I am happy to say that my technology project has come to a close! I love how it turned out and am happy to share it all with you.
Here is a link to the class blog with the assignment on it.
I used blogging and videotaping for this project and learned how to use a flip camera, make a movie out of it and upload it onto the computer.
This task was harder than I thought it would be. The taping part was easy and I was grateful that the flip camera was so easy to use and replay. It was confusing to try and figure out the uploading part and it took me quite a bit of time. After it didn't work on my computer (from transferring on a flash drive) I looked up solutions online and tried to figure out the problem on my own. After several hours I decided to get the help of Ariel and her genius roommate. Ariel had mentioned what I needed to do and her roommate had the things I needed! Sometimes being a teacher will require the help of fellow colleagues! The problem had occurred during the actual putting together of my movie instead of the uploading part so I learned about movie making in general and the steps to go through to make a movie in the right, transferable, format.
I think this project would be a big hit for students and I know I thoroughly enjoyed making my example video. Although the students' videos won't be as comical, I hope they will still have fun making the videos and seeing what other people have to say. This project is all about gaining a new perspective and analyzing other points of view to add to your knowledge, all while forming your own opinion and position on the matter.
NETS met for students:
1. Creativity and Innovation. Students: (b.) create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
2. Communication and Collaboration. Students: (a.) interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
3. Research and Information Fluency. Students: (b.) locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
6. Technology Operations and Concepts. Students: (a.) understand and use technology systems.
NETS met for teacher:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. Teachers: (a.) promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. Teachers: (a.) design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.
3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning. Teachers: (b.) collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility. Teachers: (c.) promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to use of technology and information.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
End of the Semester Reflection
I have learned that technology plays an integral part in education. It keeps students interested, curious, and engaged, and can make presenting and explaining easier for the teacher. It is remarkable the amount of resources already created for teachers to use supporting technological advances (smartexchange comes to mind). The way students can interact with their learning is, to me, the most important reason for technology in the classroom. It is so much easier (and more fun) to learn when you can manipulate the ideas yourself. I have appreciated this class so much and see it not only as an information session where we learn about different kinds of technology devices to integrate in a classroom, we learn that technology is always changing and it is up to us teachers to figure out what kinds of things makes learning easier for our students from the world they are coming from. I am excited to implement the things I have learned in this class in a real classroom someday!
As far as the NETS I wanted to focus on this semester, I think I have started making progress. I wanted to focus on modeling digital-age work and learning (NETS for teachers #3). By beginning to learn the types of things that could be integrated into a classroom and being able to weigh the positives and negatives of each tool, I believe I have begun the journey to modeling technology in educational ways. Just by completing this blog is a way the tools I have learned have been put into progress and tested out! My understanding and experimentation, I'm sure, will pay off!
Thank you Professor Adair for a meaningful and insightful class experience.
As far as the NETS I wanted to focus on this semester, I think I have started making progress. I wanted to focus on modeling digital-age work and learning (NETS for teachers #3). By beginning to learn the types of things that could be integrated into a classroom and being able to weigh the positives and negatives of each tool, I believe I have begun the journey to modeling technology in educational ways. Just by completing this blog is a way the tools I have learned have been put into progress and tested out! My understanding and experimentation, I'm sure, will pay off!
Thank you Professor Adair for a meaningful and insightful class experience.
Reflection #7-12
Reflection #12
Another way that online resources benefit the general public is....shopping! I know my mom, and many adults out there are especially grateful for this. The internet has made shopping more convenient and stress-free. Although it may be more expensive with shipping costs, many people find it worth it.
Reflection #11:
One great thing about the information being on the Internet is the ability to teach yourself. There are now many oppurtunities to watch youtube videos or just find articles on how to teach yourself to play an instrument, solve a rubix cube, make a recipe...it's crazy! Personally, I taught myself piano chords, and my boyfriend learned to play the guitar just by finding it online. I love how this is now free and available!
Reflection #10:
When I was looking around for information on the future of technology in education I came upon a youtube video talking about a classroom with an interactive ocean that students could explore. It was really cool! The students could observe ocean life and move around to different sections. An ocean researcher was commenting on how students can observe new discoveries from the classroom instead of having them come down with the divers. I thought this was a great learning experience.
Reflection #9:
For one of my other classes I misunderstood an assignment and I blame it on the increasing amount of reliable information on the Internet! By no means do I mean that this information is bad...it can just cause problems, especially when the directions are given from teacher to student. In one of my classes we were to research a topic using journal articles. What do I, as a member of the technology generation, first think of when I hear the phrase "journal articles"? Not the paper and ink kind of thing of course! I think of the online databases with thousands of journal articles. So, to start my assignment I tried to find the journals my instructor was talking about but couldn't (this was because they were in the library literally, not just on the library's database). So, not knowing what to do, I found an article relevant to the assigned topic from a different journal. After I turned it in my instructor was confused and talked to me about it and we realized the misunderstanding. Thankfully, she accepted the work I did. This just goes to illustrate the gap that has been created in understanding sources of information from one generation to the next. Sometimes what our students might be thinking of will be different than what our older brains come up with.
Reflection #8:
I am amazed at all the things blogging is being used for! When I was doing my research on they future of technology and education articles on that topic were on blogs! It made me realize that there really are serious topics and issues being discussed by important people on blogs. I used to think that blogging was unreliable and purely subjective, which it can be, but as my horizon has opened I have found blogs being used very effectively in a role that is reliable and important.
Reflection #7:
My exposure to blogging within in the educational world is very limited and probably is only limited to the things we have seen in this class--so I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled upon the use of blogging while inquiring about an assignment for another class. In my Special Needs in Education class we are required to interact with people with special needs in some context and the Special Olympics is an option. I found their website and emailed the point person. This person gave me some brief information but then pointed me to the Special Olympics BLOG. It was so helpful! There was up to date information on events, scores from previous events, news, pictures, and so on. It made me smile and immediately think about this class. It was very cool to see the organization using something like blogging to inform and give option for interaction.
Another way that online resources benefit the general public is....shopping! I know my mom, and many adults out there are especially grateful for this. The internet has made shopping more convenient and stress-free. Although it may be more expensive with shipping costs, many people find it worth it.
Reflection #11:
One great thing about the information being on the Internet is the ability to teach yourself. There are now many oppurtunities to watch youtube videos or just find articles on how to teach yourself to play an instrument, solve a rubix cube, make a recipe...it's crazy! Personally, I taught myself piano chords, and my boyfriend learned to play the guitar just by finding it online. I love how this is now free and available!
