For this project, I created a SMART board presentation (click dropbox to view Tech SB Lesson) as well as a weebly webpage titled A World of Art. Both of these programs, the SMART board software and the weebly account, involved aspects of technology. Within these two programs, I learned and used the following features. Regarding the SMART board, I used: active links to the internet, background colors, pictures, text boxes, shapes, and gallery items. Within the weebly webpage, I used: multiple pages, pictures from the internet, an uploaded picture of a bulliten board I created, text boxes and titles, and other design features. While creating this site, I ran into constant difficulty with it freezing if I tried to click on something or upload anything too quickly. As a result, I had to keep re-opening the site and working in it until I completed the entire project. Even though this glitch cost me more time, I was able to work around it by constantly re-opening/refreshing the page and learning how to use patience. Additionally, in creating the SMART board lesson, I ran into the difficulty of not knowing how to use all the features just yet. I taught myself how many of them worked by simply experimenting and clicking on various features. In this way, I was able to discover some of the SMART board program's many capabities.
Making a SMART board lesson does not seem as difficult now, and, if I have the time as a teacher, I think I would much prefer to actually make my own lessons this way instead of downloading SMART board lessons from the internet or elsewhere. I liked the freedom I had in making my own lesson about art, rather than having a cookie-cutter lesson from the internet that may not have been what I necessarily wanted to discuss or teacher. I love art, and hence this project's theme, and I plan on using the technology I have created about art within my classroom someday.
Ideally, I would present this overview of 10 artists and their art (the SMART board presentation) to students and then have them get into groups and research a particular famous artist on their own. They could use my weebly site as a launching point for their own research, from which they could put together their own presentation, such as a powerpoint slideshow, for the class. A brief biography of each artist is listed on the site, as well as an example of their art, a brief summary of symmetry's role in all art, and an additional list of children's books for further reference. I would also encourage students to do more of their own research on appropriate internet sites or through library materials. This project is meaningful, not only because it involves something I have a passion for (art), but it also ties in education and technology. I put time and effort into creating both of the pieces of technology that I used, and I am excited to use it someday. I think that kids would highly benefit from a straightforward introduction into several famous artists as well as the handy, additional information on the website about their life and work. This would be a useful place for them to start building their own presentation about a famous, historical figure within the world of art.
This project involves and fulfills NETS for both teachers and students. Regarding the standards for teachers, my project specifically covers #1-3: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity, Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments, and Model Digital-Age Work and Learning. It fulfills the first one, because it should inspire students to find out more about a famous, historical figure and put together their own project about that individual. It also clearly fulfills the second one, because I designed a "relevant learning experience that incorporates digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity." And my project fulfills the third one, because I communicated "relevant information effectively to students...using a variety of digital-age media and formats" through both the SMART board lesson and the additional online website.
My project also fulfills mutiple NETS for students, including, but not limited to: Creativity and Innovation, Communication and Collaboration, Research and Information Fluency, and Technology Operations and Concepts. It fulfills the first one because students will be forced to think innovatively as they evaluate the information presented and then "create original works as a means of personal or group expression." It fulfills the second one listed, because it will require them to communicate and collaborate effectively within their research group as they contribute to their own learning and the learning of others. It fulfills the third one, because students will "gather, evaluate, and use information" presented to reflect upon and study their assigned artist. And finally, it fulfills the last one listed, because students must "select and use applications effectively and productively" if they choose to interact with the weebly website for some of their research.
All of these NETS for both teachers and students are involved (in the above ways) within my project; therefore, I believe that it would be an effective lesson and experience within my classroom. Down the road, I could use the same two technologies to create any lesson about any subject, depending on how much time I had to put into it. I hope you will click on the links at the beginning of this post and enjoy experiencing the two technologies with which I created my current art lesson.
Copyright Notes:
Pictures included in this project were taken from google.com/images.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
End of Semester Reflection
I have learned so much this semester about technology! There is still so much I don't know, but I feel so accomplished in what I do know at this point. The other night I was showing my mom some of the technological things I have created this semester. In doing so, I could tell I was much more comfortable and versatile with technology than I have ever been. Regarding this subject and technology, I have been inspired to be a competent teacher when it comes to technology in the classroom. I feel like my eyes have been opened to some of the many technological possibilities that can and should exist within the classroom. Specifically, I feel like I have learned the differences between SMART boards and ActivBoards and how they can be used within the classroom, especially the SMART board. Also, I have learned about the many different Web 2.0 tools that exist, and I have become familiar with some of them, such as weebly.com. I have also really enjoyed using and maintaining my blog for Technology in Education, and I hope to create my own blog sometime as a teacher for students and parents to access. There is a world of possibilities regarding technology, espcially thanks to the internet, and I plan to use the knowledge and resources that I have gained as well as the aspects of technology that I will continue to learn about as I step into my career as a teacher. Even if I end up teaching overseas, I know that I will be able to use technology and the internet to access information and resources for my students. I am honestly very thankful for this college class, because I would be very behind in technology if I had not taken it. Even though it was at times overwhelming, I have gaining confidence in the area of using technology to teach lessons and convey information.
Regarding the NETS for teachers, I chose to focus on #1- "Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity." My personal goals in light of this NETS were to:
1) Brainstorm ways to implement technology in my classroom,
2) Be open to finding and pondering creative websites or articles about educational technology to comment on within my blog,
3) Discuss technology and education with the students I am working with each week.
I believe that I have fulfilled all three of these goals throughout the semester. I have gained practice in using technological resources and I have included this knowledge in some of my other educational classes at Northwest, as well. I have researched interesting articles and learned a lot through various internet websites (that I commented about on my blog). And, I have talked about technology with some of the students I work with at Lakeview Elementary, including asking their opinions about several of my technology assignments.
Recently, I asked several students at Lakeview about my Assignment #4 project. I specifically asked them if they would be interested in learning more about art in the classroom. They said they liked art a lot and would have fun seeing my website. Even though I did not actually show it to them, I was encouraged that they were interested in it. I hope to use both my project pieces someday in the classroom. I also feel that this particular assignment (my SMART board art lesson and my "World of Art" weebly website) also fulfills the NETS for teachers that I focused on, because the purpose of them ultimately was to facilitate student learning and creativity by helping students have a launching point from which they could research their own assigned artist. I want my future students to use creativity in everything they do, and I think that my new knowledge about technology will go a long way in helping me find creative, technological ways to convey knowledge.
Regarding the NETS for teachers, I chose to focus on #1- "Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity." My personal goals in light of this NETS were to:
1) Brainstorm ways to implement technology in my classroom,
2) Be open to finding and pondering creative websites or articles about educational technology to comment on within my blog,
3) Discuss technology and education with the students I am working with each week.
I believe that I have fulfilled all three of these goals throughout the semester. I have gained practice in using technological resources and I have included this knowledge in some of my other educational classes at Northwest, as well. I have researched interesting articles and learned a lot through various internet websites (that I commented about on my blog). And, I have talked about technology with some of the students I work with at Lakeview Elementary, including asking their opinions about several of my technology assignments.
Recently, I asked several students at Lakeview about my Assignment #4 project. I specifically asked them if they would be interested in learning more about art in the classroom. They said they liked art a lot and would have fun seeing my website. Even though I did not actually show it to them, I was encouraged that they were interested in it. I hope to use both my project pieces someday in the classroom. I also feel that this particular assignment (my SMART board art lesson and my "World of Art" weebly website) also fulfills the NETS for teachers that I focused on, because the purpose of them ultimately was to facilitate student learning and creativity by helping students have a launching point from which they could research their own assigned artist. I want my future students to use creativity in everything they do, and I think that my new knowledge about technology will go a long way in helping me find creative, technological ways to convey knowledge.
Reflection #12
What?
For my technology final project, I have been working a lot with the weebly websites. Ask I look back on what I have already created, I feel very accomplished and proud of my work. However, the process was actually a lot harder than I expected it to by as I tried to create my weebly. As of now, I have created two weebly sites, one entitled Miss Lauryn's Website and the other A World of Art.
So What?
Although I learned a lot in making the site, I was frustrated by how often the screen froze and said "loading" for long lengths of time. As a result, it took me longer than I thought necessary to put all the pieces together on each site. In looking over these sites now though, I almost forget about these challenges and simply take for granted how "put together" it all looks. However, this made me consider and reflect upon an important classroom principle: Even when something seems challenging or frustrating, press on in order to grow and learn.
Now What?
As I begin working with students and giving them assignments, I know that some of them will struggle more than others, and yet, it is important to struggle to some degree in order to learn. In the realm of technology, I think that students will want to find success (since technology is such a part of their world). However, not everything they do when it comes to technology will be easy for them. I want to be there to remind them of this and yet encourage them in spite of the challenges that they will face as they use technology in the classroom. I'm guessing they will figure out difficulties fairly easy though, since they are growing up in a tech-savvy generation.
For my technology final project, I have been working a lot with the weebly websites. Ask I look back on what I have already created, I feel very accomplished and proud of my work. However, the process was actually a lot harder than I expected it to by as I tried to create my weebly. As of now, I have created two weebly sites, one entitled Miss Lauryn's Website and the other A World of Art.
So What?
Although I learned a lot in making the site, I was frustrated by how often the screen froze and said "loading" for long lengths of time. As a result, it took me longer than I thought necessary to put all the pieces together on each site. In looking over these sites now though, I almost forget about these challenges and simply take for granted how "put together" it all looks. However, this made me consider and reflect upon an important classroom principle: Even when something seems challenging or frustrating, press on in order to grow and learn.
Now What?
As I begin working with students and giving them assignments, I know that some of them will struggle more than others, and yet, it is important to struggle to some degree in order to learn. In the realm of technology, I think that students will want to find success (since technology is such a part of their world). However, not everything they do when it comes to technology will be easy for them. I want to be there to remind them of this and yet encourage them in spite of the challenges that they will face as they use technology in the classroom. I'm guessing they will figure out difficulties fairly easy though, since they are growing up in a tech-savvy generation.
Reflection #11
What?
I recently came across a website online that talks about the effects that technology has had within the educational setting on both teachers and students and simply the classroom atmosphere in general. According to the site, there has been a change in student and teacher roles, increased motivation and self-esteem, increase in technical skills, accomplishment of more complex tasks, more collaboration with peers, increased use of outside resources, and improved design skills and attention to audiences. Of these many changes, however, one in particular caught my eye: increased motivation and self-esteem. This made me ask the question Why? Why did technology have this effect on students? If it does have such an effect in the classroom then it seems highly worth it to include technological resources and outlets within the classroom setting. According to the website's research findings, the most common, universal effect of technology in the classroom was an increase of motivation among students. Students who don't necessarily perform well in an academic setting, thrive when technology is introduced and maintained as part of the curriculum.
