What are your current thoughts regarding technology and teaching? How has your view of technology in education and teaching changed this semester?
Technology is a an ever (and quickly) evolving tool that opens up so many more options to extend the learning experience in ways it would otherwise be limited. I think that this class has helped me learn to think more creatively about applications for everyday technology in the classroom, especially technology that is not overtly educational. There's a lot out there, but the point is to keep an open mind about uses in the classroom and try to incorporate those applications that students use all the time.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Reflection #10
I am on Twitter. I don't send Tweets, but I do receive them from two groups: a friend and the Choralons choir.
It was really handy having Twitter while we were on tour in Southern California. When a choir director has to keep 120+ people informed and prevent them from getting lost, it's a huge help to have the ability to can send a text out to all those people at once. It was also nice to get reminders about call times and performances. While not everyone checks their email all the time, nearly everyone has a phone through which they can receive instant messages. An idea for field trips, hey?
I got a Tweet from my other friend saying he felt so privileged that his youth pastor reached out for his help on Twitter. "It's just over his generation's head ;)".
Another thought:
I was with my dad and his friend sitting in traffic. I looked at the license plate ahead of us and instantly knew what it said, "G2GTTYL". My dad's friend knew the last part, ttyl, but they asked for my interpretation, "Got to go, talk to you later." My dad said he never would have gotten that.
How many of these do you know or use?
ttyl, g2g, afk, brb, aimp, lol, rofl, l8er, <3, jk, ...
It was really handy having Twitter while we were on tour in Southern California. When a choir director has to keep 120+ people informed and prevent them from getting lost, it's a huge help to have the ability to can send a text out to all those people at once. It was also nice to get reminders about call times and performances. While not everyone checks their email all the time, nearly everyone has a phone through which they can receive instant messages. An idea for field trips, hey?
I got a Tweet from my other friend saying he felt so privileged that his youth pastor reached out for his help on Twitter. "It's just over his generation's head ;)".
Another thought:
I was with my dad and his friend sitting in traffic. I looked at the license plate ahead of us and instantly knew what it said, "G2GTTYL". My dad's friend knew the last part, ttyl, but they asked for my interpretation, "Got to go, talk to you later." My dad said he never would have gotten that.
How many of these do you know or use?
ttyl, g2g, afk, brb, aimp, lol, rofl, l8er, <3, jk, ...
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Reflection #9
A few weeks back I got the chance to meet my cooperating teacher for the upcoming year. I really like the school: it's small, quite charming, and since it is in the Lake Washington School District very on top of technology. I got to sit in on a science class with her where I surely noted all the different technological devices she used.
1) She has an interactive board of some kind mounted on the white board. They only have one color pen instead of several colored markers. Also if you're using one pen and switch to another, it will freeze or shut down. You cannot use more than one pen at a time.
2) She told me about her new toy she'll be trying out and hopefully I might get to use it this year. It's a microscope that you can hook up to the board so the kids can see what you see under your microscope. I thought this was STINKIN' AWESOME!!! :-D
3) She had a mouse for her board that she has learned to carry around in her hand to use anywhere in the room. She told me few teachers knew how to do that and many only use it on a table, but she likes the freedom to roam around the room while she's teaching.
4) I duly noted the DocuCam.
So one class and all these technologies are things that I didn't have in school--and honestly I was in 6th grade only eight years ago! I am so excited to be learning in a school where I can experience so many varied pieces of technology. It's a good way to know what's out there and see it actively used in the classroom.
1) She has an interactive board of some kind mounted on the white board. They only have one color pen instead of several colored markers. Also if you're using one pen and switch to another, it will freeze or shut down. You cannot use more than one pen at a time.
2) She told me about her new toy she'll be trying out and hopefully I might get to use it this year. It's a microscope that you can hook up to the board so the kids can see what you see under your microscope. I thought this was STINKIN' AWESOME!!! :-D
3) She had a mouse for her board that she has learned to carry around in her hand to use anywhere in the room. She told me few teachers knew how to do that and many only use it on a table, but she likes the freedom to roam around the room while she's teaching.
4) I duly noted the DocuCam.
So one class and all these technologies are things that I didn't have in school--and honestly I was in 6th grade only eight years ago! I am so excited to be learning in a school where I can experience so many varied pieces of technology. It's a good way to know what's out there and see it actively used in the classroom.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Assignment #4
For the major component of my project, I created a blog using webs.com
When I was looking for teachers to contact for my Foundations of Education observations, I specifically looked at the ones who had blogs available. I determined whether or not I wanted to visit their classes based on what their blogs looked like. I liked the blogs that were personalized, colorful, useful, and neat looking. But even as I did this I knew that blogging was not a strength I had. So my intent was to create a blog using a website that was unfamiliar to me to exercise this avenue a bit.
I think if I were creating a blog for a class, I might use webs. I liked the finished project and there were so many options for posting audio, video, pictures, and all kinds of media. There were a couple small things I didn't like:
- I couldn't find a "help" button when I couldn't find an application or was having trouble uploading some of my media.
- When you publish information to the blog, there isn't much of a confirmation page. I like how blogger has this big page that pops up when you've published your work. Not so with webs.
Also, I started using the Clicky Web Analytics, which tracks the traffic on my page. I only just started added that application, so I'm playing with it and figuring it out. As of today I have four hits...and I'm pretty sure I've checked my website from the outside just about four times. :)
If I was having kids publish their work, I probably would find a different website than webs that students could post their own works on. But I think it works great for family integration and class description. I liked the idea of posting homework assignments so parents could track.
*[Note: the web connection from my blog to the CIA website wasn't working for me when I tried it, but that might be because they've switched to a new kind of security for their website. If that's the case, I figured it's okay because my kids will know how to copy and paste (or they'll learn).]
For the secondary component to my project, I created a video using Windows Movie Maker. You can see it on the bottom of the home page on my blog.
