Tech Tool Response: Piktochart and Flaticon

I really loved this tool, mostly because trying to make posters in Word or some other program that is not really designed for that has always been a pain. And with all the design options, it really provides a lot of opportunity for creativity for those students who want to go beyond what is simply required, while also being simple enough to use for students that are not as well-versed in technology. And because this tool does not require the use of video, it is a bit more accessible than FlipGrid; any student that has access to a computer can use Piktochart. And, even if a student did not have access to or want to use Piktochart, a poster assignment would give students the option to make one by hand if they chose to. I absolutely plan on using this tool as a student, and I will introduce future students of mine to it as well.

Tech Tool Response: FlipGrid

I think that the concept of the app is pretty cool. I like that a teacher could have their class all watch a video and respond to it with a video of their own, as it is different from the typical written response. However, this tool is only useful to those teachers who work in schools in which students have access to some kind of technology capable of taking videos, whether it be that the students all own a smartphone or tablet or that the school gives the students iPads or tablets to use. I am not sure that I personally would ever use this app, but I think that it is a useful tool to keep in mind regardless.

Ash- Response 2

After finishing Ash, I'd say that I really liked the way the author wrapped up the whole story, returning to one of the central themes of the novel, which is the search for a true home. While I enjoyed the author's style of writing, I thought that the novel started off rather slow. The more I read, the more the story compelled me to read and I found myself getting through it faster near the end of the book. In my last post, one thing I didn't mention was that this novel is a sort of retelling of the story of Cinderella. There are a lot of major differences in this retelling, but the story of the girl trapped as a servant in her stepmother's home remains the same. A large part of why I like this novel as much as I do is because it is a twist on a classic fairy tale. The story of Cinderella is one that everyone knows, and most young girls wish at some point or another that they could be so lucky to find such a prince and go from rags to riches. But the problem is that it is only accessible to those girls that want a prince. The ones that want a princess don't have a classic tale to look to. While this novel is not as well known or well loved as the classic tale of Cinderella, it tells a story that appeals to young people within the LGBTQ+ community. And I think that it is important for those young people to have the opportunity to read a Cinderella-like story, to have those kinds of stories available to them. While I still absolutely would have this book in my classroom library, I do not think that I would specifically teach this book because it starts off so slow and because it is a fantasy novel; I think that a more realistic novel would hold more appeal. Overall, a good book that I would recommend reading.

Ash- Response 1

One thing I noticed about this book that I particularly liked is that it is subtle in its portrayals of same-sex couples. At one point, the main character, Ash, goes to a celebration and she sees two women separate themselves from the crowd and kiss before going back in. But, rather than some big reaction, there is nothing; Ash just starts thinking about something else. Later, she is talking to a woman, Kaisa, who tells Ash her favorite fairy tale, one in which a woman falls in love with another woman. But, again, the focus is on the story itself and not on the women lovers. I really like this subtlety because I think that there is often a lot of drama surrounding same-sex couples in novels; that kind of shock and awe that comes with something that is outside the norm. This novel shows same-sex relationships as a normal, even mundane, part of society; that those women are no different from Ash's sister, who has so far spent the entire novel in search of a husband. I think that this is important for young adults to see, whether they are a part of the LGBTQ+ community or not because it helps to normalize same-sex couples so that there is no greater reaction than there would be to hetero couples. Although I haven't finished yet, I can say that already I would want to have this book in my classroom library.

"Technology lite" Article Response

A point this article made that I had never thought of before is that being truly literate is not only being able to use the technology but to use it thoughtfully and with a purpose. Rather than simply teaching how to use the technology, we should be teaching how to use the technology so that it provides some greater understanding that could not exist without it. The article gave an example of this with the student who did an interpretation of a poem using a powerpoint; without that technology, she would not have been able to interpret it as she did. I know from my experiences in school that generally teachers are only concerned with making sure that their students can use technology, and not whether they are using it to its full potential. I've made more powerpoints than I can count in my middle and high school years, but I have never once had a teacher explain how they can be used not only for presentation but for understanding; how the different elements do not have to be separate and unrelated components but can combine into one whole, deeper understanding. Something I particularly liked about this article was that the authors admitted that technology can be difficult to work with and frustrating, but it is worth the frustration. When it comes to the topic of integrating technology in the classroom, people are usually very black and white in their opinions. Either they argue that it is too difficult to learn, particularly for older teachers, and that teaching the students can be a pain. Or, people argue that technology is just so easy to learn and students pick up on it without any effort. It is interesting to read an article in which it is understood that working with technology can be incredibly frustrating, but that there is reward to be found in the struggle; and that "a sense of humor always helps."

The Single Story of LGBT Youth

I decided to look at the single story of LGBTQ+ youth. I wanted to choose a single story that I would want to look at with future students of mine. When I thought about the single stories I had when I was in middle/high school, the first one that came to mind was the one I had of LGBTQ+ youth. Although I grew up in a house that is very accepting of everyone, I also grew up in a community that is not, and most of what I knew about LGBTQ+ youth came from what I saw on social media or the news. That is not necessarily a bad thing, except that most of the stories that a young student on social media is going to see will have the same flavor: a youth is so brave for coming out to his/her parents and they were so wonderfully accepting, or this child was disowned by his/her parents for coming out. Again, these are not bad things to see or read about, but they can paint the single story that LGBTQ+ youth are either happily accepted or struggling for acceptance, and that is simply not entirely true. It is often not so simple and these stories don't show what these youths are going through internally. They don't show that even that youth with the accepting parents still spent days, weeks, months, maybe even years, worrying that they will not be accepted. I think that it is important to show students more stories than the highly publicized ones they see on social media, and that is why I chose the books that I did. I think that they offer a closer look at the lives of LGBTQ+ youth that students probably would not see in other media.

1. Ash by Malinda Lo
2. Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher
3. Lizard Radio by Pat Schmitz
4. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee
5. The Gay Metropolis: The Landmark History of Gay Life in America by Charles Kaiser
6. Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig

Technology in the Classroom and for Social Justice

I believe that, although technology has caused the Digital Divide, it will also be the thing that demolishes it. As far as the use of technology in the classroom goes, as much as I myself enjoy traditional methods, I think that it is inevitable that tech will eventually take over the classroom. I think that there are benefits to that as well as drawbacks; students will be given more control over their learning experiences, which will likely promote students' success, but those students in impoverished areas where tech is not as readily accessible may be left behind. And that, I think, is where technology for social justice comes into play. While change never happens overnight, particularly, it seems, when it comes to using technology for good, having apps like Streetwyze are a fantastic place to start. If communities can be better documented, then they can be better helped. If the communities are improved, the schools will follow, and, eventually, tech will be made available to every student. Now, obviously this is a very slow process, particularly when not all communities are so accepting of developing technologies, but I think that this the best way to start working to close that Digital Divide.