So What?
One fifth grade teacher, as quoted on the website, states, "Technology is the ultimate carrot for students. It is something they want to master. Learning to use it enhances their self-esteem and makes them excited about coming to school." Another elementary teacher is quoted as saying, "I see more confidence in the kids here...they can do things on the computers that their parents can't do and that's very empowering and exciting for them." Clearly, students have quality pride when it comes to using the computers. I think that they are greatly able to benefit from having computers be a way of working in the classroom in ways that they gravitate toward in the real world. Since so much of our global culture involves technology, students are motivated to put to use and master their technological skills.
Now What?
As a result of reading this website, I am more motivated myself. As an upcoming teacher, I want to include technology and technological assignments in my classroom when I am creating my curriculum. For a while, I just assumed I would incorporate technology to some extent, through the SMART board or other online means; however, I am really starting to see the important of making ways for all students to use technology. Not only does it give them a voice, it gives them a chance to individually (or in groups, depending on the assignment) thrive and find success. The opportunities that technology presents are endless. There are all kinds of ways that students can use technology, but I want to clearly include it since it gives them a chance to be even more motivated to perform well in school.
I recently came across a website online that talks about the effects that technology has had within the educational setting on both teachers and students and simply the classroom atmosphere in general. According to the site, there has been a change in student and teacher roles, increased motivation and self-esteem, increase in technical skills, accomplishment of more complex tasks, more collaboration with peers, increased use of outside resources, and improved design skills and attention to audiences. Of these many changes, however, one in particular caught my eye: increased motivation and self-esteem. This made me ask the question Why? Why did technology have this effect on students? If it does have such an effect in the classroom then it seems highly worth it to include technological resources and outlets within the classroom setting. According to the website's research findings, the most common, universal effect of technology in the classroom was an increase of motivation among students. Students who don't necessarily perform well in an academic setting, thrive when technology is introduced and maintained as part of the curriculum.
So What?
One fifth grade teacher, as quoted on the website, states, "Technology is the ultimate carrot for students. It is something they want to master. Learning to use it enhances their self-esteem and makes them excited about coming to school." Another elementary teacher is quoted as saying, "I see more confidence in the kids here...they can do things on the computers that their parents can't do and that's very empowering and exciting for them." Clearly, students have quality pride when it comes to using the computers. I think that they are greatly able to benefit from having computers be a way of working in the classroom in ways that they gravitate toward in the real world. Since so much of our global culture involves technology, students are motivated to put to use and master their technological skills.
Now What?
As a result of reading this website, I am more motivated myself. As an upcoming teacher, I want to include technology and technological assignments in my classroom when I am creating my curriculum. For a while, I just assumed I would incorporate technology to some extent, through the SMART board or other online means; however, I am really starting to see the important of making ways for all students to use technology. Not only does it give them a voice, it gives them a chance to individually (or in groups, depending on the assignment) thrive and find success. The opportunities that technology presents are endless. There are all kinds of ways that students can use technology, but I want to clearly include it since it gives them a chance to be even more motivated to perform well in school.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Week 14 Post
I went online and found an article entitled, "Technology and Education, What will the future bring?" What IS the future of education and technology? Will technology continue to accelerate and impact the sphere of education, as it has so greatly done for the past decade?
According to this article, it should be noted and remembered that technology enhances learning but should not control it, because technology is not the content of lessons but rather a "cornucopia of tools for learning." With this as a general rule of thumb, I think that it is important to reflect on the fact that technology is a great way to help students learn knowledge, but should not dominate the classroom setup. Students still need to be able to function and interact without relying simply on technology for the means of understanding. With all the recent advances in technology, however, this article does point out that schools must continue to make accomodations for this "technology revolution" within their curriculum, teaching, and learning methods.
While this article briefly touches on how technological advances in education will hopefully continue to benefit those students with physical or learning disabilities, the ideas presented can apply to all students, including those without disabilities. For example, the article has an excellent analogy of how to view technology and education. Predicting the nature of the coming changes within the realm of technology and education is compared to backpacking in the wildnerness. If a hiker is registered and prepared with maps, a route, and gear, that individual will be well-prepared for possible events but will not be able to predict or know exactly what will take place on the trail along the way. The pleasures and dangers of the journey have yet to be encountered. Likewise, as technology continues to advance and affect the classroom, there has been a continuing increase of the many possibilities that could exist for those with or without special needs, but, at the same time, these future possibilities have yet to be fully explored.
This concept is brilliantly summed up near the end of the article, "The criticle gear we carry on the research trail into the future is our mindset, one of exploration, of investigation, of accepting new ways of doing new things. Those who become entrenched in the past, those who say, 'This is the way we've always done it,' will find that their gear is too heavy." How true this is!! I believe that educators must step into the future with a continued sense of innovation, for the practical and creative possibilities of weaving together technology and education are endless. Until the future "happens" though, we should do our best to incorporate the technological resources we do have within the classroom with the social and academic aspects of education. The trail will be blazed one step at a time. However, in order to progress on it, we must be willing to take each necessary step. Therefore, the survival tools for the future of education include a willingness to explore, adjust, and accept the many possibilities that technology presents educators with. For the sake of engaging students and increasing learning in today's world, I think it is helpful for educators to view technology and education as a trail. The trail currently involves the recent innovation of the SMART board, student and teacher blogs, the handiness of the internet, and much more. The trail will continue to open-up as the future unfolds.
According to this article, it should be noted and remembered that technology enhances learning but should not control it, because technology is not the content of lessons but rather a "cornucopia of tools for learning." With this as a general rule of thumb, I think that it is important to reflect on the fact that technology is a great way to help students learn knowledge, but should not dominate the classroom setup. Students still need to be able to function and interact without relying simply on technology for the means of understanding. With all the recent advances in technology, however, this article does point out that schools must continue to make accomodations for this "technology revolution" within their curriculum, teaching, and learning methods.
While this article briefly touches on how technological advances in education will hopefully continue to benefit those students with physical or learning disabilities, the ideas presented can apply to all students, including those without disabilities. For example, the article has an excellent analogy of how to view technology and education. Predicting the nature of the coming changes within the realm of technology and education is compared to backpacking in the wildnerness. If a hiker is registered and prepared with maps, a route, and gear, that individual will be well-prepared for possible events but will not be able to predict or know exactly what will take place on the trail along the way. The pleasures and dangers of the journey have yet to be encountered. Likewise, as technology continues to advance and affect the classroom, there has been a continuing increase of the many possibilities that could exist for those with or without special needs, but, at the same time, these future possibilities have yet to be fully explored.
This concept is brilliantly summed up near the end of the article, "The criticle gear we carry on the research trail into the future is our mindset, one of exploration, of investigation, of accepting new ways of doing new things. Those who become entrenched in the past, those who say, 'This is the way we've always done it,' will find that their gear is too heavy." How true this is!! I believe that educators must step into the future with a continued sense of innovation, for the practical and creative possibilities of weaving together technology and education are endless. Until the future "happens" though, we should do our best to incorporate the technological resources we do have within the classroom with the social and academic aspects of education. The trail will be blazed one step at a time. However, in order to progress on it, we must be willing to take each necessary step. Therefore, the survival tools for the future of education include a willingness to explore, adjust, and accept the many possibilities that technology presents educators with. For the sake of engaging students and increasing learning in today's world, I think it is helpful for educators to view technology and education as a trail. The trail currently involves the recent innovation of the SMART board, student and teacher blogs, the handiness of the internet, and much more. The trail will continue to open-up as the future unfolds.
Reflection #10
What?
Last week, I had a presentation coming up in my Reading Methods classes for which I decided to create my own SMART board presentation covering a children's book. The tricky thing about this project, however, was that I wanted to communicate the information in the book while still making the presentation novel and exciting. I planned to show the SMART board presentation following the reading of the book, but I didn't want the presenation to simply repeat the content in the book and nothing more. Ultimately, I wanted it to re-cap the story while at the same time solidifying the word identification skill I was teaching within my lesson (the skill of rhyming). Therefore, I decided to turn the SMART board presentation into a brief, fill-in-the-blank quiz regarding the words that rhymed within the story. In this way, I was able to cover the book's content while still helping the class understand the concept of rhyming words that have the same sounds.
So What?
As a result of planning and putting together this presenation, I realized how open-ended teaching can be. I was not following any curriculum, I simply found a book with a word identification skill and brainstormed how I could create a lesson out of it. I had to ask myself, "What would be the most effective way to help children understand rhymes, based upon the content of the story?" "How can I use technology to create an effective lesson?" As I put the SMART board presentation together, I took the liberty to make it whichever way I wanted to- I got to choose the quiz questions, the clipart, etc., while at the same time focusing on how to get my content across in a technological and effective manner.
Now What?
Through this final project lesson in my Reading Methods class, I gained skills that I know I will be able to use as I step into the world of teaching. I also became more familiar with the tricks of the trade regarding how to use technology to put together a lesson and a SMART board presentation. I found content and pictures online and used tools within the SMART board program to make my presentation the best it could be. As I become more comfortable with incorporating technology and my teaching skills, I am continuing to learn just how versatile and creative teaching can be.
Last week, I had a presentation coming up in my Reading Methods classes for which I decided to create my own SMART board presentation covering a children's book. The tricky thing about this project, however, was that I wanted to communicate the information in the book while still making the presentation novel and exciting. I planned to show the SMART board presentation following the reading of the book, but I didn't want the presenation to simply repeat the content in the book and nothing more. Ultimately, I wanted it to re-cap the story while at the same time solidifying the word identification skill I was teaching within my lesson (the skill of rhyming). Therefore, I decided to turn the SMART board presentation into a brief, fill-in-the-blank quiz regarding the words that rhymed within the story. In this way, I was able to cover the book's content while still helping the class understand the concept of rhyming words that have the same sounds.
So What?
As a result of planning and putting together this presenation, I realized how open-ended teaching can be. I was not following any curriculum, I simply found a book with a word identification skill and brainstormed how I could create a lesson out of it. I had to ask myself, "What would be the most effective way to help children understand rhymes, based upon the content of the story?" "How can I use technology to create an effective lesson?" As I put the SMART board presentation together, I took the liberty to make it whichever way I wanted to- I got to choose the quiz questions, the clipart, etc., while at the same time focusing on how to get my content across in a technological and effective manner.
Now What?
