven classroom and helping your students explore the WHY in their education please feel free to view this awesome TED talk from Shelly Wright about the power of student led learning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fMC-z7K0r4. 

Here are a couple additional articles on Student Driven Learning and the future of education.

Edutopia Student-Centered Learning: It Starts With the Teacher

9 Things That Will Shape The Future Of Education: What Learning Will Look Like In 20 Years?

Use The Right Tools

As educators are we striving to make sure we give our students the right tools in order to be successful? This is an important question to ask ourselves each time we incorporate technology in the classroom. In the video above I try to use a binder clip to peel a boiled potato and even though I giggled at how ridiculous I look it made me more acutely aware of how I present information to my students and how I use technology in the classroom.

TPACK is an excellent tool for teachers when incorporating technology but the two main concepts I learned from researching TPACK are: 

1. TPACK requires a delicate balance on what you're teaching and how you're teaching it using technology

2. TPACK helps teachers recognize and implement effective ways to teach, what to teach, and how to implement instructional technology correctly for maximum student success

Just like the video above if we do not use the right technological tools in the classroom then we will have about as much success as I did trying to peel a potato with a binder clip. Students will not grasp the material and then the technology is used in vain. However, by finding and implementing the right tools regarding technology a teacher can not only aid in student understanding but can also add great depth to their lessons.

Cooking with TPACK

In the video above you can see I have 3 kitchen objects...A handheld cheese grater, colander and small plate. I attempt to use these tools to cut up watermelon and bananas in order to make a fruit salad. The important take away from my attempts is that using the items the correct way did not result in a fruit salad and even trying to repurpose them did not result in 100% success. While this task does not seem to have any relevance to teaching students at first glance, as educators we must think about the tools we expect students to use in the classroom in order to grasp concepts. Are we equipping them with the right materials, instructions and background in order for them to be successful?

Over the past few weeks we have looked at TPACK and how it is not just enough to use technology in the classroom for the sake of using technology. Teachers must choose the right technological tools for the most student success. In the above video you can see that trying to repurpose random kitchen tools can in some cases (if lucky) be successful but overall one can determine that in order to get the job done most successfully and efficiently you need to use the right tools. As educators it is our duty to make sure our students have the right tools and use them correctly for content understanding.

This is the same idea when using technology in the classroom. A teacher has to incorporate the right technology and tools when teaching certain concepts in order to make sure the students not only use the technology correctly but also grasp the concepts for maximum understanding. 

Digital Citizenship

If there's one topic that I feel is extremely important for teachers as well students to understand it is Digital Citizenship. We live in such a technologically advanced world many people do not understand the ramifications of offering information about themselves (and others) into cyberspace.  

As teachers we may be in the online teaching arena or incorporate technology into our traditional brick and mortar classrooms. Both of these worlds offer great opportunities for our students but can also pose risks when it come to personal information. A few key points to remember as a teacher regarding digital citizenship and student rights:

1. Follow all FERPA Laws. This means no personal information regarding grades, IEP and/or personal student information may be shared through the internet unless following specific procedures like using password protected documents.

By MrsD719 | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon. Created by C. Daugherty 2/17/2017

2. When using technology in the classroom abide by CIPA. Help students understand the benefits of using technology and the web but help them learn the appropriate online behavior. I love the THINK acronym below in regards to social media use:

T – is it true?

H – is it helpful?

I – is it inspiring?

N – is it necessary?

K – is it kind?

3. Know that following COPPA is completely in the hands of the teacher. Choosing the right online tools that are appropriate for your students is easily doable with a great toolbox of educational resources. Making sure you have parental consent and/or choosing sites that do not ask for any personal information are key

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4u1aEDHmGQ, Anna Otto, Created 8.19.2014. Reused with permission CCO Public Domain. 

Why are these so important? Because as a teacher you need to be aware of the information you are sharing with others and HOW you are sharing that information regarding your students.

