Finding the Right Tool
When I become a teacher, I will most likely be teaching high school English or history. When I was searching for new ways that I could use technology in my classroom, I found a website created by Shelley Vernon that explains multiple ways that teachers can use technology. One of these ways that we have not discussed in EDM 310 is the use of a "Wiki". A wikispace is a site that you can sign in and interact with your students, and they can contribute their knowledge to the site as well. A wiki is different from a blog because it is refreshed every time someone edits is, and instead of getting longer, you only keep the current updates in your project. At www.wikispaces.com a K-12 teacher can create a free space at the moment if the space is public. I could use this tool to create class discussions about a novel we read or on a certain time in history, and I could post links that the whole class could see and comment on.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Blog Assignment #6
The Networked Student
Wendy Drexler’s video The Networked Student is about a new way that students can learn in the 21st century. Instead of a regular class where the students use books, and teachers lecture every day, Wendy Drexler is showing us a completely different style learning. The students only meet three days a week and the rest is done online. Ms. Drexler’s main focus for her class is connectivism by using tools of technology to connect with others.
The teacher encourages the students to take control of their learning and to make new connections with others around the world to strengthen their learning process. The teacher teaches the students the correct way to access and validate information for its creditably. The video explains how the student uses blogs, Google scholar, and podcasts to deliver and receive information.
I can see why this would be a great experience for students to broaden their knowledge of learning, and in some classes I think it is a great idea, but I am more of a hands-on person. I would prefer to be in a class with my teacher, and as a teacher, I would rather be in the class with my students. I feel like it is important to create community in the classroom, and I also think that it is more beneficial for the students if they can interact with their teachers face to face. One of the main reasons why I chose to become a teacher is because I created bonds with certain teachers at my high school, and they inspired me because they truly loved their jobs. These are also some of the reasons that I believe it is important to have a teacher in the classroom. A teacher is there to help guide students and inspire them as well (especially in K-12), and in my opinion a student cannot get that over the internet.
A 7th Grader's PLE
![”Symbaloo”]( "”google")
After watching the video A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN)I decided to go to Symbaloo and create an account for myself! It is really helpful, and it makes everything more organized. Now all of the websites I use for school of for pleasure are just a click away with Symbaloo. This 7th grader's PLE resembles my PLN from EDM 310. Ours are both growing and becoming more detailed.
Wendy Drexler’s video The Networked Student is about a new way that students can learn in the 21st century. Instead of a regular class where the students use books, and teachers lecture every day, Wendy Drexler is showing us a completely different style learning. The students only meet three days a week and the rest is done online. Ms. Drexler’s main focus for her class is connectivism by using tools of technology to connect with others.
The teacher encourages the students to take control of their learning and to make new connections with others around the world to strengthen their learning process. The teacher teaches the students the correct way to access and validate information for its creditably. The video explains how the student uses blogs, Google scholar, and podcasts to deliver and receive information.
I can see why this would be a great experience for students to broaden their knowledge of learning, and in some classes I think it is a great idea, but I am more of a hands-on person. I would prefer to be in a class with my teacher, and as a teacher, I would rather be in the class with my students. I feel like it is important to create community in the classroom, and I also think that it is more beneficial for the students if they can interact with their teachers face to face. One of the main reasons why I chose to become a teacher is because I created bonds with certain teachers at my high school, and they inspired me because they truly loved their jobs. These are also some of the reasons that I believe it is important to have a teacher in the classroom. A teacher is there to help guide students and inspire them as well (especially in K-12), and in my opinion a student cannot get that over the internet.
A 7th Grader's PLE
After watching the video A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN)I decided to go to Symbaloo and create an account for myself! It is really helpful, and it makes everything more organized. Now all of the websites I use for school of for pleasure are just a click away with Symbaloo. This 7th grader's PLE resembles my PLN from EDM 310. Ours are both growing and becoming more detailed.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Blog Assignment #5
Building My Dream School!
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Krissy Venosdale's blog on If I Built A School explains what she would do if someone gave her the opportunity to build her own school however she wanted, and she didn't have to pay anything. She went on the explain how she would create her dream school, and she told about all of the special features that her school would have.
Mrs. Venosdale had many great ideas, but if I could build my own school, I would do things a lot different!
I am from a very small town, and the local high school is old and run-down. The town does not have the money to make changes to the school, and they cannot afford to get smart-boards or anything like that. Therefore, if I had the money to build my dream school, I would build it for my home town. The new school would have plenty of classrooms, and there would be enough money to be able to hire more teacher so the classrooms would not be over-crowded. Each classroom would also be equipped with its own smart-board, and all of the students would be provided with their own Mac-books.There would also be a several different types of classes that students could choose to attend based on their interests. I would build a huge library inside the school, and a huge auditorium for programs and for drama classes. Everything in the school would be brand new, and it would also have an amazing lunchroom with good cooks. Because I am going to become a coach, I would also build all new sports venues that were awesome, and build a new weight-room.
Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir
Jennifer Chamber’s post about the virtual choir was awesome. I did not know that was even possible. None of the singers had ever met with the conductor or the other singers, and everything was done online. It’s amazing to me how they were able to combine all of videos together and make such beautiful music. This shows how much technology has developed!
Teaching in the 21st Century
Kevin Robert’s video on teaching in the 21st century was very interesting. He says that teachers are useless if they only provide students with content, facts, dates, and information then they are obsolete. He says that students can get all of that from Google. He thinks that teachers should focus their curriculum on skills instead of learning facts and content. I am not sure if I agree with him 100%. I think that it is important to incorporate learning the skills of using new technology into the students curriculum, but I also think that as teachers we should be careful to find a balance between the old and the new.
Flipping The Classroom
Flipping the classroom could be a great way to change things up. I think that using this method will benefit students on every learning level. Flipping the classroom also promotes hands-on learning for the students. Katie Gimbar explains the concepts of this method of teaching in her video Why I Flipped My Classroom.
I would consider doing this with my class, but the only problem is that I am going to be an Englins and literature teacher, and I think it will be a lot harder to use if I am teaching literature. Letting the students learn at their own pace and the teacher going from group to group is fine in a math class, but in a literature class, I would have to discuss the readings with the class as a whole. I am not sure how I could apply this method while teaching literature, but I would be willing to try different ways.
Krissy Venosdale's blog on If I Built A School explains what she would do if someone gave her the opportunity to build her own school however she wanted, and she didn't have to pay anything. She went on the explain how she would create her dream school, and she told about all of the special features that her school would have.
Mrs. Venosdale had many great ideas, but if I could build my own school, I would do things a lot different!
I am from a very small town, and the local high school is old and run-down. The town does not have the money to make changes to the school, and they cannot afford to get smart-boards or anything like that. Therefore, if I had the money to build my dream school, I would build it for my home town. The new school would have plenty of classrooms, and there would be enough money to be able to hire more teacher so the classrooms would not be over-crowded. Each classroom would also be equipped with its own smart-board, and all of the students would be provided with their own Mac-books.There would also be a several different types of classes that students could choose to attend based on their interests. I would build a huge library inside the school, and a huge auditorium for programs and for drama classes. Everything in the school would be brand new, and it would also have an amazing lunchroom with good cooks. Because I am going to become a coach, I would also build all new sports venues that were awesome, and build a new weight-room.
Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir
Jennifer Chamber’s post about the virtual choir was awesome. I did not know that was even possible. None of the singers had ever met with the conductor or the other singers, and everything was done online. It’s amazing to me how they were able to combine all of videos together and make such beautiful music. This shows how much technology has developed!
Teaching in the 21st Century
Kevin Robert’s video on teaching in the 21st century was very interesting. He says that teachers are useless if they only provide students with content, facts, dates, and information then they are obsolete. He says that students can get all of that from Google. He thinks that teachers should focus their curriculum on skills instead of learning facts and content. I am not sure if I agree with him 100%. I think that it is important to incorporate learning the skills of using new technology into the students curriculum, but I also think that as teachers we should be careful to find a balance between the old and the new.
Flipping The Classroom
Flipping the classroom could be a great way to change things up. I think that using this method will benefit students on every learning level. Flipping the classroom also promotes hands-on learning for the students. Katie Gimbar explains the concepts of this method of teaching in her video Why I Flipped My Classroom.
I would consider doing this with my class, but the only problem is that I am going to be an Englins and literature teacher, and I think it will be a lot harder to use if I am teaching literature. Letting the students learn at their own pace and the teacher going from group to group is fine in a math class, but in a literature class, I would have to discuss the readings with the class as a whole. I am not sure how I could apply this method while teaching literature, but I would be willing to try different ways.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
C4T Project #3
Teacher Blog Post #1
Beth's Thoughts on Technology in the Classroom Organization is Half the Battle…
On January 13, 2013, Ms. Beth Knittle posted on her blog about the importance of teachers learning how to organize their files on computers where they will be able to find them in the future. The shift from using all paper to mostly using computers is a big change for most of the older teachers, and they will not know how to keep all of their files in order on the computer. I agreed with Ms. Knittle because I feel like the future of educational instruction and filing will all be web-based. I also explained to Ms. Knittle that I felt like new teachers will have an advantage over the older ones because we have been around computers more and have grown up learning how to use them.