Through this final project lesson in my Reading Methods class, I gained skills that I know I will be able to use as I step into the world of teaching. I also became more familiar with the tricks of the trade regarding how to use technology to put together a lesson and a SMART board presentation. I found content and pictures online and used tools within the SMART board program to make my presentation the best it could be. As I become more comfortable with incorporating technology and my teaching skills, I am continuing to learn just how versatile and creative teaching can be.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Week 13 Post
On my PC laptop...
Word features I use on a regular basis include:
-Thesaurus (Shift+F7)
-Page number insert
-Page break
-Symbols (for Spanish class or otherwise)
-Copy and Paste
-Paragraph markings
-Bullets
3 projects Icould have my students do to learn or use Word, Excel, or Powerpoint are:
-In Word: Free-type a story and then use ABC check
-In Excel: Grids and graphs for math homework, etc.
-In Powerpoint: Make a presentation for a book report and then share it with the class.
Word features I use on a regular basis include:
-Thesaurus (Shift+F7)
-Page number insert
-Page break
-Symbols (for Spanish class or otherwise)
-Copy and Paste
-Paragraph markings
-Bullets
3 projects Icould have my students do to learn or use Word, Excel, or Powerpoint are:
-In Word: Free-type a story and then use ABC check
-In Excel: Grids and graphs for math homework, etc.
-In Powerpoint: Make a presentation for a book report and then share it with the class.
Week 12 Post
K12 Online Conference:
Probing the Prospects of Paperless Pedagogy
Presenter: Jason Neiffer. From: Helena, Montana.
According to Neiffer, why should educators consider the prospects of a paperless pedagogy? First, this creates a major reduction of wasted paper. Secondly, paper shuffle and classroom procedures can be lightened, and even eliminated. Thirdly, a paperless classroom environment helps students prepare for the future.
Neiffer's overall goal with these prospects is to help move students and teachers to a more digital, paperless classroom. He has made several changes to several of the high school courses that he teachers, including the Newspaper Production class. In this class, he has implemented Web 2.0 tools which has led the way to a more paperless environment for students since it gives access to google sites. It also enables each member of the class to have his own email and thus more easily share information between peers. The newspaper can also be created outside of the traditional print newspaper environment. In one of Neiffer's other classes, World Cultures, he has put the most effort into creating a paperless learning environment. He gave the course a technology make-over due to problems with dated resources and out-of-date textbooks he kept running into. His goal in the make-over was to create a system online where students could use interactive resources to study and share about current events. He re-worked the class and assigned it to a computer lab so that it would not continue to be a tree-eating operation. Overall, he achieved a paperless classroom in both of these courses and increased student accountability with online, recorded assignments. He also believes that he increased student engagment by implementing the use of technology. Throughout this podcast, I realized that a positive attitude for each day (as Neiffer stresses and demonstrates) as well as a re-working of the class system to be more technologically friendly may be necessary for current and future classrooms. A paperless environment may be the key to future engagment and efficiency in the classroom.
21st Century Learning Plato's Way
Presenter: Elizabeth Helfant. From: Sydney, Autstralia.
While there is a risk in letting go of some control in the classroom when a teacher implements technology, there are endless opportunities to learn in the classroom due to technology in today's day and age. Personalizing is the key to helping kids and teachers connect even in the midst of technology. A personal blog is very helpful in doing this, as Helfant explains, especially when students know how to create quality blogs and leave quality comments. Within her Australian classroom, communicating and connecting across the world is a major part of these students' lives. Blogs enable students to learn words and to be creative in how they respond to questions.
In this podcast, students share how they can upload pictures to their blog to share with the children around the world. One girl shared about how she made a book and published it to the web on her blog. These students also use online, interactive games in their learning environment (as long as the games are age-appropriate and engaging). For example, students may engage in Wii tennis and then are required to look up the tennis terms online. They then define and post these terms on the blog for others to see. Overall, I learned that there are rich and authentic ways to develop connections to the English language as students create and maintain their blogs. In addition, as students learn to be responsible users of blogs and forums, they can meet new friends and gain confidence in using technology alongside learners across the globe.
You might be a 21st Century Leader If...
Presenter: David Wells, From: Westford, Vermont.
Wells is the principal of his school K-12 school. He believes that leadership from his desk and the technology desk have much in common. According to Wells, "How can you be a 21st century leader in school? Do you need to be a pro in technology? Not necessarily. You must have core values regarding how students learn and how teachers teach." In addtion, he also states that 21st century school leaders must promote a learning culture, encourage excellence, manage a safe, efficient environment, and act with integrity to promote equitable access to technology for all learners. Therefore, technology and leadership goals are closely linked and can reflect each other. When principals think about their jobs as school leaders, they must also think about how to integrate technology into their educational environment. School leaders, including principals, should plan to include technology in their schools for the benefit of all. As Wells stresses, school leaders need to realize that technology is everywhere. Technology can't be an add-on, it needs to be integrated into everything. He also encourages teachers to help their students talk with digital tools in a responsble manner, because this promotes good citizeship. At the end of this podcast, I was encouraged to keep this conversation about technology and leadership going by asking myself, "How would I like to grow as a digital-age leader?" As an up-and-coming teacher, I want to grow as a digital-age leader by becoming more technologically savvy in my lesson planning, especially with the use of the SMART board and other online tools. I also want to help my students become repsonsible users of technology inside and outside of my classroom environment. I believe that I can be a 21st century leader!
Probing the Prospects of Paperless Pedagogy
Presenter: Jason Neiffer. From: Helena, Montana.
According to Neiffer, why should educators consider the prospects of a paperless pedagogy? First, this creates a major reduction of wasted paper. Secondly, paper shuffle and classroom procedures can be lightened, and even eliminated. Thirdly, a paperless classroom environment helps students prepare for the future.
Neiffer's overall goal with these prospects is to help move students and teachers to a more digital, paperless classroom. He has made several changes to several of the high school courses that he teachers, including the Newspaper Production class. In this class, he has implemented Web 2.0 tools which has led the way to a more paperless environment for students since it gives access to google sites. It also enables each member of the class to have his own email and thus more easily share information between peers. The newspaper can also be created outside of the traditional print newspaper environment. In one of Neiffer's other classes, World Cultures, he has put the most effort into creating a paperless learning environment. He gave the course a technology make-over due to problems with dated resources and out-of-date textbooks he kept running into. His goal in the make-over was to create a system online where students could use interactive resources to study and share about current events. He re-worked the class and assigned it to a computer lab so that it would not continue to be a tree-eating operation. Overall, he achieved a paperless classroom in both of these courses and increased student accountability with online, recorded assignments. He also believes that he increased student engagment by implementing the use of technology. Throughout this podcast, I realized that a positive attitude for each day (as Neiffer stresses and demonstrates) as well as a re-working of the class system to be more technologically friendly may be necessary for current and future classrooms. A paperless environment may be the key to future engagment and efficiency in the classroom.
21st Century Learning Plato's Way
Presenter: Elizabeth Helfant. From: Sydney, Autstralia.
While there is a risk in letting go of some control in the classroom when a teacher implements technology, there are endless opportunities to learn in the classroom due to technology in today's day and age. Personalizing is the key to helping kids and teachers connect even in the midst of technology. A personal blog is very helpful in doing this, as Helfant explains, especially when students know how to create quality blogs and leave quality comments. Within her Australian classroom, communicating and connecting across the world is a major part of these students' lives. Blogs enable students to learn words and to be creative in how they respond to questions.
In this podcast, students share how they can upload pictures to their blog to share with the children around the world. One girl shared about how she made a book and published it to the web on her blog. These students also use online, interactive games in their learning environment (as long as the games are age-appropriate and engaging). For example, students may engage in Wii tennis and then are required to look up the tennis terms online. They then define and post these terms on the blog for others to see. Overall, I learned that there are rich and authentic ways to develop connections to the English language as students create and maintain their blogs. In addition, as students learn to be responsible users of blogs and forums, they can meet new friends and gain confidence in using technology alongside learners across the globe.
You might be a 21st Century Leader If...
Presenter: David Wells, From: Westford, Vermont.
Wells is the principal of his school K-12 school. He believes that leadership from his desk and the technology desk have much in common. According to Wells, "How can you be a 21st century leader in school? Do you need to be a pro in technology? Not necessarily. You must have core values regarding how students learn and how teachers teach." In addtion, he also states that 21st century school leaders must promote a learning culture, encourage excellence, manage a safe, efficient environment, and act with integrity to promote equitable access to technology for all learners. Therefore, technology and leadership goals are closely linked and can reflect each other. When principals think about their jobs as school leaders, they must also think about how to integrate technology into their educational environment. School leaders, including principals, should plan to include technology in their schools for the benefit of all. As Wells stresses, school leaders need to realize that technology is everywhere. Technology can't be an add-on, it needs to be integrated into everything. He also encourages teachers to help their students talk with digital tools in a responsble manner, because this promotes good citizeship. At the end of this podcast, I was encouraged to keep this conversation about technology and leadership going by asking myself, "How would I like to grow as a digital-age leader?" As an up-and-coming teacher, I want to grow as a digital-age leader by becoming more technologically savvy in my lesson planning, especially with the use of the SMART board and other online tools. I also want to help my students become repsonsible users of technology inside and outside of my classroom environment. I believe that I can be a 21st century leader!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Reflection #9
What?
Have you ever listened to a really great podcast? The other day, I opened an email from a friend who had sent me a link to three podcasts. They were recorded sermons from a lady named Heidi Baker, a missionary to Africa, who gave the 3-part sermon series at a church in Honolulu. I really appreciated what Baker had to say, and then it dawned on me that I wouldn't have even been able to hear her sermon if it hadn't been for technology and internet podcasts.
So What?
In order to listen to the 3 podcasts, I had to click on the link my friend sent me and then download the podcasts for free on an itunes account. Since I didn't have itunes yet, I downloaded this program on my computer and then was able to access the 3-part series. All of these steps were possible thanks to quick-acting technology. Even though technology may come with its own set of difficulties in some areas, it's so great that God can use it to spread his message of love in this hurting world. If Baker had preached that sermon even 10 years ago, it would not have been able to reach as many people across the globe, including myself.
Now What?
Now that I am becoming more familiar with technology, I can access more information and music, including podcast sermons, in my life. I am excited to find more sermons by Heidi Baker and listen to what God is speaking through her to our world. As technology continues to evolve, I am determined to try and keep up with it and share encouraging findings with people I know, just as my friend did for me regarding this podcast series. Technology is not only helpful in educational settings, as I am learning in my current college classes, it is also helpful for spiritual purposes, as well.
