Exit Slip #4

To begin the class a group presented Ch. 3 of our reading which was about technology skepticism. I found myself being very connected to this chapter and discussion because I, myself, find myself more on the skepticism side. I thought that it was nice to get out of our seats and discuss our thoughts with the others who agree with our perspective on technology. Although it was nice to get out of our seats, the activity was exactly like one we did a few weeks back. I think the group could have done a different activity with more creativity. After the presentation we went over a number of things the group did well as well as what they could have improved on.

Next, we went over each and every one of our technology inquiry questions. This helped me out a ton because it gave me a better idea of what is expected for this assignment. It shows how much Dr. Boyer cares about our success in this class. He could have just let us discovered on our own whether or not our questions are suitable for this project.

We then talked about the interactive whiteboard lesson for those in the class who want an A.  Dr. Boyer showed us a very neat lesson using the white board. He then showed us a few different tools when creating a lesson plan using the white board. There are so many possibilities when working with this program, the possibilities are endless!

"Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts" Ch. 5 Reflection

When looking at the title of Chapter 5 of our Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts text I was very confused as to what this chapter was going to be about considering I had never even heard of a "RSS" before. After reading the first few paragraphs I had realized that as a Facebook user, I could relate this somewhat to a "News Feed" on a Facebook page. This is an interesting, and very useful, tool to use when looking at blogs. RRS, along with the majority of the other technologies, is a way of making things faster and easier for both the educator and students. In today’s economy, time is money. Rather than searching through a mass amount of blogs, one is able to get all of the new blog posts from each of the blogs on one page. As a future teacher, using this tool in the classroom for either checking homework assignments or just checking blog posts will also save us a lot of time because we won't have to click through each and every student’s blog. By being able to subscribe to a blog, you are ensured to get the context you are looking for and interested in as well as having it scam free.

As a future teacher I will show the students how to use an RSS not only for school matters but also for their personal use as well. I think it would be interesting to use RSS and subscribe to a number of different news blogs and start off the school day by looking at and then talking about the different current events going on locally as well as around the world. I would also encourage my students to not only create one theme for their RRS but sort their RRS pages by putting them into different folders so they can be easily found. By having all of their subscribed material on one page, it would be hard to find the information you are looking for when a number of different topics are listed. Overall this is a very useful tool for both students and teachers to use, not only in the classroom but also for personal use.

"Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts" Ch. 4 Reflection

This chapter on Wikis has given me a better understanding of other ways to use a Wiki rather than just for "Wikipedia". Prior to reading this chapter the first thing that came to my mind when hearing the word Wiki was Wikipedia and the only thing I had known about Wikipedia was from what I had been told from previous teachers which was not to trust it as a source. This chapter has actually stated that Wikipedia is actually a reliable source and actually four out of five sites were proven to be legitimate by experts. This was surprising to me, but scary as well knowing that my future students could be looking at that one website that is unreliable. Other ways to use a Wiki is for students to post their work such as essays, audio, projects, and videos on a Wiki which makes it easy for their classmates to make comments or even edit their work. To prevent the students from deleting the Wiki or even posting inappropriate context, when using a Wiki in the classroom the text states that by giving the students more responsibility to maintain the site, the less misuse of the Wiki will take place. I had not thought of this until reading the text. I had always assumed that the teacher was the one who maintained the Wiki and kept it updated. After reading this text I can see how having the students maintain the Wiki could benefit the students by each contributing to their site. This reading has impacted my thoughts about Wikis because I now understand that there are more people out there that want to improve Wikis rather than abuse them. I also now understand that there is more to a Wiki than just the website "Wikipedia".

As a result of this new thinking after reading this chapter I will think of a Wiki in a deeper way than just thinking of it as having a Wikipedia. As a future teacher I will give a full explanation of what a Wiki is and how to use it. As a student I was always told that Wikipedia is an unreliable source and not to use it, but after reading this chapter I have a better understanding of how Wikis work and that not all Wikipedia sites are unreliable which is what I would tell my future students. By having the students post their work, multiple students are able to edit their work in an easy manner. Having a classroom Wiki is really an easy way of keeping the students involved in their work and contributing to one another’s work as well. I will also leave students to be in charge of maintaining the Wiki, giving them the responsibility of keeping it updated and clean.

