Thursday, April 29, 2010
Attendance and Participation
I was definitely committed to this educational technology class and I feel that I participated to the fullest extent possible. I attended all class sessions and was punctual. I also completed all the assignments correctly and on time. I think that by coming to every class and being prepared I was able to learn all the technological tools we were required to, but also discuss their effectiveness and potential usage in the classroom with my peers. Out of the three educational prerequisite courses I had to take for the credential program, I feel that I learned the most in the course, and the material we covered is definitely going to shape the way that I present information to my students.
PSA Hate Speech Imovie Assignment- NETS 3
This is a quicktime movie that I created using Imovie. The assignment was to create a public service announcement (PSA) in response to all the hate speech/crime incidents we have had on the California State University San Marcos campus. In making my Imovie, I learned how to import video footage, edit clips by adding screen effects, transitions, music, still frames, etc and export and share my finished PSA.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Wiki Assignment- NETS 3 and 5
I created this wiki page using Wetpaint. My wiki page is about an educational tool called "Wordles"and basically wordles are cool ways for students to generate “word clouds” from text that they provide. After giving examples about how wordles could be used in high school classrooms, I created my own wordle using the top vocabulary words students need to study and know in preparation for taking the SAT exam.
Excel Crossword- NETS 2 and 3
Using Atomic Learning, I followed a tutorial that explained how to construct a geometry crossword puzzle using Microsoft Excel. My words I included in my interactive crossword are all literary devices that high school students need to know, and could be used by students in preparation for an exam.
Copyright Assignment- NETS 4
This collaborative assignment was created using GoogleDocs. For this assignment, I learned about identity safety, cyberbullying, cyber predators, piracy & plagiarism, inappropriate content and social networks by completing a student activity in each category found at the following url: http://jccsinternetsafety.wetpaint.com/.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Inspiration Assignment-NETS 2 and 3
For this assignment, I created a mind map using Inspiration. My mind map shows the artifacts that I have created that apply to all five of the NETS for Teachers Standards. Each NETS standard has a brief description of the standard and how it applies to two different class artifacts.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Journal 10 Extra Credit: Top 10 in 2010 Ed Tech Advocacy Issues- NETS 5
Goldmann, Hilary. (2010). Top 10 in 2010 Ed Tech Advocacy Issues. International Society for Technology in Education, 37(6), 1-2. Retrieved April 5, 2010, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume3720092010/MarchAprilNo6/Voices_Carry_Top_10_in_2010_Ed_Tech_Advo.htm
Summary: In this article, ISTE's director of government affairs Hilary Goldmann identifies the most important ten educational technology priorities that need to be addressed or fulfilled in upcoming school years. The priorities, as she describes, are as follows: technology in education is the backbone of school improvement, leverage educational technology as a gateway to college and career readiness, ensure technology experts are infused throughout our schools and classrooms, invest in pre-service education technology, classroom technology skills are a prerequisite to being a highly effective teacher, leverage technology to scale improvement, provide high-speed broadband for all, boost student learning through data and assessment efforts, invest in ongoing research and development and promote global digital citizenship.
Question 1: Which educational technology priority stands out to you and why? The one educational technology priority that I thought could be addressed on a greater scale was number five: classroom technology skills are a prerequisite to being a highly effective teacher. From this class, I have learned how vital it is that I attain the technological skills I need to be an effective teacher. All teachers should be given the opportunity to learn new digital tools so that they can better support student learning and assessment in their own classrooms. It is sad that this digital divide still exists between classrooms that are fully equipped with digital tools and those classrooms that lack basic necessities like computers, overhead projectors and monitors. The students that are succeeding in furthering their academic careers are the ones that are given access to technology early in their education and taught to use those tools effectively throughout their K-12 school years. Every child should be given the chance to be technologically savvy so that they can advance their careers and their lives in this 21st century technologically saturated world we live in.
Question 2: Choose one educational technology priority and explain how that priority can be met. I think educational technology priority number nine, that of investing in ongoing research and development, could be addressed a lot more. Teachers and administrators who are still skeptical about using technology in the classroom need to be able to see how effective it is in engaging students in the material and enhancing their overall learning experience. More studies need to be conducted to prove the effectiveness of different technologies used in the classroom. These studies could be carried out by graduates at local colleges, leaders in technological education and teachers on a classroom by classroom basis. Also, I think that providing funding for programs like Preparing Teachers for Digital Age Learners (PTDAL) and federal Enhancing Education through Technology (EETT) programs would lead to more research and thus more accessible technology for students.
Summary: In this article, ISTE's director of government affairs Hilary Goldmann identifies the most important ten educational technology priorities that need to be addressed or fulfilled in upcoming school years. The priorities, as she describes, are as follows: technology in education is the backbone of school improvement, leverage educational technology as a gateway to college and career readiness, ensure technology experts are infused throughout our schools and classrooms, invest in pre-service education technology, classroom technology skills are a prerequisite to being a highly effective teacher, leverage technology to scale improvement, provide high-speed broadband for all, boost student learning through data and assessment efforts, invest in ongoing research and development and promote global digital citizenship.
Question 1: Which educational technology priority stands out to you and why? The one educational technology priority that I thought could be addressed on a greater scale was number five: classroom technology skills are a prerequisite to being a highly effective teacher. From this class, I have learned how vital it is that I attain the technological skills I need to be an effective teacher. All teachers should be given the opportunity to learn new digital tools so that they can better support student learning and assessment in their own classrooms. It is sad that this digital divide still exists between classrooms that are fully equipped with digital tools and those classrooms that lack basic necessities like computers, overhead projectors and monitors. The students that are succeeding in furthering their academic careers are the ones that are given access to technology early in their education and taught to use those tools effectively throughout their K-12 school years. Every child should be given the chance to be technologically savvy so that they can advance their careers and their lives in this 21st century technologically saturated world we live in.
Question 2: Choose one educational technology priority and explain how that priority can be met. I think educational technology priority number nine, that of investing in ongoing research and development, could be addressed a lot more. Teachers and administrators who are still skeptical about using technology in the classroom need to be able to see how effective it is in engaging students in the material and enhancing their overall learning experience. More studies need to be conducted to prove the effectiveness of different technologies used in the classroom. These studies could be carried out by graduates at local colleges, leaders in technological education and teachers on a classroom by classroom basis. Also, I think that providing funding for programs like Preparing Teachers for Digital Age Learners (PTDAL) and federal Enhancing Education through Technology (EETT) programs would lead to more research and thus more accessible technology for students.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Journal 9: Playing With Skype- NETS 2 and 5
Weller, Travis. J. (2010). Playing with Skype. International Society for Technology in Education, 37(6), 1-2. Retrieved March 25, 2010, from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=March_April_No_6_1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4516&ContentID=25508&DirectListComboInd=
Summary: In this article, the author Travis J. Weller relates his experience of bringing Skype into his music classroom. He brought three noted composers: Scott Watson, Brian Balmages and Andrew Boysen Jr. into the classroom to provide their insights about music composition and the music industry. All three of the interviewees agreed to appear live at the concert via Skype and make the introduction for their pieces before the student ensembles performed them. After the performance, a lively discussion ensued where students asked the experts questions and received relevant and informed answers.
