Final Class

Today's final class was bitter sweet. It was an awesome last class with the final three video projects and yummy snacks and food but at the same time I will be sad to no longer be taking this course with such awesome people. The discussions we have had over the semester have been both stimulating as well as sometimes straight up debateable. I feel while we may have bumped heads on certain topics we still respected each others thoughts and ideas and allowed ourselves to stay open-minded... for the most part. Overall, it was a good semester and the projects we did are going to be very helpful in my future classroom. Thanks for the fun memories everyone and shoutout to my awesome group members Samantha Jason and Matthew!! :) And remember like our professor opened up tonight's class....

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
 - Winston Churchill

Take Away for 4/18 and 4/25

4/18 - Assistive Technology

After last weeks class I really felt that my knowledge of assistive technology had grown. As a special education teacher I knew about assistive technology for children with special needs but there are also technologies that can be used for all students and it is important to remember that. While not all learners learn the same, not all students need the same assistance. Overall, the class was very informative and helpful.


4/25 - Movie Night 1

One word to describe tonight and everyone's video: AWESOMENESSSSSSSS! I loved working with my group and I think we did a great job on our video/presenting. And the other two groups that presented also did a phenomenal job. I loved how the group that focused on Teen Pregnancy made their video informative with a hint of humor, and also how they included more current examples such as Teen Mom 2 and Maury. The group on Obesity also did a great job making their video seem so life like and like a real talk show. Awesome job everyone and I look forward to the next three groups that will present next week!

Blog #6: Chapters 8 & 9

Chapter 8 discusses the use of technology in classrooms for communicating and networking through emails, IM’s, blogs, social media sites, etc. As I read the chapter the first fact that caught my attention was the somewhat contradicting point, “While 96 percent of youngsters age 9 to 17 use social networking technologies most school districts have rules against social networking during the school day” (p. 210) however, “more and more teachers are engaging in educational networking (also called social networking for educators). Educational networking involves teachers using social networking technologies for educational rather than social purposes.” (p. 210) This concerned me because first it claims that social networking sites are being banned in schools, but then goes into saying that it is okay when educators are using them for educational purposes. Therefore, why ban them? We have seen cases already where social sites such as Twitter and Facebook are being used to teach lessons to children, so if any social networking site can be taught from an educational viewpoint, is there really a need for schools to ban them? Especially when almost every student uses these sites and would know how to navigate around the site if used for a lesson. 

While the next part of the chapter discusses the use of emails and instant messaging in the classroom I was able to relate due to having used one of the strategies first hand but in an opposite approach. The use of instant messaging and texting to teach about spelling was used to help prep the students for note taking during their state ELA tests. We informed the students that since they are so used to texting and IM’ing one another using language that is abbreviated and uses numbers and letters to represent words they can use this “texting language” to take notes quicker during the read aloud portion. Too often when practicing note taking, students were writing full sentences and missing important information. However, once we informed the students that their notes are not graded or checked and that they could use abbreviations and shortcuts for words the note taking for them got much better and they were able to take more notes due to not having to write as much. As shared in this chapter some of these strategies can be used to teach or reinforce a skill, but they can also help in creating a new skill by using the technology language and what the students already know.

Lastly, the use of blogs and wikis was helpful to read about in this chapter because it provided me with ideas in ways to use a blog or wiki in my own classroom to teach students. In regards to blogs, personally I would want to use active learning blogs because these blogs “involve students and teachers in conversations around parts of the curriculum.” (p. 220) which would make for a more discussion type setting compared to a one sided where I write and students read. The reason why a discussion type would be more effective is because when blogs are one sided where people can state whatever they want but not allow feedback it is like lecturing to a class and not asking questions or taking input from students. But, if students are actively involved in the blog and are able to pose questions and share their ideas it will allow the blog to feel like a safe open space just like in the classroom. What kind of blog would you want to use if you were to use a blog in your classroom? And for what purpose would you use a blog? As for wikis, like the blog approach I would want to provide an opportunity for students to share, discuss, and express themselves. I would most likely use a group process where groups of students can work together on completing a set task, but I would probably have some mini tasks within the wiki where students are working individually to then come together to complete a bigger task. 

