I feel this is one of projects I have enjoyed most in this course. I feel like I was very interested in finding the answer to my inquiry question (how can weblogs promote student learning in the elementary classroom setting?) and that is what made this assignment so interesting.
Before my research I was very interested in coming up with a question that would benefit me and give me ideas for my future elementary classroom. Because I felt blogging was one of the greatest tools I have been shown in this course, I felt that asking a question incorporating blogs would be great for my inquiry.
Next came the research for my question. I spent a lot of time researching for my sources. It seemed many of the sites I visited pertaining to blogging gave the same information. I wanted to make sure I had a broad range of ideas, so it took me a while to find multiple sources that I was happy with it.
When I created my annotated bibliography I really felt the better it is earlier the easier time I will have creating my best practices later. I put a lot of effort into creating paragraphs that gave a great summary of the site or articles I used as a source in this project. I had to redo my APA citations a few times before they were correct.
I also put a lot of time in creating the look of my wiki page. I wanted it to appear professional, yet inviting and intriguing at the same time. It took me a while to figure out the font because I learned that wikispaces can be very touchy.
It was hard picking out the best practices I wanted to use in my wiki. I found so many great practices that a blog can bring to an elementary classroom. This part of the wiki is what really taught me what I had learned though.
Additional resources was not very hard for me to create. I knew what sources were the best and would benefit the people who visit my wiki most. It did however take me a long time to figure out how to link something. I had to google how to do it, and then it was simple.
Lastly, was my screencast. I feel because this was the second assignment that I was much more comfortable and smart creating my screencast. I made a script first and practiced it a few times. I timed it also making sure before I start jing I was under 5 minutes. I only had to redo my screencast 3 times, which was a huge improvement from the 75842894758 times I had to redo it in my first screencast assignment :)
I felt I learned a lot from this assignment. Fist, I learned how to better research and document my findings. I see how being organized in the beginning creates for a better experience later on. And of course I learned how blogging can be very beneficial in my future classroom. There are so many great benefits that a blog can bring to the classroom. It can engage, it can strengthen literacy skills, it can provide communication, it can promote collaboration, and much more! Knowing all this great information is very valuable because it involves my future! I now know how to correctly use a blog in the classroom setting in a very affective way. By completing this task I also feel I am very comfortable working with Jing and creating screencasts in general. I know the secrets now :) I intend on using screencasts when applicable in my future classroom, so I feel this task has impacted me greatly.
Here's my screencast :) if anyone wants to take a look!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Exit Slip 12.9.10
Professor Boyer started class by stating that we, as students, should be proud of all we've accomplished during this course. I am proud of myself! This class was a lot of work and took a lot of time, but I believe it was worth it. I feel I am much better prepared to teach my future class effectively after completing all the projects in this course.
Next, Professor Boyer talked about his Twitter account and shared some articles he has posted on his account. The articles sounded very interesting and I will check them out more sometime soon.
CELEBRATION TIME!
Professor Boyer had us think about how we would teach his little daughter, Ella.
3 Different Ways I would Integrate Technology in Ella's Class (My Class):
1. In my fourth grade classroom I would create a classroom blog that allows for Ella's parents to see pictures from daily activities, field trips, and so on. I want her parents to feel connected to her learning environment and always feel up to date on Ella's time spent in my classroom. My blog would also post current events that allow the parents to always be aware of what their child is doing throughout the school day. This is a site where all the assignments and rubrics are posted for their convenience.
2. I want to provide my students with class laptops (maybe they could even each have their own!). They will use their laptops often when doing research for projects, playing educational games, connecting with people from different countries/areas/cultures, and so on.
3. I want to provide my students with a class wiki also. This is a place where they can post questions to other students or me and get better and more diverse feedback. This is also a place for discussion and reflection on projects/assignments/activities. This also a place where they can post their assignments/projects.
Other peer's ideas:
1. Have a huge interactive whiteboard to increase class participation.
2. Using "streaming" video (what's going on in class.. parents can see what's going on)
3. Scratch (creating games for certain class topics)
4. E-pals (LIKE THIS ONE!): connecting with people from around the world, country, state, county..
5. Simulations
6. Online collaborative whiteboarding (example: Scribble)
7. Course website (kind of like my blog idea)
8. Podcasting (visit iTunes U..? many podcasts available here)
9. Online multi media (so many out there!)
10. Screencasting
11. Audio (important in early grades)
12. Delicious (save resources for a project, interactive games at home)
13. Video editing
PROFESSOR BOYER'S TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
-constructionist pedagogy
FINAL THOUGHTS ON HOW MY THINKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY'S ROLE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING HAS CHANGED OVER THE SEMESTER:
I think it is evident by the list I made above on how I really intend and want to incorporate technology tools in my future classroom. At first I think I was a sceptic when I entered this classroom, but I now believe I support technology and believe strongly that it needs to be in our schools now and in the future! We need to teach for the future or else we will not be fulfilling our jobs. I now know this and feel much more knowledgeable in the world of technology.
Next, Professor Boyer talked about his Twitter account and shared some articles he has posted on his account. The articles sounded very interesting and I will check them out more sometime soon.
CELEBRATION TIME!
Professor Boyer had us think about how we would teach his little daughter, Ella.
3 Different Ways I would Integrate Technology in Ella's Class (My Class):
1. In my fourth grade classroom I would create a classroom blog that allows for Ella's parents to see pictures from daily activities, field trips, and so on. I want her parents to feel connected to her learning environment and always feel up to date on Ella's time spent in my classroom. My blog would also post current events that allow the parents to always be aware of what their child is doing throughout the school day. This is a site where all the assignments and rubrics are posted for their convenience.
2. I want to provide my students with class laptops (maybe they could even each have their own!). They will use their laptops often when doing research for projects, playing educational games, connecting with people from different countries/areas/cultures, and so on.
3. I want to provide my students with a class wiki also. This is a place where they can post questions to other students or me and get better and more diverse feedback. This is also a place for discussion and reflection on projects/assignments/activities. This also a place where they can post their assignments/projects.
Other peer's ideas:
1. Have a huge interactive whiteboard to increase class participation.
2. Using "streaming" video (what's going on in class.. parents can see what's going on)
3. Scratch (creating games for certain class topics)
4. E-pals (LIKE THIS ONE!): connecting with people from around the world, country, state, county..
5. Simulations
6. Online collaborative whiteboarding (example: Scribble)
7. Course website (kind of like my blog idea)
8. Podcasting (visit iTunes U..? many podcasts available here)
9. Online multi media (so many out there!)
10. Screencasting
11. Audio (important in early grades)
12. Delicious (save resources for a project, interactive games at home)
13. Video editing
PROFESSOR BOYER'S TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
-constructionist pedagogy
FINAL THOUGHTS ON HOW MY THINKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY'S ROLE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING HAS CHANGED OVER THE SEMESTER:
I think it is evident by the list I made above on how I really intend and want to incorporate technology tools in my future classroom. At first I think I was a sceptic when I entered this classroom, but I now believe I support technology and believe strongly that it needs to be in our schools now and in the future! We need to teach for the future or else we will not be fulfilling our jobs. I now know this and feel much more knowledgeable in the world of technology.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Exit Slip 12.2.10
Today Professor Boyer started class with sharing a video with us about how one teacher integrates technology into her classroom. These are the notes I took during the video:
+ technology has revolutionized how she teaches and how she teaches students based on their learning
+ students are active in their learning
+ old lessons went along with unengaged learners and a stressed teacher
+ her lessons now engage students
+ her smart board allows active participation and engages them in cooperative learning opportunities
+ uses online collaborative projects which allows for her students to connect with one another and the rest of the world
+ open classroom approach online that allows parents to see what is going on and celebrate their child's learning knowing current events. This allows students to always be updated if they miss a day on assignments
+ uses blogs in classroom
+ students get to share what they learn with the world and become involved in our community
+ many laptops shown throughout video
Next we discussed our findings as a whole class. As a group we sorted our finding into 3 categories: could do before, couldn't do before, could do before but better now.
COULD DO BEFORE: collaborative projects (example: collaborate with different grade levels)lab, engage, participation present, still inform parents (classroom newsletter), journaling (besides blogging), share perspectives
COULDN'T DO BEFORE: world wide collaboration, blogging, online concept, recognition (besides teacher)
COULD DO BEFORE BUT BETTER NOW: collaboration, engagement level, participation, connect with parents, create well designed lessons, connecting with more diverse people around the world, open classroom
He shared these three categories with us to make us think about when it is appropriate to integrate technology. If technology will make something better than use it!
...
*JIGSAW Activity*
My assigned reading talked about how as a teacher you need to feel comfortable with not knowing everything. Also you need to accept the fact that your students may know more than you and may teach you a thing or two at times. We need to remember this especially when dealing with technology in our classrooms! We should look at this as an advantage because we have the oppourtunity to learn too! In conclusion we need to remember that the world is always changing and we are "stupid" if we do not realize this. Embrace technology with a positive attitude and learn all you can!
The point of this activity was to collaborate our findings with each other so we could find out what each reading was about. There was a good and a negative for each reading. I really like this jigsaw method because it creates smooth transitions and you get to collaborate with many different people.
I didn't write down what each reading was about because I was too interested in listening to what our volunteer speakers shared. I bookmarked these articles into delicious so I can reference them at a later time.
...
+ technology has revolutionized how she teaches and how she teaches students based on their learning
+ students are active in their learning
+ old lessons went along with unengaged learners and a stressed teacher
+ her lessons now engage students
+ her smart board allows active participation and engages them in cooperative learning opportunities
+ uses online collaborative projects which allows for her students to connect with one another and the rest of the world
+ open classroom approach online that allows parents to see what is going on and celebrate their child's learning knowing current events. This allows students to always be updated if they miss a day on assignments
+ uses blogs in classroom
+ students get to share what they learn with the world and become involved in our community
+ many laptops shown throughout video
Next we discussed our findings as a whole class. As a group we sorted our finding into 3 categories: could do before, couldn't do before, could do before but better now.
COULD DO BEFORE: collaborative projects (example: collaborate with different grade levels)lab, engage, participation present, still inform parents (classroom newsletter), journaling (besides blogging), share perspectives
COULDN'T DO BEFORE: world wide collaboration, blogging, online concept, recognition (besides teacher)
COULD DO BEFORE BUT BETTER NOW: collaboration, engagement level, participation, connect with parents, create well designed lessons, connecting with more diverse people around the world, open classroom
He shared these three categories with us to make us think about when it is appropriate to integrate technology. If technology will make something better than use it!
...
*JIGSAW Activity*
My assigned reading talked about how as a teacher you need to feel comfortable with not knowing everything. Also you need to accept the fact that your students may know more than you and may teach you a thing or two at times. We need to remember this especially when dealing with technology in our classrooms! We should look at this as an advantage because we have the oppourtunity to learn too! In conclusion we need to remember that the world is always changing and we are "stupid" if we do not realize this. Embrace technology with a positive attitude and learn all you can!
The point of this activity was to collaborate our findings with each other so we could find out what each reading was about. There was a good and a negative for each reading. I really like this jigsaw method because it creates smooth transitions and you get to collaborate with many different people.
I didn't write down what each reading was about because I was too interested in listening to what our volunteer speakers shared. I bookmarked these articles into delicious so I can reference them at a later time.
...
