Completing this task actually did not take as much effort as I expected, especially because I didn't wait until the last minute to complete it. Since this task was given midway through the semester, I was given enough time to complete it without rushing. There was a lot of information needed to complete the task but as long as an interesting topic was chosen, it wasn't that bad. The topic I decided to choose was interesting to me and related to my future career which is why I didn't mind all of the research and actually found much of the information interesting and fun to look at. The hardest part about doing this task was completing the screencast, simply because I hate recording my voice. The one part of this task that took the longest was the annotated bibliography and finding sources.
The value in completing this task was to pick a topic that was interesting to us and research it and decide the best practices. I also think that this task was based on having to create and update our own wiki. Doing this assignment gave me experience needed to create a wiki. The knowledge I gained from this experience is what I will use in my future teaching in my classroom. Now that I understand how to maintain a wiki I will be more comfortable using it in my future.
This task will impact my future teaching because I now know how to use a wiki. I will use the knowledge from this assignment and use it in my future teaching. Through this task I have also learned new ways of using technology with students with autism. Each of the three best practices I used for my wiki will be incorporated into my future classroom.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Final Post
Today we started off our day by wrapping up the ideas we have learned throughout the year and implicate them into an activity Dr. Boyer presented us with: We are now a teacher and have his daughter in our class, what are three ways I would use technology in the classroom?
1. I would create a wiki. I would maintain this wiki daily and update it with information about what we have covered in class throughout the day. I would have my students decide what the "big ideas" of the day were and record those on the wiki. I would also include pictures and videos of my students. I would also use the wiki to keep in contact with parents, keeping the line of communication open. I would also post assignments and notes for students who are absent.
2. I would use a SMARTBoard. In my class I would create interactive lessons using the SMARTBoard so the students would be able to have a hand-on learning experience.
3. I would have my students keep a blog. By creating a blog and maintaining it throughout the year students are able to record ideas they have learned throughout the year and look back on what they have learned and reflect upon their experiences in my class. Students would also be able to blog about their feelings and keep it as a journal.
After this Dr. Boyer wrapped up the class, talked about a few final homework items, asked for questions, and gave us his final ideas for our futures as teachers.
My ideas about using technology in the classroom has changed a bit over the semester. Prior to this class I felt as if technology was "taking over" our students minds and that they were relying on it for everything. After this class, I feel as if many different technologies are a good way of getting students involoved in their own learning. Students are now able to take their education into their own hands and take control. There are tools that gives students the ability to expand of their current knowledge. Technology gives students the option to learn everyday, outside of school, and even after they are done with traditional schooling. I now view technology as a life-long learning tool.
1. I would create a wiki. I would maintain this wiki daily and update it with information about what we have covered in class throughout the day. I would have my students decide what the "big ideas" of the day were and record those on the wiki. I would also include pictures and videos of my students. I would also use the wiki to keep in contact with parents, keeping the line of communication open. I would also post assignments and notes for students who are absent.
2. I would use a SMARTBoard. In my class I would create interactive lessons using the SMARTBoard so the students would be able to have a hand-on learning experience.
3. I would have my students keep a blog. By creating a blog and maintaining it throughout the year students are able to record ideas they have learned throughout the year and look back on what they have learned and reflect upon their experiences in my class. Students would also be able to blog about their feelings and keep it as a journal.
After this Dr. Boyer wrapped up the class, talked about a few final homework items, asked for questions, and gave us his final ideas for our futures as teachers.
My ideas about using technology in the classroom has changed a bit over the semester. Prior to this class I felt as if technology was "taking over" our students minds and that they were relying on it for everything. After this class, I feel as if many different technologies are a good way of getting students involoved in their own learning. Students are now able to take their education into their own hands and take control. There are tools that gives students the ability to expand of their current knowledge. Technology gives students the option to learn everyday, outside of school, and even after they are done with traditional schooling. I now view technology as a life-long learning tool.
iRLO Relfection
Creating my iRLO was very time consuming. The process of figuring out how to construct my iRLO took the longest. It was very difficult to figure out how to put all of the pieces together. This took a while to figure out and when I finally thought I had it figured out, there seemed to be a glitch. What seemed to have helped me a lot was watching tutorials on YouTube about iRLO's. I also met with Dr. Boyer for some help and after that it soon came together quickly. This assignment seemed to take over my life, I was soon overtaken by this assignment and I became a perfectionist. When this assignment was completed I felt really good about my final product.
I could use iRLO's in my future teaching in many ways. Since I am planning on teaching in a special education classroom I would mostly use an iRLO I have created for my students to practice their skills in a fun, game-like way. I think I would try to have some of my students create their own iRLO's. Creating and playing iRLO's created by you or someone you know is a fun way of working on skills.
I could use iRLO's in my future teaching in many ways. Since I am planning on teaching in a special education classroom I would mostly use an iRLO I have created for my students to practice their skills in a fun, game-like way. I think I would try to have some of my students create their own iRLO's. Creating and playing iRLO's created by you or someone you know is a fun way of working on skills.
PSA Reflection
Making our PSA was a really fun assignment. I am glad we were able to choose our partners to make our PSA with. Making our PSA did not take as long as I expected. Overall planning and filming this assignment took only about 2-3 hours split up into 2 nights of work. I did not exert too much effort in this task. My group chose to do our PSA on cyber-bullying which is a very hot topic in today's society which is why we chose this subject. Cyber-bullying is a serious matter and can be prevented. My group's goal for our PSA was to spread the word about cyber-bullying and help prevent these occurrences from happening.
This PSA could be useful to me as a teacher because I can show my students a number of PSA's that have already been made by others and then have them make their own. A good idea would be to have students in the school make their own "anti-bullying" PSA's to share with the school. This would be a way to spread the world to all of the students that bullying is not right. Students would give facts as well as give prevention tips for students.