As for chapter 9 this chapter was mainly on PowerPoint and the use of pictures and movies in the classroom. For the section on PowerPoint I was able to learn a few new ideas and ways to use PowerPoint, but as stated by a few of my peers, PowerPoint is a program that many of us grew up on and is a program I feel comfortable using. Therefore, this part of the reading was an easy read due to being familiar with the topic. Now when it comes to using photography and video in the classroom I found myself really interested due to having a passion for photography. I feel that using video and photography in a classroom is a fun and simple way of engaging students and helping them express themselves creatively. As stated in the chapter by allowing students to become photographers and videographers they are getting experience, documenting their learning, creating information and are being active learners through the processes of filming, acting, editing, and viewing. (p. 255). Looking back I wish I could have had the opportunity to become a photographer or a videographer while in elementary or middle school, because I see all the ways that students can use this opportunity for learning, they can create movies based on the books they read, they can take photos and then write their own story to go with it, they can remake a scene from a film to be in a different genre i.e. take a funny scene and make it scary, take a sad moment and make it happy, etc. I just feel that helping to open up a students’ creativity and imagination through the use of pictures and videos is a great way to engage students and make them active participants in the classroom. Have any of you used photography or videos to teach a lesson? 

Take Away 4/4/13

Digital Citizens...... who are they really??? 

This is the question that I am taking away after tonight's class. I feel that based on our discussion it can be seen that while technology is becoming such a crucial part of society it will never replace us as individuals. However, we as educators must know the technology, in order to teach the technology because otherwise we are preparing ourselves to possibly be taken over. While I love using technology and having access to almost anything at my fingertips I wouldn't want my life to be solely dependent on technology. I love being able to interact with others in person and getting to know people the old fashion way compared to reading their profile or "Googling" them. Therefore, we as educators need to be sure that our students do not become too dependent on technology because you never know, it could be gone or more advanced in seconds. 

Class Take Away

Today's class was all about our webquest and after today's class I feel so much better about creating a webquest. Coming into class my webquest was as dry as the desert, but after being able to view some examples and see ways in which we can jazz up our webquests I definitely went back and made some changes. It is so funny how a simple picture or change in font size or color can make a page pop and look neater and more engaging. I cannot wait to spice up my webquest and am actually looking forward to having fun with this project!

Games as Resources - Is this a Good Idea??

Games as Resources - Is this a Good Idea??

As I started to read this chapter I was worried it was going to be a lot of technical computer terms that I was going to have to learn to understand in order to fully understand technology. However, thankfully it was just some basic computer terms that most learn when first beginning to use computers. As I continued the chapter I found myself going down memory lane to back when I was in elementary/middle school first learning about computers and using the types of games and softwares discussed, the first being Kidpix.

Kidpix was a program that my friends and I LOVED in 4th/5th grade because we used it in fun ways that still had educational purpose. For instance I remember we had to make a short story on the program where first we did the pictures and then went back to add the words, but we needed to be sure to add all parts of a story. My friends and I made it fun by creating the story about ourselves and others in the class. We created characters that looked similar to us and when presenting the class had a good laugh. Because the program was used for educational purposes in fun ways it made us engaged and we were practicing concepts without even knowing. Another game I remember constantly using was SimTown where we created our own town from scratch and had to build jobs and homes for our people as well as assign them roles. This was introduced to us when learning about landscapes and the economy and how if we had too many people and not enough jobs we would have people in poverty. These where games that to me were just fun to play but looking back I noticed I was learning so much without even knowing and often those are the best games for kids because they forget they are learning, but are still absorbing the information without realizing it. Does anyone have any games similar to these that they really loved as a kid where looking back they actually were learning without knowing?

The next part of the chapter focused on using these games as resources. At one point the book stated a concern from the perspective of parents and teachers being "computer games are a harmful distraction from the process of developing fluent reading, writing, and thinking skills among students." (p. 188). However, if you really stop to think about the games being used they are in fact promoting this skills by having students read dialogue and follow rules, but having them solve problems and obstacles, and in some games writing is used when having to put in formulas or codes in order to move forward in a level. Due to the violent video games being seen and played by most students now a days some might feel all games are like this, but in reality there are a lot of good games out there that teach valuable lessons and are just as engaging as these games where you are just holding a gun and shooting someone. This is shown during the examples on skill-learning games because even "Teachers find many advantages to Math Blaster and similar skills-learning games that focus children's attention to attaining high point tools while practicing mat skills almost without realizing they are acquiring new knowledge." (p. 190). This shows that teachers are using these games in order to engage their students and help practice and learn concepts already taught. I wonder does anyone know if these games (Math Blaster, House Series, Zoombinis) are still being used in school today? I ask because personally I loved Zoombinis Logical Journey and learned so much about trial and error and noticing patterns and strategies that could be used to beat the game.