Final Reflection of iRLO project
I thought after my fist submission that I was not going to have to change too much on my iRLO project, but after reading my peers comments I knew there was going to be more work done. I put a lot of effort when I first created my iRLO (earlier blog post goes into more detail) and I also put a lot of work and time into the second submission. Professor Boyer talked about really making your "game" interactive and useful for the students who will be playing it. I thought that if I kept score that that would allow for much better feedback. It took me a while to figure out how to apply the scores in Scratch though. At first I played around with the program on my own and then I looked at peers Scratch projects to see if anyone had used scores, but was unsuccessful in understanding how they programed them into their projects. My next source was Professor Boyer. It only took him a few minutes to figure out the situation. It was actually a very easy process. He also was able to help me with including my player's name into the feedback they'd receive on each answer. I've learned through creating my Scratch project that yes, technology can indeed be scary and seem overwhelming, but technology is all about practice, practice, practice! The more you practice a tool the better you will understand it (evident by Professor Boyer's quick skills). Also you need to make time to just play around and explore technology tools also. For example, I wanted to make my numbers random for my players so they are always receiving different problems each time they play and I figured that process out by just looking over other peer's Scratch projects. It took me at least an hour to figure out just this one step, but it was worth it! This project, like many more in this course, is something you can not really be taught much about. It is a project where you teach yourself and I find these types of projects to be the most beneficial.
I thought this project was very beneficial to my future as an educator because it taught me that technology is about practice (like I just stated above). It also taught me how many different areas you have to consider before sharing a project or activity with you class. You have to make sure that it is going to be an activity where your students are getting immediate feedback (if possible) and it also needs to be very interactive to keep your students engaged! Also you need to consider what specific are of content you are covering, because you want each and every activity to be appropriate and meaningful in you classroom! Because all my peers have also created projects, I can look through theirs and possibly use them in my future classroom! Therefore, this project can be looked at as a great resource! I'm glad we were introduced to Scratch because it taught me a lot and I had never heard of such a tool! It was challenging at time (very challenging!) but in the end I believe it was worth it. :)
I thought this project was very beneficial to my future as an educator because it taught me that technology is about practice (like I just stated above). It also taught me how many different areas you have to consider before sharing a project or activity with you class. You have to make sure that it is going to be an activity where your students are getting immediate feedback (if possible) and it also needs to be very interactive to keep your students engaged! Also you need to consider what specific are of content you are covering, because you want each and every activity to be appropriate and meaningful in you classroom! Because all my peers have also created projects, I can look through theirs and possibly use them in my future classroom! Therefore, this project can be looked at as a great resource! I'm glad we were introduced to Scratch because it taught me a lot and I had never heard of such a tool! It was challenging at time (very challenging!) but in the end I believe it was worth it. :)
Monday, November 22, 2010
PSA Reflection
Our public service announcement shared the reality of how much time can be wasted when we are distracted by sites on the internet (YouTube, Facebook, and so on). It took us a while to figure out our topic because we wanted to think of something unique, so Professor Boyer would not have to watch a topic that has been overused. After a few different short meetings of brainstorming we thought this topic would be perfect for a PSA. Next, we talked about where we would be getting together and what props we would need to bring. We were very organized because we wanted to manage our time well since the end of the semester is so hectic. We spent a couple of hours creating our PSA and giving it some unique touches that we thought really made it catchy and rememberable. We used my Mac and used the program iMovie, which I would highly recommend. We had to redo our video a couple times because of acting mistakes, positions, and other common misshapes when creating a video. When we were finally satisfied we took some time to pick out lead out music that would grab our audience's attention. I felt we spent a good amount of time making sure our PSA was unique and touched on all the aspects Boyer would be looking for. We feel that our ending statements really make our audience think and reflect on the time we spend online.
After creating this PSA I feel I am much more acquainted with the program iMovie. I feel that I would be able to now successfully make many more videos with/for my future students. I now feel confident about creating a video that can have creative effects and a professional look. There are many different ways you could use a video to teach. There is also many ways on how your student's could use a video in the classroom. I especially have a long list after today's block lecture. By sharing our PSAs with our peers we will be able to see what creative touches they included and maybe get some great ideas. I'm excited to look at each groups once they are all posted!
After creating this PSA I feel I am much more acquainted with the program iMovie. I feel that I would be able to now successfully make many more videos with/for my future students. I now feel confident about creating a video that can have creative effects and a professional look. There are many different ways you could use a video to teach. There is also many ways on how your student's could use a video in the classroom. I especially have a long list after today's block lecture. By sharing our PSAs with our peers we will be able to see what creative touches they included and maybe get some great ideas. I'm excited to look at each groups once they are all posted!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Exit Slip 11.18.10
Our discussion today was on Chapter 10: Rethinking Education in a Technological World. I thought the group was very creative because of the way they grouped is (jigsaw grouping). I thought they could have managed their time a little better, but overall I thought this group did a great job! At the end we collaborated in our color groups and were able to create our visions for the school. It was interesting to hear every one's ideas and thoughts on this topic. This was the last chapter in the book, so it'll be interesting to see what Boyer does with the extra time in the beginning of our discussion period. Especially since we are pretty much done with most of our projects for this class.
The next part of class was focused on a media search. We had to find an online video, a podcast, a SMART Notebook lesson, a Scratch project, and an online game or simulation. This made us realized how easy it is to find something very easily if you know what you are looking for. Look how many sources I found in just 10 minutes. It also taught us how we will have to relate material and determine if it worthy or not. It also showed us that we can get sources from the larger community. We can look through our classmate's findings by going to class organization wiki and clicking on our peer's Delicious accounts. We need to remember that we don't need to teach alone! We can learn from others. I saw this as an opportunity to benefit from others!
The next part of class was focused on a media search. We had to find an online video, a podcast, a SMART Notebook lesson, a Scratch project, and an online game or simulation. This made us realized how easy it is to find something very easily if you know what you are looking for. Look how many sources I found in just 10 minutes. It also taught us how we will have to relate material and determine if it worthy or not. It also showed us that we can get sources from the larger community. We can look through our classmate's findings by going to class organization wiki and clicking on our peer's Delicious accounts. We need to remember that we don't need to teach alone! We can learn from others. I saw this as an opportunity to benefit from others!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Final Interactive Whiteboard Lesson Submission: Reflection
I put a lot of effort into my interactive whiteboard lesson. I've been working on it here and there over the last month. I definitely took the time to review what my peers thought and suggested when they evaluated my lesson. I took many of their ideas into consideration and I feel by their suggestions and my changes I had a much more effective and presentable lesson. I 'm really glad we did the peer review because I feel my first submission would have not been strong enough to use in the classroom. It was also nice to hear their ideas because I do not know much about this software yet and they had some very creative ideas.
At times I would get frustrated because I would spend minutes to hours working on just one little detail. Eventually I would figure it out and then I felt much better :) I learned you have to be patient when working with technology and that to really learn the little secrets and steps YOU need to practice. There is only so much someone can educate you on when you work with this software. It's something you need to explore and experiment with on your own.
By designing and sharing my IWB lesson I feel I am much more prepared to teach in a future classroom. I know feel like I can create engaging and motivating lessons that my future students will love. I am much more confident and feel great knowing I can successfully use the Smartbook Notebook program. This project also gave me the experience in creating a lesson. I was able to observe the NCTM standards, which is always something positive to learn and know more about. Be sharing our lessons I felt it was a great way to see what lessons my peers could provide and create. Their lessons gave me many more ideas! It also going to be helpful in the future to use all these lessons as options in my future classroom. I've looked through many already and look forward to looking through the rest!
This was one of my favorite projects so far in Education 331, because I feel like it is a program I will use daily.
At times I would get frustrated because I would spend minutes to hours working on just one little detail. Eventually I would figure it out and then I felt much better :) I learned you have to be patient when working with technology and that to really learn the little secrets and steps YOU need to practice. There is only so much someone can educate you on when you work with this software. It's something you need to explore and experiment with on your own.
By designing and sharing my IWB lesson I feel I am much more prepared to teach in a future classroom. I know feel like I can create engaging and motivating lessons that my future students will love. I am much more confident and feel great knowing I can successfully use the Smartbook Notebook program. This project also gave me the experience in creating a lesson. I was able to observe the NCTM standards, which is always something positive to learn and know more about. Be sharing our lessons I felt it was a great way to see what lessons my peers could provide and create. Their lessons gave me many more ideas! It also going to be helpful in the future to use all these lessons as options in my future classroom. I've looked through many already and look forward to looking through the rest!
This was one of my favorite projects so far in Education 331, because I feel like it is a program I will use daily.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Reflection on Book Chapter Project
Overall I thought our presentation went fairly good. I feel we put a lot of effort into creating our discussion. We felt it was very important to be creative and take a new approach that no one had yet. We got together a few times as a group and brainstormed our ideas and put together a discussion we felt we be fun and new to our class. We took the time to each create our own Scribble Links which actually took more time than you would think. That site can be tricky at first and we learned it is also very touchy. I think we were most creative because we used Scribble Link (wanted to). No one else had used this yet and it was a big change to how everyone usually groups the classroom. We were gonna have the class stay at their computers and work on the scribble link they were assigned to. This would have been such a time saver! It also would have made it harder for them to get off task since their group was scattered across the room. Now you are probable wondering why I'm saying "would of" or we "were gonna." Well our Scribble links did not work when we got to class, so we had to move to Plan B and have them work in groups face to face like they usually do. The discussion still went good, but I felt they didn't get to see how organized and creative we really were gonna be!
The value of facilitating course content in this classroom is very important. It gave me a chance to practice my teaching skills and prepare for what it will be like leading a classroom. I am someone who tends to get a bit over nervous when speaking in front of a crowd, so I think anytime I have to get up in front of an audience it is great practice for me! I also feel I get the most nervous in front of my peers, so it was even a greater experience for me. By discussing course content with my peers I get different opinions and insight on their ideas. I always really enjoy this because hearing different perspectives is always refreshing and insightful. I think you learn more on a topic when you discuss it with others. By doing this assignment I feel I really see the potential and positives that come from discussions and really want them to be incorporated into my future classroom!
The value of facilitating course content in this classroom is very important. It gave me a chance to practice my teaching skills and prepare for what it will be like leading a classroom. I am someone who tends to get a bit over nervous when speaking in front of a crowd, so I think anytime I have to get up in front of an audience it is great practice for me! I also feel I get the most nervous in front of my peers, so it was even a greater experience for me. By discussing course content with my peers I get different opinions and insight on their ideas. I always really enjoy this because hearing different perspectives is always refreshing and insightful. I think you learn more on a topic when you discuss it with others. By doing this assignment I feel I really see the potential and positives that come from discussions and really want them to be incorporated into my future classroom!
Exit Slip 11.11.10
Today was my groups turn to be in charge of the chapter discussion. Our chapter in Rethink was chapter 9 entitled What does it all Mean? We had planned on using the tool Scribble Link, but at the last minute it did not work the way we wished it would have. We had no choice but to use Plan B, which wasn't as creative as our original idea. Yet, the discussion still went well and we were able to get our message across. I was actually very surprised to hear all the positive comments our classmates had on our discussion. Next time I present in a class I plan on getting to that class at least a half hour early to make sure the tools I will be using are ready to go. Be more prepared!
