Blog Post #11

I will admit that I don’t know all that much about Excel. I used to, back when I took a computer class in High School, but that knowledge is long gone now. Because of this, I really enjoyed working on this week’s assignment in Excel. I think that learning skills to use Excel are important because it is a program that is capable of so much if you only know how to utilize it correctly. Relearning aspects of Excel this week really showed me how useful it could be in a classroom as long as I know what I am doing. I still have a lot to learn about the different functions it offers.

Through reading my classmates’ blogs, I discovered some interesting new forms of technology and skills that go along with it that I think would be beneficial to learn so that one day I might be able to implement them in the classroom. One such example is a website called Commtechlab, which provides teachers with many different resources to help get their students involved in the classroom. There are links to virtual field trips, ideas for group projects, ways to make research fun, etc. Another technology I would like to learn how to use are Smartboards. I remember some of my teachers having them in middle and high school, but they were never quite sure how to use them.  I think that Smartboards could be a great addition to any classroom, as long as you know what you are doing. I am sure there is a multitude of other technology-based resources available for me to use and I can’t wait to start the search to find them to use in my classroom!

I have many goals for my future as an educator and technology plays into a large majority of them. I don’t know for sure what technology in the classroom will look like in two years from now so I’m just going to go off what is available to use as of right now. I am definitely planning to use PowerPoint (what teacher-to-be isn’t?) as my go to form of technology, but I also plan to incorporate the document camera and overhead projector into my lessons. Some goals that I have for myself in terms of implementing technology are discovering new programs that I can use that will be fun for my students, incorporating educational computer games into their class time, and getting better at the technology I understand now (i.e. Excel).

Blogs I commented on:

https://jmi13b.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/blog-11/comment-page-1/#comment-13

https://mrc142015.wordpress.com/2015/03/23/module-9/comment-page-1/#comment-26

Blog Post #10

I plan to use flash cards to help my students learn their vocabulary words for the week, as well as a way to help them practice their math skills, such as multiplication tables. Flash cards are super convenient to use and very efficient in quickly becoming familiar with new material. After they become familiar with the information, I could have them play games on the computer that incorporate the information they just learned in a fun way so that they remember it better. Once they know the material pretty well, I could give them worksheets that make them apply the knowledge they just learned.

An interesting web-based resource that I will probably use when teaching is YouTube. YouTube has gobs of fun videos that I can use in the classroom to supplement material such as learning the names of all the planets, the different states of matter, how to remember your multiplication tables, how to tell time, etc. in ways that engage the students and get them excited to learn. Here is a link to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/

A nice thing about YouTube is that it is very easy to use and that my students could even watch videos on their own at home and then talk about it the next day in class. With how much technology has progressed from when I was in elementary school, I can only imagine what will be available for my students to use.

I plan to use Excel and programs like it in my future as a teacher. I think that it would be a great tool to use to keep grades organized and easy to calculate averages in upper level grades, such as tenth and eleventh, but it will also be advantageous in the lower level grades, such as third and fourth, when keeping track of data for science projects, who brought what school supplies, attendance, Microsoft Office Word will be helpful to use when planning lesson plans because it will be easy to organize and make small changes year to year. Programs like Diigo will help me organize any articles, ideas, etc. that I find online and want to look back at later.

I really enjoyed doing the assignment last week on PowerPoint. I enjoyed learning new skills and new ways to utilize PowerPoint. I think that knowing how to create a non-linear PowerPoint is a valuable skill as an educator because it allows you to create jeopardy games, interactive story quizzes, and much more for your students. It opens the door to a whole new way to engage your students while teaching them a lesson. I could improve on it next time by venturing more into the complex aspects of non-linear PowerPoints instead of just sticking to the basics.

Blogs I commented on:

https://wordpress.com/read/blog/id/82860287/

https://rachelsinclair4.wordpress.com/2015/03/29/blog-10/comment-page-1/#comment-39

Blog Post #9

PowerPoint is by far the most commonly used presentation software in K-12 classrooms. It is the most efficient way to present information to students in a way that is interesting for them to learn. Some advantages include that it is easy to create and use slides to relay your message in a colorful, eye-catching way, it is easy to include other visual aids such as graphs, charts, etc. in your presentation, and it is an easier method of presenting the material than using handouts, posters, etc. Some disadvantages are that it requires a computer and projector with screen, the presenter tends to put more effort into the presentation than the message itself, and it can be an easy way to present your information on the slides rather than having to explain it in person.