Finally, the chapter shares useful tips and strategies for using games with your students and I feel one of the most important ones listed is to play the games together. By playing with your students you are able to see what they are learning, can help them to see the educational meaning behind the game and can see what works and what doesn't in order to then find other games similar so you don't risk having your students get bored playing the same game over and over. I feel by playing with your students you could then see what they like and maybe create your own real life game where the class can play it together in the class in order to make the virtual reality game a reality for them. Any thoughts on which strategy listed on page 196 is most useful, or any additional tips not discussed in the chapter on how to use games with your students? 


SimTown incase visuals help remind us of this game. 

Class Reflection 3/14

Take Away of the Day 

After today's class I feel we not only discussed a lot, but a lot of experiences, thoughts and ideas were shared. I enjoyed being able to see visuals of what was discussed in chapter 6 as well as in tonights class. The virtual tours seem like such a great idea and now having actually seen one I can see myself looking into others to share with my students. I also plan on looking into my Google+ and creating information alerts as well as a  social bookmarking section since clearly Google+ is more than just having my friends add me into their circles (I still have no idea what the point of that is, but hopefully now I will find out). Finally and probably the most important thing I took away was that I need to get the ball rolling on my Webquest!! Wish me luck!!   

Following the Tunnel to Technology

After having read both chapters 4 and 6 I can now say my favorite chapter and the one in which I feel I have gained the most knowledge and resources from is chapter 6. It was the one I took the most notes for, went online to look up some of the resources and actually enjoyed reading and didn't see it as an assignment for class.

However, before I go into that let me look back at chapter 4. For this chapter it was useful for me when completing my video project because it opened my eyes to bringing technology into the classroom in a fun and effective way. The main thing I really took away from that chapter was the idea of having a teacher mindset. It was something I had never thought about, and reading about it really opened my eyes to thinking about the technology and how it will be effective for my lesson compared to just choosing any piece of technology just to say I am using technology in my lesson. This made me want to evaluate myself when reading the stages of technology to see where I would fall and after thinking about it I would say I am somewhere between Adoption and Adaptation because I know enough about technology but I use it more than just on a basic level, but not to the point where it is a regular part of my daily lessons.

The last part of the chapter I really got into was the section on the technology integration issues because many where issues I could relate to as well as most of my peers. The ones I found most interesting were the unwillingness to change a favorite lesson to include technology, and using technology as a reward or punishment. This is because these are the two that are very similar to experiences I have had or seen. So I ask of the issues mentioned are there any that you have experienced and found as a real issue when it comes to bringing technology use into your lessons? A second question that I would like to ask regarding chapter 4 is has anyone every used a digital pen or digital notebook in their class? I have never seen or used one before and they sound like an awesome tool.

Now for chapter 6. As I stated before this to me was an excellent chapter. It was about managing information electronically and how to use websites and bookmarking tools for storage. The bookmarking section was my favorite because I didn't think of using social sites for bookmarking. Yes I love the bookmark tab on my computer because I use it to store and organize useful websites I find. I do this because like when they shared the example of losing sites due to multiple windows being open and too much clicking I felt I could relate. Too often I find useful things and when I try to go back and find it I can't. I end up having to retry multiple searches to find the right one. Therefore bookmarking is like a godsend to me, and the use of social sites as a bookmarking tool seems like a great idea for teachers who wish to share these online materials with their students.  So I have to ask, has anyone used social bookmarking sites in their classrooms?  

Another part of the chapter I found interesting and would like to try to use was the use of information alerts. This would especially be useful as a teacher since information is always changing and being added so knowing when new information is being posted would be helpful compared to having to always search for the new information.

Finally, the use of virtual trips was all new to me. I had heard of virtual online tours but I hadn't realized they created these for museums and educational sites as well. I enjoy this idea for times when a field trip isn't an option. However, I wouldn't want to take away from real field trips since first hand and hands on experience is still an essential part of learning for students. What do you all think about virtual field trips?