Professor Boyer shared some articles with us today (found under our 331 D2L site) that relate to a technologic teacher, which seem very interesting. I will have to read them more thoroughly sometime soon.
I loved the second part of class today. Professor Boyer gave us time to work on our iRLOs and IWB lessons! I really needed this time because there were a couple of questions I have had for a while on both projects. It was nice to see my peers help me out and I could help them out too. I was very appreciative to Boyer for giving us this time in class to finalize our projects!
Professor Boyer shared some articles with us today (found under our 331 D2L site) that relate to a technologic teacher, which seem very interesting. I will have to read them more thoroughly sometime soon.
I loved the second part of class today. Professor Boyer gave us time to work on our iRLOs and IWB lessons! I really needed this time because there were a couple of questions I have had for a while on both projects. It was nice to see my peers help me out and I could help them out too. I was very appreciative to Boyer for giving us this time in class to finalize our projects!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: Chapter 10
RETHINKING EDUCATION IN A TECHNOLOGICAL WORLD
This chapter starts out by stating that the future prosperity in countries will depend on their education systems are set up. Not just the future but NOW! If the United States wants to compete successfully than we need to make sure we are rethinking our education in the U.S. The first section starts by explaining how in this world we grow up with the idea that learning means taking courses in school, but what if that changed? What if the we went back to when individuals negotiated their own learning? Would learning be better and more successful? We will see :) The whole vision of this book is structured around "lifelong learning." Lifelong learning requires moving away from highly structured schooling institutions to instead act as consumers of a wide variety of learning experiences. So even though I felt throughout much of this book they were saying universal schooling will someday soon be gone, I feel that they more importantly want us as future educators to know the difference we can make by supporting and integrating technology tools into our future schools. So what happens though if the U.S. cannot keep up and our thinking on learning does not ever change? This chapter talks about how we already see this outside of the U.S. Many young people in Thailand and Brazil have access to these technologic resources and skills and they are indeed becoming "21st-century immigrants."
The second section of this chapter focuses on rethinking motivation. "The current school system does not help students develop intrinsic motivation to learn. As a future teacher I want to make it possible for each of my students to really explore the topics and areas that interest them. This can help them to love learning, which should be every teacher's goal. I really liked this statement, "by understanding how new technologies can encourage kids to take responsibility for their own learning, society may help produce a generation of people who seek out ways to learn." If students are learning on their own they are most likely developing a much deeper appreciation and understanding for learning.
The new technology resources that really impact what it is that is important to learn are communication and mathematics. I found this interesting. We really need to allow our students to take their own paths and encourage them to follow the career path that most thrills them, not us, or their parents. This is very important.
Also this book is not just to educate young people on a new way of learning, but it is to educate everyone! With these types of tools and resources education can touch a much broader range of ages. We need to stretch our traditional practices like the book suggests. I know after reading this book that I am very willing to transform the classroom so it is the best it can be for my students. Their futures are very important to me and it is my job to make sure they fulfill their dreams! The book is done. And I have learned a lot. :)
This chapter starts out by stating that the future prosperity in countries will depend on their education systems are set up. Not just the future but NOW! If the United States wants to compete successfully than we need to make sure we are rethinking our education in the U.S. The first section starts by explaining how in this world we grow up with the idea that learning means taking courses in school, but what if that changed? What if the we went back to when individuals negotiated their own learning? Would learning be better and more successful? We will see :) The whole vision of this book is structured around "lifelong learning." Lifelong learning requires moving away from highly structured schooling institutions to instead act as consumers of a wide variety of learning experiences. So even though I felt throughout much of this book they were saying universal schooling will someday soon be gone, I feel that they more importantly want us as future educators to know the difference we can make by supporting and integrating technology tools into our future schools. So what happens though if the U.S. cannot keep up and our thinking on learning does not ever change? This chapter talks about how we already see this outside of the U.S. Many young people in Thailand and Brazil have access to these technologic resources and skills and they are indeed becoming "21st-century immigrants."
The second section of this chapter focuses on rethinking motivation. "The current school system does not help students develop intrinsic motivation to learn. As a future teacher I want to make it possible for each of my students to really explore the topics and areas that interest them. This can help them to love learning, which should be every teacher's goal. I really liked this statement, "by understanding how new technologies can encourage kids to take responsibility for their own learning, society may help produce a generation of people who seek out ways to learn." If students are learning on their own they are most likely developing a much deeper appreciation and understanding for learning.
The new technology resources that really impact what it is that is important to learn are communication and mathematics. I found this interesting. We really need to allow our students to take their own paths and encourage them to follow the career path that most thrills them, not us, or their parents. This is very important.
Also this book is not just to educate young people on a new way of learning, but it is to educate everyone! With these types of tools and resources education can touch a much broader range of ages. We need to stretch our traditional practices like the book suggests. I know after reading this book that I am very willing to transform the classroom so it is the best it can be for my students. Their futures are very important to me and it is my job to make sure they fulfill their dreams! The book is done. And I have learned a lot. :)
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Contemporary Issue Podcast Reflection
The article I chose for my contemporary issues podcast was "When Bullying Turns Deadly: Can it be Stopped?" It was a really moving articles that talked about the various suicides that have taken young lives this past fall as a result of cyberbullying. At the end of my podcast I talked about the different ways we can prevent cyberbullying in schools as future teachers. I felt I learned a lot while making this podcast because I took a lot of time searching the web on cyberbullying prevention. There were many tips and ideas, so it was hard to narrow it all down. My original script was much too long, so I had to edit it many times. I did learn though that when making a podcast it is SO much easier to have a script to read from.
I put a lot of effort into my podcast. I spent a lot of time creating my script because I wanted to touch on all the important details from my article. I spent most of my time though working on garageband. I thought it was very confusing. First I did not understand how to stop my podcast from recording (you would think they would make a stop button instead of just clicking on the play button again). I played around with the site for a good half hour when I got frustrated however I turned to the internet. I searched the web for screencasts on how to make a podcast on garageband. I watched several, which helped me figure out some of the steps I could not understand on my own. I was also very confused on how to fade out my intro music and sound effects. I thought it was kind of confusing. It took me much longer to create my podcast than I thought it would (a good 2 hours longer), but I think the time was well spent because I really learned the steps and how to use garageband. I know feel mostly confident making a screencast. The more I make the more I will learn though!
I think by making my podcast I now have the knowledge to make more and incorporate them into my future school classroom. I think this is something every kid should know and if they should know it than I should too! And now I do! It's a really great feeling :)
I put a lot of effort into my podcast. I spent a lot of time creating my script because I wanted to touch on all the important details from my article. I spent most of my time though working on garageband. I thought it was very confusing. First I did not understand how to stop my podcast from recording (you would think they would make a stop button instead of just clicking on the play button again). I played around with the site for a good half hour when I got frustrated however I turned to the internet. I searched the web for screencasts on how to make a podcast on garageband. I watched several, which helped me figure out some of the steps I could not understand on my own. I was also very confused on how to fade out my intro music and sound effects. I thought it was kind of confusing. It took me much longer to create my podcast than I thought it would (a good 2 hours longer), but I think the time was well spent because I really learned the steps and how to use garageband. I know feel mostly confident making a screencast. The more I make the more I will learn though!
I think by making my podcast I now have the knowledge to make more and incorporate them into my future school classroom. I think this is something every kid should know and if they should know it than I should too! And now I do! It's a really great feeling :)
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Exit Slip 11.4.10
The chapter discussion this week was on Chapter 8: How Schools can Cope with the New Technologies. I liked how they set up the discussion groups because we had to take our topic and incorporate a way it could be connected with another big idea in this chapter. I thought this was very creative and a new way to approach the discussion sessions. They also selected who was going to speak in each group (in a random way) which was a great idea because usually the same people always speak in this class.
After the discussion Professor Boyer had us look at an online article about a school that is taking these changes and a different approach to the curriculum just like stated in this chapter. At this school in Minnesota there is no office, it's a one year schoolhouse, no bells, and students spend most of their day in front of their computers, working on interdisciplinary projects. This is an independentt learning school at its best! I found it very interesting and a little confusing also, that there are no teachers at this school. Adults are viewed as guides to learning. It even said that most students find this new school "a breath of fresh air." This article proves that what our book is saying is true! And that a new way of schooling is fast approaching all of us. All of this is possible because of technology. It's what is supporting this new school! It was a pretty cool article to share in class.
Next Professor Boyer gave us some tips and tricks for our Scratch projects. First make it reusable. So for mine I need to randomize my multiplication questions, so that everytime a students plays my game they have different multiplication questions. Second, I need to work on my directions. Another area I need to work on is the interactive element. I should have a score in my game. Then my players will know how they are doing throughout the game and challenge themselves to do better. Did you address standards based content? Is this game age appropriate? Is this game interactive? (How much contol does the child have? Do they recieve feedback, positive and negative?).
Next, we talked about our Technology Inquiry Wiki. We have to do a "yes test" on our own wiki. Boyer gave us a list of things to look at on our wiki and make sure we can say yes to each requirement. It looks like I won't have to edit mine too much. I think I'm going to look at my paragraphs again and make sure they up to standards. Also, I need to check my APA and make sure that it is correct.
After the discussion Professor Boyer had us look at an online article about a school that is taking these changes and a different approach to the curriculum just like stated in this chapter. At this school in Minnesota there is no office, it's a one year schoolhouse, no bells, and students spend most of their day in front of their computers, working on interdisciplinary projects. This is an independentt learning school at its best! I found it very interesting and a little confusing also, that there are no teachers at this school. Adults are viewed as guides to learning. It even said that most students find this new school "a breath of fresh air." This article proves that what our book is saying is true! And that a new way of schooling is fast approaching all of us. All of this is possible because of technology. It's what is supporting this new school! It was a pretty cool article to share in class.
Next Professor Boyer gave us some tips and tricks for our Scratch projects. First make it reusable. So for mine I need to randomize my multiplication questions, so that everytime a students plays my game they have different multiplication questions. Second, I need to work on my directions. Another area I need to work on is the interactive element. I should have a score in my game. Then my players will know how they are doing throughout the game and challenge themselves to do better. Did you address standards based content? Is this game age appropriate? Is this game interactive? (How much contol does the child have? Do they recieve feedback, positive and negative?).
Next, we talked about our Technology Inquiry Wiki. We have to do a "yes test" on our own wiki. Boyer gave us a list of things to look at on our wiki and make sure we can say yes to each requirement. It looks like I won't have to edit mine too much. I think I'm going to look at my paragraphs again and make sure they up to standards. Also, I need to check my APA and make sure that it is correct.
Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: Chapter 9
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN
This chapter starts out by using a really powerful quote (at least I thought so). "If we adjust our lenses accordingly, then we will begin to see something remarkable: The edges will reshape and eventually transform the core." In order for these "edges" to reform the core of schooling we have to become experienced and intelligent of the new learning technologies. I thought this quote was powerful because it's so true that for in order for the core of schools to change we first have to change how we feel about technology. Even if we aren't all about technology and enthusiastic about it we at least need to understand the possibilities of the new technologies if we want to teach our future generations. It's just a fact. They make a good point in this chapter how for the first time in history, children are more comfortable, knowledgable, adn literate than their parents about an innovation central to society: technology. I feel that this is very true, because everyone I know is much more advanced on computers, thier cell phones and pretty much anything technologic than their parents. My mom doesn't even know how to open the internet no joke. My dad at least is trying to stay up to date with the changes. He just got a facebook, kind of weird, but I'm happy he's trying to stay in touch with me by communicating the way I like and know best. Him and I have decided that my mom is just afraid of change. She's done at home daycare her whole life and just got her license to be a CNA. We are afraid her not knowing how to use a computer is going to hold her back from getting a job. Knowing how to use technology is pretty much a requirement in the work field today. Anyways back to the chapter :) This chapter offers suggestions for parents and teachers on how to bridge the considerable generation gap and integrate new learning technologies into existing practices.