Reflection #10:
When I was looking around for information on the future of technology in education I came upon a youtube video talking about a classroom with an interactive ocean that students could explore. It was really cool! The students could observe ocean life and move around to different sections. An ocean researcher was commenting on how students can observe new discoveries from the classroom instead of having them come down with the divers. I thought this was a great learning experience.
Reflection #9:
For one of my other classes I misunderstood an assignment and I blame it on the increasing amount of reliable information on the Internet! By no means do I mean that this information is bad...it can just cause problems, especially when the directions are given from teacher to student. In one of my classes we were to research a topic using journal articles. What do I, as a member of the technology generation, first think of when I hear the phrase "journal articles"? Not the paper and ink kind of thing of course! I think of the online databases with thousands of journal articles. So, to start my assignment I tried to find the journals my instructor was talking about but couldn't (this was because they were in the library literally, not just on the library's database). So, not knowing what to do, I found an article relevant to the assigned topic from a different journal. After I turned it in my instructor was confused and talked to me about it and we realized the misunderstanding. Thankfully, she accepted the work I did. This just goes to illustrate the gap that has been created in understanding sources of information from one generation to the next. Sometimes what our students might be thinking of will be different than what our older brains come up with.
Reflection #8:
I am amazed at all the things blogging is being used for! When I was doing my research on they future of technology and education articles on that topic were on blogs! It made me realize that there really are serious topics and issues being discussed by important people on blogs. I used to think that blogging was unreliable and purely subjective, which it can be, but as my horizon has opened I have found blogs being used very effectively in a role that is reliable and important.
Reflection #7:
My exposure to blogging within in the educational world is very limited and probably is only limited to the things we have seen in this class--so I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled upon the use of blogging while inquiring about an assignment for another class. In my Special Needs in Education class we are required to interact with people with special needs in some context and the Special Olympics is an option. I found their website and emailed the point person. This person gave me some brief information but then pointed me to the Special Olympics BLOG. It was so helpful! There was up to date information on events, scores from previous events, news, pictures, and so on. It made me smile and immediately think about this class. It was very cool to see the organization using something like blogging to inform and give option for interaction.
Week#13: Future of Technology and Education
It took me a while to find sources that actually made me think "wow! really?" by thinking about future technological devices in the classroom. This made me conclude that many people don't really know where technology will take us in the future. The classroom has been a late bloomer in integrating and using technology but the world of education is now embracing these norms and putting them in place in schools. And there are a few people that are thinking about and starting up things that will have a big hand in shaping the future of teaching and learning. Here are a few things I stumbled upon:
-One trend I found while reading a few articles was finding something that bridged the achievement gap, that gap between students that perform and different levels. On the Mindshift website: "What Should Future the Classroom of the Future Look Like?" article Salman Kahn predicted classrooms to look like one-room schoolhouses of the past with each students working at their own pace and the teachers are mentors or guides. There would be no divisions in subjects to eliminate the "pretending" factor in learning. I am not sure I agree with this. This kind of scenario seems to demote teachers to supervisors and rob them of the experience their training prepared them for.
-On a BBC News article titled "Classrooms of the Future" another author comments on the achievement gap. A promotional video starting a conference showed a school where students would swipe cards to enter the school and start them on "self-directed learning" First of all, the swiping cards idea is pretty cool and would definitely help with attendance. I'm not sure how effective this would be with elementary students though. The rest of the article talks mentions laptops and the roles they would play in a student's education. It would help them work at their own pace in an environment they were comfortable in (not necessarily a traditional classroom). The article was a little vague on the role of teachers but it seems like they would again be in a supervisor-type role, available for questions as students initiate their own learning. To me, this is a lot of responsibility to place into a high schoolers hands. The environment described in the article was this: "vast, open-plan spaces containing high-tec study areas equipped with palmtops, laptops, plasma screens, and electronic whiteboards" This study area seems great. I think it may work better with a teacher still present in the role they presently hold.
-The topic I gleaned from various sources and learned a lot about was virutal worlds. I had heard of Second Life and video games but didn't know to what extent they were being used in the classrooms. I was shocked to learn that Harvard University is using a virtual reality to be the site of an accredited course for those who may want to audit it. According to PBS Teachers website Learning Now and the article "CyberOne: A Glimpse of the Future Classroom?" by Andy Carvin, Harvard University already has a course that is supported by an online source of sharing. Documents can be downloaded, lectures are available, and discussions can start on the wiki. Through the virtual reality environment of Second Life people who want to audit the class can do so through this other reality. Harvard is a place you can visit in the parallel universe with the same pathways and buildings. The class is the same, there are just made up people walking around. Such a strange idea to me. Why not just live life in the real world? With who you really are? Needless to say, I was shocked and stunned. I know there are very good things that can come from online support of classes, but I don't think a total immersion into another life is necessary.
Along the same lines of virtual reality, I read an article that proved positive (in my opinion) in the integration of virtual and real life. Duke University's newpage Duke Today had an article called "Looking into the Future of Technology in the Classroom" that talked about a class that enters into a virtual reality to learn about negotiating peace. The program is called "Virtual Peace" and it was created by Duke researchers. Students in a public policy class use "Virtual Peace" to respond to a humanitarian crisis. The crisis is hurricane Mitch--an actual even affecting Honduras and Nicaragua in 1998. The students with their created avatars have to meet as international diplomats and make effective moves and decisions. The point of this whole program is to teach studetns how to negotiate peace, and respond to real-world problems. I think this is a fabulous idea! It helps students work together in groups and apply concepts to real problems.
These were the things I learned from the sources I could find on where technology is headed in the world of education. I know there is much more out there and this assignment has made me want to search for more information. I was amazed at how simply searching on youtube brings up ideas for classrooms of the future and lets others know what is being implemented right now.
-One trend I found while reading a few articles was finding something that bridged the achievement gap, that gap between students that perform and different levels. On the Mindshift website: "What Should Future the Classroom of the Future Look Like?" article Salman Kahn predicted classrooms to look like one-room schoolhouses of the past with each students working at their own pace and the teachers are mentors or guides. There would be no divisions in subjects to eliminate the "pretending" factor in learning. I am not sure I agree with this. This kind of scenario seems to demote teachers to supervisors and rob them of the experience their training prepared them for.