Have you ever listened to a really great podcast? The other day, I opened an email from a friend who had sent me a link to three podcasts. They were recorded sermons from a lady named Heidi Baker, a missionary to Africa, who gave the 3-part sermon series at a church in Honolulu. I really appreciated what Baker had to say, and then it dawned on me that I wouldn't have even been able to hear her sermon if it hadn't been for technology and internet podcasts.
So What?
In order to listen to the 3 podcasts, I had to click on the link my friend sent me and then download the podcasts for free on an itunes account. Since I didn't have itunes yet, I downloaded this program on my computer and then was able to access the 3-part series. All of these steps were possible thanks to quick-acting technology. Even though technology may come with its own set of difficulties in some areas, it's so great that God can use it to spread his message of love in this hurting world. If Baker had preached that sermon even 10 years ago, it would not have been able to reach as many people across the globe, including myself.
Now What?
Now that I am becoming more familiar with technology, I can access more information and music, including podcast sermons, in my life. I am excited to find more sermons by Heidi Baker and listen to what God is speaking through her to our world. As technology continues to evolve, I am determined to try and keep up with it and share encouraging findings with people I know, just as my friend did for me regarding this podcast series. Technology is not only helpful in educational settings, as I am learning in my current college classes, it is also helpful for spiritual purposes, as well.
More Comments on Peer's Blogs
Throughout the second half of the semester, I commented on the following blogs:
Devon's Giraffes, A Mystery.
Ashley's Reflection #6.
Kacie's Educational Blog.
Shayna's Week 10- NU Educators Panel.
Natalie's Assignment #4 Pt 1.
Hope you find them just as interesting as I did!! My peers have some great perspectives about technology and teaching.
Devon's Giraffes, A Mystery.
Ashley's Reflection #6.
Kacie's Educational Blog.
Shayna's Week 10- NU Educators Panel.
Natalie's Assignment #4 Pt 1.
Hope you find them just as interesting as I did!! My peers have some great perspectives about technology and teaching.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Reflection #8
What?
The other night in my Tech. Ed. class I created my own gradebook at gradeconnect.com. I made up three classes including an art class, math class, and a social studies class. This assignment helped me become more familiar with keeping track of grades online.
So what?
Even though this was a required assignment for our in-class time, it was very helpful being able to interact with this program. I think every soon-to-be teacher should practice with a program like this in order to become familiar with online resources for grading. It's so helpful!
Now what?
I will probably use this program (or something similar, as suggested by my school) in my future. I really look forward to setting up something like this with my actual teaching classes or course work. I feel more qualified to use a program like this, simpy by exploring it and creating several classes on it this week.
The other night in my Tech. Ed. class I created my own gradebook at gradeconnect.com. I made up three classes including an art class, math class, and a social studies class. This assignment helped me become more familiar with keeping track of grades online.
So what?
Even though this was a required assignment for our in-class time, it was very helpful being able to interact with this program. I think every soon-to-be teacher should practice with a program like this in order to become familiar with online resources for grading. It's so helpful!
Now what?
I will probably use this program (or something similar, as suggested by my school) in my future. I really look forward to setting up something like this with my actual teaching classes or course work. I feel more qualified to use a program like this, simpy by exploring it and creating several classes on it this week.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Week 11 Post (Required)
I recently read the online educational blog, "Teachers Love SMART boards." It's about various features one could use on the SMARTboard. I left a posting on the blog entry "SMARTboards and Playing with Fire" about a flame feature that educators could use to make cool backgrounds for their SMARTboard presentations. If I hadn't stumbled across this blog I would never have known about it, so I'm glad I read about this tool. I think educators could get a lot of good ideas from this blog. My comment (click here to read it) is about another website I found this morning about making art online for kids. Hopefully educators who read my comment will then want to also access the National Gallery of Art online where their kids could create other art pieces and display them on the SMARTboard, or even create them on the SMARTboard. I hope to use the flame feature someday for a SMARTboard presentation, as well.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Week 10 Post
Questions for NU Educator Panel members:
1. What is the hardest part about your job?
2. What valuable piece of advice would you give to new teachers?
3. How has technology specifically changed your job in the past decade?
1. What is the hardest part about your job?
2. What valuable piece of advice would you give to new teachers?
3. How has technology specifically changed your job in the past decade?
Assignment #4, Part 1: Technology Project Plan
Project: I will be creating a lesson about art for this project.
Ideally, I would be able to use this lesson in a fourth grade classroom to teach a unit about famous artists and their artwork within history. Although I am an Elementary Education major, my specific endorsement is in social studies. Therefore, this project has a historical bent since it would involve reasearch on people of the past. I will include two kinds of technology within my project: I will create my own SMARTboard presentation to introduce the unit to students and I will also create a weebly account for them to have access to information online about artists. Following my presentation, each student would be assigned a specific artist mentioned to research. They would then be able to access the weebly pages and find links to information which they could then use to put together a powerpoint, or some kind of presentation, to present to the class at the end of the unit.
Basically, my technology project, involving the created SMARTboard lesson and weebly pages, will serve as a launching point for students to begin research of their assigned, prominent artist. I have never made my own SMARTboard presentation before, and I am excited to embark on this endeavor. Although I have made a weebly account before, I will make a new website for this assignment. I hope to use this lesson someday within an elementary classroom.
A podcast introducing this assignment can be accessed by clicking on the following link: Vocaroo.
Ideally, I would be able to use this lesson in a fourth grade classroom to teach a unit about famous artists and their artwork within history. Although I am an Elementary Education major, my specific endorsement is in social studies. Therefore, this project has a historical bent since it would involve reasearch on people of the past. I will include two kinds of technology within my project: I will create my own SMARTboard presentation to introduce the unit to students and I will also create a weebly account for them to have access to information online about artists. Following my presentation, each student would be assigned a specific artist mentioned to research. They would then be able to access the weebly pages and find links to information which they could then use to put together a powerpoint, or some kind of presentation, to present to the class at the end of the unit.
Basically, my technology project, involving the created SMARTboard lesson and weebly pages, will serve as a launching point for students to begin research of their assigned, prominent artist. I have never made my own SMARTboard presentation before, and I am excited to embark on this endeavor. Although I have made a weebly account before, I will make a new website for this assignment. I hope to use this lesson someday within an elementary classroom.
A podcast introducing this assignment can be accessed by clicking on the following link: Vocaroo.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Reflection #7: Photo Story
What?
For this reflection, I created a photo story based off a picture that I took at the zoo in St. Louis last summer. You can click on the video above to view this picture and tag-along words in four parts.
So What?
I wanted to create a photo story that involved a riddle. This could even possibly serve as a funny introduction to a lesson on zebras, or other zoo animals. It is very simple, and if I was actually going to use it, I would probably add music. It would be a creative way to introduce a subject along these lines.
Now What?
Now that I have created one photo story, I know that I could do more. I also saw some of my peers' photo stories that they created, including one about chocolate chip cookies and one about a giraffe. There are so many different things that could be created! I want to play around with this feature and make more sometime when I have the chance.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Assignment #3
Toolbox Assignment: Resources for Elementary Teachers
There are many helpful online sites that can enhance learning in the classroom. As an upcoming teacher in today's era, I believe that all teachers should be encouraged to incorporate technology and online resources into their lessons to some extent, if not as much as possible. A compilation of some websites that would be helpful for teachers to use are available at my website. You can view my website and the compiled Teacher Toolbox by following this link to Miss Lauryn's Website.
Since I believe that education is a gift that should be available to every person, I thought of the phrase, "From every tongue, tribe, and nation...people experience the gift of education." I made this the main focus of my website, and included pictures of people throughout the world on my home page. I also have two other pages on my site, one of which includes my purpose statement and the other one has the Teacher Toolbox.
In the toolbox, I included 10 websites regarding the teaching of math, in addition to the other educational online resources. I think the main reason why many students don't like math in secondary grades is because they never built a solid foundation of understanding. I really enjoy math and I want my students to enjoy and use it, as well. Therefore, teachers could incorporate some of these math websites that I've listed into their teaching plans in order to better enhance the teaching of math within the classroom. Overall, all of the websites in the Teacher Toolbox would be helpful for teachers of any subject to take a look at.
In compiling my website, I realized that there are so many excellent sites for teachers on the internet that should be used for additional ideas and lesson plans. As a teacher I know I will refer back to the sites I have chosen to include in my toolbox, but there are also many more available on the web. One of my favorite sites I included has SMARTboard lesson plans on it. If I am teaching at a school that uses the SMARTboard, I would ask the teachers there if they knew about this site, because it has very useful lesson material for all grades. In addtion, if I someday have a class blog for my class and parents, I would also want to include a link to Miss Lauryn's Website and let other teachers know about my website for ideas and online teaching resources.
Within this blog post, I reviewed three of the math websites in my Teacher Toolbox:
Proteacher.com
This website is very helpful for teachers who would be looking for lesson plan ideas regarding geometry and measurement concepts. It seems to be geared more toward upper elementary or lower secondary classes of students that are beginning to immerge themselves in these concepts. The website offers a collection of resources concerning geometry activities including area, perimeter, a fractals unit, lines, angles, circles, congruency, rays, reflective symmetry, geometry art, and a Pythagorean puzzle.
Teachervision.com
I love this website. It is full of inspirational ways for educators to teach math at any grade level. For elementary school teachers, there are specific resources grouped into either K-2nd or 3rd-5th grades. The goal of the website it to provide many math lesson ideas that teachers can use to challenge their students creatively in the realm of math. In order to keep students interested in the subject area of math; however, this site encourages teachers to incorporate other subjects into their math lessons. For example, the site includes ways to connect the subjects of art and math as well as history and math. I think this is an excellent resource for teachers to use when planning their math lessons.
Math.com
This site is a place where teachers can explore various lesson plans, classroom resources career information, math worksheets, national standards and more. There is also a link to a problem of the week with which teachers could challenge their students. I think it would be great for elementary teachers to pose a math problem every week on the board for their students to creatively solve.
There are many helpful online sites that can enhance learning in the classroom. As an upcoming teacher in today's era, I believe that all teachers should be encouraged to incorporate technology and online resources into their lessons to some extent, if not as much as possible. A compilation of some websites that would be helpful for teachers to use are available at my website. You can view my website and the compiled Teacher Toolbox by following this link to Miss Lauryn's Website.
Since I believe that education is a gift that should be available to every person, I thought of the phrase, "From every tongue, tribe, and nation...people experience the gift of education." I made this the main focus of my website, and included pictures of people throughout the world on my home page. I also have two other pages on my site, one of which includes my purpose statement and the other one has the Teacher Toolbox.