I'm not too crazy about Movie Maker. My biggest issues with it were as follows:
- The program kept freezing up my computer. I repeatedly lost progress.
- There are only two options for viewing the progress of your video: time line or storyboard. On timeline you could see the music, but not so much the pictures whereas on the storyboard you could see the pictures but not the music. I would have liked to see them together so I could synchronize transitions and pictures to the song easier.
The next step to take with my movie would be to use film clips in Movie Maker. I don't think this would be too great of a jump and would actually be easier since you wouldn't be dealing as much with transitions and picture placements.
Overall I think this was a great learning experience for me. I became familiar with both these programs and could apply what I learned to other programs.
A few of the NETS are covered by my project.
For Teachers:
- 3c "communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats"
- 4a "advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources"
For Students:
- 3. Research and Information Fluency
- 5. Digital Citizenship
Monday, April 20, 2009
5 Years From Now
What will my classroom look like in 5 years? Oh my goodness, this is a toughy!
Technology is evolving so fast that it's difficult for one normal person to even have an active working knowledge of everything that's out there, let alone an institution like a school. Schools are catching up at different paces, greatly depending on whether they are in high SES or low SES areas. But education is changing as technology both requires and allows expansion.
In 5 years, overheads and VCRs will be things kids find out about in history class. Gadgets will be available that help kids in the classroom broaden their scopes to different cultures, creatures, places, and items that they would have difficulty perceiving simply by description or with a picture. Maybe field trips to the rainforest--there and back before the last bell? Okay, maybe that's a little too much like the Jetsons, but you never know.
While it's difficult to perceive what changes will occur in technology, we can be assured that there will be changes and that those changes will affect our everyday lives and especially how we teach and what we teach in the classroom.
Oh and one more thing...someone will improve or replace the copy machine!! ;)
Technology is evolving so fast that it's difficult for one normal person to even have an active working knowledge of everything that's out there, let alone an institution like a school. Schools are catching up at different paces, greatly depending on whether they are in high SES or low SES areas. But education is changing as technology both requires and allows expansion.
In 5 years, overheads and VCRs will be things kids find out about in history class. Gadgets will be available that help kids in the classroom broaden their scopes to different cultures, creatures, places, and items that they would have difficulty perceiving simply by description or with a picture. Maybe field trips to the rainforest--there and back before the last bell? Okay, maybe that's a little too much like the Jetsons, but you never know.
While it's difficult to perceive what changes will occur in technology, we can be assured that there will be changes and that those changes will affect our everyday lives and especially how we teach and what we teach in the classroom.
Oh and one more thing...someone will improve or replace the copy machine!! ;)
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Reflection #8
Interesting little thing in class today.
We were doing a project in Multicultural Ed today and Dr. Kobashigawa asked us all to pull out a piece of paper. I realized at that moment that not only did I not have paper, I haven't been carrying a notebook with paper for awhile--I haven't really needed it. But I did have my laptop with me. I think I take my laptop to nearly every class. My laptop replaces note-taking notebooks, reflections, project drafts, etc.
Cathy was so kind to give me a piece of paper. But I thought to myself how I wish I could type it up to get it out faster. ;)
We were doing a project in Multicultural Ed today and Dr. Kobashigawa asked us all to pull out a piece of paper. I realized at that moment that not only did I not have paper, I haven't been carrying a notebook with paper for awhile--I haven't really needed it. But I did have my laptop with me. I think I take my laptop to nearly every class. My laptop replaces note-taking notebooks, reflections, project drafts, etc.
Cathy was so kind to give me a piece of paper. But I thought to myself how I wish I could type it up to get it out faster. ;)
Reflection #7
VHS
DVD
DVD
How long before the next transition? What's next?
My sister Natalie is nine years younger than I am. I think we got our first DVD player when Natalie was about two. When I was about 15, I told Natalie that I could remember before DVD player. Her eyes bugged out and her jaw dropped--imagine a world without DVD players!
Someone recently donated hundreds of never-before-used VHS tapes to the children's ministry at my church. At my church we juggle children's services at two campuses. For the second campus we copy the video portion of the lesson onto a VHS tape and send it over to be played there. After each recording a VHS film will lose a measure of its quality, so each week the VHS is thrown into the trash.
Many professors still have many films on VHS because they haven't been able to find or haven't looked for it on DVD. My folks bought a DVR awhile back that they use to record their VHS tapes onto DVD to perserve the quality. Plus DVDs take up so little space compared to VHS tapes.
But DVDs do scratch, can get warped, are fragile. How long before there's something new?
Reflection #6
Over spring break, I got to spend a day in Disneyland--my very first time to visit! It was so much fun to explore the park and experience all sorts of rides and things I had heard about but never had the chance to experience myself.
While I waited in line for a certain ride, I noticed a group being led by a tour guide. The interesting thing about this group is that the tour guide had a wireless microphone attached to her hat and each person in her group wore headphones. I thought it was great, because people were able to look around the park without straining to hear what the tour guide was saying.
This reminded me of when I took Special Needs in Education last semester. We had a boy come in to visit our class who has a cochlear implant. The boy and his parents explained to us how his teacher uses a microphone that connects to a set of headphones the boy can use in class. One of the graduates who visited our class also mentioned something about a microphone and speakers used in her classroom. I think this technology is a great addition to the classroom, especially for students who are hard of hearing.
While I waited in line for a certain ride, I noticed a group being led by a tour guide. The interesting thing about this group is that the tour guide had a wireless microphone attached to her hat and each person in her group wore headphones. I thought it was great, because people were able to look around the park without straining to hear what the tour guide was saying.