Just as important as teachers following all internet laws, students need to be aware of their digital citizenship so they gain an early understanding of their online identity and how it will follow them forever and could impact many aspects of their lives. 

Most people have probably seen school teachers that place an image on Facebook stating they are teaching their students a lesson in how easily it is to get information across the internet. They will ask people to like and share the image to demonstrate how quickly information can spread across the web. For these students the fact that 1000s of people view, like and share one image can show just how quickly and easily it is to find information on the internet.  

Students should be aware that images, tweets, comments etc that are placed on the internet can impact things such as college acceptance and jobs. It is noted that many employers as well as college admissions now check social media sites to see exactly what may be internet available about a potential candidate. 

Check out this video on how successful a teachers post on facebook was to show students internet stafety: Teachers Lesson on Internet Safety

Here is a great article from the Princeton Review on how colleges do look at social media as well as tips for students to "clean up" their profiles and ways to use social media for their benefit: Social Media and College Admission

Larger version of Citizenship In The Digital Age Image. ISTE Infographic  

Not only am I teacher to high school students but I am also a mother to two small children that are learning to navigate their way around the internet. Digital Citizenship is extremely important for me as an educator to make sure I am following all guidelines for my students because I would not want my own children's information shared incorrectly or without my permission. I do think having children of my own makes me more aware of FERPA, CIPA and COPPA and making sure I educate myself as well as my students and parents on Digital Citizenship. 

A couple other resources I found regarding lessons on teaching online safety and digital citizenship can be found below:

Online Safety lessons and games

Digital Citizenship Using Technology Appropriately

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Image Resources used under CCO Public Domain:

• http://www.toondoo.com/
• https://www.flickr.com/photos/91312924@N00/31619186520/
• https://www.flickr.com/photos/7815007@N07/15629080206/

Additional Resource Information Used:

• https://magic.piktochart.com/output/2443268-a-teachers-guide-to-cipa
• https://magic.piktochart.com/output/2448360-a-teachers-guide-to-coppa
• https://magic.piktochart.com/output/2448360-a-teachers-guide-to-coppa

Setting up Twitter as an Personal Learning Network

Until this afternoon I did not have a Twitter account. Yes, I know its 2017 and I can hear the GASPS and "Say Whats" from afar...I had always considered social media accounts to be purely for social interactions and not so much for a professional learning experience.  After reviewing several articles and videos on how educators use Twitter to connect with other educators and their students I signed up...

See here I am (and my husband)...Come follow me!

I followed the extremely simple process of signing up for an account and in less than 5 minutes I was ready to start following people. I searched several topics and people including, Science, Education, Science Education, NCVPS, fellow colleagues, etc. In a short period of I was able to follow 37 twitter accounts that are relevant to my professional field. As I become more familiar with Twitter this number will certainly expand as I continue to grow this particular PLN.

Above you see a few examples of organizations and people that I chose to follow right from the start. I am an Online Science Educator so following such organizations like National Geographic, Smithsonian Science Ed and Bill Nye are beneficial to my instruction in the various courses I teach, including Earth Science.

I also chose to follow a few other educators, some I know and some I don't. I was excited to follow the various NCVPS twitter pages since this is the amazing organization I work for. Ask me about NCVPS and I will tell you about all the wonderful things we are doing for North Carolina students and teachers.  

Below you will see that NCVPS has its owns Professional Learning page. What could better than to  follow this to help with my own Professional Learning that I know will be 100% relevant to my profession and my particular job. 

I believe this PLN will be easy to sustain especially since I work for a school that is solely online. This professional Twitter account will be a great way for me to continue to connect with educators and discover ideas on how to improve my online instruction. I will also be able to learn new techniques to help the teachers I train who are completing Continuing Education Credits to teach online. 

In addition to setting up my Twitter account, I did some further research and saw several articles on how teachers are using Twitter in the classroom and how it has allowed them to connect better with their students and get amazing ideas from other educators all over the world. Check them out! 