The Truth About Wikipedia

After this class the first main thing I learned was about how to use iMovie since that is a program I have never even opened on my laptop and will have to play around with once I get home. As for the discussion we had today I really enjoyed the whole debate on WIkipedia because it was one of my blog questions, but to get some more feedback really helped. I personally agreed with Will's comment about using it as the bread crumbs to lead you to the more concrete information because using it as a starter is fine as long as students are then going to other more credible websites. And as like one of our classmates said (sorry I don't know your name) it isn't just about the information, but about teaching our students the value of the online community.


The 5 W's Criteria
- making sure that the information is there and accessible to the readers
- making sure the information is accurate and up to date
- having at least 4 of the W's answered on the site

Blog #3 - Online Research... Do we really understand it??

Chapter 5 to me was an interesting chapter because it made me think about things that I hadn’t before. When I think of having to do research online the first thing that comes to mine is Google, school databases, or Proquest. It wasn’t until reading this chapter that I realized how important it is to really teach our students about conducting online research and doing it properly. As a grad school student I would know what websites to use and what not to use as valid resources, but for elementary, middle and even some high school students they might be up to date on the last technology, websites and search engines, but that doesn’t mean that they really know how to do research online. In all actuality, I sometimes feel students rely too much on the Internet and any time they find themselves stuck they end up searching for and finding a website that answers their question, whether the site is valid or not is a whole other story though.

Of all the chapters read so far I think I actually liked this one the most because as I continued reading through it I found myself really understanding and learning about the process and how to pass on this knowledge to my students. I also learned some new tips for myself for when I conduct online research. However, I did come across some facts that I was unaware of and actually surprised by. For instance, I am not sure if this might still be the case today since the citation does say it is from 2007 but when I read, “it has been estimated that “less than half the searchable Web is searchable in Google”” (p. 119) I was surprised because I personally am very fond of the term “Just Google it!” so when I read this I was shocked because if this is still true, then how is it that Google has become so popular and is viewed as the “know all” of the internet? The next section on electronic note taking was something I decided I want to look into because the way it sounds, this method of electronic note taking can actually be quite helpful, especially for teachers.

The next piece of information that I gained from this reading that concerned me a bit was the fact that Google will be providing offline library resources to their databases. This concerned me because when it states “Eventually millions of pages of text that are now available only on library shelves will be online worldwide” (p. 122) I began to wonder would this lessen the need for libraries? By taking resources that are only find in libraries and publishing them online won’t that just make the need for a library unnecessary since everything will now just be a mouse click away.

The next part I felt was a whole lot of terms, but they are very useful in knowing, especially the terms on identifying problems and knowing the difference between the different types of information, i.e. misinformation, malinformation, messed-up information, and mostly useless information. However, the most relatable I felt for myself working with students is Wikipedia and comparing it with other encyclopedias. Too often I hear students referencing Wikipedia without even a second thought, and when I try to explain that not everything on Wikipedia is necessarily valid they just don’t seem to want to understand that. A perfect example that I sometimes like to share is that when I was a senior in high school this debate of Wikipedia being a valid source was a big thing in my class, so one day a group of my friends went onto Wikipedia made up some term using one of our friends last name, gave it a meaning and ta-da it was on Wikipedia. The next day during class we talked about how easy it is to put stuff on Wikipedia and it doesn’t even have to be a real word. So for my final question I would like to know if anyone here has had this issue of students using Wikipedia as a resource? Do you allow it? If so do students have to show other sources that prove the information accurate? And if it is not allowed how do you explain to the students why it isn’t an accurate resource?

                       Then.... 

               Now...

Notice how the Library has been replaced by Google...

and finally related to my first comment on how there seems to be a website for everything...

EDUCATIONAL VIDEO PROJECT TOPIC:

Bullying/Cyberbullying using the film Cyberbully and the book Bully by Patricia Polacco 

Learning Theories 2/14/13

Learning Theories

After today's class the main lesson learned for me was reviewing the different learning theories. During my undergrad years, mainly my freshman year, was when I learned about all of the different theorist and theories, so after having not talked or learn about them in about 5/6 years it was very helpful to review the differences. While assessments was something taught throughout all 4 years of my undergrad, the review of the learning theories was not. I would always remember the main names we always here such as Skinner, Piaget, Vygotsky etc. but had you asked me which theorist went with which theory I probably couldn't have told you. I feel it is very important to know the differences because each theory focuses on different main themes and just like with our students, we need to be sure we are meeting the needs and teaching based on the individuals in our classrooms.