"Rethinking Education" Ch. 3 Reflection

I felt that chapter 3 of "Rethinking Education" was closely related to my opinion on a technology based classroom. Chapter 3 gave a skeptics point of view on using technology in the classroom. This chapter has made me realize why I feel strongly about keeping the traditional way of teaching and learning in the classroom.

The chapter starts out by talking about a few of the technologies that were told that they would change the way of teaching and learning such as the radio, television, and filmstrips. Although each of these technologies was supposed to change education, it was found that each of these technologies had little effect on the ways of the classroom. There are a number of barriers in using technology in the classroom. One of the biggest barriers is the cost. To provide enough computers in the classroom for each student would be costly. In today's classrooms there is about one computer for every five students and about 1:9 in urban districts. For computer to become central in the classroom there has to be at least one computer per student. There are also many hidden costs in providing enough computers for each student. Not only does the school need to pay to provide enough computers, there are also additional costs for maintenance and software. Space also becomes an issue when it comes to providing enough computers for each student. This chapter has just solidified my thoughts about technology in the classroom. The chapter gave statistics and theory behind why skeptics, such as myself, feel that technology should not be the main way of teaching and learning in a classroom.

After reading this chapter I have realized that I will teach my students that although technology can be helpful, they shouldn't rely on it in their future. In this chapter it states that technology can dilute the authority in the classroom. After reading this I have decided that I will make it clear to all of my students that I am the one in charge, and once they think that technology has more authority than the teacher that there will be consequences. The most important lesson I will teach my students after reading this chapter is that your teachers and peers can teach you things that no computer will ever be able to teach you, such as how to be a good person. From kindergarten on teachers have taught you how to play fair and be nice to one another and in the real world being a good person is truly what matters most.

331- Exit Slip #3

Today we started off the class by having the first group present a chapter to the class. The group presented chapter 2 of our reading. After they were done presenting we used the smart board and had a class discussion about what the group did well and what they could have done differently to improve their lesson. To me, the most interesting tip Dr. Boyer gave to us was how to introduce and conclude our presentations. His advice was to introduce the presentation by telling us what you're going to be talking about, then talk about what you want to talk about, and conclude the presentation by telling us what you told us.

Next, Dr. Boyer recapped our homework on "Google Advanced" and the tools it has to offer. He then gave us some ideas about our Inquiry project and how to decide what question to select for that project. To wrap up the day we went over some loose ends and were able to ask questions regarding class expectations and questions about our upcoming assignments.

"Rethinking Education" Ch. 2 Reflection

Reading chapter 2 of “Rethinking Education” has actually changed my perspective a bit regarding education in the classroom. Before reading this chapter I had a very strong opinion that technology made a teacher’s job more difficult and that the students would benefit from having a more traditional way of learning. This chapter has given a few examples that have made me think differently. The chapter states that we are using 19^th century teaching style to try and fulfill the needs of 21^st century children. The chapter also gives many examples of how technology can be beneficial for learning both in and outside of the classroom. Technology can be used to getting a tutor. This is a helpful tool but it the methods teachers use to solve particular problems can be very different. Some teachers prefer using one method over another, and likely the online tutor was maybe taught a different method to solve the problem which can clash with the teachers way of teaching. As stated in the chapter is that technology can also give immediate feedback which can help to correct their mistakes right away which leads to a better understanding and a quicker understanding. Technology can also help get a students work out on the internet for more than just the teacher and his or her classmates to see. The student is able to publish their work online for more viewers to see. The book does a good job of explaining how technology can be useful in the classroom and has made me open my mind to the possibilities of a technology oriented classroom.