So the first section of this chapter focuses on what kids are learning from technology, which I found very interesting. It also focuses on how parents can connect more with their children by understanding technology and being interested in their children's passion about technology devices. It went on to say that the technology gap starts at home. We as teachers (and someday parents) need to appreciate the range of new skills our students (children) learn from these new technologies. We'll start with the video games. I always thought video games were not a good source of time, probable because you always hear parents and girlfriends bashing about the things. But in reality children who play video games develop sophisticated problem-solving and communication skills. I never knew there were benefits of video gaming, but I think I have a new attitude towards it now. We really need to pursue our children/students to join online communities that share a similar interest of our child. This can develop their research skills and also because of the internet kids can be exposed to many more kids their own age who share similar passions, which they might not be able to find locally.
The second section focused on how technology can change kids social lives and learning. It started out with talking about pop culture and how that wouldn't be possible if not for universal schooling. In the 1960's many kids went to school only to socialize rather than to get an education (this probable still holds true for many kids today) and that is what created the pop culture explosion! Even today peer culture has become a powerful economic engine. Interesting section, not too clear what the point was (to me at least), but I enjoyed it.
The last section ties it all together: Where does this leave us? We suspect that schools will be dragged reluctantly into a new technologically rich education system. How could they not? After reading the entirety of this book it seems that at some point technology will be at the core of the school. However, I still believe we need the universal school system. I just don't buy children will learn on their own, some maybe, but not all. Many kids need guidance and I don't think a computer is going to provide that. We will see though. Should be an interesting next 50 years in the education world! ;)
This chapter starts out by using a really powerful quote (at least I thought so). "If we adjust our lenses accordingly, then we will begin to see something remarkable: The edges will reshape and eventually transform the core." In order for these "edges" to reform the core of schooling we have to become experienced and intelligent of the new learning technologies. I thought this quote was powerful because it's so true that for in order for the core of schools to change we first have to change how we feel about technology. Even if we aren't all about technology and enthusiastic about it we at least need to understand the possibilities of the new technologies if we want to teach our future generations. It's just a fact. They make a good point in this chapter how for the first time in history, children are more comfortable, knowledgable, adn literate than their parents about an innovation central to society: technology. I feel that this is very true, because everyone I know is much more advanced on computers, thier cell phones and pretty much anything technologic than their parents. My mom doesn't even know how to open the internet no joke. My dad at least is trying to stay up to date with the changes. He just got a facebook, kind of weird, but I'm happy he's trying to stay in touch with me by communicating the way I like and know best. Him and I have decided that my mom is just afraid of change. She's done at home daycare her whole life and just got her license to be a CNA. We are afraid her not knowing how to use a computer is going to hold her back from getting a job. Knowing how to use technology is pretty much a requirement in the work field today. Anyways back to the chapter :) This chapter offers suggestions for parents and teachers on how to bridge the considerable generation gap and integrate new learning technologies into existing practices.
So the first section of this chapter focuses on what kids are learning from technology, which I found very interesting. It also focuses on how parents can connect more with their children by understanding technology and being interested in their children's passion about technology devices. It went on to say that the technology gap starts at home. We as teachers (and someday parents) need to appreciate the range of new skills our students (children) learn from these new technologies. We'll start with the video games. I always thought video games were not a good source of time, probable because you always hear parents and girlfriends bashing about the things. But in reality children who play video games develop sophisticated problem-solving and communication skills. I never knew there were benefits of video gaming, but I think I have a new attitude towards it now. We really need to pursue our children/students to join online communities that share a similar interest of our child. This can develop their research skills and also because of the internet kids can be exposed to many more kids their own age who share similar passions, which they might not be able to find locally.
The second section focused on how technology can change kids social lives and learning. It started out with talking about pop culture and how that wouldn't be possible if not for universal schooling. In the 1960's many kids went to school only to socialize rather than to get an education (this probable still holds true for many kids today) and that is what created the pop culture explosion! Even today peer culture has become a powerful economic engine. Interesting section, not too clear what the point was (to me at least), but I enjoyed it.
The last section ties it all together: Where does this leave us? We suspect that schools will be dragged reluctantly into a new technologically rich education system. How could they not? After reading the entirety of this book it seems that at some point technology will be at the core of the school. However, I still believe we need the universal school system. I just don't buy children will learn on their own, some maybe, but not all. Many kids need guidance and I don't think a computer is going to provide that. We will see though. Should be an interesting next 50 years in the education world! ;)
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Cool Tool Technology Screencast: Poll Everywhere
REFLECTION
I put a lot of time into my screen cast. I took a few hours to search and experiment with my site (Poll Everywhere) before creating my SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis took most of the time in this project. It was hard to find weaknesses on my tool, but I finally found some. There were so many strengths that it seemed like that was all I could focus on. Once I had the analysis done I didn't think it would be that hard to actually create my screen cast, but I was wrong. It took me a while to get used to talking aloud to my screen. It was also hard to keep a smooth pace. In the beginning I would lose my train of thought and have to start over. Again, again, and again. I also had to cut out a lot of parts I wanted to talk about because I was going over five minutes. I liked this project more than the others so far and thought I really learned something.
By creating and sharing my screen cast with my peers I felt I got a lot out of this project. I was able to view all of their screen casts, which allowed for me to view over 30 different tools that I can use in my future classroom! And not only that but by watching their screen casts I can learn how to use those tools! It's gonna save me a lot of time and work by just looking at their thoughts on the tool and how to use the tool! I think this was a great projects because we can all use these tools in the future and we can watch the screen casts for these tools to learn more!
I put a lot of time into my screen cast. I took a few hours to search and experiment with my site (Poll Everywhere) before creating my SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis took most of the time in this project. It was hard to find weaknesses on my tool, but I finally found some. There were so many strengths that it seemed like that was all I could focus on. Once I had the analysis done I didn't think it would be that hard to actually create my screen cast, but I was wrong. It took me a while to get used to talking aloud to my screen. It was also hard to keep a smooth pace. In the beginning I would lose my train of thought and have to start over. Again, again, and again. I also had to cut out a lot of parts I wanted to talk about because I was going over five minutes. I liked this project more than the others so far and thought I really learned something.
By creating and sharing my screen cast with my peers I felt I got a lot out of this project. I was able to view all of their screen casts, which allowed for me to view over 30 different tools that I can use in my future classroom! And not only that but by watching their screen casts I can learn how to use those tools! It's gonna save me a lot of time and work by just looking at their thoughts on the tool and how to use the tool! I think this was a great projects because we can all use these tools in the future and we can watch the screen casts for these tools to learn more!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms: Chapter 10
WHAT IT ALL MEANS
I really enjoyed this last chapter and thought it did a wonderful job of summing up what we have explored through the journey of this book. I was surprised how I fully agreed with each big idea in this chapter and each section made a lot of sense to me and I could easily follow the "shift" they were talking about. This chapter basically was asking the question of what are we going to do after now being introduced to all the different tools and benefits of the read/write web?
They made a good point in the beginning of this chapter that when today's students enter their post-education professional lives, the odds are pretty good that they will be asked to work with others from around the world collaboratively to create content for diverse and wide-ranging audiences. So how does that compare to the educational system now where we ask students to work independently on a paper for a very narrow audience? It doesn't really make much sense now does it? Never thought about it like that, but it is a very thought-provoking question that should make us think about the education we will be providing by being future educators.
By using the power of the read/white web we are allowing learning to continue long after the class ends. The web is basically a conversation, not a lecture, where knowledge is shaped and acquired through a social process! As we grow and continue the journey through our world we are coming upon a new definition of literacy, which is important for us as educators to understand. We have always defined literate as being able to read and write, but those are no longer enough to define the term literate. Being literate now means to also be able to be an editor, publisher, manager of information, and participate. The end of this section sums it up clearly, "If we fail to graduate students who are not able to create, sustain, and participate in these networks in safe, ethical, and effective ways, we've done them a disservice." This is so true. It is our duty as a teacher to make sure our students are leaving the classroom with a knowledge of what the real world is going to throw at them. We need to supply them with the tools that will forever be a part of their lives. It is our duty.
The chapter went on to discuss the Big Shifts, which I felt were all very clear and easy to agree with on every level. Big Shirt number one was "open content." This shift talks about how it used to be that schools and teachers owned the content that was shared with students. So outside of what schools provided, students had limited access to additional information about the subjects they were studying. Today though all that information is right at their finger tips. Shift number two was "many, many teachers and 24/7 learning." The web allows for us to connect to a variety of different teachers and share ideas and experiences! This allows for us to broaden our understanding of learning. Big shift number three was "the social, collaborative construction of meaningful knowledge." The web allows for students to produce work in truly collaborative ways for large audiences. Big shift number four was "teaching is conversation, not lecture." Explanatory. Big shift number five was "know 'where' learning."' As we move away from textbooks we have to be able to create our own texts from all the different tools and resources we are given on the web! Shift number six was "readers are no longer just readers." Textbook and handouts which were previously (and still) what students were offered with were a given that they were credible sources and there were no grammars found within those texts. However, by using the web students are not safe by just reading the material, but they must be editors and critical consumers of the information they use. I really liked reading about this big shift because it had never occurred to me before and it makes perfect sense! Shift seven was "the web as a notebook (portfolio)." Shift eight was "writing no longer limited to text." We can write by audio, music, digital photographs and much more! Shift nine was "mastery is the product, not the test."They ask a very powerful question that makes you think of how we assess our students, "Would you feel safe in a world where kids were awarded drivers licenses by just passing the written test?" Noooooo. Mastery can now be shown through performance. The big and last shift number 10 was "contribution, not completion, as the ultimate goal." Explanatory.
So what does all this mean? I now know as a future teacher I need to be a connector. I also need to become a content creator. In order to teach these tools, I first need to know how to effectively and correctly use them myself. I also need to become a true collaborator. I need to see myself as more of a learner along side my students. I also need to think of myself as more of a coach who models the skills that students need to be successful and motivate them to strive for excellence. Lastly, I need to be a change agent. I need to fully support these changes and move away from the safe, traditional way of teaching. It might be scary, but I am all for giving my students the education they NEED and DESERVE. It is my job you know.
I really enjoyed this last chapter and thought it did a wonderful job of summing up what we have explored through the journey of this book. I was surprised how I fully agreed with each big idea in this chapter and each section made a lot of sense to me and I could easily follow the "shift" they were talking about. This chapter basically was asking the question of what are we going to do after now being introduced to all the different tools and benefits of the read/write web?
They made a good point in the beginning of this chapter that when today's students enter their post-education professional lives, the odds are pretty good that they will be asked to work with others from around the world collaboratively to create content for diverse and wide-ranging audiences. So how does that compare to the educational system now where we ask students to work independently on a paper for a very narrow audience? It doesn't really make much sense now does it? Never thought about it like that, but it is a very thought-provoking question that should make us think about the education we will be providing by being future educators.