Question 1: Why would teachers want to use Skype in the classroom? Well first of all, using this technology in the classroom makes for a richer educational experience. It keeps the students interested and engaged in the material because it is a different activity then traditional lecture format. Second, specifically using Skype technology in the classroom decenters the teacher as the only authority on a given subject. How so? Well, Skype opens up the classroom to have more experts speak on different subjects and share their viewpoints, research and advice. By having different experts share their insights on various topics, students are taught to be good listeners with an open-minded view of the world. Lastly, Skype should be used in the classroom because it is so easy to do so. Weller brings out that "what 10 years ago would have taken a satellite and a television truck can now be accomplished using two laptops and a couple of webcams". Since this technology is available, teachers should make use of it!
Question 2: Could I see myself as a future educator using Skype in the classroom? Definitely! Since I want to become a high school English teacher, I could see myself bringing in contemporary writers and poets into the classroom to be interviewed and discuss literature with the students. This would allow students to communicate with individuals who really value literature, have expertise in writing and have made writing their career and life pursuit. Also, I could use Skype to connect students with other student writers at local or out-of-state schools. This would allow students to gain constructive feedback and guidance on their writing from an outside student with a different perspective.
Summary: In this article, the author Travis J. Weller relates his experience of bringing Skype into his music classroom. He brought three noted composers: Scott Watson, Brian Balmages and Andrew Boysen Jr. into the classroom to provide their insights about music composition and the music industry. All three of the interviewees agreed to appear live at the concert via Skype and make the introduction for their pieces before the student ensembles performed them. After the performance, a lively discussion ensued where students asked the experts questions and received relevant and informed answers.
Question 1: Why would teachers want to use Skype in the classroom? Well first of all, using this technology in the classroom makes for a richer educational experience. It keeps the students interested and engaged in the material because it is a different activity then traditional lecture format. Second, specifically using Skype technology in the classroom decenters the teacher as the only authority on a given subject. How so? Well, Skype opens up the classroom to have more experts speak on different subjects and share their viewpoints, research and advice. By having different experts share their insights on various topics, students are taught to be good listeners with an open-minded view of the world. Lastly, Skype should be used in the classroom because it is so easy to do so. Weller brings out that "what 10 years ago would have taken a satellite and a television truck can now be accomplished using two laptops and a couple of webcams". Since this technology is available, teachers should make use of it!
Question 2: Could I see myself as a future educator using Skype in the classroom? Definitely! Since I want to become a high school English teacher, I could see myself bringing in contemporary writers and poets into the classroom to be interviewed and discuss literature with the students. This would allow students to communicate with individuals who really value literature, have expertise in writing and have made writing their career and life pursuit. Also, I could use Skype to connect students with other student writers at local or out-of-state schools. This would allow students to gain constructive feedback and guidance on their writing from an outside student with a different perspective.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Journal 8: Navigate the Digital Rapids- NETS 4 and 5
Lindsay, Julie, & Davis, Vicki. (2010). Navigate the Digital Rapids. International Society for Technology in Education, 37(6), 1-5. Retrieved March 23, 2010, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume3720092010/MarchAprilNo6/Navigate_the_Digital_Rapids.htm
Summary: In this article, the two authors discuss how teachers and students can become good digital citizens. First, the article relates seven different ways that teachers can be good digital citizens, namely by: customization, monitoring students and being engaged, having a plan, overcoming the fear factor of technology, dealing with technological objections, allowing for tangents in discussions and putting the learning into the hands of the students. Second, the article defines what flat classroom projects are and how they can be successfully implemented into classrooms. Basically, the idea of a flat classroom project is that teachers use Web 2.0 tools, such as to "flatten," or lower, the classroom walls so that instead of each class working alone, two or more classes join virtually to become one large classroom. These flat classroom activities allow for cross cultural collaboration and communication. Lastly, the article provides various resources that give examples of flat classroom projects, and give information for teachers, parents and students about digital projects for the classroom.
Question 1: According to this article, what is the difference between educational networking and social networking, and how can teachers help establish this difference? The article explains that an educational network is professional group of people coming together for the purpose of sharing experiences in a focused and monitored environment. On the other hand, a social network is comprised of family members, friends, neighbors, etc. The purpose of social networking sites are usually for communication about other matters than academic affairs. This article stated that teachers need to establish this distinction between educational and social networking in their classrooms because students will feel inclined to use text speak or other inappropriate behavior online if they are not told to do otherwise. So teachers need to lead by example and make sure that all of their students are engaging in proper cyber etiquette.
Question 2: What have I learned from this article that I will take away with me and apply while teaching? I learned that it is so important for teachers to help students have a positive digital footprint with academic material included. These e-portfolios could be used in future job interviews or as supplements to college applications. Thus helping students establish a positive online presence will help them in achieving their future academic goals. I also learned the importance of getting students involved in student-centered, globally connected projects. These projects will be meaningful to students because each student's learning experience will be markedly different.
Summary: In this article, the two authors discuss how teachers and students can become good digital citizens. First, the article relates seven different ways that teachers can be good digital citizens, namely by: customization, monitoring students and being engaged, having a plan, overcoming the fear factor of technology, dealing with technological objections, allowing for tangents in discussions and putting the learning into the hands of the students. Second, the article defines what flat classroom projects are and how they can be successfully implemented into classrooms. Basically, the idea of a flat classroom project is that teachers use Web 2.0 tools, such as to "flatten," or lower, the classroom walls so that instead of each class working alone, two or more classes join virtually to become one large classroom. These flat classroom activities allow for cross cultural collaboration and communication. Lastly, the article provides various resources that give examples of flat classroom projects, and give information for teachers, parents and students about digital projects for the classroom.
Question 1: According to this article, what is the difference between educational networking and social networking, and how can teachers help establish this difference? The article explains that an educational network is professional group of people coming together for the purpose of sharing experiences in a focused and monitored environment. On the other hand, a social network is comprised of family members, friends, neighbors, etc. The purpose of social networking sites are usually for communication about other matters than academic affairs. This article stated that teachers need to establish this distinction between educational and social networking in their classrooms because students will feel inclined to use text speak or other inappropriate behavior online if they are not told to do otherwise. So teachers need to lead by example and make sure that all of their students are engaging in proper cyber etiquette.
Question 2: What have I learned from this article that I will take away with me and apply while teaching? I learned that it is so important for teachers to help students have a positive digital footprint with academic material included. These e-portfolios could be used in future job interviews or as supplements to college applications. Thus helping students establish a positive online presence will help them in achieving their future academic goals. I also learned the importance of getting students involved in student-centered, globally connected projects. These projects will be meaningful to students because each student's learning experience will be markedly different.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Journal 7: The Beginner's Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips- NETS 2 and 5
Zanetis, Jan. (2010). The Beginner's Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips. International Society for Technology in Education, 37(6), 1-5. Retrieved March 11, 2010, from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=March_April_No_6_1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4516&ContentID=25443&DirectListComboInd=D
Summary: This article, by Jan Zanetis, defines what virtual field trips are and how they can be used within the classroom. Zanetis makes the distinction between Asynchronous VFTs (which are not delivered in real time) as compared to Interactive VFTs (which are synchronous, real-time experiences for students). After listing three different websites for Asynchronous VFTs, Zanetis stated that approximately 300 museums, science centers, historical sites, and similar organizations offer interactive VFTs to schools. Zanetis was definitely pushing the usage of interactive VFTs in schools because it provides a nice break for students from traditional classroom lecture structure and enables them to literally interact with the outside world while sitting in their desks.