As a result of this reading I will now consider using technology more in my classroom. This reading has made me think about ways I could, as a teacher, incorporate technology into my classroom in an interesting way. I first thought about pen pals. In the past we have used a paper and pencil to write to our pen pals and the post office to deliver our messages. Technology could make it possible to have pen pals from classrooms all across the world. Teachers could use Skype or even video messages to talk to various classrooms, and free of price. This chapter also made me think more about video games and think about them in a different manor. Although I do not agree with all video games, the text points out a few different games that can actually have the students apply their knowledge to everyday life. Unlike most other teachers I will explain to my students that I do not think all video games are bad, but will help my students pick out the appropriate games to play that can benefit their motor skills and pattern matching, social behavior and others. This chapter has helped me become more open to using technology in the classroom and has helped me brainstorm different ways to incorporate technology in the classroom that will be interesting for the students.

331- Exit Slip #2

After today's lecture I came away with a better understanding on both expectations for our chapter presentation as well as a better understanding of chapter one in our reading. Dr. Boyer presented chapter one of the reading and gave us a demonstration and tips on how to do our own presentations when time comes. I now understand that we are not supposed to just recap the chapter. He also gave us a website to use rather than using power point.

Today in class we also talked about a process to teach our students when looking online at websites and determining whether or not they are legitimate. A few tips I learned that I hadn’t already thought about was "trimming the URL" and most importantly "triangulation" which is comparing the information between websites.

What I thought was the most interesting about today's lecture was when we were given a set of questions and depending on whether we agreed or not we moved to different parts of the room. We got into groups with those we agreed with and discussed our opinions with the class. I liked this activity because we got to get up out of our chairs and move around. In my classroom I will also use activities where the students will be able to get up and move around. I think this is important because I will be working with elementary aged children who most likely have a hard time sitting behind a desk all day long.

At the end of the class Dr. Boyer gave us a short lesson on how to use the SMART board. The tools on this board are amazing and endless. There are so many fun tools that can be used to both keep the children interested and excited. I think by letting the students take turns by using the SMART board will be exciting for the students. The short instructional lesson will also help me in my Education 381 class where I am expected to present a lesson using the SMART board.

Overall, this class was interesting and insightful.

"Growing Up Online" Reflection

This story was chilling but all too familiar in today's technology oriented society. Children are turning to and relying on the internet to confide in people they think they can trust rather than talking about their problems with those closest to them. Children are shutting their parents out due to technology and some are living completely secret lives using the internet. These children are not only being bullied at school, and it continues the second they get home and log onto the internet, sometimes even trying to be someone they are not. The internet is also a place where children can bully others without having to look them in the eye which makes the comments all the more brutal. Technology can also be blamed for a students struggle academically. If the child is being bullied at home on the internet a lot of times they are going to be afraid to come to school or even have too many thoughts running through their mind to concentrate. It is sad that children are turning to the internet to confide in someone rather than talkin to those most important in their lives.

As a future teacher I think it is important to warn the children about bullying and cyber bullying and give them the honest truth using true stories such as the one in the video. It is important for the students to realize the seriousness of it and that it should not be tolerated. I would also tell my students that if they hear of any account where a student is being cyber bullied to tell a teacher or parent immediately so they can take action again the bully. It is important to make students feel comfortable and make sure that any report of bullying will be held completely anonymous if desired. It would also be a smart idea to place a box on every teachers desk where anyone can put a note in reporting bullying or any other statement they would like to keep anonymous. As a future teacher I would make myself available for any student to talk to me openly about anything that is going on in their life so they have someone to talk to rather than depending on the internet to confide in someone. Bullying should not be taken lightly and even the smallest reports of it should be taken seriously and acted upon immediately because one thing can lead to another and sometimes it ends up being too late.

Ch. 1-3 "Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts" Reflection

"The possibilities are endless!" as quoted by Anne Davison page 25 of "Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts" when talking about using technology in the classroom. I agree with this statement completely. In this new age where technology is taking over, students are learning not only in the classroom, but are also learning more outside the classroom on their own time using technology such as ipods, internet, and even their cell phones. As stated in the text, this is the hardest time to get into the field of education because technology is changing everyday and teachers are struggling to both understand the current technology but also prepare to learn the new upcoming technology that hasn't been invented yet. It is also difficult because teachers are a step behind their students in learning this technology because our students are the ones growing up in this era and have been exposed to this technology since day one. This reading has made me realize that as a teacher we will always be learning something new and will never feel "ahead of the game". Also, when using technology such as wikis and blogs the students are not only learning inside the classroom, but continue to learn out of school hours. Another advantage to using blogs and wikis is that there are no more excuses for "I lost my homework" or "I didn't know that was due today".