Blog #2: Lessons with Technology

Developing Lessons with Technology

While reading this chapter on lesson development I definitely felt knowing the three parts of it was key because as teachers, and future teachers we need to know how to take the lessons we already might have an adapt them to fit the needs of the students of today. Knowing What to Teach, How to Teach, and What the students have learned helps to create an effective lesson which also includes feedback. While I was in undergrad I remember learning all about assessments and how they were the most important part of teaching because it allows us to see if we are effectively teaching our students. However, as I have continued to learn more about teaching and more about myself as a teacher, I wouldn’t say it’s the most important aspect of it. Indeed it is important, but not the most important. I feel being able to integrate all of the parts of a lesson makes a successful lesson, because if we don’t know our content, or how to teach it in a way that is engaging and meets our students’ needs then it doesn’t matter how we assess the students because the lesson itself wouldn’t have been effective. However, that is just my opinion does anyone have any stories or examples that might agree or disagree? Or do  you think that any one of the three (what to teach, how to teach, what they have learned) is more crucial than the other two? 

Another part of the reading that I was able to relate to from my student teaching experience was the section on meeting educational standards. The text states “As they consider “what to teach” for their lesson plans, many teachers list the essential ideas, key information, and important skills they want students to learn. Questions arise in choosing what to include and what to omit from the list, stemming from the reality that there is too much information in every curriculum area that students need to learn.” (p. 66). This is true because when I did my student teaching during the fall semester my senior year I began the school year with the students and by the 3^rd week of school was teaching about ¾ of the lessons. As I began my social studies unit I went to my host teacher for guidance because it seemed as if there was so much material to be taught in so little time, and the way I saw it was I didn’t want to teach to much to fast that the students learn nothing, but I also didn’t want to teach them only one portion in depth and leave out the rest. It was then I learned that sometimes we have to omit some lessons because there are just not enough hours in the day or days in the year. During that placement I learned so much about teaching that one never learns in a college class, because until you actually experience it you never really understand. So a question I ask to the class is if you were in this situation what would you do? Would you omit certain lessons? Would you try to fit everything into one school year? And do you think something should be done in order to prevent teachers having to omit from the curriculum? If so any suggestions?

For the remainder of the reading due to my course in undergrad, which placed assessments on a high pedestal, I was able to breeze through it without much thought. I was also glad to be able to learn about a variety of assessment tools that incorporate technology into the mix of it all, however, I began thinking if it was the best decision to use electronic grading software for recording these assessment because what if the program crashes or the system is down one day. I feel it is a great advancement and tool but I also hope teachers, or entire schools, do not rely on it too much and that they also keep a hard copy record as well, because just like with cell phones how many times have we had our cell phones break or suddenly reset and erase everything and we then have no phone numbers and have to post a status saying “Lost contacts text me or message me your numbers.” Thankfully we have social media, which helps us get these contacts back for the most part, but with grades and assessments it wouldn’t be as easy to retrieve if lost. Therefore, even though technology is helpful and very useful we as a society need to remember that it is still just technology and things can happen such as crashing, systems being down, getting erased, etc so no matter what at the end of the day we cannot be replaced and should always have a plan b and a backed up copy of all materials.  


We can't let this happen...

I am a Designer!?!?

The Role of a Teacher - A Designer??

1. Who am I designing for?
           I am a designer for my students, my peers, my society.

2. What am I designing?
           I am designing the foundation of what I would like to see my students become. I will use the support of my peers to help create the ways in which my students dreams can come to life. I will prepare my students by allowing them to know it is okay to dream, and ways in which their dreams can become a reality. By laying out this foundation that their goals can be achieved if they just put their minds to it and keep moving forward, it will start the ball rolling on helping them to think of, and become aware of, what their purpose in life is and how they can contribute to our growing society.