Question 1: What steps should a teacher take to virtual field trips in their classrooms? First, teachers should find out if their school already has a videoconferencing unit. If it does, that’s great; they can begin using it immediately. If not, there are ways of obtaining them either through videoconferencing equipment vendors that give school demos, or by applying for grants or assistance programs. After the videoconferencing unit equipment is obtained, teachers should access to quality content. The last step is registering for the programs one wishes to use and then display them in the classroom!
Question 2: Could I see myself as a future educator using interactive virtual field trips in my classroom? Yes, I definitely will use these interactive virtual field trips in my classroom. Not only is it engaging and interesting, it saves the school the expenses of getting transportation for each student to travel to a museum or institute. Also, using these virtual field trips shows students that the material they are learning about within the classroom applies to outside contexts. Other professionals use the very same information they are learning for their jobs every day. I think allowing students to see the usefulness and value of the information they are learning will help them to be more interested in learning it. Lastly, I would use these VFT’s in my classrooms because it allows develop positive communication skills in practicing asking questions and discussing different topics with professionals who are in specific fields.
Summary: This article, by Jan Zanetis, defines what virtual field trips are and how they can be used within the classroom. Zanetis makes the distinction between Asynchronous VFTs (which are not delivered in real time) as compared to Interactive VFTs (which are synchronous, real-time experiences for students). After listing three different websites for Asynchronous VFTs, Zanetis stated that approximately 300 museums, science centers, historical sites, and similar organizations offer interactive VFTs to schools. Zanetis was definitely pushing the usage of interactive VFTs in schools because it provides a nice break for students from traditional classroom lecture structure and enables them to literally interact with the outside world while sitting in their desks.
Question 1: What steps should a teacher take to virtual field trips in their classrooms? First, teachers should find out if their school already has a videoconferencing unit. If it does, that’s great; they can begin using it immediately. If not, there are ways of obtaining them either through videoconferencing equipment vendors that give school demos, or by applying for grants or assistance programs. After the videoconferencing unit equipment is obtained, teachers should access to quality content. The last step is registering for the programs one wishes to use and then display them in the classroom!
Question 2: Could I see myself as a future educator using interactive virtual field trips in my classroom? Yes, I definitely will use these interactive virtual field trips in my classroom. Not only is it engaging and interesting, it saves the school the expenses of getting transportation for each student to travel to a museum or institute. Also, using these virtual field trips shows students that the material they are learning about within the classroom applies to outside contexts. Other professionals use the very same information they are learning for their jobs every day. I think allowing students to see the usefulness and value of the information they are learning will help them to be more interested in learning it. Lastly, I would use these VFT’s in my classrooms because it allows develop positive communication skills in practicing asking questions and discussing different topics with professionals who are in specific fields.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
My NETS PowerPoint Presentation- NETS 1
Intro to NETS for High School Students
For this assignment, I created a PowerPoint Presentation showcasing the NETS Educational Technology Standards for Students. I created a slide for each standard and developed lesson plans and/or classroom activities explaining how this standard could be met in a high school English classroom.
For this assignment, I created a PowerPoint Presentation showcasing the NETS Educational Technology Standards for Students. I created a slide for each standard and developed lesson plans and/or classroom activities explaining how this standard could be met in a high school English classroom.
Collaborative PowerPoint Rubric- NETS 3 and 5
For this assignment, I worked with the entire class and my teacher to create a rubric to use to grade our NETS for Students PowerPoint Presentations. This rubric was created collaboratively on the following website: http://www.rcampus.com/.
Journal 6: Video Sharing: Classroom 2.0- NETS 3 and 5
The technology that I chose to investigate was “video sharing”. Video sharing is when individuals self-create and upload video clips to an Internet website that select parties can access. Then other groups can look at the posted videos and respond by creating their own videos to share and upload. Under this topic, I found a really cool discussion forum entitled “English teachers: Online Debate?” This discussion forum had over 20 responses from English teachers from all around the world talking about how they could share videos in their classrooms. The teacher who started the discussion thread teaches year 8 English (13 and 14 year olds) at a high school in Melbourne, Australia. She wanted to conduct online debates, in which students from her classroom would videotape their side of an issue, post it on YouTube and then have students from another school organize a rebuttal and post their response. The debate would be conducted solely online by looking at the other school’s YouTube videos and responding back. I think that this is a really cool way to encourage cross-cultural collaboration on projects, without having to deal with different time zones and school days. Another forum under the same category of “video sharing” that was interesting was entitled “5th/6th Grade Online Partners Wanted”. In this discussion forum, I learned about http://www.epals.com/, which is a website dedicated to connecting different classrooms from around the world for collaboration. This website includes collaboration project ideas (http://www.epals.com/projects/info.aspx?DivID=index) as well as general information about collaborating across continents. I think this is a great resource for teachers from all around the world to use to encourage collaboration among different classrooms and schools.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Journal 5 Extra Credit: "Grounded Tech Integration: English Language Arts"- NETS 2 and 5
Young, Carl. A., Hofer, Mark, & Harris, Judi. (2010). Grounded Tech Integration: English Language Arts. International Society for Technology in Education, 37(5), 1-5. Retrieved March 1, 2010, from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25251&DirectListComboInd=D
Summary: This article, written by associate professors from various colleges, discussed how secondary English teachers could incorporate technology in their classroom to meet the variety of ELA activity types. These activity types are: reading, writing, language use, speaking/performing, and active listening/watching. The article provided various resources that teachers could look at to choose the educational technologies that best fit their instructional plans. An example was given about how various technologies could be included in the classroom when teaching the book “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. First, the article suggested having the students write about theme of guilt and about a time when they experienced guilt. Next, the homework for students was to create their own symbols representing an episode of personal guilt or shame, and wear that symbol to school the next day without divulging to others what the symbols represent. After that, students were supposed to blog about how they felt while wearing the symbols around all day. Then the teacher would share the blog with students from another school, and they would discuss their reactions and feelings with the other students on an online discussion board. Finally, in small groups students would create a digital video that defines and represents the theme of guilt. This lesson plan, made up of five small activities, used different educational technologies to really expand the students’ notion of “guilt” within the context of the novel.
How could teachers use the ELA activity types and technologies in their classrooms? This article would be perfect for prospective and current high school English teachers to read that are either: completely new to the idea of ELA activity types or teachers who are looking for new and exciting ways to incorporate technology into their already developed curriculum. This article provided a link that states the various ELA activity types: http://activitytypes.wmwikis.net. It also then provided a chart for each of the five ELA activity types and how teachers could incorporate various technologies into their classrooms.