This PSA could be useful to me as a teacher because I can show my students a number of PSA's that have already been made by others and then have them make their own. A good idea would be to have students in the school make their own "anti-bullying" PSA's to share with the school. This would be a way to spread the world to all of the students that bullying is not right. Students would give facts as well as give prevention tips for students.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Exit Slip 12/02/10
To start off the day we watched a video clip about a teacher in Canada who uses technology in her classroom. I few ways she used it in her classroom were using a SMARTboard, laptops, online daily blogs, as well as online collaborative projects. Next, we collaborated as a group and discussed ways she used technology in her classroom and all of the advantages that come along with technology. Lastly, we put our list under 3 different categories: what we were able to do before technology, what we couldn't do before technology, and what was improved due to technology.
After that discussion, we numbered off into 7 groups and read about something "brilliant" that technology has to offer, and one "mistakes" teachers could make while using technology. We then got into a group of 4 with the others who read about the same thing and we brought our ideas together about the reading. After this we "lettered off" in groups of A,B,C, and D then got into those groups and shared with our groups about all of the readings.
Next, we came back together as a group and Dr. Boyer wrapped up the class period.
After that discussion, we numbered off into 7 groups and read about something "brilliant" that technology has to offer, and one "mistakes" teachers could make while using technology. We then got into a group of 4 with the others who read about the same thing and we brought our ideas together about the reading. After this we "lettered off" in groups of A,B,C, and D then got into those groups and shared with our groups about all of the readings.
Next, we came back together as a group and Dr. Boyer wrapped up the class period.
Monday, November 15, 2010
"Rethinking Education" Ch. 10 Reflection
In today's generation students rely on and use technology for almost everything, including education, personal interests, communication, and the list goes on. Chapter 10 of our text recaps the entire book in one chapter. This chapter pulls all of the main ideas and concludes the book by stating how technology impacts us as educations, as well as our future students. The chapter first recaps why technology is important in learning. Technology is being used in a way to help our students learn by using games, and we present our information using SMARTboards in the classroom. Distance education is also becoming more and more popular among students. Distance learning gives students the ability to interact with students from across the world on common interests. Technology gives people the ability to be lifelong learners, where education is not complete after the 12th grade making it possible to learn throughout your lifetime. Technology gives students the option for non-traditional schooling such as home schooling. People are able to be learners in the workplace learning where technology is used to train and educate employees throughout their career. Businesses are turning to virtual games where the employees are given different situations with virtual customers. Technology gives people the motivation to learn what they want and what they are interested in. Students are being encouraged to explore their interests for themselves and take control of their learning. By students taking control of their own learning, they are preparing themselves for their future careers. Students are able to focus on areas that will benefit them in the future as employees.
This book has opened my mind has influences me to think outside of the box. Prior to learning this book I had thought that educating our future students should be done in the same manner as I was taught growing up. I have come to realize that although I feel as if there are some areas of education where technology should be drifted away from, many and most of the areas of education should use technology. In the next generation of workers, almost all of their careers will be focused on or around technology. Students should be comfortable with using technology and should be up to date with the current technology. As teachers we also need to stay updated. Since technology is always changing and improving, we as educators need to be educated as well. Although I now see many pros to using technology, I still stick by some of my feeling about technology. I believe that students need to know communication skills. This generation of students is depending on technology to communicate, using social networking sites such as facebook, myspace, and twitter. As educators, we need to stress the importance of face to face communication as well as make sure students master some of the "old school" ways of education, such as penmanship and reading out of a textbook. There are many opinions about using technology in education, and there is no correct answer to this issue, but whatever it is that makes you feel like you are doing the best possible job as an educator is the method you should stand by.
This book has opened my mind has influences me to think outside of the box. Prior to learning this book I had thought that educating our future students should be done in the same manner as I was taught growing up. I have come to realize that although I feel as if there are some areas of education where technology should be drifted away from, many and most of the areas of education should use technology. In the next generation of workers, almost all of their careers will be focused on or around technology. Students should be comfortable with using technology and should be up to date with the current technology. As teachers we also need to stay updated. Since technology is always changing and improving, we as educators need to be educated as well. Although I now see many pros to using technology, I still stick by some of my feeling about technology. I believe that students need to know communication skills. This generation of students is depending on technology to communicate, using social networking sites such as facebook, myspace, and twitter. As educators, we need to stress the importance of face to face communication as well as make sure students master some of the "old school" ways of education, such as penmanship and reading out of a textbook. There are many opinions about using technology in education, and there is no correct answer to this issue, but whatever it is that makes you feel like you are doing the best possible job as an educator is the method you should stand by.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Contemporary Issues Podcast Reflection
For my Podcast I used an article I found on CNN.com, click here for the article. I also used lead in and lead out music from http://www.incompetech.com/. Lastly, my sound effect came from the website Cartoon Sound Effects. My podcast was submitted to the Dropbox on D2L.
I spent a lot of time creating this podcast. Since I have never done a podcast before and have no prior experience working with Audacity, I had to spend a long time trying to figure out how to use the program. I also spend a bit of time searching for an interesting article. The easiest part of making this podcast was writing the script. The hardest part was recording myself because the audio was really scratchy and would cut in and out at random times. This was frustrating because I could never record a clip without the audio skipping slightly. I ended up just accepting that my computer was not the best for recording podcasts.
After finally completing this podcast I have realized that I would never really use this in my classroom for a recording of contemporary issues, but it might be useful as a tool to record class lessons, activities, or projects. Podcasts would be useful to post online for the students to recap what was done in class both that day and throughout the year. As a future elementary school teacher I could see podcasts being more beneficial for parents. It would be a cool tool to use for teachers to post a podcast online for students to listen to. Parents would listen to in class activities as well as being informed of what was accomplished throughout the day at school.