As a result of this new thinking, as a future teacher I will do a few things differently. I will go about teaching my classroom using techniques and technologies the students are interested in and use outside of the classroom although not depend on it. By using technology they are familiar with and like using, the students will most likely be more interested in completing their homework. Using blogs and wikis, I will keep an updated blog to document activities, pictures, and homework for each of my students, and their parents to see. Through this text I received a better understanding of how to use blogs and wikis in the classroom and now understand the reason behind using this technology. Although I find this new information fascinating, I am still sticking to my gut when stating that I do not want to be a teacher who depends on technology to teach the students. One of the main reasons I have always wanted to be a teacher is to work hands on with my students and build relationships within the classroom, and I feel technology is taking away from that bonding experience.

Credible Website Procedure

Determining whether a website is credible or not is hard for all people, especially adolescents, who believe everything posted online is credible. I would first show my students that anybody can create their own website and put any information in them whether the information is correct or not. I would then pull up a non-credible website and state the obvious while looking at visual clues. If a page seems unprofessional, almost like a child's school project where there are smelling and grammar errors, the website is most likely not credible. The government or a credible source would hire a person whose job it would be to create the website and make it look professional, free of any errors.

I would then teach my students that when typing in a website; make sure that you are spelling the website correctly. Scammers take commonly misspelled companies or website names and make their website look identical to that of the actual website making people believe that they are on a legitimate website page when in actuality they are not. I would also tell my students to look for websites who are asking for personal information because chances are it is a website where scammers are looking to scam you because a credible website would not ask for personal information over the internet.

Also, check for the creator of the websites name, a postal address, e-mail address, and telephone number included in the website when looking at a company’s website. Another strategy to make sure of a websites credibility when searching for a website for a school research paper or project, go to your own school's library webpage, or even your city's public library and use a data base listen on their website such as BadgerLink, or EBSCOhost where they provide a number of different credible sources.

These are a few steps a teacher could take in providing their students with the proper information needed to make sure they are looking at a credible website in which all the information on the page is trustworthy.

Rethinking Education- Ch. 1 Reflection

The first chapter in "Rethinking Education" opened my eyes to a new way of teaching and learning that could possibly be solely based off of using technology in the classroom. As a current student myself, I have realized a few slight changes in incorporating technology into my classes, but nothing major. I have realized that professors are now using technologies such as the "Smart Board" for executing lectures or using "Twitter" for posting course assignments. After reading chapter one, as a future teacher I am somewhat nervous that technology will soon take over and student/teacher relationships and student/student relationships will no longer be important or even exist, worse yet, someday classroom teachers may no longer be needed. On the other hand, I think using new technology such as a Smart Board to replace old materials for teaching such as a chalkboard is a good idea because new technologies such as a “Smart Board” have many more tools that can be useful in a classroom. Another concern of mine is if a classroom were to fully rely on technology, when assigning nightly homework that is to be done using a computer, not every student's family is able to afford a computer, which means the student will not have access to a computer resulting in uncompleted homework. In my eyes, technology has one purpose for a classroom and that is to update outdated materials for teaching and learning, but to not take over.

As a result of this new thinking, I will stress the fact that the interaction between teacher/student and student/student is most important and technology is solely used as a tool to help get points across to students, but not rely on technology to teach the students. I will also not expect that each and every one of my students has access to a computer at home, which means most homework will be done "the old fashion way" by using a paper and pencil and if a rare situation comes up where they need access to a computer they are able to use the school computer lab to complete that assignment. I will also stress to my students that using technology is not a bad thing, but to be careful when using it because technology is not perfect and does have glitches. I also want to teach the students that technology has a purpose and will most likely be used in each of their professions but technology can and will not teach you people skills which are very important in someday having a career. Teaching students people skills is not only useful in their future jobs but important in everyday relationships with others.