Could I see myself as an English teacher incorporating these strategies? Yes, I definitely think I could incorporate some of these technological lesson plan ideas into my classroom. Of course, the amount of activity types I get to use in my classroom depends on how much access to technology the students have. Though it would be a fun activity to get students to create a digital video based on their understanding of a certain literary work, it would be impossible for them to complete if they did not have video cameras. Also, though I really liked the idea of having students collaborate with students from another school to talk about literature, that may be an unrealistic idea. Many teachers may not want to cooperate with teachers from another school, because it would force them to work with other people, and possibly change their lesson plans so that each of the classes would be reading the same text. So though it is a nice idea, I think I could only implement it if I had a friend working as a teacher at another school who would be willing to plan the activity with me way in advance. Yet the other strategies brought out in the article that dealt with free technology, like blogging, skyping and online discussion boards, I would definitely use those technologies in my classroom.
Summary: This article, written by associate professors from various colleges, discussed how secondary English teachers could incorporate technology in their classroom to meet the variety of ELA activity types. These activity types are: reading, writing, language use, speaking/performing, and active listening/watching. The article provided various resources that teachers could look at to choose the educational technologies that best fit their instructional plans. An example was given about how various technologies could be included in the classroom when teaching the book “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. First, the article suggested having the students write about theme of guilt and about a time when they experienced guilt. Next, the homework for students was to create their own symbols representing an episode of personal guilt or shame, and wear that symbol to school the next day without divulging to others what the symbols represent. After that, students were supposed to blog about how they felt while wearing the symbols around all day. Then the teacher would share the blog with students from another school, and they would discuss their reactions and feelings with the other students on an online discussion board. Finally, in small groups students would create a digital video that defines and represents the theme of guilt. This lesson plan, made up of five small activities, used different educational technologies to really expand the students’ notion of “guilt” within the context of the novel.
How could teachers use the ELA activity types and technologies in their classrooms? This article would be perfect for prospective and current high school English teachers to read that are either: completely new to the idea of ELA activity types or teachers who are looking for new and exciting ways to incorporate technology into their already developed curriculum. This article provided a link that states the various ELA activity types: http://activitytypes.wmwikis.net. It also then provided a chart for each of the five ELA activity types and how teachers could incorporate various technologies into their classrooms.
Could I see myself as an English teacher incorporating these strategies? Yes, I definitely think I could incorporate some of these technological lesson plan ideas into my classroom. Of course, the amount of activity types I get to use in my classroom depends on how much access to technology the students have. Though it would be a fun activity to get students to create a digital video based on their understanding of a certain literary work, it would be impossible for them to complete if they did not have video cameras. Also, though I really liked the idea of having students collaborate with students from another school to talk about literature, that may be an unrealistic idea. Many teachers may not want to cooperate with teachers from another school, because it would force them to work with other people, and possibly change their lesson plans so that each of the classes would be reading the same text. So though it is a nice idea, I think I could only implement it if I had a friend working as a teacher at another school who would be willing to plan the activity with me way in advance. Yet the other strategies brought out in the article that dealt with free technology, like blogging, skyping and online discussion boards, I would definitely use those technologies in my classroom.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Journal 4: "Finding Students Who Learn Through Media"- NETS 3 and 5
Bull, Glenn, Alexander, Curby, & Ferster, Bill. (2010). Finding Students Who Learn Through Media. International Society for Technology in Education, 37(5), 1-4. Retrieved February 25, 2010, from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25255&DirectListComboInd=D
Summary: This article explained how student-created media can offer significant opportunities for engagement and learning. One example of a web-based authoring tool students can used is called Primary Access Movie Maker (www.primaryaccess.org) and it allows students to create short online documentary films about social studies. Besides getting students used to using media in the classroom, it is also effective from the teacher’s perspective because the teacher is able to monitor and analyze student actions throughout the entire time the students are using the media. So far more than 10,000 students worldwide have created more than 20,000 short digital documentaries using Primary Access Movie Maker, and the authors of this article hope that number will continue to grow.
What factors can affect how much a student will find completing certain assignments as engaging? The article mentions that teachers have the responsibility to identify the quality of academic work that students will find engaging. Their level of engagement could be affected by its authenticity, its alignment with student interests, its real-world importance, and the degree of student choice. Thus, every time a teacher assigns a project that involves technology, they have to recognize that some students will find the assignment easy and others may struggle just to learn how to use the technology. Also, students’ level of interest in the content of the assignment may affect their capacity to use technology. For example, students who were engaged by both content and technological media would demonstrate more critical thinking and creativity in their work than a student who didn’t find either aspect engaging.
What example cited in the article from Virginia shows the importance of budgeting class time when using technology in the classroom? The article gave the example of schools in Virginia who designate three class periods to U.S. history of the 1930s. The challenge was how do they incorporate a student-authored movie assignment (like using (www.primaryaccess.org) which would double the class time to six classes? The way that Virginia schoolteachers addressed this problem was by only requiring students to create a visual historical narrative using Primary Access Storyboard (www.primaryaccess.org/story). This proved effective because it only took a single class period and students were able to use technological media and learn about important events in history. This example shows how important it is for teachers to use technology in the classroom efficiently; do not spend too much time explaining how to use the technology that the purpose of the assignment and content information is lost. Teachers have to be constantly be aware of how they can incorporate student-authored media into a formal classroom setting without increasing the amount of class time required to complete the projects.
Summary: This article explained how student-created media can offer significant opportunities for engagement and learning. One example of a web-based authoring tool students can used is called Primary Access Movie Maker (www.primaryaccess.org) and it allows students to create short online documentary films about social studies. Besides getting students used to using media in the classroom, it is also effective from the teacher’s perspective because the teacher is able to monitor and analyze student actions throughout the entire time the students are using the media. So far more than 10,000 students worldwide have created more than 20,000 short digital documentaries using Primary Access Movie Maker, and the authors of this article hope that number will continue to grow.
What factors can affect how much a student will find completing certain assignments as engaging? The article mentions that teachers have the responsibility to identify the quality of academic work that students will find engaging. Their level of engagement could be affected by its authenticity, its alignment with student interests, its real-world importance, and the degree of student choice. Thus, every time a teacher assigns a project that involves technology, they have to recognize that some students will find the assignment easy and others may struggle just to learn how to use the technology. Also, students’ level of interest in the content of the assignment may affect their capacity to use technology. For example, students who were engaged by both content and technological media would demonstrate more critical thinking and creativity in their work than a student who didn’t find either aspect engaging.
What example cited in the article from Virginia shows the importance of budgeting class time when using technology in the classroom? The article gave the example of schools in Virginia who designate three class periods to U.S. history of the 1930s. The challenge was how do they incorporate a student-authored movie assignment (like using (www.primaryaccess.org) which would double the class time to six classes? The way that Virginia schoolteachers addressed this problem was by only requiring students to create a visual historical narrative using Primary Access Storyboard (www.primaryaccess.org/story). This proved effective because it only took a single class period and students were able to use technological media and learn about important events in history. This example shows how important it is for teachers to use technology in the classroom efficiently; do not spend too much time explaining how to use the technology that the purpose of the assignment and content information is lost. Teachers have to be constantly be aware of how they can incorporate student-authored media into a formal classroom setting without increasing the amount of class time required to complete the projects.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Classroom Newsletter- NETS 1
Classroom Newsletter KRC
For this assignment, I created a mock newsletter that I could use in my future classroom as a teacher. In making this newsletter on Microsoft Word, I created a masthead that included the date, my name, volume number and a meaningful quote surrounded by two pieces of line art. Then I wrote three articles with interesting headlines: one introducing the students to my class, one about how I will incorporate technology into the classroom and one about an extra credit writing project that students could get involved in called “NaNoRiMo”.