I spent a lot of time creating this podcast. Since I have never done a podcast before and have no prior experience working with Audacity, I had to spend a long time trying to figure out how to use the program. I also spend a bit of time searching for an interesting article. The easiest part of making this podcast was writing the script. The hardest part was recording myself because the audio was really scratchy and would cut in and out at random times. This was frustrating because I could never record a clip without the audio skipping slightly. I ended up just accepting that my computer was not the best for recording podcasts.
After finally completing this podcast I have realized that I would never really use this in my classroom for a recording of contemporary issues, but it might be useful as a tool to record class lessons, activities, or projects. Podcasts would be useful to post online for the students to recap what was done in class both that day and throughout the year. As a future elementary school teacher I could see podcasts being more beneficial for parents. It would be a cool tool to use for teachers to post a podcast online for students to listen to. Parents would listen to in class activities as well as being informed of what was accomplished throughout the day at school.
Monday, November 8, 2010
"Rethinking Edcation" Ch. 9 Reflection
Chapter nine of "Rethinking Education" talked about what technology means in the lives of today's generation of children. Children are turning to technology to learn more about topics they are interested in and parents and teachers need to be aware of what and how our students and children are looking into outside of school and home. Children are now becoming more educated a knowledgeable about technology can their parents and teachers. One way of decreasing the literacy gap between parents and their children is for parents to understand what their child is using these technologies for. Most often the parents are the ones who provide a number of technologies for their children but have little to no clue what they are used for or how to use them. Parents need to take action and become familiar with new technologies. It is recommended for parents to pick up their child's video game controller and have their child teach them how to use it and how to play the game. Parents should also get an instant messenger account, whether it is on their cell phone or on the computer so they are able to connect and communicate with their child. Many children in today's culture would much rather send a short text message as a way of communicating rather than picking up a phone and using it to make a phone call. Parents should also encourage their child to join online communities where they are able to interact and communicate with others with the same interests. Children are very unique and open minded and might come up with an idea that an adult might never think about. By joining online communities and blogging students are able to gain skills that might be useful in their future careers. In today's society jobs are being created based on technology; years ago these jobs would have not existed. By using technology students are preparing themselves for their future career, even if the career field is currently non-existent. Our children and students are creating jobs for their own futures.
As a future teacher I would encourage my students to share their knowledge on technology with both myself as well as their parents. In today's culture our children seen to be much more knowledgeable when it comes to technology than teachers and parents and it is important for us to all get on the same page. As a teacher I would also be curious about different technologies my students are using and test them out for myself. I now understand that the technologies our students are using are creating jobs for their futures. I would like to test out different games to see which ones I feel are the most valid for my students to use. Because in today's culture it would be near difficult to pull a student away from video games, I would use my knowledge to suggest certain games for them to use, where they can gain as many skills as possible from the game. Because technology is pulling students away from books and board games I would purposely assign some homework assignments that require reading a book and doing other homework without using technology. Something I found surprising in this chapter was that by students joining gaming communities, video games can actually improve one's vocabulary by providing opportunities to develop new sources of vocabulary in useful ways. This chapter has made me realize that rather than fighting our children and students to move away from technology, we as parents and teachers should learn from them and then connect with them by using the technology they use.
As a future teacher I would encourage my students to share their knowledge on technology with both myself as well as their parents. In today's culture our children seen to be much more knowledgeable when it comes to technology than teachers and parents and it is important for us to all get on the same page. As a teacher I would also be curious about different technologies my students are using and test them out for myself. I now understand that the technologies our students are using are creating jobs for their futures. I would like to test out different games to see which ones I feel are the most valid for my students to use. Because in today's culture it would be near difficult to pull a student away from video games, I would use my knowledge to suggest certain games for them to use, where they can gain as many skills as possible from the game. Because technology is pulling students away from books and board games I would purposely assign some homework assignments that require reading a book and doing other homework without using technology. Something I found surprising in this chapter was that by students joining gaming communities, video games can actually improve one's vocabulary by providing opportunities to develop new sources of vocabulary in useful ways. This chapter has made me realize that rather than fighting our children and students to move away from technology, we as parents and teachers should learn from them and then connect with them by using the technology they use.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
"Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts" Ch. 10/Epilogue Reflection
The read/write web had drastically changed the world of education. Students are able to find literally anything and everything they are interested in on the web. This creates the idea of lifelong learning. What used to fill the backpacks of students are now easily accessible on the web. Students are able to share their work with an unlimited audience and receive feedback from others. Teachers can use technology to assign projects. Projects used to consist of a large piece of construction paper using markers to fill out the appropriate information. In today's age of technology, teachers are able to assign projects that can be done on the computer which gives students the ability to creatively use text, picture, graphics, video, audio, and other types of media to demonstrate their knowledge on a particular topic. Students are also able to connect with others with the same interests as them. Technology creates bonds and connections between people, even with those they have never met. Students are able to access the web at anytime, anywhere, which leads us to the idea of 24/7 learning. Now that students are able to learn anywhere and everywhere, the school day does not only consist of 8 hours, 5 days a week. The read/write web has the ability to open up many doors for both our future students as well as ourselves as educators and exploring these options will benefit both you and your students.
As a result of this text I am now a more creative thinker when it comes to being a future teacher. Prior to this reading I felt as if the standardized traditional schooling is the way to go but after reading about the many perks and tools when using technology I have found myself with a different mind set about using technology in the classroom. I have finally realized that there is no correct answer to using technology as an educator. After completing this book I have finally understood where I stand with this whole debate. I have shifted from the skeptic’s side to the middle, between the skeptics and advocates. I will defiantly implement technology into my classroom but make sure that my students don't depend on it for everything. I still believe that knowing mental math is important without using a calculator as well as knowing simple facts without having to look it up on the web. I will stress to my students how to properly use technology, stressing the fact that not everything you read is true, and not everyone you meet is a good person and you can't be naive. Overall this book has made me rethink where I stand with technology and has given me great ideas about how to effectively use it in my classroom.