-On a BBC News article titled "Classrooms of the Future" another author comments on the achievement gap. A promotional video starting a conference showed a school where students would swipe cards to enter the school and start them on "self-directed learning" First of all, the swiping cards idea is pretty cool and would definitely help with attendance. I'm not sure how effective this would be with elementary students though. The rest of the article talks mentions laptops and the roles they would play in a student's education. It would help them work at their own pace in an environment they were comfortable in (not necessarily a traditional classroom). The article was a little vague on the role of teachers but it seems like they would again be in a supervisor-type role, available for questions as students initiate their own learning. To me, this is a lot of responsibility to place into a high schoolers hands. The environment described in the article was this: "vast, open-plan spaces containing high-tec study areas equipped with palmtops, laptops, plasma screens, and electronic whiteboards" This study area seems great. I think it may work better with a teacher still present in the role they presently hold.
-The topic I gleaned from various sources and learned a lot about was virutal worlds. I had heard of Second Life and video games but didn't know to what extent they were being used in the classrooms. I was shocked to learn that Harvard University is using a virtual reality to be the site of an accredited course for those who may want to audit it. According to PBS Teachers website Learning Now and the article "CyberOne: A Glimpse of the Future Classroom?" by Andy Carvin, Harvard University already has a course that is supported by an online source of sharing. Documents can be downloaded, lectures are available, and discussions can start on the wiki. Through the virtual reality environment of Second Life people who want to audit the class can do so through this other reality. Harvard is a place you can visit in the parallel universe with the same pathways and buildings. The class is the same, there are just made up people walking around. Such a strange idea to me. Why not just live life in the real world? With who you really are? Needless to say, I was shocked and stunned. I know there are very good things that can come from online support of classes, but I don't think a total immersion into another life is necessary.
Along the same lines of virtual reality, I read an article that proved positive (in my opinion) in the integration of virtual and real life. Duke University's newpage Duke Today had an article called "Looking into the Future of Technology in the Classroom" that talked about a class that enters into a virtual reality to learn about negotiating peace. The program is called "Virtual Peace" and it was created by Duke researchers. Students in a public policy class use "Virtual Peace" to respond to a humanitarian crisis. The crisis is hurricane Mitch--an actual even affecting Honduras and Nicaragua in 1998. The students with their created avatars have to meet as international diplomats and make effective moves and decisions. The point of this whole program is to teach studetns how to negotiate peace, and respond to real-world problems. I think this is a fabulous idea! It helps students work together in groups and apply concepts to real problems.
These were the things I learned from the sources I could find on where technology is headed in the world of education. I know there is much more out there and this assignment has made me want to search for more information. I was amazed at how simply searching on youtube brings up ideas for classrooms of the future and lets others know what is being implemented right now.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Week #12: Klausman, Plagiarism, and the Internet
The article "Teaching about Plagiarism in the Age of the Internet" discusses a very prevalent issue in today's educational world. I can identify with the students that are encouraged now to use at least one paper source when it used to be encouraging one Internet source. The Internet has become a new kind of library to the students researching and writing papers. Not only is plagiarism a problem for students but finding reliable sources is another hurdle whenlloking at online information. I just finished a paper for my history class this last weekend and it's difficult to find the information you need, from a source that's valid, and then paraphrase/cite it properly. One thing I learned from the article was that there are different kinds of plagairism: direct, parahprase, and patchwork plaigairaism. The last two are unintentional. One thing that confused me was why using different sources for a paragraph made a difference. If that source was the only source helpful for the topic of the paragraph why would others be needed?
Monday, November 8, 2010
Week #11: Lessons Integrating Microsoft Office
Three different lessons integrating Microsoft Office:
1) Students doing a math lesson on statistics and graphing could work in groups to collect data about a topic and enter the information into Excel. Then they could make a relevant chart from their findings and show the class.
2) Students practicing writing could type a letter on Word addressed to the teacher about one thing they want to do when they grow up. They can go through the writing process, print it out, and put it in an envelope addressed to the teacher.
3) In social studies when talking about different cultures students could make a Powerpoint presentation on the place they are from or a place that interests them.
1) Students doing a math lesson on statistics and graphing could work in groups to collect data about a topic and enter the information into Excel. Then they could make a relevant chart from their findings and show the class.
2) Students practicing writing could type a letter on Word addressed to the teacher about one thing they want to do when they grow up. They can go through the writing process, print it out, and put it in an envelope addressed to the teacher.
3) In social studies when talking about different cultures students could make a Powerpoint presentation on the place they are from or a place that interests them.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Assignment #3: Teacher Toolbox
Link to toolbox.
My teaching toolbox covers different aspects of the teaching profession. There are general websites that have many resources such as lesson plans, printouts, articles, worksheets and much more. There are also sites that can help with management and the nuts and bolts of teaching. Helpful resources include a site for homework to be posted, and sites specifically for classroom theme ideas and decorations. I also included one site that is used as a forum for teachers to share ideas. This is always a good tool to have. The last two subheadings are project ideas/curriculum tools and student sites. Some highlights in these categories are a site where teachers can sign up classes and students to participate in collaborative projects with students around the world, and a site where students can play educational, appropriate computer games. All these categories are important to the success and interactivity in a classroom.
I was amazed at how many sites there are for the world of education. There were many sites that I found that were duds or didn't contain any useful information, and then there were the sites that I could spend hours on. These were the sites that I decided to include in my teaching toolbox. Useful to me means a resource that you can keep coming back to in order to be successful. This is how I decided which sites to include.
I hope I can post some sort of toolbox on a class blog so other teachers can look at it, as I have found other teacher's blogs and such very helpful in my own search. I would love to have the student sites available for students during free time and all the teacher resources will be helpful for me in everything I do!
THREE FEATURED RESOURCES
1. http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/
The random house website has an incredible amount of information on books, awards, authors and illustrators, reviews and activities for the classroom. One aspect I explored was the "Step into Learning" resource. This aspect is helpful for teachers, parents, and students. There is a simple step process that the books students read are categorized by. It goes from "step one: ready to read" to "step five: ready for chapters". There are options for teachers, parents, and students to view different things based on these five steps. In the teacher's view there are activities for specific books and whole pdf files about each step and how to meet the child where they are at in reading.
2. http://www.thehomeworkzone.com/
This is one site I found that is easy to use and would be more helpful in an elementary setting than a secondary one. There isn't a way to post grades that I found, just a portal to describe homework assignments and announcements. This could be helpful for elementary students' parents who want to know what their child should be doing. It is free so there are a few ads which could be distracting, but there may be a way to buy a webpage and eliminate the ads. On this site you can download documents and link webpages--both things that help keep parents connected to the classroom directly.