This reminded me of when I took Special Needs in Education last semester. We had a boy come in to visit our class who has a cochlear implant. The boy and his parents explained to us how his teacher uses a microphone that connects to a set of headphones the boy can use in class. One of the graduates who visited our class also mentioned something about a microphone and speakers used in her classroom. I think this technology is a great addition to the classroom, especially for students who are hard of hearing.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Microsoft Office
Assignment: Create an entry with a list of the features of Word, Excel & PowerPoint that you use on a regular basis. List 3 projects that you could have your students do to learn or use Word, Excel or PowerPoint.
Word:
Word:
- Type papers/assignments
- Create publications using features such as AutoShapes, WordArt, clip art, font, and paragraph
- Do peer reviews electronically using the highlighter
- Use editing symbols with the show/hide button
- Create tables
- Make to-do lists
- Creating plots and graphs
- Creating class presentations
- Making e-books
- Putting together picture slide shows with transition features, backgrounds, captions, and inserts
Monday, April 13, 2009
Online Learning Opportunities for Educators
For this assignment, I listened to a broadcast on EdTechTalk. I thought it was a really great discussion that hit on many of the concerns I hold when it comes to embracing online social networking in the classroom.
This talk was a conversation between a couple of tech guys in education, one on the East coast the other on the West coast. They discussed many of the advances and applications of social networking in education. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr were all applications that came up during the discussion.My biggest concern with posting items on social networking sites is that it is open information. I don't like the idea of Internet sites owning my images (you probably know this, but every time you post a picture on Facebook you are giving ownership of that photo to Facebook). Call me crazy, but especially since I became aware of the idea of mental property (check out Barbie v. Bratz) I have been extremely careful about what I post. I don't post any of my personal poetry and I don't do personal blogs anymore. Honestly, who would give a rip about my personal posts? Well, have any of you seen "David after dentist"? If you haven't check it out on YouTube, it's pretty funny. But it is also an example of a home video, posted with the intent to share with family and friends, that has gone viral and now has millions of hits.
During the conversation, the teacher from Portland talks about how a boy in one of his classes posted a video he created online for the class that was made in horror-film style where the boy mysteriously is hanged in the middle of an exam. Yeah it's a little edgy, but the boy posted it on YouTube. After awhile the boy looked at who was embedding his video and found that the video was posted to a site by an interest group that was into hanging sequences as well as homosexual promiscuity. The boy went to his teacher, the teacher to the administration, and all was handled very well. However, this exemplifies the great concern with posting information: anyone can access information on these kinds of sites. There are options where you can learn who is and where your information is being accessed, but I would rather be more preventive than that.
All that to say, I would use an extreme amount of caution before using sites like YouTube and Flickr or open access websites and blogs in the learning environment. I like the idea of using Facebook and/or Twitter. I was imagining what it would be like to send out Twitter messages to students and parents regarding assignments, due dates, reminders for events, educational and community resources, events, etc. Twitter and Facebook are examples of social networking sites that are largely private and easier to control.
However, I wouldn't through open access websites out the window altogether. The speakers made a great point in their discussion about how you can use these tools to promote your school/program, whatever it is. If you don't, somebody will. Parents might post information or thoughts on a blog or website, post videos of school events on YouTube, etc. Those are all fine and good, but the most optimal and useful avenue is to harness those tools and become proactive in promoting the image of your school/program. Go to where the people are to reach out, contact, connect, build awareness, establish and project an image. Be intentional and create a presence in these social networking sites. When people come across "unofficial channels" of information, they can reference it to the more holistic and knowledgeable official channels.
If you want to check out the talk I listened to, click here and select the first heading: "21st Century Learning #96: Social Media in Education with Richard Kassissieh"
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Kidspiration/Inspiration
I think these are really cool programs.
I love the templates on Kidspiration, already set up for different subjects and how they can transfer between templates. It's very neat and clean, colorful and creative, and it makes it easy to plug in information. Lora's project demonstrates how user-friendly it is, how kindergartners can build so many neat pages. Plus this can be used for any number of subject areas for all kinds of projects: charts, posters, journals, etc.
I love the templates on Inspiration, too. I was really excited to discover the rapid fire tool. :) The note organizer is cool, but I think Microsoft OneNote is more conducive to the things I would use it for.
I love the templates on Kidspiration, already set up for different subjects and how they can transfer between templates. It's very neat and clean, colorful and creative, and it makes it easy to plug in information. Lora's project demonstrates how user-friendly it is, how kindergartners can build so many neat pages. Plus this can be used for any number of subject areas for all kinds of projects: charts, posters, journals, etc.
I love the templates on Inspiration, too. I was really excited to discover the rapid fire tool. :) The note organizer is cool, but I think Microsoft OneNote is more conducive to the things I would use it for.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Technology Project Plan Proposal
I think a class blog is a helpful tool that is effective on several levels:
~It's something students connect to and can access anywhere.
~It's a convenient way to communicate with parents about class happenings, projects, etc.
I know when I was checking out perspective classes to observe, I researched the teacher's blog to determine whether or not I wanted to observe his/her class. Since I don't really blog, I think it would be good to build that avenue of my technological development. I plan on developing a blog on www.webs.com. Since I don't currently have a class of my own, I will build a website that blogs my previous teaching experiences.
For my second piece of software, I'd like to make a Windows Movie Maker film and post it to my blog. I think Movie Maker is a program that, if I familiarize myself with it, could be very useful for documenting class activities and incorporating into projects. I might use other supporting technological devices such as the flip video, depending on the route I take. However, I will again most likely document past teaching experiences as material for this project unless other more suitable material comes to mind.
UPDATE:
So far things are going alright. I'm focusing on building my website on celebrating diversity and culture and highlighting that with my travels to Brazil and California this past year. I plan to include applications to subjects such as English, Social Studies, Science, Art, Technology, or whatever comes up. On my website I plan to include a list of resources and websites that connect my trips to the subjects and so on. My movie will be focused more on my trip to Brazil, just because that's the material I have on hand. It's has cultural exposures, explanations, and educational features.