In the toolbox, I included 10 websites regarding the teaching of math, in addition to the other educational online resources. I think the main reason why many students don't like math in secondary grades is because they never built a solid foundation of understanding. I really enjoy math and I want my students to enjoy and use it, as well. Therefore, teachers could incorporate some of these math websites that I've listed into their teaching plans in order to better enhance the teaching of math within the classroom. Overall, all of the websites in the Teacher Toolbox would be helpful for teachers of any subject to take a look at.
In compiling my website, I realized that there are so many excellent sites for teachers on the internet that should be used for additional ideas and lesson plans. As a teacher I know I will refer back to the sites I have chosen to include in my toolbox, but there are also many more available on the web. One of my favorite sites I included has SMARTboard lesson plans on it. If I am teaching at a school that uses the SMARTboard, I would ask the teachers there if they knew about this site, because it has very useful lesson material for all grades. In addtion, if I someday have a class blog for my class and parents, I would also want to include a link to Miss Lauryn's Website and let other teachers know about my website for ideas and online teaching resources.
Within this blog post, I reviewed three of the math websites in my Teacher Toolbox:
Proteacher.com
This website is very helpful for teachers who would be looking for lesson plan ideas regarding geometry and measurement concepts. It seems to be geared more toward upper elementary or lower secondary classes of students that are beginning to immerge themselves in these concepts. The website offers a collection of resources concerning geometry activities including area, perimeter, a fractals unit, lines, angles, circles, congruency, rays, reflective symmetry, geometry art, and a Pythagorean puzzle.
Teachervision.com
I love this website. It is full of inspirational ways for educators to teach math at any grade level. For elementary school teachers, there are specific resources grouped into either K-2nd or 3rd-5th grades. The goal of the website it to provide many math lesson ideas that teachers can use to challenge their students creatively in the realm of math. In order to keep students interested in the subject area of math; however, this site encourages teachers to incorporate other subjects into their math lessons. For example, the site includes ways to connect the subjects of art and math as well as history and math. I think this is an excellent resource for teachers to use when planning their math lessons.
Math.com
This site is a place where teachers can explore various lesson plans, classroom resources career information, math worksheets, national standards and more. There is also a link to a problem of the week with which teachers could challenge their students. I think it would be great for elementary teachers to pose a math problem every week on the board for their students to creatively solve.
Week 9 Post (Required)
I was absolutely blown away by all of the fabulous ideas in Bob Spankle's article "Caught on Video." In this article, he advocates for using video cameras in school to enhance learning. While many may agree that this concept could be helpful to some extent, you almost can't help but enthusiastically agree with him by the time you've finished reading the article. All of the ways he suggests a teacher could use a video within the classroom are very practical, reasonable and sensible for the sake of education. This article makes me simply ask the question, "Why not?" A video camera and footage throughout the year would be an excellent way to accomplish learning objectives, help students get involved and see progress, inform parents of classroom activities, capture the year on tape, and create an exciting and interactive environment. In my opinion, an inexpensive video camera (if it was allowed by the school district) would be a huge asset to any classroom setting!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Reflecton #6
What? For my final relfection, I wanted to post something about how I plan to actually incorporate my future (ideal) teaching job with technology. When it comes to teaching, I would really like to use my degree to go abroad and teach English to foreign language learners. I was just talking with several friends about this today, and I also heard from a missionary this morning about how she has the opportunity to teach English in China. There is such a need for teachers to teach English in today's world. I could even use this kind of teaching position to bring the gosepl to people in other countries.
So What? Since I know that I want to go abroad at some point, even if it's only for a year, I wanted to brainstorm several ways I could incorporate technology with this kind of job. Technology could enable me to maintain a blog in various languages so that parents and students alike could read what I post in their own language. I also could post links to websites that are interactive and could add to their English learning experience. I think that the more resources that students have available for them to use, the more immersed they would become in a language.
Now What? I am so excited to hopefully teach English someday and also to use technology in my profession. I also have many friends within my Ed. cohort who are wanting to teach English possibly, and I think that we should encourage one another to pursue using technology to help us teach English better. This summer I'm planning on taking the TESL course in which I hope to use technology to do several of the assignments.
So What? Since I know that I want to go abroad at some point, even if it's only for a year, I wanted to brainstorm several ways I could incorporate technology with this kind of job. Technology could enable me to maintain a blog in various languages so that parents and students alike could read what I post in their own language. I also could post links to websites that are interactive and could add to their English learning experience. I think that the more resources that students have available for them to use, the more immersed they would become in a language.
Now What? I am so excited to hopefully teach English someday and also to use technology in my profession. I also have many friends within my Ed. cohort who are wanting to teach English possibly, and I think that we should encourage one another to pursue using technology to help us teach English better. This summer I'm planning on taking the TESL course in which I hope to use technology to do several of the assignments.
Reflection #5
What? As previously mentioned in one of my other reflections, I have been incorporating technology into the African presentation I am putting together in my Instructional Design class. As I was pondering what to use as an Anticipatory Set for the lesson, I decided that something involving technology would be a great attention grabber. I went online to look up possible youtube videos I could use that had to do with the continent of Africa. It took some time, but I finally found a good one. You can click on the following link in order to view the video I found for my Anticipatory Set.
So What? I'm really excited that I found this video, because I have never before used a youtube video within a school presentation, let alone a lesson I could use with students someday. However, as I become more comfortable with incorporating technology into my academic environment, I am realizing that these kind of resources will be very helpful as attention grabbers in my future classroom.
Now What? For future presentations or lessons that I need to build, I plan to use technology in some way, shape, or form. This may include a youtube video like this one, a SMART board presentation, an interactive website or online picture, or any other kind of visual technology. Students love watching videos (I know I do) and technology reaches them better than any other tool in this generation since kids today have grown up in a world full of technology.
So What? I'm really excited that I found this video, because I have never before used a youtube video within a school presentation, let alone a lesson I could use with students someday. However, as I become more comfortable with incorporating technology into my academic environment, I am realizing that these kind of resources will be very helpful as attention grabbers in my future classroom.
Now What? For future presentations or lessons that I need to build, I plan to use technology in some way, shape, or form. This may include a youtube video like this one, a SMART board presentation, an interactive website or online picture, or any other kind of visual technology. Students love watching videos (I know I do) and technology reaches them better than any other tool in this generation since kids today have grown up in a world full of technology.
Week 8 Post (Required)
I found the following site regarding the use of the Promethean ActivBoard. This site provides lots of information about this kind of white board. There is a link for educators to view case studies on the use of this board within classrooms. I think that this kind of technology is a viable option to incorporate into the classroom, because it seems like a leading and ground breaking technology in the realm of education. The site states that the Promethean ActivBoard's aim is to "unlock the potential of human achievement in education and training around the world at all ages around the world." While I learned more about what the Activboard is through this site, I am still curious as to how this interactive board compares to the SMART board--their similarities and differences as well as which one is best in the classroom. The Promethean Activboard is painted in a very good light on this site, most likely since it is a good interactive tool and also since the site is trying to sell the Activboard to educators. The site claims that the Activeboard "brings learning to life!"
Comments on Peer Blogs
Throughout the first part of this semester, I commented on the following entries on my peers' blogs:
Kacie's "My Decision to Become a Teacher"
Natalie's "Entry 7"
Alice's "School Website"
Matthew's "Reflection #1"
DeAnna's "The Interactive WHITE board, Yes it has Arrived!"
Bethany's "My Story"
Hope you find their posts as interesting as I did!
Kacie's "My Decision to Become a Teacher"
Natalie's "Entry 7"
Alice's "School Website"
Matthew's "Reflection #1"
DeAnna's "The Interactive WHITE board, Yes it has Arrived!"
Bethany's "My Story"
Hope you find their posts as interesting as I did!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Reflection #4
What? In reflecting on my most recent Techology in Eduation session, I am realizing more and more that I know very little about internet technology compared to how much technology is "out there." While I want to be tech savvy, for the sake of best using the resources that are potentially at my fingertips, I am finding that I have only glimpsed the tip of the iceberg. As an upcoming teacher, I want to use the best resources possible in order to help my class learn and be able to access information, as well.
So What? I am so thankful for my Technology in Education class. Even though I usually leave the class feeling a similar feeling of intimidation concering technology than when I came in the door, I am still gaining knowledge in this area of my world and I know that practice and patience will continue to boost my confidence in the realm of technology. As I continue to discover the many online resources that exist, I know that I will find several that will become more comfortable and easy for me to use frequently. At the moment, I am still trying to simply soak it all up and take what I can from the information that I have been given.
Now What? I'm glad that I'm becoming more comfortable with the SMART board, creating web pages, and creating a teacher blog (as well as maintaining this current blog: Technological Perspective). These accomplishments give me confidence to keep exploring resources as I step into my professional career. I hope to create my own teacher blog and use it consistently as a teacher for students and parents to access and reference on a weekly basis.
So What? I am so thankful for my Technology in Education class. Even though I usually leave the class feeling a similar feeling of intimidation concering technology than when I came in the door, I am still gaining knowledge in this area of my world and I know that practice and patience will continue to boost my confidence in the realm of technology. As I continue to discover the many online resources that exist, I know that I will find several that will become more comfortable and easy for me to use frequently. At the moment, I am still trying to simply soak it all up and take what I can from the information that I have been given.
Now What? I'm glad that I'm becoming more comfortable with the SMART board, creating web pages, and creating a teacher blog (as well as maintaining this current blog: Technological Perspective). These accomplishments give me confidence to keep exploring resources as I step into my professional career. I hope to create my own teacher blog and use it consistently as a teacher for students and parents to access and reference on a weekly basis.
Reflection #3
What? Yesterday I was able to create a website page in my Technology in Education class. It was so great because I could do the encoding for the page and create my own page about whatever information I wanted to put online. I chose to make my page about Africa, because I have a presentation in another of my classes this week regarding this topic.
So What? Since I chose to make a page with material on it that I am also using in another class, I wanted to be able to access the website page for my other presentation. The tricky thing was being able to get to it from another computer, one other than my own. At first, I was only able to access it through my computer, but I realized that if I sent it to my email account, then I could access it from any other computer, via my email. In doing this, I realized that I additionally had to add a link for the google picture that I had originally included on my page. This way I could easily access the picture of North Africa during my presentation by clicking on the link.
Now What? I plan to use this website as a piece of the presentation I have been putting together for my other class. It's all pretty exciting for me since I have never done this before, and with practice, perhaps I can make another webpage sometime that is more complex than this current one. I learned that creating sites takes time and is not as easy as it may seem. I'm not only proud of the simple one I made, but I now have a much greater appreciation for the people who create various websites.