3. http://www.kerpoof.com/#
I absolutely love this site. It is great for students as well as teachers. For teachers there are lesson plan ideas, classroom ideas, and explanations of the cross referenced activities with national standards. The part for students though is what caught my attention the most. There is oppurtunity to make storybooks, doodle, make a movie and more. One thing I played around with was an activity called "Spell a Picture". The student gets to pick a background and to add objects to the picture they have to spell the word correctly at the bottom of the screen and options for the object will appear can be dropped into the picture. This was really fun and helps students learn spelling!
I'm excited to find more great resources!
My teaching toolbox covers different aspects of the teaching profession. There are general websites that have many resources such as lesson plans, printouts, articles, worksheets and much more. There are also sites that can help with management and the nuts and bolts of teaching. Helpful resources include a site for homework to be posted, and sites specifically for classroom theme ideas and decorations. I also included one site that is used as a forum for teachers to share ideas. This is always a good tool to have. The last two subheadings are project ideas/curriculum tools and student sites. Some highlights in these categories are a site where teachers can sign up classes and students to participate in collaborative projects with students around the world, and a site where students can play educational, appropriate computer games. All these categories are important to the success and interactivity in a classroom.
I was amazed at how many sites there are for the world of education. There were many sites that I found that were duds or didn't contain any useful information, and then there were the sites that I could spend hours on. These were the sites that I decided to include in my teaching toolbox. Useful to me means a resource that you can keep coming back to in order to be successful. This is how I decided which sites to include.
I hope I can post some sort of toolbox on a class blog so other teachers can look at it, as I have found other teacher's blogs and such very helpful in my own search. I would love to have the student sites available for students during free time and all the teacher resources will be helpful for me in everything I do!
THREE FEATURED RESOURCES
1. http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/
The random house website has an incredible amount of information on books, awards, authors and illustrators, reviews and activities for the classroom. One aspect I explored was the "Step into Learning" resource. This aspect is helpful for teachers, parents, and students. There is a simple step process that the books students read are categorized by. It goes from "step one: ready to read" to "step five: ready for chapters". There are options for teachers, parents, and students to view different things based on these five steps. In the teacher's view there are activities for specific books and whole pdf files about each step and how to meet the child where they are at in reading.
2. http://www.thehomeworkzone.com/
This is one site I found that is easy to use and would be more helpful in an elementary setting than a secondary one. There isn't a way to post grades that I found, just a portal to describe homework assignments and announcements. This could be helpful for elementary students' parents who want to know what their child should be doing. It is free so there are a few ads which could be distracting, but there may be a way to buy a webpage and eliminate the ads. On this site you can download documents and link webpages--both things that help keep parents connected to the classroom directly.
3. http://www.kerpoof.com/#
I absolutely love this site. It is great for students as well as teachers. For teachers there are lesson plan ideas, classroom ideas, and explanations of the cross referenced activities with national standards. The part for students though is what caught my attention the most. There is oppurtunity to make storybooks, doodle, make a movie and more. One thing I played around with was an activity called "Spell a Picture". The student gets to pick a background and to add objects to the picture they have to spell the word correctly at the bottom of the screen and options for the object will appear can be dropped into the picture. This was really fun and helps students learn spelling!
I'm excited to find more great resources!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Week #10: Reading an Educational Blog
I found this brilliant blog entitled "A Fly on the Classroom Wall" created by a teacher who longs to keep parents informed and allow them to be a virtual "fly on the wall"! She has many posts that contain tips and resources for parents and teachers alike. Some examples would be a booklist for parents to read with their students and tips to helping your child make friends. One of my favorite things on this blog is a list of small rewards parents and teachers can give students for good behavior.
I commented here on a post about ways students can have a good school year based on actions at home and at school. My comment helped support the ideas and further discussed the idea that these behaviors would be a good thing for teachers to know so they can recognize and encourage them.
This blog has many more posts that look helpful and interesting. After this assignment, I may just have to put Ally's "Fly on the Classroom Wall" blog in my toolbox.
I commented here on a post about ways students can have a good school year based on actions at home and at school. My comment helped support the ideas and further discussed the idea that these behaviors would be a good thing for teachers to know so they can recognize and encourage them.
This blog has many more posts that look helpful and interesting. After this assignment, I may just have to put Ally's "Fly on the Classroom Wall" blog in my toolbox.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Assignment 4: Technology Project Introduction
In a hypothetical fifth grade classroom studying social studies I will have students break into groups of 4-5 and have them film four people outside the class in a response to this question: “What would life be like if the Colonists hadn’t moved to America?” They will also include a collective answer to the question at the end of the video. I will assist editing the video and posting it on the class blog, inviting others to respond with videos.
Week 9: "Caught on Video"
There was a lot addressed in this article. Most of it was very helpful and interesting but I disagree with a few points he made.
The bulk of the article was very visionary and idealistic--which is a good thing. There are many advantages to providing video cameras to students and teachers. His argument for the documentation and evidence-gathering of learning was compelling because video recording really is the best way to see that process. I am sure parents would love it if parts of the classroom was recorded and they could see the exciting things their children are doing.
I think it's important not to get carried away with this idea. I can see how it could become very easy to focus on just getting something onto tape rather than using it efficiently, while not taking away from important learning experiences.
As for the elimination of grading aspect: I think for progress report kind of grades videos would be a good replacement, similarly with parent-teacher conferences. But, for standardized tests and final grades, videos, in my mind, seem to be cumbersome and detrimental.
Students could be embarrassed or unable to concentrate when being filmed failing to represent an accurate picture of their learning. Also, those needing to evaluate the countless videos coming in may find it taking much longer than looking at numbers and percentages from tests.
Just my thoughts on this article. I learned a lot about integrating video into the classroom and the importance of collecting this kind of evidence. It is a brilliant idea with a few flaws in my mind.
The bulk of the article was very visionary and idealistic--which is a good thing. There are many advantages to providing video cameras to students and teachers. His argument for the documentation and evidence-gathering of learning was compelling because video recording really is the best way to see that process. I am sure parents would love it if parts of the classroom was recorded and they could see the exciting things their children are doing.
I think it's important not to get carried away with this idea. I can see how it could become very easy to focus on just getting something onto tape rather than using it efficiently, while not taking away from important learning experiences.