By using the power of the read/white web we are allowing learning to continue long after the class ends. The web is basically a conversation, not a lecture, where knowledge is shaped and acquired through a social process! As we grow and continue the journey through our world we are coming upon a new definition of literacy, which is important for us as educators to understand. We have always defined literate as being able to read and write, but those are no longer enough to define the term literate. Being literate now means to also be able to be an editor, publisher, manager of information, and participate. The end of this section sums it up clearly, "If we fail to graduate students who are not able to create, sustain, and participate in these networks in safe, ethical, and effective ways, we've done them a disservice." This is so true. It is our duty as a teacher to make sure our students are leaving the classroom with a knowledge of what the real world is going to throw at them. We need to supply them with the tools that will forever be a part of their lives. It is our duty.
The chapter went on to discuss the Big Shifts, which I felt were all very clear and easy to agree with on every level. Big Shirt number one was "open content." This shift talks about how it used to be that schools and teachers owned the content that was shared with students. So outside of what schools provided, students had limited access to additional information about the subjects they were studying. Today though all that information is right at their finger tips. Shift number two was "many, many teachers and 24/7 learning." The web allows for us to connect to a variety of different teachers and share ideas and experiences! This allows for us to broaden our understanding of learning. Big shift number three was "the social, collaborative construction of meaningful knowledge." The web allows for students to produce work in truly collaborative ways for large audiences. Big shift number four was "teaching is conversation, not lecture." Explanatory. Big shift number five was "know 'where' learning."' As we move away from textbooks we have to be able to create our own texts from all the different tools and resources we are given on the web! Shift number six was "readers are no longer just readers." Textbook and handouts which were previously (and still) what students were offered with were a given that they were credible sources and there were no grammars found within those texts. However, by using the web students are not safe by just reading the material, but they must be editors and critical consumers of the information they use. I really liked reading about this big shift because it had never occurred to me before and it makes perfect sense! Shift seven was "the web as a notebook (portfolio)." Shift eight was "writing no longer limited to text." We can write by audio, music, digital photographs and much more! Shift nine was "mastery is the product, not the test."They ask a very powerful question that makes you think of how we assess our students, "Would you feel safe in a world where kids were awarded drivers licenses by just passing the written test?" Noooooo. Mastery can now be shown through performance. The big and last shift number 10 was "contribution, not completion, as the ultimate goal." Explanatory.
So what does all this mean? I now know as a future teacher I need to be a connector. I also need to become a content creator. In order to teach these tools, I first need to know how to effectively and correctly use them myself. I also need to become a true collaborator. I need to see myself as more of a learner along side my students. I also need to think of myself as more of a coach who models the skills that students need to be successful and motivate them to strive for excellence. Lastly, I need to be a change agent. I need to fully support these changes and move away from the safe, traditional way of teaching. It might be scary, but I am all for giving my students the education they NEED and DESERVE. It is my job you know.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: Chapter 8
HOW SCHOOLS CAN COPE WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES
This chapter started out with explaining the three different imperatives of technology that are driving technology into the schools. They are, customization, interaction, and learner control. I wasn't really sure what they meant by customization or learner control, so I'll explain so I can come back to my blog later and know what these terms meant. Customization refers to providing people with the knowledge they want when they want it and supporting and guiding people individually as they learn. Learner control refers to putting learners in charge of their own learning whenever possible, so that they feel ownership and can direct their learning wherever their interests take them. It goes on to talk about the standards educators use in the schools today and how they go against the grain of the technological imperatives. I agree that schools need to provide more individual support and choice in what students want to learn. Of course every teacher can work on being more engaging and creating more interaction in their classroom!
The next section talked about standardized testing in the schools and how some teachers are now looking at different forms or assessment. We have talked about that in block so when reading this section it was like review. The next section focused on New Curriculum Designs, which I had my opinions on. It stated this, "students would be encouraged to stick with a particular curriculum for a long time, perhaps several years, while they develop deep skills and understanding." I really agree with this thinking. At such a young age how do children know what areas they want to narrow in on? I don't think we should limit them. Yes, it says they choose, but at this age they need to be exposed to all areas and I don't think they should have to be narrowed down to a specific area. Why limit them when they are full of potential? I really did not agree with this section. Then it went onto to talk about once they become teenagers all the different paths they can take. Do you really feel 16 year olds are wise enough to make that decision. Some yes, but not all. And then talking about them entering college at a age of 15 or 16. I just don't think children at the age need to be exposed to the college scene. They are too young and need more life experiences at this age.
I'm for technology in the classroom, but the last few chapters in this text have really frustrated me. I don't feel we are going to see this large shift and kids will be totally learning on their own (some sections of this book have suggested this!). We'll see how the last two chapters go I guess.
This chapter started out with explaining the three different imperatives of technology that are driving technology into the schools. They are, customization, interaction, and learner control. I wasn't really sure what they meant by customization or learner control, so I'll explain so I can come back to my blog later and know what these terms meant. Customization refers to providing people with the knowledge they want when they want it and supporting and guiding people individually as they learn. Learner control refers to putting learners in charge of their own learning whenever possible, so that they feel ownership and can direct their learning wherever their interests take them. It goes on to talk about the standards educators use in the schools today and how they go against the grain of the technological imperatives. I agree that schools need to provide more individual support and choice in what students want to learn. Of course every teacher can work on being more engaging and creating more interaction in their classroom!
The next section talked about standardized testing in the schools and how some teachers are now looking at different forms or assessment. We have talked about that in block so when reading this section it was like review. The next section focused on New Curriculum Designs, which I had my opinions on. It stated this, "students would be encouraged to stick with a particular curriculum for a long time, perhaps several years, while they develop deep skills and understanding." I really agree with this thinking. At such a young age how do children know what areas they want to narrow in on? I don't think we should limit them. Yes, it says they choose, but at this age they need to be exposed to all areas and I don't think they should have to be narrowed down to a specific area. Why limit them when they are full of potential? I really did not agree with this section. Then it went onto to talk about once they become teenagers all the different paths they can take. Do you really feel 16 year olds are wise enough to make that decision. Some yes, but not all. And then talking about them entering college at a age of 15 or 16. I just don't think children at the age need to be exposed to the college scene. They are too young and need more life experiences at this age.
I'm for technology in the classroom, but the last few chapters in this text have really frustrated me. I don't feel we are going to see this large shift and kids will be totally learning on their own (some sections of this book have suggested this!). We'll see how the last two chapters go I guess.
Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms: Chapter 9
SOCIAL NETWORKS
I'll start by saying I found this chapter the most boring out of any in this book so far. It might be because the other chapters were so much more interesting and full of new material and this chapter was more mediocre. I think I found it not as appealing because I already know about Facebook and I feel I will stay away from facebook in my classroom. Yes, it gave great examples of how Facebook can be a great tool in the classroom, but I felt all those tools could also be found on a class wiki/blog or a site comparable to D2L.
One thing I have never thought about is the two different ways that kids (like me) are using social networking. First, is the "friendship-based way" and the second is to "further explore interests." The second one is what is important regarding education. Students can connect with people from around the world and share interest and passions with people that could only be possible through the world of technology. This type social networking is "self-directed, peer-based learning."
One subject they touched on was Ning which was new to me. It's a site that allows you to create your own personal Facebook-like network around whatever your specific interest is. The best part of Ning for educators is that it is totally self-contained- meaning all of that sharing and posting happens under one roof and it can be private to whoever you want it to be private to. The site is either all private OR all public. Another downfall of Ning (if you a younger grade educator) is that its services restricts the use of the site to children younger than 13. Therefore, because I want to be an Elementary teacher Ning probable won't work in my classroom. This site allows for students to test our their writing skills for an audience and to interact and collaborate with your peers.
Two benefits I found after reading this chapter were how sites like Ning and Facebook can be used in the classroom to allow quiet students to speak up and also to keep in touch with peers when maybe sick or after they have moved. The idea I found most intriguing was how you could use these sites to connect from experts around the world! There was even an example in the text of a teacher who did just that in his classroom. What a great experience for your students! Definitely something to look into :)
I'll start by saying I found this chapter the most boring out of any in this book so far. It might be because the other chapters were so much more interesting and full of new material and this chapter was more mediocre. I think I found it not as appealing because I already know about Facebook and I feel I will stay away from facebook in my classroom. Yes, it gave great examples of how Facebook can be a great tool in the classroom, but I felt all those tools could also be found on a class wiki/blog or a site comparable to D2L.
One thing I have never thought about is the two different ways that kids (like me) are using social networking. First, is the "friendship-based way" and the second is to "further explore interests." The second one is what is important regarding education. Students can connect with people from around the world and share interest and passions with people that could only be possible through the world of technology. This type social networking is "self-directed, peer-based learning."
One subject they touched on was Ning which was new to me. It's a site that allows you to create your own personal Facebook-like network around whatever your specific interest is. The best part of Ning for educators is that it is totally self-contained- meaning all of that sharing and posting happens under one roof and it can be private to whoever you want it to be private to. The site is either all private OR all public. Another downfall of Ning (if you a younger grade educator) is that its services restricts the use of the site to children younger than 13. Therefore, because I want to be an Elementary teacher Ning probable won't work in my classroom. This site allows for students to test our their writing skills for an audience and to interact and collaborate with your peers.
Two benefits I found after reading this chapter were how sites like Ning and Facebook can be used in the classroom to allow quiet students to speak up and also to keep in touch with peers when maybe sick or after they have moved. The idea I found most intriguing was how you could use these sites to connect from experts around the world! There was even an example in the text of a teacher who did just that in his classroom. What a great experience for your students! Definitely something to look into :)
Exit Slip 10.28.10
Today we started out class by talking about our Delicious accounts. Professor Boyer figured out that my section average is 51.5, which I am easily exceeding because I have 101 bookmarks at the moment. The discussion this week was on Chapter 7: What May Be Lost and What May Be Gained. I felt the discussion was kind of confusing at times. One thing that was pointed out in this discussion was that funding IS available for those with initiative. One of the questions in discussion related to a funding issue and I thought it was interesting to hear other people's ideas and input on the matter.
Boyer also shared with us the site Elluminate, which I thought was very cool and interesting to learn about. It's a place where you can web conference, post virtual office hours, and also host webinars.
Next we talked about our podcasting project. We were informed that we will be podcasting on a contemporary issue related to technology and PK-12 learners. After finding an article then we need to start working on a script (complete before we record!). There are 3 areas we need to include in our podcast: 1) overview of the issue 2) what's the article say/summarize the article 3) what does this mean to me as a future teacher, my reaction/reflection (most interesting part!) RECORD PODCAST! 2-3 MINUTES. Next, add lead-in and lead-out music (use garageband on mac and each 15 sec. >already 30 sec of podcast) && at least one sound effect. Next, export podcast as an .mp3 file. Create a blog post that includes your podcast and a link to the original contemporary issue resource. Don't forget to write a reflection on this assignment on Blogger.
For some reason I felt less stressed at the end of this class period than I did entering.
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Boyer also shared with us the site Elluminate, which I thought was very cool and interesting to learn about. It's a place where you can web conference, post virtual office hours, and also host webinars.