Teacher Blog Post #2
Know, Understand, Believe
On January 1, 2013, Ms. Knittle made a post about how people misunderstand the way theories work, and how people do not know the difference between a theory and the fact. She makes the point that one uses reasoning when they make a theory, and just because they guess what may happen in the future, does not mean that they have to believe that it will. I believe that she proves her point! One may believe one thing but still be able to understand the reasoning behind a theory that completely contradicts his or her belief. For example, I am a Christian, and I do not believe in evolution, but I still see how some people may choose to make theories about the evolution process.
Beth's Thoughts on Technology in the Classroom Organization is Half the Battle…
On January 13, 2013, Ms. Beth Knittle posted on her blog about the importance of teachers learning how to organize their files on computers where they will be able to find them in the future. The shift from using all paper to mostly using computers is a big change for most of the older teachers, and they will not know how to keep all of their files in order on the computer. I agreed with Ms. Knittle because I feel like the future of educational instruction and filing will all be web-based. I also explained to Ms. Knittle that I felt like new teachers will have an advantage over the older ones because we have been around computers more and have grown up learning how to use them.
Teacher Blog Post #2
Know, Understand, Believe
On January 1, 2013, Ms. Knittle made a post about how people misunderstand the way theories work, and how people do not know the difference between a theory and the fact. She makes the point that one uses reasoning when they make a theory, and just because they guess what may happen in the future, does not mean that they have to believe that it will. I believe that she proves her point! One may believe one thing but still be able to understand the reasoning behind a theory that completely contradicts his or her belief. For example, I am a Christian, and I do not believe in evolution, but I still see how some people may choose to make theories about the evolution process.
Blog Assignment #4
Judy Scharf Podcast Collection
This is a very informational link from Judy Scharf. It explains exactly what a podcast is, and for someone who is new to pod-casting, it is very helpful! Ms. Scharf even provides a link to a video that shows how to create a podcast. She also has several tips for teachers who are going to be teaching their students how to podcast, and she has even created a detailed scheduled that teachers may choose to follow while teaching students about pod-casting. This is a perfect guideline for teachers to use if they are interested in teaching their students how to podcast.
Langwitches - Podcasting With 1st Grade
Another informational link about pod-casting is called Langwitches- podcasting with 1st grade. This link explains how helpful pod-casting can be for the students. Podcasting is a great way to spark the interest of your students! It helps them to become more hands-on, and they learn how to use important skills that they will need in their life like listening, speaking, and presenting. It also creates classroom community, and she tells how even the shy students become more confident.
The Beneļ¬ts of Podcasting in the Classroom
This next link is from Mr. Dale, and he explains the benefits of using podcasting in the classroom. One of the most important reasons why I think podcasting benefits the students is that it provides an opportunity for project based learning. This way of learning forces the students to have to really put themselves out there and learn on their own. Podcasting lets the students be more creative, and it also lets the students be able to share their work with others around the world.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Special Blog Post #1
* Compare population of India, China, and the Unite States.
What is the population of India?
*1.21 billion people
What is the population of the United States?
*309 million people
What is the population of China?
*1.35 billion people
* Compare unemployment rates of India, China, and the United States.
What is the unemployment rate of India?
*4.4%
What is the unemployment rate of the United States?
*9.6%
What is the unemployment rate of China?
*4.3%
* Compare the average life expectancy of people in India, China, and the United States.
What is the average life expectancy of people in India?
*69.9 years
What is the average life expectancy of people in the United States?
*78.1 years
What is the average life expectancy of people in China?
*73.5 years
Wolfram Alpha
The website Wolfram Alpha can be a very helpful tool for students to use. It is a knowledge engine that computes answers and provides knowledge. This website allows the student to type in a question, and it will answer it directly instead of giving a long list of documents or web pages that may have the answer. This can really help students who are trying to research a topic.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
Gary Hayes has created an amazing app that shows how much technology is growing by the second. His Social Media Count lets one be able to literally view the growth of social media and see how fast it is happening. I was shocked to see how technology has taken over the lives of people in the world.
Because I am going to become a teacher in the near future, I will have to be able to keep up with technology and its changes. This will be a hard task, because my job is to help students become prepared for their future, but technology is changing so fast that everything may be different in five years. However, I will have to keep up the best I can and make sure that my students are provided with all the technological skills possible.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Blog Assignment #3
Peer Editing
Before viewing the video What is Peer Editing? and the slide show Peer Edit With Perfection Tutorial, I thought I would try to avoid using peer editing as much as I could when I became a teacher. I hated peer editing when I was in high school because I always felt like I was hurting someone's feelings, and I was always nervous when someone else would read my work. I also felt like my teachers would always use peer editing as a sort of embarrassing scare tactic to get the students to do the work. For example,"Tomorrow we will be doing peer editing, and if you don't have your work or if you did a bad job, then the whole class will know." However, now I realize that peer editing can really benefit not only the students but also the teacher as well. When done correctly, peer editing helps create classroom community. The students learn how to interact with each other and how to give and take constructive criticism. Peer editing also saves the teacher a lot of time with helping each student on their work.