So yeah, nothing too crazy. I've had a little trouble figuring out how to save on Windows Movie Player, but I figured it out. Also timing is a little weird, but it just takes time to work out the kinks. It was difficult to build a website based off of something that doesn't exist yet, so that's why I shifted my focus a little.
~It's something students connect to and can access anywhere.
~It's a convenient way to communicate with parents about class happenings, projects, etc.
I know when I was checking out perspective classes to observe, I researched the teacher's blog to determine whether or not I wanted to observe his/her class. Since I don't really blog, I think it would be good to build that avenue of my technological development. I plan on developing a blog on www.webs.com. Since I don't currently have a class of my own, I will build a website that blogs my previous teaching experiences.
For my second piece of software, I'd like to make a Windows Movie Maker film and post it to my blog. I think Movie Maker is a program that, if I familiarize myself with it, could be very useful for documenting class activities and incorporating into projects. I might use other supporting technological devices such as the flip video, depending on the route I take. However, I will again most likely document past teaching experiences as material for this project unless other more suitable material comes to mind.
UPDATE:
So far things are going alright. I'm focusing on building my website on celebrating diversity and culture and highlighting that with my travels to Brazil and California this past year. I plan to include applications to subjects such as English, Social Studies, Science, Art, Technology, or whatever comes up. On my website I plan to include a list of resources and websites that connect my trips to the subjects and so on. My movie will be focused more on my trip to Brazil, just because that's the material I have on hand. It's has cultural exposures, explanations, and educational features.
So yeah, nothing too crazy. I've had a little trouble figuring out how to save on Windows Movie Player, but I figured it out. Also timing is a little weird, but it just takes time to work out the kinks. It was difficult to build a website based off of something that doesn't exist yet, so that's why I shifted my focus a little.
Caught on Video
Caught on Video was a very interesting article. From the very beginning, the idea that video changes doctor's visits was interesting. It really does communicate so much more clearly to the many visual and non-auditory learners who want to understand what is going on. "Videos just get the job done so much better than mere words."
I love the flip video. It's amazingly user-friendly, and there are so many possibilities for use in the classroom. One of the older, non-techy professors was interested and impressed with the flip video. Whether for student use or class documentation, the possibilities are virtually endless. I did become slightly enamored with the idea of sending a video explanation home to parents to explain instead of relying on the written word or the words from a student (which can often be muddy at best). Videos show so much more that can be hard to explain otherwise.
I love the flip video. It's amazingly user-friendly, and there are so many possibilities for use in the classroom. One of the older, non-techy professors was interested and impressed with the flip video. Whether for student use or class documentation, the possibilities are virtually endless. I did become slightly enamored with the idea of sending a video explanation home to parents to explain instead of relying on the written word or the words from a student (which can often be muddy at best). Videos show so much more that can be hard to explain otherwise.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Reflection #5
These past few semesters, my professors have been increasingly been incorporating technology. More profs are using the document camera, Discovery, PowerPoint, clickers, etc. However at the same time there have been more and more instances of technological failure. I wonder--are we going to learn how to use the document camera? What about when things go wrong? How can we learn to "put on the face of the technician" and fix it? I don't know how we can learn that, especially since we have to learn what it should do before we learn how to correct what it shouldn't do. I guess it's like learning to drive: you should learn how to drive one that works before you learn to drive one that...has special needs. I am interesting in learning how to fix things when they go haywire, to know why things work and not just how they work. I'm having fun in this class, I like the workshop aspect to it. I'm learning skills that I can put to use right away and continue to build on and develop.
Reflection #4
I don't know how I feel about the current trend in technology. Don't get me wrong, I totally think it is something that should be taught and incorporated into the classroom--to a degree.
At the church I intern at, the children's pastor started recording his lesson introductions onto a DVD to play during the service. He remarked to me one time about how that gets all the kids focused in like nothing else. Very handy.
But what about the effects of too much screen time? I mean, it hasn't been around all that long yet, but what if the current trend is just a little off-balanced toward a focus on technology that isn't healthy?
I think there's something to be said for teachers who get their kids involved in other ways along with technology. Instead of having kids make a PowerPoint presentation on what kinds of items the colonial people used, why not try making some examples?
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for PowerPoint, blogs, SMARTBoards, and teaching children to use technology appropriately, responsibly, and fluently. I just think that, being the vanguard of new teachers in this generation, it's important to maintain balance in our stance and style, to become relevant and effective while always opening doors to the many possibilities life affords.
At the church I intern at, the children's pastor started recording his lesson introductions onto a DVD to play during the service. He remarked to me one time about how that gets all the kids focused in like nothing else. Very handy.
But what about the effects of too much screen time? I mean, it hasn't been around all that long yet, but what if the current trend is just a little off-balanced toward a focus on technology that isn't healthy?
I think there's something to be said for teachers who get their kids involved in other ways along with technology. Instead of having kids make a PowerPoint presentation on what kinds of items the colonial people used, why not try making some examples?
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for PowerPoint, blogs, SMARTBoards, and teaching children to use technology appropriately, responsibly, and fluently. I just think that, being the vanguard of new teachers in this generation, it's important to maintain balance in our stance and style, to become relevant and effective while always opening doors to the many possibilities life affords.
Reflection #3
About a year ago, I was working at the church I intern at and doing childcare for kids between 3rd-6th grade. There was this 9 year old boy who came and would talk about the most random things, from interesting facts to his 16 year old sister. He was comparing me to his sister one time and asked me if I had a boyfriend. I told him I didn't, and he was shocked. He began to recover and asked me if I had an IPod. I told him I did not. His eyes bulged out in disbelief, "So let me get this straight: you're 19, you don't have a boyfriend, and you don't have an IPod?!" Apparently according to this kid I had never lived. After all, what is life if you must go without the essential life necessity of an IPod?