The podcast described the digital divide as a “term used to discuss the gap between people who do and do not have access to technology”, especially in regards to students. I have always been on the uphill side of the digital divide. I remember having computers and projector screens in elementary school and then document cameras in middle and high school. I always had access to a computer at home and now, in college I have my own laptop to use, as well as access to a bunch of desktop computers in the library on campus. Depending on where I end up working, I think the digital divide could either greatly impact my future classroom or not affect it at all. If I end up working in a rural or inner city school, I will have to be conscious of my students’ access to computers when assigning homework because some of them might not have the same access that say students in urban or suburban schools in more affluent areas might have. I plan to address this issue by finding out in the beginning of the year who does and doesn’t have computer access so that I can plan computer lab days accordingly to work on projects.

My biggest concern with our society’s growing dependence on technology in the classrooms is the affect that it has on the digital divide. For schools that are split between poorer and more well students, it may be hard to figure out which of your students have access to a computer at home and which don’t. I find this an interesting issue because it can greatly change the dynamic of any classroom. Instead of switching over completely to technology-based resources for homework and projects, teachers will have to factor more computer lab time into their daily schedules in order to accommodate all of their students. Although necessary, this creates a setback in the advancements that we have made in the field of technology in regards to education.

Blogs I commented on this week:

https://tlc14c.wordpress.com/2015/03/20/the-digital-divide/comment-page-1/#comment-29

https://matthuettel.wordpress.com/2015/03/18/post-7/comment-page-1/#comment-10

Blog Post #8

Powerpoint can be used in a variety of ways to support student learning at each knowledge dimension in a particular lesson. You can add transitions between slides to keep the presentation interesting. You can target the Factual Knowledge dimension by incorporating flow charts and tables into your presentation. They will serve to organize the information in a way they makes it easier to remember. Varying colors and fonts that highlight important information within the lesson while downplaying the less relevant text is an example of the Conceptual Knowledge dimension because it ensures that your students are getting the main point of your lesson and taking away the most important information.

In the podcast, “Adaptive Technologies”, adaptive technologies are described as technologies that help people with disabilities more effectively use computers and computer related equipment. They are used to support learners by meeting any needs that they may have and acting as a tool to make up the difference. For examples, someone who is blind may have a special computer that downloads textbooks and then reads the content to the person. For someone who is deaf, they might have a script of the teacher’s lesson for the day so that they can follow along. When I was in second grade, I had a classmate who was mostly blind and had a special desk that allowed her to read the textbooks in a larger font. I want to be prepared for any students needing adaptive technologies in my classrooms so I intend to read up on any disabilities so that I won’t have to face any challenges.

I thought that the WebQuest assignment was a lot of fun to make! It took a while to get a hang of the website generator that I used (Wix), but I really enjoyed being able to create a lesson plan by being creative and making the lesson fun and interesting for the (potential) students. I really liked being able to make the lesson appeal to the students. I could improve my finished product in the future by reading up on the intricacies/advanced tools that Wix has to offer so that I can get the most out of my WebQuest in the future. I learned about a new tool that I can use to create a fun lesson for my students in the future.

Blogs I commented on:

https://devind828.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/module-7/

https://tlc14c.wordpress.com/2015/02/21/web-hunt-i-thought-you-said-egg-hunt/comment-page-1/#comment-22

Blog Post #7

I think that it would be very useful to maintain a course web site as a teacher, especially in this day and age where the internet has become a primary source of communication. I think that the ability for parents to be able to keep up with what is happening in the classroom via a class blog or website would be a nice touch to any classroom. I definitely think that keeping up with a course web site/blog as a teach would be worth putting the effort in.

I searched for ‘web 2.0 tools’ on Google and was astounded with how many I found. One that I ound particularly interesting was Educlipper (https://educlipper.net/main.html). Sometimes called the “Pinterest of education”, this tool allows both teachers and students to create a digital portfolio of websites, pictures, videos, blogs, etc. that they like and keep them in one convenient place. It seems like a pretty nifty tool to keep all of your ideas together and organized in one place.