As for the elimination of grading aspect: I think for progress report kind of grades videos would be a good replacement, similarly with parent-teacher conferences. But, for standardized tests and final grades, videos, in my mind, seem to be cumbersome and detrimental.
Students could be embarrassed or unable to concentrate when being filmed failing to represent an accurate picture of their learning. Also, those needing to evaluate the countless videos coming in may find it taking much longer than looking at numbers and percentages from tests.
Just my thoughts on this article. I learned a lot about integrating video into the classroom and the importance of collecting this kind of evidence. It is a brilliant idea with a few flaws in my mind.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Week 8: NU Panel Questions
For our panel discussion today I want to ask the following questions:
-As new teachers how do you use technology in your class and how much time can reasonably be devoted to th eplanning of technology integration?
-How much support is there from the administration and district for technolgoy integration?
-Is it still as important to send notes and handouts home with students if a blog is in place, etc.?
-How do you integrate your faith into your classroom?
-How much technology pieces (smartboard lessons) do you create yourself and how much is gleaned from other resources?
I'm sure I will think of more tonight!
-As new teachers how do you use technology in your class and how much time can reasonably be devoted to th eplanning of technology integration?
-How much support is there from the administration and district for technolgoy integration?
-Is it still as important to send notes and handouts home with students if a blog is in place, etc.?
-How do you integrate your faith into your classroom?
-How much technology pieces (smartboard lessons) do you create yourself and how much is gleaned from other resources?
I'm sure I will think of more tonight!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Week #7: Promethean Activboard
Article Link: Maximizing Student Achievement (just click on the first article that is displayed)
A lot of what we've already covered about SMART Boards and it's impact on learning was mentioned in this article: interactivity, hands-on experience, etc. However, this article had direct research to prove these things and it was really fascinating. Also, the impact on the classroom was reiterated: the teacher becomes more of a guide than a lecturer, students don't have to "power down" in their use of technology when they enter the classroom, and they can see and hear the material better.
One thing that I haven't read a lot about that this article emphasized was the learner response systems. This allows for students to have a voice--even those that are shy and quiet. With the voters students anonymously submit answers and the feedback is displayed immediately on the screen. This enables every student to be involved at once and limits feelings of embarrassment and fear.
Another amazing thing that was discussed in this article was Promethean's accommodations for special needs. The height adjustability and panels can help involve students who may not have been able to participate before. Special needs teachers also comment on the amazing enhancement of the boards in their rooms.
I am excited to see and use a Promethean Activboard today in class. I do have questions though:
1. How do voters work?
2. What are the main differences of the Activboard to the SMART Board?
3. How does the audio enhancement technology work?
4. What kinds of assignments/tasks could kids do to use the Promethean software at home?
Guess I'll find out tonight! See you all in a few hours:)
A lot of what we've already covered about SMART Boards and it's impact on learning was mentioned in this article: interactivity, hands-on experience, etc. However, this article had direct research to prove these things and it was really fascinating. Also, the impact on the classroom was reiterated: the teacher becomes more of a guide than a lecturer, students don't have to "power down" in their use of technology when they enter the classroom, and they can see and hear the material better.
One thing that I haven't read a lot about that this article emphasized was the learner response systems. This allows for students to have a voice--even those that are shy and quiet. With the voters students anonymously submit answers and the feedback is displayed immediately on the screen. This enables every student to be involved at once and limits feelings of embarrassment and fear.
Another amazing thing that was discussed in this article was Promethean's accommodations for special needs. The height adjustability and panels can help involve students who may not have been able to participate before. Special needs teachers also comment on the amazing enhancement of the boards in their rooms.
I am excited to see and use a Promethean Activboard today in class. I do have questions though:
1. How do voters work?
2. What are the main differences of the Activboard to the SMART Board?
3. How does the audio enhancement technology work?
4. What kinds of assignments/tasks could kids do to use the Promethean software at home?
Guess I'll find out tonight! See you all in a few hours:)
Reflective Entries #1-6
Reflection #6
As I was working on a paper for another class the other day I was very thankful for a new(ish) aspect of technology: ebooks. For my biblical interpretation class I was able to access commentaries online! This was extremely helpful as it was late and the library was closed. Also, most commentaries are in the reference section which means they can't be checked out. I was grateful to be able to access the material from my desk. Not only have I used ebooks, but online journal articles have been a huge help in paper writing. I love the way information is available on the internet and that libraries are supporting this--because, as we all know, not all the information is reliable. But when we gain our source from a output such as the library we can know we are in good hands. Thank you technology!
Reflection #5
Reading Yajaira's post on podcasts spurred me to realize that I know nothing about podcasts in the teaching profession. I listen to sermons on podcasts when I work out, and I knew that there were podcasts for almost anything, but I guess it never crossed my mind to use them in teaching. So...I took a look on my itunes for the podcasts available relevant to teaching. I found podcasts providing lesson plans, language learning, and music lessons even! The coolest thing I found however was this: the sites we could use to get videos for our students (like discovery, BBC, PBS, and TED) have podcasts! Just another feature we could incorporate into lessons. I can just imagine a secondary teacher assigning a project to review a certain amount of podcasts on from one of these providers on a certain topic. My horizons of possibilities with technology keep expanding.
Reflection #4
I was driving into my church the other Sunday and a sign I had never seen before met me at the entrance of the long driveway. It said something like this: "We welcome you to Overlake Christain Church. Tune your radio to 89.9 for more information." I was in awe! So, of course, I turned my radio to 89.9 and listened as our head pastor welcomed everyone to church and gave resources for children, main service times, and even available cofffee. To me this was a perfect example of integrating technology on a professional level to the benefit of many people. I immediately felt welcome (even though I wasn't new) and knew that the church cared for me and it's other attendees. What an awesome and effective idea. Just thought I would share.
Reflection #3
I have realized that a lot of creativity goes into making technology integration work in a classroom. And this really excites me. I love being creative, artistic, and visual. I think these things will help me adapt certain tools into my teaching. I can't wait to get to my own classroom and use the things I have learned so far.