Reflection #2
The other night my aunt came by to come hang out with me. She met me in the Aerie after class on Tuesday and remarked at how different things were, though she attended Northwest less than 10 years ago! She remarked about the girls sitting in the chair doing their homework on laptops. Email was a brand new thing when she was in college. They didn't have the internet to help with papers, research, or to network with friends. Life was approached very differently, and that wasn't that long ago! Technology is evolving like crazy. It's always fascinating to ponder where it will go next.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Assignment #3
My SMARTBoard presentation: homonym baseball
I am so excited I learned how to link! Lol. Okay, on with the particulars.
This activity covers the following NETS for students:
4.c) students get to analyze the data presented on the board to solve the problem.
6.a) students have to learn how to use and interact with the SMARTBoard.
This activity meets the following NETS-T (for teachers):
1.b) students can engage in real issues that they otherwise couldn't interact with on the same level.
2.a) by using the SMARTBoard, teachers using digital tools to promote learning.
2.c) the SMARTBoard helps engage more learners, both digital and kinesthetic.
I think the SMARTBoard (or any other brand of interactive board) will be a useful tool in the classroom. It has the potential to improve learning by actively engaging students in the learning experience. The SMARTBoard reaches visual and kinesthetic learners--students who have a difficult time gaining everything from a lecture alone--with a lot of the interactive activities, games, images, and sound effects.
Also, the SMARTBoard programs are resources that are continually updated. Programs uploaded by teachers around the world for grades and subjects across the board right at your finger tips. An equipped teacher has a better chance at improving the learning experience for her students.
Another thing is the SMARTBoard is capable of actions that create far more options for teaching. It is fast and accurate (definitely more so than my own freehand. It would help with teaching fraction, hey?) and has many of the characteristics of PowerPoint and of writing on the white board. I think also as this technology advances it will be even more user-friendly, less clunky, and less (or more) touchy. Technology is always changing, but the sooner we get up to speed the easier it will be to adapt to new programs and new ways of doing things.
On a personal note, to Professor Sorenson and classmates, I hope you all have a fabulous spring break! Get some rest, make some memories, and I'll see y'all when we get back! ;) Take care!!
I am so excited I learned how to link! Lol. Okay, on with the particulars.
This activity covers the following NETS for students:
4.c) students get to analyze the data presented on the board to solve the problem.
6.a) students have to learn how to use and interact with the SMARTBoard.
This activity meets the following NETS-T (for teachers):
1.b) students can engage in real issues that they otherwise couldn't interact with on the same level.
2.a) by using the SMARTBoard, teachers using digital tools to promote learning.
2.c) the SMARTBoard helps engage more learners, both digital and kinesthetic.
I think the SMARTBoard (or any other brand of interactive board) will be a useful tool in the classroom. It has the potential to improve learning by actively engaging students in the learning experience. The SMARTBoard reaches visual and kinesthetic learners--students who have a difficult time gaining everything from a lecture alone--with a lot of the interactive activities, games, images, and sound effects.
Also, the SMARTBoard programs are resources that are continually updated. Programs uploaded by teachers around the world for grades and subjects across the board right at your finger tips. An equipped teacher has a better chance at improving the learning experience for her students.
Another thing is the SMARTBoard is capable of actions that create far more options for teaching. It is fast and accurate (definitely more so than my own freehand. It would help with teaching fraction, hey?) and has many of the characteristics of PowerPoint and of writing on the white board. I think also as this technology advances it will be even more user-friendly, less clunky, and less (or more) touchy. Technology is always changing, but the sooner we get up to speed the easier it will be to adapt to new programs and new ways of doing things.
On a personal note, to Professor Sorenson and classmates, I hope you all have a fabulous spring break! Get some rest, make some memories, and I'll see y'all when we get back! ;) Take care!!
Reflection #1
Earlier in the semester, I had the opportunity to observe a local kindergarten class. Toward the end of the day the teacher got the class to line up at the door for computer lab.
We didn't have computers in the classroom until I was in about 2nd grade and we had a workshop learning how to make an art production and save it on a floppy disk. I assumed that the kindergarten class would be doing something along the same lines. Instead, computer lab was actually a reading workshop.
Each child was logged into a reading program that worked on phonics and whole language experience (first phonics then whole language, depending on their level). Each child was able to work on their own reading level. I saw levels ranging from 7 to 39.
Afterward I interviewed the teacher and asked her how she likes teaching reading through a computer program. She acknowledged the advantage of having children working from their individual reading levels, but at the same time she said that the computer program itself was not sufficient. She stressed the importance of pulling the children aside to monitor their reading out of books. Some times they can excel in the computer program, but have to be pulled back because they did not gain the reading comprehension they were supposed to learn. To me, this reinforces the idea that technology is a helpful tool but cannot replace the role of an active and involved tool-wielder.
We didn't have computers in the classroom until I was in about 2nd grade and we had a workshop learning how to make an art production and save it on a floppy disk. I assumed that the kindergarten class would be doing something along the same lines. Instead, computer lab was actually a reading workshop.
Each child was logged into a reading program that worked on phonics and whole language experience (first phonics then whole language, depending on their level). Each child was able to work on their own reading level. I saw levels ranging from 7 to 39.
Afterward I interviewed the teacher and asked her how she likes teaching reading through a computer program. She acknowledged the advantage of having children working from their individual reading levels, but at the same time she said that the computer program itself was not sufficient. She stressed the importance of pulling the children aside to monitor their reading out of books. Some times they can excel in the computer program, but have to be pulled back because they did not gain the reading comprehension they were supposed to learn. To me, this reinforces the idea that technology is a helpful tool but cannot replace the role of an active and involved tool-wielder.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Assignment #2
For this assignment I had to pick 4 sites I posted to my delicious account and would like to share. Here we go:
1) Language/Literature: http://childrensbooks.about.com/od/middleschool/Ages_912_Grades_4_Middle_School.htm
I chose this site because it had a list of recommended reading for students ages 9-12, which is the age range I am most interested in teaching. I love helping kids find books that they love and become passionate about. If kids don't love reading (or worse, if they come to hate it), they won't become the proficient readers they need to be.
