EDU+580

=TECHNOLOGY=

media type="youtube" key="Fnh9q_cQcUE" width="449" height="341"  ===="Always program as if the person who will be maintaining your program is a violent psychopath that knows where you live." ====  Martin Goldi

= PERSONAL PUMPKIN GROUP REFLECTION... =

 After reading "Jhai Foundation" I was moved by the fact that a computer (which some people believe causes human detachment) created the exact opposite reaction on two different sides of the globe. The Jhai Project, which in Laos means '"hearts and minds working together"' was born from the the need to connect people who were involved in the Vietnam War (civilian and soldier) and get them to talk and share their feelings. "(It) is about reconciliations. We focus on relationships," says Lee Thorn, founder of the project along with cofounder Bounthanh Phommasathit. Their relationship developed from the Vietnam War where Lee flew as a bomb loader and Bounthanh lived as a refugee with her family. Through this relationship, they formed the Jhai Foundation that helps people in remote areas of the globe live better lives. The foundation took on a project where they could work to help several villages in Lao People's Democratic Republic. They built technology centers within high schools there and designed project based learning activities where the students work on real life issues that effect their village. The students collaborate with other schools around the globe of similar size, climates and geography to help each other discover new ways to grow organic crops to sell to local and international markets. Having achieved such great success with that project, the foundation went a step further. They chose five very remote, struggling villages in Asia to see what they could do to help. Here, the foundation did not just create technology centers with computers that use very standardized parts for easy replacement, but it also developed a form of energy and wireless connection capability so that these villages can continue to grow with change... they did not just cover the issue with a band-aid! The students here track weather conditions to anticipate growing times. They also follow market prices of the crops they grow so they can sell them in a competitive market. The computers are run by battery and charged by a stationary bike! The internet is a series of wireless cards and antennas that connect to a wireless system in a hospital in a surrounding town. What an amazing way to use technology in real life lessons for real life skills. When we as teachers think about how we can integrate technology into our class, we need to try to connect to real world experiences that will make an impact on the students and keep them motivated to learn. We know that in order for students to stay motivated they need to feel like what they do has an impact on their lives. What better models could we possibly find that show how technology makes a difference. From: Cummins,J.,Brown,K.,& Sayers,D. (2007) //Literacy, Technology, and Diversity: Teaching for Success in changind Times.// Boston: Pearson. For more information go to: [|http://www.jhai.org  = REFLECTION ON READINGS PROCESS AND CONVERSATIONS... =  I think that all of the readings that we received in this class made us really think about where we want to go in our teaching with technology and how technology really needs to be fair and equitable for all people. It was really great getting to hear the different groups talk about what they were reading. It is amazing how technology touches nearly every aspect of teaching for the 21st century. I really enjoyed working with this group of people because they are so professional and really model the idea education means learning and growing for one's lifetime. Thank you Jo for the incredible amount of pretinant information you gave to us in such a mini-meeting time slot! Also, thanks for making me feel comfortable with technology!