Reflection #2:
Sitting in class a few days ago, I was thinking about the adjectives we use to describe different forms of technology and how it affects a student's perception of the material. In this class the teacher had prepared visuals and helpful tools for us on the computer which wasn't working. So she told us we would be using the "archaic" overhead projector. Now even in a college level class we automatically think of the overhead being "old" and it slightly turns us off to the information being presented. I assume this would be the same way with an elementary class. Students like to use new things!! When I was in elementary school I loved being called up to write something on an overhead because it was a new thing. But, as with anything, things get better and we, kids especially, aren't satisfied with our old stuff. Keeping ahead with our use of technology is consequently and important aspect to the attractiveness of a lesson. It may make or break the attention you get from your students. Just a thought:)
Reflection #1:
I was thinking about how technology makes learning effective in the classroom and my mind wandered to the classes I have taken at Northwest so far. The class I would say was most efficient in integrating technology and using devices to connect with students was Professor Kowalski's Christian Thought class. He is very knowledgeable about technology--so it is no surprise he would use it to further his teaching ability. It was easy to follow the material with the information Kowalski would put on the screen. He would also access passages of scripture online with different resources right in front of us. My favorite use of technology however was used at the beginning of class. He would have a music video playing as everyone entered relating to the material for the day. This was the perfect tool to get his audience of young adults engaged and interested right away. All this to say, I applaud his creative use of technology to drive home educational points.
As I was working on a paper for another class the other day I was very thankful for a new(ish) aspect of technology: ebooks. For my biblical interpretation class I was able to access commentaries online! This was extremely helpful as it was late and the library was closed. Also, most commentaries are in the reference section which means they can't be checked out. I was grateful to be able to access the material from my desk. Not only have I used ebooks, but online journal articles have been a huge help in paper writing. I love the way information is available on the internet and that libraries are supporting this--because, as we all know, not all the information is reliable. But when we gain our source from a output such as the library we can know we are in good hands. Thank you technology!
Reflection #5
Reading Yajaira's post on podcasts spurred me to realize that I know nothing about podcasts in the teaching profession. I listen to sermons on podcasts when I work out, and I knew that there were podcasts for almost anything, but I guess it never crossed my mind to use them in teaching. So...I took a look on my itunes for the podcasts available relevant to teaching. I found podcasts providing lesson plans, language learning, and music lessons even! The coolest thing I found however was this: the sites we could use to get videos for our students (like discovery, BBC, PBS, and TED) have podcasts! Just another feature we could incorporate into lessons. I can just imagine a secondary teacher assigning a project to review a certain amount of podcasts on from one of these providers on a certain topic. My horizons of possibilities with technology keep expanding.
Reflection #4
I was driving into my church the other Sunday and a sign I had never seen before met me at the entrance of the long driveway. It said something like this: "We welcome you to Overlake Christain Church. Tune your radio to 89.9 for more information." I was in awe! So, of course, I turned my radio to 89.9 and listened as our head pastor welcomed everyone to church and gave resources for children, main service times, and even available cofffee. To me this was a perfect example of integrating technology on a professional level to the benefit of many people. I immediately felt welcome (even though I wasn't new) and knew that the church cared for me and it's other attendees. What an awesome and effective idea. Just thought I would share.
Reflection #3
I have realized that a lot of creativity goes into making technology integration work in a classroom. And this really excites me. I love being creative, artistic, and visual. I think these things will help me adapt certain tools into my teaching. I can't wait to get to my own classroom and use the things I have learned so far.
Reflection #2:
Sitting in class a few days ago, I was thinking about the adjectives we use to describe different forms of technology and how it affects a student's perception of the material. In this class the teacher had prepared visuals and helpful tools for us on the computer which wasn't working. So she told us we would be using the "archaic" overhead projector. Now even in a college level class we automatically think of the overhead being "old" and it slightly turns us off to the information being presented. I assume this would be the same way with an elementary class. Students like to use new things!! When I was in elementary school I loved being called up to write something on an overhead because it was a new thing. But, as with anything, things get better and we, kids especially, aren't satisfied with our old stuff. Keeping ahead with our use of technology is consequently and important aspect to the attractiveness of a lesson. It may make or break the attention you get from your students. Just a thought:)
Reflection #1:
I was thinking about how technology makes learning effective in the classroom and my mind wandered to the classes I have taken at Northwest so far. The class I would say was most efficient in integrating technology and using devices to connect with students was Professor Kowalski's Christian Thought class. He is very knowledgeable about technology--so it is no surprise he would use it to further his teaching ability. It was easy to follow the material with the information Kowalski would put on the screen. He would also access passages of scripture online with different resources right in front of us. My favorite use of technology however was used at the beginning of class. He would have a music video playing as everyone entered relating to the material for the day. This was the perfect tool to get his audience of young adults engaged and interested right away. All this to say, I applaud his creative use of technology to drive home educational points.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Week #6: In Class
One thing I have learned so far:
So far I have learned so much--but to pin it down to one I would say that learning how to use the SMART Board and it's online resources was amazing. I had no idea you could download the SMART Board software onto your personal computer and work on presentations that way. I loved it--it made me want to make a presentation over and over again.
I am still confused about:
I am comfortable with using the SMART Board within it's own Notebook program but I wonder how I could use the SMART Board funtions outside the Notebook page. For example writing and saving things you have modified online, on word processor, etc.
So far I have learned so much--but to pin it down to one I would say that learning how to use the SMART Board and it's online resources was amazing. I had no idea you could download the SMART Board software onto your personal computer and work on presentations that way. I loved it--it made me want to make a presentation over and over again.
I am still confused about:
I am comfortable with using the SMART Board within it's own Notebook program but I wonder how I could use the SMART Board funtions outside the Notebook page. For example writing and saving things you have modified online, on word processor, etc.
Week #6: Generation IM Article Reflection
I really enjoyed the article "Generation IM". It was very similar to the article I read for my technology literacy paper but I still learned a good deal. Right off the bat I think a very important statement in the article was, “If we teach them the way we were taught, we’re not serving them well.” Peggy Sheehy illustrates the importance of understanding the way the students of the current generation learn because it is often different from the way the teachers learned.
Another thing that caught my attention was how the article contrasted television and the Internet in terms of roles the students take. I used to hear the TV and computer being grouped together and people (usually parents) saying their children waste too much time on the TV and computer. The view, as the article suggests, may be changing to accept Internet use more now due to it's interactivity? Either way it is important to realize our students love being interactive! And we should make the content in our classroom interactive.
The suggestions of using technology in lessons was great! Some of the recommendations I hadn't heard of before. One that I like particularly was how sixth graders made fictitious profiles of characters from different books on a social networking site. They could then write as if they were them. What a great way to step into another person's shoes and think outside yourself for a little bit. Another suggestion I liked was exploring Google maps in a lesson or for research--because, as the author said, who doesn't like using Google maps?? I sure love it! It is an excellent way of visualizing geography and history.