2) Math & Science: http://vectorkids.com/
Following the reform mathematics trend, this website has a lot to offer students in math exercises and teachers in activity ideas. This website could be useful in an interactive classroom activity on a SMARTBoard.
3) Social Studies: http://www.cia.gov
The CIA has some great resources for research, including the online World Factbook. This link is updated every two weeks with the latest statistics and information on every country in the world. This is a great resource for students doing research projects, or for teachers who need to get up to date on the current world situation.
4) Special Needs: http://www.iser.com/
This site offers information on a wide-variety of disabilities a teacher might encounter. This site includes information on special testing, schools, rights, treatments, technology, and programs. If you are a teacher or a parent or a student doing research, this site has a lot to offer.
Delicious could be quite a handy tool. One way this tool can be used is in networking with other teachers, educators, and specialists to pool resources together.
Delicious might also be used in the classroom by offering a list of recommended websites for students' research, including citation styles.
http://delicious.com/ is a handy resource. I'm glad to have a head start on it with my soon-to-be fellow teachers.
1) Language/Literature: http://childrensbooks.about.com/od/middleschool/Ages_912_Grades_4_Middle_School.htm
I chose this site because it had a list of recommended reading for students ages 9-12, which is the age range I am most interested in teaching. I love helping kids find books that they love and become passionate about. If kids don't love reading (or worse, if they come to hate it), they won't become the proficient readers they need to be.
2) Math & Science: http://vectorkids.com/
Following the reform mathematics trend, this website has a lot to offer students in math exercises and teachers in activity ideas. This website could be useful in an interactive classroom activity on a SMARTBoard.
3) Social Studies: http://www.cia.gov
The CIA has some great resources for research, including the online World Factbook. This link is updated every two weeks with the latest statistics and information on every country in the world. This is a great resource for students doing research projects, or for teachers who need to get up to date on the current world situation.
4) Special Needs: http://www.iser.com/
This site offers information on a wide-variety of disabilities a teacher might encounter. This site includes information on special testing, schools, rights, treatments, technology, and programs. If you are a teacher or a parent or a student doing research, this site has a lot to offer.
Delicious could be quite a handy tool. One way this tool can be used is in networking with other teachers, educators, and specialists to pool resources together.
Delicious might also be used in the classroom by offering a list of recommended websites for students' research, including citation styles.
http://delicious.com/ is a handy resource. I'm glad to have a head start on it with my soon-to-be fellow teachers.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Generation IM Article
Here's the article: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3749836
Kids are immersed in technology and increasingly so. Up and coming is a generation so plugged-in. Recently my children's pastor started using a video to introduce the lesson and remarked on how focused the kids get when that video comes on. There are far less interruptions during the video and the highest percentage of kids are dialed in at that time.
I think this was an interesting quote:
“It’s a shift from how to memorize and retrieve data in one’s mind to how to search for and evaluate information out in the world,” says Barry Joseph, director of the online leadership program at Global Kids, a nonprofit organization in New York City. “At the core, this means that to be a good student, one needs to be less a rote learner and more a critical thinker.”
To some degree we need to teach children what to think, but more importantly we need to teach them how to think. As teachers we need to employ these tools to our benefit, not being afraid of them or frustrated by them but rather working with them. We need to teach students how to think and use the equipment they have to further learning rather than becoming dependent on it for their learning.
I like the idea of posting assignments on a blog. It's a kind of instant publication, something that students would be driven to put effort into because it's a public display. I think that social networking sites could be a useful classroom tool. The more the classroom knowledge can connect to the world of the students, the better it can be applied.
Kids are immersed in technology and increasingly so. Up and coming is a generation so plugged-in. Recently my children's pastor started using a video to introduce the lesson and remarked on how focused the kids get when that video comes on. There are far less interruptions during the video and the highest percentage of kids are dialed in at that time.
I think this was an interesting quote:
“It’s a shift from how to memorize and retrieve data in one’s mind to how to search for and evaluate information out in the world,” says Barry Joseph, director of the online leadership program at Global Kids, a nonprofit organization in New York City. “At the core, this means that to be a good student, one needs to be less a rote learner and more a critical thinker.”
To some degree we need to teach children what to think, but more importantly we need to teach them how to think. As teachers we need to employ these tools to our benefit, not being afraid of them or frustrated by them but rather working with them. We need to teach students how to think and use the equipment they have to further learning rather than becoming dependent on it for their learning.
I like the idea of posting assignments on a blog. It's a kind of instant publication, something that students would be driven to put effort into because it's a public display. I think that social networking sites could be a useful classroom tool. The more the classroom knowledge can connect to the world of the students, the better it can be applied.
Playing with the SMARTBoard
I had a lot of fun exploring the applications on the SMARTBoard. As I went I thought of all kinds of lesson plans I could do. I liked how they have historical video clips saved on there, like on Martin Luther King Jr's famous speech or revolving around the Apollo Missions. Aside from the video applications (which are easy to use and ready to go) there are other animated tools, backgrounds, and maps. I liked the geography applications, where the user has to change the size of the piece to place it in the correct region, then subsequently name each region. I think that the quizzes and interactive activities will be the most fun and quite useful in the classroom. The SMARTBoard leaves a lot open to classroom interaction and activity.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The Website of a School I Observed
Last week I had the opportunity to observe a kindergarten class at Lakeview Elementary school in Kirkland. For this class, I was assigned to explore their website (http://www.lwsd.org/school/lakeview/Pages/default.aspx) and write up what I liked and didn't like. I was very impressed with the website. The homepage has a nice layout with a picture but also pertinent information like announcements, upcoming events, and office contact information. There was a link for parents that included every concern I could think of as a parent of students in the school or just a perspective parent checking it out. They had a link describing their curriculum and specialty programs, a link to the PTSA and one for the library. Everything I could think of to look for was present and upfront, I didn't really have to go digging for anything. Overall, this school has a great website. I can't think of a thing I would change.