So What? Since I chose to make a page with material on it that I am also using in another class, I wanted to be able to access the website page for my other presentation. The tricky thing was being able to get to it from another computer, one other than my own. At first, I was only able to access it through my computer, but I realized that if I sent it to my email account, then I could access it from any other computer, via my email. In doing this, I realized that I additionally had to add a link for the google picture that I had originally included on my page. This way I could easily access the picture of North Africa during my presentation by clicking on the link.
Now What? I plan to use this website as a piece of the presentation I have been putting together for my other class. It's all pretty exciting for me since I have never done this before, and with practice, perhaps I can make another webpage sometime that is more complex than this current one. I learned that creating sites takes time and is not as easy as it may seem. I'm not only proud of the simple one I made, but I now have a much greater appreciation for the people who create various websites.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Week 7 Post (Required)
I currently work at Lakeview Elementary and hope to teach at a public elementary school like this one someday. The following is a link to its website: Lakeview Elementary. I like how bright and cheerful this website is. I also enjoyed looking through the many activities it has for students there. Although a bit plain, the website seems inviting and is extremely informative. Personally, I wish that the website offered more pictures of the school and of the children there. The layout seems a bit outdated and could be possibly updated, but its current layout does work. I enjoyed exploring this website, especially since I am familiar with the school.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Reflection #2
What? In reflecting on technology within education, I considered how much more enjoyable and exciting classes would be if all my teachers used some form of interactive white boards to present material. Just this week, during our SMART board presentations in the Tech Ed. class, Jonas presented an interactive lesson covering European geography. This reminded me of the Geography class that I am taking right now at Northwest, because we recently studied European countries, cities, and geographical landmarks within that class, as well.
So What? During my geography class, when we were discussing the very places Jonas covered in his presentation, I don't think that my teacher succeeded in engaging the entire class. However, if he had been using a SMART board and/or a lesson similar to Jonas', he may have had much more of a chance keeping the class' attention. I would prefer to learn about Europe through the SMART board presentation, rather than through an unmoving map up on the board. Learning can be accomplished in both cases, but an interactive white board would grab the attention of more students since it demands student involvement and class interaction.
Now What? I want to remember this example of the use of technology within teaching, because it makes me want to strive to build interactive lessons for my future students. By going the extra yard to make a lesson interactive, I believe that more students will get the most out of the objective the teacher has set out to accomplish. Teachers should consider the benefits of engaging the class whenever they are planning lessons.
So What? During my geography class, when we were discussing the very places Jonas covered in his presentation, I don't think that my teacher succeeded in engaging the entire class. However, if he had been using a SMART board and/or a lesson similar to Jonas', he may have had much more of a chance keeping the class' attention. I would prefer to learn about Europe through the SMART board presentation, rather than through an unmoving map up on the board. Learning can be accomplished in both cases, but an interactive white board would grab the attention of more students since it demands student involvement and class interaction.
Now What? I want to remember this example of the use of technology within teaching, because it makes me want to strive to build interactive lessons for my future students. By going the extra yard to make a lesson interactive, I believe that more students will get the most out of the objective the teacher has set out to accomplish. Teachers should consider the benefits of engaging the class whenever they are planning lessons.
Reflection #1
What? In my Instructional Design class, I am learning how to plan lessons. This past week we were assigned a project in which we have to create a lesson. Beginning with the lesson objective, anticipatory set, lesson itself, and assessment plan, my class and I are creating lessons which we can use in our future teaching careers. Since I have been learning about the SMART board in my technology class, I decided to do my lesson using the SMART board. I chose a lesson activity regarding the water cycle, and I am excited to present it in my Instructional Design class.
So What? As I gain confidence in using interactive white boards, I hope to incorporate technology more and more into my lessons. I am learning about the process of teaching this semester and just how useful technology can be within the classroom. It's actually rather fun looking for SMART board material and brainstorming ways to shape a lesson around it.
Now What? While I am in the teaching program at Northwest, I want to continue to make the most of opportunities to learn about technology, especially regarding the SMART board. The Water Cycle lesson has been enjoyable and enlightening to plan, but I know there is still more out there to learn.
So What? As I gain confidence in using interactive white boards, I hope to incorporate technology more and more into my lessons. I am learning about the process of teaching this semester and just how useful technology can be within the classroom. It's actually rather fun looking for SMART board material and brainstorming ways to shape a lesson around it.
Now What? While I am in the teaching program at Northwest, I want to continue to make the most of opportunities to learn about technology, especially regarding the SMART board. The Water Cycle lesson has been enjoyable and enlightening to plan, but I know there is still more out there to learn.
Week 6 Post (Required)
Today I got some great SMART board ideas to use in my future classroom. I enjoyed the various presentations, especially the one about the Titanic. Also, I learned that the teacher can record the presentation in order to play it back at a later date (for students who may need to see it again or who may have been absent on the original day of the presentation). Another interesting feature that I observed was converting written words on the board into text in order to copy them into a word document. This could be very helpful for certain lessons. All of these features are just a partial glimpse of the power of the SMART board within the realm of teaching. I feel much more confident with using it than I previously did; however, I would hope to have more practice during my student teaching semesters so that I can feel fully confident to use it in my classroom someday. I am still not exactly sure about how to hook up the students' response touch pads for interactive responses to the lesson and immediate feedback of their answers.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Assignment #2: SMART Board (Required)
Click the following link to download my SMART board presentation about Evaporation.
This learning activity is designed for a third-grade science lesson, but it could be used for other grades, as well. During the presentation, I will use the writing feature of the SMART board to type a text box in order to list answers to questions about evaporation. In addition, I would use the SMART pen to write on the board or allow children to write answers the board, when needed.
This SMART board activity involves the following four standards for both students and teachers:
NETS Standards for Students:
1. Creativity and Innovation- Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:
a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression
c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues
d. identify trends and forecast possibilities
2. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making- Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decision using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:
a. identify and define authentic problems and significant quiestions for investigation
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project
c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions
d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions
This particular SMART board activity meets these two standards in similar ways. Students must predict why and how they believe that evaporation is a work in the example given at the beginning of the lesson. Consequently, students must take what they know of the world and apply it to the given situation, both creatively and critically. Throughout the lesson, they must not only reflect on previous knowledge, but they must also analyze the given situation and predict reasonable outcomes as they explore the scientific topic of evaporation. Therefore, I believe that my SMART board lesson fulfills both of the above NETS Standards for Students.
Also,
NETS Standards for Teachers:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity- Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:
a.promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
d. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments
2. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning- Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:
a. demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations
b. collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation
c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats
d. model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning
Additionally, the activity meets the above standards for teachers, because teachers must use their technological, social, and teaching skills to perform the SMART board lesson. As they engage students in the lesson, both virtually and face-to-face (by having students watch the SMART board as well as write on it), they are modeling the current technological tools for teaching science. In doing so, educators will ideally challenge students to learn and grow through the processes of critically thinking and analyzing. The SMART board is a fun way to show students the benefits of technology in the classroom.
For the sake of learning in my future classroom, I think that the SMART board would be very effective. Children get excited to engage in interactive activities, and the SMART board would be an excellent way to allow them to have fun while learning, hence making learning more enjoyable and exciting. If my students are enjoying what they are learning, then they will want to learn more. Therefore, as the SMART board hopefully piques their curiosity into the elements of science and other subjects, they will be more engaged in school and education. I hope that by using the SMART board, I will creatively and effectively portray subject matter and lessons in a way that will help students remember what they are learning. I am now very excited about using the SMART board in my future classroom, especially now that I feel more comfortable with using it.
This learning activity is designed for a third-grade science lesson, but it could be used for other grades, as well. During the presentation, I will use the writing feature of the SMART board to type a text box in order to list answers to questions about evaporation. In addition, I would use the SMART pen to write on the board or allow children to write answers the board, when needed.
This SMART board activity involves the following four standards for both students and teachers:
NETS Standards for Students:
1. Creativity and Innovation- Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:
a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression
c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues
d. identify trends and forecast possibilities
2. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making- Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decision using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:
a. identify and define authentic problems and significant quiestions for investigation
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project
c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions
d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions
This particular SMART board activity meets these two standards in similar ways. Students must predict why and how they believe that evaporation is a work in the example given at the beginning of the lesson. Consequently, students must take what they know of the world and apply it to the given situation, both creatively and critically. Throughout the lesson, they must not only reflect on previous knowledge, but they must also analyze the given situation and predict reasonable outcomes as they explore the scientific topic of evaporation. Therefore, I believe that my SMART board lesson fulfills both of the above NETS Standards for Students.
Also,
NETS Standards for Teachers:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity- Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:
a.promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
d. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments
2. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning- Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:
a. demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations
b. collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation
c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats
d. model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning
Additionally, the activity meets the above standards for teachers, because teachers must use their technological, social, and teaching skills to perform the SMART board lesson. As they engage students in the lesson, both virtually and face-to-face (by having students watch the SMART board as well as write on it), they are modeling the current technological tools for teaching science. In doing so, educators will ideally challenge students to learn and grow through the processes of critically thinking and analyzing. The SMART board is a fun way to show students the benefits of technology in the classroom.
For the sake of learning in my future classroom, I think that the SMART board would be very effective. Children get excited to engage in interactive activities, and the SMART board would be an excellent way to allow them to have fun while learning, hence making learning more enjoyable and exciting. If my students are enjoying what they are learning, then they will want to learn more. Therefore, as the SMART board hopefully piques their curiosity into the elements of science and other subjects, they will be more engaged in school and education. I hope that by using the SMART board, I will creatively and effectively portray subject matter and lessons in a way that will help students remember what they are learning. I am now very excited about using the SMART board in my future classroom, especially now that I feel more comfortable with using it.
Week #5 Post: Blog for Educators (Required)
Following the links under "Blogs for Educators" on the Class Blog, I explored an excellent blog today, Edutopia.org. It's a blog site for educators to post and get advice for ideas that work in public education. Not only are there recent blog posts on the main page, but there are also links to core concepts, videos, specific blogs, groups, a magazine, and special reports. Within the core concepts heading, there are ideas for comprehensive assessment, integrated studies, project learning, social and emotional learning, teacher development, and technology integration. Edutopia.org seems like a very helpful blog site for educators who are wanting to see what other educators are doing in their everyday classrooms. Not only is this helpful for seeing what else is out there, but teachers may also be encouraged to see that other teachers are dealing with some of the same problems, etc. which they are dealing with. Teachers who want to post on this blog can create an account with the network and then easily sign in anytime they wish to visit or interact with the site. As a result of finding this blog, I know that I will want to be a member of either this blog or a similar blog when I become a full-time teacher in order to gain ideas and support from a network of people in my same career.