3. What is the final product of my design?
           Accomplished Dreams!!



           After this class the take away message I have is that we ARE designers, yes technology will always be here and continue to advance throughout the years, but without the designers the technology will be nothing. I was so worried about trying to find ways to integrate technology into my lessons without having them become a distraction or taking over my lessons, but now I see that without us the technology will be nothing. Therefore, as long as I am aware of how the technology will be used and am tying it in in ways that are going to be beneficial to my students, as well as to myself and my lessons, then all will be fine!

Blog #1

Based on the readings for this week I would have to say that using technology in the classroom is definitely beneficial, as long as its used in the proper way, where teachers are not being replaced with computers and apps. As I read chapter one I found that many of my beliefs are supported in the text such as "all of us tend to take widely used technologies for granted, hardly noticing their technological power or the changes they bring to the way we conduct our daily lives." (p. 5) which I believe is often the case when students try to say they are using their phones, laptops, and tablets to do school work when really they are instant messaging, going on google or social media sites, and/or playing games. I feel if students began using these devices as actual learning tools and not just for their entertainment or as an excuse to get out of listening to their teacher, then maybe they would truly see what their technology has to offer them. Another quote I connected with was "more than half said technology affected their teaching and instructional support activities by making lesson plans more accurate, timely, and interesting. (p. 9). This shows that technology doesn't have to be the main focus of a lesson to engage students, sometimes a simple clip or view of a website can bring the students into the lesson. Also by limiting the technology to only a portion of the lesson it leaves the student wanting to know more and allows them to then raise questions and possibly even results in them going home to search for more. However, as I read the mention of incorporating Web2.0 knowledge into curriculums was brought up and I was wondering Do you think that incorporating technology into school curriculums would be a good idea, due to not all teachers being comfortable with having to use technology in the classroom? Wouldn't this just put more pressure on them to be forced to use certain technology? 

Prior to doing the reading one question I always ask myself when discussing the use of technology in classrooms is "What if the students begin to know more about the technology than the teacher? Will the students be at an advantage?" I was glad to see that this question was addressed in chapter 1 when discussing the "digital disconnect." It goes into the differences between the older generation who still uses instructions and likes to learn about the device before using it vs. the younger generation that prefers the trial and error approach to activating and using a new technology device. The chapter also shares how based on a survey, even when students were allowed technology in the classroom they tended to feel as if there was no change due to not having the opportunity to chose the technology and using the tools appropriately and independently. So I wonder,  do you think students should be able to freely use technology in the classroom when they desire vs. only using it when they are instructed by a teacher to use the technology for a specific activity? 

Lastly, when reading chapter 2 it was more about the actual benefits of using the technology in the classroom such as to teach using visual learning, to access and assess information, and to engage and collaborate using technology. Of these topics the one that I found most interesting was on using technology for collaboration because it would be the way that I would like to use technology in the classroom. I want to be able to engage my students while still keeping their attention on the overall lesson rather than on the fact that they will get to use technology. I feel my biggest worry is that the technology will take over and it will no longer be about the teacher and the lesson but about having fun and getting to visit a website, create a slideshow or powerpoint, or just using the technology period. Therefore, for my final question I ask, "Does anyone have any ideas or stories on how one could incorporate technology as an assistive tool in the classroom in a way that is allowing the students to really feel engaged, but is not becoming a distraction that causes the lesson to be brushed aside?" 

Here are just a few images I found that can sort of relate. Enjoy!!

First Post!!

Hi everyone, well for starters as I shared in class last week this is my first technology class outside of having computer class in junior high. So no surprise when I share that our first class seemed to intimidate me a bit when some of the class started talking about wikis and all those other computer tech words everyone was using when sharing their experience in a computer course. However, thankfully when others shared they didn’t know too much either about computer courses and this was either their first or second course I began to feel better about the class.

Some of my personal learning goals I would say I have for this course are learning about the different types of technology one can use in classroom, finding fun and creative ways to incorporate technology into a lesson, as well as effective ways of using technology in a classroom that do not cause a distraction from the lesson. During student teaching I have used computers, videos, and a smart board maybe once or twice, however outside of using the smart board I wasn’t sure how to make using technology be more engaging than just being on a computer playing a game or doing an activity. I know there are a ton of awesome websites that are helpful in teaching lessons and concepts, however they often result in students working by themselves on a computer. Hopefully this course will be able to help me in finding ways to incorporate technology while still engaging the students and having whole group or small group lessons.