Overall, chapter one in “Rethinking Education” was both an exciting and frightening chapter to read as a future teacher. It was exciting because new technology will aid as a tool in my classroom someday, but also frightening because if overused, the same technology might someday take over your classroom.

331- Exit Slip #1

Today in class we touched up on a few misunderstandings with the syllabus and other questions reguarding the class in general. A lot of my questions were answered in class both through questions I had asked, and through my other classmates questions.

We then talked about social bookmarking. This topic was confusing to me at first because prior to this class period I had never worked with, let alone even heard of this before. I have always used the tab "Favorites" to save my favorite, and useful websites on my computer before but today Dr. Boyer brought up a few good points that had never crossed my mind: "What if you are using a differend computer than your lap top, your favorites are only saved to one specific computer" or "What if your computer crashes?" Not only did the fact that I would be able to access my "delicious" account from any computer, I would also be able to start building up a list of my favorite, and most useful websites now before I'm a teacher so I can be fully prepared before getting hired. This website is also handy because it organizes the websites using "tabs" which are categories each website is put into.

I was also impressed with wiki. It is nice that each class can be documented by students in the class to clarify what was covered in class whether a student was absent for the day, or just briefly spaced out. I also thought it was a great idea that Dr. Boyer brought up that this would be a great resource for parents of students to look at to see what was covered in class for the day to reassure parents that the students are infact covering material during the day, dispite being told by their child that they didn't learn anything in class that day. Especially going into the field of exceptional education, which I am doing, the parents of the student with disabilities aren't always able to be told by their child what they did during the day which is why wiki is a good way of communicating to the parents of your students.

Overall today was a very productive day. I was able to get a few answered cleared up and I also learned two great ways of using technology not only now, but also someday when I am working in a classroom.

331- Digital Autobiography Link/Reflection

http://animoto.com/play/kPYFtUU8FcObzITqUKPZLQ

Reflection:

When first being assigned this assignment I was very excited and since I'm pretty familiar with technology, I figured it would be a breeze to complete. I also figured that since I was able to choose a topic I am interested in that it would make the project even easier. Turns out, choosing soccer for my topic made the project even harder, I then turned what could have been about an hour project into a five hour project, altering the slightest of details just so my digital autobiography was flawless and just the way I liked. The digital autobiography software I chose was very confusing and wouldn't allow me to add certain items I wanted in my video, such as my own audio and short video clips. Because of these complications I ended up exploring each and every aspect to all four programs offered which took up a large amount of time. Overall I exerted a lot of effort in this task, not only trying to make my digital autobiography flawless, but also trying to figure out each and every tool the program had to offer.

The value in completing this course task was not only to knock off an assignment from the "C contract", but also to show that I am able to put together a project using a given software program. One might be familiar with a particular program but not another and being a teacher, one needs to adapt to an unfamiliar programs. Another value in this project was to show how technology has evolved. Even a few years back introducing oneself to a class would have been conducted in a very different manner, and would probably have not been done using technology. With the technology we have access to in today's age we are able to use software with different programs to provide information in very advanced ways. Who knows what technology us future teachers will be using when introducing our class of students to one another.

This course task will impact my future teaching because I now fully understand that I need to be adaptable to different and new programs although they may be confusing at first. I also now understand that although two programs can result in a similar product, each program can offer very different qualities. I will also create assignments and projects for my students that will involve subjects that they are interested in. Through personal experiences, such as the digital autobiography I just completed, students do their best work, and try hardest on subjects they are interested in rather than something they are forced to write or do a project on. I also have learned through this project that there are many ways of incorporating lessons in the classroom that we can now use technology for, such as something as simple as introducing yourself.

Overall I enjoyed creating my digital autobiography although if I could do it again I wouldn't worry about the smallest of every detail because I don't think that is what this project was all about. It wasn't about making your project flawless, but rather exploring the different options between programs and expanding our minds to thinking beyond what we grew up doing, such as introducing ourselves by simply stating our name and favorite color.

331- First Post

Technology- Technology is a tool that is used to find or document information in an organized manner.


Technology Integration- Technology integration is when a device is included into classroom activities. Some classrooms may use “smart boards” or even laptop computers to expand upon prior knowledge.