As a result of this text I am now a more creative thinker when it comes to being a future teacher. Prior to this reading I felt as if the standardized traditional schooling is the way to go but after reading about the many perks and tools when using technology I have found myself with a different mind set about using technology in the classroom. I have finally realized that there is no correct answer to using technology as an educator. After completing this book I have finally understood where I stand with this whole debate. I have shifted from the skeptic’s side to the middle, between the skeptics and advocates. I will defiantly implement technology into my classroom but make sure that my students don't depend on it for everything. I still believe that knowing mental math is important without using a calculator as well as knowing simple facts without having to look it up on the web. I will stress to my students how to properly use technology, stressing the fact that not everything you read is true, and not everyone you meet is a good person and you can't be naive. Overall this book has made me rethink where I stand with technology and has given me great ideas about how to effectively use it in my classroom.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Screencast Link and Reflection
http://www.screencast.com/users/knick938/folders/Default/media/8fbe1b73-0c0e-4f16-b294-eb75cbe333b6
Reflection:
I exerted a lot of effort into this task. I probably stressed about this project more than I should have. It took a lot of time to become familiar with the website I was doing a SWAT analysis of. I had never even heard of "Glogster" before this assignment so much of my time was just simply trying to figure out what the program had to offer and how to use it. I feel as if I totally over thought this project and when preparing for the recording I found myself being unable to meet the time requirement- not because I couldn't meet 5 minutes, but because I was going WAY over. I also found it really frustrating and difficult to record the screencast without any errors and the most frustrating part is that when a mistake was made I had to redo the entire screencast rather than just editing the piece. It was also hard to get comfortable with recording my own voice. After numerous amounts of mistake ridden recordings, I finally felt some comfort and was able to get a final recording. I thought that creating this screencast was very difficult but overall will benefit me in my teaching career.
Creating this screencast has overall benefited me as a future teacher because I have learned a new tool to use in my classroom and now have been able to experiment with it a bit. I have also learned how to do a SWAT analysis, which I have never done before. Not only have I learned how to use Jing for creating a screencast, I have also learned how to use Glogster, both in which I will implement into my future classroom. Overall I feel the most beneficial aspect of this project was getting used to talking, and hearing myself talk into a microphone. Before this project I was totally uncomfortable with hearing a recording of my voice but now after experimenting with Jing I am more comfortable.
Reflection:
I exerted a lot of effort into this task. I probably stressed about this project more than I should have. It took a lot of time to become familiar with the website I was doing a SWAT analysis of. I had never even heard of "Glogster" before this assignment so much of my time was just simply trying to figure out what the program had to offer and how to use it. I feel as if I totally over thought this project and when preparing for the recording I found myself being unable to meet the time requirement- not because I couldn't meet 5 minutes, but because I was going WAY over. I also found it really frustrating and difficult to record the screencast without any errors and the most frustrating part is that when a mistake was made I had to redo the entire screencast rather than just editing the piece. It was also hard to get comfortable with recording my own voice. After numerous amounts of mistake ridden recordings, I finally felt some comfort and was able to get a final recording. I thought that creating this screencast was very difficult but overall will benefit me in my teaching career.
Creating this screencast has overall benefited me as a future teacher because I have learned a new tool to use in my classroom and now have been able to experiment with it a bit. I have also learned how to do a SWAT analysis, which I have never done before. Not only have I learned how to use Jing for creating a screencast, I have also learned how to use Glogster, both in which I will implement into my future classroom. Overall I feel the most beneficial aspect of this project was getting used to talking, and hearing myself talk into a microphone. Before this project I was totally uncomfortable with hearing a recording of my voice but now after experimenting with Jing I am more comfortable.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
"Rethinking Education" Ch. 8 Reflection
Chapter eight of "Rethinking Education" gives readers a better idea of how we are trying to effectively bring together the best of the old and new ways of education. In today's culture students spend upwards of six hours each day watching television, playing video games, using the internet, instant messaging, emailing, and other media. This media dominates the lives of our learners which is why researchers are trying to link the worlds of media and learning so that students are able to learn while interacting with the different types of media used in their daily lives. One new approach of bringing these two worlds together is to establish a set of credentials that students would be able to learn either on the computer or by trained professionals. Students would be able to be certified in specific areas where the content will be narrowly focused. Being certified with a particular credential will show a learner’s expertise in specific skills. Unlike a diploma where students take particular classes based on their grade level, students being certified with credentials will be arranged in classes based on their interests and future goals. Students being certified with credentials will be able to decide when they are comfortable taking an assessment to be certified. This is much different from a standardized school setting where the testing date is arranged by the instructor. Students seeking out a particular career will be expected to be certified with a number of specific credentials related to that job. Another new approach is using video games to educate students. Games such as Civilization, The Sims, and Railroad Tycoon are all games in which students are able to learn. These games educate our students and they are able to interact with specific jobs and real life scenarios. Students are able to learn leadership skills from games such as SWAT 4, Full Spectrum Warrior, and World of Warcraft are all games that can give players the chance to develop tactical skills along with leadership skills. Course management systems such as Desire2Learn and Blackboard are all programs that help students and teaches stay organized and connected. Using these programs students are able to check and post homework assignments, engage in discussions, and connect with other students as well as their teacher. All of these new ideas in education are bringing the old and new world of education together.