Assignment #1
About a year ago, I was doing childcare at my church looking after kids who were 3rd grade and older. A nine year old boy asked me casually if I had an I Pod. When I told him I didn't, he was shocked. He couldn't believe that at nineteen I didn't have an I Pod. To him it was simply unnatural. Technology is a pivotal part of our lives, especially for the young teens and preteens.
I am interested in teaching the middle school age group (Grades 6-8) and have had the opportunity to assist in a middle school office where I could stay in touch with what characterized this group of people. So many times I had to play the part of detective to try and figure out whose phone, I Pod, or whatever electronics had been turned in to the lost and found. These kids use technology everyday, from having a TV and DVD player in their room, perhaps a CD player (although it seems the CD might be on its way to being outdated), to knowing how to handle computers, I Pods, cell phones, and MP3 players. No one asks, "Do you have a cell phone" as often as they ask, "What apps [applications] do you have on your phone?"
This part of culture shouldn't be discarded as unusable in the classroom. In fact, incorporating the technology that students use everyday might have the profound effect of connecting classroom theory to everyday life.
I can think of several ways to incorporate everyday technologies into the classroom. Students could download cultural videos and music onto their I Pods for projects in Social Studies or Language Arts. Students might explore programs on the wii that relate to Sciences and Mathematics or any number of subjects. In Spanish or some other foreign language course, students could be challenged to switch the language on their cell phones to help them apply their language skills. Students could blog a class discussion, maybe have an online private journal accessible by the teacher to see how students incorporate material. Students might be assigned to choose a popular movie or watch one in class based on historical material to bring to life the reality of the situation or to try to discern fact and creative fiction. Specialty video programs, PowerPoint, other multi-media presentations that could be created on computer programs, these are all within the capabilities of middle school students.
For this assignment, I found an article on Education Research Complete entitled "Teaching Math with Video Streaming" by Jean Whitaker. Though published in 2005, the ideas inspiring the article are still relevant. The idea in the article was that video streaming could be used to communicate with students who would otherwise have difficulty paying attention in class or would have difficulty grasping the concepts because of a language barrier. Whitaker said, "Math teachers...know their students enjoy watching video clips and comment on how their students seem to be paying more attention during class time. Students seem much more engaged with their lessons."
Besides just speaking to students through a familiar medium, the kinds of presentations Whitaker describes encourages me to help students draw parallels from classroom theory to outside reality. Perhaps showing a video where a construction worker is applying Algebra and Geometry, or other professionals applying currency, symmetry, history, ..., would help students integrate their knowledge.
The NETS are important in keeping learning alive and relevant. Teachers are required to be both knowledgeable--encouraging teachers to stay up to date and continue learning--and to employ creativity--keeping things fresh and relevant. Teachers are required to help students to develop skills that will produce professionalism and responsibility and will help them expand their world beyond the in-class community. Students are also held to a standard to train up creativity, communication and collaborative work, professional research, critical thinking skills, responsibility, and technological savvy.
These standards also encourage the development of thinking on technology instead of letting technology think for you. In other words, teachers are encouraged to think outside the box and students are taught to employ their brains, their own creativity, and to effectively use technology to produce their ideas as realities.
I am interested in teaching the middle school age group (Grades 6-8) and have had the opportunity to assist in a middle school office where I could stay in touch with what characterized this group of people. So many times I had to play the part of detective to try and figure out whose phone, I Pod, or whatever electronics had been turned in to the lost and found. These kids use technology everyday, from having a TV and DVD player in their room, perhaps a CD player (although it seems the CD might be on its way to being outdated), to knowing how to handle computers, I Pods, cell phones, and MP3 players. No one asks, "Do you have a cell phone" as often as they ask, "What apps [applications] do you have on your phone?"
This part of culture shouldn't be discarded as unusable in the classroom. In fact, incorporating the technology that students use everyday might have the profound effect of connecting classroom theory to everyday life.
I can think of several ways to incorporate everyday technologies into the classroom. Students could download cultural videos and music onto their I Pods for projects in Social Studies or Language Arts. Students might explore programs on the wii that relate to Sciences and Mathematics or any number of subjects. In Spanish or some other foreign language course, students could be challenged to switch the language on their cell phones to help them apply their language skills. Students could blog a class discussion, maybe have an online private journal accessible by the teacher to see how students incorporate material. Students might be assigned to choose a popular movie or watch one in class based on historical material to bring to life the reality of the situation or to try to discern fact and creative fiction. Specialty video programs, PowerPoint, other multi-media presentations that could be created on computer programs, these are all within the capabilities of middle school students.
For this assignment, I found an article on Education Research Complete entitled "Teaching Math with Video Streaming" by Jean Whitaker. Though published in 2005, the ideas inspiring the article are still relevant. The idea in the article was that video streaming could be used to communicate with students who would otherwise have difficulty paying attention in class or would have difficulty grasping the concepts because of a language barrier. Whitaker said, "Math teachers...know their students enjoy watching video clips and comment on how their students seem to be paying more attention during class time. Students seem much more engaged with their lessons."
Besides just speaking to students through a familiar medium, the kinds of presentations Whitaker describes encourages me to help students draw parallels from classroom theory to outside reality. Perhaps showing a video where a construction worker is applying Algebra and Geometry, or other professionals applying currency, symmetry, history, ..., would help students integrate their knowledge.
The NETS are important in keeping learning alive and relevant. Teachers are required to be both knowledgeable--encouraging teachers to stay up to date and continue learning--and to employ creativity--keeping things fresh and relevant. Teachers are required to help students to develop skills that will produce professionalism and responsibility and will help them expand their world beyond the in-class community. Students are also held to a standard to train up creativity, communication and collaborative work, professional research, critical thinking skills, responsibility, and technological savvy.