I think that the web 2.0 programs mentioned in the podcast (diigo, wiki, etc.) would be extremely beneficial in K-12 education (more so in the upper grades) because it engages the students in a way that the old-fashioned work sheets and diagrams can’t. Technology has become an integral part of our society and the younger generation is growing up using it. Smart phones and touch screen computers are the norm for them. By utilizing resources that they are familiar with and enjoy, educators are better able to get their attention and keep it. I think that all of the web 2.0 programs mentioned in the podcast would make great resources for students because they are interactive, safe, and fun to use. I also think they would support teacher development because they allow the teacher to discover new ways to cover old material and help them grow as an educator.

From working on the Web Evaluation assignment last week I learned the importance of evaluating web sites before showing them to your students. Making sure that anything on the web is age-appropriate, relevant to what you are teaching, and accurate is very important when the people you are sharing the information with are young, impressionable children. Most of already know this, but I had never put it into practice before, so the activity was a great way to practice it. I will absolutely use what I learned teaching in the future because it serves as a great tool to finalize resources for lesson plans.

Blogs I commented on:

https://se11b.wordpress.com/

https://wordpress.com/read/blog/id/82860287/

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Blog Post #6

I envision using technology such as blogging and Twitter in the future as resources both for my students and for myself. Because technology is so user friendly these days and the youth have practically grown up on it, it is very easy for them to search for and locate information on the internet. I will make sure to give them the proper tools they need to check and make sure that the website is credible before using it. I can also utilize the internet to maintain and further develop my own skills as a teacher by checking out other teachers’ blogs and learning from them.

Part of being a responsible parent or teacher in this day and age is teaching your children and students about the importance of using the Internet correctly and in an appropriate manner. Because using the Internet is so common these days, it is becoming easier to put information on the Internet. This information is not always credible like that you would find in a textbook or published magazine article but it does not have to be checked to make sure it is correct. An important aspect of using the Internet for school or research is knowing how to check to make sure the websites you are using are credible. Some ways that we can check websites are by verifying their :

1. currency, or how recently the webpage has been updated
2. authority, whether it is noted who made the website
3. accuracy, seeing if they provide references to back up their information
4. objectivity, making sure the information is factual and not based on opinions
5. relevance, making sure the content is age appropriate

Some new skills I acquired from working on last week’s assignment, the Web Hunt, include knowledge of how to narrow my internet searches, ways to look for a specific file type, and knowing how to only search certain data bases. I definitely learned a lot from the assignment and I will definitely try to incorporate the skills that I learned into my Internet searches in the future in order to maximize my results while minimizing the time it takes to get those results. I can also teach my students some basic tips on how to effectively use a search engine.

Blogs I commented on:

https://wordpress.com/read/blog/id/82723871/

https://wordpress.com/read/blog/id/82860287/

Blog Post #5

There are other ways that I might be able to use web-based resources in the classroom to support student learning. For example, I could use web sites that offer the following:

• virtual musems
• online newspapers that offer current and past information
• successful science projects or experiments to give the kids ideas
• educational games
• webquests
• Math equation calculator

Websites that offer the above give students a more engaging way to research what were once boring topics and require kids to be creative and imaginative when it comes to school work.

I think that using the Internet to support my own research and the research of my students is a great tool to take advantage of. The Internet contains a vast amount of information that is relatively easy to access if you know how to look for it. Knowing different ways to search for topics in a search engine is immensely helpful when trying to find the answers to your questions. Using the Internet to facilitate research is almost always helpful. It can, however, occasionally complicate the process. For examples, some websites that are suitable for teenagers to use are too mature for young kids to be looking at. There are also sites that enable the public to publish information on them and some of the information may be wrong. On the other hand, the Internet offers a vast majority of information that is hard to find anywhere else, especially in a way that is as easily accessible.

In the past, my go to method for searching for Internet-based resources for use in my school has always consisted of Googling a few keywords or phrases about the question I am trying to find the answer to. I have never been particularly concerned with citing where I found the information unless the assignment I was working on required that we do so. I did not even know that such a things as Creative Commons existed and that some people want their information used and shared while others require you to obtain permission. I have not used any of the information I have found in my searches word for word and claimed it as my own, but rather just as a point of reference to give me ideas about what to write about or how to answer questions. Now that I know about Creative Commons licensing and the difference between that and other licenses I will strive to be more careful in giving credit to my sources when using the Internet to do my research.