This reading has given changed how I feel about standardized education to an extent. I found myself agreeing with a lot of the points about being certified in credentials. This seems to be a good idea because then each career has specific content that needs to be mastered for the job. After mastering all of the different concepts and content of the job one will be an expert when it comes to the career. Students are also able to go at their own pace to make sure they have completely understood the content before moving on rather than being forced to move along before the concept is mastered. This idea of credentials also gives students the ability to focus on specific goals and interests of theirs which will keep the students interested and inspired to learn the content because they will be interested in it. Although this seems like such a great idea, I also have thought about whether students will be able to purposely bypass the material and content they have no interest in learning but could benefit one in one’s future. This also brings up another thought that what if students change their mind about their career. Rather than just being able to make a career change, people will need to go through a list of credentials before being able to have a career in a different field. Before this reading I was also not a huge fan of video games, but after reading this chapter I feel as if it can be beneficial to a students learning if the proper video game is chosen. This reading has also made me think about using programs such as D2L for learning. I had never thought about using it outside of a University setting, but it makes me think about whether it could be beneficial in an elementary classroom. I think that if used correctly it could be used but for more simple tasks than we use here at UWSP. Overall this chapter has made me think about the new ideas of education and how I would be able to implement them into my own future classroom.
This reading has given changed how I feel about standardized education to an extent. I found myself agreeing with a lot of the points about being certified in credentials. This seems to be a good idea because then each career has specific content that needs to be mastered for the job. After mastering all of the different concepts and content of the job one will be an expert when it comes to the career. Students are also able to go at their own pace to make sure they have completely understood the content before moving on rather than being forced to move along before the concept is mastered. This idea of credentials also gives students the ability to focus on specific goals and interests of theirs which will keep the students interested and inspired to learn the content because they will be interested in it. Although this seems like such a great idea, I also have thought about whether students will be able to purposely bypass the material and content they have no interest in learning but could benefit one in one’s future. This also brings up another thought that what if students change their mind about their career. Rather than just being able to make a career change, people will need to go through a list of credentials before being able to have a career in a different field. Before this reading I was also not a huge fan of video games, but after reading this chapter I feel as if it can be beneficial to a students learning if the proper video game is chosen. This reading has also made me think about using programs such as D2L for learning. I had never thought about using it outside of a University setting, but it makes me think about whether it could be beneficial in an elementary classroom. I think that if used correctly it could be used but for more simple tasks than we use here at UWSP. Overall this chapter has made me think about the new ideas of education and how I would be able to implement them into my own future classroom.
"Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts" Ch. 9 Reflection
In today's culture social networking is common among almost everyone. In my own personal experience, I am aware that every one of my friends has Facebook and that almost every student at my University as Facebook or some kind of social networking site. In July of 2009 Facebook was growing by about 700,000 memberships PER DAY, totaling in close to 250 million memberships. Social networking is a way to keep people connected to one another whether it's keeping one connected to their family, classmates from high school, someone they have met once, to even those they have never met. Social networking is also becoming popular among a wide age range. Children as young as elementary school are becoming social networking users all the way up to our grandparents whom are becoming familiar with social networking and becoming users as well. Although a predicted 90 percent of schools block social networking sites such as Facebook, students are able to use social networking as a self-directed, peer-based learning. It is understood that students are able to engage in inappropriate behavior on these types of sites. This reading has given me a better understanding on how to use Facebook in my future classroom. The reading makes it clear that Facebook should be used in the classroom for "interest-based" rather than "friendship-based" purposes. I have learned that it is also important to have valid and appropriate reasons to back up your decision to use a site such as Facebook in your classroom. It is important to get your principal, supervisors, as well as the parents to your students all on board with your decision.
After this reading I have gained a better understanding of how to appropriately use a social networking site such as Facebook in the classroom. First and foremost it is important to make it an understanding to your students that this is only being used for educational purposes rather than friendship-based purposes. It is important to get everyone on board with your decision to use this site and have a clear argument on why you are using it. When using Facebook in your classroom it is important to make a group and have a private setting on that group so only those in the class are able to join and contribute. In most cases using an online interactive class discussion can help all students, even the shy and quit students, feel comfortable in participating in class discussion without feeling embarrassed. In my own opinion this is a great way of including all students into class participation but I think that it can also be hurtful in your class for two main reasons. One concern is that students might depend and rely on only answering online and never step up in class to answer or talk. Students will rely on answering in ways they feel most comfortable and never step out of their box and become comfortable discussing in person. Another reason that using social networking in the classroom is bullying. Over the past few years this has become a serious problem among young students. Students are able to feel bold and say things to students online that they would never say face to face. Overall this reading has given me a better idea of how to use social networking in the classroom and how to make sure it is appropriate.
After this reading I have gained a better understanding of how to appropriately use a social networking site such as Facebook in the classroom. First and foremost it is important to make it an understanding to your students that this is only being used for educational purposes rather than friendship-based purposes. It is important to get everyone on board with your decision to use this site and have a clear argument on why you are using it. When using Facebook in your classroom it is important to make a group and have a private setting on that group so only those in the class are able to join and contribute. In most cases using an online interactive class discussion can help all students, even the shy and quit students, feel comfortable in participating in class discussion without feeling embarrassed. In my own opinion this is a great way of including all students into class participation but I think that it can also be hurtful in your class for two main reasons. One concern is that students might depend and rely on only answering online and never step up in class to answer or talk. Students will rely on answering in ways they feel most comfortable and never step out of their box and become comfortable discussing in person. Another reason that using social networking in the classroom is bullying. Over the past few years this has become a serious problem among young students. Students are able to feel bold and say things to students online that they would never say face to face. Overall this reading has given me a better idea of how to use social networking in the classroom and how to make sure it is appropriate.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Exit Slip #8
In today's class we started off by talking about our delicious accounts. Dr. Boyer gave us an idea of where we should be at with our account. He then pulled up an example of a student's account as a demonstration of what ours should ultimately look like. We then moved on to the presentation. My group presented chapter 7 of our text "Rethinking Education". Miriah, Jessica, and I guided a discussion with the class on the gains and losses of technology in the classroom. Overall, I felt pretty good about our presentation although I would have changed a few things. After we were done presenting Dr. Boyer gave us feedback on how we did. He, as well as I noticed myself saying a few "uhms" we also noticed that the set up of the room made it difficult for us to move around and see what the groups were talking about. One last thing I would do differently is making sure we had a clear ending to our presentation which is another thing Dr. Boyer commented on.