For this assignment, I created a mock newsletter that I could use in my future classroom as a teacher. In making this newsletter on Microsoft Word, I created a masthead that included the date, my name, volume number and a meaningful quote surrounded by two pieces of line art. Then I wrote three articles with interesting headlines: one introducing the students to my class, one about how I will incorporate technology into the classroom and one about an extra credit writing project that students could get involved in called “NaNoRiMo”.
Social Bookmarking (Delicious)- NETS 1 and 5
My Social Bookmarking (Delicious) Website: http://delicious.com/kclark99
1. The exhibit that I chose was entitled “American Women!” and it features the lives of 106 American women who had a positive impact on American history. The tour begins with a description of 11 specific American women that are deemed “unforgettable” because of their actions and personalities. Then the exhibit progresses with a description of women from different time periods, such as the colonial era, civil war era, jazz era, feminist era and modern era. This would be a very valuable resource to use in the classroom if you were teaching about women’s history or the progression of the women’s movement. This exhibit promotes an understanding of the differences between primary and secondary resources, putting an emphasis on the use of primary sources as the most reliable and scholarly information.
2. The student groups who are at risk for experiencing achievement gaps include: racial and ethnic minorities, English language learners, students with disabilities, boys/girls and students from low-income families. In the “Becoming a Culturally Competent Educator”, I enjoyed the suggestion to gather and organize resource materials related to culturally diverse groups for use by school staff. Since I would consider myself an organized person, I think it would be very easy for me to begin to gather information related to different cultures that could be used in the classroom. The second suggestion I found useful was the one about creating a community network concerned with the needs of diverse students. This network would be made up of parents, family, teachers, school administrators, minority communities and faith-based organizations from the local area of the school. I think this allows a variety of voices and perspectives to be heard in creating and implementing a culturally diverse curriculum. A third and final suggestion would be to determine the diverse groups served by your school. I think it would be very important to find out the rich cultural, linguistic, racial, and ethnic diversities that exist within the school that I am teaching in order to help out my students in the best possible way.
3. After taking the “Are You a Cyberbully?” I found out that I am a cyber saint, meaning my online behavior is exemplary. I figured that this would be the response because I have never purposely sent messages to another person on the internet or through email to hurt or torment them. I think it is a cruel joke to conceal who you are online so that you can insult someone else and I would never participate in such rude behavior. In looking at the area for teachers, the website had many helpful tips and ideas on how to prevent and handle cyberbullying at the school I will be teaching at. First, it said that teachers should have the students and parents sign a document at the beginning of the school year about acceptable computer use policy. This can be used later to prove that the student who participated in cyberbullying knew the rules of what is and is not acceptable computer use, and could be used to show that they disobeyed the clearly defined rules. Second, the school should conduct an audit of its technology uses and needs to make sure that it is being used correctly. This audit would involve the school safety officer, the school board attorney, the principal, disciplinary officer, technology lab instructors, IT department, librarian, student representative and parent representative. A final tip was to do some strategic planning in relation to your specific school environment. Make sure that all parties involved- parents, students and teachers- are aware of the rules and know that they will be enforced on the school premises.
4. Under the subject access, I picked “Literature and ELA”. This led to a website that has countless resources for high school English teachers. There were websites dedicated to specific authors, such as Chaucer and Shakespeare, along with lists of authors and their literary works. Many websites that were listed explained how to help students with their writing, especially composition theory and writing techniques. I think I would definitely use this webpage because it has links to many other websites to help English teachers with just about anything. These websites could be used to help the teacher develop lesson plans, or it could be used as a reference for students who are doing research about anything for their language arts class. Under the “Teacher Helpers” area, I enjoyed the PowerPoint presentation entitled __. This PowerPoint focused on how teachers could successfully incorporate web quests into their classroom activities. A web quest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which students use resources on the internet to answer questions or lead a discussion. This PowerPoint presentation highlighted 12 tasks that could be accomplished through web quests: retelling, compilation, mystery, journalistic, design, creative product, consensus research, persuasion, self-knowledge, analytical, judgment and scientific tasks. I think having students engage in a variety of web quests that ask them to take on different roles as a learner would really improve their knowledge of subject material and technological resources.
5. Here are my top three results from the “What’s Your Learning Style?” Multiple Intelligences quiz: 1st place was Verbal-Linguistic (100%), second place was Intrapersonal (88%) and third place was a tie between Musical and Interpersonal (81%). The video on multiple intelligences that I watched was called “Multiple Intelligences Leave No Child Behind”. I found this video very interesting because it explained the mission of one school in shaping their curriculum entirely around this idea of multiple intelligences. Their school mission is to make every student feel “smart” by having them know their area(s) of intelligence. This allows the students to become aware of their strengths and weaknesses early on so they can address their weaknesses and try to search out potential careers based on their strengths. The school also uses elective classes (called pods) and online portfolio assignments for students to showcase their specific areas of intelligence. I agree with this idea there are no “dumb” students; simply students who are stronger in different intelligences. I hope that when I am a teacher I will we able to address the needs of a variety of students according to their multiple intelligences.
6. This lesson plan is called “And Maybe I Can Change That Too” and it is intended for use in a 9-12th grade Language Arts or Social Studies class. The students were reading Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye and discussing the current impact that racism has in our modern society. One of their assignments was to write their opinion of a video they watched called “Profile of a Writer: Toni Morrison”, in which Morrison describes the connections she sees between our history of slavery and how it continues to have an effect on the black community today. Two students in particular, reacted to this video with racist viewpoints, stating that African Americans want to be in the position they are in society today, and they can’t help all the crime and divorces that are rampant in their communities. The teacher quickly stepped in to address such racist thinking by using a Socratic method of questioning. He asked the students to repeat their viewpoints, wrote them down in a chart on the board and then deconstructed their argument. Through a series of questions, the students were able to see their own racist viewpoints and correct their thinking. I found this lesson plan very helpful because I think the way the teacher handled the situation is definitely something that all teachers can imitate, regardless of what the argument is about. The best way to diffuse a heated argument is to ask students to restate their opinion, write down the main points on the board and then discuss them out loud mildly and reasonably. In time, the student(s) will begin to see the real answer or viewpoint.
7. One question was “According to a 2006 report from the American Civil Liberties Union, African Americans comprise more than 37% of people arrested for drug use, 59% of those convicted for drug use, and 74% of those sentenced to prison for drug use. African Americans comprise what percentage of U.S. drug users?” The correct answer is a mere 15%! I found this statistic ridiculous! I cannot believe that racial profiling is still so prevalent in America that African Americans are arrested, convicted and sentenced in jail when they may not even be doing drugs. This shows how skewed our justice system can be at times so that people can be targeted for crime they did not even commit simply because of their skin color. A second question I found interesting was “According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median annual income for U.S. white men, 25 years or older, who have earned graduate degrees, is $80,000. What are the median annual incomes for Latina and Native American women, 25 years or older, who have earned graduate degrees?” The answer is $50,000 and $40,000, respectively. I though to myself: why is there even a discrepancy in the first place? Since they both have graduate degrees, they should be earning the same wages despite gender or skin color. Again this shows that America is a long ways away from being fair when it comes to women, especially women of color and the job market.