Next we talked about our podcasting project. We were informed that we will be podcasting on a contemporary issue related to technology and PK-12 learners. After finding an article then we need to start working on a script (complete before we record!). There are 3 areas we need to include in our podcast: 1) overview of the issue 2) what's the article say/summarize the article 3) what does this mean to me as a future teacher, my reaction/reflection (most interesting part!) RECORD PODCAST! 2-3 MINUTES. Next, add lead-in and lead-out music (use garageband on mac and each 15 sec. >already 30 sec of podcast) && at least one sound effect. Next, export podcast as an .mp3 file. Create a blog post that includes your podcast and a link to the original contemporary issue resource. Don't forget to write a reflection on this assignment on Blogger.
For some reason I felt less stressed at the end of this class period than I did entering.
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Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: Chapter 7
WHAT MAY BE LOST & WHAT MAY BE GAINED
I felt that there were many more examples and facts of what would be lost than what would be gained. The question is though if what will be gained will outweigh all the losses? I'm not entirely sure of my answer to that question. This chapter talks about if a technology revolution does occur what the losses will be, but also the gains of the revolution. Let's start with what would be lost (I think a lot). Social cohesion will be lost. When we group ourselves in the home we are limiting our cultural experience and interactions from those who have a different culture from our own. Public schools allow for diversity to abundant and the lessons that come with it irreplaceable. The second problem is of equity of access to learning. Universal schooling allows for more equal opportunities and mainstreaming for all! If people leave the schools than there is a great possibility that minorities and those in poverty will suffer. They will not have the money and resources at home like they are offered with at school. Equity is very important because everyone deserves an education no matter what their background. There is also the potential of decline in the liberal arts. When people/children are allowed to decide what they learn will they really be broadening their education. Yes, they can focus on what they love, but what about being balanced and knowledgeable in the a broader light? I think we will see more narrow minds and students won't be extending their horizons like they would be in a universal school setting. Also, another loss would people being more likely to become isolated. If they are at home getting an education they will be missing out on the social and interaction lessons they need to survive! There could be a loss of social skills (that is a HUGE risk). I thought it was very interesting to find that research has found spending time on the Internet has shown decreases in talking among family members, reduction in the number of friends once had, and increases in depression and loneliness.
Now let's look at what will be gained. The huge aspect that people will be able to choose material that interest them which we believe will have the affect that learning will be more engaging. They will be more excited to learn about areas that interest them and what they hope to be in the future (careers). Computers can customize education to the particular needs and abilities of individual learners. The support will be superb because they will get just enough help and will be challenged. Another obvious gain is that knowledge/information will be accessible anytime, anywhere, and through the web. Also there will be less competition in schools. Students won't be able to compare themselves to others and feel failure when their work is not as outstanding.
I agree that technology should be more involved in schools, but I don't think our world should ever leave the universal school system. School is important and crucial. Just my opinion I guess though. I really found this chapter interesting.
I felt that there were many more examples and facts of what would be lost than what would be gained. The question is though if what will be gained will outweigh all the losses? I'm not entirely sure of my answer to that question. This chapter talks about if a technology revolution does occur what the losses will be, but also the gains of the revolution. Let's start with what would be lost (I think a lot). Social cohesion will be lost. When we group ourselves in the home we are limiting our cultural experience and interactions from those who have a different culture from our own. Public schools allow for diversity to abundant and the lessons that come with it irreplaceable. The second problem is of equity of access to learning. Universal schooling allows for more equal opportunities and mainstreaming for all! If people leave the schools than there is a great possibility that minorities and those in poverty will suffer. They will not have the money and resources at home like they are offered with at school. Equity is very important because everyone deserves an education no matter what their background. There is also the potential of decline in the liberal arts. When people/children are allowed to decide what they learn will they really be broadening their education. Yes, they can focus on what they love, but what about being balanced and knowledgeable in the a broader light? I think we will see more narrow minds and students won't be extending their horizons like they would be in a universal school setting. Also, another loss would people being more likely to become isolated. If they are at home getting an education they will be missing out on the social and interaction lessons they need to survive! There could be a loss of social skills (that is a HUGE risk). I thought it was very interesting to find that research has found spending time on the Internet has shown decreases in talking among family members, reduction in the number of friends once had, and increases in depression and loneliness.
Now let's look at what will be gained. The huge aspect that people will be able to choose material that interest them which we believe will have the affect that learning will be more engaging. They will be more excited to learn about areas that interest them and what they hope to be in the future (careers). Computers can customize education to the particular needs and abilities of individual learners. The support will be superb because they will get just enough help and will be challenged. Another obvious gain is that knowledge/information will be accessible anytime, anywhere, and through the web. Also there will be less competition in schools. Students won't be able to compare themselves to others and feel failure when their work is not as outstanding.
I agree that technology should be more involved in schools, but I don't think our world should ever leave the universal school system. School is important and crucial. Just my opinion I guess though. I really found this chapter interesting.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms: Chapter 8
Podcasting, Video and Screencasting, and Live Streaming
More and more of what we consume is going to be self-produced entertainment! One of the main reasons that multimedia on the web is so explosive right now is because of the cheap memory found on computers. This chapter talks about how Podcasting, Videocasting, Screencasting, and live-steaming TV are all great ways to get student content online. I've never really understood what Podcasting really was and what is was all about, but after reading the first section in this chapter I got a better idea. "Podcasting is the creation and distribution of amateur radio, plain and simple." After further reading I figured out that I have all the materials to create a podcast if I wanted! I just need something to talk about :) What I found really interested about podcasting was how it can be incorporated into the schools. It's important to incorporate because it is another tool that allows for students to contribute ideas and be creative! Some of the different examples for social studies teachers to incorporate this tool are to do oral histories, interviews, or reenactments of historical events. I really like the idea of reenactments! I think that would be something I would like to remember for my future classroom. Science teachers could have students narrate labs or dissections or experiments to record their processes. Narrating experiments would definitely allow for the teacher to know if the student really understands what they are doing and what they are getting out of an experiment. I liked that idea as well. One suggestion was to record what we've done in class that day and post in on a wiki so students who missed class get an idea of the information they have missed. Love that one! Another suggestion was to create a video tour of your classroom! That would be so much fun I think!
One step up from podcasting is screencasting. Screencasting involves capturing what you or your students do on the computer with an audio narration to go with it. I know Professor Boyer does this in class and I think it is a great help! I even used it once when I didn't understand one of the class assignments. I think that this would be a great tool to incorporate into my classroom someday! Students could also use the tool by annotating their work in voice as they show it on screen. They could create their own internet tours even! This chapter gave a great screencasting tool to work from, Jing. I need to check that out once I'm done with this reflection :)
Lastly, I found the live streaming section in this chapter very informational and insightful. Some examples on how to incorporate this tool into schools are schools plays and musicals being broadcasted to relative far away, student science presentations for friends and family to watch, live student-run daily news broadcasts (fun!), conference workshops, and much more! You can really do a lot with this tool and I see why it would be beneficial in my classroom someday!
Very informational and interesting chapter this week!
More and more of what we consume is going to be self-produced entertainment! One of the main reasons that multimedia on the web is so explosive right now is because of the cheap memory found on computers. This chapter talks about how Podcasting, Videocasting, Screencasting, and live-steaming TV are all great ways to get student content online. I've never really understood what Podcasting really was and what is was all about, but after reading the first section in this chapter I got a better idea. "Podcasting is the creation and distribution of amateur radio, plain and simple." After further reading I figured out that I have all the materials to create a podcast if I wanted! I just need something to talk about :) What I found really interested about podcasting was how it can be incorporated into the schools. It's important to incorporate because it is another tool that allows for students to contribute ideas and be creative! Some of the different examples for social studies teachers to incorporate this tool are to do oral histories, interviews, or reenactments of historical events. I really like the idea of reenactments! I think that would be something I would like to remember for my future classroom. Science teachers could have students narrate labs or dissections or experiments to record their processes. Narrating experiments would definitely allow for the teacher to know if the student really understands what they are doing and what they are getting out of an experiment. I liked that idea as well. One suggestion was to record what we've done in class that day and post in on a wiki so students who missed class get an idea of the information they have missed. Love that one! Another suggestion was to create a video tour of your classroom! That would be so much fun I think!
One step up from podcasting is screencasting. Screencasting involves capturing what you or your students do on the computer with an audio narration to go with it. I know Professor Boyer does this in class and I think it is a great help! I even used it once when I didn't understand one of the class assignments. I think that this would be a great tool to incorporate into my classroom someday! Students could also use the tool by annotating their work in voice as they show it on screen. They could create their own internet tours even! This chapter gave a great screencasting tool to work from, Jing. I need to check that out once I'm done with this reflection :)
Lastly, I found the live streaming section in this chapter very informational and insightful. Some examples on how to incorporate this tool into schools are schools plays and musicals being broadcasted to relative far away, student science presentations for friends and family to watch, live student-run daily news broadcasts (fun!), conference workshops, and much more! You can really do a lot with this tool and I see why it would be beneficial in my classroom someday!
Very informational and interesting chapter this week!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Exit Slip 10.21.10
Three classmates held a discussion on Chapter 6: The Different Eras of Education. They did a really great job involving themselves into each discussion group and circulating around the room. One gal asked very specific questions to our group that kept us thinking and on topic. They seemed very well prepared and as though they spent time planning their activity. I liked how knowledgeable they were on their chapter and how they even touched on previous chapters. Boyer talked about being more creative and not making discussion all verbal. Some students are not confident speakers. "Jigsaw" grouping is when you have a discussion group, which I found very interesting. Maybe my group can use that idea when we group for our discussion. Another great idea would be to summarize at the end ("summary frame").
Next in class Boyer gave us some tips and tricks for our SMART Board lessons. It is important to lock items! Then objects can't be moved on accident. You can always unlock it also. He also talked about color choice in our lessons. We need to make sure we play close attention and make sure our font color is readable against our background colors. Font numbers higher than 36 are ideal because we want to make sure our students can read the board from far away. I plan on checking all the areas he touched on when I finalize my SMART Board lesson.
Boyer let us know that he loves when we come to his office with questions! It's not an inconvenience! He is also on skype. Pretty impressive :) Oh and just don't use the camera when you are in your pjs.
We also talked about our SWOT project. I had already picked my tool, but it was nice hearing more details about the assignment.
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Next in class Boyer gave us some tips and tricks for our SMART Board lessons. It is important to lock items! Then objects can't be moved on accident. You can always unlock it also. He also talked about color choice in our lessons. We need to make sure we play close attention and make sure our font color is readable against our background colors. Font numbers higher than 36 are ideal because we want to make sure our students can read the board from far away. I plan on checking all the areas he touched on when I finalize my SMART Board lesson.
Boyer let us know that he loves when we come to his office with questions! It's not an inconvenience! He is also on skype. Pretty impressive :) Oh and just don't use the camera when you are in your pjs.
We also talked about our SWOT project. I had already picked my tool, but it was nice hearing more details about the assignment.