Week #4 Post: Generation IM (Required)
It is so fascinating to consider the average, modern student. Today, these individuals truly are "wired in a wireless world" as the article Generation IM article points out. In my regular day of college classes, I go online at least once every day (if not much more), and, as a result, using the internet has become very much a part of my daily routine. However, I still can't believe how young some children are who use the internet and technology on an every day basis. According to the article, even preschoolers use technology in their young lives. Compared to the past, students of any age may choose to research a school project by first accessing the internet, rather than cracking open a book. Consequently, technology has quite a grip on today's generation of learners.
In reflecting upon this reality, I want to be pro-technology rather than against it when I assign projects and assignments as a teacher. I truly believe that technology should be viewed as a tool within the classroom, rather than as a hinderance. This article was a fresh reminder of the many facts that characterize the uniqueness of the current generation of students. Even though I don't understand all the "ins and outs" of technology quite yet, as well as the numerous resources available to me as an educator, I am willing to approach technology with a positive and open outlook since I plan to teach the current generation of students.
Educators who are opposed to using technology for teaching purposes should read the article Generation IM and ponder its many statistical insights. There are clearly many ways to bring technology into the classroom. The final one listed in this article is my favorite: Using Google Maps. I hope to incorporate all of these suggestions into my classroom in an effort to connect with my students and enable them to better connect with each other.
In reflecting upon this reality, I want to be pro-technology rather than against it when I assign projects and assignments as a teacher. I truly believe that technology should be viewed as a tool within the classroom, rather than as a hinderance. This article was a fresh reminder of the many facts that characterize the uniqueness of the current generation of students. Even though I don't understand all the "ins and outs" of technology quite yet, as well as the numerous resources available to me as an educator, I am willing to approach technology with a positive and open outlook since I plan to teach the current generation of students.
Educators who are opposed to using technology for teaching purposes should read the article Generation IM and ponder its many statistical insights. There are clearly many ways to bring technology into the classroom. The final one listed in this article is my favorite: Using Google Maps. I hope to incorporate all of these suggestions into my classroom in an effort to connect with my students and enable them to better connect with each other.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Assignment #1- Technology Literacy
This article highlights the many ways that teachers can use online resources to enhance their students’ educational advancement. In Exploring the Past with 21st Century Tools, the authors give specific examples of how a teacher can weave history together with technology in the classroom setting. Some of these examples include the viewing of primary documents, personal letters by historical figures, online exhibits, video interviews, online lessons by other teachers, easily-accessed political cartoons, guided online searches for images, and interactive timelines. These educational and historical resources have become important in today’s era because, according to Schrum and Schrum, “Young learners are obsessed about the past and about using technology” (1).
In addition to the many ideas and strategies listed in the article, the authors also show teachers how they can use online resources to encourage young students to become historians themselves. The use of technology does not simply mean passively looking through web pages. Instead, history can come alive and become engaging through the interactive use of technology within an educational setting. Education can involve both traditional and technological tools. As technology has become more readily accepted as an educational tool, teachers have begun to see and implement the learning devices it has to offer. For example, in one school, kindergarten and first grade students created online picture journals of their daily school lives. Instead of technology hindering students’ interactions, these specific children were able to use it to share about their everyday tasks. According to the study, “The activity of making a digital photo journal provides an opportunity for multiple kinds of complex reflection and connection to children’s social networks” (2). Consequently, children participated in a social learning activity while using technology. In doing so, they additionally became historians of their daily lives.
The article continues to point out more ways that children can interact with the past through technological resources. One website mentioned allows students to investigate the original Thanksgiving holiday by reading an eyewitness account of the first Thanksgiving, asking questions of some original sources, and exploring information regarding the oral tradition of the Wampanoag Indian tribe. Another website allows children to embark on a virtual tour of prehistoric caves. Still another enables students to “identify Anglo-Saxon coins, prepare the body of an Egyptian officer for burial, crack a spy code, or dress Victorian and Tudor ladies and gentlemen according to the standards of the day. . . and pose questions to curators at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History about the first gold nugget. . .” (2-3). There are so many possibilities open to children who want to explore the past by using the internet as a resource.
Besides all the avenues of discovery open to students, teachers can easily use online technology to augment their lessons. Not only can educators share valuable sites and teaching ideas with other educators, they can also use various sites to find, create, and execute excellent lessons by accessing and incorporating documented, historical facts. In conclusion, the authors wisely state, “Technology will never replace good strategies for teaching social studies, but it can go a long way in enhancing them” (4).
Through this well-written article, I learned so much more about the many possibilities available to me as a future teacher regarding the use of technology in teaching history. Some may say it can't be done, but I believe that technology is a tool that should be used whenever needed to engage students in the complex process of learning. I'm inspired by this article to look into the many sites and resources available to me and then use them into my future classroom. The specific resources mentioned in "Exploring the Past with 21st Century Tools" are overflowing with lesson ideas. I would love to compile a notebook of these ideas and then create lessons to make history come alive to the students I am teaching. I hope that my future classroom has computers for every student, but I know that even if it does not, I can still encourage my students to explore these historical resources on their own time as well as give them virtual assignments to complete when possible. There are ways to include technology in teaching students that every teacher of any subject should be willing to discover and implement in their classrooms.
Schrum, Kelly, and Lynne Schrum. "Exploring the Past with 21st-Century Tools." Social Studies and the Young Learner 21.4 (2009): 24-27. ERIC. EBSCO. Web. 19 Jan. 2010.
Persistent link to this record (Permalink): ERIC
I am choosing the following NETS for Teachers to focus on this semester:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:
a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.
c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
d. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.
This standard is important to me as a teacher for my students because I fully believe children should be allowed to excercise their creativy in order to best learn. If technology can help expand their creativity, then I am all for it in the classroom setting. Technology can help children expand their horizons, imaginations, and interpersonal skills within the realm of education. I will attempt to become more aware of this NETS teacher standard this semester by
1) Brainstorming ways to implement it into my classroom,
2) Being open to finding and pondering creative websites or articles about educational technology to comment on within my blog.
3) Discussing technology and education with the elementary students I am currently working with each week.
Through these three steps, I hope to become comfortable with this specific aspect of the NETS for teachers. I want to reflect a positive attitude toward creative learning about subjects through technology both in my Technology in Education college class as well as with the students I supervise each week at Lakeview Elementary. Hopefully my attitude within each of these three goals will affect others' views toward the benefits that technology has to offer in school.
I am choosing the following standard from the NETS for students:
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
c. develop a cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original work or solve problems.
This standard is very important for the students that I plan to teach. Since we live in such a technological world, children must get comfortable with not only using technolgy outside of school but within school to fulfill tasks, as well. This standard helps them gain practice in using technology to interact with a variety of people--a skill that they will very much need when they enter the workforce in the future. The more comfortable they become with using technology within peer groups, the better they will be able to work with people in the future to accomplish technology-based tasks and jobs.
In order to help students work together to meet this standard, I could assign them the following two projects:
1. In groups, create an online blog regarding a foreign country. Post several reports about its culture as well as links to other websites that contain additional information regarding the country's people, educational aspects, and customs. Comment and interact with other classmates' blogs.(For older elementary students)
2. In groups, make a digital video of interviews with several adults to find out how they use technology within their specific jobs. Present this brief video to the class when finished. (For mid to older elementary students)
In addition to the many ideas and strategies listed in the article, the authors also show teachers how they can use online resources to encourage young students to become historians themselves. The use of technology does not simply mean passively looking through web pages. Instead, history can come alive and become engaging through the interactive use of technology within an educational setting. Education can involve both traditional and technological tools. As technology has become more readily accepted as an educational tool, teachers have begun to see and implement the learning devices it has to offer. For example, in one school, kindergarten and first grade students created online picture journals of their daily school lives. Instead of technology hindering students’ interactions, these specific children were able to use it to share about their everyday tasks. According to the study, “The activity of making a digital photo journal provides an opportunity for multiple kinds of complex reflection and connection to children’s social networks” (2). Consequently, children participated in a social learning activity while using technology. In doing so, they additionally became historians of their daily lives.
The article continues to point out more ways that children can interact with the past through technological resources. One website mentioned allows students to investigate the original Thanksgiving holiday by reading an eyewitness account of the first Thanksgiving, asking questions of some original sources, and exploring information regarding the oral tradition of the Wampanoag Indian tribe. Another website allows children to embark on a virtual tour of prehistoric caves. Still another enables students to “identify Anglo-Saxon coins, prepare the body of an Egyptian officer for burial, crack a spy code, or dress Victorian and Tudor ladies and gentlemen according to the standards of the day. . . and pose questions to curators at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History about the first gold nugget. . .” (2-3). There are so many possibilities open to children who want to explore the past by using the internet as a resource.
Besides all the avenues of discovery open to students, teachers can easily use online technology to augment their lessons. Not only can educators share valuable sites and teaching ideas with other educators, they can also use various sites to find, create, and execute excellent lessons by accessing and incorporating documented, historical facts. In conclusion, the authors wisely state, “Technology will never replace good strategies for teaching social studies, but it can go a long way in enhancing them” (4).
Through this well-written article, I learned so much more about the many possibilities available to me as a future teacher regarding the use of technology in teaching history. Some may say it can't be done, but I believe that technology is a tool that should be used whenever needed to engage students in the complex process of learning. I'm inspired by this article to look into the many sites and resources available to me and then use them into my future classroom. The specific resources mentioned in "Exploring the Past with 21st Century Tools" are overflowing with lesson ideas. I would love to compile a notebook of these ideas and then create lessons to make history come alive to the students I am teaching. I hope that my future classroom has computers for every student, but I know that even if it does not, I can still encourage my students to explore these historical resources on their own time as well as give them virtual assignments to complete when possible. There are ways to include technology in teaching students that every teacher of any subject should be willing to discover and implement in their classrooms.
Schrum, Kelly, and Lynne Schrum. "Exploring the Past with 21st-Century Tools." Social Studies and the Young Learner 21.4 (2009): 24-27. ERIC. EBSCO. Web. 19 Jan. 2010.
Persistent link to this record (Permalink): ERIC
I am choosing the following NETS for Teachers to focus on this semester:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:
a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.
c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
d. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.