8. My score on the netiquette quiz was 80% d :-o It is important to teach students about netiquette because it will enable them have more appropriate and productive conversations with people online. It will help to recognize what they are allowed to say and do over the internet so as not to offend the person that may be receiving the message. As one of the questions stated, following netiquette guidelines helps a person look good while online and also helps them to understand the technical limitations of online communication :->.
1. The exhibit that I chose was entitled “American Women!” and it features the lives of 106 American women who had a positive impact on American history. The tour begins with a description of 11 specific American women that are deemed “unforgettable” because of their actions and personalities. Then the exhibit progresses with a description of women from different time periods, such as the colonial era, civil war era, jazz era, feminist era and modern era. This would be a very valuable resource to use in the classroom if you were teaching about women’s history or the progression of the women’s movement. This exhibit promotes an understanding of the differences between primary and secondary resources, putting an emphasis on the use of primary sources as the most reliable and scholarly information.
2. The student groups who are at risk for experiencing achievement gaps include: racial and ethnic minorities, English language learners, students with disabilities, boys/girls and students from low-income families. In the “Becoming a Culturally Competent Educator”, I enjoyed the suggestion to gather and organize resource materials related to culturally diverse groups for use by school staff. Since I would consider myself an organized person, I think it would be very easy for me to begin to gather information related to different cultures that could be used in the classroom. The second suggestion I found useful was the one about creating a community network concerned with the needs of diverse students. This network would be made up of parents, family, teachers, school administrators, minority communities and faith-based organizations from the local area of the school. I think this allows a variety of voices and perspectives to be heard in creating and implementing a culturally diverse curriculum. A third and final suggestion would be to determine the diverse groups served by your school. I think it would be very important to find out the rich cultural, linguistic, racial, and ethnic diversities that exist within the school that I am teaching in order to help out my students in the best possible way.
3. After taking the “Are You a Cyberbully?” I found out that I am a cyber saint, meaning my online behavior is exemplary. I figured that this would be the response because I have never purposely sent messages to another person on the internet or through email to hurt or torment them. I think it is a cruel joke to conceal who you are online so that you can insult someone else and I would never participate in such rude behavior. In looking at the area for teachers, the website had many helpful tips and ideas on how to prevent and handle cyberbullying at the school I will be teaching at. First, it said that teachers should have the students and parents sign a document at the beginning of the school year about acceptable computer use policy. This can be used later to prove that the student who participated in cyberbullying knew the rules of what is and is not acceptable computer use, and could be used to show that they disobeyed the clearly defined rules. Second, the school should conduct an audit of its technology uses and needs to make sure that it is being used correctly. This audit would involve the school safety officer, the school board attorney, the principal, disciplinary officer, technology lab instructors, IT department, librarian, student representative and parent representative. A final tip was to do some strategic planning in relation to your specific school environment. Make sure that all parties involved- parents, students and teachers- are aware of the rules and know that they will be enforced on the school premises.
4. Under the subject access, I picked “Literature and ELA”. This led to a website that has countless resources for high school English teachers. There were websites dedicated to specific authors, such as Chaucer and Shakespeare, along with lists of authors and their literary works. Many websites that were listed explained how to help students with their writing, especially composition theory and writing techniques. I think I would definitely use this webpage because it has links to many other websites to help English teachers with just about anything. These websites could be used to help the teacher develop lesson plans, or it could be used as a reference for students who are doing research about anything for their language arts class. Under the “Teacher Helpers” area, I enjoyed the PowerPoint presentation entitled __. This PowerPoint focused on how teachers could successfully incorporate web quests into their classroom activities. A web quest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which students use resources on the internet to answer questions or lead a discussion. This PowerPoint presentation highlighted 12 tasks that could be accomplished through web quests: retelling, compilation, mystery, journalistic, design, creative product, consensus research, persuasion, self-knowledge, analytical, judgment and scientific tasks. I think having students engage in a variety of web quests that ask them to take on different roles as a learner would really improve their knowledge of subject material and technological resources.
5. Here are my top three results from the “What’s Your Learning Style?” Multiple Intelligences quiz: 1st place was Verbal-Linguistic (100%), second place was Intrapersonal (88%) and third place was a tie between Musical and Interpersonal (81%). The video on multiple intelligences that I watched was called “Multiple Intelligences Leave No Child Behind”. I found this video very interesting because it explained the mission of one school in shaping their curriculum entirely around this idea of multiple intelligences. Their school mission is to make every student feel “smart” by having them know their area(s) of intelligence. This allows the students to become aware of their strengths and weaknesses early on so they can address their weaknesses and try to search out potential careers based on their strengths. The school also uses elective classes (called pods) and online portfolio assignments for students to showcase their specific areas of intelligence. I agree with this idea there are no “dumb” students; simply students who are stronger in different intelligences. I hope that when I am a teacher I will we able to address the needs of a variety of students according to their multiple intelligences.
6. This lesson plan is called “And Maybe I Can Change That Too” and it is intended for use in a 9-12th grade Language Arts or Social Studies class. The students were reading Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye and discussing the current impact that racism has in our modern society. One of their assignments was to write their opinion of a video they watched called “Profile of a Writer: Toni Morrison”, in which Morrison describes the connections she sees between our history of slavery and how it continues to have an effect on the black community today. Two students in particular, reacted to this video with racist viewpoints, stating that African Americans want to be in the position they are in society today, and they can’t help all the crime and divorces that are rampant in their communities. The teacher quickly stepped in to address such racist thinking by using a Socratic method of questioning. He asked the students to repeat their viewpoints, wrote them down in a chart on the board and then deconstructed their argument. Through a series of questions, the students were able to see their own racist viewpoints and correct their thinking. I found this lesson plan very helpful because I think the way the teacher handled the situation is definitely something that all teachers can imitate, regardless of what the argument is about. The best way to diffuse a heated argument is to ask students to restate their opinion, write down the main points on the board and then discuss them out loud mildly and reasonably. In time, the student(s) will begin to see the real answer or viewpoint.
7. One question was “According to a 2006 report from the American Civil Liberties Union, African Americans comprise more than 37% of people arrested for drug use, 59% of those convicted for drug use, and 74% of those sentenced to prison for drug use. African Americans comprise what percentage of U.S. drug users?” The correct answer is a mere 15%! I found this statistic ridiculous! I cannot believe that racial profiling is still so prevalent in America that African Americans are arrested, convicted and sentenced in jail when they may not even be doing drugs. This shows how skewed our justice system can be at times so that people can be targeted for crime they did not even commit simply because of their skin color. A second question I found interesting was “According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median annual income for U.S. white men, 25 years or older, who have earned graduate degrees, is $80,000. What are the median annual incomes for Latina and Native American women, 25 years or older, who have earned graduate degrees?” The answer is $50,000 and $40,000, respectively. I though to myself: why is there even a discrepancy in the first place? Since they both have graduate degrees, they should be earning the same wages despite gender or skin color. Again this shows that America is a long ways away from being fair when it comes to women, especially women of color and the job market.