These standards also encourage the development of thinking on technology instead of letting technology think for you. In other words, teachers are encouraged to think outside the box and students are taught to employ their brains, their own creativity, and to effectively use technology to produce their ideas as realities.
The Potential for the SMARTBoard
The first time I saw a SMARTBoard was here at the University. I thought it was the coolest thing I'd seen! I was so excited to think that, as a teacher, I will be able to have one of those in my classroom.
Other than being a really neat toy, I agree with the Lory Stewart that the SMARTBoard could be an effective tool in improving learning in the classroom. I read the article "Improving Instruction with Interactive Whiteboards" by Dian Schaffhauser (http://www.thejournal.com/articles/22082/). Lory Stewart works in a school distract that has the common problem of students with low test scores. Here in Washington State, that is especially a problem because low test scores mean lower state funding.
The SMARTBoard is another means by which teachers can communicate to students. Students respond well to technology, and having an interactive board would mean more options for demonstration, communication, and class interaction. However, just having a SMARTBoard isn't the answer. I think the SMARTBoard is just another tool that, if used well, could have a great impact on students' learning and expanding levels of communication.
Other than being a really neat toy, I agree with the Lory Stewart that the SMARTBoard could be an effective tool in improving learning in the classroom. I read the article "Improving Instruction with Interactive Whiteboards" by Dian Schaffhauser (http://www.thejournal.com/articles/22082/). Lory Stewart works in a school distract that has the common problem of students with low test scores. Here in Washington State, that is especially a problem because low test scores mean lower state funding.
The SMARTBoard is another means by which teachers can communicate to students. Students respond well to technology, and having an interactive board would mean more options for demonstration, communication, and class interaction. However, just having a SMARTBoard isn't the answer. I think the SMARTBoard is just another tool that, if used well, could have a great impact on students' learning and expanding levels of communication.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Writing in HTML
I never thought I would be able to write in HTML, but today in class I realized that it actually isn't that difficult. If I do it enough, it wouldn't be long before I would be able to write in HTML without the guide sheet. It took me awhile to figure it out, but it is very logical and the rules are stable. The biggest difficulty is the tediousness of it, how the smallest error will through the whole thing off. It's like math, everything has to be accurate to work together correctly.
I look forward to playing with HTML and seeing what I will be able to create.
My website that I will be working on: teacherloree.webs.com
I look forward to playing with HTML and seeing what I will be able to create.
My website that I will be working on: teacherloree.webs.com
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Article Review
I read the article for this class entitled "Adopt and Adapt: Shaping Tech for the Classroom."(http://www.edutopia.org/adopt-and-adapt)
I agreed with several points in this article. However, I disagreed with this article more than I agreed with it. I agree that technology is taking an increasing role in education and as our culture and use of technology evolves and grows I believe this is only appropriate. On the other hand, there are so many instances in which students become dependent on technology to the point that they don't understand--nor care about--the logic behind the operations they perform.
For example, as a tutor in the public middle school I would work with 6th and 7th graders, trying to explain the concepts of greatest common factor (GCF) and least common multiple (LCM). The greatest difficulty my students ran across was that they did not know their multiplication table. They had to count out or use their calculators to find the common numbers for even numbers of low value. They were helpless without their calculators. As a junior in high school I had to take a mathmatics class to prepare me to pass the math section on the ASSET test. One of the restrictions on the ASSET is that you may not use scientific calculators. However, there were lessons in my class that my one-on-one teacher said she could not teach me unless I had a calculator. I was curious as to how that would help me pass the exam, the sole reason I was taking this class.
I agreed with several points in this article. However, I disagreed with this article more than I agreed with it. I agree that technology is taking an increasing role in education and as our culture and use of technology evolves and grows I believe this is only appropriate. On the other hand, there are so many instances in which students become dependent on technology to the point that they don't understand--nor care about--the logic behind the operations they perform.
For example, as a tutor in the public middle school I would work with 6th and 7th graders, trying to explain the concepts of greatest common factor (GCF) and least common multiple (LCM). The greatest difficulty my students ran across was that they did not know their multiplication table. They had to count out or use their calculators to find the common numbers for even numbers of low value. They were helpless without their calculators. As a junior in high school I had to take a mathmatics class to prepare me to pass the math section on the ASSET test. One of the restrictions on the ASSET is that you may not use scientific calculators. However, there were lessons in my class that my one-on-one teacher said she could not teach me unless I had a calculator. I was curious as to how that would help me pass the exam, the sole reason I was taking this class.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
If you had asked little me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I probably would have had many answers for you. I might have said a scientist, veterinarian, counselor, singer,.... The answer changed all the time. But if you had asked me what I did not want to be when I grew up, I always had a ready and consistent answer: teacher. Teaching seemed to me to be the most undesirable job in the world. I didn't have many good teachers until I got to college. I perceived teachers as stressed out, overworked, and uncompassionate. I currently major in Elementary Education at Northwest University.
I first started teaching when I was about twelve. My sister Natalie was three years old and I wanted her to be the smartest kid in preschool. So I began teaching her how to add and subtract with marbles. While she was home-schooled in first grade, I would give her spelling tests and help her out with concepts she was having trouble with. During this time I did not consider teaching as something in my future. But this experience gave me the opportunity as a young girl to put into practice talents I did not realize I had.
In high school I began tutoring part time. I worked with grades ranging from kindergarten to 10th grade in subjects that were just as varied, from reading to social studies to algebra to Spanish. I was shocked to discover that I actually enjoyed teaching and was good at it. Today, I look forward to working with students. I look forward to helping children find their talents, interests, gifts, and help them make discoveries that will open worlds of opportunity.
I would like to teach middle school, but anywhere from 4th-9th grade would be great. The subjects I enjoy the most are US History and English.
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