This standard is important to me as a teacher for my students because I fully believe children should be allowed to excercise their creativy in order to best learn. If technology can help expand their creativity, then I am all for it in the classroom setting. Technology can help children expand their horizons, imaginations, and interpersonal skills within the realm of education. I will attempt to become more aware of this NETS teacher standard this semester by
1) Brainstorming ways to implement it into my classroom,
2) Being open to finding and pondering creative websites or articles about educational technology to comment on within my blog.
3) Discussing technology and education with the elementary students I am currently working with each week.
Through these three steps, I hope to become comfortable with this specific aspect of the NETS for teachers. I want to reflect a positive attitude toward creative learning about subjects through technology both in my Technology in Education college class as well as with the students I supervise each week at Lakeview Elementary. Hopefully my attitude within each of these three goals will affect others' views toward the benefits that technology has to offer in school.
I am choosing the following standard from the NETS for students:
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
c. develop a cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original work or solve problems.
This standard is very important for the students that I plan to teach. Since we live in such a technological world, children must get comfortable with not only using technolgy outside of school but within school to fulfill tasks, as well. This standard helps them gain practice in using technology to interact with a variety of people--a skill that they will very much need when they enter the workforce in the future. The more comfortable they become with using technology within peer groups, the better they will be able to work with people in the future to accomplish technology-based tasks and jobs.
In order to help students work together to meet this standard, I could assign them the following two projects:
1. In groups, create an online blog regarding a foreign country. Post several reports about its culture as well as links to other websites that contain additional information regarding the country's people, educational aspects, and customs. Comment and interact with other classmates' blogs.(For older elementary students)
2. In groups, make a digital video of interviews with several adults to find out how they use technology within their specific jobs. Present this brief video to the class when finished. (For mid to older elementary students)
Friday, January 22, 2010
Week #3 Post: Interactive Boards (required)
I found an article titled "The Use of SMART Boards for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment in Kindergarten Science." You can access it from the Hurst library's EBSChost: http://http//web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=6&sid=0bcfd552-9614-409b-a156-e37d313f91b9%40sessionmgr11&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=ehh&AN=32699193#db=ehh&AN=32699193.
This article is very insightful regarding interactive white boards. For the past five years, a kindergarten classroom at Abbotsleigh Junior School has been using a Smart Board to facilitate learning in the subject area of science. According to the article, the Smart Board has been used successfully during these years to "enhance teaching and learning and facilitate assessment in science" (1).
In reading this article, I gained a better sense of how interactive white boards work. The beginning portion explains in detail how Smart Boards function. I also realized the proficient roles that these teaching devices can play in creating a better learning environment, even for young children at a kindergarten level. Smart Boards enable teachers to easily display the information at hand as well as interact with it in the context of learning. The article asserts that learning is much more effective if it can be accomplished through multiple modes, because this appeals to multiple learning styles. Students whose learning styles tend to be visual-spatial, auditory, or kinaesthetic are greatly aided by the use of the Smart Board.
In addition, especially for young learners, interactive classroom boards encourage children to want to learn, mainly due to the fact that the board is interactive and thus exciting. I believe that inspiration to learn is the single most important function of these boards. The goal of educators should not be to simply teach children facts or satisfy their curiosity, it should additionally be to inspire students to want to learn more about the world through subject matter, such as science experiments--as this article details. If children can grasp the joy of learning from a young age, they will be inspired and better equiped to continue to pursue enlightenment throughout their entire lives. Since Smart Boards excite young scholars of this technological era to learn, they should be implemented in every classroom. As the article points out, "The Smart Board engages the child with what they are learning about and makes it both a personal and shared experience for them." This experience should ideally inspire them to continue to explore the topics (and others) in which they are engaged.
Smart Boards additionally enable teachers to make sure that their students are "really getting it" as concepts and strategies are being taught. Educators can quickly assess students' understanding by having them participate in interactive activities on the Smart Board. While limitations and distractions do exist in having a Smart Board in the classroom, I think that the overall impact of having one is positive, inspirational, and engaging for both the teacher and the student. Both parties benefit, for you never stop learning in life.
This article is very insightful regarding interactive white boards. For the past five years, a kindergarten classroom at Abbotsleigh Junior School has been using a Smart Board to facilitate learning in the subject area of science. According to the article, the Smart Board has been used successfully during these years to "enhance teaching and learning and facilitate assessment in science" (1).
In reading this article, I gained a better sense of how interactive white boards work. The beginning portion explains in detail how Smart Boards function. I also realized the proficient roles that these teaching devices can play in creating a better learning environment, even for young children at a kindergarten level. Smart Boards enable teachers to easily display the information at hand as well as interact with it in the context of learning. The article asserts that learning is much more effective if it can be accomplished through multiple modes, because this appeals to multiple learning styles. Students whose learning styles tend to be visual-spatial, auditory, or kinaesthetic are greatly aided by the use of the Smart Board.
In addition, especially for young learners, interactive classroom boards encourage children to want to learn, mainly due to the fact that the board is interactive and thus exciting. I believe that inspiration to learn is the single most important function of these boards. The goal of educators should not be to simply teach children facts or satisfy their curiosity, it should additionally be to inspire students to want to learn more about the world through subject matter, such as science experiments--as this article details. If children can grasp the joy of learning from a young age, they will be inspired and better equiped to continue to pursue enlightenment throughout their entire lives. Since Smart Boards excite young scholars of this technological era to learn, they should be implemented in every classroom. As the article points out, "The Smart Board engages the child with what they are learning about and makes it both a personal and shared experience for them." This experience should ideally inspire them to continue to explore the topics (and others) in which they are engaged.
Smart Boards additionally enable teachers to make sure that their students are "really getting it" as concepts and strategies are being taught. Educators can quickly assess students' understanding by having them participate in interactive activities on the Smart Board. While limitations and distractions do exist in having a Smart Board in the classroom, I think that the overall impact of having one is positive, inspirational, and engaging for both the teacher and the student. Both parties benefit, for you never stop learning in life.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Week #2 Post: "Turning on the Lights" (required)
I loved this article. I really believe that teachers should use technology in their classroom in order to further explain concepts to students. However, even if teachers do not have technological resources readily available to them, they can still be pro-technology and approach it with a positive attitude. Like many of the good suggestions in this article, teachers can encourage children to be connected to the world (and even their fellow students) outside of class. They could list sites that students could look up in the evenings with interesting or helpful subject information.
Technology does not have to be a bad thing, although it is often painted in a bad light within schools. Even though past generations did not have the ability to use it, current education can still be furthered through it. I believe that if Galileo had the opportunity to use a computer, he would have taken that opportunity in an instant and used it to the best of his ability to further scientific and planetary discovery. As this article pointed out, children feel that they have to "power off" when they step into a classroom. However, what if the classroom was a place where they could find even more joy in learning by combing their era of technology with their curious minds? Educational enlightenment could then continue to occur within the classroom and students would be even better equipped to hold future jobs throughout their adult life. I hope to turn on the lights for my students.
Technology does not have to be a bad thing, although it is often painted in a bad light within schools. Even though past generations did not have the ability to use it, current education can still be furthered through it. I believe that if Galileo had the opportunity to use a computer, he would have taken that opportunity in an instant and used it to the best of his ability to further scientific and planetary discovery. As this article pointed out, children feel that they have to "power off" when they step into a classroom. However, what if the classroom was a place where they could find even more joy in learning by combing their era of technology with their curious minds? Educational enlightenment could then continue to occur within the classroom and students would be even better equipped to hold future jobs throughout their adult life. I hope to turn on the lights for my students.
Beginning of semester reflection (required)
Technology plays a very vital role in today's world. It has created significant boosts in global economies, communication, scientific discoveries, evangelism, recreation, and more. As a result, almost every job that exists for people in the world today has been affected by technolgy and most likely involves technology in some way. Therefore, I believe that students who are in school right now will need to use technology in any of their future jobs. If the main intent of education is to further one's knowledge and prepare them for their future, then technology should be an active part of their current learning experience everyday within the classroom.
Regarding the global use of technology, it is important for teachers to realize that while they prepare their students for the future, their students are already technologically savvy, perhaps much more than the teachers themselves. Students are not as naivve at teachers may be tempted to think regarding the possibilities that technology allows. Today's students sit in school all day but then go home to a world at their fingertips, quite literally, since their cell phones and computers are so close.
As a teacher, I want to incorporate technology into my classroom as best as I can so that the children I am teaching can get the most benefit out of this technological era. For example, if there is a science experiment that could involve current technology in some way, I think that my students would learn best if I incorporated it in my lesson. I would love to order tools for my classroom that would allow the students to interact (either online or hands on) with the material they are learning. While I am not suggesting that every student spend all day in a classroom on a computer, I think that computers in every classroom could be very helpful for some potential activities. Overall, I am excited to be a teacher in today's fast-moving world. I hope to teach the subjects of literature, history, science, math, reading, and others in such a way that the information comes alive for my perceptive, elementary students.
Regarding the global use of technology, it is important for teachers to realize that while they prepare their students for the future, their students are already technologically savvy, perhaps much more than the teachers themselves. Students are not as naivve at teachers may be tempted to think regarding the possibilities that technology allows. Today's students sit in school all day but then go home to a world at their fingertips, quite literally, since their cell phones and computers are so close.
As a teacher, I want to incorporate technology into my classroom as best as I can so that the children I am teaching can get the most benefit out of this technological era. For example, if there is a science experiment that could involve current technology in some way, I think that my students would learn best if I incorporated it in my lesson. I would love to order tools for my classroom that would allow the students to interact (either online or hands on) with the material they are learning. While I am not suggesting that every student spend all day in a classroom on a computer, I think that computers in every classroom could be very helpful for some potential activities. Overall, I am excited to be a teacher in today's fast-moving world. I hope to teach the subjects of literature, history, science, math, reading, and others in such a way that the information comes alive for my perceptive, elementary students.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Week #1 Post (required)
I have always enjoyed teaching. I love enlightening people with information and having them grasp a concept in a new way. At an early age I would try and teach my younger brother and sister what I thought I knew about the world. As I have continued to grow up, I have realized that I love kids and their passion for life. As a result, I decided to major in Elementary Education. However, I also enjoy foreign cultures, traveling, and languages. I would love to teach English as a second language at some point and hopefully learn a foreign language or two, as well. My favorite grade to teach would be lower elementary (ideally, 2nd or 3rd grade). Throughout this class, I want to learn how to best use the technological resources that are available to me as a teacher in this era. I hope to become a more knowledgable technological native. Since technology and the internet exists in most places throughout the world, I know that I will be able to use these resources wherever I end up teaching, whether at home or abroad.
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