8. My score on the netiquette quiz was 80% d :-o It is important to teach students about netiquette because it will enable them have more appropriate and productive conversations with people online. It will help to recognize what they are allowed to say and do over the internet so as not to offend the person that may be receiving the message. As one of the questions stated, following netiquette guidelines helps a person look good while online and also helps them to understand the technical limitations of online communication :->.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Journal 3: Keeping the Peace- NETS 3 and 5
Levinson, Matt. (2010). Keeping the Peace. International Society for Technology in Education, 37(5), 1-4. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25237&DirectListComboInd=D
Summary: This article related a controversy that occurred at Nueva Middle School in Hillsborough, California. The students were given laptops from the school that they could use for their classroom assignments and projects. Yet these laptops were also equipped with iChat so students were able to instant message their friends and socialize on their laptops too. This caused an issue because many parents thought their children were doing too much socializing and not enough research and homework assignments off their school laptops. Many of the parents felt they could not control their child’s usage of the iChat once they got home and so they wanted the school to get rid of the software. However, other parents said that they should keep the iChat because it is just is like watching TV or using video games or Internet browsing. Basically, they believed it is the responsibility of the parent to teach their children how best to use these tools. So each parent should set ground rules about how they can use the IM at their houses, not have the school block iChat for every student. The school eventually decided to block iChat because from the school's perspective, the academic purpose of the laptops had disappeared into a vortex of social networking.
Why is a “boot camp”, as described in the end of the article, necessary for students in order to use their laptops with IChat?
This boot camp enables students to become more proficient in the correct usage of their laptops. A three mini-workshop program teaches the students how to physically care for their laptops, what the guidelines are for correct usage and explains the ethics related to technology. Also, by having technology educators come and speak to the students about extensive possibilities of media, it enables students to feel like they can creatively express themselves through technological means.
What lesson can be learned from this article regarding communication?
Obviously this was a sticky situation for the Nueva Middle School to be in. On the one hand, school administrators and staff wanted to provide these laptops with iChat so that students could become more technologically savvy and use such technologies to complete their schoolwork. However, many parents were upset by the “socializing” that was done through these computers. The school handled the situation very well though, by getting teacher, parent and student input on the situation. After listening to everyone’s viewpoints, the school then made a decision about what to do. Thus communication between all three parties involved- parents, teachers and students- enabled the school to rectify the situation. The lesson that can be learned is that communication is important to settle issues and to keep peace and unity within the school environment.
Summary: This article related a controversy that occurred at Nueva Middle School in Hillsborough, California. The students were given laptops from the school that they could use for their classroom assignments and projects. Yet these laptops were also equipped with iChat so students were able to instant message their friends and socialize on their laptops too. This caused an issue because many parents thought their children were doing too much socializing and not enough research and homework assignments off their school laptops. Many of the parents felt they could not control their child’s usage of the iChat once they got home and so they wanted the school to get rid of the software. However, other parents said that they should keep the iChat because it is just is like watching TV or using video games or Internet browsing. Basically, they believed it is the responsibility of the parent to teach their children how best to use these tools. So each parent should set ground rules about how they can use the IM at their houses, not have the school block iChat for every student. The school eventually decided to block iChat because from the school's perspective, the academic purpose of the laptops had disappeared into a vortex of social networking.
Why is a “boot camp”, as described in the end of the article, necessary for students in order to use their laptops with IChat?
This boot camp enables students to become more proficient in the correct usage of their laptops. A three mini-workshop program teaches the students how to physically care for their laptops, what the guidelines are for correct usage and explains the ethics related to technology. Also, by having technology educators come and speak to the students about extensive possibilities of media, it enables students to feel like they can creatively express themselves through technological means.
What lesson can be learned from this article regarding communication?
Obviously this was a sticky situation for the Nueva Middle School to be in. On the one hand, school administrators and staff wanted to provide these laptops with iChat so that students could become more technologically savvy and use such technologies to complete their schoolwork. However, many parents were upset by the “socializing” that was done through these computers. The school handled the situation very well though, by getting teacher, parent and student input on the situation. After listening to everyone’s viewpoints, the school then made a decision about what to do. Thus communication between all three parties involved- parents, teachers and students- enabled the school to rectify the situation. The lesson that can be learned is that communication is important to settle issues and to keep peace and unity within the school environment.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Journal 2: Using Podcasts to Develop a Global Perspective- NETS 3 and 5
Maguth, B. M., & Elliott, J. (2010). Using Podcasts to Develop a Global Perspective. International Society for Technology in Education, 37(5) pg 1-2. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25244&DirectListComboInd=D
Summary: This article, co-written by a doctoral student at Ohio State University and a high school social studies teacher, explains a project that was conducted in an actual high school in Columbus, Ohio. The assignment was that students were supposed to moderate and record a debate on a global issue using a Meet the Press format, in which personalities holding different views exchange their ideas. One group of students chose the issue of climate change, and so they researched different people’s perspectives on the issue. Their research included the views of politicians, world leaders, CEO’s, scientists and authors. Then they wrote a script of questions and predicted responses as if those people were actually a part of a real news panel on climate change. The last step was recording their scripts, creating the podcast and then putting it on the school's social studies homepage.
What are the benefits of using podcasts in the classroom? There are many benefits to using podcasts in the classroom. First of all, it tests student’s knowledge of technology and challenges them to work cooperatively with their peers to create a finalized product. Students who have never used such technology before have the opportunity to try it out, and those that have are able to become more proficient in their usage. A second benefit is that after the podcast is posted to the school website, it allows the parents to see their child’s work and academic growth. Also, other teachers, school staff members and community members are able to observe the student’s learning and personal involvement in understanding complex global issues. A third benefit is that it allows the students to feel like what they accomplish as assignments in the classroom can actually affect the outside world. Others may see their project and feel motivated to act in regards to global problems. A fourth and final benefit to using podcasts in the classroom is that it allows students to feel a sense of pride and satisfaction in their work. Knowing that they worked so hard on something and then having it displayed in their community and the global society can give them such a sense of joy and fulfillment.
How could teachers use podcasts in their classrooms?
I think teachers could create interdisciplinary projects using podcasts that incorporate many of the different school subjects a student might be taking. For example, the English, Science and Technology teachers at a high school could cooperate to make a project using podcasts that involves scientific writing and technology. This project would apply to all three classes in different ways, and would receive grades on different components according to their subject area. This would allow the students to see the connection between different subjects and how their comprehensive knowledge of many subjects can be used to create a final product.
Summary: This article, co-written by a doctoral student at Ohio State University and a high school social studies teacher, explains a project that was conducted in an actual high school in Columbus, Ohio. The assignment was that students were supposed to moderate and record a debate on a global issue using a Meet the Press format, in which personalities holding different views exchange their ideas. One group of students chose the issue of climate change, and so they researched different people’s perspectives on the issue. Their research included the views of politicians, world leaders, CEO’s, scientists and authors. Then they wrote a script of questions and predicted responses as if those people were actually a part of a real news panel on climate change. The last step was recording their scripts, creating the podcast and then putting it on the school's social studies homepage.