Next, we went to Ellumination which was an interesting website that I ended up adding to my delicious account. We then talked about our podcasts and Dr. Boyer gave us a better idea of what is expected. We went over a few technical tools with our podcasts and had a few questions answered. Finally, at the end of class Dr. Boyer wrapped up by showing us our homework expectations of the week in detail.
Next, we went to Ellumination which was an interesting website that I ended up adding to my delicious account. We then talked about our podcasts and Dr. Boyer gave us a better idea of what is expected. We went over a few technical tools with our podcasts and had a few questions answered. Finally, at the end of class Dr. Boyer wrapped up by showing us our homework expectations of the week in detail.
Monday, October 25, 2010
"Rethinking Education" Ch. 7 Reflection
Chapter seven of our text talks about what could be lost due to technology and what could be gained due to technology. There are many different opinions when it comes to the growth of technology in today’s culture. Some argue that we depend on technology too much, and others say we don't use it enough. Neither answer is correct, but the debate over technology is heated, especially when it comes to our children's education. In our reading the text portrays both sides of the argument: the skeptic’s side and the advocate’s side. The skeptic’s side argues that we will lose our sense of community and social skills due to technology. Studies show that home computer users result in loneliness and depression. The study also shows that communication between family members decreases along with your role in society. These home computer users lose their social skills and rely on the internet for communication. The skeptics also argue that because of technology the gap between the rich and the poor is expanding. Wealthy families are able and willing to spend money in order for their child to be a step ahead of the less fortunate students. These families are willing to buy tutors, laptops, software, private schooling, prep courses for the SAT or ACT, or even building or buying a house in a particular school district with elite schools. On the other side of the argument is the advocate side. These advocates see technology as a way of making education more engaging and interesting. Because of technology a learner is able to "customize" their learning experience by directing it what they want to learn. The student is able to pursue topics they are interested in and focus on them more than other topics they aren't interested in. Another thing we can gain from using technology for learning is that we are able to access that information anytime and anywhere. The eight hour school day is not the time limit that limits us to our education, with technology we are able to learn anywhere at anytime. Students are also in charge of their own learning which makes the student responsible for their own education. The advocates also state that by using technology for learning, it will diminish the competitive nature of a typical classroom setting. Students will not feel pressured by the success of their classmates nor feel inferior to them due to grades or capabilities.
After reading this text I have come away with a new perspective on both sides of the debate. I feel as if I stand in the middle of this one. Both sides of the debate have valid points as well as a few "out there" points such as when the critics state that home computer users develop depression and when the advocates state that a competitive educational environment can result in students using drugs. Overall, I feel that it important as an educator to stress the fact that each student should do what’s best for them. Everyone learns different and sometimes home schooling is better than a traditional schooling, and for some students it’s the other way around. Educators should let their students be individuals and do what works best for them.
After reading this text I have come away with a new perspective on both sides of the debate. I feel as if I stand in the middle of this one. Both sides of the debate have valid points as well as a few "out there" points such as when the critics state that home computer users develop depression and when the advocates state that a competitive educational environment can result in students using drugs. Overall, I feel that it important as an educator to stress the fact that each student should do what’s best for them. Everyone learns different and sometimes home schooling is better than a traditional schooling, and for some students it’s the other way around. Educators should let their students be individuals and do what works best for them.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
"Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts" Ch. 8 Reflection
In chapter 8 of our text talks about three technologies on the rise: podcasts, video and screening, and live streaming. Each of these technologies have been becoming more and more popular everyday. Podcasts is one of the most well known new technologies. Podcasts give everyday people the opportunity to talk about topics they are interested about and gives millions of others the chance to listen. With the use of an MP3 player people are able to listen to recordings, radio shows, TV shows, and a wide variety of other sources. Podcasts are rapidly moving into educational settings. This is not hard to believe because there are a number of benefits that come along with podcasting. One benefit is that educators are able to record their lecture and post them for their student’s access. This way, if students are absent from school they can easily catch up on the material they missed, or even if a student simply spaces out in class they are able to look back on their lecture to hear certain bits and pieces they may have missed. Another benefit to podcasting is that students are able to subscribe to different educational videos. With both of these podcasting options, one is able to listen at their own convenience, whether they are working out, or doing chores around the house. The next step up from podcasts is video publishing and screen casting. Both video and screencasting give the user the ability to put audio and video together. Finally, the most unexplored multimedia publisher is live streaming. This gives teachers and students the ability to basically make their own television show online for others to watch. All of these technologies are on the rise and are becoming more and more popular in the classroom environment.
As a result of this reading I have learning a lot of new information about these technologies. Being a new learner to all of these technologies I have been given a better understanding of how to use them and how to implement them into my classroom. I have now thought about podcasting and how it could benefit my students to be able to go back into my lecture and be able to re-listen to it, possibly picking up on things they missed the first time around. Video and screencasting would be useful to post for both my students and their parents, so they are able to see different activities going on in class. I felt like live streaming was a bit confusing and is a very new concept but could also be useful to parents to see what is going on in the classroom. All of these technologies are very similar but each has their own individual qualities. Using these technologies in the classroom would be beneficial not only to the students but would also be beneficial to their parents as well.