This article is one that will be bookmarked on my computer so I can access it when I have my classroom. It is very helpful and resourceful.
Another thing that caught my attention was how the article contrasted television and the Internet in terms of roles the students take. I used to hear the TV and computer being grouped together and people (usually parents) saying their children waste too much time on the TV and computer. The view, as the article suggests, may be changing to accept Internet use more now due to it's interactivity? Either way it is important to realize our students love being interactive! And we should make the content in our classroom interactive.
The suggestions of using technology in lessons was great! Some of the recommendations I hadn't heard of before. One that I like particularly was how sixth graders made fictitious profiles of characters from different books on a social networking site. They could then write as if they were them. What a great way to step into another person's shoes and think outside yourself for a little bit. Another suggestion I liked was exploring Google maps in a lesson or for research--because, as the author said, who doesn't like using Google maps?? I sure love it! It is an excellent way of visualizing geography and history.
This article is one that will be bookmarked on my computer so I can access it when I have my classroom. It is very helpful and resourceful.
Assignment #1: Technology Literacy Paper
I read an article that fully supports exactly what this class is all about: understanding how to integrate technology into teaching to connect with the students further. This article was called “How Do You Leverage the Latest Technologies, including Web 2.0 Tools, in Your Classroom?” and the author described ten characteristics that this generation of students have and how these characteristics can be applied to the classroom.
The bulk of the article described these ten characteristics of the “Net Generation”, the generation of students today who obtained their name from their access and use of technology. Being a part of this generation myself made it easy to see how these characteristics are valid and abundant. They range from “relying on search engines for information” and “interested in multimedia” to “prefers typing to handwriting” and “multitasks”. Knowing the ways a student learns and lives is important for a teacher to know how to identify with the students’ culture and consequently their academic world. This article is a great resource because it specifically identifies programs and tools to use to connect to each of the characteristics this “Net Generation” of students has.
I had one problem while reading this article however. Under the characteristic “multitasking” the author suggests, “permitting students to multitask in class; they can listen to you, type, listen to music, play an online game, and send an email or text all at the same time”. I do not think that this would be productive at all. It would be a huge distraction to the individual student and those around him/her. Additionally, even though the student participates in multitasking throughout the day, it would be important to learn to focus his/her attention and glean from one source and one source only. I heard casually from another student that there was a study done at an Ivy League school that showed students’ IQ drop when a new “task” was added to a test-taking environment. I wonder if the majority of the research supports this or what the article’s author seems to recommend.
On the other hand I agree with the support of typing in the classroom—especially for note taking. Last year one of my professors didn’t allow us to use our computers to take notes and it was really frustrating. For me, it was easier to organize my ideas on the computer versus pen and paper. I can understand that it could be an issue of multitasking if the students are doing other things than note taking. Nonetheless, this is the world we have grown up in.
I gained a lot of information from this article even though the intended audience was older teachers who weren’t a part of the “Net Generation”. Since I am part of this generation I have a greater understanding of the student characteristics—because they are mine. One important thing I will need to take to my future classroom, however, is not to throw technology out there and assume it will help students connect—I must be intentional about integrating and keeping the importance of the content in place.
Citation:
Berk, Ronald A. "How Do You Leverage the Latest Technologies, including Web 2.0
Tools, in Your Classroom?." International Journal of Technology in Teaching & Learning 6.1 (2010): 1-13. Education Research Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Oct. 2010.
NETS Goals
NETS for Teachers:
3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
This standard is important for teachers because it ensures them a knowledge base to teach off of. We must do our research as to what kind of tools our students connect with and are familiar with. Also, as a teacher I don’t want to “throw technology” at my student like it mentioned in the above article. I want to know how to use the right kind of tools in the right kind of way with the right kind of content. Teachers modeling technology integration in the class is important for students because their horizons are expanded—“oh I can use the computer for more than just online games!” It is also extremely important, especially in today’s age, to know how to evaluate and question information found through technology. Modeling can help students know specific ways to do this.
Three ways I will work on this standard this semester are:
- Learn how to use the technology we study and how to apply it to teaching.
I will pay attention and practice how to use the tools we are learning about—constantly thinking about how they can be used to deliver content.
- Research other pieces of technology students are using that could be integrated.
- Never think that I have learned it all
I don’t ever want to think that I know everything about a tool of teaching or device of delivery—because things are always changing and it is important to stay current and connected with my students.
NETS for Students:
2. Communication and Collaboration
This standard is important to students because it literally grows their perception of the world and those in it. Knowing how to interact with people is an essential life lesson and something that is needed anywhere else a student might go. Technology has made this connection broader and easier. Students today could have access to chatting with a student in India or discussing a book with a class in Guatemala. Not only does this stimulate peer relationships but it also develops an understanding and appreciation of different cultures and people.
Two assignments/projects for students to meet this standard are:
- After studying Brazil culture and history the teacher could set up a Skype video feed from a Brazil classroom so students could talk and become aware of the differences in order to appreciate them. Teachers could require each student to write one question to ask a student on the other end.
- Students could be assigned a math topic in which they must research and present in small groups. With only one computer per group, students will have to divide the work evenly and plan to have each participant working on the computer at some point.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Week #5: "Book Project Blog" Analysis
I looked at this blog for the assignment and was very intrigued. The blog outlined and housed a project centered around the book The Guerrilla Season by Pat Hughes that over 300 students participated in. They had weekly discussions with a structured reading schedule. The coolest part that I found was interaction with the author! He was on the blog too and commented and wrote entries! They had a specific part of the blog where they could ask him questions. Additionally, each student had to do one of the five options for a final project and post it on the blog.
This site was a cool resource for sharing insight on one book that all the participants were reading. It was an excellent tool to inspire discussion and bring student's together. I would love to incorporate something like this in my classroom. However, if I did I would want the blog to be a bit more organized. In this example all the entries were in a big list causing any reader to scroll down without any organization in the content. I would make different tabs or links to direct readers and writers to different aspects of the project.
Overall using a blog to bring student's together in reading by using technology is a great idea. It takes the assignment of "book discussion groups" to another level that, in my opinion, would be more enjoyable for students young and old.
This site was a cool resource for sharing insight on one book that all the participants were reading. It was an excellent tool to inspire discussion and bring student's together. I would love to incorporate something like this in my classroom. However, if I did I would want the blog to be a bit more organized. In this example all the entries were in a big list causing any reader to scroll down without any organization in the content. I would make different tabs or links to direct readers and writers to different aspects of the project.