50 Ways to use Twitter in the classroom

The Teacher's Guide to Twitter

60 Inspiring Examples of Twitter in the classroom

So while I have not made my first tweet yet I am excited to begin this PLN journey. :)

TPACK and SAMR Models Critique

The TPACK and SAMR models are two techniques for implementing technology into a course. While taking different approaches these models are a basis for how teachers whether in the traditional classroom or online arena can integrate technology to aid in student understanding. 
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So what exactly are the TPACK and SAMR models and what are some advantages and disadvantages of each?

SAMR by Coston Daugherty Both Infographics created on 1/23/2017 by Coston Daugherty
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I believe both models are excellent ways to help with technology implementation. Both the TPACK and SAMR models have positives and negatives and require an instructor to rethink how they teach concepts to students using technology. The TPACK model uses three foundations of teaching: technology, pedagogy and content knowledge and demonstrates how to overlap them. While the SAMR model often takes the form of a swimming pool from shallow to deep with each area at a different depth for technological integration.

Whether technology is being integrated into a traditional brick and mortar classroom or a student is completely immersed in an online class, an instructor must pay close attention to how the technology is being used for student understanding. Simply adding technology to a course for the sake of using technology does not benefit the student if it is not used properly and in a way to enhance student learning.

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I identify most with the SAMR Model. In the video below the Professional Learning Team at NCVPS has broken down this model with examples of how technology can be integrated into the online classroom. 

Created by Lydia Richmond, Used for NCVPS Professional Learning. Published 6.22.2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPrGaqnpVAY .  CCO Public Domain. 

I believe the SAMR model gives teachers ample opportunity to use technology in different ways in their content areas. From the various readings I have been able to understand that one does not always have to stay in the "Redefinition" area of the model. This is not possible 100% of the time. Sometimes simple Substitution or Modification can bring about the same student success and understanding. I have also discovered that there are numerous examples available showing how to use each step of the SAMR model to integrate technology in the classroom. I have seen the many advantages that this model brings to teachers when trying to add technology in their course. This is a model that can be used by a technology newbie or someone that is already teach savvy in their courses. 

The main take away with using either the TPACK or SAMR Model is...You are doing students an injustice if you do not know how to implement the appropriate technology at the proper time.

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References: 

• Koehler , M. (2011, May 13). What is TPACK? Retrieved from http://www.matt-koehler.com/tpack/
• Anderson, B. (n.d.). Helping Teachers with Technology. Retrieved from http://helpingteacherswithtechnology.com/tpack/
• Pappas, C. (2014, March 13). Rethinking SAMR, TPACK and using technology well. Retrieved from http://ditchthattextbook.com/2014/03/13/rethinking-samr-tpack-and-using-technology-well/
• Pappas, C. (2016, March 3). Applying The SAMR Model To Create An Effective Blended Learning Strategy. Retrieved from https://elearningindustry.com/applying-samr-model-create-effective-blended-learning-strategy
• Hooker. (2014, August 1). SAMR Swimming Lessons. Retrieved from https://hookedoninnovation.com/2014/08/01/samr-swimming-lessons/?utm_content=buffer57016&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
• Schrock, K. (2013, November 21). SAMR Model Musings. Retrieved from http://blog.kathyschrock.net/2013/11/sarm-model-musings.html

Who I am...

Hello all!

My name is Coston Daugherty and I am currently an online Science Instructor and Instructional Leader for North Carolina Virtual Public Schools. I taught in the classroom for 4 years before I moved into the online arena and have been teaching online for the last 6 years. I absolutely love being an online instructor and the opportunities online learning affords our students. I had the honor of serving as the 2018 NCVPS Teacher of the year.

I am an ECU graduate and have been married for over 10 years. My husband is in the military and after we graduated college we have moved 8 times in 10 years. We have 3 little girls, Leighton, Aislinn and Elsie.