As a result of this reading I have learning a lot of new information about these technologies. Being a new learner to all of these technologies I have been given a better understanding of how to use them and how to implement them into my classroom. I have now thought about podcasting and how it could benefit my students to be able to go back into my lecture and be able to re-listen to it, possibly picking up on things they missed the first time around. Video and screencasting would be useful to post for both my students and their parents, so they are able to see different activities going on in class. I felt like live streaming was a bit confusing and is a very new concept but could also be useful to parents to see what is going on in the classroom. All of these technologies are very similar but each has their own individual qualities. Using these technologies in the classroom would be beneficial not only to the students but would also be beneficial to their parents as well.
Monday, October 18, 2010
"Rethinking Education" Ch. 6 Reflection
Chapter 6 of "Rethinking Education" talks about the different eras of education and the changes that have come along with the shift in how we are being educated. In the early era of education it was the duty of the parents to educate their children and prepare them for their future career. When the responsibility switched from the parents to the state, the state was now in charge of educating the students and determining which content should be taught. We are now trying to switch the responsibility of the state back to the parents. With advanced software, technology is now able to teach the students and parents are now able to decide which software to purchase for their child's academic needs. In the early era adult learners were taught at home from apprenticeship where the student observes a family member at their job. In the second era young students learned by didacticism at school and now in the third era mixed-aged students are able to learn anywhere by using interactive technology.
As a future teacher I will take in consideration the SCANS report of 1991 which states that students must know five core competencies to be prepared for work in the 21st century which include identifying and organizing resources, interpersonal abilities (working with others), acquiring and using information, understanding complex interrelationships (systems), and working with a variety of technologies. In my teaching I will stress all of these competencies as well as a number of others. I will also encourage my students to use a non-traditional way of education that works for them such as buying different software or videos for learning. I will also stress the fact that if they are interested in something there are a number of different ways to learn the content by using technology or different resources- learning never ends, we are always learning. Education is always changing and is always being improved by technology and as a future teacher I will need to be able to adapt to the changing world of technology and education.
As a future teacher I will take in consideration the SCANS report of 1991 which states that students must know five core competencies to be prepared for work in the 21st century which include identifying and organizing resources, interpersonal abilities (working with others), acquiring and using information, understanding complex interrelationships (systems), and working with a variety of technologies. In my teaching I will stress all of these competencies as well as a number of others. I will also encourage my students to use a non-traditional way of education that works for them such as buying different software or videos for learning. I will also stress the fact that if they are interested in something there are a number of different ways to learn the content by using technology or different resources- learning never ends, we are always learning. Education is always changing and is always being improved by technology and as a future teacher I will need to be able to adapt to the changing world of technology and education.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Exit Slip #6
In today's class a group presented on chapter five which was about alternative learning environments and options. We were split up into groups depending on a color square you were given which was an interesting and different way from what we are usually grouped. Each small group was given an alternative way of learning and we discussed pros and cons and then shared them in the big group. I felt as if this group had prepared their lesson very well. After the lesson Dr. Boyer had us reflect on the groups presentation and we came up with pros and cons on the SMARTboard. Unlike the previous groups that have presented, this group had a large number of pros and only had a few cons.
Dr. Boyer then switched the class discussion to talking about our iRLO. Dr. Boyer first had us download Scratch to our computers. This was helpful for me because I know now how to do it on my computer at home. He then walked us through how to start building your characters and the items in your Scratch which are called "sprites". Dr. Boyer also brought up a good point about our Scratch being developmentally appropriate; I had thought about the content being developmentally appropriate but had not thought about other skills young children need for this program such as their fine motor skills. After getting an idea of how to use this program I feel more comfortable about this project. I am actually excited to create this Scratch because this is something that I will use in my future teaching!
Dr. Boyer then switched the class discussion to talking about our iRLO. Dr. Boyer first had us download Scratch to our computers. This was helpful for me because I know now how to do it on my computer at home. He then walked us through how to start building your characters and the items in your Scratch which are called "sprites". Dr. Boyer also brought up a good point about our Scratch being developmentally appropriate; I had thought about the content being developmentally appropriate but had not thought about other skills young children need for this program such as their fine motor skills. After getting an idea of how to use this program I feel more comfortable about this project. I am actually excited to create this Scratch because this is something that I will use in my future teaching!
"Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts" Ch. 7 Reflection
Chapter 7 of our text describes a number of different ways to use Flickr in the classroom. Prior to this reading I had not thought about using a photo posting site for anything other than personal use. This reading has made me think about other interesting and fun ways to use this technology in the classroom such as using it to document everyday activities, special school events, field trips, or even student's work for all to see. Another interesting idea I got after reading this was posting different pictures to see and have the students blog about different feelings or ideas they have about the pictures. I think it is neat that there is a tool to add comments to the pictures. When using Flickr there are different security measures you can set in place for privacy of your classroom. This is something very important to consider when setting up an account on Flickr. As a teacher you need to take in consideration the privacy of your students. I think it would be important to send a permission slip at the beginning of the year asking parents for permission to post pictures of their children on the Flickr account if their child is a minor.
In my classroom I would definitely use a site such as Flickr to post pictures of different activities for the parents, students, and community to see. It is important for parents to see what their child is doing during the school day and this is an easy way to show what is being accomplished. I also think it is neat that you can use google maps combined with Flickr and see all of the different photos that were taken in that particular place by using "Tags". This would be fun to use when talking about a specific place in the world during a lesson to see actual pictures of people in that location. I would also consider posting the work of my students and having other classmates blog about their work. To keep everything appropriate I would closely monitor the account and make sure that everything posted and commented on is staying appropriate.
In my classroom I would definitely use a site such as Flickr to post pictures of different activities for the parents, students, and community to see. It is important for parents to see what their child is doing during the school day and this is an easy way to show what is being accomplished. I also think it is neat that you can use google maps combined with Flickr and see all of the different photos that were taken in that particular place by using "Tags". This would be fun to use when talking about a specific place in the world during a lesson to see actual pictures of people in that location. I would also consider posting the work of my students and having other classmates blog about their work. To keep everything appropriate I would closely monitor the account and make sure that everything posted and commented on is staying appropriate.
