Tim Wilson Blog ePortfolio

Coding for the Future: Looking at the Push for Computer Programming in Education Timothy Wilson Endicott College At the moment, computer programming or coding is a hot topic in education.  There is a high demand for computer programming technicians and a short supply (Pinkston 2015; Shein 2014), but does that mean everyone should learn to code?  Learn the languages of computer programming?  If so, why?  What is the necessity of coding that this push from schools is rooted in?  This paper attempts to answer some of these questions through looking at where we have come from and where we might go with computer programming.               A good place to start in the history of the push for computer programming in schools is the ‘space race’.  The launching of the Russian Sputnik in 1957 ushered in a new era in educational reform placing high esteem in the subj...

Position Paper: Technology and Student Achievement Technology is the great panacea that it is made out to be for instruction, however, our current educational systems are not effectively utilizing the power of technology for individualization, exploration, collaboration, creativity, and passion.  If we shift our values and focus to those of empowering the learner, we will see the shift in learning that many have thought would come just by putting more technology into the classroom.  It is paramount for us as teachers to teach the students how to learn.  Technology continues to expand its usefulness for students to be able to reach a wider audience and access knowledge that is significant and impactful to the individual’s interests. At present, there is a vast array of educational technology tools, apps, websites, software, and hardware out there that can greatly enhance learning outcomes when used to their best ability.  Some of the most effective technology t...

Anchor is a new social media platform where the discussion happens completely in audio recordings. Users get 2 minutes to introduce their topic and then anyone listening can respond with a 1 minute recording.  It's sort of a mix between blogging, twitter, and podcasting.  Here's my first go, I'd love to hear what you think.  Let's make some waves!  

A. Based on your experience and passion, what is your personal vision of education? My vision of what education should and can be is informed by my personal experience and is inspired by the beliefs and views of such educational thinkers as Sal Kahn and Sir Ken Robinson.  I have seen that in the current system that we approach learning through leaves too many students with large holes in their understanding of varied content areas.  This occurs as a result of the pressures to push through a large amount of curriculum.  Students must move on to the next, generally more difficult, stage before fully understanding the concepts that have just been covered because the class is moving on.   Students are also forced into programs of study that neglect to take into account their interests and furthermore their passions.  These programs place great importance on math and science, in some cases completely removing artistic options from students’ schooling.  When...

Current Event Paper Background The article What is virtual reality’s role in education?: An interview with Nearpod cofounder Filipe Sommer, written by Blake Montgomery and posted by www.edsurge.com on February 24, 2016, discusses a new addition to the Nearpod educational toolbox.  Nearpod is a web-based presentation tool that pushes the presentation directly to the students’ devices allowing for the teacher to pose questions and set tasks for the students to respond to within the presentation.  The presentation can be given in a live session or sent as homework in a flipped classroom setting.  Nearpod presentations can include text, audio, video, weblinks, polls, quizzes, and drawing content.  Nearpod allows teachers to create their own content as well as provides numerous pre-created model lessons for teacher to use.    Summary The article is an interview with Nearpod cofounder Filipe Sommer about the company’s latest release on February 17th o...

Personal Technology Reflection I use technology almost constantly in my home life as well as my educational life.  I have always been someone who takes to new software and advancements in technology quite quickly.  I credit my father for always buying an Apple computer every time the version was released.  He was always excited to see what the new computer could do that for the lay person was not possible before, even if those advancements had no practical value.  I think that may be the difference between teachers who integrate technology into their classroom easily and those who are resistant to change.  It’s the difference in mindset from ‘If I’m going to use this technology, it better make my life way easier.’ and ‘Wow, let’s see what this piece of science can do!’ As far as using technology in my educational setting goes, I don’t really have a choice.  Using technology is the facet of my educational setting that I fill.  I am the Educational...