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Wednesday, October 20, 2010
iRLO Reaction
Scratch. How I despised you this week. I was really scared about this assignment. When I first sat down at my apartment to explore Scratch I was thinking, "oh this can't be too bad." However, after I installed the Scratch software onto my mac and uploaded I got a little nervous. I was looking through all the different material and was thinking, "how is it possible that I can make a game out of this?" I freaked for a while, but after many (many) hours of playing around with the site and experimenting my ideas I started to relax a little. Once I started the assignment and was connecting all the different materials it started becoming more clear and easy to me. Although after reviewing my lesson and seeing how simple it looks I am amazed at why it was so hard in the beginning. I put a lot of effort into this assignment. I could not figure out how to import other images, so I had to stick with the ones given however. I put a lot of time into this assignment by doing trial and error and figuring out the tricks of Scratch. It's definitely not something you can sit down and finish in a couple hours. I played around with it and experimented for many hours. By designing this iRLO I feel I would be able to make future games and activities that could really benefit my students. Yes, I could just take the easy route and find a game online, but what Scratch offers is you creating all the rules and content you want addressed in that activity. You can really make it your own! I think I would use Scratch for simple lesson and content, but if it was heavy material I think it would be very challenging and take a lot of time. I think I learned a lot from this assignment because I was really afraid and was thinking there was no way I could do this, and I did! I was proud of myself. It was a great experience.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Exit Slip 10.14.10
Today in class three students held a class discussion on Chapter 5: The Seeds of a New System of Education from the Rethinking Education text. I thought they did a really great job with time management and their activity was well thought out and organized. They also did a great job moving around and interacting with us during discussion. I really got something out of their discussion and felt like I learned something. The only think they could have improved on was more commentary on group responses, but I think because I noticed this when I present I will really try to remember to provide deeper commentary. Overall, I thought it was the best class discussion held so far.
Next in class we talked about the iRLO project involving Scratch. I was very relieved to know we would be learning more about the site from Professor Boyer because I kind of still felt lost. After downloading the site Boyer showed us how to create "Sprites." What I thought was really cool was that you could import images from online or from anywhere and make them "Sprites." I'm excited to start browsing the net for images to put into my Scratch item. After we got through that area on Scractch, I'm not going to lie, I kind of was lost. I'm also kind of overwhelmed right now wondering if I'm going to be able to do this assignment. I plan on going to Professor Boyer with help and questions though.
Next in class we talked about the iRLO project involving Scratch. I was very relieved to know we would be learning more about the site from Professor Boyer because I kind of still felt lost. After downloading the site Boyer showed us how to create "Sprites." What I thought was really cool was that you could import images from online or from anywhere and make them "Sprites." I'm excited to start browsing the net for images to put into my Scratch item. After we got through that area on Scractch, I'm not going to lie, I kind of was lost. I'm also kind of overwhelmed right now wondering if I'm going to be able to do this assignment. I plan on going to Professor Boyer with help and questions though.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: Chapter 6
THREE ERAS OF EDUCATION
For some reason I found this chapter hard to follow. I felt like information was everywhere and it wasn't as interesting to me as the other chapters in this text. I did find it interesting, however, to learn the history on how the responsibility for education shifted from parents to the state and then to the individual back to the parents. I'd never really thought of education in this cycle, but after learning more about the process it is clear to me how it has evolved. It was the Industrial Revolution that created the movement towards education being state taught. Many immigrants were here at that time and some leaders felt as thought immigrant parents would not be able to teach the American values to their children. This is what has led to the realization that parents and their children can be very different people and not share the same set of morals. When taught in an universal school setting parents are taking the risk that their children may be introduced to different beliefs and also may be influenced a great deal by their peers. The text explains that home schooling has become such a strong and growing movement for those reasons. I agree that if your children are being taught by other educators besides their parents that they will be introduced to many different moral and values, but I don't think that is an issue that will be changing anytime soon. I found it very interesting that the book stated that education is shifting back towards the parents being responsible for their children's education. I wasn't sure if I agreed, but I guess they have had studies that prove there has been a steady growth in home schooling, learning centers, and distance education. It made even more sense to me when I read about why they believe this. One example is that parents are buying more and more of educational videos and items that educate their children in what they believe is important. I think I will be one of those parents who will see education as an area that can be introduced at a very different age. I'm sure I'll be buying those popular "Baby Einstein" videos and audio CDs. I also have decided I want to teach my children Spanish at a young age. I took six years of it in high school and know what a challenge it was to learn as a teenager. I also found the "expectations" section very interesting, many young people are "learning what they think will be of value to them." Isn't that true? It seems some students only care about the areas that interest them and they feel will benefit their future. Seems logical to me, don't you think? Food for thought. In order to be prepared in the 21st century research has found that people need education in five areas: 1. Resources 2. Interpersonal 3. Information 4. Systems 5. Technology. I hope that I can really incorporate these areas into my lessons and curriculum. I want my students to be as prepared as possible! They are our future!
For some reason I found this chapter hard to follow. I felt like information was everywhere and it wasn't as interesting to me as the other chapters in this text. I did find it interesting, however, to learn the history on how the responsibility for education shifted from parents to the state and then to the individual back to the parents. I'd never really thought of education in this cycle, but after learning more about the process it is clear to me how it has evolved. It was the Industrial Revolution that created the movement towards education being state taught. Many immigrants were here at that time and some leaders felt as thought immigrant parents would not be able to teach the American values to their children. This is what has led to the realization that parents and their children can be very different people and not share the same set of morals. When taught in an universal school setting parents are taking the risk that their children may be introduced to different beliefs and also may be influenced a great deal by their peers. The text explains that home schooling has become such a strong and growing movement for those reasons. I agree that if your children are being taught by other educators besides their parents that they will be introduced to many different moral and values, but I don't think that is an issue that will be changing anytime soon. I found it very interesting that the book stated that education is shifting back towards the parents being responsible for their children's education. I wasn't sure if I agreed, but I guess they have had studies that prove there has been a steady growth in home schooling, learning centers, and distance education. It made even more sense to me when I read about why they believe this. One example is that parents are buying more and more of educational videos and items that educate their children in what they believe is important. I think I will be one of those parents who will see education as an area that can be introduced at a very different age. I'm sure I'll be buying those popular "Baby Einstein" videos and audio CDs. I also have decided I want to teach my children Spanish at a young age. I took six years of it in high school and know what a challenge it was to learn as a teenager. I also found the "expectations" section very interesting, many young people are "learning what they think will be of value to them." Isn't that true? It seems some students only care about the areas that interest them and they feel will benefit their future. Seems logical to me, don't you think? Food for thought. In order to be prepared in the 21st century research has found that people need education in five areas: 1. Resources 2. Interpersonal 3. Information 4. Systems 5. Technology. I hope that I can really incorporate these areas into my lessons and curriculum. I want my students to be as prepared as possible! They are our future!
Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms: Chapter 7
FUN WITH FLICKR
I had heard of Flickr before reading this chapter, but all I really knew about the site was that it focused on pictures. But now after reading the entire chapter I see all the possibilities and option Flickr provides in the classroom. One of the main areas it focused on was that by using this site you are opening up the entire world to your students. When you post images you could invite people from anywhere in the world to have discussions with. That is amazing. Who better to learn about a certain area than someone who lives there! You could also post a photo and ask your students to comment on what they see and the importance of that photo, which makes a for a great online classroom discussion. Also if you post a picture with a certain tag then more pictures involving that topic would directly come to you. The more tags you give your photos, the better chance that your photos will find others of the same subject. Think about all the time you could save because of technology's talent. I definitely would love to incorporate Flickr into the classroom because my students will learn how to interact, share and learn from each other in creative and interesting ways. Another great aspect about Flickr is the ability to share the daily life of you classroom. I think parents would love seeing what their child has been doing in the classroom or where they are going on field trips. I really want to make communication with my student's parents a high priority. You can make slideshows and create presentations with Flickr too! There is also a very unique tool on Flickr call "annotation," which allows you to add notes to part of the image. Flickr also allows you to post videos, which I think would great to create virtual field trip tours (in case someone was sick, or for student reflection, or for parents to see). I also learned that Flickr is free! There is a limit, but the text said "you could easily post 500 images a month without too much worry." I think I could handle that ;) I feel much more knowledgeable on the Flickr site now, and would definitely consider incorporating it into my classroom at times.
I had heard of Flickr before reading this chapter, but all I really knew about the site was that it focused on pictures. But now after reading the entire chapter I see all the possibilities and option Flickr provides in the classroom. One of the main areas it focused on was that by using this site you are opening up the entire world to your students. When you post images you could invite people from anywhere in the world to have discussions with. That is amazing. Who better to learn about a certain area than someone who lives there! You could also post a photo and ask your students to comment on what they see and the importance of that photo, which makes a for a great online classroom discussion. Also if you post a picture with a certain tag then more pictures involving that topic would directly come to you. The more tags you give your photos, the better chance that your photos will find others of the same subject. Think about all the time you could save because of technology's talent. I definitely would love to incorporate Flickr into the classroom because my students will learn how to interact, share and learn from each other in creative and interesting ways. Another great aspect about Flickr is the ability to share the daily life of you classroom. I think parents would love seeing what their child has been doing in the classroom or where they are going on field trips. I really want to make communication with my student's parents a high priority. You can make slideshows and create presentations with Flickr too! There is also a very unique tool on Flickr call "annotation," which allows you to add notes to part of the image. Flickr also allows you to post videos, which I think would great to create virtual field trip tours (in case someone was sick, or for student reflection, or for parents to see). I also learned that Flickr is free! There is a limit, but the text said "you could easily post 500 images a month without too much worry." I think I could handle that ;) I feel much more knowledgeable on the Flickr site now, and would definitely consider incorporating it into my classroom at times.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: Chapter 5
The Seeds of a New System of Education
I think they make a great point in the beginning by stating the fact that school system's structure have remained fairly constant over the last ninety years, but society has definitely not. Society is making changes daily, so think of how many changes have been made in the last ninety years! That raises a great point that how can the world always be changing, but schools not? Don't schools need to be in the same place and at the same level as the real world? You would think so.
This chapter focuses on the "the seeds" of the new education system that can be seen by the growth and development of home schooling, workplace learning, distance education, adult education, learning centers, educational television and videos, computer-based learning software, technical certifications, and Internet cafes. Wow! I didn't even know some of those systems existed! I found it very interesting to hear about each system in more detail. The rate at which these systems is growing is incredible and even a little scary for a future teacher to hear!
The section I found the most interesting was the Home Schooling reading. I've always been very interested in the home schooling effects since I have little cousins who are all home schooled. In the chapter it discusses how many parents choose this was of education for moral reasons. I believe that is the biggest reason that my cousins are also home schooled. The statistics were crazy! "The number of children being home schooled has increased by 29% in the last four years!" "2.5% of two-parent families engage in home schooling." And the most amazing one, "children that are home schooled at home score significantly better on standardized tests in every subject area." Every subject area, now that is not luck. I believe it though. My cousins are very bright children. Some may say that by being home schooled you do not learn the social skills that are crucial for life. I was once a true believer in that. My cousins, however, proved me wrong. They are very beautiful, social, outgoing, fun children that know just as much about the outside world (if not more!) as anyone. Now I still have doubts about home schooling because I feel some of the universal schooling experience are so important, but I have many less doubts. Another part I found interesting in this section was that is was said that most children home schooled were form conservative backgrounds. I learned though that there are actually two large associations of home schoolers, one conservative and one liberal. A was introduced to a new thought when this section talked about how parents who home school usually take a much different approach as an educator then as a school teacher. "Teachers view themselves as experts, whose role is to convey their knowledge to students." Whereas parents are much more natural educators and puts more responsibility on the child. Because of this home schooled kids learn to figure things out on their own. I never thought of home schooling in this way, but after being introduced to these ideas I now want to be a slightly different teacher. I want to learn with my students. I want them to know that we are in this together and I don't have all the answers. I can learn as much from them as they can learn from me (if not more).