This is the first time that I have ever had a teacher focus on teaching the class how to properly peer edit others. Teachers in the past have always expected us to already know how to do it. I believe that getting the students to understand the proper way to peer edit is crucial in order to get positive results. The teacher needs to make sure that the students know to stick to the three main rules-complimenting, suggesting, and correcting.
Assistive Technologies
Before watching Assistive Technologies for Vision and Hearing Impaired Children, I had never thought about the possibility of having to teach students that are blind or deaf. If I have to in the future, I would be sure to do my best and make all the preparations necessary to give them the best learning environment possible. Children with these disabilities are at a major disadvantage when it comes to being in a classroom trying to learn. Thankfully, technology makes it much easier for these students and their teachers.
Technology is supposed to make everyone's life easier, but sometimes the creators of the new machines forget about the people who are blind or deaf, however the creators of the iPad have not. After watching the video iPad Usage For the Blind , one can see that the iPad is one of the few machines that now have special features for the blind. This is a huge step for someone who is blind, because they have never before been able to use things like the iPad. Another machine that is changing the lives of blind people is The Mountbatten, which helps them learn math. With technology advancing as fast as it is, hopefully new machines will continue to be created to make learning for the deaf and blind much easier.
Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
The video Harness Your Students’ Digital Smarts really proved to me how important using technology in the class room is. I am from a very small town and we do not have the funding that most schools do, and I never thought my school would be able to have all of the computer equipment so I could teach my students using technology. Now, I see that the woman in the video,Vicki Davis, is also from a small town too, and she has started this whole new way of teaching.
Ms. Davis reminds me of the way my teacher, Mr. Strange, likes to treat his students. She does not feel like it is necessary to teach the students everything, but instead let them figure it out on their own. From first hand experience I know that this is a very effective way of teaching, because it forces the student to take action and really try to figure out how to solve their own problems, and once they do that, the student is less likely to forget what they have learned. Even though it is harder on the students, I think that more teachers should use this type of teaching.
Before viewing the video What is Peer Editing? and the slide show Peer Edit With Perfection Tutorial, I thought I would try to avoid using peer editing as much as I could when I became a teacher. I hated peer editing when I was in high school because I always felt like I was hurting someone's feelings, and I was always nervous when someone else would read my work. I also felt like my teachers would always use peer editing as a sort of embarrassing scare tactic to get the students to do the work. For example,"Tomorrow we will be doing peer editing, and if you don't have your work or if you did a bad job, then the whole class will know." However, now I realize that peer editing can really benefit not only the students but also the teacher as well. When done correctly, peer editing helps create classroom community. The students learn how to interact with each other and how to give and take constructive criticism. Peer editing also saves the teacher a lot of time with helping each student on their work.
This is the first time that I have ever had a teacher focus on teaching the class how to properly peer edit others. Teachers in the past have always expected us to already know how to do it. I believe that getting the students to understand the proper way to peer edit is crucial in order to get positive results. The teacher needs to make sure that the students know to stick to the three main rules-complimenting, suggesting, and correcting.
Assistive Technologies
Before watching Assistive Technologies for Vision and Hearing Impaired Children, I had never thought about the possibility of having to teach students that are blind or deaf. If I have to in the future, I would be sure to do my best and make all the preparations necessary to give them the best learning environment possible. Children with these disabilities are at a major disadvantage when it comes to being in a classroom trying to learn. Thankfully, technology makes it much easier for these students and their teachers.
Technology is supposed to make everyone's life easier, but sometimes the creators of the new machines forget about the people who are blind or deaf, however the creators of the iPad have not. After watching the video iPad Usage For the Blind , one can see that the iPad is one of the few machines that now have special features for the blind. This is a huge step for someone who is blind, because they have never before been able to use things like the iPad. Another machine that is changing the lives of blind people is The Mountbatten, which helps them learn math. With technology advancing as fast as it is, hopefully new machines will continue to be created to make learning for the deaf and blind much easier.
Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
The video Harness Your Students’ Digital Smarts really proved to me how important using technology in the class room is. I am from a very small town and we do not have the funding that most schools do, and I never thought my school would be able to have all of the computer equipment so I could teach my students using technology. Now, I see that the woman in the video,Vicki Davis, is also from a small town too, and she has started this whole new way of teaching.
Ms. Davis reminds me of the way my teacher, Mr. Strange, likes to treat his students. She does not feel like it is necessary to teach the students everything, but instead let them figure it out on their own. From first hand experience I know that this is a very effective way of teaching, because it forces the student to take action and really try to figure out how to solve their own problems, and once they do that, the student is less likely to forget what they have learned. Even though it is harder on the students, I think that more teachers should use this type of teaching.
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