Blogs that I commented on:

• https://wordpress.com/read/blog/id/82584123/
• https://wordpress.com/read/blog/id/83282101/

Blog Post #4

The website that I am writing a visual critique of is http://www.longlostbrand.com/. The website that I am using justified the type well, limited text colors to black and white so it was very easy to read, consistently used the same type styles, had a good balance of text and graphics by incorporating photos and a video, addressed their target audience really well, and was well laid out so it was very user friendly. I think that visual tools can support student learning by playing to something that students are interested in:technology. Because their generation has grown up with technology, they are incredibly comfortable with using power points, web sites, interactive games, etc. as vehicles of learning. They probably even learn better that way.

By listening to the podcast about open content and open sources I was introduced to an idea that I had never given much thought to before but really like the sound of it. I think that have a stock pile of free worksheets, lesson plans, strategies, etc. to pull from that other teachers have come up with and tried out and are willing to share with each other is a great idea. I think that it creates a community for teachers that enables them to feel like they’re more apart of the same group. I think that both open content and open sourcing are important for educators because it allows them to focus more on the content and less on the means to get it. I know that a lot of times teachers have to pay for things (that the school may deem unnecesary) out of pocket so they might be less likely to find really good material if there is something similar and cheaper. I would definitely both use and contribute as much as I could to open content and open source software (at least with feedback about how it works). I think that it is a great idea.

From working on this week’s assignment in the program Inspiration 9, I gained an insight into another program that I can use to create handouts for my students that are easy to read but also incorporate a lot of information. I really liked the program because it was pretty easy to use and it was also a lot different than any program I had used before. I also really liked how easy it was to customize the colors, fonts, etc. of each new box that was added on to the diagram. The only thing that I didn’t like is that I don’t think I would use it that much because to me it is just as easy to write things out and plan them out on paper. I can improve my experience working with the program next time by having a topic in mind that I need to plan out. I definitely think that I will use this program in the future to create worksheets and handouts for my students.

Blogs I commented on:

https://devind828.wordpress.com/

https://se11b.wordpress.com/

Blog Post #3

As a student, beginning in middle school, throughout high school, and continuing on through college, I have used Microsoft Office Word in a variety of ways to compliment my studies. Microsoft Office Word gives you the power to create. I have written countless essays, papers, poems, book reports, summaries, etc. for class assignments. MS Office gives me a way to express myself. I’ve seen my teachers use MS Word as a medium to send home newsletters, pass out assignments, give quizzes, etc. Chapter 9 gave me some new ways that I can incorporate MS Word into my lesson plans in an effort to better engage my students in the content I am trying to teach. It talks about using tables to organize the information you’re trying to present, incorporating links to websites to expand on what you’re trying to get across, and as a way to effectively communicate what you’re trying to say.

Much like the speaker on the podcast, I too didn’t realized that by posting pictures from the internet or embedding popular songs into presentation for your students you are violating basic copyright laws. I always just figured that anything on the internet was fair game unless it specifically told you to credit the creator. When I was in high school, I had teachers make copies of books for us to use or distribute copy righted materials in other ways. After hearing the podcast, I understand better the importance of crediting people with their work, even if it is just for educational purposes. Otherwise it is like you are saying it is your own. I plan on dealing with these topics as a teacher by giving a lecture on the topic at the beginning of the year like the speaker did and by incorporating the idea into a project. I think that it is a good lesson to learn, especially early in life.

• Make sure you print screen your assignment and post an image of it.

The skills I acquired from working on this week’s assignment in Microsoft Office World will be very helpful when it comes around to me having my own class. I was able to play around with Word and create a newsletter. It’ll just be really nice to have these skills later on down the road. The only think that I didn’t like about it is that there is definitely a learning curve. I am going to have to put in a lot more time if I want my newsletters to look like the examples I pulled up on the internet. Other than that though, i feel like this was a pretty beneficial assignment. Next time I will improve on making all my text boxes flow more by working on the borders. I think that all the skills I just learned will definitely be useful in the future to create engaging worksheets for my students.

Blogs I commented on:

https://devind828.wordpress.com/

https://tlc14c.wordpress.com/