Overall using a blog to bring student's together in reading by using technology is a great idea. It takes the assignment of "book discussion groups" to another level that, in my opinion, would be more enjoyable for students young and old.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Week #4: SMART Board Reflection
After watching most of the presentations last week, my knowledge of the SMART Board and it's features increased greatly. I was fascinated that you can link sound and video to different aspects of the presentations. Throughout this whole process I learned to move from page to page, use the different pens and eraser, move things across the board and manipulate links to the Internet.
Some things are still in the shadows however. I still have questions about the voters and how that could be incorporated into a SMART Board lesson and I would like to know how to save a screen that the students or the teacher wrote on with pens. I'm sure there are more things the SMART Board has to offer that I have no idea about so I am excited to continue this exploration.
Some things are still in the shadows however. I still have questions about the voters and how that could be incorporated into a SMART Board lesson and I would like to know how to save a screen that the students or the teacher wrote on with pens. I'm sure there are more things the SMART Board has to offer that I have no idea about so I am excited to continue this exploration.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Assignment #2: SMART Board Presentation
-In my SMART Board presentation today I will be giving a little lesson on Alaska and the Iditarod.
-Here is the link to the presentation: Alaska and the Iditarod
-Two of the many SMART Board features I will use are the magic pen feature to focus on a compass on the map, and the button link to a video online.
-The NETS that apply to this activity are:
-For students: 1a--"apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes."
On one page of my presentation I will have my students apply their existing knowledge of
directions to figuring out which route the Iditarod takes on certain years.
-For teachers: 2a--"design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and
resources to promote student learning and creativity."
Throughout my presentation I use videos, pictures, and interactive tools to keep students
interested and engaged all while giving them a relevant learning experience on Alaska and the
Iditarod.
-An interactive white board will improve student learning in my future classroom by increasing the attractiveness of the material to my students by presenting with something they can feel and manipulate. It will help them own their learning and take responsibility for their knowledge.
-Here is the link to the presentation: Alaska and the Iditarod
-Two of the many SMART Board features I will use are the magic pen feature to focus on a compass on the map, and the button link to a video online.
-The NETS that apply to this activity are:
-For students: 1a--"apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes."
On one page of my presentation I will have my students apply their existing knowledge of
directions to figuring out which route the Iditarod takes on certain years.
-For teachers: 2a--"design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and
resources to promote student learning and creativity."
Throughout my presentation I use videos, pictures, and interactive tools to keep students
interested and engaged all while giving them a relevant learning experience on Alaska and the
Iditarod.
-An interactive white board will improve student learning in my future classroom by increasing the attractiveness of the material to my students by presenting with something they can feel and manipulate. It will help them own their learning and take responsibility for their knowledge.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Week #3: Interactive Whiteboard Article
I read an article this week from the about interactive white boards and specific examples of how they affected learning in the classroom. A link is provided below for the article. Focusing on an urban elementary school in the southeast, the author mentioned the use of interactive whiteboards in a special education class. It is easy to see how using interactive whiteboards can help those with special needs learn better by feeling the learning space and being able to interact with it at their height and interest. The author mentioned benefits of the board for students with vision and hearing losses but did not go into detail. I would be interested to see how specifically these students learned better with the new technology.
For other classrooms I learned that the interactive white board is used to show multimedia presentations to everyone at one time. At first I thought, "yea, we have been able to watch DVDs and such in classrooms for a while..." but then I realized that we could use one screen to quickly jump over to the Internet and pull up the additional resources a textbook has online or a YouTube video that would be of interest. You could even write comments on a side notebook space while watching the video. The interactive white boards have taken resources we've always had and made them more accessible and easier to present to the whole class.
The last comment I would like to make on this article was the discussion of teaching search engine validity with an interactive whiteboard. In the example, the teacher was going through an Internet search process on the whiteboard and voicing her though process. She modeled a poor search and an efficient search. I remember learning how to search the web as being a difficult thing to understand in my school years. It would have been easier to obtain this all-inclusive guide rather than the "figure it out on your own, I'll walk around if you need help" approach.
In summary, all the examples I read about increased my attraction to interactive whiteboards. I believe they are an excellent way to involve children directly with their learning in an attractive (almost sneaky!) way, and help them feel and touch and manipulate the things they need to understand an objective.
Article Link
For other classrooms I learned that the interactive white board is used to show multimedia presentations to everyone at one time. At first I thought, "yea, we have been able to watch DVDs and such in classrooms for a while..." but then I realized that we could use one screen to quickly jump over to the Internet and pull up the additional resources a textbook has online or a YouTube video that would be of interest. You could even write comments on a side notebook space while watching the video. The interactive white boards have taken resources we've always had and made them more accessible and easier to present to the whole class.
The last comment I would like to make on this article was the discussion of teaching search engine validity with an interactive whiteboard. In the example, the teacher was going through an Internet search process on the whiteboard and voicing her though process. She modeled a poor search and an efficient search. I remember learning how to search the web as being a difficult thing to understand in my school years. It would have been easier to obtain this all-inclusive guide rather than the "figure it out on your own, I'll walk around if you need help" approach.
In summary, all the examples I read about increased my attraction to interactive whiteboards. I believe they are an excellent way to involve children directly with their learning in an attractive (almost sneaky!) way, and help them feel and touch and manipulate the things they need to understand an objective.
Article Link
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Beginning of Semester Reflection
I have had the desire to teach since I observed my teachers in Elementary school. Ever since I was little I wanted to teach second grade public school. Looking back at my school years I can still name the teachers that inspired me and --unfortunately--still name the ones that weren't so effective. I know that when I step into my classroom I will be able to sift through those experiences and find what works for me. Just as those excellent teachers inspired my classmates and I, I want to inspire my students and prepare them the best I can.
I believe that using technology will help prepare my students and give them the experience for when they leave the classroom. I hope this class will enable me to do just this because there is a lot that I don't know at this point. I have had experience with PowerPoint, Word, and the like, but not with the SMART board or even blogging. I am excited to explore new ways of presenting information to students in this ever-changing world of technology because it is becoming a crucial tool to have under your belt.
I believe that using technology will help prepare my students and give them the experience for when they leave the classroom. I hope this class will enable me to do just this because there is a lot that I don't know at this point. I have had experience with PowerPoint, Word, and the like, but not with the SMART board or even blogging. I am excited to explore new ways of presenting information to students in this ever-changing world of technology because it is becoming a crucial tool to have under your belt.
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