What are the benefits of using podcasts in the classroom? There are many benefits to using podcasts in the classroom. First of all, it tests student’s knowledge of technology and challenges them to work cooperatively with their peers to create a finalized product. Students who have never used such technology before have the opportunity to try it out, and those that have are able to become more proficient in their usage. A second benefit is that after the podcast is posted to the school website, it allows the parents to see their child’s work and academic growth. Also, other teachers, school staff members and community members are able to observe the student’s learning and personal involvement in understanding complex global issues. A third benefit is that it allows the students to feel like what they accomplish as assignments in the classroom can actually affect the outside world. Others may see their project and feel motivated to act in regards to global problems. A fourth and final benefit to using podcasts in the classroom is that it allows students to feel a sense of pride and satisfaction in their work. Knowing that they worked so hard on something and then having it displayed in their community and the global society can give them such a sense of joy and fulfillment.
How could teachers use podcasts in their classrooms?
I think teachers could create interdisciplinary projects using podcasts that incorporate many of the different school subjects a student might be taking. For example, the English, Science and Technology teachers at a high school could cooperate to make a project using podcasts that involves scientific writing and technology. This project would apply to all three classes in different ways, and would receive grades on different components according to their subject area. This would allow the students to see the connection between different subjects and how their comprehensive knowledge of many subjects can be used to create a final product.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Journal 1: "Computing in the Clouds"- NETS 3 and 5
Johnson, Doug. (2009).Computing in the Clouds. International Society for Technology in Education, 37(4), pg. 1-7. Retrieved February 3, 2010, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume3720092010/DecemberJanuaryNo4/Computing_in_the_Clouds.htm
In this article, the author Doug Johnson explains this new phenomenon of “cloud computing”. Cloud computing is based on sharing computing resources rather than having local servers so a person can access their work on any computer at any time. Cloud computing eliminates the stress of having to save your document that you are working on to a flash drive or sending it as an attachment to yourself in an email. The author discusses how cloud computing could be used in schools and what the benefits of using cloud computing might be. He introduces the many types of documents or tasks that can be accomplished using cloud computing, such as email, web searching, word processing, photo editing and storage and school specific tasks. Towards the end of the article, Johnson addresses the frequently asked questions that people may have about using such a new technological resource and what his predictions are about its future usage in the educational system.
Is cloud computing something that schools with a limited budget could use in the classroom? Yes, the author definitely advocates the usage of cloud computing for schools struggling with financial difficulties. Throughout the article, Johnson was pushing the idea that it would be more cost efficient for schools to use cloud computing. I don’t know if I necessarily agree with his viewpoint because extra expenses would be involved in making the switch to cloud computing (such as training workshops teaching teachers on how to use it effectively or requiring parents to provide a $250 net book computer for their child, etc). Johnson may like using it, but there is no guarantee that teachers or students will find it more useful than having hard copies of work.
Is this something I could see myself using as a future educator? Well, I am always a little distrustful of putting my information out there on the internet or cyberspace because I am always concerned with who may or may not have access to it. However, I have to admit it would be nice not to have to bring my USB key with me everywhere to save my work, or to be able to access whatever I am working on at the moment on any computer. So I think I may use cloud computing when I am a teacher in a limited amount by having web-based grade books that I can access anywhere. However, cloud computing would not take the place of my old-fashioned tangible copy of the grade book, just in case the computer does decide to flip out or crash or something. I tend to be skeptical about keeping all my files solely on the computer, so I would probably use a combination of cloud computing and hardcopies of important files and documents.
In this article, the author Doug Johnson explains this new phenomenon of “cloud computing”. Cloud computing is based on sharing computing resources rather than having local servers so a person can access their work on any computer at any time. Cloud computing eliminates the stress of having to save your document that you are working on to a flash drive or sending it as an attachment to yourself in an email. The author discusses how cloud computing could be used in schools and what the benefits of using cloud computing might be. He introduces the many types of documents or tasks that can be accomplished using cloud computing, such as email, web searching, word processing, photo editing and storage and school specific tasks. Towards the end of the article, Johnson addresses the frequently asked questions that people may have about using such a new technological resource and what his predictions are about its future usage in the educational system.
Is cloud computing something that schools with a limited budget could use in the classroom? Yes, the author definitely advocates the usage of cloud computing for schools struggling with financial difficulties. Throughout the article, Johnson was pushing the idea that it would be more cost efficient for schools to use cloud computing. I don’t know if I necessarily agree with his viewpoint because extra expenses would be involved in making the switch to cloud computing (such as training workshops teaching teachers on how to use it effectively or requiring parents to provide a $250 net book computer for their child, etc). Johnson may like using it, but there is no guarantee that teachers or students will find it more useful than having hard copies of work.
Is this something I could see myself using as a future educator? Well, I am always a little distrustful of putting my information out there on the internet or cyberspace because I am always concerned with who may or may not have access to it. However, I have to admit it would be nice not to have to bring my USB key with me everywhere to save my work, or to be able to access whatever I am working on at the moment on any computer. So I think I may use cloud computing when I am a teacher in a limited amount by having web-based grade books that I can access anywhere. However, cloud computing would not take the place of my old-fashioned tangible copy of the grade book, just in case the computer does decide to flip out or crash or something. I tend to be skeptical about keeping all my files solely on the computer, so I would probably use a combination of cloud computing and hardcopies of important files and documents.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Kaitlin's Intro Letter
My name is Kaitlin Clark and though I have moved around a lot in my life, I would consider myself a California native. I was born in Riverside, CA and then moved to Visalia, CA when I was 2 years old. I only lived there until I was 4 though, because then my family and I moved to Olympia, Washington. In Olympia was where I attended 2 different elementary schools (Peter G. Schmitt Elementary for kindergarten and MClane Elementary for 1st and part of 5th grade). Then I moved to Vista, CA for my last half of 5th grade. I have remained in Vista until now, so I attended Guajome Park Academy charter school for middle school and high school, then got my A.A at Palomar, and now I'm currently a senior at CSUSM.
I would definitely say that I have been using different types of technology my whole life. I am PC person at present, but after this semester I might convert :) Thankfully the middle school and high school that I had was very unique in that they offered a lot of technology classes as electives and we had various computer labs on campus that we could use. It was in middle school and high school that I learned to use Powerpoint very proficiently and other office programs semi-proficiently haha. Currently I am using the newest edition of Microsoft Office at my house, but I really don't care which one I use. Lastly, I would consider myself a person who is pretty dependent on technology. For example, I will not leave my house without my cell phone, even if it makes me 5 minutes late to class, I will turn the car around and drive back to get it. Oh and I also love to play wii, dvr my favorite shows and mess around on facebook, so yes I would say that I like technology.
After reading the CSUSM/COE Mission Statement, the part that stands out to me the most is the promotion of life-long learning. I think that this is frequently neglected or overlooked in schools; teachers often encourage their students to just complete "busy" work without persuading them to learn for enjoyment. Students need to see the value of learning in order to enjoy doing it. In order for that to happen, I firmly believe that teachers have to have a personal love of learning themselves before they can expect their students to do so. Learning is therefore an ongoing process in which both students and teachers are exchanging knowledge and disseminating information, instead of just a figure head at the front of the classroom lecturing to students about what they "need" to know. I believe that lifelong learning is promoted when teachers are the instigators of discussion instead of the sole lecturer of "essential" information. So I think I will enjoy entering the CSUSM credential program in which this type of life long learning is promoted.
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