Friday, October 8, 2010
"Rethinking Education" Ch. 5 Reflection
Chapter 5 of “Rethinking Education” stresses that fact that we are no longer only being education from K-12, but rather being educated throughout our lifetime. The text gives us a different idea of learning as well as alternative ways of being educated rather than going to a traditional school setting. In today’s age home schooling is on the rise and more and more students are leaning towards this system of education. In fact, students who are being home schooled do better on standard assessments than students going to school in a traditional school setting. The text explains that the test results have nothing to do with gender, subject, nor their parent’s level of education. The idea of distance learning was also talked about. I think this is a very interesting new way of education. By using distance learning students with common interests are able to talk about subjects with one another from all around the country, sometimes even world. By doing this students are able to get a number of different perspectives from those of a different culture. The text also talks about “Workplace learning” where businesses are using technology for both training programs and to keep their employees up to par with their skills working with customers. An example of one of these technologies consists of virtual games where customers come in and make requests or ask questions. I think this is a very beneficial way to keep the minds of your employees refreshed on their skills. I think that this new idea of lifelong learning is beneficial to all of society because we don’t stop learning after we graduate, we are able to learn new concepts everyday and since technology is constantly being upgraded, our knowledge has to be updated as well.
As a result of this reading I will demonstrate to my students that they will never stop being educated, even after they graduate. Students need to be open to learning throughout their entire life and in learning in nontraditional ways. I will inform my students about different ways of learning as well. After this reading I think that students should be informed of distance learning. This idea was so interesting to me and students can get so many different perspectives from people from all different backgrounds and ways of life. I will also give my students ideas on how to make their video game playing an educational experience and offer games that might benefit them rather than corrupting their minds. I believe the most important idea I plan on getting across to my students is that they have options- if traditional schooling isn’t working out for them, they can look to an alternative. I also will stress to my students that everyday is a school day and be prepared to learn something new.
"Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts" Ch. 6 Reflection
"Learning is a continuous conversation among many participants" as stated on page 86 of our reading. I felt as if this sentence was the most important of the reading. The entire chapter could be wrapped up into this one sentence. Chapter six of our reading focused on the social web where web users are able to reconnect with old friends, keep in touch with family, or create new connections with new people with common interests.
The text beings by talking about Twitter which is a “miroblogging” tool that is on the rise among web users. Using twitter can help people stay connected by "following" each other. A Twitter user posts short blog-like posts that can either simply update others on their where abouts to asking a complex question where others are able to give their input. I have also heard of Twitter being used by professors or teachers in their classroom for posting assignments and questions. One could also post their ideas about the assignments where other classmates could give the answer. I also think it would be very interesting for teachers to set up Twitter in their classrooms and be able to "follow" classrooms all around the world and see what others are doing. Twitter could also be used for teachers to stay connected and share their ideas with one another. In this reading social bookmarking was also brought up, such as what we use in Education 331: Delicious. The text explains how social bookmarking can be used and what it is good for. When finding a useful website one can add it to their Delicious account and use "tags" to keep their sites organized. A useful tool with having a Delicious account is that others are able to look through each others accounts to find websites that might also be useful themselves. Both Twitter and social bookmarking are useful for teachers as well as students to keep connected to one another.
I had never really thought about being a Twitter user before reading this chapter because I always thought it was somewhat of a creepy site where anyone can "follow" you and know your daily schedule. After reading this chapter I was surprised at how many different ways a teacher is able to use it in their classroom. In my classroom I will actually consider creating a Twitter account where I am able to post assignments for my students to see. I would also suggest to my students that they also create an account because they are able to see assignments as well as ask questions for either me to answer or in which their classmates can answer as well. I will defiantly set up my own Delicious account and encourage my students to do so as well. This way as a teacher I can get ideas of useful websites from other teachers, and my students are also able to get useful websites from one another and myself. Sharing ideas in learning and teaching is important, it helps us all stay connected to one another and by using Twitter and social bookmarking we are able to do so.
The text beings by talking about Twitter which is a “miroblogging” tool that is on the rise among web users. Using twitter can help people stay connected by "following" each other. A Twitter user posts short blog-like posts that can either simply update others on their where abouts to asking a complex question where others are able to give their input. I have also heard of Twitter being used by professors or teachers in their classroom for posting assignments and questions. One could also post their ideas about the assignments where other classmates could give the answer. I also think it would be very interesting for teachers to set up Twitter in their classrooms and be able to "follow" classrooms all around the world and see what others are doing. Twitter could also be used for teachers to stay connected and share their ideas with one another. In this reading social bookmarking was also brought up, such as what we use in Education 331: Delicious. The text explains how social bookmarking can be used and what it is good for. When finding a useful website one can add it to their Delicious account and use "tags" to keep their sites organized. A useful tool with having a Delicious account is that others are able to look through each others accounts to find websites that might also be useful themselves. Both Twitter and social bookmarking are useful for teachers as well as students to keep connected to one another.
I had never really thought about being a Twitter user before reading this chapter because I always thought it was somewhat of a creepy site where anyone can "follow" you and know your daily schedule. After reading this chapter I was surprised at how many different ways a teacher is able to use it in their classroom. In my classroom I will actually consider creating a Twitter account where I am able to post assignments for my students to see. I would also suggest to my students that they also create an account because they are able to see assignments as well as ask questions for either me to answer or in which their classmates can answer as well. I will defiantly set up my own Delicious account and encourage my students to do so as well. This way as a teacher I can get ideas of useful websites from other teachers, and my students are also able to get useful websites from one another and myself. Sharing ideas in learning and teaching is important, it helps us all stay connected to one another and by using Twitter and social bookmarking we are able to do so.
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