Another section I found in intriguing was the Educational Television and Videos. I agree that television has had a empowering effect on revealing adult secrets to children and turning education into entertainment. Education should be fun, but the fundamentals of learning should always still be in tact. I had one of those parents who forbade me from watching certain shows. I wasn't allowed to watch Rugrats because my mom felt the characters were too sassy. I was never allowed to watch MTV because she felt the programs were too adult, racy, and worldly for me. I never understood it before, but as I have gotten older I'm starting to. I feel I will be more lenient with my children and what they watch, however, I agree that television can have a tremendous effect on young children. The text summed it up pretty well, "kids are learning about drugs, violence, incest, adultery and so on from television, which is leading to the disappearance of childhood." As a teacher someday I hope we can incorporate the television at times but I want to be careful of what I show.
I think they make a great point in the beginning by stating the fact that school system's structure have remained fairly constant over the last ninety years, but society has definitely not. Society is making changes daily, so think of how many changes have been made in the last ninety years! That raises a great point that how can the world always be changing, but schools not? Don't schools need to be in the same place and at the same level as the real world? You would think so.
This chapter focuses on the "the seeds" of the new education system that can be seen by the growth and development of home schooling, workplace learning, distance education, adult education, learning centers, educational television and videos, computer-based learning software, technical certifications, and Internet cafes. Wow! I didn't even know some of those systems existed! I found it very interesting to hear about each system in more detail. The rate at which these systems is growing is incredible and even a little scary for a future teacher to hear!
The section I found the most interesting was the Home Schooling reading. I've always been very interested in the home schooling effects since I have little cousins who are all home schooled. In the chapter it discusses how many parents choose this was of education for moral reasons. I believe that is the biggest reason that my cousins are also home schooled. The statistics were crazy! "The number of children being home schooled has increased by 29% in the last four years!" "2.5% of two-parent families engage in home schooling." And the most amazing one, "children that are home schooled at home score significantly better on standardized tests in every subject area." Every subject area, now that is not luck. I believe it though. My cousins are very bright children. Some may say that by being home schooled you do not learn the social skills that are crucial for life. I was once a true believer in that. My cousins, however, proved me wrong. They are very beautiful, social, outgoing, fun children that know just as much about the outside world (if not more!) as anyone. Now I still have doubts about home schooling because I feel some of the universal schooling experience are so important, but I have many less doubts. Another part I found interesting in this section was that is was said that most children home schooled were form conservative backgrounds. I learned though that there are actually two large associations of home schoolers, one conservative and one liberal. A was introduced to a new thought when this section talked about how parents who home school usually take a much different approach as an educator then as a school teacher. "Teachers view themselves as experts, whose role is to convey their knowledge to students." Whereas parents are much more natural educators and puts more responsibility on the child. Because of this home schooled kids learn to figure things out on their own. I never thought of home schooling in this way, but after being introduced to these ideas I now want to be a slightly different teacher. I want to learn with my students. I want them to know that we are in this together and I don't have all the answers. I can learn as much from them as they can learn from me (if not more).
Another section I found in intriguing was the Educational Television and Videos. I agree that television has had a empowering effect on revealing adult secrets to children and turning education into entertainment. Education should be fun, but the fundamentals of learning should always still be in tact. I had one of those parents who forbade me from watching certain shows. I wasn't allowed to watch Rugrats because my mom felt the characters were too sassy. I was never allowed to watch MTV because she felt the programs were too adult, racy, and worldly for me. I never understood it before, but as I have gotten older I'm starting to. I feel I will be more lenient with my children and what they watch, however, I agree that television can have a tremendous effect on young children. The text summed it up pretty well, "kids are learning about drugs, violence, incest, adultery and so on from television, which is leading to the disappearance of childhood." As a teacher someday I hope we can incorporate the television at times but I want to be careful of what I show.
IWB aka Interactive Whiteboard Lesson: Reflection
At first when I read about this assignment I'll admit I was scared. I've never worked with the SMART notebook software before, so I knew I was definitely going to be venturing into unknown territory. Let me just start out by saying though that I really enjoyed this assignment! I am so glad we were challenged with it, because I feel I now know something about SMARTBoards. The hands on experience was definitely worthwhile. The SMARTBOARD is something that you need to learn by doing. No wonder some traditional teachers are scared; it's because they don't have the courage to try! I feel I put a lot of effort into this assignment. I worked very hard on it and put a lot of time into it. I didn't want to just throw something together because I hope I can actually use this material in my future classroom! Another reason I feel I enjoyed this assignment so much is because it's about being creative. I think I am a very creative person and it was fun for me to search and decide on all the fun graphics. I also felt I took the time to really think of activities that would engage students and that they could relate to. I think I also added many different types of activities so the audience doesn't get bored. Being able to share our lessons with each other is a great idea! I now know of a good 80 lessons that I could incorporate into my classroom someday! Resources like that should be treasured and greatly appreciated. It also can give my ideas of how to use the SMARTBOARD when creating other lessons for my class someday. I feel so much more knowledgeable and prepared as a future teacher after completing this assignment.
Exit Slip 10.7.10
Today the discussion group discussed Chapter 4 in Rethinking Education: The Four Main Developments of American Schools. We discussed in small groups the negatives and that changes that could be made in the different eras of schooling. I thought it was very interesting to see what my peers thought will change in the coming years. I thought is was interesting to hear about how "Tests" could change by someday maybe teachers will be able to incorporate alternative assessments such as journals or interviews. I'm almost positive tests would always be present. Like it or not, some people are just poor test takers. It would be interesting to see if someday that change will occur. I really thought their activity helped me understand that chapter a lot better. During discussion debrief we talked about positives and areas to improve on. They did a great job of encouraging deeper thinking during discussion and restating comments for the group as a whole. I think those are two key aspects of teaching a successful lesson. I hope my group can bring those aspects to our discussion. Time management is very important for these discussions too because we only get 15 minutes to present.
Next we talked about the iRLO assignment. I learned that is stands for Interactive (provides user control and appropriate feedback), Reusable (can be used repeatedly), Learning (users should learn new content, review previously learned content or practice a skill), and Object (a generic term, but it refers to the Scratch file that you will create). Interactive it the key part! We were able to see some examples from the Scratch site. I've never heard of this kind of software and it's very unfamiliar to me. It looks kind of scary, but I'm sure Boyer is right that it will get easier as you play with the software. He also shared some resources that will help us understand Scratch more. I definitely plan on watching the video tutorials, so I will be more educated on Scratch before the next discussion period.
Next we talked about the iRLO assignment. I learned that is stands for Interactive (provides user control and appropriate feedback), Reusable (can be used repeatedly), Learning (users should learn new content, review previously learned content or practice a skill), and Object (a generic term, but it refers to the Scratch file that you will create). Interactive it the key part! We were able to see some examples from the Scratch site. I've never heard of this kind of software and it's very unfamiliar to me. It looks kind of scary, but I'm sure Boyer is right that it will get easier as you play with the software. He also shared some resources that will help us understand Scratch more. I definitely plan on watching the video tutorials, so I will be more educated on Scratch before the next discussion period.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms: Chapter 6
THE SOCIAL WEB
"Learning is a continuous conversation among many people." That quote partially sums up this chapter. The social web allows us to be connected with anyone in the world. That is amazing. It's an amazing thing to know that we can converse with someone on the other side of the world. In this chapter it talks about how some classrooms connected through the web with classrooms halfway around the world. Just think of the culture and worldly connections your students could make! When we think of the social web the traditional classroom setting is far from it. Most student work is still done in isolation whereas the social web is more a work/group setting. In this chapter it discussed Twitter a great deal. I set up a Twitter account about two years ago because one of my friends told me to. I didn't get that into it and actually found it boring, but after reading the benefits Twitter can have when being a teacher I feel I might have to try the thing again. It could help me connect to a larger teaching network and let me converse with fellow teachers all over the world. It could help me get my questions answered, find resources, or even give me ideas for projects and lessons! I never thought of Twitter in that way, but I think I will definitely have to try this "phenomenon" out again. I also learned that getting people to "follow you" is the hardest part of having a Twitter account. However, it gives you a few tips that I think I will have to try. I also learned that some schools are using Twitter to communicate with parents and others in the community. If Twitter feels too "wild west" for you I also learned there is an alternative site like Twitter called Edmodo, which is much safer and more appropriate microblogging. The lesson about Twitter they leave you with is this: Think about Twitter for yourself first. It's a great place to connect and learn with others who share your passions. I also learned about another interesting site. Diigo is comparable to Delicious or so they say. One unique feature it possesses is allowing us to annotate and highlight pages. You can also keep your bookmark private or allow it to be viewed by the public on this site. Another feature on Diigo is the "sticky note." The last feature that sets Diigo apart is that when you bookmark a site you're not just capturing a link; you are making a copy of the whole page for use later on. I like Diigo because if I use it someday in my classroom I know it is safe and will always be available for my students to look back on and reflect on their progress. I also like how it talked about separating tags in the account for each student's name and everytime I see something say "Molly" likes I can just simply add her tag and her feed will automatically update. I think it would be great to be so personal with my students!
"Learning is a continuous conversation among many people." That quote partially sums up this chapter. The social web allows us to be connected with anyone in the world. That is amazing. It's an amazing thing to know that we can converse with someone on the other side of the world. In this chapter it talks about how some classrooms connected through the web with classrooms halfway around the world. Just think of the culture and worldly connections your students could make! When we think of the social web the traditional classroom setting is far from it. Most student work is still done in isolation whereas the social web is more a work/group setting. In this chapter it discussed Twitter a great deal. I set up a Twitter account about two years ago because one of my friends told me to. I didn't get that into it and actually found it boring, but after reading the benefits Twitter can have when being a teacher I feel I might have to try the thing again. It could help me connect to a larger teaching network and let me converse with fellow teachers all over the world. It could help me get my questions answered, find resources, or even give me ideas for projects and lessons! I never thought of Twitter in that way, but I think I will definitely have to try this "phenomenon" out again. I also learned that getting people to "follow you" is the hardest part of having a Twitter account. However, it gives you a few tips that I think I will have to try. I also learned that some schools are using Twitter to communicate with parents and others in the community. If Twitter feels too "wild west" for you I also learned there is an alternative site like Twitter called Edmodo, which is much safer and more appropriate microblogging. The lesson about Twitter they leave you with is this: Think about Twitter for yourself first. It's a great place to connect and learn with others who share your passions. I also learned about another interesting site. Diigo is comparable to Delicious or so they say. One unique feature it possesses is allowing us to annotate and highlight pages. You can also keep your bookmark private or allow it to be viewed by the public on this site. Another feature on Diigo is the "sticky note." The last feature that sets Diigo apart is that when you bookmark a site you're not just capturing a link; you are making a copy of the whole page for use later on. I like Diigo because if I use it someday in my classroom I know it is safe and will always be available for my students to look back on and reflect on their progress. I also like how it talked about separating tags in the account for each student's name and everytime I see something say "Molly" likes I can just simply add her tag and her feed will automatically update. I think it would be great to be so personal with my students!
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